Rausser College of Natural Resources Advisory Board
The Advisory Board is committed to advancing Rausser College’s mission of generating scientific knowledge and tools to protect the Earth’s natural resources and ensuring economic and ecological sustainability. Comprising some of our most distinguished alumni and friends, the board serves in a voluntary capacity to advise and counsel the Dean and to support the College’s commitment to delivering real solutions to our state, our country, and beyond.
Javier Arevalo
Account Executive
Salesforce
Javier Arevalo currently works as a Mid Market Account Executive at Salesforce, where he focuses on developing partnerships with high tech organizations in Utah. Throughout his 7+ year sales professional career, Javier has helped companies looking to transform their digital customer-centric processes. Outside of work, Mr. Arevalo is passionate about organizational management along with philanthropy & educational equity in the U.S. and abroad. Finally, his passion around educational equity is reflected through his participation across multiple nonprofits including: Gates Millennium Alumni Association, Latino Community Foundation & the Rotary Club. In his free time, Mr. Arevalo is an avid runner, video content creator, gym-goer, passionate about traveling, reading, staying active and exploring the Bay Area.
Stacey Baba
Stacey Baba ’77 is an active volunteer for a variety of organizations, mostly focused on golf. She is on the board of the Northern California Golf Association and the San Francisco Mayor’s Women’s Golf Council. Stacey’s professional career was at two companies: thirteen years as an Engineering Manager at Raychem and seventeen years as a Project Manager at Siemens Healthcare. She also served as a founding member and president of the College's Alumni Association. Stacey holds a B.S. in Biology of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley, where she was a softball student-athlete, and an M.S. in Materials Science & Mineral Engineering from San Jose State University.
Richard Beahrs
Richard Beahrs '68 P '95, '01, '03, '04 is a Senior Advisor for Revolution foods and serves on the board of the San Jose Giants. Beahrs was with Time Warner for over 35 years as a media executive, where he served as the President of Court TV and the Comedy Channel, head of New Business Development for HBO, and Director of Sports Illustrated Enterprises. He served on the UN Hunger Task Force as part of the Millennium Development Goals Initiative, and has served on the Leadership Council of the Initiative for Global Development and the Boards of The School of Management at St. Petersburg University (Russia), The World Agroforestry Centre (Kenya) and as Chairman of The Arbor Day Foundation. In 2000, he and his wife Carolyn established the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program at the College, which has now trained over 400 environmental practitioners from around the world. Dick holds a B.A. in History from UC Berkeley and an M.B.A. from Adelphi University.
Arianna Carughi
Arianna Carughi Ph.D. '87 is a Nutrition Research and Science Advisor for American Pistachio Growers and a Health & Nutrition Research Coordinator for Sun-Maid Growers of California, where she manages Sun-Maid funded research. She is also a consultant for the California Dried Fruit Coalition in Sacramento, a Nutrition Consultant for Under Armour MyFitnessPal, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of GNLD International. Arianna holds a B.S. in Biology, Ecology, and Conservation from Vassar College, an M.S. in Human Nutrition from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from UC Berkeley. She also holds the title of Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) from the American College of Nutrition.
Mike Cheng
Mike Cheng ’77 is a senior adjunct professor of management with the Ageno School of Business at Golden Gate University. He is a regular guest lecturer in the College’s Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program and Master of Development Practice. In his corporate career, Mike held various marketing and operations management positions at Varian Associates, Inc., and its successor company, Communications & Power Industries International Inc. (CPI). Mike holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley and an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University.
Michael Colvin
Michael Colvin ’05, M.P.P. ’07 is the Senior Manager for California Energy Market Policy & Regulation at the Environmental Defense Fund. He was previously with the California Public Utilities Commission for 10 years, where he served as an energy advisor and senior regulatory analyst. His primary areas of interest include climate change policy, with a focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Michael holds a B.S. in Environmental Economics and Policy and an M.P.P. in Public Policy, both from UC Berkeley.
Jill Elfishawy
Jill Elfishawy is Steward of the Franklin Garden at Woodside Priory School in Portola Valley. Jill teaches middle and high school students cooking and gardening. Jill also serves as the Sustainability Chair for the Woodside Priory. Her daughter Eva Elfishawy is in the Rausser College student class of 2022.
