Alumni Executive Council Members
Alumni Executive Council Officers:
Laura Taylor Patrick '83, P'18, President
Sally Barker McSweeney '84, P'18, Vice President
Gary D. Zonitch '03, Treasurer
Paige Friedlander Palley '16, Secretary
* Indicates new member (elected June 2023)
Gretchen Kyrtiz Bates '82, P'20 and her husband, Stephen, have three children: Joshua, 31, who is gainfully employed in the Boston area; Charlie, who sadly, and unexpectedly, passed away from SUDEP in 2011 at the age of 23 after battling uncontrolled epilepsy and autism; and Charlotte, who graduated from St. Lawrence in 2020. Gretchen continues to be involved in numerous charities, mainly focused on special needs, veterans, and the arts. She has also served St. Lawrence as a member of the Parents Committee and as a Saints Network event volunteer. After St. Lawrence and before children, Gretchen worked for Sebree Gallery and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. Over the years, she has held numerous positions in her husband's contract manufacturing company. She enjoys time with family, friends, skiing, tennis, golf, and is excited to be a member of the Alumni Council and help carry on the mission of St. Lawrence.
Mary Baucom '13 is an Associate Marketing Director at Hearst in New York City where she crafts pitches and proposals for potential pharma and healthcare advertisers. She attended Northwestern University immediately following SLU where she earned a Master of Science from the Medill School of Journalism. She was previously at Healthline -- the #1 health site -- holding positions on the marketing and editorial teams. While at St. Lawrence, she double majored in English and Government. She was an active member of the Thelomathesian Society, editor of the Gridiron Yearbook, and Student Director of the WORD Studio.
Lauren Bennett '11 is an ordained minister with Metropolitan Community Churches where she serves as Associate Pastor at MCC Greater St. Louis. In addition, Lauren co-directs MCC’s General Conference, retreats, and other events for the denomination. Coming from a community organizing background, she is particularly passionate about working with the crucified of our time for liberation from systems of oppression. While at St. Lawrence, she studied abroad in Rouen, France, served as the President of Chi Omega, and worked as a Community Mentor, among other activities. She graduated with honors in Global Studies with minors in French and Economics and holds an MDiV from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. As a proper native Seattleite, she loves hiking, reading, drinking coffee, and spending time with her fiancé AhSa-Ti and son Ahmmit.
David V. Boyer '62 majored in Chemistry and was a member of the chemistry and psychology honorary societies at St. Lawrence. He continued his college studies at the University of Kentucky and University of Rochester, earning a MS in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. David spent 35 years working in chemical manufacturing with Eastman Chemical and taught chemistry at Monroe Community College in Rochester. He is involved in youth sports coaching and served as a boy scout master.
Dean Brooker '25 is from a small coastal town in South Africa called St. Francis Bay. Dean is an Economics and Government Major and President for the Thelomathesian Society. He plays for the St. Lawrence University Varsity Squash team, where he had a great first-year season winning a Rookie of the Week award and was selected for the All-Liberty League Team for the 2021/2022 season. Dean volunteers his time and coaches squash and soccer at the local school in his small town in South Africa. He has volunteered on campus and had the great opportunity to go to Arizona with the Campus Kitchen Spring Break Trip to volunteer at a Food Kitchen. He is an avid rugby and cricket fan but is slowly learning to love American sports, particularly hockey. He loves travelling, having coffee at new coffee shops with friends and playing golf on a Sunday.
Jeffery Byrne '74 lives with his wife, Nevenka, in Lake Placid, NY. Jeff retired in 2019 as Senior Vice President of the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA). Over the 21 years with ORDA his duties included oversight of Whiteface, Gore and Belleayre ski areas. Additionally, he was involved with Corporate Development, Events, Marketing, Safety and Communications. During that time the events included: US Ski Team Gold Cup, the Winter Goodwill Games, ESPN Great Outdoor Games, World Cups in Freestyle Skiing, Bobsled/Skeleton, Luge, Biathlon, US Alpine Nationals, NorAm Alpine Championships, Short Track Speed Skating, Stars on Ice, NCAA and USCSA National Alpine Championships and numerous other international, national, regional and local competitions. Prior to ORDA, Jeff worked for ten years with Special Olympics International in Denver and Washington, DC as the Alpine Director, then the Winter Sports Director. After graduating in ’74 from SLU, Jeff worked at the Darrow School, Northwood School and Carrabassett Valley Academy as a teacher, coach and administrator. At St. Lawrence, his major was Government and he was active in Soccer, Skiing and Whitewater Kayaking. He returned to SLU ten years ago to participate in the Laurentians in Residence program and for the past seven years has been part of the LINC mentorship program through Career Services. Jeff also volunteered his time with Special Olympics World Winter Games as the Technical Delegate, the US Ski and Snowboard Association as a consultant for Club Certification and the North American Police Ski Championships. He enjoys biking, skiing, kayaking and hiking.
