Alumnae Spotlight

In addition to being a proud alum, Sandy Theunick '64 served as the Director of Students at Stone Ridge from 1970 to 1973. After a distinguished career in education and leadership, Sandy transitioned to chaplaincy, driven by a deep passion for spiritual support. Read about her journey here, which she describes as “more than just a career; it’s a calling."

Madeline Fontana ’21 is the first Coast Guard Academy attendee in 20 years. She is in her second year (3rd Class) as an Electrical Engineering major and rower at the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA). She is one of six females in her year pursuing an EE degree which is the same curriculum and caliber as the MIT EE program. This past summer, she spent time on USCGC Midgett (National Security Cutter) out of Hawaii and gained exposure to various Coast Guard capabilities and missions such as Aviation (HC-130 aircraft and MH-65 Dolphin Helos), Search and Rescue, and the overall functionality of the Coast Guard. In addition, she competed at the Head of the Charles, the largest collegiate regatta in the United States. Congratulations to Madeline!

Alex Gangitano ‘10 graduated from Villanova in 2014 and now works as a journalist at The Hill. She reports on lobbying, campaign financing, and the intersection of business and politics with a recent focus on trade policy and the 2020 presidential campaign. She also appears as a pundit on television and radio. 

In her free time, Alex serves as co-chair of the Enzler Society with fellow alumna, Margaret Crilley ‘10. The Enzler Society is the young professionals’ arm of Catholic Charities DC, which supports the Youth Transitional Program, a transitional shelter for college-aged men. Alex also founded the Kerri Holbrook Foundation in honor of her college friend who passed away from pancreatic cancer. The foundation offers grants to young people with cancer in order to fund their education, health care, or life passion.

Education
Villanova University

Mariel is a mechanical engineer for NanoRacks, an aerospace company that operates the only commercial laboratory in space. Her official title - Payload Integration Engineer - means that she helps folks on earth (high schools, universities, research labs, etc.) send their experiments  (payloads) into space.

More technically speaking, she acts as the customer interface for payload integration for Blue Origin New Shepard (the space vehicle) and leads an engineering team in the development and integration of payload hardware; provides human factors design input to payload developers, and; develops and reviews crew hardware interfaces, flight crew procedures, and payload requirements.

Sending experiments into space allows researchers to witness how biologicals (or other material) act in microgravity (think “floating” in space). For instance, one might send cancer cell samples into space, see how they react in microgravity, preserve them, and, after the suborbital spaceflight, compare them to a sample on the ground.

Her most recent task is acting as the project lead for NanoRacks Feather Frame, which will allow flight for up to twelve experiments at once.

At Stone Ridge, Mariel took many science and math classes with supportive teachers who were happy to help her with her studies during class and even during lunch. She recognizes that her time at Stone Ridge gave her invaluable lessons that are helping her today - especially on how to stay organized and to prioritize what matters in life. “Stone Ridge taught me the capacity to remain organized, to understand what is going on, and to enumerate what is a priority and what can be put aside for a later date.”

Her advice to students? “Be persistent! You can’t expect to understand something the moment it is taught. It’s okay to seek help beyond yourself.”

She also encourages students to concentrate on what she and other scientists call “soft” skills – namely, communications and writing. In college everyone was required to take an introductory English or writing course no matter one’s major. “I was the only engineer in my freshman English class and I always had the best papers in class. Writing is very helpful because you have to communicate to everyone else so that they fully understand your work. If no one understands your work then the work means nothing.”

As to the future of her field, she is excited to see an increase in the accessibility to space that has come with commercialization. As she said, “Aerospace used to be just NASA. That is no longer the case.” With talented engineers like Mariel leading the way, every day people’s access to space is getting closer and closer every day.

Education
George Washington University, Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering 2013

Working in the world of investment banking, Dylan serves as the product controller in the finance department of Credit Suisse. As a member of the Equity Derivatives-Prime Services team, she monitors and controls the bank’s sales and trading activities through profit and loss and balance sheet reporting and analysis.

