Class Notes

Irene Bristow (class of 2000) and David Bristow (class of 2001) celebrated the first birthday of their third child this past December. Helena (David and Irene’s third child) spent 2 and a half months in the NICU when she was born due to an undiagnosed feeding problem caused by a “locked” jaw… “trismus” of the jaw. This was unexpected and considered very rare as it was not accompanied by any other genetic anomaly or syndrome. Slowly this issue seems to be resolving itself. Her jaw now opens fairly normally. She still has a feeding tube due to a continued issue with her swallowing efficiency. She is learning to eat orally as well and loves food such as pureed fruits and veggies. In most other ways, Helena is a healthy and happy baby girl enjoying normal toddler activities. The Bristow family asks for and appreciates prayers from their MWC alumni family. Their five year old Linden is an active boy and doting big brother. Amelia their oldest is ten and loves helping Helena. They have a special sister bond. Irene home schools Amelia and will begin to homeschool Linden in the fall for kindergarten! This has been a wonderful way for the family to spend more time together especially during Helena’s long hospital stay.

Linden is already learning to read. As a former art and education major, Irene enjoys teaching the children art and music among many other activities. David enjoys playing tennis, assistant coaching at a local high school and working with the Catholic youth in their local parish. He also enjoys photography and enjoys entering photography contests.

Kate Degnan: I hope you are doing well! My only recent news is that I am starting a new position in August as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Psychology at The Catholic University of America in DC. I live in Falls Church, VA with my husband, Matt Degnan (’99), our two children, Ryan (9) and Rebecca (6), and our 14-yr old Shiba, Riggo.

Kevin Perry: I have just finished my third year teaching Latin at the National Cathedral School in DC; last summer I graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a M.Ed. in Latin; for fum I am working out all the bugs in my recent vintage motorcycle rebuild, a 1973 Triumph (that I used to ride to classes at MWC!).

Have a great summer!

Caroline Jarvis recently changed jobs but continues to work in charity investment management. She is eagerly anticipating her January 2018 wedding to Alex Gee, whom she met in London through mutual friends. Caroline hopes that despite the cold weather, a few MWC friends will make it over.

Alan J. Dean retired in January 2017 after 42 and 1/2 years of service from Dahlgren Division of the NAVSEA Surface Warfare Center.

Angela Mills is now the director of alumni relations for the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. Angela is also serving as president of the University of Mary Washington Alumni Association from July 2016 to June 2018.

Lani Carnill is celebrating three years as her own boss at BetterPlanIt Consulting. She helps finance teams become trusted advisers to architects and engineers. She’s thrilled to be living in Madrid, Spain this next year. Right now she is focused on practicing her Spanish and planning trips across Europe.

Madelyn Marino became engaged to Michael Walker of New Jersey. They are planning a summer 2018 wedding. Madelyn traveled with Jennifer Amore and Annie Johnston to Montana in June 2017. They hiked and enjoyed spectacular scenery in Glacier National Park, and Madelyn ran the inaugural Glacier Half Marathon in her quest to complete a half marathon in every state.

Andrew Ward graduated with his PhD in international development from Tulane University, then his adults-only children’s book, “A Bourbon Street Sojourn” was published to local acclaim. He bought his first home in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans and got engaged to Allison Albert of Maytown, PA. She is the CEO of the pet costume company Pet Krewe, and he remains the founder & chairman of the HIV Awareness “iKnow Concert” Series across Uganda. www.iknowconcertseries.org

The 2001 Women’s lacrosse team was honored to be inducted into the University of Mary Washington’s Hall of Fame. 2001 Alumni included Bridget Geiman, Allyson Bristor Brekke, Jenni Smith, Karen Slotsky, and Kate Weller. Class of 2000 Alumni (and honorary 2001 senior) Heather Carter Vorderbrueggen was also honored as well as members of the 2002, 2003, and 2004 classes.

