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Class Notes
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A LUMNI ASSOCIATIO N GANNONUNIVERSITY
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64 JUDITH MANNO STAGER VMC established the Judith Manno
Stager Right to Life Fund at the Elk
County Community Foundation. The fund will support programs, events, education and initiatives that promote the rights of the unborn. Stager is a founding member of the ECCF.
69 JOHN “JACK” A. WALTER was honored by Congressman
Brian Higgins (NY) with a Vietnam
Veteran Lapel Pin during a ceremony at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park for his distinguished service in the U.S. Army. Walter served with the 1st Calvary Division, 1st/21st
Artillery and was later promoted to 1st Lieutenant in Cambodia. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze
Stars, five Air Medals, the Republic of
Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960
Device, and several other awards for his service in Vietnam. Walter retired from the military in 1974 and joined the aerospace and defense industry.
72 EDWARD M. GABRIEL was nominated by the White House for Member of the United States
Institute of Peace Board of Directors.
Gabriel served as U.S. Ambassador to
Morocco between 1997 and 2001. He has has an extensive background in international affairs, having convened multilateral policy forums involving national security, trade and energy issues. He is currently the volunteer president and CEO of the American
Task Force on Lebanon. He is the recipient of several awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and ACCESS Arab American of the Year and was recognized by the FBI for his work on bilateral security issues. He is the recipient of Lebanon’s National Order of the Cedar and Morocco’s Order of the Ouissam Alaouite.
75JAMES A. MCLAUGHLIN, DMD retired from dentistry after 42 years of private practice.
86 REV. SHAWN J. CLERKIN, AOJN transitioned from his role at
Gannon University to become a fulltime pastor in Franklin, Pa. Clerkin has been a fixture at Gannon for decades, serving as the university’s director of liberal studies and co-director of the
School of Communication and the Arts.
87BRIAN W. BOLASH, JR., ESQ. was promoted to executive vice president of Erie Insurance. He will continue to serve in his previous duties as the company’s general counsel and corporate secretary.
89ROBERT “BOB” A. LOWRY joined the commercial lending team at
First Security Bank. Lowry has spent the past 30 years wearing many hats in the banking industry. His experiences include retail, small business and commercial banking, wealth management, credit and risk analysis, and operations. 90 BARBARA N. BURGESS ’90M is the 2021 recipient of Winthrop
University’s James Pinckney Kinard and Lee Wicker Kinard Award for
Excellence in Teaching. Burgess is a professor at the university’s College of Business Administration, where she teaches business communication, professional development and organizational leadership courses. She developed the Wilkerson Emotional
Intelligence Test for Academics and
Careers, for which she was named the
Thompson Scholar in 2016. The test and her ongoing research are designed to help students identify their areas of strength and weakness as they prepare for their professional lives.
KENNETH OGOREK ’90M is coordinating the local preparatory process for the upcoming Worldwide Synod of Bishops as part of his work for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He is also on the local planning team for the national
Eucharistic Revival that was announced by the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops.
92 ARTHUR E. APOLINARIO, MD, MPH, FAAFP was elected president of the North Carolina Medical
Society on Oct. 16, 2021. Apolinario is also the chair of the Medical Affairs
Committee at Carolina Complete
Health Inc., which is the first providerled care organization in the country.
Apolinario is also the co-chair of the
North Carolina Institute of Medicine’s
COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Task
Force, which assists the North Carolina
Department of Health and Human
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Join us for our annual celebration with special events for alumni, families and friends.
Services with vaccine planning with a focus on equity. Apolinario is also the author of the book, The Absolute Last Weight-Loss, Diet & Exercise Book You Will Ever Need to Read, which was published in 2013. PARRIS J. BAKER, PH.D., MSSA, served as vice chairman of human services on County Executive-elect Brenton Davis’ transition team. Baker is an associate professor of the mortuary science, social work and gerontology programs at Gannon University, pastor of Believer’s International Worship Center, and founder of the Men of Valor Ministries and Abba Fathers program.
