Richard Tavernetti, of Petaluma, Calif., writes, “Living today is a journey of learning, and I recommend not neglecting knowledge from the past. Egyptian King Amasis II (6th c. BCE) asked the philosopher Bias at a sheep banquet to bring him the best and worst pieces of meat and give them to him. Bias plucked out the tongue and gave it to him and was well praised.”

Carl Jacobs, of Woodland Hills, Calif., comments, “I accepted the position of High Holy Day Cantor at Temple Israel of Alameda. I helped organize a three-generation family reunion in Cape Cod, which included 23 people from ages 1 to 80 from Paris, France, and across the U.S.: Boston, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, and Martha’s Vineyard. The highlights were many: the beach, the sunsets over the water, miniature golf, the incredible whale-watching adventure, the Martha’s Vineyard barbecue, making dinners together, but mainly being together. The Boston branch
did the heavy lifting.

“After over 7 years, 3½ of which I lived with my partner, I broke off a relationship that was clearly not working and returned to the part of Los Angeles I’d called home for the previous 42 years.”

Herman & Irene Boschken, See MBA 68.

Rowland Reeves, Sacramento, Calif., says, “My company, US Space, submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation on Nov. 1 for a ‘Phase 1’ grant to fund the building and testing of a prototype of our new advanced rocket engine. That proposal was approved on Sept. 9 by the NSF. If our extensive computer analysis and simulations of our virtual rocket engine are verified by the test results of our prototype, this will represent a major advance in rocket engine efficiency and thrust. It will also represent a ‘breakout’ point for US Space’s development trajectory.”

Nelson Estrada, of Nicaragua, recollected sitting near Sather Gate in 1968 with a new friend who asked how many colleges he’d applied to. “I responded: One! He nearly fell off the fountain. Probabilities of acceptance were something like 7%. He said, ‘You must be one of those whiz kids, aced the SAT with over a 4.0 GPA and a couple of sporting records and awards.’ I remained silent, and inside said, ‘None of the above!’

“At times, we take things for granted. One late evening walking into one of the math buildings, the door was locked. An older man right behind me opened the door with his key and said, “I imagine you are going to pick up your cards for a late run, right?” I had repeatedly failed to complete a program in Fortran, and that was my last try, close to midnight. When I thanked him and asked his name, he pointed with his cane toward the building entry sign: ‘Right up there young man, on the building.’ He was one of a couple dozen Nobel Laureates.” Nelson remembered seeing at a football game at Stanford a banner reading: “Welcome Berkeleyans, the only University in the World with more Nobel Laureates than the entire USSR.”

Nelson also recounted a memorable conversation with his business administration advisor. “Congratulations, Nelson, we shall have you for the MBA program.” Sensing hesitation, he added, “Aha! I knew it, you would get into Stanford or Harvard, or both, am I right?” Nelson nodded, and the reply was “full of wisdom,” he recalled: “‘Nelson, the decision is self-evident; you have already been here for four years. You’ve taken graduate courses. You know the system, and you have done well. Now, go east, try something totally new. The case method is wonderful—learn how the easterners think. You wouldn’t believe this, but they think a bit differently. As for the loan burden you just mentioned, don’t let that worry you. You’ll get a good paying job from a Wall Street bank, and voilà—you’ll pay it off.’ He had a crystal ball. It all went just as he said. Thank you, Berkeley. Thank you, professor. You are great. I love you!

“Although retired, I keep quite occupied with my writing, painting and music. I fell and broke the left humerus 10 weeks ago, and it has been an uphill battle, but I am winning it, returning to painting and playing piano.”

A. Bradford (Sturgis) MacLane, of Benicia, Calif., updates, “Career news? I am now 73, and those 8 a.m. real-estate law classes with Marvin Starr are a distant but still fond memory. Still in real-estate valuation. The very gray hair has led to an increasing number of litigation expert witness assignments. Some loss claims are understandable as relatively straightforward cost calculations—others not. I have come to appreciate that it will be the judge and jury who do the hard work of deciding who wins or loses and which story best captures a history of actions and facts.

“Still living in Benicia. Still married, about to hit the 37-year mark. I co-inherited a house in Mendocino and have spent two years upgrading and renovating. Look it up on Vacasa: Rosemary’s Retreat.”

Kent Halkett, of Brentwood, Tenn., published an article last May in the ABA Journal titled, “A BigLaw suicide survivor’s prescription for the legal profession’s mental health crisis.” Kent advocates “for every state to adopt a stand-alone mental health Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirement.”

Mark Metcalfe, of San Antonio, Texas, says, “I’ve been at Airrosti (airrosti.com) for 11 years now, and we continue to work hard to make musculoskeletal care more efficient, less costly, and better. Would love to hear from (and partner with) other like-minded healthcare organizations, especially if Cal grads are involved! We continue to adopt rescue dogs, our latest a blind Shih Tzu.”

David Inchausti, of San Francisco, retired in 2023 after 35 years with Chevron, ultimately as VP and corporate controller. “Kicked off retirement with a monthlong road trip with my wife, visiting friends, family, and places as we transited 23 states. Now living on both coasts—with family in the Bay Area and in northern Virginia. So far, retirement has been full of traveling and spending as much time as possible with the kids and our grandchild.” Shown: Sylvia and David Inchausti.

M. Bruce Robinson, newly returned to southern California, joined Vici Partners, “a consulting firm founded by former McKinsey consultants that focuses on earnings growth,” he updates. “Typically, our clients improve their operating income by 25% within a two-year period. We are confident enough of our track record that a portion of our fee is success-based, meaning that after payment of an initial assessment fee, the remainder of our compensation is paid for by the cost savings and additional revenue we help generate. Our clients have been as small as $50 million in revenue and as large as $75 billion. We have served clients in operational turnarounds, as well as those getting ready for exit and/or wanting to do much better than their peer group or better than their internal targets. I am available to discuss how we can help your organization with our employee focused empowerment and implementation strategy.

