1950s 

James ’58 and JoAnn (Hosto) Kijewski ’59 celebrated 65 years of marriage; are retired; reside in Lansing. 

1960s

Kay (Gedelman) Deffley ’61 has been a director for Mary Kay for 50 years; is an organist and pianist for Asbury Memorial Church; resides in Savannah, Georgia. 

Helena (Lampi) Feinberg ’61 is a retired teacher; is a member of the Illinois Education Association and National Education Association; resides in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. 

Frances Jean (Tobias) O’Brien ’66 is retired from teaching roles in West Aurora Schools and Aurora University’s College of Education; resides in Aurora. 

G. Kent Schipper ’66 is retired from 36 years of teaching science; was nominated for Arizona’s Teacher of the Year award; marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama; resides in Show Low, Arizona. 

Donna (Skorburg) Brookbank ’69 is retired from a 37-year career in education; resides in Belvidere. 

1970s

Vivian (Sanders) Sallee ’70, M.S. ’91, is retired from a 35-year career in special education; resides in Houston. 

Dr. Craig Gentzle ’73 is a retired college professor; plays golf; mentors youth with the local First Tee chapter; resides with his wife in St. Simons Island, Georgia.

Roger Henkel ’73 is a retired farmer and transportation director for Pontiac District 90; is a substitute bus driver; resides in Pontiac. 

Barbara (Pacholski) House ’73, M.S. ’78, is a retired school administrator; enjoys running and golf; resides in Cypress, Texas. 

Judith (Reddish) Peterson ’73 is retired from a 45-year career in social work; resides in Wonder Lake. 

Judith (Nowlin) Porter ’73 is a retired high school teacher; resides in Woodridge. 

Judith (Seibert) Caveglia ’74 is a retired special education teacher; resides in Sun City Center, Florida. 

Alice Diver ’74 is retired from the Farmington School District as an art teacher; resides in Glasford.  

Otis ’74 and Maureen Michalski Kirchhoefer ’74 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary; met as members of a recreational volleyball team at Illinois State; Otis worked in business for 35 years; Maureen taught English in suburban Chicago for 30-plus years.

Marie (Kirkwood) Dooley ’75 is a retired teacher and research reference librarian; is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, actively contributing to her chapter; worked in Milner Library as a student in the acquisitions department; resides in Villa Park. 

Alfreda Keith Keller ’75 is a retired juvenile probation officer, with the Circuit Court of Cook County with 30 years of service; was a concealed carry instructor and cosmetology teacher licensor for the state of Illinois; resides in Monee. 

Bill Emerson ’76 is retired from the School City of Hammond (Ind.); is an elected city councilman representing Hammond’s fourth district; resides in Hammond, Indiana. 

Mike Matthews ’76 has been the color analyst for Illinois State men’s basketball radio broadcasts for 30 years; enjoys bringing the action to life on Redbird Sports Properties on Learfield.

Linda Moley ’76 is a retired behavioral health therapist; is currently a part-time peer support specialist with COPA Health; resides in Sun City, Arizona. 

Claire (Goldstein) Berger ’77 published How Much is Enough?: Getting More by Living with Less; is a comedian, improv actor, speaker, and writer; began her career at The Second City in Chicago; earned acclaim as a warm-up comedian for notable sitcoms, including Seinfeld; resides in New York City. 

Amy Inlander ’77 is a retired director, office manager, and paralegal of a 200-person law office; resides in Flossmoor.  

Ed Lewandowski ’78 is a retired teacher and administrator; resides in Shorewood. 

Patricia (Roth) Taylor ’78 is a retired teacher of deaf education; taught for two years in Illinois and the rest in Colorado; resides in Grand Junction, Colorado. 

Lawrence “Larry” Whittet ’78 has returned to the United States after an assignment in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, building the largest solar park in the world; is a consultant in the renewable energy industry; resides in Granbury, Texas. 

Arles Hendershott Love ’79 earned three certifications from the National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives; resides in Rockford. 

1980s

Tim Como ’80 taught and coached in Roswell, Georgia, for 30 years; taught and coached in Brussels, Belgium, in a role with the Department of Defense that allowed him to visit all the U.S. bases in Europe; earned master’s and specialist degrees from the University of West Georgia. 

