Class Notes
1940s
Dr. Dick G. Ellis, BA ’49, MD ’52, of Fort Worth wrote W.I. Cook Children’s Hospital: The Middle Years, a book about the Fort Worth hospital. He served in the Air Force and was chief of surgery and medical-dental staff president at Fort Worth Children’s Hospital and Cook Children’s Hospital. He is the only Texas pediatric surgeon to be elected president of the American Pediatric Surgical Association and the first Texas pediatric surgeon to be elected chair of the surgical section of the America Academy of Pediatrics. Ellis, who is 89 and in excellent health, writes that at least 13 of his family members attended Baylor, beginning with Zach B. Bobo Jr., BA ’19, MD ’22, who later donated to the establishment of the Bobo Spiritual Life Center and several scholarships.
1950s
David Narramore, BA ’50, of Greenville, TX, authored Adventures of Jose: Stories about an Imaginary Little Boy Who Loves Jesus. The book relates Biblical principles to the lives of children. Garrett W. Palmer, BBA ’52, LLB ’54, can be contacted at 578 W. Alberts Dr., Peru, IN 46970 or gwp766@comcast.net.
J. Hal Machat, BA ’56, of Brenham, TX, was named to the Blinn College Hall of Honor in 2015. A former Harris County precinct judge and member of Blinn’s Class of 1954, Machat is an active leader in the Rotary Club, the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, the Blinn College Alumni & Friends Association, Baylor’s Old Main Society, Heritage Club, 1845 Society, Endowed Scholarship Society, and others. In 2011, a gift from Machat and his wife Allyne allowed Blinn to add classrooms, labs and rehearsal halls to its band hall, and the facility was renamed the J. Hal and Allyne Machat Music Facility. He also holds degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Wesleyan University. Machat had a varied career which included campus ministry, banking, church business administration and church supplies company owner. His wife, a Baylor Alumna by Choice, worked at Baylor while Hal finished his degree. The Machats have established music and athletics endowed scholarships at Baylor.
1960s
George E. Chandler, BA ’60, JD ’62, was among the five recipients of the 2017 Texas Bar Foundation’s Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award. He is board certified in personal injury trial law and licensed to practice in Texas and Colorado. His memberships include: Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and others. He is serving as chair of District 2 of the State Bar Grievance Committee and is a member of the Trial Law Institute and the Diversity Law Institute. Chandler is a frequent lecturer at seminars and holds the honor of Distinguished Jaworski Lecturer at Baylor Law School. He was selected as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Texas from 2003 to 2016, ranked AV by Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in their Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers from 2002 to 2015. In 2009, he received the Texas Bar Foundation Ronald D. Secrest Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award, the Texas Trial Lawyer’s Lifetime Achievement Award and was named Baylor Lawyer of the Year, among many other honors.
After 51 years in the financial services industry, Connie Mack Clark, BA ’64, retired March 30. Contact at 10314 Riesling Ct., Charlotte, NC 28277 or cmackclark@carolina.rr.com.
Dr. George Pickle, BA ’64, of Marietta, GA, received the 2016 Distinguished Service Award from The Association of Professional Chaplains (APC) during the 2016 APC Annual Conference in Lake Buena Vista, FL. While serving as director of pastoral care at Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, CA, Pickle exemplified the work and tasks of chaplains and advocated for spiritual care in the hospital setting. His primary presence was in the critical care units, the Michael Jackson Burn Unit and the emergency room. He was present through the night of the Rodney King riots, ministering to many patients and families injured in those riots. As director of Healthcare Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling for the Chaplaincy Division of the Home Mission Board/Chaplaincy Associate, Chaplaincy Unit, North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, he coordinated endorsement for 803 healthcare chaplains and 246 pastoral counselors. Pickle also was the University of Southern California campus minister for the Progressive National Baptist Convention, where he met Rosa Parks, Andrew Young and Alfred Smith, and preached from the Second Baptist Church pulpit where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.
After retiring from a 25-year career as a U.S. Navy officer and then 20 years in the computer world, David Bright, BA ’68, of Harrisburg, NC, devotes his time to American history. He is the author of Confederate Railroads (www.csa-railroads.com), a 17,000-page site documenting his subject. Bright has published a book derived from the information on the site, Locomotives Up the Turnpike, the Civil War Career of Confederate Quartermaster Captain Thomas R. Sharp. Contact at dave-brt@aol.com.
Jim Turner, BBA ’69, of Dallas, who grew Dr Pepper/Seven Up Bottling Group into a national success story and owns a share of the Texas Rangers baseball team, bought a Chevrolet dealership in McGregor, TX, that now bears his name. Formerly known as John McClaren Chevrolet, the dealership was renovated and held a re-launch event March 24 for the opening of Jim Turner Chevrolet (turnerchevy.com). Jim and Julie Hermansen Turner, BA ’67, MSEd ’68, have a long history in the Waco area and have both served as Baylor Regents, with Julie currently on the board. Jim Turner serves as chair of the Board of Trustees of Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas. He is chair of the board of Dean Foods, the largest dairy company in the U.S., with operations in Waco. Other business interests include banking, real estate and insurance in Waco and McGregor.
