Class Notes

Under his pen name, Harry Ernest Fitch, he has published his third novel, “Desk Pilot,” through Amazon Publishing. Although it deals primarily with events while its protagonist serves in the Air Force during the ’60s, Kent State plays a prominent role in the narrative of its first person narrator.

Carter E. Strang received the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Living Legacy Award given for “extraordinary leadership, innovation, and professional excellence.” He is a Leader-in-Residence at Cleveland State University College of Law, a retired founding Tucker Ellis LLP partner, and past president of the CMBA, the CMBA Foundation, and the Federal Bar Association Northern District of Ohio Chapter. 

Pat Quinn Winter, ’83, CFRE, Monroeville, PA, has joined the consulting team of Advancement Advisors.  A seasoned fundraising executive, Winter specializes in developing strategy and implementation plans for capital, endowment and special campaigns. The breadth of her experience includes major and planned giving, annual giving, donor relations and stewardship programs.

Prior to joining Advancement Advisors, Winter was the director of development with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, a position she held for nearly 15 years. Previous experience in fundraising and communication includes appointments with Penn State University and Chatham University.

Winter is active in a number of organizations, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council.

Diana Rogers-Adkinson, M.Ed. ’91, Ph.D. ’91,  Bloomsburg, PA, was recently appointed by Chancellor Dan Greenstein as the vice chancellor and chief academic officer for the Pennsylvania System of Higher Education. Rogers-Adkinson currently serves as provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania. She began her new role July 1, 2024. 

Scott Armstrong, Ph.D. ’92, Reynoldsburg, OH, recently published a novel, entitled “The Dubious Professor.” It is available on Amazon.com.

Lillian Kuri, BS ’93, BArc ’94, Cleveland, OH, was elected the 10th president and CEO of The Cleveland Foundation Board of Directors, effective Aug. 1, 2023. Kuri was promoted to the newly created position of executive vice president and chief operation officer at the foundation in March 2021. A year earlier, she was elevated to senior vice president for strategy for her work on the planning and design of the foundation’s new home in Midtown at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 66th Street. 

Donald Decker, ’94, Weston, FL, was the recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Florida Recreation and Park Association. The award recognizes "professional attainments, ethical practices and countless contributions to the parks and recreation field and devotion to his associates."

Elizabeth Seliga, ’95, M.B.A. ’00, Charlottesville, VA, is an established photographer whose work has been published in the luxury lifestyle books, Virginia Wine & Country Wedding Planner and Virginia Wine & Country Life. You can enjoy the beautifully written and illustrated volumes here.

https://wineandcountrylife.com/virginia-mead/
https://wineandcountrylife.com/1865-brewing-co/
https://wineandcountryweddings.com/mark-chloes-fall-vineyard-wedding-at…

Christopher Johnson, ’96, Fredericksburg, VA, joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as an adjunct research staff member in the System Evaluation Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center.

Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Kent State in 1996. He earned two master’s degrees: one in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University (NIU) in 2006; the other in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2019. Johnson is a member of the NIU Alumni Association.

IDA is a nonprofit corporation that operates three federally funded research and development centers in the public interest. IDA answers the most challenging U.S. security and science policy questions with objective analysis leveraging extraordinary scientific, technical and analytic expertise.

Angela Baldree, ’99, Columbus, OH, published her first novel, “Your Brother.” Based on her own family, the novel tells the story of her great-uncles during World War II.

In 2019, Baldree received letters written by her great-uncles while four of them were fighting overseas. The novel centers around those letters. “Your Brother” transports readers back to a time when the world was embroiled in chaos and families were torn apart by this devastating global conflict. Inspired by real-life correspondence, the novel captures the essence of brotherhood, sacrifice and resilience in the face of adversity. With meticulous research and heartfelt storytelling, “Your Brother” weaves a tapestry of emotions that will leave readers both moved and inspired.

Published by her own publishing company, Trillium Publishing, “Your Brother” can be found at www.trilpub.com  or on Amazon.com.

Brian Meng, B.S. ’00, B.Arch. ’01, RA, LEED AP, Cleveland, OH, was named a partner of Bialosky, the AIA Ohio Gold Medal firm known for design excellence in architecture, engineering and interior design. Meng joined the firm in 2001 as a new graduate and rose to become a well-respected architect leading mixed-use developments and multi-family projects that earn regional and national awards. His signature projects include Crocker Park, the Van Aken District and Belle Oaks Marketplace. Meng continues to serve on the Board of Lakewood Alive, the nonprofit committed to fostering and sustaining its vibrant neighborhood. 

