Bud Henry writes, “After living in North Tustin for 45 years, I moved to Laguna Woods in January of 2018. Laguna Woods is an over-55 city of 18,000 seniors and an ideal place for a single woman or man who wants to remain active. With more than 230 organizations or clubs, there is something for everybody. There are gyms, tennis, pickle ball, golf, and an excellent Performing Arts Center, where I have seen Pat Boone, a Willie Nelson impersonator, a great Beatles quartet, and the All-American Boys Choir. Another ‘perk’ is that our former dean, Tom Campbell, lives nearby. We get together for breakfast every few months. He is currently a law professor at Chapman University in Orange. I also belong to two social groups and have met some great people.”

Jim Jorgensen, of Vancouver, Wash., writes, “Once an author always an author: My current historical novel Blind Will is about the German V2 rockets, of which over one thousand fell on London. The fear was that these rockets could hit Wall Street and the White House. Without my usual travel, I’ve been working with local charities with the Rotary Club. Expect to be back in the Bay Area when the virus lets me.”

Mort Beebe writes, “After three generations of the Beebe family attending Berkeley, I was given the opportunity to set the motion picture The Graduate on campus and at the Theta Delta Chi house. The feature is still remembered as a classic and enduring record of the 1960s. I’ve been grounded for the past year editing
another book.”

Alan Mindell recently published a novel, San Francisco Story (Sunbury Press, 2020), a tale of sex and drug addiction set in the late 1980s during the HIV epidemic. UC Berkeley is a part of the narrative as the young heroine leads an AIDS research group on campus as an undergraduate. In the end, she and the research group are honored at what seems to be the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco (although unnamed). “I must warn that the book is X-rated, at least in Part One,” writes Mindell. “It’s easy to follow the story beginning in Part Two for anyone who might object to the graphic scenes in Part One. Without a doubt, the book contains both controversial and questionable material, but that material is, in my opinion, paramount to the story. I would very much appreciate reader feedback on whether the end ultimately justifies the means.”

Doyle Wiseman, of Mill Valley, Calif., updates, “After graduation and almost completing the MBA (that darned thesis!) I pursued a more practical education aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer, followed by some enlightening years at Arthur Andersen & Co. and at Itel Corporation, each a high-flyer in its own right.

“Founded The Wiseman Company, with my dad, in my hometown, Fairfield, Calif., 42 years ago. Our full-service commercial real estate firm developed, owns, and operates the preeminent Class A office buildings in the North Bay. For many of our clients, the pandemic has been challenging, but our team members did everything to ensure that almost all survived. Spending a lot of time at home these days with the joy of my life, Nina, my 4-year-old granddaughter. So happy that she and her mom and dad live here in Mill Valley. Looking forward to full retirement in 2023, in time for my 80th birthday. I must say that applying to Cal so many years ago was one of the best decisions of my life. Go Bears!”

Mitch Rosenberg, CEO of MDR Insurance and Financial Services in Thousand Oaks, Calif., announces, “I wrapped up another great business year on a high note, earning inclusion on the prestigious Tri-Counties list of top insurance and financial advisors for 2020. The Pacific Coast Business Times published its annual ‘Who’s Who in Health Care, Insurance Services, and Biomedicine’ list in November. I also recently was named ‘Agent of the Year’ for 2020 for the San Fernando Valley General Office of New York Life, where I’ve been an agent since 1986. I’ve served as president of both the Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council and Woodland Hills Estate and Tax Planning Council.

“The picture is from an amazing family trip to New Zealand and Fiji to ring in the new decade a year ago. Seems like a lifetime ago. Our Covid-19 ‘silver lining’ is that our three kids who all live in the Bay Area—2018 Cal Bear twins Andy (Haas) and Paige (CNR), and our Bruin daughter Ashley—have been spending lots of quality time working remotely at our home in Thousand Oaks!”

Andrew Shapiro, of Mill Valley, Calif., updates, “In my ninth year on the board of the Mill Valley Library Foundation, I just completed my second and final year as board chair/president. As I will be term limiting off this board entirely in a few months, and serve on another nonprofit board, I expect to have the bandwidth for one to two public or for-profit private company boards, should any of my classmates know of a good fit.”

Steven Lurie, of Los Angeles, writes, “I was honored this year by the Los Angeles Business Journal as the 2020 real estate lawyer of the year and by Connect Media as one of the top 50 real estate attorneys in the United States.”

Larry Schaffer, of Los Olivos, Calif., comments, “I learned a long time ago that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade—and 2020 was certainly that type of year for me personally and my Tercero wines label professionally. Instead of being able to host groups at my tasting room or at wine bars throughout California, I started hosting live Zoom wine tastings for wine club members, other retail customers, corporations, and even as fundraisers for school organizations and others. This is something I remain excited about and hope to do more of—and I personally host each of these live tastings, not a ‘salesperson’ or ‘sommelier,’ but the actual winemaker and owner. I would love to host one of these featuring my wines for your company or group. Reach out any time at [email protected]. Cheers!”

Stacy Sutton, of Atlanta, announces, “I’m a partner in a new venture studio, Rule 1 Ventures. I’m CMO, overseeing marketing for all of our tech startup portfolio companies. I also joined the board of Aurora Day Camp, an all-summer day camp for children with cancer and their siblings.”

Noni Ramos, of Danville, Calif., reports, “I am thrilled to share that I was selected as the new CEO of Housing Trust Silicon Valley. I began my new position on January 4, 2021. Housing Trust Silicon Valley is a nonprofit community loan fund that works to create a strong affordable housing market in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Prior to assuming this role I served as senior vice president and COO of Enterprise Community Loan Fund.”

Timothy Yee, of Alameda, Calif., forwards the following: “Timothy’s firm, Green Retirement, Inc., congratulates co-founder Rose Yee, who joined the board of the American Sustainable Business Council. She promises to keep fighting for social and environmental justice.”

