Alumni Updates
Richard Caldwell, Music, 1969
Submitted: February 10, 2017
Richard Caldwell, 1969 Music & 1970 Teaching Credential, retired in December after 25 years of Band Instrument repair. Caldwell writes, “Thanks to the College for having a summer session Instrument repair course in 1969. I am still in touch with Val Phillips and Dan Gurnee here 45-plus years later.”
Benjamin Ebert, International Studies, 2003
Submitted: February 10, 2017
Benjamin Ebert, 2003 International Studies, moved his office ot Eureka in 2014. Ebert owns an investment firm, Ebert Capital Management, and a software development company named Ravenlight Technologies, LLC.
Carly Velez Huston (Carly Velez-Balay), Sociology, 1996
Submitted: February 3, 2017
Carly Velez Huston (née Velez-Balay), 1996 Sociology, moved back to her hometown, Sacramento, after graduation and began working for various community non-profit organizations. From 2000 to 2015, Velez Huston worked for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency as a Redevelopment Planner and as a Site Manager for the Public Housing Authority. In November 2015, she started working for the State of California as an Asset Manager for the California Housing Finance Agency. She married an awesome Nebraska boy, Doug Huston, in 2002 and they have one child. She writes, “Our handsome son was born in 2005. I am truly grateful for my HSU education and wonderful friends that I met and continue to be connected with.” Velez Huston lives in College Greens in Sacramento.
Lewis E Sbrana, Music, 1956
Submitted: February 2, 2017
Lewis E Sbrana, 1956 Music, says life after 33 years of teaching music in public schools continues to be sweet and productive. Sbrana founded a concert band for seniors in 1999 with 12 stalwarts and it's now grown to over 80 members. Making music is the catalyst for bringing people together both artistically and socially.
Kelly Curtin, Art, 2012
Submitted: January 31, 2017
Kelly Curtin, 2012 Art, joined Teach for America right after graduation and taught high school Special Education and English in San Jose, Calif., for the past four years. This past year, Curtin made the switch to Montessori education, and currently teaches middle school humanities at a Montessori middle school in Campbell, Calif.
Douglas Harding, Geography, 1985
Submitted: January 30, 2017
Douglas Harding, 1985 Geography, has completed 11 years at Hope Flight Foundation as Founder, President, and Chief Pilot. Hope Flight Foundation provides free flights for children with cancer from the small remote towns of California to the specialized cancer hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles area.
Taylor Kilgore, Communication, 2011
Submitted: January 29, 2017
I moved to Colorado accepting a sports anchor position at CBS KKTV. I now get to cover teams like the Broncos, Rockies, Nuggets, and the Air Force Academy.
Melody Stone, Journalism, 2007
Submitted: January 26, 2017
Melody Stone, 2007 Journalism, after three years in public media at Capital Public Radio, just started as the marketing and communication specialist at the University of Nevada, Reno journalism school. Stone is also teaching a design lab.
Billy Wright, Communication, 2014
Submitted: January 12, 2017
Billy Wright, 2014 Communication, is currently teaching and coaching in Kerman, Calif., at Kerman High School. Wright was recently invited to coach a high school All-American game played at the Oakland Raiders’ stadium where he will coach alongside guys who played or coached in the NFL.
Ryan Bieker, Politics, 2013
Submitted: January 3, 2017
Ryan Bieker, 2013 Political Science, began working at the California Public Employee Retirement System as an associate governmental program analyst administering the affordable care act with public agencies and state departments. Bieker also provides customer education, retirement and health program counseling, and responses to customer inquiries.
Monica Topping, Journalism, 2009
Submitted: December 19, 2016
Monica Topping, 2009 Journalism, is one of the recipients of the 2016 Victor Thomas Jacoby award, which supports Humboldt-area artists as they seek to expand their skills. Topping will be learning how to do lampwork glass bead making with recycled glass.
Gordon L. Bussell, Native American Studies, 2006
Submitted: December 15, 2016
Gordon L. Bussell, 2006 Native American Studies, is working to revitalize the Hupa language by teaching teachers in the Early Childhood Program. Bussell is also working to create a first-level immersion program targeting 0-6 year-old children on the Hoopa Reservation. As a Curriculum Specialist, Bussell is charged with implementing and designing all curriculum with the help of one assistant.
Kyle Ryan, Theatre, 2011
Submitted: December 13, 2016
Kyle Ryan, 2011 Theatre, moved to Chicago with only a suitcase and lived in a one-bedroom apartment with four other HSU grads. Ryan was accepted into Second City's Conservatory Program and then was hired to perform sketch comedy and improv aboard Norwegian Cruise lines for The Second City. Ryan has performed all over the world, and is currently performing for The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. He currently works at a digital media arts college giving workshops to high school artists all over the midwest.