Alumni Executive Council Members
Alumni Executive Council Officers:
Laura Taylor Patrick '83, P'18, President
Doug Smith '05, Vice President
John Linsley '04, Treasurer
Lexi Williams Lund '15, Secretary
* Indicates new member (elected June 2025)
Molly Mullady Arbogast '91 is originally from Lake Forest, IL, and currently resides in Wayne, PA with her husband Craig and two sons. She is the Founder and CEO of POV Sports Marketing. Molly was a double major in government and Spanish during her time at St. Lawrence. She participated in the full-year Spain program in Madrid and was a member of Kappa Delta Sigma. Molly’s path to the sports marketing industry actually began through her 1991 St. Lawrence graduation speaker, Mark McCormack. Assigned to defend his selection as graduation speaker, Molly discovered the sports marketing industry during her research and subsequent presentation to the President and Dean. She actively pursued Mark following his commencement address to secure a position at IMG in September 1992. The career that followed included various roles in the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and Collegiate Sports. She founded POV Sports Marketing in 2016.
Mark Attarian '80, P'21*, a second-generation Laurentian and proud dad of a third (Allison, ’21), is a financial and operating executive for private equity sponsored technology and health/pharma companies, a consultant, and an independent board member. While at St. Lawrence, Mark majored in English, served as a Residence Assistant in Sykes, and was a member of Beta Theta Pi. Four years running, he was elected Class President, and for three years, was a member of the Family Weekend and First-Year Orientation Committees. As an alum, Mark served as co-chair for his 10th, 25th, 35th, and 45th Reunions, participated in Sophomore Boot Camp, and serves as a LINC mentor. Mark and his wife of 30+ years, Sherrill, reside in Andover, MA. His greatest joys are spending time with family and friends, playing golf, traveling, and playing frisbee with his Black Lab, Tucker.
Evelyn Wande Balele ’27* is from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and is an Economics and Environmental Studies double major. Wande is the President of Common Grounds Connections, the incoming President of Women in Economics in fall 2025, and works on campus as a Community Assistant. She is a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, an analyst for the Saints & Company Consulting Club, and a managerial editor for The Underground undergraduate research editorial board. In her free time, she enjoys visiting Madrid-Waddington Central School to teach students dances and play games with them. Wande is planning to study abroad in Maastricht in the Netherlands in Spring 2026. She loves to do art, crochet, read, and has been playing basketball for over seven years. During the summer of 2025, Wande will be taking part in the Freeman Asia Internship program in Thailand and hopes to pursue a career in sustainable development after graduation.
Mary Baucom '13 is an Associate Marketing Director at Hearst in New York City where she crafts pitches and proposals for potential pharma and healthcare advertisers. She attended Northwestern University immediately following SLU where she earned a Master of Science from the Medill School of Journalism. She was previously at Healthline -- the #1 health site -- holding positions on the marketing and editorial teams. While at St. Lawrence, she double majored in English and Government. She was an active member of the Thelomathesian Society, editor of the Gridiron Yearbook, and Student Director of the WORD Studio.
Lauren Bennett '11 is an ordained minister with Metropolitan Community Churches where she serves as Associate Pastor at MCC Greater St. Louis. In addition, Lauren co-directs MCC’s General Conference, retreats, and other events for the denomination. Coming from a community organizing background, she is particularly passionate about working with the crucified of our time for liberation from systems of oppression. While at St. Lawrence, she studied abroad in Rouen, France, served as the President of Chi Omega, and worked as a Community Mentor, among other activities. She graduated with honors in Global Studies with minors in French and Economics and holds an MDiV from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. As a proper native Seattleite, she loves hiking, reading, drinking coffee, and spending time with her fiancé AhSa-Ti and son Ahmmit.
Anne Ferris Cassidy '74 earned a B.A. at St. Lawrence with a multi-field major in radio/television and speech. She was active at KSLU and The Gridiron. She participated in CDC's tutoring outreach efforts with an eight child family in Hermon. Anne began her working life in Macy's Executive Training Program. After more than a decade in Macy stores, she pivoted to the non-profit world. She was an active volunteer at Earthplace in Westport, Connecticut, culminating with a successful building campaign. Anne then returned to the business world as a paralegal. She retired after 29 years as a paralegal, the last 13 as a senior paralegal at Pullman & Comley, LLC in its Stamford and Westport offices. Since leaving St. Lawrence, Anne has been an active alumna, participating in regional alumni events. She has been a reunion class co-chair, co-chair of the Laurentians Give Committee, and is a member of the Manley Society. Anne lives in Norwalk, Connecticut with her husband Ray.
