Class Notes

Rusty Allen (Col ’81 CM) has published his debut novel, Ella’s War, a journey amongst women and men whose lives are deeply altered by the circumstances of WWII.  

It’s 1943 on the American home front, and Ella’s pent-up common-law husband finally decides to leave their farm and enlist. Ella must either depart their seafaring town in coastal Delaware to pursue other dreams inland or try to save their farm. Their grade-school son, Reese, won’t budge, and Ella sees that farmers have a patriotic duty to stay on the land.

The bay and ocean waters before them have been preyed upon by German U-boats, and their village has become a refuge for survivors. When an officer from a surrendered German submarine is sent to her as part of POW farm labor, can Ella embrace the help in order to survive? And what happens when Dieter becomes more than a hand to her, amid prying eyes and under her beloved but conflicted son’s watch? How will she choose when her explosive husband returns from Europe wounded from infantry duty against the Germans?

“Beautifully wrought, heart stopping, spirit lifting…. What a human brew!”
     –– Ron Suskind (Col ’81) Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Hope in the Unseen

Allen lives in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and can be reached through his website: www.rustyallenauthor.com

Carolina Ferrerosa Young (Col ’09 CM) and Daniel T. Young (Col ’07 CM) welcomed their second child, Gabriel Miguel, on Jan. 22nd, 2023. Ms. Young is economic policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in Washington, D.C., and Mr. Young is an appellate counsel in the Office of the General Counsel for the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. The family lives in Reston, Virginia. 

Dr. Lee Ann Clements (Col ’81 CM) is retiring from teaching after 34 years on the faculty at Jacksonville University in Florida. During her tenure she served as chair of the Department of Biology and Marine Science, chair of the Division of Science and Mathematics, chair of the faculty, associate provost, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and interim provost. She was named Professor of the Year in 1995, chaired JU’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation process, and served as a board member of the National Conference for Undergraduate Research and Jacksonville’s Museum of Science and History. Dr. Clements was granted emerita status and will continue to serve as JU’s director of academic integrity.

Warren McCarty (Law ’13) of Dallas-based Caldwell Cassady & Curry has been recognized on the 2023 Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars list of the state’s top young lawyers based on his work in intellectual property. You can read more about McCarty in this announcement: https://caldwellcc.com/2023/03/attorneys-from-dallas-caldwell-cassady-curry-named-among-best-in-texas-4/

Lettie J. Bien (Batten ’19 CM) has received the 2023 Military Hero award from the American Red Cross, Central Virginia Chapter. The “Military Hero” has been awarded to individuals, veterans, and civilians whose body of work to support active-duty military members, their families and veterans in our community and has made a significant impact. 

The award will be presented to Colonel Bien at the 2023 Help Can’t Wait-Celebration of Heroes breakfast April 20.

Mary P Harper (Educ ’75) has published her memoir, The Sound of Her Voice: My Blind Parents’ Story, which examines the challenges faced by both of her parents as they navigated life without sight. Her father was the first blind graduate of the Notre Dame University Law School, practiced law, and was elected Judge three times. Her mother raised four sighted children and ran the household. Kirkus Reviews called it “an inspiring story that avoids becoming saccharine…”

Ameena Gill (Engr ’04) leads Lyft’s Global Operations team based in San Francisco, CA. She and her team manage operational performance metrics across Lyft’s multiple business units including customer satisfaction and loyalty, efficiency and productivity, revenue and engagement and diversity goals. 

Megan Sirna (Col ’99 CM) was recently named senior vice president of Human Resources for Georgia-Pacific. She focuses on advancing the company’s culture and helping supervisors empower employees to achieve their full potential. Sirna has devoted her professional career to advising businesses on leadership, talent and culture matters. 

Sirna joined Georgia-Pacific in 2006 as an attorney in the company’s law department and moved to Human Resources in 2014. She has held various leadership positions supporting HR across several departments, including manufacturing, sales, supply chain and finance. 

Born in Washington, D.C., she has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Frances Keene (Educ ’02) has been named vice president for student affairs at Virginia Tech, after serving as interim VPSA since July 2022. She will continue to lead a division known for facilitating robust and comprehensive student life experiences. 

Keene deeply values her work with students and educators who prioritize student learning and development in a residential context. She was honored in 2016 as a recipient of the Aspire! Award recognizing her commitment to embracing Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). 

