Class Notes
1947
1949
1953
1955
Dear classmates: It is that time of year again when I need news to pass on to our fellow classmates of ’55. We still have more than 180 living members and some of you must have just a little information about your family, a classmate or your pet you could pass on to share with the rest of us. I would appreciate your comments and look forward to hearing from you to make the next issue of the magazine one to remember. I attended the Southwest Florida Alumni meeting in Venice, Florida, and the only member of our class that attended, but several members from the class of ’57 were there, so I did not feel alone. Both Chan Sanborn and Bill Johnston had planned to attend, but at the last minute had to cancel their plans. Chan did mention to me if any of our class are planning to donate to the general fund at the university, would you please note the gift go to help restore our class support for the UNH Library. I had the pleasure to sit with Allison Rich, the new director of athletics. She informed me about how Wildcat student-athletes continue their success in the classroom. During the fall semester our Wildcat teams averaged a 3.37 GPA. We also achieved an NCAA graduation success rate of 95 percent — the fifth consecutive year of 95 or higher. Rich is a graduate of Princeton and also an attorney, which I had not known. But from our conversation she seems really interested in all our athletes and seeing them achieve every success. With the Dartmouth College basketball team just voting to join a union, I guess it is great to know we have an attorney in our athletic department. Kent Keith sent a note that he and Meredith enjoyed a very mild winter in western Colorado. Kent manages to work out three times a week and is looking to take on Bill Johnston in a lacrosse game . He sends his warm wishes to all the members of the class of ’55. Dee Gozonsky writes that she is keeping busy in retired life, after retiring as an art teacher. Unfortunately, she lost her husband shortly after they moved to Princeton, New Jersey. She has become a volunteer at the Princeton Art Museum and recently resumed her painting focusing on water colors and looks forward to reading what her fellow classmates are up to. We just learned that Jack Weeks has recently passed away. Jack had served on many committees over the years at UNH and will be missed by many of us that happened to know him. We attended a memorial service recently in Venice, Florida. (See an In Memoriam for Jack here) Lois Armstrong ’58, wife of Fritz Armstrong ’57 who passed away this past January. It was a large group of friends that attended on a beautiful sunny day. No members of our class were present but did see Carmen Beaudin ’57, wife of Harry Beaudin, who spends her winters in Florida and sends her best wishes to all our class. Received a note from Doug Jones that his wife, Darlene recently passed. Doug is now retired from teaching after 43 years at Ohio State University where he taught graduate courses on public finance and regulatory finance and was a director of the National Regulatory Research Institute for 20 years. Darlene had worked in the admissions office for 22 years admitting many of the 69,000 students now at OSU. Until next time, have a safe and fun summer, and remember to send a little news for our next letter.
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
Sandra Waddell Martin is looking for a new home for her Nature Discovery Center in the Concord vicinity. Please contact her at LAL#H13 Concord, NH 033011; (603) 856-7893; info@ndcnh.org. She recently visited UNH and her old house on Pendexter Road. She completed her master’s in zoology in two years and traveled from her Pendexter Road home to Hampton to teach life science. She would love to connect with any UNH friends in the Concord area. Gail Monroe Powell lives with her oldest son in rural Ohio and winters with her daughter in Tucson, Arizona. Her five children have 10 children who have five children in seven states. She keeps busy keeping track of them all. Alan G. Weinstein (also ’66G) retired after 34 years as professor at Canisius College in 2010 but remains active as an executive coach and as Vistage Worldwide chair for business executives to help them become better leaders. He has published four books in the past 10 years. He and wife Tamara have recently travelled to Japan, London, Sicily, Amsterdam and Brazil. Alan is honored to have recently created faculty awards to recognize three professors who had profound influence on his life and career. The awards will be presented annually to faculty who represent the character, values and dedication to students of professors G. Harris Daggett, Carlton Menge and George Haslerud. Alan encourages other alumni who are able to honor faculty who made a difference in their lives. Steve Taylor and Jay Taylor sat side-by-side in class for years but hadn’t talked for nearly three decades. Credit the UNH Alumni Locator Service with reconnecting them. They recently enjoyed a long phone chat about UNH days, career and family updates. Steve continues his NH Humanities presentations and life in Meriden Village, while Jay and wife Barbara (Pete) Petrusiak Taylor live in Bedford. Thomas Callahan earned his MBA in finance at Syracuse University while working for Corning Glass. He wanted to get involved in international finance, so he spent four years in Taiwan with Corning, four years in Hong Kong with R.J. Reynolds, then Concord, Massachusetts, with Welches for 12 years. Prior to enlisting as an officer in the U.S. Army, Tom married Lynn Davis. They were married 17 years and he still sees her when he is in Colorado. He and wife Ellie are living in Harvard, Massachusetts. He is still skiing, playing tennis, bike riding and playing golf. He hopes all is well with grads who are still living. Our condolences go out to the families and friends of: Herb Hawes, electrical engineer, who passed away in July 2023 of a lingering illness. He was an engineer for New England Power Co. for 40 years. He and wife Judy lived in North Hampton for 22 years. He leaves three children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild. Carol Flood Richardson passed peacefully in her Alton Bay home on October 24, 2023. She was predeceased by her husband Paul A. Richardson of 54 years. Carol was an active volunteer on the Alton Beach Committee, the Garden Club, Alton Old Home Week and UNH alumni activities. Some of her favorite activities were swim team summers in Montgomery County, Maryland, F dock shenanigans at Herrington Harbor in Deal, Maryland, weekly knitting circle at Alton library, serving as cookie mom at Alton 5K, and wintering in St. Augustine, Florida. Carol and Paul met and married at UNH; together they traveled six continents. She will be laid to rest with Paul at Arlington National Cemetery. They leave two daughters and a son and their spouses, and four grandchildren. James F. Braim passed away August 21, 2023. Upon graduating from UNH in agricultural engineering he worked at High Lawn Farms for 62 years, many as manager. He loved his job and was very proud to work for the Wilde family. While attending UNH Jim briefly played on the UNH hockey team and enjoyed spending time in the New Hampshire mountains. He enjoyed watching Bruins and Red Sox games, tennis with the Lee Tennis Association, golf and his cottage in Maine. Jim and wife Susan were married 54 years. He leaves three children and six grandchildren.
1963
1964
Reunion
Photos by Jeremy Gasowski, Jake Kitterman ’23, David Vogt. See more online: www.flickr.com/photos/unh/albums
1965
It is with a heavy heart that I open this column, because I have to share my own sad news. My husband, Charles “Chuck” Thompson, passed away on February 20, 2024, following three weeks at Dartmouth Health. It was quite a shock and difficult to grasp completely, as every other person knows who has lost a loved one, especially so suddenly. We had more than 58 wonderful years of marriage and enjoyed many great trips and events together. Our children were the joy of his life, Kristen (Ryan) Arensberg; Amy (Chris) Olsen; Sue Rafferty, as well as our five grandchildren Ashley, Stephen, Tyler, Michael and Samantha. Chuck graduated with a degree in forestry and was a distinguished military graduate of the UNH ROTC program. In November 2022, he was inducted into the UNH ROTC Hall of Fame. After a long career as a real estate appraiser and consultant, he retired to his hometown of Wilmot where he served as selectman, town moderator for 11 years, and served on the Planning Board. Our family was so honored by the many members of our UNH family who attended Chuck’s funeral, or sent their regards from far and wide, including his Acacia fraternity brothers and their spouses, my Phi Mu sorority sisters and their husbands, and other long-time UNH friends. He was buried with full military honors in Wilmot in June. I received a nice letter from Bob Clarke of Rumford, Rhode Island. He worked for Proctor & Gamble and the Nestle Corporation and retired in 2006. He then began a new career as a Realtor. But his avocation was coaching various sports, including hockey at three major high schools in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. As a friend of Natalie Salatich Jacobson at UNH, he wants to recommend her book, “Every Life a Story, Natalie Jacobson Reporting” to all UNH grads who feel, in the words of Wordsworth, “The world is too much with us.” Bob married Jean Hamel, and they are parents of three children, have seven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. A reminder that our class is celebrating our 60th reunion in June 2025. Find more information on dates and how to get involved at: www.unh.edu/reunion. The rest of the mail is, unfortunately, obituaries. But since there is space in the column, I’ll summarize what I have. Dr. Arnold Ralph Moody passed away suddenly at his daughter’s home in Texas in January. George Valliere died in February