Charlotta Chung '08 is currently Head of U.S. Legal Research at Creditsights in New York City, where she conducts credit research into fixed income securities. Previously she practiced financial restructuring and leveraged finance with law firms in New York City. Following St. Lawrence, Charlotta earned a J.D., cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was a Darrow Scholar. She graduated summa cum laude with a double major with honors in both government and sociology from St. Lawrence. She was one of St. Lawrence’s first-ever Truman Scholars, named in 2007. While at St. Lawrence, Charlotta held leadership roles in Intervarsity and SLU Advocates and was a Community Mentor for the Center for Civic Engagement, a Community Assistant with Residence Life, and an avid volunteer with community programs in the Canton community, including the St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services. She was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Pi Sigma Alpha and received a Freeman Grant to study abroad in China and a Career Services Internship Fellowship for an internship in Sri Lanka. Charlotta also studied abroad in Denmark. Post-graduation, she has stayed involved with St. Lawrence through service as a LINC Mentor.
Samantha Colton '16 is an Account Executive at Edelman, a global public relations agency. There she specializes in communications for some of the largest names in the beauty industry such as Dove, and for up and coming Unilever hair and skincare brands like AHC, Emerge and The Good Stuff. Prior to this role, Samantha was an Assistant Account Executive at Ogilvy Public Relations supporting healthcare clients like Bristol-Myers Squibb. Samantha graduated from St. Lawrence with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a double minor in Gender & Sexuality and Film Studies. After graduation, she moved back to her hometown, Syracuse, NY, and completed a Master of Science in Public Relations at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. While at St. Lawrence, Samantha was a Presidential Diversity Scholar and stayed busy outside of the classroom as an active member of ACE, SLU Advocates, Senior/Junior Class Council, and as the founding chair of the Thelomathesian Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She also served as an Admissions Ambassador, Community Assistant, Student Activities Assistant, and participated in the New York City Semester program.
Elsa Coughlin '19 (she/her) graduated from St. Lawrence with a double major in Art History and Government and a minor in Asian Studies. While at St. Lawrence, Elsa was a Gridiron Yearbook editor, Reading and Math tutor and was a member of Kappa Delta Sigma. She also studied abroad in Thailand and earned two travel and research grants for separate trips to India and was awarded a Vivien Garner Hannon Internship Fellowship Grant to spend a summer interning in Shanghai, China.
Elsa now resides in Leadville, Colorado where she enjoys spending time outside skiing and biking with her dog Maggie. She works for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research as a Fundraising Operations Officer. Prior to joining MJFF, Elsa worked on World Wildlife Fund's membership team for 3 years.
Jeff Deyette '95 is deputy director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a national nonprofit organization that calls for science-based policy solutions to our world’s most pressing problems. Working at UCS since 1999, Jeff built his career conducting economic and environmental analyses and advocating for policies to accelerate the transition toward a clean and equitable energy economy. He currently lives in Watertown, MA, with his wife, Heather Tuttle, and their young son, Henry. While at St. Lawrence, Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in environmental studies and government, was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and participated in the Washington, DC semester at American University. He went on to receive a master’s degree from Boston University in energy resource management and international relations. As an alumnus, Jeff has enjoyed working directly with students for many years, including serving as a LINC mentor and meeting with both SLU Connect and sustainability program participants on campus and when they visit the Boston area. As a member of the Alumni Executive Council, Jeff would like to help build and strengthen the engagement between current students and alumni.
Tahiré Edirisinghe '07 is originally from Colombo, Sri Lanka and now resides in Manhattan, New York. Graduated from St. Lawrence University (SLU) with a degree in Sociology and double minor in Gender Studies and Speech and Theatre. She then went on to New York University Stern School of Business to complete her EMBA in 2020 specializing in Global Business and Strategy. While she was at SLU, she worked at the International Office, was part of the Gospel Choir and the Advocates program and was part of the student council representing the class of 07 from right from Freshman year through Senior year. She also participated in the Study Abroad program, studying in London for one semester. She is currently the Director of Customer Success at Innoveo, a low code no code AI enabled cloud platform transforming digital experiences in business. Tahiré is also a trustee and on the board of Equal Ground Sri Lanka, a group that has dedicated their efforts to changing policy in support of decriminalizing homosexuality, advocating for LGBTIQ+ rights and reframing Sri Lankan policy to be more inclusive. In her free time, she loves doing yoga, catching dance concerts and Broadway shows, strolling through Central Park and brunching with friends.