1970s
Paula Allison Nichols, BS ’70, and husband Kenneth Nichols, BBA ’70, of Beaumont, TX, have four sons who all attended Baylor. The couple welcomes their 10th grandchild in June. Paula has been with Lamar University for 30 years and is associate provost for digital learning and associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership. Contact at paula. nichols@lamar.edu.
Doug Williamson, BA ’73, who has served as editor of the Abilene [TX] Reporter-News and has worked at the newspaper for 32 years, announced his retirement. He taught journalism, photography, debate and broadcasting at Waco High School for three years and worked for the Waco Tribune-Herald for nine years before returning to Abilene in 1985. Williamson has served on the boards of Meals on Wheels Plus and the Texas Trails Council of Boy Scouts of America. He also has served on the advisory board of Northwest Texas Small Business Development Centers, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Abilene, Serenity House, Kiwanis Club of Abilene and the Better Business Bureau.
Mary Ferris, BA ’74, married Dr. Douglas Klein, Regents Professor at Texas A&M University at Galveston. Ferris is the associate executive director of the Moody Methodist Church Permanent Endowment Fund in Galveston. Contact at mferriswheel55@yahoo.com.
Clyde V. “Tad” McKee III, BS ’75, MBA ’77, was named president and CEO of the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation in Orange, TX. He has worked with the foundation since 1991, most recently as vice president and CFO/treasurer. McKee is the president elect of the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce, a long-time board member of the Malloy Foundation, and a member of the Texas Interscholastic League Foundation, the academic arm of the state’s University Scholastic League.
Dr. John A. Wood, PhD ’75, professor emeritus of religion who taught at Baylor from 1981 to 2004, authored Beyond the Ballpark: The Honorable, Immoral, and Eccentric Lives of Baseball Legends (Rowman & Little eld, 2016: 408 pages). The book delves into the lives of 50 Hall of Famers, including Ty Cobb, Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and others.
Dr. D.M. Edwards, BBA ’76, of Tyler, TX, was named chair of the University of Texas at Tyler Development Board for a two-year term. As chair, he will lead an extensive group of volunteers who support the university’s programs and special events. He is chair/ CEO of the commercial real estate business, D.M. Edwards Investments, and the owner/president/ CEO of warehousing and distribution businesses in several cities. Edwards has received an honorary doctorate from East Texas Baptist University.
Daniel Mark, BBA ’77, joined Baker Botts LLP, an international law firm, as a partner. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, securities matters and corporate and commercial transactions. Mark earned his MBA and JD from the University of Texas.
Karen Cason Murphy, BA ’77, of Prescott, AZ, and her son Cason Murphy, MFA ’16, won second place in Stage West’s 10th Annual Playwriting Competition for their play, Parched. Karen has an MA from Prescott College and works in several roles at Prescott Center for the Arts. Cason has a BA in Theater from UCLA. He is the director of theater and assistant professor of musical theater at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, AR.
Dr. Wendell Sadler, MSEd ’77, was inducted into the Texas A&M University System 2017 Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators. A professor of kinesiology within
Tarleton State University’s College of Education, Sadler joined the Tarleton faculty in 1993. He also holds a doctorate of education in kinesiology/educational administration from Texas A&M and a bachelor’s in physical education from Campbellsville College in Kentucky.
Dr. Mark W. Muesse, BA ’79, published his newest book, Four Wise Men: The Lives and Teaching of Confucius, the Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad (Cascade, 2017: 350 pages). Muesse is a professor of religious studies and director of the Compassionate Campus Initiative at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. Contact at muesse@rhodes.edu.
Keith Nelson, BA ’79, JD ’83, a partner at Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson LLP, was selected to D Magazine’s 2017 list of the Best Lawyers in Dallas. This is the second time he has been selected.
1980s
Nancy Gibson, BS ’81, of Divide, MT, was elected to the St. James Healthcare board. She is the financial manager of the Belmont Senior Center. Gibson, who served as a Butte School District trustee for five years, is also a member of the Montana Tech Nursing Program Advisory Board.
Doug Johnson, BS ’81, was appointed to the Oklahoma Energy Resources board of directors. He is senior vice president of MidCon Development for BP. A 40-year resident of Oklahoma, Johnson has committed his professional career in the oil and natural gas business to promote Oklahoma jobs and reduce dependence from foreign sources of energy. He also has a degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Karen Gilbert Hartley, BBA ’82, of Allen, TX, authored The Eagle Will Rescue Me, Mama! (Xulon Press). The book is a memoir of Taylor, the author’s autistic son. Hartley writes, “It is more than a life story of an amazing funny boy overcoming the obstacles of autism and muscular dystrophy. It is also a handbook for special needs parents and teachers, covering diagnosis, education and government services. It is a testimony of the blessings and strength gained by a faith in God, the saving grace of our Jesus, and the loving sup- port of a local church.” Contact at endlesslove1985@verizon.net.
Bill Russell, BBA ’82, was promoted to assistant director, field operations, mission support of the Houston field office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). One of the agency’s largest field offices, the Houston office is responsible for CBP operations at all airports from south-central Texas to northern Oklahoma and all seaports from Corpus Christi, TX, to Beaumont, TX. Russell has oversight of all administrative functions for this area of responsibility. He transferred from his previous post in El Paso.
