50s
Victoria Alekna Norvaisa, BS secretarial ’59, published her second novel, “Lydia: Destiny Or Choice,” about a journey from the United States to Brussels, Sweden and Lithuania.
60s
Martin Mandelberg, BS electrical engineering ’69, is celebrating a 50-year career as an engineer, strategist, scientist, educator, executive and entrepreneur. Career highlights include award-winning performance developing innovative science and solutions, leading strategic change, and managing professionals across diverse organizations.
Donald A. Mankin, BS electrical engineering ’64, presented at Adventure Hub in Seattle and spoke about his travels in southeast Asia.
Joseph A. Ritsick Jr., MD ’69, retired from the practice of physical medicine and rehabilitation. He had been living and practicing in the San Francisco area for 20 years after moving from Denver in 1998.
Stewart M. Weintraub, BS business administration ’68, was selected for inclusion in the 2019 edition of Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers.
70s
Alfred D. Calabria, BS mechanical engineering ‘70, was inducted into the Edgewood High School Hall of Fame.
James F. Coyle, MS urban management ’75, was appointed to the Economic Development Authority in Falls Church, Virginia.
Carl E. Dranoff, BS civil engineering ’70, HD ’86, president and CEO of Dranoff Properties, announced the groundbreaking of the company’s newest property, Arthaus — a 47-story condominium tower located at Broad and Spruce streets, across from the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Gloria Miglionico Krolak, BS home economics ’70, was featured in the May issue of Jersey Jazz about her book, “Jazz Lines…Free Verse in the Key of Jazz.”
Roseann B. Termini, BS human behavior and development ’75, had several speaking engagements, was appointed to co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Health Care Law Committee and vice chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Disability Rights Committee. Termini also co-authored, “A Look Back at DSHEA — Over 25 Years Later: The Dangers of a Reactionary Approach to Dietary Supplement Regulation,” which was published in the Quinnipiac Health Law Journal.
80s
Beatrice Agar, BS nutrition and food ’86, dietitian manager/clinical dietician with Mercy LIFE, was featured in Food & Nutrition for breaking new ground in staff training for those who work with the elderly deaf community.
Charles John Barreras, BS history and politics ’87, founding partner, Chartwell Law, was selected for inclusion in 2019 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list in the category of Workers’ Compensation.
Martin G. Belisario, BS mechanical engineering ’85, partner at Panitch Schwarze Belisario & Nadel LLP, was ranked for his prowess in IP law by Chambers USA, a leading legal ranking guide.
Elizabeth Roth Benson, RN nursing ’82, co-founder and CEO of B&G Educational Innovations, and her colleague and business partner designed a wearable clinical training device that allows clinical students to improve hands-on skills when starting an IV, while also enhancing their bedside communication.
Dominic J. De Simone, BS accounting ’88, was appointed to co-chair of the finance department at national law firm Ballard Spahr LLP.
Lisa Freundlich Guss, MS communications ’86, launched her first book, “The Essential College Admissions Handbook,” which provides a step-by-step approach to successfully navigating the complex world of admissions.
Kirk Harman, MS civil engineering ’80, was named Structural Engineer of the Year by the Philadelphia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineering.
Marcel Keschner Jr., BS electrical engineering ’81, was presented with the 2019 IEEE Richard M. Emberson Award at the IEEE Honors Ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in San Diego, California.
Dottie Petrone Leonardi, BS finance ’86, chief operating officer of Drucker & Scaccetti, was the featured author in the April issue of Working Mother. The article provided advice for new moms returning to work and chronicles lessons learned on her journey to the C-suite in corporate America.
Jock Sommese, MBA ’81, completed his doctor of business administration degree from Wilmington University. He is a former adjunct and co-op employer at Drexel and has relocated about 40 miles west of Chicago.
James I. Stubblefield, MD ’82, was profiled in Leading Physicians of the World . Over the past 25 years, he has run three emergency departments. He also served as EMS medical director for Monterey County for more than 21 years and has overseen the development of two STEMI/STROKE hospitals and a Level II Trauma Center. As lieutenant colonel in the military, he was honored with multiple awards to include the Bronze Star and Air medal in Operation Desert Storm.
90s
Daniel Astolfi, MBA ’91, executive vice president, middle market regional executive, mid-Atlantic region at Citizens Bank, served as the keynote speaker at the Philadelphia Outward Bound School’s Business Breakfast. The event, called Stronger Together: Corporate-Nonprofit Partnerships, offered insights for developing high-impact and mutually beneficial partnerships.
Laura Grubb Baldwin, BS graphic design ’91, was promoted to vice president of marketing and communications at Arcadia University.
Michael R. Bartosik, BS accounting ’91, was promoted to senior manager at Duane Morris tax accounting group.
Richard C. Liu, BS corporate communications ’94, was named vice chair of ArtsQuest’s Performing Arts Board. ArtsQuest is a Bethlehem-based nonprofit dedicated to presenting music, arts, festivals, cultural experiences and educational and outreach programs that aid in economic development, urban revitalization and community enrichment.
Joseph F. Roth III, BS civil engineering ’90, was named Transportation Engineer of the Year for 2019 by the Philadelphia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Sarah Holtz Wilson, BS civil engineering ’98, was the first female elected to the chair of the board at McMillen Jacobs Associates.
00s
Shoshana L. Remetz Altrichter, BS film and video production ’07, was recently promoted to vice president of travel at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.
Rodney N. Anello, BS business administration ’06, was promoted to senior manager at Duane Morris tax accounting group.
Paul Avazier, BS architecture ’07, was promoted to associate principal at Atkin Olshin Schade Architects.
Daniel K. Choi, MD ’08, joined the medical group at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois, as a pediatric hematologist/ oncologist.
Christopher Drumm, MD ’06, hosts a podcast, “The Doc and the Deacon” — a humorous and honest take on trending topics from both a medical and faithbased perspective.
Melissa Buchanan Fincher, MS arts administration ’07, was recently promoted to consultant in the education practice at executive search firm WittKieffer.
Shefali Karani, BS business administration ’10, MBA ’13, wrote the book, “Own It! Love What You Already Have,” which talks about the lessons she learned as a young executive in her family- owned business.
Andrew Knox, BS history and politics ’04, an associate with Timoney Knox LLP, has been included in the Rising Stars list of attorneys for 2019.
Abigail Sullivan Maslin, MA creative arts ’07, wrote a memoir, “Love You Hard: A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love,” about rebuilding her family and marriage after her husband was assaulted.
Ian B.K. Martin, MD ’00, was named as the 2019–2020 president of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.
Christopher M. Notte, MD ’03, was appointed chief medical officer of Abington–Lansdale Hospital, effective June 15, 2019.
Jesse H. Pointon, BA architecture ’02, started a new position as an associate at Strada, a cross-disciplinary design firm.
Joshua Voss, JD ’09, was elected a partner of Kleinbard LLC.
10’s
Teru Bower Clavel, MS global and international education ’14, released a new book, “World Class: One Mother’s Journey Halfway Around the Globe in Search of the Best Education for Her Children.”
Robert Burris, HD ’14, was named president and CEO of Solano Economic Development Corp.
Assunta Daprano, BS civil engineering ’17, was presented with the Community Outreach and Service Award for 2019 by the Philadelphia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Jenny Davidson, MBA ’12, CEO of Stand Up Placer in Auburn, California, was named to the BBC’s list of 100 Women Who Inspire and Influence the World for 2018 for her work as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
Ajin Fatima, BS civil engineering ’15, was named Young Government Engineer of the Year for 2019 by the Philadelphia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Kyle Foster, MS higher education ’12, was named assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Sarah Levine, MBA ’15, owner of Luna Café, opened a second location at 317 Market St. in Philadelphia.
Brianna Lisi, BS biological sciences ’17, works in the Cideciyan Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, progressing toward a cure for blindness.
Daniel T. Mullin, BS sport management ’13, JD ’16, started a new position as associate general counsel at Holman Enterprises.
Lauren Pitts, MFT family therapy ’13, EDD education leadership and management ’17, wrote the book, “The Queen Within: Becoming the Woman God Intended,” about the highs, lows, failures and resilience that fueled the major successes in her life.
Jonathan M. Sefcik, BS mechanical engineering ’18, is a power distribution engineer at Henkels and McCoy in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.
David Seok, BA architecture ’12, was promoted to project manager at The Lighting Practice.
Mina N. Soryal, CERT biomedical technology development ’14, MS biomedical engineering ’14, raised $2.3 million in non-dilutive funding from the National Cancer Institute via SBIR grants at ImCare Biotech.
Baby Dragons
Marc Blumberg, BS electrical engineering ’04, and Audrey Blumberg welcomed daughter Devorah Arielle on Feb. 13, 2019.
Weddings
Kyle Acker, BARCH architecture ’13, and Christina Disciullo-Acker, BA international area studies ’11, were married on April 27, 2019.
Sonia K. Braeckman Bachik, BS management of computerized information systems ’87, and Gary G. Bachik were married on Oct. 30, 2018, at Sandals Grande Antigua in St John’s, followed by a church wedding on Nov. 10, 2018, at St. Stephen’s Orthodox Cathedral in Philadelphia.
Snapped Dragons
Two physician assistant grads met in a very special way on Feb. 8, 2019. Chris Stacer, BS physician assistant ’02 (left), performed a total hip replacement on classmate Denise Cologne, BS physician assistant ’99 (center), along with Dr. Durgesh Nagarkatti (right) at the Glastonbury Surgical Center, part of Hartford Hospital’s Bone and Joint Institute in Connecticut. “The surgery was amazingly successful and has allowed me to resume a physically active lifestyle,” says Cologne, who currently practices internal medicine at Hartford Hospital and loves her job as much as Stacer loves his. How’s that for Alumni reconnecting?
Butch Sincock; Judith Murphy Sincock, MD medicine ’75; Henry Febo, BS chemical engineering ’67; Elizabeth Burt Febo, BS home economics ’68; Penny Goldberg and Paul Goldberg, BS metallurgical engineering ’61 met on a Drexel-sponsored cruise at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France.
Alumni Ambassadors Carvon Johnson, BS commerce and engineering ’85, MS engineering management ’88; Izabelle Gómez, BS international studies ’04; Catherine Campbell-Perna, BS corporate communications ’95, MS higher education ’11; and Janai Johnson, BS marketing ’18 talk to prospective students and their parents at a packed college fair at Council Rock North High School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
We’re interested in hearing about your weddings, new babies, special traditions, group trips and regular get-togethers with fellow alumni. Send stories and photos to Sara Keiffer at seb434@drexel.edu.