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Alumni Class Notes, Winter 2025

�� — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 20:14:40 +0000

1980s

1984

Anne-Marie Erickson ’84 is the author of a book of essays, “In the Evening, We’ll Dance,” published by Holy Cow! Press in August. Minnesota author Will Weaver describes the book as “startingly good … powered by grief, memory, and married love. Poetic, literary, yet always accessible.” The work explores mythology and fairy tales, scientific research, theology, poetry, music, and art in an effort to wrest meaning out of the experience of dementia.

2000s

2004

Kylie (Grunzke) Rieke ’04 has coauthored a book with her husband. “A More Brilliant Life: Rise Above Expectations. Discover Who You Are. Reclaim Your Future” was released on September 16.

2006

“In Wells’ Time” by David Nash ’06 was a 2025 Minnesota Book Award Finalist.

2009

“Supernatural Parables: Book One—Into Darkness” is the first of a two-part anthology of parables that includes writing by Amanda Symes ’09, MFA ’15. The book includes stories by 11 authors in genres such as horror, crime, noir, science fiction, fantasy, and magical realism. It was released on Halloween by Dead Birds Publishing, which is run and edited by Symes and fellow Augsburg alum Jayne Carlson MFA ’16.

2010s

2012

Katrin Klutho ’12 is the author of “Witch Hunt: Birth by Flame,” published by Beaver’s Pond Press. “Witch Hunt” is her first book.

2013

Tyler Heaps ’13, the youngest sporting director in Major League Soccer, was profiled in the June 13 Star Tribune story “”

2016

Nick Brundy ’16 has been named the head of sport performance and Deno Fitness Center manager at Macalester College. Previously, he worked six years at Augsburg, first as assistant strength and conditioning coach and, for the past three years, as head strength and conditioning coach. He was also an adjunct professor in the Health and Science Department at Augsburg.

Sarah Buckner ’16 will be serving as a linesperson at the 2026 Winter Olympics women’s hockey competition. She has been a referee and linesperson in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, in the Professional Women’s Hockey League, and in other collegiate and women’s professional leagues. She has worked as a linesperson in both national and international events.

2020s

2024

Nathaniel Koch MAT ’24 is working at Enishi International School in Nagoya, Japan.

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Alumni Class Notes, Fall 2025

cjohnson — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 19:43:04 +0000

1970s

1970
Ray Hanson ’70 volunteers with the Junior Achievement STEM program in high schools across Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and with both Blessing of Hope and Calvary Care food bank, providing food for those who need it.

2010s

2011
Juventino Meza Rodriguez ’11, who arrived in Minnesota as an undocumented 15-year-old from Mexico, was sworn in as an attorney in May, becoming one of a few undocumented immigrants to practice law in the United States. “My path was neither short nor easy, but it demonstrates what’s possible when we remove barriers rather than build them,” he said. He worked his way through Mitchell Hamline School of Law one semester at a time, taking seven years to complete what is typically a three-year program. “I want to share my story to counter the fear-mongering narratives about immigrants,” he said. “Behind political talking points are real people with dreams, contributions, and potential that benefit our communities. My journey shows that when we invest in people, regardless of immigration status, everyone wins.” He is focusing his legal career on advocacy for undocumented communities, continuing work he began as a student activist at Augsburg.

2013
Amanda (Nagy) Yudell ’13 MS has joined the pediatric team as a physician assistant at Sanford Bemidji.

2019
Arif Baker ’19 MAE has been named a 2025 Bush Fellow by the Bush Foundation. He will use the fellowship to study global educational models, particularly in Japan; pursue doctoral studies; and develop new strategies to improve discipline, experiential learning, and immigrant student achievement. For more information, read the June 23 Augsburg news story, “Arif Baker ’19 MAE named a 2025 Bush Fellow.”

