October 2019
1965
Neil Draisin received awards for his contributions to developmental optometry during the 49th Annual Meeting of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development in April. He received both the 2019 G. N. Getman Award and the Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Draisin is an optometrist at Draisin Vision Group and lives in Charleston, SC, with his wife, Carolyn.
1974
Randell Stoney has been named to the Best Lawyers in America 2020 list for his legal work in the areas of construction law, personal injury litigation - defendants, and product liability litigation - defendants. He is an Attorney and Managing Member for Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms in Charleston, SC.
1981
Leigh Jones Handal wrote Lost Charleston, which documents the buildings, institutions, and traditions that have been lost over the generations to wars, fires, hurricanes, demolition, and other disasters since the mid-1700s. Lost Charleston spent several weeks in the number one spot on Amazon's list of New Releases in Travel/Photography in July and August 2019. The Alumni Association will host a book signing for Leigh, Past President of the Alumni Association, during Fall Alumni Weekend in November 2019.
1985
Jeffrey Fleming is the Chief Operating Officer for Palmetto Project, Inc., located in North Charleston, SC. The mission of the Palmetto Project is to identify innovative strategies to address the social and economic challenges facing the state of SC and put them into action.
1986
Sherri Ellis Berni is the Change Manager for Michelin North America, located in Greenville, SC.
1988
Dan Barry joined NFP Retirement as their Senior Vice President and Southeast Region Practice Leader in Charlotte, NC.
1990
Brandon Pitcher is the Principal of Oakbrook Middle School in Summerville, SC, and has been promoted by the SC Army National Guard to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Brandon has served 28 years in education and his military career spans 24 years. He has been selected as the new Deputy Commander of the 218th Regiment at McCrady Training Center in Eastover, SC. He and his wife, Susan, live in Summerville, SC, and have three children.
1994
Ann Dozier Prince lives in Blythewood, SC, with her husband, Scott. She earned a degree in physical therapy from MUSC in 1996 and has two daughters, Anna Ross and Jordan Ross. Jordan will graduate from the College of Charleston in 2020.
Mary Beth Hiers Roulston is the Assistant Principal at Pritchardville Elementary School in Bluffton, SC. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Okatie, SC.
1995
Elizabeth Gore Meny is the Associate Director of Admissions for the Yaschik/Arnold Jewish Studies Program at the College of Charleston. She and her husband, Darin Meny '96, live in Harleyville, SC.
1998
Angie Harty Brown is the Executive Director for CFA Society Nashville. She lives with her husband, Peter, and their two sons in Brentwood, TN.
Suzette Daniels Shaw is the Assistant Principal at Langston Chapel Elementary School in Bulloch County and lives in Statesboro, GA.
Alicia Lemler Gunst is the Admissions Director Assistant for First Baptist School in Charleston, SC. She and her husband, Ryan, live in North Charleston with their two children, John and Maggie.
2000
Jeff Blankenship and Jennifer Cameron Blankenship '02 (MS '06) announce the birth of their third son, Anderson, on June 11, 2019. He joins big brothers, Jake and Sam. Jeff was named Principal of the Center for Advanced Studies at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, SC. This space provides an environment for career and technology course offerings and will serve the students of Wando and Lucy Beckham high schools.
2001
Marijana Radic Boone (MPA '03) will be the new Senior Director of Solutions within the Nonprofit Solutions Division of FusionLabs, Inc. starting in October 2019. She has worked at the College for over eight years and has helped lead countless transformations within the Advancement Services department. Marijana will remain in Charleston with her husband Chris, and their two children, Ella and Kai.
Lara Caulder Byrd was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Chaplain Corps, United States Navy. She is currently serving as the Command Element Chaplain for Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Crisis Response Africa. She lives in Lexington, SC.
2004
Megan Diminich Bunch earned her master's degree in physician assistant studies from Duke University in 2015 and is a Physician Assistant at MUSC Family Medicine in Charleston, SC. She and her husband, George, welcomed their son, Barrington, on August 25, 2015.
Katherine Scott Crawford (MA) just launched MountainTop Writers Retreats. She is the Founder and Director of the seasonal, long-weekend retreats for writers and creatives in the North Carolina Mountains. Katie lives in Brevard, NC, with her husband and two daughters.
Jeanne Hatcher received her MD from Wake Forest University in 2008 and specializes in voice, airway, and swallowing disorders. She is the Fellowship Director for Laryngology and Care of the Professional Voice at the Emory Voice Center at Emory University Hospital, and she is an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at Emory University School of Medicine. Jeanne married Kyle D'Mellow on July 29, 2017, and the couple lives in Atlanta, GA.
