Class Notes

'39

Deanie (Copeland) Chastain, BBA '39, of Woodway, TX, was featured in the May 2015 issues of Senior Connection magazine. At age 96, she enjoys designing and making her own clothes, which she has done since age 12. Chastain was named 2012 Ms. Senior Heart of Texas and makes blankets for children in abuse centers through the Hidden Angels program. She was a teacher and coach for 30 years and is an avid Lady Bears Basketball fan. Read more at seniorconnectionwaco.com.

'50

Paul H. Comer, BA '50, and his three sons, Gary, Stephen, BSEd '86, and Charles, represented Baylor during a visit to Boston's Fenway Park in July. Paul is a WWII Navy veteran. From 1951-71, he was pastor of Waco's Park Lake Drive Baptist Church, and he was a Baylor Trustee from 1970-71. All three sons have careers in public education. After the death of his wife, Juanita Webb, BA '51, Paul married Faye Tunmire, BA '50. Contact at PauFay@charter.net or 440 Shuford Circle Dr., Abernathy Laurels, Newton, NC 28658.

'54

Rev. Albert, BA '54, and Martha Ann (McGlasson) McHenry, BA '56, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on March 12. Al pastored five churches in Arizona and Texas. In retirement he was interim pastor for five churches. Martha taught school in Arizona and Texas. They have three children and nine grandchildren. Martha has Baylor alumni in her family dating back to 1916. Contact at 853 Summit Pointe, Lewisville, TX 75077 or ammchenry@aol.com.

'55

Jack, BA '55, and ,b>Helen (Watson) Price, BA '62, of Russellville, AR, celebrated their 60th anniversary on May 21. They were married in the Baylor's Tidwell Chapel in 1955. Jack was in ROTC and Helen was an Athenian at Baylor. "I worked in the Dean's office at Baylor, for Dr. Carroll and Dr. Duce," writes Helen. "My home was so close to campus, I was asked by the dean of women to live at home so someone else could come to Baylor and stay in the dorm." The Prices have owned and operated Price's Town and Country Store since the 1950s. They had four children and six grandchildren and are members of First Baptist Church Russellville. Contact at 808 Muscadine Ln., Russellville, AR 72801 or hwprice13@gmail.com.

'58

Robert "Bob" Gauer, BA '58, has retired from Central Baptist Church in Brady, TX, after 56 years in ministry. He previously was a board member from the Heart of Texas Baptist Encampment at Lake Brownwood and the Sunset Center Seniors Center in Brady. Gauer also spent 24 years in chaplaincy ministries at San Angelo State University, serving as director of the chaplaincy program. He and his wife, Betty (Burns) Gauer, BA '58, moved to Watonga, OK, to be closer to family. Contact at B2BGauer.56@gmail.com.

Dr. Paul, BA '58, and Roberta Stripling, BA '60, of Waco, celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this year. Their children hosted a family dinner for them at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Fort Worth. Their family includes daughter Paula Stripling Voyles, BA '90, and husband Kyle Voyles, MSEd '89, and daughter Dr. Mary Stripling Nelson, BA '93, and husband Alan Nelson, BFA '94. Paul, executive director emeritus of the Waco Regional Baptist Association, recently wrote the book, Turning Points In The History of the Waco Regional Baptist Association, 1860-2010 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Association where he served as executive director from 1982-2003. In 2007, Stripling wrote Turning Points in the History of Baptist Associations in America in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Baptist Association in America.

'59

Walter Umphrey, BBA '59, JD '65, founder of Provost Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont, TX, was included in the 2016 Best Lawyers in America, based on his work in plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation. This is his 25th consecutive year to be recognized.

'62

Donald D. Schmeltekopf, BA '62, Baylor provost emeritus, has written Baylor at the Crossroads, Memoirs of a Provost (Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2015, 144 pages). As Baylor provost from 1991 to 2003, his book looks at several key moments in the University's path toward becoming a "Christian research university, one of a kind among church-related universities in the Protestant orbit."

'63

Dr. Lu Anna (Moore) Stephens, BA '63, is a former school principal and superintendent. She was a senior class officer at Baylor. Stephens has retired and relocated to 4010 Trinity Court, Midland, TX 79707. She can also be contacted at luanna.stephens@att.net.

'65

After returning from two years serving in Ethiopia, Dr. David, BA '65, MD '69, and Becky (Monzingo) Segrest, BA '65, are back home and looking forward to seeing their classmates at their 50th class reunion during Baylor Homecoming. David served as a physician with SIM Ethiopia at a clinic in Addis Abba, and Becky taught math at Bingham Academy, an English-speaking international school. David has rejoined his medical group. Contact at 7230 Oak Forest Dr., Bryan, TX 77808 or drsrms77@mac.com.

'68

Dr. Mary Ann (Fitzgerald) Bell, BA '68, EdD '00, was named outstanding alumna of the Department of Library Science at Sam Houston State University. She has retired to half time as professor of library science at SHSU, where she served as department chair. Her most recent book is School Librarians and the Technology Department: A Practical Guide to Successful Collaboration, ABC-CLIO, 2013, and she is working on a fourth title. She has one daughter, singer-songwriter Emily Herring. Conact at 103 Panorama, San Marcos, TX 78666 or drmaryannbell@gmail.com.

