The Big Question:
Who was a Haas professor or leader you admired and what kernel of wisdom did they share that sticks with you today?
Alumni Notes
UNDERGRADUATE
1966
Herman (Buzz) Boschken and Irene Boschken See MBA 1968.
1972
50th Cal Reunion
September 23–25, 2022
Pete Reese, of McLean, Va., died at home on November 22, 2021, surrounded by his family.
After graduating from Berkeley, he received his JD from American University Washington College of Law in 1983. Pete then worked for the federal government in Washington, D.C. His career spanned almost 35 years, with most of his time spent as a tough contract negotiator at several agencies.
He had many passions, but most of all he had a lifelong love of history and historical board games and was well known to his fellow gamers as one of the very best and hard to beat. With the advent of online gaming, Pete often acted as the tournament gamemaster for these complex games. In Pete’s many travels, he generally knew more than the tour guides at historical locations; there was always a historical sight to visit and a history lesson when traveling with him.
Pete loved his alma mater and, whenever possible, he tried to catch a football game in Berkeley and frequently attended alumni meetups in D.C. to watch a game with his wife, Sandy, and his younger daughter, Gail, BS 06.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 47 years and best friend, Sandy; his children Stephanie and Gail (Eric); his grandchildren, Autumn, Liam, and Lenora; brother Rick (Tedi); cousin Kathy Stanley (Dale); and nephew Garrett Reese (Meghan). He will be missed greatly. Read his obituary.
1974
N. Dean Meyer, of Ridgefield, Conn., just published his eighth book, the capstone of three decades of studying the pragmatics of entrepreneurial organizations where each box on the org chart is defined as a business within a business. How Organizations Should Work presents an inspiring and detailed vision of the end-state organizational operating model; clear principles of structure, resource-governance processes, culture, and metrics; and step-by-step implementation processes. This is a handbook for transformational leaders.
1979
Max Torres, of Hyattsville, Md., reports, “My 13-year-old son, Gabriel Anthony Torres, the last of our eight children, hugged Pope Francis at a Wednesday audience on December 1, 2021. The Vatican posted it on the Pope’s Instagram page. My son was wearing my Cal sweatshirt, which is clearly visible in the Vatican photos.
“I am the Della Ratta Family Endowed Professor of Business at The Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America. I taught a leadership class at our Rome campus this past fall, which is why we were in Rome.” Shown: Max with white mask, near the Pope’s hand, standing next to wife, Devra.
1981
Steve Algert, of Oakland, Calif., announces, “I’ve moved back to the Bay Area and am now working for Berkeley’s endowment. So your gifts will be well managed. I’ve got two sons working in SF—the youngest graduated from Cal last year. It’s great to be back!”
1982
Mark Rosenthal, of Los Angeles, updates, “Managed to keep the ship afloat during COVID, which was no easy task. As part of that process (which coincidentally was just after my 60th birthday), started a transition of our company from a direct operator of multiple business lines to one that is seeking to invest with like-minded real estate developers/owners and other entrepreneurs.
“Had an amazing journey in April through Scotland with my wife and son. We spent time in Edinburgh and toured throughout the Highlands. My son is finishing up a semester abroad at the University of Edinburgh.”
1987
Carrie Dolan See MBA 1997.
1989
Elaine Fitch, of Washington, D.C., managing partner of Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch, a boutique employment law firm, has co-authored the recently released fifth edition of Security Clearance Law and Procedure. The guide offers a comprehensive and authoritative analysis of security clearance law and procedure and provides updates on the field’s many recent changes.
1992
Bhupen Amin, of Walnut Creek, Calif., was elected chair of the Directors’ Loan Committee at United Business Bank, where he has served on the board of directors for 10 years while managing his private hotel company Lotus Hotels & Investments, Inc. “I am so excited that my twin daughters, Shaya and Shrianna Amin, both chose Cal. They will be part of the incoming Class of 2026. Go Bears!” Shown: the Amin family at Cal Day 2022. Bhupen, daughters Shrianna and Shaya, and wife, Sejal.
Mister Emael (Ernesto Arellano), of València, Spain, reports, “Due to recent changes in the Spanish government in regard to time limits for certain posts, my position as cultural ambassador in Spain ended in May after five years. It has been an incredible adventure, and I am looking forward to the next phase in my life. I was accepted into a master’s program in international media in Germany and will start in October.” Shown: Mister Emael with Adrian Oto Pérez.
The Answer
“During a visit with then-Dean Rich Lyons, he walked me through the four Defining Leadership Principles. I had not previously been able to formally articulate my thoughts on business and life, but these principles have become my most treasured values.”
—Mark Rosenthal, BS 82
President/CEO, Raleigh Enterprise
1997
25th Cal Reunion
September 23–25, 2022
Vicente Reyes, of San Francisco, updates, “I recently joined Pennington LLP, a boutique real estate law firm, and was selected to the 2022 Northern California Super Lawyers list. My transactional practice focuses on the representation of a wide range of clients, lenders, developers, and a variety of investors on a broad range of commercial real estate matters, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, hospitality, multi-family projects, and finance. I also regularly represent small business owners on real estate and business matters, such as entity formation and joint ventures. I look forward to connecting with fellow Haas alumni—linkedin.com/in/vpreyes.”
