Alumni Updates

Matias Solorzano

Psychology, 2025

Matias will start a PhD program in Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the Fall 2025 semester. He also received an Education Graduate Research Scholars fellowship from the School of Education at UW-Madison to assist him in pursuing his research interests. At UW-Madison, Matias will conduct research on the transition to adulthood in employment for autistic individuals. He seeks to connect more autistic adults to resources that will help them find employment. Recently, Matias completed an internship with the California Department of Developmental Services in the Autism Services Branch. This internship helped him make connections at DDS and made him realize that working in civil service is a good career path for individuals interested in making the world a better place for individuals with disabilities.

Kacie Hallahan

Kinesiology, 2020

Kacie has recently accepted a full-time permanent position with the Air Force in San Pedro, CA. As a Recreation Specialist, she will be planning and leading outdoor recreation programs for military members and their families, including backpacking, rafting, skydiving, deep sea fishing, and more! Thanks, REC fam!

Timothy Rupiper

Liberal Studies Elementary Education, 2020

Timothy Rupiper received a job as an outreach advisor for Academic Talent Search at Sonoma State University. Rupiper is responsible for providing consistent, accurate, academic advising services to first generation, low income, college bound 6th to12th grade students. Advising includes exploring academic requirements of a specific program or major and assisting students in exploring careers, evaluating academic abilities, and setting goals.

Nicholas Fassl

Kinesiology, 2019

Nicholas is currently an Afloat Recreation Specialist aka Fun Boss on an aircraft carrier for the US Navy. He organizes daily activities, large events and schedules trips/tours for 5,500 navy sailors and personnel in San Diego & foreign ports.

Albert Bernales

Business Administration, 2018

Albert Bernales ('18, Business) is among the first Peace Corps volunteers to return to overseas service since the agency’s unprecedented global evacuation in March 2020. The Peace Corps suspended global operations and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"My professors shared their experiences as Peace Corps volunteers during their lectures and it seemed very impactful on their own personal and professional development,” said Bernales. "As a business volunteer, I hope to share an entrepreneur's mindset with community members in Fiji and hopefully get them excited about business.”

Leah Rankin

Psychology, 2018

Leah started at Humboldt as a single mom juggling homelife, work, and school. They obtained a job in the behavioral health field and learned quickly that supporting individuals living with co-occurring disorders was their calling. They've been providing services in the field for ten years and have worked up to becoming the Program Administrator at a Social Rehabilitation Program that prepares our persons served for community reintegration. Leah encourages people to continue to follow their passions and dreams, to stay focused on what they wish to accomplish, and to remember it's never too late to get started. 

Danielle Cenotti

Recreation Administration, 2018

Danielle spent two seasons working at a Bear Observatory in Alaska before the pandemic.  After substitute teaching for a few years to get through the pandemic, and working one season at Redwood National Park, she started working outreach and event planning for the Social Work Department at Cal Poly Humboldt. She has been married for over a year and earned a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Holly McLaughlin

Liberal Studies Elementary EducationMultiple Subject Credential, 2017

Holly McLaughlin, Liberal Studies Elementary Education, 2017, teaches fifth grade at Washington Elementary school.

Alexis Puerto-Holmes

Kinesiology, 2017

After attending the CPRS conference with the Rec Club at HSU Alexis met with several folks who work at Sonoma County Regional Parks. She had to do her internship in order to graduate and called the people she had met to see about applying, and it was a success! Alexis felt thrilled to start as an intern, was promoted to a Park Aide, and then Park Programs Assistant (PPA), and now a full time Recreation PPA. She has lead a variety of programs for Sonoma County Parks. Alexis really thinks she has the best job- she gets paid to take people kayaking, surfing, hiking, present about inequity in the outdoors, lead outreach, and so much more. She is forever grateful to those at HSU who supported her (shout out to Gen Marchand whoot)!

Kristian Espinoza

Psychology, 2017

Kristian Espinoza, Psychology, 2017, is happily married and has a six-month old baby. Espinoza works with marginalized communities through a program called Wrap Around and before that they worked at a group-home serving the 6-12 year old children that lived there.