Josh Fisher
Josh Fisher '94 is a Healthcare Portfolio Manager with Ashler Capital. He has worked in the healthcare finance industry for many years, with Pequot Capital, PresPoint Capital, and Redmile Group. Josh has been a board member at Stiles Hall, a Berkeley community service organization, since 1995 and founded “Touchdown for Kids,” an annual fundraiser that helps low income kids get into college. Josh holds a B.S. in Political Economy of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley.
David Gilbert
David Gilbert is the President and CEO of the A.L. Gilbert Company. Since its inception in 1892, A.L. Gilbert Company has been manufacturing and distributing high-quality animal feed throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Hawaii, and the greater Pacific Rim Islands. With three high capacity mills, over 200 employees, and a commitment to provide the most nutritionally advanced products on the market, A.L. Gilbert Company has evolved into one of the oldest, largest, and most respected feed milling companies on the West Coast. David recently established the Robert Edward, Sr. and Beverly Stone Gilbert Scholarship Fund at the College, an endowed scholarship fund in memory of his parents that supports undergraduate transfer students. The family’s goal is to help provide community college students a path toward social mobility by attending UC Berkeley.
Kathleen Green
Kass Green ’74 is the president of Kass Green & Associates, where she consults on geospatial strategy, technology, and policy issues to private, education, and public organizations. She chairs NASA’s Earth Science Applications Committee, co-founded and chaired the Department of the Interior’s Landsat Advisory Group and has served on a variety of Federal Advisory Committees for NASA, NOAA and DOI. Kass has taught numerous workshops for ASPRS and federal agencies, is a fellow and an honorary member in the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), and a past president of both MAPPS and ASPRS. Kass holds a B.S. in Forestry from UC Berkeley and an M.S. in Resource Management from University of Michigan.
Caryl Hart
Caryl Hart Ph.D. ’09 is a founding member of LandPaths, a non-profit dedicated to maximizing resource conservation while allowing managed public access. She is the former Regional Parks Director for Sonoma County and a former member and Chair of the California State Parks Commission, and has also served as an advisor to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. Caryl holds a BA in economics from Cornell University, JD from University of San Francisco, and Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley.
Kathy Hartzell
Kathy Hartzell ’72, P ’09 is a former city council member and mayor of the City of Larkspur, and has served on the local school board and the boards of several environmental and community-focused nonprofits. She served as Vice President and President of the College's Alumni Association, and currently serves as honorary chair of the Berkeley Fund for Natural Resources, the College’s annual fund. Kathy holds a B.A. in Geography and a B.S. in Conservation of Natural Resources, both from UC Berkeley.
Deborah Hicks
Deborah Loker Hicks ’72 is chairwoman of the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Foundation. She also serves on the boards of several institutions, including Farming New Orleans, Center for Blue Economy, and Middlebury Institute of International Studies. In 2016, she and her husband Robin established the Loker Foundation Graduate Award, which supports graduate students in the Rausser College of Natural Resources who are working on marine sustainability. Deborah holds a B.A. in Art History from UC Berkeley and an M.A. in French from New York University.
Stephen Hurst
Stephen Hurst ’78, P’20 is President and Ceo of Savant HWP, Inc, a Bay Area biopharma company focused on addiction medicine and neglected diseases. He has more than 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and has contributed to the success of numerous complex and challenging healthcare projects. Prior to Savant HWP, Steve was the Chief Business Officer at the Immune Tolerance Institute, BD Consultant at IRX Therapeutics, President & CEO of Sequential, and Executive Vice President at Nektar Therapeutics. He also currently serves on the advisory board of StartUpNV, Nevada’s only state-wide incubator for business startups. Steve holds a B.S. in Conservation of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from Golden Gate University.
Janet King
Janet King Ph.D. ’72 is Executive Director of the Children’s Hospital of Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) and an emeritus professor of nutrition at UC Berkeley. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine in 1994, and inducted into the USDA Research Hall of Fame in 2007. She previously directed the USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center at UC Davis and chaired the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at UC Berkeley. Janet holds a B.S. in Dietetics from Iowa State University and Ph.D. in Nutrition from UC Berkeley.
Vernard Lewis
Vernard Lewis ’75, M.S. ’79, Ph.D. ’89 is a Cooperative Extension emeritus specialist at the Richmond Field Station. He represents the CE community and communities of color on the Berkeley campus. He is highly regarded in the Pest Management Industry, and was previously a UN advisor on Pest Control, specifically termites and bed bugs. Vernard holds a B.S. in Agricultural Science and Management, a M.S. in Entomology, and a Ph.D. in Entomology, all from UC Berkeley.
