Alum Notes
We want to hear from you—what you do for a living, for a hobby, for fun. Please send your update to
Wildcats on the Move Coordinator
Public Affairs and Publications
California State University, Chico
Chico, CA 95929-0040
E-mail wotm@csuchico.edu
Phone 530-898-4263
Note: Only cities outside California will have the state name included.
1920s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s Marriages
1920s
BEULAH “LYNN” LEMM BALMER (Credential, ’27) turned 100 this year. She taught high school, served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserve during World War II, and ice skated competitively for 25 years. She and husband Charles moved from Seattle to Chico in 1999; he passed away in 2001.
1950s
WILLARD TURNER (BA, Business, ’53) retired in 1986 after 33 years as a sales rep for a large shoe company. He traveled the Pacific Northwest out of Portland, Oregon. He has been married for 52 years and has two sons and one grandchild. Turner and his wife enjoy winters in Arizona in their motor home and summers far and near.
1960s
 DON HISLOP (BA, Social Science, ’67; Credential, ’68; MA, History, ’75) and BEN HUGHES (BA, Social Science, ’63; MA, Social Science, ’65) have recently published Tehama County Place Names, a gazetteer of historically significant places in Tehama County. Hislop and Hughes are both retired history teachers from Red Bluff Union High School and are longtime adjunct history instructors at Shasta College.
1970s JANE HUSTON (BA, Social Science, ’70; Credential, ’71) retired after teaching in the Mount Shasta Union School District for 28 years. Her plans include working in the garden and traveling with husband Ray to visit their children.
RICHARD QUONTAMATTEO (BA, Social Science, ’71; Credential, ’72) is a sixth-grade teacher at Jenny Lind Elementary School in the Calaveras Unified School District. He also advises independent-study students at Mountain Ranch Community School, which he plans to continue after retiring from classroom teaching this spring.
CARL WONG (BA, Industrial Arts, ’71; MA, Industrial Arts, ’72) is the superintendent of Sonoma County public schools. He began his working life at age 17 as a machinist’s apprentice at the Mare Island Naval Base.
MARILYN HOPKINS (BA, English, ’72; Credential, ’73; MA, English, ’80) has been an English teacher at Maxwell High School in Colusa for 33 years. She enjoys reading, gardening, and traveling.
HELGA RUGE (BA, German, ’73) received the Most Valuable Player 2007 Volunteer Award from the Association of California Symphony Orchestras for “extraordinary commitment and exceptional performance.” She accepted the award at the annual ACSO conference in Costa Mesa.
ANDREW STINY (BA, English, ’73) is a Web reporter for Watertown Daily Times in Watertown, New York.
LENARD LONG (BS, Civil Engineering, ’76) is a vice president and project director at SCS Engineers, an environmental engineering firm. He is also a supervising engineer for the North Bay region. He has been with the firm nine years. He has designed cleanup on leaky tanks at gas stations and after the closure of a Raychem Chemical plant in Menlo Park.
BRODIE KEAST (BS, Computer Science, ’77) is the senior vice president of marketing at Palm, the mobile products company. He was formerly senior vice president and general manager of consumer electronics at Seagate Technology and has held positions at TiVo, Apple, and Hewlett-Packard.
ALLEN STENTZEL (BA, Art, ’77; Credential, ’79) has been a teacher in the Plumas County school district for 30 years and began teaching art at Feather River College in 1993. As an artist, he creates a variety of images, including plein air painting, realistic figurative work, and sculpture.
BRUCE COLE (BA, Spanish, ’78; Credentials, ’79 and ’02) is the superintendent of Corning Union High School District after 24 years of teaching and four years as principal at the high school. His career with the school began with student teaching in 1978–1979, and then he joined the faculty as an English and language teacher.
TIM COMFORT (BA, Psychology, ’78) earned an educational specialist degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and is the new principal of Elk Meadow Elementary School in Bend, Oregon. Previously, he had been director for human resources, special education, talented and gifted, and English Language Learners in the Sisters School District.
