1996
Tanya Sander- Marks
tsmvacation@gmail.com

Hello, this is Tanya Sander-Marks, and I am the new class reporter for the Hood Magazine. Many thanks to Jewel Smith for her 20 years of coverage. It’s a tough act to follow! I heard some great updates when connecting with fellow Hoodlums this summer. Alesia Gallego Brand has been traveling recently, with trips to Disney World, Austin and Dallas, TX. She works as a care team coordinator with the Board of Child Care in WV. She and her husband share seven children and three grandchildren, with four of them (aged 21, 15, 13 and 11) living with them in Inwood, WV. Alesia invites Hoodlums who are going to be in nearby Harper’s Ferry, WV, Hagerstown, MD, or Winchester, VA, to connect with her at aluckybrand96@yahoo.com. Rachael Miskill Brown is currently living in London, England, and she and her husband regularly spend weekends in Wales with her father-in-law. They have a cruise planned for August. She is also enjoying watching her two goddaughters grow up. Quicha Tresvant Jones works in commercial property management for the real estate firm that owns and manages the NASA headquarters building in DC. She and her husband live in Silver Spring, MD, and have three boys aged 20, 15 and 8 in their combined family. Christie Spencer Katora earned her Master’s in Comprehensive Special Education and a special education certification in 2018. She is a secondary learning support teacher for the Big Spring School District in Cumberland County, PA. She is also the assistant coach of both the high school swim team and the local aquatic club. She lives in Newville, PA, with her 11-year-old son and husband. Chris Laborde and her wife recently moved back to Frederick after spending the last 10 years in Anchorage, AK, and Vacaville, CA. They are in the process of building a home. She works for a consulting firm based in Sacramento, CA, developing emergency management exercises primarily for the healthcare industry and is an adjunct instructor for FEMA. Their older son married last year and lives in Texas, and their younger son lives in Anchorage. I, Tanya Sander-Marks, live in Mt. Lebanon, PA, with my husband and 10- and 13-year-old daughters. I am a vice president of marketing at a national bank based in Pittsburgh, where my team handles marketing for out of branch activities and the bank at work program. My volunteering now centers around my daughter’s PTA and sports. We will be stopping at Hood’s campus while driving to the beach this summer as we always do. Walking under the pergola can instantly take you back!

I so enjoy hearing from my fellow alums – even if you don’t have any news, a “Hood hello” is always welcome! Now the news…

Rachael Miskill Brown, ‘96, ’06 and he husband, Roger, will celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary this April! Congratulations! She continues to work as a private tutor – she really enjoys seeing young people grow in their confidence and understanding.  Rachael is still helping at a volunteer-run library, and one of her Goddaughter’s, Charlotte, will be volunteering there soon as part of her Duke of Edinburgh’s Award certificate. Her Mum came to the UK for Christmas this year and they spent 10 days in Wales with Roger’s Dad. She was also able to meet with Christina Eversole, ‘01, for their Grandma’s funeral February 2018.

Meika Dorsey Cowley is happy to report that she is 5 years free of breast cancer, as of December 20, 2018. Her journey with cancer began in 1994, and she will never forget the love and support with which our sisterHood (including students, administration, faculty and staff) lifted her during that time. That was the first of three battles with cancer. She is forever grateful for the blessings, and she and her husband Manus want to share their joy and light with the Hood family.

Christie Spencer Katora reports that she went back to school, earned her secondary English teaching certification in 2016, K – 12 ESL in 2017, and just graduated with her master’s of education in comprehensive special education, 7 – 12 in December 2018. Congratulations!

If you have not donated to Hood this year, please consider doing so. A little can go a long way. One gift. Any size. Visit www.hood.edu/giving.

