New employees in 2016-17

Amy Ariano – Staff Accountant

Amy joined Augustana on Sept. 6, 2016. She earned her BA right here at Augie! Before coming to Augustana, she held various positions at John Deere until 2004. She stayed home with her sons until 2014. Then she started working part-time (accounting) at her church. Inhabitants at her residence include her husband, Neil, and four boys: Ky, 15; Kade, 13; Kamden, 10; and Keaton, 8. When not at work, Amy enjoys reading and attending her boys’ events. In her second life, her dream job would be…interior design. She loves to eat mostly any food; she cannot pick just one favorite book; and her favorite quote is “It is what it is.”

Samantha Panozzo – Assistant Director of Annual Giving

Samantha joined Augustana on Sept. 12, 2016. She received her BA in mathematics from Carthage College. Before working at Augustana, she was a receptionist at Ginsberg Jacobs LLC in Chicago. Inhabitants at her residence include her boyfriend, Tom, and their cats: Breadstick and Jelly Bean. When not at work, Samantha enjoys knitting, reading and crafting of most kinds. In her second life, her dream job would be…a professional knitter. Her favorite food is Grandma’s ravioli, favorite book is “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and favorite quote is “Life as it should be: all friends, all art, all music, all love, all the time.” – Amanda Palmer.

Connor Kealey – Manager of Performance Tours and Art Promotion

Connor joined Augustana on Sept. 26, 2016.  He received his BA in communications – public relations and theatre performance from Susquehanna University, and his MA in leadership and administration from Colorado State University. Before working at Augustana, he worked at Colorado State University’s The Institute for Learning and Teaching/Academics as the arts coordinator. When not at work, Connor enjoys hiking, traveling, volunteering, musical theatre, oldies, folk, funk and electronic music. In his second life, his dream job would be…someone who discovers things like a marine biologist or astronaut. His favorite food is Italian shared with loved ones having good conversation and even better wine, and his favorite quote is “Carp Diem” or “Love is all you need.”

Michael Turczynski – Performance Hall Technician

Michael joined Augustana on Oct. 17, 2016. He received his BA in theatre arts and a Certificate of Entrepreneurship in Performing Arts from the University of Iowa in 2012. Before working at Augustana, he was a freelance theatrical designer. Inhabitants at his residence include his wife, Marni. When not at work, Michael enjoys directing and designing for live theatre, listening to live music and working in technical design at Terror at Skellington Manor. He is a board member of the Quad City Music Guild. In his second life, his dream job would be…already living it with his theatrical production work. His favorite food is buffalo chicken, favorite book “The Illustrated Man” by Ray Bradbury, and favorite quote is “Art doesn’t have to be pretty. It has to be meaningful.” – Duane Hanson

Kip Harrell – Interim Associate Vice President, Career Development

Kip joined Augustana on Oct. 31, 2016. He received a BS in computer science management from Northern Illinois University and a Global Leadership Certificate from Arizona State University Thunderbird School of Global Management. Before working at Augustana, he was the executive director of career development at Arizona State University Thunderbird School of Global Management.  Inhabitants at his residence include Oliver, his four-legged mixed terrier, rescue (ALL BOY!).  When not at work, Kip enjoys dogs, wine, college football, March Madness, NYT crosswords and traveling. In his second life, his dream job would be…a bed and breakfast or inn owner in a tropical location in the South Pacific. His favorite food is anything except monkey brains and live baby eel—both of which he has eaten. Kip’s favorite book is “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power” by Jon Meacham or anything by D.H. Lawrence or Evelyn Waugh. His favorite motto is “Surround yourself with people smarter than you and who frequently disagree with you.”

Kristen Vickers – Accounts Payable Assistant

Kristen joined Augustana on Oct. 31, 2016. She received her BA in English from Iowa State University. Before working at Augustana, she was a content specialist–English at ACT, Inc. She and her partner, Jason, live in two adjacent condos with four cats: Sophie, Amy, Miranda and Max. When not at work, Kristen enjoys reading, board games, bad movies and theatre. In her second life, her dream job would be…a museum curator. Her favorite food is her mom’s rhubarb pie topped with vanilla ice cream; her favorite book is “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson; and her favorite quote is “There’s no place like home.”

Christina Henzen – Student Employment Coordinator

Christina joined Augustana on Nov. 22, 2016. She received her BA from St. Ambrose University. Before coming to Augustana, she worked at Triumph Consulting. Inhabitants at her residence include her husband, a 9-year-old son, two cats, one dog and a plethora of dust bunnies. When not at work, Christina enjoys hiking, reading, binge watching Netflix and random household remodeling project that she starts on a whim and takes years to finish. In her second life, her dream job would be…this IS her dream job! Her favorite food is anything at the Wild Thymes food station in the Dining Center; her favorite book is “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”; and her favorite quote is “We fall so that we can learn to pick ourselves up.”

Christina Sanders-Ring – Administrative Assistant, English, Classics and Religion

Christina joined Augustana on Dec. 5, 2016. She received her BA in English from Western Illinois University (WIU) in 2015 and is expected to complete her MA in instructional design and technology later this year. Before working at Augustana, she was a non-traditional undergrad with an employed spouse so she was fortunate to be able to concentrate on school full-time and work part-time as a student in the WIU library. Prior to returning to school, she worked as an executive secretary for a small marketing company in Des Moines. Kristina also has dabbled in freelance/contract editing and organizing work. Inhabitants at her residence include her spouse, Aaron; teenage son, Devin; dog, Leon; cat, Kibble; and (during semester breaks) college son, Bowen. When not at work, Christina enjoys reading, acting, learning about anything, “thrifting” (mostly for books) and general domesticity. In her second life, her dream job would be…a poet, polymath and darling of Broadway. Her favorite food is, does coffee count? Christina’s favorite book is “Alice in Wonderland,” and her favorite quote is “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” – Douglas Adams

Cassy Casas – Administrative Assistant, Sociology

Cassy joined Augustana on Jan. 9, 2017. 

Tony Gustafson – Grounds Manager

Tony joined Augustana on Jan. 9, 2017. He received his BS in horticulture with an emphasis in turf grass management and a minor in business. Before working at Augustana, he was the assistant golf course superintendent at TPC (Deere Run, San Antonio and Twin Cities).  Inhabitants at his residence include his 6-year-old daughter, Makenna. When not at work, Tony enjoys golfing, photography and nature. In his second life, his dream job would be…the golf course superintendent at Augusta National (Masters). His favorite food is nachos with everything; his favorite book is “Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey; and his favorite quote is “Ninety percent of putts that are short don’t go in.” – Yogi Berra.