Comings, goings, appointments, retirements, honors, accolades and other personal alumni news. Former students are designated by fs. Honorary alumni are noted as hn. Members of the Wichita State University Alumni Association are identified by an asterisk (*). Membership dues support alumni publications as well as many other programs and services that support higher education at Wichita State.
Cleophus “Cleo” Littleton ’55, PE, retired president of Litco Inc. in Wichita, placed No. 36 on the Wichita Eagle’s list of 150 greatest Kansas athletes. A standout basketball player nicknamed “Cleo the Cat,” Littleton was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Wichita in 1951 and played under then-new coach Ralph Miller. During his WU career, Littleton scored 2,164 points, the first player west of the Mississippi River to top 2,000. He was named all-conference player in the Missouri Valley Conference all four of his collegiate playing years, the only MVC player to achieve that distinction. A 22-year member of the WSU Alumni Association, he lives in Wichita.*
David M. Urie ’59, AERON E, president of the California-based DiSuCo Corp., has been involved in aerospace for 50-plus years, including 30 years at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, where he led teams on such projects as the X-30 National Aerospace Plane and the HL-20 Personnel Launch System. He was chief engineer and then program manager of the SR-71 reconnaissance system before initiating and heading the Single Stage to Orbit and X-33 Reusable Launch Vehicle programs. He left the company in 1996 to form his own business. Urie also has served as president of Concept Fusion Inc., which provided technical development services to established companies and start-ups. He has written numerous articles, taught a number of short courses, given lectures and presentations, and is on the aerospace curriculum advisory boards of two universities. He also holds several patents. During his career, Urie has worked on 37 programs, with nine of them still in operation. Among his many awards is being named Engineer of the Year in 1997 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He resides in Anderson, Calif.
Gary N. Bender ’62, SP, now retired after 18 years as a broadcaster for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association, serves as a consultant to the University of Kansas Alumni Association and KU Endowment Association. Bender played football at WU, but an injury forced him off the field and into the broadcast booth, where he announced football and basketball games. He went on to earn a master’s degree in television and film at KU and began his professional career broadcasting Jayhawk football and basketball games. During his career, he covered 29 sports and won three Emmys. He is author of Call of the Game, a behind-the-scenes look at the sports broadcasting business. In 2008, Bender was inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. He resides in Lawrence, Kan.
Sarah E. (Marsh) Blasius ’63, SEC ED, is a retired English and French teacher with the public school system in Burley, Idaho. An alumni association member for 11 years, she lives in Burley.*
Nathaniel “Nate” R. Murphy ’64, ACCT, is president of Nate Murphy & Associates in Mount Laurel, N.J., where he lives.*
Jerry B. Cohlmia ’66, CHEM, is founder and originating partner of the Wichita Nephrology Group. Board certified in nephrology and internal medicine, Cohlmia was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. This 41-year member of the alumni association lives in Eastborough, Kan.*
Robert “Bob” M. Smith ’67, SEC ED, is set to retire in January 2012 as president of Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pa. Smith began his tenure at the university as provost and vice president for academic affairs in 1999, served as interim president beginning in 2002 and was appointed president in 2004. A nationally recognized specialist in executive leadership development, he focused on improving the student-learning environment at Slippery Rock and guided the university through landmark construction and renovation projects, and more than 12 new academic programs. After retirement, he and his wife, Ramona, plan to relocate to Franklin, Tenn., to be closer to their two children.*
Terry M. Nida ’70, SEC ED, ’76 M AJ, is chief business officer at Transdel Pharmaceuticals in La Jolla, Calif. He lives in Half Moon Bay, Calif.
Paul B. Harrison ’71, BIO, a surgeon with Kansas Surgical Consultants LLP in Wichita, serves on the Kansas Advisory Committee on Trauma and as medical director of trauma care at Wesley Medical Center. He was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. Harrison is a 15-year member of the alumni association and a Wichita resident.*
Joaquin G. Santos ’71, BIO, ’76 PA, an internal medicine physician at the Wichita Clinic, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. A faculty member at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, he is a 15-year member of the alumni association. Santos resides in Wichita.*
Bradley “Brad” L. Dick ’72, SP, is editorial director of Broadcast Engineering magazine. Dick has 30 years of experience in radio and TV engineering and is a former president and secretary of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. He resides in Lenexa, Kan.
Christopher “Chris” R. Hamilton ’73, POL SCI, who has taught at universities in Kentucky, Georgia, Vermont and at the Warsaw School of Economics in Poland, is a political science professor at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan. A two-time Fulbright Scholar with academic interests spanning world religions, politics, terrorist and hate groups, among others, he is the author of three books and more than 30 papers on public administration and comparative politics. He lives in Topeka.
M. Lee Pelton ’73, ENG LIT, is president of Emerson College in Boston. He previously served for 12 years as president of Willamette University in Salem, Ore., where he is credited with increasing the university’s academic profile and its ability to attract high-achieving faculty and students. The first African-American president at Willamette, Pelton also holds that distinction at Emerson. He earned his doctorate in 1983 from Harvard University and began his career there, serving as a senior tutor. He later taught and was an administrator at Colgate University and then Dartmouth College. A 10-year member of the WSU Alumni Association, Pelton lives in the Boston area.*
Leland W. Powers ’73, M S ART/P, chair of the art and design department at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan., has had paintings and other artworks completed during a recent sabbatical featured in a university exhibition. “The process of conceiving, painting and producing new work is exhausting yet exhilarating,” the artist says. Since joining the FHSU faculty in 1989, he has earned several promotions and a Faculty Advisor of the Year Award. He lives in Hays.
