Alumni Updates

Find classmates by name, major, or year of graduation

Adam Cashman, Environmental Science & Management, 2021

Submitted: August 21, 2023

Adam Cashman is among the first Peace Corps volunteers to return to overseas service since the agency’s unprecedented global evacuation in March 2020. Cashman wanted to travel to a different country and work in a different ecosystem and hoped to learn more about agriculture, restoration in subtropical ecosystems, and African culture. He is looking forward to making friends along the way and will serve as a volunteer in Zambia in the environment sector.

Kyle Chang, Natural Resources, 1997

Submitted: August 16, 2023

Kyle retired from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as a Lieutenant Supervisor for San Bernardino and Riverside Counties after almost 24 years with the Department.

Iris Luana Salamanca, Wildlife, 2018

Submitted: August 16, 2023

Iris had the opportunity to serve as a Biological Technician, Public Information Officer, Resource Advisor, Natural Resource and Education Specialist and obtained her red card, allowing her to assist on four wildfires and two prescribed burns this year alone for the Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office in Colorado. After 4 years, Iris is transferring over to the U.S. Forest Service White River, where she will continue to grow as a Natural Resource Specialist and continue assisting with wildfires in various roles.

Ken Russo, Fisheries Biology, 1993

Submitted: August 15, 2023

After graduation, Ken moved to the Sacramento area and worked in the aquaculture industry for 18 years, raising white sturgeon for meat and caviar production.  In 2011 he switched gears and went to work as a transportation biologist for Caltrans District 3. Ken is currently a Senior Resources Biologist working with staff on delivering projects, permitting, and addressing wildlife connectivity impacts and remediation. Ken has also been married for 25 years to Tani Russo (Rutherford, Humboldt ‘92) and has one awesome son who just graduated from Chico State!  

Garrett Edward Spears, Journalism, 2007

Submitted: August 15, 2023

Garrett Edward Spears has retired from independent professional wrestling after eight years of traveling throughout California, Oregon, and Mexico. He is now an Associate Producer for the television show Horror Hotel. It promotes classic and independent movies within the genres of horror and science fiction. It is shown on Retro TV, The Action Channel, and The Monster Channel. He has also started dabbling in acting and is thinking about getting back into traveling entertainment. 

Alexander Gant, Psychology, 2021

Submitted: August 14, 2023

Alexander is working for Hazel Health as an Associate MFT. Hazel Health partners with school districts across the country to provide medical and mental health services to students via telehealth.

Cynthia Chaney , Social Work, 1980

Submitted: August 10, 2023

Cynthia loved her two years at Humboldt, where she made a lifetime friend and teases her about being a "Humboldt Honey." Cynthia graduated with a bachelor's in Social Work and went on to get a master's in Social Work from the University of Hawaii in 1993. She lived in Hawaii for 25 years and never wanted to leave. In 2013, Cynthia moved to Arizona to care for her elderly mother. She would love to catch up with her former classmates.

Rick Williams, Wildlife, 1977

Submitted: August 10, 2023

Ricky retired in 2022 after a 45-year career as a wildlife biologist that began with waterfowl research for CDFG and USFWS, including a memorable stint chasing then-endangered Aleutian Canada Geese across their California wintering grounds. From 1980-2022, he worked as a terrestrial biologist and program manager in the private sector, primarily focused on water and energy projects in California and other western states. He credits the late Humboldt professors, Drs. Stan (Doc) Harris and Charles F. (Chuck) Yocum for guiding him into career-long service with The Wildlife Society-Western Section, including terms as President and Representative to the TWS National Council.

Dennis Ray Kogl, Fisheries Biology, 1962

Submitted: August 10, 2023

Dennis received his Master of Science in Fisheries Biology from the University of Alaska in 1965. He worked at various jobs with the state in Sport Fish Division in Fairbanks, Alaska, got married, and decided that he was ambivalent about the program in Fairbanks with the state and gravitated to the Denali National Park area, where he started a family and worked seasonally with the National Park Service. After many years, Dennis left the dog driving business and worked full-time with NPS running their Water and Wastewater Systems. He retired in 2004 and stayed in the area.

Richard Sayre, Biological Sciences, 1974

Submitted: August 10, 2023

Dr. Richard Sayre is a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer for Mercury Bio Inc. (www.mercurybio.com) based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mercury Bio Inc. focuses on the targeted delivery of therapeutic RNAs and small molecular weight drugs to human cells to address various viral and genetic diseases. Dr. Sayre recently introduced Mercury Bio's platform drug delivery technology to the pharmaceutical industry at Boston's third mRNA-Based Therapeutics Summit.

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