Anne Ferris Cassidy '74 earned a B.A. at St. Lawrence with a multi-field major in radio/television and speech. She was active at KSLU and The Gridiron. She participated in CDC's tutoring outreach efforts with an eight child family in Hermon. Anne began her working life in Macy's Executive Training Program. After more than a decade in Macy stores, she pivoted to the non-profit world. She was an active volunteer at Earthplace in Westport, Connecticut, culminating with a successful building campaign. Anne then returned to the business world as a paralegal. After 25 years, she is now the most senior real estate paralegal at Pullman & Comley, LLC in Westport. Since leaving St. Lawrence, Anne has been an active alumna, participating in regional alumni events. She has been a reunion class co-chair, co-chair of the Laurentians Give Committee, and is a member of the Manley Society. Anne lives in Norwalk, Connecticut with her husband Ray.
Charlotta Chung '08 is currently Head of U.S. Legal Research at Creditsights in New York City, where she conducts credit research into fixed income securities. Previously she practiced financial restructuring and leveraged finance with law firms in New York City. Following St. Lawrence, Charlotta earned a J.D., cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School, where she was a Darrow Scholar. She graduated summa cum laude with a double major with honors in both government and sociology from St. Lawrence. She was one of St. Lawrence’s first-ever Truman Scholars, named in 2007. While at St. Lawrence, Charlotta held leadership roles in Intervarsity and SLU Advocates and was a Community Mentor for the Center for Civic Engagement, a Community Assistant with Residence Life, and an avid volunteer with community programs in the Canton community, including the St. Lawrence County Department of Social Services. She was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Pi Sigma Alpha and received a Freeman Grant to study abroad in China and a Career Services Internship Fellowship for an internship in Sri Lanka. Charlotta also studied abroad in Denmark. Post-graduation, she has stayed involved with St. Lawrence through service as a LINC Mentor.
Sarah Churchill ’25* is from Medfield, Massachusetts and is a Psychology major and education and sociology minor. Sarah is a member of Kappa Delta Sigma sorority and works on campus as an orientation leader and a member of Calling All Saints. She enjoys volunteering at Campus Kitchens and working as a substitute teacher at Canton Central School. During spring semester in 2024, Sarah will study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is an avid runner and coffee fan and loves to spend time outdoors either going for walks, runs, or hikes. After graduating, Sarah hopes to pursue a career in education or work with kids in some capacity.
Samantha Colton '16 is an Account Executive at Edelman, a global public relations agency. There she specializes in communications for some of the largest names in the beauty industry such as Dove, and for up and coming Unilever hair and skincare brands like AHC, Emerge and The Good Stuff. Prior to this role, Samantha was an Assistant Account Executive at Ogilvy Public Relations supporting healthcare clients like Bristol-Myers Squibb. Samantha graduated from St. Lawrence with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a double minor in Gender & Sexuality and Film Studies. After graduation, she moved back to her hometown, Syracuse, NY, and completed a Master of Science in Public Relations at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. While at St. Lawrence, Samantha was a Presidential Diversity Scholar and stayed busy outside of the classroom as an active member of ACE, SLU Advocates, Senior/Junior Class Council, and as the founding chair of the Thelomathesian Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She also served as an Admissions Ambassador, Community Assistant, Student Activities Assistant, and participated in the New York City Semester program.
Elsa Coughlin '19 (she/her)* graduated from St. Lawrence with a double major in Art History and Government and a minor in Asian Studies. While at St. Lawrence, Elsa was a Gridiron Yearbook editor, Reading and Math tutor and was a member of Kappa Delta Sigma. She also studied abroad in Thailand and earned two travel and research grants for separate trips to India and was awarded a Vivien Garner Hannon Internship Fellowship Grant to spend a summer interning in Shanghai, China.
Elsa now resides in Leadville, Colorado where she enjoys spending time outside skiing and biking with her dog Maggie. She works for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research as a Fundraising Operations Officer. Prior to joining MJFF, Elsa worked on World Wildlife Fund's membership team for 3 years.
Jeff Deyette ’95* is deputy director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a national nonprofit organization that calls for science-based policy solutions to our world’s most pressing problems. Working at UCS since 1999, Jeff built his career conducting economic and environmental analyses and advocating for policies to accelerate the transition toward a clean and equitable energy economy. He currently lives in Watertown, MA, with his wife, Heather Tuttle, and their young son, Henry. While at St. Lawrence, Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in environmental studies and government, was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and participated in the Washington, DC semester at American University. He went on to receive a master’s degree from Boston University in energy resource management and international relations. As an alumnus, Jeff has enjoyed working directly with students for many years, including serving as a LINC mentor and meeting with both SLU Connect and sustainability program participants on campus and when they visit the Boston area. As a member of the Alumni Executive Council, Jeff would like to help build and strengthen the engagement between current students and alumni.
