Irvin Sternberg, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, wrote in to say, “I was very fortunate to attend my granddaughter Jennifer Sternberg’s graduation from Cal in May 2011, exactly 70 years after I had graduated from there. Jennifer is now in her 3rd year of OB/GYN residency in the USC-L.A. County hospital program.

Ivan Houston, of Los Angeles, announces, “I have written a book, Black Warriors: The Buffalo Soldiers of World War II. I served as an infantryman in the all-black 92nd Division in Italy. I received three Bronze Battle Stars, a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and a Purple Heart for being wounded in combat. The Italians my unit liberated invited me and my family to visit towns and cities we liberated. I have returned six times since 2012. I will be 94 next month and plan to return to the city of Lucca, Italy, this summer. Lucca was liberated by my regiment on Sept. 5, 1944. I’m almost finished with my second book, which discusses my return trips to Italy and my wonderful receptions.

“I retired in 1990 as the chair and CEO of Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company. The company was the largest black-owned company in the Western U.S. at that time. I also served as a director of 1st Interstate Bank, now Wells Fargo; Pacific Telesis Group, now AT&T; Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation; and Metromedia. I was chairman of the Los Angeles Urban League and president of the City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission.”

Herman “Buzz” Boschken, See MBA 1968.

Irene Boschken, See Herman “Buzz” Boschken, MBA 1968.

Daniel Asera, professor-in-residence at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was awarded the 2019 Campus Life Achievement Award for Excellence in Academic Impact in recognition of his contributions to faculty and student interaction. As professor- in-residence, Asera helps improve communication between faculty and students in UNLV residence halls. He also directs the STEM Summer Program for the Howard Hughes College of Engineering. Asera leads Haas and Cal alumni chapters in Las Vegas and is currently planning the Class of 1969’s 50th Reunion gathering during Homecoming in October.

Craig Sussman, of Los Angeles, is looking for help within the advertising community. He writes, “I’m the executive director of an established TV/media company in the process of launching an English language TV channel (Popstar! TV) with China’s public broadcaster CCTV and sister digital company CN Live (with a current installed base of more than 250 million users). “Looking to connect with someone at an ad agency/media buying who might be interested in having clients advertise in conjunction with our launch. We control all direct and sponsored advertising.” Contact him at [email protected] or craig.sussman@ gmail.com.

Kendall Callas, of San Francisco, celebrates the completion of his new book: 101 Time Tactics, Productivity Tips to Maximize Your Minutes. See the Top 10 or browse the PDF at www.101TimeTactics.com. He adds: “It turned into a franchise: 101TravelTactics is nearly done; 101TechTactics is next, then 101MoneyTactics, 101LifeTactics. I’ll probably stop with 101SeniorTactics!” If you know a good agent or publisher, email: TimeTactics@ microCounsel.com.

Paul Chandler, See MBA 1989.

Steve Peletz, See MBA 99.

Linda Schermer, of Beverly Hills, Calif., is in real estate.

Andrew Shapiro, of Mill Valley, Calif., was recently elected chair and president of the Mill Valley Library Foundation, where he has served in board leadership roles for six years. Andrew’s activist investment management firm, Lawndale Capital Management, recently celebrated its 26th anniversary. He continues to regularly speak at national conferences and director education programs on corporate governance and activist investing topics. He just completed a multi-year tenure as chairman of the Official Equity Committee in the Premier Exhibitions/RMS Titanic bankruptcy cases.

Douglas Burnet, of San Francisco, is the founder and chair of the Museum of Future Sports (MoFS), which opened June 1. MoFS— an interactive destination for technology, entertainment, sports, and culture—is a vibrant new member of the San Francisco cultural community engaging the hearts and minds of neighbors and visitors alike. MoFS encompasses high-touch interactive activities, an esports venue, freeroam VR, mixed-reality games, STEAM education classrooms, a sport/tech innovation lab, and art and music. Through its architecture, lighting, video, and projection mapping, MoFS visitors are transported into a completely immersive vision of the future of sports and entertainment— a new attraction for family adventures, STEAM education, evening entertainment, professional sports, and culture. MoFS is a registered 501(c)(3) corporation committed to providing STEAM education and tech literacy to everyone.

David Inchausti, of Alamo, Calif., was named corporate vice president and comptroller of Chevron Corporation (CVX). Inchausti will lead Chevron’s accounting, financial reporting and analysis, internal controls, and finance shared services organizations. He previously served as Chevron’s deputy comptroller. Inchausti joined Chevron in 1988 and has held numerous operational and corporate finance positions worldwide, including a stint as comptroller for Chevron’s Upstream organization and finance positions of increasing responsibility in Upstream operations in Kazakhstan, Thailand, Venezuela, Angola, and Indonesia.

Kim Carter Crossley, of Palo Alto, Calif., writes, “I am continuing to build my real estate practice and am reaching out to my Cal family to grow my business. If you have or know of someone with a real estate need, I would love to connect. Please call or text me at 650- 208-5516. Go Bears!”

M. Bruce Robinson, of Shanghai, China, updates: “Since graduation, I have had a few different careers, including in investment banking in the 1990s (with Salomon Brothers, Citigroup: NYC, and Banc of America Securities: Boston and Palo Alto); private equity from 2005 to 2012 (with Avenue Capital Group: Shanghai); and most recently as an executive coach, entrepreneur and returning to investment banking with a boutique firm, Stout Bluepeak in Shanghai. At this point in my career I am open to new challenges and opportunities wherever they may take me. The last 14 years in Shanghai have given me a front row seat on rapid development and how to manage and lead in such a dynamic business environment. Over the years I was fortunate to meet up with [former] Dean Lyons, who visited Shanghai almost annually, and most recently with Chancellor Christ, during her November 2018 trip. I applaud both of them for reaching out to alumni globally and representing our great university in Asia during this critical time in its development. Please let me know if your travels bring you to Shanghai.

“On the home front, Tess and I will be celebrating our 27th wedding anniversary this September. The last of our three sons will leave home. We look forward to the next chapter of life without kids at home and are using this moment to entertain new opportunities and cities. We will be spending more time in California as the boys attend Pomona College, Stanford, and Santa Clara. (Yes, I am disappointed none of them wanted to attend Cal.)”

Thomas Furtney, of Kentfield, Calif., announces, “I recently joined Advanced Communities as managing partner based out of our San Francisco office. I have been working within the Salesforce ecosystem since 2007, and Advanced Communities helps deliver consumer- grade customer experiences to external and internal customers.

“When not working, I am busy chasing after my four children. My eldest, Fiona, is off to Marin Catholic High School in the fall. My family headed to Pinecrest again in July for our annual trek to the Lair of the Bear, run by the Cal Alumni Association. If you haven’t been, it is a great family camp experience for kids and adults alike! Go Bears!”

Chris Rhoades, of Falmouth, Me., purchased the 14-story Time and Temperature Building in Portland, Maine, which will be converted to a high-end boutique hotel with a new parking garage and 23-story residential tower on site. “Portland has become one of the best foodie and microbrewery cities in the U.S.,” he notes. “Come visit and say hello. Go Bears!”

Tania Anici Kelley is a 2019 North Bay Women in Business Award winner. She is senior vice president and head of marketing at Novato-based Hennessy Funds, which serves more than 300,000 investors nationwide.

Fred Ong, of Los Altos, Calif., muses, “Having just watched my older daughter, Megan, go through the college application process, it reminded me of how much easier my generation had it during our application process. Today, students study and work hard hoping to be accepted into their top-choice universities; however, many are not. This is just the reality and can be very discouraging for these hard-working students. Riza and I have told both of our daughters they can pursue studies and careers of their choice, and in return we ask that they try their best toward that goal. I’ve also come to realize my own accomplishments are becoming less important at this phase of my life. It’s time for the new generation to take the stage.

