51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Class Notes are printed in every issue of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Magazine. Alumni can submit to Class Notes using the online form.
1960s
Jon Cobain, '64 BS Business Administration, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's first graduate, is chairman of Fomento Ltd. He has spent 35 years as a merger and acquisition specialist, focusing in the middle market, nominally $10-$100 million, with engagements in more than 200 industries. The fluent Spanish speaker has experience in 33 states and eight countries. He is a serious tennis player and traveler who enjoys charitable and theatrical events. He has two grown children, Leif, and Erika. His wife is the author J.A. Flynn. The couple lives in Henderson.
1970s
Gary Paquette, '71 BS Hotel Administration, owns Royal Crown Resort Travel Planners. He has worked in the hospitality industry in Las Vegas since 1968. His hobby is "golf, golf, and more golf." He is married and has four grandchildren.
Nicholas Boggioni, '72 BA History, '74 MA History, is chief deputy clerk of the court for Lucas County (Ohio) Juvenile Court. He lives in Sylvania Township.
Robert Selmer, '72 BS Hotel Administration, retired in August. He is working on a website for sales training and seminars. His hobbies are writing, music, and farming. He lives in Princeton, Texas.
Jose Cardenas, '74 BA Political Science, participated in a Brookings Mountain West conference at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ dealing with the "Political Demography and Geography of the Intermountain West." He was a member of the panel "The Immigration Issue: Nevada, Arizona, and the Nation." He is senior vice president and general counsel at Arizona State University. Over the years he has been recognized for his many community activities. In 2000 he was the recipient of the Mexican government's Ohtli Award, which is given to U.S. residents of Mexican descent for their service to Mexican communities in the U.S.
Earl Sheehy, '74 BS Hotel Administration, is CEO of Dr. John Warner Hospital. He lives in Clinton, Ill.
Catherine Buckley Hoffman, '76 Nursing, is self-employed in the medical sales/human resources field. She has spent 15 years in outside surgical equipment sales and four years in clinical laboratory sales. Her prior experience includes inpatient care, outpatient oncology, and human resources. She also owned a floral shop for seven years. Her hobbies include community service, flower arranging, cooking, golf, and cattle ranching. She and her husband divide their time between Las Vegas and their ranch in Norwood, Colo.
Shakun Harilela, '78 BA French, works in the hospitality industry and in education. Her hobbies are yoga, personal fitness, travel, and reading. She lives in Singapore.
Sonny Le Jeune, '78 BS Physical Education, is a teacher and coach in the Chattco (Alabama) School System. His career has included 16 years teaching, 17 years in sales, and four years in the U.S. Air Force. His hobbies are hunting and fishing. He and his wife, Janet, live in Millbrook.
1980s
Luis Gomez, '81 BS Hotel Administration, manages a regional company of four hotels in Peru, including the upscale Country Club Lima Hotel. He spent 15 years with Sheraton hotels in Latin America. He plays golf with an eight handicap. He and his wife, Janine Ward, have three grown children. They live in Lima.
Dennis Luppens, '81 BS Education, is special districts administrator for the city of Santa Clarita, Calif. While at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ he lettered in football two years. He has two adult children.
William Howard, '82 BS Geology, is a geoscientist II for Nye County. He lives in Pahrump.
Sheila Trexler, '82 BS Nursing, is a senior trial attorney with Neil, Dymott, Frank, McFall & Trexler in San Diego and specializes in medical malpractice defense. She is an adjunct faculty member at California Western School of Law. Her honors include "Top 50 Women Litigators in California" by the Los Angeles Daily Journal, San Diego's "Top 25 Women" by the Super Lawyers for Southern California, and San Diego's Professional Malpractice Lawyer of the Year for 2011 by Best Lawyers. She enjoys traveling, golf, and spending time with her dogs. She and her husband, Don Rowe, live in San Diego and in Palm Desert.
Melissa Lester Wright, '83 BS Business Administration, is principal analyst for the Clark County department of finance/parks and recreation. She lives in Henderson.
