Alumni

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Keep your personal information up-to-date so that we can help your high school friends find you. TMA would also like to keep you in contact with information concerning reunions and special events. You can email Carel Nally to update the website or contact Laura Deery at 407-971-2221 ext. 1246 to update your address, phone or find out about special events.

Please update us with the following information:

Your name, date of graduation, your e-mail, and any other information you would like to share about your career, family, education.

Alumni News

Ashley Fierro (class of 2001) is now living in Fort Lauderdale, enjoying every moment of Florida sunshine. After graduating from TMA where she cheered from the time she was in third grade until she graduated, she became a member of the Varsity Coed Cheerleading team at Florida State University. It is fair to say her cheerleading experience was molded and supported at TMA. (Thank you Erin, Lori, & Nikki!) At FSU, Ashley cheered for all four years of her college career, eventually becoming the Varsity Team Captain. While there, she studied Human Resource Management in the FSU College of Business, graduating Magna Cum Laude. After her years in Tallahassee, Ashley moved back to Orlando for a year while she studied for a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. Upon completion of her MBA, Fort Lauderdale became the next step where Ashley would begin working full-time as the Human Resources Coordinator for Bass Underwriters, a national insurance broker. She is very happy with her career in HR and loves it most for the opportunities to interact with and meet new people while serving the 230+ employees at Bass. Ashley also just recently passed the PHR, Professional in Human Resources, certification test. She is now fully settled in South Florida, living in a condo she purchased just a mile from the ocean. Florida will always be her home and she is grateful for all the memories and opportunities she has been given from the time she entered Mrs. Price's second grade classroom at TMA. (Posted 6/30/09)

Nicholas J. Begich, III (Class of 1995) is President of FarShore Partners, a software engineering firm with offices in Anchorage, Alaska, USA and Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Starting with 1 part-time employee in 2006, the team has expanded to over 30 full-time and 10 part-time resources. Prior to founding FarShore Partners, Nicholas had resource management responsibility through various roles spanning 5 continents and often exceeding 100 resources in both direct and “dotted line” chain-of-command reporting relationships. Nicholas has held a number of professional positions including: Program Manager of a $200MM USD telecommunications implementation, Product Marketing Manager for vehicle line at a major auto-maker, Investor Relations Analyst at an NYSE-traded, S&P500 firm and a Real Estate Brokerage General Manager with over 140 agents and employees.

In 2003, Nicholas Begich and Dharna Vakharia (Class of 1997) married. Dharna received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Purdue University in 2004, and today is an in-patient staff pharmacist at 2 Anchorage-area hospitals. In addition Dharna serves as a member of the State of Alaska Medicaid Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Dharna is a Veteran Officer of the U.S. Commissioned Corps having attained the Navy-equivalent rank of Lieutenant. Nicholas and Dharna have been proud contributors to the campaigns of Nicholas’ uncle and Alaska’s newest legislator, U.S. Senator Mark Begich.

Nicholas has received his Master of Business Administration with concentrations in Business Operations and Information Technology from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business Full Time program. He has also received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University’s Hankammer School of Business with an emphasis in Management and Entrepreneurship. Nicholas credits his professional development in no small part to The Master’s Academy’s fundamental values structure, attentive educators, leadership opportunities, and comprehensive extra-curricular programs. (Posted 6/16/09)

Stefanie Higgins (Class of 1999) has lived in Washington, DC for six years. After graduating from UCF in 2003, she worked in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. In 2007, she joined the Bush Administration and worked at The White House in the Office of the First Lady and Visitors Office. In Mrs. Bush’s Office, Stefanie served as a Confidential Assistant and managed the White House Holiday cards. In the Visitors Office, she contributed on events including, the Easter Egg Roll, 4th of July celebration on the South Lawn, and Arrival Ceremonies – including ceremonies for the Queen and Pope. Stefanie currently works for Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia. Her most rewarding experiences were starting an intern Bible study at the White House and co-leading a study in Congress. Stefanie serves on the Parish Council at Church of the Resurrection on Capitol Hill. (Posted 6/2/09)

Michael Schuerman (Class of 1999) is preparing to go on an 11 country, 11 month mission trip. In order to do this, Michael has abandoned what many of us would call the “American Dream” of owning a house and car, having a good job etc. and is following a clear calling God has placed in his life. He enjoyed his job in Orlando, Florida as a personal training manager for many years with Lifestyle Family Fitness but is now selling his car, his possessions and is leaving his friends and family for an entire year to serve people across the world. He credits The Master’s Academy as the place where he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and chapels played an important part in his spiritual development. The adventure that awaits him includes traveling to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, New Zealand, Australia, Kenya, Uganda, Africa, Romania, Ukraine and Eastern Europe. To learn more about Michael and his upcoming mission trip visit www.mikeschuerman.theworldrace.org. (Posted 5/19/09)

