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Clef dweller
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? In
addition to practice, it also helps to
have a degree from Sac State. Just
ask Julie Anne Miller (’06, Music), who credits
the University’s nurturing instructors for
guiding her to a career in music that recently
resulted in a performance at the famed
music venue.
Miller focused on both violin and voice at
Sac State, and it’s her voice that has drawn
all the attention lately. She performed in
April at Carnegie through New York state’s
Bard College Conservatory of Music as part
of the Osvaldo Golijov/Dawn Upshaw Workshop
for Singers and Composers.
The annual event isn’t your standard lineup
of opera arias or other classical arrangements.
Miller and another singer, Maghan
Stewart, performed an avant-garde piece by
Ryan Carter in which the composer created
an alien world complete with its own language.
Starting with a warm-up, the piece
segued into a vocal “duel” between Miller
and Stewart, and included solos for each
of them. “It was quite an experience,” Miller
says.
Miller was 16 when she began her education
at Sac State as a high school student in
the Accelerated College Entrance program.
When she graduated from Horizon Instructional
Systems two years later, she stayed at
the University. She refers to the University as
the root of her success, giving her the kind
of personal attention larger schools and conservatories
just don’t offer.
She has high praise for professors such
as Robin Fisher and Ian Swensen. “Not only
were they teachers, they were mentors as
well,” Miller says. “I miss them.” Another
inspiration is Sac State choral director
Donald Kendrick. “He was so supportive and
continues to be supportive of me,” she says.
Miller is making the rounds of auditions
for music companies and will be studying
German with an eye on auditioning for
some companies in Germany.
She’s presently studying with Patricia
Misslin, who has worked with such classical
artists as soprano Renée Fleming. And Miller
will always remember the encouragement
she received from her Sac State instructors.
“If they saw you were motivated, they were
there for you,” Miller says. “I feel very blessed
to have been at Sac State.”
—Craig Koscho
Drawing on experience
Justin Cuong Tran (’02, Business Administration), otherwise known
as “JC,” knows when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em when it
comes to poker. And his educational—and social—experiences
at Sac State played a role in his formative years on his way to becoming
a poker champ.2007 was a particularly good year for Tran. He was named the World Poker Tour’s and All In magazine’s Player of the Year and was rated No. 2 in the world in professional poker rankings.
Tran started playing poker seriously while in college, joining some Sac State buddies in local card rooms. “I was playing a lot of poker but I was able to balance that out with my class work,” says Tran, who was majoring in management information systems.
“I was learning about programming computer ‘languages’ and databases. I had to do a lot of analysis and figure things out on my own. I applied that way of thinking while playing poker,” Tran says, adding that he doesn’t have a “one-size- fitsall” approach to playing poker. “It’s trial and error. I have to make adjustments to my strategy depending on the players I’m up against.”
Tran’s original post-University plans didn’t include professional poker playing. “After graduation, many of my friends who also majored in business administration had problems finding jobs because of the stock market downturn of 2002,” he says.
Faced with the same difficulties, Tran started playing poker full time and made $74,000 his first year out of college. “I don’t think I could have found a job straight out of college making that much, so I kept on playing,” he says. And for the last five years, that’s what he’s done.
The days he plays are long—10 to 12 hours on average—but Tran had some experience with drawn-out days before joining the professional poker circuit. “When I was going to college, I would play poker late into the night and get up early to go to class. So I’m used to long days.”
So what lies ahead? Tran is vague when it comes to setting a retirement date for poker-playing, although the extensive traveling—to locations that include Atlantic City, the Bahamas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Canada— has caused some job burnout.
“I’m going to stick to major buy-ins, at least $10,000 or higher, and mainly on the West Coast,” says the Sacramento resident. “If, eventually, poker doesn’t work out, I can always get a job. I have a degree from Sac State in MIS, after all.” —Kim Nava
Noreen (Herbert) Rademacher, ’49, B.A., Education, signed the charter of the Alumni Association when it was founded in 1950. She was also one of the first yell-leaders of the new Sacramento State College when it was housed at Sacramento Junior College. Retired from a teaching career, Rademacher is chair of two committees in AAUW, vice president of her homeowners association and an instructor in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Her hobbies include playing bridge and gardening. A major life event was cruising her own 38-foot trawler down the California coast to Central America and through the Panama Canal up to Florida, a cruise which lasted four and a half years. She resides in Carmichael.
Max F. Miller, ’52, B.A., Social Science, ’67, M.A. Physical Education, retired this winter after nearly 50 years as an educator, coach and mentor. He had been one of the most successful football coaches in Northern California, guiding winning teams at three area high schools—Rio Americano, Hiram Johnson and Cordova. He put in a oneyear stint at Sacramento City College where he took them to a bowl game. Miller was also chosen to coach teams in the annual Pig Bowl (now Guns & Hoses). He has had two tours over the years at Cordova, leading storied players and championship teams. Miller and his wife, Sally raised three sons and have six grandchildren. The Millers live in Gold River.