“Megan will attend college this fall, and I know she’ll do great because she’s pursuing her passion and interest. Fight on Roski! It’ll be Marina’s turn to take the stage three years from now. I’ll be rooting for her just as much then.”

Nirukshi (Anosha) Subasinghe writes: “Sri Lanka, my current home, is gradually recovering from the horrific tragedy on Easter Sunday. We are getting back to our lives slowly. The hotels are just opening up for business after installing new security measures. Sri Lanka was 2019 Lonely Planet’s number one country to visit, so we are devastated that the terror attack also took away the momentum of the tourism industry. But we are hopeful that, in time to come, the country will recover to its former glory of being a ‘paradise isle’ for tourists who adore the Sri Lankan hospitality.

“On a lighter note, I’m proud to state that my son will attend Cal in the fall and major in economics. So I am very excited to finally be a Berkeley mum—a dream come true!

“My work in the field of agriculture has its fair share of challenges—for example, due to climate change or government policies—but I look forward to better times with enhanced technological improvements and different strategies. I enjoy my volunteer work in Zonta International as a district chair for the Z Club and Golden Z Clubs for District 25, where I work with youth on various projects to empower women through service and advocacy. I have also been a long-standing member of the board at HelpAge Sri Lanka, the foremost NGO assisting the disadvantaged elderly in Sri Lanka. And I hope to join a choir soon to reactivate my vocal chords, which were last used properly as a part of Tuck’s a cappella group ‘Executones’ at Dartmouth eons ago! Hoping for peace and prosperity in Sri Lanka, I bid you goodbye and best wishes!”

Mimi Leung announces: “I am now living in Hong Kong. After graduation, I worked in a few different roles, including in a startup, being a consultant, and then settled at Oracle HQ in product management. After I moved to Hong Kong, I started to work in banking, including at HSBC and Citi for more than 10 years. Recently I left the banking job and started a business on my own in global franchising. I am excited about the time, freedom, and joy about my own business. Berkeley and Haas have been always on my mind, and I am planning to come visit in the fall. Look forward to seeing you if you are around.”

Claudia (Gallegos) Cazares, of Fresno, Calif., reports, “In November 2016, after an arduous campaign, I was elected to the Fresno Unified School District Board of Trustees. The district is the fourth largest in California, with a budget of over a billion dollars, serving children from some of the poorest neighborhoods in America. Additionally, after five years away from the government sector, I returned to work for the public good at the City of Clovis.”

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 firm, 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 will@ whelawfirm.com if I can help you with anything.”

Anuj Saigal, of San Francisco, has teamed up with two fellow Berkeley alums from 2005 to launch HiGeorge, a San Francisco-based civic technology startup that is working to make our representative democracy more transparent, efficient, and accountable. It enables constituents to message their representatives in seconds and can be accessed through websites such as Facebook and Twitter. After verifying the citizen, it turns these messages into constituent sentiment analytics that are easily digestible and actionable for representatives. The product launched this summer.

Tasha Salveron, of Los Angeles, announces, “I earned my JD and work as a federal law clerk. I’m very happy with my decision to go to law school. Money cannot buy the learning and growth I experienced, the values I explored and developed, and the record I established as the first American lawyer in my ancestral history.

“I got a new beagle named Lucian Lambchop, which is basically like having a baby because he demands food, water, and cuddles, cries, plays, and makes a mess.”

Nikhil Arora reports that organic food and gardening company Back to the Roots, which he co-founded with Alejandro Velez, raised $3 million in a Series C financing round. Back to the Roots will use the capital to launch more than a dozen new products this year, including the first-ever hemp growing kit, which debuted in April. The company will also start new partnerships with retailers including Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bloomingdale’s, Petco, and Costco. Back to the Roots also made Fast Company’s 2019 World’s Most Innovative Companies list in the social good category.

Kara Jancourtz, of New York City, moved back to the U.S. after two-and-a-half years working abroad in London with Google. “After six years in digital ad sales,” she writes, “I took a short-term assignment with Google for Startups, working with local entrepreneurs to catalyze the ecosystem. The experience of managing a diverse community allowed me to pivot into a full-time role in Google’s Geo department managing online help forums.”

Aron Schindler, of Bangkok, Thailand, reports, “I’ve started a fashion venture to bring made-to-measure button-downs to the casual wardrobe. Our mission is to make ‘shirts for men not afraid to be bold,’ bringing perfect fit, unique fabrics, and premium quality to the casual shirts we guys probably wear most nowadays (the age of the suit is definitely over). Check out our curated collection of shirts at www.fridayshirtclub.com. I’ve moved back to Bangkok to oversee production. It’s my second stint in Thailand, and it’s been a lot of fun! Do reach out if you find yourself in town.”

Shazia Virji, of Millbrae, Calif., writes, “Thanks to the growth opportunities Berkeley Haas has given me, I am thrilled to say I was promoted to VP of business development at Credit Sesame, a fintech company leading the personal credit management revolution. Haas has helped me get a long way since I decided a career in finance was for me—at age 7, when I boldly stated I was saving money to purchase an NBA team. (It’s a dream that I still plan to realize!) I was proud to serve as president of the San Francisco chapter of the Berkeley Haas Alumni Network. In July 2019, I took my alumni involvement a step further in my new role as the vice chair of the Berkeley Haas Alumni Council. Our team will strategize opportunities to deepen alumni engagement and expand the global alumni network that has already helped so many people like me succeed. Meanwhile, I continue to be a proud ambassador and mentor for Dress for Success, an organization that provides support for women wishing to become financially independent. You will certainly be able to find me at Golden State Warriors games, proudly waving my season tickets and cheering on the best team in the NBA!”

Amy L. Young, of London, U.K., announces, “My husband, Jonathan, and I welcomed our first baby, Elowen Clare, in January. From her father, she inherits the habit of sleeping and waking at all the wrong times. From her mother, she inherits a petite frame that belies an impressive set of lungs. To everyone’s surprise, she was born with two teeth!”

Nick Anastasiades reports, “2ndKitchen, founded by myself and Jonathan Elron, raised a funding round of $1.35 million to pair businesses that don’t have kitchens with nearby restaurants that want to outsource theirs.”

David Kant, of Lafayette, Calif., writes, “I’ve been with my present company for 8.5 years now (promoted three times since my time at Cal). Our company continues to grow and is hiring and would love to bring on Haas alumni to our team. Please email: davidk@ reactionsearchinternational. com. “At the end of May I took a dream vacation to Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini) and Italy (Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Capri, and Rome).”

Clement Kao, of San Francisco, notes, “I’m a product manager at Blend, a fintech startup digitizing the consumer lending ecosystem. I just kicked off an integrations initiative, which has been absolutely exciting!

“Outside of Blend, I’m leading a community of passionate product people at Product Manager HQ (productmanagerhq. com), where I’ve written more than 50 articles on product management and personally mentored both aspiring and experienced product managers. I love giving back to the community: If you’re interested in product management or fintech, let me know how I can help!” Contact Clement at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.

Aleksa Saponjic, water polo Olympic bronze medalist, returned home to Serbia after graduating from Berkeley to be close to his family and his home country. He first worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers, then switched to McKinsey in Belgrade, where he is a business analyst. In his short time at McKinsey, he has undertaken a number of influential initiatives, including facilitating a high-profile telco workshop that led to substantial impact for the client. Aleksa, who grew up in Serbia and played professional water polo there, attended Berkeley on a full scholarship on the Cal men’s water polo team alongside his brother.

Grace Chen, of Fremont, Calif., reports, “After spending a little over a year in Sydney, Australia, (best place ever) doing hardware retail marketing at Google Australia, I’ve just moved back to the Bay Area with a new role as a product/ brand marketing manager on the Google Doodles team! Eager with anticipation about what God has in store. I’m enjoying walking around Shoreline Lake with my boyfriend, whom I met long-distance while living in Australia, him in Orange County. We both recently moved to the Bay.”

Alicia Wang, of New York City, updates, “After Haas, I moved from the West to the East Coast to begin my journey as a consultant. After navigating my way to really focus on digital strategy and product management, I have transitioned into becoming a product manager for a high-growth startup, Plaid. The fact that one in four people with a U.S. bank account have used Plaid to connect to their favorite financial services applications shows the scale we have, as well as the impact we can have to empower fintech innovators.”

Johnny Hooper made the men’s senior national water polo team and will represent the U.S. at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. Hooper ranks #2 on Cal’s all-time top scorers list, with 245 career goals.

Chen Wang, writes, “I need an entrepreneurial Haas alum to expand my very successful land banking business. Please reach me at [email protected] to explore this opportunity!”

Herman “Buzz” Boschken, of Davis, Calif., writes: “Five years into emeritus professor status, I remain very active in my professional research and publishing activities. In February, a completely revised version of my 25-year-old case on Vail Resorts, Inc., was republished for the third time—this time in McGraw-Hill’s leading textbook in strategic management. For the past two years my quantitative research has delved into why ‘global cities’ have more socioeconomic inequality than metropolitan areas less directly connected to globalization. A conference paper on the subject is currently under way, and I’m contemplating a journal article in the near future. I also continue my work as an appointed member of the Davis Planning Commission.

“My wife, Irene, BS 66, and I celebrated the first wedding of a grandchild (we have seven) in Florida on April 27. It was a grand occasion with a reception at a blueberry farm and hours of line dancing. We also found time for visits to Epcot and the Kennedy Space Center. In June, we headed to Italy with family and friends to celebrate our 75th birthdays, which are 12 days apart.”

Richard Simmons, the executive chairman at BPP Education Group and director of BPP University for Professional Studies, spoke at the fourth annual UC Alumni UK Charity Gala in London in March. The event, developed by the UC Alumni UK Board, supports scholarships for low-income University of California students to study abroad in the United Kingdom.

45th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Joe Garrett, of Berkeley, Calif., was re-elected to the board of directors of Pacific Premier Bank, an $11 billion Southern California bank. He was previously CEO and president of Sequoia National Bank in San Francisco.

40th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Michaela Rodeno, of Napa, Calif., writes, “Since we recently replanted our vineyard to cabernet sauvignon, it was fortuitous that the Oakville Winegrowers Association decided on Bordeaux for its 2019 “tech exchange” visit. Gregory and I spent four intense days with fellow growers and winery owners in academic lectures on terroir and soil science, followed by site visits to Châteaux Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Smith Haut Lafitte, Soutard, Fourtet, and La Fleur- Pétrus (welcomed at the latter by owner Christian Moueix, who also owns Dominus in Oakville). And a tonnellerie where the stars were two small, young women apprentices banging on barrel hoops and winning national prizes.The soil pits at Latour and Lafite were particularly interesting, and the wines…well. We came home with our heads full of things to think about for Napa Valley.”

Victoria Wray-Greening, of Genoa, Nev., writes, “1981, ooh, that was a long time ago! Retired in 1986 when my first child was born. Jack ‘Jay’ (my husband) and I relocated to northern Nevada a couple of years ago. We’re downhill from Lake Tahoe and only 22 minutes from Heavenly Valley ski area! We have three adult children, who live all over the place. I travel to Washington, D.C., often to visit our daughter, a lawyer there. One son lives in Portland, works for Smith Optics, and the other son lives in S.F., works for Mesosphere. I look back with fondness on my time at Haas and the wonderful people I met there. Go Bears! (except on Big Game Day: ‘Fear the Tree!’ heh, heh!).”

Marshall Leisten, of San Mateo, Calif., updates, “After working at a number of companies in the enterprise software space, most notably at Oracle for about 15 years, and a number of various stage startups, I have decided recently to become a mentor/advisor to venture-seeded startups. This role allows me to advise CEOs on go-to-market strategies regarding business development, sales, and partnerships as they strive for traction in the market and a next round of funding. I have the opportunity to share my knowledge and wisdom in a critical way and help set the direction of the company for greater success and more quickly.

“I am currently working with a company that is trying to build and market an application like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) did for sales, support, and marketing people—but for coders. Also I recently joined the UC Berkeley SkyDeck program looking for another startup to advise in my area of expertise.”

Deary Duffie, of San Francisco, reports, “I retired in May 2018 after 30 years of HR executive work at HP, Levi’s, Charles Schwab, and Roche/Genentech. I’m in the process of writing a book on my experiences as an African-American executive in the corporate world.

“My partner, Daniel, and I have a place in a small Tuscan beach town named Castiglioncello. We spend three to four months a year there and traveling in Europe. I continue to improve my understanding of the Italian language and culture. Sorry to have missed the recent alumni reunion because of our current stay.”

35th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Karl Hartmann, of Eastham, Mass., co-authored Investment Management Regulation: An Introduction to Principles and Practice with Carolina Academic Press—“the first new casebook in the field in 30 years,” he writes. The new title “provides law students and others with a fine overview of the legal and regulatory environment of investment advisers and funds of various types. The book comes out of my work teaching at Suffolk Law School as an adjunct. I also teach a class on startups there. Both classes are based on my work experience over the past 40 years—and my work as founder and publisher of 40Act.com.

“After my wife’s sale of her acupuncture practice, we moved to Cape Cod. I continue to teach, write, and serve on boards of ETFs and mutual funds. I’m also active in town environmental issues and community organizing.”

Michael Watt, of Austin, Texas, became senior vice president of U.S. sales for Impero Software to lead the company’s U.S. headquarters in Austin. Impero Software’s flagship product, Impero Education Pro, provides schools with a portfolio of services: Impero EdTeach for classroom management, Impero EdProtect for student safety, and Impero EdAdmin for network management.

Ralph Garcia, Jr., of San Mateo, Calif., reports, “My wife, Jean, MA 90 (history of art), and I had the chance to ski in Zermatt, Switzerland, in March. The Matterhorn truly is an ‘E-ticket’ ride—but the superb dining experiences are the real reason to travel there. Proud that my Cal visor hat traveled with me. #eatlotsofraclette.”

Dan Maljanian, of Altadena, Calif., has embarked upon his third startup since graduating from Berkeley with a JD/ MBA, the Homeschool Community Foundation, which will provide grant funding to homeschooling nonprofits nationwide. The $100 million endowment goal will be funded primarily by foundations and companies that support homeschooling. His wife, Patrice, has home-schooled their three children from birth through high school. This fall Adriana will be a junior at Hillsdale College, Aram will be a freshman at University of Wyoming, and Avedis will start high school with Patrice. The two prior startups were his bakery and cafe in 1997 and an international nonprofit in 1993 to support Armenia’s emergence from the Soviet Union. This summer, Dan and Patrice spent two-and-a-half weeks at Oxford, Cambridge, and northern England studying C.S. Lewis and enjoying the Lake District.

Ekua (Anna) Bannerman-Richter, writes, “I’m in Tokyo, enjoying the last day of my first journey ever to Japan. I came to visit fellow Berkeley Haas alum Rie Ota, a dear friend. Rie and her hubby visited me some years ago in Ghana, where I’ve been living for the last 20 years or so. Playing tour guide to them motivated me to explore more of my native land than I’d ever seen before, and I was eager to make a reciprocal visit to Tokyo. It’s taken years, but the sights and tastes of Tokyo and Kyoto were well worth the wait. I look forward to a return trip someday.

