2011 UHCL Alumni Celebration Program

October 1, 2011 • South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center

Association History Founded thirty years ago in 1981, the University of Houston-Clear Lake Alumni Association’s mission is to enhance the pride and loyalty of its alumni and community, to promote the interests of the university and encourage lifelong relationships with UHCL. The purpose of the association is to foster and strengthen relationships between alumni, students, the university and the community through active leadership to achieve a unity of purpose and action, provide meaningful services and participate in the university’s unique tradition of shared governance. As a non-dues paying association, all UHCL graduates or recipients of teacher’s certificates are automatically members of the alumni association.

Alumni Plaza Dedicated to all UHCL alumni Alumni Plaza is located between the Bayou Building and the Student Services Building. The beautiful paved area includes the Distinguished Alumni Fountain and the Distinguished Alumni Wall, a granite wall listing all recipients of UHCL’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Funds raised in honor of the fountain created a true legacy endowment—our first scholarship specifically for descendants of alumni.

Program Cocktail Reception (cash bar) Dinner Master of Ceremonies Dion McInnis Associate Vice President, University Advancement Welcome Honored Guests William A. Staples President, University of Houston-Clear Lake Thank You UHCL Alumni Joanna Subiaz Martinez UHCL Alumni Association Scholarship Recipient Award Presentations Dion McInnis Outstanding Professor Award Kwok-Bun Yue Early Achievement Awards Christa English George, ’95 BA Nefertari Brown Mundy, ’06 MS, ’09 MS Distinguished Alumni Awards Craig A. Cordola, ’98 MHA/MBA Bernard Harris Jr., ’99 MBA Stephen K. Jones Jr., ’96 MHA/MBA The Honorable E. J. (Joe) King, ’77 BS

Awards Outstanding Professor Award Created in 2006, the Outstanding Professor Award honors professors who embody the fulfillment of learning and discovery by utilizing innovative teaching methods to inspire students. Honorees share a passion for the university, its mission and the potential for change through education. Award recipients build a sense of community among students through active involvement with student organizations, shared governance and mentoring.

Early Achievement Award Introduced in 2005, the Early Achievement Award is granted to a UHCL graduate, age 45 or younger, for significant accomplishments in business or professional life, or for service to the university and/or the UHCL Alumni Association.

Leadership Service Award Established in 2004, the Leadership Service Award is presented to a UHCL graduate whose exceptional contributions of service to the university and its community strengthen and support the values and the mission of the institution.

Distinguished Alumni Award The Distinguished Alumni Award honors UHCL graduates who have made significant contributions to society and whose accomplishments and careers have brought credit to the institution. The Distinguished Alumni Award has been presented by the UHCL Alumni Association since 1984.

Your Nomination Requested Award nominations may be submitted to the Office of Alumni and Community Relations no later than April 30 of each year. Visit www.uhcl.edu/alumni for award criteria and nomination forms.

Outstanding Professor Award Kwok-Bun Yue A native of Hong Kong, UHCL Professor of Computer Science and Computer Information Systems Kwok-Bun Yue now makes Houston home, much to the benefit of our computer science students. Before coming to the U.S., Yue worked as a journalist and a high school teacher. To add to the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics that he received from Chinese University of Hong Kong, Yue moved to Texas where he received graduate and doctoral degrees in computer science from University of North Texas. After graduation, he joined UHCL as a faculty member in computer science. His research interests include Internet computing, semi-structured data and computing education. He has published approximately 40 technical papers and has served as the principal investigator of 14 external grants, including three consecutive National Science Foundation grants. He was awarded the UHCL President’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1993, was selected as the UHCL Piper Award Nominee in 1994 and received a UHCL Faculty Fellowship in 2002.

Past Outstanding Professor Honorees 2010: Denise McDonald, Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, School of Education 2009: Caroline M. Crawford, Associate Professor of Instructional Technology, School of Education

Gretchen Mieszkowski, Professor Emerita of Literature, School of Human Sciences and Humanities

2008: Richard Puzdrowski, Associate Professor and Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Computer Engineering 2007: Naveed Saleem, Professor and Chair of Management Information Systems, School of Business 2006: Charles W. McKay, Dean and Professor Emeritus, School of Science and Computer Engineering

Early Achievement Award Christa English George, ’95 Making sure everyone has access to information is Christa English George’s passion. That is what makes George good at her job as a librarian. She currently serves NASA Johnson Space Center as the technical supervisor for its Scientific and Technical Information Center. Her work there supports three libraries, the repositories for video and still-imagery, and the taxonomy effort responsible for identifying and mapping thousands of terms in an organized structure for use by the NASA community. She carries her passion into her personal time and has volunteered her services as far away as Thailand where she helped start a new library and as close to home as UHCL where she volunteered at UHCL’s Alfred R. Neumann Library to help preserve documents after a water pipe break. George enjoys a career destined to enrich the minds and lives of many.

