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Greetings Class of 1999,

Wow, 15 years, where has the time gone?! I can still remember those first few hours of move in day, Bug Me crew, trying to figure out the ancient elevator in Meyran and meeting all my new classmates.

For our 15th year reunion, I the class of 1999 to report in, and boy did they!

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Kelly Poltrok

Hi, I have been so bad about sending updates to the magazine! Thanks for the email reminder. Here is what has been going:I married Ryan Germain on October 2, 2011 in Hazleton, PA near the Poconos to become Kelly Poltrok-Germain. Megan Reeher class of 99 was also in attendance and gave a beautiful reading during the church service. Ryan and I have bought a house and reside in Dumont NJ near NYC. I currently work in corporate quality interacting with marketing and R&D for Mondelez International overseeing several Nabisco Cracker and Cookie brands.

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Megan Reeher

Megan Reeher is living in York PA and has been recently promoted! She is working for BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company  

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Vincent Jones

I have settled down in the Nation’s Capital and am employed as an Environmental Management Services’ Work Leader in a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center for ten years.

I have finished a Bachelors of Science degree, Computer Networking in 2001 graduating Magna cum laude from Strayer University.

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Alison Dowd

After my two-year postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at the Memphis VA Medical Center, I stayed on as psychologist in Compensation and Pension. Memphis is a great place to live, and I was fortunate to buy a lovely home with interest rates at all-time lows. I recently flew to DC for my little brother’s wedding; a beautiful event, yet made me very aware of the passing of time!  I am active in my church and was recently named to the Addiction and Recovery Commission for the Diocese of West Tennessee.

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Toni Hobbs

Has been teaching in Montgomery County Maryland for 15 years and is married with 3 children. She returned to Hood for grad school earning her MA in 2003 as a Reading Specialist.

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Sarah Sweet Knudsen

My husband,  Eric, and I live in Houston, TX with my 14 year old step son, Soren.   Eric and I are proud parents to 5 month old boy/girl twins born [on June 6, 2013] named Otto and Annabelle.  I’ve been in banking for the past 10 years and currently work for HSBC Bank in large corporate financing. Boy does time fly! 

Julie Omenitsch

I am the Capital Projects Manager in the Facilities Department here at Hood College…..here is a little background and funny anecdote…It took me 22 years and 6 colleges (married young, started a family, moved several times) to finally graduate from Hood College in 1999.  I spent 5 years at Hood for my Junior and Senior years (working full time and raising a family and taking classes at night)…..so needless to say I was very happy when I graduated.  About 8 years later, for fun, I went to visit a Psychic with a girlfriend.  The Psychic told me that I would go back to where I got my degree – I assumed she meant as a grad student and I was like – no way – I have had enough school to last me a lifetime!  Several month later I interviewed for a position in Hood’s Facilities Department and here I am 5 years later – still at Hood and still loving it!   So the Psychic was correct – I did come back to Hood.

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Amanda Myers-Norman

Amanda Myers-Norman continues to live in Sykesville, MD with her husband and 3 year old son. She is a special education teacher at a local elementary school. She recently organized a small reunion of girls from 3rd floor Meyran including Kelli Jessum-Rokita, Jessica Manion-Tradigo, Shannon Mack, and members from the classes of ’00, ’01, and ’02.

Jessica Manion Tradigo

Works as a School Counselor in NJ, has been married for 10 years, has 2 beautiful children Eli 8 and Alana and earned an MA in counseling in 2005.  In January, she plans to start the process to become a principal!

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Janna Owens

Janna Owens is Vice President, and resident Environmental Scientist of a water quality nonprofit called Chaac Water Group that works primarily in Mexico (see website)  In fact, our work in San Miguel de Allende was featured in a recent article on our work with the usage of wastewater for crop irrigation and livestock exposure. Any exposure to our work would be really appreciated…maybe my classmates could ‘like’ us on Facebook or spread the word?

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Michelle Chao

I’ve been working as a School Social Worker in Virginia since 2006 and live in Washington, DC. I married Jeremy Pearson in 2010 and welcomed a baby girl, Norah Jane, in April 2013. I’m still in touch with Jenikka Deering (’98), Christine Farrell Walsh (’98), Dawn Griffith (’97), Crystal Carr Townsend (’97), and April Weaver Bishop (’99). I was going to say that I’d love to hear from those ice lost touch with via email since I don’t have Facebook.Email: chaodog23@hotmail.com

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Erin Goodwillie Hantz

I still live in France with my husband and our three children, Sarah (9), Pierre (almost 6) and Augustin (almost 3).  I’m still teaching high school English but am on leave until April to take some university courses.  We bought a house in Bischheim, just outside of Strasbourg, about two years ago.

Our new address is:
3 rue Victor Hugo
67800 Bischheim, France

I’d love to be able to attend the reunion, but school isn’t out for the summer until the first week in July:(  I’ll be thinking of everyone and wishing I was there!!

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Angela Watson

I left classroom teaching in 2009 and have been working as an educational consultant. I conduct professional development and instructional coaching in schools, create curriculum resources, and am writing my fourth book for teachers. My husband Curtis and I split our time between the city (Brooklyn, NY), the mountains (Pennsylvania), and the beach (Fort Lauderdale, FL). We feel very blessed!

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Lori Spiering Fowlkes

Lori Spiering Fowlkes and Daniel Guy Fowlkes recently moved back to Fredericksburg, VA where they are raising their 4 boys (Xander 12, Maximilian 8, Nathan 6, Zachary 3) and 1 girl (Molly 10). Lori’s husband, Dan, took a position at Quantico in Sept ’13 and everyone is happy about the shorter commute! Lori’s business site is www.lorielizabethphotography.com and you can also find her on facebook as Lori Elizabeth Photography. In addition to running a part time business Lori homeschools the 4 older kids while Zach attends St. Mary’s Preschool and Lori is a volunteer for Mary’s Shelter (marysshelterva.org). Lori also works as a contractor for the Arlington Diocese where she enjoys photographing youth events. Lori Elizabeth www.lorielizabethphotography.com/ On Facebook! facebook.com/lorielizabethphotography

Nectaria Kordan

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Becky Annacone

I just got promoted to Tier 2 Technical Support Specialist at work (Constant Contact).

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Amy Countryman Stavely

As for me, I’m enjoying being home with my two kiddos.  Alexander is now 10 and in 5th grade. He’s currently preparing for his STEM magnet interview in Dec. Cross your fingers for us!  Ellie is 17 mod and definitely entering toddlerhood.  She keeps me busy throughout the day!  When I’m not chasing her around or running Alexander to his various activities (soccer, rugby, scouts, church, etc) I am volunteering on the Fellowship Events Team at my church, running a moms club in the Annapolis area and trying to fit in as many cake orders as possible!  My family is really looking forward to the upcoming holidays and our 
trip to visit family in Hawaii at Christmas.  This will be our 3rd time visiting Hawaii but it never gets
 old! We get to spend two fabulous weeks there … it can’t come soon enough! 😉

With that I’ll close, I hope everyone has a fabulous holiday season and I hope to see you at reunion!

                                                     – Amy

Reunion Information is available on our FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/176644312530112/