TOM READY (BA, Speech/Drama and English, ’78) is the assistant principal at Lassen High School. He has taught drama and English at the school for 28 years. He is the author of Grammar Wars and Grammar Wars 2, about a program he developed in which students use drama and improv activities to demonstrate language skills.
EDWARD BUTLER (BS, Business Administration, ’79) is the owner of Mayberry Iron in Sacramento, a wholesale company that imports garden wrought iron and yard art from Mexico. He carries a line of yard art animals made from recycled oil drums made by artisans in Central Mexico, helping to reuse 2,500 to 3,000 oil barrels that would otherwise go into U.S. landfills. His Web site is www.mayberryiron.com.
1980s HELEN BAKER (BA, Art, ’80) has a master’s degree in gifted and talented education from CSU, Sacramento and teaches third-grade GATE at Agnes Baptist Elementary School in the Stanislaus Union School District. She and husband Ron have two children, Marilla and Gavin.
BOB KIRKMAN (BA, Art, ’80) is a teacher at Colusa High School, currently teaching art history, survey, drawing, and painting. He recently took a small group of students on a European art tour. He and wife Connie have two children: BOBBY (BA, History and Credential, ’06), who teaches history and is the assistant football coach at Colusa High, and Kim.
TREY PITRUZZELLO (BA, Psychology, ’80) teaches at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Riverside. He is also a chiropractor. He recently won a fellowship from Earthwatch to help work on a survey of reptiles, amphibians, and birds in western Brazil’s remote Pantanal region.
LARRY FERNANDEZ (BS, Computer Science, ’81) has been working as a software developer since graduating from CSU, Chico. He is currently working at Alticor Corp. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as an IT project manager and IT lead software developer. He has lived in Michigan since 1991. Fernandez (in photo at left) and his wife have two children.
TIM HAUSERMAN (BA, Geography/Political Science, ’81) teaches cross-country skiing at Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area in Tahoe City, where he lives. His book Cross-Country Skiing in the Sierra Nevada: The Best Resorts & Touring Centers in California and Nevada was recently published by The Countryman Press.
DONNA SIEVERS (attended fall ’78–fall ’81) is a motorcycle police officer in Lake Forest. She has been a deputy for 22 years.
JANE HARRISON-WILLIAMS (BA, Art, ’82) is a clerk in the art department of the Grass Valley Ben Franklin store. She has been a watercolor artist for 20 years and makes greeting cards available at the store under the name of “Plain Jane Productions.”
RANDY TAPLIN (BS, Business Administration, ’82) is a Realtor at Windermere Real Estate in Poulsbo, Washington. He recently earned the Certified Residential Specialist designation. He and wife Pam live in Poulsbo.
CARRIE DANIELS-KODA (BA, Physical Education, ’83) has received her master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in holistic studies from John F. Kennedy University in Campbell. She is a child abuse prevention educator to schools in Monterey County and has been a gymnastics coach for more than 24 years. Daniels-Koda lives in Monterey with husband Steve and children Melissa, 20, and twin sons Seth and Chase, 2.
MATT STEWART (BA, Physical Education, ’83) is the physical education curriculum specialist for the West Contra Costa Unified School District. He has taught middle school PE at American Canyon Middle School and Pinole Middle School, was the head baseball coach at Napa Valley College for 11 years, and was induced into the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2003. He is married to JILL (JOHNSON) (BA, Physical Education, ’85) and has two boys, Andy, 17, and Scott, 15. Jill is a physical education teacher at Napa High School. They live in American Canyon.
JIM SUVER (BS, Business Administration, ’83) is the new administrator and vice president of operations for Petaluma Valley Hospital. He has a master’s degree in hospital administration from the University of Southern California and has been most recently chief executive officer and administrator of Biggs-Gridley Memorial Hospital in Gridley.
WAYNE SAKAMOTO (BA, Information and Communication Studies, ’84) has been appointed to serve as the new media relations vice chair for the National Association of Health Underwriters. He is president of Health Insurance Interactive, based in Naples, Florida.