Jeff Dorrill, BBA ’83, JD ’85, of Dallas competed with more than 1,000 college students in the 2017 USA Collegiate Club National Triathlon Championships April 21-22 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Dorrill, a 55-year-old tax lawyer and the second-oldest competitor ever in the competition, completed the almost mile-long swim, 24.8-mile bike ride and 6.2-mile run only six days after completing the Boston Marathon. He is a master’s degree candidate studying remotely at University of Alabama. In order to become eligible, Dorrill had to compete in one SEC competition for the university during the academic year. He is a member of the board of directors of Haynes and Boone law firm.
Rebecca Sharpless, MA ’83, former director of the Baylor Institute for Oral History, worked on a project to place a new historical marker at Lincolnville (Moccasin Bend) along the Leon River near Gatesville, TX, in honor of a freedom colony, a community of former slaves. The marker was dedicated April 8. Sharpless is a professor at TCU.
Roger Jefferies, BBA ’84, returned to his position as Travis [TX] County executive for justice planning after a stint in New York City as the executive director of the Mayor’s Task Force on Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Programs. He directs and administers county programs and services that include the Juvenile Public Defender, Mental Health Public Defender and Counseling and Education Services.
After teaching elementary education for 27 years, Terry Shane, BM ’84, was selected to teach elementary music in Roseville’s [CA] newly reinstated K-8 general music program. Shane directs the worship choir at First Baptist Church of Fair Oaks, CA, and plays in pit orchestras all over the Sacramento region. “My music education at Baylor has opened so many doors for me,” he writes. Contact at 3446 Parker St., Rockland, CA 95765 or tshane@rcdk8.org.
Retired U.S. Army Col. Nathaniel Todd, MHA ’84, was appointed by Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson to serve as director of the Arkansas Department of Veteran Affairs. Todd is the CFO of the Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System. He previously served as the director of health financial policy for the U.S. Army Surgeon General and as CFO for Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Todd served in the U.S. Army for 37 years and received several awards including the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Order of Military Medical Merit, the Army Commendation Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Bill Jones, JD ’85, of Austin, former general counsel to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP in its Dallas and Washington, D.C., offices as a partner
in the government services and finance department. He has represented clients before the Texas Railroad Commission, the Texas Public Utility Commission, the Texas Office of the Attorney General, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Jones earned his BS from Texas A&M and served as chair of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents from 2007 to 2009. He is a commissioner of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Commission.
Kenneth Temple, BBA ’85, was named CFO of Southern Baptists of Texas Foundation in Arlington, TX. He previously served as controller of Criswell College from 2003 to 2016. Contact at 144 Meadow Glen Ln., Ovilla, TX 75154 or ktemple@sbtexasfoundation.com.
Kyle King, BBA ’86, was named general manager of KARK-TV, the NBC affiliate in Little Rock. King previously was general manager of both ABC affiliate KMID-TV and Fox affiliate KPEJ-TV in Odessa, TX. King, a 30-year broadcast and sales veteran, also oversees Nexstar’s joint operations with Mission Broadcasting’s KLRT-TV (Fox) and KASN-TV (CW) in Little Rock.
Jerry Smith, BBA ’86, an All-Southwest Conference golfer in 1985-86, was elected to the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Smith has been a top performer at every level, including high school, college, amateur and professional. He spent ve years on the PGA Tour and plays on the PGA Champions Tour. Smith’s career earnings on the Web.com, PGA Champions and PGA Tour total over $3.5 million.
Scot Buchanan, BA ’87, is vice president of biotech and specialty services at Therigy, a specialty pharmacy consulting and software developer in Maitland, FL. Buchanan is a 30-year veteran in the biotechnology and pharmacy industry. He has served as vice president of manufacturer relations at AmerisourceBergen, as vice president of Supply Chain Strategy, and in business development and sales leadership roles at CVS Caremark, AstraZeneca and Merck.
Mike Pitman, BBA ’87, is the 2017 president of the Louisiana Judicial District Court Judge and was first appointed to the Louisiana Judicial College Board of Governors in 2009. He has served as treasurer, secretary and vice president for the college. Pitman holds a law degree from Louisiana State University. He is married to Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Frances Pitman. Contact at mike.pitman@ymail.com.
Brian Smith, MM ’87, is the conductor of the primo orchestra for Youth Orchestras of Prince William County located near Manassas, VA. His Osbourn Park High School chamber ensemble gave a master performance at historic Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown New York City. Contact at 15443 Quail Ridge Dr., Amissville, VA 20106 or smithbk1963@ comcast.net.
Lee Mulcahy, BA ’88, was a featured artist in Carbondale [CO] Council for the Arts’ Valley Visual in January and February 2017. In addition, Mulcahy exhibited at Art Basel Miami in December 2016, in Beijing’s 798 Arts District in March and the Aspen [CO] Red Brick for the Arts in May 2017. Contact at 53 Forge Road, Aspen, CO 81611 or leemulcahyphd@gmail.com.
Melissa Rogers, BA ’88, served as executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships from March 2013 through the end of the Obama administration. Before he left office, President Obama appointed Rogers to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. She also returned to her position as non-resident fellow with the Brookings Institution and began teaching a course in Transformational Leadership at Yale University Divinity School.
