Alumni Profile
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Porter alum Cuauhtemoc Martinez and a life in sound
From East Los Angeles to UC Santa Cruz to leading sound production at Warner Bros., Porter alum Cuauhtemoc Martinez has built a life in sound.
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From KZSC to national acclaim
How Jesse Thorn built a radio empire from his roots at the UCSC campus station
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Life Beyond the Redwoods: Tanner Rowland at the U.S. House of Representatives, Office of Congressman Jimmy Panetta
One year after graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Tanner Rowland (Cowell ’24, politics) works as a congressional aide in the U.S. House of Representatives under the Office of Congressman Jimmy Panetta.
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Alumna Nomsa Khalfani honored at inaugural Maternal Health Summit
Dr. Nomsa Khalfani (Kresge ’91, sociology) received the Health Equity Award at the first-annual Maternal Health Summit for her work as Co-CEO of Essential Access Health.
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Alumna wins first season of ‘Yes, Chef!’ on Peacock
UC Santa Cruz alumna Emily Brubaker won the first season of ‘Yes, Chef!’ against 11 other professional chefs.
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UC Santa Cruz alumni at the forefront of alopecia research and advocacy
Alumni Nicole Friedland (Merrill ’89, community studies) and Brett King (Crown ’92, chemistry) both spoke at the National Alopecia Areata 40th Annual Conference this June.
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UC Santa Cruz alumni leading local nonprofits: The Volunteer Center
Many nonprofits across Santa Cruz County have roots that trace back to UC Santa Cruz alumni, who played pivotal roles in launching and shaping their missions.
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UC Santa Cruz alumni leading local nonprofits: Grey Bears
Many nonprofits across Santa Cruz County have roots that trace back to UC Santa Cruz alumni, who played pivotal roles in launching and shaping their missions. Grey Bears was founded by late UC Santa Cruz alumna Kristina Mailliard (Cowell ’74) in 1973.
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Charting coastal futures
Alumnus William “Monty” Graham, the new director of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center—one of the nation’s leading hubs for environmental science—brings deep expertise in coastal ecological oceanography and a foundation shaped by UC Santa Cruz values.
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Experimental economist explores overlooked aspects of human behavior
Alumna Alessandra Cassar, now a professor at the University of San Francisco, found her path by working with UC Santa Cruz’s Learning and Experimental Economics Projects (LEEPS) laboratory as a graduate student.
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Applying the science of social impact
UC Santa Cruz alumna Jennifer Rigney uses her Ph.D. in Psychology to support mission-based organizations in making effective, data-based decisions about their programs. She has helped advance the ocean conservation goals of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and now supports early childhood development as the director of evaluation and learning for First Five Monterey County.
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Highlights from Alumni Reunion Weekend 2025
Alumni Reunion Weekend 2025 brought nearly 400 UC Santa Cruz alumni, faculty, staff, and friends back to campus for a joyful celebration filled with meaningful conversations, milestone reunions, and lasting memories.