Alumnae/i in the News

March 19, 2020
Melissa Bernasek MLIS ’06, the director of information and digital services for the Gail Borden Public Library, has been using Facebook Live to reach the library community in Elgin during the COVID-19 outbreak. Read more.

March 12, 2020
Easterseals has named Marcy Traxler MBA '13 Senior Vice President of Network Advancement at its Chicago-based national office. She most recently served as Vice President of Business Development and Service Line Strategy at AMITA Health System. Read more.

March 11, 2020
The Downers Grove Grade School District 58 Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Mariana Nicasio ’04, MAT ’09, MAEA ’13 as the new Indian Trail elementary school principal. Mariana will assume her new role in July. Read more.

March 6, 2020
Stephen Davidson MAT ’09 has been selected as the new principal of IC Catholic Prep, the board of directors announced. He begins the new role on July 1. Read more.

February 15, 2020
Joel Shoemaker MLIS ’16 is the director of the Illinois Prairie District Library in Metamora, Illinois. He has been picked to serve on an international board of advisers of NewsGuard's News Literacy Program, a nonpartisan group that judges the accuracy of news websites. Read more.

January 28, 2020
Samantha Slocum ’18 has been named digital media editor at Zoomba Group, publisher of Foodservice Equipment & Supplies (FE&S) and restaurant development + design (rd+d). She earned a degree in corporate communications from Dominican University. Read more.

January 27, 2020 
Michael Starasta MLIS ’06 has been selected as the new Lincoln Library District director. He will start in the position on March 11, 2020. Read more.

January 27, 2020
LaVerne Gray MLIS ’05, assistant professor at Syracuse University's School of Information Studies, has been winning awards for her doctoral dissertation titled, “In a Collective Voice: Uncovering the Black Feminist Information Community of Activist-Mothers in Chicago Public Housing, 1955–1970.” Read more.

January 23, 2020
Kasia Gonnerman MALIS ’​​​​​​03 has been selected as the next dean of Libraries at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, following a national search. Kasia, who is the director of Vanderbilt University’s Central Library, will begin her work at UAB on April 1. Read more.

January 19, 2020
Beth Goncher ’93 will be serving in her position at the chamber as she also consults with her own company, Serenity Lane Enterprises. At her business management consultancy, Beth assists local businesses with developing operations plans to build long-term growth. Read more.

January 2020
As the President of the Konstantinion Research Center, Dr. Ioannis J. Toliopoulos '91 is leading innovative cancer research in Greece. Ioannis has been traveling the world to present on the immunology of cancer. Read more.

December 2019
Michael D. Ruggiero ’91, MBA ’94 has been recognized as a Five Star Wealth Manager in 2019 by Forbes magazine. Forbes annually bestows this award to the top 2% of financial advisors in the country which uses client/peer feedback as it’s criteria for the award. He will be in the December 31st, 2019 National publication of Forbes. Read more.

December 11, 2019
In early November, Corey Bard MLIS ’08 began as the new director of libraries for Franklin County in Carrabelle, Florida. He owns 13 years of experience running libraries and 20 years as an administrator. Read more.

December 10, 2019
Rapper and librarian Roy Kinsey MLIS ’17 released his 4th album, Blackie: A Story by Roy Kinsey. He has been featured in major local, national, and international publications like Billboard, NPR, WBEZ’s Vocalo, the Chicago Tribune, WGCI and the RedEye. Read more.

November 2019
Following the devastating fire at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Joanne DiGuido ’86 visited France with her son in November. Read more.

November 26, 2019
Laura Ligos MBA ’12 is a New York-based sports dietitian and online real food-based blogger, educator and nutrition expert. She recently published her first book, The Complete Clean Eating Cookbook: 200 Fresh Recipes and 3 Easy Meal Plans for a Healthy Diet. Read more.

