2011
MeredithZingale
LindseyBackman
wasaccepted into the
biological chemistry Ph.D. program at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
MIThasbeenher top choice anddream
graduate school. Lindsey writes that
her love of science started at Academy,
which led her tomajor in biochemistry
and conduct research at the University
of Florida.
Lindsey Martinez
graduated from
Loyola University New Orleans on
May 9. She was on the Dean’s List,
having earned a 4.0 GPA in her final
two semesters. She also received the
ReligiousStudies IgnatianWorksAward
forhercommunityserviceandpresence
in the religious study community. She
worked on a book called “Humor in
the Bible” and was editor under the
supervision of teacher, Sister Terri
Bednarz. Thebookwill bepublishedand
added to Loyola’s curriculum in the fall.
Lindsey accepted a job offer at Loyola
working in thealumni officeasassistant
director of annual giving. In the fall she
will start her master’s at the school,
working towards a degree in religious
education.
S
Elysia Pendezec
, while a senior at
Loyola University, worked with Luke’s
HouseClinic topromote theirmissionas
a “place of medical and spiritual hope,
healthandhealing for thepeopleofNew
Orleans.” The work was part of her
public relations capstone class.
Alongside her team of five students,
Elysia helped develop a comprehensive
public relations campaign for Luke’s
House Clinic to implement. Luke’s
House Clinic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization that provides free medical
care to the uninsured community,
primarily in Central City, New Orleans.
Theprogram thrivesoffof thededication
of volunteer physicians and staff. Elysia
graduated from Loyola in May and
hopes to use her public relations and
marketingexperience tocontinue tohelp
local organizations expand within the
community.
MariannaSotomayor
was the inaugural
recipient of the George Washington
UniversityWhiteHouseCorrespondents’
Association (WHCA) scholarship. The
$2,500 scholarship was applied to her
fourth year at the school. In April, she
had the opportunity to attend theWhite
House Correspondents’ Dinner and
meet President andMrs.Obama.
Caitlin Vaka
recently graduated from
Furman University with a Bachelor of
Arts in philosophy and political science
and a minor in poverty studies. In the
fall,Caitlinwillbeginamaster’sprogram
at the Harvard Graduate School of
Education in international education
policy. She hopes her degree will
enable her to work on a macro scale
to help enable children to have the
opportunity to pursue their passions
and dreams, and allow them to move
past impoverishedsituations.
Nicole Popp
works for Carnival
Cruise Lines. After graduating from
the University of Miami in 2012, Popp
joined Carnival and is now a strategic
sourcing manager in the supply chain
department,
managing
business
awards and contract negotiations for
the supplies and services that need
to be onboard and carried out prior to
sailing. She is studying for her certified
professional in supply management
(C.P.S.M.) certification to further her
understandingof pricing structures and
market dynamics.
KimRenspieandJebBush
S
Kimberly Renspie
is a legislative
research assistant for the FloridaHouse
Majority Office. After graduating from
Academy, Renspie went on to earn
her undergraduate degree in political
science from Catawba College in 2012.
She moved to Tallahassee, where
she interned in the Florida House of
Representatives Majority Whip Office
while earning a Master of Public
Administration (MPA) from Florida
State University. Upon graduating in
2014 with her MPA, Renspie went to
work full time for the Florida House
Majority Office. She is responsible for
tracking all education and economic
affairs legislation through thecommittee
process and final passage. Renspie
works closely with committee staff and
Housemembers to craft talking points,
createmessaging and research various
issues.
2009
ShannonMcCarthy
S
Danielle Duet
will graduate at the
end of July from the University of St.
Thomas in Minnesota with a master’s
degree inCatholicstudies.Shecurrently
works as the communications and
publicity assistant in the Office of
CampusMinistryat theuniversity.
2010
OliviaMartinez
Elizabeth Barrett
graduated from
Louisiana State University in May
2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in mass
communications. She is currently
employed as the project coordinator
with Telescope in Los Angeles, a
recognized industry leader in the
digital marketing space. Telescope’s
proprietary
technology
platform,
CONNECTLIVE, is usedby some of the
biggest entertainment and consumer
brands in theworld, includingFacebook,
Twitter, American Idol/FOX, The Voice/
NBC, Miss Universe, NBA, NASCAR,
Sprint andSprite. Barrett also keeps up
with her freelance photography; view
herworkat lizzybarrett.com.
Olivia Booth
lives in Washington,
D.C., where she works for Booz Allen
Hamilton, focusing on health privacy
and policy for the Department of
Veterans Affairs. Booth graduated from
the Catholic University of America with
a bachelor’s degree in environmental
chemistry in May 2014. She plans to
attend graduate school at the George
Washington University Milken Institute
School ofPublicHealth in the fall,where
she will study global environmental
health.
S
Kailyn Perez
was crowned the first
Miss Florida World America 2015 in
April. Shewill represent Florida at Miss
World America 2015 in July. Kailyn
graduated from University of Central
Florida inDecember 2013. She plans to
attendStetsonUniversitySchool of Law
in the fall.
SAVE
THEDATE
Markyour calendars for
April 14-17, 2016
asAcademysings
anddances its
way through
ConradBirdie’s
induction to
theArmy!
46
SUMMER 2015
47
ALUMNI
UPDATES
2008-2011
