Class Notes – Winter 2024

Class Notes – Winter 2024

Editor’s Note:
Due to changes to our typical production schedule, this Class Notes reflects submissions from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. We apologize if the information has changed since submission.

We encourage alumni to submit their updates as we expect to resume our normal schedule in 2024. All submissions received between Jan. 1-June 30 typically run in the Fall/Winter issue; and submissions received July 1-Dec. 31 run in our Spring/Summer issue of the following year. 

1940s

Davis Parker ’47 of Rochester, N.Y., celebrated his 100th birthday with a gathering of friends and family in August 2022. Davis was a loyal Beta Tau Epsilon brother, and served as a long-time member of the Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors. He is credited with the idea of creating the Golden Alumni Society and special recognition ceremony during the 1997 Reunion Weekend celebration, and it continues to be a key element of Reunion Weekend for the 50th Anniversary class 27 years later. During his years as a student at Oswego, he was involved in the Ontarian yearbook, The Oswegonian, Student Council and Symphonic Choir, in addition to his membership in Beta. A dedicated educator and administrator, he retired as director of personnel in the Webster (N.Y.) Central School District in 1981. He was among the university’s most loyal donors and supporters.
Editor’s Note: At press time, we learned the sad news of Mr. Parker’s death. We run this note as a tribute to his many years of service to the university.

Murray Wilkow ’48 of Nassau County, N.Y., recently celebrated his 95th birthday. After teaching industrial arts in New York City, serving in the U.S. Army and teaching in Island Trees Union Free School District in Levittown, N.Y., he earned an Ed. D. in counseling and served as a counselor at Island Trees and Plainview then as a chairman of counseling at Roslyn. After retirement in 1984 he served as an adjunct professor of counseling at Hofstra University and a volunteer bereavement group leader until 2018 when his wife, Rita Miller Wilkow ’50, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She passed away in March 2019. He is currently fully retired enjoying his children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

1950s

Theo E. Grant ’54 of of Pasadena, Texas, recently celebrated his 65th wedding anniversary with his wife, Mary Ann, wearing a vest of the Grant family tartan made from material he wove in a textile class during his college days at Oswego. At Oswego, he was involved in the Newman Club. He served in the U.S. Air Force.

1960s

Michael Demas ’65 of Queensbury, N.Y., is a retired educator, and the owner and operator of Saltaire Enterprises. He has been active by attending Reunion Weekend, establishing a scholarship at SUNY Oswego and becoming a Sheldon Legacy Society member. As a student, he was a member of the Men’s Basketball team. He serves on the Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Randall A. Pellow ’65, Ph.D., of Shippensburg, Pa., received the 2022 Alumni Excellence Award from Pennsylvania State University College of Education, where he earned a master’s and doctorate. Dr. Pellow is a professor emeritus of Shippensburg (Pa.) University, where he taught from 1971 to 2004. He recently finished his 28th book, a textbook titled A Tour of Communities Around the World (Penns Valley Publishers, 2022). He is also a 2023 recipient of the Oswego Alumni Association’s Lifetime Award of Merit (see related story).

Elizabeth “Betty” Seabury Wagner ’65 of Colchester, Conn., spent most of her career in human resources in the private sector and then transitioned into working for a Congressman in the federal government and Connecticut’s Department of Labor. She completed graduate work at the University of Connecticut. She recalled fondly skiing at Fallbrook in the winter of 1961 before the ski lodge opened in 1962. She also went riding in the indoor arena at Fallbrook in 1962-1963.

Ed Currier ’68 of Webster, N.Y., enjoys reading his OSWEGO Alumni Magazine. He wrote in after receiving the winter 2023 issue and seeing the From the Archives photo. He remembered jamming everything into his 1965 Ford, but believes the photo with the Zenith box contained an electric clock radio, not a typewriter as indicated in the caption. He shared that he studied biology and was involved with Alpha Phi Omega and Symphonic Choir.

1970s

Charles “Chas” Durant ’71, Ph.D., of Knoxville, Tenn. is a senior associate for the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee. He was a resident assistant for Seneca Hall when it became a co-ed residence hall in 1970, the first one at Oswego.

Patrick R. Jacobi ’72 of Crossville, Tenn., retired in November 2012 after 30 years in the field of safety as a safety engineer for IBM, and then a safety consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Andre Jesequel ’72 of Atlanta, Ga., is a retired video/film producer/director for the training division of the Department of Homeland Security. He was a communications major as well as a DJ and salesman for WOCR.

Ina Armstrong ’73 of Chestnut Hill, Mass., remembers seeing snow for the first time as an Oswego student. The native of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands also invited classmates to come home with her for spring break. After graduating from SUNY Oswego, she worked as a procurement analyst for the U.S. Department of Transportation and then for a few defense contractors. She teamed up with classmates, Ed Balaban ’73 and Fred Musco ’73, to establish the Class of 1973 Spirit of Service Scholarship, which was established in 2023 in honor of the 50th anniversary of their Oswego graduation.