Mary Hensley, EdD ’89, was appointed to the Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC) Executive Committee. Her three-year term begins in July 2017. Hensley is Blinn College District president/CEO. TACC represents 50 Texas community college districts and the more than 750,000 students who attend those institutions. Hensley was named the 15th president of Blinn College in 2015. She holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at El Paso. Hensley also holds elementary, professional counseling, supervisor, mid-management, and superintendent certificates.
Dean Rader, BA ’89, of San Francisco had two books of poetry published in 2017. One is a collection of collaborative sonnets written with Simone Muench, Suture (Black Lawrence Press). The other is Self-Portrait as Wikipedia Entry (Copper Canyon Press). In their review of the latter, Publisher’s Weekly wrote “few poets capture the contradictions of our national life with as much sensitivity or keenness.”
Scott Sivik, MSEd ’89, was named state president of WellCare Health Plans Inc.’s `Ohana Health Plan Inc., based in Hawaii. He is responsible for `Ohana’s Medicaid, Medicare advantage and managed longterm care businesses across the state.
1990s
Ruth “Raz” Cook, BSN ’90, is the administrator for East Texas Medical Center Jacksonville. Cook has been with ETMC for 18 years. She previously served as administrator of ETMC Trinity and ETMC Fair eld. Cook earned a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Texas at Tyler. She is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and received the ACHE Regents Award. Cook also serves on the Texas Healthcare Trustees Board, and is active in TORCH, THA and other organizations.
Renae Wansik Cartwright, BSEd ’91, MSEd ’92, writes, “Thanks to the Student Foundation for putting on a great Bearathon this year! It gave me the perfect reason to visit Waco from Colorado. We had a great time and are proud to be Baylor Bears.” Contact at 4118 Scarlet Oak Ct., Castle Rock, CO 80109 or cart1994@msn.com.
Jennifer Smith, BBA ’91, was promoted to controller for accounting and client service operations for Stinnett & Associates, a professional advisory firm in Tulsa, OK. She is a CPA and a certified internal auditor with more than 20 years of experience in internal audit, Sarbanes-Oxley and public accounting.
Travis S. Gamble, BBA ’92, JD ’97, joined Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP as a partner in the firm’s new office in Dallas.
Grammy Award-winner David Phelps, BM ’92, played Quanah Parker, the last Comanche chief, in the musical Quanah: The Parker Family Saga, which premiered in April at the Irving [TX] Arts Center Carpenter Performance Hall. The script was written by Grammy Award-winning country music legend Larry Gatlin.
Jeffery D. Price, BBA ’92, was named one of the nation’s top financial advisors for the fifth consecutive year. Price was recently recognized in Barron’s Magazine as part of its annual America’s Top 1,200 Advisors: State-by-State. He and his wife Cara reside in Flower Mound, TX. Their son, Connor, is a sophomore at Baylor. Contact at jeffery_price@ml.com.
Cord A. Scott, MA ’92, completed his PhD at Loyola University in Chicago and published his dissertation Comics and Conflict (U.S. Naval Institute Publishing, 2014). He teaches in the University of Maryland University College Asia system, primarily teaching military personnel in Asia. He works with another Baylor graduate, Tommy Pettit, PhD ’11.
Atmos Energy Corp. promoted Christopher T. Forsythe, BBA ’93, from vice president and controller to senior vice president and CFO. Forsythe joined Atmos Energy in 2003; he previously was a senior audit manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Debbi Goertz, JD ’93, was appointed to the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors to fill the vacant District 3 seat representing Bastrop [TX] County. Goertz has lived in Bastrop for 23 years and has been a Bluebonnet member since 1998. She has practiced law in Bastrop County for more than a decade. In addition to her law practice, Goertz has taught at Smithville [TX] High School and worked for the Department of Public Safety in Austin. She has been active in the community with the Girl Scouts of America, the Children’s Advocacy Center, the Bastrop County Historical Society and the Family Crisis Center. Goertz earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Texas Tech University. She and her husband Bryan have a daughter.
Joe Pukaite, BSME ’93, was appointed senior vice president and CFO of Templar Energy LLC, based in Oklahoma City. He was treasurer of Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas LLC since 2013. Pukaite began his career in operations as an engineer at Schlumberger, and has more than 23 years’ experience in the energy sector. He earned an MBA from Rice University.
After 20 years at Optimum Re Insurance Co., Amy Younker Rider, BA ’93, joined Sammons Financial in 2016 and was quickly promoted to director of corporate underwriting and mortality risk management. In March, Rider became associate vice president for corporate underwriting and mortality management. She works remotely from her home in Highlands Ranch, CO.
Mark R. Wilson, MBA ’92, of Wynnewood, PA, became senior vice president and CFO of the American Bible Society in March. Founded in 1816, ABS’s mission is to make the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so all people may experience its life-changing message.
Chimene Shipley Dupler, BA ’94, of South Riding, VA, wrote The High Calling of Motherhood (Ambassador International, 2017: 171 pages). The book focuses on showing mothers the importance and blessing of the role that God has given them. Dupler is the founder and president of Pink Polka Dot Productions and the Passion4Moms Ministry. She also is a speaker and marriage and parenting professional. Dupler previously worked on Capitol Hill in the U.S. Senate.
