noll notes

1952, 1954

David Halton celebrated his 90th birthday in May. He and his wife, Helen Felicichia Halton ’54, are “living the good life here in Delaware.” They have 7 grandchildren and 2 greatgrandchildren and are “very blessed.”

1956

Kathryn Janz Oates married Paul Oates in 1959. They have four children, six grandchildren and four great grandkids.

1957

William J. Napiwocki writes he celebrated his 21st birthday February 29.

1964

Bradley Smith retired from AT&T in 2003 and lives in Cape Coral, Fla., where he is a volunteer for the police department marine unit.

1967

The class of 1967 recently had a collective 75th birthday party. There were several events, which included a White Sox vs. Cubs baseball game, Lake Michigan sunset cruise and a party at Ogden Dunes hosted by Karl and Kristine Krizmanic.

1970

Elizabeth (Betty) Nagel Pierce visited Colmar and Paris, France, and Ghent, Belgium, this December with her sons and daughter-in-law. “The Christmas market and decorations were beautiful!”

1971

Richard A. Bona is currently president of the Illinois State Dental Society.

1991

Phil Taillon was selected as CEO for the Hammond-based South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority. Taillon, who started his role June 10, previously served as chief of staff for Hammond Mayor Thomas M. McDermott Jr., and earlier was an assistant vice president for First Midwest Bank.

1998

Sally (Garcia) Skowronski was the 23–24 Teachers College

Outstanding Alumni recipient of the Career Achievement Award at Ball State University, where she completed her undergraduate degree in 2003. Skowronski has been an educator for 21 years and has been the principal at Nativity of Our Savior School in Portage since 2015.

1999

Tony Veneziano writes, “Last fall I started a new job as a media relations specialist for Franciscan Health in Central and Western Indiana. It is great to work for a world-class Catholic healthcare organization.”

2001

Lorenza Jara Pastrick, principal of BNI, has been recognized as Principal of the Year by the Indiana State Speech and Debate Association, a prestigious award presented only when a principal demonstrates exceptional leadership.

2012

Jordan Wilson, who graduated from Boston College’s Law School after receiving her B.A. from Howard University, was

Welcome Back, Nico González ’17!

admitted to the Illinois Bar this spring. Jordan, who now practices with the Hardwick Law Firm in Chicago, also spent two years working at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. And this summer, Jordan and Kenneth Whisenton were married. They live in Gary. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Whisenton!

2020

Jessica Suarez graduated from Purdue University West Lafayette with a bachelor of science degree and is now pursuing a graduate degree for speech and language pathology at St. Xavier in Chicago.

We’re thrilled to announce the return of Nico González to BNI as our new Alumni Network Coordinator! In this new position within the Advancement Department, González will connect fellow alumni and strengthen the bonds that tie us all to BNI. He’ll assist with coordinating reunions based on graduation year and geographic location, making it easier for you to reconnect with classmates and fellow Warriors from your area. González is a proud Purdue grad and a 1st lieutenant in the Indiana National Guard. His family boasts several BNI alumni including his father, Gerardo González ’90, and sister, Bianca ’13.

“I am beyond grateful and blessed to be able to return to my alma mater and help advance the community that gave me my start at a young age. I look forward to working with Noll’s vast community and alongside some of my former educators!”

For more information on alumni networking, email ngonzalez@bishopnoll.org.

Future Warriors

2012 classmates, husband and wife, now parents to future Warriors— congratulations to Jordan (Kusiak) and Josh Galgan and Ashley (Cervantes) and Eric Roldán, who all welcomed sons this year.

Pictured are Jameson with Josh and Jordan along with twins Nathan and Noah with big brother Adrian, Eric and Ashley.

Hannah Dominiak Lareau ’12 hits the mark with new role

Former student and current teacher Hannah Dominiak Lareau ’12 has another title in her Warrior journey with her new role as assistant girls golf coach. She looks forward to having more opportunities to share her knowledge and passion with the next generation of Warriors.

“This decision was inspired by my family’s love for the game of golf,” she said. “My sister, Maggie ’17, was a passionate and successful golfer during her time at

Noll, and I thought this would be a great way to support our current young female athletes.”

After graduating from BNI in 2012, Lareau pursued a career in journalism and marketing. In 2020, she returned to the school as a teacher, where she quickly found a deep sense of belonging. “It really does feel like coming back home,” she said. “There’s a strong sense of community and family here, and that’s one of my favorite parts about being back.”

As a teacher, Lareau is dedicated to sharing her love for design, marketing, and photography with her students. She believes that by teaching subjects she is passionate

about, she can inspire her students to explore their own interests and talents.

In addition to her teaching duties, Lareau is excited to contribute to the school’s athletic program as the assistant girls golf coach. She hopes to provide her students with valuable life lessons through the sport, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship, and perseverance.

“Our students are eager to learn and grow, and they appreciate the opportunities you provide,” she said. “I’m grateful for the support I’ve received from the Bishop Noll community. Your generous gifts make a profound impact on the lives of our students.”

Lareau is committed to continuing her professional development and growth as an educator and coach. She recently completed a Transition to Teaching program at Calumet College, thanks to the NWI Teacher’s Scholarship from Big Shoulders Fund.