2005
Tyler Chewning married Kim Ashcraft on August 25, 2019, at the Firethorne Country Club in Waxhaw, NC. The couple lives in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Daniel Cook is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who founded Embodied Mind NYC, an integrative, private, mental health counseling practice in New York City focusing on men's mental and relational health. He earned his MA in counseling psychology from Naropa University in 2011.
Virginia Bell Flynn is an Attorney and Partner in the Consumer Financial Services practice at Troutman Sanders in Richmond, VA. She has received a 2019 Law360 Rising Star award honoring her career accomplishments in consumer protection law, and was selected from more than 1,300 nominees and named to their winner's list of 175 attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments transcend their age. Virginia lives in Centreville, VA, with her husband, Eric, and their three sons.
2006
Michael A. Pringle II is an international hair stylist, hair care specialist, and designer. His work has appeared on the cover of South Korea's NEH Magazine, Bronner Brothers International Hair Show platforms, Hair Etc. Hair Convention of South Carolina, and countless print and commercial work throughout the US and Southeast Asia. Michael lives in Holly Hill, SC.
2008
Samantha Davies is the Senior Specialist, Graphic Design for Vail Resorts in Broomfield, CO.
2009
Elizabeth Royall and Stephen Darby '07 were married on June 28, 2019, at The Venue in downtown Asheville, NC. After a cruise to Belize for their honeymoon, the couple now resides in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Megan Driggers earned her JD from Wake Forest University and is an Attorney for Santee Cooper in Moncks Corner, SC. She and her husband, Michael Dudkin, welcomed a daughter, Elise Noa Dudkin, on April 13, 2018.
Mackenzie Gwynne and Neill Tuten '06 are both physicians in Charleston, SC. Mackenzie is a Dermatologist at Charleston Dermatology. She received her MD from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and completed a residency in dermatology at West Virginia University. Neill is a Hospitalist with Roper St. Francis Hospital. He received his MD from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Christian Harding is the Co-Founder & CEO of VaxNewMo, LLC in St. Louis, MO, where he oversees the development of bioconjugate vaccines. Recently, his company had a breakthrough on the development of a vaccine for resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Christian was a contributing author to "A promising bioconjugate vaccine against hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae", which was just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He obtained his PhD in biomedical sciences with an emphasis in microbial pathogenesis from Ohio State University in 2015.
2010
Somers Maky Farmer is the Senior Event Specialist for SYNNEX Corporation in Greenville, SC. She is also President-elect of the Upstate CofC Alumni Club.
Dustin Gavin is a Digital Asset Manager for Francis Ford Coppola Presents and lives in Santa Rosa, CA.
Elizabeth Nicholson married Rory Wojcik on May 4, 2019, in Savannah, GA. Elizabeth received her JD from Charleston School of Law in 2015 and is employed by the law firm of Rosen Hagood in Charleston, SC.
Emily Stressman has been promoted to Assistant Sales and Project Manager for Eurofins Biodiagnostics in Charleston, SC.
2011
Will Taylor was recognized on the Forbes "Best In State Next-Gen Wealth Advisors" list in September 2019. Will is a Wealth Management Advisor and CFP with Merrill Lynch and has offices in Greater NYC and NC. He and his wife, Katarina, live in Ridgewood, NJ, with their son, Charles.
2012
Katy Brockmann is a Quality Assurance Engineer at Benefitfocus. Katy married Brandon Denney on September 1, 2019, at The Citadel Beach Club on Isle of Palms, SC. The couple lives in Charleston, SC with their two dogs.
Cassie Wise Williams and her husband, Jeffrey, welcomed their first child, Adelynn June Williams, on September 8, 2019. Cassie is teaching Seamanship and Navigation at the US Naval Academy after completing a tour in the Reactor Department onboard the aircraft carrier USS CARL VINSON from 2016-2018. The Williams family lives in Crownsville, MD.
2013
Michael Ramming, of Newport Beach, CA, is the Sperry Local Ambassador for the 2019 US Team Racing Sailing Championship for the Hinman Trophy hosted by Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Michael holds a seat on the Newport Harbor Yacht Club Skipper Board and has also served as fleet captain of the Lehman 12 class. He is also a Project Manager for Warmington, a group of real estate companies strategically aligned to share resources and experience.
2014
Katie Rhodes started the Nurse Practitioner Master's program at Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing and plans to graduate in 2022. She married Taylor Becker on September 21, 2019. The couple resides outside of Boston, MA.
Laura Christensen studied desert and marine landscapes through ecological and social field methods in Baja this summer. Laura is an Educational Interpreter at the SC Aquarium in Charleston. She is a graduate student at Miami University of Ohio, where she is a member of their Global Field Program.
