ALUMNI NOTES

In Memoriam

Colbert L. Andrus (B.Arch ’67)

Dan Feidt (B.Arch ’75)

Gary John Mahaffey (B.Arch ’63)

Frank D. Nemeth (B.Arch ’67)

Mary Pappajohn (BS ’55, Related Art)

William “Bill” Vosbeck Jr. (B.Arch ’47)

1971

Bruce Boody (BLA ’78, RY ’71), PLA, was presented with a Community Appreciation Award for his decades of volunteer service and leadership in the community of Whitefish, Montana.

1972

Daniel Avchen (B.Arch ’72) retired from HGA Architects.

1974

Tom Meyer (B.Arch ’74) received the 2022 AIA Minnesota Gold Medal Award.

1975

Claude Schuttey (M.Arch ’75) is the recipient of the Society of College and University Planning (SCUP) Distinguished

Service Award, which recognizes volunteers who supported the creation of the SCUP Fund.

1980

Jill Hamburger (BS ’80, Retail Merchandising) was featured in the University of Minnesota Alumni Association’s September Alumni Spotlight and will wrap up her term as president of the UMN Retail Merchandising Advisory Board after four years.

Thomas Oslund (BLA ’80), FASLA, FAAR, received the ASLA Design Medal in 2021 and spoke at the ASLA Education Symposium in 2022.

1981

John Koepke (BLA ’81) retired from the UMN Department of Landscape Architecture after 27 years as a faculty member, which included 13 years as department head.

1984

Joe Mamayek (BED and B.Arch ’84), AIA, LEED AP, was named a principal at SGA.

1989

Bruce Chamberlain (BLA ’89), FASLA, joined Minneapolis-based

TLALLI Collaborative, LLC as practice lead. TLALLI Collaborative is a start-up urban design, landscape architecture, community planning, and development advisory practice founded by alumna Ana Nelson (MLA ’97).

1990

Julio Bermudez (M.Arch ’90), Ph.D., is an ACSA Distinguished Professor of Architecture and the director of the Sacred Space and Cultural Studies Graduate Concentration at the Catholic University of America.

Eugene Lumpkin (BS ’90, Textiles & Clothing) is the founder of Atelier Tens/10, a startup fashion and technology firm focused on concept design and brand development based in Brussels, Belgium. He recently joined Parsons Paris–The New School as a lecturer.

1995

Nathan F. Knutson (M.Arch ’95) was inducted into the AIA College of Fellows in 2022.

1996

Pamela Freeman (BS ‘96, Retail Merchandising) joined Lenox Corporation as senior vice president of retail sales.

1997

Ana Nelson (MLA ’97) was a featured speaker at the College of Design’s annual Dirty Laundry event.

1998

Lisa Bieringer (BA ’98, Architecture) is the managing principal at o+a, a design studio based in San Francisco, California.

1999

Nathan Strandberg (BS ’99, Design Communications) and Katie Kirk (BS ’01, Design Communications), cofounders of Eight Hour Day design studio, will have a set of USPS stamps coming out entitled Winter.

2000

Jennifer Swedell (BA ’00, Architecture), AIA, LEED, NOMA, is an associate principal and laboratory planner with CO architects. In April 2022, she painted a mural in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego, California, symbolizing peace and solidarity with Ukraine.

2001

Geri Huibregtse (BS ’01, Design Communications) is now chief operating officer at Foundry.

2004

Sarah O’Keefe (BS ’04, Retail Merchandising) has launched a Kickstarter for her new toy company, Kith + Kin Co., which focuses on addressing the lack of diversity and inclusion in the toy industry.

Cassandra (Willms) Vargas (BS ’04, Apparel Design) joined Evereve as a principal designer.

Betsy Vohs (M.Arch ’04) was elected to serve a three-year term on the University of Minnesota Alumni Association Board of Directors beginning July 1, 2022.

2005

Paul Bruski (MFA ’05, Design) was named chair of Iowa State University’s Department of Graphic Design.

2006

Christopher Ochs (BED ’04, MURP ’06) is a professional landscape architect with the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Kate Woletz (BS ’06, Interior Design) joined Flywheel Sourcing as the director of accounts and also works as an independent product and trend designer and consultant for hard and soft home goods and seasonal products.

2007

Christina Fluegel (BS ’07, Interior Design) launched an interior design firm, PFW Designs.

Alana Zbaren (BS ’07, Interior Design) started a new position as commissioner for the Arts and Culture Commission with the City of Edina. Zbaren also serves as a senior grants manager with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

2008

Juyeon Park (Ph.D. ’08, Design) received the 2022 International Textile and Apparel Association’s Mid Career Excellence Award.

Terri Zborowsky (MS ’95; Ph.D. ’08, Design), RN, EDAC, CPXP, was a featured speaker in the College of Design’s Design in a Post-Pandemic World Discussion Series focused on spirituality and religion on April 26, 2022.

2009

Andrew Edwins (M.Arch ’08; MS ’09, Architecture),

AIA, has been named associate principal of PKA Architecture.