After Stone Ridge, Dylan attended Elon University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance in 2016. Dylan acknowledges that pursuing a career in a male-dominated field was challenging. But, as she explains, she was thrilled to take on the challenge. “Being one of a few female students in my finance courses was a contrast to my all-girls education at Stone Ridge. As a ‘lifer’ I was accustomed to being a part of a small community of driven young women. However, I found pursuing a career in a male-dominated field to be an exciting challenge. I, too, was interested in the variety of career paths the industry provided, from financial analysis to financial advising and management.”

In addition, the financial services industry provides Dylan with a greater global perspective. “On a daily basis, my role allows me to connect with individuals both domestically and internationally and in both developed and emerging markets,” she explains. She hopes to one day visit the bank’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

Dylan admits to continuing to embody the Goals of the Sacred Heart. In particular, Goal V. “‘Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom’” has played an integral role in my personal and professional development,” she states. “Working in the financial services industry provides for a high-pressure and time-sensitive environment as well as teamwork and collaboration, which has presented a variety of work styles and personalities – an adjustment I had to adapt to. Goal V has guided me through tackling these obstacles.”

In addition to her daily tasks, Dylan takes advantage of the company’s programs designed for employee development. In her first year at the bank, she took supplemental courses and attended workshops for professional development. “I credit my commitment to personal growth to the Sacred Heart education I received and the values I learned at Stone Ridge.”

As to her future, Dylan is interested in pursuing a Master’s in Business Administration, Information Technology, or Computer Science to further examine the intersection of technology with finance and the role it will play in our economy in the future. “My Stone Ridge education provided me with the confidence to pursue an industry that constantly puts me to the test. I confront my challenges with faith in my abilities. I am grateful for the intellectual values instilled in me from a young age. And I strive to be socially aware in order to adjust to new work environments while also building a strong and supportive community with my peers.”

For Stone Ridge students and alums considering careers in finance, Dylan recommends completing an internship in the industry (Dylan interned at Credit Suisse in the summer prior to her senior year at Elon). “My experience helped me confirm my interests, applied my college coursework to real-world situations, and provided me with great networking opportunities with mentors and senior management.”

Dylan lives in Raleigh, North Carolina and has recently joined the Junior League of Raleigh. She looks forward to meeting other professional women in the area and embodying Goal IV – building of community as a Christian value – as she performs service work in her new community.

Education
Elon University, Bachelor of Science in Finance 2016

Jacqueline Albarran was born in Havana, Cuba and moved to Washington DC, where she attended Stone Ridge from Grade 4-12. She studied French in Lausanne, Switzerland, attended five years of Architectural school in Bogata, Colombia, followed by one year of post graduate school in London, England. She returned to the US, met husband, and moved to Palm Beach. Jackie has practiced Architecture in the United States, Colombia, El Salvador, Spain and Switzerland. As Principal of SKA Architect + Planner, she has been mostly dedicated to new residences, renovations and historic restorations of single family homes in Florida, specifically in Palm Beach, Jupiter, and Hobe Sound.

Jackie has served four terms on the Landmarks Preservation Commission of the Town of Palm Beach as a regular member and is currently serving as the non-resident expert. She has been published in several national and local publications such as Architectural Digest, Florida Design, Palm Beach Life, and Conde Nast House and Garden. In both 2009 and 2014 she received The Schuler Award given by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach for excellence in design of new residences in town.

Education
Ecole Lemania
Universidad de los Andes
University College, University of London

In 2010, Corinne is the founder of DC Diaper Bank. The DC Diaper Bank works to provide an adequate and reliable supply of diapers to babies, toddlers and their families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. It is modeled after successful diaper banks around the country, providing diapers to social service organizations that are already helping families in need through comprehensive programs and services.

Education
Trinity University
The London School of Economics and Political Science

Mary is an actress. She has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, acted in national television spots, become a production coordinator for various independent television shows and movies, is a tour guide at Universal Studios, writes music reviews for the LA Music Blog, and performs improv and stand-up comedy throughout LA.
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Education
The College of William & Mary