Alumni News

‘Better Call Saul’ executive story editor Marion Dayre is an SF State lecturer, and she brought two of her former students to the picket lines 
 

For many San Francisco State University graduates with Hollywood dreams, moving to Los Angeles is a move for opportunity. While the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has brought production to a halt industrywide since May, two former San Francisco State students have placed themselves on the picket lines alongside one of their faculty mentors.  

“It’s history in the making, so why wouldn’t you want to be there and try to make a change?” said Barbara Burgues, a Venezuela native who attended SF State in 2021 and now lives in Los Angeles with goals of producing, writing and directing. 

Her former SF State classmate Armando Jimenez picketed with her. Jimenez (B.A., ’22) is an aspiring screenwriter and director who moved to Southern California in the spring. 

“It’s natural for me to join the picket line. I get to fight for my future,” he said. “Especially since I’m hoping to get a job somewhere in that field; I hope to be able to afford the roof over my head.” 

Burgues and Jimenez were invited to the picket line by Marion Dayre, a lecturer in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts and executive story editor on the Emmy Award-winning “Better Call Saul.” (Streaming soon: She is the head writer on Marvel’s “Echo” and co-showrunner on Amazon Prime’s “Wytches.”)  

Dayre structures her “Television and Video Program Design” class to simulate the full preproduction process of developing a series for streaming. Writing is a major element, but students also learn to build a pitch and other tricks of the trade. As a rising star on the front lines, Dayre tells her students what conversations are like in the writers’ rooms and network executive suites, with self-care in mind. 

“If students are asking if they’re capable, I hope they would be able to find that assurance going through the process of the class,” Dayre said. “What I try to pass along is the importance of self-care as a writer. Knowing that we’re in a community with our anxieties, we don’t have to harbor them alone and navigate them alone. I try to come and be real.”

But then comes the question of existential doom: Is it a good time to move to Los Angeles to break into the industry? 

“It’s always risky and it’s always full of rewards. And I think now’s as good a time as any,” Dayre said. “I moved to LA during the last strike [in 2007 – 2008]. And everything worked out.” 

Alumnus David Pollock marches on the picket line. This year’s WGA strike is the fifth that he has participated in.

Shrinking seasons, shrinking compensation 

WGA members are striking to seek increases and equity in pay, improvements in work conditions and job security, measures to prevent harassment and discrimination, and the regulation of material generated with artificial intelligence. The guild is bargaining with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. 

“When I was watching television in the 1950s, there were 39 episodes a season. The same shows were on year after year, and they were all advertiser-driven,” said David Pollock (B.A., ’61), a retired Emmy Award-winning writer from classic programs such as “Frasier,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Carol Burnett Show” and “M*A*S*H*.” 

“Over the decades, incrementally, the number of episodes shrunk as the business expanded,” added Pollock, now retired but still a frequent WGA picketer. “We’re just burning up content faster and faster with shorter attention spans.” 

‘Another pause for the greater good’ 

Dayre says the camaraderie that it takes to write a quality script begins in the writers room and continues on the picket line, where she is a captain. 

“We had a slowdown during COVID, and now it comes time to take another pause for the greater good,” said Dayre, who has taught at SF State since 2021 and been a WGA member since 2014. “You’re never guaranteed the next job or the next spot, but you are guaranteed the ability to learn from brilliant writers and to help them when you can.” 

Jimenez says picketing has been a fun way to effect change and learn about the business side of entertainment. As an extra motion of solidarity, one day he brought two cases of water for the protestors. 

“I’m not a WGA member and, fortunately, you don’t have to be a WGA member to join the picket line. Nobody minds at all,” said Jimenez, who interns in project development for Dayre. “They have such a great community of people. I don’t usually see something so tight-knit where an entire huge group of people go, ‘Oh, we’re going to go on strike. We’re all going to do this.’ Plus, spending time with someone like Marion, it gives me comfort for the future.” 

Burgues only spent one semester at SF State, but it’s changed her life. She credits the University for sparking her creativity, and Dayre is a vital inspiration. 

“She’s just so understanding of how hard it can be to get into this industry, and it’s very easy talking to her,” Burgues said. “If it weren’t for her, I don’t think I would have had the courage to tell my parents, like, ‘Hey I’m going to be a writer and leave everything behind and just be a struggling international student.’ And I do not regret it at all.” 

Learn more about the SF State Broadcast and Electronic Commuinication Arts Department. 

Antar Johnson earned the coveted Six Star Medal after completing Tokyo marathon

As an undergraduate, Antar Johnson (’92, B.A.) majored in Economics at San Francisco State University, but he says his unofficial major was “kicking it.” He’s always been one for a party. It’s a personality trait that’s translated well professionally into networking, which he leveraged into a successful legal career. Surprisingly, this quality also helped him make great strides in long distance running — including completing his sixth world marathon, a requirement for the Six Star Medal.

