Knight Spotlights | University Liggett School

Knight Spotlights

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Submit your own Knight Spotlight or recommend someone to the Alumni Office by contacting Katie Durno:

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Alumni Knight Spotlight: Bianca Avolio ‘09

Job Title, Profession: Certified Nurse Midwife at Grand Traverse Women’s Clinic

Current Hometown: Traverse City

Last year, I moved to Traverse City to start my first job as a midwife. During my first year I delivered around 125 babies! It’s been a great year! My soulmate, Michael and I got engaged and set a date for next September 2025. I love reading (mostly fantasy), practicing calligraphy, making cards, gardening, water activities, playing video games, and recently took up lighthouse stamp collecting.

Name of spouse, children's names/ages if applicable:

  • Michael Drozdowski (fiancé) 

What’s the latest book you’ve read?

  • Finished: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell.
  • Currently reading: The Misborn Saga by Brandon Sanderson

Favorite time of year?

  • Fall - the colors, the smell, the apples and donuts, Halloween, cozy blankets, chai tea, etc. 

What's your greatest adventure to date?

  • This would be a tie between traveling to Japan for two weeks with my fiancé and my sister, her husband, and their two kids, OR the year I spent being  travel nursing full time, while also going to grad school full time online and flying back to Michigan once a month to work a weekend shift at Beaumont, Royal Oak. 

Favorite Lunch?

  • Chicken patty sandwich

Best decision you ever made?

  • Moving to Traverse City

Favorite Treat: Salty or Sweet? Details please!

  • Big sweet tooth - probably ice cream!

Who was your favorite teacher at ULS?

  • So many!!! Mr. Butzu, Mr. Knote, Dr. Moss, Mr. Foster, Mrs. Katanick, Mr. Dwaihy, Mrs. Minwalla

What’s your favorite movie?

  • Lord of The Rings Trilogy  

If you could live in a different country for a year, where would it be?

  • Japan
     

Bianca

Alumni Knight Spotlight: Millie Tompkins Gervais ‘00

Job Title, Profession: Project Portfolio Analyst, MSU Federal Credit Union

Current Hometown: Grosse Pointe, MI

I love spending time outdoors with my family. We enjoy summer time on the boat or at our cottage. I am an avid runner and love watching our kids play sports and grow daily. Both our boys attend Liggett and we couldn’t be happier to be roaming the halls again.

Name of spouse, children's names/ages if applicable:

  • Husband: Steve
  • Kids: George (7), Henry (4)

What's on your music playlist these days?

  • (Anything kids are into this minute) Centuries, Roar, Night Falls

Favorite time of year?

  • Summer - being on or in the water all the time, warm bike rides and long runs 

What's your greatest adventure to date?

  • Having 2 amazing boys

Favorite lunch at ULS?

  • Breakfast day

Advice would you give your former self?

  • Start Grad school in my 20s

Favorite memory of Cook Road?

  • Community - close knit friends and teachers

Favorite Treat: Salty or Sweet? Details please!

  • Trail mix - it’s salty and sweet

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

  • Eye of the Tiger (reminds me of field hockey)

Who was your favorite teacher at ULS?

  • Mary Thorn - head of LS when I was in first grade - taught me how important patience, kindness and love is when helping others navigate tough situations.

Cats, dogs or no pets? Names of pets, if applicable!

  • A fish named Sharky

What's on your bucket list?

  • Live on a boat and travel around with my family for 6mo

Name five things that make you happy:

  • Family, positivity, hearing my kids laugh, exercise, adventures
     

Tompkins

Alumni Knight Spotlight: Greg Jones ‘07

Job Title, Profession: Realtor with Sine & Monaghan

Current Hometown: Grosse Pointe, MI

I live in GP with my wife (who I met at Liggett) and two children. I met some of my best friends through Liggett, and have been able to stay close to the community in various ways. I volunteered on the ULS Alumni Board for a few years, play soccer with a handful of Liggett teachers regularly, and work at the Liggett Day Camp in the summer. My career as a Realtor has given me the freedom and flexibility to spend a lot of time with my family.

Name of spouse, children's names/ages if applicable:

  • Julie ‘07, Jack (5) & Riley (2)

What's the latest book you've read?

  • In a Dark Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Favorite time of year? Why?

  • Summer because I get to work at Liggett Day Camp and get a front row seat to Jack enjoying the camp himself

Favorite lunch at ULS?

  • Chicken patty day

Favorite memory of Cook Road?

  • Free periods with friends, and plenty of good sports memories

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

  • Daydream by Lovin Spoonful

Cats, dogs or no pets?

