Class Notes

Class Notes

Share Life's Important Moments!
Let your classmates know what's new with you! Share news on recent jobs, promotions, weddings, and more by submitting a Class Note. Don't forget to include pictures!

Class Notes

 

Marquetta Alexander

 

Marquetta Alexander ’20 EdD in Organizational Leadership, accepted a new position at Clara Maass Medical Center (CMMC), as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion. In her new role, Dr. Alexander will ensure culturally competent, patient-centered care is provided to the diverse patient pool at CMMC. Read more.

Amanda Grossman
Amanda Grossman '20 climbs up the modeling charts in the East Coast. Not only is she winning in the modeling industry, but she is an entrepreneur with several thriving businesses.

Leah Sadler

Leah Sadler '20 is welcomed by the non-profit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland & Salem Counties as manager of the Mentor 2.0 program. Read more. 

 

Michael Zakis ’20 was introduced as a new officer by Police Chief Matthew Kunz for the Jackson Police Department. Read more

 

Dan Berman '21

Dan Berman ’21 joins the WENY news team as an anchor and producer for Good Morning Twin Tiers Weekend – during the week he serves as a reporter.

Danielle Combs

 

Danielle Combs ’21 is being awarded a Hughes Center Honor – awarded for professional excellence and a commitment to public service, civility and bipartisanship. Combs is an activist for social justice who helped revitalize the Stockton’s NAACP chapter and served as its president. She organized a Juneteenth March for Justice on the Galloway campus in the spring. A Dean's List student, Combs is applying for admission to law school starting in fall 2021. 

 

Kelly Fleck

Kelly Fleck '21, a Robbinsville High School teacher, has served as one of 19 Phillies Ballgirls for the 2022 season! Whenever a baseball is hit toward foul territory in left field, watch for Fleck. She might be there, wearing a Phillies uniform #22 (representing the year) and using the same glove from her days playing shortstop for the Lacey Township High School softball team. Read the full story here.

Liam James McGettigan '21

Liam James McGettigan ’21 guest stars in the CBS Original Series “FBI: Most Wanted.” This is one of his very first mainstream acting experiences.

Alyssa Erin De Gusman

Alyssa Erin De Guzman ’22 was recently honored by the Alpha Eta Society for her research titled “Experiences of Racially/Ethnically Diverse Undergraduate Students Pursuing Speech-Language Pathology. Alyssa will present her research in person at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention in New Orleans to about 15,000 attendees. Read the full story here.

 

Meghan Steingall '10

Meghan Steingall '10, a personal injury attorney with Laddey, Clark & Ryan, LLP, has been elevated to Partner. Ms. Steingall concentrates her practice in all areas of personal injury litigation.

Jessica Radich '15

Jessica Radich '15, a fish biologist at Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery in Georgia, was featured by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for her work with at-risk species.

Bry'le Watson '18

Bry'le Watson '18 is representing New Jersey in the 2023 Miss Black USA competition. The event will be held in Washington, D.C. on August 6.

Anthony Pompei

Detective Anthony Pompei '10 received the 2022 Trooper of the Year Award from the New Jersey State Police for his work throughout Trenton and its surrounding areas. It is the highest honor a trooper can receive from within the Division.

 

Maria Z. Cortes ’11, a Fox Rothschild attorney, has been selected by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity to participate in the 2022 Class of Pathfinders—a select group of lawyers recognized for their leadership potential. The Pathfinders program is designed to create a pipeline of diverse attorneys to guide change and foster equity and inclusion in the legal profession.

Alyssa Gagliardi '11

 

 

Alyssa Gagliardi ’11 is a children’s picture book author who has recently released her eighth book “The Cousins Sister.” This is the second book in the series titled, “The Cousin Sisters, Carnival,” which is now available on Amazon. Her first release, “Boardwalk Fries” is now available in a bookstore on Asbury Avenue in Ocean City. Her next two books, titled “Pretty Petals” and “Becca’s Beach Bliss,” will be released later this year.

 

The Seed

 

Sean Towers '12 and Amanda Cardinali '12 have brought locally sourced craft beer to Atlantic City through their joint venture The Seed: A Living Beer Project. Read about their journey here.

In July 2021, USA Today named The Seed as the best new brewery in the United States.

 

 

Kristopher Cleary '12/M.S.'14, professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Stockton spoke at The Union Market and Gallery, co-owned by Dani Corso '08/'12, on December 12 as a part of David's Dream and Believe Cancer Foundation's "Coffee and Conversations" series. Read more about the partnership.

 

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has appointed Donald E. Moore ’12 as its Senior Vice President of Real Estate, Facilities and Operations. Moore has close to four decades of experience in facilities development and operations management, having most recently served as Vice President of Real Estate and Facilities at Drexel University, one of three former institutions where he led master planning and facilities development activity.

 

Daniel Philippi

Danny Philippi ’12 joined The Arc of Atlantic County’s golf program in 2001 and fell in love with the game. His passion for it has led him to becoming a Special Olympics national champion. He received a gold medal at the Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida, after he defeated another golfer by one shot in the Level Four finale June 9.

 

Art Collection

Award-winning Visual Artist and Arabic Calligraphist Mariam Rajput ’12  is announced the official release of her 2020 Collection: “The Sea and Its Pearls; A Collection of Works”. Rajput’s inspiration for this long-awaited collection is derived from Islamic Texts, Persian Poetry, and the beauty of the natural world. Her work tackles a difficult and emotive issue in American Art Culture without being didactic or heavy-handed.

 

 

Barnegat Police Department announced Joseph Peragine ’12, Criminal Justice graduate, as their newest officer. Peragaine finished in the top 1 percent of nearly 400 candidates.

 

Belfint, Lyons, Shuman, Certified Public Accountants, announced that Jason Knorr ’13 joined the firm’s Corporate & International Services department in December 2020 and specializes in assisting Delaware Investment Holding Company clients. 

 

Hannah Piatt

Hannah Piatt ‘13, an investigator with the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s office,  is a sergeant in the Army Reserve and is mobilized for the COVD-19 response at Fort Dix, the Army Support Activity at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Piatt serves in the 327th Medical Detachment Combat Operational Stress Control Unit, and her team’s mission is to promote resilience and psychological health in military units and soldiers exposed to the stress of combat or other military operations. Read her incredible story here.

 

 

The Ship Bottom Police Department welcomes Christopher Ford ’13 as their newest patrolman. Ford has several certifications ranging from Field Training Office to Physical Training Instructor to Defensive Tactics Instructor.

 

Kristen Donath Engaged

Kristin Donath '13 is newly engaged to marry Charlie Doty, both from Fort Pollk, LA. Kristin is employed by the Louisiana National Guard and graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Sciences in Public Health. Read more.

