Volunteer

Meet Our Alumni

• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,320,320/6405_meg_retinger.rev.1558721713.jpg" alt="E&H alumni John and Meg Hathaway Retinger at the beach." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="320" data-max-h="320" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger"><p> She’s number 1 in the number 2 business: Meg Retinger is COO of Bio Pet Laboratories in Knoxville.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Meg Hathaway Retinger graduated from Emory & Henry in 1976 with a plan to teach elementary school. But when she was faced with a crowded field of educators, and too few job openings, she headed in a different direction.</p><p> She began by doing computer work in an industry that created “bug zappers” and electric cattle fencing. Eventually she segued into a company that did testing to see if cattle had been properly inseminated for breeding. And now….well…now she finds herself elbow deep in dog poop.</p><p> Meg is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for <a href="http://www.biopetlabs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bio Pet Laboratories</a> in Knoxville. The main component of their business is a program called PooPrints®; evaluating DNA in dog poop so that apartment complexes know which tenants are not picking up after their pets. Dog owners swab the cheeks of their dogs, and the apartment landlords send the swabs to Bio Pet to be registered in a database –DNA World Pet Registry. If a pile of poop is found where it shouldn’t be, it can be collected and sent to Bio Pet to be matched up with the dog owner – or, as Meg calls that person, “The Poopetrator.”</p><p> Bio Pet is now serving clients all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe. They receive as many as 2000 swabs a day, and receive 200 poop samples a day.</p><p> Meg says the two biggest issues apartment complexes deal with are parking and dog waste. And in addition to being unsightly, it is also a huge environmental issue as it affects the water runoff and eventually the regional watersheds. “People think that dog poop is just fertilizer, but because of what dogs eat, their poop has more bacteria than human waste.”</p><p> She says her E&H education taught her how to learn – and instilled a desire to learn. So when her initial career plans got sidetracked, she was flexible and found a new way to apply her degree.</p><p> In short, Meg knows her poop.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2707-meg-retinger" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/874-laura-holley"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.jpg" alt="Laura Holley with one of her trailhead exhibit signs (1 of 25 installed spring of 2016)." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="664" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/874-laura-holley"><p> Laura Holley isn’t using her art skills as planned – but she’s bringing a lot of great talent to the National Park System!</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Laura Holley Thomas is a long way from fashion magazines.</p><p> Laura (E&H ’10) majored in art and minored in environmental studies, and she’s finding the two disciplines to be a perfect match for the work she’s doing: a special 4-year long project that has her planning, researching, writing and designing trailhead and wayside exhibits for the entirety of Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota – all 110 square miles. “I’m using art, design, and the written word to communicate information about plants, animals, human culture, climate change, habitats, ecosystems, etc. Though, had I known there was more to graphic design than making fashion magazines (I kid you not. That’s what I really thought.) I might have taken more classes focused on digital art.”</p><p> Laura has been with the National Park Service for 5 years, all of which has been spent at Theodore Roosevelt. She began as a full-time volunteer (citing that volunteerism is something she saw emphasized at Emory & Henry). That led to several paid seasonal positions, and now to this current assignment. She says this is her dream job…“But, it’s temporary! So I’ll be moving on with another job or another project here or at another park. I’d like to make a career with the NPS, but gaining permanent status is difficult, so I’m keeping other options open.”</p><p> Her job experiences can’t be calculated within the confines of a resume. “Often I’ll get called away from my desk to help with whatever is going on in the park. We have a really small staff, so we all pitch in. I’ve helped return escaped bison to the park, assisted with elk reduction efforts, helped at bison roundups, helped with a prescribed burn, illustrated our new junior ranger book, led bird counts, helped plan our annual astronomy festival, done on-camera interviews with the media, gone on search and rescues, and so much more.”</p><p> And her current project to develop signage is more than busy work: it feeds into her core beliefs about the importance of National Parks. “My biggest concern is that the NPS will become irrelevant. We have to inspire each next generation to care for and about our American landscape and its history or we risk losing our relevancy. But staying relevant shouldn’t be difficult. Our parks speak for themselves. I’ve watched people look up and see the Milky Way for the first time. It’s something they (and I) will never forget. And they’ll remember that the clearest, darkest, most uninhibited sky they’ve ever seen was above a national park and they’ll understand why we protect this place. We just have to get people into their parks and make sure their experiences are meaningful and memorable. That’s what this signage project is all about. Hopefully the exhibits I create will inspire visitors to connect intellectually and emotionally with the park and its resources and turn those personal connections into active stewardship of this place and the public lands in their own communities.”