Mister Emael (Ernesto Arellano), of Valencia, Spain, reports, “My responsibilities with the Ministry of Education and Culture have changed a bit. I’ve recently started giving presentations on tech startups and helping computer programmers pitch their wares. I also run workshops in storytelling for gaming and facilitate weekly leadership meetings inspired by the work of Nancy Kline. I have been living in Valencia now for five months. I prefer it to Bilbao, where I was living last year. Both cities present challenges when looking for housing, unless you are looking to buy.”

Lucky Sandhu, see EMBA 2015.

Nicole C. Wong, of Sunnyvale, Calif., writes, “I’ve been promoted to director of learning strategy for PwC’s financial-services sector. In this role, I will lead learning-and-development teams in continually upskilling and equipping client-service teams to focus on the future of financial services as they work with clients to reevaluate their strategies in light of the COVID-19 pandemic while advising clients on the impact of risk and regulation, cyber and financial crime, new technologies and fintech, and the changing face of the customer. I’m excited to tap into my first career as a business and technology journalist, my storytelling skills from my second career as a brand marketer, and my leadership development expertise from my third career as a learning strategist to be of service in new ways as our firm builds trust in society and solves important problems.”

Riya Kuo, of Seattle, writes, “I took my side hustle full time last year, right before COVID-19! After 13 years of practicing corporate law in the tech industry, I’m now a global executive coach for unconventional leaders.”

Lisa Murphy, of Los Angeles, reports, “I’m excited to start a new role at Plaid on the go-to-market team for the open-finance platform. Plaid’s mission and business resonate with me in terms of providing payment and data infrastructure where developers can create and innovate and benefit consumers and their relationship with money and finances. I’m looking forward to tackling the challenge and making a small dent in the way our financial systems and solutions work for everyone. I graduated in the 2008 financial crisis, and being part of a tech startup partnering with large international banks and influencing how our financial systems
work for everyone is exciting! Please reach out if you have similar interests in economic access and inclusion.

“I recently began mentoring Haas MBA students interested in fintech and entrepreneurship. It’s been rewarding and wonderful to see how Haas has changed and embraced fintech and entrepreneurship over the years.” Shown: Murphy and her daughter, Zoe.

Richard Zen, of Hong Kong, updates, “Started a new role in January. In the same industry as before, primarily studying private real estate equity and debt deals. With a global mandate, mainly gateway cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, Shanghai, Sydney, New York, San Francisco, etc. Look forward to reconnecting with you all.”

Sergio Munoz, of Maplewood, N.J., reports, “Started a job as a director of corporate development at Fox Corporation focused on sports, sports betting, content acquisitions, and streaming and digital investments. Previously worked in investment banking at Credit Suisse. Recently had a son, George. If you ask me, the cutest little boy (but I’m biased).”

Nicholas Ferrif, of San Francisco, announces, “Working as a total economic impact consultant at Forrester Research. I produce ROI-driven business cases that quantify and articulate the costs and benefits of technology investments with a three-year ROI and financial model. I have also done analytical work for various government agencies, including developing new KPIs to track and benchmark success for certain government programs.

“I recently moved to the Outer Sunset in San Francisco and love it! My partner and I needed more space to work. Sharing a small kitchen table for six months was fun, but not sustainable, so we now each have our own office and have started a veggie garden in our new backyard! Much closer to the beach so we can enjoy the outdoor activities more easily. On good days, I can even surf in between work calls!”

John Chang, of Boston, reports, “After working in food and ag investing over the last six years, I just started my MBA at Harvard. Although the hybrid experience is different, it’s great to be back in a school environment!”

Shohei Narron, of Santa Cruz, Calif., announces, “I’ve recently joined World Innovation Lab, a VC firm that helps growth-stage U.S. startups enter the Japanese market, as director of platform and business development after six years at Looker, a data platform startup acquired by Google.”

Andrew Yassa, of Boston, wrote in to share a class memory: “I loved Personal Financial Management with Fred Selinger so much that I somehow ended up taking it four times. Thanks for everything, Fred, and a quick shout-out to my fellow TAs over the years, especially Rachelle, Vivek, Krystie, Lan, Alex, Tam, Amy, Felicity, Alan, Jenn, and Alice!” Shown from left: Andrew Yassa, Alex Myers Cooper, BS 13; Vivek Loganathan, BA 13 (statistics); Haas Lecturer Fred Selinger; Amy Lam, BA 14 (psychology, social welfare); Felicity Tang, BS 15; and Alan Cheng, BS 13, in
June 2013.

Clement Kao, of San Francisco, updates, “I’m currently a product manager at Blend, a fintech startup digitizing the consumer lending ecosystem, and I’m excited to be leading Blend’s consumer lending initiatives! It’s been such a wild journey partnering with our customers to craft better consumer experiences for vehicle loans, personal loans, and credit cards. Blend raised its Series F round in summer 2020 at a $1.7 billion valuation, and we’re actively hiring! Check out blend.com/careers.

“My newest book, Refining Your Product Skills, was published on Amazon in January 2021. I’m excited to share product knowledge with the community and to partner with Haas organizations like the Haas Business School Association and the Biology+Business program to spread product management knowledge! All of my publications are at tinyurl.com/clement-kao-press-publications.” Shown: Kao with girlfriend, Panpan Xu, in Big Sur.

Erica Yang writes, “I am now an associate attorney at an international law firm, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, in Chicago (katten.com/erica-yang). 2020 has been a difficult year for all of us and especially for Asian Americans. I’ve seen our fellows being judged because of COVID-19, businesses struggling to keep afloat, and numerous lootings and riots occurring to Asian businesses, etc. On top of that, community members often have language barriers, which make it more difficult to access legal help.

