The Big Question:
What are some ways (large or small) that you’ve adopted a sustainability mindset at work or at home?
Alumni Notes
UNDERGRADUATE
1964
Joanie (Misrack) Ciardelli, of San Rafael, Calif., recently published a very special book, A Tale of Two Star Sisters and Pathways To Peace. She notes, “It details the history of my relationship with my co-founder of Pathways over 40 years, Avon Mattison, and the impact of our global peace-building work. Available on Amazon or through pathwaystopeace.org.”
1965
Kyle Ballard, of Carson, Calif., writes, “Retired long ago, standing on age 85. My major was accounting, and now I’m writing an article that will emerge from the frontiers of accounting that everybody thought were in the same place since 1850.”
Kyle recollected how he interspersed study at Cal with working as a merchant seaman from 1958 to 1968. “On October 4, 1958, in mid-estuary of the Amazon, the radio operator let crew members take turns listening to the beeping of a satellite named Sputnik circling the Earth overhead—the highlight of five voyages. Started UC fall 1961, following two round-the-world trips on the President Coolidge. Thereafter every summer I went around the world as a crewmember on the President Jackson and President Hayes. Multiple voyages to South Sea Islands, East Asia, so many places. Last trip was 1968 when I graduated from law school. I caught my ship when still at Berkeley during the last week of finals; by the afternoon of my last final I was sailing under the Golden Gate, next stop Yokohama. That September I pulled into Pier 9, Jersey City, N.J., took a cab to the airport, and caught a plane back to S.F. to start another year at Berkeley. A dream come true for any adventurous person.”
Kendrick Miller See MBA 1966.
1968
Robert (Bob) Kellerman, of Davis, Calif., updates, “Retired after some big ups and some big downs. I’ve done a few stints working for the U.S. Census, including 2022 surveys. Planning move to Tiburon when I win the lottery. Keep forgetting to buy ticket.”
1974
N. Dean Meyer, of Ridgefield, Conn., published How Organizations Should Work, which “envisions an emerging organizational operating model where the hierarchy houses a network of empowered entrepreneurs. It describes in detail how this ‘Market Organization’ (not matrix!) works and how to implement it through systemic changes in structure, resource- governance processes, culture, and metrics. The book is creating a bit of controversy in that it challenges conventional thinking on organizational design with a dynamic-systems view of organizations based on the ‘business within a business’ paradigm.”
1985
David Inchausti, of San Francisco, sends this update: “After 35 years with the company, and four years as vice president and controller of Chevron Corporation, David Inchausti will retire in April 2023.”
1987
Steven Carbone, of San Carlos, Calif., notes, “Through my role as CFO at Delphix Corp., I am the founding treasurer of SustainableIT.org.”
1988
Matt Lowe See MBA 2000.
1990
Rosa Montes Vaca, of Alameda, Calif., announces, “Instrumental in building Artemis Capital Group, Inc., the first women-owned investment bank on Wall Street, a municipal firm, founded by six senior-level women executives from Goldman Sachs. Grew it into the top 10, then left the business to raise my children for a good while, now ready to build again!”
1992
Mister Emael (Ernesto Arellano) writes, “I’m presently in the throes of contemplation. Do I move to Germany to begin an M.A. program in international media, or do I remain in California and try my luck forging a new path from here? Find out in next issue.
“Came back to California from Spain for the summer to visit family and do a lot of dog sitting. It’s exactly what I needed.” Shown: Emael in performance uniform no. 1. San Francisco, c. 2003. Photo by Julia Reodica.
Purvi Gandhi, of Palo Alto, Calif., announces, “After more than a decade in public and private equity, venture capital, and as CFO of a health care informatics company that was acquired by a large public company, I spent the past six years at work on a foundational model of investing in venture capital companies, at scale. This strategy delivered more than 30 unicorns by year six from just the early-stage portfolio of 300+ tech companies; importantly, we were able to exit 40% of the growth-stage portfolio by year six with balance portfolio now over 3x initial invested capital. This drove me to launch my own firm in Silicon Valley with a co-founder where we have pursued building a first-ever institutional model of investing in early and growth tech companies at scale.
Our new firm, Quain Investments, sits at the intersection of technology and a quantitative approach of investing in a high volume of venture capital technology companies primarily in the United States and selectively internationally, including in India. We are excited to bring this approach to the institutional investors in the coming years.
“I value the work I do via Berkeley Haas as well as the organization Girl in Yellow to uplift young women’s access to education and to investing/working in the investments management industry.”
The Answer
“My company launched a nonprofit, SustainableIT.org, to empower technology executives to advance global sustainability. Our mission is to define sustainable transformation programs, author best practices, set standards and certifications, provide education, and raise awareness for environmental and societal programs.”
—Steven Carbone, BS 87
CFO, Delphix Corp.
