Class Notes - Summer 2024
Received between June 16, 2023, and June 18, 2024.
Class notes are subject to content editing by the Offices of Alumni and Family Relations and Marketing & Communication.
The Centenary Alumni Association seeks news of Centenary alumni. Please send news and information to alumni@centenary.edu.
Office of Alumni and Family Relations
Centenary College of Louisiana • 2911 Centenary Boulevard • Shreveport, LA 71104
318.869.5115 • alumni@centenary.edu
1968
Martha Marks published BETTING ON BERNIE, A MEMOIR OF A MARRIAGE. The memoir recounts her courtship with Bernard Marks through 1968 graduation and the peaks and valleys of their subsequent 53 years of marriage, all the way to their final home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The book is available on Amazon as an audiobook that Martha co-narrated, an ebook, and both standard and large-print paperback editions. Martha was a freshman at Centenary in April 1965 when a classmate introduced her to Bernard in the lobby of James Dormitory.
1988
Jim Batjer is an Executive Vice President with CBRE’s National Retail Partners Group. Jim is a nationally recognized leader in retail investment sales, with extensive experience with institutional-grade transactions as both an advisor and transactional agent. With over 30 years of experience in real estate investment banking, Jim has been involved in real estate asset sales for major corporate, institutional, and entrepreneurial owners across the United States, totaling more than $8.5 billion. Prior to joining CBRE in April 2019, Jim was a Senior Managing Director at HFF for 23 years.
1992
Steve Weddle's new novel, The County Line, was selected as an Amazon First Reads pick to start 2024. Set against the unyielding backdrop of the Great Depression and with an unforgettable cast of ornery characters, The County Line is a lyrical and loving celebration of community and opportunity in 1933 America.
1995
Anne-Marie Bruner-Tracey started a new job as Assistant Dean for International Students at LSU Shreveport in August 2023.
2000
Cregg Hardwick finished editing an anthology for Baen Books, the nation's biggest producer of military sci-fi and fiction. Tales of the United States Space Force will be out in June of 2024 with 26 stories and articles illustrating the need for and dispelling misconceptions about America's newest service branch. Contributors include Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven, Harry Turtledove, Gregory Benford & James Benford, David Brin, Jody Lynn Nye, Martin L. Shoemaker, M.T. Reiten, Avery Parks, C. Stuart Hardwick, Karl K. Gallagher, Gustavo Bondini, Liam Hogan, Henry Herz, Marie Vibbert, Laura Montgomery, Sylvie Althoff, Matt Bille, and more. Available for preorder now.
2003
Margo Holland was promoted to Senior Director of Development at LSU Health Sciences Foundation-Shreveport
2004
Susanna Miller-Raines received the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD) Service to the Organization Award at the Closing Plenary of the AUCD Conference at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC on November 8, 2023. This award recognizes her for her service on the AUCD Board of Directors and as the Chairperson of the Community Education and Dissemination Council. AUCD is a membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs. These programs serve and are located in every U.S. state and territory and are all part of universities or medical centers. They serve as a bridge between the university and the community, bringing together the resources of both to achieve meaningful change.
Carla Alsandor was appointed Chief University Services Officer at University of St. Thomas-Houston in August 2023 where she previously served as Senior Director of USTMAX Center (a micro-campus of the University located in Conroe, TX).
Taylor Davis’s composition, "Effortlessly,” which Davis composed for his godson's baptism, is getting its world premiere performance at Sydney Opera House. On June 23, 2024, Voces8 directed by Barnaby Smith - Musician & featuring Jack Liebeck performed “Effortlessly” as part of their program in Sydney.
2007
Laura Barrow released her new novel, Call the Canaries Home, in July 2023. It is available to purchase on Amazon.
Peyton Dufour transitioned from a classroom teacher of ten years, two spent in Red River Parish School and eight in DeSoto Parish Schools, and became the Coordinator of Communications, Family & Community Engagement in August of 2023 for DeSoto Parish Schools.
2008
Jeremy Fagan matched into a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at the University of Cincinnati.
