Class Notes – Summer 2019

1970s

Maghan Keita (formerly Michael J. Wilson), MA ’75, is a professor of history who has taught at Villanova University for 30 years. In 2018, Villanova celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Africana Studies department started by Dr. Keita. He also started and chaired the Global Interdisciplinary Studies program. Dr. Keita is a faculty leader for the Global Citizenship Alliance, a past winner of the Cheikh Anta Diop award for Race and the Writing of History: Riddling the Sphinx, and a recipient of numerous honors for leadership by The College Board.

William Homan, BBA ’76, was the grand marshal of Cleveland’s 2019 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The Willoughby resident is a founding member and former president of the Irish American Club – East Side, former member of the year for that club, and former Lake County Irishman of the Year.

Robert W. Stein, MEd ’76, is serving his third term as chairman of the board of the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio. He has been on the board since 2009 and has held leadership positions for six consecutive years. STRS Ohio is a $75 billion pension fund that serves over 500,000 educators in Ohio. Stein has received several teaching awards and holds a U.S. patent.

Gary Horvat, BS ’77, MS ’84 and DrEng ’90, was appointed vice president of eMobility at Navistar International Corporation. Most recently, he was chief technology officer at Proterra, Inc.

Dan Kalk, BBA ’79 and JD ’83, was named officer of the year for the Aurora, Ohio police department. He has been with the department since 1998.

1980s  

Robert McGee, JD ’80, won the 2018 world championship in sparring. It was his fifth martial arts world championship.

Hasu Patel, MA ’80, received the United Nations’ Lifetime Achievement Award for Extraordinary Service to Humanity. The performer/composer/educator taught sitar, tabla and vocals at Oberlin College for nearly 20 years. A Westlake resident, she holds bachelor and master degrees in sitar as well as her CSU degree in accounting and financial information systems.

Denise J. Knecht, JD ’81, was named a winner of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, a distinction given by the Marquis Who’s Who biographical organization. She also was included in the Lawdragon 500 Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Guide and in the roster of Who’s Who of Professional Women. Her law practice is in downtown Cleveland.

Richard D. Baytosh, BBA ’82, was promoted to executive vice president of BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C. He also serves as director of investor relations. He joined BB&T’s Financial Management Group in 2013.

Paul Hornyak, BS ’83, is a dentist with Hylan Dental Care.

Kevin Phillips, BSME ’84, has been with General Motors LLC for 34 years and is the business resource manager for the South Central Region, responsible for managing customer relations at dealerships in 14 states. He holds six U.S. electro-mechancial automotive design patents.

Linda Stevenson, BBA ’86 and MBA ’93, joined the Fisher-Titus Health System as chief information officer. For the past decade, she has led information technology projects at Southwest General Health Center.

Michael Bauer, BBA ’87, was named chief executive officer of Libbey Inc. His 30 years of experience includes stints as president of both Master Lock Company and Moen U.S.

Brian Gleisser, JD ’87, is the economic and community development director for Richmond Heights.

Mozelle Jackson, BBA ’88, joined Diebold Nixdorf as vice president of global finance. She most recently was executive vice president, chief financial and administrative officer of Cavaliers Holdings, LLC. She lives in Solon.

Melody Stewart, JD ’88, is the first African-American woman to be elected to the Ohio Supreme Court. She formerly was a judge with Ohio’s Eighth District Court of Appeals.

Jean Taddie, BBA ’89 and MA ’96, is director of the North Central Ohio Land Conservancy and the 6th Ward representative on Mansfield City Council.

1990s   

Thomas Dockman, BBA ’90, was promoted to executive vice president in the eGov Department of the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland. He joined the bank as vice president of ecommerce strategic initiatives within eGov in 2015 and was promoted to senior vice president in 2017.

Bill Beagle, MBA ’91, was named senior director of policy and program administration by Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague. Previously, Beagle served in the Ohio Senate for eight years, representing the 5th District and leaving due to term limits in December 2018. He lives in Tipp City, Ohio.

Michael Donnelly, JD ’91, was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court. He previously served as a judge on the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.

Martin Tremmel, MBA ’91 and JD ’96, is the health commissioner of Richland County, Ohio. He has worked in public health for nearly 30 years.

David James, BA ’91 and MPA ’97, is the 2019 recipient of Leadership Akron’s Lieberth Community Vision Award. He is the superintendent of Akron public schools.

Khaled Jarrar, BBA ’92, was named group chief financial officer of Dubai-based contractor Drake & Scull International. 

Andre Burton, JD ’94, was named vice president for human resources and diversity at Northeast Ohio Medical University. He served as interim vice president for several months, and also was executive director of diversity, equity and inclusion.

David Lucarelli, BA ’96, was named vice president of global human resources at Solon, Ohio-based Swagelok Co.

