FALL 2023 | TOWER 29 John Hoptak ‘00 is a National Park Service ranger at Gettysburg and featured frequently on Pennsylvania Cable Network's (PCN) "Civil War Battle Walks." Rachel Slaughter M’00 presented at the World Literacy Summit this year in April at Oxford University, United Kingdom. Slaughter’s presentation was titled, “Combat Illiteracy Through an Intense Literacy Campaign.” The summit brings together leaders from 85 countries representing over two-thirds of the world’s population, and all with a single focus – advocating, championing and educating on the vital importance of improving literacy levels across the globe. After 18 years as an adjunct instructor, during which he received the Award for Excellence in Teaching by an Adjunct Faculty Member and Online Instructor of the Month, Jamie Gallagher M'02 has accepted a position as assistant professor of English at Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pa. Jeff Tkach ’01 has been named CEO of Rodale Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the regenerative organic agriculture movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and education. Previous to this appointment, Tkach served as Rodale’s chief impact officer since 2017, responsible for expanding the nonprofit's global influence and developing core strategies and partnerships. Prior to that, he served as managing director and vice president of Rodale’s Organic Life and Prevention. Van Steel ‘02, shareholder at LBMC, a top-40 advisory and business consulting firm, leads the cybersecurity consulting service line and has established LBMC as a national expert in the field of cyber risk assessments. Steel has been instrumental in growing the practice through recruiting, retention, coaching, and mentoring. He joined LBMC in 2018 and has more than 20 years of experience in IT advisory /assurance and cybersecurity consulting. He served clients across many industries, including three of the largest financial institutions in the world and a U.S. healthcare governing body. In addition to his bachelor’s degree, he holds CISA, CISSP and CCSFP designations. William G. Swanhart III ’03 is a lieutenant with Robbinsville Police Department in New Jersey. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., Class 285, on March 16, and was selected to attend the prestigious 10-week leadership training. This program accepts the top 1% of law enforcement in the world. While in Quantico, he earned his master’s degree from the University of Virginia. He, along with his fellow Class 285 brothers and sisters, were able to participate and complete the Yellow Brick Road, which was created by the Marines to push participants to their physical limits and tests their endurance in a 6.3mile run through the woods including numerous obstacles. Phil Ellingsworth Jr. '05 joined Main Line Health as the system's communications director, overseeing and leading all internal and external communications strategies, as well as other communications initiatives for the health system comprising 13,000 employees. Lehigh Valley Business has selected Quakertown House Administrator Katie PintaboneBrown ’07 as a recipient of its Forty Under 40 Award. Pintabone-Brown oversees New Vitae's Quakertown House, a licensed personal care home that encourages increased independence by connecting residents with the community. Pintabone-Brown has been with New Vitae for 17 years. As administrator, she works to ensure the facility is a welcoming place to live, work and visit. 2010s Theresa Morrison Jeske ’10 worked as a geologist in Alaska, Nevada and Idaho and earned her master of science degree in mining and mineral exploration from University of Utah in 2013. She is currently enrolled at Lincoln Memorial University, where she is studying to be a veterinarian. After she completes her DVM, she hopes to practice in rural Idaho, working with both small and large animals. For the past three years, Samir Portillo Jr. ‘10 has been employed by the FBI as a special agent assigned to the New York field office. He has worked in the counterterrorism squad, violent crimes against children (Indian Country), and is currently working in Transnational Organized Crime-West, which focuses on organized crime with links to Latin America. Prior to the FBI, he worked as a probation officer for Lehigh County and Bucks County. Christina Tinoca ’15 works as a Migrant Education Program project specialist for the Center for Schools and Communities (CSC) in Camp Hill, Pa. CSC’s work focuses on prevention and intervention initiatives operated by schools, organizations and agencies serving children, youth and families. CSC works in public partnership with state agencies, federal programs, private foundations, universities and community organizations to support the development of innovative programs in schools and communities. Emily Bogner ’16 earned a master’s degree in paleontology at Eastern Tennessee State University and is now a Ph.D. student at University of California Berkeley. Reverend Matthew J. Kuna '16 was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Allentown on June 4, 2022, by the Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert, bishop of Allentown. Schlert appointed Kuna as parochial vicar of St. Catharine of Siena Parish and as chaplain of Berks Catholic High School, both in Reading, Pa. Cathryn Pugh ‘16 has been hired as a Penn State Extension Forestry and Wildlife Educator. She earned a master’s degree from Penn State and conducted an ethnobotany research project in northern Appalachia. Julian Ruiz ‘16 was named internal communications manager at American Water. Jordan L. Sallavanti ’16 has been promoted to manager at Boyer & Ritter CPAs and Consultants. Sallavanti works with clients in the Dealership and Governmental practice groups, providing auditing, accounting and tax services. Sallavanti joined Boyer & Ritter in 2016 after interning at the firm the previous year. Eric Rusiewicz ’17, M’20 and Monica Perez ’17, M’21 were wed June 10 at the Lawnhaven, Stroudsmoor Country Inn, Stroudsburg, Pa. Both obtained bachelor’s degrees in psychology at KU as well as their master's degrees in marriage, couple, and family counseling and
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