Classnotes

ClassNotes listed are those received as of Jan. 11, 2024.

• 1970+

  Barry S. Goldschmidt '79 retired from state employment on Dec. 1, 2022, after working as a probation agent and supervisor for nearly 37 years. In retirement he will volunteer with Meals on Wheels.

• 1980+

  Maxine Klink Miller '84/M'90 has joined FSU to serve as the Professional Development School and Field Experiences coordinator. Previously, she enjoyed a period of retirement after serving as an elementary, middle and high school teacher and secondary administrator with the Garrett County Board of Education for 30 years. She is also the youth coordinator for the Meyersdale Church of the Brethren. 

   

  Bob T. Stephens M'85 received the Maryland Outstanding Rural Health Achievement Award from the Maryland Rural Health Association for his work as a Garrett County health officer. 

   

  Anthony Carlisi '86 recently retired after 33 years of service with the U.S. Department of the Navy. Carlisi is also a member of the FSU Alumni Association Board of Directors and the College of Business, Engineering, and Computational and Mathematical Sciences Advisory Board. 

• 1990+

  Glenna L. Miller Edwards '90 was selected as a finalist for the 2023 Washington Post Principal of the Year Award. She works for St. Mary's County Public Schools.  

   

  

  Barry E. Jackson '90 was appointed the director of the Washington County Board of Elections where he will be responsible for the administration of all federal, state and local elections in Washington County. Previously, he served as deputy director.

   

  

  Susan L. Musteric Nield '91 graduated with a master's in business administration with a concentration in not-for-profit management from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Md. 

   

  

  Barry N. Hartung '92/M'05 was recently named Maryland Adult Coach Mentor of the Year for the First Lego League at the State Championships held at University of Maryland Baltimore County. Hartung also serves as the president of the local nonprofit REACT (Robotics and Engineering in Allegany County Together), which recently received the inaugural Inspiration Award from the Appalachian Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. 

   

  Martin L. Heavner M'92 is the president of the Board of Directors of the Allegany Arts Council in Cumberland. He is also the co-chair of the council's Photography Committee and exhibits his photography regularly in Western Maryland and the Baltimore and D.C. regions.  

   

  

  Randy A. Olsen '92 has been named the president and chief executive officer of First Peoples Community Federal Credit Union. Olsen previously served as First Peoples' executive vice president and chief financial officer. 

   

  Deborah A. Carpenter '93 has been appointed director of the Planning and Permitting Division for Frederick County. She previously served as the Planning and Growth Management Division director for Charles County.  

   

  

  Alexander M. Giles '94 was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for Admiralty and Maritime Law, a recognition he has received for the past 15 years. Giles is a partner with Whiteford Taylor Preston, LLP.

   

  

  Megan E. Jensen Lupoli '97 was promoted to preconstruction associate at Hamel Builders, Inc. She was previously the estimating assistant. 

   

  

  Tracee Wilkins '97 was recently honored by Omega Psi Phi (Gamma Pi Chapter) with its Citizen of the Year Award. Wilkins is also celebrating 20 years at NBC Washington where she is an investigative reporter with the News4 I-Team and was recently appointed to the Communications Advisory Board at FSU. 

   

  Ivy Green Raysor '98 received the 2022 W.Y. Smith Award for her contributions to IDA as a manager, focusing on the financial planning and analysis in the Finance Directorate at IDA's Alexandria, Va., headquarters. 

   

  

  Allyson M. Ruckstool Veasey '98 earned the position of program facilitator for Early Childhood Education for Cecil County Public Schools. 

• 2000+
  

  The Honorable Tony Bridges '00 was appointed assistant secretary for the Maryland Department of Transportation. He was formerly the executive director of Blue water Baltimore, Inc., and a delegate with the Maryland House of Delegates.

   

  

  Tony Stefko '00 joined the St. Mary's Ryken Baseball program as head coach. 

   

  

  Dr. Jessica L. Yahnert Masser '01 was honored by the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association with the Family Physician of the Year award. Masser is employed by the Conemaugh Health System and is a member of the FSU Foundation Board of Directors. 

   

  Michael Hunter Thompson '04 received one of the Maryland Preservation Awards presented annually by the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust. Thompson is being awarded the Excellence in Community Engagement award for the Fade to Blue project. 

   

  

  Kellie N. Lego, Esq. '05 was selected as SBA's 2023 Maryland Attorney Advocate of the Year for her work with MVP Law Group in Odenton, Md. Lego was honored at the 37th Maryland Small Business Week Awards Luncheon. 

   

  Carole S. Shaffer VanMeter '05 has joined Pennsylvania Highlands Community College as the director of the Foundation.

   

  

  Nicole R. Wigfield '07/M'08 was named one of The Daily Record's Leading Women Under 40 in the state of Maryland. She is the vice president of Finance for Skypacket Networks, Inc. 

   

  April N. Day '08 was promoted to director of Data Warehousing and Reporting at 1st Franklin Financial in Toccoa, Ga. 

   

  Daniel J. Durr '09 was cast in the off-Broadway debut of Saw the Musical: The Unauthorized Parody. It ran at the AMT Theatre from September 2023 to January 2024. 

   

  

  Dr. Rachel L. Farris '09/M'12/D'22 recently took the position of information technology specialist (Policy and Planning) with the IRS. She was formerly the University Store director at FSU. 

• 2010+
  

  Brittney Stakem Isaiah '10 has joined The Goodfellow Agency as an agent and realtor. 

   

   

  

  Dr. Carl J. Thompson M'10/D'20 was selected as the 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year by the Allegany County Board of Education. He is a music teacher at Fort Hill High School in Cumberland. 

   

   

  

  In March 2023, Ryan P.A. Atlow '10 was selected as the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center Drill Sergeant of the Year. He joined the army as a linguist in 2011 and had the honor of being selected to attend the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy in May of 2022. 

   

  

  Raleigh S. Loffert Davis '12 was appointed to serve as the new interim assistant principal for the 2023-2024 academic school year at Bishop Walsh School in Cumberland, Md.  

   

  

  Seth Loar '12 was named Favorite Real Estate Company/REALTOR by Allegany Magazine as part of its Best of 2023 Campaign. He works for Coldwell Banker Premier. 

   

   

  

  Keith E. Davidson, Jr. '14 has accepted the position of director of Academic Advising in the Whitaker College of Engineering at Florida Gulf Coast University near Fort Myers. He was previously the assistant director of Career Advising. 

   

  

  Josey Wiedenhaefer '14 joined the legal team at Empower Brands as a paralegal. She previously worked for Koala Insulation and Wallaby Windows as an onboarding coordinator. 

   

  Kyle M. Kramer M'15 was named office executive for Greater D.C. and Maryland operations for Michael Baker International. He was formerly the vice president and Baltimore Office executive. 

   

  

  Dr. Alanna M. Hirshman Keeler '16 received the 2022-2023 Rawls College Excellence in Teaching Award from the Texas Tech University Rawls College of Business in Lubbock. Keeler is an assistant professor at TTU. 

   

  Eric D. Bologa M'17 has returned to Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., as the head coach for the Track and Field program. 

   

  

  Josh N. Mallow '18/M'21 was recently promoted to a senior food and beverage business analyst at Walt Disney World Resort. He participated in the Disney College Program during his time at Frostburg and the Disney Hospitality Leadership Program after graduating. 

   

• 2020+
  

  Allison M. Paul '20 received two awards for her work with the U.S. Department of Justice. She was honored with the Civil Division Award for Excellence in Paralegal Support and the Civil Division Perseverance Award. 

   

  

  Abreeya I. Darda '21 accepted a position at George Washington University as a community coordinator in the Campus Living and Residential Education Office. She has also earned her master's from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 

   

  

  Alex R. Mitchell M'21 was selected as the University of Baltimore Law Forum's managing editor for Volume 54. 

   

  

  Gianni D. Jones '23 has joined FSU as the program management specialist for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the coordinator of the Adams/Wyche Multicultural Center. 

   

  

  Jack T. Maruskin '23 signed with the Baltimore Orioles as an undrafted free agent. Before signing with the Orioles, Maruskin pitched for the Frederick Keys in the MLB Draft League.