Class Notes
1940s
Carole Cook Troupe, BA ’45, was featured in Back Where She Belongs: The Life and Times of Carole Cooke for two performances June 19-20 at Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York City. Broadway’s Supper Club presented the legendary Broadway and screen actress in her New York cabaret debut at the age of 94. Carole sings numbers from Sondheim to Coleman, from Billy Barnes to Jerry Herman. She recalls a scrapbook of memories, from being Lucille Ball’s protégé to working with Ethel Merman.
1950s
Alfred T. “Ed” Crump III, BA ’50, worked all over the world with Phillips Petroleum from 1950 to 1985, including job locations in Venezuela, Norway, Australia, Libya, Peru, the United Kingdom and China. Crump retired from Phillips as vice president, operations in Asia. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve and is a Master Mason. Crump and his wife Loraine (deceased) have four children and four grandchildren. Contact at 3020 Ridge Road, Rockwall, TX 75032.
James T. “Jim” Hollis, BA ’50, has spent his career working for companies in the oil and gas industry, including Phillips Petroleum, Hunt Oil, Falcon Energy, and JTH Resources, which he founded in 1990. He has served as an expert witness for the Texas Railroad Commission, among other state entities, and he has been a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and other groups. He has three children and four grandchildren, including Melissa Kate Hollis, BSN ’16. Contact at 4472 Chaha Rd 2 Ste. 203, Garland, TX 75043 or jhollis@tx.rr.com.
College Football Hall of Fame Coach Hayden Fry, BA ’51, received the National Football Foundation Gridiron Club of Dallas Chapter’s 2018 Legends Award in March. Fry was a quarterback and assistant coach at Baylor before head coaching stints at Southern Methodist University, the University of North Texas and the University of Iowa. The Legends Award honors a former athletics director or coach who has made significant contributions to the game of football.
Mary Dodson Wade, BA ’51, of Houston has authored Amazing Texas Girls: True Stories from Lone Star History (TwoDot 2018: 256 pages). The book tells stories of notable girls who helped shape Texas history. Wade spent 25 years as an elementary school librarian and has published more than 50 books. She is a member of the Texas State Historical Association and Western Writers of America, among other organizations.
Chan, BA ’57, and JuDeane Loftin Garrett, ’58, moved to 1166 Eggleston Dr., Deland, FL 23724. Contact at cjgarrett5337@gmail.com.
Ken, ’58, and Dixie Draper Armstrong, BA ’58, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They dated during their years at Baylor, and “the Green and Gold have shined brightly throughout our marriage,” Dixie writes. Contact at 205 Fox Hollow Dr., Georgetown, TX 78628 or kdarmstrong@suddenlink.net.
1960s
Clifton Robinson, BBA ’63, a member of the Baylor Board of Regents, and his wife Betsy Robinson, BA ’71, who have supported various sculptures at Baylor and in Waco, donated $150,000 for the Riverside Zoo Sculpture Project in honor of Cameron Park Zoo’s 25th anniversary in Waco.
The late Bobby Crenshaw, BS ’65, was inducted into Pasadena [TX] ISD’s Athletics Hall of Fame in April. Crenshaw, who passed away in 2002, was a co-captain and all-Southwest Conference defensive tackle for Baylor’s football team in the 1960s. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys. His former teammates Lawrence Elkins, BS ’66, and Don Trull, BA ’64, represented Crenshaw at the induction ceremony.
Tom McBride, BA ’66, of Janesville, WI, writes, “After 42 years of college teaching, I have fled the blackboard for the word processor. My post-career years have been livened by my pursuit of fiction, including a recently published mystery novel called That Bad Old Baylor Corpse, which blends intrigue, Baylor history and a tribute to the wonderful education I got in the 1960s. It’s dedicated to three great classmates from those years and to Professor Elizabeth Smith, to whom I owe more than I could ever repay.” Contact at mcbridet@beloit.edu.
Charles Allen, BS ’68, MS ’69, of Hot Springs Village, AR, authored The Expansion of Christianity (CreateSpace 2018: 340 pages). Intended for the layperson, the book is a concentrated look at the history of Christianity.
Patricia, BS ’69, and Dr. Alton Hassell, BA ’69, of Waco are the new owners of Dapper Bear Clothiers. Patricia is the designer of many new products. Both continue to teach at Baylor. Alton has taught chemistry for 35 years, and Patricia has taught apparel design for 17 years. Contact at Patricia_Hassell@baylor.edu.
1070s
Dr. Jewel Lockridge, BS ’70, is one of the leading educators at Live Oak Classical School in Waco. She received her master’s degree and doctorate from Texas A&M University. Lockridge was one of the first African-American students to graduate from Baylor. During a Black History Month feature by KWKT-TV Waco, Lockridge described her determination to maintain her seat at the front of a Waco city bus in the 1960s.
Sandra McClure Mahood, BA ’70, is retiring after 22 years as executive director of the Warehouse Living Arts Theatre, a local community theater in Corsicana, TX. The WLAC blossomed under her leadership and now boasts a full season of theater annually with a large performance at the end of each year.
Gordon Utgard, BA ’70, is semi-retired after 33 years in healthcare management. His wife Linda Stohner Utgard, BA ’70, is retired after 30 years as a teacher. Their son Mark, BSE ’00, and two grandsons reside in Perth, Australia. Their daughter Emily and three granddaughters live in Houston. The Utgards career and travel highlights include six years in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, and several visits to Australia and back to Baylor. Contact at 7919 Dancing Fern Trail, Chattanooga, TN 37421 or utassoc@comcast.net.