Julia Popefka Community Engagement Award

Julia Popefka '13/M.S. '16 has degrees in Psychology and Occupational Therapy and was recently awarded the Stockton 2019 Community Engagement award at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on January 21. Read more.

 

Patrolman Christopher Schou ‘13 has been sworn in as the Manalapan Police Departments newest full-time police officer.  Christopher has been a Class II Special Law Enforcement Officer since 2019.

 

David Lamando ’13 was hired as Aide to the Governor in the Office of Constituent Relations in the NJ Governor Phil Murphy’s office.

Jennifer Boyer ’14 and Devon Murden ’16

Jennifer Boyer ’14 and Devon Murden ’16 were married May 2019. They “met, fell in love, and built an amazingly supportive group of friends at Stockton.” Several Stockton alumni attended the wedding.

Corey

 

Scarinci Hollenbeck welcomed the addition of Stockton alumna Corey L. LaBrutto ‘14 to the firm’s litigation practice. She will be based in the firm’s Lyndhurst, NJ office, focusing on both New Jersey and New York litigation matters, according to Partner & Chair of the firm’s litigation practice, Robert Levy.

 

Ronald DeFelice and Taylor Reeves Engagement

Ronald DeFelice '14 and Taylor Reeves '15 got engaged during the Atlantic City BeachFest Concert on Sunday, July 1. Read more.

 

Mariana Diosa-Gomez ’14 joins Parker McCay as an associate in public finance and corporate departments in Camden.

 

Lillian Elsohn

 

Lillian Elsohn ‘14 has been promoted to the position of director of community support services at Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties.

Francisco Guzman

Francisco Guzmán ‘14 joins Capehart Scatchard as an associate in its Mount Laurel office. Guzman will represent insurance carriers and employers in the defense of workers' compensation claims at all stages of litigation.

 

 

Hannah Pretz '14 studied the forces of evolutionary, geologic, and social change and contribute to sustainable solutions for this archipelago in Galápagos in summer 2018. Hannah, a school programs manager at Brandywine Zoo, lives in Wilmington, Del., and is a graduate student in Miami University's Global Field Program.

J Carey

Jessica Carey '15 got engaged to John Hyland both of Alexandria, VA. Carey is the director of Operations for the House of Representative's Majority Political Action Committee in Washington, D.C.

 

Tyler Golato

Tyler Golato ‘15 will present the latest research on the topic of Decentralized Science: Early Learnings and Future Hopes at the world’s largest annual Aging Research and Drug Discovery conference. Tyler is the co-founder and chief scientific officer at Molecule where he is the scientific lead, a biochemist, molecular biologist, and entrepreneur with a background in experimental therapeutics and biogerontology. He graduated from Stockton University before embarking on research fellowships at Columbia University and later, The National Institute of Aging. Tyler has developed novel therapeutics for treating several types of cancer, created new ways of measuring the DNA damage and repair response, and contributed to new theories around several rare genetic diseases.

 

Nicholas LaFata

Nicholas LaFata ’15 was sworn in as a new member of the Monroe Township Police Department. He was administered the oath of office at a monthly council meeting surrounded by family, friends and fellow police officers. LaFata graduated from the Cape May County Police Academy and graduated from Stockton University in 2015 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. He worked as a park ranger for Middlesex County before joining the Monroe Township Police Department.

 

Manager of Communications

Leanna Mullen '15/M.A. '17, manager of district communications of the Egg Harbor Township School District assists and works with high school students at the EHTHS Eagle News Broadcast with their projects using her own industry expertise. She has her own film company, has been recognized for her talent in communications and film, and battled an life-threatening genetic disorder. Read more.

 

Melissa Laurino '15/M.S. '18

 
 
Melissa Laurino '15/M.S. '18, a two-time Stockton graduate who works in the Lab and teaches Biodiversity and Evolution, was recently featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer discussing her career as a marine biologist and her dream job watching the dolphins off of Cape May.

Irvin O. Moreno-Rodriguez

Irvin O. Moreno-Rodriguez '15, program assistant of the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University, was recently named to the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. He was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy after making it through the final selection process. He will serve in this role for 12 months, Sept. 1, 2021-Sept. 1, 2022. The core mission of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education is to promote the education of the Holocaust in the State of New Jersey. Read more about Irvin's passion here.

Veniamin Smirnov


The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) welcomes Veniamin Smirnov ’16 as a research staff member in the Operational Evaluation Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center.  

 

 

Stephen DeCasien '16 is currently finishing his Master’s degree in Ancient History at the University of South Florida. Since Stephen has graduated from Stockton, he has been attending school at the University of South Florida and participating in the 2018 Summer Session at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Stephen plans to further his education at Texas A&M University in the fall to receive his degree in Nautical Archaeology. Stephen graduated from Stockton University with his Bachelor of Arts in Historical Studies.

 Stockton Wedding

Sara Kosch '16 and Nathan Lepore '14 met at Stockton during their first semester at school together and became instant best friends. Nathan graduated with a B.S. in Business Management and now works for Merrill Edge as a Performance Analyst. Sara graduated with a B.S. in Hospitality Management and is currently the Marketing Coordinator for The Smile Center of NJ dental offices. These two Stockton Sweethearts were married on Jan. 26, 2019, at The Carriage House in Galloway, close to their Stockton roots. The two currently live in Mount Laurel, NJ, with their furbaby, Daisy, and Nathan's eight-year-old daughter, Melanie.

 

Carly Griffiths '16 is working to help establish Atlantic City as the headquarters for climate change research. Last year, she began organizing a climate change conference for the Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) which came to fruition. Carly graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Science in Sustainability. Read more.

 Giordano Wedding

Mario Giordano ‘16 and Noelle (Gibson) Giordano ’16 got married on July 21, 2018 at the Camden County Boathouse. They met during their junior year when Noelle began working at Mario’s family’s restaurant, Cousin Mario’s, located in Mays Landing, NJ. After graduation they continued to live near Stockton where Mario successfully ran his own construction company. They recently relocated to South Florida after Noelle accepted a job offer as the Marketing Coordinator for Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Paula Heffley

Paula Heffley '16 has joined Marsolluna Media & Marketing, LLC, as their new Social Media Manager! She’ll be proudly working alongside fellow alumna Leslie Jespersen '11, founder and CEO of Marsolluna Media & Marketing, LLC, to support businesses in the local community.

 

Ben Mrozinski '16 has a BA in Criminal Justice and was recently hired as a patrolman with the Harvey Cedars Police Department. Read more.

 

Carl Archut ‘16, has accepted a new position at the University of California, Davis as Director of Development for Regional Giving. In his new role he will be the sole development officer for Texas.

