The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the accomplishments of individuals who have graduated from California State University, East Bay and made remarkable contributions in the areas of community or public service, or professional or personal excellence; demonstrate a commitment to the values of the university; contribute to scholarship, lifelong learning, and civic engagement; assume positions of ethical leadership within the regional and/or professional communities; and provide exemplary service to, or in support of, the university.
BS '93, Political Science
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about people. Showing up, listening, and lifting others. For more than 30 years, he’s done just that—serving students, guiding institutions, and helping to shape the future of education across the country.
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BS '87, Computer Science, Mathematics
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
A true pioneer in the digital revolution—building innovative products, partnerships, scaling ecosystems, and driving global business strategy for some of the most influential technology companies in the world.
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BS '90, Business Administration and Accounting
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
Investing in the future from Wall Street to the East Bay. The road to building a billion-dollar real estate company started with a solid foundation in accounting, a sharp business mind, and an education from Cal State East Bay.
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M.Ed '05, Educational Leadership
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
From the classroom to Superintendent of the Napa Valley Unified School District, her journey has been defined by one clear mission: to strengthen public education and ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.
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BS '02, Human Development
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS, AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
A leader in the financial services field, whose philanthropic commitments reflect an inspiring mission to uplift and support others.
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BS '91, Business Administration
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
A lauded leader in the consulting industry, whose mentorship and scholarships have helped empower future female business leaders.
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BS '03, Computer Science, Mathematics, MS '04 Mathematics, MS '22 Statistics
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
A tech leader and lifelong learner whose academic pursuits have contributed significantly to the evolution of search and social media.
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MS '01, Multi-Subject Teaching Credential; Doctorate in Educational Leadership '16
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
A leader in tech, whose philanthropic efforts have fostered strong partnerships between private industry and the nonprofit community.
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BS '93, Computer Science
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Anupama Anantharaman is a digital TV industry professional from Silicon Valley, California, with 20+ years of experience in video compression, transmission, and OTT streaming. Anupama began her career as a software engineer at Compression Labs, a pioneer in MPEG-based digital video, developing videoconferencing systems. Subsequently, she held product management and business development positions focused on internet-based video communications. At Interra, Anupama manages the product marketing activities including product definition, launch, strategic selling, and technology alliances for video QC, monitoring and analyzer products.
MS '01, Educational Leadership; Administrative Services Credential '03
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
Daryl Camp serves as the superintendent of the San Lorenzo Unified School District. He joined San Lorenzo USD in 2019 after serving as superintendent of the Riverbank Unified School District in Stanislaus County for seven years. Daryl has been a public-school educator in California for 30 years, beginning in 1991 as a substitute teacher and coach in the Oakland Unified School District. He was then hired as an intern mathematics teacher at James Logan High School in the New Haven Unified School District. He also has worked as an assistant principal, house principal, high school principal and assistant superintendent.
BA '74, Art
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS & SOCIAL SCIENCES
John Toki has led a multifaceted life as an artist, author, educator, businessman, inventor, art collector, and patron of the arts. John established the Toki Studio in 1974, in Richmond, California, while still a student at Cal State Hayward. He went on to exhibit his sculpture throughout the country, and produced public art commissions for Oakland City Hall, City of Berkeley – University of California Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, and for the City of Sacramento. Amongst the places his sculptures have been exhibited are: the Oakland Museum of California, Richmond Art Center, and the Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2019, John’s work was exhibited at the American Museum of Ceramic Art in a solo exhibition titled, “Fault Line.”
BS '69, Business Administration
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
Marvin Remmich is founder and president of RAM Properties, Inc. Utilizing his extensive experience with investment properties and his passion for helping people, Marvin started RAM Properties in 1974. Prior to founding RAM Properties, he worked in the field of hospital administration, where his skills enabled him to rise swiftly up the ranks in hospital administration and accounting, and ultimately earned him the position of CFO of a major California medical center. Marvin serves on a number of non-profit boards, including the Cal State East Bay Educational Foundation.
BS ‘89, Business Administration
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
Amy Schioldager retired in January 2017 from BlackRock after more than 25 years as Senior Managing Director and Head of the Index Equity business. In that role, she managed $2.5 trillion in assets and $3.5 billion in revenue. Amy was responsible for managing all aspects of the evolving Global Index equity business: overseeing investment portfolios, managing the operating and investment risk across a global platform, advancing technology solutions and managing client relationships across multiple client segments.