November 25, 2019
Matthew McCabe MAT ’12 is on the rise at Noble Network of Charter Schools as he was recently promoted to Chief of Staff & Public Affairs. He will oversee strategy, communications, government and community affairs. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
“All that I am, and all that I will ever be is because of my experience at Dominican,” Mary Yu ’79 told her classmates and others in a talk delivered during Alumnae/i Weekend in early June. Read the full story.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
Throughout her life, Eileen Willenborg ’69 has remained an avid supporter of her alma mater and has funded two scholarships that are near and dear to her heart. Read the full story.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
Michelle Agins ’77, who has worked as a photojournalist at The New York Times for 30 years, delivered the 2019 commencement speech and received an honorary degree from the university. Read the full story.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
Through the Georgie Anne Geyer Initiative, Gera-Lind Kolarik's ’75 admiration for Georgie Anne Geyer will benefit budding young foreign correspondents for many years to come. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
Anna Dominguez ’09 creates intriguing works of art entirely from multiple layers of colorful adhesive tape. Her work has been commissioned by several celebrities. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
“I was raised by my grandparents. They lived their lives by the principles of caritas and veritas.” Alumni continue relationship with Dominican by connecting with a new generation of students. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
John Strauss ’82 was inspired to pursue his vocation by another current adjunct instructor and alumnus. Alumni continue relationship with Dominican by connecting with a new generation of students. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
"Together, we find how best to navigate through the work, while I strive to show them how they can learn and grow.” Alumni continue relationship with Dominican by connecting with a new generation of students. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
“I realized that what I believed in and what I wanted to do in my life had to be one and the same.” Alumni continue relationship with Dominican by connecting with a new generation of students. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
Dominican University hosted on August 9–11 Camp Kangaroo, a free weekend camp for children five to 16 years old who have been impacted by the loss of loved ones through gun violence, drugs or terminal illness. Several Dominican alumni participated as counselors for the camp. Read more.

November 2019 Alumnae/i Magazine
Eve L. Ewing MAT ’09 has published her third book, 1919. Ewing is an assistant professor at the School of Social Services Administration at the University of Chicago. Read more.

November 15, 2019
Trenton Carls MLIS ’15 has been hired as the librarian/archivist at the Cape Ann Museum. Trenton joins the Cape Ann Museum following his role as metadata and digital projects librarian at the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. Read more.

November 4, 2019
Erick Baumann ’93, men's soccer coach at Dominican University, recently earned his 400th career win. Only 20 other coaches in the history of NCAA Division III men's soccer have reached that number and only eight are still active. Read more.

November 4, 2019
Peggy Sarason ’85, regional vice president of Comcast in Schaumburg, was one of the 21 suburban business leaders honored during the 22nd annual Influential Women in Business Awards ceremony on November 1. Read more.

September 30, 2019
Marquette National Corporation announced that Tom Prothero MBA ’95 has been appointed to the Board of Directors. Tom brings over 30 years of experience in operations, credit management, and commercial banking. Read more.

August 30, 2019
A librarian since 1972, John Sayers MALS ’74 currently serves as the director of the Cambridge Public Library. He has held the position since August 2018, not long after he retired from the Kewanee Public Library. Read more.

August 19, 2019
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced that Teresa Hall Bartels MSOL ’04 will continue to serve on the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission. Teresa is the founder of Hallbart Consulting. Read more.

August 12, 2019
Leyden High School Dist. 212 Board of Education hired Eve Muñoz MAT ’07, MAEA ’09 to be the newest dean of students in the district. Her first day on the job was Friday, Aug. 9. Read more.

August 1, 2019
Tamina O'Neill ’91 has been named Chief Risk Officer for Heartland Financial USA, a diversified financial services company with 116 banking locations serving 84 communities across the country. Read more.

July 25, 2019
Cristina Bertolli ’07 is appearing on the TLC reality television show "sMothered." The show focuses on close mother and daughter relationships. Cristina and her mother are very close, and she said viewers can expect "a lot of laughs" in the episodes. Read more.

July 24, 2019
Susan Reynders MLIS ’03 has been hired as the executive director at the Mount Prospect Public Library. Prior to coming to Mount Prospect, she served as executive director at the Lincolnwood Public Library for seven years. Read more.

July 17, 2019
Jeremy Robinson MAT ’09 was recently recognized as a Distinguished Teacher, a newly-created program by The Noble Network of Charter Schools in Chicago. He is an English teacher at Noble’s Rauner College Prep and a Rhodes Scholar. Read more.

July 17, 2019
Judy Cullen BLS ’18 has been named the executive director of the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation (FoxPACF). With the position, Judy returns to St. Louis as well as to her theatrical roots. Read more.

July 16, 2019
Mary Pakosta ’08 has been hired as head coach for the girls' varsity volleyball team at Riverside-Brookfield High School. Mary, who graduated from RBHS in 2004, previously coached the girls' freshman team for six years and then the girls' junior varsity at RBHS the past three seasons. Read more.

July 2, 2019
Mary Iannucilli ’69, Principal of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School, retired on June 30 after 11 years at CJB in Orland Hills. CJB has been nationally recognized as a Blue Ribbon School twice while under her leadership. Read more.

June 28, 2019
Brie Martin MLIS ’16 and her husband Dylan have purchased the Southern Oregon Spartans, a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). Read more.

June 25, 2019
Karen Rubel MAEA ’95 has been named President and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice, the largest and only non-profit hospice in Southern Nevada. Read more.

