Choose a year below to see what your classmates have been up to.
Click here to submit your class note.
2009
Kimberly M. Morrison — 2102: Sigma Theta Tau, Nu Eta Chapter Member; 2013: Achieved PCCN Certification, published evidenced based research: Morrison, K & Holt, K (2015) The Effectiveness of Clinically Indicated Replacement of Peripheral Intravenous Catheters: An Evidence review with implications for clinical practice. Worldviews on evidenced based nursing, 12 (4) 187-198. DOI 10.1111/wvn.12102
Submitted: May 2017
Adaya Young — had a great experience at Maria. Now, she is embarking on a new career: running her own day care program in West Palm Beach, FL.
Submitted: November 2015
Alexandra Zimmerman — credits Maria with helping her succeed in a career that has included working with Hospice and in hospital case management. She also reports that, due to a rare disease, she has been unable to participate in many of the activities she loves. Currently, Alexandra runs support groups for those suffering with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Submitted: December 2015
Elizabeth Tuttle, RN — works for St. Peter’s Health Partners in St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY. She is a detox/rehabilitation nurse, has earned her national certification in homeopathy, and is a member of the Homeopathic Nurses Association.
Submitted: Fall 2014
Jason Rosenberry — is a member of the senior team for TaxMatrix, serving as director for New York. Since graduating with an AAS in accounting, he has gotten married, bought a house, and started a family. His first child was born in October 2013.
Submitted: Fall 2014
David Faas, RN — has been promoted to RN Clinical Supervisor at Maxim Healthcare Services of Albany, where he has worked as a visiting nurse for the past four years.
Submitted: Fall 2014
Grace Coons, RN — is nursing supervisor at Teresian House, a 302 bed nursing home facility, in Albany. She has devoted most of her nursing career to providing women’s health and infertility services. Grace continues to advance her education and is enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner MS Program at SUNY Polytechnic (formerly SUNYIT) in Utica, NY.
Submitted: Fall 2014
2008
Kim DeNitto — is an occupational therapy assistant at the Center for Spectrum Services, where she was named the 2014 Ruby Rose Award winner for her exceptional job performance. A professional artist and photographer, Kim shares her creativity with her students in a therapeutic setting. She feels “so fortunate to have found a career that is both so gratifying and such a perfect fit.”
Submitted: January 2016
Jami Passaretti — graduated from Maria’s LPN and AAS in nursing programs and works in the Albany Day Habilitation Program of Warren, Washington & Albany Counties Chapter of NYSARC.
Submitted: Fall 2014
Jennifer’s triplets
Jennifer Navarette, RN — spent six years as a critical care nurse and helped develop a congestive heart failure clinical pathway for nurses and patients at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady, NY. She left Ellis this summer after the birth of triplets Wesley, Estelle, and Zachariah. Jennifer now lives with her family in the Catskills and works as a visiting nurse for Basset Healthcare Network in Delaware County. Once the babies start kindergarten, she plans to continue her education and become a nurse practitioner.
Submitted: Fall 2014
2007
Paul Busman, RN — is an OR circulating nurse for St. Peter’s Health Partners at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY. His wife, Charlene Busman, is now a member of the Maria nursing faculty.
Submitted: Fall 2014
Katherine Urban, RN — earned both of her nursing degrees from Maria: an AAS in 2006 and her BSN in 2014. Now, she is enrolled in Stony Brook School of Nursing’s online Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program. Katherine has worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Albany Medical Center since becoming an RN in 2006. “I have a rewarding, but challenging job, which I love.”
Submitted: Fall 2014
2006
Meghan Hendrickson Hickey — works in the SICU of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Durham, NC. She obtained her critical care registered nurse (CCRN) certification in 2013 and is pursuing her BSN at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, with an expected May 2016 graduation date. Meghan lives in Cary, NC, with her husband of six years, Chris, and sons Gunner (13) and Elliot (3).
Amanda Koennecke — is pursuing her MS in neonatal health to become a neonatal nurse practitioner. She works at Albany Medical Center as an assistant nurse manager in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Katherine Urban, RN — earned both of her nursing degrees from Maria: an AAS in 2006 and her BSN in 2014. Now, she is enrolled in Stony Brook School of Nursing’s online Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program. Katherine has worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Albany Medical Center since becoming an RN in 2006. “I have a rewarding, but challenging job, which I love.”
