Class Notes are generated by personal submissions as well as by news releases, public announcements and LinkedIn postings. If you have news to share, please send your professional and personal updates to casealum@casealum.org.
Or submit your class note HERE.
Jonathan Reichert ’53, PhD
Buffalo, New York
Jonathan is the founder of TeachSpin Inc. and the Jonathan F. Reichert Foundation, both of which support physics labs across the country, including at his alma mater. Through TeachSpin, the Department of Physics has been able to offer nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers for research. Jonathan said his passion for experimental physics education stems from his Case professor, Chuck Smith, “who yelled at us, challenged us, and made laboratory physics instruction both demanding and fun!”
Carl David ’58, PhD
Forest Hills, New York
Carl and his family created “Little Grids for Big Kids,” an illustrated book of mini crosswords for children, available through Amazon.com. He and his wife worked with their son and grandson to create the puzzles, partly as a distraction during the Covid pandemic. “We are all avid solvers, and our grandson has puzzle-making experience. Even so, this project was harder than we expected!” Carl reports. He is a distinguished professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Connecticut.
Carl Helrich ’63, PhD
Goshen, Indiana
Carl is a founding member of The Stable Climate Group, a volunteer organization of scientists and engineers seeking solutions to problems associated with global warming and working to stabilize the climate. He’s a professor emeritus of physics at Goshen College, where he taught for 24 years.
Robert Gingell, Jr. ‘77
Sunnyvale, California
Rob and his wife, Diane, made a $1.5 million estate gift that will endow the William A. Shannon Graduate Fellowship in Computer and Data Sciences at the Case School of Engineering. William “Bill” Shannon ’78, MS ’81, was Rob’s friend and classmate who helped recruit Rob to Sun Microsystems, where Rob rose to become a Sun Fellow, vice president and chief engineer. “It seemed like an opportunity to remember him and the experiences we had at CWRU, which were so helpful to the things we accomplished later on,” Rob said.
William Emling ’79
Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania
Bill was featured in the Oral History Capture Program of AIME, the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers. The video recounts his path from Case Institute of Technology to leadership roles in research, management and sales at the nation’s leading steelmakers. You can view the video here.
Joseph Rencis, PhD ’85
Ormond Beach, Florida
Joe has been named to the board of regents of the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where his name is enshrined in the Alumni Hall of Fame. He’s the associate dean and a professor in the School of Engineering in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide. Joe earned his doctorate in civil engineering at the Case School of Engineering.
Kimberly Wiefling, MS ’86
Redwood City, California
Kim was awarded the 2025 Distinguished Graduate Alumni award by the CWRU College of Arts and Sciences. A physicist, she has distinguished herself as an engineer, a management consultant and a writer and lecturer. Kim is the author of Scrappy Project Management and the executive editor of five other Scrappy Guides. In announcing the award the college said, “Having studied physics and held engineering and technical roles when few women did, her career reflects her grit, creativity, and technical and business acumen.”
Greg Shaw ’87, MS ’89, PhD ’93
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Greg returned to campus in February to speak at the annual conference of the Polymer Initiative of Northeast Ohio (PiNO). As the principal of Innovation and Risk LLC, he advises clients in areas of innovation and technology. Greg is a former vice president of DayGlow Color Corp. and a former marketing and technology director at Swagelok. He earned three degrees in materials science at Case.
Hang Loi ’88
St. Paul, Minnesota
Hang shared her journey from child refugee to engineering innovator at Ivy Tech Community College as part of its 2026 Global Leadership Speaker Series in February. Her talk helped the school to celebrate Engineers Week and its theme of “Transform Your Future.” Hang enjoyed a long career at 3M, where she distinguished herself as a product engineer and inventor.
Linda Rae, MS ’90, MBA ’95
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Linda shared her insight with Case students at the annual Engineers Week luncheon of the Society of Women Engineers in February. A longtime technology executive, she retired last year as Vice President and General Manager of Power and Energy Resources Software at GE Vernova.
Lori (Aruscavage) Postak, MS ’94
Solon, Ohio
Lori is a Master Recycler for the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, a volunteer role where she shares her recycling expertise and enthusiasm. For her real job, she’s the research and development manager for solar at Quanex, a global manufacturer of components for homes with operations in Akron. Lori earned her master’s degree in macromolecular science and engineering at Case.
Brian Wopershall ’97
Fairview Park, Ohio
Brian has joined the board of directors of the Case Alumni Association, where he will serve on the scholarship committee. A civil engineer, Brian is a principal and management consultant at the Cleveland office of Arcadis, a global architecture, engineering and design company.
