1990s

M. Christopher Brown II '97 Ph.D. HI ED is the president of Alcorn State University in Mississippi. He is the former Executive Vice President and Provost at the historic Fisk University in Nashville, TN. Christopher received his bachelor's degree in elementary education from South Carolina State University and the master's degree in educational policy and evaluation from the University of Kentucky.
In June 2011, Chris was among a select group of individuals invited to attend the White House Community Leaders Briefing Series, a day-long session of meetings with the White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE). He also met with the U.S. Dept. of Education to explore opportunities for strengthened community engagement with the academy. Since taking office at Alcorn, Chris has been engaged expanding community outreach and services.(June 2011)

Allison Burrell '96 B.S. EK ED is a Fifth grade Social studies teacher in the Southern Columbia Area School District, Catawissa, PA. Allison and her husband have two children: Abigail, born July 2004, and Benjamin, born May 2006. She took time off during the 2006-2007 school year to be home with the children, but will be returning to her teaching position for the 2007-2008 school year. She will be starting a master's program in school library and information technologies this summer. E-mail: aburrell@ptd.net (April 2007)

Thomas Butler '91 B.S. SECED;'08 Ph.D. EDLDR was named a winner of an American Educational Research Association Reural Education special interest group dissertation award at the 2010 conference in Denver, Co. The title of the dissertation: Rural Schools and Communities: How Globalization Influences Rural School and Community Collaboration. (May 2010)

Janine Caffrey '91 M.Ed. EDADM is the author of a unique book, Nurturing Brilliance: Discovering and Developing Your Child's Gifts. She also holds a bachelor's degree in education and a doctorate in educational leadership. (other than Penn State.) Her professional experience includes: ten years as a special education teacher in public schools; ten years as the education director for AMIKids, a leader in programming for troubled youth; and six years as the head of school for Renaissance Academy, a private school for the arts that she founded. She has appeared on radio and television, including Oprah and Friends radio, Martha Stewart radio, The Today Show, and Daytime. She is now the superintendent of schools in Perth Amboy, NJ. (January 2012)

Pedro Cevallos '99 M.S. C&I Pedro Cevallos earned his doctorate in educational leadership from UCLA. He is an educational consultant who has worked with school districts in Florida, Pennsylvania, and California. In the summer of 2012, he was named Executive Director of College Bridge, a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase college access and persistence for under-represented students. Dr. Cevallos currently resides in California with his wife Lynn, two children, and German Shepard. E-mail: cevallos@ucla.edu (December 2012)

Marcy Daniels Lavoie '99 B.S. SECED Marcy is a 6th and 7th grade social studies teacher since 1999 at William J. Johnston Middle School in Colchester, CT. She married Thomas Lavoie on July 4, 2004. They have a daughter, Molly, born February 22, 2006. E-mail: marcylavoie@cox.net (June 2007)

Michael J. Dooris '92 Ph.D. HI ED has won the Best Paper Award for a presentation at the NEAIR conference at Rutgers in the fall of 2007. He and co-presenter, Marianne Guidos, received the award for their presentation entitled " Understanding Adult Learner Program Completions." The Best Paper Award recognizes and promotes quality contributions to scholarly research and writing among professionals who contribute and present papers at the annual NEAIR conference.
E-mail: mjd1@psu.edu (February 2008)

Evelynn Ellis '97 D.Ed HI ED has been appointed the Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity (IDE) at Dartmouth. She has been at Dartmouth as Director of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action since 2008. For more information, read article at: now.dartmouth.edu/2011/01/ellis-appointed-vp-for-institutional-diversity-and-equity/(January 2011)

Susan Faircloth '96 M.Ed. SPLED; '00 Ph.D. EDADM Completed a Fulbright Senior Scholar award in Spring of 2012 with Victoria University of Wellington in Wellington, New Zealand. Susan's research focused on special education programs and services for students in New Zealand's indigenous Maori population. (September 2012)

Morten Flate Paulsen '98 D.Ed. ADTED is the Professor of Online Education and Director of Development for the NKI Internet College in Norway. He was elected president of the European Distance and E-Learning Network (June 2010)

Pam Foster '98 D.Ed. WF ED was named 2010 Outstanding Biology Teacher of PA. She is the Science Program Chair and Biology teacher at Carlisle Area High School. E-mail: fosterp@carlisleschools.org (June 2010)

Richard Gibson '94 Ph.D. C&I is an education professor at the San Diego State University. He was recently given the Critics' Choice Book Award by the American Educational Studies Association for a book he co-authored with Wayne Ross, entitled "Neo-Liberalism and Education Reform" (Hampton Press 2008). The book includes a chapter by Penn State professor, Dr. Patrick Shannon. E-mail: rgibson@pipeline.com (November 2008)

Jeanne Guziewicz Aiman '95 B.S., '98 M.Ed. SPLED is married to Norman Aiman (Geography 1997). They have two children, CateLynn 4, and Lexie 1. Jeanne is currently teaching 1st-5th grade students with Autism at the Academy Heights Elementary, Moore County School District in North Carolina. E-mail: jaguz1@windstream.net (January 2009)

