Class Notes

Alice Hughes ’67 recently received the Historic Oglethorpe County Annual Award for 2023. She has been a meticulous recorder of history and spent time serving the Georgia Historic Markers program, contributing to three of the 10 historical markers in Oglethorpe County, including the historical marker for Cloud’s Creek Baptist Church which was founded in 1788 by her ancestors and others.

Yetty Arp ’68 received the Phoenix Award at the Atlanta REALTORS® Association’s Top Producers Awards Gala for having achieved Top Producer status for 10 years. Yetty has also previously been recognized with the Association’s Life Member status for her expertise in the industry.

Ted Kallman ’68 has recently had his historical monograph, “The Kingdom of God Is at Hand, The Christian Commonwealth in Georgia, 1896-1901” published by The University of Georgia Press. He continues to teach history online at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. His first grandson, Theo Robert Meyer, was born on September 9, 2021.

Chris Raths ’81 has recently retired. He has volunteered regularly at a half-way house for the last several years, and is an avid runner. Last year he ran up Pike’s Peak, and he recently completed hiking Appalachian Trail (photo).

Sharon Moskowitz ’82, art consultant with Explore Brookhaven, recently accepted a proclamation from Brookhaven Mayor, John Ernst, designating October 2023 as Brookhaven Arts and Humanities Month. This proclamation recognizes the City of Brookhaven, Georgia for its rich artistic heritage and specifically encourages greater community participation in taking action to promote the arts and humanities in Brookhaven.

Kimberly Barrett Strickland ’84 has recently moved back to Georgia, after 36 years away, to be closer to her family. She is now teaching at Augusta Technical College. While previously living in Utah, Kimberly earned a master’s and doctorate in technical writing at Utah State University.

Barb Henry ’85 has begun a new position as the executive director of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) Foundation and director of alumni engagement and development at NSHSS. As executive director of the NSHSS Foundation, she leads a team in shaping the vision and strategy of the foundation; as the director of alumni engagement and development, she is responsible for building meaningful connections with NSHSS alumni, facilitating mentorship opportunities, and fostering a vibrant and supportive network.

Donna Adair Breault ’88 assumed the role of Acting Provost and Executive Vice President for New Jersey City University in October 2022. Donna joined NJCU as the Dean of the College of Education in July 2021. This new role came at a time when the university is facing financial challenges. Donna has worked with faculty, staff, and unions to make difficult but necessary cuts to secure the university’s future and its vital mission as an Hispanic-Serving Institution with a student body whose median household income is $42,000.

Amanda Paetz Hiner ’91 was recently awarded Winthrop University’s 2023 Faculty Scholarship Excellence Award. Dr. Hiner recently published British Women Satirists in the Long Eighteenth Century with Cambridge University Press and specializes in eighteenth-century satire, British women writers, and critical thinking theory and pedagogy.

Ron Bennett ’92 joined the City of Johns Creek as Assistant City Manager in February of 2023. Prior to joining the City, Ron was a partner in the law firm of Carothers & Mitchell.  There he represented many local governments over the course of 18 years, including Johns Creek, Flowery Branch and Bethlehem. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and is a certified mediator registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.

Myers Brown ’93 was recently named executive director of Belmont Mansion on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Myers previously served as director of archival collection services and chief historian at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Miah Jeffra ’99 released their fourth book, American Gospel: A Novel in Three Parts, at The Museum of Museums in Seattle during the 2023 Associated Writers and Writers Programs Conference in March. American Gospel is published with Black Lawrence Press (New York) and will be featured in the 2023 Tennessee Williams Festival in New Orleans.

Shaniece R. Criss ’02 was selected as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of South Carolina for 2023. An associate professor of health sciences and director of the Master of Arts in Advocacy and Equity Studies at Furman University, Criss has also recently presented a TedxFurmanU talk titled “Having Babies: From Cotton Fields to Twitter,” in which she draws on her recent research and offers several small ways to help shore up health care disparities among ethnic groups.

Kristi Dosh ’03 has signed with a publisher for her debut novel, which will be published under the pen name Savannah Carlisle. Harpeth Road Press will publish Savannah Carlisle’s debut romantic fiction title in the summer of 2024.

JoAnn Tippett ’04 currently lives in Grand Junction, CO with her husband Matt, who is a retired Army Medic. She recently began her career as an Employment Consultant at Strive Colorado, providing different types of vocationally based employment related services to individuals with developmental disabilities. In her spare time, she spends time with her 3 dogs: Samson, Bailey, and Herbie.

Brittany Parris ’06 has accepted a new position within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Following nearly 14 years with the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, where she served as an Archivist and most recently as Supervisory Archivist, Parris accepted a position this summer with NARA as an Electronic Records Archives (ERA) Program Management Specialist.

Irasema Gonzalez ’08 recently opened her own company as an entrepreneur, Hispanic/minority woman leader, and home-based business owner. Through her work with Irasema Multilingual Communication Consulting, she is focused on helping businesses expand their reach and connect with diverse audiences by creating effective communication strategies that bridge cultural gaps and enhance global engagement.

Jewel Thompson ’10 is Lecturer of Entrepreneurship at Ashesi University. She recently received a $100,000 grant to develop a learning platform for West African women entrepreneurs, and was recently honored among Georgia State University’s 40 Under 40.

Alec B. Prince ’11 will graduate in May 2023 from Georgia State University with a Master of Science degree in clinical mental health counseling. In the fall, he will join GSU’s Counselor Education and Practice Ph.D. program.

