Class Notes - Fall 2015
By Terp Staff
’10s
Benjamin Barros M.A. ’13 is the new College of Law dean at the University of Toledo. He previously was a professor and associate dean of academic affairs at Widener University’s School of Law and worked as an attorney at the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP, and before that at Debevoise & Plimpton, both in New York. He also taught at Fordham University in New York and Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He received a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and a law degree from Fordham.
Raymond McCaffrey Ph.D. ’13, assistant professor of journalism in the University of Arkansas’ J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, has been named director of the Center for Ethics in Journalism in the Walter J. Lemke Department of Journalism. McCaffrey came to Arkansas in 2014 to serve as the center’s interim director. He worked for more than 25 years as a journalist, including eight years as a staff writer and editor at The Washington Post.
Kari Fasick MBA ’12 is engaged to marry Stephen Dolski on Nov. 7. She is employed by Pacific Architects and Engineers Inc. as a business operations manager.
The Mayer family brought Maryland pride to Providenciales during their recent vacation to Turks and Caicos. From left are parents Bob ’71 and Dawn (Heindel) ’72 with daughters Kristen ’04 and Brittany ’11.
Wadi Gaitan ’11 has been hired by the Republican Party of California. He most recently served as press secretary for the U.S. House of Representatives Republican Conference. During the 2014 campaign cycle, he joined U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo’s (R-Fla.) campaign as communications director. In addition, Gaitan has worked on campaigns in Modesto, Calif., and Boston.
Selma Hepp Ph.D. ’11 is the new chief economist at Trulia, a home search resource for buyers and renters. She joins the company from the California Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors, where she oversaw research and analysis of housing market and economic trends, surveys and the impact of real estate related regulatory and legislative policy. She earned her master of arts in economics from the State University of New York at Buffalo and her doctorate in urban and regional planning and design from UMD.
Lily Paulette Shapiro M.M. ’11 and Cantor Benjamyn Samuel Ellerin were married June 14 at Temple Shaaray Tefila in Bedford, N.Y. She is studying for a master’s degree in speech-language pathology at Hunter College. She graduated from the Manhattan School of Music and received a master’s degree in trumpet performance from UMD.
Kim Remsberg Waeber ’10 and Daniel Joseph Chemotti were married Aug. 9 in Christ Reformed United Church of Christ in Middletown, Md., and the reception was held at the nearby Stone Manor Country Club. She earned an MBA from Mount St. Mary’s University and an M.S. from Columbia and is employed with Northrop Grumman in Charlottesville, Va.
’00s
Bambo Bamgbose MBA ’09, CFO and president of eManagement, was named Washington Business Journal’s CFO of the Year 2015—Technology. He emigrated to the United States as a teenager with his family from West Africa. For 16 years he has been CFO of eManagement, a provider of IT services and cybersecurity to the private and public sectors, and in 2013 he added president to his title.
Krysten Connon ’09 and David S. Cohen, an associate professor of law at Drexel University, have co-written Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism (Oxford University Press). She came up with the idea while attending Drexel’s law school and is now an attorney at Pepper Hamilton LLP in Philadelphia.
Justin Kowal MBA ’09 and Ashley Decker were married on June 6 in St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Lancaster, Pa. Guests gathered for a reception at the nearby Farm at Eagle’s Ridge. The groom earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and international business from Loyola University of Maryland and is a financial manager at Northrop Grumman. The couple lives in York, Pa.
A.J. Laferrera ’08, M.P.S. ’14 wed Jamie Daron on March 20 at St. Aloysius Church in Jersey City. The ceremony was followed by a reception at the Liberty House in Jersey City. He is employed as a marketing manager at McGraw-Hill Education in New York City.
Tajh Holden ’07 was appointed to the board of the Community YMCA of Tinton Falls, N.J. He is a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley and a former UMD basketball standout who played professionally in Istanbul, Turkey. He went on to a career in athletics, serving as basketball coach at La Jolla Country Day School in San Diego, assistant varsity director of basketball operations and assistant coach at Monmouth University, and assistant varsity and head junior varsity coach at Christian Brothers Academy.
Eugene Poverni ’07 was named to b newspaper’s 6th annual list of “10 People to Watch Under 30.” The Ukraine native, who came to Baltimore at the age of 6, co-founded the real estate development company Poverni Sheikh Group and looks forward to playing an active role in redeveloping the west side of Baltimore. In the last five years, his company has bought almost 30 buildings in the city.
Senior legal reporter Danny Jacobs ’06 is the new legal editor at The Daily Record in Maryland. He joined the newspaper in 2008 and is an adjunct professor at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Patrick G. Maggitti Ph.D. ’06 was appointed Villanova University’s first provost. He previously served as the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business.
