1970s
Jim Meyerhoff ’70 was inducted into the White River High School Athletic Hall of Fame in April. A longtime high school athletic director, Meyerhoff spent 10 years in that role at White River. Meyerhoff was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.
Geoffrey Pagen ’73 is an artist whose studio work spans a global context. He has finished more than 100 site-specific commissioned ceramic projects around the world and has had 39 solo exhibitions and 80 group shows since 1975. He sent the Arches team this update, along with an invitation to alumni to stop by his Portland studio: “I think with my hands. I believe that ceramics allows that. So does painting and sculpture. I consider the materials I use as a collaboration; it is a carefully cultivated relationship. I like referencing nature in my work, and nature became a way for me to create a language which people could relate to.”
Peggy Patterson ’73 was one of seven women honored in March as a 2025 Great Woman of Washington Wine. She started Hoodsport Winery in 1978 as a small business venture with her husband when the family moved from Tacoma to Hoodsport. More than four decades later, Patterson continues to be a vocal advocate for the Washington wine industry and the need for ongoing research and education.
Douglas Lehman ’75 retired in 2017 from United Airlines as a Boeing 737 captain. He now volunteers at the Bread of Life Food Pantry as the chief procurement officer, serves as a trustee for Garfield Properties and Epworth United Methodist Church, and is involved in a spousal grief group called Helping Other People Evolve (HOPE), where he helps grieving people understand and get through their loss.
Neal Marcus ’75 sent the Arches team this update: “I attended Puget Sound for my freshman year only. I loved everything about the school... and was fortunate to make friends from all over the U.S. and Washington. [However] I made the difficult decision to drop out because I did not have enough academic yearning to put my parents through the expense. Through all of the subsequent 53 years, I believe I have come to Tacoma/Gig Harbor every year to visit my lifelong friends. I have attended most of the 10-year reunions, and I look forward to getting every issue of Arches. The main thing I learned as a Logger is that my life would have been cheated if I had not met all the wonderful people there.”
Marty Conger ’76 received a Sammy Award from the Richland Rotary Club in November. The award honors leaders in the Tri-Cities community who have contributed to entrepreneurship through the creation of jobs, mentorships, investments, programs, or services. Conger spent 42 years at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in various positions, including 12 years as chief financial officer.
John Mitchell ’77, a retired teacher and coach, received a Lifetime Recognition Award from the Washington State Coaches Association in 2024 for coaching football and track for 60 seasons combined.
Jan Bolerjack ’78, P’01, Hon.’22, the lead pastor at Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila, Wash., has had her work with her church sheltering asylum-seekers featured in The Seattle Times, KIRO, KUOW, and other media regularly in the last two years. In her work, Bolerjack spreads a message of social justice and inspires her congregation to serve its community.
Kevin Maddux ’78 was featured in a story on King 5 about his farm, Cascade Blueberry Farm, which was part of the Whatcom County Farm to Table map.
Rick Rakevich ’78 was inducted into the Elma Athletics Hall of Fame in December. He wrestled for the Loggers and was a two-time NCAA Division II National Tournament qualifier and team captain his senior year. After graduation, he returned to teach and coach the Elma High School Eagles for 26 years, 16 as a head coach where he had a dual-meet record of 115-35-1.
Kitsap County District Court Judge Jeffrey J. Jahns ’78, JD’81 announced in January he would retire May 31. His law career for Kitsap County began in 1995 as a chief deputy prosecutor. He served there until his appointment to District Court in 2009.
1980s
John Oppenheimer ’80, P’11, P’14, CEO of the Columbia Hospitality Group, was named to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Power 100 list of the region’s most influential business leaders in November. The list identifies leaders who define what the region has become and reflect its lineage, and who are the influencers, innovators, and luminaries in their fields.
Erik Modahl ’82 was featured in an article from Endicott College about his vision for Beantrust Coffeebar, a café that is a welcoming haven for students, staff, and locals. Modahl has been dubbed the “Mr. Rogers of Beverly” and says the relationship with Endicott was a natural extension of his mission.
An October article in the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily celebrated the work of Rebecca Davy ’83, who has served the historic Bruton Parish in Williamsburg since 2004. As the full-time music director and organist, she directs two choirs and handbells, administers the church’s extensive Candlelight Concert series, and plays for services and numerous concerts.
The Case of the Missing Maid, the new historical mystery series set in 1898 Chicago by Rob Osler ’85, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. It said: “The first woman hired by a Chicago detective agency faces one daunting challenge after another in this excellent historical series launch from Osler. With lush historical detail, optimistic but plausible gender politics, and an unforgettable heroine, this series is primed for success.”
The Washington Library Association announced that Candy Ranney ’85 is the Elementary Librarian of the Year. Since 2006, she’s been the library media specialist at Mountain View Elementary School in Shelton, Wash. “I hope [students] realize that later in life, the library is the place for them to not only get books, but to explore and get help with things they need,” Ranney told the Shelton-Mason County Journal. “You want to be able to give them tools to better themselves.”
In November, LeeAnn Cochran ‘86, CEO of Cochran Inc., was named to the Puget Sound Business Journal’s Power 100 list of the region’s most influential business leaders. In March, Cochran Inc. was featured as the Journal’s cover story as the 2025 Family Business of the Year. The Cochran family business played a role in some of Seattle’s most iconic structures, including the Space Needle, the Amazon Spheres, and the Columbia Tower.
Brian Webster ’86 was named one of Healthcare Technology Report’s Top 50 Healthcare Technology CEOs of 2024. For the past 18 years, he has been the president and CEO of Kestra Medical Technologies.
A February article in Sports Illustrated discussed the recent move of sports agent Cameron Foster JD’91 to a new role as senior director of contracts and cap management at the University of Washington. Foster first gained attention in the sports world in 1989 when, as a second-year law student at Puget Sound, he joined forces with Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley to form their own agency. Since then, he has represented more than 100 athletes, including many former Huskies and pro athletes.
1990s
John Ott ’91 was named interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University in March. A specialist in medieval European history, Ott joined Portland State University in 1999 as an assistant professor of history and served as chair of the History Department
from 2019 to 2024.
Mitchel Townsend ’91 is the new chair of the Lewis County Republicans. The longtime educator at Centralia College, who will serve a two-year term as the new chair of the party, was profiled in the Centralia Chronicle in December.
Ed Walker ’91, co-owner and president of Walker Construction Inc., retired in January after a 32-year career in Spokane. Walker is a fourth-generation contractor who joined his father’s company in 1992 and has been a co-owner since then. He became president of the company in 2019.
Brent Wilcox ’91, CEO of Wilcox Farms, was quoted in an article by Cascade PBS about how egg producers in the Northwest are taking precautions against the latest outbreak of avian flu. Wilcox’s farms have been spared so far, but increasing production to meet the demand requires long-term planning and investment.
Michelle Crowley ’92 was sworn in as Boston Society of Landscape Architects President in October. Crowley has spent more than 20 years working to bring accessible, enjoyable landscapes to a wide variety of people.
In December, Nabil Ayers ’93 published a piece titled A Wrong Turn in Mississippi in the New York Times. In the article, Ayers relates his experience searching for the house where his enslaved ancestors lived in Holly Springs, Miss., and getting help from an unexpected source.
Journalist Angela King ’93 won the Charles E. Odegaard Award in February, the highest University of Washington community-awarded diversity honor. For 30 years, King has produced hard-hitting reports on race and equity, exposed white supremacist organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and been a champion of diversity and inclusion in the newsroom.
Talli Oxnam ’94 was named to the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Board of Directors in November. Oxnam is executive vice president of Wye Financial Partners, the investment division of Shore United Bank.
Jaimi Cyrus ’95 sent the Arches team this update in November: “Have you ever dreamed of an extended overland adventure to travel along the ancient Silk Road and experience all that Central Asia has to offer? My husband and I have embarked on a journey to do just that. We are traveling in our ‘Giraffe’ expedition vehicle and so far have covered over 19,000 kilometers through 12 countries in 127 days on the road.” Follow along on Instagram (@giraffe_gone_global).
