KU Class Notes, spring 2026

Jayhawks: We want to share your updates here! Submit a Class Note to tell us what you’re up to.

1958

Alan Craven, c’58, g’63, PhD’65, wrote West of Westport, a historical fiction novel set in post-Civil War Kansas, published in December by Sunbury Press. Alan and his wife, Jan, live in San Antonio.

1966

John Butler, PhD’66, is lead author of the 2025 health care textbook Nutrition, Immunology, and Microbiology: The Critical Window of Development. He is professor emeritus in the department of microbiology and immunology in the college of medicine at the University of Iowa.

1970

Bob Peebler, e’70, in April received the 2026 Distinguished Engineering Service Award from the School of Engineering. A longtime executive in the energy industry, Bob has worked across global corporations, public companies and entrepreneurial ventures. He and his wife, Susie, live in Houston and Ojai, California.

1971

Stephen Pickard, l’71, retired recently after nearly 50 years practicing law in Alexandria, Virginia, and the greater Washington, D.C., area.

1972

Douglas Butterworth, f’72, in October was honored by the School of Architecture & Design with its Lifetime Achievement Award. A member of KU’s first graphic design graduating class, Doug led creative teams in branding, publications and advertising throughout a career that spanned more than 50 years. He and his wife, Lynne, live in southern Oregon.

1973

Greg Schnose, c’73, m’76, and Linda Schrant Schnose, c’74, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in May. They met in a TV lounge at McCollum Hall and married in Spencer Memorial Chapel at KU Medical Center. They live in Lawrence, where Greg practiced medicine for 45 years, and Linda taught junior high for 29 years. They have two daughters, Christina Schnose Salazar, c’02, m’07, and Elise Schnose Abicht, m’10, and seven grandchildren.

Marcy Smalley, c’73, g’82, wrote the coming-of-age memoir Piloting the Currents: Growing Up in Turbulent Times 1962-1973, published in April. The book looks back on student life and political activism at KU. Marcy is a retired urban planner and lives in the Kansas City area with her husband.

1976

Donald Rosemann, a’76, a’77, in October received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the School of Architecture & Design. He is the founder of Rosemann & Associates, a Kansas City-based multidisciplinary design firm.

1977

Paul Coakley, c’77, archbishop of Oklahoma City, in November was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Charles DeMotte, PhD’77, wrote the memoir My Life in Higher Education, published in September by Vanguard Press. He is a retired professor of history and sociology and lives near Ithaca, New York.

Bob Swift, d’77, in May was honored with the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Education & Human Sciences. He is the founder of TCI Wealth Advisors in Tucson, Arizona, and in 2019 founded the national nonprofit 3rd Decade, which offers free financial education classes and mentorship to young adults.

1978

Jeff Good, a’78, is a painter and retired principal at GFF Architects. His paintings have been exhibited across the U.S. and internationally. He lives on Vashon Island in Washington.

1980

Candi Cain-Borgman, ’80, in December retired as pastor at Cedar Church in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Richard Coleman, a’80, a’83, g’86, g’86, is retired as director of community development for the city of Leawood.

Jim Eggleston, l’80, is founding partner at the law firm Eggleston King Davis in Weatherford, Texas.

Scott Husted, c’80, n’82, is a nurse anesthetist and nonsurgical pain management provider at Flint Hills Pain Management in Manhattan.

1981

Susan Hamilton Chisolm, b’81, co-owns Texas Star Winery in Chappell Hill, Texas.

Lance Lobban, e’81, professor and chair of chemical engineering at the University of Oklahoma, in November was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.

Elizabeth Miller, b’81, g’83, g’07, PhD’10, in February was appointed by Gov. Laura Kelly to serve on the Kansas Development Finance Authority board of directors. Elizabeth lives in Lawrence and retired recently from her 40-year career in investment management, during which she was chief investment officer for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System for more than 15 years.

Tammy Mauck Peterman, n’81, g’97, in January was elected 2026 chair of the Kansas Hospital Association board of directors. She is executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at The University of Kansas Health System and president of the health system’s Kansas City division.

1982

John Taylor, j’82, is copy chief at the Las Vegas Sun.

1983

Carolyn Coleman, b’83, is executive director and CEO of the League of California Cities, based in Sacramento.

Tim Sharp, j’83, works at Round Table Bookstore in Topeka.

