Class Notes

It’s always nice to run into classmates, especially someone you might not have seen since graduation, and you never know where it might happen. Last summer I reconnected with Christen Mansaniello Bensten at our community pool, and it turns out she and husband Brent Bentsen live fewer than five minutes from me. Together they have children Greta, 4, Fiona, 2, and Reid, 1. This spring I was able to meet up with friends Lauren Rizzi Crawford, Mel Sirois, Liz Keaney Crimmins, and Susan Wolf. All were doing well and living in the Washington, D.C./ Maryland/Virginia area. Susan, who lives in Gainesville, Va., spent the summer competing in local shows with her horse, Fancy. The busy factor at my home is about to go up a notch, as my husband, Chris Sicuranza ’98, and I are expecting our second child in February. Big sister-to-be Gabriela will turn 2 in January.

Jason Vickers splits his time between New York and L.A. He has worked for actress Renée Zellweger for almost five years and was gearing up for future projects. Jason went to Milan in May for work, then traveled to Brussels to visit his sister, a modern dancer at the Performing Arts Research and Training Studios school, then visited Paris. Jason keeps up his tennis game and, at the end of last year, threw a going-away party with Mary Washington classmates for Kelley Gallagher Austen ’99, who was moving to Zimbabwe, Africa, with her husband and two children. In February, he enjoyed a get-together in New York with Ryan Wellner, Kari Lee, and other friends and planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to visit Jyoti Schlesinger.

Henry B. Odom IV and Michelle Joy Lambiasi Sutphin created a UMW scholarship for first-generation college students, and they need your help. They were halfway to their goal of collecting $20,000 by 2013. Donate at www.umw.edu/ gift/make_a_gift. Click “giving options,” then “give online,” and type “Odom-Lambiasi Scholarship” in the “Other Gift Designation” field.

Susie Jackson Bull and husband Josh of New York City welcomed son Owen in May, and Susie quit her job to be home with Owen and big sister Penny, 4. Eve Sledjeski teaches psychology at New Jersey’s Rowan University and continues home renovation projects. Son Lucius started kindergarten in the fall, and little sister Alice, 2, keeps everyone entertained. Eve attended the 2011 Eastern Psychological Association conference in Cambridge, Mass., where she met Blake Mitchell to sightsee and share a pint of beer. Blake continues to live outside Boston and work for the Army conducting human factors assessments of individual clothing and equipment, such as body armor, chem-bio protective equipment, electronics, tents, etc.

Ellen Perry Clark of Fairfax, Va., a meeting planner for a trade association in Ballston, married Josh Clark in November 2009, and they were expecting their first child, a girl, in September. Ellen’s sister, Suzanne Perry Wallis ’03, was matron of honor, and Dax Terrill, Matt Hollerieth, Emilie Marchese Gunn, and James Mirabello attended. Ryan Lynch, who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with wife Jennifer, is a senior policy adviser and advocate for a sustainable transportation and environmental nonprofit. Olivia Synnott Landry and her husband own and operate Jordan Springs Market, a country store in Stephenson, Va., where they sell their own grass-fed beef and specialize in barbecue. Son Nolan will turn 2 in April.

Mariah Butler Vogelgesang had a college house roommate reunion in Newport, R.I., in June and moved to Avon Lake, Ohio, with her family the following month. Kristin Degraff of Orlando planned to compete in a Labor Day weekend half-marathon at Disneyland and volunteers in sports event management. Rachel Silbaugh Norman finished her first marathon this year and drove from New Jersey to Virginia to visit me last spring. She and husband Sean were expecting a baby boy in October, and daughter Lily will turn 3 in December. Jackie Herr Kha, a medical technician at a Pennsylvania hospital, and her husband, Noy, have a son, Bishop, 4, and a daughter, Felicity, 3.

Shawna Shepherd recently left CNN’s White House unit to join the political unit covering the 2012 presidential race. She was to live in South Carolina for a few months and be an all-platform journalist, shooting, writing, and reporting on and off air. Shawna got married in October, and Beth Summers ’01 was in her bridal party. Jim Reagan received his doctorate in education from the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, N.J., and is assistant principal at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains. He and wife Nicole have son James III, 3.

Martine St. Germain Barre of Beaufort, S.C., is a physical therapist and enjoys spending time with her husband and their 5-month-old son, Caden, and renovating their home. Lauren Brennan had baby boy, Keaton Carter, in April. She graduated from Rhode Island School of Design and displayed her final photography project at the Wickford Art Association in June. Lauren also left her job at Brown to relocate with her family to Virginia so her husband could start a new job at Georgetown this fall.

