Class Notes Fall 2021
Ronald A. Rossell, ʼ61, received the National Meritorious Award at the national convention of the National Rehabilitation Association for Services to Persons with Disability.
Louis B. Cei, Ph.D., ʼ69, is teaching American history at the University of Richmond’s Osher Institute.
William R. Sasso, Esq., ʼ69, has stepped down as chairman of the Philadelphia law firm Stradley Ronon after 27 years. Sasso joined the firm in 1972 as a tax lawyer after graduating from La Salle University and Harvard Law School.
George A. Tomezsko, ʼ71, received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles. The award is in recognition of Tomezkso’s writing ability, leadership qualities, and his professional credentials and successes.
Charles R. Heyduk, ʼ72, and Loretta J. (Suber), ʼ82, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July 2021.
Tom Feeney, ’74, will become executive chairman of Belron North America, effective Dec. 6, 2021. Belron is the parent company of Safelite Group, for which Feeney has worked 34 years and has served as CEO since 2008. In his new role, Feeney will lead Belron’s North American businesses and retain responsibility of Safelite’s community engagement and philanthropic activities.
Thomas P. Collins, U.S. Army Retired, ʼ76, has retired, culminating a distinguished career in public service. Collins completed a distinguished military and civilian career for more than 40 years in the U.S. Army and Departments of Defense and Labor. He led Army units including an infantry platoon and armor company, and served as a battalion and brigade commander. He earned the Green Beret as a Special Forces Captain in 1985. He served in Germany, Haiti, Honduras, Lithuania, Kuwait, and Iraq. His final duties included commanding an international Joint Task Force in Kuwait and Iraq and serving as the Deputy Director of the Army Strategic Planning Board in the Pentagon. His numerous awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Superior Civilian Service Award.
Francis X. Viggiano, ʼ76, earned re-election as chair of the Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Program of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities of St. Paul, Minn. The program serves students at the seven Minnesota state universities and the 25 Minnesota state two-year colleges and provides scholarships to students of color that come from labor union families. This program is also co-sponsored by the Minnesota AFL-CIO.
William J. Burns, ʼ78, a career official in the U.S. Department of State who led the U.S. delegation in talks with Iran, earned selection by President Joseph Biden to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Kate M. Harper, Esq., ʼ78, was named as a 2021 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. The Super Lawyers list recognizes no more than five percent of attorneys in each state. She has been included in the Super Lawyers lists from 2012 through 2016, and 2019 through 2021.
Col. Julie (Trego) Manta, USA, ʼ79, was awarded a Superior Civilian Service Medal by Department of the Army for her work during Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation.
Crystal Y. (Cromartie), ʼ84, and Carlton A. Payne, Ph.D., ʼ81, hosted the wedding of their son, Christopher Payne to Asia Pinckney, DPT, in a ceremony on the grounds of their home. The bride is a doctor of physical therapy and the groom is a software engineer. The happy couple honeymooned in Hawaii and will reside in Philadelphia.
Loretta J. (Suber), ʼ82 and Charles R. Heyduk, ʼ72, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July 2021.
William D. Shields, ʼ82, celebrated seven years in business as Shields Industrial Sales Co., in March 2021.
Scott J. Sterling, ʼ88, is vice president of marketing at Belco Community Credit Union. Sterling brings more than 20 years of marketing experience to the role, which is responsible for the development, implementation, measurement, and maintenance of the credit union’s strategic marketing, communications, business development and community relations plans. He also serves on the honorary board committee for Laurel House and the board of directors of the Center for Loss and Bereavement.
Sonya R. Wilmoth, ʼ88, is the new director for the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity in the Division of Student Affairs at Pennsylvania State University, effective July 19, 2021. Wilmoth had been serving as the interim director since January.
Richard G. Poulson, Esq., ʼ92, of Willig, Williams & Davidson has been named among the 2021 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers.
Larry Berran, ’93, CEO of iPipeline, won the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technology (PACT) Enterprise Award for Technology CEO of the Year.
Debra A. Fazio-Rutt, ʼ94, has joined The New York Women’s Foundation in the newly created vice president of strategic communications position. She will be responsible for developing, integrating, and implementing a broad range of public relations, media relations, social and digital activities relative to the strategic direction and advancement of The Foundation’s mission.
Rita R. Milburn-Dobson, D.Min., ʼ98, earned a Doctor of Ministry in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 2018. She became a grandparent in February 2021 and is a COVID-19 vaccination ambassador.
Jillian N. Szczepaniak-Gillece, ʼ03, was promoted to director of behavioral health services for The Children’s Guild Alliance.
Daniel Abato, ʼ06 and Patrick F. Dougherty, ʼ09, launched LineSwings.com—is an innovative startup that offers exlusive data and graphs of the live lines and money lines througout NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and NCAA men’s basketball games.
