Warrior Class Notes
60’s
Wilma (Carey) Lenahan, ‘62 BA Music, received recognition at the March 24 Stanislaus Arts Council Excellence in Arts Awards banquet in Newman. A standout piano and violin player in high school and college, Lenahan has performed on the stage of the San Francisco Opera and at the World’s Fair on Treasure Island.
Bob Moore, ‘62 BA Liberal Studies, who lives in Turlock and is now retired, makes Optimum Health presentations about nutrition and fitness.
70’s
Chuck Adams, ‘73 BA Music, is pastor of The Carpenter’s House in Modesto. He was profiled in a January 6, 2007, “Leading the Way” article in The Modesto Bee which highlighted his 34-year ministerial career and dedication to helping people at churches in Oakdale, Escalon, Groveland, and Modesto.
Don Hall, ‘76 BA Art and ’90 MA Interdisciplinary Studies, was a best-of-show winner at the Turlock City Arts Commission’s 25th annual Spring Art Show in March. Hall is an accomplished artist who has exhibited his works all over California. He teaches art at Modesto Junior College and Stockton’s San Joaquin Delta College.
Nancy Hollister, ‘72 BA Liberal Studies and ‘73 Teaching Credential, is in her 34th year of teaching kindergarten in the Turlock Unified School District. She currently teaches at Wakefield Elementary. Her husband, Jim, retired this year after 38 years of teaching at Turlock Junior High School.
Martin Jaureguy, ‘79 BA Liberal Studies, was one of three featured photographers in an exhibit at Turlock City Hall. A photography teacher at Turlock High School, he recently produced a series of infrared black and white landscape photo prints taken at CSU Channel Islands.
Arturo M. Flores, ‘71 BA Social Science, was named the finalist to succeed Jim Enochs as Superintendent of Modesto City Schools on April 3. Flores was previously Associate Superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District, overseeing more than 20 schools in the district that serves 46,000 students. His career there included service as principal of America’s Choice High School, one of four new charter high schools opened in 2003 as part of a reform effort in the district.
Carol Kirst, ‘76 Music Teaching Credential, has been a music teacher at Lakewood Elementary School in Lodi for 30 years.
Tom Kohlepp, ‘77 BA Social Science, is the owner of Tom’s Used Books in Lodi.
Tony Leo, ‘73 BA Physical Education, has been CEO of the Stanislaus County Fair and grounds since 1998. He served as Merced County Fair manager for 14 years after starting his fair management career in 1980 at the Los Banos Fair.
Victoria Miller, ‘75 BA Liberal Arts, ‘76 Teaching Credential, and ‘04 MA Education, is the new principal at Carroll Fowler Elementary School in Ceres. Miller brought 25 years of teaching experience to the post, most recently as Learning Director in the Merced City Elementary School District. She was selected as the 2006 Advanced Studies in Education Department Award winner at CSU Stanislaus.
Joyce Reichmuth, ‘76 BA Liberal Studies, teaches at Apricot Valley Elementary School in Patterson.
Vanston Shaw, ‘78 Teaching Credential, ‘82 MA School Administration, is the new superintendent of the Yreka Union School District in Siskiyou County. The Modesto native started his education career as a teacher with the Stanislaus County Office of Education and has published a book on his method of education titled “Building in the Classroom.” He previously served as Modoc County Superintendent of Education.
Polly Vasché, ‘75 BA Music, of Modesto was honored as lifetime-achievement winner at the Stanislaus Arts Council’s Excellence in Arts Awards on March 24 in Newman. Vasché was choral director at Downey High School in Modesto for 29 years and was named CSU Stanislaus Alumna of the Year in 2005. She has performed with orchestras, choral companies, and ensembles all over the country and remains active in the local music scene as well.
Alan Wilbur, ‘78 BA History, has been named vice president, investment representative, at Oak Valley Community Bank in Oakdale. He served as vice president of retail investments at County Bank for six years before joining Oak Valley and has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in Investments from the Independent Bankers Association.
80’s
Glenda Barlow-Catanzarite, ‘84 BA Psychology and ‘88 MS Counseling Psychology, is a licensed marriage family therapist, child-custody mediator, and educator in Turlock. She has taught classes at CSU Stanislaus.
Paul Bawek, ‘85 BA Theatre Arts, is an assistant professor of directing and acting at Florida Southern University. He has worked as an actor, director, and teacher at a number of theatres and schools in the U.S. as well as in London. He directed Colin Hanks, the son of Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks, at the Studio Theatre in Sacramento, in the late 1990s.