“Rie and I managed to hook up with Alex Pederson, MBA 12, courtesy of Kwadwo Adjei-Barwuah, MBA 12. Alex is due to visit Kwadwo in Ghana in early June, and Kwadwo had planned to introduce us then, but we couldn’t miss the opportunity to break bread together in Tokyo. Alex had just finished a 10-day bike trip around Japan and was looking way too energetic, if you ask me. Wonderful friendships— this is part of the enduring legacy of my time at Berkeley Haas!

“I invite all adventurous Haas mates to check out the 13th annual Accra International Marathon (AIM), scheduled for October 27. The scenic AIM route runs along the port city of Tema (where East meets West at the earth’s zero of longitude) and ends in the capital city of Accra at the luxurious 5-star Labadi Beach Hotel, where we will celebrate your achievement in style. A run in the tropics is definitely not for everyone, but it should be no sweat (sorry, couldn’t resist) for intrepid entrepreneurs like Haasies. See you around the prime meridian…”

Paul Chandler, of Lafayette, Calif., was recently named the Valuation Visionary award winner for 2019 by the Collateral Risk Network, which presents the award in recognition of the person who demonstrates leadership, innovation, professionalism and one who strives to better the industry for their peers. Paul is especially driven to push his industry to protect the public trust. Paul is the founder and CEO of Property Sciences, a national commercial and residential real estate valuation, appraisal management, and collateral due diligence services firm.

Tsukasa Sato, of Tokyo, Japan, died after a courageous battle with cancer. Classmate Al Quintero writes: “It is with heavy heart that we report the passing of Tsukasa Sato. Tsukasa and his lovely wife, Manami, arrived in Berkeley in the summer of 1987 as part of a contingent of students from Japan, who all instantly endeared themselves to their classmates. The training he received at Haas served him well in a career in financial services and global management that spanned 30 years. Their passion for travel was unmatched, and photo documentaries of the places they explored were truly awe inspiring. Tsukasa was very proud to have embodied the Haas Defining Leadership Principles, particularly his goal of being a Student Always. We will miss our dear friend and classmate.”

30th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Klaus Hammer, of Einsiedeln, Switzerland, announces, “More and more, HammerResults software and methodology becomes a facilitator for transformations as it continuously measures the impact of a transformation and its work streams on culture and people (www. hammerresults.com). “Leonie Therese Hammer, born on April 29, is my wife’s (Chiara) and my big happiness and challenge.”

Erin Fray, of Seattle, Wash., announces her marriage last September in the Seattle countryside to “an extraordinary man, Tom G. Reid.” Both avid skiers, they “spend their play-hard time outside, shredding the mountains across the Far West—from Jackson Hole to Snowbird, Alta, Snow Basin, Deer Valley, Sun Valley as well as the Cascade Mountains. Their merged family now includes six adult children, plus spouses and significant others, and two beautiful grandchildren, making family gatherings rich with roasted meats, love, and laughter.”

Her recent company turnaround and growth initiative is in a new role as CEO for an ultra-premium ice cream company in the Pacific Northwest, Acme Ice Cream—right up her alley for taking high-quality food companies through adolescence, she reports.

Adam Hardej, of Carmel, Calif., writes that, “BAAR Realty Advisors—family owned and operated for over 20 years—is still going strong. My son, a Princeton 17 grad, sold his startup company and heads up new business development in commercial real estate services. Beth, BA 91 (legal studies), is our chief financial officer. Daughter Rachel Williams, Class of 21, will be interning with us this summer and also pursuing some of her own entrepreneurial ventures. Exciting times. Looking for some interns in Boston and also hiring appraiser/analysts in the Southern California market. Always growing, always learning. Write us at [email protected] for more info. We are national, so inquire about opportunities in other markets throughout the country. Just working mostly, with occasional trips to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., but occasionally assignments take us to other exotic real estate surroundings—like Maui! Just spent a week at our favorite world-class hotel, the Hotel Wailea, Relais & Châteaux, designated the #1 hotel in all the Hawaiian Islands. Check it out. It’s awesome!”

Brad Howe, of Los Angeles, acquired and relaunched his real estate investment management business as Broadshore Capital Partners, managing $2 billion of institutional real estate investments. He adds, “My wife, Jill, and I have lived in Pacific Palisades for 20 years. First child, Mackenzie, graduated from Northwestern University in 2018. Second child, Lochryn, completed her sophomore year at Cal and will start at Haas Business School as an undergraduate in the fall. Third child is a junior at Harvard Westlake and would like to attend Cal.”

Jeffrey Wallace, of Oakland, Calif., has teamed up with his Global Kinetics partner and fellow alum Kal Deutsch, MBA 93, to launch an online virtual startup accelerator called Silicon Valley in Your Pocket. The core eight-module program helps global startup founders build their companies (wherever they are in the world), leveraging key tactical and practical startup strategies learned through a self-paced acceleration curriculum, coaching from accredited investors and successful founders, and a comprehensive, personalized investor readiness assessment. Since launching the program, they have been able to support hundreds of global startup founders across the world, from Azerbaijan, India, Singapore, Korea, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, and Australia, to name just a few. Today, they are significantly scaling the business by partnering with global startup accelerators, incubators, universities, and venture capital and angel investor networks around the world to truly globalize the best practices of Silicon Valley. Jeff and Kal previously partnered as co-founders and operating CEO and president of Batchery, a Berkeley-based startup incubator, where they led the organization during its launch and scaling. Batchery has graduated over 120 startup companies through its programs. Reach out to Jeff or Kal for a special Cal student and alumni offer. He writes, “I continue to love living in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley while exploring all corners of the world in pursuit of my goal to visit and explore 100 countries. I am about halfway there and hope to continue making progress.”

Leslie (Wilson) Widmann, of Hayward, Calif., reports, “It’s been an exciting year. I’ve joined Northwestern Mutual doing financial planning. I really enjoy getting to know clients and am loving every minute. Meanwhile our daughter is wrapping up her first year of middle school. I’ve had the opportunity to get involved at her new school, and it’s been so much fun joining that community.”

Seiichiro Yamamoto, of Tokyo, Japan, announces, “After 20 years with AllianceBernstein (AB), a U.S.-based investment management firm, I retired. My positions included chair of the board and CEO of AB Japan and global partner at AB LLP. I also served as a director of the board at the Japan Investment Advisory Association for two terms. My wonderful business career can be attributed to the invaluable education I gained at Berkeley Haas.

“In April, I kicked off my next life pursuit: to invest in and support the next generation of entrepreneurial startups or emerging artists and athletes. I will also engage with Japanese and American educational institutions. Of course, this means I will be involved with and support Haas and the network, both to express my appreciation and to re-engage with the excellent alumni communities going forward.”

Kalman Deutsch, of Orinda, Calif., has teamed up with his Global Kinetics partner and fellow Haas alum Jeff Wallace, MBA 92, to launch an online virtual startup accelerator called Silicon Valley in Your Pocket. (See above.) Kal has taken his love of craft cocktails to co-create and co-chair the Art of Mixology craft cocktail competition, a nonprofit fundraiser pitting professional bartenders in their quest to create the perfect craft cocktail. “Cheers!”

Shantanu Narayen was featured in an article titled “An Acrobatic Ascent” in Efficient Manufacturing, which profiled his remarkable life journey to becoming Adobe CEO. The Economic Times of India named him the ‘Global Indian of the Year’ in 2018.

Francesco Rockwood, of Orinda, Calif., reports, “Susan, MBA 89, and I are grateful to have an opportunity to celebrate several milestones this year. Our youngest daughter, Mary, was accepted into the Berkeley Haas undergraduate program and joined its Business Innovation for Sustainability, Social Responsibility, and Positive Impact program in Geneva this summer. Our oldest, Sarah, graduated from UC Berkeley in molecular and cell biology and will work at the Gladstone Institute at UCSF. We shared the graduation celebration with Stefano Paoletti, whose son, Marcus, took the same degree and also will work at UCSF. It has been six years since Susan and I co-founded our own company, Rockwood Pacific, and we are honored to be playing a role in development of several extraordinary senior living communities. Our whole family loves and values being part of the Cal community. Go Bears.”