Dean Eppler '74 is a scientist and aerospace worker with over 30 years’ experience in human spaceflight. He majored in geology while at St. Lawrence, received his MS from the University of New Mexico in 1976, and his Ph.D. from Arizona State University in 1984. In the years between graduate degrees, he was a Combat Engineer Officer in the U.S. Army, spending most of his time in a divisional engineer battalion at Fort Carson, CO. His years at NASA have been involved everything from space suit testing, to leading teams building major pieces of hardware for the International Space Station, to writing a wide variety of systems engineering documents for hardware development for human spaceflight, and to developing the geologic training curriculum for training the Astronaut Corps and NASA engineers and managers, teaching the vagaries of field geology to a wide variety of students. He retired from NASA in 2016 and has since worked at The Aerospace Corporation, doing detailed studies of Apollo Program technical history, reviewing technical programs associated with the return to the Moon, and working with the Astronaut Office on planning standards for future crew operations on the lunar surface. In his spare time, he trailbikes, does martial arts, rides horses, and takes the occasional geologic field trip.
Meca Francis '20 graduated from St. Lawrence with a double major in Global Studies and Communications as well as a minor in Government. She was a Kirk Douglas Scholar, Admissions Ambassador, Resident Assistant, Advocate, and studied abroad in Spain during her time at St. Lawrence. Meca resides in Washington, D.C. where she works remotely as a Cybersecurity Analyst. In her free time, Meca enjoys yoga, travel, and brainstorming ideas for project management.
Ben Franco '05 graduated from St. Lawrence with a degree in government. While at St. Lawrence, he was a four-year member of the crew team, studied abroad in Denmark and received a Vivien Gardner Hannon Intern Fellowship grant. Ben also attended the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he obtained a master’s degree. He began his career working in government for the former Mayor of Salem, Massachusetts and as a budget and legislative aide in the Massachusetts State Senate. He currently works for Harvard University as the Associate Director of the Harvard Ed Portal, a facility that provides residents of the Allston and Brighton neighborhoods of Boston access to the resources of Harvard. Between 2009 and 2020, Ben was deeply involved in local government. He served on the finance committee of the Town of Brookline, Massachusetts for five years – chairing the Administration & Finance sub-committee from 2012-2014. In 2014 he was elected to the Brookline Select Board (formerly Board of Selectmen); he served as a member of the Board until 2020. While on the Select Board, Ben focused on economic development and financial governance issues.
In his spare time, Ben enjoys spending time outside hiking and has run several marathons. He currently serves as a mentor in the LINC program and joined the Alumni Executive Council in 2024. Ben resides in Newton, Massachusetts with his partner Emily.
J. Robert Glass '13 is a Key Account Manager at Putnam Investments, residing in Boston, MA. While at St. Lawrence, Rob was a Community Service Scholar, Admissions Ambassador, and Government Major. The Cazenovia, NY, native was President of Thelmo and Student Delegate to the Board of Trustees. He participated in the study abroad program, spending the spring semester of 2012 in Vienna, Austria. Rob serves as Chair of the Genesis Foundation Young Leaders Executive Board and serves on the Advisory Council for Youth Enrichment Services. He has served St. Lawrence in the past as a young alumni committee member, Laurentian Admissions Associate, career advisor, and Saints Network event volunteer. Rob enjoys alpine skiing, golfing, and spending time on the water.
E-Ben D. Grisby '99 is originally from the Bronx, NY and is currently a Special Education Teacher for the Green Bay Area Public Schools in Wisconsin. During his career, E-Ben has either taught or collaboratively taught multiple subjects, with a lens for promoting life skills with an inclusive approach. E-Ben holds a Master's of Science degree in Urban and Multicultural Education, with a concentration in Special Education from The College of Mount St. Vincent, plus additional graduate courses from several institutions, including the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. He serves as Secretary for the Green Bay Education Association (GBEA), and as Minority Guarantee Representative for the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). In Appleton, WI, where E-Ben has lived since 2004, he serves on several boards, including Celebrate Diversity-Fox Cities and the Community Advisory Board for the Appleton Police Department.
While at St. Lawrence, E-Ben was a member of the HEOP and C-STEP programs, majored in History and minored in Sociology. He was Vice-President of the Black Student Union, volunteered on the Gridiron staff, was a member of the Thelomathesian Society, and Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, a resident of International House and Commons College. Currently, E-Ben is a LINC Mentor. In his spare time, E-Ben enjoys weightlifting and powerlifting, playing rugby, cooking, organic gardening, facilitating discussions on current events and challenging issues, politics, reading, and traveling.
