News

60s

F. John Mathis ’62, MA ’64, recently co-authored two books for the Routledge Studies in the Economics of Innovation series. “Global Innovation, Finance, and International Commerce,” published August 2024, analyzes the historical context and progression of significant innovations beginning with the industrial revolution, starting around 1750 to the present. “Innovation and Economic Development,” published this year, explores how the expansion of multinational corporations, increasing dependence on global supply chains, and globalization of the world economy have aided the rising expansion of innovations worldwide.

90s

Marty Fricke ’93 has been appointed a commissioner for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, an accrediting commission covering over 5,000 schools in the region. Fricke represents the California Teachers Association, serving as one of 35 commissioners responsible for bylaws, governance, and approving accreditation terms. Fricke is also a counselor at Saugus High School in the William S. Hart Union High School District.

00s

Stacey Hettes, Ph.D. ’03, a biology professor at Wofford College, has published a memoir titled “Dispatches from the Couch: A Neuroscientist and Her Therapist Conspire to Reboot Her Brain.” The memoir takes a personal look at her therapy sessions, exploring the effects of trauma on the brain and the complexities of healing.

Jorge Marquez ’04 was elected chairman of the Los Angeles County Workforce Development Board in June. The board provides policy and oversight to the second-largest local workforce development area in the state, serving approximately 4 million residents within Los Angeles County. Marquez was also hired as chief impact officer for Goodwill Southern California in November, the largest nonprofit in the region, where he leads the Workforce & Career Development and Government and Commercial Services divisions.

Nailah Harvey ’07 is pursuing a doctorate in education at Howard University, with a research focus on writing literacy for Black high school students. Harvey also founded N.HARV LLC, assisting educators in writing thought leadership books as a writing consultant and book editor.

10s

Jonathan Ramos Santiago ’12, MPP ’19, is now a licensed clinical social worker after passing the Association of Social Work Boards clinical exam. He earned a master’s degree in social work from UC Berkeley in 2021 and is currently a mental health clinical specialist for Contra Costa County.

Shrina Kurani ’13 has been appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to serve as deputy director of venture capital at the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank. The state-owned institution finances public infrastructure and private development projects that promote a healthy climate for jobs, contribute to a strong economy, and improve the quality of life for California communities. Kurani has been a venture specialist at the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank since 2023 and a managing partner at SNØCAP since 2022. In her current role, Kurani will support underrepresented venture capital managers, invest in underrepresented entrepreneurs and business owners, invest in geographic areas that are socio-economically disadvantaged, and promote climate equity and climate justice.

Andrew Hua ’14, director of student affairs case management at UC San Diego, has been awarded the 2025 NASPA Doris Michiko Ching Award for Excellence as a Student Affairs Professional. This honor recognizes professionals who show a strong commitment to the development of programs that address student needs, creation of a campus environment that promotes student learning and development, and support of and active engagement in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). Hua is also completing a term as co-chair for the Asian Pacific Islander Knowledge Community within the organization.

Enid Ocegueda ’16 has accepted a position as a processing archivist for the Latin American Manuscripts Collections at Princeton University. Prior to this role, she was a project archivist for Stanford University and a corporate librarian at Edwards Lifesciences. Ocegueda earned a master’s degree in library and information science at San Jose State University in 2018.

20s

Celeste Gomez ’20, founder of La Poeta Publications, has published a poetry collection titled “Besos.” The book explores themes of grief, love, abandonment, empowerment, and culture. She is currently a writing mentor for Girls Write Now and a sales support representative for MiJa Books.

Michael Stopani ’23 has been awarded a CSUN/LAUSD Residency Grant through the Accelerated Collaborative Teacher Residency Program at California State University, Northridge. This grant supports candidates who are completing their teaching credential and will commit to teaching for the Los Angeles Unified School District upon graduation.

Javen Dosanjh ’24 is a Falcon stage test engineer at SpaceX and has worked on almost 100 rockets since graduating from UCR. As a student, Dosanjh was part of the Highlander Space Program, a student-run project focusing on designing, building, and testing liquid rockets, where he served as chief engineer and president. Dosanjh now serves as a mentor to current members.