Succeed in New global Markets
Global Class (Benbella Books, 2022) is a playbook that teaches how to develop the mindset, culture, and strategies to successfully build global businesses. Through case studies and insights from over 200 of the world’s fastest-growing companies, Aaron McDaniel, BS 04, and co-author Klaus Wehage offer a comprehensive blueprint for scaling globally. McDaniel was also the 2022 commencement speaker for Haas undergrads in May. Watch his speech.
—Aaron McDaniel, BS 04
Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Haas Lecturer
1998
Christine Chun See MBA 2006.
2001
Will Edmonson, of West Hollywood, Calif., writes, “I continue to practice law, primarily handling litigation matters for individuals and small and mid-sized businesses. Before starting my own practice, I was a partner at Doll, Amir & Eley LLP and an associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Previously, I served as a law clerk in federal district court and 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.”
The Answer
“Professor Alan Cerf had the most positive attitude and found a way to make tax fun. He always told us that if we were to have a baby, to always have one in December for maximum tax benefit.”
—Naomi Cheng, BS 10
Sr. Director of Accounting & Controller, Norwest Venture Partners
2004
Zean Tsoi, of San Francisco, is an engineering manager starting year eight working at Reddit.
2006
Gail Reese, of Arlington, Va., reports, “I am thrilled to share the joy of both getting married to the love of my life, Eric Skidmore, another Cal graduate (2005) in June 2020, as well as the birth of our own baby bear, Lenora Amery Reese-Skidmore. Lenora was named after her great-grandmother, Lenora Skidmore, and my own father, Peter Amery Reese, BS 72. She embodies much of the same spirit of both of her namesakes—already very independent and always smiling. Her exuberance in exploring everything around her is a great source of delight to both Eric and me.”
2009
Mike Marino, of Menlo Park, Calif., reports, “Lots of excitement to start the year! I took a role leading finance at DuckDuckGo. If you’re a current user, thank you! If not, and you care about your online privacy, please check us out! We had our first child, Mason, and will be moving from Menlo Park to Portola Valley this month. Look forward to catching up!” Shown: Mike with wife, Peggy; baby, Mason; and dog, Charlee.
Richard Zen, of Hong Kong, writes, “Attempting to push my real estate game into the 21st century. Focusing in particular on proptech and life sciences. Would love to chat with my fellow Bears about these topics ([email protected]). Hong Kong went through a very rough time in the first quarter of 2022. Many businesses won’t bounce back, and the lowest income families were the worst affected. My friends and I put together Emergency Relief for Distressed Communities (see help.oph.hk), a charity campaign for six Hong Kong NGOs serving about 5,000 low-income families. We raised over HK$1.5 million. One of the most stressful things I’ve ever done, but also one that I’m most proud of.”
2010
Naomi Cheng, of Mountain View, Calif., updates, “I was recently promoted at Norwest Venture Partners to senior director, controller and am responsible for all financial accounting and reporting, fund management, and valuation at the company. “My husband, Terence, and I also welcomed our first baby, Evan, in February.”
2012
10th Cal Reunion
September 23–25, 2022
Nanxi Liu, of Los Angeles, writes, “I’m now CEO of Blaze (www.Blaze.tech), a no-code platform for teams to build internal tools. Previously, I was CEO and founder of Enplug, one of the largest digital signage software companies, which was successfully acquired last year. I joined the board of directors for CarParts.com, and Dramaworld (season 2), a television show I co-produced, is now streaming on Amazon Prime.”
2014
Eko Devices, co-founded by Jason Bellet, landed a $30 million Series C extension in March. Eko brings applied AI into the stethoscope space and will expand its FDA-approved clinical support algorithms that detect heart problems. Learn more in this Berkeley Haas article on Health Influencers.
Clement Kao, of Santa Clara, Calif., reports, “This year, I’ve fully embraced my new role as CEO and founder of Product Teacher, a product management education company creating accessible and effective resources for a global community of product managers, innovators, founders, and entrepreneurs. Our mission is to make product management easier for everyone! We provide individuals with self-paced courses and career services and publish a newsletter of best practice essays and free resources. We provide teams with corporate workshops, consulting services, and PM job postings. Through our work, we’ve helped professionals from hundreds of fast-growing startups and public companies, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Netflix, Twitter, Airbnb, Tesla, PayPal, Box, Zoom, YouTube, Adobe, Uber, Lyft, Salesforce, Slack, Reddit, Okta, eBay, Hulu, and Spotify.
“I’m always eager to help my fellow Haas alumni! Don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected].” Shown: Clement Kao (right) with significant other Panpan Xu and mother Jessica Kao.
2016
Richa Namballa, of Brooklyn, N.Y., updates, “In August 2021, I left my career of five years as a data scientist to return to school and pursue a master’s in music technology at New York University. My thesis research concerns the field of music information retrieval, but I am learning more about audio recording and production to gain insight into the music industry. Outside the classroom, I work in the Music and Audio Research Laboratory investigating music cognition. My current analysis of physical responses to music in the form of goosebumps has been accepted as a poster presentation in the upcoming Society
of Music Perception and Cognition conference.” Photo courtesy Sarah Kobos.
The Answer
“I learned so much about managing emotions from Senior Lecturer Holly Schroth—comes in handy on a daily basis when working cross functionally with engineers, product, and business.”