'69

Jim L. Turner, BBA '69, of Dallas, became chair of the Baylor Scott & White Board of Trustees Oct. 1. He is the second chair of the organization born from the 2013 merger of Dallas-based Baylor Health Care System and Temple-based Scott & White Health. Turner follows Drayton McLane Jr., BBA '58, the company's first chair who is completing a two-year term in the role. Both McLane and Turner were integral in orchestrating the deal that created Texas' largest not-for-profit health care system. Turner spent 14 years as a board member of the Baylor Health Care System, including two years as the chair of the finance committee and 15 months as board chair immediately preceding the merger's close. Turner is principal stockholder and chairman of JLT Beverages, LP--a diversified holding company with investments in the automotive industry, insurance, banking, real estate and beverages, among others. He is also a minority owner of the Texas Rangers professional baseball team. Turner's previous business--the Dr Pepper Bottling Company of Texas--was the largest single franchise bottler of Dr Pepper, and the largest independent soft drink bottler in the country.

'70

Dr. Dennis R. Spence, BS '70, has retired after 35 years as an oral and facial surgeon in Tyler, TX. After completing dental school at UT Health Science Center in Houston in 1974, he served two years as an Air Force Captain and had a private practice in Tyler. He was a founder of Sigma Tau Epsilon Fraternity at Baylor and is an active bowhunter, fisherman and private pilot. He and his wife, Sabra, spend time at Mountain Landing Suites and RV Park in Pagosa Springs, CO, a project they built from scratch starting in 2000. They have five children and two grandchildren. Spence has published numerous stories in outdoor magazines and professional journals. He currently writes a blog, www.health-y-politics.com, covering a range of topics. Contact at 652 Private Road 7005, Edgewood, TX 75117.

'72

Brandon Janes, BBA '72, an attorney for Jackson Walker LLP in Austin, was selected for inclusion in the 2016 Best Lawyers in America in the area of corporate law.

'74

Marcia Kuszmaul, BA '74, and her husband Mannfried are now the proprietors of Juneberry Lodge, a rustic log bed and breakfast in Homer, AK. Visit the lodge on Facebook or at juneberrylodge.com. Marcia formerly was a marketing leader at World Vision in Federal Way, WA, and at Microsoft in Redmond, WA. Contact at mkuszmaul@hotmail.com.

'75

Pauline (Greger) Herpy, BA '75, writes, “"After 26 years in Centreville, VA, we are moving to be near our two sons and our new grandson, Jonathan D. Herpy Jr." Contact at 22822 Pilcher Rd., Plainfield, IL 60544 or jadapojo414@gmail.com.

'77

Dr. Pattricia (Prigeon) Klarr, BS '77, welcomed her son, Daniel Klarr, into the medical profession at a white coat ceremony for the entering class at the University of Michigan Medical School where Pattricia is an assistant professor of anesthesiology and the director of the operating rooms at University Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI.

'78

Mary Kathleen Branyon, BM '78, of Mountain View, CA, writes, "My parents, Joan G., BA '51, MA '78, and Thomas A. Branyon, BBA '52, met while students at Baylor. My father was vice president for financial planning at Baylor. My younger brother Michael, BBA '81, JD '83, and I grew up around the campus, went to all the football games, saw many Pigskin Reviews and All University Sings, and enjoyed many Homecoming parades. My husband and I were married in the Armstrong Browning Library, where I had sung, as a Chamber Singer, under Dr. Robert Young. Years later, we would bring our daughter to the campus. It was no surprise when my daughter wanted to be a Baylor Bear, and now Margaret is a Baylor sophomore, carrying on our Baylor family tradition. We are very proud of her!"

'79

Glenn Craig, BA '79, is now COO of Louisiana Heart Hospital in Lacombe, LA. He was previously COO at University Hospital and Clinics in Lafayette, LA. Craig has also held posts at LSU University Medical Center in Lafayette, Our Lady of the Lake College, Ochsner Clinic of Baton Rouge, Riverview Medical Center in Gonzales, Medical Center of Baton Rouge, the Greenville (SC) Hospital System, Memorial Hospital of Garland (TX) and Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene, TX.

Chris Steger, BA '79, JD '83, is now the federal magistrate for Chattanooga, TN. He was with the Fleissner firm in Chattanooga before joining Miller and Martin. Steger became general counsel for Coca-Cola Enterprises. When that firm was acquired by Coca-Cola, he became the chief litigator for Coca-Cola in Atlanta.

'80

Nelda (Luce) Blair, BA '80, of The Woodlands, TX, has been appointed to Stephen F. Austin University's Board of Regents. Previously, she was a Regent for the University of Houston System from 2008-13 and served as chairman the last two years. She is a board member on the Lone Star College System Chancellor's Advisory Council. Blair is also the chairman of Conroe ISD Education Foundation, which she runs from her office, The Blair Law Firm PC.

Gerald Shields, BBA '80, has been named CIO of FirstCare Health Plans. He had been with Nolan Consulting Co. since 2011. Shields twice has been named in CIO Magazine's top 100 CIOs of the Year. He also has been on ComputerWorld's Top 100 CIOs list.

Debbie Woods, BA '80, JD '82, has been appointed chief marketing officer and added to the board of directors for Dallas-based Titanium Healthcare. Previously, Woods served as COO, founder, and partner of Encompass Office Solutions. She also has held various senior level positions with Novacept, Gynecare, Parke-Davis/Pfizer, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

'81

Matthew Dow, BA ’81, an attorney for Jackson Walker LLP in Austin, was selected for inclusion in the 2016 Best Lawyers in America in the area of commercial litigation.

