Class Notes 2022

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NOVEMBER 2022

Betty (Miller) Barks, ’59, has been married to her husband, Jim, for 57 years. They have two children and seven grandchildren. Betty was an elementary school teacher for 16 years.

Marilynn Sue Blackaby,  ’60, went home to the Lord on September 29, 2022. Marilynn was a member of First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, GA. She is survived by her husband Dr. Henry Thomas Blackaby and sons Dr. Gerald Richard Blackaby (Lisa), Dr. Thomas Wayne Blackaby (Kim), Dr. Melvin Duane Blackaby (Gina), Dr. Norman Charles Blackaby (Dana) and her daughter, Carrie Blackaby Webb (Wendel) as well as her 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Read the full obituary here.

Merle Wiseman, ’72, and his wife, Gale, ’74 recently celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary. The couple celebrated in Arkansas with their three children and their families. Merle serves as a physician in a mental health clinic in El Dorado, AK. Gale is a retired Christian school teacher and now helps her daughter homeschool her grandchildren.

 

 

 

Steven Johnson, ’76, retired in September after 40 years of practicing dentistry in Riverside.

Dale Almer, ’83, and his wife, Mishelle, celebrated their 25^th anniversary on September 6, 2022. They have two sons. Their eldest son, Joel, will be attending CBU in the fall of 2023. Dale is a Adapted Physical Education Specialist for the Alvord Unified School District.

 

 

 

Stefan Chapman, ’08/’18, published his first young adult science fiction novel called Escaping Justice: Book One, Earth Two- The New World Journey Trilogy. Stefan is a Spanish teacher for Bishop Stang High School in North Dartmouth, MA.

 

 

 

Amy (Martinez) Estep, ’09, was cast in the play "Fools" by Neil Simon and presented by Grace Baptist Church's Theatre ministry, located in Santa Clarita. Amy was also baptized on August 21, 2022.

 

 

 

Kylee Jones, ’12, received her Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credentials August 31, 2022. Kylee and her husband, Baron, also welcomed their third baby, a girl on September 9, 2022.

 

 

 

Nicole (Van Dyke) Grayson, ’14, married George Grayson on October 1, 2022. The couple then moved to Frankfort, KY where Nicole works as a therapist at Better Help and George is a sergeant with Louisville Veterans Affairs.

 

 

 

Rosa Mickens, ’17, was married to her husband, Ronald, for 36 years. In 2020 Ronald, a corrections officer, contracted COVID and passed away. Due to protocols in place, Rosa was not able to be with him in his final moments. Rosa and sons Ronald Jr., Ramien and Ryan miss him every day.

Bailey Borup, ’21, is celebrating one year as Clinical Director of Altitude Recovery Community, a dual diagnosis substance use and mental health treatment center.

Akera (Briscoe) Evans, ’22, married Jeremy Evans on April 10, 2022 in Glendale, CA.

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Lipps, ’22, recently accepted a position as a mental health professional at Dinuba Children’s Services. Here he will be able to earn hours towards his license.

Leandra McLaurin, ’22, started a company, JNL Consulting, LLC, a consulting corporation in the health and wellness spaces. She and her business partner also have their subsidiary nonprofit JNL Foundation, Inc., which supports Black, minority, and marginalized women by providing resources, access, and connections in the field of maternal health. Leandra and her business partner are women of faith from humble beginnings and feel they are answering God’s call by pursuing this entrepreneurial endeavor with no backup plan!

OCTOBER 2022

Rev. William “Bill” Hann, ’65, and his wife, Joanne (DeWatney) Hann, ’66, both recently passed away. William R. “Bill” Hann was born in Bessie, Oklahoma, on October 29, 1935. He met Joanne DeWatney at California Baptist University, Riverside, Ca. They were married in 1961. Two children were born into their family (Andrew, ’62, and Eric, ’ 66), and they also adopted their beloved daughter Dorothy (“Dottie”) in 1971. Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies from Cal Baptist University and a Master of Divinity degree from Cal Grad Theological Seminary. Bill was a revered Senior Pastor of several churches in California, including in Baldwin Park, Bakersfield, Walnut Creek, Long Beach, and finally at Mid-Cities Baptist Church in Westminster - where he served for roughly 25 years before retiring.

Joanne K. Hann was born in Alhambra, California, on August 16, 1942. Joanne grew up in Southern California and became a follower of Jesus at a young age at a church in Baldwin Park. She always had a knack for English and loved literature, so after graduating from Baldwin Park High School, she attended California Baptist University in Riverside, Ca. to pursue a liberal arts degree. Joanne went on to earn both her teaching credential and Master’s Degree in Education. Joanne was also a long-time, respected schoolteacher at various locales, including Pumpkin Center (Bakersfield, where she taught special Ed), Long Beach (where she served as the principal of a small Christian school), as well as at Baldwin Park High School.

They are survived by their three children, ten grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Read a full obituary here.