Ari Daniel Rasekh ’06 married Emily Catherine Lawrence on July 2 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York. He is a manager of online technology and marketing projects at Razorfish, an online marketing and advertising agency in New York.
Maggie Rose McGuire ’06 married James Whitney Kuhl on July 19 at Keuka Yacht Club in Hammondsport, N.Y. She is the senior associate director for research communications at the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in New York.
Krishna Thiagarajan D.M.A. ’06 is the new chief executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She joins the organization from the New York City-based Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, where he served as executive director since January 2013.
Jamie Watt Arnold ’05 was promoted to senior vice president of the Baltimore marketing and public relations firm Profiles Inc. Amy Burke Friedman ’02 has been named president. She joined Profiles in 2003 as a junior account executive. Watt Arnold began her career at Profiles in 2005 as an intern.
Liana Rozsa ’05 is the new vice principal at Randolph Middle School in Charlotte, N.C. She most recently served as assistant principal at Readington Middle School, and prior to that was a literacy teacher at Hillsborough Middle School. She has a master’s degree in educational administration from Rider University.
Amy Bauer M.P.P. ’04 was named leader of the East Coast executive search practice at the consultancy Christenson Advisory Services. She last served as a senior vice president for the provider of financing at Capital Funding Group.
Michael Conklin M.A. ’04, a math teacher from Spokane Valley’s University High School, won the 2015 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The $10,000 award is granted by the National Science Foundation. Conklin is one of 108 teachers—two each from the 50 states and four other U.S. jurisdictions—invited to receive their awards at a Washington, D.C., ceremony.
Libby Feil M.L.S. ’04 is the new director of the Jaffrey (N.H.) Public Library. She previously worked as a librarian and library manager at Dartmouth College, the Hartland, Vermont Public Library, the New England Historic Genealogical Society and the Osterville (Mass.) Village Library.
Scott Whittle ’04 joined Rubenstein Partners, a real estate investment manager, as director of financings. He previously worked as a vice president of finance for KTR Capital Partners, and as senior associate with LBC Credit Partners.
Petra Martin ’03 was named head swimming and diving coach at Rutgers University. She last served as head coach at Bowling Green State University, where she guided the program to a top-three finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships in three consecutive seasons.
Ted Hopper MBA ’02 was named the chief revenue officer at Remote-Learner. He spent the last seven years in management roles within Blackboard Inc. In addition, he is a member of the board of directors for the non-profit Adoptions Together and for the SONOS Chamber Orchestra in New York City.
The National Press Club gave longtime Baltimore Sun television/media critic David Zurawik Ph.D ’00 the Arthur Rowse Award for press criticism in print for his “strong series of columns on the shifting media environment and the power of videos from alternative organizations or citizens that are reshaping our culture and prompting a rethinking of some long-held journalism norms.”
ICF International named Dean Bakeris MBA ’01 as vice president for its cybersecurity team. Bakeris was most recently director of business development at BAE Systems. He has also held positions at Raytheon Co.
Scott Benjamin MBA ’01 chronicles his journey through the boom and bust of Baltimore’s real estate market in his new book, Riding the Bubble: The World of Housing Is a Wild Ride, available on Amazon and ridingthebubble.com. He is now a business professor at Florida Institute of Technology.
Debo Ayeni ’00, MBA ’07 published his first book, Changing Course: Ending America’s New Normal, on Amazon’s Kindle service. It follows a small group of friends and neighbors during the fall of 2014 as they come to grips with the country’s steady but slow-growing economy, and what it could mean for each of their futures. Ayeni is also vice president, financial analysis and corporate accounting at Wakefield Capital Management in Chevy Chase, Md.
Kate Sara Baar-Bittman ’00 and Nicholas Paul Traverse were married June 13 at the Chequessett Yacht & Country Club in Wellfleet, Mass. She works in New York as a public relations consultant, mainly for publishing companies and food writers.
Dan Curry M.Arch. ’01 and Tom Jester M.Arch. ’99 were promoted to principals at Quinn Evans Architects. Curry, who joined the firm in 2010, has focused on urban school renovation projects, while Jester leads the firm’s Heritage Conservation Studio, which boasts one of the mid-Atlantic’s largest assemblages of degreed and certified preservation professionals.
’90s
Jorge Figueredo M.P.P. ’99 was named executive director of Edu-Futuro, which works to provide opportunities and leadership training for immigrant students in Arlington and across Northern Virginia. He previously served as executive director of the Hispanic Committee of Virginia, and has held a number of posts in the private sector and with nonprofit organizations.