“In light of all this, a fellow attorney and I co-founded a legal clinic, Lawyers Helping Our Community (www.cvls.org/lhoc). We’re partnering with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, which has provided pro bono legal services to low-income communities in Chicago for more than 50 years, to address the legal challenges Asian American communities face amid this crisis. Since it launched, our work has been featured in various media outlets in Chicago, including the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and WGN Legal Face-Off radio. It also has been featured by Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, and University of Chicago Law School. We are always looking for more attorneys and non-attorneys to join our effort.”

Tai Tran, of Sunnyvale, Calif., announces, “My nonprofit Close the Gap Foundation launched our second annual summer Social Impact Fellowship for low-income 11th and 12th graders to close their network gap through giving back. Our program tripled in cohort size and transitioned to 100% virtual despite COVID-19. The majority of our volunteers are Cal Bears, two being Haas alums! Our work has been featured in Thrive Magazine (haas.org/tai-tran-1), Forbes (haas.org/tai-tran-2), and the Financial Times (haas.org/tai-tran-3) recently.”

Nima Edalatjavid, of Oakland, Calif., joined Roofstock in the Downtown Oakland headquarters as a real estate analyst.

Patrick Pan, of Los Angeles, who earned his Cal degree in interdisciplinary studies, writes, “Elected president of the Berkeley Haas Alumni Network of Los Angeles, building partnerships with other business school alumni chapters globally. Also a seed investor in two Berkeley alumni-founded direct-to-consumer startups.”

Neel Somani, of Chicago, announces, “Got a raise at work!” Shown: Somani and Aaron Wang, BS 18, at the 2019 Haas Menlo Circus event.

Robert Paylor is the new executive director of The Big C Society, the nonprofit UC Support Group charged with stewarding Cal’s standards for earning a varsity letter and spotlighting its worldwide varsity alumni community. Read about Paylor’s inspirational comeback after a severe rugby injury and how his freshly minted Haas degree is helping him tackle his new job.

Russell Kalmacoff, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, reports, “Not retired. Manage a family office. Volunteer in academia (UC Berkeley, University of Calgary, Athabasca University). Advise government (director of Frontier Centre for Public Policy). Having helped establish the Canadian Studies Program at Berkeley, I welcome questions on doing business in Canada.”

Marvin Lamoureux, of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, announces, “After 30 years in international development, including assignments by the U.S., Canadian, and U.K. governments, plus the World Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, and the Asian Development Bank, I concluded my final assignment in Myanmar (Burma). Now into blissful retirement—but with COVID-19, one must wait.

“After 40 years in a wonderful home situated in Eagle Harbor (between Vancouver and Whistler), it was time to move into downtown Vancouver and enjoy a ‘close-at-hand’ social life in the arts and entertainment community. My wife, Irma, and I decided to hang up the skis and scuba equipment and avoid bridges and commuter travel into the city. Condo living is great!”

Dean Suzuki, of Danville, Calif., reports watching the Cal-Oregon State football game with classmate Scott Miller and their spouses. “We wore masks most of the time and enjoyed an exciting game. Unfortunately, several key Cal players were quarantined due to exposure to Covid-19, but the team almost pulled out a win in the last minute of the game.”

45th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Joseph Carlson, of Monument, Colo., writes, “Kathy and I and our teenage children—Michael (17), Andy (15), and Lily (13)—returned from a Christmas holiday in the Dominican Republic, and now Kathy and I are visiting Egypt for several weeks. While the Dominican Republic trip was centered on beaches and such, the Egypt trip is focused on expanding Kathy’s and my understanding of history and culture of the Land of the Pharaohs. Being retired we enjoy traveling the world with family to more fully appreciate varied cultures. The ups and downs of COVID-19 restrictions combined with school/work/community service schedules play havoc with plans: Have you ever encountered in a foreign country with an unfamiliar language a curfew from noon Saturday to 5 a.m. the following day? Soldiers armed with automatic weapons at checkpoints are not something you want to experience. ” Carlson writes that in the 44 years since completing his Haas MBA he has traveled to 47 countries, including Bhutan, Myanmar, China, India, Turkey, and Chile. 

Paul Stockwell, of Los Angeles, notes, “Wrapping up my 40th year in commercial real estate as an executive vice president with CBRE. During 2020 I successfully closed two of the largest office leases in Los Angeles, including #1 at 425,000 sf.” Stockwell also raised more than $50,000 for a local animal rescue group in honor of his late wife, Pammela.

Constance Moore was appointed chair of the board of directors of Columbia Property Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust company. Moore, who has had a very successful career turning properties into big revenue, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from Berkeley Haas in 2019. Learn more about her.

Janet Shahan, of Lafayette, Calif., writes, “CPA—great way for gals to be free.” She also celebrates the new presidential administration: “It is a sad day for the Banana Republicans. We have stolen from the poor long enough. Now we use them. I am a Democrat and can’t wait for greedy people to follow me. I have reformed so many already.”

40th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Allen King, of Berkeley, Calif., updates, “In September I sold my business, Excellent Packaging & Supply, a purveyor of green takeout packaging, and am now happily retired. I’m ready for the next stage of my life, filled with more cycling and dancing (on Zoom for now). And, hopefully, a return to the Lair of the Bear in 2021 after this year’s pandemic-caused hiatus. My youngest son is engaged to be married next May, and my oldest son just got his first pet cat, a Russian blue, that arrived from Ukraine with a good bill of health.” Shown: Arik, Avi, Hannah, and Allen King.

Grant Hoag, of Irvine, Calif., reports, “Thirty-five years after I received a BSCE and a Haas MBA, I transitioned from financial consulting for municipal utilities to public service as a ratepayer advocate for the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. My training in finance and accounting at Haas, coupled with my Berkeley engineering degree, made this possible. Now, I am both a steward and an advocate for safe and reliable water services to the biggest publicly owned water utility in the U.S.

