- News and Notes
- Susan Catron (MPPA Alumna 2005): Being a perpetual student, I will begin part-time studies in the doctorate program at the UC Davis School of Education this fall.
- Craig Cross (MPPA Alumnus 2002): I am still Downtown working for Department of Water Resources and am in line for a promotion in December. Still enjoy living in the Delta
- Katie Eastham (MPPA Alumna 2002): I recently joined PB Americas, Inc as a Lead Transportation Planner in the Sacramento area office. I'm currently working on a variety of transportation related projects including the Sacramento State Tram, a bus rapid transit system that will connect the campus to the 65th Street light rail station. Before joining the Sacramento area office, I was the Lead Planner for the San Francisco area office and prior to that the Branch Chief for the Sacramento Planning office of the California Department of Transportation
- Deborah Franklin (MPPA Alumna1999): I have been a consultant with the California Department of Education for a little more than two years. Before that, I was a consultant with the California State Board of Education as an appointee of the Davis and then the Schwarzenegger administration. My primary project is the development of a physical education framework--an interesting assignment for someone who almost flunked physical education in junior high school.
- Guy Fuson (MPPA Alumnus 2000): I'm still Business License Manager for the County of Sacramento, and in November, 2006 I finished my four year term on the Loomis Town Council as an elected representative. During that time I also represented (little tiny) Loomis on the Board of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, where my Public Policy background was extremely valuable.
- Nicole Hara (Kimbrough) (MPPA Alumna 2005): I was married July 2006. We went to Fiji for our honeymoon. Everyone should go there. It is beautiful and yet the extreme poverty of the villagers makes you truly appreciate what we have here. We bought our first house this year and moved into it in May. I just changed jobs 4 weeks ago. I now work for the Center for Civic Partnerships, which is a Center of the Public Health Institute. I am the California Healthy Cities and Communities Program Coordinator.
- Jean Kinney Hurst (MPPA Alumna 2001): I am still the Legislative Representative, Revenue and Taxation, for the California State Association of Counties. My husband, Andrew, and I have a daughter, Abigail, who is 2 ½, and another little one scheduled to arrive in March 2008.
- Donielle Jackson (MPPA Alumna 2006): I am an environmental scientist for the State Water Resource Control Board's Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program (Leak Prevention Technical Unit). We regulate USTs, providing requirements and standards for tank installation, construction, testing, leak detection, spill containment and overfill prevention. The purpose of the UST Program is to protect public health and safety and the environment from releases of petroleum and other hazardous substances. I've personally been involved in releasing a report on the issues seen with tanks at Marina Fueling Facilities, a rulemaking to standardize state forms, and a field evaluation study of leak detection equipment and testing methods.
- José C. Henríquez (MPPA Alumnus 2002): Since leaving the program, I left the private sector and have worked for two local agency formation commissions, the first as an analyst for Yolo County and the second as the executive officer for El Dorado County. I am almost completing my second year in that appointment. I am now also adjunct faculty for Sacramento City College, enjoying teaching their Introduction to Public Administration course. Besides working and our annual trips to Yosemite, my wife and I have done a mini-remodel of our house, traveled to Washington DC, Spain and Canada and taken a cruise with stops in Mexico, Honduras and Belize. This year we plan on going to Florida. Finally, I finished restoring my first car, which I've kept for almost 20 years, a 1967 Mustang.
- Shauna Johnson (MPPA Alumna 2004): For the past three years I have been working as a Legislative Analyst for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I have worked on a variety of research projects, most notably Limited Equity Condominiums, Consolidated Elections, and Elected Officials' Code of Conduct. I have an eight-year old son, Dominic, who is in the 3rd grade now, and I am recently engaged to be married in May 2008.
- Sharyn Lais (MPPA Alumna 2004) After working for three years (post-MPPA) for an urban economics and land use consulting firm in Sacramento, I packed up my bags and moved to the nation's capital. I began my studies at The George Washington University School of Law last month. So far, so good.
- Michael Minnick (MPPA Alumnus 2007): After graduation in spring 2007, I became the Coordinator for the West Sacramento Youth Resource Coalition (WSYRC). WSYRC is a collaborative of City, County, non-profit, business, faith-based, and youth community members that are working toward improving the environment of West Sacramento to meet the needs of its youth. Their vision is to provide a safe place for youth and families, support healthy development and opportunities, and support youth in realizing their potential. Youth members have been involved throughout the creation and implementation of the Coalition. By following the Youth Development principles, the Coalition ensures that all stakeholders, including youth, have a voice in the process.
- Molly Rattigan (MPPA Alumna 2004): I currently work as a Management Analyst in the Napa County Executive Office. I am currently assigned to the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Departments and am busily working on coordinating the County's Criminal Justice Systems Master Plan. I also coordinate the County's Legislative Platform. Between the jail, the DA, Public Defender and Sheriff's Departments...there is never a dull day here in Napa!
- Erin Riches (MPPA Alumna 2000): After eight and a half years, I returned to the Legislature in May - never say never! I was recruited for a Consultant position at the state Senate Office of Research, where I work on housing and local government issues. I'm currently working four days a week and spending Fridays with my three-year-old daughter, Kate.
- Anne Sanger (MPPA Alumna 2000): Since graduating from I have held the position of District Director to the late Congressman Robert Matsui and the current Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui. In 2007 I changed from Director to a part time Policy Advisor to the Congresswoman while taking care of my 3 and 4 year old children.
- Michael Spears (MPPA Alumnus 1993): I left the California Air Resources Board after 17 years of state service to return to active service in the Army (2001). Shortly after that 9-11 occurred and I've been busy since. I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on December 7th 2006 and received both the Bronze Star and the Ukrainian Medal of Honor while serving in Iraq. I need to be clear because I don't want anyone to think I am talking about the U.S. Medal when I refereed to the Ukrainian Medal of Honor. I work with a Ukraine element while in Iraq. I was honored to receive their country’s award. I have returned to my family in early April and currently serve on the Army Staff in the Pentagon. I wish past and future graduates of the program well and extend my personal thanks to Dr. Cristy Jensen, she will always be a hero to me and a true professional.
- Lesley Taylor (MPPA Alumna 2007): My husband Jeff and I welcomed the birth of our son, Charley Lynch, on May 22, 2007...two days before the PPA 210 final!
- Lucinda Winward (MPPA Alumna 2006): I received an award from the Social Science Research and Instructional Council for her paper on "Emergency Room Overcrowding; Policy, Problems, and Potential Solutions". Additionally I have been invited to present this paper as a poster session at the upcoming APPAM conference in Washington, DC this fall. Additionally, Lucinda recently began a new post at the State of California, Department of Finance in the Capital Outlay Division.
- Erike Young (MPPA Alumnus 2005): I have been selected to be the morning keynote speaker at the National Safety Management Society Conference held in Las Vegas this November. Additionally, I just passed my exam to receive my Associate Safety Professional (ASP) Designation.
- PPA Alumni Chapter
- If you are interested in learning more about the PPA Alumni Chapter, feel free to contact Chapter President, Jean-Marie McKinney or PPA Department Chair, Rob Wassmer.
- Theses Completed Since January 2007
- This list is so long that we had to put it on a separate page. Congratulations to all those hard working students who recently became alumni.
Alumni, please share your good news and professional activities with us. Use our Alumni Update form or call the department office at 916/278-6557.
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