Lindenwood Magazine - Spring / Summer 2020

’70s Carolyn Read (’74) was elected president of the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Previously she received the Social Worker of the Year Award, was listed in Who’s Who of College Professors, and was on the National Association of Social Workers task force that assisted in re-writing the national standards for school social workers. She retired as a school social worker and coordinator of pupil appraisal in 2015 and is currently an adjunct professor and maintains a small private clinical practice. ’80s Jan Lott (’88) has joined Armstrong Teasdale as VP of human resources. Lott has more than 20 years of experience in human resources, people management, and coaching and professional development. In her role, Lott partners with firm management in the design and implementation of business strategy, business development and project management, and human resources best practices. ’90s Dan Winston (’93) was reappointed to the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee by Governor Greg Abbott for a new term through Sept. 1, 2023. Clint M. Bolser (’94, ’00) was named president and CEO of UCP Heartland, which provides support and programming for people with disabilities in central and eastern Missouri. Bolser has more than 15 years of experience leading similar programs, including working with independent residential programs, children’s day camps, and disability employment services. He holds a master’s degree in professional counseling and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Lindenwood University. Robert Helvey (’98) has joined North Highland, a leading transformation and change consultancy, as associate vice president and will be based in St. Louis. Prior to joining North Highland, Helvey served as a director at Slalom and helped launch the St. Louis office and its record growth. He previously served as vice president at Oakwood Systems Group and executive vice president at Zobrio and played two seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals professional baseball organization. Joe Lopez (’99) was named superintendent of Kermit Independent School District in Kermit, Texas. Jon “JT” Taylor (’96) was named Chief of Police Services at the Dallas Fort Worth airport in the Department of Public Safety. ’00s Chris Hubbuch (’01) has been hired as assistant superintendent of Fulton Public Schools in Missouri. Hubbuch currently serves as director of secondary education for St. Joseph School District and will join FPS on July 1. Dr. Nancy Scott (’01), who joined Sedalia School District 200 in 2003 and has served as assistant superintendent since 2008, will retire at the end of the 2019-20 school year. Scott began her Sedalia 200 career as special services director, serving in that role from 2003 to 2008, when she was promoted to assistant superintendent. Her current duties include human resources, student support services, McKinney-Vento homeless grant programs, English language learner programming, and other issues. Amber Pearson (’03) was named director of media relations at TSN Communications in Oak Hill, Va. Pearson will collaborate with clients and TSN team members to help its clients define their brand, get them noticed by their target audience, and educate the public and media. Pearson has nearly 20 years of experience in public relations, primarily centering on alternative fuels. Jodi Oliver (’05, ’16), was named principal of Heritage Intermediate in the Wentzville School District for the 2020-2021 school year. Oliver is currently principal at Crestwood Elementary in the Lindbergh School District. She taught first, second, fifth, and sixth grades in Utah and Missouri and has worked as both a literacy coach and assistant principal before becoming a principal in 2013. Lavon Singleton (’05), has been named chief financial officer for Riverview Gardens School District in St. Louis County. Singleton will be responsible for ensuring prudent short- and long-term fiscal operation, including the management of all district assets and liabilities, and will execute a financial strategy for the district. His financial leadership responsibilities will extend to all 13 schools in the district. Matt Carter (’06), has been named the new principal of Cutter Morning Star High School in Arkansas. With 21 years of experience in education, he received his master’s degree in building level administration in 2006 at Lindenwood. ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES 14 | SPRING/SUMMER 2020 Kabrina Forrest (’06), has been appointed vice president of clinical and residential services for Epworth Children & Family Services, a nonprofit that helps children, youth, and families move toward self-sufficiency by focusing on health, housing, education, and employment. In this position, she will oversee the nonprofit’s residential services treatment program, as well as its in-home community based counseling program. Forrest has more than 15 years of experience in social services and case management. Prior to joining Epworth, Forrest’s experience includes clinical supervisor and program director at local mental healthcare facilities. She earned her master’s degree in professional counseling from Lindenwood. Dr. Jeri LaBrot (’09), has been named assistant superintendent of student services for the 2020-2021 school year for the Wentzville School District in Missouri. LaBrot is currently the principal at Frontier Middle School, where she has been since 2016. Prior to that, she was the assistant principal at North High in the Fort Zumwalt School District and taught Spanish at Zumwalt West High for six years prior to that. Monica Newsam (’03) published the second installment of her book series, Aerial Dance for Dancers: Single Point Dance Trapeze Technique & Syllabus. This book is available for purchase on Amazon.com. Charisse Fletcher (’07), pen name Dakota Wright, launched “Tears and Latte Confessions Book 1”, a collection of stories of love and heartbreak. View the stor y here . ’10s Keith Hoerner (’10), a graduate of the MFA in Writing program and a past adjunct Instructor in communications at Lindenwood, recently signed a publishing contract with Adelaide Books in New York, N.Y., for an early 2021 release of his memoir, The Day The Sky Broke Open . His work has also been featured in 28 literary journals across the U.S. and abroad. The book served as his graduate thesis. Ta’Keshia Parker (’11) Sappington Elementary School Principal in St. Louis County, has been recognized as an “Exemplary New Principal” by the St. Louis Suburban Elementary Principal Association. Parker is in her third year as principal. Katrina Davis (’13) is the human resources manager for Select Specialty Hospital. In December, she was the subject of a news feature on KSDK-TV in St. Louis for assisting an injured driver and passenger after witnessing a serious vehicle crash on the interstate. Jennifer Sladek (’13, ’17) is principal of Truman Elementary in the Meramec Valley R-III School District. Kayla Piers Stewart (’14), regional vice president of sales for Paycom in Chicago, recently published an article, available on LinkedIn, on “Navigating Your Employee Continuity Strategy in a Forced Digital Reality.” Piers Stewart is, reportedly, the youngest regional vice president in Paycom’s history. Chad Pohlmann (’14, ’16), has been named director of the Parks Department for Union, Mo. After serving in the Marine Corps from 2000 to 2005, Pohlmann came home to primarily mow lawns for the department in 2005 and 2006. Pohlmann, who also served in the National Guard from 2008 to 2017, graduated from Lindenwood University with a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in school administration. Jerry Nathan (Nate) Moore (’15) was named Branson Public Schools assistant superintendent on July 1 after spending the last 20 years with the Mansfield School District, the last eight as superintendent. Lauren Mueller (’15) was recently named executive director of the World Shooting and Recreation Complex in Sparta, Ill. Ty Vossler (’15), a graduate of Lindenwood’s MFA in Writing program, has six published novels to his credit, as well as dozens of short stories, poems, and essays. His newest novel, Deep Mud (Evolved Publishing), was to be released in March to positive pre-release reviews. Another novel, Meadowland (World Castle Publishing), is due out soon. Sarah O’Daniel (’16) recently joined the staff at the Washington Missourian as a reporter covering St. Clair, Mo. A native of St. Clair, O’Daniel earned her bachelor’s from Lindenwood in advertising, public relations, and mass communications. Amy Russell (’16) has joined POWER Insurance and Risk Management in St. Louis as the commercial lines account manager. Russell has over 20 years of experience in marketing as well as in insurance agencies. Rachel Benzing (’17) was named Missouri Western University’s inaugural women’s lacrosse head coach in January. Benzing was an assistant at Lynn University in 2019—the first-ever coaching staff for the program—as well as spending 2017 and 2018 as an assistant, kick-starting the first lacrosse team at Maryville University in St. Louis. continues next page SPRING/SUMMER 2020 | 15 Submit News & Notes here: https://www.lindenwood.edu/alumni-donors/ stay-connected/submit-news/ Lindenwood University REAL SUCCESS SPRING 2020