What’s new with you matters to us.
Have you been recently promoted or started a new job? Perhaps you are starting on a new educational journey. Maybe, you are newly married or recently added to your family. Let your fellow Ducks know what is happening in your life.
When you submit a class note, it will be considered for publication in the UOAA’s monthly Shout! newsletter, posted to the UOAA alumni website, or highlighted on social media.
Featured Class Notables
Jenny Bennett
Class of 2001
JENNY BENNETT, BA ’01 (public relations), market president for the Eugene and Springfield markets of Summit Bank, received a 2022 Women of Influence Award from the Portland Business Journal.
Anthony Leiserowitz
Class of 1998
ANTHONY LEISEROWITZ, MS ’98 (independent study: environmental studies), PhD ’03 (environmental science, studies, and policy), a senior research scientist at Yale University’s School of the Environment, was featured in the college science publication Yale Scientific in his role as director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Orray Taft
Class of 1998
ORRAY TAFT, BS ’98 (business administration), a principal with Meketa Investment Group, became a shareholder of the global investment consulting and fiduciary management firm.
Scott Robson
Class of 1999
SCOTT ROBSON, MCRP ’99 (community and regional planning), formerly town manager of Vail, Colorado, where he oversaw an $85 million budget and 300 employees, was appointed town manager of Telluride.
Kyle Teune
Class of 2008
KYLE TEUNE, BS ’08 (business administration), completed three years of leukemia treatment and was declared cancer-free.
Harlen Springer
Class of 1970
Harlen Springer, BA '70 (business administration), is chairman of Florence's Public Arts Committee, which received the 2018 Innovation in Business Award from the Chamber of Commerce. He also was one of two finalists for the 2018 Florence First Citizen Award, which is based on leadership and community impact.
Rob Johnson
Class of 1991
ROB JOHNSON, BS ’91 (finance), was promoted to senior vice president of engineered wood products, sales, and marketing at Boise Cascade Company, one of the largest producers of engineered wood products and plywood in North America.
Mark Rockwood
Class of 2011
MARK ROCKWOOD, MMus ’11 (music performance), PhD ’17 (music theory), director of the Douglas County Youth Orchestra, was featured in the Roseburg News-Review for a story recognizing the 25th anniversary of the organization.
Wei Chen
Class of 1984
WEI CHEN, MS ’84, PhD ’88 (physics), Stephenson Chair and professor in the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, was elected to the College of Fellows by the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Amanda Peacher
Class of 2011
AMANDA PEACHER, MS ’11 (environmental studies, journalism), was hired as a reporter for Marketplace, a nonprofit news organization that covers business and the economy.
Craig Race
Class of 2011
CRAIG RACE, MArch ’11, was featured in the Globe and Mail, a Canadian newspaper, for his redesign of a single-family dwelling into a semi-detached house in the heart of Toronto’s Upper Beaches neighborhood.
Ian McGillivray
Class of 2011
IAN McGILLIVRAY, BS ’11 (general social science), a conference video coordinator who manages all video and technological aspects of the football video department at Oregon State University, was voted 2021 Pac-12 Video Coordinator of the Year for exemplary performance in the field of team video and surrounding technologies.
Lauren Plum
Class of 2015
LAUREN PLUM, BS ’15 (business administration), who coached volleyball at Villanova and played overseas for six years, joined the University of Arizona volleyball team as assistant coach.
Patricia Pierce
Class of 1953
PAT CHOAT PIERCE, BA ’53 (journalism), MS ’62 (interdisciplinary studies), a retired educator, community philanthropist, journalist, and local historian of North Bend, was recognized by the state legislature for service that included the establishment of a community scholarship for students, creation of a nonprofit dog obedience school, and the founding of an annual event to celebrate the birthday of the city.
Jon Meyer
Class of 1969
Jon Meyer, and his wife Pat attended the commissioning of the USS Oregon in Groton, CT on May 28, 2022. Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown gave the keynote address. The USS Oregon is the newest Virginia Class attack submarine in the fleet.
Luke Zak
Class of 2021
LUKE ZAK, MBA ’21 (general business), joined the Washington County Visitors Association as sports destination sales executive, charged with leading the destination group sales and service function for the sports and social, military, educational, religious, and fraternal group markets.
Thomas Fiorelli
Class of 2015
THOMAS "TJ" FIORELLI, BS ’15 (planning, public policy and management), MPA ’17, Tillamook County housing coordinator, was featured in a story by the Tillamook County Pioneer.
Nathan Stein
Class of 2018
NATHAN STEIN, BA ’18 (history), who has worked in Montana state government and grassroots advocacy in Helena and Butte, was hired as a development assistant at Bridgercare, a nonprofit reproductive health care facility in Bozeman.
Jack Forrest
Class of 2021
JACK FORREST, BS ’21 (journalism, political science), was hired as an editorial intern at Politico, a political journalism company based in Virginia.
Jessica Baker
Class of 2019
JESSICA RUTH BAKER, MNM ’19 (nonprofit management), who has been involved with the community-based Eugene theater company Very Little Theatre since 2017, was hired as interim executive director.