</p><p> Laura’s experiences have run the gamut from wildlife management to designing websites and social media content. She even designed a special pictorial postmark to commemorate this year’s National Park Centennial (an honor stamp aficionados can appreciate). And she admits that some of the skills she’s using now were learned in E&H classes she didn’t think were all that important. “In my first few seasons as a ranger I was writing and presenting interpretive programs (tours, guided hikes, campfire talks, etc.). I leaned heavily on what I learned in speech class which I would absolutely never have signed up for had it not been mandatory!”</p><p> If you find yourself in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, look for Ranger Laura…and certainly, look for her signs.</p><p>  </p><p><em><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><picture class="lw_image lw_image919 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half"> <source type="image/webp" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/667/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/500/height/667/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/500/height/667/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/webp" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(max-width: 500px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/667/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/500/height/667/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/500/height/667/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" media="(min-width: 501px)" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 3x"/> <img width="611" height="815" alt="Laura Holley Thomas is shown here with her husband, Shawn, who is no longer a ranger, but is now ..." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1944" data-max-h="2592" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a>Photo, left: Laura Holley Thomas is shown here with her husband, Shawn, who is no longer a ranger, but is now a deputy.</em></p><p>  </p><p> Submitted October 25, 2016</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/874-laura-holley" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/3005-natalia-sutherland"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,14,714,728/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,14,714,728/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,14,714,728/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,14,714,728/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,14,714,728/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.jpg" alt="Sutherland, Natalia (E&H Class of 2017)" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,14,714,728/5663_Natalia_Sutherland.rev.1542303444.jpg 2x" data-max-w="714" data-max-h="714" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/3005-natalia-sutherland"><p> Natalia Sutherland is a medical student at <a href="https://medicine.vtc.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Virginia Tech Carilion Medical School</a>.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Life is not multiple choice</p><p> Natalia Sutherland is starting her second year at <a href="https://medicine.vtc.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Virginia Tech Carilion Medical School</a>. She smiles widely when she talks about the other students in her cohort. “They’re from Duke and Johns Hopkins and Clemson and Vanderbilt…there are only 3 of us from liberal arts colleges.”</p><p> But this is what seems to give her an edge. Natalia is among the top tier of students in her class and she says, “You can tell Dr. Fleet I give her all the credit for that!”</p><p> She says her E&H Biology professor, Dr. Christine Fleet, insisted on project-based classwork that forced students  to truly understand and apply what they were learning in class. Granted, there are tests in medical school that are multiple choice, but Natalia says she feels like she has an advantage over many of her classmates because Emory & Henry gave her a framework for truly understanding the science.  She says it’s one thing to memorize the answers…but it’s another thing altogether to truly understand causes and effects and how systems in your body interact. She says Emory & Henry prepared her to be that well-rounded learner.</p><p> She beams when talking about how much she’s enjoying medical school, and about the work she did at E&H to prepare her for what she’s doing now. “I’ll come back to campus and talk to prospective students and families any time! Emory & Henry was a great place to get ready for medical school!”</p><p> Natalia is also the recipient of the <a href="https://medicine.vtc.vt.edu/giving/morgan-harrington.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Morgan Dana Harrington Scholarship</a>, and she expresses great honor in representing that award.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/3005-natalia-sutherland" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2055-nicole-powell"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 3x"/> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 3x"/> <source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png" alt="Nicole Powell, E&H Class of 2016, in a photo taken during her zoo internship in St. Louis." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,24,1139,1161/4101_Nicole.rev.1525361616.png 3x" data-max-w="1139" data-max-h="1137" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2055-nicole-powell"><p> Nicole Powell’s life is a like a zoo …and she loves it that way!</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Nicole Powell has a nose for career success; but when it comes to stinky barns, she can’t smell a thing.</p><p> Nicole is currently a “Swing Keeper” at the Memphis Zoo – which means she gets to move around from one area to another depending on where she’s needed. One day she might be bottle-feeding baby goats, and another day she’s helping  African Red River Hogs take a dip in the swimming pool. Nicole says they have young visitors who won’t go into some of the places where she works because they say it smells so bad; “but honestly, I smell nothing!”