FACULTY & STAFF
David Brubaker, dean of the School of Social Sciences and Professions and professor of organizational studies, gave the keynote at the Scotland-based Place for Hope’s “Gathering in Glasgow on Conflict and Faith” from Oct. 31-Nov. 2. The event explored the nature of conflict faced by churches and faith communities, and ways to work together in conflict transformation.
Jennifer Cline, assistant professor in the MA in Counseling program, earned the 2018-19 Counselor Educator of the Year Award from the Central Valley Chapter of the Virginia Counselors Association.
Bruce Emmerson, director of dining services, and his team of employees at Pioneer College Caterers were recognized at the annual Champions of Disability Employment event hosted by the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services. The award was for “Outstanding Employee Retention,” in honor of their long-term commitment to hiring and supporting people with disabilities.
Kathy Evans, professor of education, represented the Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice as the keynote speaker for the Virginia Association of Criminal Justice Educators annual conference in October 2019.
Michael Horst ‘12, MA ‘14 (counseling), director of the MA in counseling program, was recognized as a Chapter Member of the Year for the Central Valley Counselors Association.
Janet Hostetter ‘87, artistic director for the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir, earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting from James Madison University. Her doctoral thesis was entitled “Tone Production, Musicianship Training, Repertoire Development, Performance Practice: A Pedagogical Overview of Selected International Children’s Choirs.”
Lauren Jefferson, editor-in-chief of marketing and communications, earned a Master in Education degree in equity and cultural diversity from James Madison University. She contributed an article to the December Virginia High School League coaches magazine sharing some of her thesis research on the development of cultural competency in high school athletics coaches.
Steven David Johnson, professor of photography, contributed photographs to an article “The Heart of Appalachia” published by Nature Conservancy Magazine. Visit www.nature.org/en-us/magazine/
Roxann Allen Kioko ‘04, MA ‘07 (conflict transformation), assistant professor of business and leadership, is the evaluations manager for the Trustbuilding Program, a co-creation of Initiates of Change International and the Fetzer Institute. The program will complement existing efforts to bring peace and positive change. It is currently in place in France, Kenya and Canada, with plans to expand to other countries in 2020.
Laura Lehman MDiv ‘06, web project manager/strategist, presented “That Sheet’s Amazing: Using Content Inventories for Redesign, Migration and Quality Control” at the annual OmniUpdate User Training Conference in Anaheim, California this past spring. She presented the same workshop in webinar format on May 8 for OmniUpdate.
Andrew Miller ‘88 has been named director of the MBA and MA in organizational leadership programs. He will also be EMU’s representative in the Collaborative MBA program. In August, he presented on the initial development of leader-follower relationships at the Academy of Management’s annual meeting in Boston, Mass.
Stewart Nafziger ‘12, MA ‘15 (counseling), interim director of counseling, was recognized as a Chapter Member of the Year for the Central Valley Counselors Association.
Gloria Rhodes, professor of peacebuilding and conflict studies, presented on personal formation for peacebuilding practice at the Global Mennonite Peacebuilding Conference and Festival in June in the Netherlands.
Andre Swartzentruber ‘13, head golf coach, helped start the EMU golf program during his senior year and has now returned to lead the men’s and women’s programs. He was a golf coach and mathematics teacher at Spotswood High School for five years.
Amanda K. Williams, administrative assistant for the MA in Counseling program, received the Administrative Support Person of the Year award from the Central Valley Chapter of the Virginia Counselors Association.
Linda Witmer ‘73, director of the RN to BS nursing program, was the featured interviewee in the MennoHealth Cast podcast. The current series profiles “Mennos in Medicine.” Among other experiences, Linda spoke about her 23 years among the K’ekchi’, the Indigenous people of Guatemala, as a representative of both Mennonite Central Committee and Eastern Mennonite Missions.
Howard Zehr, professor emeritus of restorative justice, delivered the Annual Vernon M. and Minnie I. Lynch Lecture at George Mason University’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution this fall.
1950-59
Elton Bomberger ‘57, Goshen, Ind., managed bookstores at EMC and the College of William and Mary, and worked at CBC Furniture before his retirement. He attends College Mennonite Church with his wife, Helen.
J. David Eshleman ’58, SEM ’61, Lititz, Pa., published his seventh and eighth books: God’s Hall of Faith Speaks Today: Hebrews 11 and Fierce Love: Balancing God’s Love and Justice, in 2019 with Masthof Press.
Cora M. Yoder Delarca ‘59, La Ceiba, Honduras, has lived in Honduras since 1971. She is married to Pastor Natividad Delarca, who oversees area churches and mentors leaders. The couple has been active “in teaching the word of God to young and old,” Cora says, in their local area and beyond through a radio ministry and a weekly youth Bible time for neighborhood children.
Willis A. Miller ‘59, Souderton, Pa., retired from careers as a pastor, serving Salford Mennonite Church, and research virologist in the field of gerontology with St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pa.
Clair Schnupp ‘59, Dryden, Ontario, Canada, is an adjunct professor at Providence Theological University and Seminary in Otterburne, Manitoba. He has also worked in counseling and counselor training.
1960-69
Marian Longenecker Beaman ’63, Jacksonville, Fla., has published a memoir entitled Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl (Spindletree Books, 2019), available on Amazon or directly from the author at marianbeaman.com. She is a retired English professor.
Linda Heatwole Bland ‘64, McGaheysville, Va., retired from a 37-year career as a literacy educator, and served her community in many ways, including on the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community Foundation Board, as co-chair of the Woodland Park homes campaign and on the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival board. She and her husband Sidney are members of the Bach Guild.
Ken Eshleman ‘64, Mechanicsburg, Pa., is on the board of Neighborhood Dispute Settlement in Harrisburg. He also chairs Slate Hill Mennonite Church’s Evangelism, Peace and Service Commission. He is a retired Messiah College professor.
Lois Fretz Keener ‘64, Hagerstown, Md., is retired. She volunteers at Ten Thousand Villages in Hagerstown and participates in the card ministry for her church.
Evangeline R. Gable King, ‘64, retired from a career as an educator with special needs students, after which she and husband Frank built a hexangular log home. She taught Sunday School at Perkasie Mennonite Church, helped with worship services for developmentally challenged congregation members, and volunteered at an area nursing home.
Dorothy Umble Leatherman ‘64, Coatesville, Pa., was the startup director of Sandy Hill Preschool. She was a dorm parent at Rosslyn Academy in Nairobi from 1977-80 and served with MCC in South Korea from 1967-71.
Pat Hostetter Martin ‘64, Harrisonburg, Va., is a hospital chaplain for Sentara RMH Medical Center. She is consecrated as a gestalt pastoral care minister. She works within issues of homelessness, mental illness, jails and citizen re-entry, and sustainable climate solutions.
Clara Beachy Yoder ‘64, Harrisonburg, Va., retired from the Rockingham County Schools in 2005 as a library assistant. She volunteers at Gift & Thrift, is part of a writers group, and serves as a board member for Valley Village.
Edwin Yoder ‘64, Harrisonburg, Va., is a retired pastor and volunteers for Mennonite Disaster Service and Habitat for Humanity. From 1976-78, he was director of Migrant Ministry in Rocky Ford, Colo.
Joyce Bontrager Lehman ‘65, Keene, N.H., is a technical advisor and consultant to international agencies, and focuses on helping women-owned operations. She has worked with the Mennonite Economic Development Agency, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and other organizations.
Maretta Hershberger ‘66, MDiv ‘94, Mishawaka, Ind., is the founder and director of Silvertones, a glee club for seniors associated with Forever Learning Institute, which provides life-long learning opportunities for people over 50. She is also the organist at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in South Bend.
Tim Ryan ‘66, Ephrata, Pa., served as an electronics technician with Mercy Ships in Guinea, West Africa, in May and June 2019.
James Rosenberger ‘68, State College, Pa., gave the keynote address “Quality Matters, Statistics and Big Data Science” at the Minitab Global Insights Conference in Leesburg, Va. The director of the National Institute of Statistical Sciences and professor emeritus of statistics at Penn State University, Jim was the September focus of the article “A Statistician’s Life” in the American Statistical Association’s magazine. Read the article at magazine.amstat.org/blog/2019/09/01/jamesrosenberger.
Elaine Homan Barr ‘69, Staunton, Va., is retired from teaching first grade in Augusta County. She is a Sunday School teacher at Mint Spring United Methodist church and involved in United Methodist Women and the Worship and Witness committee. She was the president of Mint Springs Ruritan Club for many years and worked with Woodrow Wilson District Ruritans. She is a member of Farm Bureau Women.