The Six Star Medal has only existed since 2016. An invention of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a series of marathons around the globe, it honors runners who complete marathon runs in Boston, New York, Tokyo, Berlin, London and Chicago. Worldwide, there are 12,251 Six Star finishers, with 2,746 registered in the United States. More than 1,400 of those runners are men, according to the organization. Johnson believes a tiny fraction of those male runners are Black, even though the organization does not track runners’ ethnicity or race. “There’s about 35 of us, and we know because we’ve gone to all of the different races,” he said. “It’s definitely an elite type of thing.”

As a student at SF State, Johnson pledged the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, a national African American fraternity that’s still active at the University today. When he started running, he made sure to connect with fellow fraternity brothers as well as alumni from SF State and Temple University, where he went to law school. Those personal connections kept him challenged; he started comparing running distances, times and training schedules.

But his dedication to the sport didn’t happen overnight. He remembers telling friends who’d invited him on their 6 a.m. runs, “Running is for horses.” But at 47, Johnson gave it another shot at the prompting of his doctor.

Johnson is senior counsel for the Office of Lottery and Gaming in Washington, D.C., which means he works long hours sitting at a desk. After work he likes to enjoy D.C.’s nightlife, whether that’s going out to dinner or having drinks and cigars with friends and colleagues. Given his family history of cardiac issues and diabetes, his doctor told him he needed to change his sedentary lifestyle.

Johnson tried a few different fitness programs like P90X and Insanity high-intensity workouts and running in obstacle courses races. Those all seemed like a fast track to an injury, he says. He realized what he enjoyed most from those workouts was running, so he started running 5Ks. When friends encouraged him to step it up and try half marathons, he was game. Then they upped the ante again.

“‘So you’re doing all these half marathons. When are you going to do a real marathon?’” Johnson remembers his fraternity brother and mentor telling him. Johnson accepted the challenge, running his first marathon before turning 48, a personal goal. After completing two more, his running friends, who also happened to be fraternity brothers, convinced him to join their quest for the Six Star Medal. Not one to turn down a challenge, he began his journey for six as well.

Completing even one world marathon is difficult. These six races, attract runners from around the world, so the barrier for entry is high. Racers either need to qualify with their running times, fundraise or win a lottery to gain entry. Johnson opted to fundraise. On his five-year journey, which he finally completed in March after running the Tokyo marathon, he raised $24,000 for various charities, including childhood cancer.

His journey for six was longer than he planned because of COVID, but he finally completed it with a personal best running time (four hours and 49 minutes), all before another milestone: his 55th birthday.

Reflecting on his life and most recent accomplishment, he says pledging a fraternity at SF State changed his life. “I was able to network through my fraternity and meet a lot of good people who are still in my life,” he said. And it’s those friends who kept him committed to his quest. “Iron sharpens iron. We all just keep each other on these goal-oriented missions.”

To find out how you can get involved in a fraternity or sorority at SF State, visit the Student Activities & Events website.

Okorie L. Ramsey now serves as chair of both the American Institute of Certified Accountants and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants

In its 136-year history, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has had 110 chairs. Until this spring, only one of them had been Black, and none had been a Black male.

Now that’s changed thanks to San Francisco State University alumnus Okorie L. Ramsey (B.S., ’92): Ramsey has been named AICPA chair as well as the chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association). The organizations he now chairs represent nearly 700,000 members in 196 countries and territories.

San Francisco State Professor of Accounting Theresa Hammond, an expert on diversity in the accounting field, says Ramsey will lead AICPA and its members to greater Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) within the profession.

“Despite the fact that African Americans are 13% of the population, the percentage of CPAs who are Black stubbornly persists at less than 2%,” she said. “The AICPA did not admit its first Black member until 1942, and did not take a stand against discrimination until 1969. Okorie’s leadership in the AICPA illustrates how far the AICPA has come while also identifying the opportunity and work still needed to create a more inclusive profession.”

A native of Berkeley, California, Ramsey came to SF State to study business in 1988. He graduated in 1992 with a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. He later returned to the University to serve as an adjunct professor for two years, teaching graduate students about leadership, ethics and management.

“My education and collegiate experience at San Francisco State was foundational and instrumental in my career,” Ramsey said. “San Francisco State provided me with a strong education and exposure to campus organizations, including the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Accounting Students Organization (ASO) and Beta Alpha Psi (BAP), and I served as an officer in all three organizations. At San Francisco State I learned critical skills such as business writing and speech in addition to my core accounting and business courses.”

Ramsey was named AICPA chair in May, and he continues serving as vice president of Sarbanes/Oxley (SOX) (a federal financial record-keeping law) for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., and Hospitals (Kaiser Permanente). Ramsey has been with Kaiser Permanente in a variety of roles since 2009. He’s also served on the board of directors with several organizations, including the Board of Trustees for the California Society of Certified Public Accountants Education Foundation, NABA and the Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP).

