Decade: 1980-89

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1980-89

Craig A. Newman, MA ’81

Craig A. Newman, MA ’81, has been appointed CEO of The Freedom2Connect Foundation. F2CF, a private non-profit corporation, supports and facilitates global Internet freedom by leveraging private and public funds with governmental funding for the freedom2connect (f2c) program at Radio Free Asia. Newman is a partner and member of the Executive Committee at Richards Kibbe … Continued

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1980-89

Brian Peterson, BJ ’89

Brian Peterson, BJ ’89, became head of communications for Esri, the world’s leader in geographic information systems, mapping software, and location analytics in February 2012. Prior to his new position at Esri, Peterson had been vice president of corporation communications for Fox Cable Networks for three years.

Jill (Branson) Hammergren, BJ '88
1980-89

Jill (Branson) Hammergren, BJ ’88

Jill (Branson) Hammergren, BJ ’88, has been named the 2012-13 Professional Woman of the Year, a prestigious distinction awarded by the National Association of Professional Women. NAPW is an organization of 400,000 members, who join together to develop innovative business and social relationships. Hammergren also added three new international Telly Awards for excellence in video … Continued

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1980-89

Sonja Steptoe, AB ’82, BJ ’82

Sonja Steptoe, AB ’82, BJ ’82, will serve on the University of Missouri Jefferson Club Board of Trustees. Her term will run from 2012-15. Steptoe is the deputy director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from MU.

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1980-89

Lauren (Brannan) Yarger, BJ ’80

Lauren (Brannan) Yarger, BJ ’80, received three 2012 awards from the Connecticut Press Club: first place for editing of website (The Connecticut Arts Connection), first prize theater reviews (Spider-man Turn Off the Dark and A Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo) and second prize feature writing for the Web (Playwright’s Real-Life Drama and Journey of … Continued

Randy Picht
1980-89

Randy Picht, BJ ’80

Randy Picht, BJ ’80, has been named the second executive director of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism. During his 29 years with The Associated Press, he has worked on both the news and business sides of journalism at a national level. [More]

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1980-89

Sonja Steptoe, BJ ’82

Sonja Steptoe, BJ ’82, will serve as deputy director of public affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce, effective April 16. She most recently was director of global communications at O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

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1980-89

Beth Pike, BJ ’86

Beth Pike, BJ ’86, is a co-director of an upcoming film about The Joplin (Mo.) Globe’s response to a devastating EF-5 tornado that hit the city on May 22, 2011. “Deadline in Disaster,” an hour-long film produced by the Missouri Press Foundation, will premiere on Thursday, May 3, at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia.