Alumni NewsFall 2026

1960s

Mark E. Odegard, M.S. ’65, has been selected to serve as an expert reviewer for the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.

1970s

Celia Austin, ’76, co-founder and co-owner of Rain Dance Vineyards and Rain Dance Ranch; Ruth Beyer, ’77, senior vice president and general counsel for Precision Castparts; and Tad Davies, MBA ’78, retired certified public accountant and co-founder of The Davies Group, were recognized by the OSU Foundation as Lifetime Trustees, the OSU Foundation’s highest recognition for volunteer leaders. Lifetime Trustees distinguish themselves by their expertise, dedication and generosity over their years of volunteer service. Watch the video tributes.

Philip Fischer, ’70, founder of eBooleant Consulting LLC, co-wrote the book You Are AI’s Best Friend, a guide for living and thriving alongside rapidly developing artificial intelligence. Learn more.

Dr. Dennis Godby, ’79, a Sacramento-based naturopathic doctor, started the final leg of his trek across the U.S. to raise awareness for health equity on Aug. 24. He invites naturopathic doctors and others to join him anywhere along the route from Bozeman, Montana, to Seattle, Washington, or when he arrives in Seattle on Sept. 24 at Pier 62.

Richard A. Marston, M.S. ’76, Ph.D. ’80, university distinguished professor emeritus at Kansas State University, is a co-lead author on a new university textbook, Essentials of Geomorphology, published by Cambridge University Press. Marston was also named an honorary fellow in 2026 by the International Association of Geomorphologists, only the fourth American named since the IAG was founded in 1989.

Lowell H. Suring, M.S. ’74, principal wildlife ecologist for Northern Ecologic LLC, co-edited the book Movement Behavior of Wildlife — Effect of Resource Distribution and Landscape Structure in North America. Learn more.

1980s

Kevin Clark, ’89, NSF I-Corp OSU Advantage Accelerator mentor, joined heads of state, U.N. agency officials and other participants at the 2025 U.N. Summit on Sustainable Development. He was recognized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for his outstanding contributions to standardizing identification of artificial intelligence and human agents. In 2026, he was inducted into the American Academy of Neurology and elected NIST/ANSI U.S. National Committee Liaison to Joint Technical Committees on Quantum Technologies and Information Technology.

Jensen Huang, ’84, ’09 (Hon. Ph.D.), CEO of NVIDIA, has been awarded the 2026 IEEE Medal of Honor, the highest distinction presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for humanity.

Daniel M. Rhea, ’81, retired from the CIA on March 31 after 43 years of service. This included tours at the National Security Council, the National Intelligence Council, supporting Desert Shield/Storm in the Persian Gulf, supporting U.S. State Department policy in the Western Balkans before and after the 1991-1995 conflict and providing analysis for the Counter Terrorism Mission Center. Rhea was born and raised in Baker City, Oregon.

Nancy Streets, ’80, retired as advertising director for the Elko Daily Free Press after a 42-year newspaper advertising career in Oregon and Nevada. In recognition of her innovations in print and digital advertising as well as her two terms as president of the Nevada Press Association, she was also inducted into the 2025 Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame.

Todd Thompson, ’89, has written and published a seven-book science fiction series under the name T.B. Thompson. All of them — including the first book, SouthHaven — are available on Amazon. Learn more about him.

Yuqi Zhao, M.S. ’85, Ph.D. ’91, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, was elected a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, an honor that recognizes contributions to scientific research and innovation.

Robert F. Melendy, ’92, M.S. ’94, ’98, Ph.D. ’08,

Robert F. Melendy, associate professor of electrical engineering at George Fox University, solved a 70-year mystery in neuroscience: Why the Nobel Prize-winning Hodgkin-Huxley equations, which describe how neurons fire, have their specific mathematical form. The research, published this March in the journal Membranes, proves these equations aren’t just empirical observations: they’re mathematically required by fundamental physics. “It’s a discovery that could reshape our understanding of everything from neurological disease treatment to artificial intelligence development,” Melendy said. Photo courtesy of George Fox University

1990s

Joyce Chang, MAIS ’93, Ph.D. ’96, a professor of human development and family science at the University of Central Missouri, was honored with the 2026 Byler Distinguished Faculty Award, the university’s highest recognition for its faculty members.

2000s

Lauren Dillard, ’09, was promoted to head of user experience and design at MassMutual, a mutual life insurance company based in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dillard is a proud alumnus of the New Media Communications program at Oregon State and former editor of The Daily Barometer.

Cindy Heilman, M.S. ’05, published her second book, Why You Can’t Dispense Food Like Medicine, a strategic guide for senior living and post-acute care leaders that argues dining is not just about nutrition but about human connection, dignity and community.

2010s

Kaitlyn Coburn, ’14, was promoted to partner at Kernutt Stokes, the fourth largest CPA firm in Oregon.

Steven Eriksen, ’10, is head winemaker for Northern California’s Wise Villa Winery. In 2019, while under his direction, Wise Villa Winery became the most awarded winery in North America for single-varietal wines as judged by the San Francisco Chronicle, bringing home 27 medals. Most recently, in the 2026 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the winery won 18 medals: three double gold, six gold, four silvers and five bronze.

Ally McLain, ’14, employment law and labor relations attorney at Miller Nash LLP in Portland, has joined The Flip Museum Board of Directors.

Ian Redding, ’18, senior GIS and visual design specialist at Mark Thomas Engineering, won the 2025 ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition in the Infrastructure Category for the Pacheco Pass Wildlife Overcrossing Project.

Kent Emry, ’02

Kent Emry, ’02, pictured here with co-founder Leah Archer, launched Aphasia Relearned, a nonprofit expanding access to intensive aphasia rehabilitation. After a 2022 stroke triggered by a race car accident, Emry developed aphasia — a language disorder that affects speaking, reading and writing — along with partial paralysis and vision challenges. Recognizing how costly effective treatment can be, he turned his recovery into a mission to help others regain communication and independence. Aphasia is more common than muscular dystrophy or Parkinson’s disease yet is widely misunderstood. Learn more. Photo courtesy of Aphasia Relearned

2020s

Brandon Enghauser, ’25; his spouse Jay Enghauser, ’24; and their friend Amber Hamilton are the new owners of independent bookstore Grass Roots in downtown Corvallis. Grass Roots was originally opened in 1971 by founders Jack Wolcott, ’70, and Sandy Smith, who are now retired. 

Paris Myers, ’23, a doctoral student in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is the lead author on a paper introducing a new optical system called “MorphoChrome,” which allows for the design and programming of iridescence onto everyday objects, augmenting them with a structurally colored multi-color glimmer.