Ricky Edison, BSEd ’96, is principal of Waco’s University High School. Edison has 20 years of experience in education and most recently was superintendent of Abbott [TX] ISD. He started his career teaching government and coaching at University and went on to serve as the Bell’s Hill Elementary School assistant principal and as principal at South Waco Elementary School.
Jason Kautz, BA ’96, MS ’98, PhD ’02, professor of practice in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is one of the recipients of the university’s most prestigious awards for teaching, research and engagement. The awards recognize faculty whose work has had a significant impact on students, the university and the state. Kautz joined the UNL faculty in 2004. He is the lead coordinator of the university’s Freshman Chemistry Program, which serves more than 2,500 students each year. Kautz has received three Association of Students of the University of Nebraska Outstanding Educator Awards and the Hazel R. McClymont Distinguished Teaching Fellow Award (2016).
Amy Mizcles, BA ’97, was named vice president of community enhancement by the Round Rock [TX] Chamber. She is responsible for providing leadership on issues that enrich the overall business environment and for representing Round Rock on the federal, state, regional and local levels. Mizcles previously was executive director of Behavioral Health Advocates of Texas and held other roles in the nonprofit sector. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Ben Gatzke, BM ’98, MSIS ’00, MBA ’00, was reappointed to the governing board of the Texas Department of Information Resources through Feb. 1, 2023. Gatzke is president and CEO of BorrowWorks and serves on the Baylor School of Music board of advocates.
Violinist Noel Martin, BM ’98, visited the Philippines to promote his advocacy of teaching underprivileged children how to play the violin. Martin is working with the Ayala Foundation through Coke Bolipata to teach violin to selected students from CENTEX (Center of Excellence in Public Elementary Schools) in Tondo, Manila. He earned his master’s in music at Rice and also studied theology at the University of St. Thomas. Martin has performed with numerous groups, including the Malaysian Philharmonic, Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera. He is a member of Mercury: The Orchestra Redefined.
John Scott Gray, MA ’99, received the 2017 Distinguished Teacher Award at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. Gray, a philosophy updates professor and resident of Canadian Lakes, MI, joined Ferris in 2006. He also holds degrees from Furman University in Greenville, SC, and Southern Illinois University.
Lori Rucksdashel, BSEd ’99, was named to the 2017 Alaska Journal of Commerce Top Forty Under 40 list. She is director of Early Childhood and Elementary Special Education in the Anchorage School District. Rucksdashel and her son Eli live in Anchorage. Her parents Ray, BBA ’71, and Cynthia Jones Rucksdashel, BA ’72, recently moved from Houston to Waco.
Nizam Sayeed, BSCS ’99, was promoted to chief technology officer for Shapiro+Raj, the sixth-largest independent insights and inspiration company in North America, as well as managing director of its digital insights and intelligence practice. Sayeed was previously co-founder and CTO of Mutual-Mind, a leading provider of real-time social listening analytics, visualization and engagement solutions.
2000s
Jennifer Hughes Borderud, BA ’00, MA ’03, was named the director of Baylor’s Armstrong Browning Library in March. In 2006, she joined the faculty of the Baylor Libraries after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a master’s in information studies. She resides in Waco with her husband Josh Borderud, BA ’01, MA ’03, JD ’09, and their two children, R.C. and Lillian.
Attorney Stephen Button, BA ’00, MA ’02, was sworn in as a member of the Supreme Court of the United States Bar, allowing Button to attend Supreme Court proceedings and practice law in federal court. Button holds a JD from the Western New England University School of Law. He was granted licenses to practice law in Connecticut and New York.
Keith A. Reich, BA ’00, PhD ’10, was granted tenure and promoted to associate professor of religion at Chowan University in Murfreesboro, NC, where he serves as chair of the religion department.
Rodney Smith, BSEd ’00, is football head coach for Waco’s University High School. He previously coached University’s No. 1-ranked boys basketball team, which made it to the Class 5A Region 3 finals. Smith played both football and basketball at University and at Baylor.
Ken-Lee Yu, BBA ’00, of Richardson, TX, completed a master’s degree in cross-cultural ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary. He was appointed to serve with the mission organization OMF International in February. He, his wife Joni and their daughters—Hosanna, Shiloh and Faith—are looking to serve with OMF’s Chinese Diaspora ministry in Germany beginning in February 2018. Contact at kenyu77@gmail.com.
C. Elizabeth Holcomb O’Neal Mason, BA ’01, of Lawrenceville, GA, founded Lion Heart Society in 2014. The charity received 501(c)(3) status in January. The nonprofit is the first multi-state charity with national scope, locally serving Domestic Violence Task Forces in high-risk communities for homicide and abuse. Learn more at uslionhearts.org or contact elizabeth@masonpublicaffairs.com.
Michael Nuckles, BBA ’01, MTax ’01, is director of the Houston office of Anderson Tax. He joined the alternative investment funds group and focuses on the energy business. Nuckles worked in the tax department at Hess Corp., an oil and energy company. He also was a director at Weatherford and Grant Thornton. Earlier in his career, Nuckles worked at Deloitte and Arthur Andersen.
