Milestones

Gayle Nagy '73

Gayle Nagy, BA, 1973, a well-known mortgage lender in the Santa Barbara area, has added Reverse Mortgage Expert Witness to her credentials.

Ali Farr McCarty '18

Ali Farr McCarty joins Farr Johnen & Associates representing the third generation of Farrs. Ali joined the firm in 2023 after working at Deloitte Consulting and Capital Group (American Funds). She is a licensed health and life insurance agent serving clients across both life-insurance and employee-benefits sides of the business. Ali’s experience at large corporations brings a new perspective and valuable network of relationships to the firm.

Jonathan Johnen '05

Jonathan Johnen, BA 2005, co-owner and managing partner of Farr Johnen & Associates, an insurance firm built on deep community roots and a shared commitment to doing what's right for clients, celebrates the company's 40 years of top-notch client service.

Adam Fischer '15

Two Gauchos are making waves on the national stage! UCSB alumni Adam Fischer and Tyler Fish have earned a spot on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list, recognizing the fastest-growing private companies in America. Even more impressive, their company, Sun Home Saunas, ranked #20 overall in the U.S. and claimed the #1 spot in the Consumer Services category.

Sun Home Saunas has quickly become a leader in the wellness industry, driven by a mission to make the benefits of saunas more accessible to households across the country. The company’s remarkable growth is a testament to the entrepreneurial vision, grit, and determination that Gauchos are known for.

This milestone highlights not only Adam and Tyler’s achievement but also the impact UCSB alumni are making in business and innovation. Their story reflects the strength of the Gaucho network, a community that inspires, supports, and celebrates one another’s successes.

Join us in celebrating Adam and Tyler’s accomplishments, following their journey, and sharing this milestone with pride. Gauchos continue to shape industries, spark innovation, and leave a lasting mark on the world.

Dov Lutzker '92

1992 graduate Dov Lutzker has joined national law firm Epstein Becker Green, as a Member of the Firm in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. Dov joins EBG’s Employment, Labor & Workforce Management practice group, where employers rely on his counsel to anticipate and address accessibility risks. His career includes more than two decades at the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, where he managed impactful investigations, litigated seminal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) cases, and negotiated compliance agreements that nationally improved accessibility.

Dov Lutzker '92

Dov Lutzker joined Epstein Becker Green as Senior Counsel focusing on ADA and accessibility law after nearly 25 years with the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. He will help clients across industries navigate public accommodations, workforce accessibility, and regulatory compliance.

Ally Meier '18

Arlington Financial Advisor’s Ally Meier, Bachelor's Degree 2018, has earned the sought-after Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) credential, an accreditation certifying her expert ability to assist clients with the financial aspects of divorce.

Christopher Petersen '02

Christopher J. Petersen has been elevated to Vice Practice Group Leader, Business Litigation at Blank Rome LLP, effective January 1, 2025.

Therese Fisher '94

Therese just graduated with her Masters in Theological Studies from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. Her studies & personal experience inspired her to write Walking Through the Valley of Dementia: A Self-Paced Spiritual Retreat for Care Partners, which was just published.

The book is written for care partners of People Living with Dementia (PLwD) who face a multitude of challenges that leave them tired, depleted, and feeling isolated from society, community, church, and even family/friends. The retreat begins with a discussion of what dementia is and the common challenges that care partners face. Within those challenges, readers start to explore some of the many invitations God offers in the Valley of Dementia. It guides them through various exercises and scriptural reflections that create a space for them to engage in their relationship with God.

This book offers the gift of spiritual exploration and relationship-building with the Divine to help nourish and sustain care partners and even help them find new life on the journey through the Valley of Dementia.

https://wipfandstock.com/9798385215874/walking-through-the-valley-of-dementia/

Kristine Fowler Cirby '88

Kristine Fowler Cirby was elected president of the Marin County Bar Association for 2025.

Estrella Serrato '17

Estrella Serrato is a first-gen Latina community leader who has established a community of over 82K+ students and post-grads through her work as a content creator, College + Post Grad Coach, and podcast host of Cafecito con Estrellita® . She guides first-gen scholars through higher education paths, cites many issues Latine students are burdened with: a higher probability of being from a low-income family, the intimidation that comes with not having parents who went to college and who can’t really help you navigate academia, and the isolation Latinx individuals feel at predominantly non-Latinx white institutions, to name a few.