May 29, 2019
Anna Dominguez ’09, a Chicago tape artist named the Queen of Tape, was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune. She recently had her first permanent piece unveiled at the St. Jane Hotel. Read more.

May 24, 2019
Colleen Waltman MLIS ’95 has been hired as the new executive director of the Homewood Public Library. She comes to Homewood from her job as director of Blue Island Public Library, where she has worked since 2014. Read more.

May 23, 2019
After 22 years in the position, Susan Swords Steffen MALS ’76 is retiring as the director of the A.C. Buehler Library at Elmhurst College. Read more.

May 15, 2019
Claire Stewart MLIS ’99, the associate university librarian for research and learning at the University of Minnesota Libraries, is the new dean of libraries at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Read more.

May 5, 2019
The Fox River Valley Public Library District board of trustees has named Lauren Rosenthal MLIS ’08 incoming library director. Lauren joined the Fox River Valley Public Library District staff in 2014 and currently serves as deputy director. Read more.

April 25, 2019
Melissa Connelly MAT ’08, MAEA ’13 has been promoted to CEO at Chicago-based OneGoal, a nationwide coalition of teachers, students, school leaders and education advocates working to close the college degree divide. Read more.

April 22, 2019
Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times photographer Michelle Agins ’77 will serve as the commencement speaker for the undergraduate ceremony, during which she will receive an honorary degree. Read more.

April 16, 2019
John Netherly MSW '10 founded The Bedrock Movement with the goal of inspiring others to recognize the needs of the homeless residents in their neighborhood and realize how a small act of kindness goes a long way. Read more.

April 10, 2019
Jennifer Rodriguez MSW ’16 recently published an eBook on Amazon. The eBook, titled How Mama Says Goodbye: A story about love and readiness for loss, reached #1 in new releases for its genre, Children's eBooks on Death, Grief & Bereavement. Read more.

April 10, 2019
John Signa ’02, MBA ’04, co-founder and Managing Partner at Element78 Advisors, was recently in the news as his business advisory firm moved to Oak Brook, Illinois. Following accelerated growth in 2018, E78 Advisors relocated to larger space to accommodate its growing team and client base. Read more.

April 3, 2019
Fanny Y. Lopez-Benitez ’11, Title V project manager and adjunct professor at Dominican University, was elected a trustee for the Village of Hanover Park. Fanny is the first formerly undocumented Mexican immigrant woman to serve as a trustee for the village and, at age 29, the youngest woman to be elected. Read more.

April 2, 2019
Lisa Badger BLS ’17, MCR ’18 collected the most votes in a five-person field to claim one of three seats on the Springfield Park District board of trustees. Lisa is a community affairs specialist in the state Treasurer’s office and a registered nurse. Read more.

March 25, 2019 
Mary Mulholland ’42 of Hinsdale, who raised four children and sold real estate in the Chicago area for decades, celebrated her 100th birthday. Read more.

March 6, 2019
Kelly (McEndry) Donlevy ’94 (women's volleyball), Michael Kapusta ’11 (men's soccer), Emily Mahoney ’13 (softball), Willis Lamont McGee ’92, MBA '94 (men's basketball) and Megan Vaccaro ’10 (cross country) will be honored June 8. More details.

February 26, 2019
Dr. Carmen Ayala MBA ’87 has been named the 30th State Superintendent of Education, making her the first woman and first person of color to serve as the permanent superintendent. Read more.

February 20, 2019
Colby Burnett MAEd ’16 is the first Jeopardy! contestant to win both the Teachers Tournament and the Tournament of Champions. Read more.

February 5, 2019

After a quarter-century serving patrons at the Oak Park Library, Jim Madigan ’74, MLIS ’00 will be retiring on Feb. 8. Jim currently serves as the Oak Park Library Deputy Director. Read more.

January 28, 2019

The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) has awarded its highest honor, the Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award, to Michelle Agins ’77 for her commitment to the craft of visual journalism and to education that advances the profession. Read more.

January 25, 2019
Tekki Lomnicki ’78 is a brilliant solo performer and the creator of Tellin' Tales Theater, which has produced and fostered creative work by people with disabilities for more than 20 years. Read more.

January 3, 2019
David Lawler ’06 has been selected as a finalist for the Marion Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professional Leader Award. Read more.

January 2, 2019
Business Journalist Elaine Low ’07 has been hired by Variety as a senior TV writer. Read more.

January 1, 2019
Tina Beaird MLIS '02 is the owner of Tamarack Genealogy and is a genealogy and history librarian at the Plainfield Public Library. Read more.

December 25, 2018 
Jessica MacPhail MALS ’76, Racine Public Library executive director, came to the library in 1999 and currently oversees a staff of 60 people. She recently sat down with the Journal Times for a Q&A. Read more.