“Personally, I am excited about reengaging with the Haas community.” For two years, Bruce served as a Cal Alumni Association mentor to Yassen Abdelfatah, BS 24. “Lastly, I also wish Chancellor Lyons much success, as he is the right person to lead our university at this time.” Shown: Bruce and mentee Yassen.

Timothy Yee, of Alameda, Calif., says, “I really understand ‘Student Always’ and ‘Beyond Yourself’ as I help my wife run for Congress (roseforcongress.com). Listening to the district constituents and their needs has expanded and deepened my understanding of local issues and concerns.”

AJ Gandhi, of Hillsborough, Calif., shares, “I started a new organization called The Go-To-Market Leader Society. We are building a community and host distinctive events for senior marketing, sales, customer sales, product executives, and CEOs/investors.” AJ hosted 150 to 175 execs for GTM Paella Party #6 in September (between SaaStr and Dreamforce) and has more large events and small executive dinners to come. “Summer was so fun this year! Running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Also, London, Madrid, San Sebastian, Ibiza, and later, Costa Rica. And so many concerts!”

Pearl Chou Chen, of Alameda, Calif., comments, “I am thrilled to announce that I have joined Microsoft as the new VP of Partner Success within the Global Customer Success organization. My team and I are committed to engaging our partners (and by extension, their customers) to maximize business value through deployment and usage of unique solutions tailored to the needs of our customers. Our critical partner ecosystem extends our reach, enhances our customer’s experience, and drives growth for our collective success. My team of 250+ customer success account managers and cloud solution architects play a critical role in how Microsoft brings value to our partners so they can deliver a differentiated experience and support our customers through their digital transformation journey. My decision to join Microsoft was driven by its reputation for technological leadership, innovative spirit, and people-first culture. Equally significant was my desire to utilize Microsoft’s platform to advocate for diversity and inclusion efforts. This includes mentoring aspiring female leaders and actively participating in diversity and inclusion affinity groups.”

Clif Marriott, of London, UK, celebrated his 25th year at Goldman Sachs. He co-heads the TMT Investment Banking Group in EMEA. “My wife, Melissa Plaza-Marriott, BA 01 (history), and I have three kids and enjoy raising them between the United Kingdom and the United States.”

Will Edmonson, of West Hollywood, Calif., writes, “I continue to practice law, primarily handling litigation matters for individuals and small- and mid-sized businesses. Before starting my own practice, I was a partner at Doll, Amir & Eley LLP and an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Previously, I served as a law clerk in the federal district court and the federal appeals court. I offer Big Law firm experience and talent at affordable rates. Please feel free to contact me at 424-248-9581 or [email protected] if I can help you with anything.”

Joe Spector, of Orinda, Calif., comments, “On National Dog Day, The Washington Post is featuring Dutch Pet, Inc. Clinical Director Abel Gonzalez. Pet telemedicine is changing the way millions of animals get access to care for the first time. It also provides a whole new career path to veterinarians who are burnt out and underpaid. Thanks to Beatrix Lockwood and Maya Scarpa for shining a light on this growing field.”

Jacqueline Leao, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, working remotely for companies in the United States, helps companies launch their products inside Amazon USA. Check out the Airbnb apartment she rents out in Ipanema: haas.org/Leao.

Wendy Nguyen, of San Francisco, says, “I recently co-founded Asian Americans Rise, a new nonprofit focused on building political power for the AAPI community. Many Cal Bears are involved as funders: Kevin Chou, BS 02; Karena Man, BA 96, (political science); Kai Cheung BA 10, (mathematics) and volunteers, Vidya Subramanian, BS 03. Our work was recently profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle as we are launching a historic, 300,000-voter registration drive across seven states—just in time to help swing an election. We believe voter registration is massively underfunded and is a fundamental building block to a more equitable, democratic society.” Photo: SF Chronicle.

Shruthi (Annatha) Channagiri, of Bangalore, India, has been a senior product manager for Adobe Inc since January 2022, helping develop and launch a customer communication Platform. “Our market research and solution presentation resulted in the integration of cost-effective channels for Adobe Product Messaging into the global product roadmap. Strategic investment in ML/AI initiatives at Adobe.com led to enhanced user experience, increased interactivity, and hyperpersonalization, thereby highlighting product features and driving overall product success.”

Romita (Jerath) Ghosh, of San Francisco, writes, “I had transitioned from my corporate strategy career to real estate a few years ago. Despite it being a tough time to start and work in real estate, I am now in the top 5% of realtors in San Francisco based on sales.

“I traveled quite a bit last year, with Bora Bora, Vieques (bioluminescent island), and Singapore being some of my favorite places. This year, I’m most looking forward to gorilla trekking in Rwanda!”

Kinman Tong, of Oakland, Calif., celebrates, “I was appointed as the co-chair of the Inclusion & Diversity Board at Moss Adams, where I now lead and drive the strategy in collaboration with the I&D board to bring Moss Adams closer to our goal of being an anti-racist firm. I was also appointed the vice chair of the AICPA LGBTQ+ Initiatives Committee in June. The mission of the committee is to facilitate an environment for discussions and actions that will encourage increased representation and incorporate and maintain an inclusive atmosphere for individuals and groups from a diversity of gender expressions and sexual orientations.” Learn more at haas.org/Tong.”

Olive Davis, of Berkeley, Calif., comments, “In 2008, I founded the Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) program. The B-BAY program helps keep the Berkeley Haas outreach program Boost@Haas and the Institute for Business and Social Impact sustainable. It is an intensive and stimulating in-person program that introduces middle and high school students to the fundamental principles of business, teamwork, and leadership. Students have the unique opportunity to collaborate with Haas faculty, PhD students, guests from corporate America, and international and national peers with the same or similar interests. It’s a great opportunity for them to exchange ideas and create meaningful friendships that allow for a rewarding academic experience while learning from the top public U.S. university.” B-BAY launched its first B-BAY virtual High School Academic Year Program in September using a curriculum designed to encourage high school students toward the entrepreneurship path.

Alison Sanders, of New York City, and Walter Kaminski were married in Breckenridge, Colorado. Shown: Alison and Walter on their wedding day.

