Loyola Magazine Spring 2020

Page 13

1984

Hon. Robert F. Martwick filled the Illinois Senate seat in the 10th District that opened up when former State Senator John G. Mulroney accepted an appointment as Cook County judge in June 2019. Prior to his appointment as Illinois state senator, Martwick served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019, representing the 19th House District. As an assistant state’s attorney to former state’s attorney Richard A. Devine ‘61, he focused on domestic violence, child support enforcement and criminal prosecution.

Ralph A. Velasco ’81 (front row, right) with a PhotoEnrichment Adventures tour group in Viscri, Romania

A Rambler Follows His Bliss

R

ALPH A. VELASCO ’81 has a motto: “Life’s too short not to travel.” With a motto like this, one had better not be deskbound. So Velasco reinvented his life in 2007 to accommodate his wanderlust, trading his desk job as a financial consultant for the unfettered life of a travel photographer and international tour leader. Velasco unbound is a force to be reckoned with. As the founder and CEO (chief experience officer) of PhotoEnrichment Adventures (PhotoEnrichment.com), he has built a career out of helping clients capture better images of their travels. In 2019, he expanded his global tour enterprise with the launch of Alla Campagna Experiences (AllaCampagna.com), which are Ralph Ve lasco ‘81 less focused on photography and more focused on cultural immersion and local cuisine. Over the past 12 years, he has created more than 100 once-ina-lifetime international travel experiences for his clients in more than 30 countries, including Cambodia, Morocco, Cuba, Romania, India and the Baltic States. Velasco was bitten by the travel bug during his Loyola years. “This all started with my Loyola Academy summer service and immersion trips to Spain and Peru,” he notes. Meanwhile, this globetrotting creative has more projects in the pipeline, including The Continental Drifter. Filmed in the studio and in the field, this YouTube Channel series hosted —– R A L PH A . V EL A SCO ’81 by Velasco will feature travel and photography tips and interviews with travel and photography experts, as well as gear, app and service reviews. Follow this link and subscribe for a preview of what’s to come at https://youtu.be/E7WQsbL92Ak. 4

“I hear over and over again, ‘Ralph this is the best trip I’ve ever taken in my life.’ It’s like traveling with friends.”

1985

Phil Andrew was named director of violence prevention initiatives for the Archdiocese of Chicago in February 2018. Andrew is responsible for the Archdiocese’s peace-building initiatives through coalition-building and an increased charitable presence in distressed neighborhoods. Prior to joining the Archdiocese, Andrew spent 21 years at the FBI, most recently at the bureau’s Chicago Division as a special agent with a focus on gun violence, counterterrorism, counterintelligence and crisis management.

At the 2018 Loyola Academy Women of Wisdom Fall Lecture Series, Phil Andrew ’85 spoke to the Loyola community about the events that led to his appointment as the first director of violence prevention for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Thomas J. Kessler ‘85 married Farah Christi in June 2017 at Immanuel Church in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Hon. Daniel W. Kotowski, president and CEO of ChildServ, and members of the Class of 1985 who serve on the ChildServ continued on page 12

SPRING 2020

|

11


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.