Dispatches Winter 2023
1978
Earle Hartling [SciEng, GradSciEng ’81] retired in January 2023 from his career in the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts. His final post was as water recycling coordinator. He also helped organize a union and led contract negotiations as the first union president. He continues to teach an online seminar on water recycling. His son, Vaughn Hartling [SciEng ’17] is a computer engineer in San Francisco.
Michelle Andersen [SFTV] was named vice president of NextTech Communications, a women-led subsidiary of The Bliss Group based in Holmdel, New Jersey. Anderson specializes in enterprise technology, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain/cloud and science technology.
Mark Shults [BusAdm] recently accepted the position of director of Guest Services & Security at Pechanga Arena San Diego (formerly San Diego Sports Arena). He lives in Point Loma with his wife, Edie, and has a son who recently graduated from SDSU and a daughter at UCLA. He retired in 2019 after a 25-year career at AT&T.
1990
Matthew Airey [GradBusAdm] published his second book, “Steadfast Awareness 2: Letters and Life Takeaways,” which uses personal letters and ancestral documents to spur personal and professional growth.
Roxanne K.T. Hill [LibArts] recently launched her end-of-life consulting practice, Blossoming Through. Roxanne received her training as a Conscious Dying Coach and End-of-Life Doula at the Conscious Dying Institute in Boulder, Colorado.
Andy Sison [SciEng] accepted a new post as parish manager at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Huntington Beach, California.
1994
Oliver de la Paz [BCLA, SciEng ’95] was named a 2023 Poet Laureate Fellow by the American Academy of Poetry in July. One of 23 poets so selected, de la Paz received an award of $50,000 to lead public poetry programs — such as workshops, readings, and slams in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts. His latest collection of poetry, “The Diaspora Sonnets,” also was published in July.
1996
Christine Giunta-Mayer [CFA], coach of the Glenbard West High School boys volleyball team, led her squad to a second consecutive Illinois state championship in June 2023. Giunta-Mayer was named the 2023 Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association Coach of the Year. She won the award in 2022 and 2017. The 2023 title was her fifth state championship overall.
1998
Caroline McBride [LibArts] released “Four Seasons at Cutler’s” (Post Hill Press), the second installment of her “Four Seasons” rom-com series. The novel is loosely based on her career as an international publicist.
2000
Christiane (Hoffman) Frank [LibArts] in December 2022 was named the first leader for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for Maravai LifeSciences, a publicly traded biotech company headquartered in San Diego. Just before the pandemic, she earned the Senior Certified Professional (SCP) designation from the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and began working for Maravai in October 2020. She has remained involved in her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, since college. She has served as a chapter advisor for the USD and UCSD chapters. Building on her time playing lacrosse at LMU, she and her husband, Greg, enjoy being season ticket members for the San Diego Seals professional box lacrosse team since their inaugural season. Christiane enjoyed the recent Beyond the Bluff San Diego event, and hopes all Lion alumni will get more involved and give back to LMU.
2003
Michael Erush [GradBusAdm], former associate head coach of men’s soccer and a member of the LMU Athletics Hall of Fame, was named head coach of Cal State Los Angeles’ men’s soccer team in summer 2018. As assistant coach for Cal State L.A., he helped lead the team to its first Div II national championship in the 2021 season.
2005
Erick Berrelleza, S.J., [LibArts] was named in September 2022 the founding dean of Boston College’s Messina College. Berrelleza was an assistant professor at Santa Clara University at the time of his appointment. Messina College will offer a two-year associate degree to 100 students with the goal of preparing them to continue toward a bachelor’s degree.
Tim Collins [LibArts] in June 2023 was named associate vice president/director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Washington. His previous post was as senior director for development at Fresno State University in Fresno, California.
Diana Fuentes [LibArts] was appointed city clerk of San Diego in August 2023. She is the first Latina city clerk of the city. Her responsibilities include overseeing city elections, organizing council agendas and managing records.
Erin (Fregoso) Mata [CFA] began working as a morning news anchor for Northern News Now at KBJR Television in Duluth, Minnesota.
2007
Leslie (Wiggins) Bedford [LibArts] and her husband, Hank, welcomed their first child, Henry Edward Bedford V, on Jan. 18, 2023. Young Henry is the grandson of the late Les Wiggins ’66.
David Cline [BCLA] has joined Husch Blackwell’s Denver office as a partner in the firm’s financial services and capital markets industry group and as a member of its private equity and investment management teams.
2008
Melinda (Hodge) Cabrera [CFA] was named president and CEO of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara this past July. Previously she was vice president of United Way of Santa Barbara County.
Chase Boyajian [BusAdm] and his brothers, Tanner Boyajian [SFTV ’11] and Hunter Boyajian [SFTV ’15], sold their business, Dark Burn, to Trailer Park Group in 2022. Dark Burn was created in 2014 and makes triple-A game trailers. Trailer Park Group focuses on global entertainment marketing and content production. Chase and Tanner continue to lead their unit within Trailer Park Group.
Robert Reynolds [LibArts] became engaged to Simran Gambhir, after proposing on the LMU bluff in September 2023. Robert is the founder and executive director of Vote Rev, a progressive political nonprofit. Simran is clinical faculty at UCLA medical school, where she works and teaches as a pediatric hospitalist. They live in Playa Vista.
Sarina Bolden [BusAdm] started for the Philippines women’s national soccer team in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Hers was the first-ever goal scored by the Philippines in the tournament, and it won the game against host New Zealand. Bolden plays for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the Australian A-League. During intermission of a match with Cal State Bakersfield on Aug. 31, 2023, Bolden returned to Sullivan Field to be honored for her World Cup accomplishments.
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