Stephen G.S. Simon ’99 was named the fire and rescue services chief of Roanoke County, Va. He was awarded his bachelor’s degree jointly with the National Fire Service Academy. The county’s police chief, Howard Hall ’86, its county administrator, Thomas Gates ’84, and its engineer, former basketball player David Henderson ’80, are also Terps.
Jessica Western ’99, M.A. ’06 was appointed assistant principal at Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School in St. Mary’s County, Md. She joined the district in 2013 as the certification coordinator in the Department of Human Resources and earned her doctorate of education from the George Washington University.
Nat Ballard ’97 was promoted to associate in the Lanham, Md. office of Dewberry, a professional services firm. His project management responsibilities have included zoning document preparation and preliminary design for a variety of mixed-use and residential developments in both Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.
John DeRichie ’97, M.Arch. ’00 was promoted to associate in the Atlantic City, N.J., office of SOSH Architects. He joined the firm in 2000 as an intern, and has become a leader in the firm’s architectural design team.
Usman Shakir ’97 joined NIKA, a provider of architecture, engineering, facilities and operations and maintenance solutions to government, as executive vice president and chief financial officer. The former Terp baseball player previously served in senior corporate finance roles with Berico, Deltek and AOL.
Matt Neumann M.Arch. ’96 joined Liberty Property Trust as senior director of leasing and development in the Illinois/Wisconsin region. Neumann was previously at IndCor Properties, where he served as senior vice president and asset manager for the Midwest region.
Scott Swichar ’96 was appointed to the newly created position of deputy manager of Bristol Township, Pa. He was promoted from the township’s operations analyst and project manager, a job he held since 2012. Previously, Swichar served as manager of Marcus Hook in Delaware County.
John “J.G.” Chirapurath M.S. ’95 was named senior vice president and general manager of ProQuest Workflow Solutions in Seattle. Most recently, he was vice president and general manager of Hewlett Packard’s Application Lifecycle Management business.
Jennifer Firkins Nordstrom ’95, professor of mathematics at Linfield College, received the Edith Green Distinguished Professorship Award. It recognizes a senior faculty member who demonstrates sustained excellence in the classroom and has worked creatively to enhance Linfield’s commitment to academic excellence. She serves as governor of the Pacific Northwest Section of the Mathematical Association of America and was recently awarded a Dolciani Mathematics Enrichment grant for a project that will include Linfield students mentoring local middle school students.
David J. Fike Ph.D. ’94 is the new president of Golden Gate University. He most recently spent nine years as president of Marygrove College in Detroit. Previously, he was chief academic officer and dean of faculty at Holy Names University in Oakland, Calif., from 1997 until 2005.
Hillary J. Moonay ’93 joined the law firm MacElree Harvey Ltd. as a partner. She is based in the firm’s new office in Doylestown, Pa. For nearly 20 years, Moonay has practiced exclusively in the area of family law and served in leadership roles for the Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia bar associations. She is a contributor to the book Slicing Up the Pie: Property Distribution in Pennsylvania, and is a frequent lecturer on family law topics. She graduated from the University of Michigan Law School.
Joseph Cosentino ’93 joined the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP in New York from Clifford Chance. He has represented acquirers, targets, boards of directors, special committees, investment banks, and investors in an array of industries. He has a J.D. from New York Law School.
Jacqueline Incollingo M.A. ’93, Ph.D ’14 received first place from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication for her paper “‘I’m a news junkie…I like being informed…’ Uses & Gratifications and Mobile News Users.” An assistant professor of communication at Rider University, she was a reporter and Washington correspondent for The Tampa Tribune, the Associated Press and, most recently, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Dori K. Stibolt ’93 is a partner in Fox Rothschild’s litigation practice group in the firm’s West Palm Beach, Fla., office. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Nova Southeastern University. Stibolt served as a chair of UMD’s South Florida Alumni Club from 2000–10, and currently sits on the steering committee.
Martin Friedman ’92 is the new vice chairman at Access National Corp., parent company for Access National Bank. He has served as a director of the company since 2009. He is co-founder and CEO of FJ Capital Management, an investment fund firm based in McLean, Va., since 2008.
Cheryl J. Hapke M.S. ’92 is the new director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center. She is a research geologist with expertise in coastal-erosion hazards within environments like rocky coasts, barrier islands and carbonate systems. Her career with the Geological Survey has spanned 18 years and four science centers.
Domingo Isasi ’92 was named to the new role of vice president of continuous improvement for technologies at API Technologies Corp., which provides high-performance security solutions. Most recently, Isasi served as director of Global Continuous Improvement for WEX Inc.