Estrella’s career started in the social media industry in 2019, stemming from her passion for higher education attainment for Latinas, and conducting undergraduate qualitative research. Her dedication to uplifting and educating her community earned her a TEDx Talk, which she gave January 2023. In her talk, Estrella shares her experiences as a first-generation higher education student. Her talk explores the cultural exclusivity in the college setting and how she found her path and earned her place as a graduate.

David E. Guggenheim '89

David E. Guggenheim '89, has published a book, The Remarkable Reefs of Cuba: Hopeful Stories from the Ocean Doctor. The book follows my more than two decades of his work in Cuba.

Linda Moore '69

Linda Moore '69, has published her novel, Attribution which tells the story of an aspiring historian who studies in New York and discovers a hidden painting.

Niki Sandoval '07

has joined WestEd a worldwide consulting firm that works toward improving educational outcomes for youth and adults. She will be focusing on strategic planning and resource development. For the past 11 years she has been Education Director for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians and previously served as a director of the UC Santa Barbara Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Tom Pamukcu '09

explains in an upcoming op-ed, the importance of clinical trial diversity and poses a call to action for the clinical research field at large.

Lynne Cox '79

Lynne Cox '79, has published a new book titled, Tales of Al The Water Rescue Dog inspired by her adventures in Italy.

Robert M Geraci '05

just published his fourth book, Futures of Artificial Intelligence: Perspectives from India and the United States (Oxford 2022). The book is the result of research conducted over the course of two Fulbright-Nehru research awards.

Brain C. Wilson '96

has published, "The California Days of Ralph Waldo Emerson" (May 27, 2022), which traces the “Sage of Concord’s” journey across the American West in his final years. Engaging and compelling, part biography and part travelogue, the book follows Emerson as he takes in breathtaking vistas along the Pacific Coast, spends days with a young John Muir around Yosemite, soaks up Napa Valley’s hot springs, explores San Francisco’s Chinatown, and encounters a diversity of communities and cultures that would challenge his Yankee prejudices.

Meagan (Christiansen) Bainbridge '01

has been selected to participate in the Leadership Sacramento Class of 2022. Meagan is a Weintraub shareholder and member of the Labor & Employment and Litigation groups. Leadership Sacramento is a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber Foundation that develops community-minded business and civic leaders of tomorrow.

Victoria Kastner '89

Victoria Kastner '89, among her many accomplishments during her three decade career as Hearst Castle’s official historian, UCSB alum Victoria Kastner wrote several books on the magnificent estate and its storied inhabitants. Now, in her forthcoming book (March), Julia Morgan: An Intimate Biography of the Trailblazing Architect, she is devoting her attention solely to the woman who envisioned and built the mansion.

Michelle Iwasaki '04

earns $25,000 Milken Educator Award for empowering Honolulu teachers and raising achievement for students.

Dawn Michaels '80

Dawn Michaels O’Bar '80, published a new book, COVID 2020 A Year Like No Other: A roller coaster ride of losses, challenges, and opportunities. The author shares her experiences during the year and includes interviews from others.

Nicole Starosielski '07

has published Media Hot and Cold (Duke University Press, December 2021). Starosielski, a professor of media, culture, and communication at NYU, is best known for her 2015 book on the history of undersea cables, The Undersea Network. She received her PhD in Film and Media Studies from UCSB in 2010.

J. Ward Anderson '84

J. Ward Anderson '84, has published their first book, Misplaced Your Body which tells about ESP, reincarnation, and the human spirit.

Jeff Levin '90

Jeff Levin '90, was promoted to vice president of distribution for Care Solutions at OneAmerica®. The 25-year financial professional, a thought leader in the long-term care industry, now leads a team of divisional vice presidents, regional sales directors and managers. Levin also oversees the account management team in the distribution, sale, and support of the company’s Care Solutions product line. Levin, who joined OneAmerica in 2019, previously was a divisional vice president, responsible for expansion of Care Solutions products, including life and annuity asset-based long-term care products.