Living the Core is a social series highlighting how UD graduates carry the lessons of the Core into their lives, work and communities. Each story reflects the lasting influence of a UD education, rooted in a commitment to truth, wisdom, virtue and service, and shows how alumni continue to live with purpose long after graduation.
Living the Core
William Allegrezza, BA '96
Drawn to the University of Dallas by its Great Books-centered Core and the Rome program, Dr. William Allegrezza, BA ’96, found a place where he could grow intellectually and personally.
Since graduating, he has built a career in higher education, advanced to a distinguished full professor and academic leadership role at Indiana University Northwest, published 18 books and supported countless writers and students along the way. Through it all, the grounding he received at UD has remained foundational.
“In the long run, I remember UD’s core curriculum more than many of my major classes. That grounding has carried me through much of my life, and I’m glad I took it seriously.”
Kathleen Griggs, BS ’86
From physics to public safety, Kathleen Griggs, BS ’86, has built a career around solving difficult problems, protecting lives and serving the country through advanced technology.
After earning her physics degree at UD, Griggs went on to create advanced technology programs at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) before becoming an entrepreneur and longtime technology executive.
In 2006, she founded Databuoy Corporation, where she developed and commercialized an acoustic gunfire localization system designed to help first responders rapidly identify the location of gunfire.
For nearly three decades, Griggs has put scientific knowledge, persistence and innovation in service of national security, public safety and a larger purpose.
That is Living the Core: using what you have learned to meet real-world challenges, serve others and make a meaningful difference. Read more about Griggs' story here.
Lori Fontana, BA ‘76
Lori Fontana, BA ‘76, was attracted to the University of Dallas by the Rome program and the setting of a small, Catholic college. Lori remembers fondly learning from Dr. Louise Cowan, who nurtured her love of literature; Dr. June Welch, who was “an awesome historian and a storyteller extraordinaire;” and Dr. Lyle Novinski, whom she helped as a student assistant.
Today, Lori has been married for 48 years and is a mother of six and grandmother of eight. She works for a non-profit organization, Catholic Life Ministries NW, which offers a variety of enrichment programs relating to marriage and family preparation. She and her husband have also served others for the last 25 years in the area of immigration.
When asked if she has any wisdom to impart on current UD students, she shared, “Each of us is called to be an apostle: sharing the Good News primarily through our lives, how we acknowledge and care for each person we meet. Whatever our faith tradition or even if we don’t ascribe to faith, I believe each of us is called to 'Be Good, Do Good, Be a Power for Good' in our world." Read more Lori' story here.
Judge Anthony LoCoco, BA ’12
“Attending UD means discovering authentic truth and justice. What I learned at UD informs my work every day.” — Judge Anthony LoCoco, BA ’12.
Anthony LoCoco, ’BA 12, was elected in April 2026 as Judge for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District II and began his six year term in August. District II is one of four districts of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, the state’s intermediate appellate court which serves 12 counties in southeastern Wisconsin.
Following studies in Economics at UD, Anthony attended Harvard Law School where he earned his Juris Doctor in 2015. He then returned to his home state of Wisconsin and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler for two terms. After a brief stint at a large law firm, Anthony spent some time working at both the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty and the Institute for Reforming Government. Anthony also owned and operated his own appellate law firm. He is a Blackstone Fellow, former Vice President of the Milwaukee Chapter of the Federalist Society and Past President of the St. Thomas More Lawyers Society of Wisconsin. Anthony lives in Elm Grove, WI with his wife Angela (UD Class of 2012) and their four children. Congratulations to Anthony!
Katie Groves, BA ’20
Katie Groves, BA ’20, came to the University of Dallas seeking a Catholic education that would deepen her faith and prepare her for a life of service to the Church. Today, she serves the Diocese of Dallas as associate director of the Office for Persons with Disabilities and director of the Community of Disciples Initiative, helping parishes create more accessible worship and catechetical spaces for persons with disabilities and their families.
By working with collaborating parishes to create adaptive catechesis and sensory-friendly Mass opportunities for persons with disabilities, Katie puts the Catholic understanding of human dignity into practice—helping ensure that every person is welcomed to fulfill their baptismal right and duty to worship as an indispensable member of the Body of Christ.
This is what it means to live the Core.
Jonathan Cross, BA ’06
For Jonathan Cross, BA ’06, the artist’s path has been shaped by patience, discipline and a lifelong love of learning.
After studying printmaking at UD, Jonathan’s creative journey led him from a renowned Los Angeles print shop to ceramics, sculpture and eventually to a desert studio he built himself in Joshua Tree, California.
Today, his work draws from ancient artifacts, architectural ruins, modern art and post-apocalyptic sci-fi, creating forms meant to speak across centuries.
