Alumni

The following is a sampling of activities and employment of C&J graduates. We will have a newer update form ready very soon.

B.A. graduates

2010-2011

  • Emily (Anderson) Aragon is the calendars and Web editor at the Weekly Alibi, New Mexico's largest alternative newsweekly.
  • Daniel Guglielmo is a Field Engineer/Supervisor for JHKElly, LLC, which is a large mechanical-contracting firm building the Seattle Alaskan Way Viaduct (the world's largest bore tunnel).
  • Isaac Avilucea is a sports reporter at The New Mexican in Santa Fe, N.M.
  • Andrea Salazar has entered online journalism. She is cohost at Imprint Podcast and news manager at MuggleNet. Starting in September 2011, she will be serving a several months-long internship with Talk Radio News Service covering Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

2009-2010

  • Lorenda Belone, the first graduate of the University of New Mexico's Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center Doctoral Fellowship program, has accepted a tenure-track position in the UNM College of Education's Health Education Program.
  • Erica Krause is working as an Assistant Account Executive at James Korenchen Public Relations
  • Daniel Manzano is the director of policy for the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence after previously having served as the director of constituent services for former Lieutenant Governor Diane Denish.
  • Devon Z. Armijo is internet broadcasting managing editor at KOAT.com in Albuquerque.
  • Mario Trujillo is an intern in the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Rep. Tom Udall of New Mexico.
  • Jennifer Olson is a writer at Women's Adventure Magazine in Denver, Colo.

2008-2009

  • Mario Hidalgo is a Safety Engineer working as a contractor for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.
  • Laura Rasmussen was named in 2011 as the assistant director of communications for the Big 12 athletic conference. After graduation she served an internship with the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
  • Matthew Cherrin is employed at UNM Lobo Energy.
  • Jacob Klink teaches English as a second language at Min Da University in Tongliao, China.
  • Tiffini Porter is a sports and general assignments writer and photographer for the Valencia County News-Bulletin.
  • Benny Martinez went to Washington, D.C., interning for Talk Radio News Service and New Mexico News Network.
  • Elena Marin is working in the School of Medicine at UNM.
  • Steven Fernandez is working in the editorial department at PR Newswire.
  • Sarah Kramer was accepted into a publishing program in London.
  • Lucy Scott is studying for her M.A. in marketing at Durham University in Great Britain.
  • Sean Olson continued as a reporter with the Albuquerque Journal.
  • Kimberly Davis is pursuing an MFA in documentary film at the University of North Texas.
  • Xavier Mascareñas is a photojournalist with the The Daily Times in Farmington, N.M.
  • Kimberly Brazell is the assignment editor for PR Newswire in Albuquerque.
  • Maggie Ybarra was awarded a paid internship for the summer of 2009 at the Albuquerque Journal, and she went from there to be a reporter at the Roswell (N.M.) Daily Record.
  • Stepheny M. Hinkle owns her own PR agency in Albuquerque.

2007-2008

  • Christopher J. Sanchez is manager of public affairs for CSI Aviation Services in Albuquerque.
  • Scott Albright enrolled in the China-U.S. Relations master's program at the University of Hawaii-Hilo.
  • Amber Dilley became a reporter at the Glasgow (Ky.) Daily Times.
  • Stephanie (Kitts) Martin has started her own business in Albuquerque, Stephanie Martin Photography. She also is a marketing assistant at Applied Research Associates, Inc.
  • Michelle E. Rasor finished her degree after working three years on the Albuquerque Journal design desk, then at the Farmington Daily Times, and finally in the Army. She now is public relations representative for the 44th Army Band of the New Mexico National Guard.
  • Desireé Polonis was promoted in 2011 to be an editor at PR Newswire in Albuquerque. She previously was an administrative assistant and editor at Kinesio Taping.
  • Elizabeth Blankenhorn is marketing and communications coordinator with the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau.
  • Lorinda Toledo worked a three-month paid internship after graduation with the Associated Press in Los Angeles.
  • Steve Painter worked as a reporter at the Woodward (Okla.) News and then enrolled as a graduate student at UNM.
  • Tabatha Royball is an event assistant at Kesselman-Jones Inc., a communications firm specializing in conference and event planning in Albuquerque.
  • Natalie Spencer works in the Sandia Prep marketing department and is active in the American Advertising Federation.
  • Mario L. Hidalgo is working for a safety consultants company called Banda Group International (BGI), and he hopes to become a full-time safety inspector in the U.S.
  • Darrick Hurst is employed at Sandia Labs doing Web work and writing for internal publications.

2006-2007

  • Monika Dziamka moved to New York City where she is an intern at In Style, a blogger at mydeco and a freelance writer for fashionedits.com.
  • Jeremy Hunt is a reporter at the Harrisonburg (Va.) Daily News-Record.
  • Dohnia Dorman has been promoted to account executive at Carroll Strategies, a public relations firm in Albuquerque.
  • Mark Kachelmeier is promotions producer at KXXV Channel 25 in Waco, Texas. He won two Addy advertising awards in 2009 for his television promotions at the station.
  • Tiffany Rockhold is office manager and day-to-day manager for Patton House Entertainment, which manages music artists out of Nashville, Tenn.
  • Brandale N. Mills is working on her master's in Mass Communication and Media Studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and interning at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities on the media team.
  • Christine Chester now works at a university.
  • Beth Conway is the homes and Southwest living editor with the Las Cruces Bulletin.
  • Ryan Matuszeski is a professional intern in the UNM Alumni Association office.
  • Marcos Roybal is attending Anderson Schools of Business to pursue an MBA degree.
  • Jo Fanelli has joined the writing staff for The Horseman's Voice.
  • Caleb Fort is the small towns/environmental reporter at the Morning News, a daily newspaper in northwest Arkansas.
  • Andrea Reich started as a page designer on the copy desk of the Albuquerque Journal, and she now is in the editorial department at PR Newswire in Albuquerque.
  • Breanna Cox is a producer for KOB-TV in Albuquerque.
  • James Snyder is the public information officer for Central Consolidated Schools in Shiprock, Ariz. He is a former reporter with the Farmington Daily Times, the Albuquerque Journal and the Navajo Times.
  • Julie Medina works in public relations with the Parents for Behaviorally Different Children.
  • Todd A. Dukart works at WPRI-TV/WNAC-TV in Providence, Rhode Island as a New Media Manager.

2005-2006

  • William L. Kie is now an associate producer with the Native America Calling radio network based in Albuquerque. Kie had previously worked as a reporter and columnist for the Cibola County Beacon in Grants, N.M., and then served as director of the Kukadze'eta Towncrier, a newspaper serving Laguna Pueblo.
  • Amanda K. Foor is an account executive with The Garrity Group
    Public Relations, Albuquerque, and was recognized as one of New Mexico Business Weekly's 40 Under Forty nominees for 2009.
  • Damon Scott is a writer for New Mexico Business Weekly.
  • Talia O. (Sierra) Moretti is a communication representative Presbyterian in the Communication and Marketing Department at Presbyterian Hospital.
  • Jose A. Rios is a graduate student at Emerson College
    pursuing a M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communication. He
    is also interning with the Department of Veteran Affairs,
    Office of Health Communications in Washington, D.C.
  • Aaron Martinez is research editor for Go magazine in the editorial office of Outside magazine in Santa Fe.
  • Alli Patterson is a copy editor at The Albuquerque Journal.
  • Mark Moss is a graduate student in the library science program at the University of Illinois-Urbana and a chemistry library graduate assistant.
  • Rivkela Brodsky is a business reporter at the Albuquerque Journal.
  • Amanda Stevens began as a reporter at the Albuquerque Journal upon graduation and continues as a freelance reporter.
  • Renee T. Zuniga is marketing coordinator for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation.
  • Zachary Fowler works as a promotions assistant and on-site producer for Citadel Broadcasting. He also is a session musician.
  • Jessica A. Del Curto is the managing editor of Extra Bilingual Newspaper in Chicago.
  • Krystal Zaragoza is pursuing a master's degree in communication at the University of New Mexico.
  • Sheila Rupp worked after graduation on the Kirkland Air Force Base newspaper, Nucleus. She now is a freelance editor and writer based in Colorado Springs, Colo.
  • Benson Hendrix is a public relations specialist with the University of New Mexico.
  • Maya Oliver is an account executive with Rick Johnson & Company in Albuquerque.
  • Kristie M. Boudwin is pursuing an M.B.A. degree at the Anderson Schools of Management at UNM.
  • Jessica Infantino is a public relations account executive at Rick Johnson & Company in Albuquerque and also enrolled in the M.B.A. program at Anderson Schools of Management at UNM.

