John A. Heldt, BS ’85, published his fifteenth novel, Camp Lake, in September 2019.

Jason Bennett, B.S. '00 (Business Administration), moved to Medellín, Colombia and is the new Chief Marketing Officer for hospitality and asset management firm Lifeafar.

As a Oregon Duck and a business student, I'm proud to announce that I've been hired as the Associate Director of Alumni Engagement at the Lundquist College of Business, University of Oregon!

Renner Johnston, AIA, has been appointed President of Mogavero Architects, a renowned architecture firm based in Sacramento, California. Founded 40 years ago by David Mogavero (image, right), Mogavero Architects is known for its innovative and sustainable design solutions across a range of projects, from mixed-use developments and transit-oriented neighborhoods to student housing and residence halls. In his new role, Renner Johnston (image, left) will lead the firm's daily operations with a dedicated and diverse team, all driven by a shared passion for enhancing communities through thoughtful design. Renner received his Master of Architecture (M.Arch) from the University of Oregon in 1996.

www.mogaveroarchitects.com

Liz Swagerty Olsen joined Vision Capital Management in July 2024. She will lead all marketing, communications and business development activities for the independent, majority women-owned wealth management firm located in Portland.

https://vcmi.net/

Promoted to Sr. Vice President for Central Development at the University of Minnesota Foundation.

Steve Anderson, BA '89 (history/German), has two novels coming out in 2024. Anderson is the author of numerous books, mostly historical thrillers about gutsy underdogs. After UO he earned an MA in history and was a Fulbright Fellow in Germany. He’s also written historical nonfiction and translated bestselling German novels. Still a hopeless soccer addict who played club soccer at UO, he lives in his hometown of Portland, Oregon.

https://www.stephenfanderson.com

BME ('83), MME (90), has earned her PhD in Education Leadership from Pacific University. Dot identified and defined five essential music teaching skills needed for the student teaching field placement. Dot is an adjunct professor at Pacific University where she teaches in the College of Education, Department of Music, and serves as a university supervisor of student teachers.

I am a proud University of Oregon alumna, 1987, MA. in history under the guidance of Drs. Allan M. Winkler and Louise Wade. I am delighted to report to you that I have been selected as a recipient for the Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 by the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS). "AAAS created the Lifetime Achievement Award to honor an individual who has made an outstanding and lifelong contribution to the advancement of the field of Asian American Studies. The selection for this highly significant honor expresses our heartfelt appreciation for your distinguished career and your many contributions to Asian American Studies,” according to the award letter from the AAAS.

https://aaastudies.org/announcements/2024-aaas-award-winners/

Mike McCord (JD 1996), a career Foreign Service Officer, was promoted into the Senior Foreign Service (Counselor) in December 2019 following Senate confirmation and White House approval. Mike serves with the U.S. Agency for International Development and is currently posted to Zimbabwe. His previous Foreign Service assignments include Afghanistan (twice), South Africa, South Sudan, Zambia, and Ethiopia. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he lived and worked in Kenya, Rwanda, then-Zaire, Eritrea, and Cote d'Ivoire.

Hello! I graduated from UO in 2014 with my PhD in Sociology. Although my career began with a tenure track teaching position at a small university in Ohio, an eagerness to return to Oregon and grow in other ways led me in some other surprising directions. I am now the data equity coordinator in the Office of Equity and Multicultural Services at the Oregon Dept. of Human Services and recently published a book for undergraduate students (see attached link). My UO sociology experience and the faculty there remains a powerful guiding force for me. Feel free to reach out if this note is of interest! Thanks ~ Matt

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14psT4mBtD-LuFsPXCdAMh6YokfklBLQE?usp=share_link

Jan E. Frydman is the Consul of the Principality of Monaco to Sweden, having been appointed to this position by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco on January 31, 2020. He is also the Head of the Swedish Delegation to the European Council of Bars and Law Societies. He most recently served as the Special Adviser to the European Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmström (2015-2019), and as Adj. Judge of the Svea Court of Appeals (2013-2014).

Award winning author Susan K. Field has released her debut novel, Eleanor's Song. A coming of age. A thriller. Above all, a story of redemption and hope.

She is an author of stories celebrating women. Before she started writing fiction full-time, Susan worked in organizational communications, championing the voices of those who could not advocate for themselves: homeless and abused animals, children with special needs, and victims of domestic violence. Based on these experiences, she felt called to write Eleanor's Song, her debut novel.

Susan holds a master's degree in writing. Her nonfiction, poetry, articles, and essays have appeared in literary journals, anthologies, commercial magazines, trade journals, and blogs. An excerpt from Eleanor's Song, entitled, "Shadow of a Decision", won a Kay Snow Writing Award, Short Story category in 2021.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and has a penchant for hiking woodland trails.

Judy Hendershott and her husband John Munch have sold their villa in Kalkan, Turkey, but continue to visit there each year, staying at Fidanka, a lovely bed and breakfast accommodation. Next trip is coming up 8-15 October 2024.

Michael Rostron, Anthropology, 1973 has published "The Roving Fitzgeralds: The Memoirs Of Roy Madison Fitzgerald." His two previous books are "Cape Decision" and "The Kabul Conscript." His website can be found at mikerostron.com

Emilio Todescato, AIA (B.Arch. 2014), was recently promoted to Senior Associate at Los Angeles firm CO Architects. His experience ranges from developer-led tech campuses and research laboratories to higher-education research and teaching facilities to medical-education projects.

The second edition of 'Charting Change', Braden Kelley's second book, has just been released by its publisher Palgrave Macmillan. New in the second edition is additional content and guest expert sections on digital transformation, business architecture, systems thinking and more!

Tony Andersen, BS ’07, has taken the leap to work abroad. After living in Portland for 10 years, he accepted the position of marketing and public relations director for an innovative real estate startup in Medellin, Colombia.

With his business partner retiring, Steve Kokes will become the sole owner of Coates Kokes, a Certified B Corporation advertising and PR firm in Portland. For the past 24 years, Steve has centered the agency's work on issues of sustainability, climate change and public health. Clients include Oregon Health Authority, Health Share of Oregon, City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, and many others.

Susan Rich's sixth book of poems, BLUE ATLAS, arrived from Red Hen Press this spring. Reviewed in Publisher's Weekly and written about in LitHub. www.poetsusanrich.com