Nanxi Liu, of Los Angeles, writes, “I was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as a new Commissioner for the Los Angeles Fire and Police Pension Fund, overseeing the $34 billion pension.

“As Co-CEO of Blaze.tech, a no-code platform helping organizations build apps and tools 10x faster, I am proud to see our revenue grow 6x YoY.” Shown: Swearing in ceremony at Los Angeles City Hall.

Tuhina Das moved to Berlin, Germany, “to pursue my childhood dream of living abroad,” she writes. “I’m working in tech at a diverse, multinational company and making friends and connections from around the world. This move changed my life, and I hope to continue learning loads from the experiences and adventures I have and the people around me!”

Jesse Johnson, of San Francisco, left a finance career to pursue the dream of becoming a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot in the U.S. Coast Guard. “After completing officer candidate school in November 2023, I was stationed in Alameda to receive eye surgery and drive ships before attending flight school in Pensacola, Florida. It’s been a difficult road, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you to all the friends, family, faculty, and alumni who supported me on this journey.”

Victoria Stafford, of Salt Lake City, published an op-ed in The Salt Lake Tribune titled “It’s time for chefs to get off their gas.” Chefs are increasingly concerned about creating food that is as good for people and the planet as it tastes—but they’re still largely unwilling to give up cooking on gas stoves, she argues. “We discuss how a 1930s American Gas Association’s marketing campaign positioned gas stoves as the norm for good cooking and make the case that induction stoves can and should give the gas industry a run for its money.”

Olivia Reinoso, of Camarillo, Calif., shares, “Hand-selected for the Catalyst Entrepreneurship Program, spon-sored by Bayer. Worked with a team focused on repurposing vegetable seed waste as mushroom media. Initiative aimed to reduce waste costs, benefit small farmers, and explore a consumer health product opportunity for Bayer. The team presented the project to the Head of Vegetable Seeds for North America and Bayer leadership, highlighting their innovative solutions for agricultural sustainability.” Olivia is now pursuing environmental supply chain law at the University of San Francisco School of Law.

Lillian Zhang, of San Francisco, shares that her book on financial literacy for Gen Z will be published in 2025. “As a financial and career content creator with several hundred thousand followers across social media,” she writes, “one of the biggest gaps I’ve noticed in my generation is the lack of financial literacy information specifically written for Gen Z.”
Follow@bylillianzhang on Instagram and find her @lillianzhang_ on TikTok.

Hardy Hasenfuss, of New London, Conn., says, “With the wonderful gifts I received from Haas, I was able to enjoy a very successful career for many years as a senior corporate executive. In my later years my inner wisdom told me: ‘Don’t retire! Give back!’ After studying for several years with the Brave Thinking Institute, I was certified in 2023 as a Life Mastery Consultant and a Dream Builder Coach. I recently started a practice supporting individuals in designing and living the life they truly love. I am excited about this new venture because it gives me the wonderful opportunity of giving back so many of the gifts I received over the years. Looking forward to giving life, for many years to come, to those who wish to live with joy and gratitude for a wonderful future.”

Herman “Buzz” Boschken, of Davis, Calif., informs that he and Irene Hartung Boschken, BS 66, both turned 80 this year. “Have enjoyed retirement for more than a decade, but both of us have continued our careers.” As a San Jose State professor emeritus, Buzz published four research articles plus a business teaching case called “Vail Resorts, Inc.” published this year in a McGraw-Hill textbook. “Irene continues her two decades of teacher credentialing work with Pearson, which holds California’s teacher-certification contract. We also continue to travel a lot, most recently to Northern Europe.” This fall the couple traveled to Florence to visit one of four granddaughters during her study abroad. “In addition, we became great-grandparents with the arrival of Savannah, born to our oldest grandson, Chris, a naval aviator stationed in San Diego.”

Joe Garrett, of Berkeley, Calif., shares, “After serving on the Board of Directors of Pacific Premier Bank, I decided to not run for reelection. The bank was about $700 million in assets when I joined but is now close to $20 billion. I take no credit for the growth.”

David Southern, of San Francisco, finds his attachment to Cal growing during retirement. “I’m currently consulting part-time to two Berkeley startups. I love the exposure to the energy and enthusiasm of young entrepreneurs. On a separate note, I am writing a memoir that includes time spent with the Berkeley Gay Student Union circa 1977 to 1979. I’d love to talk with anyone who has recollections of that time to help me refresh my memory. I can be reached at 415-254-3305 or at [email protected]. Thank you.”

45th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Michaela Rodeno, of Napa, Calif., shares, “Harvest 2024 started Aug. 26 with picking 0.52 tons of our family’s Oakville/Napa Valley fruit for Villa Ragazzi 2024 Rosato di Sangiovese. Family being the operative word: My adult children and son-in-law have joined the Villa Ragazzi team, which means our wines will continue to be produced long after I hang up my boots. Two little boys (4 and 2) are discovering the joy of eating wine grapes off the vine by the handful, just like their mother and uncle, as soon as they could reach those tempting clusters. Best of all, gens two and three are all living in Napa Valley near the home ranch. Life is good—I am grateful. Haasies are always welcome at Villa Ragazzi.”

Joani (Krieger) Mitchell, of Santa Cruz, Calif., says, “I have lived on the beach in Santa Cruz, California, for the last 14 years and have two granddaughters, Madison and Charlotte, with another one on the way. I have now traveled to over 111 independent countries (143 if you follow The Travelers’ Century Club), and I am still traveling and loving my life! If any of my classmates come to Santa Cruz, I would love to meet with you.”

Michael Cooke, of Bangkok, Thailand, writes, “Recently, I celebrated life on my 72nd birthday. Months before, a lung biopsy in Bangkok revealed stage-four lung cancer. The prognosis was bleak. Three months of chemo and immune therapy made no headway against the nonsmoker lung tumors. Until recently, these were the best available treatments. This changed with clinical trials of a DNA mutation inhibitor in 2022.