2004-2005

  • Denise Sena is the Communications Senior Manager for NAIOP located in Herndon, Va. She had previously worked with Adayana, an international consultancy in employee training, the National Propane Gas Association and the American Red Cross.
  • Carlos Guillen is assistant resident director, Residential Living
    Office, Division of Student Life, at Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pa.
  • Tom Sena worked for a few years for KOB radio and now is a public relations specialist in Albuquerque.
  • James T. Burt is a graduate intern in international procurement at Sandia National Labs. He is applying to law school at Texas Tech and hoping to start August 2009.
  • Heidi Brown is on-air fundraising manager for KNME-TV in Albuquerque.
  • Oscar Solis is director of media and public relations for the Special Olympics of New Mexico.
  • Sara Davis works in the newsroom at KRQE-TV in Albuquerque.
  • Justin Brey is living and working as an English teacher in Phuket, Thailand.
  • Thomas A. Noel is a reporter for KIDK-TV in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
  • Kelly-Renae Edwards is a legislative assistant for PNM in Washington, D.C.
  • Aaron Salas is a student adviser for the Dean of Students at the University of New Mexico and also a graduate student at UNM.
  • Amy Dalness is a staff writer with Alibi, an alternative weekly in Albuquerque.
  • Felicia Fonseca is a reporter for The Associated Press.

2003-2004

  • Chanel M. (DesJardins) Reed is an Account Exective at Heel Inc. in Albuquerque.
  • Jamin Ragle is systems administrator for University Libraries at the University of New Mexico.
  • Christopher Dibble is a broadcast marketing specialist with Citadel Broadcasting in Albuquerque.
  • Elizabeth Romero is a reporter for the Santa Fe New Mexican.
  • Rita Stange is a writer for ConnectPress, an online publication in Santa Fe.
  • Derrick Samaras is a post-production video editor in Denver.
  • Cynthia Lewis is a free-lance writer in San Diego and her articles have been published in several magazines.
  • Blaire Burns is manager of On-Air Production for NBC Universal in New York City.
  • Elizabeth Schomberg works in the promotions department of Presbyterian Hospital, Albuquerque.
  • Nevada Casey is traffic coordinator for World Avenue Online Marketing in Florida.
  • Angela Chavez worked for the Kerry/Edwards campaign out of Washington, D.C., and later as a legislative assistant for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and a regional field director with the Democratic National Committee. She enrolled in the UNM Law School in the fall of 2007.
  • LeAnn Holt was hired upon graduation as a reporter for the Albuquerque Journal. She worked as a community relations and marketing officer for the UNM Cancer Treatment and Research Center, and now she is communications manager for the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority.
  • Jeff Proctor is a reporter for the Albuquerque Journal.
  • Dezaree Vega is an advertising account executive with Joan Griffin & Associates, Albuquerque.
  • Susan Yara won the 2004 title of Miss New Mexico and competed in the Miss America Pageant. She is now an on-line reporter for Forbes.com in New York City.
  • Yasmin Khan's first job was as a reporter for the Santa Fe New Mexican, and she then lived for two years in Bolivia under a journalism fellowship. In 2007 she started a fellowship in alternative media at Northwestern University.
  • Penne Usher is a reporter for the Auburn (Calif.) Journal.
  • Deirdre Gallegos is on a fellowship to the National Association of Student Personnel Managers.
  • Jeffrey P. Gomez is a real estate agent with 1st USA Realty Professionals.
  • Scott R. Hamilton is an advertising account representative for a radio station at Kansas City, Mo.
  • Ava R. Kovacs is an account representative for KASA Fox 2 TV in Albuquerque.
  • Justin B. Schroer is an account representative for Bulldog Sports Properties.
  • Johnyne Barraclough is an account representative with CitiCard in Albuquerque.
  • John A. Bowersmith is a professional photograper through iiiphotos.com
  • William J. Brey is an English teacher at Phuket High School in Thailand.
  • Justin Johnson is general manager for Albuquerque The Magazine.
  • Danielle Martinez is an account executive with Kilmer & Kilmer.
  • Jessica Molzen is an account executive with Rick Johnson & Co. in Albuquerque.
  • Stuart Overbey is a film producer and writer with Available Media Inc. of Albuquerque.
  • Lesley Dickson is an assistant account executive with Rick Johnson & Co. in Albuquerque.
  • Karl Linzmeyer became a sales representative with Willamette Week, an Oregon newspaper. He then became assistant director of admissions for the Art Institute of Portland, which is in Oregon.
  • Breeze Schilkey is an account executive with Mckee Wallwork in Cleveland.