CHARLES SANG (BA, Recreation Administration, ’84) works for State Farm Insurance as an enterprise consultant at the corporate headquarters. Sang has earned four professional insurance designations and is currently working on a master’s degree in management. He has been with State Farm for 20 years and worked in multiple offices and locations.
KEVIN KURTZ (BA, Liberal Studies, ’85) is the principal of Lincoln Crossing Elementary School, a brand-new school in Lincoln.
LUIS MENDOZA (BA, Biological Sciences, ’85) is the agricultural commissioner for Yuba County. He previously served as the deputy agricultural commissioner for Butte County for 13 years.
LINDA REYNOLDS (BS, Nursing, ’87) has been the manager of Enloe Wound/Ostomy Services at Enloe Medical Center in Chico for 12 years. She was named the National Wound, Ostomy, Continence Enterostomal Therapy Nurse of the Year for 2007. She has two children and lives in Chico.
LORI GUY (BA, Liberal Studies, ’88; Credential, ’94) is principal and counselor at Johnson Park Elementary School in Olivehurst. She lives in Yuba City with husband Bruce and daughter Lynsie.
JEFFREY “JEF” HUBER (BS, Business, ’88) has founded two nationally accredited philanthropy projects for school fund-raising and charity auctions: eScrip’s Vacation for Education and Cruises for Causes. He previously spent 16 years in the travel industry as president/CEO of Club Cruise, Inc. He and wife Amanda have three children and live in Loomis.
RANDY JONES (BS, Business Administration, ’88) is the new business manager of the Glenn County Office of Education. A CPA, he was formerly with the Butte County Office of Education.
KELLIE DUNHAM (BA, Public Administration, ’89; MA, Education, ’90; Credentials, ’02) is the principal of Happy Valley Primary School in Shasta County. She was assistant principal of the school and taught kindergarten for three years prior to becoming principal. She and her husband have one son, Kevin, 23, and one daughter, Kassadie, 10.
HUGH LINN (BS, Civil Engineering, ’89) is a principal and vice president of Charles W. Shinnamon & Associates civil engineering firm. He previously worked for the Napa County Public Works Department.
RICH TAYLOR (BA, Physical Education, ’89) is the CEO of RT3 Gold, a public relations and marketing company that specializes in golf communities, resorts, and daily fee courses. Before starting his own company, he worked for the Pebble Beach Company, Marriott, and Destination Hotels & Resorts. He lives in Bend, Oregon, with his two children.
1990s DANIEL K. BAILEY (BS, Business Administration, ’90) is the newly appointed executive vice president of retail banking for Tri Counties Bank in Chico. He is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School and had been with Wells Fargo Bank since 1991.
SCOTT HANSON (BS, Business Administration, ’90) is a certified financial planner and partner in Hanson McClain financial advisory group. He lives in El Dorado Hills with wife Valerie, daughter Jessica, and son Blake.
JANET TUFTS (BA, Liberal Studies and Credential, ’90) is the principal of Happy Valley Elementary in Shasta County. She was previously a second-grade teacher and assistant principal. Tufts and her husband have a daughter, Jessica, 19, and a son, Trevor, a high school junior.
JOE ADAMSON (MA, Physical Education, ’91) owns Adamson’s Peak Performance gym in Redding with wife Kathy. They opened the business in 1999 and specialize in personal training.
M. ROBERT WHITE (BS, Geology, ’91) is the new economic development director for Livermore. For the past five years, he has been deputy director for the Sacramento County Department of Economic Development and Intergovernmental Affairs. White also directs the Business Environmental Resource Center in the Sacramento County Executive Office.
THOMAS BRINKMAN (BA, Social Science, ’92) is the owner of BioSmartPackaging.com, a company that manufactures biodegradable tableware from sugarcane pulp and other sustainable and compostable alternatives to plastic.
BOB LEGG (BS, Construction Management, ’92) is the owner of Legg, Inc., a Livermore construction company that specializes in detention contracting. The company has jobs building secure structures like courthouses, medical centers, police stations, and jails in nine states.