In Blood Border, a new book by Steven Mead ’92, a Phoenix police officer tries to stop a deadly attack by a feared Islamic terrorist group that is working with Mexican drug cartels.
Romy Riddick ’92 was elected to the board of trustees of the Princeton-Blairstown Center, which offers youth development experiential educational programs to students in the mid-Atlantic. She is assistant vice president of the client services team in human resources at Princeton University. She joined the university in 2012 as director of diversity and inclusion, and she continues to manage that function in her current role.
Kirsten Strohmer ’92 is the new vice president of business development at the Henker Group. She has more than 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, communications, professional voice work and linguistics, including as owner of Your Voice Marketing and sales manager of MTS Broadcasting.
Robert Hobson ’91 was hired as a national account director at independent tea trader Finlays to develop and execute a North American sales strategy. Most recently, he was vice president of sales and marketing for U.S. Beverage.
Chris Halkyard ’90 was named the first chief logistics officer at Rent the Runway. He’s developing a strategy for a more sophisticated transportation network for the designer garments that customers rent through the company. Halkyard most recently served as chief supply chain officer and general manager of distribution services at Gilt and held a range of logistics roles at Marc Ecko, L’Occitane, FAO Schwarz and the May Department Stores (now Macy’s).
Steve Lohr ’90 is the new fire chief of the city of Hagerstown. He is a recently retired chief of the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service and has 30 years of career firefighting experience with 12 additional years of volunteer service.
Dan Martin ’90 was named senior vice president of the capital market group of the commercial real estate financing firm Walker & Dunlop. He previously served as a regional manager at GE Capital Real Estate.
Mitchell Paige ’90, chief financial officer of Dataprise since 2009, was named Washington Business Journal’s CFO of the Year 2015: Technology. His company provides IT services to developing businesses throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Kim Weaver M.S. ’90, Ph.D. ’93 was named to West Virginia University’s board of governors by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. She is a renowned astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and a noted international expert in the field of X-ray astronomy.
Edwin Wright ’90 was named vice president of enrollment management at Lebanon Valley College. He brings 25 years of experience to the position, serving most recently as executive director of admissions at Widener University.
’80s
Larry Carlin M.A. ’89 was named equity research analyst at Conestoga Capital Advisors. His experience in the investment management industry spans 16 years, with a focus on small- and mid-capitalization companies. Prior to joining Conestoga, Carlin worked with Columbia Partners in suburban Philadelphia for six years.
Thomas G. Mason ’89 was named to the new Scientific Advisory Board of Beyond Meat, a company founded by Ethan Brown M.P.M. ’97 to create tasty, nutritious plant-based meats that replicate animal meat in taste, texture and appearance. Mason studied soft condensed matter physics at Princeton University, receiving his Ph.D. in physics in 1995.
Col. Wendel A. Smith ’89 has taken command of the New York Air National Guard’s 224th Air Defense Group (ADG). He previously served as commander of the 224th Air Defense Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 224th ADG. Smith is a command pilot with more than 2,200 hours in the F-16.
Stacey J. Longanecker ’88 joined the D.C. office of law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC. She most recently worked at Roylance, Abrams, Berdo & Goodman, L.L.P. and focuses on preparing and prosecuting U.S. and foreign patent applications and conducting studies of patent validity and infringement. She received her J.D. from Catholic University of America.
David Trone ’88, MBA ’95 joined PHH Corp. as vice president, investor relations. He has more than 20 years of experience in equity research covering the financial services industry. Most recently, he served as director of research and senior analyst at MKM Partners.
Dr. Robin Freeman ’88 has joined the HMH Physician Group: Obstetrics and Gynecology in Cynthiana, Ky. She specializes in obstetrics, adult and pediatric gynecology, infertility, urodynamics and gynecologic ultrasounds and is board-certified. She earned her medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Shirley Geiss ’88 is the principal for the new Holy Cross Lutheran Academy Upper School in Sanford, Fla. Geiss earned a master of science degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
David L. Collier ’87, MBA ’92 joined SynapticAP as chief financial officer and senior vice president of operations.
H&S Environmental, an environmental and construction firm founded by Debi Heims ’87, was honored as the 2015 Massachusetts Woman-Owned Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Massachusetts District Office. The bulk of the company’s contracts are with federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Navy and Department of Homeland Security.
Bernice Brezina ’86, M.S. ’01, a professor of technical and industrial studies at the College of Southern Maryland, received the annual Faculty Excellence Award Honoring Permanent Faculty during commencement exercises in May.
