Arash Adami ’07, Ph.D. ’13
NEUROSCIENCE
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Fiber
Adami is an expert in brain injury who has participated in six Food and Drug Administration meetings defending drugs and devices. Currently, Adami is a medtech startup founder developing technology to detect potential concussions in athletes.
Harshit Agrawal, Ph.D. ’09
CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Senior Gas Specialist at The World Bank
Agrawal received the Chairman’s Excellence Award from Petroleum Development of Oman and a dean’s fellowship from UCR.
Ebube Agu ’14
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Head of Global Apparel & Accessories Quality at Nike
Agu’s awards include a Just Do It Award from Nike and Group Leader Award from Target.
“PAY ATTENTION TO MOMENTS OF ADVERSITY AND TURN THOSE DIFFICULT LOSSES INTO LEARNING. YOU ARE VALUABLE. YOU MATTER. YOU ARE MORE THAN A GPA.”
Besidone Amoruwa ’10
SOCIOLOGY/LAW AND SOCIETY
Innovation Partnerships at Instagram (Meta)
A creator expert at the intersection of web3 innovation, augmented and virtual reality technology, and human behavior, Amoruwa was featured in The Hollywood Reporter’s “Next Gen 2018: Hollywood’s Rising Executives 35 and Under” and OKAY Africa’s “100 Women” in 2019.
“FOCUS ON YOUR PASSION, KNOW IT MIGHT CHANGE, AND CREATE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOURSELF AS POSSIBLE BY BEING OPEN.”
Nemata Blyden ’10
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Product Marketing Engineer at the Intel Corporation
“I KNOW IT TAKES A VILLAGE, SO IT’S PART OF MY NATURE TO NOT TRY AND DO EVERYTHING ALONE.”
Anthony Bonales ’18
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Senior Analyst, Accounting Special Projects at The Wonderful Company
At The Wonderful Company, Bonales is active in the Finance and Accounting Rotation Mentorship Program and mentors young professionals.
Nicole Brown ’15
PUBLIC POLICY
Co-Founder and Developer of Kaest Development
A first-generation college student, Brown co-founded real estate development firm Kaest Development. Her project, Vinotech, received an Award of Excellence from the American Planning Association in 2020.
“ALWAYS ALIGN WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE BETTER THAN YOU, KINDER THAN YOU, MORE GENEROUS. THEY WILL INSPIRE AND TEACH YOU HOW TO BE A GREAT LEADER.”
Charles Cai
CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Associate Research Professor at UCR
Cai was included among Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in 2017, is a recipient of the Future Technology Leaders Award, and previously served as Chief Technology Officer at The Hurd Co. He was the 2017 Outstanding Young Alumni honoree as part of the annual UCR Alumni Awards of Distinction.
“ALWAYS BE OPEN TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES WHILE BEING MINDFUL OF EXISTING COMMITMENTS.”
Sabrina Cervantes ’09
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Assemblymember, CA District 60
Cervantes represents California’s 60th Assembly District, which encompasses the northwestern Riverside County communities of Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Norco, and parts of the City of Riverside. She serves on the Advisory Board for UCR’s School of Public Policy and was the 2018 Outstanding Young Alumni honoree as part of the annual UCR Alumni Awards of Distinction.
“GET INVOLVED. EACH OF YOU HAS THE POWER TO RISE ABOVE THE NOISE AND FULFILL EVERY ONE OF YOUR DREAMS. ANYONE HAS THE ABILITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”
Jamie Chung ’05
ECONOMICS/ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES
Actress
Chung’s accomplished acting career began on MTV’s “Real World.” She has an extensive filmography with credits including TV series “This is Us,” “The Gifted,” “Once Upon a Time,” “Lovecraft Country,” and “Dexter: New Blood.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Larry Chung ’11
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Vice President, Local Public Affairs, at Southern California Edison
Chung is the 2022 Outstanding Young Alumni honoree as part of the annual UCR Alumni Awards of Distinction.
Scott Coffin, Ph.D. ’19
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY
Research Scientist at the California State Water Resources Control Board
A former Gluck Fellow, Coffin’s research focuses on microplastics toxicity and characterization and is leading California’s development of drinking water regulations for microplastics — the world’s first governmental effort to address microplastics contamination in drinking water.