Debbie McCarthy Boland ’73 of Syracuse, N.Y., is a retired pediatric nurse practitioner at Upstate Medical Center. She is an Arethusa Eta sorority member.

James Ford ’73 of Gerrardstown, W.V., and his wife, Debbie Barker Ford ’73, shared an update on their lives since meeting at Oswego, marrying each other and raising their three children together all over the world. Jim, who was a member of the Laker men’s ice hockey team, spent many years helping to bring electricity to developing countries such as Bangladesh. He also spent time in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and helped create training manuals to help the residents in those areas build out their electrical infrastructure.

Patricia “Patsy” Friend ’73 of Rochester, N.Y., taught for 20 years in the Rochester City School District and then worked as a counselor with the New York State Education Department. Today, she volunteers in the Rochester school district.

Mark Heagerty ’73 of Arvada, Colo., has been living in Colorado for 38 years with his wife, Kathy, for 36 of those years. They have two sons, Jack and Michael, who also live in Colorado. Mark has been working in the financial services industry for most of his years in Colorado, including stints as a branch manager for Charles Schwab and TD Ameritrade. He currently works as a portfolio specialist for Fidelity Investments. He said he enjoys all the things that Colorado offers, including being a season ticket holder for the Denver Broncos.

Derryl Rankin Johnston ’73 of Chaumont, N.Y., was a social studies teacher at Penfield (N.Y.) High School and a teacher at Savannah-Chatham County Schools in Savannah, Ga. She also worked in medical transcription and coding at a hospital in northern New York.

Kathy Jacobs Kingsley ’73 of Clarks Summit, Pa., reconnected with 50th Anniversary classmates during 2023 Reunion Weekend in June. She shared a bit about the diverse roles she has held throughout her career, including teaching in Spain and the Otisville prison as well as serving as a tour guide for the Royal Air Force and a reflexologist at the Waverly Wellness House. She is a member of Iota Xi sorority.

John Lesch ’73 of New York City continues to work as a social studies and special education teacher in Great Neck Schools. Early in his career, he spent four years teaching GIs on an American Army base in Germany. He returned to the United States and worked as a network service manager and account team center managers for New York Telephone, NYNEX and Verizon telephone companies.

Tom Milliman ’73 of Webster, N.Y., was an activities therapist at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., before returning to his roots as an educator to serve as a technology teacher in Penfield (N.Y.) School District. His wife, Lynn Yovanoff Milliman ’73, stayed home for 10 years to raise their two sons, including Thomas “TJ” ’01 M’05 (who married Jill Breon-Milliman ’01 M’21), before returning to the classroom as an elementary education teacher in East Rochester.

Linda McCoy Nettleton ’73 of Locke, N.Y., taught first and third grade for 30 years, including in the Groton and Dryden school districts. After retiring from teaching, she became a technology consultant. She and husband, George ’72, enjoy spending time with her three children and five grandchildren.

Deb Roe ’73 of Brooktondale, N.Y., is retired from her position as assistant director of financial aid at SUNY Oneonta and from her full-time position at Cornell University in Ithaca.

Ellen Stengle Wahl ’73 ’74 of Oswego, came to SUNY Oswego from her home on Long Island in 1970 and never left. She was involved in women’s lib efforts on campus and served as a female carpenter on theatrical productions. She met her husband, Mark Wahl ’74, and remembers spending time at the Rathskeller. She served many years as the director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Oswego. She is the board president of the Ontario Center for the Performing Arts.

Michael Williams ’73 of Staatsburg, N.Y., is an attorney. He fondly recalls his time at Oswego, particularly with the Ski Club and his Sigma Gamma brothers. Early on, he changed from elementary education to English on his way to becoming a lawyer with the New York State Supreme Court. He shared how he leaned on his Oswego friends to help him following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, and was grateful for their support.

Michael Flaherty ’74 of Raleigh, N.C., is a retired English and social studies teacher. He leads a daily morning meditation group at Kadampa-Center in Raleigh. He also regularly performs as George Harrison in a tribute band to The Beatles. Michael said he is grateful for his excellent undergraduate education he received while at Oswego.

Frank Fish ’75, Ph.D., of Downingtown, Pa., is the winner of the 2022 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on how baby ducklings swim behind their mother in single file to conserve energy (improbable.com/ig/2022-ceremony). Frank is a professor of biology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Floyd “Wally” Roper ’76 of Endicott, N.Y., is president of the International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP). He retired from the New York State Department of Labor in September 2020. He has fond memories of his two years at SUNY Oswego, including having met his first, now late wife, Kim Collins Roper ’78. In addition to his volunteer work with IAWP, Roper is a life-time member of the Endwell (N.Y.) Fire Department and has served as its Fire Police Captain for several years. For over two decades, Roper and his wife, Mary Jury Roper, have co-emceed the Vestal Community Chorus concerts, and are members of the Board of Directors of the Johnson City (N.Y.) Senior Center. Read more.

