Alumni Updates

Eugene "Charlie" Justus

Wildlife, 1989

Charlie Justus has Retired from Idaho Fish and Game. After 30 years as a Conservation Officer, finishing his career as a Regional Conservation Officer (Lieutenant) Charlie has retired. He is working part time this summer as a Marine Deputy for the Canyon County Sheriff's Department while he figures out his next pursuit, or vacation or ... He is looking forward to spending time with his wife Sue (wildlife class of 89) exploring.

Douglas Vogt

Biological Sciences, 1989

Since graduating from HSU in 1989 with a BS Degree in Biology I have had several jobs, with only one being remotely related to biology (a one year stint at molecular biology lab). Most of my jobs have been in the clinical and immunochemistry chemistry field. For the last 5 years my job as a lab technician and fluid analyst at John Deere in my hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, has been perhaps the most challenging. What I learned at HSU has provided me with the skills to adapt not only changing jobs, but also to jobs as they change. I recently was promoted to Program Manager so I will be given yet another chance to see what other skills I may have learned in college will be called upon to provide me with the ability to perform my new position to the best of my abilities. Just goes to show that a college education can provide you not only with the ability to perform specific jobs, but also the ability to perform many different types of jobs.
Thank You HSU!

Gerald R Jones

Fisheries BiologyAquaculture, 1988

Gerald R Jones, Fisheries Biology, 1988, has been working for ODFW for 14 years as a fish pathologist/fish health specialist.

Michael Tuffly

Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1988

Tuffly got a BS in Forestry in 1988 and a MS in Natural Resources in 1995 both from HSU. He has worked for various State, Federal, and NGO’s over the years. He completed a Ph.D. in Forest Science from Colorado State University in 2012. He has his own consulting business ERIA Consultants, LLC and lives is Boulder, Colorado. He consults to private and public entities all over the world on forest carbon sequestration, wildfire mitigation and assessment, and various wildlife habitat enhancements. For the past ten years he has been climbing 14,000+ foot peaks in Colorado with two other HSU alumni.

Jay Brandes

OceanographyChemistry, 1988

Jay Brandes recently gave a talk titled “Microplastics: A Local Problem with a Local Solution” at the 2022 TEDx Savannah Event. He is presently a Professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia Athens, working out of UGA’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah Georgia. His work encompasses a variety of areas including nutrient and carbon cycling, biogeochemistry, and marine pollution. This fall (2022) he will begin teaching an Oceanographic Cruise course for Marine Science majors, and hopes to impart the knowledge he gained having experienced a similar transformational course in his education at HSU.

Bruce M. Baker

Fisheries Biology, 1988

Bruce M. Baker, 1988 Fisheries Biology, has been working as a fisheries biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife since 1991.

Daniel Zevin

WildlifeFisheries Minor, 1988

After graduating, Daniel Zevin's, Wildlife, 1988, career took many twists & turns. He is currently getting back to his wildlife roots assisting UC Berkeley's Fung Fellowship launch a new, biodiversity-focused Conservation + Tech undergraduate training program. Zevin also serves as an Advisory Group member for the Climate Readiness Institute, and previously spent three years as Program Director at NatureBridge, five years as Project Manager/Associate Zoologist with The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, and two years as a Research Assistant supporting captive breeding programs at the LA Zoo. There's also an 11 year career at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory, plus two more gigs that just won't fit :). What a long strange trip it's been!

Anthony Erba

Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1987

After nearly 33 years of federal government service, Anthony Erba, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1987, has retired from the USDA Forest Service to Northern Wisconsin. His last position was as Regional Director (Eastern Region) overseeing environmental planning, litigation, and landscape-scale conservation (lasting 8.5 years). Anthony's career spanned all four organizational levels of the Forest Service, located on six national forests, one national grassland, one region, and the Washington Office.

Never in his wildest dreams would he have been able to predict his career when he graduated in 1987. Anthony is grateful for his experience at HSU, providing him the awareness needed to recognize career opportunities whenever they popped up.

Chris Brey

Fisheries Biology, 1987

After earning his degree, Chris Brey, Fisheries Biology, 1987, served as an aquaculture extensionist in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. After that he worked for several years as a field biologist and a fish culturist, and then went on to earn an MS in Environmental Management at the University of San Francisco. He currently heads the Facilities and EH&S department at a Bay Area biopharma company, is married and has two children in college.

Chris Brey

Fisheries Biology, 1987

After college I joined the Peace Corps as a fisheries volunteer in the Dominican Republic. I've worked as a fiseries biologist on the Bering Sea, and managed a salmon hatchery in Washington. Transitioned to environmental work in biotechnology industry, and grew into facilities management role, where I have been able to exercise my passion for sustainable business practices. I am married and have two children, and live in Mountain View, CA.