Class Notes

Aura Cuellar, MBA, recently became executive vice president of Growth and Strategic Projects at LanzaTech Global, Inc., a carbon recycling technology company that plans to open three new plants before the end of 2023. 

Gina Cole, B.A., communication and journalism, was recently promoted to Corporate Communications manager at Zillow. 

Dave Porter, B.S., visual communication, retired after 38 years in information technology at Boeing, last serving in public cloud product management. 

Jennifer Jahner, B.A., English, was recently named dean of undergraduate students at the California Institute of Technology. Jen is an English professor at Caltech whose research interests include the histories of rhetoric, law, and natural philosophy, focusing on the European Middle Ages and its role in shaping contemporary understandings of rights, evidence, perception and proof. 

Briana Martinez, BAE, environmental studies, is the founder and CEO of Wild Moon, a spiritual education and adventure business for women, offering retreats, backpacking trips, workshops and other events "for women seeking to connect with their most powerful selves."  

Richard Macías, B.A., art, lives in Frankfurt, Germany, with his wife and two children, where he works in the General Services Office of the U.S. Mission Germany's Frankfurt General Consulate. The largest U.S. consulate in the world, Frankfurt supports many other U.S. diplomatic posts in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

Two 2020 alums were among the 17 teachers nationwide to receive the 2023 Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers from the National Science Teaching Association. Hillary Hunsaker, BAE, general science – elementary, is a STEM teacher at Conway School in Mount Vernon, and Natalie Reeder, BAE, general science – elementary, is a third-grade teacher at Cascade View Elementary School in Tukwila.

Two 2020 alums were among the 17 teachers nationwide to receive the 2023 Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers from the National Science Teaching Association. Hillary Hunsaker, BAE, general science – elementary, is a STEM teacher at Conway School in Mount Vernon, and Natalie Reeder, BAE, general science – elementary, is a third-grade teacher at Cascade View Elementary School in Tukwila.

Michelle Bender, ’13, B.S., biology - marine emphasis, is an attorney who specializes in Earth law and serves as legal counsel for Ocean Vision Legal. Previously, she was the ocean campaigns director for the Earth Law Center where she helped draft Rights of Nature laws and policies around the world. Michelle recently spoke in the College of the Environment’s Environmental Speaker Series on “Ocean Rights: An Emerging Environmental Ethic to Transform Ocean Governance.”

Larry Orman, ’83, B.A., business administration and computer science, is the vice president for marketing and communication at Alcorn State University, the nation’s oldest, historically Black landgrant university. Larry and his son recently climbed the 19,341-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest freestanding mountain in the world. “The eight-day Tanzanian climb to the top of Africa, through five climate zones, including an arctic zone at the equator, still feels surreal,” Larry writes.

Jeffrey Meriwether, ’95, B.A., and ’97, M.A., history, was recently selected as the dean of the Feinstein School of Humanities, Arts and Education at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. Jeffrey is a well-regarded professor of European, African and military history at RWU and has served in several administrative roles—most recently as the school’s associate dean.

Ken Dalena, B.A., theatre, is a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam War vet and has worked as an actor in television and film roles. He recently directed his first play, “You Can’t Take it With You” at The Claire Theater in Lynden.

Ethan Frank, B.A., Fairhaven interdisciplinary concentration, is a marketing associate with Marketing Choices, and he’s based in Maui, Hawaii.

Peter Condyles, B.A., history, is a member of the Marysville City Council and president of the Marysville Historical Society.

Kendall Lujan, B.A., anthropology, is a guitarist and singer-songwriter in Portland, where she recently released a self-titled, four-song EP.

Michael Nguyen, B.A., journalism – public relations, is the head coach of the eSports team at South Puget Sound Community College.

Nate Brown, B.A., business administration – marketing, recently expanded the food truck business he co-owns, Sweet As Waffles, into a brick-and-mortar location in downtown Bellingham.

Jennifer Paolini, BAE, mathematics, lives in Portland with her husband, Whitaker Jamieson, B.S., student-faculty designed major. Jennifer reports they’re both working their dream jobs: She’s teaching math and Whitaker is working with electric vehicles.

Jennifer Paolini, BAE, mathematics, lives in Portland with her husband, Whitaker Jamieson, B.S., student-faculty designed major. Jennifer reports they’re both working their dream jobs: She’s teaching math and Whitaker is working with electric vehicles.

Alex Crape, B.A., business administration, was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after graduation and went on to serve 3 ½ years in Okinawa, Japan. He served as a Combat Logistics Detachment Commander, a Motor Transport Platoon Commander, a Training Officer within a Combat Logistics Regiment S-3 Section, and various other duties abroad, including training the Royal South Korean military. He was recognized as Motor Transport Officer of the Year for the fiscal year 2022 and was hand-selected to attend a U.S Army Captain Career Course as a Marine; only 16 Marines annually get to attend, on average.