Mort Beebe, of San Francisco, announces, “I am busy editing 65 years of photography. The latest trip was to Egypt, Greece, and Jordan. We may create another book covering all the journeys abroad since UC 1955.”

Nelson Estrada, of Nicaragua, writes that after graduation and a Harvard MBA, his career in banking and then the commercial sector involved finance for large Mexican corporations. “In 1990, I returned to my country of birth, Nicaragua, and entered the segment of consulting and construction, where I did quite well. I retired around 2015 but have kept quite busy with music and painting, and have had a few exhibitions, including one at the Florence, Italy, Biennale, 2019. I also paint under commission. I am having tons of fun.” Nelson and his wife of nearly five decades have three children and three granddaughters.

“Although I have contributed a bit to Haas, it is not as much as I would wish, due to having donated as much as possible to orphanages and the Catholic church to aid abused children and the poor, who need my help the most.” Shown: Nelson Sr. (center) with sons Mariano and Nelson.

50th Reunion
December 7, 2023

Edmund Fong, of Sunnyvale, Calif., updates, “Retired on small federal pension since May 2017. Doing things backwards in my middle age. As community colleges in Berkeley and San Jose are offering free tuition and fees, I am registered in Environmental Science 10 to take that lab science not required for Haas, but for the associates degree in Admin. of Justice at SJCC.

“Taking Amtrak to Chicago and New Orleans next spring to shop for retirement bases/vacation homes, but I also like Las Cruces, N.M., and Weirton, W.Va. Never been on a train longer than a few hours, but I will be traveling like a student and using hostels.”

Lisa M. Jones, of Hermosa Beach, Calif., was recently appointed to UC Berkeley Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Jones is the President of LMJ Group, Inc., a real estate management company of properties in California’s low- to moderate-income communities. She also provides consulting services to foundations on economic development projects and credit enhancements for mission-aligned intermediary investments. Jones also supports the California Community Foundation, Berkeley Haas HBCU Fellowship, UC Berkeley Leaders for Equity and Democracy, among other organizations.

Jeannette Gerber, of Ossining, N.Y., announces, “After a 12-year career in finance and a 3-year stint in the tutoring industry, I started my own tutoring company, Smart Test Prep LLC, in Ossining, in 2006. We have since expanded into transformative learning, giving students of all ages an opportunity to fully embrace learning as empowerment. The new Cal Alumni Mentorship Program was a natural fit. I was matched with a delightful software engineering major who, like me, is a transfer student and first-generation immigrant. After weekly Zoom calls during last fall, winter, and spring, Samaya moved in with us for the summer, so that she could easily commute to her amazing internship in NYC and save money for her senior year.” Shown: Jeannette (left) and Samaya Mammadsoy, BA 23 (data science).

Jose Baldonado, of San Gabriel, Calif., notes, “We’re so excited our daughter will be a freshman this year at Cal! She wants to follow in her dad’s footsteps and join the ‘Haas Family’ as a business major. Both Mom and Dad are Cal alums” Shown: Cal Day 2023. Jose; daughter Alissa; and wife, Joanna, BA 91 (legal studies).

Santo (Arellano, Ernesto) Emael, of Ontario, Calif, informs, “In September of 2022, I moved to Germany from Spain to begin an MA program in International Media. Due to the war in Ukraine, however, an influx of refugees the month before I arrived in Darmstadt made it impossible to find a legal residence. Without a legal residence, I was unable to obtain a visa to stay in the country; rather than live indefinitely out of a suitcase, I decided to put this dream on hold for the moment. After three months in Berlin, I moved back to California in January. For more than 25 years I had been legally living with only one name, which complicated a number of matters for me. On September 5, I went to court to adopt a first name. My name now is Santo Emael. I still prefer to go by Emael.” Shown: Emael (left) with sisters Claudia and Socorro.

Peter Yu, of Seattle, left his role as COO of a live-streaming startup and joined Brightcove (Nasdaq: BCOV) as VP of strategy and corporate development. “Last year, I came out of chess retirement to play in rated tournaments again. Happy to report that I recently won the 2023 Washington Open Rapid Chess Championship–my first state title for the ‘Evergreen State.’ I proudly wore Cal gear throughout the competition.” FIDE Master Yu on his way to winning clear first in the 2023 Washington Open Rapid Chess Championship over Memorial Day weekend.

Celia Patricia (Patty) Juarez, of Ladera Ranch, Calif, announces, “This year I started a new role that was really tailor-made for me. I am now the head of Hispanic/Latino affairs at Wells Fargo. I focus on the growing influence of the Hispanic/Latino community on the success of our business. My work is to focus on community engagement, colleagues, and clients.

“This summer, I took a once-in-a-lifetime trip with my daughter Bella to Italy and France. I Shakespear lover, she won the Shakespearean monologue competition at her school, Orange County School of the Arts. So during our trip, we were able to spend a day in beautiful Verona–and visited Juliet’s balcony! Bella was so excited!” Shown: Patty and daughter, Bella Rivas, in Verona.