Valerie Tate ’80 volunteers for Feeding South Dakota and was named its volunteer of the year; is retired; works at Custer State Park during the summer; resides in Hermosa, South Dakota. 

Scott Wagers ’80 ’93 is a project manager and staff archaeologist for Ethnoscience; has worked in the ethnoscience field since 1996; resides in Billings, Montana. 

Mary Abbott ’81 finished her sixth and final year as a classroom assistant after previously serving as a classroom teacher for 35 years; resides in Wilmette. 

Bruce Brown ’81 is retired from Allstate Insurance as a senior operations leader; is trustee board president of Countryside Fire Protection District in Vernon Hills; is vice president and co-founder of Cornerstone Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization; resides in Vernon Hills. 

Eileen (Moore) Harmon ’81 and her husband have provided over 20 years of missionary service, including eight trips to Papua New Guinea; the Harmons are now entrepreneurs with an e-commerce business; they reside in Sanford, Florida. 

Peter Mazzone ’81 has been the owner and managing attorney of Mazzone Law Firm for 30 years; resides in Mill Creek, Washington. 

Richard Schmidt ’81, M.S.W. ’04, is retired as a public service administrator for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, serving McLean, Dewitt, and Livingston counties; resides in Villa Park. 

Pamela (Wenzel) Hiller ’82 is retired; worked in residential mortgage lending for 37 years and at State Farm for one year; resides in Normal. 

Kevin Hieronymus ’83 was named the “Sportsperson of the Year” for the sport of softball by the Illinois Coaches Association; was inducted into the Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame as “Distinguished Media”; has been sports editor of the Bureau County Republican in Princeton since 1986.

Donsia Strong Hill ’83 was promoted to executive vice president of equitable engagement and impact strategies at Cinnaire, a nonprofit community development financial organization; recently led creation and implementation of a $55 million fund to support affordable housing; was a member of the College of Applied Science and Technology Hall of Fame’s inaugural class; resides in Chicago.

Jerry Kyne ’85 retired after 37 years as an area sales manager with Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis; enjoys riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle across the country and playing golf; resides with his wife just outside Milwaukee. 

Debbie (Wilhelm) Shuppert ’85 is retired from a 37-year career in education; enjoys spending her retirement traveling, playing pickleball, exercising, sewing, crocheting, and reading; resides in Gurnee. 

Tracy Bochantin ’86, M.S. ’89, is semi-retired and working as a hospitalist; resides in Fort Myers, Florida. 

Julie (Thomson) Burns ’86, M.S. ’88, is a clinical educator and instructor in Illinois State’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; has a husband and child who also attended Illinois State; resides in Normal. 

Jackie (O’Neal) Lukasik ’87 retired from teaching at Algonquin Middle School; resides in Union. 

Chris Berggren ’88 is vice president of distribution and benefits at Pan-American Accident and Health; resides in Gilberts. 

Cara Graves ’88 is retired from a 35-year career of teaching elementary school physical education; resides in Orland Park. 

Kathy (Anderson) Loveland ’88 is a pre-K teacher with Educare; resides in Wheaton. 

Brad Price ’88 cowboyed on ranches in Nebraska, Montana, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas; ran a business starting colts and training sorting horses in Solvang, California, for 22 years; recently relocated to Mission, Texas, to work at Murdoch’s Ranch Supply in the equine department. 

Andrea (Frowein) Bollinger ’89 is retired; enjoys traveling; splits time between Chicago and Carlsbad, New Mexico. 

James Guinnee ’89 is an operating partner with Storr Group, an operational equity specialist, and vice president of marketing with Storr platform company SPS PoolCare in Austin, Texas; resides in White Plains, New York. 

Steven Jones ’89 is employed by Goodwill Industries; resides in Pekin. 

Paula (Liebhart) Ruddy ’89 is a teacher in Community Consolidated District 59; met her husband, Mike Ruddy ’87, at Illinois State; has three children who have or soon will attend Illinois State; resides in Downers Grove. 

1990s

Christy Broccardo-Grove ’90 is a digital media manager for Colour Republic, an international business-to-business and business-to-consumer flower company; resides in Springfield.

Janet Cook ’90 is a service area coordinator at Illinois State University working at University High School; resides in Normal.

Cornel Erdbeer ’90 is an entrepreneur with a business doing drapery and upholstery work; resides in Northbrook.

