Spring 2026 Class Notes

John Alter, BFA ’58, received the Florida Forestry Association’s Distinguished Service Award for his longstanding dedication to forestry and environmental stewardship. Alter has been a motivated environmental educator, fundraiser and advocate for decades, leading local and statewide initiatives relating to forestry.

The Military Writers Society of America honored Mark Fleisher, BSJ ’64, with a gold medal award for his book of poetry, “Incidental Moments,” at the organization’s conference in Kansas City, Missouri, last September.

Award-winning journalist, novelist, poet and playwright Joan (DiLeonardo) Leotta, AB ’69, presented “Beyond Little Women: Meet Louisa May Alcott” in Athens in September—the latest of several performances of the historical reenactment.

Donna (Blalock) Kelce, BSC ’74*, appeared on reality competition show The Traitors. The show follows a group of contestants in a Scottish castle who compete for a cash prize and brings a mix of big names to each season.

Last summer, the U.S. Senate confirmed Ken Kies, BGS ’74*, as Treasury Assistant Secretary for tax policy. He serves as the senior advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury, who is responsible for the analysis, development and implementation of federal tax policies and programs.

Former CBS News Chicago director Debra Zimmer, BSC ’74*, was inducted into the Silver Circle last spring, honoring her career in broadcast journalism. The Silver Circle is one of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ highest honors, bestowed upon career journalists for their distinguished service.

The HistoryMakers, an online repository for the Black experience, accepted an oral history from Dale Ricardo Shields, BFA ’75, MFA ’95, into its digital archive. The HistoryMakers archive documents the life stories of thousands of individuals; its collection, including Shields’ contribution, is housed in the Library
of Congress.

The American Advertising Federation of Cleveland inducted Jean (Merritt) Gianfagna, BSJ ’76, into its Hall of Fame last year. The AAF’s annual American Advertising Awards celebrates Cleveland’s best creative work and recognizes the lifetime achievement of Hall of Fame members.

Dannette A. Render, BSHSS ’77, was recognized by Who’s Who in Black Cleveland as a 2025 Living Legend. Render is president and CEO at DAR Public Relations, Inc., and was recognized for her achievements in the Cleveland area.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Library & Archives accepted more than 100 scripts, cassettes and digitized versions of The Website Show, hosted by Ed Rossman, MA ’80, on WENZ-FM from 1995 to 1998. The hour-long weekly program was loosely arranged around a 15-week workshop Rossman taught at Kent State University and focused on the music industry’s adaptation to the rise of the internet.

ESPN paid tribute to program director Paul “Scott” Johnson, BSJ ’81*,
at the Men’s College World Series in baseball ahead of his retirement. In his 35-year career with the network, Johnson helped define the look and feel of college baseball’s championship event and bore witness to many historic moments in the sport.

Last June, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Brig. Gen. Mark Arnold, BSISE ’82*, to the Ohio University Board of Trustees for a term lasting through May 2027. DeWine also appointed Megan Lashutka, BSC ’01*, to the Board of Trustees through May 2034.

Rafic “Ray” Bachnak, BSEE ’83, MSEE ’84, PHD ’89*, has been named the inaugural dean of the new College of Engineering and Sciences at University of Texas Permian Basin. Bachnak brings to the role more than three decades of experience in teaching, research and leadership.

Linda (Deitch) Resnik, BSJ ’85, has joined the staff of the Ohio Attorney General’s Law Library in Columbus, Ohio, where she is a research librarian.

Alliance for Universal Computing founder and CEO Ching “Charles” Sun, MAIA ’89, was named a 2026 Engage National Security & Enforcement 150 Honoree by OrangeSlices. Honorees are nominated by their peers for their efforts in fostering trust, collaboration and solutions across national security and enforcement communities.