 

Kyle Carrier SOSH

Kyle Carrier '17 received a BS in business studies from Stockton University. After working as an architect drafting consultant with the SOSH Architects firm, Kyle has now been hired as a a Project Coordinator in the SOSH Architects Atlantic City office.

 

Zach Rayment ’17 segues from Nights to Middays at WKMK/WTHJ (Thunder 106)/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ. Zach began his career at Press Communications in 2018 before joining the Thunder 106 air staff the following year. He started his radio journey while attending Stockton.

Megan Hill '17

Megan Hill ’17 was hired as a Camden County detective.

 

Alex Meyes

Psychology alumni Alex Meyes ’17 and Kathleen Connelly ’18, and current social work student Julie Coker are members of Stockton's Active Minds chapter. All are among 17 recent graduates and students nationwide to be featured in the national mental health book, 'Our Stories, Ourselves: Beating the Stigma of Mental Health in Colleges and Universities'. Read more here and here.

Matt Lesyk

Seaman Matthew Lesyk '17, a Marine Science graduate, guarded former President George H.W. Bush's casket on Wednesday during the funeral service. "Having the privilege to stand among history and to honor a president that was a true American hero was extremely humbling. This is an honor I will cherish for my entire life, and I am extremely proud to have represented the U.S. Coast Guard and stand among our joint military branches." Matthew is on the left in both images and closest to the American flag in the second.

 

Ptl. Joe Pizzuto ‘17 joins the Pine Beach Police Department as one of their new Class 2 officers. Joe graduated from Stockton with a BA degree in Social & Behavioral Sciences with a major in Criminal Justice and Homeland Security and in 2019 graduated from the Ocean County Police Academy.

Jaymes Swain

Jaymes Swain ’18 has a BS in marine science and is working with students in Adjunct Professor Steven Nagieqicz's '74 class on researching a shipwreck beneath the Mullica River Bridge in Port Republic, NJ from the Battle of Chestnut Neck. Read more.

 

Michael Gardner '17 has a BA in Criminal Justice and was recently sworn in as Patrolman Michael Gardner with Manchester Township Police Department by Justice Mayor Kenneth T. Palmer during a ceremony in the Municipal Complex Civic Center in Manchester, NJ on January 14, 2019. Michael Gardner earned a bachelor’s in criminal Justice from Stockton and graduated eighth in his class from Ocean County Police Academy in May 2018. He previously worked for the Seaside Heights Police Department. Read more.

Terry King

Terry King '17 has a BA in Criminal Justice and was recently sworn in as an Officer for the Princeton Police Department by Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert. Read more.

 

Ptl. Stephen Scaturro ‘17 was hired to a full-time position in April at the Pine Beach Police Department. Stephen graduated from Stockton with a BA degree in Social & Behavioral Sciences with a major in Criminal Justice and in 2018 graduated from the Ocean County Police Academy.

Lieutenant Stuart

Congratulations to Lieutenant Tracy Stuart ’17 for Stockton’s award-winning K-9 team! Golden Retriever K-9 Freya and her handler, Tracy, took second place in the explosives detection category on ESPN 2’s K9 Detection Dog Challenge, finishing just one point away from the top spot. Stockton’s canine duo was the only team from a higher education police department and the only explosive detection dog team from New Jersey to compete. Read more.

 

Lorena Hernandez ’18 was sworn in as a special law enforcement officer II in Vineland. Hernandez earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Stockton University.

Gianna Graw

Gianna Graw '18 donated her kidney which set off a chain of four kidney transplants in Los Angeles, Tampa, Los Angeles again and finally, San Francisco. Graw says she sees her kidney donation as part of another type of chain: A legacy of kindness and compassion started by her father, William Graw, a Jersey City police officer, died Oct. 2, 2016. Graw says she first heard about kidney donations shortly after her dad died, during one of her undergraduate classes at Stockton University, where she majored in psychology. She began researching to learn more about the kidney-donation process.

 

Brittany LaFalce

Brittany LaFalce '18 was recently sworn in as one of the newest full-time officers hired by Jackson Police Department. Previously, Brittany worked as a loss prevention officer at Macy's. Brittany graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. Read more.

Marc Ellsworth

Marc Ellsworth ’18 participated in the most recent controlled burn of dead trees and bramble with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, recording data for the school’s forest management plan near Stockton University.

Jessica Errico

Jessica Errico ’18, Stockton Business Management major, celebrated the Grand Opening of Anna Bananas Bakery. She spent years creating business plans and brought her baking passion to life to create her new bakery. Check out Jessica's bakery at 657 E. Bay Avenue Unit #4 in the Manahawkin Mart.

 

 

Convenant House

Veronica Rowland ’18, AmeriCorps Changebuilder Community Engagement coordinator, participated in the Covenant House Sleep Out in Atlantic City with Stockton staff member Elyse Smith and current Stockton student, Krystiana Jalosjos to raise lifesaving funds to give kids safe shelter and opportunity, and unite your community against youth homelessness.

 

 

Rod Stearn

Dr. Rod Stearn ‘18, adjunct history professor at Transy and director of Catechesis, Faith Formation, and Religious Education of The Catholic Diocese of Lexington, gave a talk on the recent release of his book titled “Historiography and Hierotopy: Palestinian Hagiography in the Sixth Century A.D.” To celebrate the publication of his book, Dr. Stearn was invited to participate as part of the Classical Humanities Society of South Jersey Lecture Series provided by Stockton University.

 

 

Mike Brock'18

 

Mike Brock `18 is the Digital Media Manager for Monmouth  County Tourism and recently awarded the New Jersey Travel Industry Association (NJTIA) President’s Award for his work revamping the Monmouth County Tourism website.

 

Nicole DeSimone

 

Nicole DeSimone ‘19 earned a master’s degree in experimental psychology in May 2021 from Montclair State University.

 

The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation announced the 2019 class of WW Pennsylvania Teaching Fellows. Among the class of 24 is Stockton’s Michael Slaza `19 and Rachel Milliron `12. Rachel earned a B.S., environmental science in 2012. Michael earned a B.S, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2019. The highly competitive program recruits both recent graduates and career changers with strong backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math—the STEM fields—and prepares them specifically to teach in high-need secondary schools. Each Fellow receives $32,000 to complete a specially designed, cutting-edge master’s degree program based on a yearlong classroom experience. In return, Fellows commit to teach for three years in the high-need Pennsylvania schools

Erin Sharpe '04

Erin Sharpe '04, a science teacher at Cedar Creek High School, was named Atlantic County Teacher of the Year by the NJ Department of Education.

Advisory Board

 

Stockton University School of Business formed a new advisory board to assist its efforts to provide students with advanced skills, internships and job placement opportunities. Henry Glickel `85 and Roxanne Passarella `00, will serve as board chair and vice chair.