Allyson Bristor is an associate planner for the City of Bozeman Department of Planning in southwest Montana, where she has worked for eight years; she was promoted to neighborhood coordinator in September 2010. She plans a summer wedding to Chris Brekke of Duluth, Minn., at a historic Bozeman mansion she helped preserve while serving as the city’s historic preservation planner.

David Bristow and Irene Schinkel Bristow ’00 celebrate their 10th anniversary this year and, in August, expected their second child, a son, to join big sister Amelia. David received a Youth Minister of the Year award last year and a Coach of the Year award this year for taking the high school tennis team he coaches to regionals for the first time in its 20-year history. In April, Erin Heslep Caldwell and husband Jeremy of Charlotte, N.C., welcomed second daughter Anna Rose Caldwell, who joins big sister Lillian Virginia. Erin continues to work for the Friends of Barnabas Foundation, an international nonprofit providing healthcare for children and families in Honduras.

Lani Carnill had been a project accountant in the Washington, D.C., office of Gensler, a global design firm, for six years when she accepted a promotion that would take her back to her home state. She will be managing projects and developing training to support finance personnel at the company’s San Francisco corporate headquarters. Lani expects to visit family and friends on the East Coast but can’t wait to take advantage of San Francisco’s vibrant food scene and outdoor activities and reconnect with childhood friends. In May, Jessica Bergner DaSilva and husband Arnaldo welcomed their first child, Lucas Arno, who weighed a whopping 12 pounds, 1 ounce. Amanda Hedleston Dierling, husband Jay, and children Michael, Daniel, Ian, and Mary Grace welcomed the newest member of the family in March; Benjamin Wyatt was proudly named by his oldest brother after months of negotiations. Amanda is thrilled to own a home again in Rhome, Texas, and continues to enjoy being an at-home mom.

Robert Eidson planned to move to Miami in September to become SAP International’s HR director for Latin America. Becky Gibbons was finishing her residency in internal medicine, preparing for a fellowship in pulmonary/critical care, and getting ready for her October wedding. Karyn Havas was to defend her thesis for her Ph.D. in epidemiology at Colorado State University in August and move to the Baltimore area to continue work in the U.S. Army. Beth Waters Hunley loves her job as director of communications for Fredericksburg Academy, where son Jackson, 5, attends prekindergarten. She gets together yearly with fellow Ball Hall residents Lesia Kindrat- Pratt, Rachel Sykes Meyers, and Helena Tenenholtz ’02. Rachel and her husband welcomed their first child, Ashley Grace Meyers, in June.

On Valentine’s Day 2011, Jessica Johnson welcomed Katherine “Kate” Ray Verrusio, who joined big brother Hale, 2. Laura Indzeris Johnson and Tom Johnson ’97 welcomed baby girl Charlotte Wyatt in November, moved from Georgia back to Virginia, and live in the Harrisonburg area. Karol Kozak Lester and husband David of Charlottesville, who both work at U.Va., welcomed Lila Grace in November 2010. Madelyn Marino continues her quest to run a half-marathon in all 50 states and competed this year both in the U.S. and abroad. Highlights so far include running and visiting Annie Johnston in Raleigh, N.C., and Richard Speakman in Alaska. Madelyn was training to run in Reykjavik, Iceland, in August.

Sherri Trudeau Martin was to begin her fourth year as a teacher with Cherry Creek Online Learning Center, which is part of the Hope Online Learning Academy Co-op and under the direction of the Douglas County School District in Colorado. Son Andrew, an 18-year-old senior at Overland High School in Aurora, Colo., copes with the many challenges of Asperger syndrome, and will receive transition/life skill training after graduation in May. Sherri is proud to report that he has a 3.1 GPA and participated in the Aurora Youth 4 Success summer program for the second year in a row. The highlight of the last year for Sherri’s family was a two-week holiday cruise through the Panama Canal.

After working in Wilmington, N.C., for five years, Nicole McIntyre was moving to Shanghai, China, to teach fourth grade at an international school. Angela Mills earned a master’s degree in public administration, graduating summa cum laude in May from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She was promoted to senior director of alumni chapters and outreach with the University of Tennessee’s alumni association and was to co-chair the alumni affairs track for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education District III conference in February.