—Zean Tsoi, BS 04
Engineering Manager, Reddit
2020
Ziyuan (Roger) Ying, of Fremont, Calif., announces, “I recently founded the Global Dreamer Foundation, a not-for-profit edtech organization with the mission to empower students from all backgrounds with access to quality education. “As the official partner of 15+ world-class universities, including Cal campuses and top Chinese universities, we are reforming the traditional education industry by building a platform for students around the globe to easily enroll in the study abroad programs with the best service and lowest fees possible. Our free-of-cost seminars and scholarships for students from underprivileged backgrounds provide more opportunities for students to access global quality education.
“As the co-president for the 2022 Berkeley China Summit, I’m happy to talk with anyone interested in learning more about our projects.” Shown, from left: Ziyuan (Roger) Ying with classmates Kevin Zhang, Beta Jui, and Yi-wen Wang.
MBA
1968
Herman (Buzz) Boschken, of Davis, Calif., published two more articles in 2022, one in the journal CITIES and the other in the Journal of Urban Affairs, on the impact of globalization on economic inequality in major U.S. metropolitan areas. “Going forward,” he explains, “I continue to be academically active in research focused on urban economic development in global cities.” Buzz and his wife, Irene, BS 66, split their time between a primary home in Davis and a condo in the Marina District of downtown San Diego. “Although now in the ranks of ‘senior status,’ we also spend a month annually in Beaver Creek, Colo., where I continue to be an active skier and mountain hiker. With the recent conclusion of my 11-year tenure on the Davis Planning Commission, we’re pursuing adventures—our grandson’s marriage in Dallas this September and a December Mediterranean cruise with one of our sons and family.”
Marvin Lamoureux, of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, writes, “Although retired from a consulting career in international development I continue to be active in local theater as a member of the: BalletBC Founders’ Council; Vancouver Arts Club Artistic Directors’ Circle; and the Vancouver Opera Guild. My wife Irma and I celebrated our 50th anniversary in April. We remain healthy with our three COVID vaccinations and look forward to a strong travel schedule throughout the remainder of 2022 and into 2023.”
1970
John Rosicky, of San Diego, notes, “Retired for 22 years, still loving it! Volunteering at Meals on Wheels and the local hospice.”
1976
Lodovico Gandini, of Milan, Italy, is retired from finance, engaged in olive tree plantation.
David Roberts, of Oakland, Calif., updates, “I continue to enjoy the excitement of helping clients monetize a lifetime of effort and bringing a second generation of M&A bankers into Focus Advisors.” He also supports the New Leaf Ethiopia Foundation as its treasurer. “We send millions of dollars of surplus medical equipment and supplies to Ethiopia every year.”
The Answer
“Professor E.T. Grether inspired me to do my dissertation on conglomerate mergers, which resulted in my book Conglomerate Mergers and Market Competition (UC Press, 1967) and introduced me to many scholarly opportunities.”
—John Narver, MBA 60, PhD 65
Professor Emeritus, University of Washington
1977
Joseph Carlson, of Monument, Colo., writes, “To utter a simple ‘hello’ to friends of the Haas School of Business is a true bennie during this time of confusion and stress. (Are we headed into recession, days of malaise?) Seems like only yesterday I was studying Milton Friedman’s Free to Choose and working through Paul Samuelson’s Economics while wondering ‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?’ Those days certainly were a simpler time—even with struggling through Maurice Moonitz’s accounting course. Now just where is that APB opinion? I must admit that I yearn for a time without social media frenzies, instant messaging, MSM biases, and the rhetoric of divisiveness. Peter, Paul and Mary’s ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ rings true, don’t you think?”
1978
45th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Alan Sopelak, of West Simsbury, Conn., writes, “Retired, I spend a lot of time composing, arranging, and producing smooth jazz and other tunes. Check out my latest album released in March, Composed, by Alan Sopelak.”
1979
David Southern, of San Francisco, reports, “After 40 years of working for both startup and publicly traded biopharma and tech companies in various finance positions, I’ve retired. It was a great ride watching the biotech world explode from my post-MBA financial analyst job at Cetus Corporation in Berkeley in 1983 to the thriving industry it is today. Retirement has been an opportune time to step back and take a broader look at how management practices have evolved and to understand why they are having difficulty meeting the complex challenges of today’s business environment. I truly believe trends in the external world are creating a historical inflection point pushing organizations toward more adaptive structures and cultures. I’ve
shared my observations and provided examples of how leading companies are responding to this dynamic environment in my new book, Business Apocalypse and the Evolution of Today’s Organizations (KDP, 2022).”
1981
Kevin McDermott, of Westchester, Ill., notes, “I continue to work in the field of elections cybersecurity, a difficult but fascinating and extremely important arena.” Kevin was recently appointed an elder in his Presbyterian church.
1982
Crystal Campisi writes, “I am celebrating 40 years in my San Jose home this year, along with my Cal graduation. I am retired now, having worked for IBM, Applied Materials, Dell, and several other Silicon Valley companies. My daughter, Julie, is a physical education teacher in Salinas, Calif., and my son, Jerry, is working for a production company while making shorts as an actor and auditioning for roles in L.A. I am now on my second marriage and am an empty nester, enjoying my days while traveling, taking cruises, skiing, attending concerts, and dancing to live bands with my husband—all with daily meditation and exercise and remaining grateful for all that life has given me. Living my best life at 65! I also attended my Berkeley Haas 40th Reunion in April.