VANESSA LITTRELL (BA, Studio Art, ’92) owns Blue Jade Studios, an umbrella organization for her band, Living Picture Show, and recording label, Revel Records. She is a singer/songwriter and music teacher. She and husband Nathan live in Carson Valley with son Bowman and daughter Sasha.
MICHAEL J. PRESZLER (BS, Civil Engineering, ’92) recently opened California Water Consulting, Inc., in the Roseville area. For four years, he has managed the water resources department for the Sacramento office of a national engineering firm.
DONNA HOWARD (MS, Nutritional Science and Nutrition Education, ’93) is the principal of the International School of the Cascades in Redmond, Oregon. Previously, she was principal of the Hugh Hartman Middle School and vice principal at Redmond High School.
WALT LEWIS (BA, Liberal Studies, ’93) was named principal of Marshall Elementary School this summer. He has spent the past 11 years in the Wake County Public School District in North Carolina, serving as teacher, vice principal, and principal.
JENNIFER PIATT (BS, Recreation Administration, ’95; MA, Recreation Administration, ’00) just received her PhD from the University of Utah in parks, recreation, and tourism. For the past two years, she has been an assistant professor at Sacramento State and the coordinator of Therapeutic Recreation. Piatt (in photo at left) is also helping Dr. Laura McLachlin of CSU, Chico with a research project associated with Ability First Camp, a summer camp for youth with physical disabilities.
BRENDA ANDREWS (COX) (BA, Psychology, ’96) is currently substitute teaching while working on a master’s degree in education from the University of New England. She received a certificate of graduate study in literacy from the University of Southern Maine and would like to teach high school English and psychology. She plans to return to California within the next several years and would love to get in touch with former classmates. Her e-mail is msbrendalee@yahoo.com.
SAM SCHUG (BA, Spanish, ’96) is the principal of Alta Vista School in Auburn. He previously worked as the director of special education services and Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program coordinator for the Nevada County Office of Education. He lives in Grass Valley with wife Nicole and their two young children.
DAMON ARNOLD (BA, Sociology, ’97; MA, Physical Education, ’99) is the director of academic Student Services for Athletics at Grand Valley State University. He has recently launched a motivational speaking career by way of Young Black Making a Difference, www.yb-mad.com. He and SHARALLE (MOORE) ARNOLD (BA, Liberal Studies, ’98) have been married for over eight years. She is the director of the Grand Valley State University Children’s Center. They have two children, Damon Jr., 4, and Alani, 2, and live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
CAROLYN HOLMES (BA, Journalism, ’97) is director of marketing and public relations at a nonprofit housing finance agency. She resides in Sacramento with her domestic partner of seven years, author Jodi Angel, and their daughter.
SCOTT (BA, Journalism, ’97) and JAMIE (TRUMP) JOHNSTON (BA, Communication Studies, ’00) started the business Book It in January 2007. They specialize in making customized memory books for families. They live in Antelope with their chocolate lab, Reggie. Their Web site is at www.bookitbiographies.com.
GRAY KNOWLTON (BA, Communication Design, ’97) is the group product manager of the Microsoft office in Redmond, Washington (see photo at left). He lives in Seattle.
DARREN HASS (BS, Instructional Technology, ’99) is a co-founder of Change.org, a Web site that asks people what they want to change in the world and then connects them to a global network of activists and nonprofits interested in the same issue. He is married to HEATHER (WILLIAMS) (BA, Liberal Studies ’98; Credential, ’99).
2000s ERYNN FISH (BA, Communication Design, ’00) is an account manager for electrotherapy devices with RS Medical and lives in Redding.
BRIAN JOHNSON (BS, Business Administration, ’00) and CAROLINE LAM-JOHNSON (BS, Business Administration, ’00) welcomed baby girl Kara Alice Johnson on Sept. 2 (see photo at left). They are both employed by Apple, Inc., and live in Folsom.
MIKE STUART (BS, Business Administration, ’00) is the chief financial officer of Daughters of Charity Health Systems, where he has worked since 2002 (see photo at right).
