Axe ’Em, Jacks!
1970s
Charlotte Corbell Ingle '71, '74 & '00 of Lufkin published "Under the Pines of Deep East Texas," a book of family stories from the early 1800s to 2020. Ingle received a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts in art, as well as a Master of Arts in psychology.
Kay Kittrell Pearce '72 of Denton retired as director of primary care physician recruitment for the Methodist Health System in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Pearce received a Bachelor of Science in sociology.
Don Dowd '73 of Linden retired as Cass County court at law judge after a 40-year career. Dowd received a Bachelor of Science in political science.
Valerie Eggleston Peace '78 retired as an adult protection worker in August after 42 years with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Peace received a Bachelor of Science in food and nutrition dietetics.
1980s
Steve Hallmark '81 was named principal advisor of the operation company Iapetus Infrastructure Services. Hallmark received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry.
Winston Sauls '81 received the designation of certified public manager from Texas Tech University in June. He works as an assistant director of public works in Borger and serves on the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission board of directors. Sauls received a Bachelor of Business Administration in management.
Karen Stanfill '81 was reappointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the Rehabilitation Council of Texas. Stanfill received a Bachelor of Science with a double major in general business and rehabilitation.
Rebecca Locklear '82, multiple-subject teacher and writer of educational materials and general interest books, has a new biography, "The Surfman's Daughter: Growing up in a Cape Cod village 1904-1929." Locklear received a Master of Arts in music.
Garrett Moynihan '82 of Frankston recently retired from both the U.S. Navy and Department of the Army. During his 47-year military and federal service career, he served in myriad maritime planning and intelligence-related positions in locations like South Korea, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Panama, Thailand and Japan. Moynihan received a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
Sidney Evans '85 received the inaugural Comcast Agent of Change Award for providing transformative change in the Houston community through volunteerism. He is a senior advisor for business affairs at Reliant, an NRG Energy company in Houston. Evans received a Bachelor of Business Administration in management.
Michele (Beadle) Wheeler '87 was named president and CEO of Jackson-Shaw, a national real estate development company. Wheeler received a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing.
Dr. Tim Rocka '89 & '93 was named deputy superintendent for Carthage Independent School District. Rocka received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an emphasis in ag education and a Master of Science in general agriculture.
1990s
Paul Evans '91 was named chief operating officer for America's Group. Evans received a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting.
Debra (Miller) Gorov '91 of Las Vegas, Nevada, was named the events and development coordinator with the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Gorov received a Bachelor of Arts in communication.
Jon Haft '92 of Tyler was named boys head basketball coach at All Saints Episcopal School. Haft received a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology.
Kathy Haraldson Rifaat '92 was named director of development for the Montgomery County Food Bank. Rifaat received a Bachelor of Science in biology.
Paul A. Robbins '92 & '94 was appointed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as district attorney of the 1st Judicial District in Sabine and San Augustine counties. Robbins received a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration, both in general business.
Michael Jones '93 was appointed the executive director of transportation with Fort Bend Independent School District. Jones received a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
Ben Norton '93 and his wife, Kelli, welcomed their son, Spencer Lewis Norton, in May. Ben received a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology.
Scott Weems '93 was named chief of police for the Nacogdoches Police Department. Weems received a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice.
Kenneth Williams '94 was appointed Beaumont city manager in September. Williams received a Bachelor of Business Administration in general business.
Brad Hunt '95 was named chief of police for the Gatesville Police Department. Hunt received a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice and law enforcement.
John Barrar '96 was named senior vice president of IT and systems integration at Sandpiper Hospitality. Barrar received a Bachelor of Science in computer science.
Dr. Larry Hygh Jr. '97 & '99 joined the faculty of California State University Dominguez Hills as an assistant professor of advertising and public relations. Hygh received a Bachelor of Arts in radio/TV and a Master of Arts in communications.
John Niederhofer '97 & '00 of Houston was promoted to vice president of Thompson Custom Homes. Niederhofer received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry with an emphasis in wildlife management and a Master of Science in environmental science.
Srini Gajula '99 was appointed chief solutions officer at Sage IT. Gajula received a Master of Science in computer science.
Brady Ortego '99 joined the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC with a focus on community association law. Ortego received a Bachelor of Science in psychology.
2000s
Wes Schminkey '00 was named athletic director and head football coach with Arp Independent School District. Schminkey received a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology.
Bill Brunken '01 & '01 had his exhibition “Inspired by Nature” on display at The Confluence in New Castle, Pennsylvania, in November. His paintings are a collection of thickly textured landscapes. Brunken received a Master of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts, both in art.