1996
Lucky Sandhu See EMBA 2015.
Lillian Wang updates as follows: “In September 2022, Lillian Wang left her in-house technology and cybersecurity counsel role on Wall Street to pursue her lifelong passion as a full-time TV writer, screenwriter, and novelist. She’s currently working on projects for Netflix and Amazon, as well as on her first novel. She’s a member of the Writers Guild of America. This dream-turned-reality did not happen overnight. Over the years while climbing the ladder in the corporate world and the federal government, Lillian worked on her craft through professional screenwriting programs at UCLA and New York University. She kept writing and never gave up. Lillian lives by the motto that we only have one life, so she works her hardest to make the best of it. You can find examples of magic that Lillian is creating on her website: lillianlwang.com.” Photo courtesy Jeff Weiner Photography.
Marketing Star
Frank Cooper III, BS 86, the chief marketing officer of Visa, was named to the Forbes World’s Most Influential CMOs of 2022 list. Cooper, who has also served as CMO at BlackRock, BuzzFeed, and PepsiCo, was noted for “driving change and growth at both scaled businesses and startups” at inflection points. He began his role at Visa in May, where he’s tasked with helping brand the financial services corporation as more than a credit card company. Cooper is also a member of the Haas School Board.
2001
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 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.”
2006
Carlos Montesinos, of Palo Alto, Calif., writes, “Happy to announce that I recently launched an investment fund to acquire growing businesses from owners and entrepreneurs who are looking to pivot and want to leave their companies in good hands (amitzcapital.com). We specialize in health care, education, and B2B services. Creating my own investment fund was a dream since the time I applied to Haas, and I’m happy that dream has become a reality. Sending positive vibes to all the alumni out there!
Go Bears!”
The Answer
“I try to have at least one plant-based meal a day. While meatless Mondays are great, aiming for one such meal daily roughly equates to three days per week with reduced carbon consumption.”
—Sydney Kend, BS 22
Business Architecture Integration Analyst, Accenture
2008
Jason Zhu informs, “I lead game launch operations at Warner Bros. Games. We are working on exciting games like Harry Potter and MultiVersus. I’m thankful to have the opportunity to delight millions of customers around the world.
“I moved out of SF to the suburbs of Silicon Valley. While working remotely, I enjoy spending time in my backyard. Definitely need to put more effort in landscaping!”
2009
Jenny (Jing) Zhang, of Hong Kong, updates, “Joined Urban Land Institute in April 2022 as the director of ESG and decarbonization for the APAC region, where I lead programs and research efforts to help the APAC real estate sector accelerate the journey toward net zero.
“Volunteering for the Berkeley Frontier Fund (BFF, berkeleyfrontier.com), connecting alumni entrepreneurs with venture investors via the international alumni chapters.” Shown: Zhang (center) dining with Jacky Chan, the CFO of BFF, and Christopher Lee, MBA 95, member of the Berkeley Library Board and BFF donation committee.
Top Young Leader
Mia Chiu, BS 04, earned a spot on the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2022 list. Chiu is vice president and general counsel at e-commerce company Rakuten Rewards, focusing on M&A. Last year she led the company’s acquisition of Australia-based Fillr, an intelligent autofill service, which enabled Rakuten to increase conversion rates for its online merchant partners. Chiu was also named to the 2022 Lawyers on the Fast Track (under 40) list as part of the California Legal Awards.
2010
Steven Lam, a founder of GOGOX (formerly GoGoVan), celebrated his company going public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in June.
2012
Linda Xu, of Oakland, Calif., writes, “I founded my first company in 2020 (Cart.com) and have loved meeting other entrepreneurs and sharing my journey—especially as an immigrant and woman. Grateful for the foundation Haas provided so many years ago.
“Ten years after graduating, I moved back to the East Bay (15 minutes from Haas)! Coming full circle—and the food scene is just as good as I remember.” Shown: Xu and partner.
2014
Clement Kao, of Santa Clara, Calif., informs, “I’m the founder of Product Teacher, a PM education company on a mission to make product management easier for everyone. I’m proud to share that we recently won multiple awards for our work, including Amplitude’s Product 50, Scale Higher’s Top Product Coach, and Mogul’s Top 100 DEIB Initiatives.
“For individuals, we provide career services and self-paced classes. For product orgs, we provide professional development workshops on topics like product strategy and execution.
We’ve helped professionals from hundreds of startups and public companies, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Airbnb, Tesla, Box, Zoom, Adobe, and more.
“If you’re looking to accelerate a career in product, don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected].”
The Answer
“At work, I encourage everyone to take time to recharge to avoid burnout. At home, I spend quality time with family but also have ‘me time,’ like basketball. It’s my way of sustaining a healthy lifestyle.”
