Class Notes: Spring 2026
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60s
Joyce Byers, BS home economics ’64; HD ’02, and her company Byers’ Choice were featured in the “Made in PA” segment on 6ABC Action News. The company makes over 50,000 figurines a year, with the most made during the holiday season.
Darvin Levengood, BS chemical engineering ’60, had the pleasure of attending the Drexel graduation ceremonies of two of his grandchildren in 2025.
C. R. “Chuck” Pennoni, BS civil engineering ’63; MS ’66; HD ’92, was the guest of honor at the Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG) Annual Dinner. Pennoni, a founding corporate partner at DBG, was a major contributor to the development of DBG’s new Annette Pennoni Meadow Pavilion, which honors the memory of his late wife.
Ben Rocuskie, BS civil engineering ’60, achieved his 9th-degree black belt in Seidokan Karate. Rocuskie was inducted into the World Karate Hall of Fame in 2009, then earned the honorific “Hanshi,” which means exemplary or master teacher at the age of 89, after receiving his 9th-degree black belt.
70s
Robert E. Black, MD, HU ’71, was inducted as a fellow of the Royal Society. Black is professor and director of the Institute for International Programs of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. His research includes field trials of micronutrients and other interventions and evaluation of maternal and child health programs.
Albert R. Checcio, BS history-politics ’75, was named Temple University’s senior vice president of institutional advancement, where he will lead the university’s fundraising and philanthropic efforts on a permanent basis after serving as its interim vice president.
Robert J. McCunney, MD, MPH, BS chemical engineering ’71, is writing a new medical thriller novel titled “Cluster.” Drawing from his decades-long experience as an occupational and environmental medicine physician, McCunney explores the investigation of disease clusters in this novel.
Pat Munday, PhD, BS humanities & communications ’78; BS metallurgical engineering ’78, professor emeritus at Montana Technological University, spoke about the U.S. environmental movement in the 1960s at the Butte-Silver Bow Public Library as part of the First Friday lecture series.
Robert J. Rosen, MD, HU ’76, was named a 2025 Castle Connolly Top Doctor for a 27th year, an honor only 7% of the nation’s licensed physicians receive per year. Rosen, an interventional radiologist and endovascular surgeon, is the director of the AVM Center at the Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute. He has performed over 70,000 interventional and endovascular procedures and has developed techniques and instrumentation now in common use.
80s
Louise Bechtel, MS graduate program ’82, retired after working 25 years at the Slatington Public Library in Slatington, Pennsylvania. After guiding the library from handwritten card catalogs to e-books and online databases, she plans to travel the United States with her husband in her retirement.
Elaine S. Date, MD, MCP ’82, joined the panel of physicians at Prime Medical Evaluators, a premier California-based medical-legal organization dedicated to providing high-quality Qualified Medical Evaluations (QMEs). Date has an extensive background in physical medicine, rehabilitation, electrodiagnostic medicine and chronic pain management.
Bradford Davis, BS mechanical engineering ’88, who started his federal career as a Drexel co-op, retired in October 2025 from his senior ballistics engineering position after 40 years of dedicated civilian service with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.
Philip R. Gallagher, BS business administration ’87, CEO of Avnet, was appointed to Dycom Industries, Inc.’s board of directors. Gallagher previously served as president, electronic components, at Avnet, where he has worked since 1982.
Mark Gleiberman, BS accounting ’80, was elected as trustee emeritus for the UC San Diego Foundation Board of Trustees. Gleiberman is the founder and CEO of MG Properties. Gleiberman previously served as a UC San Diego Foundation trustee and was a member of the audit committee.
Albert Guvenis, MS electrical engineering ’80; PhD ’83, released a book titled “A Pocket Guide to Engineering & AI Home Solutions for Sleep Issues” which explores the link between sleep and overall health, and how AI can be used to help keep sleep on track.
Michael P. Hopkins, BS electrical engineering ’80, published his first collection of short stories, “Never Stop Exiting” with Cornerstone Press. His book and music criticism have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Scene (WI) and Magnet magazine, and have received numerous awards over the years.