Carolyn Settzo ’77 of Newtown, Conn., is a self-employed financial planner. She has been active by serving as an Alumni Sharing Knowledge volunteer, establishing a scholarship at SUNY Oswego and becoming a Sheldon Legacy Society member. As a student, she was a member of the Women’s Volleyball team. She serves on the Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Steve Sheffield ’78 of Crofton, Md., is a professor of biology at the University of Maryland. During a recent sabbatical leave, Steve has worked on many writing projects and research in study sites like West Virginia and Mexico. Steve will be in Baja California Sur and get the opportunity to check something off his bucket list, swimming with a whale shark. He recently wrote a chapter entitled “Identifying and Handling Contaminant-Related Wildlife Mortality/Morbidity Incidents” in the recently released 8th edition of The Wildlife Techniques Manual, a 2-volume set published by the Johns Hopkins University Press.

Karen La Roina Thompson ’78 of Kansas City, Mo., is retired from the Veterans Administration. Karen recently celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary with her husband, Spence ’78, who is retired from the U.S. Army and BNSF Railway. The couple, who met as students in Waterbury, now have four children and four grandchildren.

Peter Van Wart ’78 of Stanley, N.C., is a retired teacher. He said he moved to North Carolina in January 2019 and has been enjoying the “warm weather, virtually no snow and racing most of the year!”

Chris Brandmaier ’79 of Bellmore, N.Y., retired from a 32-year career as a marketing manager for Nikon. Chris now serves as a pastor at CenterPoint Church in Massapequa (N.Y.) Chris and his wife, Kathy, have six grandchildren.

Jan Pestle Schrader ’79 of Bloomfield, N.Y., retired on Dec. 31, 2022, after 37 years at Canandaigua National Bank and Trust. Some of her career highlights included 15 years as the bank’s corporate trainer and procedure writer, as well as operations support, call center manager and internal help desk manager. During the pandemic, she also sent weekly inspiration emails to all employees to lift spirits during the unsettling times. At Oswego, she played field hockey. She now enjoys spending time with her husband of 42 years, Steve, three children and six grandchildren, and is an active volunteer in her church.

1980s

Paul “J.P.” Sciortino ’80 of Jeffersonville, Vt., has hosted a group of classmates from 1977-78 Funnelle Hall at his home for the past two winters for a ski trip to Smugglers Notch, Vt. He said the stories are the same, but funnier and take longer to tell. He credits their great experiences at Oswego that forged the bonds of friendship that have lasted 45 years and counting.

Ken Walker ’80 of West Massachusetts, N.Y., shared this photo (above) of a group of Laker men’s lacrosse alumni who met up at a golf course in Florida, where Tim Roche ’77, now lives. Tim is credited with starting “Oswego Dirt Day” pig roast at Regans Lake back in the mid-70s.

Jim Campagna ’81 of Liverpool, N.Y., is the news director at NewsChannel 9 WSYR in Syracuse, N.Y. Read more.

Christopher Slade ’81 of West Rutland, Vt., is one of a group of Lakers who met at Oswego and have maintained ties for 40-plus years. Steve Boulet ’81, Paul “J.P.” Scortino ’80 and he played on the varsity men’s soccer team, and he also forged strong connections with fellow industrial arts majors Brian Bonacquisti ’81 and Jeff Campbell M’80. They were among a group of 1977-78 Funnelle Hall Lakers who gathered together last winter for a ski trip at Smugglers Notch in Vermont (above).

David Krapf ’82 of Brechenridge, Colo., is the editor-in-chief for WorkBoat magazine. He was on the men’s soccer team and the rugby club team.

David Burnett ’83 of Sugar Loaf, N.Y., is an SAP financial and controlling systems analyst for Carl Zeiss Inc. He said he loves his job, as everyday brings on a new challenge for him.

Phil Kaplan ’83 of Knoxville, Tenn., is a college sports editor for Gannett-USA Today Network in the southern region. He also teaches sports journalism at the University of Tennessee.

Matt Kelsch ’83 of Boulder, Colo., is a consultant in meteorology, climate and hydrology at the World Meteorological Organization. He worked for 23 years as a hydrometeorologist at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.

Barry Gliner ’84 of Syosset, N.Y., is the director of post-production for Warner Brothers-Discovery, headquartered in Manhattan.

Charlie Mitchell ’84 of Morrisonville, N.Y., shared this photo of a group of Laker alumni who all volunteer as mountain hosts at Whiteface Mountain, the greatest vertical ski slope east of the Rockies, which is located northeast of Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. Of the approximately 30 mountain hosts at Whiteface, they discovered seven (pictured above) are Oswego alumni — more than any other college.

Matt Weiller ’84 of Arlington, Va., is the executive director of the Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. State Department.

John Gray ’85 of Schenectady, N.Y., is an Emmy-winning journalist of 37 years and author. He is an anchor at WTEN-TV in Albany, N.Y., and a columnist in the Capital Region Living Magazine. His third novel, Chasing Rome, was released in fall 2022 (see related info), and a Hollywood director/writer is working on a script to turn his first novel into a TV movie.