Lisa Stehno-Bittel, h’83, was named to the National Academy of Inventors’ 2026 class of senior members. She is professor emerita at KU Medical Center, where she developed a pioneering 3D cell culture platform to advance next-generation treatments for diabetes. She is the founder of the biotechnology company Likarda, which specializes in cell therapies and drug delivery technology.

1984

Roslyn Parker Croft, b’84, in January was promoted to director of community engagement at Tarlton, a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm, where she has worked since 2009.

Yvette Huet, c’84, PhD’89, in February was named dean of the college of health and human services at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Mark Mears, j’84, in November published his second book, LOVE@WORK: Creating Communities of Purpose and Belonging for Revolutionary Growth in a New World of Work. He is the founder and chief growth officer at LEAF Growth Ventures.

James Shaw, c’84, m’88, is founder and lead clinician at Shaw Plastic Surgery in Wichita.

1985

Lindsay Hutter, j’85, is chief strategy and marketing officer at Goodwin Living, a senior living community in Alexandria, Virginia.

Brad Miller, b’85, is president and CEO of First Security Bank & Trust, headquartered in Charles City, Iowa.

1986

Greg Beilman, m’86, in February was named CEO of University of Minnesota Physicians, the clinical practice for the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Kenneth Dawson, e’86, g’88, is principal flutter and dynamics engineer at Heart Aerospace in Torrance, California.

Thomas Jacobs, b’86, is CEO and executive director of the College Baseball Foundation and College Baseball Hall of Fame.

1987

Janell Collins, c’87, is a human resources specialist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Topeka.

Tiger Craig, c’87, is vice president of human resources at Hutchinson Clinic, a medical group that serves south-central Kansas.

Mark Turgeon, c’87, a former KU men’s basketball player and assistant coach, in February was named head coach of the University of Missouri-Kansas City men’s basketball team.

1988

Jody Dickson Becker, j’88, is editorial director at Cognite, a science communications agency.

Julia Dyson Novak, g’88, is CEO and executive director of the International City/County Management Association. She and her husband, Joe, live in Cincinnati.

1989

Andrew Loevenguth, j’89, is head of integrated production at Cartwright creative agency in Venice, California.

Shawn McClenny, c’89, owns Lilico’s Taverna, a Spanish-inspired cafe in Kansas City.

1990

Ruth Cooper, p’90, is a clinical pharmacist and director of specialty pharmacy at JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, Texas.

Tahir Rahman, c’90, m’95, is associate professor of psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis.

Susan Berton Sherman, g’90, in December was appointed Olathe city manager.

1991

Kirsten Fitzgerald, c’91, is an actor and the artistic director at A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago.

Dennis Higginbotham, m’91, and Joan Lasater Higginbotham, n’87, live in Pittsburg. Two of their children, Ryan, m’25, and Simon, m’25, are recent graduates of the School of Medicine, and their son Aaron is a current KU medical student. Dennis and Joan practice in Parsons, and Ryan and Simon are in general surgery residency in Wichita.

1992

Kirsten Judd, j’92, is executive director of Sporting Kaw Valley, a youth soccer organization that serves northeast Kansas.

Sean Lancaster, d’92, g’97, PhD’02, in April was named provost and vice president for academic affairs at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.

Gina Meier-Hummel, s’92, g’97, is executive director of O’Connell Children’s Shelter, a Lawrence-based nonprofit that provides support services to children and families experiencing hardship.

Laura Myers, d’92, g’93, is a project manager at 21st Century Programming, a software development company based in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Jim Peters, b’92, in March was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Brown-Forman, the spirits company that makes Jack Daniel’s.

1993

Leonard Kaufman, m’93, practices urology in Coral Springs, Florida.

Chris McAbee, c’93, is sustainability manager for the Maricopa County, Arizona, facilities management department.

Melanie Morgan, l’93, in February was appointed by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis as a judge for the San Miguel County Court in the 7th Judicial District.

Aileen Mushinski Wilkins, g’93, in January was named chief people officer at Arvest Bank.

1994

Elaine Barkley, j’94, is office manager at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center in Kansas City. She lives in Shawnee. Her nephew, John Harris, c’22, l’25, is a Jayhawk.

Teresa Orth Boos, g’94, is a behavioral health therapist at the U.S. Veterans Affairs clinic in Hays.

Alison Huttinger, n’94, is a regional nurse consultant for OPCO Skilled Management. She lives in Harrisonville, Missouri.

