Class Notes Welcome to our expanded Class Notes, a section dedicated to sharing your news with the UD community. Share your updates with us via udallas.edu/alumni-portal for possible inclusion in the next issue of Tower.
1970s Paula Sweeney, BA ’78, received the 2021 Lifetime Contribution to the Profession award from the Texas Trial Lawyers.
Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, leading four departments that manage diverse materials science research activities spanning wide band gap semiconductors and devices, quantum materials and devices, ferroic materials, nanoporous materials, 2D electronic materials and energy storage materials. Carlos has been at Sandia National Laboratories for 16 years and prior to that was a tenured physics professor at Texas State University for 13 years. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society.
Karen Jakuback, BA ’86, is president of Ursuline Academy of New Orleans and a UD Class Agent. Mike Corey, BA ’87, is chief development officer of ZIPS Car Wash. Michael Kramer, MBA ’87, is chief revenue officer of ProntoForms Corporation.
1990s Angie (Tuttle) Michelini, BA ’91, is vice president of legal and government affairs for Gordian, the leading provider of facility and construction cost data, software and expertise. John L. Kent, MBA ’94, director of supply chain, China initiatives, and clinical professor in the University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business, was one of two speakers in an informative discussion on current trends and future expectations regarding tariffs and supply chain issues in October, sponsored by the Asia Society in partnership with the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations and spotlighting experts on U.S. and Chinese economic relations.
1980s Mary Zielinski Hellwig, BA ’80, hosted 11 members of the Class of 1980 (and one member of the Class of 1979) in July 2018 at her home in Scarborough, Maine, for a combined reunion/celebration of 60th birthdays. The group is pictured on Higgins Beach (above). They received a surprise visit on their last day from classmates and guest chefs Frank Hellwig, BA ’80, and Jeff Mitchell, BA ’80, who prepared a dinner of clams and lobster for them. Alan Berecka, BA ’81, recently published a collection of poetry, A Living Is Not a Life: A Working Title, adding to his growing list of works. Mike Gordon, MBA ’82, is the 2021 Chief Officer Award Winner: Public Company CISO. Carlos J. Gutierrez, Ph.D., BS ’83, is the senior manager for the Semiconductor, Nano and Quantum Sciences Group at Sandia National
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Wesley Walter, Ph.D., BS ’83, professor of physics at Denison University, was honored with the prestigious Bonar Family Mentorship and Teaching Excellence Award at the college’s faculty awards celebration last May. This award recognizes exemplary mentoring and teaching by a Denison faculty member. Paul John, M.D., BS ’84, a family physician with a long-standing private practice in Austin, Texas, has enrolled in Concierge Choice Physicians, the nation’s leading full-service concierge medical service provider, in the company’s Hybrid Choice™ program, which provides patients with more time, support and greater connectivity between doctor and patient. Rob Oshana, MBA ’85, vice president of software engineering and R&D for NXP Edge Processing, was named the 59th Design Automation Conference general chair. This is the only event devoted to electronic design and design automation of electronic circuits and systems.
Nancy Avedikian, BA ’95, published a book, Saturdays with Dad, “a portrait of family love and … one of the most rewarding books about fathers,” available through all major online booksellers. According to a review, “Like everything the Italians do, the book also shares the elegance, flair and vibrance of Christmas in an Italian home, with servings of salami and a pound of provolone cheese, Italian bread, antipasto, spaghetti, roasted lamb and cannoli.” As a certified Spanish reading recovery teacher,
Nancy taught pre-K through third grade. After retiring, she tutored middle school students, worked part time as a translator for the school district and taught English classes for Spanish-speaking adults. She lives in Texas with her husband of 53 years. Jeanne Canavan, BA ’99, is principal of Our Lady of Hope School in Potomac Falls, Virginia. Todd Elms, MBA ’99, is president and chief operating officer of Instant Power Corporation. Aline Harbison, MTS ’99, is director of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Retreat Center. Gloria Werthing Reynolds, MBA ’99, is co-founder and CEO of the Werthing Foundation, managing director of Werthing Pathways to Success and Girl Power Academy, university recruiting lead for Korn Ferry and program manager/ recruiter for INROADS. A wife and mother, she is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Links Inc.
2000s Julie (Sheehy) Connally, BA ’00, is a data transcriber at Appen and a freelance writer. Matt Mehan, BA ’00 MA ’09 PhD ’14, teamed up again with his good friend, illustrator John Folley, to publish The Handsome Little Cygnet, available on Amazon: “Manhattan’s Central Park seems an unlikely place for a family of swans to raise their baby cygnet, but family life is full of surprises, happy mistakes, and mysterious joys.” Matt was featured in Tower’s Winter 2019 cover story with his