Nicholas Janopoulos ’90 is a data scientist at Discover Card Financial; resides in Villa Park.

Patricia (Pequignot) Larkin ’90, M.S. ’91, is a full-time clinical educator for Illinois State’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; is a doctoral student doing dissertation work in the Department of Special Education; has two daughters and a husband who have also attended Illinois State; resides in Normal.

Doug Livingston ’90 retired from teaching in the Harlem School District after 33 years.

Susan Martin ’90 is the principal at Reservoir Gifted Academy in Peoria; has 30 years of experience in education; was a finalist for a Golden Apple Award.

Scott ’91 and Gina (Whitlock) Fletcher ’91 celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary; reside in Fenton, Missouri.

Lynn (Boehle) McCloskey ’92 is the chief of staff in the Division of Criminal Investigation at the Illinois State Police; resides in Springfield.

Ingrid (Dowell) Peelle ’92 is retired; resides in Brimfield.

Belinda Farr ’93 has worked in child welfare for over 30 years; has been a prevention specialist with Prevent Child Abuse Illinois for the past 18 years; resides in Markham.

Carol Baker, M.S. ’95, is retired; resides in Bloomington.

Scott ’93 and Julie Horsch ’95 have been married for 30 years; have two daughters; Julie worked in graphic design for nearly 20 years; Julie now works part-time at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Somonauk; reside in Somonauk.

Cassandra Johnson ’95 is an adult education advisor in the TRIO Educational Opportunity Center at Endeleo Institute; resides in South Holland.

Lisa (Askey) Solak ’95 is the supervisory digital imaging specialist at the Barack Obama Presidential Library-National Archives and Records Administration; ensures documents from the Obama administration are digitized and available to future researchers; resides in Crystal Lake.

Dorothy Welty ’95, M.S. ’98, is a retired community college dean of instruction; resides in Normal.

Cindy Bower ’96 is retired from a career in education; resides in Ottawa.

Robert Potempa ’96 is the principal consultant in the Illinois State Board of Education’s assessment department; previously worked as a teacher and administration for more than 20 years; resides in Niles.

Nancy Piper ’97 is an American Sign Language (ASL) teacher at Morton Ranch High School in Katy (Texas) Independent School District; has been an ASL teacher for 19 years, previously worked at T.H. Rogers Elementary School in Houston; performed the national anthem with her students at a Houston Texans game in 2021; resides in Katy, Texas.

Cheryl (Sirabian) Verhey ’87, M.A. ’05, was appointed to the College Board’s advanced placement U.S. history test development committee; is a history teacher at Jones College Prep High School; resides in Chicago. 

Kate (Peterson) Colbert, M.A. ’98, authored Commencement: The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education, a book about industry trends; spoke at SXSW EDU Conference & Festival; conducts market research for colleges and universities; coaches university presidents and chief marketing officers; resides in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Kristen (Lachcik) Ferguson ’98, M.S. ’04, has been a teacher for 29 years; is currently a cooperating teacher for the Illinois state early childhood student teaching program; hosts college students for clinical hours; earned a master’s degree in reading with a reading specialist certification and English as a second language certification; resides in Garden Prairie.

Jackie (Mesnard) Wright ’98 has taught special education for over 25 years; earned a master’s degree; resides in Paxton.

Beth Mayfield House ’99 had a painting, “Raven Bone,” selected to be juried in an exhibition, Reflections,at University Galleries earlier this year; resides in St. Louis.

Dr. Colleen Mobley-Brown ’99 earned a Doctor of Pharmacy from Chicago College of Pharmacy at Midwestern University-Downers Grove; got married in 2020; is a pharmacy manager at Walgreens; resides in Bloomington.

2000s

Travis Johnson ’00 is a senior large loss specialist for RAC; is married with three children; resides in Sherman.

Amy (Ausbury) Wacker ’00, M.S. ’04, is a third grade teacher at Tripp Elementary School; was a Golden Apple Award finalist.

Julie (Louis) Ninnis ’01 is a senior coordinator of marketing and communications for Washington University Physicians; resides in Columbia.

Beth (Clark) Thompson ’01 is a family nurse practitioner with Marathon Health; has a daughter who will begin a nursing program at Illinois State this fall; resides in Roscoe.

