Class Notes: Winter 2023 Issue

1982

Salome Brooks has been appointed clinical professor, chair and program director of the department of physical therapy at Clarkson University. She was the founding program director and professor for the doctor of physical therapy program at Gordon College. After majoring in physical therapy at Quinnipiac, she earned an MBA from Sacred Heart University, a master’s degree in motor control and education from Columbia University, and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Southern Connecticut State University.

1992

Joe Briganti ’92, MAT 97, is an assistant principal at Branford (CT) High School and the author of “Moral Demise,” a thriller that begins with the mysterious disappearance of a biology teacher and evolves with unexpected plot twists and the struggle to find the balance between ethics and biotechnological advances of DNA.

1996

Anthony Mangiafico ’96, MAT ’2004, Sixth-Year Diploma ’13, was named the National Administrator of the Year by the Coalition on Adult Basic Education in April 2022. He was presented with his award and a $10,000 check at the national COABE Conference in Seattle. The award is given to an adult education administrator who has made an outstanding contribution toward fostering the concept of education as a continuing life process. Mangiafico served as the director of adult and continuing education in East Hartford, CT, for eight years before recently taking the same position with Wallingford (CT) Public Schools.  

2000

Ryan Hild of Fort Salonga, NY, is a tax accountant and partner at Farrell Fritz in its Uniondale, NY, office. Prior to joining Farrell Fritz, he practiced at Koeppel Martone & Leistman LLC for 16 years.  

2001

Kenneth Scott Griffin, MS ’01, is director of communications and public relations for Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Hartford. 

2003

Michael Fritz ’03, JD ’06, joined Clark Hill’s New York office as a member of its real estate practice and is expected to transfer to the firm’s Arizona office later this year. He has nearly two decades of experience in the areas of commercial real estate and corporate law. 

Eric Marrapodi of Arlington, VA, has been named vice president for news programming at NPR, where he has worked the last four years. He worked on the management team at “Morning Edition” before taking on the lead producing role for live special coverage of special events for political coverage as well as overseeing the network booking team. He previously worked for NBC Nightly News and CNN. 

Angel Rentas, MSN ’03, of Meriden, CT, is a nurse practitioner at Hartford Hospital and a professional standup comedian known for making his patients laugh. He has performed comedy shows in New York, Boston and Los Angeles, as well as charity events around the state.  

2004 

Michael Gogliormella of Edgewater, NJ, is a financial adviser with UBS Wealth Management USA. Prior to UBS, he spent the last 19 years at Merrill Wealth Management. 

Johannes Neuer, MS ’04, was recently appointed director of the German National Library in Leipzig, Germany. Previously, he worked at the New York Public Library for nine years in several positions, including director of customer experience and director of digital engagement.

Grant Stinchfield, MS ’04, of Texas, former Newsmax co-host, has joined Real America’s Voice. His show, “Stinchfield Tonight,” premiered on Jan. 16, 2023. In addition to Newsmax, Stinchfield has hosted shows on NRA TV and KLIF-AM in Dallas. He won four Emmy Awards for his prior work as an investigative reporter at KXAS-TV in Dallas and WVIT-TV in West Hartford, CT.  

2005

Vin Framularo, MBA ’05, MS ’06, of Trumbull, CT, is the owner of Fram Digital, where he uses his digital expertise for major brands, influencers, startups and local businesses. He has created hundreds of marketing campaigns for clients. 

Christina Kelly, MS ’05, is a physical therapist for Snow Sport & Spine in Rockport, ME. She previously worked for 12 years as a home health physical therapist and in a variety of settings including a Level III trauma center, an orthopaedic surgery ward and in long-term care. 

Jessica (DeMers) Puk of Norwalk, CT, co-founded The REACH Fund of Connecticut, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for abortion care in Connecticut, in 2021. The fund launched its fundraising campaign in June 2022 and began providing financial help in November 2022. 

Melissa Scagliola of Middletown, CT, is a producer for WFSB Channel 3 in Hartford. 

2008

Derrick DeSilva of New Jersey has been appointed divisional president of Fuel4Wellness supplement company. He is the founder and managing partner of Common Sense Supplements. 

Robert Lieber of North Arlington, NJ, is a digital line producer for CBS News. 

