Class Notes

Michael H. Sampson (Col ’96) joined the law firm Leech Tishman as a partner in the litigation practice group and will serve as chair of the firm’s insurance coverage group and co-chair of the cannabis group. Sampson is based in Leech Tishman’s Pittsburgh office.

Matthew J. Jones (Grad ’14) will publish his first book, Love Don’t Need a Reason: the Life and Music of Michael Callen, in the fall of 2020. The book chronicles the life and music of singer, songwriter, and AIDS activist Michael Callen (1955-1993). Callen was instrumental in the fight against AIDS in the first years of the US epidemic. He coauthored “How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: One Approach,” a publication widely regarded as one of the first safe-sex guides, and he recorded two solo albums and two albums with queer acappella group The Flirtations. This book is based on research that began as Jones’ doctoral dissertation in the McIntire Dept. of Music at UVA and includes extensive archival research as well as oral history interviews with Callen’s friends, family, and fellow musicians. Jones says Callen is a forgotten hero of the AIDS activist movement, and Jones is thrilled to have an opportunity to share his story with readers around the country and around the world.

Steve McLaughlin (Arch ’85 L/M) has served for more than five years as staff landscape architect for the Architectural Design Division at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, as a third party contractor, currently employed by MicroSystems Automation Group, and in that capacity was recognized during an OBO Bureau awards ceremony at the close of Fiscal Year 2019 for his contributions to the success of the U.S. Embassy campus redevelopment project at New Delhi, India, which is now under construction. The architecture and engineering team for this project was headed by the New York City-based design firm WEISS/MANFREDI, and on 13 April, 2020, the UVA School of Architecture awarded the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Architecture to the firm’s co-founders, Marion Weiss (Arch ’79) and Michael Manfredi. 

In response to the ongoing global pandemic, Ross Gore (Engr ’07, ’12) has co-published a model forecasting county level outcomes related to COVID-19 for Virginia. The model is available at here.

Jose Luis Alvarado (Educ ’01 L/M), who currently serves as founding dean and professor of the College of Education at California State University Monterey Bay was recently named the next provost and vice president of academic affairs at Cal State Los Angeles. Dean Alvarado will begin his new role during Summer 2020.

Lauren McQuistion (Arch ’11) and Tyler Whitney (Arch ’12) married on March 14, 2020, before friends and family. The couple live in Charlottesville where Tyler is an associate at Grimm + Parker and Lauren is pursuing a PhD in the Constructed Environment at the School of Architecture.

Jordan Elizabeth Wenger Brown (Com ’04) and husband, Greg Brown, welcomed their second child, Bode Callan Brown, on Jan. 4, 2020. Bode joins big brother Bruce Gregory, 7. The family resides in Newport Beach, California.

Jennifer Krause (Educ ’10) coauthored Technology for Physical Educators, Health Educators, and Coaches, a book aimed at helping professionals enhance instruction, assessment, management, communication, professional development, and advocacy by leveraging modern technology. It has been praised as “the book to empower all teachers” and “a text that embraces current professional expectations within a twenty-first-century classroom.”

Krause is an associate professor of physical education and physical activity leadership, program coordinator of the Physical Education K-12 Teaching Program, and research faculty in the Active Schools Institute within the School of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Colorado. 

Thomas Lambeth Walls Jr. (Engr ’03) and Sarah Jane Amelon Walls (Engr ’04) welcomed their third child, Tyson Richard, on April 16, 2020.

Meghan Elizabeth Zukowsky (Col ’13 L/M) married J.E. “Trey” Akridge III on Oct. 5, 2019, at Septenary Winery at Seven Oaks Farm outside Charlottesville. Many UVA alumni were present, including the maid of honor, Caroline Zukowsky (Col ’18), and bridesmaid, Jordan McEwen (Col ’13). The couple lives in the Roanoke, Virginia, where Meghan is a clinical pharmacy specialist at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Trey is the director of pharmacy at Lewis Gale Medical Center.