1995

Robert Brown, c’95, is a physician assistant at Littleton Internal Medicine Associates in Littleton, Colorado.

Rod Foley, d’95, is superintendent of Sandy Creek Public Schools in Fairfield, Nebraska.

1996

Mike Bell, e’96, in April was promoted to executive vice president at the Kansas City-based real estate development company Hunt Midwest, where he has worked for more than 15 years.

John Roever, c’96, is a geographic information systems specialist at AECOM, an engineering and construction firm.

Bill Ruisinger, b’96, g’97, is co-founder and chief financial officer at Lettermen’s Energy, a propane distribution company based in Overland Park.

1997

Justin Gooden, b’97, m’03, is the founder and medical director at MK Wound & Limb Preservation in Wichita.

John Rainwater, g’97, l’97, in October joined Squire Patton Boggs as a principal in the law firm’s Denver office.

Barb Galbreath Robertson, s’97, g’03, is circuit director for the 5th Circuit of the Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office.

1998

Tracy Mitzner, g’98, PhD’02, co-wrote the book Designing Robots to Improve Quality of Life for Older Adults, published in 2025 by CRC Press. She is a cognitive psychologist and the founder and principal research scientist at the consulting firm Person in Design.

Cotten Seiler, g’98, PhD’02, is professor of American studies at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

1999

Brian Bertcher, b’99, in November joined American National Bank of Texas as its North Dallas market president.

Peter Markatos, c’99, is vice president of design at Bumble, an online dating and social networking platform.

Dawn Peterson, m’99, a family physician, in January joined Stormont Vail Health Express Care in Topeka.

Shari Wilson, g’99, an ecology and sustainability educator, is president and CEO of Project Central, which designs environmental curriculum and programs for schools and communities. She lives in Kansas City.

2000

René Bollier, ’00, is president and executive chef at André’s Confiserie Suisse in Kansas City.

Dave Holtzman, d’00, g’03, is the baseball information and communication strategist for the Kansas City Royals.

Heather Jones, l’00, in January was named general counsel and senior vice president at Hunt Midwest.

Martina Musteen, g’00, PhD’06, is professor of global business at San Diego State University.

Dustin Smoot, c’00, m’04, is a trauma surgeon with the Surgical Institute of South Dakota.

2001

Brandon Cunningham, c’01, m’05, is a general surgeon at HaysMed, which serves Hays and surrounding communities in western Kansas.

Christa Dubill, c’01, is vice president and chief communications officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City.

Christie Garton, b’01, c’02, in March was named to the 2026 Inc. “Female Founders 500” list. She is the founder and CEO of 1,000 Dreams Fund, a national nonprofit that empowers young women through scholarships and other resources. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Andrew Gilles, a’01, is a principal at Mackey Mitchell Architects in the firm’s St. Louis office.

Derek John, c’01, is senior story editor for the weekly “Lawless Planet” podcast. He was executive producer on several podcasts from Slate, including “Slow Burn” and “Decoder Ring.” Derek lives in Chicago with his wife and two daughters.

Jeff Severin, c’01, g’11, is associate director of operations and engagement at the Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center. He and his wife, Loretta Wyrick Severin, c’01, live in Lawrence with their daughter, Ellorie.

Theresa Raye Sheffield, c’01, is director of employee and labor relations at University Health, an academic medical center in Kansas City.

2002

Petrus Bonang, e’02, is lead research engineer at A*STAR Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre in Singapore.

Karen Bray, e’02, is senior vice president and general manager for the south-central region at Burns & McDonnell, a multinational engineering, architecture and construction firm.

Darren Bruns, c’02, is chief operating officer at Galloway & Co., an architecture and engineering firm based in Denver.

Chris Glass, a’02, is a senior project manager at Morris Adjmi Architects in New York City.

Amy Randolph Lafferty, j’02, is senior communications manager at Heart to Heart International, a humanitarian organization based in Lenexa. She lives in Olathe and has two daughters.

2003

Ryan Blethen, ’03, in November was named publisher of The Seattle Times. He has worked at the newspaper for more than 20 years.

Erin Butsch Cole, s’03, g’04, in February was named CEO of the Women’s Employment Network, which serves the Kansas City metro area.

Tim Leopold, f’03, a trumpeter, in February won a Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance as a member of the chamber orchestra Alarm Will Sound.