Joel Karty ’95 was profiled in a story about his son, Joshua, a kicker with the Los Angeles Rams, in Essentially Sports. After graduating from Puget Sound, Karty earned a Ph.D. in physical and organic chemistry at Stanford University and started teaching at Elon University in 2001.
The Hollywood Reporter announced in March that Stacey Wilson Hunt ’96 has teamed with NeueHouse to launch My Hollywood Story, a filmed podcast series set to begin production with episodes dropping weekly on YouTube and major podcast platforms. Described as “equal parts personal history, master class, and wild revelations,” each episode puts Wilson Hunt opposite actors, directors, producers, writers, and other industry professionals as they trace their professional journeys.
Brian Gross ’98 started work in January as chief operating officer at the San Francisco office of Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm. As part of the company’s executive leadership team, Gross will drive initiatives for the firm’s continued growth and transformation.
In October, Russell Investments announced the appointment of Shelly Heier ’98 as global head of institutional client service, a newly created role. Heier was previously at Verus Investments for 24 years, most recently as president and senior consultant.
2000s
Coleen Dyble Slinkard ’00 received the annual Extra Mile Award in December 2024 from the American Chamber of Commerce, recognizing her extraordinary contributions towards the chamber’s activities, events, visits, or special meetings.
Ali Dennison ’01 is an engineering geologist working as a consultant, mostly solving geohazard problems for residential clients throughout the West Sound. In her spare time, she swims, bikes, runs, and skis. Dennison is currently raising money for the Ironman Foundation and training for what she calls “the biggest event of my life,” the 2025 Women’s VinFast Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i. She will be competing on Oct. 11, 2025, in the 2.4-mile ocean water swim, 112-mile bike ride through lava fields, and 26.2-mile run.
Jeremiah Donati ’01 is the new athletic director at the University of South Carolina. He had served in the same role at Texas Christian University.
Lani Keller ’01, was announced as a Rising Star in Education in San Diego Magazine’s Celebrating Women Awards of 2024. Keller is the Wu Tsai Endowed Chair in Science at the Bishop’s School in San Diego County. She serves as director of the Center for Creative Sciences, teaches honors biology, and mentors independent studies.
Mele Moore Miller ’01 was named a Woman to Watch in South Sound Magazine in November. As founder and CEO of RiteSize Consulting, she works to create a more equitable future through the loving disruption of money culture in America.
When Daniel Nguyen ’01 and his wife, Katherine Lam, were inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame in September, they became the first Oregon residents to receive this honor. Nguyen and Lam are the founders of Bambuza Hospitality Group, a successful restaurant and retail company with locations throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Michael Caranci ’03 published Poor Man’s Rest: The Legacy of Belize’s First Fishing Lodge, about fishing and the history of the oldest fishing lodge in Belize. The book is a study of the advancement of angling tourism, the personal family chronicles of the current owners, and the ways in which the lodge and these families have played a role in the growing conservation ethos. Caranci is an international fly-fishing travel consultant who lives in Palo Cedro, Calif., with his wife Kerry Sinnott Caranci ’03 and their son.
Mariette Clardy-Davis ’03 was appointed to the Association of Corporate Counsel-Georgia Chapters Board of Directors in 2025. The association promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations, and organizations.
Brittany Henderson ’03 directed It’s a Wonderful Life at the Lakewood Playhouse in December. Henderson has been active in the South Sound theatre community for the last 17 years, in roles both onstage and off.
Jon Kendrick ’03 joined the California Chamber of Commerce in January 2025 as a policy advocate focused on energy, climate, and transportation policy issues. Previously, he had worked as senior counsel in the Sacramento office of Buchalter, where he was a member of the law firm’s Energy and Natural Resources and Real Estate Practice Groups.
