Alumni Updates

Mohsin Aziz

Business Administration, 1992

Mohsin has worked in IT since graduating from HSU. In 1997 he started his own IT services company, NYLEX.Net, which is now the most prominent IT services company in Humboldt County. The company has hired numerous HSU graduates as IT support technicians and engineers as it continues its growth.

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.

Liam Hazelton

Environmental Studies, Geospatial Analysis minor, 2019

Following graduation, Hazelton searched for jobs in the Bay Area but did not have any luck for a year and a half. In December 2020 he received help from a local professional who sent him information about an internship that dealt with restoring and mitigating damage done in riparian areas by humans. He was selected to join the program in February of 2021 and also has a future job in the pipeline.

Monica Topping

Journalism, 2009

City of Eureka's 2020 Artist of the Year (announced in April 2021)

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.

Barbara Brovelli-Moon

Sociology, 1967

Awarded the 2021 Alaska SeaLife Center's Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person or team that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. After retiring from over 40 years in education, Barbara Brovelli-Moon’s passion for teaching and Alaska’s wildlife continues through her company, Ocean Otter Publishing. Barbara has written and published six field guide books for children and families about Alaska’s animals, filling a niche previously unavailable to youth. Her work is a valuable resource that helps children connect to the living creatures here in Alaska and teaches them they can make a difference.

Chad Kaufman

World Languages and Cultures, Spanish Language and Literature, 2008

After graduating from HSU in 2008 and working in a bilingual school for a bit, Chad then moved down to Cholula, Mexico to pursue a Master's degree. In 2011 he graduated with an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from La Universidad de las Americas Puebla, Mexico. After graduating he moved back to Minnesota with his amazing spouse to be close to family.
Going on 8 years working as a full-time Spanish Interpreter at Children's Minnesota: a fantastic system of pediatric clinics and hospitals.

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.