—Jason Zhu, BS 08
Head of Publishing (3rd Party Games), Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
2017
Mina Seo, of New York City, announces, “In May, I started a new job managing email campaigns for ESPN+ (under Disney Streaming Services). As a live streaming platform, ESPN+ has the opportunity to create innovative strategies that increase minutes and days streamed. My goal is to start managing the content side of email marketing, and I am really excited to continue making an impact in the streaming industry!
“Travel and movement have been a huge theme since I moved from Berkeley to NYC in 2021. I traveled solo more often and recently went to Maine, Paris, and Aruba. I hiked Half Dome for the first time and even summited a volcano (Halla Mountain in Korea). I started dancing again (was on Main Stacks Dance Team in college) and recently performed in a small showcase in August.
After a rough couple of years, I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to move and travel again.”
2018
Parker Garrett, of New York City, reports, “Upon graduation from Haas, I moved up to Incline Village, Nev., to start my professional career as a quality assurance engineer at Ridgeline, Inc., a fintech startup founded at Lake Tahoe. When I started at Ridgeline, it actually had a different name and I was one of eight people at the company.
Since then I moved from Lake Tahoe to New York City in the fall of 2019 to help start the N.Y.-based location. Since 2019, I have been promoted to a QA manager position, and Ridgeline itself has grown to more than 350 people. This summer marks four years at Ridgeline, and I have been loving it every step of the way.
“As a former Cal women’s lacrosse player, I was invited by The Olympic Club to play in the Lake Tahoe Lacrosse Tournament this past July. While I had so much fun reconnecting with alumni and friends, I did also unfortunately tear my ACL while playing. I hope to be healed and back skiing by he spring!”
Shown: Garrett (second from left) with former Cal women’s lacrosse teammates at the Lake Tahoe Lacrosse Tournament in July 2022: Brittany Ward, Chloe Landry, Alex Robertson, Casey Reid, and Susie Ropp.
2019
Alexandra Burbey, of San Francisco, writes, “Haas taught us to aspire to a life of going beyond ourselves. Since graduating, I’ve found myself searching for the right opportunity to give back to the Bay Area community, the community that has given me so much the last seven years.
I recently joined the board of College Track (collegetrack.org), a nonprofit organization helping thousands of first-generation and low-income students across the country pursue four-year degrees (many of whom end up at Berkeley—Go Bears!). I attribute the majority of my success to my higher education and feel so grateful for the chance to help other students access education in pursuit of a life of opportunity and power.
If you are looking for a way to help break down systemic barriers to equal educational access to underprivileged students, reach out. I’d love to tell you more and help you find a way to get involved.”
2020
Ziyuan (Roger) Ying, of Cupertino, Calif., announces, “Global Dreamer Foundation is an international EdTech company with the mission ‘Empower Students from All Backgrounds with Access to Quality Education.’ We recently welcomed our new batch of campus ambassadors from more than 10 top universities around the globe, and we are proud to be listed as one of six key global partners on the UCLA website.
“I was the co-president of the 2022 Berkeley China Summit, which was held on October 1, 2022, at the UC Berkeley Pauley Ballroom.
“It was also a great honor for me to be a guest judge for the Berkeley Business Academy for Youth (B-BAY) and Berkeley Haas Startup Seed Fund.” Shown: Ying with Siyu (Rains) Wang, who graduated from Haas’ B-BAY program in 2017.
2022
Kashish Juneja, of San Francisco, writes, “After graduating from Haas, I opened my first boba shop in San Francisco. Born in a Berkeley dorm room, Aura Tea’s health-inspired mission was defined after I gained 30 pounds in college drinking sugary boba and coffee daily. Wanting to enjoy boba and take back my life, I started Aura during the pandemic to make my dream a reality.
“After raising a tapioca pearl-sized fund from an investor at a startup I’d previously worked for, I finally opened my first store on 121 Spear Street right across from Google and the Embarcadero. There, exhausted programmers and drained tourists alike can come together for our sugar-free, keto-friendly, and vegan drinks.
“Today, I’ve dedicated my full time to Aura to scale this company across the U.S. via e-commerce and more stores to bring health-conscious boba tea and coffee to everyone! As an entrepreneur, my business life has completely merged with my personal life. I don’t mind it.”
Sydney Kend, of New York City, updates, “I interned for an incredible startup, Iron Ox, in SF this past summer, and I got to work in green alternative farming/robotics. During my experience, I refined my communication and presentation skills through managing external media, being client facing—and even learned how to drive a farming robot!
“While preparing for my full-time position at Accenture, I picked up Salesforce Administrator and am working for my certification before my start date. I’ll be moving to New York City in September for my first full-time position at Accenture.”
Longping (Annabell) Ru, of Azusa, Calif., reports, “I started a job as an audit associate at KPMG LLC. Passed first part of CPA exam. Took a trip to Hawaii.”