“During March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic struck while I was on vacation on a trek in the Everest region of Nepal. Walking out from the Himalayan Mountains, I discovered that the teahouses and hotels I relied upon for food and shelter were all boarded up and refusing guests. Equally bad, the government had suspended all road and air movement, and I was quarantined and stuck in the high mountain village of Lokla. Eventually, I was permitted to take a relief flight to the capital. After another week of quarantine in Kathmandu, the U.S. State Department chartered a flight for stranded Americans, to Washington, D.C.!”

Deary Duffie writes, “After 30 years of challenging high-tech, financial, and biotech HR experiences, I am now ‘in renaissance,’ living part time in San Francisco and part time in Castiglioncello (Tuscany) Italy with my partner, Daniel. My renaissance includes writing a memoir and learning about Italian culture while completing intensive language courses. I’ve started a leadership coaching practice with clients in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

“Last summer, I began volunteering with the Cal Alumni Association to support BIPOC undergrads in leading and excelling in the Cal community. I speak at career services events and mentor students and alumni.”

Bob Woerner was elected mayor of Livermore in fall 2020. He previously served as the city’s vice mayor.

35th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Bill Inserra writes, “Began a new job last year as vice president of finance and CFO of Toray Advanced Composites, based in Morgan Hill, Calif. Had previously worked at TenCate and participated with management team in private equity transaction and subsequent sale to Toray. “Our family bought a vacation home in Maine to spend summers by the lake! Live in Saratoga, Calif., with wife Laurie and children Billy, Mandy, and Danny.”

Kevin Renner, of Portland, Ore., has joined Periscope Holdings as the general manager of its OregonBuys Program. OregonBuys is an online marketplace where state and local governments can combine their purchasing power and shop online for products and services at the best possible price. Renner returned to Portland after a year in rural southeastern Washington where he helped develop the marketing and business development functions for a regional health care delivery organization. Shown: Renner with Thida Myint.

Bill Cohen, of Los Alamitos, Calif., reports, “Semi-retired. Still working on a few things. Heading down the ‘Big Ditch’ (the Grand Canyon) again this
April. Doing the entire run, dam to dam, 285 miles, 23 nights. Hope this note finds you
happy and healthy.”

Lynda (Shaw) Mansson, of Lausanne, Switzerland, updates, “For the past 11 years I have been the CEO of a family philanthropic foundation working on the environment. We are one of the largest environmental funders in Europe, with an annual grants budget of around $100 million. As planned from the beginning we aim to close the foundation in a couple of years—a unique management challenge I am enjoying. I was interviewed for a podcast called Do One Better (see lidji.org).

“I’ve been living in Switzerland ever since graduating from Haas. This year we are celebrating my youngest son’s engagement. I was pregnant with my older son during our program, and he is now working for an NGO in Lausanne after many years of doing scary field missions with Doctors Without Borders. We are happy to have him closer to home these days.”

Floris van den Broek, of Amsterdam,  Netherlands, reports, “Just started a position as CEO of GreenFlux, a 65-employee software company that leads the European market in electric vehicle charging. Great fun, in particular since the push to electric driving is accelerating.

“Enjoying a little more time with my wife, Eva, since two of our three kids moved out of the house to study medicine (Alice) and computer science and economics (Hendrik). Daughter Catharina (16) remains with us for a few more years.” Shown: Madrid 2019 dinner. Back: Floris van den Broek, Javier Canas and Regina Rivera. Left: Hendrik and Catharina. Right: Eva and Alice.

30th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Adam Hardej, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., writes, “My wife Beth (BA 91 legal studies) and I are still running our national real estate
valuation firm (BAARValuation.com), and it’s been a busy and complex year trying to measure the impact of Covid-19 on a variety of different property types throughout the United States. All in all, business is very good, and we look to continue to expand operations in 2021.

“Lockdowns in many states substantially limited my pleasure travel schedule this year—no ski trips to Alta, Utah, or Courmayeur, Italy, or beach getaways to Maui—but appraisal work must go on as people need to borrow money against their real estate collateral. I have found myself to be one of the few people flying about the country during the heat of Covid-19. Some states never or barely shut down; others remain ghost towns. I am hopeful that the vaccines will help to re-open all states and get things back to normal. I hope all of my classmates and their families are healthy, happy, and safe.”

Frank Hundley, of Flemington, N.J., announces, “Elected to serve as chair of the Rutgers-Camden Board of Directors and chair of the Rutgers University Board of Governors Committee on Academic and Student Affairs for the 2020-21 academic year. I was selected to the Rutgers African-American Alumni Alliance Hall of Fame 2020 Class in late December.

“Also in December, I reconnected via Zoom with my FTMBA Haas study team of Tammy Beaulieu (Barcelona, Spain), Lars Kogstad (Oslo, Norway), Arden Koontz, MBA 92 (Vancouver Island, B.C.), and Steve Ramirez (Orinda, Calif.). We all picked up right where we left off.” Shown, top: Frank Hundley, Arden Koontz, MBA 92, Lars Kogstad. Bottom: Steve Ramirez, Tammy Beaulieu.

Mark Tobin, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., reports, “Recently began a new job as CFO for The Westervelt Company. It has been very rewarding. Enjoying the people and work. Presently involved in Leadership Tuscaloosa and learning about the area and making connections.

“Given Covid-19, have not traveled far, but have been exploring much of the Southeast and learning more about its history (I think I missed that class in school).  Visited the Alabama Wine Country—yes, we have one here—and New Orleans, Gulf Coast, Selma, and parts of Mississippi. Still visit Nashville a fair bit, as it is relatively close.”

25th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Mark Beckford reports he is back in the Sacramento area after a three-year AgTech project in the California Central Valley. “Looking forward to continuing to rev up the Greater Sacramento region’s Haas Alumni Network and innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.”

Ellen Kaye Fleishhacker was appointed co-managing partner of global law firm Arnold & Porter. Fleishhacker, based in San Francisco, is co-head of the firm’s investment management practice and a member of the firm’s management and policy committees.

