May 2018 Class Notes

1966: ELLIOTT S. MILSTEIN

American University’s Washington College of Law appointed Elliott S. Milstein (A&S) of Chevy Chase, Md., Professor of Law Emeritus upon his retirement after 46 years as a faculty member. He founded the legal education program there, served as the dean of the law school, interim president, and was President of the Association of American Law Schools.  

1971: GENE CRISAFULLI

Gene Crisafulli (HARTT), ’71 (HARTT) of Swansea, Mass., has retired from the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra after 42 years as second trumpet.  

1977: GLORIA TATSAPAUGH

Hudson River Health Care chose Gloria Tatsapaugh (A&S) of Falls Village, Conn., as its Planetree Spirit Award for Excellence in Patient Care for the month of April. The award is presented to exemplary employees who work to make health care more personalized and create a warm and welcoming environment for all.  

1981: MARYA TRIANDAFELLOS

Marya Triandafellos (HAS) of New York, N.Y., has published her first book, Career X: Expert Advice on How to Cultivate Your Career. The book is a “Wikipedia” on how to own your career, from macro global considerations to the step-by-step process of landing a job. 

1983: ALISA COLEMAN

Music Business World profiled Alisa Coleman (HARTT) of Morris Plains, N.J., as part of its Inspiring Women Series. The Series focuses on female executives who have risen through the ranks of the music business – from their professional breakthrough to the senior responsibilities they now fulfil.

1990: ELISA TENEBAUM

An exhibit of “hubcap art” by Elisa TenebaumM (HAS) of Lambertville, N.J., was displayed at Dirt Salon in Hartford. Working with oil paint, photography, collage, and mixed-media, Tenebaum creates works on a variety of substrates including hubcaps. In this collection, she used the external ring of the hubcap as if it were a frame to a picture.  

1991: DENISE PETERSEN

Hebrew Senior Care of West Hartford, Conn., has appointed Denise Petersen (ENHP) of Middlebury, Conn., as President and CEO. She has more than 30 years of experience as a healthcare executive, most recently as the chief nursing officer of Trinity Health of New England. 

1991: DONALD SWYERS

Donald Swyers of Florence, Mass., has been included in Marquis’ Who’s Who in recognition of his 40 years of professional excellence in the information technology field. Before recently shifting careers to real estate, he was a database security engineer.

1993: USHA ARUN

Usha Arun M (BARNEY) of Santa Clara, Calif., wrote an article for India Currents titled “Unique Concerns for Parents.” A mother of a teenager with special needs, she is an autism advocate. Arun wrote the article in recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month.

1993: MICHAEL MENAPACE

Michael Menapace (HARTT) of N. Granby, Conn., was installed as the President of the Hartford County Bar Association. He is a partner at the law firm Wiggin and Dana where he focuses on complex commercial litigation, the insurance and reinsurance industries, and data breach/cyber liability issues.  

1994: DAN BLANCHARD

Dan Blanchard (ENHP) of Storrs Mansfield, Conn., has published a new book, Success and Social Skills Secrets for Kids. In the book, he offers advice on how to improve student performance and social-learning through only 150 words a day and in a 30-day time period. Blanchard is an award-winning author, speaker and educator.

1995: BILL FENNELLY

A production of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, directed by Bill Fennelly (HARTT) of Philadelphia, Pa., was staged in Portland, Ore., at Portland Center Stage at the Armory in the spring of 2018. His work has been seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway and regionally.

1996: JOHN CLANCY

John Clancy (HARTT) of Brooklyn, N.Y., received a Tony Award nomination for best orchestrations for Mean Girls.

1997: BILL YOUSMAN

Bill Yousman M (A&S) of West Hartford, Conn., and Lori Bindig ’02 (A&S), ’04 (HARTT), M ’05 (A&S) of Bloomfield, Conn., received the 2017 Cornerstone Author Award from Sage Publishing for their work as new editors of Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Critical Reader, 5^th Edition.  

1998: SHANE SHANAHAN

Cross-cultural percussionist Shane Shanahan M (HARTT) of Brooklyn, N.Y., was honored with the 2018 Hartt Alumni Award. The highly sought-after artist who combines drumming traditions from around the with his background in jazz, rock and Western music is an original member of the Grammy award-recognized Yo-Yo Ma’s The Silk Road Ensemble.  

1999: ANTOINETTE TOWLE

The International Nurses Association welcomed Antoinette Towle M (ENHP) to their organization with her publication in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare. She is an established Advanced Practice Registered Nurse currently serving as a nurse educator at Southern Connecticut State University.  

