Class Notes

GAIL MACMILLAN is happily still in touch with her freshman roommate, Marlene Schaeffer Sklavounos, and her sorority sister, Karen Kozerski Auer. She shared that good friends truly are forever.

LOUIS GEORGE APOSTOL, M.B.A., J.D. ’78, will continue to serve another term as public administrator of Cook County.

CATHERINE SUMBERG, M.S.Ed., had her first creative writing published in Stanchion (Issue 22). Catherine is remembered following her passing in 2020.

KIMBERLY SHANKMAN, M.A. ’81, Ph.D. ’90, provost and dean of Benedictine College, was named an “Icon of Education” by Ingram’s Magazine.

Constance Litwiller (née Gehrke), M.S., was inducted into the Plainfield School District 202 Foundation for Excellence Alumni Hall of Fame for her contributions to nursing education for 34 years.

Russ Damhoff, M.S.Ed. ’92, received the distinction of having Sauk Valley Community College’s basketball court named in his honor.

Steve Pappageorge, M.B.A., was promoted to vice president at Moraine Valley Community College.

Ann Pederson, M.B.A., recently retired from her role as business office coordinator for the Village of Glen Ellyn. She is now studying French at the College of DuPage and is a member of the Augustana Alumni Board.

Terry Roderick was inducted into the Illinois State University Marching Band Hall of Fame.

Matt Walsh starred in the movie “The Unexpecteds.”

Brent Brodeski, M.B.A. ’91, was named a “Chicago Titan” for the third consecutive year.

Marcia Countryman, M.B.A., was named the 2025 Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Glenn Fish was named president and CEO of J.M. Huber Corporation.

Bryan Miller retired from the Illinois Air National Guard’s 182nd Airlift Wing.

Leslie Strauss, M.B.A. ’99, was named global controller at Sikich.

Sharon Zobel was named vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer at Silver Cross Hospital.

Hon. Thaddeus Wilson, J.D., was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the First District Illinois Appellate Court.

Anthony Smith was named president of Horizon Bank’s private wealth management division.

Thomas Evans Jr. was elected president of Big I Illinois.

Jeffrey Paul was named executive vice president of VIPAR Heavy Duty.

Scott Hartman, M.P.A, was named McHenry County administrator.

Stacey Doherty was named chief marketing officer of FGM Architects.

Laura Goff was named dean of the School of Public and Human Services at Mohawk Valley Community College.

John “Ski” Sygielski, Ed.D., is set to retire following a 35-year career in higher education — marked by 22 years as president of three community colleges, including 15 years at the helm of Harrisburg Area Community College.

Brian Caputo , M.P.A, Ph.D. ’15, was named director of fiscal integrity and government operations for the City of Aurora, Illinois.

Angela M. Morrey was named president and CEO of the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County.

Eric Ferdinand, M.A.S. ’03, was named managing director, financial services investment banking group, at Piper Sandler Companies.

Kristopher Kahler was named the Mahomet-Seymour School District’s chief school business official.

Kristen Brown was appointed to serve on the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee.

Natalie Conde was selected as Top Doctor of the Year in Telemedicine by the International Association of Top Professionals.

Reed Anders was named senior vice president of Alliant Insurance Services’ Employee Benefits Group.

Kelly Person was named assistant director for special education for specialized programs and services for West Aurora School District 129.

Jonathan Ruud, J.D., was appointed to associate judge of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit for the Illinois Courts.

Stanley Schultz was named director of data centers at Ware Malcomb.

Mitchell Dubinsky, M.S.Ed., was named principal of Westmoor School in School District 28.

Patrick Marsh was named the city manager of California City.

Nora Balayti illustrated a new children’s book titled “My First Trip to the Bleachers: Big Feels at the Cubs Game.” She also recently opened an all-ages creative studio in Dixon, Illinois.

Jignesh Sheth was awarded a Laureate Award from the Eastern Region of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians.

Katrina Emmel (née Vaitkunas) , Ph.D., recently released her second young adult novel titled “Trail Rides & Starry Eyes” (Delacorte Romance). Her third young adult novel, titled “Christmas Trees & Weak Knees,” is scheduled for release later this year.

Teresa Polson, M.S.Ed., Ed.S. ’18, Ed.D. ’21, was named Valley View School District’s superintendent of schools.

Kiran Solingapuram Sai, Ph.D., received the Steven Larson Named Lecture on Advanced Nuclear Medicine Research award from the 2026 Mars Shot Fund for his proposal, “Microtubule PET imaging in healthy older adults.”

Kendra Asbury, M.S.Ed., Ed.S. ’24, was named assistant superintendent of human resources for Freeport School District 145.

Jon Kindseth, M.P.A., was appointed as Park Forest village manager.

Ashley Michels was named communications director of the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Andrea Setmeyer, M.A., was promoted to vice president of marketing for The Reading League.

Shawna Sterling received a 2026 Rockford-area Golden Apple award.

Baraa Banibaker opened Nova Scholars Tutoring Center in Orland Park, Illinois.

Karen Beverlin, M.S.Ed., was named superintendent of Washington Community High School District 308.

Hayley Gotzsche received a 2026 Rockford-area Golden Apple award.

Sarah Cacciatore, Ed.D., was named superintendent of Cary School District 26.

Ian Welch, M.F.A., received a 2026 South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts.

Daniel Albers was appointed to lead Richardson Electronics’ Made-in-USA contract manufacturing expansion.

Kathryn Rogalski, Ed.D., was named president of Grand Rapids Community College.

Bryan Bolton, M.S.Ed., was named principal of Whittier Elementary in School District 58.

Jacob Montesano was named weekend morning meteorologist for TMJ4 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Julie Wiejak, Ed.D., was named assistant vice chancellor for university recruitment and K-12 strategy at Purdue University Northwest.