Distinguished Alumni

Alumni of Distinction
 
Celebrate those CHS Alumni who have made the world a better place through service, entertainment, sports, advocacy, philanthropy, education, and leadership!
 
Throughout its 100-year history, Claremont High School has educated the children, parents, and grandparents who became the leaders, artists, police, firefighters, merchants, architects, builders, mechanics, educators, businessmen and women, soccer coaches, restaurateurs,  military veterans, philanthropists, and other residents of the City of Claremont and the world. Some serve at home or on a local level, while other excel on a nationalor international scale.
 
Contact Us to submit additonal biographical information or photos. We're still researching!
 
Please see this site for additional names!
 
 
“First Family” of C.H.S.
 

Stuart Gladstone Wheeler

&
Esther Frances Romick
 
Class of 1915
 
Stuart Wheeler was born in 1897 and moved to Claremont as a young boy.   Married to his Claremont High School sweetheart… combining two citrus ranching families, with four generations of Wheeler’s that continue to be active contributing members of the Claremont community and both Claremont High School campuses.
 
Stuart was Mayor and Councilman in Claremont for 17 years – and also a world traveler having visited 65 countries.  The Wheelers and the Romicks lived for a time on College Avenue and both families were active in agriculture and real estate – with Stuart being an instrumental force in the growth of the Citrus ranching and packing industry in Claremont and surrounding areas.  Generations of CHS youth still tell stories of lighting smudge pots for successive Mr. Wheeler’s… keeping the fruit frost-free in the wee hours of many chilly mornings…or of falling asleep to the whirring of the wind turbines… waking to the scent of lemon blossoms in the Spring…..
 
Stuart and Esther had three children who all attended Claremont High, on the old campus.  Their grandchildren attended CHS on the new Campus! The CHS-Wheeler Family Tree continues to grow…..
 

Don Wheeler CHS ’37? Captain Army Air Corps

Ruth (Wheeler) Fuller CHS ‘45
Roger Wheeler CHS ‘45
Don married Barbara Roe Real Estate Investor CMC Board
Steven Wheeler CHS ’70 Oral Surgeon Carlsbad, CA
David Wheeler CHS ’72 Realty Investor, Newport Coast, CA
Roger Wheeler and Mary Naftel Wheeler CHS ‘45
Paul Wheeler CHS ‘71 Architect Wheeler & Wheeler Architects
Nelson Wheeler CHS ‘73 Strategic Retail Advisors Newport Beach
Mark Wheeler CHS ‘74 Owner Encinitas Ford, Encinitas, CA
Martha Wheeler Bowman CHS ‘78  
 

Class of 1931

First Latina to graduate
from CHS

Manuela left Albuquerque at the age of 15 to come to California in search of a better life and education. She graduated as the first Mexican-American girl from Claremont High School, then graduated from Pomona College in 1935 with a degree in History. She earned her teaching credential and taught in L.A. city schools for more than thirty years.  In 1959, she earned an M.A. in History from UCLA. After she retired, she continued her pursuit of lifelong learning, taking classes in French, Italian, philosophy and Latin American Women Writers.

Manuela was a founding member of the Padua Hills Theater, a Mexican players theater group established in 1932. It was there that she met her husband, Juan Bautista Matute Remus, who had recently immigrated to Claremont from Guadalajara, Mexico, to seek a better future than was possible in post-Revolutionary Mexico. 
 
 
Manuela died at the age of 97 in 2011.

P H I L A N T H R O P Y

Nancy Sanford Hughes

Class of 1960

Humanitarian & Philanthropist

President & Founder,

Stove Team International

Nancy directs the work of Stove Team International and is the founder and the face of the organization. She is a graduate of Whitman College, mother of three and grandmother of two and has been a tireless volunteer with many organizations. She began Stove Team after working with a medical team and observing the results of burns and respiratory diseases caused by cooking over open campfires and inside unventilated homes. She is an inspiring speaker and raises money for the organization.

Hughes founded Stove Team International in 2007 in conjunction with her local Eugene, Ore., Rotary Club, Southtowne Rotary. Stove Team is a nonprofit organization that establishes stove manufacturing factories in developing countries. Stove Team factories produce affordable, fuel-efficient and safe stoves and provide them to families in countries where smoke-related deaths and illnesses are pervasive due to open flame cooking. Hughes founded the organization after visiting Guatemala, where she learned that smoke inhalation in developing countries causes twice as many deaths as malaria.

In the past 3 ½ years alone, Stove Team has helped establish six factories in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. Hughes and Stove Team are currently researching new stove-making options for Haiti and the Amazon Basin, and plan to open more factories in Africa and Mexico in the coming year.

In 2009, she was one of only 122 people in the world to receive the prestigious Rotary Service Above Self Award for her vision and leadership in establishing and growing Stove Team International. She is also the recipient of the 2012 Soroptomist Ruby Award and was the Whitman Alumna of Merit in 2011. In 2011, Nancy received the prestigious International Purpose Prize, awarded by Civic Ventures, the only national award to specifically recognize people over the age of 60 in “encore careers” making a social difference in the world. Five such individuals are selected each year to receive grants to benefit their endeavors.
 

 
Dr. Vivian Shaw Lamphear

Class of 1972

 

Clinical Psychologist & Humanitarian

The Save Africa's Children

Child Trauma Project

Dr. Lamphear is a clinical psychologist from a leading APA approved clinical psychology program, an author and popular speaker specializing in rapid trauma resolution, anxiety and panic attacks, migraine headaches, permanent weight loss, anger control-parent training, and peak performance training. She utilizes EMDR, EFT and the latest brain research to help clients achieve personal growth, healthy relationships, weight control, anger control-parenting, and career aspirations.

Dr. Lamphear is a former assistant professor of psychology and clinic director at Fuller Graduate School of Psychology. For over 30 years, she has been researching and implementing ways to improve all forms of relating. She has taught workshops in the areas of anger control-parenting, permanent weight loss and assertion training. Her current books include Anger Control Parenting: How to Effectively Discipline Your Children with Confidence and Self-Control , Gentle Eating and Gentle Eating -Workbook (both coauthored with KKLA New Life Founder and Radio Host, Stephen Arterburn).

As part of her humanitarian work, Dr. Lamphear designed and is currently conducting an international research project with colleagues from the Africa and Virginia Tech University. The Save Africa's Children- Child Trauma Project seeks to identify and treat PTSD in African children orphaned by AIDS, war and other causes. All proceeds from her books, tapes and seminars are donated to this effort. She has successfully utilized EMDR and EFT in resolving PTSD in children orphaned in Haiti and Africa. www.drlamphear.com

 
Peter Alan Thum

Class of 1986

 

Co-Founder ETHOS WATER &
non-profit organizations
Giving Water & Founderie 47

 

Peter Alan Thum is an American social entrepreneur, business executive, and humanitarian. While working for the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, Thum was assigned to South Africa for six months in the winter of 2000-2001. The widespread poverty he witnessed was disturbing. Yet one aspect of it in particular sparked Thum’s imagination and inexorably changed his path in life: the water crisis. His first-hand experience with the pervasive lack of fresh, clean drinking water among many citizens of South Africa, as well as his view of the resulting dangers and deprivations, inspired him to leave McKinsey & Company and develop a new company in the hopes of making a difference.

In 2002, Thum, along with Jonathan Greenblatt, founded Ethos Water, a company devoted to using a portion of its profits to help the development of safe water resources in poverty-stricken nations. The company steadily prospered, and in April 2005 the Starbucks Coffee Company acquired Ethos Water, which is currently directing funds to support water projects in Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Honduras, India and Kenya. Starbucks donates US$0.05 per bottle sold to the Ethos Water mission. To date, Ethos Water has generated more than $6.2 million for water programs around the world, helping more than 420,000 people get access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

Thum led Ethos as President through its acquisition by Starbucks in 2005. From 2005 to 2008, he managed Ethos and other businesses as a vice president of Starbucks and guided its philanthropy as a Director of the Starbucks Foundation. His current venture is called Founderie 47, which buys up AK-47s in Africa, smelts the metal down to make jewelry to support the water project.

Before joining McKinsey & Company, he worked for six years in marketing and sales management at the Gallo Winery and as an English teacher at a language training center in Munich, Germany. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Claremont McKenna College. Thum is married to the American actress and writer Cara Buono, and lives in New York City, New York.

 

Donald Carnegie McKenna

Class of 1925

Philanthropist

 
 
A linguistic scholar, savvy entrepreneur, and benevolent philanthropist, Donald McKenna played a significant role in the establishment of Claremont Men's College in 1946. As one of the first trustees, McKenna initiated support for a third college, the college that would be Claremont McKenna, and remained a generous contributor to the College for the rest of his life.
 
In the mid-1940s, McKenna helped raise the initial $88,000 and organize a college for returning servicemen ready to study under the GI Bill. Claremont Men's College officially opened in 1946 … in 1980, he donated $2 million, which combined with $1 million from his brother Philip's foundation covered half the cost of what became the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum complex. Cook was another major donor. In 1981, five years after women were first admitted to the once all-male school C.M.C. became Claremont McKenna College in his honor.
 
McKenna also established the McKenna Merit Scholarship program, the McKenna Professorship in Asian Economics, the McKenna International Internship program and McKenna Auditorium.
 
Mr. McKenna spent most of his business career at Kennametal Inc., a large maker of mining and steel-cutting tools in Latrobe, Pa. Mr. McKenna, who was born in Washington, received a bachelor's degree in English literature from Pomona College in 1929 and earned a master's degree in the subject at Claremont Graduate University in 1931.
 
He was studying for his doctorate at Harvard University when he was called back to California during the Depression to manage the Pomona Pump Company, a family business that made submersible pumps and marine engine parts. While at Pomona Pump in 1944, he helped found Claremont Men's College, which opened two years later. The liberal arts college attracted many returning servicemen covered by the G.I. Bill.
 
“Mr. Fireworks”
 
Class of 1928
 
Photographer
 

 

 

 

 

Robert C. Frampton was a popular local photographer who began his career as taking nature photos for the U.S. Forest Department. He distinguished himself as a pioneer in aerial photography as well as documenting the history of the growing city of Claremont and surrounding communities.

He was called upon to take photos of generations of Claremont families and school children, especially during special events such as weddings, graduations and community events. The Honnold Library houses an extensive collection of his work, including shots of scenic mountains, architecture and businesses in and around Claremont. 

In this way, Mr. Frampton has left us an unparalleled legacy of historical photographic documentation of the history of the City of Claremont and its schools and colleges.  Mr. Frampton was the original pyrotechnic specialist for the Fourth of July Firework display sponsored by the City of Claremont.

 
 
Hallett "Hal"
Hargrave, Jr.
 
Class of 2007
 
 Founder,
The "Be Perfect" Foundation
 
 
 
 
 

July 26, 2007 - This day will be remembered by Hal for the rest of his Life

Recently graduated from Claremont High School, Hal woke up early on this day to drive a load of remodel supplies to crews working in Las Vegas NV.   As he drove up I-15 past Barstow, he veered to the right shoulder to avoid a large piece of tire tread in his path.  While correcting to come back onto the road, he lost control of the truck, which rolled four times before coming to a stop.  Hal was trapped in the crushed cab for 40 minutes before he was airlifted by Life Flight to Arrowhead Regional Hospital in Colton, CA.

Hal broke his neck and his scapula...there was tendon damage to his right shoulder.  He fractured T1-2 Vertebrae - with the most damaging injury to the Spinal Cord at the C5/C6 level. After more than 2 months as an Acute Patient at Casa Colina, he was released to Outpatient Recovery with a grim prognosis: the doctors said that there is a 1-3% chance that he would walk again.

Hal's emotional and mental outlook is fantastic - despite the situation.  He is a strong young man, very outgoing.  Hal graduated from High School and was looking forward to continuing school at Long Beach University - looking towards the future.  

The "Be Perfect" Foundation is an idea Hal had during his stay at Casa Colina after his traumatic injuries.  During his recovery at Project Walk and The Claremont Club/Casa Colina Club, Hal and his family have met many SCI victims who do not have the financial means to cover all costs for recovery.  Lifetime costs for spinal cord injuries can total over $2.5 million per victim.  In most cases, insurance only covers 50-65% of these costs over a lifetime.  13 Thousand SCI victims are added each year. 

Project Walk/The Claremont Club uses exercise-based recovery and presently this is not covered by Insurance.  The average annual cost for recovery at Project Walk/The Claremont Club is between $25K to $45K a year. In its first 20 months of existence, The Be Perfect Foundation has raised over $2.5 million to keep 30 SCI friends in recovery, has purchased 10 wheelchairs, and provided much-needed guidance and emotional support to many.

On February 1, 2013 Hal and his family, along with the Claremont Club, opened the first Project Walk Franchise at The Claremont Club.

In recognition of his accomplishments to help other spinal injury patients, Hal was chosen as Claremont’s 2013 Independence Day Honored Citizen.

Be Perfect Foundation

Pay It Forward: Be Perfect Foundation

Claremont Courier Fourth of July Special 2013 

 
 
 
Class of 1971
 
Founder,
Pancreatic Cancer
Action Network
(PanCAN)
 
 

In June of 1996, Rose Schneider, the mother of Pancreatic Cancer Action Network founder Pamela Schneider Acosta Marquardt, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  After Marquardt learned her mother was only given 3 to 6 months to live, she began gathering as much information as she could about the disease. 

The only place where Marquardt and her family could find any useful resources was in an online discussion board dedicated to pancreatic cancer hosted by Ralph Hruban, MD, a pathologist at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center.  Participating in the discussion group became Pam’s lifeline as she coped with her mother’s diagnosis. After her mother’s passing on December 29, 1996, Marquardt continued to visit the university’s online discussion group to console herself and support others facing similar circumstances. 

Finding that those seeking support on the discussion board were becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of resources for those affected by the disease, Pam vowed to create a resource for pancreatic cancer patients and their families. She recruited political, community and celebrity leaders to launch the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, or PanCAN.

In February of 1999, after months of hard work, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network was officially incorporated. From the start, hundreds of volunteers were at the ready to build awareness for the long misunderstood and neglected disease.

With national headquarters in Manhattan Beach, CA, and a Government Affairs office in Washington, DC, the organization fulfills its mission through a nationwide network of people dedicated to working together to advance research, support patients and create hope for those affected by pancreatic cancer.

Fo more information:
Jaryd Hochberger
Class of 2006
 
 
CHS Theater Dept. Receives $100k Donation

January 26th, 2023

Also serves on the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors

 

Herb Hafif
Class of 1947
Lawyer, Restauranteur, Philanthropist
His life was TOO full & accomplished to summarize here.

M I L I T A R Y   S E R V I C E

In Memory of three who gave their all

Charles Keith Powell 

 
Class of 1916
 
Died in Combat
World War I 1918 France

 
 
 
Class of 1963
 
US ARMY Killed in Action
Vietnam
 Captain, Helicopter Pilot D TRP, 3rd SQDN, 5th Cavalry, 1st Aviation BDE, USARV
Army of the United States

August 1, 1945 - January 3, 1970

 Stewart Moody was one of two young Claremont men who died in the Vietnam War. After graduation from CHS, Stewart attended Claremont Men's College on an ROTC scholarship.  He was a second-generation Army officer who served in the 1st Aviation Brigade and went down with his helicopter January 3, 1970, at the age of 24.   Stew loved the Army, flying and helicopters.  He was an aircraft maintenance officer (pilot) who had the huge responsibility of testing and certifying repaired copters for operational use. One day his luck ran out when the helicopter he was testing failed and crashed in Sa Dec Province, South Vietnam.  He died serving his country and safe-guarding the lives of the men who would have flown in that copter. 