 

Brandi Serbeck-Holdren

Brandi Serbeck-Holdren '00 has a BA in Literature and teaches sixth grade English and language arts at the William Davies Middle School and was just named one of the 2018-19 Teacher of the Year! Read more.

 Craig Rudzenski ’01

Craig Rudzenski ’01 recently opened relax: Float Spa in Doylestown, Pa. After suffering from a back injury at work he tried floatation therapy, and after a few sessions, recognized that more people needed to understand its benefits. Shortly after, he applied the knowledge he gained from both his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and his 17-year career with Sony PlayStation to open the new floatation spa. After only being open for five months, relax: Float Spa, which offers four custom-built, private float suites, has already won the Bucks Happening List 2019 in the "Best Day Spa" category. Rudzenski credits his Stockton University education for preparing him to face the challenge of opening his own business.

 

Peggy Gentile-Van Meter ’01 is presently serving a two-year term as Governor of the North Atlantic Region of Soroptimist International of the Americas. Since joining Soroptimist in 2006, she has held several board positions at the regional level, including Governor-Elect, District Director, and District Secretary and is also a member of Soroptimist International of Cumberland County, NJ (SICC) where she was honored in 2015 with SICC’s Soroptimist of the Year award for her hard work and dedication. Peggy is also a member of Lions International and the South Jersey Holocaust Coalition. Peggy’s other honors include induction into Cumberland County’s Women’s Hall of Fame (2011), Cumberland Regional High School Teacher of the Year (2006/2007), and Cumberland County Leadership Award (2004). Prior to retiring in 2012, Peggy taught history for more than 34 years at Cumberland Regional High School. Additionally, from 2006-2017 she served as adjunct History professor at Cumberland County College. When not doing Soroptimist work, she enjoys traveling, reading, volunteering and spending time with her family.

 

Lisa Eisele ’01 was promoted to chief financial officer and senior vice president at Sturdy Savings Bank. She brings 19 years of experience to her new role at Sturdy Savings.

Marisa Edmond

Edmund Optics (EO) appointed Marisa Edmund ’02, a third-generation family member, as Chair of the EO Board. Marisa succeeds her father Robert Edmund as he retires and will continue to serve as chief sales and marketing officer for the company, taking the lead in expanding its global sales presence, partnerships and customer collaboration.

 

 

Kristine (Cusick) May '02 is Lead Counselor and Co-Lead Science Teacher at Sturgis Charter Public School West in Hyannis, Mass. US News and World Report ranked Sturgis Charter third on its top high schools in Massachusetts list. Kristine also teaches International Baccalaureate Higher Level Biology and advises the school ROVers Club, which builds marine Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for competition.

 

Dr. Sean McQueeney '02/MPT '04/DPT '09 recently accepted a position with the Chinese Olympic Committee working with the table tennis team.

Ned and wife

Ned Gaine ’02, an Atlantic County aquaculture farmer, has been chosen as New Jersey’s 2020 Outstanding Young Farmer by the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture. Gaine and his wife, Olga, are one of 10 finalists for the National Outstanding Young Farmer Award. He was recognized for the New Jersey honor at the 2020 New Jersey State Agricultural Convention in Atlantic City.

Nelson

Nicole Nelson ’02 who was in the first Ed. Leadership doctoral class at Stockton University was recently promoted to lieutenant at Hamilton Township police force. 

Tamara deMent

Tamara deMent ’03, acclaimed jazz violinist, performed at Paris Bistro in Chestnut Hill earlier this month. deMent is a sought after and versatile musician noted for  her dark, resonant tone and lyrical improvisation. She has been a featured jazz performer for events funded by the Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts, as well as Cape May Jazz Vespers, Jersey Shore Jazz Vespers and Cape May Music Festival.

 

Bobby Barr ‘04 has been added by the First Legislative District team to the Community Outreach Team. Bobby will be responsible for community outreach efforts and is currently serving his second term as councilman in Ocean City.

 

 

Amanda McCullough '04 joined Stockton University's University Relations & Marketing team as a professional services specialist. In her new role, McCullough will assist in the development, production and distribution of University publications and special projects, including Stockton News and Stockton Now. She previously managed public relations and social media at Atlantic Cape Community College for four and half years. Prior to that, she worked at The Current Newspapers for 10 years. She received her bachelor’s degree in Communication from Stockton in 2004.

Julio Morgan

 

Julio Morgan ‘04 has been a McDonald’s owner and operator since 2018. He began his McDonald’s career at the age of 15 working in his mother’s first location in Neptune, NJ. In February 2021, he purchased six locations in the Schenectady/Troy/Albany, New York Market. With the addition of these six locations, he has grown the company to 17 locations within New Jersey and New York area.

Crystal Ozsoy

 

Crystal A. (Oliveri) Ozsoy ‘04 joins the US team at Prezzee as Performance Marketing Manager. Crystal will be tasked with helping Prezzee translate its business goals into reality, and growing brand awareness in the United States. 

Gooley

Matthew Gooley ’05 self-published his debut spy novel “Destiny Can Be Dangerous.” This was a culmination of years of work on a project that began as a short-screenplay that he expanded into a feature-length screenplay (film was never produced) and eventually evolved into the novel. With the help of an IndieGoGo campaign he finished the project in the Fall of 2019 and proudly released the book to the world. It is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Ingram Distribution Channels. 

Hubner

Katie (Fatzinger) Hubner ’05 and her husband, Carl, opened a College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk and Moving franchise near Atlantic City. The franchise – which has been featured on "Blue Collar Millionaire," "Shark Tank," and other primetime shows – provides local moving, junk removal, donation pickups, general labor and more.

 

Jersey Central Power & Light named Frank Luna ’05 a new external affairs consultant to serve as a liaison with elected officials and to support local community involvement activities, serving much of Monmouth County. Luna was district chief of staff for Congressman Tom MacArthur and served as his campaign manager in 2014. Prior to that, he worked at The Anchor's Bend in Asbury Park, the New Jersey Republican State Committee, and as director of constituency outreach in the office of Governor Chris Christie. 

Schmidt

Susan Adelizzi- Schmidt '05, president of Suasion Communications Group was awarded an Excellence in Communications Award at the 2019 Downtown New Jersey Conference for the agency’s work on Downtown Haddonfield’s Communications Campaign October 2019. She also received the prestigious New Jersey Tourism Excellence Award in the Digital Outreach category from the New Jersey Tourism Industry Association. Susan has also been recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal as a 2018 Top Full-Service Marketing Agency for the second year in a row. Additionally, she was appointed to Downtown New Jersey’s (DNJ) Board of Directors, an organization devoted to ensuring the vitality of New Jersey’s downtowns. 

She was also was awarded a 2021 New Jersey Tourism Excellence Award from the New Jersey Tourism Industry Association (NJTIA). Learn more here.