“We met when I joined the ACAP board in 2007; he served as chair for six years,” Hammond said. “ACAP serves Bay Area high school students by providing exposure to opportunities in accounting and business fields. His commitment to improving the economic and professional futures of young people is evidenced by his consistent volunteering to work with and inspire high school students. He is always willing and eager to plan and host field trips to Kaiser for Oakland high school students or to visit Oakland schools.”

Ramsey says supporting the next generation and giving them new opportunities to succeed is one of his top goals for AICPA.

“I view this as an incredible opportunity to support the growth and advancement of the profession and continue to build trust by empowering our members and engaged professionals with the knowledge and opportunities to be leaders in broadening prosperity for a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future,” he said.

Learn more about studying Accounting at SF State.

The Spring/Summer 2023 issue looks back at legendary football coach Vic Rowen and the support that today’s student-athletes get from the University

As thousands of newly minted Gator graduates wind down from Commencement and begin life’s next chapter, San Francisco State University’s alumni magazine is back with a new issue. The semiannual, award-winning publication is mailed to 80,000 alumni and friends of San Francisco State. It can also be found throughout the campus. 

The cover story explores how the University’s sports programs produce successful student-athletes who don’t just win games and make the Dean’s List but also learn to become champions in a holistic and healthful sense as well. It also takes a nostalgic look at the career of former Gators football coach Vic Rowen, who helped invent an approach to the game that would influence the long careers of his players and assistants — among them Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid. Online exclusive bonus content includes Rowen’s coaching universe, action photos from recent Gator sporting events and a dedication to a late colleague. 

The issue also includes interviews with: 

• Vitka Eisen, an alumna who overcame addiction and now is CEO of the same nonprofit that helped save her life 

• John Logan, the chair of SF State’s Labor and Employment Studies Program, discussing the reinvigorated union movement 

• Chanda Daniels, an alum whose wedding planning skills emphasize the unique considerations of LGBTQ+ couples and people of color on their special day 

• Ben Fong-Torres, the alumnus, famed music journalist and now SF State Magazine columnist

• And much more! 

As usual, the Class Notes section is filled with achievements of alumni spanning seven decades. The issue closes with Associated Students President (and now alumna) Karina Zamora sharing her SF State story.  

Check out the full issue of SF State Magazine and exclusive online content. 

More than 1,400 SF State alumni have served abroad as Peace Corps volunteers

The Peace Corps has recognized San Francisco State University as No. 20 on its list of all-time top volunteer-producing colleges and universities. The ranking is based on an annual list issued by the Peace Corps between 2003 and 2023.

The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners and staff who are driven by the agency’s mission of world peace and friendship. In March of 2020, it suspended global operations and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The evacuation included 20 San Francisco State alumni. Currently, more than 1,400 volunteers — six of them SF State alumni — have returned to a total of 53 countries around the world.

“Demand for Peace Corps volunteers is high given setbacks in development progress following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn. “Peace Corps service is the beginning of a lifetime of global connection and purpose for those bold enough to accept the invitation.”

One of those bold volunteers was SF State alum Malaika Harris. She says the University’s Africana Studies Department played a significant role in her decision to serve in the Peace Corps by fostering her passion for African culture and history.

“From SF State, I bring a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and a commitment to social justice. Currently, I’m excited to be working on a project with local community members in Northern Uganda that aims to provide health education to pregnant women, young mothers and their communities to decrease child mortality,” said Harris.

Learn more about SF State’s Africana Studies Department  and international education programs.

The students, chosen to represent SF State’s academic colleges, will be recognized at a May 26 graduation ceremony

A dozen outstanding graduates will be honored during San Francisco State University’s 122nd Commencement ceremony, to be held at Oracle Park Friday, May 26. They will represent their more than 7,900 graduating peers in the Class of 2023.

As part of a longstanding tradition, each of the University’s six academic colleges selects an undergraduate and a graduate student to represent their classmates and wear their college’s academic hood during the ceremony. More details about the ceremony are available on the Commencement website. Additionally, two of the hood recipients, one undergraduate and one graduate student, will deliver a Commencement address.

Graduate Speaker

Hasti Jafari
MFA, Creative Writing
College of Liberal & Creative Arts
 
Since coming to SF State from Iran, playwright and theatre artist Hasti Jafari has been extraordinarily active in the Creative Writing Department — whether they are creating a series of zines on the Jina revolution in Iran (also known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement), writing comedic plays and creative nonfiction, volunteering or teaching.
 
Jafari has taken a leadership role in multiple communities to create cross-cultural works and build dialogue. Activities include publishing an op-ed and participating in a campus teach-in on the women’s movement in Iran, presenting a panel on social justice and pedagogy at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference, and volunteering in graduate student groups to develop inclusive teaching methods and writing practices. Jafari was also playwright-in-residence at the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.
 