Brianne O’Donnell, MS ’08, of Brooklyn, NY, is a partner in higher education at FINN Partners, an independent integrated marketing and communications agency. During her seven years at FINN, she has led teams supporting public and private colleges and universities, academic medical centers, and education-focused foundations, associations and nonprofits.  

Jessica (Fine) Sowalsky, MS ’08, and her husband, Adam Sowalsky, welcomed their third child, Raya Sara, on Sept. 7, 2022. She is an enterprise learning technology systems manager at the University of Maryland, and he is a principal investigator at the National Cancer Institute. The family lives in Bethesda, MD, with son, Ari, 4, and daughter, Shira, 2.  

2009 

Jaclyn (McNeely) Kawka is an associate at Morgan, Brown & Joy law firm in Boston. She was recognized as a Rising Star by Massachusetts Super Lawyers rating service. She counsels and represents employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including workplace discrimination, collective bargaining and grievance arbitration. She earned her law degree at Suffolk Law School.

2011

Lilyana Auster, Sixth-Year Diploma ’11, is the learning recovery director for the Ames Community School District in Ames, Iowa. She was recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements and leadership in education administration. 

Alex Mako married Nicole Bertucci on Dec. 3, 2022, in Hanover, NH. The couple resides in Somerville, MA. 

Greg Massey, MS ’11, of West Hartford, CT, is a North American advisor for VIPR, a UK-based provider of software solutions for the insurance industry. 

Gabriella Mirabella of Dracut, MA, is a Spanish teacher at Marshall Simonds Middle School in Burlington, MA, where she has taught for the last 11 years. 

Stephen Schmidt, MS ’11, is a reporter for Louisville Business First covering tech, finance and bourbon news. He lives in Kentucky. 

Allysa Zmudzien ’11 of Boston and her husband, Redmond ’11, welcomed a daughter, Kennedy, on July 11, 2022. The family attended the recent QU vs. Harvard ice hockey game in Boston. 

2012

George DeKornfeld of Millerton, NY, is a vascular surgeon with the Conemaugh Physician Group. He specializes in carotid surgery and stenting, deep vein thrombosis, aneurysm repair and varicose vein disorders. He earned his medical degree at Meharry Medical College School of Medicine. 

Jason Milde ’12, MAT ’13, of Mahopac, NY, married Grace Kolba on Aug. 13, 2022, at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, NY. 

2013 

Jennifer (Giordano) Kissel of Hartsdale, NY, and her husband, Bryan Kissel ’13, MS ’16, welcomed a son, Alexander Joseph, on Sept. 4, 2022. 

Sonja LaBarbera, MS ’13, is CEO of Gaylord Specialty Healthcare. She was named to the Hartford Business Journal’s third annual Power 25 Health Care list. She continues to oversee a multiyear, $10-million renovation of the rehabilitation hospital’s main campus in Wallingford, CT. 

Ashley (Dapolito) Schirripa ’13, MAT ’14, of Staten Island, NY, and her husband, Michael ’13, welcomed a daughter, Gianna, on Oct. 19, 2021. She is a fifth-grade teacher in New York City, and he is a physician on Staten Island. 

2014

Chris Dailey of Beacon Falls, CT, is the new athletic director for Woodland Regional High School. He had been the athletic director for Sheehan High School in Wallingford, CT, since August 2014. He earned a sixth-year diploma from QU. 

Weruch Uzoka George ’14, MS ’17, of Hamden is the author of a 57-book educational series about countries in Africa. Her fictional character, Princess Naku, guides readers around the different countries to teach regional awareness of the continent. The Princess Naku series debuted in November 2021. 

Stephanie (Griffin) Fengler of Wallingford, CT, and her husband, Tim, announce the birth of a son, Timothy Adam Fengler III, on July 21, 2022. 

Marcus Harun ’14, MBA ’15, of New York, NY, is a producer for the NBC daytime show “NBC News Daily.” He is a former Fox 61 producer. 

Rachel Shute of Tyngsboro, MA, officiated at the wedding of her former QU roommate, Alexa Policastro ’14, MD ’20, and her husband, Michael, on Oct. 8, 2022, in Jersey City, NJ. The roommates were founding sisters of Pi Phi’s Connecticut Gamma chapter. Shute is complaint counsel for the Board of Registration in Medicine – Massachusetts Department of Public Health. 