in Bangor, Maine, after battling Parkinson’s for several years. His degree was in soil and water conservation and he spent the majority of his career working as a paper maker at the former paper mill in Bucksport, Maine. He and his wife, Mary, were blessed with four children, and have 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Henry Baldwin Nichols, Jr. passed away in September. He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. His life-long love for reading and writing led him to a long career, first writing for newspapers, and then teaching journalism at New England College, where he stayed until retiring. He continued to write and contributed a column, “An Outsider’s View,” published weekly in the Boston Globe. Hank, as he preferred to be called, and his wife, Martha, had two sons. Winfield Jesse Bassage completed his life of adventure in August 2023. He was born in 1930 in Sayre, Pennsylvania. He was most proud of his time teaching — whether math in a school or as a Boy Scout leader. He was an avid runner and completed countless 5K races and competed in the 2019 Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico, posting the fastest time of anyone his age or older. Bonnie Jean Gignac Kaufman died of Alzheimer’s disease in December 2023 at her home in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, Michael, and their children. Bonnie was born in Hanover, received her bachelor’s degree from UNH and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington. She served many years as a social worker counselor at Taos/Colfax and Taos Medical Group. She loved to raise and ride horses, riding throughout northern New Mexico and southern Colorado and even several weeks in Mongolia. Arthur E. Constine, Jr. quietly departed this work in October at his home in Dunedin, Florida. He received his master’s in mathematics in 1965. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in the Korean War achieving the rank of staff sergeant.
1966
1967
1968
1969
Reunion
Photos by Jeremy Gasowski, Jake Kitterman ’23, David Vogt. See more online: www.flickr.com/photos/unh/albums
Top to bottom: Joan Slavin Rice ’70 and her husband, John Rice ’71G. Reunion in Philly: Leslie Crommet Newell ’73, Patty Quinlan ’73, Deb Campanella Hansch ’74, Debby Stavseth ’73, Mary Burke Desfosses ’72 and Sue Silfen Katz ’73.
1970
We’re celebrating our 55th Reunion in June 2025. Find more information on dates and how to get involved at: www.unh.edu/reunion. In her new book, Diane Wright Foley looks back on a devastating experience: In 2014, Diane and her husband John Foley learned that Islamic State terrorists had beheaded their beloved son, James Wright Foley, a freelance photojournalist ISIS had kidnapped and held hostage in Syria for two years. “American Mother,” written with the novelist Colum McCann, includes a report on her face-to-face meeting in 2021 with one of her son’s captors. Salman Rushdie described the work as “a spectacular tale of violence and forgiveness,” and the Washington Post hailed it as “an innovative, unsettling and utterly compelling narrative.” In Britain the Guardian said Diane “tells her story with exemplary compassion and understanding.” Diane also founded the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, in part, to advocate for hostages and for journalists’ safety. You can learn more about her remarkable book and her life after UNH on the organization’s website. You can also read a 2019 UNH Magazine feature about the Foley family here: https://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2019/11/life-after-jimmy. Susie Mozden Hek sent a cheery note from just outside Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she’s lived since 1989. A retired medical technologist, Susie teaches horseback riding and, as a volunteer, runs Gettysburg Riding Club activities that benefit therapeutic riding programs and other good causes. She loves living in an area rich in history and lovely farm and orchard vistas. Her husband, Homer “Bo” Heck, an electrician and musician, died in 2020, but she’s hoping to stay in her old farmhouse property where kind-hearted neighbors check in on her. Avid runner Jim Fiore finished a St. Patrick’s Day-themed race in March, scoring points in a Grand Prix running event. His fraternity brothers may smile to hear that this year, at a karaoke event, Jim sang Gerry and the Pacemakers’ “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying,” the same song he’d once sung at an Acacia party. Eric Halvorson and his Lambda Chi roommate Bill Chase met for dinner and a UNH/BC hockey game in Durham, joined by Bill’s baseball teammate, Peter Riel ’70. “The only downer of a great evening was that the Eagles bested our Wildcats in a very tight and exciting game,” Eric writes. Brad Cook still practices law full-time in Manchester at Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green, where he recently marked 50 years as an attorney. He chairs the New Hampshire Ballot Law Commission