Through her dedication and commitment, she makes volumes of knowledge accessible to all.

Past Early Achievement Award Honorees 2010: James G. Springfield, ’91 2009: Corey J. Wilson, ’02 2007: Sameer Pande, ’02 2006: Chris Wagner, ’02 2005: Cris Curnutt Daskevich, ’97

Early Achievement Award Nefertari Brown Mundy, ’06, ’09 Born in Oklahoma and raised in California, Nefertari Brown Mundy is a Texan by choice. Mundy started her career as a thirdgrade teacher in Galveston Independent School District, but after only three years in the classroom, she realized her true passion was counseling. After returning to UHCL for two master’s degrees, she quickly moved into counselor positions in Galveston, Las Vegas, Nev., Pearland and Angleton. In summer 2010, she joined Houston Independent School District as manager of counseling services, where she has redesigned their comprehensive school counseling program, ensuring equitable implementation across the district. She has also facilitated a district-wide initiative with College Board: Five Ways Education Pays, an awareness campaign developed to educate students and the community about the financial and non-financial benefits of graduating from college. Mundy is actively involved with the National Office of School Counselor Advocacy, an organization focused on transforming school counseling in urban school districts.

Leadership Service Award Past Leadership Service Award Honorees 2010: Joyce Delores Taylor, ’04, ’06, ’08 2007: Cheryl Evans, ’82 2005: Kimberly Barfield McInnis, ’01 2004: The Honorable Marilyn Kurtz Lunney, ’93

Distinguished Alumni Award Craig A. Cordola, ’98 Driven to improve the quality of care and services to patients throughout our region, Craig Cordola provides strategic direction for Memorial HermannTexas Medical Center, where he serves as CEO of the Campus, including Memorial Hermann Hospital, TIRR Memorial Hermann, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Memorial Hermann Heart & Vascular Institute and the Mischer Neuroscience Institute. He also contributes his healthcare expertise in his role as associate dean of hospital affairs and community partnerships at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. In his dual roles, Cordola works closely with leadership teams at community hospitals throughout the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System to further integrate and align the research, teaching and clinical mission of both institutions.

Cordola previously served as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Healthcare Administration program. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and serves on a number of local not-for-profit boards including the Ronald McDonald House and Children at Risk, as well as The Immunization Partnership where he served as president.

Additionally, he serves on two national boards: the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and the University HealthSystem Consortium which includes the top 100 Academic Medical Centers in the country.

Distinguished Alumni Award Bernard Harris Jr., ’99 Astronaut Bernard Harris Jr. has a history of firsts. Not only was he the payload commander on STS-63, the first flight of the new Russian-American Space Program, he was also the first AfricanAmerican to walk in space.

During the momentous flight, Harris logged 198 hours and 29 minutes in space, completed 129 orbits and traveled more than 2.9 million miles, bringing his career total to more than 7.2 million miles in space. He holds a doctorate in medicine and is a member of the American College of Physicians, American Telemedicine Association and the Aerospace Medical Association. His many honors and awards include four honorary doctorates, the NASA Award of Merit, the NASA Equal Opportunity Medal and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal.

His altruistic character is best seen through the creation of the Harris Foundation, which supports math/science education and crime prevention programs for American youth, which may allow some other future astronaut to attain his/her own firsts.

Distinguished Alumni Award Stephen K. Jones Jr., ’96 Since 2008, Stephen K. Jones Jr. has shared his leadership skills as CEO with the doctors and staff of the Clear Lake Regional Medical Center where he is responsible for Clear Lake Regional Medical Center, Clear Lake Heart and Vascular Hospital, Mainland Medical Center, Bay Area Surgery Center, CLRMC Breast Diagnostic Center, CLRMC Wound Treatment Center, Calder Urgent Care and two freestanding emergency clinics. Under Jones’ leadership the center implemented several new clinical programs including a pediatric surgical program, surgical robotics program, and neuro-hospitalist program; opened a pediatric emergency room; and created a cardiology center of excellence. He has received the American College of Healthcare Executives/Louisiana Hospital Association Early Career Healthcare Executives Regents Award.

Professional affiliations include serving as a fellow of The American College of Medical Practice Executives and The American College of Healthcare Executives. Active in the community, Jones is a member of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership where he currently serves on the executive committee.