 

Brett Steinberg ’05 was named general manager of Carlisle Coatings & Waterproofing where he will oversee sales, marketing, technical services and customer service.

 

Chris Cowan ’06 will join Wiss, a full-service accounting and business advisory firm, as partner of Construction Services. In 2011, Cowan was named to the first 30 Under 30 list compiled by the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, NJBiz’s 40 Under 40 in 2017 and in 2021, and named to the Construction Financial Management Association’s first ever 40 under 40.

 

 Drama Kids

Jessica (Eisenstein) Sawyer ‘06 graduated from Stockton with a degree in Theatre Performance. After several years as a high school drama teacher, she left the classroom and is now the Owner/Director of Drama Kids of Medford, Voorhees and Williamstown. Drama Kids uses drama activities to build self-esteem, self-confidence, collaboration and creativity skills in children and is offering classes throughout South Jersey beginning in September.

Heather Bennett

 

Heather L. Bennett `06, Stockton Biology Major, joins Trinity College in the 2021-2022 academic year as one of their newest tenure-track faculty members. Her focus will be in neural and molecular mechanisms that allow organisms to adapt and survive oxygen deprivation.

Hall of Fame

Chris Crescenzi ’06 (baseball), Shelley Gibney ’11(women's soccer & women's track & field), Rory McPeek ’00 (men's lacrosse), Will Turner ’00(men's basketball) and the 1995-96 Men’s Basketball Team were inducted as the ninth Stockton Athletics Hall of Fame class at a dinner in the Campus Center Event Room on Oct. 5. 

Dave Sholler

Dave Sholler ’06, former Executive Vice President of Communications for the Philadelphia 76ers, has been named Chief Communications Officer of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. He will also retain the same position with the 76ers, serving as their Chief Communications Officer.

Lauren Vescio

Lauren Vescio '06 has been named a Marketing Manager at NJM Insurance. Vescio started with the company in 2019. As a Marketing Manager, she leads a team of specialists, spreads the words about NJM's business insurance products and coordinates agent relationships, events and social media activity. Read more about Lauren's story here.

Steven C

Steven Couras '07 recently relocated to the Rittenhouse Square-area of Philadelphia and started a new, exciting job as the Director of Residence Life at the Curtis Institute of Music. He recently brought fellow Philadelphia-area alumni together for a happy hour event to celebrate Ospreys Give, Stockton's giving day! Couras challenged fellow alumni at the event to go "All In", encouraging 100 percent of attendees to make a gift to Ospreys Give to support Stockton. We're happy to report that he met his goal! 

 

George Drakopoulos

 

George Drakopoulos ‘07 is the owner, chef and musician of Malelani Café, a charming BYOB restaurant, café and music venue that has been doing business in Mt. Airy, Pa., since 2014. If you like good Mediterranean cuisine, appreciate good coffee and tea and above all, love live music, Malelani’s is the place to be!

 

Ryan L. O’Neill ’07

 

Ryan L. O’Neill ’07 rejoins Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP after serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Criminal Division since 2018. She rejoins as a partner in the White Collar Criminal Defense and Investigations Group where she will focus on white collar criminal defense, corporate and government investigations, state administrative proceedings and complex civil litigation. Read more.

Emily Heerema-Smith

 

Emily Heerema-Smith BA `08/MS `13 and her husband Kyle welcomed their first child, Elsie Frances Smith on January 18, 2021.

 

Brandi Hornbeck

Bobbi Hornbeck ’08, adjunct faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, was selected as one of six recipients to be awarded the 2018 PaleoWest Foundation’s Scholarship Grant. Applicants were unanimously selected by the Foundation’s board of directors as the top contenders. The PaleoWest Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to support archaeological research, education, and preservation worldwide by funding projects that advance the profession and create and sustain knowledge relevant to today's world.

Lynch

Francesca Lynch '08 was appointed as a marketing associate with Community Professional Loudspeakers. Lynch has eight years of experience in the food and beverage industry using the skills she gain through her Business Studies degree from Stockton University and her MBA from Georgian Court University. Read more.

 

Belinda Chester '08 started a new column in the Atlantic and Cape May County Currents/ Gazettes, “Cultivating Thoughts.” The editions come out weekly in The Press of Atlantic City. Belinda is currently the Master Gardener Program coordinator for Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Atlantic County. Belinda graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies.

Top 40 2020

Ananda Davis ’08, Brittany Diaz ’12, and Jennifer Love ’14 are among Atlantic City Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 2020 list, which recognizes those who go above and beyond and not only excel at their jobs but thrive as inspirations to others within the community. Davis serves as a principal in Atlantic City Public Schools. As the leader of a PreK-8 school with unique needs, she continues to provide stability to both staff and students while navigating a multitude of situations with apparent ease and skillful management of challenges known to many urban schools. Diaz is the Player Development Manager at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City where she supports the SVP of National Marketing and the VP of Marketing playing a crucial role in acting as a liaison between the operations teams. while Love is the Second Lieutenant, Air National Guard/177th Fighter wing and has been the recipient of several awards for her excellence, most notably the 2018 Air Reserve Component Force Support Squadron Airman of The Year.

Nicole Stephens

Nicole Stephens ’08 is participating in the second annual Dancing Under the Atlantic City Stars fundraiser on Nov. 2 for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Stephens studied a range of dance including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, modern, hip-hop, and acrogymnastics for over 25 years. She graduated from the Southern New Jersey Academy of Performing Arts, where she majored in dance and furthered her education at Morgan State University, majoring in psychology while performing on the marching band’s dance line. She continued her education at Stockton where she was a member of the All Star dance team, then graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

 

Kia Jones `09, program supervisor for Oceanside Family Success Center, partners with Microsoft to help their Atlantic City center give kids free coding classes. Microsoft heard about the free programs Oceanside had offered to the community, from free paint sessions, sign language course to online scavenger hunts. The result was four coding sessions that incorporated things kids already love, like Minecraft and superheroes. Kia continues her efforts to engage with the community and will offer a summer program with a Space Jam theme.

 

Gregory Matuson '96

Gregory M. Matuson '96 was officially named President & Chief Executive Officer of Sturdy Savings Bank. Gregory brings 22 years of experience as a knowledgeable and effective leader to the position.

Gregory Brown '99

Gregory F. Brown '99 was officially promoted to partner at Kaufman Dolowich LLP, a leading national law firm. Gregory is a litigator who focuses on professional liability, errors and omissions, insurance coverage, commercial, products liability and general liability litigation. 

Brian J. McBride '96

Brian J. McBride '96 was officially appointed superintendent of Monroe Township School District. He had been serving as assistant superintendent since August, and has two decades of experience in Monroe.

Allen Crawford '90

Allen Crawford '90 had his book "A Wild Promise", highlighting the significance of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, published by Tin House Books.

