Class Notes
’35
Happy birthday to Ann (Watkins) Kirkpatrick, BA ’35, of Fort Worth, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Aug. 2. A retired teacher, Watkins began teaching at Mount Calm in 1935 and later taught in Hubbard, Austin, Lubbock, and Abilene, where she retired in 1982. She is pictured here with her friends, Dr. John Dorman, BA ’90, and his son, Baylor sophomore Johnathan Dorman.
’39
Deanie (Copeland) Chastain, BBA ’39, of Woodway, TX, was presented the 75th Diamond Anniversary Diploma at the Baylor Heritage Club Banquet in March. She wore a green and gold satin dress that she made with 75 gold buttons on it and a diamond on her green and gold hat. Chastain, age 95, spoke to guests about her life experiences and her long-term goal of living until age 115, in order to be named the longest living Texas woman. She asks that alumni continue to return for spring alumni events during the next two decades to see her.
’50
Dr. Bill Tolar, BA ’50, MA ’56, was inducted into the Jackson Parish Sports Hall of Fame in his hometown, Jonesboro, LA, on July 26. He was captain and All-State on an undefeated high school football team. He declined an athletic scholarship from LSU in order to study Baptist ministry at Baylor, where he lettered in football. After graduating from Baylor, he earned MDiv and ThD degrees at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tolar taught in the religion department at Baylor from 1955-65 and at Southwestern from 1965-2005, where he also served as dean of theology and academic vice president. He has written two books and published articles and chapters in 14 more. His wife, Floye Tolar, was secretary to W.R. White when he was president of Baylor. Contact at 3570 Cromart Court N., Fort Worth, TX 76133.
’51
Martha (Miller) McKinney, BA ’51, of Waco, had some of her paintings featured at The Art Center of Waco over the summer. Her work is represented in the Smithsonian Institute and the International Women Artists Archive. McKinney has also shown in the prestigious National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. That exhibit later visited the Chicago Art Institute and France.
’53
John Killinger, AB ’53, of Warrenton, VA, has written his 80th book, The Good Fundamentalist, (Intermundia Press, 2014: 257 pages), a novel based on a true story about a Kentucky preacher. In addition to his writing career, Killinger has been a pastor to eight churches, and has served as a professor for Georgetown College and Vanderbilt Divinity School, and was distinguished professor of Christianity and culture at Samford University.
’57
Douglas Beyer, BA ’57, and his wife, Martha “Mike” (Edwards) Beyer, BA ’57, are living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where Douglas is serving as interim pastor of the Emirates Baptist Church. Contact at dougbeyer@juno.com.
’62
Dr. Perry Arnold, BA ’62, has joined the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of the Florida Keys board of directors. He served in the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) and the Department of Indian Health prior to completing his USPHS residency in radiology. Arnold practiced general and interventional radiology at Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore for 27 years before developing and operating the first free-standing interventional access center for dialysis patients in the U.S. He also was a part-time member of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution faculty for 29 years. Arnold retired in Key West, FL, in 2005.
’64
Dr. Steven Herbert Smith, BM ’64, of State College, PA, retired in June as professor of piano at Penn State and accepted emeritus rank after 42 years. He is president (2013-15) of the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association. He continues to be an active performer, completing a busy 2013-14 season of concerts, including Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat with the Penn State Philharmonic and Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time in February. In June he performed a solo recital for the American Matthay Association for Pianists’ national meeting in Fort Worth. His 11-CD set, Piano Masterworks of Beethoven, with all 32 sonatas, nine variation sets (including the “Diabelli” and “Eroica”), and the Bagatelles Opus 126 was produced by Soundwaves Recordings. The Rondos, Opus 51 is in production. He will play Beethoven’s Fourth Concerto with the Nittany Valley Symphony in December 2014.
’65
Dr. Samuel L. Porter, BM ’65, MM ’72, celebrated his 75th birthday on Sept. 7 with an organ recital at the First Presbyterian Church of Hattiesburg, MS, where he is the organist. The occasion also marked his 65th year in church music ministry. Porter holds a DMA in organ performance from the University of Alabama and is an associate of the American Guild of Organists. He is adjunct professor of organ and accompanying at the University of Southern Mississippi.
’66
Bill Smothers, BA ’66, retired as senior vice president from Merrill Lynch on Aug. 31. He will pursue another career in securities mediation and arbitration for FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). Contact at 3180 Adam Keeling Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 or wsmothers@hotmail.com.
’68
Stephen C. Porter, BBA ’68, has been named general counsel at Plano, TX-based Mortgage Contracting Services. He has 23 years of experience in the mortgage servicing industry and previously served as chief litigation counsel at the Addison, TX, law firm Barrett Daffin Frappier Turner & Engel LLP. Porter holds a law degree from SMU and was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1968-71. He maintains the highest AV rating from the legal ranking service Martindale-Hubbell.
’69
Dr. Don Welch, BA ’69, of Nashville, has authored A Guide to Ethics and Public Policy (Routledge Press, 2014: 168 pages). After 35 years at Vanderbilt University, Welch has retired as professor of law, professor of religion and associate dean of the Law School. He is now volunteering full-time at St. Augustine’s Chapel at Vanderbilt.
’70
Jerry Robertson, BM ’70, and his wife Carol Ann (Johnson) Robertson, BMEd ’71, have retired after 37 years of serving with the Southern Baptist International Missions Board. In 1977, Jerry and Carol were appointed as missionaries to serve in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. They were there for 20 years. The Robertsons moved on to the northeastern Ivory Coast to work among the Nafana people. They served there for 15 years. Contact at 2003 State Route 1233, Calhoun, KY 42327 or pray4nafana@yahoo.com.
Richard Veit, BA ’70, MA ’80, authored Home Sweet Home Front (WingSpan Press). The historical novel, set primarily in central Texas, is a coming-of-age story of a teenage boy during World War II. The book has been honored by the State of Texas with a resolution from Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson in the Texas House of Representatives. Veit’s wife Patti (Pye) Veit, BSEd ’75, MSEd ’84, and their children, Amy (Veit) Marshall, BA ’07, and son, Cody Veit, BBA, MAcc ’13, are all Baylor graduates. Contact at 900 W. Moonlight Dr., Robinson, TX 76706 or Richard_Veit@baylor.edu.
’71
Thomas R. Phillips, BA ’71, of Austin, has joined the Texas State Historical Association Board of Directors. He is an attorney for Baker Botts LLP, focusing on appellate litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Phillips has served as Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court and district judge in Harris County. He also taught at South Texas College of Law in Houston and at the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University. Phillips served on the Texas Historical Commission from 2005-12 and is a longtime director of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society.
Martha (McMullan) Singleton, BA ’71, has retired from a 43-year career teaching high school journalism at Holmes High School in San Antonio, TX. During that time, she served as president of Texas Association of Journalism Educators, was named nationally Distinguished Adviser by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, and was honored as one of the Top Ten Teachers in Texas by The University of Texas School of Education. Singleton has also co-authored three books with her husband, and leads lifestyle and college readiness workshops. Her son Matt Singleton, BA ’06, MA ’08, will be taking over the journalism department at Holmes High School. For more information about her speaking schedule or publishing, contact at marthasingleton210@gmail.com or 11707 Lockinver Lane, San Antonio, TX 78251.
’72
Michael Heiskell, BA ’72, JD ’74, of Fort Worth, was sworn in to the board of directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) at the Association’s 57th annual meeting in Philadelphia on Aug. 2. Heiskell has been a criminal defense attorney at the law firm of Johnson, Vaughn & Heiskell since 1984. Prior to this, he served as a Galveston County Assistant District Attorney and then as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Heiskell has been named a “Super Lawyer” by his peers in white collar criminal defense in Texas Monthly Magazine for each year since 2003.
’73
Kathy (Robinson) Hillman, BA ’73, Baylor associate professor and director of Baptist Collections and Library Advancement, will be nominated for president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas during the state convention’s annual meeting in November. Dr. Duane Brooks, BA ’84, PhD ’91, Baylor Regent and pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, will nominate Hillman.
Hillman has worked in various faculty positions at Baylor University since 1976, including associate professor and director of special collections for the central university libraries. She now is director of Baptist collections, library advancement and the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor.
Currently the BGCT first vice president, Hillman was president of Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas from 2000-04 and served on numerous BGCT committees. She has chaired the BGCT Committee to Nominate Executive Board Members and its Committee on Order of Business. Hillman also served on the BGCT Executive Board, and she serves on the board of directors for Paisano Baptist Encampment.
If elected BGCT president, she will be the second woman to hold the office. Hillman has served on the executive council and executive board of Waco Regional Baptist Association, and she served as the association’s first female vice moderator in 2008-2009 and its first female moderator in 2009-2011.
Hillman is a 38-year member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church in Waco, where she has held a variety of leadership positions on committees, in Sunday school and Vacation Bible School, in the music ministry and in WMU. She and her husband, John, have three adult children and three grandchildren. Hillman’s great-grandmother, both grandfathers, both parents and two of her children attended Baylor.
’77
Maura Shelton, BA ’77, MS ’78, received her PhD degree from the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington in June, 2013. She is an instructor at the University of Washington at Bothell. Shelton lives in Seattle with her two daughters. She is one of seven third-generation Baylor alumni in her family. Contact at maurashelton@comcast.net.
’78
Stan Moore, BS ’78, recently garnered two Telly Awards for the writing/directing of two documentaries. Disinformation: The Secret Strategy to Destroy the West, tells the true story of a top Soviet bloc spy chief who, at great risk, left the “dark side” to shine a light on the greatest source of political evil in today’s world. It was a #1 seller on Amazon. The second, Israel Indivisible: The Case For The Ancient Homeland, tells the story of Israel and the Jewish people, as seen and heard through the lives and voices of the people who lived and died to establish and hold the land God calls His. Moore has won over 15 Tellys and two Emmy Awards among others. Contact at 1858 Wilson Pike, Franklin, TN 37067 or sm@mpfilms.tv.
’80
The late Duncan Manning, BA ’80, previously of Benbrook, TX, was honored with a memorial dedicated in June at the James L. West Alzheimer’s Center in Fort Worth, where he was vice president of development at the time of his death on July 2, 2012. As a college student, Manning was a bear trainer for Baylor Chamber. He worked in healthcare development and fundraising in Fort Worth, Waco, San Angelo and Longview.
Kevin Stingley, BSEd ’80, of Rusk, TX, has retired after 34 years in education, the past 23 years with the Rusk ISD. He was an assistant coach on two state championship football teams at Daingerfield High School in 1983 and 1985 and was an assistant track coach at Stephen F. Austin State University from 1988-90. His son, James Stingley, BA ’14, one of seven family members to attend Baylor, graduated magna cum laude in May at age 20. Contact at kevstingley005@gmail.com.
’82
Kim (Bartels) Martin, BBA ’82, retired in August 2013 from 15 years of home educating her children. “My daughter Emily Martin just finished her freshman year in the University Scholars program at Baylor and loves it,” she writes. “Being a homeschool mom and a homemaker was the most rewarding career.” She and her husband Chuck Martin are active at First Baptist Church of Frisco, TX, where Chuck is pastor.
’83
Dortha (Hendrick) Jackson, BS ’83, of Diboll, TX, has published her first book, Isn’t It Funny? (Outskirts Press, 2014: 94 pages). From light humor to satirical wit, she covers subjects from reality TV to healthy eating in these 20 short stories. Jackson and her husband, Steve, have two adult children and one granddaughter.
’84
Austin (TX) Westlake High School journalism teacher Deanne (Heinen) Brown, BSEd ’84, was presented with the Max R. Haddick Teacher of the Year Award during the 2014 Interscholastic League Press Conference in Austin. The ILPC gives the award every year to the best high school journalism instructor in Texas. Helping her celebrate were husband Jamie and daughters Hillary, BSEd ’12, and Hannah Kunz, her parents, Robert F., BBA ’61, and Barbara Heinen, her sisters Donna J. (Heinen) Sanders, BBA ’86, and Denise (Heinen) Harris, BBA ’88, and several former students. Contact at phototeacher13@yahoo.com.
Alan Ratliff, BBA ’84, MTax ’85, was awarded Volunteer Houston’s 2014 Greater Houston Services Award for Youth Services. He is a partner in the StoneTurn Group, an international forensic accounting, financial investigations and expert witness consultancy. Alan and Tricia (Siegel) Ratliff, BBA ’86, an assistant principal at Chinquapin Preparatory School, live in Houston.
’85
Dr. Barry Creamer, BA ’85, has been elected president of Criswell College. Creamer has been with Criswell College for 10 years, serving as vice president of academic affairs and professor of Humanities. In addition, Creamer has served many churches in a variety of roles since 1982, and he is a leading voice on both theological and cultural issues. These issues are voiced on the radio show that he hosts, For Christ and Culture, on KCBI-FM Dallas-Fort Worth. He holds a PhD in humanities from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master of divinity degree from Criswell.
Allison Whitlock, BBA ’85, has been promoted to vice president of accounting for Crescent Real Estate Holdings LLC in Fort Worth. A CPA, Whitlock has been with the company since 2001.
Timothy L. Young, BBA ’85, of Orlando, FL, has joined the board of directors for Orlando’s Mad Cow Theatre. He has been a financial consultant and has acted as finance manager, chief financial officer or controller for a range of corporations in Orlando and Hong Kong. Young founded the Blankner School Foundation and has been a fundraiser for the Florida Collegiate Summer Baseball League, Lake Highland Prep sports facilities, the Hong Kong International School, the Hong Kong Football Club and a variety of other sports clubs.
’86
Walter Abercrombie, BSEd ’86, MSEd ’92, of Waco, was among nine players and coaches inducted into the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame Oct. 20. The former Baylor All-American running back currently is associate athletic director for Baylor’s B Association.
’87
Jeff Bosco, BBA ’87, has been promoted from senior vice president to head of CUNA Mutual group’s wealth management business. Bosco, who has more than 25 years of experience in financial services, held several leadership positions at American Family Insurance, including financial adviser, national sales trainer, sales vice president, chief operating officer and head of the Life Company, before joining CUNA Mutual Group in 2011.
Sam Houston, JD ’87, is the Democratic nominee for Texas Attorney General. Houston has been practicing law for 26 years, and is a partner at Shepherd, Scott, Clawater & Houston LLP. He lives in Houston with his wife, Jantha, and their two children.
Tom Wiles, MA ’87, is now serving as executive minister of American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island. Contact at 130 Setian Lane, West Warwick, RI 02893 or twiles@abcori.org.
’88
Lisa (Smith) Archinal, BBA ’88, has accepted a position at Pine Cove Christian Camps as marketing and development executive-Houston. She has served as a conference speaker and board member for Pine Cove. Archinal is a frequent speaker at churches and conferences in the area of faith, marriage, and parenting. She has written a children’s book and two parenting books. Contact at lisaarchinal.com.
’89
LaMarriol Smith, BA ’89, was promoted to executive manager for strategic communications and public affairs for the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority in Seguin, TX. Formerly GBRA’s chief strategic communications and public affairs officer, Smith has 28 years of experience includes public affairs, media relations, higher education administration, marketing, project and event management, speechwriting, publications management, website development and social media communications. Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas in Austin. Before joining the GBRA in 2007, Smith served as executive director of college relations at Austin College in Sherman, TX, and director of communications at St. Edward’s University in Austin.
Sarah Stark, BA ’89, of Santa Fe, NM, has published her first novel, Out There. It tells the story of Jefferson Long Solider, a young veteran recently home from Iraq who believes a novel he carried with him saved his life, and ventures to Mexico City to find the writer. For more information, visit leafstormpress.com or contact at sarahstark@outlook.com.
’90
Amos L. Mazzant III, JD ’90, has been nominated for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern district of Texas. He has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Texas since 2009. Previously, he was a Justice on the Court of Appeals for the Fifth District of Texas at Dallas and was Of Counsel at Wolfe, Tidwell & McCoy LLP.
Rita (Elrod) Pintavalle, BSEd ’90, was sworn in as president of Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) on June 13. TASSP is the largest association for principals in the nation. She will represent Texas principals this year while traveling to all 20 regions and advocating for education at state and national conferences. Pintavalle was also selected as the High School Principal of the Year for Region 11, which consists of over 120 high schools in North Texas). She has served as the principal of Kennedale High School since 2006.
’91
Dr. Marty Crawford, BSEd ’91, has been named superintendent for Tyler (TX) ISD. He has six years of experience in superintendent positions, and he oversaw the recovery of West (TX) ISD after the April 2013 fertilizer plant explosion. Crawford also has worked in Dallas ISD, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, Highland Park ISD and Oklahoma City Public Schools.
Jay Duffer, BMEd ’91, and John Forkner, BFA ’02, starred in the comedy The Nosemaker’s Apprentice: Chronicles of a Medieval Plastic Surgeon in Fort Worth. The show ran July 10-Aug. 10 at Amphibian Stage Productions’ Berlene T. & Jarrell R. Milburn Theatre. Duffer is associate professor of theatre and chair of the theatre department at Huntington University in Huntington, IN. Forkner’s last three years in New York were spent co-developing and performing as Charles Dickens in Reid Farrington’s A Christmas Carol.
Richard Thomas, BMEd ’91, has been named Belton (TX) ISD’s fine arts director. Thomas has 18 years of experience in education, and before moving to Belton, he served Red Oak High School as director of bands. He also has experience as a music pastor at the First Baptist Church of Fort Worth.
’92
Lorina Rummel, JD ’92, of San Antonio, TX, has been appointed by Gov. Rick Perry as judge of the 144th Judicial District Court, Bexar County. She will serve as interim judge until November’s general election. She is currently an assistant district attorney for the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and the family violence supervising prosecutor for the 39th District Court in Bexar County.