Dr. David Fleeger, BS '81, received the Philip R. Overton Award for outstanding leadership and support of health care quality improvement in Texas from the TMF Health Quality Institute, a nonprofit consulting company. Fleeger served as TMF board chair from 2013-15. He has been in private practice since 1991. Fleeger is board-certified in colon and rectal surgery and is president of the Central Texas Colon and Rectal Clinic in Austin.

Jeff Hampton, BA '81, has authored and published When the Light Returned to Main Street, a collection of short stories that explores the meaning of Christmas from different perspectives. This is Jeff's fourth book, with three previously released by Tate Publishing. More information available at jeffhamptonwriter.biz. Contact at jefton@aol.com.

Donna (Blair) McGinnis, MBA '81, is now director of finance and accounting at Camillus House, a faith-based nonprofit organization addressing the needs of the poor and homeless in Miami, FL. She is also a licensed CPA in several states. Contact at 17621 S.W. 84th Ct., Palmetto Bay, FL 33157 or dmcgi24458@aol.com.

Sheryl (Harris) Stalvey, BSEd '81, has been reappointed to the state of Georgia's Professional Standards Commission. She is a sixth grade reading teacher at Willie J. Williams Middle School in Moultrie, GA.

'82

Dr. Timothy Ladd, BA '82, MIM '83, has been elected chair of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Management Council. He is an associate professor of education at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he also serves as faculty athletics representative. Contact at timothy_ladd@pba.edu.

Dr. Ricardo E. Rodriguez, BS '82, was appointed interim dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at Texas Wesleyan University. After completing his PhD in chemistry in 1987 at TCU, he was appointed as an Intramural Research Training Associate Fellow at the National Cancer Institute, Frederick Cancer Research Facility in Frederick, MD. He was chair of the chemistry department at Texas Wesleyan University from 1991-2007, when he was appointed associate director of the Doctorate of Nurse Anesthesia Practice Program. Recognitions include the Earl Brown Distinguished Faculty Award and The American Chemical Society Stanley C. Israel Award for Advancing Diversity Outreach in 2008. Contact at 1417 Manor Road, Fort Worth, TX 76134.

'83

Dr. Pam (Robinson) Durso, BA, '83, PhD '92, of Lawrenceville, GA, executive director of Atlanta-based Baptist Women in Ministry, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award by Christians for Biblical Equality. A former church history professor, Durso has advocated for women in ministry since 1992. She was ordained this year. Her most recent book, co-edited with LeAnn Gunter Johns, is The World is Waiting for You: Celebrating the 50th Ordination Anniversary of Addie Davis.

Beth Haller, BA '83, professor of journalism & new media at Towson State University in Maryland, has written Byline of Hope: Collected Newspaper and Magazine Writing of Helen Keller (Avocado Press, 368 pages), an edited collection of Keller's articles in publications like Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, and The New York Times, as well as a monthly magazine column that carried her byline for five years.

Dortha (Hendrick) Jackson, BSEd '83, of Diboll, TX, published her second book, Seeds (CreateSpace, 160 pages), a Christian suspense novel. Jackson has a passion for writing music, memoirs, Christian fiction, self-help, and children's books. She was a top 10 finalist in the Global Human Interest category of the 2014 Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Her latest accolade is a nomination for the 2015 CIPA EVVY Awards for her book, Isn't It Funny?

'84

Dr. Carlos E. Juarez, BA '84, was the Fulbright-MCI Visiting Professor at Management Center Innsbruck, in Innsbruck, Austria, for spring 2015. He is a professor of political science at Hawaii Pacific University. Juarez has received Fulbright grants to Mexico (2000) and the Czech Republic (2003 and 2005). Contact at cjuarez@hpu.edu.

Parker Neel, BA '84, was named 2015 Businessperson of the Year by the Laredo (TX) Chamber of Commerce. The award was shared with his late father, George Neel Jr., BA '51, who died March 25. In 1988, Parker joined his father in the family business, Neel Title Corp., which is 90 years old.

Dr. Rosilee Russell, BM '84, was appointed to the Arkansas' Advisory Council for the Education of Gifted and Talented Children. She is executive director of the Academy of the Arts at University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, where she has worked since 1990. She was associate professor and artist- in-residence in the university’s Department of Music and Theatre until 2010.

Patty (Nesom) Wallace, BS '84, and Dr. Randy Wallace, BA '84, DMin '07, made memories when they discovered their McLane Stadium brick before the first football game. The brick reads, "In His Love, Ours will endure; Randy and Patty +4." Randy is the senior pastor at FBC Killeen, TX, and Patty is a Speech Pathology Supervisor for Killeen ISD. Their third son, Nathan, is a freshman at Baylor and their youngest son, James, plans on attending Baylor in 2017.

'85

Laura (Dunham) Shook, BSN '85, has published a book, Forever Hope: Choosing Life Through Cancer and Recovery (Maida Vale Publishing, 2015: 314 pages), which chronicles her relationship with God through her battle with cancer. After being a missionary in Mexico City, Shook founded Houston's Community of Faith (communityoffaith.com) with her husband Mark Shook, MA '84, and three children. In 12 years the church has grown to over 8,000 people in worship and has been listed among the top 100 churches in the country. Laura is a speaker and teacher and leads the international ministries of the church. Contact at lauras@cof.tv.