Laura Parmer-Lohan, mayor of San Carlos, Calif., formally announced her candidacy to become San Mateo County Supervisor in 2022: LauraforSupervisor.com. She writes, “The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve already raised a sizable war chest, and I’ve begun securing endorsements throughout the district. Of course, I practice the Haas values—Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself—daily as they serve me well in my public service role.”

Chris Rigatuso, of Belmont, Calif., serves as a venture capitalist at Alpha Intelligence Capital. The global firm, focused on AI-based companies, mostly B2B, is hiring interns and full-time staff (aicapital.ai). Chris adds, “One daughter graduated now with neuroscience and psych double major; the other on women’s soccer team at Sonoma State University. Soon to release album #4 by my current band, ‘Radius Funk.’ The kids, wife, and band are amazing.”

Tom Ryglinski, of San Francisco, writes, “Exploring investment alternatives while continuing to provide clients with advice on real estate investments in both California and Pennsylvania. Please reach out if you need assistance.

“The serendipity of a trip scheduled prior to covid-19 had me landing in western Pennsylvania on March 11, 2020. I have been sheltering in place here ever since, working remotely while helping others in my hometown. Small town life isn’t so bad—I’m downplaying it; it’s actually terrific. The cycling is excellent. Anxious to return to SF and see how it has changed. Wishing everyone a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2021.” Shown: Ryglinski and the Neshannock Cycling Super 6.

Nancy Riess reports, “I’m now working as director of strategy at Sheppard Pratt Health System, a behavioral and mental health system in Maryland. Consider improving your company’s mental health coverage, as Employee Assistance Program utilization is low (averaging 4–10%). Your company can also host evidence-based mental wellness seminars for employees (one option is Sheppard Pratt Direct) and mental health first aid training for managers. Happy to discuss ([email protected]).

“Delivering food to families in need and participating in white fragility discussions have opened my eyes to the work we all face. Crafting makeshift face shields at Johns Hopkins Medicine warehouse in early 2020 was shocking and sad—our frontline workers saving lives with hot-glued plastic shields. I protested, marched, made calls, wrote letters, voted, and am incredibly gratified that most of my candidates won. Hoping politics will be less dismaying in 2021. I experimented with multiple hot fudge and challah recipes and learned to use a chainsaw, plus planned and hosted my first virtual synagogue fundraiser. Enjoyed extra family time with Gabi (16), Noah (10), and Cosmo (2).”

Greg Patterson, of San Francisco, announces, “We recently added a COO role, helping me increase my time on strategy and growth, around our focus on Wealth & Life for personal wealth, 401k and foundation/endowment. We’re also entering the next stage of our WealthStep.com Aim>Save>Invest tool, designed to automate smart financial independence decisions so that companies can help their 401k plan participants, plus smaller investors, and it will include a free/public version to increase financial literacy and economic equality more broadly—double-
bottom-line.

“I was lucky enough to compete at the Argentina Ironman and qualify for the Ironman Kona World Championships. Hopefully next October, if not postponed again. It was fun to share some triathlon and other learnings in our webinar ‘Seven Lessons from Ironman Triathlons To Make Your Wealth and Life Success Easier.’”

20th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Naard Broeckaert, of Belgium, updates, “Last October, I merged the business I founded in 2007, Torrebos, with the registered wealth manager Wealtheon. We have offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Going forward, the combined business will be managed and owned by the respective founders of both businesses. Very excited about the future!”

Brian Brooke, of Seattle, announces, “In 2021, I’m planning my move to Tallinn, Estonia, to continue PhD studies at Tallinn Tech. I look forward to bringing expertise and early-stage funding to Estonian startups developing smart cities and digital governance technologies, and I would enjoy talking with other Haas alums who have similar industry or regional interests.”

Michael Ehrlich was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the Board of Directors for the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.

Mike Golden, of Shanghai, China, is the founder of global brand strategy and communications agency Brandigo China; see his 2021 marketing predictions for China as published in Forbes.

Eric Meyerson, of San Francisco, updates, “After a decade in social media, I’m about to mark two years in climate tech as VP marketing of Turntide Technologies. We make hyper-efficient electric motors that cut energy consumption of HVAC systems by more than 60%, and next we’re adapting our technology for vehicles, appliances, pumps, and aerospace. We’ve raised money from Amazon, BMW, and Robert Downey Jr.’s Footprint Ventures. I miss my fellow Haasies, and I can’t wait until the pandemic is over so we can reunite IRL.”

Keitha Pansy, of Brooklyn, N.Y., reports, “After leaving a top asset manager in 2018, I started my journey of introspection, a journey to discover my North Star, my path of purpose. Over the past three years, I traveled the world, worked for a private equity startup focused on women’s leadership, and completed a VC fellowship focused on diversity within the industry. All of those experiences led me to Women of the World Endowment (WoWE), a unique endowment that invests 100% of its capital in gender lens investments. On January 1, I started my position of impact with WoWE as a managing director. I’m excited for this next phase of my professional journey, knowing that the work I do is catalytic for women and girls globally!”

Scott Cheeseman, of Sonoma, Calif., announces, “After five years growing Carbon Health into a multi-state provider of primary care and urgent care services, I am excited to have joined the team at Foresight Mental Health as the chief development officer. Through virtual and in-person therapy we are excited to empower people to become happier and healthier by reinventing mental health care through technology and data.

“In between Zoom calls, we managed to put a capital ‘D’ in distance learning this year with several awesome trips with our two boys. We made time to backpack the (Trinity) Alps, mountain bike the world’s best single track in Sedona, stand-up-paddle the Colorado River into Lees Ferry, wake surf Lake Powell, and explore the lesser-known back roads of Death Valley.” Shown: Cheeseman and his wife, Brooke, and two boys, Connor and Austin, in a lava tube somewhere beneath California.