’93
Deanna Lovesmith, BSEd ’93, MSEd ’97, is now assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in the Belton (TX) ISD. She had been the principal of Belton New Tech High School @ Waskow since its creation three years ago. Before that, Lovesmith was a director of special projects and curriculum, counselor and teacher in school districts in the Waco area. She earned her doctorate in education and education administration from Texas A&M.
’94
Charles S. “Chuck” Pope, BA ’94, has moved with his family to New Delhi, India, where he is the director of USAID’s Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance servicing India, Maldives and Sri Lanka. “We look forward to connecting with all Bears in and around the Subcontinent,” writes Pope. Contact at 9000 New Delhi Place, Dulles, VA 20189 or cpope@usaid.gov.
’95
Dena (Ratliff) Dyer, BA ’95, of Granbury, TX, and co-author Tina Samples won a first place Golden Scroll award from the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association for their book Wounded Women of the Bible: Finding Hope When Life Hurts (Kregel, 2013). The award was presented at a ceremony during the International Christian Retail Show. “Baylor’s stellar English department, especially teachers Bob Darden and Ann Miller, made a huge impact on my writing, and I am now teaching English and creative writing at my son’s home school co-op, so their legacy lives on,” writes Dena. Contact at denadyer@gmail.com.
Dr. Sydney Seiger, BA ’95, MA ’96, Phd ’99, of Irving, TX, has been named chief marketing officer of TXU Energy. She brings her expertise in consumer insights, analytics and business intelligence back to TXU Energy after serving as vice president at La Quinta. Seiger has been in the energy industry for more than a decade.
’96
Kim (Claxton) Vance, BBA ’96, of Dallas, has been named vice president of marketing and communications for rug manufacturer Feizy Rugs. Previously, she was president and founder of Trugenius Marketing, where she spent more than a decade as a consultant for a broad array of clients including Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Solomon Associates, RiseSmart and Reachout Home Care. Vance began her career at 7-Eleven Inc. in a corporate communications role.
Dr. Gregory Williams, EdD ’96, is president of Odessa College, where ground was broken in July for a building to be named in his honor. Williams Hall Continuing Education Center will be a 13,000 square-feet, state-of-the-art building with a cost of $3.75 million. An anonymous donor to the college asked that a building be named after Williams, who has been president for seven years. Williams and his wife, Karen, have two children, Gregory and Kara.
’97
Col. John Kent, MHA ’97, took command of the Medical Department Activity and Munson Army Health Center at Fort Leavenworth, KS, on June 5. His most recent assignment was as the chief of Patient Administration for Northern Regional Medical Command at Fort Belvoir, VA. Kent has worked as a liaison between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is board certified in health care management, a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a registered dietitian. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon (fourth award), and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. He was awarded the Expert Field Medical Badge and is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit.
Mike Schraeder, BSEd ’97, and Joey Oglesby, ’01, both of Dallas, began their acting careers in New York City when they left Baylor. Thanks to two one-act-plays about Texas, the two, who are among the founders of Second Thought Theatre in Dallas, had the chance to return to New York. Lone Star and Laundry and Bourbon ran from July 5-26 at Clurman Theater in New York.
’98
Chip Gaines, BBA ’98, and Joanna (Stevens) Gaines, BA ’01, of Waco, have signed on for a second season of their show Fixer Upper on HGTV. For the season, the Gaines are remodeling 13 homes around Waco. They also appeared on NBC’s The Today Show on July 31. Learn more at magnoliahomes.net.
David Gilmore, BBA ’98, has been named managing director of investments for The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. He will work to guide the Baltimore-based foundation’s $2 billion investment portfolio and refine the organization’s investment strategy. He will support Jonathan D. Hook, MBA ’81, who was named in April as the foundation’s first chief investment officer. Gilmore was previously the interim chief investment officer for The Ohio State University and was a partner and investment consultant at Gerber/Taylor Capital Advisors.
’00
Dr. Suzanne Rupp, MSCP ’00, PsyD ’02, of Winfield, KS, was appointed as international executive director by the Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society’s Board of Trustees. Pi Gamma Mu is the oldest and most preeminent honor society in the social sciences.
’01
David Bertrand, BBA ’01, MSEd ’03, of Dallas, has been appointed director and clinical assistant professor of sport performance leadership within the applied physiology and wellness department at Southern Methodist University. Contact at dbertrand@smu.edu.
Tim Cooper, MDiv ’01, of Hamilton, Ontario, published his first novel, The Pastor Who Hated Church: A Tale of Redemption. It is available on Amazon.com and through the website thepastorwhohatedchurch.webs.com.