Dee McGowan Perkins ’85 of Liverpool, N.Y., hosted a group of Oswego alumni (pictured above), which she dubbed the “WOCR ’80’s gang,” at her home to celebrate 37 years of friendship. Dee is owner of the marketing and advertising company Bright Ideas CNY and host of the Oswego Alumni Podcast.

Tracy Chamberlain Higginbotham ’86 of Warners, N.Y., is the founder and president of Women TIES (Together Inspiring Entrepreneurial Success) LLC in Syracuse, N.Y. She has spent 28 years bringing women entrepreneurs from across New York State to do business together. She added a Women’s Athletic Network division to the company 10 years ago to bring women in business together so they can participate in sports and adventures together.

Allan Shaw ’86 of Port Chester, N.Y., is a senior biopharmaceutical executive and board member working with companies, including Portage Biotech Inc. and CalciMedica. During his time at Oswego, Shaw played on the Rugby team and fondly recalls working with the Program Policy Board to plan concerts with artists including The Clash, James Taylor and the Jerry Garcia Band. He served as the Quest 2023 keynote speaker addressing the topic of how to approach healthcare with a business mindset.

Sean O’Gorman ’88 and his family (pictured above), wife, Jill; daughters, Kyra, an accountant in Rochester, and Hannah, a doctoral student in clinical and school psychology at Roberts Wesleyan University; and son, Huck, who works at Novelis in Oswego, squared off on Family Feud on Nov. 16, 2022. Sean, the former owner of the Off Bridge Street Bagelry, served 22 years as a firefighter in the city of Oswego before retiring in May 2022. He and his wife live in Oswego.

Anne DiNoto ’89 of Arlington, Mass., is a compliance analyst at Boston University. She recently completed a one-week Moving Forward in Photography intensive training with National Geographic photographer Sam Abell at Maine Media Workshops to nurture a personal passion for photography.

1990s

Tim Macdowall ’90 of Palm Coast, Fla., worked for Estee Lauder, but now does stand-up comedy shows, performing in such notable comedy clubs as Dangerfield’s in New York City.

Tom Winiarski ’91 of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., president of Platform Monetization-Advertising Sales at NBCUniversal, competed on the national television quiz show, Jeopardy!, on May 16, 2023. He is pictured above with game host, Mayim Bialik.

Joy Melissa Holder ’93 of Elmira, N.Y., retired after 25 years as the official U.S. Senate photographer and moved to upstate New York to be with her family. While working in Washington, D.C., she earned an MBA at Liberty University.

Justin Shaw ’93 of Canandaigua, N.Y., is the director of communications at Nazareth College in Rochester (N.Y.), since February 2023. He previously served as vice president of client relations at Rochester-based Dixon Schwabl + Company, where he worked for more than 11 years. Shaw has served on the board of directors of United Way of Ontario County, and is a member of Leadership Buffalo’s class of 2019. He holds a master’s degree in public relations from Syracuse University.

Robert Utter ’93 of Manlius, N.Y., is the chief financial officer for Pyramid Management Group, one of the largest real estate developers in the Northeast. He served as the GOLD Giving Challenger and donated $20,000 to SUNY Oswego when more than 200 alumni made a gift during the month of March 2023.

Tara Seaman FitzGibbons ’94 of Oswego was appointed to SUNY Oswego’s College Council by New York State Governor Kathy Hochul for a three-year term. She serves as the business manager at FitzGibbons Agency LLC, a local and independent full-service insurance agency in Oswego. A dedicated community volunteer and graduate of Leadership Oswego County, she has served on many local not-for-profit boards, including the Richard S. Shineman Foundation and the Oswego Health Foundation. She is an avid cyclist, runner and enjoys spending time boating on Lake Ontario.

Matt Jablonowski ’94 of Johnson City, N.Y., is the English Department chair and curriculum coordinator for the Catholic Schools of Broome County.

La-Dana Jenkins ’94 of Bloomfield, N.J., works at Borough of Manhattan Community College. She graduated from New Jersey City University with an Ed.D. in Educational Technology Leadership. At Oswego, La-Dana was a part of the Black Student Union, PRSSA, WTOP and Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and she served on the Oswego Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2017 to 2020.

Aaron Alder ’97 of Sandwich, Mass., is the owner and agency principal of Bagnall Shaw Insurance in Lancaster, Pa. With over 6,000 clients and representing over 70 insurance carriers, he oversees the largest independent insurance agency in Lancaster, Pa. He has two children and has been happily married for 10 years.

Michael Huynh ’98 M’03 of Mexico, N.Y., is a licensed fishing and camping guide and director of campus ministry for the Hall Newman Center at SUNY Oswego. He presented “You Never Fish the Same Water Twice” at Rice Creek Field Station in February 2023.

John Mannion M’98 of Syracuse, N.Y., was elected state senator for the 50th District of New York, representing parts of Onondaga and Oswego counties, including the City of Oswego. He served as a biology teacher for more than 25 years in the West Genesee Central School District in Camillus, N.Y., before being elected to the New York State Senate.