93 TRACEY MCCANTS LEWIS, ESQ was recognized as one of 20
Black Women Making Hockey History.
McCants Lewis is the Deputy General
Counsel and Director of Human
Resources for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
She is also professor of law at Duquesne
University School of Law. McCantis
Lewis was named one of 28 Black executives to the Executive Leadership
Academy class at Carnegie Mellon
University in 2020.
SCOTT E. MILLER, DBA will assume his new duties as senior vice president of academic affairs and provost of
Pennsylvania Western University beginning July 1, 2022. Miller will lead the integrated institution from an academic affairs perspective, including budgeting, personnel and institutional planning. He also will direct all academic programs and lead the development of new programs. Miller was the dean of Edinboro University’s
School of Business since 2012 and dean of its College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences since 2015. He is also serving as the interim dean of the College of Science and Health
Professions.
94 ERIC G. LAPRICE, MS, ’99M, ’97C was selected for a temporary assignment to Alaska to serve as the acting district ranger of the Petersburg
Ranger District on the Tongass National
Forest. At nearly 17 million acres, the
Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the system. His four-month assignment will run from mid-January through mid-May. For the second time in four years under LaPrice’s leadership, the Western Divide Ranger District of Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument has earned the Region 5 Regional Forester’s Honor Award for District of the Year.
95 RICHARD R. WATKINS, MD, MS, FACP, FIDSA, FISAC was appointed as medical director and member of the CVS Infectious Disease
Advisory Team at CVS. Watkins brings more than 14 years of experience as an infectious disease physician and clinical researcher. Watkins is a professor of medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical
University in Rootstown, Ohio. He has published dozens of peer-reviewed research papers, book and book chapters and contributes media interviews regarding infectious disease topics, including COVID-19. Watkins is currently the chair of the publications committee of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and an associate editor for several academic journals. He serves on multiple committees at the National Institutes of Health. Watkins lives in Aurora, Ohio with his wife, Tracey Lemonovich, MD – who is also an infectious disease physician – and their two children, Savannah and Isaac.
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PUBLICATIONS
KRISTAL AMBROSE ’16 Kai and Gaia Discover the Gyre
Bumblebee Books
NICHOLAS FAGAN ’17 AND MARIA HAYS ’19 A Moment in Time
Independently published
MEGAN WOLLER, PH.D.
Assistant professor of fine arts
From Camelot to Spamalot: Musical Retellings of Arthurian Legend on Stage and Screen
Oxford University Press PODCASTS
GLOBAL SUPPORT Global Matters
We discuss current global phenomenon with Gannon international students, faculty and subject matter experts.
DAHLKEMPER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS The Knight Roundtable
A weekly business podcast from the Dahlkemper School of Business at Gannon University.
births
A daughter, Madelyn Rose Bottoni born on Jan. 11, 2022 to Mallory (Hedlund) Bottoni ’14 and her husband, Jason. A son, Aidan Jennings Powers born on Sept. 14, 2021 to Krystin (Benkowski) Powers ’08 and her husband, Justin.
01 COLIN R. PETERSEN was selected to be the Western Division
Coach of the Year by the Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference. Petersen is the long-time head coach of Gannon’s women’s soccer and is now a threetime PSAC West Coach of the Year, previously earning the honor in 2008 and 2015. He is the winningest and longest-tenured coach in the history of
Gannon women’s soccer. He now has a 173-151-32 record.
02 MICHAEL R. POREMBKA ’02M, ’04C, ’11C is the new superintendent of Greater Latrobe
School District. He worked as the district’s assistant superintendent since August 2019 and as director of safety and security since July 2013. His previous positions included director of teaching and learning, Baggaley
Elementary School principal, and interim director of facilities.
BRIDGET M. (RAGER) PHILIP was named president of the Erie Catholic School
System after serving as the interim president since January 2020. Philip will oversee and support the six schools in the system. Previously, she worked for 17 years in administrative positions at Gannon University, including director of Graduate Admissions and director of Global Admissions and Outreach.
