1951
In January, the Tacoma City Council approved renaming a portion of Marine Park after Jack Tanner ‘51, L.L.D.’80, who died in 2006. Along Tacoma’s waterfront at the northwest end of Ruston Way, the park is near Harbor Lights, a restaurant where Jack was a regular. Tacoma Weekly reports it will be the first park in Pierce County named for an African American. Jack was a Tacoma native and graduated from Stadium High School before attending Puget Sound. He earned his law degree from the University of Washington and became the first African American federal judge in the Northwest, according to a January Tacoma Weekly article. “Jack was a hero in our community,” Aaron Pointer, president of the Metro Parks Board of Commissioners, said in the article, adding that he hopes children who visit the park will be inspired by Jack to pursue careers as judges.
1964 REUNION YEAR
After 30 years at Merck & Co.’s Human Health Division, Richard Hill retired this year. He attended Puget Sound and was a member of the Adelphian Concert Choir and the Concert Band. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of San Francisco.
1970
Karen Amundson Clements ‘70, M.B.A.’77, P’07, and her husband, Dan Clements ’71, P’07, took in a family of 10 Ukrainian refugees fall, and an article about their efforts was published in November by KING 5 News. Karen and Dan, who both earned bachelor’s degrees in English from Puget Sound, live in Everett, Wash., where Dan is a photographer. The two have spent countless hours helping the Kotok family secure a driver’s license, get the kids enrolled in school, set up a bank account, and get immunizations and rental assistance, the article indicates. Iryna Kotok, 18, is one of the family’s eight children and is training to become a seamstress. She told KING 5 News that she is happy to be in America because there are possibilities to pursue any career or schooling she and her siblings might want.
Ann Osborne White returned to her roots in Portland, Ore., in January after 32 years of living in Thailand. A marriage and family counselor, Ann spent most of her life overseas with her late husband, Ken White ‘67. After his death in November 2015, she decided to retire from her counseling practice and spend quality time with her family and friends in Oregon. Ann earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Puget Sound, where she met Ken, who was studying business administration.
1971
Harold Waldher, a resident of Pomeroy, Wash., turned 90 on Jan. 8. He’s a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served for more than 20 years at numerous isolated and remote radar installations worldwide. After retiring from the Air Force in 1970, Harold earned a business administration degree from Puget Sound. He has lived in Pomeroy, his hometown, since 1993.
1972
In 2018, Jerry Meyerhoff completed his 20th year as a PAC-12 football official. He spent New Year’s Day as the replay official at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Jerry has been officiating for a total of 39 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Puget Sound, where he also played football as a Logger. He lives in Arizona with his wife, Donna.
1974 REUNION YEAR
After a busy career in ministry and education, Steven Cundiff is now retired and lives with his wife of 50 years, Georann, in Dallas, Ore.. Since retiring, he published his first book. Wooden Nickels and Yankee Dimes is a biographical fiction about the sea battle of Guadalcanal, in which his uncle was lost as a sailor aboard the USS Monssen. Steven holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Puget Sound.
Jerry McLaughlin was one of three former Pierce College students and Pierce Distinguished Alumni who returned to the campus in January for a “Pierce Talks” forum. According to an article in The Pioneer, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom’s student newspaper, Jerry was a D-minus student from Clover Park High School who worked as an assistant manager at McDonald’s when the head basketball coach recruited him for Fort Steilacoom Community College (now Pierce College). Before transferring to Puget Sound, he attended the college, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He went on to work in marketing and retired as executive vice president of Tacoma-based creative agency JayRay. He also has served on multiple Tacoma nonprofit boards, including Junior Achievement, the Tacoma Urban League, and the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation.
1977
Tony Herdener ‘77, M.B.A.’79 was named Peach State Bank & Trust’s community development board in February. He retired last year from his position as the chief financial officer of Northeast Georgia Health System. As a Logger, he played football and earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration. He lives in Georgia with his wife, Catherine Packer-Herdener ‘76.