Bjorn “Bud” Hjalmarson, ’72, passed into eternal life to meet Jesus on September 8, 2022. He grew up in Phoenix and was a very gifted athlete. He began his athletic career at an early age by playing little league baseball, where he pitched for several years. He excelled in two varsity sports at South Mountain High School, basketball and track. After graduating from South Mountain in 1966, he received a basketball scholarship and went to Phoenix College for two years, where he played basketball and ran track. He then received another basketball scholarship and transferred to California Baptist University. He held the record for averaging 24.6 points per game in 1969 (before the 3-point shot) and for most points scored in a game, 46, in 1968.

In 1970, Bud and his wife went on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, where he played basketball on the Athletes in Action Basketball Team, traveling throughout the U.S., spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. He returned to CBU and earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at CBU in 1988.

Bud’s teaching career began in Alaska, where he taught P.E. and was a very successful basketball coach, taking 4 of his teams to state tournaments. He moved with his family to Pinetop, Arizona, in 1978 and continued teaching and coaching in Arizona, working with Native American students. He retired after a 29-year teaching career. 

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patsy (Edwards) Hjalmarson, ’73; two sons Brad (Sarah) and Eric; and a granddaughter, Shawna.

Read a full obituary here.

Bryant Sinkler, ’79, traveled to Newport, Rhode Island, to watch a polo match between the USA vs. Argentina.

 

 

 

 

Jaquitta Brown, ’91, obtained her Master’s of Social Work in 2000 from Loma Linda University and started working for the County of San Bernardino as a Social Service Practitioner. She was recently promoted to Supervising Social Service Practitioner.

 

 

 

Jessica (Mosebach) Garcia, ’03, was recognized on September 24 in the Nevada Press Association’s annual Better Newspaper Contest. Jessica received first place in Explanatory Journalism in the rural subdivision for her coverage of the Carson City School District superintendent search. She also took third place in the Profile category for featuring Dayton’s “Motorcycle Mama” Velma Thornburgh, a 102-year-old resident. The latter was given a ride on a Harley by the Templar Crusaders Motorcycle Club Northern Nevada for her birthday. Jessica is pictured with her husband, Rodrigo.

 

Angela (Finney) Perry, ’14, celebrated 40 years of marriage to her husband Vernon on June 27, 2022. They renewed their vows on an Alaskan cruise aboard the Disney Princess.

 

 

 

Sherry (Aziz) Manoly, ’16, recently graduated from occupational therapy school in 2021. She is now a full-time pediatric occupational therapist at Gallagher Pediatric Therapy and HealthBridge Children’s Hospital. Sherry also married in 2020 and is currently due with a baby girl in November.

 

 

 

Aarika Petersen, ’16, recently got engaged, started a new job and bought a house all within a three-month time span! She and her fiancé were also newly baptized as they wanted to start their marriage with a good foundation.

 

 

 

 

Casey Meyering, ’19, is starting the Master of Social Work program at The University of Oklahoma in January.  Casey graduated from CBU with a B.A. in Psychology.

Genaro Gonzalez Silva, ’19, has been working his way up through the engineering ranks of SoCalGas since graduating in 2019.

In November 2020, he was recognized by the company with an Up and Comer Award. The award was to a new hire whose supervisor and coworkers recognized as having great potential in the company.

In June of 2022, Genaro became a licensed Professional Engineer. Genaro says, “None of my accomplishments would be possible without the will of God and the support of my family. I have CBU to thank for the first-class education I received and the unending support of teachers and staff.”

 

Brynna (Hayes) Rominu, ’21, and Adrian Rominu, ’20, feel very fortunate to have celebrated their wedding on August 27. Unfortunately, the couple was involved in a life-threatening car accident in May of 2022 while on vacation in Texas but have since recovered.

 

 

 

Dr. Pattie Soltero Sanchez, ’21, recently presented her CBU Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) project at the Vizient National Conference in Las Vegas, NV. She also became a board Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). In October, she was appointed Associate Chief Quality & Informatics Officer at the Los Angeles County Dept. of Health Services-Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

Anthony Williams, ’21, and his wife, Nilla, welcomed a son, Adonnis Nehemiah Williams, on September 23, 2022.

 

 

 

 

Molly (Knight) Anderson, ’22, and her husband, Chris, welcomed a baby girl, Grace, on October 6, 2022.

 

 

 

 

Joey Aszterbaum, ’22, works as a teacher at Cristo Rey San Diego High School. The Cristo Rey network of Catholic schools serves Christ by providing a college preparatory education exclusively to students from families with low economic status. He presently teaches Advanced Placement Government, Economics, and World History and is loving it!

 

 

 

Michael Lipps, ’22, works as a mental health professional at Dinuba Children’s Services (Turning Point). In this position, he will be able to earn hours toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Andrew Zuniga, ’22, has been working for Riverside University Health System Public Health for the past two years. He currently leads the Riverside County Monkeypox (MPX) Community Response Branch team.

SEPTEMBER 2022

Dr. J. Dean and Sheryl J. Hane, both Class of ’66, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on July 20, 2022, with a dinner at the Mission Inn. Several people at the Iowa wedding 60 years ago were part of the celebration.

