Class Notes
From career milestones to marriages to world travels…
See what’s happening in the lives of CGS alums, and submit your class note here.
1950s
Robert Stewart (’55, Wheelock’57) has had a long and varied career. He worked for 30 years in elementary education, on island boats as a mate and, later, as a captain, and eventually entered the funeral business. Now, Stewart is fully retired and says he is enjoying every moment of it, but remains quite fond of all the work he engaged in.
1960s
Peggy Griffin (’61, Wheelock’63) received an EdD from Northern Illinois University in 2000. She is a retired adult educator and community social services worker and a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Appalachia Training, Central, Bland High School in Wise, Va.
Sandy Cohen Ojeda (’64, Wheelock’66) can be found on social media as Sandy C. Ojeda.
Jimmy Green (’65, COM’67) is semi-retired and staying busy playing a lot of golf. He writes that he loves getting back to Boston.
Sue William Silverman (’66, COM’68) is an award-winning author of creative nonfiction and was recently elected to be the cochair of the low-residency MFA in Writing program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Steve Robinson (’66, CFA’69) has been a public radio producer and general manager for 50 years. Robinson started his career at WBUR as a BU student. He has produced various programs specializing in jazz and classical radio that have been heard all around the world. During his time at WFMT in Chicago, he produced a 13-part series of radio programs called No Regrets: The Music and Spirit of Billie Holiday. Currently, Robinson is working on a five-part radio series exploring the music of Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, who fled Kyiv after the Russian invasion.
Bruce Hall (’66, COM’74) plans to kayak the Orkhon River in Mongolia next year. He says hello to all of his classmates.
John Barry (’68) recently developed a painting technique he calls P6, the Projectful-Precipitated Propellant Painting Performative Process. Barry’s work involves suspending a can of aerosol paint from a string, which is then shot with a pellet rifle. “The pressurized paint from inside explodes and plasters the object in stochastic, fractal-like patterns,” he writes. Two of his pieces are currently displayed in the Blackhawk Gallery in Danville, Calif.
William Harrington (’68, CAS’70) is currently living on Cape Cod with his wife, dog, and four cats. Harrington is still working as a protective security guard with the Federal Protective Service. He recently underwent treatment for metastatic cancer and has returned to work. “The beat goes on,” he says.
1970s
Debbie Gendler Supnik (’70, COM’72) writes that she “was one of the fortunate 728 people to have a seat in the live studio audience at The Ed Sullivan Show for the Beatles’ historic first performance.” She tells the complete story of this experience in I Saw Them Standing There: Adventures of an Original Fan During Beatlemania and Beyond (Backbeat Books, 2024). The book was published in February 2024 to mark the 60th anniversary of this event. She describes the book as “a fun coming-of-age story where [I] finally achieve [my] goal of meeting the Beatles and set forth on [my] career as a TV development executive that comes full circle.” Today, Supnik works as a coproducer at SOFA Entertainment, which owns The Ed Sullivan Show library.
Merrie Mitchell Bigham (’71, CAS’73) is currently living in New Mexico and enjoys traveling with her husband and dog to Mexico. After leaving Boston in 1980, Bigham lived in California, Nevada, Florida, and Arizona. Eventually, she settled down in New Mexico. Bigham writess, “We’re happy to be in this beautiful state, and this little town outside of Albuquerque has a nice artistic community. Would love to hear from past friends, especially if you’re traveling or living nearby.”
Agnes Fidelibus (’72, CAS’75) is an attorney in Rye Brook, N.Y., and has practiced as a sole practitioner for more than 30 years, with a majority of her cases in criminal defense. Fidelibus writes, “I have fond memories of Boston and my years at BU. It was a great place to be in the 70s. I am a very proud alum. Would love to hear from my fellow alumni.”
Deborah Ringler Smith (’74, Wheelock’76) retired after a 41-year career in the field of exceptional student education. She enjoys gardening, reading, painting with her oldest daughter, going to the gym with her husband, and helping her high school-aged daughter prepare for college.