Professor Michelle Carter, Jafari’s thesis committee director, describes their genre-crossing ingenuity: “Students have often marveled, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this.’ Hasti’s bold, original work defies description. Hasti has dazzled us with their inventiveness and offered brilliant, generous commentary to their peers. In diving ever deeper, Hasti creates new forms restlessly, inspiring us with their passionate questioning.”

Undergraduate Speaker

Nicole Bañuelos
B.A., Biology
College of Science & Engineering
 
Nicole Bañuelos overcame many challenges to complete her Biology degree with highest honors. While an undergraduate at SF State, she worked as a frontline health care worker during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and raised two children as a single mother.
 
Driven to make a difference in underprivileged communities, Bañuelos joined Associate Professor of Biology Blake Riggs’ research lab to study the toxicological effects of parabens, small molecules commonly found in food and personal care products. Her studies modeling human breast, ovarian and fallopian tube cancers revealed some of the potential dangers of everyday exposure to parabens and how they can impact DNA, fertility, lifespan and more.
 
Her international presentations, delivered in both English and Spanish, have won awards. In 2022, she earned first place at the SF State Research Conference in the Biological and Agricultural Sciences category, and she won a presentation award at the Annual Research Conference for Minoritized Students. Her list of accolades includes being a Genentech Foundation Scholar for three years and a recipient of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley Latinos in Technology Scholarship.
 
Bañuelos is also dedicated to mentorship, particularly of young women interested in STEM fields. Beyond academia, she serves her community as a homeless outreach specialist, domestic violence advocate and peer counselor. She has received a United States Senate Certificate of Commendation, California State Legislature Certificate of Recognition and more for her service work.

Undergraduate Hood Recipients

Michelle Fu
B.A., Accounting
Lam Family College of Business

A first-generation college student, Michelle Fu maintained a 3.94 GPA throughout all four years of college. With her classes, she already met the 150 credit hours required for a CPA license.

Fu is dedicated to serving her community. She volunteered more than 200 hours in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, providing valuable assistance to individuals and families in need of help preparing their tax returns. In 2021, she became a site supervisor for VITA, coordinating the efforts of other volunteers and overseeing the successful operation of the VITA site.

During her time at SF State, she participated in student organizations and held various positions in the accounting honors society, Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) — Beta Chi Chapter. As the group’s director of professional development, she planned and executed the second Virtual Meet the Firms event during spring 2021, which provided opportunities for students to virtually connect with potential employers.

Before graduation, Fu received an offer as an assurance associate for Ernst and Young, where she plans to continue learning and growing as a professional. Her long-term goal is to become an entrepreneur, using the knowledge and skills she gained from her education and professional experience to create a successful business.
 

Alexiz Ortiz
B.S., Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Graduate College of Education

Alexiz Ortiz became interested in the world of audiology during his junior year of undergraduate studies. He found the science behind our hearing mechanism and balance fascinating. But it was also apparent that there was not a lot of diversity in the audiology workforce, sparking concerns in Ortiz about how the field is reaching out to underserved populations. He hopes to create universal resources for patients with diverse socioeconomic, racial and cultural backgrounds.
 
One of Ortiz’s many contributions while at SF State was joining the Gray Matter Lab — which focuses on serving people who have language disorders like aphasia and come from historically marginalized communities — as a research assistant. He is also a part of the inaugural student group for research in the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) Audiology Lab. He has served as president of the Student Academy of Audiology over the last year, organizing presentations for all SLHS students and providing mentoring for all students in the program’s audiology courses.
 
Ortiz will continue his studies in the doctoral program of Audiology (AuD) at San José State University starting fall 2023.

Cassandra Marie Osorio
B.S., Kinesiology
College of Health & Social Sciences

Cassandra “Cassy” Marie Osorio began her academic journey in 2009 at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Unable to focus on school, she left in 2011 and joined the U.S. Navy, where she spent the next eight years of her life. During that time, she was able to try out different roles, including command career counselor, where she advised enlisted personnel on retention and promotion and helped them identify next steps and areas to work on. She was also an assistant command fitness leader, training and educating sailors to meet the Navy’s minimum fitness standards.

She left the Navy in 2019 and decided to return to college to earn an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology. By then she was married with a young daughter. She transferred to SF State from City College of San Francisco in 2021 and maintained exceptional grades while also being a full-time caregiver to her now two children.

Osorio was an undergraduate teaching assistant for two courses and served as president of the Kinesiology Student Association. She is currently exploring careers in occupational therapy and fitness and wellness.

Emily Gómez Urbina
B.A., History/French
College of Liberal & Creative Arts

Emily Gómez Urbina, a perennial Dean’s List honoree, is the first in her family to graduate from a four-year university and is proud of her Mexican heritage. She is passionate about bringing awareness to the deep-rooted Latinx involvement in the culture and politics of South San Francisco, the Peninsula city located 6 miles from SF State.