 

 

 

Keith and Peggy (Russell) McLellan, both Class of ’73, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in September 2022. Keith retired from college administration, and Peggy retired from the local school district. They enjoy traveling and being with family & friends. The couple is blessed with three sons, two daughters-in-law and two beautiful granddaughters. In their retirement, Keith serves as Chaplain with the local city Fire and Police departments and the County Fire department, while Peggy volunteers with community and church groups. They live on the beautiful central coast of California.

Kevin Cannon, ’86, is the Director of Federal Programs for the Trenton Independent School District in Trenton, Texas. He is also a first-time grandfather with the birth of his granddaughter, Gracie Marie Cannon, born on November 8, 2021.

 

 

 

Jayne (Gales) Solley, ’87, and the love of her life, Donald Solley, were married in Maui on March 6, 2020. Jayne retired as Financial and Administrative Officer for the Department of Philosophy at UCR in 2013. She is now enjoying her time traveling with her husband. The couple currently resides in Gardnerville, NV.

 

 

 

Jon Bratta, ’88, has joined Monster Energy Corporation based in Corona. He will be taking on the newly created role of Vice-President of Emerging Brands. Jon will help to develop and market new brand launches for the company. 

During his time as a Lancer, Jon played baseball during the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons.

Rebecca (McCullah) Forry, ’03/’08, and her husband, Chris, welcomed Norah Sage Forry, born October 2021. Norah joins her sister Lily (3) and brothers Silas (4) and Carver (7).

 

 

 

 

Sandra (Bennett) Hughes, ’05, recently published her first poetry collection, “Why Faeries Bite: Poems from RockRiver Hill.” It is a collection about faith, family, and faerie tales. The title poem was first published in The Dazed Starling Unbound. 

 

 

 

Robyn (Glessner) Luna, ’05, married Michael Luna on August 5, 2022, at the Chapel of Orange in Orange, California. Robyn is an adjunct professor of history at CBU and Oak Valley College.

 

 

 

Lawson Moore, ’07, and Laura (Bugbee) Moore, ’07, have moved back to California after 11 years in Tucson, Arizona. Lawson will be part of the advancement team at The Cambridge School, a small private school in San Diego. Laura is reprioritizing her business, LKM STUDIO, to focus more on B2B relationships and marketing. They have three children; Judah (14), Jordyn (12) and Jericho (10). The couple is thrilled to be closer to SoCal friends, family and the CBU community.

 

 

Corey Rhoads, ’07, and his wife Shannon recently welcomed a son, Bradley Alan, on March 2, 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

Nathan Devlin, ’11/’14, recently received the Excellence in Client Service award from Homesnap and Homes.com for the second consecutive year.

 

 

 

 

Brendan King, ’12, finished in 10th place in the North American Championship Series for Spartan Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) in the Males 30-34 division. Next, Riley is headed to Lake Tahoe for the Ultra World Championship, a 26-hour race in the rugged mountains of North Lake Tahoe, battling altitude, weather, obstacles and miles for 26 hours with the goal to go as far as you can.

 

 

Kevin Marstall, ’14, has published his first novel, Discoveries: The Omniscients, a detective story set in 1990s Los Angeles. Kevin hopes to publish the second book in the series by the end of this year.

 

 

 

Jorge Terrones, ’14, and his wife Nancy, welcomed a baby girl, Madeline on June 14, 2022. They state that baby Madeline is the best thing to ever happen to them. Jorge has stayed friends with fellow CBU alums, Ulises Araiza, ’16,  and Jessica Trujillo, ’14, who he credits with playing a big role in his life and now Madeline’s.

 

 

 

Nicole Hennessey, ’16/’17, recently accepted her dream job as the head softball coach at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

 

 

 

 

 

Alexis Nouwels, ’16/’18, is set to wed Ricky Watts on November 11, 2022. The couple has been dating for eight years and is excited to celebrate this special occasion with their families.

 

 

 

Michaela (Malneritch) Myjak, ’17, married Mitchell Myjak on March 25, 2022. Michaela also had the opportunity to participate in the game show, The Price is Right, and ended up winning the entire showcase, which included four trips; Maui, Italy, Singapore, and Atlanta. The episode aired on March 1, 2022. Michaela works as a museum educator at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

 

 

Emily Done, ’18/’22, is happy to announce that after five years of undergrad, three years as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA), and two years of graduate school, she is finally a Speech Language Pathologist for Chula Vista Elementary School District. Finally, she has achieved her dream career in her dream city. She will have the opportunity to work her way into an assistive technology/AAC expert in her new role.

 

 

Erin Fletcher, ’18, her husband Alex and their son, Hendrix (3), along with extended family, took several trips abroad this summer.

 

 

 

 

Staci Holt, ’18, recently started a position as communications manager for USAA. As a military spouse, her career and education was the item that always came last, but with CBU’s hybrid program and she was able to earn her Master’s degree and land her dream job.