From the Core to the kiln, Jonathan’s story is a testament to the UD formation of the whole person: mind, craft, imagination and soul.
Read more about Jonathan’s creative path here.
Kristen Pressner, MBA '99
University of Dallas alumna Kristen Pressner, MBA '99, is building bridges between people who understand neurodiversity and those new to the conversation—showing how embracing brain differences helps everyone thrive.
In her TEDx talk, “Why is it that so many people just can’t get it together?,” she helps audiences reimagine what’s “normal” at work and at home—and how creating more brain-friendly systems helps everyone thrive.
Her ideas caught global attention, earning her an invitation to contribute to the World Economic Forum’s Global Brain Economy Initiative—launched at Davos.
Watch her TEDx talk and be inspired to play your part in bridging these worlds and becoming a #BrainFriend https://youtu.be/axIDDiZsM78?si=j-TfXqh1ozv5O-4o
David Harman, BA ’10
David Harman, BA ’10, began screenprinting handmade maps from an attic studio shortly after graduation. With the support of his wife, Rebecca Mattingly Harman, BA ’10, he launched Native Maps, starting with a print of his hometown, Dallas.
Today, Native Maps offers National Park prints, maps for more than 60 cities, and other hand-crafted designs, printed with high-quality inks and papers — all from a studio building that also supports other local creatives in Knoxville.
We love seeing the creative paths our alumni blaze in the world! Explore more: https://www.nativemaps.us
Dr. Alex Valadka, BA & BS ’83
Dr. Alex Valadka, BA & BS ’83, is Chief of Neurological Surgery at Parkland Health and a professor at UT Southwestern, specializing in neurotrauma and neurocritical care. In recent years, he has traveled twice a year to Dnipro, Ukraine, working at a hospital about an hour from the front lines of the war with Russia. Valadka credits his University of Dallas education with shaping him into a well-rounded person, receptive to serving where need is greatest. Motivated by his patients and the call not to remain silent, he hopes to raise awareness and inspire others to help.
Elaine McCusker, BA ’89
Elaine McCusker, BA ’89, has over 30 years experience in defense and national security across the private sector, academia and government. She currently serves on Academy Securities’ Advisory Board and Geopolitical Intelligence Group, and is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, publishing on defense strategy, programs, budgets and reform. Previously, she served as Acting Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), responsible for developing, justifying and executing the Department’s then-$700 billion annual budget in support of the National Defense Strategy.
From the Core to consequential work, Elaine’s career reflects how truth-seeking and disciplined reasoning form leaders who serve with competence and conviction.
Alexa (Hassell) Kawlewski, BA '23
Alumna Alexa (Hassell) Kawlewski, BA '23, was selected as a 2026 James Wilson Winter Fellow and joined a distinguished group of legal scholars in Old Town Alexandria for an intensive program on natural law and American jurisprudence.
Alexa is currently a law student at Notre Dame Law School, where she serves as executive editor of the Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy, an oralist on the Constitutional Law Team of the Moot Court Board and president of the Maritain Graduate Fellows Program. Her legal experience includes work with First Liberty Institute, Napa Legal Institute and a judicial externship at the Northern District of Indiana.
Richard O. Ellis, BA '90
Commander Richard O. Ellis (Retired), BA '90, was presented with a Quilt of Valor by the Daughters of the American Revolution in recognition of his distinguished Coast Guard service in 2025, with his wife Michelle, BA '89 MBA '94, by his side.
A Quilt of Valor is a handmade quilt awarded to US service members who have been "touched by war," offering comfort and serving as a symbol of gratitude for their sacrifice.
Noah Torres, BA '21 MA ’23
Noah Torres, BA '21 MA ’23, studied politics and theology as an undergraduate and earned his master's degree in politics at the Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts. Now he's applying that classical education to real-world policy challenges as a policy analyst for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s new Family Success Project initiative.
Dr. Bridget (Safranek) Knuffke, BA ’17
Dr. Bridget (Safranek) Knuffke, BA ’17, a Philosophy alum whose scholarship had been recognized with a prize from the Pontifical Academies for her dissertation, Thomas Aquinas on Medicinal Punishment.
After studying philosophy at UDallas, Bridget continued her Ph.D. in philosophy at The Catholic University of America, and spent the year of 2025 as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University.
Zach Czaia, BA ’05
For 20 years, Zach Czaia, BA ’05, has taught high school English. On the side, he has built a publishing home for the kind of writing teachers rarely have space to share. Through One Subject Press and its Teacher/Writer series, Zach amplifies “teacher-writers” who bring lived classroom wisdom to the page.