Robyn Runft Liu, m’03, practices family medicine at Northwest Permanente in Portland, Oregon, and serves on the American Academy of Family Physicians board of directors. She and her husband, Jonathan, have three children, Ridley, Hilo and Mika.

Brent Newcomb, b’03, lives in London, where he is head of corporate development at the investment management firm Redwheel.

Adam Olberding, n’03, g’15, is senior director of nursing for critical care and emergency services at The University of Kansas Health System. Ingram’s Magazine in March named him one of its 2026 “Heroes in Healthcare.”

Sabah Öney, c’03, is president and CEO of Dispatch Biotherapeutics. In January he joined the board of directors of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle.

2004

Derek Gates, b’04, c’04, g’16, g’17, is the founder and principal consultant at Free State Business Solutions, a Lawrence-based consultancy that specializes in local and family-owned businesses.

Rick Griffin, l’04, in March was elected managing partner at Martin Pringle, where he has practiced since 2004. He is based in the law firm’s Wichita office.

James Owen, l’04, wrote The Wicked Among Us: Murder, Blackmail, and Book Collecting in the Ozarks, published in January by Simon & Schuster. The true crime book investigates the 2007 murder of a Missouri lawyer. James is executive director of the nonprofit Renew Missouri and lives in Columbia with his wife, Claire, and their children, Cecile and Miles.

April Klimek Soberon, d’04, is director of learning services for Leavenworth Public Schools.

2005

Natalie Cook, l’05, is a policy analyst for Johnson County, Kansas.

Ryan Faulconer, c’05, a former federal prosecutor, is assistant dean for public service at the University of Virginia School of Law.

Stephanie Gallina, b’05, is a director of corporate development at Amazon.

Betsy Winetroub Lindsey, c’05, is director of investor relations at Peak Equities, a Leawood-based commercial real estate investment firm.

Judith Anheier Shuey, f’05, is vice president of design at Circadia, a commercial interior and workplace design firm.

Andy Tuley, c’05, is president of Fountain City Logistics, a Kansas City-based freight solutions company he co-founded in 2023.

2006

Terra Lord Parten, c’06, in February joined the law firm Williams Mullen as an attorney in its health care practice. She is based in the firm’s Richmond, Virginia, office.

Miranda Shank Ruland, c’06, is an emergency medicine physician associate at CarePoint in Wichita.

Jonalan Smith, PharmD’06, is chief pharmacy officer at EmblemHealth, and Alison Fetter Smith, PharmD’06, is assistant director of pharmacy at KU Cancer Center. They live in Fairway and have two sons, Jackson and Connor.

Anne Valburg, c’06, m’18, is a primary care physician at LMH Health West Campus in Lawrence.

2007

Stephanie Puddy Campbell, j’07, is CEO of The Beacon, a Kansas City-based independent, nonprofit newsroom serving Kansas and Missouri. She and her husband, Bruce Campbell, c’07, live in Westwood and have three children.

Doug Goehl, g’07, in February was promoted to chief information officer at Optiv, a cybersecurity firm.

Jennifer May, g’07, in March was named Pearland, Texas, assistant city manager.

Katie Roesslein Van Hook, b’07, g’08, is an associate partner at EY in Tokyo. She lives in Yokosuka, Japan, where her husband, Graham, is stationed as a commander in the U.S. Navy. They have four children.

2008

Greg Clay, g’08, in October was appointed deputy chief of staff for the city of Atlanta by Mayor Andre Dickens.

Kyle Kitson, c’08, l’13, in January was promoted to general counsel at Cerris, a national construction services company based in Overland Park.

Shannon Lindgren, c’08, is director of corporate, foundation and government relations at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.

Adrienne Thurman, c’08, wrote Don’t Tell Me How It Ends, her debut novel, published in April by Penguin Random House.

2009

Gail Barrett, PharmD’09, is a pharmacist at Newman Community Rx in Emporia.

Alex Rock, d’09, is principal of the Malden Public Schools Early Learning Center in Malden, Massachusetts.

Nicholas Susi, f’09, is assistant professor of piano at the University of South Carolina and associate director of the Southeastern Piano Festival.

2010

Brent Blazek, d’10, g’12, is associate vice president of university advancement at Rockhurst University in Kansas City.

Lauren Byrne, c’10, is special counsel at Erise IP, an intellectual property law firm in Overland Park. She and her husband, Devin Byrne, b’11, live in Prairie Village with their sons, Patrick and Donny.