Angela (Welch) Hall, BSED ’90, MED ’96, was one of five teachers selected to represent the Midwest in 2026 as a Regional Ambassador for the George Washington Teacher Institute at Mount Vernon. An eighth-grade social studies teacher in the Athens City School District, Hall also earned the Mount Zion Black Cultural Center’s Beacon of Light Award last April.

Dr. Robin Whatley, BS ’90, received the Excellence in Clinical Leadership Award at the Ob Hospitalist Group’s National Clinical Leadership Meeting last fall. After years in private practice, Whatley joined OBHG in 2011 and now serves as its market medical director.

School of Visual Communication visiting professor Terrance Reimer, BFA ’92, MFA ’20, received two of OHIO’s new Learn Pillar Awards last year: one from Scripps College of Communication and its dean Scott Titsworth, and one from his students and colleagues. Reimer teaches photojournalism and commercial photography classes.

Trevellya “Dr. Tee” Ford-Ahmed, PHD ’95*, was awarded a 2025 Black Appalachian Storytellers fellowship. Ford-Ahmed is communications and media director at Mount Zion Black Cultural Center and will receive $5,000 in unrestricted funding, some of which will go toward renovations at the center, as well as an award created by a Black Appalachian artist and an annual membership to the National Association of Black Storytellers.

Label manufacturer ARMOR-IIMAK hired Plamen Petkov, BBA ’95, as president of its North and South American business operations last October. He brings to the role more than 20 years of experience in the thermal transfer industry and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

The American College of Trial Lawyers inducted Alissa (Iseman) Sterling, AB ’95, to its 2025 fellowship class. This prestigious honor recognizes trial lawyers with at least 15 years’ experience who demonstrate high standards of excellence. Sterling is an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Ohio.

The Prospect League, a collegiate summer baseball league, announced its 2025 Organization Award winners. The league named Chillicothe Paints Director Bryan Wickline, BSSE ’95*, as Team Director of the Year for his impact on the league in the 2025 season.

Author Michael Buckley, BSS ’96*, adapted his long-running children’s fantasy book series “The Sisters Grimm” into an animated TV series for Apple TV+. The six-episode first season debuted on Oct. 3.

Heather Phipps, DO ’98*, was named site dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest at Western University of Health Sciences in California. Her previous roles at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Washington include assistant dean of clinical education, strategic partnerships and faculty development; chief of the division of surgery; and associate professor of orthopedic surgery.

Jim Pfander, BSJ ’00*, president and general manager of the Akron RubberDucks, was honored at the Minor League Baseball Business Summit as the 2025 Double-A
Executive of the Year. Votes for the awards were cast by league executives and Major League Baseball staff members.

What happens if you take all the cows away? That’s what journalists Michelle Michael, BSJ ’01, and Brandon Whitworth spent three years asking. Their resulting documentary, World Without Cows, premiered in October at the Chagrin Documentary Film Fest and explores the cultural, economic, nutritional and environmental impact of bovines across the globe.

GEDU Global Education Group CEO Vishwajeet Rana, MBA ’01*, received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the POWER 100 and British Asians Who’s Who Awards for his contributions to cultural and economic growth in the United Kingdom. GEDU strives to provide students with access to educational opportunities from kindergarten to Ph.D. and apprenticeship programs worldwide.

Last June, David Kelley, PHD ’02, was honored at the MAA Forum in Muck Business Annex for his groundbreaking contributions to sports administration education. Kelley’s doctoral dissertation on creating an advanced degree in sports administration for professionals in interscholastic athletics led to the launch of OHIO’s Master of Athletic Administration program in 2004.

Lauren Coyle Rosen, BA, BSJ ’05*, released two albums in 2025: Purify Flame Dreamscape and Covers and Veils in Blue, both available on Spotify and Apple Music. She also recently co-authored a book with singer Ani DiFranco (see “Alumni Authors,” page 45.)

Viewers of Tyler Perry’s new series, Divorced Sistas, might recognize Robert Christopher Riley, MFA ’06*. He plays the role of Javon, a newly divorced friend of two main characters in the series. Riley is best known for his five-year portrayal of Michael Culhane in The CW’s recent reboot of Dynasty, among other roles. Divorced Sistas is streaming on BET+.