Heather Sunser M’98 of Fulton, N.Y., is a member of Barclay Damon’s real estate and financial institutions and lending practice areas; telecommunications, energy, cannabis, and hotels, hospitality and food service teams; and financial services practice group leader. She recently was appointed the leader of the law firm’s tax credits team.

Drew Scharoun ’99 of Auburn, N.Y., is the co-president of the Auburn, N.Y., chapter of the international nonprofit Sleep in Heavenly Peace, which builds and delivers beds to kids ages 3 to 17 at no cost to the families. In addition, he works full time on the laboratory support services team at MEDENT Inc. in Auburn. Read more.

Justin Wiedrick ’99 M’04 of Westernville, N.Y., was selected as a 2022 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. He is a mathematics teacher in the Adirondack Middle School in Boonville, N.Y. The award, one of the most prestigious honors in the nation for teachers, recognizes exemplary teaching and leadership in mathematics and science education.

Denise Zona ’99 of Baldwinsville, N.Y., is a Ph.D. psychologist and United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. She recently left her position as director of human performance at the Air Force Safety Center and became an aerospace psychologist and interagency advisor at NASA headquarters. She has completed two post-docs; one in clinical health psychology and the second in aviation psychology, which have made her the perfect fit for the Human Factors and Safety Culture position at NASA.

2000s

Adam Glaser ’00 of Sayville, N.Y., is a compliance manager for General Building Laborers’ Local 66 Trust Funds and Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker for HomeDax Real Estate LLC. He has been active as a NYC Career Connections volunteer and an Alumni Sharing Knowledge volunteer. As a student, he was involved with the National Honor Society for Business Administration.

Aunrée Houston ’00 of New York City serves as the vice president of account services and production operations for Paramount Global. He served as a panelist at the 2023 Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit, and is also a member of the Oswego University Foundation Board of Directors.

Maria Leaf ’00 of Arlington, Va., is senior engagement editor at the Washington Examiner and is a freelance anchor/reporter for 630 WMAL Radio. She was involved with WNYO, WRVO, WTOP and The Oswegonian.

Jill Frattallone Spadaro ’01 of Albany, N.Y., is the internal communications manager at Albany Medical Center. She began her 20-plus years in the field of communication as a web producer at a local TV station in Albany, Capital News 9/YNN (now Spectrum News).

Brian Dwyer ’02 of Adams, N.Y., is a multimedia journalist with Spectrum News 1, covering the Watertown/North Country/Fort Drum area. He has reported on a wide variety of sports-related stories across Central New York, from the Lake Placid “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey team to Syracuse University’s trips to bowl games, the NCAA tournament and the Final Four. Brian has also reported extensively on and from Fort Drum, including day-to-day operations, training, deployments, public works, and ceremonies to the stories of individual soldiers, units and the sacrifices they make. His career began at Oswego as a co-host of a local sports radio talk show on WNYO and as TV a sports anchor at WTOP-10.

Joe Yerdon ’02 of Buffalo, N.Y., has been a National Hockey League writer for 15 years and was the Buffalo Sabres beat writer for The Athletic. He continues to be a sports writer, focusing on ice hockey for a variety of audiences via Substack.

Brian Drake ’03 of Clay, N.Y., was nominated for two awards by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, including football article of the year and podcast of the year for the “Fantasy Football Hustle.” Brian hosts a weekly radio show on SiriusXM and was hired by FantasyPoints.com to provide analysis for the coming football season. Despite all this, his drought in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon alumni league, of which Brian is sadly also the Commissioner, is nearing 10 years. Brian is too petty to shout out the Oswego alum who did win.

Eric Salmonsen ’03 M’07 of Milton, N.H., is a social studies teacher in the Dover (N.H.) School District. He launched Everything Is a Primary Source, a weekly podcast where all kinds of media ranging from Star Wars to Buddy Holly and the Crickets songs are fair game to be discussed and analyzed for their historical and cultural relevance. Read more.

Adekunle “Ade” Ellis ’04 of Congers, N.Y., is the associate director of CBS Sports. He is a three-time Emmy-winner for team coverage of the National Football League, NCAA Basketball and the Masters, and he specializes in live and taped TV broadcasts.

Lindsey Guile ’04 M’06 of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., was the featured artist in a special show, “Unruly Bodies,” at the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at Worcester State University in Worcester, Mass. The exhibition explored concepts of self-image through the lens of contemporary feminist theory.

Gabriel Almanzar ’05 of New Rochelle, N.Y., is the creative director for CBS News. He delivered the keynote address at the 2023 Commencement Eve Torchlight Dinner and Ceremony. Winning a News Emmy Award in 2021 for “Best News Special: Bravery and Hope, 7 Days on the Frontline,” he was also instrumental in the rebranding and development of CBS Mornings’ new Times Square studio and the new CBS News streaming studio. He was part of the CBS Sports design team developing layouts for Thursday Night Football, Super Bowl LV, LIII and 50, for which he received a Sports Emmy Award in 2016 for “Best Technical Remote” by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He serves on the School of Communication, Media and the Arts Advisory Board.

