Alumni Notes
Our alumni have gone on to great things, and all it took was that first step in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. See what some are up to now, and let us know what you’re doing.
Abby Baker
Abby Barber (MA ’06) is a development representative for the American Cancer Society in Jackson, MS.
Doug Black
Doug Black, (MA) is an Interactive Account Executive at Luckie & Company in Birmingham, AL.
Joseph Bryant
Joseph Bryant (JN ’01) is a News Staff Writer for The Birmingham News and the proud father of three children in Birmingham, AL.
Melissa (Lofton) Butler
Melissa (Lofton) Butler (ADV ’00) is the Director of Marketing for Robins & Morton, an engineering and construction firm, in Birmingham, AL.
Marlin Caddell
Marlin Caddell (JN ’06) is working as a web master at Boone Newspapers, Inc. in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Robert A. Collins
Robert A. Collins (ADV’97) is a Branch Manager for Wachovia Bank in Helena, AL.
Shamire Crummie
Shamire Crummie (PR’05) is the Public Relations Coordinator and Project Manager for Maddie’s Pet Rescue Project in Tuscaloosa, AL.
Amy Dabbs
Amy Dabbs (ADV’00) is the Web Content Coordinator for Children’s Health System in Birmingham, AL.
Candace Davis
Candace Davis (ADV ’05) works for Philip Morris USA in Birmingham, AL.
Mary Jacq Watson Easley
Mary Jacq Watson Easley (MA 1974) is now Editor of Opinions for the Mississippi Supreme Court. After receiving her Master’s degree in Journalism in 1974, she spent 10 years working for various daily newspapers in Alabama (The Tuscaloosa News, The Decatur Daily, The Jasper Daily Mountain Eagle, The Cullman Times), and then worked in public relations for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (three years) and BellSouth Telecommunications (ten years). In 1999, she received her Juris Doctorate from Mississippi College and practiced law in Jackson, Mississippi for six years before being appointed to her current position. Her son, Andy Rainey (BS 1999) is Director of Web Services in University Relations at the University of Alabama.
Tiffany Elliot
Tiffany Elliot (SPC ’98) is a Unit Manager for Philip Morris USA in Atlanta, GA.
Leslie Grossman Frederick
Leslie Grossman Frederick (’79) has been named Vice President, TrustFirst, Inc., Knoxville, TN, a financial services company. She can be reached at 865.583.7390. Leslie is also Chairman of Key Leader for Kentucky-Tennessee Division, Kiwanis International. Key Leader is a global leadership development program for high school students.
Samantha Hall Hurst
Samantha Hall Hurst (JN ’05) is a staff writer with the Shelby County Report in Columbiana, AL. She recently married Chris Hurst, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences.
Beth Welborn Hamer
Beth Welborn Hamer (ADV ’05) is a Media Buyer at Internark Group in Birmingham, AL. She married Chris Hamer in April 2007.
Eduardo Henriques
Eduardo Henriques (ADV ’04) is the Managing Partner at Micstura, a full-service advertising agency specializing in reaching the Hispanic market, in Miami.
Nia Hightower
Nia Hightower (JN’96) is the Associate University Editor for Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Katie Davidson Holley
Katie Davidson Holley is the advertising/training coordinator for the merchandise sales department of Alabama Power Company.
Marian Bradley Hosch
Marian Bradley Hosch is an Account Executive at Lckie & Company in Birmingham, AL.
Tim Jackson
Tim Jackson (JN ’89) is the Editor and Publisher of New River Voice, a biweekly alternative newspaper in the New River Valley of Southwest Virginia
Jennifer Jeansonne
Jennifer Jeansonne (ADV ’00) is the Marketing Account Manager for InterContinental Hotels Group in Atlanta, GA.
Tonjanita Johnson
Tonjanita Johnson (JN ’91, M.A. ’96) earned her Ph. D. from Jackson State University in 2006 and has accepted a position ass Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communication at Middle Tennessee State University. She is responsible for the areas of marketing, news and public affairs, publications and graphics, photographic services and printing services.
Cinterro Jones
Cinterro Jones (TCF ’96) is an Advanced Writer for CNN Newssource in Atlanta, GA.
Adam Kelly
Adam Kelly (ADV’96) is the Manager of Corporate Communication for Children’s Health System, Birmingham, AL.
Candace N. Kimble
Candace N. Kimble (ADV ’05) is currently the Human Services Liaison for the Alabama Transitional Recovery Office (AL TRO) Newsletter for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Montgomery, AL.
Lindsay King
Lindsay King (ADV’04) is the Communications Coordinator for HealthSouth Corporation in Birmingham, AL.
