College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Jonathan Souza

Music, 2001

Jonathan Souza, Cal Poly Humboldt Class of 2001 (Humboldt State University), earned his B.A. in Music Education and has built a distinguished career as a music educator, arts leader, conductor, and advocate for equitable access to arts education. He currently serves the Gilroy Unified School District in dual leadership roles as Teacher on Special Assignment for Arts and Music in Schools Initiative Support while also continuing his longstanding work running music education and choral programs at Gilroy High School.

In Gilroy Unified, Souza has played a central role in advancing arts education at both the school site and district levels. He facilitated the development of the district’s TK-12 Strategic Arts Plan, guiding a collaborative process that engaged educators, administrators, families, and community stakeholders in shaping a shared vision for arts education. He also helped lead the plan through adoption, marking an important step in strengthening and sustaining high-quality arts learning opportunities for all students across the district.

Souza also helped spearhead Gilroy High School’s successful application for the 2026 California Department of Education Exemplary Arts Education Program recognition. His leadership in that process included coordinating data collection, organizing evidence across disciplines, shaping the program narrative, and working closely with colleagues to highlight the rigor, impact, and breadth of arts education at the school. His work reflects a deep commitment to advocacy, collaboration, and the transformative power of the arts in public education.

Alongside his educational leadership, Souza recently reached a major professional milestone with his Carnegie Hall debut as a guest conductor with MidAmerica Productions, leading a festival chorus and the New England Symphonic Ensemble. The appearance reflected both his artistic excellence and his enduring commitment to building meaningful musical experiences that connect performers, audiences, and communities across generations.

Throughout his career, Souza has received numerous school site and district honors in recognition of his teaching and leadership. His broader professional awards include the 2008 North Coast Section California Music Educators Association Music Educator of the Year Award, the 2010 Wells Fargo Outstanding Educator Award from the Humboldt County Office of Education, and the 2022 Arts Leadership Award from the Santa Clara County Office of Education.

Whether conducting, mentoring teachers, leading strategic planning, or advocating for expanded access to the arts, Jonathan Souza’s work is grounded in the belief that music and arts education are essential to student growth, belonging, and success. His career reflects the values of artistry, leadership, and service, and the foundation he received at Cal Poly Humboldt continues to inform and inspire his work.

Lance Torgerson

Geography, 2004

Lance currently works for Off Duty Officers as a security guard and with California State Parks as a Park Aide. His location is Merced, California. He's had several jobs after his 2004 graduation with a BA in Geography in the Eureka/Arcata area and, more recently, in the Central Valley in Merced, CA.

Off Duty Officers

State Parks

Kory Lamberts

Environmental Studies, 2021

Kory came to Humboldt as a transfer student after turning away from a possible career as a football player. Like many students, he had multiple interests, and used his time in college to find a path to combine them. Since graduating, Kory worked with a nonprofit, Negus in Nature, that focused on building bridges between Black communities and natural spaces. While in college and working with Negus in Nature, he became an avid scuba diver, joining the National Association of Black SCUBA Divers, and received multiple opportunities to participate in dives focused on connecting Black people to their histories and connections with the ocean. In 2024, Kory founded the Aquatic Futures Foundation, which he designed to create equitable access to ocean science education and careers, empowering the next generation of marine scientists to build a sustainable future for our oceans and world. Kory also serves as the Chair of the Next Gen Committee for the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) and a member of Aqua Corps, where he helps teach diving & water safety to communities that have been historically excluded from the conversation. Kory also spearheaded the USC Wrigley’s Scientific Dive Discovery program, where he started his work of training scientific divers collegially over two years. He is expanding aquatic education and safety through community-driven collaborations with organizations that have the same mission, like Diving With a Purpose (DWP), Diverseafy, and the Empowher Institute. A profile about him was written in Humboldt Now: https://now.humboldt.edu/news/finding-belonging-water