Margaret Evans

Margaret Evans graduated from the University of Rio Grande in 1984 and was awarded the’ Outstanding Graduate Award’ (doesn’t exist anymore) at Commencement. While at Rio, she was a member of the Grande Chorale and worked on the newspaper and yearbook staffs. Earning a degree in Communications Comprehensive, which included teaching credentials in English, Speech, Reading, Literature and Journalism, she taught in public high schools for six years. After her first year of teaching, Evans was awarded the Sallie Mae Outstanding First Year Teacher Award. Evans then attended the University of Kentucky School of Law, graduating in the top fifteen percent of her class in 1993. She practiced law in a private firm in Huntington, West Virginia until 1997, when she returned to Gallia County. In 2003, Evans was appointed by Governor Robert Taft to the bench of the Gallipolis Municipal Court and then won election to that position that same year. While on the Municipal Court bench, she also taught a Constitutional Systems class for Rio as an adjunct. Evans is the first female elected to a judicial position in Gallia County. Evans served in the Municipal Court until 2017, when she was elected to and began service as the Judge of the Gallia County Common Pleas Court, General Division.

Her connection to Rio did not being with matriculation to the University. Evans’s father, Clyde Evans, served Rio for most of his career in various administrative positions and continues to serve on the Board of Trustees after retiring from Rio and the State Legislature. Consequently, Evans, her sisters and brother, were all fortunate to be able to grow up on campus.

Her husband, David Smalley (also a Rio grad), began teaching and coaching Women’s Basketball at Rio in 1992.  His position allowed the couple to rear their daughter (Evans Smalley) on the Rio campus, in the family atmosphere that Rio people provide, while taking advantage of the cultural, educational and athletic benefits of the university.

Annette Ward

Annette Brown Ward is a three-time graduate of Rio Grande, earning her Associate of Arts and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Master of Education in Classroom Teaching degree. After a lengthy career as a professional in the mental health field, Annette began her tenure in the Rio administration in 2007 as the Director of Alumni Relations.  In 2011, Annette was selected to serve additional roles as Executive to the President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees.

Annette has been honored to serve her community in a variety of ways, including past President of the Gallia County Convention as Visitors Bureau, 2013-2014 Gallia County United Way Honorary Campaign Chair,  and current member of the Rio Grande Village Council.  She has also been active on the Rio campus.  Annette has served as the advisor for her sorority, Lambda Omicron Psi, and also for All Greek Council.  She has also served as co-chair for the Commission on Archive and is currently co-chair of the Commencement Committee.

Annette, the daughter of alumni Dean and Petrea Brown, is originally from Jackson, Ohio, but has called Gallia County “home” since moving into Davis Hall as a freshman.  She has two amazing daughters—Jessica and Kathryn—who are the very best part of every day.

Robbie & Tessa Pugh

Robbie and Tessa Pugh met and began dating at the University of Rio Grande in the year 2006. Robbie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2009, and Tessa earned two degrees, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2008 and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing in 2009. The two were married in 2010 and have since resided in Gallipolis with their two children—Piper, 7, and Hudson, 4.

A little over two years after graduation, Robbie and Tessa set their dreams of entrepreneurship in motion when they purchased a foreclosed seven screen movie theater in Gallipolis formerly known as Spring Valley Cinema. After a total renovation to the building and a conversion from 35mm film reels to fully digital projectors, the couple gave the theater a new name, Silver Screen VII, and opened the doors to the public in November of 2011. Silver Screen VII continues to operate under their ownership, and the couple is proud to have the opportunity to offer a form of entertainment to the members of Gallipolis and surrounding areas.

In 2013 Robbie and Tessa founded RocketVII Interactive, a business that began as an advertising agency but quickly shifted to an outdoor advertising company specializing in digital billboards.  After installing and operating three digital billboards of their own in Gallipolis, Robbie and Tessa established a partnership with another Gallipolis couple in 2015 and over the next three years installed twelve additional billboards across Ohio. As part of RocketVII’s overall strategy to grow and sell, the business did just that in January 2019 when it sold its assets to Lamar Advertising Agency, one of the nation’s leaders in the out-of-home advertising industry.

In addition to Silver Screen VII and RocketVII, Robbie and Tessa briefly owned and operated a self-serve frozen yogurt and gourmet popcorn shop known as Pip and Hud’s (named after their children) located in downtown Gallipolis from 2015-2017.

Robbie and Tessa take pride in working together in all aspects of their business(es). By communicating effectively with one another and respecting each other’s ideas and opinions, they are successfully able to implement new strategies, develop marketing campaigns, manage inventory, maintain their workforce, conduct accounting functions, among other responsibilities.

Even though they are both fueled by their passion for entrepreneurship, their greatest sense of accomplishment stems from their joy of parenting and their love for their children and each other.

Robbie was a member of the Gallipolis Community Improvement Corporation from 2013-2017. He is a current member of the Downtown Revitalization Project and also serves on the Board of Directors at Holzer Health System. He was the recipient of the Marianne Campbell Volunteer of the Year award in 2014 from the Gallia County Chamber of Commerce and the Gallia County Citizen of the Year award in 2016 from The Gallipolis Lions Club.

Bethany Dixon-Wolfe

Bethany Dixon-Wolfe currently resides in Chillicothe, Ohio and is a proud University of Rio Grande graduated. She earned her Associate’s degree in Nursing in 2008, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2010. In 2015, she earned her Family Nurse Practitioner/Master of Science in Nursing from Ohio University.

Bethany working as a registered nurse in 2008. Her work experience includes critical care nursing, cardiac nursing, and nursing education. She is currently employed as a Family Nurse Practitioner. In 2016, Bethany had the privilege of being involved in new clinic start-up with Holzer Health System, called The Uptown Clinic. Bethany says she gained much satisfaction through her work in this clinic.

Bethany’s experience also involves having served as a clinical instructor for Rio’s nursing program. She claims this was a very valuable experience for her to give back to her alma mater. She continues to enjoy supporting worthwhile endeavors sponsored by Rio’s nursing program.