5 minute read
Alumni Update
1990s
Jeremy Burnette ’94 was named a finalist by the 2024 Chambers USA DEI Awards for Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in recognition of the tireless work in advancing justice for the marginalized and dispossessed.
Lisa McCarty Maynard ’99 is now the vice president of client services for Advantus Health Partners. Advantus Health Partners is the supply chain arm of Bon Secours Mercy Health, one of the top 20 largest healthcare systems in the United States. She celebrated 25 years as a nurse this past May and will be speaking at the national conference for ARHMM24 (The Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management) in September.
2000s
Pikeville High School Principal Brandon Blackburn ’04 was named Kentucky Music Educators Association District Nine Administrator of the Year.
Candace Fleming ’04 joined Pikeville High School as a math teacher.
Shena Shepherd ’04, MSW ’23 was promoted to the role of assistant director of the ACE Program at UPIKE.
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology Lyndsay Madden, D.O., ’05 KYCOM ’09 was named president of the Board of Governors for the American Osteopathic Colleges of Ophthalmology/Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. She is the first female otolaryngologist to be named president of this board.
Donald Tardy ’07 was promoted to general manager at Chick-fil-a.
2010s
Josh Samarco ’10 started a new position as director of The Center for Intercultural Student Development at Calvin University.
Lisa Compton ’12 began a new career with WestCare Foundation as a marketing specialist.
Sarah ’14 and Joshua Akers, D.O., ’16, KYCOM ’20 welcomed their daughter Clara in July. Joshua also completed his Family Medicine residency in June where he received the Murphy M. Shields Award for Professionalism and the Kenneth E. Holtzapple, M.D. Award for Excellence in Humanistic Medicine. Joshua began his career as a family medicine provider for UofL Health.
Whitney Rowe ’15 received the 2024 Fayette County Bar Association Young Lawyer of the Year award.
Jamie Castle, D.O., ’18, KYCOM ’22 and Justin Philpot were married on September 2. The couple lives in Greenville, N.C., where Jamie is finishing her third and final year of pediatric residency at East Carolina University.
Dalton Hatfield ’18, MBA ’21 began a new career as external affairs manager at Kentucky Power.
Gregory Nalesnik, D.O., KYCOM ’18 began a new position at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, N.Y., as an academic pediatric oncologist.
Michaela Faith Stidham Evans ’19, MA ’23 and Taeshaun Evans were married on May 11. They currently reside in Hazard, Ky., where she is a teacher and he is working to become an ordained minister in the Kentucky Church of God.
2020s
McKenzie VanDyke Bright, O.D., KYCO ’20 welcomed Wren Elliott on April 1.
Madison Dillon, O.D., ’20, KYCO ’24 is now seeing optometry patients at Williamson Health and Wellness Center in Williamson, W.Va.
Jeremy Goodson, Ed.D., ’20, MBA ’21 has been named dean of student services at Big Sandy Community and Technical College.
After graduating in August with a Master of Art in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, BriAnna Burbridge ’21 began a new career as registered behavioral technician at Achievements ABA Therapy in Atlanta, Ga.
Cody and Madi Bentley, MBA ’22 were married on September 14.
Bryce ’21 and Sheila Cox ’21 were married on December 2, 2023. They now live in Richmond, Ky., where Shelia is a preschool teacher, and Bryce works in accounting software.
Cody Davis ’22 and Emily Ellison were married on June 16. The couple lives in Rio Grande, Ohio, where Cody is director of housing for the University of Rio Grande.
Evan ’22 and Skylar Coleman ’24 were married on June 20.
Adriana Guardiola, O.D., KYCO ’24 welcomed Naomi Rainn on April 26.
Jillian Harrison ’24 and Eric Perez were married on May 27.
Gabriel Rodrigues Torres Santos ’24 started a new position as management trainee at Enterprise Mobility.
Alizè Morales ’24 started a new position as pharmacy IV technician at Pikeville Medical Center.
Katlyn Mullins ’24 started a new position as health professions recruiter at UPIKE.
Ways to Connect
To have a conversation about how students' lives are transformed at UPIKE and discuss your philanthropic interests, contact Laura Damron at (606) 794-9949 or lauradamron@upike.edu.
Ways To Give
Make a gift online at upike.edu/give.
Text “UPIKE” to 50155.
Make all checks payable to the University of Pikeville and list your designation in the memo line. Mail your check to: Office of Advancement
Call (606) 218-5268 to make a gift over the phone.