Tahiré Edirisinghe ’07* is originally from Colombo, Sri Lanka and now resides in Manhattan, New York. Graduated from St. Lawrence University with a degree in Sociology and double minor in Gender Studies and Speech and Theatre. She then went on to New York University (NYU) to complete her EMBA in 2020 specializing in Global Business and Strategy. While she was at SLU, she worked at the International Office, was part of the Gospel Choir and the Advocates program and was part of the student council representing the class of ’07 from Freshman year. She also participated in the Study Abroad program, studying in London for one semester. She is currently the Director of Customer Success at Innoveo, a low code no code AI enabled cloud platform transforming digital experiences in business. Tahiré is also a trustee and on the board of Equal Ground Sri Lanka, a group that has dedicated their efforts to changing policy in support of decriminalizing homosexuality, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and reframing Sri Lankan policy to be more inclusive. In her free time, she loves doing yoga, catching dance concerts and Broadway shows, strolling through Central Park and brunching with friends.
Meca Francis '20 graduated from St. Lawrence with a double major in Global Studies and Communications as well as a minor in Government. She was a Kirk Douglas Scholar, Admissions Ambassador, Resident Assistant, Advocate, and studied abroad in Spain during her time at St. Lawrence. Meca resides in Washington, D.C. where she works remotely as a Cybersecurity Analyst. In her free time, Meca enjoys yoga, travel, and brainstorming ideas for project management.
Nancy Mott Frank '67, a French major at St. Lawrence who spent a Year Abroad in Rouen, France. After college, Nancy taught French, married, and had two children. In her married life, she was an active volunteer and a founding member of four non-profits: a drug and alcohol education awareness for educators; The American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan - an advocacy and link organization between Episcopal dioceses in America and South Sudan (serving as first Executive Director); Water for South Sudan, which has dug over 500 wells in South Sudan; and Family Promise of Greater Rochester, which houses homeless families in faith congregations and does eviction prevention. Nancy has attended all of her St. Lawrence reunions and chaired several. She and her husband, Bob, loved the "SLU on the Slopes" ski trips and enjoyed at least 20 years at Canaras with their family. Nancy is a member of the G. Atwood Manley Society and is a past honoree of the Sol Feinstone Award. Husband, Bob '67, is a past Alumni Council President and a past University Trustee. Her hobbies include reading, knitting, skiing, cooking, and being a grandma.
Scott Giles '82, P'15 is President and CEO of the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), a public non-profit corporation dedicated to the post-secondary education and training needs of Vermont students and their families. Prior to joining VSAC, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the House Science Committee and as senior professional staff of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. While at St. Lawrence, he majored in Religious Studies and served as Director of the Singing Saints and President of Thelmo. Scott holds a PhD in Religious Studies with concentrations in bioethics and religious ethics from the University of Virginia and speaks and writes extensively on education finance policy. He currently serves on the boards of the National Council on Community and Education Partnerships, the National Council on Higher Education Resources, the Vermont Higher Education Council, the Vermont Workforce Investment Board and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont. He and his wife, Kate Lalley, reside in Shelburne, Vermont where they enjoy sailing and cycling.
E-Ben D. Grisby ’99*, originally from the Bronx, NY, is currently a Special Education Teacher for the Green Bay Area Public Schools in Wisconsin. During his career, E-Ben has either taught or collaboratively taught multiple subjects, with a lens for promoting life skills with an inclusive approach. E-Ben holds a Master's of Science degree in Urban and Multicultural Education, with a concentration in Special Education from The College of Mount St. Vincent, plus additional graduate courses from several institutions, including the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. He serves as Secretary for the Green Bay Education Association (GBEA), and as Minority Guarantee Representative for the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC). In Appleton, WI, where E-Ben has lived since 2004, he serves on several boards, including Celebrate Diversity-Fox Cities and the Community Advisory Board for the Appleton Police Department.
While at St. Lawrence, E-Ben was a member of the HEOP and C-STEP programs, majored in History and minored in Sociology. He was Vice-President of the Black Student Union, volunteered on the Gridiron staff, was a member of the Thelomathesian Society, and Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, a resident of International House and Commons College. Currently, E-Ben is a LINC Mentor. In his spare time, E-Ben enjoys weightlifting and powerlifting, playing rugby, cooking, organic gardening, facilitating discussions on current events and challenging issues, politics, reading, and traveling.