Hans Hernke (TMA class of 2001) is currently living in L.A. and working in the entertainment industry. It all began in 11th grade when TMA drama teacher, Miss Sarah Thomas, asked him to play the part of Elwood P. Dowd in the TMA stage production of "Harvey". After taking on the role, Hans realized that acting was his true calling. He got an agent, started auditioning, booked his first national commercial, and became a Screen Actor's Guild member. Hans credits TMA for getting him where he is today. He sends a big thank you to the teachers and staff at TMA, and his supportive, loving parents. After directing a TMA dinner theater show in late 2001 with TMA Fine Arts Director, Judi Tome, Hans was inspired to move to Los Angeles to study at The New York Film Academy at Universal Studios. He graduated from his studies in directing, producing and editing.
    Hans has enjoyed acting jobs, but also has begun branching out to work behind the scenes doing producing, casting, stand-in work, and production work. Some of his most memorable jobs include being on the Disney film "Sky High" where he was frozen into a block of ice by the Freeze Girl character, and having his dream come true playing a Flying Dutchman pirate in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End!" Hans had the opportunity to film an independent feature film in Nigeria, Africa. He has also produced 12 independent films to date and will continue to produce films which are great stories with potential to entertain audiences. He recently completed a full season of work as a stand-in on the hit sitcom "Everybody Hates Chris" Season 4. Hans is working toward the Hollywood dream of becoming a "star" someday, Lord willing, but is quite content to work hard in L.A. as a working actor, producer, and a stand-in. Every job is a blessing and he will always remember that the Lord is constantly providing for his career. (Posted 5/5/09)

Danny Clark (TMA Class of 2006) is now a senior at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. He is attending Rollins College on a baseball scholarship, serving the team in the capacity of a starting pitcher and also as a reliever from the bullpen. Danny is also on school communications leadership committees with both the baseball team, as well as the athletics department. He is majoring in Communications Media. (Posted 4/21/09)

Noah Curran (TMA class of 2005) and Daira (DelVecchio) Curran– (TMA Class of 2005) are married! They are currently studying at Belmont University in Nashville, TN.  Noah will be graduating this year with a Degree in International Business with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship and Spanish.  While at Belmont, Noah has founded, and is the President of, Belmont’s International Business Society.  He has traveled around the U.S. representing Belmont at various business competitions and has been initiated into the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society. Daira will graduate in 2010 with a Degree in Commercial Voice with an emphasis in Music Business.  This past fall she landed the lead in the production of Fantasticks while studying in Florence, Italy.  This international production had a cast representing over seven different counties.  The Currans studied abroad in Spain for a summer session and in Italy for the fall semester.  During this time they were blessed to travel extensively throughout Europe.  For those of you who know Daira, you can guess her favorite place was Paris!  Both Noah and Daira have felt the call to ministry.  Therefore, Noah will begin work on a Masters in Leadership and Evangelism through Wheaton College this summer.  They are planning on using Noah’s business background and Daira’s musical talent to build a traveling speaking/music/drama team to travel with them once they begin their ministry.  By the way….they say married life is terrific! (Posted 3/5/09)

Brooks Wilson TMA graduate, class of 2008. An avid skier for almost a decade, Brooks Wilson has an impressive list of achievements that have propelled him to an elite standing in the water skiing world. His success has taken him around the world and has garnered him high-profile sponsorships such as Nautiques, D3 Skis, Performance Ski & Surf, and O'Neill. With such titles under his belt as a Jr. Masters Champion, Jr. Us Open Champion, and a Men's National Champion, Brooks Wilson is now a member of the University of Alabama Water Ski Team. Brooks is also a business major at the university and has already landed a job with Gatorade as a promotional rep which is completely separate from his roll as a water skier. Click to watch an interview with Brooke Wilson . (Updated 3/5/09)

Jenna Deery, TMA Class of 2003, joined Alabama’s CBS 8 television news team in April 2008 as a general assignment reporter. (www.waka.com) (Click here to see Jenna Reporting the News) Before reporting for CBS 8, Jenna returned to her hometown of Orlando, FL to work under some of the industry's best as an associate producer for the number #1 station, WFTV Channel 9. In May 2007, Jenna graduated from Samford University in Birmingham with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communications and a minor in Spanish. During college, Jenna spent a summer studying in Spain and also studied journalism in London. Jenna was an intern at WBRC Fox 6 in Birmingham during college and had the privilege of interviewing personalities like Gene Simmons, Hillary Clinton and Joe Namath. Jenna was also recognized by the Associated Press with nominations for Best College Feature Reporter and Best News Reporter. (Posted 2/11/09)