Alumni Updates
Recent alumni submissions
We post updates from alumni and friends as we receive them. Use our handy online form to send us your news!
For updates received in previous years, check out the categories of class years in the left menu.
Paul Gallena '51 (Biology) Paul Spurgeon Gallena just celebrated his 98th birthday! Paul enjoys his Sunday family dinners and reminiscing on his stories from the past. Some of his favorite stories are from his time fighting for the United States during WWII in the 94th division, 301st infantry- K company (you can only imagine some of those stories). Other memories include marrying the love of his life, Nancy Clark Gallena, before they both graduated from William ann Mary in 1951. Paul has lived a life full of love and travel with more memories than the average person and still lives to share these tales with the generations to come. I am so proud of my Grandpa.
Bethany Brookshire '04 (Biology) Bethany has a Ph.D. in Physiology and Pharmacology from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from William and Mary. She was a 2019-2020 Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT. She is a science writer and author, has a new book that came out Dec. 6, Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains. https://bethanybrookshire.com
Ryann Fame '06 (Biology & Chemistry) Dr. Fame PhD joined the faculty at Stanford University in 2022. She completed a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. She conducted postdoctoral fellowships at The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at MIT and at Boston Children's Hospital Pathology Department. Her research program encompasses the early neural stem cell niche, neural tube closure, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), metabolism, and cortical neuronal development. As a stem cell and developmental molecular biologist, Dr. Fame is dedicated to broad collaboration focused on translating an understanding of neural development and CSF biology into regenerative strategies for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disease.
Jon Snider '06 (Biology) Dr. Snider has begun work at a Movement Disorder specialist at the VCU Department of Neurology, moving back down to Virginia from Michigan (where he had completed his medical school, residency, and movement disorder fellowship). (10/16)
Lydia Higgs '10 (Biology) Graduated from Arcadia University in May 2015 with M.S. in genetic counseling. Now working as a cancer genetic counselor at UVA. (10/16)
Wendy Rilling LeBolt '83 (Biology) I'm happy to share the release of Fit2Finish: Keeping Your Soccer Players in the Game, (published by Morgan James) which is a handbook of healthy sports training tools, videos and advice for parents and coaches of young athletes. (10/16)
Krista Stimson Crider '98 (Biology) I am currently a Geneticist (PhD Emory 2003) at the National Centers on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta Ga. My work includes studies on the risk factors for birth defects and developmental disabilities, interactions of nutrition, genetics and epigenetics in disease risk (such as folic acid, MTHFR, DNA methylation and neural tube birth defects risk). I work on projects with colleagues in the U.S., China and India. My work focuses on moving basic research to public health policy and practice. My husband and I have two children that keep us very busy. (10/16)
Melinda Mackereth Maris, Ph.D '00 (Biology) is the Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning at Vesalius College, a liberal arts college in Brussels, Belgium. (9/16)
Jenna Milstein '16 (Biology) Scribing at Inova Fairfax Hospital while applying to medical school (9/16)
Kathleen Raley Susman '83 (Biology) Twenty-five years here at Vassar College, Professor of Biology on the Jacob P. Giraud Jr Endowed Chair of Natural History and Director of the Neuroscience and Behavior Program. I am thankful for the mentorship of Dr. Bradley and Dr. Terman during my senior year. The project I did under your guidance inspired me to go to graduate school in Physiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for my PhD, to pursue postdoctoral research at Stanford University with Dr. Robert Sapolsky and then to become a professor at a top liberal arts college. William and Mary gave me a great start in science. (9/16)
Catherine Turley Basu '07 (Biology and Environmental Science) I've expanded my online fitness company, Fit Armadillo®. Come check out my online home and say W&M sent you if you sign up! (9/16)
George Liechti '08 (Biology) Recently joined the Microbiology and Immunology Department in the F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) as a tenure-track, assistant professor. (9/16)
Kenneth Sanders '71 (Biology) Retired after 40 years as a companion animal veterinarian. (9/16)
Desiree Hunt Floyd '98 (Biology and English) I am a Research Scientist at UVA, studying glioblastoma, but I found a drug combination that may also have efficacy against malaria and I'd like to study malaria in my own lab, which I hope to establish in the next 12 months. (9/16)
Linwood Pendleton '85 (Biology) 2015 is a shaping up to be a big year for Climate and Oceans. It has created a lot of excitement here at the European Institute for Marine Studies where I hold the International Chair in Marine Ecosystem Services. My research team participates in a number of large, international, marine projects including ones on: the human and ecological impacts of ocean acidification, blue carbon ecosystems, the management of the deep sea floor, and an EU project that seeks to measure and monitor ecosystem services in protected areas (our focus is on whales in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystems). If you have plans to come to France or are just interested in the possibility of doing a sabbatical, post-doc or Ph.D in Brittany, please let me know. You can follow some of this work at linwoodpendleton.com and you can reach me at linwood.pendleton_at_duke.edu. (10/15)
Jenny Frazier Call '99 (Biology) After W&M, I answered a call to ministry. I have served in churches, as chaplain in a residential group home for at-risk youth, and now serve as chaplain at Hollins University in Roanoke, VA. I am working on my D.Min. at Virginia Theological Seminary. I love exploring the connections between science and spirituality with my students. I have been married to my seminary sweetheart, John, for 13 years and we have two kids: Brady (9) and Maryn (7). (10/15)
Dr. Kenneth Sanders '71 (Biology) After the death of my wife in 2013, nothing was the same anymore and I gradually pulled the plug on my 40 years of practice of small animal veterinary medicine.....or so I thought....I now am on call 24/7 for my girlfriend's 4 dogs,her two sons Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs and 3 mix breeds owned by her nephew.....forgot little Bentley a rescue Jack Russell terrier with bilateral cataracts that we are currently fostering...(9/15)
Gary Miller '79 (Biology) I am currently in my first semester as Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. Arrived here after three years as Chancellor at UNC Wilmington. After W&M received Ph.D. from Mississippi State in biostatistics then to faculty positions at Weber State University, Ole Miss (14 years; half as chair of biology;); University of the Pacific (Dean); Wichita State (Provost) then to UNCW. I have three children and five grand children. Great start at W&M. Thanks Dr. Byrd!!! Check out ECOLOGY. 2000, Ricklefs and Miller. (1/15)
Wendy Rilling LeBolt '83 (Biology) I have recently published a book titled, Fit2Finish: Keeping Your Soccer Players in the Game. It addresses the prevalence of injuries in youth soccer and how our current training can be modified to support healthy, high performance sport for our young players. (10/14)
Gabi Cameron Griffin '06 (Biology) I recently finished my PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill and am a postdoctoral associate at Duke University, where I research the genetics of epilepsy. (10/14)
Kevin Grierson Grierson '89 (Biology) Kevin recently became the Co-chair of the Intellectual Property Group of the law firm of Culhane Meadows PLLC. He resides near Jamestown, VA with his wife and youngest son. (10/14)
