Winter 2025
Do you have news to share?
Maybe you recently got married or had a baby, celebrated a promotion or professional milestone, or had a gathering with some UHart friends. Whatever your news may be, share your UHart pride with your fellow alumni by submitting a class note or tagging us on social media. Select news and posts may be published in a future issue of H magazine. Notes are posted on a quarterly basis in March, June, September, and December and are archived after two years.
1970 | David Brunelle
David Brunelle (Barney) was nominated for the Hometown Hero Award by the Nassau County, FL. Council on Aging for his role with CHORE Volunteers who provide critical home improvements for county seniors and MLK, Jr. projects. His dedication showcases a tremendous ongoing commitment to the community.
Dave retired to historic Fernandina Beach, FL. on Amelia Island after a fifty year career as a senior sales and marketing executive for essential international hardware and building material manufacturers. He was inducted into the UHart Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. Dave is a member of the Rosen Society.
1980 | David Murray
David Murrary (Hartt), a professor of Bass and director of the School of Music at Butler University, received the distinguished professor award. This award is granted annually. David is a member of the Rosen Society.
1980, 1984 | Nina Kasser Sidell
Nina Kasser Sidell (A&S) has been practicing Psychotherapy in her Private Practice since graduating with a Master's Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy from Lesley University. She is a keynote speaker, an author, and a mother.
1983, 2018 | Brian Romano
Brian Romano (Ward College of Technology, Barney) received an award from the International Society of Automation (ISA), a society that provides industrial automation standards, training, and guidance for automation. Brian is a member of the Rosen Society and a member of the Alumni Advisory Council.
1985 | Anthony Susi
Anthony Susi (Hartt) will present "Jazz Rhythm Section Techniques" on Apr. 25th for the 58th NAfME Eastern Division In-Service Conference held at the Hartford Convention Center. This will be an extension of his recent presentation on episode #174 of the Growing Band Director podcast.
Anthony will also be an exhibitor at the In-Service Conference with his "Susi Music" published compositions for Concert Band, Jazz Band and String Orchestra.
1990, 1991 | Andrew Grascia
Andrew Grascia (Hillyer, A&S) has over 32 years of distinguished service in law enforcement, including 28 years with the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, and has built an exemplary career grounded in dedication, expertise, and leadership.
A graduate of the New York City Police Academy in 1993, Andrew was promoted to detective with the MTA in 1996. A year later, he joined the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office as a criminal investigator, marking the start of a remarkable tenure. Over 12 years, Andrew worked as an undercover in the ICAC Task Force, focusing on combating sex crimes against children—a role requiring both courage and exceptional investigative skill.
Rising through the ranks, Andrew was promoted to Senior Criminal Investigator, where he supervised complex investigations, specializing in the recovery and analysis of digital evidence. Later he would be promoted to Deputy Chief Criminal Investigator overseeing Cold Case, Homicide, Special Prosecutions, Economic Crimes, Undercover Operation, High Tech, and Tech. Today, as Chief Criminal Investigator, Andrew oversees the Investigation Division of the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, leading with vision, integrity, and a commitment to justice.
In 2022, he graduated from the prestigious FBI LEEDS and Command College, further cementing his expertise in law enforcement leadership.
A sought-after speaker, Andrew has lectured extensively throughout the U.S. on critical criminal justice issues, sharing insights from his extensive field experience.
Recognized for excellence, Andrew is the recipient of the 2006 Iona College Criminal Justice Award and the 2013 HTCIA Case of the Year Award, underscoring his impact on the field and his unwavering dedication to public safety.
1991 | David Eby
David Eby (HAS) is going to be appearing in the Naturalist Gallery of Contemporary Art Expressionism Exhibition 2025. His 5 art pieces were selected to appear in the in the curated Expressionism Exhibition from 2/11/2025 to 4/30/2025.