 

 

 

Lukas Stauderman, ’18,  recently got engaged and will be married on February 10, 2023. In addition, Lukas recently started the role of General Manager for D-BAT Aggieland, an indoor baseball/softball training facility. Lukas is pictured with his fiancé, Cassidy.

 

 

 

Moriah Mesina, ’19, opened a coffee shop in the Bay Area. After owning and operating the Chrome Coffee trailer for a year and a half, she finally opened the doors to a brick-and-mortar coffee shop in Antioch, California. Moriah, unfortunately, lost her job as a Camp Program Coordinator at Mount Hermon in the Spring of 2020. But it was a blessing in disguise as she decided to pursue her passion, coffee! She started with a small coffee cart, then the coffee trailer and now her own coffee shop. 

 

Michael Bailey, ’20, married Alyssa (Gowling), ’20, in January 2022. Michael graduated with his Master’s degree in May from West Texas A&M University and was hired as a strategy analyst for The Wonderful Company in June. Alyssa recently graduated with her Master’s degree from Loma Linda University. Alyssa and Michael met when they were resident advisors in the cottages their senior year. 

 

 

Riley Forristel, ’20, and his wife, Leslie, ’20, live in Corpus Christi, Texas. Riley is continuing his flight training to become a pilot for the USMC eventually. Currently, he is primary flying the T-6B.

 

 

 

 

Nicolas Vander Weide, ’20, started a new position at E&J Gallo Winery as a Reliability Maintenance Engineer.

Caleb and Catherine Deveau, both Class of ’21, welcomed Eloise Josephine Deveau on September 1, 2022.

 

 

 

 

Hannah Doerfert, ’21, and Nathaniel Wong, ’21, married on May 27, 2022. They met during Freshman year at CBU. Hannah works as a graphic designer, and Nathaniel is a mechanical engineer. They recently moved to a new home in Northern California.

 

 

 

Brittney Murray, ’21, was contacted by a producer from the Kelly Clarkson Show in May 2022. They informed her that several of her students (current and former) sent letters to the show expressing their appreciation for her. As a result, Brittney was asked to attend a filming of the show and was subsequently gifted a seven-day cruise. Brittney is a teacher with the Oro Grande School District.

 

 

Desiree Oseguera, ’21, and her husband Noe welcomed a baby to the family. Micah Oseguera was born on August 15, 2022, making the Osegueras a family of six.

 

 

 

 

Shelbi (Lackey) Tello, ’22, married Adan Tello in December 2021.

Jennifer (Smithwick) Penner, ’22, recently graduated from CBU with a Doctorate in Social Work (DSW). Jennifer works as an adoption social worker at Olive Crest and an adjunct professor at CBU.

 

 

 

Ashlee Crispo, ’21, obtained her APCC and AMFT registration from the Board of Behavioral Science to continue her path in counseling. She was fortunate to find employment with Rite of Passage as a therapist with at-risk foster youth within a short-term residential treatment program. She plans to further her career by pursuing a certification in nutritional therapy. 

 

 

AUGUST 2022

Claude Mariottini, ’68, published a new book, Divine Violence and the Character of God (2022). Claude is a professor emeritus at Northern Baptist Seminary.

 

 

 

 

Bonnie Kee, ’72, just returned from her 16th short-term, international mission trip. She had traveled to Ecuador for the second time to share audio Bibles (in the native language), solar lights, reading glasses and fabric feminine hygiene kits (with patterns and fabrics to make more through an international sewing group called daysforgirls.org). Her next trip will be a mission to Ghana and Togo, her seventh trip to Africa, and her fifth to visit the young girl she sponsors through Compassion International.

 

Dr. John “Jack” Bracy, ’78, retired from 44 years of pastoral ministry in May 2022. He served the last 34 years at New Hope Community Church in Apple Valley, California. He also holds an MDiv from Golden Gate Seminary and an MA in Marriage Family Therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary and was also an adjunct professor at Gateway Seminary.

His wife, Jean (Tibbets), ’79, also retired after working 33 years for local government agencies. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Cal State University at San Bernardino.

The couple celebrated their 44^th wedding anniversary in August 2022. They have two daughters and two grandchildren. Jack plans to continue his counseling ministry, and together they plan to renovate and sail their catamaran, “Happy Together.”

Heather (Clark) Baker, ’81, and her husband, Tim, have owned and operated Caring Transitions South Bay Palos Verdes for almost four years. They specialize in helping senior citizens relocate, downsize and sell items they no longer need. Heather says it is a lot of work but a needed service, and they love what they do.

 

Scott Scorse, ’92, and his wife, Brigitte, recently celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary.

 

 

 

 

Ja’net Young, ’05, started Alliance for Young Women and Girls, a nonprofit organization based in the Los Angeles area, in 2014. The organization empowers young women and girls from marginalized communities to pursue careers that lead to upward economic mobility and professional growth through leadership and employability training. It is a small but mighty organization but is making a significant impact.