Brenda Brown, ‘83 BA Psychology and ‘88 Teaching Credential, is a sixth-grade teacher at Westport Elementary School in Ceres.
Kirk Brown, ‘86 BS Biology, is a biology teacher and consultant at Tracy High School. In 2006, he spoke at a National Science Teachers Conference in Utah and won a $15,000 award from the Carlston Family Foundation for excellence in teaching.
Amy Bublak, ‘88 BA Sociology, was appointed to the Turlock Planning Commission in February 2007. She is an officer with the Modesto Police Department.
Pat (Souza) Clark, ‘84 BA English, has been Entertainment Editor at The Modesto Bee for 10 years.
Coy F. Cross II, ‘81 MA History, is author of a newly published book titled “Lincoln’s Man In Liverpool: Consul Dudley and the Legal Battle to Stop Confederate Warships.” Currently a historian for the U.S. Air Force with a Ph.D. in American Diplomatic History, Cross sheds light in his book on a crucial diplomatic front of the American Civil War regarding Confederate naval vessels being built in Great Britain, cited as a violation of its own neutrality laws.
Stephanie Giahos, ‘84 BA Liberal Studies/Teaching Credential, is a kindergarten teacher at Rose Avenue Elementary School in Modesto. She has been teaching for 21 years.
Ron Harris, ‘87 BS Liberal Studies, is teaching at Prescott Junior High School in Modesto. He previously taught for 18 years at Eisenhut Elementary School in Modesto.
Kathy Harvey, ‘82 Teaching Credential, has been teaching for more than 30 years in the Manteca School District and is currently a middle school instructor at Walter E. Woodward Elementary. She started her career teaching adult-education classes and has taught elementary and middle school students for nearly 25 years.
Luc Janssens, ‘83 MA French, has distinguished himself as a winemaker, artist, educator, linguist, and aviator. A native of Belgium, he is helping handicapped Laotian children who have been victimized by the unexploded bombs that remain there since the Vietnam War. He has built a hospital and other facilities in Laos, having established the Lao Rehabilitation Foundation which has raised funds for aid. He and his wife, Genevieve, have built a small Napa Valley winery and donate a portion of the proceeds to the Foundation. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Art in Brussels, Belgium, and one of a few artists skilled in the art of photogravure, Janssens has donated art works to help disabled children in Laos. He flew as a pilot for Air Zaire in Africa and has also taught art and French.
Dave Menshew, ‘80 BA History, was named Lead Teacher of the new Forensic/Biotechnology program at newly-opened James C. Enochs High School in Modesto. Co-developed by Menshew, the program is the first four-year program of its kind in the nation. He spent the summer of 2006 working on research at the Biosciences Directorate at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Linda Murphy, ‘85 BA Liberal Studies/Teaching Credential and ‘95 MA Education, was named principal of Julien Elementary School in Turlock in August 2006. She previously served as principal at Turlock’s Wakefield Elementary and started her career in the district as a teacher.
Kimberly Omanski-Potter, ‘92 BA Liberal Studies, is a teaching principal at Rail Road Flat Elementary School in the Calaveras Unified School District. A teacher for 10 years, she began working as a teaching principal in fall 2006. She previously taught in Stockton.
Chris Pedretti, ‘82 Teaching Credential, is in his 22nd year as head baseball coach at Merced College.
Tami Truax, ‘85 BA Liberal Studies, was named principal at Dennis Earl Elementary School in Turlock in August 2006. She previously served as an assistant principal after starting her career as a teacher.
Dean Way, ‘89 BA Social Studies/MA Education, Teaching and Administrative Credentials, started as principal at Bret Harte High School in Angels Camp in July 2006. He was an assistant principal at Livingston High School for 10 years before being named principal in Angel’s Camp.
90’s
Keith Boggs, ‘95 MPA, is Deputy Executive Officer of Economic Development for Stanislaus County. Working in the economic development area since 1998, he focuses on business park development, community technology initiatives, regional tourism, and community outreach endeavors. He developed a community-wide technology program for improving technology, access, and multi-sector cooperation within the county.
Karen Carranzza, ‘98 BA Liberal Studies, is a kindergarten teacher at Stockard Coffee Elementary School in Modesto. She has taught kindergarten for eight years after starting out as a third-grade teacher.