Nathan Miller ‘69, Harrisonburg, Va., retired from teaching after 30 years. He and his wife, Viola Mullet Miller ‘69, started Camp Buckeye, a camp for kids and families in Ohio, and both were involved in the summer camping program for 25 years. Nathan also coordinated a coffee house in Dover, Ohio, for 10 years.
Thomas Spicher ‘69, Huntingdon, Pa., is a retired teacher. He participates in the Yokefellow Prison Ministry and is a board member of Mifflin County Mennonite Historical Society.
Ruth Yoder Wenger ‘69, Bronx, N.Y., is a pastor at North Bronx Mennonite Church. She trains religious leaders of all faiths in disaster chaplaincy and provides spiritual direction to her congregation.
1970-79
Pat Hamm Schosser ‘70, Burnsville, N.C., teaches English to students in China via an online service. She also raises chickens and a garden. She’d like to hear from fellow alums at teacher.pats70@gmail.com
Shirley H. Showalter ‘70, Harrisonburg, Va., was a keynote speaker at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community’s event “Swaying in Wicked Grace,” an evening of poetry, wine and inspiration for women.
Mel Lehman ‘71, New York City, N.Y., brought a contemporary Syrian art exhibit to Hartzler Library this fall. He is the founder and executive director of Common Humanity.
Earl Burkholder ‘72, Las Cruces, N.M., led a discussion at the Annual Conference of the New Mexico Professional Surveyors in April 2019. A professional land surveyor and president of COGO Global, Inc., he was the featured professional in the June 2019 Point of Beginning magazine’s “Career Notes” column. To read more, visit pobonline.com
Dale Brubaker ‘73, Ellensburg, Wash., retired from the Central Washington University library in 2017.
Ross Collingwood ‘74, Salem, Ore., is a financial advisor and co-owner of Great Oak Advisors Corp.
Luke Gascho ‘74, Goshen, Ind., was awarded the 2019 Howard Michaud Award by the Environmental Education Association of Indiana for his contributions to statewide environmental education. Gascho spent 22 years at Goshen College’s Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, developing and overseeing innovative environmental education programs, including the MA in Environmental Education program. Luke oversaw the design and building of Rieth Village, a biological field station, and the surrounding sustainable farm, which was Indiana’s first facility to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s top rating.
Janell Lederman ’74 was inducted into the Nursing Hall of Fame at Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Michigan, where she taught for 35 years. In 2003, she earned the E.J. Shaheen Chair for Teaching Excellence. She began her career at Mercy Hospital in Watertown, N.Y., as a staff RN on the surgical floor (her beginning wage was $3.25/hour). After a year, she decided to give back, feeling blessed for her education, and volunteered through the church at a hospital in Carlsbad, N.M. She also worked for Sturgis Hospital and with Sturgis Home Health Care and Hospice in Michigan. Janell earned an MA from Western Michigan University with a special emphasis on teaching in the community college while teaching full-time and raising three children with her husband, Bill Lederman, Glen Oaks director of nursing. Now retired and living in Sturgis, she teaches English with the Literacy Council and is a Sunday School teacher at her church.
Jacqueline Ann “Jackie” Sullivan-Smoot ‘74, Shenandoah, Va., works at Sullivan Mechanical Contractors, Inc., a business started by family members 73 years ago. She is a retired educator, teaching first at New Market Elementary School with sixth and seventh grade (1974-81), then ninth and 10th grade at Stonewall Jackson High School (1981-82), and finally the director of guidance in 1984, a position she held until retirement in 2009.
Myrna Hershberger Smucker ’74, Bird-In-Hand, Pa., published The Bird-in-Hand Story: 50 Years of Smucker Family Hospitality in 2018. It traces her family’s Anabaptist origins in Switzerland to their present-day businesses in Lancaster County. Available at bird-in-hand.com
Dennis Maust ’75 hosted his 13th annual “Maustodon” tennis championships at his home in Lititz, Pa., in June. He first played on a grass court while serving with Mennonite Central Committee in Bangladesh. Inspired by the famous grass court championship Wimbledon, Maust’s tournament is open to all, with the only specifications being competitors must wear white, use wood racquets, and be ready to play wayward balls that bounce off the maple tree (on the east side) or the screened fence (close to the baseline), both of which are inbounds by Maustodon rules.
Sara Wenger Shenk ‘75, Waynesboro, Va., has retired after nine years as president of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. Prior to coming to AMBS, Wenger Shenk served in a variety of roles at EMU and EMS including seminary associate dean, associate professor and interim seminary dean.
Conley K. McMullen ‘78, Keezletown, Va., received James Madison University’s 2019 Provost Award for Excellence in Global Education. He is a professor of biology.
Faith Eidse ’79, Tallahassee, Fla., read from her novel Healing Falls (Faitheyes Press, 2018) during a fall EMU Writers Read event. She is a medical policy expert in behavior analysis and substance use at the Agency for Health Care Administration. She has authored five books, volunteered for six years in women’s prisons, and continues to help women in transition.
Marjorie Rush Hovde ‘79, Mulberry, Ind., is an associate professor at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, and president of the Council for Programs in Scientific and Technical Communications. She is a member of The Old Tippecanoe Quilt Guild and a historical reenactor.
Steve Leaman ‘79, Harrisonburg, Va., is director of advancement for Virginia Mennonite Missions. He is a member of Harrisonburg Rotary Club and chairs the Ministries, Mission and Service Committee for Lindale Mennonite Church.
Connie McKee Lyszyk ‘79, Kalamazoo, Mich., is an instructor at the Institute for Massage Education and a self-employed massage therapist.
Donna Shank Quinones ‘79, Tampa, Fla., works as quality coordinator for BayCare at St Joseph’s Hospital.
Martha Louise Thorpe ‘79, Ayer, Mass., had a long nursing career in home care specializing in pediatrics and in Africa doing missions work. She served on her church’s mission board for 12 years and has supported the ministry of three missionaries.
1980-89
Richard Hostetter ‘81, Elkhart, Ind., is a surgical oncologist for Goshen Physicians and a clinical assistant professor of surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine. In April he presented a Suter Science Seminar titled “Lessons Learned in 40 Years of Study and Care of the Cancer Patient.”
Luann Good Gingrich ‘82, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is the new director of the Global Labour Research Centre at York University. She was formerly associate professor of social work. She earned her MSW at Wilfrid Laurier University and a PhD at the University of Toronto.
Myron Blosser ‘83, MA ‘98, Harrisonburg, Va., is a state finalist for the 2019 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Among other awards, he also received the Genetics Education Award from the National Association for Biology Teachers in 2018. Blosser co-directs the Harrisonburg High School Governor’s STEM Academy, where he also teaches biology and biotechnology. He formerly taught at Eastern Mennonite High School, where he launched the cross-country summer “Discovery” program.
Sharon Lopez ‘83, Landisville, Pa., received the Pennsylvania Bar Association David M. Rosenblum GLBT Public Policy Award. The award honors individuals who have effected change resulting in a positive impact for the LGBT+ community and who have used their position of leadership to inspire others to act and promote civil rights and equality.
Kathy Chupp ‘84, Goshen, Ind., “retired” after 15 years as the volunteer registrar, scorekeeper and announcer of the Elkhart County 4-H Fair’s popular 3-on-3 basketball tournament. She played basketball while at EMU.
Jeff Kauffman ‘84, Goshen, Ind., is a psychiatric nurse practitioner for Oaklawn Psychiatric Center. He participated in the EMU Alumni & Friends cross-cultural tour to Cuba in March 2019. He volunteers at the Center for Healing & Hope and participates in the Goshen Stars Soccer League and the Goshen Ham Radio Club.
Sharon Witmer Yoder ‘84, Elkhart, Ind., is the conference pastor for leadership transitions for Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. She was a board member for Bethany Christian Schools from 2009-18.
Lois Waybill Alderfer ‘86, Faber, Va., was named the 2019 Provider of the Year by the Virginia Community Healthcare Association. She is a family nurse practitioner and the chief medical officer at Blue Ridge Medical Center in Arrington.
David W. Boshart ‘86, MA ‘87 (religion), Wellman, Iowa, has been appointed the next president of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. He begins his new position Jan. 1, 2020. Boshart earned EMU’s Distinguished Service Award in 2012, and taught at EMU from 2010-15. David succeeds Sara Wenger Shenk ‘75, who retired June 30 after nine years as president. He is married to Shana Peachey Boshart ‘85, denominational minister for faith formation for Mennonite Church USA.
Tobin Miller Shearer ‘87, Helena, Mont., was featured in an NPR piece on the rising political career of Helena mayor and Liberian native Wilmot Collins. Shearer, a professor of history, chairs the African American Studies program at the University of Montana, the third oldest such program at a public university in the country.
Stan Swartz ’87, Harrisonburg, Va., directed the fall 2019 production of “Pride and Prejudice” at EMU. Swartz, who is also an actor, taught and directed high school theater for 31 years. Among other accolades, he was named 2018 Southeastern Theater Conference Director of the Year (Secondary Level).
Devon Anders ’88, Interchange president, cut the ribbon in September on a new InterChange facility in Mount Crawford during a ceremony attended by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, state Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring, state senators and other dignitaries. The $41.6 million cold-storage facility will quadruple the company’s capacity and employ 88 people.
Lynette Good Mast ‘88, Broadway, Va., is the lead kindergarten teacher at Eastern Mennonite Elementary School. She was an assistant kindergarten teacher, the peacebuilding teacher, and school garden coordinator for 12 years, and co-founded EMU’s Interfaith Peace Camp.
Jodi Gerber Beachy ‘89, Penn Laird, Va., is a retired educator. She spent the last 13 years with fifth-graders at Eastern Mennonite School.
Larry Guengerich ‘89, East Petersburg, Pa., is the director of organizational communications for Landis Communities.
Karen Hansen-Hanafi ‘89, Virginia Beach, Va., is an eighth-grade English teacher for Chesapeake Public Schools. She has taught middle school for 26 years, and also works as a part-time coordinator for a Virginia Beach Public Schools adult ESL program.
Stephen Carl Taunton ‘89, Flagstaff, Ariz., has retired from teaching courses in Native American literature, short story/creative writing, high school creative writing, and TESOL. He continues to advise and tutor in his field.
Leora Miller Troyer ‘89, Dalton, Ohio, teaches language arts to fifth through eighth graders at East Holmes Local School District.
1990-99
Patricia “Patty” Ann Baer ‘90, MA ‘17 (education), Harrisonburg, Va., is an ESL teacher and the elementary ESL specialist for Harrisonburg City Schools. After 29 years teaching at Waterman Elementary School, she now teaches at Keister Elementary and travels around the district for her other half-time responsibilities. She was featured in Curio magazine in April (curiomagazine.org).
Angenette “Angie” Swartz Stephenson ‘90, Chapel Hill, N.C., is a partner at Stephenson & Fleming, LLP, which focuses on social services law and both adult and child adoptions.
Melissa Hensley ‘92, Bridgewater, Va., was named the new principal of Harrisonburg High School. She has 24 years of instructional and school leadership experience, and has been a school administrator since 2004.
Brad Croushorn ‘93, Durham, N.C., is the composer of three newly released choral publications: an Advent anthem “Prepare the Way” (Hope Publishing), “Laudamus Te” (Gentry Publications), and “Alleluia in 5/4” (Paraclete Press). He earned a Master of Music degree in sacred music from Westminster Choir College. Visit www.bradcroushorn.net.
Kirsten Nafziger Moore ‘93, Harrisonburg, Va., is the first recipient of Eastern Mennonite School’s Community Engagement Award for her local entrepreneurial and volunteer efforts. She is the owner of Magpie, a new diner and bakery in Harrisonburg, and The Perch at Magpie on the restaurant’s second floor, a new location and brand for The Hub Coworking. Kirsten is also the founder of the Sub Rosa supper club, the farm-to-table catering company Taste, the Rocktown Bites food tours, and the creative and strategic services firm The Project Studio. She is a founding member of Woodland Montessori School and served on the board of directors for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and Shenandoah Valley Technology Council, among other volunteer work.
Paula Snyder Belousek ‘94, Lima, Ohio, is a pastor for Salem Mennonite Church.
Amy Helmuth Glick, class of ‘94, North Carlton, Ohio, is a freelance violinist and a member of the Akron Symphony Orchestra and Akron Baroque.
Gilberto Pérez Jr. ’94, GC ’99 is surrounded by beaming supporters after his historic City Council election win Nov. 5. Asked for a caption a few days later, Pérez replied, “Humbled by the support received from the Latinx community from Goshen. Glad to know the road to City Council was with friends and volunteers.” The vice president of student life at Goshen College, Pérez is the first Latinx member of council in a city that is approximately 34% Latinx, with more than 50% Latinx students in the public school. He is the 2018 recipient of EMU’s Distinguished Service Award.
Jay Ramer ‘94, Toledo, Ohio, is the senior IT project manager at Dana Incorporated.
Elaine Shenk ‘94, Philadelphia, Pa., is an associate professor at Saint Joseph’s University.
Stephanie Hershey Schoolmeester ‘95, Lafayette, Colo., was named an Everyday Hero by Denver7 News. She is a social and emotional specialist and certified teacher at Cotton Creek Elementary School, bringing breathing exercises and other “heart work” into the classroom to help students process emotions and overcome anxiety.
Dave Bechler ‘96, Harrisonburg, Va., has concluded his 23-year career as athletic director at Eastern Mennonite School and is now working with Weaver’s Flooring America with Matt Weaver ‘96.
Keri Mast ‘96, Rockingham, Va., is the new girls varsity basketball coach at Eastern Mennonite School. She is a physical therapist at Augusta Health in Fishersville. At EMU, she was an all-conference team selection in 1995 and 1996, and returned as an assistant coach for the 1996-97 season.
Kendra Yoder ‘96, Goshen, Ind., earned tenure at Goshen College, where she has been a professor of social work since 2014. She also teaches sociology and women/gender studies courses. In 2012 and 2014, she co-led the Study-Service Term term to Senegal. With students, she developed the bystander approach to sexual assault education and prevention that is presented to new students each year and to community groups throughout the year. She earned her master’s and doctorate in social work at the University of Missouri Columbia.
Ryan W. Kauffman ‘97, Lancaster, Pa., is an adjunct professor of saxophone at Millersville University and a self-employed musician.
Lisa Guengerich Detweiler ‘99, New Castle, Colo., is the library assistant at Garfield County Public Library District.
Jenelle Hershey-Hoover ‘99, Lititz, Pa., is the owner of Purple Turtle Consignment Boutique.
Christy Heatwole Kauffman ‘99, Lancaster, Pa., is a freelance viola player, and works in the office at Landisville Mennonite Church. She is also a spiritual director and graduate of the spiritual direction training program at Kairos: School of Spiritual Formation.
Christopher James Miller ‘99, Harleysville, Pa., has added several GIAC cybersecurity and Cisco network engineering certifications to his resume. He is the IT director of Global Infrastructure and Operations at Keystone Foods, LLC, a Tyson Foods Company.
Aaron Stauffer ‘99, Nicholville, N.Y., is the owner of Stauffer Farms, LLC.
Renee Francis Stauffer ‘99, Nicholville, N.Y., is the vice president of Partners with Ethiopia.
2000-09
Christopher ’00 and Maria Clymer Kurtz ’00, Linville, Va., premiered in November as the duo Clymer & Kurtz. Their self-titled, six-song CD is available at www.clymerkurtz.com
Jason Berg ‘01, Urbana, Ill., CEO of Pixo, visited EMU in late September to give a Longacre Seminar and visit business administration classes. Berg joined Pixo, which develops user-focused custom software and web applications, in 2015. He is the president and co-owner of the Urbana-based company.
Mike Caldwell ‘01, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, is the new head girls basketball coach at Riverside High School in Painesville. He teaches special education, focusing on English.
Matthew Eshleman ‘01, Baltimore, Md., is the chief technology officer at Community IT, where he interned in the summer of 2000 and subsequently began working as a network administrator.
Aaron Kauffman ‘01, MDiv ‘12, Harrisonburg, Va., earned a doctor of ministry degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. His dissertation was titled “Thriving: Effective Strategies for the Evangelism and Discipleship of Emerging Adults.” He has been the president of Virginia Mennonite Missions since 2014.
Michael Scholfield ‘01, Harrisonburg, Va., is a cardiologist at Sentara RMH. He returned to the Shenandoah Valley after working for five years as director of the non-invasive laboratory at James A. Haley Veteran’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida, and as an assistant professor at the University of South Florida. After graduation from Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2008, he was a resident at the University of Illinois, Chicago, College of Medicine and a fellow at the University of South Florida.
Zachary Nafziger ’01, owner and resident artist at ZN Stained Glass in Weyers Cave, Va., was profiled in the fall 2019 issue of Stained Glass, the quarterly magazine of the Stained Glass Association of America, which featured the VMRC work as well as others for Red Wing Roots Music Festival and Community Mennonite Church.
Jill Hostetter ‘02, Harrisonburg, Va., is the practice manager at Harrisonburg SmileMakers.
Lynley Culbertson Lapp ‘02, Saint Louis, Mo., is a health promotion coordinator at a local school district. She is married to Daniel Lapp ‘02, who is completing a pediatric gastroenterology fellowship at Washington University.
