Matador Moments

Updates from Alumni

Rudy Pereira ’85 (Computer Science) with his son and Premier America Credit Union staff pregame at the Baseball Fan Fest on May 3, 2025.

A family of four smiling and posing for a selfie under a tent at an outdoor event. A man on the left is wearing a black and white "CSUN Athletics" zip-up jacket. The teenage boy in the center is wearing a gray hoodie.

Rudy Pereira ’85 (Computer Science) with his son and Premier America Credit Union staff pregame at the Baseball Fan Fest on May 3, 2025.

A crowd seated in wooden bleachers at an outdoor event at dusk. A woman in a white shirt stands in the aisle with her hand raised. People in the foreground are smiling and enjoying the event.

Alumni enjoy the lively sounds of Earth, Wind and Fire at the annual CSUN Night at the Hollywood Bowl on July 3, 2025.

Alumni enjoy the lively sounds of Earth, Wind and Fire at the annual CSUN Night at the Hollywood Bowl on July 3, 2025.

A group of approximately 16 people, a mix of men and women, standing on a grassy field in front of a soccer goal net with an "Angel City FC" banner above. A man in the center holds a red bandana with "CSUN" on it. Most people are wearing business casual or black and gray clothing.

David Chinchilla ’16 (Management) hosted a group of CSUN students at Angel City on April 23, 2025, highlighting the company’s career opportunities.

Child & Adolescent Development Alumni Chapter (CADAC) members shared industry and career insights with students on May 3, 2025.

Cinema and Television Arts alumni Sergio Serna ’11, Casey Hodgkinson ’13, Chaya Supannarat ’18, MFA ‘21, and William Chalmers ’09 (not pictured) shared valuable career insights with Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication students and alumni on Jan. 30, 2025.

Three people sitting on a panel on a stage. A man in a black shirt and red baseball cap is holding a microphone and speaking, flanked by two women. A screen in the background shows a "CSUN Entertainment Alumni Chapter" logo.
Three people sitting on a panel on a stage. A man in a black shirt and red baseball cap is holding a microphone and speaking, flanked by two women. A screen in the background shows a "CSUN Entertainment Alumni Chapter" logo.

Cinema and Television Arts alumni Sergio Serna ’11, Casey Hodgkinson ’13, Chaya Supannarat ’18, MFA ‘21, and William Chalmers ’09 (not pictured) shared valuable career insights with Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication students and alumni on Jan. 30, 2025.

Cinema and Television Arts alumni Sergio Serna ’11, Casey Hodgkinson ’13, Chaya Supannarat ’18, MFA ‘21, and William Chalmers ’09 (not pictured) shared valuable career insights with Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication students and alumni on Jan. 30, 2025.

A group of 11 women standing in front of a wall mural detailing the history of the university. The women are dressed in business casual attire and appear to be attending a meeting or event.

Child & Adolescent Development Alumni Chapter (CADAC) members shared industry and career insights with students on May 3, 2025.

David Chinchilla ’16 (Management) hosted a group of CSUN students at Angel City on April 23, 2025, highlighting the company’s career opportunities.

Child & Adolescent Development Alumni Chapter (CADAC) members shared industry and career insights with students on May 3, 2025.

A group of 11 women standing in front of a wall mural detailing the history of the university. The women are dressed in business casual attire and appear to be attending a meeting or event.
Four people smiling and posing for a photo under a tent at an outdoor event. All four appear to be wearing CSUN-branded apparel, including a man in a gray hoodie and a woman in a red jacket. Food and plastic cups are on the table in the foreground.

Alumni Carlos Fuentes ’82 (Political Science) and his wife, CSUN Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Patricia de la Riva ’84 (Health Science), enjoy a pregame picnic with their daughter-in-law and Carlos Jimenez Salgado, CSUN’s associate athletics director for marketing and fan engagement.

A large group of college-aged students and adults standing on wide stone steps outdoors. A student in the center foreground holds a red bandana with "CSUN" on it. They are posing in front of modern campus buildings with trees and bushes.