1978
Mike Kuntz was hired as an attorney in January by Seattle-based Stoel Rives LLP. He will join 12 other attorneys from Foster Pepper PLLC in Stoel Rives’ real estate and land use practice groups. Mike, who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Puget Sound and a law degree from the University of Washington, has more than 30 years of experience in commercial real estate sales, leasing, and financing.
1980
Victoria MacRae Samuels is one of the dozens of women running the nation’s liquor world. In November, she was featured as part of an ongoing Forbes article series about women at the forefront of the spirits industry. Victoria is the senior director of global quality at Beam Suntory, the world’s third-largest premium spirits company. She told Forbes that her interest in the spirits industry grew out of her passion for chemistry. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Puget Sound and later studied physical chemistry in graduate school at the University of Washington. Years later, while visiting Kentucky, Victoria had dinner with Booker Noe, who was the master distiller at Jim Beam. “We had a compelling conversation about the science of bourbon, and he wound up asking me to join the business as a research and development chemist to help him understand what was happening to the new distillate during the barrel aging process” she told Forbes. Prior to her position at Beam Suntory, she was the vice president of operations at Maker’s Mark, the first woman in the bourbon industry to hold that title and manage a bourbon plant.
Real estate executive Victor Ulsh, president of Bradley Scott Inc. in Bremerton, Wash., was profiled in a January Kitsap Sun article. Victor is 61 and has spent his entire career at Bradley Scott since graduating from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Bradley Scott was sold to a property management company in Lacey, Wash., in late 2018, and Victor will soon be retiring from the real estate business, the article indicates. Now, with the company in good hands, Victor said he is looking forward to living life. “I just have this urge to do all this stuff I want to do—so many unfilled lines on my to-do list,” he told the Kitsap Sun.
1983
Karen Allen Witters and her occupational therapy clinic, Pioneer Therapy Center, were featured in a December South Sound Business article. After graduating from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy, Karen began a 21-year career as a pediatric and upper-extremity/hand therapist at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, Wash. But in 2011, she “felt it was time to get back to basics,” she told South Sound Business. She opened Pioneer Therapy Clinic that same year, and the team has since grown from one occupational therapist to four.
Former Logger football player Ronald Bagby was inducted into Forks High School’s Spartan Basketball Hall of Fame in January. A multisport athlete as a teenager, Ronald was a standout on the football field and track, in addition to the basketball court. While at Forks, he set a Far West League record with 52 points during the Spartans’ 79-77 win over Tenino. At Puget Sound, he was a kick returner, defensive back, and running back and earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He coached football, track, and basketball in Coupeville, Wash., for more than 20 years before retiring from coaching in 2010.
Jeffrey Mihalic M.B.A.‘83 was appointed president and chief executive officer of Delta Private Jets in November. He has 40 years of experience in the aviation industry and joined Delta in 2015 to launch Delta Material Services. Before joining Delta, Jeffrey worked for Greenwich AeroGroup, Q Aviation, Intermet Corporation, and Bombardier Aerospace. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree in business administration from Puget Sound.
1984 REUNION YEAR
Ted Fick M.B.A.’84, a former Port of Seattle CEO, was named CEO of LTA Manufacturing LLC in December. In this role, he oversees the Missouri-based company’s four brands: LoadMaster, ATC Truck Covers, Jason Industries, and Ranch Fiberglass. Ted has more than three decades of business leadership experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Washington, a master’s degree in management from Stanford University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Puget Sound.
An Iris Stands Tall: A Mother’s Journey, a Daughter’s Transition, a collection of works by artist Annette Sabater, will be on display at The Arts Center in Corvallis, Ore., from May 10 through June 26. An Iris Stands Tall explores Annette’s experience witnessing her transgender child medically transition to a woman as a teenager. Her pieces, created with oil pastels, graphite, and charcoal on paper, explore her emotional response, observations, musings, and cultural commentary relating to the experience. Annette holds a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from Puget Sound.
After a 33-year career in IT management, Dawn Umstot retired in late 2017 and has since spent more time pursuing her passion for photography. In February, she was thrilled to win BoatUS Magazine’s national photography contest. Her photo graces the cover of the magazine’s February/March issue. The photo is titled “Sunset Sails” and was taken at Seattle’s Shilshole Bay Marina in August.