In 2026, Zach released his book, Good Teaching: A Provocation, a blend of essays and poems that invites readers to rethink the easy equation of “learning = schooling” and to recover the human story at the heart of education. Read Zach’s reflection on the book, along with a list of five other books he published this year.
Thank you, Zach, for living out the Core as an educator and writer.
Mitchell Blackburn, BA ’16 MA ’24
On the Solemnity of the Annunciation, artisan Mitchell Blackburn, BA ’16 MA ’24, owner of Lumen et Ignis Woodworking, witnessed Bishop Edward J. Burns, Bishop of the Diocese of Dallas and university chancellor, bless the oak tabernacle stand which Mitchell crafted by hand.
Stephen P. White, BA ’03
University of Dallas alumnus Stephen P. White, BA ’03, now serves as executive director of the @JP2Shrine in Washington, D.C.
“I am tremendously excited about this new opportunity,” White said. “In a sense, taking this position at the Shrine is something very new for me, but it’s also a kind of homecoming.”
A longtime fellow at the @EPPCdc, he will now lead a national destination for Catholic life, pilgrimage and reflection.
John Emrich, BA ’25, Luke Enriquez, BA ’25, Antoine Frank, BA ’25, and Mario de Sollenni,
BA ’25
On November 17, 2025, four UD alumni from the Class of 2025 — John Emrich, Luke Enriquez, Antoine Frank and Mario De Solenni — were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the United States Marine Corps after graduating from Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia.
Their paths at UD were closely intertwined, yet they did not realize until spring 2025 that all four were answering the same call to serve. They credit one another’s support, their UD education, and God’s providence for helping lead them to this moment.
Yolanda Williams, ’BA 03
Now serving at Jackson State University, Yolanda Williams, ’BA 03, has been named the 2026 Humanities Teacher of the Year by the Mississippi Humanities Council—an honor recognizing outstanding faculty across the state.
As assistant professor, theatre coordinator, production manager and costume designer, she brings both craft and care into every aspect of her work.
“It’s the recognition of the work I have done… a really good feeling to know how many people appreciate the work you do,” she shared. “Especially for a job I am so passionate about.”
Like so many educators formed at UD, her story reflects what it means to live the Core: pursuing excellence, forming others and carrying a love for learning into the world.
Daniel Fitzpatrick, BA ’13
Daniel Fitzpatrick, BA ’13, has published his debut short story collection, Red Robichaux and Other Southern Moralists — with roots tracing back to his Lit Trad IV class at UD. The cover also reflects a UD connection: it was created by his wife and fellow alumna, Grace ’13.
Daniel teaches English at Jesuit High School and is also editor of Joie de Vivre, a quarterly print journal of Catholic art, culture, history and letters for South Louisiana.
In 2022, he published a complete translation of The Divine Comedy, joining three other UD alumni translators of Dante’s masterpiece — a testament to the enduring impact of the Core.
“Many anthology-worthy, some canon-worthy… their atmosphere is grace.” — Katy Carl, author of Fragile Objects
Check out Daniel’s short story collection here.
Ilana Lydia Holden, BA ’96
From the UDallas stage to shaping arts and culture in Buckeye, Ariz. — drama alumna Ilana Lydia Holden, BA ’96, is making her mark.
Holden, Arts and Culture Manager for the City of Buckeye, Ariz., shares how her passion for the arts is transforming her community.
Watch her story: https://youtu.be/kX5Uj30Xcw8?si=tlJwufW8t6mQT6xt
Natalie Dodson, BA ’20 MA ’26
University of Dallas alumna Natalie Dodson, BA ’20, serves as senior advisor and counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is bringing a voice of conviction to the national and international conversation on motherhood, family and the dignity of life.
Dodson spoke about the social significance of motherhood and the importance of recognizing the gift of life at every stage.
“Motherhood illustrates an enduring truth: The strength and fortitude of a nation does not arise from its institutions or policies, but in its recognition and devotion to life.” Dodson said.
Her witness reflects the kind of thoughtful, principled leadership UDallas hopes to form: graduates who bring faith, reason and courage into the public square.
Matthew Mehan, BA ’00, MA ’10, PhD ’14
What stories help us understand a nation, its people and its ideals?
University of Dallas triple alumnus and valedictorian Matthew Mehan, BA ’00, MA ’10, PhD ’14, explores that question in The American Book of Fables, a beautifully illustrated collection of original fables, poems and reflections.
Years in the making, the book invites readers to rediscover the beauty of America — her landscapes, her people and the principles of liberty, law and love that have shaped the nation.
The work received an America 250 Innovation Prize from The Heritage Foundation, recognizing projects that advance education, patriotism and America’s founding ideals.