Rudolf Hommes, ’69, B.S., Industrial Management, ’70, M.B.A., has become an investment banker and columnist in Bogota, Colombia. Formerly he was a partner and managing director of Violy Byorum & Partners in New York City. Before leaving for Bogota, he resided in Washington, D.C. He would like to hear from fellow students, friends and colleagues at Sac State. Reach him at Rudolf. hommes@capitaladvisorypartners.com.
Joseph Michael Munizich, ’69, B.A., History, ’78, M.A., Special Education, has retired from San Juan Unified School District after teaching 31 years in special education and history in elementary through high school. He recently finished writing the history of his Yugoslavian grandmother who immigrated to Sacramento in 1906. Munizich wrote the history of the Governor’s Mansion that is on the corner of 16th and H streets and he is now in the process of writing about growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Munizich writes, “I’ve returned to Sac State as an alum supporter of Head Football Coach Marshall Sperbeck and I urge all alumni to get on the bandwagon and join Sperbeck’s quest for great football at Sac State.” Munizich and his wife, Timi, live in El Dorado Hills.
Pamela Pecarich, ’69, B.S., Business Administration (Accountancy), is the 2007 recipient of the Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award, the highest award given by the accounting profession in the area of taxation. Pecarich received the award at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants National Conference in Washington, D.C. She is a member of the California Society of CPAs and has devoted her professional career to the area of tax policy at both the federal and state level. Pecarich resides in Ventura, Calif. where she is a partner and director of tax policy for Coopers & Lybrand LLP. She serves as the president of the League of Women Voters in Ventura County.
Marilyn (McNeil) Schaff, ’69, B.A., Spanish and Philosophy, is retired after 42 years of service with the State of California. She served in positions of chief counsel and chief of driver safety for the Department of Motor Vehicles. Schaff lives in Fair Oaks.
William R. Robinson, ’74, B.A., Social Science, retired from the City of Sacramento and is now living in Fort Bragg. Robinson didn’t enroll in college until he was in his 40s, and that was after being encouraged by the late Wilson Riles, who at the time was state superintendent of schools. It was that chance encounter on the Bing Maloney Golf Course that changed Robinson’s life. After graduating from Sacramento City College with honors in 15 months, he entered Sac State where he earned his B.A in two years and after another year received his master’s degree, all while working full time. Robinson and his wife, Rachel, love living on the north coast and would like to hear from his fellow classmates.
Michael Robert Wiley, ’75, B.A., History – Social Science, is the interim general manager of the Sacramento Regional Transit District. His appointment came after another Sac State alum, Beverly Short, left the position to run Atlanta’s transit authority. He is also chief executive officer and has served 30 years with the District. In his senior year at Sac State, Wiley was an intern working in transportation planning with what is now SACOG, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. He was hired by the organization, stayed for a few years, and then was hired by Regional Transit. Wiley and his wife, Sheri, have two grown daughters and make the Natomas area their home.
Edward S. Chalpin, ’77, B.S., Mechanical Engineering, is the senior program manager and aerospace engineer at the Federal Aviation Administration headquartered in Washington D.C. Chalpin is in charge of aircraft regulations and design approval. In addition to being an avid hiker, traveler and photographer, his hobbies include art, music, drawing and sketching. Another passion is scrimshaw artistry. Chalpin makes his home in the nation’s capital.
David M. Roth, ’79, M.A., Communication Studies, is currently a contributing editor to Artweek and a reviewer for Art Ltd. Images from his current “Moon Jelly” series of photographs were recently on view at the Center of Contemporary Art in Sacramento and in the Center for Fine Art Photography in Ft. Collins, Colo. A co-founder of Capital Public Radio, Roth launched his journalism career at the San Francisco Business Journal and later moved to New York where he worked as an editor for Venture magazine and wrote for many publications. A Sacramento resident since 1992, he served as senior editor of the Sacramento News & Review, director of public relations at Medic Alert and communications specialist for the California State Employees Association. He lives with his partner, painter and Sac State Professor Emeritus Joan Moment.
Ashur J. Yoseph, ’83, B.S., Mechanical Engineering Technology, was recently profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle about his life in America after fleeing Iraq. Yoseph is a prominent San Francisco mechanical engineer manager, who helpsoversee the city’s revitalization of Mission Bay and Hunter’s Point. Yoseph, his wife and family, live in Concord.
Vicki Armstrong Grenz, ’84, B.S., Special Major, ’84, Communication Studies, has been hired by HDR/The Hoyt Co. as a community relations project manager. She will manage citizen involvement in a number of private development projects. Grenz will also manage the design of a proposed streetcar that will run between downtown Sacramento and West Sacramento. Grenz’ husband, Jeff, is also an alum of Sac State, earning a B.S. in Marketing in ’81 and his MBA in ’86. They reside in Sacramento.