2002-2003

  • Joseph Garcia is a U.S. Army officer deployed in 2010-2011 in Iraq.
  • Karen Francis is the the judicial liaison officer for the Navajo Nation Judicial Branch. She previously worked as public information officer for the Navajo Nation Council's Office of the Speaker and as a reporter for the Gallup Independent. She also is a 2009 Chips Quinn Scholar and is working toward her M.A. in public administration at UNM.
  • Sabrina Ortega is a senior business procedures analyst with
    Presbyterian Health Plan.
  • Cayden McFarland is a sports anchor/reporter for KJRH-TV in
    Tulsa, Okla. Before that he was the sports director at
    KRBC-TV in Abilene, Texas.
  • Mercedes Kelsey received an M.S. in health education from Utah State University and became an academic adviser and adjunct faculty member at Utah Valley State College. She now is studying for a Ph.D. in communication at UNM.
  • Kristen Ferris works at UNM Press.
  • Maeghan Bruce is an associate broker with Allstar Realty in Rio Rancho, N.M.
  • Jolene Ortiz works for the Arizona Republic newspaper and is the digital media advertising account executive for azcentral.com and cars.com.
  • Regina Ruiz is a reporter at KTNV-TV in Las Vegas, Nev., after being a reporter at KEYT-TV in Santa Barbara, Calif. A 2003 graduate of UNM, she received her M.A. in broadcast journalism in 2004 from Syracuse University.
  • Ignacio Gallegos went on to graduate from the UNM Law School and is an attorney with an Albuquerque law firm.
  • Todd Burns is a marketing assistant with SouthwestRe in Albuquerque.
  • Alana Lynn resigned from the staff of ABC's Good Morning America show to move to Big I 107 radio in Albuquerque with her own Fox sports show. Now she is a morning co-host on 98.7 KUPL radio in Portland, Ore.
  • Marne Petersen is the campaign coordinator for Team in Training with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Albuquerque.
  • Iliana Limón was a reporter at The Albuquerque Tribune and now is a sportswriter with The Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel.

2001-2002

  • Andrew T. Webb worked as a business reporter at the New Mexico Business Weekly and Albuquerque Journal for about seven years. He is now a graduate student in the Community and Regional Planning program at UNM.
  • After receiving his B.A. in communication, Noah Trujillo went on and received an M.A. in sport administration from UNM and worked in sports marketing at the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau. He now works at the New Mexico Sports Authority.
  • Elizabeth (De Jesus) D'Angelo was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. She served as a public affairs officer at Ellsworth AFB, where she worked for the base magazine, and now is at Randolph AFB.
  • Tamara Sanchez is a teacher at Ernie Pyle Middle School in Albuquerque.
  • Beth Hahn is a reporter for the Mountain View (N.M.) Telegraph.
  • Rick Maese was a reporter for The Albuquerque Tribune and the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, and a sports columnist with the Baltimore (Md.) Sun. He now is a sportswriter for The Washington Post.
  • Gini Jones received her M.A. in communication from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and went on as a Ph.D. student at the University of Kansas.

2000-2001

  • Joseph G. Velasco, who received his B.A. from UNM in communication, now is a visiting instructor of communication at Sul Ross State University in Texas.

1999-2000

  • Alarie C. Ray is an executive producer of KOB-TV in Albuquerque.

1998-1999

  • Tracy L. (Cooley) Krughoff handles media relations for events and conferences for the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

1997-1998

  • Clara (Cano) Garcia, B.A. 1997 journalism, is the editor of the Valencia County News-Bulletin. After graduating from C&J in '97, she became a reporter at the paper and was promoted to editor in 2009.
  • Laura (Jett) Krantz, B.A. 1998 journalism, is the department chair of journalism and student publications at Tyler (Texas) Junior College. She also owns Krantz PR, a public relations consulting firm.
  • Leslie E. Venzuela is director of marketing for the Anderson School of Management after working nearly 12 years as a broadcast journalist, starting at KOAT-TV, before entering a new career in public relations and marketing.