Jalysa Conway, MFA ’14
CREATIVE WRITING AND WRITING FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
TV Writer/Producer
Conway is a writer and producer, known for “9-1-1: Lone Star,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “The Last Kids on Earth.”
John Costumbrado, M.D. ’17
MEDICINE
Emergency Medicine Physician at Vituity
Costumbrado was part of UCR School of Medicine’s inaugural class and is now an assistant clinical professor in the medical school. While serving as a resident at the Riverside Community Hospital/UC Riverside Emergency Medicine program, he played an active role in improving the health of the local community.
“YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO YOUR SUCCESS, AND IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO SEEK GUIDANCE AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.”
Rachelle Cruz, MFA ’12
CREATIVE WRITING AND WRITING FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Author, Creative Writing Lecturer at UCR
“POEMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY PERSON, OCCASION, AND MOOD. IT’S ABOUT FINDING POEMS THAT RESONATE WITH YOU.”
Shannon Dang ’15
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Actress
Dang is most known for her role in the TV series “Kung Fu” on the CW network.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Dominique Drakeford ’10
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Founder of Melanin And Sustainable Style
An influencer, writer, and public speaker, Drakeford is the founder of “Melanin And Sustainable Style,” or “MelaninASS,” a platform that discusses issues and celebrates the success of communities of color in sustainable fashion and beauty spaces.
Nicholas Focil ’09
BIOCHEMISTRY
Chief Executive Officer at FOMAT Medical Research
“WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE, STICK TO IT. THE GRASS ISN’T GREENER SOMEWHERE ELSE.”
Katherine Hawkins ’08
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Surgeon
Hawkins is a double board-certified general and vascular surgeon serving as adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota Fairview Southdale Hospital in Minneapolis, where she cares for challenging patients with vascular conditions, engages in clinical research, and mentors residents and fellows.
Nana Kaneko, M.A. ’13, Ph.D. ’17
MUSIC, ETHNOMUSICOLOGY
Heritage Emergency National Task Force Specialist at FEMA
Kaneko’s service-oriented career has included the implementation of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative’s program and serving as a Mellon/ACLS Public Fellow.
“DON’T BE AFRAID TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE CAREERS THAT YOU ARE ASPIRING TOWARDS ... NEVER LIMIT YOUR OPTIONS BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU ARE UNQUALIFIED.”
Joe Kelly, non-degreed
Major League Baseball Pitcher
Kelly played baseball for the UCR Highlanders while a student. He went on to play in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals, later earning World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. He is now a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Mira (Yige) Li, M.S. ’18, Ph.D. ’20
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Chief Communications Officer at IQHi Inc.
Li was featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2022 for her company IQHi, a lithium ion battery analytics software company working to accelerate automobile electrification. IQHi was also accepted into The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s spring 2022 Milestone Makers cohort working toward the UN’s SDG #7 Clean and Affordable Energy and #13 Climate Action. She was a dean’s distinguished fellow at UCR.
“BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE RISKS AND BE PATIENT ENOUGH TO HOLD ON UNTIL YOU GET THERE.”
Gabriel Maldonado ’11
POLITICAL SCIENCE/INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Chief Executive Officer at TruEvolution Inc.
“MY VISION IS TO DELIVER EVERY TYPE OF SERVICE AN LGBTQ PERSON COULD NEED AND CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY’S SELF- SUSTENANCE.”
Brenda Martinez ’10
SOCIOLOGY/LAW AND SOCIETY
Track and Field Athlete, Olympian
Martinez won a silver medal in the 800 meters at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow in 2013, becoming the first U.S. woman to medal in the race. In 2016, Martinez qualified for the U.S. Olympic team competing in the 1500 meters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, reaching the semi- finals. She was the 2019 Outstanding Young Alumni honoree as part of the annual UCR Alumni Awards of Distinction.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Courtney Matzkind ’07
PHYSICS
Deputy Chief, Radiation Hardness Assurance at the Missile Defense Agency
“I RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE GO AFTER THE PROJECT OR JOB OR DEGREE THAT CHALLENGES THEM AND EVEN SCARES THEM A LITTLE. THAT’S HOW PEOPLE GROW.”