Cheryl Gross '72 is the Founder and President of a Business Consultancy which provides Project Management and Facilitation to the Financial Services Industry. Cheryl holds an MBA from Babson College and is an adjunct faculty member in the College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University. At St. Lawrence, she double majored in Psychology and History, volunteered with the Orientation Committee and belonged to Alpha Delta Pi. As an alumna, Cheryl has been involved as a reunion co-chair and with the Sophomore Boot Camp Program. Cheryl and her husband Gene Mally ’72 live in Hingham, MA and enjoy bicycle touring and golf.
Brian Hetzel ’02, M’04* graduated cum laude from St. Lawrence with a B.A. in psychology and loved the University so much that he stayed on to receive an M.Ed. in counseling and human development. As an undergraduate, Brian captained the indoor and outdoor track and field teams, was a member of Psi Chi international psychology honor society, Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity, and studied abroad through the Kenya Semester Program. Upon earning his master's degree, Brian entered the independent school world, where he has spent his career working with adolescent students and athletes in a variety of roles at boarding and day schools in the Northeast. Brian is the founder of Hetzel Educational Consulting in Connecticut, where he works to help families successfully navigate the college and independent school admission process.
Ed Higgins '68 has more than 40 years of experience as an insurance agent and is now retired from Thousand Islands Agency, which he purchased in 1979 and perpetuated to his son and daughter in 2012. He has served as President of the Independent Insurance Agents' Association of New York (IIABNY), State National Director for New York, and is a past chairman of the national Agent’s Council for Technology (A.C.T.). Ed is also a Past Chair of the international Applied Client Network User Group. He has taught a variety of insurance related courses for the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York and has been a national speaker regarding insurance agency technology and efficient office workflow models as well as value added service models for insurance agents. At St. Lawrence, Ed was a Psychology major, a member of ROTC, a Sigma Chi brother and a residential coordinator his junior and senior year. As an alumnus, he has offered career advice to St. Lawrence students as both a Career Advisor and Shadow-a-Saint sponsor, has chaired his 15th and 25th reunions and most recently chaired his milestone 50th Reunion Planning Committee in 2018. In retirement, Ed does several volunteer activities to give back to the community. He is a volunteer driver taking Disabled Veterans to their doctor appointments, he counsels new entrepreneurs for a national organization called S.C.O.R.E. (Senior Corp of Retired Executives), is a member of the Clayton Village/Town Planning Board, and a member of the Alexandria Bay Coast Guard Auxiliary. Ed lives with his wife, Laura, in Clayton, NY.
Julius G. Johnson '89 is the President and CEO of Johnson Development LLC, a US Defense contracting company based in Hawkinsville, GA. He is also the founder of The Newberry Foundation, an education-based nonprofit. At St. Lawrence Julius served as President of the Black Student Union, played varsity basketball, and participated in the Kenya study abroad program. After graduating, Julius taught at The George School and then completed his MA degree in African Studies at Yale. Julius was then accepted into the Japanese Exchange Teacher’s (JET) program in Utsunomiya-shi, Japan. He then gained Hill experience at The Library of Congress and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). Julius then travelled to Malawi and served as the Country Director for the nonprofit, Africare. Following Malawi, he lived in Saudi Arabia for several years where he served as a Defense language Instructor preparing Saudi Officers for professional US military training. Julius was then tapped to serve as the Regional Coordinator for the Middle East and East Africa within the Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) for the Global McGovern Dole School-feeding initiative. Julius then served with the Obama Administration in Afghanistan and the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). He is currently a candidate for his PhD in the Department of African Studies at Howard University. Julius enjoys all things outdoors, is an avid reader/conversationalist and has an insatiable desire for learning new things. He lives between Washington, DC and Georgia with his wife Ameenah, an engineer and co-founder of Johnson Development. They have four precious children, Muhammad, Adam, Abel, and Mariah-Rose. Julius is honored to serve on the Alumni Executive Council with such an esteemed group of alumni and give back to current students at St. Lawrence University.