November 30, 2018

Chanelle Bell MSEd ’16 has founded a group called “Positively Melanin,” an initiative that links young people of color with professionals and to spread the message: Mentors are all around you. Read more.

November 30, 2018

Yonhee Choi Gordon ’86, the Chief Operating Officer at JMG Financial Group, has been named a "Woman to Watch" by InvestmentNews. Read more.

November 27, 2018

Cheryl Skender ’80, President of Friends of Prentice, recently helped raise over $700,000 to fund programs for women and infants at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's Hospital. The funds were raised Nov. 3 at Friends of Prentice's 33rd Annual Benefit. Read more.

November 20, 2018

Matthew J. Steward MBA ’07 is a mayoral candidate for Schaumburg in the Spring 2019 election. He is a Client Account Specialist at Hinshaw & Culbertson law firm and also serves as an adjunct professor at Dominican University. Read more.

November 14, 2018

When Shannyn Schroeder ’94 isn't busy teaching grammar to licensed practical nurses at Wheeling North Shore College of Health Care, she writes romance novels about realistic relationships. It's something she's wanted to do since taking creative writing and English courses in high school and at Rosary College. Read more.

November 5, 2018

Self-confessed 'library kid' Anthony Auston MLIS ’02 recently took the reins as Wilmette Public Library director. Anthony started at the library on October 31. Read more.

October 23, 2018

Clem Martin SOE ’08, President of Christ The King College Prep School, has helped get a 100% college acceptance rate since the school opened just 11 years ago. Clem was interviewed about Christ the King on WGN Radio. Listen.

October 19, 2018

Ammie Kessem ’98 is running to represent the Illinois House 19th District. The Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board recently sat down with Ammie to find out her views on a range of important issues facing the state of Illinois. Read more.

October 15, 2018

Mariana Bojorquez ’ 16, MLIS ’18 has been named the Latino Engagement Librarian at the Evanston Public Library. She will work to provide library services for the Evanston Latino community both within and beyond the walls of the library, with an extra emphasis on the needs of Evanston's growing population of Spanish speaking residents. Read more.

October 14, 2018

Guy Klinzing MBA ’82, better known as Chef Guy to his legions of fans, is touring with his "Let's Get Cooking" show. The show promises to be full of food, fun, music and humor. Read more.

October 13, 2018

Richard Green ’15, a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual in Chicago, has been appointed a College Unit Director. Read more.

October 2, 2018

Cheryl Fitzgerald ’04 and Maria Dellanina ’17 made a less fattening and more nutritious alternative to guacamole while in a nutrition class at Dominican. Now, they’ve launched their own business, The Guiltless Garden, and sell their unique product at farmer’s markets around the Chicago area. Read more.

September 4, 2018

Marilyn Jancewicz ’68 was recently profiled in the Forest Park Review. Marilyn has been a volunteer for her alma mater for over 50 years and is a 2018 recipient of Dominican University's O'Keefe Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award. Read more.

August 27, 2018

Ann Wach-Tomory ’01, a program integrity and evaluation specialist with the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, has been honored with an RRB “Award for Excellence” in the performance of her duties. Read more.

August 14, 2018

Robert Zmudka MBA ’93 has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Trustees. He had previously served on the Hall of Fame’s Advisory Board. Read more.

August 14, 2018

Susan Fay MBA ’89 has been named the executive director of human resources at The College of Lake County. She comes to CLC from Roosevelt University, where she served for nearly 20 years in the human resources department. Read more.

August 2, 2018

Berto Aguayo '16 has announced his candidacy for alderman for Chicago's 15th Ward, an area including the Back of the Yards neighborhood where he was born and raised. Read more

July 14, 2018

Colleen Zitkus ’15 joined the ranks of the Prospect Heights Police Department June 25, as she was sworn in by Prospect Heights Mayor Nicholas J. Helmer in front of family, friends, co-workers, former colleagues and the Prospect Heights City Council. Read more

July 13, 2018

Maureen Harty MBA ’00 officially began her duties as the third Commissioner of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference on July 2nd. Read more. 

July 5, 2018

Loretta Ragsdell ’75 recently earned the National Council for Higher Education's first Higher Educator of the Year Award. She addressed the National Education Association's representative assembly earlier this month. Read more.

May 17, 2018

For the past seven years, Tiana was the Grants Administrator at DuPage County-based Ray Graham Association (RGA), a provider of services and supports to people with disabilities and their families. More

May 13, 2018

Business owner Breanne Stover ’04 has moved her boutique, Bee & Me, to downtown Griffith, Indiana. More