'86

Dr. Carey Adams, MA '86, is now vice president of academic affairs at Fontbonne University in St. Louis. He has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Armstrong State University in Georgia and served 21 years at Missouri State, including as dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

Dr. Douglas Blount, BA '86, MA '88, has joined the faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as professor of Christian philosophy and ethics. Previously, he was professor of theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and has also taught at Criswell College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Blount earned his PhD at Notre Dame and has contributed to many books, including the Exploring Christian Theology series, the Holman Illustrated Study Dictionary, and Why I am a Baptist.

Angela Y. English, MSEd '86, recently graduated with distinction from the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security with an MA in Security Studies. She is the recipient of the Curtis H. "Butch" Straub Award and was nominated for the Outstanding Thesis Award in her cohort. A licensed professional counselor and marriage and family therapist, English is executive director for the Texas Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities. In 2010, she was appointed by Janet Napolitano to serve on the Local, State, Tribal and Federal Preparedness Task Force, which was charged with assessing the state of the nation’s disaster preparedness.

Captain David K. Weiss, BA '86, is now commanding officer of Naval Hospital Bremerton, WA. He previously served as Command Surgeon, United States Africa Command. Other assignments have included serving with 2nd Medical Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force as platoon leader for the Shock, Stabilization and Triage Platoon in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As the initial surgical company to enter Iraq, they were awarded the presidential unit citation.

'87

Matt Miller, BA '87, is now managing editor of The Reporter, a daily newspaper in Vacaville, CA. He has worked for The Reporter for the past 25 years, most recently as assistant sports editor.

'88

Wes Brazell, BBA '88, is now CFO of TearLab Corp., now in Dallas/Fort Worth. Brazell most recently served as the CFO of Academic Partnerships. Previously, his 21 years of experience at Alcon Laboratories included roles as vice president of global business planning and analysis, CFO of the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region, and CFO of the United States Region.

Stephanie Goodman, BBA '88, has joined the Texas Department of Insurance as deputy commissioner for public affairs. She will oversee the state agency's governmental relations and communications activities. Contact at stephaniegoodman@mindspring.com.

Scott C. Wallace, BBA '88, JD '91, has been named executive partner of Holland & Knight's Dallas office. Wallace was recognized in the list of Best Lawyers in America for 2016 in the practice area of banking and finance law. Contact at scott.wallace@hklaw.com.

Don Willett, BBA '88, Justice on the Texas Supreme Court, was named the official "Tweeter Laureate of Texas." @JusticeWillett was also featured in several publications discussing judges' ethical use of social media. He also received the Exceptional Legal Writing Award from the Green Bag Almanac & Reader.

'89

Brad Carson, BA '89, has been nominated by President Obama for U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Carson is the Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and has served as Under Secretary of the Army since March 2014. Previously, Carson served as General Counsel of the Army from 2012-14. He was a professor of business law at the University of Tulsa from 2009-12 and the director of the National Energy Policy Institute at the University of Tulsa from 2010-12. Carson served on active military duty as a U.S. Navy officer.

Sarah Stark, BA '89, of Santa Fe, NM, has won IndieFab 2014 Editor's Choice Prize for Fiction for her novel, Out There (Leaf Storm Press, 287 pages). Indiefab winners were selected from more than 1,500 entries in 63 categories. Stark holds an MA in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. She worked as a foreign policy analyst in Washington, DC, writing about international security issues, including nuclear nonproliferation and peacekeeping. For the last 14 years, Stark has made her home in Santa Fe, where she teaches literature and creative writing at the Institute of American Indian Arts.

'90

Bryan Blevins, JD '90, an attorney for Provost Umphrey in Beaumont, TX, earned his fourth appearance in Best Lawyers in America, including additional recognition as the Beaumont Lawyer of the Year for plaintiffs' product liability litigation.

Jane (Swearingen) Leger, BBA '90, JD '93, an attorney for Provost Umphrey in Beaumont, TX, was selected for inclusion in the 2016 Best Lawyers in America based on her work in plaintiffs' personal injury litigation.

Alicia (Bullinger) Mitchell, BSEd '90, is now principal at Austin Elementary School in Pecos, TX. She has been teaching elementary students for 22 years. She and her husband, Dr. Kevin Mitchell, have three children: Christopher, Grace, and Ruth. Kevin is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Pecos. Contact at 1708 W. Jefferson St., Pecos, TX 79772 or alicia_m123@yahoo.com.

'91

Darren L. Brown, JD '91, attorney for Provost Umphrey in Beaumont, TX, was included in the 2016 Best Lawyers in America for his representation of plaintiffs in personal injury and product liability litigation.

Mark Bryant, BA '91, writes, "My wife Kelly and I recently moved to Waco so I could begin work at Baylor as assistant director for International Student and Scholar Services. It is an honor to work at my alma mater and to serve our wonderful international community at Baylor!" Contact at texasmark68@mac.com.

Dr. Celia (Avant) Drews, BSEd '91, principal of Lorena (TX) Middle School, was selected to represent the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals as a Region 12 Principal of the Year. Drews holds advanced degrees from Tarleton State University. She has worked in Lorena ISD since 2009.

