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Cal Poly Alumni Association

Our Mission

To engage and serve alumni, to foster a lifelong connection between alumni and Cal Poly and to cultivate goodwill and support for the University.

What We Do

The Cal Poly Alumni Association is led by an engaged and diverse board of directors, supported by a dedicated staff, that is committed to creating quality alumni experiences.

Board of Directors Executive Committee

Lauren Layne

Lauren Layne

PRESIDENT
Partner, Baker Manock & Jensen, PC
  • B.S., Soil Science, 2006

Favorite Cal Poly Memory:

I worked in the Earth & Soil Science Department for Dr. Brent Hallock. I was able to conduct soil erosion and sediment control studies through grant funding. My team was then able to present our findings at a conference of Environmental Professionals. It was an amazing experience for college students to be educating certified professionals in erosion and sediment control. It was a fabulous Learn by Doing experience and showed us what opportunities were available to us

Favorite Learn by Doing Memory:

I had to miss a class field trip because a professor in a different department would not let me miss a midterm. So, Dr. Hallock took one other student and me up to evaluate the soils pits for the State FFA Soil Judging Contest. I learned so much during that small group session and it helped me earn the highest grade on the midterm in the class.

Yvonne Sams

Yvonne Sams

PRESIDENT-ELECT
Senior Director CA Logistics at G3 Enterprises
  • B.S., Agricultural Engineering Technology, 1995

Favorite Cal Poly Memory: 

Marrying my college sweetheart and now my oldest daughter attends the same major I graduated from.

Campus Dining I Miss the Most:

Backstage Pizza

Jennifer Fanning

Jennifer Fanning

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - EX OFFICIO
Senior Director of Alumni Engagement
  • B.S., Recreation Administration, 2001
Tawny James

Tawny M. James

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Certified Public Accountant, Smith & James Certified Public Accountants
  • B.S., Accounting, 1989

Favorite Study Spot:

I loved to study in the library which really meant sleeping!

Clubs/Activities: 

Sigma Kappa Sorority, Poly Royal Board, Accounting Club

CPAA - Tessa Espinoza

Tessa Stevens Espinoza

UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVE - EX OFFICIO
Senior Director of External Relations and Director of Development for Student Affairs, Cal Poly
  • B.A., Social Sciences, 2007 / MA, Education, 2013
Kelley Lashley

Kelley Bannon Lashley

LEGAL COUNSEL
Founder and Attorney, Deka Law Group
  • B.A., Political Science, 1995

Regional Directors

Shelley McCracken

Shelley McCracken

Northern California
Teacher, Oak Grove School District
  • B.S., Liberal Studies, 1997

Learn by Doing Today: 

I am an elementary school teacher and teach STEM where we are constantly building things and experimenting. 

Favorite Cal Poly Memory: 

I was a founding member of Running Thunder (athletics spirit club) and have tons of fond memories of all our crazy times. Something that was really special to me is that through Running Thunder, I got to spend time as our mascot, Musty the Mustang. 

John Osumi

John Osumi

CENTRAL COAST CALIFORNIA
CEO, Bishop Peak Technology
  • B.S., Computer Engineering, 2012
CPAA - Bob Weaver

Bob Weaver

CENTRAL VALLEY CALIFORNIA
Fieldman, AG Production Company
  • B.S., Agricultural Business, 1987

Why the Cal Poly Alumni Association?

It's a great way to keep up to date with Cal Poly (the greatest university in the nation and possibly the world), to help provide future students with scholarships, and to visit with friends and fellow Cal Poly alumni.

Favorite Learn by Doing Memory:

All my outdoor labs. Experiencing something hands on, in the real world versus a lab, to me is critical to learn the many aspects of agriculture.

Anthonette Pena

Anthonette Pena

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
  • B.A., Liberal Studies, 2000
Matt Cohen

Matt Cohen

OUT-OF-STATE
Sales Enablement Manager, Seismic Software
  • B.S., Business Administration, 2014

Favorite Cal Poly Memory: 

I really enjoyed working as a desk assistant at Sequoia Hall. I met many lifelong friends through that who I otherwise wouldn't have met just going to and from my room on the third floor. Would recommend that job to all incoming freshman!