Mark Rodeffer has worked for C-SPAN in Washington, D.C., for five years and is now producer of the network’s morning show Washington Journal. Natalie Dykstra Rutkowski was expecting her second child, a girl, joining big sister Sarah, in August, when Natalie and Stan were to celebrate their eighth anniversary. Katherine Sanford and husband Gregory moved to Chicago in fall 2010, and daughter Beatrice Eleanor was born in April. Stephanie Lee Scheibe married Danny Barb of Bealeton, Va., in June 2010 at the Orange County home they bought in 2009. Stephanie accepted a new position in September 2010 as a senior IT specialist responsible for maintaining the archive of digital content for the Library of Congress at the National Audio- Visual Conservation Center’s Packard Campus in Culpeper.

In June, Kristin Neviackas Towse and husband Farley of Duxbury, Mass., welcomed their first child, Ella Marguerite. Melissa Wilson was appointed director of the Sandwich Historical Society in Sandwich, N.H., and is pursuing a Ph.D. in museum education at Capella University. Michelle Carr Young has worked at Forest Park Senior High School in Woodbridge, Va., for 11 years. She teaches journalism, ninth-grade English, and pre-AP English, and she is lead mentor in her building. Daughter Emileigh Marie turned 1 in July.

Jennifer Occhiuzzi of New York City received a master’s degree in school counseling from William Paterson University in May and planned to earn a master’s in school curriculum within the next school year. Jennifer’s best friend, Stephanie Lofgren Miller, visits often. Stephanie and husband Scott live in Park City, Utah, with son Thatcher, 1, and were expecting their second son in October. Mari Mick King is married, has a 7-year-old son, lives in Wichita, Kan., and is pursuing a master of divinity degree at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Okla. This year Marci traveled to Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica, Scotland, England, Cabo San Lucas, New Orleans, Orlando (with Erin Merrill ’04), Las Vegas, Idaho, and Williamsburg.

Lauren C. Fiske earned a doctorate from the VCU School of Medicine in 2007, completed a four-year combined internal medicine-pediatrics residency there in June, and began a three-year infectious disease fellowship at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Amanda Tillman Shea and husband Ryan moved to Johnson City, Tenn., in 2008, welcomed first son Liam James in September 2009, and were expecting their second son in November. Amanda continues to photograph children and weddings; Ryan plans to graduate from medical school in May.

Stefani Moore Miller married Bryan Miller in Raleigh, N.C., in May. Matt Korniotes moved from Fredericksburg to Denver with wife April; sons Brantley, 12, and Lincoln, 1; and daughter Madison, 4, in September 2010 to start a church. In March, Calvary Fellowship of Cherry Creek opened its doors and Matt said the church is doing great. Matt also continues to work for Raytheon in Aurora, Colo. In March, Jocelyn McNeill Campbell welcomed her second child, Corvin Reed, joining brother Pace Lyon, who is 16 months older. Jocelyn will be an at-home mom for a while.

Akash Sinha, who earned a master’s degree in English literature from U.Va. in 2005, is managing editor of the newsroom at SNL Financial, a company that employs about 1,500 people and that provides information on financial, energy, real estate, and media sectors around the world. Akash recently bought a house in Charlottesville with his partner, Nicole LaRocque. Maribeth Bendl Mills and Garth Mills welcomed their first child, Grayson Alexander, in October 2010. Erin Clapp and husband Ricky are stationed at Fort Campbell, Ken., and enjoy life with their two boys, Cillian and Patrick.

Clare Denk moved to Los Angeles after graduation to enroll in UCLA’s master’s program in moving image archives studies – film preservation. She worked for several years at Getty Research Institute’s special collections department before landing her dream job in 2009 as a cataloger in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ special collections department, where she has catalogued the papers of Hedda Hopper, Edith Head, and Paul Henreid. Laura Kassner finished doctoral coursework and began a year of research and dissertation toward a doctorate in educational leadership through Virginia Tech. She and her husband were expecting their first child, a son, in October and were loving their new home in the woods of western Goochland County, between Richmond and Charlottesville.

Michael Nissim-Sabat of Morgantown, W.Va., married Brooke Baker in Lewisburg in June and is in his second year at West Virginia University College of Law. Garett Seeba finished dental school at the Medical College of Georgia in 2009 and is in a six-year integrated MD residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at LSU Health Sciences Center. He plans to graduate from the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans in May and complete his residency in 2015. Garett is engaged to be married in January in the French Quarter of New Orleans to Tashia Bienvenu, a dental hygienist from Catahoula, La.