Tracy Kay '75, P'13 is CEO of the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens. Prior to his current post, he served as Executive Director of the Westchester Children’s Museum in Rye, NY. Following St. Lawrence, Tracy earned an MFS degree from Yale University’s School of the Environment. He began his professional career as Director of the Rye Nature Center and later was Executive Director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Philadelphia, PA before serving as Deputy Commissioner for the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums. He has served on the adjunct faculties at Swarthmore College and Arcadia and Temple universities and is a field reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums and grant panelist for the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. While at St. Lawrence University, Tracy majored in biology and was a member of the Tri-Beta National Biology Honorary and Phi Beta Kappa. He was a member of the SLUSAF Concert Committee and served as a campus tour guide and Orientation Leader. As an alumnus, Tracy has participated in the Shadow A Saint program, Sophomore Boot Camp and as a member of his class Reunion Planning Committee. A native of Buffalo, NY, Tracy now resides in Stamford, CT with his wife Laura Tessier ’76, (Yale MFS ’78). Laura is an Associate Principal with Woodard & Curran Engineering and a member of the Board of Directors of the Woodard & Curran Foundation. Their son, Colin Tessier-Kay ’13 recently received his Masters from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and resides in Washington, DC. Their daughter Madeleine (Harvard ’19, Yale MPH ’21) is currently enrolled at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
Carol Lancaster '71, from Bedford Hills, NY, majored in mathematics and was a member of Pi Mu Epsilon. Her senior year she was a Resident Assistant in Lee Hall and served on the Judiciary Board. She attended graduate school at the Medical University of South Carolina, earning a MS and PhD in biostatistics. Carol accepted a position there doing evaluation and assessment. She retired in 2013 as Professor Emerita. She is active in the local chapter of Sigma Xi and a longtime member of the American Statistical Association, traveling with them as a member of their delegation to China in 2010. Carol has worked with St. Lawrence’s gifts committee for many years and attended all of her St. Lawrence reunions. She resides in Charleston, SC, with her husband, Steve King.
John Linsley ’04* is an associate director with Putney Student Travel, a Vermont-based educational travel organization offering summer programs for high school students across the globe. John manages programs for Putney and its collaborations with the National Geographic Society and the Smithsonian Institution in Bhutan, India, Nepal, Tanzania, Namibia, Croatia, and Iceland. He previously worked in safety and operations for The School For Field Studies, an international environmental field studies program for undergraduates. He has also taught high school social studies and wilderness emergency medicine courses. John majored in government at St. Lawrence and minored in African studies and history. He studied abroad on the Kenya Semester Program (KSP) and since 2005 has been editor of the KSP alumni news column in the St. Lawrence Magazine, in addition to authoring feature articles about the KSP and the University’s history of outdoor programs. While at St. Lawrence, John was president of the Outing Club, an Outdoor Program guide, KSP student ambassador, and campus rescue squad EMT. He went on to earn an M.A. in international relations at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University and studied Swahili language and culture with the Fulbright Hays Group Projects Abroad program in Tanzania. John is an avid runner, mountain biker, and skier and you’ll find him on the trails whenever he has the chance.
Kerry Adams MacKenzie '95 lives in Millersville, MD, with her husband, Charley MacKenzie ’94 and their three children. While at St. Lawrence, Kerry majored in government, was a member of Delta, Delta, Delta sorority, the cross country and outdoor track and field teams, and studied abroad in Vienna. As an alumna, Kerry has been involved as a past Laurentian Admissions Associate and has chaired a number of class reunion planning committees. Kerry is a board member at Indian Creek School in Crownsville, MD, where she works on the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee and the Education/Curriculum Committee. In her role on the Alumni Executive Council, she hopes to strengthen community and fortify bonds in the St. Lawrence University network of students, faculty, parents, and North Country citizens. Kerry is a caretaker, a coach, a writer, and supports her family business. She is currently working towards getting her master’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. She comes from a family of Laurentians including her aunt and uncle, and several cousins.
Jennifer Hammer McGee '90 is the Global Chief Compliance Officer for Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. She has been at Otsuka for more than nine years, and prior to Otsuka, was an attorney in the Washington, DC office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon. She received her JD from University of Maryland School of Law and graduated from SLU double majoring in Government and History, with a minor in Asian Studies. While at SLU, she was a Trustee Scholar and active in Chi Omega, Army ROTC, cross country, as a tour guide, and studied abroad in Vienna. She met her husband, Bob McGee ’86, while in the Army. They have lived in Arizona, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Belgium and Maryland, and both Jen and Bob retired from the US Army. They have three adult children and live in Annapolis, Maryland. Jen is passionate about SLU and excited to contribute to ensuring we have the strongest alumni network of any university!
Sally Barker McSweeney '84, P'18, vice president of the Alumni Executive Council, lives in Plattsburgh, NY. While at St. Lawrence, Sally majored in English with a concentration in writing, obtained her teaching certificate, “studied” during an interterm in Austria, and took hotel management classes at Canton ATC (now SUNY Canton). Sally was a student bell ringer of the Bachellor Memorial Chimes, a literacy volunteer, an admissions ambassador, a student manager of the North Country Pub, and a member of Kappa Delta Sigma sorority. Sally retired from a career in resort sales management in the Caribbean and now works as an operations manager in the dental field. As an alumna, she volunteered as a class reporter, joined the development committee of her last reunion, was the Northern California alumni chapter president, and previously co-chaired the Engagement Committee for the AEC. Sally and her husband, Tim, have two children: Connor (SLU '18) and Lucy (University of Richmond '21).
