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Transitions

• 1970s
• 1980s
• 1990s
• 2000s
• Deaths

1970s

Mark Hazard Osmun, BA English ’75, is the author of Marley’s Ghost, The Honolulu Marathon, and After the Bones. For more information on these novels, visit www.markosmun.com.

Katherine L. Haldeman, MEd Health Education ’76, an adjunct professor and director of the Wellness Center at American University, has been honored as the staff recipient of the 2006 Alice Paul Award.

William P. Henry, MBA ’76, past-president of the American Society of Civil Engineers and chair of the American Association of Engineering Societies, addressed the graduates of Mason’s Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering Department at their graduation luncheon on campus in mid-May.

Wayne A. Spencer, BA Biology ’76, was the 2005 salesman of the year at Advanced Medical Optics for the third time in five years and a bronze medal winner in 50+ Premier Basketball at the World Masters Games held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Patricia E. Ortman, MEd Secondary Education ’77, is a founder of the Girls Gotta Run Foundation (www.girlsgottarun.org), which was established to raise money to buy shoes for Ethiopian girls training to be runners.

Harlan A. “Lanny” Millette, MEd Counseling ’79, is a licensed pastor in the Lancaster Conference of the Mennonite Church for specific ministry as the executive director of Camp Hebron where he has served for more than 11 years.

Rick Vaughn, BS Physical Education ’79, has completed his 19th season in Major League Baseball and his 23rd in professional sports. Vaughn is currently vice president of communications for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, a position he has held since 1996.

1980s

Barbara Gladd, BIS ’80, competed in five track and field events at the Virginia State Olympics last May at the age of 83, winning five medals in her age bracket. She will compete in five national events at the 2007 Senior Games to be held in Louisville, Kentucky.

Charles V. Christian, BIS ’81, has written about his experiences as chief investigator at Georgetown University. The book, Cops on a College Campus, is available online at www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=37443.

Noel Montesa, BS Business Administration ’81, married his high school sweetheart in 1981 and they recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. The Montesa family proudly wore Mason gear as they traveled to New Zealand and Australia this year, where the locals they encountered were familiar with Mason’s Cinderella basketball story.

Nickie A. Athanason-Dymersky, JD ’82, is a technical advisor for the U.S. Department of Labor in the Employment Standards Administration, working on issues related to worker’s compensation programs.

Einar S. Olsen, MPA ’82, is an assistant regional director in management analysis for the National Park Service in Washington, D.C.

Greg Paspatis, BA History ’83, a former member of the 1977 T.C. Williams football team. The 1971 team was immortalized in the movie, Remember the Titans. Greg remembers the Titans and, in particular, Coach Herman Boone quite differently than they were portrayed in the movie. A lengthy article about Paspatis’s views was published in the January 6 Washington City Paper.

Don Mela, JD ’84, is proud to announce that the third generation of his family, grandson Joshua Dow, entered Mason as a freshman in 2005. Don’s son, Sam Mela, BS Mathematics, graduated in 1982.

Marie Jenkins Schwartz, BA History ’84 and MA ’87, a professor of history at the University of Rhode Island had her book, Birthing a Slave: Motherhood and Medicine in the Antebellum South, published by Harvard University Press earlier this year.

Lovey Hammel, BS Marketing ’88, was appointed to the Virginia Workforce Council, a business-led board that advises the governor on issues related to creating a strong workforce aligned with employer needs. Hammel is president and cofounder of Employment Enterprises Inc., and its sister companies, Checks and Balances Inc. and Temporary Solutions Inc. She is a former chair of the George Mason University Foundation Board of Trustees and a former Alumna of the Year.

George Bitar, BA Biology ’89, was named the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man of the Year for the National Capital Area Chapter. George, a cosmetic surgeon, is now in contention for the National Man of the Year for his record fund raising for the society. He lost his grandmother, a cousin, and a best friend to these blood cancers.

Allen Schirmer, MBA ’89, joined United Bank as a senior corporate and government contract lender.

1990s

Lynne Robin Lewis, BA Communication ’90, founded her own company, Lynne Lewis Cosmetics, after 15 years of working in the cosmetic industry. Ten percent of all proceeds from the sale of her products goes to breast cancer research. To view her line of cosmetics, visit www.lynnelewiscosmetics.com.

Adrian Lurssen, BA English ’90 and MFA Creative Writing ’93, started a journal, Practice: New Writing + Art (www.practicejournal.com). The first issue features Mason professor and poet Susan Tichy and Mason alumni Peter Steckfus, MFA Creative Writing ’00; Graham Foust, MFA Creative Writing ’96; Betsy Andrews, MFA Creative Writing ’97; and Jamy Bond, BA Philosophy ’91 and MFA Creative Writing ’95. Adrian lives in Inverness, California.

Robert Townsend, BA Communication ’91, is the executive producer and director of False Prophets, a film released on DVD in May.

Ann (Kelly) Welch, BS Biology ’91, and husband, Keven, welcomed son, Riley Francis, into their family on September 29, 2005.

Sean Connaughton, JD ’92, was nominated by President Bush to head the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Cameron Gray, BA Communication ’92 and MA Telecommunication ’99, has been named executive producer of Red Zebra Broadcasting’s three area radio stations, 94.3 FM, 92.7 FM, and 730 AM, all of which will broadcast Washington Redskins games this fall, as well as other programming.

Kathleen J. L. Holmes, JD ’92, is a partner at Williams Mullen, focusing her practice on commercial and intellectual property litigation.

Lester P. Schoene, MS Conflict Analysis and Resolution ’92, received the prestigious Four Avenues of Service Award from the Annandale Rotary Club. The award recognizes his 10 years of service in club, community, international, and vocational avenues.