Brian Hetzel '02, M'04 graduated cum laude from St. Lawrence with a B.A. in psychology and loved the University so much that he stayed on to receive an M.Ed. in counseling and human development. As an undergraduate, Brian captained the indoor and outdoor track and field teams, was a member of Psi Chi international psychology honor society, Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, and studied abroad through the Kenya Semester Program. Upon earning his master's degree, Brian entered the independent school world, where he has spent his career working with adolescent students and athletes in a variety of roles at boarding and day schools in the Northeast. Brian is the founder of Hetzel Educational Consulting in Connecticut, where he works to help families successfully navigate the college and independent school admission process.
Tracy Kay '75, P'13 is CEO of the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens. Prior to his current post, he served as Executive Director of the Westchester Children’s Museum in Rye, NY. Following St. Lawrence, Tracy earned an MFS degree from Yale University’s School of the Environment. He began his professional career as Director of the Rye Nature Center and later was Executive Director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia, PA before serving as Deputy Commissioner for the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums. He has served on the adjunct faculties at Swarthmore College and Arcadia and Temple universities and is a field reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums and grant panelist for the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. While at St. Lawrence University, Tracy majored in biology and was a member of the Tri-Beta National Biology Honorary and Phi Beta Kappa. He was a member of the SLUSAF Concert Committee and served as a campus tour guide and Orientation Leader. As an alumnus, Tracy has participated in the Shadow A Saint program, Sophomore Boot Camp and as a member of his class Reunion Planning Committee. A native of Buffalo, NY, Tracy now resides in Stamford, CT with his wife Laura Tessier ’76, (Yale MFS ’78). Laura is an Associate Principal with Woodard & Curran Engineering and a member of the Board of Directors of the Woodard & Curran Foundation. Their son, Colin Tessier-Kay ’13 recently received his Masters from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and resides in Washington, DC. Their daughter Madeleine (Harvard ’19, Yale MPH ’21) is currently enrolled at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
Claire Kessing ’26 is from Upper Saddle River, New Jersey and is an economics and Business in the Liberal Arts major. Claire works in the Center for Career Excellence as a student intern and is an Admissions Ambassador. She is also a managing editor of The Underground magazine, treasurer for the class of 2026, and a member of Kappa Delta Sigma sorority. During spring semester of 2025, Claire will study abroad in Vienna, Austria. In her free time, Claire enjoys running, hiking, and reading.
John Linsley '04, treasurer-elect of the Alumni Executive Council, is an associate director with Putney Student Travel, a Vermont-based educational travel organization offering summer experiences for high school students. Through Putney and its collaborations with the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institution, John has directed programs in Bhutan, India, Nepal, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, Croatia, Iceland, the American West, and led an expedition to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. He also has nearly a decade of sales and community events experience in the run specialty industry in both Colorado and where he now lives on Boston’s North Shore. John majored in government at St. Lawrence and minored in African studies and history. He studied abroad on the Kenya Semester Program (KSP) and since 2005 has been editor of the KSP column in the St. Lawrence Magazine. While at St. Lawrence, John was president of the Outing Club, an Outdoor Program guide, KSP student ambassador, and campus rescue squad EMT. He went on to earn an M.A. in international relations at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University and studied Swahili language and culture in the Fulbright Hays Group Projects Abroad program. An avid trail runner, cyclist, and skier, John’s passion for adventure and conservation finds him serving on the board of his local trail association and volunteering for a land trust.
Nick Lyndaker ’26* is from Canton, NY and is a Psychology major with a minor in sports studies & exercise science. Nick is a member of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams at St. Lawrence and recently won the Division III national championship in the indoor mile. Nick is planning to work a few on campus events this summer, including Reunion Weekend, and then study abroad in London for the remainder of summer of 2025. He loves to watch and play various sports, be outside and hang out with friends. While unsure what he wants to do post-St. Lawrence, he likes the idea of perhaps getting into coaching.
Kerry Adams MacKenzie '95 lives in Millersville, MD, with her husband, Charley MacKenzie ’94 and their three children. While at St. Lawrence, Kerry majored in government, was a member of Delta, Delta, Delta sorority, the cross country and outdoor track and field teams, and studied abroad in Vienna. As an alumna, Kerry has been involved as a past Laurentian Admissions Associate and has chaired a number of class reunion planning committees. Kerry is a board member at Indian Creek School in Crownsville, MD, where she works on the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee and the Education/Curriculum Committee. In her role on the Alumni Executive Council, she hopes to strengthen community and fortify bonds in the St. Lawrence University network of students, faculty, parents, and North Country citizens. Kerry is a caretaker, a coach, a writer, and supports her family business. She is currently working towards getting her master’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She comes from a family of Laurentians including her aunt and uncle, and several cousins.