</p><p> Nicole was a Biology major (Chemistry minor), and she’s known for a long time this is the kind of work she wanted to do. At the end of her junior year at Emory & Henry she did an unpaid internship at the St. Louis Zoo in Missouri.  But zoo work doesn’t come easily.</p><p> She has sent out 130 job applications. After graduation, she completed additional unpaid internships in Columbus, Ohio, and New Orleans. Nicole says most descriptions for job openings ask for several years of paid experience but sometimes they’ll accept unpaid work because they expect up-and-comers to do that. “Three internships is average, but some do five.”</p><p> She’s happy to have this job in Memphis, even if it is only a part-time position. She understands that this is how it works: you get in the system and then you have the chance to move around to the best zoos and bigger jobs. When the chance arises, “I have to take the opportunity.”</p><p> Nicole admits to wishing she could get back a bit closer to her home state of North Carolina, but she is willing to do what she needs to do in order to get closer to a fulltime, fulfilling career in zoo work, especially if it’s a chance to work with giraffes. “I’d move anywhere for that job!”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2055-nicole-powell" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1745-becky-pretzel"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg" alt="Becky Edmondson Pretzel" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/198,324,1490,1615/3152_edmondsonpretzel-1122.rev.1518207187.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1292" data-max-h="1291" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1745-becky-pretzel"><p> Rebecca Edmondson Pretzel (E&H ’82) is the Associate Director of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) at UNC Chapel Hill. </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Rebecca Edmondson Pretzel (E&H ’82) is the Associate Director of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) at UNC Chapel Hill. </p><p> The CIDD is a comprehensive program for services, research, and training relevant to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The CIDD provides for clinical services that range from complex interdisciplinary evaluations on-site to more limited and selected clinical services. They also provide training in all 100 counties in North Carolina. (<a href="http://www.cidd.unc.edu/">CIDD website</a>)</p><p> According to a press release, Becky is a “psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UNC. At the CIDD, she serves as the Associate Director of our federally-funded University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) program, Director of Clinical Services, and Psychology Section Head. In addition, she is an investigator on a variety of research and training grants and supervises numerous graduate students and junior faculty.</p><p> Through her longstanding experience working with many N.C. service agencies (e.g., the Department of Public Instruction, Early Intervention Branch and Division of MH/DD/SAS), Dr. Pretzel has played an important role in raising the level of care for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in the state. Dr. Pretzel is currently serving as Act Early Ambassador in North Carolina, a program directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designed to improve early identification of young children with or at risk for developmental delays.”</p><div id="social-sharing-links" class="right clearfix"><div class="muted"></div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1745-becky-pretzel" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2595-mwenda-kazadi"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,399,398/6080_mwenda.rev.1553265890.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,399,398/6080_mwenda.rev.1553265890.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,399,398/6080_mwenda.rev.1553265890.jpg" alt="Mwenda Kazadi, E&H 2010, in his community in Liberia." width="345" height="225" data-max-w="399" data-max-h="398" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2595-mwenda-kazadi"><p> Mwenda Kazadi has taken his Bonner Scholars lessons into his career – and is committed to creating opportunities for his neighbors in Liberia.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div class="row"><div class="col-sm-12"><h1 class="profiles-page-title">   </h1></div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-xxs-12 col-xs-8"><div class="profiles-page-intro"><p> Mwenda Kazadi (E&H ’10) is living full time in Liberia now, and he is making an impact. </p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">“Currently, I run my own boutique advisory firm in Liberia called Impact Advisory Services, which specializes in agricultural finance, digital finance and small medium business (sme) lending & investing.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Mwenda’s work is particularly important in an area where land resources are plenteous but money is not. “Liberia despite, possessing vast amounts of natural resources and an ideal climate for agricultural production, is one of the poorest countries in the world, which suffers from rampant poverty and food insecurity. Working with Liberian farmers and agribusinesses to improve their businesses, increase their incomes and increase the overall investments in Liberia’s agricultural sector; it has the potential to deliver an enormous positive impact to improve the Liberian economy and promote stability.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Does he like the work? “I love it! I wake up every day excited about the new opportunities and challenges that I will face when I go into the office. I am doing what I love.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Mwenda transferred to Emory & Henry from Northern Virginia Community College after he brought his sister (Joy Kazadi, E&H ’10) for her first week as a freshman. He was so taken with the people and the campus he applied that day to be a transfer. “I really enjoyed my time at E&H and I know that what I learned there through my business and international studies classes, extracurricular activities and from the Bonner Scholars Community Service Program, helped prepare me for the work that I do today.