Your University Ambassadors

A proud Lehigh University graduate, Varma began his career at JPMorgan in New York. Most recently, he is the founder and CEO of Aire, which has built a new type of credit bureau with the simple mission of making consumer credit work for everyone. Often described as a new upgrade for the operating system for credit, Aire is based in the U.K. with operations in the U.S. as well.

Varma relocated from New York to London in his early twenties and founded a number of successful tech start-ups. He won the British Council’s Young Entrepreneur award in 2009 and was nominated for the European Commission’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014.

He also continues to be an active angel investor in the technology scene apart from being a regular speaker on financial inclusion, technology, and AI. Most recently, he was featured in WIRED in October 2019.

Sherman is a former senior litigation paralegal for an international law firm in New York City where he resides. He has a B.S. from Lehigh in management and marketing and received an M.B.A. from Fordham University in 1986. He is a member of  the Tower Society. Sherman is a regular volunteer for reunions through the years. In addition to being his Class flag bearer at freshmen rallies, he is currently the Class of ’75 Co-President, manages the class's Facebook page, and is an alumni volunteer for Admissions. Sherman is an avid runner, has completed four New York City marathons, and is a certified Yoga teacher.

Denton received her B.S. in computer and information science from Lehigh in 1983, M.S. in management information systems from Pace University, and an MBA from Columbia University. She has been cited in a Harvard Business School entrepreneurial case study, presented at numerous technology conferences in Europe, Asia, and the United States; and authored telecom publications in German and English. As VP of channels and partnerships for Pipefy, Denton partners with leading technology firms across the globe to grow top line revenue and to increase total addressable markets. For 30+ years, she has successfully navigated high-tech’s culturally diverse industry while working with proven companies — Bell Laboratories, Siemens, Accenture, Cisco, IBM, and 3 acquired software start-ups. She is a member of Lehigh’s Tower Society, Columbia Business School’s Hermes Society, and Chief, a private network that connects, supports, and advances female leaders. Denton lives in New York City and Bedminster, Pennsylvania.

Trustee Liaison Julie Frehafer ’11, of Neptune, NJ, is a Program Manager at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, NJ, leading an integrated team across various functional areas and managing cost, schedule, and performance for several aircraft carrier Visual Landing Aid (VLA) programs. These programs encompass cradle-to-grave lifecycle management of the primary and backup optical and visual systems that guide fixed-wing pilots to land safely on carrier flight decks, as well as their land-based training systems located at naval and Marine Corps air stations throughout the world. Previously, she was a Systems Engineer supporting air/ship integration efforts for an unmanned air system and L-Class ship design. Julie holds a Bachelor of Science in integrated business and engineering and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering with an aerospace engineering minor from Lehigh, as well as a Master of Engineering in systems engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology with a graduate certificate in space systems engineering. Julie is a former president of Lehigh’s Young Alumni Council and volunteers with hospice patients in her free time.

Trustee Liaison Frederick “Freddy” Coleman ’17 ’19G, of Jersey City, NJ, is a technology consultant in financial services at EY and the founder and Managing-Director of GhanaMade, a cultural digital media company with a footprint in New York, London, and Accra. His work contributions in professional services have made impacts of +$20 million in sales with national financial institutions. Coleman also serves on the professional executive board of the National Society of Black Engineers. He is a member of the CPA society of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, NABA, and the NBMBAA. His sustainability work includes promoting and supporting black higher education, with a focus on the African community in the US and students from his ancestral country of Ghana. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business information systems and a Master of Engineering in technical entrepreneurship with honors from Lehigh University. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. Coleman has served Lehigh as a board director for the Alumni Association, a member of the Young Alumni Council, a leadership member of the BALANCE alumni affinity group, and a volunteer for the Alumni Admissions Outreach program. As an undergraduate, he was the President of the Class of 2017, Assistant Treasurer of the Student Senate, Chapter Senator for the National Society of Black Engineers, Council Elder for the African Student Association, and a Carl Greer Scholar.

Mary Beth Tully ’84 ’21P, of Garden City, New York, is a former nonprofit and health care executive; in recent years, she has devoted herself to volunteer leadership roles in the nonprofit sector. She earned her M.P.A. in health policy and administration from the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service in 1987. While at Lehigh, she was a member of Alpha Phi sorority. As an alumna, she has served as president of the Class of 1984 and Reunion Committee gift chair; is a member of the Asa Packer Society, Tower Society, and Parents' Council; and regularly participates in The Rally.

In the New York City region, she serves as a board member of the United Hospital Fund, a health policy research and philanthropic organization, and served as a trustee of NYU Winthrop Hospital where she led the Development Steering Committee. She is a longtime volunteer with the Junior League of the City of New York and led the organization as its president from 2002-2004. Tully recently concluded her term as board chair of the Alpha Phi Foundation based in Evanston, Illinois, and has served as the lead volunteer alumnae advisor for her sorority's chapter at Hofstra University since 2010. Her twin daughters, Caroline '21 and Elizabeth '21, are also part of the Lehigh family.