Art Altman retired several years ago from his career in Palo Alto doing mathematical finance for the energy industry. Art moved to New York City and is now a high-end headshot/portrait photographer with a studio in Chelsea. Refresh your LinkedIn headshot with special rates for Haas alumni (www.artmaltman.photography).

25th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Kristi Kehaulani Kali Berquist, known as Kehau to her many friends and family, died at her home in Honolulu on March 14, 2019, of an aggressive brain tumor. She was 50. According to her obituary: “Kehau began her business career with Visa USA as senior manager of travel and entertainment enhancement programs for the U.S. region. Missing Hawaii and the ocean, she returned to Hawaii and founded The Hoike Group, an international growth management firm. Her clients were primarily nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. She taught business, marketing, strategic planning, social entrepreneurship, and capital courses at UC Berkeley, Hawaii Pacific University, and to thousands of CEOs through CEO Space, an international entrepreneur resource community. An active community volunteer, Kehau served on many philanthropic boards and volunteered with numerous community organizations, including athletic, scholarship, business, and community service endeavors.

“She spent as much time as she could in the ocean paddling her one-person canoe and communing with the porpoises and sea turtles that frequently accompanied her. Kehau lived every day to the fullest, enjoying every sunrise and sunset and every moment in between, knowing that a time bomb in the form of a brain tumor lurked in her head. She fought back bravely for nearly three decades before a new aggressive tumor finally took her life. Her kindness to others, her positive attitude, and her zest for life will be sorely missed. Her legacy will be the inspiration she gave to so many to be the best that they could be, both in life and in business. Kehau is survived by her loving husband, Gregory A. Berquist; her parents Daniel I. and Marilyn E. Kali; her brother Keone K. Kali and sister-in-law, Cheryl Kali of Maui, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.” Read her full obituary: haas.org/kehau.

Classmate Franziska Raedeker wrote in to say: “In memory and celebration of Kehau, some 30 Berkeley Haas classmates gathered in San Francisco on April 17 (see photo above), and several more sent virtual greetings. Those present raised a glass in the spirit of aloha, renewed their friendships, and caught up on each other’s lives. To stay in touch, join the newly created Class of 95 WhatsApp group by contacting Laura Flores ([email protected]) or Franziska Raedeker ([email protected]).”

Dave Burkett, of Los Gatos, Calif., announces, “After 23 years, I have taken the big leap to retire from Adobe. I feel so fortunate to have joined as an MBA hire and played various executive roles in one of the most amazing growth stories in the valley, working with fabulously innovative teams and creative customers. I’m so proud of Adobe’s business success: 10X increase in employees, 28X in earnings, and a 66X increase in the stock price over 23 years.

“But now I am fulfilling my life goal of taking an early retirement. Cristina and I have a full agenda. We’ll be traveling the back roads of the world, spending quality time with kids and parents, restoring our health and fitness, taking classes and contributing to boards. We hope to connect with Haas friends along the way.”

Dan Kihanya reports, “Excited to announce that I recently co-founded a podcast and blog highlighting exceptional tech founders from underrepresented backgrounds: foundersunfound.com. For my day job, I’m helping fellow alum Vijay Bobba, MBA 97, build a fintech in India: Wizely. in. Living with my wife and teenage kids in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in the Seattle ecosystem.”

Laurence “Lo” Toney was named on Pitch-Pitchbook’s list of 27 black founders and investors to watch in 2019. Toney is the founding managing partner of Plexo Capital, which he incubated and spun out from Google Ventures, where he was a partner. In May, Toney was also one of three honorees recognized at the W.IN (Women in Innovation) Forum NY for his leadership in diversity and inclusion.

Ann Hsu, of San Francisco, writes, “Just as my yogurt venture was taking off in late 2017, riding the trend of Chinese consumers seeking healthier and more natural dairy products, the whole region of Xinjiang (far western China) where our factory is located fell under tighter and tighter government control. Our factory was forced to close. Since then over a million Uighurs have been sent to re-education camps, including some of our own people.

“Since the closure of my yogurt factory, I have taken on a new role of full-time caregiver to my octogenarian parents, my chronically ill husband, and my twin teenager sons (I’m homeschooling one of them). This job is just as challenging, if not more, than any I’ve had in 25 years of professional and entrepreneurial life. I’m learning a great deal about health care, education, elder care, and more—the stuff of life! I’m also finding time to audit a class at Haas and volunteer with the Cal Alumni Association Chinese Chapter. This all prepares me well for the next phase of my life, which will be in public service of some sort.”

Todd Young, of Los Gatos, Calif., announces, “After two years of hard work, in December I graduated from the Master’s in Information and Data Science (MIDS) program at the Berkeley School of Information. I now lead machine learning, statistical modeling, and advanced visualization work at Oncept Consulting. At night, I work as a TA in the MIDS program, teaching statistics. I am interested in learning how your company applies machine learning in a business or educational context.”

Steve Peletz, of San Francisco, writes, “Driven by my passion for the ocean, I have committed significant time to assist researchers on two critical ocean science projects: tagging (and tracking) sharks underwater in Costa Rica using a spear gun and surveying marine life in Monterey, California. I have also launched deepbluemonthly.com to share my photographs and passion for the ocean as well as some of the critical problems humans have created in our oceans. In addition to focusing on diving worldwide and scientific issues, I plan to release info on what we can all do to reduce our carbon footprints. Buying offsets for air travel (in addition to traveling less) is one thing we can do, but there are many ways to mitigate the damage we do. Oceans cover 71% of the planet and phytoplankton in the ocean generates 50% of the oxygen generated on earth. Yet, with plastics, fossil fuels, and fertilizers, we are destroying ocean ecosystems and marine life to such a degree that the UN predicts that more than one million species (on land and at sea) are destined for extinction in the coming decades. Doing simple things can help minimize our negative impacts.”

Allen Schoonmaker reports, “After nine years of running corporate marketing departments here in Hong Kong, I am joining a startup, currently in stealth mode, looking to disrupt a billion dollar industry. Looking forward to the startup intensity once again. Look for an update here soon!

“Jennifer and the family are thriving, with my youngest, Alyssa, graduating from primary and joining her older brother, Alex, at the Independent Schools Foundation Academy in the fall for secondary school here in Hong Kong.”

Tanya (Shaw) Steinhofer, of Mill Valley, Calif., notes, “It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since graduation, but I was thrilled to re-connect with classmates at our reunion in April. It’s also been 10 years since I founded my independent financial planning and wealth management firm, Redwood Grove Wealth Management. Time flies!”

20th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Lionel Chocron was named chief product officer of Hedera Hashgraph, a crypto currency startup built without using blockchain technology but with a different mathematical approach called a directed acyclic graph. Chocron was previously at Oracle, where he recently led its emerging technology (Blockchain, IoT, AI) solution efforts across industries.

Achim Dunnwald, of London, U.K., joined Royal Mail in London in March as chief strategy and transformation officer. He writes: “I am looking forward to applying my experience from the years at DHL (most recently as CEO Parcel) and McKinsey to this great company, as it embarks on a big change journey. I also look forward to meeting classmates— where art thou?”

Sujai Hajela, who co-founded Mist Networks, a wireless networking company powered by artificial intelligence, reports that the company was acquired by Juniper for $405 million.

Peter Li, co-founder of San Diego-based biotech company Turning Point Therapeutics, reports that the company went public in April. Turning Point, which offers targeted cancer therapies designed to address treatment resistance, announced that its gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, were approximately $191.5 million.