Lisa A. Laurent, MD, MCP ’84, was appointed chief medical officer of Alameda Health System. Laurent most recently served as chief medical officer at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center. Previously, she served as chief medical officer for CommonSpirit Health at CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Rodger Levenson, MBA, business administration ’89, chairman, president and CEO at WSFS Bank, was interviewed in a Philadelphia Inquirer article about the impact of current events on businesses, data center development and WSFS’ direction, among other topics.
Paul Richards, BS mechanical engineering ’87, became an advisory board member at New Sapience. He is currently also the chief strategy officer and chief engineer at Revolution Space.
Linda Tapp, CSP, BS biological sciences ’88, has officially begun her one-year term as president of the American Society of Safety Professionals.
Carolyn Larkin Taylor, OD ’81; MD, HU ’89, wrote a memoir titled “Whispers of the Mind,” which her journey from medical school to private practice, highlighting pivotal moments and patient encounters.
John Warner, BS finance ’89, became the president and chief underwriting officer at McKee Risk Management, Inc. More recently, he was executive vice president and chief underwriting officer.
Dwight Zilinskas, BS business administration ’85, ran for a Ward 1 seat in the upcoming Chestertown Town Council election in Chestertown, Maryland. He has prior experience as a member of the Recreation Commission, serving as its chairman.
90s
Murugan Anandarajan, MBA business administration ’93; MS accounting ’93; PhD business administration ’97, wrote an article on The Conversation’s website about the impact of artificial intelligence on the job market and how it has reshaped the hiring process.
Raj Butani, MD, MCP ’96, currently practices as a senior partner at Washington Gastroenterology, the largest private GI practice in Washington state and part of the GI Alliance, a Gastroenterology management services organization with over 1,000 GI physicians nationwide and now affiliated with Cardinal Health. Butani is also the current president of the Pacific Northwest Gastroenterology Society.
Jonathan Colton, Esq., BS mathematics ’97, a councilman in Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania, ran as the Democratic candidate for the borough’s next mayor.
Jeff Crozier, PE, BS mechanical engineering ’99; MS engineering management ’04, was promoted to project executive at Precis Engineering + Architecture. Crozier leads projects and focuses on portfolio management, business strategy and client development.
Matthew Davis, RPh, MD, MCP ’94, joined Aquestive Therapeutics as its chief development officer. Davis has over 20 years of experience in drug development and medical leadership, spanning both large pharmaceutical and emerging biotechnology companies.
Michael Fedock, BS biological sciences ’97, was appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer at IQVIA Holdings, Inc. Mr. Fedock joined IQVIA in 2016 and has held several senior financial roles, including CFO of IQVIA’s Research & Development Solutions business unit and CFO of IQVIA Laboratories.
Ted James, MD, MCP ’96, was appointed as the chief medical officer of Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. He recently also became a system physician executive of the Endeavor Health Cancer Institute after serving in various roles, such as the vice chair of academic affairs at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’s surgery department and an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School.
Earnestine Johnson, BS mechanical engineering ’92, released a book called “The Nuclear Empowered Workforce,” in which she offers a practical, insightful look into some of the career paths available in commercial nuclear power highlighting the interaction of various disciplines during the design phase and within the structure and function of an operating nuclear power plant.
Samantha Wilson Jones, JD, BS history-politics ’98; MBA business administration ’19, was appointed general counsel and corporate secretary of Sharp Services, where she will be responsible for Sharp’s legal function globally, including corporate compliance, risk management and EHS.
Steve Keppler, BS architectural engineering ’92; BS civil engineering ’92, second vice chair on the American Trucking Association’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board, was spotlighted in its profile series. His 30+ year long career in the transportation industry began as an investigator and inspector with the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Motor Carriers.
Judy Lofton, MS technology & science communication ’97, a medical writer and healthcare industry consultant for JCL Communications and scientific communications manager for AlphaBioCom, is running for the Perkiomen Valley School Board. Lofton was a member of the board from 2017 to 2021.
Kevin McCauley, MD, MCP ’92, was a keynote speaker at Casper College’s School of Social and Behavioral Sciences annual seminar, which featured sessions centered on the theme Empower Change: Turn Struggle into Strength. McCauley is a senior fellow at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare and is also the writer and director of two films: “Memo to Self” about the concepts of recovery management, and the award-winning “Pleasure Unwoven” about the neuroscience of addiction.
Dan McCormick, BS finance ’90, released an album called “Turn it Up!” McCormick also premiered a holiday play titled “Let’s Catch Santa!” at the Cape May Stage in Cape May, New Jersey.
Bobby Mathew, BS electrical engineering ’92, was featured in a Philadelphia Inquirer article about the DreamEscape Library, which was created and operated by Kensington Health Sciences Academy students in response to the lack of real school libraries available to them. He and other members of the Christos Mar Thoma Church in Northeast Philadelphia formed a partnership with DreamEscape and donated $5,000 to the library.
Stanley J. Niemczak, PE, BS civil engineering ’94, operations leader of Jacobs, became a member of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s board of directors.
Mike Petrakis, BS marketing ’93, CEO of PowerPay, was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal‘s list of the Greater Philadelphia’s Most Admired CEOs of 2025.
John P. Repko, MBA business administration, an award-winning chief information officer and qualified financial expert (QFE), was profiled in Crain’s New York Business. He spoke about how he became interested in the tech world, how artificial intelligence is used in business, and his leadership style, among other topics.
Fred Scheuren, BS commerce and engineering ’97; MBA business administration ’03, head of analytics & operations at Liberty Bank, is one of six senior leaders to be promoted to the bank’s executive vice president role.
Anna Lynn Smith, BS architectural engineering ’93; BS civil engineering ’93, rejoined HDR as the intercity and high-speed rail practice lead. She was previously the vice president of planning and strategy at Amtrak.
Jeffrey L. Williams, MD, MCPHU ’99, who is board-certified in cardiology, electrophysiology and internal medicine, was hired at Lakeland Regional Health as a cardiologist. He has served as a faculty member in several academic institutions, including the James A. Haley VA Medical Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and others.
Pidor Yang, BS hotel and restaurant management ’97, opened Sahbyy Food, a Cambodian food stand, at the Southeast Asian Market in South Philadelphia, and will open a new location at Gather Food Hall in the Bulletin Building at Schuylkill Yards in Philadelphia.
Kevin Yoder, BA architecture ’93, the principal, founder and design director of k YODER design, was featured on Forbes’ Top 200 Residential Architects for 2025.
00s
Shahab Akvan, MD ’08, board-certified in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, joined the United Regional Physician Group team in Wichita Falls, Texas. He has experience from institutions such as the University of Florida, the Texas Heart Institute, Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Christine Bischoff, RN, MS nursing ’07, a registered nurse at Lankenau Medical Center, was profiled in an article on Mount Saint Joseph Academy’s student news site, The Campanile. The article details her interest in pursuing a medical career and how she balances it with her home life.
Rachel Brackley, FAACO, OD ’09, lectured at “Human Trafficking and Its Covert Presentation in the Optometric Practice: Hidden in Plain Sight,” a joint symposium between the Public Health and Environmental Vision Section and the new Women’s Health Special Interest Group. The topic of the lecture discussed how optometrists may encounter victims of human trafficking during routine care and the critical role they can play in both its recognition and response.
Gregory Burek, MS biological science ’09; MD ’14, was featured on the Talking Sleep podcast in an episode titled “Sleep Disorders in Military Veterans.” In the episode, Burek discusses the unique sleep challenges faced by military veterans and first responders.
Jason Cerato, BS communication ’00; MS human resource development ’14, became the senior vice president of Global Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning for Amentum.
Carolyne Cuzeau, BS business administration ’04, became the director of financial planning & analysis at Big Y Foods, Inc. Cuzeau has served as senior manager of finance at Big Y since 2020.
Nyree Dardarian, EdD, RDN, MS human nutrition ’05, was quoted in an article in Good Housekeeping magazine about the importance of protein in our diets and the best foods to get protein from. Dardarian is the assistant clinical professor and director of the Center for Nutrition and Performance at Drexel University.