Following retirement, Rebecca Beam, BA ’71, and husband Frank settled in Sun City, TX. They spend their summers on Prince Edward Island in Canada.
Lewis R. Sifford, BA ’71, JD ’72, of Dallas was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Board of Trial Advocates in San Francisco. Sifford, the organization’s former national president, is the founding officer of Sifford, Anderson & Co. in Dallas. He was admitted into the invitation-only association in 1990 and also served as president of the Dallas chapter and all Texas chapters. He is the ninth recipient of this award in the organization’s 60-year history.
Martha McMullan Singleton, BA ’71, of San Antonio authored Multiple Choice: Finding the Best Answer to your Child’s Education (Leafwood Publishing) to provide parents with a simple, practical guide to choosing between public, private or home school. During four decades teaching journalism, Singleton was named one of the “Top Ten Teachers in Texas” by the University of Texas at Austin and one of America’s Distinguished Journalism Advisers by The Dow Jones Newspaper Fund and The Wall Street Journal. She also received the University Interscholastic League’s Edith Fox King Award for her “significant contributions to Texas scholastic journalism.” A past president of Texas Association of Journalism Educators, Singleton has also served on the State of Texas’ textbook selection committee. She has co-authored four books with her husband Greg Singleton on family and parenting topics. Contact at marthasingleton210@gmail.com.
Kenneth Bozeman, BM ’73, received a Master of Music from the University of Arizona and a Rotary Fellowship to the Munich Conservatory of Music. He has taught voice for 41 years at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, WI, chairing the voice department and teaching voice science and pedagogy for 24 years. He will retire in June 2019 but plans to remain active in voice science and pedagogy. He has authored several articles and two books: Practical Vocal Acoustics: Pedagogic Applications for Teachers and Singers, and Kinesthetic Voice Pedagogy: Motivating Acoustic Efficiency. Contact at kenneth.w.bozeman@lawrence.edu.
Dr. John Kernan, MSEd ’74, was named teacher of the month at Brightmont Academy in Issaquah, WA. One individual is chosen between all 14 Brightmont locations. Kernan joined Brightmont Academy-Samammish two years ago. He has coached track and field for more than 43 years, including U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes. He started the Brightmont Running Club and also coaches at Star Center in Tacoma with Wounded Warriors.
Paul Parsons, BA ’74, who stepped down after 17 years as founding dean of Elon University’s School of Communications, will have the school’s newsroom named in his honor. Parsons worked for a decade as a journalist, including as a United Press International reporter and Associated Press editor. He earned a doctorate at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and spent 16 years on faculty at Kansas State University, where he received the Outstanding Teaching Award in the College of Arts and Sciences. He was a Fulbright Professor at the China School of Journalism in Beijing from 1992 to 1993.
David C. Kent, BA ’75, JD ’78, received a Presidential Citation from the Dallas Bar Association for his meritorious service.
Hon. Max Sandlin, BA ’75, JD ’78, was inducted into the Rabbit Alumni Hall of Fame by the Atlanta Education Foundation and Atlanta [TX] High School Alumni Association.
Bruce A. Cammack, BA ’76, MBA ’78, senior vice president and director of the RBC Wealth Management Longview, TX, branch, marks his 20th anniversary with the firm. He opened the branch in 1998. Cammack has volunteered with the Gregg County Historical Museum, the Longview Symphony League, Longview Rotary and Junior Achievement. He also served on the boards of Longview ISD and the Summit, Pinecrest Country Club and Cherokee clubs.
Elizabeth Darling, BSEd ’78, president and chief executive of the OneStar Foundation in Austin, was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed as commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Darling returned to Washington, DC, where she was chief operating officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service from 2005 to 2009, overseeing all CNCS national programs, including AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America. Darling was founding director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the HHS in 2001.
Jessica Spence Wall McCune, BSN ’78, of Ocala, FL, uses art and storytelling in her bereavement work with Hospice of Marion County, FL. She has also given a TEDx Talk in Ocala. Learn more at jessicastoryteller.com or contact at bigtexinfl@cox.net.
Rev. Steven D. Reece, BS ’78, of Atlanta, GA, will be a panelist at the 38th International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Inc. annual conference Aug. 5-10 in Warsaw, Poland. He will present on his work in preserving Jewish cemeteries in Poland. Reece became a photojournalist and worked at newspapers in Texas, including the Waco Tribune-Herald. He served as a Baptist minister in Poland for 12 years and began working with the Jewish community to care for and restore Jewish cemeteries. In 2010, he established The Matzevah Foundation (matzevah.org).
Rick Richardson, BBA ’78, JD ’81, was named chief financial officer for Tarleton State University and senior vice president for the Division of Finance and Administration. He joined the university in 2009 as vice president of institutional advancement and has been instrumental in helping develop Tarleton’s then-newly planned Fort Worth campus.
1980s
Anelia Banda, BA ’80, is executive director of the Hispanic Wellness Coalition in Fort Worth. She supports HWC’s mission of promoting health and wellness to North Texas’ diverse communities.
Jerry McPherson, BBA ’80, of Nashville, TN, is on the A-list of studio session musicians. He has worked with a who’s who of country, pop, rock and Christian artists. McPherson toured as a guitarist with Amy Grant for 19 years, followed by stints with Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw through 2012. He recently completed the final 20 tour dates of McGraw and Hill’s 80-city Soul2Soul arena tour.