Thahitun Mariam '12* is a poet, writer, activist, and community organizer. Brought up in a rural village in Bangladesh for the first six years of her life, then settling in a working-class community in the Bronx has been pivotal to understanding the inspiration behind her creative work. From her immigrant background, she delves into topics of displacement, identity formation, migration, and social justice. Thahitun is a 2017 recipient of the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Literary and Performing Arts with New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), a founding member of the South Asian Diaspora Artists Collective (SADAC), and a former Advisory Board Member for BxArts Factory. Thahitun holds a B.A. in government (International Relations) from St. Lawrence and studied abroad in both France and Jordan. While on campus, she served as a Community Assistant, Admissions Ambassador, and president of the Islamic Culture Club.
Jennifer Hammer McGee '90 is the Global Chief Compliance Officer for Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company. She has been at Otsuka for more than 13 years, and prior to Otsuka, was an attorney in the Washington, DC office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon. She graduated with Honors from University of Maryland School of Law, and graduated magna cum laude from St. Lawrence, double majoring in Government and History, with a minor in Asian studies. While at St. Lawrence, she was active in Chi Omega, Army ROTC, cross country, served as an admissions tour guide, and studied abroad in Vienna. She met her husband, Bob McGee ’86, while serving in the Army. Both Jen and Bob have retired from the Army. They have three adult children and currently split time between Annapolis, Maryland and Hilton Head Island, SC.
Ksenia Merkulova ’26* is from Moscow, Russia, and is majoring in Finance and Psychology with a minor in Statistics. Ksenia is the captain of the Women’s Varsity Squash Team and a member of the Crown Royalties Investment Club. On campus, she has worked at the Center for Career Excellence as a Career Coach Intern and served as an International Orientation Leader. She studied abroad in London, England in Summer 2024 and interned as a social media marketing manager, where her work contributed to a successful startup acquisition. Ksenia is a matcha fan who enjoys staying active through various sports, walks, and hikes, as well as making art and crocheting in her free time. During the summer of 2025, she will intern at Mahanakorn Partners Group in Thailand and hopes to pursue a career in finance after graduation.
Susan Neiley Merrell '83, P'13, '18, '21, originally, from Lincoln MA, has lived in Lowville, New York for over 30 years. Susan currently works for U.S. Senator Gillibrand as her New York State Deputy Director. Previously Susan served as Senator Clinton’s North Country Director, and worked at the Merrell and Merrell Law Firm. While at St. Lawrence, she participated in the DIS Study Abroad program in Denmark, served on Study Abroad advisory committees, and was a member of KKG sorority. Susan is married to Charles C. Merrell ’81, and has four children, Lindsay (Williams College ’10), C. Alexander '13, James ’18 and Elyse ’21. Fun fact, Elyse is the 19th family member in Susan and Charlie’s combined families to attend St. Lawrence University.
David Nickles '00* is the Head of Technology Governance, Risk, and Compliance for Dick's Sporting Goods. Prior to Dick's Sporting Goods, David spent almost 7 years as a Principal Assurance Specialist, Global Financial Services at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He partnered with customer executives as they digitally transformed their IT in the cloud by providing sound regulatory, governance, risk, compliance, audit, and security control guidance. Before AWS, David spent 18 years implementing and leading enterprise, operational, and IT risk strategic initiatives at Fidelity Investments, GE Capital, BNP Paribas, Mastercard, and UBS. He holds several well-recognized IT industry certifications from ISACA - CRISC, CGEIT, CISM, CPDSE, Shared Assessments - CTPRA, Cloud Security Alliance - CCSK, CCAK, CCZT, and ISC2 - CISSP and CGRC. While at St. Lawrence, David received his B.S. in Mathematics and Economics. He was a Faculty Scholar, a member of both Omicron Delta Epsilon (International Economics Honor Society) and Pi Mu Epsilon (International Mathematics Honor Society), was on the Men’s Lacrosse Team, and served on the Student Athletic Council. Today, when David isn't at work, he and his wife Becca have three kids, Cameron, Madison, and Sophia, who are involved in all sorts of activities and sports in Ridgefield, CT. He is a certified USA Hockey Coach and is involved with the local youth hockey and lacrosse organizations.
