“Other” Class Notes

Frances Keene (Educ ’02) has been appointed to the newly created role of chief of operations for several units within the division of student affairs at Virginia Tech. She will support associate vice president for student affairs Frank Shushok Jr. in a broad range of activities, including project management and financial and strategic planning for dining services, housing and residence life, career services, fraternity and sorority life and student conduct.

Lindsay Barna (Col ’02 L/M) and Marcus Holmes (Col ’02 L/M) welcomed their first child, Maximilian, in October 2011. The family resides in New York City, where Ms. Barna is an attorney at Sullivan & Worcester and Mr. Holmes is a professor at Fordham University.

Lindsay Rose Hunter (Col ’97) and her husband, Kevin, welcomed their second son, Holt Robertson, on April 4, 2012. The family resides in Austin, Texas, where Ms. Hunter is an architect.

Suzanne Gannon (Col ’89 L/M) had her first book, In the Garden, published by Melcher Media. The book includes Ms. Gannon’s essays alongside photography by Stacy Bass.

Amanda Schultz Lonergan (Col ’98 L/M) and her husband, Sam, welcomed their third child, Avery Rose, on Jan. 26, 2012. Avery joins a brother, Caden, 6; and a sister, Scarlett, 3. The family resides in New Jersey.

Kathleen Donohue (Grad ’89, ’94) had a book, Liberty and Justice for All?: Rethinking Politics in Cold War America, published by the University of Massachusetts Press.

J. Hagood Tighe (Col ’87 L/M) was honored as one of the “50 Most Influential People for 2011” by Greater Columbia Business Monthly Magazine for his work as board chairman of the Central Carolina Community Foundation. Mr. Tighe was also selected for inclusion in this year’s South Carolina Super Lawyers. Mr. Tighe is a partner in the Columbia, S.C., office of Fisher & Phillips.

Mark Scharf (Grad ’84 L/M) was recently named playwright-in-residence by the Twin Beach Players, which has commissioned Mr. Scharf to write a stage adaptation of Frankenstein.

David Kamp (Arch ’78 L/M) of Dirtworks PC received the 2012 Honor Award, given by the New York chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, for developing an outdoor setting for the Life Enrichment Center in Kings Mountain, N.C.

Michael F. Wenz Jr. (Engr ’75, ’77 L/M) retired from the U.S. Navy’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program on Dec. 31, 2011. At the time of his retirement, Mr. Wenz was head of the Submarine Operating Reactors Branch of the Reactor Engineering Division, responsible for the safe and reliable operation of the 72 nuclear reactors powering the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet. In recognition of his service, Mr. Wenz received the Department of the Navy Superior Public Service Award, as well as the National Nuclear Security Administration Silver Medal for Distinguished Service in the National Security of the United States, the NNSA’s second-highest internal award. Adm. Hyman G. Rickover selected Mr. Wenz in 1977 as a nuclear engineer on the Naval Reactors headquarters staff, where he served for more than 34 years.

Barry Sulkin (Col ’75) was named conservationist of the year by the Wild South’s Roosevelt-Ashe Society. Mr. Sulkin is director of Tennessee Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. The society cited his role in the “direct preservation of numerous acres of land and wetlands, miles of streams, and even a giant cave in Tennessee.”

John M. Bowers (Grad ’73, ’78) published his sixth book, An Introduction to the “Gawain” Poet, with University Press of Florida. He also received the University of Nevada Las Vegas Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award for 2012. His chapter “The Naughty Bits” appears in a collection celebrating the 70th birthday of Monty Python’s Terry Jones.

John Dienelt (Col ’65 L/M) was named one of Franchise Times magazine’s “Legal Eagles” for 2012.

Al Cash (Col ’59 L/M) spent his career in private education, including positions as head of Lower School at Norfolk Academy and headmaster at Athens Academy, the Lovett School and Episcopal High School of Jacksonville, Fla. He retired to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. He recently published an e-book, The Snows of Rugby Road, which features a cover photo by U.Va. photographer Dan Addison.

Amara Franko Heller (Col ’97) and her husband, Jason, share an acupuncture practice and teach Chinese martial arts in Harrisonburg, Va., where they have lived for the past four years. They welcomed a daughter, Vera Magdalena, in August 2010.

John E. Whitfield (Col ’77, Law ’81) spoke at the April 17, 2012, White House forum, “The State of Legal Assistance.” Mr. Whitfield is the executive director of Blue Ridge Legal Services, the legal aid society serving the Shenandoah and Roanoke valleys of Virginia. He was one of six directors to participate in a panel discussion at the forum, chosen from among the 135 organizations nationally that receive federal funding through the Legal Services Corporation, which co-sponsored the event with the White House. The forum examined the state of civil legal assistance for low-income Americans. Mr. Whitfield began working at Blue Ridge Legal Services as a law student at the University. He has been the organization’s executive director since 1989.