Kathryn Blair Moore (Col ’03), an assistant professor of art at Texas State University, won Western Michigan University’s Otto Gründler Book Prize for her book The Architecture of the Christian Holy Land: Reception from Late Antiquity through the Renaissance. The prize, which comes with a $1,000 cash award, was announced at the 54th International Congress on Medieval Studies—one of the largest annual gatherings of scholars of the Middle Ages, which is held on the WMU campus.

Sol Bermann (Grad ’92) is the chief information security officer and executive director of information assurance at the University of Michigan. Sol is responsible for the university’s information assurance program, including IT security, privacy and policy on several campuses. Sol was previously the director of international privacy at Walmart, and before that, the chief privacy officer for the state of Ohio.

Lawrence “Larry” Roberts (Col ’78 L/M) returned to Charlottesville in February 2020 when he was named the fifth director of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at UVA. Prior to joining Sorensen, Larry served in high level positions with two statewide elected officials and chaired five successful statewide political campaigns. In addition, he was a lawyer in private practice for more than 25 years—winning multiple awards for distinguished service and pro bono work —and founded the Federal Communications Bar Association Foundation, which has distributed millions of dollars in student scholarships and donations to nonprofit service organizations.

Robin Ward (Educ ’97) published Count on Texas: Fun Facts from 1 to 12, a book that entices young readers to enjoy the beauty and history of University of Texas-Austin’s campus, while counting from 1 to 12. The rhyming narrative and colorful illustrations capture the 12 months and four seasons, and help the reader learn even and odd numbers. Two coloring pages included. Available at Amazon and at MascotBooks.com

D. Lee Galloway III (Col ’03, Educ ’04) and Julie Martin Jernigan were married in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on March 29, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a small ceremony was held with Lee’s and Julie’s parents and close family friends.  The ceremony was officiated by Charles S. Sharp (Law ’77).  Prior to the wedding, rain was falling but as time came for Julie to be escorted down the aisle, the sun appeared and brightened the entire afternoon. The couple lives in Charlottesville, where Lee works for the Department of Defense and Julie is the vice president of success and community design for Quince Health.

Kaethe Walther (Col ’18) will publish her debut novel, If We Were Us, in June. The book is a young adult story of friendship, love and identity set at a fictional east coast boarding school. She says she is indebted to Elizabeth Denton and the late Sydney Blair for their thoughtful comments and wise advice. 

If We Were Us: 

Everyone at the prestigious Bexley School believes that Sage Morgan and Charlie Carmichael are meant to be….that it’s just a matter of time until they realize that they are actually in love.

When Luke Morrissey shows up on the Bexley campus his presence immediately shakes things up. Charlie and Luke are drawn to each other the moment they meet, giving Sage the opportunity to steal away to spend time with Charlie’s twin brother, Nick.

But Charlie is afraid of what others will think if he accepts that he has much more than a friendship with Luke. And Sage fears that things with Nick are getting too serious too quickly. The duo will need to rely on each other and their lifelong friendship to figure things out with the boys they love.

Kristin Coffield Edwards (Col ’07) and husband, Justin, welcomed their first child, Madison Ann, on Feb. 11, 2020.  The family lives in Richmond, Virginia, where they practice general and pediatric dentistry.

Jeannine Johnson Maia (Col ’86) published Rossio Square N.°59, a novel that takes place in a turbulent Lisbon during World War II. In a city filled with intrigue and betrayal, it’s the story of lost dreams, infinite hope, and two young people caught up in change they never sought or wanted. The novel was first published in Portugal, where she lives and writes, as Praça do Rossio, N°59.

Marcia Anderson (Col ’76) received her master’s degree in communications and creative writing from American University, followed by a career as a corporate scriptwriter, advertising copywriter and print journalist. Today, she’s an Amazon bestselling romance author of nine e-books, writing under the pen name, Marcia James. Marcia and her husband, James Diebold, celebrate their 45th anniversary together in May 2020. Their 1989 wedding was covered by People Magazine because they asked guests to donate to charity in lieu of giving them presents. They live in Dublin, Ohio.

