Class Notes

Catherine Keller Brown (Col ’97) co-edited Hope for Recovery: Stories of Healing from Eating Disorders with Christina Tinke. The book’s diverse essays emphasize each writer’s journey to recovery, providing hope for individuals suffering from an eating disorder and their loved ones. In addition to these highly personal, vulnerable essays, the book includes informative sections with insights from mental health professionals on topics such as how families can help loved ones affected by eating disorders. A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to local and national eating disorder organizations. 

Jonathan C. Hamilton (Law ’98) has spent the past two decades with global law firm White & Case, resident in Washington, D.C.  As the firm’s head of Latin American arbitration, he has handled a range of key disputes of the era across Latin America, ranging from sovereign debt disputes, to the recuperation of the artifacts of Machu Picchu. He also is the distinguished faculty chair of the International Arbitration Institute at the University of Miami School of Law.

Mark Dahl (Col ’72) focuses his energies on the game of bridge after spending 28 years in the securities industry. Since first learning from Lem Marshall (Col ’72), Dahl has won four National Championships, attaining the rank of Grand Life Master. He says, “Unbelievably, my wife, Catherine Collard Dahl (Grad ’77) hasn’t seen fit to leave yet!”

Kendall Jones (Col ’89 L/M) has been hired as senior corporate counsel of California Pizza Kitchen at its corporate headquarters in Playa Vista, California. Jones lives in Thousand Oaks, California, with her three children.

Robert W. Karow (Arch ’86) joined Quinn Evans Architects as a senior associate and director of technical services in their Washington, D.C., office. He will advise on projects nationwide, bringing more than 30 years of experience in the design of educational, government, and institutional facilities, as well as complex historic preservation projects.

Kevin Whitaker (Col ’79 L/M) returned to the United States in August 2019 after five and a half years of service as U.S. Ambassador to Colombia. The longest-serving ambassador to Colombia in a century, he oversaw U.S. relations with Colombia during a historically significant moment—the peace process with the FARC terrorist organization—and worked with two U.S. and two Colombian administrations.  Ambassador Whitaker entered the Foreign Service immediately after graduation from UVA. Prior to his confirmation as ambassador in 2014, he served in various senior positions in his 40 years of service, and attained the rank of career minister, the second-highest rank in the Foreign Service. 

Pamela Harris Lawton (Col ’81), associate professor in art education at Virginia Commonwealth University, just completed a distinguished chair Fulbright at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and a Tate Modern Exchange Artist Associateship in London. She published Community-based Art Education Across the Lifespan: Finding Common Ground based on 18 years of research in community-based art.

Christopher Warren Winter (Col ’07 L/M) and Megan Van Syckle Winter (Com ’09 L/M) welcomed their first child, Caroline Godsey, on Aug. 22, 2019. The family lives in Charlottesville.

Murielle de Wekker (Educ ’14) founded FranceUS Connect, an independent consultancy that promotes business and cultural partnerships between the United States and France. She teaches in the French Department at the UVA.

Jack Ray Gallagher (Educ ’68) has been appointed editor of Current Trends in Clinical and Medical Sciences. He also co-chaired the session on gynecological oncology at the PCS Fourth Global Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2019 Congress where he spoke about his real-world observational studies and artificial intelligence enhancements. His presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncologists Congress 2018 on adverse events of a PARP inhibitor, a new type of ovarian cancer treatment, was selected by OncLive for publication and distribution to oncologists around the world. He currently directs Clarity Pharma Research, a scientific research organization.

Melody Robertson Weigel (Col ’06) was elected as the 2019-20 staff senate president of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She also serves as the adviser for the OutLaw Legal Society at the university’s William H. Bowen School of Lawworks and works in the admissions office.

Thomas R. Bagby (Col ’72, Law ’75 L/M) retired from practicing law at Woods Rogers in Roanoke, Virginia. He was the longtime chair of the firm’s labor and employment practice and was formerly the chair and president of the firm. He was president of the Virginia Bar Association in 2013. Bagby and his wife, Kathleen, will continue to live in Roanoke and plan to spend winters in their home in the historic center of Merida, Mexico. They have two sons, Matthew Bagby (Col ’08), and David Bagby (Col ’09), who live and work in Singapore and Dubai, respectively.

Michael D. Steger (Col ’89, Law ’93, Grad ’93 L/M) has been appointed co-chair of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Litigation Committee. He was also recently named a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Steger practices copyright, trademark and entertainment law in New York City.  