John Pollner, of Washington, D.C., retired from the World Bank, where he had been lead financial officer for financial sector programs and projects in Eastern Europe and Latin America, and founded the firm Aurora-Quantum-Capital, which conducts financial sector consulting and technical advisory services for emerging and developing countries’ financial markets. Areas of engagement include bank restructuring and resolution, factoring, pension reform, capital markets and securitization, infrastructure/project finance and disaster insurance mechanisms. Shown: John Pollner (left) with friend/colleague Rudy and brother Andrew.
1983
40th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Anna Weidman, of Berkeley, Calif., writes, “Retiring from UC Berkeley after 38 wonderful years with the University of California. Most recently (last eight years) as assistant dean for finance and administration in the Division of Arts and Humanities at UCB. Before coming to campus, I spent 30 years at the University of California Press. I started working there during my senior year as an English major at Cal.”
1987
Marjorie Bennett, of Princeville, Hawaii, announces, “Living the life on Kaua’i now that I am semi-retired. I am a partner at Chicago Partners, LLC. My community service includes teaching financial literacy to domestic violence survivors through the YWCA of Kaua’i; our program is in its sixth year. I also helped seed a program with Kaua’i Animal Welfare Society to rescue senior dogs. Excited to get back out traveling again and seeing friends and family!”
Karen Sukenic, of Berkeley, Calif., notes, “I’ve been a special education teacher for the last 11 years and have loved my work.”
The Answer
“Professor David Alhadeff, a brilliant lecturer in economics, told us that every business person should read The Wall Street Journal every day, and I’ve done that for over 50 years. It has truly enriched my career and personal life.”
—John Rosicky, MBA 70
Retired Chief Financial Officer, RCG Management Consulting
1988
35th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
1991
Adam Hardej, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Carmel, Calif., reports, “BAAR Realty Advisors going strong after 25+ years with record earnings in 2021 followed by record first quarter in 2022. Growing organically with steady commercial appraisal volume from existing clients and always looking for new bank/lender clients (both institutional and private money lenders). Know anyone who needs commercial real
estate appraised?
“One college tuition down (Adam III, Princeton) and one to go (Rachel, Williams, Class of 22). Adam just sold his second startup, now on team at Stonks.com. Rachel eyeballing the family business. Beth, BA 91 (legal studies), and I (shown) together for 36 years and both pursuing amateur golf careers, hitting the beach, and enjoying life.”
1992
Tim Leach, of Healdsburg, Calif., writes, “Last summer I became board chairman of Goldman Sachs Renewable Power LLC. I am also board chairman of Goldman Sachs Middle Market Lending Corp II and am a board member of Goldman Sachs BDC. “Recently, we welcomed a new grandson, Ethan, which brings us to five grandkids under age three! Our three kids all decided to start families at the same time!” Shown: Tim with family.
1993
30th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
1994
John Foraker, co-founder and CEO of children’s nutrition company Once Upon A Farm, announced in March that his company closed a round of $52 million in Series D funding.
Mark Tobin, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., reports, “I have been fortunate to work the last three years as CFO of The Westervelt Company, a 130-year-old private company with a strong people, ethics, and sustainability culture. It has been an enriching experience and a joy to see the company and its people grow.
“As the world opens up again, I hope to travel and spend time with family and friends. I continue to volunteer with The Neo Fund, a microlender that helps the poorest of the poor in Nicaragua and India.”
1995
Jonathan Becker, of Piedmont, Calif., announces, “Everything is good at work! I’m a consultant running my own firm, This Team Works, with a partner. We focus on team and leader effectiveness in life sciences, technology, and nonprofit sectors.
“My sons are 13 and 15 and doing well despite the pandemic. I recently stepped up to the board chair role for Children Rising, which helps Oakland Unified School District students reach grade level in math and reading. It’s a situation that’s become much more dire in the pandemic and I’m proud of how we’re helping kids reach their amazing and full potential.”
Heidi Hofer, of San Francisco, updates, “Retired from Wells Fargo in fall 2021 after 19 years, and my husband also retired at the same time. Loving retirement and much busier than I had anticipated! Playing golf, hiking, socializing, volunteering with NAMI, and continuing to foster kittens with Toni’s Kitty Rescue. Was awed by Utah’s national parks and looking forward to upcoming trips to Oregon, Sicily, Peru, Portugal, and Africa.”
Robert Leland, of Los Altos Hills, Calif., writes, “For 25 years or so I never worked at the same job for more than three years, and for the most part never lived in one place, or one country for more than five years. But for the last 18 years we’ve settled into the peninsula, and both my wife and I have had pretty much the same job since then. I’m still doing financial planning and investment management and seem to be burning out toward retirement in five years or so.
“Five years ago we moved to ‘the big house on the hill’ where I grew up in Los Altos Hills so that my kids could enroll in Gunn High School, the same school I went to. It’s a very competitive school, and the transition for the kids was a little difficult. Four years later my son launched to study chemistry at Cal, but his real major seems to be trumpet in the Cal band, where he is having a blast and likely on the five-year plan because of it. My daughter heads off to Penn next fall. Needless to say, I’m scared about an empty house! I think I’ll need (more) therapy!”
The Answer
“Professor David Aaker: What are you measuring and what are you trying to prove?”
