40s
Gladys McGarey, MD, WMC medicine ’46, was featured in an article from Entrepreneur magazine that shares her six secrets to a healthy, happy life. McGarey was one of few women to attend medical school in the United States in 1941 and faced unique challenges and dismissive attitudes over the course of her medical career. Ultimately, she would go on to open her own medical practice with her former husband in Wellsville, Ohio, in an era when women could not open their own bank accounts. In 1978, she would cofound the American Holistic Medical Association. Today, the still-consulting centenarian is the author of six books, including her most recent, “The Well-Lived Life: A 102-Year-Old Doctor’s Six Secrets to Health and Happiness at Every Age.”
70s
Mary Anne Delaney, MD, HU medicine ’77, was featured in an article by WHYY News regarding her participation in a conversation on women’s reproductive rights, focusing on the impact of recent legislation in Alabama and the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
Michael Kirwan, BS business administration ’71, MS finance ’23, enjoyed a congratulatory lunch in December as a guest of Associate Professor Matthew Schneider to celebrate his completion of an MS in finance following his return to the Bennett S. LeBow College of Business 50 years after earning his BSBA. Kirwan was the program’s final graduate.
80s
Michael Ackermann, PhD, MCP microbiology & immunology ’85, was appointed to the Scientific Advisory Board at Circular Genomics.
Kathy Brown, BS mechanical engineering ’85, was featured in the Bucks County Herald for her unique decoupage artwork. She cuts bits and pieces of artwork from papers or magazines and applies them in layers to a sheet of paper to create a new piece of art. After she retired, Brown began her artwork as a hobby, but has now turned it into a business called All Spare Bits.
Edward Campbell, BS computer science ’82, MS mathematics ’86, was inducted into the New Jersey League of Municipalities’ Mayors Hall of Fame at the Platinum Level and was re-elected to his ninth four-year term as the mayor of Gibbsboro, New Jersey. Campbell heads New Jersey’s only seven-member government composed entirely of independent (third party) representatives elected in partisan elections.
Bohdan Minczak, MS, HU physiology ’83, was honored as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member of The Inner Circle for his substantial contributions to the field of emergency medicine. He is currently an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
90s
William Nilsson, BS mechanical engineering ’91, launch service integration engineer with L3Harris, successfully launched the USSF-124 payload for the federal missile defense and space development agencies into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket.
Nick Peetros, BS civil engineering ’95, was profiled by the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding his role in the demolition of Veterans Stadium on March 21, 2004. Peetros was tasked with controlling the detonator button that imploded Veterans Stadium. At the time, he worked for L.F. Driscoll Co., the company that also built Citizens Bank Park.
Alan Rohanna, BS mechanical engineering ’90, retired from the Department of the Navy in August 2023 after 36.5 years. He started as a co-op in January 1987 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and worked the other two co-ops there. Upon graduation in June 1990, he was offered a position as a mechanical engineer in the Test Engineering branch. Rohanna thanks Drexel and the co-op program for the education and efficient way to enter the workforce early with a great career.
Gina Furia Rubel, BS corporate communication ’91, was recognized among the Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy and Consulting for her work with Furia Rubel Communications, Inc.
Angela Val, BS hotel and restaurant management ’94, was recognized in the Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2024 Power 100. Val is the president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia.
00s
Michele Byrd-McPhee, MS arts administration ’09, leader of Ladies of Hip-Hop Dance Collective, showcased the talent and creativity of Black women in street and club dance culture as part of The Black Dancing Bodies Project: Speak My Mind. Byrd-McPhee aims to decolonize hip-hop culture and empower women of color through artistic opportunities and professional development.
Yanatha Desouvre, BS business administration ’01, was recognized as the inaugural full-time professor of entrepreneurship at Miami Dade College.
Rev. Edward J. Dolphin, BS information systems ’09, was one of eight men who was ordained to the priesthood by the Congregation of Holy Cross, United States Province of Priests and Brothers.
Jackie Edmundson, MS communication ’09, was appointed CEO at Stealth Venture Labs.
Angela Jefferson, PhD neuropsychology ’03, was awarded the Elaine Sanders-Bush Award for Mentoring Graduate and/or Medical Students in the Research Setting by the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine 2024 faculty. Jefferson is a professor of neurology, holder of the Herbert O. and Vineta Christopher Directorship, director of the Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, and vice chair of Scientific Strategy & Innovation in the Department of Neurology.
Lisa Diane Kastner, BS communication ’20, the founder of independent publishing company Running Wild Press, is partnering with Drexel’s Creative Writing MFA program to launch the inaugural Running Wild Press Writing Contest. Alumni can submit a book-length manuscript for a work of fiction to become eligible to win a professional book contract with the company, now through Sept. 8, 2024.
Eric K. Schmieder, BS business administration ’03, medical sales specialist at Kaleo, was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame of Cecil College in Maryland. Schmieder came to Cecil College in 1999 and played one basketball season before being offered a full scholarship to Drexel University. Starting in every game of the 1999-2000 season, Cecil went 24-7 to the NJCAA Region 20 championship game. Schmieder was named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region 20 and led the team in assists.
10s
Nicholas Bertoni, MD medicine ’11, an emergency medicine specialist, was named to the 2024 Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Top Physicians Under 40 list. He is based at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital’s Emergency Department.
Justin Best, BS business and engineering ’19, has been named to the USRowing Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Games. This is the second Olympics outing for Best, who competed in the men’s eight event at the 2020 Summer Olympics. He also won a silver medal in the men’s four event at the 2023 World Rowing Championships.
Catherine M. Bianco, MBA business administration ’13, was recognized as a VISTA Millennial Superstar by VISTA.Today. She is the managing director at Tactix Real Estate Advisors, where she helps businesses solve problems, design and execute strategy surrounding their real estate.
Kevin M. Rorabaugh, BA architecture ’14, architect and design manager at the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Washington, has been selected as the command’s Architect of the Year.
Robert Schwalbenberg, BS mechanical engineering ’15, lieutenant in the United States Navy, is assigned to the USS Indiana (SSN 789), where he currently serves as the navigator and operations officer. The submarine recently came back from Operation Ice Camp, which took place from March 10-21, 2024. Operation Ice Camp (formerly known as “ICEX”) occurs every two years in the Arctic Ocean and North Pole, when two submarines participate in submarine exercises and surface through ice to demonstrate the strength of the Submarine force.
20s
Felicia Lombard, MSN nursing ’23, co-authored the article, “Bringing Art and Joy to Hospital Rooms” for the Journal of the American Medical Association, which explores how window art in hospital rooms benefits patients.
Ronald Spotts, BS psychology ’21, MS applied behavior analysis ’22, works as an addiction counselor at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Philadelphia to help other veterans. His work is informed by his academic experiences at Drexel.
Baby Announcements
Kelly (Xueping) Huang, BS business administration ’13, welcomed a daughter, Claire.