It is my pleasure to gather with you as we honor the service and dedication of our staff at the 36th annual Staff Recognition Banquet.
Today, we recognize milestone anniversaries and retirements that represent a shared commitment to Washington and Lee University’s mission. This occasion also honors the countless contributions that elevate the student experience, strengthen our community and make W&L such a special place. From the classrooms and laboratories to the dining halls, residence halls and athletic fields and grounds, every role at this university matters. It is your professionalism, care for our students and dedication to one another that set Washington and Lee apart. Whether you are marking your first year or your 40th, your commitment to excellence makes this university something truly special.
Of course, none of that work happens without strong leadership. After nearly 10 years as Washington and Lee’s 27th president, Will Dudley will complete his presidency at the end of this academic year. During his tenure, W&L has constructed first-rate campus facilities in support of our mission, enhanced our distinctive curriculum and expanded student access and opportunity in achieving need-blind undergraduate admissions. Will’s leadership has also guided the most ambitious fundraising campaign in W&L’s history, the Leading Lives of Consequence capital campaign, which is on track to raise more than $650 million in support of the university’s strategic priorities. We are grateful for his transformative service to Washington and Lee and recognize his many contributions.
Congratulations to all of today’s honorees!
JODI L. WILLIAMS Executive Director of Human Resources
RETIREES
DENISE BASHLOR 2014–2026
ANDY BRIGGS 2006-2025
DEBBIE BROWN 2008-2025
RUTH CANDLER 2014-2025
BRENDA CLARK 2007-2026
MARY ERVIN 2014-2025
ANDREA HILTON 2000-2025
KAREN HOLTZAPFEL 2015-2026
JAMES KASTER 2000-2026
JOAN MILLER 1999-2026
JUDY MOHLER 1993-2026
LISA TRIMMER 2011-2025
PHILIP TRIMMER 2001-2025
SUE WOODRUFF 1990-2025
ANNIVERSARIES
35 years
SUE WOODRUFF
30 years
KIM AUSTIN
LADD HIGGINS
SUSAN WAGER
25 years
BRANDON CRANEY
LAURA HEWETT
TASHA JOHNSON
SUZANNE NOONAN
DREAMA SHIFFLETT
BAMBI TYNAN
JOHN WHITE
20 years
RONNI GARDNER
MARIA MICK
MARIEL POTTER
15 years
TRAVIS BLACK
JANET BOLLER
LEWIS COFFEY
SETH GOODHART
STEVE MAMMARELLA
LEWIS TOMLIN
ANNIVERSARIES
10 years
TANYA BENNETT
BARBARA CAMDEN
CHERIE CLIFTON
CHRIS COMPTON
RENA CROMER
JACKIE DARCUS
CRISTINA FLOYD
BRENDA GARRETT
MIKE HEPNER
KAREN HOLTZAPFEL
CASSIE HUNT
KAYLA JOHNSON
GRACE LOUGHHEAD
JAMES MATHIAS
WENDY MERCHANT
KEITH MOORE
DEBBIE PRICE
ALEX RADSKY
SALLY STONE RICHMOND
DREWRY SACKETT
BLAKE SHESTER
ELIZABETH SMILEY
MOLLY STEELE
TODD STINNETT
DEANNA TOLLEY
CHRISSY VAN ASSENDELFT
KEVIN WEIS
ALVIN WHEELER
ANNIVERSARIES
5 years
BENJAMIN ANSTED
ISABELLA BARRON
CLEAVELAND CANDLER
CHRISTINE CARR
MEAGAN CHRISTENSEN
COURTNEY COFFEY
CHARITY CORMAN
MYINT DAVID
ISRA EL-BESHIR
MIKE FISHER
ZACHARY FUNKHOUSER
FIORELA GIRALDO PRADO DE LEWIS
JEREMY GRANT
ROBIN GRIVETTI
JB HARRIS
JOCELYN LEWIS
KYLE MCCOIL
ARTIE MCDONOUGH
JENNY MITCHELL
GREG MOORE
BETHANY OZORAK
HANNAH PHILLIPS
BECCA POULSEN
VICTORIA RAMSEY
KRISTY REED
JAKE REEVES
JUDY REPAIR
TOMMY ROBERTS
DAVE SALGE
JENNIFER TOMLIN
TWYLA WOOD
REFLECTIONS
Andy Briggs
CLASSROOOM TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT ANALYST
(ITS)
2006-2025
I consider myself lucky to have worked for the university for 18 years. For my part, enjoyment in the job over the years centered on being there to help students, faculty and staff have a better experience with technology. I served at the Law Technology Helpdesk and later in Classroom Technologies. Seeing the bright and wonderful people of the Washington and Lee community was always the highlight of my day. I also enjoyed playing banjo in the W&L Bluegrass Ensemble, participating in law school intramural sports and driving the 1993 shuttle gas-powered golf cart!