Melissa B. Haas Ringold '96 M.Ed. SPLED is thrilled to announce the birth of twin sons, Ross and Riley, on July 21, 2006. She is currently an autistic support teacher at the Pittsburgh Classical Academy in the Pittsburgh Public Schools in Pennsylvania. E-mail: meliss1974@msn.com (January 2007)

Marianne Hazel '90 B.S. EK ED, '95 M.Ed. C&I, associate dean at Lock Haven University has been named interim dean of the Clearfield Branch Campus. She assumed her new duites in November '09. Hazel, who has been at Lock Haven since 2002, has both administrative and teaching experience. Her fields of expertise include educational leadership, professional development, and teacher preparation and education. As associate dean, Hazel has worked with the deans of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Human Services. Her responsibilities have included overseeing academic scheduling, Act 48, dual enrollment, student appeals, and coordinating department accreditation efforts. In her new position, Hazel will be responsible for providing overall leadership and administration for the Clearfield Campus. She will oversee the staff and operation of the campus, provide liaison with the main campus, and coordinate all aspects of public relations. She will report to the vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Hazel shared, "I am very appreciative for the support and the many warm wishes from my colleagues. The gracious welcome from the Clearfield faculty and staff has meant so much to me, and I am anxious to become part of the Clearfield community as we continue to move the Clearfield campus forward." Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Deborah Erickson, said Hazel's appointment is for an 18-month period. Hazel takes over from Dr. Theresa Williams who resigned in November. "We are pleased that Dr. Hazel is willing to accept these new responsibilities," Erickson said. "She has a proven record of educational leadership and dedication to excellence. We have every confidence in her abilities to meet the challenges ahead." In additional to Dr. Hazel's Penn State degrees, she also earned her M.S. in Administration from McDaniel College and her D.Ed. from Immaculata University. E-mail: mhazel@lhup.edu
(December 2009)

Michele Hearn '97 M.Ed. CN ED is a career counselor at the College of the Holy Cross in MA. E-mail: hearn-dragon@worldnet.att.net (November 2006)

Phillip E. Hoy '93 B.S. EK ED is the Assistant Director of Alumni Relations in the College of Education at Penn State. Phil has worked for Penn State Extension for the past 16 years coordinating 4-H events. For more information about the Penn State College of Education Alumni Society, check out their website at: www.ed.psu.edu/educ/alumni-friends/alumni-society-1 E-mail: phoy@psu.edu (November 2009)

Michelle Johnston Lafferty '96 B.S. EK ED has been teaching fourth grade for the last 10 years and is currently teaching at the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District in Southeastern PA. She has a master's degree in education and a K-12 Principal's certificate and is currently in the doctoral program at Immaculata University. Happily married, she and her husband travel extensively.
E-mail: tomnmish@comcast.net
(April 2008)

Kimberlee L. Kiehl '90 Ph.D. C&I is the Vice President for Education and Guest Operations at COSI Columbus, a science musuem in Ohio. E-mail: kkiehl@mail.cosi.org (September 2006)

Frederick D. Loomis '94 Ph.D. HI ED recently accepted an appointment to serve as Director and Associate Professor of the Strategic Leadership graduate program at Neumann College. E-mail: floomis@mac.com (August 2007)

Joe Harford '95 M.S. WF ED lives in Huntingdon, PA and is now engaged to Karen Kimberling. They are planning an October 2009 wedding. E-mail: joseph@reclamere.com (January 2009)

Brenda Maurer Hartman '95 B.S. EK ED was named American Star of Teaching for Pennsylvania by the U.S. Department of Education. She is a teacher at Park Forest Elementary School and serves as a mentor for Penn State's PDS program. E-mail: bmh11@scasd.org (September 2006)

Erin Peavornick '96 B.S. EK ED graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with an MLIS degree. She left the Uniontown Area School District to pursue a job with the Hampton Township School District. She is engaged and the wedding is planned for July 5th. E-mail: erin_peav@yahoo.com (October 2007)

Jackie Kayla Pinchot '92 B.S. SECED, '04 MEd Teaching & Curriculum is currently an English teacher/department head at the Rochester High School in Rochester, PA. E-mail: pinchotj@comcast.net (January 2007)

David B. Pushkin '95 Ph.D. C&I Served 20+ years of STEM education, teaching, and research, he is currently an independent writer and research consultant based in New Jersey. After suffering a permanent spinal cord injury nearly six years ago, David is a strong advocate for Americans with Disabilities. He served as chairperson, Subdivision of Chemists with Disabilities, American Chemical Society, Division of Professional Relations. David is highly published and is most proud of two recent books Philosophy of "Packer" pedagogy: Vince Lombardi, critical thinking and problem-based learning and Adapting in an INADAPTABLE world. With three more books in the works, David hopes that his recent publications will instigate a new level of conceptual change and a powerful statement that productivity is not impaired by disability. For more information on his important research, visit his blogspot. E-mail: dpushkin@nj.rr.com (September 2012)