Jill Stein Tietjen (Engr ’76 L/M) was inducted into the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame in the 2019 inaugural class. Her latest book, Hollywood: Her Story, An Illustrated History of Women and the Movies, was released in 2019.  

Khalilah L. Brown-Dean (Col ’98) published Identity Politics in the United States, a book that moves beyond the headlines to show how conflicts over group identity are an inescapable feature of American political development. From battles over voting rights and immigration to the 2017 rally on Grounds, there’s no question that the United States is incredibly divided. Brown-Dean shows us how we got here, and more importantly, how we move forward. She is a tenured associate professor of political science at Quinnipac University and a frequent political contributor to numerous media outlets. 

James Erickson (Col ’08) was appointed chair of the Visual Arts Department at Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest, Virginia. He and his wife, Jenna Erickson (Nurs ’10), moved to campus with their five children in July.

Bill “Philly” Reeside (Engr ’77 L/M) retired from the nuclear power industry in March 2019. Highlights include 10 years as a licensed senior reactor operator and seven trips to North Korea in support of the Korean Peninsula Economic Development Organization. KEDO was a cooperative effort among North Korea, South Korea, Japan and the U.S. to substitute commercial nuclear power for nuclear weapon development. Reeside now works part-time with Habitat for Humanity in York County, South Carolina, after more than 40 years as a volunteer. He and his wife, Sandy, will represent Habitat at a Big Build in Romania this fall.

Thomas B. Gore (Res ’83), a cardiologist in LaGrange, Georgia, published his first book, a tribute to the life of David Carr Glover of Portsmouth, Virginia. Glover composed many teaching pieces for students learning piano and, having worked for Disney for many years, was associated with the Mickey Mouse theme song. Glover wrote a “method book” for learning piano and it sold a million copies worldwide. Photographs and memories from his many friends are included.

Nash Boney (Grad ’60, ’63), Emory Thomas (Col ’62 L/M), John Comolli (Col ’64), Cliff Pannell (Grad ’62 L/M) and Ed Perkins (Engr ’71 L/M) are members of the Folio Book Club in Athens, Georgia.  

Johnny “Jon” Hunt (Col ’75 L/M) self-published a book, Asking the Moon to Leave, which is available at Outskirts Press and on Amazon. 

Caroline Massie (Col ’13) and Richard DeJarnette (Com ’13 L/M) were married on May 18, 2019, at the bride’s family farm in Rappahannock County, Virginia. The couple lives in Richmond, where Caroline works as a marketing manager and Richard as an accountant.

Arianna Parsons (Col ’13) and Grady Kidder (Com ’13) were married in San Francisco on May 26, 2019. Lots of fellow ’Hoos helped to celebrate! Arianna and Grady live in New York City.

Erin Avery (Col ’11 L/M) combines her love of travel and performing with her degree in English literature in her career as cast manager and lead vocalist and dancer in production shows with Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Entertainment division. This fall marks her seventh year with the company – she appreciates the drive & hard work ethic instilled in her from both her upbringing and her time at UVA. She has been able to achieve several of her career and travel goals; in addition to her time with Carnival, Avery has worked within the events industry and travel concierge sphere. UVA is and always will have a special place in her heart. The lessons learned and connections made there in Charlottesville impacted her in a way she will never forget. She looks forward to what the future will continue to bring and cannot wait for the next time she is back on land so she can make a return trip to her alma mater! 🙂

Christina Hendrick Melton (Col ’93) coauthored Preserving Our Roots: My Journey to Save Seeds and Stories with Blackberry Farm master gardener, John Coykendall. With an upcoming book launch and presentation at Monticello’s Heritage Harvest Festival in September, the book was listed as Amazon’s #1 New Release in South Region Gardening in advance of its November publication. Melton was also executive producer and director of the documentary, Seize & Secure: The Battle for La Fière, which broadcast on PBS on the 75th anniversary of D-Day, is currently being distributed by PBS Plus, and is available on demand on iTunes and Amazon Video. The film chronicles a relatively unknown but pivotal battle fought over a small stone bridge along a critical inland route for American forces during the allied invasion.  

Melton was nominated for a 2019 Webby Award nomination from the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, as writer and producer of the Louisiana Public Broadcasting/PBS Digital Studios series, Nourish. The series featured NASA rocket engineer and South Carolina whole hog BBQ pitmaster, Dr. Howard Conyers, as host in his exploration of Southern food culture and traditions.

Melton was also recently appointed deputy director of Louisiana Public Broadcasting, with management and oversight of strategic planning for Louisiana’s statewide media network. She lives in Louisiana with her husband, Dr. Jamar Melton (Col ’92), and their three teenage sons.