Martha Connor, ‘90 MA Nonprofit Agency Administration, is President and CEO of DirectLine Technologies, a fund-raising call center she founded in 1992 that serves clients nationwide. The company is a national leader in alumni association membership sales by telephone.
Lori Crivelli, ‘91 BS Business Administration, of Turlock is owner and insurance agency executive of Crivelli Insurance Services, which has offices in Turlock and Modesto. She started her insurance career in 1993 and is currently a Nationwide exclusive agent.
Mary Eklund, ‘91 BA Sociology, who lives in Delhi, recently published a book titled “Princess Vika’s Forever Family.” She wrote about her adoption experiences with foster children and orphans as well as international adoption issues.
Cecil Felkins, ‘96 Physical Education/Teacher Credential, is a teacher and coach in Dixon, and was featured in March 2007 as “Teacher of the Month” by KXTV News 10 in Sacramento. Felkins, who played baseball at CSU Stanislaus, teaches at Jacobs Intermediate School where he also coaches three basketball teams as well as a baseball team at Dixon High School. His wife, Julie (Mack) Felkins, ‘95 Physical Education, is an athletic director and coach with the Dixon School District.
Patti Lingerfelt, ‘91 Teaching Credentials in Administration and Special Education, became principal at Fischer Elementary School in Vallecito (Tuolumne County). She previously served as a vice principal at James Marshall Elementary School in Modesto.
Jessica Rosette Maravilla, ‘95 Teaching Credential, teaches mathematics and English learner classes at Buhach Colony High School in Atwater. The school’s Hispanic Youth Leadership Council membership has boomed since she became adviser three years ago.
Pat Matheny, ‘94 BS Accounting, of Riverbank is controller and general office manager of Matheny Industrial Builders in Riverbank. She also owns her own construction company consulting firm, specializing in implementing construction accounting and job costing software, and working with clients on an ongoing basis in maintaining and using their system.
Margaret McDevitt, ‘90 BA Psychology, is an associate professor at McDaniel College in Maryland where she has drawn recognition for her use of pigeons to teach students behavior research methods. She was introduced to pigeons for her research while taking classes taught by Bruce Hesse, a CSU Stanislaus Psychology Professor who conducts similar studies.
Michael Mello, ‘99 BA Organizational Communications, is a news writer at the San Bernardino County Bureau of The Riverside Press-Enterprise. He previously was a reporter at The Modesto Bee.
Cindy Minter, ‘93 MS Business Administration, of Modesto was named the new technology director for the Tracy Unified School District in June 2006. She previously served as the assistant general manager for information at the Modesto Irrigation District, managed the computer network at the Stanislaus County Office of Education, and taught computer courses at Modesto Junior College.
Silvia Morales, ‘99 BA Liberal Studies, is a kindergarten teacher at Jose Serna Jr. Elementary Charter School in Lodi. Morales, whose specialty is bilingual education, has been a teacher for 21 years. She also teaches adults in a Lodi-based English-learners program.
Susan Nisan, ‘99 Teaching Credential, is a Latin teacher and program coordinator for the KTL Charter School in Keyes. The charter school serves families who home-school their children, with most students attending classes once or twice a week. Nisan helped create KTL’s “core knowledge program.”
Twyla Olsen, ‘94 BA Organizational Communication and ‘00 MA Interdisciplinary Studies, is a program specialist with Merced County’s First 5 program that helps pre-school age children prepare for school. The program partners with school districts, public health and other government agencies, and the Challenged Family Resource Center to establish a referral network.
Phillip Paslay, ‘94 BS Business Administration, is a fourth-grade teacher at Cunningham School in Turlock.
Stephanie Paslay, ‘96 BS Nursing, is an infant intensive care nurse at Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.
Eileen Pastenieks, ‘93 BS Business Administration, of Ripon is a partner in Warmerdam CPA Group LLP of Modesto. She is a certified fraud examiner and certified public accountant, also specializing in tax services, and has served on the board of the local chapter of the California Society of CPAs.
Shelly Schatz, ‘90 BA Liberal Studies/Teaching Credential, was named Lodi Unified School District’s Teacher of the Year in February 2007. In her 18th year of teaching, she teaches kindergarten at Reese Elementary School, where she started school as a kindergartener and met her husband, Glen.