2015

Kayla McQuade of Brooklyn, NY, married Richie Del Valle ’15 on May 28, 2022. She is a casting associate producer, and he is a senior user experience designer. 

2016 

Laurie Brown, Sixth-Year Diploma ’16, is director of outreach services at Willie Ross School for the Deaf in Longmeadow, MA.  

Rachel Leahy of Newburgh, NY, is senior associate athletic trainer for West Point’s ice hockey team. She saved the life of an Army team member who suffered a severe cut to his face during a game in January 2023 by keeping pressure on the cut until he arrived at a local hospital. 

2017

Vanzetta James, DNP ’17, recently was appointed senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at The Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI. Previously, she was senior vice president and chief nursing officer at University of Maryland Capital Region Health. 

2018 

Ayah Galal, a reporter for WFSB Channel 3 in Hartford, made Connecticut Magazine’s most recent 40 Under 40 list. In December 2021, she became the first woman in a hijab to anchor a Connecticut newscast. 

Owen Kingsley ’18, MS ’19, is weekend news anchor at WGME in Portland, ME. He previously worked as a reporter and then weekend anchor/producer for WABI in Bangor, ME. 

Brandon Orlando ’19, MBA ’20, is an investment associate for Northern Trust Wealth Management in the Greenwich, CT, office. 

Jessica Ruderman ’19, MS ’20, of Morganville, NJ, is a senior reporter for PR Week, where she focuses on healthcare stories. Previously, she was a news assistant at The New York Times and a website developer and reporter at PolitiQ. 

2021 

Elizabeth Calao is a labor and delivery nurse at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC. 

Benjamin Clark is a financial representative at The Bulfinch Group, a wealth management firm headquartered in Needham, MA.  

Olivia Schueller is a morning news reporter for WFSB Channel 3 in Hartford. 

2022 

Kate Porter, MS ’22, of North Kingston, RI, is associate director of communications and outreach at Brown University. 

1980

Richard McCord, JD ’80, of Glen Cove, NY, was recently honored by the City Council there. In a unanimous resolution, the city’s courthouse was renamed the Richard J. McCord City Courthouse. McCord served as a supervising judge in charge of administrative duties for the City of Glen Cove for 34 years. At present, McCord is the co-chair of the bankruptcy and creditor/debtor rights practice group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman LLP.

1985

Clifford Welden, JD ’85, of Glen Head, NY, is a senior trial attorney for GEICO. He served as president of the Queens County Bar Association from 2020–21. The QCBA serves a membership of over 2,000 lawyers. During his term he worked with bar association partners in the private sector as well as within the court system to implement training programs for practitioners to transition to the virtual practice of law.

1991

Keith McCabe, JD ’91, has joined the New Haven office of Marshall Dennehey as a shareholder in the casualty department. He has more than 30 years of insurance defense litigation experience.

1996

C. Scott Schwefel, JD ’96, is a partner in the West Hartford, CT, law firm of Shipman, Shaiken & Schwefel. He serves as a delegate to the American Bar Association’s Connecticut House of Delegates. He represents clients in matters involving business, real estate and employment disputes and serves as a member of the American Arbitration Association’s national panel of lawyer neutrals.

2000

Mark Zeck, JD ’00, of Zeck Law in Ridgefield, CT, recently was recognized by the Top Attorneys of North America, a NY-based publication, in its 2022–23 edition. He has focused on estate planning, elder law and probate for more than 18 years and has trained in forensic science, criminal defense, and investigation with various state and federal agencies, including the FBI.

2001

Ryan Morley, JD ’01, is an office managing shareholder in the Cleveland, Ohio, office of Littler, an employment and labor law practice.

2003

Leon Krolikowski, JD ’03, of New Canaan, CT, is the first director of security for the Darien public schools. He previously was a member of the New Canaan police department for 33 years and worked closely with the New Canaan school district on security enhancements. 

2006

Vincenzo Gallo, JD ’06, of North Haven, CT, is the newly appointed chairman of the North Haven Republican Town Committee. He has operated his own law firm, located in West Haven and Westport, for the past 14 years.

Cynthia Hand, JD ’06, of Goshen, CT, was selected in November 2022 as an Orange County Rising Star by the Junior League of Orange County. She is an associate with Jacobowitz & Gubits in Walden, NY, concentrating in estate planning. She is president-elect of the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties and also serves as a delegate for the Women’s Bar Association of New York. In 2022, she received the Outstanding New Lawyer Award from the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties.

