Class Notes

1988 -Gary Jansen is a director at Loyola Press in Chicago and an editor at Penguin Random House in New York where he has edited and published books by New York Times bestselling authors Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis, Deepak Chopra, Michael Singer, and Kimberly Snyder. Deepak Chopra, Michael Singer, and Kimberly Snyder. Gary and his wife, Grace, recently released their first illustrated children's book, Remember Us with Smiles, which was praised by Angela C. Santomero, the co-creator of Blues Clues, as “a perfect book to curl up with at the end of a day.” To learn more about Gary and his award-winning projects, please visit www.garyjansen.com. 1990 Daniel Hagerman recently began a new job with the federal government and bought a home. He also became engaged. 1991 Lygia Day (Peñaflor) Zelwach will publish her third novel on September 27, 2022, with Clarion / HarperCollins. Creep: A Love Story is the twisted, tragic love story that follows Holy Family High School's cutest couple--as told through the eyes of the classmate who's stalking them. The Catholic high school setting was inspired by Kellenberg and even features parrots in the lobby! You can pre-order Creep: A Love Story and follow Day on Twitter and IG @lygiaday for updates. 1992 Tina (Manzo) Caliendo is an Assistant Professor at St. John's University College of Pharmacy & Health Professions in Queens, NY, and is currently on track for tenure in 2024 with a focus on pharmacy simulation education. She also works as a Long-Term Care Consultant Pharmacist for nursing facilities on Long Island. She resides in Whitestone, NY, with her husband of 20 years, Jack, and their four children: Giuliana and triplets Luigi, Sofia, and Valentina.

Stephanie Eschenauer Makar is still living in Connecticut with her husband, Joe, and their new rescue lab mix, Keeva. Stephanie is presently working at Hospital for Special Care as a pharmacy IT systems analyst, working with both the pharmacy and IT teams on both the present and up and coming technology to help assure patient safety and accuracy within the institution. She remains a nationally board certified pharmacy technician and serves in that capacity at HFSC as well. Steph is looking forward to seeing everyone at their 30th reunion in the fall!

1995 Mark Citarella, who has served in the United States Army (Georgia Army National Guard) for 22 years, was recently promoted to colonel.

Suzanne (Dlugolonski) Macaulay, who serves as deputy director for Pioneer Library System, was one of the winners of the 2022 New York State Senate Outstanding Librarian Awards. Senate Libraries Committee Chair Sean Ryan said, “Suzanne has started several incredible programs over the past 12 months, including a ‘Books by Mail’ program that aims to bring reading materials to homebound individuals across the Pioneer Library System’s four counties. She has partnered with local retirement homes to drop off collections of large print books for residents who are unable to visit their libraries. She also began a “Community Book Distribution” program where she works with local Foodlink partners, dentists’ offices, and other community groups to distribute books to children and families who may not otherwise have a regular opportunity to own books.

1996 Mario Calderon has a healthy and happy baby boy (1). Together with his brother, Dr. Vincente Calderon ’98, he recently opened FrameBar.co Optical in Oceanside NY.

has a healthy and happy baby boy (1). Together with his brother, Dr. Vincente Calderon ’98, he recently opened FrameBar.co Optical in Oceanside NY.

On April 21st, Firebird alumni gathered at The Bayview in Freeport, NY, for a spring social. Alumni from all years enjoyed catching up with fellow Firebirds and faculty members, all while taking in the waterfront views of the Nautical Mile.

1997 Allison (Maddaloni) LoGiudice and her husband, Salvatore, welcomed their first child, Charlotte Anne, in May 2020. Allison says, “Now she is a spunky 2-year-old and fills our hearts each day!”

Andrea Jacovine works as a medical scribe for two gastroenterologists in The Villages Health in The Villages, FL.

Tanya (Santiago) and Terrance Jennings welcomed their son, Tristan Michael, in November 2021. He is adored by his big sister, Teagan.

Katie (Ledwith) Smyth serves as a first-grade teacher in the Malverne Union Free School District. She says, “I am extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to have graduated from Kellenberg. The friends that I made, the Brothers, the teachers, and the staff all left an impression on me and helped mold me into the person I have become. However, there is one person I would like to give a ‘shout out’ to... Fr. Tom Cardone, S.M. He planted seeds into my heart many years ago while teaching my scripture class. I am so grateful that he helped shape my love for Jesus during a pivotal time in my life.”

Kristen (Wynn) Stellfox recently joined Penn State University as the Director of Campus Development at the commonwealth campus of Schuylkill. She is responsible for providing leadership, strategic direction, management, and coordination of all fundraising efforts.

2000 Sylvia Campbell is the proud mother of five children and owns a mental health agency in Florida providing behavioral case management services to children and adults with mental health issues.

2002 Douglas Bailey and his wife celebrated the birth of their firstborn, Beckham Julius, in November 2021.

Laura Bartolomeo has recently been assigned as Director of Content & Education in Rare Disease Medical Affairs at Pfizer, Inc. She also celebrates her 15th year work anniversary with Pfizer this June.

Kate (Treadway) Baker and her husband, Max, welcomed their first child, Zoe Belle, in December 2021.

William Casale and his wife, Stephanie, celebrated the Baptism of their daughter, Sienna, on March 20, 2022.

Andrew Jedlicka currently works for a crypto asset broker known as Voyager. Prior to that he was with Citigroup for seven years. Andrew also serves as an adjunct professor at NYU and owns a consulting business in which he works with various celebrities to help them launch businesses through joint ventures and brand licensing partnerships. Andrew resides in Merrick, NY, with his wife and three kids.

2005 Paul Viscuse completed his three year hematology/oncology fellowship at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and will soon be starting a new job as a Genitourinary Medical Oncologist at the University of Virginia. He will care for patients with cancers of the genitourinary system while conducting clinical and translational research.

2006 Christopher D’Auria and his wife, Lauren, welcomed twin boys, Wyatt Henry and Lucas, to the world in March 2022.

Kasey (Agostinacchio) Grasso and her husband, Mike, currently live in Bellmore, NY, with their three daughters Calliope (6), Amelia (4), and Tessa (2). Kasey teaches fifth grade at St. Martin de Porres Marianist School.

Nicole (Dobranski) Oppenheimer is the founder of SpeechRise, a speech therapy private practice servicing the pediatric community in both New York City and on Long Island. Nicole says, “We are growing steadily and I am looking to connect with Kellenberg graduates in the healthcare field!”

Meghan (Schiffer) and her husband, Jimmy Riegel, celebrated three years in business at Good Looks Optometry. Meghan is the proud optometrist and business owner at Good Looks, a private optometry practice located in Stewart Manor. Dr. Meghan Riegel prescribes hard and soft contact lenses and glasses, treats ocular diseases and provides pre and post-operative care for patients undergoing LASIK and cataract surgery. She welcomes all Kellenberg alumni and their families and appreciates the unwavering support she has already received from the Kellenberg family over the past three years! Visit GoodLooksOptometry.com to make an appointment.

Julia Schuble became engaged to her fiancé, Nick, in November 2021 and they recently purchased their first home together.

2007 Kerry (O’Connor) Mecabe and her husband, Robert, welcomed their first child, Harper Kate, into the world in September 2021.

Andrew Stafutti married his wife, Angela, in Big Indian, NY, on April 22, 2022.

Thomas Varacalli accepted a new job as Assistant Professor of Great Books at the Honors College of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC. He previously taught political science at Texas State University for six years.

2008 Victoria (Pisciotta) and Dan Brennan ’09, both faculty members at Kellenberg Memorial, welcomed their first baby, Kevin Daniel, in March 2022.

Lauren Handy just celebrated one year at Newzoo, a Dutch video game research and insights company, as a client success manager and still lives on Long Island. Lauren and her fiancé, Matt, will be getting married in April 2023.

2009 Tom Kennedy and his wife, Allison, welcomed their first child, Ryan Thomas, in December 2021. Both Tom and Allison are Kellenberg Memorial faculty members.

Meghan (Hill) Puzo and her husband welcomed their son, Jack, in June 2021.

2010 Danielle Tomlin and James Curcio became engaged while enjoying a weekend outing at Wolffer Estate Vineyard in September 2021. The two will be exchanging their vows in May 2023.

2011 Fr. Matt Browne has been transferred from his assignment as Associate Pastor of St. Dominic in Oyster Bay, and has been appointed as the Associate Director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, and also as the Bishop’s delegate to the Department of Education for the Diocese of Rockville Centre with residence at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre.

Kylie (Pearse) Lupica made history in April 2022 when she became the first female to win the Tomorrow’s Hope 5K. Firebird Coach Marty Brown was thrilled with the win. Kylie says, "Mr. Brown has inspired every step I’ve run since I joined cross-country when I was 14 years old."

2012 Joanna Connolly became engaged to her boyfriend, Joseph Pepe, on January 24, 2022. They have set a wedding date set for March 25, 2023, the Feast of the Annunciation, at Our Lady of Grace Parish.

Emily (Farella) Flynn married her husband, Patrick, on November 20, 2021, at St. Barnabas RC Church in Bellmore, NY. The Nuptial Mass was celebrated by The Most Reverend Richard Henning, Auxiliary Bishop, Diocese of Rockville Centre. The joyous reception was held at The Stewart Manor Country Club in Garden City, with family, friends, and Firebirds! Pictured, from left to right: Caroline Farella

’13, Sabrina Bernadel, Gabrielle Falcianco, Kiley Ferreri, Lauren Doodian, Meghan Cramsie, Edward Cramsie ’16, Deirdre Creegan,

Kiran Swamy, Kaitlyn Espina, and Kara Cramsie ’13. The following day, the newlyweds hosted a post-wedding brunch in the beautiful Millenium Room at Kellenberg Memorial! A special thank you to Brother Ken for giving all the alumni a tour of the school and for making a special appearance with his majestic canine companion, Beato. Go Firebirds!

Kevin Liddy and his wife, Annamarie, welcomed their first child, Shamus, in September 2021.

Kristina Petrich recently accepted a position as a general dentist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH, where she will be treating special needs and adolescent patients. She will also be a faculty member at Ohio State University.

Richard Schreiner is celebrating his 10 year anniversary of serving in the United States Air Force. He has been serving as a Tech Sergeant stationed in Dover, DE, for the past two years after previously being in North Dakota.

Patrick Skinner became engaged to his fiancée in November 2021. He serves as Vice President at Anderson Frank.

2013 John Flanagan graduated from Nassau Community College with an associate’s degree in liberal arts in 2015. He then graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering. John sailed with Military Sealift Command as a 3rd Assistant Engineer until recently. He is currently sailing as a member of the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA) and upgraded his license to 2nd Engineer. John is enjoying seeing the world and advancing his career as a merchant mariner.

MaryKate McGovern received the prestigious Zuckerburg Excellence in Nursing Award for 2022. The award is given to one nurse in each of the Northwell Hospitals for demonstrating outstanding excellence in nursing. MaryKate is an emergency room nurse at Northwell Long Island Jewish Hospital.

Teresa Samson recently achieved her high school dream of becoming a physician after graduating from the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine and matching into an internal medicine residency in San Antonio, TX. She and her fiancé, Michael Ryan, Jr., will soon be married at their alma mater, Saint Anselm College, in New Hampshire.

Colleen (Thornton) Vacchio, a Kellenberg Memorial faculty member, and her husband, Lawrence, welcomed their first child, Kilian Richard, in March 2022.

The Firebird Alumni Family came together on March 13th to celebrate Mass, followed by breakfast. Pictured from left to right: AnnaMaria Vargas ’21, Imani Chung ’21, Director of Alumni Mr. Thomas Huggard, and T’Anna Lloyd ’21. 2014 Rebecca (Silverman) and Domenick Ciardullo were married on March 18, 2022. They celebrated their nuptials at Saint Isidore Roman Catholic Church in Riverhead, NY, before heading to The Vineyards at Aquebogue for a celebratory reception. Lots of Firebirds were in attendance including classmates Connor Goss, Taylor

McLaughlin, Katelyn Barrett, Thomas Gensinger, Peter Herzog, Danielle Graziano, Lyndsey Ruchalski, Jonathan Cioffi, Michael

Fulop, Sarah Mahon, and Stacy Madelmayer, as well as Nicholas King ’15, and Nicholas Bradshaw ’13.

2015 Annmarie Flanagan graduated from Molloy College in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in health service leadership and an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy. She then graduated from Binghamton University with a bachelor's degree in nursing - accelerated program. She is also a volunteer with the Bellmore Fire Department EMT and EMS for the Town of Hempstead. Annmarie is looking forward to taking the nursing boards and becoming an emergency room nurse.

2016 Christine Hodelin recently finished her first year of medical school at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Lauren Mastrianni graduated from Hofstra University with a master's degree in speech-language pathology in December 2021.

Leanne Shinnick relocated to Dallas for her job with GEICO last April and has been promoted two times this year.

2017 Anthony Bartolotta recently accepted a position with Raytheon Technologies—Pratt and Whitney, thus beginning his official journey into the aerospace industry. He says, “Thank you Kellenberg Memorial for preparing me for my future!”

2018 Lauren Atkinson recently graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Computing and Engineering with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics. She was selected as the School of Computing and Engineering Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2022. Lauren had served as an intern for BlackRock and now joins the multinational investment management corporation full-time as a data analyst on the Data & AI Team based out of Atlanta, GA.

Rachny Civil graduated from Molloy College with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in May 2022. She says, “I am excited to pursue a career in pediatric nursing! I thank Kellenberg deeply and sincerely for helping me prepare for this adventurous, yet challenging, college experience and the journey that lies ahead!”

Ismenia Ginebra recently graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in child study and human development and clinical psychology. She says, “I am looking forward to pursuing my interests in early childhood mental health and going wherever the Lord takes me!”

Joseph LoGrippo graduated from Quinnipiac University in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He was recently hired by YES Network and works in the stats and research department.

Katie Sweeney recently graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy. She will be a commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps and will take part in training at Quantico before starting flight school in Pensacola to become a pilot.

Dylan Willis, who recently graduated from St. John's University, was named a United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Scholar All-American in June 2022. Dylan, a celebrated midfielder for the Red Storm Men's Lacrosse program, is just the fourth player in program history to earn the academic honor.

2019 Caroline McGrath recently secured her first internship working in a hospital as an OT volunteer. She says, “I am so beyond excited and could not have done it without the skills that I have learned during my time at Kellenberg Memorial.”

Alyssa Pugh recently graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy, politics, and law in just three years! Next year she will be completing a Master of Public Administration degree from Binghamton University as well. Alyssa says, “I am looking forward to having received two degrees in four years at such a great school. I have Kellenberg to thank for allowing me to develop an incredible work ethic and great study habits.”

2021 Matthew Piekarski was selected to join the men’s gymnastics team at Ohio State University. He is majoring in exercise science and plans to pursue physical therapy or become an athletic trainer.