Class Notes

Adam Ruffin (Arch ’02), Katie MacNelly (Arch ’02), and Danny MacNelly (Arch ’02) are proud to have their practice ARCHITECTUREFIRM featured in “A South Forty: Contemporary Architecture and Design in the American South,” an exhibition at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., which celebrates contemporary architectural practices in the American South. Featuring over forty architecture firms, the exhibition examines how southern architects are responding to a diverse set of challenges, including natural disasters, rapid urbanization and changing cultural landscapes. The exhibition showcases innovation and functionality with a respect for the region’s heritage. Ruffin considers his time at UVA as being crucial to his understanding and love of southern architecture. “A South Forty” will be open to the public through 2026.

Mary Wayne Watson (Grad ’83 CM) gave a presentation entitled “John Charles McNeill: Poet Laureate’s Home Songs” on Feb. 23, 2025, at the Scottish Heritage Center at St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, North Carolina. McNeill was the first recognized Poet Laureate in North Carolina and received the prestigious Patterson Cup for literature from President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905. McNeill was Dr. Watson’s great uncle. The presentation can be found on YouTube.

William Cyrus Roger Clemo (Col ’14 CM) earned a Ph.D. in marine sciences on Dec. 15, 2024 from the University of South Alabama. Clemo is currently a post-doctoral researcher at the U. S. Naval Research Laboratory at the John C. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi.

Meena Khandelwal (Col ’85, Grad ’88, Grad ’95) has published her second ethnographic monograph, Cookstove Chronicles: Social Life of a Women’s Technology in India. It examines traditional, biomass-burning mud stoves, the women who build and use them, and the experts who have been trying to ‘improve’ them for decades. She answers the question of why so many Indian women continue to use wood-burning, smoke-spewing stoves when they have other options. Khandelwal, a professor of anthropology, recently won the 2025 President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence at the University of Iowa, her third teaching award.

Duncan Clarke (Grad ’70 CM) has published a new novel, Murder on the Appalachian Trail. The novel follows a criminal law professor who works with his beloved German Shepherd, a runaway teen and the FBI to solve a series of murders on the Appalachian Trail. Clarke, who has hiked the Appalachian Trail twice, draws on his experience and love of the trail in his writing. Murder on the Appalachian Trail can be found online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It is published by Bell Isle Books. Clarke is a professor emeritus of international relations at American University and is a member of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Ronnie Poff (SCPS ’12 CM) was initiated as the national president of Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE), a co-ed business fraternity focused on professional development in sales, marketing and management. Poff is an associate professor at Virginia Tech.

Julie Kleckley Hummer (Col ’90 CM) was elected chairman of the Anne Arundel County Council in Maryland in December 2024. She represents 85,000 residents of District 4.

Walter Lee Fanning (Med ’70) has published Microbial Mysteries: A Rocky Road, under the pseudonym Lee F. Walters MD. Microbial Mysteries is the third release in a trilogy of semiautobiographical medical thrillers published by Friesen Press in Vancouver. The novel follows the Walter couple, whose medical careers are caught between an unstable associate and a mafia boss. It is available at various online book sellers.

Irwin Shur (Col ’80, Law ’83 CM) has just released his fourth solo album, “The Farther Away You Get, The Better I Look,” available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and other music streaming services. He continues practicing law but focuses on his passion for music.

Dr. Richard Katholi (Med ’68 CM) has retired from the practice of medicine.  Over 56 years he trained in internal medicine, took care of troops in Vietnam for a year when in the United States Air Force, and then trained in and practiced cardiology. Over those years he published 167 research and review articles.

Kim Tuten Gallagher (Col ’84 CM) celebrates eight years of her Blue Book Essays national college coaching company. Her squad of five coaches includes two UVA grads, Kara Davis Cosby (Comm ’93 CM) and Nicole Borghard (Col ’11, Educ ’11). Blue Book Essays serves high school seniors at public and private schools nationwide, as well as applicants to law, medical, and business schools. A Blue Book student essay was featured on the Kelly Corrigan Wonders podcast. Kim also serves as a source for media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal.

Hayden Lee (Col ’04 CM) joined the Reston, Virginia, law firm of Hirsch & Ehlenberger as Of Counsel, where he will continue his Virginia and District of Columbia family law practice.

