Litthada Nina Chanthapanya-Ong
BA Integrative Studies 2003
Liberal Studies for Education (PK-6) Concentration
During her last year with NCC, Nina was teaching Pre-Kindergarten at a private preschool and enjoyed it very much. Since graduation, she has been a substitute teacher for Loudoun County public schools and has also held various Administrative/Clerical Support roles at different companies throughout the Northern VA area. At the moment, she is looking to get into the field of marketing and public relations. Since graduation, she has done some marketing and PR for local youth non-profits as a volunteer and thinks it would be exciting if it was her full-time job. Nina would love to be able to use marketing and public relations to help an organization better achieve its goal of inspiring young people.
For the past year, Nina has also been an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay. She had never used Mary Kay before becoming a consultant, but now she loves the products and enjoys helping other women look and feel beautiful from the inside out! This holiday season, Nina is donating $5 for every $30 she makes to the Salvation Army. If anyone is interested in helping her with this effort, they can visit her website at www.marykay.com/mrschong28. Nina can also be contacted via email at mrschong28@marykay.com or by phone at 571-243-6808.
Joey Blake (Class of 2004) and Katherine Embrey (Class of 2004)
Joey Blake and Katherine Embrey were married on Sept. 2, 2006. Since the wedding they have moved to McLean where they share a house with their dog Callie. They are excitedly awaiting the arrival of their first child due June 18, 2008.
Samantha Pleasant
BA Integrative Studies 2006
Community Studies Concentration
Women's Studies Minor
I'm in my second year of working at Stoneleigh-Burnham School in Greenfield, MA. It's an all girls boarding school (one of the oldest in the country!) and I am working as the Associate Director of Admissions in addition to many other duties. But my main work is traveling to recruit high school and middle school students to join our boarding community and to introduce them to our school and its programs as well as designing and working with our external marketing. I am a resident on the Middle School Hallway and spend one night a week and one weekend a month helping with homework, planning fun activities and chaperoning students off campus. I teach riding at the barn and have been coaching the Interscholastic Equestrian Association upper school team which is a great group of very talented riders (see picture)! During the summer I am the Director for an equestrian camp for young girls so I get to ditch the suits and office for a few weeks to have some real fun!
I don't think I would be nearly as successful (or have been entrusted with so many responsibilities) without NCC's stellar preparation for entering the workforce. In November I presented at The Association of Boarding School's conference on our internal marketing procedures. I've also been asked on occasion to be a resource or write for two premier riding magazines: The Horseman's Yankee Pedlar and The Equine Journal. I know NCC is responsible for giving me the strength of voice and command of pen (or keyboard) that it takes to stay active and competitive in this occupation. So thank you to all the NCC faculty that help make NCC such a positive and rewarding experience!
Maxwell Smith
BA Integrated Studies 2001
After graduation, I began my professional career at the Advisory Board Company, which provides best practices research, executive education, business intelligence, and consulting services for hospitals, health systems, etc. The majority of my time there was in Marketing Associate for the consulting division – but after deciding sales and marketing wasn't the career for me – I also spent some time as Chief of Staff in the IT department. In 2003, I left the Advisory Board Company to join Grant Thornton , the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International, one of the six global accounting, tax and business advisory organizations.
Since then I have spent more than four years in their Global Public Sector, which is charged with providing responsive and innovative financial, performance management and systems solutions to governments and international organizations. I've worked for a diverse set of clients, including the Federal Aviation Administration , Department of Veteran Affairs, Internal Revenue Service, Department of State , and, most recently, the United States Patent and Trademark Office. These experiences have allowed me to lead business process reengineering, organizational assessment, change management, performance management, and information technology initiatives. I've also served as a technical advisor for the Consortium of Advanced Management, International's program for Process Based Management and the Government Results Center .
My wife and I recently moved to San Francisco, CA. It's a return home for her and, as a native of Northern VA for my entire life, a welcome change for me. I will continue to work as a Manager at Grant Thornton, though I am shifting to their Business Advisory Services group, where I will provide similar services for the private sector.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellsmith
Ashley (Craw) Keapproth
Class of 2004
Ashley is finishing up final semester at George Mason Law School and will begin practicing law at the
D.C. office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in April 2008.
Ashley recently wrote an article that was published in the George Mason Law Review and was the President of the Law school in the 2006-2007 school year.