Urbina’s internship with the Historical Society of South San Francisco was a defining experience in her SF State tenure, giving her the opportunity to research the history of the Latinx community of her second hometown. She dug through the society’s collections, pored over old newspapers and conducted oral history interviews. As an aficionado of local history, she not only loved giving a voice to underrepresented people, but also discovering artifacts, especially vintage baseball uniforms.

Urbina is also an extraordinarily talented student of French. Her diligence and creativity have been an inspiration to all. Her coursework reveals original insights and sophisticated critical thinking. 

Her professors describe her as extremely conscientious, smart, thorough and kind. Her capstone project explored the Compromise of 1850 and the question of slavery in California’s bid for statehood. After graduation, she wants to continue museum work, committing to present a non-Eurocentric view of history.

Gladys Maritza Aguilar Vital
B.A., Latina/Latino Studies and Race and Resistance Studies
College of Ethnic Studies

Gladys Maritza Aguilar Vital (they/them) is a first-generation student, activist and community member with a strong commitment to their communities.

Being raised by a farm worker father and a hard-working mother, education became an important tool. They are the first one in their family to graduate from high school and continue onto higher education. Vital draws from their experience as a working-class Xicana English-learner who had to care for their two younger siblings since they were 9 years old and graduated from a continuation high school. This experience has fundamentally informed their work. From building a Smithsonian-supported archive of Bracero labor in Napa Valley and uplifting the voices of farmers within their community to continuing to expand their work rooted in liberation as a student mentor in the College of Ethnic Studies, Vital is committed to creating spaces of healing, resistance, solidarity and transformation.

They are graduating with a B.A. in Latina/Latino Studies and Race and Resistance Studies and a minor in Africana Studies and Political Science with a pre-law certificate and plan to take their skills and passions for community, health care, housing and immigration to the legal field.

Graduate Hood Recipients

William Thomas Brogan
MBA
Lam Family College of Business

With an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology, William Thomas Brogan moved home to the Bay Area and decided to pursue an MBA because he wanted to bridge his knowledge gap between science and business. He decided to pursue an MBA with an emphasis in sustainability.

At SF State, Brogan achieved excellence inside and outside of the classroom, spending much of his time serving the Center for Ethical and Sustainable Business, Net Impact (SF State Chapter) and the SF State Office of Sustainability.

In addition to his MBA, Brogan completed a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business. The program included a course specifically designed to develop innovative business strategies to address society’s unmet emerging needs. For his final course project, he explored the social, economic and environmental advantages of a decentralized, locally owned electricity grid. He developed a business plan that would provide low-cost power to remote regions using solar and other renewable sources. The primary goal of his project was to equip local stakeholders with the necessary infrastructure and training for a clean energy transition — ultimately improving community health and economic development while fortifying national energy security.

He currently works in Hayes Valley as a retail lead for the sustainable outdoor brand Cotopaxi. He also volunteers for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) as a referee and coach alongside his dad.
 

Cristina Cabiles
M.S., Clinical Mental Health Counseling
College of Health & Social Sciences 

Cristina Cabiles brings her lived experience to her training and her work. As a woman of color, she understands the needs of BIPOC communities and approaches them with cultural humility, compassion and exceptional advocacy. 

While at SF State she pursued a number of internships, which resulted in structural changes within the organizations. In her first-year internship she served as a behavioral health intern at the Daly City Youth Health Center, providing counseling and resources to students in a school setting. In her second year, she was a wellness counseling intern in the Jefferson Union High School District and provided clinical and employment counseling to students. She is a disability rights advocate and brings a social justice lens to all aspects of her work. 

She researched the lived experiences of people with disabilities during the pandemic and presented her findings at an international conference, as well as co-authored a manuscript, soon to be submitted for publication. Her culminating experience paper continued this focus as she explored the following topic: “Application of Family Systems Theory to Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities.”

She’s actively working to diversify the field of counseling by participating in the California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Fellowship Mentorship Program, where she mentors other BIPOC students pursuing mental health counseling careers and counseling licensure.

A “boomerang Gator,” Cabiles earned her undergraduate degree in Health Education from SF State in 2014.

Raymond Leroy LeBeau
M.S., Geographic Information Science
College of Science & Engineering

Raymond Leroy LeBeau is a member of the Pit River Tribe in northeastern California with Cahuilla and Lakota family relations. He says his scientific interests really began when he was exposed to geographic information science as an undergraduate. As a Geographic Information Science master’s student at SF State, he had a personal interest in researching meadow systems.
 
He joined the University’s Geography department just as it was starting its Red Clover Valley project assessing innovative ways to restore and protect montane meadows in the Sierra Nevada. Beyond its scientific implications, the project could inform how to protect local communities from the impacts of climate change, such as earlier snowmelts. For his thesis, LeBeau led the effort to map a huge field site using high-resolution drone imaging and analyzed changes in cut meadow stream channels after meadow restoration activities.
 
