Class Notes

Amy Harder, B.A., journalism, is the inaugural journalism fellow for the University of Chicago's Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth, where she's the co-host with institute founder Michael Greenstone on the podcast "Shocked," which explores wide-ranging questions in the energy space. Amy also writes about the future of energy as national energy correspondent for Axios. 

Mike Taggart, BAE, mathematics, retired from the Everett School District after teaching math for 36 years. He also coached multiple sports including eighth-grade football and  basketball. 

Mike Acord, B.S., mathematics, was recently honored by the Washington Education Association - Retired for his advocacy work to improve substitute teachers' work conditions in Washington. 

Arthur Lim, B.S., sport psychology, received the 2025 Innovation Honor Award from the Cordage Institute for his development of three new knots. His "Mittens Knot" was featured in Ropecord News. 

Kevin Gudgel, BAE, English - secondary, was named Athletic/Activities director at Burlington-Edison High School, Where he has taught English and served as ASB advisor for 25 years.  

Greg Cox, B.A., chemistry, had some new publications this year, including "People I want to Eat," a grisly new zombie story in issue 371 of Weird Tales magazine, and "Star Trek: The Original Series: Identity Theft," which will be out in December in time for Star Trek's 59th anniversary. 

Mare Sullivan, CERT, elementary education, is a teacher at an outdoor preschool who just wrote a new children's picture book "Come Out and Play!" celebrating the joys of getting outside and exploring the natural world.  

Brooks Smothers, B.A., art - graphic design, recently became the host of the podcast "See America," which highlights unique roadside attractions, history and hidden gems in the U.S. 

Douglas Massey, B.A., anthropology, psychology, sociology and Spanish, received the Princess of Asturias Award for the Social Sciences from the royal family of Spain at a ceremony in October. Massey, the Henry G. Bryan Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University and the director of Princeton's Office of Population Studies, was honored for his extensive work in the fields of international migration and social stratification. 

Dan Whitlock, B.A., business administration, retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, after 31 years of service. Col. Whitlock served in command positions at the company, battalion and brigade-level. He served as general’s deputy chief of staff human resources, in intelligence and security, in comptroller positions, and at the Defense Intelligence Agency as reserve director of intelligence in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the U.S. Central Command. Col. Whitlock's career also included a combat tour Afghanistan, where he earned a Bronze Star. He is currently an executive project manager with KONE Elevator in Illinois.

Fairhaven Distinguished Alumnus Coll Thrush, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, recently wrote "Wrecked: Unsettling Histories from the Graveyard of the Pacific," which was published in May by University of Washington Press. Coll is a professor of history and associate faculty in critical Indigenous studies at the University of British Columbia. His previous books include "Native Seattle" and "Indigenous London." 

Megan Peyton, B.A., English, was recently appointed to Clark County District Court. Previously, Megan worked as a defense attorney in Vancouver, Washington. 

Retired Division 1 football coach Dave Christensen, B.A., sociology, is a motivational and keynote speaker who recently shared what he's learned about leadership in a book, "Your 4th Down: Why You Need to Go for It."

Brett W. Bachman, B.A., English - creative writing, is an in-demand film editor whose work can be seen this year on six films: "Companion," " Heart Eyes," "Rabbit Trap," "The Toxic Avenger," " Lone Samurai," and "Shelby Oaks." 

Ashton Macauley, B.A., and '15, M.S., psychology, just completed his sci-fi comedy novel, "One Night at Kedasi," published by Artemesia Publishing and Shadow Dragon Press. Ashton has written several books and this is his first with a traditional publisher. 

Alyssa-Lois Gehman, M.S., environmental science, is a biologist with British Columbia's Hakai Institute, where she and her research team published a study over the summer pinpointing the pathogen responsible for sea star wasting disease, which has destroyed billions of sea stars on the Pacific Coast for more than a decade. "There are a bunch of things we can do now that we know what causes this disease that might actually change the tide and make it so these animals can survive," Alyssa-Lois told KUOW. 

Craig Packard, B.A., theatre, wrote and directed the feature western, "This Bloody Country," released in October by Quiver Distribution and available for streaming. The film won the Audience Choice Best Feature Award at the 2025 Utah International Film Festival.  

Kari Mar, B.A., journalism, is the editor and publisher of The La Conner Community News, a new non-profit newspaper in La Conner whose citizen board of directors includes Jerry Willins, '97, B.A., English. "We are deeply grateful to this town for taking a chance on us," Kari wrote in a recent column, "and we hope to build a newspaper worthy of your trust."

Louise Gearhart, B.A., human services, became marketing manager for RMC Architects in Bellingham. 

Tim Barron, B.S., kinesiology, is a chiropractor who recently opened North Sound Spine & Sports Therapy in Ferndale. Previously, Tim worked at a spine and sports therapy clinic in Lynnwood.