Class Notes


1950s

Ted Weber, ’52, B.A., and ’63, M.A., Music, has retired after 50 years of teaching music in the San Juan School District. He developed the award-winning band program at Mira Loma High School and co-founded the Donner Mine Music Camp near Blue Canyon. He and his wife, Carol, live in Fair Oaks.

1960s

Frances Beddow, ’69, B.A., History/Social Science, is a teacher with two life-long teaching credentials for secondary and elementary education. She is working on her master’s in social work and lives in Sacramento.

Maurice Dunbar, ’65, M.S., Spanish, taught English and speech at Foothill and De Anza colleges before retiring in 2003. He has also served as librarian and orator at San Jose Scottish Rite since 1984. The Sunnyvale resident has a passion for travel and has toured 50 states and 25 countries.

Francis Gornick, ’69, B.A., Physical Education and ’79 M.S., Counseling, is the chancellor of the West Hills Community College District and a commissioner with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges’ Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.

Jean Olson, ’63, B.A., Education, taught in the Elk Grove School District from 1963 to 1989 then continued teaching for the Elk Grove Learning Center until 2006. In February, she completed a family history of her father and his 12 brothers and sisters. She is a Sac State “Grandma” as granddaughter Megan Olson is attending Sac State.


1970s

Beatrice Toney Bailey, ’74, B.S., Psychology, has released Farewell My Friend. The book is a step-by-step guide for those who wish to plan for the inevitable and is a valuable resource for those who may be called upon to act as caregiver or caretaker for the terminally ill. Bailey lives in Citrus Heights.

Brian Bonner, ’73, B.A., Government, was recently named vice president for community concerns for the California State PTA. The association has nearly 1 million volunteer members throughout the state and is headquartered in Sacramento. He lives in San Diego with his wife, Patricia.

Randy Canaday, ’75, B.A., Recreation Administration, teaches construction technology and serves as advisor for the Paso Robles High School Skills USA chapter. He has been selected as a Teacher of the Year.

Fernando Chui, ’77, B.S., Psychology, is the new chief executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region, a position similar to a state governor. His prior positions include serving as Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture in 1999 and a second term in 2004.

Catherine Drachnik, ’75, M.A., Art, won an Award of Merit in the Watercolor Division of the Fine Arts category for “Margaritta and Her Pet Iguana” at the 2009 California State Fair. There were 1,342 entries in the arts division, of which 190 were accepted. She lives in Sacramento.

Judith Lewinski Garcia, ’78, B.S., Recreation Administration, is a career advisor for the City of Sunnyvale and a volunteer career coach for ProMatch. She also volunteers with Bay Area hiking organizations and lives in San Jose with her husband, Robert.

Michael Gorman, ’78, B.A., Government, is the Building Inspector for the County of San Mateo. He and his wife, Frances, live in Foster City.

Edward Howard, ’74, B.S., Business Administration, was a property auditor-appraiser with the California Board of Equalization, and his wife, Jean, (’86, B.S., Psychology) was a health project director in adult care. Now retired, they live in Elk Grove and write, “We are both in our 70’s and happily retired. Cheers!”

Marian (Gaston) Love, ’79, B.S., Business Administration, has been promoted to IT supervisor and co-project manager of the City of Sacramento’s Enterprise Content Management System after completing her certi¨ cate in Project Management through Sac State’s College of Continuing Education. She writes, “Sac State Rocks!!!”

Nancy (Jones) Matson, ’75, B.S., Criminal Justice, is chief of the Office of Professional Development in the California Attorney General’s O… ce. She and her husband, Brian, live in Fair Oaks.

Karen Nevis, ’75, B.A., Art, is a prominent Capitola watercolor artist. Her art was chosen for the 37th annual Wharf to Wharf race poster. She has been a featured artist for other local events such as the Santa Cruz Half Marathon and the Capitola Art & Wine Festival.

1980s

Leslie Brott, ’89, B.A., Drama, starred as Beatrice in “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival this past summer. A review stated, “Brott essays a con¨ dent Beatrice.” She is an assistant professor at SMU-Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, Texas.

Vincent Fenequito, ’80, B.A., Communication Studies, after retiring in 2000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has become a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television & Arts. He lives in Simi Valley with his wife, Flora.

Dan Fish, ’89, B.S., Criminal Justice, was named interim chief of the Petaluma Police Department, where he has served since 1989. Fish worked as a student police officer while at Sac State. He lives in Santa Rosa.

Brian French, ’87, B.S., Business Administration, teaches American government and economics at Cesar Chavez High School. He was honored this year as the San Joaquin County Phi Delta Kappa High School Distinguished Teacher of the Year. French lives in Lodi.

Ronald “Scott” Owens, ’86, B.S., Criminal Justice, is Placer County’s acting assistant district attorney and is seeking the o… ce of district attorney in the 2010 election. Owens earned his juris doctorate from McGeorge School of Law.