Bartlett is currently a Marine Resources Specialist for Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Pacific, an entity of the Department of the Navy, which supports the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Originally from Hopewell, New Jersey, Bartlett currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii, with her husband and puppy. She received a B.A. from Lehigh University in environmental studies and political science in 2011 and an MS in marine affairs and policy from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in 2013.

Currently, Bartlett is spearheading fundraising efforts for the Dr. Frank Douglas ’66 Endowed Scholarship Fund for the Advancement of Black Excellence and serves as a co-chair for the 2011 Reunion Committee. She also continues her class office responsibilities. In her spare time, she can generally be found in the ocean, cuddling her rescue pup, and serving as president of her recently co-founded nonprofit, The Next Swell. Her mother (Fran Sturiale ’81), father (Tom Bartlett ’80), and two grandfathers (Ralph Bartlett ’47 and Phil Sturiale ’52) are all Lehigh alumni.

Tony Caciolo earned a BS and MBA from the College of Business. After being manager of international marketing for Bell and Howell and an application engineer for General Motors, he started Monogram Custom Homes and Pools, which has grown to become one of the top 50 pool builders in the USA. Caciolo’s company has built 50+ high-end swimming pools and 10+ custom homes in and around the Lehigh Valley. He has been involved in the Lehigh University Alumni Outreach program, was a chapter advisor for Sigma Phi Epsilon, was a multi-year host for the freshman Sendoffs, has served as a LUAA Board member, and has been a Lehigh Alumni Award recipient.

Caciolo and his wife, Penny, got married in Lehigh’s Packer Memorial Church in 1990, and their son, Dominic ’23, is a junior at Lehigh. The Caciolos own “Lehigh Valley’s Favorite Ice Cream shop,” The Inside Scoop, in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, and they hosted the last Class of 1989 reunion at their home in Upper Saucon.

Jessica Chu is a brand marketer and strategist specializing in founder-led start-ups within the beauty, lifestyle, and wellness space. She received a B.S. in supply chain management and a double minor in journalism and mass communication from Lehigh University in 2010. Chu has worked with brands like Chevrolet, Nine West, The Estée Lauder Companies, First Aid Beauty, and Briogeo Hair Care. At Lehigh, she was a sister of Kappa Alpha Theta and a member of Student Senate, Mustard & Cheese Drama Society, and The Brown and White. As an alumnus, Chu serves as an alumni volunteer for admission. She currently splits her time between Massachusetts and New Jersey. In her free time, Chu enjoys playing tennis and spending time outdoors and loves all things Ina Garten.

Cohen, of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, received a B.A. in economics with a minor in international relations in 1988, followed by a J.D. from the American University — Washington College of Law. While at Lehigh, Cohen served as a Gryphon, and he also ran the student activities group responsible for bringing musical and comedic talent to the university. While not practicing law, he also served for nearly 10 years as the mayor of Berkeley Heights. Currently, he is an associate vice president and deputy general counsel at Rutgers University. Cohen is married to his fellow 1988 classmate, Heidi Lynn Cohen, and they have two children, Sarah (Lehigh Class of 2019) and Max (Purdue Class of 2021).

Gill, of Weehawken, New Jersey, is a client operations manager at ICONIQ Capital, a privately-held investment firm that serves some of the world’s most influential families and organizations.

Prior to ICONIQ, Drew held positions with iCapital Network, Och Ziff Capital Management, SS&C, and Blackstone GSO. Drew has been a part of the Lehigh family for over 22 years, as he followed his brother and his sister-in-law, who graduated in '01. Additionally, Gill's wife is currently an M.B.A. candidate at Lehigh.

Ken Hoexter is a managing director in US Equity Research covering airfreight and surface transportation and shipping sectors. He is co-head of the industrial and basic materials sectors and vice-chairman of the US1 Committee. In the Institutional Investor All-America Research Poll, he has been ranked 25 times, including in two categories in 2021: #1 in Marine Transportation and #2 in Airfreight & Surface Transportation. Previously, he was at Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers. Hoexter has a BS in finance and marketing, with a minor in government from Lehigh University. At Lehigh, he was president of the Student Senate and a member of University Forum, as well as Ultimate Frisbee Team and Delta Tau Delta.

Jenkins, cofounder of Waypoint Growth Advisors, is a business professional with 25 years of diverse experience in Fortune 500 and entrepreneurial environments in public and privately held organizations spanning the manufacturing, biotech, retail, supply chain, and financial services industries.

