Portraits Fall 2026

PORTRAITS FALL 2026

Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

Wide World of Sports Alumni who play all day at work

TIARA BROWN ’13 secures airspace to keep thousands safe during World Cup

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Pitt sophomore Kennedy Aderogba leads the Pitt band as drum major during the band’s annual five-day camp at Pitt-Bradford, an event dating back to 1989. The annual visit is a tradition beloved by both band members and the Bradford community, which turns out in the evenings to sit in lawn chairs alongside Campus Drive and watch the 300 students perfect their game-day shows.

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The Sky is the Limit

Tiara Brown ’13 flew Apache helicopters in combat, then bet on herself again and again — landing her in the middle of aviation security for the FIFA World Cup.

12 Calling the Shots Tom Lucas ’94 didn’t end up calling games like he dreamed of as a kid.

Instead, he’s spent 20-plus years at ESPN directing them, from “SportsCenter” to the NFL Draft.

16 Still in the Game

Cover – Tiara Brown ’13 takes a break with Monty, mascot of the Rayados de Monterrey soccer club in Mexico after a meeting with the Mexican military and government leaders regarding counter-drone protections for the World Cup.

Have a story, comment or suggestion for us? Write to us at Portraits@pitt.edu.

2 First Shot Pitt-Bradford staff, alumni, faculty and students took the stage for a Bradford Little Theatre production of “1776.”

4 The Commons A new tuition pledge puts a Pitt-Bradford education within reach for more Pennsylvania families; two new deans join senior leadership; and five long-term faculty and staff members retire.

Dr. Drew Flanagan, assistant professor of history, publishes his debut book on postwar France and Germany; and the inaugural women’s lacrosse team has a storybook first season.

22 Panther Pack Dr. Chris Mackowski ’91, turns his attention from the Civil War to the American Revolution with his newest book on John Adams.

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HARRY BLOOMBERG

Seven sports. Nine alumni who never left the playing field behind. From a Major League groundskeeper to a fantasy football blogger, from athletic administrators to a professional wrestler, these Pitt-Bradford graduates found that turning play into a profession doesn’t have to mean growing up.

departments

PORTRAITS Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

A Season of Transformation There is something special about the start of a new academic year at Pitt-Bradford. Students returning to campus bring renewed energy and a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come, and look ahead with optimism.

At Pitt-Bradford, we’ve always encouraged students to dream big, then surrounded them with the people and resources to make those dreams real. That same spirit guides us as a university, building on our traditions while embracing new opportunities to serve our students, region and communities.

That momentum is visible across campus.

If you’ve visited this summer, you’ve likely noticed construction underway at Hanley Library.

The project will enhance one of our campus’s anchors, expanding academic resources and creating a new quad and gathering space.

I look forward to sharing more during Alumni and Family Weekend and hope you’ll return to see the progress firsthand.

We’re expanding academic programs to meet pressing needs across the region and the Commonwealth. Among the latest programs launching this fall is a bachelor’s degree in special education.

With Pennsylvania facing a critical shortage of special education teachers, Pitt-Bradford has an opportunity to prepare compassionate professionals who will change lives throughout our region and beyond.

Buildings and programs are only part of what makes Pitt-Bradford special — its people are the heart of this university. This year, we’re delighted to welcome new faculty and staff, including Dr. Jessica Kubiak ’06, vice president and dean of academic affairs, and Dr. Drew Peterson, vice president and dean of students, to our senior leadership team. Both share a deep commitment to our students and our mission.

There is tremendous momentum at Pitt-Bradford. While our campus continues to grow, what has always made it special remains unchanged: our commitment to students, the strength of our relationships and our connection to the communities we call home.

No matter when you graduated, you remain part of the Pitt-Bradford family and its future.

Thank you for your continued pride in and support of Pitt-Bradford.

I hope you’ll visit, reconnect with old friends and meet our newest Panthers, and celebrate as we write the next chapter together.

There is tremendous momentum at Pitt-Bradford. While our campus continues to grow, what has always made it special remains unchanged.

SENIOR EDITOR Will Dube EDITOR Kimberly Marcott Weinberg COPY EDITOR Pat Frantz Cercone, Laurie Dufford ART DIRECTOR John Sizing www.jspublicationdesign.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Alan Hancock ’07, ‘19, Matthew Lester, Glenn Melvin ’04, Andrew Truman ’24, Kimberly Weinberg, Brandon Whittemore PRINTER Progressive Direct Marketing

Published by the Office of Communications and Marketing University of Pittsburgh at Bradford © 2026 www.upb.pitt.edu

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT The University of Pittsburgh, as an educational institution and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity. Accordingly, as fully explained in Policy 07-01-03, the University prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability, or status as a veteran.

The University also prohibits and will not engage in retaliation against any person who makes a claim of discrimination or harassment or who provides information in such an investigation. Further, the University will continue to take affirmative steps to support and advance these values consistent with the University’s mission. This policy applies to admissions, employment, access to and treatment in University programs and activities.

This is a commitment made by the University and is in accordance with federal, state and/or local laws and regulations.

For information on University equal opportunity and affirmative action programs, please contact: University of Pittsburgh, Office of Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, Carol W. Mohamed, Director (and Title IX, 504 and ADA Coordinator), 412 Bellefield Hall, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15260 (412) 648-7860.

In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the University guarantees that students have the right to inspect all personally identifiable records maintained by the institution and may challenge the content and accuracy of those records through appropriate institutional procedures.

It is further guaranteed by the University that student records containing personally identifiable information will not be released except as permitted by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act. Personnel for Nondiscrimination statement Dr. David Fitz Vice president of institutional integration and community engagement (814)362-5119 dfitz@pitt.edu

Richard T. Esch ’83, president

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For student-related concerns: Dr. Andrew Peterson Vice president and dean of student affairs (814)362-7651 dtp46@pitt.edu

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RYAN DAUGHENBAUGH

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13 Panthers salute 13 colonies Staff, alumni and faculty filled the stage (and orchestra pit) with patriotic purpose as the Bradford Little Theatre performed the musical “1776” in Bromeley Family Theater in June as part of Bradford’s celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Those telling the story of the first Independence Day were, from left, Mark Miller ’21, (orchestra), academic program supervisor; Kitty Moyer, (assistant stage manager), admissions counselor; Abby Martin ’24, (Martha Jefferson), financial assistant; Cole Palmer ’24, (James Wilson); Dr. David Merwine, seated, (Dr. Lyman Hall), associate professor of biology; Andy Wilson (John Dickinson), a mechanical engineering student from Bradford; Dr. David Fitz, (Roger Sherman), vice president of institutional integration and community engagement; Joshua Bridge ’02, (Charles Thomson); Joe Fitz, (Edward Rutledge) resident director; Dr. Shailendra Gajanan, seated, (Caesar Rodney), professor of economics; Brianna Coder (stage manager), business management major from Bradford; Dr. Kira Leck, (orchestra), associate professor of psychology; and Andrew Truman ’24, (courier), social media strategist.

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COMMONS THE

News from Around the Quad

Pitt makes a pledge

Free tuition for PA families earning $75,000 or less

Pitt will cover whatever tuition balance is left after federal, state and institutional aid has been used.

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GLENN MELVIN ’04

Aid each year and, if they qualify, the benefit is added to their account automatically. The pledge covers tuition only.

Students would still pay for textbooks, housing, meals and other fees.

The pledge could mean the most for students close to home. Nearly 22% of Pitt-Bradford students come from McKean County, where 75% of tax returns meet the criteria. Many McKean County residents live close enough that they could live at home and commute to campus, saving on the cost of First-generation college graduates stand for recognition during spring Commencement. The new Pitt housing.

Regional Campus Tuition Pledge will help more Pennsylvania students achieve their college dreams.

“Pitt-Bradford was founded to bring higher education to a large region that Starting this fall, some full-time balance is left after federal, state and didn’t have a college of its own,” said Pitt-Bradford students won’t pay institutional aid has been used.

Dr. James Baldwin, vice president tuition at all.

There are no separate applications for enrollment management. “This The University of Pittsburgh has for the program. Students file the pledge continues that mission.” launched the Pitt Regional Campus Free Application for Federal Student At Pitt-Bradford, 48.2% of Tuition Pledge. It covers full tuition students are eligible for federal Pell for full-time Pennsylvania residents Grants and 41.6% are the first in their at Pitt-Bradford and other regional family to attend college. Many have campuses. To qualify, a student’s deep roots in the region and stay close household adjusted gross income to home after graduation, providing must be $75,000 or less. New, added benefi t for the regional transferred and currently enrolled economy. students can all qualify.

Pitt will cover whatever tuition

Five retire with 160 years of combined service

MATTHEW LESTER (TOP). KIMBERLY WEINBERG (BOTTOM)

Five of Pitt-Bradford’s longest-serving employees retired this spring and summer, together representing more than 160 years of service to the university in classrooms, administration, admissions and residence life.

Dr. Michael Klausner, associate professor of sociology, retired after 50 years of teaching. He came to campus in 1976 and quickly became known for his keen interest in students and his early support of the athletics program.

“He took a keen interest in the welfare of his students,” said Dr. K. James Evans, retired vice president of student

Dr. Stephen Robar retired this spring after 27 years and plans to hike the Appalachian Trail and stay involved in community organizing.

affairs, who arrived the same year.

Colleagues also remember his habit of standing on his desk to make a point in class. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and received the Alumni Association’s Teaching Excellence Award in 2023.

Gary Tessmer, assistant professor of composition, arrived in 1989 on a one-term contract that turned into 37 years.

He coordinated the composition program for its first 16 years and worked closely with visiting students from sister college Yokohama College of Commerce. He’ll keep teaching part time while making room for reading, volunteering and his grandchildren.

Dr. Stephen Robar, associate professor of political science, retired after 27 years, during which he served as associate dean of academic affairs, chair of the Division of BeDr. Michael Klausner was inducted into the Athletic Hall of havioral and Social SciFame in 2005 and received the Alumni Association’s Teaching ences, Faculty Senate Excellence Award in 2023.

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president, and founder of the environmental studies program. In retirement, he plans to hike the Appalachian Trail and stay involved in community organizing.

Alex Nazemetz, associate vice president of enrollment management and director of admissions, retired after 26 years at Pitt-Bradford and 40 years in admissions overall. Under his leadership, Pitt-Bradford doubled its incoming class size and became the most diverse campus in the Pitt system — all while insisting his staff get out and meet students face-to-face.

“Alex has shaped the admissions experience for thousands of students and played a central role in building enrollments at the institution we know today,” said Dr. James Baldwin, vice president for enrollment services.

Denise Perkins spent 21 years in the Office of Resident Life and Housing, where student resident advisers knew her as “Momma D.” She retired a year after receiving the Staff Association’s Staff Recognition Award, which recognized her deep knowledge of the university and her calm, reassuring presence for parents, students and colleagues alike.

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the commons

New leadership; familiar roots Kubiak and Peterson join Pitt-Bradford

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Recivilizing Germany

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Kubiak and Peterson

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looking forward to reengaging with her hometown community.

Peterson joins Pitt-Bradford from Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C., where he served as vice president of student affairs and dean of students since 2022, leading a division of 20 professional and 65 student staff.

There, he managed a budget of more than $4.5 million across residence life, student conduct, campus safety, Greek life, orientation, dining and student involvement.

He earned his doctorate in leadership for organizations from the University of Dayton, a master’s in higher education and student affairs from Ohio State, and a bachelor’s in psychology from Allegheny College.

Peterson has served on the executive board of the Association of College and University Housing OfficersInternational and speaks nationally on student leadership and crisis preparedness. He is committed to helping students feel a sense of belonging, especially first-generation college students.

He lives in Bradford with his sons, Jake and Spencer, and their dog, Cookie.

ANDREW TRUMAN ’24

Pitt-Bradford has named two new senior leaders: Dr. Jessica Kubiak ’06 as vice president and dean of academic affairs for Pitt-Bradford and Pitt-Titusville, and Dr. Andrew Peterson as vice president and dean of student affairs.

Kubiak returns to Pitt-Bradford from State University of New York Jamestown Community College, where she served as vice president of academic affairs and workforce development since 2024, leading four academic divisions serving more than 2,000 students.

She holds a Ph.D. in English from Old Dominion University and a master’s in adult education from SUNY Buffalo State. She graduated summa cum laude from Pitt-Bradford. Her research focuses on writing feedback and adult learners, and she’s completing a book manuscript under contract with Bloomsbury Academic.

Kubiak has won teaching awards from the Conference on College Composition and Communication and the SUNY Chancellor’s office. She lives in Allegany, N.Y., with her husband, four adult children, two grandchildren, a cat, a border collie and three goats, and is

r. Drew Flanagan, assistant professor of history at Pitt-Bradford, has published his first book, “From Occupation to Integration: Recivilizing the French Zone of Post-Nazi Germany, 1945-1955,” which is out now from LSU Press.

Grown out of his doctoral dissertation at Brandeis University, the book traces how the French occupation zone in postwar Germany became an early laboratory for the cross-border integration that eventually shaped the European Union. “This is one of the first places you see crossborder economic integration between France and Germany, albeit under circumstances of occupation,” Flanagan said.

France, itself occupied by Germany during the war, set about “civilizing” its zone — de-Nazifying the population while weaving its coal, timber and river resources into the French economy.

He has taught at Pitt-Bradford since 2019 and directs the history/ political science program.

Flanagan

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Olivia Garcia and Haley Carlo were generous with their time and teaching and led the Panthers to a great first season.

Storybook season Panthers’ inaugural women’s lacrosse team finishes impressive 10-7 in first season

BRANDON WHITTEMORE

by Kimberly Weinberg

In its inaugural season, the Panthers’ women’s lacrosse team advanced to the conference championship under a first-year coach—an impressive feat, especially since half the roster had never picked up a lacrosse stick before coming to Pitt-Bradford.

Head coach Tyrone BowenCollateta ’26 taught the game he’d played since he could walk to a group of exceptional athletes.

“I think it’s pretty special how it all came about — like a little storybook,” said Molly Wampler, a junior applied mathematics major and attacker from York, Pa. Pitt-Bradford lost its inaugural coach at the end of 2025, just as BowenCollateta — a health and physical education major — was graduating. He’d played on the Panthers’ inaugural men’s team and served as an assistant coach.

With fewer than three months before the season opener, Athletic Director Bret Butler asked Bowen-Collateta to serve as interim head coach. Some players were accomplished in lacrosse, but about half were proficient in field hockey, basketball, softball and soccer, and had never played what BowenCollateta would teach them was “the Creator’s game.” fall 2026

Bowen-Collateta is a member of the Seneca Nation, part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy that invented the game. For Seneca players — and for Bowen-Collateta — it’s more than a game, and that’s what he taught his players: not just drills, but meaning.

“The way it means a lot to him is very inspiring,” Wampler said. “He loves the game. His philosophy helped it feel like a family instead of a team.”

Wampler was one of the players learning from scratch — an avid runner and former field hockey player who’d

Captain Samantha Burke

started tossing a lacrosse ball with friends on the earlier club team, just for fun.

She said the team captains — Olivia Garcia, Samantha Burke and Haley Carlo — were generous with their time and teaching, and that learning alongside so many newcomers made it fun.

Makartnee Mortimer, an exercise science major and soccer player from Westfield, N.Y., was also new to the game. She ended her first season as a first-team defender. Mortimer said basketball was a more useful model than field hockey for understanding ball movement.

“I did not play softball, and I could never hit a ball with a bat, and my family asked how I could catch a ball with a stick,” she said. “I have to laser-focus on the ball to catch it. But most of the game is constantly moving and trying to cut off the pass — being in the right place at the right time. Catching and throwing is the last thing I think about.”

The team finished its first year 10-7, with two more players named to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference first team: Christina Abel, a freshman midfielder from York, and Addison Molampy, a freshman attacker from Wallingford, Conn., also named the AMCC’s Newcomer of the Year.

Burke, an exercise science major and midfielder also from York, mentored her teammates as a captain. She was impressed by how quickly they picked up the game and is excited about a strong incoming class this fall.

She said, “I’m amazed to see how far we’ve come, and hopefully next year, we’re the champions.”

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Brown on a perimeter walk around the beautiful stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, with the Mexican military and Agencia Federal de Aviacion Civil.

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the

SKY is the

LIMIT Tiara Brown ’13 flew Apache helicopters into combat.

This summer, she secured the skies over soccer’s biggest stage.

More than a billion people watched live on

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF TIARA BROWN

television June 11 as a drone shot zoomed in on Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca, which was hosting the opening spectacle and first game of soccer’s 2026 World Cup. Moments before, Tiara Brown ’13 was on the ground, watching the drone pilot’s shot and resurrecting her half-forgotten Spanish the best she could to talk with a Mexican general, asking him to stop shooting lasers at and jamming the GPS systems of the broadcast drone she was responsible for.

“There was a huge disconnect between the generals I would talk to and the captains on the ground,” she said. But just as the shot went live, the general’s orders reached the junior officers, and the world saw the shot as it had been intended.

It was one of the closer calls Brown experienced in her role as the head of air security for this summer’s FIFA World Cup, laying the groundwork for the air security of 16 stadiums and 13 Fan Festivals in three countries.

This unique job, which she says she “made up herself,” draws on skills she’s nurtured since her time as a sport and recreation management major at Pitt-Bradford: an interest in athletics, a military aviation background, a law degree and a steely sense of self-determination.

Mexico wasn’t the first time Brown had done battle. The first Pitt-Bradford Commander of the Seneca Battalion ROTC, she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army after graduating and attended flight school. As one of the top graduates in

by KIM B E RLY W E IN B E RG ///////////////////////////

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Brown presented on the counter-drone protections and airspace permissions to be expected during the 2026 World Cup at the 2025 National Real Time Crime Center Association Conference.

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her class, she had the opportunity to choose her aircraft – Apache helicopters that launch precision-strike Hellfire missiles, provide close air support for ground troops and perform deep tactical strikes.

How she ended up in ROTC was purely a practical matter. Brown’s mother had escaped an abusive marriage with Brown’s father and moved herself and Brown’s siblings into a single room in her own mother’s house.

“She formed a whole life for us,” Brown said. “We lived in one bedroom with a bunk bed for four years until my mom could go back to school and buy a house. I was always trying to take the burden away from her.”

That included paying for her own college.

After graduating from an engineering high school in Pittsburgh, she received an academic scholarship to the University of Colorado and planned to study architecture. Her mother took out loans to cover what the scholarship didn’t.

But Brown was miserable. She knew she loved sports (she had run Junior Olympic track during middle and high school) but did not want to be an athlete. She thought back to her home in Pittsburgh and discovered a Pitt campus with a program in sport and recreation management: Pitt-Bradford. She took a chance and made the move, which would become a recurring theme in her life.

At Pitt-Bradford, she worked a full-time overnight shift at McDonald’s and then sliced meat in a grocery deli to cover tuition — until a recruiter explained ROTC and she landed a scholarship. “It let me quit those jobs,” she said.

With her top physical fitness scores, she had access to myriad summer trainings.

“I went to all the schools,” she said. “I did all the stuff.” Including traveling to Spain to jump out of airplanes. That’s when she picked up some Spanish.

During her 10 years’ flying, rappelling from helicopters and parachuting from airplanes in the Army, she began working with drones. It was a decision that – true to form – was against the advice of those who worried that it would negatively affect her career as a pilot.

But it was drones that were headed to Iraq, and Brown was anxious to serve her country in a more tangible way.

“I felt like it was important to take a chance,” she said. “Every time I’ve taken a chance on myself, it’s paid off.”

Her first deployment in 2016 would be using drones to fight in Iraq. In 2018, she deployed to Syria as a helicopter pilot.

Eventually, injuries took their toll, and she took a medical retirement. Her pain led her to investigate medical marijuana, which she credits with reducing the number of prescription

Brown at FIFA’s Miami headquarters.

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ALAN HANCOCK ‘07, ‘19(TOP)

medications she takes. As she thought about what she wanted to do next, she was drawn to advocacy and entrepreneurship.

She decided to pursue joint Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Northwestern University’s prestigious Kellogg School of Management and Pritzker School of Law. But after graduating in 2024, Brown knew she was not a law firm kind of lawyer. In 2025, she saw a posting for a three-month legal internship with FIFA in Miami and, trusting herself to make it again, signed a year-long lease.

She wasn’t far into her internship when teams began asking about drone policies. She’d hit it off with World Cup Chief of Security G.B. Jones – a fellow former military helicopter pilot who had experience running airspace for the NFL – who asked her what she knew about drone regulations.

“Hey, let me look into it,” she said, and was soon talking with the Federal Aviation Administration and FBI. She discovered federal agencies often didn’t coordinate with state or municipal police or stadium security. And that was just in the United States.

If the president or prime minister of any of the three World Cup host countries – the United States, Mexico and Canada – showed up, air space would be shut down. In the United States, the Secret Service would get involved.

It was clear the World Cup would need someone to coordinate airspace, and Brown was the obvious choice. Jones handed the project to her, though his NFL airspace experience remained a resource she could draw on. FIFA then hired a recently retired FAA employee to work alongside her, and together the two of them managed airspace for 600 World Cup sites.

Her chief tool was communication.

“Each department had their own plan,” she said. “The state police. The local police. I would get them together and say, ‘We’re going to have to work together here.’”

She gave law enforcement an unprecedented amount of access to information, and fall 2026

in return was able to give FIFA broadcasters an unprecedented amount of access of their own.

“They were extremely grateful for all of the transparency,” she said.

Coordination solved one problem. A bigger one was still airborne: the threat of an actual attack. At one point, she called the FAA to say she was worried about the Fan Fests, where tens of thousands of people would be gathered, with safety as the last thing on their minds.

She worked to educate the public that they would not be able to use their own private drones for a cool shot of stages or crowds.

“People think it’s no big deal,” she said. “We call them the careless and clueless. But we have caught a few with nefarious purposes.”

Tiara Brown receives her shoulder boards from her family members during her commissioning ceremony as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

(Inset) Brown as an ROTC cadet in Spain, where she was teaching English and parachuting with the Spanish army.

I FELT LIKE IT WAS “ IMPORTANT TO TAKE A

CHANCE. EVERY TIME I’VE TAKEN A CHANCE ON MYSELF, IT’S PAID OFF.

The crowds themselves, she understood, made everything else more dangerous. A drone scattering baby powder could cause a stampede.

“It was cool to be in that position, but it also felt like a big responsibility. This was my first civilian job,” she said. Well, after McDonald’s.

With the contacts she made throughout her experience, her plan is to stay in aviation law and keep working with drones and technology.

For Brown, literally the sky’s the limit.

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As an ESPN director, Tom Lucas, right, has covered some of sports’ biggest moments including the 2022 Rose Bowl between Utah and Ohio State.

Tom Lucas ’94 has a front seat to all the action as director of ESPN’s flagship sports programming

by W I L L D U BE

Like many people during the COVID-19 shutdown, Tom Lucas ’94 was at home trying to keep himself busy when he got an interesting call from his employer.

They asked him to help transform a traditional in-person event into a totally virtual experience with only a couple of weeks of prep time. While other people got similar requests during the pandemic, Lucas’ task was on a slightly larger scale because his employer was ESPN and he was being asked to serve as lead director for the 2020 NFL Draft on ABC. Lucas, who has worked for the network for over two decades, had to set up multiple shooting locations, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s basement, and coordinate coverage and interviews with draftees who were scattered across the country.

All this needed to be done with limited physical contact and broadcast live.

“To say that it was a challenge would be an understatement,” said Lucas, who described directing as setting the scene or creating the overall physical presentation of a television program, as opposed to the producer who oversees content production.

“We all felt it was very important to provide people a respite from everything that was taking place at that time and allow fans to watch the draft as usual and celebrate this important sports tradition.”

The broadcast, which received high ratings and praise for its production, became a milestone in more ways than one. It helped to set new standards for what could be done in live virtual broadcasting, while also creating iconic

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ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ESPN IMAGES

Lucas on the set of College GameDay during week 1 of the 2023 college football season.

He currently serves as coordinating director for all GameDay telecasts for college football and basketball.

Lucas served for many years as director of ESPN’s red-carpet coverage of the ESPYs, the sports world’s signature awards show.

Here, he prepares his team for the 2019 event.

images, such as Goodell announcing picks in his now famous recliner, which have become key moments in television history.

The experience was just one of the amazing moments Lucas has been able to be a part of during his time at ESPN, which has included directing “College GameDay,” “SportsCenter,” “Sunday NFL Countdown” and “Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli,” while working with some of the most famous names in broadcasting, from Chris Berman and Stuart Scott to Chris Fowler and Rece Davis.

“It has been an incredible journey, and I am humbled and privileged to have played a part in enhancing and promoting the unifying power of sports,” he said.

Lucas grew up in Philadelphia and was a huge sports fan from an early age, sneaking a radio into his bedroom so he could listen to games late 14

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into the night. He became particularly fascinated with the announcers who called the games and initially decided he wanted to go to school to learn to do play-by-play.

“I thought it would be a great way to pursue my passion for sports and help pass that passion onto others,” he said.

After graduating high school, Lucas chose to attend Pitt-Bradford due to its strong broadcast communications program, intimate setting, and the fact that it was away from home but close enough so he could return on the weekends if needed. He jumped at the opportunity to get involved, managing the intramural program, serving as the public address announcer for women’s basketball games and being a founding member of a fantasy football league, which ultimately transplanted to the Philadelphia area and continues to operate to this day. fall 2026

It has been an incredible journey, and “I am humbled and privileged to have played

”

a part in enhancing and promoting the unifying power of sports.

“We have been going strong for over 30 years now and half the league is still made up of Pitt-Bradford alums,” he added. “It shows the quality of the relationships I was able to form on campus.”

While in school, Lucas also obtained an internship with KYW-TV in Philadelphia, then the city’s NBC affiliate. The opportunity to see how a television production was actually put together intrigued him, leading to his decision to go into the behind-the-scenes side of broadcasting instead of announcing.

After graduating, he returned to Philadelphia and began applying for jobs. While initially unsuccessful he refused to let rejections deter him and kept pushing, going so far as to cold call a station in Allentown, Pa., even though the application for a cameraman specifically said no calls.

“I ultimately talked my way into an interview and got the job,” Lucas said. “It goes to show that sometimes you have to not take no for an answer fall 2026

and make your own luck.”

Lucas began directing during his second year in Allentown and ultimately moved back to Philadelphia to work for the local Fox affiliate.

There, he directed the local pre- and post-game shows for the Eagles while also freelancing for Comcast Sports, directing coverage of the Phillies, 76ers and Flyers.

This depth of experience ultimately caught the attention of ESPN, and he joined the network in 2004. He has worked his way up from director to supervising director to coordinating director and now oversees coverage for the network’s College Gameday broadcasts for college football and men’s and women’s college basketball.

He also continues to direct several programs, including the annual Heisman Trophy presentation and Special Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Over the years, he has earned 11 Sports Emmy Awards, has traveled around the world and has covered some of the most memorable moments in sports, including the 2020 Draft.

Lucas said he had also been blessed to work with extraordinarily talented individuals both in front of and behind the camera and had learned firsthand what it means to support and be supported by a team. For example, at the end of his tenure as lead director for Sunday NFL Countdown, anchor Chris Berman “shouted him out” during ESPN’s live coverage of the 2012 Super Bowl, thanking Over the years, Lucas has Lucas for his service to earned 11 Sports Emmy Awards. the program.

“That was an amazing moment for me because I have always seen it as my responsibility to help Chris, and all of the talented broadcasters I have worked with, be the best they possibly can be,” Lucas added.

“I am incredibly grateful that I have been able to play a role in helping so many people tell so many wonderful stories over the last 20-plus years.”

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Still in the Game Some Pitt-Bradford alumni have never had to leave the power of play behind

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lay, it turns out, is serious business. The U.S. sports industry is a trillion-dollar market — one that includes not just sports participation and fan engagement, but media and broadcasting rights, branding opportunities and sports betting.

When Pitt-Bradford launched its program in sport and recreation management in 1995, it was ahead of national trends. Today, alumni in business, athletic training, exercise science, communications and, yes, sport and recreation management are cashing in on the games they love.

We talked with nine alumni who may have never worked a day in their lives.

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Kyle Gleockler ’12, left, getting a picture with the staff of the Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Mets before team pictures.

Kyle Gleockler ’12

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Senior director of revenue, Florida Operations for the New York Mets and co-general manager for the St. Lucie Mets

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Kyle Gleockler ’12 can tell you in advance how busy the ticket counter is going to be at Clover Park during the Mets Spring training. He can predict – with very good accuracy – what seasonal revenue will look like for the Minor League St. Lucie (Fla.) Mets, who share the same complex the rest of the year.

He also knows where scouts will sit, when umpires will arrive, and that theme nights and fireworks draw a crowd. He even knows what to do when

fireworks lead to a fire (it’s only happened once).

In addition to making game nights happen, he also takes care of the players. In 2018, a young Venezuelan named Andrés Giménez joined the St. Lucie Mets and had nowhere to stay. “I wasn’t married yet, so it wasn’t uncommon for staff to rent out extra bedrooms to players.”

Giménez ended up hunkering down with Gleockler through Covid and has since been traded to play for the Toronto Blue Jays at

the Major League level.

Gleockler rose up the ranks himself since joining the Mets as an intern in 2013. Now, he helps other young individuals starting their careers. “I try to be somebody they can ask questions to, whether it’s how their mom can get a hotel when she visits or a rental car. I try to take everything off their plate that isn’t baseball related so they can focus on their one job and hopefully make their dreams come true.”

—Maya Bingaman ’19 PORTRAITS

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Hannah Penman ’11, far left, with some of the children who enjoy soccer thanks to the nonprofit she founded.

Josh Kirkwood ’20 Assistant head groundskeeper, Tampa Bay Rays Josh Kirkwood ’20 grew up in Horseheads, N.Y., where sports were always part of his identity. At Pitt-Bradford, he majored in sport and recreation management and found a program that pushed him to grow. “Pitt-Bradford taught me a lot about being able to move independently and be open to learning any task within sport management,” he said.

After graduating in 2020, Kirkwood moved to Florida the following year, determined to find his place in the industry. His first role with the Tampa Bay Rays was far from glamorous.

“My first role with the Rays was literally just working the parking lots for game days and directing cars,” he said.

Those early connections led to a full-time landscaping job outside the stadium, and from there, he worked his way onto the grounds crew — where he discovered his true passion.

Today, Kirkwood serves as assistant head groundskeeper, responsible for maintaining the field where MLB athletes compete. Communication is the skill he relies on most, he said, and the rewards are undeniable: “Seeing baseball being played at the highest level is truly a fun experience every day.

“Most days my job doesn’t feel like I’m ‘at work,’” he said, “but just at the ballpark.”

“We’re trying to get kids up and moving and having fun.”

—Lexi Najdusak ’26

Kirkwood

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Founder, Soccer for the Future

After a round of chemotherapy or an inter-state flight for medical attention, most people would be exhausted.

But thanks to the efforts of Hannah Penman and volunteers, hundreds of children experiencing cancer and serious illnesses muster the energy to get outside.

Penman, who beat cancer at age 12, played soccer through middle school, high school and at Pitt-Bradford.

After graduation, doctors removed Penman’s rightside lymph nodes because they feared cancer had returned.

“After that second experience I knew I wanted to do something to combine my experiences,” she said.

While working for KEEN Greater DC, Penman volunteered to coach soccer clinics at Ronald McDonald Houses in Virginia and Washington and at the Children’s Inn at National Institutes of Health.

After three years of balancing her 9-5 and volunteer coaching, she founded Soccer for the Future, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that brings adaptive soccer to children with serious illnesses.

“We’re trying to get fall 2026

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Hannah Penman ’11

Dave Heilman ’08 Fantasy football blogger, @DynastyDorks Dave Heilman’s hobby consumes a lot of time, but he likes an intense hobby to unwind after challenging days running a recovery house in Indianapolis. “At the end of the day, it’s a little escape,” he said. “I don’t go out drinking and partying. When I get home and everyone goes to sleep, I write an article or make a TikTok.” Heilman has thousands of followers and over a million likes from talking and writing about dynasty fantasy football, in which team “owners” draft permanent rosters.

It’s been enough to make about $20,000 between content and sponsorships

and get him access to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, where pre-draft prospects meet with media by position.

“It’s speed dating,” he said.

As a fantasy blogger, he’s often interested in different players than mainstream media — and enjoys meeting the broadcasters he watches every week on NFL Network.

Fantasy football also keeps him connected to his brothers from Sigma Lambda Chi, with whom he’s attended games and this year’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. “You’re talking football, but then it’s ‘hey, how are the kids doing?’” he said. As a licensed mental health counselor, he

Heilman has thousands of followers and over a million likes from talking and writing about dynasty fantasy football, in which team “owners” draft permanent rosters. It’s been enough to make about $20,000 between content and sponsorships. knows how important those relationships can be — and uses his platform to weave in messages about men’s mental health alongside hot takes. —Kimberly Weinberg

kids up and moving and having fun.”

Penman recalls coaching a girl who was staying in the United States until her treatment was complete.

Within three years, the girl went from not wanting to participate to running to soccer clinic.

Soccer for the Future promotes social interaction, physical activity regardless of a child’s abilities, and it adds normalcy back into children’s lives. Despite grant writing and funding obstacles, Penman is hopeful to bring Soccer for the Future to more locations.

—Maya Bingaman ’19 fall 2026

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Dave Heilman ’08, left, and Jeremy Suschak ’07 at the NFL Draft this spring in Pittsburgh.

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Cory Delaney ’14 Head athletic trainer, Binghamton, N.Y., Black Bears

Cory Delaney ’14 in the penalty box of the Binghamton, N.Y., arena, where he is head athletic trainer.

During the team’s home opener, an announcement blared arena-wide, “Cory Delaney, head athletic trainer.”

That’s when Delaney knew he made it.

Despite starting college later than peers, weathering layoffs, and moving multiple times to pursue his career, Delaney knew what his response would be when people asked him if he’d

consider changing careers or going back to school: “I just want to be an athletic trainer.

It’s a dream come true.”

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Collecting fragments of knocked out teeth or escorting a hockey player to a plastic surgeon for corrective nose surgery instead of enjoying the team Christmas party – Cory Delaney wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.

After earning 99% on a practical exam as an athletic trainer his sophomore semester at Pitt-Bradford, Delaney shared the news with the head athletic trainer at the time, Angie Honeck.

Within minutes, an injured student athlete walked into the room. “Since you’re 99% good at evaluating ankles, go do your thing,” Honeck said.

His passion for athletic training started on campus and grew as he chased new experiences. His first pro hockey role came after applying for the job on a Sunday and moving from Pennsylvania to Mississippi

by Saturday.

“I was in over my head, but it was sink or swim.”

Working tirelessly paid off.

—Maya Bingaman ’19

Mark Benton ’74-’75 Western New York football coaching legend

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has been able to touch.

A three-sport all-star athlete at Gowanda (N.Y.) High School, Benton accepted an athletic scholarship to play basketball for Pitt-Bradford in 1974.

Benton was also one of the

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Coach Mark Benton ’74-’75

Mark Benton ’74-‘75 has had a successful career in the sport of football. While this has led to many winning seasons as well as a stint working for NFL Hall-ofFamer Jim Kelly, Benton is most proud of the lives he

Dahmir Noel ’17

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Assistant athletic director for facilities and operations, Catholic University of America

Dahmir Noel ’17 arrived at Pitt-Bradford from Philadelphia with a love for sports and a curiosity about the world behind the scenes. What he found was a community that pushed him, supported him, and shaped the direction of his career.

Noel credits mentors like Dr. Keary Rouff and Athletic Director Bret Butler with opening early doors. “I was awarded hands-on experience via internships and professional development programs, which ultimately provided more opportunities down the road,” he said.

He entered the field as an athletic administration graduate assistant while earning his master’s degree, then took his first full-time role at SUNY Brockport as assistant to the athletic director. Today, he’s starting a new chapter at Catholic University of America.

Empathy, Noel says, is the skill he relies on most.

“These things go a long way with building an authentic and strong relationship, which is probably the main skill you need to have in this profession.”

—Lexi Najdusak ’26

first students to take classes on the brand-new campus, which had just opened that fall.

During his 27-year football coaching career, Benton has led five Western New York high schools that included Gowanda, Dunkirk (two stints), JFK, Cattaraugus-Little Valley

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Dahmir Noel ‘17 in his new home as assistant athletic director at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Previously, he was an associate athletic director at Alma College in Michigan.

and Springville-Griffith Institute.

He also had the unique opportunity to work with one of the biggest names in the NFL. Benton joined the Jim Kelly Football Camp prior to its inaugural season in 1988 as a running back coach and was named Coach of the Year

the following year. In 1990, he was promoted to field coordinator and took on more responsibility. Immediately after the Bills loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV, Benton was appointed director of football operations and held that position until Kelly retired following the 1996 season.

“It was an incredible opportunity to work with one of the great NFL quarterbacks while also helping to touch the lives of numerous young athletes during my nine years with the camp,” Benton says.

“It was just one of the many opportunities I have had to transfer my love of sports to others.” —Will Dube

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Gordon, center, at an event with fellow ECW veterans and wrestling legends Kevin Sullivan, left, and Shane Douglas, right. He often appears at wrestling shows and is regularly interviewed by national media on ECW’s impact.

Tod Gordon ’73-’75 Hardcore Wrestling Hall of Fame, Class of 2009

Jack Leinhauser ’22 Superintendent, Upper Golf Course at Childress Hall Jack Leinhauser’s dream job turned out to be surrounded by rattlesnakes – and not the metaphorical kind.

Leinhauser ’22 is the superintendent of the Upper Golf Course at Childress Hall, a private destination golf club in Childress, Texas. The course, designed by top golf course architect Tom Doak, incorporates the natural rolling dunes of the area and is home to scenic river views, deer, porcupines, badgers, and, yes, rattlesnakes.

“I take care of everything that the member experiences on the golf course,” Leinhauser said. In addition to educating players on rattlesnake etiquette, he is responsible for a grounds crew, budget and pleasing members with high expectations.

His route to Texas was an unlikely

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one. After earning a degree in exercise science and a short stint as a physical therapy assistant, Leinhauser returned to the greenkeeping he’d done for five summers at storied Merion Golf Club near Philadelphia. After an apprenticeship at Merion, he moved on to Childress Hall.

The Texas course, which was finished in 2024, was named a Top 100 Golf Course upon completion. Leinhauser knows he is young for such responsibility, and that many who come to play will get just one chance — so he wants their experience to be flawless.

“They saw something in me and took a chance,” he said. “What they’ve done with Childress Hall is incredibly unique and I’m blessed to be a part of it.” —Kimberly Weinberg

“They saw something in me and took a chance. What they’ve done with Childress Hall is incredibly unique and I’m blessed to be a part of it.” fall 2026

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Extreme Championship Wrestling became a phenomenon in the 1990s, generating a cult following that continues to this day. Tod Gordon ’73-’75 owned the company from 1992 to 1995 and led its transformation from a small local enterprise into a global brand.

Gordon attended Pitt-Bradford before graduating from

Pitt in 1977. After returning to Philadelphia, he joined and eventually took over Carver W. Reed & Co., his family’s jewelry store.

A longtime fan, he ended up investing in a local promotion called Eastern Championship Wrestling in the early 1990s and after a short time took over operations entirely. He hired his own creative team, changed the format to emphasize hard-edged realism and re-branded as Extreme Championship Wrestling.

ECW soon gained a large fan following not only in the Northeast but across the country and as far away as Japan. Unfortunately, the toll of running the promotion and his jewelry store became too much, and Gordon sold the company in 1995.

He continued to run Carver Reed for many years before recently transferring ownership to his daughter.

In honor of his contributions to pro wrestling, he was inducted into the Hardcore Hall of Fame in 2009.

“It was an incredible ride, and I am so honored to be a small part of professional wrestling’s long history,” Gordon says. —Will Dube

PA NTHER 1960s Dermot Winters ’65-’66 is retired from the federal government, where he had a long career applying geology and mining expertise to deep underground disposal of nuclear waste. He wrote in to credit Drs. June and Rudy “Ma and Pa” Pfister for his career. “They were academic lifesavers … (and) convinced me that I could not only succeed academically but do so in math and science.”

Jean Stone ’66-’68 published her 26th novel, “The Little Bookshop by the Harbor,” which is second in a new series set on Martha’s Vineyard.

1970s Carlyle Conn ’73-’75, a former competitive

If you have an update for Portraits magazine, visit www.upbalumni.org and click on “How to update your info” or email us at Portraits@pitt.edu.

marksman, created an endowed fund to enhance the operations and success of Pitt-Bradford’s new Clays Target Team, which competed for the first time during the 2025-26 academic year. “I was extremely proud to be able to support two things that are very close to my heart, Pitt-Bradford and shooting sports,” he said.

“The team has gotten off to an amazing start.” Indeed, Pitt-Bradford team won both the Mount Aloysius

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Invitational and the inaugural PA Clay Cup.

1980s Marianne Jacaszek Brown ’84 created a new scholarship at Pitt-Bradford.

She retired as vice president and relationship manager for association services at Truist and previously held leadership roles with BB&T and Regions Financial Corporations. Brown currently lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., and is still connected with the PittBradford community, including serving remotely on the Alumni Board of Directors from 2014 to 2020.

1990s Jerry Harvey ’92 was honored with the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce Community and Spirit Award.

Becky Johnson ’95 reentered the workforce this past year after raising her children.

She is a manager for Ollie’s.

She writes, “It is tough, but I am traveling and seeing what this world has to offer while showing kindness and compassion to others.”

She lives in Burleson, Texas.

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Annie Wolfe ’96 is a legislative aid for Rep. Martin Causer ’96. She lives in Mount Jewett, Pa.

Carlyle Conn ’73-’75

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Deanna Hand ’98 was appointed vice chair of the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguard and

Medical Aspects of Sports.

She is the senior associate director of athletics for internal operations and senior woman administrator at Houghton (N.Y.) University.

Lindsay Hilton Retchless ’98 has been named vice president for advancement at St. Bonaventure University, where she will also continue to serve as chief of staff to the president.

Dr. Steven Prior ’99 is associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Maryland, where he studies exercise interventions in elderly adults with a variety of cardiometabolic disorders.

2000s Pete Dzirkalis ’00 and his small business, Just Riding Along Bike Shop in Bradford, received the Red Feather Award from the United Way of the Bradford Area in April.

The United Way honored Dzirkalis for his longstanding contributions to outdoor recreation and community engagement.

Erick Hart ’02 has served as director of athletics at SUNY Brockport since 2013. In that role, he directs a nationally ranked, 23-sport NCAA Division III athletics program, while supporting nearly 700 student-athletes.

Kimberly Kaschalk ’02 was named editor of GANT News, the first web-based daily PORTRAITS

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PA NT HER

PAC K Kathleen Melvin ’08 is the new associate director of admissions at Pitt-Bradford.

She came back to PittBradford from protocol 80, Inc., where she was the director of service performance.

Ashtin Sirabella ’08 was promoted to partner at PwC, one of the world’s largest professional services firms in July. She is based in the firm’s Pittsburgh office.

2010s Aaron Stang ’10 is the senior associate athletic director for championship resources at the University at Buffalo (N.Y.). He previously served as UB’s associate and assistant athletic director for academic affairs.

Pete Pantuso ’73-’75 gave the Commencement address to the Class of 2026 May 3 in the KOA Arena. Pantuso is a retired executive and past president and CEO of the American Bus Association, directing strategic initiatives for the nation’s largest motorcoach, tour and travel association.

newspaper in Pennsylvania.

Kristi Moore ’02 is the new business manager for the Elk County Catholic School System. She lives in Kersey, Pa.

Doug Bronson ’04 is a teacher at William E. Severn 24

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Entrepreneur Donny Kemick ’04 spoke at the graduation of his other alma mater, Bradford Area High School.

Kemick is the co-founder, president and CEO of protocol80 Inc., a marketing agency in Lewis Run, Pa. Bryan Campbell ’06 is a client representative for ProVenue Operations with Major League Baseball.

ProVenue is an MLB ticketing

software platform that supports teams in managing ticket sales, digital inventory, and the fan experience. He has worked for Major League Baseball since 2018.

Whitney Bellinger ’07 is a clinical social worker, therapist, supervisor, author, international TedX speaker, and multiple business owner.

“I help people figure out what they need to achieve the goal they desire,” she said. She owns Jade Clinical Services in Washington, D.C.

Ariel Sims ’09-’11 is senior vice president and head of social partnerships at Publicis Media, the largest advertising company in the world.

Justin Mann ’13 is a senior tax analyst for Pediatrix Medical Group. He lives in Ponte Vedra, Fla. Laurie Sprague Marcello ’14 works in the intensive care unit at Mease Countryside fall 2026

GLENN MELVIN ’04

Nick Wolosewicz ’02 was promoted to operations manager at Allegheny Surface Technology in Lewis Run, Pa., overseeing day-to-day operations of two facilities.

Elementary School. He lives in Corning, N.Y.

Jeanine Vento McGuire ’10 has been promoted to director of client experience at LINQ. She also currently serves as the board president of the Western Pennsylvania Arthritis Foundation. She lives in Pittsburgh.

PA NTHER Hospital in Safety Harbor, Fla. She is also a member of the Florida Nurses Association working toward legislation to ensure safer nurse-to-patient ratios.

PAC K Governmental Affairs.

Dr. Skylar Llewllyn ’21

Rebecca Janelli ’21 graduated with her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

She’s headed to Hershey, Pa., for a residency in pediatrics at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Ardona Bunjaka ’15 was one of 60 School District of Philadelphia teachers honored by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation for distinguished teaching.

Teachers are selected based on their activities that improve the intellectual and character development of students. She teaches English at Frankford High School.

Elizabeth “Izzy” Johnson ’21 is a management and program analyst with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C.

Shane Lindgren ’15 of Ridgway, Pa., has a new position as a shipping and receiving clerk at American Axle Manufacturing.

Meaghann Campbell-Beard ’16 has a new position as director of the Waverly (N.Y.) Free Library.

Lucas DuMars ’17 is the coordinator of broadcast services with the NCAA. He manages broadcast services for championships and tournaments across Divisions I, II and III and serves as a liaison for broadcast partners, including ESPN.

COURTESY

Ethan Tkacik ’17 was promoted to network engineer at CNB Bank.

Shaun Stack ’18 was promoted to editor-in-chief of GamblingNerd, which he joined as a freelance writer in 2021. He has covered casino fall 2026

games, football, basketball, politics and more.

Patrouious Achatz ’19 has a new job as a therapeutic support technician at Kids Thrive. He lives in Columbus, Ohio.

Scott Pattison ’19, Mark Miller ’21, Lexi Novosel ’24 and Nicholas Haner ’25 graduated from Leadership McKean, a leadership development program. Pattison is a licensing specialist at Zippo Manufacturing Co. Miller is the academic program advisor for the Division of Management and Education at Pitt-Bradford. Novosel is a human resource representative at Allegheny Bradford Corp., where Haner is a mechanical engineer.

2020s Michael Addy ’20 has a new position as senior systems administrator at General Dynamics Information Technology.

Dr. Olubumi Braimah ’21 graduated May 16 from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He plans to stay in Wichita for a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics.

Dominick Giannini ’21 completed his master’s degree in international affairs at the American University School of International Service and is a staff member with the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and

Jessica Jordan ’21 was named an assistant editor for Top-Shelf Literary Magazine.

She said her love for literary magazines began while working on Baily’s Beads literary magazine at Pitt-Bradford.

Juliah Laemmer ’21 graduated from the University of Pittsburgh dental school. She will begin her residency at the Malcolm Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center in Gainesville, Fla. Skylar Llewellyn ’21 graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She has accepted a position as a small animal veterinarian at Brevard (N.C.) Animal Hospital, where her practice will include taking care of exotic animals such as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs and reptiles.

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PANTHER

PAC K emotional support for grades 9-12 at Beacon Light Behavioral Health in Bradford.

Krislyn Clement ’26 is working toward a master’s degree in toxicology in Michigan State University’s online program.

Harley Ficek ’26 is teaching fifth grade at George Washington Middle School in Jamestown, N.Y. Shan Lin ’26 is pursuing a master’s in human relations at Penn State this fall.

She spent her summer as an intern with Hershey Entertainment and Resorts.

Bradley Poole ’14, ’17, left, received the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association Award of Distinction.

He was nominated by Dr. Mark Kelley ’03, assistant professor of exercise science. Poole is the owner of Warrior Fitness and Wellness. Despite having cystic fibrosis, he has raised more than $110,000 to combat the disease through long-distance runs.

Jared Schwab ’21 earned his Master of Business Administration at St. Bonaventure University.

He is controller at Journey Health System.

Michelle Michali ’22 teaches social studies at North East (Pa.) High School.

Connor Weiss ’23 is pursuing a Master of Science in athletic training at the 26

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the Academic Coaching and Tutoring Center at Pitt-Bradford.

Taylor Beebe ’25 accepted a teaching position at Fox Township Elementary School in St. Marys, Pa.

Godwin Young ’25 works in the pathology department at Mount Sinai Hospital New York. His team is known as the Sinai Million Project, which works in DNA extraction with the ultimate goal of understanding why some people get sick and others stay healthy.

MacKenzie George ’25 will be teaching kindergarten at Kane (Pa.) Area Elementary School beginning this fall.

Annie Gregory ’25 is an academic coach in

Ethan Voorhees ’25 will enter Columbia Law School this fall in New York.

PA Humanities named Allie O’Shea ’26 to its inaugural group of Window Keepers, a statewide initiative in civic honor to recognize Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communities and sustain civic life through the power of the humanities.

O’Shea was recognized for her work as project coordinator for PA Heart & Soul in Port Allegany, Pa., a community story-gathering project.

Chloe Shaw ’26 will be a 4th grade teacher in the Port Allegany (Pa.) School District.

Jezlyn Barton ’26 is teaching fall 2026

BRANDON WHITTEMORE

Drew Piganelli ’22 passed his paramedic test to become a firefighter-paramedic with the Bradford City Fire Department.

University of Buffalo (N.Y.) He has been working on acute trauma response, rehab and therapeutic intervention with Canisius University’s hockey and baseball athletes in Buffalo.

Jay Mckenzie ’26 is working full-time as a firefighter with the Bradford City Fire Department.

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In Memoriam Tom Cole ’80-’82, a member of the

university’s Advisory Board and past member of the PBAA Board, died in May. He was 65. Tom was a deeply accomplished marketing executive and entrepreneur, most recently serving as chairman and CEO of Tandem Theory, the agency he founded. In 2024, he received the PBAA Alumni Award of Distinction.

Suzanne Dittman, who served Pitt-

Bradford for 36 years, beginning as the campus switchboard operator in 1974, died in March in Brookville, Pa. In 1987, she moved to the athletics department, where she was the first full-time administrative assistant until her retirement. She also

coached cheerleading and led the dance team during its inaugural year.

a 32-year career with Pennzoil Co., before retiring in 1990.

Jaqueline Rees ’96 of Smethport, Pa.,

Mary Ann Lambertsen, a former

Fisher-Price executive who endowed the Anna and Art Turnquist Mount Jewett Scholarship fund in memory of her parents, died in June in Colorado. She was 86. In 2024, she came to campus to celebrate her fund reaching $1 million.

Her generosity has helped more than 200 students from Mount Jewett, Pa., and Kane, Pa., attend Pitt-Bradford.

Patricia McGinnis ’81-’84 died in May. She attended Pitt-Bradford as a nontraditional student and enjoyed

Suzanne Dittman, left, with Sandy Green at Green’s retirement in 2011.

died in April in her home. She earned her associate of science in nursing at Pitt-Bradford 30 years after graduating from high school and receiving her licensed practical nurse certification from St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Olean, N.Y. She worked at Sena Kean Manor in Smethport for 20 years, retiring in 2003.

Karl Ross ’06 of Kane, Pa., died in May. He was 62. He worked at Keystone Thermometrics in Mount Jewett, Pa., for 18 years before attending Pitt-Bradford as a nontraditional student. After graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business management, he continued his career at American Refining Group in Bradford, where he was an integral part of founding the IT department. He retired in 2024.

Lawrence ‘Larry’ Rothenberg ’68-’70

died in February in Pittsfield, Mass.

He lived in New York City for many years, beginning his career working for designer Calvin Klein, and then Geoffrey Beane, Caroline Herrera, Valentino and others. He is survived by his loving husband of 40 years, Daniel Goldstein.

Timothy Scott ’78-’80 died in July

PITT-BRADFORD FILE

in Wellsville, N.Y. A native of Coudersport, Pa., he was a meatcutter for 43 years in several markets in Pennsylvania and New York and a member of the Ulysses (Pa.) Borough Authority for more than 30 years.

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Back in time A prolific Civil War author, Chris Mackowski ’91 takes on John Adams for America 250

F O U MN CU I S

by Pat Frantz Cercone

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be a great place for her to run and burn off some energy.

When they got there, she saw this giant statue of Confederate General Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson.

“She went nuts over it.

She was hooked.”

To fuel her new interest, the family started taking weekend trip to Stonewall Jackson-related spots, and Mackowski started reading about him so he could answer his daughter’s questions.

As a professor, Mackowski has been fueling his students’ interest for more than 25 years. Besides teaching, he writes, mentors new writers, Chris Mackowski stands in the room in John Adams’s house that Adams used as a law office. speaks at various engageThe desk is a reproduction of the desk upon which ments, and serves on councils Adams wrote the Massachusetts State Constitution. and boards.

Mackowski has been honored by Civil War How does he do it all? organizations across the country for “Honestly, I just don’t know his contributions to Civil War public history. what to do with myself when mistake. Putting John, John Quincy, I have nothing to do, so I always like and Jefferson into conversation will to have something to do. I have a lead to some illuminating insights.” hungry mind, and I’m widely curious Mackowski, who earned his and interested in a lot of things.” bachelor’s degree in communications He’s living the kind of life his from Pitt-Bradford, has written so grandfather, Bill Mackowski, much about history over the years encouraged him to live. that people may not know he didn’t “If I found a job doing something develop a passion for it until he I love to do, I’ll never work a day in became a dad. my life. That has been 100% true.

In 1997, he took his family to I write. I teach writing. I run a digital Washington, D.C., that included a company of writers. It all blends visit to the Manassas battlefield. together. I’m always ‘working,’ His daughter, Stephanie, was 4, and but it never feels like work.” he thought the battlefield would

fall 2026

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hris Mackowski ’91, who has written and spoken extensively about the Civil War, has gone back to an earlier time in our nation’s history with his newest book, “Atlas of Independence: John Adams and the American Revolution.”

Mackowski, a professor of communication at St. Bonaventure University, admits to having a longtime “man-crush” on Adams.

“Atlas of Indepen-dence” focuses on the Founder’s time during the American Revolution.

“He’s so human compared to the other Founders, who were just as human as Adams except they were often trying to pose for history.

Adams hated that kind of nonsense.

He wanted people to understand what really happened, not just the sanitized, romanticized version of events.

“Adams knew he wouldn’t be remembered the way the other Founders were because he just didn’t care about telling people what they wanted to hear—he told them what they needed to hear, whether they wanted to hear it or not.”

Mackowski said he’d like to return to Adams, perhaps to write more about his complicated relationships with both Thomas Jefferson and his oldest son, John Quincy Adams, who later became president.

Adams, Mackowski explained, realized his family had taken a back seat to his public service, something he had agonized over.

“He practically begged John Quincy not to make that same

ALUMNI & FAMILY WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2026 Celebrate, reconnect, and create lasting memories at Pitt-Bradford’s beloved tradition: Alumni and Family Weekend! This special event brings together alumni, students, families and friends for a weekend packed with activities, fun, and the opportunity to relive your favorite moments on campus.

To view the weekend schedule of events, visit upb.pitt.edu/afw or scan the QR Code.

Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement 300 Campus Drive Bradford, PA 16701 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

GLENN MELVIN ’04

John ’65-’67 and Jeanie Mosch Satterwhite ’64-’66 received the Presidential Medal of Distinction from President Richard Esch ’83 during Commencement May 3. “John and Jeanie have been such an important part of our Bradford and campus communities,” Esch said. “Through their volunteer service to Pitt-Bradford, financial support and enthusiasm for the institution, they have both been valued supporters of the highest order.”