Vice Chair
William Liu
Vice Chair
Bill Liu P '06 is the CEO of Silkroad RV of Santa Clara, California, which he founded in 2007. The company exports American RVs to China and other Asian countries. Prior to Silkroad RV, he worked in a variety of businesses including Norfolk Southern, Caterpillar, Sears World Trade, and Custom Design Technology, which he founded in 1987. In 2016, he and his wife Lisa established the William and Lisa Liu Fellowship for Environmental Studies at the College, which supports graduate students whose research focuses on sustainability, wildlife conservation, and climate change. Bill holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech and an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland.
Caroline Maser
Carrie Maser '87 is the Director of Finance for the law firm Karr Tuttle Campbell in Seattle, WA. She is a third-generation Cal Bear. Carrie is also a former member of the Measure A School Bond Citizens’ Oversight Committee for Palo Alto Unified School District, and tutors at-risk youth in East Palo Alto. In 2012, she and her husband Ben established the Maser Family Graduate Student Support Fund at the College, which supports students in masters level programs working towards a professional degree in fields related to sustainability. Carrie holds a B.S. in Political Economy of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley.
Udochi Mbonu
Udochi Mbonu is a transfer and rising Senior studying Molecular Environmental Biology. She is involved in various clubs throughout campus including, NCNW, AASU, NSA, BSP, and HUBBA. She is also a Peer Advisor for Rausser College of Natural Resources and is an undergraduate student researcher in the Koshland Lab. Udochi hopes to pursue a career in Medicine or Biotechnology.
Steven McCormick
Steve McCormick ‘73 is a co-founder of the Earth Genome Project, a start-up venture to create the first global, open-source database on ecosystem services and natural capital. He is a Special Advisor at the David and Lucille Packard Foundation and a member of the California State Parks Recreation and Parks Transformation Team. Steve is the former president of The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the former president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. He also serves on several boards, including Mongabay, The Independent Sector, Sustainable Conservation, Science for Nature and People, and the California Wildlife Officers Foundation. Steve holds a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from UC Hastings.
Leïla Njee Bugha
Leïla Njee Bugha is currently a 3rd year PhD student in Agriculture and Resources Economics. A native of France, she studied at the École Normale Supérieure de Paris-Saclay and obtained a masters degree in Economics and Public Policy at Sciences Po Paris, before starting a career in the field of program evaluation of public policies. Most recently, she worked as a Research Analyst at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, DC, evaluating childhood nutrition and social protection programs in West Africa. As a PhD student, she specializes in development and labor economics, with a focus on understanding the barriers to women’s employment in West and Central Africa.
Cliff Ohmart
Cliff Ohmart ‘76 is a sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management consultant and former Senior Scientist at SureHarvest, which provides solutions for growers, grower-groups, and agrifood companies interested in developing sustainable programs. He was also the Sustainable Winegrowing Director for the Lodi Winegrape Commission and a Pest Control Advisor on IPM measures for pests in various California crops. Cliff holds a B.S. in Forestry from the State University of New York and a Ph.D. in Forest Entomology from UC Berkeley.
John Pardee
John Pardee ‘69 is a real estate and transactional attorney. He previously served as Counsel for The Trust for Public Land in San Francisco and as Senior County Counsel for San Diego County. He currently serves on the Land Protection Advisory Council for the Pacific Crest Trail Association and is a former member of the California Advisory Board for the Trust for Public Land. In 2008, John, his wife Vera, and other members of the Pardee family established the George M. Pardee, Jr. Family Chair in International Sustainable Development at the College. John holds a B.A. in Political Science from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from the University of Southern California.
Vince Resh
Vince Resh is an emeritus professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at the Rausser College of Natural Resources. He is famous for his work on river blindness, and has conducted extensive research in aquatic ecology, water pollution assessment, and river restoration. Vince is a former director of the Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station on Moorea, and received the UC Berkeley Distinguished Teaching Award in 1995. He and his wife Cheryl have endowed three graduate student support funds and one undergraduate scholarship, all benefitting Rausser students. Vince holds a B.A. in Biology and Philosophy from Georgetown University, an M.S. from Niagara University, and a Ph.D. in Water Resources from the University of Louisville.