Sonal B. Deshpande ’86 was promoted to vice president of mission assurance for Northrop Grumman’s Linthicum-based Electronic Systems sector. She joined the company in 1986 and most recently served as vice president, Engineering, Manufacturing & Logistics for the Airborne ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and Targeting Systems and Space ISR Systems divisions. She completed a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University and the General Managers Program at Harvard Business School.
Susan Hanson Ph.D. ’86, whose experience in U.S. museums includes positions at the Smithsonian Institution and history projects in seven states, was named president of the board of directors of Boston’s West End Museum. Hanson has been volunteering for the museum as its archivist.
Harvey Metro ’86, chief financial officer of the Matchbox Food Group since September 2014, was named Washington Business Journal’s CFO of the Year 2015: Hospitality. The restaurant accounting executive previously worked with Sweetgreen, &pizza and California Tortilla.
Chuck Driesell ’85 is the new basketball coach at the Maret School in D.C. The son of former longtime Maryland coach Lefty Driesell, he has held eight coaching positions at high schools and colleges and most recently served as an assistant at The Citadel.
Jeff Hoffman ’85 was named vice president and general manager of WKMG, the CBS affiliate in Orlando. His broadcasting career goes back 30 years, including the past seven as president and general manager of WTKR/WGNT, the CBS/CW duopoly in Norfolk, Va.
Tina Q. Richardson ’85, M.A. ’88 was named chancellor of Penn State-Lehigh Valley. She most recently served as associate dean of academic affairs at Drexel University’s School of Education, and she is also director of the University Assisted School, an effort to improve K-12 public education in West Philadelphia’s Promise Zone. Richardson was a faculty member in Lehigh University’s College of Education for 20 years.
Kim Adkins ’84 is running for Virginia’s 20th District Senate seat as a Democrat against incumbent state Sen. Bill Stanley, a Republican. Her four-year term as mayor of Martinsville ended in December. She previously served on the city council and owns her own public relations and marketing company. She has also served as the president of the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, executive director of the West Piedmont Workforce Investment Board, director of corporate communications for Tultex Corp. and the director of external affairs at Carlisle School.
Aline McGee ’84 graduated with an M.A. in elementary education from Southeast Missouri State University in May at age 73. She is a reading teacher at Ripley County R-IV Lone Star Elementary School, where she first served as a substitute teacher, then a teacher’s aide, then a full-time teacher. Her first career was as a cost accountant.
John Myers ’84 joined Avison Young in Gaithersburg, Md., as a principal. He focuses on landlord and tenant representation and expanding the company’s presence in suburban Maryland markets. Myers has more than 30 years of commercial real estate experience, most recently serving as managing director at Cassidy Turley for nine years.
Gary Zuckerman ’84 has been appointed vice president of business development at FileThis, a cloud-based document filing company. He most recently served as a founding partner at Everest North America, where he worked with Blueriq, a Dutch startup firm, to introduce its case management platform to the U.S. market.
Douglas A. Lawton ’83, M.S.’93 was promoted to vice president, Engineering Manufacturing and Logistics for two intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance-related divisions at Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Linthicum, Md.-based Electronic Systems sector. He joined the company in 1983 and has held a number of leadership positions in engineering, program execution, supply chain management and manufacturing.
Alan Rosenberg ’83 was appointed chief executive officer of Access Media 3, an Internet, cable and phone service company in 35 states. He recently was the CEO of Business Only Broadband, which he sold to Windstream in late 2014. He has a master of science degree in telecommunications from Stevens Institute of Technology, and executive business certifications from Carnegie Mellon University and London Business School.
Sandra Sheets ’83, of the Lakeland, Fla., office of Gray Robinson, has been named to the 2016 Best Lawyers in America list.
Brad Tyndall ’83 is the new vice president of academic affairs at Central Wyoming College. Tyndall has worked for community colleges for 19 years as an adjunct and full-time faculty member, and he most recently served as vice president of academic affairs at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs, Colo. Tyndall has a Ph.D. in economics with specializations in environmental economics and international finance. His master’s degree is in agricultural and natural resource economics; both degrees are from Colorado State University.
Chuck Bernstein ’82 was appointed senior vice president, worldwide sales, at Westell Technologies. He has 25 years of sales, business development and management experience, most recently serving as vice president, worldwide sales for TeleCommunication Systems’ Commercial Software Group.
Hofstra University Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway ’81 was named an Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year. Hathaway, now in his third year at Hofstra, also received this honor in 2006–07 and 2009–10. The former chairman of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, Hathaway was recently appointed to the inaugural NCAA Division I Council. He previously served in the athletic departments at Connecticut, Colorado State and Maryland.
John Higgs ’80 was appointed the first dean of the School of Business, Arts, Sciences and Technology at the Community College of Beaver County (Pa.). Higgs most recently served as dean of general education and business for 11 years at Mid-State Technical College in Wisconsin. Earlier in his career, Higgs was vice commander and dean of the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School and served in other leadership roles within the Air Force. He has a doctorate in educational leadership and innovation from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in administration and leadership from the State University of New York.
’70s
Chicago Bulls Executive Vice President of Business Operations Steve Schanwald ’79 stepped down in June after 28 years with the team. He started his career as a student at Maryland, which had one of the first sports marketing offices in intercollegiate athletics, by showing up and offering to work there for free.
Susan K. Salton ’78 joined Allegheny College as associate vice president for communications and marketing. She most recently served as executive director of marketing and communications at Hartwick College.
Steven Schwartz, M.A. ’78, Ph.D. ’80 joined Charles River Associates as vice president in the finance practice based in Dallas. He advises clients on litigation matters involving securities, intellectual property and antitrust disputes, and he is an experienced expert witness. He was most recently a managing director at Alvarez & Marsal in its Global Forensics, Disputes and Investigations practice, and a consultant with NERA Economic Consulting.
Sports broadcaster Jimmy Roberts ’77 became a trustee of the Rye Fund for Education, a nonprofit educational foundation established to raise and distribute tax-free funds for the Rye City School District. He’s a 13-time Emmy winner known most recently for his work on NBC and the Golf Channel as an essayist, interviewer, feature reporter and studio host.
President Obama nominated U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Peter W. Bodde ’76 to head the U.S. embassy in Tripoli, Libya. In addition to Kathmandu, Bodde’s postings over the last decade included Iraq, Pakistan and Malawi.
Paul R. DeMuro ’76, of counsel in the Fort Lauderdale office of Broad and Cassel, earned a doctorate in biomedical informatics through Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine. A member of the law firm’s Health Law Practice Group, DeMuro focuses his practice areas on corporate, health care law and information technology.
Margaret S. Clark M.A. ’75, Ph.D. ’77 was named the John M. Musser Professor of Psychology at Yale University. She conducts research on how romantic relationships and friendships unfold over time and the reciprocal influences between such relationships and cognition, emotion, behavior and personality. She taught at Carnegie Mellon University for 28 years before joining the Yale faculty in 2005. In addition to her academic appointments, she also serves as master of Trumbull College. In 2015, Clark was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies.
Harriet Yaffe M.A. ’75 has been named coordinator for the St. Mary’s County Nonprofit Institute at the College of Southern Maryland. Yaffe’s career has spanned 40 years, including 21 with the Arc of Southern Maryland in Prince Frederick, ending in May 2014.
Former NYMEX chairman Richard Schaeffer ’74 joined Amercanex, the American Cannabis Exchange. He is an equity stakeholder in Green Tree International, parent company of Amercanex, and is a new member of Green Tree’s Board of Directors. Schaeffer has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and has served on the board of directors at the Robert H. Smith School of Business.
Sharon Allen Gilder’s ’72 debut historical romance, The Rose Beyond, is set in 1897 Washington, D.C., and traces how the revelation of the Hargrove family’s secrets threatens to tear apart their bonds.
Michael Fribush ’71 stepped down as general manager of Maryland Media Inc., the parent company of The Diamondback, Mitzpeh and the Terrapin yearbook, on Aug. 31. He led the company for 43 years. He was replaced by Arnie Applebaum ’79, a longtime executive of The Washington Post and former sales manager of The Diamondback, who is charged with overseeing MMI’s business operations and leading its transition into a digital-first media company.
John Quinn Ph.D. ’58, a physics professor who served as chancellor of the University of Tennessee from 1989 to 1992, was named chancellor emeritus. Quinn, 80, recently retired after a 57-year career in academics, including 26 at UT.
Passings
Michael Patrick McLoughlin ’12 died on June 3 in a fire at the Washington, D.C., rowhouse where he and another tenant were living. He was 24. He was raised in Leonardtown, Md., and graduated from UMD magna cum laude with degrees in finance and economics while playing for soccer teams throughout the D.C. area. He is survived by his parents, Michael McLoughlin and Mindy Johnson; sister Danielle McLoughlin; brother Russell Johnson; grandmother Martha Paugh; and stepdad Rich Johnson.