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">He majored in business administration and minored in middle eastern international studies, and had a close relationship with a number of faculty members including Dr. Samir Saliba and Dr. Felicia Mitchell.  “We would grab meals together and I would spend time in their offices; at times discussing assignments & school work and other times we would just discuss current events and what I wanted to do upon graduation. They really went out of their way to make themselves available and I believe that those discussions helped to nurture my curiosity about how finance can positively impact the lives of individuals in developing and frontier economies.”</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">Mwenda also learned some great lessons in community organizing as a student. He organized a group called Men of Color Alliance (MOCA) that focused on facilitating discussion and raising awareness on issues about race and gender. Mwenda is half Congolese and half Liberian. “It also provided men of color with the necessary support system for the unique issues that they at times face.” He says the group was well accepted and supported by the College administration.</span></p><p class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-p1"><span class="m-6012971385762651590gmail-s1">While Mwenda loves the work he is doing now, he also has his sights set on the future. “I plan to continue working in this field for a few years. However, in the near-term future I see myself launching a West African region-focused impact investment firm; which is an investment firm that seeks to invest in ventures that are not only profitable but have a significant positive impact on the communities they operate in.”</span></p></div><div class="profiles-page-body"><div class="profiles_field profiles_14 profiles_body_14"><h4 class="profiles_14_header profiles_body_14_header">   </h4><div class="profiles_content"></div></div></div></div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/2595-mwenda-kazadi" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/792-bronie-reynolds"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,499,543/565_bronie.rev.1505403379.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,499,543/565_bronie.rev.1505403379.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,499,543/565_bronie.rev.1505403379.jpg" alt="Bronie Reynolds (E&H '84) poses with Mike Young (E&H '86)" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="499" data-max-h="543" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/792-bronie-reynolds"><p> Did you ever wonder who picks the best referees in the country? Turns our Bronie Reynolds (right, E&H ’84) is one of those people.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><blockquote><p> She picks the refs who make the big calls. </p></blockquote><p> Bronie Reynolds (E&H ’84, E&H Hall of Fame basketball point guard) laughs with glee as she recalls how Dave Thomas used a dust spray around the edges of the E&H basketball court. “He took such good care of the King Center…and we all knew if you got much beyond the court lines during a game, you’d slide all over the place because he had dusted over there!”</p><p> These days Bronie is looking at basketball from a different vantage point. She is one of a handful of people who evaluate basketball referees. She works for Charlene Curtis – former basketball standout and Hall Of Famer from Radford University who selects and assigns the Women’s Basketball Officials for the ACC, Big South, Southern and Colonial Conferences.  Bronie has known Ms. Curtis for a long time. “Coach Curtis, as I refer to her since I worked under her as her Graduate Assistant Coach at Radford University in 1984, is also responsible for the evaluation of the officials for those conferences.  She has to hire Neutral Observers, like me, to help her fulfill the expectations of each conference to have the best officials on the floor for every game. “</p><p> During the summer, she attends a camp where new officials try to break into conferences like the ACC and current officials try to vie for a better spot on the referee totem pole. Bronie says it’s very competitive. “Every year they’re all evaluated – so they have to be on their best game. They have to stay in shape physically, they must know the rules, and they need to appear invisible on the court. There is always someone trying to get their spot.”</p><p> She has a “day job,” too. She is Business Manager for Blue Spiral Consulting and an Insurance Consultant for Blue Ridge Insurance Services. However, throughout the year she watches tapes of games and attends games, and she gets to watch a lot of her favorite sport. “I get paid to watch basketball! Who can complain about that!?”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/792-bronie-reynolds" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg" alt="Bailey Williams, E&H Class of 2018, talking with Lamarr Alexander at Bristol's Rhythm & Roots in 2017." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,718,721/6008_bailey.rev.1551226795.jpg 2x" data-max-w="718" data-max-h="721" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams"><p> Bailey Williams: Class of ’18, and already landed her dream job.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Bailey Williams is a staff assistant for Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. She started the work in 2019 after a short-term stint as an intern for Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey.</div><div><br/> Her responsibilities in the Washington D.C. office will include answering calls from Virginians across the state, running the front office, and training new interns. Bailey says she’s especially looking forward to “working for a state she loves, a public servant she admires, and an institution that she has dreamed of being a part of for years.”