As a partner at Waypoint, a consulting firm focused on talent assessment, leadership development, and employee engagement, her focus is on helping companies maximize their return on their biggest investment, their people. Her expertise lies in applying data about people to solving business problems and maximizing performance and productivity. She has led lectures in a variety of public forums, including the Association for Corporate Growth, Technology Capital Network at MIT, and the BIO Conference.

Over more than a half-century, Reginald Jennings’ love for Lehigh has been unflagging. His engagements include: first black varsity football player to graduate, co-founder of the now Black Student Union, member of the Student Forum (now Senate), first Black alumni trustee, chair of the History Department Visiting Committee, and, most recently, co-executive chair of Lehigh’s Black and Latino Alumni Network for Community and Equity (BALANCE). One fall afternoon, a half dozen years ago on a whimsical visit to campus, Jennings remembered that his earlier period of engagement was among the most fulfilling times of his life. He committed to re-engage, and the ensuing fulfillment is without measure.

Bo Johns-Hennessy, of Washington, D.C., graduated from Lehigh in 2014 with a BA in architecture and a BS in civil engineering as part of the arts-engineering program. He served as president of the Young Alumni Council, executive chair of the Lehigh Club of D.C., and an Alumni Volunteer for Admissions. His volunteer leadership extends beyond the Lehigh community where he serves on the National Board of the Foundation for Community Betterment and as the co-founder of the GO BO Fund. He is an engagement manager at McKinsey & Company where he helps organizations at the intersection of real estate, technology, and innovation. He currently lives in Washington, D.C., with his husband, Mike, and their shih tzu, Wally.

Kohn, of Portland, Oregon, is a senior innovation engineer at Nike, Inc. Raised in North Jersey, he graduated from Lehigh with a B.S. in materials science and engineering in 2011 and went on to earn a dual master’s in materials science and business from Duke University in 2014. As a student at Lehigh, he was involved in the Gryphon Society, Association of Student Alumni, AEPi, AXE, and the Residence Hall Association, and he was an undergraduate research assistant in the polymer lab.

Liu, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, is an assistant general counsel at GE Capital-North America Life and Health. She earned her J.D. at Temple School of Law in 1986. As an alumnus, she is class correspondent, an alumni events volunteer, a member of the Asa Packer Society and the Lehigh Lawyers Association, serves on the Reunion Committee, and regularly attends football games and freshman Sendoffs. Her husband, Scott Freedman ’84; daughter, Rachael ’14; and son, Sam ’17, are all an active part of the Lehigh family. In addition, she is a dedicated GE Volunteer, participating and organizing community service events with the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, and YWCA.

Mallett graduated Lehigh with a BA in Journalism and Political Science and a minor in History of the Visual Arts and went on to earn an MA in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. While at Lehigh, Mallett was Student Senate president, an executive board member of Alpha Gamma Delta, an editor of The Brown and White, and was the recipient of the Student Life Leadership Allegiance Award and Alumni Association Undergraduate Merit Award. She has served as a member of the Advisory Committee for Celebration of 50 Years of Women at Lehigh, board member for the Lehigh Club of Philadelphia, member of the Young Alumni Council, Reunion co-chair and class correspondent. She is a member of the Junior League of Philadelphia, a volunteer for the National Panhellenic Conference, and champions voter access and information in local and federal elections through work with Indivisible.

Partem was born in Lviv, Ukraine, and immigrated from the former Soviet Union to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, more than 20 years ago when her family received political asylum due to extensive communist persecution. In 2013, she became the recipient of the prestigious Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship from the U.S. Department of State (the Fellowship identifies individuals who are dedicated to representing America’s interests abroad and reflecting the diversity and excellence of American society). In 2015, Partem was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in as a Foreign Service Officer by the Department of State. She currently serves as a diplomat and political officer in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Pavlov earned his Bachelor’s Degree and continued right after to get his Doctorate from Lehigh in Chemical Engineering, focusing on Biotechnology. While at Lehigh, he re-founded the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, served as the Graduate Student Senate President, and led numerous other clubs and organizations. Gorgi can be frequently seen at alumni events such as The Rally and Reunion, as well as athletics events such as The Rivalry. Gorgi’s brother Vasilij Pavlov ‘22 is also a member of the Lehigh family.

Gorgi joins the LUAA Board after serving on the Young Alumni Council, where he contributed in numerous ways - by conducting student interviews, student recruitment, and student mentorship. Gorgi enjoys connecting with current students and providing direction, perspective and guidance whenever he can. Professionally, Gorgi has been integral in the development of key late-stage and commercial drugs, ranging from therapeutics for infectious diseases such as COVID-19, oncology drugs as well as allergic diseases.

A proud Lehigh University graduate, Ploetner began his career as the dealer principal of Towne Auto Group representing several foreign and domestic automobile franchises. Upon the sale of Towne Auto Group, he formed Triton Investments specializing in 1031 exchange properties. He is also a partner in Robb Francis Sports Cars, an exotic car dealership in Peapack, New Jersey. 

