Alumni Updates

Find classmates by name, major, or year of graduation

Rich Torquemada, Fisheries Biology, 1982

Submitted: April 8, 2021

Torquemada recently stepped down after four years as a Board Director of the Montana Grape and Winery Association, serving as President for three years. Rich continues to own and operate Luna Llena Vineyards, producing cold-climate hybrid wine grapes to several local wineries and cideries in western Montana. Prior to establishing Luna Llena, he enjoyed a 34-year career as a fisheries biologist and Field Supervisor with the Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, working throughout the western US.

Bob Freeman, Biological Sciences, 1976

Submitted: April 8, 2021

Bob is retired from Imperial County as a Public Health Lab Director, He is also supporting his Laboratory Information System while writing more SciFi Novels

H2LiftShips Vol 1-3 Beyond Luna
H2LiftShips Vol 4 A back Story
And Vol 5 is a slow slog forward
Links to books:
https://www.h2liftship.com/beyondluna
https://www.h2liftship.com/backstory

The stories take place in the Desert, Humboldt, Yosemite, Phobos, the Asteroid Belt, and beyond with Solar Sail Ships and a few rockets thrown in for good measure.

Barbara Brovelli-Moon, Sociology, 1967

Submitted: March 25, 2021

Awarded the 2021 Alaska SeaLife Center's Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person or team that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. After retiring from over 40 years in education, Barbara Brovelli-Moon’s passion for teaching and Alaska’s wildlife continues through her company, Ocean Otter Publishing. Barbara has written and published six field guide books for children and families about Alaska’s animals, filling a niche previously unavailable to youth. Her work is a valuable resource that helps children connect to the living creatures here in Alaska and teaches them they can make a difference.

Chad Kaufman, World Languages and Cultures, 2008

Submitted: March 9, 2021

After graduating from HSU in 2008 and working in a bilingual school for a bit, Chad then moved down to Cholula, Mexico to pursue a Master's degree. In 2011 he graduated with an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from La Universidad de las Americas Puebla, Mexico. After graduating he moved back to Minnesota with his amazing spouse to be close to family.
Going on 8 years working as a full-time Spanish Interpreter at Children's Minnesota: a fantastic system of pediatric clinics and hospitals.

Sara Dykman, Wildlife, 2008

Submitted: February 12, 2021

Dykman's first book 'Bicycling with Butterflies' has been published. She describes it as part science, part adventure, part love letter to nature. It tells the story of her 10,201 mile bicycle adventure following the monarchs from Mexico to Canada and back in 2017. Those interested can learn more about her book at https://www.workman.com/products/bicycling-with-butterflies. They can also learn more about her organization and tour at www.beyondabook.org. If anyone is interested in reading and reviewing, some Advanced Reader Copies will be available soon.

Dan Severson, Wildlife, 1985, 1987

Submitted: February 12, 2021

Severson spent 39 years working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, on eight national wildlife refuges in California, Oregon, South Dakota, Kansas, and North Dakota as Wildlife Biologist, Asst. Refuge Manager and the last 12 years as a project leader over a complex of refuges and wetland management districts in North Dakota. He retired January 1, 2021 and will spend retirement golfing, hunting, fishing, and woodworking. He lives in Jamestown, North Dakota and has three daughters and three grandchildren.

Dennis Halligan, Fisheries Biology, 1980

Submitted: February 8, 2021

Prior to and following graduation, Halligan fished in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea for 12 years. During that time he also owned and operated an oyster mariculture company in Humboldt Bay. Halligan has been a fish and wildlife biologist for the past 30 years and has worked on hundreds of projects including the decommissioning of the Humboldt Bay nuclear power plant, permitting the Klamath Dam removal, and a wide variety of construction, watershed restoration, fish and wildlife survey. Halligan hopes to retire in a couple of years, but loves his job and will probably work part-time until he drops. Cheers!

Carrie Leonard, Oceanography, 1992

Submitted: February 6, 2021

After 20 plus years of research and managing research operations, Leonard has moved to implementing policy to address Climate Change and Racial Justice at the Oregon State Legislature. She's excited to move to implementing ideas instead of answering questions.

Christopher Scott Neamtzu, Natural Resources, 1993

Submitted: January 9, 2021

Christopher Scott Neamtzu is currently serving as the Community Development Director at the City of Wilsonville in Oregon where he has been employed for 26 years starting as as Assistant Planner. He owes his initial start with the city to past HSU professor Stephen Lasbrook who originally hired Christopher on a temporary basis and to HSU for connecting him to such an amazing mentor. He lives with his wife of 23-years and fellow HSU alumni, Margot Fervia-Neamtzu, in Sherwood, Oregon, along with their son Jonathan Forest. Caring for and protecting the natural environment has consistently been the heart and soul of his professional career; a deep moral undertaking that is rooted in his time at HSU.

Bill Ramos, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1980

Submitted: January 9, 2021

Bill Ramos has been re-elected to his second term as Representative in the Washington State House.

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