<br/><br/> A Political and International Studies major at Emory & Henry, Bailey’s role in research for a class project in her Women and Gender Studies Class led to a sea of change on the E&H campus. She and classmates identify an alarming lack of attention to women and women’s stories on campus, and their studies and interviews led to a report that led to a new building on campus being named for Gov. Patrick Henry’s famous sister, Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell (she was a champion for Methodism in this region).<br/><br/> Now she’s ready to take her lessons learned on campus to a bigger stage. “This job is a dream come true. Emory & Henry College is where I discovered my passion for public service and learned the skills I needed to make it a reality. I can’t wait to be answering your calls and I hope to represent the Political Science Department and the College well.”</div></div><a href="/live/profiles/2546-bailey-williams" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg" alt="Jessica Richardson, E&H Class of 2017, at the Olympic Training Center." width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/179,576,1817,2214/6268_jessica_richardson.rev.1554756662.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1638" data-max-h="1638" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson"><p> Jessica Richardson is a data analyst for the U.S. Olympic Committee.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> It’s a match made in heaven.</p><p> Outstanding E&H athlete and mathematics major Jessica Richardson is a data analyst for the United States Olympic Committee. It’s like the job was made for her interests, talents, and academic expertise.</p><p> Part of the E&H honors academic program, Jessica also excelled as a student athlete at Emory & Henry. She was a four time All-ODAC First Team honoree, winning the 100 yard freestyle her sophomore year. She currently holds two individual E&H records as well as being a part of four relay records and was the league’s Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award recipient her sophomore year. </p><p> The Florida native is adjusting well to life in Colorado. “The new community of Colorado has been very welcoming. I absolutely love being back in the mountains, it reminds me a lot of my time at Emory. The culture and lifestyle of Colorado Springs is very active and I love that there is no end to the outdoor activities one can participate in (Pro tip: don’t underestimate the Manitou Incline - if you haven’t heard of it you should look it up!).”</p><p> She is grateful for the education she got at E&H and looks back now at the experiences and opportunities provided with gratitude for the preparation.  </p><p> “I will forever be thankful for my time at E&H. From the caring and passionate teachers whose guidance and lessons both in and out of the classroom helped me discover my passions, to the athletic department who not only supported me in the pool but provided me with opportunities to work in a sports environment, to the honors program that pushed me past my comfort zone as well as provided me with great opportunities including my first internship. I also am very appreciative of my friends and teammates who always supported and believed in me, helping me become the person I am today. ”</p><p> Her favorite thing about the new job is having a hand in helping Team USA and all of its athletes. “The projects I am working on everyday are challenging but rewarding in every way. My entire team is so welcoming and collaborative as we are all working to the same common goal, to support our athletes in pursuit of their dreams.”</p><p> When asked what she hopes to one day be doing, she replies: “Exactly this. This is way more than I ever imagined I would be able to achieve and right now I am living my dream.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2647-jessica-richardson" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/16-"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.jpg" alt="" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/25_3352ba2f2869555aca164cdd562e5444_f47341.rev.1490710878.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/16-"><p> Hannah Taylor (’15) Exploring Gender Stereotypes</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Hannah Taylor, a member of the E&H Class of 2015 from Atkins, Va. majors in psychology. Using her pet rabbit in an animal therapy program she seeks to help mentally challenged individuals and residents of nursing homes.</p><p> “They love getting to see him (the rabbit), and it warms my heart to see their reactions and how much they enjoy visiting with him. This is one of my passions, because it amazes me how people can connect with animals, and he is always able to put a smile on their face, even if they are having a bad day.”</p><p> Hannah Taylor, a member of the E&H Class of 2015 from Atkins, Va. majors in psychology. Using her pet rabbit in an animal therapy program she seeks to help mentally challenged individuals and residents of nursing homes. “They love getting to see him (the rabbit), and it warms my heart to see their reactions and how much they enjoy visiting with him. This is one of my passions, because it amazes me how people can connect with animals, and he is always able to put a smile on their face, even if they are having a bad day.”</p><p> Taylor says about Emory & Henry: “Emory & Henry is known for its quality education, which is ranked nationally, and when you attend Emory, you know you are getting a great education that you will always take with you. The professors at Emory are also ranked nationally; they do not hand you anything, you really have to earn it. With that being said, even though the professors are tough, they are always there for you and to help you in anyway they can. When you graduate from Emory & Henry College, it is something you can be proud of because you know you have worked very hard for your degree and your achievements. “</p><p> As a student at Emory & Henry, Taylor is currently completing her second internship through Abingdon Health and Rehabilitation in occupational therapy. Her first internship was completed last fall with Highlands Community Services at the Stepping Stones location where she worked primarily with bipolar and schizophrenic individuals. Last spring, Taylor and fellow classmate, Amy Wilson, completed a research project involving gender stereotypes and careers. Although the research did not bear significant findings, Taylor plans to expand her sample group and explore a wider range of demographics.