Erica Deuso, BS biological sciences ’03; MBA business administration ’12, was elected as mayor of Downingtown, making her Pennsylvania’s first openly transgender mayor. Deuso is an executive committee member of the Chester County Democrats who serves on the boards of the Pennsylvania Equality Project, PFLAG West Chester/Chester County and Emerge Pennsylvania.
Luisa Galdi, DO, BS information systems ’03, joined Renuva HRT & Wellness in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. In this role, Galdi will enhance patient care by developing holistic, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy treatment plans.
Mary Gerrie, PsyD, MA creative arts in therapy ’06, became vice president of outpatient clinics (Braintree, Marshfield, Quincy CBHC Core) at Aspire Health Alliance.
Lara R. Hart, MD ’08, was awarded the AMA Women Physicians Section Inspiration Award which acknowledges physicians who have offered their time, wisdom and support throughout the professional careers of fellow physicians, residents and students.
Abrar Hashmi, BS electrical engineering ’07, CEO of Agile Brains Consulting Inc., was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s list of the Greater Philadelphia’s Most Admired CEOs of 2025, in addition to Agile Brains Consulting Inc. being featured on its Fast 50 list.
Elizabeth Hoffman, BS materials engineering ’02; PhD materials engineering ’06, became institutional mission capture director at Savannah River National Laboratory. She is also currently vice president at ASM International.
Josephine O. Ibironke, FAAO, MPH, OD ’03, became the dean of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Drexel following a period of interim leadership. Ibironke’s career spans more than two decades in clinical care, research and academic leadership, and her research contributions include the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study and the Baltimore Reading and Eye Disease Study, advancing understanding of refractive error, amblyopia and the relationship between vision and academic performance.
Asif M. Ilyas, FACS, MD, MCPHU ’01, was featured in an article about the benefits of wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) surgeries. Ilyas also wrote an article titled “Philadelphia sets standard for treating ‘tranq’ wounds, but government’s help is needed” for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lawrence James, BS information systems ’02, CEO of Connexus Technology, LLC, was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s list of the Greater Philadelphia’s Most Admired CEOs of 2025.
Girija Kaimal, EdD, MA, ATRBC, MCAT, creative arts in therapy, MCPHU ’01, professor of creative arts therapies at Drexel and author of “The Expressive Instinct: How Imagination and Creative Works Help Us Survive and Thrive,” was quoted in a CNN article about how coloring can improve mental health in adults.
Joanna Kan, BS business administration ’00, CEO of Blue Story LLC, became a member of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s board of directors.
Andrew Kay, BS business administration ’08; MBA ’13, was promoted to executive vice president of growth at Dermatology Partners.
Bryan Keller, BS business administration ’09, became president of Dakota Wealth Management, where he was previously the chief strategic officer.
Sarah Kepple, MS library & information science ’09, ran for re-election to Lakewood City Council in Ohio. Kepple has served as a Lakewood City Council member at-large since 2020 and was elected council president in 2024. She is the founder and owner/educator of Gigalearn and has served as a librarian in public and school libraries.
Saif Khalil, MS materials engineering ’03; PhD mechanical engineering ’06, was featured in an article on Technical.ly about his startup, Aevumed, which specializes in medical technology such as the Phantom-LP and 3D-printed customizable collagen scaffolds. The company began as a National Science Foundation-backed project on 3D printing for organ fabrication while he was a student at Drexel and now has four FDA-cleared products on the market.
Jared Levy, BS business administration ’06, became CEO at Maryville Integrated Care, where he was previously COO.
Carla Mason, MS library & information science ’09, the director of El Centro Library in El Centro, California, was appointed to a one-year term on the League of California Cities Community Services Policy Committee, which evaluates legislation affecting cities and provides recommendations which help guide Cal Cities’ advocacy positions.
Cory Ng, DBA, MS accounting ’02, joined Villanova University’s faculty as an associate teaching professor in the Accounting & Information Systems department. In addition, he co-authored a book titled “Artificial Intelligence in Accounting: Practical Applications” by Routledge.
