2000s Class notes
Recently submitted
2000
Jenelle (Whitlock) Becker (B) and husband Craig Becker (B) welcomed their second child, Blake David, on March 26, 2009. He joins brother Brady. Jenelle is a senior financial analyst for Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids and also runs her own photography business. Craig is a senior programmer analyst for Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield. The family lives in Sherry.
Sarah (Anderson) Meyer (B) and John Meyer were married April 18, 2009, in Elkhart Lake. Sarah works in the marketing department at Kohl's Corp. The couple live in Milwaukee.
Aaron "Charles" Walker (E) reports that his band, The Charles Walker Band, released its fifth CD Oct. 10, 2009, on CDBaby and Itunes. The CD is a mix of blues, R&B and funk. More information about the band can be found online.Charles lives in Brown Deer.
2001
Jason Beloungy (HSS) is a policy analyst for the Washington, D.C.-based National Council on Independent Living, the nation's oldest cross-disability grassroots organization. He works on advancing independent living and civil rights for people with disabilities at the federal level. Jason works in such areas as health care/long-term care, civil rights, employment and social security. He regularly returns to Wisconsin, where he lives with his wife and daughter. The family lives in Belleville.
2002
Kate Mize (A&S) wrote a report titled "Stopping the Revolving Door: Reform of Community Corrections in Wisconsin," which was published by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute in July 2009. The report suggests improving and expanding the role of private and nonprofit providers in Wisconsin's community corrections system. Kate is self-employed as an attorney and political consultant in Madison. She lives in Madison.
2003
Chandra (LaViolette) Susedik (A&S) is the associate producer for the Tony Award-winning Crossroads Theatre Co. in New Brunswick, N.J. Crossroads recently opened its 2009-10 season with "Fly," a world-premiere play. More information about the theater company is available online. Chandra lives in South Amboy, N.J.
2004
Mitch Kluska (A&S) is finishing his fifth season as a sales development representative for the Minnesota Twins. He currently is working with companies and individuals as the team prepares to move into Target Field. Mitch's responsibilities include selling season ticket plans, suites and group outings. He lives in St. Louis Park, Minn., and can be reached by e-mail at
mitchkluska@twinsbaseball.com.
Elizabeth (Stubbs) O'Brien (E) reports that after graduating from UW-Eau Claire andteaching for four years, she created a Web site, English Grammar Revolution, that teaches grammar through sentence diagramming. Elizabeth says that sentence diagramming is rarely taught anymore, but it could help many people. She hopes her Web site will encourage people to learn and teach grammar that way. Elizabeth became interested in grammar and sentence diagramming after taking the UW-Eau Claire class "English Grammar and Usage" with Gloria Hochstein, now an emerita English faculty member. Elizabeth lives in North Oaks, Minn.
Katherine (Kosmalski) Ott (A&S) and husband Bryan Ott (B) welcomed their daughter, Noelle Jane, on Sept. 9, 2009. The family lives in Milwaukee.
Kimberly Spiegel (B) is pursuing a master's degree in business administration at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn. She plans to focus her studies on marketing and international business. She lives in Minneapolis.
2006
Cassandra (Honkanen) Cerny (A&S) and Steve Cerny (A&S) met while they were UW-Eau Claire students and off-campus neighbors. They married in 2005 and, after graduating from UW-Eau Claire in 2006, moved to Madison to pursue careers. The couple then moved to Wausau to be closer to their families. Their son, Evan, was born in 2007. Cassandra and Steve report that they have found great careers in Wausau and are very happy raising their family there.
Ashley (Gildner) Hennig (A&S) and Justin Hennig '04 (B) were married Dec. 13, 2008, in White Bear Lake, Minn. The couple live in Des Moines, Iowa, where Ashley is a recruiter for Johnson & Associates and Justin is a territory manager with Medical Action Industries.
Sheri (Hayden) Rohde (B) and Tony Rohde '05 (B) were married May 3, 2008, in Durand. Both currently are pursuing master's degrees. They live in Stevens Point.
2008
Nathan Knowlton (B) has joined the Northern Wisconsin Center Excel Treatment Facility team as a resident care manager working for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. He lives in Cornell.
Submitted within the past six months
2000
Jodi (Brown) McCord (A&S) and Terry McCord were married Nov. 5, 2005. They
live in Little Canada, Minn., and can be reached by e-mail at jodi1002@yahoo.com.
Justin Wirth (A&S) and wife Nicole were married Dec. 18, 2008, in Charleston, S.C. The couple live in Jacksonville, N.C., with their daughter, Sakura Imogin.
2001
Elizabeth
(Ziegler) Schaefer (A&S) and Jeffrey Schaefer were married
Sept. 9, 2006. Elizabeth is a graphic designer at Studio @ One Zero Charlie
in Greenwood, Ill. The couple live in Lake in the Hills, Ill.
Rachelle (Madison) Synoracki (N) and husband Michael were married Oct. 3, 2008, in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Several of their wedding attendants were former Blugolds. Rachelle is a labor and delivery nurse at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Md. The couple live in Annapolis.
2003
Adam Benscoter (A&S) and Katie Flynn
were married Oct. 7, 2006, in St. Paul, Minn. The couple work in Minneapolis
and live in West St. Paul, Minn.
Benjamin Licht (A&S) has been promoted to the position of senior analyst in strategic issues at the U.S. Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C. GAO, often referred to as the "investigative arm of Congress" or its "watchdog agency," evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of federal programs. Ben has worked at GAO since earning his master of public administration degree from George Washington University in May 2004. He lives in Arlington, Va.
David Schultz (E) lives in Yuma, Ariz., where he teaches world history at Kofa High School. He says the weather is a little different from the cold journeys across the mighty Chippewa River in Eau Claire, but he is getting used to it. David also says he attributes his successes to his wonderful experiences at UW-Eau Claire.
2005
Becca (Lemsky) Goodpaster (B) and husband Mike have been blessed by the birth of their first child, Hazel Marie, on Aug. 31, 2008. The family lives in West St. Paul, Minn.
Sam Milner (B), a certified public accountant and certified construction industry financial professional, is a senior associate with the tax department of Hawkins, Ash, Baptie & Company LLP in La Crosse. Prior to accepting that position, he was employed by Larson Allen LLP. Milner is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Construction Financial Management Association.
2006
Adam Boll (E) and Josh Hertel ’05 (E) report that their production “Tech Support: The Musical” has been selected for the 2009 Minnesota Fringe Festival in Minneapolis. The writing duo’s second musical made its national premiere at the University of Minnesota’s Rarig Center June 30-Aug. 9, 2009. A preview of the show was held at the Grand Little Theatre in Eau Claire July 22 and at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts in Menomonie July 25. More information about the show is available online.
2008
Ellen Waldhart (A&S) is a park ranger at Assateague Island National Seashore in Berlin, Md. She had the opportunity to promote the National Park Service and its mission while working on a detail in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Ellen spent the day giving directions and general information about the area to the 1- to 2 million people on the National Mall during the inauguration. She lives in Berlin, Md.
