Class Notes Category: Career

Philip Halpern, MBA ’78, has published a coming-of-age story about King Hammurabi of Babylon, “Divine Enlightenment: The Making of a Mesopotamian King and His Legacy.” The Code of Hammurabi — best known for the phrase “an eye for an eye” — stands as one of the most influential legal monuments of the ancient world. The…

Kavita Patel, M.S. ’05, M.D., has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Community Catalyst, a national health justice organization dedicated to making high-quality, affordable healthcare a reality for all communities. Patel is an internist and professor of medicine. She advises healthcare companies as a venture partner at New Enterprise Associates and previously served…

Julie Taylor, M.A ’97, Ph.D. ’04, is the new executive director of the International Law Institute in Washington, D.C. Taylor earned her graduate degrees in political science and brings extensive leadership experience in international education, research, institutional advancement and international relations to her new role, positioning her to lead ILI into its next chapter of…

The second children’s book by Dale Atkins, Ph.D. ’82, former “Today Show” expert and psychologist best known for sharing guidance on how to navigate life’s complicated questions and uncomfortable feelings, was released this month. “Dear Deer” focuses on the importance of spending time off our screens and more time in green/in nature. Atkins discussed the…

Jeremy M. Evans ’05 was appointed to the Civil Service Board by the Newport Beach City Council for the City of Newport Beach, California. The Board supports the city’s merit-based civil service system and advises the City Council on matters involving public employees, including police officers, firefighters and other municipal personnel. “Public service and civic…

Following more than a decade as president of Colorado Mountain College, Carrie Besnette Hauser, M.A. ’93, Ph.D. ’95, was appointed president and CEO of Trust for Public Land, a national non-profit conservation organization focused on connecting everyone to the outdoors and shared public spaces. TPL protects large landscapes, builds iconic trails, works to restore land…

Emmanuel Masongsong ’04 is the subject of a UCLA Newsroom spotlight comprising a video and a self-penned story on his nearly 27-year Bruin journey. A pillar of the physical sciences division staff in the Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences (EPSS) since 2011, he earned his degree in microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics and spent…

Angelica Chéri (née Nutt) ’09, who earned her B.A. in theater, with a playwriting concentration, announced that her musical “Wanted” (formerly “Gun & Powder”) is officially going to Broadway. It will begin previews Oct. 15 and officially open Nov. 8 at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Inspired by the true story of Chéri’s great-great-aunts, Mary…

Al Schnupp, Ph.D. ’85, is a retired university theatre professor who taught over 10,000 students at Cal Poly, SLO. He has directed and/or designed approximately 85 shows and written a dozen plays, many of which were published and produced in university settings, regional theatre venues and Off-Off-Broadway. Several of his plays feature real-life female artists…

Amy Scott Rooker, MBA ’07, has published a memoir, “My Mother Is a Dragonfly (GFB),” which explores trauma, grief, forgiveness and the unexpected paths that can lead back to wholeness. After two decades as a corporate attorney and technology executive, Rooker’s life unraveled in ways she did not anticipate. Following the death of her mother,…