Heather Parsons, MD ’09, was named the Maudslien Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Precision Oncology Research at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, an independent nonprofit which serves as the cancer program for University of Washington Medicine. A medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer, Parsons has conducted extensive research on new ways to test a person’s blood for signs of cancer.
Jason Patton, MBA business administration ’09, new regional director for retail banking at Chase Bank, will lead the bank’s work to open 100 branches and a J.P. Morgan Financial Center in Philadelphia by 2027.
Kerry Sautner, MS science of instruction ’04; EdD educational leadership & management ’17, president and CEO of Eastern State Penitentiary, was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s list of the Greater Philadelphia’s Most Admired CEOs of 2025.
Ahaji Schreffler, BS international area studies ’01; MS teaching, learning & curriculum ’17, senior director of education abroad at the Office of Global Engagement at Drexel, spearheaded a program to build computer labs in northern Tanzania so students have access to online textbooks and other educational materials. Over the past three years, Schreffler has helped cement a three-way partnership engaging the students of her Intensive Course Abroad program; TEDI, and TechServ, a student-led organization committed to bridging the digital divide in Philadelphia.
Adriana Vazquez, BS design & merchandising ’05; MBA business administration ’08, director of operations at MOD Worldwide and the head of MODHealth, was recognized as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2025 Women of Influence.
Dawn Vitale, BS design & merchandising ’03, became the new chief merchandising officer at Skims, an American shapewear and clothing brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian. Vitale was previously the chief merchandising officer for Levi Strauss & Co.
10s
Philippe Alen, PhD; MBA business administration ’11, became the chief business officer of AbolerIS Pharma, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to improving the lives of people suffering from autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Jennifer Anderson, MBA business administration ’17, was promoted to vice president of client services learning & development at The Haverford Trust Company. In this role, she will lead the training of the Client Services team, while recommending and implementing learning solutions to promote efficient team operations.
Jaime L. Arroyo, MBA business administration ’16, was elected as Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s 44th mayor. He will be the city’s first Latino mayor. Arroyo is the CEO of ASSETS, vice president of the Lancaster City Council and chair of the council’s Economic Development Committee.
Pragati Awasthi, MS business analytics ’19, wrote an article in CXO Tech Magazine about overcoming challenges with machine learning models. She is an assistant teaching professor at Drexel’s College of Computing & Informatics.
Chris Beck, BS history ’11; BS political science ’11, was named vice president of government relations at Geisinger, after having previous experience as director of state government relations at DeBrunner & Associates.
Lemond Brown, BS architectural engineering ’12, was featured in D.C. News Now’s Tech Talk, where he spoke about his Swaliga Foundation, which was created to address the gaps in math and science education among Washington, D.C., students. Brown plans to expand his program internationally, starting by opening a new STEAM center in Ghana.
Mary Ann Comunale, EdD educational leadership & management ’17, was quoted in an Anchorage Daily News article about a potential association between COVID-19 infection in pregnant women and these women having children diagnosed with autism. Comunale is an associate professor at Drexel’s College of Medicine.
Samuel D. Cook, MD ’19, was hired as a hospitalist at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. He focuses on the treatment of adults requiring hospitalization for conditions such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetic ketoacidosis or infections.
Eric Cornog, JD ’19, joined the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office as an assistant prosecutor. Most recently, Cornog served as an assistant prosecutor with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
Evan Ehlers, BA entrepreneurship & innovation ’19, founder of Sharing Excess, was interviewed about his organization on the Bridging Philly podcast, as well as by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Mark Fabbi, PhD; MS higher education ’14, wrote a children’s book called “Don’t Eat the Trash,” inspired by his nephew and niece. The paperback was written under the pseudonym Cubby Hollins.
Michele-Olivia Francois, BS dance ’14; MS sport coaching leadership ’20, CEO of Movement Corrective Fitness in Montgomery County, was featured in a business spotlight by The Philadelphia Tribune.
Darin Gale, MBA business administration ’13, the current assistant city manager of Brentwood, California, was unanimously approved as city manager by the Pittsburgh City Council. His tenure began on Dec. 15.