As a graduate student, LeBeau has been supported by several scholarships including the Cobell Scholarship and American Indian College Fund (AICF) Scholarships. He has been working in a student position with the U.S. Geological Survey and hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in the future.

Edee Moore
M.A., Ethnic Studies
College of Ethnic Studies

Mutual support and care are at the core of Edee Moore’s graduate-school experience in SF State’s College of Ethnic Studies. As a community-engaged scholar, she has played an integral role in creating a feeling of “home” for her peers as well as faculty and staff.

Moore’s thesis, “Third World Liberation Front or The College of Ethnic Studies: The Experience of Students of Color in the Face of a Global Pandemic,” employs archival research to examine how SF State responded to student needs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and how students responded by forming their own communities of support, mutual care and self-care. The thesis asks questions rooted in the relationships of care that she has committed to building with other master of arts students — these extend beyond her immediate cohort.

Even while working full time, Moore has convened meeting groups of Ethnic Studies graduate students in order to support and mentor one another, study together and write together. 

Moore plans to pursue a Ph.D. after completing her master’s degree. Her dissertation will extend her M.A. research findings to examine how the spirit of the Third World Liberation Front of 1968 and 1969 lives on through the relationships of care and mutual support that people develop with one another in the College of Ethnic Studies

Gail Ann Rulloda
Doctorate in Educational Leadership
Graduate College of Education

Gail Ann Rulloda is a loving wife, the mother of two beautiful kids and a lifelong learner of the world. She has found joy in working, co-learning and co-creating with students in early intervention, K - 12 and higher education settings. She enacts social justice and equity in the institutions where she works, in her community and in her home. She is grounded in radical love and disability justice and seeks to resist perpetuating trauma and hurt through healing, learning and finding joy. 

A notable feature of Rulloda’s work as a doctoral student, including her dissertation study, is that it was done as part of a unique partnership with San Lu, her life partner, fellow doctoral student and fellow community-engaged scholar. Rulloda’s achievements are linked to San Lu’s and provide evidence for the power of working together to practice authentic caring. Their relationship is a model for how we must work collectively to create long-lasting change in education.

Rulloda is a practitioner in the California community college system, with a life dedicated to supporting students who have been marginalized, specifically students who have been justice system-impacted and those with disabilities. Her dissertation focused on disrupting the dehumanization that justice system-impacted students experience in California community colleges. She has also contributed to the Ed.D. program by working as a graduate assistant supporting three classes. While a doctoral student, she worked on a major program evaluation focused on ethnic studies and helped develop a course for the College of Ethnic Studies that will be part of new requirements for undergraduates and will contribute to the new ethnic studies curriculum for California public schools. She and San Lu presented their developing research findings at the prestigious American Educational Research Association annual conference in 2022 and continue to present their findings at other important professional conferences across the country.

Science communicator Yimy Antonio Villa (M.S., ’21) tells today’s students it’s never too late to finish what you started

In 2020, science communicator Yimy Antonio Villa returned (virtually) to his alma mater, San Francisco State University, to speak to students about his career. His main message: you have to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Not long afterward, he got a chance to practice what he'd preached. 

Villa had been offering advice via Zoom to students in San Francisco State’s California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Bridges to Stem Cell Science program — a graduate program Villa himself had to first drop out of nearly a decade ago. After his talk, he got a message from the University’s CIRM Bridges Director Lily Chen.

“Lily Chen reached out to me and said, ‘You know that regret that you have [about not completing your master’s degree]? It doesn’t have to be a regret,’” Villa said.

Programs like the University’s CIRM Bridges — which was recently renewed for another five years — and the new undergraduate program CIRM COMPASS (Creating Opportunities through Mentorship and Partnership Across Stem Cell Science) train students in stem cell biology and expose them to a variety of career paths. And Chen wasn’t giving up on Villa.

At the height of the pandemic, he reenrolled in the University’s Cell and Molecular Biology master’s program with an emphasis in Stem Cell Biology, completing his graduate degree in 2021 — almost 10 years after he originally left the program.

The long delay for Villa resulted from family obligations. He came to SF State to get a master’s degree as preparation for a Ph.D. and managed to complete one year of the program before deferring for a year because his mother was experiencing health problems. Although he tried to return, he left again when he had to help his mother — an undocumented immigrant from Mexico — as his family’s primary breadwinner. He worked jobs outside of science, like as a receptionist for a pharmacy benefits management company, but always itched to return to the field he loved.

In 2016, SF State Biology Professor Carmen Domingo — at the time the University’s CIRM Bridges director and now dean of the College of Science & Engineering — forwarded a job opportunity at a nonprofit organization called Americans for Cures. The group educates the public about stem cell research and its impact on medical therapies. Villa snagged the job and started down a new career path.

