March 2024

Jonathan Lavan (BFA ’85)

Jonathan is the owner of Underpressure Diving & Nature Photography. In his role as a photographer, naturalist, citizen scientist, and wildlife expert, he leads diving and photography trips all over the world. His award-winning nature photography has shown in galleries in Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Barcelona, and his home state of Maine. Jonathan is a staunch environmentalist and educator of young people. He is committed to making a difference on this planet through his images and his message of goodwill to all creatures.

December 2023

Jay Aubrey Jones (BS ’76)

Jay recently played Ezekiel Foster and Mr. Snoring Man in Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. On January 25 he will be featured in an encore presentation of “Jerry Orbach’s Broadway” with Anita Gillette, Lee Roy Reams, William Michals, Nikita Burshteyn, and Chris and Tony Orbach at 54 Below in New York. Jay can also still be seen in Episode 302 of “Only Murders in the Building” with Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez on Hulu.

Jessica Whitley (BFA ’18)

Jessica, who received an M.P.A. from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School this summer, designed a colorful asphalt mural painted on the pavement in front of Syracuse’s city hall. The winning submission in a contest offered by Adapt CNY and the city last year, the image shows a skyline bordering a vibrant tree supported by several hands. This project was funded by a $25,000 grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative, which sponsors community art projects. The grant supported materials, technical support, volunteers, and furniture to engage the public.

November 2023

September 2023

Joanie Leeds (BFA ’00)

Joanie, a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, released her latest children’s album “FREADOM: Songs Inspired by Banned Children’s Books” on September 15. “FREADOM” illustrates the melodic power of solidarity, resistance, and diversity. Joanie and her all-star Book Band celebrate many of the banned children’s books with a new collection of eight original songs that joyously amplify messages of love and inclusion.

Phillip Gregory Burke (BFA ’07)

Phillip’s play, “He’s the First,” was a top 13 finalist out of 850 submissions at this year’s 48th Annual Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival.

Kieran J. Murphy (BFA ’06)

This past year Kieran had the opportunity to direct a TV series with his brother Brendan titled “History’s Greatest Heists” hosted by Pierce Brosnan. Debuting on the History Channel, it is currently on demand and also on KLM flights. For the series they used new volume LED technology to put Brosnan into the actual heist. Kieran also just finished his 10th anniversary of helming “Shark Week” as a director of photography for Discovery Channel. Recently, he finished a film starring Tyrese Gibson (“Fast & Furious” franchise), which will come out at the beginning of 2024.

August 2023

Kathryn Ferentchak (BFA ’17)

Kathryn was recently named 2023 Filmmaker of the Year/Visual Effects by Pro Moviemaker Magazine for artist JWalks’ music video “White Wine.” Ferentchak served as director and producer of the video, which was the first shoot at Cinepacks’ brand-new LED virtual production studio in Hollywood, combining mixed media, aerial dancing, and in-camera visual effects.

Sara Moore (BFA ’03)

Sara recently launched Silver Lining Stuffies, a line of children’s book and companion stuffed animals helping kids understand and manage their emotions through playful, engaging stories. The first three books, “Andie & the Worries,” “Frankie & Gloob,” and “Slow Down, Alfie!” address feelings of worry, sadness and over-activity. They foster imagination and play so that children can see themselves in stories, know they are never alone, and discover their own methods for achieving mental wellness. Sara’s vision is that every child has the tools, skills, and community needed to develop a healthy mindset.

July 2023

Adair (Wilson) Heitmann (BFA ’75)

Adair is a national first-place winner (website) and honorable mention (essay) awards recipient in the 2023 National Federation of Press Women Professional Communications contest. She is a four-time winner in the Connecticut Press Club’s 2022 Professional Communications Contest, including two first place awards, second place (speeches), and third place (speeches) in the state. She is a story artist creating personal narratives and performing them live and online in storytelling venues, theaters, libraries, churches, and schools. She is also active in the international visual storytelling platform PechaKucha. Her essays and poems are published in books and anthologies, and she is a poet-in-residence teaching artist in schools with Silvermine Art Partners in Norwalk and Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Linda Lori Burgess (MA ’80)

Released in December, 2022 by J.Gordon Shillingford Publishing, Linda’s “Five Minutes to Curtain” was launched in March 2023. Replete with invaluable information, humorous anecdotes, and encouraging tips, this little book serves as an excellent resource for teachers of theater arts as well as for anyone who wishes to create and stage original plays.

May 2023

Cheryl Patton Wu (BFA ’75)

Cheryl was recently named a Grand Jury Award finalist for Manifest Gallery’s (Cincinnati) 17th exhibition season (2020-2021) for her fiber piece “Strata.” Cheryl also is pleased to announce that she will be exhibiting her fiber and fabric art at Gallery 50, Bridgeton, New Jersey, for the month of June, and at Perkins Center for the Arts, Collingswood, New Jersey, for the month of October. You can view Cheryl’s fiber art on her website, and you can follow her on Instagram (cherylpattonwu).

Jay Aubrey Jones (BS ’76)

Jay spent April and May in Hilton Head, South Carolina, playing Larry in “Company” at the Art Center of Coastal Carolina. On July 24 Jay will be featured in “Jerry Orbach’s Broadway” with Jill O’Hara, Lee Roy Reams, William Michals, and Chris and Tony Orbach (Jerry Orbach’s sons) at 54 Below in New York City. Later this year Jay can be seen as an imperious usher at a celebrity funeral on “Only Murders in the Building” on Hulu with Steve Martin, Martini Short, and Selena Gomez.

Dusty Rhodes (BS ’61 )

Dusty retired in March after serving 32 years as Hamilton County (Ohio) auditor. The county commissioners declared March 9 “Dusty Rhodes Day” in Hamilton County.

Sue Howard Youngblood (MFA ’86)

After careers designing and teaching, Sue recently was awarded the AIGA Fellow from the Atlanta chapter. The award recognizes designers who have made a significant contribution to raising the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within their local design community as well as in their local AIGA (the professional association for design). Learning about AIGA while at Syracuse University, Sue has been an active member ever since. She currently guides Type Walks in historic areas of Atlanta to raise education scholarship funds. The walks weave the stories behind letterforms, plaques, graffiti, and signs with Atlanta’s history.

April 2023

Linda Lori Burgess (MA ’80)

Linda has published the book “Five Minutes to Curtain – A Teacher’s Guide for Creating and Staging Original Plays” (J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing, 2022)

Gabriel Eng-Goetz (BFA ’08)

Gabriel was featured in the Walter Magazine article “The Runaway: Muralist and Graphic Designer Gabe Eng-Goetz.”