Karyn Edwards Niles '90* graduated with her B.A. from St. Lawrence with a multi-field major in Japanese and government. Originally from Irvington, NY, she now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband Dick ’87. They have three grown sons and one granddaughter. Karyn retired from teaching and school administration after 28 years in Fairfax County Public Schools. While at St. Lawrence, Karyn served as Vice President of Thelmo, managed the field hockey team, was VP of Chi Omega, and was inducted into ODK, the national leadership honorary after returning from studying abroad in Nanzan, Japan. Karyn is a proud daughter of parents and grandparents who graduated from St. Lawrence University as well, and is now busy with watercolor painting, spending time with family, and travel. She serves on the board of Walking with Africans, a nonprofit organization supporting microfinancing groups in Kenya.
Betsy Locke Oberst '77 lives in Oswego, NY with her husband, Jerry and rescue dog, Jackson. They are the parents of three grown children and four (soon to be five!) grandchildren. While at St. Lawrence, Betsy was a dual major in English and government, and spent a semester on the Washington Semester Program at American University. She was active as a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, an Admissions Ambassador, a tutor at St. Regis reservation and wrote for The Hill News. As an alumna, she has been involved with reunion planning committees. Betsy earned a Master’s degree at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She spent 35 years in Advancement at SUNY Oswego. For 25 years, she led all alumni communications and alumni engagement initiatives at Oswego. She also developed and oversaw a donor relations program, oversaw donor-funded scholarships, and secured major gifts. Betsy retired in 2019 and is active in her community as an elected Trustee of the Oswego Public Library, Co-chair of the Scholarship Committee of The Zonta Club of Oswego, and is a member of the Advisory Council of the Oswego County Community Foundation, committed to improving and enhancing the quality of life for Oswego County residents. She is an active volunteer in her church and at her private Catholic high school in Rochester, NY. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, yoga, kayaking, reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Julie Parker '84* is the CFO of Silecky Sports LLC, which is the North American distributor for GRAF Skates AG and Principal of Koma Vita Vinna LLC, an international consulting company. A Trustee Scholar at St. Lawrence, she was a double major in geology and environmental studies before earning her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University, leading to years of practice in environmental law. At St. Lawrence, she was an organizer of the Outing Club Theme House, reinvigorating the Outing Club and developing the still-popular Peak Weekend, and participated in the study abroad program at McGill University and Adirondack – Appalachia Program. While a practicing attorney, Julie co-founded and managed, with her husband, an international law firm in Kyiv, Ukraine. The firm, established shortly after Ukraine declared independence in 1991, grew substantially over the years and ultimately merged with the global law firm Dentons. Throughout this time, and since retiring from legal practice, Julie has served on the Boards and/or as Legal Counsel of numerous non-profit organizations and has applied her business and legal experience to projects as diverse as cheetah conservation in Namibia to historical documentary film production. Continuing to utilize her environmental and legal background, she was recently appointed to the Planning Board in her local community. Her ongoing commitment to St. Lawrence includes participation on Reunion Development Committees, serving as a Laurentian Admissions Associate, and long-time Class Reporter.
Laura Taylor Patrick '83, P'18, president of the Alumni Executive Council, is originally from Rochester, NY, and currently resides in Chatham, NJ. After graduation, she worked in residential property management before continuing her education at the University of Rochester's Simon Business School, earning an MBA in finance and marketing. Laura worked for AT&T in marketing and new product development for 12 years before leaving to stay home with her two daughters, Grace '18 and Audrey (Columbia '22). While at St. Lawrence, Laura was an English Literature major, a member of KDS and the swim team, coached by the beloved Bob Northrop. She participated in the Vienna program abroad during the fall of her senior year. As an alumna, Laura has twice-served on her class reunion development committee (30th reunion co-chair) and is a Laurentian Admissions Associate.
Addie Peterson '14 (she/her) graduated from St. Lawrence magna cum laude with a double major in biology and mathematics. During her time at SLU, Addie was a member of the Outing Club, worked as a guide for the Outdoor Program, and was a tutor/TA for biology and chemistry students. She also studied abroad on the Kenya Semester Program (KSP).
After St. Lawrence, Addie attended dental school at the University of Minnesota where she received her Doctor of Dental Surgery, and finally on to the University of Iowa where she received her Master’s of Science and Certificate in Orthodontics. Currently, she practices orthodontics in Fort Collins, Colorado. As a Vermont native, she has quickly embraced everything Colorado has to offer, spending as much time outside the office skiing, trail running, and the occasional gravel biking excursion.
Autumn Rolack '17 is a Protocol Data Manager at Frontier Science Foundation. While at St. Lawrence she majored in neuroscience. After graduation, she completed a Master of Public Health at Hofstra University. On campus, she worked as a Student Activities Assistant, served as an Orientation Leader, and was an active member of ACE. She also was elected to the Thelomathesian Society’s Executive Board as the Student Delegate to the Board of Trustees.
