Alumni Class Notes August 2025-January 2026

1960s

Brenda Parker ’69, ’13M became a great grandmother in September 2025.

1970s

Kathy Crumpler ’76 retired after 48 years in education, having served as a classroom teacher, college professor, health education specialist, Peace Corps volunteer and trainer and curriculum specialist.

Linda Sayed ’78, ’85M was named a Super Lawyer by NC Business Elite in the Family Law category.      

William Lyman ’79 recently marked six years of retirement following a 36-year career with the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families.

1980s

Valvria Clark ’84 and her husband, John Clark, launched The Clark Report, a Christian podcast that explores current news headlines through a biblical perspective.

Greg Stenzel ’85 is beginning his 38th year as a member of the PGA of America and 10th year as a PGA Career Consultant serving the Middle Atlantic PGA Section.

William Morrison ’86 joined a new real estate team, Livin’ Carolina with Realty One Coastal, in 2025 and had his most successful year ever in the Charleston market.

Melissa Blackburn ’87 celebrated 22 years of federal service in July. She joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District in 2003 and currently serves as an Inspector General for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters in Alexandria, VA.

Dawn Rochelle ’87 co-authored and published her first book, The Confident Board Member: A Modern Guide to Self-Fulfilling and Purpose-Driven Governance.

Robin Soderena ’89 is celebrating 30 years with the State of North Carolina at DHHS, where her work has supported and strengthened the state’s mental health system.

1990s

Gena Winstead ’91 is in her 29th year as a Realtor.

Rob Sherry ’92 was awarded the 2026 Man of the Year Award by the Ancient Order of Hibernians 4th Division Scranton, PA.

Genie Faulkner ’94 retired from public education following 30 years of dedicated service in roles including physical education, assistant principal and elementary school principal.

Jennifer Tucker ’94 retired from her teaching career with New Hanover County Schools in July 2025.

Colin Heaton ’97 is currently producing three films, one of which is an adaptation of his book, The Star of Africa.

Sonya Harper ’98 recently completed the UNC School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy.

Chase Hodges ’98 was inducted into the Georgia Gwinnett College Athletics Hall of Fame.

Brooke Herring ’99 is celebrating 20 years of working at her family’s produce stand, Geraldine’s Peaches and Produce Roadside Market, in Lumberton, NC.

Connie Ronner ’99 was named business banker for First National Bank in Wilmington, NC.

2000s

Wendy Grimm ’00 along with her best friend and business partner, Courtney Carlisle, launched Lake & Shore Home Management & Organization. They service Wilmington, Asheville and Lake Norman.

Rebecca Knudson ’00 was recently included in the Best Lawyers in America 2026 list.

Alejandro Lalinde ’00 completed an American Society of Cinematographers mentorship and directed and shot a short film that is now on the festival circuit. He also finished principal photography on two major feature films this year.

Stacy Waters-Bailey ’01, ’03M was named the fifth president of South Piedmont Community College in Monroe, NC.

Matt McDonnell ’02 serves as director of sales for Sachs Peanuts, the second-largest roaster of in-shell peanuts in the United States.

Crystal Ndudiri ’02 was married on March 27, 2021, and in August 2024 gave birth to triplets, two girls and a boy.

Leslie Shevlin ’03 was named director of athletics at Willamette University.

Harris Edgerton ’04 was selected to attend the Consumer Bankers Association Executive Banking School, a prestigious three-year graduate program held each July at Furman University.

Kristen Gulish ’05 serves as chief operating officer of Seen & Heard, a national youth-powered advocacy nonprofit organization that amplifies young people’s voices and lived experiences around health, education and joy.

Christopher Harris ’05 is the owner of Quint Chiropractic in Wilmington, NC, and is celebrating 16 years as a practicing chiropractor.

Cassie Varner ’07 recently finished her master’s degree in adult education and is currently teaching at Randolph Community College.

Will Glasco ’08 was promoted to president and CEO of Preservation Virginia, a statewide history nonprofit that operates six museums, including Jamestown, Cape Henry Lighthouse and Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown.