Student Affairs at Virginia Tech oversees more than 3,000 employees, 20 departments and critical student life programs — including dining and residential life, student organizations, counseling, health and well-being, international student services, student conduct, and learning partnerships. 

Keene earned a Ph.D. in higher education from Virginia Tech, a master’s degree in counselor education from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of William & Mary. 

Patrick O. Gottschalk (Law ’83 CM) was awarded a life membership in the Virginia Economic Developers Association at the December 2022 annual membership meeting. Gottschalk has served as pro bono legal counsel for the organization for over 20 years, and he has been a member of VEDA since 1989. Gottschalk is the seventh person to receive the award in the 40 year history of the Association.

Charley Johnson (Com ’69 CM), chief executive officer, OptiCat, LLC, received the Triangle Award from the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association.

The Triangle Award is given periodically to a person or organization to honor selfless contributions to the vehicle supplier industry. Johnson was presented the award in September at his office in Maryland.

“Charley’s decades of exceptional leadership and dedication to the supplier industry embody the spirit of the Triangle Award,” said Bill Long, president and CEO of MEMA.

From its inception, the Triangle Award was not intended as an annual award.  It is presented when truly deserving candidates are found — those who have worked tirelessly, behind the scenes, out of the spotlight and whose contributions have advanced the supplier industry. 

Richard E. Katholi (Med ’68 CM) has published Reflections Off a Vietnamese Moon: In Country or Boots on the Ground, a book about his experiences in Vietnam. Katholi recounts the year (1970-1971) he cared for patients in a war zone, describes the day-to-day outpatient care of troops, as well as the comprehensive military network of medical care provided by MASH units. The book title was inspired by how he reflected thoughts off the moon at night when he was walking back to his living quarters. 

Richard F. McGonegal (Grad ’75) has published The Forget-Me-Knot, a mystery novel. His book is the third in the Sheriff Francis Hood mystery series, preceded by Sense of Grace and Ghoul Duty.

McGonegal received a Master’s degree in English literature at UVA in 1975, where he was a student in Peter Taylor’s creative writing class. He and his wife, Kristie, live in Jefferson City, Missouri, and are the parents of two adult daughters, Heather and Jane.

Anthony J. Romanello (Col ’92 CM) has recently published The Girl Who Lived on the Third Floor, the story of how his fifth child came to live with their family.  All book proceeds go to Hope Tree Family Services, Inc. 

Stephen Lee (Col ’85 CM) has joined the firm JP Morgan Chase as Vice President, Agility Lead. Stephen works in the Chicago office where he helps development teams plan, execute and deliver software and system enhancements using modern, iterative development processes. Stephen has worked in software development for over two decades.

David Meredith (Com ’03) was named on Comparably’s Best CEO 2022 list in the largest company category for his work at Boomi. The annual ranking derives from 15 million anonymous ratings from employees across 70,000 companies. 

In 2022, Comparably also awarded Meredith Best CEO for Diversity, and recognized Boomi for Best Company Culture, Best Company Career Growth and Best Company Happiness. 

Meredith previously ranked in the Top 50 for Best CEO 2020 also in the largest company category during his tenure as a NASDAQ public company CEO in the Russell 1000 Index.   

Anne Holub (Col ’99) has published her first chapbook of poetry, 27 Threats to Everyday Life. The poetry book was a semi-finalist in the press’ New Women’s Voices Chapbook Competition, and the collection includes the poem “Mudslides,” which was chosen as runner-up in the 2021 Mountain West Writers Contest by the Western Humanities Review. After attending UVA, Anne earned a MA from Hollins University and a MFA from the University of Montana in creative writing. She now writes and lives in Montana. 

Dr. William T. “Bill” Sheahan, MD (Engr ’81, Med ’85 CM) has published A Doc Who Jots: The More you Know About Your Patient’s Story, his fourth collection of unique, uplifting or funny patient encounters. Proceeds will be donated to the Fisher House Foundation, which builds comfort homes at military and VA medical centers so families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital receiving treatment.

First-year suite mates Jordan Lasker (Col ’14 CM) and Julia Monahan (Com ’14 CM) competed together on The Price is Right in Los Angeles. The episode aired in January 2023. Unfortunately, the only one in their group “called down” was Jordan’s brother – a Hokie.

