Community Notes

’60s

Guilford and plans to publish a book this fall about keeping faith through adversity.

James Butcher ’60 represented

American Korean War veterans in May at a groundbreaking ceremony for an addition to the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Wall of Remembrance, scheduled for completion in summer 2022, is a $22 million addition to the existing memorial that will include the names of the nearly 44,000 American servicemen and members of the Korean Augmentation to the U.S. Army who died during the conflict. Butcher, who enlisted at the age of 17, saw action in the Korean War battles of Jane Russell Hill (1952) and Pork Chop Hill (1953). After leaving the service he attended Guilford on the G.I. Bill, graduating with a B.A. in Psychology and later adding advanced degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Butcher taught Psychology for 38 years at the University of Minnesota where he became known internationally for his work in cross-cultural personality assessment. He is the father of Holly Grant '06.

Jimmy Teague ’80, the ’80s head football coach at Reidsville (N.C.) High School, coached the

Rams to a third straight Class 2-A state championship with a 35-6 victory over Mountain

Heritage in May. Teague has won six state titles, including four in the past five years, during his 23 seasons at

Reidsville. This year’s team outscored opponents 495-70 during a pandemic-shortened season of 10 games. Jennifer McInnes Coolidge ’87 was named curator of the Mills Art Gallery in Orlando. Coolidge, who graduated with a B.A. in Fine Art with a concentration in Painting, brings with her a long career as an arts and non-profit consultant, fundraiser, educator and curator. She also serves as Director of Philanthropy for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.

Jeff Schreiber ’88 qualified to race for Team USA in his age group in the Aquabike division at the World Triathlon Championship in Edmonton, Canada. An active triathlete for more than a decade, Schreiber competed in the 2019 Aquabike world championship in Spain. Schreiber played football at Guilford where he was named a member of the 1987 NAIA Academic All-American team.

Jeff Thigpen ’93 was sworn in for a fifth fouryear term as Guilford County Register of Deeds in January after receiving nearly 70 percent of the Jennifer DeMeo ’84 is the first woman in nearly 100 years to serve as president of the Fallbrook (Calif.) Public Utility District Board of Directors. DeMeo assumes leadership at a particularly crucial time as droughts and infrastructure issues have driven up water prices in San Diego County. She vote in the November 2020 county-wide election. Thigpen oversees offices in Greensboro and High Point that record, preserve and provide access to real estate and vital records. A former Guilford County Commissioner, Thigpen majored in Political Science and Justice & Policy Studies. is leading an effort to purchase Michael Wainscott ’95 was imported water from Riverside hired by Revol Greens as its County, which could save the Chief Financial Officer. Based utility $3 million to $4 million in Owatonna, Minn,, Revol per year. DeMeo holds a degree Greens produces sustainable in Religious Studies from and hydroponically farmed

’90s

produce and is the largest greenhouse lettuce grower in North America. Wainscott graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Agricultural Economics before adding a degree in Accounting as an adult student at Guilford.

Christopher Atack ’96 was appointed Police Chief of Carrboro, N.C. in February. “The year 2020 was a challenge for a number of reasons and laid bare many of the persistent inequities in our country,”said Atack, a 22-year police force veteran. “Our department has unique opportunities to address, respond and adapt to these realities as we focus on community service, transparency and solutiondriven thinking.” Atack first became interested in law enforcement as a member of the Student Security team as an adult student at Guilford. After graduating with a degree in Economics, Atack added a master’s in Justice Administration from Methodist University.

Roy McDonald ’96 was elected to a three-year term representing District 33 on the NC State Bar Council, a 61-member committee that is responsible for regulating the professional conduct of North Carolina’s licensed lawyers and certified paralegals. An attorney with Brinkley Walser Stoner in Lexington, N.C., McDonald graduated from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 2000.

Darlene Joyner ’81,

a Northwest Guilford (N.C.) High School alumna who never suffered a losing season in more than three decades of coaching at her alma mater, was honored by the school with the naming of the gymnasium floor as “Darlene Joyner Court.” Before retiring after 33 years at Northwest Guilford in 2019, she compiled a record of 362109. She won two Class 4-A state basketball championships, with her 2018 team recording a final No. 20 national ranking. Joyner played basketball and volleyball at Guilford and was inducted into the Guilford College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000. Kevin Spainhour ’97 is the new principal of West Forsyth (N.C.) High School, the largest school in the Winston Salem/ Forsyth County Schools system. Spainhour spent the previous eight years as the principal at West Stokes (N.C.) High School. A Physical Education major and basketball player at Guilford, he taught physical education and served as the boys’ basketball coach at Mount Airy High School from 2003-2012. He is married to former women’s basketball player Laura Haynes Spainhour ‘98, a member of the Guilford College Athletics Hall of Fame. David Heggie ’98 has been named President and CEO of Eastern Carolina YMCA in New Bern, N.C.. From 2008-21, he was Executive Director of the Kathleen Price Bryan Family YMCA in Greensboro, the first African American to serve in that position. He also serves on the board of the NC Alliance of YMCAs. A five-time all-ODAC performer on the Quaker football team, Heggie was inducted into the Guilford College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014. Jens Christensen ’99 was named President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga (Tenn.). He previously spent 17 years with the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, the last seven years as its leader. His experience in his former role will serve him well with Habitat, he told Thechattanoogan.com. “Spending the last two decades working with those experiencing

homelessness allows (me) to see the ‘other side of the coin’ in assisting individuals toward homeownership.” Willie Repoley ’00 plays ’00s famed Atlantic Records engineer Tom Dowd in three episodes of the anthology series “Genius:

Aretha,” now streaming on

National Geographic Channel.

The eight-episode series chronicles portions of the life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Repoley is best known for his starring role in the 2014 indie noir film “Quiet River.” Reginald Wilson ‘00 has been named Provost of the Brooksville, Fla., campus of PascoHernando State College after serving as Acting Provost for a year. Wilson has worked at the school since 2011, previously serving as the Assistant Dean of

Student Affairs and Associate

Dean of Academic Affairs and

Retention Services. A History major and football player at

Guilford, Wilson is a 20-year veteran of higher education, having spent a decade as the

Director of Advising and

Academic Success at Greensboro

College. He holds an M.A. in

Education, Curriculum and

Instruction and a doctorate in

Educational Leadership and

Administration, both degrees conferred by the University of

Phoenix.

Natalie Hodge ’01 recently released her third book, From

Unemployed to Unstoppable:

A 30-Day Transformation

Guide. Born out of the chaos and confusion of the pandemic economy, the book offers daily exercises and a lighthearted approach to tackling “transition anxiety.” Hodge, a writer, entrepreneur and speaker, owns Rudy’s Girl Media, a multimedia company based in Martinsville, Va.

Nina Oliver ’01 began a new role in March as the Carteret County (N.C.) Health Director. Oliver spent the previous 18 years with the Rowan County (N.C.) Health Department and had served as its Health Director since 2014. She brings to her new role in Morehead City a passion for reducing substance abuse and addiction as well as a firm belief in preparedness and accreditation.

Kenneth Gamble ’04 started a new job as the Mocksville (N.C.) Town Manager in May. A Criminal Justice major at Guilford, he spent 19 years in law enforcement in Kernersville, N.C., including three years as chief of police. He most recently served as the town manager in Denton, N.C. after five years in the same role in Stoneville, N.C.

Joy Lough ’06 joined S.G Atkins Community Development Corporation in WinstonSalem, N.C. as Women's Business Center Program Director. The non-profit organization has a mission of fostering community-based leadership and revitalizing the neighborhoods surrounding Winston-Salem State University. The organization’s Enterprise Center offers facilities and services to startups. Lough is a business startup strategist and the author of several books.

Zithobile "Zitty" Nxumalo ’08, received the Leadership

COMMUNITY NOTES

Christopher Barnette ’08, an

assistant football coach at NCA&T since 2015, worked with the NFL Washington Football Team during the summer on a prestigious Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. Barnette serves as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Aggies where he has been a part of four HBCU national championships. A two-time All-American wide receiver and the 2006 ODAC Offensive Player of the Year at Guilford, he spent eight years as a Quaker assistant following his graduation. During his four years as Guilford’s offensive coordinator, he directed offenses that set school records for points and touchdowns. Greensboro Service Medal from Leadership Greensboro in January. The medal recognizes those who demonstrate leadership through dedication and service to the community. Nxumalo, who earned a B.S. in Business Management from Guilford before adding a Master’s in Communication Studies from UNCG and a Ph.D. from NCA&T in Leadership Studies, started her own communications consulting business, Deftable, in 2014. Her company offers coaching, group facilitation, public speaking and event management. A co-founder of the Greensborobased non-profit We the People International, Nxumalo was a featured participant in the 2021 City of Greensboro Annual MLK Commemorative Program and served as the 2021 Impact Committee Chair for Greensboro’s Juneteenth celebration.

Emily Burnett ’09 co-authored the chapter titled “Courage” in The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology (3rd edition). The writing includes part of her research for a thesis on Courage at Clemson University where she earned a Ph.D. in Institutional and Organizational Psychology. The book takes a deeper dive into the growing field of “positive psychology” and explores topics related to human virtues, such as hope, happiness and creativity. Ann Ferguson ’10 is the new boys’ basketball coach at Thomasville (N.C.) High School, the first woman to fill that role in Davidson County. A four-year starter on the Quaker women’s basketball team, she previously coached college women’s and high school girls’ basketball. Her most recent job was as the coach of the Thomasville girls’ team where she was named the conference coach of the year during each of her two seasons at the helm.

Wendy Poteat ’10, President and CEO of Say Yes Guilford since 2019, was named one of the 2021 Outstanding Women in Business by Triad Business Journal. Say Yes Guilford is a local education non-profit organization that provides access to support services and scholarships to Guilford County public school students. Poteat, who earned her degree in Criminal Justice in Guilford’s adult education program, previously served as the Executive Director of the Forsyth Promise United Way of Forsyth County.

Deena Zaru ’10 (above) started a new role as a race and culture reporter and producer in April for ABC News. Zaru, who previously worked at CNN, spent the past three years as a digital writer and editor at ABC before joining the newly formed enterprise reporting unit. “I’m proud of ABC for investing in reporting that examines race and racism in America and social justice issues,” she says. Zaru is a former News Editor of The Guilfordian.

’10s

Dana Hamdan ’11 was named the Chief of Staff of the Division of Campus Life and Senior Director of Strategic Engagement at Brown University. She previously worked at Guilford and Oberlin Colleges and consulted for Birzeit University in Palestine. Mischa Miles ’11 teaches 10th and 11th grade English at Jamestown (N.C.) Ragsdale High School. Known for her Great Gatsby parties, she was selected her school’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, an award that put her in the running for Guilford County Teacher of the Year honors.

Justin Williams-Blackwell ’13 now works for Cisco, joining the IT and networking company’s Supply Chain Workforce Strategy team in Durham, N.C. as an Inclusion and Talent Project Manager. Williams-Blackwell was chosen by the Triad Business Journal as one of “20 in their 20s” in December 2020 while serving in his previous role as the Community Impact Manager for the United Way of Greensboro. Justin is married to Neisha Washington Williams ’13. Chad Wagoner ’14 earned a Ph.D. in Exercise and Sport Science with a Physiology Focus from UNC Chapel Hill in the spring. This fall he is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. A winner of the Outstanding Exercise and Sport Science Award for Health and Fitness Majors at Guilford, Wagoner was a relief pitcher for the Quaker baseball team.

Brittany DeCesare ’15 earned a J.D. from Pace University (N.Y.) and started a new job as an Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in September. DeCesare also holds a Master in Forensic

Psychology from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Kristen Lyons ’15 earned a master’s degree in Education from Salem State (Mass.) University this spring. Brandon Rothfuss ‘15 was hired by the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies as a Business Development Associate in Partnership Marketing. He previously worked with the NBA’s G League Greensboro Swarm, N.C. Fusion Soccer and Red Ventures. A Bonner Scholar, Rothfuss played soccer and participated in track and field at Guilford.

Abigail Bekele ’19, who majored in English and minored in Photography at Guilford, earned an M.A. in Interactive Media from Elon University. A Bonner Scholar, Bekele served as managing editor and photojournalist for The Guilfordian and traveled to Ethiopia as a 2018 Pulitzer Center Fellow. Christopher Collins ’19 is employed as a research assistant in Environment and Conflict at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, DC. Established by Congress in 1984, the institute promotes international conflict resolution and trains individuals in mediation and diplomacy. Collins, who grew up in Thailand, majored in International Environmental Policy and East Asian Studies at Guilford. He is working on a master’s degree in International Development at The George Washington University.

Logan Shortt ’20 earned an M.S. in Management from Wake Forest

University. A four-time ODAC All-Academic Team selection as a member of the Quaker baseball team, Shortt served as President of Guilford’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

’20s

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