Dori (Dennis) Moorehead, BA '91, is now president and CEO of the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, CA. Moorehead most recently served as executive director of the California Museum in Sacramento. She is also an attorney, having served earlier in her career as a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Army.

'92

Eliska Smith, BA '92, has been appointed as provost of Texas State Technical College (TSTC) campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, and Sweetwater. Smith previously served as TSTC's statewide public relations officer and led strategic communications. She has been with TSTC since 2002. Her career in marketing and communications has included economic development and consulting, publishing and health care industries, and higher education.

Jason Villalba, BBA '92, joined Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP as a corporate partner in the Dallas office. He has over a decade of experience representing clients for many kinds of transactions. He currently serves as the state representative for Texas House District 114.

Kermit Ward, BBA '92, was promoted to principal of Pflugerville (TX) ISD's Connally High School. Ward began his career in Waco ISD as a teacher and administrator. He served as a principal of a middle school in Pflugerville ISD for three years prior to this promotion and is pursuing a doctoral degree in educational leadership at the University of Texas.

'93

Rebecca (Harris) Burkes, JD '93, has been named deputy director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Burkes holds an MS in operations management from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Thomas Everett, BSEd '93, of Frisco, TX, has been inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame. Everett was a safety at Baylor and in the NFL. The College Football Hall of Famer was named MVP for the Southwest Conference two years in a row. In his senior year of 1986-87, he was voted as the conference's overall athlete of the year. Everett played nine years in the NFL, twice winning Super Bowl rings with the Dallas Cowboys.

Trey Morris, BBA '93, was named chief marketing officer for the Boenker Group of Companies, an insurance group based in Fort Worth. BGOC operates Al Boenker Insurance, Empower Auto Insurance, Alinsco Insurance and several other companies. Trey and his wife, Rebecca (Whiddon) Morris, BA '93, have two daughters, Haley and Jordan, and are living in the Keller area. Morris is also opening the fourth and fifth locations of his barbeque restaurant chain, Q BBQ in Chicago. Contact at trey.morris@gmail.com.

Ken Van Cura, BM '93, MM '04, is now worship pastor at Plant City (FL) First Baptist Church. He has 15 years of experience in ministry and has been worship pastor at Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, VA, for the past four years.

'94

Dr. Craig L. Hall, PhD '94, is now U.S. Consul General in Kolkata, India. Previously, he served as Deputy Political Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. Craig has also served in Seoul, Korea; Mosul, Iraq; Canberra, Australia; and Surabaya, Indonesia.

Catherine Moore, BSEd '94, of Waco, set the world record in the Master's Women 2k Pursuit in Cyclocross, a form of bicycle racing. Moore, a former Baylor track athlete and cancer survivor, has earned several national titles in Cyclocross events.

'95

First Baptist Church of Amarillo celebrated Dr. Howard Batson's 20th anniversary as pastor on Aug. 30. Batson, PhD '95, arrived at First Baptist in 1995 with his wife Lisa, '94, and three daughters Ryan, BS '13, Jordan and Chandler. The South Carolina native holds a BBA from Lander University and master's degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Batson served as chairman of the Baylor University Board of Regents, where he was a 10-year member.

'96

Peter L. Sefzik, BBA '96, MBA '98, of Dallas, has been named as Comerica Bank's Texas Market president. He began his career with Comerica as a credit analyst in 1999 and most recently served as senior vice president and national private banking group business manager. Prior to that, Sefzik was regional managing director of wealth management for the bank's Texas, Arizona and Florida markets.

'97

Dr. Matthew Walsworth, MPT '97, of Santa Monica, CA, has joined MedRisk's International Scientific Advisory Board, an elite panel of specialists in physical medicine, diagnostic imaging, and electrodiagnostics who oversee all clinical aspects of MedRisk’s programs. Walsworth is an interventional and diagnostic radiologist in West Los Angeles' Veteran Affairs Center and an assistant clinical professor in Health Sciences at UCLA.

'98

Christina Alford, BA '98, MA '99, of Frisco, TX, is now vice president of development at Susan G. Komen. She has over 14 years of fundraising experience and nonprofit work, including serving as executive vice president of external affairs for National 4-H Council, national VP of corporate partnerships for Boys and Girls Clubs, and president and chief development strategist of CA & Associates of Frisco.

Noel Cárdenas, MHA '98, has been appointed as VP of operations at Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital in Humble, TX. Cárdenas has served 13 years as a military service hospital CEO and senior administrator, and the last two years as the CEO and hospital commander for Reynolds Army Community Hospital in Fort Sill, OK.

Bob E. Parsons III, MBA '98, of Apopka, FL, has joined the Green Beret Foundation Board of Directors. He was formerly part of the Green Berets (U.S. Army Special Forces) and will help other former Green Berets transition from active duty to business careers. Parsons is president of Ronin Leadership, a management consulting company. Previously, Parsons served as Chief, Security Force Assistance Proponent Office (Colonel, Special Forces) with the U.S. Army and as Chief of Operations for U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters.

Brad Smith, BA '98, has been appointed vice president of corporate strategy and investor relations at Parsley Energy Inc. in Austin. He previously served as Parsley's director of investor relations. Smith's professional experience includes oil and gas equity research at Credit Suisse, management consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and academic positions at Rice University.