Brooke (Donoho) Koeppel
Brooke (Donoho) Koeppel (MA) is a recruiter with Wachovia in Charlotte, NC.
David Malamud
David Malamud (ADV’04) is a Senior Account Executive for Lopez Negrete in Houston, TX.
Ben McWhorter
Ben McWhorter is the General Sales Manager for two Citadel Broadcasting Company radio stations in Knoxville, TN.
Justin McVay
Justin McVay (APR ’00) is the Public Relations Manager for the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, NV.
Tod Molina
Tod Molina (ADV’95) is the Production Manager/Sr. Art Director for Grand View Media Group in Birmingham, Alabama. He is married with 2 boys and a baby due in April 2008.
Amanda Moon
Amanda Moon (ADV’07) was hired recently as the Outreach Specialist at Wallace State Community College, Cullman, AL.
Kimberly (Minor) Pettway
Kimberly (Minor) Pettway (ADV’04) is a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for Sanofi Aventis.
Richard D. Parker
Richard D. Parker (Ph. D. ’01) is an Assistant Professor of Marketing and Advertising in Little Rock, AR. He participated in a three-week faculty internship at Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Austria in May 2007, followed immediately by participating in the 2007 Laval University Summer Business School program in Quebec City, Canada, late May - early June 2007.
Brandi Peterson
Brandi Peterson (PR’07) is working on marketing, tradeshows and association relations for ChoicePoint in Atlanta, GA.
Laura Pickard
Laura Pickard (MA) is a Senior Marketing Analyst at SmartSynch, Inc. in Jackson, MS.
Janice Pope
Janice Pope (Ph.D. ’95) was named the interim chair of the Department of Communication at Appalachian State University.
Meredith James Purser
Meredith James Purser is the Marketing Assistant for the University of Alabama’s Alabama Heritage Magazine.
Lillian Quarles
Lillian Quarles (MA’06) is the Special Events Coordinator for the Department of Development and Alumni Relations at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.
Larry Reid
Larry Reid (TCF ’96) is the Media Distribution Manager for Vazda Studios in Birmingham. AL.
Tatiana Richards
Tatiana Richards (JN’04) is an Editorial Assistant for Corwin Press, a division of Sage Publications, in Los Angeles, CA.
Michelle Richmond
Michelle Richmond (JN ’92) has written a new novel, The Year of Fog. The book was published this year by Delacorte. It was a San Francisco Chronicle bestseller and was selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the top picks of 2007 for reading groups. The Year of Fog has been optioned for the big screen by Newmarket Films and has been translated into Russian, Dutch, German, and Polish. Richmond's previous books are the novel Dream of the Blue Room, published in 2003 and the story collection, The Girl in the Fall-Away Dress, published in 2001.
Sidney Rue
Sidney Rue (MA) is the Co-Director of Fundraising for the Alabama Republican Party.
Bonnie Ruf
Bonnie Ruf (MA) a Professional Healthcare Representative for Pfizer, Inc.
Meagan Sackett
Meagan Sackett (ADV’07) is a graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Adcenter in Richmond, VA.
Whitney Sheppard
Whitney Sheppard (MA) is a Communications Technologist for Walt Disney World Company, Orlanda, FL.
Charlotte Sonn
Charlotte Sonn (MA) will graduate from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in May 2008 and will work at the law firm Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan, PLLC, in Nashville, TN.
Reesha Smith
Reesha Smith (PR’04) is handling communication relations for Barnes & Noble, Tuscaloosa, AL.
Ashley Stallings
Ashley Stallings (MA) is the Intimate Apparel and Today’s woman Manager for Belk in Huntsville, AL.
Deidre Stalnaker
Deidre Stalnaker (APR ’01, JN ’03, MA’04) is the Communication Specialist for UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences.
Tyrus B. Sturgis
Tyrus B. Sturgis (MA) graduated from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University inMay 2007 and is a litigation attorney at Balch & Bingham in Birmingham, AL.
Margaret Thigpen
Margaret Thigpen (PR ’02) is the Assistant/Propmaster for USA Network’s new series, BURN NOTICE. She resides in St. Cloud, FL.
Kristin Trotter Chick
Kristin Trotter Chick (JN’06) is the Metro Reporter for the Washington Times in Washington, D.C. and is a Fulbright Scholar.
Jenny Kate Whelan
Jenny Kate Whelan (MA ‘07) is the Public Relations Specialist for The Ramey Agency in Jackson, MS.
Chip Yeager
Chip Yeager (TCF ’95) is the General Manager of Video Services-Corporate Communications for Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, GA.
Nicole Zito
Nicole Zito (TCF’03) is a producer at WVTM-TV (NBC13) in Birmingham, AL.