Alumni News
Brian Daly Bastion (鈥�02, Chemical Engineering) took a position as a process engineer with Plant Engineering Services doing maintenance work on site at Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend Refinery in the Twin Cities, MN. He said, 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 sound glamorous but it鈥檚 fun working in and around the plant, especially dealing with all the snow and negative temperatures (Fahrenheit, that is). Brrr.鈥� Brian and his wife Virginia (鈥�06, Psychology)welcomed their daughter Marilyn in June 2011鈥攕he鈥檚 well on her way to becoming a future Cougar.
Daniel Brown (鈥�90, Chemical Engineering) and his wife, Amanda O鈥橞rien-Brown, welcomed their first child, daughter Amelia Mary Brown, on January 26th, 2012. Daniel was also recently promoted to partner in the Litigation Department at Latham & Watkins LLP in the firm鈥檚 New York office. aobrien4444@hotmail.com
Michelle Brown (鈥�99, Interdisciplinary Studies) has been teaching for 13 years, the past three years in Dickinson ISD, where she teaches Algebra I and Advanced Math to eighth graders at McAdams Junior High. She was named the 2012 Teacher of the Year for the District in the secondary education category. brownta1us@yahoo.com
Pamela Klekar Burns (鈥�04, French and Political Science) earned her Master鈥檚 in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas this May. Her work in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles as the Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coordinator has recently been showcased on the PBS television series MotorWeek. pburns@nctcog.org
M.H. 鈥淏utch鈥� Cersonsky(鈥�76, Political Science) was the Course Director for the State Bar of Texas 鈥淐ollections 101 Course.鈥� He led a panel discussion on the collections process, comparing and contrasting consumer versus commercial collections issue, and made presentations on the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Post Judgment Collection issues. On the following day he made a presentation on attorney鈥檚 fees in commercial and collections cases at the 10th Annual Collections and Creditors鈥� Rights Course. MHCersonsky@law-crg.com
Joe Christianson, (鈥�01, Mathematics) was awarded the CFA Charter in the summer of 2011. The investment credential is awarded to the business professionals who complete the rigorous CFA program. Recently, he joined BlackRock Private Investors as an analyst in the Houston office. jwc5115@hotmail.com
Aris Economon (鈥�89, Economics) and Hanneke Faber (鈥�90, Journalism) will move back to Geneva, Switzerland, in August, where Hanneke will be the Procter & Gamble Global VP on Pantene, Head & Shoulders, and Herbal Essences. As part of P&G鈥檚 deal as Olympic Games sponsors, Hanneke will also be in London to coordinate the press events surrounding the athletes she signed for P&G advertising, including Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin from the U.S. Aris said, 鈥淭he kids are excited to return to their old school and enjoy the good skiing again.鈥� economon@bluewin.ch
Rebecca Ginsburg (鈥�03, Industrial Engineering) was promoted in January to Macro Distributor Supply Coordinator with Shell. In April, she moved to College Station with her boyfriend, though she says, 鈥淚 still bleed Cougar Red.鈥� Becky was also honored on June 1st with the Distinguished Young Engineering Alumnus Award for her work as a member of the board, the scholarship committee, and helping with the annual Homecoming Fundraiser. rebecca.ginsburg@gmail.com
John Grimmett (鈥�11, Music) has been selected to participate in the American Opera Initiative sponsored by the Washington National Opera. He will be writing a libretto for composer Liam Wade for a chamber opera that will be performed in November 2012 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. His musical, Odette, will also receive an off-off-Broadway production this summer as a part of the 2012 New York Avant Garde Arts Festival sponsored by Variations Theatre Group. John is currently pursuing an M.F.A. at the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at New York University. jtgrimmett@gmail.com
Mike Hon (鈥�92, Classical Studies) was named Infrastructure Delivery Manager for American Mega Data Centers at BP in March. lawhall@webologist.com
Morad Kabiri (鈥�04, Industrial Engineering) was recently promoted to the position of Assistant City Manager at the City of Friendswood. mkabiri@ci.friendswood.tx.us
Todd Klekar (鈥�06, Kinesiology) earned his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Texas Woman鈥檚 University (Houston Center) in May 2011. He is currently employed as a physical therapist at The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) Memorial Hermann. Todd will begin the Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency Program offered through TIRR this summer. tkdbluetiger@aol.com
Tina Lee (鈥�98, Anthropology) accepted a job at University of Wisconsin鈥擲tout as an Assistant Professor of Anthropology. Tina and her husband, Damon Wilkinson (鈥�95, Management Information Systems), moved in July 2011 from Brooklyn, N.Y., to Menomonie, W.I., as part of the job change. In September 2011, they welcomed second child Owen Jack Wilkinson to the family. Big sister Evelyn is supportive, calling him 鈥渕y Owen.鈥� Damon continues his work as a computer consultant to law firms for HBRConsulting鈥攖he same job he has held since graduation. tinalee85281@yahoo.com dwilkinson@hbrconsulting.com
Joshua Park (鈥�11, Biology) was accepted into the dental program at the University of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston. draider777@yahoo.com
Elizabeth Shepard (鈥�02, History) and Jason Richard joyfully welcomed the safe arrival of their daughter Vivienne Rose on May 1, 2012. eashepard@gmail.com
Saba Syed (鈥�08, Pharmacy) was promoted to Pharmacy Manager at Walgreens in March 2012. sabasyed08@yahoo.com
Christine Wisch (鈥�10, Music Education and Spanish) is graduating with an MA in Musicology from Indiana University and will begin her Ph.D. in Musicology in the fall. She has been awarded a full five-year fellowship that includes opportunities to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She will continue to play violin in the Columbus (IN) Symphony Orchestra.