Dabney Edwards Graney (Col ’01 L/M) and Patrick C. Graney IV (Col ’00, GSBA ’07 L/M) welcomed a son, Charles Chapman, on Nov. 11, 2011.

Cameron Zaboji (Com ’08, ’09) married Kevin Zdancewicz (Col ’08) at Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Va., on Sept. 17, 2011. The couple currently resides in Oakton, Va., where Ms. Zaboji works as an accountant and Mr. Zdancewicz works as an information technology consultant.

Kathryn Mary Torzewski (Engr ’07) married Andrew Collier Forch (Com ’07 L/M) on May 29, 2011, at King Family Vineyards in Crozet, Va. The couple honeymooned in Brazil and resides in San Francisco. Ms. Forch works in manufacturing for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. Mr. Forch is a former investment banking analyst for Greenhill & Co. and is currently the co-founder of Huckberry.

Megan Fanale (Com ’06, Law ’11) married John Engel (Law ’08) on Sept. 24, 2011, in Leesburg, Va. Mr. Engel is the son of Richard Engel (Law ’77) and Brenda Farr Engel (Law ’78). The couple resides in Washington, D.C.

Steve Farrar (Com ’77 L/M) was recognized by the 2012 South Carolina Super Lawyers. He is an attorney in the business litigation group of Smith Moore Leatherwood.

David Scott Thompson (Com ’01 L/M) and Lauren MacIvor Thompson (Col ’03 L/M) welcomed their first child, Virginia Gail, on Feb. 18, 2012. The family resides in Atlanta.

Daniel Loftin Carlile (Col ’01 L/M) and Stephanie Nicole Carlile (Col ’00) welcomed their first child, Piper Jennifer, on Jan. 6, 2012. The family resides in Williamsburg, Va.

Anne-Marie Angelo (Col ’01 L/M) received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring from the Duke University Graduate School on March 29, 2012. The award is presented annually to two Ph.D. students. Ms. Angelo is a candidate for a doctorate in history at Duke.

Stefan Duma (Engr ’00), head of the department of biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, was named the Harry Wyatt Professor of Engineering.

Katie McGinty Botha (Col ’99) is senior director of development and communications at Special Olympics Virginia’s statewide headquarters in Richmond. Signature events include an annual tennis invitational held at the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville each January.

Evan Macbeth (Col ’97 L/M) was elected chair of the Loudoun County Democratic Committee in January 2012. He had previously served as the chair of the Leesburg district and has been active in local Democratic politics since moving to Leesburg in 2006.

Marlene Hall (Col ’96 L/M) is assistant director of the Heroes to Hometowns program at the American Legion in Washington, D.C. She connects wounded service members and veterans to resources that help them make a successful transition back to civilian life.

Carolyn White (Col ’89 L/M) has been selected to the 2012 Class of “Influential Women of Virginia,” a recognition sponsored by Virginia Lawyers Media. Ms. White’s practice focuses exclusively in the areas of estate planning, long-term care planning, probate and elder law. Ms. White is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation.

Robert F. Redmond Jr. (Col ’83 L/M) received the Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Pro Bono Award from the Virginia State Bar on March 26, 2012. In 2005, Mr. Redmond established a monthly legal clinic to assist with the specific legal needs of Hispanic immigrants. The clinic now takes place twice a month, in conjunction with the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and serves about 360 clients per year. Mr. Redmond’s efforts also extend to the legislative area. He helped form the Virginia Employers for Sensible Immigration Policy, which works to ensure that legislation aimed at illegal immigration does not harm the state’s business reputation. Mr. Redmond is a partner at Williams Mullen and is the chair of its products liability and mass tort group.

Jonathan J. Rusch (Grad ’78, Law ’80) received the Director General’s Commendation from the United Kingdom’s Serious Organised Crime Agency. Mr. Rusch is a deputy chief in the fraud section at the U.S. Department of Justice. The commendation is in recognition of his service as co-chair of the International Mass-Marketing Fraud Working Group, a multinational law enforcement body dedicated to improving international cooperation and coordination in combating all types of mass marketing fraud.

Robert L. Fuller (Grad ’94) had a book, “Phantom of Fear”: The Banking Crisis of 1933, published by McFarland last fall, and another, The Origins of the French Nationalist Movement, 1886-1914, published in April 2012.

Gary Allen Kriebel (Engr ’91 L/M) and Gretchen Blankenship Kriebel (Col ’98 L/M) relocated to Charlottesville in 2011 with their sons, Colin and Devin. Mr. Kriebel is a project manager with Silverchair Information Systems and Ms. Kriebel is a risk analyst with CFA Institute.

Kurt Rozelsky (Col ’90 L/M) was recognized by the 2012 South Carolina Super Lawyers. He is an attorney in the transportation and maritime group of Smith Moore Leatherwood.

