80 - 89
1980’s
After graduating, Bukurije (Buki) Nezaj Kaicher ’80 started working in NYC for an importing/exporting company from 1980-1985, while also working at a law firm for about 1-1/2 years. In January 1987, Buki took time off to raise a family and didn’t go back to work until her son started kindergarten. At that point, she began working part time at the elementary school he was attending. In 1997, Buki started working full time at the White Plains Police Department, and has since been widowed by her husband, Tom Kaicher, whom she met while attending Manhattanville for 7 years.
Eileen Pryor McGann’80 got married to Daniel McGann, and had two daughters with him, Sarah and Caroline. Eileen is a graduate faculty member at New York University and School of Visual Arts, NYC. She has published articles and book chapters on art therapy. She is also a Senior Art Therapist at Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. Also, one of her paintings is the cover image on the book, Racism and Racial Identity. She continues to paint and exhibit her artwork.
Victoria “Kori” Roberts Dee ’81 just completed two years with Cellular One in Montana. And is looking for a marketing position back in Helena to be closer to husband and family. She is now up to 5 grandchildren with the 6th on the way! Steve, her husband, started teaching Marketing at Carroll College in Helena this fall. She loves living in the country with horses (4), dogs (3) and cats (4). Happy Days to all fellow alum!
Liz Williams Harrison ’81 was named Executive Director of the Montana Outdoor Science School in Bozeman, MT. The non-profit school offers place-based, natural science education to children and adults.
Roxanne Kaplan Lancia ’81 has published another article in the magazine Nineteenth Century; “Somewhat Closer than Ordinary Friendship: Julia Margaret Cameron’s ‘Little Society’” appeared in the spring 2008 issue.
Jeanine Pardey-Levine ’81 now works at Manhattanville after many years in the musical performance business on stage and in the administration. She was also a professor of art and design at Savannah College where she developed a musical theatre curriculum. This department soon became its own school within the college and Jeanine became the Associate Dean of it. Her summers since 2000 have been spent in Colorado, teaching musical theatre and voice at the prestigious Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School. Back in the northeast, she has been a lecturer and guest artist with Lincoln Center’s Meet the Artist program.
Mary Calhoun ’82 is living in Alabama and working as a traveling psych nurse
Pat Nugent Creedon ’82 left Manhattanville to transfer to Parsons School of Design where she got a BFA in 1982 and has since been working in the art field as a graphic designer. She is currently working at GW Hoffman, Inc. in Darien, CT as an Associate Creative Director.
Jill Heidel ’82 graduated from Manhattanville as an adult student and Jill’s time to retire has come. Her business sold in January of this year and she is currently fazing herself out of it. Now she finally has time to pursue her interests in horseback riding and is slowly getting back into music. Visiting her 2 Grandchildren, 4 adult children and her husband's family keeps Jill very busy.
Gregory Jecmen ’83 is Associate Curator in the Department of Old Master Prints at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He also writes for the Washington Print Club Quarterly and is in the midst of preparing a six part annotated bibliography of useful sources for the collector and print enthusiast.
Rebecca Olbes ’83 lives in Spain, and is married to Emilio Gonzalez de la LLana and they have a daughter named Anhui. Rebecca and her husband adopted this beautiful Chinese princess 6 years ago when she was 9 months old. Rebecca works on and off in different places, doing translations, but most of her time is spent with her daughter. After graduating from Manhattanville, Rebecca lived and worked in NYC for 5 years, then went back to the Philippines for 3 years to work in Advertising.
Sherri White Tatum ’84 has been on sabbatical from the practice of law for a number of years in order to focus her full attention on her 3 lovely and very active children. Sherri’s son, Tre is now 13 years old, and Margaret and Trinitee are 12 and 6 years old respectively. After graduating from Manhattanville, Sherri attended Duke University School of Law, graduating with a degree of Juris Doctor in 1987. She is admitted to practice law in New York, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. After law school, she became an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County, New York.
David Castillo ’85 is now an industry leading expert in the ABS (Asset Backed Securities) market and specifically sub prime and the real estate crisis. David has been in many news stories, and among them he was profiled on the Fox Business News Happy Hour Show and continues to be sought after for advice about how to deal with this crisis.
While finishing up her doctoral dissertation for the University of Texas, Eileen Costello ’85 is teaching 19th and 20th century art at Hunter College, working at Matthew Marks Gallery, and working on a catalog raisonné of the work of Brice Marden.