 

Larissa Smith '90 has worked for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey since 2000 as a wildlife biologist. Larissa coordinates volunteers and works with the New Jersey Bald Eagle project among others. She graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and has a Master of Arts in Environmental Education from Rowan University.

Eileen Oakes Muskett
Eileen Oakes Muskett ‘91 was named co-chair of Fox Rothschild’s Women’s Initiative. The coast-to-coast program supports women attorneys with career progression, marketing, networking and work/life integration.
 

Mark Deebold '91 was just named Atlantic County Teacher of the Year for 2018-2019. Mr. Deebold has worked in education for over 22 years. Mark graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor’s of Arts, majoring in Historical Studies.

Howard Haughton
Eva’s Village, a non-profit, comprehensive behavioral health and social service organization, announced Howard Haughton '91 has been named Eva’s Village Interim Chief Executive Officer. “Howard has served Eva’s as a member of the Senior Team through the toughest time in our organization’s 38-year history,” commented Dr. Eileen Clifford, chair of Eva’s Board of Directors. “His commitment to Eva’s mission and strategic guidance will serve us well as we continue to navigate the challenges ahead,” she continued.
 

Laurette Pitts ’91 has a BA in business studies and was recently named Chief Financial Officer of VSBLTY, a retail software and technology company enhancing security and experience for casinos and other entertainment venues. Pitts has 26 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality industry and finance and operations. Read more.

 

James Stern ’92, a financial advisor in Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management office in Stuart, Florida has been promoted to senior vice president and senior portfolio management director. James, who has been with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management since 1993, is a native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey and currently lives in Palm City, Florida with his family.

Katherine R

Katherine Rondeau '92, of Burlington, NJ, is currently on her own southern folk music tour. Rondeau was the former Stockton University Argo Editor in Chief and Wlfr.Fm Stockton Radio Station DJ. Check out her music.

Seibert

With sadness, we share the news of the passing of Trent Seibert '93, founder and editor of the Texas Monitor and Stockton University graduate. Seibert graduated from Stockton with a degree in Political Science. His career as a journalist was rooted firmly in South Jersey. He interned with The Press of Atlantic City in 1990. Following graduation, he worked as a reporter for the Bridgeton News and Gloucester County Times. He also served as the youngest editor of the Stockton University student newspaper, the ARGO. “He represented the very best of what Stockton is about: taking a first-generation college student to the heights of his field,” said Dr. Harvey Kesselman, president. Read more.

Jeff Tognola

Jeff Tognola’93, becomes Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at American Public Education, Inc. bringing more than 25 years of experience in marketing, customer experience, and leadership to his position. Read more.

Lt. Chris

Christopher Hemhauser ’94 was promoted to lieutenant of the Manchester Township Police Department during a special ceremony which took place in the Municipal Complex.

 

Eric Reich ’94, president and founder of Reich Asset Management, introduced the Reich Report – a new weekly column for Catamaran Media to share helpful information on a variety of financial topics, like Social Security, estate planning mistakes, how to spot a recession, IRA mistakes, and more. Reich received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Stockton University, became a Certified Financial Planner and earned his Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant designations from American College and attended The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to obtain his Certified Investment Management Analyst designation. He has worked as a financial planner specializing in retirement for more than 20 years.

Tamar LaSure-Owens

Tamar LaSure-Owens '95 is named Teacher of the Year for Leeds Avenue School in Pleasantville. Tamar has started a ripple effect into other areas around the school to cross-curricular teach and incorporate black history into the state mandated Amistad curriculum. Tamar graduated from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Tamar majored in Criminal Justice and received certification in African American Studies. Tamar was also recognized as a Lifechanger of the Year by National Life Group for the 2018-2019 school year. LaSure-Owens has a BA in criminal justice, is a veteran of the Army National Guard, and is a first-grade teacher at Leeds Avenue School in Pleasantville, NJ. Read more here.

Ciambrone

Lt. Gregory Ciambrone ‘95 was appointed police chief by the Hamilton Township Committee. Following an extensive interview and qualification review, the Township Committee voted unanimously for Ciambrone at its Monday, July 1, meeting. He was subsequently sworn-in in a ceremony at Township Hall the following morning.

 

 

David Reiss '95 was offered a position, shortly after graduation, in the same organization he interned with through the Washington Internship Program and the Washington Center, at the Department of the Treasury within the Deputy CFO's Office. This is also where he worked while earning his MBA in Finance from George Washington University. From there, Reiss '95 was asked to help start up the Department of Homeland Security in March of 2003. In 2016, Reiss '95 was picked for a position as a Supervisory Financial Analyst in the Marine Corps at the Pentagon where he manages the funding requests from Congress for more than $8 billion a year for our Marines around the world.

 

Gregory M. Matuson ’96 has been promoted to chief operation officer at Sturdy Savings Bank, bring more than 20 years of financial experience to his position.

 

Stephen Peacock ’97 will be inducted into the Lakewood (NJ) Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2019. Peacock was a star defensive lineman for the Lakewood High School varsity football team from 1979-1981. He currently works as an English Language Arts teacher at Lakewood High School and has been the “Voice of the Piners” as a PA announcer for the school’s past five basketball seasons. 

In July 2021, Stephen made his debut via the CBS Sports Network to air the iconic Mr. America bodybuilding competition. In addition to this recent debut, Steve served as Master of Ceremonies of the 2020 Mr. America, which was held at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel in October and again later this year.

Livingston Police Department







 

 

The Livingston Police Department celebrates the promotions of two Stockton alumni. Derek Wyatt '98 has been promoted to sergeant of the Detective Bureau and Russell Mueller '97 has been promoted to Lieutenant. Congratulations to both!

Brian Case '98

 

Brian Case MBA ’98 was appointed vice president of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Deborah Heart and Lung Center. His healthcare career has been focused on the development and implementation of service line growth strategies and physician recruitment and retention.

 

Brenna Baker

Brenna Baker ’99, an Absegami High School biology teacher was chosen as the state’s “Teacher of the Year” in Atlantic County. Baker was one of 21 educators selected for the 2022-23 school year.

 

Gernette Wright

Joseph De Vito, president and CEO of The Village Bank, has announced the hiring of Gernette Wright '99, who has joined the bank as assistant vice president, information security officer. In this role, Wright will oversee the design, implementation, and sustainment of the bank’s cybersecurity programs and initiatives. He brings more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of information technology with expertise in IT security and infrastructure management.

 

Jaime Howey '99 has a BA in Literature and Teacher Education and was named Absegami High School's Teacher of the Year. Jaime was raised in Galloway Township, teaches English, and has been teaching in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District for 18 years. Read more.