Virginia Henley Watkins married Edward James (E.J.) Watkins on May 15, 2017. Rachel Cain Carter attended the wedding. Last October, Rachel and I went out to San Francisco to visit our former college roommate, Sharon Carroll, and her family, including her baby, Amelia. Rachel lives in Culpeper, VA with her husband Jon and their two children. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner in Richmond, VA.

This past spring Katherine Stephens ’03 completed a fellowship with the progressive New Leaders Council and was elected to serve her first term as a member of the City of Schenectady Board of Education. She lives with her husband Drew Pearson in the historic town of Upstate New York.

This past April, Kendra Hitz Steele presented The Distinguished Alumnus Microbiology & Immunology seminar at East Carolina University, where she completed her Ph.D. graduate work in 2010.  She has mutated a sexually transmitted virus that sterilizes the Helicoverpa zea pest, which is an insect costing U.S. farmers billions of dollars each year.  She is the Chief Scientific Officer and part owner of the company that does this work, Lepidext, LLC.

Allie Kochert is currently a licensed professional counselor in private practice in York, PA, with a specialty in peripartum women’s mental health and mindfulness studies. Erik Kochert (’02) and Allie have three kids ages 9, 6 and 4 and live in York, PA.

Rebecca (Romaneski) Sneller and her husband, Deric, are missionaries with Cadence International in Okinawa, Japan. They have three children: Tobin (7), Evan (4), and Kara Jane (2). Kara Jane was adopted from China in February 2017.

Meredith Camp Rhodes and Jimmy Rhodes (1999) are living in Woodbridge, VA, just outside of Washington, DC and are expecting their third child in October.  They have boy/girl twins who will be two in November.

Matt Lowe received a promotion to be head of Finance and Strategy for Tom Ford’s cosmetics and fragrance business, one of the fastest growing brands within the Estée Lauder Companies. He also recently celebrated his third wedding anniversary with his husband, Amer Ahmed. They live in New York City and own a horse that is stabled in New Jersey.

Brandon and Laura (Castello) Cox celebrated their  twelfth wedding anniversary this year! They are enjoying living at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia with their six children. Brandon practices Family Medicine and Laura enjoys homeschooling the kids.

LoriAnn Maresca Solano, her husband Brendan, and two children (Mariel and Brayden)  are still loving Long Island.  LoriAnn works as a Licensed Behavior Analyst,  consulting in various schools and homes. She is passionate about sharing her love of essential oils and wellness with others.  She continues to dance and perform whenever she has the opportunity.

Suzi (Gallagher) Welch, along with her husband Ryan and their daughter Molly, have been living in Occoquan, VA for 3 years.  Suzi is a Realtor with the Keller Williams Metro Center in Old Town Alexandria and loves working with home buyers and sellers throughout Northern Virginia.  She also works with Moseley Real Estate School, teaching pre-licensing courses for those interested in obtaining their Virginia Real Estate License.  Ryan is a Major in the Army, currently stationed at Ft. Belvoir.  Molly will begin kindergarten this fall and Suzi and Ryan are expecting their second child in November!

Kristin Simmers is in her 13th year of living and teaching overseas and is currently in Bangkok, Thailand.

Michael Kuchler, his wife Alejandra, welcomed a baby girl, Mariana Winifred Kuchler into their family in November 2016. She joins her brother Daniel, 3.

Carolyn Huckabay & her husband Brian had a baby girl in October 2016, Georgia. She works as the communications manager at The Food Trust, a national healthy food access nonprofit.

Alexis (Slack) & Randy Shiflet II moved to Harrisonburg, VA to be closer to Randy’s family. Randy is working at JMU as a payroll manager & Alexis is a MH/SA therapist with Harrisonburg-Rockingham CSB. They have a two year old son Randy III.

Alex (Vizzier) Stephenson and her husband currently have two children, and live in Virginia Beach. She teaches high school English, and CST 100 at the local community college. Alex and her husband are the owners of Pleasure House Brewing in Virginia Beach, and just started distributing to Richmond with plans to distribute across Virginia soon.