Michele Sutton Yeadon (’75, MET’78) recently celebrated her 39th wedding anniversary in New York City and Brooklyn, just after her son married his college sweetheart in September. After several decades living in Chicago, Yeadon and her husband are “trying out our first year as snowbirds in California.”
Martin Secofsky (’76, COM’78) has retired from a career in building materials after 29 years. Secofsky and his wife Alisa Feldman (COM’78) recently moved to Savannah, Ga., from Long Island, N.Y. They spend time with their goldendoodle, Savvy, remain active, and enjoy their new community.
1980s
Cheryl Cramer (’80) has focused her sales and customer service abilities on the energy sector for the last 13 years, where she says she has had the pleasure of working with a variety of accomplished people from different backgrounds. Cramer is grateful for the experience given to her by CGS and for the passionate and knowledgeable professors who helped pave her future path. Cramer writes, “The students at [CGS] were friendly and lovely and I felt that Boston University offered many advantages, from the delicious vegetarian food cafe, to social activities, and more. Not to mention the fact that Boston is a pretty darn cool, quaint city to experience. [CGS] was the beginning of my real journey to adulthood and a great start.”
Doug Brown (’83, CAS’85, LAW’88) was recently awarded an honorable mention for his submission in the 2023 George and Ana Ticknor Book Collecting Prize. His entry, titled “Plotting the Path to Justice: The Stories Behind the Stories,” discussed how he turned to collecting books on history, law, justice, and spirituality as a road to understanding the tumult of 2020 and after. His entry can be found here: www.ticknor.org/collecting-prize/.
Jennifer Poteet (’83) published her second book of poetry, Emily Dickinson’s Selfie (Bottlecap Press, 2023).
Kenneth Butensky (’84, CAS’86) was recently elected president of the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel. Butensky also serves as the chief deputy city solicitor in Philadelphia, where he supervises the Tort Litigation Unit and counsels city clients on risk avoidance. Along with these endeavors, he also teaches civil litigation as an adjunct professor of law at Temple University School of Law.
Victor Levy (’85, CAS’87) is relocating to Bala Cynwyd, Pa., with his wife, Suzanne, after 25 years living in Cherry Hill, N.J. Levy will be closer to Philadelphia, work, and his parents. He and his wife are excited for their new adventure and will soon be visiting BU again to see their son, Lewis, who is a junior and also a CGS alum, along with his older brother, Ben. After their trip to Boston, Levy and his wife will be flying out to California to visit their middle son, Jonathan, who is a 1L at California Western School of Law.
Janet McIntosh (’86, CAS’88) writess, “I always thought I would be the first woman president [of the United States]. Oh well. If you’re thinking about investing in real estate in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia, please think of me.”
Laura De Veau (’87, COM’89, Wheelock’95) has been appointed visiting assistant professor at Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development. Dr. De Veau teaches graduate students in higher education administration and is thrilled to be playing a role in the education of the future of the student affairs profession.
1990s
Deana Timberlake-Wiley (’90, CAS’91) recently launched her own law firm, The Law Offices of Deana Timberlake-Wiley, Inc., in December 2022. Previously, she served as a career prosecutor for 20 years with the criminal section of the United States Antitrust Division, where she prosecuted antitrust and fraud cases. Timberlake-Wiley now uses her skills on the other side of the table to represent defendants charged with the same or similar crimes in federal court, as well as witnesses who are cooperating with federal investigations. She married her college sweetheart, Malcolm D. Wiley Sr. (COM’91), lives in Georgia, and has three successful sons, Malcolm II, Malachi, and Mason. Timberlake-Wiley says, “We are proud to be part of the BU family and read every issue of the magazine to see how the University continues to change lives and impact communities.”
Wilfred W. Labiosa (’91, CAS’93) has published the book The LGBT Cuban Revolution (Deletrea, 2023). He writes that it provides a comprehensive chronology of the LGBT+ rights movement in Cuba, highlighting the significant milestones. Wilfred said, “It is a powerful testament to the courage and determination of those who have fought for their rights in the face of adversity and a reminder that the struggle for equality is a dance where each step propels the next revolution.”
