Class Notes

Name: Keith Cagle

Class Year(s): 1982

Note: Keith M. Cagle Ph.D., ’82 (CLA) is the current chairperson of American Sign Language and Interpreting Education Department at RIT / NTID. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Linguistics from the University of New Mexico. He earned his MA in Educational Administration from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque in 2010, and he achieved his BS in Social Work from RIT/NTID in 1982. He has been teaching the undergraduate and graduate ASL and interpreting courses since 1986. He was the chair of the Department of Interpretation and Translation Department at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and the Interpreter Education program chair at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC). He led the curriculum development and revisions on some ASL and interpreting courses and program for four interpreting education programs in North Carolina. He developed some undergraduate courses at NTID, Gardner-Webb University and CPCC, and some graduate courses for the University of Northern Colorado. Currently, he is serving as the Vice-President on Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)’s Center on Assessment of Sign Language Interpretation (CASLI) board. He was the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) president in 1990-1995. He was the ASLTA Evaluation chairperson in 2000-2015. He served on North Carolina interpreter licensing board, and on the national and state committees for ASL bill, standards, outcomes, and screening. On a personal side, he has three hearing CODA children.

Submitted on: September 4, 2020

Name: Mark Vedel

Class Year(s): 1984

Note: Mark Vedel ’84 (SCB) recently started a new engagement at Sharp Business Systems in Los Angeles as a Network Services Architect. Sharp Business Systems (SBS) is a direct sales division of Sharp Electronics Corporation. Our SBS branches throughout the U.S. combine the resources of a multi-billion dollar corporation and the value of local representation with local management and community relationships. Our experienced business technology specialists evaluate your current technology environment and document workflow to help improve your company’s efficiency, security and bottom-line through our best-in-class products, solutions and support. Sharp Business Systems (SBS) offers a unique and consultative approach called the Communication Continuum to help you better communicate with staff and customers to drive business success faster. We focus on a discovery process to assess four primary forms of communication: Document-Based, Image-Based and Collaborative based Communication, all supported by a strong, secure Infrastructure and Network Services backbone. Mark is focused on solving a specific set of problems for your business. If your organization utilizes plans, designs, blueprints or other critical technical documents, he has the experience and expertise to help you secure and manage that intellectual property. He also specializes in data analytics, Industrial IoT and Cyber Security.

Submitted on: September 4, 2020

Name: Jeffrey Salava

Class Year(s): 1994

Note: Jeffrey Salava ’94 (CIAS) writes, "After 6 years as a lead graphic designer creating trade show displays, business identities and fleet graphics, I recently quit my position to direct full attention to my fine art reproduction business. I started Archival Arts out of my basement in Baltimore, MD in August of 2000 and it has grown into a full time business servicing over 2000 local and national artists. We specialize in large format art reproductions on canvas and watercolor media. www.archivalarts.com So much for my film degree!"

Submitted on: September 4, 2020

Name: Kevin Johns

Class Year(s): 1983

Note: Kevin Johns ’83 (CCE) is retired as a Sales Executive from Travelers Insurance Company located in Buffalo, N.Y.

Submitted on: September 4, 2020

Name: Sharon Cochran

Class Year(s): 1983

Note: Sharon (Chesson) Cochran ’83 (CAST) is a principal packaging engineer at Conagra Brands, Omaha, Nebraska. Sharon recently was employed at Pinnacle Foods as a senior packaging engineer.

Submitted on: September 4, 2020

Name: Edward Portolese

Class Year(s): 1989

Note: On March 1, 2019, Ed Portolese ’89 (SCB) was promoted to Chief Information Office of Arconic, Inc. and transferred to Pittsburgh, Pa.

Submitted on: September 4, 2020