Lauren B. Worley, ’01, Cincinnati, OH, has been appointed as communications director of Tampax, Feminine Care. Worley, a veteran public relations leader, joined P&G as the global newsroom leader in January 2020. Her family has a long history with P&G, which began when her great-grandmother worked as a cook for the Procter family.

A proud alumna of the Kent State Washington Program in National Issues, Worley has led communications for local, state and federal organizations. She held various roles, including the press secretary and senior advisor at NASA during the Obama Administration, chief communications officer at Cincinnati Public Schools and chief of staff to former Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher.

While at Kent State, Worley worked at The Daily Kent Stater, The Burr Magazine, TV-2 and WKSU. She was also a member of the Marching Golden Flashes and the Flasher Brass.

Paul Marnecheck, ’03, M.A. ’10, North Royalton, OH, was re-elected as president of North Royalton City Council. He began his second four-year term as the citywide elected council member, representing more than 32,000 residents. He remains the Commissioner of Economic Development for the City of Brooke Park. Marnecheck, who had previously served 10 years as the Ward 4 council member, offers much of the credit for his accomplishments to his participation in Kent State’s Washington Program in National Issues.

Theodore Ferringer, Jr., ’06, M.Arch. ’08, M.U.D. ’08, AIA, Cleveland, OH, has been promoted to associate principal at Bialosky in recognition of his achievements as a licensed architect, senior project manager and recognized community leader. He has served at every level of AIA – local, state and national – and presently serves on the AIA Ohio Board as the AIA Cleveland Representative and a national seat for the AIA ArchiPac Steering Committee. Ferringer skillfully and empathetically leads design teams on public-facing projects, culminating in a career of impactful Cleveland architecture. Notable projects include Cleveland Metroparks Edgewater Beach House, The Schofield Building and Cleveland Public Library’s Glenville Branch Renovation.

Sarah Shendy, ’06, Cleveland, OH, was featured in the spring 2021 edition of the Kent State Magazine for being appointed by Governor DeWine as the inaugural director of the Office of Law Enforcement Recruitment. Shendy received the 40 Under 40 Award in 2022 from the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Globally, she was the only Arab-American female on the list. This year, Shendy received the 40 Under 40 award from the Arab-America Foundation. She recently made history in the State of Ohio by being the first known Egyptian-Muslim female police sergeant.

Allison (Pritchard) Jack, ’07, Avon, OH, was recently nominated for the Cleveland Scene's Best of Cleveland "Best Local Instagram" award for her account Cleveland.Westside.Eats on Instagram (and other platforms). She was voted as one of the top five Instagram accounts in Cleveland by the same magazine in 2023 and 2022. Her content features small and local businesses, especially focusing on restaurants, food and travel. Jack is also a regular contributor to Cleveland Magazine, where she focuses on dining journalism covering the Cleveland area restaurant scene. Her work has recently appeared in Salon, The Plain Dealer, Destination Cleveland and Cleveland.com. Jack, who was a member of Kent State’s Honors College, graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in digital media and a writing minor. 

Daniel Alcorn, ’08, B.G.S. ’09, M.P.A., Rutland, VT, recently passed his dissertation to earn a Doctor of Education. Alcorn is currently a mathematics teacher in Rutland City Public Schools and a program manager for Norwich University, both of which are located in Vermont. 

Hallie (DelVillan) Crouch, ’08, M.Arch. ’09, Associate AIA, Cleveland, OH, was recently named a partner of Bialosky, a design firm known for design excellence and community-centered projects. She is the first female, first millennial and first nontraditional practitioner to hold ownership of the architecture and engineering practice. Crouch guides business development, marketing, strategic visioning and best practices. She serves on AIA National Strategic Council and is a juror of student work at Kent State’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design. 

Daniel Cogan, ’11, Bedford, TX, became the city’s youngest mayor in October 2023. Initially elected to Bedford’s City Council in 2018, Cogan won re-election in 2021 as the council member for Place 2 and stepped in as mayor pro tem in September 2023. In addition, Cogan continues to  serve the community as the sixth grade science and world cultures teacher at South Euless Elementary in Texas.

His experience at Kent State, especially as a communication studies student, continues to lend itself in his activism and outreach for his city. He earned a Master of Education from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2015 and lives in Bedford, Texas, with his wife and fellow Kent State alumna Sneha Jose, ’11, and their daughter, Jiya (Class of 2037).

Paul Rossetti, ’09, M.Arch. ’11, M.B.A. ’11, Kent, OH, has been promoted to senior associate at Bialosky, in recognition of his contributions to architectural projects and pioneering technological and operational advances of the firm. Rossetti is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force Reserve and brings that same discipline and work ethic to his career in architecture. His notable projects include Centric, Belle Oaks Marketplace and MAGNET, the community-centric manufacturing incubator and workforce hub uplifting midtown Cleveland.