Don “Donnie” Buckalew Jr., BBA ’81, general manager of Buckalew Chevrolet in Conroe, TX, was inducted into the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce Wall of Honor for his selfless service and longtime dedication to the Chamber and community.
Deborah Muro, BSN ’81, was appointed chief information officer at El Camino Hospital in the San Francisco Bay Area. She leads the IT team and provides strategic leadership, vision and oversight for all aspects of information systems and technology. She joined the hospital as associate CIO in 2014.
Martin L. O’Gwynn, BA ’81, vice president for community and corporate engagement at Oklahoma City University, was named North Greenville University’s vice president for advancement. He has more than 30 years of experience in the field, including more than 20 years at Oklahoma Baptist University.
Jacquelyn Culpepper, MM ’82, of Cornelius, NC, performed Feb. 22 at Lee University as part of its Performing Arts Series. She has more than 85 credits in opera and oratorio and has performed solo concert tours throughout the world with American Voices, a nonprofit organization.
Norlynn Blocker Price, BA ’82, JD ’84, relocated to Albuquerque, NM, to serve as executive director of the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program. Price previously was a litigation partner with Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP in Dallas, having been with the firm for 28 years.
Ron Bunch, JD ’83, was appointed by the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for a six-year term.
Jeff Dorrill, BBA ’83, JD ’85, of Dallas won the national championship in his age category (55-59) at the USA Triathlon Ultra-Distance National Championships (an Ironman distance race) in Oklahoma City in late 2017. Earlier in 2017, he won his age category in the Draft Legal Sprint Duathlon in the U.S. National Duathlon Championships in Bend, OR. That qualified him to compete for Team USA in the 2018 World Duathlon Championships in Denmark in July. Contact at jeff.dorrill@haynesboone.com.
Merri Middleton Roy, BSN ’84, was named a certified professional in health information and management systems by the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society in Chicago. Roy coordinates clinical informatics efforts at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, AR.
Steve Young, BBA ’84, MBA ’85, was promoted to chief lending officer at West Texas National Bank in Midland, TX. Young previously served in a variety of executive and board-level management roles in Houston and London. His most recent role with West Texas National Bank was as senior vice president of business development.
Van Graham, JD ’85, of Tyler, TX, was appointed dean of the School of Business at LeTourneau University.
Dr. Bonnie K. Ray, BS ’85, was recognized by the American Statistical Association for her work in the field of statistics. She is vice president of data science at Talkspace, a New York City startup that provides an affordable, accessible and secure platform for messaging-based psychotherapy. Previously, she led the data science team at Arena, a Baltimore-based startup focused on analytics-driven hiring assessments. From 2001 to 2015, she held positions of increasing responsibility at IBM Research. Ray holds a PhD from Columbia University.
Steve Law, MBA ’86, is business manager for St. Andrew’s School in Richmond, VA. He also has degrees from Houston Baptist University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Ivan Parke, BA ’87, a professor in the Mississippi College Department of Christian Studies and Philosophy, has completed 20 years of teaching. The Student Government Association selected him as the Outstanding Faculty
of the Year. Contact at
parke@mc.edu.
The Board of Directors of Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) appointed Professor Henry Kwasi Prempeh, MBA ’87, as executive director of the center. A legal scholar and governance expert, Prempeh is a civil society activist, an academic, a lawyer, a corporate manager, a consultant and a policy adviser. He is a member of the Ghana Law Reform Commission.
Len A. Wade, JD ’87, is bringing his background as a successful trial lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and judge to his new position as partner with Jackson Walker’s Fort Worth office. Wade trained at Dallas’ Attorney-Mediators Institute. Prior to serving as a judge for the 141st District Court for the State of Texas from 2003 to 2009, Wade has 15 years of experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts. Wade has also served as an adjunct professor at the Pepperdine University School of Law.
Elizabeth Eschler Benno, BA ’88, MSEd ’97, digital literacy coach in Lovejoy [TX] ISD, was honored as 2018 Instruction Technology Specialist of the Year as part of the Texas Computer Education Association’s Educator Awards in February. She has worked with Lovejoy ISD for nine years.
Lori Givens Little, JD ’88, of Dallas was named president and chief executive officer of National Affordable Housing Trust.
Kellar Nevill, BSEd ’88, joined the national tax department of Ernst & Young LLP as a principal focused in the tax and finance operations practice. Prior to joining EY, Nevill was with IBM where he was a general manager/managing director offering technology and business consulting. He is based in Dallas.
John Humphrey, MTax ’89, was promoted to president and CEO of July Business Services, headquartered in Waco. Humphrey is responsible for setting the firm’s vision and providing top-level leadership of the organization. He co-founded July in 1994.
Eric Wilson, MSEd ’89, principal of Bryson [TX] ISD, was selected as Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Region 9 Outstanding Principal of the Year. Wilson, a sixth-year principal, earned his bachelor’s degree at Texas State University.
KariAnne Presley Wood, BA ’89, of McKinney, TX, published her second book, The DIY (Decorate It Yourself) Planner (Harvest House 2018). The book contains advice on choosing paint colors, planning spaces, accessorizing bookcases and more. Connect at thistlewoodfarms.com or thistlewoodfarms@yahoo.com.
1990s
Charles Bruner, BSEd ’90, of Dallas serves in Richardson [TX] ISD as executive director of human resources. His favorite role is recruiting new teachers for RISD. Bruner has 27 years of experience in education and 22 years of all-level campus administration. Contact at charles.bruner@risd.org.