She also got married to Nik Keapproth on August 4, 2007 at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, MD. Ashley and Nik currently reside in Alexandria.
http://www.law.gmu.edu/gmulawreview/issues/14-3/Documents/Craw.pdf
Jodi McGinnis Porter
Class of 2001
Jodi joined the State of New Mexico's Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department in June of 2006. Previously she was the Public Relations Officer for the New Mexico State Treasurer's Office. She has also worked as a Graphic Designer for Munson Graphics and Christie's Great Estates. In addition, she worked for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman in Washington, D.C.
She received a BA in Integrative Studies concentrating in Computer Graphics and Design with a minor in Multimedia from George Mason University graduating with highest distinction.
Jodi is a native New Mexican whose ancestry can be traced back to one of New Mexico's Alcalde Mayors. Her ancestor, Antonio José Ortíz, Alcalde Mayor of Santa Fe was acknowledged as a New Mexico Colonial Patriot of the American Revolution. The Daughter's of the American Revolution (DAR) recognized him on the fact that he rendered aid to the American cause by "being instrumental in collecting the required donations."
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/MAIN/Administration/PublicInformation.htm
Sara (Glennie) Carroll
Class of 2001
Liberal Education for Elementary Education
After graduating, I continued at Mason and got my teaching licensure for PreK-6th and then my MEd in Curriculum and Instruction in 2004. I worked in Prince William County, VA teaching kindergarten for two years and then moved to Gloucester, VA and taught kindergarten for two years as well. In December 2006, opened Lil' Roos Preschool & Child Day Center, Inc, with my two good friends and things have really taken off. It has been a year now and we are at full capacity and in the process of looking for a larger building.
Family wise, I got married in June 2004 to a wonderful man named Kevin. He is from Southern California and when we met he was an active duty Marine. He has now been honorably discharged and is a firefighter/medic in Newport News, VA. We both enjoy volunteering at our local rescue squad as EMTs. As always, I keep busy and there is rarely a second that I just get to sit at home and relax.
Myra Ceasar
BA Integrative Studies 2003
MS Organizational Development/Knowledge Management, 2005
Co-Founder, TeaCo LLC
www.Tea-Co.com
In November 2006, after working as an Government Contractor for two years, I decided to follow my dream of opening my own business. On November 3, 2007, my dream becomes real upon the successful grand opening of "TeaCoUnique Cafe & Lounge."
TeaCo LLC is a partnership between myself, my fiance' and his mother. Our purpose is to serve healthy beverage and food options in a comfortable lounge atmosphere. We're piloting this concept on the Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) with the hopes of expanding to Northern VA in the next year or so.
Throughout this journey, I can honestly say that the intense coursework as a former NCC student taught me the discipline to develop my business. I appreciate the opportunity to share my news, and look forward to reading more alumni stories.
Erika Woodworth
BA Integrative Studies 2007
Community Studies Concentration
Leadership certificate
After graduation I worked as a Lead Crew Supervisor for Virginia State Parks Youth Conservation Corps. VSPYCC is a summer education and community service program for young people to learn the principles of natural resource stewardship and the importance of sustaining Virginia 's unique natural environment. The program heightens respect for the environment, increases stewardship of public lands and fosters teamwork, self-esteem, social responsibility, and improves citizenship and work skills. Lead supervisors are responsible for budgeting money for food, living accommodations, and free time, taking pictures of the park and crew members and uploading them online, structuring and monitoring phone calls, addressing disciplinary problems and filling out appropriate paperwork, assist with planning events, work projects, motivating and developing leadership within each individual, and driving members to and from the work site. When I completed this summer adventure, I began the job that I have right now as an Educational Associate for a Third Grade special student in southern New Hampshire. I am this students one-on-one mentor and instructor in reading, spelling, writing, math, behavioral skills, discipline, and developmental life skills growth within the community. I also assisted with 6th, 7th and 8th grade cross country running coaching. I was in charge of setting good paces in all of the workouts. I timed practice and race meets, also assisting students with confidence, race strategy, and any other questions they had about being physically active.
I love what I am doing for work this year, and hope that it will continue throughout my career journey. One last thing that I wanted to mention is that I am also writing a book titled "The First Step to Saving the World" ~ the importance of each meal and a healthy diet. I have recently reached the 100 page mark and hope that it will be finished in May 08 and published within a year of that date.
Click on photo below to view larger image:
