Kudos June 2026

June 11, 2026
By W&M Alumni Magazine

Congratulations to William & Mary alumni who are making moves in the world! This is where we celebrate awards, job changes, promotions, recognition and other career and civic engagement news we collected between March 2 and June 2. For more updates from your classmates, check out the Class Notes and in the print edition of the W&M Alumni Magazine, which mailed June 10.

If you would like to submit an item for Kudos, email the W&M Alumni Magazine staff at alumni.magazine@wm.edu. We will also share your news with your class’s reporter.

Awards, Recognition and Accomplishments

Charlie Cantrell ’25 recently directed and produced a short television segment for WHRO Public Media about photographer Michael DiBari as he documents demolition derbies, focusing on authenticity and human moments within a chaotic environment. You can watch the segment on Cantrell’s YouTube channel.

Sheri-Lynn DeMaris M.Ed. ’81 is the producer and star of her first documentary, focused on healthy food and environmental awareness. Her film, “The Spirit of Rice,” filmed in Massachusetts, is available to watch on her website.

Bimal Kapadia ’99, CEO of Meadowlark Media, and his company are celebrating recognition of their podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out." The show won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting for their investigative series on the L.A. Clippers’ alleged salary-cap circumvention.

Tiffany Reed Silverman ’95 was recognized by the South Carolina Arts Commission as one of six 2026 recipients of the state’s highest recognition for exceptional practice or support of contemporary art forms.The commission’s announcement noted that as The Citadel’s first director of fine arts, she has “revolutionized arts engagement within that community.” She also championed high-profile public art initiatives, including tributes to the South Carolina National Guard and the Emmanuel 9 tragedy.

Valley Road Vineyards, co‑owned by William & Mary alumni Mary Miley Theobald ’74, M.A. ’80, P ’05, Jim Theobald ’74, P ’05 and Barbara Cole Joynes ’82, won Virginia’s 44th Governor’s Cup for their 2023 Cabernet Franc Reserve. It was one of 670 wines submitted for the competition by over 130 wineries from across the state.

Job Changes and Promotions

Randy Critzer Jr. J.D. ’17 has joined personal injury law firm Burnett & Williams in Richmond, Virginia. He began his legal career nearly a decade ago as a law clerk at Fairfax County Circuit Court. His experience spans personal injury defense, real estate litigation, insurance defense and business litigation.

Devin DeBacker ’08 joined Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C., as a partner in its foreign investment and national security groups, where he advises clients on matters related to national security, geopolitical risk, regulatory oversight and complex commercial transactions and technology. He joined the firm after serving in senior roles at the White House and Department of Justice across the first Trump Administration, Biden Administration and second Trump Administration.

Joe Kane ’09 has joined The Greater Richmond Partnership (GRP) as senior director of research. He will support business development and marketing initiatives that target key audiences in recruiting companies to the Richmond region.

Shawri King-Casey J.D. ’00 has joined the Richmond office of Ogletree Deakins in Richmond, Virginia, as senior counsel. Her practice focuses on employment law and higher education. A former vice president at Virginia State University, she has extensive experience counseling higher education institutions. Before entering higher education leadership, she served as the first general counsel for the Virginia attorney general’s office.