Thanks to Washington and Lee, my older son, Benjamin, attended (and graduated from) Rollins University through the tuition exchange program. Seeing him grow and thrive through this phase in his life is something for which I feel gratitude every day.
In retirement, my initial focus is on being present for my younger son, Gavin, as he completes high school and aims for his goal of playing college soccer. Supporting him in this goal requires a significant financial commitment as well as a hefty weekly driving and seasonal, sometimes interstate, travel schedule. Thanks to the visionary leadership and generous employee support provided by Washington and Lee, I am in a strong position to help facilitate Gavin’s journey to shoot for the stars.
Since retirement, I’ve missed all the folks at W&L that I’ve had the pleasure to know and work with. Nevertheless, I enjoy the memories and know that all of us have much in common and believe that each of us is precisely where we need to be! n
REFLECTIONS
BEN HARTLESS, former Technology Integration Coordinator, tells us some of his favorite memories of working with Andy.
In remembering Andy’s time at W&L, I’m not going to focus on the job itself, which he did admirably, but I’ll focus on the fact that he truly cared about everyone at the school. He had a great relationship with absolutely everyone.
Andy was a man of varied interests. I still talk to him to this day (I appreciate him keeping in contact despite the fact I’ve been gone for six years), and he always has something new going on that I am very jealous of!
He was always looking to improve the law school in whatever he took on and was willing to try ANYTHING. We would have a challenge, and he would give it a go regardless of timing, his skill level or any other factor.
I will always miss playing lunchtime basketball with him and the rest of the crew.
Ruth Candler
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF LIFELONG LEARNING (LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMS) 2014-2025
One of my most memorable experiences was restarting international travel after the pandemic. Once global restrictions were lifted, I hosted a Washington and Lee alumni group on a trip to Egypt. With tourism still far from fully rebounding, we experienced the Giza Pyramids in an almost surreal quiet, sharing the grounds with about 20 other visitors, compared with the typical daily average of 15,000. I’ll miss the daily interactions with the Lifelong Learning team and the W&L community. I’ve truly cherished those conversations!
I’m looking forward to spending more time with family, traveling without checking my email, reading books I’ve been “meaning to get to” since 2017 and some serious kitchen experimentation in pursuit of the perfect Indian curry. n
REFLECTIONS
ROB FURE, former Director of Lifelong Learning Programs, was happy to share a few recollections of time spent with his colleague Ruth.
Ruth Candler was a highly valued member of the Lifelong Learning staff. Joining our team in April of 2019, Ruth brought with her unusual organizational ability, knowledge of web design and adaptations and exceptional communication skills. Ruth’s learning curve was very short, partly because she took excellent notes on all phases of the Lifelong Learning portfolio and operation, but also because of her high native intelligence and her enthusiastic embrace of the mission of Lifelong Learning. Ruth proved quickly to be very popular with our constituency, relating to alumni, parents and friends with unusual charm and goodwill. An excellent “people person,” Ruth was a superb host for Lifelong Learning’s educational travel programs as well as a wide variety of campus programs. Her many interpersonal skills proved invaluable, not only for our customers but also for our providers.
In addition to masterminding the development of Lifelong Learning’s website, Ruth also became an important manager of a new initiative in the Lifelong Learning portfolio, the “W&L After Class” podcast series. Her work in developing and managing interviews with W&L faculty and administrative staff was highly successful in broadening the acquaintance of the W&L constituency with the university’s educational resources. She became a valued colleague in our relationship with W&L faculty especially.
While not a seasoned world traveler, Ruth quickly became an exemplary international tour host. Ruth’s eyes were always clearly focused on her charges, regardless of the marvels of the settings. She remains among the most professional attendants I have ever had the pleasure of working with.
I personally learned a great deal about opportunities for program promotion through internet resources. I also learned much from her graphic designer’s eye. But what I most learned from Ruth is difficult to quantify.
REFLECTIONS
I found her an excellent colleague in all the ways a supervisor seeks and values: trust, intelligence, dedication, customer service, good humor, patience and deep caring. Ruth’s many qualities contributed to the well-being, morale and efficiency of her fellow employees.