“In August, my oncologist switched me to a recently approved KRAS inhibitor. The effect was fast and dramatic. Within days, I could breathe normally again. Recent research out of Washington University found that smoker and nonsmoker lung cancers differ in mutations and responses to treatment. Most nonsmoker lung cancers respond to the new gene mutation targeting drugs. Mine certainly did.

“Across much of the world, the incidence of nonsmoker lung cancers is rapidly growing from a low base—thought to be related to PM 2.5 air pollution, which is seasonally elevated in much of East and South Asia. But think of seasonal wildfire smoke in North America. PM 2.5 particles in that smoke may be 10 times more toxic than industrial or automobile PM 2.5 pollution. Beware.

“In Taiwan, public health authorities urge nonsmokers with a family history of cancer and exposure to high levels of PM 2.5 pollution to get lung-cancer screening. Never-smokers found to have lung cancer need high-quality biomarker testing. These biomarkers are within the cancer’s DNA. Few never-smokers inherit a gene that makes them more likely to get lung cancer. The good news is that targeted therapies often control these lung cancers with few side effects.” Shown: Michael Cooke (left) Olivier Pichon and Helena Chung at Bumrungrad Hospital in Thailand in August 2024.

40th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Steve Deggendorf, of Washington, DC, retired after 37 years with Fannie Mae. “It went faster than I would have expected,” he writes. “My many different roles in capital markets, product development, strategy, venture investing, and research kept it interesting. I now look forward to spending time with my spouse, Dennis, applying my skills in new ways, and connecting with Berkeley pals.”

Paul DeMuro, of Wilson, Wyo., joined the Epstein Becker Green law firm as senior counsel and EBG Advisors as a strategic advisor.

Lauri Kibby, of Palm Springs, Calif., updates, “Excited to have founded a real-estate fund focused on women as the primary investor. The fund’s mission is ‘Making Women Wealthier Investors’ by providing education and community—in addition to outsized returns.”

Laurent Dhollande, of Napa, Calif., was planning a golf trip in San Diego with friend of more than 36 years John McDonald, MBA 88. “Thinking of Alberto Perez, MBA 88, who we wish was with us. The three of us have remained very close since the MBA program, and we send our best thoughts to the entire 1988 MBA class.”

Ralph Garcia Jr., of San Mateo, Calif., writes, “First Cal football game of the year. Ran into legendary Cal play-by-play announcer Joe Starkey. Hope to see all my classmates at the games this year!” Shown: Ralph (right) and Joe.

Carrie Dern moved away from the Bay Area after 40 years to “beautiful Longmont, Colorado—long a favorite of ours for skiing and other outdoor adventures. We are also close to our middle daughter and two of our grandchildren. I continue to work remotely with Bridge Partners in Walnut Creek, California.”

Sandy Fox-Sohner, of Moraga, Calif., writes, “Retired after the career of my dreams in the biopharmaceutical industry (thank you, Haas!). I’m now pursuing another passion: inspiring young men and women to enter STEM fields.” Also: “Most films feature discouraging ‘mad scientists’ and ‘awkward’ mathematicians. I wrote a script about the spirited, vivacious 19th-century heroine Sofia Kovalevsky. Enthralled with math, she escaped from Russia, determined to follow her dream of becoming a mathematician and the first female professor in Europe.” Sandy’s screenplay won Best Screenplay at two festivals, and several investors are excited.

35th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Jacob Sayer, of Chicago, joined Cambium Networks as CFO. “Mary and I now spend most of our time in Chicago but still have plenty of travel planned to both the Bay Area and Boston.”

30th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Cecilia Edwards, of Desoto, Texas, was appointed to the Smith College Board of Trustees.

Robert Leland, of Los Altos Hills, Calif., writes, “Typically, I hadn’t even lived in the same country for more than five years. So, I found it rather amazing that I settled in my old hometown and worked as a financial planner at Ameriprise for nearly 20 years. I suppose having two kids had a lot to do with that. With the kids on their own journeys, I finally realized that my company wasn’t taking care of me, so I became independent and now work with LPL Financial and my amazing office in San Mateo, Mavenlane Financial. It proved to be the right move. Look me up!”

Last summer Robert took his family to Paris for the Olympics. “Had to, I lived there twice! It was just perfect. Loved the competitions, especially beach volleyball, which I played daily as an engineer in Hermosa Beach. Super pleased to see Hazem Galal, MBA 95, on the Champs Elysees in Paris—maybe 29 years later? After breaking the bank, the kids are already asking, ‘What are we going to do in LA, 2028?’” Shown: Robert and son, Davis.

Deborah Molloy Dowis, of Ridgewood, N.J., updates, “I have been a sales leader for over 10 years, but now, as I look toward the next phase of my career, I am working to shift my focus to the operational aspect of sales and leverage my experience as a sales leader to assist the revenue leader in achieving the company’s growth objectives.”

Ann Hsu, of San Francisco, founded the nonprofit Bertrand D Hsu American & Chinese Bicultural Academy, a K-8 day school in San Francisco that serves working and immigrant families (BertHsuAcademy.org). “We were able to bring students from two to three years behind grade level in math to on and above grade level in just one academic year!” Ann notes. “Armed with this knowledge and experience, I am now running for the school board in San Francisco (again) so that I can bring what I’ve learned to serve all students in SF public schools. I would love to have your support: AnnforSFBOE.com.”

Anastasia Pavlova, of Oakland, Calif., shares, “I’ve recently launched Bold GTM, a go-to-market and strategic marketing consulting and advisory practice. Bold GTM helps mid-market B2B companies in the SaaS, cybersecurity, and IT services sectors, working closely with VC and PE firms and their portfolio companies’ leadership teams. My goal is to help companies refine their go-to-market and demand creation strategies, ensuring they drive both revenue and sustainable growth. Services include comprehensive GTM and marketing assessments, future organization design, fractional CMO and strategic marketing support, AI enablement for marketing, and Customer Success teams. I’m also eager to give back to the Haas community by connecting with fellow alumni, mentoring students, and speaking on AI, sales and marketing, and SaaS GTM models.”