Jewel K. Smith
703-969-0050
jewelsmith@hotmail.com

Nadya Marville Briggs returned to and “graduated” from Hood this May with a Master’s certification in Educational Leadership, Admin I and II. Congratulations! The first week of April, Piera Giroux Siegert was in the Maryland/Pennsylvania area for work and visited with Jennifer Wolfe Pupa, Dawn Mertz Day, Amy Vasbinder, Angela Schmuck Bond, and Hillary Glass. Angela hosted everyone at her home in Hanover, PA. The group last got together five years ago, coincidentally, the same weekend. Even though five years had gone by, since they had last seen each other in person, they started where they left off from the previous visit. They always find something to talk about, mostly work and children, and enjoy sharing memories of Hood. Angela also tried something new this past year and worked as a substitute teacher for Hanover Area Public School District. She also is a distributor of Young Living Essential Oils. Angela is making the most of summer! In late May, she and Stephanie Auker Zweitzig ’95 took a road trip from south central PA to central NJ to volunteer at a goat rescue. They have both loved goats for forever and when a volunteer opportunity arose to help at Goats of Anarchy, they jumped on the chance! Goats of Anarchy rescues disabled goats from farms that are going to put down the goats, and from people who offer a handicapped goat to the rescue because they know they’ll be well taken care of. Angela and Stephanie enjoyed their hours of helping clean the barn, putting down fresh hay, and taking photos and playing with the goats. The car ride up and back allowed them to catch up! I have to add that the photos were great – wish I could share those with all of you! I have enjoyed hanging out with Reena Amin Borwankar – nothing link bonding over gorgeous wares and tea (two of my weaknesses)! She is a Senior Ambassador for India Hicks. My company changed our name to the Association for Accessible Medicines so my work email changed: jewel.smith@accessiblemeds.org. I also spent a week in South Africa and another week in Zimbabwe in March. Two very different but beautiful countries that are now crossed off the list! I am looking forward to reuniting with some fellow Hoodlums later this summer – more to come on that. If you have not donated to Hood this year, please consider doing so. A little can go a long way. One gift. Any size. Visit www.hood.edu/giving. Keep the news coming…

1996

Jewel K. Smith
703-969-0050
jewelsmith@hotmail.com

It is with great sadness that I report that two of our classmates passed since my last report. Abigail Acland passed away Nov. 9, 2016. Her memorial service was Dec.10 in Kennet Square, PA. The family requests that in lieu of flowers (Abby hated cut flowers, they always made her sad), donations be made to the Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force or Doctors Without Borders. In addition, Jennifer Przychodzen passed away Dec. 6. Funeral services were held in Washington Boro, PA, on Dec. 10, 2016. In paraphrasing Winnie the Pooh—how lucky we were to have had their friendship, we had something that makes saying goodbye so hard. Tracy Wiser continues to be “bivocational,” working full time and as the part-time pastor at Monocacy Church of the Brethren in Rocky Ridge, MD. Tracy and her family still live near Hood! Jennifer Wolfe Pupa is excited that she has turned her research passion into real-life work, and she has gotten involved with Young Living Essential Oils. Jen has been spending a fair amount of time over the past two years studying how essential oils have a positive effect on the body and can be used to help balance health and maintain wellness. On her list of things to do is take classes toward an aromatherapy certification, but that is a project for when the kids are just a little bit older. We wish Jen the best of luck on her new endeavor! It has been a busy fall! I recently had lunch with Jacki Resop Amato ’95 and her daughter and future Hood alumna, Julianna. I met some newer Hood alums at the Hood alumni reception at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC, on Dec. 10. I started a new job in December as well. I am the new director of operations at the Generic Pharmaceutical Association. I am excited to start another adventure— life seems to be full of those lately!

1996

Jewel K. Smith
703-969-0050
jewelsmith@hotmail.com

Please keep Dawn Mertz Day and her family in your prayers – she lost her grandfather, William C. Mertz on April 17, 2016 at the age of 96. After 16 years in ministry in the Myersville area, Tracy Wiser is now in the “bivocational” ministry working full time as the Night Supervisor at Engage USA in Frederick (a direct mail company) and part-time pastor at Monocacy Church of the Brethren in Rocky Ridge, MD. Tracy and her family still live in Frederick, near Hood; and currently, her middle son is a sophomore at Lee University in Tennessee. Colleen Gabriel Nestor is excited to announce that that her son, Derek Nestor, will be an incoming freshman at Hood this fall and joining the Class of 2020! Our 20^th Reunion ended up being a beautiful weekend in Frederick! Over the course of the weekend, I was able to catch up with Reena Amin Borwankar, Ninett Amaya–Coaxum, Stephanie Sheck Bahr, Alesia Gallego Brand, Tabitha Groh, and Liana Robinson Martino. Other alums from the 90’s were a welcome addition at our table during the lunch on Saturday (special shout out to Jacki Resop Amato ’95 and her lovely daughter, Julianna, for joining us). Alesia Gallego Brand earned her M.A. in Professional Counseling on May 14, 2016 from Liberty University. She also started a new position as Therapist at Board of Child Care in Falling Waters, WV. In honor of our 20^th Reunion, we would like to purchase a 6” x 9” Blazer Brick for $700. If you are interested in contributing, please email me and I can provide details on how to make your contribution. As for me, I am back in Old Town Alexandria, thrilled to be able to walk, and cut down on my commute into DC every day. There is no place like home!