David G. Drewry III (Engr ’12) and Julia McGowan Drewry (Col ’13) welcomed their first child, David “Quinn”, on Feb. 4, 2020. The Drewry family lives in Baltimore. 

John Jewett (Grad ’82)’s newest project can be found at www.jhowardcahill.com and on Facebook. Both are dedicated to expressions of the human imagination through poetry, haiku, imagery, stories, legends and myths. Jewett says, “We are our stories and the stories of others. As human beings, the only we can share who we are and who we may become is through our actions and our stories. They are how we see ourselves and how we share ourselves. If you find it interesting or worthwhile, please share it and follow or like and share its FB page.

Peace and many thanks!”

Stephanie Crawford-Stewart (Col ’08) and Adam Stewart welcomed their first child, a girl named Asha, on Dec. 24, 2019. The family lives in Northern Virginia.

Howard Tripp (Col ’73 L/M) retired from the federal government after 43 years of service as a research analyst with the departments of defense and justice. He now lives in Delaware, where he is an active volunteer with the Del-Mar-Va Council of the Boy Scouts.

April Pride (Arch ’98) is the host of How to Do the Pot, a new seasonal narrative podcast that answers some of the most common questions women secretly Google about cannabis. How to Do the Pot’s first season will focus on topics relevant to the health and happiness of women such as CBD, endometriosis, migraines, and sleep. 

April is an original innovator in the cannabis industry having founded one of North America’s most recognized cannabis lifestyle companies, Van der Pop, acquired by Canopy Growth in 2018. How to Do the Pot is the first product from Of Like Minds, which April co-founded with Ellen Scanlon (Col ’99, Darden ’07) in 2019. 

Derek Rosner (Col ’96) was named chief of outpatient anesthesia at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Rosner is an attending anesthesiologist, treasurer and partner with Springfield Anesthesia Services and is an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine/Baystate. When not in the operating room, Rosner is father to Jett, 17 and Aspen, 14. He and his wife, Tara, enjoy ultra-marathon running, Otillio-style swimrun racing and beach home development on the Connecticut shoreline.

Christopher Payne (Col ’81 L/M) was recognized as the 2019 Distinguished Philanthropist by the American College of Surgeons. The award honored Payne for his philanthropic endeavors, service to the surgical profession and long-lasting contributions to the medical community and the ACS.

Andrew G. Lee (Col ’85, Med ’88) was named chairman of the board of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. He also joins the board of trustees for the Houston Symphony. Lee is chairman of the Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital and lives with his wife, Hilary Beaver (Med ’91), and two daughters, Virginia and Rachael .

Deborah E. Hammond (Arch ’82 L/M) has published her 21st novel, The Rogue’s Son. Second in the Smuggled Heart series, the novel follows the McEwan family, 20 years on. Alexander McEwan II travels with his family to his mother’s home in England. It is the Regency period, and the family has come to the deathbed of Amelia McEwan’s father, The Earl of Havenstock. If he dies, Alexander will become his sole heir. As a young Scot in Regency England, the prejudice of neighbors and associates is a very real thing. To compound that problem, his father, The Duke of Arleigh, has his own secrets. If they were to become known, they would ruin his son’s fortunes in the socially concious world of the ton of Regency England. Alexander’s life is about to change forever. The Rogue’s Son is available in kindle and paperback versions on Amazon.

Rachel Witmer McTague (Law ’86) retired in early 2019 after a three-part career in Washington, D.C. After graduating from UVA Law, she practiced law for five years, in the General Counsel’s Office at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, sandwiched between a year each in each of two law firms. She then wrote about securities law and regulation as a legal editor and reporter at the Bureau of National Affairs for 15 years. Beginning in 2008, she was a director of communications at the Investment Company Institute, a trade association representing mutual funds and other investment companies globally. She retired after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Her husband, Jim McTague, retired from a career in journalism in 2015, culminating with 21 years as Washington editor of Barron’s. He is a novelist and regular commentator on The John Batchelor Show on WABC Radio. They live in Alexandria, Virginia, and next year will move to southeast Pennsylvania to be closer to our families (and trout fishing!). They have three children and 10 grandchildren who live far in southern Indiana, Colorado, and Chicago.