</p><blockquote> Emory & Henry inspired me to become a psychology major, and I am very thankful for that. I love it, and couldn’t imagine majoring in anything else. Emory & Henry also has helped me gain professional contacts through internships. Being able to go out and intern at a future place of work is amazing; you are able to gain valuable experience while getting class credit. It has been an amazing experience for me, and I will always be thankful for it.</blockquote></div><a href="/live/profiles/16-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2769-andrea-pasillas"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg" alt="Andrea Pasillas" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/39,241,1387,1589/6540_Pasillas.rev.1562876147.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1348" data-max-h="1348" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2769-andrea-pasillas"><p> Andrea Pasillas is a Spanish teacher at Powell High School in the Knox County (Tennessee) school system.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Andrea is passionate about her teaching. She is dedicated to making the Spanish-speaking world accessible to every student by using comprehensible language acquisition theory and authentic cultural resources while emphasizing interculturality and celebrating multiculturalism.</p><p> The 2019-20 school year marks her sixth year teaching and she has spent all six years at Powell High School. “Over the last few years, I have learned that teaching is not for the faint of heart. Every day has a different struggle; however, every day presents itself with new opportunity: a new opportunity to interact with so many young minds and to play even the smallest role in shaping their view of the world. That interaction is one of the most rewarding aspects of this profession to me.”</p><p> In addition to facilitating language acquisition, she also sponsors the Spanish Club, Junior Class Fundraising, the Annual Winter Semi-Formal Dance, and trips abroad with students. She says she is most proud of the work that her students do in Spanish Club. “With the service-learning mindset that I experienced while at E&H, my students and I volunteer with Knoxville’s Hora Latina to help with the annual Hola Festival, have sponsored the Pulsera Project at Powell, we volunteer for Work Days at the Beardsley Community Farm, and host cultural events at Powell to bring Hispanic culture to our community.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2769-andrea-pasillas" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1434-gary-reedy"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,280,279/2269_Gary_Reedy.rev.1516131489.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,280,279/2269_Gary_Reedy.rev.1516131489.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,280,279/2269_Gary_Reedy.rev.1516131489.jpg" alt="Gary Reedy, E&H '78" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="280" data-max-h="279" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1434-gary-reedy"><p> Gary Reedy is CEO for American Cancer Society.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Gary M. Reedy is the Chief Executive Officer for the American Cancer Society. He took the position in April 2015, but he served as a volunteer for many years before that.</p><p>  </p><p> As a volunteer leader, Reedy is credited with transforming the organization into one able to better deliver on its lifesaving mission. He is a past chair of the Society’s volunteer Board of Directors and past chair of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network^SM (ACS CAN) Board. He also led the ACS Board’s advisory committee on transformation, a pivotal role for the organization’s recent restructuring work. He first joined the Society in 2000 as a member of the Board of Trustees of the former American Cancer Society Foundation. In recognition of his service, Reedy was elected as an Honorary Life Member of the Society in 2014.</p><p> Prior to taking the helm of the Society, Reedy had a distinguished 37-year career as a health care business and advocacy leader, most recently as the worldwide vice president of government affairs and policy, at Johnson & Johnson, where he spearheaded initiatives to influence global health policy. He previously devoted more than 25 years of his career to the business side of the industry, including senior leadership positions with SmithKline Beecham, Centocor, and Johnson & Johnson. During his tenure at Johnson & Johnson, Reedy served as president of Ortho Biotech, a Johnson & Johnson company with annual revenues of more than $3 billion.</p><p> Reedy’s nonprofit experience includes current board appointments for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund, the National Health Council, Research America, and Emory & Henry College. He is an active member of the Atlanta Rotary Club, previously served on the C-Change board of directors, and was a charter member of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer.</p><p> As the Society’s top staff executive, Reedy leads the strategic direction and overall management of the organization, with 2  million volunteers, 6,000 staff, and 5 geographic regions. He works with the Society’s Board of Directors to establish the organization’s vision and drive revenue and impact to achieve its lifesaving mission.</p><p> Reedy also holds an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Arcadia University. He and his wife, Cindy (E&H ’80), live in Atlanta, Georgia, and are the proud parents of two adult daughters, Katie and Stephanie. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1434-gary-reedy" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1840-adam-taylor"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.jpg 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.jpg" alt="Adam Taylor" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/535,58,1256,781/3315_Adam_Taylor.rev.1519072284.jpg 2x" data-max-w="721" data-max-h="723" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1840-adam-taylor"><p> Adam Taylor is director of the Catawba Sustainability Center.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Adam Taylor is the manager of the <a href="http://vtrc.vt.edu/Catawba_Sustainability_Center0.html">Catawba Sustainability Center</a>, which is situated on a 377-acre property in the Catawba Valley and is devoted to environmental education activities.</p><p> The center is a collaboration between Outreach and International Affairs, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and Roanoke County.</p><p> Adam previously worked at the West Virginia Farmers Market Association, a statewide organization in West Virginia, where he worked to support and grow West Virginia’s local food economy through project development and management, stakeholder outreach, and policy change.</p><p> Adam also carried out a two-year assignment with the Peace Corps as a forestry Extension agent in Zambia and a yearlong internship on the 100-plus-acre organic farm owned by Dr. Stephen Hopp, Environmental Studies instructor at Emory & Henry, and author Barbara Kingsolver. The farm is highlighted in the book <strong><em>Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life.</em></strong></p><p> A native of Tazewell, Virginia, Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Emory & Henry College in 2008 and a master’s degree in agriculture from Oklahoma State in 2014.</p><p> One of the projects that Taylor oversees at the Catawba Sustainability Center is a wetlands restoration project, which received a $15,000 grant from the Dominion Foundation.</p><p> The center, in collaboration with Virginia Tech and <a href="http://www.wetlandrestorationandtraining.com/">Wetland Restoration and Training</a>, plans to do three things:</p><ul><li>restore at least three wetlands in an effort to enhance a biologically diverse habitat for sensitive and endangered plant and animal species </li><li>improve water quality of Catawba Creek </li><li>train professionals in wetland design and restoration using techniques that can be replicated to restore wetlands in diverse environments. </li></ul></div><a href="/live/profiles/1840-adam-taylor" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2306-cathy-bottrell"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,8,214,222/4535_41368297_705985249770551_4194188508329410560_n.rev.1536365207.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,8,214,222/4535_41368297_705985249770551_4194188508329410560_n.rev.1536365207.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,8,214,222/4535_41368297_705985249770551_4194188508329410560_n.rev.1536365207.jpg" alt="Cathy Bottrell, E&H '82" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="214" data-max-h="214" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2306-cathy-bottrell"><p> Cathy Bottrell doesn’t wear a cape: but her work with families facing cancer is super.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Look at Cathy Bottrell’s Facebook photos and you’ll see a woman who takes her job <strong><em>very</em></strong> seriously;  there are pictures of her posing with fairy princesses, welcoming Storm Troopers, wearing pajamas to the office, dressed like a super hero, and doing a dance routine with a rolling office chair.</p><p> Cathy doesn’t work at a theme park: she works for the Inova Life with Cancer Center.</p><p> Inova offers a raft of free programming for individuals and families who are facing cancer, and Cathy is involved at every level to do her part to add simplicity to bureaucracy and lend guidance in what can be a stressful world of treatments.  She is a licensed clinical social worker who spent 8 years working with HIV patients, and now finds herself helping families maneuver complicated systems of health care while also finding time for the joys of life. Focusing on cancer treatment while also trying to maintain positive outlook can be tricky; Cathy’s work intervenes to help maintain a healthy balance.</p><p> She’s an oncology clinical therapist at Inova Life with Cancer - Inova Schar Cancer Institute – a large facility with 40 employees. They have a family center that is a like a large home where cancer patients can learn how to deal with cancer from day to day while also maintaining quality of life for their families.</p><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/height/530/src_region/0,226,504,894/4532_Cathy_Botrell.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><picture class="lw_image lw_image4532 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/400/height/530/crop/1/src_region/0,226,504,894/4532_Cathy_Botrell.rev.1536350726.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/400/height/530/crop/1/src_region/0,226,504,894/4532_Cathy_Botrell.rev.1536350726.jpg 1x"/> <img width="400" height="530" alt="Cathy Botrell will go to extremes to cheer up her friends at work: even if it means dressing like Batman." data-caption="Cathy Botrell will go to extremes to cheer up her friends at work: even if it means dressing like Batman." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/400/height/530/crop/1/src_region/0,226,504,894/4532_Cathy_Botrell.rev.1536350726.jpg" title="Cathy Botrell" data-max-w="504" data-max-h="668" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a>Much of Cathy’s work is with children – hence all the princesses and storm troopers – and that can be difficult; but Cathy doesn’t let the sadness keep her away from the people she loves to serve. “The families I work with show me the strength of love and compassion and how strong and brave people can be. I’m so honored to be a part of their journey during their difficult times.”</p><p> So if you see Cathy headed to work wearing a funny mask or a cape, don’t be surprised. Just know that she’s on her way to the office – where she performs acts of heroic goodness, all in a day’s work.