1985
In December, Robert Osler was hired as managing director of Boise, Idaho-based creative agency Oliver Russell. The position means a homecoming for Robert, a Boise native who has been working in San Francisco. He has been working in the branding business for more than 25 years and previously held positions with Microsoft, CenturyLink, and Salt Branding. Before beginning his career as a copywriter in the ’90s, Robert earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Puget Sound. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington.
1987
Steven Buratto, a former Logger football player and chemistry alumnus, was featured in a December Noozhawk article about his 20-year dedication to the Dos Pueblos Little League team in Santa Barbara, Calif. As coach last year, he led the Junior All-Stars to a top-five finish in the state. The Idaho native graduated from CalTech with a Ph.D. in chemistry before marrying and starting a family with his wife, Laura. He began coaching T-ball for his eldest son’s first team and hasn’t stopped.
John Ostler, owner of Carousel Restaurant & Bistro in Yakima, Wash., was featured in January Take 5 article in the Yakima Herald-Republic. The newspaper feature profiles local business owners and tells the stories of how they ended up where they are today. John, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Puget Sound and is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, has owned the Central Washington eatery for just over a year. Prior to purchasing Carousel, the Yakima native managed Red Lobster and Kabob House for nearly 25 years.
1989 REUNION YEAR
Jill Nishi joined Philanthropy Northwest’s board of directors in October. The network is for philanthropists committed to causes in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming and promotes collaboration by community investors. Its board consists of philanthropic leaders who represent organizations committed to supporting communities in the network’s region. Jill is the director of strategy, planning, and management and chief of staff at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. She supports the strategic and operational work of the foundation’s U.S. program and led the U.S. Libraries Program, an initiative dedicated to bringing technology access to underserved communities through the nation’s public libraries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Puget Sound and a master’s degree in public administration from Princeton University. She also serves on the boards of the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience and the U.S. Japan Council and is a trustee emerita of Puget Sound.
1991
After 12 years as CEO of Tacoma organization WorkForce Central, Linda Nguyen announced in February that she would retire at the end of the year. According to a Feb. 25 article in The Suburban Times, Linda has been involved with the organization for 28 years, ever since her graduation from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in English. WorkForce Central carries out the vision of local elected officials and the Pierce County Workforce Development Council by coordinating, administering, and advancing the work of the workforce development system, known as WorkSource Pierce. The organization’s mission is to increase access to services for job seekers, workers, and businesses.
In January, attorney Elizabeth Frohlich joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP’s San Francisco business trial practice group. She represents banks and securities broker-dealers in both federal and state courts. She was previously a partner at Morgan Lewis. Elizabeth graduated from Puget Sound’s Business Leadership Program and earned a law degree from Boston University School of Law.
1997
Gregory Fox, chair of Lane Powell’s creditors’ rights and bankruptcy team, was elected to the American Law Institute (ALI). Considered one of the nation’s preeminent legal organizations, ALI comprises 3,000 lawyers, judges, and law professors who work on clarifying the law through restatements, analysis, and formulation of legal principles. Membership requires a rigorous nomination and review process. Gregory, who holds a bachelor’s degree in politics and government from Puget Sound and a law degree from Willamette University, was selected based on his contributions in the field of commercial finance law.
Jeremy Korst, a Seattle-based marketing professional, and Puget Sound trustee, were featured in a November GeekWire article about his double life as both a city slicker and weekend dude rancher. During the week, Jeremy works as president of marketing strategy consultancy GBH Insights. But, during the weekend, he heads to a small town in Eastern Washington where he passes the time at his friend’s ranch, goes fishing, and watches NASCAR. He and his wife also own a cabinet manufacturing company. He told GeekWire that he thrives on variety. “I’m learning all the time,” he said. Jeremy earned a bachelor’s degree in politics and government from Puget Sound, where he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and worked as an ASUPS senator. He also holds an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Pennsylvania.