Erika Zachery ’01 was promoted to division leader of Thornridge High School’s English, speech, reading, and library services units after teaching high school English for 20 years; resides in Richton Park.

Suzanne Scanlon, M.A. ’03, published a memoir, COMMITTED: On Meaning and Madwomen, a deep dive on authors deemed “madwomen” like Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, and Charlotte Perkins Gillman.

Sean Arians ’04 is vice president of sustainable production at the National Corn Growers Association; resides in Waterloo.

Travis Little ’06 is vice president for CBRE’s Global Workplace Solutions; earned an MBA at the University of Illinois at Springfield; lived and worked in Phoenix for 13 years; resides in Springfield.

Joley Moss ’06 earned a master’s degree in paralegal studies at Ashworth College; received credentials as a certified pharmaceutical sales representative from the National Association of Pharmaceutical Representatives; resides in Bloomington.

Cole Smalley ’06 is the head chef at Grand Park Sports Complex; resides in Westfield, Indiana.

Sheri (Causer) Bettis ’07, M.S. ’19, is the director of Illinois State’s National Board Resource Center; is also in the Master of Social Work program; resides in Normal.

Miriam (Bonilla) Castro ’07 is student services department chair at Fremd High School; previously served as a teacher, dean of students, and school counselor at Palatine High School; resides in Roselle.

Michelle (Fine) Macfadden ’07 recently completed her 17th year of teaching; is a sixth grade English language arts and social studies teacher in Wilmette School District #39; resides in Northbrook.

Amy Beth Outland ’07 is a freelance writer, editor, and social media professional; has worked for Writer.ly and Gather.com; has published poetry and several publications; is a guest services representative at Franciscan Health in Olympia Fields; resides in Dyer, Indiana.

Ashley Underhill ’07 went back to school to become a nurse and has been one for 11 years; is expecting her first child; resides in Peoria.

Jillian Kimberlin ’08 runs YouTube and Facebook accounts titled “Jillian Camps Arizona” with more than 10,000 subscribers, where she talks about hiking and helps travelers plan trips to the Grand Canyon and other Arizona destinations; is a systems engineer for Wells Fargo; resides in Apache Junction, Arizona.

Dr. Siobhan (Hudson) Watkins ’08 is a training coordinator; earned a doctorate; resides in Romeoville.

Jennifer (Poduch) Albro ’09, M.S. ’11, is a speech-language pathologist for Schaumburg School District 54; has two children; resides in Palatine.

Nick Hibbs ’09 launched a free service for families to locate senior care solutions called Assisted Living Helpers, with a website designed by Illinois State University graduate students; resides in Bloomington.

Dr. Barbara Mayden ’09 earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga University; resides in Houston.

Dr. Jacqueline Oram-Sterling, Ph.D. ’09, is a high school teacher; previously served as dean of Mico University College; resides in Miami.

2010s

Molly Battaglini ’10 is a school psychologist in Big Hollow School District 38; resides in Mundelein.

Andrew Kawula ’10 earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing at Roosevelt University; resides in Harwood Heights.

Erica (Coffey) Larkin ’10 is a parent liaison for Easterseals; is running for a seat on the McLean County Board in the November 2024 election; resides in Bloomington.

James McClister ’10 is an award-winning writer and editor; is editor of Custom Builder Online, part of Prob Builder Media, a collection of trade publications serving the residential construction industry; resides in Chicago.

Scott Gleeson ’11 co-authored a book with Dick Vitale, Until My Last Breath, that is benefitting the V Foundation for Pediatric Research; is a former USA Today sports reporter.

Kevin Krivosik ’11 is the director of bands at Barrington High School; resides in Chicago.

Kevin McKenzie ’11, M.S. ’14, founded a digital marketing agency in 2019, Built-Right Digital, that was acquired by an investment group; resides in Mundelein.

Cara Vock ’11 is a program manager for chapter development at the Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center; resides in Normal.

Bryan Fekety ’12 is expecting his first child; is a senior account executive with IBM; resides in Highland Park.

Dr. Paul Husch ’12 earned a doctorate; is an assistant principal for Rockwood (Mo.) Schools; resides in St. Louis.

Maggie McCarter ’12 has been a teacher for 12 years; resides in Downers Grove.

Chelsey (Gallegos) Miller ’13, M.S. ’15, is a speech-language pathologist; resides in Orland Park.

