General Announcements

Andrea Sullivan ’79

English

Sullivan, the head of reference and instruction at Daemen University’s library, received the 2023 Library All-Star Award from the Western New York Library Resources Council.

A spokesperson for the council said, “It was clear to the Task Group that Andrea facilitated collaboration, cultivated a learning environment, and advocated for the students she worked with.”

Annemarie Deegan ’94 Graphic Design was promoted to First Deputy Commissioner of Finance for the city of Syracuse, NY.

Janet (Hein) Zielinski ’98 Physical Therapy is Chief Executive Officer at Summa Rehab Hospital LLC.

Jeremy Voorhees ’00 Physical Therapy was awarded the Community Leader Award from Daemen University’s Physical Therapy department.

Geoffrey Abraskin ’02, ’05 Physical Therapy was promoted to President of the Hospice Division at Amedisys Inc.

Rachel Clark ’03, ’04 Physical Therapy is the new co-owner of Sana Physical Therapy, Pilates & Wellness.

Alicia (Mason) Scott ’05, ’09, ’17 Nursing is a 2024 honoree for the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center’s annual event, The Premier. Her contributions have been instrumental in the telemetry unit and the Stroke Center.

Trina (McCall) Burruss ’06 Executive Leadership & Change President & CEO, United Way of Buffalo & Erie County was ranked #18 on Buffalo Business First’s Power 200 Women list in July 2023.

Ryan Green ’06 Childhood/ Special Education appeared in a Netflix show titled “Jewish Matchmaking.”

Gregory Lowe ’16, ’18 & Mackenzie (Donahue) Lowe ’17

Physical Therapy & Health Promotion

The Lowe family have opened AWAKEN Performance Rehab, a modern-concept, high-tech physical therapy and performance clinic.

“As two proud Daemen alums, the opportunity for my wife and I to return to WNY and open AWAKEN Performance Rehab right next to campus has been a blessing,” explained Dr. Lowe, adding, “it’s truly an example of life coming full circle!”

Kawanza Humphrey ’06 Executive Leadership & Change joined the Jacksonville Electric Authority Board of Directors in Jacksonville, FL.

Lorene Walker Ibeka ’06, ’19 Psychology, Executive Leadership & Change was promoted to Business Advisor at Kaleida Health.

Maria (DeSapio) Olmstead ’06 Business Admin. – Sports Mgmt. published her first book,“The Knights: Lost in the Void” in July 2023.

Diamond Junior ’07 Psychology opened her own mental health practice in September 2022 called Diamond Junior’s Mental Health Counseling Private Practice, PLLC.

Julie Czyzewski ’09 Business Administration is the new 340B coordinator at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

Heather (O’Quinn) Telford ’09 Executive Leadership & Change was awarded the Alumna of Distinction Award from the Leadership & Innovation program.

Pamela (Furnace-Johnson) Levering ’11 Nursing was appointed Chief Nursing Officer at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

Michelle (Collier) Richau ’11 Adolescence Ed. – Spanish is a languages and global studies instructor at Jamestown Community College.

Michelle Delo ’12 Nursing, Executive Leadership & Change is the Director of Nursing at Neighborhood Health Center of WNY.

Samantha Spicer ’13 Paralegal is an Attorney at Goldberg Segalla Workers’ Compensation practice group.

Olivia Young ’13 Physical Therapy is a Physical Therapist at Buffalo Rehab Group.

Chinequia Williams ’13 Social Work received her Registered Nurse degree from Genesee Community College.

Holly (Smith) Bailey ’15 Nursing is a Nurse Practitioner at Gastroenterology Associates, LLP.

Terrell Chambers ’15 Liberal Studies is a First-Year Admissions Counselor at Daemen University.

Amanda Best ’16 Business Admin. – Marketing was nominated and selected to serve as the 2023-2024 VP of Programming for the Association for Talent Development, Buffalo Niagara Chapter.

Cathaleen Curtiss ’16 Executive Leadership & Change received an Award of Excellence in the category “Visual Editor of the Year” by Pictures of the Year International.

Meghan Guler ’16 Physical Therapy was a Segment 6 runner for the 2023 MS Run the U.S. relay.

Julianna Moffitt ’20, ’21

Early Childhood Education/Special Education

Moffitt has been named the Open Up Resources Teacher of the Month for October 2023 for her work as a Special Education Teacher at Primary Hall Preparatory Charter School in Buffalo, NY.

“I am so honored to have been nominated and selected for the Open Up Resources Teacher of the Month,” said Moffitt. “This curriculum has been a game changer for me and my students!”

Allison (Cuzzacrea) Keitz ’16 Physician Assistant Studies started her own floral business called B’s Flowers.

Rachel (Haentges) Sterner ’17 Liberal Studies received her Registered Nurse degree from Trocaire College.

Amy Trabert ’17, ’18 Social Work received her doctorate from the University at Buffalo as a Doctor of Social Work in Social Welfare in May 2023.

Kimberly Burgos Villar ’17 Biochemistry successfully defended her PhD thesis at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and accepted a clinical chemistry fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Tessa Wisniewski ’17, ’19 Physical Therapy visited all 63 National Parks from 2020-2023 with her spouse Anthony Chiarmonte.

Gina Benevento Tojek ’18 Business Admin. – Human Resource Management is an HR Support Specialist at M&T Bank.