Carolyn Gerst Hanneman, '84 BA Communication Studies, is a committee volunteer for the Parents Association at the Phoenix Country Day School and at All Saints Episcopal Day School in Phoenix. Her hobbies include "driving many miles to many kids' activities," creative writing, travel, and tennis. She and her husband, LeRoy, are raising three children, Lauren, Katharine, and Andrew, in Paradise Valley.
Mark Holmes, '84 BS Hotel Administration, is a partner in B2B CFO, a firm providing CFO advisory services to middle-market companies. Also a CPA, he has worked in accounting and finance for various companies. He lives in Elmhurst.
Lisa Ransom, '86 BA English, is self-employed in the import/export business.
Ruth Devlin, '88 BA Elementary Education, '96 MS Curriculum & Instruction, is a teacher at Paradise Elementary School. She recently teamed up with 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ art student Valerie Thatcher on the publication of a children's book, Monsters on the Bus: A Halloween Song. Devlin wrote the book, while Thatcher illustrated it.
David Hensey, '88 BS Business Administration, is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps reserves who has been on active duty since 2007. From 1989 until 1997, the lieutenant colonel was a member of the active duty Marine Corps. He previously worked as an insurance agent. He is married and has four daughters. Hobbies include reading, studying history, and politics.
Tami Friedman, '89 BS Hotel Administration, is an account manager with Lundbeck. She lives in Northbrook, Ill.
Lorene Thom Malis, '89 BA Communication Studies, is general sales manager for Kemp Broadcasting's radio stations KVEG, KVGQ, and KMZQ. Previously, she was general sales manager at CBS Radio's KLUC, KXTE, and KYDZ radio stations. Married with two young children, she says her hobbies include spending time with family, cooking and entertaining, and getting away to the mountains whenever possible.
1990s
Kimberly Stubbs Roll, '90 BS Elementary Education, is a group exercise instructor with Riverside Health System. She lives in Newport News, Va.
Dennis Gradillas, '91 BS Hotel Administration, has been promoted to general manager of the Platinum Hotel & Spa. Previously, he served as director of operations at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. He is the father of three children, Preston, Peyton, and Madison.
Martha Stephens, '91 BS Accounting, is a CPA with Stephens & Associates.
David Chavez, '92 BS Business Administration, is CEO of Assured Strategies. He coaches CEOs and executive teams in the seven layers of strategy every business needs to consider as it grows. His company also consults businesses on strategic execution, sales development, and financial structure. He lives in Henderson.
Philip Luizzo, '92 BS Business Administration, is vice president of First Advantage. Racing is his hobby. He lives in New Smyrna Beach. Fla.
Kenneth Tiscornia, '92 BS Hotel Administration, is sales director of Health Monitor Network. He lives in Chatham, N.J.
Tony Illia, '93 English, received the 2010 Award of Distinction from the Western Mountain Region of the American Institute of Architects. He was the only Nevadan to receive an award this year in the region. He serves on 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Construction Management Industry Advisory Board. A journalist, his work has appeared in Architectural Record and Urban Land Magazine.
Nellie Coren Symons, '93 MS Accounting, is a principal accountant for Clark County.
Tyra Bell-Holland, '94 BS Hotel Administration, is a certified hospitality educator and instructor at the International School of Hospitality and founder of the Art of Concierge program. A member of Les Clefs d'Or since 2002 and past president of the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association, she is chef concierge at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Thomas Campbell, '94 BA History, earned a master's degree in history from the University of Wisconsin in 1996. He works as a transportation resource manager for Hopelink and lives in Renton, Wash.
Joseph Grsic, '94 Master of Education, is a school counselor at Bonanza High School.
Stephen "Dud" Doherty Jr., '95 BA English, is with the U.S. Army in a company intelligence support team. He recently was deployed to Iraq. Previously, he worked as a copy editor and as a hotel sales manager. Hobbies include theater acting, baseball, swimming, and writing. He lives in New Bedford, Mass.
Scott Gulbransen, '95 BA Communication Studies, joined Applebee's last year as its first director of social media & digital marketing. Previously he worked at Intuit and at Sony Online Entertainment. He lives in Olathe, Kan.
Allen Klevens, '95 BA Music, is founder and CEO of Prescriptive Music. The company specializes in creating custom music play lists for hotels, casinos, restaurants, retail companies, and many other public spaces. He has a daughter and a son and lives Woodland Hills, Calif.