Ninety-eight percent of their clients graduate to obtain positions making over minimum wage or more than what they were making before enrolling in our program. They aid in the success of their clients through community partnerships with donors and caring community members. Visit www.alliance4ywg.org for more details.

 

David Haglund, ’06, is starting his sixth year as Superintendent of Schools in Pleasanton Unified School District in the San Francisco Bay area. The diverse and high-performing PreK-12 School District has 15 school sites and enrolls approximately 14,000 students.

 

 

 

Brett Baldwin, ’11, and his wife, Ashley (Gonzales), ’12, celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in August 2022.

April Martin, ’11, is a Children’s and Youth Services Librarian in Lake Havasu City, AZ. On September 12, 2022, she will begin the Assistant Library Services Manager position.

Teresa Serrano, ’11/’14/’22, graduated with her Doctorate Degree in Social Work from CBU. She is a proud triple Lancer alumna.

Teresa is a first-generation graduate and a former teen mother; reaching this goal has been a huge accomplishment for her, but primarily for her children as she is building a legacy. Teresa works as the CEO/President of Hope Wellness Counseling, Inc.

 

Tyler Aagard, ’12, and his wife, Lauren (Knuppe), ’13, welcomed their first baby, Nora Judy, in March 2022. Nora’s middle name is in honor of Tyler’s late mother, Judy, who passed away of leukemia in 2015. Nora had a rough time coming into this world, as both she and Lauren suffered severe but, thankfully, short-term complications. However, they comment that God has been so merciful, faithful and kind in their lives, helping to heal and grow each day as a family of three. They are so grateful for the blessing of Nora’s life; she is truly a miracle!

 

Chris Rabbich, ’13, and his wife, Kayla (Jech), ’13, have a two-year-old son, Owen. Chris and Kayla both played golf for CBU and are raising Owen to be a future Lancer golfer!

 

 

 

 

Nicole Van Dyke, ’14, is engaged to George Grayson with a planned wedding date of October 1, 2022.

 

 

 

 

Alexa (Hanley) Eckmann, ’15, received a Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of Alberta in Canada. She moved back home to Anchorage, Alaska, and is currently working for the Anchorage School District as an occupational therapist for children with special needs. Alexa recently married her husband, Karl, in December 2021. They love the outdoors and had an outdoor ceremony in the snow of Alaska! It was a cold, snowy and magical day.

 

 

Alejandra (Estrada) Villa, ’16, received the Teacher of the Year award for the Hesperia Unified School District. She works as a special education teacher.

Reneisha Wilkes, ’16, appeared on the final episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show with the group Ellen’s Lucky 13. She was honored for her community contributions. She has been featured on the show more than ten times and is nationally recognized for assisting students with scholarships and other critical resources. The show aired in May 2022. Reneisha, in the red sweater, is pictured with Ellen and the Lucky 13.

 

 

Cassidy Mihalko, ’17, is entering her eighth season playing professional basketball overseas. She has played in many countries, including Australia, Germany, Cyprus and Greece. Cassidy recently was part of the team that won the Cyprus League Championship and the Cyprus Cup Championship for the 2021-2022 season. She is currently in Melbourne, Australia playing in the NBL1 professional league. She hopes to continue traveling the world and playing basketball for years to come!

 

 

Jacob Waste, ’17, married Jessie (Adkins), ’17, on October 31, 2021. Jacob was the 2017 DII National Wrestling Champion, and the couple celebrated their wedding day with CBU cheer and wrestling alums. They thank CBU every day for bringing them together and for all of their friendships.

 

Bridget Avila, ’18, purchased her first brand new home in December 2021. She is currently in a master’s degree program at CBU and expects to graduate in Spring 2023 with a Master of Science Counseling Psychology- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (MSCP-LPCC).

 

 

 

Megan (Cordova) Bastreri, ’18, recently moved to Texas with her husband, Marc. She is a second-grade teacher at Lindsey elementary and is in her fourth year of teaching. The couple was married in January 2022. Megan is currently writing her first children’s book, set to be released in December 2022.

 

 

 

Nolan Kistler, ’18, got engaged to Katarina (McKnight), ’18, and they will marry on October 14, 2022. Nolan graduated from Chapman University, Dale E. Fowler School of Law. He took the CA Bar Exam July 26-27, 2022, and will hear if he passed in November.

 

 

 

Sara Lariviere, ’18, recently started a new position as a project manager at the City of Hope. She utilizes her BSN degree and leadership skills gained while working as a charge nurse to focus on process improvements at the organization.

 

 

 

Julia Brushett, ’19, is a data analyst in bioinformatics for Bionano Genomics, a cutting-edge biotechnology research and development company pioneering Optical Genome Mapping—the NEXT Next Generation Sequencing.

This job has given her work/life balance a boost, and she is enjoying working from home, traveling more, spending time with family and being able to purchase her first home. Julia is pictured with her younger brother, Anthony.

 

Jana (Moore) Cunningham, ’19, married her husband, Zachary, on July 3, 2022, in Prescott, Arizona.