2020s

2020
Eleanor Schwartz ’20 has started her own business in Hawaii called “Of the North,” a creative haus focused on brand strategy, marketing, content creation, and social media. Her connection to Hawaii started while she was at Augsburg. She was awarded an environmental stewardship grant, which gave her the opportunity to live and work on an organic coffee and fruit farm on the Big Island.

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Alumni Class Notes, Spring 2025

cjohnson — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 15:07:40 +0000

1950s

1957

Stanley Baker ’57 retired as a professor emeritus of counselor education at North Carolina State University in July 2024. He served as a counselor educator for 50 years at NC State and Penn State universities. He also served as a high school history teacher, school counselor, and athletic coach at high schools in Wisconsin for 12 years.

1960s

1965

Joyce (Anderson) Pfaff ’65 reunited with classmates at the 2024 Advent Vespers (photo right). “We were seniors at Augsburg 60 years ago,” she said. “Now we are simply seniors. Loved seeing so many of my former classmates at Vespers last week.”

1967

Thad Danielson ’67 lost his companion of 54 years in April 2024. As a carpenter, he worked with her to build a house of their own design. After retirement, he taught boat building at WoodenBoat School and wrote a book based on his course, “An Introduction to Wooden Boat Building: Always More to Learn,” which is available on Amazon. In 2023, he gave a talk on his boat-building experience at the Conway Historical Society. He is now painting and working as a personal care assistant.

1970s

1972

Mike Eayrs ’72 was featured on October 30, 2024, in a story in The Athletic,

Tom Fischer ’72, now in his 52nd year as a high school athletic official, received the Minnesota State High School League Officials Distinguished Service Award on March 23, 2024. The award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond in service to their fellow officials. In June 2023, he was awarded the Lifetime Service Award by the Northwest Suburban Conference in recognition of his service to high school student-athletes, parents, and coaches.

1974

Nancy Sandro ’74 composed 22 songs for “Tunes and Texts: Songs for the Liturgical Seasons,” available at . The book includes 18 original songs for the liturgical seasons and four festival songs, many of which have optional instrumental accompaniments and guitar chords.

1980s

1981

John Strommen ’81 is the author of “GPS: Finding Direction on Your Faith and Life Journey—How Luther’s Theology Connects Faith to Life.” Strommen wrote the book to bring the heart of Martin Luther’s theological witness directly into conversation with 21st-century Christians hungering to not only have faith, but to live their faith.

1990s

1992

Sven Erlandson ’92, soul counselor and corporate counselor, is the author of “There’s a Hole in My Love Cup,” which has been in the top five Amazon bestsellers for inner child healing. His podcast, “The Badass Counseling Show,” has over two million downloads. Erlandson has amassed more than 2.1 million followers on TikTok and 500,000 followers on Facebook.

1993

Doris Rubenstein ’93 MA was contracted by VEAP, Minnesota’s largest food shelf, to write the history of the organization for its 50th anniversary, “VEAP at Fifty: Celebrating a Half-Century of Helping the Community.” This is the fourth institutional history book Rubenstein has written.

2000s

2008

Joseph Skogmo ’08 is the lead pastor at First Lutheran Church in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Previously, Skogmo served as the pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Lowry, Minnesota.

2009

Amanda Symes ’09, ’15 MFA is the author of “Sasquatch Is My Neighbor: A Collection of Hairy Cryptid Lore.” The book contains nine tales and is available on Amazon.

2010s

2013

Melissa Brandenburg ’13 received her Master of Education in Special Education from Northwestern College (Orange City, Iowa) in May. She finished with a 4.0 GPA and was selected as the graduate studies speaker at commencement.

2019

The environmental legal drama “Big Lake Troubles,” by Jeffrey Boldt ’19 MFA, was named “one of the best legal thrillers of the year [2024]” in a . The book is his second novel.

2020s

2024

Claire Jenkins Coffman ’24 was a guest coach for the Minnesota Wild Development Camp this summer and is believed to be the first woman to have held that role. She now works as an assistant and skills coach for the New Hampshire Mountain Kings.

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