Eric McDaniel ’07
BIOCHEMISTRY/BIOLOGY
Anesthesiologist
McDaniel is a trauma anesthesiologist working on preparing hospitals and other systems for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear — or CBRN — disaster events.
Jesse Melgar ’18
PUBLIC POLICY
Director of Engagement at California 100 Initiative
“WHEN YOU HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, YOU BRING YOUR OWN LIVED EXPERIENCES.”
Fatima Farheen Mirza ’13
CREATIVE WRITING
Author
Mirza’s first novel, “A Place for Us,” was selected as the inaugural title for Sarah Jessica Parker’s publishing imprint, SJP for Hogarth. She was the 2020 Outstanding Young Alumni honoree as part of the annual UCR Alumni Awards of Distinction.
Hear Mirza on UCR’s Creator State podcast
Photo credit: Jüergen Frank
Nwaka Onwusa ’08
SOCIOLOGY
Vice President and Chief Curator of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
“A MUSEUM IS A PLACE OF LEARNING. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO BE LEARNED AND THIS IS MY CITADEL.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
David Packard ’15
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Mechanical Systems Engineer at BLUE ORIGIN
Packard worked on the New Glenn Vehicle rocket that launched Jeff Bezos and other Blue Origin astronauts to space in 2021. Previously, he was a mechanical engineering intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, conducting research for the Mars Sample Return project.
Vedant Patel ’12
BIOLOGY
Assistant Press Secretary at The White House
Patel was named assistant White House press secretary for the Biden Administration in 2021.
Francisco “Panchito” Ramírez Rueda ’19
EDUCATION, SOCIETY, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Program Manager at the Michigan Hispanic Collaborative
“AS A FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT, NOTHING IS GOING TO COME TO YOU. YOU’VE GOT TO COME AFTER IT.”
Angel Rodriguez ’08, M.Ed. ’21
HIGHER EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY
Senior Director of Marketing, Public Affairs & Government Relations at the San Bernardino Community College District
A higher education advocate, Rodriguez was appointed by Governor Newsom in 2021 to the California Student Aid Commission, which aims to set policies, initiatives, and grants to make college financially accessible to all Californians.
“IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, START AT HOME.”
Sheba Roy ’13
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Global Marketing Leader at Meta
“AS LONG AS YOU LEARN AND GROW YOUR SKILLS EVERY DAY, ALL THE PIECES WILL FALL TOGETHER.”
Kubrat Salaam ’20
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Account Manager at Media.Monks
In 2019, Salaam launched the Young Creators and Visionaries Collaborative, an initiative that aims to help millennial entrepreneurs and creators of color connect and network.
“THE CAREER OF YOUR DREAMS STARTED ON YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. CONTINUE TO SOAK UP AS MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AS YOU CAN AND USE IT TO EMPOWER YOURSELF!”
Shah Selbe ’04
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND ECONOMICS
Conservation Technologist, National Geographic Explorer, and Founder of Conservify and FieldKit
“THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT YOU’RE GOOD AT, BUT ALSO THE THINGS THAT YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT. THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE THE SAME THING.”
Joseph Silva ’08, M.S. ’11
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Chief Technology Officer at VeriToll
Silva is an engineering and IT professional developing complex software and hardware solutions and managing projects for clients including Boeing and the California Department of Transportation. He has earned national recognition for designing an innovative GPS solution and previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Founder of HUSLN.
Nelly Tan ’04
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
Associate Professor at the Mayo Clinic Arizona
“WORK HARD. PUT YOUR EFFORTS IN THE RIGHT PLACES. DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS. BEFRIEND GOOD PEOPLE. CONTINUE TO GROW AND LEARN. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS.”
Dexter Thomas ’06
ENGLISH
Correspondent/Producer at VICE Media
“WHATEVER IT IS YOU’RE INTO, GET REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT IT ... THE WAY FORWARD WON’T BE CLEAR IN THE MOMENT, BUT IT WILL PAY OFF.”
Rosie (Yimei) Zhang, MBA ’11
MANAGEMENT
Co-founder and Managing Director of Cloudpick
Amid the pandemic, Zhang and her partners began working on autonomous mini-mart projects in office buildings and cafeterias in several schools, offering office workers and students convenient snacks and drinks throughout the day.