Robert S. Thomas II, BA Government and Politics ’92, earned a JD from American University Washington College of Law and is now a partner with Thomas, Trattner & Malone LLC, as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Akron School of Law. He and his wife, Christine, have two children, Stewart (11) and Amelia (3).

Musa L. Eubanks, BA Government and Politics ’93, has joined the Atlanta office of Hall Booth Smith & Slover PC as a senior associate.

Edward Eng, MBA ’94, was promoted to captain/06 and named chief executive officer for the U.S. Coast Guard Exchange System and Morale, Well Being, and Recreation Program in June.

Michelle Katz, BS Public Administration ’94, has written a book, Healthcare for Less, published by Hatherleigh Press.

Wendi Kaufman, BA English ’94 and MFA Creative Writing ’97, and Ramola Dharmaraj, MFA Creative Writing ’91, are two of the writers featured in the anthology, Enhanced Gravity: More Fiction by Washington Area Women, published by Paycock Press.

Charles (Chip) Nottingham, JD ’94, was nominated to be chair of the Surface Transportation Board by President Bush. The nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in August. Prior to his appointment to the board, Chip was the associate administrator for policy and governmental affairs for the Federal Highway Administration.

Kristi Timberlake Elles, BA Art History ’95, and Christopher Elles, BFA Fine Art ’96, proudly announce the birth of their son, London, on October 28, 2005.

Juliana Kuo, MA Music ’95, was honored as an Outstanding Educator by the Virginia Governor’s School at a ceremony held at the University of Richmond last July.

Piers Marchant, MFA Creative Writing ’95, has written a book, How to Be Pope, which was published by Chronicle Books. Piers is a journalist and editor, whose previous publications include travel guides with Fodor’s and Not for Tourists.

Susan J. Smoot, BS Social Work ’95 and MEd Counseling ’03, is a licensed Virginia mental health therapist. She created and manages her own private practice agency in the Shenandoah Valley.

Julie Jamieson, BS Decision Sciences ’96 and MS Information Systems ’01, is a published composer. Her CD Drive can be found on www.amazon.com, itunes.com, and other music sites.

Elizabeth (Libby) Larsen, MA Sociology ’96, is an assistant professor of sociology at California University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches applied sociology and is working to obtain accreditation for a new undergraduate specialization in applied sociology.

Betsy Andrews, MFA Creative Writing ’97, is pictured in the May/June 2006 issue of Poets & Writers. She won the 2006 Brittingham Prize in Poetry for her collection, New Jersey.

James F. Davis, JD ’97, is now a partner at Greenspun, Davis & Leary in the firm’s Fairfax office. He and his wife, Jennifer (Adams) Davis, BS Social Work ’99, announce the birth of their daughter, Jessica, on February 27.

Amy Mehringer, MFA Creative Writing ’97, had her story “Apartment 1-A” published in the spring issue of the Bellevue Literary Review. Amy is the communications manager of the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. She married Hans Peter Schmitz of Oberrot, Germany, over the summer.

Christine (Underhill) Hudacko, MBA ’98, and husband, Ted Hudacko, MBA ’98, announce the birth of their second child, William Jackson, in June.

Dawn Lawson, MA Telecommunications ’98, has been appointed by Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine to serve a one-year term as chair of United Nations Day in Virginia.

Kenneth Michael O’Malley, BA Philosophy ’98, earned an MA in religious studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder in May.

Jim Hunniford, MA History ’99, and his wife, Melissa (Clough) Hunniford, BA History ’97 and MEd ’99, welcomed their son, William Gale, on January 3. William joins big sister Annalee Jane (2).

Christopher R. Nolen, JD ’99, is a partner at Williams Mullen in governmental affairs, focusing his practice on the representation of clients before the Virginia General Assembly.

2000s

Rebecca Clemens, MA English ’01, moved to LaPorte, Indiana, to teach English at La Lumiere High School, a private boarding school.

Nichole Devolites, BA Communication ’01, moved from Seattle to Houston with her fiancée and plans to pursue a career in marketing and management consulting.

Will Consovoy, JD ’01, has been selected to serve as law clerk to Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Christian G. Downs, JD ’02, and his wife, Laura, welcomed their second child, Mathewson, born on August 23, 2005. Mathewson joins big brother Thomas. Christian is the executive director of the Association of Community Cancer Centers, which is based in Rockville, Maryland.

Julie Moore, BA Communication ’03, has accepted a position as the communications specialist for the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. Julie will marry Jason Barden, BA International Studies ’96, on October 28 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Christopher W. Lattin, JD ’04, has joined the firm of Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP as an associate in their Wilmington, Delaware, office.

Kathryn Mikkelsen, BA English ’04, reports that another alumnus, Landall Procter, BA Religious Studies ’05, started a 100-day, 10,000-mile bike ride around the United States as a fund raiser for Meals on Wheels. To find out more, go to www.ridearoundamerica.com.

Mark Faloni, MEd Curriculum and Instruction ’05, is the Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year. The Bancroft Elementary School teacher was honored at a conference in Louisville, Kentucky, last March.

Raymond Pagliarini, MS Social and Organizational Learning ’05, was named director of the Office of Human Resources and deputy chief human capital officer by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Deaths

Jessica Marcelle Farthing, BA Psychology ’04, May 20, 2006

Tom Iszard, BM ’86, September 1, 2006

Edith Monk, MEd Elementary Education ’72, August 1, 2003

Tony Nardelli, BS Business Administration ’71, June 19, 2006

Jeannette C. Niska, BA Art ’78, March 18, 2006

Marcia Oresky, BIS ’87, February 21, 2006

John W. Taggert, BA Art (Studio) and Biology ’96, July 10, 2006