Will Edmonson, of West Hollywood, Calif., notes, “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 parter at Doll Amir & Eley LLP and an associate at Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Previously, I served as a law clerk in federal district 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.”

Ilya Klets, See MBA 2010.

Rajiv Batra, of Burlingame, Calif., updates, “I joined Arc Technologies, a financial technology firm providing software companies with customized cash management and other financial products, as the head of legal and compliance.”

Romita Ghosh, of San Francisco, followed several differnt career paths since graduating from finance to consulting, strategic planning, and, most recently, real estate–“always my hobby/passion,” he writes. “I’ve had some amazing vacations the past couple of years since the pandemic–from Amalfi in Italy to Israel and Jordan, the Virgin Islands, and Canada for the Northern Lights.”

Kinman Tong, of Berkeley, Calif., was appointed to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (haas.org/Tong-DEI). ” The commission is dedicated to reflecting the diversity of the broader accounting and finance profession, while actively promoting a climate of inclusivity as the society builds a community of belonging,” he informs. “This goes along with my involvement in the AICPA/CIMA LGBTQ+ Initiatives Committee (haas.org/Tong-Initiatives), whose mission is to facilitate an environment that encourages increased representation and incorporates and maintains an inclusive atmosphere for anyone from a diversity of gender expressions and sexual orientations.”

Alec Andronikov, of Miami, writes, “Exactly four years ago, I decided to move from sunny California to an even sunnier Florida to start Ligo Partners—my single family office focused on early and mid-stage tech investments. In a way, we built a bridge (‘ligo’ in Latin) between Silicon Valley startups and the more traditional family office wealth of South Florida. Today, Ligo Partners’ global platform has grown to co-invest with 2,455 domestic and international family offices and qualified investors with a combined AUM of $224 billion interested in nontraditional, market-uncorrelated technology investment opportunities. In 2022 alone, Ligo Partners has deployed $327mm into 38 tech companies backed by tier-one investors.”

Nancy Chen, of Taipei, Taiwan, announces, “Taking over family business as Taiwan’s leading waterproofing specialist. Founded in 1985, RUTH Engineering Trading uses an innovative approach to deliver world-class products and services to such clients as TSMC, Fubon, Formosa Plastics, etc.

“Married and raising three kids (10, 8, 5); life cannot be busier. Thankful for a supportive husband, I recently took a two-week solo vacation to the Bay Area, catching up with friends.”

Sara Hamdan, of Dubai, UAE, notes, “My husband and I are raising our two children in Dubai, where we have lived for 18 years. I got a six-figure, 2-book deal from publishing giant Holt for my debut novel! After nearly 20 years as a business/tech journalist, including reporting for The New York Times and editing at Google, this is a big shift to becoming a major public author. Visit: haas.org/Hamdan.”

Chris Pawlik, of South Bay, Calif., reports, “Over 13 years ago, a classmate suggested I take my idea and submit a provisional patent application. Less than a year later, we filed the nonprovisional, and for 12 years we’ve worked on it as we built a company that aligned our conception of energy rights, our patent application, and our understanding of the intersection of the real estate, finance, and
energy industries.

“I’m pleased to announce the USPTO sent us a ‘Notice of Allowance’ for our patent: Advanced Systems and Methods for Generating and Conserving Power. Today, we’re working at the nexus of the energy transition, optimizing the built environment and existing buildings by developing distributed energy generation, battery storage, and EV charging projects as well as next-generation, building-level microgrids, smartgrids, and VPPs.

“If you’re interested in discussing energy rights, increasing real estate NOI/value, and/or cleantech, let’s connect.” Email [email protected] or visit eprsquared.com.

Cavin (Tsz To Tin) Tin, of Hong Kong, is relationship manager at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, based in Hong Kong.

Rosalie Ennes, of New York City, a CPA and CIA, announces, “And just like that, I’ve made it to nine months in business! These first months of Portecua Consulting have been full of excitement with new learnings, opportunities, connections, and so much support. I’ll never forget the feeling of my first discovery call, my first client, posting my first YouTube video, and so many other firsts. I look forward to continuing to build momentum and serving impact-driven entrepreneurs that are scaling companies that are good for the heart, community, and planet.

“I can’t wait until we’re all empowered with a risk mindset. Please stop by and say hi on LinkedIn!”

Scott Silver, of Los Angeles, notes, “This summer marks three years since co-founding The Quality Edit (thequalityedit.com), a modern media company at the intersection of content, curation, and conversion. Since 2021, I’ve run the editorial business, employing 50+ writers covering the world’s best online brands, to become the go-to site for product recommendations, trend forecasting, and more. Over the past year, TQE has grown its editorial staff from 15 to 50, which includes full-time and part-time editors and contributors who’ve written for The Strategist, Vogue, Forbes, Business Insider, and more.”