Samuel Waldo '73 (Biology) After graduation, I was urged by Dr. Byrd to consider the new Environmental Sciences and Engineering graduate program at Virginia Tech. I graduated with an MS from the College of Engineering in 1975. After 6 years with the Virginia Water Control Board, I moved to Massachusetts to work in private industry setting up the hazardous waste disposal programs for Raytheon. In 1987, I took a job heading up Corporate Environmental Programs for Amphenol Corporation in Wallingford, Connecticut and have been here ever since, overseeing worldwide EHS, Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Programs. (10/14)
Sheila Martineau Knerr '88 (Biology) Living in Pennsylvania. Working as a Pediatric Hospitalist for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Married to my college sweetheart Jeff Knerr (BS Physics 1987 W&M). We just brought our oldest of 3 kids Hannah down to W&M for her freshman year. She is thinking about a major in...Biology. (10/14)
Michael Mack '77 (Biology) Wow, just read some of the alumni news and it was fun hearing how everyone is doing, so I'm jumping in. Following graduation in 1977, I roamed the west for a year and then became a policeman, serving six years in patrol and two on the tactical squad. I then joined the Foreign Service as an agent with Diplomatic Security, where I have served for 27 years now in Washington, Warsaw, La Paz, Bujumbura, Damascus, and Amman. I was recently promoted and am now the deputy director for counterintelligence for the State Department. I did not pursue a career in biology, but it remains my first love. (10/14)
John Dennis '85 (Biology) Dr. John Dennis is Director of Veterinary Services for FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research in Silver Spring, MD. He and his family live in Potomac, MD. (10/14)
Eric Chen '00 (Biology) After a great four years at W&M, I attended medical school at UNC, graduating in 2007 after a 3-year foray into grad school as part of the MD-PhD program there. I completed my residency in Family Medicine in scenic Hendersonville, NC in 2010 and then completed an Obstetrics fellowship at the University of Utah in 2011. (10/14)
I now serve as an Assistant Professor and core faculty member at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Carilion Clinic VTC Family Medicine Residency program, respectively, in Roanoke, VA. My wife, Lauren ('02), serves as the Corporate Governance Secretary for the Carilion Clinic system and we have two wonderful boys, Avery (class of 2030) and Everett (class of 2035). (10/14)
Dilara Kiran '14 (Biology) Dilara Kiran ('14) began her first year in the combined degree DVM/PhD program at Colorado State University this fall. She will spend the next seven years attending veterinary school and completing her PhD (most likely studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis). She loves everything about her program and the city of Fort Collins and would be happy to answer any questions regarding veterinary school, research experiences, and the overall graduate application process. She may be contacted at dilarakiran92@gmail.com. (10/14)
David Callahan '86 (Biology) I am busy working on the Ebola Virus outbreak as part of my career here at CDC, where I have been for the past 15 years. For new graduates choosing medical careers, remember that family physicians can do anything they would like to do. (8/14)
Rachel Kelley '12 (Biology) Just graduated from Drexel University with a MS in Human Nutrition. I will begin my dietetic internship at the National Institutes of Health in August! (6/14)
Michael Sebetich '69 (Biology) Following the Master's degree at W&M, earned a Ph.D. in Ecology at Rutgers University in 1972. Was an Aquatic Biologist for USGS in CA for four years. Taught for 35 years, and then retired in 2012 from William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ. I try to fly-fish as much as I can. (5/14)
Carolyn Kovacs '09 (Biology) I completed my Masters of Science in the Marine Sciences at Savannah State University in 2012 and then taught and worked at the university for a year. In 2013 I joined the semester-at-sea program Seamester as a marine science instructor, and have spent the past year living aboard a schooner as we sailed from Tahiti to Australia to Thailand. I am enjoying teaching and traveling the world, and am excited for our next trip in September we will venture across from Singapore to South Africa! (5/14)