2011
Ruben Reyes has been commissioned to compose an arrangement for the Veterans Memorial HS Tenor-Bass Choir for this year's TMEA conference. The piece is called La Bikina, and it's an arrangement of an existing mariachi piece performed by Luis Miguel. Ruben Reyes is in his ninth year at Harlingen CISD where he is the accompanist for Harlingen HS Choir and music director for HCISD Performing Arts Conservatory productions. An accomplished classical and jazz pianist, he performs with the RGV Jazz Orchestra, Pasión (RGV's Professional Choir), and has performed as a featured soloist with jazz bands and choirs throughout the United States and abroad, including the EXIGENCE Vocal Ensemble and the 2023 Texas All State Tenor-Bass Choir, with frequent appearances at TMEA, TCDA, and the Midwest Clinic. He lives in Harlingen, Texas, with his wife, Lucy, and daughters, Gwendolyn and Heidi.
2012
William Bruchhaus announced that he will be joining the Duke Catholic Center at Duke University as Director of Music. He is looking forward to making music with students in Duke Chapel and Goodson Chapel.
Josh Johnson was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for A Television Series for his work on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah in July 2023.
D. J. Pevey was named the 2024 Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year.
2013
Zoe Auld accepted a new opportunity with Dallas Nephrology Associates as an HR Generalist.
2014
Shidestini Cooper matched into the Hematology-Oncology Fellowship at Louisiana State University Shreveport.
Fortunato Padua started a new job at Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center as an Orthopedic Surgery Resident.
2015
Cameron Hughes started a role as the Director of Campus Operations at YES Prep Public Schools in July 2023.
2016
Arash Ataei matched into a Nephrology fellowship at Duke University.
Katie Chopin Domma married Anthony Domma on February 24, 2024.
Hannah Rachal Hughes married Collin Rachal Hughes on April 20, 2024. Centenary alumnus Warren Clifton officiated the ceremony and a group of Choir alums, directed by Dave Hobson, sang at the ceremony.
Luke White matched into an Internal Medicine residency at Louisiana State University Shreveport
Garret Wick joined Clary I Suba I Neale in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as an Associate Attorney.
Jamie Wright received a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science from University of Houston in May 2023. She accepted a role at Morning Consult as Survey Scientist for Survey Operations on the Analytics and Data Operations team.
2017
Josh Carpenter started a new position as Sr. Financial Analyst, FP&A at Wingstop Restaurants Inc.
Shane Edmondson started a new position as Mako Product Specialist at Stryker in September 2023.
Luke Groninger is now the District Advisor for the First Command District in Louisiana. This marks a significant milestone in his First Command career, having started there as an advisor.
Cheredith Rhone started working in the White House - Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget.
Donovan Stone will begin his clerkship for Supreme Court Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson during the Court’s upcoming term beginning in October.
2018
Andrew Koepnick graduated from LSUHS medical school and matched into a Psychiatry residency.
2019
Peyton Miller Behm married Kaleb Behm '18 in September 2023.
Harrison Folse matched into a General Surgery residency at Ochsner Lafayette.
Sabrina Handal married Kyle Oge on Saturday, October 28, 2023.
Nathan Hooper rose to the rank of Captain in the United States Army in summer 2023.
William McLean matched into a Diagnostic Radiology residency.
Alexandra Wallace matched into a Pathology residency at University of Alabama at Birmingham.
2020
Madison Brogan matched into a Psychiatry residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Cam Hewett matched into a Psychiatry residency at Louisiana State University Shreveport.
Haley Parker matched into a Pediatrics residency at Louisiana State University Shreveport.
Anjuni Singh matched into an Emergency Medicine residency at Baylor Medical Center Dallas.
Max Wamsley is a chemistry Ph.D. student at Mississippi State University and is a recipient of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Scholarship, which provides him full tuition for up to five years and full-time employment with America’s largest government agency after graduation.
Brooke Williams matched into an OBGYN residency at Ochsner New Orleans.
2022
Alyssa Davis was promoted to Director of Annual Giving at Centenary College in August 2023.
Hayden Weber started a new position as Assistant Controller at Miller Weisbrod Olesky, Attorneys at Law.
2023
Carson Alvarez started a role as the Assistant Director of Alumni & Family Relations at Centenary College in October 2023.
2024
Jordan Fong started a marketing internship with Visit Shreveport-Bossier in June 2024.
Tre Washington started a new role as the Director of Sales Marketing at the Holiday Inn Shreveport Downtown in June 2024.