Alumni Updates

Allan Ekberg

Business AdministrationCIS, 1984

Allan Ekberg, 1984, Business, is the City of Tukwila’s mayor. Upon graduating from HSU, he became active in community, fighting a county rezone and annexing his neighborhood into Tukwila. From his education at HSU, Allan became an Internet technology project/program manager and consulted at a wide variety of organizations. While working in technology, he served on the Tukwila City Council where he used his HSU Speech Communication minor often. Allan originated the charter and commenced the Computer Information System Club at Humboldt State; he also served a term as the School of Business student council representative. He thanks HSU for empowering him to become who he is.

Daniel C. Hernandez

Kinesiology, 1984

Daniel C. Hernandez, 1984 Recreation Administration, recently announced his retirement from the field of parks, recreation, and leisure services. For the past six years he was director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services for Culver City, Calif. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Hernandez began his fulltime career with the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department in 1985, overseeing youth sports and special events. In 1996, while serving as Director of Community Services for the City of Carpinteria, he completed his Master’s of Public Administration at CSU Northridge. Hernandez has been a presenter and speaker at both the state and national level.

Kay Sinclair

Business Administration, 1983

Kay Sinclair, 1983, Master’s of Business Administration, recently left a 30-plus-year career as an IT manager with General Electric/Martin Marietta/Lockheed Martin, in Utica, NY. She has been teaching IT related management courses at State University of New York Polytechnic Institute as an adjunct professor, while also continuing her nonprofit work in the community. Sinclair is currently the president of the board at the Women’s Employment and Resource Center. She is also involved in STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math) activities in the area, including co-teaching summer workshops for middle school students such as 3D Daze for Girls and Nanotechnology. This April, Kay was delighted to receive the Unsung Heroine Award from the Young Women's Christian Association of the Mohawk Valley at its annual Salute to Outstanding Women luncheon. The Unsung Heroine award honors “an individual who works continuously and tirelessly behind the scenes, goes the extra mile with little thanks, or has made an outstanding contribution.”

Karen Partch (Beal)

Social Work, 1983

Karen retired in December 2023 after a long career in both teaching preschool early on and then in social work for 34 years. She worked in adoptions, child protective services, and the bulk of her career as an advocate for children and adults with developmental disabilities. In addition to her paid career, she was a volunteer youth leader through various churches for over 25 years. She is now a California State Parks volunteer and enjoys having more time to be outdoors and engage in her hobbies.

Laurie Brown

Psychology, 1983

My True Crime book, Stand-Up Guy, is available in ebook format on amazon.com.

Stories of sex, drugs and violence are told by a guy who did it all -- except rat on his friends. Nostalgic, blunt, touching and brutal, it's a fast-paced journey into and out of the days and nights of a street level gangster. From jacking the pumps at the local Texaco to disappearing owing the mob money, this is a true story of twenty years on the streets of Brooklyn and Long Island selling drinks, women and drugs along the way.

The story is a fast drive that starts with recruitment by Tommy Toupee and speeds straight into the dark nights and early morning hours of hardcore gangster life.

Maureen Tubbiola

Psychology, 1983

Maureen took her Bachelor's degree in psychology ('83) in a neurobiology direction through opportunities provided by Humboldt State faculty who connected her to employment in electron microscopy at the University of Utah. She proceeded to earn both an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Zoology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she discovered interest in teaching. She has just returned to her position as Full Professor in Biological Sciences after serving as the Associate Dean of the College of Science and Engineering at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. She is very excited to see her alma mater transition to Cal Poly status!

Michael Mooradian

Business Administration, 1983

Michael Mooradian, Business Administration, 1983 retired in March, 2020 after more than 32 years with the Los Angeles County Assessor. Mooradian said "a lot of hard work and taxpayer contact wore me down and now, at last, the old gray mare ain't what she used to be". Mooradian is now volunteering his time with the Armenian Relief and Development Association (ARDA). This organization builds housing, sends food and clothing, and maintains a healthcare facility in Armenia for the benefit of impoverished Armenians. Many of these people have been living in cargo containers since the 1988 earthquake. Mooradian thanks the God of the Bible for his education at Humboldt State University and the benefits it provided him throughout his life.

Michael Mooradian

Business Administration, 1983

Michael Mooradian, Business Administration, 1983, worked for the Los Angeles County Assessor for over 32 years and retired in March 2020. As a supervising appraiser, Mooradian was responsible for training and leading his appraisal staff in equalizing assessments on business equipment. Mooradian diligently and tirelessly served the taxpayers of Los Angeles County. His education at HSU well prepared him for this long-term work opportunity. He and his wife, Pam, are now retired in the Los Angeles area and he is planning to do volunteer work for organizations he supports.

Cynthia Glasgow-Ragus

Social WorkEducation, 1982

After 34 years of teaching elementary school Cynthia Glasgow-Ragus, Social Work, 1982, has retired. Her career was spent at the same school for all 34 years, the same school she attended as a child. That makes 43 years total at the same school. She is now retired and enjoying planning trips and traveling with family and friends.

Cynthia Glasgow-Ragus

Social WorkTeaching Credential Program, 1980/82

Cynthia Glasgow-Ragus, Social Work, 1980/82, retired after teaching elementary school for 34 years to travel the world and check off items on her bucket list.