Christina M. Whitehead ’75 has released a novel of historical fiction entitled “Hemingway’s Daughter,” drawing on Ernest Hemingway’s personality and literary career to bring a fictional daughter to life. Whitehead practices divorce law in Hartford. This is her third published novel.

Nate Murphy ’10 has been appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to the Texas Energy Reliability Council. The council was established to ensure that the energy and electric industries in this state meet high priority human needs, address critical infrastructure concerns and enhance coordination and communication. Murphy is senior counsel for Valero and a corporate member representative for the Texas Oil & Gas Association, Texas Industrial Energy Consumers, Louisiana Energy Users Group, Oklahoma Industrial Energy Consumers, Texas Energy Coalition, and the Association of Oil Pipelines.

Mary-Ellen Barrett ’88 recently received the 2021 Pathways to Peace Award from Rotary District 5340. This award is the San Diego-Imperial Country Rotary District’s major award, given for exemplary performance of peace building and peace making. Barrett, the San Diego deputy attorney general, was honored for her work in fighting human trafficking.

Former Connecticut Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin Jr. ’75 was recently named the state’s first-ever inspector general. The Office of the Inspector General was recently created as a separate office within the Division of Criminal Justice. he will lead the office in investigations of police-involved shootings and prosecute cases involving unjustified force by a police or corrections officer. The office will also make recommendations to the Police Officer Standards and Training Council concerning censure and suspension, renewal, cancelation, or revocation of an officer’s certification. Devlin has spent decades in public service, as a public defender, a state and federal prosecutor, and, for 28 years, a judge in Connecticut overseeing criminal cases. Devlin also served as administrative judge for the criminal division of the Superior Court and as co-chair of the Connecticut Sentencing Commission.

The Hartford Business Journal (HBJ) has announced the appointment of Fallon DePina Banks ’08 to their annual 40 under 40 list. Banks currently serves as the Deputy General Counsel at UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the world. Banks specializes in privacy and cybersecurity, and also serves as the Chair for UnitedHealth Group’s Culture, Inclusion, and Diversity Council. 

Randall Pinkston ’80 has accepted a position as visiting professor at University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media. Pinkston is a veteran, award-winning journalist, who has worked as a White House correspondent for CBS and as a reporter in Mississippi and throughout the U. S. He also has previously taught journalism at Stony Brook University in New York, City University of New York, and Morgan State University in Maryland. Pinkston will teach a course in international reporting.

The Bridgeport-based law firm of Willinger, Willinger & Bucci, have expanded its presence in the state with a new office in Shelton and will be celebrating its growth with a grand opening this month. The firm employs several UConn alumni, including James A. Lenes ’91, Heidi C. McGee ’92, Toni M. Gelineau ’80, and Christopher M. Cerami ’13.

Michael Cantor ’83 and Shari Cantor have funded a new entrepreneurship course, Build Hartford, to help UConn students develop entrepreneurial skills and work for a Hartford area start-up they are interested in. This course will premiere this spring as part of UConn’s Werth Institute. Michael is a co-managing partner at Cantor Colburn, an intellectual property law firm, and has taught at the School of Law for more than 20 years as an adjunct professor.