Image Maker
Photographer Andrew Kung, BS 13, was named to the PhotoVogue Fashion 100, Vogue magazine’s list of the 100 next great fashion image makers. His work was shown at the PhotoVogue Festival in Milan in November. Kung aims to normalize Asian American beauty, belonging, and individuality through his photos. View our feature of Kung and his work capturing the stories of overlooked communities in our fall 2020 issue.
MBA
1965
Jerry Zadow, of Concord, Mass., and Davos, Switzerland, writes, “Retired, chairman of a nonprofit, a model for reimagining education, supporting a community and school in a Tibetan region in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Senior mentor, Venture Mentoring Service at MIT. Active in rowing a single skiff on the Charles in Cambridge, tennis, skiing.”
1966
Kendrick Miller, of Salisbury, N.C., is a retired professor of economics.
1969
Paul Racich, of the U.K., announces, “Enjoying the luxury of being in a beautiful city and doing my research and writing. Beautiful hot weather here in Oxford, England.”
1977
Joseph Carlson, of Monument, Colo., writes, “What an adventure these past several months have been with Michael (18) off to college, Andy (17) becoming a senior at Palmer Ridge High School, and Lily (15) excelling in dance and POMS—we truly enjoy the football games! Kathy and I find that Colorado is going through a very interesting time, with both the annualized inflation rate increasing along with the prospect of a recession along with the stresses of raising our third set of children.
“I volunteer for the food distribution line at a Colorado Springs’ not-for-profit, Mt. Carmel food distribution, several times each month.”
Lynne Levesque, of France, reports, “In the third chapter of my life, I became a historian and writer of nonfiction. After finishing my book on the history of my ancestor, Jeanne Chevalier, Fille du Roi (a King’s Daughter), I started to write what I thought would be the story detailing the experiences I had had during my research journey. Along the way, the book Jeanne’s Gift: Finding Home also turned into a memoir to explain why I took the decision, at age 75, that would change my life forever. Both books are available on amazon.com, amazon.ca, and amazon.fr.”
The Answer
“Having seen too many people make less-than-optimal career decisions, I’ve partnered with professionals to do career risk assessments, helping them create an actionable long-term strategy for career sustainability.”
—Caitlin McGaw, MBA 84
Career Strategist and Job Search Coach, Caitlin McGaw Coaching
1978
45th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
John McDonald, of Duluth, Ga., updates, “I was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2022. I will receive the 2023 Purdue University Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award. I will also receive the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity Career Achievement Award.”
1983
40th Reunion
April 28–30, 2022
1984
Caitlin McGaw, of Davis, Calif., announces, “After 24 years in executive search and eight years as CEO of my own recruiting firm, I made an exciting career pivot at the end of 2021 into career coaching. Coaching is something I have done throughout my career. I am now parlaying my extensive experience with hiring leaders, job search, and the interview process to assist professionals who are thinking about a job or career change or embarking on a job search. My mantra is helping professionals build a sustainable career—for however long they want to work. The laser focus on long-term sustainability while harmonizing career and life goals is typically an eye-opener for early career professionals, but even for professionals in leadership roles. My career has always been rewarding, and this new chapter is very exciting. I am also the monthly Career Columnist for ISACA, the global professional organization that serves the digital trust sector (cybersecurity, IT audit, IT governance, risk, and compliance), a sector I have worked with for more than two decades.
“Our three kids are happily launched with one working in fashion editorial and creative direction in Amsterdam, one in music production in NYC, and one at a startup in San Francisco. We have finally started to travel again. We were just in Costa Rica visiting a famous biological reserve and doing lots of bird, animal, and insect watching! The fall months will find us in Amsterdam, Berlin, Poland, Tuscany, and Rome.”
Deborah Stern, of New York City, notes, “Happily enjoying summer on the CT Long Island Sound. In May, I sublet my apartment on the Upper West Side of NYC (after 35 years) and moved 50 minutes away to Stamford, Conn., where I’m experimenting with life in a small city, close to nature/water and my favorite outdoor activities (swimming, cycling, walking, sailing/kayaking, dancing).”
1986
Ann (Brighouse) Cripps, of San Carlos, Calif., updates, “Retired for the second time this year. For the last six years I’ve been head of marketing for an HR technology firm. It’s been great. Now I’m ready to devote more time to a nonprofit I support. And, with luck, do a bit more traveling.
“We moved to San Carlos. Not far from where we spent the last 20 years in Redwood City, but we’re now on one level and within walking distance of downtown.”
Leading Women
The Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business list includes three from Haas. Tania Webb, MBA 97, leads Deloitte’s risk and financial advisory services team, which serves California departments, counties, and cities. She specializes in the design and implementation of business process controls, data integrity, privacy, and security for integrated business applications. Amy Finney, MBA 20, is the VP of operations for One Medical. She led her company’s COVID response, including launching drive-through testing and rapid in-office tests nationally. Dean Ann Harrison increased faculty by a third, led the school in its best fundraising year ever, and launched the first online part-time MBA for a top business school, among other achievements.