Curry Pajcic (Col ’91 L/M) was named Trial Lawyer of the Year for Florida by the American Board of Trial Advocates. The award is given for an attorney’s cumulative body of work over the past year. Among Pajcic’s accomplishments in 2018, he was the lead attorney in a trial where his client was awarded a $4.3 million verdict in Duval County. Pajcic, who served as president of Jacksonville’s ABOTA chapter, also wrote multiple letters to the press defending attacks on the judiciary, including Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts. Defending the independence of the judiciary is another mission of ABOTA.

Bryan Caplin (Col ’98 L/M) has joined Andela as chief revenue officer. Andela invests in Africa’s most talented software engineers to help companies solve the technical talent shortage and build high-performing distributed engineering teams. In just under 5 years, Andela has grown to nearly 2,000 people with tech campuses in Lagos, Nairobi, Kampala, and Kigali. Backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, GV and Spark Capital, Andela is powering global engineering teams while catalyzing the growth of tech ecosystems across Africa. 

Dr. Raymond B. Dyer (Col ’74, Med ’77, Res ’81 L/M) was honored with the creation of an award in his name by the Department of Radiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, where he has been on the faculty for 36 years. The award is given annually to a resident who has made an outstanding contribution to radiology education.

Judy Coutts (Arch ’79) was presented with a Public Impact Award by Preservation Pennsylvania for her historic preservation work on 820 12th Street in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The project also earned a national award from the 2019 Chrysalis Awards for Remodeling Excellence.

Dylan Staples (Engr ’14) will marry Rachel Boots (Engr ’14) on September 1, 2019 in Charlottesville. The couple met at UVA during their studies in civil engineering. They now live in Washington, D.C., and work as engineers. 

Darwin K. Hayes (Arch ’91) was named dental director for New Jersey by the state’s department of health. In his new role, Dr. Hayes will oversee dental services and programs for New Jersey residents. Prior to joining the department, Dr. Hayes served nearly seven years as the lead co-director of the General Practice Residency Program at BronxCare Health System.

During his tenure, he was part of the executive management team that used a $3.5 million government grant to improve access to high quality healthcare by increasing the number of dental providers and expanding an integrated oral health/primary care initiative through the successful management of a highly competitive HRSA-funded project.

He also served as Chair of the Administration Board for the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Council of Advanced Education Programs.

Dr. Hayes is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and the GPR program at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital. He received his Certificate in Dental Education from the University of the Pacific’s Benerd School of Education and Dugoni School of Dentistry. ln 2017, he completed the two-year Executive Master’s Degree Program in Healthcare Administration from George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health.

Peter Clarke (Engr ’85 L/M), a rear admiral in the U.S. Navy, is retiring from military service after a 34-year-career. After a career on submarines, he most recently served as the director of strategic plans, policy and logistics for the U.S. Transportation Command, where he led efforts to transform the joint force’s understanding of strategic mobility and was instrumental in shifting the command’s mindset from business to warfighting.

George Shipp (Col ’79, Darden ’82 L/M) is senior managing director and lead portfolio manager, and Adam Bergman (Com ’96) is executive director and associate portfolio manager of Sterling Capital Management. The company’s equity income mutual fund ranked in the first percentile on total return among 442 funds in its Morningstar1 Large-Cap Value category for the 15-year period ending June 30, 2019.

Carin M. Smilk (Col ’89 L/M) won first place in the online feature news category in the Pennsylvania Press Club’s annual journalism competition. The winning article, “Grief Into Action,” is a story about grappling with in the aftermath of the Oct. 27, 2018, synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. She won second place for the same story by the affiliated National Federation of Press Women.

John Stith (Col ’06) published his first children’s book, The Climbing Tree, about two brothers exploring the contours of their relationship through the power of imagination. The book, described as “an eloquent, poetic fable with a timeless message,” was an immediate No. 1 New Release on Amazon.

Myron Santos (Col ’01 L/M) has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy for his work on RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars in the category of Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured Reality or Competition Program. He is a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700) and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and he is on the board of the U.Va Entertainment Club of Los Angeles. He lives with his wife and their 4-year-old daughter in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Mt. Washington.

Bonnie Rosen (Educ ’93) will be inducted into the Jewish Sports Heritage Association as part of the organization’s class of 2020. Inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2010, Rosen is the head coach of the women’s lacrosse team at Temple University. 

Morgan Anne McCoy (Col ’15) earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in May 2019. She is continuing her training in family medicine at Abington Hospital-Jefferson Health in Abington, Pennsylvania.