Susan Neiley Merrell '83, P'13, '18, '21, originally, from Lincoln MA, has lived in Lowville, New York for over 30 years. Susan currently works for U.S. Senator Gillibrand as her North Country Regional Director & Special Advisor for Rural Initiatives. Previously Susan served as Senator Clinton’s North Country Director, and worked at the Merrell and Merrell Law Firm. While at St. Lawrence, she participated in the DIS Study Abroad program in Denmark, served on Study Abroad advisory committees, and was a member of KKG sorority. Susan is married to Charles C. Merrell ’81, and has four children, Lindsay (Williams College ’10), C. Alexander '13, James ’18 and Elyse ’21. Fun fact, Elyse is the 19th family member in Susan and Charlie’s combined families to attend St. Lawrence University.
Susan Eichman North '76 is recently retired from the pharmaceutical industry, where she managed clinical research studies in oncology and other indications. Sue and her husband live with their dog, Thor, in Woolwich, ME. She was a chemistry major at St. Lawrence and a member of Delta Delta Delta, the Chemistry Honor Society, and the Sociology Honor Society. Following St. Lawrence, Sue received her MBA from Babson College and her Masters in Clinical Investigation from Mass General Institute of Health Professional. Sue is the immediate Past President of the Alumni Council.
Paige Friedlander Palley '16 (she/her), secretary of the Alumni Executive Council, is the Human Resources Manager with a DEI Focus at The Greater Boston Food Bank. She lives in Wellesley, MA, with her husband Ross. Paige recently graduated from Boston College with an MBA. In addition to her work on AEC, she is actively involved in SLU's Young Alumni League. While at St. Lawrence, she majored in Sociology and Performance and Communication Arts and minored in European Studies. On campus, she worked in Admissions as an Ambassador and Senior Fellow, served as an Orientation Leader, and was involved with Advocates. She also belonged to and was president of Kappa Delta Sigma.
Laura Taylor Patrick '83, P'18, president of the Alumni Executive Council, is originally from Rochester, NY, and currently resides in Chatham, NJ. After graduation, she worked in residential property management before continuing her education at the University of Rochester's Simon Business School, earning an MBA in finance and marketing. Laura worked for AT&T in marketing and new product development for 12 years before leaving to stay home with her two daughters, Grace '18 and Audrey (Columbia '22). While at St. Lawrence, Laura was an English Literature major, a member of KDS and the swim team, coached by the beloved Bob Northrop. She participated in the Vienna program abroad during the fall of her senior year. As an alumna, Laura has twice-served on her class reunion development committee (30th reunion co-chair) and is a Laurentian Admissions Associate.
Michael Richman '68 of Great Neck, NY, is retired from Variety Accessories which was in Sunnyside, NY, in Queens. He is a veteran of Viet Nam serving in the Army. For many years he was a Customer Service Representative in several industries. He worked for Pony Sports in the early ’80s, Bonjour International for the late ’80s to the early ’90s, and for Variety from the early ’90s to 2011, when he retired. Michael has served as chair and co-chair of his 45th, 50th, and 55th Reunions at St. Lawrence. He is also a member of the co-op board regulating the building that he lives in. In addition, he was active on his Village Planning Board.
Sadie H. Rinehimer ’25* is a sophomore at St. Lawrence from Delmar, New York. She is an English and Business and the Liberal Arts major and is both an Admissions Ambassador and a manager at Calling All Saints. Sadie is the president of the club lacrosse team, a member of circle k, a student delegate for the Panhellenic council, as well as an avid member of Kappa Delta Sigma. In her free time, Sadie enjoys volunteering at the Potsdam Humane Society, Campus Kitchens Project, and studying in the Student Center. Her favorite spot on campus is the Richard F. Brush ’52 University Quad and the Saddlemire trail!
Penda Sarr ’24* is coming from New York City as a student delegate to the AEC. She's majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Performance and Communication Arts. She's President of The Black Laurentian Initiative and served as the theme coordinator for the The Black Student Union. She's a first generation college student and a proud higher education opportunity scholar. Penda has participated in numerous theatrical plays at school and is excited to embark on her senior year.