1988
35th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
1990
Stacy Nathaniel Jackson, of Washington, D.C., forwards the following news item: “Stacy Nathaniel Jackson’s debut novel, The Ephemera Collector, set in near-future Los Angeles, in which a Black archivist and writer employed at the esteemed Huntington Library is forced to trust her sentient adaptive technology when she finds herself in the middle of a violent internal plot to destroy her life and work, was sold to Gina Iaquinta at Liveright by Kima Jones at Triangle House Literary.”
1991
Adam Hardej, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., reports, “Commercial real estate appraisal workload was steady throughout the pandemic in 2020 with 2021 being BAAR Realty Advisors’ busiest/best year to date (20+ years), and the first half of 2022 equally strong—even with commercial mortgage loan/lending rates up substantially from record lows. And commercial real estate values appear to be holding strong. If problems appear, then we will likely see our lender clients up their ‘loan monitoring’ activity and order more mark-to-market appraisals.
“Big family news: my wife, Beth (Cal BA 91), and I will be grandparents come January 2023, with our oldest son Adam and wife Berre having their first child and choosing to stay in NYC for the time being. He recently sold (acqui-hired) his startup firm, OpenScout.vc (OnePager) to a similar founder-to-VC conduit company (dba STONKS.com).
“Also, recently had the pleasure of attending a wedding in Newport, R.I., and reconnecting with Haas MBA grad and good friend John Rosen. We were able to pick right up where we left off near his beautiful home at a fine drinking establishment called Pour Judgement.”
A Gift Like No Other
Fede Pacheco, MBA 21, and a classmate crafted a memorable way to connect the Class of 2021 forever by designing a non-fungible token (NFT)—the first of its kind to be given as an MBA class graduation gift. (An NFT is a digital asset connected to unique physical or digital items, such as art, video, or music.) The Haas 2021 NFT, a GIF featuring a young and older bear reflecting at sunset with one of the Defining Leadership Principles appearing on the horizon, reflects the class’ pandemic experience, which was full of MBA traditions that went virtual. Learn more: haas.org/nft-gift.
1992
Scott Bechtler-Levin, of San Diego, announces, “I recently joined Redesign Health (redesignhealth.com) as head of venture insights—focusing on identifying and refining new health care business concepts. We are a company creation platform that works alongside founders and experienced professionals to streamline the historically complex process of researching, funding, launching, and scaling innovative health care businesses by systematically addressing startup failure points at idea generation, team construction, capital raising, and scaling.”
Tim Leach, of Healdsburg, Calif., updates, “For the last six years since I ‘retired,’ I have served as an independent director of several investment companies affiliated with Goldman Sachs. About a year ago, I was recruited by Goldman to join the board of another affiliated company, as chair. The unusual situation was that Goldman had decided to spin this company out as an independent operating company. As chair, I would represent the company to negotiate a buy-out with Goldman Sachs and then set the company up to operate on its own. Once the company was independent, the next goal would be to take the company public. It took a full year, but the company, now named MN8 Energy LLC, became independent on August 4! MN8 is one of the largest, pure play solar energy and storage companies in the U.S. With a portfolio of 850 solar farms located in 27 states, MN8 generates about three gigawatts of renewable electricity, about as much as a nuclear reactor! In a complete coincidence, the University of California Regents endowment is one of the largest investors in MN8 Energy!
“From here, MN8 will be rapidly growing its solar energy capabilities; in addition, we are beginning to expand into EV charging as a third major focus for the company: mn8energy.com.”
Ray Lin, of Palo Alto, Calif., a partner at Fuller & Thaler Asset Management since 2006, writes, “With Helen Chen and Zenda Kuo both visiting the Bay Area from overseas (Helen from Belgium, Zenda from Hong Kong), we took the opportunity to have a mini-reunion of some classmates at my house in Palo Alto. It was so great to see everyone—and a bit strange to realize that some of our kids are now close to the age we were when we all met at Haas!” Shown: Lin, far right, with classmates David Shiver, Thao Tonnu, Zenda Kuo, Richard Jones, and Helen Chen.
The Answer
“I started buying food and cleaning products in bulk at our local co-op, including bringing our own containers. I’m also using a local Buy Nothing group to reuse and buy fewer new items.”
—Heidi Hofer, MBA 95
1993
30th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
1994
Elizabeth Tracey updates, “Just relocated to Denver to work with The Michaels Organization, developing affordable multifamily housing in Colorado and Texas! I am enjoying the new environment and learning about doing deals outside of California.
“Kids are launched, son starts college in September, and daughter is starting her career after graduating from UC Davis. A new chapter for everyone!”
