Breadcrumb
Alumni Updates
Christopher Andriessen
Politics, 2007
Utilizing a decade's worth of private sector experience, Christopher Andriessen, Politics, 2007, recently joined Caltrans in its District 9 office as its new Maintenance Public Information Officer. The move follows two years of working for the California Department of Insurance in San Francisco.
Michelle Gienger
HistoryEconomics, 2007
A few years ago Michelle Gienger, History, 2007, transitioned from a Federal Investigator at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to a Management and Program Analyst with the US Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. In this position, she is on a team that conducts reviews of DOJ programs for the DOJ, Congress, and public.
Robert Deane
HistoryJournalism (second degree), 2007
Robert Deane, 2007 History and Journalism, is a library technician at the Oregon Institute of Technology, after working for the Butte Valley Unified School District as the district library technician for six years. He is currently looking to return to school to earn his Master’s Degree in Teaching from Western Governor's University.
Barbara Klessig
AnthropologyMA, Environment & Community Program, 2007
Barbara Klessig ('07, Anthropology, '13, M.A. Social Science) worked with Solano Archaeological Services and is currently a lecturer at Cal Poly Humboldt and an Archaeology Research Assistant with the Cultural Resource Facility (CRF). During her undergrad, she specialized in Archaeology, and her thesis for her M.A. is titled "Textile Production Tools from Viking Age Graves in Gotland, Sweden."
Robert Deane
JournalismBA: History, Minor in English, 2007
Robert Deane, Journalism, 2007, works as a Library Technician II for the Oregon Tech Library in Klamath Falls, Oregon. In February of 2020 Deane graduated with his Masters in Education: Social Studies, from Western Governor's University and is now working on his Masters in Library Science from St. John's University via distance education.
Victor Hernandez
Art, 2007
Victor Hugo Hernandez ('07), inventor of the ErgoFlex Desk, is excited to announce the upcoming launch of his Kickstarter campaign for the first AI-powered ergonomic desk. The ErgoFlex Desk, designed to sit, stand, tilt, and glide, was inspired by Victor’s passion for innovative design, which began during his time at Cal Poly Humboldt. After moving back to Southern California to care for his mother, Victor returned to school to refine his idea, leading to a patented design that enhances health and productivity. Recently featured on How I Built This, Victor’s journey showcases the impact of Cal Poly’s hands-on learning approach.
Benjamin J. Wocken
Politics, 2007
Benjamin J. Wocken, 2007 Politics, is currently serving as a Broadcast Journalist with the American Forces Network Europe Headquarters at Sembach, Germany, with the U.S. Air Force. His duties include traveling throughout the European military theater, writing, filming, editing, and producing military news and Command Information media pieces for the American Forces Network television and internet audiences. Wocken was recently named to the Dean's List during his studies in the Master of Public Affairs program, through the Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Lauren M. Connolly, Ph.D.
English, 2006, 2010
Lauren M. Connolly, Ph.D., 2006 and 2010, English, completed her Ph.D. at the University of Texas at El Paso in rhetoric and composition after earning her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Humboldt State University. She is an assistant professor at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.
Brynn E. Demei
PoliticsMusic Minor, 2006
Brynn E. Demei, 2006 Politics, now lives in her home country, the beautiful island of the Republic of Palau, where she work as a Commercial Loan Analyst for National Development Bank of Palau (NDBP). Demei will pursue her master's degree in Public Administration next year, through University of San Diego’s graduate cohort program, while she lives and works in Palau.
Jarad Petroske
World Languages and Cultures-German, 2006
Jarad Petroske, 2006 World Languages and Cultures, and his wife and fellow alumni Angie Petroske ('09, Natural Resources Planning & Interpretation) had their second child, Henrietta, in July 2014.



