Class News: September 2026
September 23, 2026
By Lina Giles
In this monthly roundup, find out what’s new and noteworthy in the lives of your fellow Tars.
Welcome to the September 2026 edition of Class News, our snapshot of personal achievements and professional journeys in your alumni community. Each month, we’ll share a collection of the most recent submissions, so don’t forget to keep us up to date on your latest news.
Gatherings & Milestones
Stacey Lane Smith ’02, who writes under the name Stacey Lane, has seen her plays produced more than 1,000 times across six continents, while her scripts, stories, and articles have appeared in more than 120 publications. Her latest work includes The Emperor Penguin’s New Clothes and an interview with actor and musician Kate Micucci published in Cricket and Billboard.
Noelle Moore-Fernandez ’03 recently brought mothers together for the Live Again Retreat, an immersive healing experience created through The Finley Project, the nonprofit she founded after experiencing infant loss. Through the retreat and the organization’s seven-part holistic healing program Moore-Fernandez continues to provide compassionate resources, community, and hope to families navigating unimaginable loss.
Making Moves
Sherard Tatum ’81 was promoted to SUNY Distinguished Professor and inducted into the State University of New York Distinguished Academy in August. That same month, he served as a visiting professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Lindsay Clark ’11 ’15MBA joined Rollins as associate director of admissions at the Crummer Graduate School of Business, where she looks forward to helping students find the MBA program that is right for them.
Jaz Zepatos ’12 returns to the Off-Broadway production of Slam Frank, a hip-hop musical playing at the Orpheum Theatre beginning October 4.
Laura Kern ’25MASC joined AdventHealth as senior manager of growth strategy for the west Florida and multi-state divisions.
Gabriela Tirado ’25 has taken a position as a community health facilitator in a rural community in The Gambia, where she supports health education, nutrition, agriculture, literacy, and youth programming. Through the Peace Corps Partnership Program, she is raising funds to help establish a women-led garden with an irrigation system designed to improve food security, increase access to nutritious produce, and create income opportunities for local women.
Eltavious Johnson ’26 began a new role as a digital donor experience officer at Rollins, expanding on his previous work supporting athletics fundraising.

Have News to Share?
Keep us in the know about what’s new with you and stay connected to both the personal and professional adventures of your fellow Tars.
Related News
May 19, 2029
DO NOT PUBLISH Rollins President Brooke Barnett Co-Authors Inside Higher Ed Essay on Evaluating Advancement Teams
Rollins President Brooke Barnett co-authored an Inside Higher Ed essay offering academic leaders a framework for evaluating institutional advancement teams.
November 02, 2026
The Power of Perspective
From Rollins to Cambridge and now law school at the University of Chicago, Ferah Shaikh ’24 is using her education to lead a life of service.
October 28, 2026
Richter Explains Hollywood’s Mid-Atlantic Accent
Nicole Richter, chair of Critical Media and Cultural Studies and director of film studies at Rollins College, assessed the Mid-Atlantic accent in films for this Trill Magazine feature. Richter states that the cultural associations tied to the accent are learned rather than universal.