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Fall 2024
Marist magazine
Marist magazine
  • Features
  • Campus Updates
  • Class Notes
    • Class Notes 1960-69
    • Class Notes 1970–79
    • Class Notes 1980–89
    • Class Notes 1990–99
    • Class Notes 2000–09
    • Class Notes 2010–19
    • Class Notes 2020-24
    • Remembrances
  • Archives
  • Podcasts
  • Support Marist

Asset Publisher

2000

An image of David Rahner, Class of 2000, who won a news Emmy Award for photography.
David Rahner '00 won a news Emmy Award for photography.

Jessica (Cooper) Palliardi was honored with the Simon Konover Recognition for Excellence in Holocaust Teaching award presented by Connecticut Voices of Hope and the Hero Center. 

David Rahner achieved a career goal of winning the news Emmy for photography in November 2021. This was his second nomination in this category and first win. New York is one of the biggest and most competitive news markets in the country and he is so excited to win this award here. For the past 23 years, David has worked as a TV news cameraman or, as it's known in the industry, an ENG photographer. He has spent most of his career at News 12 Long Island.

Donna Roberts self-published her second novel, Running with Hounds...and an English Degree (authordmroberts.com).
 

2001

Melissa (Novick) McCarthy ’07MA passed the NASM Personal Trainer Certification Exam and took over a small local business, Jazzercise Poughkeepsie.

Kelly Murray ’01MA is now an adjunct professor at Marist. She loves giving back to the community that had such a positive impact on her as a student.
 

2002

Matthew Durdovic ’03MA is working for the US Marine Corps as a substance abuse clinical counselor.

Michelle Pantaleo ’13MPA got married Sept. 4, 2021, to George Nolen ’02 but didn't know him in college!

Tenise (Cole) Wall has a counseling business that is now incorporated: Tenise Wall, LCSW Counseling Services PLLC, in Middletown, NY. She specializes in children/adolescents, grief and loss, trauma, depression/anxiety, substance use, couples, and Christian counseling.    
 

2003

Arika (Garcia) Manapat was promoted to research compliance manager at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.  

Michelle (Slesinski) Wolff has returned to the Fox Den! After 14 years working for Dutchess County Animal Hospital as operations manager, she joined the Registrar’s Office as records processor in October 2021. She is proud to come home to Marist and looks forward to her future with the Registrar team. Michelle and her husband, Aaron ’03, reside in Poughkeepsie with their two children and future Red Foxes, Wesley and Lucy. 
 

2004

Michelle (Cappelli) Martinetti opened a new business, River Valley Arts Center, a multiuse facility in the Village of Wappingers Falls, NY, for arts and community programs.

Catherine Solazzo has been appointed chief marketing officer for Syntax, a cloud provider. She has more than 18 years of experience in the IT industry. Before joining Syntax, she served as the SVP of marketing at TD SYNNEX and held multiple positions during her 17 years at the IBM Corp. Her roles have been both domestic and international, including three years on assignment in Japan. She has been recognized by CRN magazine as among the Most Powerful Women of the Channel (2021), 100 People You Don’t Know But Should (2020), and Women of the Channel (2020, 2021).
 

2005

Jessica (Donnelly) Akopyan ’06MA was promoted to head of global media relations, executive director, at biotechnology company Amgen, headquartered outside of Los Angeles. She and her husband recently bought their first home where they live with their sons Abel, 4, and Apollo, 2. 

Marybeth Kunsch started a new job at CBRE in June 2022. 

Andrew Magda completed his EdD in educational leadership.
 

2006

Kristen (Meltzer) Rattanamongkhoune ’08MA and Somp Rattanamongkhoune welcomed son Oliver Thomas in July 2022. He is their second child and the sixth grandchild for Matt (’78) and Terry Meltzer.

Katherine Zheng has been promoted to director in the Commercial Business Group of accounting, tax, and advisory firm Marks Paneth LLP. With more than 15 years of experience, Katherine provides audit, accounting, and business consulting services to closely held businesses and partnerships. 
 

2007

Bethany (Bohlin) and Brian Hodge are thrilled to have welcomed twins, August and Beatrice, in December 2021. Bethany works for Club Adventures as head of product. Brian is director of communications for the Office of the Attorney General for Rhode Island. Bethany, Brian, Gus, and Bea live in Pawtucket, RI.

2008

Dana Montaruli and Jared Pennella welcomed a daughter, Ava, in December 2019 and a son, Luke, in September 2022. Dana has been working in HR for Northwell Health since May 2020. 

2009

Sarah Briggs became engaged to Bryan Cooper in Geneva, NY, on March 3, 2022. They will be wed in July of 2023.

Lucille (Ruggieri) Lang shares that after retiring from 15 years in financial services and 10 years in the human service industry, she now serves alongside her husband, Jeff, as a Stephens Minister and youth group leader at Goodwill Church in Montgomery, NY. She is also thrilled to be a grandmother to six boys and six girls, and besides her own two children, she has four bonus stepchildren.

Margeaux Lippman received the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2022. The award is the highest honor that the SUNY system confers on a professor in recognition of superior achievement and ongoing excellence. She also received a 40 Under 40 Award from the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

Timothy Ondrey ’16MSIS married Catherine Kiley on June 18, 2022, in Boston, MA.

Catherine Becker and Ryan Smith welcomed a baby girl, Adeline Hudson, in September 2022. Ryan self-published a book entitled FINALLY!...An Infertility Book for Dudes which is available on Amazon. 
 

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