'99

Earnest Lynch, BSCS '99, received Certified Information Systems Security Professional and Certified Ethical Hacker accreditations in 2015. He earned an MS degree in Information Systems from Texas A&M University--Central Texas in 2013. Lynch works for a government contractor on Fort Hood as senior software engineer and information systems security officer for modeling and simulation systems.

Michael Peterson, JD '99, has been appointed as Graham County (AZ) Superior Court Judge. He practices at his firm, the Law Office of Michael D. Peterson, PC, where he has experience in civil, family, criminal, and probate law. Peterson serves as a Judge Pro Tempore for Graham County and Greenlee County, and previously served as a Safford Court assistant magistrate for 10 years.

Allison (Cravens) Wilkerson, BBA '99, has been appointed as a partner to the international law firm McDermott Will & Emery. She will work with the firm's Employee Benefits, Compensation, Labor & Employment Practice Group. Wilkerson previously worked with K&L Gates.

'00

Jacob Bundick, BBA '00, married Shan Bates-Bundick, BBA '00, May 23 at Red Rock Country Club in Las Vegas. Jacob is a shareholder at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, and Shan owns her own marketing communications firm. The couple honeymooned in French Polynesia and resides in Las Vegas.

Holly Savage, BA '00, recently married Todd Zitnik in New Orleans. Fellow Bears in attendance were Courtney (Wells) Hammermeister, BA '00, MS '01, Sheree (Ewing) Rajan, BA '00, MBA '01, Deepak Rajan, MBA '01, Stephanie (Oppel) Ryer, BA '00, MS '01, Jennifer (Kidd) Wartsbaugh, BA '01, Josh Kersey, BA '00, and Jason Jones, MBA '01, Todd and Holly reside in Denver, CO. Contact at savageholly@gmail.com.

Nick Thompson, BBA '00, of Austin, was honored by the National Parking Association as part of its Inaugural 40 Under 40 class of young professionals in the parking industry. He was inducted at the 2014 NPA 2015 in Miami. He is a board member of the Young Texans Society and a volunteer with the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation. Read more at WeAreParking.org/40under40_2015. Contact at nicksweb4.0@gmail.com.

Michelle Wuyts-Morales, BA '00, was inducted into the VIP Women of the Year Circle by the National Association of Professional Women. She is a recruiting director for Engel & Völkers International Real Estate for the Greater Houston Area.

Laura (Tindall) Zapata, BSEd '00, of Spring, TX, was named the Region VI Elementary Teacher of the Year in August. A first grade teacher at A.R. Turner Elementary, she was named Willis (TX) ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year earlier in the year.

'01

Meredith (Mathis) Curtis, BA '01, of Richardson, TX, is now an instructor in the biology department at TCU. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the microbiology department at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas after receiving her PhD in immunology from the University of Washington in 2009. Contact at 3800 South Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76109.

Dr. Stephen O. Presley, BS '01, published his first book, The Intertextual Reception of Genesis 1-3 in Irenaeus of Lyons (Brill, 303 pages). The book explores the intertextual nature of Irenaeus' interpretation of Genesis 1-3 and shows how Irenaeus interprets the creation accounts in continuity with the rest of the scriptural witness through a series of specific reading strategies. Presley was appointed as the director of the Southwestern Center for the Study of Early Christianity at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he also serves as associate professor of Church History.

'02

Lauren (Scracic) Ciminello, BBA '02, of San Antonio, was included in S.A. Scene Magazine's 2015 "Best S.A. Lawyers" list in the 'Business & Corporate' and 'Closely Held Business' categories. She is an attorney with Jackson Walker.

Miller Gaffney, BA '02, and Carol Lee Pryor Brosseau BA '03, are starring in Art Breakers, a television series that debuted Oct. 4 on Ovation TV. The show follows Gaffney and Brosseau as they maneuver the high-stakes world of art collecting while procuring pieces for their high-powered clients. At Baylor, the two were friends and both members of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Both studied at Sotheby's Institute of Art in New York, then developed careers on opposite coasts, Gaffney in New York and Brosseau in Los Angeles. Gaffney established Miller Gaffney Art Advisory, an arts consulting company, and already has had roles on two PBS series, Market Warriors and Antiques Roadshow. Brosseau founded Brosseau Consulting, specializing in curating private collections.

Tabita Green, BA '02, of Decorah, IA, published her first book, Her Lost Year: A Story of Hope and a Vision for Optimizing Children's Mental Health (Simply Enough Press, 2015). "It is based on our family's harrowing experience with the mental health system and what we learned along the way," she writes. Green is an author, speaker, and community organizer. Her popular blog explores the intersection of simple living, health, and social change.

'03

Matthew C. Matheny, JD '03, an attorney for Provost Umphrey in Beaumont, TX, earned his second consecutive selection to Best Lawyers in America based on his representation of plaintiffs in mass tort litigation, class actions and personal injury litigation.

'04

Adrienne (Foster) Rusk, BSEd '04, of Pflugerville, TX, is now coordinator of Secondary English Language Arts for Hays CISD. An educator since 2004, Rusk previously served as ELA department chair and taught English at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville ISD.

Dr. Malitta (Andrews) Taylor, BA '04, MSEd '06, received her PhD in counseling from Sam Houston State University in Dec. 2014. "In such a proud moment I thought of the Baylor psychology professors who inspired me: Dr. Diaz-Granados, Dr. Kirk, Dr. Sanford, Dr. Tsang and Dr. Weaver. Had I not had such great professors in my undergraduate experience, I may have not gone on to pursue a doctorate degree," she writes.