Palermo

Dr. Jason Palermo '99, a board-certified cardiologist, has recently joined the Heart House Marlton office while also taking patients at the Virtua Marlton Hospital and Virtua Voorhees Hospital. With 15 years if experience in the field, Dr. Palermo specializes in non-invasive cardiology, while advocating for ways to ward off heart disease. Read more in the following articles: Burlington County Times; PRWeb

 

Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin announced Elizabeth Peddicord ’99 as the new Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for the Township.

 

Atlantic City's James Sarkos ’99 receives accreditation from New Jersey State Association of Police for serving as interim officer-in-charge of the Police Department since the former chief retired October 1.

Lori Holdren '87

Dr. Lori Holdren '87 received a Distinguished Faculty Award for her work teaching undergraduate mathematics and graduate research writing.

Marcolongo

Dean Marcolongo ’81, Cape May County surrogate, was recently appointed by The New Jersey Supreme Court Dean Marcolongo to serve on the Judiciary-Surrogate Liaison Committee. Marcolongo was recommended for service on the committee by Surrogate Michelle Gentek-Mayer, chief of the Surrogates Section of the Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. His three-year term will be effective immediately, ending Dec. 31, 2021. Marcolongo graduated from Stockton University in 1981 with a B.A. in Political Science.

David J. Waldron

David J. Waldron '81 has published his fourth book, “Build Wealth With Common Stocks: Market-Beating Strategies for the Individual Investor”. Publishers Weekly recognized the book for one of the best First Lines: “An informed investor has a far greater chance of getting rich slow than getting rich fast, and getting rich slowly is better than not at all.” As a Stockton undergraduate, Waldron—now an individual investor and self-improvement author—contributed to the student newspaper The Argo and also wrote for the Campus Connections publication under the inspiring tutelage of Professor Emerita Norma Grasso. David and his wife, Suzan, reside in historic South Central Pennsylvania.

Jim Sabol

Jim (James) Sabol ’82 is one of only 33 Certified Wildlife Biologists in the State of New Jersey. A former employee of the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Sabol now volunteers as a NJ Conservation Corps member. He stays connected to his profession by assisting farmers and others to mitigate wildlife damage situations on a part-time basis and became a certified biology teacher in the state, having been employed as a full-time teacher as well as a home instructor for several school districts. A Stockton University graduate, Sabol credits his Stockton education – particularly instructors Dennis Slate and Sandy Hertzog – for having a tremendous impact on his professional trajectory. He maintains a website for his wildlife management endeavors: marshrunwildlifemgmt.net.

Francis Hodgson Jr.

Francis Hodgson ’83, was appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to lead the Ocean Vicinage. Chief Justice Stuart Rabner announced Hodgson would take on the position Feb. 1, succeeding Assignment Judge Marlene Lynch Ford. Hodgson earned his bachelor’s degree from Stockton State College. 

 

Glenn Insurance Inc. has announced the promotion of longtime employee Robin L. Jaekel ‘84 to the position of vice president. Jaekel, a South Jersey native who has been employed by Glenn Insurance for more than 36 years, now oversees the Personal Lines Department for the insurance agency.

 

Jeff Quattrone

Jeff Quattrone ’84, has published his first feature article for Modern Farmer entitled “The Legacy of Campbell Soup’s Tomato Breeding Program.” Read more

Ross Fund

Christine “Scrapper” Ross ’85 was honored by The 1985 Lady Osprey Softball Champions, the first championship team in the University’s history, at their second annual reunion and fundraiser. They raised more than $1,100 in support of the Christine “Scrapper” Ross ’85 Memorial Fund. This fund supports Stockton’s Intercollegiate Softball Program and keeps Christine’s legacy, her spirit of generosity, and kindness alive at Stockton.

DiMarco

Paul DiMarco '86 has a BA in Liberal Studies and was the founding member of WLFR 91.7 FM. Paul volunteers his time to the Ronald McDonald House by sharing his musical talents. Featured in RMHC 2019 calendar, Paul says, "Volunteering at the RMDHC is a chance for me to give back just a little bit of myself for those overwhelmed with stress and worry over their children and family. For years, I passed the "House" every day and was searching for a way to give back in a meaningful way when it dawned on me, these folks might appreciate a melody or song in the air. Music is a very powerful healing force to both the player and the listener and every time I perform, there is always something that surprises me. It's not anything you would ever look for or expect but sometimes just a shy smile or wave from a child is all you need to know you are doing the right thing."

 

Middle Township resident and School District Business Administrator Diane S. Fox ’86 will serve as president of the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO) for the 2019-2020 school year. 

 

GNS Healthcare, an AI company creating in silico patients to simulate disease progression and drug treatment at the individual patient level, announced it hired Alan Kilyk ‘86, an accomplished finance executive, to join their company as Chief Financial Officer.

 

Kurt Rataski ’86 joined Alliant’s Northeast team as Senior Vice President. The New Jersey property and casualty expert has a diverse background in sales, finance, and consulting and will deliver a full range of risk and insurance solutions to clients with operations in the Garden State and across the globe.

Fox

Diane Fox '86, CPA was named President-Elect of the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO) for 2018-2019. Fox is also the Middle Township Board of Education Business Administrator/Board Secretary. With a BS in Accounting from then, Stockton State College, Fox is currently completing her doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University.

Summer Hill Seven

Summer Hill Seven (Akbar) ’87,has recently released a new book “Autobiography of Ray-Ray & Other Ancient Ideas Like Hip-Hop.”  The book is about a Black mother written from the perspective of her youngest of 10 children who survived America’s foster system.

 

Mark Giannantonio

Mark Giannantonio ’87, president and CEO of Resorts Casino Hotel, was appointed chair of the advisory board of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University. Giannantonio has been a member of the board of LIGHT, which is part of Stockton’s School of Business, since 2010. 
Update August 2022: Mark Giannantonio ’87 will become the new president of The Casino Association of New Jersey. Giannantonio has more than 35 years of industry experience and will be president of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.

 

Lori
Lori Holdren ’87, M.A., Ph.D. was recently named general education program chair at American College of Healthcare Sciences’ where she will continue to teach undergraduate courses in math and also conduct work with the college’s Center for Excellence in Teaching, Technology, and Assessment to conduct general education program reviews, research collaborations with industry credentialing organizations, and develop new course offerings.
 

Ron Sodano‘87 recently accepted a position as a Senior Consultant, Professional Services, for Information Governance & Digital Solutions (Records and Information Management) at Iron Mountain.