Anne Joslin Slater '74, P'03 graduated from St. Lawrence with a double major in History and Government. On campus she was a member of one of the early pledge classes of Kappa Delta Sigma. Anne volunteered as a tutor on the St. Regis reservation, was a member of the Women’s Alpine Ski Team, and taught skiing at the Snow Bowl. As an alumnus, she has been active on the class gift committees for her 40th & 45th reunions and has actively encouraged her classmates to attend reunion. Anne has participated in many Holimont Ski Days and other Buffalo area alumni events. Anne was recently Class Chair for the KDS 50th reunion. Anne received her MLS from the University at Buffalo in 2000. She is recently retired after 17 years as a Youth Services Librarian with the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Prior to moving back to Buffalo, Anne and her family resided in Switzerland and England from 1985-1989, while her husband, Steve, was employed by a Swiss company. Anne and Steve reside in Williamsville, NY and are parents of Beth Slater ’03 (Buffalo, NY) and Jay Slater (Carbondale, CO). Beth was employed by SLU as the Executive Director of the New York City Semester for over five and half years and was previously a member of AEC. Beth is Director of Advancement for University Libraries, University at Buffalo, and Jay is Operations Manager, Recreation for the City of Aspen, Colorado. Anne enjoys sailing, skiing, theatre, reading and travel. Both Anne and Steve teach adaptive skiing with the Lounsbury Adaptive Program at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, NY. They have also volunteered as ski instructors with the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic since 2004. Anne is active in a variety of community organizations including the Junior League of Buffalo, Holloway Memorial Chapel (Pt. Abino, Ontario, Canada) and several local clubs.
Doug Smith '05 lives with his wife Amanda Smith '04, along with their two future Laurentians Aubrey and Cole, in Newtown, Connecticut. During his time at SLU Doug rowed on and was ultimately captain of the Men's Varsity crew team, and served as an EMT on the campus EMS squad, ultimately becoming that organization's Director in his senior year. When not at weekend crew regattas, he also enjoyed time with the Outing Club, particularly the time-honored SLU tradition of Peak Weekend. After graduation he received a Master's degree from Boston University School of Medicine and worked as an Emergency Department technician at Harvard's Brigham & Women's Hospital. He and Amanda then moved to Philadelphia where he completed his medical school studies, did research at the University of Pennsylvania, and his residency training in North Philly at Einstein Medical Center. While living in Philly, they were married in Gunnison Memorial Chapel in 2009, and a few years later moved back home to Connecticut. Doug is currently an attending Emergency Physician at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Connecticut as well as the Director of Emergency Medicine and EMS Medical Director at New Milford Hospital within the same health network. He serves on the Board of the Connecticut Chapter of Emergency Physicians, and is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont School of Medicine. As an alumnus, Doug serves as an Alumni Executive Council member where he co-chairs the Admission Committee, as a mentor in the LINC program, and works with pre-health sophomores in the Career Conversations program. In his down time, Doug enjoys coaching his son's little league team, timing his daughter's swim meets, hiking the trails of Connecticut, and trying to get out on the water in sailboats when possible.
Doug Stern '81 is the Managing Partner of Jaged Capital Partners, an investment partnership in New York. Doug serves on the board of advisors to several private companies and has served on the board of the YMCA of Rye NY. In addition, he is a frequent guest lecturer and mentor at Baruch College, part of the City University of New York (CUNY). While at St. Lawrence, Doug majored in economics, was a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the International Economics Honor Society, and played football and lacrosse. As an alumnus, he has served as a LINC mentor and has been part of the Reunion Planning process.
Britton P. Wean '06 graduated from St. Lawrence University with a major in Art and minors in Education and Anthropology. While at SLU, she worked as an Admissions Tour Guide, was active in the Student-Alumni Association and The Hill News, and completed her K-12 teaching certification in the North Country. Britton currently works at Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, PA as a Stewardship Officer and Gift Processor in the Alumni & Development Office. Prior to moving back to Pittsburgh, she spent three years teaching elementary Art at Trinity School in Atlanta, GA, as well as working for a residential builder and real estate broker in Mississippi. Britton is an active community volunteer, serving on multiple non-profit boards. She and her husband, Jarrett, enjoy spending time outside with such activities as golf, running, skiing, and playing racquet sports, just to name a few!
Jeff Wells '67 graduated from St. Lawrence with a degree in Sociology and a minor in Economics. He served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Training, and Loss Prevention for Circuit City Stores from 1996-2004. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President and Vice President, Human Resources, for Toys "R" Us, Inc. His career with Toys "R" Us encompassed responsibilities for all Human Resource activities for Toys - USA; corporate, international, and indirectly, for Kids "R" Us. During his association with TRU, he had seen the company grow from one billion dollars to over $15 billion in 1996. Prior to joining Toys "R" Us, Jeff served as SVP, Human Resources, for Gimbels-Pittsburgh for seven years, and 10 years with Sears Roebuck. Jeff's professional and community service includes: past Chairman of the Committee on Employment Law of the National Retail Federation; Chairman Emeritus of the New Jersey Retail Merchants Association; Commonwealth of Virginia Blind and Visually Impaired Rehabilitation Advisory Council; former Chairman of the Board of INROADS, Virginia; Corporate Advisory Board at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia; Board of the NRF Foundation Education & Advancement Committee; Editorial Review Board of Chief Learning Magazine; corporate advisory board of UniCru corporation, and has been recently invited to serve as a Human Resource Thought Leader for the Human Capital Institute. Jeff has served St. Lawrence as a past Laurentian Admissions Associate, career advisor/internship provider, and reunion development and planning committee member. After retiring from Circuit City Stores, Jeff founded his own company, Human Capabilities LLC. His mission is to assist companies in maximizing the capabilities of their human capital.
