Class of ’02 Fall 2017 Class Notes

Nate Briggs

92 Main Trail

Hampden, ME 04444

nbriggs831@hotmail.com

facebook.com/groups/UMaineClass2002/

 

Hello, Class of 2002!

Eric Walker ’04G was recently named president of the New Hampshire/Vermont Chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association for the 2017-2018 year. Currently, Eric is a senior manager of finance for NH Healthy Families, a subsidiary of Centene, which is based in St. Louis, MO.

For those of you who still reside close to campus, you may be familiar with The Family Dog restaurant in Orono. Our classmate, Sandy Wardwell G, recently purchased the restaurant. When she heard it might be available for purchase, Sandy jumped at the opportunity to get back into the food service realm. Be sure to swing in next time you visit campus!

Lacey Stone is building an enthusiastic fitness following out in Los Angeles. A personal trainer and teacher at Flywheel spinning studios, Lacey has created a private training program called 8 Weeks to Change that has been seen on shows like The Doctors and The Steve Harvey Morning Show. You may remember Lacey from her UMaine basketball days and it’s clear she’s putting her athletic talents to work and creating positive change in people’s lives.

Congratulations are in order for Karen Merritt, this year’s winner of the Armin E. Elsaesser Fellowship award from the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, MA. As a result of the award, Karen will pursue the “invisible history” of 16th and 17th century mercury and silver mining in Spain and Mexico. Currently, Karen is a public and sexual health educator and street photographer in Portland, ME. This fellowship will allow Karen to put her Ph.D. in environmental engineering and love for photography together as she prepares academic presentations, papers, and a gallery of photographs based on her research, which she’ll conduct in 2017 and 2018.

Emily Cain was named the executive director of EMILY’s List, an influential women’s group in politics, based in Washington, D.C. The move signals a return to politics for Emily after a brief stint in the private sector with History IT. Emily was also in the news when she and Matthew Small performed in Broadway & Beyond in Orono as part of the Church of Universal Fellowship’s series. A portion of the concert’s proceeds supported Spruce Run-Womancare Alliance, which has changed its name to Partners for Peace. Emily and Matthew were both members of the University Singers.

John Nelson G, a retired major in the U.S. Army, has opened a veterans’ service center in Lincoln. The Master Sergeant Gary Gordon Veteran Center on Main Street provides services such as benefits eligibility assistance, paperwork assistance, and referrals to other veteran-related agencies and resources within the state, all free of charge! Thanks to John for his service and continued outreach to veterans in need.

Feel free to send me updates at the addresses above or track me down on Facebook. Please send news, updates, and photos for inclusion in future class columns to the addresses above—the Class of 2002 would love to hear from you!

Don’t forget to check out our new Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/UMaineClass2002/