Each year, Samford invites alumni who have achieved significant personal, professional and community accomplishments to present academic lectures during Homecoming. This year’s lectures will be held on Nov. 7.
“We love welcoming back our Alumni Showcase honorees with this educational activity for students that highlights the career achievements our alumni have earned since their time at Samford,” Casey Ramey, Director of Alumni Programs said. “We’re excited about the wide variety of expertise that will be featured through this year’s event and know students will learn from the alumni and their professional accomplishments.”
Honorees include:
Jordan Bondurant – School of the Arts
Jordan Bondurant ‘10 is an accomplished actor, singer and writer. Jordan has appeared on Broadway as Sky in the Tony Award-winning “Mamma Mia!,” the Tony Award-winning “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” and the original cast of “A Clockwork Orange.” While living in New York, Jordan has trained with some of the industry’s top professionals and brings a unique insight into the demands of a working actor.
Andrew Clark – Howard College of Arts and Sciences
Andrew Clark ‘03 owns Wherewithal, which is a firm that works with entrepreneurs, organizations and investors. His expertise includes working with professionals within a faith-based approach. He works with many Christ-led professionals through activities including The Lion’s Den, a Cedarworks, Inc. event that he co-created and produces. He serves as a Rotarian and Paula Harris Fellow, Howard College of Arts & Sciences and University Fellows program advisory board member, board member of Young Business Leaders and serves as a deacon at Briarwood Presbyterian Church.
Christy Garmon – McWhorter School of Pharmacy
Christy Garmon ’09 is a District Leader for CVS Pharmacy and has more than a decade of pharmacy experience including serving as staff pharmacist, pharmacy manager and pharmacy supervisor. Garmon currently serves on the academic advisory board at McWhorter School of Pharmacy.
Suzanne Lane – Brock School of Business
Suzanne Lane ’94 is a certified public accountant and C-level executive in the financial industry. She has held a number of leadership roles throughout her career including chief financial officer, vice president, director of hedge fund valuation and analysis and senior manager with many of the largest companies in Birmingham. She serves on the dean’s advisory board for Brock School of Business, as a junior board member of the YWCA, and as treasurer of Vulcan Park and Museum.
Ebonee Lyons – Ida Moffett School of Nursing
Ebonee Lyons ’10 is a family nurse practitioner and owns Lyons Family Care in Homewood, which provides primary care and telemedicine services. Lyons has expertise in disease prevention, health promotion and holistic medicine.
Mary Reding – Orlean Beeson School of Education
Mary Reding ‘76 has more than 35 years of elementary teaching including more than 30 years teaching overseas with the Department of Defense Education Activity. For 31 years, she taught preschool, kindergarten and first grade in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Yokosuka, Japan, and Brunssum, the Netherlands. Mary enjoys traveling and has visited countries on six continents.
Carleton Rivers – School of Public Health
Carleton Rivers ’11 is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences, and serves as internship director for the Master of Nutrition Sciences, Clinical Track/Dietetic Internship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Carleton has worked with the UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative and served as the project coordinator and registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) for many research studies. She has also established nutrition resources through the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability.
Brad Roller – School of the Arts
Brad Roller ’08 is an award-winning producer, director and writer. Most recently, he served as Executive Producer and Showrunner for MLB The Show, Weekday Wrap Up and Staged Dad (coming to Amazon Prime in 2020). His experience to impart includes years of casting/auditioning, networking, acting for the camera, agents and representation, script development, pitching and packaging, and an insider’s look at the business that translates to stage and screen.
Additional Homecoming coverage: