Dispatches Summer 2011

1945
John Flynn, S.J. [SciEng], is celebrating his golden anniversary as a Jesuit this year.

1950
Robert Stanton [BusAdm] and Marie “Terry” Stanton, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in July 2010. They have five children: Tony [LibArts ’76], Kathleen, John, Robert and Todd, and eight grandchildren. Home is amid 20 acres of Hass avocados in Temecula, Calif. Bob works alongside his sons Tony and Todd at Sunset Trails Silversmiths nearly every day.

1952
Robert Courtney [BusAdm, Law ’60] was named Alumni ADG Man of the Year on April 3, 2011.

Paul Goda, S.J., [LibArts] retired from teaching at Santa Clara University School of Law after 40 years. He received the St. Thomas More Award in October 2010 from the St. Thomas More Society of Santa Clara County.

1960
Paul Sanchez [LibArts] was a named a recipient of the 2011 IABC Fellow award by the International Association of Business Communicators, located in San Francisco, in March. The organization has awarded the honor for 31 years, and only 62 people have been named fellows in that time.

1963
Thomas Von Der Ahe Sr. [BusAdm] was one of five members of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to receive the 2011 Cardinal’s Award at a dinner this past February. He is the third member of the Von Der Ahe family to receive the award, which is given annually by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

1965
John Niespolo, O.S.B., [LibArts] a monk of St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, Calif., teaches theology at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Calif.

1966 It's Your Reunion Year!
P. Gregory Rausch [SciEng] received the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering Wall of Fame Award on April 16, 2010.

1968
Thomas Myrdahl [LibArts, GradCFA ’71] shot a documentary called “Chicano Moratorium” in 1970 of a Chicano protest against the Vietnam War that has come to have historic significance. This past August, he posted his film, not seen in nearly 40 years, on the Internet. (Search for it by title.) He continues to work in Los Angeles as a cameraman.

Andrew Smith [LibArts] published his 18th and 19th books this year: “Starving the South: How the North Won the Civil War” and “Potato: A Global History.”

1969
Mary Ellen Gozdecki [LibArts] received the LMU Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award on March 3, 2011.

1973
William Scott Brown [BusAdm] received the LMU Alumni Entrepreneurship Wall of Honor Award from the College of Business Administration on April 18, 2011.

1974
Sara Denning-Bolle [SciEng] finished her residency in general medicine in Pennsylvania and returned to her home in southern Maine, where she is practicing medicine with Bowdoin Medical Group and teaching at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. She can be reached at sdenning@gwi.net.

Joseph Knott [BusAdm] received the LMU Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award on March 3, 2011.

James Lander [LibArts] has taught history at The American school in England since 1974. His book, titled “Lincoln and Darwin: Shared Visions of Race, Science and Religion,” was published in September 2010 by Southern Illinois University Press.

1975
Denny Branconier [LibArts, GradLibArts ’81] and Mike Kurz [LibArts ’76, Law ’81] volunteered for the Catholic Leadership Institute to raise funds to support “Good Leaders, Good Shepherds,” a leadership training program for priests.

Michael P. Rudinica [SciEng, GradSciEng ’79] received the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering Wall of Fame Award on April 16, 2010.

1976 It's Your Reunion Year!
Debra Davenport [CFA, GradCFA ’81] was a guest expert on the “Dr. Phil Show” on Jan. 18, 2011.

1978
Lecia Brooks [LibArts] founded Diversity Matters, an independent consulting firm that develops customized education and cultural workshops for nonprofits, institutions of higher learning and government entities.

Martha de la Torre [BusAdm] received the LMU Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award on March 3, 2011.

Sydney Handy Sickels [LibArts] became a National Board Certified Teacher this past November. She also received a master’s degree and was named Teacher of the Year in the Encinitas Unified School District. She and her husband, Dean, have three children and live in Leucadia, Calif.

1979
Mark S. Hoffman [LibArts, Law ’82] received the LMU Alumni Entrepreneurship Wall of Honor Award from the College of Business Administration on April 18, 2011.

Michael Weiler, S.J., [LibArts] was named provincial of the California Province of the Society of Jesus this past January. He was appointed by the order’s Superior General Adolfo Nicolás, S.J. He succeeds John P. McGarry, S.J., who became provincial of the California Province in 2005.

1981 It's Your Reunion Year!
Carol Codrington [LibArts, Law ’84] was unanimously confirmed as an associate justice for the California 4th District Appellate Court, Division 2 in Riverside, Calif., in August 2010. She had been a Superior Court judge since 2007 and previously served two years as a county court commissioner. On Feb. 19, 2011, she received the Distinguished Alumni William A. Strickland Excellence Award at the 9th Annual African American Alumni Association Scholarship Fundraiser.

Armando Paz [BusAdm, GradBusAdm ’87, Law ’98] serves on a State Bar of California subcommittee and reviews pending and affirmative legislation regarding family law matters. His law practice is in Torrance, Calif.

Alfred Tipon [BusAdm, BusAdm ’03] hosted a small reunion for LMU friends including Adele Alipio-Tipon [BusAdm ’85], Dana Gray [LibArts ’87], Matthew Lopez [CFA ’92], Angelica Tipon [LibArts ’09], Robert Tuala [LibArts ’85], Elizabeth Zirbel [CFA ’82, GradLibArts ’89] and Joseph Zirbel [LibArts ’79, GradLibArts ’89].

1982
Christian de Virgilio [SciEng] received the Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award for Program Director Excellence from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education at its 2011 awards ceremony in Nashville, Tenn.

Henry Ensher [LibArts] was nominated by President Barack Obama to the post of ambassador to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. He joined the Foreign Service in 1983 and has served in Damascus, Vienna, Algiers, Tel Aviv and Baghdad.

1983
Rudolph Byrne [BusAdm] retired from the U.S. Air Force after 27 years of service and works for Lockheed Martin teaching U.S. and foreign pilots to fly the C-130J. Prior to retiring from the Air Force, Rudy spent two years in Garmisch, Germany, as the military commander and director of staff for the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.

Kevin Murray [GradBusAdm, Law ’87], former California assemblyman and state senator, was named USC’s first politician-in-residence in October 2010. He works with the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics and the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

1984
Charlie Maria Hunton was born to Stanton C. Hunton III [LibArts] and Rene Jacques Hunton.

1985
Christopher J. North [BusAdm] received the LMU Alumni Entrepreneurship Wall of Honor Award from the College of Business Administration on April 18, 2011.

Homa Pourasgari [BusAdm] won the Reader Views 2009 Garcia Prize for Best Humanities Fiction Book of the Year for her novel “The Dawn of Saudi.”

1986 It's Your Reunion Year!
Robert Gigliotti [LibArts] is the founder and coordinator of the Challenger Division at Woodland Hills Sunrise Little League. The Challenger Division is a Little League program for boys and girls with special needs. Robert lives in the West San Fernando Valley with his family and practices law in Sherman Oaks, Calif.

1990
Yvette Abich Garcia [LibArts, Law ’94] was appointed Downey, Calif., city attorney in January 2011. She has 14 years of experience in public law and has provided counsel to the cities of Barstow, Calabasas, Commerce, Los Alamitos and Sierra Madre, all in California.

Rob Schlegel [SciEng] was promoted to full colonel in the U.S. Air Force. His home is in San Antonio, and he serves in Afghanistan as deputy commander for the Defense Contract Management Agency.

Andrew Sison [SciEng] is the director of admission operations systems at Chapman University in Orange, Calif. He had been living in Chicago for nine years.

1991 It's Your Reunion Year!
Michelle Glover [CFA] is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Tybalt David was born to Tim Holt [LibArts] and Kate Holt.

Krissy (Smith) Kavanaugh [LibArts] was nominated by the Daily Breeze newspaper as a Woman of Distinction in the category of Educator of the Year. She was honored at a ceremony in November 2010.

Maria Pangelinan [BusAdm] is executive director of the Guam Election Commission. Maria is the senior accountant at the Guam Legislature and an adjunct professor who teaches marketing and business at the University of Guam.

1992
Joseph DeStefano [LibArts, SciEng ’99] graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s of science degree in health science in Asian holistic health from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego. He completed a clinical externship in Tui Na Manual Therapy and Orthopedics at Yue Yang Integrative Medicine Hospital in Shanghai. He is pursuing graduate studies in traditional Chinese medicine at the Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Santa Monica, Calif.

Rebecca Harrell [CFA] married Jeff Watson. Jeff was a widower with four children, twins Jackson and Sarah, Emma, and Nicholas. The family lives in Georgia.

Magdalena Rose was born to Matthew Marini [LibArts] and his wife, Mary Kate.

1993
Effie Brown [CFA], producer of “The Inheritance,” received the Rising Leader Award on Feb. 19, 2011, at the 9th Annual African American Alumni Association Scholarship Fundraiser.

Gracyn Rose was born to Dawn-Marie (Chamberlain) Ickes [SciEng] and Robert Ickes [LibArts].

Stacey Rishel [LibArts] married Tom Glover on Sept. 4, 2010, in Woodland, Calif. The officiant for the ceremony was Mary Carroll [LibArts ’92, CFA ’92], who was licensed as a Deputy Commissioner of Marriages in Yolo County for the event. Courtney (Hamilton) Budziak [LibArts ’94] and Laura Kline [LibArts ’96] were on hand to help celebrate.

Renata Simril [LibArts] is managing director at the commercial real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle in Los Angeles.

1994
Jeffrey Berk [GradSciEng] is the chief sales officer for Brown and Caldwell, a nationwide environmental consulting firm headquartered in Los Angeles.

Ben and Maren, twins, were born to Paul DeSantis [LibArts, GradBusAdm ’98] and Lena DeSantis.

Stephen Maria Lopez, O.P. [BusAdm] was ordained a priest June 25, 2010, in San Francisco. Several alumni attended the Ordination Mass including Marie Ignatius Clune, R.S.H.M., ’58, Dominque dela Cerna [LibArts], Annette (Agaton) DeYoung [BusAdm], Elizabeth (Koepf) Floriani [BusAdm], Gina (Fernando) Galang [BusAdm], Lynn (Diaz) Glatzl [BusAdm ’94], Tony Hernandez [BusAdm], James Mayo [LibArts], Christina Tan [CFA ’96], Domingo “DJ” Tan [LibArts ’97, Law ’00], Shalee (Loomis) Tan [SciEng ’97], Victoria (Yi) Umphress [BusAdm], Vince Villajoaquin [BusAdm], and Marlo (Tan) Walpole [SciEng ’94]. Lopez is parochial vicar of St. Dominic’s Church in San Francisco.

Troy Michael was born to Gina (Sinatra) McConnell [LibArts] and Michael McConnell [SciEng]. Troy joins big sisters Ava, 6, and Finley, 2.

Emily Jane was born to Laura (Marini) Vanpraag [LibArts, GradEd ’98] and Darryl Vanpraag.

Jon C. Vigano [LibArts] was named one of the “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty” to watch by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer magazine.

1995
Kara Maile was born to Tim Louie [SciEng] and Sharon Louie.

Nicole Sheard [LibArts] is the principal of Topanga Elementary School in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

1996 It's Your Reunion Year!
Hannah Kim was born to Matt Parlow [LibArts] and Janie Parlow.

1997
Anthony Napolitano [BusAdm, LibArts, Law ’03] has been elected senior counsel to the Insolvency and Financial Solutions Group of Buchalter Nemer law firm in Los Angeles.

Mark Volman [CFA, GradCFA ’99], a member of The Turtles, chairs the entertainment industry studies program at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn.