Robert Tyminski recently published a new book, The Psychological Effects of Immigrating: A Depth Psychology Perspective on Relocating to a New Place (Routledge 2022). The book explores immigration from psychological, historical, clinical, and mythical perspectives, considering the varied and complex reasons why people immigrate to entirely new places and leave behind familiar surroundings and culture. This book will prove essential for clinicians working with refugees and migrants, when in training and in practice, as well as students and practitioners of psychoanalysis seeking to deepen their understanding of migratory experiences.
1997
James Gray, of Austin, Texas, notes, “In April 2022, I transitioned to the chief information officer at Reef Technology responsible for global IT operations. Our proximity as a service brings curated goods and services to neighborhoods in North America, the U.K., Europe, and the UAE.”
Chris Rimer, of San Carlos, Calif., writes, “As some of you learned during our reunion in April, I’ve kicked off my ‘third act’ this year, launching an aviation technology consulting practice and becoming a professional airline pilot; I began training with SkyWest this fall. My career prior to Haas started in aerospace as an engineer at McDonnell Douglas, so this was a natural next chapter given my past and present passion for aviation. Hope to see you on a flight next year!” Shown: Members of the Class of 97 at the 25th reunion in April 2022.
Robb Thompson, of Folsom, Calif., announces, “Acquired another professional services company this year and closing in on 20 years of consulting for the state here in Sacramento. My wife and I are settling into empty nesting, looking for effective ways to serve in our community while we shift from being kid-focused.”
1998
25th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Greg Greeley was named CEO of Thrasio, a next-generation global consumer goods company. He is a former Amazon and Airbnb executive.
Andy Peay is the co-owner of Peay Vineyards, featured in the New York Times in June (haas.org/andy-peay) as being part of the West Sonoma Coast, which in May became the newest official American wine appellation. Says the article, “For Peay Vineyards, the new designation comes as an acknowledgment, if not exactly vindication, that the area they pioneered 25 years ago offers distinctive qualities shown transparently in their wines, primarily complex, polished pinot noirs; savory syrahs; fresh, intense chardonnays; and smaller amounts of vibrant Rhône whites.”
Daniel Tellalian, of Los Angeles, reports, “Wrapping up strong third year as CEO of impact investment advisory firm Angel City Advisors, building impact funds and shepherding direct investments focused on social change.” Shown: Daniel, Monica, Daniela (13), and Fatima (8).
1999
John Liu, of Portland, Ore., notes, “Thriving in this ‘intellectually stimulating market’ at Laurelhurst Asset Management LLC.”
The Answer
“Ten years without driving to the office. Reduced travel to the absolute necessary. Maximizing productivity, health, and love!”
—Rafael (Palhinha) Gomes, MBA 06
Head of business development, P&G Health
2000
Matt Lowe, of Kentfield, Calif., announces, “I am working at Medtronic on a high blood pressure therapy and really enjoying it. Great place to be at this stage in my career. My daughter (shown) started Cal as an undergraduate last year, and I have really enjoyed reconnecting to the university.”
Charlene Son Rigby, of San Francisco, updates, “My career and my life work have come together at RARE-X, a health tech nonprofit I joined as CEO in August 2021. I’ve spent much of my career developing and commercializing software for analyzing data. My 9-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a very rare neurogenetic disorder six years ago. I co-founded the STXBP1 Foundation to spark research and therapy development for Juno and kids like her. Now at RARE-X I am working to accelerate understanding and therapy development across rare diseases. Why should you care about rare disease? Individually, rare diseases are by definition rare. Collectively rare diseases impact almost 10% of the world population!” Shown: Son Rigby and daughter, Juno.
A Solution for Homelessness
So You Want to Solve Homelessness? Start Here offers a roadmap for anyone wanting to understand and solve the modern homelessness crisis. Andrew Hening, MBA 17, offers lessons from his nearly 20 years of social sector leadership experience, including driving measurable change in communities with high rates of unhoused individuals.
—Andrew Hening, MBA 17
Co-Founder & Project Director, Opening Doors Marin; Principal,
Hening + Associates LLC
2001
Marc Badain was hired to co-lead a $3 billion resort in Las Vegas for Oak View Group. The integrated resort will include a domed retractable stadium, hotel, and casino. The proposed 850,000-square-foot arena will have more than 20,000 seats, including luxury suites, and be able to host major sporting events, concerts, and other big events. Badain, a former Raiders team president, is president of OVG Las Vegas sports and entertainment venues.
Daniel (Pine) Firepine, of Berkeley, Calif., reports, “Left behind full-time work at Kaiser to do part-time emergency and hospitalist work at a rural hospital in the Sierras. Doing more real estate investing and interested in providing medical guidance for startups or early stage companies in need.
