Class Notes

Winter 2023-2024 Highlights

A Message From Meghan Lenihan Moulder '10

In Memoriam

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Two alumns pose under giant polar bear ice sculpture

The 1950s and ’60s featured a Winter Weekend hosted by the junior class, which included all sorts of winter fun.

2008

Laura Wontrop Klauser
In January 2021, Chevrolet officials named Laura Wontrop Klauser ’08 sports car racing program manager. Her role includes engineering and technical oversight of Corvette Racing on behalf of Chevrolet. Laura’s appointment signals a shift toward an engineering-based approach throughout its motorsports programs. “It’s a huge honor to move into this role with Corvette Racing,” said Laura, who has been part of General Motors’ racing activities for the last five years. “It unquestionably is one of the premier programs in all of sports car endurance racing. My goal is to promote more synergy between our racing programs and funnel our technical learnings back to GM so we continue to make and sell better cars to car fans and customers throughout the world.”  Laura began at General Motors in 2008 and spent eight years on the production side of the business, including advanced design work on the Corvette C7. Motorsports competition came calling in 2016 after stints on the Cadillac CT6 and Chevrolet Cruze and Spark production teams. She was named Program Manager for the Cadillac ATS-V.R effort in the Pirelli World Challenge. “We are pleased to have someone as enthusiastic and experienced as Laura as our Sports Car Racing program manager,” said Mark Stielow, Chevrolet director of motorsport competition engineering. “Corvette Racing and GM’s road-racing efforts will benefit from her engineering experience with both the Corvette and Cadillac production cars, and her relationship with a large number of our fans and Corvette owners.” Posted 2023-03-24
David F. Tamaroff, a longtime advocate for content creators, is leading the legal team at intellectual property protection firm American Films Inc. He was formerly the company’s outside counsel at Florida-based Morgan & Morgan, P.A. Posted 2023-03-24
James Patsalides is a visiting professor of marketing at Mitchell College. He will teach management, focusing on how to use a combination of data analytics and human interaction to help managers make better decisions. He brings more than 20 years of management experience and more than 10 years of teaching experience in higher education, including eight years as associate professor at Albertus Magnus College. Posted 2023-03-24
Robert J. Murphy Jr., AICP, has been promoted to senior project community planner at the Albany offices of Barton & Loguidice, a Northeast regional engineering, planning, environmental, and landscape architecture firm. He is a member of the firm’s sustainable planning and design practice area. Posted 2021-09-30
Andrew Lord was named head coach of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, a professional ice hockey team in the South Division of the ECHL’s Eastern Conference. Posted 2021-09-30
Caitrin (Donnelly) Facini and her husband, Adrian, had their son, Sebastian, in 2019. He is their second child to their oldest daughter, Louisa, who is absolutely hilarious and keeps the family on their toes. Congratulations to you and your beautiful family, Caitrin! Posted 2021-09-30
Nicholas Suhr was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the New York Army National Guard. Nicholas, a 2002 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and a veteran of the Iraq War, currently serves as deputy personnel officer for the New York Army National Guard. He is a full-time National Guard officer. Posted 2021-09-30
Abigail Nelson Koppes received the 2020 Rita Schaffer Young Investigator Award from the national Biomedical Engineering Society. This award is offered to a sole scientific investigator to stimulate his or her research career in biomedical engineering. She is assistant professor of chemical engineering at Northeastern University and principal investigator for a research team in the university’s Advanced Biomaterials for Neuroengineering Laboratory. Posted 2021-09-30
Carly Strife cofounded BarkBox in 2012. Her company has been following a similar high-growth strategy as Chewy and is projected to grow revenue 91% over the next two years. BarkBox is also coming to market via a SPAC and will trade on the NYSE under the ticket BARK via Northern Star Acquisition Corporation. Posted 2021-09-30
Caitrin (Donnelly) Facini and her husband, Adrian, had their son, Sebastian, in 2019. He is their second child to their oldest daughter, Louisa, who is absolutely hilarious and keeps the family on their toes. Congratulations to you and your beautiful family, Caitrin! Posted 2021-07-15
Please like our Facebook page at facebook.com/RPIClassOf2008 and follow our daily stories on Instagram. Rest in peace, Dr. Knowles. — trent@alum.rpi.edu Posted 2021-02-26
Abigail Koppes received the 2020 Rita Schaffer Young Investigator Award from the national Biomedical Engineering Society. Koppes is an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Northeastern University. She is also the principal investigator for a research team of graduate and undergraduate students in the university’s Advanced Biomaterials for Neuroengineering Laboratory. Posted 2021-02-26
Michael Collard has joined national architecture, engineering, and planning firm Bergmann. Previously, Michael worked at ENVISION Architects as an architectural designer and associate. Michael currently resides in Troy, New York. Posted 2021-02-26
Ryan Hawthorne has been appointed assistant vice president of electric engineering and operations for Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation. Ryan oversees engineering functions and field operations of the electric system for all of Central Hudson, and will provide oversight on the utility’s annual capital budget of more than $200 million. Posted 2021-02-26