Daniel Tellalian, of Los Angeles, announces, “Delighted to manage the Echoing Green Signal Fund, a $40 million catalytic capital vehicle investing in top global social entrepreneurs at early stages. As an Echoing Green Fellow right out of Haas, it’s an honor to now serve the fellowship that believed in me 25 years ago and manage its inaugural fund supporting this exceptional network of social innovators.” Shown: Daniel (right), Fatima, Monica, and Daniela.

25th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Mauricio Quiroga, of Austin, Texas, shares, “I published my first fiction book in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German. I never thought I’d surpass 30,000 copies sold! The book consists of nano-novels and eclectic poems, covering genres like horror, drama, romance, suspense, sci-fi, and some unusual ones, such as my poems about the CAPM model and the demand function. Readers will notice Haas is mentioned in several parts, directly referenced along with its core values.” Eklekticos: Nanonovels, Stories and Poems of Tomorrow’s Yesterday is available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, or Kindle.
“Go Bears!”

Atsushi Sakahara, of Kyoto, Japan, writes, “I finally released my first feature documentary: Me and the Cult Leader in 2020. In 2022, I co-founded an EdTech company with my student, and it runs well. I am currently in a PhD program in informational engineering and presented the SA method, a novel idea generation method named after me, at IEEE conference in 2023. I hope I have a chance to show my film in Berkeley around the time of our 2025 reunion.”

Lynelle Cameron, of Tahoe City, Calif., is looking forward to teaching a class on regenerative economics this January at Middlebury College. “In other news, we are recently empty-nested and spending much more of our time in Tahoe.”

Ruthanne (Feinberg) Roth, of Park City, Utah, informs, “The search firm I started in 2019, Aster Talent, has continued to grow at a good clip as we enter new geographies and offer new products. It has been quite a ride and keeps me energized (most days). My husband and I, both Bay Area natives, made Park City, Utah, our official home after spending progressively more time here since 2017. We are in the heart of Deer Valley and have loved seeing classmates who come to the mountains for ski vacations. Our dog, Mick, continues to live his absolute best life.”

Eric Meyerson, of San Francisco, shares, “In August, I joined a series B computer vision startup called Mashgin as their VP of marketing. I’ve also recently been consulting, including with an early-stage startup helping college athletes make the most of their NIL (paid endorsements) opportunities. I found the latter opportunity through the SF Chapter of the Haas Alumni Network, so you should definitely get involved in your local chapter if you haven’t yet. My daughter just left for Smith College, which she chose over Berkeley. Maybe her younger brother will get it right.”

20th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Giambattista Selvaggi, of Switzerland, and Alanna Trotter, BA 06 (integrative biology), celebrated milestone birthdays—50 and 40—in Rome, where they hosted a mini Haas reunion. Shown: Giambattista and Alanna.

Uyen Nguyen updates, “I moved back home to the Bay Area! I kept my restaurant, Nue, up in Seattle but also purchased a bar in San Jose—I love the community-building aspect of owning a restaurant/bar. Please swing by Fountainhead Bar in SoFA market, next to San Jose Convention Center, if you’re in the area. I’m always game for a Haas gathering!” Shown: Uyen and author Viet Thanh Nguyen, PhD 97 (English), at Fountainhead Bar.

Putri Pascualy Sugondo, of New York City, started a new role as client portfolio manager at Man Varagon, the private credit business of Man Group. “Still in New York, loving it here, and have begun to love to swim in the icy cold water of the Atlantic!”

Nicole Baer, of San Francisco, comments, “I joined Carta as chief marketing officer in April at an incredibly exciting time for the company. We have a strong contingent of Haas alumni at Carta, and it’s wonderful to work alongside many Bears!”

Newton Cheng, of Culver City, Calif., won the USA Powerlifting US Championship for the 56kg Masters 1 (40+) class, and the silver medal for the Open (all ages) class. “I broke the Masters 1 world record for heaviest squat 10 days before my 46th birthday, against a field of competitors all under the age of 27.” Newton is the director of health and performance at Google.

Keith Eadie, of Singapore, shares, “I’m thrilled to announce that I’m taking on the role of general manager, Asia Pacific, at Adobe. Business leaders across APAC want to deliver next-generation experiences for their customers. I’m excited to lead an exceptional team from here in Singapore to help our customers drive experience-led growth.”

Kurt Huffman updates, “We moved to Lyon, France, at the end of 2023 and moved back to Portland, Oregon, in August. It was a wonderful experience for the three of us. My daughter got to attend second grade at the school next to our apartment, where she made amazing friends and learned how to be sassy in a second language. We discovered the wonder of French public-school cafeterias, which fundamentally changed Cora’s relationship with food and eating. She went from an all-white diet (rice, potatoes, chicken) to one made up of a rainbow of colors, odors, and textures. Given what I do for a living, this was the best unexpected surprise I could ever imagine.

“My wife took time off to find the perfect job with the perfect company here in Portland. I worked odd hours and went back to my old rugby club to be the assistant coach for their under-14 team. I road their coattails all the way to Paris, where we were crowned the U14 French National Champions after one hell of a year. We all gained a lot of weight eating baguettes, butter, saucisson, and pastries, but Heather and I will lose the weight while savoring the memories.” Shown: Kurt (third from right) and fellow coaches Rémy Grosso, Camille Frechet, Marie Bourdet, Mathieu Lelong, Alex Jim, Issam Saf, Romain Rigault, and Toby Arnold.

Bhaven Shah, of Danville, Calif., writes, “This year, I started a new role as vice president of product and engineering at Orchestro.AI—an early-stage startup focused on building an interoperable shipping network harnessing the power of data, ML, and Gen AI. I am looking forward to building meaningful AI powered products and services.

“This year, I became an investor in the Strawberry Creek Ventures fund. It is exciting to be part of the Berkeley-affiliated innovation and make a meaningful contribution to Berkeley-led startups. I look forward to more interactions with the next gen Cal entrepreneurs and founders.”