AMY SCHIOLDAGER VIDEO
B.S. '83, Criminal Justice
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
As the Regional Vice President for External and Community Affairs at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, Yvette is accountable for the organization’s $1.2 billion Community Benefit portfolio, Community Relations Program, Regional Government Relations, and Community Health strategy. Yvette leads Kaiser Permanente’s efforts to tackle the pressing issues facing our community’s most vulnerable residents: reducing mental health stigma, addressing affordable housing and homelessness, building economic security for all, eliminating health disparities, and creating safer and more equitable communities.
YVETTE RADFORD
B.S. '99, Computer Science
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Roberto is currently the Support and Services Leader at CommScope communications. For 22 years, he has been engaged in network communications, network architecture and network security technologies. He has been part of lead consultative technical teams in over 14 countries to design and implement international communications networks. He contributed as a technical resource to the book “Juniper MX Series” and helped design mission-critical networks that still operate today on the biggest service providers around the world.
ROBERTO HERNANDEZ VIDEO
B.A. ‘95, Liberal Studies; Multiple Subject Teaching Credential ‘96, M.S. ‘05, Education
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
Christie has been a public educator for 27 years. She is currently a kindergarten teacher at Valley View Elementary in Pleasanton and former Teacher of the Year. She pioneered her district’s Dual Immersion Program, named by the California Association of Bilingual Education as a Seal of Excellence Program. Her passion for grant writing has brought almost $125,000 for science, technology and literacy into her school, students’ homes and her classroom. Christie is one of 1200 SMART Exemplary Educators across the world.
CHRISTIE CARNAHAN VIDEO
BS ‘73, Recreation
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
After a lifetime in human resources, Kenneth Kahrs most recently served as executive vice president of human resources for Universal Studios, a position he held for 14 years until his retirement. During his tenure, he built a culture that embraced change, supported growth and empowered employees to achieve individual and company goals. Prior to Universal Studios, he was vice president of human resources at Viacom Inc., and held executive positions at the Cerebral Palsy Center in Oakland and Lockheed Martin Corporation in Sunnyvale.
KEN KAHRS VIDEO
BS ‘87, Biological Science
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Sara Toyloy currently serves as president of new therapies and chief regulatory officer of Elixir Medical Corporation, a medical device company focused on providing solutions that combine state-of-the-art medical devices with advanced pharmaceuticals. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, Toyloy leads the company’s efforts to deliver new therapeutic options for the treatment of cardiovascular and neuromuscular disease. In addition, she is responsible for achieving the company’s global regulatory agency clinical trial and marketing approvals as well as managing the clinical research and quality assurance groups.
SARA TOYLOY VIDEO
(BS ‘89, Business Administration)
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
As executive vice president and CEO for Koch Enterprises, Jim Hannan is responsible for oversight of Georgia-Pacific, Guardian®, Invista, Molex, Infor, and for driving trans-formational change and knowledge sharing within all companies. He has also worked closely with the Atlanta Police Foundation and actively serves on the Atlanta Committee for Progress, a partnership between business, civic and academic leaders. Hannan is currently on the boards of the Georgia Research Alliance, Woodruff Arts Center, The Commerce Club, and the educational foundation board for Cal State East Bay.
JAMES HANNAN
(BA '74, Art)
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
With 40-plus years of experience in the highly competitive beauty industry, where she held executive positions at prestigious brands including Christian Dior, Lancôme, Helena Rubinstein (L’Oréal) and Shiseido, and a stint as associate producer of the 1992 cult-favorite film Glengarry Glen Ross, Karen Oliver is the founder and CEO of Karen Oliver and Associates, a trusted boutique public relations agency in New York City. Since opening in 2004, KO&A is especially well known for putting premier European beauty brands little known in the US, such as Eau Thermale Avène and Klorane, front and center with the American media.
KAREN OLIVER
(M.A. ’82, Speech Communication)
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Lesley Di Mare was the first female president in the history of Colorado State University - Pueblo, where she served since 2011 after a lengthy career in higher education administration around the country. While there, she established a new financial system, implemented the university's first online degree programs and partnered with the CSU-Pueblo Foundation to conclude the institution's first comprehensive capital campaign, which raised $28.5 million.
Lesley Di Mare Video
(B.S. '75, Business Administration, MBA '95)
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
After a lifetime in international business for oil and gas companies, Douglas E. Uchikura most recently served as Deputy General Director for Chevron Upstream Europe, based in Warsaw Poland. From 1979 through July 1988, Uchikura worked on obtaining the necessary federal, state, and local permits for oil and gas exploration, development and production activities offshore California and onshore in Santa Barbara County, California.