03 DAVID A. BURKETT, SR. ’03M, ’04C, ’07C was named the superintendent of Everett Area School
District. Burkett currently works as superintendent of the Fannett-Metal
School District in Franklin County and was previously the high school principal for Northern Bedford County.
04 JESSICA L. (KUZEMSKY) PAULSEN was named the director of Strategic Initiatives at
Distinctive Schools. She has led and managed Chicago nonprofits for more than 15 years.
05 SEAN L. MARSHALL was announced as the new swimming coach at Billings West High School.
He has been the head coach of the
Billings Aquatic Club for the past six years and was a member of the Gannon
University swim team.
ADAM J. SUSMARSKI, DO traveled as the team physician for the USA
Olympic Wrestling Teams to the 2021
Pan American Championships in
Guatemala City, Guatemala. All three wrestling teams won gold medals in their last competition prior to heading to Tokyo for the 2021 Olympics.
06 CHRISTIAN J. HUNTER completed a thru-hike of the 2,200 mile
Appalachian Trail. Hunter set off on March 24 and finished the trail in Maine on Aug. 9, 2021. Hunter previously worked for the Forest Service in land surveying. Only about one in four are successful in completing a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail.
07 MARIE E. PALANO ’07C was promoted to assistant superintendent of Curriculum and
Assessment for Seneca Valley School
District. Previously, she worked 11 years as the district’s director of
Analytics and Federal Programs. 09 LEIGH ANNE KRAEMERNASER ’09M was promoted to director of applied studies at Northern
Pennsylvania Regional College, where she oversees all associate of applied science degree programs. Kraemer-
Naser is also an instructor for the early childhood education program.
She began working with NPRC in
January 2019. She previously owned
Curriculum Solution Center, where she developed professional learning programs for educators and created student curriculum.
Inspiration for the Next Generation honors individuals who set a precedent of commitment to Gannon University through philanthropic leadership. We’re grateful for the generosity of these leaders who step forward to strengthen the university and transform the lives of current and future students.
“The growth at Gannon has been amazing, but there has been one constant – the same loving energy and spirit that I experienced at Gannon is still present today. This energy and spirit is contagious, and I feel so much joy when I visit campus. My wife and I have designated Gannon in our will, and I try to give back generously to our school that has given so much to me. As alumni, there are many ways to remain engaged with Gannon long after your time here is over. Our university needs engaged alumni as we continue to grow and expand in a very competitive world.”
Jim Ahearn ’61
Donor for 40 consecutive years and and Gannon National Alumni Board director.
Johanna (Bodnar)
Ackerson ’68VMC Mary E.
Adams ’71VMC, ’91M Daniel J.
Anderson ’71, ’80M, ’89M Steven P. Bacik ’87 George A. Barcellona ’76 Jason M. Belton ’02 Arnold E.
Bergquist, CPA ’58 Michael W.
Beuchert, C.L.U. ’71 Richard J. Billak ’69 Declan Bingham ’19, ’20M Steven P. Blecki ’14 Richard J. Bliley ’57 William M. Borowy ’61 Laurie K. (Donick)
Braine ’77VMC Donald F. Brown ’61 Richard C.
Burkholder, DMD ’54 Robert J. Buseck ’76 Deacon James L.
Chatterton ’66 Paul D. Chicatelli, MD ’63 Kimberly J. (Brady)
Clark ’82 Colby P. Coates ’70 Gary R. Conrath ’60 Sister Rebecca A.
Costa, SSJ ’67VMC, ’77M James W. Cotter, Jr. ’66 Mary B. (Fischer)
Criscione ’82 Lawrence
D'Ambrosio, Esq. ’53 Tessia L. Day ’95 Fred M. Deluca ’58 Robert L. DeMarco ’53 Deacon Robert P.
