2010s

2010s

  • Linda Cota-Kumagai (’10), director of Hanai Outreach Services, has been recognized by “Cambridge Who's Who” for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in foster care and adoption services.

2000s

  • Michael Hoffner (’08) was one of four students awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Airports Council International-North America. He is currently pursuing a master’s in public administration at CSULA.
  • Tarren Lopez (’06) earned her juris doctor from Case Western School of Law.
  • Janet Miller (’07), the resident director for the Phantom Projects Theatre Group at La Mirada Theatre, was nominated for the 2009/2010 LA Stage Ovation award.
  • Anna Osipova (’06 MA), a doctoral candidate in the CSULA-UCLA Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education, has been awarded a prestigious and competitive graduate student research award from the National Council for Exceptional Children.
  • Portrait of Richard Quinto.Richard Quinto (’06), an electrical systems design engineer for Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems sector, was recently honored with the Luminary Award presented at the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC).
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1990s

  • Daniel Patrick Callaghan III (’93) was appointed as the vice president and corporate controller for Coupons.com.
  • Chan Minh Dinh (’99) was ordained as a priest in Rome in December.
  • Rollin Johnson (’90) was appointed as controller of Pacific Capital Bancorp.
  • Aydee Lopez Martinez (’99) painted the “Heart of CSUDH” as one of four commemorative art pieces celebrating the 50th anniversary of Cal State Dominguez Hills. Martinez’s work has been shown throughout Southern California, New York and Mexico.
  • Gary Powers, Jr. (’91) was named the museum director for the Military Aviation Museum.
  • Gerald Shaw (’94 MA) was named the interim principal of Cobalt Middle School in Victorville.
  • Joe Shaw (’94), an entrepreneur and small business owner, was elected to the Huntington Beach City Council.
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1980s

  • Portrait of Blake Goetz.Blake Goetz (’80) retired from his post as chief of the Palm Springs Fire Department.

  • Thomas Honles (’87 Civil Engineering) is a structural engineer and is the project manager for the recently-awarded Adelanto Solar Power Project, a 10 megawatt, $48 million solar photovoltaic project for the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power.
  • Russell M. Kimura (’81), a longtime ranger who has 25 years of experience working with nature, was named park superintendent for Placerita Canyon Nature Center.
  • Thelma Reyna (’86), a part-time professor at Cal State L.A., was named a finalist in the 2010 National Best Book Awards (Short Stories Literature category) by USA Book News for The Heavens Weep for us and Other Stories. A poetry book, Breath & Bone, was a semifinalist in the 2010 New American Voices Chapbook Competition.
  • Barry Rondinella (’87) was appointed as the new director of operations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). He oversees the new airport response coordination center, along with the daily activities of LAX’s airside and landside operations.
  • Leeanna Rossi (’89, ’92 MA) has been a criminal justice instructor at Western New Mexico University for the last 9 years.
  • Colleen Stone (’81) was named as the new CEO for the American Red Cross’ Illinois Capital Area Chapter in Springfield. She has been working with the chapter for the last eight years.
  • Portrait of George Zuluaga.George I. Zuluaga (’88) recently joined NUA Advisors, LLC, an investment advisory firm specializing in non-traditional investing within retirement accounts.
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1970s

  • Charles Calderon (’72), the California State Legislature majority leader, was honored with the “2010 Legislator of the Year Award” by the Armenian National Committee of the American-Western region.
  • Yulanda N. Davis-Quarrie (’78 MS) was named president of the Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation.
  • Pamela Duffy (’70) has been named by the Daily Journal as being one of “California’s Top 100 Attorneys of 2010.” Duffy is a partner with Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP in San Francisco.
  • Anthony Fellow (’70) was re-elected in November for his sixth term as a director to the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board. He also serves as the Upper District’s representative on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
  • Portrait of John Kelleher.John Kelleher (’71), a more than 30-year career veteran in the field of fundraising, was honored as the outstanding professional of the year by the Association of Fundraising Professional/Greater San Fernando Valley Chapter.
  • Manuel Mollinedo (’70 ’73 ’77 MS), a 1998 CSULA Distinguished Alumnus, was named as the director of the Honolulu Zoo. Before accepting his new post, Mollinedo served as the director of the Los Angeles and San Francisco zoos.
  • Stephen E. Pickett (’75) was appointed as the executive vice president of external relations at Southern California Edison, where he will lead regulatory affairs and operations, public affairs, corporate communications and environmental policy. He previously served as senior vice president and general counsel for the corporation.
  • Raynele Schneider (’72) participated in an art exhibit for the first time, showing her paper collage artwork at the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts.
  • Kathleen Schrader (’79) was appointed dean of academic affairs of the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, an institution offering degrees in prenatal and perinatal psychology and somatic psychology.
  • Portrait of Peter Schwab.Peter Schwab (’70 MS) retired from his post as the chairman and chief executive officer for Wells Fargo Capital Finance. He has more than 39 years of experience in the asset-based lending industry.
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1960s