Distinguished Alumni Award The Honorable E. J. (Joe) King, ’77 For the past 42 years, The Honorable E. J. King has served the residents of Brazoria County in a variety of ways including as a Department of Public Safety state trooper, a Brazoria Police Department lieutenant, sheriff for 24 years and, currently, county judge. His many honors include being selected by the FBI to attend the FBI National Academy, one of the highest honors a nonfederal law officer can receive. He has received the Tom Tellepsen Award from the Sheriff’s Association of Texas and the Citizenship Award by the Bay Area Council Boy Scouts of America. He is past president of the Brazoria County Peace Officers Association and the Southeast Texas Association for Identification and Investigation Officers. King stays busy in the community and is currently a director of the Brazoria County Cattlemen’s Association. He is a past director of the Brazoria County Fair where he has also served on the executive committee and a past director of the Brazoria Association for Citizens with Handicaps. Giving back to his community is truly a mission for King.

Past Distinguished Alumni 2010

Cindy Howard, ’81 Lee M. E. Morin, ’09 Rebecca L. Reitz, ’90 Marilyn Sims, ’88 Gregory R. Smith, ’84 Maura Walsh, ’83

2009

Richard H. Anderson, ’77 Christopher J. Culbert, ’86

2008

Russell P. Austin (deceased), ’80 Dilhar Mihidu De Silva, ’94, ’91 Preston Johnson Jr., ’83 Michael L. Landolt, ’85 Katherine Keys Reeves, ’98

2007

Marilyn Kurtz Lunney, ’93 Keith A. Parrott, ’95 Rosalind Calvert Perez, ’93

2006

1998

Tina Farrell, ’09, ’93, ’85 Russell Meyers, ’86 Patricia Wilson, ’88, ’79 Victoria Yamasaki, ’88

1997

Jerry Clause, ’78 Dawn M. Korman, ’81 Katherine Tamer, ’77

1996

Mary Ainslie, ’78, ’75 Sandra G. Johnson, ’82

1995

Mike Merkel, ’94, ’90

1994

Linda Robinson, ’86, ’82, ’78

1993

Susan H. Garman, ’89 David Vandewater, ’77 Ann Wismer-Landolt, ’77

Robert C. (Bob) Garcia, ’76 Lucille Pack Gedies, ’93 Darla Schneider McKitrick, ’92

1992

2005

1991

Arnold Adair, ’99, ’88 Kimberly Campbell, ’92, ’87 Randy Garner, ’89, ’86 Charles A. McClelland, ’00

2004

Raymond Khoury, ’80 Jane B. Reeves, ’81 Steve Phelps, ’80

1990

Charles A. Biggs, ’87, ’84

1989

F. Story Musgrave, ’87

Teresita Z. Hernandez, ’80 Leslye King Mize, ’80 Janet Kelly, ’85

1988

2003

1987

Guion S. Bluford, ’87 Emmeline Dodd, ’80 Sandra Mossman, ’87

2002

Micheal Aaron Reeves, ’77

Peggy Channing, ’82

1986

William Gresco, ’80

Marjorie Jacobson (deceased), ’84 Frank Perez, ’82 Jennie Ward-Robinson, ’92

1985

2000

Elizabeth Leibfried, ’79 Marilyn Wiley, ’83, ’82

J. Pamela Culpepper-Cronk, ’83, ’80

Kippy Caraway, ’85, ’77

1984

Alumni Executive Council The Alumni Association Executive Council (AAEC) acts in an advisory role and works with the Office of Alumni and Community Relations to contact, engage, serve, empower and acknowledge alumni through meaningful services, events and outreach.

2011-2012 Chair: Bill Shock

Past Alumni Leadership Honorary Directors

1998: Rebecca Lynn Reitz

Elizabeth Leibfried Micheal Aaron Reeves

1999: J. Pamela Culpepper-Cronk

Past Presidents

2000: Richard F. Hergert

1981-86: Micheal Aaron Reeves

2001: Diane Vest

1987, 1988: Elizabeth McAlpine Poje

(Term change from calendar year to academic year)

1989: Jane Burns Reeves

2002-03: Margaret Kidd Duncan

1990, 1991: Frank Perez 1992: Steve L. Phelps 1993: Myra Lynn Gochnour-Hooker 1994, 1995: Dawn M. Korman 1996: Carolyn A. Lightfoot 1997: Debra C. McCracken