David R. Hickman ’74, M MUS T/C, is Regents Professor of trumpet in the School of Music at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz. Hickman, who received the International Trumpet Guild’s prestigious Award of Merit for lifetime achievement in 2005, has made more than 2,000 solo appearances around the world with nearly 500 different orchestras, released 15 solo albums, presented workshops on more than 300 major university campuses, taught at dozens of music festivals and written more than 40 articles, 200 scholarly editions of trumpet music and several trumpet and music texts. His book, Trumpet Pedagogy: A Compendium of Modern Teaching Techniques, is considered the No. 1 text for university study. He has been a member of the Wichita Brass Quintet, Illinois Brass Quintet, Saint Louis Brass Quintet, Baroque Consort and the Illinois Contemporary Chamber Players. He also has performed with the Phoenix Symphony, the Saint Louis Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The founder and president of Summit Brass, an all-star American brass ensemble, he is also a Yamaha performing artist and a past president of the International Trumpet Guild. He lives in Chandler, Ariz.
Carolyn A. Risley Hill ’74, SOC WK, retired CEO at Starkey Inc. in Wichita, has been honored by the WSU Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs with its 2011 Hugo Wall Award, which recognizes excellence in public-service work. Active in nurturing the development and independence of people with intellectual challenges, Risley Hill is a member of Advocates in Communities Team of South Central Kansas and the Wichita Nonprofit Chamber of Service. She also has served on social work advisory boards at Wichita State and the University of Kansas, and regularly mentors WSU social work students. A former commissioner of Youth and Adult Services at SRS, where she worked for some 20 years, Risley Hill resides in Wichita.
Alan J. Fearey ’75, CHEM, an internal medicine physician at the Wichita Clinic, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. He is a 12-year member of the alumni association and a Wichita resident.*
Laurie A. (Douglass) Finucane ’75, SOC, is director of revenue centers at Macy’s West in Pasadena, Calif. A 35-year member of the alumni association, she lives in South Pasadena, Calif.*
David “Dave” F. Glover ’75, COMP SCI, vice president of software technology at High Touch Inc. in Wichita, has been involved in business system software design and development, including management and leadership of software teams, for more than three decades. He is also an active volunteer with Wichita Habitat for Humanity, through which he has made mission trips to help the less fortunate in Haiti and Uganda. Glover resides in Wichita.*
Gregory “Greg” W. Rohloff ’75, JOURN, is a writer for the Amarillo Independent, an alternative multimedia site. He also has written a collection of short stories, I Was There Once, and has completed his second novel, Dog on A Rope. An association member for 35 years, he lives in Amarillo, Texas.*
M. Kent Cooper ’76, BIO, an anesthesiologist at Wichita Anesthesiology, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. Cooper is a Wichita resident.
Mark R. Finucane ’76, POL SCI, ’76 ENG L/LIT, is a managing director with Alvarez & Marsal Healthcare Industry Group in Los Angeles. A 35-year member of the alumni association, he lives in South Pasadena, Calif.*
Deborah G. Haynes ’76, BIO, a family medicine physician at Via Christi Medical Associates in Wichita, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. Haynes serves on the WSU Foundation’s board of directors and its National Advisory Council. She and her husband, R. Larry Beamer, a general surgeon at Wichita Surgical Specialists, have established a general scholarship fund at Wichita State. She is a 34-year member of the alumni association and a Wichita resident.*
Marvin E. Latimer ’76, MUS ED I, ’85 M MUS CH, is assistant professor of choral music education and director of the University Chorus at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. A frequent lecturer at state, national and international gatherings, Latimer has made presentations at the American Choral Directors Association national convention in Oklahoma City, the National Association for Music Educators national convention in Anaheim, Calif., the Phenomenon of Singing International Symposium in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and the International Society of Music Education World Conference in Beijing. He resides in Tuscaloosa.
Kathleen “Kathy” D. Brahimi ’77, M SEC ED, is director of development at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. The professional fundraiser is also a translation specialist, French to English. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Janice “Jan” L. Bush ’77, S ART/C, a technology marketing and business specialist, is corporate communications officer at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland AFB in New Mexico. A 28-year member of the association, she lives in Albuquerque, N.M.*
Robert “Bob” J. Keckeisen ’77, HIST, ’82 M HIST, director of the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka, also teaches a class in museum management for the museum studies program at the University of Kansas. He lives in Topeka.
Jill E. (Osment) Lokke ’77, BUS ADM, is a teacher in the gifted education program at Earhart Environmental Magnet School in Wichita, where she lives.*
Michael L. Rawson ’77, M AJ, is manager of safety and preparedness at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Wash.
Patricia G. Wyatt-Harris ’77, BIO, a physician at College Hill Obstetrics in Wichita, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. Wyatt-Harris, who is a certified Da Vinci (minimally invasive robotic) surgeon, is a 26-year member of the alumni association who resides in Wichita.*
Kimberly “Kim” D. (Strathe) Hartwell ’78, BIO, a physician in family practice at Hillside Medical Office LLC in Wichita, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. She is a 25-year member of the alumni association and a Wichita resident.*
Larry R. Hess ’78, M MUS P, is director of counseling and college/career readiness for the Lubbock Independent School District in Lubbock, Texas, where he lives.
Steven D. Penner ’78, BIO, a family medicine physician at Hillside Medical Office LLC in Wichita, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication.