Leticia “Letty” Martinez, BM ’90, JD ’94, was appointed to the Child Fatality Review Team Committee by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The committee identifies procedures and raises awareness to reduce the number of preventable child deaths. Martinez is an attorney in private practice and a board certified criminal law specialist with extensive experience handling allegations of sexual abuse. She previously served as a state and federal prosecutor.
Rebecca Potter, BA ’90, a publications advisor at Texas High School in Texarkana, TX, received the Texas Trailblazer Award from the Texas Association of Journalism Educators. Potter has been in the education field for 24 years and with Texarkana ISD for 20 years. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Missouri.
Dr. Kristy M. Waltman, BA ’90, of Shreveport, LA, was elected chief of staff of the Willis-
Knighton Health System medical staff. She is the first female to hold the position. Waltman was the system’s vice chief of staff for the past two years. She is an obstetrician/gynecologist who has been in practice in Shreveport since 1998. Waltman earned her medical degree from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport.
Russell R. Barton, JD ’91, of Harris, Finley & Bogle PC in Fort Worth was named a 2017 Texas Super Lawyer in appellate law.
John Gresham, PhD ’91, received a certificate in spiritual direction from the Alleluia School of Spiritual Direction in Augusta, GA. He is director of the Paul VI Catechetical and Pastoral Institute and Professor of Systematic Theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis. Gresham and his wife Mary Jane are resident caretakers of Vision of Peace Hermitages, a retreat center near St. Louis. Contact at vophermitages.org.
Elizabeth Ingram Carlyle, BBA ’92, JD ’95, was named vice president and general counsel of Vision Source, the largest alliance independent optometrist in the North America. In 2017, Vision Source was named the No. 1 optical retailer in the U.S.
Dr. Karen Powell Harrison, BA ’92, was recognized for the Copperas Cove Education Foundation’s inaugural Hall of Honor. She has practiced in Copperas Cove, TX, in internal medicine since 2007 and helped found the Cove House Free Clinic. Both she and her husband Dr. Raymond Harrison have worked in the Baylor Scott & White Clinic in Copperas Cove since its opening in 2014.
JoAl Cannon Sheridan, JD ’92, of Sheridan Barrett Coble and Andrae in Austin is the 2017-2018 president of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. She also was named a Top 50 Lawyer in Central and West Texas by Super Lawyer.
Max Cleaver, MS ’93, was named as Hays CISD’s new chief operational officer in Kyle, TX. He previously worked as the chief operating officer at Fort Bend [TX] ISD and executive director of facilities and operations at Killeen [TX] ISD and Temple [TX] ISD. Most recently, Cleaver was the senior construction team leader at Stantec.
Mitzi Williams Lancaster, BSEd ’93, MSEd ’94, was honored with the Distinguished Former Burnet [TX] High School Athlete Award during the Burnet Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet. Lancaster earned Academic All-Southwest Conference honors as a guard for Baylor’s women’s basketball team, and she is seventh in program history in 3-point shooting percentage.
Valerie Warren Moreland, BBA ’93, of Wills Point, TX, authored Lolli & Pop’s New Piglets. For children of all ages, the story shares lessons learned on the farm through the adventures of Miss Piggy and Mr. Banks.
After 12 years working with churches and donors at Overseas Missionary Fellowship, James Rider, BA ’93, became development officer at Denver Seminary in Colorado. He also received his certified fund raising executive (CFRE) designation. Contact at 7141 Townsend Dr., Highlands Ranch, CO 80130 or jamesellisrider@gmail.com.
Mark W. Smith, BBA ’92, MBA ’93, was appointed chief financial officer of Helmerich & Payne Inc. He served in various leadership roles at Atwood Oceanics Inc., an offshore drilling contractor, since 2009. Before that, Smith was a partner at Calvetti Ferguson, a senior manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and worked for other legal and financial interests.
Becky Clem Wade, BBA ’93, of Dallas recently won the Carol Award and the Christy Award for faith-based fiction. Her seventh contemporary Christian romance, Falling for You, was released in May. Contact at becky@beckywade.com.
Taekuk Cho, BA ’94, is a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Cho is also division chief in Washington, DC, where he is third in charge of all HSI domestic law enforcement operations. Here he is pictured with Sen. Ted Cruz. Contact at baylorcho@gmail.com.
Mark Lenhard, BA ’94, was named president and CEO of non-profit senior living and healthcare provider Wesleyan Homes in Georgetown, TX. He leads an organization that employs 450 and serves more than 2,100 people annually. He has served on the LeadingAge Texas board for 15 years.
Anna Ewing, BBA ’95, is chief operations officer for IMA Financial Group Inc in Denver. She had been with the Colorado Office of Economic Development.
Donald H. Hutson, MHA ’95, was named CEO of Harrisburg Medical Center in Illinois. He most recently served as CEO for the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Grenada and UMMC Holmes County. Hutson served a variety of healthcare leadership positions during a 21-year military career and retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel in 2006.
Betsy Parkinson Manning, BS ’95, served as creative director over all accessories, intimate apparel, sleepwear and home for Dillard’s. She now owns and operates Unvieled, a bridal and formalwear boutique in Little Rock, AR. Contact at unveiledlittlerock.com.
Patrick Wilson, BA ’95, was named senior pastor at Salem Avenue Baptist Church in Rolla, MO. Previously, he served at Westoak Woods Baptist Church in Austin.
Michael, BM ’96, and Sharon Bohn Cunningham, BA ’95, and their son Wei recently moved to the Augusta, GA, area. Mike is discipleship pastor at First Baptist Church of North Augusta, and Sharon is a business analyst at Cigna Healthspring. In 2017, Mike finished his Doctor of Ministry and Sharon completed her master’s degree in human services from Liberty University. Contact at michael.cunningham@mail.com.