  • Names of pets, if applicable! We have a scruffy dog named Ford
     

Jones

Alumni Knight Spotlight: Libby Stallings McDonald ‘13

Job Title, Profession: Assistant Division Director, Department of Public Utilities - Henrico County, Virginia

Current Hometown: Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia

I am a Professional Engineer (licensed in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia) managing roughly 90 people in the Water Distribution, Sewer Collections, and Warehouse sections of the Department of Public Utilities for Henrico County, Virginia, a county located just North of the City of Richmond. Our responsibilities include ensuring that clean water is always available and that you need not worry about your waste once you flush the toilet. If you are ever concerned about either your drinking water or your sewage, it means we are not adequately doing our job. I am also concurrently pursuing a Master's Degree in Public Administration through the University of Central Florida.  We are living in Central Virginia due to my husband's military career.  He is currently getting a Master's Degree in Supply Chain Management, funded by the U.S. Army, at Virginia Commonwealth University.  Since 2017 the Army has had us to 4 different states from 5 separate moves. We always look forward to the next adventure, which will likely be Kansas in 2027.

Name of spouse, children's names/ages if applicable:

  • Christopher McDonald (30), Catherine McDonald (2), Margaret McDonald (1)

What's the latest book you’ve read?

  • Naked Economics

Favorite time of year?

  • Autumn - I love the weather cooling, the trees changing, and the anticipation for the Winter Holidays

What's your greatest adventure to date?

  • Motherhood!

Favorite lunch at ULS?

  • Obviously... Chicken Patty Sandwiches! Do you all still do that? (Yes!)

Advice would you give your former self?

  • Grosse Pointe can feel small, especially as an adolescent. The world is a wondrous place, full of incredible people - if you don't find your person, or your passion by the time you graduate, there is still plenty (if not more) opportunity to figure it all out in the next chapter of life.

What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?

  • Marrying Christopher McDonald, no doubt about it!

Cats, dogs or no pets? Names of pets, if applicable!

  • Dogs - Tilly! She is a 6 year old Old English Sheepdog

What’s your favorite movie?

  • Moulin Rouge

Who was your favorite teacher at ULS?

  • SO MANY GOOD ONES: Connie O'Brien, Jim Schmidt, Shernaz Minwalla, Becky Gast, Anne McCauley, Linda Brown, Glynn Conley, Andy Knote, Elisa Cornell, Walter Butzu, and Julie Demchak - I'm sure there are others that are currently escaping me!

If you could live in a different country for a year, which country would you choose?

  • Switzerland - I had the opportunity to do Swiss Semester while I was in 10th Grade and I have wanted to go back ever since, especially for an extended period of time.
     

Stalings

Alumni Knight Spotlight: Josh Moulton ‘96

Job Title, Profession: CEO/COO/CFO, President/Founder/Principal at Josh Moulton Fine Art Gallery

Current Hometown: Chicago, IL

Josh Moulton, the son of celebrated illustrator Conrad Moulton, is a professional artist/painter in Chicago. His work is collected internationally and his paintings adorn many corporate office spaces around the country.

Josh has been painting full-time as his career in Chicago for over 20 years. His work was represented by galleries in Santa Fe, NM, NYC, Chicago and Winnetka before he decided to open his own gallery in 2011. The Josh Moulton Fine Art Gallery in Lincoln Park serves as his space for creating new paintings and a gallery to display and sell his work. The gallery at all times has around 40 original paintings for sale, many framed giclee prints of the paintings and 10-20 original paintings in the works.

Josh is always available for commissioned work and is extremely easy to work with. His family is the love of his life and they encourage him every day.

Name of spouse, children's names/ages if applicable:

  • Ariana Moulton, Jackson Moulton 14, Carter Moulton 11

What's on your music playlist these days?

  • Grateful Dead, Tribe Called Quest, Doobie Brothers, The Samples, Dave Matthews

What's the latest book you've read?

  • Devil in the White City

Favorite time of year? Why?

  • Spring... weather gets better, things come back to life, better for my biz.

Your greatest adventure to date?

  • Living abroad in London/Florence (1999). Traveling for 2 weeks in Croatia (2003)

Favorite lunch at ULS?

  • Chicken Patties

Advice would you give your former self?

  • Dream of playing in the NBA was most likely not going to happen but there was a chance

Best decision you've ever made?

  • Besides marrying my wife.... opening my own gallery in 2011

Favorite memory of Cook Road?

  • Being inducted into the ULS Alumni Arts Hall of Fame

Favorite Treat: Salty or Sweet? Details please!

  • Beef jerky

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

  • Shakedown Street

Your favorite teacher at ULS? And why?

  • Suzanne Raymo. She loved me.

Cats, dogs or no pets? Names of pets, if applicable!

  • Bear E. Sanders Moulton - English White Lab

What's your favorite movie?

  • Braveheart, Gladiator, Sexy Beast, Dances with Wolves

Aside from necessities, what is one thing could you not go a day without?

  • Coffee

If you could live in a different country for a year, which country would you choose?

  • Italy

What's on your bucket list?

  • Visit Asia and Africa someday

Name five things that make you happy:

  • Painting, my fish tanks, Detroit sports... and of course, my family!
     

Moulton

Alumni Knight Spotlight: Denine Simmons Ngoyi ‘07

Job Title, Profession: Senior Program Manager, Giving at Rocket Community Fund
Current Hometown: Detroit, MI

I’m a wife and proud mom to two-year-old twins. I work in philanthropy, where I’m passionate about urban planning, ESG, and building connections to bring resources to underserved communities. I love bringing people together to create lasting, positive change. Outside of work, I cherish time with my family—whether we’re dancing in the living room, exploring new foods, or enjoying the outdoors. I’m all about creating meaningful moments and fostering a sense of community wherever I go.