You can see his information on the virtual Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall:

http://www.virtualwall.org/dm/MoodySR01a.htm

 
John David Williams
 
Class of 1965
U.S. Marine Killed in Action Vietnam 
 
Vietnam Wall of Remembrance
 
ON THE WALL:              Panel 11E Line 1
 
PERSONAL DATA:
  Home of Record           Claremont, CA
  Date of birth:                05/25/1947
  This page Copyright© 1997-2013 www.VirtualWall.org
 
MILITARY DATA:
  Service:                        United States Marine Corps
  Grade at loss:               E3
  Rank:                            Lance Corporal
  ID No:                           2141999
  MOS:                             0311: RIFLEMAN
  Length Service:            01
  Unit:                             C CO, 1ST BN, 4TH MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF
 
CASUALTY DATA:
  Start Tour:                    01/25/1966
  Incident Date:              09/22/1966
  Casualty Date:              09/22/1966
  Age at Loss:                 19
  Location:                      Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam
  Remains:                      Body recovered
  Casualty Type:              Hostile, died outright
  Casualty Reason:          Ground casualty
  Casualty Detail:             Other explosive device

  URL: www.VirtualWall.org/dw/WilliamsJD02a.htm


 

Chet Jaeger
 
Class of 1942
 
WW II Veteran
Mayor of Claremont 1955
Leader, Night Blooming Jazzmen

 
Chet Jaeger, a retired high school Mathematics teacher, started playing the cornet in 1937 (way before the birth of most of the other members of the Night Blooming Jazzmen!) He played in high school bands and started listening to traditional jazz early on. He especially liked Muggsy Spanier.

Chet put his first jazz band together in 1941. He played in the Pomona College marching band. He also carried his horn with him through three years in the Army Air Corps. In fact, he met his wife-to-be while playing in the USO. Chet and Eileen were married in January of 1946. In their 60 years together so far, they have had five children and 14 grand children (including many musicians.)

Chet played some in big bands and concert bands, but 99% of his playing has been in traditional or dixieland bands. The name "Night Blooming Jazzmen" has been used for all of his groups since 1952.

The Night Blooming Jazzmen (NBJ, or "Nightbloomers") is a traditional, or dixieland band, formed in October 1975 to represent the Society for the Preservation of Dixieland Jazz at the third Sacramento Jubilee. There were very few jazz bands in existence then – not enough to put on a festival. The NBJ was started as an ad-hoc "pick-up band." It was not expected to survive – but the NBJ were so well-received and had so much fun that they stuck together. Since then, they have played thousands of concerts, church services, funerals, house parties, grand openings, jazz clubs, wedding receptions, dances, etc .. AND several dozen cruises and land trips to China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, the Amazon, the Mediterranean, and many other parts of Europe.

The Night Blooming Jazzmen is one of the busiest bands in the nation. They have a lot of fun with their audiences and each other and despite this their music is top-quality. They play well and put on a great show. The band's Sunday morning "hymn-a-long" often has the largest attendance of any event at a festival. To quote from a recent festival program:

"The Nightbloomers are certainly the most popular band right here in the greater Los Angeles area despite some awesome competition. Not only does leader Chet Jaeger put on a fine line of patter, but practically the whole band sings. The band is in constant demand. Despite that, the band finds plenty of time to play locally and very graciously for charities and jazz club dates. One specialty of the band is spirituals and hymns. Despite the old jokes, spontaneous nuttiness and musical spoofs, the band puts out jazz of very high quality. No hour or so is better spent than enjoying the Nightbloomers."

MORE

Major General (Ret.)

Paul E. Mock

 
Commanding General of the CA Army National Guard
63rd Regional Readiness Command

Class of 1968

Paul Mock received his commission in 1972 through ROTC Claremont Men’s College. He served as an Infantry Officer, Special Forces Officer, Psychological Operations Officer and Quartermaster Corps officer. In July 1996, he was mobilized for Operation Joint Endeavor serving in Croatia to support operations in Bosnia.

Gen. Mock served as the Deputy Commanding General, 311th Support Command (Corps), Los Angeles, California, and Assistant Chief of Staff, G4 (Wartime), Eighth United States Army, Korea.  In October 2002, he assumed command of the 311th Support Command (Corps).  In March 2003, he was mobilized with assignment to I Corps, Fort Lewis, Washington, with the focus of developing the echelon above brigade logistics support package for the Army’s first Stryker Brigade.  In August 2004, he was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom as Commanding General, 377th Theater Support Command, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, commanding more than 20,000 personnel.  On redeployment, he assumed command of the 63d Regional Readiness Command, Los Alamitos, California.  He retired from the United States Army Reserve, December 31, 2008. 

Gen. Mock retired from the Los Angeles Police Department after 25 years of service.  His last assignment at the LAPD was Lieutenant, Officer in Charge, Tactics Training Section where he was in charge of firearms, driver’s training and tactics training sections.  

 

Paul Mock has been a guest speaker at the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Point Leadership Training Program and the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Leadership Training Program. He is past President; Senior Army Reserve Commanders Association and is an Executive Committee member of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of the United States Army.  Paul Mock is a Board member of the Southern California Institute for Research and Education (Long Beach Veteran’s Hospital), is a member of the Fisher House Long Beach Fundraising Committee.  In 2008 he was presented the Commitment to Freedom Award by the West Los Angeles Fisher House Foundation.   Paul Mock is the Senior Consultant, Military Relations for the Military Child Education Coalition and is active in several organizations that support soldiers and families.  He is an instructor with Aardvark Tactical Foundation and was a faculty member of the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.

Mock’s awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, NATO Medal, Parachute Badge, Special Forces Tab, and the Canadian Parachute Badge.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from La Verne College, is a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College. 


 
R T  &  S C U L P T U R E
 

Lisa Adams
 
Class of 1973
 
Artist

 

 

With a B.A. in painting from Scripps College in Claremont, California and an M.F.A. from the Claremont Graduate University, Lisa Adams is the recipient of numerous awards including a Fulbright Professional Scholar Award, a Brody Arts Fund Fellowship and a Durfee ARC Grant.

She has successfully taught at many renowned art departments throughout the Los Angeles area and abroad, including the University of Southern California, the Claremont Graduate University and Otis College of Art & Design. In 1999 she authored “FM*,” a how-to book about painting based on her teachings at the Santa Monica College of Design, Art and Architecture between 1997-1999.

In addition to her studio practice, Lisa works on public art projects, which have included the Chatsworth/Orange Line Metro Station, Fire Station No. 64 in Watts and the West Valley Branch Library in Reseda.

In 2000, she co-founded Crazy Space, an alternative exhibition space, in Santa Monica, California where she curated both local and international exhibitions.

She has been an artist-in-residence in Slovenia, Finland, Japan, Holland and Costa Rica and was commission by BMW of North America to paint an ArtCar.

Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is in the public collections of Eli Broad, the San Jose Museum of Art, the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, the Laguna Museum of Art and the Edward Albee Foundation.

Lisa's first monograph book, Vicissitude of Circumstance, published by ZERO+ Publishing was released in Fall 2011.

Lisa’s work is represented in Los Angeles by CB1 Gallery and she currently blogs on Los Angeles art for the Huffington Post.

 

John Fisher
 
Class of 1969
 
Sculptor
“Simple Gifts” Sculpture
Downtown Claremont

 

 

 

At age 12, John traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East with his family and archeologist father, seeing firsthand the great masterpieces of classical art. He graduated from Claremont High, Claremont, CA, with an award for outstanding achievement in art and a portfolio of work including a series of life size clay sculptures. After moving to the Bay area, John went on to produce numerous figurative bronzes supporting his endeavors by painting watercolors and large scale murals. This lead to a period of painting billboards at which time John moved to Philadelphia. It was here that he began to carve marble and soon after, left for Italy.

Pietrasanta (Holy Stone), Italy is home to an international artist colony. It was here that Michelangelo quarried his marble for the Medici Tomb, commissioned by pope Leo V, and more recently, it was home to artists such as Moore, Arp and Nagucci. John’s first trip to Pietrasanta was fueled by his desire to use the highest quality marble for his creations. He returned to Pennsylvania and carved his first serious pieces whose sales enabled his return to Italy. John’s love for the monumental works that he had seen as a young person ignited his passion for larger-scale work. The first of these, sold through a prominent New York gallery, financed his early years in Pietrasanta, where he has resided since 1987. 

Besides doing figurative sculpture, John also has extensive experience with blacksmithing, ceramics and glass-blowing; he has illustrated children’s books and helped to build a 40 ft., 30 ton sail boat, creating all the bronze alloyed hardware, including the anchor and wench. His work with children on a huge mural at his daughter’s elementary school in Italy, won a first place prize for school project in Italy, awarded by Italy’s President, Champi at the Presidential Palace in Rome.

John lives with his wife, Sandy Oppenheimer, an outstanding mixed media painter and their daughter Allegra, a budding film director, in Fort Bragg, California, just north of Mendocino. They moved there in August of 2005 after having spent almost twenty years in the small village of Querceta, just 3km from Pietrasanta in northern Tuscany.

 

Darell Kenyatta Evers

June 30, 1953-February 18, 2001
 
Class of 1970
 
Artist – Innovator
Founder of Intellikeys
“Mississippi Burning”

 

Darrell Kenyatta Evers, son of slain NAACP Field Secretary Medgar Evers and Myrlie Evers-Williams, Chairman-emeritus of the NAACP National Board of Directors, succumbed to colon cancer on Sunday, February 18, 2001. He was 47 years old.

Evers was 9 years old when his father, returning from work to their Jackson, Miss., home, was shot and killed on June 12, 1963. Byron De La Beckwith VI, a fertilizer salesman, was convicted of the murder in 1994 and received a life sentence; he died in January 2001. In the 1996 film Ghosts of Mississippi, which dramatized the Evers family's efforts to bring Beckwith to justice, Darrell Evers played himself.

Darrell Evers, who was born in Mound Bayou, Miss., on June 30, 1953, was the oldest of the Evers children and was expected by many to follow his parents into civil rights work. In 1962, Darrell Evers was one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit that resulted in the integration of Mississippi public schools. Evers subsequently turned to art to express his commitment to civil rights. He studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., and became an acclaimed painter whose work was collected by Henry Luce II and designer Vidal Sassoon. His paintings, including "Oh My God, They've Moved in Next Door," reflect Evers' use of art as an activist medium.

In the 1990s, Evers and his wife, Lauren, founded Intellikey Labs in Long Beach, Calif. Intellikey became one of the nation's largest DVD quality-control agencies. Evers also volunteered frequently in the Los Angeles Public Schools

A R C H I T E C T U R E
 
Paul Wheeler
Class of 1971
Architect
Old School House Renovation Project
 
William E. Baldwin
Class of 1976
Architect – Hartman/Baldwin Design Build 
Historic Home, Preservation and Restoration
Webb School ALF MUSEUM Renovations
 
John Randolph Erickson
Class of 1976
Architect – Design for Energy Efficiency
Remote Control Model Aircraft Specialist

I N T E R N A T I O N A L   S T A G E

Jane Haentzchel (Henschel)
 
Class of 1970
 
Opera Mezzo-Soprano

Jane Henschel was born in Wisconsin, studied at the University of Southern California and subsequently moved to Germany.

In concert she has appeared with the Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony, BBC Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestras, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the Orchestre de Radio France under Ozawa, Conlon, Maazel, Rattle, Janowski, Colin Davis, Andrew Davis and Schoenwandt. Her recordings include Krasa's "Verlobung im Traum" (Zagrosek for Decca), "The Rake's Progress" (Ozawa for Philips Classics),  Albeniz’ “Merlin” with Domingo - Grammy Award, 2001 - and “Henry Clifford” (both for Decca), Britten’s “The Turn  of the Screw” (Daniel Harding for EMI/Virgin - Gramophone Award 2003) and Mahler’s 8th Symphony for EMI with the CBSO and Rattle.

In opera, Jane Henschel has sung Baba the Turk at the Glyndebourne, Saito Kinen and Salzburg Festivals; Brangäne for the Los Angeles Opera and the Paris Opera;  Klytemnestra for the San Francisco Opera,  the Principessa (“Suor Angelica”) with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Chailly, "Dialogues des Carmélites" in Amsterdam; the Kostelnicka (“Jenufa”) under Ozawa in Japan and the Kabanicka ("Katya Kabanova") for the Salzburg Festival. 

For The Royal Opera, Covent Garden she has sung Fricka and Waltraute under Haitink, Ulrica ("Un ballo in maschera") under Gatti, Klytemnestra under Thielemann and Sir Mark Elder and Mrs Grose (“The Turn of the Screw”) under Colin Davis and Daniel Harding; at La Scala, Milan she has sung Herodias under Chung, Cassandre ("Les Troyens") under Colin Davis and Waltraute under Muti. Her roles at the Bavarian State Opera, Munich include Herodias, Klytemnestra, Ulrica, Mistress Quickly and Ortrud; at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin Klytemnestra, Herodias and Ortrud and at the Vienna State Opera Klytemnestra, Fricka and Mistress Quickly. It is the Amme (Die Frau ohne Schatten) which has become her signature role, one which she has sung in Amsterdam, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Paris, Vienna, Berlin and at the Metropolitan Opera.

Jane Henschel sang Erda in the new “Ring” for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden (under Pappano), Auntie (“Peter Grimes”) in Salzburg with Rattle and Mistress Quickly under Nagano for Los Angeles Opera.  Engagements include returns to the opera houses of London, Paris, Munich, Vienna, Berlin, Madrid and Barcelona as well as concert appearances with the Oslo Philharmonic, the Deutsches Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden Staatskapelle and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.
 
 

Frank Zappa

Class of 1958

 

Musician

Opinion varies on whether Frank actually attended Claremont High School, and there are no school records that confirm his attendance at any Claremont school, but circumstantial evidence and testimony from other members of CHS '58 support the theory that he probably attended Claremont JUNIOR High School in 8th or 9th grade, when the Junior High was located in the original Claremont High building. The Zappa family did live in Claremont at that time and Frank would most likely have been in school there. So - we will claim him as our own and honor his memory on this page. I hope the debate will end here and you can post your memories or tributes to an American icon on his Memory page.

From Wikipedia: Frank Vincent Zappa[(December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, songwriter, composer, record producer, actor and filmmaker. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works, and produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers.

Zappa was a self-taught composer and performer, and his diverse musical influences led him to create music that was often difficult to categorize. While in his teens, he acquired a taste for 20th-century classical composers such as Edgard VarèseIgor Stravinsky, and Anton Webern, along with 1950s rhythm and blues music. He began writing classical music in high school, while at the same time playing drums in rhythm and blues bands; later switching to electric guitar. His 1966 debut album with the Mothers of Invention, Freak Out!, combined songs in conventional rock and roll format with collective improvisations and studio-generated sound collages. He continued this eclectic and experimental approach, irrespective of whether the fundamental format was rock, jazz or classical.

His lyrics—often humorously—reflected his iconoclastic view of established social and political processes, structures and movements. He was a strident critic of mainstream education and organized religion, and a forthright and passionate advocate for freedom of speechself-education, political participation and the abolition of censorship.

He was a highly productive and prolific artist and gained widespread critical acclaim. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and worked as an independent artist for most of his career. He also remains a major influence on musicians and composers. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No. 71 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", and in 2011 at No. 22 on its list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".

 

Lucy Shelton

Class of 1961

 

Opera Soprano

Lucy Shelton is an American soprano best known for her performance of contemporary music. Shelton began her musical training early with the study of both piano and flute.  After graduating from Pomona College (1965) she pursued singing at the New England Conservatory (M.M., 1968), and at the Aspen Music School where she studied with Jan DeGaetani. In her mid-thirties, Shelton was the only artist to receive the International Walter W. Naumburg Award twice, as a soloist and as a chamber musician. She has performed repertoire from Bach to Boulez in major recital, chamber and orchestral venues throughout the world.

The Naumburg success threw Shelton's career into high gear, and she kept herself busy both as an ensemble singer (perhaps most significantly with the Waverly Consort) and as an increasingly in-demand solo vocalist with a rare passion for new music. Even though she is best known for her high-flying, passionate performances of contemporary music, she has never restricted her musical air space to a single century or just a handful of styles.

Highly acclaimed as an interpreter of new music, Lucy Shelton continues to bring new audiences into the sound world of new works, often composed for her. Notable among numerous world premieres are Elliott Carter's Of Challenge and Of Love and his Tempo e Tempi; Oliver Knussen's Whitman Settings; Stephen Albert's Flower of the Mountain; Lewis Spratlan's Of Time and the Seasons; and Rob Zuidam's Johanna's Lament. Lucy Shelton is also active, though less prominently so, in the world of opera.

Since her return to the USA from England in 1997, Lucy Shelton has had five recordings released on Deutsche Grammophon and KOCH International with repertoire of Carter, Igor Stravinsky, Crawford Seeger and Messiaen.

In the season 2001-2002 abroad, Lucy Shelton premiered Rob Zuidam's Johanna's Lament at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and gave the Dutch and UK premieres of Zuidam's McGonagall Lieder. In the USA she gave the world premieres of Lewis Spratlan's Of Time and the Seasons in Boston and a work by Gheorghe Costinescu in New York.

 

Lucy Shelton has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the New England Conservatory and the Eastman School. She is currently on the faculty of the Tanglewood Music Center and coaches privately at her studio in New York City. She has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, KOCH International, Bridge Records, Unicorn-Kanchana and Virgin Classics.

More info: Naxos.com, Full bio 

Rod Gilfry

Class of 1976
 
Baritone
Opera
Musical Theatre

 

Rod Gilfry was born in 1959 in Covina, California, and grew up in West Covina and Claremont. He received a bachelor's degree in music education from Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in voice from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. He also studied privately for six years with renowned French baritone Martial Singher. In 1999 he sought further refinement of his technique and studied in Manhattan with Armen Boyajian, teacher of Samuel Ramey and Gerald Finley.

Gilfry made his opera debut as a comprimario in Otello at Los Angeles Opera in 1986. After seven years as a principal baritone at Frankfurt Opera and Zurich Opera, he returned to the U.S. and originated roles at major houses such as the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Dallas Opera, San Diego Opera, and Los Angeles Opera.

Rod Gilfry has performed all the world's music capitals, including Vienna, Paris, London, Munich, Zurich, Milan, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Best-known as an opera singer, he is equally acclaimed as a recitalist and concert artist. He also has extensive experience as a Master of Ceremonies and as a cabaret artist. This Grammy-nominated singer’s discography includes 23 audio and video recordings, and the DVD and CD of his one-man show My Heart is So Full of You has just been released. His radio show, Opera Notes on Air, aired on Los Angeles’ largest Classical station, K-Mozart 105.1 FM for over three years. With a 40-role repertoire, Gilfry sings music from the Baroque to that composed expressly for him. He was brought to worldwide attention when he created the role of Stanley Kowalski in the 1998 premiere of André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire with the San Francisco Opera. Last fall, he created his fifth world premiere role as Jack London in the new opera Every Man Jack in Sonoma, California. Other appearances last season included Lionel in the San Francisco Opera production of Tchaikovsky’s Joan of Arc, Prospero in the American premiere of Thomas Ades’ The Tempest at the Santa Fe Opera, and Nathan in the American premiere of Nicholas Maw’s Sophie’s Choice in Washington D.C, a role he created in London in 2002.
 
In February, he sang De Guiche in Alfano’s Cyrano in Valencia, Spain,opposite Placido Domingo; in March he performed his one-man show at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, where he also gave a master class. In May, Gilfry appeared with the Los Angeles Opera as Count Danilo in Lehar’s operetta The Merry Widow. In June, he adjudicated the first annual José Iturbi Competition in Los Angeles and in July he appeared as Joe in Loesser’s musical The Most Happy Fella at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. In September, he was host and special guest artist in Concert Under the Stars at Cal State University Fullerton and taught a master class for the Classical Singer’s association. The 2007-08 season also saw Gilfry as baritone soloist in Carmina Burana with the Tonhalle Orchestra in Zürich (October), Danilo in the Dallas Opera production of The Merry Widow (November/December), Papageno in Die Zauberflöte at Opera Pacific in Costa Mesa, California (January/February), a recital at the Barclay Theater in Irvine, California (January 8), an appearance in the Marilyn Horne Foundation Gala in Zankel Hall in New York’s Carnegie Hall (January 25) and Robert Storch in the Zürich Opera production of R. Strauss’ Intermezzo. Gilfry then went to Amsterdam to sing the title role in Messiaen’s monumental work Saint François d’Assise, and concluded the 2007-08 season in Japan with a five-city tour as Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus under the direction of Seiji Ozawa.

Married with three children, Gilfry makes his home in suburban Los Angeles. Gilfry celebrated his 20th year as a professional opera singer in 2006. Gilfry was also featured in a 2004 episode of the PBS children's television show Arthur, called "Lights, Camera...Opera!" as himself.

http://www.rodgilfry.com/


M O T I O N   P I C T U R E S

 

Dileep Rao

Class of 1991

Actor

 

Rao was born in Los Angeles to Indian parents, a physicist mother and an engineer father. He grew up in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia; Denver, Colorado; and Claremont, California. He has one sister who is a professor at NYU. He graduated from Claremont High School and the University of California, San Diego, with a B.A., later receiving an M.F.A. from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco where his class included Anna Belknap and Elizabeth Banks.

Rao's first role after graduating was in the American premiere of Indian Ink by Tom Stoppard. Rao moved to Los Angeles and began working in regional theater including at the Berkeley Rep, South Coast Repertory, and for the Manhattan Theater Club.

He competed on Jeopardy! on June 7, 2002, and won $34,400. On June 8, 2008, Rao was randomly selected from over 1600 entrants to play the NPR Weekend Edition Sunday puzzle on air with Will Shortz. Rao claimed that he had been playing the puzzle at home for "infinity years".

In 2009 he appeared in Avatar and Drag Me to Hell. He was nominated for several awards as part of the ensemble cast in Christopher Nolan's 2010 film Inception. He played a pharmacologist in the film.

INCEPTION - Dileep Rao Interview - YouTube

An Interview with Avatar’s Dileep Rao

MORE


 

Jessica Marie Alba

Class of 1998

Actress & Model

Jessica Marie Alba (born April 28, 1981) is an American television and film actress and model. She began her television and movie appearances at age 13 in Camp Nowhere and The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994). Alba rose to prominence as the lead actress in the James Cameron television series Dark Angel (2000–2002) when she was 19 years-old. Alba later appeared in Honey (2003), Sin City (2005), Fantastic Four (2005), Into the Blue (2005), Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) and Good Luck Chuck (2007).

Alba has been called a sex symbol.  She appears on the "Hot 100" section of Maxim and was voted number one on AskMen.com's list of "99 Most Desirable Women" in 2006, as well as "Sexiest Woman in the World" by FHM in 2007. In 2005,TV Guide ranked her # 45 on its "50 Sexiest Stars of All Time" list. She has also won various awards for her acting, including the Choice Actress Teen Choice Award and Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television, and a Golden Globe nomination for her lead role in the television series Dark Angel.

Alba was born in Pomona, California, to Catherine (née Jensen) and Mark Alba. Her mother is of Danish and French Canadian descent and her father is of Mexican ancestry. She has a younger brother, Joshua, who is also an actor. Her father's Air Force career took the family to Biloxi, Mississippi and Del Rio, Texas, before settling back in Claremont, California, when she was nine years old. Alba described her family as being a "very conservative family – a traditional, Catholic, Latin American family" and herself as very liberal; she says she had identified herself as a "feminist" as early as age five.

Alba's early life was marked by a multitude of physical maladies. During childhood, she suffered from partially collapsed lungs twice, had pneumonia four to five times a year, as well as a ruptured appendix, asthma and a tonsillar cyst. Alba became isolated from other children at school, because she was in the hospital so often due to her illnesses that no one knew her well enough to befriend her. Alba has said that her family's frequent moving also contributed to her isolation from her peers. Alba graduated from Claremont High School at age 16, and she subsequently attended the Atlantic Theater Company.

Click for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Alba

 

 

Elliott Close Graham

Class of 1994
 
Academy Award Nomination
2009 Film Editing MILK

 

 

Elliot Graham (b. 1976, Claremont, California) is an American film editor whose work on the film Milk (directed by Gus Van Sant-2008) was nominated for the Academy Award for Film Editing and for the American Cinema Editors Eddie Award.

In 1999, Graham received bachelor's degrees in history and in film from New York University. Graham's first editing credit was for The Last Minute (2001), which is an independent film that was written, directed, and edited by Stephen Norrington. Graham was initially hired to assist Norrington with editing, but ultimately shared the editing credit. Graham subsequently worked on two films with director Bryan Singer, X2 (2003) and Superman Returns (2006); he co-edited these films with John Ottman. Graham also edited the pilot for the television program, House (2004), which was also directed by Singer.
 
Editor (9 titles)
2011 - Boss (TV series)  
2011 - Restless
2008 - Milk  Oscar nomination 2009, Best Achievement in Film Editing
2008 - 21
2006 - Superman Returns
2005 - The Greatest Game Ever Played
2004 - House M.D. (TV series) – Pilot (2004)
2003 - X2 (co-editor)
2001 - The Last Minute

 

Albert Hughes

The Hughes Brothers
 
 
Class of 1990?
 
 Film directors, producers and screenwriters

Allen Hughes 

Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes (born April 1, 1972), known together professionally as the Hughes brothers, are American film directors, producers and screenwriters. The twins are known for co-directing such visceral, and often violent, movies as Menace II Society, From Hell and The Book of Eli.

The Hughes brothers were born in Detroit, Michigan to an African American father and an Armenian American mother, Aida, whose family were Iranian Armenians from Tehran.  Albert is the older of the twins by nine minutes; although they originally believed themselves to be fraternal twins, they suspect they may be identical despite not having had a DNA test. Their parents divorced when they were two. The twins moved with their mother to Pomona when they were nine. The mother raised her sons alone while putting herself through school and starting her own business, a vocational center. Supportive of her sons' ambitions as filmmakers, she gave them a video camera when they were 12. As a result, the boys spent their free time making short films.

Albert and Allen Hughes began making movies at age 12, but their formal film education began their freshman year of high school when Allen took a TV production class at Claremont High. When a teacher suggested that they make a "How To" film for an assignment, they complied with a short film entitled How to Be a Burglar, people began to take notice. Their next work, Uncensored videos, was broadcast on cable, introducing them to a wider audience.

After Allen had a son at the age of 18, he and Albert dropped out of high school in the 11th grade to begin directing music videos, directing for artists like Tone Loc and Tupac Shakur.  Albert later took some film classes at Los Angeles Community College. Two shorts established the twins' reputation as innovative filmmakers and allowed them to direct Menace II Society (1993), which made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and grossed nearly 10 times as much as its $3 million budget. Centering on black, disenfranchised youth, it was made on a budget of $3.5 million when they were only 20 years old. Not only did they co-direct the film, but they also wrote it with screenwriter Tyger Williams. It became a critical as well as a box office success and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Because of their previous experience in directing music videos, they became the first sibling duo since Jerry and David Zucker allowed a waiver by the Directors Guild of America to take co-credit as directors.

Their second film was Dead Presidents in 1995. Dealing with the black underclass society like their feature film debut, and also starring Larenz Tate, the film centered on war veterans during the racially charged Vietnam War era. The film, which was released at the New York Critics Film Festival, failed to make as much of a profit as their first film. They followed Dead Presidents with American Pimp, a feature-length documentary about the underground pimp culture and exploitation of women. It premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. They had originally set out to do an adaptation of Iceberg Slim's novel Pimp, but someone else acquired the rights. The brothers have stated that the film's perspective was partially shaped by being raised by their mother, who is a feminist, whereas some members of their family "dabbled" in the pimp lifestyle. In between projects, they filmed several anti-handgun public service announcements.

The Hughes brothers co-directed From Hell, the 2001 film adaptation of Alan Moore's graphic novel of the same name about the Jack the Ripper murders in Victorian England, starring Johnny Depp and Heather Graham. Considered too violent and gory by some critics, the film had to be edited in order to avoid an NC-17 rating by the MPAA.  As described by the film's star, there were sometimes disagreements between the twins regarding the direction of the film. For example, the amount of shown violence was a point of contention between the two; one brother thought that the brutality should be shown, while the other believed implied violence would suffice.

After From Hell, the brothers separated duties on their next projects, although they stayed in close proximity to one another. Allen directed a few episodes of the American version of the TV series Touching Evil (for which his brother was an executive producer) as well as the 2005 television feature Knights of the South Bronx. In 2005 it was announced that Albert would direct a feature film, called Art Con, without Allen, although no further news was reported on its development.

Their first film since 2001's From Hell was the post-apocalyptic drama Book of Eli for Warner Bros., which was released in January 2010. They are attached to direct The Ice Man, a fact-based film about Richard Kuklinski, and a screen version of the classic TV series Kung Fu.

As a team, Allen typically works with the actors while Albert handles the technical aspects of their films, stemming from Albert's experience of taking classes at Los Angeles City College's film school.

Known for their frank manner as much as their films, the Hughes Brothers have been known to get into altercations. They took the rap artist Tupac Shakur to court in 1994 after he assaulted them during a music video shoot. Shakur had originally been slated to star in Menace II Society, but was replaced after the incident which apparently stemmed from Shakur disliking the role they had chosen for him. He was later sentenced to 15 days in jail for the assault as well as another incident which occurred a day before his sentencing. The brothers have also made no secret of their use of marijuana, and have previously turned down an offer to do anti-marijuana commercials.


 

  

 
Class of 1973
 

Actor/Director

Independent Films

 

Kovitz was born in Virginia, moved early to Shreveport, La., where his father owned a radio station, and grew up from the age of 8 in Claremont in Southern California. For him, theater started in the ninth grade, when he decided he didn't want to take science, so he took a course in stagecraft, building sets. "I was a lost kid," he says, and opening night he remembers such "a sense of camaraderie." He auditioned for a high school show and was cast as Big Julie in "Guys and Dolls" (he was already tall). "I got to smoke a cigar and found my first girlfriend." He says the first time he walked on stage he knew this was what he wanted. Theater "saved me. There were lots of ways to get in trouble in Southern California in the late '60s. It was great to have a focus."

He went to Carnegie Mellon on the recommendation of a friend, attracted especially by mime and movement guru, Jewel Walker. He was so attracted to such specialized skills as juggling, gymnastics, mime and fighting that CMU put him on warning. But those skills led to a lot of his first work, such as "Knightriders" for George Romero. Kovitz grew up near Los Angeles and graduated from CMU in 1977, moved to New York and then spent 20 years in Los Angeles. He moved back to Pittsburgh seven years ago and lives in Lawrenceville. He's a local actor and filmmaker, a fight director at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre and teaches acting in front of the camera at CMU.

He did a lot of TV and some film. He got lots of work doing stage combat, as on the first full "Angels in America" and "The Kentucky Cycle." There was also voice-over and commercial work. Acting jobs alone number in the hundreds, and it's many more when you add in the fight directing and commercials. But gradually, as the industry decentralized, L.A. became harder for what Kovitz calls "the middle-class actor." He was about to turn 50 and thought, "I've done this," playing what he called "I object roles" -- lawyers and doctors on TV.

In 2002, he returned to Pittsburgh to teach stage combat at CMU, and he staged fights for Starlight Production's "Macbeth" and Pittsburgh Opera's "Faust." Kovitz figures he'll have acting opportunities with other Pittsburgh theaters as his work gets known.

A short film he directed before leaving L.A. has had a life at film festivals. And for 10 years he had a spoken-word band which he calls a mix of "Gilbert & Sullivan, Talking Heads and Frank Zappa" that he hopes to resurrect in Pittsburgh.

WEBSITE       

 

Martin Hewitt

Class of 1976

Actor

 

Martin Hewitt was born on February 19, 1958 in San Jose, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Yellowbeard (1983), Endless Love (1981) and Alien Predator (1986). He has been married to Kerstin Gneiting since 1990.

Attended and graduated from Claremont High School in Claremont, California.

Received his associate degree in Theatre Arts from a community college.

Studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) in Pasadena, California.

Worked as a bartender and valet parking lot attendant before he beat out 5,000 actors, including Tom Cruise and Timothy Hutton, for the male lead in Endless Love (1981).

Currently resides in Morro Bay, California and owns/runs two businesses; selling home inspection software and inspecting homes for prospective buyers. Remains active in local theater.

No relation to Jennifer Love Hewitt, despite a popular misconception.

His wife Kerstin Gneiting is German, and the couple meet in South Africa. Has two children: daughter Guinevere (born 1993) and son Cailean (born 1995).

IMDb Bio

M U S I C A L S  &  T H E A T R E

Michael Alden 
(born Michael Jay Krieger)

Class of 1974

Stage & Film Producer

 

A native of Southern California, Alden began his career on the stage and in motion pictures and television at an early age. As a child actor, he appeared in numerous family shows during the late fifties and early sixties. In 1977 he stepped behind the scenes working in various aspects of production. Taking advantage of stage and technical training, he served his apprenticeship in the feature film make-up and wardrobe departments and as a production assistant.

In 1984 he joined Cannon Films in their post production department. Quickly moving up the ranks, 1986 found him supervisor of the department, overseeing the creative and technical post-production of over one hundred feature films. Alden assumed Vice Presidency at Pathe Communications in 1989, where he headed the public post production facility, Pathe Services. He served as a corporate officer of the newly formed company, taking them into profit their first year. During his term at Pathe, Mr. Alden was instrumental in locating, analyzing and supervising the rejuvenation of over 1500 original feature elements stored worldwide. These feature elements served as the equity foundation for Pathe's purchase of MGM/UA.

After relocating to New York, Alden served as Associate Producer on Warner Bros. Just Cause (1995) starring Sean Connery and produced the award-winning Unzipped (1995) for Miramax. In 1997 he served as the Associate Producer on William Devizia's Lesser Prophets (1997) for October Films. He is one of the proud producers of the 1997-98 off-Broadway and Los Angeles productions of the Brochu/Schalchlin musical The Last Session, nominated for New York's Drama League and New York Outer Critic's Circle Awards and is the recipient of the GLAAD Media Award for Best Theatrical Production, 6 Backstage West Garland Awards and 4 Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Awards. In 1999, he co-presented the Los Angeles production of the award-winning Howard Crabtree's When Pigs Fly at the Coronet Theater. In 2003 Alden completed Stephen Daldry's The Hours (2002) for Scott Rudin. Under his own banner he produced the multi-award-winning hit comedy, Kissing Jessica Stein (2001) and Ralph Ziman's feature film, The Zookeeper (2001) starring Sam Neill.

On stage, Michael Alden recently produced Grey Gardens on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Last season Bridge & Tunnel (2006 Special TONY Award), Theresa Rebeck's Bad Dates at The Laguna Playhouse and Palm Beach at The La Jolla Playhouse. In 2004, the multi-award-winning Bat Boy The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London and Sarah Jones Bridge & Tunnel at The Culture Project in New York. In 2001 he produced Bat Boy The Musical at the Union Square Theater in New York and that same year he co-presented a national tour of Save it for the stage: The Life of Reilly, written and starting TONY Award-winning Charles Nelson Reilly at The Laguna Playhouse.
WEBSITE         Biography       Wikipedia
 

 
Class of 1978
 
Outstanding CHS Educator
 
Director
International Thespian Society

 

Krista Carson Elhai has taught high school theatre for 28 years at both Hemet and Claremont High Schools, and has directed 300+ productions.  She has a BS in Speech, Theatre and English as well as an MS in School Counseling.

She has over 500 students in her program at Claremont HS, which produces 7-10 shows a year, with 11 sections of theatre, and an International Baccalaureate Theatre program.  Her productions have performed mainstage at both the CA State Thespian Festival and the International Thespian Festival. 

Serving on the CA State Thespian board since 1993, Krista is in her third term as the California State Thespian Director.  She is on the board of the California Educational Theatre Association as Co-Chair of the New Teacher Committee, and is the Western US Representative on the Educational Theatre Association’s Advocacy Task Force to study issues and promote national policies that impact K-12 Theatre Education. She has just been selected to be lead teacher for the Model Curriculum Institute to develop new materials for Career and Technical Education courses in California.

Krista has taught numerous workshops throughout California on fundraising, time management, marketing, and Theatre AdvocacyA two-time Finalist for the LA Music Center Bravo Award, Krista was recently awarded a Chase Fellowship from the LA Music Center which sent her to the Broadway Teacher’s Workshop to study with Stephen Sondheim. She has received the CA Educational Theatre Association’s Theatre Teacher of the Year, and was inducted into the EdTA Hall of Fame in 2009.

She’s the proud mom to upcoming costume designer Lindsey, and Dylan and Taylor (CHS class of 2011).

Daniel Gutierrez
Class of 1977
Stage Performer – Musical Theatre
 
Julie Waldman Stiel
Class of 1977
Touring Musical Theatre Performer
 
Pamela Dahl
Class of 1971
Touring Musical Theatre, On-Stage Performance at Disneyland
Young Americans, Snow White, Mary Poppins, Maleficent….

John Lee Beatty
Class of 1966
 
 Scenic Designer

 

 Recently, Twelfth Night in Central Park. Broadway: A View from the Bridge, The Royal Family, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Finian's Rainbow, Time Stands Still, The Color Purple, Mauritius, Doubt, Chicago, Dinner at Eight, Proof, Rabbit Hole, Last Night of Ballyhoo, A Delicate Balance, The Heiress, The Most Happy Fella, The Sisters Rosensweig, Burn This, Penn & Teller, Ain't Misbehavin', Talley's Folly (Tony Award), Fifth of July, Crimes of the Heart, among others. Off-Broadway: Defiance, Substance of Fire, Sylvia, Road to Mecca, A Life in the Theatre, Lincoln Center, MTC, Circle Rep, City Center Encores!, Tony, Obie, DD, OCC awards; Theatre Hall of Fame. Graduate of Brown and Yale School of Drama.

Won Broadway's 1980 Tony Award as Best Scenic Designer for "Talley's Folly," in a tie with David Mitchell for "Barnum." Since this award on his first nomination, he has gone on to eight other nominations in the same category, but has not yet won a second Tony. The subsequent nominations are: in 1981, for "Fifth of July;" in 1992, for "A Small Family Business;" in 1993, for "Redwood Curtain;" in 1995, for "The Heiress;" in 1996, for "A Delicate Balance;" in 1997, for "The Little Foxes;" in 2002, for "Morning's at Seven;" and in 2003, for "Dinner at Eight."

He was nominated for a 1977 Joseph Jefferson Award for Scenic Design for the play, "Tobacco Road," at the Academy Festival Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was awarded the 1980 Joseph Jefferson Award for Scenic Design for "Talley's Folly" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 1980 Joseph Jefferson Award for Scenic Design for "Cyrano De Bergerac" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was awarded the 1985 Joseph Jefferson Award for Scenic Design for "The Water Engine" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 1987 Joseph Jefferson Award for Scenic Design for "Sunday in the Park with George" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 2002 Joseph Jefferson Award for Scenic Design for "Maria Arndt" at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.

John Lee graduated from Brown University in 1970 with a major in Literature. 


T E L E V I S I O N

 
"Miss Kitty" in TV series Gunsmoke


Beverly Louise Neill
AKA Amanda Blake
 

Class of 1947

Actress

 

Amanda Blake (February 20, 1929 – August 16, 1989) was an American actress best known for the role of the red-haired saloon proprietress "Miss Kitty Russell" on the television western Gunsmoke.

Born Beverly Louise Neill in Buffalo, New York, she was a telephone operator before taking up acting.

Nicknamed "the Young Greer Garson," she became best known for her 19-year stint as the saloon-keeper Miss Kitty on the television series Gunsmoke from 1955 until 1974. In 1968, Blake was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. She was the third performer inducted, after Tom Mix and Gary Cooper, who were selected in 1958 and 1966 respectively.

Because of her continuing role on television, Blake rarely had time for films. She appeared in a TV comedy routine with Red Skelton and was a panelist on the long-running Hollywood Squares and Match Game 74. In 1957, she guest-starred as Betty Lavon-Coate in the episode of "Coate of Many Colors" on Rod Cameron's syndicated series western-themed crime drama, State Trooper.

She made one final film appearance in 1988's The Boost, a drug-addiction drama starring James Woods and Sean Young.

After Gunsmoke, Blake went into semi-retirement at her home in Phoenix, taking on only a few film and TV projects. A lover of animals, she joined with others to form the Arizona Animal Welfare League in 1971, today the oldest and largest "no-kill" animal shelter in the state. In 1985, she helped finance the start-up of the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and devoted a great deal of time and money in support of its efforts, including travels to Africa.

Blake reportedly was a one-time board member of the, Humane Society of the United States. In 1997, the Amanda Blake Memorial Wildlife Refuge opened at Rancho Seco Park in Herald, California. The refuge provides sanctuary for free-ranging African hoofed wildlife, most of whom were originally destined for exotic animal auctions or hunting ranches.

Blake, a one-time two-pack-a-day cigarette smoker, had surgery for oral cancer in 1977, and afterward made appearances throughout the country for the American Cancer Society. In 1984, she was the recipient of the Society's annual Courage Award.

According to the New York Times, Amanda Blake died on August 16, 1989, from complications of AIDS. There was some confusion over the exact cause of her death. When she died at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California, a statement by the hospital and some of her friends reported the cause of death as cancer. Blake's death certificate, however, listed the immediate cause as cardiopulmonary arrest due to liver failure and CMV hepatitis. CMV, or cytomegalo virus, hepatitis is AIDS-related. These facts of her death from AIDS related complications were also reported in People Magazine the same year she died, being detailed by other friends and her main doctor.


Sheldon Altfeld

Class of 1955

Emmy Award Winning Television Producer

Theatrical Productions

 

 
A twelve-time Emmy Award-nominee and four-time Emmy Award winner, Sheldon I. Altfeld has been an actor, writer, producer and director in Hollywood since 1950. His extensive credits have spanned every aspect of the entertainment industry, including radio, television, motion pictures, stage productions and recording.

Mr. Altfeld is considered a renowned cable pioneer. In 1979, when the cable industry was still in its infancy, he created The Silent Network, a national cable network dedicated to programming for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Under his leadership, The Silent Network grew from 2 million households to 17 million households in ten short years. Since 1990, when he sold his network, he has become known as “The Cable Maven,” and currently assists others with their dreams of following in his footsteps as a cable entrepreneur. He conducts a series of seminar’s in Los Angeles and throughout the country on “How to Start Your Own Cable TV Network,” “Making Sure That Every Frame Is A Rembrandt” (covering TV production), and “Getting Your TV Programs On Cable,” (which focuses on Leased Access programming opportunities.) In addition, he owns a public relations firm, HoopLA P.R., which handles promotion for celebrities, theatres and cable networks; and he serves as Production Manager for PetCARE Television Network and KidCARE Medical Television. In addition, he is partnered with producer Temma Keatan-Hammond in Northern Nevada, and with producer-director David H. Pierce in Texas.

He recently directed an hour-long special based on the best-selling book, “The Art of Victory,” which received the coveted 2008 Special Jury Award at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival and the Award of Distinction at the 2008 Communicator Awards; the sitcom, “Two For Tee;” “Herb Larson…Off-Hand,” a celebrity-interview talk show for PBS, which won a 2006 Bronze Telly Award and a 2006 Bronze Remi Award at the WorldFest Festival; “Darci Decorates,” a party-planning and cake decorating program, which also won a WorldFest Bronze Award; “Dr Fitness Fit Tips,” an exercise program; and “A Feast For The Eyes,” which highlights the art of food styling. He served as Supervising Producer for “A Glimpse of Heaven and A Taste of Hell,” which won a Silver Remi Award at 2008 WorldFest and a Telly Award.

Over the more than half a century that Mr. Altfeld has been a producer, director and publicist, some of the personalities he has worked with include Leonard Nimoy, Lorne Greene, Richard Dawson, Edward G. Robinson, Monty Hall, Sam Jaffe, William Shatner, Nanette Fabray, Louise Fletcher, Julie Newmar, Lou Ferrigno, Ray Bradbury, Dennis Cole, John Schneider, Norm Crosby, Art Linkletter, Ginger Rogers, Steve Allen, James Garner, Rhonda Fleming, Stella Stevens, Jack Palance, Ernie Hudson, Dennis Weaver, John Ritter, Col. Buzz Aldrin, Barbara McNair, Larry Hagman, Barbara Eden, Linda Evans, Gerald McRaney, and Shirley Jones.