1998
Olivia was born to Deborah (Brown) Lackey [CFA] and Mark Lackey [BusAdm ’02]. Olivia joins big brother Cole.

Dawn Szewczyk [SciEng] was a member of the Pacific Century Fellows Program, class of 2010, in Honolulu. She was elected 2010-11 president-elect for the Hawaii Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and was selected as the 2011 Hawaii Council of Engineering Societies Young Engineer of the Year. She enjoys golfing, outrigger canoe paddling and spending time with sons Kainalu, 4, and La’akea, 2, and with her husband, Mike.

2000
Trevor Berens [CFA] and Jessica Tunick were married on Aug. 28, 2010, in Pine Mountain Club, Calif. They were joined by several LMU alumni, including Best Man Robert Rojas [LibArts] and Groomsman Greg Goodman [BusAdm ’99].

Don Luis Camacho [GradBusAdm, Law ’02] received the Alumni Role Model Award at the 29th Annual MAAA Scholarship Awards Dinner on Oct. 28, 2010.

Marilyn Kadzielski [GradEd] is a co-principal of St. Cyril of Jerusalem School in Encino, Calif.

Joaquin was born to Alicia (Ramirez) Sanchez [LibArts] and Cesar Sanchez [BusAdm].

2001 It's Your Reunion Year!
David Francis was born to Sarah (De Sanctis) Hamor [SciEng ’02, CFA ’02] and William Hamor [SciEng]. He joins big brother William Edward.

Colin Hanks [CFA] married Samantha Bryant on May 8, 2010. Colin and Samantha have a daughter, Olivia Jane.

Emily Vellanoweth [LibArts, GradEd ’03] married Andre Ingistov [SciEng ’02] in Sacramento, Calif., at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Fr. George Wanser, S.J., presided. Emily teaches middle school math at Westchester Lutheran School near LMU, and she earned a second master’s of science degree with distinction, in school administration. Andre is a mechanical engineer at LAX and earned a master’s degree in engineering management. He is also owner, with his brother, of Vinny’s Pizza in Westchester. He is looking forward to the opening a Vinny’s Pizza in Mar Vista.

Lauren Levy [CFA] married Scott Neustadter on Oct. 2, 2010.

Kevin Trechter [SciEng] married Heather (Froseth) Trechter [SciEng ’02] on Oct. 10, 2009, in Malibu, Calif. The wedding party included Jenny Atkinson [BusAdm ’02, GradBusAdm ’08], Lindsey (Sabo) Cope [LibArts ’02], Jennifer (Herlihy) Halas [LibArts ’02, Grad Ed ’04], Jason Homnack [SciEng], Lauren Opet [CFA ’02] and Gina Trechter [BusAdm ’05]. Also attending the wedding were Sean Bottcher [SFTV ’02], Patrick Burke [LibArts ’93], Tanya (Tegeler) Calabrese [SciEng ’02, GradEd ’07], Dane Gambill [LibArts], Francesca (Montalvo) Gambill [BusAdm ’02], Francis Hadinoto [SFTV ’03], Yvette (Cunha) Naas [CFA ’02], Donald Rhee [LibArts ’03] and Joseph Trechter [SciEng ’92].

2002
Pablo Cartaya [LibArts] is co-author of “Tina Cocolina: Queen of Cupcakes,” a children’s book published in fall 2010 by Random House.

Mark Haapala [CFA] was one of 14 candidates selected from more than 2,500 applicants to be a part of the Directors Guild of America trainee program. After completing 400 days as a trainee, Mark will be admitted into the DGA as an assistant director. His first job assignment was with the NBC comedy “Perfect Couples,” which began airing in January.

Michael Perucho [SciEng, GradEd ’04] was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Nov. 21, 2010, in Gardena, Calif.

2003
Kate Murray [BusAdm, GradBusAdm ’04] received the LMU Alumni, Athletics Hall of Fame Award (women’s basketball) on Jan. 29, 2011.

Edit Pakay [CFA] received the LMU Alumni, Athletics Hall of Fame Award (women’s tennis/cross-country) on Jan. 29, 2011.

Luke Palmer was born to Hillary (Pennington) Smiley [CFA] and Robert Smiley.

