Class Notes

Name: Amanda Trudo

Class Year(s): 2016

Note: Amanda (Gratton) Trudo ’16 (KGCOE) and Stephen Trudo ’16 (KGCOE) were married on October 9 2021, in Greensboro, N.C., surrounded by friends and family. Alumni in attendance included Kris Kidder ’16 (KGCOE), Kelsey Grievson MS ’15 (NTID), Dave Haller ’16 (KGCOE), Evan Ney ’16 (KGCOE) MS ’16 (KGCOE), Chloe Richard ’15 (COLA) ’15 (KGCOE), Joe Pereira ’18 (CAST), Laura Denlinger ’17 (COS) and Jarrett Plante ’15 (SCB).

Submitted on: February 6, 2022

Name: Bob Shewchuk

Class Year(s): 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972

Note: Bob Shewchuck ’72 (GAP) finished post-production on a new feature film, "Townhouse Confidential", where he served as the line producer and production manager. Shot in 20 days last summer in the West Village of New York City, the SAG moderate, low-budget Indie features 20 actors, 71 background players and extras, and a production crew of over 40 talented and fun people. After graduating from RIT in Photographic illustration and Film, producing corporate concept videos for Fortune 100 companies, network television shows and TV commercials for international clients, Bob is back to making movies like he started to do in 1963 when he was only 13 years old, using his dad’s Keystone 8mm movie camera.

Submitted on: February 4, 2022

Name: Kate Gunderson

Class Year(s): 2015

Note: Kate Gunderson ’15 (KGCOE) received a fully funded fellowship to attend the National Test Pilot School. As of January 2022, she will work as a graduate assistant while completing the professional course and master’s degree programs as a flight test engineer.

Submitted on: February 1, 2022

Name: Brandon Moore

Class Year(s): 2021

Note: Brandon Moore ’22 (CET) joins the civil engineering team at CPL as a Civil Designer. He will assist senior team members in the planning and design for industrial and commercial projects and perform site work related to architectural developments, water treatment and distribution and wastewater treatment assignments. Prior to joining the firm full-time, Moore served as an intern while he earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Submitted on: January 25, 2022

Name: Chris Alice Kratzer

Class Year(s): 2019

Note: Chris Alice Kratzer ’19 (KGCOE) recently published a new book, The Social Wasps of North America. With over 400 pages and 900 full-color illustrations, Chris Alice’s book is the world’s first complete illustrated field guide to all known species of social wasps from the high arctic of Greenland and Alaska to the tropical forests of Panama and Grenada. For beginners, experts, and everyone in-between.

Submitted on: January 14, 2022

Name: Eric Hunt

Class Year(s): 2016

Note: Eric Hunt ’16 (GCCIS) works as a full-time web developer and has also started a podcast called The Nomads of Fantasy. He co-hosts the podcast with two friends, and writes "we are just three gamer dads that used to have these conversations at work, but we figured why not start recording them?" The Nomads of Fantasy is all about exploring the different worlds throughout video games, movies, and TV shows. From the worlds of Star Wars to the lands of Skyrim, they bring stories of thought and wonder. Visit thenomadsoffantasy.com

Submitted on: January 10, 2022

Name: Mireya Salinas

Class Year(s): 2019

Note: Mireya Salinas MFA ’19 (CAD) recently accepted a position as a collections photographer at the Hoover Institution Library and Archives at Stanford University.

Submitted on: January 9, 2022

Name: Katelyn Whitburn

Class Year(s): 2019

Note: Katelyn Whitburn MS ’19 (COS) and Anush Reddy MS ’18 (GCCIS) were married on March 26, 2020, in Santa Cruz, C.A. They live in the San Francisco Bay Area. They met at RIT through mutual friends and started dating in 2016.

Submitted on: January 9, 2022

Name: Lisa BENNETT

Class Year(s): 2001

Note: Lisa M. Bennett MS ’01 (CAST) and former RIT staff member has officially announced the release of her first book, Just Keep Living: Conversations With Granny. In her new book, she recounts some of the most life-changing conversations and wisdom-filled anecdotes that her grandmother shared with her. Everyone knows that with age comes wisdom, and her grandmother was not only wise, but had a sense of humor to match. When difficult situations present themselves, she remembers what her wise grandmother always told her, “Just Keep Living!” Lisa M. Bennett is a coach, speaker, author and Youtube personality. Formerly an executive with a multinational Global Fortune 500 consulting firm, Lisa now uses her gifts to help people gain the confidence to turn their faith into action and ideas into income. She is passionate about purpose and manifestation. She runs a mindset coaching practice called Fearless Coaching: “I am, I have, I can…” Angela Ahrendts DBE, a prominent businesswoman best known for her position as CEO of Burberry and then as a retail executive at Apple, recently had this to say about Lisa Bennett’s new book, “I love Lisa’s authentic stories of the impact her Granny had on her life. She shares firsthand the importance and impact family has in shaping us all. A great gift for all generations.” Now appointed to the board of WPP as a non-executive director, Angela understands the importance of workplace diversity. She has spent her career working to add diversity to the boards of many prominent companies. During a recent interview, Lisa was quoted as saying, “When my mother passed away, it was a shock to our family. I have always lived in a multigenerational household and our bloodline is strong. When she passed away out of succession, I desperately needed to find a way to cope with it, and became much closer to my grandmother. We sat and talked often. She was very wise, and had an amazing sense of humor. She spoke without a filter. I was able to soak up so much of her life lessons and we shared great laughs together.” She went on to say, “I wrote this book in hopes of inspiring and uplifting others like she was able to do for me. I hope this small collection of short anecdotes and conversations with Granny will inspire you to laugh out loud.” Lisa has been with her love, Rasheida, for 20 years. They have 4 children, 12 godchildren, and 9 grandchildren who are her world. Family is very important to her and this book is her way of inviting the reader in. To learn more about Lisa Bennett and her new book, “Just Keep Living: Conversations With Granny,” visit her official website at https://justkeeplivingthebook.com.

Submitted on: January 8, 2022

Name: Michael Lambert

Class Year(s): 1983

Note: Michael Lambert ’83 (SCB) was recently promoted to Senior Director/Head of Solution Design for Sabre Travel Solutions. Working with more than 60 airlines worldwide, he leads a team of cross-functional process and technical experts providing end-to-end technology solutions that address complex business needs for airlines and travel distribution marketplace customers. Sabre is a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry.

Submitted on: January 3, 2022