Listed in "Who's Who In Entertainment," Mr. Altfeld has produced, written and/or directed more than 3,900 TV shows for NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, Metromedia, RKO-General, Fox, Disney and various cable networks. In addition, he has produced over 5,000 hours of radio programming and more than 200 stage productions.

 
 

David Clark Lee

Class of 1968

Emmy Award Winning Television Producer,
Director and Screenwriter

 

David Clark Lee is an American television producer, director and screenwriter. He was a writer and producer for the American sitcoms The Jeffersons and Cheers, as well as being a co-creator, writer and director for Wings and Frasier. He grew up in Claremont, and attended the University of the Redlands, majoring in music theory and theater.

David and Peter Casey met each other while working as proofreaders and typists at a script-mimeo company. The two began writing as team and in 1979 joined the writing staff of "The Jeffersons." They worked on the "The Jeffersons" for 6 years serving as writers, story editors, and then producers.

In 1985 they then became part of the crew of "Cheers" working as writers and supervising producers. 1985 was also the year that they met David Angell, another staff writer, and he soon joined their writing team. In early 1990, the three formed a production company, Grub Street Productions. Soon after they created the sitcom "Wings," which was very successful, lasting 7 years. In 1993, when "Cheers" ended, the three then created the most successful spin-off in history, "Frasier." The trio has received 37 Emmy Award nominations and won 24 Emmy Awards.

David Lee co-wrote the pilot episode for "Frasier" with Peter Casey and David Angell, but then went on to be a director for the show. The first sitcom episode he directed was a fourth season episode of "Wings" that aired in November of 1992. Experienced sitcom director Andy Ackerman had hurt his back requiring that David take his place. David had been trained as a director but had never done it with 4 cameras or on a set before. He commented that it was scary at first but he soon found that he really enjoyed it. He directed 5 more "Wings" episodes and went on to direct 42 episodes of "Frasier," which is more episodes than anyone else has directed over the show's 11 year run. David Lee even directed "Frasier's" series finale. Since becoming this established sitcom director he has also directed episodes of other sitcoms including "Everybody Loves Raymond."

In 1998, David Lee, Grub Street partners Casey and Angell, as well as head "Frasier" writers Chuck Ranberg and Anne Flett-Giordano, created the sitcom "Encore! Encore!" starring Nathan Lane. Due to low ratings though, the sitcom was cancelled after half a season in early 1999. In 2001, David directed a sitcom pilot called "Say Uncle" although it was never aired or picked up.

William "Bill" Harris

Class of 1961

Broadcast Journalist

Bill Harris was one of the first reporters for Entertainment Tonight, which premiered in 1981, and he served as head writer/reviewer on Rona Barrett's gossip segments for the Today show and Good Morning America.
 
In 1986, Harris and New York critic Rex Reed assumed the aisle seats occupied by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on Tribune Broadcasting's nationally syndicated At the Movies program after the original pair had left for a similar Disney-produced show.
Harris started his showbiz career as a writer on The Ralph Story Morning Show on KABC-TV in Los Angeles.
 
He went on to review movies for the syndicated show PM Magazine; spend 14 years doing interviews for Showtime/The Movie Channel that aired in conjunction with movies airing on the networks; do radio reports about Hollywood; and write for the Victor Awards and the Mrs. America and Mrs. World pageants.
 
More recently, he went on the road with actresses Barbara Eden and Sophia Loren to host Q&A events with their fans.
 
The former 'At the Movies' Co-Host, died at 75 on September 5, 2019.
Christopher Holder
Class of 1972
Actor, ABC Daytime
 
Kevin Fortson
Class of 1978
Television Producer – V.P. Warner Bros.
 
Jake Wachtel
Class of 1990
TV/FILM Universal Comcast
 

Anastasia Horne
Class of 1996
 
Actress, Disney Channel/ABC

 

Anastasia Horne born August 5, 1978, in Claremont, is an American actress/singer who has appeared on television and in the theater. She portrayed Laurie in the episode "Doomed" on the hit TV Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her last television role was "Lori" on the MTV series Undressed. She also starred as "Lark Madison-Scanlon" on the daytime soap opera Port Charles from 1997 to 1999. As a teenager, she was cast as "Ana" on the long-running Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated from 1991 to the end of the series in 1993.

As a stage actress, Ana (short for Anastasia) appeared in such theater productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and West Side Story. Her dream is to someday star on Broadway.

Credits: Kids Incorporated (91-93), Port Charles, Boy Meets World (recurring guest star), Teen Angel, and she had lead roles in numerous theater productions including West Side Story (Maria), You're a Good Man Charlie Brown (Snoopy), Beauty and the Beast (Beauty), and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Narrator).

Ana sings Kids Incorporated - "I Have Nothing"

Sam Comstock
Class of 1971
Industrial Light and Magic
 
Daniel Eric Schneider (aka Eric Daniels)
Class of 1976
Lead Animator – Walt Disney Pictures
Technical Achievement Academy Award
for TARZAN, Lead Animator-Hair: TANGLED

V I S U A L   E F F E C T S

 
David Goldberg
Class of 1976
Emmy Award Winning Cameraman - Special Effects
 
 
G R A P H I C   D E S I G N
 
Derek Mowell Bacchus
Class of 1976
Art Director–Graphic Design–Photography

M U S I C

 
Donald Brinegar
Class of 1968
Vocal Music Ensemble Director
 
Children of the Day
 
Peter Jacobs, Class of 1969
 
Marsha Carter Stevens-Pino, Class of 1970
 
Russ Stevens, Class of 1971
 
Wendy Carter, Class of 1972
1st Contemporary Christian Music Group 
 
Dr. Jonathan Bellman
Class of 1975
Musicologist-Author-Concert Pianist
 
 Jonathan Bellman is the Area Head of Academic Studies in Music, and Professor of Music History and Literature, at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO. He earned piano performance degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of Illinois, and (after four years as a professional ballet pianist) a Doctor of Musical  Arts in Piano Performance Practices at Stanford University in 1990. He joined the UNC faculty in 1993.

He is author of three books: *Chopin’s Polish Ballade: Op. 38 as Narrative of National Martyrdom* (Oxford University Press, 2010), a writing textbook, *A Short Guide to Writing about Music* (Longman, 2000; 2nd Ed. 2007), and *The _Style Hongrois_ in the Music of Western Europe* (Northeastern University Press, 1993). He has also edited a volume of his own and others' essays, *The Exotic in Western Music* (Northeastern, 1998) and his articles and reviews have appeared in a variety of national and international musicological journals. His research interests include musical exoticism, the music and performance practices of Frédéric Chopin, and the concert music of George Gershwin.

He also still performs n the piano occasionally, soloing with local orchestras, playing chamber music with friends, and even (if he's very lucky) a gig playing piano, mandolin, or even guitar with a friendly band. He was the recipient of UNC's A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar Award for the year 2011.

Jon has been married since 1984, and as of this writing his son is entering his final year at the University of Colorado at Boulder, a Phi Beta Kappa majoring in Geography and Creative Writing (Poetry).
 

Robert Elhai

Class of 1978
 
Composer, Orchestrator, Musician

ROBERT ELHAI wrote the music for the Winesburg Trilogy Project (Untold Lies, Twisted Apples, and Answered Prayers) presented by Nautilus Music Theater at the Minnesota Fringe Festival successively in 2010, 2011, and 2012.  Among his other theater work is C., a new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac to be produced in the 2015-6 season by Theater Latté Da, as well as Persephone’s Sister, the final piece in Nautilus’ Ivey-Award–winning Sister Stories.  

As an orchestrator, he is the recipient of Tony and Drama Desk nominations for his work on the Broadway production of The Lion King (for which  he also supplied dance and incidental music arrangements).  Among the 150 or so feature films he has contributed orchestrations to are Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Across The Universe, Stardust, The Sixth Sense,  Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl, and the Oscar-winning score for Frida

Furthermore, as part of Metallica’s Grammy Award-winning “S&M” and the Emmy Award-winning Opening Ceremony to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, he has achieved the legendary “arranging EGOT.”

He holds degrees from Yale University, the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati, and Carleton College, is a proud member of the Dramatist Guild, ASCAP, the American Composer Forum and MPR, and lives with his wife and family in Minneapolis.

www.robertelhai.com


Chris Darrow
 
Class of 1962
 
Kaleidoscope
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

 Chris Darrow is a 36-year veteran of the music business. His band, the KALEIDOSCOPE, was one of the seminal bands of the sixties. With David Lindley, Solomon Feldhouse and Max Buda, their blend of Middle Eastern, country, folk, blues and psychedelic music anticipated the World Beat movement by decades. During this period Chris played on the first Leonard Cohen album.

In late 1967, Chris Joined the NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND as a fiddle player and singer. After two albums for Liberty Records and singing a song in the Clint Eastwood/Lee Marvin film Paint Your Wagon, he and Jeff Hanna formed the CORVETTES. This band recorded two singles for Dot Records, which were produced by former Monkee, Mike Nesmith. The CORVETTES soon became Linda Ronstadt's back-up band. Chris was also asked to record and tour with John Stewart and Hoyt Axton, who gave Chris a high visibility that led to his own solo deal on Fantasy Records in 1971 and a chance to play on sessions for the likes James Taylor, Sonny and Cher, Gene Vincent, Helen Reddy and John Fahey, to name just a few. He became a very sought after multi-instrumentalist for recording projects. After moving to United Artist's Records, Chris recorded two solo projects for them, Chris Darrow and Under My Own Disguise.
After moving to the beach in San Clemente in 1975, the ocean and surfing became a moving force in his life. He became the bandleader of the HULA BUCKAROOS who played for the annual Surfer Magazine awards and formed a group with guitarist Paul Johnson and drummer John Russell called the PACKARDS. The band recorded the classic album Pray for Surf which helped to start the "new wave" of surf music and the renewed interest in the older stuff.
The surf culture led Chris to write for a number of surf and action films. Yuri Farant's Crystal Eyes featured songs from Eye of the Storm and original music was featured in High Cost of a Free Ride and Obsession. Recently Chris contributed music for surf film pioneer Bud Brown's Surfing the Fifties and Gun Ho, and a PBS documentary on Pacific Ocean Park. He and Max Buda worked with SURF PUNKS Dennis Dragon on an album and film score for a ski film entitled Winter Equinox. For the past few years Chris has been recording for the TAXIM label of Germany has just finished a new album and Max Buda called Harem Girl, a 45 minute instrumental suite based on an original scenario.
MUCH more!           http://www.chrisdarrow.com/disc.html
 
Chris Darrow died on January 15, 2020
 

 
 

Benjamin Chase Harper

Class of 1987
 
Musician – Guitarist
 

Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents. His albums have been commercially successful in North America, Europe and Oceania. Harper is a two-time Grammy Award winner as well, winning awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album, in 2005.

Harper was born in Claremont. His father, Leonard, was of African-American and Cherokee ancestry, and his mother, Ellen Chase-Verdries, is Jewish. His maternal great-grandmother was a Russian-Lithuanian Jew.  His parents divorced when he was age five, and he grew up with his mother's family. Harper has two brothers, Joel and Peter.

Harper began playing guitar as a child. His maternal grandparents' music store The Folk Music Center and Museum laid a foundation of folk and blues for the artist, complemented by regular patrons Leonard Cohen, Taj Mahal and David Lindley and quotes of William Shakespeare and Robert Frost made often by his grandfather.

In 1978, at the age of 9, Harper attended reggae superstar Bob Marley's performance in Burbank, CA (joined by former bandmate Peter Tosh in the encore, thus making it a sort of historical performance), which was according to Harper an important influence.  At the age of 12, Harper played his first gig.  During the '80s, in his teen years, Harper began to play the slide guitar, mimicking the style of Robert Johnson. Next, Harper refined his style, taking up the Weissenborn slide guitar. Harper broke out of the Inland Empire after being offered an invitation by Taj Mahal to tour with the artist. They recorded Taj Mahal's album Follow the Drinking Gourd, released in November 1990, and toured Hawaii.

In 1992 Harper recorded the LP Pleasure and Pain with Folk multi-instrumentalist Tom Freund. After this limited edition record, Harper secured a lifetime record deal with Virgin Records, which released his debut album, Welcome to the Cruel World in 1994, followed by Fight For Your Mind in 1995, with Juan Nelson on bass, which became a college radio favorite. He recorded "Whipping Boy", a song written by fellow alum Chris Darrow (CHS 1962).  

Early in Harper's career, his music received more attention in Europe and was widely played in Australia. While he was a well-known and respected figure in the United States, he was a star in countries like Australia, New Zealand, France, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, receiving a great deal of airplay and critical acclaim. He was French Rolling Stone magazine's Artist of the Year (Artiste De L'Année) in 2003.

In 2002, Harper was one of the featured singers covering Motown hits by Marvin Gaye in the documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown (a history of The Funk Brothers). In October 2004, Harper participated in the Vote for Change concert tour organized to benefit Moveon.org and encourage people in the swing states to vote during the 2004 U.S. presidential election. In the same month, Harper contributed a live recording of the song "Oppression" to For The Lady, a benefit album for jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner and Burmese pro-democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi. In 2006, Harper released the double album Both Sides of the Gun which debuted at #7 on the Billboard charts.

Harper is part of the No Nukes group which is against the expansion of nuclear power. In 2007 the group recorded a music video of a new version of the Buffalo Springfield song "For What It's Worth". Harper's collaboration "Boa Sorte/Good Luck" with Brazilian singer Vanessa da Mata peaked at #1 in Brazil and Portugal. In Brazil it also won a highly coveted Prêmio Multishow for "Best Song" in 2008. Also in 2008, Harper participated in the benefit album Songs for Tibet. In 2010, Harper formed a band called Fistful of Mercy with Dhani Harrison and Joseph Arthur and released their debut record, As I Call You Down.

In 1996, Harper married his first wife, Joanna. They had two children, a son and daughter, Charles Joseph and Harris, then divorced. In 2005, Harper married actress Laura Dern. They have two children, son Ellery Walker Harper and daughter Jaya. In 2010, Harper filed for divorce from Dern.

http://www.benharper.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Harper


Mimi Baez Fariña

Class of 1964

Singer, Musician, Somgwriter, Activist

Bread and Roses

 

Mimi Fariña, (born Margarita Mimi Baez, April 30, 1945 – July 18, 2001) was a singer-songwriter and activist, the youngest of three daughters to a Scottish mother and a Mexican-American physicist, Albert Baez. She was the younger sister of the singer and activist Joan Baez.

Fariña's father, a physicist affiliated with Stanford University and MIT, moved his family frequently, due to his job assignments, working in places not just in the United States, but internationally. She benefited from dance and music lessons, and took up the guitar, joining the 1960s American folk music revival.

Fariña met novelist, musician, and composer Richard Fariña in 1963 when she was 17 years old and married him at 18. The two collaborated on a number of influential folk albums, most notably, Celebrations for a Grey Day (1965) and Reflections in a Crystal Wind (1966), both on Vanguard Records. After Richard Fariña's 1966 death (on Mimi's twenty-first birthday) in a motorcycle accident, Mimi married Milan Melvin and continued to perform, sometimes recording and touring with either her sister Joan or the folksinger Tom Jans, with whom she recorded an album in 1971, entitled Take Heart.