Miscellaneous

  • Bernadette Lee (B.A. 1995 journalism) is now a clinical research nurse at UNM. She earned her MSN last December.
  • Jonathan Amsbary (B.A. 1978 communication) is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies, UAB.
  • Mary (Grant) Davis (B.A. 1977 journalism) has retired after 11 years as associate editor for a trade magazine based in Houston, Texas. She now teaches English part time at Lone Star College in Houston.
  • Walter Ratliff (B.A. 1993 journalism) marked 10 years at the Associated Press in 2011. He currently works at AP's Washington, DC bureau as an editor with the national religion beat team, and as a content manager for the video newsroom. After UNM, he completed an M.A. at Wheaton College in Communications, and a master's degree in Islam & Muslim-Christian Relations from Georgetown University.
  • Kathryn (McKenna) Schroeder (B.A. 1979 journalism) has been editor since 2008 of the New Mexico Business Weekly. She started there as a freelance writer in 2000. She also is a member of the UNM Alumni Association board of directors.
  • John Shelton (B.A. 1982 communication) is co-owner of MarketSpace Financial Inc. in Albuquerque.
  • Tami (Toops) Moore (B.A. 1995 communication) is public affairs director for the National Nuclear Security Administration's Sandia site office in Albuquerque.
    Administration's Sandia Site Office in Albuquerque
  • Carol Anne Byrnes (1993), the former "Grammar Goddess" of the Daily Lobo, teaches developmental English at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM).
  • Wende (Schwingendorf) O'Brien (1994) is marketing director of Frost Mortgage Banking Group.
  • Monica Summers (1993) worked for the Associated Press for six years, four years of which she worked as an assistant photo editor and two years as National Photo Editor. She also worked as a reporter for Reuters News Service as a retail/Internet correspondent
    on the U.S Equities Desk.
  • Pete T. Kendall (1970) is a feature writer and columnist at the Hood County News, Granbury, Texas.
  • Harry Moskos (1958) has retired as editorial page editor at the Albuquerque Journal. His long career has included being editor of the Nashville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel.
  • Kristin (Van Veen) Hincke (1990) is the assistant to a lobbyist based in Washington, D.C., does grant work, and is a freelance writer.
  • Lisa J. Davis owns her own marketing and public relations business, Jey & Associates. She also is a freelance writer.
  • Betty (Kessler) Robinson (1941) is retired and loves reading screenplays and biographies.

M.A. and Ph.D. graduates

(We will be adding a newer update form soon.)

Soumia Bardhan, '11 Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies at St. Cloud State University, MN. She was also postdoctoral research scholar at UNM's Division of Equity & Inclusion until summer of 2011.

Joseph A. Milan,'93 M.A., is the principal for J.A. Milan and Associates in Denver.

Frank G. Perez, '01 Ph.D., is chair of the Department of Communication at the University of Texas at El Paso. In addition, he and a colleague, Carlos Ortega, are writing a book that explores the use of "fantasy heritage" as a hegemonic device to promote tourism in far West Texas.

Matt Petrunia, '07 Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

Jeffery C. Peterson, '06 Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the ER Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, teaching intercultural communication, persuasion, and diffusion of innovations.

Jessica McVicker, '04 M.A., is corporate training manager for Butterball LLC in Raleigh, N.C.

Jing Yin, '00 M.A., is an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. She earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communications from the Pennsylvania State University in 2003. She is the co-editor of The Global Intercultural Communication Reader (Routledge, 2008).

Marcella LeFever, '05 Ph.D., is teaching at California State University - Stanislaus, and spends five months of the year at her home in British Columbia.

Shaheed N. Muhammad, '98 Ph.D., is associate professor and department lead at the Media and Communication Program, American University of Kuwait in Salmiya, Kuwait.

Tara (Trujillo) Oswald, '03 M.A., is teaching Advanced Placement English and coaching track at Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Colo. She was married in November 2006.

Christine R. (Tatreau) Walski, '04 M.A., is the training supervisor for the Vest Division of Hill-Rom, a manufacturer of medical devices. She oversees six employees and 500 independent contractors.

Yuling Yang, '03 M.A., is executive editor of the editing department of Shanghai Media Group's TV News Center in Shanghai, China.

Amie Kinkaid, '04 Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Eureka College in Illinois.

Kim McCormick, '04 Ph.D., is an assistant professor in Florida.

Yoshitaka Miike, '04 Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. He received a 2004 Distinguished Scholarship Award from the International and Intercultural Communication Division of the National Communication Association for the 2003 Outstanding Article of the Year. He is the co-editor of The Global Intercultural Communication Reader (Routledge, 2008).

Christina Sanchez, '04 Ph.D., is director of international student services at the University of San Francisco.

Avinash Thombre, '04 Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Arkansas State University.

Soo-Jin Yoon, '99 M.A., won a national award for most Outstanding Thesis of the year (1999).

Kathryn Sorrells, '99 PhD, now teaching at Cal State–Northridge, won the Cheris Kramarae Dissertation Award, given each year by the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language and Gender. It comes with a $500 monetary award.