Jon Longoria, '95 BA Criminal Justice, works with problem gamblers as a counselor with Pathways. He also serves as chairman of the Mohave County Substance Treatment Education and Prevention Partnership. He lives in Kingman, Ariz.
Lee Browning, '96 Bachelor of Music, '98 Master of Music, was named by the Muscular Dystrophy Association as the Nevada recipient of the 2010 Robert Ross Personal Achievement Award. He was selected for his work on behalf of others with disabilities and his own accomplishments despite daunting physical challenges. He has Friedreich's ataxia, which causes loss of balance and coordination. He played both piano and drums early in life. When his symptoms progressed, he switched his major to composition. He is a member of the board of directors for the Fine Arts Chapter of the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Alumni Association and the Nevada Adaptive Sports Club. He plays quad rugby for the nationally ranked Sin City Skulls.
Ronald Cummings, '97 BS Hotel Administration, is a self-employed financial hotel consultant. He previously worked for Hilton Hotels, Wyndham Hotels, the Yellowstone National Park lodges, and Xanterra Parks & Resorts. He lives in El Paso, Texas.
Angie Paglinawan, '97 BS Business Administration, is a senior business analyst with NV Energy.
Doa Meade Gregory, '98 BS Civil Engineering, is an engineering services manager for the Las Vegas Valley Water District. She manages a technical division that reviews engineering plans for proposed development. Her staff coordinates projects with other utilities, public agencies, contractors, and engineers. She began her career with internships with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Mirage Dolphin Habitat. She enjoys traveling, Bikram yoga, and spending time with her family.
Jun Seok Hwang, '98 BS Hotel Administration, is director of AIT Consulting. She lives in Seoul, Korea.
Valerie Miller, '98 BA Communication Studies, recently won four awards from the Nevada Press Association. A reporter for the Las Vegas Business Press, she won first place in the Best Business News Story category for the story "Dead in the Water." Written with fellow reporter Hubble Smith, the story was about foreclosures and strategic defaults. In the same category, she took an honorable mention for "Boulder Dam Hotel Faces Closure." She also won a second-place award in the Best Explanatory Journalism category and a third-place award in the Best Business Feature Story category.
Chad Randash, '98 BS Construction Engineering, is president of Randash Auto Center. He and his wife, Rachel, have one son, Ethan. The family lives in Bozeman, Mont.
Alesia Hayes Romanov, '98 BA Education, is an educator with the Clark County School District.
Jason Roth, '98 BA Communication Studies, is the director of marketing at the University of Southern Nevada.
David Coelho, '99 BA Communication Studies, is employed by Westwood One as a producer on The Dennis Miller Show. He lives in Los Angeles.
Sarah Harmon, '99 BS Business Administration, was promoted to partner with the law firm of Bailey Kennedy. She has worked at the firm five years and practices complex civil litigation, including disputes in class actions, product defects, tobacco litigation, business torts, and commercial and corporate law. Previously, she was an associate with Lionel Sawyer & Collins. She serves on the editorial staff of the Nevada Civil Practice Manual. She earned her law degree with cum laude and Order of the Coif distinctions from the University of San Diego.
Scott Harrison, '99 BS Hotel Administration, is a professional red carpet, celebrity, special event, music, and model photographer. His photos are published worldwide through agencies in New York and London. He has been covering celebrities and concerts in Las Vegas for 16 years.
Richard Kimbrough, '99 BA Communication Studies, was named chief philanthropy officer for the Mayo Health System in Mankato, Minn. He lives in Eagan.
Kathy Preston, '99 BS Management Information Systems, is a technical editor for SAIC. She lives in North Las Vegas.
Eric Sorensen, '99 BS Hotel Administration, is general manager of Badda Bing Gentlemen's Club.
Matthew Souther, '99 BA English, has been a lawyer with Neil, Dymott, Frank, McFall & Trexler since 2004. His practice includes professional liability defense, elder abuse defense, and family law. His hobbies include skiing, cycling, mountain biking, golfing, and surfing. He lives in San Diego.
