A few years ago Michelle Gienger, History, 2007, transitioned from a Federal Investigator at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to a Management and Program Analyst with the US Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General.  In this position, she is on a team that conducts reviews of DOJ programs for the DOJ, Congress, and public.

In 2019, after 28 years with the U.S. Forest Service in a position as a timber sale administrator, Janelle Thompson, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1993, was promoted to Tahoe National Forest, Sierraville Ranger District Timber Management Officer. Thompson began her career in 1987 as a temporary employee on the timber marking crew at Sierraville. She received a permanent career appointment in 1991 as a forester with an emphasis in timber sale administration. During the last 20 years she has also worked as a support dispatcher (EDSD) for major wildland fires and other incidents across the United States. September of 2022 Thompson will be eligible to retire with over 31 years with the U.S. Forest Service.

David Justice, Fisheries Biology, 1995, was promoted to CEO of Alta Vista Credit Union in Redlands, California in November of 2019. Justice married a College Professor who teaches Geography and they have two adult boys who are off to college next year.

Judith Stone-Hulslander, Biological Sciences, 1992, was promoted to partner at the law firm Lathrop GPM. With approximately 20 years of intellectual property experience, Stone-Hulslander focuses her practice on patent preparation, prosecution and client counseling in all areas of biotechnology. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and prior to obtaining her law degree, she worked more than five years as a technical specialist and patent agent. Stone-Hulslander has particularly strong patent experience with therapeutic antibodies and antibody-like molecules for a variety of disease indications.

After graduating, Tai Parker, Critical Race, Gender & Sexuality and Psychology, 2016, earned a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology and went on to become the Trans Health Case Manager for Open Door Community Health Center. Parker says “ I would not have gone down this path had it not been for my experiences in the CRGS department, surrounded by a culture of acceptance and constant critical thought. The base knowledge I learned in the CRGS department opened my eyes and gave me words to experiences I had, and a path into how I wanted to see change happen in my immediate community.”

On Saturday Oct. 27, 2019 Professor of Art History Kristen Van Ausdall, Art, 1976, passed away. She died at the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. While Van Ausdall had been on medical leave at the time of her death, her passing came as a shock to those who were close to her. She is survived by her husband, Scott Pringle. Van Ausdall had been a resident of Mount Vernon, Ohio, teaching at Kenyon College. After completing her B.A. in Studio Art and English at Humboldt State University in 1976 (inspired by Art History Professor Max Butler), she went on to attain an M.A. from the University of Oregon in 1981 and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 1994.

Leona Evans, Natural Resources, 1983, retired from the Lake Valley Fire Protection District (Lake Tahoe) in 2015.  She is now transitioning into retirement from her second job as Coordinator for the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy through Lake Tahoe Community College where she served for 14 years.  She continues to work on-call for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (Forest Service).

Tyler Smurr, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1995, worked for Sierra Pacific Industries after graduating from Humboldt State but then met a girl and followed her to Texas.  He taught middle school science for 14 years, and is currently an Assistant Principal for a San Antonio Middle School.  Smurr says he uses his experience at Humboldt State to talk to students about finding the right place for them and seeing the beauty in the world.

For the past 10 years, William Chilson, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1967 has been working in the renewable energy industry with a focus on development of utility scale power plants. His current position is Director of Siting and Real Estate with Candela Renewables. Candela Renewables develops solar power plants throughout the United States.

After graduation, Stephen Bowlus, Chemistry, 1970, attended University of Illinois (MS ‘72, PhD ‘74, postdoc entomology ‘75), and went into industrial research. He worked primarily in the agricultural chemistry field, starting as a synthesis chemist, then migrating to computational chemistry, molecular modeling and statistics. He retired from industry in 2003.  In 2006, Bowlus started teaching as an adjunct instructor at Columbia College in Sonora, California, before retiring in 2019.