Vikram Karnani, MS ’98
Lake Forest, Illinois
Vikram in December was appointed to the board of directors of Dyne Therapeutics, a clinical-stage neuromuscular disease company. He is president and CEO of Collegium Pharmaceutical, based in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Previously, Vikram worked at Amgen as executive vice president and president of global commercial operations and medical affairs for rare diseases, where he led the integration of Horizon Therapeutics following its $28 billion acquisition. He earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Case School of Engineering.
Mark Elder ’99
League City, Texas
Mark is the EVA hardware manager at the Johnson Space Center, a job growing in importance as NASA prepares for Artemis missions to the Moon. He leads the team responsible for the spacesuits, tools, and logistics that keep astronauts protected during spacewalks. Mark earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case, where he conducted an experiment for the Johnson Space Center. After working on jet engines for Pratt & Whitney, he joined the nation’s space agency and has been with NASA for more than 25 years.
Adam Snyder ’02, MEM ’03
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Adam in February was named president of Talan Products, a Cleveland-based manufacturer of high volume metal stampings and fabricated aluminum extrusions. Previously, he was the company’s chief operating officer. Adam, a mechanical engineer, is a member of the board of directors of the Case Alumni Association.
Catherine Stephens, PhD '04
New York, New York
Catherine returned to campus in February to address the Polymer Conference of Northeast Ohio, PiNO 2026, as its keynote speaker. She is a conservation scientist at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, where she characterizes artists’ materials, monitors environmental conditions in galleries and storage, and leads projects focused on how material properties evolve as artworks age. Catherine earned her doctorate in macromolecular science and engineering at the Case School of Engineering.
Emily Warren ’06, MS ’09
Solon, Ohio
Emily again shared her insights with Case students at the annual Engineers Week luncheon of the Society of Women Engineers, where she joined a panel discussion of fellow alumna. She’s the Director of Engineering at MIM Software.
Christine (Fleming) Hendon, MS ’07, PhD ’10
Long Island City, New York
Christine is an associate professor of electrical engineering and a Provost’s Senior Faculty Teaching Scholar at Columbia University, where her research focuses on optical imaging and spectroscopy instruments to enhance cardiac care. Christine earned her advanced degrees in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering.
Christopher J. Williams ’07
Washington, D.C.
Chris is the Acting Deputy Director of the Integrated Aviation Systems Program at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. In this role, he supports the planning and management of experimental flight research. Previously, Chris was Deputy Director of Aeronautics at the NASA Glenn Research Center.
Sara McBride-Gagyi, MS ’07, PhD ’11
Westerville, Ohio
Sara is an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Ohio State University, where her research focuses on bone development and repair. Prior to joining OSU in 2022, she was an assistant professor in orthopedic surgery at Saint Louis University. Sara earned her advanced degrees in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering.
Christa L. Pawlowski ’11, PhD ’15
Solon, Ohio
Christa was named to the inaugural listing of Next25, Ohio’s top 25 technology innovators who are 35 and under, as chosen by Ohio Tech News. She’s the co-founder and COO of Haima Therapeutics, a biotechnology company spun out of CWRU that is developing synthetic blood platelets. Christa earned her Case degrees in biomedical engineering.
Poorva Limaye ’13, MEM ’14
Avon, Ohio
Poorva participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Society of Women Engineers in celebration of Engineers Week in February. She is an Optical Physics/Color Scientist for PGG, a paint, coating and adhesives manufacturer with operations in Greater Cleveland. Poorva earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
Brian Morin ’13
Mentor, Ohio
Brian has been promoted to plant manager of the Painesville Films Facility of Avery Dennison. Previously, he was operations manager. Brian also worked for Swagelok as a production supervisor. He earned his Case degree in mechanical engineering.
Cal Al-Dhubaib ’16
Lakewood, Ohio
Cal was named to the inaugural listing of Next25, Ohio’s top 25 technology innovators who are 35 and under, as chosen by Ohio Tech News. He’s the Head of AI & Data Science at the Cleveland offices of Further and a national voice for ethical AI.
Chip Kennedy ’16
Raleigh, North Carolina
Chip took part in the CWRU Entrepreneurship Speaker Series in February, leading a roundtable discussion on the topic “Creating Tools that Meet the Community.” He is the founder and CEO of CivicReach.AI, which creates AI tools for government and non-profit agencies. Chip is also co-organizer of Triangle Tech Night, which brings together engineers, designers, and founders for networking and conversations. He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science at the Case School of Engineering and served as president of Undergraduate Student Government.
