ClassNotes Alumnae
1960s
Shirley Rieker N’64 recently published a non-fiction book, What About Me? A Caregiver’s Journey To Surviving Alzheimer’s, which has been reviewed in the Sun Newspaper by Sam Boyer and the Helping Hands, published by the Hands Foundation, a newspaper designed for senior citizens in Medina County. Jeanne Gallagher ’69 has joined the Xavier Society for the Blind Advisory Group to help select content for their publications in braille and audio, to advise them on the best use of technology and potential new initiatives. She is also a braille client of Xavier Society for the Blind. Jeanne received her undergraduate degree in Music Literature at St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame and received a Master of Music in Performance from Kent State University. Her musical expertise led her to positions in the Cleveland Women’s Orchestra and Cleveland Philharmonic. Jeanne is a member of St. Patrick’s Parish choir and serves as the music minister for the charismatic prayer group at Our Lady of Angels Church.
1990s
Rebecca Dessoffy Bennett ’91 was recently featured in Attorney at Law magazine as the Attorney of the Month. The article featured how Rebecca’s education at Saint Joseph Academy inspired her to achieve her dreams. As a member of Saint Joseph Academy’s Board of Directors, she has seen firsthand how the Academy has shaped her legal career. She is currently a Shareholder with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoat & Stewart, P.C.
2000s
LeeAnn Vasicek ’04 married Matthew Ballish on April 21, 2018. The wedding took place at The Grand Barn at the Mohicans. Stephanie Rifici ’05 married Evan Thorkelson on October 14, 2017. Laura McCarty ’07 married Aaron Waryk on June 9, 2018. Members of her wedding party included her sister, Jackie McCarty ’03, Sarah Cahal ’07 and Hannah Tarase ’07.
1970s
Karen Schroeder Hudy N’72 has retired after serving 40 years as registrar of the Cleveland Institute of Art. The college awarded her with emerita status.
1980s
Sue Leek Biggs ’86 (sister of Natalie LeekNelson ’85 and mother of Mara Biggs ’10) was named the Assistant Superintendent for the Diocese of Cleveland Office of Catechetical Formation and Education. Mary Patricia Norton Rhea ’87 recently led her family’s business, Norton Industries, Inc., to win a Weatherhead 100 Award. This award was established in 1988 to celebrate Northeast Ohio’s spirit of entrepreneurship and those companies leading the way.
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Saint Joseph Academy UPDATE
Laura McCarty Waryk ’07 (center) with her husband, Aaron Waryk, and bridal party
Jordan Biagini ’08 married Chris O’Neil on May 19, 2018 in Akron, Ohio. Beth Gaertner ’08 was named Program Director of St. Crispin’s Conference Center and Camp in Seminole, Oklahoma. She is in charge of recruitment and enrollment for summer camp, hiring and training of both staff and counselors, designing and distributing all marketing materials. Beth works directly with the Diocesan Christian
Formation Director to develop Christian formation for summer camp and serves as an Assistant Director to host conference center guests. Kelly Heilman ’08 is a Ph.D Candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. Her research focuses on the impacts of land use, climate, CO2 changes on both tree drought sensitivity and biome stability of temperate savannas and forests. To complete this research, Kelly uses a combination of historical vegetation datasets, tree ring methods and stable isotope geochemistry. She is taking her research on trees to speak at a conference in Bhutan.
2010s
Mary Kate Caja ’13 married Tom Blankenship on May 26, 2018. Ashley Santora ’14 will be entering the Mercedarian Order in August. The order was founded in Mexico City by the Venerable Maria del Refugio Aguilar in 1910. Today, the Sisters continue to respond to their charism in the Church by providing children and youth with a Christian education in schools and catechetical centers. They also visit the sick and the imprisoned and assist in various parish and diocesan ministries. Sarah Johanek ’15 is a member of the USA U23 Rowing Team where she won gold competing for Team USA at the World Championships in Poland in July. She was accepted to train at the USRowing National Training Center in Princeton, New Jersey. Sarah was chosen to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta in London, one of the most wellknown and prestigious Sarah Johanek ’15 regattas in the world. She is a student-athlete who rows at Rutgers University, where she earned her second straight First Team All-Big Team selection. Sarah is a rising senior majoring in Public Health.