2007

Tanya Spurlin, JD ’07, has joined Chipman Mazzucco Emerson in the Southbury office. Her expertise is in estate and incapacity planning, estate administration and probate, and elder law. She serves on the executive committee of the elder law section of the Connecticut Bar Association as the continuing legal education liaison.

Solomon Syed , JD ’07, of Schenectady, NY, is deputy commissioner of public information for the State of New York’s Office of Children and Family Services. Before that, he was a news anchor for WTEN in Albany.

2009

Kevin Casini, JD ’09, is vice president of business and legal affairs for RME (Rights Made Easy), a modern music rights organization that prioritizes identification of and accurate royalty collection for music uses across social media and user-generated content. He and his wife, Colleen Casini, JD ’10, live in Clinton, CT, with their twin boys, Theo and Ben. She joined the team at Levy, Leff & DeFrank, New Haven, in 2019.

Enrico Costantini, JD ’09, of Bridgeport, CT, an associate at FLB Law in Westport, was named to the 2022 Connecticut Super Lawyers. He focuses his legal practice on commercial and residential real estate, land use, zoning and commercial transactions.

2011

Natalia Sieira Millán, JD ’11, of Stamford, CT, is a partner at Shipman & Goodwin, representing local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, and charter schools in all areas of school law. She teaches school law courses at the University of Connecticut Neag School of Education, the School of Education at Quinnipiac University and Quinnipiac University School of Law. In addition to her pro bono practice representing minors in immigration matters, she serves on the junior board of directors of the Family and Children’s Agency and as a volunteer translator for Starfish Connection.

2013

Parthiban (Pat) Mathavan, JD ’13, of Cary, NC, joined Tompkins Robotics as legal and intellectual property counsel. He previously held in-house IP/patent attorney roles at Vesuvius Corporation, IBM, and various law firms specializing in intellectual property.

Molly Wilcox, JD ’13, is senior counsel in the White Plains, NY, office of Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman where she handles a variety of complex civil litigation matters including wrongful death, catastrophic injury, professional liability and employment. Prior to joining the firm, she worked at a boutique law firm where she handled all aspects of civil litigation.

2019

Bethany Naccarato, JD ’19, of Glastonbury, CT, married Michael DiPietro on July 23, 2022. She is a senior attorney at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel. Her husband is a UConn School of Law alumnus.

2020

Catherine Craig, JD ’20, is an associate with Ericson, Scalise & Mangan in New Britain, CT.

2021

Meagan Cauda, JD ’21, of Middletown, CT, joined Pullman & Comley as an associate in the litigation practice following her position as a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Christine E. Keller, associate justice, Connecticut Supreme Court.

2022

Alexander Main, JD ’22, is an associate with Jacobowitz & Gubits in Walden, NY, in the firm’s land use, environmental and municipal team.

Sarah Smeriglio ’20, JD ’22, of Orange, CT, is an associate with the Connecticut law firm of Neubert, Pepe & Monteith in the firm’s healthcare law and professional malpractice and insurance defense practice groups. While in law school, she joined the firm as a legal extern assisting in the firm’s healthcare practice.

2022

Ann Amato ’49

Sara Collins-Salem ’73

Barbara Crose ’67

Nicholas DeMusis ’47

Mary Dixon ’69

Edward Duffy ’68

Mimi Esposito ’46

Delanie Fekert ’18, DPT ’21

Steven Finkelstein ’71

Kevin Fitzpatrick, JD ’16

Richard Goode ’72

Therese Grillo ’46

Theresa Hanc ’67

Edward Haunfelner ’50

James “Jim” E. Hill ’73

Genevieve Karbowski ’76, MHS ’82, former part-time faculty

Kevin King ’79

Elaine Kolodny ’51

John Lago ’67

Urushi Madani ’18, DPT ’21

William Mahon ’61

Claire-Bette Newman, JD ’93

Daniel O’Grady, JD ’85

Wendy Platt ’75, former associate registrar

Robyn Ramia, JD ’95

Linda Sanno ’45

Karen Telker, JD ’93

Mitchell Teta, JD ’12

2023

Callie Deschenes Huang ’94

Diana Omicioli ’93

John Rak ’52, ’54

Barry Sacks, former part-time faculty

Harry Pylypiw, former professor