Cynthia De La Torre, ’03 BA Communication Studies, is the communications manager for a $20 million grant from the National Institutes of Health that is housed at UNLV. The grant involves 13 institutions in seven states. She handles all social media and communications for the grant, including campaigns for its various funding mechanisms. Each year she organizes a meeting for 200 scientists and faculty members across the Mountain West. An advocate for immigration, prison reform, and higher education, she facilitates a support group for women coping with incarcerated family members. Her hobbies include hiking, cycling, reading, and networking. She has an 11-year-old daughter.

Jon Castagnino, ’03 BA Communication Studies and BS Sports Injury Management, is an instructor in UNLV’s Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies. He launched the “Rebel Report,” a student-run TV and social media platform covering UNLV athletics and Las Vegas events. He began his career as a student journalist for the show UNLViews, broadcast from the basement of the Flora Dungan Humanities building, and went on to write and produce for TV news in Wyoming and Texas. Most recently, he worked as a sports anchor/reporter at FOX5 News in Las Vegas.

Magdalena Zepeda, ’02 MA Communication Studies, this year was promoted to assistant principal at Central Middle School in Riverside, California. Her hobbies are long-distance running, mentoring, reading, and writing. She lives in Coachella.

Sara Mallett Leoni, ’96 BA Communication Studies, is CEO of Rafter, a college course materials management company that focuses on making education more affordable, accessible, and effective for college students. She says the company has saved 2.7 million students more than half a billion dollars on textbooks. Previously, she held leadership roles at several companies, including Sharpcast, Cafepress, Yahoo!, and E*Trade. While at UNLV she played center field for the softball team and was named a Second Team All American. 

Alfred McDonald, ’91 BA Criminal Justice, in February became a judge pro tem in Marana Municipal Court in Arizona. He lives in Tucson.

David Deuel, ’90 BA Criminal Justice, retired in 2011 after 20 years with the Nevada department of public safety. He says he had outstanding coworkers and also met a number of interesting individuals during his career as a parole and probation officer. He and his wife relocated to northern Michigan after his retirement. They enjoy the four seasons and not being able to even see a neighbor’s house from their own. Their black lab, Bella, keeps them busy as she loves the snow, the lakes, hiking, and chasing tennis balls. They live in Indian River.