Name of spouse, children's names/ages if applicable:

  • Husband: Daniel Ngoyi ‘06
  • Kids: Twins - Leilani and Dennis Ngoyi - 2 years old

What's on your music playlist these days?

  • Literally a bit of everything!

Latest book you’ve read?

  • Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time

Favorite time of year?

  • Spring and Fall - both feel like new beginnings

What's your greatest adventure to date?

  • Trekking around the island of Murano with my husband!

Favorite lunch at ULS?

  • Chicken patties!

Advice would you give your former self?

  • Prioritize what's most important and everything else will fall into place as it should.

Who was your favorite teacher at ULS?

  • My first grade teacher, Mr. Saddlemeir because he made me fall in love with reading.
     

Ngoyi

Alumni Knight Spotlight: Lauren Parrott '02

Job Title, Profession: Teaching Assistant at ULS

Current Hometown: Harper Woods, MI

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2002. I didn’t let the diagnosis stop me from pursuing my educational goals and I received a BA in communication from MSU, and an MA in Speech Communication from Wayne State University. I have delivered speeches around the country for several years speaking about living well with MS and how medication has helped me tremendously.

My proudest endeavor was delivering a speech in Paris with a group of international marketing executives. I founded an online patient forum on YouTube, where I post videos about current and relevant information for patients about MS.

I am currently working with children at ULS in their extended day program and I love it! I have a boyfriend, Dan Ferrin ‘00, who I met at ULS and we are planning a future together.

What's on your music playlist these days?

  • Ariana Grande

Latest book you’ve read?

  • Dear Future Mama by Meghan Trainor

Favorite time of year?

  • Fall

What's your greatest adventure to date?

  • Delivering a speech in Paris

Favorite lunch at ULS?

  • So many! I loved the salad bar and chicken fajitas

Advice would you give your former self?

  • Don’t worry about what other people think of you.

Best decision you've ever made?

  • Living in a stress-free environment

Favorite memory of Cook Road?

  • Performing on stage in musical theater

Favorite Treat: Salty or Sweet? Details please!

  • Sweet

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

  • September by Earth Wind and Fire. It makes me happy!

Who was your favorite teacher at ULS? And why?

  • Mr. Overton because I got an A in his chemistry class, even though I was battling cognitive issues (and didn’t know it).

Cats, dogs or no pets? Names of pets, if applicable!

  • Dogs! Rosie, Jake and Max

What's your favorite movie?

  • So many! The Sting, The Godfather, Greenbook, Bohemian Rhapsody, Dream Girls

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

  • Italy and France

Any funny ULS memories?

  • So many! Playing with the lower school students while practicing for The Sound of Music
     

Parrott

Alumni Knight Spotlight: Andrew Watkins ‘00

Job Title, Profession: : President and COO, Marketplace.city

Current Hometown: Chicago, IL

I have been in Chicago for almost 20 years, after a few years in Boston. Worked in consulting and then 8 years ago co-founder a technology platform to make state and local government procurement easier.  We live in Lincoln Park and enjoy being able to walk around the city to restaurants, events, and parks.  I spend a lot of time going to kids sports or dance classes. Still love to swim, play golf and scuba dive (when I can).

Name of spouse, children's names/ages if applicable:

  • Molly (wife), Pierce(11), Lillian (9)

What's on your music playlist these days?

  • Same as it ever was: lots of Classic rock and 90s rock, much to the disappointment of my kids

What's the latest book you've read?

  • The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson

Favorite time of year? Why?

  • Fall - Warm days, cool nights

Your greatest adventure to date?

  • SCUBA diving in the Maldives (although starting a company is an insane adventure)

Favorite lunch at ULS?

  • Chicken Patties

Best decision you've ever made?

  • Going to Swiss Semester my sophomore year. It helped me come out of my shell and be the person I wanted to be.

Favorite memory of Cook Road?

  • Random extracurricular with friends: soccer/basketball game, Spirit Week, treasurer hunt, going to school

Favorite Treat: Salty or Sweet? Details please!

  • Salty - Probably pretzels with some sort of dip

If you had a theme song, what would it be?

  • Don't Stop Believin'

Your favorite teacher at ULS? And why?

  • Leslie Jeffs. Great teacher, interesting discussions and still a friend.

Cats, dogs or no pets?

  • Names of pets, if applicable! Dog - puppy named Duncan

What's your favorite movie?

  • Almost Famous

Aside from necessities, what is one thing could you not go a day without?

  • Exercise

If you could live in a different country for a year, which country would you choose?

  • South Africa

What's on your bucket list?

  • Trip to French Polynesia and the Great Barrier Reef with my family

Name five things that make you happy:

  • The beach, walking around the neighborhood, movies with the family, ice cream, good meals.
     

Watkins


Alumni! Help us share more of your stories with the world.

Nominate your fellow alumni to be recognized here or elsewhere by emailing:

Cressie Boggs
Director of Development and Alumni Engagement

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