Rich Scher (Res ’90) will release his debut album, Mill Pond, in March. Scher transitioned into the world of music after a successful career as a physician to channel his passion for storytelling, using it as his new medium of healing. He crafts gritty folk and Americana songs inspired by his observations and connections with the many people and places he’s encountered throughout his life.

Scher is a former professor of surgery at Duke University and head and neck cancer surgeon who trained in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at UVA. He is based in North Carolina.

Daniel Frisch (Arch ’87 CM) has published Looking Forward to Monday Morning (ORO Editions 2025), a collection of essays. Frisch is an architect based in New York City and a member of the American Institute of Architects.

Eric Kalkhurst (Col ’68 CM) has been accepted into the M.A./Ph.D. psychology, religion and consciousness program of Pacifica Graduate Institute for fall 2025.

Chris Langhorne (Engr ’99, Darden ’05 CM) has recently taken on the role of chief strategy officer at Almarai, the Middle East’s largest food and beverage company. In this role, he is leading strategic initiatives across mergers and acquisitions, long-term planning, and expansion into new categories and markets. His work is focused on driving sustainable growth and positioning Almarai for continued success in the region.

While Chris is based full-time in Saudi Arabia, his wife, Brooke, and their three children remain in Houston. Brooke has been instrumental in ensuring a strong foundation for the family during this transition, creating the best environment for their kids while also exploring new passions, including floral design and travel. She enjoys visiting Chris in Saudi Arabia, and as a family, they love traveling together—most recently spending Christmas in Dubai and ringing in the New Year in Saudi Arabia.

Their eldest son, CJ (15), is a ninth grader who has a deep passion for baseball and photography. Cameron (13), in seventh grade, is an avid basketball, football and baseball player and enjoys creating home movies. Morgan (11) is a dedicated gymnast, spending much of her time training and perfecting her routines.

Chris and his family continue to embrace this exciting chapter, balancing life between Houston and Riyadh while making time for shared adventures along the way.

Justin Ruth (Col ’97 CM) has been appointed as associate circuit judge in St. Louis County, Missouri, by Gov. Mike Kehoe.

John Via III (Engr ’84 CM) was elected a fellow of the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM) in October 2023 and was elected to the ASEM board of directors in January 2025. Via was also elected director of graduate program certification and will lead ASEM’s Master of Engineering Management certification team. Via is currently a professor of practice and associate director in the Master of Engineering Management & Leadership program at Rice University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) and a Certified Professional in Engineering Management (C.P.E.M). He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Morgan’s Point, Texas, a suburb of Houston.

Jerry Chen (Col ’14 CM) and his wife, Susan Russell, welcomed their first child, Millicent “Millie” Chen, in January. The family lives in New York.

Debbie Levy (Col ’78 CM) has published A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight Over Science in Schools, the first of three books she will publish in 2025. Levy will also publish Photo Ark 1-2-3: An Animal Counting Book in Poetry and Pictures and The Friendship Train: A True Story of Helping and Healing After World War II.

Levy’s previous books for children and young adults have put her on the New York Times bestseller lists and earned awards including the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the National Jewish Book Award, and the Virginia Library Association’s Jefferson Cup Award.

Philip Whitman (Col ’04 CM) was raised to the sublime degree of master mason on Sept. 21, 2024 and currently is serving as junior deacon of Bremond Lodge #241 in Newport News, Virginia.

Joan Burcher Green (Educ ’62 CM) reports that her son, Chad Green, was elected to the Virginia General Assembly, House of Delegates, in 2023. Green serves the 69^th District.

Zachary Brown (Col ’22) has launched a production company, ZHB Productions, and is in the process of shooting “Up the Waterspout,” an animated short to be released in 2025. Brown performed in “When the Rain Stops Falling” as a fourth-year student at UVA, and the experience inspired him to pursue theater and acting as well as create movies and art. He is happy to have learned from such people as Cortney Lowinski (Grad ’23), Brian Willis (Grad ’23) and Mark Edmundson.

Cara Goodwin (Col ’07 CM) has recently been published in CharlottesvilleFamily magazine. Her article is about the science behind toilet training. After a deep dive into current medical research, she distilled the findings into easy-to-understand action items to help parents. This is part of an ongoing series for the publication and will include future articles on sleep in childhood, parenting styles, mother burnout, developmental milestones, childhood anxiety and more. A licensed psychologist, Goodwin is the founder of Parenting Translator and the mother of four young children.

