1970s
Col. (Ret) Larry J. Keller ’75 MA retired from the U.S. Army after 30 years of military service. He continued to serve his country as a manager during Decennial Census 2000 and again during Census 2010. He served on the City Council of China Grove for over 10 years and was the Mayor Pro-tem during his last year of service. He also served as chairman of the Building and Renovation Committee at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church during the construction of the new sanctuary and directed the Holy Redeemer Men’s Chorus for over 13 years. He also served on the building committee at St. Jerome Catholic Church and currently serves on the pastoral council and sings in the choir at St. Jerome.
Mirella Kennedy ’76 BA has been named director of public relations for a world class organization, Maximized Living Health Center.
Wanda Thomas Littles ’77 BA recently completed a memoir of UIW alumnus, Dr. Gerald Sseruwagi ’13 Ph.D. The book entitled, “A Desperate Faith,” tells the story of his courage and invincible faith in God while dealing with the horrific struggles he faced growing up in Uganda. For more information, contact him online at gerald@impactleadership.org or Wanda at 1poetnow@gmail.com.
Mary Dugi ’78 BSN was named one of the 10 top nurses in San Antonio by the San Antonio Express-News.
Janet Royder Bunge ’79 BSN has been providing care as a corporate chaplain in Lexington, Ky. through Marketplace Ministries since 2007. Three of her four children are married, and her third grandchild was born Sept. 12, 2013.
1980s
Grace Elizabeth McGill ’81 BSN recently completed her studies and is a practicing nurse practitioner.
Veronica Vela-Whitacre ’81 BA was elected to the City Commission of McAllen, Texas.
Gilbert Olivarri ’85 BA was recently hired as the new principal at St. Peter Prince of the Apostles School. He has been involved in education as a social studies composite teacher, assistant principal, principal, and director of curriculum and special programs at several school districts in and around the San Antonio area prior to his appointment.
Lisa Ginapp ’85 BSN, MSN, RN is an independent nurse practitioner, working in collaboration with Infectious Disease and Wound Care physicians to provide in-patient consultations and care for patients with complicated wounds at facilities in Galveston County. She works in the Mainland Medical Center Outpatient Wound and Hyperbaric Center two days a week to see outpatients.
1990s
Larry Appel ’91 BA, and his wife Lucy are expecting their first child, a son, in February 2014. Appel has also been promoted to the position of senior sales representative for a local fire protection company, Impact Fire Services.
Jennifer Elliot ’98 BA recently opened a new business in Austin and New Braunfels called PubCrawler. To learn more, visit: www.pubcrawlerofnewbraunfels.com
Sophia G. Hebert ’98 BS is currently working as a secondary science specialist with the Galena Park Independent School District in Houston, Texas.
Michael Wood ’99 BBA received his Master of Science in Project Management from Colorado Technical University and is now the project/cost account manager for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, Texas.
Allison Davis ’99 BA was recently recruited by Teach Away Inc. which is the official service provider of teachers in Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates and will be teaching English in Abu Dhabi for the next two years.
Mike Dockal ’99 BS and his wife Gina are trying to grow their charitable non-profit organization in honor of their daughter, Zoey Isadora Dockal. Please visit http://www.zoeysangels.org for more info.
2000s
Richard Farias ’00 BA was named director of student activities in May 2013 at San Antonio College (SAC). Prior to being promoted to this role, he served for six years as a tenure-track English instructor at SAC.
William Carbonara ’01 BBA was recently appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority Board of Directors. He is an account executive at JHC Insurance Agency and serves as a board member and treasurer of the Cuero Development Corporation, and a member and past board member of the Cuero Rotary Club.
Myra Garza ’01 BA is currently working at the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services-Division for Blind Services. She recently completed five years of service.
Dr. Diana Meneses ’02 BA works at Tulane University as the special assistant to the vice president of development for the School of Medicine. She and her husband, Casey, recently moved to New Orleans, La. after he completed his internship in Biloxi, Miss. for his doctorate in clinical psychology.
Brian Gabriel ’02 BA has been hired as an assistant strength and conditioning coach with oversight of the University of Miami Hurricanes baseball program.
Annette Barnes ’03 BA is serving as backup manager on duty and front end supervisor at Ross Dress for Less.
Elizabeth Worley ’03 BA, ’05 MAA was recently named director of business development and external affairs at “Texas Oil & Gas Magazine.”
Marisol (Espinoza) Yanez ’04 BA was recently named program director at Harmony Home Children’s Advocacy Center in Odessa, Texas.
Marcia Bischak ’04 BBA, ’11 MS currently serves as the deputy to the commander for financial operations for the Corpus Christi Army Depot.
Robert Miranda ’04 BS, ’06 MS earned his Ph.D. in biology from Northern Arizona University in May 2013. He returned to UIW this fall and is now working with Dr. Veronica Martinez Acosta as a postdoctoral fellow in molecular and cell biology.
Sergio Manzo ’05 BBA is currently working with Q1 Media, a media technology company.
JoAnn Valderas ’05 BAAS was promoted to the principal position at Memorial Intermediate School. Prior to working at Memorial, Valderas worked at the alternative school for two years.
Jennifer Ann Balleza Gonzalez ’05 BA accepted a position with the City of San Antonio as an event coordinator for the Carver Community Cultural Center.
Margaret A. (Alison) Buck, ’06 Ph.D. recently became associate director of women’s economic development and administration for Women’s Global Connection (WGC), a nonprofit organization that is a CCVI ministry and UIW partner promoting the learning and leadership of women locally and globally. She also still enjoys teaching graduate courses in leadership and adult learning part-time.