as the appointee of class president Bill Gardner, then New Hampshire’s secretary of state. Brad and his wife Kathleen Dillon Cook ’71, live in Manchester and New London and have three grandchildren, all under the age of three. When Bill worked in the Statehouse, he often ran into Nick Wallner ’71, who has been a volunteer tour guide there since he retired from managing the AAA office in Concord for 46 years. Nick was a photographer for The New Hampshire student newspaper and has often been in touch with two others who contributed to our student newspaper, Mike Painchaud ’72 and John Donovan ’74. We lost a member our alumni rep Craig Abbott called “a loyal class of 1970 leader” with the death of Joan Slavin Rice, who had worked for decades on our reunions, including our 50th. Bill Gardner said by email that Joan was “always one of the first in line to pitch in for a class project,” and Brad Cook noted that she and her husband, John ’71G, whom she met at UNH, contributed mightily to Portsmouth and the Seacoast area through their community-service projects. We have also lost our valued members Mary Nell Huckins Allen, Steve Bennett, Paul Cantin, Pamela Daniels, Bruce Jasper, Andre Lavoie, Brenda Ramsey Martucci, Linda Ouellette, George Rief, and Karen E. Weisenel. Together they gave much back to their communities that you can learn about by searching for their online obituaries. Finally, a correction: In the last class notes, I said that Nancy Winterbottom lived at River Woods in Durham. She lives at the River Woods in Exeter. Big thanks to Nan for pointing this out with the exquisite tact and kindness she showed so often at UNH.
1971
1972
1973
Allan Chamberlin regrets that he could not attend our 50th reunion. Allan grew up in Durham, attended UNH and worked in the UNH Information Office while a student and six years after graduation. He did not want to move away, but in 1979, Allan accepted a position as the sports information director at Bowling Green State University, and later with the Mid-American Conference. He returned to school to qualify as a CPA. Allan continued that career for 16 years before retiring in 2021. He and wife Debbie have been married for 44 years, and live in Bowling Green; they met through classmate Rick Sheldon, with whom he would visit at the Cocheco Country Club. Brian Doherty writes that after 20 years in Naples, Florida, and 12 years in Anthem, Arizona, he and his wife, Lois, have relocated to Campton, just west of Waterville Valley. David Leong and his wife Patti D’Beck enjoy their retirement from higher education and professional theatre working as speakers for cruise lines. While seeing amazing sights all around the world, they give talks about Broadway, The Golden Age of Hollywood musicals, TV and music. Their URL is goldenages.net. Andrew T. Washburn, sends greetings from the Kentwood, Michigan Alumni/Fan Club. He admits that this news is tardy, but he celebrated our 45th reunion in June 2018 by flying to Manchester, renting a car and spending the next several days driving more than 2,000 miles through four states to visit 16 classmates and friends. Andrew had not seen some of these classmates since graduation day of June 3, 1973. He and his wife included a stop in Durham after a 35-year absence. Andrew enjoyed seeing the East-West Park and its plaque. Andy Young and he were the final residents of 118 East Hall 1969-1971. Andrew was also glad to see that Hunter Hall, where he resided in 1971-1973, was still hanging in there. Andrew says when he flies the UNH flag in front of his house, the neighbors know that our ‘Cats are in action on a playing field, basketball court or ice rink somewhere. John Joseph Gallagher [Jack] ’73G passed on February 13, 2024. He worked as a college administrator of County College of Morris (New Jersey) for 37 years, and travelled extensively. William G. Hooper Jr. of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, passed away on December 8, 2024. Bill majored in forestry and had a successful career in the National Park Service for 33 years as a park ranger and special agent. Patrick Martin Maloney passed away on December 15, 2022, at his residence in Boston. As an artist, he produced hundreds of creative works. Linda Jane Molderez of Bedford passed on October 6, 2023. She was a buyer with General Electric for 10 years. Until her retirement, Linda was employed with Osram Sylvania for 29 years, and enjoyed travel. Russell R. Moreau of Medway, Massachusetts, died peacefully on September 12, 2024. He had a successful career as a sales executive for Proctor & Gamble, Clorox and Dannon before retiring in 2017. Russell enjoyed summers on Martha’s Vineyard. Kathleen O’Connor-Houle died on December 3, 2023, in Manchester. She worked for the Manchester Police Department, eventually serving in the DMV for many years. Kathleen was known as the family historian and became the caregiver for her mother and several aunts and was a passionate dog rescuer. Karen Parsons of