'05

Dr. Kevin Kehl, EdD '05, director of first year experience and academic resources at Harding University's Center for Student Success, was named dean of the center. Kehl joined the faculty in 2012 as an assistant professor in the College of Bible and Ministry in addition to his role in the Center for Student Success. Previously, he was executive director for the Center for International Education at Abilene Christian University.

Stacey Marx, BSEd '05, is now assistant principal at Merriman Park Elementary School in Richardson (TX) ISD. Marx has held teaching and assistant principal posts in Lewisville and Fayette, AR, among others.

Jeremy Vickers, BSEd '05, is now executive director of the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Texas at Dallas.

'06

Art Mathisen, MHA '06, was named COO of Copley Hospital in Morrisville, VT. Mathisen has served as COO of two healthcare centers in the military and has a background in physician practice management. He previously was responsible for the multi-specialty physician practices of Bon Secours Medical Group in Virginia.

Veronicka Thompson, BA '06, and Derek Smith, MA '05, were married April 25 in Powell Chapel at Baylor's Truett Seminary. The wedding party included Jeremy Beutel, MA '05, Kelly DeVoe, BA '05, DeShun Harris, BA '06, and Megan Snipes, BA '06, with a special guest appearance by Bruiser at the reception. The wedding was officiated by T.C. Baack, BA '11, MDiv '14, and David Booker of Acts Church Waco, and Kariss, '14, and Josh Farris, BS '12, were the photographers. Derek works in Marketing and Communications at Baylor and serves as an announcer for Baylor Athletics; Veronicka is an associate director for Baylor Admissions.

'07

Margaret (Allee) Briscoe, BA '07, married Dr. Dolph Briscoe IV, BA '03, MA '06, March 7 in Austin. Margaret is the corporate communications manager for Sport Clips Haircuts, which has more than 1,300 locations nationwide. D.B. is a researcher for the University of Texas Center for American History. "We live in Austin, but we enjoy visiting Waco every chance we get!"

Charles Curran, JD '07, has been hired by SettlePou, a Dallas-based law firm. He joined the commercial litigation and financial services litigation team. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology from the University of North Texas Health Sciences Center at Fort Worth.

Jon Wilson, BA '07, of College Station, TX, writes, "I just spent the week underground at the Soudan Underground Physics Laboratory in northern Minnesota. I am working on the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search, a physics experiment searching for evidence of dark matter. The old iron mine provides us shielding from cosmic radiation. It also gave me the opportunity to claim (I think) the world record for the deepest 'Sic 'em' ever, at 2,341 feet below the surface!"

'08

Tiffany Hsu, BS '08, is in her eighth year as an MD/PhD student at Baylor College of Medicine. She writes, "I defended my PhD in the Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Program, and my paper, 'The spliceosome is a therapeutic vulnerability in MYC-driven cancer,' is being published in Nature. The MYC oncogene drives almost 30 percent of all human cancers and accounts for some of the deadliest ones. We discovered that MYC-driven cancers depend on a molecular machine called the spliceosome to survive. Because this dependency is specific to MYC, inhibition of the spliceosome using a small molecule kills cancer cells but leaves noncancerous tissues unaffected in mouse models. This study is an important and promising step toward helping patients." Contact at thsu@bcm.edu.

Katie (Jenkins) Norris, BS '08, 2014 Baylor Young Alumna of the Year, had a new film, The Luckiest Man, debut Oct. 22 at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas. The film tells the story of entrepreneur and family man John Paine, whose 15-year battle with ALS cannot take away his walk with God. Norris's company, Fotolanthropy, is non-profit organization made up of photographers and filmmakers who document inspiring true stories of people who have overcome adversity. Learn more at fotolanthropy.com.

Erik Vance, BSEd '08, is now an assistant coach for the South Plains College Track and Field team. Vance previously coached five years at the University of Louisiana, Monroe and was a graduate assistant at LSU.

'09

Sarah Frey, BS '09, of Scottsdale, AZ, received her PhD in chemistry from Arizona State University in December 2014. She researches the impacts of energy-efficient home remodeling on indoor air quality. Frey is also celebrating her one-year anniversary with Ryan Gorny. She is a member of the Phoenix Area Alumni Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon and plays percussion in local concert bands. Contact at sarahfreyphd@gmail.com.

'10

Lindley Atkinson, BA '10, is owner, lead videographer and editor at Unwritten Pictures, a film production company specializing in documented films including weddings, music and corporate content. She has produced and directed videos for musicians Ellie Holcomb and Zane Williams. Atkinson lives in Nashville, TN, and has an office in Austin. See her website at unwrittenpictures.com. Contact at lindleyatkinson@gmail.com.

Sherry Flores, BA '10, and Billy Daniel were married June 27 in Dallas at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The celebration included many Baylor friends, plenty of Sic 'ems and Dr Pepper floats. The Daniels reside in Rockwall, TX, where Sherry is a marketing specialist at the University of Dallas and Billy is national operations manager for U.S. Security Associates.