Alisa Scott '94* took a different path to the Alumni Executive Council. Instead of double-majoring and double-minoring, Alisa figured out a way to take more geology electives than anyone thought possible, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in the subject. She embodies the classic St. Lawrence strengths that make many Laurentians successful after graduation: relationship-building and socializing. She was a sister and council member of Kappa Delta Sigma and a member of the Geology Club. You may have also found her behind the bar at the Hoot Owl for Tuesday Night Blues. Alisa spent her first year post-SLU in Jackson, Wyoming, working a myriad of service industry jobs to support her outdoor lifestyle. She obtained her M.Ed. from Lesley University in order to share her love of the natural world with inner-city and private high school students in Massachusetts. Her leadership achievements while teaching included serving on the School Council, the Science Department Steering Committee, and being selected by the Geologic Society of America (GSA) to join their GeoCorps of America Program at Mount Rainier. That experience inspired Alisa to become a National Park Ranger for the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. In that role she spent half the year as an Interpretive Ranger on three of the islands, as well as an Educational Ranger, preparing Boston elementary students for their science-based trip out to Thompson Island. Alisa leveraged her SLU-honed social skills and out-of-the-box thinking to create her own custom career track. During the winter months when she was not revamping curriculum for the Boston Harbor Islands, she was a ski instructor and a mountain host for Big Sky Resort in Montana. Eventually, Alisa decided Big Sky was home and she moved there full-time. Every winter she worked as a mountain guide for the resort and for local tour companies operating in Yellowstone National Park. Now retired, Alisa volunteers for different nonprofits and organizations in Big Sky and is looking forward to being a resource for students looking to create their own individualized career track, as she did.
Claire Silberg '15 (she/her) is currently based in Washington, DC, and is a Program Officer at the Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health. In this role, she supports the technical implementation of research and programming aimed at advancing women’s empowerment and improving health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Her career has been heavily inspired by her transformative experience during the Kenya Semester Program (fall ’13). Following graduation, Claire returned to Kenya as a Fulbright Scholar. She subsequently earned her Master’s of Science in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, travel, and planning her next scuba diving adventure.
Anne Joslin Slater '74, P'03 graduated from St. Lawrence with a double major in History and Government. On campus she was a member of one of the early pledge classes of Kappa Delta Sigma. Anne volunteered as a tutor on the St. Regis reservation, was a member of the Women’s Alpine Ski Team, and taught skiing at the Snow Bowl. As an alumnus, she has been active on the class gift committees for her 40th & 45th reunions and has actively encouraged her classmates to attend reunion. Anne has participated in many Holimont Ski Days and other Buffalo area alumni events. Anne was recently Class Chair for the KDS 50th reunion. Anne received her MLS from the University at Buffalo in 2000. She is recently retired after 17 years as a Youth Services Librarian with the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Prior to moving back to Buffalo, Anne and her family resided in Switzerland and England from 1985-1989, while her husband, Steve, was employed by a Swiss company. Anne and Steve reside in Williamsville, NY and are parents of Beth Slater ’03 (Buffalo, NY) and Jay Slater (Carbondale, CO). Beth was employed by SLU as the Executive Director of the New York City Semester for over five and half years and was previously a member of AEC. Beth is Director of Development, The Institute for Citizens and Scholars, and Jay is Operations Manager, Recreation for the City of Aspen, Colorado. Anne enjoys sailing, skiing, theatre, reading and travel. Both Anne and Steve teach adaptive skiing with the Lounsbury Adaptive Program at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, NY. They have also volunteered as ski instructors with the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic since 2004. Anne is active in a variety of community organizations including the Junior League of Buffalo, Holloway Memorial Chapel (Pt. Abino, Ontario, Canada) and several local clubs.
Doug Smith '05, vice president-elect of the Alumni Executive Council, lives with his wife Amanda Smith '04, along with their two future Laurentians Aubrey and Cole, in Newtown, Connecticut. During his time at SLU Doug rowed on and was ultimately captain of the Men's Varsity crew team, and served as an EMT on the campus EMS squad, ultimately becoming that organization's Director in his senior year. When not at weekend crew regattas, he also enjoyed time with the Outing Club, particularly the time-honored SLU tradition of Peak Weekend. After graduation he received a Master's degree from Boston University School of Medicine and worked as an Emergency Department technician at Harvard's Brigham & Women's Hospital. He and Amanda then moved to Philadelphia where he completed his medical school studies, did research at the University of Pennsylvania, and his residency training in North Philly at Einstein Medical Center. While living in Philly, they were married in Gunnison Memorial Chapel in 2009, and a few years later moved back home to Connecticut. Doug is currently an attending Emergency Physician at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Connecticut as well as the Director of Emergency Medicine and EMS Medical Director at New Milford Hospital within the same health network. He serves on the Board of the Connecticut Chapter of Emergency Physicians, and is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont School of Medicine. As an alumnus, Doug serves as an Alumni Executive Council member where he co-chairs the Admission Committee, as a mentor in the LINC program, and works with pre-health sophomores in the Career Conversations program. In his down time, Doug enjoys coaching his son's little league team, timing his daughter's swim meets, hiking the trails of Connecticut, and trying to get out on the water in sailboats when possible.
