USD Magazine Spring 2006

the position of supervisory special agent in the FBI’s Phoenix division.

CARRIE OGNIBENE (B.B.A.) has been living in the eastern Sierras since 1995. For the past 10 years, Carrie has been a massage therapist and holistic health practitioner. Since 2001, she has owned the Healing Art Centre in Mammoth Lakes, Calif. “I have a balanced life of working hard and playing hard up here in the mountains,” she says. “Life is great! Smiles from Carrie.” NOELLE STAREK (B.A.) and her husband had another baby, Samuel Michael, in June 2004. “We’ve been busy building a new house to fit the children,” she says. Noelle was pro- NANCY STARK-OPSAHL (M.S.N.) has returned to San Diego and is a nurse manager for Scripps Clinical Research Center. She lives in the Point Loma area of San Diego with husband Carl and 6-year-old twins Annalee and Alexander. TRACY (WILLIAMS) PATTON (B.A.) was married on April 30, 2005, to Air Force Maj. Jeffery Scott Patton in Boise, Idaho. They live in Destin, Fla. [ 1 9 9 4 ] DANA (BECKER) ROLOFF (B.A.) and husband Peter Roloff (B.A. ‘92) had a baby girl, Jane Olivia, in Jan- uary 2005. Dana and Peter live in Pacific Beach. Dana is a therapist at Children’s Hospital, and Peter is an internal medicine doctor, practicing in San Diego. ERIN BOYD (B.A., M.A.T. ‘99) married her longtime love, Joshua Hyatt, on April 2, 2005, in Dana Point, Calif. They honeymooned in the Napa Valley and live in Santa Ana, Calif., where Erin teaches sixth grade social studies at Mendez Funda- mental Intermediate School. Josh is the marketing director of a global relocation firm. VERONICA DIAZ (M.ED.) finished her Ph.D. in science and technology policy at the University of Arizona in May 2004. She lives in Tucson, Ariz., and is working in the field of publish- ing in learning technology. moted to counsel for the West Virginia Senate Government Organization Committee.

ALLAN BURCH

[ a s u n g h e r o ]

BRAD KIRN [1972-2005] (B.B.A. ‘96), who was an active member of USD's orientation program, passed away on Sept. 15, 2005, less than a year after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was 33. It was his second battle against cancer. Shortly after transferring to USD in 1993, Brad was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and successfully conquered it with radiation therapy. Brad, who by day worked for Qualcomm in corporate research and busi- ness development, was a musician by night. His band, Kirn Kounty, played at clubs like downtown’s 4 th & B and the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. In 1997, the band won a VH1 “Hometown Heroes” contest and opened for ex-Bangle Susanna Hoffs. “They don’t come any better than Brad,” says his wife of five years, Kirstin (Gracyzk) Kirn (B.A. ‘96). “He was really funny and had a heart of gold. He was honest, loyal, thoughtful and truly cared about everyone.”

Kirstin is creating a memory book for their son Nathan,19 months old. Friends, faculty and classmates who have stories to share about Brad can e-mail Kirstin at kirstin@bradkirn.com. To read about Brad’s fight against cancer, see photos, listen to his music or donate to Nathan’s college fund, go to www.bradkirn.com.

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USD MAGAZINE