Yaw Ofori-Atta ’05 of New York City, is a television producer for CBS Sports. He also produces freelance content for many sports entities through his own production imprint, Eleven 0 Four Media. He was a resident assistant in Seneca Hall, math tutor for the Office of Learning Services and member of the Asian Student Association, Caribbean Student Association and Black Student Union, where he served as vice president his senior year.

Robert Palazzo ’05 M’08 CAS’08 of Palmerton, Pa., was named Pennsylvania’s 2022 National Distinguished Principal by the Pennsylvania Principals Association. He has been the principal at Panther Valley Elementary School in Nesquehoning, Pa., since 2017. He was instrumental in helping to launch full-day kindergarten and also implement a pre-kindergarten program. Prior to this role, he served as a school psychologist in the Palmerton Area School District from 2008 to 2017.

Sarah Kirnie Mastrangelo ’06 of Minoa, N.Y., is the first-ever chief people person at M.S. Hall and Associates, a Syracuse, N.Y.,-based company specializing in healthcare finance. She brings 15 years of experience to this role, having previously served as the vice president of operations at the Digital Hyve marketing firm in Syracuse.

Lawrence M. Nadel ’06 of Bayside, N.Y., is the director of fine and performing arts for the Glen Cove City School District on Long Island. He has directed various theatrical productions and taught theater arts for 16 years in schools and camps across the country, prior to arriving in Glen Cove. He was a former theater teacher and arts education liaison at the Queens School of Inquiry in Fresh Meadows, Queens, where he oversaw the execution of arts grants received. Lawrence was involved with Jewish Student Union, Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, Sheldon Leaders, Presidential Scholars, Kappa Delta Pi and Omicron Delta Kappa while attending Oswego.

Jason Poland ’06 M’09 of Larchmont, N.Y., is the program director of the American Chemical Society of Westchester.

Christopher Thuman ’06 of North Tonawanda, N.Y., is a senior director of client services at Luminate, a company that provides independent engineering and technical/commercial advisory services for solar, wind and all types of renewable energy projects.

Matt Gardner ’07 of Syracuse, N.Y., is founder and CEO of hiline, an accounting firm specializing in services for over 100 clients and modern businesses, including streamers, social media influencers and startups. Gardner was recognized by Inc Magazine in April 2023 as one of the 10 Promising Business Leaders to Watch in 2023. Read more.

Robert Ryan ’07 of Auburn, N.Y., is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Robert graduatedfrom Syracuse University in 2023 with a Master of Social Work and Graduate Certificate in Child Therapy.

Meghan Johansson ’08 of Astoria, N.Y., is an artist management at Cherrytree Music Company working alongside award-winning artists, including Sting and Shaggy. She was a member of the Del Sarte Dance Club and a resident assistant. Read more.

Kevin Fox M’09 of Brewerton, N.Y., has worked as a graphic designer at Hueber-Breuer Construction for five years. Kevin shared that he has an adorable black cat named Nova.

Priyadarshini “Priya” Ravindran ’09 is an international journalist who covered the Russian war in Ukraine. Read more.

Sara Weiler ’09 of Manlius, N.Y., made the 2022 CNY Business Journal 40 Under Forty list. Sarah is a legal assistant for Bousquet Holstein Law Services in Syracuse, N.Y.

2010s

James Lalino ’10 of Hoboken, N.J., is an independent journalist. He is a brother of Delta Kappa Kappa fraternity.

Stefen Short ’10, Esq., of Brooklyn, N.Y., is the acting deputy director of the Prisoners’ Rights Project for the Legal Aid Society in New York City. He is also an adjunct professor of law at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. He was president of the Oswego Student Association, director of diversity for SUNY Student Assembly and a project leader with the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). Read more.

Alissa Theleman Clark ’11 of Glenshaw, Pa., is the director of alumni career solutions at the University of Pittsburgh. Alissa was a resident mentor for Johnson Hall and a resident assistant for Riggs Hall and Mackin Complex during her time at Oswego.

Wojciech Milewski ’11 of Summerville, S.C., is the music director of Charleston (S.C.) Opera Theater and the music director of the Summerville Orchestra. He is the recipient of the 2019 Harold Farberman Prize and a finalist of the 2019 Los Angeles Conducting Competition.

Earl Bellinger ’12, Ph.D., of Amsterdam, N.Y., and Garching, Bavaria, Germany, was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany. He began in a tenure-track position of assistant professor in the Department of Astronomy at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., in January 2024. He is a developer of the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) stellar evolution code and a scientist working on the forthcoming PLATO mission. His research broadly involves various kinds of pulsating stars. (See related story.)

Kayla Lynskey Leska ’12 of Rockaway Park, N.Y., is vice president of public relations within the tourism practice at Development Counsellors International (DCI). She leads a team of nearly 20 communications professionals through the United States and Canada to implement destination public relations campaigns, while formalizing and expanding DCI’s public relations efforts to meet the needs of hotels, tour operators and cultural attractions. She is married to Nate Leska ’13, who is a large project account manager at ABB, a technology company focused on electrification and automation.

Emily Longeretta ’12 of New York City, is the senior TV features editor for Variety magazine.