Mark Gulyassy, BBA ’01, is returning as principal to Mercer’s talent consulting business in its Central Market. He has almost 15 years of corporate and consulting experience. Before joining Houston-based Mercer, he led the global compensation function with Transocean. He has consulted with clients in the oil and gas, utilities, energy, drilling, engineering, financial services and healthcare industries.
The National Association of Professional Women, the largest organization of women in the country, with more than 600,000 women, has recognized Sharon Henderson, MHA ’01, as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year. She was recognized with this prestigious distinction for her leadership. Henderson is CEO and founder of TZ Patriotic Solutions, through which she provides consulting expertise to businesses that support military and veteran populations. She has proudly served her country for nearly three decades. Although Henderson has recently retired from the U.S. Army, she is still actively involved with the military.
Joseph Pouncy, BA ’01, has been named principal of Warren Middle School in Forney (TX) ISD. Previously he served as assistant principal at Forney High School. This is Pouncy’s 13th year in education.
’03
Malihe Nasrollahzadeh, BA ’03 married Ivan Vicencio in Las Vegas, NV, on Aug. 2. They reside in El Paso, TX, where Malihe is in pharmaceutical sales and they both own Party Time Ice Co. Contact at Mnv32@hotmail.com.
’04
Beth (Morlang) Bowman, BA ’04, is serving as the new president and CEO for the Greater Irving-Las Colinas (TX) Chamber of Commerce. Previously, Bowman was the chief development officer and interim vice president of economic development She has been with the Irving Chamber for nine years, and is a member of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives and American Chamber of Commerce Executives. Bowman earned the Certified Chamber of Commerce Executive designation, the highest level attainable by chamber leaders.
In seven seasons as head volleyball coach at Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, Tricia (Heflich) Roos, BBA ’04, has led the Lady Friars to state titles in 2008, 2012, and 2013. She was named this year’s Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools 5A Female Coach of the Year. The Lady Friars were state finalists in 2009 and 2010, and state semifinalists in 2011. Roos was a founding member of Baylor’s club volleyball team. She spent three years coaching at Reicher Catholic High School in Waco before moving to Dallas. Roos is also the director of admissions for Bishop Lynch. She and her husband, Jonas (BBA ’05), have a son, Cameron.
Dan Sullivan, BBA ’04, of New York, NY, was promoted to partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the financial instruments, structured products and real estate practice. He advises clients on developing funding strategies, creating structured products, and evaluating accounting, tax and regulatory requirements for debt securities. Sullivan joined PwC’s New York office in 2004. Contact at daniel.k.sullivan@us.pwc.com.
’05
Jessica Exum, BA ’05, has been hired as recruiting manager for Talascend’s Houston operations. She will lead a team of recruiters in the oil and gas industry as well as other sectors. Exum has 10 years of experience in the staffing industry serving in recruiting, account executive, recruitment training management and sales training management roles. Most recently, she worked for Odyssey Information Services.
Ashton Gustafson, BBA ’05, will be a featured speaker at the 2014 Realtors’ Conference & Expo Conference to be held Nov. 7-10 in New Orleans. The event includes 100 education sessions, the largest real estate industry trade show and 17,000 real estate professionals and guests. Gustafson will present a session at the conference titled “Time Management: Systems, Tools, and Disciplines.” He is owner/broker of A.G. Real Estate & Associates of Waco. For more information, visit AshtonGustafson.com.
Dr. Belinda Neal, EdD ’05, assistant superintendent at Lindale (TX) ISD, will serve as the president for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA) in 2014-2015. She has served on the TEPSA board of directors and committees since 2007. TEPSA has served Texas Pre K-8 school leaders since 1971, and has more than 5,800 members who direct the activities of 2.5 million children.
Joshua P. Searcy, JD ’05, was presented the Romina L. Mulloy Bossio Achievement Award by the Young Lawyers Committee of the Bankruptcy Law Section of the Texas State Bar. A bankruptcy attorney, Searcy received the award because of his contributions to community service, pro bono work and efforts to encourage and support other young bankruptcy attorneys in their community and at large. He is a partner in Searcy & Searcy PC in Longview, TX. He is married to Meredith Searcy and has two sons.
’06
Nathan Barber, MSEd ’06, of Houston, has authored What Teachers Can Learn from Sports Coaches (Routledge, 2014: 198 pages), which includes a foreword by Baylor Lady Bears coach Kim Mulkey. Barber demonstrates how many of the principles of coaching can be used by teachers to motivate students, build community, and enhance teaching.