Kristen “Kristy” K. (Tippin) Martin ’79, MATH, is a software engineer at NetApp in Wichita, where she resides.*
Michael A. Reedy ’79, NURS, is a senior clinical strategist who works on clinical workflow with physicians, nurses and other health-care clinicians at Cerner Corp., in Jacksonville, Fla. He lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Pietro Sarcina ’79, FREN, is president at PS International, a financial services and management consulting firm based in the greater Detroit area. He resides in Troy, Mich.
Carolyn M. Harrison ’80, M NURS, education director at Kansas Health Ethics, a nonprofit educational organization in Wichita, is serving on the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice board of directors for 2011. An alumni association member for 11 years, she was the 2007 commencement speaker for the WSU College of Health Professions, and lives in Wichita.*
Michael J. Neth ’80, ENG L/LIT, an English professor at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., teaches, among other classes, a number of courses he has developed, including one on the verbal and visual art of William Blake and an honors course on the comparative study of poetry and painting. His published research is concentrated on the textual study of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poetry. Neth resides in Murfreesboro.
Jeffrey “Jeff” L. Norby ’80, MCH E, is an engineering manager at Sienna Corp., a global electronic manufacturing services business with headquarters in Suwanee, Ga. Norby lives in Buford, Ga.
Gale M. Wolfe ’80, MUS ED, is a specialist project manager at Honeywell International in Phoenix. Wolfe, who previously worked as a technical writer at Honeywell, lives in Sun City, Ariz.
Dana E. Cox ’81, BUS ADM, is director of Piper Aircraft sales for the company’s Asia/Pacific region; the sales division is based in Brunei. During his more than 35 years of international aviation experience, he has worked as general manager of international sales and operations management at ITOCHU Aviation Inc. and in special aircraft marketing positions at Beech Aircraft Co.
Gregory “Greg” F. Intoccia ’81, M POL SCI, a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps, which is attached to the Headquarters Air Force Operations Law Division in Washington, D.C., also serves as associate chief-legal in the FCC’s Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure Division of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Intoccia lives in Olney, Md.
Don E. Heinkel ’82, BIO, a physician and former All-American baseball player, is one of the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame’s class of 2011. At WSU in 1982, he helped the Shockers reach the NCAA South Regional championship and their first appearance in the College World Series. He ended his WSU career as record-holder in games started, complete games, innings pitched and earned run average and went on to play pro ball, pitching first for Detroit, then St. Louis. In 1989, he was inducted into the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame and in 2010 the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. He lives in Birmingham, Ala.
Kay (Mott) Littau ’82, CDS, has retired from teaching at Woodward, Okla., public schools after 29 years of service as a speech therapist. Her professional achievements include being named an AMBUCS Speech Therapist of the Year in 1999. Littau, who serves on the Oklahoma Alternate Assessment Program Advisory Council, lives in Woodward.
Sheryl L. (Miller) Wohlford ’82, HC ADM, president of Automation-Plus Inc. in Wichita, is serving as president of the Downtown (Wichita) Rotary Club. A 31-year member of the association, she lives in Wichita.*
Bruce R. Buhr ’83, M BIO, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Wichita Clinic and a faculty member at the University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. A nine-year member of the alumni association, he lives in Wichita.*
Antoine L. Carr fs ’83, a retired professional basketball player, was placed at the No. 31 spot on the Wichita Eagle’s 150 greatest Kansas athletes list. Carr was a star high school player in Wichita before coming to WSU, where he averaged 17 points a game and shot more than 55 percent. He played for six different teams during his 16-year NBA tenure and scored 9,176 points. Carr, who has been an alumni association member for 25 years, lives in San Antonio, Texas.*
Kenneth “Ken” L. Clark ’83, M BUS ADM, is senior business development manager at Sigma-Aldrich Corp. in St. Louis, where he resides.
Laurel A. Alkire ’84, SOC, ’86 M GERON, is executive director of Senior Services Inc. in Wichita, where she lives.
Barry K. Disney ’84, MKT, former deputy attorney general for the state of Kansas, is now an assistant U.S. attorney in Wichita, working in support of the U.S. Justice Department’s Southwest Border Initiative, which targets Mexican drug cartels and works toward stronger immigration enforcement. In addition to private practice, Disney’s law career includes service as assistant district attorney in the 18th Judicial District in Wichita, a position he held until 2007. He resides in Wichita.
Kent Miracle ’84, JOURN, owner of Blueprint Creative in Wichita, works in the areas of account planning, brand strategy, and media and message development. His career includes positions as vice president of marketing at Battery Mart, owner of Hired Gun Marketing and management supervisor at Valentine Radford Advertising. He started his professional experience as an intern, account coordinator and traffic manager at Wichita’s Stephan Advertising. A six-year member of the alumni association, he lives in Wichita.*
Michael D. Powers ’84, EL E TECH, is an electrical engineer at Boeing. He lives in Augusta, Kan.*
M. Thomas “Tom” Sawyer ’84, ACCT, a small business owner and state legislator first elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1987, is serving as a member of the Kansas Parole Board. An eight-year member of the alumni association, he resides in Wichita.*
Gerard “Jerry” M. Wetzel ’85, PE, is director of electronic media at the University of Florida Athletic Association. A 30-year TV veteran, he started his career at WHO TV, the NBC affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa, and KAKE, the ABC affiliate in Wichita. He has been a production coordinator for sports syndicator Creative Sports Marketing, vice president of production and programming for SNI Sports Network and senior vice president of production services at Spirit Sports and Event Marketing. He also has helped create regional and national sports shows, including Billy Packer’s College Basketball, Hale Irwin’s Golf in America and This Week in College Football with Pat Haden. Wetzel lives in Newberry, Fla.