Christine (Scaglione) Schalmo, B.A. ’12, B.S. ’14, M.Arch. ’15. RA, NCIDQ, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, has been promoted to senior associate at Bialosky in recognition for her distinct value as a licensed architect, a credentialed interior designer and a driver of the firm’s culture. In 2023, she was awarded the annual Piece of the Rock Award, an honor bestowed by the prominent century-old counseling and crisis center, May Dugan Center, in recognition of her empathetic leadership and project management of their $7 million renovation. This project expanded the facility on Cleveland’s west side, allowing it to serve more residents and families in need. Her clients also include the Van Aken District, Medical Mutual and the City of Pepper Pike.

Michael Duniec, ’15, Brunswick, OH, authored "Crypto and Bitcoin: A Millionaire Mindset for Opportunity." The book encapsulates Duniec’s journey with Bitcoin mining since its early days in 2011, when it was valued at just $0.70, to its current valuation exceeding $76,000. Duniec credits Kent State's Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship with providing the invaluable tools, business classes and writing skills needed to self-publish this nonfiction work. This book is a thorough voyage into the digital currency upheaval, charting the course of cryptocurrencies from Bitcoin's inception to the vast array of digital assets that have since emerged. It probes into the technological breakthroughs that have upended conventional financial paradigms and ignited worldwide discourse on the future of currency. Each section offers an in-depth look at pivotal events and significant milestones that have defined the crypto domain. The narrative begins with the advent of cryptocurrency, born from the 2008 financial crisis's aftermath, heralding a new chapter of decentralized fiscal systems.

Tracing Bitcoin's formative years, the author observes the ebbs and flows of an emerging asset striving for acceptance. The evolution of cryptocurrency narrates a saga of ingenuity, mirroring the diversity of its community. Duniec is thrilled to share the insights and experiences gathered along his remarkable venture. More information can be found via the websites listed below.

Amazon: https://a.co/d/6vmt7Ow
GoodReads: www.goodreads.com/duniec

Emily Williams, ’16, M.Arch. '18, M.U.D. ’18, AIA, Strongsville, OH, has been promoted to associate at Bialosky, citing her distinct value as a dual-disciplined practitioner and engaged leader in our design community. As a licensed architect and planner, Williams contributes to buildings and master plans that uplift neighborhoods, campuses and communities. Her clients include Cleveland Public Library, Beaumont School and Case Western Reserve University. She serves on the AIA Cleveland Board as co-director of the Young Architects and Associate Members Committee, a foundational community of early professionals. 

Brenna Parker ’17, left the White House where she was serving as digital director to Vice President Harris. Parker is now the digital director for the U.S. Department of Transportation and Secretary Pete Buttigieg. 

Jared Shoup, ’18, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, a high school social studies teacher at Ohio Virtual Academy (OHVA), was recently named a recipient of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission Excellence in Teaching Diversity Award. Shoup was recognized at the Ohio Civil Rights Commission’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art, Writing and Multimedia Contest award ceremony in Columbus with many of his current and former students in attendance.

The Excellence in Teaching Diversity Award is given to an Ohio teacher (grades 6-12) who demonstrates exemplary dedication to diversity and teaching the lessons of civil rights in the classroom. Shoup was nominated for the award by OHVA’s Diversity and Inclusion Analyst, Geonavin Hernandez, who recognized Shoup’s work toward promoting diversity within his economics class through his curriculum and in his work for the school’s clubs.

Shoup began his teaching career at OHVA in fall 2018. In addition, he serves as an advisor to the school’s History Geeks Club and acts as its primary field trip coordinator. He graduated from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in integrated social studies in 2018. 

Sophia Gillespie, ’23, Kent, OH, joined PBS Western Reserve as an associate producer where she works with the station’s art clients to create their underwriting spots that air on broadcast. She was the producer for the second season of the “City Centric” series, coordinating and conducting interviews with 36 individuals. Alongside that show, Gillespie served as assistant producer for the second season of “The World According to Polka,” another series, and she floor directed the annual educational studio shoot, “Everyday Writing with Coach Write.” She credits her experiences at Kent State with preparing her to assume and excel in her current position.

Walker MacMurdo, M.Arch. ’23, Associate AIA, Cleveland Heights, OH, has joined Bialosky, a design firm known for design excellence and community-centered projects. As a new architecture graduate, MacMurdo enters the design profession as a pivot from a successful career as a journalist and editor in Portland and Cleveland. His current design project is Noble Station, a vertically mixed-use development in Cleveland Heights.