Alumni in Action

1960s

• Nancy Pearlman, F66 and S68 still hosts the longest running broadcast radio program about our ecological crisis, Environmental Directions, with a new show every week. Her volunteer nonprofit work with Educational Communications includes actions with the  Ecology Center of Southern California and humanitarian projects including an orphanage in Kogelo, Kenya, East Africa.

• Bari Johnson, F64 and S65 has closed his consulting business and is now retired. He is a Rotarian and has been working in Honduras for almost 20 years, installing water filters, latrines, and stoves. 

1970s

• Sarah Catterson, S75 takes cruises regularly with her husband, and just completed a Panama Canal cruise on Regent’s newest ship, the Grandeur, which offers passenger culinary classes taught by with great chefs.

• Claire Cassidy, F72 became the first Research Director at an American acupuncture school, then spent three years of training to become an acupuncturist and doing clinical work, meanwhile publishing an edited text on Contemporary Acupuncture. She is now retired from teaching and clinical practice and deep into writing a text comparing six different medical systems—East Asian Medicine among them—which should appear in 2025.
• Tripp Amick, S75 recently retired and happily remarried in 2016. They split their time between the US and the Dominican Republic. 
• Katie Sanchez, S77 and S82 was recommended to be a guest speaker on any Disney Cruise Line cruises. Her first trip will be February 13, 2024 for 15 days to the South Pacific, Australia, New Caledonia, American Samoa, Fiji and Hawaii. Her itinerary includes ten presentations and a meet and greet with her “The Passionate Globetrotter,” and a former 20 year cast member of the The Walt Disney Company.
• Maryjo Cole-Paz y Mino, F78 Lives in Annapolis, Maryland and is in her 25th year of teaching Art. She has four kids and six grandchildren, and just returned from a cruise to Türkiye, Italy, France and Spain, rekindling her love of being on the sea!
• Penny Hallin, F79 has recently retired after 20 years as a film editor and another 20 as an elementary school teacher. She continues to travel and find adventures whenever she can and is still good friends with fellow joyriders from her voyage. She still enjoys exploring new places and sharing the love of life-long learning.
• Jim Berry, S79 recently retired after almost 40 years in the insurance industry. He still fondly remembers his time with SAS and believes that his time certainly broadened his views of a global nation.

1980s

• Rosario Salamanca, F81 is from Colombia and was one of the few international students sailing on the Fall 1981 voyage. Her  son Juan Jose Betancourt sailed in 2015 and now, her  daughter Sofia Betancourt is traveling on the Spring 2024 Voyage. Cheers from Colombia!

• Peggy Campbell-Rush, F83 and staculty F14  was awarded a position with the US Government and is honored to be a US Fulbright Education Specialist with the ability to help over 150 countries worldwide with educational issues, trends, and research.

• Karen Gerrior-Mariani, S88 works at High Point University in High Point, NC as the Associate Director of Regional Admissions based in Boston, Massachusetts. She has wonderful adult children ages 19, 20, and 23 and loves to keep in touch with her SAS friends from over 30+ years ago.

• Jay Katz, S89  is happy and healthy and splits his time between New York City and Florida. He thinks about his SAS experience often.

• Ruth Ann Freedman, F80 On a recent group trip to Asia, her first since SAS, she met a fellow SAS alumni, Duane Huennekens, a 1979 voyager. They had a fabulous time reminiscing about their respective SAS trips.
• Mark Rubn, F84 and S87 After a nearly 30 year career in law enforcement, and earning his Ph.D., Mark is now an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Alice Lloyd College in the Appalachian Mountains of southeastern Kentucky.
• Jeffrey Maltzman, RD F84 After graduating from law school, he pursued a career in maritime law representing major cruise lines around the world. He is fortunate to have a job that frequently brings him back to the high seas. When not working at his law firm, he owns and manages Continental Divide Winery, the world’s highest altitude winery based high atop Colorado’s Rocky Mountains in Breckenridge and Fairplay. Drop by our tasting room anytime to share SAS stories!
• Steven Bailey, S86 just published his latest book about the wartime history of Hong Kong, which he first visited during his Spring 1986 Voyage. The book is titled “Target Hong Kong: A True Story of U.S. Navy Pilots at War” and will be released by Osprey/Bloomsbury in February 2024. 
• Romi Skolnik, F88 currently lives in Mammoth Lakes, California with her husband and son. They enjoy all things outdoors, skiing, horses, and love to travel. She is a property manager which correlates well with her love of meeting new people.

1990s

2000s

• Gordon Jackson, S02 Since retiring from his journalism teaching role at Whitworth University in 2015, he has been busy writing. He has published three novels, including a satire on campus censorship titled, “Never Say Moist at Wyndover College.” It continues to amaze him how frequently his family (Sue and now fully grown children Sarah and Matthew) refer to their time on SAS and the indescribably rich experience it was for each of them.

• Ryan Ubuntu Olson, S07, Su11 and F14  has recently launched a memoir, “Finding My Humanity,” This book chronicles his transformative journey from a troubled youth in middle America to evolving into a global advocate for human rights, especially around gender and sexual diversity. One section of the memoir is dedicated to how Semester at Sea changed his life, sharing the experiences of his travels around the world, including remarkable moments with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
• Tania Israel, (Faculty S07) is thrilled to announce her forthcoming book—Facing the Fracture: How to Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation! She wrote this book as a resource for anyone who is distressed about politics or social discord. It goes beyond dialogue to address a broad range of factors related to polarization, from social media to cognitive biases to voting. Her aim is to help readers feel informed, empowered, and even optimistic. Facing the Fracture will be available everywhere on August 13.