Richard Kevin Reidy '90 M.Ed. EDADM received the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators Distinguished Service Award at OASSA's Fall Conference, Columbus, Ohio in October. Reidy, high school principal and director of Federal programs for the Hillsdale local schools, Jeromesville, Ohio, serves as OASSA representative on the Ohio Educator Standards Board and is currenlty OESB's vice chair. (December 2009)

Donna Nogar Rose '92 B.S. SECED (Math), after having taught math to 7th and 8th grade for 16 years, has accepted a position as an elementary school principal for the Harbor Creek School District outside of Erie, PA. She is happily married to Jeff ('91 Liberal Arts) and they have 3 children ages 11, 9, and 7. E-mail: jeffdonna@gmail.com (February 2009)

Donna Satterlee Ross '96 M.Ed. CN ED has an upcoming book to be published September 2006 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. The book is entitled That's Life With Autism. E-mail: dsatterleed@netscape.net (June 2006)

Sterling Saddler '98 Ph.D. WFED is the Dean of the College of Education at Western Illinois University Macomb Campus. He is the former department head and Assistant Provost for Diversity at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. (October 2011)

Keith Saroka '93 B.S. SECED is currently in his 14th year of teaching middle school science at Tinicum School. He is serving as Subject Area Coordinator for the 9th year. Married to Susan (MATH ED), with 3 children Steven, Philip and Sarah. Earned MA in Physical Science from West Chester University in 2000. Continuing to take graduate credit courses in science content, such as those offered by the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium at Penn State. E-mail: sarokakw@interborosd.org (November 2006)

Rachel M. Scott Eure '96 B.S. EK ED has been teaching in NC for 11 years. She married William in 2000 and since then has had 2 sons: Bryson-4 and Cole-2. She is currently National Board Certified in Early Childhood, serves as Lead 3rd Grade Teacher, a mentor to new teachers, and serves on her school's School Improvement team. She was selected as 2001 Belmont Elementary Teacher of the Year as well as 2001 Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Teacher of the Year. E-mail: eurer.bel@rrgsd.org (May 2007)

Jennifer Shandor Spade '91 B.S. EK ED is the Youth Services Coordinator at Honey Brook Community Library in Honey Brook, PA. Jennifer has served on the Board of Directors for the Penn State Alumni Lancaster County Chapter since 1996, and is past president of that chapter. E-mail: spade_family@comcast.net (April 2013)

Gwendolyn J. Smith '96 B.S. EK ED Coordinator of Transformation Education, a five-year project designed for the primary schools in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The project’s goal is to introduce and pervade new learning and management methods to improve the quality of education and increase the holistic development of children. Read more about the project: http://www.meadvilletribune.com/local/local_story_064220722.html (March 2007)

Patty S. Sobocinski Cooley '90 B.S. EK ED is a Gifted and Talented teacher in the Thompson School District in Loveland, CO. E-mail: pennstatepatty@aol.com (January 2009)

Stacie Spanos Hiras '94 B.S. SECED has been named as the West York Area School District's "Teacher of the Year." Stacie, who teaches Spanish in the West York Area High School, was applauded for her ability to engage students. Stacie is also a current member of the Penn State College of Education's Board of Directors. E-mail: stspanos@hotmail.com. (September 2010)

Jim Swick '96 M.Ed. C&I (Math Education) was recently appointed Associate Professor of Mathematics at Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL. Jim graduated from Warren Area High School in 1974. Since then, he has earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Grove City College and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum, specializing in mathematics, from the Pennsylvania State University. He has taken advanced studies in Educational Leadership and Mathematics at Nova Southeastern University. Swick was associated with the Palm Beach County School District for more than 20 years, serving most of that time as a high school mathematics teacher and mathematics department chairman. He has also served at the Palm Beach County District Office, in the Research, Evaluation, and Accountability Department. He was the Secondary Mathematics Program Planner for Palm Beach County, one of the top 15 largest school districts in the United States. As an active member of the Palm Beach County Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Swick has served on its Board as Membership Chairman, President, and Secondary Mathematics Liaison. Currently, he serves as the Technology Chair for the Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He served as Technology Chairman for the FCTM’s Annual Conference in 1995 and as General Chairman for their Annual Conference in 2005. Swick has presented numerous workshops for mathematics teachers in Palm Beach County, as well as at conferences throughout Florida and the nation. In 1994, Swick was named the High School Mathematics Teacher of the Year by the Palm Beach County Council of Teachers of Mathematics. He received the Dwyer Award for Excellence in Teaching Secondary School, presented by Palm Beach County Economic Council, in 1998. E-mail: jhs130@bellsouth.net (February 2007)

Lori D. Wichterman Valent '95 B.S. EK ED Lori and her husband Jim have been living back in Happy Valley for 4 years and love it. We have 3 children-Alyssa is almost 10, Andrew is 6 1/2, and Alexander is 4. E-mail: lorivalent@yahoo.com (February 2007)

Samuel Varano '92 B.S. SECED hoped to coach high school basketball but as principal of the Souderton Area High School, he could easily be called the coach of the entire school. Sam was named as the 2011 Pennsylvania Principal of the Year by the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary & Secondary School Principals.