Zack Howard ’14 is a producer and editor of creative multimedia at the United State Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation; resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Allison Sahm ’14 is a training manager; resides in Lakeland, Florida.

Jaclyn (Hetlinger) Bhola ’15 is a clinical documentation integrity specialist for Memorial Hermann Health System; previously spent five years in a cardiac intensive monitoring unit in surgery; is married with a young daughter; resides in Cypress, Texas.

Brady ’15, M.S. ’17, and Emily (Siefken) Garrett, M.S. ’18, got married; Brady works for GME Supply; Emily works with the University of Missouri volleyball program; they reside in Columbia, Missouri.

Kevin Ganac ’16 is engaged to be married; resides in Arlington Heights.

Daniel Gaytan, M.S. ’16, is the director of student engagement for Arizona State University’s Alumni Association; resides in Apache Junction, Arizona.

Michael Gutierrez ’16 is the administrative manager of teacher education for the Longy School of Music of Bard College; got married; resides in Gurnee.

Melissa Kaufmann, M.S. ’16, works in site management; is writing a dissertation for her Ph.D.; resides in Jasper, Alabama.

Ashley Yurchak ’16 completed her eighth year as a high school teacher; resides in Willowbrook.

Maria Austin ’17 is a district-wide special education instructional coach; received her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with a focus on trauma and resilience; resides with her husband in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Alyssa Dietz ’17 is a certified veterinary technician instructor at Fox College Vet Tech Institute; resides in Coal City.

Kaitlyn (Kreeger) Golemon ’17 earned a doctorate in audiology; is a clinical audiologist for Priority Hearing & Tinnitus; resides in Gilbert, Arizona.

Derek Rhoney ’17 welcomed the birth of his second child; is a construction manager with R Carlson and Sons, Inc.; resides in Aurora.

Karen Vargas ’17 is a third grade dual language teacher at Namaste Charter School; was a finalist for a Golden Apple Award.

Weston ’17 and Catherine (Byron) Whalen ’17 welcomed a baby boy; reside in Western Springs.

Blaize Wheaton ’17 is a strategic business analyst for Builders United; has two children with his fiancé; resides in Las Vegas.

Taylor Bartosiewicz ’18 was promoted to lead dietitian/nutritionist with the Marion County Public Health Department; resides in Orland Park.

Alexandria Clink ’18 is a business assistant at Heartland Dental; resides in Leesburg, Florida.

Ryan Curtis ’18 started and runs an online retailer of freshwater aquarium shrimp; is vice president of commercial lending at First Security Bank; resides in Bloomington.

Nicole (Peck) Grobe ’18 is an operating room nurse at Rush Copley Medical Center; resides in Yorkville.

Holly Huckstadt ’18 has taught high school mathematics for five years; took last year off to volunteer abroad to volunteer in Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Kenya; has previously volunteered in Peru, Costa Rica, and Indonesia; resides in Danville.

Kristin Johnson ’18 began pursuit of a doctorate in physical therapy at North Central College; resides in DeKalb.

Rebecca (Peeples) Liberatore ’18 has taught at Seneca High School for six years; is working to create a transitional English course through Illinois Valley Community College; resides in Oswego.

Emily Stoll ’18 is a special education teacher at Northside College Prep in Chicago Public Schools; resides in Chicago. 

Sarah Wortman ’18 is pursuing a certified registered nurse anesthetist degree at Millikin University; will start work at Springfield Memorial Hospital upon her graduation from Millikin; resides in Effingham.

Kayte Bernardoni ’19 is a staff attorney for Prairie State Legal Services in Peoria; resides in McNabb.

Wendy Corral ’19 is a fourth-grade art teacher in Kewanee School District #229; resides in Kewanee.

Tory Dewitt ’19 completed her fourth year of teaching; resides in Warrenville.

Rachel Guynn ’19 is a registered nurse in a cardiac catheterization lab and interventional radiology at Silver Cross Hospital; resides in LaSalle.

Cheryl Leman, M.S. ’19, earned a post-master’s certificate in psychiatry and mental health from Illinois State; is an advanced practice nurse for Truth in Love Counseling & Care; resides in Bloomington.

Peyton Metry ’19 is returning to Illinois State this fall to begin a master’s program; resides in Naperville.

