Page Classification

Name

Jennifer Kho

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

The managing editor of the HuffPost, Jennifer Kho (‘99, Journalism) has made her mark in journalism not only as a reporter and editor, but also as a newsroom leader for major media publications throughout the country.  After graduating from Humboldt State, Kho received a master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley in 2003. She became a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times’ community newspapers and the Fremont Argus in the San Francisco Bay Area. She covered the tech world for Red Herring magazine and was the founding editor of the sustainable business site, Greentech Media. Her writing and photography also has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.com.She became the managing editor of the Guardian US from 2015 to 2017. During her tenure, she guided the online publication through an increasingly difficult media landscape in the United States. She helped foreign correspondents deal with death threats, created ethical and journalistic standards, and helped investigate a freelancer suspected of fabricating stories.The skills she gained at HSU have helped her become a major player in U.S. journalism and she is an inspiration to current and future journalism students.

Page Classification

Name

Corey Gray

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

A member of the Siksika Nation (Northern Blackfoot) of Alberta, Corey Gray (‘97, Physics & Applied Mathematics) currently supervises the operator crew for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Washington, where he’s worked since 1998. He was part of a team that directly detected gravitational waves from the collision of two black holes 1.3 billion light years away. The discovery, which supports Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2017.As an HSU student he was an active member of the Indian Natural Resource Science & Engineering Program (INRSEP), American Indian Alliance, and HSU Student Drum. Through INRSEP, he made a deep connection with his heritage. “I really appreciated the opportunity to learn about my Native background,” Gray says.His commitment to community continues today. Recognizing the need to recruit Native American youth into STEM fields, he serves as a positive role model for underrepresented youth. He also recruited his mother, Sharon Yellowfly, to translate LIGO press releases into the Blackfoot language. He is an active member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics, and Native Americans in Science.

Page Classification

Name

Mark Andre

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Mark Andre (’79, Natural Resources Planning & Interpretation) is the Director of Environmental Services for the City of Arcata and a registered Professional Forester. In this role, Mark overseas Arcata’s environmental programs, natural resources, parks and recreation, community forest, wildlife areas, and public utilities. Mark manages an annual budget of $19 million and a staff of 40 full-time and 50 part-time employees. Because of Mark’s efforts the Arcata Community Forest, established in 1955, has grown considerably. He has worked closely with Humboldt State to allow use of the forest not just for field trips but also for research by faculty and students. The forest is nationally considered as a model community forest.Mark recently helped lead the acquisition of 967 acres of public forest in the Jacoby Creek watershed, of which 884 acres will be given to HSU. Mark worked to secure a $1.7 million donation from the property owner (R.H. Emmerson & Son) and grant funds from several sources, including $1.75 million from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, $800,000 from CAL FIRE Climate Investment Fund, $230,000 from the California Resources Agency, $1.72 million from the Wildlife Conservation Board, and $45,000 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Mark was appointed to the California board of Forestry by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010 and reappointed to additional terms by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. He was recently recognized by the California State Assembly with a resolution recognizing his nine years of service to the Board including his work on the State Forest Carbon Plan and leadership working on forest practices regulations.

Page Classification

Name

Mike Radenbaugh & Ty Collins

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Mike Radenbaugh (’12, Industrial Technology) and Ty Collins (’10, Journalism) are two of the co-founders of Rad Power Bikes, North America’s largest electric bike company. They make electric bikes that are accessible, affordable, and appealing to the masses, and continue to pioneer the world of sustainable transportation. Rad Power Bikes intentionally forgoes the traditional bicycle distribution channel of third-party dealers and retailers, enabling them to provide customers with premium ebikes for almost half the cost of comparable models, while building a closer relationship with the rider.Mike built his first ebike in 2007 as a way to get to school without breaking a sweat. His “frankenbikes” quickly caught the attention of his small town, and he started building ebikes for friends, family, and neighbors. Today Mike and Ty employ a team of nearly 100 with headquarters in Seattle, Washington, Vancouver, British Columbia and Utrecht, Netherlands. Mike and Ty have been named to Forbes and Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists, and Seattle’s Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list.