Sarah Cate Pfister ’16, MS ’19
Cleveland, Ohio
Sarah added her solar engineering insight to a panel discussion at the annual Engineers Week luncheon of the Society of Women Engineers in February. She’s the technical program manager of Amazon Solar. A GE Edison scholar, Sarah earned her Case degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering.
Bahja Sofiane ’16
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Bahja is a senior account executive for Equinix, a global California-based company that provides digital infrastructure for businesses. She speaks several languages, including French and Arabic, and brings a background in engineering and consulting to her role. Bahja earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Case School of Engineering.
India Johnson ’17
Cleveland, Ohio
India’s company, UAVistas LLC, was named to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s CO-100, which recognizes America’s Top 100 small businesses. She is the founder and CEO of UAVistas, an aerial data collection company that specializes in environmental mapping using drones. India earned dual degrees in computer science and biology.
Shruti Raghunathan ’17
Cleveland, Ohio
Shruti is pursuing a doctorate in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, having been awarded the American Heart Association Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. She’s a graduate student researcher in the lab of Professor Anirban Sen Gupta in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Vineet Erasala ’18
Boulder, Colorado
Vineet is joining the 2026 cohort of the Embark Deep Tech Startup accelerator at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he will focus on a biotech startup that sprang from university technology. He’s the co-founder and former chief operations officer of Genetisis, a Cincinnati-based medical device company that was purchased by a strategic partner in 2025. Vineet earned his Case degree in biomedical engineering.
Annastasia Wong ’18
San Francisco, California
Annastasia has joined WSP as a senior consultant for ports and marine engineering. Previously, she was a civil structural engineer for COWI. Annastasia earned her Case degree in civil engineering and went on to the University of California, Berkeley, for her master’s degree.
Abdullah Braik, MS ’19, PhD
College Station, Texas
Abdullah is a post-doctoral research assistant at Texas A&M University, where he earned his doctorate and focuses on community resilience to natural hazards as a structural engineer. He earned his master’s degree in civil engineering at Case, where he was a Fulbright Scholar.
Camila Castro ’19, MEM ’23
Huntersville, North Carolina
Camila was named a senior consultant for Project Farma, where she started as a project engineer in 2021. The life sciences consulting firm partners with healthcare companies to help deliver new treatments to patients with rare diseases. Camila earned her bachelor‘s degree in chemical engineering and her master’s in engineering management.
Breanne (Bree) Christie, PhD ’20
Laurel, Maryland
Breanne is a senior engineer at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where she focuses on somatosensory and visual neuro-prostheses. She earned her doctorate in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering.
Andrew Lonsberry ’21
Columbus, Ohio
Andrew was named to the inaugural listing of Next25, Ohio’s top 25 technology innovators who are 35 and under, as chosen by Ohio Tech News. He’s the co-founder and CEO of Path Robotics. Spun out of Sears think[box], the Columbus-based company makes AI-driven robotic welding systems.
Xudong “Andrew” Fan, PhD ’22
Buffalo, NY
Andrew is assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he specializes in municipal water systems. He earned his doctorate in civil engineering at Case.
Xijin “Emma” Zhang, PhD ’22
Fairfax, Virginia
Emma is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering at George Mason University. Her research focuses on mitigating the impacts of climate change with innovative, nature-based solutions. Emma earned her doctorate in civil engineering at the Case School of Engineering.
Katherine Dabkowski ’23, MS ’24
Brecksville, Ohio
Katherine added a young alumna’s insight to the panel discussion at the annual Engineers Week luncheon of the Society of Women Engineers. She’s a technical service engineer for Lubrizol Corp., where she interned while earning her master’s degree in biomedical engineering.
Caden Kacmarynski ’24
Cleveland, Ohio
Caden is chief AI architect at MorelandConnect, a software development and consulting company. He also serves as chair of the nonprofit board of the Quantum Coalition, a student-rooted network that promotes quantum computing and quantum information sciences. Caden earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering physics at Case, where he founded the Quantum Computing Club.
Victoria Laney, PhD ’24
Chicago, Illinois
Victoria was the keynote speaker at the March 2 spring research showcase of the Case Center for Imaging Research. She’s a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Illinois, Chicago, where she specializes in early diagnosis and immunotherapy treatment of cancer.
Toni Omotayo ’24
Scottsdale, Arizona
Tony has started a new position as an associate digital product manager for American Express. Previously, he was a technical product engineer for Intel. Toni earned bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case, where he was a member of the National Society of Black Engineers.
Jiro Batt ’25
Baltimore, Maryland
Jiro joined the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory as an associate engineer. He interned in the lab while earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case, where he was a member of the Men’s Swimming and Diving team.
@2020 Case Alumnus Magazine
Case Alumni Association, Inc.
All rights reserved.