Jill Cutler (’96, Wheelock’99) married Brett Weissman (COM’98) in May 2023.
Maggie Mattuchio Flynn (’99, COM’03) has served as a production coordinator on various popular television programs, such as Ugly Betty, Bored to Death, and Gotham. After 13 years, she relocated to Los Angeles in 2017 to take on the role of in-house creative digital producer for Clique Brands, where she spearheaded the creation of digital content. Since September 2021, she has been working on the establishment and expansion of celebrity stylist partnerships at A-Frame Agency. In this role, she worked toward fostering brand relationships to institute a holistic approach to influencer and brand collaborations. The brands include Bulgari, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry, Mercedes-Benz, Tiffany & Co., and IKEA.
2000s
Devri Watts Davis (’00, COM’02) joined the Lutheran Hour Ministries in Saint Louis, Mo., as a syndication account manager in October 2023. Davis resides in O’Fallon, Mo., with her husband and four children.
Adam Marks (’00, COM’03) was recently hired as an adjunct professor at Quincy College, teaching muscular and cardiovascular fitness, injury prevention and flexibility training, and strength training and endurance exercise. Classmates can reach out to Adam at amarks555@yahoo.com.
Jennifer O’Neill (’02, Questrom’04) started her own movie studio in Buffalo, N.Y., just under five years ago. The studio, called Buffalo Film Works, is now one of the largest movie studios in the country and has filmed a variety of movies, from small feature films featured at the Tribeca Film Festival to major releases, such as A Quiet Place II. O’Neill did not originally set out to start a film studio, but when she came into possession of a large piece of real estate in a less fortunate area of Buffalo, she decided to turn it into an exciting new enterprise for the city that created new job opportunities for the residents. O’Neill writes, “It’s been such a success. I have learned a lot. I have met so many different business and political people from all walks of life. More importantly, I have been able to provide a significant contribution back to the community of Buffalo where I was born and raised. I am proud to say that many of the skills I learned at both CGS and [Questrom] definitely helped me create this unique, fun, and successful business enterprise.”
Kendrick Watson (’02, COM’04) recently accepted the position of online education program manager for the online Master’s Computer Engineering program at Dartmouth College. He is completing his EdD at the University of Southern California, where his research focuses on the ways in which faculty create engaging and supportive learning environments in online graduate degree programs. He and his wife Kelly live in Vermont with their three sons, Thomas, Christopher, and JJ.
Heather Barbod (’03, COM’05) is celebrating the five-year anniversary of elemental mktg, which she started to represent sustainable businesses and innovative thought leaders. Barbod writes, “We’ve had the pleasure of working across a variety of industries making an impact including biomaterials, ocean technology, hospitality, food systems, and more. Our clients are based in the US and internationally. I’m looking forward to expanding our impact as we step into the next five years of elemental mktg.”
Justin Leibow (’04, Questrom’06) has won the Bronze Stevie American Business Association Product Developer of the Year, Silver Stevie International Business Association Product Executive of the Year, Product Evangelist Products That Matter PM Award, and has been a finalist for Product-Led Alliance Product Manager of the Year.
Ray Nugent (’04, Questrom’06) writes that he is still holding strong in the exciting new business analytics field. Nugent recently completed a UPenn Wharton business analytics program and has also been embarking on several travels throughout Europe.
Tara Reardon (’06, COM’08) and David Reardon (Questrom’07) welcomed their second child, Noah Joseph Reardon, in January. Noah joins his big sister, Emmaline, who is 4 years old. The Reardons live in Chicago and recently celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary in October.
Michael Spallone (’06, Sargent’08) went on to complete both graduate and medical school degrees. Following seven years of additional clinical training, Spallone is now an attending thoracic surgeon at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, N.J., and has been appointed assistant professor of surgery at Hackensack University School of Medicine.
