Joseph Baker
Joseph Baker, ’03 BS Physics, is in his second year as an assistant professor of theoretical and computational chemistry at the College of New Jersey, a four-year undergraduate institution in Ewing. He received his doctoral degree in physics from the University of Arizona and held a postdoctoral position at the University of Chicago in the department of chemistry and the Center for Multiscale Theory and Simulation. His hobbies are playing the violin, reading science fiction, and walking and hiking with his dog.
Magdalena Zepeda
Magdalena Zepeda, ’02 MA Communication Studies, this year was promoted to assistant principal at Central Middle School in Riverside, California. Her hobbies are long-distance running, mentoring, reading, and writing. She lives in Coachella.
Michele Lucero Villagran
Michele Lucero Villagran, ’01 BS Business Administration, is a lecturer in the library & information sciences department at the University of North Texas.
Rosemary Lato
Rosemary Lato, ’01 BS Business Administration, is a certified public accountant. She recently celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Petrova & Pearson, CPAs. She lives in North Las Vegas.
Jason Aaron Goldberg
Jason Aaron Goldberg, ’00 BFA, is the producer of the independent feature film The Three Es, which follows the Dunn family struggles as members regain their balance and composure after the middle and only male child has been severely injured in Iraq. The film won the Audience Choice Feature Film Award at the 2015 Laughlin International Film Festival, Best Feature Film Award at the Manhattan Film Festival, and a number of awards at the 2016 Idyllwild and Cinema on the Bayou film festivals. Goldberg also wrote and directed the film, which was coproduced with Joseph Campanale, ’01 BFA. The film features Jon Paul Raniola, ’00, and Vanessa Elgrichi, ’11.
Huichia “Jessica” Jen
Huichia “Jessica” Jen, ’99 BS Hotel Administration, ’03 MBA, is general manager of the Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort. She joined Westgate Resorts in 2007 as the regional controller to assist the company in building its first project on the Las Vegas Strip, PH Towers by Westgate. After that project was acquired by another company in 2012, she transitioned her role to resort operations in addition to her financial role.
Janet Hollinger
Janet Hollinger, ’98 BS Biological Sciences, has worked for UNLV as a transition advisor at the Charleston campus of CSN since 2012. Before that she was an academic advisor in UNLV’s College of Sciences. She has been married for more than 28 years and is the mother of two daughters, Melinda Hollinger, a UNLV senior majoring in multidisciplinary studies, and Heather. Her hobbies include animal rescue, reading, women’s soccer, and NASCAR.
Paul Villaluz
Paul Villaluz, ’97 BS Civil Engineering, ’06 MS Civil Engineering, is a project engineer II with Manatee County (Florida) department of public works. He received the Coordinating Council Best Project Award at the 2015 annual meeting of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). The award recognizes the best technical product resulting from work developed, completed, and sponsored by a council in the previous calendar year. As chair of the Traffic Engineering Council Committee, he served as lead author for the ITE informational report titled Sight Triangle and Corner Clearance Policies at Intersections and Driveways. He lives in Bradenton.
Gabrielle Pullen
Gabrielle Pullen, ’97 BA French, recently completed her master’s degree in writing at the Pan-European MFA program at Cedar Crest College. She will obtain her certificate in teaching this spring. Having taught movement as a Feldenkrais practitioner, she has a special interest — and training — in how learning functions. She recently completed her creative thesis in the form of an historical novel titled The Witches of East Lothian. She lives in Bothell, Washington, having recently relocated from Northern California with her horse.
Karmen Smith
Karmen Smith, ’97 Master of Social Work, is a licensed clinical social worker with a doctoral degree in divinity/pastoral counseling. She is a trauma specialist and ordained minister. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of child welfare with the Clark County department of family services. She was the assistant pastor of the University Church Institute of Metaphysics for many years and is the founder of NSITEFUL, which published her book, The I AM Solution: Simple Practices to Transform FEAR back to LOVE. Her hobbies are public speaking and watching inspirational movies. She lives in Henderson.
Brian Schorgl
Brian Schorgl, ’97 BS Hotel Administration, has been the owner/operator of O’Neill’s Restaurant and Bar in Leawood, Kansas for the past 16 years. His hobbies include playing golf, traveling, and going to the lake. He and his wife, Colleen, have three children, Kaitlin, 4; Francie, 2, and Jack, 8 months.
Timothy Gupton
Timothy Gupton, ’97 BA Romance Languages, recently was promoted to the rank of associate professor of Spanish linguistics at the University of Georgia, with tenure effective this fall. He has worked at the university since 2010. He earned his master’s degree at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and his doctoral degree at the University of Iowa.