Adam Gittler, of Portland, Ore., leveraged his role as a supply chain professor at Portland State University to launch a circularity startup in Portland for cities to increase their sustainability with omniproduct and omnichannel solutions. His company has already diverted and donated more than a metric ton of goods locally.

Darren Reinke recently published The Savage Leader: 13 Principles to Become a Better Leader from the Inside Out. The book guides readers to develop and master the inner qualities and traits needed to become a leader. Reinke is the founder and managing director of Group Sixty, an executive coaching and training company.

Amy Cheng, of Nashville, Tenn., raised a glass in a virtual Happy Hour to share personal updates along with Haas news. “The virtual reunion allowed us to meet across time zones and facilitate our connection off the heels of our 15-year reunion. We enjoyed catching up and congratulating classmates whose children are now at Cal: Sankar’s son is at Cal and Nelly’s son is at Haas! Go Bears!” Shown: classmates Amy Cheng, Somitra Saxena, Clara Kim, MBA 05, Sankar Sundaresan, Ajit Chakradeo, Jessica (Tong) Baron, Abhay Rajaram, Satya Kumaraswamy, Arul Daniel, Meagan (Busath) Pham, Marcus Catlett, Nelly Spieler, Stefan De Raedemaecker, Heather Hollick, Julie Maas, Rajiv Sinha, Namrata Vora, Enlai Chu, MBA 03, Milind Pawar, and Ken Minn

Yoav Gilat, of Menlo Park, Calif., writes, “2020 highlighted the nimbleness of Share a Splash wine co. and our ability to pivot in response to extreme changes in consumer behavior and the wine marketplace as a whole. Fortunately, the pandemic did not interfere with our efforts to launch our new Angels & Cowboys sparkling wine program! In December 2020, we released Angels & Cowboys Méthode Traditionnelle Brut Rosé, and in early spring 2021 we will release Angels & Cowboys Méthode Traditionnelle NV Brut—both sourced from some of our favorite Northern California vineyards, crafted in the traditional method used in the Champagne region of France. Available on shareasplash.com.

“My role as CEO always required that I travel extensively, often missing family dinners and quality time with my children—in 2020 everything changed. Grounded from travel, I have had so much more time to spend with my family, playing games, helping with homework, cooking and sharing meals together, house chores, sharing stories, and learning from one another. My new regular meetings are with my wife and kids! I have had the privilege of spending enormous amounts of time with my kids, watching them grow and develop daily. This has been priceless and a genuine silver lining during these uncertain times.”

Heather Lowe, of Austin, Texas, updates, “I’m finishing my second year as COO at Vault.co, a series-A social impact software company helping employers make tax-advantaged payments toward employee student loan balances or contributions toward employee 529 plans. Always love to connect with other alumni in fintech and social ventures spaces.”

15th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Sami Iwata, of Oakland, Calif., reports, “I am senior advisor at the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and joined the Office of Racial Equity (ORE) when it launched in January 2020. With the ORE director, I work with San Francisco city departments to advance racial equity in the City, which includes providing technical assistance to build organizational capacity and the development of department racial equity action plans. It is deeply rewarding and I use all my skills from my private-sector and nonprofit lives. Lots of exciting work in 2021! Learn more about ORE at racialequitysf.org.

“In other news, I joined the board of Tandem, Partners in Early Learning. Tandem serves children up to 5 years old in the Bay Area to help close the kindergarten readiness gap, so all children can enter school ready to succeed. Though my kiddo is now 8, I still get to snuggle up with him and read wonderful picture books at bedtime.”

Jonathan Klein, of Oakland, Calif., writes, “Last fall, I co-founded UndauntedK12 to support America’s K-12 public schools in making an equitable transition to net-zero carbon emissions, while preparing our youth to build a sustainable future in a rapidly changing climate.”

Christian Urazan, of Colombia, wrote in to memorialize Rodrigo Hetz, who died of a heart attack late January in his native Chile. “Rodrigo was one of the most complete human beings I know: hard-working, deeply committed to what he thought was right, and loving. Oh, how he loved his family! He was a pivot, bringing everyone together, always wanting to host an amazing ‘asado’ at his place, always making you feel at home. Generous, genuinely caring about the human side of any situation. He was one of the best HR leaders in our region.

“You could talk to Rodrigo about anything, he always had a deep and provoking point of view, that made you broaden your understanding of whatever you were discussing. And he would make his points using his wit.

“It was Rodrigo’s dream to watch Chile play in the World Cup tournament. In 2010, we flew 15 hours to Johannesburg, South Africa. After landing, we raced to the stadium but were lost and couldn’t find a parking lot. The moment we had been waiting for, watching a live kick-off in a World Cup match, was only minutes away. We could see the building in the distance. So we made the call: Run. One block, two blocks, ten. When we made it to the stadium, we celebrated as if our team had scored a goal. After that, we spent two weeks every four years at the World Cup. In Brazil and Russia we met up with some of our Haas friends: Rafa Gomes, Bruno Carrilho, Sung Hu Kim, Chris Becherer, Nathan Griset, and Seth Bindernagel and held small class reunions while watching a game.

“My dear friend Hetz, I am grateful for having known you. You made my life more interesting and fun. You’ll live on through your beautiful children, Emilia and Diego. Don’t worry, we’ll take care of them and Claudia. Rest in peace, fly high, just as high as you flew here. You are a great one. We all love you.” Shown: Urazan and Hetz at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Amy Omand, of Oakland, Calif., informs, “I serve as the CFO of NewSchools Venture Fund, a national nonprofit venture philanthropy that supports teams of educators and innovators who are reimagining public education. In January, we traveled to Montgomery, Ala., for a team retreat to the Equal Justice Initiative and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. We learned how our country’s legacy of slavery has led to the systemic racism and injustices of our time, including within our K-12 public education system. I’m proud to work for an organization that invests in employee understanding of these concepts, as well as invests in education organizations that are working toward giving all students—particularly those from underserved communities—a better opportunity to achieve their most ambitious dreams and plans.”