Donald “Don” Allsman ’86, M BUS ADM, is vice president of World Impact and satellite director of the Urban Ministry Institute, World Impact’s urban leadership development center. He also is co-dean of the School for Urban Cross-Cultural Church Planting and an ordained minister. He lives in Burbank, Calif.
Scott E. Dawson ’86, ART GD, of Scott Dawson Illustration in Wichita, created the design – a blue butterfly with fireworks overhead – that was selected as the official poster for the 2011 Wichita River Festival. The award-winning illustrator, whose major corporate clients include Koch Industries Inc., the Coleman Co., Pizza Hut Inc. and Wal-Mart, also won the 1992 Riverfest poster competition. Dawson, whose illustrations grace The Shocker’s Gleanings section, lives in Wichita.
Sandra “Sandy” D. (Totten) Calwell ’86, JOURN, has had her book, What If Parenting Is The Most Important Job In The World?, published by Nelson Publishing & Marketing LLC.
Amy L. (Dayvault) Garcia ’86, NURS, ’94 M NURS, is chief programs officer with the American Nurses Association in Silver Spring, Md. Previously the executive director of the National Association of School Nurses Inc., Garcia is a noted speaker on health-care safety and school nursing issues. She lives in Silver Spring.
John A. Pilla ’86, M AERON E, ’02 M BUS ADM, is senior vice president and chief technology officer at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita. He is part of the Spirit team that built the first test pylon for Bombardier Aerospace’s CSeries single-aisle aircraft. Pilla has been a member of the alumni association since 1996. He resides in Wichita.*
Christopher “Chris” N. Brunner ’87, OR BIO/ECO, a physician at Wichita Family Medical Specialists LLC, a declared diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners and clinical assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. He is a Wichita resident.
Wendy L. (Johns) Johnson ’87, JOURN, ’99 M PUB ADM, communications and marketing director for Wichita public schools, has been recognized with the WSU Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs’ 2011 Alumni Award for Outstanding Public Service. A 23-year member of the alumni association, she lives in Wichita.*
Daniel E. Bardezbain ’88, AJ, ’01 M PUB ADM, is chief of police for the city of Eastborough, Kan. His career in law enforcement began in 1975 as a patrol officer with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, where he went on to serve as a detective sergeant, training sergeant, internal affairs commander, support bureau commander and detention bureau commander; he retired in 2006 with the rank of major. A 12-year member of the alumni association, he is a Wichita resident.*
Deborah R. Carr ’88, EL ED, is a Wichita public school teacher. She lives in Wichita.*
Jack D. Phillips ’88, MKT, is senior operations representative at Bank of America in Wichita. A member of the alumni association for 20 years, he resides in Wichita.*
Shirlee C. Rhodes ’88, GEO, owns WaterPath, a Reno, Nev.-based consulting firm that focuses on water rights and resource planning. Rhodes is a hydrogeologist who has worked in water resources management and planning since 1998. She lives in Reno.
Andrew J. “A.J.” Anderson ’89, BUS ADM, is director of the U.S. Commercial Service in Wichita, where he assists small and mid-sized businesses with exporting. His previous experience includes positions at Bank IV and Koch Industries, as well as work in international banking in Atlanta and Houston. He lives in Wichita.
Deborah “Debbie” L. (Northrop) Coan ’89, ACCT, is director at CBIZ MHM LLC in Wichita, where she lives.*
Michael “Mike” A. Corbin ’89, MGT, is director at Accume Partners in Alpharetta, Ga. He lives in Roswell, Ga.
Paula S. (Dreher) Petersen ’89, FIN, is senior vice president at Commerce Bank in Kansas City, Mo. She lives in Olathe, Kan.*
Don H. Shreve ’89, GEN ST, of Shreve Imaging LLC in Fayetteville, Ark., focuses on architectural, commercial and industrial photography. He lives in Fayetteville.
Harry H. Herington ’90, GEN ST, chairman and CEO of NIC, an Overland Park, Kan., company that builds websites and provides online services and payment processing to government agencies, is the founder of Ride4cops, which raises funds for the families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Through Ride4cops, Herington has raised more than $75,000 in the past two years by riding his motorcycle to state capitals. A former police detective in Midland, Texas, he also served with the Wichita Police Department. He lives in Lawrence, Kan.
Cynthia “Cindy” L. Baird ’91, M NURS, is a practitioner at Cotton-O’Neil Digestive Health Center, a division of Stormont-Vail HealthCare in Topeka, Kan. She is a Topeka resident.
Michael “Mike” E. Boyd ’91, COMM, is a dealer services analyst with Ford Motor Credit Co. in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he lives.*
Bill R. Warfield ’91, POL SCI, ’95 M COMM, is a training manager at Boeing in Seattle. He lives in Ravensdale, Wash.*
Barbara L. (Armstrong) Andres ’92, EL ED, is executive director at Episcopal Social Services. In 1993, she founded the Breakthrough Club, which helps those with mental illness gain independent living; she served as the organization’s executive director until 2010. She lives in Anthony, Kan.
Chris S. Barnes ’92, MGT, a Professional Bowlers Association Tour bowler, was selected for the No. 49 spot on the Wichita Eagle’s 150 greatest Kansas athletes list. At WSU, he was an All-American his freshman year and a national champion two years later. He joined the PBA Tour in 1998, and has been a top-ranked bowler in both wins and earnings since. By 2005, he had made $1 million, reaching that level quicker than any other professional. He has earned 13 PBA Tour titles and finished the most recent season as the No. 1 ranked bowler. His pro career includes 40 perfect 300 games. He resides in Double Oak, Texas.
