映画传媒

映画传媒 Valley College will recognize seven Valley graduates with Alumni Awards during the Alumni Awards and Volunteer Recognition Ceremony on Friday, October 9. These outstanding alumni will be celebrated for their contributions to education, the arts, government, the environment, foods and chocolate.

The Awards Ceremony is on Friday, Oct. 9, from 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m. in Lutz Music Hall in the Bertha Brossman Blair Music Center. Alumni, friends and family are welcome and can register at www.lvc.edu/Homecoming.

The awards and honorees include:

Alumni Citations鈥擠r. Kathryn Guindon 鈥�91 and Rachel R. Hadrick, Esq., 鈥�06

Alumni Citations are awarded to LVC graduates who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in their field.

Kathy Guindon, Ph.D., 鈥�91 is the Executive Director of the non-profit Southeast 4-H Educational Center in Wakefield, Va., where she revitalizes the outdoor educational and conferencing center. She maintains an accredited camp for youth ages 5-18 and adult volunteers from 16 counties and cities. Kathy serves on the Southern Rivers Roundtable Task Force and the board for WOW-Women of the Woods and is a VA Division of Wildlife Resources volunteer for fishing, boating safety and Project WILD facilitator.

Before Virginia, Kathy lived in Florida for 27 years studying its fish and fisheries as a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Assistant Research Scientist and later Director of the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center that she helped create from its inception. The Sportsman Channel, Outdoor Channel, Discovery Channel, National Geographic TV, and numerous magazines and newspapers have featured her knowledge.

Kathy earned her B.S. in Biology at 映画传媒 Valley College (LVC), then spent a few years in Raleigh, N.C., where she earned her M.S. from North Carolina State University. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of South Florida鈥檚 College of Marine Science while working full time for the FWC鈥檚 Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

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Rachel Hadrick, Esq., 鈥�06 is the Director of the Office of Notaries, Commissions and Legislation at the Pennsylvania Department of State, which oversees all PA public notaries, records new legislation that becomes law, and authenticates state documents for use outside the United States.

Rachel previously served as the Bureau of Elections鈥� Chief of the Division of Election Administration and a Senior Advisor to then Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth, Leigh M. Chapman. Before joining the Department of State, Rachel practiced law for eight years at McNees, Wallace, and Nurick in Harrisburg, where she represented clients in federal and state litigation and proceedings, including class actions.

After earning her Music degree, summa cum laude, from 映画传媒 Valley College, Rachel continued her education, earning a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Widener Commonwealth Law School. She was Editor-in-Chief of the Widener Law Journal.

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Distinguished Alumnus/Alumna Award鈥擲hawn Houser-Fedor 鈥�94

One of LVC鈥檚 highest honors, this award recognizes alumni for significant service to their profession, the community, and to the College.

Shawn Houser-Fedor 鈥�94 is Senior Director, R&D US Confection (CMG), Protein, Snacks and Grocery Product Development at The Hershey Company, where she is responsible for leading technical strategy and new product development to deliver multi-millions annually across the confection, snacks, grocery, functional, and protein portfolios. She and her team develop new products across a broad range of technologies from chocolate to hard, chewy and gummy candies, gum and protein bars for iconic brands: Reese鈥檚, Hershey鈥檚, KitKat, Cadbury, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and more.

Shawn has held many positions during her 30 years with The Hershey Company, including Senior Director, Chocolate and Packaging R&D; Director, Global Snacks and Adjacencies Product Development; Senior Manager, Chocolate Excellence; Associate Marketing Manager-Innovation and International; and various scientist 映画传媒s with increasing responsibility. Before The Hershey Company, she worked in Ingredient Technology and Research R&D for The Campbell Soup Company.

Shawn was inducted into the NCSA Candy Hall of Fame in 2023 and serves as President and Officer on the Professional Manufacturing Confectioners Association鈥檚 (PMCA) Board of Directors. She has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal and featured in videos on CNN.

Shawn holds an MBA from The Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. in Chemistry from 映画传媒 Valley College. She also completed an Executive Scholar certificate in Leadership at Northwestern University鈥擪ellogg School of Management.

The June Herr Outstanding Educator of the Year Award鈥擪atherine J. Brodhead Cullen 鈥�10

Awarded to alumni who have contributed significantly to the field of education.