Owen Kulemeka ’00, M.A. ’03, an assistant professor in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma, died in his Norman, Okla., home on June 27 after being treated for heatstroke earlier in the week. He was 38. Born in Malosa, Malawi, he immigrated to the United States in 1989 to join his father, a doctoral student at Indiana University. Kulemeka earned his bachelor’s and master’s at UMD and his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Before pursuing his doctorate, Kulemeka worked as a research analyst for Kearney and Co., a public affairs writer for the American Insurance Association and a research analyst for Cassidy Government Relations, all in Washington, D.C. He joined the faculty of OU four years ago, and in his first year won Gaylord College’s JayMac Outstanding Teacher award, the only new professor to have ever been selected for the college’s highest teaching honor. The following year, the Oklahoma Student-Athlete Advisory Committee selected Kulemeka for the Most Inspiring Faculty award. In 2015, Kulemeka was named one of four inaugural Paul Risser Innovative Teaching Fellows. In 2009, he was the first recipient of the James & Larissa Grunig Research Fellowship given by the Institute for Public Relations. He was active in international communication and worked most recently with the University of Gujrat in Pakistan as part of a grant from the U.S. Department of State to upgrade its mass communication department. Kulemeka is survived by his parents, Andrew Kulemeka and Mary Ellen Scullen, and sisters Moyenda and Chikondi, all of College Park; and numerous relatives in the U.S. and Malawi.
John C. DeLabio M.Ed. ’79, a longtime educator in Baltimore County Public Schools, died May 28. He was 94. A Baltimore native, he grew up in Highlandtown, the son of first-generation Italian-Americans. DeLabio graduated from Patterson High School in 1940 and served in the Army during World War II from 1942–46. He went on to earn a B.S. in management from the University of Baltimore in 1950 and served as a teacher and guidance counselor in North Point High School in Dundalk, then as an assistant principal at Southeastern Vocational-Technical High School, also in Dundalk. DeLabio was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Genevieve “Gen” L. (Petrone). He is survived by daughters Susan DeLabio and Jeanne Stephens; a brother, Richard; two grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Spencer H. Gelband Ph.D. ’79 died June 8 at his home in Hoboken, N.J. He was 67. Gelband was born in Brooklyn, lived in New York City, then in Hoboken the past 21 years. He had degrees from the University of Virginia and University of Rhode Island and earned a doctorate in history from UMD. He retired from the New York City MTA and in his later years ran his own tour business, “A Friend in NY.” He was predeceased by his partner, Kevingerarrd Cannon, and his father, Bernard Gelband. Spencer is survived by his mother, Edna Gelband, and brother Scott Gelband.
Lambert E. “Bud” Coakley ’74 of Oxford, Fla., formerly of Edgewood and Havre de Grace, Md., died July 10, according to the Bel Air Patch. He was 90. Coakley was a star athlete at Havre de Grace High School and Calvert Hall Prep School in Towson. After serving in the army for three years, he earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Washington College, where he was also a standout athlete and earned a place in the college’s Hall of Fame. He spent his summers during college as a pitcher in the semi-pro Susquehanna Baseball League and was later inducted into the Harford-Cecil Baseball Hall of Fame. Coakley earned a B.S. in physical education from UMD and a master’s in education from Towson State University. Starting at Crisfield High School in 1949, he taught classes; coached baseball, basketball and football; and served as Edgewood’s athletic director. During the summers, he managed the Edgewood Swim Club and was an official for the Northeastern Maryland Officials Association. Upon his retirement from Harford County Public Schools in 1984, he worked at Aberdeen Proving Ground as the military athletic director. An avid golfer, he enjoyed working part-time at Swan Creek Country Club and Beechtree, Bulle Rock and Ruggles golf courses over the next 15 years. He was a member of the Harford County Public School Educator Hall of Fame, Maryland State Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, Maryland Scholastic Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Edgewood High School Hall of Fame. He was a member of the American Legion and the Elks Lodge in Havre de Grace, where he served as chaplain. Coakley will be remembered for his wild pants, legendary halftime talks, sense of humor and love of sports. He is survived by his wife, Arleen; sister, Margaret Medairy; son, Michael Coakley; daughters Karen Evans, Kim Coakley, Shelly Vines and Lisa Nelson; seven grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Philip F. Jehle Jr. ’73, an accomplished musician, died June 22 in the Delaware Hospice Center after a lengthy illness, according to the Cape Gazette. He was 64. Jehle graduated from Winston Churchill High School, where he was active in theater and musical ensembles. He attended Ohio Northern University and UMD, playing in the pep band. In 1988, he was awarded his master of music degree from The Catholic University of America. He went on to become an instrumental music teacher for 36 years in Montgomery County public schools. A member of the DC Federation of Musicians, Jehle played woodwinds for groups ranging from big bands and rock and roll to chamber music. He regularly played in a woodwind quintet, donating his time to provide live entertainment in area nursing homes. He played backup for Aretha Franklin, the Four Tops and the Miracles and accompanied Eva Cassidy and Chuck Brown on clarinet on the album “The Other Side.” He is predeceased by his parents, Philip F. Jehle and Marcelle Auclair Jehle, and survived by his wife of 40 years, Charlene; daughter Kristin; siblings Patricia Anne, Kathleen Will, Christopher and Lawrence; 13 nieces and nephews; and six grandnieces and grandnephews.