Catherine Nicholson (formerly Catherine Daniel ’04), had a son, August, last January with her husband Les Nicholson. They currently own a home Alexandria, VA, but they have just started the process of building a home in Midlothian, VA. They plan to move to Midlothian in 2018.

Kacy Zuchowski graduated with her MBA in June and is the Director of Human Resources, Social Equity Officer, and Title IX Coordinator for Mansfield University in Pennsylvania.

Nell (Barnes) Nutaitis and her husband, Matt, welcomed their second baby girl, June, in 2016. June joined big sister, Tess, who turned 3 this past February.

In November 2016, Megan Anderson married Bobby Groves in Newport, RI. The couple was surrounded by several Mary Wash alumni. They reside in Chicago where Megan teaches math at Loyola Academy.

Christina Rodriguez (’06) will be marrying Colin Shores of Columbia, Maryland, on October 8, 2017, in Nashville, Tennessee.  Family members and lots of close friends will be in attendance, including Mary Wash classmates Samantha Workman Sarver (’07), Kelly Chappel Rose (’07), and Katie Burton (’07).  Since they traveled to Munich, Venice, Amsterdam, and Berlin while dating, the couple will be honeymooning closer to home in the US mountain states.  The couple resides in Baltimore, Maryland.

On December 30, 2016, Emily (Lovins) and Ethan Fenichel welcomed their first child, Ruth Claire.

Bethann White married Graham Secrest in August 2017. Marcella Cavallaro Wallin (’07) and Amy Billingsly (’06) served as bridesmaids.

Nancy (Raia) Buechler and her husband John recently left their home in Manhattan for the suburbs and bought their first house on Long Island.  Nancy cried all the way over the Queensboro Bridge, but is slowing adjusting to life in the ‘burbs and finally got her first drivers license. She proudly passed her road test on the second try and is busy paying back all of the rides she mooched off of her Mary Washington roommates and friends (late night Sheetz run, anyone?). On March 31, Nancy and John welcomed their first baby, Ruby Rose, a sweet little red head who is the most perfect child ever born.

Robert Hughes ’07 and Erin Keegan Hughes ’07 welcomed daughter Emily Catherine on December 9th to join siblings Claire and Ben.

Sarah Sherman received her MA in English literature from UVA and a M.Ed. in secondary English education from George Washington University. In 2013, she married Jacob Schwing (’06), and they welcomed their first son in July 2016. Sarah and Jacob recently bought a house outside of Philadelphia, PA, where they are both teachers.

Josh Rutherford received his doctorate in clinical psychology from La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA, in May and is now a staff psychologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Marcella Cavallero continues to use her geography degree working at Esri supporting federal government users.  She was also the matron of honor at Bethann White’s (’06) August 2016 wedding in Charlottesville, VA. Marcella enjoys serving on the COS alumni advisory board for Mary Wash and being a mentor to students. She and husband James are settled in Burke, VA with their cat, Vera.

Kristen (Roscoe) MacMillan and Mark MacMillan (’07) moved to the Richmond area last summer. They are expecting their first child, a girl, in August.

Isaac Kassock (’08) married Ashleigh Buyers (’12) on June 17. His brother Zeke Kassock (’09) was the best man, with Dave Dalton (’07), and Nathan Woodhead (’17) as groomsmen. Jessica Eustice (’12) was one of the bridesmaids.

On May 10th, Rebecca Helsley Meadows (’08) and husband Jon Meadows welcomed their first daughter into the world! Her name is Ella Char Meadows and they’re delighted to raise her in Charlottesville,VA.

On April 30, 2017, Sam Shafovaloff (’08) and wife Brooke Shafovaloff welcomed the addition of Elias Samuel Shafovaloff to their family.

(from Elizabeth Jennings)

Juliann Jones, née Boyles, (class of 2009) and Matthew Jones (class of 2010) welcomed their first child Benjamin Jones on May 16, 2017!

Rebekah (Blackwell) Kuller and her husband Brad welcomed a son, Pierce Lee Kuller in March 2017. They live in San Diego, CA where she is the Assistant Controller for Borrego Solar Systems, Inc.