William “Bill” S. Faflick ’92, M COUNS, is assistant superintendent for the Wichita public school system’s secondary schools – 16 middle and 11 high schools. Formerly the district’s athletics director, Faflick also taught math at his alma mater, Wichita Southeast High School. He was then the school’s athletics director before being promoted to district director. He is a Wichita resident.
Darren L. Ercolani ’93, ACCT, is Asia controller at Chevron Phillips Chemicals Asia PTE LTD in Singapore, where he lives.
Brian A. Espy ’93, BUS ADM, is vice president of global sales for Boise, Idaho-based CradlePoint Technology. His experience in technology sales includes leading North American sales at Starent Networks, holding the position of vice president of North American sales at Mformation Technologies and Nexius Wireless, and co-founding and serving as president of MobileForce Communications Inc., a sales agency that assists technology companies in entering the wireless telecommunications market. Espy lives in Stilwell, Kan.
Ginger L. (Kuhel) Farney ’94, ACCT, a partner at Ernst & Young in Wichita, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. Criteria for recognition include professional accomplishment and community involvement. In 2007, she was made partner at Ernst & Young and then promoted to lead the Wichita office. A 17-year member of the alumni association, she is a Wichita resident.*
Stephanie L. (Adams) Bowen ’95, ACCT, tax director at Flint Hills Resources LP, Wichita, was recognized for her professional accomplishment and community involvement in the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 listing for 2011. Bowen lives in Wichita.
Misty M. N. (Ridnour) Bruckner ’95, M PUB ADM, associate director of the Center for Urban Studies at WSU, has received the Bronze Medal of Outstanding Service from the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for her efforts involving the new Oaklawn Activity Center in southeast Wichita. She is a Bel Aire, Kan., resident.
Constance A. (Nutsch) Ernatt ’95, S ART/SC, owner of Ernatt Art and Bronze in Wichita, recently completely work on the $3 million Downing Children’s Garden at Botanica, The Wichita Gardens. She resides in Wichita.
Kyle D. Milligan ’95, MUS P, who taught music at WSU and has loved music since he began taking lessons at age 9, continues to teach and share his passion for drums, xylophones, marimbas and all things percussion. With a business partner, he opened the percussion retail and studio business Drum Monkey Percussion in St. Joseph, Mo. He lives in St. Joseph.
Edwin U. Livingston ’96, MUS P, is a bassist, composer, producer and arranger at UELLIV Publishing Co. in the greater Los Angeles area. He is also an adjunct instructor in jazz studies at USC Thornton School of Music. He lives in Los Angeles.
Mary “Mindy” McPheeters ’96, ACCT, in-house counsel at Delta Dental of Kansas, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. A member of the alumni association board, she resides in Wichita.*
David “Dave” A. Nordling ’96, MCH E, is component product engineer at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne in San Fernando Valley, Calif. While at WSU, he was a Wallace scholar who undertook cooperative education at NASA. As a development engineer, he has worked on space power systems and solar power projects and now concentrates on rocket propulsion and energy systems. He lives in Santa Monica, Calif.
Jerry D. Peterie ’96, M BUS ADM, a physician practicing in the areas of internal medicine and infectious diseases with Infectious Disease Consultants in Wichita, was recognized by the Wichita Business Journal in its Best Doctors publication. Peterie is a 15-year member of the alumni association and a Wichita resident.*
Shakil Ahmed ’96, M MCH E, whose experience in aircraft development includes work on the Bombardier Learjet 45, the Beechcraft Hawker Horizon and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, serves as flight control systems engineer at the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group in the greater Seattle area. He lives in Snohomish, Wash.
Lauragail (Beuke) Locke ’97, COMM, marketing services director for the city of Wichita, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. She directs the city’s external marketing, advertising and communication strategies. A former TV journalist, she began her career at Wichita’s KAKE and moved on to KSNT, Topeka, Kan., where she was associate producer and general assignment reporter, later becoming a weekend anchor. She returned to Wichita to work at KSN as a general assignment reporter and then city/county government beat reporter. She lives in Wichita.
Damon C. Ward ’97, ACCT, is domestic tax senior manager at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita. His experience includes positions as tax manager at Flint Hills Resources, senior tax analyst at Koch Industries Inc., tax senior at Grant Thornton LLP and tax compliance staffer at Ernst & Young LLP. He lives in Andover, Kan.*
Travis S. Schlenk ’98, M SP ADM, is director of player personnel with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. Previously a video coordinator with the Miami Heat, he joined the Oakland, Calif.-based Warriors organization as a video scout prior to the 2004-05 season and then served as an assistant coach before being promoted to his current position in 2009. He resides in Oakland.
Matthew M. Terrones ’98, ART GD, freelance graphic designer at Escape Artist Design and formerly a designer and digital artist at Rock Island Studios in Wichita, is manager of graphic art at Land O’Frost Inc. in Little Rock, Ark. He lives in Searcy, Ark.
Justin S. Whitlow ’98, EX SCI, who earned a medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine, is a resident in neurosurgery at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington, Ky., where he lives.
Karla J. Goewert ’99, FLD MJR CDS, director of client services at Pen Publishing Interactive, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. She lives in Wichita.