Scott also spends time driving business development with advertising partners including Our Place, Bobbie, Coterie, Ritual, The Bouqs, and Parachute. Scott married fellow TQE co-founder Lee Joselowitz last May, surrounded by friends and family at the Hotel San Cristobal in Todos Santos, Mexico.

Reece Whitley, of Lafayette Hill, Pa., writes, “Grateful for it all. Thank you to @calmenswim, USA Swimming, and Penn Charter for your guidance in my athletic journey. Much love to my friends and family for embracing me along the way. Cheers to the next chapter and Go Bears!”

Charissa Pham, of Sacramento, Calif., notes, “I am excited to start my role as an associate consultant at EY-Parthenon. I had the opportunity to travel around Europe and will travel to New York and Asia soon! In addition, I am pursuing my passion of service and fitness through personal training.”

Max Schumacher, of Berkeley, Calif., was the second overall pick by the Houston SaberCats in the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft. As a Haasie and first-generation college student, he was awarded the Jake Gimbel Award for being the year’s top male athlete “embodying the combination of athletic and academic diligence.”

Flagg Taylor updates, “Continue to enjoy retirement in Athens, Georgia, and Waynesville, North Carolina. Volunteering in second career field of addiction counseling and at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Stayed in touch with Jon Underwood and the late Lisle Payne, MBA 67, and fraternity brothers at the University of Arizona 1964. Enjoying trips to The Little River Inn, Mendocino, California.” Shown: Flagg and Carole Taylor on Irish Beach.

Robin Bollinger, of Walnut Creek, Calif., is CFO of a digital medical startup that remotely monitors and diagnoses cardiovascular, respiratory, and sleep disorders using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). “We use AI and ML to evaluate physiological waveforms, a technology that will save doctors time and improve their diagnosis accuracy. We are very excited about the future for our venture.”

Michael Dove, of Salinas, Calif., writes, “Played on the golf team at Berkeley from 1966 to 1968. Just had a book published called Paradox at Pebble Beach, a golf-related suspense novel.”

Amram Knishinsky, of Scottsdale, Ariz., notes, “I developed Arizonaboardwalk.com, celebrating 10-year anniversary of butterflywonderland.com and seven years of odyseaaquarium.com.”

Peter Michael, of Adamstown, Md., a prize-winning author, published his eighth book. First Explorer is the biography of the Swiss humanitarian Frantz Michel, who in 1704 was first to explore England’s American colonies inland from the Atlantic coast. Between 1702 and 1716, a half century before anyone else, Michel’s pioneering westward expeditions from the coast and his founding of refugee colonies opened the way to European settlement. The area’s next great explorer would be Daniel Boone, but not until 1759. A teacher and international advisor, Peter rewrote his Berkeley master’s thesis into a form that was published as a national magazine cover story. Three of his eight books have won national book prizes. He has appeared on C-SPAN, National Public Radio, ABC News, America Untold, Home & Garden TV, High Noon Entertainment and in numerous publications. He has taught at universities in the United States, Japan, Thailand, and Costa Rica. He and his wife, Vicki, a painter, are the seventh generation of his family living on a historic Maryland farm founded in 1768 by the youngest son of Francis Michael.

Dave Sanders, of Roseville, Calif., has been a board member for almost 10 years of the Sacramento Angels (sacangels.com), an investment group that ranked first in California in 2021 with 19 transactions. “Last year we exceeded that number,” he updates. “We are a very active Angel Group (82 members), and happy to connect with anyone who could refer great seed-stage companies to us. I still coach and mentor many early-stage growth companies, so feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn (haas.org Sanders) if I can be of any help to companies you are involved with.”

Cox Ferrall, of San Francisco, has finally retired. “Having a wonderful time at home with my wife, Merle.”

William “Bill” Milton Jr., of Short Hills, N.J., passed away on July 29, 2023. Read his full obituary: haas.org/Milton.

45th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Blanca Zarazua, of Carmel Valley, Calif., celebrated 20 years of service as honorary consul of Mexico in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

40th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Patricia Henle, of San Francisco, writes, “I continue to enjoy the practice of law, where I specialize in asbestos personal injury actions and real estate litigation. I am now branching out into teaching continuing education classes for both doctors and lawyers. My most interesting experience in 2023 was visiting Antarctica.”

Bob Merrill, of Naperville, Ill., updates, “After retiring from full-time work in 2018, I have been filling my time consulting and serving on boards. I served on the board of Alexander Lumber, a family-owned chain of lumber yards in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, and currently serve on the board of Quaker Windows and Doors, a fast-growing manufacturers headquartered in Central Missouri. I also work with PE firms on acquisitions in the building products space. Maureen and I travel extensively and recently did an extended European trip in Sweden and Denmark, and a fantastic river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. We also just welcomed our first grandchild to our son and his wife, who live in Santa Monica, so we make frequent trips back to Southern California.”

Shu Yang Tan, of Larchmont, N.Y., announces, “I’ve now been at MacKay Shields for 13 years, still managing credit portfolios and also leading the credit business of the global fixed-income team.

“I attended our 35th-year reunion at the recent Haas Alumni Conference. The highlight was our pre-conference gathering in downtown Berkeley. So wonderful to reconnect and catch up!”

35th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Shashi Shekhar, of Minneapolis, reports, “Leading a new five-year $20M project called AI-CLIMATE—AI Institute on Climate–Land Interactions, Mitigation, Adaptation, Trade-offs and Economy—sponsored by the National Institute on Food and Agriculture and National Science Foundation. “AI-CLIMATE’s multifaceted mission,” Shashi writes, is “to create a new scientific discipline, establish an innovation ecosystem, and foster a community of practice at the intersection of AI and climate-smart agriculture and forestry (CSAF). Our goal is to develop and accelerate the use of CSAF practices, while simultaneously strengthening the field of AI.” Shown: Shashi (center); David Mulla, and Zhenong Jin.

Steven Terusaki, of Albany, Calif., notes, “A serendipitous ‘Go Haas!’ cheer greeted me on my recent trip to Japan in May at Meiji Shrine’s Lotus Pond in Tokyo. Fellow Haas alum Andrew Cohen, BS 21, and his companion were also in Japan.

“Among other  reasons, my travel to Tokyo was to celebrate a 50-year reunion for our UC Education Abroad Program Group that spent 1973–1974 studying at the International Christian University in Mitaka, Japan.” Shown: Steven (right) with Ashley and Andrew Cohen.

Klaus Hammer, of Einsiedeln, Switzerland, announces, “Joined Perivision in 2022, a small but hot Swiss medical startup (www.perivision.com), which does eye tests with a virtual reality headset. Eye tests are an exciting, growing, and globally underserved market due to the aging of societies. I now head regulatory and quality. Perivision will enter the U.S. market beginning 2024 and subsequently will look for VC investment to scale up. Please check in occasionally for roles, which might become available.

“I continue to live happily in Switzerland with my wife, Chiara, and our 4-year-old daughter, Leonie.”

Lynda Mansson, of Lausanne, Switzerland, reports, “After 13 years at the helm of a large environmental philanthropic foundation, I oversaw the long-planned closure of the organization—an interesting and fun leadership challenge! I have now turned my attention to leadership development through coaching and training via my new company, LeaderLy (LeaderLy.ch).

Mainly focusing on leaders in the nonprofit space, I am fortunate enough to have donor funding that allows me to offer a good percentage of my time pro bono to those who need support but normally can’t afford it. This is my way of helping to make the world a better place. Meanwhile, I was happily promoted to the role of grandma to two gorgeous identical twin boys who are now almost 2 and full of vim and vigor.

Steven Tannehill, of Oxnard, Calif., joined the board of Veterinarians International (VI), which is “committed to enhancing the health and welfare of wildlife and domestic animals around the world by fostering and empowering an international community of veterinarians to increase the worldwide capacity for care,” he informs. “VI subscribes to the One Health approach: that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. The CDC estimates that 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases originate in wildlife.

Care for animals truly means care for all, and veterinarians are a critical link in global health as advocates for animal well-being and for prevention of dangerous diseases passing from animals to humans.” Shown: Steven and, wife, Marcia.

Bridgitte Backman, of South Africa, notes, “I attended Haas as an exchange student from the Rotterdam School of Management. My news is that I joined the South African Revenue Service as one of three deputy commissioners. My portfolio in corporate and enterprise services includes HR, legal, finance, procurement, compliance/governance, ethics, risk, communication, stakeholder relations, and enabling IT. This role is an ideal way to give back and to support my country.”

30th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Atsushi Toda, of Tokyo, forwards the following: “On July 25, 2023, Seiichiro Yamamoto, MBA 92, and I organized a party for the MBA classes of 1992, 1993, and 1994 in Tokyo, the first reunion of its kind after almost 30 years. Fifty-one classmates and their spouses/partners got together, and everyone had a good time with old friends. Toshihiko Annaka, MBA 92; Ataru Kawachi MBA 93; and Hirotake Ohta, MBA 94, kindly made speeches reminding us of our old good school days. Takenori Ito, MBA 93, briefed us on his experiences at the Haas 30th. Going forward, we desire to expand the scope of this reunion and contribute to the integration of alumni community in Japan.”

Kassim Chaudry, of Metuchen, N.J., writes, “Thanks to the tight labor market and layoffs in the tech industry, I’m in between jobs. Working hard on learning new skills, networking with colleagues, and staying fit by biking (road, gravel, and mountain), running, boogie boarding, kayaking, and playing disc golf. Would love to start a new gig soon—having too much fun on leisure.

“Our third child just graduated from college and got gainfully employed. Second is going back to grad school studying cybersecurity, and our oldest, who has been working for four years, is going for a promotion and raise. So proud of all three of them, and my wife, too, who is running her own law firm and working part time on workplace investigations.