• Katherine Schram, F03 (Katherine Scheib on Voyage) is finishing her elementary teaching degree, teaching fourth grade. She lives in Pittsburgh and has a one-year-old daughter.
• Joe Brookover, F04 Recently accepted a position as Assistant Director of Student Affairs at Des Moines University—one of the largest medical schools in the country and the second oldest osteopathic medical school.
• Rev. Michael Wallace, F06 took a Sabbatical from July-November 2023 in Barranquilla, Colombia with his wife and three children where he taught Systematic Theology at the Universidad Reformada.
• Gloria Rudolf, F07 has published a new book based on her 50-years of research in a highland community (Loma Bonita) in central Panama. Titled “Esperanza Speaks,” it’s the life story of one woman and four generations of her family, most of whom are known and admired.

2010s

• Brittany Davies, Summer 2010 Welcomed her first baby, Archer Thomas Davies on February 21, 2023. She hopes he will be a future SASer!

• Erin Karpovich, F13 has spent the last seven years in her dream role as a Cruise and Travel Director at Holland America Line. She oversees the entertainment experience onboard and educates guests on what they can discover onshore. She is very grateful to combine her passions of traveling and helping people.

• Michel Renou, F19 is living in a home for elderly people during the winter and travels in the Spring. He leaves for Perth, Australia in February.

• Alex Klomparens, S19 After returning home from SAS, he immediately began to work toward a brighter future, with plans of opening his own non-profit business. He currently manages a nationally acclaimed Stand Up Comedy Club.

• John Copenhaver, S11 served as religious studies faculty on the S11 Voyage; his son, Thomas, was a student, and his wife, Marsha Childs, was a Lifelong Learner. In October, he and his son walked the Camino Portuguese from Porto to Santiago, roughly 160 miles over 12 days. He said it was like an extended SAS FDP—where they learned so much about Portugal and Spain, and the history of the Camino. 

• Sarah Sloane, F13 After teaching in higher education at four different universities for 40 years, she is retiring from Colorado State University and is now Professor Emerita. Teaching for two semesters on SAS are among the highlights of her career. The Modern Women Writers classes and students especially were such a joy. Thank you, SAS!

• Mason Martin, S19 married Valeria Cintora, S19 on September 25th, 2023. Valeria and Mason were both on the SAS 126 Voyage and are excited to continue their journey together! Valeria continues to make a difference in the lives of others by her non-profit work with Water for People while Mason works as an Associate at FMI focused on M&A for the built environment.

• Shae McPherson (S12) a hip-hop artist and musician recorded a song about his experience on SAS! Listen here
• Bryant Korth, Summer 2010 is moving to Tampa, Florida. He would love to meet up with fellow SAS alumni in the area. 
• Hannah Borrego, F11 was studying cultural anthropology and photojournalism at the University of Hawaii when she attended SAS. Now, she is an executive producer in television, having just sold a show to Magnolia Network called “Building Outside the Lines.” She says: “Stay true to your dreams, but stay flexible in your approach. It will ensure an interesting journey.”
• Michael Melamed, F11 has moved back to Minnesota after living in Denver for five years. He works in Real Estate, owning and managing a portfolio of rental properties, in addition to working part time in accounting for a real estate management firm. He recently got married in Big Sky, Montana on June 24th, 2023 and adopted a puppy golden retriever named Hank.
• Taylor Pefferkorn, F16 said SAS changed her life in the best way possible. Fueled by the independence that SAS gave her, she started her very first business just a few months ago. She has already found great successand attributes the aspiration to be her own boss to her SAS journey. 
• Dong Wang, S16 has put down roots in beautiful Northwest Germany, and has taken up oil & water color paintings, drawing, swimming, canoeing and hiking. Professionally, she has published over five academic books for teaching undergraduates.
• Liza Bunce, S16 is working at Meredith College in NCwhere she hopes to start something called a “Student Usability Board” which will allow students to have an active part in how school websites, plans, and designs are used! She still tries to travel as much as possible and is also into SCUBA diving. If there is anyone in NC who likes to dive, let her know!
• Cassandra Schultz, S19 has graduated and continues to travel. In the summer season, she lives on a remote glacier in Southeast Alaska and works with children and animals in the off season. She plans on reaching her last two remaining continents in the next few years.

2020s

• Gianna Jannuzzi, S20 has recently been accepted into University of Florida’s Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine program! She will begin the program this August and is extremely excited that all of her hard work has paid off.
• Steven Multer, S22 has returned to school to continue his studies pursuing a degree in hospitality management and nutrition. He also continues to play his instrument, being in multiple selected ensembles within The University of Alabama, as well as working with the dietitians of athletics department and bartending. He plans to graduate in December. 
• Ethan Bello, S22 is currently applying to graduate school to become an occupational therapist. 
• Kortnie Koebel, S22 is currently Miss Texas Mission and will compete in the Miss Mission USA pageant this fall.