J. Michael McMillan ’99, E M BUS ADM, is vice president of sales, central United States, for Executive AirShare. He previously was the company’s Texas senior sales director. A 35-year aviation industry veteran, he worked for Raytheon Aircraft Co. before founding Aircraft Travel Solutions. A pilot with more than 6,000 hours of airtime, he holds the highest pilot grade bestowed by the FAA, an airline transport pilot ranking. He also has charter pilot experience. He resides in Fort Worth, Texas.*
Jeffrey “Jeff” S. Grace ’00, M BUS ADM, is president of IMA of Kansas Inc. in Wichita. A graduate of Leadership Wichita, he serves on the board of directors for IMA Inc., Andover State Bank and UCI Inc. He has also served on the board of Exploration Place and the audit committee for the Boy Scouts of America-Quivira Council. He is a Wichita resident.
Chia-Hui “Corrina” Liao ’00, M PSYCH, ’02 PHD HF PSYCH, is a UX product specialist at the telecommunications and media company Telstra in Sydney, Australia. Her previous product design experience includes work at Dell Inc. in Singapore, where she was on the team recognized with the President’s Design Award for development of the Dell 966 all-in-one photo printer in 2007. Prior to that, she worked at Hewlett- Packard, also in Singapore.
Vincent A. Stegman ’00, ENTRE, is manager of private markets at Washington University in St. Louis. After graduation from Wichita State, he earned a master’s degree at the University of Chicago-Booth School of Business and then worked as a senior consulting group analyst at Smith Barney and a research analyst at RMB Capital Management. He lives in Clayton, Mo.*
Jennifer R. Szambecki-Benninga ’00, PSYCH, brand manager at the Greteman Group in Wichita, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. She has served as director of development for Youth Entrepreneurs of Kansas and later for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Sedgwick County. She resides in Wichita.
Lunda P. Asmani ’01, M PUB ADM, assistant city manager for budget and finance for the city of Newton, Kan., was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, and continues his ties with that country through the Tanzania Association of Kansas. He lives in Bel Aire, Kan.
Jan M. Poelma-Crownover ’01, M CI, is a teacher at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita. She resides in Bel Aire, Kan.*
Nicholas R. Tejeda ’01, BUS ADM, is chief operating officer at Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, Calif. Previously, he served as vice president of hospital and ambulatory operations at Saint Mary’s Medical Center and worked for KeyCentrix Inc., a health care software company based in Wichita. A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, he also is a board member of the National Forum of Latino Healthcare Executives. He lives in Paso Robles, Calif.
Janet L. Comfort ’02, M SP MGT, is instructor of sport management at Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis. She lives in Lake Saint Louis, Mo.
Delia R. Garcia ’02, FLD MJR MIN ST, is senior liaison at the National Education Association in Washington, D.C. In 2004, at age 27, she became not only the first Latina to be elected to the Kansas State Legislature, but also one of the youngest Latina state representatives nationwide. A noted public speaker, she has addressed national audiences on topics that include “women in government,” “Latinas in government,” “young leaders in government,” along with health, labor and education issues and immigration legislation. A former WSU Alumni Association board member, Garcia lives in Washington, D.C.*
Kimberly A. Gattis ’02, HR MGT, ’06 M BUS ADM, is a wealth advisor at UMB Bank in Wichita. She resides in Derby, Kan.*
Nicholas “Nick” A. Stone ’02, I BUS, is director of West Coast business development at Key Principal Partners Corp., a private equity firm in San Francisco. Prior to joining KPP, he was vice president at Northlight Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm. A 10-year member of the alumni association, Stone resides in Sausalito, Calif.*
C. Colleen Fulford ’03, SOC WK, ’04 M SOC WK, a clinical behavior specialist at Wichita’s West High School and a former adjunct instructor at WSU, has been recognized by local government employees with an Excellence in Public Service Award for building relationships with area agencies and setting up a supply closet for students in need of warm clothing during winter months. A member of the alumni association for nine years, she lives in Wichita.*
Jeffrey “Jeff” M. Warren ’03, GEN ST GEO, is dive operations specialist and dive supervisor at Oceaneering Space Systems in Houston, where he helps NASA astronauts with hardware during in-water microgravity training and oversees their underwater safety to ensure proper gas, pressure and communication levels and provides live video and still photos of astronauts’ training using dive cameras. Warren is rated as a certified master diver and certified rescue diver. While a diver with the Department of Defense, he was involved with a salvage project of a World War II-era U.S. Navy communication cable. He lives in Houston.
Megan E. (Bushell) Bennett ’04, MUS P, ’04 ENTRE, a former Miss Kansas, is director of marketing at DeskSite in Los Angeles. As Miss Kansas 2004, she spoke to more than 50,000 people in five states and worked to secure corporate partnerships for the pageant organization, helping increase financial support and scholarship funding by 300 percent from the previous year – the best financial performance in the pageant’s 50-year history. She also lobbied Congress and organized community fundraisers and local task forces for the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence, raising more than $500,000 for abuse prevention programs. Formerly lead singer with the Midwest group, “Annie Up,” she now sings with “Rembrandt.” After earning an MBA at Pepperdine University, she worked in business development as a consultant and marketing and events manager. One of her endeavors was working with Project Nightlight, an LA-based nonprofit that helps children speak out against child abuse and domestic violence. Bennett resides in Santa Monica, Calif.
Grace W. Ndirangu ’04, MED TECH, owns and is clinical director of Goshen Chiropractic Wellness Center in Federal Way, Wash. A licensed chiropractor in Washington since January 2009, she is working on a diplomate degree in neurology and nutrition.