Lisa Schnaidt, ‘93 BA Liberal Studies, is a third-grade teacher at Joseph Widmer Jr. Elementary School in Manteca. She has been teaching for 15 years and has been praised for mentoring new teachers, tutoring children after school, and getting involved with the school’s Parent Teacher Committee and school events.
David Silveira, ‘92 BA Liberal Studies, was appointed principal of Lathrop School in December 2006. Silveira comes to the Manteca School District campus from Great Valley School where he was a vice principal.
Tracy V. Sparks, ‘95 BS Accounting, of Turlock is senior vice president, chief financial officer, and treasurer of Yosemite Farm Credit in Turlock. She has been with the agricultural lending company for 15 years.
Tyler Summersett, ‘00 BA Political Science, was hired as a Calaveras County transportation planner in December 2006. A former CSU Stanislaus employee, Summersett grew up in the Arnold area of Calaveras County and previously worked as a transportation planner in Tuolumne County.
Chris Victorino, ‘01 BS Accounting and ‘05 MBA of Modesto combines his career as an accounting manager with helping his wife, Kristi, coach the Downey High School varsity girls basketball team. He was featured in an April 2006 profile in The Modesto Bee.
Jami (Massey) Westervelt, ‘94 BA Organizational Communications, is assistant programs manager at the Great Valley Center in Modesto. She served as CSU Stanislaus Director of Alumni Relations for five years prior to joining the Great Valley Center, which is affiliated with UC Merced.
Lori Wolf, ‘98 BS Biology, of Modesto is co-owner and estimator of Professional Landscaping, a Ceres-headquartered business. She handles estimates, personnel, payroll, plant ordering, and customer service and said she still ends up mowing once in a while.
00’s
Amy Lee Beebe, ‘03 BA Criminal Justice, who joined the Turlock Police Department as an officer in December 2006, is pursuing her master’s degree in Criminal Justice at CSU Stanislaus.
Justin Blizzard, ‘02 BA Art, recently recorded and released a music album titled “If I Were Adam.” Blizzard performs at a number of Central California locations and did the art work for his album cover. His paintings have been featured at art shows and exhibits, and he created the giant mural art work on the wall at Turlock’s Columbia Park pool.
Kristina Hoffman, ‘04 BA Liberal Studies and Teaching Credential ‘05, is a kindergarten teacher at Great Valley Elementary School in Manteca. She plans to complete her master’s degree at CSU Stanislaus in May 2007.
Maria C. Jaime, ‘00 BA Social Sciences, joined the Modesto-based law firm of Curtis & Arata as an associate attorney in November 2006. She received her law degree from Lincoln Law School in 2003 and worked for California Rural Legal Assistance. Her focus is on insurance defense litigation, personal injury cases, and criminal law.
Curtis Lee, ‘03 BS Accounting, joined Clendinin Bird and Co. LLP in Modesto as an accountant. He has a background in private accounting and internal audit experience.
Patty Lezama, ‘00 BA Communications, a television news anchor at Univision station KSMS Channel 67 in Monterey, was honored February 9 at a Helping Hands and Healing Hearts luncheon in San Jose. She was recognized for overcoming her childhood abuse difficulties.
Carlos Magaña, ‘03 BA Liberal Arts, is in his fourth year as a fourth-grade teacher at Fox Road Elementary School in Hughson.
Susan Mendieta, ‘00 MBA, was one of 15 people honored by the Latino Community Roundtable of Stanislaus County as Outstanding Latinos of 2006. Mendieta is director of marketing and public relations at Oak Valley Hospital. She is a mentor and adviser for the Public Relations Student Society of America chapter at CSU Stanislaus and is active with the Girls Scouts, Modesto Rotary, American Red Cross, Community Hospice, and The Salvation Army.
Ashleigh Pallios, ‘05 BA Communications, joined Cardoza & Associates Inc. of Modesto as a project manager. She is responsible for coordinating events, organizing projects, working with clients and vendors, and managing the public and media relations office.
Gigi Sherriffe, ‘05 BA Psychology, works for the Modesto Junior College Foundation, raising money for scholarships and programs. She was profiled in a February 11, 2007, Modesto Bee Black History Month article for her community involvement.
Gary M. Ulrich, '04 BA Social Sciences, currently residing in Korea.
Casey Van Gorkum, ‘05 BA Economics, is store manager at Strand’s Ace Hardware in Escalon, where he has been employed since graduating from high school. The growing business recently moved to a larger location on McHenry Avenue.