Classnote | North Central College

Michael Sparacino '79

Michael Sparacino, M.D., joined the Family Medicine Department at River’s Edge Hospital and Clinic in St. Peter, MN. In addition to his time at the St. Peter facility, he’ll also work at the River’s Edge clinic in Le Center. He previously worked at Immanuel-St. Joseph (ISJ) Hospital in Mankato, MN, as a family medicine clinician and program director for the family medicine osteopathic residency program at ISJ. He’s served as chief of emergency medicine for the 51st Tactical Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base in the Republic of Korea, medical director of high-risk obstetrics at St.

A call to help in Haiti

Don Dexheimer ’65, outreach director of Roscoe (IL) United Methodist Church, has been leading mission trips for more than 15 years after spending a full year, 1994, with his wife, Dorothy, on a mission team in Khabarovsk, Russia. Recently, he has found new challenges in Haiti, leading a team in May 2010 to work on a permanent school and church building in Fond Doux, a remote village.

Jeff Seaberg '80

Jeff Seaberg heads up the children’s theater program in Danville, CA, and was director of the campy Danville classic, “Wigged Out,” for many years. During the school year he runs an after-school program called Theatre Performance Workshop, which ends with performances. He has up to 50 kids in each class in what he calls “controlled chaos.” He writes the plays for the group and publishes them as an inexpensive resource for other after-school programs. He says he’s improved his skills at populating his stories with interesting characters, better dialog and good plots.

Paul Lankenau '83

Paul Lankenau owns Lankenau Architecture in Naperville, specializing in residential and commercial architecture. He’s a member of the Association of Licensed Architects (ALA), Exchange Club of Naperville (board member seven years, Exchangite of the Year 2003, and chairman of Naperville’s Ribfest twice) and past chair of the City of Naperville Disability Advisory Board. He may be reached at paul@lankenau-architecture.com.

Chuck Thompson '87

Chuck Thompson wrote a book titled “Why Natasha?” It’s his first detective novel featuring Nattie Moreland, a.k.a. Natasha McMorales, in her first big case as she follows a lead to Tuscany, Italy, far from her homebase in Bristol, TN. Thompson divides the majority of his work between three positions: as a private psychotherapy/marriage counseling practitioner, director of the King College Counseling Center, and associate professor of psychology and religion at King College in Bristol.

Pam Salik Pepper '91

Pam Salik Pepper was appointed to the City Council for Indianola, IA, filling a vacated position until the general election in November. She’s served on the city’s planning and zoning commission for 12 years. She’s director of development operations and director of Annual Fund programs at Drake University in Des Moines and wrote a case study for the textbook “Human Relations in Action.” She may be reached at pam.pepper@drake.edu.

Becca Paigen '95 Tointon

Becca Paigen Tointon founded a dress-sharing program called “Share the Memories” in the Midland, MI, area. “It started because I had four beautiful bridesmaid dresses in my closet and I wanted to do more than donate them,” she says. She teamed up with North Midland Family Center and held her first event in 2009. In 2010, the program distributed 250 formal gowns to area girls from 42 high schools for their proms. She may be reached at teachyouone@charter.net.

Brian Lee ’01

Brian Lee ’01 was the keynote speaker at North Central’s 2011 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast and told the gathering how King’s words helped him overcome adversity when he sustained a season-ending injury during his football-playing days at North Central.“Dr. King said, ‘If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward,’” Lee said, citing a 1963 speech King made in Birmingham, AL.

Keith D. Stephenson '01

Keith D. Stephenson was named chief operating officer of Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc., located at the company’s world headquarters in Novi, MI. He previously served as president of Cooper Standard’s International Division at the company’s European headquarters in Mannheim, Germany. Stephenson was chief development officer at Boler Company, 2004 to 2006.

Jacqueline Milbratz '03 Aldrich

Jacqueline Milbratz Aldrich argued before the Illinois Supreme Court on November 10, 2010, in People vs. Skryd, a case that challenged a judge’s exercise of jurisdiction and compliance with two competing Illinois Supreme Court rules. She’s an attorney at Wolfe & Stec, Ltd. in Woodridge, IL. She lives with her husband, Adrian Aldrich ’02, director of alumni relations at North Central College, and their children Caden, 4, and Addison, 2, and may be reached at jacqueline_aldrich@hotmail.com.