Darin Kuida ’92 (Environmental and Occupational Health) hosted Environmental and Occupational Health program students and shared career opportunities at Amgen on April 18, 2025.

Matador Moments

CSUN’s Legacy Shines Across Generations

Matadors Elevate Their Careers and Pursue New Passions in Retirement.
A smiling graduate in a black cap and gown holds up a red diploma cover with 'California State University, Northridge' visible.
Maria Kennedy Retiz ’20 (Liberal Studies), M.P.A. ’24 (Public Administration)
As a first-generation college student, Maria Kennedy Retiz entered CSUN straight from high school, expecting a smooth path ahead. The reality proved more challenging, as she balanced a long commute, work and coursework. In 2020, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies just as the pandemic shut down in-person classes.

As she weighed her options, she realized that her undergraduate academic record might not fit the requirements for most graduate schools. Then, an unexpected opportunity: The recruitment manager at Tseng College, while reviewing her application for another program, recognized her potential and offered her admission to CSUN’s Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) program.

“I can’t thank [the CSUN community] enough for shaping who I am and giving me the hope I needed.”
Determined to prove herself, Retiz embraced the chance to redeem her academic record. The result was a resounding success: In Dec. 2024, she graduated with distinction and received her M.P.A., graduating with a 3.95 GPA! Her academic resurgence opened the door to the next step on her higher education journey, as she started her Juris Doctorate program this fall at the University of La Verne College of Law and Public Service.

Crediting CSUN faculty and fellow students, Retiz said she “can’t thank them enough for shaping who I am and giving me the hope I needed,” while inspiring her resilience, fueling her ambitions and strengthening her commitment to higher education advocacy. With her law degree, she plans to continue championing the needs of underrepresented minorities, faculty and students, and striving to ensure equity.

Her story is a testament to persistence and the power of second chances. She hopes CSUN students are inspired by her journey. “CSUN has given me so much throughout my years, and I hope my story shows others that anything is possible, especially when you want to accomplish your dreams and goals,” she said.

After graduating from CSUN, Bethe Sullivan ’77 (Art History) embarked on a 15-year career as an agent and supervisor with Air Canada, serving in Boston and Los Angeles, including four years as a supervisor at LAX. In 1996, she earned her teaching credential from Cal State Dominguez Hills, launching a second career in education. Over the next 22 years, she taught in the Los Alamitos Unified School District, Pleasant Valley School District and the University Preparation Charter School at CSU Channel Islands, where she was part of the Dual Language Program. She retired from teaching in 2017.

Sullivan’s retirement ushered in a new chapter of community service and philanthropy. She has volunteered with numerous local organizations, including Food Share, a food distribution nonprofit in Ventura County. In 2014, she established the CSUN Thomas Matthew Magness Memorial Scholarship Endowment, which provides $1,000 tuition remission for a first-semester graduate student in the English M.A. program. Since 2002, Sullivan has served as team captain of “Team Nivlac V” and volunteered annually for the SoCal ALS Network Ride to Cure ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).

Sullivan continues to channel her skills and compassion into causes that matter, demonstrating that retirement can be a powerful new beginning.
Her most recent passion merges fitness and service. In March 2023, she became a certified assistant coach with Rock Steady Boxing in Camarillo, an evidence-based program designed to improve quality of life for those with Parkinson’s disease. She teaches boxing classes tailored to this community, inspired by her husband, who is an active participant in the program. Together, they also assist with piloting programs for the Camarillo Health Care District.

Whether supporting CSUN graduate students with scholarships, volunteering at community events or leading the charge into the boxing ring, Sullivan continues to channel her skills and compassion into causes that matter, demonstrating that retirement can be a powerful new beginning.