Salisbury, Connecticut, died on September 20, 2023. She received a master’s degree in education from Lesley University. After student-teaching and working at Salisbury Bank and Trust, Karen taught computers and technology, and home economics at Maplebrook School for almost three decades. In addition to being a teacher and mentor, Karen also taught Sunday school at the Congregational Church of Salisbury. Alfred Sapienza Jr. passed away on August 7, 2023, in Manchester. Al served in the U.S. Air Force from 1951-1955 during the Korean War. In 1997, Al retired as a math teacher from Southside Junior High School. For 25 years, Al was a member of Kairos, a program to rehabilitate inmates and create a Christian environment behind the prison walls. Al traveled around much of the company and also went to England to train volunteers. During his early working years, he was vice president of the Retail Clerks Union. Vernon Royce Small Jr., also known as Rusty or Vern, passed away on January 6, 2024, in Hercules, California. Small furthered his academic achievements by attaining his doctor of philosophy from Stanford University. He worked as a research chemist at Chevron. Later on, he taught chemistry at Diablo Valley Community College, Contra County Community College and Laney College. He was also an accomplished poet.
Reunion
Photos by Jeremy Gasowski, Jake Kitterman ’23, David Vogt. See more online: www.flickr.com/photos/unh/albums
1974
Stephen Gianotti has done several TEDx talks; he was one of the featured speakers at TEDxPortsmouth last year, with a talk, entitled “What We Can Learn From African Elephants.” He’s the founder and president of The Woodland Group, an organizational development company based in New Hampshire. He also serves as board chair for the Global Society for Organizational Learning, based in Stockholm. He has travelled extensively, and was the official Zoom safari guide for www.elephanthavens.org, Botswana’s first and only elephant rescue sanctuary. Check out the talk — which has been viewed 46,000 times — on YouTube: youtu.be/j_nJ3zjZhus?si=Cf2lT9kbR4cNBxzm. He’s also been busy organizing a Theatre and Dance Reunion for 2025 — stay tuned for details! Michael LaTorre and a few former residents of Williamson Hall get together each August for lunch at the Common Man in Concord. He invites anyone interested to join them. You do not need to be a former Williamson resident. If interested, contact Michael at mjlatorre@mjlatorre.com. John Pike retired 10 years ago as UNH dean of Extension. He and his wife, Gina, spend winters in Florida and celebrate their 50th anniversary this year. They enjoy time with their grown children and six grandchildren. Wayne April wanted other alumni to know that he and others have created a UNH LGBTQIA+ Alumni page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/groups/unhlgbtqia). He is working with the Alumni Office on creating a UNH LGBTQIA+ Alumni Fund to which donations can be sent that will be used to sponsor sexual identity-friendly educational events and materials for all of the campuses. April is retired and lives with his partner in Pasadena, California. Steve and Sherry (Gardner) Young took a trip to Norway in June 2023, did some whitewater rafting, took a fjord tour, visited a family mountain farm and canoed on a mountain lake while there. They then went on to Hungary for a Viking River Cruise through Eastern Europe, ending in Bucharest, Romania then to Serbia and Bulgaria. As an Air Force retiree stationed in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down, Steve found it fascinating to visit with the locals to discuss what it had been like living under Communism. They went to the Czech Republic and had a memorable tour of the Terezin concentration camp about 30 miles north of Prague. They were in New Hampshire in October and met up with other ’74 UNH alumni Barbara Fraser, Dick Fortin, Tom Stevens and wife, Anita Stevens ’78. Andrew Manus has written a summary of what he has been doing since graduation 50 years ago. After UNH, he went to graduate school at Texas A&M and next began a 40-year career in conservation as an academic state director of fish and wildlife and director of conservation programs for two NGOs. After some time at the University of California Sea Grant College Program, he moved back east and became the executive director of the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program. He then served as the state director of Fish and Wildlife in Delaware, retiring in 2014 after serving as a director of conservation programs for Ducks Unlimited and The Nature Conservancy. Andrew and his wife retired to the farm they had conserved through the state of Delaware Farmland Preservation Program. He is finishing a seven-year appointment as a member of Delaware Public Integrity Commission which he chaired for two years. He and his wife, Lynn, raise and train Labrador retrievers and compete in field trial competitions. Please send news to share with your fellow classmates!