—Joi Grieg, MBA 78
Retired Deputy CTO for Technology Solutions, Federal Account, IBM
VC Changemakers
Lo Toney, MBA 97, and Sydney Thomas, MBA 16, were honored on Venture Forward’s list of Black VCs Making a Big Impact. They were chosen for being rising stars and community catalyzers. Toney is the founder and managing partner of Plexo Capital, which fosters diversity by investing in funds led by women and people of color. He also recently won the DE&I Impact award from the National Venture Capital Association. Thomas recently spun out of Precursor Ventures to found her own venture firm, Impressionism Capital. She works to build community among women of color in VC and is a Kauffman Fellow, which develops global leaders in VC.
1997
Carrie Dolan was appointed CFO of Kraken, a large digital asset platform. She will play a key role in the execution of Kraken’s strategy to become the crypto portal of choice for both retail and professional investors. She’s previously held leadership roles at Tradeshift, Lending Club, Metromile, Charles Schwab, and Chevron.
Laila Tarraf, the former chief people officer and now advisor at Allbirds, is one of eight winners of the 2022 Compassionate Leaders Circle Awards. She was selected from among 160 nominations, representing leaders across sectors from 12 countries. She was honored in the Courageous category for those advocating strongly for themselves, their values, and their stakeholders. She is also the author of Strong Like Water, which tells the story of how she became a more integrated and compassionate leader.
1998
25th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Matthieu Malan, of Casablanca, Morocco, reports, “I Started Livremoi.ma with my wife, Caroline, in 2008. Livremoi is now Morocco’s first online bookstore. Round-one investors are still with us (Morocco Numeric Fund) ten years later. In 2014, Livremoi opened its first brick and mortar store in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city. The online-only model seemed too slow, and sales increased fivefold, online and offline. Benefits came in for the first time in 2020. This year, Livremoi proudly paid half a million MAD in income taxes. We are now opening a second bookstore in Rabat, Morocco’s capital, and are diversifying in other entertainment and cultural goods.
“Felix, our 11-year-old son, started high school this year. He is more mature and has classes in both French and English. He learned Hebrew at Hebraic school and is now learning Arabic. Another language will be mandatory in a year. He developed a passion for geography and quizzes us about the capitals of every single country in the world.”
Mike Trigg, of Menlo Park, Calif., notes, “I wrote a novel called Bit Flip inspired by my 22-year career in technology startups. The book offers a satirical critique of Bay Area tech culture told through a corporate thriller. It comes out August 16, 2022, and is available on Amazon, Bookshop.org, and at local bookstores.”
1999
Abby Jo Sigal was appointed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to be executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Talent and Workforce Development. In this role, Sigal will help deliver on the mayor’s workforce vision to prepare New Yorkers, particularly those from underserved communities, for the jobs of the future, in sectors including the life sciences, clean energy, and 21st-century manufacturing, among others. She will also work in partnership with members of the New York City Workforce Development Board to oversee federal investments in strategic adult and youth workforce development initiatives under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
The Answer
“Lecturer Bill Sonnenschein, who taught me that leadership is love.”
—OMAR GARRIOTT, MBA 09
GLOBAL HEAD OF EDUCATION, QUALTRICS
2001
Patrick DeNeale died on Jan. 9, 2022, at age 50 surrounded by family and loved ones after two years of dealing with cancer. In addition to his Berkeley MBA, he also earned a master’s in civil engineering and fluid mechanics from Berkeley in 1995. He would use the combination of degrees to parlay his engineering mind into a business career focused on technology and robotics, ultimately launching two companies and award-winning consumer robotics products. He was a beloved classmate, renowned for his friendly and inclusive nature, the digital camera hanging around his shoulder, and his engaging presentations. His classmates chose him to give the graduation address, a move the school administration famously described as “a reasonable choice out of left field.” Berkeley Haas meant a great deal to him as it was the place where he was able to change his career and chart a new trajectory in life and work.
In honor of Patrick’s incredible life and in accordance with his wishes, Whitney Hischier, MBA 01, has established a scholarship in his name at Haas, the Patrick DeNeale Renaissance Fellowship.Awards will be given to second year MBAs who have a background in science and engineering and who wish to pursue a career in robotics and/or AI. This fellowship will be awarded for five years. You are invited to contribute with a one-time or five-year pledge of any amount; all donations are tax deductible. Make a gift online or contact [email protected] to inquire about other ways to make a gift.
Florian Pestoni, of Mountain View, Calif., writes, “As an MBA and graduate of the NSF I-corps and someone who has worked on product innovation at both large and tiny companies, I’ve enjoyed and suffered the trade-offs between Big Tech and the scrappy world of startups. I’ve been on the latter side recently and can say I’m doing some of the best work of my professional life at InOrbit.ai, creating an innovative culture at the intersection of autonomous robots and cloud to help address some of humanity’s biggest challenges.
“However, I’ve found that few people outside the rather insular world of robotics have an understanding of the impact robots are already having in our lives, which will only accelerate over the next decade. For that reason, I have started a LinkedIn newsletter to share my view on startups and what I’m calling the #roboverse.
“Over the last two decades, I’ve lived values such as ‘Question the Status Quo’ and ‘Students Always’—still working on the attitude part—but realized I haven’t done enough embracing ‘Beyond Yourself,’ or rather most of that was focused on my children. As they are now more independent, it was the right time to give back. I’ve recently joined the board of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Berkeley Haas Alumni Network. I have also been volunteering for mentoring hours at the Berkeley Entrepreneurship center and am happy to lend an ear to others taking a ride on the startup rollercoaster.”
