Alumni Updates

Shiloh (Green) Soto

Environmental Studies, 2016

After graduating from Humboldt, Shiloh earned her M.A. in interdisciplinary humanities at UC Merced, where she will also graduate with her Ph.D. in the spring of 2024. Her graduate work is housed in the Department of History & Critical Race and Ethnic Studies and analyzes a public history project she directed with the San Joaquin Valley's city of Livingston. Shiloh moved back to Humboldt in 2022 and eventually found exciting work on campus in Cal Poly Humboldt's College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences as the College Graduate Programs & Recruitment Coordinator! 

Donald Cresse

Economics, 1985

After 27+ years, Donald Cresse has retired from the LA Department of Water and Power. He worked as an energy conservation rep and then as a supervisor in recycled water. Cresse claims that Drs. Ruprecht and Jewett were instrumental in his education and is thankful for their guidance. Also, Dr. Lehman, who taught him "Appropriate Technology." Cresse says if not for Humboldt and these great professors, he would not be happily retired.

Patricia (Patty) Brown

Natural Resources, 1977

Patty retired twice, but you might not know it from how busy she still is. Her first career was as a park ranger for California State Parks in the redwoods and the desert, the National Park Service in Alaska at Katmai and Lake Clark, then on the Kenai Wildlife Refuge, ending in 1995. She then decided to pursue a less itinerant life as a middle school science teacher in Alaska. Currently, she volunteers on the ambulance crew and does humanitarian work in winter at the U.S.-Mexico Border. She was recently elected to the local planning commission in Haines.

Natalie Burghardt

Environmental Science & Management, 2020

Jesse Bobrow and Natalie Burghardt are engaged! They both attended Humboldt State University from 2017-2020. 

Claire Roth

Environmental Studies, 2017

Claire lives in Eugene, Oregon, and works as a Program Manager with the educational nonprofit Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST). BEST advocates for better, more convenient, and safer transportation for everyone, no matter their mode of choice or ability, and believes that community partnership and collaboration are the keys to finding sustainable and equitable solutions to transportation challenges and that the voices of the most vulnerable users of the transportation system should be continuously elevated.

Claire also serves on two local nonprofit boards: Shift Community Cycles and the Whiteaker Community Council. She believes that nonprofits fill the gap that governments cannot cover.

Christian Vierra

Politics, 2016

Christian Vierra is the Associate Director of Government Relations for the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health System. Previously, he has served in various roles at the American Heart Association and the California State Assembly. 

Jerre Winder Maurer

Biological Sciences, Biological Sciences Teaching Credential , 2001 and 2002

Jerre would like to thank the Cal Poly Humboldt credential program and biological science department. Jerre just finished her 20th year teaching science for the Bret Harte Union High School District in Angels Camp, California, and continues to love it! Jerre teaches biology and anatomy/physiology. She is also the science department chair and the recycling coordinator. She says it has been a great place to work all these years with wonderful staff and students! The credential program ensured she was prepared to teach! Thank you, Humboldt!

Stephanie Rosier

Psychology, 2014

After graduating from HSU, Stephanie worked as a Senior Advocate at Humboldt Domestic Violence Services for two years and as a Shelter Coordinator at YWCA Glendale. She then worked as an Early Recovery Specialist at Aegis Treatment Centers in Ventura, CA, and two years ago, she moved to Missoula, MT, where she worked as a county Mental Health Coordinator. She loves the nature-focused culture of Montana but misses the redwoods! Humboldt State University provided her with many experiences and tools that have helped her build her career and give back to the community, and she will always be grateful. 

Leah Meyers

Botany, 2022

Leah was hired as a Botanist under Stantec to work in environmental consulting in August 2022 and has recently completed her first year there. She moved to Santa Barbara for this job and has had a wonderful experience working with other biologists and getting out in the field. Living in Santa Barbara is a blast, and Leah is grateful to be a part of protecting California's amazing wildlife—but she says her heart is always in the Redwoods!

Edward (Ed) Busch

Fisheries Biology, 1980

Ed will be retiring from Michigan State University at the end of this week. A short bio can be found at https://michiganstate-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/r/personal/buschedw_msu_edu…