1975
1976
Left to right: Garry Haworth ’76 and Cuzzin’ Richard Smith ’76 former WUNH jocks. Pre match Alumni kick-around with new coach Rich Weinrebe ’08 and AD Alison Rich. Left to right: 1977 classmates Mary Rulison, Pat Falcone, Ruth Edkins Alibrandi, Sue Plaine, Paula Rockwell, Phil Alibrandi.
Top to bottom: Garry Haworth ’76 and Cuzzin’ Richard Smith ’76 former WUNH jocks. Pre match Alumni kick-around with new coach Rich Weinrebe ’08 and AD Alison Rich. Left to right: 1977 classmates Mary Rulison, Pat Falcone, Ruth Edkins Alibrandi, Sue Plaine, Paula Rockwell, Phil Alibrandi.
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
Reunion
1986
1987
Left to right: Artist Heidi Illingworth Boyd ’88 was featured on Mid-Coast Maine Channel 8. Ari Milstein ’88, Tim Pelczar ’88 and Dan Cheever ’90 ’01G at the summit of Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont. They were former roommates in Christensen Hall are all still good buddies. Karen ‘Kaz’ Gerrior-Mariani ’88 and Kelly Armstrong McDonough ’88.
Top to bottom: Artist Heidi Illingworth Boyd ’88 was featured on Mid-Coast Maine Channel 8. Ari Milstein ’88, Tim Pelczar ’88 and Dan Cheever ’90 ’01G at the summit of Smugglers’ Notch in Vermont. They were former roommates in Christensen Hall are all still good buddies. Karen ‘Kaz’ Gerrior-Mariani ’88 and Kelly Armstrong McDonough ’88.
1988
Left to right: Amy (Freiermuth) Rangel ’93 and Annie Boyd ’11 were astounded to find out that they are both UNH graduates! They work together in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Northern Arizona University. They celebrated their first Flagstaff, Arizona, alumni association meeting with dinner at the Lumberyard Brewing Company on Thursday, March 7. They’d love to meet up with other UNH graduates in Flagstaff. They plan to meet once or twice a month. Maria Mahassel Veale ’93 sent along a photo from Homecoming 2023: Tony Theos, Joy DePippo Theos, Erik Proulx (all ’93), Mike McHugh ’94), Jeff Beall, Chris Webb, Scott Aronson, Steve Cotton, Tim Donovan, Jeff Long (all ’92); in the middle are Lori Larsen Olson ’94, Maria Mahassel Veale ’93, Jodi Raposa Grimbilas ’92, Ted Grimbilas ’92 and Jim Olsen ’94.
Top to bottom: Amy (Freiermuth) Rangel ’93 and Annie Boyd ’11 were astounded to find out that they are both UNH graduates! They work together in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Northern Arizona University. They celebrated their first Flagstaff, Arizona, alumni association meeting with dinner at the Lumberyard Brewing Company on Thursday, March 7. They’d love to meet up with other UNH graduates in Flagstaff. They plan to meet once or twice a month. Maria Mahassel Veale ’93 sent along a photo from Homecoming 2023: Tony Theos, Joy DePippo Theos, Erik Proulx (all ’93), Mike McHugh ’94), Jeff Beall, Chris Webb, Scott Aronson, Steve Cotton, Tim Donovan, Jeff Long (all ’92); in the middle are Lori Larsen Olson ’94, Maria Mahassel Veale ’93, Jodi Raposa Grimbilas ’92, Ted Grimbilas ’92 and Jim Olsen ’94.