2000s
Cher Chang, '00 BS Biology, owns Affordable Dentures.
Dawn Dialon, '00 MS Counseling, is a licensed marriage and family therapist with Crossroads Counseling. She works with couples, individuals, and families. She uses cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnosis, and spiritual values in working with clients to facilitate change.
Shauna Lederman, '01 BS Hotel Administration, is director of catering at Aliante Station. She has worked for Station Casinos for nine years, previously serving as director of catering and as catering manager at Santa Fe Station. She is the fundraising co-chair for the Las Vegas chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives. She has been granted certified professional catering executive status by the association.
Jeffrey McIntire-Strasburg, '01 Ph.D. English, is founder and editor of sustainablog.org. In 2009, his blog launched the Green Choices product comparison engine, which allows consumers to find, compare, and buy green and energy-efficient products.
Brian Miller, '01 BS Architecture and BA Art, joined Carpenter Sellers Del Gatto Architects. He has more than eight years of architectural experience in all phases of design, production, and construction management. His project experience includes education, public works, casinos, aviation, bars, and restaurants.
Vincent Palrose, '01 BS Mechanical Engineering, is a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. A member of the Civil Engineer Corps (CEC), he serves as resident officer in charge of construction. CEC officers are professional engineers and architects, acquisitions specialists, and Seabee combat warfare officers. They are responsible for the planning, design, acquisition, construction, operation, and maintenance of the Navy's shore facilities. His hobbies include Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu jitsu, snowboarding, and reading. He lives in Yuma, Ariz.
James Plonowski, '01 BA Psychology, is an adjudicator for the U.S. Social Security Administration. His hobbies include flyfishing, hiking, camping, and the outdoors. He lives in Seattle.
Marco Benvenuti, '02 BS Hotel Administration, is the founder of Duetto Consulting. He brings cutting-edge principles to companies throughout the gaming and hospitality industries. The company may expand its scope to include solving persistent problems faced by owners of other types of companies, including multifamily housing, self-storage facilities, theaters, and amusement parks. Previously, he founded the enterprise strategy team at Wynn Resorts and worked for Four Seasons, Expedia, and Harrah's.
Kendra Bowers, '02 BS Hotel Administration, is sales manager for the Four Seasons Hotel. She lives in Henderson.
Jason Feger, '02 BS Hotel Administration, is assistant general manager of the Hacienda Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport. His home is Tempe, Ariz.
Morgan Hudson, '02 BA Interdisciplinary Studies, works in human resources management for Home Depot, but will be switching this spring to a career in law enforcement, working as a probation officer. She also volunteers with the American Diabetes Association. She lives in Pensacola, Fla.
Adam Lopez, '02 BS Hotel Administration, is a marketing project manager for Bally Technologies. He travels both domestically and internationally to trade shows, organizing logistics and presenting the latest software and products. He enjoys spending time with his wife, traveling, working out, running, and taking his dog to the park.
Jared Mintz, '02 BS Hotel Administration, is entertainment and corporate sales manager for the Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas.
Pristeen Torres Perreira, '02 BA Psychology, is an accountant at Waimea Middle School. She enjoys dancing hula, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She and her husband live in Kapaau, Hawaii.
Phillip Thompson, '02 BS Architecture, is operations and development manager for SBS Development.
Megan McCoy Krier, '03 BA Environmental Studies, is a teacher with the Clark County School District.
Michelle Perl, '03 BS Biology, is a chiropractor with Southwest Neck and Back Clinic.
Tracy Metrovich Pettit, '03 BS Business Administration, '08 MS Accounting, is the controller for Sunburst Shutters. She works in the corporate office, which serves 35 stores in North America. She has been with Sunburst since 2005. Previously, she worked for the certified public accounting firm of Swarts & Swarts. She is married with four teenage daughters, one of whom is a freshman at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. Her hobbies are keeping up with her teenagers and attending 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ events with her Rebel.
Joel Searles, '03 BS Computer Science, is a software engineer III for Bally Technologies.
*Christina Cazares, '04 BS Civil Engineering, is a project manager for Acciona Solar Power.