Jeremy Ebrahim (Com ’00 CM) and Alexandra Hume Ellen Ebrahim (Col ’00 CM) welcomed a son, Westley Tucker Hume Ebrahim, on October 24, 2022. Westley joins big brothers Jameson, Preston, and Carter. The family lives in Chatham, New Jersey.

Allison Raymond (Nurs ’11 CM) and Michael Raymond (Grad ’22) welcomed their son, Luke Christopher, on March 3, 2023. The couple lives in Boston.

Rachel Kessler (Col ’22 CM) has joined the Walt Disney Company as a conservation guide at Epcot. She has delivered hundreds of conservation messages about sustainable agriculture, wildlife conservation, and the Disney Conservation Fund to guests from around the world while bringing the magic of nature to life. 

Ted Koerth (Col ’99 CM) has joined Uber as senior counsel -autonomous mobility & delivery within Uber’s Chicago office. He will focus on commercial transactions and building strategic relationships with alliance partners within the autonomous vehicle industry.

Kirsten Randall (Col ’95) has joined the Law Office of Beverly Allen in Tacoma, Washington as a paralegal, specializing in immigration and family law.

Nerissa Neal Rouzer (Col ’06 CM) and Garett Michael Rouzer (Arch ’05 CM) welcomed their second son, Owen Alexander, on December 13, 2021. The family lives in Charlottesville.

Jennifer Balinsky Armini (Col ’91 CM) was sworn in as the Massachusetts State Representative for the 8th Essex District on January 4, 2023 in the historic House chamber of the Massachusetts State House. Armini, a Democrat, won a hotly-contested six-way primary and ran unopposed in the fall. 

Julie Kleckley Hummer (Col ’90 CM) was elected to the Anne Arundel County Council in November 2022, representing 85,000-plus residents in District 4. She is the first woman to hold that seat. Previously, she served on the Anne Arundel County Board of Education from 2015-2020. She and her husband Jon and their five children live in Laurel, Maryland.

Ben Krakauer (Col ’03) has recorded an album of original banjo music called Hidden Animals.The album will be released March 22 by Adhyâropa Records. The music moves between blazing bluegrass romps, conversational jams, harmonically tender daydreams and chaotically cohesive grooves. It’s an album of gratitude, grief, hunkering down and celebrating the beauty of friendship, nature and human expression during a time when nothing can be taken for granted. 

Chapman Hood Frazier (Grad ’94) has recently published a collection of poetry entitled The Lost Books of the Bestiary. The collection of poems explores animals, culture, myth and the spirit through unusual perspectives. The book was a finalist for the V Press LC Award. 

The poems have won awards from The Virginia Poetry Society and some have appeared in The Virginia Quarterly Review, The Southern Poetry Review, The South Carolina Poetry Review and other publications. 

Spencer R. Allen (Col ’05 CM) has joined Fox Rothschild LLP in Denver, CO as an Associate in the Litigation Department. Spencer represents clients in a broad range of complex commercial disputes with a focus on environmental and natural resources litigation. 

Javier Escudero Rodríguez (Grad ’88, ’92) has published a photography book entitled Pierre Fatumbi Verger: United States of America 1934 & 1937 (Bologna, Damiani 2022). The book presents a collection of 150 photographs by Verger, as well as an introductory analysis that contextualizes the collection in the Great Depression. 

In the introduction, Javier Escudero Rodríguez discusses Verger´s important contribution to modern photography as well as the lasting relevance of this previously unknown collection of iconic images of the Great Depression. The 150 images, the majority of which are published here for the first time, were selected from among 1,110 negatives in the archive at the Pierre Verger Foundation in Salvador after laborious and meticulous research. 

Terry Bailey (Educ ’71, ’90 CM)  has authored and published two books: Forged by Coal: A Family’s Story and The Gooney Otter.

Forged by Coal is a memoir about family life in the coal camps of Southern West Virginia from 1945 to 1959. The book portrays cultural changes and the impact of automation and technology as the coal camp system declines in the last decade when “Coal was King.” 

The Gooney Otter is a children’s picture book about river otters in Southern West Virginia. Watercolor illustrations provide a close-up view of the life of the river otter.

Both titles are available from Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

William “Billy” Skrobacz (Col ’13, Educ ’14, Darden ’21 CM) and Emily D. Skrobacz (Educ ’15 CM) welcomed Charlotte Anne “Lottie” Skrobacz to the world Feb. 8, 2023. 