To all the lovely alumni grads and undergrads in the class of 80′: Architecture, History , Landscape, Planning,  I was reminded by Mike Maxwell that our fortieth reunion will arrive June 4-7, 2020.  Should it be postponed to a latter date because we are in the over 60 category for the pandemic, I still hope you can make it, including faculty and spouses.  Best regards to my colleagues, Tony Karwoski

David Vitto (Col ’05, Educ ’07 L/M) and Dawn Page Vitto (Col ’10 L/M) welcomed a daughter, Paige Christine, on Oct. 16, 2019. The family resides in the Tidewater area of Virginia.

Ellen Klemm Feeney (Col ’87 L/M) has spent her career at Navy Federal Credit Union in Vienna, Virginia. She started in employee relations and is currently the functional lead for the consumer servicing branch. Feeney earned her master’s degree from George Washington University and lives with her family in Vienna. Her daughter is Jane Quinlan Feeney (Col ’23).   

Alyson Steele (Arch ’94), executive vice president and chief design officer of Quinn Evans, has been elevated to the College of Fellows within the American Institute of Architects. Steele is known for her work in revitalizing cultural institutions and landmarks across the nation. She has published and presented extensively on a range of topics, including how to leverage technology for integrated stewardship.

Kurt Gilchrist (Col ’99 L/M) recently completed his M.B.A. from Gosport University.  

David Black (Educ ’65 L/M) won first place in the 2019 Writers’ Club of Virginia annual poetry contest for his poem “On Studying an Old Photograph.”

Jon McCullers (Col ’89) has been named senior executive associate dean of clinical affairs and chief operating officer of the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee. He retains his roles as chair of pediatrics and pediatrician-in-chief at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

Mercy Hansen Mize (Educ ’10) published her first children’s picture book, Samson’s Tail, a book about her dog’s experience in the DAWGS Prison Program. The non-profit organization rescues dogs from shelters and places them with prison inmates who train them for adoption. She enjoys sharing Samson’s story and bringing awareness to the DAWGS Prison Program at book signings and readings at Barnes & Noble and independent book stores.

Mary Combs (Grad ’18) and her husband, Brian, welcomed twins, Solomon William and Magnolia Eleanor, in December 2019. The twins join their 5-year-old brother, Harrison, at the family’s home in Crozet, Virginia.

Alexandra Vuxton Guest (Col ’09 L/M) and Brad Guest (Com ’10) welcomed a baby boy, Henry Henges, on Dec. 6, 2019. Henry joins big sisters Everly Cynthia and Rosemary Carolyn. The family lives in Northern Virginia where Brad is an attorney at Latham and Watkins in Washington D.C. 

Rick Hodges (Col ’87) published his first novel, To Follow Elephants, in 2019. He will appear at the Virginia Festival of the Book on March 20, 2020, at New Dominion Bookshop in Charlottesville. To Follow Elephants tells the story of an African woman and elephant researcher who helps a young American learn why his father is imprisoned in a dusty cell in Kenya. The book, praised as “a stunning debut novel that weaves the lives of wild elephants and people in a truly breathtaking journey,” brings readers into the elephants’ world—their thoughts, beliefs and religion. Equal parts thriller, adventure and moving portrayal of elephant civilization from the creatures’ point of view, To Follow Elephants occupies the intersection between the worlds of people and animals, enriching our understanding of what it means to be human.

Guy Sterling (Col ’70) spent nearly 35 years as a daily newspaper reporter before retiring in 2009. He was a reporter on the staff of The Star-Ledger in Newark, New Jersey, that won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news in 2005 for its coverage of the sudden and unexpected resignation of New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey. Four years earlier, Sterling had been a lead reporter in the coverage of the deadly dormitory fire at Seton Hall University that earned the paper its first-ever selection as a Pulitzer Prize finalist. In 2007, he won an ASCAP/Deems Taylor Award given nationally for excellence in music writing. He has also written two books.