Brent Denison, '04 Master of Fine Arts, recently celebrated five years of service with the College of the Canyons as the box office and patron services manager for the Santa Clarita (Calif.) Performing Arts Center. He also is the production stage manager for the Santa Clarita Regional Theatre main stage productions. He participates on occasion as an actor or stage manager for productions in the college's theatre department. His hobbies are attending theatrical productions and traveling throughout the United States. He lives in Canyon Country.
*Nicole DeLaGarza Fehring, '04 BS Business Administration, '08 MBA, is a marketing associate with McCarthy Building Companies.
Kelly Miceli, '04 BS Comprehensive Medical Imaging, is a sonographer with Pueblo Medical Imaging. She is a registered ultrasound technologist with specialties in both abdominal and vascular ultrasound. She also has taught ultrasound at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ on a part-time basis. She enjoys spending time with family, hiking, camping, and music.
Ricci Shiplett, '04 BS Hotel Administration, joined the sales team at the Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas in 2009 as event sales manager. She works to create memorable experiences for corporate and social groups at the only licensed replica of the Original Hofbrauhaus Munchen in Munich, Germany.
Erin Kneesel, '05 BS Hotel Administration, is the product development manager at Baskow & Associates, one of the top destination management companies in Las Vegas. She has worked for the company for more than five years.
Fred Meyer III, '05 BA Criminal Justice, '10 MA Criminal Justice, is a corrections sergeant with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. He and his wife, Tracy, have a daughter, Caitlyn, and a son, Ethan. He lists his hobbies as raising the children and playing golf.
Shayne Scott, '05 Master of Public Administration, recently was named city manager of Parowan, Utah. He and his wife, Daisy Reeder Scott, have four daughters.
*Cremson Turfley, '05 BA Psychology, is an office administrator for Caring Nurses. She lives in Henderson.
Christina Bolin-Wong, '07 BA Elementary Education, is a medical student at the University of North Texas Health Science Center-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. She taught fifth-grade science for one year before deciding to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. When not studying, she enjoys spending time with her family and reading nonfiction. She and her husband, Steve Wong, are the parents of one daughter. The family lives in Lantana.
*Ryan Ellis, '07 BS Business Administration, joined the law firm of Howard & Howard. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business and corporate, family, gaming, and real estate law. He earned his law degree from Whittier Law School with magna cum laude honors and a concentration in business law in 2010. While attending law school, he received the dean's scholarship for academic achievement and was a member of the law review and of the Trial Advocacy Honors Board.
Matthew Kaplan, '07 MBA and MS Hotel Administration, is a revenue analyst at the Sahara Hotel and Casino.
Manuel Mandapat, '07 BS Public Administration, is co-owner of Rustic Living. He lives in Henderson.
Robert Neal, '07 BS Business Administration, is the manager of charter planning for Allegiant Air.
*Christopher Parker-Swain, '07 BA Criminal Justice, is a public safety dispatcher for the Napa (Calif.) Police Department. He lives in Rohnert Park.
Mary Pattison, '07 BA Anthropology, is pursuing a master's degree in archaeology. She currently is writing her thesis. She lives in Prescott, Ariz.
Lisa Sarmicanic, '07 Ph.D. Sociology, is a full-time mother to her infant son, Rice Bartholomew Thompson. She enjoys watching her son discover new things about the world, writing poetry, cooking, and spending time with her cats. She, her husband, and son live in Shoreline, Wash.
Daehyun Selapack, '07 BS Hotel Administration, is a front desk clerk and guest service operator at the Hyatt Regency Incheon in Korea. Photography is his hobby.
Yolanda Tuttle-Williams, '07 BS Hotel Administration, is pursuing a master's degree at George Washington University. Last fall she was awarded a scholarship from Tourism Cares that allowed her to attend the 2010 National Tour Association Convention "Experience the Industry" student program. She received the award for her dedication to her higher education in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. She lives in Athens, Ga.
*Regina De Rosa, '08 BS Social Work, is a social worker with the Nevada Division of Aging. She lives in Henderson.