Rick Braziel, ’85, B.S., and ’93, M.A., Communication Studies, was going to be an engineer until he went on a ride-along with his police officer father. Braziel joined the police department in 1979 and that started his 29-year career in law enforcement. In 2002 he was named deputy chief of the Sacramento Police Department and in December, Braziel became chief when Albert Najéra, another Sacramento State alum, retired. Aside from his duties, Braziel finds time to compete in marathons and triathlons. He is also co-author of a book on community policing. Braziel and his wife, Karen, have five children between them and live in Rancho Cordova.
James Goldstene, ’86, B.A., and ’89, M.A., Government, has been appointed the executive officer of the California Air Resources Board. After decades of state experience at numerous agencies, Goldstene is responsible for the agency’s day-to-day operation, including directing the staff to carry out board policy, assisting its members and overseeing preparation of technical material for board consideration. Goldstene also reviews legislative proposals and represents the board before other governmental agencies, public and private organizations and the Legislature. The board is recognized as a national leader in pollution control and has an annual budget of more than $750 million and more than 1,200 employees. Goldstene lives in Granite Bay.
Michael Blair, ’87, B.S., Criminal Justice, after surpassing 28 other applicants for the position, has been selected as the new chief of police of Roseville. He succeeds Joel Neves, another Sacramento State alum, who retired last fall. Before attending Sac State, Blair graduated from Oakmont High School where he played football and was on the track team. In his spare time, he enjoys hunting and fishing. Blair, his wife Deneen, and their teenage daughter and son, live in Roseville.
Steven Shultz, ’90, B.A., Government and Journalism, visited Cuba this past spring as part of a research delegation of transportation planners, urban planners and architects. Organized by Global Exchange to study transportation projects in the country, Shultz qualified for the delegation by being a public professional with 15 years of experience in planning and public relations for government transportation agencies. Some of those agencies included the Port of New York and New Jersey, the Port of San Diego and the San Diego International Airport. Shultz makes his home in San Diego where he is deputy director of public and community relations for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. He has created a photo and video blog documenting his travels to Cuba (http://cubacalling. blogspot.com).
Michael S. Trainor, ’90, B.A. and ’97, M.A., Organizational Psychology, circulation director at the Business Journal, has been promoted to advertising director. He will oversee an eight-person department at the weekly newspaper. Trainor is a fourth-generation newspaperman. His great-grandfather and grandfather worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, and his father for the Oakland Tribune. Prior to joining the Business Journal, he was a substitute teacher and then spent eight years with The Sacramento Bee. Trainor lives in Rocklin with his wife and two sons.
Kari K. Wilson, ’94, M.A., Education, received a highly-competitive opportunity to pursue initial research for her programs of electronic lesson plans from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Wilson is the author of a series of lesson plans available for educators, teachers, and school librarians who are looking for ways to help students understand the complex American democratic process and reach national standards for social studies, language arts and visual arts. Her company, FunLessonPlans.com provides visual and hands-on downloadable electronic lessons for teaching today’s diverse student population. Her new product is Picture Books for Big Kids Looks at Core Democratic Values. Wilson has taught for more than 20 years and lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.
David D. Chapman, ’95, B.A., Music, is Modesto Junior College’s director of guitar studies. The Ecudadorian-born Chapman studied guitar and lute at Sac State. After studying flamenco guitar, he toured England, eventually locating in Cologne, Germany as a Fulbright Scholar. After earning a master’s degree in music, he is a candidate for the doctor of music arts program at the University of Texas. He recently performed a solo guitar concert in the Modesto Junior College Music Recital Hall as a benefit for the school’s Guitar Orchestra. Chapman resides in Modesto.
Lynda Wirt Grindstaff, ’95, B.S., Computer Science, has been honored by the National Society of Women Engineers with the 2007 Emerging Leaders Award for demonstrated leadership in sales and marketing. The award recognizes female engineers who have demonstrated outstanding technical excellence as an individual resulting in significant accomplishments. She is responsible for leading the strategic planning efforts to define the future strategy, plans and roadmap for an Intel Corp. technology program. Grindstaff has been with Intel for 13 years and holds one patent. An active Society of Women Engineers life member, she lives with her husband and two children in Folsom.
Angelic S. Ruiz, ’95, B.A., Liberal Studies and ’96, Credential, has become the new principal at Schallenberger Elementary School in the San Jose School District. Ruiz’s parents were farm workers and each year after the Central Valley tomato harvest they would move the family to Davis. After eventually making a permanent home there, Ruiz relished her education and a third-grade teacher helped her discover the importance of life-long learning. She went on to be the first in her family to go to college and became a teacher. Later, she moved into administrative work, reviewing student assessments and developing programs. Although she was enjoying being in the forefront of education and new research, she missed the students. She made the transition back into the district as a principal and now lives in San Jose.