Corey Van Lith’s 17-year-old daughter, Hailey, is one of the country’s top high school basketball recruits. The Cashmere High School junior has been playing basketball since fourth grade, according to a February KING 5 News story. It has offers from nearly every major college in the country, including the University of Connecticut, Notre Dame, and Baylor. Corey played basketball and baseball as a Logger and is now Hailey’s strength coach, pushing her at the gym every day. Cashmere High School’s girls’ basketball coach Brent Darnell told KING 5 that the father-daughter pair are “a perfect match for one another” and that they make each other better.
1999 REUNION YEAR
Meighan Jackson Dietenhofer was appointed Santa Ynez Valley’s 3rd Supervisorial District representative in January. According to a Jan. 14 article in the Santa Maria Times, she will focus on constituent services and community partnerships in California’s Santa Ynez Valley. She most recently served as a commissioner representing the 3rd District on the County Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee and the County Park Commission. Before entering public office, she worked for more than 20 years in private environmental consulting. Meighan holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Puget Sound and a master’s degree in environmental studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Rochelle Nguyen was appointed by the Clark County Board of Commissioners in December to serve as an assemblywoman in the Nevada Legislature. According to the Reno Gazette-Journal, her appointment was one of two that resulted in Nevada having its first-ever female-majority state legislature. She is also the first Asian American assemblywoman to serve in District 10, a Democratic-leaning district that includes parts of central Las Vegas. A Washington native, she holds a bachelor’s degree in comparative sociology from Puget Sound and a law degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is a former Clark County public defender and worked as an immigration attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.
2003
After graduating from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Jeff LeBrun received a master’s degree in business administration and a Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan. He partnered with Nicholas Abraham ’03, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Puget Sound and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, to found a health technology company optimize. Health. The remote patient monitoring platform enables physicians and hospitals to easily view data (blood pressure, weight, blood glucose levels) from a range of wireless health monitoring devices. It provides access to software that simplifies the Medicare reimbursement process. The company’s other product is a digital medication assistant called Pillsy that has been adopted by organizations including CVS, Best Buy, UC Davis Hospital, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The smart pill bottle and app serve as a medication tracker and reminder.
2004 REUNION YEAR
Hermana Cutting Confianza del Señor, a sister at the Honduras Methodist monastery Amigas del Señor, had her first meditation published in The Upper Room—the most widely read Christian devotional magazine in the world. The meditation was published in the January/February 2019 issue. She compared her experience of living in a monastery with the opportunity to see God through daily spiritual practice to that of the prophetess Anna, who lived in the Temple in Jerusalem and blessed the baby, Jesus. Hermana Cutting said she received “several unexpected and lovely responses afterward.” She had a second meditation published in March, and a third will appear in the May/June 2019 issue. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Puget Sound.
2005
Frazier Benya successfully released a report on the sexual harassment of women in academic sciences, engineering, and medicine in June. The report was released under the mantle of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and an ad hoc committee oversaw by the Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine (CWSEM) led by Frazier. It studied the influence of sexual harassment in academia on the career advancement of women in the scientific, technical, and medical workforce. For the release of the report, Kaitlin Wiedeman Prusak ‘04 and Katherine Arnaud ‘05 flew east to surprise and support Frazier. Her husband, Alexander Guerrieri ‘05, said the report’s release “went flawlessly.”
In November, Alexander Guerrieri began work as a sustainability consultant with Steven Winter Associates in Washington, D.C. In his role, he helps contractors and developers make their buildings more energy-efficient. He lives with his wife, Frazier Benya, in Baltimore, Md.
Sara Ramey, executive director of the Migrant Center for Human Rights in San Antonio, Texas, was featured in a San Antonio Express-News article about her work with the state’s detained immigrant population. Since creating the nonprofit in August 2017, Sara has worked with 244 immigrants and represented nine families separated at the border by the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international political economy from Puget Sound, where she also worked for The Trail and a law degree from American University.
2006
Puget Sound art history alumna Tess Kutasz Christensen, who holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art history from Pennsylvania State University, began her position as a Kress Fellow in European Paintings at the Detroit Institute of Arts this year. The Samuel H. Kress Foundation funds the position, and Tess is one of two fellows hired by the institute. She will research the institute’s collection of European paintings created prior to 1850.
