News and Notes

BETTY RAMBUR, ’78, works at the University of Rhode Island as Routhier Endowed Chair for Practice and professor of nursing. She is married to Don DeHayes. Betty was the nursing department chair from 1991-2000, and was recently appointed to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, an influential, non-partisan panel of experts who advise the U.S. Congress on Medicare policies. The second edition of her textbook, Health Care Finance, Economics, and Policy for Nurses: A Foundational Guide, was published in April 2021.

VONNE SMEDSHAMMER, ’85, retired after 36 years of teaching and coaching. She taught 30 years at West Fargo Public Schools, teaching junior high math and science; four years at Valley High School in Hoople, ND; and two years at Starkweather High School in Starkweather, ND.

LONNIE GRABOWSKA, ’03, ’05, is married to Kathy Grabowska and works at the ND Office of the Attorney General as the director of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. He was ordained as a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Bismarck in 2011. He is currently a doctoral candidate for a PhD in criminal justice through Walden University.

NEENA MARIE KIRKWOOD, ’06, started a new job at Team Rehab of Clackamas, in Clackamas, OR, as a clinic director, Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Krista Richau's Daughter

KRISTA KAY RICHAU, ’07, and Kenton Richau welcomed a daughter, Kristi Ann Lesli Richau, on May 3, 2021. Krista works at Beulah Public School District #27 as a business manager.

BROOKS HETLE, ’08, recently moved to Fargo, ND, for his new job at North Dakota State University as the associate director of residence life.

APRIL WAHL, ’08, is married to Jordan Wahl and works at Century Baptist Church as a middle school ministry youth pastor. She graduated with a Master of Arts in Bible and Theology from Sioux Falls Seminary in May 2021.

Jennifer Vermaat's Family

JENNIFER VERMAAT, ’08, is a language arts and driver education teacher at Marshall Public Schools, Marshall, MN. She and her husband, Tanner, have two daughters, Ellory and Mallory.

LINDSEY HEFTA, ’10, recently accepted a new position as director of marketing at Dakota Credit Union Association. She also was recognized as the 2021 winner of the American Marketing Association’s 4 under 40 Emerging Leaders Award.

NOELLE, ’10, and ANDREW KRATZKE, ’11, and their two sons moved to Glenwood, MN, as Noelle accepted a new job teaching upper-level math classes at Minnewaska Area Schools. Andy works at Discovery Middle School as an 8th-grade teacher.

Josh Johnson's Family

JOSH JOHNSON, ’11, and his wife, Bianca, recently relocated to Sioux Falls, SD, with their two children, Aurora (4) and Otto (2), and dog, Blaze. Both have recently accepted positions through Sanford Health Systems, Josh as an orthopedic surgeon and Bianca as a pediatrician. In the spring, they will welcome five horses to their rural property.

Joshua Johnson's Son

JOSHUA JOHNSON, ’13, and his wife, Kourtney, welcomed a son, Marcus Ken, on May 15th, 2021. Joshua works at Dakota Stage Ltd. as the executive director. The family lives in Mandan.

Zachary & Jamie Kuznia's Family

JAMIE, ’15, and ZACHARY KUZNIA, ’16, welcomed their third child on June 22, 2021, Michael Thomas. They have two other boys, James and Alphonse. Jamie is a residence director at the University of Mary, and the Kuznias have lived on campus for six years while raising their growing family.

Matthew & Rachel (Goettle) Wermerskirchen

Matthew & Rachel (Goettle) Wermerskirchen's Son

MATTHEW, ’17, and RACHEL (GOETTLE) WERMERSKIRCHEN, ’18, were married on September 15, 2018, in Bismarck, ND. In the summer of 2019, they moved to the Twin Cities, where Matthew is attending law school at the University of St. Thomas and will graduate in the spring of 2022. Rachel is an upper elementary assistant guide at St. John the Baptist Catholic Montessori School. They welcomed their first son, Thomas James Christian, into their family on July 8, 2020.

MARIAH LYNN (BENZ) SCHAAF, ’17, married her husband Lucas in September 2019. They welcomed a son, Benjamin, in June 2021, and Mariah began a new job at Bismarck Public Schools as a speechlanguage pathologist.

KELCI (BENSON), ’18, and husband GREG ADERS, ’17, ’20, were married in October 2019 in Bismarck, ND. The couple welcomed their son, Arthur, on February 13, 2021. Kelci currently works as a registered nurse and Greg is a physical therapist in Montana.

Sawyer (Uetz) & Reed Cronin

SAWYER (UETZ), ’18, and her husband, REED CRONIN, ’18, both graduated from the University of Mary’s nursing program. Both work at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND. They got married on October 3, 2020 and plan on moving to Scottsdale, AZ to further their nursing careers.

Mayci Lynn Johnson's Daughters

MAYCIE LYNN JOHNSON, ’18, and her husband Jerik Johnson welcomed two rainbow babies to their family in May 2021, Lenni and Delilah. Maycie recently started a new job at Cambridge Medical Center in Cambridge, MN.

KYA N. (SMITH) COCHRAN, ’18, married Shaun Cochran on October 31, 2020. The couple lives in Arizona.

Alex & Brittany (Davis) Cournoyer

Alex & Brittany (Davis) Cournoyer's Daughter

ALEX, ’19, ’21, and BRITTANY (DAVIS) COURNOYER, ’19, ’21, were married at the University of Mary's Our Lady of Annunciation Chapel on June 19, 2020, and welcomed daughter Siena Lynn on July 18, 2021. Alex is currently pursuing his EdD at the University of Mary, where he is the director of residence life. Brittany works as a pediatric speech-language pathologist in Bismarck.

Isaac & Maggie (Helgeland) Popp

ISAAC, ’20, and MAGGIE (HELGELAND) POPP, ’20, were married on August 14, 2021 in Brookings, SD. The couple lives in Bismarck and both work at the University of Mary.

BRENT FREESE, ’21, married CARMEN (TITUS), ’16, on September 17, 2021, at Our Lady of Annunciation Chapel on the University of Mary campus. Carmen works at CHI St. Alexius Health in Bismarck in the critical care flex pool. Brent works at North Dakota National Guard.