Rebecca Ward ’06 BS, UIW’s first engineering graduate, received a Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Award Cooperation’s Luminary award at the 25th Anniversary Great Minds in STEM Conference, Oct. 3 in New Orleans, La.
Letitia Harding ’06 M.Ed., ’00 MA successfully defended her doctoral dissertation entitled “The Power of Images in Global Climate Change Discourse: A Critical Visual Rhetorical Analysis of Our Changing Planet.” She will graduate with a Ph.D. in technical communication and rhetoric from Texas Tech University in December 2013 and is an assistant professor in UIW’s department of English.
Crystal Garcia ’07 BS was recently hired as a new teacher at Somerset Junior High with Somerset ISD.
Victoria Marshall ’08 BS joined the Action 4 weather team in Laredo at KGNS-TV. She was a founding member of the UIW American Meteorological Society/National Weather Association student chapter, and served as the president for two years. During her years at UIW, Marshall had the chance to intern at KABB Fox-29 and News 4 WOAI, both in San Antonio.
Rachel Walsh ’09 BA has a new position as student services and data manager in the College of Engineering at Northeastern University.
Miguel Ochoa ’09 BA, ’13 MAT recently made his debut on the Woodlawn Main Stage in the role of Usnavi in the musical “In the Heights” at the Woodlawn Theatre. He also directs the youth choir at his church.
2010s
Jo Ann Diaz Jordan ’10 MA, was named director of the Dental Hygiene Division at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Christopher Alvarado ’10 Pharm.D. was recently awarded the 2013 Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award sponsored by Pharmacists Mutual Companies. The award recognizes a pharmacist that has graduated within 10 years for individual excellence and outstanding contribution to their pharmacy association and community.
Juan J. Acuna, Jr. ’10 BS was named the chief meteorologist for KZTV Action 10 News (CBS affiliate) in Corpus Christi, Texas in August.
Roger Perales ’12 BA was recently hired by AT&T as the company’s new senior product marketing manager.
Micaela Chavarria ’11 BA recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with Frost Bank and was promoted to a Frost administrative officer and statewide consumer banking specialist.
Manny Rios ’12 MAA was named executive of the month by Property Casualty 360 and also currently serves as president of American Modern Insurance Co.
Lindsay Mitchell ’13 BA is currently a substitute teacher for Judson Independent School District.
Angus Beaird ’13 BAAS U.S. Army combat medic is serving as an advisor for the Saudi Arabian National Guard.
Christina Lake ’13 BA started teaching first grade at St. Helen Catholic School in Georgetown, Texas.
Kristen Girton ’13 BA is a fitness life coach who recently started Power Rawk Fitness and is also enrolled at the International Sports Science Association pursuing a Personal Training certification.
Damon Cleaton ’13 MAA has been assigned to the NATO International Security Assistance Force Joint Command as an Afghan national security forces medical developer and analyst. During his first six months in Kabul and throughout Afghanistan he helped the Afghan National Army and Police develop a program for first responder training, improve shortfalls in their medical logistics supply chains, and establish a hospital in Helmand Province.
Aracely Gonzalez ’13 BBA was recently selected as director of international marketing for Rainbow Play Systems International Corporate Office in San Antonio, Texas.
In Memoriam
Frances Elizabeth Zoeller Blaha ’39 BA
Sr. Bridget Maher, CCVI, ’46 IWC
Mary Anne Egan Hermann ’48 BS, ’92 MA
Sr. Patricia Kennedy, CCVI ’52 BA
Sr. Ann Murphy, CCVI ’57 BA
Edith Wright ’59 BSN RN Santa Rosa School of Nursing
Sr. Kathleen O’Driscoll, CCVI, ’62 BA
Vera Pollard Gravley ’63 BSN
Browning McKinney Samples, ’65 BS
Sr. Mary Ann Seeker, CCVI, ’65 BA
Sr. Mary Peter Corcoran PBVM ’66 BA
Maxine Lockhart ’68 MA
Margaret Hromco Pyndus ’71 BA
Lt. Col. Thomas Edward Osborn ’71 BA, USA Ret.
Master Sgt. Jerry A. Moore’71 BA ’73 MS USA Ret.
Lt. Col. Evelyn Violet Guthridge ’72 BSN USA Ret.
Ann Elizabeth Fitzgerald Wetegrove ’72 BA
Arlene B Miller ’72 BA
Nanette Soderstrom Sheaffer ’77 MA
Christopher Lee Poehlmann ’79 BS
Barbara R. Rogers ’81 BSN
Karen Ann Wilson ’92 BBA, ’07 MAA, adjunct faculty in business
Oscar Jesus Valdez ’98 BBA
James Paul McCue ’97 BBA
Charles O. Kilpatrick, trustee emeritus and benefactor
Weddings and Engagements
Ben Smyth ’03 BA married Colleen O’Connell in Dayton, Ohio on July 6, 2013. The couple resides in St. Louis, Mo. (pictured left)
Sebastian Villarreal ’06 BS and Daniela Oliveira ’06 BS were married in Cancun, Mexico on June 15, 2013. (pictured right)
Jarryd Schieffer ’13 OD recently married Christa Wortmann in their hometown of Hartington, Neb.
Thomas Mata ’12 BA, ’13 MAA was engaged in July 2013 to Amanda Aguilar. (pictured left)
Alicia (Caballero) Martinez ’11 BA married Anthony Martinez on Oct. 8, 2012. (pictured right)
Future Cardinals
Mi
caela Chavarria ’11 BA recently had a daughter, Isabella Faith. (pictured left)
Sandra Rangel’s ’05 BBA son, James Cody Rangel, was born on Feb. 2, 2013. (pictured right)