Stephen D. Greene, ’96, B.S., Criminal Justice/Forensic Science, has been working at the Multi-National Corps-Iraq Law Enforcement Forensics Laboratory. He worked at Camp Victory located near Baghdad where the lab and its staff supported all U.S. military units as well as Iraqi law enforcement. Greene worked for the U.S. Army and, as a civilian forensic latent print examiner, he processed evidence for the presence of latent prints to identify who had been holding a particular weapon. After living in Georgia, Greene has moved to Virginia and is making Charlottesville his home. His new job with a security company has him back in Iraq.
Selene L. Denney, ’05, B.A., Spanish, has a successful Spanish tutoring business working out of her home. She tutors all ages and even has one student who is six years old. Denney says she “creates her own hours and loves being the boss.” She lives in Gold River.
Ann Ullrich, ’06, B.A., Government, has reinvented herself. After serving four years on the Galt High school board, (she still volunteers at school events), she is now a real estate agent and a past chair of the Galt District Chamber of Commerce. After keeping the books at the family dairy and raising her family, Ullrich returned to college to get her degree. Politically active, she spent 2004 as supervisor of the Republican Party headquarters in Stockton and then obtained her real estate license through an online course. She’s a season ticket holder for the Oakland Raiders and even braved the frigid climate to attend the Raiders December game in Green Bay. Ullrich and her husband Kevin live in Galt where she works for Realty World – Parker & Del Grande.
Jennifer Cole, ’07, B.A., Child Development, has been hired as a substitute teacher at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont. Cole also provides afterschool tutoring for a deaf student and volunteers for Deaf-Hope, an organization in the Bay Area providing services to battered deaf women and their children. In addition to her career and voluntarism, Cole is planning her wedding this summer, with the reception at the Sac State Alumni Center.
“Deserving Desserts” Wednesday, April 2, 5 to 7 p.m. Alumni Center “Deserving Desserts” is a reinvention of the annual mixer of the Alumni Association and an opportunity to recognize and thank members for their dedication to the University and Association. Tantalize your taste buds with a wide array of delicious desserts, refreshments and wine. Mix and mingle with other members, and meet and greet Association staff and Board of Directors. RSVP by March 25 to alumni@csus. edu or (916) 278-6295. This event is free to Association members plus one guest. Sac
State Night at the River Cats
Tuesday, April 15, 7:05 p.m. Raley Field Cheer on the River Cats and support Sac State in this student/alumni event. Group ticket information is available online at www.SacStateAlumni.com.
Distinguished Service Awards
Thursday, April 17, 6 p.m. Alumni Center This elegant dinner event will recognize the 2008 honorees of the Distinguished Service Awards, an award given jointly by the University and the Alumni Association in recognition of the professional achievements and community service of its alumni. Recipients have achieved prominence in their chosen field and brought distinction to the University and /or their community through their accomplishments. (See page 25.) For reservations contact the Alumni Association at (916) 278-6295.
Stinger Wine & Food Classic
Friday, April 25, 6 p.m. Alumni Center The Stinger Athletic Association presents the 2nd Annual Stinger Wine & Food Classic. Tickets are $40 per person and are limited. Contact Toni Brown at tbrown@csus.edu or (916) 278-4263.
October 2008 The Alumni Association—in partnership with University Advancement and the College of Continuing Education—will offer alumni and friends a first-ever Alumni Summit in China in October. The three-day summit with Chinese alumni will take place in Beijing as part of a larger 12-day trip. Additional trip highlights include stops in Hong Kong, a visit to the historic Great Wall of China, and a tour of the 2008 Summer Olympic facilities.
Additional details of the trip will be released in mid-to-late March. Plan now to participate. For more information, contact Dawniela Hightower at (916) 278-3862.
For more information about chapter events contact Chapter President Florence Jones at (916) 967-3686 or flower1@infostations.net.
» Graduation Art Ball Friday, May 16 from 5–9 p.m. in the Art Department Quad.
» Entries are now being accepted into CAMS 7, the annual juried art show for works by alumni. Deadline: 5 p.m., Friday, May 9.
Football & Spirit Alumni
Sac State Football Hall of Fame dinner and inductee ceremony, Saturday, May 3 at the Alumni Center. For more information call Alumni Relations at (916) 278-6295.
NEW Chapters:
» Speech, Pathology & Audiology Alumni Chapter
» Black Alumni Chapter
Are you interested in becoming involved with or starting a new chapter? Contact Karyn Domich, Chapter Relations Coordinator at (916) 278-2753 or kdomich@ csus.edu.