“Other” Class Notes

Shae Garwood (Com ’96) co-edited a book, Lessons for Social Change in the Global Economy: Voices from the Field, published by Lexington Books. Ms. Garwood is a researcher interested in civil society and transnational politics, gender, labor and social change. She resides in Perth, Australia.

L. Mason (Engr ’92, Engr ’94 CM) retired from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence as the first assistant director of national intelligence for systems and resource analyses. In that capacity, he served as the principal adviser to the director of national intelligence for all matters pertaining to intelligence requirements, operations research, cost analyses, resource decisions and program evaluation. He received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal for his work. Mr. Mason is now senior vice president for national security and intelligence at Noblis.

Melanie Nix (Col ’91 CM) is a health advocate and speaker who addresses myriad groups and organizations about surviving triple negative breast cancer and overcoming obstacles. She is the co-founder of Breast Cancer Comfort Site, a robust resource of lessons and guidance for breast cancer patients and survivors, and was recently a featured cancer survivor in the American Association for Cancer Research campaign for National Cancer Research month. Ms. Nix is also a member of the advisory panel on patient engagement for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.

Aline Kalbian (Grad ’90, Grad ’96) published Sex, Violence, and Justice: Contraception and the Catholic Church with Georgetown University Press. The book outlines the Roman Catholic Church’s position against artificial contraception as principally rooted in three biblical commandments and shows how discourses in sexuality, both in the church and in culture, are often tied to discourses of violence, harm and social injustice. Ms. Kalbian is a professor in the department of religion at Florida State University.

Christopher D. Kniesler (CLAS 1978) (L/M) was recently appointed as Communications Specialist for the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority. The Authority issues tax-exempt and low-interest bonds for hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, visting nurse associations and blood banks. The bonds are issured for hospital acquisitions, building expansions and equipment purchases.

William Oetgen (Col ’05, Res ’15 CM) and William John Oetgen (Col ’05, Res ’15 L/M) welcomed their first child, a daughter, Eleanor McCabe, on April 26, 2014. The family resides in Charlottesville, where Dr. Oetgen is a resident physician at UVA Hospital and Ms. Oetgen is an elementary school teacher.

Steven Harvey (Grad ’89) will retire after 38 years of teaching English at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Ga. He is the author of three books of essays, including Bound for Shady Grove, and will continue to teach as a founding faculty member in the low-residency master of fine arts program in creative writing at Ashland University in Ohio. His essay “The Book of Knowledge” was selected by author Cheryl Strayed for inclusion in The Best American Essays 2013.

Rick Mercier (Col ’88) was recently named communications manager for the town of Garner, N.C. Previously, he served as the town’s first full-time public information officer. His work has won numerous statewide awards for print, electronic and video communications projects. Before joining the town staff, Mr. Mercier served as editor of the Clayton News-Star, was a stringer covering North Carolina for Agence France-Presse and was a news editor and columnist for the Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Va., among other papers. His work has been distributed via the Associated Press, Knight-Ridder/Tribune and Pacific News Service.

Frank Williams (Com ’87 CM) was named to Greenville Business Magazine’s 2014 “Legal Elite” list in the areas of corporate law and mergers and acquisitions. An attorney with Smith Moore Leatherwood in Greenville, S.C., he was previously the practice area leader for the firm’s business practice group. Mr. Williams’ practice covers a range of commercial transactions, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and lending.

Mark Rivers (Col ’86 CM) has been elected a new shareholder by Lowe Enterprises, a vertically integrated national real estate development, investment and management firm. Mr. Rivers is senior vice president and managing director of Lowe Real Estate Group’s Washington, D.C., metro operations.

Kevin Ohlson (Law ’85 CM) was nominated by President Obama, and recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate, to serve as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. He previously served as chief of staff and counselor to the U.S. Attorney General. Judge Ohlson lives with his wife and two children in northern Virginia.

Gwendolyn Perkins (Col ’85 CM) was named a 2013-14 School Bell Award recipient by the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals in recognition of her work in education. She is an assistant principal in Richmond, Va.

Robert Elliott (Med ’84, Res ’86 CM) was recently installed as president of the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians. Previously, he served as president-elect of the organization. During his year as president, Dr. Elliott will also serve on the academy’s executive committee. Dr. Elliott is a partner in the practice of Staunton River Family Physicians in Hurt, Va., serves as president of MD-Resource and is a clinical assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Virginia Health System. He resides on his family’s farm at Marysville, Va.

Ethan Allison (Col ’84 CM) is a pilot for Delta Airlines and recently transitioned to the Boeing 737, flying as a first officer domiciled in Atlanta. He resides in Summerville, S.C.

Jeff Oleynik (Law ’83 CM), a partner in the Greensboro, N.C., office of Brooks Pierce, serves as the current president of the Law Firm Alliance, an international network of midsized law firms dedicated to providing legal clients access to high-quality and cost-effective legal services.