The experience offered him a new way to apply his training as a scientist and taught him the art of sharing science to non-expert audiences. He also worked closely with patients and advocates who gave him a new perspective on medical research.

“It really highlighted to me the importance as a scientist or as anyone that is trying to propose a therapy or market some kind of a treatment … what makes it more important is that personal connection,” Villa said.

Around the time he returned to SF State in 2021, he was also working at CIRM as a marketing communications manager. After completing his master’s, he started a new position as manager of executive communications at Stanford Medicine, where he focuses on social media content and strategy for executive leadership.

Through it all, his mother — who did not have educational opportunities herself growing up — remained his biggest supporter. Now he’s a master’s degree recipient and an integral part of a larger communications team  — and she’s a legal U.S. resident planning on applying for citizenship later this year.

“Don’t be afraid to do a career change or to explore something else that you may want to do,” Villa said he now advises students. “Also understand that’s perfectly normal.”

Learn more about the University’s CIRM Bridges to Stem Cell Science program.

‘Stranger at the Gate’ is screening in San Rafael Feb. 28

San Francisco State University alumnus Conall Jones (B.A., ’05) was floored when he learned the short documentary film he produced with the production company Smartypants was nominated for an Oscar. “Stranger at the Gate” is his proudest accomplishment to date, but the film wasn’t getting critical recognition at first. It wasn’t accepted into the Sundance, Telluride or SXSW film festivals, he says. But Jones wasn’t looking for recognition — what he wanted was people to see the film because of its powerful message.

“Stranger at the Gate,” a 2022 film executive produced by Nobel laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai and released by The New Yorker, isn’t what it seems. It starts off like a true crime story, with hints about a terrorist plot and a possible suspect. “This was intentional so we would have the widest appeal as far of viewers. We wanted to draw people into the story,” Jones said. But the story is so much more than that. “It ends with positivity and love,” he added.

­­­The film is about former Marine Richard “Mac” McKinney, who returned home from service in Afghanistan to Muncie, Indiana. He suffered from PTSD and saw Muslims as targets, something he learned in combat. Fueled by fear and hatred, he began making plans to bomb the local mosque. When he went to the Islamic Center of Muncie to gather proof that they were dangerous people, he was welcomed with kindness. Not only did McKinney drop his terror plot, he ended up joining the community and converting to Islam.

“The message of the film is so great, especially with so much division and hatred out there,” Jones said. “This film is a lesson in expanding your horizons as far as people you interact with.”

Eventually, the film had a successful film festival run, winning major awards at Tribeca Film Festival, Indy Shorts and others, which qualified it for the Oscars, Jones says. And now he's promoting the film at theaters across the country in the lead-up to the Oscars.

He isn’t typically involved in the promotion of films. As a producer, his role is mostly behind the scenes helping to plan and strategize shoots abd build out stories with directors and production executives. For “Stranger at the Gate” he mapped out all the logistics for the shoot, did pre-interviews with sources and even did on-camera interviews. After filming wrapped, he stayed on to help director Joshua Seftel edit the film and craft the narrative.

The School of Cinema alumnus says he learned how to be deliberate about his shoots while at San Francisco State. “Because we were limited in the film supplies we had ... you had to plan everything out,” he said. “Every shot had to be storyboarded and there had to be a reason for taking that shot. Every shot was $5 because film processing wasn't cheap.”

He admits he was a mediocre student until he took an introductory course on documentary film with Professor Greta Snider during his sophomore year. “My grades went from B’s and C’s to straight A’s my final year because I kept doing as many documentary-related classes as I could,” he said. “Academically, I got much stronger because I found my passion.”

After college, it took Jones a few years to find his footing in the documentary film and TV world. Once he moved to New York City he started freelancing. Now, he has producing credits on several major projects, including Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 11/9,” Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” and Netflix's “Worn Stories.”

“I’ve worked on tons of documentaries that, if you include all of the TV episodes I’ve worked on, it’s probably 60 to 70 pieces,” he said. “But this film is my favorite because of its message. I feel like the message can transcend audiences like no other film can. ... I would like everyone in the U.S. to see this film.”

Learn more about SF State’s School of Cinema.

The co-founder of Ripple and Prosper shared his insights on cryptocurrencies, sustainability and entrepreneurship

San Francisco State University alumnus Chris Larsen (B.S., ’84) made a special visit to campus Tuesday, Feb. 14, to take questions from Business students. Held at the University’s J. Paul Leonard Library, the talk covered such topics as cryptocurrencies, climate change, staying motivated and the importance of taking risks...and even failing.

“If you fail in America, particularly here in the Bay Area, it’s like a badge of honor. It makes you stronger for the next time. ... If you fail with honor and grace and treating people right, people remember that,” Larsen told students. “Failing with honor in the Bay Area — you’re stronger next time.”

More than 60 Finance seniors from San Francisco State’s Lam Family College of Business attended the event.