Bill Atkins ’08 is co-creator of the popular iPhone/iPad app Stylebook, which lets users manage their wardrobe virtually. The app, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in October, has been covered by such publications as The New York Times, Wired, and Vogue, and is consistently in the top five paid apps in the Lifestyle category of Apple’s App Store. Posted 2020-06-18
Justin Blinn
Architecture Justin Blinn, Architect, LEED AP BD+C, was recently promoted to associate principal at TEF Design. Throughout his time with TEF, he has completed a wide variety of projects, including the historic renovation of 170 9th Street in San Francisco, an addition to the PG&E Larkin Substation, and the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco Don Fisher Clubhouse. Congratulations on your promotion, Justin! Posted 2020-05-21
Science After six years leading the Cardiff Devils, Jake Morissette has retired, announcing that he will not be returning to the Elite Ice Hockey League for this season. Morissette holds the title of most successful captain in the Devils’ history, leading the only Welsh team in the EIHL to back-to-back league titles in 2017 and 2018, along with a Challenge Cup win in 2017 and the team’s second straight playoff championship. Congrats on a fantastic career, Jake! Posted 2020-05-21
Engineering Unilux has recruited Rostislav “Russell” Lembersky to integrate advances in machine learning to improve system speed and accuracy. Lembersky will bring significant experience with software and algorithm development, along with a rich technological and operational background to the team. Posted 2020-05-21
Engineering Gary Russinko, PE, has been promoted to principal at kW Mission Critical Engineering. Gary is a power strategist and lead engineer on some of the largest and most complex data center projects being built today. kW Mission Critical Engineering is a 140-person firm located in Troy, with offices and projects across the U.S. Posted 2020-05-21
Business Trent Gillaspie writes: Make sure to like our Facebook page at facebook.com/RPIClassOf2008, and connect with us on TikTok. Just kidding! Posted 2020-05-21
Laura Wontrop Klauser, who is manager of the Cadillac Racing program, was recently interviewed by Autoweek. Laura is in charge of the Cadillac DPi-V.R customer race car program, and ensures that all of GM's IMSA prototype teams have what they need on the OEM side to have a successful race. The interview is great publicity for something which Laura is so passionate about! Posted 2019-10-01
Casey Crossley
Casey Crossley, AIA, LEED AP, has been named an associate of architecture+, a design and service-oriented architecture and planning firm based out of Troy, N.Y. Casey joined architecture+ in 2006 and has focused on designing projects for higher education, health care, and community clients. His most recent design focused on an addition to the Gore Mountain base lodge. Casey is also the president of the American Institute of Architects, Eastern New York Chapter, and is the chapter's Emerging Professionals liaison to the American Institute of Architects, New York. Posted 2019-10-01
Karen Clark, P.E., has been promoted to an associate at Barton & Loguidice in Albany, where she is a member of the firm's Water/Wastewater Practice Area. Karen earned her B.S. from Clarkson and her M.S. and MBA degrees from RPI. Posted 2019-10-01
Trent Gillaspie writes: Wedding bells are in the air! On June 29, 2018, James Rajotte married his husband, Brian Wheeler. Alumni Michael McGrattan, Katherine (Gifford), and Kamron Fazel ’07 joined in the wedding party festivities. Amanda (DeLaurentis) and Alex Brownell, Elizabeth Kelley, Kevin Canada, John Bensetler, and Meredith Streeter were also at the wedding. We wish you all the best, James and Brian! Posted 2019-03-10
Trent Gillaspie reminds the Class of 2008: "Please keep your updates coming and make sure to like our Facebook page, follow us on Snapchat, and join us in our weekly class reunion using your VR headset." Posted 2018-10-10
Kelly Barbera, former Rensselaer women’s ice hockey captain, married Darius Feili in the beautiful mountains of Canmore, Alberta on July 3. In attendance were former women’s ice hockey players Brooke (Thompson) Warren, who served as matron of honor, Ellen McNamara, who served as maid of honor, Sarah (Daniel) Danielsmith ’07, and Melissa Boik ’09. Blake Huovie was also in attendance to help celebrate with his former roommates. Trent Gillaspie sends these sentiments: "Congratulations, Kelly! Great to see RPI friendships that last a lifetime." Posted 2018-10-10
Caitrin (Donnelly) Facini and her husband, Adrian, celebrated the birth of their daughter, Louisa, in February. Trent Gillaspie writes: "Congratulations to you and your family, and welcome to parenthood, Caitrin!" Posted 2018-10-10
Colin Sweet married his lovely wife, Elissa, in August, and also bought a house over the summer, where they currently live in Westerly, R.I.  Posted 2018-03-15
Capt. Craig Poulin, an instructor in the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Civil Engineer School, was named Air University’s Company Grade Officer of the Year for 2016. Capt. Poulin directs courses, instructs lessons, and provides consulting on electrical engineering and construction management topics. His areas of expertise include facility electrical systems, electrical distribution, power generation, energy management, and construction safety. He was also named the Civil Engineer School’s Instructor of the Year by his peers.  Posted 2018-03-15
Eric Dahl was awarded Young Engineer of the Year by the Rockland County Chapter of the New York Society of Professional Engineers. Eric, who joined Geiger Engineers in Suffern as a design engineer after receiving his bachelor’s and M.S. degrees from RPI, has worked on the design of sports and recreation facilities throughout the U.S., including the retractable roof at the USTA Louis Armstrong Stadium. Posted 2018-03-15