I will especially miss Ruth’s humor, her tireless dedication to her responsibilities, her charm and her many interpersonal skills. She was an absolute joy to work with for four years.
Brenda Clark
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT II
(LINDLEY HEALTH)
2007-2026
I got my start after talking with Deb Stoner in the spring of 2007 when she told me of an opening in the Student Health Center. I will miss the friends I have made over the years working here and the community that is Washington and Lee University.
In retirement, I have no major plans, as we can do things on the spur of the moment and decide to go places on a whim. I hope to spend more time with family and friends. n
DR. ALLEN BLACKWOOD, University Physician and Director of Health, shares a few thoughts on his time spent with Brenda.
I will miss Brenda’s positive attitude, her calm demeanor and the fact that she was never flustered. The phones could be ringing off the hook, students standing in front of her checking in and checking out, and Brenda handled it all calmly and professionally. I also admire her work ethic. We moved clinics twice, and she helped organize and move both times to get the new spaces up and running efficiently. Brenda and her husband are big in the local Moose Lodge, and she taught me all about the workings of this group. I will also miss her funny stories and fancy cakes. She is an expert cake decorator!
REFLECTIONS
James Kaster
DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL AID
(ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID)
2000-2026
Prior to W&L, I taught at Natural Bridge High School from 1988-92, and one of my favorite students was Heather Todd, the daughter of Bill Todd who worked at W&L. Later in 2000, I was working at VMI and noticed a programming job at W&L. Turned out it was Bill Todd who had posted it. I’d like to say my qualifications got me the job, but you never know. So thanks, Bill!
I have loved the interactions I’ve had with students outside of the office, but my favorite memory is many years ago when my wife was picking me up at the airport. A student I knew was stuck there with no way back to campus. I had an old Saturn with three young kids, myself and my wife. I offered him a ride but didn’t think he would want to squeeze in the back seat with three kids. He jumped at it, and they had the best time. By the end of the trip, he was part of our family.
I’ll miss all the people in the financial aid office who I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Their dedication to helping students and families has made my job easy.
Over the years, I have received letters and calls from people saying thank you, not to me, but to the people in this office. Those who I worked with in the past: Cree Sherrill, Chris Miller, Cynthia Hintze, Kate Saacke, Meghan Ferguson, Jennifer Davis and Shanice Hardy; and also those who I continue to work with now: Martha Rowsey, Miranda Edwards, Drake Breeden, Vicki Pickle, Megan Hobbs and Pascale Couturier. You have been my family at work, and I will miss you all.
Although I have loved working at Washington and Lee, to me, the most exciting part of retirement will be the freedom to start a new life. You never know how many days you have left on this Earth; I want to make the most of it trying to live a life not bound to the goals and directions of someone else. n
REFLECTIONS
SALLY STONE RICHMOND, Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid, shares memories of working with James.
Jim is a planner AND a dreamer. Quarterly department retreats, revised job descriptions, packaging, budgets and promotion requests are all accomplished well in advance. At the same time, he clearly enjoys life outside of the building. We are fortunate that he didn’t leave us to sail down the Atlantic Coast years ago! In all seriousness, his healthy perspective has created a trusting working environment, where his team feels supported and capable of being their own best colleagues and selves.
Since day one, I’ve looked forward to Tuesday mornings at 9 a.m.: financial aid staff meetings. Jim has led an increasingly effective team of diverse personalities through leadership change, pandemic, significant application volume growth, failed FAFSA implementations — and, of late, the gift of need-blind admission. It is never a doubt that they will get it done (gotta love financial aid professionals), but Jim has always been open to evolving how they get it done. Jim trusts his team to execute, analyze and reboot. Being a financial aid administrator is tough. When engaging with parents, you have to remember that you are dealing with their two most precious possessions: their children and their money. Jim takes those responsibilities seriously, but he engenders a lighthearted camaraderie within the financial aid office. He takes a trusting and supportive approach with each colleague, never hovering but remaining equal parts present and empowering.
I will miss Jim’s “no, yes” response to more onerous requests. We can set our watch to it. His first response was often “no” but, undoubtedly, he would get the task done ahead of whatever deadline you gave, meet with a “persistent” family or walk me through a spending report one more time that day.
Interesting fact: Jim was not only Associate Director of Financial Aid Drake Breeden’s boss but his high school computer science teacher. Together, they have been taking out IT garbage for over 30 years.
REFLECTIONS
Joan Miller
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT II
(LAW SCHOOL ADVANCEMENT)
1999-2026
I started at W&L after Darlene Moore reached out to me saying there was a position open as a gift processor in the development office.