Katie (Green) Gruber, BA ’06, of Carrollton, TX, married Brandon DeWitt Gruber, BS ’06, of Nashville, TN, on June 7 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Katie formerly worked at Baylor as a lecturer in the communications department before moving to Nashville in 2012. Both also recently accepted new positions: Katie as an instructor at Middle Tennessee State University and Brandon as a software project manager for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
Chris Shea, MBA ’06, has been promoted to vice president of business development with Mellanox Technologies, a supplier of interconnect solutions for servers and storage systems. Shea joined the Sunnyvale, CA-based company in 2009. He brings over 20 years of experience in the technology industry with an extensive background in sales, marketing, analytical and international roles. Previously, Shea held various management roles at Rackable Systems (now SGI), Dell and EMC.
W. Cason White, MSEd ’06, was named senior vice president of client wealth strategy at Segment Wealth Management. Segment is an investment advisory firm that works with private clients along with foundations and institutions. Prior to this role, White was an Investment Consultant at Northern Trust. He has also worked for Alliance Bernstein. White, his wife, Allison (Deily) White, BA ’06, and their two daughters, Madeleine and Clara, reside in Houston. Contact at cason.white@segmentwm.com.
’08
Kate dePara, BSFCS ’08, of Houston, was featured in the August 2014 issue of Texas Monthly for her company, Evens, a minimalist clothing line. In addition to hand-dyeing her material, she also designs her own prints. Before starting her company in 2012, the textile designer worked in the fashion industry in New York and studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Learn more at shopevens.com.
Samantha Frazier, BA ’08, and her law partner, Jessica L. Horace, have announced that their law firm, Horace & Frazier PLLC, is now serving Houston and the surrounding counties. Horace & Frazier offers legal advice in the areas of family, criminal, wills and probate, and small business negotiations. Frazier is a graduate of South Texas College of Law. Contact at sefrazier@horacefrazierlaw.com.
Mary Elizabeth (Cienski) Hossier, BA ’08, was inducted into the Junior League of Dayton, OH, on May 13. “As a member of the military, I greatly appreciate that Junior League not only provides me the opportunity to build relationships with amazing women, but also to build a stronger relationship with the communities where the Air Force has sent me,” she writes.
Megan Koontz, BA ’08, is assistant director for parents and family programs at Vanderbilt University. Previously, she worked in the office of special events as an event manager. “I’ve had the opportunity to benchmark with Baylor Parents Network’s Judy Maggard, and have learned so much from her years of experience,” she writes. “I am inspired and challenged on a daily basis and feel really fortunate to be serving in this capacity.”
Kristine Lundeen, BA ’08, married George de Lara on June 28 in Fort Worth. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and is a middle school librarian for the Irving (TX) ISD. George is a registered nurse at the Baylor Heart Hospital in Plano. They reside in Euless, TX.
Dr. Angela Pool-Funai, MPP ’08, completed her doctor of public administration degree from Valdosta State University and has joined the faculty of Southern Utah University as an assistant professor of political science. Contact at Angela_Funai@alumni.baylor.edu.
Violet (Fuller) Silko, BBA ‘08, MBA ’11, JD ’11, has joined AllClear ID in Austin as an incident response specialist. She previously worked in San Marcos, TX, and Pittsburgh, PA, as a criminal defense attorney and in oil and gas law with Consol Energy, Inc. Violet married Jonathan Charles Silko, BA ’08, JD ’11, on April 14, 2012. They began their married life together in Pittsburgh, where they both practiced law. Jonathan died in a weather-related automobile accident on Feb. 13, 2014. Violet has relocated to her home state of Texas. Contact at violetsilko@gmail.com.
Preston Williams, BBA ’08, MBA ’13, has started Newborhood, a relocation guide for those moving to a new city. The free service is a customized, personalized, and interactive social network that helps people during the entire moving process: from thinking about moving, until long after the boxes are unpacked. Learn more at newborhood.com.
’09
Lauren Lunsford, BA ’09, is territory sales manager with Entellus Medical, a medical device company specializing in devices for the treatment of chronic sinusitis. She attends all football and Baylor alumni rugby games. Lunsford is a member of Business Professionals in Dallas Club. Contact at 5745 Bozeman Dr, Apt. 8237, Plano, TX 75024 or lmlunsford@aol.com.
Emily (Benton) Ryan, BA ’09, of Roanoke, VA, has written her first book, Playdate with Little Rock (Sharp End Publishing, 2014: 128 pages). The book is a guide to the city of Little Rock and surrounding areas for parents. From museums and theaters to state parks and water parks, Ryan gives parents an idea of when to go, what to bring, and what to do with children.
Kristen Singletary, BSEd ’09, became the assistant to the dean for the Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing on June 16. She and her 3-year-old daughter, Brooklynne, are happy to now be living in Dallas near family. Contact at Kristen_Singletary@baylor.edu.
Kelly Stieglitz, BS ’09, has been working with Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya (WOFAK) on their ongoing programs such as Delivering for Young Mothers, which focuses on promoting safe motherhood to mothers under 24 years, and Global Fund Round 10, which supports community health workers in home-based care for people living with HIV. Stieglitz holds a master’s degree in global medicine from USC and was a Baylor song leader. For more info, visit fsdinternational.org/donate/projects/Kelly.
’10
Andrew Crawford, BA ’10, is owner of Rhino Coffee in Shreveport, LA. The shop will be featured in Shreveport television show called Flip My Food. Learn more at rhinocoffee.com.
Laura Perry, BS ’10, a certified child life specialist, has been promoted to oversee the pediatric floor of Providence Hospital in Anchorage, AK. Contact at laura.perry22@gmail.com.
Melanie (Crowson) Russell, BA ’10, of Lake Stevens, WA, married John Russell on May 3 in Seattle. A formal wedding reception took place in Galveston, TX, in September, where John met most of Melanie’s Baylor family. “Sic ’em, Bears!” she writes. Contact at melanievasquezrussell@gmail.com.
’11
Lynette Wysocki, BA ’11, of Wheaton, IL, married Christopher Vanderpool, BA ’11, of Keswick, VA, on May 24. They met during their freshman year at Baylor. Upon graduating they moved to Washington, DC, and happily welcomed RGIII to the East Coast. They reside in Charlottesville, VA.
’12
Leigh Ann Henry, BA ’12, is now a brand manager for Immotion Studios, a Fort Worth-based national advertising and brand development agency. She previously worked as communications manager at The Dwyer Group in Waco.
Preston Yancey, BA ’12, has released his first book, Tables in the Wilderness: A Memoir of God Found, Lost, and Found Again (Zondervan, 2014: 240 pages). The spiritual memoir covers Yancey’s time at Baylor and the rich, complex faith it invited him to encounter and explore. It is also an invitation to people who are dissatisfied with the narrow ways they have conceived of God to wander into the mystery and fullness of Christian faith. This book is a love letter to Baylor, to the Honors College, to the Great Texts department, and to the unique and extraordinary experience it is to be a Baylor student,” writes Yancey. He and his wife, Hilary (Sherratt) Yancey, are back at Baylor for Hilary to complete a PhD in philosophy. For more, visit prestonyancey.com.
’13
Rishi Naran, MBA ’13, of Sugar Land, TX, showed his Baylor pride at the 2014 FIFA World Cup match between Argentina and The Netherlands in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Dr. Patty (Patterson) Nelson, EdD ’13, director of music education and assistant professor of music at Shorter University in Rome, GA, writes, “After having attended Baylor for half of my undergraduate degree from 1981-83, I finally earned my Baylor degree after completing my doctorate in August 2013. I now join my grandmother, Polly (Gilliland) Patterson (’28), my in-laws, Ed Nelson, Sr. (’49) and Gladys Samp Nelson (’49) , my husband, Ed Nelson Jr. (’76), my sisters Pam Patterson Moore (’87) and Paula Patterson McDowell (’91), my sister-in-law Lisa Nelson Cope (’88), my brother-in-law Philip Cope (’86, ’88) and my daughter Michal Nelson Taylor (’10, ’12) as graduates of Baylor University.” Contact at 128 Nelson Blvd. NW, Rome, GA 30165 or pnelson@shorter.edu.
Megan Waldock, BS ’13, of Azle, TX, joined the Peace Corps and departed for Guinea July 1 to begin training as a secondary education science volunteer. She is living and working at the community level to make a difference by teaching chemistry for grades 7-10 for two years while simultaneously completing a master’s degree in sustainability from Arizona State University.
Cory Jefferson, BSEd ’14, has been signed by the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets to a multi-year contract. Jefferson was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs and traded to Brooklyn. He earned his way onto the team by averaging 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds for Brooklyn’s summer league team in Orlando.
Rhonda King, of McGregor, TX, administrative manager of Baylor’s biology department, has written Just Dande (AuthorHouse, 2014, 18 pages), her first children’s book. Dande Lion’s journey motivates and inspires young minds to realize that everyone and everything has a purpose. The lesson is that “our reach is not limited by our roots.”