Liz Hawks, g’10, is global head of influencer relations at FleishmanHillard, a communications firm.

Kelly Chrisman Jacques, g’10, in October was appointed director of the University Press of Kansas by its board of trustees, composed of provosts from each of the six Kansas Regents institutions. Kelly has worked at UPK since 2007.

Matt Odom, l’10, in January joined the law firm Kennedy Berkley in its Hays office.

2011

Brian Jansen, l’11, in April joined the law firm King & Spalding as a partner in its finance and restructuring practice group. He is based in the firm’s Dallas office.

Janene Krueger, j’11, g’21, is a strategic communications specialist for the Kansas Department for Children and Families. She lives in Lawrence with her two daughters.

Jarret Mathews, g’11, in April was named chief operating officer at Safe Pro Group, a security and defense technology company.

2012

Carissa Osner Abernathy, PharmD’12, is the pharmacist at Freeman Pharmacy in Conway Springs. She and her husband, Kyle, have four children.

Sarah Bell, g’12, PhD’19, is director of the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka.

Sam Seaman, c’12, in March was elected partner at the business law firm HunterMaclean, where he has worked since 2022. He practices in the firm’s Savannah, Georgia, office.

2013

Emily Disney, l’13, is a senior compliance investigator at Baker Hughes, an energy technology company.

Aaron Kaufman, b’13, g’14, is associate principal and regional controller at the architecture firm Populous.

Elizabeth Snyder, m’13, is an internal medicine specialist at San Carlos Apache Healthcare on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in southeastern Arizona.

Greg Youncofski, c’13, in April was named assistant men’s basketball coach at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

2014

Patrick Beane, g’14, in February was named director of the Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority.

Rosie Alvelais Crocker, j’14, in March was named course director for Buddy Dive Academy, part of Buddy Dive Resort on the Caribbean island of Bonaire.

Shane Reynolds, c’14, directs philanthropy operations at Every Cure, a biotechnology nonprofit.

Zak Tazkargy, p’14, PharmD’16, m’21, a family physician, in May joined Lindsborg Community Hospital in Lindsborg.

Britt Thurman, g’14, is executive director of the Museum of North Idaho in Coeur d’Alene.

Usman Wajid, b’14, g’23, is founder and CEO of Block and Mortar, a Kansas City-based technology startup in the real estate development and construction sector. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in Overland Park with their 1-year-old daughter, Mia.

2015

Sean Cameron, e’15, g’16, in January was promoted to principal at the St. Louis-based structural engineering firm Alper Audi, where he has worked since 2017.

Alyssa Cole, c’15, g’17, PhD’22, is assistant professor of African American studies and history at the University of Florida.

Jack Deeter, c’15, is a senior associate at Equity Bank. He and his wife, Taylor, live in Wichita and have two children, Burke and Charlotte.

Jenica Wessels Harwood, m’15, in December joined the Express Care team at Stormont Vail Health in Topeka.

Dwayne Hooks, PhD’15, dean of the college of health at Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia, in October received the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Nursing. His nursing career spans more than 35 years, including more than 20 years as a family nurse practitioner.

Aurora Yager, s’15, g’17, in February was named Wayzata, Minnesota, city manager.

2016

Raeann Whitney Bowman, c’16, is a rheumatologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She and her husband, Heath, live in Flower Mound, Texas.

Cole Eisenmenger, u’16, is a music therapist at Endless Journey Hospice in Omaha, Nebraska.

Ryan Lyssy, g’16, lives in New York City, where he is associate principal at the architecture firm KPF.

Austin Maness, g’16, in April was named director of the Carroll Shelby Automotive Institute, part of Northeast Texas Community College.

Chris Pendleton, g’16, is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army based at Fort Leavenworth. His daughter, Danielle, is a sophomore at KU.

2017

Abi Bartlow Case, c’17, is a career coach at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Kristen Rau Rooker, d’17, d’21, OTD’23, is an occupational therapist at University of Vermont Health in Burlington, Vermont. She and her husband, Jacob “Jack” Rooker, d’18, m’24, met as KU Student Ambassadors in 2015. Jacob is completing his internal medicine residency at University of Vermont Health. They live in Winooski, Vermont, with their dog, Boots.

Axel Shum, m’17, is an ear, nose and throat surgeon at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Sara Stepp, g’17, PhD’23, in October was named director of the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka.