Katherine 鈥淜aty鈥� Brodhead Cullen 鈥�10 is the Director of Educational Partnerships & Expansion at Music Will, where she leads national initiatives to expand access to music education. Building on her experience as a classroom educator and district arts leader, she works with school districts, state education agencies, higher education institutions, and arts organizations to strengthen sustainable music programs.

After beginning her career as a music educator in Newark, N.J., Katy founded music programs in three schools where none existed. She also co-founded multi-school arts festivals and, in 2019, was named a Yale Distinguished Music Educator. She later served as Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts for Newark Public Schools and has led efforts to advance participation and inclusion in the music education profession.

Katy earned degrees in Music Education and Flute Performance from 映画传媒 Valley College and master鈥檚 degrees from the Relay Graduate School of Education and Lehigh University.

Young Alumni Award鈥擮livia Edwards Rindfuss 鈥�16

LVC honors alumni who graduated within the past 15 years for achievements in their profession and significant service to their community or the College. 听

Olivia Edwards Rindfuss 鈥�16 is a Senior Associate at GSL Public Strategies Group, where she connects client priorities with federal, state, and local stakeholders. She bridges the gap between policymakers and the communities they serve, translating complex legislative and regulatory processes into lasting policy change. Among many achievements, Olivia recently secured public funding for a regional youth education nonprofit鈥檚 expansion and led a bipartisan campaign to pass legislation expanding workers鈥� compensation for first responders.

Olivia began her career as a legislative staffer in the U.S. and Pennsylvania Houses of Representatives, where she worked on commercial law, data privacy, and trade policy. She serves on the boards of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and Harrisburg Young Professionals (past president). She is an active committee member of the Pennsylvania Society and The Foundation for Enhancing Communities. She has received statewide recognition for her advocacy and civic work.

Olivia graduated cum laude from 映画传媒 Valley College with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Law & Society.

The Betty C. Hungerford 鈥�54, H鈥�09 Award for Distinguished Service to 映画传媒 Valley College鈥擠onna Diehl Kuntz 鈥�67

Recipients have served the College as a volunteer for 10 or more years consecutively, demonstrate a great passion for the College and its constituents, regularly attend LVC events and activities, and represent LVC positively beyond the LVC community.

Donna Diehl Kuntz 鈥�67 has volunteered with LVC since the early 1990s. Her many volunteer 映画传媒s include Alumni Ambassador, Reunion Committees, Education Blitz Campaign, and long-time Alumni Awards Committee member. In 1998, Donna received the D. Clark Carmean Award in Admission for her work supporting LVC鈥檚 enrollment efforts.

Donna earned a B.S. in Elementary Education from LVC and an M.Ed. from Penn State University. She taught kindergarten through college, eventually earning her principal certificate and 映画传媒 as elementary principal in the Palmyra Area School District. She has assisted many LVC alumni as they pursued education positions.

Donna has served as spokesperson for LVC鈥檚 philanthropic campaigns and sponsors The Donna Diehl Kuntz 鈥�67 Annual Scholarship, awarded to an Elementary Education major. She is frequently seen on campus enjoying alumni gatherings and events such as Christmas at The Valley.

Creative Achievement Award鈥擠iane McVaugh Beckstead 鈥�84

Presented to LVC alumni for distinguished creative accomplishments in the arts and journalism.

Diane McVaugh Beckstead 鈥�84 taught choral and general K-8 music in public and private schools in Wisconsin, New York, and Pennsylvania for 39 years. A pianist and composer, she founded Musicals for Change, a publisher of children鈥檚 musicals, which partner with nonprofits.

Diane has written original shows for Musicals for Change, choral anthems for Choristers Guild, Peake Music, and Celebrating Grace, all of which are carried by J.W. Pepper, a global music distributor. Several of her pieces can be found in Pepper’s Editor鈥檚 Choice listings.

In retirement, Diane composes, teaches piano lessons, and conducts workshops. In addition to her own musicals, she directs Knoch High School musicals and productions at Batavia Studios in Pittsburgh.

Diane received a B.S. in Music Education from 映画传媒 Valley College and an M.S. in Music Education from the College of St. Rose in New York.