Michelle Rosado, who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in creative writing and literature at the University of Southern California, had her second book of poetry published in November. Why Can’t It Be Tenderness was published by the University of Wisconsin Press and won the university’s Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry. The book of poems touches on the themes of coming of age, mixed-race identity, diaspora, and cultural inheritance. Her 2016 chapbook Theory on Falling Into a Reef won the inaugural Rick Campbell Prize. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in comparative sociology from Puget Sound and a master’s degree in creative writing from California State University, Fresno. Her poems also have appeared in The New Yorker, Alaska Quarterly Review, Indiana Review, and Poet Lore.
Film producer Mark Sayre, who has a production company called Lexicon, has released his seventh film. Point Defiance, a thriller shot entirely on Vashon Island, Wash., where Mark grew up, is making its rounds on the festival circuit this spring. According to an article in the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, its Pacific Northwest premiere screening was held at Vashon Center for the Arts in March. After earning a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from Puget Sound, Mark moved to Los Angeles. He recently moved back to Vashon and told the Beachcomber that he hopes to continue making “more affordable movies in contained locations” and wants to create a nonprofit for youth interested in filmmaking.
2007
After completing their university educations, Alexandria Galvan Maurer and her husband, Vincent K. Maurer ‘04, D.P.T.’07, moved to Oregon and married in 2009. They now have three children and live in rural John Day, Ore., where Vincent works as a physical therapist at Blue Mountain Hospital, the only hospital in the county. Alexandria is a mother, child care provider, and volunteer coordinator for States’ 4-H International Exchange Programs. She helps families host summer exchange students and supports their own children participating in an exchange abroad. Vincent and Alexandria have hosted two Japanese students for year-long experiences through the exchange. Last year, Alexandria was invited to present at the States’ 4-H International Exchange Conference. Her workshop focused on the documentary Beyond the Wall, about Washington, D.C., high school students going on an exchange experience to China. She also received a recognition award for her volunteer work in Oregon 4-H.
Erik Voorhees was the subject of a Jan. 3 Forbes article focusing on bitcoin’s struggles and accomplishments. Erik is co-founder of the cryptocurrency exchange Shapeshift and discussed in the article the topics of freedom, safety, and digital currency. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Puget Sound’s Business Leadership Program.
2008
Actor and fight choreographer Tom Dewey was featured in a Jan. 10 article about his involvement in a panel discussion about combat in live drama. With a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts from Puget Sound, Tom has choreographed fights for Book-It Repertory Theatre, Copious Love Productions, Seattle Shakespeare Company, and many other Puget Sound-area theaters.
Lauren Iversen joined the Santa Fe Family Wellness Center’s behavioral health team in Santa Fe, N.M., early this year, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported in February. She is a full-time, school-based therapist who provides mental health services at Santa Fe schools. Lauren earned her bachelor’s degree in comparative sociology from the University of Puget Sound and received a master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Austin.
In September, Gloria Treseder earned her master’s degree in fine art from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Canterbury, Kent. While there, she won an art competition and the opportunity to create a public art piece called “Traveller’s Joy.” The painting, on Kent’s Canterbury East Rail Footbridge—which had been a hotspot for graffiti—focuses on the four seasons and “showcases the very best of Canterbury, from its native plants to world-famous literary characters that have been conceived in the city,” a UCA blog post indicates.
Ultra-endurance bicycle racer Lael Wilcox was featured in a Bicycling magazine article in January. The piece addresses Lael’s legendary bicycle racing feats—she won the 4,200-mile Trans Am race and the 2,745-mile Tour Divide and set the fastest-known time on the 1,700-mile Baja Divide—as well as her work with Alaskan youth. GRIT (Girls Riding Into Tomorrow), the Anchorage nonprofit she runs with fellow cyclist and friend Cait Rodriguez, aims to get young women on bicycles to teach safe riding strategies and bike maintenance and to empower them. Lael holds a bachelor’s degree in natural science from Puget Sound, where she also ran on the Logger track and field and cross-country teams. She was featured in the winter 2018 issue of Arches.
2009 REUNION YEAR
On Oct. 12, Andrea Gorton and her husband, Jacob Gjesdahl, were sworn in by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as foreign service officer candidates for the Department of State. They were two of dozens of members of the 195th class who completed training, testing, and interviews to become U.S. diplomats. International work is no new field for Andrea, who graduated from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in comparative sociology and has previously served in the Peace Corps and worked as vice counsel to New Delhi. She, Jacob, and their daughter, Evelia, will be preparing for their new post and learning Mandarin Chinese until next summer, when they depart for Wuhan, China.
2010
Merissa Moeller is an environmental attorney at Marten Law. From the practice’s office in Portland, Ore., Merissa advises clients on water, environmental, and land use matters using her experience working for state and regional natural resources agencies, the private sector, and the courts. Merissa earned a bachelor’s degree in international political economy from Puget Sound and a law degree from Lewis & Clark College. During law school, she worked on behalf of Oregon’s natural resources agencies with the Oregon Department of Justice. Merissa also served as a judicial clerk at the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Court of Appeals.
2012
Anna Moeller, a Ph.D. student studying wildlife ecology at the University of Montana, developed new methods to estimate wildlife populations using trail cameras. Wildlife managers at the Idaho Department of Fish and Game are piloting her methods, which are significantly safer and less expensive than traditional survey methods involving biologists flying into remote areas to count deer and elk. Anna holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Puget Sound and a master’s degree in the same subject from the University of Montana.
Ariel Scholten, an artist and landscape architecture student at the University of Washington, exhibited her paintings at Seattle’s Atelier Drome for three months last fall. Her colorful abstracts hung inside the Pioneer Square architecture and design firm from October through January. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Puget Sound and was a member of the Logger swim team.
2013
In December, Jessica Lefton was hired by Psychological Associates as a marketing communications specialist. The family-owned consulting company based in St. Louis, Mo., applied behavioral science to business performance and was co-founded by her grandfather. Jessica’s father, Jeff, is the company’s CEO. Jessica is a graduate of Puget Sound’s business program and worked for a nonprofit women’s shelter and as an assistant language teacher for a Japanese teaching exchange program before joining Psychological Associates.
Madeleine Longoria Garcia, a Qgrader (the coffee equivalent of a sommelier) at Hawai`i’s Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, was profiled in a Forbes article about the notoriously sad state of hotel coffee and how she is helping the Four Seasons have the “world’s best.” According to the article, Q-graders are “virtually unheard of” in the hotel industry, and Madeleine’s position exists partly as a product of the local area. Coffee is a key part of Hawai`i’s agricultural industry, and her job is to highlight the quality of the local coffee community. She can trace her interest in coffee back to Puget Sound, where she worked in Diversions Café while pursuing a bachelor’s degree through the university’s Business Leadership Program.
2014 REUNION YEAR
Vince McCluskey, a former Logger soccer player and graduate of Puget Sound’s psychology program, began his second season with the Tacoma Stars indoor soccer team this past winter. On Jan. 9, Westside Seattle reported the forward had played in all seven of the team’s games.
Versing, a Seattle indie rock band made up of four Loggers, will release its third album in May. The album, 10000, features 13 songs whose themes center around “critiques of centrism and conservatism, from a leftist perspective,” frontman Daniel Salas told Stereogum in February. The band members—Daniel, Graham Baker ’15, Kirby Lochner ’14, and Max Keyes ‘14—met at KUPS while students at Puget Sound. The band released its first album in 2017, and it was second in 2018.
Alex Shannon, who graduated from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in economics and international political economy, was hired by HDR as an economist in December. Working out of the company’s Bellevue office, Alex handles the economics of utility management for the firm’s water practice, including wastewater and stormwater practices. He previously worked at Jacobs/CH2M, where he led the economic modeling and analytics team.
After graduating from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in international political economy, Frank Walter moved to Japan. He recently started a podcast called Sake On Air in cooperation with the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association. He says that his experiences running a show at KUPS and minoring in Japanese made what he does now possible. “I feel very blessed that I can put what I learned at UPS to good use in my current career,” he says.