One of my fondest memories was the 250th anniversary celebration in which a VERY large tent covered what was the old baseball field in spring of 1999.
I will miss the people at W&L but look forward to moving south, traveling and visiting family and friends. n
SARAH HUGHES , Assistant Dean of Law School Advancement, reflects on her time spent working with Joan.
Along with her enviable dance moves, Joan brings joy each day to our office and Lewis Hall. She always has a kind word for a colleague or a story to share, usually one that ends in laughter. In working with Joan, I learned to trust myself and not forget to “breathe” when things were stressful. Joan has a beautiful way of putting professional potholes in perspective and breaking out institutional history and wisdom to create a calming effect.
Joan’s memory of individual alumni, class years and particular details about our students is remarkable. Say a name and she’s got the graduation year, what activities they were involved with and usually a story about interactions with them over the years. She has been such a foundational force of consistency, calmness and cordiality for our alumni. We will miss her knowledge of all things Rockbridge County, plus her replies of “You know it,” when confirming something good. Enjoy your retirement, Joan, and thank you for all you have done for our team and our alumni!
REFLECTIONS
ELIZABETH OUTLAND BRANNER , Former Assistant Dean of Law School Advancement, also has memories of Joan to share.
I will remember most Joan’s fun-loving spirit. We shared a lot of laughs over the years. She was a team player who would do whatever it took to get a job done. She was willing to help anyone or any department that needed our assistance.
She was my right hand — or the other half of my brain. I called “Hey, Joan!” from my office continually throughout the day — just like people say “Hey, Siri.” She would have the answer for me — or know where to get it.
When I think about Joan and her work at the law school, I can’t help but think about Law Alumni Weekend. Every year she single-handedly managed the Law Alumni Weekend registrations, packets and nametags, which was a challenging task. Not only did she give everyone a warm welcome when they arrived in Lewis Hall, but she joined them on the dance floor later in the weekend. Often, it was up to Joan to get the dancing started. We joked that it was part of her job description. In that area, she always exceeded expectations!
Judy Mohler
SENIOR ANNUAL GIVING COORDINATOR
(ANNUAL GIVING) 1993-2026
Originally, I was hired by the legendary Farris Hotchkiss and worked on the third floor of Washington Hall (before the elevator was installed). When John Elrod became president, we moved from Washington Hall down to the old ROTC building, and the transformation was impressive! Ultimately, we moved to 101 Jefferson St., which is just an amazing building and location. I was so glad we moved there before I retired.
REFLECTIONS
There have been so many memorable experiences from my time at W&L. I would say the 250th celebration of the university was one of my highlights. I also loved attending and helping with all the campaign celebrations — it was fun to dress up and be a part of the energy they would always bring.
I will miss my wonderful colleagues in Annual Giving, Development and across campus, but they are now some very dear friends, and I plan on seeing them a lot! I will also miss working with the post-50th class agents. Dave Weaver ’60 and I have been working together my entire career, and so many of them I have developed long-lasting friendships with and will cherish those relationships.
In retirement, I plan to focus on staying healthy, spending more time with family and shopping, and I definitely want to travel more. I took my first trip out of the country to Aruba at the end of January, and now I have the bug to travel as much as I can. I am so thankful that my husband enjoyed it, too, as it can be a challenge to get him on an airplane! We actually met an alum at the pool in Aruba, which was so fun. The W&L network is amazing, and I’m blessed to have called this my extended family all these years. W&L has been such a huge part of my life for so long, and I’m so grateful for all the experiences and friendships along the way. It’s been a blessed journey so far, but I am excited for this next chapter to begin. n
KATHERINE DAU , Director of Annual Giving, University Development, shares some of her memories of working with Judy.
Judy is so beloved in Development that it didn’t feel right to comment on her time at W&L alone. I phoned in a few friends and colleagues to see what they had to say. With over 30 years of experience, you would think she would be tired of the same questions about Raiser’s Edge or mailings but nope, she never did … always patient and with a smile! And the most fashionable person in all of Development, too!
REFLECTIONS
Judy is memorable in so many ways. She is warm, kind, funny and witty. Most who worked with her will remember her as a good friend above all else. We had so many fun experiences with Judy, from summer lunches with Development interns at the picnic table outside the old building beside the library, to dinners out with friends, to shopping our hearts out. Judy seemed to know every person that called University Development, as well as all their quirks and endearing qualities. I will miss Judy’s vast institutional knowledge and the sparkling quality she brought to the office every day. One really could ask her anything, and she would help you figure it out if she didn’t already know the answer. Judy is a wonderful colleague and friend.