Andrea Seiffertt '00 (Biology) Just stopped my private medical practice to travel and write a book on integrative medicine, as well as hoping to learn more about how the ACA is being implemented in other states, and how Osteopathic medicine is practiced in Europe. Should be interesting! (5/14)
Maya Cough-Schulze '11 (Sociology (Biology minor)) I'll be starting a Master's degree in Environmental Management at Duke University's Nicholas School this fall, concentrating in Ecosystem Science and Conservation. (5/14)
Daniel Muccio '81 (Biology) After graduating from W&M I obtained a MD from Temple in Philadelphia. I then completed a residency in Neurological Surgery at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. After spending 12 years running my own private practice in suburban Pittsburgh I moved to St. Vincent Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania where I serve as Chief of Neurosurgery. I am married with 3 children and enjoy coaching lacrosse at the local high school. (3/14)
Jan Hecker Klein '79 (Biology) Just a recap, nothing "newsworthy". I've been practicing Emergency Medicine in the Pittsburgh area for 20 something years with a brief sojourn to Washington state. Thought I was just coming here for residency but ended up staying after marrying a Pittsburgh boy, Michael Klein. We have two boys, Jacob, 19, is a music major at Duquesne Univ. and Julian, 15, is a sophomore in HS. Although a confirmed botanist at W&M, I crossed to the dark side (medicine) for my professional track. I feed my plant love as a Phipps Master Gardener and a backyard vegetable gardener. Love to visit campus when home to see family in Williamsburg and Newport News. (1/14)
Peter De Lisle '78 (Biology) I received my Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography from VIMS in 1988 and started up Coastal Bioanalysts, Inc., an environmental toxicology testing and consulting firm located in Gloucester, VA. I married Pam Blasco (W&M 1979) in 1980 and we have three grown children, Lillian, Stephen and Andrew. We split our time between our homes on the Chesapeake Bay and in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Life is truly good.(11/13)
Kendall Powell Odorizzi '97 (Biology) Just an update to say that my book project is now finished, The Science Writers' Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Pitch, Publish and Prosper in the Digital Age came out in May. Written with about 30 other freelance science writers, the book is a resource for anyone considering a career in science writing. I blog with the other co-authors at pitchpublishprosper.com where the book is available for sale. (10/13)
Christina Horton '13 (BS - Biology) I'm in my first year of dental school at VCU. It's going well, and I couldn't be happier! (10/13)
Abhi Rao '03 (BS - Biology) After W&M I went to graduate school at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign where I received my PhD in Molecular Biology. I then did a postdoctoral fellowship at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Recently I began a new job at the NIH as a Program Manager for the NCI. I remember my biology professors fondly and hope that the program there has gotten even stronger! (10/13)
Tom Spoehr '80 (BS - Biology) Promoted in the Army to the rank of Lieutenant General. Member of the Army's Chemical Corps which is responsible for the protection of our Soldier and country from Weapons of Mass Destruction (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear). First officer in the Army Chemical Corps to be promoted to this rank. (10/13)
Rachel Kelley '12 (BS - Biology) I am in my second and final year of my MS Human Nutrition program at Drexel University. I also work as a graduate assistant in Dr. Stella Volpe's sports nutrition lab. (10/13)
Susan Smith Bradshaw '81 (BS - Biology) I married Brian Bradshaw ('81, Biology) in 1983 after we met as lab partners in Dr. Byrd's Comparative Anatomy class. We both graduated from medical school at MCV and completed our residencies there, Brian in Internal Medicine and me in Pediatrics. Brian has been in private practice in Richmond (Chesterfield Co.) since 1989. I worked part time in health department clinics until our fourth child was born and started homeschooling a few years later. Our children are Emily,26, Zach,24, Laura,20, and Marybeth, 18.
