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Matthew Cooney, ’09 BA Spanish, is a doctoral candidate in the higher education administration program at Ohio’s Bowling Green State University. He works in the office of multicultural affairs with academic success programs for racially and ethnically diverse students. Previously, he worked as a senior academic advisor at Florida International University. He earned a master’s degree in higher education from Loyola University Chicago.

Jeremy Burr, ’09 BS Business Administration, recently was promoted to vice president at Valuation Research Corporation where he handles a variety of business valuation services for corporate financial reporting, mark-to-market valuations of private equity and hedge fund’s illiquid securities, and tax planning valuations for individuals. His hobbies include squash, snowboarding, rock climbing, comedy shows, and traveling. He and his wife, Stephanie Beadle Burr, ’08 BA Economics, enjoy good food and wine, movies, and watching ���ӽ紫ý men’s basketball games. She also works in the professional service industry. The couple lives in downtown Chicago.

Dominique Worthen Braxton, ’09 BS Business Administration, is a doctoral candidate in marketing at the University of California, Irvine. She is married to James Braxton, ’10 BA Communication Studies.

Erik Kludasch, ’08 BA Journalism and Media Studies, ’11 BA Philosophy, traveled last summer to Borneo to study model community-based efforts to preserve Bornean species along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah (East Malaysia). A sixth-grade teacher at Victory Prep Academy in Denver, he took the graduate course in pursuit of his master’s degree from Miami University’s global field program.

John DeAvila, Jr., ’08 BS Nutrition Science, is a U.S. Air Force veteran with 15 years of experience as a clinical laboratory scientist. He now is studying to be a certified sports nutritionist. He wants to work with athletes to help them with dietary issues. He says he discovered that nutrition is his real passion in life. He hopes to be his own boss someday. Training to compete in triathlons is his hobby.

Pj Perez, ’07 BA Journalism and Media Studies, is digital content editor for Caesars Entertainment Corp. where he focuses on content marketing. He also is the bass player for the indie rock band Moonboots, which released its debut EP in March. He is married to Sara Gorgon, a student in ���ӽ紫ý’s MBA program and also director of communications for the Lee Business School.

Darren Paulson, ’07 BS Computer Science, is director of telecommunications at ���ӽ紫ý. He began his ���ӽ紫ý career as a student worker, first at the Barrick Museum and then in inventory control. After graduation he became a full-time ���ӽ紫ý employee, working in an IT infrastructure support position. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Rebecca Arbor Paulson, ’07 BS Computer Science, who works in ���ӽ紫ý’s office of information technology. His hobbies include camping, working on the house, driving 4x4s, and playing first person shooters. The couple and their two children live in Logandale.

T.J. Milner, ’07 BS Business Administration, is a partner at McBride & Milner CPAs. He is a certified public accountant with expertise in tax preparation and planning for small and large business owners. His hobbies include smoking (as in barbecue), golf, softball, bicycling, traveling, and watching ���ӽ紫ý sports. He and his wife, Alyson, have a new baby daughter, Hailey Ann Milner, aka “HAM.” The family lives in Henderson.

Adrian Huerta, ’07 BS Human Services, is completing his doctoral degree in education at UCLA where he studies college access for underrepresented student populations. He recently was awarded the American Educational Research Association’s Minority Dissertation Fellowship to support his final year of graduate studies. He lives in El Monte.

Brandon Burk, ’07 MFA Theatre Arts, is a professional actor with 25 years of experience. He also has worked as an instructor and coach of acting, dialects, speech, and stage combat for numerous shows on the Las Vegas Strip, at the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, and at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, as well as with private students since 2004. He formerly was a guest artist and adjunct faculty member at High Point University, artistic director of the Onyx Theatre and Off-Strip Productions, and a member of the acting company at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. He is creating a one-man show titled Invention. He lives in Los Angeles.

Linasha “Lin” Smith Jerome, ’06 BS Liberal Arts, ’12 JD, is associate director of admissions and financial aid at the Boyd School of Law. Previously, she served as director of health and family engagement with United Way of Southern Nevada. She is the founder of Ladies Who Dine and its subsidiary, Candles for a Purpose. The first is a philanthropic social society, while the second involves collecting recycled champagne bottles, converting them into scented candles, and donating some of the proceeds from their sales to local charities. Her hobbies include Pilates, traveling, trying new restaurants, and planning events and social gatherings. She and her husband, Stephen Jerome, ’03 BS Hotel Administration, have three dogs, Vegas, Mr. Big, and Kingston, and a Russian tortoise named Valentino.

Vida Chow, ’06 MS Hospitality Administration, is the talent manager for Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Asia Pacific. She describes herself as a foodie and lists yoga, fashion, and style as being among her hobbies. She lives in Hong Kong.