Toby Caserta, BSC ’07, has joined experiential events agency Bluewater Technologies as an account executive, bringing to the role his experience delivering high-value results for Fortune 500 companies, government and educational entities, and health care providers.

Kerwyn Flowers, DO ’07*, was appointed dean of Florida State University’s Tallahassee Regional Campus last summer. Flowers joined the College of Medicine in 2017 and has served as its director of rural medical education since 2019.

Last year, Athens Mayor Steve Patterson named poet and singer-songwriter Becca (Rossiter) Lachman, MA ’07*, as the city’s Poet Laureate for 2026-2028. Lachman taught at OHIO for a decade and serves as the communications officer at Athens County Public Libraries.

AI cloud startup Lambda announced a new launch in Columbus, Ohio, where Robert Brooks IV, BA ’10, serves as a founding team member and vice president of revenue.

Global law firm Greenberg Taurig, LLP introduced Jill Zumbach, BA ’10, as an associate in its Public Finance & Infrastructure Practice, where she represents financial institutions, corporate clients and investment professionals.

Elizabeth (Brink) Bennett, BA ’12, is the new chief financial officer at the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health. She previously oversaw the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities’ $5 billion budget as its senior financial manager.

The Ohio Department of Veterans Services inducted Everett Woodel Jr., MBA ’14*, into its Hall of Fame Class of 2025. A U.S. Army veteran, Woodel was honored for his decades of public service and dedication to leadership and advocacy.

Laura Harbert Allen, MA ’18, PHD ’23*, is one of three professionals selected by the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation to share the $100,000 Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Public Service Journalism. Harbert Allen is the religion correspondent and vertical editor of 100 Days in Appalachia, a project that examines how AI and Christian nationalism are reshaping rural Appalachia.

The Scripps Howard
Foundation selected Adriana Navarro, BSJ ’18*, as one of five Roy W. Howard Fellows last summer. At the Howard Center at the University of Maryland, Navarro led a team investigating how lobbyists exploit legal loopholes to privately fund congressional travel, which was published by Politico and won an Investigative Reporters and Editors Award.

Natascha Toft Roelsgaard, MS ’19, PHD ’22*, was named the winner of the 2025 Rising Scholar Award by the editors of American Journalism, the peer-reviewed quarterly journal of the American Journalism Historians Association. The $2,000 award will support her archival research travel for her book project, which examines the work of 19th- and 20th-century women reporters.

Leading growth equity firm Edison Partners promoted Hannah Kenney, BSC ’20, to marketing manager. Kenney supports the firm’s integrated marketing efforts across channels, including digital content, event programming and podcast development.

Bowling Green High School Athletic Director Michele Wolf, MSAA ’21*, was named the Northwest Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association Athletic Director of the Year. Since stepping into the role in 2021, Wolf has introduced new title sponsorship, made facility improvements, provided leadership training opportunities for student athletes and mentored coaches and emerging professionals.

Married Bobcats Jason Preston, BSM ’22*, and Micaylah (Nash) Preston, BBA, BSM ’22*, are Family Feud champions after winning the show’s top prize of $20,000 on a team featuring Micaylah’s family. She received 184 of the 200 points needed to earn the final prize—the second-highest score of the season.

Rachel Recchia, BSA ’22*, was a cast member on season three of Netflix’s Perfect Match, which debuted on Aug. 1. She’s no stranger to reality TV, having previously appeared on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.

Michelle Camargo, MAA, MM ’24, released new music under the title Mambos Con Swing last fall on Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. Recorded between Athens, Ohio, and Bogotá, Colombia, the project blends her Latin American roots with the musical foundation she developed at OHIO. Camargo also recently performed as a feature guest of the School of Music and as a soloist at the Athens Jazz Festival.