17�Թ���

Share Your Good News

Have exciting news to share? Whether it’s a new job, a recent promotion, an advanced degree, a special milestone, or a personal achievement, we want to hear from you! Class Notes are a great way to stay connected with your fellow 17�Թ��� alumni and celebrate the moments that matter most. Submit your update and let the 17�Թ��� Community know what you’ve been up to!

Awards and Achievements

Officer Timothy Deegan ’15

Image

Officer Timothy Deegan ’15, a former 17�Թ��� baseball player, is being honored, alongside Officer Matthew Walling, by the American Red Cross with the First Responder Heroes Award at the Long Island Heroes Celebration on Wednesday, October 22 at The Heritage Club at Bethpage in Farmingdale, NY. The duo demonstrated exceptional bravery on January 5, 2025, when they responded to a serious off-duty crash involving a fellow officer. Acting swiftly, they provided life-saving aid until EMS arrived. Their courage and quick thinking embody the highest standards of law enforcement and the power of selfless service.

Natalia Gouz ‘08

Klasko Immigration Law Partners, LLP, a nationally recognized leader in U.S. immigration law, is proud to announce that Natalia Gouz ‘08 has been honored in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America.

Stacia Morris ’82, ‘84

Image

Westfair Business Journal has honored Stacia Morris ’82, ‘84 as one of its —trailblazing women who are redefining leadership and transforming the future of work across all industries. These dynamic leaders are driving meaningful change through innovation, resilience, and bold vision. From technology to the arts, business to public service, they exemplify the power of female leadership and the profound impact of women as change-makers in our communities.

Sara Shikhman ’03

Lengea Law, founded by Sara Shikhman ’03, was included in the . Together, the companies on this year’s list generated a whopping $300 billion in revenue in 2024, each with a unique growth story.

Brittany Strelow ‘11

Brittany Strelow ‘11 received the Minnesota Academy of Physician Associates (MAPA) Past President's Award.

Catherine Boland Erkkila ’07

Image

Catherine Boland Erkkila ’07 authored the book Spaces of Immigration: American Ports, Railways, and Settlements offering an architectural and spatial approach to the immigrant experience, one that considers a range of structures, built by private railway companies and the federal government, from the renowned Ellis Island to temporary lodging in ethnic settlements, to the bleak incarceration Chinese immigrants experienced on Angel Island, demonstrating the built environment’s powerful role in modern, capitalist American culture

Catherine is an architectural historian specializing in the American cultural landscape of the 19th and 20th centuries. The origins of this project began when she was a senior at 17�Թ��� and working as an AmeriCorps volunteer documenting the Irish immigrant women who temporarily resided at the Irish Mission (now Our Lady of the Rosary Church) in Lower Manhattan. Spaces of Immigration has been called “a groundbreaking and important scholarly contribution to American history.”

Julie Robles ’11

Julie Robles ’11 was recently inducted into the Arts & Letters Hall of Fame at The Cheshire Academy in Connecticut.

Image

Ram Khatri ’16

Ram Khatri ’16 has published Justice: A Tale of the Nepali Civil War, a poignant graphic novel following a girl's journey to reclaim her life amidst conflict, unveiling deep truths amidst rich settings and diverse characters.

Richard Carmichael ’72

Richard Carmichael ’72 has released a new book, Common Sense Economics 2025 Edition. The book is available in paperback format from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and many leading bookstores. The book is also available in electronic format using Amazon Kindle’s textbook creator. This program creates an exact duplicate of the paperback edition.

Valerie Gilford ’84

Valerie Gilford ’84 has published Ambretta Lane, a book of short stories that take place in a fictional condominium complex in southern Westchester County. The emotional and uplifting stories are about the drama and challenges that various residents face in the community.

Career and Education News

Subrina Ally ’25

Subrina Ally ’25 is starting a position teaching fourth grade in New York City public schools.

Sardia Anderson ’17

Sardia Anderson ’17 is the author of two published books, now available at the Walt Whitman Birthplace Center bookshop. A guest speaker for NYC public schools, Anderson owns Scholarly Quarters, LLC, a company dedicated to elevating literacy in urban schools and beyond.

Image

Kim Izzarelli '13

An will be featured on WanderingTheWorld.com in October. Izzarelli discusses her work as a Peace Corps Youth Development volunteer in Belize.

