Class Notes

Jaime Escobar

(B.S. ‘94, Accounting)

Escobar was recently appointed as chief financial officer at Nanophase Technologies Corporation, a technology leader in nanomaterials and advanced nanoengineered products, in Romeoville, Ill. He also has a CPA license from the State of Illinois.

Robert Jordan 

(M.A. ‘94 Speech)

Jordan presented at Northeastern as part of the NEIU Alumni All Access speaker series. Jordan retired in 2016 as a reporter and news anchor for WGN-TV’s News at Nine. He recently published “Murder in the News: An Inside Look at How Television Covers Crime.” The book examines how news programs decide which murders to cover and how social media has changed the dynamic of reporting. Jordan received the 2011 NEIU Distinguished Alumnus Award and also served as the December Commencement Speaker at NEIU. 

Chris Altizer

(M.A '95 Human Resource Development)

Altizer cowrote a book in 2022, titled "Growing the Elephant", detailing aspects of dialogues and disputes around diversity, equity and inclusion. Altizer is currently an adjunct lecturer at the Florida International University, and a partner in Altizer Performance Partners.

Enrique Gallego

(M.A '97 Political Science)

Enrique Gallego completed a two-year assignment as the Political/Economic Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Juba, South Sudan, in August 2023. During his assignment, Gallego led the Political - Economic Section in reporting on gross human rights violations committed during subnational violence by political elites and their surrogates. He also worked with diplomatic partners to press the South Sudanese transitional government to implement the 2018 peace agreement to end its civil war. Gallego's new assignment is in the State Department’s Office of Haitian Affairs as the Political Team Lead, where he is working on multilateral issues involving Haiti.

Enrique Gallego

(M.A. ‘97 Political Science)

Gallego served as a regional policy coordinator at the Department of State’s Counterterrorism Bureau.  He is currently training for a new assignment with the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia as the deputy political counselor for External Affairs.

Gregory Jackson

(B.A. '99 Political Science)

Jackson has recently accepted an appointment to the position of Chief of Staff, Office of Mayor, City of North Chicago. Jackson, after graduating from Northeastern, went on to earn a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Roosevelt University and completed his doctoral course work in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University. Jackson also worked in previous Chief Administrative positions in various villages in Illinois, and as a professor in the Political Science department at Northeastern and the Master in Public Policy and Administration program at Illinois Institute of Technology. 

Roberta Dietzen

(M.A.‘99 Linguistics)

Dietzen published a Holocaust memoir, Gypsy Music Street, in 2013. Her speaker’s program is titled “Gypsy Music Street: Genocide and a Daughter’s Journey to her Mother’s Shattered World.” She speaks about the inter-generational trauma of the Holocaust, and the importance of people standing up to hatred, cruelty, and injustice.

Angelique Ford

(B.S. ’01 Biology)

Ford has worked as an endodontist (root canal specialist) since earning her endodontist specialty certification in 2008. Since moving to Phoenix, Arizona, in 2019, she has served patients from Phoenix and surrounding areas, including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Gilbert and Apache Junction.

Jade Maze

(B.A. ‘04 University Without Walls)

Maze recently published “Walk Until Sunrise,” a memoir about her experiences as a 15-year-old-runaway. Her book received a review from windycityreviews.org. She is currently am a member of the voice faculty at Merit School of Music and a teaching artist for Ravinia.

Jeannette Rocuant

(B.A. '04 Elementary Education)

Rocuant worked as a seventh grade teacher in Social Studies and Language at William P. Gray Elementary School. Rocuant also was a finalist for the 2023 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.