Among the songs she has written is "In the Quiet Morning (For Janis Joplin)", which her sister recorded. The song is included on Joan Baez's Greatest Hits album.

In 1967, Fariña joined a satiric comedy troupe called The Committee. That same year, she and her sister Joan Baez were arrested at a peaceful demonstration, where the two were temporarily housed in Santa Rita Jail, personalizing the experience of captivity for her. By 1973, she was asked to accompany her sister Joan and B.B. King when they performed for the prisoners in Sing Sing Prison. Those two experiences led her to a desire to do more for those who are held in institutions.

In 1974, Fariña founded Bread and Roses, a nonprofit co-operative organization, designed to bring free music and entertainment to institutions: jails, hospitals, juvenile facilities, nursing homes, and prisons. Initially it was active in the San Francisco Bay area, but later, nationally. It still remains in operation, producing 500 shows per year. The organization's name came from a 1911 poem by James Oppenheim, "Bread and Roses", which is commonly associated with a 1912 garment workers strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Though she continued to sing in her later years, releasing an album in 1985 and performing sporadically, Fariña devoted most of her time to running Bread and Roses. In the late 1980s, she teamed up with Pete Sears to play a variety of benefit and protest concerts. Many concerts were concerned with human rights issues in Central America, especially the U.S.-backed civil wars in Guatemala and El Salvador. They once set up to play on the abandoned railroad tracks outside Concord Naval Base in California. Surrounded by military police, Farina and Sears played a show for people protesting U.S. weapons being shipped to government troops in El Salvador.

In 1986, she took the time to record her own album, Mimi Fariña Solo.

Fariña used her connections with the folksinging community to elicit help in her focus with Bread and Roses, including Pete Seeger, Paul Winter, Odetta, Judy Collins, Taj Mahal, Lily Tomlin, Carlos Santana, and Bonnie Raitt, amongst others. In 2000 alone, Bread and Roses brought performers to play at more than 500 concerts in 82 institutions.

Fariña died of neuroendocrine cancer, at her home in California, on July 18, 2001, at age 56.

Gail Samuel
Class of 1984
President and Chief Executive
The Boston Symphony Orchestra
 

January 2021 ~ Gail Samuel, currently the president of the Hollywood Bowl and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will be the BSO's first female president and the eighth president overall in its 140-year history when she takes over on June 21, 2021.  She succeeds Mark Volpe, who is stepping down after 23 years.

As president and CEO, Samuel will lead the orchestra, the Boston Pops, and Tanglewood.

While at the LA Phil, Samuel maintained the largest operating budget of any orchestra in the country, recruited a diverse staff representative of the greater Los Angeles community, and supported the work of Music Director Gustavo Dudamel's Youth Orchestra Los Angeles program, according to a BSO statement.

She is also credited for transforming and expanding the reach of the Hollywood Bowl.

“The opportunity now to lead one of the world’s best orchestras, in a rapidly changing metropolitan area such as Boston, is an exciting new challenge and a dream project," Samuel said in a statement.

Prior to joining the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Samuel held positions with the Minnesota Orchestra, Yale University, Boston University Tanglewood Institute and the Young Musicians Foundation. She studied violin and earned undergraduate degrees in music and psychology and a master’s degree of business administration from the University of Southern California.

MORE


 

P H O T O G R A P H Y ~ J O U R N A L I S M

~ P U B L I S H I N G ~
 
Richard (Bendroth) Douse
 
Class of 1957
Author
 
"The Next - an omen"
"The Gold Book - your guide to real estate investment"

R T Douse (aka Richard Douse) lives on a little 38 acre piece of heaven between Palo Cedro and Oak Run in northern California. He and his wife Tammy live in a very modern home they designed and built themselves. They have lived off the grid since 1998, relying on solar for their electricity, collecting rainwater for their in-house use, and growing most of their own vegetables with the help of two solar powered water wells.

Richard was a photographer in the U.S. Navy, later working for General Dynamics/Pomona for many years in Publications Graphics; first as photographer, then as supervisor of the Audio Visual and Color Photography Departments.

Yearning for the country life, Richard and Tammy left security behind them and moved their family to Shasta county. To make this move successful, Richard has worked as a car salesman, furniture salesman, real estate salesman and broker, and as a real property appraiser. Visit his website at http://www.rtdouse.com
 
 

Margie Boulé

Class of 1969
 
Journalist, Actress, Singer 
 
 
 

Columnist 22 years at The Oregonian

Producer & talk show host, anchor at KATU Television

Writer, associate producer, producer, journalist, on-air talent, talk show host on radio and TV at King Broadcasting 

Former Columnist for The Oregonian, the daily paper in Portland, Oregon. Margie also does improv with Portland's ComedySportz troupe (www.portlandcomedy.com), music improv at festivals all over the country with The Screaming Mee Mees, and performs as an actress and singer in theaters and with symphonies. In October 2005 she married Dave Beck, a man she'd known since they were kids growing up in California. They got reacquainted at a class reunion.

 

Terril Y. Jones

 

Class of 1976/1977
 
 International Journalist
 

 

Senior correspondent, Reuters Beijing bureau. Cover Chinese domestic politics and leadership, foreign affairs. Preciously covered foreign and Chinese companies and executives, with emphasis on consumer news, brands and trends. Previously, automotive and technology writer for U.S. and Japanese print and online news organizations, and long-time foreign correspondent based in Asia and Europe for 14 years.

2008 Kiplinger Fellow in Digital Media at Ohio State University (six months) and 1995-96 Knight-Wallace Fellow in Chinese political and business studies and the global automotive industry at the University of Michigan.

Technology correspondent, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles Times.
Automotive correspondent, Detroit, for Los Angeles Times and Forbes magazine.
Foreign correspondent for The Associated Press (based in France, Japan and New York/United Nations).

Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and French. Elementary Korean and Russian. Scored 4 out of 5 in Japanese speaking/comprehension; 3 in Chinese comprehension and 2.5 in Chinese speaking in standard ILR (Interagency Language Roundtable) exams, the test used by U.S.   govt for foreign language evaluation. Speak, read French at equivalent of Level 4.  

Jones took the “other” Tank Man photo in Tiananmen Square photo in a time frame immediately precedent to all previously known photos, TM is seen moving to the line of tanks in right distance, which had just deployed from positions in Tiananmen. Civilians in foreground reacting to automatic weapons fire from nearby APCs. Soon TM stopped the line of tanks. Journalist, Assoc. Press, LA Times, Reuters Beijing Bureau. 

See photo & Read Terril's account of this day!

Terril Jones' photo showing tank man in far left background, time frame immediately precedent to all previously known photos, TM is seen moving to the line of tanks in right distance, which had just deployed from positions in Tiananmen. Civilians in foreground reacting to automatic weapons fire from nearby APCs.

And more: Behind the Scenes - a New Angle on History

http://twitter.com/Terril_Jones


Sam Quinones
Class of 1977
Author
Mexican American Border Correspondent

LA Times Columnist

John Daniel Waldman
Class of 1976
Poet
 

Each April, the Poetry Society of America collaborates with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs to present Poem In Your Pocket Day, a city-wide program which encourages individuals to carry a poem with them throughout the day, to attend a poetry reading, or read a poem aloud themselves.

THE ENVELOPE PROJECT: A POETRY EXERCISE

The PSA facilitates The Envelope Project. The Envelope Project was created by John Waldman, a published poet and elementary school teacher for 23 years in California and Illinois. With a particular interest in social studies and the language arts, Waldman developed this project to integrate poetry writing, reading, and spoken word in an interactive activity.

Mr. Waldman begins by inserting a published poem into an envelope. He then writes the first line of the poem on the outside of the envelope. Participants use the first line as a jumping off point to compose their own poems. At the end of the project, participants share their poems and compare them with the previously hidden published poems from inside the envelopes.
 
Play the Envelope Project with friends, families, colleagues, and classmates on PIYP day and throughout National Poetry Month.

 

L A W   E N F O R C E M E N T
 
Captain Russell Brown
Class of 1966
Captain – Claremont Police Department
And Community Youth Leader, Volunteer

 
D I P L O M A C Y – P O L I T I C S
Dr. Cameron Phelps Munter
 
Class of 1972
 
United  States Diplomat
Former U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan 

Ambassador Munter was born in Claremont, CA in 1954, graduating from Claremont High School in 1972, where he distinguished himself as a distance runner on the cross country and track teams. He attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and the universities in Freiburg and Marburg in Germany. He received a doctoral degree in modern European history in 1983 from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. He taught European history at UCLA (1982-1984) and directed European Studies at the Twentieth Century Fund in New York (1984-1985) before joining the Foreign Service.

A career Foreign Service Officer, Munter was sworn in as United States Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia on July 26, 2007, and stayed in this position until 2009 when he was transferred to work in Iraq. He was Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic from August 2005 to June 2007. He volunteered to lead the first Provincial Reconstruction Team in Mosul, Iraq, from January through July 2006, and then returned to Prague. He came to Prague from Warsaw, where he served as Deputy Chief of Mission 2002-2005.

Before these assignments, in Washington, Munter was Director for Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe at the National Security Council (1999-2011), Executive Assistant to the Counselor of the Department of State (1998-1999), Director of the Northern European Initiative (1998), and Chief of Staff in NATO Enlargement Ratification Office (1997-1998).

He has also served overseas in Bonn (1995-1997), Prague (1992-1995), and Warsaw (1986-1988). His other domestic assignments include serving as Country Director for Czechoslovakia at the Department of State (1989-1991), Dean Rusk Fellow at Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (1991), and Staff Assistant in the Bureau of European Affairs (1988-1989).

US envoy to Pakistan, Cameron Munter, decides to quit

 
Malu Dreyer 
 
Class of 1980?
 
Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate
Germany
 

Marie-Luise "Malu" Dreyer (born February 6, 1961) is a German politician (SPD), currently serving as the eighth Minister-President of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, one of the 16 states of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has an area of 19,846 square kilometres (7,663 sq mi) and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz.

Serving as Minister of Social Affairs, Labor, Health and Demography since 2002, she was the designated successor of Kurt Beck, who announced his upcoming resignation from the post on September 28, 2012. She was officially elected on January 16, 2013.

Dreyer was born the second of three children of a principal and a teacher. Following a year as an exchange student at Claremont High School in California in 1977, and her final Abitur exams at the Käthe-Kollwitz-Gymnasium Neustadt in 1980, Dreyer started her English studies and Roman Catholic theology at the University of Mainz. The following year she switched majors to jurisprudence and graduated in both law degrees with the first Staatsexamen in 1987 and the second Staatsexamen three years later with an excellent academic record.

From 1989, Dreyer worked at the University of Mainz as a research assistant to Professor Hans-Joachim Pflug. In 1991 she received her appointment as a probationary judge, and later as a prosecutor in Bad Kreuznach.

Dreyer was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the early 1990s.

Peter Yao
 
Class of 1963
 
Political & Community Leader
 
Born in Shanghai, China, in 1944. Peter Yao came to Claremont with his parents and sister Margaret as refugees in 1956. His family was sponsored through connections at Pilgrim Place. Betty and Alton Sanford, the owners of Griswold's Smorgasbord Restaurant, provided initial employment opportunities. Peter attended Sycamore Elementary, El Roble Middle School and Claremont High School. School jobs for Peter included picking up golf balls at the Claremont Golf Course and serving as the first male waiter at Griswold's. He paid his own way through the University of California at Berkeley and majored in electrical engineering. Subsequently, Peter earned three masters degrees: electrical engineering, business administration, and management science (Claremont Graduate University, 1983).
 
Peter has served in administration for 35 years at Raytheon Systems Company, a defense electronics contractor. He has been responsible for managing electronics production and assembly factories in California and Mississippi, supervising more than 750 employees. His last responsibility was the Director of Engineering coordinating power-electronics designs throughout the United States. Peter retired from Raytheon in 2005.
 
Peter and his wife, Linda Yao, have been married for 33 years. Their son Richard is a college senior and is an Eagle Scout. They have seen the evolution of Claremont from a quiet college town to a culturally diverse city in the Inland Empire.
Prior to being elected to the City Council in 2003, he served on the Human Relations Committee for the City of Claremont and as a board member on the Claremont Community Foundation. He was a member of the Traffic Stop Study Citizens' Committee (police profiling) for the Claremont Police Commission. His Council peers elected him to the City Mayor post in March of 2006.
 
He served on the Board of the Claremont Chapter of the American Red Cross and is currently a board member of the Claremont Chamber of Commerce and an appointed Commissioner on the California Citizens Redistricting Commission. In the past four years, he accepted numerous leadership posts with regional organizations in Southern California:
  • Independent Cities Association
  • League of California Cities
  • Southern California Association of Government
  • San Gabriel Valley Council of Government
  • Gold Line Construction Authority
  • Gold Line Joint Power Authority
  • Foothill Transit
  • Pomona Valley Transit Authority
  • He is also a LA County Library commissioner.
 

Ady Barkan 

Class of 2002

Lawyer and Progressive 
Political Activist

Ady Barkan is an organizer with the Center for Popular Democracy and the founder of the Be A Hero PAC. His memoir, Eyes to the Wind, will be published by Atria Books in the fall.

Director of Local Progress, Director of Fed Up
Economic Justice, Local Progress, Federal Reserve Accountability

Ady directs two of CPD’s projects: Local Progress and the Fed Up Campaign. Local Progress is the network of hundreds of progressive local elected elected officials across the country dedicated to shared prosperity, equal justice under law, sustainable and livable cities, and good government that serves the public interest. Local Progress provides its membership with policy and governance best practices, space to build solidarity, and the opportunity to partner across cities as part of a national progressive movement. Fed Up is a national campaign for full employment and a reformed Federal Reserve.  Before joining CPD, Ady was a law clerk to the Hon. Shira A. Scheindlin in the Southern District of New York. Prior to that he was a Liman Fellow with Make the Road New York, where he represented low-wage workers seeking to recover unpaid wages, engage in collective action, and obtain safe and dignified working conditions. He helped design and draft policy proposals to enhance the quality of low-wage jobs in New York City including the right to paid sick days, regulation of major retailers, and unionization of the car wash industry. He graduated from Yale Law School and Columbia College, cum laude.

POLITICO Magazine: The Most Powerful Activist in America Is Dying

Ady Barkan has a terminal illness and can barely speak. That hasn't stopped him from using his voice—and his ailing body—to fight for a progressive agenda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ady_Barkan

 

 

J U S T I C E    S Y S T E M

Steven Gonzalez
 
Class of 1980
 
King County Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez, who prosecuted one of the nation’s most high-profile terrorism cases, was named to the Washington State Supreme Court in 2011, and will be the second Latino justice on the state’s high court. He is also of Eastern European heritage. Gonzalez replaces retiring Justice Gerry Alexander, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
 
Gonzalez was a King County Superior Court judge for nine years, and was the Washington State Bar Association’s 2011 Outstanding Judge of the Year.
 