Christopher McPherson ’12 of Brooklyn, N.Y., is the social media manager of organic and paid media for Netflix Queue.

Emily Forsythe Crandell ’13 of Oswego is a certified physician associate for Oswego Health at Oswego PrimeCare. She previously worked in Oswego at a private practice where she gained extensive primary care and outpatient experience. Emily is also a certified diabetes educator, which Oswego Health plans to utilize as they expand on programs for the Oswego community. She earned a Physician Assistant Master of Science in 2016 from SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.

Omy Melo ’14 of Forest Hills, N.Y., is a video editor at Nickelodeon. He serves on the School of Communication, Media and the Arts Advisory Board.

Tom Murphy ’14 of Walworth, N.Y., is a senior project manager of Creative Operations at Partners + Napier Rochester, N.Y. He serves on the School of Communication, Media and the Arts Advisory Board.

Travis Clark ’15 of Burlington Flats, N.Y., is a senior media reporter at The Trade Desk, where he reports on all things digital media, brands and future of TV for thecurrent.com.

Paul Esden Jr. ’15 of Conway, N.H., is the New York Jets digital reporter for Heavy Sports.

Dylan Labadia ’15 of Central Bridge, N.Y., is a retirement consultant for Paychex USA in Albany, N.Y.

Destiny Lynch ’15 of Lancaster, Pa., is an executive team leader of specialty sales at Target. She served as a Career Connector at the 2023 Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit.

Quentin Mariano ’15 of Nanuet, N.Y., serves as head electrician in the ongoing production of Good Night, Oscar, starring Will and Grace’s Sean Hayes, which opened on Broadway in April 2023. The job marks his first in a major Broadway production. Since 2015, Mariano has worked as a touring electrician for multiple stage shows, including Anastasia The Musical, Annie, Hadestown and The Phantom of the Opera sequel Love Never Dies. Read more.

David Owens ’15 of Oswego, is the contract illustrator and art director at Owens Design and Illustration.

Christy Somers ’15 of Astoria, N.Y., is a non-fiction television producer and is the story producer for MTV’s “Help! I’m in a Secret Relationship.” She served as a panelist at the 2023 Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit. She was part of the Greek honor societies Omicron Delta Kappa and Lambda Pi Eta.

Kalie Hudson Dobrow ’16 of Astoria, N.Y., is a senior supervisor of social strategy at Edelman in New York City.

Amanda Ebrahim ’16 M’19 CAS’19 of New York City is an account director at Fenton. She served as a Career Connector at the 2023 Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit.

Elaine Flowers ’16 of Washington, D.C., is a student systems and program analyst at the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education. She earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from Buffalo State and a Ph.D. in higher education leadership and policy studies from Howard University.

Jarrid Rockwood ’16 of Rochester, N.Y., is a financial advisor for Prudential Insurance Company of America. Jarrid was a member of the Psi Phi Gamma fraternity.

Natalie Brophy ’17 of Buffalo, N.Y., is the technology and startups reporter for The Buffalo News.

Alicia Hughes ’17 of Ransomville, N.Y., is a content writer at Mattress Firm and an associate editor for sleep.com, which is a blog focusing on sleep wellness. She earned a master’s degree in publishing from Pace University.

Tiffany Lerch ’17 of Verona, N.Y., is a cosmetology instructor at Madison-Oneida BOCES in New Hartford, N.Y.

Kimberly LaGatta Mancarella ’17 M’19 of Ithaca, N.Y., is an LCMS (liquid chromatography mass spectrometry) biologics scientist for Q-Squared Solutions. Kimberly was involved with Omicron Delta Kappa and the Chemistry Club at Oswego.

Marcus McFee-Walters ’17 of Syracuse, N.Y., is a financial professional with Equitable Advisors, formerly AXA Advisors. He serves on the Oswego University Foundation Board of Directors.

Jessica Mulder ’17 of Burbank, Calif., is a digital distribution associate at Universal Pictures Home Entertainment in Universal City, Calif.

Morgan Rumpf ’17 of Hollis, N.H., is director of marketing at DuraBill Trailers in Merrimack, N.H. She previously held roles as a former marketing manager for the Hudson Valley Renegades, a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, and chief marketing officer at C-Suite Executive Solutions LLC.

Shelby Gallaro Trudeau ’17 of Rochester, N.Y., is an academic advisor for the Rochester Institute of Technology. She was involved in the Student Association and It’s On Oz. She and her husband, Matthew Trudeau ’17, welcomed their second child, Caleb Matthew, in May 2023. Their son, Tony, turned 2 in spring 2023.

Emmanuel Agyapong ’18 of Oswego is a physical therapist at Robert Berkley Physical Therapy in Oswego. He earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Daemen College, and has an interest in sports rehabilitation. He founded the African-American Males Empowering Network (AAMEN) at SUNY Oswego, and returns often to campus to work with that group and uplift young black men on campus. He recently started his own side business called The EAxperience, which offers online fitness programs through an app as well as in-person trainings. Read more.

