On Nov. 29, 2018, Marquis Who’s Who, the world’s premier publisher of biographical profiles, presented Vincent Tornello (C ’72) with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. (Pictured to left.)
Amanda Sweet (C ’94) was named one of MusicalAmerica’s Top 30 Professionals of the Year. Sweet is president of Bucklesweet, a Washington, D.C. media firm.
Denise Elliot (HP ’96) is a physical therapist at the Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation in Boca Grande, Florida.
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Production and Recording Technology Daniel Shores (C ’99), received his fourth Grammy nomination for Best Immersive Audio Album. This nomination recognizes Shores’ work on the album “Seven Words” by the vocal ensemble Skylark. Also, the album itself was nominated for Best Choral performance. In addition to these works, Shore mixed and mastered Best Classical Solo Vocal Album nominee “Songs of Orpheus,” from Karim Sulyman and Apollo’s Fire. (Pictured to the right.)
In November 2018, Michael Pellegrino (AS ’00) was appointed by the Loudoun County School Board as the first principal of Waxpool Elementary School in Ashburn, Virginia.
On Dec. 4, 2018, McCormick Civil War Institute Director Jonathan Noyalas (AS ’01), M.A. was presented with the Teaching Excellence Award during the annual First-Year Seminar (FYS) awards breakfast. (Pictured on the left.)
Ryan Keebaugh (C ’04) is an assistant professor of music at Eastern Mennonite University, where he serves as the director of choral activities and coordinator of music theory. Previously, Keebaugh served on the faculty of Mary Baldwin University, Lord Fairfax Community College, and as the director of choral activities for the Clarke County (VA) Public School System. He is a frequent guest conductor and clinician to numerous choral and instrumental ensembles throughout the United States. He has also maintained an active career within the marching arts and has worked with several championship high school band programs in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Texas as a music arranger, brass technician, and marching instructor. As a composer, Keebaugh’s music has been heard in venues throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Europe, and he has received commissions and performances by pianist R. Andrew Lee; Megan Ihnen, mezzo-soprano; Musica Harmonia; Western Michigan University Chorale; University of South Florida Chamber Singers; Holly Roadfeldt, pianist; Fresno State Concert Choir; Ethos Collective; and the Great Noise Ensemble, among others. His compositions have received awards and recognition from Analog Arts, ASCAP, the American Prize, the Raabe Music Prize, the Virginia Music Educators Association, and is exclusively published by MusicSpoke. (Pictured to the right.)
John Totten (C ’05) married Yasmine Galvez on Aug. 26, 2018, at DeLille Cellars in Woodinville, Washington. The couple met in 2013 as MBA students at New York University’s Stern School of Business, where they were alumni co-chairs within the student government. The ceremony was officiated by Emily Landgraf, a friend of the bride and groom. Mark Edmondson (C ’08) and Rodney Keener-Dunlap (C ’06) were a part of the ceremony and many other Shenandoah alumni were in attendance. The couple will honeymoon in the Patagonia region of Chile and Argentina in February, 2019.
On Nov. 16, 2018, Caleb Nei’s jazz quartet featuring Lydia Lewis (C ’08) and Kevin Johnson (C ’11) performed in the Bistro at Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury in Winchester, Virginia. (Pictured to the left.)
After six years of touring the country with “The Book Of Mormon,” Jake Emmerling (C ’11) has decided to leave the show. Emmerling is the longest running ensemble member, having toured 93 cities and performed in 2,200 performances.
Jesse Ratcliffe (C ’13) is music director at Saint James’ Episcopal Church in Warrenton, Virginia. Ratcliffe was featured in the article “Saint James’ Episcopal music director thinks big,” by Fauquier Now for his commitment to the church.
On Nov. 27, 2018, Rhea Williams (N ’13) was awarded the 2018 Carrington-Hsia-Nieves Doctoral Scholarship for Midwives of Color by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Foundation. In addition to the scholarship, Williams’ abstract, “Antepartum Nutritional Guidance for Obese Patients,” was accepted for an education session at ACNM 64th Annual Meeting & Exhibition in 2019.
On Oct. 12, 2018, Michele Boyd (C ’15, C ’16) married Andrew Kalis (AS ’14) in front of family and friends, including Shenandoah University alumni Layna Lamons (AS ’14, C ’14), Sarah Mawyer (C ’15), Erin Puskar (C ’15, C ’16), Katherine LiPuma (C ’15), Breanna Dancy (C ’15), Joseph Bittner (AS ’14), and Daniel Powers (B ’14, B ’15) at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church in Potomac Falls, Virginia. (Pictured to the right.)
Andrew Burrill (C ’18) is the manager of talent management firm, Bohemia Group.
Hayley Moomaw (N ’18) accepted a position at Sentara RMH in Harrisonburg, Virginia, as a registered nurse on the orthopedics and pediatrics floor. Moomaw is also a registered nurse at Skyline Terrace Nursing Home in Woodstock, Virginia.
From Nov. 2 to Nov. 4, many physician assistant program faculty, students and alumni attended the Virginia Academy of Physician Assistants Fall Continuing Medical Education (CME) Conference in McLean, Virginia. Shenandoah was well represented with CME talks on the following topics: “From Knowledge to Implementation: Strategies for Increasing Patients’ Participation and Success with Behavior Change,” by Sheila Hautbois (HP ’17), PA-C, CHES (pictured to the far right) and “Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Emergencies,” by Maggie Connealy (HP ’17), PA-C (pictured to the far left). Shea Dempsey (HP ’12), DMSc, PA-C, (pictured in the center) taught the workshop, “Introduction to Basic Bedside Ultrasound.”
In Memoriam
Andrew C. Boothby (C ’85) of Richmond, Virginia, passed away on Nov. 26, 2018.