Emily Walling, of Menlo Park, Calif., says, “Life moves fast, and schedules are crazy—but laughing with friends is the world’s best stress relief. A group of Bay Area 08s caught up the weekend before Labor Day in Sonoma, with a special appearance from Seattle classmate Lindsay Grimm. We didn’t get everyone in one photo, but here is Jeff Denby with all the ladies.” Shown: Emily (second from right), Mindy Whittington, Elizabeth Singleton, Ayse Kulachi, Kelly Walker, Jeff Denby, Lindsay Grimm, Tracy Cheung, and Tyee Dugan. Classmates also present but not shown: Joe Harrington, Dan Walker, Michael Badalov, Steve Dugan and Andy and Liesl Brown.”

Amy Chou, of Palo Alto, Calif., shares, “After more than 20 years of working for big-name high-tech companies (Intel, Cisco, Google, TikTok) and steadily climbing the corporate ladder (last role was leading the global SMB PMM team for TikTok), I’ve made the decision to give up the steady (and hefty!) paychecks and the more obvious career path to pursue my own career and life coaching practice this year!”

Michael Y. Lee, of Berkeley, Calif., comments, “For those interested in organization design, leadership, and distributing authority in organizations, I have a new research paper in Administrative Science Quarterly on decentralizing authority, an important way organizations can adapt to contemporary market conditions and employee expectations. Most decentralization efforts fail, reverting back to traditional hierarchical or rank-based authority structures. Leaders fail to give up control, subordinates fail to take up their new authority, the legal structure of firms means authority always legally resides at the top, etc. We know surprisingly little about how to overcome these structural and psychological forces, because most research on decentralization treats it as a static end state imposed top down by designers. Instead, I treat decentralization as a dynamic, ongoing, and contested process, where in some moments workers step in and enact their authority and leaders step back, while in other moments, workers and leaders revert back to hierarchical patterns of subordination and control. Successful moments of decentralized authority emerge from two interconnected practices: first, establishing and focusing collective attention on the boundaries of authority, publicly codifying authority in each role to empower workers while constraining managers; and second, depersonalizing the attributions of authority—which should come from someone’s codified work role (what they do) rather than from their personal qualities (who they are).

“‘Grounding of authority’ provides a sense of equal treatment even when some people hold more authority than others. Notably, these practices, while effective, were difficult to sustain; they are complex and cognitively and temporally demanding.” Takeaways: Successful decentralization is a never-ending journey; successful moments of decentralization are supported by more, not less, structure, within clear boundaries; and successful decentralization must go beyond mere authority distribution. Read the full study at: haas.org/Lee

Tim Ziemann opened a new office in Austin, Texas, to accommodate a growing team and better serve local private equity and emerging growth clients. He hosted a happy hour at the office in October and welcomes inquiries.

15th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Marissa Dean, of Reno, Nevada, shares, “Caribou Digital, the consultancy I co-founded in 2014, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary! My focus continues to be on driving inclusive business strategies that create lasting impact for women and low-income communities. I’ve also started volunteering as a coach with Girls on the Run, which has been an incredibly rewarding way to give back and invest in the next generation.”

Jonathan Villet, of San Francisco, added documentary filmmaker to his career trajectory. “Researching, scripting, interviewing, shooting, and editing with my wife and business partner, a producer. Our third film, Wrestling The Angel, portrays a Berkeley-based fine artist who reveals insights about life through visual metaphor, Aesop’s fables and the story of Jacob and the Angel (wrestlingangel.com). We’re looking for screening opportunities in museums, educational institutions, and elsewhere. Audiences saw our prior film, Finding Snow White (2022), in many film festivals and, before that, our film I Love the Zine on KQED-TV.” Jonathan’s Ancient Greek Reading Group in San Francisco meets weekly by Zoom with readers from many locations. Check Facebook for its next meeting time.

Marina Shrago, of Pacifica, Calif., shares, “Just returned to California after a transformative sabbatical year traveling through a dozen countries across Asia and Europe with my husband, Yaroslav Buzko, MBA 09, and our two kids. I’m now looking forward to embarking on a new professional journey and exploring new job opportunities.”

Hallie Montoya Tansey, of Oakland, Calif., writes, “I’m the senior state strategy advisor at Movement Voter Project, an organization that raises money to support grassroots groups to win elections and transform policy. As of late August, we’d raised $100 million dollars this year, regranting it mostly to support work in battleground states ahead of this year’s presidential election.”

Julien Brain reports on UC contributions to the 52nd Pride celebration in London, UK: “It felt incredibly special to march in Central London with a group of about 30 UC alumni and exchange students (with representation from Berkeley, Haas, UCSB, UCLA, UC Irvine), friends, and partners. Along the route, the vibrant slogans on handmade placards and banners in the crowd were a powerful mix of joyful celebrations of our freedoms and also emotional reminders of the inequalities still faced by parts of our community. Huge thank you to Kara Goslin for leadership, to Jason Mollring, to the wider UC alumni board leadership, and to the University of California Trust, a registered British charity serving as the charitable arm for all 10 UC campuses in the United Kingdom. Together, we continue to advocate for equality and celebrate our diverse community: haas.org/Brain_01.” Learn more about UC alumni in the UK who identify as LGBTQ+ (allies warmly welcomed) at haas.org/Brain_02.

“Had a great time with the class of 2028 from the Global Management Program, (in their semester in London), and Haas alumni Charlene Chen and Ali Hasan Butt, both MBA 09. We shared stories of immigration, discussed cultural differences in the workplace and beyond, and reflected on our unique journeys. I was inspired by the energy of these students who are building their global perspectives just a couple of months into the program! Charlene shared this inspirational message: ‘Whether they become entrepreneurs, bankers, consultants, or social changemakers, they have given me tremendous hope for the future in a pretty bleak present.’ Many thanks to the Berkeley Haas team, Dionne Daniels and Tenny Frost, and to the University of California Trust for their hospitality: Todd Shelley, Greta Paa-Kerner, and Romy Stein. haas.org/Brain_03.” Shown: Julien, Charlene Chen, and Ali Hasan Butt.

Raj Gundluru, of Danville, Calif., updates, “I’m excited to share a recent milestone in my journey at Google: the launch of the Gemma family of open models. At the #ioconnect conference in Bengaluru, India, I had the privilege of presenting Gemma and witnessing the enthusiasm of developers from around the world. Gemma represents a significant advancement in open-source AI technology. Its potential to revolutionize innovation across various fields is truly inspiring. I’m eager to see what developers and startups will create with this powerful tool.”

Raj now works with a nonprofit and schools in India. “My recent trip reignited a passion I first cultivated at Haas: the transformative power of giving back. It solidified my desire to make a more significant impact, particularly in education. Haas instilled in me the value of strategic resource allocation to empower others.”

10th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Abhishek “Abe” Sharma, of San Francisco, announces, “I’m excited to share that I’ve launched my boutique real-estate brokerage firm, AV Brokerage, which specializes in multifamily and investment properties. Our mission is to empower investors by providing personalized strategies to help build sustainable wealth through real estate. I’m looking forward to growing the firm and giving back to the Berkeley community through mentorship and investment opportunities.”

“I recently had an incredible vacation in Tasmania, where I had the chance to explore Australia’s unique wildlife. Thankfully, I didn’t encounter any of Tasmania’s famously poisonous snakes! I brought back some Tasmanian wine and gifts for my Haas friends and can’t wait for my next trip to that beautiful island.”

Charles Hua, of  San Francisco, says, “Poised, the venture-backed AI communication coach startup I co-founded in 2020, was acquired by Deepgram in May. Grateful for the support of many Haas alumni in the journey. I’m now looking to collaborate on new projects and ideas. If you’re working on something interesting or just want to catch up, I’d love to connect.”

5th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Fletch Vynne, of Seattle, reports that Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ June Vynne was born on Aug. 8. “My wife, Heather, and I have gladly traded sleep for endless smiles, late-night cuddles, and the joy of watching her grow daily. We’re cherishing every moment as we navigate this new adventure together.”

Prateek Sahay, of San Francisco, writes, “Started my own company with David Mansi working on a B2B SaaS platform that provides generative AI to sales teams. We currently have five customers and have raised about $300,000 total. Moving to Virginia soon to get married to my fiancée!” Shown: Prateek Sahay and Shubhi Saxena.

Drew (Silverman) Fennessy, of New York City, married Aidan Fennessy on July 13 at the bride’s family home in Tenants Harbor, Maine. Over a dozen Haasies from the classes of 99, 19, 22, and 23 traveled from around the world to celebrate. The bride, a groomsman, an usher, and two wedding readers were Haas graduates.

Ana Martinez, of Berkeley, Calif., is now on the Haas faculty, as associate director and faculty for the class Cleantech-to-Market (C2M). “I’m very excited to continue to stay engaged with UC Berkeley and Haas,” she updates. “Francisco Torres, MBA 24, and I will be getting married this December.”

Varot Pakavatsoontorn, of San Francisco, reports, “Working at McKinsey.”

1st Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Brian Khan, of Oakland, Calif., was working on the Harris for President Campaign as a Senior Budget Manager.

Elias Mufarech, of San Francisco, shares, “I am excited to announce that after a transformative year as an intern at Collide Capital while studying from Berkeley Haas, I am  now joining the team as a full-time investor! Looking forward to continue building this unique firm and investing in early- stage enterprise software companies at the intersection of powerful founder communities!”

20th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

15th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Rupam Shrivastava, of San Francisco, went to Antarctica. “A bucket list item for me and undoubtedly the best trip of my life.”

Laura Adint, of San Jose, Calif., shares the following: “Wrote and had a book published this year by Kogan Page! The Revenue Operations Manual: How to build a high-growth, predictable and scalable business: revenueoperationsmanual.com.”

Rob Schult, of San Francisco, started a new job as VP of RevOps for Kindo (kindo.ai), a generative AI Series A startup focused on secure AI for enterprises.

10th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Sairam Jayaraman, of Bengaluru, India, updates, “I have taken retirement from corporate life but am taking very active interest in a variety of areas, like investment in passive income assets like real estate, developing my farmhouse, helping my spouse in building her catering business, and helping my daughter in building her yoga and nature cure business. One thing I’m realizing is that, however much your education matters, the thing that matters most is mental and physical health and to expand the capacity of your mind to dream and visualize. Till then, everything is on paper. Even our capability to put in the work is a function of this mental expansion.”

Adam Kerin, of San Francisco, joined Truepic as VP of marketing. “Truepic provides transparency into the origin and edits of photos and videos,” he notes. “Spurred by generative AI, this technology is now rolling out onto platforms like ChatGPT, Meta, LinkedIn, and more.” See haas.org/Kerin.

5th Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Naresh Vemparala, of Fairfield, Calif., announces the launch of a new venture, Stratum Health Partners, “a specialized consultancy dedicated to transforming health care through expert project and program management,” he writes. “Drawing on over two decades of experience in healthcare IT and project management, I started this consultancy to help healthcare organizations navigate complex initiatives and achieve meaningful outcomes. Our focus is on delivering tailored solutions that drive innovation, enhance patient care, and improve operational efficiency. This new chapter feels like a natural extension of my career, and I am thrilled to bring my vision to life.” Contact [email protected] to learn more.

1st Reunion
April 25-27, 2025

Arnab Chakrabarti, of Milpitas, Calif., co-founded Be Happy Be Wealthy, “with the goal of spreading information on wealth and happiness,” he updates. “I plan to write a book of the same title.”

Abhay Srivastava, of Lucknow, India, writes, “I currently manage my own investment advisory firm. My firm’s strategy is focused on capital preservation and compounding returns over the long-term. My fee structure for qualified clients consists of a 0% management fee and a performance fee of 25% of the profit above an annual rate of 6%, subject to a high water mark. I believe this allows for maximum alignment with partners. (This program is offered only to clients that meet certain requirments to be able to participate in being charged performance-based fees.) For non-qualified clients, I have a 0.5% management fee. I would welcome the opportunity to connect with interested alumni to discuss my investment philosophy and firm. I can be reached at [email protected]

Cathy Goodwin, of Philadelphia, wrote a book, When I Grow Old I Plan To Be A Bitch, and blogs about getting older at AginginSneakers.com. “Last year, I had an amazing vacation in Budapest, Hungary.”