Mary Gallagher Gordon, PhD information studies ’13, was appointed to the leadership team of Drexel Health Clinical Operations, a transformative initiative which unifies all clinical health services under a centralized structure, where she will serve as vice president of clinical operations.
Ronald W. Garrity, BS general studies ’12, was appointed consultant, independent director and leader of US operations at Daymer Group, a consulting and fiduciary services firm with $10 billion in assets under management. Garrity has led to the capture and delivery of more than $2.1 billion in federal contracts, including numerous $100 million+ prime awards at the DOD and federal civilian agencies.
Haley Glatthorn Genovese, MD ’18, a nationally recognized reproductive endocrinologist and former Jefferson-Reproductive Medicine Associates (RMA) fellow, joined RMA’s San Diego clinic. She was previously awarded the Hodgson Scholarship, the OB/GYN Excellence Award and served as chapter president of the American Medical Women’s Association.
Garrett Gillin, MBA business administration ’14, is a principal at 215 Marketing, a company featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Fast 50, recognizing the region’s fastest-growing companies based on average two-year revenue growth.
Kyle Griffith, PhD; MS civil engineering ’12, announced the launch of his app called Formatr which assists students and researchers with academic formatting tasks.
Tim Gorichanaz, PhD information studies ’18, was featured in an article from The74 about the impact artificial intelligence has on trust between students and educators.
Virginia Hedrick, MPH executive master of public health ’15, became the first woman to be CEO of the California Rural Indian Health Board, where she has worked for nine years in positions such as an associate health policy analyst and a program coordinator.
Evan Hirsch, BS fashion design ’19, featured his latest collection at New York Fashion Week, titled, “Found Opulence.” The collection features 30 looks, all made from items sourced through Goodwill’s auction site or local Goodwill stores in New York and New Jersey. After the show, 15 of the designs were auctioned off, with proceeds going to Goodwill’s workforce development programs. Hirsch will continue to serve as Goodwill’s “resident fashion expert” for the rest of the year.
David Holland, MS nursing ’18, ran for a seat on the Lehigh Valley County council. He previously served as a member of the Quakertown Community School Board when he lived in Bucks County.
Joseph Hosey, BS history ’15, was hired as an associate at Burns White, LLC. He was previously an assistant district attorney for the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Ashley Ivanowicz, MS human resource development ’12, joined Avalo Therapeutics as senior vice president of human resources.
Amol Kohli, BS business administration ’11, the founder of Legacy Brands, was profiled by CNBC. The article chronicled his journey from a waiter at a Friendly’s in Philadelphia to becoming the owner of the entire restaurant chain, along with its parent company Brix Holdings and six other restaurant brands.
Steven E. Kreeley, BS civil engineering ’16; MS ’19, structural engineer at Atlas, became a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for his contributions to advancing structural engineering. He is a professional civil engineer who specializes in designing and analyzing structural components for water and wastewater treatment facilities and is also an active member of the Order of the Engineer and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Victoria Lewis, BS chemistry ’19, served as a judge at The Scientist’s Top 2025 Innovations competition, which highlights the latest advances in life science techniques and products. Lewis is a research associate at Medical Excellence Capital, an early-stage biotech venture capital firm.
Greta Lofgren, BS business administration ’13, ran for Ward 7 City Councilor in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Her campaign emphasized the development of public safety, public spaces and community integration.
Christopher Lukach, MLS legal studies ’19, is the CEO at AKCG Public Relations Counselors, a company featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Fast 50, recognizing the region’s fastest-growing companies based on average two-year revenue growth.
Kamile Nacickaite-Van Der Horst, BS sport management ’12, is a professional basketball player and member of the Lithuanian women’s basketball club, Kibirkštis, part of the EuroLeague Women’s basketball league. Kibirkštis won its first game of the EuroLeague Women qualifiers, with 25 points in the first half coming from Nacickaite-Van Der Horst.
Lydia A. Pappas, JD; BS international area studies ’13, joined the law firm Leech Tishman, where she will focus her practice on labor and employment matters, representing employers in workplace disputes involving discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower claims and related employment issues.
Takisha Penix, MS project management ’15, was featured in an article by the online publication The Sporting News. Her son Michael was the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
Amanda Sbriscia, EdD; MS higher education ’12, vice president of institutional advancement at Holyoke Community College, was appointed to the District 1 Cabinet of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the board of the American Council on Education Women’s Network in Massachusetts.
Mark Seltzer, MBA business administration ’11, managing director of Ensemble Investments LLC, became a member of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s board of directors.
Pedro A. Ramos, JD; HD ’14, CEO of the Philadelphia Foundation, was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s list of the Greater Philadelphia’s Most Admired CEOs of 2025.
Andrew Thompson, BS civil engineering ’16, senior engineering associate of Kittelson and Associates Inc., was highlighted in the online publication Montco.Today about his interdisciplinary partnership with Drexel associate professor Brooke Kruemmling and the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center.
Erin J. Truesdell, PhD; BS game design & production ’19, a researcher at the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Ying Wu College of Computing and assistant professor of informatics, was appointed as a Young Futures Innovator by Young Futures, a nonprofit which aims to help teens and families navigating the uncertainties of the tech-driven world.
Jon J. Vogel, MBA business administration ’14, is a principal at 215 Marketing, a company featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Fast 50, recognizing the region’s fastest-growing companies based on average two-year revenue growth.
20s
Laura Baehr, PhD health & rehabilitation sciences ’23, had her work developing and testing an online seated exercise program for people with spinal cord injuries during her PhD studies supported by a $3.2 million grant from the Department of Defense to complete a randomized controlled trial to determine the program’s effectiveness.
David Blankenship, MS data science ’25, joined IDA as a data science fellow in its Global Dynamics and Intelligence Division.
Alyssa Bohorquez, BS film & television ’23, and Eli Kauffman, BS fashion design ’02, showcased their work in the exhibition for emerging artists titled “Now and Next,” hosted by Dryden Gallery in North Providence, Rhode Island. The show featured a range of paintings, ceramics, metalwork and photography.
Lissa Carandang-Sweeney, BS marketing ’22, played the leading role of Alice Heart, the first feature film directed by Temple alum Mike Macera. “Alice Heart” premiered at The Philadelphia Film Festival on October 18 and has won awards at several film festivals such as the Slamdance and Brooklyn Film Festival.
Hunter Cheng, BS psychology ’25, received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which recognizes and supports promising graduate students in NSF-supported STEM and social science disciplines.
Brandon Cisneros, BS marketing ’22, a digital marketing and communications specialist for the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is one of Nextgen Collective’s 30 Under 30. His feature on the Hispanic Executive explores his accomplishments in digital communications, as well as his aspirations for himself and his community.
Jeannine Cook, MFA creative writing ’22, the owner of Harriett’s Bookshop, was featured in a profile in The Philadelphia Inquirer about the release of her debut novel, “It’s Me They Follow.” Cook’s novel combines aspects of her real life, such as the struggles that come with opening a bookstore in Fishtown, with romance and a touch of magic.
Varvara “Bobby” Diakonenkova, BS fashion design ’25, won the 2025 Supima Design Competition during the Supima Design Lab on November 5.
Emily Edelstein, MS arts administration & museum leadership ’22, the executive director of CraftNOW Philadelphia, was appointed as a 2026 Art of Jazz juror for the Berks Arts 22nd annual Frank Scott Memorial Art Show.
Jaime Grookett, MFA creative writing ’22, a professor at Rowan University, is up for reelection on the Haddonfield School District’s board of education.
Sky Harper, BS chemistry ’24, received the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which recognizes and supports promising graduate students in NSF-supported STEM and social science disciplines.
Hanley Higgins, Esq., BA global studies ’22, joined McNees Wallace & Nurick’s Radnor, Pennsylvania office as a corporate attorney in the Corporate & Tax Group. Hanley has prior experience as a legal intern with the Massachusetts Securities Division, where she researched fraud and regulatory compliance in the financial sector.
