Alumni Updates
Robert T. Lackey, Fisheries Biology, 1967
Submitted: September 14, 2016
Robert T. Lackey, 1967 Fisheries, was recently named a Fellow of the American Fisheries Society at the society’s 146th Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Mo. He has worked on an assortment of natural resource issues from various positions in government and academia. Most recently, he retired after 27 years with the Environmental Protection Agency’s national research laboratory in Corvallis, Ore., where he served as Deputy Director, Associate Director for Science, and in other senior leadership positions. Dr. Lackey has long been an educator, having taught at five North American universities and, currently, he teaches a graduate course in ecological and natural resource policy at Oregon State University. He has published over 100 articles in scientific and professional journals.
Tobin Fulmer, Biological Sciences, 2005
Submitted: July 29, 2016
Tobin Fulmer, 2005 Biological Sciences, has taken a position with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality at the El Dorado office.
Ron Fritzsche, Biological Sciences, 1967
Submitted: July 14, 2016
Ron Fritzsche, 1967 Zoology, recently contributed a section to the Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Fritzsche is an Emeritus Professor of Fisheries Biology. He was the HSU Outstanding Professor in 1991 and served as an administrator including Dean for Research, Graduate Studies and International Programs. Fritzsche also served as assistant to the Provost for faculty affairs and space and facilities. He is currently an elected board member for the North Humboldt Recreation and Park District and the local Timber Heritage Association. Fritzsche met his wife, also an HSU graduate, in John VanDuzer’s Speech 1 class.
Allison Formica, Biological Sciences, 2014
Submitted: June 24, 2016
Allison Formica 2014 Biological Sciences, is working as a Life Science Research Professional in the Genetics Department at Stanford University studying the cellular and molecular biology of the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis, which is a critical relationship to the lives of reef-building corals. She was recently promoted to Laboratory Manager and is assisting in developing a reliable spawning protocol for the sea anemone, Aiptasia, in an attempt to improve spawning efficiency and predictability in the lab.
John Giraldes, Chemistry, 2003
Submitted: June 15, 2016
John Giraldes, 2003 Chemistry, graduated from University of Minnesota with a degree in Medicinal Chemistry in 2006 and went on to work for Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Global Discovery Chemistry, Oncology in Cambridge, Mass., until 2015. Giraldes then relocated to Baltimore, Md., and currently working as a Project Manager and Scientific Analyst for the National Cancer Institute's Experimental Therapeutics (NExT) Program.
Keith Parker, Fisheries Biology, 2015
Submitted: May 26, 2016
Keith Parker, 2015 Fisheries Biology, recently received a $15,000 Switzer Environmental Fellowship for the 2016-17 academic year. This award is given to individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership and dedication to working in the environmental field.
Dani Burkhart, Environmental Science & Management, 2013
Submitted: May 16, 2016
Dani Burkhart, 2013 Environmental Science & Management, led Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Congressman Jared Huffman, Board of Equalization Members Fiona Ma and George Runner, Asm. Jim Wood and the Blue Ribbon Commission on a fact-finding tour of Humboldt County's Medical Cannabis farms and industry. Following that work, Emerald Heritage Farms was launched as a consulting firm to help the area's heritage cannabis farmers come into compliance with changing laws and regulations. Recently, Burkhart helped launch of the first Humboldt County Cannabis Chamber of Commerce building bridges between cannabis and non-cannabis based businesses in Humboldt County.
Robert P. Parker, Fisheries Biology, 2011
Submitted: March 29, 2016
Robert P. Parker, 2011 Fisheries Biology, began working for the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality as a Clean Water Act Section 401 coordinator in March.
Jeremy Bisson, Wildlife, 1999
Submitted: March 13, 2016
Jeremy Bisson, 1999 Wildlife, spent six years working as a biologist in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office Observer Program after graduating HSU. In 2006, Bisson moved to south central Idaho, where he has been working as a wildlife biologist in the Burley BLM Field Office for the last nine years. His focus in Idaho has been sage-grouse habitat restoration where he’s had success in developing a landscape scale habitat restoration plan and collaboration.
Kenneth L. Liscom, Wildlife, Jan., 1949
Submitted: March 9, 2016
Kenneth L. Liscom, 1949 Wildlife, was born and raised in Arcata. Liscom has retired after 40 years of working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He studied salmon and steelhead in the Sacramento River, Alaska, Columbia, and snake rivers by radio tracking. Liscom also studied fish scale analysis and effect of electrical guiding on salmon.
Rhiannon Klingonsmith, Wildlife, 2004
Submitted: March 7, 2016
Rhiannon Klingonsmith, 2004 Wildlife, has worked as a wildlife biologist in the state and private sectors since graduating. Klingonsmith has remained active in The Wildlife Society and is currently the Sacramento-Shasta chapter president for 2016.