Jate Samathivathanachai
Jate Samathivathanachai '01 is Senior Director of Business Development and Licensing at Horizon Therapeutics. Prior to joining Horizon, Jate spent seven years in South East Asia as Country Head for Allexcel | Red Bull Malaysia and Executive Director of Strategy & Investments for Allswell | Red Bull Singapore. Before moving to Asia, Jate spent close to a decade in the Global Healthcare Investment Banking groups of Evercore, Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch in the San Francisco Bay Area focusing on capital raising and M&A for life sciences clients. Jate is a member of Life Science Angels and The Berkeley Angel Network, and was previously on the College's Alumni Association Board. Jate has a B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology from UC Berkeley, an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management | Northwestern University and is a Certified Licensing Professional.
Sandeep Sacheti
Sandeep Sacheti ‘97 is the Vice President of Customer Insights and Operational Excellence at Wolters Kluwer Corporate Legal Services. Before joining Wolters Kluwer, Sandeep was the head of business risk and analytics U.S. banking for UBS. He holds more than 20 patents in decision science, fraud verification and identification and has published extensively on these subjects. He serves on the board for the Stevens Institute of Technology. Sandeep holds an M.S. in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Berkeley.
Linda Schacht Gage
Linda Schacht Gage ’66, M.J. ’81 is a lecturer with the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley. A two-time Emmy-award winning television reporter with more than 20 years of experience in local television, she began her career at KQED and then covered local and national politics for KPIX. Linda has helped raise millions of dollars transforming the City of Berkeley's libraries for future generations. She has served on the Board of the Berkeley Public Library Foundation, the UC Library Advisory Board, the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, The Daily Californian, and the UC Board of Trustees. Linda holds a B.A. in Social Sciences and M.J. in Journalism, both from UC Berkeley.
John Scharffenberger
John Scharffenberger ’73 is a consultant to the farming and food production industries, offering a wide range of programs and services including agronomic analysis, product development, management, and marketing. His client list includes Hodo Soy, Farmhouse Culture, Tout Sweets Patisserie, Front Porch Farms, and Daylesford Organics among others. He has also developed companies in the wine, chocolate and forestry industries that combined agronomic innovation, sustainable production technologies and international brand development. Scharffenberger Cellars, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker are two of these companies, John holds a B.A. in geography from UC Berkeley.
David Warner
David Warner ‘76 is the founder and owner of Redhorse Constructors, one of the nation’s premier custom home construction companies in Northern California. He is also the CEO and co-founder of Elgin Energy Company, a geothermal development company in Northern California and founder of the Marin Agricultural Wind Co-op, a wind development charter whose mission is to provide locally produced energy to the Marin County energy grid. In 2010, he co-founded Human Needs Project with actress Connie Nielsen to bring a new level of quality water and sanitation services to the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. David holds a B.S. in Conservation of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley.
Bryan Wilson
Bryan Wilson ‘83 is a partner in the Morrison Foerster's Intellectual Property Group. He is a first-chair trial lawyer with an expansive range of experience handling intellectual property matters in a variety of venues. His successful track record in recent years includes trade secrets and patent cases in both state and federal courts as well as in arbitration proceedings. Bryan is co-chair of the firm's Trade Secrets Working Group and former chair of the Litigation Department in the firm's Palo Alto office. He also maintains an active pro bono practice, representing organizations including the Mono Lake Committee, the Peninsula Open Space Trust, the Coastside Land Trust, the Tuolumne River Trust, and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. Bryan holds a B.S. in Political Economy of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from Stanford University.
William Woods
William Woods, III ‘73 is the former Vice President of Acquisitions at Cornerstone Propane Partners, the fifth largest propane distributor in the U.S. He founded Waterfowl Environment Preservation Organization, an organization dedicated to marsh habitat development. Bill holds a B.S. in Conservation of Natural Resources from UC Berkeley.
Alexandria Zermeño
Alexandria (Ally) Zermeño is a senior studying Environmental Science at the Rausser College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley. She was a 2021 Short Term Educational Experiences for Research (STEER) COEH Intern in the School of Public Health, where she won the Best Presentation award for the description of her summer project. She continues to be mentored by Charlotte Smith Ph.D. working on, The Ethical Considerations in the Collection and Analysis of Spatial Data, for her Senior Thesis. When she is relaxing, Ally loves listening to music, hiking with her family, and reading.