April Underwood founded and leads Local Laboratory Corp., a shop-local alternative to Amazon that aims to empower local businesses and the people who love them. The first pilot, Keep Oakland Alive, is an online marketplace offering goods from independent Oakland stores. Users can shop 30+ merchants in one cart and have their purchases shipped nationwide. Read more about the endeavor: haas.org/koa.

Darrin Steele, of Colorado Springs, Colo., announces, “I completed my dissertation and earned a PhD in leadership, research, and policy in the College of Education at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. My dissertation is titled ‘The Lived Experiences of Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in an Adaptive Sports Program: A Qualitative Exploration.’” 

Emily Walling, of Menlo Park, Calif., updates, “I’m in my second year at Portfolia, where we recently launched our second FemTech Fund. Our (primarily) women venture investors are driving innovation, backing up-and-coming companies like Maven Clinic and Everlywell (which both happen to have amazing female founders). Women’s health is a major priority for us, but funds in other areas are coming up later this year. It’s inspiring to help more women lean into entrepreneurial investing, using a portfolio approach.

“I miss seeing my classmates in person and hope everyone is staying sane as we navigate these turbulent times. The juggle is no joke! Here is a photo of me ‘not’ on Zoom—with flowers, because flowers make me happy. Stay safe!”

Gary Coover, of San Francisco, announces, “In 2020, I took on the role of operating managing director for the Samsung Next Ventures Fund overseeing fund execution, portfolio company support, and early-stage startup incubation activities.

“In March 2020, we welcomed our second child, Edan, to the family, to join Mika (3), Ayelet (3+ a lot), and me (really old).”

10th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Hamza Khan, of London, a partner at McKinsey & Co. in the U.K., updates, “Have a 4-month-old at home now and wonder what a post-COVID-19 world will look like for a child in the coming years.” Shown: Hamza with Lydia Benecke Khan and Kamal Benecke Khan.

Brent Locks, co-founder of Builder, a no-code platform for e-commerce, was featured in Forbes for raising $3.25 million in a round led by Greylock. The startup offers a tool that allows users to drag and drop to create any type of content throughout a website—without having to hire developers.

Haruki Satomi was appointed as the new group CEO of Sega Sammy Holdings. Previously, he was president and group COO of the organization. He will continue at Sega Sammy as chairman and representative director, both titles he held before, in addition to his new duties.

Briana Harney, of San Francisco, updates as follows: “The Berkeley Real Estate Alumni Association launched the BREAA Diversity Panel series in 2020 to heighten awareness of diversity in the real estate community and educate our fellow alumni to challenge the status quo and champion diversity in our industry. Our first webinar, titled ‘Black Voices in Real Estate,’ featured a panel of black professionals who have led stellar careers in the industry. They discussed how black voices have been silenced and excluded from the industry; why it matters from an interpersonal, ethical, and economic standpoint; and ways in which corporations can support their black employees and foster diverse workforces. In the second webinar, ‘Gentrification and Redevelopment in SOMA,’ panelists generated a candid conversation on gentrification in major redevelopment districts. We heard from various sides of the debate through panelists discussing their experience working in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco and sought to understand what can be done differently and effectively to responsibly redevelop communities without marginalizing the existing population. Our final Diversity Panel webinar takes place in the first quarter of 2021. Please visit berkeleyrealestate.org to sign up for our newsletter and receive notifications
for events!”

5th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Carl Choi announces, “I joined Solasta Ventures in the Silicon Valley office as a principal, focusing on later-stage tech investment. We are a subsidiary of one of the oldest/largest VC firms in Korea (AJU IB), and Michael Jeon, BS 99 (electrical engineering and computer science), an inaugural partner in the Silicon Valley office, is also a Berkeley alum.”

Kevin Sartori, the co-founder of open-source drone platform Auterion, scored a contract with the Pentagon to supply military drones. According to Forbes, the Pentagon’s move to open-source drones “is sending ripples beyond the military market.”

Charles Hua, of San Francisco, updates, “I recently left Amazon Alexa to found a company, Poised, to democratize elite speech education and create more inclusive communication in the workplace. I was fortunate to be able to experience Leadership Communications at Haas and hope to help others who struggle with finding their voice. We are fortunate to count many Berkeley Haas alumni as investors.”

Tal Eidelman, of Seattle, after 2.5 years as a product manager with Amazon Web Service, has joined Google. He says, “My team faces the challenging task of revamping how Google Search works. New devices and technologies create new opportunities for how people get information. Search results today are more than just a list of 10 links, and we are making sure Google’s infrastructure technology continues to push boundaries.”

Samantha Penabad, of New York, reports, “We launched a new digital philanthropy platform, GivingFund, which provides what would normally be costly philanthropic services totally free of charge through scaled technology and impact investing. Our goal is to help all people (not just mega-philanthropists) be strategic in their giving.” Shown: Penabad and GivingFund Co-Founder Kim Long.

Luigi Rodrigues shares some good news: “I founded a startup called Floki in Brazil with a fellow colleague from MIT, and we received a $650K pre-seed investment during the pandemic. We are a procurement solution for the food service industry and automate the end-to-end purchasing process using AI, enabling small business owners to access better prices, payment terms, and service levels. We were covered by the business magazine Exame (haas.org/luigi-rodrigues-1) as well as PitchBook (haas.org/luigi-rodrigues-2).”

Chase Roberts, of San Francisco, announces, “I transitioned from the startup world to venture capital as a principal investor at Vertex Ventures. I’d love to meet any founders building enterprise software, data, open-source, or developer-oriented businesses at the early stages. “Despite playing tennis competitively through high school, I rediscovered the sport in 2021 after playing fewer than five times in the last 15 years. I love being back on the court.”