Matthew Griffith ’20 Psychology graduated with his Masters of Science in School Psychology from Niagara University. He will be a School Psychologist at Buffalo Public Schools for the 2023-2024 school year.

Phillip Ilievski ’21 Physical Therapy joined the clinical team at Agapé Physical Therapy.

Taylor Sinclair ’21 Business Admin. – Human Resource Management graduated from Canisius College with her MBA.

Katherine Titus ’22 Childhood/Special Education received her Masters of Science in Education from the University of Rochester.

Danielle Remus ’23 Adult Nurse Practitioner is an NP at Gastroenterology Associates, LLP.

Engagements

Ryan Bohn ’13, ’14 Health Care Studies-Athletic Training is engaged to Erica Vuocolo.

Kadeem Johnson ’14 Political Science is engaged to Danneil A. Aitcheson ’14 Healthcare Studies.

Mariah Burkhard ’16 Physician Assistant Studies is engaged to Alexander Curran.

Samantha Andrews ’17 Social Work is engaged to Mckell Goodman.

Catherine Ferrell ’17 Natural Science – Health Science is engaged to Mike Carroll.

Nicole Scherer ’17, ’19 Physical Therapy is engaged to Brian Irish-Jones.

Rachel Stephenson ’18 Physical Therapy is engaged to Thomas Escott ’15 Business Administration.

Courtney Scanlan ’19 Accounting is engaged to Karl Smiley.

Madison Caccamise ’20 Accounting is engaged to Mitchell Pittman ’18 Community Health.

Alison Greenwood ’21, ’23 Physical Therapy is engaged to Jay Sarkis ’20 Business Admin. – Marketing.

Natalie Menz ’22 Natural Science – Health Science is engaged to Sullivan Keller ’21 Business Admin. – International Business.

Tirzah Peters ’22 Natural Science – Health Science is engaged to Alain Schaerer.

Jenna Sieracki ’22 Business Admin. – International Business is engaged to Kaleb Brown.

Marriages

Chelsea Andorka ’13 Business Admin. married Evan Heck on May 12, 2023.

Alyssa Robinson ’15 Liberal Studies married Tyler Moceri on June 3, 2023.

Jennifer (Cartone) Cammilleri ’16 Nursing married Gino Cammilleri ’17 Accounting on August 24, 2023.

Karen (Mittlefehldt) Kazibut ’16, ’18 Physical Therapy married Kacper Kazibut on July 8, 2023.

Christine (Kozlowski) Nowinski ’16 Spanish married Chris Nowinski on October 14, 2023.

Rachel Pawlak ’17 Business Admin. – Sports Mgmt. married Jesse Lalka ’17 Business Admin. – International Business on June 24, 2023.

Cheyenne (Oar) DellaValle ’18 Public Health married Joseph DellaValle ’14, ’16 Physical Therapy on May 6, 2023.

Matthew Grichen ’18, ’20 Physical Therapy married Emily Grichen on August 12, 2023.

Christopher Suarez ’18 Business Admin. – Sports Management married Emily (Raetz) Suarez ’18, ’20 Physical Therapy on October 28, 2023.

Births

Martin Lange ’01 Business Administration and his wife Anna welcomed their son Robert on April 5, 2023.

Scott Emser ’07, ’15 Business Administration/ Sports Management & International Business and his wife Ashley welcomed their son Deacon Thomas on June 17, 2023.

Lauren (Bevacqua) Tette ’13, ’16 Health Care Studies, Executive Leadership & Change and her husband Michael welcomed their son Carmine Michael on July 25, 2023.

In Memoriam

Mary (Troy) Cournan ’55 Sociology September 17, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Lucille (Biondolillo) Giardino ’55 Sociology January 12, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Victoria (Pech) Smith ’56 Secretarial Science July 7, 2023, Gloucester, MA.

Sister Mary Thomas Frys ’60 Elementary Education August 10, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Hildegarde (Fischer) Rauh ’60 Natural Science (Chemistry) June 19, 2023, Lakewood, NY.

Elinor (Driscoll) Stein ’61 Natural Science (Chemistry) June 19, 2023, Snyder, NY.

JoAnn Grzechowiak ’62 History & Government August 17, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Margaret Klubek ’62 Biology April 30, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Karen (Bernick) Barba ’65 History & Government June 16, 2023, Pacifica, CA.

Eileen Hothow ’65 English October 17, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Dianne (Iulg) Brooks ’71 Art June 6, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Carl Killian ’73 Biochemistry March 31, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Walter H. Kemp, Jr. ’75 Elementary Education August 11, 2023, Cypress, TX.

Dominic Miceli ’77 Physical Therapy July 6, 2023, Conway, AR.

Ann Marie Wisher ’78 Medical Records Administration April 3, 2022, Suffolk, VA.

Deborah (Becker) Grotke ’83 Nursing July 13, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Tammy (Carpenter) Whitty ’84 Biology July 26, 2023, Hudson Valley, NY.

Richard Ferguson ’85 History and Government July 26, 2023, Kendall, NY.

Christopher Hock ’85 Social Work July 15, 2023, Buffalo, NY.

Janet (Stocum) Gould ’89 Medical Records Administration July 23, 2023, Allegany, NY.

Patricia Heberger-Krauss ’93 Medical Record Administration May 29, 2023, Rochester, NY.