Alexis Foster, JD '10, and Wesley Solansky were married May 30 in Houston. Alexis is a commercial litigation attorney specializing in the oil and gas, commodities and steel industries, and Wesley is an international steel trader at WBS Steel Pipe LLC and Kurt Orban Partners LLC. Contact at alexiswadefoster@gmail.com or 4111 Portsmouth Ave., Houston, TX 77027.

Amy (Meyer) Poerschke, BSEd '10, is now principal of Durham Elementary in Houston ISD. She previously was assistant principal of Garcia Elementary and taught reading language arts at Dodson Elementary and Garcia Elementary. She is pursuing her doctoral degree in professional leadership from the University of Houston.

Patrick Swindle, BBA '10, in now administrator of East Texas Medical Center Quitman. He currently serves on the board of directors of St. Paul's Children's Foundation. Swindle joined the ETMC Regional Healthcare System in 2012 as program manager for the system's FirstNet health information exchange. Since 2014, he has served as manager of systems support for ETMC's information technology department.

Allyson Townsend, BA '10, married Jared Seago June 20, 2015, in Spring Branch, TX. Allyson is a deaf education teacher in Mesquite, TX, and Jared is a safety manager for Turner Construction Co.

'11

Dr. Brandon Baker, BS '11, graduated June 5 from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science with a Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine. He began his surgical residency at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Contact at bsbaker21@gmail.com.

Elise N. Banks, BA '11, of Spring, TX, has been crowned Miss International 2015. She holds a master's degree in counseling from the University of Houston and is a licensed therapist. Banks is also the reigning Miss Texas International and her platform "Healthy Mind, Successful Life," focuses on breaking the stigma of mental illness and bring attention to the importance of mental health.

Jacob Garcia, BMEd '11, of Metairie, LA, is now youth programs manager for Tipitina's Foundation, a nonprofit focused on childhood music education and professional development of adult musicians in Louisiana.

RJ Pack, BA '11, and Kathlynn Krenek, '14, were married on July 11. They met at Baylor and reside in Fort Worth, where RJ is a corporate attorney for Basic Energy Services. Kathlynn will complete her law degree from Texas A&M in May 2016.

Breck Sandvall, BSME '11, graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston May 26 and began residency in internal medicine at Vanderbilt University in July. He and his wife, Kelsey (Jones) Sandvall, BA '12, reside in Nashville, TN with their son, Luke.

Karen Shovak, BA '11, of McAllen, TX, graduated as a Doctor of Dental Surgery from TAMHSC Baylor College of Dentistry in May.

Deanna (Dempsey) Whittington, BSEd '11, married Forrest Whittington June 14, 2014, at First Baptist Church- Dallas. Deanna is an eighth grade math teacher in Plano (TX) ISD, while Forrest is a production engineer at Comstock Resources.

'12

Daniel Cervera, BA '12, is now master security architect at Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Richardson, TX. He joins a team of cryptographic specialists to modernize security controls, protecting over 15 million patient records for the fourth-largest health insurer in the U.S. Previously, Daniel worked in cyber security for the U.S. Air Force. He gives workshops and advocates for the protection of identity-related and other sensitive information. Contact at mail@danielcervera.me.

Ryn Farmer, MSW '12, is the anti-human trafficking director for Crime Victims Services in Lima, OH. Part of Farmer's job is training police, hospitals and other social workers in how to identify human trafficking cases. Her husband, Caleb, was formerly director of Baylor's Brooks Residential College.

Sarah Judge, JD '12, has been hired by Kane Russell Coleman & Logan as an associate attorney. Judge will be joining the litigation group in the Houston office. Previously, she practiced at boutique litigation firm in Houston, where she defended insurers in a variety of matters.

Grant Nelson, BA '12, and his nonprofit startup, the MEANS Database, took home top honors from the George Washington University Business Plan Competition, consisting of over 100 teams. Nelson's team won first prize ($35,000) and best nonprofit ($7,500). The MEANS Database improves communication between food donors and food banks to eliminate waste by improving the efficient allocation of food. This is the first year that a nonprofit was awarded first place. Nelson, whose startup has users in six states representing 1,000 partner agencies, describes it as a sort of "Craigslist for food banks." Learn more at meansdatabase.com.

Ryan Sprayberry, BA '12, is now collections manager for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco. He has worked at the College Football Hall of Fame and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Sprayberry's passion for sports led him to follow Baylor across the country for bowl games and NCAA Final Four games before bringing him back to Waco.

'13

Austin Aeschbacher, BMEd '13, was awarded 2015 Texas PTA Elementary Teacher of the Year. He teaches music and is his school's PTA secretary at Skyview Elementary School in Richardson ISD.

Andrew, BBA '13, and Sarah (Capps) Coulter, BBA '13, were married June 28 in Maui, HI.

'14

Jonathan J. Billiot, BBA '14, and Kelly A. Pickett, BSEd '14, were married June 27 at The Chapel at Ana Villa in The Colony, TX. The couple resides in Dallas.

Kaitlin Racine, BA '14, and Louis Agnone, MIS '14, MBA '14, are engaged. "Only Baylor could bring together a girl from New Jersey and a guy from Florida. Thanks for uniting us, Baylor!" writes Kaitlin.

'15

Ben Holmes, BMEd '15, is now assistant band director for Glen Rose (TX) ISD. Holmes participated in a variety of activities at Baylor, such as Trombone Choir and Octet, Symphonic Band, Concert Orchestra, and Men’s Choir.