Michelle Niedermier, BA ’96, joined Montgomery County Job & Family Services as director after serving in the same capacity at Lucas County Job & Family Services.

Harold Specht, BA ’96 and JD ’99, is a judge on the Ashtabula Eastern County Court. He is a former Ashtabula County chief assistant prosecutor. He lives in Jefferson, Ohio.

Eileen Bitterman, JD ’97, was appointed to CSU’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Board of Visitors. A shareholder in Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co. LPA, Bitterman also serves on the Member Attorneys Program Committee to the Board of Directors of ACA International and is an elected representative on the Council of Delegates for the Ohio State Bar Association.

Kimberly Hebb, MSUS ’97, joined BillGO as chief risk officer. She formerly served as director for compliance training and tools at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Denise Baba, MEd ’98, joined the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority as community engagement liaison. Most recently, she was executive director of Leadership Portage County.

Donna Haire, MS ’98, was appointed executive vice president of regulatory and quality at On Target Laboratories, a biotech company that is developing tumor-targeted fluorescent dyes to improve cancer surgery. She formerly was vice president and head of medical care global regulatory affairs at Bayer.

Matthew Love, MBA ’98, joined Nicklaus Children’s Health System in Miami as chief financial officer. He formerly was senior vice president and chief financial officer of Mercy Health in Cincinnati.

Victor Leandry, MSW ’99, received the 2019 Difference Maker Award from Leadership Lorain County. He is the director of El Centro de Servicios Sociales.

2000s 

Anthony Mercurio, MBA ’00, was promoted to executive vice president of the Great American Insurance Group. He continues to serve as president and chief executive officer of National Interstate, a position he has held since 2016.

Danielle Locke, BA ’00 and MPA ’06, received the 2019 Difference Maker Award from Leadership Lorain County. She is a nonprofit and philanthropic adviser.

Bonnie Troyer, MLRHR ’01, was appointed to the Geauga Growth Partnership board of directors. She is the founder and principal of HR Strategies & Solutions in Middlefield, Ohio.

Karin Jenson, JD ’02, joined Redgrave LLP as a partner and leads the firm’s Cleveland office. Most recently she was in-house counsel at General Motors.

Tiffany Stocker-Sibel, BA ’02, was inducted into the Conotton Valley Athletics Hall of Fame for earning 16 letters in volleyball, basketball, softball and cheerleading while in high school. She was inducted into the CSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013 for her softball achievements.

Lee Chilcote, MA ’02 and MPA ’03, is the author of How to Live in Ruins, a poetry collection.

Bette Lou Higgins, MEd ’03, is the artistic director of Eden Valley Enterprises. She produced the documentary Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story, which was nominated for an Emmy award and has been broadcast on PBS stations in several states. She is currently working on a documentary about Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president.

Shannon Salupo, BA ’03, is the corporate beverage manager for Quaker Steak & Lube.

Sergey Vernyuk, BSEE ’03 and MSEE ’04, was elected a partner at Emerson Thomson Bennett, an intellectual property law firm in Akron. He lives in Brunswick.

Susan Hall Dotson, BA ’03 and MA ’05, is coordinator of African American history at the Indiana Historical Society. For the past 12 years, she was director of community relations and curator at the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Nadeen Hayden, BA ’03 and JD ’07, joined Internet defamation law firm Minc Law at Pinecrest in Orange Village.

Tera Meges Chmura, BS ’05, and her husband started an e-commerce company which sells bow ties and neckties. Their hope is that H-Bomb Ties, Ltd. provides employment opportunities for those with special needs, including their son who has Down syndrome and autism.

KC McKenna, BA ’05, was named principal of his alma mater, St. Edward High School. He has served in leadership roles at the school for 12 years.

Patrick Duhaney, BA ’06, was named city manager of Cincinnati after eight months as acting city manager.

Donnald Heckelmoser Jr., MPA ’06, is the president and chief executive officer of LSC Service Corporation, a firm that manages senior living facilities. The Lakewood resident most recently was executive director of the Western Reserve Community Development Corporation.

Katie  McDonough, JD ’06, opened her own law firm, McDonough Law, in Silver Spring, Md.

David Edelstein, JD ’07 and MS ’07, was named a partner in the Cincinnati office of Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease LLP.

Robin Ott, MPA ’07, joined Leadership Lake County as alumni engagement manager. She is a graduate of the leadership development program and most recently was manager of community engagement for the Lake County Free Clinic.

Dan Singer, BEd ’07, joined Colonial Country Club in Memphis as director of tennis after serving in the same role at the Racquet Club of Memphis. He also is the head tennis coach at St. Mary’s Episcopal School and has directed several United States Tennis Association national tournaments.

Nyaunu Stevens, BA ’07, joined the National Conference for Community and Justice as associate director of programs. She lives in Ashford, Conn.

