THAD COAKLEY ’91 ■ MAN ON A MISSION This September, ism brigade, a host of Rollins Coakley trained graduates turned Marines on how 37 years old. Many to lawfully act have successfully and respond to followed their noble terrorist activities. ambitions to The following rewarding and profyear, he was itable careers in the sent to Africa, business world. where he helped Few have served build schools two tours in Iraq for and medical Coakley (2nd from l) and the Civil Affairs team after Operation Iraqi camps. returning from a mission Freedom. And, most Then, in March likely, only one has served as a lawyer 2003, came his first tour in Iraq and a for the Marine Corps with responsibilities dangerous trek to Baghdad with 80,000 for training Marines on rules of engageMarines. Coakley was responsible for ment and disposition of terrorists, storming drafting procedures and instructing the insurgent hideaways, and helping rebuild Marines. After Baghdad fell, he worked to a torn country by delivering materials to establish legal advisors for military schools and hospitals. commanders acting as interim provincial Meet Major Thad Coakley, Rollins governors. Class of 1991. Coakley left Iraq in June 2003 and Upon graduating from Rollins with a returned home to the wife and daughter degree in political science, Coakley he had seen for only 10 days in the focused his sights on becoming a military preceding 18 months. In the fall of 2004, pilot. When military recruitment was he was deployed to Iraq for a second reduced after the Gulf War and his aviation time, to act as a legal advisor overseeing contract wasn’t renewed, he decided to detainee operations, creating prosecution enroll in law school at St. Mary’s packages for Iraqi criminal courts, and University (San Antonio, Texas). The capturing insurgents. Marine Corps soon offered Coakley a Coakley solemnly recalls such diffcult law contract and he was placed in the images as walking through a 30,000Reserves while he completed law school. body Iraqi mass grave site. However, his In 1995, he reported to active duty. stories of triumph in Iraq outnumber Coakley served first as an administrathose of despair. “Iraq is a huge place. tive law attorney and criminal prosecutor What you see on the news is death and at Camp Pendleton, California, where he destruction; it’s not representative of the tried an estimated 300 courts-martial, entire country,” he said. “They don’t including the first contested anthrax report all the good things—how a dam is, vaccine refusal trial in the Department of for the first time, providing 30 percent of Defense. In 1999, he was designated a power to Iraq; the success of the recent special assistant U.S. attorney and legal elections; or how a school has been advisor to the Third Marine Aircraft Wing refurbished.” and was transferred to Miramar, This summer, Coakley returned to San California. The birth of daughter Madyn Antonio and Gendry & Sprague, P.C., prompted him to rethink his career, and where he works side by side with 11 in 2001 he made the difficult decision to lawyers. He doesn’t plan to return to active resign from the Marine Corps and accept duty in the Marine Corps. “I think I’ve done an associate position with Gendry & everything I wanted to do or could have Sprague, P.C., a San Antonio-based firm done in that environment,” he said. specializing in aviation law. “People may call serving in war a sacrifice, The terrorist attacks on September 11, but in a lot of ways it was very rewarding. I 2001, caused Coakley to have a change had little kids kiss my hands and give me of heart, however, and he returned to a ‘thumbs up’ after eight weeks of not active duty just four months after his showering or changing my clothes. And the resignation. As deputy staff judge Iraqis have hope that things will be better advocate for the Marines’ new anti-terrorfor them.”—Vickie Pleus
32 ROLLINS ALUMNI RECORD
research on shark behavior in captivity. She and her husband, David Seligson ’86, have four children and live in Orlando.
I 1987 After 17 years of living on Chicago’s North Shore, Melissa Miracle Mocogni and her family have moved to Jupiter, FL. Her husband, Ron, has relocated his home automation company, Miracle Technologies, Inc., and Melissa continues to offer private piano instruction. Emily, 10, and Tyler, 7, are enjoying having their own swimming pool. Melissa asks friends to contact her at ron@Miracletechinc.com. Meghan Malchow Pierce (see Family Additions) completed her student teaching internship for Virginia teaching licensure in April just two days before her second child was born.
I 1989 Scott Maselli, his wife, Kim, and daughter, Kaela Sofia, live in Mountainside, NJ in the Watchung Mountain Reservation. Scott is a senior consultant at Prudential in New York City. Kim’s acupuncture practice, Health in Motion, is in its fourth year of operation. Scott writes, “Kaela recently celebrated her first birthday and hopes to join Rollins in 2022.” Sarah Miller, Professor Bob Lemon, and Diego Veitia
(a former chair at the Crummer School) traveled to Montepulciano, Italy, to study art and celebrate Bob’s long service to Rollins.
I 1990 Campbell Brown has been appointed regional territory director for Charmer-Sunbelt Markets by BrownForman Beverages. Campbell has served in many positions since joining Brown-Forman in 1994, most recently serving as the national brand manager for Jack Daniel’s in the United States. Allison Strohaker McQueen (see Family Additions) has moved from Japan to the United States, where she is marketing director and public affairs officer for Travis Air Force Base, located near San Francisco. She and her husband, Bill, have two children: Keegan, 2, and Logan, 5 months. Sally Mautner Rosenberg writes, “We’ve