Denoon ’00C Jeffrey M. Detore ’03 Richard R. Diplacido ’69 Sylvester S. Dittmer ’71 James F. Divins ’65 Richard H. Donnelly, Sr. ’54 Donna M. Dorer ’80 Mary (McLaughlin)
Eaton ’47VMC Robert C.
Engstrom ’92, ’98M Valerie B. (Bixby) Everett ’79 Mary T. Fahrs ’59VMC Alfred E. Farmer ’77 William F.
Filipkowski, Jr. ’58 Michael M. Filutze ’94 Katrina M. Foltz ’06M Richard W. Fuchs ’60 William G. Fuhrmann II ’92 Linda S. (Cioccio) Gidos ’72 Anthony J. Giovannitti ’73 Dale L. Haibach ’67 Robert P. Hausmann ’56 John L. Heibel, DDS ’57 David H.
Heidecker ’72, ’93M Robert E. Held ’54 Gregory J. Helminski ’82 John P. Herrmann ’62 Elspeth J. Holt ’68M Richard J. Johnson ’48 Margaret A. (Quinn)
Kelsey ’52VMC, ’83 Jerome R. Kenwood ’66 Alice (Luther)
Kichlu ’67VMC Joseph P. Kisiel ’93 Patrick J. Kloecker ’08 Victor J. Krym, DDS ’59 Daniel A. Leal ’60 Marianne (Carnahan)
Ledbetter ’50VMC Barbara (Lorence)
Lewis ’64VMC Wayne L.
Lovercheck ’71, ’82 James E. Machek ’79 Joseph S. Machuga ’84 Elinora Mando ’57VMC Irene L. Mando ’74M, ’75C James L. Mangol ’64 Robert J. Manns ’84M Ernest H. Marchini ’50 Dennis E. Marcinko ’64 Deacon Thomas J.
Matusiak ’66, ’71M David M. Mayhew ’98 Kathleen (Gahn)
McMahon ’71VMC Regina P. (Schneider)
Merritt ’04M Martin J. Mesler, Jr. ’69 Clara (Dachtyl)
Meyer ’70VMC Michael D. Mihalick ’69 Glenn G. Miller ’74 Richard W. Miller ’61 Vincent J. Monacella ’48 Robert J. Monahan ’58 Lawrence S. Morrow ’63 Andrea N. (Kulick)
Nigro ’11 Donald J. Obuszewski ’70 Frederick R. O'Polka ’81M James A. Parenti, DDS ’73 Leonard Paulitz ’50 Jerome M. Pelkowski ’57 Laura D. Petrash ’99 Patricia G. (Jenkins)
Petrinec ’91 Arlene M. (Lacey)
Polaski ’77VMC Susan Rieger ’66VMC Sister Mary R.
Romeo, SSJ ’75VMC Rita J. (Heintz)
Rose ’55VMC Peter J. Russo ’59, ’66M Leo W. Schlecht, Jr. ’58 Edward J. Selleny ’61 Margarita (Pedraja)
Shon ’42VMC David E. Sidelinger ’74 Fred Sovyak, PE ’93M Brent J. Stahl ’94 Ronald F. Steg, DDS ’51 Robert C. Stone ’72 Lois (Owens)
Sullivan ’56VMC Martin R. Swabb ’80 Rocco J. Taccone ’65 Robert G. Timmons, MD ’60 Jessica L. Tinko ’92 Stephen J. Troese, Esq. ’63 Margaret A. Tufts ’66VMC Sheldon van Deventer ’00, ’03M Frank D. Vona ’67 Norman J. Ward ’51 Dorothy M. (Brinig)
Weaver ’60VMC Paul V. Webb, Jr., Esq. ’69 Robert A. Weber ’75 Donald J. Welsh ’82 Richard D.