“Great family trip to Alaska where five of six of us got Covid and actually had a spectacular outdoor quarantine biking, hiking, and exploring with good company.”
Dr. Yishan (Peter) Li announces that Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc., a San Diego-based biotech company he founded in 2013 with his wife, Dr. J. Jean Cui, was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in August.
Robert Lowe See PhD 2002.
2002
Coco Kee, of Princeton, N.J., writes, “In the past year or so, I have been working with some alumni and students and the Alumni Relations Office to get the Berkeley Haas Blockchain & Crypto Interest Group (BHBC) off the ground. As the youngest alumni affinity group, it is gradually taking shape with the collective effort from the community (see bhbc.haasalumni.org).
“Working on BHBC helps bring me closer to the school and the community. Look forward to hearing from all of you who are interested in blockchain and crypto. Let’s build it and grow it together.”
2003
20th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Sunita Parasuraman, the head of investments, new product experimentation at Meta, recently joined the board of BRP Group, a publicly traded independent insurance distribution firm.
2004
Rodrigo Brumana, of San Jose, Calif., announces, “After an amazing living experience in Seattle and working for Amazon, we are back to the Bay Area and looking forward to reconnecting with our fellow Haas friends.” Shown: Rodrigo, Alessandra, Bella, and Max Brumana in Maui.
David McNierney, of Sunnyvale, Calif., updates, “After six years at Amazon, I started a new role at Qualys, a cybersecurity vendor, as vice president for Global Cloud Partners. The Berkeley network is alive and well as my fellow classmate, Deepak Balakrishna, made the referral that led to the job offer. Go Bears!”
2005
Daisuke Asaoka, of Japan, an associate professor at Meiji University and Kyoto University, has published his fifth book:
Financial Management and Corporate Governance.
2006
Rafael (Palhinha) Gomes, of Miami, started a new job as head of business development for P&G Health, leading inorganic strategy, acquisitions, and licensing. Shown: Rafael and wife, Juliana, with Manuela and Eddie.
Mark Kress, of Orinda, Calif., updates, “After a 30-year career in investment management, I launched an absolute return fund of funds on 1/1/2022. Even during a tumultuous first seven months the fund is up 10.8% ytd with assets flowing in at a clip.
“Currently raising two boys in the town of Orinda. My eldest (15) already outweighs me and soon will be taller. Time flies. Please feel free to reach out to catch up (415-290-7164), [email protected].”
2007
Chih Hsin (Ray) Chou, of Taipei, reports, “Just started a new senior role at a large financial conglomerate after 15 years in management consulting post-MBA, turning myself to the other side of the table.” Shown: Chou with wife, daughter, and son.
Jennifer Quan, of Kailua, Hawaii, writes, “We went on our first international trip since the pandemic began, and two of our girls competed in the Gothia and Dana Cups in Sweden and Denmark. So many amazing experiences were had and memories made with soccer teams and players from all over the world. The team from Ukraine reached out to play a friendly game, and we learned so much from their personal stories.” Shown, top: Teams Ukraine and USA with Riley and Chloe Quan in the back row. Bottom: Eric Quan, MBA 14 (far left) and Jennifer Quan (far right).
The Answer
“Writing a book set in the near future where forever fires are the norm is a partial response to our climate crisis.”
—Stacy Nathaniel Jackson, MBA 90
Writer/Artist
2008
15th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2009
Omar Garriott joined the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in September as executive director of the Batten Institute, which advances entrepreneurial leadership. Garriott will lead the institute in supporting Darden’s mission to improve the world by developing responsible leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences.
2010
Karan Dua was promoted to CFO at SecureAuth, a next-gen access management and authentication company. Dua previously served as VP of Finance since joining the company in 2019.
2012
Kyungsuk Lee, of Washington, D.C., co-authored a book on foreign exchange market in Korea. He is currently with IMF’s Lending Policy Division in Washington, D.C., after starting his career as an officer with Ministry of Economy and Finance.
2013
10th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2015
Shri Iyer, of Sunnyvale, Calif., announces, “I was honored to be recognized as one of Software Report’s Top 25 Software Product Executives in 2022 for the second year in a row: haas.org/shri-iyer.”
Brandon Middleton, of Union City, Calif., writes, “Started working full time in the Web3 and crypto space as a senior business development manager at AWS. I’m helping VCs and their portfolio companies build the future of fintech and DeFi applications using cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technology.
“I have also been appointed as a lecturer at the Stanford d.school and am teaching a course called Redesigning Finance. Lastly, I went to Disneyland for the first time with my wife and three kids this past July.” Shown: Middleton building bridges with underrepresented Web3 founders.
2018
5th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2019
81cents, a company founded by Jordan Sale that offers negotiation support to underrepresented professionals, has been acquired by another Berkeley-founded startup, Rora. Rora was founded by Brian Liou, BS 13, and offers 1-to-1 coaching for professionals who are navigating new offers, promotions, and severance negotiations.
