Class Notes March 2020

By John Stabinger
Posted on 6 April 2020 | 1:03 pm

Class Notes

Tell us what’s new with you

Check out our March edition of Class Notes! Please submit your own Class Note via our online form. We’ll feature you in the next email edition, online, in College of Charleston Magazine, and possibly even on our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Here are just a few highlights from the January and February editions.

March 2020

1956

Libby VanBenschoten Buckley is retired and living in Tustin, CA.

1972

Bud Ferillo was presented with the Walker E. Solomon Award for Outstanding Support of Public Education in South Carolina on January 25, 2020, by the SC Education Association. Bud is also the recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Alumnus Award, presented by the CofC Alumni Association. He resides in Columbia, SC, with his wife, Julia.

1978

Betts Maynard Nixon is moving back to her hometown of Georgetown, SC, after living in Murfreesboro, TN, since 1985. Ms. Nixon has purchased a VRBO in historic Georgetown and a home overlooking the marsh and river.

1979

Keith Sanders is a Teacher at the Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, TN.

1980

Susan Frederick Stewart has been admitted to the Bar of the US Supreme Court. She is Vice President/Counsel of Fidelity National Title Group.

1981

Elaine Elliott Snell is an Art Teacher for Pickens County Schools. She and her husband, Bill, live in Liberty, SC.

1984

Kathy Wierman Jordan has been teaching at Summerville Elementary School for 35 years, and holds the longest teaching career at her school. She lives in Charleston, SC, with her husband, Timmy.

1986

Melissa Wheeler Dunlap was admitted to the Bar of the US Supreme Court. She is Deputy Secretary of State and Chief Legal Counsel for SC Secretary of State Mark Hammond.

1988

Angie Brasington is the Senior Advisor, Social and Behavior Change for the Bureau for Global Health, US Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C.

1991

Shanon Timmons Nickles and Jeff Nickles ’88 are Co-Owners of Production Design Associates in North Charleston, SC. They have two daughters, Alanna and Alyssa.

1992

Peyton Bradham has earned many accolades and awards during the past 11 years working for the Department of Defense, US Navy. He is a Senior IT Network Engineer and resides in Mount Pleasant, SC.

Aimee Carter Harris is the Executive Assistant to the Dean at the Florida Institute of Technology. She lives in Satellite Beach, FL, with her three children, Nikai, Amaya, and Annika.

1993

Liz Combs Shirley lives on Isle of Palms with her husband, Randall, and their two children, Anna and Robert Shirley ’20. She is a Realtor for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and was awarded the Charleston Trident Association Realtor of Distinction.

1994

Ali Safa is a School Psychologist for the NYC Department of Education. She earned both her MEd and EdS from The Citadel, and is living in Staten Island, NY.

1998

Daniel Rentz married Mallie Woodfin on September 6, 2019, in Pensacola, FL. Mr. Rentz received his MBA from the University of Alabama in 2001, and works in Commercial Sales for McMahon Hadder Insurance in Pensacola, FL.

Skippy Sawin is the Owner of Charleston’s Rigging and Marine Hardware. He lives in Mount Pleasant, SC, with his wife, Lauriel Webb Sawin ’00, and their two sons, Lucas and Logan.

2000

Ryan Beasley, Esq. is Vice President of Vendor and Contract Management for Ensemble Health Partners, a healthcare revenue cycle company based in Ohio and North Carolina. Mr. Beasley and his wife, Lauren, live in New Orleans with their four children: Ellis, Oliver, Daphne, and Scarlett.

Thomas Beckner is Vice President, Video for Goop located in Los Angeles, CA. His son, Laser Wingo Beckner, was born on October 3, 2019.

2001

Heather Driggers Ducker is the Principal at Sedgefield Middle School in Goose Creek, SC. Heather lives in Hanahan, SC, with her husband, Mark, and their daughter, Bailey.

Andie Trantham Hershberger (MS ’04) is a Senior Accountant for McGuire & Co. in Mount Pleasant, SC. She has over 15 years of accounting industry experience and is a certified public accountant.

2002

Marc LaMaina was chosen as The Suffolk Times 2019 Businessperson of the Year for his commitment to creativity, diversity, and hometown pride in Greenport Village, NY. A community leader, he has expanded his business ventures to include several Lucharitos restaurants in the area. Marc lives in Aquebogue with his three young sons and his wife, Jen.

2004

Ginger Frazier Tate is a Registered Nurse at Atrium Health. She lives in Charlotte, NC, with her husband Tripp, and their two children, Knox and Madison.

2005

Lindsay Pomphrey Shaheen is the Resource Manager for Endeavor Consulting Group. She and her husband, Philip, have two sons, Tradd and Jack. The Shaheen family resides in Fair Haven, NJ.

2006

Christopher Doniphan earned his MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is a Credit and Risk Director for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. He and his wife, Michelle King Doniphan ’98, live in Suwanee, GA.

2007

Stacy Patrick has been self-employed as an Attorney for five years. On April 27, 2018, Ms. Patrick and her husband, Brock Tobaben, welcomed their daughter, Zelda. The family lives on St. Simons Island, GA.