Amanda Cotler spent four years in the oil and gas industry and has now launched her own sustainable fitness apparel company, Accel Lifestyle, based in Houston, TX. Amanda ethically sources all of their fabrics from the US and their anti-stink Prema fabric is patent pending in 120 countries.
Sarah Proctor Fender married Lehe Fender on December 28, 2018, at St. Michael's Church in Charleston, SC. Sarah joined Charleston Dermatology as a Physician's Assistant and obtained her master's in physician assistant studies from the Medical University of South Carolina. The couple lives in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Madi Fenton is studying education, public policy, and equity at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. She plans to graduate with her MSc in fall 2020.
Jana Kitch is a Neonatal Occupational Therapist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Medical Center.
2015
Master Bines is a Real Estate Advisor for Carolina One Real Estate Services in Charleston, SC. He has recently joined the mentoring program hosted by the political science department at the College of Charleston.
Kiersten Kane is a Project Manager for Wayfair in Boston, MA.
Victoria Thompson began her career as a math and science educator at Cane Bay Middle School in Summerville, SC, and is now living in Seattle, WA, working as an Educational Technology Strategy Consultant at IndigoSlate. She works with marketing and deploying collaborative and assistive technology and learning tools to districts nationwide. Victoria also organizes external consulting with schools to show teachers how to use technology effectively in their classroom.
Douglas Trautmann earned his MS in accounting from Wake Forest University in December 2016. He recently joined KPMG Deal Advisory in Seattle, WA, as a Senior Associate, performing financial due diligence around tech mergers and acquisitions.
Tatiana Hoover and Huey Waldon '12 were married on August 6, 2019, and reside in Charleston, SC.
2016
Harriet Collins graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in May 2019 with her MS in college student personnel. She is the Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Coordinator at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN.
Jake Huber married Hanna Brittain on October 6, 2018, in downtown Charleston, SC. Jake is a Brewer for Edmund's Oast Brewing Company in Charleston.
Chemir June (MAT) was selected as the Rookie Teacher of the Year for the 2015-2016 school year at Knightsville Elementary School in Summerville, SC. In October 2017, she was chosen as the Summerville Rotary Teacher of the Month. Chemir is a Special Education Teacher for Dorchester District #2 and is studying to earn her MEd in Administration and Leadership from Charleston Southern University. She and her daughter, Destiny Lauren Phillips, live in North Charleston, SC.
Jackie McArdle is celebrating one year at Elliott Davis in Greenville, SC, as a Staff Tax Accountant after interning for the company for four months. In May of 2018, Jackie earned her MS in Accountancy from the College.
Michaela Reynolds has joined the Southern California Olympic Committee to run their non-profit organization called Ready, Set, Gold! The program matches Olympic and Paralympic athletes with schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District to promote fitness and nutrition education.
2017
Sierra Debrow became an Education Fellow for the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life upon graduation, serving 13 synagogues throughout the southern US, writing and implementing religious school curriculum and innovative programming for students of all ages. Sierra is enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, pursuing a Masters of Social Work.
Sarah Donaldson is a Disaster Program Specialist for the American Red Cross in Denver, CO.
Yasmeen Fadlallah studied coral reefs, manatees, howler monkeys, jaguars, and other wildlife while learning the methods communities are using to sustain them in Belize during summer 2019. Yasmeen lives in Stuart, FL, and is an Education Specialist at Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center and a graduate student in Miami University's Global Field Program.
2018
Allison Deyo has relocated to Boston, MA, where she is studying public policy at Northeastern University with plans to graduate in 2021. Allison is a Research Fellow for Menus of Change University Research Collaborative where she uses her passions for social issues, food injustice, and sustainability to help make healthy changes in her community.
Jamie Gilchrist is a SQL Developer at Bank of America in Charlotte, NC. He previously worked for Duke Energy Corporation as a Business Analyst.
Caroline Kelly is the Marketing Specialist for Terracon Consultants in Charlotte, NC.
Bailey Ober and Montana Leboeuf were married on July 29, 2017. Bailey was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 12th round (346th overall pick) of the 2017 MLB draft. Now, he pitches for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Twins' AA affiliate. Bailey currently has a 3-0 record with a .380 ERA. The couple welcomed their first child, Katherine "Blake" Ober, on June 26, 2019, and live in Aurora, CO, during the offseason.
2019
Payton Alexander has moved back to New York where she is an Amazon Web Services Recruitment Consultant for Jefferson Frank.
Rebecca Brnich is studying astrophysics at the University of Alabama with plans to earn her MS in 2021 and her PhD in 2024.
Samantha Krantz is working part-time at both the Medical University of South Carolina as a Research Specialist and the Charleston Jewish Federation as a REMEMBER Program Associate.