Gabrielle Howard, BS design & merchandising ’21, was profiled in an article on Baltimore Beat about her styling service, Moodstyling.co, which caters to “the everyday person,” and was founded with the intention of connecting people to their authentic selves. She derives her fashion inspiration from shopping at Black and indigenous-owned businesses.
Cassidy Joyce, BS environmental science ’25, was selected as an alternate for Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for 2025–26 for a Study/Research Grant to Ireland.
Alyssa Kemp, BS/MS environmental engineering ’25, received a Fulbright Scholarship and will be researching coastal resilience and marine protected areas and how these can inform disaster risk reduction management, under the joint mentorship of the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability and Department of Environmental Science at Ateneo de Manila University.
Jasmine Lee, BS management information systems ’22, was featured in the online publication AfroTech, for her efforts in breaking barriers and building community, where she discusses her aim to enhance pricing transparency, improve claims processing and maintain the human element in healthcare, ensuring technology serves people, not just processes. She also serves as a leader at Black Wings, a program supporting Black women pursuing STEM careers within Rewriting the Code, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering college and early-career women in tech.
Lia Lewandowski, BA international area studies ’21, will make her third professional appearance as a flyweight boxer at Atlantic City’s Tropicana Showroom. Once ranked fifth among U.S. female amateurs, Lewandowski beat Chantal Sumrall on November 7.
Ming Yuan Low, PhD creative arts therapies ’22, was featured on PBS for his work in music therapy to help the elderly in his community.
Angela Mastrianni, PhD information science ’24, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU Langone Health, co-led a team of researchers to determine how artificial intelligence could help pediatric trauma care providers. She presented these findings at the American Computing Machinery’s Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing.
Hina Moheyuddin, JD ’22, became the assistant attorney general to the Texas attorney general. She is also a member of the California Lawyers Association’s executive committee privacy law section and is the vice president of community outreach at the South Asian Bar Association of Houston.
Drue Nicholas, BS finance ’25, was featured in a Global Golf Post online article about his accomplishments this summer, which put him on par with the late Jay Sigel, who was one of America’s best male amateur golfers. Nicholas became the second player to win the BMW Philadelphia Amateur and the Philadelphia Open in the same year.
Meghan O’Donnell, MS sport management ’20, senior director of strategic communications at Philadelphia Soccer 2026, was recognized as one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2025 Women of Influence.
Victoria Page, MSOT ’24, co-founder of nonprofit organization AccessAbility UnLimbited, created Wonderland, an event which highlights children who use O&P devices and adaptive equipment and offers an opportunity to connect with the community and adaptive organizations.
Katelynn Rudolph, BS psychology ’24, was selected as an alternate for Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for 2025–26 for a Study/Research Grant to the United Kingdom.
Kate Singh, BS environmental engineering ’25; MS environmental engineering ’25, was selected as an alternate for Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for 2025–26 for Fulbright/NAF Fellowship in Flood Management in the Netherlands.
Rachel Sokolsky, JD ’23, was appointed to Via of the Lehigh Valley’s board of directors. She is an associate attorney at King Spry Herman Freund & Faul in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, specializing in special education law.
Ross Sonnenblick, MS psychology ’24, a doctoral candidate in Drexel’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, participated in a Q&A based on findings from a paper he published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities. In the article, Sonnenblick shared some of his findings and discussed the effects of GLP-1s on society and eating disorder research.
Michael J. Thurm, JD ’25, was hired as an associate at Genova Burns law firm. Thurm has a decade of corporate experience prior to his legal career. Before pursuing his law degree, he held positions at major financial institutions including BNY Mellon, JPMorgan Chase, Accenture and BP America.
Phoenix Ward, MS teaching, learning & curriculum ’22, published a new fantasy novel titled “Sins of the Fire,” the first of a three-part series.
Logan Weissberg, BS general studies ’24, became a sales development representative at Notch and LeadGenius, as well as a managing partner at Broad Street 17 LLC.
Amari Williams, BS communication ’24, signed a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics. He adds strong rim protection to the Celtics, as he was a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year with the Drexel Dragons.