Casey King (Engr ’89) recently concluded the 16th annual HGTC Addiction and Recovery lecture series at Horry-Georgetown Technical College in Conway, South Carolina. Casey created the series in 2008, two-and-a-half years into his own recovery from addiction, as a way to reduce the stigma associated with addiction and to show recovery in a positive light. This year’s keynote speaker was actor/producer Todd Bridges, who spoke about his own recovery. 

In 2019, Casey was awarded HGTC Professor of the Year and FAVOR Community Advocate of the year for his dedication and work with the series. 

Dr. Vanessa M. Barnabei (Grad ’81, Med ’85 CM) recently retired from the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences after 10 years as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She served as Chair of that department from 2012-2020 and as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs from 2020-2023. She currently holds the title of Professor Emerita. 

In January 2023, she relocated to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and is happy to be back on the East Coast and closer to family and friends. In retirement, she hopes to get back to playing tennis and piano, volunteering and finding ways to give back to the community.

Brian C. Drummond (Col ’80 CM) has been elected to the board of trustees of the George Mason University Foundation for a three year term. Brian is currently serving his second three year term on Virginia Bar Council. He continues to practice law in Northern Virginia, and he divides his time between his homes in West Falls Church and Cocoa, FL. 

Katherine Snider (Col ’94 CM) is the CEO of Good+Foundation, a national nonprofit that uses a multi-generational approach to address family poverty. Good+Foundation meets the short-term needs of mothers, fathers and caregivers living on low-incomes while also helping families create pathways for long-term, self-determined success.

In her fourteen years with the organization, Katherine has led the development and launch of several new initiatives including the organization’s Fatherhood Initiative, the publication of a Child Support Toolkit, a $900K microgrants program to provide cash assistance to parents who are struggling to pay for basic necessities and the Good+Training Academy which trains social workers, home visitors and frontline workers to intentionally engage fathers in their case work. 

Anne Newgarden (Col ’83 CM) has published Adventures of a Soul: Psychics, Mediums, the Mystical, and Me. The book is memoir chronicling her explorations in the metaphysical realms and how they transformed her worldview and her life. The book features Dr. Jim Tucker and the UVA Division of Perceptual Studies’ work investigating children’s past life memories. 

Newgarden’s other published works include Becoming Jane: The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen, as well as Christmas in New York and Christmas Around the World, pop-up books with artist Chuck Fischer. 

Mary Brancaccio (Col ’81 CM) has published her first poetry collection, Fierce Geometry. Her poetry travels the emotive back roads and roadside attractions of one woman’s journey through longing, love and loss. 

Brancaccio’s poetry has appeared in Naugatuck River Review, Minerva Rising, Edison Literary Review, Lake Affect Magazine and Adana, among others. Her poem, Unfinished Work, was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is included in several anthologies of poetry, including Writing the Land: Maine, Writing the Land: Northeast, Farewell to Nuclear, Welcome to Renewable Energy (a response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster) and Veils, Halos and Shackles: International Poetry on the Oppression and Empowerment of Women. 

Frank Sica (Arch ’78) was honored with two awards from the American Institute of Architects. Sica received AIA New York State’s prestigious Henry Hobson Richardson Award,  which recognizes AIA members practicing in the private sector who have made significant and transformative contributions to the quality of New York public architecture. He also received this year’s Robert and Louise Bethune award from the Buffalo/WNY AIA in recognition of a lifetime of notable contributions to the profession of architecture through practice, mentorship, and community leadership.

Julia Truelove (Nurs ’14, ’15) and David Ensey (Engr ’14) were married on October 6th, 2022 in Washington, D.C. The couple became friends after he invited her to interview for the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society. Truelove is the daughter of Margaret Kositch (Col ’83 CM) and Graham Truelove (Col ’83). The wedding party included Amanda J. Ray-Fehlinger (Engr ’13 CM), Patrick Greco (Col ’13, Law ’16), and Kathryn (Kingsbury) Greco (Col ’15 CM), with many other ’Hoos joining to celebrate. The couple lives in Washington, DC, where Truelove is a nurse in the Burn/Trauma ICU at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and Ensey is the Director of Data Analytics at Optoro, a reverse-logistics technology firm. 

Marlene W. Hall (Col ’96 CM) has joined Real Brokerage LLC in McLean, Virginia. Licensed in Virginia and Washington, D.C., Hall is an Air Force veteran raised in Northern Virginia with eight years of experience as a real estate agent.