Britton P. Wean '06 graduated from St. Lawrence University with a major in Art and minors in Education and Anthropology. While at SLU, she worked as an Admissions Tour Guide, was active in the Student-Alumni Association and The Hill News, and completed her K-12 teaching certification in the North Country. Britton currently works at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, PA as a Stewardship Officer and Gift Processor in the Alumni & Development Office. Prior to moving back to Pittsburgh, she spent three years teaching elementary Art at Trinity School in Atlanta, GA, as well as working for a residential builder and real estate broker in Mississippi. Britton is an active community volunteer, serving on multiple non-profit boards. She and her husband, Jarrett, enjoy spending time outside with such activities as golf, running, skiing, and playing racquet sports, just to name a few!
Lexi Williams Lund '15 (she/her), secretary-elect of the Alumni Executive Council, is the Manager of Diversity and Impact for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HBSE)- the parent company for the Philadelphia 76ers and NJ Devils. She lives in Philadelphia, with her boyfriend, Reid; but still holds her Rochester, NY roots near and dear. Before transitioning to the sports and entertainment field, Lexi worked in higher education including 3 years in the Office of Laurentian Engagement at St. Lawrence. While studying at St. Lawrence, Lexi majored in Government and Psychology and minored in Communications. On campus she worked in Admissions, served as an orientation leader, was a member of the Upbeats, class council and swim team. She was also a Joan Donovan speech contest winner which allowed her to speak during her Commencement and is a sister of Kappa Delta Sigma.
Julia Sprague Wright '11* is a North Country native who has recently returned to her hometown of Watertown, NY with her husband, two young sons, and Australian Shepherd. She is an ordained minister with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is currently serving the Presbytery of Northern New York as chair of the Committee for Preparation of Ministry. In this role, she provides Pulpit Supply for various congregations along with being a consultant for Higher Ed Chaplains. Julia graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2016 and then worked as the Recruiter in the Admissions Office before accepting a Chaplaincy Fellowship at Muskingum University in New Concord, OH. Following her fellowship, Julia served as Associate Chaplain and then University Chaplain until 2022. At St. Lawrence, she majored in religious studies and minored in music and was a four-year member and officer of the Laurentian Singers. Julia was also a member of the Community Gospel Choir, member and Recruitment Chair for Chi Omega, an Orientation Leader, and studied abroad in both Denmark and Ireland. She enjoys spending time with her family, being outside, making music, and being a member of Watertown Musica Viva.
Gary D. Zonitch '03, originally from North Greenbush, NY, is the Director of Construction for The Fresh Market in Greensboro, NC since August of 2023. He oversees the store design, engineering and construction of the new store and remodel projects for the company which operates in 22 states from Massachusetts to Florida to Oklahoma. Prior to his current role, he was a new store Construction Manager for McDonald’s and worked there from 2008 until late 2023.
After completing a double major in Economics and Psychology at St. Lawrence, Gary studied at Clarkson for a year to attain his MBA via the 4+1 program and then moved to Atlanta in June of 2004 and now resides in North Carolina. While at St. Lawrence, Gary was a member and VP of University Relations of Thelmo, Senior Class Vice President, member of Omicron Delta Kappa and the Psi Chi psychology honorary, and a Community Assistant for 3 years. Since graduating from St. Lawrence, Gary has served as co-chair of the 10th and 15th reunions for his class, volunteered and supported his local Ronald McDonald House Charities. In his spare time, Gary enjoys home improvement projects, cooking and traveling.
Nominate Alumni for Alumni Executive Council Membership
Consider nominating fellow alumni for Council membership, by submitting a nomination form for review by the Council’s Membership and Honors Committee. For more information, please contact the Alumni Executive Council staff liaison, Joe Keniston '05, Assistant Vice President for University Advancement, or Victoria Lederer, Director of Laurentian Engagement.