Class Notes December 2022
Class Notes
2010s
Gary Norman, WCL/JD 鈥11, serves as an ambassador with the Presidential Management Fellowship Program. Norman welcomes people considering the program鈥攅specially those with disabilities鈥攖o contact him.
Amanda Brenner, SIS/BA 鈥16, received her MSW in policy practice from the University of Connecticut.
Rebeca Rodriguez, CAS/BS 鈥16, joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as a research staff member in the Systems and Analyses Center鈥檚 Operational Evaluation Division. A nonprofit corporation, IDA tackles challenging issues around national security and science policy.
Stephanie Simpson, SIS/MA 鈥16, wrote a short story, 鈥淟ech贸n,鈥 for the July issue of The Margins, a publication of the Asian 69传媒 Writers鈥 Workshop. Simpson recently returned to the US from China, where she worked with an educational NGO and as a teacher.
Sandra Akufo, SOC/BA 鈥19, founded the wellness start-up, Onvesso.
2000s
Christina Bache, SIS/BA 鈥03, MA 鈥04, chairs the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education Working Group on Business for Peace. She is advising the German government on gender and conflict sensitivity as part of a project focused on economic development and private sector engagement in Ukraine.
Kathleen Ralls, SOE/MAT 鈥04, wrote Take Her Word for It: Sports Cultivate World-Class Leaders, which explores how lessons learned in sports help women become effective team leaders.
Christopher Abbott, SPA/BA 鈥05, joined Jenner & Block LLP as a partner in the Washington, DC, office. Abbott is a member of the firm鈥檚 antitrust and competition practice.
Andrew Huff, SPA/MPA 鈥05, was appointed chair of the District of Columbia Combat Sports Commission by DC mayor Muriel Bowser, SPA/MPP 鈥00.
Christina Vitale, WCL/JD 鈥05, joined the Texas law firm Jackson Walker LLP as a partner in the trial and litigation section, based in Houston.
Christopher Stout, Kogod/BSBA 鈥08, MS 鈥09, a partner with RRBB Accountants and Advisors, gave a presentation in June to the Somerset County (New Jersey) Business Partnership about a new lease accounting standard.
Caleb Enerson, SPA/BA 鈥09, and his wife, Chelsea, welcomed their second child, Leo Enerson, on September 23, 2021.
1990s
David Ouellette, SPA/BA 鈥91, accepted a position with Exxon Mobil as regulatory advisor for commodity trading.
Kelly Hattel, SIS/BA 鈥92, is a senior financial sector specialist in the Asian Development Bank鈥檚 Southeast Asia department in Bangkok, Thailand. Hattel will help harness technology to increase sustainable financial inclusion across the region.
Phyllis Jones, SPA/BA 鈥93, marked 25 episodes of Ability Assistance on North Andover Community Access and Media.
Laurie Boulden, SIS/MA 鈥95, was appointed chief learning officer with the Department of Homeland Security.
Megan Pincus Kajtani, SPA/BA 鈥95, a children鈥檚 author, won the Cook Prize for Cougar Crossing: How Hollywood鈥檚 Celebrity Cougar Helped Build a Bridge for Wildlife and the Golden Kite Nonfiction Honor Award for Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery.
Pearline Raphelita Rance, CAS/MFA 鈥96, wrote her second book, A Pearl from the House on Queen Street.
Gregor Hank, WSP 鈥97, works as a secondary-school teacher in Germany.
1980s
Stacy Clark, WCL/JD 鈥83, was invited to speak at a meeting of the Association of Legal Administrators Independence Chapter about the role of administrators in creating outstanding client experiences.
Tom DeSantis, SOC/BA 鈥84, retired as city manager of Moreno Valley, California. A former US Air Force officer and senior executive, DeSantis and wife Carely (Benazar) met while students at AU and will celebrate their 38th wedding anniversary this year.
Nancy Swing, SIS/PhD 鈥85, maintains a blog, Where in the World?, about her life working overseas as an independent consultant. Read it at nancyswing.com.
Peter Quinter, WCL/JD 鈥89, was selected as a shareholder and chair of the US Customs and International Trade Law Group with the Florida law firm Gunster.
Stewart Small, SOC/BA 鈥89, a communications analyst with the Government Accountability Office, received a teamwork award for his work developing guidelines to help staff write more clearly and concisely.
1970s
Phoebe Cowles, CAS/MA 鈥72, helped establish the lifelong learning program at Vivalon, a healthy aging campus in San Rafael, California. The program offers everything from ukulele instruction and technology tutorials to foreign language classes and US citizenship preparation.
Gary Lipkin, SPA/BA 鈥74, retired to Florida after a 35-year career as the employment and labor counsel at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
Christopher Gontarz, SPA/MS 鈥75, was elected treasurer of the Rhode Island Bar Association. He is of counsel at Lynch & Pine, Providence and Newport, concentrating on criminal defense, ethics, and professional misconduct. He also serves on the Rhode Island Supreme Court Ethics Advisory Panel.
Don White, SPA/BS 鈥76, received a 50-year service award from 69传媒 Red Cross National Capital Area CEO Courtney Bulger on June 28.
Margie Blumberg, Kogod/BSBA 鈥79, is celebrating 19 years of publishing books for children and young adults through her company, MB Publishing.
1960s
Steve Mehlman, SOC/BA 鈥64, was cochair of the Save the Caps committee, which in 1982 helped keep the National Hockey League鈥檚 Washington Capitals from folding or moving to another city. This is the 40th anniversary of their successful campaign.
George Rosenberg, SOC/BA 鈥67, and wife, Arlene Rosenberg, celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. George, former CEO of Cohn & Wolfe, advises owners of public relations and marketing communication firms, as well as senior corporate communications executives.
In Memoriam
ALUMNI
Stephen Ford, SPA/BA 鈥78, April 9, 2021, Harwich, Massachusetts
Stephen Thomas O鈥橳oole, SIS/MA 鈥81, December 5, 2021, Alexandria, Virginia
Peter Connelly Simmons, CAS/BA 鈥68, 2022, Chesterfield, Virginia
June Anne MacClannahan (Spangler) Chewning, CAS/BA 鈥50, February 22, 2022, Rockville, Maryland
Claudia Anne Keller, CAS/BA 鈥63, April 15, 2022, Pompano Beach, Florida
Norman Strickland Early Jr., SPA/BA 鈥67, May 5, 2022, Denver, Colorado
Thomas Abbenante, SPA/BA 鈥72, May 6, 2022, Washington, District of Columbia
FACULTY
Linda Wishart (Smith) Chase, March 26, 2022, Woodstock, Connecticut