If you ask anyone in Development, they will say that they learned Raiser’s Edge (our former database) from Judy. I am one of the multitude of employees who Judy trained in RE. I think most of us would say that we learned far more than that. I learned how our donors deserve to be treated, how to do a mail merge and how a letter should be properly formatted. She was patient, not just with our staff but also with the alumni. Judy built wonderful relationships over the years of helping volunteers send out their solicitations. I also learned how to have fun while working hard. Judy was the first to share a conspiratorial laugh, a silly story or an afternoon treat.
It is impossible to overstate what Judy has contributed to Annual Giving. Over 32 years, she maintained our records and reports across two database conversions, managed our Five-Star volunteers and became the de facto expert in both mailings and databases. Judy embodied care and professionalism with both internal and external audiences. She worked as easily with our friends at the copy center and mail room as she did with trustees. Her wonderful relationships with the entire W&L community have paved the way for those who have come behind her. She also contributed her fabulous sense of style!
Most who worked with her will remember her as a good friend above all else. We will certainly miss
REFLECTIONS
Judy’s great work and project management prowess. An adherent to the golden rule, Judy also has a reputation for being willing to gently tell you when something is akimbo in your work or your wardrobe. That’s no small feat! But, what we will miss most is our friend. Judy was the first to make me feel welcome when I came to Annual Giving in 2022, and she has become a dear friend. I’ll miss sharing a snack and catching up about the Packers and Cowboys, our favorite TV shows and anything else going on in our lives.
As I write this, Judy is back for the week to support our spring mailing of 12,000 letters. She graciously offered to come out of retirement for one week to train our new senior annual giving coordinator and help her with her first big project. This generosity demonstrates how much Judy cares about the success of the university, even now. We are so lucky to know her!
I began my career at Washington and Lee working the 2 to 10 a.m. shift as a custodian. Two years in, I was promoted to custodial supervisor. I enjoyed watching the campus grow and being a part of the new buildings. My custodial team was amazing, and I will miss being a part of their lives.
In retirement, I will focus on caring for my 95-yearold father. My husband, Philip, and I have joined the local YMCA and are learning to play pickleball and euchre. Michigan is our home for now, but our next chapter will be in a warmer climate!
W&L is a great place to work. I’m grateful for the many wonderful people that I met during my years working there and the amazing friends I made along the way! n
REFLECTIONS
Philip Trimmer
SENIOR CHEMISTRY TECHNICAL MANAGER (CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY)
2001-2025
Back in 2000, I was building a house for a professor who knew I was a chemist and informed me that there was a job opening at Washington and Lee.
Soon after I began, I gave my first chemical hygiene lecture and discussed the dangers of potentially explosive peroxide formation in ethers. We had to call in a bomb squad to remove a case of 20-year-old diethyl ether. They were fully suited up like the Michelin Man and remotely detonated it back at the boneyard. It was very exciting to watch.
Of course, I will miss the people most. My department was like family for 20 years. I enjoyed working with so many people on very diverse projects. I already miss my high-tech toys, fixing things and sharing my knowledge with students.
I’m still trying to get used to all day every day being spare time. I’m playing pickleball, euchre, learning Spanish, going to the YMCA a few times a week and planning a trip to Panama. n
Sue Woodruff
SPECIAL EVENTS ASSISTANT AND GUEST HOUSE COORDINATOR (SPECIAL EVENTS)
1990-2025
I started at Washington and Lee when I was offered a position in the Geology Department by Ed Spencer, department head, in 1990. My greatest memory is testifying at an honor court trial.
In retirement, I plan to enjoy life. n
DAVID LONG, Former Vice President for University Relations, reflects on his time getting to know Sue.
I remember Sue’s incredible loyalty, her professionalism, her wonderful sense of humor and her ability to handle everything that came her way with confidence and aplomb. Sue taught me to appreciate the comical side of advancement work, the extraordinary importance of timeliness and accuracy when dealing with other people’s money and to always stand tall regardless of the challenges we faced.
Sue conveyed to everyone through her personal demeanor that what we were doing was truly important work. Everyone knew that she had very high personal standards, an expectation that spread to all our colleagues. She conveyed that she could be counted on to get the job done. People like and respect colleagues who are good at their job! She also did not take herself so seriously that she created walls that were hard to permeate. Her ability to laugh at our foibles made her a good and sensitive co-worker.
She is such an integral part of my memories of Washington and Lee that it will be hard for me to conjure the office without Sue ready to get to work with a smile on her face.
