2000s

Liz Hagins, BS ’00, was named a reading instructional specialist at Midway Middle School in Hewitt, TX. Hagins, who was the 2015 Midway ISD Teacher of the Year, is in her 13th year in the classroom. She most recently taught eighth grade English and humanities and was the English department chair.

Robin Smith Yandre, BBA ’00, Gabrielle Tyler Madison, BBA ’00, Jennifer Clements, BS ’00, Nicole Fain, BA ’99, and Becca Platten Baker, BA ’99, celebrated their friendship in Hawaii in June 2021. Their special friendships, which were forged in North Russell 3D from August 1996 through graduation, continue today.

Michelle Faszold Mason, BA ’00, authored Your Life Has Been Delayed [Bloomsbury, 2021], her debut young adult novel. It follows 17-year-old Jenny Waters, who boards a plane in New York in 1995 and lands 25 years later in St. Louis. Everyone she knew is 25 years older — or dead. Publishers Weekly said, “This page-turner encourages readers to appreciate the now.” More information available at www.michelleimason.com.

Amy Grosso, BBA ’01, MDiv ’05, JD ’05, co-authored Schoolwide Collaboration for Transformative Social Learning [ABC-CLIO, 2021]. The book defines transformative social-emotional learning and its impact on students and schools. Contact at amylgrosso@gmail.com.

Robyn Popa, BA ’01, was named San Antonio managing principal for Pfluger Architects. Popa previously was a senior project manager, overseeing projects for Texas clients Comal ISD, Judson ISD, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD and Northeast ISD, where she led the improvements at Legacy of Educational Excellence (LEE) High School for more than a decade. Popa is married to Florin Popa, CEO and principal/partner at pbGroup LLC, and has two children: Asher and Elyse.

Dr. Brian J. Dixon, BA ’02, was named as one of The 400, Fort Worth Inc.’s compilation of 400 of the city’s most influential people, for his significant influence in the mental health industry. After medical school and residency, Dixon speaks and inspires others to believe in a brighter future for U.S. healthcare. He has authored a book and numerous online articles along with podcasts and newscasts about mental healthcare and health finance. Dixon has launched three successful mental health startups and is actively scaling each. Mindful proves direct pay psychiatry practice improves access to care. Gide proves connecting clients to therapists improves the best fit for both. Simply Psych proves mental health entrepreneurship benefits the community and prevents burnout. Learn more at DrBrianDixon.com.

Anne Claire D. Andaya-Nauts, BA ’03, is a foreign service officer, currently serving as the special assistant to the U.S. ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. She also served in Afghanistan in 2017 and 2018. Her other previous tours included India, China, and the Philippines, and she has also provided support in Israel and Ghana.

Tiffany Martin Kalloor, BS ’03 is vice president and interior design director for the Dallas studio of Hoefer Welker Architecture, a creative services organization with national influence. Leading all market sectors, including commercial, civic, education and healthcare, Kalloor led the interior design team that successfully completed one of the largest facilities in Texas — the 2 million square-foot Clements University Hospital for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Kalloor and her team received 2021 IIDA Award of Excellence for the Texas-Oklahoma chapter for their work on this project. Kalloor is an accomplished writer and speaker and commits much time assisting in the development of young professionals. She is on the Dallas College interior design program advisory board and counsels students at Texas A&M University on portfolio development. Kalloor, her husband Ken and their daughter Clover live in Dallas, where they are active members of Fellowship Church.

Lauren Grumbles, BS ’03, launched her Lauren Grumbles Design in 2017 and has more than 14 years of interior design experience in Houston. Two of her projects have been featured in the Houston Chronicle, and her work has received several accolades.

Flora Lee Peir, BA ’03, is news editor at The 19th, an Austin-based website dedicated to gender, politics and policy. She started at The 19th in May 2021 after an 18-year career at The New York Times. She and her family live in New York City.

Robin Harris, BBA ’04, and Wendy Harris of Friendswood, TX, established the Robin and Wendy Harris Endowment, which supports students taking real estate-related programs and courses.

Trey Crumpton, BS ’05, MS ’11, PhD, earned a doctorate in leadership studies from Dallas Baptist University in December 2020. His dissertation was Temple, Forum, Classroom: Progressive Philosophy of John Dewey and the Value of University Museums in Transformational Dialogue. Crumpton is exhibits development manager for Baylor’s Mayborn Museum. Contact at trey_crumpton@baylor.edu.

Sarah Thomas, BA ’07, was named director of marketing communications for the board of directors for the Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP). She became the first director of donor services at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in 2018, establishing the institution’s first department centrally focused on gift agreements, endowment reporting, naming opportunities, gift compliance and professorships. Thomas and her team won two CASE District III Grand Gold Awards in 2021, and she was nominated for the NCSU Staff Excellence Award for University Advancement. This spring, Thomas and her team will publish “Harnessing Data to Strategize for Digital Endowment Reporting” in the Journal of Education Advancement & Marketing, an article that explores using analytics to strategize digital communications. She is also the host of Hot Topics in Donor Relations and Gift Compliance, launched in 2020.

T. Hunter Lewis, BA ’08, JD ’10, was included in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of family law. This is the sixth year he received Best Lawyer designation. Lewis was also named to the 2021 Super Lawyers list, an honor he has received every year since 2013. Contact at hunter@d-elaw.com.

Clinton Cox, BA ’09, began the Master of Business Administration program at Florida International University last fall. Cox lives in Miami and is a regional director of operations overseeing 22 properties for the east coast region for Hotel Management & Consulting Inc., a leading third-party extended-stay hotel management company. Contact at clintoncox1@hotmail.com.

Mayra Jimenez, BBA ’09, is interim CEO for the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Educational and Legal Services (RAICES), a nationally renowned nonprofit, and will lead the organization into a new era.

Jonathan Wise, BA ’09, and Katie Brower Wise, BS ’10, have two boys: Walter, 7, and Wyatt, 3. They moved back to Waco, where Jonathan sells Central Texas farm and ranch real estate with Whitetail Properties Real Estate LLC.