Image

Harold E. Kaplan, B.B.A. ’72, J.D. ’83

Image

Harold E. Kaplan, B.B.A. ’72, J.D. ’83, a Florida Board Certified Health Law attorney (1995-2020), and also admitted in New York, was a Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) volunteer attorney at the Rutherford County Recovery Resource Fair in July 2025 at the Gerton N.C. Volunteer Fire Department, and at NC Bar Association/Foundation, Legal Aid of North Carolina and Pisgah Legal Services Ask A Lawyer – WNC Disaster Recovery Hotline in August 2025. Harold is the principal of Kaplan Arbitration located in Fairview, North Carolina, which focuses exclusively on nationwide arbitration of health care and contract disputes and arbitration case consultation.

Cherie Long ’15

Cherie Long ’15 has joined Albertus Magnus College as the Director of Leadership Giving in the Office of Advancement. In that role, Cherie is responsible for securing major gifts from graduates and friends of the College, while also helping to grow its leadership giving society, The President’s Associates.

Anthony Guerrero ‘25

At the 2025 United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), Anthony Guerrero ‘25 contributed to global dialogues focused on advancing the 2030 Agenda, with a particular emphasis on climate justice and community resilience. Anthony engaged with youth leaders, policymakers, and international stakeholders to advocate for equitable, science-based climate solutions rooted in community needs and intersectional justice. His participation included collaborative discussions, strategy sessions, and policy input aimed at amplifying the voices of frontline communities.

Devkumar Donda ’23

Image

Devkumar Donda ’23 is channeling everything he learned in 17�Թ���’s Global Marketing Management program into launching his own venture in the jewelry industry: DONDA – Modern Elegance, Timeless Heritage. DONDA is a luxury jewelry brand that specializes in bespoke pieces, designed to resonate deeply with the soul and individuality of each client. Every creation is intended to be more than just an accessory—it is a work of art to be cherished for generations.

Diana De Paula ’14

Diana De Paula ’14, a Biology and Special Education teacher at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, New York, has been named one of fifteen educators nationwide selected for the prestigious 2025–2026 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship. The program places experienced K–12 STEM teachers in federal agencies and congressional offices to inform education policy with real classroom insight. Through the fellowship, Diana will spend eleven months in Washington, D.C., working in the office of Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, contributing to national STEM education initiatives.

John Paradisi ’00

John Paradisi ’00 has been appointed president and chief operating officer (COO) and member of the board of directors of Libertas Funding, LLC, a leading provider of revenue-based financing and term loan (TL)* solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. John will oversee the company’s core business functions and play a pivotal role in advancing Libertas’s strategic initiatives as it continues to scale its national footprint.

Paradisi joins Libertas with more than 25 years of leadership experience across commercial and consumer banking, specialty lending, and capital markets. Most recently, he served as executive vice president and chief specialty banking officer at City National Bank of Florida, where he led the growth and expansion of several key business segments. He also served as the bank’s chief strategy officer, playing a key leadership role in shaping City National Bank’s growth strategy, working cross-functionally to support expansion into new products and markets resulting in the organization growing total assets from $18 billion to more than $26 billion in just four years.

Susan Saint-Joy ’21

Image

Susan Saint-Joy ’21 has recently become a first-time author with the release of her new book, Beyond the Bake Sale: The True Calling of a PTA President, inspired by her experiences as a PTA President and exploring the themes of leadership, advocacy, parent engagement, and community building. It reflects both Susan’s professional journey and her academic growth at 17�Թ���, making this accomplishment deeply meaningful as a product of 17�Թ���’s student body.

Kathleen Kettles, Esq. ’87

Kathleen Kettles, Esq. ’87 has been named partner at Russotti & Kettles, PLLC and of counsel to The Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm.

Jamesetta Newland ’86

Jamesetta Newland ’86 has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Board of Directors of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. She was honored at the 51st Annual Conference in Denver on April 12, 2025.

Hon. Adam B. Grossman, Esq. ’91

Hon. Adam B. Grossman, Esq. ’91, who was previously appointed as Southampton Town Justice (New York State) by the Southampton Town Board on November 14, 2023, for an appointed term that ended on December 31, 2024, was elected to his first four year term as Southampton Town Justice on November 5, 2024. His first elected term began on January 1, 2025, and will end on December 1, 2028.

Donna Taylor ’08

Donna Taylor ’08 has been accepted as a PhD student with the University of Birmingham's Social Policy, Sociology, and Criminology Department. Her research focus is on EU migration issues.