Camouflaj, the video game studio founded by Ryan Payton ’03, won Best VR/AR Game at the 2024 Game Awards for their virtual reality game Batman: Arkham Shadow. The studio, which Payton started in 2011, is known for its éܱܲ series, as well as Marvel’s Iron Man VR.
In November, Ashley Biggers ’04 joined host Inez Russell Gomez on her podcast, Conversations Different, to discuss the upcoming Santa Fe New Mexican’s winter offerings and its 175th anniversary issue. Biggers is the magazine’s editor at the Santa Fe New Mexican and leads the creation of multiple magazines year-round.
Ryan Chapman ’04 received a shout-out in the Seattle Met, in an article about books penned by Washingtonians. Chapman’s 2019 debut novel Riots I Have Known made the list.
Sarah Bodnar ’05 was named the new CEO at West Business Development Center in March, bringing with her more than 20 years of industry experience. In her new role, Bodnar focuses on expanding West Center’s outreach, strengthening partnerships, and developing programs tailored to the needs of small businesses.
After nearly 15 years of working in various planning positions with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Andrew Strobel ’05 shifted roles in January to work with Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello ’01 as the county’s strategic advisor for regional and tribal affairs. Strobel played a role in a variety of projects during his time with the Tribe, including the new Emerald Queen Casino and road and transportation projects on Tribal lands.
Morgan O’Neal Chaput ’06 was appointed as a pro tempore commissioner for the King County Juvenile Court Dependency bench. She will serve as a judicial officer for dependency cases when other judges are unavailable. Chaput had most recently worked as the advisor to the Child Advocate Program of Pierce County and Pierce County Juvenile Court Probation.
Tacoma-based WorkForce Central CEO Katie Condit ’07 was profiled in South Sound Business and South Sound Magazine in a story about local CEOs and presidents. As the leader of Pierce County’s workforce development system, WorkForce Central, Condit is responsible for brainstorming alongside her colleagues to identify new and stronger ways of meeting the emerging needs of employees and workers.
Evan Scandling ’07 is a sustainability manager with REI focused on accelerating the uptake of clean energy in product manufacturing. He has more than 15 years of experience advising, developing, and managing clean energy businesses, projects, and procurement strategies, and recently has started to specialize in corporate clean energy and supply chain decarbonization in international markets.
Hisae Uki ’07 was featured in an October article in Hawaii Business Magazine about daughters who “stepped up” to lead in family businesses. She currently works as vice president of business operations in the office of Sun Noodle, her family’s company, which makes about 200 different kinds of noodles, with ramen as their specialty.
Brycen Bye ’08, Ѵ’09 stepped down in March after 11 successful seasons coaching the Clarkston [Wash.] Bantams in football. Bye played football for Puget Sound and will continue to teach math at Clarkston High School.
Rachel Gross ’08, a professor of history at the University of Colorado-Denver, discussed her book, Shopping all the Way to the Woods: How the Outdoor Industry Sold Nature to America, on Feb. 5 on campus. Gross was featured in a Q&A in the Spring 2024 issue of Arches.
Rachel Zaslow ’08 joined Pendleton Square in October as a senior fiduciary officer and trust officer. In this role, she partners with a family’s legal counsel in preparing and reviewing trust and estate plans, and evaluates prospective trusts for administration.
Cori Palmer ’09 was profiled in Seattle Business Magazine in January as part of its Daring Women feature. Palmer is the market executive at the Seattle office of Mortenson, a Minneapolis-based construction company with a sizable Seattle presence. She leads a team that helped develop several notable buildings, including citizenM hotels and the Tilt49 office tower.
2010s
Spencer Crace ’10 is the new head football coach at George Fox University. He had served as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Pacific Lutheran University Lutes for seven seasons, and had spent three seasons prior to that as head coach at Sumner High School in Puyallup.
Minnesota-born comedian David Tveite ’10 was profiled in Willamette Week in January. He got into comedy while attending Puget Sound, and his first open mic was in 2010 at the defunct People’s Republic of Koffee in Seattle.
Merissa Moeller ’10 was elected partner at Stoel Rives LLP, one of the 200 largest law firms in the U.S., in January. Moeller is a natural resources attorney in the firm’s environmental group.