Corinna Strong (’07, CAS’09) recently celebrated 10 years of her business, goldplaited, in Chicago, where she has two storefront locations. Strong opened a location in Tampa, Fla., in March 2023 and is looking to open another location in Boston in 2024.
Adanta Ahanonu (’08, Questrom’10) lives in Oakland, Calif., and is the chief program officer at COOP Careers. COOP Careers is a national nonprofit focused on overcoming underemployment for recent first-generation college graduates through peer connections and digital skills.
Griselda Tomaino (’08, CAS’10) lives in a small seaside town in Rhode Island and works in the East Boston and Chelsea, Mass., communities three days per week. Tomaino is a clinical social worker at North Suffolk Community Services providing bilingual individual outpatient therapy. She completed her MSW from Smith College in 2019. After graduation, she moved to Mexico City for one year to be close to family and complete a post-graduate diploma in adult gestalt therapy at her mother’s alma mater, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
2010s
Allison Grace (’10, CAS’12) joined the faculty at The Citadel in Fall 2023. She recently earned her PhD in sport and exercise psychology from Springfield College. She earned her MA in kinesiology with a concentration in sport studies and sport psychology from San José State University and BA in psychology from BU. At The Citadel, Dr. Grace teaches sport and exercise psychology and statistics and research design courses. She has collaborated on several research projects with faculty and graduate students and presented at the international, national, regional, and state levels in the areas of affective responses to exercise, gender and sexuality in sport and physical activity, and emotion regulation in sport. She writes that her research interests relate to affective experiences in sport— specifically the emotion regulation strategies athletes use while actively training for or competing in sport. In addition to research and teaching, Dr. Grace is engaged in professional service activities. As a graduate student, she served as the chair of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) Undergraduate Connections Student Initiative and co-chair of the AASP Best Practices in Research Student Initiative. Currently, she participates in academic journal peer-review, conference abstract peer-review, conference planning committees, and sport psychology consulting.
Melissa Bobotas (’12, COM’14) welcomed her fourth future BU Terrier this summer.
Jillian Lattimore (’17, COM’19) was named Haiku Duel Champion 2023.
Sean Kargman (’17, Questrom’19) is happy to announce that since graduating from BU, he has been promoted several times at Oracle and has worked his way up from a business development consultant to a regional manager of business development consultants. In his current role, Kargman manages a team of 6–10 sales development representatives to ensure they meet or exceed performance metrics that are centered around generating sales pipelines and creating opportunities for Oracle to expand its cloud business. Kargman says, “I thank BU for giving me the opportunity to get a foot in the door at Oracle, which was established at a career fair in the spring of my last year in college.”
Maeve Searles (’19, CAS’21) went on to obtain her degree in English literature. After, she decided she wasn’t quite done with her abroad experience so she taught English in Spain for a year. Recently, Searles has moved back to Boston where she works as a program coordinator and, she writes, she is loving every second of it.
2020s
Lily Johnson (’20, CAS’22) works in Washington, D.C., as a research assistant for the Urban Institute, where she studies permanent supportive housing and participatory research.
Megan Latt (’20, Questrom’22) works in category account management at Wayfair’s luxury division, Perigold, where she currently oversees the outdoor patio umbrellas class and other top luxury outdoor partners.
Ryan Hong (’21, Questrom’23) is working as a tech consultant at Accenture in Manhattan.
Ziying Zhang (’21, ENG’23) is a community health coordinator with AmeriCorps in New York City.
Mehreen Kamal (’21, CAS’25) writes, “To the Class of 2023, thank you for enduring through tough times, for persevering on to the other side, for loving and living. It’s time to see you through, and send you off to the hopes and dreams you all had when you first arrived at the charming Charles River campus—young and unafraid, you heard your yearning, you heard your calling. Now, it’s not a dream. It’s here. It’s time. Today, you are Boston University. All rise. Congratulations Class of 2023!”