 

 

 

 

Matthew Adamson, ’20, and Marcie (Cruz), ’19/’21, met while attending CBU and are now married and expecting their first child.

 

 

 

 

Sherika Gibson, ’20, was accepted to Ross University School of Medicine and has successfully completed her first semester.

 

 

 

 

Vanessa Mendiola, ’20, works for EPIC Management in Redlands, CA, as a Quality Improvement Transformation Facilitator II. She has earned three promotions since starting the position, with the most recent promotion resulting in her current role. She feels blessed to be on the path she is on.

Joseph Brown, ’21, is a manager at Apple Inc. He credits the leadership knowledge he gained while in the leadership and management studies program at CBU with helping him land this position.

 

 

 

Mariah Flores, ’22, welcomed a baby girl, Gianna Ayla, in January 2022. She graduated with honors and received a Bachelor of Nursing degree in May 2022. She thanks CBU for helping her achieve her dream and can’t wait to return to CBU to pursue her Master’s degree.

 

 

 

Faith Padilla, ’22, was selected to be a member of the 2022 NFL Seattle Seahawks dance team.

 

 

 

 

Rachel Payne, ’22, accepted a position at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. She is a labor and delivery nurse. This accomplishment is extra special to Rachel because she was born at Loma Linda, and now she gets to help mothers welcome their newborns into the world!

 

Sarah Valenzuela, ’22, is in a Master’s of Education program at UCR. She is starting her student teaching experience this fall.

 

 

 

 

JUNE/JULY 2022

Walter and Marilyn Crabtree, ’62/’62 celebrated their 61^st wedding anniversary on June 10, 2022. They were married between their junior and senior year of college with Dr. Robert D. Hughes and Dr. D. Eugene Wallace performing the ceremony. Their oldest son was born on their first wedding anniversary. The Crabtrees now have three children, 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

 

 

Kevin Pope, ’92 saw his oldest son Michael Daniel join the United States Army in January 2022. His son is now in his second phase of training as a specialist in Texas will travel to Korea and serve in Pyeongtaek this fall.

 

 

 

David Blair, ’06, has been serving as pastor at Brookville First Baptist Church since 2018. The church recently celebrated 185 years of commitment to glorifying God by making disciples of Jesus Christ. David and his wife, Leslie (Newkirk), ’06, are expecting their sixth child.

Tina (Mims) Frias, ’08 has been a member of the Clark County Department of Aviation team since 2013, and now serves as deputy director of aviation. In this role, she oversees the Department of Aviation and the many areas within it.

Prior to joining the Department of Aviation, Frias held several positions focused on legislation and policy, including serving as a legal policy analyst for the Nevada Assembly Leadership Office and as a Legal Fellow for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Tina Frias earned a dual bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from CBU and she also holds a juris doctor degree from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She and her husband, Damian Frias, ’07, share two sons—David and Johnnie.

Amy Kidd, ’08 is a middle school teacher with the Alvord Unified School District. She and her husband, Brian Kidd, ’07, recently celebrated the graduation of their son from Hillcrest High School. Their son, Jake, will be carrying on the CBU tradition when he starts his freshman year this fall, majoring in computer science.

 

 

 

Kimberly (Schuette) Hauer, ’12, After working at the public electric utility in Big Bear Lake as an accounting supervisor and manager, Kimberly joined her husband, Desi, in their business, Big Bear Off Road Experience, Inc. They take people on guided Jeep trips and Can-Am trips. There are blessed to say their business is rapidly growing. Kimberly also became a grandma in February 2022.

Anna Hart, ’13/’17/’19, married Mark Hirami on June 21, 2022 in Kauai, Hawaii. Anna is teacher with the Rialto Unified School District.

 

 

 

 

Jazmine Perez, ’19, married Charles Turner on May 1, 2022. Jazmine started a new position at Estrella Mountain Community College as a program coordinator for math and physics tutoring. She just finished her third year in a Ph.D. program for applied mathematics at Arizona State University.

 

 

 

Sara (Hernandez) Sanchez, ’19, was married to Jonathan Sanchez in 2019. In March 2022, Sara was promoted to a charge nurse position and is working in behavioral health at UHS-Corona Regional.

 

 

 

 

Seth Davis, ’20, is the department chair for all career technical education pathways at Escalon High School. He is leading the largest first responders high school program in Northern California. He has certified over 100 students in CPR First Aid as well as STOP the Bleed. Seth is currently creating a simulation lab for all emergency medical services. He is spearheading a county-wide STOP the Bleed program that will equip all schools with proper equipment.

 

 

Hayley Kennon, ’20, is a substitute teacher for the Glendora and Upland Unified School Districts. She is starting a master’s program in clinical mental health counseling at Grand Canyon University.

 

 

 

Karla Felix, ’21, recently started a new position as a staff analyst at the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG).

Tamra Francis, ’21, married Brandon Meyer on April 1, 2022. Tamra is a substitute school counselor with the Beaumont Unified School District.