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2306-cathy-bottrell" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/842-ken-noe"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/203,60,416,273/744_noe.rev.1507061099.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/203,60,416,273/744_noe.rev.1507061099.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/203,60,416,273/744_noe.rev.1507061099.jpg" alt="Dr. Ken Noe (right) with another E&H alum, Peter Thomas ('08)" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="213" data-max-h="213" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/842-ken-noe"><p> Weather can influence more than your picnic: it also affects entire military campaigns.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> When Dr. Ken Noe (’79) was growing up in Elliston he remembers that weather played a huge role in the work done on his grandfather’s farm. “If rain was coming, we dropped everything else to put up hay.” He thinks this experience planted a seed in the back of his mind about the impactful influence of weather. Later, his interest in weather grew when he took a geography course at Emory & Henry with Dr. Ed Bingham.</p><p> But even he could never have predicted that he would now be writing a two-volume book on weather’s impact on the American Civil War.</p><p> Ken is the Draughon Professor of Southern History at Auburn University. He is the author or editor of seven books, and he has published scads of articles, essays and chapters about the Civil War. He is a decorated history professor serving at West Georgia College before heading to Auburn. He was a Pulitzer Prize entrant and won the 2003 Kentucky Governor’s award, the 2002 Peter Seaborg Book Award for Civil War Non-fiction, and the 1997 Tennessee History Book Award. He has won several teaching awards, has served as president of the Alabama Historical Association, and is serving on the Advisory Board of the Society of Civil War Historians. He has even been a consultant for the NBC series <em>Who Do You Think You Are? </em></p><p> But in all his prolific writing and research and publishing even he is surprised that his biggest and most industrious work to-date will be about weather.  “Meteorologists are still trying to work out why the weather during the Civil War was so unusual. They dealt with incredibly snowy and rainy winters and droughts in the summer that affected Southern food supplies. There were dust storms, flooded rivers, and only two hurricanes. It had a profound effect on many campaigns.”</p><p> His research on weather has already taken several years, and he still has a few years left before he publishes. And even he was amazed to realize just how much information he had accumulated. “Very little has been written about Civil War environmental history. It is only now becoming part of the conversation about Civil War history.”  </p><p> Ken says that even in a field of study like Civil War history where so many things have been written, there is still new area for research and a lot of topics that haven’t been covered.  He has grad students asking new questions about the role of religion, the prison industries during the war, the role of friendship, and one young man, who is an E&H grad, is looking into camp life.</p><p> Even though we have just passed the 150^th anniversary of the American Civil War, Ken points out that this conflict still has implications for current events; and he marvels that most conversations over the past 18 months have quickly moved from history to current topics like the Confederate flag, U.S. prisons, and race relations. He says his field has gotten so tangled with politics that there is a declining interest in Civil War history among the public. “But this event still has much to teach us. It was a great turning point in American History and opened up questions that are still being answered about equality of humankind, the status of women, states’ rights. I don’t know how we can answer all these questions unless we go back to the beginning.” He consistently stresses to his students the importance of going back to primary source information rather than depending on how the stories have been told and passed down.</p><p><a href="/live/image/gid/68/height/500/744_noe.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><picture class="lw_image lw_image744 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/450/height/490/744_noe.rev.1507061099.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/68/width/450/height/490/744_noe.rev.1507061099.jpg 1x"/> <img width="450" height="490" alt="Photo: Dr. Ken Noe poses with one of his Auburn grad students, Peter Thomas (E&H, '08). In addition to the flag of his home stat..." data-caption="Photo: Dr. Ken Noe poses with one of his Auburn grad students, Peter Thomas (E&H, ’08). In addition to the flag of his home state in the background, if you look closely, you can just make out the end of his lacrosse stick from college days." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/450/height/490/744_noe.rev.1507061099.jpg" data-max-w="450" data-max-h="490" loading="lazy"/> </picture> <span class="lw_image_caption lw_align_left" style="width: 450px">Photo: Dr. Ken Noe poses with one of his Auburn grad students, Peter Thomas (E&H, ’08). In addition to the flag of his home state in the background, if you look closely, you can just make out the end of his lacrosse stick from college days.</span></a>Ken actually majored in education at Emory & Henry and still remembers panicking when he realized he didn’t want to be a junior high school teacher. “I had a lot of electives leftover and started taking history classes late in my college experience. I realized what I wanted to be was a historian and teach at a higher level.” A conversation with Patsi Trollinger (’72) reassured him that most alumni do not stick to work within their major. And a conversation with Dr. Gene Rasor in the history department led to a phone call which ended with Dr. Rasor telling Ken he had an interview with the history department at Virginia Tech.</p><p> The rest, as they say, is history.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/842-ken-noe" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>