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Alumni Updates
Recent Alumni Updates
Julianne Fernandez
Oceanography, 2014
After earning her degree, Julianne Fernandez, Oceanography, 2014, interned with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District in Illinois. As a Physical Science Technician in Water Quality she assisted in monitoring the upper Mississippi River. Fernandez worked on her M.S. in Geology at the University of Cincinnati, where her research focused on methane emissions from Lake Erie. Fernandez completed her M.S in 2017 and soon decided to pursue a PhD. She’s currently a Marie Slodowska-Curie Postgraduate Research Assistant in the Department of Earth Sciences at Royal Holloway University of London, UK. She studies urban methane emissions from London and other European metropolitan areas.
Barbara Muskat
Art, 1975
Barbara Muskat, Art, 1975, has been teaching in a public school setting for the last 26 years. She taught as a secondary art teacher and for the last 15 years taught kindergarten where she includes the arts in many ways. Muskat will be retiring at the end of the 2020 school year.
Michelle Gienger
History, Economics, 2007
A few years ago Michelle Gienger, History, 2007, transitioned from a Federal Investigator at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to a Management and Program Analyst with the US Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. In this position, she is on a team that conducts reviews of DOJ programs for the DOJ, Congress, and public.
Janelle Thompson
Forestry & Wildland Resources, Forest Management, 1993
In 2019, after 28 years with the U.S. Forest Service in a position as a timber sale administrator, Janelle Thompson, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1993, was promoted to Tahoe National Forest, Sierraville Ranger District Timber Management Officer. Thompson began her career in 1987 as a temporary employee on the timber marking crew at Sierraville. She received a permanent career appointment in 1991 as a forester with an emphasis in timber sale administration. During the last 20 years she has also worked as a support dispatcher (EDSD) for major wildland fires and other incidents across the United States. September of 2022 Thompson will be eligible to retire with over 31 years with the U.S. Forest Service.
David Justice
Fisheries Biology, 1995
David Justice, Fisheries Biology, 1995, was promoted to CEO of Alta Vista Credit Union in Redlands, California in November of 2019. Justice married a College Professor who teaches Geography and they have two adult boys who are off to college next year.
Judith Stone-Hulslander
Biological Sciences, 1992
Judith Stone-Hulslander, Biological Sciences, 1992, was promoted to partner at the law firm Lathrop GPM. With approximately 20 years of intellectual property experience, Stone-Hulslander focuses her practice on patent preparation, prosecution and client counseling in all areas of biotechnology. She holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and prior to obtaining her law degree, she worked more than five years as a technical specialist and patent agent. Stone-Hulslander has particularly strong patent experience with therapeutic antibodies and antibody-like molecules for a variety of disease indications.
Tai Parker
Critical Race, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Multicultural Queer Studies/Psychology, 2016
After graduating, Tai Parker, Critical Race, Gender & Sexuality and Psychology, 2016, earned a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology and went on to become the Trans Health Case Manager for Open Door Community Health Center. Parker says " I would not have gone down this path had it not been for my experiences in the CRGS department, surrounded by a culture of acceptance and constant critical thought. The base knowledge I learned in the CRGS department opened my eyes and gave me words to experiences I had, and a path into how I wanted to see change happen in my immediate community."
Kristen Van Ausdall
Art, English, 1976
On Saturday Oct. 27, 2019 Professor of Art History Kristen Van Ausdall, Art, 1976, passed away. She died at the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. While Van Ausdall had been on medical leave at the time of her death, her passing came as a shock to those who were close to her. She is survived by her husband, Scott Pringle. Van Ausdall had been a resident of Mount Vernon, Ohio, teaching at Kenyon College. After completing her B.A. in Studio Art and English at Humboldt State University in 1976 (inspired by Art History Professor Max Butler), she went on to attain an M.A. from the University of Oregon in 1981 and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University in 1994.
Leona Evans
Natural Resources, 1983
Leona Evans, Natural Resources, 1983, retired from the Lake Valley Fire Protection District (Lake Tahoe) in 2015. She is now transitioning into retirement from her second job as Coordinator for the Lake Tahoe Basin Fire Academy through Lake Tahoe Community College where she served for 14 years. She continues to work on-call for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (Forest Service).
Tyler Smurr
Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1995
Tyler Smurr, Forestry & Wildland Resources, 1995, worked for Sierra Pacific Industries after graduating from Humboldt State but then met a girl and followed her to Texas. He taught middle school science for 14 years, and is currently an Assistant Principal for a San Antonio Middle School. Smurr says he uses his experience at Humboldt State to talk to students about finding the right place for them and seeing the beauty in the world.