SARAH MENDENHALL (BA, Speech Pathology and Audiology, ’01) is a special education teacher at Arbuckle Elementary school. She received her multiple subject and special education credentials from Chapman University and her specialty certification in autism spectrum disorders from UC Davis. She and husband E.B. have three young sons.
KLUTCH STANAWAY (BFA, Art, ’02) is working as an artist. A review of his show “Sound and Motion” appeared in the November 2007 issue of Artweek and online as a critic’s pick in Artforum. Six of his pieces and a table and chairs set were exhibited by SolwayJones at the Art Miami art fair. His work is featured on Zero Degrees Art (www.zerodegreesart.com).
JANELLE (BRANNON) TORGESON (BA, Music, ’02) and SCOTT TORGESON (BA, Music, ’02) are new parents to Olivia Anne Torgeson, born Aug. 27. The Torgesons live in Nashville. Janelle is a stay-at-home mom.
ROB VLACH (BS, Agriculture, ’02) is the district conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resource Conservation District in the Willows office.
DIANA “DEE” DUARTE (SHROPSHIRE) (BA, Political Science, ’03) is practicing family law in Claremont. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of La Verne in 2006 and passed the California BAR exam on her first attempt the following July. She was sworn in to the state BAR in December 2006. She and husband Jack live in Rancho Cucamonga.
MIKE HSIAO (BS, Business Administration, ’03) lives in San Diego with fiancée Teresa Meng and their four dogs. After graduation, he briefly worked as a financial planner for American Express before starting Swank Pets with Teresa. The online business sells products and apparel for small dogs at www.swankpets.com. In his spare time, Hsiao (see photo at left) enjoys going to the beach and mountain biking.
ERIN McGOWAN (Credential, ’03) teaches seventh and eighth grade at Our Lady of Lourdes in Colusa. She also owns Ridgecut Gristmills, a corn mill in Arbuckle that produces stone-ground cornmeal and gluten-free baking mixes (www.ridgecut.com)
Marriages/Anniversaries
GARY (BS, Civil Engineering, ’57) and LORRENE WATTERS (Certificate in Business, ’56) celebrated 50 years of marriage Sept. 7, 2007. He has a master’s and PhD from Stanford and was the dean of the CSU, Chico College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Engineering from 1980 to 1992. He retired as a professor of engineering in 1998. Lorrene worked as administrative operations analyst for the vice president for Student Affairs until 2000. They have three children and eight grandchildren and live in Chico.
DAN HOLMES (BA, Music, ’85) and wife Kate celebrated 25 years of marriage Sept. 26, 2007. He teaches music at Bidwell Junior and Pleasant Valley High schools. She has worked in banking and public education. The couple has three children and one grandchild and lives in Chico.
TINA (POLLIZZI) LAVY (BS, Health Education, ’85; MS, Nutritional Science, ’91) and husband Robert celebrated 25 years of marriage May 29, 2007. Tina works as a health specialist and lactation consultant for Sutter County; Robert is a master mechanic for Valley Truck and Tractor. They live in Yuba City and have two children.
DOUGLAS NOLAN (BS, Computer Science, ’92) married Xiao-Hong Wang July 7, 2007. He is a technical analyst for Hewlett-Packard in Palo Alto; she is a project lead for Shanghai Hewlett-Packard in China. The couple plans to make their home in the Bay Area.
JEANETTE ARDANS (BS, Biological Sciences, ’97) married William Hills April 28, 2007. She earned a medical degree from George Washington University of Medicine and is a resident in psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University. The couple lives in Portland, Oregon.
ALYSON HARR (BS, Exercise Physiology, ’98) married Jeff Krieger July 28, 2007. She is a second-grade teacher at Alamo Elementary School; he is a police officer for the city of Concord. They live in San Ramon.
DAMON MORELLI (BS, Civil Engineering, ’98) married MELISSA CAMBRA (BS, Business Administration, ’04) July 22, 2006 (see photo at left). Melissa works in human resources at the Press Democrat and completed her Master’s in Business Administration from Sonoma State in 2007. Damon is principal civil engineer and partner at Green Valley Consulting Engineers in Santa Rosa. The couple makes their home in Cotati.