Jenny McGhee '01 was named director of championships for the NCAA Division I Big 12 Conference. McGhee received a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing.
Dr. Son Mai '03 was hired as an associate professor of organizational management at Midland College. Mai received a Master of Arts in history.
Amanda Carruth '04 of Lewisville is a licensed project management professional and has been promoted to digital workplace administrator for Sonic Healthcare USA. Carruth received a Bachelor of Science in interior design.
Jacob Daniels '04 was named vice president of land with the U.S. Energy Development Corporation. Daniels received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance.
Allison Haley '04 of Carrollton joined Ob Hospitalist Group as senior clinical recruiter. Haley received a Bachelor of Business Administration in general business.
Cory Blake '06 became the AP micro- and macroeconomics instructor and economics team leader at Klein Oak High School. Blake received a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences.
Kristina Tvrz Suberbielle '06 was recently appointed by the City of Tyler's council and mayor as chairperson of Keep Tyler Beautiful. Suberbielle received a Bachelor of Arts in English.
Cody '09 & '11 and Brandi Derouen '10 & '18 welcomed their first child, Harvey, in September. Cody also was named president and CEO of Doches Credit Union. Cody received a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration, both in general business. Brandi received a Bachelor of Science in hospitality administration and a Master of Arts in student affairs and higher education.
Taylor Kovar '09 of Lufkin was named one of the top 100 financial advisors in the U.S. by Investopedia. He is CEO and founder of Kovar Wealth Management. Kovar received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance.
2010s
Justin Pelham '10 & '11, clinical instructor in SFA's School of Human Sciences, and Kelsey (Treusdell) Pelham '11 & '14, lecturer in SFA's Department of Languages, Cultures and Communication, welcomed their third child, Oliver Graham, in November. Justin received a Bachelor of Science in food and nutrition dietetics and a Master of Science in human sciences. Kelsey received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Master of Arts in Hispanic studies.
Courtney Short Brennan '11 & '12 and husband, Ryan Brennan, of Columbus, Ohio, welcomed their daughter, Sofia Elizabeth, in September. Courtney received a Bachelor of Business Administration in general business and a Master of Business Administration in management.
Deshmond Johnson '11 & '19 was named director of fine arts with the Nacogdoches Independent School District. Johnson received a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music.
Josh Worsham '11 was named assistant principal at Pine Tree Junior High School in Longview. Worsham received a Bachelor of Science in kinesiology.
Eric Holton '13 was named superintendent for Somerville Independent School District. Holton received a Master of Education in educational leadership.
Brian Miller '13 was named executive director of the Grammy-award-winning Houston Chamber Choir. Miller received a Master of Music in conducting.
Kenshara Cravens '14 & '16 was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Galveston County Daily News for the work she does as executive director and founder of Craving for a Change Foundation Inc. Cravens received a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work.
Dr. Stephen Decker '14 & '16 successfully defended his doctoral dissertation titled “Mechanisms of Cigarette Smoke-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Striated Muscle and Aorta” in October 2022. Decker received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science, both in kinesiology.
Shelbe Rodriguez '14 was cast on the new Peacock original competition series “The Traitors,” which premiered in January. Twenty contestants, some traitors and some loyal, move into a castle and work as a team to complete a series of dramatic and challenging missions to earn money for the prize pot. Rodriguez received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.
Chase Curry '15 became an aviator with the U.S. Navy in July 2020. Prior to that, he graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Tulane University. Curry received a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies.
Tyler Cardwell '16 worked with director Taylor Sheridan on Paramount's “1883,” which filmed in Texas and Montana. Cardwell received a Bachelor of Music.
Ashlie (Clark) Pair '16 married Colton Pair and settled in Baytown. Ashlie received a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies.
Justin Salge '16 was named assistant baseball coach at Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon, and also is a doctoral candidate at East Tennessee State University. Salge received a Bachelor of Arts in history.
Vicente Sanchez '16 was promoted to chief of staff for the Texas Legislature in 2020 and celebrated his third year in the highest senior staffer position in January. Sanchez received a Bachelor of Arts in political science.
Ronnisha Peterson '17 was crowned Miss Dallas USA 2022. Peterson received a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Taylor Sherva '19 received Delta Zeta Sorority's 35 Under 35 award, which highlights alumnae of the sorority who have made a significant impact in their industry. She is the social studies department chair and instructional coach at Manor Middle School. Sherva received a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.
2020s
Austen White '20 of Dallas celebrated his one-year anniversary with Keller Williams Realty. White received a Bachelor of Music.