Greg Vlosich, BA ’07, launched a Cleveland State collection of t-shirts and sweat shirts at GV Art & Apparel, which he co-founded.

Erica Crawley, BA ’08, is a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. She was appointed to the bipartisan Correctional Institution Inspection Committee, the state’s prison oversight body.

Teela Kovacs, BA ’08, received the Outstanding Art Teacher of the Year award from the northeast region of the Ohio Art Education Association. She teaches at two elementary schools in Avon Lake and has been with the district since 2013. She lives in Lakewood.

John Stilliana, MA ’08, was promoted to vice president for government and external affairs at Northeast Ohio Medical University. He previously was director of state government and external affairs.

Erin Eurenius, BBA ’08 and JD/MBA ’13, is part of the Cleveland Leadership Center’s Bridge Builders program for 2019 and recently received a Mover and Shaker award from the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club. Her Middleburg Heights law office specializes in elder law, estate planning, and special needs planning.

2010s 

Diana Starks, MA ’10, a vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland, has taken on  expanded responsibilities as director of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion, while continuing to lead the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and serve as the deputy equal employment opportunity officer.

Jon Baughman, MSUS ’11, is the deputy planner for Mt. Juliet, Tenn.

Holly Jackson, BAUS ’11, created a Wall of Love in Lorain, Ohio. Donated and purchased items such as gloves, hats and socks were attached to the wall; those in need were invited to help themselves. Jackson lives in Cleveland and wanted to give back to her hometown.

Katherine Kramer, BA ’11, is the executive director of the McConnell Arts Center in Columbus.

Matthew Roberts, MBA ’11, joined Copper Run as vice president, leading Northeast Ohio operations. He is based in Independence. Most recently, he was vice president of MelCap Partners.

Brittany Bate, BA ’11 and MA ’12, completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the Federal Correctional Center in Butner, N.C. and graduated with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, both in August 2018. She is currently completing a postdoctoral fellowship at a private practice at Wynns Family Psychology in Cary, N.C., where she is a clinical psychologist. At CSU, she was a five-year member of the Vikings softball team.

Andrea Nagy, BA ’12, was promoted to full-time assistant softball coach at Case Western Reserve University. As a part-time assistant coach, she helped lead the team to its most successful season ever. At CSU, she was a member of the Vikings softball team.

Dana Paris, JD ’12, is a personal injury trial attorney with Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy in Cleveland.

Shanette D. Buford-Brazzell, BA ’13, was a recipient of the 2018 YWCA Distinguished Young Woman Award. In November 2018, she started a new job as the assistant director of development in the Weatherhead School of Management External Relations department at Case Western Reserve University. She previously worked at United Way of Greater Cleveland. She lives in Maple Heights.

Ethan Krauss, BSEE ’13, patented a self-contained ion powered aircraft that has no moving parts and carries its power supply on board. He is working on a commercially viable version of this technology.

Justin Rhoads, BS ’13, is the assistant manager, home clubhouse, for the Cleveland Indians in Goodyear, Ariz. This year was his third spring training in that role.

Bradford Davy, MSUS ’14, joined the Fund for Our Economic Future as director of regional engagement. Most recently, he was a project manager at Camcode Global.

Amanda Martin, JD ’14, joined McDonald Hopkins LLC as an associate in the data privacy and cybersecurity practice group. For the past four years, she was an associate at McGlinchey Stafford PLLC.

Justin Clark, JD ’15, joined Ulmer & Berne LLP as an associate in the intellectual property practice group. 

Allie Dumski, BBA ’15, was appointed press secretary for state auditor Keith Faber. At CSU, she was president of the Student Government Association.

Susan Kornatowski, BBA ’15, joined Rea & Associates as a manager in the Cleveland office.

Noor Bahhur, BA ’15 and JD ’18, is an associate in the Columbus office of Porter Wright.

Paul All, BBA ’17, is a realtor with the Lisa Sisko Team of Keller Williams. At CSU, he was president of the Student Government Association.

Alexandra Arko, JD ’17, joined Internet defamation law firm Minc Law at Pinecrest in Orange Village.

Chelsey Davis, JD ’17, and Zack Feldman, JD ’17, are planning an August wedding. She is a contract administrator with Parker Hannifin Corporation and he is an attorney with Lallo and Feldman LPA.

Andrew Kovach, BA ’17 and MA ’17, received the Cleveland Council on World Affairs’ 2019 Outstanding Programmer Award.

Sara La Cotti, BA ’17, participated in a highly selective, four-week training program in book, magazine and digital publishing at Oxford University in England.

Dan Miller, BSME ’17, was selected for participation in the prestigious Venture for America fellowship program, which places recent graduates at startups in cities with emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems. He was matched with Gayanga, a Detroit construction engineering technology startup.