Steve Sakurai, ’86, B.S., Business Administration, is the new chief investment officer for the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Sac State in public policy. Sakurai and his wife, Natalie, (’88, B.A., Arts & Letters) live in Sacramento.

John Torres, ’82, B.S., and ’86, M.S., Criminal Justice, is the director of the O… ce of Detention and Removal for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

John Young, ’89, B.S., Business Administration, has worked for Yolo County for the past 18 years and is now the agricultural commissioner. Young and his wife, Shannan, live in Woodland.


1990s

Michael Goold, ’94 , B.S., Criminal Justice, works for the Sacramento County Sheri« ’s Department as the bureau commander in the 911 center. He recently earned his doctoral degree from the University of LaVerne. He and his family live in the Sacramento area.

Jodi Krieger, ’99, B.S., Business Administration, has received the Staffing Professional of the Year award by the California Sta… ng Professionals - Sacramento Chapter. She has worked at Blue Ribbon Personnel Services since 2001, is an active Rotarian and loves to volunteer.

Alan Lipton, ’90, B.A., Government, says he is “gathering information for a possible article or book on the 2009 meltdown in state government and will decide this fall if it becomes possible to send to a publisher.” Lipton lives in Sacramento.

John A. McKinsey, ’96, B.A., Economics, wrote the novel The Lincoln Secret, a modern-day mystery adventure that explores mysteries of Abraham Lincoln’s life and the Civil War. He also practices law and spends time on his farm tending to a myriad of animals.

Marco Tjaden, ’93, B.S., Accountancy, and his wife, Wendy, started a business, Flora Tropicana Aquatics, which covers ¨ ve acres with more than 30 greenhouses. The company specializes in water gardening. They live in Elk Grove.

Robyn Tornay, ’96, B.A., English and ’03, M.A., Education, recently accepted the position of director of admissions and enrollment services at Woodland Community College.

Jian Wang, ’94, M.A., Art, has returned to Sacramento from China with his wife, Bonnie. His new series, “Beijing Girls,” was exhibited at the Solomon Dubnick Gallery this summer. An internationally known artist, Wang has sold work to collectors around the world.

2000s

Frances Beck, ’03, B.S., Business Administration, has been named national account and catastrophe manager for the Insurance Housing Solutions division of Marriott ExecuStay.

Erin Billingsley, ’07, B.A., Art Studio, recently featured two sculptures in the “Fresh Young Things” exhibit, a show highlighting 15 young artists from Northern California. She was chosen from among 45 entrants. Billingsley lives in Sacramento.

Jennifer (Jenna Barry) Campbell, ’01, B.S., Criminal Justice/Philosophy, is an associate attorney with Drobny Law Offices, Inc., in Sacramento’s Natomas area. Her practice focuses on estate planning, estate administration, special needs trusts and conservatorships. She and her husband, Tom, (’89, B.S., Business Administration) are active in the community and have four children.

Ryan Coogler, ’07, B.S., Business Administration, a young filmmaker and his film, “Locks,” were accepted at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and the Cannes Film Festival in France this past spring. Coogler played football while at Sac State.

Cory Cunningham, ’06, M.M., Music, teaches music in the Buckeye Union School District and conducts the fourthand fifth-grade bands at Blue Oak, as well as concert and symphonic bands at Camerado Springs. Cunningham lives in Roseville.

Tyronne Gross, ’04 , B.A., Arts & Letters, after playing football at Sac State for three seasons, and for two seasons with the San Diego Chargers, has signed with the New York franchise of the new United Football League.

Julie Ingber, ’06 , B.A., English and ’08 M.A., English Teaching, is an Englishas- a-second-language instructor at Columbia College in Sonora. Ingber lives in Murphys. Patrick Johnston, ’00, M.A., Political Representation, has been named president and chief executive officer for the California Association of Health Plans. Previously, Johnston served two decades in the California Legislature.

Molly Mulligan, ’04, B.A., Communication Studies, is a home mortgage consultant for Wells Fargo and was recently recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in all aspects of home financing. She is located in Sandy, Utah.

Richard (Ricky) Ray, ’01, B.S., Business Administration, is the quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. This year he was on the win- PHOTO COURTESY BILL NICHOLS ning team competing in the Les Schwab Red Bluff Pro-Am golf tournament.

Sam Rubio, ’06, B.S., Biological Sciences, owns Café D’Amici outside Fresno. An aspiring doctor, he has put med school on hold to help the community of Mendota through volunteering and holding classes in his Café to help those in need throughout the community.

Kevin Tierney, ’02, M.A., Education, is teaching eighth-grade American Studies (History) at Rolling Hills Middle School in El Dorado Hills. He and his wife, Karen, (’83, B.S., Business Administration) live in Camino.

