Distinguished Alumni, Faculty, Students, & Staff

Distinguished Alumni

Lisa William (’92, Journalism, ’96, English (Education)) is a professor at California State University, Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta College. William teaches more than nine courses a semester while maintaining a very active service and publication record. She has authored and co-authored nearly 25 academic journals, articles, book chapters, and other publications. Each semester, she teaches popular courses on topics like urban education, discourse on race and gender in educational settings, and social and psychological foundations of multicultural education. She is committed to improving opportunities for all her students.

Mike Radenbaugh (’12, Industrial Technology) and Ty Collins (’10, Journalism) are the co-founders of Rad Power Bikes, North America’s largest electric bike company. They make electric bikes that are accessible, affordable, and appealing to the masses, and continue to pioneer the world of sustainable transportation. Radenbaugh built his first ebike in 2007 as a way to get to school without breaking a sweat. His “frankenbikes” quickly caught the attention of his small town, and he started building ebikes for friends, family, and neighbors. Today he and Collins employ a team of nearly 100 with headquarters in Seattle, Washington, Vancouver, British Columbia and Utrecht, Netherlands. They’ve also been named to Forbes and Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30” lists.

Mark Andre (’79, Natural Resources Planning & Interpretation) is the Director of Environmental Services for the City of Arcata and a registered professional forester. In this role, he oversees Arcata’s environmental programs, natural resources, parks and recreation, community forest, wildlife areas, and public utilities. Because of his efforts the Arcata Community Forest, established in 1955, has grown considerably. He has worked closely with Humboldt State to allow use of the forest not just for field trips but also for research by faculty and students. The forest is nationally considered as a model community forest. Andre recently helped lead the acquisition of 967 acres of public forest in the Jacoby Creek watershed, of which 884 acres was given to HSU.

Distinguished Faculty

Outstanding Professor Award

Professor John O. Reiss, Department of Biological Sciences, has had a lasting effect on his students, his colleagues, and the University community through 21 years of excellence in teaching, sustained scholarly activities, and a consistent record of service.

Reiss has taught a myriad of courses. Students consistently praise his accessibility, his dedication to his students’ success, and his outstanding teaching in the classroom. Reiss has been a graduate advisor to 15 graduate students and his research has resulted in approximately 25 peer-reviewed papers and a book, which has received excellent reviews by experts in the field.

He recently was chair of the Department of Biological Sciences Curriculum Committee, where he led the department through a set of curricular revisions for each of its three majors: Biology, Botany, and Zoology.

Outstanding Service Award

Professor Justus D. Ortega, Department of Kinesiology & Recreation Administration, seamlessly integrates his research with his courses and his service with his research. In his 12-year tenure at HSU, Ortega has incorporated professional expertise with his service to benefit students and the academic and local communities.

He has implemented a balance, mobility, and fall risk assessment and exercise program for local seniors. As part of the program, his students are trained to conduct and evaluate these assessments to guide seniors through exercises that minimize the risk of falls. Ortega also developed programs to work with local physical therapists and physicians to conduct clinical gait analyses for people with walking-related disorders such as cerebral palsy and stroke.

Ortega directs the North Coast Concussion Program (NCCP), which provides concussion assessment and educational outreach to over 2,800 community members annually.

Excellence in Teaching Award

Professor Susan E. Marshall, Department of Forestry & Wildland Resources, has been teaching in the department since 1996. Appreciated by her students, her peers, and the University community, she has established herself as one of the most distinguished teachers in the institution.

She has been dedicated to building and promoting the Rangeland Resource Sciences major. The only program of its kind in California, Rangeland Resource Sciences emphasizes authentic field experiences to train undergraduates to enter the profession upon graduation.

Her teaching philosophy reflects an acute awareness of the climate, practices, and learning environment necessary to engage students and cultivate their success. She has also motivated countless students, who describe her as an inspiring teacher who effectively engages students with the gentle guidance one looks for in a college professor but rarely finds.

Scholar of the Year

Nicole Jean Hill, Department of Art, has a record of scholarly achievement in the field of photography since joining HSU. A widely acknowledged leader in her field, she is a prolific artist. She has presented her work in several solo and two-person exhibitions, more than 30 group exhibitions, in more than 10 publications, and has been chosen for 13 awards, grants, and residencies. Her recent project, “So You Wanna Fight?,” features mixed martial artists, boxers, and spectators in amateur fights.

Hill excels as a teacher, as well. According to an HSU colleague, “I most admire the fact that her practice is not only internationally recognized within the world of contemporary art photography, but that it engages deeply and immediately on the ground with our students here at HSU.”

Outstanding Students

Mary Elise Conzelmann, Recreation Administration, has served the public and fostered collaborations to create healthy communities. She has presented at professional recreation conferences, published research, been a member of the HSU women’s rowing team, worked multiple part-time jobs, and volunteered throughout her undergraduate education.

Conzelmann has engaged in her community by volunteering with numerous groups. In her first year at HSU, for example, she re-activated the Recreation Administration Club and served as president for two years. During that time, she was awarded a grant to host a Cultural Diversity Workshop for campus and community members. She volunteered with the Redwood Community Action Agency and Humboldt County Association of Governments on a traffic stress assessment in McKinleyville. Conzelmann completed her degree in three years and will pursue her M.S. in Management at Saint Mary’s College of California.

Tanya Garcia, Environmental Resources Engineering and Math, has shown exemplary commitment to her majors and the broader STEM community. She co-founded the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, a student-run club that seeks to promote academic excellence among Latinx engineers, and has served a number of leadership roles.

Garcia is also committed to Engineers without Borders, and participated in a service trip to Nicaragua where she and fellow engineering students helped install a water well for a rural hospital. Fluent in Spanish, she also served as translator for the group. She was awarded the “Engineers without Borders Excellence in Service” award for her work.

Garcia currently works for the Schatz Energy Research Center on improving access to services among people who live off-grid. She wants to be a leader and an educator and expand access to energy and water in low-income communities in the country and abroad.

Staff Recognition

(left to right)

Travis Fleming, Facilities Project Supervisor, Facilities Management

Sei Hee Hwang, Academic Advisor—Student Athletes, Academic & Career Advising Center

Erika Wright, Pre-award Specialist, Sponsored Programs Foundation

Kelda Quintana, Academic Advisor, Academic & Career Advising Center

Molly Kresl, Clubs and Activities Coordinator, Clubs and Activities Office

Debra Ryerson, Administrative Support, Department of Theatre, Film & Dance

Gay Hylton, Research Analyst, Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Paula Tripp-Allen, ITEPP Academic Advisor, Native American Center for Academic Excellence

Steve Monk, Boating Safety Office, Marine Lab

Pedro Martinez, Light Equipment Operator, Facilities Management