Kathleen B. (Bickett) Nucifora ’04, M PUB H, is manager of the accreditation division for COLA, a medical laboratory accreditation entity in Columbia, Md. She lives in Arnold, Md.
Jason M. Bosch ’05, FLD MJR, is director of student life learning and assessment at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan., where he lives.*
Chandra E.A. Dickson ’05, GEN ST, ’09 M ENG CR, has had her chapbook, “Short History of Our Love,” published by Grey Book Press. In September, she signed books and read selections from her poems at an Old Town gallery in Wichita. A former student editorial assistant at The Shocker, she lives in Wichita.
Kristin L. Ghere ’05, COMM, Heart Ball director for the American Heart Association, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. The Heart Ball is a key fundraising event for cardiovascular research and education. Ghere lives in Wichita.
Romunda J. Gillespie ’05, PSYCH, is senior business support analyst at Marriott International in Wichita, where she resides.*
Dustin E. Hermon ’05, FIN, is finance manager at Raytheon Co. in Burlington, Mass. He resides in Somerville, Mass.*
Lindsay D. Mullins ’05, SOC WK, the Go Red for Women director at the American Heart Association in Wichita, has been recognized for her “high performance, leadership, professionalism, integrity, vision, inclusiveness and sensitivity” as the recipient of the association’s Rome Betts Award for Excellence. Since joining aha in 2008, Mullins has overseen a 91 percent increase in fundraising for the local Go Red for Women initiative. She lives in Wichita.
Brandon W. Baker ’06, ENTRE, a realtor associate at the Carnahan Group of Wichita, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. As a college student, he was named Carney Scholar at the WSU School of Entrepreneurship. Baker lives in Wichita.
Lauren E. (Newell) Griffin ’06, DANCE, is a dance instructor at Dance Etc. in Wichita Falls, Texas, where she lives.*
Mark A. Garriott ’07, BUS ADM, human resources director at the Kansas Masonic Home in Wichita, is a fellow in the Kansas Association of Homes and Services for the Aging leadership class of 2011. He is a Bel Aire, Kan., resident.
Kyle M. Gerstner ’07, ENTRE, owner of Green Zebra Concierge, was named to the Wichita Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 class for 2011. Begun in 2007, Green Zebra Concierge is Gerstner’s second entrepreneurial venture. His first – which he started when, as he puts it, “I was a young lad” – was Green Zebra Landscape Management. He grew his landscape maintenance and construction business through his years at WSU, selling it to start up Green Zebra Concierge. Gerstner is in the process of selling off his stable of Wichita businesses, including Green Zebra Valet Parking, to finalize a four-store Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers franchising deal in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Kyle A. Holsey ’07, AEROS E, a member of the Wichita detachment of the Kansas Marine Corps League, has been promoted to captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. He is learning to fly the AV-8B Harrier at MCAS Cherry Point, N.C. He lives in New Bern, N.C.
John M. Maier ’07, EX SCI, is a trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol in Sedgwick County, Kan. He lives in Wichita.
Jason M. McMillan ’07, BUS ADM, is business intelligence specialist at Mid-Continent Instruments in Wichita, where he’s responsible for the design and implementation of business intelligence software systems. He joined the company in 2006 as a WSU student, testing flight computers and altimeters, and performing administrative lab duties. After graduation, he became a process administrator, working to improve data analysis and on customer relationship management. He lives in Wichita.
Kiel N. Moreland ’07, PHIL, is an adjunct faculty member at Grace University in Omaha, Neb. He resides in Lincoln, Neb.
Chiyoko Myose ’07, S ART, ’11 S ART/P, an artist who lives and works in Wichita, is the subject of the article “A Stranger in Her Own Country,” written by Matthew Clagg ’09, S ART, and published in Naked City, a Wichita culture, lifestyle, entertainment magazine. “My work is personal,” the native of Japan is quoted as saying, “but I believe many people are sojourners in one way or another.” The article can be found at nakedcitywichita.com. Myose’s works, “Sojourning No. 6” and “Sojourning No. 5,” graced the WSU Alumni Association’s Shocker ArtReach series of event invitations in 2010-11.
Caroline A. (Karslake) Burk ’08, M NURS, a nurse practitioner at Holy Family Medical Associates in Wichita, is a member of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She resides in El Dorado, Kan.
Ashley B. (Nicks) Scheideman ’08, M HIST, chief executive officer at the Kansas chapter of Make-A-Wish in Wichita, has worked at the nonprofit organization since 2005, helping to grant more than 300 wishes. She resides in Maize, Kan.
Brenda M. (Brockman) Bivens ’09, D PT, is a physical therapist at Hastings Physical Therapy in Hastings, Neb. She lives in Juniata, Neb.
Stephanie “Stevie” D. (Previte) Blakely ’09, M SOC, a former graduate teaching assistant and then lecturer at Wichita State, is coordinator of the Discovery Center for Academic Success at Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas. She previously was an adjunct faculty member who taught courses in psychology, sociology and college orientation at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan.
William “Billy” J. Graf ’09, FLD MJR ENG, has written a print-on-demand book, The Quadfather, about his experiences as a stay-at-home dad of quadruplets. Graf and his wife, Monica D. (Haag) Graf ’04, NURS, are parents of three boys and a girl – Pius, Forrest, Laine and Danna – born in November 2007. Because of the cost of childcare, the couple decided that one of them would stay home with the children. The book is an outgrowth of the blog “Bill & Moni’s Excellent Quad-venture” (www.billyandmonica.blogspot.com). The Grafs live in Goddard, Kan.