Shannon Voelkel is a Patient Navigator for Duke Cancer Center in Durham, NC.

2008

Michael Bourke married Jenny Ferrara on December 16, 2019, in Charleston, SC. Michael is an Accounting Manager for Accountfully in Charleston.

Kimberly Fuller earned her MEd, MSW, and PhD in human sexuality studies from Widener University. She is an Assistant Professor at Cleveland State University, and married Kara Tellaisha on June 2, 2019.

Maggie Rackl Obriwin is the Assistant Director, Social Media for American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.

2009

Mary Catherine Campbell McCarty is a Field Auditor for the SC Department of Revenue. She and her husband, Grant, welcomed their daughter, Olivia Jane, on November 24, 2019. The McCarty family resides in Summerville, SC.

2010

Brittany Allgood (MA) is Vice President of Lou Hammond Group in Charleston, SC.

Annie DuPre-Reynolds is the Wildlife in Trade Programme Manager for the Endangered Wildlife Trust in Midrand, South Africa. She earned her master’s degree in global policy studies from the University of Texas in 2015, and lives with her husband, Ricky Reynolds, outside of Johannesburg, South Africa.

GP McLeer was elected Mayor of Fountain Inn, SC, in November, 2019, becoming the youngest mayor in the city’s history . He is Executive Director of the South Carolina Arts Alliance. the only statewide arts advocacy organization.

Tyler Ann Wilson Smith and her husband, Brad, live in Buford, GA, with their two sons, Wilson and Maverick. Tyler Ann is a Teacher and Gymnastics Coach for Buford City Schools.

2011

Andrew Brennan was promoted to Senior Business Development Manager at the Washington, DC, office of McGuireWoods LLP, a full-service law firm with more than 1,100 attorneys and 21 global offices.

Claire McFeely lives in Brooklyn, NY, where she is a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson for Compass Real Estate.

2012

Lauren Fuess married Kyle Ginn on September 30, 2018, in Van Alstyne, TX. Ms. Fuess earned her PhD in quantitative biology from The University of Texas at Arlington in 2018 , and is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Connecticut.

Charleston Missel and Erica Cain ’14 were married on December 29, 2018, at the William Aiken House in Charleston, SC. Charleston is a Terminal Manager for Middle Bay Transporation and Erica is Executive Director at Tara Guerard Soiree in Charleston.

Bailey Reed Wolfe and Jack Wolfe ’13 welcomed their daughter, Mary Rosalie Wolfe, on August 21, 2019. The Wolfe family resides in Columbia, SC.

2013

Carolyn Barnick is the Events Manager for Benefitfocus in Charleston, SC.

Dannon James and Casey Sweeney were married on December 7, 2019, and are living in Port Royal, SC. Dannon is a Probation Officer for the United States District Court.

2014

Kim Ohanuka graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2018. She works as a Law Clerk for the US District Court for the District of Maryland.

2016

Kelsey Geddings is a Fulfillment Manager for TFLiving on Pawley’s Island, SC.

Hammed Sirleaf is the Assistant Director of Student Involvement for Fraternity and Sorority Life at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, where he was chosen as the 2019 Panhellenic Council Advisor of the Year.

Grace Socash is a third-year law student at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law in Arlington, VA. She works as a legal intern for the Investment Company Institute, dealing with securities regulation for the largest trade association for regulated funds.

2017

Nick Brown earned his MFA from the University of Hawaii, Manoa in 2019, and is enrolled at the University of Charleston to earn his MAT. Mr. Brown recently received the Tamara Montgomery Hunt Award for Excellence in Theatre for Young Audiences. Mr. Brown is the Stage Manager for the Charleston Academy of Musical Theatre.

Denise Dentino is the Restaurants and Bar Manager at the Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel in San Francisco, CA. In her new role, she will oversee the operations of three dining venues and supervise in room dining for the 556 room luxury property.

Meagan Dunham is an Associate for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with service duty in New Orleans, LA.

Briana Harroz is the Marketing and Business Operations Manager for Crest Foods in Edmond, OK.

Liz Healy (MS) is a Full-Stack Software Engineer for Upside Business Travel in Washington, DC.

2018

Gabrielle Galbreath is an Account Manager for Randstad Technologies and lives in Peachtree Corners, GA.

Allie Watters is the new Campaign Manager for U.S. Representative Joe Cunningham ’01 for his 2020 campaign cycle. She previously served as Cunningham’s Finance Director and has helped raise over $1.3 million for his re-election campaign. Ms. Watters resides in Washington, D.C.

2019

Taylor Foley is a Marketing Coordinator for NBC Universal in Los Angeles, CA.

Amanda Guido is a Client Success Advisor for Cvent in Fairfax, VA.

Anthony Mandola is a Carrier Sales Representative for Nolan Transportation Group in North Charleston, SC.

Eliza Nixon (MPA, MES) married John Calvin Thorne IV on December 28, 2019, in Columbia, SC. She works for the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control in Columbia as the Adopt-A-Stream Coordinator and Watershed Manager.