 

Favorite Cal Poly Class:

The history of economics was probably my favorite class. My professor was Solina Lindahl and she was the only professor at Cal Poly I had twice. I jumped at the chance to learn from her again and was so glad I did. The class complimented the otherwise quantitative work I was taking for my degree and based it in theory and philosophy. This really helped me understand the models we were working with and made it more real.

College Directors

Karen Watts headshot

Karen Watts

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Principal, Karen C. Watts Consulting
  • B.S., Ornamental Horticulture, 1979
Farid Shahid

Farid Shahid

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
  • B.A.R., Architecture, 2016
Cal Poly Proud

Jon Peck

ORFALEA COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Associate Financial Analyst, Google Inc.
  • B.S., Economics, 2016
John Goble

John Goble

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Revenue Acceleration, Accenture, Inc.
  • B.S., Electronic Engineering, 1986

Favorite Downtown Spot: 

Spikes 

Class I'd Take if Given the Chance:

Dynamics. It was one of the hardest classes I took, and I would love to take it again to better appreciate the physical world around me.

Dan Rivoire

Dan Rivoire

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS
Executive Director for Leadership Development, San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce
  • B.A., Philosophy, 2007
CPAA - Joan Pinder

Joan Pinder

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
Retired Executive Director, IDEMA
  • B.S., Chemistry, 1979

Favorite Cal Poly Memory: 

My favorite memory at Cal Poly was Poly Royal each year. The chance to show off what you had learned that year and participate in labs and the magic show to help people understand chemistry and make it fun

Class I'd Take if Given the Chance:

I would love to take all of the new Polymer Chemistry classes that have been developed and are now offered and do one of the many research projects that are happening on campus each summer. 

Other Directors

Hunt Turner

Hunt Turner

PAST PRESIDENT
Senior Vice President, Burnham, a Baldwin Risk Partner
  • B.S., Business Administration, 1995

Favorite Downtown Spot:

Tortilla Flats on a Friday.

Favorite Learn by Doing Memory:

Creating a fake company in Business 410 and making 'CEO' decisions on how the company would do.

Grace Lauer

Grace Lauer

DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Architectural Administrative Intern, Brockitecture
  • B.S., Architecture, 2022

Favorite Cal Poly Memory:

Any and all memories with Poly Reps, the annual Architecture Vellum competition (furniture design!), and late nights in the architecture studios.

Favorite Class:

My senior architectural design thesis with Emily White — a class of 17 students that was year-round and entirely independent project-wise. We traveled to the East coast over spring break, did combo classes with the preschoolers and all finished up our five years with an amazing installation in building 5.

Kraig Scheyer

Kraig Scheyer

CSU ALUMNI COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE
Retired VP of Administrative Services, Northrop Grumman Corp.
  • B.S., Environmental Engineering & Water Control, 1979
Billy Stubblefield

Billy Stubblefield

ATHLETICS DIRECTOR
  • B.S., Microbiology, 2001
Sharon Lucas

Sharon Lucas

AFFINITY DIRECTOR
Retired, Program Manager, The Boeing Company
  • B.S., Industrial Technology, 1986

Favorite Cal Poly Class: 

Most of my IT classes were my favorite classes. The instructor, the late "Smitty" was gifted in making the classes interesting, informative and relatable. 

Why the Cal Poly Alumni Association?

To have the opportunity to continue to work with students, clubs/groups, faculty and staff, university leadership and the community to make Cal Poly the model and example of a great institution that is not only rich in academic excellence but also for its willingness to continue to "move the needle" year after year to embrace an inclusive and diverse student body and faculty/staff.

Cal Poly Proud

Leslie Nelson

FACULTY DIRECTOR
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, Cal Poly
Melissa Toussimehr

Melissa Toussimehr

POLY REPS PRESIDENT