 

 

 

 

Kaya Ledet, ’22 married Michael Torquato, ’22, on May 21, 2022 at Grand Tradition Estates and Gardens in Fallbrook, CA.

Kenneth Morgan, ’22, is an assistant coach for men’s basketball at Chaffey Community College. He is currently enrolled in the CBU Master’s program for organizational leadership. He and his wife have three children.

 

 

 

MAY 2022

Chrystal (McElfresh) Kern, ’76, and her husband, Harry Kern, ’82, celebrated 45 years together on Friday, May 20, 2022. They were engaged at Fortuna Fountain with Dr. Musacchio presiding in 1976. Chrystal prays all Dr. Musacchio’s engagements are as blessed as theirs.

 

 

Rachel (Johnson) Jeffres, ’94, married Eric Jeffres in Santa Maria, California on April 30, 2022. Rachel completed her Doctorate of Education in leadership studies and founded The Key Academy, where she serves as a Certified Life Coach. She specializes in coaching clients through significant life transitions. Her new husband, Eric is a high school special education teacher and golf coach and Azusa Pacific University grad. The Cougar and the Lancer will reside in Santa Maria, California.

 

 

Gina Gurrola, ’99/’19, and her husband Robert Gurrola, ’99 recently celebrated their 30^th wedding anniversary.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jesse Neimeyer-Romero, ’07, served at CSU San Bernardino for 14 years in various roles since 2008. He is currently serving as the executive assistant to the dean of science at San Bernardino Valley College. He oversees the division's budget, coordinates divisional communications and academic scheduling and various projects related to faculty and student success.

 

 

Douglas Misener, ’16, and his wife, Sheri, recently graduated from Gateway Seminary together earning their Master's Degrees. Douglas notes that the foundation he received in CST at CBU sustained 20 years of ministry and he has relied on his undergrad studies day after day in his field of teaching and preaching.

 

 

 

Vanessa Mendiola, ’20 was recently promoted to Quality Improvement Facilitator II at EPIC Management. She started at EPIC as a department assistant in the middle of a pandemic with a degree freshly in hand (Class of 2020). This promotion will be her third in her two years with the company.

 

 

 

Madeline (Kozelchik) Tinker, ’21, married Nathan Tinker, ’21,  in September 2021.

 

 

 

APRIL 2022

Jerry Hill, ’61, has retired from the business world and he and his wife, Karen are in the process of selling their home in Lake Palestine, TX and moving to be closer to their condo on South Padre Island.

Greg Johnson, ’08, is a TV/Film Composer with credits for Netflix, Roku, Al Jazeera, and recently completed work as the composer for the 2022 Qatar World Cup Final Draw. Some of the featured music includes “Mascotverse,” an animated film introducing the World Cup Mascot, La’eeb, and “Voyage of Fijiri,.” The 2022 Qatar World Cup Final Draw is the first official event of the World Cup that matches the teams up for the subsequent tournament in November of 2022 and has an estimated viewership of 200 million people.

 

Nathan Devlin, ’12/’14, president of Devlin Realty, was recognized as a Top Producer in the Inland Empire real estate market. He received a Top 500 award from IE Real Producers. This award recognizes his dedication to the gifts God has bestowed upon him, his clients, and the industry. Additionally, Nathan and his wife, April (Mirizio) Devlin, ’08/’14, vice president at Devlin Realty, were invited to serve as speakers for the Inland Gateway Association of Realtors Young Professionals Network Coffee and Culture Symposium. This organization provides training, expertise and mentorship for new real estate agents. The event focused on seasoned real estate brokerages and teams, their stories, successes, lessons learned and sharing knowledge with new agents.

Amanda (Collins) Cisi, ’13, and her husband, Christopher, welcomed triplets on August 25, 2021, Maddox, Joseph, and Alexandria. The new family of five feels incredibly blessed to have three such happy, healthy babies.

 

 

 

Preston Herdt, ’17 and his wife, Leah, welcomed first child, Luke, born just recently in April 2022. Last summer, Preston obtained a Masters in Clinical Psychology degree with and an emphasis in marriage and family therapy. He is currently a Lead Clinician at Douglas Young Youth and Family Services. 

 

 

 

Carollyn (Stockbarger) Mendoza, ’18/’20, married Valentin Mendoza in November 2021. The high school sweethearts have been enjoying married life and are so excited to see what else is in store for their lifetime together!

 

 

 

 

Chris Cochran, ’19, and his wife, Angela, joined the staff of The Awakening Church in Murrieta, Calif. The church has a new, hybrid education center, Brightwood Education Center, where Chris is a lead middle/high school teacher. He is also the children’s director at the church. His wife Angela is the worship director. Chris comments that he never knew an opportunity like this could exist and he whistles his way into work each day, in love with life and he thanks Jesus for this blessing.

 

 

Michelle (Gutierrez) Sprowl, ’21, married Jason Sprowl in September 2021. The following month she and her husband found out they were expecting their miracle baby!