Felicia Zamora ‘02, Pittsburgh, Pa., is a Master of Divinity student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. After graduating from EMU, she returned to her home country of Nicaragua to work for Provadenic, a healthcare non-profit which trains rural residents to provide medical care for their communities.
Carolyn Weaver Swenson ‘03, Ann Arbor, Mich., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, gave a Suter Science Seminar during EMU’s Homecoming and Family Weekend. Her presentation focused on female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery, and the intersections between medicine, motherhood, and academia. Swenson was recently awarded the 2019 Impact Award by the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology for her published research on hysterectomies.
Sharon Rotenberry Bragg ‘04, Faber, Va., is the assistant nurse manager at the University of Virginia Medical Intensive Care Unit. She earned her MSN and DNP degrees at the University of Virginia.
Jennifer Lynn Faust ‘04, Paducah, Ky., has worked at JCPenney since August 2018.
Rebekah Miller Hoffer ‘04, Ephrata, Pa., is going on 10 years as a content creator, which includes writing at SimplyRebekah.com and co-hosting on the “Sorta Awesome” podcast.
David Landis ’04 and Anna Dintaman ’05 are the founders and owners of the Harrisonburg-based Village to Village Press, specializing in guidebooks and adventure travel. Their new TransVirginia Bike Route, or TransVA, connects Washington D.C. to Damascus using existing rails-to-trails and rural dirt or gravel roads, often on public lands. Village to Village has contributed to tourism projects in other countries, including the Jesus Trail in the Middle East, where the couple lived for nearly a decade. For more info, visit villagetovillagepress.com or www.transvirginia.org.
Mark Miller ‘04, Harrisonburg, Va., was named principal of Keister Elementary School in Harrisonburg. He has 15 years of instructional and school leadership experience, and had served as an assistant principal since 2010.
Cara Hershberger Sahd ‘04, Lititz, Pa., works for Lives Changed By Christ, known as LCBC, as director of strategic planning in student ministry.
Hannah Zehr ‘04, Tupper Lake, N.Y., teaches sixth-grade science and math in the Tupper Lake Central School District. She is a Sunday school teacher, community choir member, contra dancer and outdoor enthusiast.
Davi Soesilo ‘05, Brisbane, Australia, worked on the new “Dora the Explorer” movie. A specialist in visual effects, stills photography and camera operations, he has worked on production sets of “Aquaman” (2018), “Pacific Rim: Uprising” (2018), and “The Wolverine” (2013). He was a theater major at EMU, where Professor Marti Eads remembers “the fabulous set plan he developed for a unit on Brecht’s Mother Courage.”
Stephanie Miller Lehman ‘06, Philadelphia, Pa., a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia, gave a Suter Science Seminar this fall on “Exploring Arginine Methylation as a Cancer Therapy Target and as a Dissertation.”
Andrea Opel ‘06, Elkhart, Ind., has joined the behavior health team with Chapman and Associates Health Care, an integrated practice providing primary care, behavioral health, medication management and therapy services. She specializes in providing therapy addressing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma and grief to children and adolescents.
Maria Holsopple ‘07, Washington, D.C., senior programs communications specialist for Plan International USA, was part of a team that won PR Daily’s “Media Relations Campaign of the Year (Over $50,000)” award. The campaign was designed to bring public awareness to results of a youth gender norms survey and a subsequent report on the state of gender equality for U.S. adolescents.
Jenna Martin-Trinka ‘07, Harrisonburg, Va., completed a master’s degree in Spanish and Spanish culture from the University of Salamanca, Spain. She is a dual-language teacher in Harrisonburg City Schools.
Kevin Ressler ’07 is the new president and CEO of United Way of Lancaster County. In a United Way announcement, the search committee chair praised “Kevin’s authentic leadership style, the relationships he has built in the community and his vision for United Way,” as well as his “sense of pride about the Lancaster community and his deep understanding of the County’s needs.” Ressler moves into this new role from a previous position as the executive director of Meals on Wheels of Lancaster, which served more than 1,000 community members with an average of 375 monthly volunteers.
Jared Byler ’08, head coach, and Trevor Weaver ’09, assistant coach, led the Juniata High School boys soccer team, Mifflintown, Pa., to their first PIAA District 6 AA Championship and first trip to the PIAA AA classification state tournament in fall 2019. The two coaches expressed thanks to their former coach Roger Mast for his support during their team’s championship run.
Ben Yoder ‘08, Lederach, Pa., was inducted into the EMU Hall of Honor for his soccer and volleyball achievements. In volleyball, he set records of 1,298 assists in a season and 4,285 assists in a career. Yoder also graduated No. 2 in career history with 821 digs. In soccer, Yoder was named All-ODAC Second Team in 2006 and left EMU No. 18 on the career scoring list with 41 points and No. 16 with 17 career goals.
Jake King ‘09, Lancaster, Pa., works as a freelance writer and researcher in the healthcare sector, co-owns a vending machine business, and is involved with the local MEDA chapter. He and wife Carrie Keagy King ‘07 moved back to Lancaster after living and working in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was featured in a profile in the September MEDA magazine. He previously worked at PropThink, a company that produces online newsletters for investors in the healthcare and life sciences sectors.
Kim Roth Lehman ‘09, Hesston, Kan., is a stay-at-home mom.
Jackson Maust ‘09, Keezletown, Va., is a physical therapist for Augusta Health. He is a volunteer EMT and deputy chief at Harrisonburg Rescue Squad. He is also the bass player for The Walking Roots Band.
Katie Lehman Maust ‘09, Keezletown, Va., is a registered nurse for Sentara RMH. She is a volunteer paramedic with Harrisonburg Rescue Squad.
Miles Musselman ‘09, Harleysville, Pa., is director of supply chain management for Dorman Products.
Matasha Owens ‘09, Harrisonburg, Va., works at James Madison University as an IT risk and compliance analyst.
Derek Tomek ‘09, Reedville, Va., is the senior pastor of Bethany United Methodist Church in Reedville. He came to the position after serving a two-church charge on the Eastern Shore. Derek is a U.S. Army veteran who served six years as a biomedical equipment technician.
Katie Lamm Spengler ‘09, Shillington, Pa., was inducted into EMU’s Hall of Honor for her achievements in soccer from 2005-08. Katie is No. 2 in EMU history with 61 career goals and 135 career points, and No. 4 with 13 career assists.
Corrie Stutzman Swartzendruber ‘09, Wellman, Iowa, is a family nurse practitioner at the University of Iowa.
Kristina Landis Yoder ‘09, Penn Laird, Va., was inducted into EMU’s Hall of Fame for her achievements in field hockey from 2006-08. Kristina was named the EMU Female Newcomer of the Year after her first season and claimed All-ODAC First Team status all three of her years. She was also VaSID All-State First Team twice and voted the ODAC Scholar Athlete of the Year twice.
2010-
Basil Marin ‘10, Stone Mountain, Ga., was among 34 members appointed by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam to the Commission on African American History Education. Formerly an administrator in Virginia Beach, Basil started in a new role this fall as assistant principal with DeKalb County Schools.
Erika Martin Gascho ‘10, Harrisonburg, Va., is a fifth-grade teacher at Eastern Mennonite Elementary School.
Barbara Harrison Seward MDiv ‘11, Harrisonburg, Va., is the priest-in-charge at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. She previously held positions at two churches in Illinois. Her canine companion is Gigi, named after starring character played by Leslie Caron in the 1958 comedy-romance “Gigi.” Seward entered the ministry after a career in business education. She first connected with Emmanuel Episcopal Church while a student at Eastern Mennonite Seminary from 2007 to 2011.
Lyubov D. Slashcheva ‘11, Rochester, Minn., is the chair-elect of the American Public Health Association’s oral health section. She practices dentistry with Apple Tree Dental and is a research collaborator with the Mayo Clinic Department of Dental Specialities.
Charlotte Wenger ‘11, Boston, Mass., is a literary agent with Prospect Agency. She had previously worked as an associate editor with Page Street Kids.
Grace Engle Delp ’12, Marietta, Pa., released “You’ll Make it Through,” a 13-track CD available for purchase at store.cdbaby.com/cd/gracedelp. She and husband Benjamen Delp ’12 live in Marietta, Pa., with their three children.
Brendon Derstine ‘12, Harrisonburg, Va., is an assistant principal at Spotswood Elementary School. He was previously a social studies teacher at Thomas Harrison Middle School.
Nathan Hershberger ‘12, Durham, N.C., was named a 2019-20 Kenan Graduate Fellow at the Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke University. He is a third-year PhD student in Christian Theological Studies. His work focuses on the relationship between scripture and ethics in the Christian tradition, particularly around issues of suffering and religious violence. He also has interests in Jewish and Islamic studies. Prior to coming to Duke, Nathan volunteered for three years in northern Iraq with a relief and development organization. He has an MA from the University of Virginia.