2020
Farid Hosseini, of San Francisco, founded “timing.is”—a new calendar company focused on redefining our relationship with time.
Benny Johnson, of Oakland, Calif., notes, “I’m fulfilling a childhood promise that I would take my mom around the world ‘when I grew up.’ We’re at 52 countries and counting. In Amsterdam (shown), my mom and I rented a boat and explored the city by canal.”
2021
Owen Teach, of Chicago, and his wife, Anna Teach, welcomed a baby boy—Clements Teach—in June 2022!
Jonathan Utz, of Walnut Creek, Calif., writes, “I have joined Coinbase as a senior manager of customer experience analytics and moved to Arizona.”
2022
1st Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Michael Kim, of Diamond Bar, Calif., reports doing humanitarian assistance in Ukraine for three months post-graduation.
The Answer
“As an investor at the Builders Fund, I partner with businesses focused on sustainable systems (including climate, food, and agriculture) and human elevation, and we seek to integrate sustainability criteria into all aspects of investment decision-making.”
—Katharine Hersh, MBA 20
Vice President, Builders Fund
BC/EMBA
2003
20th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2008
15th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2011
Stephen Tindle announces, “I recently moved my family to Denver, after 25 years in the Bay Area. We moved for my job at Thomas James Homes, where I am responsible for our Colorado business. Thomas James launched in Denver to build single-family housing in Denver’s most desirable neighborhoods.”
2013
10th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2015
Johanna Liu, of San Jose, Calif., in May 2022 started a new role as president and CEO of the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium.
Lucky Sandhu is the CEO of Reliance Financial, a digital mortgage company, leading product development, platform innovation, and go-to-market efforts.
The company recently launched its next-generation mortgage lending platform that allows homebuyers to get pre-qualified for their home loan in just minutes while enjoying simplicity, transparency, and convenience. First-time homebuyers can check rates, select the product, start their loan application, pull their credit, and get their income and asset verifications in real time. Visit reliancefinancial.com for more information.
2017
Tansy Brook, of Foster City, Calif., was promoted to senior director of ERP innovation marketing at Oracle at the beginning of this year. Brook had the opportunity to interview two Haas professors on their POV around climate change and employee engagement. Watch at: haas.org/tansy-brook.
2018
5th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2019
Trevor Croghan, of Sammamish, Wash., writes, “Started a new role as general manager at OpenSquare (workplace design and strategy). Our family relocated from the Bay Area to the Seattle area for this career opportunity.” Shown: Trevor with Nicole, Alana, Kade, and Maverick.
Mark Jolley, of Las Vegas, announces, “Co-founded a climate-focused food tech company with another Haas-mate, Andrew MacDonell. It grows superfoods from orchards—almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and avocados—using 10x less water and reducing N2O emissions 10x. Through 2030, our company will save Californians 1.4 million acre-feet of water. That’s roughly 37% of annual residential use, and every year thereafter we’ll save 9% of residential use.”
2022
1st Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Work Well-Being
Digital Belonging (New Degree Press, 2022) is a tool to help you and your colleagues thrive in your workplaces and ensure people feel included, seen, and heard. Find practical strategies to build organizations with happier, more fulfilled employees, especially if they work remotely.
—Yogesh Soni, MBA 19
AI Product Leader, eBay
MFE
2008
Li Zhang, of Mountain View, Calif., reports, “I recently was promoted to senior manager at the Tesla finance department.
“I attended the City of Mountain View’s first Chinese Language Civic Leadership Academy in June this year, where I was inspired to make a difference in the city that my family and I have called home for over 20 years by running for City Council in November 2022.” Learn more at: liformountainview.org.
PHD
1986
Cathy Goodwin, of Philadelphia, writes, “I continue to work in my online business, working with small businesses wanting to use storytelling in their marketing (cathygoodwin.com). I just published a book that is guaranteed to be controversial but memorable: When I Get Old I Plan To Be A Bitch. It’s got an edgy style but also incorporates research in psychology and sociology. Trigger warnings and purchase info can be found at cathygoodwin.com/agebook.”
2002
Robert Lowe announced that Wellspring, the innovation and IP management company he co-founded and today serves as CEO, recently received a new round of investment from private equity fund Resurgens Technology Partners. Wellspring is the leading platform for managing and commercializing R&D and innovation projects. The company works with brands such as J&J, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, SoftBank, Carnegie Mellon, and the University of Michigan to optimize innovation success. The concept for Wellspring and transforming the technology transfer market came to Rob while he was a PhD student conducting research on the success factors for the University of California’s startup companies
over time.
Today, Wellspring has more than 75% market share in the North American academic market and is the leading provider of innovation software for corporate scouting and R&D programs.