Lindenwood Magazine - Spring 2023

22 23 SPRING 2023 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD THE LINDENWOOD SPRING 2023 EDITION 1990s 1970s 1960s 1980s 2000s THE ALUMNI COMMUNITY THE ALUMNI COMMUNITY NEWS AND NOTES 1960s Nahid Bozorgmehri Rachlin ’61 graduated from Stanford University ’73 with a master’s in fine arts. 1970s Pat Lintzenich Wahler ’75, ’05 published her latest historical novel, “The Rose of Washington Square: A Novel of Rose O’Neill, Creator of the Kewpie Doll.” The book is based on the life of southern Missouri resident, Rose O’Neill, who was known for her artistic and literary accomplishments, as well as for championing causes related to women’s rights. 1980s Rosanne Goad Vrugtman ’80 retired from the University of Missouri, University of Missouri-St. Louis, College of Education in 2012. Her most recent historical romance novel (set in the 1600s, English Civil War period) won five writing awards. She currently is a technical writing instructor for a Capstone course at the University of Virginia, School of Engineering and Applied Science. Recently elected president of (40-year- old) Zane Grey’s West Society. Published four books in 2022, including “Contemporary Editions” of Zane Grey’s “Frontier Trilogy,” and a reference work in honor of his 150th birthday. Charlie Feldman ’83 is proud her granddaughter will be a Lindenwood Lion and part of the cheerleading squad. 1990s Darren Modde ’94 is in his fifth year as the accompanist for the Missouri Athletic Club men’s choir, The Apollos. In addition, Modde has been named Mathematics Department Chairman for Visitation Academy for the 2023–24 school year and music director at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. Sam Shapiro ’97 is an attorney in Texas and is very happy he had the opportunity to obtain a degree at Lindenwood. Ryan Wilkie ’97 was appointed Chief of Police of the City of Eagle Police Department, Eagle, Idaho, and Chief Wilkie is in his 20th year of law enforcement having served with the City of Pittsburg Police Department, Pittsburg, California, and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, Boise Idaho. Stephanie Pope ’98 has received the new position of vice president and chief financial officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes since December 2020. She previously had been vice president and CFO of Global Services since its inception in 2017. In her two decades with Boeing, she also has held leadership posts in financial planning and analysis and in investor relations. Pope holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southwest Missouri State University and an MBA from Lindenwood University. 2000s Jason Crady ’03 is the founder of a locally owned and operated cannabis dispensary, Missouri Wild Alchemy LLC. In February 2023, Missouri Wild Alchemy was approved by the Division of Cannabis Regulation of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to operate as a comprehensive dispensary and will serve the needs of medical patients and adult use patients (21 years of age and up) without a medical card. Lee Furnace ’05 was promoted to operations director for Aim High St. Louis, a nonprofit summer enrichment and mentoring program for St. Louis middle school-aged students. He also is the seventh and eighth grade physical education teacher and head wrestling coach for John Burroughs School. Rob Caroll ’06 is a member of the Union Ironworkers Local 396, and his family is excited to support him. Nancy Oakley Adrian ’07 is the executive assistant to the COO at the Christian Minister, The Timothy Initiative in Raleigh, N.C. Dr. Mary Ruettgers ’07, ’13 is a new financial advisor with Edward Jones. Her office is in O’Fallon, Ill. Josh Scott ’08, ’10 received the 2022 Bruce D. Whitehead Distinguished Service Award at the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) national conference. Jonathon Moberly ’08, ’10 has been named dean of the Robert W. Plaster School of Business at Columbia College following a nationwide search. Moberly will assume the position May 31, 2023. “I am thrilled to begin the journey of leading the Robert W. Plaster School of Business at Columbia College,” Moberly said. He has more than 16 years of experience in higher education, including as an adjunct instructor and full- time professor for several institutions throughout the Midwest. Julie Williams ’09 and her husband started a nonprofit called Honoring Our Heroes. They host appreciation nights and fundraising events for local first responders and healthcare workers. Their next event will be a dance and vocal showcase July 14–16. They would love to connect with more dancers, choreographers, and sponsors who would like to get involved. 2010s Tyler Martin ’10 is a certified personal trainer, marketer, former high school wrestling coach, and collegiate-level athlete. Martin published his new fitness book in March titled, “The Friction Factor: The Busy Person’s Guide to Sustainable Diet and Exercise.” The book provides a practical and tested road map to build healthy diet and exercise habits that will last a lifetime and enable readers to achieve their goals by eliminating friction, the inefficient use of time, and energy. Dr. Jason Holmes ’11 launched his Young Adult Historical Novel, “And Then There Was Golf! Lost Legend of The Great Game,” on March 17. Dr. Travis Shaw ’11 currently is an executive director of operations of Springfield Public School District and will serve as the district’s deputy superintendent of operations effective July 1. Lydia Elking Novas ’13 married Ignacio “Nacho” Novas, a member of Lindenwood’s national champion soccer team in 2004. The couple has four children (Luliana 9, Camila 7, Karina 5, and Mateo 2). Nacho runs the Carshield FC soccer club and Lydia is the assistant athletics director and PE teacher at Cor Jesu Academy. Laura Witty ’12 graduated with a master’s in music education in May 2022 from Central Methodist University. Katie Ritter ’13 is the production manager for the Family Fun Xperience Theater at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, and she recently got engaged to her boyfriend, Alvin Lloyd. Katie and Alvin are thrilled to be taking this next step toward building a life together. Joseph Puleo ’14 is a documentarian and has previously completed two feature-length documentaries, America’s Last Little Italy: The Hill (2020) about the Italian American neighborhood in St. Louis, and A New Home (2022) about the city’s large Bosnian refugee population. Greg Clark ’15 is certified professional services marketer and creative services manager at Tarlton Corp. As Tarlton creative services manager, Clark, a licensed drone pilot, works in a variety of roles across multiple departments to introduce and enhance the firm’s expertise in virtual design and construction technology, including mapping and site- specific orientations of job sites, to instructional videos for human resources and recruitment. Kaecey McCormick ’16 had a second poetry book, “Sleeping with Demons,” published by Finishing Line Press. The book is now available at the publisher’s website.