Leah Ott ‘12, Shepherdstown, W.Va., is a theater teacher with Fauquier County Schools. In 2018, she earned a master’s degree in theater education from Catholic University of America.
James Åkerson MDiv ’13, Harrisonburg, Va., published Teaching Tenets of Faith in Worship (Wipf and Stock Resource Publications, 2019), a worship and preaching aid to teaching 24 tenets of the Christian faith.
Jenna Longenecker ’13, Erin Rhineheimer Conway ’15 and Malea Gascho ’11, with Lauren Bykowski ’14, contributed whimsical art inspired by their students as well as collaborative works of their own at an exhibit in the Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery during Homecoming and Family Weekend. Jenna teaches preK-8 and Makerspace classes for Lancaster Mennonite Schools. Erin teaches at Stone Spring Elementary School and at Larkin Arts in Harrisonburg. Malea, a co-founder and vice president of The Making Space in Harrisonburg, works with middle and high schoolers at Eastern Mennonite School. Lauren teaches K-8 art at Saint Benedict Catholic School in Richmond.
Amanda Hamill ‘14, Christiana, Pa., is a registered nurse for UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg.
Annie Diller King ‘14, Broadway, Va., is a mortgage loan adviser with Park View Federal Credit Union.
Andrew Kniss ‘14, Harrisonburg, Va., is a firefighter with Charlottesville and volunteers with the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad.
Derek Sauder ‘14, Mount Crawford, Va., is a doctoral student of assessment and measurement at James Madison University, where he also earned a master’s degree in psychological sciences.
Everett Brubaker ’15 was the lead organizer of the spring 2019 Harrisonburg Solar Census, which resulted in a digital map and resource – www.hburgsolar.com – that has helped raise the city’s profile in the national conversation about solar policy. Everett and a team of volunteers canvassed the city in a three-week effort to gather information from residents, nonprofits and businesses about their solar generation. The project was supported by the Sierra Club Shenandoah chapter, Renew Rocktown, the Climate Action Alliance of the Valley, Secure Futures, Green Hill Solar and the Voluntary Gas Tax Group.
Aliese Gingerich ‘15, Harrisonburg, Va., is Community Mennonite Church’s Covenant Representative for the local social justice organization Faith in Action. She is an ESL teacher with Harrisonburg City Schools.
Jordan Luther ‘15, Souderton, Pa., is associate pastor of faith formation at Zion Mennonite Church in Souderton.
Gee Moses Paegar ‘15, Philadelphia, Pa., graduated with a master’s degree in environmental studies with a concentration in environmental policy from the University of Pennsylvania in May. He is an energy efficiency program analyst with Philadelphia Gas Works, where he works to foster sustainability through improved energy management practices.
Ryan Yates ’15, MA ’18 (interdisciplinary studies), GC ’18 (conflict transformation), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is a marketing manager and coach with Hoop Mountain Basketball Academy, a skill development program for players ages 4-18.
David Falk ‘16, Madison, Va., and his wife Katelynn have opened Renback Barn, a wedding and event venue on his family farm. David is a ninth-generation farmer.
Rebekah Johnsen ‘16, Lititz, Pa., is the director of residential living at Landis Homes.
Mikhala Lantz-Simmons MA ’16 and Mohammad Rasoulipour GC ’15, both of Kansas City, Mo, wrote Can You See Me? (Andrews McMeel Universal, 2019). The new children’s book is dedicated to several children of classmates, faculty and staff the couple met while studying at CJP.
Ryan McAlister ‘16, Bridgewater, Va., has been named the new varsity baseball coach at East Rockingham High School. Last year, Ryan led the Luray Bulldogs to an upset of top-seeded Page County in the Shenandoah District quarterfinals last season.
Zoe Parakuo ‘16, Harrisonburg, Va., is the new Family Self-Sufficiency program coordinator with the Harrisonburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Previously, she worked as an assistant case manager with Church World Service and with Mennonite Central Committee in Tanzania.
Ryan Swartzentruber ’16 and his fiancée Rita Cohen completed a 2,900-mile bike trip from Mexico to Canada this summer to celebrate Ryan’s completion of a master’s degree in agricultural and resource economics at Colorado State University and Rita’s first year of teaching high school math. Their journey on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route began May 28 and ended July 14.
Robert Cook ‘17, Maidens, Va., is a social sciences and dual enrollment teacher at Powhatan High School. He earned a master’s degree in government from Johns Hopkins University in May 2019. He and Professor Paul Yoder ’06, MA ’11 (education) co-authored an article published in the fall 2019 issue of the Oregon Journal of the Social Sciences that builds on Robert’s senior history thesis and honors capstone project.
Christina Hershey ‘17, Harrisonburg, Va., is a Virginia Mennonite Missions tranSend program participant who will work with Kids Club and Immanuel Mennonite Church from June 2019 – May 2020.
Madeline Kate Hostetler Martinez ‘17, Portland, Ore., is a graphic designer for a children’s apparel company and a freelance illustrator with a burgeoning Instagram following (@madelinekate_illustrates).
Eli Wenger ‘17, University Park, Pa., who is pursuing a doctoral degree in chemistry at Penn State University, passed his oral examinations. The same month, he co-authored a publication in the Journal of the American Chemistry Society. His research is focused on understanding how antibiotic, anticancer and anesthetic drugs derived from plants, bacteria and fungi are assembled with the goal of helping academic and industrial pharmaceutical scientists discover new drugs to treat cancer and overcome the growing national problem with antibiotic-resistant, disease-causing bacteria.
Harrison Horst ‘18, Nanchong, China, is a teaching intern for English language students at China West Normal University in Sichuan province.
Oksana Kitrell ‘18, Harrisonburg, Va., has been appointed by Virginia Mennonite Missions to the tranSend program. She is a member of Divine Unity Community Church in Harrisonburg, and an intern with Every Nation Campus ministry. Oksana leads Bible studies and small groups at EMU and focuses on identifying and mentoring leaders for campus ministry.
Lorren Oesch ‘18, Hesston, Kan., a residence director at Hesston College, was part of the Step Up planning team at the 2019 Mennonite Church USA conference. She and EMU senior Leah Wenger, who helped to found Step Up, worked with two other leaders to orient youth representatives on how the denomination functions.
Caleb Schrock-Hurst ‘18, Harrisonburg, Va., is Mennonite Central Committee’s Vietnam 65th Anniversary Project Facilitator. He was previously in the SALT program in Vietnam. He was also the invited speaker this fall at his alma mater, Eastern Mennonite High School, for the 19th Annual Kennel Charles Lecture Series, which involved two days of class visits and a special event where he engaged students in the history of the Vietnam War and MCC service in the region.
Noah Haglund ‘19, Springs, Pa., joined Mennonite Central Committee’s year-long Serving and Learning Together program as a grant writer with a nongovernmental organization in the Middle East that helps refugees and those impacted by war. He graduated with a peacebuilding and development degree, and minors in political science and pre-law.
Christy Kauffman ‘19, West Liberty, Ohio, joined MCC’s year-long Serving and Learning Together program as a communications capacity building assistant with MCC Haiti in Port-au-Prince.
Lydia Musselman ‘19, Denver, Pa., joined MCC’s year-long Serving and Learning Together program as a research and administration volunteer at an ecumenical center in the Middle East.
Ben Zook ‘19, Harrisonburg, Va., is a structural engineer technician and drafter at Engineering Solutions and Construction Management. “Suddenly my days are filled completely to the brim with work and other events … the moments between classes to take a nap or throw a Frisbee are sadly gone,” he wrote. “Nevertheless, life is good … and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.”
GRADUATE
Bill Hawk ‘72, MA ‘74 (religion), Harrisonburg, Va., spoke at an October Anabaptist Center for Religion and Society breakfast at Park View Mennonite Church. Hawk, who now leads the department of philosophy and religion at James Madison University, was formerly a philosophy professor, vice president and academic dean at EMU.
Tammy Krause MA ‘99 (conflict transformation), Harrisonburg, Va., a pioneer of defense-victim outreach who has worked on landmark cases such as the Oklahoma City bombing and the trial of Zacharias Moussaoui, spoke at EMU’s 2019 Homecoming TenTalks.
Fidele Ayu Lumeya MA ‘00 (conflict transformation), Altoona, Pa., returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo this summer to direct the Congo Ubuntu Peacebuilding Center at the Centre Universitaire de Missiologie in the capital city Kinshasa. He founded the center and will work with his wife to provide trainings and administration.