2010

Lauren DePoint (BS ’10, Interior Design), NCIDQ, is working as a senior interior designer with Ryan Companies.

Laura (Anderson)

Fernaine (BS ’10, Graphic Design) was promoted to creative director for S&P Global.

Rose (林詠琇) Jhun (BS ’10, Interior Design) joined TriMark USA as a designer III. After 20 years in the United States, Jhun also became an American citizen in April 2022.

Amber Sausen (BA ’05, Architecture; M.Arch ’10) was recognized by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of its “Top 40 Under 40” championing architecture and sustainability.

2012

Peter Atkins (BS ’12, Architecture), assoc. AIA, has been promoted to job captain/designer at PKA Architecture.

Sara Lopez (BS ’12, Apparel Design) and her label, A--Company, were profiled in Vogue.

Prescott Morrill (MLA and MURP ’12) is a transportation planner for the DuluthSuperior Metropolitan Interstate Council.

Erika O’Brien (BS ‘12, Retail Merchandising) is an investor, operator, and entrepreneur through acquisition with Novastone Capital Advisors.

2014

Will Adams (M.Arch ’14) is working as a VR/project solutions technologist for Mortenson Seattle. His role and work was featured in an article in the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.

Lauren Janoski (BS ’14, Apparel Design) started a new position as a global luxury property specialist with Coldwell Banker Global Luxury.

Duane Johnson (BS ’01, Retail Merchandising; MBA ’14) received the University of Minnesota President’s Award for Outstanding Service.

Thanh Nguyen (BS ’14, Apparel Design) is now a store manager for Target Optical.

2015

Kristy Janigo (MA ’11; Ph.D. ’15, Design) was elected to the Maple Grove City Council.

2016

Jesse Campos (M.Arch ’16) works with DFH Architects and was recently selected by the Santa Monica City Council to serve a term on its Architectural Review Board.

Caitlin Cohn (MA ’12; Ph.D. ’16, Design) joined the BlueGreen Alliance as a development manager.

Rachel Kelly (BFA ’16, Graphic Design) was promoted to senior brand experience planner for Cheerios and adult cereal at General Mills.

Kevin Vi (BFA ‘16, Graphic Design) joined the University of Minnesota College of Design as a graphic and multimedia designer. He was previously a graphic designer at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and the University’s Global Programs and Strategy Alliance.

2017

Lindsey Kiefaber (M.Arch ’17) was promoted to senior project manager and architect with Ryan Companies US.

Sarah Klecker (BS ’17, Apparel Design) is a production artist for Catalyst Apparel with Nike.

Kayla Samuel (BS ’17, Retail Merchandising) joined Code 3 as an Amazon SEO strategist.

Brenna Schlauderaff (BS ’17, Retail Merchandising) was promoted to merchandise planner for Target.

Kelly Uhrich (BED ’15, MLA ’17) is now a licensed landscape architect. She works at RVi Planning and Landscape Architecture based in Tempe, Arizona.

2018

Adriana Belinski (BFA ’18, Graphic Design) wrote and illustrated the children’s book My Fairy Sweet Friend.

Ania Melby (BS ’18, Retail Merchandising) was promoted to associate buyer at Target.

Rachel Valenziano (MLA ’18) was the recipient of the inaugural Roger B. Martin Travel Prize, created in honor of the late Professor Emeritus Roger Martin.

2019

Cassandra Connery (BS ’19, Product Design) joined cxLoyalty as a senior UX designer.

McKenna Kleiner (BA ’19, Graphic Design) was promoted to e-commerce analyst at Best Buy.

2020

Ako Asamoah (BFA ’20, Graphic Design) joined Twitch as a user experience designer.

Rachel Duerksen (BS ’20, Retail Merchandising) was promoted to senior business partner for space, presentations, and transitions at Target.

Curt Lund (MFA ’15; Ph.D. ’20, Design) was awarded tenure and a promotion to associate professor at Hamline University where he is a faculty member in the Digital Media Arts Department.

Juan Rujana (BS ’20, Product Design) is a fulltime product designer for Conquest Sport Group and co-founder of RUBR Design based in Brooklyn, New York.

Mary Wilson (BS ’20, Product Design) has joined Lego as a full-time designer based in Denmark.

2022

Olivia Bennett (BS ’22, Retail Merchandising) joined Décor Global as a merchandise analyst intern.

Jakob Mahla’s (BDA ’18; MS, M.Arch ’22) project “Cowspace” was accepted to the Future Food Deal Exhibition at the Tallinn Architecture Biennale.

Karla Villanueva (BS ’22, Interior Design) joined NELSON Worldwide as an interior designer.

Jaelen Wylie (BS ’22, Apparel Design) joined Target as an associate designer for bedding and domestics.

The following alumni completed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exams and are now certified interior designers: Jessica Rae Kohl Nielsen (BS ’04, Architecture; M.Arch ’09), Claire Meints (BS ’15, Interior Design), Jennifer Erickson (BS ’18, Interior Design), Caitlin Carter (BS ’19, Interior Design).