1970s
Christine Condren ’72 BA recently retired as director of special education from the North East Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas. She had worked as a teacher and administrator in special education for 40 years.
Mary Betty Callender ’76 BSN retired from Ohio Health home care in Columbus, Ohio after 18 years in home infusion therapy, the last 15 years as manager of clinical services. She recently moved to her dream home, a log cabin, in the mountains of Southern West Virginia. She and her husband plan to enjoy hiking, kayaking and golfing with friends as well as their golden retriever, Grady.
Abe Cortez ’78 BBA has been selling world famous cowboy hats at Paris Hatters off Broadway and Houston in San Antonio, Texas and has served as the number one Stetson dealer in the United States.
1980s
Viola Benavente ’84 BSN (pictured left) is an assistant professor in the William F. Connell School of Nursing at Boston College. She is also active in the National Association of Hispanic Nurses among other professional nursing organizations.
Aline Harbison ’86 BA has been named associate director for catechetical leadership in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and will work with administrators and teachers in 86 elementary and secondary Catholic schools.
Eileen Burke-Faught ’87 BA received the Irishman of the Year award from the Harp and Shamrock Society.
Carla Cristadoro Fresquez ’87 BM and Juan Fresquez ’87 BS (pictured left) share a photo with their son, 2014 UIW graduate Diego Fresquez after his senior recital.
Dan Kirkpatrick ’87 BSN (pictured right), a clinical instructor at the Wright State University–Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health, was recently elected president of the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA). He received a two-year term. Kirkpatrick previously served on the association’s board of directors as first vice president. The largest professional nursing organization in Ohio, the ONA provides registered nurses a variety of services, including continuing education opportunities, information on nursing practice and standards of care, legislative advocacy and collective bargaining.
1990s
Raúl R. Calvoz ’90 BA (pictured left) became a partner in the Central Texas law firm of Tuggey Calvoz LLP.
Rebecca Ford ’90 MS practiced as a certified clinical nutritionist while continuing to work as a registered nurse. She recently attended Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Ariz. and now lives in San Antonio and owns Integrative Medicine Consultants of Texas.
Linda Calvert Jacobson ’90 BA (pictured right) was accepted to exhibit her contemporary wildflower paintings at Artexpo 2014, held in New York City, N.Y. April 4-6. This summer, Jacobson has been invited to have a solo show at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. Jacobson is represented by several national galleries around the country, including galleries in Stowe, Vt.; Jackson, Wyo.; Las Vegas, Nev.; and Carefree, Ariz. Her paintings have also been licensed for reproduction on products in the U.K., Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Lisa (Hutzler) McNary ’86 IWHS ’91 BA ’95 MA (pictured left) earned her Ph.D. in strategic leadership with a concentration in strategic foresight from Regent University in May.
Christine Mendez ’91 BA is the deputy for public relations and test control officer for the Fort Sam Houston Army Education Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston. She is also a licensed professional counselor and counsels service members and veterans on college, career and transition options.
Marianne Rodriguez ’91 BA is celebrating her fifth year as a Pampered Chef consultant.
Mary Anne Schweers ’91 BBA ’93 MBA is now director at Gimmal LLC.
Laura Vaccaro ’91 BBA has been promoted to the Valero Energy Foundation.
Sgt. Maj. Jose M. Picon ’95 BBA ’98 MBA (pictured left – second from left) is currently on his second tour of Afghanistan, and third deployment currently assigned as a contracting officer representative in Kabul. He works with the Intelligence and Security Command that oversees the interpreters’ contract.
Ronald Wojnar ’99 MA is an assistant professor and program coordinator of digital video and cinema production at Northwest Vista College.
2000s
Adriana Rocha Garcia ’00 BA ’02 MA completed a Ph.D. in advertising from the University of Texas at Austin in May. Her dissertation, “Delivering Value Through Social Networking,” is an interactive qualitative analysis of the undergraduate experience and using social media experience.