Sarah Pitts Wieland '92, P'27 was on the swim team at St. Lawrence and a member of Delta Delta Delta. She was also involved in the Thelomathesian Society and went abroad her junior year to study French and International Government for a semester in Paris, France, and a semester in Geneva, Switzerland. Sarah has extensive experience in financial planning analysis and appreciates assisting clients navigate and implement financial solutions that are most suitable for their long-term success. Working for a boutique wealth management firm, Sarah provided portfolio management support and conducted financial analysis for clients. She has completed her Certified Financial Planning (CFP®) course work and received her MBA with honors from Northeastern University. In her spare time, Sarah teaches Vinyasa yoga in Concord, MA, where she currently resides with her husband, Peter Alexander Wieland '91, and their identical twins, Ashley and Caroline. Sarah volunteers on the Board of Directors of Concord Country Club, where she serves as Secretary. She also serves on the Investment and Finance Committee of Concord Country Club, where she is also involved in long range planning. Sarah has also served in multiple roles on the Concord Paddle Tennis Board. She has served St. Lawrence as a career advisor and reunion planning committee member.
Lexi Williams '15 (she/her) is the Manager of Diversity and Impact for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HBSE)- the parent company for the Philadelphia 76ers and NJ Devils. She lives in Philadelphia, with her boyfriend, Reid; but still holds her Rochester, NY roots near and dear. Before transitioning to the sports and entertainment field, Lexi worked in higher education including 3 years in the Office of Laurentian Engagement at St. Lawrence. While studying at St. Lawrence, Lexi majored in Government and Psychology and minored in Communications. On campus she worked in Admissions, served as an orientation leader, was a member of the Upbeats, class council and swim team. She was also a Joan Donovan speech contest winner which allowed her to speak during her Commencement and is a sister of Kappa Delta Sigma.
Abdulla Zaid '13 is a Senior Economist at Burgiss, focusing on private capital markets. He previously worked as an Economist in commodity markets, and provided macroeconomic policy assessments to a number of think tanks and consultancies in Washington, DC and Europe. He received a Master’s Degree in Development Economics and Policy from the University of Manchester as a Chevening Scholar. Abdulla attended St. Lawrence as an international student from Yemen, and graduated with a double major in Economics (Honors) and Government and a minor in Global Studies. He served as a Student Delegate to the Alumni Executive Council and worked as a Community Assistant with Residence Life. He was a member of the National Leadership Honor Society (ODK), the International Honor Society in Economics (ODE), and the Political Science Honor Society (PSA). Abdulla lives with his wife, Breanna '12, outside of Boston.
Gary D. Zonitch '03, treasurer of the Alumni Executive Council, originally from North Greenbush, NY, is a New Store Construction Manager for McDonald’s USA, LLC in Atlanta, GA. He oversees the construction of all new McDonald’s restaurants, from Charlotte, NC to Miami, FL. Prior to his current role, he was an Area Construction Manager for McDonald’s (2008-2012), completed the McDonald’s Development Leadership Program in 2011 and was a Real Estate Associate and Construction Project Manager at Aaron Rents, Inc. (2004 -2008). After completing a double major in Economics and Psychology at St. Lawrence, Gary studied at Clarkson for a year to attain his MBA via the 4+1 program and then moved to Atlanta in June of 2004. While at St. Lawrence, Gary was a member and VP of University Relations of Thelmo, Senior Class Vice President, member of Omicron Delta Kappa and the Psi Chi psychology honorary, and a Community Assistant for 3 years. Since graduating from St. Lawrence, Gary has served as co-chair of the 10th and 15th reunions for his class, volunteered and supported his local Ronald McDonald House Charities. In his spare time, Gary enjoys home improvement projects, cooking and traveling.
Nominate Alumni for Alumni Executive Council Membership
Consider nominating fellow alumni for Council membership, by submitting a nomination form for review by the Council’s Membership and Honors Committee. For more information, please contact the Alumni Executive Council staff liaison, Kimberly Robinson Hissong ’94, Associate Vice President for University Advancement.