Giovanni Muzzarelli ’19 is a senior labor consultant for NiSource; earned a master’s degree from the University of Illinois in human resource management and labor relations; resides in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Ashley Palmer ’19 taught for three years after graduating from Illinois State; took a break to focus on raising her daughters; resides in McHenry.

Katy Reed ’19 is a graduate admissions counselor at the University of Illinois Chicago; started an MBA program with a concentration in human resource management; previously taught in Chicago Public Schools; resides in Chicago.

2020s

Chantal Brobst, M.S. ’20, attended graduate school; is an occupational therapist; resides in Vernon Hills.

Julia Burke ’20 is getting married in September; resides in Bloomington.

Jessica Coffman ’20 completed her fourth year of teaching; is a third grade teacher in Charleston School District 1; resides in Ashmore.

Lauryn (Oleson) Haas ’20 and Donovan Haas ’20 got married; welcomed their first child, a boy; reside in Normal.

Brie Hoepner ’20 is pursuing a master’s degree in special education; resides in Waynesville.

Jillian Jendra ’20 is a kindergarten teacher in Flossmoor School District 161; earned a meritorious service award from the Illinois State Board of Education; resides in Manhattan.

Abby Langner ’20 and Caleb Pritts ’19 got engaged; Abby is a financial aid advisor at Baker College; she resides in Spring Lake, Michigan.

Rachel Marx ’20 illustrated a children’s book, Sarge Finds His Place; is working at Nickelodeon Animation on a new children’s series that will premier this fall on Nickelodeon and Paramount+ based on the Lincoln Pierce books, Max and the Midknights.

Frank Murray ’20 is a human resources analyst for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago; resides in Oak Lawn.

Blake Whittle ’20 and Shea (Boston) Whittle ’21 got married; Blake is the owner of ClikIT; they reside in Normal.

Anne (Amegbeha) Amissah, M.S. ’21, is a doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky; resides in Lexington, Kentucky.

Grace Bang ’21 is enrolled in graduate school pursuing a degree in elementary education; resides in Lake Zurich.

Julie Friedman ’21 is a special education teacher working with transition age and high school students with disabilities; resides in Buffalo Grove.

Christina Healy ’21 is a teen and adult recreation coordinator for SEASPAR; resides in Palos Hills.

Jamyla Hodge-Story ’21 is engaged to be married; is an assistant manager at Circle K; resides in Chicago.

Scarlett Holze ’21 is a surgical intensive care unit nurse at Vanderbilt Medical Center; resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Carrie Hruby, Ed.D. ’21, published Comfy Shoes and Keychains: Tips for Women in Leadership, her first book; is under contract for a second book with the same publisher.

Eric Korankye, M.S. ’21, is in his second year of a Ph.D. program at Illinois State, where he is also a graduate teaching assistant; resides in Bloomington.

Hope Morris, M.S. ’21, returned to Illinois State University as an academic advisor; bought a house; resides in Bloomington.

Matthew Pazienza ’21 is a team leader at Rivian; resides in Bloomington.

Vince Pray ’21 manages Graybar Electric Company’s Detroit and Fort Wayne (Ind.) markets; accepted a financial trainee position at Graybar after graduation, managing Graybar branches in Peoria, Champaign, and Springfield; resides in Detroit.

Christopher Recendez ’21 is an English and AVID teacher and multimedia pathway advisor at Rolling Meadows High School; resides in Rolling Meadows.

Jackie Regnier ’21 is a teacher at Elmwood Park High School; was recognized as a 2024 Illinois State Board of Education “Those Who Excel” honoree; resides in Chicago.

Megan Richardson ’21 recently completed her third year of teaching fifth grade in Grant Park Elementary Community Unit School District #6; resides in Manteno.

Nicholas Sullivan ’21 is an IT recruit for TEKsystems; resides in Winfield.

Taylor Veile ’21 is a clinical laboratory scientist for Eurofins-Viracor; resides in Kansas City, Missouri.

Jennifer Wardrop ’21 is an environmental compliance specialist for Aqua Illinois, the second largest water-wastewater utility in the country; is pursuing a master’s degree at Unity Environmental College; resides in Carol Stream.

Maya Zinke ’21 became a certified histotechnician at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; recently completed her first year of veterinary school at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine; resides in Lyndon.

Alyssa Anselmini ’22 is a social science teacher in J. Sterling Morton District 201; will be teaching advanced placement this fall; resides in Addison.