Dwayne Arvinger ’86 recently released his second children's CD entitled "Songs From My Classroom". The CD is full of great learning songs for the Kindergarten set. His first CD "Hangin' Out With My Baby" was recently chosen to be part of a national campaign.
Ani Tutunjian Khachian ’86 has been working on a jewelry design line and recently won an award. Ani has created a blog which also gives some insight to the jewelry line.
Jackie Clements Nelson ’86 consulted part time for the hotel industry while being at home with her children. In May, she received a Master of Elementary Education degree from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, and has accepted a long term substitute position at Miscoe Hill School in Mendon, MA, and will be teaching fifth grade. She hopes to complete a dual certification in Special Education. She lives in Mendon, MA with her husband Don, daughter Emily, and sons Ryan and Drew.
Carol Guarino Bongiovanni BA ’87 MS ’00 had a great career working for an investment company for 17 years marketing, servicing, selling and managing retirement plans at both the associate and executive levels. She also earned her MS in HR and Organizational Development at Manhattanville in 2000. In 2004, she decided to pursue a childhood dream to be a nurse, and went back to school for her nursing degree and became an RN in 8/06, graduate of the Cochran School of Nursing. Carol is a single Mom and has a son who is 7 years old.
Angela Borrillo ’87 left the US for a career in international business, and has been working throughout Eastern and Western Europe and also enjoyed a year living in Hanoi, Vietnam. Angela recently settled in Amsterdam, where she works for Liberty Global International (Liberty Media). Angela says her favorite countries were “Greece and India, but Vietnam is closest to my heart.” If any Manhattanville alumni are travelling to Amsterdam they can contact her at Angelaborrillo@yahoo.com.
Carmen Tere Alvarado ’88 is a Real Estate Agent and lives in Puerto Rico. She has been married for 16 years to Darren Ryan and has a beautiful 9 year old daughter named Krizzia Tatiana.
George Candreva ’88 graduated with a Bachelor of Music and is currently the owner and music director of C-Note Music School located in Cortlandt Manor, New York. C-Note gives private instruction on all instruments and voice. Music instrument rentals are always available, along with sheet music and accessories. (CNoteMS@aol.com)
Elizabeth Sporer Moffitt ’88 enjoyed teaching a volunteer art history class to her son David’s third grade class. She enjoys rowing and competing in regattas.
Nancy Jo Seaton ’88 celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary this year, and is employed by Chiquita Fresh Express as a National Account Manager for Foodservice. And most importantly, she is a co-chairperson for the annual wine and food pairing dinner (Fall Harvest Dinner) to raise funds for the Manhattanville College annual fund.
Rick Segreda ’88 has been the official film critic of La Hora, the largest daily in Ecuador, with a weekly column published in the paper's Sunday edition, and as a journalist he has been excerpted in publications as far away as Toronto and Barcelona. He has also interviewed such celebrities as Steve Barron, the British director of such legendary rock videos as A-ha's "Take on me," and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean,” and Colombian composer Estéfano, who has written hit songs for Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jon Secada, and both Julio and Enrique Iglesias. In 2005 he was a consultant to Ecuador's congress in legislation for subsidizing filmmaking, and in 2007 helped organize and promote the country's first-ever Buster Keaton film festival.
Carmen Rodriguez Banerjee ’89 has been married for nineteen years to Ranjan ("Ron") Banerjee ’89. Immediately after graduating from University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Carmen was a law clerk for two years and a bankruptcy litigator in private practice. Currently, she is the Division Counsel for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) Matters and a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the Department of Justice in Washington, DC.
Lynne Kenny ’89 escaped the late Canadian winter with a trip to Florida, where she visited the planned community of Celebration while husband Bill attended a conference in Orlando. She also enjoyed the Morse Museum in Winter Park, where she reported that the installation of the Tiffany collection is quite wonderful.
Bridget Kelly Peterson ’89 just moved to Carlsbad, CA with her husband, Mark, and their 4 children, Ailis (6), Aidan (4), Teagan (2), and Keelan (9 months). Bridget works from home part time as a lawyer, but spends most of her days taking care of her children.
Karen Shimoda ’89 made a move to Missoula, Montana, last September, where she is beginning a “new life” as a freelance editor and full-time artist.
Tracey Spencer Walsh ’89 is Senior Counsel to the law firm of Mayerson & Associates, specializing in Special Education law (tracey@mayerslaw.com). The firm’s mission is to assist families who are attempting to secure appropriate placements and services for their kids.
Updated by JB - 10/9/08