Chad Schrock MDiv ‘02, Cleveland, Tenn., presented his paper “Real Presence: The Word of God and ‘The Pardoner’s Tale’” at the international meeting of the Conference on Christianity and Literature. Schrock is a professor of English at Lee University.
Florina Xavier Benoit MA ‘04 (conflict transformation), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, is the regional return and reintegration advisor with Act for Peace for India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. Prior to that, she worked in Afghanistan with Tabish. She has also worked for UNHCR in Kyrgyzstan, CASA and the Organisation for Eelam Refugee Rehabilitation in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, and was the associate director of praxis at the Henry Martyn Institute: International Center for Research, Interfaith Relations and Reconciliation.
Shawn Gerber MDiv ‘04, Bloomington, Ind., is the director of spiritual care and chaplaincy services at Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital and the chaplain manager for the south central region of Indiana University Health. After graduating from seminary, Gerber completed a fellowship in clinical ethics with the Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics at IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. He is a trained facilitator in critical incident stress management.
Husam Jubran MA ‘04 (conflict transformation), East Jerusalem, Israel, a professional guide with Mejdi Tours and a nonviolence trainer, spoke about socially-conscious tourism at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai in April.
Dwight Daryl Burton MA ‘06 (conflict transformation), Portland, Ore., is the senior web developer at Mercy Corps, an international humanitarian organization. Burton oversees website development and content. He also teaches university courses in mediation and conducts trainings in the U.S., Indonesia and India.
Krista Suter MA ‘06 (counseling), Harrisonburg, Va., was promoted to senior vice president and senior risk officer at F&M Bank. She has worked in the banking industry for 16 years, and joined F&M in 2007.
Leymah Gbowee MA ‘07 (conflict transformation), Accra, Ghana, was the national orator for Liberia’s 172nd Independence Day celebration in July. The invitation to speak was extended by President George Weah. The event, attended by dignitaries and foreign heads of state, took place at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex. Gbowee is founder and president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa and a Nobel Laureate.
Michele Byers MA ‘09 (education), Lancaster, Pa., was named principal of Burrowes Elementary School.
Cheryl Miller Lackey MBA ‘09, Daleville, Va., retired from a career in finance and accounting in 2016 and is currently a member artist at the Gallery by the James in Buchanan. Her speciality is rural themes. Learn more on her Facebook page and website: www.artworkbycherylmillerlackey.com.
Brenda Waugh MA ‘09 (conflict transformation), Martinsburg, W.Va., presented a workshop on options to litigation for the Virginia Mediation Network in September at the University of Richmond School of Law. Waugh has offices in Charles Town, W.Va.; Leesburg, Va.; and in Washington D.C.
P. Marshall Yoder MA ‘10 (conflict transformation), Harrisonburg, Va., was named one of the “Best Lawyers in America” for 2020. He is an attorney with Wharton, Aldhizer and Weaver, specializing in collaborative law.
Christian Haase MA ‘11 (counseling), Harrisonburg, Va., a graduate student at James Madison University, was recognized for innovative teaching during the spring 2019 semester and also awarded the Jonathan Davis Memorial Scholarship for his work with suicide prevention and awareness.
Barbie Fischer MA ‘12 (conflict transformation), Philadelphia, Pa., is executive director of Restorative Encounters, a nonprofit association of restorative justice professionals and organizations offering resources and training in restorative practices.
Somer George MA ‘12 (counseling), New Market, Va., completed her PhD in counseling and supervision at James Madison University. Her dissertation is titled “Attachment in Middle Childhood Among Foster and Adopted Children: Preliminary Validation of a Behavioral Observation System.” She is on staff at the Virginia Child and Family Attachment Center, and teaches at EMU and JMU.
Casey Owens MA ‘12 (counseling), Edinburg, Va., earned the 2018-19 School Counselor of the Year Award from the Central Valley Chapter of the Virginia Counselors Association. She works at Page County Middle School.
Leda Werner MA ‘12 (conflict transformation), Rockingham, Va., manages a three-year federally funded grant to prevent sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on campus. She is responsible for coordinating sexual violence prevention efforts on campus and manages EMU’s Green Dot bystander education program. Prior to her current role, Leda directed CJP’s Women’s Peacebuilding Leadership Program.
Gayeon Kim MA ‘13 (conflict transformation), Hanam, Gyeonggido, South Korea, works with the Korean Peacebuilding Network. He has been active as a researcher at Peacemomo and the Center for Conflict Transformation; has contributed to the initiation and planning of the second year of Peace Journalism School in Seoul; and assisted with the translation of Strategic Peacebuilding and Moral Imagination.
Melanie K. Lewis MDiv ‘14, Winchester, Va., is lead chaplain for Valley Health System’s six hospitals. She also serves Christ Episcopal Church in Millwood, Virginia, where she preaches once a month.
Clayton Payne MDiv ‘14 and his wife Sarah Payne MDiv ‘17, Rocky Mount, Va., have been named pastors of Redwood United Methodist Church. Clayton’s emphasis will be in worship and connectional leadership, while Sarah will serve the church in transformational and community outreach. Clayton is pursuing his doctorate at United Theological in Dayton, Ohio.
Sarah Brandt Roth Shank MA ‘14 (conflict transformation) is currently pursuing a PhD in restorative justice and public policy at the Diana Unwin Chair in Restorative Justice at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and is the senior consultant at Aspen Restorative Consulting in Wellington. Sarah served as CJP’s director for admissions from 2014-17. She is a trained victim outreach liaison and a certified fitness professional.
Janine Aberg MA ‘15 (conflict transformation), Harrisonburg, Va., helped to facilitate the creation of a large mural downtown around the theme of unity through diversity. The mural was exhibited at the Harrisonburg International Festival and is now touring local venues, including the Sadie Hartzler Library at EMU.
Rev. Dr. Tracy E. Brown MDiv ‘15, Lancaster, Pa., earned his DMin degree and graduated from Lancaster Theology Seminary in May 2019. He is currently the pastor of a church plant, Assured Hope Community Church, with the Lancaster Mennonite Conference.
Melissa Fretwell MDiv ‘15, Durham, N.C., is a board-certified chaplain with Liberty Home Care and Hospice.
Anne Kaufman Weaver MDiv ‘16, Brownstown, Pa., is a chaplain at Landis Homes Retirement Community in Lititz, Pa. She was ordained in 2017 by Atlantic Coast Conference after completing a Master of Divinity degree from Eastern Mennonite Seminary in May 2016. She also has a Master of Social Work degree from Marywood University.
Darsheel Kaur MA ‘17 (conflict transformation), Dayton, Ohio, an educator, artist and youth advocate, spoke at EMU’s 2019 Homecoming TenTalks. Kaur is an adjunct professor at Wright State University and serves on the board of the Dayton International Peace Museum.
Michael McAndrew MA ‘17 (conflict transformation and counseling), GC ‘17 (restorative justice), Denver, Colo., is a practicing Lacanian psychoanalyst and a member of the Colorado Analytic Forum of the Lacanian Field, as well as a member of the School of Psychoanalysis of the Forums of the Lacanian Field. He is a US Navy veteran.
Kajungu Mturi MA ‘17 (conflict transformation), Harrisonburg, Va., works in family outreach, focusing on refugee students and their families, with Harrisonburg City Schools.
Sabrina Burress MA ‘18 (counseling), Staunton, Va., earned the Emerging Leader Award from the Central Valley Counselors Association for her dedicated work in launching the Arrow Project. The Arrow Project’s goal is to enhance resilience, empowerment, and self-advocacy within local communities by expanding mental health treatment possibilities for and within the Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro area.
Samira Abou Alfa MA ‘19 (conflict transformation), Barja, Lebanon, is the Child Rights Programme Coordinator for Save the Children International. Alfa is responsible for the proper implementation of child rights governance projects targeting civil society organizations in Lebanon and the Arab region.
Ram Bhagat GC ‘19 (restorative justice), Richmond, Va., is the manager for school culture and climate strategy for Richmond Public Schools. He holds a doctorate in education in addition to this most recent academic degree from EMU and has taught at the Summer Peacebuilding Institute.
Todd Campbell MBA ‘19, Timberville, Va., is the senior packaging and ingredients purchasing manager at Bowman Andros in Mount Jackson.
Allan Peng MS ‘19 (biomedicine), Ellicott City, Md., has been accepted to the Towson University physician assistant program.
Sandra Quigg MA ‘19 (organizational leadership), Harrisonburg, Va., was named the new executive director of The Boys and Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. She has worked for more than 20 years with nonprofit organizations in a range of fields including higher education, arts administration and social services.
Bahman Shahi MA ‘19 (conflict transformation), Afghanistan, is senior associate and project manager at the international consultancy firm Acasus. He collaborates with senior government officials at the Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan to improve health delivery, and is a consultant to the senior officials in the central and provincial government.