Jordan Komoto, '08 Master of Education, is human resources manager for Adaptive Materials. He lives in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Brumby McLeod, '08 Ph.D. Hotel Administration, is an assistant professor in the School of Business at the College of Charleston. His teaching and research focus on the commercial accommodation sector. Previously, he taught at the University of South Carolina's School of Hotel, Restaurant, & Tourism Management in Columbia. While studying at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, he worked at the Four Seasons. He and his wife, Jamye, have three children, Abigail, Madeline, and Weldon.
*Nicholas Moreno, '08 BS Hotel Administration, is executive casino host at Wynn Resorts. He has worked for the company since 2005. When he has time off from his 24-hour-a-day job, he volunteers for the Nevada Diabetes Association, hikes, wakeboards, snowboards, swims, and hangs out with friends.
C. Alejandra Morin, '08 BS Hotel Administration, has her own business, the Marshmallow Studio, which creates custom marshmallow designs for all occasions. The business has been featured in Special Events magazine and soon will appear in issues of Meetings and Conventions and Candy Industry and Retail Confectioners magazines. The company ships its creations across the nation. She, her husband, and son live in San Diego.
*Jennifer Olsen, '08 MS Accounting, is an auditor for Lynda R. Keeton CPA. She is a certified public accountant.
Megan Selnick, '08 BS Hotel Administration, is owner and event planner of Megan Selnick Events and Design as well as Luxe Rentals and Design. Before launching those companies, she worked as catering coordinator for Thompson Hospitality at Procter & Gamble general offices in Cincinnati. She is involved in philanthropies, including Starfire and the Freestore Foodbank, Cincinnati.
Jennifer Smith, '08 Bachelor of University Studies, works in the business strategy and development group of Chesapeake Energy, one of the largest natural gas producers in the nation. She is working on her MBA at the University of Oklahoma. She enjoys OU football, Thunder basketball, and making occasional trips to Dallas. She lives in Oklahoma City.
Michelle Storto, '08 Master of Public Health, is a regional performance manager for CareMore Health Plan. She lives in Phoenix.
Adi Alsaid, '09 BS Business Administration, wrote the novel, Somewhere Over the Sun. It was published in November.
Alyssa Bucchianeri, '09 BS Hotel Administration, is an event assistant at Trentadue Winery. She is responsible for marketing and selling the winery event space, signing contracts, and coordinating events and weddings. Since joining the winery in April 2009, she has booked, coordinated, and executed 22 events. Her hobbies include photography, wine tasting, cooking, exercising, knitting, and decorating. She lives in her hometown of Santa Rosa, Calif.
*Kris Buchanan, '09 BS Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, is an electrical engineer at the Adelphi Army Research Laboratory and is a graduate student at Texas A&M University. He lives in Bryan, Texas.
Justin Dacek, '09 Bachelor of University Studies, works in video production at the Thomas & Mack Center.
M. Delight Dee, '09 BA Art, owns her own business, Veronica Sweet Arts & Entertainment. She also is the current artist-in-residence at the American Cement Building. She specializes in monochromatic landscapes and visual textures in a variety of artistic media. She is active in a number of nonprofit and culturally based organizations. She lives in Los Angeles.
*Katie Dennison, '09 BS Special Education, '10 Master of Education, teaches autistic students at Desert Oasis High School.
Donna Freeman, '09 BA Journalism & Media Studies, is marketing director at Kumin Associates. After owning her own public relations and marketing business in Las Vegas, she accepted a job at an architectural firm that allowed her to move home to Alaska. Her hobbies include hiking, biking, kayaking, and camping. She lives in Anchorage.
Muhammad Hasan, '09 Ph.D. Engineering, is an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia. His hobbies are photography, travel, and reading.
Kumiko-Katie Moore, '09 MS Public Administration, is a corrections lieutenant with the North Las Vegas Police Department.
Rachel Nelson, '09 BS Hotel Administration, is a catering sales manager at the Mirage. She received the promotion in August after having joined the hotel staff in March 2010 as a catering coordinator. She is part of a small team focused on building the wedding business at the Mirage.
Lori Whitelaw, '09 BS Hotel Administration, is a wedding and event coordinator with Simply Weddings by Brit Bertino. The company specializes in full wedding coordination services as well as day-of-wedding coordination services.