The new justice formerly worked as a criminal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle.  He was involved with the prosecution of Ahmed Ressam, the Los Angeles-bound, Algerian-born terrorist with a trunk full of bomb explosives who was apprehended by U.S. Customs in Port Angeles in 1999. Ressam, who intended to set the explosives off at the Los Angeles International Airport, was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
 
Gonzalez studied law at the University of California, Berkeley. The judge’s wife, Michelle, is assistant dean at the University of Washington Law School. The couple has two young sons.
 
He recalled working as a janitor as a teenager, cleaning restrooms.  “I think the restrooms were a very good reason to go to college,” said Gonzalez. The young man marched into the admissions office of a local college and asked for an application form.  Is it for you, the admissions officer asked?  Yes, he replied, and was then told:  “Scripps is a women’s college.”  He ended up going to Pitzer College, part of the Claremont system in California.
Click for COMPLETE BIOGRAPHY 
by Bob Young
Legacy Washington July 2021
 
 

 

 Judge

William Froeberg

Class of 1967
 
Superior Court Judge,
Orange County CA

 

  

Appointed to newly created position by Governor Deukmejian May 11, 1989 (oath May 12, 1989), and elected in 1990, 1996 (unopposed). Judge, Municipal Court, Central Orange County Judicial District, Orange County. January 24, 1986 (date of oath) to May 12, 1989, appointed (succeeding Judge Eugene C. Langhauser, retired) by Governor Deukmejian January 17, 1986, and elected in 1988 (unopposed).
 
 
Employment: Private law practice (specializing in family, business, real estate, probate, and corporate litigation), San Clemente, Orange County. 1975-86 (sole practitioner). Admitted to California Bar December 16, 1974.
Education: J.D. (1974), University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, Sacramento County. B.A. (1971 Political Science), University of California, Riverside.
Faculty, California Continuing Judicial Studies Program ("CJSP") (Mid-Career Judges College) (CJER), 1987 ("Civil Proceedings").
Member: California Judges Association, 1986 __; and Orange County Bar Association, 1975. Former Member: Dana Point Lions Club, 1975-86 (President, 1979- 80); and Capistrano Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1975-86 (President, 1981).
Capital Cases: People v Daniel Frederickson; People v Edward Charles; People v Alejandro Avila.
Born November 1, 1949 in Oak Park, Illinois, and moved with family to California in 1951. Married. Wife Rosanne (Orange County Assistant District Attorney).
One of the youngest Judges appointed at that time.
He has overseen the cases of Samantha Runyon, William McLaughlin, Paul Gentile Smith and Officers involved in the Kelly Thomas case.

E D U C A T I O N
 

D. Robert "Rob" DeChaine 

Class of 1979

University Professor,
Prominent Scholar
 

D. Robert DeChaine is a Professor in the Departments of Liberal Studies and Communication Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, where he teaches courses in cultural studies, rhetorical theory and criticism, globalization, human rights, social movements, and critical pedagogy. 

Cal State Los Angeles named DeChaine as one of five recipients of the 2014 Cal State LA President’s Distinguished Professor Award.

DeChaine is described as “a prominent scholar in communication studies” and attributed for offering new approaches to rhetorical analysis with his cutting-edge scholarship on globalization and transnational movements.

He has served as a faculty adviser for the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance and a supervising editor for Colloquy, the student-based scholarly journal of the Department of Communication Studies for the past three years.

DeChaine’s research focuses on how individuals and groups use rhetoric to shape understandings of citizenship, mobilize constituencies and enact social change. His research has been published in numerous scholarly journals and presented throughout the United States. He is author of the book, “Global Humanitarianism: NGOs and the Crafting of Community,” and editor of “Border Rhetorics: Citizenship and Identity on the US-Mexico Frontier.”

He is also on the Editorial Board for the “Quarterly Journal of Speech,” the flagship journal in the field of communication studies. He has also served as a manuscript reviewer for numerous academic publishers and multiple scholarly journals.

DeChaine earned his bachelor of arts in communication at Cal State San Bernardino, his M.A. in communication studies at Cal State L.A., and his Ph.D. in cultural studies at Claremont Graduate University.

 
Susie Moore Haas
Class of 1972
Oustanding Educator
 
Casey Roberts
Class of 1977
History teacher Carpinteria High School
Westmont College Inaugural Teacher of Distinction Award 2011
 
Nirosha M. Nimalasuriya
Class of 1994
U.S. Presidential Scholar
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is not a scholarship program, but it is one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.
 
M E D I C I N E

Dr. Mona Rosenberg

Class of 1976

Founder and CEO of

 

 

Founder of the largest veterinary oncology practice in the world; honored by the ACVIM Foundation for her lifetime dedication to helping animal cancer patients. She received her DVM from UC Davis, followed by an internship and residency at Animal Medical Center in New York. She has been a diplomat of the ACVIM in Oncology since 1992. She is an active member of the Veterinary Cancer Society and SCVMA where she is a regularly sought after lecturer. In addition, Dr. Rosenberg heads up the medical oncology residency program at Veterinary Cancer Group. Recently, Dr. Rosenberg was appointed Clinical Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences/College of Veterinary Medicine.

Since 1992, Veterinary Cancer Group has been committed to taking the fear out of cancer diagnoses, and replacing it with hope. Today, they are the largest, comprehensive, and most sophisticated veterinary oncology practice in the world, serving Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and Ventura Counties from two premier locations; Culver City, and their newest facility in Tustin, California. Each of Veterinary Cancer Group’s facilities offer in-depth information, resources, and expertise in the latest cancer treatments. Their highly qualified, experienced, and compassionate staff of Board Certified veterinary medical and radiation oncologists, residents, technicians, and client care specialists are committed to bringing the latest studies and therapies into play when working with their patients. At Veterinary Cancer Group, they strive to continue to be the FIRST CHOICE for all aspects of veterinary oncological care.

In addition, to Dr. Rosenberg’s many achievements, Veterinary Cancer Group ranked 3rd place in the Growing Companies Category of this year’s California’s Best Places to Work program, sponsored by Employers Group.

More: OCRegister October 5, 2013

Dr. Selma Harrison Calmes
Class of 1957
Anesthesiologist
Dr. Selma Calmes began her career in anesthesiology in the 1960s when there were few women in the specialty and women physicians were expected to choose between having a career or raising a family. To do both, she has drawn inspiration from the experiences of other women in medicine and is one of the founders of the Anesthesia History Association.
 
In 1970, after working as a staff anesthesiologist and instructor in Pennsylvania, Dr. Calmes moved to California to take up a position as staff anesthiologist at Valley Children's Hospital in Fresno. She has remained in California ever since, mostly at the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1986 she was made chair of the department of anesthesiology at Kern Medical Center, and in 1988 she was named chair of the department of anesthesiology at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center. She still holds both positions and in 1994 was also made vice-chair of the department of anesthesiology at UCLA School of Medicine.
 
In 2010 she was hired by the Los Angeles County Coroner as an anesthesiology consultant to review the findings of the investigation into he death of Michael Jackson.
 
 
Dr. Joanne Richards
Class of 1972
Physician, High Risk Obstetrics
 
Dr. Jeff Ketcham
Class of 1976
Missionary Medicine, Senegal
 
A D V O C A C Y

 

Tim Stipanuk
Class of 1974
Self-Advocate ~ Role Model

Moni T. Law
 
Class of 1978
 
Attorney
Womens Rights Activist
Independent Film Producer
 

Activist attorney Moni T. Law grew up in Inglewood, Pomona and Claremont, California, attending Condit Public Elementary School in Claremont. She graduated from Claremont High School in 1978 and attended the University of California at Berkeley where she was very active, organizing rallies and protests against apartheid and nuclear weapons development and running for student body representative.

Law earned her B.S. degree in 1982, and the following year, began working as a clerk in the law offices of Nathan A. Richardson & Associates in Oakland, California. Law also worked as director of Unitas’ Campus Ministry’s Hunger Action and Education Center, organizing clothing and food drives. In 1985, Law took a job with the San Francisco Lawyers’ Committee for Urban Affairs, then with the city attorney’s office as a law clerk. Law earned her J.D. degree in 1986 from the University of San Francisco and worked for Yakima, Washington’s Evergreen Legal Services.

In 1991, Law was awarded the YWCA’s Women of Achievement in the Professions Award. Law began working for the law firm of Blaine Tamaki & Associates in 1995, while serving as a pro tem judge in Yakima’s juvenile court system. Law taught as an adjunct professor with Heritage College in 1996. Law was named a “Rising Star” in Washington Law and Politics magazine in 2000, the same year she began working for Levinson Friedman, P.S. of Seattle and represented clients in a variety of cases that included sexual harassment suits and wage claims.

In 2002, Law established her own law office, which specializes in personal injury and employment cases, particularly with regard to sexual harassment, discrimination and disability. In 2003, Law became a film producer after the start of the Iraq War, creating a documentary film, Female Faces of War, that focused on women’s roles in the conflict in Iraq. Law was the Legal Redress Chair for the Alaska/Oregon/Washington State Conference for the NAACP, is an active member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association and the Loren Miller Bar Association. Law joined the King County Washington Women Lawyers Board of Directors in 2007. In October of 2007, Law became Bar Leaders Program Manager with the Washington State Bar Association.

Laurette Cucuzza
 
Class of 1977
 

Women’s Reproductive Health Advocate

Africa and North America

 

 

Ms. Laurette Cucuzza is Senior Technical Advisor for Reproductive Health at Plan International USA.  She previously held this position with the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) from January 2008.  She has over 13 years’ experience in international health program design and management, research, and capacity building focused on ending poverty and building communities through Family Planning, Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH), Maternal and Child Health and HIV/AIDS.  Ms. Cucuzza’s current responsibilities include technical oversight of projects in Plan’s Health portfolio, as well as acting ASRH Network Coordinator for the Plan Federation.

Previously, as Senior Advocacy Advisor for CEDPA on the POLICY II Project and the Health Policy Initiative, she worked with civil society to build advocacy champions for repositioning family planning, contraceptive security, and human rights for people living with HIV/AIDS.

She has provided technical assistance to various projects in Bangladesh, Benin, Ghana, India, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda and Zambia.  Ms. Cucuzza received her Master’s Degree from the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in International Reproductive Health and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Solomon Islands.

 


 
S C I E N C E
 

 

Dr. Clarence Allen

Class of 1942

Seismologist

 

Caltech geologist Clarence Allen received the rare 1995 Medal of the Seismological Society of America.  Allen, a professor of geology and geophysics, emeritus, was honored for his "outstanding contributions in seismology or earthquake engineering." A citation supporting Allen's nomination for the medal explains that "his work has had a profound impact on our understanding of seismotectonics and the importance of incorporating geologic information in the assessment of seismic hazards. Further, Allen has been extremely effective as a bridge between the geophysical, geological, and engineering communities.

Professor Allen's seismological career began in the 1950s with studies of the geology of faults in California. In 1957 he published an important paper on the San Andreas fault that provided a solid framework for future seismotectonic and plate tectonic interpretations regarding California.

In the 1960s Allen traveled the world and worked on practically every important surface fault in the world. In the 1980s Allen assumed a role as public spokesman for seismology.

Allen earned his BA in physics from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and both his MS and his PhD from Caltech, in geophysics, and structural geology and geophysics, respectively.


 

Frederick Sumner Brackett

Class of 1914

Physicist

Frederick Sumner Brackett (August 1, 1896 – January 28, 1988), was an American physicist and spectroscopist.
 
Born in Claremont, California, He graduated from Claremont High School and then from Pomona College and worked as an observer at Mount Wilson Observatory until 1920. He observed the infra-red radiation of the Sun. 
 
Brackett received a doctorate in physics from the Johns Hopkins University in 1922. Applying a hydrogen filled discharge tube, he discovered the hydrogen Brackett series, where an electron jumps up from or drops down to the fourth fundamental level, in 1922. Before moving to the Washington area in 1927, he taught physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He joined the Department of Agriculture's Fixed Nitrogen Lab in 1927 and transferred to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in 1936 as director of biophysics research.
 
During WWII, he directed a research optics program at the Army. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and received the Legion of Merit for his work.
Brackett returned to the NIH as chief of the photobiology section. He retired in 1961.

 
The lunar crater Brackett is named after him.
 
Dr. Scott Fowler
Class of 1959
Marine Biology, Oceanographer Fulbright Scholar UNEP, IAEA
 
Anthony Cook
Class of 1973
Astronomer – Griffith Observatory Southern CA Sky Report
 

Ronald Wayne Burkle

Class of 1970

Entrepreneur

 

 

Burkle was born in Pomona, California. He got his start in the supermarket business as a bag boy at his father's grocery store in neighboring Claremont. He later dropped out of college and founded Yucaipa Companies, a private equity firm which invests in retail, manufacturing, and distribution.

He made his initial fortune by smartly investing in the stock market at a young age and later buying supermarket chains such as Ralphs and Jurgensen’s. Burkle then forged good relationships with labor unions, like United Food and Commercial Workers Union, and sold the stores after they turned into profit makers. The Yucaipa Companies owns stakes in 35 businesses and manages four private-equity funds, according to Forbes. In 2007, that meant Burkle was No. 91 on the list of the Forbes 400 Richest Americans, worth perhaps $3.5 billion. The previous year, Burkle was No. 117, with $2.5 billion.

Ron is a Managing Partner at The Yucaipa Companies, LLC, a Co-Founder at Grade-A Investments, and majority shareholder of Golden State Foods. He has served as the CEO of Smith's Food & Drug Centers Inc. and Dominick's Supermarkets Inc. He serves as a Member of ... the Executive Board for the Medical Sciences at UCLA, the Carter Center, Aids Project Los Angeles, RAND's Education Advisory Board, Claremont Graduate University, National Campaign Against Youth Violence, and The Children Scholarship Fund; is a Co-Chairman of the Burkle Center for International Relations at UCLA, and the Founder and Benefactor of the Burkle Scholarship Award with the Los Angeles Urban League. He served as the Chairman of Fred Meyer, Inc., Dominick's Supermarkets, Alliance Entertainment, Golden State Foods, Smitty's Supermarkets, Smith's Food & Drug Centers, Food 4 Less Holdings, and Ralphs Grocery Company. Mr. Burkle has been Director of Morgans Hotel Group Co., KB Home Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Yahoo Inc., Kaufman & Broad SA, Kaufman & Broad Home Corporation, and Dominicks Finer Foods Inc. He serves as a Trustee of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The J. Paul Getty Trust, the National Urban League, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Burkle is a well-known Democratic supporter and fundraiser who raised more than $1,000,000 for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. He is part owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins  National Hockey League team, who won the Stanley Cup in 2009. Ron has received numerous honors and awards from labor including the AFL-CIO Murray Green Meany Kirkland Community Service Award and The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Man of the Year.

9/11/13 Burkle buys Fresh 'N' Easy

12/9/13 Burkle buys Jesse Owens' gold medal

 

Richard Lewis
Class of 1961
 Robert  Lewis
Class of 1963
Roger Lewis
Class of 1966
     
 First Family of Claremont Home Building

Richard Lewis is involved primarily in land acquisition and strategic planning in all California operations. Richard has a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College, is a licensed general building contractor and real estate broker. He was named Builder of the Year by Builder and Developer magazine and the Building Industry Association of Southern California and was inducted into the California Building Industry Association Hall of Fame.