Peggy Wu writes, “After six years in Singapore, we will be moving back to the U.S. this July, to Charlotte, N.C.! John got promoted to a global role with Wells Fargo, providing the perfect bridge to bring us closer to our families in the Northeast. I look forward to starting a new chapter in a city that I’ve never visited but have heard great things about. I will leave behind my current position as head of marketing Asia Pacific for Aviva Investors and plan to look for a new role after settling into the new city. I would love to connect with Haas alums and meet new friends in Charlotte ([email protected]). I hope to see some of you in 2020!”

Eric Meyerson, of San Francisco, announces, “In February, I made my long-desired move into green tech. I’ve joined Software Motor as VP of marketing. Our revolutionary motor systems reduce the electricity consumption of buildings and infrastructure by more than half. One of our initial focus industries is agriculture, so in addition to electric motors and HVAC systems, I’m learning all about dairy cows, milk production, animal health, and methane capture. It’s been so gratifying to feel like my work is really doing good for the world.

“I also recently starting writing again, focusing on areas where I feel I can best help people. In February, I published a blog post on purposeful resume writing, based on my 20 years of hiring people; it was shared more than 10,000 times. I got dozens of emails from people thanking me for my guidance, including several U.S. military veterans who had struggled to reposition themselves for the private sector.”

Scott Cheeseman, of Sonoma, Calif., updates: “Late last year my company, Direct Urgent Care, merged with the technology company Carbon Health Technologies to become a leader in the field of health care disruptors. Operating under the name Carbon Health, we deliver a uniquely seamless experience from virtual care to in-person care to meeting our patients where they are. This unique positioning helped us to secure a new round of financing with Brookfield Ventures as the lead investor. As the company’s new COO, I have been excited to open many new clinics in 2019—hopefully we will have a clinic coming soon to a neighborhood near you!”

Roberto Guerrero, of Hayward, Calif., announces, “Last September my wife, Samira, and I were blessed with our first child, Alonso. Our lives have been full of joy, excitement, and, of course, limited sleep time.

“At work things have been busy too. I work for ON Semiconductor, the same company I joined right after Haas. Right before our baby arrived, I took the position of general manager of Cloud Power Solutions, a division that develops power semiconductors for the cloud infrastructure.”

Karl Pisor writes, “Hello from Tokyo! Recently started a new consulting business line for SMEs using the Entrepreneurial Operating System. I continue to enjoy meeting and working with Japanese business owners and helping them to achieve their dreams. Classmates may remember my daughter Leia at Haas parties—she’s 19 now and a freshman at Arizona State. Time does fly! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re coming through Tokyo.”

Heather Hollick, of Traverse City, Mich., reports, “Since graduating I have had the opportunity to live and work in London, U.K.; Ontario, Canada; Princeton, New Jersey; and Durham, North Carolina. For the past few years I have been living in Northern Michigan helping my partner take care of her elderly father. I took advantage of the serenity of the north woods to finally write that book about networking that has been emerging after all these years of speaking on the topic. I am excited to announce that Helpful: A Guide to Life, Careers, and the Art of Networking was published this spring. I wrote Helpful for us. It’s a book about networking, life, satisfying careers, and how to build great teams. My hope is that Helpful enables people to build more satisfying careers while also creating a positive shift in how we engage with one another, professionally and otherwise. It grew out of my amazing experience during my time in school awakening to—and immersing myself in—the Haas Alumni Network. But I also saw how powerful a network could be.” Get a taste at heatherhollick.com/books/helpful.

15th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Yan Chow, of Orinda, Calif., reports, “In 2016, I joined Amgen (Thousand Oaks, South S.F.), a leading biotech, to help guide the digital health/ digital medicine effort, reflecting a larger industry-wide push to incorporate real-world evidence into drug development. I ran several virtual trials, investigated technologies like wearable sensors and conversational interfaces, and worked on a strategic roadmap for digital biomarkers. I found Amgen to be a great company, and my amazing colleagues were of the highest caliber.

“In May 2019, I moved to Automation Anywhere (San Jose), an industry pioneer and leader in robotic process automation (RPA), accepting a role as health care industry lead. RPA uses software bots to perform manual, often rulesbased, computer tasks, freeing humans for higher value activities. The next generation of bots leverages cognition, context recognition, and artificial intelligence. Like other industries, health care is in dire need of sustainable re-engineering, and automation will undoubtedly play a key role. Contact me if you are curious about software bots or Automation Anywhere! ([email protected]).

“The kids are great. Two are launched and one is almost there, so my wife and I are enjoying the empty nest. We are traveling when we can, and I have more time to attend to diet and exercise. I’m also continuing to mentor startups at Berkeley, Stanford, and Sacramento in my free time. This is a new phase of life, much of it yet to be explored.”

Razab Chowdhury, of Fremont, Calif., notes, “After three years at Slalom Consulting, I decided it was time for new challenges. Joining Gartner Consulting where I will have a chance to reconnect with Kat Evans and Graham Passey. To celebrate the transition, I went ahead and knocked off Angels Landing (Zion) from my hiking bucket list.”

Jennifer Haroon, chief operating officer at Nauto, was named a 2019 Automotive News Rising Star and featured in a special section in the April 1 issue of Automotive News. The accolade honors U.S.-based auto executives under age 45 on the manufacturing and supply side of the auto industry who display the talent and dedication necessary to become industry leaders of tomorrow. Nauto is an AI-technology company working to improve the safety of commercial fleets today and the autonomous fleets of tomorrow.

Jerome Del Porto, of Dallas, Texas, joined Walmart as head of international strategy.

Gautam Ghose, of Milpitas, Calif., writes, “#GoGreen! Despite the best efforts by the current federal administration to hobble the globally burgeoning renewable energy industry by implementing tariffs and coal subsidies, the U.S. solar industry is still growing at a decent clip due to the 30 percent tax credits extended by the prior administration. Both the large-scale utility solar farms and the smaller scale commercial and residential solar installations will grow year-overyear, generating more jobs in 2019 than in 2018.

“In addition to managing the North America product marketing of the leading solar manufacturer in the world, Trina Solar, I am managing the rollout of the new TrinaPro and TrinaHome solutions. These are one-source system-level solutions for the utility scale and commercial/ residential market segments enabling easy, riskfree, and high-quality solar installations across the US and Canada.

“This year has been amazing, with our treasured daughter graduating with a best-in-class performance at Valley Christian High School and initiating her career in medicine at Northwestern University. Our ‘coder guru’ son just graduated from his junior high to step into the high school combat arena and prep for his college journey. My lovely wife, Joyita, is excelling in her artistic entrepreneurship venture, successfully ramping her hand-painted Poshaq silks business across national wholesale and retail markets. Her rare made-in-California artwear venture is finding its niche, competing strongly against high-volume, lowcost printed clothing.”

Steven Huang, of San Francisco, notes, “Two recent moves: Our brokerage business is now at a new office at 580 4th Street in SoMa, and we moved back into our condo in the Mission after an extensive renovation project. Our twins love their new bedrooms!”

David Saxe, of San Francisco, reports, “Calvera Partners, a San Francisco-based real estate investment firm founded in 2010 by Brian Chuck, Brian Milovich, MBA 06, and me, recently launched its next investment opportunity, the Calvera Multifamily Transformation Fund. The fully discretionary real estate investment fund, our third, will provide accredited investors with direct access to attractive, hard-to-find opportunities in growing markets by acquiring and repositioning apartment communities using inspiration from the boutique hotel industry. Our strategy has provided investors with long-term cash flow and superior risk-adjusted investment returns.”

Brett Wilson, TubeMogul co-founder, has left the business two-anda- half years after it was acquired by Adobe. In an interview with AdNews, Wilson said the time felt right to leave the digital advertising platform: “We created lots of shareholder wealth, and Adobe is a great home for our team and clients,” he said. Wilson had been serving as Adobe’s VP of advertising. He co-founded TubeMogul with John Hughes, who serves as Adobe’s VP of product and engineering advertising. Read more about Wilson’s groundbreaking career: haas.org/brett-wilson.