“Now if only I could be half as successful as my family!”

Dominic Montagu, of Berkeley, Calif., reports, “I’ve scaled back international research projects and am now an emeritus professor of epidemiology/biostatistics at UCSF, spending more time running an NGO I started some years ago called Metrics for Management, focused on improving data use in developing country health programs.

“During COVID I took up paragliding. It’s been an excuse to travel to new and exciting places for competitions and fun. Shown is a photo from Thailand in January.”

Charlie Haynor, of San Rafael, Calif., sold his investment advisory practice, Rayner & Haynor, in 2014 to United Capital Financial Advisors, which was acquired by Goldman Sachs in 2019. In September 2023, Goldman was in the process of selling the rebranded Personal Financial Management division to Creative Planning. Charlie stayed through all of these transitions, marking his 32nd year in the business. Shown: Charlie; Marc Kunney; and Layton Han, MBA 96.

James Gray, of Austin, Texas, updates, “After finishing a CIO role at the end of 2022, I pursued a leadership and performance coaching certification to gain new skills as a coach. This has been a transformational experience for me and also opened up opportunities to coach university students and leaders primarily in the tech space. I continue my role as a learning facilitator for the Haas ExecEd courses in AI Business and Data Strategy. I also started a strategic consulting and coaching business focused on data and AI earlier this year.”

Daniel Tellalian, of Los Angeles, reports that his firm, Angel City Advisors, has been named fund manager of the Echoing Green Signal Fund, a $40M early-stage catalytic capital fund targeting global social innovators and entrepreneurs.

25th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Jeffery Baum, of Scottsdale, Ariz., announces, “I have started a new career direction as an assistant teaching professor at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. My business analytics passion that began at Haas in BA 200Q with Tom McCullough BS 67, PhD 77, and Assoc. Professor Andy Shogan continued with 20+ years of applying optimization, Monte Carlo analysis, and system dynamics simulation for management consulting clients. I now teach introductory business analytics and business process management.

“I still serve as the regional representative for the Haas Alumni Network for Arizona.”

Scott Kucirek, of Piedmont, Calif., shares that as CEO of OCHO Candy his company now does all its manufacturing with strategic partners in Trinidad. “We have a bunch of fun new products launching, so if you need the world’s best candy that happens to be organic and fair trade, drop me a line.

“My oldest daughter, Natalie, got married August 26 in Piedmont. For those who remember her as a 3-year-old during the MBA program, she is a second-year orthopedic surgery resident at UCSF. Her husband, Jon Goldman, designs satellites for Maxar Technologies. It was a wonderful three-day celebration.” Shown: Scott and daughter Natalie, at her wedding.

Alison Lingane, of Oakland, Calif., announces, “Two of our three boys are now off to college—it is so hard to believe this chapter of their lives is underway!”

Jan Myszkowski, of Munich, Germany, reports, “I have started a leadership keynote and coaching business. You can find more details at: Ideasinside.org. I coach based on buy-one, get-two. This way I can coach young professionals who are at the start of their career for free.”

Kakul Srivastava and Jon Metzler, of San Anselmo, Calif., update, “Kakul left Adobe and took the role of CEO of Splice in May 2022. She is focused on scaling Splice and helping it deliver on its mission of empowering music creators. Jon is now in his ninth year as faculty at Haas and teaches both undergraduates and MBAs. On the personal front, we moved out of San Francisco to Marin County in 2016. Our two teenagers keep us on our toes. This summer we made it to New York, where Splice HQ is, and also visited friends in Spain.” Shown: Jon (left) and Kakul.

Diego Groiso, of United Kingdom, became an independent consultant specializing in the Scaled Agile Framework, helping large organizations implement Agile at scale. “Working toward my SPCT certification,” he informs, “I am passionate about how Agile can support the sustainability transformations companies need to go through.”

Fabio Matsui, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, writes, “Two years after graduation, I quit my management consulting job at Accenture to start up my own business with four partners. In 2005, we founded Cypress, an investment banking boutique for middle market in Brazil. Last December, we sold the company to Galapagos Capital, a high-growth full-service corporate banking through shares exchange. Through this movement we kept our journey to an IPO in up to five years, similar to what BTG Pactual, the leading IB in Brazil, did 15 years ago.

20th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Remco Groeneveld, of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, reports that SOIL Vegan Cafe, the innovative vegan restaurant concept he founded with Gustavo Bottino, opened a second Amsterdam location. “Gustavo and I are eager to bring SOIL’s success to other countries in Europe, and potentially even the U.S. If you’re stateside or know potential partners, let’s connect!” he writes. Clockwise from bottom left: Remco; Gustavo Bottino; and two SOIL team members.