Sharmell W. Ganges, ʼ07, and Clifton Williams welcomed a daughter, Ava Williams, in September 2019.
Mary Elizabeth Sullivan, ’09, and Joseph J. Rollo Jr., ʼ08, welcomed a baby boy, Nolan, in February 2021.
Adrienne (Flick) Maimone, ’09, and her husband Vincent welcomed a baby boy, Luca, in July 2021.
Samuel F. Scavuzzo, ʼ09, and Hannah C. Datz, ʼ10, welcomed their daughter, Clara Genevieve, in September 2020.
Sean Hand, ’09, director of business development at KPMG and founder of The Awkward Networker, has been selected as one of 10 outstanding young Americans through the Junior Chamber International USA. Each year, JCI USA recognizes the accomplishments of ten individuals who are truly outstanding regarding empowering themselves and others to make our communities and our world a better place. They highlight individuals in the areas of business or entrepreneurial accomplishment, political achievement, humanitarian and civic leadership, and more.
Elizabeth G. Bond, M.D., ʼ10, a board-certified surgeon, joined the General Surgery Department of Northern Regional Hospital in August 2021. She served previously as general surgeon and vice chief of the medical staff at Vidant North Hospital in Roanoke Rapids, N.C.
Victoria L., ’10, and Paul J. Orzechowski, ʼ10, welcomed twins, Felicity and Florence, in January 2021.
Rashon Howard, ’10, of 1847 Financial and Shon LLL, received the Philadelphia Business Journal 2021 Diversity in Business Leaders Award.
Alexander Morgovsky, ʼ11, is engaged to Marjorie D. Thomas. Alexander is a development and operations specialist and Marjorie is a television producer. The couple plans a summer 2022 wedding.
Michael Marsal, ’12, and his wife Ali welcomed a baby boy, Liam, in June 2021.
Daniel Klem, ’13, married Anna Moffa, ’14, in June 2021.
Rachel M. (Christie), ’15, and James M. Breslin, ʼ13, welcomed their daughter, Lilly, in May 2021.
Robyn L. Gurnari, ʼ13, married Corey S. Walsh in June 2021 in Falls, Pa.
Katherine Hummel, ’14, a La Salle Honors Program graduate, married Oscar Sandoval in May 2021.
Emily Clark, ʼ16, organized her first gun buyback event in January 2021 with the help of Philadelphia City Council, local Shop Rite and Fresh Grocer stores, and The Greenfield Foundation. Her desire to help stems from her time as a behavioral health worker at the Dr. Tanner G. Duckrey Public School in North Philadelphia, whose students made a profound impact on her life.
Rahsaan Simmonds, ’16, and his wife Devin welcomed Evan Elijah Simmonds in January 2021.
Gwendolyn C. Alexandre, ʼ17, earned acceptance into a Ph.D. program in public policy at University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Max J. Manetta, ʼ17, earned promotion to director of laboratory operations at Temple University Hospital. In this capacity, he oversees the chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and molecular pathology sections of the laboratory.
Sulianie Mertus, MPH, CHES, ’17, began her Ph.D. in community health education program at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also presented at the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting. Her presentation was entitled, Sex differences in faith leaders’ knowledge, attitudes and approaches to sexual and intimate partner violence. The abstract was co-authored by La Salle assistant professor and program director of public health Candace Robertson-James, DrPH; Jeanine Gill, ’20; and Grace Clarke, ’14, MPH ’21.
Katherine E. Palmer, ʼ17, passed the certified tumor registry exam in September 2020. She is now qualified as a certified tumor registrar by the National Cancer Registrar’s Association Council on Certification and also recently became a member of the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) Informatics Committee. She continues to serve as an alumna member of the La Salle University Public Health Advisory Committee.
Beth A. Peterson, MPH ʼ18, received a special recognition award in December 2020 from The Wistar Institute for stellar performance in maintaining one of the busiest, most complex, and successful programs at the Institute. Peterson helped orchestrate the successful submission of two NIH grants totalling nearly $50 million within three weeks in November and December 2020. If funded, one grant would be a first-of-its kind resource for investigators seeking novel assays in the analysis of drugs of abuse in the context of HIV reservoirs and ART; the second would be a continuation of funding for the BEAT-HIV Delaney Collaboratory to Cure HIV-1 by Combination Immunotherapy.
Joseph D. Johnson, ʼ19, founded the Pleasant Playground Garden Committee to strategize with others about how to create a nonprofit community garden on an empty corner of Pleasant’s 4.8-acre grounds.
Jeanine Gill, ʼ20, is working full time for the Global Clinical Operations Department at Janssen Pharmaceuticals of Johnson & Johnson. Amongst many projects, she worked on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial.
Janelle McKelvey, ʼ20, virtually presented a poster at the American Public Health Association 2020 public health conference in October 2020. Her presentation was titled, “The Effects of Obesity on Type 2 Diabetes in African American Men and Women.”