LaDonna Stallworth ’11 welcomed her first child, Catherine Carolyn Stallworth, on February 24, 2023, with husband Byron Stallworth. Mom, dad, and baby are healthy and happy.

Christopher Huff ’12 is the diversion and reentry policy analyst with Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago. He is overseeing the planning of the 2023 Access Living Accessible Public Safety Conference in June 2023, which will deliver a robust and cohesive set of disability-centered community support services to prevent people with disabilities from encountering the American criminal system and better support them in sustaining progress in the community.

Aline Mello ’12 had her first poetry collection, More Salt than Diamond, published through Andrews McMeel. She is beginning her last year at The Ohio State University acquiring an MFA focusing on poetry.

Balbir Singh ’12 has joined the faculty at Mount Holyoke College as an assistant professor and is teaching a seminar course on stereotyping and prejudice this fall.

Cedric Floyd ’13 has returned to Oglethorpe to pursue a business administration degree, and he has secured a position on SGA for the fall 2023 semester. Additionally, he will be getting married in September 2025.

Briana Lopez ’14 welcomed baby Scarlett Jade Lopez, born on 6/12/2023 in Fresno, CA. Her son AJ loves being a big brother.

Deanna Ashworth Smith ’15 received her master’s degree from the University of Denver in library and information science, with a focus in data management and archiving. She was recently promoted to the lead archivist and collections manager at the Powell Museum and Archives in Page, Arizona, a partner of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Rosemary Hale Surace ’16 recently published a textbook on the treatment of chronic pain and other psychosomatic conditions using yoga psychology and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She is currently a primary care psychologist in the Indianapolis area.

Angel Salome ’16 has self-published a book, How to Go Pro: Understanding the U.S. Pro Soccer System, as a guide for entering the professional system as a coach, player, or intermediary.

Leonardo Lopez ’17 recently returned to OU to speak with students in the Paul Hackett Scholars class. He earned his MBA at Clayton State University in 2022, and is currently working at Goldman Sachs, managing merchant-facing operations within their platform solutions division.

Rachel Roller ’17 recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a master’s in industrial/organizational psychology and started a new career as a people analyst. She moved to Durham, NC with her partner Matt and they are set to be married in early 2024.

LaBreshia C. Taylor ’18 recently graduated from Arcadia University with a master’s degree in Public Health. She also received The Wallace E. Young Community Service Public Health Award and serves as the co-chair of the Philadelphia Chapter of Sisters in Public Health.

Anna Gandy Walters ’18 was recently promoted to the Gun Violence Task Force at Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office where she prosecutes firearms related charges with an eye toward systemic gang violence and reducing gun crime throughout the city.

Roderick Trujillo ’19 attended Georgia State’s College of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2022. He is now an Associate Attorney at Greene Legal Group, LLC. He got married in November 2023, and he and his wife are in a punk rock band called Pull No Punches.

Braden Draucek ’20 graduated with a master’s degree in physics from Western Michigan University in May 2023. This fall, he will be a part-time adjunct professor job at Hillsdale College, teaching an introductory physics lab. He is also pursuing his Ph.D. at WMU while working as a teaching assistant.

Emily Schultz ’20 graduated from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice this May with a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology. She is celebrating by running the TCS NYC Marathon to raise funds for Team Innocence Project, which works to exonerate people who have been wrongfully convicted, to reform the criminal legal system, and to build a justice system that is based on science and is fair for all. She chose to fundraise for the Innocence Project because the nonprofit has been a center for research and activism which she followed closely throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies.

Lane Sticher ’20 graduated from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in April, earning his Juris Doctor degree. He was recently selected to be the judicial law clerk for the Honorable Judge Erica Tisinger, in the Superior Court of the Coweta Judicial Circuit.

Verina Todorova ’20 is starting medical school this summer at University of Nevada, Reno.

Lindsey Bolas ’21 earned her Master of Public Administration and Certificate of Nonprofit Leadership and Management at Georgia College & State University, while also serving as the graduate assistant for their women’s soccer team. She recently moved to El Paso, TX, where she is working with the City of El Paso’s Community and Human Services Department as a Grant Administrator for Neighborhood Development, handling Community Development Block Grant Funds to aid in home repairs and improvements for citizens who have a disability or are classified as low to moderate income individuals.

Nyree Dowdy ’21 is an Art Bridges Fellow with the Chrysler Museum of Art. In this role she works as a liaison between the museum’s curatorial department and local HBCUs, helping to increase access to the collection through on-campus exhibitions and programming.

David Swillum ’21 will graduate in May from Texas Christian University with his Master’s Degree in Higher Education Leadership, where he has been serving as a graduate assistant in student athlete development.

Danyelle Briggs ’22 is a middle school teacher with KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools. She has recently finished her first year as a teacher resident while receiving her Master of Arts in Teaching. She has been offered a full-time lead teacher position beginning in the fall teaching underserved communities.

Mary Hill ’23 has been accepted into the Criminal Justice master’s degree program at the Andrew Young School of Public Policy at Georgia State University. This fall, she will be a research assistant at the Offutt Lab in the cognitive sciences, Psychology Department at GSU.

Amber Phillips ’23 has recently been named marketing coordinator at Bon Appetit Management Company for Oxford College at Emory University.

Ivi D’vynne Wicks ’23 was accepted into SCAD for a graduate program. Her student-produced film, Silence, which Wicks directed with Angelica Johnson ’23, was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2023 Student World Impact Film Festival.