Jennifer Fox, MBA ’96, was named group CEO and board member for Millenium & Copthorne Hotels PLC. Fox has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry in Australia, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Canada and the Middle East. She held senior executive roles in operations, branding and marketing across mid-scale, upscale and luxury segments of the industry. Most recently, she served as president of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.
Dr. Kenyatta R. Gilbert, BA ’96, of Silver Spring, MD, authored A Pursued Justice: Black Preaching from Great Migration to Civil Rights (Baylor Press, 2016) and Exodus Preaching: Crafting Sermons about Justice and Hope (Abington Press, 2018). Gilbert is associate professor of homiletics at Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, DC, and founding director of The Preaching Project. He is the son of Rev. Robert Gilbert, BA ’67, Baylor’s first African-American graduate. Gilbert was interviewed by Baylor’s Institute of Oral History this year. Contact at kenyattagilbert.com or contact@thepreachingproject.org.
Laura Hilton Hallmon, BA ’96, JD ’99, an attorney with Cantey Hanger, was selected for Fort Worth Magazine’s 2017 list of the top attorneys in Fort Worth.
Hon. Hemant H. “Shashi” Kewalramani, JD ’96, was appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Central District of California. He took the bench in August 2017.
Odessa [TX] College President Gregory Williams, EdD ’96, was named Citizen of the Year by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce. Williams has served as chamber president since 2007. He earned three psychology degrees from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. This was followed by two master’s degrees in education mid-management and psychology.
Andrew “Andy” Black, BA ’97, MDiv ’03, MA ’06, was named to the board of directors for Breedlove Foods Inc., a nonprofit based in Lubbock, TX. Black is the director of the Lubbock regional office of the Texas Hunger Initiative, a program sponsored by Baylor that seeks to alleviate food insecurity.
Jeff Domen, BA ’97, JD ’00, of Goranson Bain PLLC in Plano, TX, was elected president of the Collin County Bar Association. As president, Domen organizes a legal internship with a local high school.
Rev. Kyle Reese, DMin ’97, was named to the board of directors for Baptist Health in Florida. He also serves on the Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville board. Reese is senior pastor of Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church. He was chair of the board of OneJax and is on the Leadership Jacksonville Board.
Lin Wayner, BA ’97, MA ’99, joined the Vance Center for International Justice as associate executive director. She oversees Latin American programming on civil and economic rights, as well as global diversity initiatives to support the advancement of women in the legal profession. Wayner also teaches international arbitration and corporate law at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She lives in New York City with her husband and three sons.
Andy Wang, BA ’99, was promoted to senior vice president of the sales division of Passco Cos., which has $2.5 billion in assets under management and is involved with more than 50 properties in 17 states.
2000s
Chris Coultas, BA ’00, was recognized as the top salesman at his company, Cvent. He received the sales “Gamechanger” award at his company’s headquarters in Washington, DC. Coultas and his family live in North Canton, OH.
Timothy M. Hall, MDiv ’00, started work toward a Doctor of Ministry from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. Contact at 120 Chapman Ave. PO Box 157 Butterfield, MN 56120 or professortimster@gmail.com.
Dr. Renita Davis Miller, BBA ’00, dean of Berkeley College at Yale University and a former director of studies at Princeton University, was named associate dean for access, diversity and inclusion at Princeton Graduate School. She holds advanced political science degrees from Rice University.
Carlos Riojas, BBA ’00, runs the Walmart Technology office in Plano, TX, and leads the team that builds digital and analytical solutions to enable operations to run more smoothly. The Plano office is the second one that helps associates at the world’s largest retailer operate its 5,000 stores more efficiently.
Rob Winningham, PhD ’00, was named director of Masterpiece Academy of Masterpiece Living. He has 25 years of experience researching human memory. He is the interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and chairman of the behavioral sciences division at Western Oregon University, where he also is a professor in both the psychological sciences and gerontology departments.
Lisa Denison, MBA ’01, was named vice president of marketing for Paradigm Spine LLC, a company providing motion preservation solutions for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. She has worked in orthopedic and spine marketing and medical education for more than 20 years.
Dr. Paula K. Underwood, MHA ’01, retired in 2014 from the U.S. Army after 30 years of service and attaining the rank of colonel. Her last assignment was command surgeon at the Army Material Command in Huntsville, AL. Underwood and her husband Dr. Juan G. Jaramillo moved to her home state of Colorado. She is a physician practicing occupational medicine at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, built to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.
Josh Van Eaton, JD ’01, attorney for nine years with the U.S. Department of Justice, earned a Federal Employee of the Year award from the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals. Van Eaton was the lead attorney on a team that litigated and negotiated a $4.3 billion settlement with Volkswagen.
Brian K. Carroll, JD ’02, of Sanderford & Carroll PC in Temple, TX, was selected to the 2017 Texas Super Lawyers list for construction litigation. He also was in the first class of board certified construction law attorneys in Texas in 2017.
Lauren Sracic Ciminello, BBA ’02, was elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation. Each year, one-third of
1 percent of State Bar members are invited to become Fellows. Ciminello is an attorney with Jackson Walker LLP in San Antonio.
