Maines

Janet Kozak Maines (B.A. ‘84 Fine Arts, cum laude) has been the owner of In House Graphics, a graphic design business, since 1990. The company specializes in print advertising, web design, logo and branding, with clients ranging from American Airlines (nationally) to Holiday In Dixie (locally). Maines is in her third year of service with the Board of the Shreveport Bossier Advertising Federation (SBAF) and will begin her second year with the LSUS Alumni Board in July. She has received numerous art awards including the Gold ADDY award for graphic design, a first place award for web design in a national competition for Pan-Hellenic Associations and first place PRIMEDIA Award of Excellence for book design. Maines is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Society and Delta Delta Delta Sorority and serves as chaplain and song leader. She was previously involved with SRAC in the Arts In Education Program and the Youth Enrichment Program as well as ArtBreak. She credits several of her professors at LSUS with her success. “LaMoyne Batten (graphic design) was my favorite teacher,” she said. “He gave me a love for detail and thinking ‘outside the box.’” Another favorite teacher was Don Alexander (retired). “He taught me just how easy it is to draw by using illusion and drawing what you ‘see,’ not what you ‘know.’ Not having taken art until my junior year of college, I know my professors had what it takes to prepare me for the advertising job market, and do it in record time! I’m thoroughly excited about the new student chapter of the Advertising Federation at LSUS and their involvement in ADDY competition. I hope to add one of the talented graphics students to my team by summer.”

Parshina

Lana Parshina (B.A. ‘02, PR/Mass Comm) has been appointed director of publicity of New York Institute of Credit (NYIC). She generates and oversees publicity for NYIC events and assists with the overall internal/external communication of the organization. Parshina is currently involved with the tribute committee overseeing NYIC 85th annual banquet on June 9 honoring the chief bankruptcy judge of the Southern District of New York, the Honorable Stuart M. Bernstein, and Bruce Madnick, managing partner of Friedman, Alpen & Green. NYIC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the financial community through class offerings, topic seminars, specialized workshops and other education programs bridging the gap between business theory and business practice. Parshina is a public relations practitioner specializing in finance PR. Her own publicity company www.prlana.com provides marketing/PR services for companies providing financial services in restructuring, investments and asset-based finance. Parshina is also director of publicity for Turnaround Management Association-New Jersey chapter.

Smith

Rachelle D. Smith (B.A. ‘98, PR) is a sales representative with Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Detroit. Her work experience prior to Novartis includes: a senior sales promotions planner position in the Promotion Marketing Group at General Mills (Minneapolis), and the University Relations Division of Florida International University (Miami). While at FIU, she completed a dual internship with McGuire Advertising Agency (Coral Gables) and the Spanish-language Division of Sony Music International (Miami Beach). Hoping to gain further preparation for a career in corporate America, Smith obtained graduate degrees from Florida International in August 2000 and Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.) in December 2001. As a student in higher education, Smith received numerous awards, and was inducted into honor societies including Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Delta Kappa. While at Florida International University in 2000, she was named “Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year” for the School of Journalism & Mass Communication. She is currently a member of three national professional organizations.

Wolf

Scott R. Wolf (BCJ ‘96) will join the Shreveport law firm of Blanchard, Walker, O’Quinn & Roberts as an associate in August. The firm has been in business since 1917. Wolf has served as judicial law clerk for Judge Charles B. Peatross at the Louisiana 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal for almost two years. “Working for Judge Peatross at the Court of Appeal has been a great experience for me and was the perfect transition from law school into the real world of practicing law,” Wolf said. “I am very much looking forward to practicing and working for the highly respected group of attorneys at Blanchard, Walker, O’Quinn & Roberts.” Since gaining his Master of Criminal Justice degree in 1998 and his Juris Doctor in 2002 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Wolf has successfully passed the Louisiana, Texas and Nevada bar exams. He said recently he might begin studying for the California bar in the future because it would be “fun to take.” Wolf also serves on the Torte & Insurance Practice Section Committee for the American Bar Association and the LSUS Alumni Association Board as Chair of the Community Service Committee. He was recently nominated to serve on the editorial board of one of TTIPS’ publications. He is an active member of the West Shreveport Rotary Club and the Red River Classic Mustang Club. “It’s a great group of fellow Mustang owners who share the same passion I do for the classic American sports car.”