John Pettus, of San Francisco, announces, “This summer my team released a beta of Fiskkit. com, a system for online news discussions that lets readers comment on individual points in the article. The system ‘is designed to elevate public discourse’ instead of drive clicks. As a by-product, the conversation allows us to: 1. fact-check all online news in real time (no joke), 2. let users filter trolling, harassment, and abuse (vital for women, PoC and LGBTQ), and 3. quantify the improvement in student critical thinking. I’d love to hear from any Haasies interested in misinformation, public discourse, or education at [email protected]. Changing how the public processes online information is an ambitious task, and we’d love to get you involved. On the personal side, I went ‘senior’ from the Guardsmen of San Francisco, but can still be found selling Christmas trees down at Fort Mason every December to send at-risk kids to summer camps.”

Adam Skibley, of Chicago, writes, “Missed joining fellow classmates back on campus for our 10-year reunion but heard some good stories. It sounded like a great weekend of reliving old memories and making some new ones. I did, however, recently relive a bit of the classroom environment as a participant in the University College Dublin (UCD) Smurfit Graduate Business School’s Executive Development Senior Leadership Programme entitled “Building the Growth Enterprise.” As vice president of strategy and corporate development for the performance nutrition division of Ireland-based Glanbia, Plc, the opportunity to study on campus at UCD, network with Irish and other international classmates, and meet with various leaders from the Irish public and private sectors provided both leadership development and deep exposure to European markets. Not to mention an opportunity to stop in a couple of pubs in Dublin for a pint or two of Guinness!”

10th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Srinivas Avasarala, of Palo Alto, Calif., reports, “I started as VP of products at Balbix, a San Jose-based venturebacked startup delivering an AI-powered approach to enterprise cybersecurity posture transformation. Drop me a note if you are interested in this topic and I’m happy to share our vision and solution.”

Deepak Goel, of Folsom, Calif., updates, “I have been gradually building KarmaCircles over the last couple of years, and I’m proud to say we’ve put together a very impressive technology team. Now that the heavy lifting of the core KarmaCircles product is pretty much done, the tech team has some bandwidth to take on a couple of projects to build products for other companies. So, I have started a product studio, which provides high-quality software development services at a very reasonable price. More details at www. productstudio.us.

Erik Kiewiet de Jonge marked his two-year explains. “Kristen and I recently welcomed our third child, Vivienne, joining older sister Louisa and brother Alex.”

Dinesh Moorjani, of Belmont, Calif., reports, “I co-founded a boutique investment bank three years ago focused on M&A and private financing advisory for emerging growth technology companies in the mobile, enterprise software, and digital media markets. It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride, but I’ve enjoyed the thrills of being an entrepreneur and deal making. On the personal front, being a dad to my 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Harleen, has been the best thing ever, and she is growing up to be a funny, sensitive, and thoughtful little lady.”

Hamza Khan, of London, U.K., has had a busy year: elected partner entrepreneurship folks out there?). Say hi if you’re passing through London—drinks on me.”

Nick Caldwell is chief product officer at Looker, a business intelligence software and big data analytics platform acquired this month by Google for $2.6 billion. Caldwell was previously VP of engineering at Reddit. In an interview with Black Enterprise, he says, “I find the greatest fulfillment in building an organization where employees can learn, grow, and achieve their full potential. Leaders must create new leaders.”

Prateek Gera, the CEO and founder of ramp.digital and a former executive at HP, Cisco, and relayr, became VP of product at Kontakt.io in March, after it acquired ramp.digital. Gera will focus on Simon AI, Kontakt.io’s end-to-end IoT (Internet of Things) solution that provides industrial operators and plant managers with IoT data and AI-driven recommendations to prevent accidents, increase productivity, optimize utilization, and gain operational efficiencies.

Arun Shekar, who recently started the search fund Redwood Growth Partners, was profiled earlier this year in The Times of India. Read it at haas.org/shekar.

Stephanie Lawrence announces, “I just moved back to Berkeley with my family, now with two children (10 months and 2 1/2 years). We’re excited to be back and hope to reconnect with others. I continue to love building Traveling Spoon, the company I founded with Aashi Vel, connecting travelers with local food experiences in people’s homes around the world. We have recently expanded to a number of new destinations, from Tulum, Mexico, to Croatia, and now have experiences in over 150 cities around the globe, from Europe to Asia to South America. If you’re looking for any advice for upcoming travels, I hope you’ll reach out!”

Paroma Sen, of Palo Alto, Calif., updates, “Six years in India were a wild ride—I started with a year in philanthropy, another year with startups, a couple of years in e-commerce heading marketing and content, and then moved back to B2B marketing with SAP in India.

“This February I relocated back to California with the position of global director, industries marketing with SAP customer experience. This role brings me back to the manufacturing customer base, stirring up old passions, as I had started my career with manufacturing.”

Toby Sun was named on Business Insider’s list of 10 transportation leaders changing how the world gets around. Sun co-founded bike- and scooter-sharing startup Lime with Brad Bao, MBA 05. The article notes that Lime’s bikes and scooters can be found in more than a dozen countries worldwide and in more than 100 U.S. cities.

Adam Chopko, of Mountain View, Calif., after four years at Livongo helping empower people with chronic conditions to live better and healthier lives, is now senior director of business development and strategy, focusing largely on leading strategic clinical and product partnerships as well as corporate development and M&A.

Noa Elan, of San Francisco, writes, “We’re now 11 Haasies at Lyft— across Denver, Cleveland, the Rockies, SoCal, S.F., and Vegas! We try to meet up for happy hours once a quarter and exchange random high fives in the hallway. On March 29, Lyft went public, and we celebrated together at 6:00 a.m. in the office, before our founders rang the bell.”

Tom Pryor, of Oakland, Calif., after six years at the nonprofit education website Khan Academy, has now moved to lead product at ClassDojo, another education app for teachers and parents, used by over 60 million people around the world. “For folks in similar roles, or if you’re interested in talking about product management, education, or building products for parents or teachers, please get in touch!”

5th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Andrew Lee, of New York City, joined MIRROR as VP of growth. MIRROR offers the world’s first nearly invisible, interactive home gym featuring live and on-demand fitness classes in a variety of workout genres. Learn more at www.mirror.co.

Brandon Middleton, of Union City, Calif., updates, “I’ve been at Slalom Consulting for a little while but have recently been given responsibility for business development, sales, and partnerships in the Bay Area. I’m excited to tackle these new duties and push forward the conversation around diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging in tech as well.

“We just had our third child, Maxwell Timothy Middleton, a few months back, and we took him, his brother Christian, and his sister Malaika to Maui and Honolulu as a family. Beach time, snorkeling, phenomenal sunsets, and luaus are good for the soul.

“I’ve started on the board of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and have continued my volunteer work at Streetcode Academy and College Track. This aligns with my goal of getting 100 black and brown underrepresented folks employed in the tech industry by 2021 (I’m 10 percent of the way there).”

Brian Ross, the co-founder of Infrashares, a crowdfunding platform that helps raise private investment in infrastructure, was named one of California’s top young professionals for 2019 in the architecture, engineering, and construction community by Engineering News-Record. Ross was a platoon leader deployed to Afghanistan and personally led more than 30 combat engineering missions.

Brendan Shanahan, of Chicago, reports, “In February, I left my role in San Francisco as vice president at real estate private equity firm Pacific Coast Capital Partners to open a new Chicago office for Annaly Capital Management, a publicly traded mortgage REIT. I will be leading deal originations across the Midwest for Annaly’s Commercial Real Estate Group while also building out a team as the business grows. Despite Mother Nature trying to impede our cross-country drive with snow and avalanches shutting down I-80 and I-70, my wife, Lindsey, daughter, Amelia, dog, Buckley, and I all arrived safely in Chicago in March. Excited to meet some Haasies here!”

