Anthony D. Adams, AAS ’78, AA’ 81, BMT ’82,  had an April book signing event in April at  The Learned Owl, a  Hudson, Ohio, local book store for his recent novel titled, The Dragon Healer of Tone.

Lynne S. Callahan, BA ’79, JD ’84, in February, became a judge on the Ohio 9^th District Court of Appeals, replacing retired appellate Judge Beth Whitmore. Judge Callahan was also recently named to serve on the Ohio Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Domestic Violence.

Edward L. Gilbert, JD ’76, an Akron-area attorney, shared his own story of growing up in an abusive household and moving between group homes and foster care. April was Child Abuse Prevention Month,  highlighted across the country by the Pinwheels for Prevention awareness campaign. In April, Mahoning County Children Services and Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley’s Child Advocacy Center hosted an awareness luncheon at the Family Community Center, where Gilbert was the keynote speaker. He shared  that education was a light of hope for him and that advocacy  for voiceless children truly can save lives.

John P. Gurnish, BAED ’73, retired Ellet High School history teacher and collector of Civil War memorabilia, was the featured speaker at the May 9^th meeting of the Kent Civil War Society. His  presentation was based on his recently published book “Captured Images: Akron Photographers in the Civil War.”

Diane L. Miller-Dawson, AAS ’74, MBA ’94, was recently  appointed to a four-year term on the Summit County Children Services Board of Trustees. Miller-Dawson has  lived and worked in Akron her entire life, avidly volunteering and engaging in the community. She  previously served as operations research analyst, operations research manager and deputy finance director for Akron.

Thomas A. Teodosio, BA ’79, JD ’82, former Summit County Common Pleas judge, started his new role as an Ohio 9^th District Court judge in February. Teodosio previously  worked in private practice and has handled  a broad variety of cases in the Common Pleas Court.

Jason T. Adams, BA ’85, JD ’89, has been appointed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich to fill an  Akron Municipal Court vacancy, replacing Judge Katarina Cook, who was elected to the Summit County Domestic Relations Court. Adams assumed office in  March and will run  in the November 2017 general election to retain the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term,  ending December 31, 2019.

Dorothy I. “Dottie” Critchlow, BSE ’88, MSE 91, is an executive lead principal for elementary schools for the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. She  will additionally  serve as Community Superintendent, overseeing all schools within the Hillsboro, Hillwood and Overton clusters of MNPS. Critchlow brings more than 29 years of teaching and administrative experience to her new position.

Michael F. Faherty, MA ’83, president of Faherty Law Firm in Hershey, Pa., has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Owner’s Counsel of America. The Owner’s Counsel is the national network of leading eminent domain attorneys representing property owners.

Robert A. Harpley, BA ’89, a protective caseworker, has been awarded Outstanding Child Protection Worker of the Year by Summit County Children Services. Harpley, who has served children and families in Summit County for 26 years,  received the award for his “strong advocacy for children and high standards of integrity and professionalism,” according to the agency. Harpley is respected by his colleagues and service providers and is often requested to be assigned to a case by a family, peer or court personnel. According to the agency, Harpley works hard to uphold the mission and vision of the agency while serving as a role model and mentor.

Misty P. McCrary, BS ’89, on April 26^th released her fourth book in her Southern Men Don’t Fall in Love series. Her book,  titled, Atlanta’s Most Eligible Bachelor III,is available for purchase on Amazon, at local retailers, and also as an e-book.

Karen C. Miller, AAB ’82, BS ’84, MS ’85, has been appointed provost and chief academic officer at Cuyahoga Community College. Miller has been part of Tri-C’s leadership team for several  years, serving as dean of students and spearheading projects. She will continue her efforts to improve the graduation rate as the chief academic officer.

Dorothy K. Pelanda, JD ’81, has received  the Ohio State Bar Association’s (OSBA) Lawyer-Legislator Distinguished Service Award for 2017. The award, established in  2014,  recognizes Ohio lawyers who also provide exceptional service as Ohio legislators. Pelanda’s work in the Ohio House has been a tremendous benefit to her constituents,  the state of Ohio, and  the entire legal profession. Pelanda is currently serving her third term in the Ohio House, representing the people of Union and Marion counties.

Kevin C. O’Neil, JD ’81, has been appointed  vice president, assistant general counsel for Phillips Edison & Company. O’Neil will work closely with the General Counsel and the business teams,  providing advice to the company relating to its corporate, compliance and securities legal needs. O’Neil has more than 25 years of experience, both domestically and internationally, in the areas of securities law, M&A, corporate financing, corporate governance, corporate law, defense from activist shareholders, executive compensation, corporate compliance and service in the corporate secretary function.

