Christian “Joel” Lee (B.A. ’90) is co-founder of BananaMana Films, a production company specializing in creating Asian scripted dramas in English for web, TV and film. After creating two award-winning dramatic series, BananaMana Films has produced its first feature film—Jimami Tofu.
Mike Woods (B.A., rhetoric and communication, ’91) is a meteorologist with New York television station FOX 5 NY. An American Meteorological Society seal holder, Mike has received an Emmy nomination for best weather forecast. In 2009, McDonald's presented him with the Black Media Legends award.
Brian Ebbert (B.A., political science-public service, '92) was recently appointed as the floor director for California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). Ebbert is a registered parliamentarian and a longtime Capitol staffer, and he serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Cal Aggie Alumni Association.
DeWayne Quinn (B.A., political science, ’92) chose a living tribute to honor the memory of David Camboia (B.A, chemistry, ’93)—a contribution to an “Adopt an Acre” program at UC Davis' Russell Ranch sustainable research farm. Camboia, of Tracy, died in September 2015. “The Camboias are farmers from Gustine, so this gift seemed to resonate with his life and his background,” Quinn said. The two men had been friends since their days playing defense for the Aggie football team. Quinn today is head of a global information systems department at Apple Inc.
Kristie Macosko Krieger (B.A., sociology, ’92) was nominated for an Academy Award for Bridge of Spies in 2016. She was a producer on the film, her fourth producing credit.
Carlos Francisco Tobar (B.A., economics, ’93) has been named the new manager for Baldwin County, Georgia. He has worked in public administration for counties, cities and regional transit authorities in Georgia, Florida and Northern California—serving since June 2013 as administrator for Grady County, Georgia. In addition to his bachelor’s degree from UC Davis, he earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of West Florida. He and his wife, Rebekah, a preschool teacher, have four children, ages 14 to 21.
Pati Navalta Poblete (B.A., English, 1993) recently published A Better Place, about the violent death of her 23-year-old son and the transformation it brought about in her life. Poblete is a longtime Bay Area journalist, who worked at several area newspapers and was a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. She is also author of The Oracles: My Filipino Grandparents of America.
Seth Merewitz (B.A. political science, ’93, JD ’97), was recently recognized as a Top 100 Attorney in California. He’s also a donor and CAAA Life Member. A Best Best & Krieger LLP Partner, he was selected as a Top 100 Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, California's state's largest legal daily newspaper .
Donald Anderson (B.A. sociology, ’93, MA rhetoric and communication, ’95) has recently had a new book published. Organizational Design: Creating Strategic and Agile Organizations, a textbook, is his forth book. Anderson is organization and talent development director at Oracle and an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver.
Cindy (Jones) Derosier (B.A., international relations, ’94; Credential, ’95) co-authored What Would Jesus Patent? 101 Ingenious Inventions for Christians with patent attorney Adam Diament (Ph.D., genetics, ’04). This is her first book and Diament's third. They met in 1997 as members of the Telemark Dance Troupe at UC Davis. She blogs at My Creative Life.
Janice (Wimmer) Corbett (B.A., psychology, and B.S., agricultural and managerial economics, ’94) died Sunday, April 29, at her home in Davis, with her family beside her, one year and one day after her cancer diagnosis.
Kate (McIlvaine) George (B.A., anthropology, ’96) is the author of the Bree MacGowan mystery series, which started when she took up a dare to write a book. The soon-to-be-released Bohemian Catastrophe brings the series to four novels. The first three titles are Moonlighting in Vermont (2009), California Schemin’ (2011) and Crazy Little Thing Called Dead (2012). You can read about her books and follow her blog on her website. A resident of Vermont, she was recently featured in the Valley News (West Lebanon, New Hampshire).
Shelly Mateer (B.A., international relations, ’97) has written three books influenced by her experiences as a CIA officer—Single in the CIA and two volumes in her Mingling in the CIA series—with another series installment on its way. Learn more about her books and follow her blog at her website.
Darrell Doan (B.A., political science, ’98) — seven months into his new job as economic development director for the city of Elk Grove, was profiled in the Dec. 29, 2015, issue of the Elk Grove Citizen newspaper. Doan previously worked for the cities of Santa Cruz, San Jose, Baltimore and Alameda. After graduating from UC Davis he earned a master’s degree in city and regional planning at Rutgers University. He lives in Elk Grove with his wife, fellow Aggie Stephanie (Dodge), and sons Erik and Sean.
