GCA Annual Report 17

ALUMNI UPDATES
ALUMNI UPDATES
We love hearing from you! Please
send us updates about educational
accomplishments, new career
opportunities, professional
recognition, additions to your
family, whether through marriage
or birth, or any other news you’d
like to share. Just email Laura
Dancek at ldancek@gcasda.org.
Bryan Olmstead, ’81, in addition
to his work in commercial property
development, has been coaching his
daughter, Marina, to record breaking
swimming success. Marina Olmstead
now has her eye on swimming
competitively at the college level and is
well on her way as she breaks records and
snaps up gold medals at state swim meets.
B.J. Boles, ’87, graduated from Andrews
University (AU) on August 6, 2017 with
a doctor of ministry (D.Min.) degree.
B.J. serves in Las Vegas, Nev. as the senior
pastor of the Mountain View Church.
Bob Overstreet, ’88, graduated from
AU on August 6, 2017 with a Ph.D.
in leadership. As a part of his program,
Bob received additional training from
Yale University in the area of emotional
intelligence and focused his doctoral
research on this subject. Bob serves as the
assistant dean of the School of Education
at Dalton State College in Dalton, Ga.
Greg Hudson, ’91, graduated from
AU on August 6, 2017 with a doctor
of ministry (D.Min.) degree. Greg
is the senior pastor of the Georgia-
Cumberland Academy Adventist Church.
Nick Payne and Holly Witt Payne,
’00 and ’96, welcomed David Michael
into their family on 7/17/17. David
Michael came into the world weighing
8 lbs. 3 oz. and is much loved by his big
brother (Nathan, 4) and sister (Alyssa,
2). Nick is self-employed as a computer
networking specialist and Holly is
a CRNA at Gordon Hospital in
Calhoun, Ga.
Nate Dubs, ’04, was ordained into
pastoral ministry on August 19 at the
Statesboro Adventist Church. Nate
serves the Georgia-Cumberland
Conference as pastor of the Statesboro,
Dublin, and Vidalia churches. Nate is
married to Kristina and the two of them
love being parents to their daughter, Ella.
Amber Sornson Brandt, ’04, is
enjoying a busy life with two children, a
husband, and a nursing job at Memorial
Hospital in Chattanooga, Tenn. Their
second son, Caleb Benjamin Brandt was
born on 8/16/16, weighing 8 lbs. 5 oz.
Bradley Thames and Paola Cornejo
Thames, both ’04, are the proud
parents of Wesley Cooper Thames, born
August 23, 2017. Wesley came into
the world weighing 8 lbs. 6 oz. and
measuring 20.5 inches. Bradley owns
and operates Atlanta-based Creative
Media and Paola is a nurse.
Bryan Bankhead and Michelle
Wildman, ’09, were married on August
13, 2017 in Flintstone, Ga. Bryan and
Michelle are living and working in
Knoxville, Tenn.
Courtney Brackbill, ’10, married
Jeremy Wampler on July 30, 2017. The
couple live and work in Chattanooga,
Tenn., where Courtney is a nurse and
Jeremy is a physical therapist.
Kelsey Twombley, ’10, graduated
magna cum laude with her A.A.S.
in radiologic technology. Kelsey
is interested in specializing in
interventional radiology.
Dwagne (D.J.) Haskins and
Gabriella Pasos, both ’12, graduated
from AU in August 2017 with their doctor
of physical therapy degrees (D.PT).
On September 3 they were joined in
marriage near Orlando, Fla. Following
their honeymoon in the Caribbean
the couple relocated to New Mexico,
where they are both working as physical
therapists in outpatient orthopedic clinics.
Jaren Humphreys, ’12, is living near
Milwaukee, Wis., where he serves as the
treasurer for Milwaukee Junior Academy.
Taylor Armstrong, ’13, is serving this
year as a task force pre-k and kindergarten
teacher at the Dillingham Adventist
School in Dillingham, Alaska.
Alex Brady and Kelli Stickney Brady,
both ’13, are serving as task force workers
at Shenandoah Valley Academy in IT and
the business office, respectively.
Jillian Cheever, ’14, is serving as a
student missionary in the Philippines
where she will be receiving and screening
patients for medical care, and assisting the
local Adventist doctor and nurses with care
and support of their patients. When she is
not working in the medical environment,
she will also be involved with the pastor in
house-to-house visits of patients & Bible
study interests.
Rayane Melo, ’14, was married to
Stephen Smith on August 19, 2017.
Rayane is currently finishing her
education at Southern Adventist
University (SAU) and is planning on
pursuing a doctorate in chiropractic.
Stephen works for SAU as an enrollment
counselor and recruiter.
Allison Melton, ’15, is serving this year as
a student missionary in Kosrae, Micronesia
where she is teaching 1st and 2nd grades
and art for all the students.
Michaela Davis, ’16, is serving as a
student missionary this year in Kosrae,
Micronesia where she is teaching 3rd and
4th grade and music for all students.
Kris Stahl, ’16, is serving as a student
missionary in the Philippines this year,
working with a construction crew to
upgrade an existing medical clinic. In
addition, when not doing construction
work, Kris will be involved with the local
pastor in house-to-house visitation of
patients and Bible study interests.
21 Annual Report