Putri (Sugondo) Pascualy, of New York City, is a product specialist leading strategy and fundraising for Angelo Gordon multi-strategy and performing credit business verticals. “It’s been three years since our family moved to New York,” Putri notes. “We are loving the area and exploring the cultural offerings of New York City, and I took a leadership role on the steering committee for Angelo Gordon Foundation.”

Newton Cheng, of Culver City, Calif., writes, “On September 14, I won the USA Powerlifting 56kg national championship for both the Open (all ages) and Masters 1 (40 to 49 age groups), and broke the Open National and CA state deadlift records as well as multiple Masters 1 World, National, and CA state records. I was the only athlete to win the national championship for multiple age groups. Fun fact: I turned 45 the following day, and my next oldest competitors were 23.”

Clayton Schloss, of Oakland, Calif., updates, “After 11 great years, I was unexpectedly laid off by Google in January, which was a difficult moment, but it has enabled me to take the rest of the year off and lean into a full life reset. This spring, I took a six-week skiing and snowboarding road trip across the American West, which included visits with classmates Roby DeManche in Oregon and Newton Cheng in LA. This summer I spent a month in Boulder, Colo., and was able to catch up with John Bruno, Nora Tucker, MBA 09; Paul Collins, MBA 11; and Corinne Kang, MBA 06. I intend to move there this fall and start figuring out my next career move.” Shown: Clayton (far right), Hazel DeManche; Roby and Maura DeManche in Bend, Ore.

Iris (Rave) Wedeking, of Walnut Creek, Calif., announces, “I’m celebrating the five-year anniversary of founding iDentical, a dental technology startup that is revolutionizing tooth replacement with drill-free, personalized dental implants. In contrast to traditional dental implants, we use our patented technology to create a 3D-printed, personalized dental implant that can be inserted without drilling into the jawbone. We have strong human clinical data from our pilot study and are currently raising a $2M Series A1 to support treating the first 10 patients in our pivotal clinical study. With a mission to democratize dental implants, I’m excited to bring this technology to patients worldwide.”

15th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Ilya Klets, of Danville, Calif., reports, “2023 has been an eventful year, to say the least! After three years at Silicon Valley Bank focusing on late-stage fintech companies, I got an opportunity to join JP Morgan focusing on banking venture-backed innovation economy businesses getting into payments. If you are in fintech/payments or are looking for a banking partner, would love to connect. [email protected].”

Laurie Peterson, of Albuquerque, N.M., co-founded Rebel Play, a new invention studio that promises to challenge industry norms with innovative toys and games. “When starting out a new venture, you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and have faith that you are headed somewhere meaningful,” she says. An experienced entrepreneur and toy designer who was an early producer at Leapfrog, Laurie eventually set out on her own and launched a number of startups, as well as created a line of magnetic dollhouses called Build & Imagine.

Adam Boscoe, of Denver, recently joined Granicus, a Vista Equity company, as head of corporate development and strategy. Granicus is focused on transforming the citizen experience as the leading provider of SaaS technologies for governments. Shown: Adam at the San Antonio rodeo.

Amir Khan, of San Francisco, notes, “I started my own consulting practice in January 2023. At Amir Khan Consulting we specialize in capital markets advisory, financial planning, and improving operations visibility for early- and mid-stage companies. I am super excited to work with the Haas community!”

10th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

James Wang, of Oakland, Calif., general partner at Creative Ventures, shared his insights in an article in MedTech Outlook on strategies that health technology entrepreneurs can focus on to raise funds. He has also launched a Substack focusing on startups and emerging technology, starting with AI.

Angela Lau, of Foster City, Calif., writes, “After working in AI for years, I always thought about how to help young children understand how the world is evolving, especially with emerging technology. That motivated me to write my first children’s book, Waffle’s Wild Ride, about bravery, the power of friendship and compassion, and the importance of supporting one another to overcome challenges and fears. The more I work on formulaic projects, the more I enjoy this slow-brewing yet fulfilling creative endeavor—incorporating originality, kinship, expression, meaning, and empathy. Putting together this book required a lot of work. Still, it has been how I wanted to spend my free time.

“If you’re looking for a modern children’s book, check it out at Amazon or Barnes & Noble and share your thoughts!” Shown: Angela and Nima Sherpa, MBA 21.

Tay Feder, of Denver, was promoted to associate partner at McKinsey & Co., where he serves commodity producers, processors, and buyers across agriculture, energy, and metals on hedging and trading analytics.

Noé Lutz, of Bern, Switzerland, announces, “For 16 rich years, I was intertwined with the vast ecosystem of Google, spanning the buzzing campuses of Mountain View, San Francisco, and Zürich. Each locale and  project etched memorable chapters in my professional story. This past spring, I stepped away from the intensity. It’s a privilege to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. I’m grateful for the lessons, projects that pushed the envelope, and the brilliant minds I worked alongside. Their intellect, dedication, and camaraderie will always stay with me. Excited for what’s next.