2003-04: Esther Anderson 2004-05: Kimberly Barfield McInnis

AAEC Past Chairs

2009-10: Brenda Quintanilla 2010-11: Christian Tan

Lifetime Alumni Members Elaine Adams, ’00

Michael Gault, ’00

Robert Altus, ’90

Jay Gazzier, ’99

Esther Anderson, ’91

Lucille Gedies, ’93

Joanne Ashland, ’96

Estella Gillette, ’94, ’86

John Bailey, ’80

Glenn and Joyce Goerke, honorary

Myrna Baker, ’85 Richard Baker, ’77 Karen Barbier, ’93 John Benjamin, ’83 Christopher Bezdek, ’05, ’01 Linda Brown, ’00, ’89 Danele Buehler, ’80 Linda Bullock, ’98, ’96 Deana Burford, ’00 Susan Callaway, ’91 Kimberly Campbell, ’92, ’87 Mary Carlisle, ’91 Evon Collins, ’83 Martha Crossman, ’83 J. Pamela Culpepper-Cronk, ’83, ’80 Emmeline Dodd, ’80 Craig Domin, ’85 Thomas Dougherty, ’79 Anthony Evers, ’95 Michael Fitzpatrick, ’02 Steven Flurett, ’97 Lee Folk, ’00, ’93 Sue Garman, ’89 Helen Garriott, ’80

Marcie Goss, ’77 Bruny Graves, ’89, ’88 Gregory Gyomlai, ’94 Jenifer Hammond, ’96 Matthew Handy, community Richard Hergert, ’84 Teresita Hernandez, ’80 Marjorie Jacobson (deceased), ’84 Sandra Johnson, ’82 David Kahn, ’05 Stephen Kelley, community Robert Kelly-Schleyer, ’95 Margaret Kidd, ’08, ’85 Robert King, ’05 Dawn Korman, ’81 Michael Landolt, ’85 Janice Larson, ’88, ’84 Jack Leavell, ’84, ’80 Matthew Legg, ’99 Carolyn Lightfoot, ’90 Susan Link, ’94 Danial Lokman, ’05 Melissa Mares, ’96

Alan Marsh, ’97, ’03

Charles Rosen, ’08, ’05, ’88

Shan Martin, ’98

Milan Saunders, ’00

Marilyn Marx, ’00

Mary Lou Shackleton, ’02, ’98

Thomas Mattes, ’04

Rajesh Shethia, ’01

John McAuliffe, ’98, ’92

William Shock, ’06, ’03

Debra McCracken, ’88

Marilyn Sims, ’88

Harold McCracken, ’80

Amy Smith, ’03, ’00

Nina McGlashan, ’86

Gregory Smith, ’84

Dianne McGuire, ’86

John Smith, ’06, ’97

Alice McKay, ’81

Christopher Sower, ’99

Hattie McKinley, ’96

John Stanford Jr., ’80

Leslye Mize, ’80

James Stewart III, ’07, ’03

Alex Monchak Jr., ’86, ’84

Mary Sturhan, ’99

Kevin Morgan, ’01

Katherine Tamer, ’77

Sandra Mossman, ’87

Kathleen Tinch, ’98

Beverly Nashold, ’94

Josephine Tittsworth, ’06

Michael Olson, ’85

Paula Tomasi, ’79

David Oppermann V, ’88

Diane Vest, ’87

Scott Otto, ’06, ’93

Mary Lee Wallace, ’96

Marjorie Pate, ’97, ’90

Pat Wilson, ’88, ’79

Frank Perez, ’82

Ann Wismer-Landolt, ’77

Rosalind Perez, ’93

Jane Wood, ’82

Theresa Presswood, ’90

Rosalind Zawislak, ’87

Heather Rarick, ’92 Katherine Reeves, ’98 Micheal Reeves, ’77 Rebecca Reitz, ’90 Robert Richmond Jr., ’89, ’86 Michael Rodriguez (deceased), ’94, ’81

Lifetime Members help others live the dream of a college education by contributing a one time donation of at least $500.

Lifetime membership not only benefits students, but provides additional ways to keep you connected to your university.

Reception Sponsor

Craig and Allison Cordola

Entertainment Sponsor

Emmeline Dodd & Gene Hollier

Distinguished Sponsor

Distinguished Sponsor

Distinguished Sponsor

Office of the President

President and Mrs. William A. Staples congratulate our 2011 Alumni Celebration honorees and celebrate the accomplishments and successes of all of UHCL’s alumni.

Emeritus Sponsor Marilyn S. Sims and

Weycer, Kaplan, Pulaski & Zuber, P.C. congratulates this year’s Distinguished Alumni.

Charter Sponsors Marilyn S. Sims

Alumni Association Executive Council Member University of Houston-Clear Lake

Office of the Provost University of Houston-Clear Lake

School of Business

University of Houston-Clear Lake

School of Education University of Houston-Clear Lake

School of Human Sciences and Humanities University of Houston-Clear Lake

School of Science and Computer Engineering

Special Thanks Music by Juan Manuel and Friends Flowers donated in part

by Clear Lake Flowers Photography by Mark Kinonen Honoree Portraits by J. Pamela Photography

Office of Alumni and Community Relations 2700 Bay Area Blvd.

Houston, Texas 77058 281-283-2021 | www.uhcl.edu/alumni www.facebook.com/UHCLAlumniAssociation