The Answer
“Steve Chamberlin, lecturer and real estate entrepreneur, encouraged his students to share our experience and knowledge and inspired me to become a mentor and community leader throughout my post-graduate years.”
—CHARMAINE CLAY, MBA 89
TREASURER, GIRLS INC. OF ALAMEDA COUNTY AND BOARD MEMBER, GIRL SCOUTS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2002
Sara Williams Willard, of Brooklyn, N.Y., notes, “After 20 years in real estate, I started my own development firm in 2015. We grew to $150M of assets, all adaptive reuse and multi-family projects in Brooklyn and Queens. Last year, I launched a new initiative focused on adaptive reuse for-sale housing in NYC and Richmond, Va.”
2003
20th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Charles Creighton, of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, writes, “After years of working and investing in mobile gaming and blockchain technologies, I co-founded Departure Lounge Inc. in Vancouver to develop and bring to market several Web3 and metaverse-related initiatives. We’ve almost completed the build of our own Metastage 4D Volumetric Capture studio, where we’ll be able to digitally capture humans in all their real-life glory, turning their performances into hyper-realistic volumetric/holographic assets for the movie, gaming, and metaverse industries. We’ve partnered with Metastage Inc. to license their technology and through that have been granted a regional exclusive for the Microsoft Mixed Reality Capture Studio software. To provide value-added services around the assets we create in the studio, we’ve assembled an incredible creative services group led by industry veterans. With that we can offer clients a range of services, from access to our technology on a for-hire basis, to creative and co-production services, to consulting on migration to Web3 including relevant community engagement and monetization strategies. But most of all, I’m having a ton of fun.” Shown: Charles Creighton (far right) with Skylar Sweetman, James Hursthouse, and Christina Heller.
HUMANITARIAN COALITION
Uyen Nguyen, MBA 06, was named one of the most influential Asian Americans of 2022 by Asian Premier Magazine. Nguyen, the managing partner and co-owner of Seattle restaurant Nue, was honored for her work as an advocate for immigrants and refugees. Last year, she co-founded the volunteer-driven Viets for Afghans, a Vietnamese-led coalition helping Afghan refugees resettle in the U.S. “As refugees or children of refugees, we don’t see an alternative to not do something to support the Afghan community,” she said.
2006
Christine Chun, of San Ramon, Calif., is a marketing consultant who enjoys working with established and emerging brands alike to grow businesses. She sends the following: “After living in Oakland for many wonderful years, Christine moved eastward to San Ramon in 2020. She, her husband, and their two daughters have been adjusting to life in the Tri-Valley. While they miss some good eats, the hikes in the neighborhood and breathtaking seasonal cherry blossoms have been a nice slowdown to the pace of everyday life.”
Keson Khieu, of Roseville, Calif., reports, “Having been the CIO at Emergency Medical Services Authority for three years, I have become passionate about health informatics and precision medicine using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Embarking on a new learning journey at Yale School of Public Health in health informatics.”
Arjun Mehra, of Alameda, Calif., moved back to the Bay Area last year to join Abbott Diabetes Care in Alameda working in business development.
2008
15th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Michael Badalov, of Lafayette, Calif., has been running Dakin Ventures Consulting Group—a nonprofit consultancy focused on helping organizations solve their finance and operations challenges—since 2017.After welcoming their second son, Jonah (1.5), Michael and his family moved to the East Bay from San Francisco in January of 2021.
According to first-born son, Miles (4.5), living in a house “is much better” because “…there’s a driveway, a backyard. and a garage to play in!” Shown: Jessica, Jonah, Miles, and Michael.
Jeff Denby, of Amsterdam, writes in to say that the company he co-founded, The Renewal Workshop, was acquired by Bleckmann International. The Renewal Workshop’s mission to reduce waste and implement circular business models for the fashion industry will now scale across Bleckmann’s own network of facilities in Europe, the U.K., and the U.S.
Stephan Krajcer, of Toronto, writes, “This semester I started an additional role as faculty at the Durham College’s Artificial Intelligence Program. Still keeping my fintech business and my emerging technologies consulting boutique. “After two years of pandemic we were finally able to celebrate Catarina’s bat mitzvah last April.” Shown: Jade, Fabi, Vitoria, Catarina, and Stephan making a toast at Catarina’s bat mitzvah.
Hull Xu was promoted to CFO of Cepton, a provider of state-of-the-art, intelligent, lidar-based solutions for a range of markets such as automotive, smart cities, smart spaces, and smart industrial applications. He had previously served as the company’s VP of finance and strategy.
The Answer
“Professor Jenny Chatman—that culture is there to serve strategy!”
—Jonathan Becker, MBA 95
Principal, This Team Works
2009
Brad Kittredge raised $50 million in Series B funding for Brightside Health, the telemedicine platform he founded and leads as CEO. Brightside, which offers fast access to personalized treatment, expert providers, and ongoing support for a range of mental health concerns, will use the money to address the unmet need of quality mental health care for all.
Hubert Palan, founder and CEO of Productboard, a customer-centric product management platform, announced in February that his company had raised $125M in Series D funding led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Tiger Global Management. This brings Productboard’s total funding to $262 million, with a new valuation of $1.725 billion.
Antony Passemard, of San Francisco, reports, “Last August, I was able to obtain my dream job. I became the general manager for Creative Tools, at Amazon Web Services. I lead a suite of services helping transform the visual effects, 3D animation, and game development industry by providing cloud-based capabilities to artists and creative studios. It was a longtime dream to work with technology in the 3D and computer graphics space, but I never had that chance until now. Working with the movie studios is so fun, and the innovation in that industry is so high that I am enjoying both a challenging job and very fun customers.
“When my wife and I came to the U.S. to attend Haas, many of my classmates met my oldest daughter, Noemie, 3 at the time, whose child care was where one of the new Haas buildings is today. Yes, it was adjacent to Haas! Last spring break, we were touring colleges all over the place as she is getting ready to leave the house in a year or so. We would never have thought we’d still be in the U.S. 15 years later and have a daughter considering UC Berkeley!”
2010
Jessica Wan, of Berkeley, Calif., launched an executive and leadership coaching practice after 18 years heading up marketing initiatives for tech companies, startups, and nonprofits. “I now work one-on-one with leaders navigating change, whether that means taking on a new role, building people management skills, or growing a business. I particularly love coaching Haas alums as we share the common values of the Haas Defining Principles, which seem to be showing up even more in my coaching work than ever before! You can find me at jessicawan.com.
“Since 2015, my husband and I have been living quite close to Haas, in the Northside neighborhood. My husband, John, is a Cal professor in the EECS department; thousands of undergrads every year take his class—and spot him on the street. We can’t do date night in Berkeley anymore! We had our son in 2016, and he’s growing up to be a Berkeley kid through and through.”
Demystifying the Job Search
Linked (Workman Publishing Company, 2022) is the definitive guide to LinkedIn that reveals insider secrets to help you find your dream job. Co-authors Omar Garriott, MBA 09, and Jeremy Schifeling led education marketing at LinkedIn and explain how to game both the search algorithm and Applicant Tracking Systems, which are used by nearly every employer in every economic sector.
—Omar Garriott, MBA 09
Global Head of Education, Qualtrics
2011
Ella Morgulis, of Oakland, Calif., reports, “After 20 years in Silicon Valley in business development roles, I have turned my multi-year side passion for life coaching into a full-time commitment. I love helping my clients navigate life transitions with grace, ease, and a sense of humor. I guide them in developing mental fitness habits, which is the ability to view their current circumstances in a positive light. My goal is to help people experience fulfillment and happiness: lifeenlightened.net.
“At the beginning of the pandemic I moved to Oakland to be with my partner, David.”
2012
Belinda Lyons-Newman, of Berkeley, Calif., writes, “I celebrated 10 years since founding my consulting firm. Lyons-Newman Consulting provides strategic planning, governance, and organizational development services to support mission-driven organizations to advance social, environmental, economic, and racial justice (lyonsnewman.com). I continue to enjoy living in beautiful North Berkeley with my family. My daughter, who was 1 year old when I began my adventures at Haas, starts high school soon!”
Photo by Myrna Kresh (myrnak.com).
Haruki Satomi, of Tokyo, Japan, announces, “The movie Sonic the Hedgehog 2, with which I’m engaged as executive producer, was released in early April in a major boost for the domestic box office revival. The biggest launch of all time for a video game adaptation, this movie is beating the first Sonic! As the pandemic tapers and we finally start to see some hopeful signs, at SegaSammy, where I am president and group CEO of SegaSammy Holdings, our mission (raison d’être) is to be ‘Constantly Creating, Forever Captivating—Making Life More Colorful’ through entertainment. Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega’s popular character celebrating its 30th anniversary, is now entertaining people around the world with smiles and excitement. I will also be moving forward with my mission at full speed—like Sonic!”
The Answer
“Professor Dal Bó and his course on ethics made a big impression on me. I love how he showed us—not just told us—that business and ethics can play on the same team in a meaningful way.”
—Liana Ris, MBA 15
Managing Director, Strategy & Services, Mutations
2013
10th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Tobi Hann, of New York City, reports, “Happy to share that I’ve moved back to the U.S., specifically NYC. I relocated with my wife—yes, I recently got married—to further grow MOSTLY AI, the startup I joined about three years ago and where I continue to serve as CEO. Let me know when you are in town—would love to meet up with Haasies!”
Paroma Sen, of Foster City, Calif., updates, “I started a new role as VP and head of Midmarket Marketing, North America, at SAP. I’m excited, as I expect this to be a challenging and fulfilling role that lies squarely at the cross-section of my experience with digital marketing, industry knowledge, and startup background. Midmarket will form the new frontier of expansion and growth for SAP and as such new practices and approaches will be needed. I can’t wait to get my teeth into this exciting new opportunity!”
The Answer
“Greg LaBlanc taught us the importance of viewing a business’ assets and liabilities cohesively, rather than picking them apart. The synergies that exist between various lines of business can only be completely understood when viewed holistically.”
—PAROMA SEN, MBA 13
VICE PRESIDENT & HEAD OF MIDMARKET MARKETING, NORTH AMERICA, SAP
2014
Jan Shelly Brown has been promoted to partner at McKinsey & Company, where she has worked for some eight years.
Cristina Stanley and Shaun Johnson, of San Francisco, who met at Haas, welcomed a Haas baby! “Mason John Stanley was born on August 27, 2021, weighing in at 8 lbs., 1 oz., 21.5 inches long,
and has been smiling ever since.”