John Maze (Arch ’91 CM) was awarded the Undergraduate Teacher of the Year Award by the University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning. Maze is an associate professor of architecture and has been at Florida since 2001 following four years teaching at the UVA School of Architecture. He recently served as juror for final reviews at the end of the spring 2024 semester at UVA, and was elated to find the work is still among the best he has seen in the country. Maze credits Peter Waldman amongst other great educators at UVA for his success as an educator and continues to send students from Florida to UVA for their graduate studies. Once a ’Hoo, always a ’Hoo!

Billy Wynne (Law ’04) will publish The Empty Path: Finding Fulfillment Through the Radical Art of Lessening, with New World Library on March 18. Wynne and his family live in Colorado. His daughter is a first-year student at Cornell.

Andrew Ceperley (Grad ’89) has published Tone Setters in the Academy: How to Build an Inspired Life as a University Administrator.  The book offers practical strategies, known as “tone setter mindsets,” to help administrators dealing with challenges such as campus politics, the lack of promotional opportunities, and workplace dynamics cultivate their unique tone, manage energy, and build resilience. Ceperley is a seasoned university administrator, consultant, and a professional certified coach for individuals and teams serving colleges and universities throughout the world.

John E. Ludlum (Law ’98) has joined the law firm Cozen O’Connor in the labor and employment department. Ludlum brings nearly three decades of experience advising and representing national and Utah business clients in compensation and tax matters ranging from executive compensation to mergers and acquisitions-related tax issues. He will work in the firm’s Salt Lake City office.

Ludlum comes to the firm from Holland & Hart, where he was a partner in the tax and benefits group. Before joining the legal profession, Ludlum was an officer/aircraft commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he executed search and rescue, law enforcement, pollution response, ice patrol, and medical evacuation missions domestically and internationally, including service in Operation Desert Storm.

Jason Cottrell (Educ ’16 CM) was recently appointed the data coordinator for postsecondary education at the U.S. Department of Education. In this role, Cottrell will work to improve data quality and maturity by working with data stewards, assessing the needs for data literacy training, and managing data practices for the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) while developing a governance model for data collections and analyses within OPE. He previously served as lead research analyst in the Office of Postsecondary Education.

Cottrell was also elected to a 3-year term as the vice president for membership for the American College Personnel Association—College Student Educators International.

He received all of this news as he returned home from a 2-week trip to London and Paris where he and his husband celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary and their 25th anniversary. 

Cecelia Tomko (Col ’92, Educ ’92 CM) has published Sacred Stones, a novel set in her adopted home of Butler, Pennsylvania, where a man inherits his great-grandmother’s house. When his 10-year-old daughter begins to experience strange visions of the past, each glimpse of her ancestors leads the family closer to bringing long-buried secrets of theft, deceit and betrayal into the light.

Tomko moved to Butler in 2010. Impacted by the closing of a major steel railcar company almost 30 years earlier, much of its Main Street was boarded up. Tomko fell in love with the town and its history, as well as the surrounding beauty of western Pennsylvania. She hopes the book, which is packed with history and descriptions of local gems, will bring positive attention and tourism to the town.

Ross Rommel (Col ’69 CM) is enjoying retirement in the Texas Hill Country after 30 years as a partner with the law firm Hunton Andrew Kurth in Houston. Rommel and his wife Deborah live on seven acres in Hunt, Texas, with 13 chickens, 70 peach trees, and an abundance of vegetables.

Rommel served as general counsel at Hunton Andrew Kurth for 12 years and as head of its trial division for seven years. In 2019, he received the University of Houston Law Center’s Lifetime Achievement in Advocacy Award, which honors an individual who contributed significantly to teaching the art of advocacy to law students.

Rommel was a prosecutor with the Harris County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office for seven years before joining Hunter Andrews Kirth. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a platoon sergeant before attending law school at the University of Houston Law Center.

Rommel wrote a book, Of Tight Lines and Cupped Wings, which recounts his adventures in the outdoors with family and friends. He’s currently taking voice and cello lessons at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas.