A L U M NI NO T ES ■
JOHN JESSEN, M.L.S. ’08, was named
city librarian of the New Haven Free Public Library, the lead librarian role at the system that includes five branches as well as numerous services and initiatives. MICHAEL TOMKALSI, M.B.A. ’09, of
Wallingford has joined the Pearce Real Estate office as a realtor.
2010s
BRIAN MARIANO, M.S. ’10, is dean of
students for Naugatuck High School. LAUREN SEPULVEDA, ’10, was
awarded the Milken Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation, an honor which includes a $25,000 prize. She is a social studies teacher at Clinton Avenue School in New Haven and the sole recipient in Connecticut. PETER SWAN, M.S. ’10, is a physics
teacher at Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden, Conn. CIERRA STANCIL, ’11, is the program
officer for grants at the American Savings Foundation. She also serves on the Greater New Britain Hunger Actions Team and on the Advisory Committee of New Britain High School’s Academy of Finance. PATRICK ROSSITER, M.S. ’12, is the in-
terim director of North Branford Parks and Recreation in Connecticut. THOMAS BELIVEAU, ’14, was inducted
into the Watertown High School Gridiron Club Hall of Fame at the 24th annual enshrinement dinner. He lives in Oakville, Conn. BRANDON CYR, ’14, a chiropractor in
Oxford, Conn., renovated a 1900s schoolhouse to house his practice. KRYSTAL FORTIER, ’14, is the owner of
Rise & Grind Nutrition in Woodbridge, Conn. In addition to smoothies, the business offers fitness classes and a variety of wellness options. LEIGH CURTIS HIGGINS, Ed.D. ’14, is
senior director for professional development for the executive office at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. She also is the vice president of the Board of Directors of The Madison Foundation. ZACH FAIELLA, ’15, was named direc-
tor of public health for Westbrook, Conn. MICHELLE RUSSELL, 6th Yr. ’15, is in-
terim dean of students at Naugatuck High School and heads the school’s Mathematics Department. DEREK TORRELLAS, ’15, the com-
mander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States New Haven Post 12150, was awarded the VFW Connecticut All-State Post Commanders Award. 44 | Southern ALUMNI MAGAZINE
DOLORES BATES, 6th Yr. ’16, is princi-
pal of Haddam-Killingworth Middle School. She lives in Portland, Conn.
■
In Print and On Screen
BRIANNA LYNN BAUCH, ’17, a former
member of the Crescent Players, had the starring role in A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas, in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. NICOLE MATTIOLI-CORTIGIANO, ’18,
is an art teacher with Ansonia Public Schools. GUERSCHOM JEAN-LOUIS, ’19, is a
volunteer coach for the Tyrick B. Keyes Basketball League. He says that he draws on his past experiences as a college student athlete to instill confidence and motivate the young players. DEVIN LYNCH, ’19, is a second-grade
teacher at the Catholic Academy of Bridgeport. He lives in Watertown, Conn. JAMES J. PALMER, ’19, of Milford, was
sworn in as a new police recruit at the New London Police Headquarters. He began his police training in January 2020.
IN MEMORIAM DOROTHY KRAMER, ’38, Dec. 29, 2019,
Greenwich, Conn. RHODA RAFKIN, ’43, Sept. 11, 2019,
San Clemente, Calif. RUTH VANVALKENBURG ZEIL, ’47,
July 31, 2019, Glastonbury, Conn. DOROTHY QUINLAN MCDONALD,
’50, M.A. ’52, Oct. 13, 2018, Meriden, Conn. ANDREW PORTO, ’50, Sept. 21, 2019,
Branford, Conn. LUCY VODOLA PRELL, ’50, Feb. 11,
2020, Winston-Salem, N.C. JANICE WIGHTMAN BELL, ’51,
M.S. ’68, Jan. 14, 2020, Cranston, R.I. ALLAN SCHWARTZ, ’51, M.S. ’66,
Feb. 27, 2020, Cheshire, Conn. LAWRENCE A. MENTA SR., ’52,
June 16, 2019, Shelton, Conn. HELEN FALSANI, ’54, Aug. 8, 2019,
Boise, Idaho RHODA K. GORENBERG, ’54, Nov. 21,
2019, Orange, Conn. JANE HEALY CAROLLA, ’56, Dec. 5,
2019, Hamden, Conn. EVELYN SILVERMAN, ’56, Sept. 15, 2019,
Guilford, Conn. CATHERINE WOKANOVICZ, ’56,
Oct. 29, 2019, Fairfield, Conn. ROBERT E. VITALE SR., ’58, M.S. ’70,
Aug. 4, 2019, Hamden, Conn. WILLIAM “BEN” BENNI, ’59, M.S. ’73,
Feb. 19, 2020, Branford, Conn.
Mark Okrant, ’69, M.S. ’72, an expert on New Hampshire tourism, has written a series of murder-mystery novellas set in the Granite State. An article about his talents was featured in the UnionLeader.com/news. He lives in Loudon, N.H. R. Bruce Connelly, ’71, has published short stories in several volumes of Harvey Duckman Presents, a British anthology of science fiction, horror, and fantasy stories. MaryEllen Beveridge, ’72, is the author of After the Hunger: Stories. Many of the stories in the collection feature a central figure described as a physically wounded World War II veteran. Characters question ideas about selfhood and their role as daughters, mothers, sister, friend, wives, and lovers. Arthur Ciaramicoli, M.S. ’72, is author of The Triumph of Diversity: Rejoice in and Benefit from the Interconnectedness of Humankind. He lives in Hopkinton, Mass. Gayle Byrne, ’74, who has worked at the Killingworth Library as the children’s librarian for 10 years, has written a children’s book titled, Sometimes It’s Grandmas and Grandpas, about a child’s experiences living with grandparents. Byrne lives with her granddaughter, Jasmine. Donald C. Smith, ’80, is the author of The BiPolar Professor – A Survivor’s Story. He lives in Wallingford, Conn. Julie Hill Barton, M.A. ’03, is the New York Timesbestselling author of Dog Medicine – How My Dog Saved Me from Myself. Elizabeth Appel, M.A. ’05, has published a novel titled, Good Luck and a Benevolent God, under her pen name, Zeb Appel. Nick Benas, ’06, M.S. ’14, is the author of Mental Health Emergencies and Tactical Mobility. He travels around the United States training individuals how to recognize a developing mental illness and prevent someone from slipping into a crisis. He lives in Long Beach, Wash. Dan Garitta, ’09, is co-author of A Hometown Doughboy, a book about World War I infantryman, Ernest Stevens. The book is a compilation of the infantryman’s letters and photos from the 1919 302nd Regiment’s unit book. Garitta retired from teaching and lives in East Haven, Conn. Ryan Meyer, ’16, works for book publishing company Globe Pequot in Guilford, Conn., and has published his first book of poetry, Haunt.