Whiting ’66, ’72M William C. Witkowski ’67 Caryn A. Wolfe ’95M Toni Young ’79
Parents and Friends
Richard D. Carlisle Matthew Caster, DPT David G. Chivers Linda Eidell A. James Freeman Richard A. Gammon, Ph.D. Linda L. Gier Angela (Sutkoff) Guerrein Kenneth P. Hanas Saundra Kirkpatrick Margaret A. (Heldt) Knight Joseph A. Leone Jacob W. Martin Amy K. McKellop Larry G. Morton, Sr. Louis E. Narducci Genevieve M. Nelson Carlos Pabon Marika Powers Rev. Daniel J. Prez Richard J. Reuscher Toby F. Rinas Bernice Sadler Richard R.
Sambuchino, D.D.S. Stephen S. Stack Margaret Teliski Robert J. Teliski Most Reverend Donald W.
Trautman, S.T.D., S.S.L. Kevin Wilczynski
in memoriam
marriages
Maggie McKernan ’18, ’19M married Nick Tabar ’16 on Sept. 18, 2021. Elisabeth “Lis” M. Seibel ’16 married Joseph Mallon on Sept. 25, 2021.
10CHRISTOPHER C. FRYE, JR. was named a member of the
Westminster College Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 2022. Frye also serves on the Lawrence County YMCA Board of Directors, Foundation Boxing Board of Directors and the Pennsylvania
Municipal League Executive Committee as the Northwest District Officer. Frye is the first Black and youngest mayor of
New Castle, Pa. where he was elected in 2019. His term as mayor runs through
December 2023.
13 JOEY L. MALUCHNIK ’13C was hired as the superintendent for the Wilkinsburg School District.
Maluchnik worked as the interim superintendent since May 2021. Prior to his appointment, Maluchnik worked as the principal at Turner Intermediate since 2019. Additionally, he has worked as an assistant principal at Greensburg
Salem High School, Everett Area Junior-
Senior High School and Orange County
High school. He has also worked as a principal at the Everett Area Middle
School.
ANDREW J. HELLMANN ’14M was the first male finisher in the 2021 Barber Beast on the Bay event on Sept. 11, 2021. Hellmann has won the event multiple times and is the owner of SNAP Fitness in Harborcreek, Pa. 16 MACKENZIE M. KRANZ was sworn in to the Erie Bureau of
Police during a ceremony at Erie City
Hall. Kranz served in the Pennsylvania
National Guard and most recently worked as an officer with the Millcreek
Township Police Department.
17 ERIN MRENAK ’17M was named the new director of the Erie
County Department of Health. Mrenak joined the county Health Department in February 2021 as the first director of strategy and policy and was promoted to deputy director in October.
ANTWANE D. FIELDS was sworn in as a police officer by the Erie Bureau of
Police on Feb. 17, 2022.
18 TYLER P. PALKA landed a role in the Hollywood film “American
Underdog,” which features Hall of
Fame quarterback Kurt Warner.
Palka initially tried out for the Arena
League’s Philadelphia Soul team. After the league folded, he stayed in contact with the coach, who had signed on as a quarterback consultant for the film. 19ALEXANDER P. WHEATON ’19M is among the new faculty ranks at Erie County Community College of
Pennsylvania. Wheaton was previously an adjunct at Gannon University and has also taught at Mercyhurst
University.
21RYAN L. CEDZO was among the winners of a Fair District PA mapmaking contest for his state Senate and
House redistricitng maps. Cedzo, who earned a bachelor’s degree in math, is now working with Fair Districts PA to oversee the creation of a composite state
House map to submit to the Legislative
Redistricting Commission.
REGANNE L. O’BRIEN recently secured nonprofit status for her organization,
The Warrior in HER. The organization helps local women with mental health and chronic illnesses by providing resources and support. O’Brien is the founder and executive director and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in public health and epidemiology at
Kent State University.
G GANNON UNIVERSITY & V VILLA MARIA COLLEGE Distinguished Alumni
Nominations Now Open
The Distinguished Alumni award recognizes alumni for their meaningful contributions in their professions, community and Gannon University. The Distinguished Alumni awards are presented by the National Alumni Board, the governing body of the Alumni Association, and they are presented as part of the Homecoming and Family Weekend celebrations each fall. Visit gannon.edu/DA to nominate someone today.
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