Alumni Updates

Robert Lackey

Fisheries Biology, 1967

Lackey is a professor at Oregon State University. In 2008, he retired after 27 years with the Environmental Protection Agency’s 350-person national research laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon. He served as Deputy Director, Associate Director for Science, and in other senior science leadership positions. His current “gig” is part-time and involves teaching ecological policy and advising a few graduate students. He and his wife, Lana Apparius Lackey (also a Humboldt student), live in Corvallis, Oregon.

Rich Torquemada

Fisheries Biology’92 MS, Natural Resources, 1982

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

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.

Sara Dykman

Wildlife, 2008

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

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

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

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 ResourcesGeography minor, 1993

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

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

Patrick Murphy

Environmental Science & Management, 2013

Patrick Murphy has been working for the Orange County Water District for the past 6 years. His job consists of water quality monitoring through the sampling and water quality data analysis of many groundwater and surface water sites. Murphy has also recently obtained a MS in Environmental Studies from California State University, Fullerton.