Now that I have worked myself out of my homeschooling job I am waiting to discover my next opportunity. (10/13)
Caroline Coogan '13 (BS - Biology and Environmental Science) As of May 2013 I have been working with The Ocean Foundation to provide the "business side" of marine conservation projects. I accepted their kind offer to stay through May 2014 after my summer internship was completed. January will see me tagging sharks and monitoring sea turtle nests in the Caribbean as an extension of my junior year study abroad program. I am enjoying my time working in the office and in the field work while I research graduate programs for marine conservation/policy. (10/13)
Chris Mast Witherspoon '82 (BS - Biology) I've put my W&M degrees in biology and marine science education to good use as an educator for 25 years at the Virginia Aquarium. This career has given me the opportunity to see and do many unique things. I'm now the Director of Education and welcome any current students interested in exploring careers in public aquariums, animal husbandry, or marine science education to contact me. (10/13)
Jon Snider '06 (BS - Biology) Finishing Neurology residency at University of Michigan, where starting July 1st 2014 I will also be undertaking Movement Disorder Fellowship. (10/13)
Eve Fischer Earley '74 (BS - Biology) I lived and worked in San Francisco after college. I worked as a Jr. Research Biologist at Carnegie Mellon U. from 1979-1982, with Dr. Janice O'Donnell, using Drosophila melanogaster to study a gene-enzyme pathway. I graduated from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1986 and have practiced in Indianapolis ever since. (10/13)
Rebecca McAteer '04 (BS - Biology) After four GREAT years at W&M, I attended New York Medical College, graduating with honors (Alpha Omega Alpha) in 2008 and then completing a primary care residency training in family medicine in 2011 at Lancaster General Hospital (PA). After just finishing a faculty development/Arts-in-Medicine fellowship at Georgetown University School of Medicine, I moved to Nepal to work at Tansen Mission Hospital, where I will be serving for the next two years. W&M's Biology program prepared me very well for a great career in medicine & service!! (10/13)
Brittany Krantz ('08 BS - Biology) I began the Master's Physician Assistant Program at Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, Va. (10/13)
Lynn Johnson Moseley '70 (BS - Biology) After graduating from Wm and Mary, I went straight into graduate school in Zoology at UNC-Chapel Hill where I studied behavior and communication in birds. Four months after finishing my Ph.D., I was hired as an assistant professor at Guilford College in Greensboro. I've had a wonderful career teaching Animal Behavior and Ornithology, among other things, and taking students to East Africa, the Galapagos, and other awe-inspiring places around the world. I was named Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology about 10 years ago.
My older daughter just finished her Ph.D. in Biology at UMass-Amherst, and she also studied birds (vocal performance, song learning and female choice). So Dr. Byrd is responsible for two generations of ornithologists in our family!
I'll be retiring this May, so if there's a recent Wm and Mary alum with a background in avian biology and behavior, please apply for my job! (10/13)
Amanda Pletcher Paull '01 (BS - Biology) Amanda has been married to W&M alum Travis Paull ('99) for eleven years. They have lived in places such as Birmingham, AL; Richmond, VA; and now Williamsburg, VA. They love taking trips to Busch Gardens, and their 5-year old daughter, Angela is already tall enough to ride the Loch Ness. Amanda practices part-time as an optometrist where she has found an unique niche of providing home vision services to individuals and nursing home residents. Her husband manages their business and he also provides financial services and teaches percussion lessons. In their spare time, they enjoy attending church activities, playing music at nursing homes, and checking out the latest flavors at Sweet Frog. (10/13)
Dorothy Guild Tompkins '62 (BS - Biology) Now retired, I am volunteering a lot with Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists. I am leader of a Junior Naturalists 4-H group, teach a gardening class in the Reentry Program at the local jail, teach classes on Native and Invasive Plants and on gardening with native plants and lead birding groups. I also teach women in the jail a Substance Abuse Education Class. (10/13)
Christopher Muir '06 (BS - Biology) I finished my Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology in June 2013 at Indiana University. I started a post-doc at the Biodiversity Research Centre at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. (10/13)
William Wolfe '65 (BS - Biology) Recently left work as Medical Director at the Indiana State Reformatory and am now working at an urgent care center in Muncie, IN. (10/13)
John Savage '09 (BS - Biology) Teaching high school chemistry and AP biology, and coaching the water polo and swim teams. (10/13)
Desiree Hunt Floyd '98 (BS - Biology and English) Hi! I am a Research Scientist at the University of Virginia in the Neurology Department, Neuro-Oncology Division. I work in the lab of Dr. Benjamin Purow and we have published several big papers this year. I earned my Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from Washington University in St. Louis in 2005. I am very open to having current W and M students or recent alums visit me to check out the lab and the grounds here. If you want me to come speak and give a seminar, I am always willing to do so. (10/13)