Jake Wamala, of Los Angeles, reports, “Classmate of mine, Ludwig Schoenack, raised $9M for his startup, Kyte.” See haas.org/kyte.

1st Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Patrick Crocker was named the Veteran of the Day last fall by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Crocker deployed to Afghanistan twice as a member of the legal corps of the U.S. Army before coming to Berkeley Haas. He left the military last year and now works as a senior associate in health industries advisory at PwC Strategy&.

Shaibya Dalal, of Oakland, Calif., updates, “I started as director of Strategic Growth and Operations at PolicyLink, a national think tank advancing racial and economic equity (policylink.org). I’m most excited to be working on our corporate racial equity portfolio, helping CEOs and companies address the intended and unintended consequences of their products, policies, and practices on people of color and, thus, our economy and democracy. The economic and political power exercised by corporate America presents an unmatched opportunity to drive racial equity and economic renewal. It’s rewarding to be part of this work.”

Bryce Gilleland announces, “I started a hedge fund, Coincident Capital, that trades digital currencies using volatility-based strategies. We use what everyone is worried about in investing in cryptocurrency to our advantage. We think of it as a type of design thinking: volatility trading + emerging sector = optimal outcome. This is what others aren’t doing and is what creates such a great opportunity. Over the past 12 months we’ve turned a $10M fund into a $200M fund through added investors, but more so by outperformance of the market, achieving an 800% net return. Along the way we brought a Berkeley professor and seven other students with us as investors—they’re
quite pleased.

“In personal news I moved to Puerto Rico to experience its lovely culture, learn Spanish, and enjoy a beautiful island paradise. I’m making new friends thanks to my contacts at Berkeley. Before moving I took an RV trip from SoCal to Grand Tetons, Glacier, Yellowstone, Badlands, Grand Canyon, and everything in between. It was beautiful to be off grid in an RV.” Shown: Gilleland and Ryan Adams.

Akshai Parthasarathy, of Foster City, Calif., writes, “I continue to keep things interesting at Oracle Cloud as a marketing director. I’m taking some time out of work to spend with the Oracle for Startups program and Berkeley SkyDeck. I’m looking forward to getting together with other Haasies in 2021.” Shown: Classmates from 2020, 2021, and 2019.

15th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

10th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Orion Parrott, of Oakland, Calif., writes, “In 2019, Orion joined Shared Estates Asset Fund as a general partner. He’s proud to announce the fund’s latest sustainable real estate development project, The Freeman Berkshires, a carbon-neutral rural retreat in the Berkshires of Massachusetts that anyone can invest in. Visit bit.ly/theberkshires.”

Julia Felts Loh, of Redondo Beach, Calif., updates, “I’m thrilled to announce the arrival of our son, Evan Louis Tzi-Sing Loh, this past October. He’s our first child and we are smitten. In the midst of such a challenging year, we are grateful to have found our little pot of gold!” Shown: Ed, Evan, and Julia Loh.

Lucky Sandhu, of Dublin, Calif., founder of Reliance Financial, is disrupting the traditional home loan model by taking the entire process online. He writes, “First-time homebuyers and existing homeowners are taking advantage of a simpler, faster, cheaper, and convenient home loan origination process on the Reliance Financial platform. Traditional banks and financial institutions take 45–60 days to close on a home loan. At Reliance Financial the entire process takes 21 days or less to complete. Homebuyers and homeowners can expect personalized guidance throughout the process and benefit from the lowest mortgage rates in the industry. The Reliance Financial team invites Haas students and alums to apply for roles in strategy, tech, marketing, and operations (reliancefinancial.com). #HireHaas.”

5th Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

Anand Vallamsetla, of Los Altos, Calif., took advice from Shruti Nathan, EMBA 15, that his next job would be from his network and joined Google two years ago. Becoming passionate about public education when his 5-year-old son entered public school, he felt compelled to try to influence state government policy. “I ran for California AD24 as district delegate to help shape the Democratic party platform. Running a campaign had much in common with starting a company. It not only improved my entrepreneurial skills but also made me a better person in terms of appreciating family and friends, ruthless prioritization of time, and empathetic listening. I started this journey to increase awareness of state-level policies and share my experience on Linkedin (anandvallam) and Twitter (@anandvallam). I challenge my friends at Berkeley to help shape our future through policymaking. It’s hard to find what’s the right thing to do; once you know, it’s hard not to do it!”

Kas Farsad, of San Jose, writes, “After 13 years of research and development, my cement is finally going to become a reality! We secured funding and partnered with one of the largest cement producers in the world to build our first commercial plant. Cement makes up 8% of global CO2 emissions and is a 10 billion ton per year mining operation. Our cement chemistry releases 60% less CO2 than ordinary cement, costs less to produce, and uses half the natural resources to manufacture. Bringing this material to market is [our contribution] to a low carbon and sustainable future.

“We welcomed the only thing that we couldn’t buy off Amazon in January 2020, a baby boy. The entertainment source that got our household through the year. The sleep deprivation, non-stop barrage of new phases, and unrelenting stress of not knowing what we’re doing is something everyone should experience. Just magical.” Shown: Kas with wife, Ashley Farsad, and son, Kairo.

Ron Sasaki, of Atherton, Calif., was promoted to manager of corporate strategy and business development at Aera Energy. “Refreshed Aera’s corporate strategy to aspire to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Started practicing yoga and gardening to de-stress from 2020,” he writes. Shown: Ron, Prudence, and Scout in Malibu.

1st Reunion
April 23–25, 2021

William Halal, of Washington, D.C., professor, George Washington University, remains actively leading his TechCast Project. He recently organized a virtual conference on Planning for Transformative Change. Bill’s seventh book is coming out in 2021: Beyond Knowledge: How Technology Is Driving an Age of Consciousness.