Breadcrumb
Alumni Updates - Sociology
Neil L Aaland
SociologyGeography emphasis, 1979
Neil recently retired after 16 years as a sole proprietor environmental/natural resources planner and 25 years in local and state government service in Washington State. After obtaining his B.A. from HSU, he spent a year in Ohio at Bowling Green State University where he received a M.A. in Geography. He has fond memories of his time at HSU and intends to visit in retirement.
Barbara Brovelli-Moon
Sociology, 1967
Awarded the 2021 Alaska SeaLife Center's Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person or team that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy. It is sponsored by the Alaska Ocean Observing System. After retiring from over 40 years in education, Barbara Brovelli-Moon’s passion for teaching and Alaska’s wildlife continues through her company, Ocean Otter Publishing. Barbara has written and published six field guide books for children and families about Alaska’s animals, filling a niche previously unavailable to youth. Her work is a valuable resource that helps children connect to the living creatures here in Alaska and teaches them they can make a difference.
Joseph E. Torr
Sociology, 1996
Joseph Torralba, Sociology, 1996, recently retired from the Department of Justice-Bureau of Prisons after 22 years. Torralba served previously in Los Angeles and Lompoc, California. and Hazelton, West Virginia.
Vanessa Vrtiak
Sociology, 2017
Vanessa Vrtiak, Sociology, 2017, recently gave a Ted Talk about her life, and would like to share it with the Humboldt State Family. "Thank you for being there for me and helping me shape the woman I am today. I'm so grateful I was able to go to a University with people that truly believe in their students and champion their success." Watch the Ted Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/vanessa_vrtiak_how_to_save_a_life?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare&fbclid=IwAR154LL1hsMJPaH4_68QAGF1gUqQveVUG8UBAD5QMamSoeuIn_TpNxws_vM
Glenn R Strachan
SociologyMaster's Degree, 1983
Glenn Strachan, Sociology, 1983, has been fortunate enough to have traveled to 116 countries while working for United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding projects in maternal health and international broadband solutions. Over the past 35-years, Strachan has seen the world and taken photographs everywhere he been, which was inspired by his photography classes at HSU. Now that retirement has arrived, his work has been selected for 12 juried shows thus far in 2019. He is humbled by the selections and is up for a major award in London if he makes the final cut. Strachan says he misses his days at HSU as it was a perfect time to be there doing his graduate studies.
Suzanne Heck (Keck)
SociologySocial Science, 1992
Suzanne Heck (Keck), Sociology, 1992, is married to Dave Heck and they have two children, Zoe and Dylan. They live in San Juan Capistrano in South Orange County. She is still true to her HSU campus recycling roots and is fighting the battle against single-use plastics!
Carly Velez Huston (Carly Velez-Balay)
SociologySocial Science, 1996
Carly Velez Huston (née Velez-Balay), 1996 Sociology, moved back to her hometown, Sacramento, after graduation and began working for various community non-profit organizations. From 2000 to 2015, Velez Huston worked for the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency as a Redevelopment Planner and as a Site Manager for the Public Housing Authority. In November 2015, she started working for the State of California as an Asset Manager for the California Housing Finance Agency. She married an awesome Nebraska boy, Doug Huston, in 2002 and they have one child. She writes, “Our handsome son was born in 2005. I am truly grateful for my HSU education and wonderful friends that I met and continue to be connected with.” Velez Huston lives in College Greens in Sacramento.
Ali
Sociology, 2002 B.A. and 2009 M.A.
Ali R. Chaudhary, 2002 Sociology and 2009 Sociology, earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Davis, in 2015. He is currently a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford and enjoying life in the U.K. with his wife Rebecca Kellawan and their newborn son, Miles Ali Chaudhary. In January 2017, they will move to New York City, when Ali will take up his position as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Ali R. Chaudhary
SociologySociology (BA-2002), MA-2009
Ali R. Chaudhary, 2009 Sociology, went on to earn a Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California, Davis. In 2013, Chaudhary advanced to candidacy and started dissertation research on migrant-serving non-profit organizations in London, Toronto and New York. While conducting fieldwork, Chaudhary has been hosted as a visiting scholar at the Munk School of Global Affairs, the University of Toronto and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. In fall 2013 Chaudhary was a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford's International Migration Institute. Chaudhary’s first sole-authored, peer-reviewed journal publication will appear in the International Migration Review in summer 2014.
Maila L (Felper) Ogden
Sociology, Spring 1992
I have been been working in the social work field for over 20 yrs and I recently changed jobs. I now work as a Hospice Social Worker in Southern California(High Desert). I love the opportunity to be a part of the end of life journey. I have been married for the past 9 yrs and love living in Wrightwood(Angeles National Forest). I also Volunteer for Angeles National Forest Grassy Hollow Visitors Center.