“Chris Larsen, as an SF State alumni, a successful executive and an angel investor focusing on sustainability and cryptocurrency, was able to share with students firsthand his outlook for the crypto ecosystem, his perspectives on sustainability issues, his entrepreneurial spirit and his advice for a successful career path — all of which are hard to get elsewhere,” said Assistant Professor of Finance Xue Snow Han, who helped organize the visit.

When asked for his advice on launching a new business venture, Larsen told students the first thing to look for is an opportunity to make a difference.

“When you start a business, look for a problem that you can solve,” Larsen said. “The basic idea of any business is product, market, fit, right? If you’re not solving a problem, then what’s the point? And that might sound obvious, but as you guys probably have seen, there are so many technology companies that come up with a shiny new thing. They don’t really know what they’re solving. And lots of bad things happen from that.”

Larsen co-founded online mortgage lender E-Loan in 1996, and later helped launch Ripple Labs and other cutting-edge technology and finance ventures. He and his wife Lyna Lam, whose two sisters and several other family members attended SF State, have been stalwart supporters of the University since 2001. In April 2019, SF State announced the donation of a historic $25 million gift from Larsen, Lam and the Rippleworks Foundation to the College of Business, establishing the Chris Larsen and Lyna Lam Funds for the College of Business. In honor of this longtime support, the California State University announced that SF State’s College of Business had been renamed the Lam Family College of Business.

Learn more about SF State’s Lam Family College of Business.

Chanda Daniels (B.A., ’14) specializes in events celebrating the love of LGBTQ+ couples

No couple’s love story is the same, says alumna Chanda Daniels. And she’d know. She’s been in the wedding and event planning business for more than 25 years and founded two companies, A Monique Affair and Chanda Daniels Planning and Design. Both companies cater to diverse couples, so she’s constantly learning about the different ways people love and the different people they love. Her favorite part of her job is weaving these love stories through every detail of the wedding so that on their special day family and friends are immersed in that story.

Unfortunately, weddings aren’t all wine and roses. They can come with a lot of baggage, especially for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC couples. These couples can sometimes clash with an industry that doesn’t have a strong history of diversity and inclusion. Daniels (B.A., ’14) has made it her mission to ensure her clients’ celebrations are memorable for all the right reasons.

Just last year, one of her brides was looking at an expensive venue that didn’t have a history of hosting a lot of weddings for BIPOC couples. “They were giving this bride the hardest time. ... She called me in tears,” she said.

Fortunately, Daniels and her team stepped in and were able to diffuse the situation, and the woman’s wedding turned out beautifully.

 “That this venue had the nerve to discriminate against her or treat her in some [disrespectful] kind of way — it was so unreal,” Daniels said.

Daniels, who identifies as a Lesbian of color, specializes in planning weddings for LGBTQ+ couples, which comes with a unique set of considerations, she says. “When you go to a [wedding] creative, it feels as though you’re coming out to them again to see if they approve of you, and I didn’t want any of my couples to feel that way,” Daniels said. “That’s why I decided to be that person.”

Some of the LGBTQ+ couples she’s worked with have never kissed in front of their family, she says, so that’s often a topic they discuss. And then there are the couples whose parents don’t approve of their lifestyle.

“There have been so many times I have just cried with my clients. I get so connected to them because that’s a very personal thing that they may not have talked to anyone else about,” she said. “But here they are, on this most important day, wondering if the people who brought them into this world are going to come and celebrate them.”

As a wedding creative, Daniels has to wear many hats. Some days she’s a counselor, on others she’s a financial advisor. In many ways, she was destined for this kind of work. When she was younger her mother told her she was in control and always had a plan. “This is going to sound bad, but I was always telling people what to do,” she added.

The Oakland native started working at Andronico’s market and was promoted to a position in IT. Meanwhile, she started her event planning company A Monique Affair in 1999. She realized event planning was her passion and found a job with the East Bay Community Foundation operating its convention center. As she grew as an event planner she eventually decided to devote herself full-time to her own thriving company.

College was not on the map until she began talking to her daughter Chloe about college. “I’d say, ‘Chloe, it’s time to start thinking about college. What’s your plan?’ and she was like, ‘Well, Mom, you didn’t go to college and everything is fine with you.’” That conversation led Daniels on a search for college programs tailored to working adults.

After completing work at a community college, Daniels transferred to SF State in the Hospitality and Tourism Management program. Even though she was older than her peers and well established in her career, the program was rewarding, she says.

She continues to give back to that program by mentoring students interested in event planning. Each year she speaks to classes and on panels about her field. “Half of my employees are from that mentorship program,” she said, including two of her most long-term employees.

She’s hoping that her efforts in and out of the field help continue diversifying the industry. “Don’t be fooled by what you see in the magazines,” she said. “There are some folks out there who are doing their thing, but they may not get the recognition, and they may not have a platform, but they are out there.”

More information about SF State’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program is available online.