Mary Schmotzer moved back to Williamsburg to work in development at the College of William & Mary. She enjoys photographing the Hampton Roads region, dancing, and spending time with her boyfriend. Sarah Sedaghatfar Little and husband Jason of Brooklyn, N.Y., welcomed their first child, Dylan James, in June. Shauna Mahony Pick married Austin Pick in October 2010, works for an options trading firm in downtown Chicago, is a licensed massage therapist, and enjoys practicing meditation.

Christine O’Leary and Jacob Speicher of Huntington, Ind., both veterinarians, were married in East Northport, N.Y., in August. Kristin Bombard and Carol Ward were bridesmaids. Jamie Test and Meghan Twomey Test ’02 welcomed their first child, Malorie Murphy, in July.

Morgan Taylor and Jeremy Shane Horn of Richmond were married in May. Abbey Wineland, Emily Mathison, and Sharon Curd were bridesmaids, and Jameson Cowan ’05 and Lindsey Forbush helped with the wedding. Morgan is a registered nurse in the progressive care unit at Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville, Va. Matt Johnston of Stamford, Conn., is a product manager for Rusk professional hair products and appliances. Linda Fairall and Neil Stedman of Old Town Alexandria are engaged to be married in September in Carova Beach on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Linda is a bridal consultant at Hannelore’s of Olde Town Alexandria, and Neil is a realtor with Keller Williams Realty, specializing in Alexandria and Arlington

real estate.

Adrienne Hagen is pursuing a master’s degree in classics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Katie Kelley and Matt Kirk ’05 of Washington, D.C., were married in Aurora, Ohio, in July; Mary McCarthy was maid of honor. Colin Jones was promoted to captain while deployed with the Black Sea Rotational Force, a unit that provides training and humanitarian aid to several Eastern European countries. Katie Decker received a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Seton Hall University in May.

Kenny Barnes married Kristin Caufield in Richmond in July. Marla Maceyko of Culpeper, Va., a third-grade teacher, married Xavier Quinn in Elizabethtown, Pa. Xavier, who finished his first enlistment in the Marine Corps, is an engineering student. Cary Lincoln ’08 of Fredericksburg married Chrissie Woolsey in July in Chesapeake, Va. Kat Carter, who was finishing nursing school, and Jack Esworthy were to be married in Richmond in August. Kelley Hueber, who is on track to receive a bachelor’s degree in nursing, became engaged to Ben Smith.

Petey Lytle moved back to the East Coast and is in Georgetown University’s sports industry management program. Andrew Cox is finishing a master’s degree at the University of Miami, interning at the Billfish Foundation in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and studying the socioeconomic benefits of the billfish fishing industry in the Gulf of Mexico. Samantha Ludwig works in Washington, D.C., with the U.S. Department of State for the Foreign Service. Brittany Cooney is a staffing supervisor for Kelly Services in northeast Philadelphia. Molly McCluskey teaches English literature, health and wellness, and theater arts in mainland China at the first school there to offer an Americanized diploma.

Dear classmates, we are happy to report some fun news from our class, as we have now reached one year past graduation! Send news to Kelly or Michelle at the above addresses.

Jay Murphy and Tara O’Toole plan a fall 2012 wedding. Michelle Bond was to start work as a kindergarten teacher at McKinley Elementary School in Arlington, Va., in August.

Samantha Daniel was moving to Harrisburg, Pa., where she was to coach lacrosse, substitute teach, and work on starting a non-profit organization aimed at purchasing birth certificates to enable children in Cameroon, Central Africa, to go to high school. Andrew Snyder Beattie was to start the applied mathematics graduate program at North Carolina State University. Colin Chorpenning planned to move to Baltimore to start government intelligence work. Katherine Howland plans to attend graduate school and teach English abroad.

After living in Los Angeles, Sam Crouse plans to attend graduate school in London. Ginny Ferrell was excited about a potential move to Houston for an awesome job. Hannah Hopkins was to intern with Leaders’ Quest in London. Terrell Taylor planned to pursue a master’s degree in English at Georgetown University. Charles Reed Jr. plans to work for a few years in the corporate world before pursuing an MBA. Danielle Rosenberg planned to move to New York City in October to pursue a career in wine, beginning by working with a group that organizes in-store and in-bar wine tastings.