2000: ROB MCCAFFERY

Rob McCaffery (HARTT) of Astoria, N.Y., is featured in the touring company of Motown the Musical. He plays several roles in the production, including those of Ed Sullivan, Harold Noveck, and Shelly Burger. McCaffery has also appeared in regional productions of Happy Days: The Musical, South Pacific, Hairspray and The Full Monty.

2002: LORI BINDIG

Lori Bindig (A&S), ’04 (HARTT), M’05 (A&S)
See Bill Yousman ’97 (A&S)

2003: JASON K. SMITH

Jason K. Smith M (A&S) of Wheeling, W.V., was promoted to the rank of associate professor in the Department of Communications & Media Arts at Bethany College, in Bethany, W.V.\

2004: DAVID WING

Optos recognized David Wing (A&S), M’07 (A&S) of Killingworth, Conn., for placing third among its national sales leaders. As a result, he earned admittance into the company’s President Club and won a VIP trip to Ireland and Scotland. Wings sells the device, Ultra Widefield Fundas Camera, which detects diseases in the eyes.  

2005: MICHAEL DOBSON

Michael Dobson (HARTT) of Brooklyn, N.Y., received a Tony Award nomination for sound design for the musical SpongeBobSquarePants.

2008: RACHEL SHUTTLEWORTH VENNEL

Rachel Shuttleworth Vennel (HARTT) is lead vocalist for the popular Navy Band, the Destroyers. Through its community outreach efforts, the band spreads Navy awareness through the Navy Recruiting Command’s Music for Recruiting program. Vennel joined the Navy in 2015. 

2010: KRISTA LABELLA

Krista Labella (HARTT) of Brooklyn, N.Y., had her work Venus Altarpiece, featured as part of a show at the Attleboro Arts Museum in June. She also had a photograph and an artist’s book in a show in Costa Mesa, Calif., and was an artist in residence at the Vermont Studio Center during the summer of 2018.

2010: MICHAELA CATALLOZZI

Alumni Association Board member Michaela Catallozzi (CETA) of Bristol, Conn, was promoted to project manager at C.E. Floyd Company. She has been with the company for four years and is currently managing a renovation at the Mercy Community in West Hartford, Conn.  

2011: DAVON ROBERTS

Davon Roberts M (BARNEY) of Paterson, N.J., ran for an open spot on the Paterson (N.J.) City Council this spring. Although his bid was unsuccessful, he continues to impact his community as a trustee, youth leader and Community Development Board member at St. Luke’s Baptist Church. Roberts is an insurance risk manager for Ricoh USA.

2012: ERIN DILLON and MICHELLE LEE

Dancers Erin Dillon (HARTT) of Titon Falls, N.J., and Michelle Lee (HARTT) of Astoria, N.Y., were offered new contracts to perform with the Metropolitan Opera with Company XIV. Also receiving contracts this past spring were Jane Cracovaner ‘13 (HARTT) of Brooklyn, N.Y., with Whim W’him, Issac Lerner ’16 (HARTT) of New York, N.Y., with the Des Moines Opera, Emily Aubrey ’18 (HARTT) of West Hartford, Conn., with Vivid Ballet, Katie Judge ’18 (HARTT) of Hanover, Mass., with City Ballet Boston, Daniella Parisot ’18 (HARTT) of Redding, Conn. with Vivid Ballet, and Marielena Quintanar ’18 (HARTT) of Carlisle, Pa., with ENF Ensemble.

2013: JANE CRACOVANER

Jane Cracovaner (HARTT)
See Erin Dillon ’12 (HARTT) and Michelle Lee ’12 (HARTT) 

2013: NICOLE NUDGE

The Consolidated School District of New Britain has named Nicole Nudge (ENHP) of Hamden, Conn., as Teacher of the Year for Smalley Elementary School. She is in her fifth year at Smalley and teaches third grade.  

2016: BRIAN JOHNSTON

Trombonist Brian Johnston (HARTT) of East Hampton, N.Y., performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for a week this past summer. The Orchestra is regarded as one of the great orchestras in the world. He played assistant principal trombone on Tannhauser Overture to Die Meistersinger von Nuremnerg.  

2016: ISSAC LERNER

See Erin Dillon ’12 (HARTT) and Michelle Lee ’12 (HARTT)

2018: EMILY AUBREY, KATIE JUDGE, DANIELLA PAIRISOT, and MARIELENA QUINTANAR

See Erin Dillon ’12 (HARTT) and Michelle Lee ’12 (HARTT)