Jewel K. Smith
703-969-0050
jewelsmith@hotmail.com

Here’s a quick update on Chris Laborde and her case–Hamby et al. v. Parnell et al. With the new Governor (Walker) in office, the state of Alaska was getting ready to file an appeal to stay and/or allow more time to file an appeal until the Supreme Court decides. That Supreme Court hearing planned to be held in April with a decision in June 2015. The plaintiffs (Chris and her partner Susan) are opposing that stay. Chris and Susan are one of five couples suing the State of Alaska to recognize their marriage. Chris can be reached at CDLaborde@gmail.com. As for me, I moved back to Maryland from California in February. I am so very happy to be home enjoying the snow and I am looking forward to my new adventures! Thanks for the updates – keep them coming! That is the news for now…

Wondering what’s going on with Chris Laborde? Here’s the latest on the Alaska Same Sex Marriage Case:

Chris Laborde married Susan Tow on July 27, 2013 at Chris’ aunt’s farm in Adamstown, MD. Chris and Susan currently reside in Anchorage, Alaska where Susan retired from the Air Force. Chris works as a government contractor in Emergency Management. Chris and Susan are one of five couples suing the State of Alaska to recognize their marriage – the case is Hamby et al. v. Parnell et al. Chris can be reached at CDLaborde@gmail.com.

Stephanie Sheck Bahr is moving to Annandale, Virginia in August 2014 for a couple years while her husband, Jim, does a few years at the Pentagon! She is looking forward to getting back to the DC area!

Tanya Sander-Mark just got back from spending two weeks touring Germany with her daughters (Sophia – 8 and Ella – 5), husband (Brian) and father (Manfred) so her father could show the girls where he grew up. They loved it! She is also looking forward to getting together with Angela Schmuck Bond and her daughter, Mikayla, to go to Idlewild Park in Ligonier, PA, later this summer, and with Christine Jennings Madigan and Christie Spencer Katora later in the fall.

As for me, please note the new email address: jewelsmith@hotmail.com. Thanks for the updates – keep them coming! That’s the news for now…

Colleen Gabriel Nestor joined Chapin & Associates in Frederick, Md., as a residential realtor. She is excited to have partnered up with her husband Matt Nestor who is a residential and commercial realtor with Chapin to offer two realtors for one. She can be contacted at colleen@realestateinfrederick.com or 301-471-5410. Tanya Sander-Marks and Angela Schmuck Bond got together in August. Tanya and her two daughters, Sophia, 7 and Ella, 4, made the trek across Pennsylvania from Pittsburgh to hang out with Angela and her daughter, Mikayla, 8 at their home in Hanover, Pa. Tanya and Angela had a great time watching their daughters play while they reminisced and caught up. The girls even got to pose for a photo in their new dinks! Stephanie Auker Zweitzig ’95 also joined in the fun and they all agreed it was great to see each other. I was lucky enough to spend quality time with some Hood alums in Southern Italy in late October. It was great to get to know some old friends better and get to know some new “Hoodlums” as well. Thanks for the great memories Pamela Butler ’78; Nancy Gillece ’81; Edee Howard Hogan ’59, P’86; Janet Spaulding Nunn ’61, P’06; Jane Crilly Schultz ’60; Susan Dornbusch Sohn ’78 and Susan Zerrahn. As always, Hood is sincerely appreciative to all of you making contributions to Hood.  For those of you who have not already given and would like to do so, a little can go a long way. One gift. Any size. Visit www.hood.edu/giving today! Keep the news coming…