2015
Ryan Cruz was hired as Greater Yellowstone Coalition’s (GYC) Montana conservation organizer in November. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle wrote that Ryan is responsible for building connections with people who want to help with conservation initiatives in Montana. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Puget Sound and double-majored in environmental policy, decision-making, and biology. Before joining GYC, he worked on fossil fuel issues in Washington state.
2016
Aubrey Ann Lawrence, a graduate of Puget Sound’s music business program, was hired as a member of Castilleja School’s advancement staff this year. As an advancement coordinator for the all-girls private middle and high school in Palo Alto, Calif., Aubrey is responsible for the school’s fundraising and advancement operations.
London-based artist and insurance claims broker Grace Best-Devereux was interviewed by the art website theArtsiest in February about her life since receiving her Master of Arts degree in art business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art last year. Grace earned a bachelor’s degree with a double major in art and business from Puget Sound before moving to London. She told theArtsiest that she pursued a master’s degree because she “realized that the more education and perspective I could get on the art world, the better prepared I would be to bring art to my community and support my creative peers.” She was drawn to the art insurance field because she was interested in the business behind how art is valued.
Sunny Lewis joined Portland-based construction company Skanska as a project engineer in December. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Puget Sound. She was a member of the Logger track and field team before earning a master’s degree in civil engineering from Oregon State University.
A scientific article written by Puget Sound biology alumna and former Logger rower Kailee Weiler and Puget Sound assistant biology professor Siddharth Ramakrishnan was accepted to be published by NeuroToxicology. The paper explores how certain chemical compounds found in plastics affect reproductive hormones in zebrafish, which was published in the journal’s March 2019 edition. Kailee works as a research technician in Siddharth’s neurology lab at Puget Sound.
2017
Kyle Chong graduated from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in politics and government. Since then, he has been focusing on how education can be a source of political activism. His 2017 paper, “Playful Practice: The Democratic Potential of Reacting to the Past as Experiential Learning,” discussed the potential for students to learn civic engagement and social justice skills through gameplay in the classroom. The paper won the 2017 University of Puget Sound Politics and Government Outstanding Research Award, was presented at the 2018 Race and Pedagogy National Conference and will be published in the spring 2019 edition of the Race and Pedagogy Journal. Kyle now manages professional development seminars for the Bureau of Education & Research and Institute for Educational Development and travels the nation, bringing continuing education programming on special education and multicultural education to American teachers. Kyle will attend Michigan State University this fall and begin a Ph.D. program in curriculum, instruction, and teacher education.
Mara Cummings co-authored a paper about neotropical dung beetles that was published in the Journal of Insect Behavior in December. Mara and another student from the University of Colorado Boulder wrote the paper after spending time in Costa Rica through the Council on International Educational Exchange’s Tropical Ecology Program. While at Puget Sound, Mara earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, was a member of the Logger track and field team, and joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Kaelan Hendrickson was hired as a field geologist by Hart Crowser, a Seattle-based engineering, science, and consulting firm. According to the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, he was one of three young geologists hired last fall. Kaelan, a New Mexico native, earned his bachelor’s degree in geology from Puget Sound.
2018
Kyrianna Bolles began her job as a museum educator and teaching artist at the Tacoma Art Museum in September. She earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Puget Sound and minored in art. Her painted portraits of people living with chronic illnesses were featured in Puget Sound’s 2018 Senior Art Show.
Elisabeth Lawrence, who earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre arts and English from Puget Sound, began writing for feminist magazine Bust in December. Her writing has addressed topics ranging from whether Santa’s reindeer are females to women in comedy and Harvey Weinstein.
Jake Wuesthoff, a four-year starter for the Logger football team, is now enjoying a professional career playing American football in Germany. He played the 2018 season as a free safety for the Straubing Spiders and finished second in tackles overall in the GFL 2 (German Football League, Division 2). This year, he will continue his career in Munich, playing the same position for the GFL Munich Cowboys. Jake graduated from Puget Sound with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and is a Phi Delta Theta fraternity member.