MARRIAGES
Joshua Leinbach ‘08 to Erin Mills, Leesburg, Ind., Feb. 23, 2019.
Ellie Barnhart ‘11, MSN ‘15 to Stuart Butsch, Rickreall, Ore., July 20, 2019.
Laura Hershey ‘12 to Austin Herr, Harrisonburg, Va., Aug. 3, 2019.
Amanda Styer ‘12, MA’18 to Ryan Arnold, Fishersville, Va., July 13, 2019.
Abigail Carr ‘14 to Nathaniel Scheibner, Raleigh, N.C., March 9, 2019.
Malinda Bender ‘15 to Riley King, Newton, Kan., Sept. 28, 2019.
Megan Hertzler ‘16 to Kyndell Hightree, Bridgewater, Va., Aug. 31, 2019.
Jesse Reist ‘16 to Madeline Miller ‘16, El Prado, N.M., June 15, 2019.
Eyan Roth ‘16 to Hannah Weaver ‘16, Wichita, Kan., Dec. 29, 2019.
Ariel Bills ‘17 to Robert Martz, Harrisonburg, Va., May 18, 2019.
Abe Hartzler ‘18 to Rachel Breidigan ‘18, Rockingham, Va., April 27, 2019.
Trevor Oyer ‘19 to Abby Byler ‘19, Harrisonburg, Va., Aug. 3, 2019.
BIRTHS & ADOPTIONS
Stefano Colafranceschi (assistant professor of mathematical sciences) and Orlane Houzet, Harrisonburg, Va., Joshua Jude Mario, July 3, 2019.
Sarah and James DeBoer (sports information director), Bridgewater, Va., Katherine Elizabeth, Sept. 27, 2019.
Jasmine Hardesty (director of development and planned giving) and Ashley Driver, Timberville, Va., Hayes Ludwig, Aug. 5, 2019.
Katherine and Joshua Lyons (front-end web developer and analyst), Harrisonburg, Va., Blake William, June 20, 2019.
Trish and Ryan Thompson (assistant professor of psychology), Harrisonburg, Va., Asher Sage, July 11, 2019.
Soila Matute Cárcamo and Jeffrey Eshleman ‘99, MA ‘16 (education), Lancaster, Pa., Gabriela Matute, June 14, 2019.
David Brennan (adjunct English instructor) and Katelyn Miller ‘00, Keezletown, Va., Aria Sylvan, Feb. 9, 2018.
Micah and Bethany Spicher Schonberg ‘00, Huntington, Pa., Timothy Roy, Nov. 16, 2017.
Daniel ‘02 and Lynley Culbertson Lapp ‘02, Saint Louis, Mo., Escher Gregory, Jan. 28, 2019.
Jeremy ‘02 and Laura Schwartz Shue ‘02, Goshen, Ind., Benjamin S. Arthur, Sept. 4, 2019.
Bethany and Steve Gibbs ‘04 (senior education tech engineer), Rockingham, Va., Claire Adrianne, Sept. 19, 2019.
Michael ‘05 (program director, MA in counseling) and Lindsay Kisamore Horst ‘09, Harrisonburg, Va., Joshua Gabriel, April 19, 2019.
Lindsay Martin ‘05 (associate director of development for CJP) and Nathan Musselman ‘00, Harrisonburg, Va., Willow Rae, Aug. 23, 2019.
Brad and Brenna Steury Garber ‘07, Goshen, Ind., Margot Marie, May 23, 2019.
Seth ‘07, MDiv ‘15 and Kristen Souder Miller ‘07, MA ‘12 (education), Henderson, Neb., Rebecca Joy, April 6, 2019.
Dominick ‘07 and Kara Stoltzfus Porter ‘07, Harrisonburg, Va., Alina Katherine, April 1, 2019.
Laura and Mark Risser ‘07, Sacramento, Calif., Josie Louise, Aug. 31, 2019.
Jon Styer ‘07 (creative director) and Rhoda Miller ‘03, Keezletown, Va., Fennec Moss, May 25, 2019.
Hans and Lisa King Burkholder ‘08, MSN ‘14 (instructor of nursing), Harrisonburg, Va., Sage Ruth, July 7, 2019.
Jonathan and Amy Miller Hershberger ‘09, Iowa City, Iowa, Cayden Lee, July 17, 2019.
Eric ‘09 and Kimberly Troyer Schmucker ‘09, Harrisonburg, Va., Quinn Leabell, March 12, 2019.
Sarah Demaree ‘10, MA ‘12 (counseling) (residence director) and Joshua Defnall ‘14, Harrisonburg, Va., George Jerome, April 28, 2019.
Nicole and Adam Houser MDiv ‘11, Lowville, N.Y., Ezra Lee and Olin Kai, May 22, 2019.
Ben and Haleigh Walcott Kelley ‘11, MA ‘14 (counseling), Suffolk, Va., Charlotte Alexa Leigh, Oct. 2018.
Dan and Rachel Kolb Mast ‘11, Morgantown, Pa., Sadie Alice, Feb. 12, 2019.
Mitchell ‘11 and Jasmine Martin Stutzman ‘11, Hesston, Kan., Wilmer Dean, Dec. 14, 2018.
Boris Ozuna Urueta ‘11, GC ‘18 (conflict transformation) and Rebeca Barge ‘09, Harrisonburg, Va., Emilia Alexandra, March 9, 2019.
Nathan Hershberger ‘12 and Kaitlin Heatwole ‘11, Durham, N.C., Julian Rose, May 20, 2019.
Mitchell and Lauren Dixon Wimer ‘14, Dayton, Va., Henry Joshua, April 7, 2019.
Luke and Annika Schiller Maust Michael ‘15, Harrisonburg, Va., Farrah Kit, May 8, 2019.
DEATHS
Ralph A. Witmer, Salem, Ohio, died Aug. 20, 2019, at 92. Ralph led the family-owned Witmer Implement Sales, and co-founded the Das Dutch Haus restaurant, which added a 52-room inn and event center. He served on the boards of South Range Local Schools, the Ohio Farm and Power Association, the New Waterford Bank, Harmony Village Inc. of Columbiana, the U.S. AGCO Dealers’ Council, and the Federated Insurance Advisory Board.
Alta Weaver, Lititz, Pa., died April 9, 2019, at 102. She was a nursing instructor at EMC and Neumann’s College in Aston, Pa. Alta was a nurse education coordinator for Ephrata Community Hospital before she retired in 1982. She then worked part-time at Audubon Villa and Lancaster Lung Association.
Harold Lehman ‘36, Harrisonburg, Va., died Aug. 25, 2019, at 98. He taught in Rockingham County Public Schools. At Eastern Mennonite College and High School, Harold taught physical education, English, and American history; directed the high school; and was the college registrar. Harold retired as a professor at Madison College in 1986.
Margaret Martin Gehman ‘42, Harrisonburg, Va., died Aug. 28, 2019, at 97. Margaret was an EMU professor of physical education and art through 1987, although she continued teaching a watercolor course until 1996. Margaret established an endowment fund at EMU to support art and physical education majors. In 2005, EMU established the Margaret Martin Gehman Philanthropy Award to honor her and, in subsequent years, others who exemplify her legacy of generosity and selfless service to others. EMU’s Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery is named in her honor.
Ethel Yake Metzler ‘44, Goshen, Ind., died July 27, 2019, at 95. Ethel managed the MCC volunteer guesthouse in Washington, D.C., worked as a writer and editor for Herald Press, and taught in the American schools of Kathmandu and Calcutta while in the Peace Corps. Ethel later worked in counseling and psychotherapy in the U.S. and Nepal.
Paul Kniss ‘49, Harrisonburg, Va., died July 8, 2019, at 94. He served for 45 years under the Mennonite Mission Network.
Martha Sangrey ‘52, Lititz, Pa., died April 28, 2019, at 89. Martha worked for the Philhaven Hospital for 22 years, first as an activities director and then as admissions director. She also worked at camps in New York and Homestead, Florida over the years.
Martha Shank Whissen ‘53, Harrisonburg, Va., died Sept. 20, 2019, at 105. Martha earned a master’s degree from James Madison University. She began teaching in 1957 at Broadway Elementary School and later taught at Plains Elementary School in Timberville.
Moses Beachy ‘54, Goshen, Ind., died Sept. 14, 2019, at 94. Moses served in the Civilian Public Service, taught at Christian day schools in Ohio, and taught and ministered among indigenous people in Ontario before becoming a minister at East Goshen Mennonite Church. He founded LaCasa, a social service agency in Goshen.
S. Jean Stutzman Fretz ‘56, Souderton, Pa., died May 30, 2018, at 86. She was employed at Provident Bookstore for 44 years.