 

 

Michael D. Bell ’88 is a realtor with Century 21 Schmidt Real Estate in Venice, Florida. He achieved top in sales in 2019. Michael graduated from Stockton in 1988 and began his career with the State of New Jersey, Department of the Treasury shortly after graduation. He obtained his CPA license in 1992. Michael relocated to Florida in 2016 and obtained his real estate license in 2017. He enjoys assisting buyers and sellers in Florida, as well as those relocating from throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Ann Quagliato

 

Ann Quagliato ‘89, also known as KC Avalon, has authored and published her book "Eye on the Prize - The Art of Deception" released earlier this month. Check out KC on her website at https://kcavalon.com where her first book, “Three in the Key” is also available.

Walker

Alan Walker '89 is the Chairman of the Freehold Township Parks and Recreation Commission. In 2018, the Commission and Superintendent of Recreation received an award from the New Jersey Parks and Recreation Association for excellence in design of public use recreation and park facilities which exhibited aesthetic quality, uniqueness of design, usability, and versatility. Opened in 2015, "My Playground" was designed to create diversified recreation opportunities for children of all ages and abilities, as well as families and communities". This playground incorporates intergenerational play for parents and children while being completely accessible and developmentally appropriate. The decision to move forward with this project was based upon a need within the community to provide recreational opportunities for children who cannot interact with others on a "typical" playground. Walker explained, "It is a project that as a Commission we are extremely proud of and it has become a "destination playground" across Monmouth and Ocean Counties. It is truly a shining jewel in our flagship park. As a proud lifelong resident of Freehold Township, it was a great experience to watch this start from conception to the finished product."

David G. Brown '78

 

David G. Brown '78, a political cartoonist for the Los Angeles Sentinel, had his work and thirty year career highlighted in an interview with Downtown Los Angeles Weekly.

Jean Feldeisen 74 Class Notes

Jean Feldeisen '74 had her poetry book "Not All Are Weeping" published by Main Street Rag Publishing Company.

 

Jaymes Swain ’18 has a BS in marine science and is working with students in Adjunct Professor Steven Nagieqicz's '74 class on researching a shipwreck beneath the Mullica River Bridge in Port Republic, NJ from the Battle of Chestnut Neck. Read more

Michelle Keates

Michelle Keates '76 and H. Paxson Keates of Ventor donated $50,000 to the Stockton University Foundation to establish an endowed scholarship fund for students. Thanks to Michelle '76 and H. Paxson Keates for their extraordinary generosity! Their endowed scholarship will be a permanent source of support for Stockton students. Read more.

Monohan

Richard Monahan '76 is the Deputy Program Manager for Design on the $2 billion Green Line Extension (GLX) for the new Subway line from Lechmere Station to Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts.

Debra Sommers
Debra Sommers ’77, eighth grade science teacher at Galloway Township Middle School was featured in New Jersey Education Association Review magazine for starting an outdoor classroom in honor of sixth grade teacher Guy Buckelew, affectionally known as Mr. B. Mr. B’s Backyard Classroom gives teachers and staff the opportunity to educate students about the amazing ecosystem that surrounds their environment. Students can observe the changes in plants  and different behaviors among the many animals in the habitat. 
 

Richard Beshore '77 has been promoted to Yacht Broker in South West Florida. Richard, who also goes by Rick, graduated from then, Stockton State College, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Studies.

 

Jean Abbott '78, Assistant Professor of Business Studies at Stockton University, was one of just thirty-nine winners of the Volunteer Award from The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) at its 2018 Annual Convention and Expo. “The Volunteer Award is a great way to say ‘thank you’ to many of our members who truly give back to their communities, their local schools and the next generation of CPAs,” said Ralph Albert Thomas, CEO and executive director, NJCPA. Read more.

Bird's-Eye View Features

Every month, we feature a fellow alumnus/a in our monthly newsletter for Stockton University alumni and friends. Do you want to be featured in an upcoming Nest?

 

Melanie Diorio '23

Melanie Diorio '23

Tiffany deSousa '19

Tiffany deSousa '19

Alexxus Young '19

Alexxus Young '19

Ian Maltzman '96

Ian Maltzman '96

Gina Galante '89

Gina Galante '89

Drew Wieder '82

Drew Wieder '82

Anthony Digneo '94

Anthony Digneo '94

Charles Colquit '87

Charles Colquit '87

Dr. Samantha Kozar '12

Dr. Samantha Kozar '12

Tom Sauer '02

Tom Sauer '02

Tamara Hudson '02

Tamara Hudson '02

Malikah Daniels '12

Malikah Daniels

Stephen DeCasien '16

Stephen DeCasien '16

Michael Cogossi '22/M.B.A. '22

Michael Cogossi
Peter Revilla '05Peter Revilla
Nancy Ayala '21Nancy Ayala
Jeannie Romano '17/M.B.A. '18Jeannie Romano

Flynn Altomare '19

Flynn Altomare

Jeffrey Scott Yablon ‘83

Jeffrey Scott Yablon
Brian Pluchino

Meet Scott Ackerman '05

Scott Ackerman
Meet Ron Sodano '87Ron Sodano '87
Meet Henry Glickel '85Henry Glickel Bird's Eye View
Meet Trashaun Andrews Powell '01Trashaun Powell
Meet Vinny Spera '94Vinny Spera

 

Meet Paul Lewis '77

Paul Lewis
Meet Taryn Cooper '16Taryn Cooper '16
Meet Julie Coker '20Julie Coker 2020

 

Meet Claude Diamond '74, J.D.

Claude Diamond

Meet Nick Valinote '92

Nick Valinote

Meet Jessica Grullon '09

Jessica Grullon

Meet Emily Sramaty '16

Emily Sramaty

Meet Juana Socorro-Aguirre ‘10

Juana Socorro-Aguirre ‘10

Meet Sharone Jones '89

Sharone

Meet Chad Davis '09

Chad David BEV February
Meet Chaitanya (Chad) Verma '96 Chad Verma
Meet Sean Clancy '88Sean Clancy
Meet Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez '15The Nest Feature Nov
Meet Jennifer Ling '18 & Kevin Lynch '20
Jennifer and Kevin

Meet Stephen DeCasien '16

DeCasien

Meet Eric Sommer '73
Ever wonder how Lake Fred got its name? While much debated, many say it was named after alumnus Eric Sommer, who went by Fred during his time at Stockton. It’s been said that a group of students, including Fred, were sitting around the Lake when Fred Sommer, aka Eric, stopped playing guitar, stood up, and announced with certainty, “I christen this body of water Lake Fred and thus it will forever be known.” Stockton Stories has the full story of the naming of Lake Fred, including details on Eric’s involvement, and we are now featuring him as this month’s Bird’s Eye View feature!

Eric Sommer

Meet Leigh Overton Boyd '79 & Lisa Overton '82

Authors

 

Meet Susan Allen '09, '14

Susan Allen May 2020 Feature

Meet Alex Sacchetti '13

Alex Nest April

Meet Roland Hagan '90

Roland Hagan

Meet Nick Zebrowski '15

Nick Z

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