Douglas E. Uchikura Video
(B.S. ’02, Biology; M.S. ’06, Biology)
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Randall Davis is the co-founder of Genia Technologies as VP of Research and Development and helped build the company’s
(M.S. ’81, Counseling)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
Anne Campbell has devoted her 40-year career to public education, most recently as the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools. She has been a major force in San Mateo County for expanding access to quality early education, most notably helping launch The Big Lift, a countywide effort to ensure all third-graders become proficient readers through access to two years of quality preschool, summer enrichment activities, school attendance, and family engagement.
Anne Campbell Video
(MPA. ’78)
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Supervisor Keith Carson serves as a member of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, representing the Fifth District of Alameda County on a platform dedicated to
(B.S. '80, Economics)
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
Tessie Guillermo is a national leader and advocate for the health and economic development of minority communities. Guillermo is the former president and CEO of Zero Divide, which develops digital equity strategies in support of low-income communities, and the founding CEO of the Asian and
(B.S. ’82; M.S. ’88, Geology)
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Ruth Bley is president of Bleyco, Inc., a Castro Valley-based company she founded in 1988. Bley is proud to be a female business owner, especially in a male-dominated field, and she is a board member of the Woman Construction Owners & Executives USA. Bleyco specializes in projects involving electrical construction on bridges, tunnels
(B.S. ’73, Physical Education)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
Marilyn King is a former Olympic competitor, educator and thought
(MBA '02)
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
Atul Dhablania is vice president of Hardware Engineering and Worldwide Operations for Dell SonicWALL, where he is responsible for the design and development of all hardware platforms in addition to managing the company's worldwide operations. Dhablania has more than 20 years of experience in hardware engineering and operations management, and he holds 11 patents in the fields of computer architecture, arithmetic, and systems design.
Atul Dhablania Video
(BA '77, Political Science)
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Nancy O'Malley is district attorney of Alameda County. O'Malley is a nationally recognized expert on topics such as violence against women and persons with disabilities, child abuse, and human trafficking and exploitation. She has been an active member of numerous national, state, and local boards. O'Malley spearheaded the creation of the Alameda County Family Justice Center, a passion project for her, which houses multiple support services for victims under one roof.
Nancy O’Malley Video
(MS '02, Educational Leadership)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
Kelly Bowers is superintendent of Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, for which she was recognized by the Association of California School Administrators as the 2012 ACSA Region VI Superintendent of the Year, representing Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. She has more than 25 years of experience as a teacher and administrator. Under her leadership, LVJUSD was selected as a Bay Area Top Workplace in 2012 and 2013.
Kelly Bowers Video
(BS '66, Mathematics; MS '67 Mathematics)
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Gaylord "Glenn" Henry is founder and current president of Centaur Technologies, a microprocessor design company based in Austin, Texas, that was acquired by VIA Technology in 1999. Centaur has produced approximately 14 major x86 processor designs that are fully compatible with contemporary Intel processors. Henry also worked at IBM fellow, before continuing on to become senior vice president and chief technology officer of Dell Computers. Henry holds more than 200 U.S. patents.
Glen Henry Video
(BS '88, Physical Education)
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED STUDIES
Edward George "Ted" Barrett became a member of the Major League Umpire Staff in 1999 and was appointed a crew chief in 2013. He has worked the Division Series, League Championship Series, and several World Series Games. Notably, he is the only umpire ever to call two perfect games, Barrett, who has a doctorate in theology, is an ordained minister and cofounder of Calling for Christ, a professional umpire ministry.
Ted Barrett Video
(BA '91, Mass Communication)
COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Cheryl Hurd has been a television news reporter for more than 25 years. She was a founding member at WB20/KNTV prior to her current assignment at NBC Bay Area. Hurd won a Northern California Area Emmy Award in 2015 for "Breaking News — Asiana Flight 214 Crash Coverage," and was nominated for her breaking news report on Occupy Oakland (2012) and her coverage for the I-80/880 East Bay freeway collapse (2007).
Cheryl Hurd Video
(BS '99, Nursing; MBA '06)
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Anne Foss-Durant is the chief nursing officer for Kaiser Permanente. Foss-Durant has been with the organization for more than 20 years in multiple roles. As a lifelong learner and educator, she has been recognized both for her contributions to her profession and her award-winning research. She is the recipient of a Nursing Research Excellence Award, Regional Nursing Research Award, and a STAR Leadership Award.
Anne Foss-Durant Video
(MBA '89)
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
Bryan Neider is the senior vice president of Electronic Arts' global marketing and publishing organization. He is responsible for a wide range of operations and global services focused on improving operating efficiency, product quality, business innovation, and overall profitability. Neider, has held various roles within the company, including CFO and COO for EA.com. He is a member of several non-for-profit boards, including Community Gatepath, which serves adults and children with special needs.
Bryan Neider Video
*Distinguished Young Alumna(us)