ACCENT ON ALUMNI
Alumni Class Notes
Nik Apostolides, CNM, '98, recently accepted the position of Budget Officer with the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The mission of the Office on Violence Against Women is to provide federal leadership to reduce violence against women, and to administer justice for and strengthen services to all victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This is accomplished by developing and supporting the capacity of state, local, tribal, and non-profit entities involved in responding to violence against women.
Steve Bossart, MNO '01, was elected to a second term as International President of the Delta Chi Fraternity at its convention in July in Cleveland. He will lead the 90,000 member organization for two more years. In addition, Steve has accepted a position as Director of Major Gifts at Akron Children's Hospital. He will be overseeing the hospital's corporate giving program and working with various other supporters and constituents.
Irit Elboher, MNO '01, and Tal Elboher are happy to announce the birth of their first son - Matan ("Gift" in Hebrew). Matan joined the family on July 8th, 2006. The parents are excited and enjoying every minute of this beautiful gift!
Erin Elizabeth (King) Ison, MNO '06, was married in July of this past summer and has moved to the Chicago area.
Julie (Glavan) Griffiths, MNO '04, married Frank Griffiths on October 6, 2006 - it was a perfect day!
Christine Henry, MNO '95, was recently named as the Executive Director of WECO Fund, Inc., in Cleveland. WECO is an economic development organization serving low and moderate income individuals through financial education, matched savings accounts, and micro loans.
Lucinda Lavelli, MNO '91, accepted the appointment as Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Florida in Gainesville in July. The university is one of the largest in the United States with enrollment hovering at 50,000. In addition to the excellent arts training offered students, the College is involved with innovative collaborative projects from arts and digital media to health care to international residencies to cultural diplomacy through its centers, institutes and affiliates. In October, the dance programs at CWRU and UF and a third school joined talents to create a dance performed and viewed by audience members at each site and through the internet viewed the performance in the three locations as a collaborated piece. She has also been selected to serve on the advisory board for the national publication of Dean and Provost.
Martha Loughridge, MNO '99, for those who missed the announcements last year, got married to Piet van Lier. Piet is the Deputy Editor of Catalyst Cleveland, an independent journal that covers the Cleveland public schools. They just celebrated their first anniversary on October 22nd! They also welcomed the birth of Nora Loughridge van Lier on January 7, 2006. Martha is staying at home with Nora, but is available for part-time contract/consulting work (216.281.0712).
Amber Joy (Pritchard) MacKenzie, MNO '99, her husband Donald, and daughter Isabella recently welcomed a new baby boy to their family. Gabriel William MacKenzie was born at 12:45pm on October 4, 2006 and weighed 9 pounds and 1 ounce.
Linda (Darling) Mihalik, MNO '92, accepted a new position as Director of Education at Quest Career College in Parma Heights.
Bhuvana Nandakumar, MNO/MSSA '02, Suresh Krishna, and proud big brother Parthiv welcomed baby boy Arjav on February 15th, 2006. Bhuvana continues as President of the Foundation for World Education. In addition to supporting educational programs worldwide through grants, the highlight this past year has been the launch of a Planned Giving program.
Valerie Raines, MNO '99, accepted the position of Program Director, Organizational Assessment and Capacity Building at United Way of Greater Cleveland in September. Valerie works with volunteers to distribute about $3 million in capacity building funding to United Way partner agencies that provide services in planning, advocacy, research, volunteer development, etc. Also, she coordinates the process that ensures agencies meet sufficient organizational standards to qualify for program funding.
Michelle Pearson, MNO '99, is the new Director of Annual Giving at Hathaway Brown as of August 2006.
Scott Simon, MNO '98, is the Chair of the Growing & Strengthening Jewish Cleveland Task Force, a $10 million effort through the Jewish Community Federation to encourage people, ages 20-40, to move to Cleveland. In addition, he co-founded and co-chaired the Young Associates Board for Shoes and Clothes for Kids. When he is not working in commercial real estate or volunteering, Scott is a single dad of two terrific children, Noah and Teilah.
Caroline Sirewu, MNO '98, has been in the National Care & Support Coordinators position since June 2006. In her position she manages, coordinates and provides technical support to AIDS Care and Support programs that include home-based care at the national level implemented by various stakeholders in the country. She works in collaboration with a National Task Force made up of HIV Stakeholders to develop national strategies and plans for improving access to community AIDS care and support, education and treatment literacy. She promotes appropriate standards in care and support strategies, as well as promotes the widest possible access to care and support to People Living with HIV and AIDS as appropriate, while upholding their meaningful involvement in the program. She also keeps an inventory of agencies that are providing care and support programs and ensure they provide standardized care. She monitors and evaluates the program and also mobilizes resources for the national program.
Julie Weagraff, MNO '94, recently accepted the position of Director of Development for FutureChurch, a national coaltion of parish-based Catholics who are working to ensure full participation of all Catholics in the life of the Church.
If you are a Mandel Center alum and would like to have an announcement featured in this portion of Nonprofit E-Notes, email Nicole Rothstein at njr6@case.edu - be sure to send your name, degree and graduation year, as well as the information you would like to have included in the next issue.