Marc Volz, ’04, B.A., Vocational Education, has been hired by the Lassen Union High School District to teach automotive classes. After graduating with honors from Sac State, he taught automotive technology at Cordova High School and helped increase enrollment in the program.

Tim Wheeler, ’09, was a first-round pick in June’s Major League Baseball draft and picked by the Colorado Rockies. He is an outfielder for the Tri-City Dust Devils minor league team in Pasco, Wash. Wheeler played for the Hornets the last two seasons.

David Whitt, ’03, B.V.E., is the ¨ re chief for the City of Lincoln. The department has three full-time and one volunteer station to service the city and a large rural area. David, his wife and four children live in Lincoln.


Alumni President Bob Moreno puts volunteer experience to work

Bob MorenoRaising a family in Sacramento’s Natomas area, Bob Moreno (’78, Business/Marketing) became a community advocate, helping to raise more than $250,000 for neighborhood schools and youth programs.

“I just saw things needed to be done, and that’s how it started,” he says.

Now, Moreno, 52, is turning his volunteer efforts toward Sac State as the new president of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. He’s also vice president of association fund development, utilizing his years of experience as a ­ nancial adviser to the local development industry. He started his own ­ nancial consulting ­ rm in 1993 and is a managing partner with Brookhurst Development Corp., a national company that specializes in building public facilities with private funding.

Moreno’s goals include broadening the Alumni Association’s public exposure by promoting “all the great things happening at Sacramento State” and ­ nding ways to make the University “an even more integral part of the Sacramento Region.”

He credits President Alexander Gonzalez and Executive Director of Alumni Relations Jennifer Barber with helping the group take big steps forward.

“As a former mayor once told me, ‘You make things happen,’ ” Moreno says. “Sacramento State’s Alumni Association is poised to move to the next level, and we have an incredible ‘can do’ board and staff that can take us there.”

With one in 26 area residents being Sac State alumni, there are many ways for them to stay connected to the University, he says.

“We are working to schedule a neighborhood improvement day in the neighborhoods around the campus,” Moreno says. “If alumni can’t contribute time, it would be great if they could donate funds, materials or services that the association could use.”

He says a top priority this year has been to launch a Student Alumni Association to get students involved in alumni activities even before they graduate. A key component to this program is creating opportunities for Sac State alumni to draw on their experience professionally and with the University in order to mentor students.

Moreno, who co-founded the Natomas Chamber of Commerce and the Natomas Community Foundation, says his advocacy experience “has taught me that if everyone contributes what resources they can, even in these tough economic times, we can accomplish a lot.”

He invites anyone interested in joining the Alumni Association to check out its website at: www.SacStateAlumni.com.

Apart from rolling up their sleeves to get things done, Moreno says, participating in alumni activities can be downright fun.

“We would love to continue to see more alumni at events and activities, such as the growing tailgate parties at Hornet football games.”

— DeWitt Russell

Bill Nichols, ’59: A Breed Apart

Bill NicholsBill Nichols fell in love with horses as a boy and knew then that working with thoroughbreds was what he wanted to do. At 17, that desire led to a summer job that would set the course for the rest of his life.

Now, at 84, Nichols (’59, Social Science) is a respected California horse breeder and among the last living souls with a personal link to the legendary racehorse Seabiscuit and those who helped the steed achieve greatness during the Great Depression.

Nichols and wife, Lillian, have operated the Mares’ Nest horse farm in Wilton for more than 50 years. “One of the most rewarding things about breeding and raising our horses is following their careers after we sell them as yearlings,” he says.

Nichols’ involvement with Seabiscuit began when the horse’s owner, auto magnate Charles Howard, hired him to work at Ridgewood Ranch in Willits. Seabiscuit was retired there to breed, and Nichols gained valuable knowledge on horses.

Decades later, Laura Hillenbrand drew on Nichols’ accounts in her best-seller, Seabiscuit: An American Legend, which became the 2003 movie “Seabiscuit.”

Nichols soon became a coveted speaker on Seabiscuit, and, at 82, he wrote Seabiscuit: The Rest of the Story, a sequel to Hillenbrand’s book. Amid his equine career, Nichols received a bachelor’s degree at Sacramento State – but not in anything having to do with horses. He majored in Social Science and developed an interest in the welfare of humans.

“My studies in ethnology gave me an understanding of people of diverse backgrounds. This was of great value to me in my work in social welfare,” he says.

Nichols worked 25 years for Sacramento County Social Welfare and took a personal interest in helping blind people. As chairman of the Sacramento Society for the Blind, he helped create a network of professionals to aid blind people.

Today, Nichols serves on the Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation board, dedicated to restoring Ridgewood Ranch, and on the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association board.

— DeWitt Russell