Dr. Maria Falcon-Cantrill ’01 BS (pictured left) currently serves as a pediatric oncologist at Pediatric Specialists of Texas. She volunteers for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation where volunteers shave their heads to raise awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research. Falcon-Cantrill also serves as a board member of Camp Discovery, a summer camp for children with cancer. Camp Discovery is referred to as the ‘greatest place on earth’ by the volunteers and planning committee members. When the stress and pressure of her work builds, Falcon-Cantrill said she is reminded of her guiding principle: “Faith is the ability not to panic.” Read more about Falcon-Cantrill on Alumni’s Cardinal Spotlight!
Francine B. Piña ’01 BBA and ’13 MAA (pictured left) along with her husband, W. Jonathan Piña, and their two children, Vivien (age 4) and William (age 1), returned to San Antonio, Texas. Piña is the new director of communications for the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association.
Rose Smith ’01 BBA started work with Amega West Services, a subsidiary of Carpenter Technology Corporation.
Michael E. Dodd ’03 BSN ’13 MHA (pictured left) is now serving as the executive director of the 10th floor Sky Tower for University Health System.
Pablo Pena ’06 BBA ’08 MAA is currently working as an account manager for Cardtronics in Houston, Texas and is working on his dissertation proposal completion in the fall.
Lorena Mello ’07 BA (pictured right) is currently the director of human resources at the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Cesar Alvarado ’09 BA recently started working with the Better Business Bureau as their regional public relations director and is currently working with several publications to collaborate with weekly, bi-weekly or monthly columns.
Allen Wilson ’09 BA (pictured left) graduated magna cum laude from Baylor Law School with a specialization in administrative practice. Since that time he has worked as an associate attorney for the law firm Sanderford & Carroll, P.C., which specializes in construction litigation and federal procurement law.
2010s
Christopher Coignet ’10 BS began his first full-time job in meteorology in February. He now serves as environmental consultant for Source Environmental Sciences, Inc. in Houston, Texas. He previously worked at UIW as a laboratory technician for the meteorology department.
Ashley Enriquez ’10 BA is now working in private practice as a marriage and family therapist associate. She specializes in helping couples to get back on track in their relationships by overcoming infidelities, managing conflict, strengthening friendship, and rebuilding trust and understanding. She also works with individuals who struggle with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, caregiver issues and other everyday stressors.
Kirsten Horne ’11 BS (pictured left) recently became the weekend meteorologist for the 7NEWS Weather Team in Denver, Colo.
Elizabeth M. Jauregui, MT-BC ’11 BM recently conducted a presentation on the benefits of music therapy to directors, nurses and specialists at the Texas Visiting Nurse Service, LTD; a CLASS (Community Living Assistance and Support Services) program. The presentation resulted in a contract to acquire music therapy services for any client who is approved to receive specialized therapies in the Rio Grande Valley through TVNS. Jauregui is a board certified music therapist and will be among the first and few to offer music therapy to people with disabilities across the Rio Grande Valley.
Brittany Valadez ’11 BA (pictured left) works as entertainment correspondent for Latina Magazine and recently interviewed alumnus Ricardo Chavira ’96 BA at the American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Awards. Check out the clip here: http://m.latina.com/entertainment/buzz/watch-2013-alma-awards-red-carpet-interviews
Marc Harrison ’12 BA (pictured right) was appointed to the VIA Metropolitan Board of Trustees in December by the City of San Antonio. Harrison is an operations supervisor for Greyhound Lines, Inc., where he manages staff members and handles training and hiring.
Anna-Alizette Ruiz ’13 BA MA was recently promoted to assistant project manager at HeartFire Media.
Travis Patterson ’12 MAA is currently teaching as an adjunct faculty instructor at Brown Mackie College and as a visiting lecturer at Texas State University. He is currently working on several publications and research projects including a publication on “Medical Treatment disguises the Pseudoscience of the 21st Century” and research on “Assessing the Organizational Psychology of Non-Profit Blood Banking: Non-medical issues relating to lower volunteer blood donor return rates.”