Nancy L. Roadruck, AAS ’80, BS ’85, MS ’87, at Kent State University, has been elected to the Board of Directors for NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. The organization  was chartered as a non-profit  in 1979 to promote quality academic advising and professional development among  its membership,  ensuring the educational development of students. Roadruck will assume this leadership role at the end of the 2017 NACADA Annual Conference held in St. Louis, MO in October and serve in this position until October 2020.

Annalisa J. Stubbs Williams, MA ’80, JD ’84, has been appointed administrative/presiding judge for the Akron Municipal Court. Williams previously served as the administrative/presiding judge in 2008 and 2012 and currently serves on the Akron Municipal Court bench. She  has been assistant director of law for the city and chair of the Summit County Human Resources Commission.

Patrick J. Walsh, BA ’86, has been named York Risk Services Group’s Executive Vice President and Chief Claims Officer. Walsh has years of experience in claims organization and excellent leadership skills.

Ronette N. Burkes, AAS ’91, BA ’96, warden of the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio, was  featured speaker for Tiffin University’s Good Morning World lecture series. Burkes has been employed by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for 16 years in several capacities, including  victim advocate, assistant administrator, administrative assistant and deputy warden. Burkes spoke about kindness having the upmost importance and advocated for setting an example for inmates.

Bruce A. Carlson, MM ’99, was honored with the 2017 Secondary Education-Music Educator Award. The Columbus Symphony Music Educator Awards are distributed annually to  individuals  making a difference in the community through  dedication to music education and promotion of a greater understanding  and appreciation for the art form. Carlson is the Director of Bands at Dominion Middle School, Columbus City Schools.

Joseph D. DiRocco, BSA ’93, has been named Fifth Third Bank’s regional president for Northeast Ohio. DiRocco had previously been Citizens Bank’s president and has worked in the commercial banking industry for over a decade.

David J. Fischer, BA ’92, MA ’95, has been re-appointed to a five-year term as superintendent of the Sandy Valley Local School District.

Angela R. Garritano, BA ’95, MS ’02, MA ’04, a teacher at Green Local Schools, was honored by the Ohio General Assembly  as the Ohio Foreign Language Teacher of the Year. Garritano has taught  teaching multiple levels, including advanced placement and Spanish classes for more than 11 years. She  expands students’ knowledge of the language by focusing on culture and traditions as well as frequently leading students in Study Abroad experiences.

Montrella S. Jackson, JD ’99, was recently appointed by County Executive Elene Shapiro as the newest member of the Summit County Children Services Board of Trustees. Jackson has previously served  as the Chief Administrator for Akron Municipal Court for more than  four years.

Ann Marie O’Brien, JD ’91, has been appointed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich to the Akron Municipal Court. O’Brien previously served as a judicial attorney in the Summit County Common Pleas Court and as the president of the Akron Bar Association. O’Brien will run in the November election to  hold her seat on the Akron Municipal Court.

Kristin G. Kozlowski, JD ’94, recently opened her own law firm, Kozlowski Legal Services. Kozlowski focuses on wills, trusts and estates along with family, real estate and personal injury law. Kozlowski also teaches classes in business law, consumer finance and corporate law at Erie Community College and the University at Buffalo.

Jeff P. Rust, JD ’99, MBA ’02, has joined Rivkin Radler LLP as a partner in the firm’s Health Services and Corporate Practice groups. Rust applies extensive transactional skills and experience in  representing  hospitals, health systems, multi-and single-specialty medical practices and healthcare entrepreneurs.  His experience extends to providing counsel regarding compliance with federal and state fraud and abuse laws, reimbursement disputes, HIPAA compliance, self-referral and Stark issues and a variety of complex legal and business matters.

Lisa Schweitzer-Courtice, Ph.D. ’97, has been named CEO of the United Way of Central Ohio. Schweitzer-Courtice brings decades of experience in non-profit work and hopes to further expand the network that already reaches so many lives in need in Ohio.

Terrence M. Smith, BSBA ’96, has joined Hooker & Holcombe, a regional leader in actuarial, investment advisory and retirement plan consulting, to enhance retirement services. Smith will be a consultant and practice leader for its retirement services group. Smith is responsible for direct oversight of the firm’s defined contribution recordkeeping and third party administration (TPA) services with a focus on service quality and customer satisfaction.

Michael T. Weiss, BFA ’93, recently had his artwork displayed in the studio M exhibition at the Massillon Museum. The collection is called Whimsical Worlds of Wonder and displays photography, paintings and digital artistry. Weiss’ work has been featured in magazines and displayed at local exhibitions throughout the area.