James Wang forwards the following: “My SkyDeck company, Lioness, which I co-founded with Anna Lee, BS 13 (mechanical engineering), was endorsed by Mozilla through its Valentine’s Day guide as a model of a company going ‘above and beyond’ when it comes to protecting users’ privacy and security. Said Mozilla’s write-up of the company’s smart vibrator: ‘They are upfront on their site about how they treat data, personally identifiable information, and threats to security. They encrypt their databases, fully anonymize user information, have designed their product with built-in informed consent when it comes to syncing data with the app, and have thought deeply about threat modeling. It’s honestly refreshing to see a company take privacy and security so seriously.’ “

Amrit Acharya, of Bangalore, India, announces, “In 2018, I left my job at McKinsey’s Palo Alto office and moved back to India to start a company: Zetwerk (zetwerk.com). We are a platform for custom manufacturing. Excited to share that we recently announced a $9m Series A from Sequoia Capital, Accel, and Kae Capital. Would love to collaborate with other Haas alums as we scale. I got married in 2018 to my longtime partner, Sharanya Haridas.”

Shadie Andraos, of Denver, Colo., reports, “My partner and I made the move from Oakland to Denver, where Dana took a role with the City of Denver and I continued in my role with Deloitte Consulting. While we miss lovely California, we have enjoyed our new adventures in the mountains and had the opportunity to purchase our first home!”

Kristoffer Belau, of Saratoga, Calif., updates, “I have been promoted to VP, digital media, at Firewood Marketing, a nearly 300-person full-service marketing agency with clients that include Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, Airbnb, Salesforce, and more. Firewood and its founders were wonderful and supportive while I attended Haas and I am proud to be part of such a great company. I look forward to continuing our track record of performance and building out our media offering as a best-in-class agency.”

Ace Patterson, of Berkeley, Calif., announces, “I got a new role at Facebook leading marketing operations for Messenger and WhatsApp. My latest album, Airplane Mode, was released in late March 2019 and debuted in its first week at #3 on the iTunes Top 40 U.S. Hip-Hop Album Chart as well as at #50 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Album Sales Chart!”

Michael Young, of Oakland, Calif., reports, “After several successful startup launches, I decided to start an early-stage venture capital firm. It’s my first fund! So, it’s a fun and exciting new challenge. Investing in Deep Tech and Enterprise SaaS, I’ve built a portfolio of companies valued at $400M+. We help founders build a strong, high-performing, inclusive culture strategically and intentionally from the beginning to achieve financial outperformance.

“I’m looking to connect with family offices and other accredited investors as potential investors in my fund. I would love to have the Berkeley Haas alumni family along for the journey! Please reach out to [email protected].”

Ganesh Srikumar, of San Francisco, started a new job and role: Lead Privacy at Coinbase Inc.

1st Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Vijay Madhavan, of Belmont, Calif., writes, “I head product management for Walmart’s digital video service, Vudu. For the past two years, it has been a great experience being part of the evolution of Walmart’s digital strategy. I have grown my team and recently hired a Haas MBA. The media and entertainment industry is in the middle of a major transformation. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead. Commencement was a great experience for my family. My 9-yearold daughter walked with me and enjoyed the day at Berkeley.”

15th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

10th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Natalie Vonja Mincek Bates passed away on April 3, 2018. She was a driving force behind the acquisition of the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation by Ancestry and helped oversee the launch of Ancestry’s DNA testing product, serving as senior director of AncestryDNA and strategic initiatives. She is survived by a husband and young son.

Derek Andersen was appointed CFO at Snap in May. Andersen had served as the company’s vice president of finance.

Daniel Kimble, of Castro Valley, Calif., updates, “My company, Resonance Executive Coaching, has greatly expanded in recent years. We now have clients across the world and a staff of more than 100 executive coaches delivering our services. My first book, Unshakeable Influence: Mastering the Inner Game of Leadership, was published in April. The book targets senior executives who are looking to up their leadership game with the aspect that matters the most: The Inner Game of Leadership. I’m excited to bring our executive coaching protocol, along with highly practical tips and techniques, to a broader audience. Want to navigate office politics in a way that feels good to you and maximizes your influence? Want to optimize your mental and emotional leadership game? Improve at delegation, coaching, and mentoring others? Lots of practical tips: haas. org/daniel-kimble.

“In August 2018, I married my beautiful, wise, and amazing soulmate on the big island of Hawaii. It was a purposefully small and romantic wedding just for us, with only my 9-year-old son, Indiana, present. I proposed to Marianne on Crown Beach, so getting married on the beach in Hawaii was perfect. And, it was such an earth-shattering marriage that Hurricane Lane showed up for our honeymoon. It was an adventure, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Rupam Shrivastava, of San Jose, Calif., reports, “I am currently managing ePlanet’s latest quant investment fund launched in 2017. We invest in publicly traded U.S. tech stocks. I would love to talk to like-minded folks in the business and exchange market views and investment strategies. I continue to follow my goal of traveling to three different countries each year. For 2019, I visited Oman, Belgium, and Netherlands.”

Rochelle Webb, of Redondo Beach, Calif., writes, “2018 ended with a bang! I closed out the first quarter of my new venture, Optimist Made, a socially conscious venture that gives creators, makers, and designers in the fashion industry around the world a chance at scaling their businesses. Optimist Made has created a marketplace that curates their products and activates merchandising and marketing support to win the products greater visibility. A portion of the profits is donated back to charities in the countries where these artisans were discovered. We are gearing up for the company’s first round of fundraising.

“Also, I accepted a fulltime teaching position at Loyola Marymount University as a professor of marketing and entrepreneurship. LMU is an exciting place, constantly challenging the status quo and finding innovative ways to bring real-world applications into the classroom. It is exactly where I need to be, and it has already been an inspiring ride every step of the way.”

5th Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Alejandro Maldonado, of San Jose, Calif., and Mani Kannappan launched their proptech startup, at HUM, the “world’s first AI interior designer that disrupts virtual home stagings by making them fully personalized to each homebuyer’s style and needs,” he writes. “Our platform helps homebuyers understand a property better, exploring it through immersive, fully adaptive visuals to help them achieve the full potential of a space, just as if they had their own personal interior designer. On the other side we help homebuilders sell properties faster by building powerful emotional connections with their customers. We are excited to share this with the Haas community and offer discounts to alumni (visit athum.com or email hello@ athum.com).”

Mohsin Imam, of Fremont, Calif., announces, “Launched a project I was helping my wife and sister-in-law with, a line of artisanmade, eco-friendly, fair-trade sneakers: haas. org/imam-kickstarter. This was a labor of love and lots of hard work. Not only are these sneakers completely sustainable and ecofriendly, they’re helping revive a traditional craftsmanship of embroidery and putting it on sneakers for the first time.”

1st Reunion
april 24–26, 2020

Charles Snow, of Eugene, Ore., writes, “I was a student of former Haas Dean Raymond Miles, who passed away recently. He and I co-authored the classic management book, Organizational Strategy, Structure, and Process, in 1978. I retired as professor of strategy and organization at Penn State in 2012. Currently, I chair the board of directors of the Organization Design Community, an international community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to advancing the theory and practice of organization design. Ray Miles advocated the integration of theory and practice throughout his career, and it has been my pleasure and honor to work toward achieving his vision.”

Boris Albul (also MFE 04) joined EPIQ Capital Group as chief investment officer. He will lead macroeconomic research, investment analysis, portfolio construction, and risk management for EPIQ clients. Earlier in his career, Albul served as a financial economist in the risk and policy analysis unit at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.