 

 

 

MARCH 2022

John Hobson, ’73 and Shirley LaJuan (Lawrence) Hobson, ’71 celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary by moving to Spokane, WA. John has also retired from his position as Director of Missions at Mt. Baker Baptist Association.

Vernon McBride, ’02, is now a published author of the book, The World is My Oyster. He also won first place at the 2022 Toastmasters International Speech Contest. He has plans to continue his education in the fall at CBU and pursue a Doctor of Social Work.

Steven Guglielmana, ’19, is the founder and director of Triumph Volleyball Academy as well as head volleyball coach. The academy functions as a volleyball ministry with God at its center. They are comprised of 16 girls travel teams three boys travel teams and have competed in both the U.S.A. National Championships and the AAU National Championships. Steve is also the head boys and girls volleyball coach at Fresno Christian High School. Check out our ministry here at triumphvolleyballacademy.com.

FEBRUARY 2022

Carrie Whisler, ’81, after working for 20 years at RINA Accountants & Advisors, most recently as Human Resources, Carrie will be retiring at the end of March. She is building a home in Washington to be near her extended family, she can’t wait to see what God has in store for her in this next chapter. She sends a shout out to her two best friends and former roommates, Cary (Hightower) Tolbert and Linda (Craig) Fuelle, ’81.

 

Patricia Ann (Connary) Murcray, ’98, went home on January 10, 2022 after battling pancreatic cancer for over two years. Patricia was a student at CBC in the 70’s but received her degree in 1998. She went on to become a Trustee at CBU and she also taught first and second grade students until 2021. Patricia was preceded in death by her husband, James Murcray, ’72, in 2009. James was an adjunct professor at CBU. She is survived by her children, Rebecca Mitchell, Kristin McAtee, Joshua Murcray, ’20, Theodore Murcray, ’02, as well as seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

 

Holly (Bricker) Hewitt, ’11, worked for 10 years as Early Head Start teacher. Holly and her husband, CJ, purchased their dream home last year and she recently became a stay at home mom to her three wild and adorable boys. 

 

 

 

 

Cindy Piz, ’20, and her husband, Jesse Benavides, adopted two boys, Gabriel (4) and Michael (3), who were in her care as foster children and welcomed a new baby, son Jesse James on October 9, 2020. All of these life-changing moments happened right before she graduated from CBU. She credits her faith for giving her strength during this time, as well as her CBU counselor Danielle Guise for keeping her on track.

 

 

JANUARY 2022

Dr. Don Shannon, ’70, received a Distinguished Instructor award for teaching the course “Principles of e-Learning Instructional Design” at the University of California – Irvine.

David Leonard, ’77, has been elected Chairman of the Riverside County Planning Commission for 2022.

 

 

 

 

Chuck Starr, ’81, after working with guest services staff at the Billy Graham Library, in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the last three years, Chuck accepted a part-time position with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in the Creative Services department. Chuck and his wife Melodie (Keller), ’77, have lived in Lowell, NC since he retired from the U.S. Air Force in late 2004.

 

 

Cindy (Hatch) Derrico, ’83, completed a Ph.D. in higher education leadership in May 2020. In January 2021, she was promoted to Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at California State University – Channel Islands. For the past 27 years, Cindy has served at three different CSU campuses. She and her husband Jay just celebrated their 35^th wedding anniversary with a sailing trip in the Virgin Islands. They reside in Camarillo, Calif. 

 

Matthew Nissen, ’08, married Ashley Pancratz on September 25, 2021, in Tucson, AZ. In November, Matthew started a new job as Director of Development at Project Rescue, a non-profit dedicated to rescuing and restoring victims of sex trafficking through the love and power of Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

Amber (Baus) Aston, ’10/’13, and her husband, Josiah, recently finalized the adoption of their daughter, who they have had since her birth. The couple also completed a merger of their company, an online private school, to become Wilson Academy Online. They also launched an on-site campus.

 

 

 

Matthew Alvarez, ’12, serves as Captain in the United States Air Force Reserve Nursing Corps. Matthew also received his Master’s of Science in Nursing in October 2021. VA Loma Linda Medical Center currently employs him as an RN Care Manager. His wife, Lea (Palmer), ’12, is also a 2012 graduate of the CBU nursing program.

 

Joshua Beevor, ’17/’20, married Sydney Mcgaughran on November 5, 2021, at the Ponte Winery in Temecula, Calif. The couple honeymooned in Key Largo, Florida.

 

 

 

Jentry Salvatore, ’19, has been promoted to Director of Marketing and A&R at Empire, a premier, all-encompassing digital media distribution company in San Francisco.

Rebecca (Patty) Bradford, ’20, recently married her husband, Mitchell. Rebecca met her husband while they were both serving in the Republic of Slovenia on separate International Service Projects. The couple hopes to soon get back on the mission field overseas and share the Gospel with young aspiring artists in Slovenia.

 

 

 

Zachary Calpino, ’20, and Kelly (Summers) Calpino, ’20, were recently married. The couple started dating after taking an ISP to Germany. They reside in San Ramon, Calif.