Micah Swimmer, g’17, is the Cherokee language and education coordinator in the human resources division of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Laura Vanderheiden-Zahner, c’17, m’22, practices family medicine at Stormont Vail Health’s Cotton O’Neil North Clinic in Topeka.

Ben Zuk, DPT’17, is a clinic manager at PT Solutions Physical Therapy.

2018

Heidi Armstrong, n’18, is director of patient care services at Sea Coast Home Health Care in San Diego.

Sarah Otto, l’18, in January was elected partner at Foulston Siefkin. She is based in the law firm’s Overland Park office.

Tyler Proemsey, a’18, is a design professional at Lawrence Group in the firm’s St. Louis office.

2019

Sharon Lokedi, b’19, a former KU cross-country and track and field athlete, on April 20 won her second consecutive Boston Marathon.

Jessi Loucks, n’19, DNP’24, in October was honored by the School of Nursing with its 2025 Early Career Achievement Alumni Award. She is a nurse practitioner with The University of Kansas Health System.

Michael Louis, g’19, is a program manager at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Melissa Wilson, d’19, g’23, is a mitigation specialist at the Missouri State Public Defender’s office.

2020

Rob Barron, c’20, is a product manager at NovaTech Automation.

Shane Creason, c’20, l’23, is an associate attorney at Bush Kornfeld, a commercial restructuring and bankruptcy law firm in Seattle.

Tara Lindahl, EdD’20, in April was named dean of academic affairs at Allen Community College in Iola.

Kasi Ross, b’20, g’21, is co-founder and co-owner of Haven Restaurant & Lounge in Wichita, which serves Southern-inspired fare.

Abigail Warnke, l’20, is a principal at the law firm Payne & Jones in Kansas City.

2021

Mark Coomes, c’21, g’22, is vice president and controller at First National Bank and Trust in Phillipsburg.

Maci Hicks, m’21, practices family medicine at Heartland Health Care Clinic in Abilene. She and her husband, Michael, have a son, Myer, and welcomed their second child this spring.

2022

Chloe Anderson, c’22, lives in Juneau, Alaska, where she is the communications specialist at Sealaska Heritage Institute.

Duncan Bauserman, e’22, is a patent agent at Holland & Hart in the law firm’s Boise, Idaho, office.

Ryan Reza, c’22, is a state policy and advocacy manager at Susan G. Komen, which supports breast cancer research, community health initiatives and advocacy programs.

Reagan Smith, c’22, is a clinical research coordinator at the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Fairway.

2023

Jackson Bontty, a’23, g’24, is a design professional at HNTB, an architecture and engineering firm. He and his fiancée, Emilee Luetkemeyer, live in Kansas City.

Rachel Holden Bryant, g’23, is a clinical research coordinator at KU Medical Center. She and her husband, Ben Bryant, e’19, live in Lawrence.

Bella Line, j’23, is the weekday Cape Coral reporter at WINK News in Florida.

Christian Nilles, PhD’23, is a chemical engineer at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois.

Ethan Robaina, e’23, is a mechanical engineer II at General Dynamics Electric Boat, which designs and builds submarines. He lives in New London, Connecticut.

Caroline Soro, j’23, is a sports anchor and reporter at FOX Carolina News in Greenville, South Carolina.

Haylen Wilhite, c’23, is a meteorologist at KWCH 12 News in Wichita.

2024

Claire Decatur, j’24, is a digital content creator at KCTV5 News in Kansas City.

Ella Hinson, s’24, g’25, is an advocacy specialist at the Greater Kansas City Coalition to End Homelessness.

Josh Hollin, g’24, in January was named senior vice president and chief technology officer at Benchmark, an electronics engineering and manufacturing company.

Mark Rofail, c’24, is a business technology officer at Life Centers of Kansas, which serves people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities.

2025

Greta Green, d’25, teaches first grade at Emerald Trail Elementary School in Rosemount, Minnesota.

Jonah Kahn, j’25, is a reporter and multimedia journalist at WIBW in Topeka.

Alexa-Kate McClarty, d’25, teaches pre-kindergarten at Santa Fe Trail Elementary School in Overland Park.

Arul Sethi, e’25, is a radio frequency engineer at York Space Systems in Denver.

Lainey Van Hecke, n’25, is a nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit at The University of Kansas Health System.

---

Top photo by KU Marketing/Andrew Lee
“Then again” photos courtesy of University Archives
Eclipse photo by Dan Storey