1999, 2002 | Kevin Bechard
Kevin Bechard (Barney) was recently appointed Editor-in-Chief of World Traveler Magazine, where he directs the publication’s editorial vision, curating compelling content at the intersection of travel, culture, business, art, design, gastronomy, and wellness. Set to launch later in 2025, World Traveler Magazine will serve as a premier platform for global exploration.
Kevin also joined Fairfield University in 2023 as an Instructor of the Practice in Marketing, bringing over two decades of consulting experience in marketing, branding, communication, international business, and media into the classroom.
1999 | Ireneusz Lacki
Ireneusz Lacki (Hartt) started a new position as a Director of Intellectual Property Licensing at Sony Music Entertainment in New York, NY. He is excited to lead a licensing team, ensuring proper clearance, licensing, and royalties payment for recorded music releases on various Sony Music record labels. Ireneusz is a member of the Rosen Society.
2000 | Aisha Johnson Miller
Aisha Miller (A&S) was appointed as one of two inaugural Executive in Residence for the academic term at the Urban College of Boston, a private, nonprofit two-year college based in Massachusetts.
Designed to cultivate mentorship, foster learning, and expand social capital for students, particularly those from underserved communities, the program will empower the next generation of leaders.
Through the program, Aisha will cultivate lifelong learning and increase social capital among students through real-world business experience mentorship, and networking opportunities.
2001 | Raffaella Petrini
Sister Raffaella Petrini (Barney) is being named President of the Vatican Governatorate in March, 2025. Raffaella is the first woman to ever hold this position.
2005 | Kelly Cofiell Turner
Kelly Turner (HAS) has co-launched a new podcast, Millennial Money Matters. As a mortgage loan officer and financial enthusiast, Kelly brings her expertise to this engaging and informative show that explores the financial hurdles facing millennials today.
From decoding student loans to navigating homeownership and budgeting strategies, Kelly and her co-host aim to empower listeners with practical advice and relatable stories. The podcast breaks down financial taboos and creates an open dialogue about money management, making it a must-listen for anyone looking to take control of their financial future.
Millennial Money Matters is available on major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
2006 | Brandee Younger
Brandee Younger (Hartt) was featured in Coltrane on Coltrane: An Oral History. This program is in conjunction with the exhibition Alice Coltrane: Monument Eternal, which is inspired by the life and legacy of jazz musician, devotional leader, and mother Alice Coltrane.
2011 | Nicole Coco Walker
Nicole Coco Walker (ENHP) and her husband Rob welcomed their baby boy Dominic Robert Walker on July 25, 2024.
2014, 2015 | Megan Vanasse Sanna
"I’m Oliver! My mom, Megan (ENHP), and my dad, Kevin (Barney), met at UHart and got married! My dad works there now as a lacrosse coach!"
2014 | Mary Matthews
Mary Matthews (Hartt) released an album on the Big Blue Records label on February 14, 2025. The album is the result of a large grant she received from her university to commission two brand-new flute concertos and record them on an album.
2015 | Robert LeGary Jr.
Robert LeGary (ENHP) was promoted to Associate Professor of Education at Goodwin University. Currently, he is the director of the M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership Joint Degree Program at Goodwin University and the University of Bridgeport and a senior teaching fellow in the Advanced UDL Institute.
2016, 2020 | Debra Pierre
Debra Pierre (Hillyer, Barney) recently converted her doctoral study into a peer-reviewed scholarly article (“Effectively designing costing systems for hospitals in the United States”), which was published in the CORALS” Journal of Applied Research.
2019 | Leslie Walker
Leslie Walker (Hartt) was cast in Funny Girl, performing at The Citizens Opera House in Boston. Leslie is an ensemble cast member.
2022, 2024 | Alexia Salafia
Alexia Salafia (CETA) and Maxwell Jaekle (CETA) were recently engaged in Paris by the Seine River. They met in the Architecture program during their second year studio class. They have been together for almost 5 years.