Class notes

Christopher Terry ’66 was inducted into the Harford County Public Schools’ Educator Hall of Fame in February. Terry’s career spanned 32 years as a teacher and assistant principal and 28 years as a principal. He retired in 1998. 

Joseph Boyle ’68 published “‘These are artful villains’ Maryland Runaways, 1789-1794.” 

Pamela Windsor ’78 was recently elected to board of directors at House of Ruth Maryland and serves on its H.R. committee, strategic planning task force and as a mentor to a staff member. Windsor also engaged in a communications advisory role for an elephants and bees research center project in Tanzania. She is a member of TU’s CHP Advisory Council and actively participates in classes at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at TU, where she serves on its curriculum committee. Windsor provides an annual College of Health Professions nursing scholarship and named the Labor and Delivery Suite (Gabriel's Gift) at the Health Professions Building in memory of her grandson. 

Mark Friis ’83 celebrated 40 years with AT&T in New Jersey, Florida and North Carolina. 

Hope Tarr ’86 published the historical novel, “Stardust,” the second in her American Songbook Series, in February. The novel, published by Joffe Books, follows Daisy Blakely, who arrives in Paris in 1938, to apprentice with legendary fashion designer Coco Chanel. 

Jim DeCarlo ’87 published “Honk: A Leadership Journey of Hope, Love, and Joy.” 

Steve Blake ’89 serves as assistant director of gift planning at Penn State University, where he recently completed his 15th year as a development officer and 41st year in education external relations. 

Tim Dzubak ’89 retired Feb. 1, 2025, after a 35-year career as court psychologist of the 31st District Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in Manassas, Virginia. 

Michael Ertel ’89 represents the 6th District (which includes the Towson, Parkville and Rosedale areas) on the Baltimore County Council. In January, he was elected by his colleagues to be the council chair. 

Russell Farmarco ’91 directed and edited the feature length film “Permanent Damage” in 1992. Thirty-three years later, the film found distribution on a special edition Blu-Ray. The crew included writer Jeffrey Howard ‘91, director of photography Andre Owens ’90, ’25, line producer/A.D. Paul Zinder ‘91, art director Todd Seltzer ‘90, production mixer Robin Meier ‘89, gaffer Glen Stratakes ‘90, production assistant Joy Lusco-Kecken ’92 and composer Paul Mathews ’90. The cast included Dana Whipkey ’90, James “Jimi” Kinstle ’90, Patrick Johnson ’90, Andrew Rothkin ’90, Elizabeth Lexa ’91, Jacqueline Underwood ’90, Rebecca Cohen ’90, John Benoit ’92, David Calkins ’92, Ivan C. Hall ’92, Andi Shrem ’92, Cortland Smith ’92, Christy Salerno ’91 and Hillary Isquith ’90. Also featured in small roles were the late former TU President Maravene Loeschke ’69, ’71 and her late husband, former professor and theatre department chair Richard Gillespie. 

Jerry Mitchell '91, '93 is professor and chair of the Department of Geography at the University of South Carolina. He recently published his sixth book, "The Handbook of Geography Education." 

Jason Cohen ’93 was appointed managing director of the Maryland State Ad Agency (MSAA). A division of Maryland Public Television, MSAA delivers comprehensive advertising services to state agencies, and Cohen will oversee operations, business development and client relations. He brings extensive experience in digital marketing, having most recently served as digital marketing manager at Audacy and as vice president at Spokes Marketing. His leadership will strengthen MSAA’s mission to support Maryland state agencies with innovative advertising solutions. 

Richard Holley ’96 is the 2025 Towson University Alumni Volunteer of the Year. 

Matthew Witenstein ’96 recently accepted a position as associate professor with tenure in the Department of Teacher Education, Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of New Mexico. Witenstein also serves as a senior research fellow in the School of Educational Studies, Claremont Graduate University. His upcoming co-authored textbook is “Comparative and International Education: An Introduction.” 

David Campaigne ’97 is now a senior partner at Blue Trust, a wealth management and trust services company headquartered in Atlanta, with 17 branch offices across the country. Campaigne serves clients from the mid-Atlantic branch office in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and is in his 24th year with the company. 

Izabela Lopes ’97 joined Snap Inc. as senior director of screens and services for North America. Lopes will be leading one of the ad sales teams across multiple industries. 

Jaime Crosthwait ’98 successfully completed the Active and Adventure Travel Specialist Program with Travel Leaders Network and is now a certified active and adventure travel specialist. 

Kaija Langley ’00 published her third children's book in May. “A Century for Caroline” is an intergenerational story about a great-granddaughter meeting her great-grandmother for the first time on the latter’s 100th birthday. The book was inspired by Langley's grand-aunt, who lived in Baltimore and lived to 100. 

Samantha Peller ’01 received the Be Brad Voiceover Community Award from the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA). As a voice actor and cofounder of the Vocal Victims Advocacy Group (VVAG), Peller was recognized at the NAVA gala for her leadership and advocacy in addressing unethical practices in the voiceover industry. She was also recently featured on the Voice Acting Stories podcast, where she shared the origin and mission of VVAG. 

Stacie Bakalar ’04 recently was featured by the Producers Guild of America in a “Day in the Life” spotlight that highlighted Bakalar’s work as a post-production producer in the TV and film industry. 

Amy (Ricedorf) Lyon ’04 was promoted to president/CEO of United Way of Southeast Mississippi, after serving as its director of community impact since July 2022. 

Deon Avery ’06 co-founded Charm City Garden Montessori: A Wildflower School (CCGM). Set to open in fall 2026, CCGM will become Baltimore City’s first public Montessori high school, offering a nature-based, interdisciplinary and student-centered learning experience for high schoolers across the city. Avery brings nearly 20 years of experience in education to this initiative, having served as a Spanish teacher, assistant principal and principal across Baltimore City, its surrounding counties and Washington, D.C.  

Steven Lessner ’07 was elected to serve as a committee member for a four-year term on the College Section Steering Committee (CSSC) of the National Council of Teachers of English. 

Robert Plant ’10 published the book “Dark Matter.” It's a collection of seven short stories in which technology, morality and human nature collide.  

Hisham Valiuddin ’11 was recently recognized by The Maryland Daily Record as a Physician of the Year as part of their 2025 Health Care Heroes Awards. 

Keris Kingsland Short ’12 became a partner at E & S Construction Engineers, Inc. Kingsland Short is the youngest partner the firm has ever had as well as the first female partner.

Miles Engel-Hawkbecker ’14 wrote and directed the film “Transformers: Terminal.” Theresa Tomi Faison ’17 is the movie’s producer and editor.  

Bethany Michalski ’16 had two projects premiere at the Oscar-qualifying SXSW Film Festival in which she served as the director of photography. One is a feature film, “She’s The He,” and the other a television series, “Denim.” 

Ilka Knüppel ’17 published the book “Finding Ruth: A Personal Story of Hitler's Secret Euthanasia Program Aktion T4.” 

Morgan Brennan ’18 was promoted to assistant manager of the chemistry section of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab. 

Philip Ravita ’21 has a new CD, “Alice Blue,” which placed No. 1 in mainstream jazz releases. The tune “Broken Light” placed No. 1 for newly released mainstream jazz singles on Roots Music Report.   

Megan Lovely ’22 partnered with 11 organizations and five artists based in Baltimore to create a “Story Market,” where vendors and community members exchanged stories about tastes of home, Baltimore’s food environment and community created around the dinner table. Her thesis evolved into a four-year storytelling project at the 32nd Street Farmers Market in Baltimore, which is now documented in her book " Story Seeds: Growing Home at the Farmers Market. "