Class Notes - 1970s

Class Notes: 1970s

1972

Marcia Munson BA recently started teaching a course in wilderness skills at Santa Rosa (California) Junior College. The course was inspired by her participation in Lewis & Clark’s 1970 Northwest-Hawaii field study program, and her recent backpacking on the Pacific Crest Trail.

1975

Emil Berg JD has become of counsel to Greener Burke Shoemaker in Boise, where his practice emphasizes appeals, civil motions, and insurance coverage issues in the state and federal courts of Oregon and Idaho. During his 32-year career, Berg has handled more than 150 appellate matters.

Marla Carlson BA earned her PhD in theatre from the Graduate Center, City University of New York, in 2002. Her article “Looking, Listening, and Remembering: Ways to Walk New York after 9/11” won the 2007 David Keller Award from the American Society for Theatre Research. Her husband, Tony Dardis, teaches philosophy at Hofstra University, where their son Eli starts college in fall 2008 just as she starts a new job as assistant professor of theatre at the University of Georgia.

Gary Grenley JD has been elected to the board of directors of Oregon Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a nonprofit organization devoted to assisting children in Multnomah and Washington counties who are abused or neglected. Grenley has been a CASA volunteer for nearly four years. For over 30 years, he has devoted his practice to business litigation, primarily in the areas of real estate, construction, and financial investments. He was recently recognized as one of Oregon’s “super lawyers,” an honor received by only 5 percent of Oregon’s lawyers. Grenley is cofounder of the Portland business law firm Grenley, Rotenberg, Evans, Bragg & Bodie.

Christine Lorentz-Gustafson BA received PMP certification from the Project Management Institute in spring 2008. From Portland State University, she received the advanced project management certificate also in spring 2008.

1976

Brian Gavin BS has returned to Portland after serving on U.S. senatorial and congressional staffs from Portland to Arizona to Indiana, and most recently for Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland. He earned his law degree from Whittier College School of Law in Los Angeles. Please feel welcome to write him at ckcbpg@yahoo.com.

1977

Cliff Bentz JD was the unanimous selection of the 12 county commissioners of Malheur, Baker, Harney, and Grant counties to fill the Oregon House of Representatives District 60 seat formerly held by Representative Tom Butler. Bentz served in the special session of the legislature that ended February 22. He is a senior partner at the firm Yturri Rose in Ontario.

Catherine Dowdle BA received a joint master of divinity degree from the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont and the Claremont School of Theology in May 2007. She was ordained to the sacred order of deacons in the Episcopal Church in December 2006 and ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in June 2007. She is a priest in charge of Christ the King Episcopal Church in Alpine, California.

1978

James Robertson BA, since graduation, has worked as a Presbyterian minister, an insurance salesman (not the same thing), and an English teacher. He’s lived in Northern and Southern California, Tacoma, Denver, and Osaka, Japan. He’s married and “trying to help raise two wonderful but challenging daughters. Life has been mostly good.” In 1995, he says, he “morphed into a corporate lawyer (now a partner) in the Los Angeles office of Sidley Austin–a large international law firm. From 2000 to 2005 we lived in Tokyo, which was a wonderful place to raise a family.”

Vincent Salvi JD has been appointed senior assistant attorney general in the natural resources section of the general counsel division with the Oregon Department of Justice.

Nancy Tauman JD is now of counsel to Jordan Schrader Ramis. After nearly 30 years of practice, her current area of focus is exclusively arbitration and mediation.

1979

Phyllis Oster BA was project manager for the successful application of Pacific Northwest College of Art to the U.S. Department of Education to acquire the 500 N.W. Broadway Building in Portland. The building, given to the college under a 100 percent public benefit allowance at no cost, will play a major role in the school’s expansion plans.