Page Classification

Name

Lisa William

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Lisa William (’92, Journalism, ’96, English (Education)) is a professor at California State University, Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta College. Lisa teaches more than nine courses a semester while maintaining a very active service and publication record. Lisa has authored and co-authored nearly 25 academic journals, articles, book chapters and other publications. Each semester, she teaches popular courses on topics like Urban education, discourse on race and gender in educational settings, and social and psychological foundations of multicultural education. Lisa is committed to improving opportunities for all her students. She has served as a mentor in the CSUS Pathways Fellows program, advisor for the CSUS McNair Scholars, and co-advisor for the CSUS Graduate Education Student Association.Lisa is the 2018-2019 recipient of the CSUS College of Education Outstanding Teaching Award, the 2012 UC Davis Distinguished Alumni Award, the 2006 International Society for Exploring Teaching and Learning Distinguished Fellows Presentation Award, and the 1999 Sacramento City Unified School District Teacher of the Month.

Page Classification

Name

Susan Seaman

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Susan Seaman (‘96, Journalism) is the mayor of Eureka and program director for Arcata Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). After graduating, she worked as the Program Information Director for KEET-TV for 15years, developing promotional materials, planning events, producing television shows and developing outreach programs to support children's programming. For a few years, she and her husband owned a small market in Fieldbrook, where she developed an interest in the role of small business in the community. She started working for AEDC to promote small business and economic growth. After three years serving on the City of Eureka's Economic Development Commission, she ran for mayor and won in 2018. Under her leadership, Seaman introduced the Eureka Family and Children Initiative. This initial five-year plan will focus on making Eureka a more supportive environment for families and young children.Besides sitting on boards and advisory committees, including HSU’s Center for Community Based Learning and MBA Advisory Group, she volunteers with community projects. Currently, she is a Big Sister of a 17-year-old in the North Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She also delivers food to seniors through Food for People’s Senior Brown Bag Program.View Susan's Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series talk here.

Page Classification

Name

Jason Ramos

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Jason Ramos (‘98, Kinesiology, ‘14 M.S. Kinesiology) serves as a tribal council member for Blue Lake Rancheria and chairman of the BLR Gaming Commission. Ramos works to advance tribal strategy, policy, programs, and investments in infrastructure and economic enterprise, and collaborates with tribes, federal, state, and local governments, and other agencies. His contributions have strengthened tribal sovereignty, improved education, accelerated climate action, and spurred economic development. Ramos also serves on the U.S. Department of Energy Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group, the Northern California Tribal Chairperson’s Association, the Tribal-State of California Regulators Association, and Blue Lake Education Foundation. His work for BLR has earned the following recognition: a 2019 “Green Power Leadership Award” from the Environmental Protection Agency; 2019 “Microgrids for Greater Good Award” from Microgrid Knowledge; 2018 “Project of the Year for DER Integration” from POWERGRID International and DistribuTECH; 2017 “Whole Community Preparedness Award” from FEMA; and the 2015-2016 “Climate Action Champion” from the White House and U.S. Department of Energy.Ramos also has a deep commitment to Humboldt State. He currently serves on the President’s Native American Advisory Council, Sponsored Programs Foundation Board of Directors, and the new Masters of Business Administration Program Advisory Board. He previously served on the HSU Foundation Board of Directors, including a tenure as board chair, and the Alumni Association Board of Directors. He continues to support Kinesiology through The Jason M. Ramos Endowment for Kinesiology Research, which funds equipment and research for the Biomechanics and Human Performance labs on campus.View Jason's Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series talk here.