Ruth Yoder King ‘56, Parnell, Iowa, died May 11, 2019, at 83. She was a homemaker and devoted her life to caring for children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Ruth was a member of West Union’s Mennonite Women’s sewing circle and volunteered at the Crowded Closet.
Vernon Brubacher ‘57, New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada, died Jan. 23, 2019, at 90. Vernon taught at the Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School until his retirement in 1987. He was involved with the Wilmot Seniors Woodworking & Craft Club, New Hamburg Thrift Centre Board, Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario, Conrad Grebel University College, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, Rockway Mennonite Collegiate and Mennonite Historical Society of Canada.
Grace Shenk Lynch ‘58, Harrisonburg, Va., died May 4, 2019, at 85. Grace worked at RMH, served in Mennonite Voluntary Service in Arizona, taught at MCV School of Nursing and the University of Delaware, and helped to start EMC’s nursing program. She later worked for a mental health facility in Pennsylvania.
Chester Leaman ‘59, Fredericksburg, Va., died April 7, 2019, at 90. He was an agent for Hess and Miller Real Estate. Chester was the treasurer of Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, a member of the Gideon’s for more than 40 years, a member of the Rockingham Male Chorus, and executive director of Weekday Religious Education. He and his wife operated Kingsway Bed and Breakfast.
Willard Swartley ‘59, Goshen Ind., died Nov. 6, 2019, at 83. Willard earned a PhD in New Testament Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary. Willard pastored at the former Locust Grove Mennonite Church, Elkhart, and taught at EMU, Conrad Grebel College, and AMBS.
LeRoy Petersheim ‘60, Lititz, Pa., died Sept. 2, 2019, at 89. LeRoy, along with his wife Betty Lou, was a missionary in Kenya and Tanzania through the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions, serving from 1960-70. After returning home, LeRoy was the CEO at Tel Hai retirement community. He was also the director of marketing and public relations at Garden Spot Village.
Nevin Bender ‘61, SEM ‘63, Harrisonburg, Va., died July 22, 2019, at 81. He pastored at Bethany Mennonite Church and established Bethany Birches Camp, where he was director for 15 years. He then went on to work in the maintenance department at EMU for 25 years.
Wayne Kratzer ‘61, Kidron, Ohio, died May 21, 2019, at 86. Kratzer earned his teaching degree from The Ohio State University, attended seminary, and spent the remainder of his life in the ministry. He was a lifelong member of Kidron Mennonite Church.
Earl Alderfer ‘62, Souderton, Pa., died Sept. 7, 2018, at 80. Earl enjoyed building and refinishing cabinets and antique furniture. He was an avid reader of history and biographies. He enjoyed riding bicycles, golfing, fishing, doing word search puzzles, and playing croquet at the annual Whack & Roll Croquet Tournament in Harleysville. Earl attended Grace Bible Church.
Ruth Ann Swartzendruber ‘62, Hydro, Okla., died July 31, 2019, at 79. Ruth Ann served as librarian for Hydro Public Schools. She loved birds and was an enthusiastic traveler.
Arthur Newcomer ‘64, Bellefontaine, Ohio, died June 15, 2019, at 81. He worked as a social worker, realtor, insurance/financial planner and basketball official. Art served as chairperson for the West Liberty Historical Society Opera House Renovation Committee and attended Bethel Mennonite Church.
Fannie Mae Yoder ‘65, Staunton, Va., died Oct. 26, 2019, at 88. Fannie Mae spent much of her adult life in service and mission assignments, in the U.S., Newfoundland, Belize, and Paraguay, where she served as a nurse-midwife and delivered over 200 babies. She was later employed by Riverside Hospital and Mountain View Nursing Home.
Richard Showalter ‘66, Waynesboro, Va., died Aug. 15, 2018, at 80. He faithfully served for many years as a minister and overseer of the area Mennonite churches. He taught seventh-grade math for 30 years. His family ran an apple orchard, and Richard kept bees and sold honey.
Virginia “Ginny” Swartzendruber Christophel ‘67, Kalona, Iowa, died June 23, 2019, at 74. She received graduate degrees in nursing at Wayne State University and as a geriatric nurse practitioner at the University of South Florida. Her vast career as a GNP included teaching, directing and leading various departments.
Kristen Long Hinkle ‘68, McGaheysville, Va., died Oct. 24, 2019, at 73. Kristen earned her master’s degree in social work from Madison College. She was employed by Rockingham County Public Schools.
Flora Yoder Martin ‘69, Towson, Md., died June 7, 2019, at 72. Flora performed with the Baltimore Opera for 14 years, was a principal artist for the Baltimore Opera Touring Company, and sang with the Baltimore Music Club’s Bel Canto Singers. She taught at Prince George’s Community College, the Peabody Preparatory School, Roland Park Country School and her private home studio.
John Claude ‘71, Wilmington, N.C., died June 8, 2018, at 87. He biked, kayaked, hiked, built and flew model airplanes, skied, parasailed over the pre-alps of Switzerland, had a mini farm with his grandson, and traveled extensively.
Wayne Keim ‘73, Bay Port, Mich., died April 9, 2019, at 73. He served three years in Vietnam as a conscientious objector through Mennonite Central Committee. Wayne earned an MA from the University of Michigan School of Social Work. He owned and operated Pathways Counseling Services and pastored for 20 years.
Darlis Eberly Moyer ‘73, Harrisonburg, Va., died May 5, 2019, at 67. Darlis was a social worker before earning a law degree and practicing for 25 years, including as a private adoption attorney.
Ronald Helmuth ‘74, Bethlehem, Pa., died April 14, 2019, at 67. Ron worked for IBM as a system engineer, and at Eastern Mennonite University and Moravian College as an information technology director. He owned and operated United Checking Cashing, and served in the Lehigh Wheelmen Association, the Morning Star Rotary club of Bethlehem, the Board of Hogar Crea of Freemansburg, and the Blue Mountain Ski Patrol.
Steven Hershberger ‘75, Akron, Pa., died June 9, 2019, at 66. He worked as a controller for AIMM in Dunlap, Ind.; an analyst for Roche Diagnostics in Indianapolis; and was an accountant.
Diana Cline Summers ‘75, Rockingham, Va., died Aug. 23, 2019, at 64. She had been employed with Sunnyside Retirement Community and more recently was a pharmacy tech with Peakside Pharmacy Care Center.
Ruth Jones ‘79, Leesport, Pa., died April 13, 2019, at 60. Ruth earned her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from Temple University, and practiced as a podiatrist for 16 years before returning to nursing.
Betty Shirk Byler ‘80, Harrisonburg, Va., died March 19, 2019, at 90. She was a bookkeeper at her father’s business Shirk Chevrolet, a census taker, a driver for Rockingham County Schools, and a serials librarian at Eastern Mennonite University. After retiring, she was a volunteer cashier at Gift and Thrift.
Marilyn Hartline ‘80, Strasburg, Ohio, died June 11, 2019, at 62. She helped many people in need and mentored new professionals throughout her social work career.
Janet Parrish Seay MDiv ‘80, Chesapeake, Va., died May 13, 2018, at 67. Jan pastored United Methodist churches, worked for Camp Friendship in Palmyra, Va., was employed as a registrar and scheduler, and taught fifth-grade math, science and social studies.
John Kiblinger ‘87, MA ‘88 (ministry), Harrisonburg, Va., died Oct. 11, 2019, at 72. John served as a pastor at Ridgeway Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, as a Southern District overseer, and as a volunteer chaplain at Avante Nursing Home. He was also executive vice president of Select Aerospace Industries for 20 years.
Clarine Dean ‘96, Harrisonburg, Va., died Aug. 13, 2019, at 83. She worked as an estimator in the construction industry.
Tamela “Tammy” Powers Patterson ‘11, Staunton, Va., died Aug. 15, 2019, at 44. She was a nurse with Augusta Health for more than 23 years.
Corrections
In the profile of Roberto Wingfield ‘15 in the 2019 Spring/Summer issue of Crossroads, the correct title of his past position is behavioral health interventionist. Wingfield’s primary assignment (as of the spring/summer 2019 publication date) is a study that includes administering neuropsychological assessments to patients with mild TBI recently admitted to the emergency department. He participated in the Morocco/Spain cross-cultural, co-founded the EMU ultimate frisbee club, and now plays professionally with the Philadelphia Open Program.
Deirdre Longacher Smeltzer’s correct graduation year is 1987.
Degree Key
CLASS OF – attended as part of the class of a given graduation year
GC – graduate certificate
MA – master of arts
MS – master of science
MDiv – master of divinity
Entries about alumni with both their undergraduate and graduate degrees from EMU are listed in the undergraduate section.
Have an update? Visit emu.edu/alumni/update.