Richard Wolfert, '09 BS Physical Education, is a manager at New Balance. He lives in Mount Laurel, N.J.
2010s
Ayo Akinsete,'10 BS Hotel Administration, is the inventory manager for the new Gansevoort Park Hotel that recently opened in the midtown Manhattan area of New York City. He also is a manager in training at the front desk. He was part of the pre-opening team for the 249-room boutique hotel.
Michael Amato-von Hemert, '10 BS Hotel Administration, recently joined Station Casinos as an operations analyst.
Kathaleeya Garcia, '10 BS Kinesiology, is a server at Aria.
Joseph Griego, '10 BA Psychology, is education director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas.
Christopher Harrington, '10 Bachelor of University Studies, is a chaplain in the Salvation Army. He lives in Austin, Texas.
*Jonathan Jones, '10 BA Landscape Architecture, is a designer with ULTRYX.
Miranda Kitterlin, '10 Ph.D. Hotel Administration, is an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality, Sport and Recreation Management at James Madison University. Her dissertation was titled "Illegal Substance Abuse in the Full-Service Restaurant Industry: An Evaluation of Pre-Employment Drug Testing." She lives in Harrisonburg, Va.
Reshma Koganti, '10 MS Computer Science, is an analyst/programmer with SemanticBits. She lives in Herndon, Va.
Michael Pius, '10 MS Sport and Leisure Service Management, is a community income development specialist with the American Cancer Society. He helps run Relay for Life events at Susquehanna, Bucknell, and Lock Haven universities as well as at Lycoming College and in Sullivan County, Penn. He also is in charge of the society's Pennsylvania Golf Pass. He enjoys golfing, running, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. His wife is Marie Walsh Pius, '09 Master of Education. The couple, who married in June 2009, live in Lewisburg.
*Anna Shurova, '10 BA Communication Studies, is studying at Cooley Law School. She expects to earn her degree in 2013. She lives in Lansing, Mich.
Stephanie Tabbah, '10 BS Hotel Administration, works as social catering manager at Crowne Plaza in Houston near Reliant Park. Previously, she worked for Four Seasons Houston and was part of the opening team for the Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas.
Obituaries
Jerry Bussell, executive director of operations for the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center within 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's Division of Educational Outreach, died Oct. 18. Since joining the division in 2006, he had provided leadership and expertise to researchers engaged in the development of a blended-learning approach to improve the combat life saving curriculum and instructional methods used by the military in training soldiers how to treat battlefield injuries. A recipient of a 2010 Distinguished Nevadan Award from the Nevada System of Higher Education, he is survived by his wife, Pat Lundvall.
Sylvia Campbell, '90 BS Business Administration, died Nov. 3. She was president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Nevada, a position she had held since 1995. She was a member of the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Alumni Association and an ardent Rebels fan. Survivors include her sons, Rodger and Mark; three grandchildren; and a sister.
Paul Harris Jr., emeritus professor of theatre, died Oct. 1. The founding faculty member of the theatre arts department, he was at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ for 30 years before retiring in 1989. During that time he served as chairman of the Humanities & Fine Arts Division, dean of the College of Fine Arts, chairman of the theatre arts department, and member of the Faculty Senate. The theater in the Ham Fine Arts Building is named in his honor. He is survived by children Paul C. Harris III, Victoria Harris Serio, and Amy Wills and three grandchildren.
Michel Hugo, professor of film, died Oct. 12. A member of the American Society of Cinematographers, he joined the faculty in 2002. He had worked in Hollywood for decades, including on the movies The April Fools, Bless the Beasts and Children, and Ode to Billy Joe and the television shows Mission: Impossible, The Streets of San Francisco, and Dynasty. He is survived by his wife, Gloria; daughter, Debbie Walsh; son, Peter Hugo; adopted son, Father Danny Ferrindiz; and two grandchildren.
John Tryon, emeritus professor of engineering, died Jan. 9. He joined the faculty in 1975 and helped launch what is now the department of electrical engineering. He also was instrumental in developing an advising program for engineering students. Professor Evangelos Yfantis recalled his colleague as someone who loved working with and mentoring students. "He dedicated a big part of his life to making 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ what it is today," Yfantis said. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and two sons.