Nathan, BBA ’01, and Paige Watkins, BA ’01, owners of University Laundry, a Dallas-based campus laundry service, sold their company to public household care products company Procter & Gamble. It will be rebranded as Tide University Laundry. The company operates on 23 campuses.
David Argueta, BS ’02, MBA ’05, president of CHI St. Luke’s Health (The Woodlands Hospital, Lakeside Hospital and Springwoods Village Hospital), was named to the Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2017. Judges scored nominees on leadership, overcoming challenges and community involvement.
Holly Elliott, BA ’02, of Houston was named vice president of women’s and children’s services at HCA Gulf Coast Division. She previously served as vice president and chief operations officer at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.
Wes Hoyt, MHA ’02, is COO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System. Besides overseeing hospital operations, he will play a role in executing the completion of the hospital’s new intensive care unit. Hoyt spent most of his working career in the military in the U.S. and overseas. He served in executive positions for medical organizations that developed rural healthcare networks as well as led Army medical units in combat. He was last stationed in Vicenza, Italy, as executive vice president of healthcare operations for U.S. Army Africa. Hoyt has received numerous awards, including the Legion of Merit and two Bronze Stars.
Kelly P. Luttrell, BBA, ’02, MAcc ’02, was promoted to senior vice president, CFO and treasurer of Jernigan Capital Inc., a Memphis, TN-based real estate investment trust. She served as the company’s corporate controller beginning in September 2015 and added the title vice president of financial reporting in July 2016. She has previous experience at MicroPort Orthopedics Inc. and Ernst & Young.
Britta Stanton, JD ’02, of boutique Texas litigation firm Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, was listed as a Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers six times and as a Top 50 Up-and-Coming Women Texas Rising Star in 2017. Additionally, Stanton was named a Litigation Future Star by Benchmark Litigation and was selected to serve on the Federal Court Advisory Committee. Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst was recently named as one of the Top 10 Litigation Boutiques in the nation by Benchmark Litigation and to the 2017 Best Law Firms list by Best Lawyers.
Timothy Martel Brown, MSW ’03, was elected president elect of the 2017 Board of Directors of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the nonprofit association comprising the social work regulatory boards in the U.S. and Canada. He will serve one year as president elect, two years as president, and one year as past president. Brown has served on the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners, a member organization of ASWB, since 2004 and has served as chair/presiding officer of the board since 2008. He was awarded the ASWB Sunny Andrews Award for Outstanding Commitment to Social Work Regulatory Board Service in 2014. A licensed clinical social worker with a clinical supervisor specialty recognition in Texas, Brown is the associate chief social work, mental health, at the VA North Texas Health Care System.
Alicia Williams Jackson, BBA ’03, of Flower Mound, TX, started her real estate brokerage company, Crest Hollow Realty LLC, which specializes in Dallas-Fort Worth real estate. Her company stages all listings. Alicia and her husband Mark, BBA ’01, have three children. Contact at aliciajacksonrealtor@gmail.com or cresthollowrealty.com.
Reese Norris, BBA ’03, and Bryan Johnson, BBA ’03, are helping to solve a critical missing piece of healthcare IT: how to successfully manage the flow of expensive, high-risk medications from doctor to patient—avoiding expensive human errors and allowing infusions, potentially a doctor’s practice most pro table bottom line, to operate more efficiently. Norris and Johnson are experienced infusion center owners who founded WeInfuse, a web-based application that simplifies and reduces the complexity involved with managing infusion centers, improving patient care and reducing risk for owners, administrators and doctors. WeInfuse helps doctors, nurses and administrators by coordinating patient scheduling and insurance pre-authorization as well as inventory and delivery of non-chemotherapy infusion medications. Together they help ensure patients can receive the right medicine exactly when they need it, and the center minimizes or eliminates the financial risk of lost or broken inventory and unbilled medications. Headquartered in Austin, their company launched in March, with clients in Kansas City, San Antonio and Dallas.
Brea Ratliff, BSEd ’03, of Heartland, TX, is the founder of Me to the Power of Three LLC, an education consulting firm that specializes in the development of K-12 curricula, programs and tools for learning (metothepowerof3.com). In April, Ratliff became president of the Benjamin Banneker Association, a national organization committed to advocating for equity in the teaching and learning of African-American students in mathematics. She is an adjunct lecturer in the Simmons School of Education at SMU. Contact at brearatliff@gmail.com.
Matt Stanley, BBA ’03, received the 2017 Austin Under 40 Award for Entrepreneurship, Start-Up, and Social Innovation. He is founder, president and CEO of Sundance Memory Care. He has studied and researched abroad with the founders, architects and innovators of Dementia Village in Weesp, Netherlands, along with France Alzheimer’s in Paris. Matt helped Sundance form the current partnership with Baylor’s Diana Garland School of Social Work for graduate studies in social work and is the founder of Music and Memories, a gala and benefit concert dedicated to communicating and educating Texas about all forms of dementia and brain disorders. Contact at 311 Bowie Apt. 1113, Austin, TX 78703.
Blake Anderson, BBA ’04, was named to the board of the El Paso Children’s Foundation.
Jen Dunlap, BA ’04, of Los Angeles debuted her art show “Self Chases Home” at the Art Center of Waco. She lived in New York and worked as an artist and production designer there for over 10 years. The show runs April 27-June 10. See her work at jendunlap.com.