Steven E. Wooledge, BSChE ’95, has been named vice president of Marketing at Arcadia Data. The company,  based near San Francisco,  is a provider of visual analytics software  solving  complex big data problems. Wooledge brings more than 15 years of experience in business development, product and digital marketing.

Nita V. Bhatt, BS ’04, is the administrative Chief Resident at Wright State University. Bhatt has implemented telepsychiatry since being awarded a kick start grant for the project. Through this new development, patients in rural areas with less access to health care can receive psychiatric treatment from long-distance doctors. Bhatt has noted that this treatment can be extremely helpful to patients with Down Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Michael W. Considine, MBA ’05, is the founder and president of Norka Beverages, a beverage company based  in Akron. Recently the company signed an agreement with Cracker Barrel stores to sell their product nationwide. With this expansion, the Norka company plans on adding flavors and increasing production of their unique craft soda drinks.

James Alex Quay, JD ’09, is an associate in Brouse McDowell’s Litigation Practice Group. Quay has experience counseling clients in  business and commercial litigation, real estate transactions, title insurance, construction, zoning and disputes concerning ownership of oil, gas and mineral rights.

Erin M. Schenkenberger, BS ’01, is a registered and licensed dietitian in the Cleveland- Akron area. She currently offers private counselling on nutrition-related topics such as weight loss, diabetes, food allergies, athletic performance and more. Schenkenberger also delivers health talks at local businesses. Her April  presentation at the Hudson Library  focused on decreasing sugar intake and managing sugar in our diets.

Andre C. Silva, AAB ’09, is the executive chef at Twisted Olive restaurant in Green, OH. The Twisted Olive was named in the 2017 “Top 100 Hot Spot Restaurants in America.” Silva works  to bring Italian cuisine and American flair to the dishes. The restaurant, which has  been opened for three years, soared with great reviews and ratings on Open Table, earning its spot on the prestigious list.

Rebecca R. Urban, BA ’06, is the administrator of the Peninsula Foundation. She gave a March presentation  on the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR),  the largest and most influential veteran’s organization in the late 19^th century. The Peninsula Foundation’s focus is restoration and upkeep of the historical buildings and artifacts. Urban discussed research and findings related to the Civil War.

Amani S. Abraham, BA ’11, has crafted  a successful career as an award winning news anchor on WKYC TV, in Cleveland. In 2011, Abraham was named a Woman to Watch by the Women’s History Project in Akron. She also has been recognized, receiving first place, for Best Reporter by the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors Association.

Isabelle Bibet-Kalinyak, JD ’13, has been named to Crain’s list of Five to Watch in Law for the Cleveland area. Bibet-Kalinyak originally worked in  business and after immigrating to the U.S. from France, began her journey into law. Her unique background and experience give her excellent insight into the clients she represents.

Jeremy R. Langham, MA ’10, is working on a new type of local brewery, one that gives its profits back to local charities. Langham was  recently awarded the 2017 Accelerated Civic Pitch Competition honor where he, among many competitors, quickly pitched his idea to a panel of judges. His idea, called Ironborne Brew Works, and was awarded start-up money. Langham hopes to bring people together over beer and encourage them  to help out  charities of their choice, in a sense uniting brewing with philanthropy.

Daniel W. Leffler, BS ’10, MS ’11, has been named on Crain’s list of Five to Watch in Finance in the Cleveland area. Leffler began working in the tax division of accounting but realized his passion was working with small businesses. Working with BCG & Co., he now assists in mergers and succession planning with the baby boomers’ looming retirements.

James W. Phillips, BA ’14, is Canal Park’s new executive chef. He brought entirely new exciting menu items to the park and is helping revamp food options to the stands as well as Canal Park’s restaurant. Phillips combines new flavors with classic dishes to create his interesting variety of food.

Kenneth J. “Kenny” Smith, MA ’11, is the founder and coach of Ladies First Akron, an all-female basketball program. Having played basketball all throughout college and  on international teams, Smith brings incredible experience to his students. Smith hopes that helping these inner-city girls with the skill set in basketball will ultimately give them confidence and make them more positive and well-rounded individuals.

Travis A. Spees, BSA ’13, MT ’14, has joined Dyke Yaxley LLC’s tax department as a tax associate. Travis has become a welcomed addition to the growing practice, which specializes in UK/US tax planning for owner-managed businesses.

Jessica A. Swonger, BA ’10, was honored by the Bowling Green Kiwanis Club for her accomplishments as an art educator. After receiving her degree in visual arts education, she served as a tutor and preschool teacher in the Akron area. She  teaches in the Bowling Green City Schools and finds her motivation in the passion of her students.