Roger Lewis operates as both a general building contractor (A and B licensed) and supervises construction, purchasing and personnel. He also directs research and development, insuring the utilization of the latest construction technology. Roger attended Cal Poly University, Pomona where he graduated with a B.S. in Industrial Management. He has also taught Construction Technology at Cal Poly Pomona.

Robert Lewis has been responsible for the Nevada operations of the Lewis Group of Companies for the past 30 years. During that time, the companies have built over 25,000 houses in Nevada. Robert has his B.A. from Claremont McKenna College, and his M.B.A. from UCLA. He is a licensed general building contractor and real estate broker. Robert has been active in a leadership role in numerous civic and industry associations in Nevada, and was twice named Builder of the Year by the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association.

The Lewis Group of Companies continues today as one of the nation's largest privately held real estate development companies. The Lewis Group focuses on developing mixed-use planned communities and residential subdivisions in California and Nevada, as well as building and owning rental communities, shopping centers, office parks, and industrial buildings.

As the Lewis Group of Companies begins its 56th year, many long-tenured employees under the direction of a second and third generation management team continue the tradition of quality, integrity and stability that was of paramount importance to Ralph and Goldy Lewis when they founded their home building firm in Claremont in 1955.


 
S P O R T S

Kori Carter
Class of 2010
                                       

Kori Carter, CHS Class of 2010, is an American track and field athlete, specializing in hurdle races, the World Champion in the 400 metres hurdles in 2017. Kori Carter was a nine-time All-American at Stanford University sponsored by Nike. 

 

 

Olarn Issara

Thailand
AFS Class of 1976
 
Tennis Professional
 
Davis Cup Tennis Team Head Coach
Thailand National Head Coach

  

Born September 13, 1956, Bangkok. Right-handed. A.A. degree, Santa Monica College in business administration, San Diego.

Runner-up, doubles, University Division, Ojai, California, 1976. Semifinalist singles, NAIA Division II, 1977,1978. Member Thai Davis Cup team, 1976. Played No. 1 position for Thailand in singles and doubles, Asian Games, 1978.

First Thai to play in satellite tournaments in Asia, USA and Europe, and first Thai to turn professional, 1980. Highest ATP rank: No. 450, 1980. First Thai to be listed in ATP rankings. Team captain, manager and member of Thai team to Asian Games, SEA Games, 1975-1983. Member of Thai team to compete in Asian Nations Cup, 1983.

Won Men's 35 doubles, 9th Asian Open Veterans Tournament, Pattaya; runner-up Men's 35 doubles, Thailand Veterans Championships, 1996. Won Men's 40 singles and doubles Thailand National Veterans Champi-onships, 1997. Won Men's 40 doubles, 10th Asian Open Veterans Championships, Pattaya; won Men's 40 doubles, Korat, 1997.Member of team which won Thailand Men's 40 championship; won, Men's 40 singles and doubles in Hatyai, Songkhla, Surathani ; won Men's 40 singles and doubles, 11`x' Asian Open Veterans Championships, Pattaya, 1998.

Presently ranked No. 22 in ITF Men's 40, 1998. Set up Thailand Water Ski Association in 1993 and became its first President, 1994. Member Thai Water Ski team which competed in Asia and Australasia, 1995. Built first water ski lake in the world that included cable and boat ski in one, 1995, and held first competition on the lake, 1996. Ranked No. 4 in Men's Slalom in Thailand, 1996. Member of Committee which brought water skiing to the 19a' SEA Games in Jakarta, team member and coach of team, 1997. Part time Head tennis Pro, Royal Bangkok Sports Club, 1998.

 

Daniel Scott McGwire

Class of 1986
 
Football Seattle Seahawks

  

Dan was born in Pomona, California, and is a former Parade Magazine All-American at Claremont High School in Claremont, California. He made Street & Smith's top 50 list, was named honorable mention all-America by USA Today, completed 203 of 328 passes (61.9 percent) for 3,172 yards and 33 TDs as a senior, punted for a 40-yard average, led his team to California's East Sectional title (includes 550 teams), was named California's 1985 Offensive Player of the Year, made the Cal-Hi Sports first team all-state squad, quarterbacked squad to three-year record of 36-3-1 including 13-1 mark as a senior, passed for 345 and 303 yards in sectional championship games as junior and senior, was named 1985 state MVP, and accumulated three-year varsity totals of 6,559 yards passing and 65 TDs. He was also a double-figure scorer and rebounder his last two seasons in basketball.

He initially enrolled with the University of Iowa where he played for two seasons in limited action before transferring to San Diego State University. In 1989, McGwire passed for 3,651 yards and in 1990 threw for 3,883 yards and 27 touchdowns and was named First-Team All-Conference and earned the title of Offensive Team Captain and won team MVP honors as a Senior.

McGwire was a first-round draft pick (16th overall) to the Seattle Seahawks in 1991 and went on to play for five seasons in the NFL from 1991 to 1995. He played four seasons for the Seattle Seahawks and one season for the Miami Dolphins. He was a backup to Dave Krieg in his rookie season but was expected to be the quarterback of the future. In his second season he was underwhelming in the pre-season and was named third string quarterback behind Stan Gelbaugh and Kelly Stouffer. In 1993, the Seahawks drafted Rick Mirer out of the University of Notre Dame in the first round, seemingly giving up on McGwire. In 1994 after an injury to Mirer, McGwire got the first (and only) extended playing time of his career. He started 3 games in which the team went 1-2, and on the season threw 105 passes, completing 51 of them for 578 yards and a touchdown. The brief playing time didn't materialize into anything larger however, and that would be his last season for the Seahawks. After spending one season in Miami he was out of football.

He is generally considered a "first round bust," given the fact that he was the first quarterback taken in the 1991 draft that saw Brett Favre go in the 2nd round.

At six feet, eight inches, he is the tallest quarterback drafted in the NFL to date.McGwire's brother is former Major League Baseball player Mark McGwire. Dan McGwire is currently the president of a vitamin water company in Reno, Nevada.


 

Alexander Omar Hinshaw
 
Class of 2000
 
MLB Pitcher
San Francisco Giants
San Diego Padres

 

Alexander "Alex" Omar Hinshaw (born October 31, 1982) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He graduated from Claremont High School and attended Chaffey College and San Diego State University. Played just one year of varsity baseball at Claremont High School before being drafted by the Giants...coached there by George Jones...Second-team all-baseline League selection as a senior.

Hinshaw was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 28th round of the 2000 First-Year Player draft, the 29th round of the 2002 draft, and by the Florida Marlins in the 25th round of the 2003 draft, but did not sign. In the 2005 draft, he was once again selected by the Giants in the 15th round and made his professional debut with the Class A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. He finished with a 3.68 ERA in 25 relief appearances, struck out 33 batters and walked 18 in 22 innings.

For the advanced Class A San Jose Giants in 2006, Hinshaw had a 6–3 record with a 4.26 ERA in 30 games, giving up 58 hits and striking out 78 in 69? innings. He struck out a season high nine batters in five shutout innings to earn a win on May 11, 2006.

On May 15, 2008, Hinshaw made his major league debut after being called up when Merkin Valdéz went on the disabled list. Facing the Houston Astros, he gave up one hit and struck out one in 1/3 of an inning.

Hinshaw signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres on December 1, 2011. He was designated for assignment on August 14, 2012, and claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs on August 19. On October 6, 2012 Hinshaw elected free agency.

He throws his fastball in the mid 90s also has a slider with a big-breaking curveball.

 

Justin Germano

Class of 2000
 
MLB Baseball Pitcher
 
San Diego Padres
Cincinnati Reds
Samsung Lions
Cleveland Indians
Boston Red Sox
Chicago Cubs
Toronto Blue Jays

 

Germano is from Claremont, California, where he broke Mark McGwire's Claremont Little League record for most home runs in a season. He graduated from Claremont High School in 2000 and was drafted by the San Diego Padres. Germano made his major league debut with the San Diego Padres on May 22, 2004, getting the win as the starting pitcher against the Philadelphia Phillies.

He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on July 23, 2005, then in 2006 was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. On March 19, 2007, Germano was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres. He made 23 starts for the Padres in 2007 where he went 7-10 with a 4.46 ERA. Germano is the first ever MLB pitcher to throw a major league pitch in China, starting for an exhibition game as the Padres starter against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The ball from that first pitch now resides in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY.

Just after the 2008 season ended, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks signed Germano as a free agent. Germano finished the season with a 5-4 record and a 4.38 ERA. In September it was revealed that Germano had been pitching with an inflamed Achilles' tendon, and was knocked out for the rest of the season and the playoffs.

On March 17, 2010, Germano signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians. On July 30, 2010 Germano was called up by the Cleveland Indians to join the bullpen for the Friday night game against the Toronto Blue Jays. On July 26, 2011, Germano threw a perfect game while on assignment with the Indians' Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. He threw 60 strikes in 95 pitches to help lead the Clippers to a 3-0 victory over the Syracuse Chiefs. This was the first perfect game in Clippers history, and only the fifth to be thrown in the history of the International League.

Germano was sold to the Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organization on August 5, 2011. In 2012, Germano signed a major league contract with the Boston Red Sox.

Germano was traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 19, for cash considerations. Germano posted a 6.75 ERA in 13 appearances (12 starts) with the Cubs. On October 30, Germano elected free agency and signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays on November 9, 2012.

 

Allen Pitts

Class of 1981
 
Professional Football
Calgary Stampeders

 

Allen Pitts (born June 28, 1964 in Tucson, Arizona) was a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League from 1990 to 2000. He attended Cal State Fullerton and played his entire professional career as a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders. He retired as the CFL's all-time leading receiver in term of career yardage until he was passed by Milt Stegall in 2008.

Pitts holds many Stampeder records including most career touchdowns with 117, which at the time was also a CFL record, and held the CFL All-Time receiving yards with 14,891 until September 12, 2008 when Milt Stegall broke the record; Pitts still holds the record for receiving yards by a Stampeder. He played in 5 Grey Cup games, and was instrumental in two Grey Cup victories in 1992 and 1998. In 1992 Pitts became the second CFL player to have more than one season with at least 100 receptions, but the first player to do so in consecutive seasons. The year prior, Pitts had 118 catches for 1764 yards and 15 touchdowns and then had 103 catches for 1591 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Injuries in 1993 saw Pitts accumulate 45 receptions for 776 yards and 4 scores. However he had a monster year in 1994 setting a new receiving yards record with 2036, a receptions record with 126, and a touchdown record with 21. Despite a very respectable season in 2000 with 77 catches for 1045 yards and six scores, the Stampeders chose to release the great receiver and he then retired rather than playing for another team.

At the time of his retirement, Pitts held the record for career receptions with 966 but has since been passed by Darren Flutie with 972 and by Terry Vaughn with 1006. Currently Pitts shares the record for most games in a season with 100 more yards at 11 with Terry Greer, Hal Patterson, and Joey Walters. He also holds the career record for plus 100 yard receiving games with 64.

Perhaps remarkably Pitts was the Stampeder nominee for the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award twice in his career.

He was elected into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He was enshrined on the Stampeders Wall of Fame in 2005, with the retirement of his jersey number 18. In November, 2006, Allen Pitts was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#10) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network The Sports Network/TSN.

 
 
 
 

 

Michael Gonzalez

Class of 1959

All-American Linebacker

 

 

Michael Gonzalez, sails into Bellingham WA on the Golden Rule August 20, 2016.  The Golden Rule is the first peace boat. In 1958 four Quaker activists sailed her toward the Marshall Islands in an attempt to halt atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. The US Coast Guard boarded her in Honolulu and arrested her crew, causing a nationwide public outcry. The Phoenix of Hiroshima completed the journey and entered the atomic bomb test zone.

In 1963, as a result of increased public outcry, President Kennedy signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with the U.S.S.R and the U.K. 

     Golden Rule now sails for a peaceful, nuclear-free world and a sustainable environment. She set sail from Humboldt Bay at the end of May and will be returning in mid-October.  Michael has been involved in her restoration, working almost daily since 2012.  This is what was written about him: 

Former high school all-American linebacker, Michael Gonzalez of Trinidad began volunteering in mid-2012. As a talented wood sculptor and sailor, he brings much-needed skills to the project. If you ask him why he volunteers, he responds that he is a big believer in “peace, love, and freedom,” and that to him sailing and the Golden Rule embody all three. He dreams of sailing out of Humboldt Bay on a new mission of peace.

Here are some articles about the ship:

National Geographic  

Friends Journal 

Puget Sound has a Ton of Nuclear Weapons

 

 

Anthony Bejamin "Tony" Beltran

Class of 2005

MLS Soccer
Real Salt Lake

 

 

CHS 4-year varsity soccer player under Coach Fred Bruce-Olivier.

A product of the Arsenal soccer club, Beltran attended Claremont High School, where he played under Fred Bruce-Olivier as a four year varsity player, won league MVP 3 times and was awarded all-CIF honors.He was a two time Parade All American, and went on to play college soccer for the UCLA Bruins and St John's University. He also played for Los Angeles Storm in the USL Premier Development League.

Beltran was drafted with the third pick in the first round in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake, and made his MLS debut as a substitute in RSL's 4-0 victory over DC United on 12 April 2008. His first MLS start came on 3 May 2008 in a 2-2 draw against Los Angeles Galaxy. Pressed into starting action due to injuries to Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave during the conference semifinals of the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, Beltran made perhaps the play of the series, heading Jeff Parke's shot away from an empty net to preserve a then-3-0 aggregate lead for the Royals en route to a 3-2 aggregate victory.[

Beltran has featured for the US youth soccer team in the 2007 U-20 World Cup. He also made 2 appearances at the 2008 Toulon Tournament.

Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Championship (1): 2009

Major League Soccer MLS Cup (1): 2009
 
 
Ernest "Ernie" Cunliffe

Class of 1955

Track middle distance runner

880 and mile

Attended Stanford U where he starred in track and was nationally recognized in the 880 and the mile run. 
 
He ran the 800 meters in the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
 
He won the 1955 CIF meet 880 yards  
880-Yard Run: Cunliffe (Claremont); Lemons (Riverside); Hester (Torrance); Hayes (Bell Gardens); Talley (Mark Keppel). 1:54.7 
His time of 1:54.7 was the CHS record for many years.
 
 
 
 
 

Steve Hinton

Class of 1970

Master Warbird Pilot

August 2, 2013 - Steve Hinton doesn't know offhand how many warbird types he's flown, but he's made more than 100 post-restoration first flights. If that sounds nonchalant, it's an indicator of Steve's down-to-earth outlook.

The man many warbird pilots and would-be warbird pilots envy is in high demand to fly exotic warbirds to events and for owners who want an experienced flier in the cockpit. He's logged about 7,000 hours in warbirds as a result.

That has included opportunities to fly a genuine German Fw 190 fighter as well as newly made full-size reproductions. "I'm the only one who has flown the real one," Hinton says. While the reproductions are fine flying machines, he says the genuine German wartime version was impressive for its flight control harmony: "an extremely well-designed, good airplane."
 
 
 
 

 

Claremont Courier MORE
June 22, 2012
 
Daily Bulletin, Davis Allen, 6/3/17