“Embracing a sabbatical has been as much about rejuvenation as reconnection, with Switzerland’s beautiful backdrop hosting countless precious moments with my kids and visits from long-time friends from America. Being away from the daily grind has allowed me to breathe life back into friendships that, while never forgotten, were overshadowed. It’s a refreshing reminder of the significance of maintaining these important bonds. A sabbatical isn’t just a break from work; it’s an opportunity. It’s given me the space to deeply reflect on personal connections and to recalibrate the balance we all aspire to strike between work, friends, and family. Here’s to cherishing every moment!”

Chinmay Malaviya, of New York, shares the following: “Rest in peace Luigi Rodrigues. We are all grateful for the time we spent with you, you inspired us and we will deeply miss you. Clockwise from top left: Thomas Chevallier; Gerardo Delgado Cabrera; Chinmay; Luigi Rodrigues; and Abhishek Ramaswamy.

5th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Alex Stanton, of Miami, updates, “After four years at EY-Parthenon in management consulting, I have moved into the executive coaching space full time. I help high achievers use their ‘career-crisis’ as a catalyst for growth—whether that’s being more honest with themselves, making a career shift, or jumping into entrepreneurship. I partner with clients to increase confidence in career decision-making by defining what long-term success means, for you.

I’d love to connect if I can support you in any way!”

Taryn (Hadfield) Toomey, with husband, Mike, and 1-year-old, Cal, relocated to Amsterdam. “Excited to experience the Dutch culture and hopefully connect with local Haasies.” Shown: Cal, Taryn, and Mike.

Af Hernandez, of San Francisco, reports, “After months of hard work and planning, LaFamilia Foundation launched the ALZAR program, the first-ever operational capital grant for Latine emerging fund managers.

“I’m a proud son of a Colombian immigrant carpenter. My father spent years running his business building custom-made cabinets for clients as a sole proprietor, yet he does not come to mind when you mention ‘entrepreneur.’ My friend’s parents also ran independent businesses to provide for their families, as this is one of the only ways immigrants can establish financial security for their families. The entrepreneurship spirit lives within the Latine community. With ALZAR, we look to highlight the best attributes of our community and demonstrate the prowess we bring to the economic might of the United States. To join or support us, please visit lafamiliafoundation.com!” Af thanked the Sorenson Impact Foundation for support and Jim Sorenson, Lindsay Zizumbo, and Dustin Shay for vision and leadership, and his team for their “hard work and tireless commitment to the cause.”

Christopher Johnson, of Walnut Creek, Calif., was promoted to senior director, legal counsel, at Geron Corporation. Geron is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company; its NDA for imetelstat was recently accepted by the FDA with a PDUFA date in June 2024. Also, after marrying Taylore Scott, of Texas, he and the bride honeymooned in France. Shown: Christopher with Taylore Scott.

Diyun (Ellen) Huang, of Santa Clara, Calif., joined Lacework, a cloud security platform, just before graduation, and  has since been promoted to senior director of accounting with responsibilities managing three different functions.

“I finally received my green card a few weeks ago, and my husband and I are planning our vacation back to our hometown in China later this year. I haven’t been back since 2017!”

Adriana Penuela-Useche, of Berkeley, Calif., announces, “Nico, Lucia, and myself were recently joined by Emilia. Now we are a family of four!” Shown: Adriana (right) with husband Nico; and daughters Lucia and Emilia.

Wang (Leo) Yao, of San Diego, reports, “Started my own search fund this April.”

1st Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Konso Mbakire, of San Francisco, moved to Boston in September.

Ryan Tan, of Berkeley, Calif., recently served on a panel discussing ESG Investing. Shown: Ryan (left) and Ben Allen, MBA 05, CEO of Parnassus Investments.

Christian Trigg, of Hayward, Calif., is now director of brand development for women’s basketball. Christian has worked for professional sports teams and globally recognized brands and as a graduate student helped students build personal brands. “I am elated to join Cal women’s basketball and look forward to helping our student-athletes build their personal brands, secure authentic partnerships, and grow both personally and professionally,” he said. “My goal is to create a sustainable organization to make Cal women’s basketball a premier program for
NIL opportunities.”

20th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Gayle Miller, of Sacramento, Calif., now a senior counselor to Governor Newsom on infrastructure and clean energy, made Capitol Weekly’s Top 100 list in August. Each year, Capitol Weekly names the most powerful movers and shakers in California politics, including lobbyists, bureaucrats, activists, trade group leaders, Capitol staffers, and journalists. In her role, Miller is committed to advancing the state’s landmark clean energy agenda.

Tracy Gray, of Los Angeles, founder and managing partner of The 22 Fund, was named to Forbes 50 over 50 list. “Humbled and honored for this recognition,” she wrote, “especially to be in the company of so many iconic women, colleagues, and friends. It is often said that ‘age is just a number,’ but I don’t feel that way. Age is not just a number—it’s an honor and privilege to see every new year. I shout my age out loud to show gratitude. I have too many people I love who never made it to my age. I feel that I honor them by not hiding how old I am.” Tracy thanked her team, including Emilie Cortes, MBA 02, and numerous investors. Tracy founded the firm five years ago at age 55, squaring up against the twin challenges of ageism and racism when raising her first fund—but she prevailed and is on the path to raising $100 million, Forbes reported.