Jeff Coker, BSEd ’02, is in his 12th year coaching and teaching at Crawford [TX] High School. He led the 2017 Crawford Lady Pirates to the UIL Class 2A state championship in volleyball, and the program won its 11th straight district title. Coker was named coach of the year by the Texas Girls Coaches Association, the Texas Association of Volleyball Coaches, and the Texas Sports Writers Association. He also was named co-coach of the year on the Waco Tribune-Herald Super Centex Team. Additionally at Crawford High School, Coker is a girls basketball assistant coach, the tennis head coach and an algebra teacher. Contact at 405 Our Rd, Waco, TX 76712 or jcoker@crawford-isd.net.
Kathryn Knotts, JD ’02, of the Carlson Law Firm in Bryan, TX, was named American Business Woman of the Year by the American Business Women’s Association, a national program that honors 10 outstanding members for achieving excellence in career, education and community involvement. Knotts manages the firm’s Bryan-College Station office, representing personal injury victims.
Stephen Mason, JD ’03, joined Munck Wilson Mandela LLP in Austin as senior counsel in the intellectual property group.
U.S. Army Maj. Claudia P. Guzman Millan, BA ’02, is officer in charge at Rhodes Dental Clinic at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. She served in Afghanistan and was mentor of the periodontics program at Fort Campbell in Tennessee. Millan holds a master’s degree in oral biology from the Medical College of Georgia, and she graduated from the University of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston. Contact at claudia.p.millan.mil@mail.mil.
Dustin Paschal, BBA ’02, JD ’05, of Simon Paschal PLLC in Frisco, TX, was honored for his firm being named as the 2017 Best of Business Award for Giving Back to the Community by Frisco Style Magazine.
Rick V. Anderson, BBA ’03, JD ’07, shareholder at RMWBH PC in Houston, was elected as the chair for the Houston Bar Association’s CLE Committee and as the board president for the ACA of Texas. He was re-elected to serve a second term as the board president for the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas and will serve as chair for the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas’ annual gala. He also was selected for the seventh consecutive year as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. Contact at randerson@rmwbhlaw.com.
Kyle Cooksey, BBA ’03, was named president of healthcare services provider CareThrough, a subsidiary of HealthChannels. He will oversee the implementation of tailored care management programs nationally. He lives in Franklin, TN, with his wife and three children. Cooksey has also served on several non-profit boards of directors, focused on education initiatives for the lower-income population and relief aid for marginalized citizens in Ghana, particularly the homeless and victims of human trafficking.
Kristy J. Orr, JD ’03, is the new board professional for Baylor. Orr provides advice, guidance and support to President Linda A. Livingstone, PhD, and the board to facilitate communication in a manner that enhances effective board operations, governance, and relationships among the regents, senior administration, and other constituencies of the University.
Steve Palomino, MBA ’03, was appointed as performance improvement director for IntrapriseTechKnowlogies’ (ITK) new Dallas-area office. He creates the IT strategy for enterprise and mid-market organizations. Palomino was an advisory service manager for Ernst & Young as well as PwC. He also has experience with Hitachi Consulting and AT&T.
Nate Pike, BBA ’03, was elected mayor of Anna, TX, in November 2017 during a special election. Pike filled an unexpired term ending in May 2018, but he was unopposed and will serve a full three-year term for the rapidly growing city located in Collin County.
Rachel Sciretti, MDiv ’03, was honored Feb. 26 for her outstanding leadership during ChurchWorks, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s annual conference for Christian educators in San Antonio. The associate pastor for children and youth discipleship at Hampton [VA] Baptist Church, Sciretti was honored with the 2018 Jack Naish Distinguished Educator Award.
Kenny Wolfe, BBA ’03, of Plano, TX, authored Investing in the Dream. It covers the growing need for passive income in our society. Wolfe owns Wolfe Investments, a private equity real estate firm. He has been involved in over $100 million in real estate transactions in five states. Contact at info@wolfe-re.com or wolfe-investments.com.
Patrick Claggett, BBA ’04, joined national specialty wholesale insurance broker Towerstone as a production underwriter. He will aggregate and package specialized coverages for business clients. Claggett has more than 10 years of experience in the Dallas insurance industry.
Hannah Elliott, BA ’04, a staff writer and car critic for Bloomberg Businessweek, is one of 60 independent jurors for the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year awards. Elliott writes about the world’s top automotive and motorcycle brands, providing readers with a behind-the-scenes viewpoint to automotive luxury, lifestyle and performance.
Ben Lamm, BBA ’04, a Dallas serial entrepreneur, started Hypergiant, a company that designs artificial intelligence tools to help Fortune 500 better decipher big data and boost efficiency. Hypergiant has 24 employees and about a dozen Fortune 500 clients, including Dallas-based restaurant chain TGI Fridays and Houston-based oilfield services company Schlumberger.
Truett Seminary student Susan Mansfield Plumhoff, BS ’04, married Lawrence Peek, ’89, in May 2017 in Baltimore, South Africa. Also pictured is future Bear Benjamin Peek. They reside in Homer, AK. Susan is the daughter of Sharon Daly Mansfield, BA ’53, and James T. Mansfield, BBA ’52. Her sisters are Donna Mansfield Francis, BSEd ’77, and Nancy Mansfield Jimenez, BA ’79. Grandparents were Jess Mansfield, BA ’25, Mabel Witt Mansfield, BA ’25, and Louise Daly, BA ’27.
William C. Cheng, BS ’05, joined the new Dickinson Wright office in Silicon Valley, CA, as associate attorney of intellectual property. He joins the general practice business law firm with experience in startup companies, Fortune 500 companies and universities.