Submitted: Fall 2014
2005
Diane Quinn — has held many jobs, including orthopedics nurse at St. Peter’s Hospital, substitute school nurse in the Bethlehem district, private home-care nurse for a friend’s mom suffering from lung cancer, and endoscopy nurse at Albany Memorial Hospital. Currently, she is a case manager for Aetna insurance company—her “favorite job thus far.”
Laura K. Fay — received an AAS degree in occupational therapy from Maria and, after working for several years in a sub-acute long-term care facility, earned an MS from Utica College. Now, at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady, NY, she once again works with sub-acute, long-term care residents. Laura loves having students and teaching them about the profession. She is looking into becoming a certified field work educator, certified aging-in-place specialist, and adjunct professor. Laura devotes her spare time to photography, especially photos of landscapes and nature.
Submitted: Fall 2014
2004
Sandra Sankowski — Best decision I ever made for my nursing career was to pursue the LPN to Rn degree at Maria.
Submitted: May 2017
Amy Dickenson Ovitt — Clinical adjunct faculty for Albany Medical Center.
Submitted: May 2017
Linda Kindlon — has been the baker/owner of Bake For You bakery on Delaware Avenue in Albany for the past six years.
Submitted: February 2016
Sandra Sankowski — is having a wonderful time as an RN in the PACU at Ellis Ambulatory Surgery and shares: “Although I can retire at any time, I am finding it very hard to give up a career that I love.”
Submitted: January 2015
William Whalen RN — works at the National Institutes of Health / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease Vaccine Research Center. Currently, he is conducting phase 1 vaccine clinical trials for malaria, Ebola, chikungunya, H7N9, HIV, and human monoclonal antibodies.
Submitted: Fall 2014
2003
Mary McDonald — is a registered nurse case manager in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and neuro ICU at Albany Medical Center. She is enrolled in Maria’s BSN program.
2002
Jean Marotta, RN — is a pre-admission testing nurse at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, clearing patients for anesthesia. She enrolled in Maria’s AAS program in 1998, after witnessing the birth of her granddaughter—and at the urging of the nurse who assisted with the labor and delivery. After graduation, Jean’s first nursing experience was in labor and delivery; her preceptor was the very nurse who encouraged Jean to enroll in nursing school. “Full circle. I loved it.” Jean is married with three children and four grandchildren. The author of Momma Jean’s Kitchen Cookbook, she held a book signing at The Book House at Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany and taught a Lunch and Learn cooking class at the Price Chopper Market Bistro Cooking School. She remains in touch with Sister Jean, “a dear friend and wonderful source of encouragement and support during my tenure at Maria.”
Submitted: Fall 2014
2001
Nancy and Alisa
Alisa R. Guyotte — works in the PeriOperative Department at Ellis Hospital and is preparing for the CNOR exam to become certified as a perioperative nurse. After graduating from Maria in 2001, she was hired immediately by Albany Medical Center Hospital as a cardiac perioperative RN. She then worked for MVP Health Care as a transplant RN case manager and earned her certified case manager (CCM) and certified professional in healthcare management (CPHM) credentials.
Submitted: December 2015
Patti Clickner — is president and CEO of Clickner Security Inc. and has served as an adjunct instructor at Maria for the past 10 years.
Submitted: November 2015
Jenene (Ellis) Pabon — has been working at Barnwell Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Valatie, NY, for 10 years. Most of her co-workers also are Maria alumni, employed with Barnwell for 10 years or more. Jenene also works per diem at Good Samaritan Village in Delmar, NY.
Submitted: Fall 2014
David Alan Curry — in paralegal, is now retired. He is a licensed notary and twice-published author.
Submitted: Fall 2014
2000
Jenifer Wygant — works as a post anesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse at Memorial Hospital and is enrolled in Maria’s RN to BSN program. She and her husband, Alex, have been married for 11 years and have two children, 8-year-old Ian and 3-year-old Luna.
Submitted: January 2017
Nga Malpezzi — went back to school and earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Sage College of Albany. She will receive her master’s degree from Sage Graduate School this May and is working at the NYS Department of Tax and Finance. She shares: “I enjoyed my times at Maria College. The teachers and advisors were always available to lend a helping hand and an ear. It took me 10 years to earn my associate degree in accounting, but I did it. I have a lovely son, 14 years old, and I enjoy my times with my family.”
Submitted: December 2015