AUTUMN DAVIS (BS, Business Administration, ’00) married DAVID GALLOWAY (BS, Business Administration, ’00) Oct. 13, 2007 (see photo at right). Autumn is a logistics distribution analyst for Apple Computer in Elk Grove, and David is a project manager for Hewlett-Packard in Roseville. They live in Sacramento.
CLIFF GREENWOOD (BA, English, ’00; Credential, ’01) married Kelly Saunders June 30, 2007. He is an English teacher at Benicia High School; she works at Seneca Center as a therapist. The couple lives in Albany.
RYAN “BUB” ATCHISON (BS, Construction Management, ’01) married Kristy Bauthues Aug. 4, 2007. He works for GCI General Contractors in San Francisco. She is pursuing a graduate degree in occupational therapy at San Jose State University. They live in San Francisco.
JOHN HILDEBRAND (BA, Physical Education, ’02; Credential, ’03) married NELL DUNLAP (Credential, ’03) July 7, 2007. He is a high school football coach and physical education teacher at Woodcreek High School; she teaches sixth grade for Rocklin Unified School District. They live in Roseville.
JESSICA BOWEN (BA, Latin American Studies, Communication Studies, and Spanish, ’03) and ANTONIO ISERN (BA, Spanish, ’05) were married June 23, 2007. They live in Chico and work at Pleasant Valley High School, she as a counselor and he as a student teacher.
JEFFREY SHIELDS (BA, Social Science, ’03) and JENIFER TANTARELLI (BA, Nursing, ’03) were married Aug. 4, 2007. They live in San Francisco, where he is completing a Master’s of Public Administration at San Francisco State and she works as a nurse and nurse practitioner.
VICTOR CHAN (BS, Business Information Systems, ’04) married JOJO SO (BS, Business Information Systems ’07) on July 07, 2007. She is a computer programmer for the City and County of San Francisco, and he is a senior associate in the IT Advisory Services at KPMG, LLP. They live in Daly City.
JOY McNULTY (BA, Business Administration, ’04) married Norman Tucker July 9, 2007. She works for Matson and Isom. He is a retired Air Force technical sergeant and works for Tower Energy Group. They live in Chico.
COLIN WARD (BA, Communication Design, ’04) and LAUREN PIEROVICH (attended fall ’00–spring ’04) were married Aug. 26, 2007. He is in business development for HotKeys Internet Group; she is a marketing coordinator for Mobile Modular. They live in Danville.
KATHRYN SLOCUM (BA, Sociology, ’05; Credential, ’07) and JEREMY DUNLAP (BS, Business Information Systems, ’06) were married Aug. 4, 2007. She works for San Ramon Valley Unified School District, and he works for AT&T.
NEAL LOGUE (BA, English, ’06) and LAUREN HIMMELSPACH (current student) were married Sept. 1, 2007. He works for Frito Lay; she is a coach at Butte College and works at Mountain Mike’s Pizza. They live in Chico.
IAN SCOTT McKAY (BS, Business Administration, ’06) married Amanda Kiyoko Ishimaru Aug. 4, 2007. He works as a personal banker for Wells Fargo Bank in Mission Viejo. The couple lives in Aliso Viejo.
ALISSA FREEDLE (BS, Recreation, ’07) married Brian Davis May 26, 2007. She works for the Town of Paradise in the business and housing department; he works for Eco Resources as the lead operator of the City of Willows Wastewater Treatment Plant. They live in Paradise.
RYAN GULBRANDSEN (BA, Psychology, ’07) married Megan Garrett June 9, 2007. He works for Butte County Department of Behavioral Health, Prevention Unit. She will graduate from Chico Beauty College in November. They live in Chico.
KELSEY KINNARD (BA, English, ’07) married Tim Langel July 7, 2007. She is working on her teaching credential at CSU, Chico. He works for Improvement Direct in Chico.
ANNA RIGGS (BS, Nursing, ’07) married Timothy Molter June 16, 2007. They live in Chico, where she works as a registered nurse at Enloe Medical Center.
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