Kevin Witt [LibArts] received the LMU Alumni, Athletics Hall of Fame Award (men’s water polo) on Jan. 29, 2011.

2004
Becker Barlett was born to Jennifer (Glover) Bishop [CFA] and Mark Bishop.

Dejou Bencomo-Jasso [SFTV], along with her business partner and husband, Marco Marano, founded CountryBred, a specialty travel provider focused on distinct cultural journeys to Europe. She serves as CountryBred’s chief marketing officer with oversight for marketing communication strategy, including branding, advertising, corporate communications, public relations and social media marketing.

Lisa Chong [LibArts] received an Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Award from the Asian Pacific Community Fund of Southern California, located in Los Angeles, on March 2, 2011.

Arturo Torres [LibArts] received the LMU Alumni, Athletics Hall of Fame Award (men’s soccer) on Jan. 29, 2011.

2005
Kelsey (Skidmore) Follett [BusAdm] and Matthew Follett were married on Oct. 23, 2010, in Lodi, Calif. Catherine Hennig [BusAdm] and Michael Rossiter [SciEng] were both part of the wedding party. Also in attendance were Molly (Blonien) Bisbiglia [LibArts ’96] and Jessica Blonien [LibArts ’93], Mathew Dino [LibArts] and Kristen Drew [LibArts].

Stephanie Jones [LibArts] is an English teacher and yearbook advisor at Grace M. Davis High School in Modesto, Calif.

Mercedes Le Anza [CFA] produced two feature films through her production company, Stella Bella Productions. She also has acted in seven films. Her studio produced “The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue,” starring three LMU alumni from the class of 2006.

Jelena (Stankovic) Trifunovic [SciEng, GradEd ’07], science coordinator at ICEF Public Schools, Los Angeles, was awarded an Earthwatch Fellowship in July 2010. She traveled to Belize on an eight-day expedition to study whether the Queen Conch, a key Caribbean species, is being protected by recent changes in environmental management policies.

2006 It's Your Reunion Year!
Karen Alderfer [SciEng] earned an M.D. degree from the University of Nevada School of Medicine in May 2010. She is interning at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas and will start a residency in radiology at LAC + USC Medical Center in July 2011.

Lindsay Allen [CFA] has started her own small business, an after-school art/performance art business called Kinetic Heads. She is head of performing arts at Westside Neighborhood School in Playa Vista, Calif., and lives in Hollywood. She is also a portrait artist.

Jessica Simmons [CFA] married Mitchell Cohen in Nashville, Tenn., on June 5, 2010. Also present were Adam Deragisch [BusAdm], Katie Fiscalini [BusAdm], Meghan Kozlosky [LibArts], Allison Pettit [LibArts ’08] and Lauren Snyder [SciEng ’08].

2007
Emily Broadwater [LibArts] received a master’s degree in English, from the University of Texas at San Antonio in December 2010.

Ricky Fosheim [SFTV, BusAdm ’08] created an independent film titled “That Side of a Shadow” that premiered at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in January 2011 in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Rachel Jones [LibArts] married Collin Pittier on Sept. 18, 2010, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Many LMU alumni were in attendance including bridesmaid Natalie (Nordseth) LeVeck [CFA] and officiant Chris Weir [LibArts ’01, GradLibArts ’09].

Katrina Lee [BusAdm] married Ian Plummer [LibArts ’06] in October 2009, and more than 30 alumni attended. They plan to move to Washington, D.C., where Ian will attend law school at American University and Katrina will attend business school at Georgetown University.

Diana Podlecki [SciEng] graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with a master’s degree in physician assistant studies in December 2010. She accepted a job in internal medicine in Kearney, Neb.

2008
Sebastian was born to Cheryl Bustamante [GradBusAdm] and Kirk Nielsen on June 7, 2010.

2010
Albert Minette [CFA], guitarist and keyboardist, formed a band in 2004 with guitarist Dean Herrera called Human Abstract, a heavy metal rock group. Human Abstract released “Digital Veil” on their new label, eOne, this past March.