James Victor Anthenelli ’72, a respected lawyer on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, died May 26 of pancreatic cancer, according to The Cape Gazette. He graduated from Middlesex (N.J.) High School in 1968 and majored in economics at UMD. He graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1976. He began his career as assistant state’s attorney for Wicomico County and practiced as a criminal defense attorney with several law firms in Salisbury, Md. Anthenelli participated as a member of the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland for over 21 years and held three gubernatorial appointments. He received a variety of accolades from the legal community, including being a repeat winner of Metropolitan Magazine’s Best Lawyer in Salisbury award. Anthenelli is survived by his wife of 42 years, Monica; son Michael; daughter Elizabeth Baynard; brother Robert; one grandson and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
Denece M. Feldman ’63, M.Ed. ’69 died March 28 in Edmonds, Wash. She was 88. She attended elementary school in Chamberlain, S.D., and graduated from Snohomish High School in Snohomish, Wash., in 1944. She worked as a teacher and counselor in Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Md. She is predeceased by her husband, Melvin Feldman, who died in 2011; their daughter, Elizabeth Parrish; and her half-brother, Thomas Doyle Creighton. Feldman is survived by her brother, E.J. “Bud” Creighton; two grandsons; and three nieces and nephews.
Retired Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Wintley McDonogh Lynch ’60 of Millsboro, Del., died May 23. He was 77. A descendant of John McDonogh, founder of the McDonogh School in Baltimore County, he graduated from Bel Air High School before attending UMD. Lynch went to pre-flight school at the Pensacola Naval Air Station and his first assignment as a pilot was to fly President Kennedy to an aircraft carrier. Lynch was selected to be a three-star admiral’s pilot in Vietnam and flew many USO celebrities. He went on to become of four training pilots for the Navy’s only land-based squadron in the Vietnam War. He then served in-country for a year. Lynch earned 43 Air Medals and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star with Valor and many more. He retired from the Navy in July 1981. Lynch then had a successful business selling memorabilia and souvenirs at air shows, primarily in California. Later, he followed his avid interest in sports and developed sales in NFL and MLB players’ on-field jerseys and hats. Lynch is survived by his wife of eight years, Janet Gayley Staton-Lynch, a high school classmate whom he met again at their 50th reunion; his sister, Colleen Lynch Fremont; his brother, Urban H.D. Lynch; four nephews and a niece.
Former Gov. Marvin Mandel ’39, who won acclaim as one of Maryland’s most effective chief executives only to be forced from power on corruption charges in 1977, died Aug. 30, according to The Baltimore Sun. He was 95. Born in Baltimore, he became the first member of his family to attend college, when his parents mortgaged their home so he could enroll at UMD. He graduated from the UMD School of Law in 1942, and went straight into the Army. He spent most of his military career as an instructor in basic training camps. After the war, he began his law practice and was elected a state delegate in 1952. He served as speaker of the House of Delegates for five years and when Gov. Spiro Agnew became vice president, Mandel was selected to fill the vacancy. The governor’s legislative program included eight constitutional amendments—including reform of the court system—and reorganizing the executive department’s 248 agencies and departments into 11 headed by cabinet-level secretaries. He won full terms in 1970 and 1974, both by landslides. The governor then became enmeshed in a legal case that led to his conviction in 1977 of accepting $350,000 to help longtime allies obtain extra racing days for a Prince George’s County racetrack they had secretly purchased. The former governor eventually served 19 months of a three-year sentence, but in 1988, an appeals court upheld a ruling that threw out the mail fraud and racketeering convictions. The Maryland Court of Appeals reinstated his law license, and Mandel continued to practice law well into his mid-80s. For most of the 1990s, he kept a low profile, but he re-emerged as a political figure after the election of Republican Robert L. Ehrlich in 2002. Ehrlich named Mandel to lead a commission seeking efficiencies in government and, in 2003, named him to the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland. He remained controversial, earning a rebuke for engaging in lobbying while serving on the board. Mandel is predeceased by his wife, Jeanne, who died in 2001. He had two children, Gary and Ellen, from his first marriage, and a stepson, Paul Dorsey.