Mary Springer, JD ’17, is an attorney with the Ashtabula County Public Defender’s Office.

Matthew Ambrose, JD ’18, is an associate in the Cleveland office of Porter Wright.

Sierra Davidson, BA ’18, parlayed a student internship with the Western Reserve Agency on Aging into a career. As a special projects coordinator for the grants division, she works with regional institutions to develop new programming and support services for older adults.

Clinton Ransey, BA ’18, is the customer relationship manager for Angelica Textiles in Georgia. He returned to CSU after 29 years to complete his degree and now lives in Mississippi.

Stephen Regovich III, BA ’18, joined ATC Group Services, an environmental engineering consulting firm, as senior project manager in the building science department. He lives in Northfield.

Vlad Sworski, BS ’18, won Pi Mu Epsilon’s Undergraduate Research Award for Outstanding Student Research. PME is the international math honor society. He is now working towards his Ph.D. in mathematics at Colorado State University.

In Memoriam ALUMNI

1940s • Anthony Colnar, BSME ’42, in November 2018 • Alice Ladanyi, BS ’43, in April 2019 • Richard Mack, BSME ’49, in September 2018 • 1950s • Eugene Skerkoski, BSME ’50, in November 2018 • Ruth Waldhauer, BSCHE ’50, in March 2018 • Marcella Zeedick McCord, BBA ’53, in October 2017 • Leland Freedman, JD ’55, in December 2018 • Dudley Rolla, JD ’57, in November 2018 • Nancy Auer Jenkins, AAS ’58, in October 2018 • Ronald Boals, BSME ’58 and MS ’81, in April 2018 • 1960s • Carol Palladino Arcuri, AAS ’60, in October 2018 • Bohdan Huryn, BSECE ’60, in October 2018 • Robert Baier, BS ’62, in March 2019 • Gilbert Singerman, BBA ’62, in October 2018 • Raymond Coulter, BSME ’63, in November 2018 • Michael Bakos, BS ’64, in November 2018 • Donald Thorpe, JD ’64, in October 2018 • John Dettelbach, JD ’64 and MBA ’87, in October 2018 • Louis Levy, JD ‘65, in March 2018 • Frederick Vanderhoff, BS ’67, in December 2018 • Alfred Thomas, JD ‘68, in September 2018 • Lawrence Grey, JD ’69, in November 2018 • Don Ignasik, BBA ’69, in October 2018 • Donald Lee Oliver, BBA ’69, in March 2019 • 1970s • Sharyn Konte, BA ’71, in January 2019 • Kevin Moran, BA ‘71, in October 2018 • Donald Stavanja, BA ‘71, in August 2018 • Dennis Maliar, BBA ’73, in April 2018 • Hubert Forrey, BA ’74, in January 2019 • Helen Searcy Jones, BA ’74, in October 2018 • Velmaree Nicholson Smith, BA ’74, in October 2018 • Patricia Donahue, BSW ’75, in October 2018 • Jeffry Kelleher, JD ’75, in July 2018 • Mattie Moore, BEd ’75, in June 2018 • John Molle, BBA ’76, in November 2018 • Richard Weiner, JD ’76, in December 2018 • Michael Winter, BBA ’76, in May 2018 • Georgianna Adamson, MEd ’77, in February 2019 • Gerald Butts, BEd ’77, in March 2018 • Richard Muntean, BBA ’78, in November 2018 • Michael Redlick, JD ’78, in January 2018 • William Caine, JD ’79, in August 2017 • David Ziemba, BS ’79, in November 2018 • 1980s • David Tibbitts, BBA ’80, in March 2018 • Dennis Vargo, BBA ’80, in October 2018 • Geoffrey Oglesby, JD ’81, in February 2019 • Peter Babic, BA ’82, in November 2018 • William Haase, BA ’83, in October 2018 • Karen Evans, BASW ’89 and MSUS ’92, in December 2018 • 1990s • Sharon Wiesler, MEd ’93, in March 2018 • Patrick Tulley, JD ’94, in October 2018 • Ellen Quinn, JD ’95, in October 2018 • John Hildebrand, JD ’96, in March 2017 • Patricia Kolesnik Kaniecki, MEd ’96, in October 2018 • Joanne Sheldon, MEd ‘96, in October 2018 • Brenda Slegus, BBA ’98, in September 2018 • Robert Essig, JD ’99, in February 2019 • 2000s • August Garofoli, BBA ’01, in February 2019 • Melissa Toddy, JD ‘02, in March 2019 • Christopher Dolesh, BEd ’06, in December 2018 • Billie Whitson, BA ’07, in February 2019 • Nicole Delamotte-Ullman, BA ’11, in November 2018 • Janet Lynch-Haller, BA ’11, in June 2018 • Carolyn Punzo, BA ’15, in December 2018