Akram Aburas, of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, updates, “We have spun off four subsidiaries this year, and I am leading them all at group level. This involves the formation and the leadership of the new subsidiaries through their boards and C-level management. We are testing a very robust and high-end data analytics tool aligned with the top five in the world and plan to launch it for public use in 2025. Happy to see my children utilizing my knowledge and skills while pursuing their graduation and career in Saudi Arabia.”

Shih-Chieh “Joe” Su, of Taiwan, is Asia Strategic Director at Tainan Quantum Technologies (UCT) Co.

Arundhati Mukherjee, of Noida, India, updates, “After having worked for large corporates, I started on my journey as an entrepreneur in 2016 with small and medium businesses. This was just after my one year with Haas. This year, we launched an initiative working with microenterprises—Indian artisans with world-class products. Reach Indian artisans directly and find whatever you are thinking of—traditional Indian wear, eclectic modern variations using age-old crafts for the modern women, men, and home, and more.” Visit Hastvikas.com or @hastvikas on Instagram. “I am also volunteering to open schools in the small towns of India, aiming to bring word-class primary and secondary education to India’s hinterland.” See knowledgesociety.org or @gyanarthpublic on Instagram.

Debi Kar, of Bangalore, India, shares, “Post our COBE stint at Berkeley, we have been on our entrepreneurship journey. However, recently, we pivoted and launched HYRGPT, a generative AI-powered recruiter to crash time-to-hire and increase candidate experience. We have seen great traction, including a few Fortune 500 companies. Recently, we were selected as part of Amazon Web Services’ Generative AI Spotlight: APJ program and participated in an APJ delegation to the U.S. to focus on our U.S. GTM.”

Manoj Kumar Sharma, of Mumbai, India, writes, “I have been in the same job for the past six years. However, my remit has increased and now incorporated corporate affairs, corporate communications, and CSR. This is in addition to my HR, administration, and security responsibility. I had an amazing vacation near the Himalayas trekking in the hills.”

Leopoldo Hirschhorn, of Polo, Mexico, updates, “I’ve been involved in a project I created during our program: a new business that can provide much faster, sustainable, and affordable houses for the United States. Since then, we’ve opened a factory and started providing houses around different states in the nation. So very proud to be part of Berkeley and this great community.”

Reena Miglani, of Foster City, Calif., says, “After two decades of leading GTM and sales in the SaaS industry, I’ve made an exciting pivot to pursue my passion for hospitality. My company, Amara Ventures, is set to debut a high-end Mediterranean restaurant in Belmont, California, combining the finest culinary experiences with exceptional service.” Reena’s whole family is also very excited by  a new “grand-pup.” Shown: Giorgio; Natasha Walia, Reena, Indu Miglani, Nikita Walia, and Ajay Walia.

Russell Rogers of Philadelphia, announces, “I have started a very unique global senior executive community called Adaptive Intelligence: adaptivintel.com. It brings together all my great Bears (go Bears!) together with other school alumni. I have begun a world tour to grow my company and find people who are kind, curious, collaborative and have a ‘How can I help?’ mindset.” Shown: Liliana Rubiero and Russell.

Mildred Vargas, of Lima, Peru, has been involved in cultural human resources and tax administration and volunteers for House of Abandoned Girls (Casa de Niñas Abandonadas) and Marinera Limeña en el Mundo.

Ajithkumar Jain, of Danville, Calif., is vice president of High Performance Compute Business Unit covering AI ASIC power and smart data centers at large. “Traveled to Taipei and various parts of China recently. Surprised at the adoption of AI in end applications way more than one could imagine. No signs of economic impacts in China.”

Sheng “Jason” Yan, of China, comments, “I used to run a training school in China, but now, I’m running a private equity firm with my business partner.” Over summer break right he took his child to the United Kingdom for a study tour. “In August, Bangkok, Thailand, for another study trip. In September, we were back in China for international school. Our plan for the future is to move to the United States to live.”

Shashi Bobba, of Switzerland, updates, “On the career front, I joined the CEO office of MindMaze on the executive management team. On the personal front, I got married this year with my long-term partner, Namrata Sarkar. We met during our grad school in Lausanne, Switzerland.”

Hemanthkumar Jambulingam, of Cupertino, Calif., is director of product management at Tavant, a leader in “Touchless Lending®” products in the mortgage industry. “With nearly two decades of expertise, Hemanthkumar has consistently disrupted traditional, legacy processes. His deep knowledge of both loan origination and loan servicing allows him to offer clients unparalleled insights into market trends, product functionalities, and the evolving landscape of digital lending. Hemanthkumar attributes much of his success to the strategic thinking and leadership skills honed during his time at Haas.”

Priya Sambandan, of Chennai, India, updates, “I started a new job as a food consultant at Ms CatchValue, a startup company that deals with export of fish and prawns. My daughter joined a college, majoring in economics. I am happy she is coming out of her shell and trying to reach people and climb up the ladder. She is taking responsibility and accountability to become a future leader.”

Siddhartha Sarkar, of Göteborg, Sweden, says, “New beginnings on Easter 2024, as I started my role at Volvo Cars, Sweden, as global head of Manufacturing Engineering for Megacasting and Stamping, leading the journey toward electrifying mobility. Starting at Volvo Cars meant I moved from the United States to Sweden, with a gestation period of nine months in Poland.”

Abhiram Sripathy, of Bengaluru, India, reports he is “building a consulting firm focused on AI-enabled strategies to scale revenue streams for small and medium enterprises. Named it ‘EBITDAstory’.” On a personal note, “After a 20-year hiatus of struggle and being a patient of osteoarthritis in four joints, my mother finally underwent a total hip replacement toward having an improved old age. Wishing her the best always!”