Christina Galvin ’18 M’19 of Manlius, N.Y., is an Emmy-award winning news producer and special projects producer at NewsChannel 9 WSYR in Syracuse. Read more.

Naomi Rodriguez Jose ’18 of Bronx, N.Y., is a full-time resettlement caseworker at the International Rescue Committee in New York City.

Allif Karim ’18 of Frederick, Md., is a producer/editor for WJZ-13 in Baltimore, Md. and former sports director at WDVM-TV in Hagerstown, Md.

Elena Kilgore ’18 of Lancaster, N.Y., is a copywriting and communication specialist at 1WorldSync. In February 2021, Kilgore began her business Other People Fund and its partner nonprofit organization, Support for the Psyche. The goal of the organizations is to help people pay for therapy and raise awareness of the inaccessibility of mental health care. Read more.

Samantha Longton ’18 of Orlando, Fla., is a social media content creator at Minion Media Group LLC in Winter Gardens, Fla. In Aug. 2022, she launched Longton Creative LLC, her own freelance company to provide her clients with a range of communication support.

Josephine Scherer ’18 M’19 of Manchester, N.Y., is a senior financial assurance advisor at DKB, a leading regional business advisory and CPA firm in Rochester, N.Y. A member of TeamDKB since 2019 and a certified public accountant since 2020, Josie has worked primarily with manufacturing firms and auto dealerships. She enjoys camping, hiking and live music.

Jaclyn McTigue ’19 of Selden, N.Y., is an IATSE production coordinator. She served as a Career Conector during the 2023 Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit.

Mike Petrie ’19 of Clinton, N.Y., is a certified drone pilot and technology education teacher at Camden (N.Y.) Central High School. Read more.

Jake N. Pieklik ’19 M’20 of Liverpool, N.Y., is an audit senior at Dannible & McKee LLP, a certified public accounting and consulting firm with offices in Syracuse, Binghamton and Schenectady, N.Y. He joined the firm in 2020 as a full-time employee after working as an intern the year prior. He is responsible for performing audits, reviews, compilations, examinations and employee benefit plan audits. Jake is a certified public accountant in New York State and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

2020s

Olivia Castañeda ’20 of Round Lake, N.Y., is stewardship coordinator at Sam’s Point Area of Minnewaska State Park Preserve in Ellenville, N.Y. Read more.

Loretta Golden ’20 of Smithtown, N.Y., is a communications associate at Girl Scouts of Suffolk County. She is involved in a variety of tasks, including interviewing people, video editing and production, creating graphic design using Adobe software and Canva, crafting social media posts, taking photographs and organizing events. Read more.

Josh Holfoth ’20 of Brooklyn, N.Y., is an associate producer of special projects at CNBC Events in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.

Sarah Mason M’20 of Woodmere, N.Y., is a remote-based senior research analyst at Aldade Inc., and she maintains a consultancy providing analytics and continuous improvement expertise, specializing in healthcare. She earned a master’s degree in biomedical health informatics from SUNY Oswego, and a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Penn State University. She is a member of Oswego’s Graduates Of the Last Decade Leadership Council.

Eyal Shamban ’20 of Cliffside Park, N.J., is the chief operating officer at Taam Eden Bakery.

Mary Buske Suits ’20 of Central Square, N.Y., is an academic and professional career advisor at Syracuse University. She is also a life coach and owner of Suits You Coaching. She earned a master’s in higher education administration and student affairs and a graduate certificate in career and academic advising from Kent State University.

Koushank Harind Singh Ahuja ’21 is a strategy analyst of U.S. businesses at Prudential Financial in New York City. He graduated in 2022 with a master’s degree in marketing with a concentration in business analytics from Northwestern University.

Nicholas Schmitt ’21 of Cato, N.Y., served as a 2023 Summer Associate at Bousquet Holstein law firm in Syracuse, N.Y. He is in his final year of law school at University at Buffalo School of Law in Buffalo. He has previously interned for United States Senator Chuck Schumer in Syracuse, N.Y., as well as the Cayuga County District Attorney in Auburn, N.Y. He has served as the designated chairperson for the Town of Conquest Planning Board, where he works with the public and local officials to formulate proper zoning rules and regulations for the town.

Julia Keating ’22 of Buffalo, N.Y., is a news photographer/editor for Channel 4 News/WIVB in Buffalo, N.Y.

Chelsea Maldonado ’22 of Woodside, N.Y., delivered a spoken word performance of her stories and poems entitled Redress to the Red Dresses, highlighting the issues of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) at SUNY Oswego in April 2023. She is a front desk attendant at New York Sports Club in Queens, N.Y. Read more.

Nicole Moriarity ’22 of Sarasota, Fla., is a real estate photographer for Zillow and a freelance sports and concert photographer. She also founded MoPhotosDesign, a graphic design and photography business.

Ethan Stinson ’22 of Adams, N.Y., is enrolled in the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications master’s degree program at Syracuse University. He attended the 2023 Anomaly Film Festival to watch and review the indie horror film Sleep for the Rochester (N.Y.) City Magazine.

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