Class of 2002 (10th reunion) (L-R) Row 1: Rachel Shaw, Vida Olivares, Elsa George Antony, Christen Bennett-Lentes, Saralyn Stewart Row 2: Megan Beene, Sarah Chandler, Natalie Puckett Evans, Erin McGavin, Crystal Rogers Cheyne, Jody Swink, Bria Andrew Kitchens, Calessa Wells Smalls Back Row: April Prince, Beth Williford, Katie Taylor, Catherine O’Kelley Fore, Laurie Gibson, Nikki Bradshaw, Ebony Roberts Ferrell, Kathryn Marshall Wilcher, Jennifer Calhoun
From Knoxville, TN, Debbie
“My sweet family continues to grow,”
Now she’s proud to say that she is the
Buttrey Ott ’96 recently reported
writes Stephanie Pate Lewis ’97 who lives
operations manager at CDX, a long
some sad news. “I still miss
in Rome, GA. “My oldest, Carter, is in
standing company in Nashville, TN,
my mom, who passed away on
2nd grade. Aaron is 5 years old, and my
that helps distribute new country
November 12, 2010.”
twins, Henry and Macy are 18 months
music singles to radio stations
old. Macy will be a Pirate in about 16
throughout the world.
1997 (15th Reunion)
years!” Stephanie has earned two master’s
Victims of the horrible tornadoes
Pirates returned to Wesleyan with
degrees, one in history from Georgia
that passed through Chattanooga
new treasured memories to share with
College and State University and a second
recently, Laura Facey Sullivan ’98
each other. Many thanks to Reunion
one in leadership from Jacksonville State
and her 2-year-old daughter, Jenna,
Co-Chairs Rachel Viets Fortuna
University. She also earned a specialist
were home when the tornadoes came
and Monica Hilley Crawford for
degree in instructional technology from
through and were able to make it to
coordinating 175th Anniversary
University of West Georgia.
a closet under their stairs, but their
reunion plans. Pirates partied hard
Mary Mitchell McKinnon ’97 of
house was completely flattened...
at Mellow Mushroom and La Parilla
Sandersville, GA, earned a J.D. from
nothing left. They were trapped and
Mexican Grille, where Wesleyan was
Mercer’s Walter F. George School of Law
were rescued by neighbors. Jenna
definitely on the menu.
and works as an assistant D.A. for Juvenile
didn’t receive a scratch, but Laura
Jena Forehand Collins ’97 earned a
Court in the Middle Judicial Circuit of
dislocated her hip; she is doing well
master’s degree in educational leadership
Georgia. Mary writes, “I am married to
now. Her husband’s grandmother had
from Georgia College and State University
another assistant D.A., Joseph McKinnon.
recently moved into assisted living so
and currently teaches 5th grade at Pine
He inspired me to move from superior
they were able to move into her home
Street Elementary in Conyers, GA. “Our
court work to juvenile court work because
until they can rebuild or find a new
family continues to grow. Jentson is 12,
of my love of children.”
place to live.
Xander is 2, and we are expecting a baby girl in August,” reports Jena.
“I can’t believe how fast time
Wellington, FL, resident Julie
goes by,” reports Beth Hitt Rogers
Houston Trieste ’98 is the new
Congratulations to Kara Bollmeier
’97 who still lives in Marietta, GA.
public relations specialist for The
Jagger-Miller ’97 of Old Hickory, TN,
“My babies are 2 and 4 now.” Beth
Port of Palm Beach, FL. In the newly
who was married April 2011 to Scott
will finish her Ph.D. in teaching
developed position, she will be tasked
Miller. She comments, “He has an
and learning mathematics from
with re-branding The Port’s image,
11-year-old son, Benjamin, and we have
Georgia State this year, graduating in
redesigning the website, handling all
two beagle puppies, Lily and Amber. We
December. Currently, Beth lectures
the media relations, and developing
are expecting our first baby this October.”
in mathematics and mathematics
a community-outreach plan. After
(See Marriages.)
education at Kennesaw State.
working for the media for years, and
In Nashville, TN, Teresa Lawson ’97
In the fall of 2011, Suzanne
more recently gaining experience in
works for HCA Corporate on clinical
Spooner-Faulk ’97 wrapped up
the port industry, she says, “It’s the
systems for the company. She earned
an almost four-year run at rpm
absolute perfect fit for me. I’m beyond
her master’s degree in accountancy from
Management, where she had the good
excited about this new opportunity.
University of Tennessee in 1998. She lives
fortune to work with Tim McGraw,
Plus the view from the office of the
in Mount Juliet with her two pugs – Pokey
Julianne Hough, Big Kenny, and other
ocean and cruise ship is a nice perk
and Peach. An avid runner, Teresa does 5K
various artists. After that, she filled
too!”
races in her spare time.
in at the Country Music Association.
70
2000s Kima Charysse Whipple-Jackson ’00 of Riverdale, GA, is a national gospel recording artist and her stage name is Kima Charysse. Kima’s current single, “Jesus Will,” has been playing on radio stations throughout the US and online radio. Kima has been nominated for two 2012 Rhythm of Gospel Awards (Rhythm of Gospel Song of the Year and Urban Contemporary Female Vocalist). Proud mom is Sharon Whipple Underwood, who also graduated with Kima in 2000. After earning her M.Ed. in sociology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University last summer, Hyun Mi Choi Corin ’01 has a new job at New York Life Insurance Company. She works as a senior marketing management associate in the Cultural Market Corporate Division. Margaret Alicia Heuer ’01 lives in Milan, Italy, where she works for an opera producing company near Venice called MOUSIKE’ I.C.E. Promoter. She is currently promoting a Baroque Ensemble, “Virtuosi di Venezia,” due to tour universities in the U.S. in 2012-13. Margaret hopes Wesleyan will be on the tour!
2002 (10th Reunion) They’ve been coloring the world purple since graduating in 2002 and Reunion Chair Jody Swink, Co-Chair Vida Olivares and Class e-Rep Catherine O’Kelley Fore made sure classmates continued the tradition at reunion by wearing lavender scarves and special