Alan W. Grosbach ’09, M SP MGT, assistant athletic director and director of sports information at McPherson College in McPherson, Kan., has been recognized as 2010-2011 Sports Information Director of the Year by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. Now in his third year at McPherson College, Grosbach worked a year as assistant sports information director and two years as a student assistant sports information director while working on his master’s degree at Wichita State. He lives in McPherson.
Jacinta “Jacie” R. Hoyt ’09, GEN ST SOC, is director of women’s basketball operations at the University of Nevada, Reno, working with former WSU head women’s basketball coach Jane Albright. Hoyt, a player on Albright’s WSU teams from 2006-09, started every game for the Shockers during that period. She also was on the Honor Roll for three years and was a recipient of the “Iron Shocker” award. She was a graduate assistant at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan., where she earned a master’s degree in 2011. She resides in Reno.
Sarah A. Johnson ’09, MUS P, ’11 M MUS P, flutist, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study with Gro Sandvik, a noted Norwegian flutist who teaches at the University of Bergen’s Grieg Academy. During Johnson’s years at WSU as an undergraduate and graduate student, she played with the symphonic band, orchestra, chamber groups, ensembles, pit orchestra and graduate woodwind quintet.
Candice A. Tullis ’09, COMM, ’11 M COMM, is page designer, copy editor and celebrations and obituaries coordinator at the Wichita Eagle. While attending Wichita State, she was editor of the Sunflower from May 2009 to May 2011. She resides in Wichita.
Megan N. Vicin ’09, EL ED, a kindergarten teacher at Kensler Elementary School in Wichita, has won a Distinguished Teacher award in the New Teacher-Elementary category from the Wichita public schools for her work during the 2010-2011 school year. She lives in Wichita.
Shyam Sunder Alugubelly ’10, M EL E, is a network operations engineer at Virtela Technology Services Inc. in Greenwood Village, Colo. He lives in Englewood, Colo.*
Emily R. Brookover ’10, M S ART/P, an artist who lives and works in Wichita, was among the artists featured in the January 2011 issue of the magazine Naked City Wichita. Her drawings and paintings have been exhibited at a number of Wichita galleries, as well as at the Delmar Riney Gallery in Pratt, Kan., and the Angel Gallery in Seattle.
Satya Danthuluri ’10, M EL E, a former graduate teaching assistant at Wichita State, is an electrical/controls design engineer at Illinois Tool Works Inc., a global diversified manufacturer headquartered in Toledo, Ohio.
Megan N. Gayer ’10, EL ED, head coach of the Valley Center, Kan., Purple Wave swim team, supervises some 80 swimmers ranging in age from 5 to 18. A Wichita high school All-City League swimmer, she was a Wichita Aqua Shocks swim team assistant coach during her years in college. She also competed on the WSU cross country and track teams as a distance runner. On the track, her accomplishments include a Sooner Open third-place finish in the 1500-meter run with a personal best time of 4:53.71. Gayer lives in Wichita.*
Mallory A. Jennings ’10, MCH E, is a NASA technology development engineer at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston. A former Gore Scholar at WSU, Jennings served five semesters of co-op education at NASA before accepting a full-time position. Her work involves engineering space suits, specifically the Portable Life Support System, or the “backpack” of the suit. She is a Houston resident.
Natalie K. Johnson ’10, ART ED, is an adjunct art instructor at Bethel Life School in Wichita. Johnson, whose artistic endeavors center on painting and drawing, has had her work displayed at Shift Space Gallery in Wichita’s Old Town district. She lives in Wichita.*
Vijaya Laxmi ’10, M EL E, is HTTS engineer at Cisco Systems in Dallas. He lives in Richardson, Texas.
Hai Le ’10, MATH ED, is in his second year of teaching sixth-grade math at Robinson Middle School in Wichita. He resides in Wichita.
Manjunath Krishnappa ’10, M EL E, is technical associate at Mahindra Satyam in Midland-Odessa, Texas, where he lives.
Patrick C. Ronning ’10, EL E, is an aircraft systems engineer at Garmin International in Salem, Ore. He lives in Keizer, Ore.
Elizabeth “Liz” A. Widzinski ’10, M MUS P, is an adjunct professor of clarinet at the State University of New York at Fredonia. At WSU, she received the 2008-2010 Konrad Wolff and Isle Bing Chamber Music Fellowship. In addition to teaching, she is an active freelance musician in Buffalo, N.Y.
Anthony “Tony” J. Woodlief ’10, M ENG CR, a writer whose work has appeared in The London Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Review and World Magazine has written his spiritual memoir, Somewhere More Holy. His blog, “Sand in the Gears, Words That Get Stuck in Inopportune Places,” can be found at www.tonywoodlief.com. He is a resident of Sedgwick, Kan.
Jeffrey “Jeff” F. Boone ’11, M SP MGT, is an adjunct business faculty member at Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. He resides in Derby, Kan.
Erin L. Kitzman ’11, M SOC WK, is a therapeutic social worker at Hays Medical Center’s Senior-Focused Care Unit in Hays, Kan. She resides in Ellis, Kan.
Katherine “Kate” E. Moran ’11, MKT, is the marketing manager for In the Bag Cleaners in Wichita, where her job duties include promotions, coupon analysis, market research, social media, event sponsorship, graphic design and media relations. As a Wichita State student, she picked up work experience through university cooperative education and internship programs with Farm Bureau Financial Services, the Arthritis Foundation and the Kansas Children’s Service League. She lives in Wichita.