Stephanie Foster, Wildlife, 1995
Submitted: March 2, 2016
Stephanie Foster, 1995 Wildlife, is currently working at the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley. The center provides care and rehabilitation for injured, sick and orphaned wildlife.
Raymond J. Bogiatto, Wildlife, 1977
Submitted: March 2, 2016
Raymond J. Bogiatto, 1977 Wildlife, received his Master of Science in Biology from California State University, Chico in 1986. Bogiatto then worked at Eagle Lake Station as a station manager from 1989-2009. Bogiatto has been serving as a faculty member teaching biology at CSU Chico since 1987 to present day.
Gail Newton, Biological Sciences, 1989
Submitted: February 18, 2016
Gail Newton, 1989 M.A. Biology, married alumnus, Jared Haynes (see above), in 1986 under the redwoods in Eureka. Newton and Haynes have one child, Blythe Newton-Haynes, who is currently attending Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass. Newton began her career in Humboldt County as a self-employed botanist. During her 10 years as a professional botanist, she provided 1,400 specimens to the HSU herbarium (many of which are rare species from remote areas of the North Coast) and restored coastal dune, riparian, and wetland systems. After the couple moved to Sacramento, she spent 27 years employed by the state of California as a restoration ecologist and manager in the Departments of Conservation, Fish and Game, Water Resources, and the State Lands Commission. Newton retired in 2015. They plan to split their retirement time between Connecticut, California, and traveling.
Jared Haynes, Biological Sciences, 1982
Submitted: February 18, 2016
Jared Haynes, 1982 M.A. Biology and 1986 M.A. English, married alumna Gail Newton in 1986 under the redwoods in Eureka. Haynes started his career at College of the Redwoods, teaching math and English. After the couple moved to Sacramento, Haynes spent 25 years teaching writing in the University Writing Program at UC Davis, including an advanced writing course for biology students and an advanced writing course for pre-law students. Haynes also taught the university’s English grammar course and a Science in the Renaissance course. Haynes retired in 2014.
Crystal Schalmo, Biological Sciences, 2004
Submitted: February 18, 2016
Crystal Schalmo, 2004 Biological Sciences, participated in Miami University’s Earth Expeditions global field course in Costa Rica during summer 2015. In Costa Rica, Schalmo studied biotic, physical, and cultural forces that affect tropical biodiversity at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and La Selva Biological Station. Schalmo, a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo Global in San Diego, Calif., took the graduate course in pursuit of her master’s degree from Miami University’s Global Field Program.
Jay Thomas Watson, Wildlife, 1980
Submitted: February 18, 2016
Jay T. Watson, 1980 Wildlife Management, spent several years as Lead Wilderness Ranger in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, working out of the Weaverville Ranger District of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. He then served for three years as the Executive Director of the Camp Unalayee Association, a non-profit organization based in Palo Alto, Calif., that owns and operates a wilderness backpacking summer camp for 10-17-year-old youth also in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Watson then spent almost 20 years with The Wilderness Society, both in Washington, D.C., where he lobbied Congress on wilderness legislation and the annual Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, and in California where he was Regional Director for over a decade. For the last 11 years, Watson has worked for the Student Conservation Association, an organization dedicated to youth development, building character, and promoting careers in conservation. Watson is Vice President of the Western United States and works out of Oakland. Watson and his wife, Kathleen, have been married for 30 years and have two sons. Thomas is a First Lieutenant with the United States Marine Corps and leads a 36-man Infantry Platoon. Charles works in Government Affairs in Sacramento.
Hadasa Villalobos, Chemistry, summer 2014
Submitted: February 5, 2016
Hadasa Villalobos, ’14 Chemistry, worked for E&J Gallo Winery for a harvest season after graduating HSU. Villalobos went on to working for an agricultural chemical company doing plant, water, and soil analysis. While working for the agricultural chemical company, Villalobos was also helping out a local brewery set up a QC program. She was then recruited by The Dudes Brewing Company to run their QC program, where Villalobos is currently working. Villalobos is content with her choice of attending HSU and is very appreciative of the knowledge she gained from the Chemistry Department and the time spent in it.
William Bernt, Physics & Astronomy, 1995
Submitted: December 24, 2015
William Bernt, 1995 Physics & Astronomy, found work immediately doing chemical analysis at Pacific Coast Laboratory. Bernt then moved to New York and found work and his new profession at Brookhaven Instruments Corp, where he ran the research and development lab for five years, sold their equipment for 10 years, and moved to technical sales for other instrumentation companies. He then started his own contract research lab, PCL, Inc. Bernt writes, “ HSU Physics gave me such good education and training. Thank you Bill Alexander, Prof. Thompson, Prof. Chin, Prof. Tam, and all the other great people at HSU Physics. I owe you and the department everything!”
Bruce M. Baker, Fisheries Biology, 1988
Submitted: December 18, 2015
Bruce M. Baker, 1988 Fisheries Biology, has been working as a fisheries biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife since 1991.