Class Notes

Heather Wishart-Smith (Engr ’96, ’98) was elected to the board of directors of Orion Energy Systems, which provides energy efficiency and clean tech solutions, including LED lighting and electric vehicle charging. Wishart-Smith is also on the board of Group PMX, a private program and construction management company, and facilitates partnering sessions for large construction projects with GCC, LLC. Wishart-Smith was elected to the National Academy of Construction in 2022, and earned her National Academy of Corporate Directors Directorship Certification this year. She is a Fellow of the Society of American Military Engineers, for which she served as national President in 2020, and a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Keller Smith and children Glory, Nick, and Alexandra.

Chloe Downs (Col ’17 CM)  married Jonathan Colen (Engr ’18 CM) on September 16, 2023, in the garden of Pavilion I at UVA. In attendance were a number of alumni, including in the wedding parties Tyler Curran (Col ’19, Educ ’20), Katherine McCool (Engr ’19 CM), Andrew Coffee (Engr ’18 CM), Brittany Huffman (Col ’18 CM), Anna LeValley (Col ’17 CM), Ritika Bhat (Col ’17 CM), Erika Rashka (Engr ’18), and Caelan Ryberg (Engr ’18). Chloe and Jon are living in Hampton, Virginia, where Chloe works at NASA Langley and Jon is about to begin working as a research professor at Old Dominion University.

James R. Talbot Jr., Capt. USN (Ret) (Col ’53 CM) privately published the Talbot family history, covering the period from Jared Talbot, who landed in Taunton, Massachusetts, in about 1660 to C. Scott Talbot (Eng ’81, Law ’87) and Zachary B. Talbot (Col ’16 CM).

P. Burks Echols III (Col ’85 CM) and Ann Carter “Boo” Refo Echols (Col ’86 CM) celebrated the graduation of their daughter M. Carter Echols (Com ’22 CM) from the McIntire School of Commerce in May 2022 and look forward to celebrating the graduation of their daughter Sarah B. Echols (Col ’24) from the College of Arts and Sciences in May 2024.  The family – including June W. Echols (Educ ’73  CM) and Porter “Pete” B. Echols, Jr. (Col ’55, Med ‘58 CM) – gathered for a photo with their collection of UVA diplomas in July of 2022.  Sarah held the Medical School diploma that was earned by her great grandfather, Porter B. Echols, Sr (Med 1925) as a marker until she earns her diploma in May 2024.

Robert W Kantner (Col ’77) has retired from private practice law in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from the University with a B.A. in Government and Foreign Affairs with Honors, Kantner attended and graduated from Harvard Law School. He then moved to Dallas where he worked as a trial lawyer specializing in commercial and intellectual property cases and tried 36 cases to a verdict as first chair. Kantner was a partner in the BakerBotts, DLA Piper and Jones Day law. He now enjoys spending time with his three grandchildren and writing family histories for them. 

Anne Marie Seibel (Col ’94 CM) is serving as chair of the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section for the 2023-24 bar year.  She and her husband, Steven Rowe (Col ’94 CM), chief scientific officer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, live in Birmingham, Alabama.

Christina Polenta (Com ’09 CM) and Eric Magenheimer (Com ’09 CM) welcomed their second child, Luke Thomas Magenheimer, in June 2023. The family lives in Oakton, Virginia. 

Nayna Agrawal (Col ’98) has had plays staged this year at the Signature Theatre in Washington, D.C., the Great Plains Theater Conference in Omaha, Nebraska and the Studio Tenn Theatre Company in Nashville, Tennessee . She also received Kuma Kahua Theatre’s annual playwright award. The Theatre is based in Hawaii and, in addition to a monetary award, offers the winning playwright the opportunity to have their work staged.

Patricia (Anyaso) Sasser (Col ’99 CM) was selected to be a Fulbright Specialist for a tenure of three years (2023-2026) by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and World Learning. During her tenure, she is eligible to be matched with approved two-to six-week projects designed by host institutions in over 150 countries globally promoting international exchange and understanding.

Dr. Andrew G. Lee (Col ’85, Med ’89 CM)  was recently awarded the 2023 Secretariat Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The annual award from the AAO recognizes special contributions to the Academy and to the field of Ophthalmology as determined by the AAO Senior secretaries. Dr. Lee has previously received the honor award, the senior honor award, and the life achievement award from the AAO.

Natasha Saje (Col ’76) has published her fourth book of poems, The Future Will Call You Something Else (Tupelo, 2023). She has also published a postmodern poetry handbook, Windows and Doors: A Poet Reads Literary Theory (Michigan, 2014) and a memoir, Terroir: Love, Out of Place (Trinity UP, 2020). She teaches in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing Program and lives in Washington, DC.

Julia Tazelaar (Col ’16 CM) and her husband Joe Wells welcomed their first son, Winton “Win” Mac Tazelaar-Wells on July 28, 2023. He is the first grandson of Eric Tazelaar (Arch ’82 CM). Julia is a teacher at the Dwight-Englewood School and Joe is a Manager of Data Analytics for Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. The family lives in Teaneck, New Jersey. 

Alan Korman (Arch ’77) retired in March after a 43-year career in the casino gaming industry in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Korman began his career as a multi-game dealer and gaming supervisor during the industry’s infancy in Atlantic City . Over the next 30-plus years he worked as a casino marketing executive for Resorts, Sands, and Trump Marina before finishing his career as senior executive director of player development for the Golden Nugget. 

Korman has been married for 39 years and has three adult children.

Paulette Jones Morant (Col ’74 CM) was featured as artist of the month in July 2023 at The Nelson Gallery in Lexington Virginia.  Her exhibit From Where I Stand, a compilation of seascapes, public structures, florals and collections, was Paulette’s first solo photography exhibition.  The opening reception was highlighted by the attendance of family, friends and a number of UVA alumni of various decades.