Trevor Carlson DPT’11 has published a book for new parents. In Tummy Time to Walking: Building a Foundation for Lifelong Success with Infant Movement, Carlson draws on his experience as a pediatric physical therapist to offer practical tools for parents to help their babies reach critical movement milestones.
Ellie Barber ’12, who uses the stage name Ollella, was profiled in PopMatters in April. The songwriter, singer, and cellist describes the flex of daily events on her latest album Antifragile.
Singer-songwriter Darcy Nelson ’12 released her debut album, Wild Awake, last year. In January, she told Arches: “I just celebrated my album release with my first headlining set at one of Denver’s main venues and still feel the afterglow. I am excited for all the growth moments in this season with my songwriting.”
Conrad Gowell ’12 presented on Pacific Northwest coastal stream habitats in a webinar for the Seven Capes Bird Alliance. Drawing on his background as a biologist for the Wild Fish Conservancy, he discussed how current and historic baselines of coastal stream environments have shifted and how the interconnectedness of aquatic ecosystems has affected salmon.
Bryan Fong ’13 was named senior project manager at Skyline Construction in October. He leads and mentors teams in his new role, embodying the belief that “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Elle Gasperini ’13 was awarded a Graduate Research and Creative Opportunities Grant from Western Washington University’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs earlier this year for her work on researching, building, and implementing a more solar-friendly energy policy. Gasperini is conducting a case study comparing how small-scale solar adoption has played out in Bellingham and Burlington, Vt.
Mark Cala ’15 was named the University of Texas at El Paso’s offensive coordinator in January. He had spent the previous two years as an assistant quarterbacks coach at Texas Christian University. Cala played football for the Loggers and coached the Loggers’ quarterbacks for a season after graduation.
Alicia Matz ’15 is the co-chair of CripAntiquity, an international advocacy organization for disabled and neurodivergent students, teachers, scholars, staff, artists, and writers in ancient studies. Matz has published on rape in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Roman religious thinking and its influence on Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and more.
Sam Zisette ’16 was profiled in the Puget Sound Business Journal in February. Zisette is a co-founder of the Ballard and Salmon Bay football clubs who played soccer for the Loggers as well as in USL League Two for Sounders U23 and professionally for the Tacoma Stars.
Emma Schmidt ’18, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in political theory and international relations at the University of Notre Dame, joined The Review of Politics as an editorial intern.
Ryan Weiler ‘19 is training and raising money to run the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon as part of Team Central Park Conservancy. He tells the Arches team: “Inspired by friends in the running community and my growing passion for public green spaces, I’m fundraising to help preserve and maintain Central Park—one of New York’s most iconic and cherished outdoor spaces.” Watch for his name as he crosses the finish line in the Nov. 2 race.
2020s
Grace Maria Eberhardt ’20, a Ph.D. student in history and a Latina/o studies minor at the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, co-wrote a guest column in the News-Gazette [Illinois] in February about moves to erase marginalized people from the record of U.S. history.
Jack Golbranson ’21 joined Hellmuth and Johnson as an associate in the firm’s litigation practice group in November. He represents clients in business disputes, construction defects, trust disputes, and more.
Kelby Hunt ’21, granddaughter of the late President Emeritus Phil Phibbs, was profiled in an article from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami in March. She is a fourth-year MD/MPH student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and was profiled by the school about her interest in academic medicine and how her experiences at Puget Sound affected her career path.
Hana DeGuzman ’22 appeared as a guest on an episode of The Fearless Warrior podcast titled, “The Psychology of Peak Performance.” DeGuzman, who played softball for the Loggers, is a coach with the Fearless Warrior Program, a softball training program.
Sophie Paul ’22 was profiled in the Armenian Mirror Spectator in November about her performance in a philanthropic concert entitled “A Musical Journey,” featuring original compositions by pianist Marina Margarian, in Rockport, Mass. Paul is working toward her Master of Music in Cello Performance at the Boston Conservatory.