Stan Twardy Jr. (Law ’76 L/M) is managing partner of the Day Pitney law firm.

Michael Perfater (Col ’69 L/M) retired May 1, 2011, from VDOT’s Virginia Transportation Research Council after more than 44 years of service. He spent the last four years of his tenure there as the acting director of research operations, wherein he oversaw VDOT’s program of research in the Commonwealth. He lives with his wife, Cindy, in the Ivy area of Albemarle County, Va.

Olyvia Rebeccah Christley (Col ’11 L/M) married Matthew Scott Moran (Col ’11 L/M) on Nov. 11, 2011, in Washington, D.C. They had a second ceremony and reception Nov. 12, 2011, at the Kyle House in Fincastle, Va. The couple resides in Roanoke, Va., where Ms. Christley is a district representative for U.S. Rep. Bob Goodlatte and Mr. Moran is managing the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith.

Hayley Soltesz (Col ’08 L/M) married Karl Blunden (Col ’08 L/M) on Oct. 22, 2011 in Charlottesville. The wedding party included Megan Blunden (Col ’10, Educ ’11 L/M), Adam Bozeman (Col ’08 L/M), Kristina Frey (Col ’08 L/M), Emily Fried (Col ’08), Danielle Geanacopoulos (Col ’08), Jen Huppe (Engr ’08 L/M), Ryan Kang (Col ’08), Rachel Logan (Col ’08, Educ ’09 L/M), Mike Rehorn (Engr ’07, Med ’14) and Rick Sherwood (Com ’08 L/M).  The couple lives in New York, where Ms. Blunden is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration at Columbia Business School and Mr. Blunden works in high yield research at Goldman Sachs.

Melissa DeMott (Col ’08, Educ ’08) married Jeremy Branch (Col ’07) at Berry Hill Plantation in South Boston, Va., on June 20, 2008. The wedding party included Jeff Megee (Col ’07) as the best man, Robert Cox (Col ’06) as a groomsman, Amanda Long (Col ’07) as the maid of honor and Zella Page Bowden (Col ’07) as a bridesmaid. In true Wahoo spirit, they sang “The Good Ole Song” during their reception, along with 30 of their fellow alumni.  Additionally, the couple welcomed their first child, Jeremiah Branch, on Feb. 1, 2012. The couple resides in Richmond, Va.

Michael Brinn (Engr ’03) and Devon Breithaupt Brinn (Col ’03) welcomed their second son, Hadden Andrew, on Dec. 11, 2011. Hadden joins a brother, Connell. The family resides in Falls Church, Va.

Richard M. Wallace (Col ’02 L/M) is a member of Spilman Thomas & Battle. Mr. Wallace practices in Spilman’s Charleston, W.Va., office and focuses his practice on labor and employment law, with a particular emphasis on traditional labor law and complex civil litigation defense.

Bryce Hines Powell (Arch ’02, ’08) and Meredith Rhodes Powell (Col ’03, Educ ’06 L/M) welcomed their first child, Thomas Atkins, on Nov. 20, 2011.

Courtney Judd Mallon (Col ’02 L/M) and her husband, Christopher, welcomed their first child, Lilly Ryan, on Feb. 1, 2012. The family resides in New Providence, N.J.

Amy Caruso Brown (Col ’02 L/M) welcomed a son, Finn Thomas, on Feb. 17, 2012. Finn is the grandson of Thomas Glenn Brown (Col ’70 L/M). The family resides in Denver, where Dr. Amy Brown is a fellow in pediatric hematology/oncology.

Anne Cornelison Murphy (Col ’01 L/M) and Conor Murphy (Col ’00, GSBA ’08 L/M) welcomed their first child, Ava Cadbury, on Feb. 3, 2012. The family resides in Dallas, where Mr. Murphy works in mergers and acquisitions for AT&T and Ms. Murphy is a fundraiser for a local private school.

Lawrence Cutalo (Col ’01 L/M) married Adelaide Riggi on July 16, 2011, at Bonnet Island Estate in Long Beach Island, N.J.

Jennifer Hoffman (Educ ’99) and her husband, Joel, welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth Grace, “Ellie,” on Nov. 8, 2011.

Courtney Caprio (Col ’99, Law ’04 L/M) is a senior associate in the entertainment group of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in Miami.

Dennis Glendenning (Grad ’93) joined Blue Chip Consulting Group as a principal consultant. Mr. Glendenning lives with his wife and three children in Cleveland.

Preston Green (Col ’89 L/M) co-authored an education policy brief titled “Chartering Equity: Using Charter School Legislation and Policy to Advance Equal Educational Opportunity” for the National Education Policy Center. The Huffington Post featured his brief. Mr. Green is the Batschelet chaired professor of educational administration and professor of education and law at Penn State.