Ploetner is a mentor with the Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship at Lehigh and is also a Captain of the Lehigh University Alumni Volunteers for Admission. 

Craig and his wife Christine (‘94) reside in Short Hills, NJ with their son and daughter. Craig is also the Chairman on the Millburn Township Zoning Board of Adjustment and President of Millburn Short Hills Youth Baseball.

Suneeta Prasad is a former managing director at GE and GE Capital. For 26 years, she has led organizations to maximize returns through strategic transformations, acquisition integration, risk management, and operational excellence. As an operating leader, she has increased revenue from $1B to $3B and saved $500M+ in productivity.

Prasad was one of the founding members of Asian Pacific American Forum and a global executive leader of the Women’s Network at GE. Today, she volunteers as a board advisor to nonprofit organizations on strategy, succession planning, governance, program design, and fundraising. She has a passion for guiding women into STEM careers.

She has a BS in industrial engineering from Binghamton University and an MS in industrial and systems engineering from Lehigh University.

As the director of open innovation at Corbion, Maureen Rinkunas is building a portfolio of startup collaborations to drive innovation in food ingredients, green chemistry, and sustainability. Previously, she has facilitated venture building, investment, and innovation portfolio management while at Coplex (venture studio), DuPont Ventures (CVC), and Dreamit Ventures (VC-backed accelerator). Rinkunas has both a BS and an MS in chemical engineering as well as an MBA in corporate entrepreneurship, all from Lehigh University; is an adjunct faculty member for Lehigh's Technical Entrepreneurship Program; and is an active alumna across multiple initiatives.

Romanowski serves as bureau counsel to the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Purchase and Property. He is currently a cochair of the Lehigh Club of New Jersey, a member of the Lehigh Alumni Outreach Organization, and a member of the Lehigh Lawyers Association, as well a former Young Alumni Council member. As a student, he received his bachelor’s degree in history from Lehigh in 2007. He currently resides in Avon by the Sea, New Jersey.

Shiner graduated from Lehigh in 1977 with a B.A. in history and a minor in business. His career in IT included positions of increasing responsibility at Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Oracle, and Merck. He currently coordinates the activities of the front desk volunteers. He is a member of the Tower Society and has been in the Asa Packer Society for many years. Shiner currently resides in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He enjoys traveling, having visited 41 countries and 43 states, including living in Stockholm for four years while with Merck.

Slaton, of McDonough, Georgia, is a technology leader and a senior director of architecture at WarnerMedia. While at Lehigh, he was a member of the football team (97–00), and he can boast that his teams were 4–0 against Lafayette. Over that same time period, the football team made three NCAA playoff appearances ending with a playoff record of 2–3. His team’s overall record was an astounding 39–11. While at Lehigh, Slaton volunteered with the C.O.A.C.H. program. One of the goals of the program was to inspire youth to reach for the stars and to not give up on their dreams.

Spencer earned his B.A. in 1969 and M.A. in 1975, taught English for six years, and then after law school, he practiced corporate and commercial law in Baltimore, Maryland.

Vidanage-Lulejian of North Wales, Pennsylvania, is a Public Health Advisor with Katmai Government Services at the Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and she is an adjunct professor at Cedar Crest College in the Health Sciences Department. She received her B.A. in sociology and cultural anthropology from Lehigh in 2007, her M.A. in sociology at Lehigh through the Community Fellows Program in 2008, and her Master in Public Health at the University of Pennsylvania in 2012.

Prior to contracting at the CDC, Vidanage-Lulejian held positions at the Georgia Department of Public Health, The Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia FIGHT, and St. Luke’s University Health Network. She has been involved in the regional alumni clubs since 2009, holding the position of treasurer within the Lehigh Club of Philadelphia prior to moving to Atlanta in 2013, where she held the title of president of the Lehigh Club of Atlanta until moving back to Pennsylvania in 2020. Lehigh blood runs in her family. Her mother retired from Lehigh University in 2019 after 40 years of working in the civil and environmental engineering department. Her father graduated from Lehigh with his MBA in 1988, and her sister received her B.S. from Lehigh in 2005.

Wang worked in the bio-pharmaceutical industry for 14 years and is running her consulting business in intercultural communication and organization development. She went back to school and received a MSOD degree from Pepperdine University in 2013. Wang has successfully helped individuals and organizations to master essential intercultural communication and leadership skills. A proud mother of two great sons, she was a Most Amazing Woman of Merck when she worked at Merck & Co. Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania. She cofounded the Asia-Pacific Network at Merck's West Point site to facilitate cross cultural awareness and understanding and became the network's first chairperson. Residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, she has been in the leadership roles of Silicon Valley OD Network and has actively participated in Lehigh events on the West Coast before becoming a board member of LUAA.