Liana Ris, of Reno, Nev., writes, “In 2020 I joined a small but growing boutique software development agency, Mutations Limited. When I joined, we were nine people strong (I was the first non-development hire), and now we’re pushing 20 folks and growing. I head up projects & services and am working on how we grow our brand, our marketing capacity, and meet our revenue growth goals. Coming from product roles in Silicon Valley, I’m finding it one of the most fulfilling, values-aligned jobs I’ve ever had. The firm cares most about people and about doing the right work. It’s a huge breath of fresh air. My career path is shifting, and I’m loving the direction it’s heading in.
“I moved to Reno in 2017, following my husband’s job offer for a tenure-track position at the University of Nevada. It’s a quieter life here than in the Bay Area, but it’s fitting our family needs for now. I look forward to coming back to the Bay Area in the coming year or two to see old friends!”
2016
Jack S. Song, of San Francisco, has been appointed chief of staff (U.S.) and head of corporate communications at Hashdex, a leading global crypto asset management firm with 250,000 investors worldwide and close to $1B AUM. He has helped the company expand to the U.S. and Europe, focusing on global brand strategy. Yahoo! Finance recently described Jack as a “startup veteran.” He was instrumental in establishing the brand and communications functions at Lime, a global micromobility startup founded by Brad Bao, MBA 05, and Toby Sun, MBA 13. Jack has deep expertise in leading integrated marketing and communications strategy and has brought to market high-profile companies including Lime, Grabango, and several venture- backed startups. He currently also serves as a film commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco, appointed by Mayor Breed.
The Answer
“Catherine Wolfram. I have often used a phrase she used in our economics class: ‘What is behind me is not in front of me.’”
—Tina Shinnick, EMBA 15
Executive Director, Hamilton, Brook, Smith & Reynolds, P.C.
2017
Christian De Achaval, of Seattle, updates, “After four years at Amazon as a product manager, technical, working on AWS Data Center solutions, I moved to Apple as an engineering product manager working on AI/ML platform development. Excited for the new opportunity and for visiting SF more often now that I have peers in the Bay Area.”
Kira Noodleman was promoted to partner at Bee Partners, a Silicon Valley pre-seed venture capital firm. The company noted the portfolio growth Noodleman drove in key sectors including synthetic biology, robotics, and the digitization of the physical world as well as her leadership in cultivating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive networks.
Vishwesh (Vish) Pai, of Milpitas, Calif., writes, “I was at the NASDAQ on April 28 for the bell ringing ceremony for Archimedes Tech SPAC (ticker symbol ATSPT). I was an investor and special advisor to the SPAC, which is reverse merging with SoundHound Inc.”
2018
5th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2019
Yannis Ioannidis, of London, U.K., announces, “I recently assumed a new role at video platform TikTok as head of global intellectual property rights. This is a new team within TikTok’s parent organization, ByteDance, to work with rights holders globally to identify and manage their copyright-protected content on TikTok and other ByteDance global apps and platforms.”
KYTE, co-founded by Ludwig Schoenack, closed an asset-backed credit financing in March of up to $200 million, according to Tech Funding News. In 2021, the on-demand car rental service raised $30 million in funding.
2021
Nikita Das, of Mountain View, Calif., reports, “Started a new job within Google working on product strategy and operations, connecting the dots between Google’s Knowledge and Information product organizations (search, assistant, ads, geo, commerce).”
Cassandra Salcedo, of San Francisco, informs, “Started my job as a product marketing manager at Salesforce in September 2021. After graduating from Haas, I safely traveled throughout Georgia, Turkey, Jordan, Poland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and the Netherlands. Now in San Francisco, I’m happily surrounded by over 60 Haasie neighbors. We meet for dinners, happy hours, hikes, volleyball, and more!”
2022
1st Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
BC/EMBA
2003
20th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2008
15th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2013
10th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
Peter Holst, of Oakland, Calif., announces, “My beautiful wife, Marisa, gave birth to a son we named Elliot, born March 16. Everyone is healthy, albeit a little short on sleep.”
2018
5th Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
2020
Joe Odell, of Redding, Calif., reports, “My business partner Jess Patterson was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal regarding search funds and our recent acquisition.”
2022
1st Reunion
April 28–30, 2023
PHD
1971
William Halal, of Washington, D.C., updates, “Delighted to report that I just published an article in Fortune that calls for transforming capitalism. This builds on my paper ‘Beyond the Profit Motive’ that won the Mitchell Prize ($10,000) in 1977. It’s also a small breakthrough because this article is a full-throated call to transform capitalism into a system of democratic enterprise. The very fact that Fortune would publish it tells us that the time for this historic change is here. The Fortune article is from my new book at BeyondKnowledge.org.”
1975
Fred Wenstøp, of Bekkestua, Norway, now a professor at the Norwegian School of Management, writes, “First child was conceived in Berkeley. I now have three sons and five grandchildren.”
1986
Cathy Goodwin, of Philadelphia, announces, “My podcast, Strategic Storytelling, is about using storytelling in a purposeful way for your business, career, or life. Try it on your favorite platform—cathygoodwin.com/podcast.”
1988
Rick Boettger, of Key West, Fla., reports, “I retired comfortably in 1996 but took on an interesting part-time job where I get to have an office, etc., with a national corporation that pays me the equivalent of an honorarium. This year, I got the earned income credit! I’m mostly ashamed but realize it might be my most distinguishing accomplishment among the triumphs of my peers. I see a death doula weekly.”