Alumni denoted by an asterisk (*) are members of the North Texas Exes

'90
Sloan Bentley (M.S.), Pleasanton, Calif., has been named president of Seniority Inc., a management, sales and marketing consulting firm. She was previously the firm’s vice president for management services and is a gerontologist and licensed nursing home administrator.

'92
Diane Filibeck (’93 M.Ed.), Richardson, has taken a position teaching third grade in an American school in Cairo, Egypt, for two years. She had served for 12 years in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD.

Robert Pound, Carlisle, Pa., was interviewed on NPR’s Morning Edition about his new musical piece titled “Irrational Exuberance,” a term taken from Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve chair. The piece, which was premiered by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, was also covered by the Washington Post, the Associated Press and German television. Robert is an associate professor at Dickinson College in Carlisle.

'93
Kristi Karleen McCown Betts, Irving, librarian and instructional technology specialist at Kinkeade Early Childhood School, was selected to attend the TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute sponsored by the Texas Library Association in June. The institute’s 22 participants were drawn from libraries throughout the state.

W. Joe Calfee, Denton, and his wife, Jennifer, welcomed their first child, Geoffrey Christopher, in November.

*Janina Haylett Jewell (’93 M.S., ’95 M.P.A.), Corinth, has become a certified internal auditor through the Institute of Internal Auditors. She is the director of finance for the city of Watauga and a certified government finance officer.

Laura Andrews Watkins, Grapevine, was appointed vice president of marketing and publicity of BenBella Books and formerly served as director of marketing and publicity. She has worked in corporate communications and marketing for 13 years.

'94
Brent Baker (’02 M.J.), Weatherford, has been named vice president of institutional advancement at Weatherford College. He is married to the former Elizabeth Woody (’93).

C. David Glass, Texarkana, has joined Smith Weber LLP as a partner at its Texarkana office. He was formerly an associate attorney with Atchley, Russell, Waldrop & Hlavinka.

James M. Hamilton (M.A.), Weatherford, has been named the first executive director of the Doss Heritage and Culture Center of Parker County. The center is scheduled to open this fall.

Linda Homeyer (Ph.D.), Canyon Lake, is the president of the Association for Play Therapy, the national organization for people in the field. Her term expires in October.

Lance Yuzbick and Heather Glenn-Yuzbick (’95, ’98 M.Ed.), Corinth, welcomed a son, Hayden Edward Yuzbick, in March.

'95
*Molly Cook Chandler and *Chris Chandler (’95), Dallas, are celebrating the birth of their first child, Paul Richard Chandler, who was born in November.

James LaRocca, McMinnville, Ore., played music around the Dallas area for two years after graduating from UNT. When he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1997, he and his wife moved back to Oregon where he has since made two CDs of his original music and is working on a third. He donates half of the proceeds of the sales to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He says he has two beautiful children who are “very into music” as well.

David Martin (’95 M.S.) and Jennifer Skaines Martin (’96), Denton, had their third son, Slayden Timothy, in November. He is welcomed by older brothers Cullen and Brady. David works for Liberty Christian School.

'96
Jack Balderson Jr., Flower Mound, has been elected a partner by Thompson & Knight LLP. He is a member of the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice group in Dallas and focuses on litigation and antitrust matters.

Lori Kindler and Ken Youens-Clark (’95), McKinney, announce the birth of their second child, Tabitha Joy Clark. Her middle name is a tribute to the mutual friend, Joy Wright, who introduced the couple at UNT. Their first child, Oliver, is 2 years old.

Lisa L. Rollins, La Vergne, Tenn., won two 2006 Special Merit awards in the Media Relations Campaign category from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education Region III in February. Her winning campaigns were created on behalf of the Tennessee Century Farms program and an annual Native American festival held in Tennessee.

'97
Mark Dostert (M.A.), Houston, published “The True Israelites” in the spring 2006 issue of the Southern Indiana Review. The piece is adapted from his narrative nonfiction book-length manuscript, Up In Here: Jailing Kids on Chicago’s Other Side.

Darrin Pennartz, Plano, who works at Century 21 Judge Fite Co., is affiliated with HouseHunt, an Internet firm that provides information to consumers in real estate markets nationwide. He is the exclusive agent for Lewisville.

Shahzad Shaikh, San Francisco, Calif., is working for Sheraton Gateway Hotel in San Francisco as director of revenue management. He is married to Tracy Starke and is the proud father of Anah Emily, who is 21 months old.

Tony Valdez and Olivia Martinez Valdez (’98), Irving, celebrate their third anniversary this year.

'98
Carlos Leal, McKinney, has accepted the position of customer research program manager at JFA Consulting Inc. of Dallas. He and his wife, Alice, recently celebrated the fifth birthday of their son, Alexander.

Elizabeth Martinez-McAlpin (’03 M.S.) and John McAlpin, Denton, are happy to announce the arrival of their first child, Olivia Elise, born in August.

Jeff Ratcliff, Overland Park, Kan., graduated with his M.B.A. from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan., in December. He is a program manager at Sprint World Headquarters and resides in Overland Park with his wife, Cindy, and son, Bennett.

'99
Stephanie Baird (M.S.), Granby, Mass., provides full-time outpatient services at an agency in Western Massachusetts. She says she is enjoying all that New England has to offer, including “her great outdoors and fabulous culture.”

Leigh Ann Kennedy Burnett, Round Rock, and Kevin Burnett welcomed their first child, Hagan Christopher, in October. Leigh Ann left her post as a finance and accounting professional to be a stay-at-home mom.

Julie Freeman, Waco, has joined Baylor University as assistant media adviser for student publications. She previously worked as a copy editor at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Brian Redding, Denton, accepted a position at Denton High School after graduating from UNT as a business education teacher and a varsity and junior varsity tennis coach. He is also involved with Business Professionals of America and the University Interscholastic League. He says he has the privilege of working with Marcus Bourland (’00), who teaches business education at Billy Ryan High School.