Sonya Kim, of San Carlos, Calif., is an emergency physician who has cared for over 40,000 patients. “After transitioning to concierge medicine,” she shares, “I’ve been making house calls in the Bay Area since 2009. As an ED doc, I dreamt of providing proactive care rather than reactive, sick care. My first efforts to go beyond traditional medicine established me as a thought leader.” Sonya has been featured by NPR, KQED, The Washington Post, and The Economist. “More recently, I expanded my concierge practice to integrate with functional medicine. This more holistic approach aligns with me as an athlete, singer, and physician who’s passionate about helping people thrive at any age. Join me on a new journey to optimizing your health: Bestmdhousecalls.com.

“For fun, I swim daily and windsurf or kiteboard in the bay. As an opera singer, I used to sing at private concerts in the Bay Area and take care of opera singers at the SF Opera House during performances as their concierge medical doctor for many years.” Shown: Sonya and Prof. David Teece.

15th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Mike Chaput, of Alamo, Calif., updates, “In 2022, Endsight, my company, made a significant stride by acquiring LAN Solutions, based in San Diego. This strategic move expanded our presence in Southern California, adding 40 talented team members and expertise in legal IT services. We also relocated our headquarters to Napa, Calif., a facility serving as both business hub and personal haven. Napa Valley’s wineries, some of which are our clients, have always held a special place in my heart. Recently, our commitment to top-notch IT support and growth earned us recognition on the Inc. 5000 list for the eighth time, a source of pride. I appreciate the support from our alumni community. Your wisdom and camaraderie inspire me as we journey ahead.”

Jason Teller, of Issaquah, Wash., started a new role as vice president of sales, mass-scale infrastructure, leadingCisco’s multibillion-dollar global sales for routing, automation, optical, optics, mobility, and carrier edge solutions.

10th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Cristy Johnston Limon, of Oakland, Calif., writes, “I’m excited to share my new role as the Deputy Director of the Economic and Workforce Development Department for the City of Oakland, to drive business development, and amplify the voice of our business community.”

Laurie Etheridge, of San Rafael, Calif., is now president of Title Nine, “the original female-focused active and outdoor brand—iconic for remaining female-funded, female-owned, and female-led for 35 years,” she wrote on LinkedIn. “As a longtime brand fan, it’s a thrill and an honor to work alongside founder Missy Park, the board, and the extended team in charting the T9 course forward. A very senior leader in a large apparel corporation told me, ‘Brands don’t matter to women; they just care about the product.’ Yes, I had the same expression on my face that you likely do now: complete shock at the oversimplification of what inspires purchase, long-term customer loyalty and advocacy (for anyone of any gender).” Laurie thanked predecessor Johnny Lin, BA 93 (economics), for aiding her transition.

Faisal Wattoo, of San Jose, Calif., an Amazon product manager, writes, “I’ve started an initiative to consolidate technology and innovation updates from Silicon Valley via a YouTube channel, ‘Silicon Valley Tech Talks.’ I will interview startup founders, leaders in big organizations, VCs, and professors. This will benefit not only professionals but also students who can learn firsthand from the leaders. I was inspired by the Haas defining leadership principle ‘Students Always.’ Sample an interview with Alkira CEO Amir Khan (haas.org/Wattoo). Please subscribe to this channel and circulate among your friends.”

5th Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

1st Reunion
April 26–28, 2024

Matt Parker, of Seattle, says, “I’m working on our real estate startup, Alokee. I trekked the Arctic in Baffin Island, Canada, with Eric MacDonell (and three polar bears!).”

Gonzalo Obregon, of Somers, N.Y., (originally from Chile) updates, “This summer my wife, two daughters, and I visited New Orleans, La., and Orange Beach, Ala. Later, we helped our older daughter move to Nashville, Tenn. She got a mechanical engineering degree at UCSD and accepted a job at Schneider Electric. Our younger daughter recently graduated in sociology from USC and is now working at Innovate Public Schools in LA.” Shown: Gonzalo, Margarita, Cecilia, and Rosario.

Sam Puma, of San Diego, notes, “I’ve always been proud to have earned my degree from Berkeley, and today I’m in the company of a group from Haas more talented than ever. I was a CPA in the first half of my career, still am, and became a lawyer in the second half. While in law school, my friends told me that if I could make it through Haas, I could get through anything. No doubt. Today, my business cards read ‘Combining Legal and Tax Services.’ It’s a powerful combination for which I am also proud.”

Cathy Goodwin, of Philadelphia, says, “I published a humor book with a serious component: When I Get Old I Plan To Be A Bitch. Trigger warnings and purchase details at haas.org/Goodwin.