  • Gary Best (’61), a professor emeritus of education for the Charter College of Education, has published a book, Belle of the Brawl: Letters Home From a B-17 Bombardier, which captures the experiences of a WWII bombardier and friend through an account of letters written home, pictures and other memorabilia from the war.
  • Rodney Englert (’67) has published a book, Blood Secrets: Chronicles of Crime Scene Reconstructionist, which presents case studies for understanding the principles and behavior of blood.
  • Peter Haslund (’62), a professor emeritus of political science from Santa Barbara Community College (SBCC), was elected president of the SBCC District Board of Trustees for the 2011 calendar year.
  • Colleen Riley (’69 MA), the former women’s basketball coach at Fullerton College who amassed 540 wins for her team over three decades, has had the College’s court named in her honor. The Colleen Riley dedication ceremony took place in November.
  • Walter E. Williams (’65), a distinguished professor of economics at George Mason University and a nationally syndicated columnist, recently published Up from the Projects: An Autobiography. In the book, Williams recalls some of the highlights, turning points and obstacles he encountered and overcame during his life.
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In Memoriam

  • Geraldine Dimondstein, an emerita professor of art, was a noted educator, social activist and longtime docent at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. During her 17 years on campus, she was primarily involved in teaching art education classes for elementary teaching candidates.
  • Flossie Jane Duncan (’60, ’72 MA) worked for more than 30 years as a public school educator in the Los Angeles and Pasadena Unified School Districts. She was a charter member of the Pasadena Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
  • Glen Howard GoodKnight II (’68), an elementary teacher in Los Angeles for nearly 40 years, founded the Mythopoeic Society while still a student at Cal State L.A.. The society is devoted to the serious study of Tolkien and other fantasy and mythological literature, and also led to the development of an annual conference, known as Mythcon, that was held for the 41st time last year.
  • Judd Michael Hammack was a popular professor and well-published scholar who assisted many students in his 30 years working in the Department of Economics and Statistics. The emeritus professor of economics was also an avid collector of contemporary art and amassed a significant collection of paintings, sculptures and works on paper throughout his life.
  • Louis A. Hansen, an emeritus professor of music and former chairman of the department, who worked on campus for more than two decades, died in November.
  • Arthur A. Harshbarger (’58 MA) served as a Naval Aviator during WWII, accumulating 3915 hours of flight time during operation in the South Pacific. His military service was followed by 32 years in the Whittier Union High School District as a well-liked teacher, counselor and coordinator who inspired many students.
  • Holman 'Ace' Hudson (’04), an Iraq War veteran who worked with an advanced team that was tasked with tracking down Saddam Hussein, received many honors for his service, including the National Defense Service Medal, the War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Army Achievement Medal. He also established a successful career in acquisitions and procurements, working for Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Northrop Grumman and his own firm, Source Integrations.
  • Viet H. Le (’00), the eldest of four siblings who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in 1990, was a lab worker for Gilead Sciences, a biomedical research firm.
  • Sarah Winifred Utz, an emerita professor of nursing, was a well-respected teacher and student advocate, who developed the nursing education graduate option and helped to recruit students into it. In her 23 years on campus, she taught, served as the chair of graduate studies within the Department of Nursing and co-authored and directed a federally funded nursing training grant.
  • Lee Jesse Wexler, an emeritus professor of art with nearly 30 years on campus, has paintings, sculptures and graphic designs in private and public collections throughout the United States. He was an active faculty member who was involved with the writing and review of coursework, and served as a mentor to many young people in their personal and professional lives.
  • Portrait of Don Lee White.Don Lee White (’52) was a beloved music educator and master musician. He was the founding director of the Southern California Choir as well as many other musical groups.
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