Lisa Marie Ferrell ’92 was named associate vice chancellor for university communications and marketing at NC State University, effective March 1. In that role, she will provide leadership, communications expertise and brand strategy to advance the university’s mission.
At present, Ferrell leads the North America communications team for Lenovo, a consumer electronics company. She joined Lenovo after a stint as a marketing executive at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has also served as a senior manager in marketing and communications at IBM.
Ferrell earned a degree in business administration at Roanoke College, where she was a member of Delta Gamma. She also earned a concentration in marketing and a minor in Italian.
Blake Duncan ’05 has been promoted to the rank of battalion chief with the Salem Fire Department in Salem, Virginia. In his new role, the 12-year veteran of the department will be in charge of the department’s Training Division.
Duncan, who earned a degree in business administration at Roanoke, has an impressive skillset in public safety. He is a member of the Technical Rescue Team, Hazardous Materials Team, Training Work Group and Uniform Work Group. He is also a Virginia Office of EMS education coordinator, an adjunct instructor with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, a technician instructor in FEMA Structural Collapse and a Blue Card Incident command instructor.
“I am so grateful for all of my time at Roanoke College, and I am forever grateful to my mentors, friends and professors from Roanoke."
Abbey Rowe Erwin ’06
Abbey Rowe Erwin ’06 was one of four doctoral students nationwide who received the 2023 Order of Omega Doctoral Fellowship. The award will support Erwin’s graduate research at Virginia Tech, where she is pursuing a Ph.D. in higher education.
Erwin’s research focuses on student affairs and how the complexities of that work, particularly as it relates to fraternity and sorority advising, can contribute to the well-being of professionals and impact their career trajectories.
Erwin holds a BBA from Roanoke with a concentration in accounting and an M.Ed. in higher education and student affairs from the University of South Carolina. She has held positions in residence life, orientation and academic advising at Longwood University, Lynchburg College and Northern Virginia Community College. For the past nine years, she’s been at Virginia Tech, where she has served as an academic advisor to transfer students in the College of Engineering and as assistant director of Greek life. She is now working in graduate enrollment management there.
“I am so grateful for all of my time at Roanoke College, and I am forever grateful to my mentors, friends and professors from Roanoke: Mac Johnson, Mike Maxey, Steph Garst, Diane Wing, Michael Steele and professors Ali Nazemi, Mike Cipriano, and Sharon Gibbs.”
Zach Louie ’19 has been named an assistant coach for the Roanoke College men’s lacrosse team beginning with the 2024 season. Prior to that, he was head coach at fellow ODAC school Ferrum College. He also served as assistant coach, defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Ferrum.
During his time at Roanoke, where he played lacrosse, Louie was a three-time ODAC Tournament semifinalist. He was selected for the Paul S. Griffin Award for dedication and leadership to the program.
Louie holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Roanoke and is pursuing a degree in nursing at Ferrum.
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