Dr. Jill Hicks-Keeton, BA ’05, is now assistant professor of religious studies at the University of Oklahoma, having completed doctoral work in New Testament at Duke University. Her first book, Arguing with Aseneth (Oxford University Press), is due out this year. Her most recent research, which looks at the newly opened Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, has appeared in online journals Religion & Politics and Ancient Jew Review. Hicks-Keeton was honored with the Society of Biblical Literature Regional Scholar Award (Southwestern Region) last year. She is the program chair for the New Testament Program Unit of the Southwest Commission on Religious Studies. Hicks-Keeton will serve next year both as an OU Humanities Forum Fellow and a Risser Innovative Teaching Fellow.
Evan Rosell, BA ’05, was named vice president of projects for Project Wichita [KS], part of the Greater Wichita Partnership. Rosell previously served as chief of staff for Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley. He also served as pastor at Redeemer Fellowship church in Kansas City, MO.
Chick-fil-A franchisee Philip Smith, BBA ’06, is opening a location in Hudson Oaks, TX, as part of a Dallas-Fort Worth-area expansion. Smith also operates a Chick-fil-A in Weatherford, TX.
Karin Taylor, BSFCS ’06, of Aledo, TX, is shareholder and director of interior design for Texas-based architectural firm Quorum Architects Inc. She leads on retail designs, office projects, and various national, regional and local projects. A licensed interior designer, Taylor holds professional status with the International Interior Designers Association (IIDA) and is a council member for the IIDA Texas Oklahoma Chapters’ Fort Worth City Center for the 2017-2018 term.
Paul Uttley, EdD ’06, is the superintendent of Paradise [TX] ISD. He was previously superintendent for Vega, a 2A district near Amarillo. He has also taught and been an administrator at Everman [TX] ISD, Burleson [TX] ISD and Stratford [TX] ISD.
Abiola Wabara, BA ’06, of Houston focuses her artwork (artbyabiola.com) on the diverse aspects of black culture. S was a member of the 2005 Baylor women’s basketball national championship team. She played professionally in Israel for three seasons before living in Spain, Italy and England, where she pursued a master’s degree in international business management.
Allison Dickson, JD ’07, was honored as the Distinguished Baylor Woman during the Baylor Women’s Scholarship Brunch in February at Wildflower Country Club in Temple, TX. Each year, the brunch raises money for the Central Texas Endowed Scholarship, which assists students from the area entering Baylor. Dickson’s mother Johnnie was honored with the Baylor Woman at Heart Award. Allison graduated at the top of her Baylor Law class and was named 2017 Baylor Young Lawyer of the Year.
Jeff Richards, BBA ’07, founded Mooala (mooala.com), which crafts organic, plant-based beverages with an emphasis on fun, family oriented branding, in 2016. The company is also led by Sean Sundby, BBA ’07, vice president of operations and Jordan Campbell, BBA ’08, vice president of marketing. Mooala, now in more than 1,500 retailers nationally, offers Original Almondmilk, Vanilla Bean Almondmilk, Original Bananamilk and Chocolate Bananamilk. The company’s mission is to make outstanding dairy-free beverages and benefit the greater good.
Magdalena Gonzalez-Galvan, BBA ’08, is the liaison to BP’s ethics monitor and government agreements analyst, fostering a positive working relationship between BP and its government-appointed ethics monitor, who oversees BP’s ethics and compliance progress following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident. Read about her in the Spring 2018 Baylor Business Review.
Walker Hanson, BA ’08, and Robin Stark, BA ’08, were married March 10 at The Parador in Houston, where they reside. They were surrounded by friends, family and many Baylor Bears. The two met during their senior year at Baylor. Walker is a descendant of former Baylor President Samuel Palmer Brooks.
Katie Bohannon Phillips, BSEd ’08, was named Teacher of the Year for Beverly Elementary in Plano [TX] ISD.
Samuel Chen, BA ’09, MA ’11, was named to City & State PA’s “40 under 40” list as one of Pennsylvania’s top political minds under the age of 40. Chen is principal director of The Liddell Group, a strategy firm he founded in 2015.
Tony Stang, MDiv ’09, was named senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Winchester, KY. He most recently served as the life group and guest service pastor at Center Grove Baptist Church in Clemmons, NC.
2010s
Dr. John Anderson, PhD ’10, was promoted to associate professor of religious studies at Presentation College in Aberdeen, SD.
Sean Hicks, JD ’10, of the Dallas office of Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, was promoted to partner. Hicks is a member of the litigation, and products liability and mass torts sections.
Terah Moxley, JD ’10, of Dallas litigation boutique Estes Thorne & Carr was honored on the 2018 list of Texas Rising Stars for her employment litigation defense work. She graduated first in her class from Baylor Law School.
Raymond L. Panneton, BA ’10, of Houston was elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation. Each year, one-third of 1 percent of State Bar members are invited to become Fellows. Panneton is an attorney with Hendershot, Cannon, Martin & Hisey PC.
Maryssa Simpson, BA ’10, is a partner in the Potts Law Firm, LLP’s Dallas office. She has represented clients in catastrophic personal injury matters and commercial disputes in state and federal courts. Contact at msimpson@potts-law.com.
Meghan Samonte, BA ’11, will take over her family’s business—the Ballet Academy of Cebu (BAC), Philippines. Samonte is a third-generation ballerina and has danced classical ballet since age 4.
Lindsay Smith, BA ’11, and Anthony Privette were married Dec. 31, 2017, at the North River Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa, AL, where they reside. The couple met while Anthony was on sabbatical from his mission work abroad. Anthony is an engineer for Michelin, and Lindsay is finishing her PhD in American history.
Nicole Wesley, BS ’11, was selected as a 2018 Founders’ Fellow by the American Society for Public Administration. A former Baylor softball player, Wesley is an MPA student in Louisiana State University’s Public Administration Institute. The Founders’ Fellow program recognizes outstanding students and new professionals in the fields of public service and public administration.
Ben Aguiñaga, BA ’12, was chosen as a clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. for the 2018-19 Court. Aguiñaga, from Pearland, TX, worked for Sen. Ted Cruz’s Senate Judiciary Committee Staff after his graduation from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 2015. He also clerked for then-Justice Don R. Willett of the Supreme Court of Texas and for Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Ally Gutierrez, BA ’12, and Jimmy Smith, BA ’12, were married Jan. 6. The couple met during their freshman year at Baylor. They reside in Houston.
T.J. Jones, BBA ’12, JD ’15, is an associate at Crawford, Wishnew & Lang PLLC in Dallas.
Hunter Polvi, JD ’12, joined Sayles Webner in Dallas as a commercial litigation attorney.
Bethany Sellers, BFA ’12, recently landed the cover of a popular comic book series, Adventure Time, published by Boom Comics. Sellers is a graphic designer for an insurance company in Austin and a freelancer.
Amanda N. Crouch, JD ’13, of Jackson Walker’s San Antonio office, received the Belva Lockwood Outstanding Young Lawyer Award from the Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation. The award recognizes female attorneys who embody the characteristics of its namesake, Belva Lockwood, an attorney known for her activism for women’s rights.
Christopher Ramirez, BFA ’13, joined the Diane and Hal Brierley Resident Acting Company at the Dallas Theatre Center. He has performed in recent DTC productions of Hood: The Robin Hood Musical Adventure and Hair, and Public Works Dallas’ production of The Tempest.
Taylor Kilway, JD ’14, joined Winstead’s Houston office focusing on labor and employment matters.
Daniel Kleypas, BA ’14, of Norman, OK, graduated with a master’s degree in architecture from the University of Oklahoma. He works at Corgan, an architectural firm headquartered in Dallas.
Grace Riehl, BFA ’14, is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in performing arts management at Brooklyn College in New York. She is development resident at The Public Theater and recently completed a development internship at SITI Co. Riehl was also the programs intern at The American Theatre Wing and has worked as an assistant producer for the Obie Awards. Contact at grace_riehl@alumni.baylor.edu.
Stephanie Robberson, BA ’14, is an associate at Stinnett & Associates, a professional advisory firm in Oklahoma City. She recently completed her graduate studies in forensic science from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she gained experience with several systems for use in digital evidence.
John Ervin Brooks, BM ’15, was selected to participate in the 2018 New Voices Project, a musical theater development program hosted by New Musicals Inc. in Los Angeles, with support from Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment. The opportunity is offered to a select group of young musical theater playwrights, composers and lyricists under the age of 26, who receive workshops, readings and concerts of their work. After Baylor, Brooks attended the graduate musical theater writing program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Alex Le Roux, BS ’15, is one of the co-founders of ICON, a construction technologies startup which is using 3D printing to create entire houses from the ground up. The ICON team took on their first project from New Story, a San Francisco-based nonprofit which provides housing for impoverished communities worldwide and with which Architectural Digest has partnered to build 100 homes in Haiti.
Audrey Taylor, BA ’15, a third-year audiology graduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, started a national group to support students with hearing loss who are in audiology programs (or hope to be). Taylor and another student reached out to the national Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) for support in starting the Students with Hearing Loss Subcommittee.
Elise Grover, BA ’16, of Missouri City, TX, hit the road for a year in the Planters NUTmobile, promoting the snack food company as a brand ambassador while meeting new people and exploring new cities. She is pictured on the left.
Anna Jane Riehl, BA ’16, completed her first year as marketing assistant at Peloton Commercial Real Estate in Austin. She also does freelance graphic design. Contact at anna_riehl@alumni.baylor.edu.
Jessie Trespeses, BA ’16, of Columbus, NJ, was promoted to production manager at Zealot, an award-winning creative advertising agency based in New York City that specializes in trailers for film and television. She has worked on various campaigns, including Westworld; Lion; I, Tonya; and A Wrinkle in Time.
Kristen Hendrickson, BA ’17, and Robert Stucky, BSME ’17, and, were married June 4, 2017, in Red Wing, MN. They met at a tutoring session during their freshman year. They reside in Dallas.
James Muela, JD ’17, joined Bell Nunnally’s commercial litigation group. Previously he served as an intern for U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Jamie Oberg, JD ’17, joined Peckar & Abramson PC in the firm’s Dallas office as an associate. Oberg practices construction law.
Chris Persaud, MBA ’17, is director of business development at DIGISTOR, a secure data and storage solutions provider based in Campbell, CA. With a background in technology, sales and defense, Persaud focuses on VaultDisk, a removable storage solution. Persaud served six years as an officer in the U.S. Army, including a tour in Afghanistan. In 2016, he joined Dell Technologies as a federal account manager.
Caleb Riehl, BSME ’17, has worked as a mechanical engineer with Gerdau, an international steel company, since graduation. He travels to steel mills throughout the U.S. but spends most of his time in Jackson, TN. Contact at Caleb_Riehl@alumni.baylor.edu.
Heather Trotter, BA ’17, is the publicity manager at 117 Entertainment in Nashville, TN. Trotter assists in publicity and marketing campaigns for musicians, events and brands, as well as artist management and development.