Naomi Arebalo ’22 is pursuing a Master of Social Work; is a substitute teacher; resides in Homewood.

Brittany Damerjian ’22 is an LBS1 high school teacher; resides in Mount Prospect.

Audra Heistand ’22 is a software engineer for State Farm; is recently engaged; resides in greater Washington, D.C.

Jessica Hogeboom ’22 is teaching at the elementary school she once attended in the Kewanee School District; resides in Kewanee.

Kelly Kerrigan ’22 is a long-term substitute teacher in District 48; resides in Elmhurst.

Liz Michaels ’22 and Elian Adorno ’22 got married; they reside in Chicago.

Hannah Motkowski ’22 is a registered nurse at Edward Hospital; resides in Naperville.

Emma Ortiz ’22 is a premium events coordinator in Illinois State University’s Athletics Department; resides in Normal.

Roneth Pineda ’22 completed her second year as a second-grade teacher in an inclusion classroom that combines special education with general education; is piloting an English language arts program she plans to implement next year; is a graduate student at Dominican University in a trauma-informed leadership program; resides in Elmwood Park.

Paige Taylor ’22 is an environmental health specialist for the DuPage County Health Department; resides in Lombard.

Alexis Showalter ’22 is pursuing a doctorate in dentistry at the University of Michigan; resides in Towanda.

Tiona Washington ’22 is a preschool teacher in McLean County Unit School District 5; resides in Normal.

Val Adams ’23 is pursuing a master’s degree at Illinois State; is completing an internship; resides in Mokena.

Dr. Armen Alvarez, Ph.D. ’23, was selected to provide the presidential address for the American Educational Research Association, a presentation of her co-authored book chapter, “Supervision of Guerilla Pedagogies”; is an associate director of the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance; resides in Chicago

Lucas Carra ’23 is a claim specialist at State Farm; resides in Normal.

Kylie Conroy ’23 is an academic counselor at Louisiana State University; resides in Bloomington.

Lynette Dubovik, M.S. ’23, is a 3D art teacher at Streamwood High School in District Unit 46; resides in Geneva.

Ashley Evans ’23 is a STEM teacher for kindergarteners through fourth graders at Prairie Grove Elementary School; resides in Crystal Lake.

Rochele (Pereira) Gloor, M.S. ’23, is an instructional innovation assistant at the innovation studio and virtual reality laboratory at the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; presented the co-authored paper, “Can You Feel What I Feel? Leveraging aesthetics in visual and spatial audio VR experience,” at a conference in London; resides in Champaign.

Zach Holcomb ’23 earned a master’s degree in business analytics at the University of South Carolina; resides in Oviedo, Florida.

Tyler Jenkins ’23 is an actuarial analyst at State Farm; bought a house; resides in Bloomington.

Madison Jording ’23 is an inside sales coordinator for Rubycon America; resides in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Sarah King ’23 is a middle school life skills teacher in District 62; resides in Park Ridge.

Emily Kress ’23 completed her first year as a second grade teacher in Roselle District 12; resides in Bloomingdale.

Kristin Layne ’23 is a second grade teacher in Yorkville; resides in Sugar Grove.

Samantha Mattea ’23 is a special education teacher for students with autism in Mundelein; resides in Palatine.

Erin (Reed) Nelson ’23 completed her first year as a junior high science and math teacher at Cornerstone Christian Academy; resides in Bloomington.

Justin Palmer ’23 started pharmacy school; resides in Orland Park.

Scout Paul ’23 is enrolling in Midwestern University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy program; resides in Bloomington.

Emma Porter ’23 is a design tech for OSF HealthCare; resides in Peoria.

Hailee Wendorf ’23 is an activity assistant at Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Adult Day Services, where she interned as an Illinois State student; resides in Naperville.

Jaden Johnson ’24 earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology; placed in the top three in the 110- and 400-meter hurdles at the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships; resides in Freeport and Normal.

Troops

Jennifer (Grampp) Aurora ’96 retired after 23 years in the Air Force; was the first female command chief for the Illinois Air National Guard; is an operations specialist for Hueman People Solutions; resides in Bloomington. 

Bianna Yeager ’13 is a retired U.S. Army combat veteran who served from 1994-2006; resides in Elmhurst.