Kasi Bowles Howard, BA ’04, of San Antonio started Innova Recovery Center, a telehealth trauma treatment program. Innova is the first mental health telehealth program of its kind in Texas and one of the first in the nation. The program has two tracks, one that treats combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans and one that treats females who have had sexual/physical abuse. “We work with people from all across the state, so those in rural areas that would not have otherwise had access to care are now able to receive treatment,” she writes. “Also, a lot of people who have had trauma are too anxious to leave home, so this also allows them to get the support they need.” Howard, a clinical psychologist, received her doctorate in 2010. Learn more at innovarecoverycenter.com.
Michael Bracken, BA ’05, of Hewitt, TX, had a mystery short story, “Montezuma’s Revenge,” selected for inclusion in Passport to Murder, the official anthology of Bouchercon 2017. Bouchercon, the largest annual gathering of mystery readers, writers, editors and publishers, joins with Down & Out Books to publish an anthology of mystery short stories. At last year’s Bouchercon, Bracken received the Edward D. Hoch Memorial Golden Derringer Award for lifetime achievement in short mystery fiction.
Glenn Nathan, BS ’05, of El Paso accepted a position as research analyst for the Educational Service Center in Region 19. He supports the region’s schools and districts in the areas of research, analysis, professional development, data and data-driven decision-making. Contact at glenn.nathan@gmail.com.
Joel D. Stewart, BBA ’05, was appointed as an independent director on the Board of Directors for Inventure Foods. He is a vice president of LKCM Headwater Investments, the private equity arm of Luther King Capital Management Corp. Stewart has been with LKCM since 2013 and serves as a director and/or advisor to multiple portfolio companies. He previously was a vice president at The Presidio Group, a principal of 6Pacific Partners LLC, and an investment banker at JPMorgan.
Soo Yee, MSEd ’06, moved to the U.S. from South Korea in 2000 on a student visa. Yee became a naturalized citizen and sponsored her parents to immigrate to the U.S. Yee is the founder and president of Korean American Outreach Group and also the founder of the Virginia-based Korean American Outreach Group, which helps other Asian immigrants with green cards to apply for naturalization. She is a certified health education specialist, consultant and educator.
Lyssa Burnham, BA ’07, married John Wesley Howeth, ’10, Nov. 12, 2016, at Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston.
Matthew Busby, BA ’07, was elected president of the Texas Association of Community College Foundations at the annual conference in Austin. TACCF is a state organization focused on connect- ing and supporting fundraising professionals across the 50 Texas community college districts. Busby is the advancement officer at College of the Mainland in Galveston [TX] County. He and his wife Sarah have two children and live in Texas City. Contact at mj.busby@yahoo.com.
Joshua P. Oie, BA ’07, of Minneapolis joined Moss & Barnett’s litigation and accountant law teams. His practice spans many areas of civil litigation and business law. As a litigator, Oie focuses primarily on complex commercial disputes, construction litigation, tort claims, accountant law cases, and appellate work. He previously was an attorney and shareholder at a rm in Billings, MT. Oie received his JD, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School. Contact at josh.oie@lawmoss.com.
Emily Chapman Richards, BA ’07, was named vice president and assistant executive director of Show Hope, a movement founded by Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman to care for orphans, restoring hope by breaking down barriers that exist between waiting children and loving families. Richards earned a master of theology degree from Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland, where she has been engaged in the work of Show Hope for several years.
Anna Futral, BBA ’08, MTax ’08, was named executive director of CASA of McLennan and Hill [TX] counties, which provides court-appointed advocates for foster care children. For the last 10 years, she has worked as a certified public accountant (CPA) at Jaynes, Reitmeier, Boyd & Therrell in Waco, where she specializes in serving nonprofits.
Ian McCracken, BBA ’08, married Ashley Beadling April 9, 2016, at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. The reception was held at Northwood Club. Groomsmen included Thomas Horton, BS ’09, David Keck, BA ’09, Greg Gilmore, MPH ’09, Alex Jodry, BBA ’08, and Grant Thornbrugh, BA ’08. He is director of strategic nance at Call Box, a software company. She is in revenue management for Southwest Airlines. They reside in Dallas.
Maria Modayil, MSCD ’08, was elected president of the Ohio University Graduate Student Senate. She is a doctoral student studying higher education administration and global health in the individual interdisciplinary program.
Dr. Roselynn Nguyen, BA ’08, and Dr. Bryan Carroll were married May 7, 2016, in Garland, TX. They met in medical school and are both practicing dermatologists in Fort Worth.
Fotolanthropy, a non-profit organization that documents inspiring true stories of people who have overcome adversity, has one of its films on Netflix as of May 1. Travis: A Soldier’s Story covers Army Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, who lost his limbs while serving in Afghanistan, as he begins a courageous battle to rebuild his life at home. Katie Jenkins Norris, BS ’08, of Dallas founded Fotolanthropy in 2011 and has produced two documentaries and 16 short films. Learn more at fotolanthropy.com.
The Austin law firm of Martens, Todd, Leonard & Ahlrich announced that Danielle Ahlrich, JD ’09, was selected as a 2017 Texas Rising Star in business tax. Ahlrich focuses her practice on state tax litigation, primarily representing businesses in sales tax and franchise tax disputes against the Texas Comptroller. Contact at dahlrich@textaxlaw.com.