Page Classification

Name

Forest Stearns

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Forest Stearns arrived in the legendary Humboldt County in 2002, passionately searching for creative opportunities larger than his small hometown could provide. In search of empirical and academic education, he met like-minded creatives and Co-Founded the beloved Empire Squared art group. The vivacious Empire Squared community of diverse artists created their own art scene and produced many years of continuous monthly art shows throughout the Emerald Triangle.Stearns attended Humboldt State from 03-05 where the Fine Art academic conversation battled the Lowbrow urban folk art scene that Empire Squared and fellow communities were re-amplifying. Often head on, this contrasting dialog between traditional arts education and the guerilla art movement constantly created interesting and necessary friction and drama on all sides of the insulated community. With daily practice, Empire Squared took bold leaps and always yearned to innovate on unusual partnerships. This was seen as excitingly contemporary or even obnoxious. Either way the goal was to get noticed, learn from each other, and challenge the community in new ways.While in Humboldt County, Stearns graduated his committed moniker of "DRAWEVERYWHERE" into a full fledged art studio of the same name. Diving into every opportunity to collaborate with a diverse clientele and always pushing the envelope of where art can be applied. Launching his career from 707 and changing lanes from the saturated Fine Art world, Stearns relocated to the Bay Area for an MFA in Illustration.In 2012, the DRAWEVERYWHERE offering was again remixed to include more community relations into his illuminated practice. Believing in the power of unique and unusual partnerships, Stearns began founding and directing Artist in Residence programs with a passion for creative collaborations connecting artists to the worlds of science, and technology. He upgraded the studio to an Oakland based LLC where he and his creative studio community produce unique artwork for a wild and wide range of innovative projects. The artistic imprint can be found all over the globe and has been commissioned by companies such as Deviant Art, Apple, Netflix, Adobe, and Planet.Stearns created the first art show in space at aerospace firm Planet Labs in San Francisco. From 2013-18, as founder of a robust Artist in Residence program, he created large scale illustrations and helped engineer the process for laser etching each art piece onto multiple surfaces of more than 350 satellites launched into Earth’s orbit. See more on this creative adventure on the artists TEDx talk "Space Art Dream Remix."Currently Stearns is the Principal Artist and co-founder of the Artist in Residence program at the Google AI Quantum project in Santa Barbara, where he continues to push the envelope of art production in size and media. From rocket ships and quantum computers to endless sketchbooks and fine art exhibits, the artistic portfolio is diverse in media and substrate but always aligns with the constant practice of DRAWEVERYWHERE.View Forest's Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series talk here. Listen to The Artian Podcast featuring ForestWatch Forest's TEDx Talk

Page Classification

Name

Daniel Raleigh

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Daniel Raleigh (’81, Chemistry, Mathematics) is a Professor of Biophysics at University College London and a Professor of Chemistry at Stony Brook University in New York. While earning his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology he won the prestigious National Science Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship. From there, he had two postdoctoral research appointments, one at Oxford University and the other at Du Pont Merck Company.His major areas of research are to develop methods to study proteins. He has conducted ground-breaking studies of the role of protein misfolding and aggregation in disease, and his contributions to this area have led to a new view of the critical unfolded state of proteins. The misfolding and pathological aggregation of proteins is the direct cause of more than 20 devastating human diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS, and contributes to type-2 diabetes.Raleigh’s achievements have been recognized by a National Science Foundation Career Award, selection as a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences, membership on the editorial boards of five leading journals, selection as a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator, and most recently by membership in the National Academy of Inventors.

Page Classification

Name

Dan Phillips

Award or Scholarship

Awards

Title of project and host mentor

Dan Phillips (‘91, Business and Computer Information Systems) is the Chief Technology Officer at the popular online streaming service Hulu. He is responsible for leading Hulu's technical and product strategy to drive innovation for consumers and partners. Phillips oversees Hulu's entire Technology and Product organization, spanning engineering, data center operations, network and broadcast operations, information technology, and program management, as well as product management, user experience and product development. Phillips has published several papers with NASA and was granted a patent for his work on expanded object models. In December 2019, Phillips, who grew up in rural Humboldt County, and his wife Cindy, significantly contributed to the HSU community through the creation of the Dan & Cindy Phillips Fortuna Scholarship. This scholarship, established with a $250,000 gift from the Phillips, supports Fortuna High School graduates who enroll at HSU either as transfer students from College of the Redwoods or as first-time freshmen.View Dan's "Humboldt to Hulu" talk here.