A couple standing outdoors. The woman in a teal sweater is smiling, while the man next to her, wearing a bucket hat and a shiny silver jacket with a New England Patriots logo, has his arm around her.
Bethe Sullivan ’77 (Art History)

Expanding Access

Lisa Jackson, Environmental and Equity Leader, Receives Honorary Doctorate.
A woman in a commencement gown and hood stands at a podium with the CSUN logo, speaking to a large audience of graduates and spectators.
advancing climate solutions
Lisa Jackson addresses the graduates at the commencement ceremony for the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Science and Mathematics on May 16.
After receiving her honorary doctorate, Apple executive and former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson told the audience she felt “right at home” among the graduates of CSUN’s College of Engineering and Computer Science at their commencement ceremony May 16. “I chose math and science and engineering way back when I was in high school,” Jackson said. “So, I’m standing here with what I consider to be my people. The ones who get excited about process flow diagrams, about balancing equations … my fellow nerds.”

The university honored Jackson for her work to expand education access, as well as her groundbreaking environmental leadership that has spanned decades. Jackson heads Apple’s environmental efforts, global social initiatives and public policy engagements.

Apple invested $25 million in CSUN’s Global Hispanic Serving Institution Equity Innovation Hub. This commitment supports the initiative’s main location on the CSUN campus and provides Apple technology, design support and thought partnership with the goal to increase accessibility for students to education and careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) fields.

“We’re so proud of our partnership on the HSI Equity Innovation Hub, which is expanding opportunities to help students like you shape the future,” she told graduates.

Long before her career with Apple, Jackson was breaking barriers. She began working for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1987, and then she moved on to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in 2002, where she was appointed commissioner in 2006. In 2009, President Barack Obama named Jackson EPA Administrator — the first African American woman to hold that position.

Jackson urged graduates to ask themselves, “What is your why?” and establish a grounding sense of purpose. She spoke about the passion that drove her to pursue science in her education and her career, after growing up in New Orleans.

Headshot of a smiling man with glasses and a beard, wearing a suit jacket and collared shirt, against a red and white background.

David Phelps Appointed to L.A. County Governance Reform Task Force

CSUN Alumni Association board member David Phelps ’00 (Political Science) brings a strong entrepreneurial voice to the Los Angeles County Governance Reform Task Force.

A lifelong San Fernando Valley resident, Phelps is deeply rooted in the community as a small business owner and a longtime public affairs professional leading The Palomino Group, a consulting firm focused on advocacy and organizational strategy. Phelps co-owns We Can Be Heroes Comics, a minority-owned and -run neighborhood shop in Chatsworth.

With more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit, government and business sectors, Phelps offers a practical perspective on how local policies affect business owners and other residents daily. He sees the task force “as an opportunity to build a more transparent and effective L.A. County government, ensuring historically underrepresented voices are heard and valued,” Phelps said. “This effort isn’t just about holding government accountable, but about creating trust and lasting connections between the county and community.”

Voters approved ballot Measure G in 2024, to implement the creation of an independent ethics commission, establish an elected county executive, and expand the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members, among other reforms. The amendment established the task force.

“Measure G was the first step in bringing county government closer to its constituents,” said Phelps, who was appointed as an at-large member by the Board of Supervisors. “As a business community leader, I want to bring my entrepreneurial know-how and spirit to the table as we reconstitute a better form of local government.” —Naz Keynejad

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Extra! Extra!

Want to find more ways to plug in to your Matador community? Read on!
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Alumni Success Stories

Have you reached new career heights, made an impact in your community or achieved personal goals? We want to hear about them! Your story can inspire current students and fellow alumni. We can’t wait to celebrate your success! Visit wkf.ms/4cotAJs or click the button below.
Alumni Success Stories
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Join a Chapter!

Our alumni chapters offer a wealth of opportunities and resources, from professional development to social events, providing a welcoming space to reconnect, grow and engage with fellow alumni. As part of our vibrant community, we welcome everyone to join our chapters! Friends, neighbors, business partners, parents and extended family who share a deep sense of loyalty to CSUN are also welcome to join and participate in our chapter activities and events. Visit wkf.ms/3VIhm75 or click the button below.
Join a Chapter!
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