Mauricio Sanchez ’12 BBA is serving as the CEO and founder of a local nonprofit corporation, The Allocative Efficiency Fund (www.taef.org).
Kathryn Marie Laskowski ’13 BS has been accepted to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and will begin medical school Fall 2014.
Katie Rivera ’13 BA (pictured left) served as Miss Bexar County for Fiesta 2014.
Holly Rodriguez ’13 MAA was recently promoted to assistant vice president at Wells Fargo and is now leading an operational risk department in the bank’s Default Servicing organization.
Mariana Veraza ’13 BA MA currently serves as a video journalist at Univision.
In Memoriam
Chita Sue Thompson Gates Wilson ’39 BA
Jane Long Clark ’40 BS
Maxine Whitten Blount ’42 BA
Marian Seng Tschoepe ’43 BA
Margaret J. Garcia Saenz ’43 BSN
Lucille T. Althoff Shultz ’45 BSN
Marion Joyce Lane Tillotson ’46 BA
Ellen Toren de Tournillon ’50 BA
Jo Ann Johnson Mandriotta ’56 BSN
Claudia Jean Lugo Messner ’57 IWHS ’61 BSN
Sr. Mary Benedict Broderick ’57 BSN
Dorothy A. Garten Wohlfeil ’59 BA
Dr. Carole Edland ’59 BSN
Viola Diana Irvin Cavallini ’60 BA
Frances Ann Gabelich Ramirez ’64 BSN
Col. Jessie W. Bynum ’66 BSN
Robert Foard Townsend ’68 MA
Elaine Johnson Darden ’70 BA
Sr. Carmen Roche, CCVI ’70 BS
Linda Jo Work Perry ’72 BSN
Sr. Eva Regina Martin, SSF ’73 MA
Dr. Franklin J. Chinn, Sr., benefactor
Weddings and Engagements
Aline Harbison ’86 BA (pictured left) is engaged to Michael Frederick.
Sandy Hernandez ’02 BA became engaged to David Zamora, on Dec. 19, 2013.
Roxanne Mayorga ’09 BA (pictured right) is engaged to Johnny “Rick” Silva, Jr. who is a sushi chef at Koi Kawa Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar. They will be getting married March 29, 2015 in the McCombs Center Rosenberg Sky Room. She has been working on her Ph.D. in general psychology through Capella University. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member at San Antonio College as well as UIW’s ADCaP program.
Elizabeth M. Jauregui, MT-BC ’11 BM (pictured left) and Oscar C. Linares were engaged on Jan. 12, 2014. They met while attending music courses at UIW in 2011.
Linda Jewell ’10 BS and John Eric Gomez ’08 BS (pictured right) married on Dec. 21, 2013.
Rose Valenzuela ’13 BA will marry David Schroeder on Jan. 31, 2015.
Future Cardinals
Marianne Rodriguez ’91 BA is blessed and happy to announce the arrival of Danielle Rose, born Sept. 16 at 7 pounds 11 ounces 21.5 inches.
Tony Ramos’ ’02 BS son Tiago Antonio was born on May 28, 2013 at 5:19 a.m. at 6 pounds 5 ounces.
Carmen Torres Leos ’05 BA ’13 MAA and Alex Leos, Jr. welcomed Dominic James and Jack Ryan (pictured left) to the world on Jan. 16, 2014.
Five UIW alumnae have been inducted into the 2014 San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame:
Rebeca Maria Barrera ’69 BS, cultural visionary, Tres Rebecas
Veronica Muzquiz Edwards ’92 MBA, founder and CEO of InGenesis, Inc.
Christine Luna Gonzalez ’91 MA, regional director of volunteer services, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Systems
Yolanda P. Torres ’57 BA, retired secondary school English teacher
Leticia M. Vacek ’09 BAAS ’12 MAA, San Antonio city clerk
What UIW faculty member made the biggest impact on you?
If a UIW faculty member made a difference in your academic career, please let us know! Just email Alumni Relations at [email protected] with the name of the faculty member and a brief description of how they had a positive influence on you as a UIW student.