Carter Kendall, BBA ’09, joined CBRE as a vice president specializing in land disposition, site selection/acquisition and advisory services in Texas. Kendall previously served as the land acquisitions manager for Green Brick Partners, a publicly traded residential developer and land investor.
Aaron Shunk, PhD ’09, is a geologist at Shell Oil and founder of publisci.org, a nonprofit crowd funding website aimed at making science more accessible through an online forum. He gave a talk with two other scientists on the TedxYouth@KL stage in Malaysia. Shunk earned a master’s in geology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
2010s
Curtis Lucas, JD ’10, of Waco was elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation for his outstanding professional achievements and demonstrated commitment to the improvement of the justice system throughout the state of Texas. Selection as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation is restricted to members of the State Bar of Texas. Each year, one-third of 1 percent of State Bar members are invited to become Fellows. Contact at curtis@curtis- lucaslaw.com.
The National Collegiate Equestrian Association awarded former Baylor equestrian hunt seat rider Shelby White, BA ’10, JD ’12, the 2017 NCEA Distinguished Alumni Award. White is the daughter of Baylor’s equestrian head coach Ellen White.
Sarah Patton, PsyD ’12, sta psychologist for the North Florida/ South Georgia VA and co-presenter of the study “Taking off the Uniform: Body Image Among Female Veterans,” helped examine and make the case that studying body image in female veterans is important to increase body satisfaction and therefore decrease the worsening of depression and suicide attempts. Patton has published body image research in the Journal of Development Psychology. The research was featured during the March 2017 iaedp Symposium in Las Vegas.
Jessica Haile, JD ’12, was named a new shareholder in the Abilene, TX, law rm McMahon Surovik Suttle P.C. Haile joined the firm as an associate attorney in 2012 and is a member of the Abilene Bar Association and Big Country Women Who Care.
Ambika Kashi Singh, BA ’12, was hired as digital content coordinator of Foster Marketing, a firm serving the energy industry. Singh has four years of experience in public relations and digital marketing and comes to Foster Marketing from Pura Vida Spirits, where she was involved in a broad spectrum of marketing communications efforts, including public relations, event planning and social media. Singh previously worked for several firms in New York.
Mary Alice Birdwhistell, MDiv ’13, was named senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. She had been associate pastor at the church since 2013, and she begins her new role in July. Birdwhistell graduated with a degree in English from Georgetown [KY] College in 2009. She joined Calvary Baptist Church as children’s minister in 2009.
Charlie Foster, BA ’14, married Emily Adams, BS ’14, Aug. 27, 2016, at the Carlene Bright Arboretum in Woodway, TX, where they reside. Charlie works for Baylor, and Emily serves families and children at Arrow Child and Family Ministries.
Coleman Hampton, BA ’14, MA ’16, was hired as the executive director of the Bell [TX] County Museum. Hampton has worked at the Salado [TX] Museum and College Park, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Mayborn Museum Complex, Dallas Heritage Village, the Ray I. Riley Digitization Center and the Baylor Institute for Oral History.
Alton Jones Jr., BBA ’14, competed against his father, Alton Jones Sr., ’85, in the Bassmaster Classic March 24-26 at Lake Conroe near Houston. Jones Sr. placed 27th and Jones Jr. placed 29th, each taking home $10,000. The professional fishermen were the fifth father-son duo to compete against each other in a Classic but the first to do so in the Bassmaster Elite Series circuit. Jones Sr. is a former Bassmaster Classic champion. Jones Jr. began fishing professionally as soon as he graduated from Baylor. He spent the next two seasons fishing the Bassmaster Open Series to qualify for the Elites.
Team USA members Kehri Jones, BSEd ’14, MS ’15, of Killeen, TX, and Elana Meyers Taylor won the women’s bobsled World Championship title Feb. 18 in Königssee, Germany. This was Jones’ second World Championship appearance and her first World Championship medal. Jones was a track letterwinner at Baylor in 2014 and 2015.
Damian Lane, BA ’14, works for the Lewisville [TX] Area Chamber of Commerce. He is in charge of graphic design for events and the chamber website and serves as staff representative for the women’s division and senior service alliance. Ultimately, Lane wants to start a nonprofit to teach at-risk youth graphic design.
Danielle Grant, BBA ’15, returned home to Corpus Christi, TX, to keep her grandfather’s legacy going by venturing into the food truck world and featuring a taste of the Philippines. Grant and her mother Adel run Papa’s Lumpia Hut.
Waco country singer-songwriter Holly Tucker, BA ’15, is touring for her album Steel, performing 17 shows in two months. She received national attention almost four years ago with a run on the television vocal competition The Voice that took her to the final six contestants.
Atlanta Hawks rookie small forward Taurean Prince, BSEd ’16, was featured in a March 9 story by Megan Mitchell of Fox Sports South about his perseverance through life’s trials that led to him to Baylor and the NBA. “Baylor gave a young man the chance to further his education, become a better basketball player, better the community and take that to better himself and his family,” Prince’s father said in the story. “I think Baylor helped make him into the man he is today, and the man he will be in the future.”