1990
1992
1993
1994
1995
Hello! I hope this update finds you all enjoying the summer (or autumn if you’re living in the Southern Hemisphere). It’s the end of April as I write this, and I had an early taste of summer this week while in San Antonio, where I was a panel session speaker representing EBSCO at the Texas Library Association’s annual conference. Our topic was the value of library databases and how librarians can promote them. I’m sure many of you remember using early iterations of research databases in the Dimond Library, or perhaps you encountered more recent versions in grad school or use them regularly in your current job. Wherever you are in the world, I hope you support your local library and recognize all the ways it enriches the lives of individuals in your community. In other alumni news, Mike Vlacich recently completed his work as a Biden Administration appointee serving as U.S. Small Business Administration New England administrator. Mike has started a New England-based public relations and government affairs firm for D.C.-based Cornerstone Government Affairs where he is a principal. Mike’s wife, Liz Purdy ’96 ’02G serves as a senior adviser to the Biden-Harris reelection campaign. In addition, she was recently named to the N.H. Business Review 200 List and was recognized by the Red Sox Foundation as their N.H. Volunteer of the Year. Mike and Liz have two children and live in Concord. They started dating at UNH 30 years ago! Jennifer Higgins Pitre ‘95 ’05G recently assumed the role of vice president of philanthropy at the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). As a renowned international study abroad and intercultural exchange nonprofit organization, CIEE provides high-quality, transformative educational experiences for high school and college students worldwide. In her new capacity, Jenn will establish and lead CIEE’s first fundraising department with the objective of expanding access to CIEE programs for a broader spectrum of students. You can reach out to Jenn at jpitre@ciee.org. Michelle (Bresnahan) Schaub ’95G is happy to share that she had two children’s books come out in March. “A Place for Rain,” published by Norton Young Readers, is the story of a classroom that builds a rain garden to mitigate stormwater runoff and create a habitat for pollinators. “Leafy Landmarks: Travels with Trees,” published by Sleeping Bear Press, is a family road trip through poems to visit famous and historic trees around the U.S. Please send your news!
1996
1999
2000
2004
Left to right: Cush Gillen ’04. Elissa (Bolt) Whelan ’05 with her first novel.
Left to right: Cush Gillen ’04. Elissa (Bolt) Whelan ’05 with her first novel.
2005
Reunion
2007
2009
2010
2011
Reagan Byrne was named partner at Boston-based Wave Collective, a PR and marketing agency. She joined Wave at the end of 2021 as creative director and lead photographer. Prior to Wave, she was a freelance food and beverage photographer who worked with brands that included Boston Beer Company and Island Creek Oysters. Kory Himmer started a new business called 603 BnB, a vacation rental management company that leverages technology to help people generate more income from their vacation homes. “Last year, my wife and I purchased a vacation home in Lincoln, and decided to put it to work as a short-term rental when we aren’t using it,” he says. They realized they didn’t want to work with a large corporate management company, “so I stopped looking for a company and started my own.” Check out his website: www.603bnb.com, or email him at kory@603bnb.com.
2012
Dr. Alyssa Cole Mixon, board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician sub-specialized in cancer rehabilitation sadly lost her father last year, but honored him with an essay that serves as a message to future doctors, from her dad. “[My father] was a scientist, a musician and a loving father. He was a comedian, a world-traveler, an avid gardener, and my anchor to earth. He taught me how laughter can be the best medicine, and in many ways, how to be the doctor I am today. Now, he will teach you,” she begins the piece, which was published in March 2023 in The DO, a publication for osteopathic medical professionals. You can read the full essay here: thedo.osteopathic.org/2023/03/a-message-to-future-doctors/. In 2020, Mixon was featured on Philadelphia’s local NBC affiliate for her partnership with chemist Dr. Beau Wangtrakuldee about their germ-fighting creation, Commuter Gloves. The following winter, she was part of UNH’s Magazine’s “Dispatches from the Pandemic” feature: magazine.unh.edu/issue/winter-2021/dispatches-from-the-pandemic. You can follow her at @doctor.cole and read more on her blog: dailydoseofvita.blogspot.com.