Rebecca Willis ’08 recently returned to music and started releasing original songs, now available on all streaming platforms.

Natalie Buckley ’09’s film, Suburban Nights, was screened at Thalian Hall as part of the Cucalorus Film Festival.

Elizabeth Hauser ’09 made history as the first female surf official on the World Surf League Championship Tour.

Scotlan Meade ’09 won the American Heart Association’s 2025 Triangle Woman of Impact Campaign, leading a team dedicated to preventing heart disease and stroke.

2010s

Amanda Miljenovic ’10 and Jared Miljenovic ’09 welcomed their second baby girl, Mila, in April 2025.

Ericka Hall ’12 won the Outstanding Young Educator Award and Teacher of the Year for Person County Schools in 2025.

Benjamin Jackson ’12’s first major project as an executive producer, the documentary Women and the Wind, was released in 2025 and earned four film festival awards while touring.

Marissa Blackburn ’13 was nominated as a 2025 WILMA Woman to Watch finalist in the Public Sector category.

Alicia Mills ’15 was commissioned into the U.S. Army JAG Corps as the first attorney in her family and the first to serve as a JAG officer. She began active duty in August 2025.

Lauren Skrba ’15 won the Environmental Education Award for Women in Conservation with Conserve Wildlife Foundation.

Taniesha Young ’15, ’19M and Paris Roebuck ’26M were married in October 2025 in downtown Wilmington.

Michele Fudge ’18 was honored with two Cardiac Arrest Life Save Awards for serving as the lead paramedic on two successful emergency calls.

Tiffany Hill ’18 and Victoria Steagall ’20 were married on November 15, 2025.

Brittany Smith ’18 founded Flora and Fauna Festivities LLC, a North Carolina–based small business focused on connecting communities with nature through fun, educational experiences.

Benjamin Kempton ’19M graduated with a doctoral degree in business administration from UNCG.

Ashley Merklinger ’19 is approaching the fourth anniversary of owning her own community pottery studio, Bookworm Pottery & Co, in Wilmington, NC.

Valentina Pantani ’19 serves as an assistant athletic trainer for Carolina Ascent, Charlotte’s women’s professional soccer team.

Apria Valenza ’19 was chosen as the International Fisheries Section of the American Fisheries Society Fellow. She represented the American Fisheries Society, USA, NC and UNCW at the Fisheries Society of the British Isles Annual Meeting in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

2020s

Courtney Burns ’20M co-wrote and starred in Elaine & Trina, a short film that premiered at the 31st annual Cucalorus Film Festival.

Bailey Lines ’20 was named Teacher of the Year at Buies Creek Elementary School. She and her husband have completed the process to become a foster family for children.

Austin Marquette ’20 was named to the national 30 Under 30 list for Political Operatives.

Susan Lawhead ’21M received the SAS 2025 CEO Award of Excellence, selected as one of 25 employees worldwide from more than 700 nominees.

Caylee Weaver ’21, ’22M is a co-lead for North Carolina’s multisector plan for aging and helped launch the All Ages, All Stages Implementation Tracker Dashboard, marking the start of the first phase of work to build more age-inclusive communities across the state.

Lia Carnes ’23, ’24M and Bradley Earnshaw ’24 were married on December 6, 2025.

Rebekah Martin ’23, ’24M launched her career in instructional design as the first instructional designer at Brunswick Community College, where she supports faculty and leads workshops and trainings.

Felicia Brown ’24C, ’24 Ph.D. started a new position as assistant superintendent of human resources for Duplin County Schools.

Devyn Doolittle ’24M and Damian Doolittle welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Dawson, in December 2025.

Christine Vion ’24M completed her first semester as a temporary faculty instructor for UNI-101 at UNCW.

Correction: The alumni profile featuring Zandra Harris Pinnix ’95 in the fall 2025 Class Notes was revised for accuracy and can be found at uncw.edu/pinnix.