ALUMNI & FELLOWS NEWS Federal Appointment Guzman Appointed EPA Region 9 Regional Administrator President Biden on Dec. 9 appointed Martha Guzman (33) to serve as the regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9. In her new role, Guzman will lead the implementation of the Biden-Harris administration environmental agenda in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands and 148 Tribal Nations. EPA’s 10 regional administrators do not require Senate confirmation. Her previous two jobs were commissioner at the California Public Utilities Commission for five years and deputy legislative affairs secretary for Gov. Jerry Brown.
Classes 1-9
Jim Nielsen (5) and his wife, Marilyn,
received the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA) Legacy Award for their continued support of the organization and its internship program.
Classes 30-39
Dennis Albiani (32) has been named president and principal shareholder at California Advocates, California’s oldest contract lobbying firm. He will be the fourth president of the 50-year-old broad-based advocacy firm. Julie Morris (33) was named agricultural liaison/project policy analyst for Santa Clara County for the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Teri Murrison (34) was named executive director of the Idaho Coalition of Land Trusts. She previously spent 10 years as the administrator of the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Denise Godfrey (37), who operates Olive Hill
Greenhouses with her parents, was the subject of a feature story (“Botanical artistry”) in the January/February 2022 issue of California Bountiful.
Ivor Van Wingerden (39) was appointed Classes 10-19
Mark Nickerson (13) was featured on the
cover of the November/December 2021 issue of Western Grower & Shipper magazine.
Edwin Camp’s (15) op ed – Community Voices: Making the most of the Kern River: A river hard at work for the hard-working people of Kern County – appeared in the Nov. 28 edition of the Bakersfield Californian. Jim Clare (19) was inducted into the San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame, which honors individuals who have contributed to agriculture and their community in significant ways as leaders, innovators and mentors.
Classes 20-29
A.G. Kawamura’s (20) op ed – Opinion: A
21st Century solution to delivering nutritious food for those in need – appeared in the Nov. 9 edition of Agri-Pulse.
Joe Pezzini (28) is the new senior director
of agricultural operations for Taylor Farms. He started his career with the Ocean Mist Farms group of companies in 1983 as a farm manager for Boutonnet Farms. Along with two partners, he started Valley Pride Custom Harvesting in 1987.
Devin Nunes (29) was named CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group and is slated to begin his new role in January 2022. He has served as a representative for California’s 22nd Congressional District since 2013, and was a representative for the 21st Congressional District from 2003-2013.
18 HORIZONS MAGAZINE WINTER 2022
by USDA as a producer alternate on the Hass Avocado Board. He will serve a three-year term, which expires on Oct. 31, 2024.
Classes 40-49
Kyle Goehring (40) was named director of
origination for True Green Capital Management LLC, a specialized renewable energy infrastructure private equity firm. He previously worked for Jones Lang Lasalle Incorporated.
Chris Drew (47) was promoted to president and chief executive officer for Ocean Mist Farms. He previously served as the company’s chief operating officer.
Classes 50-51 Class 50 fellows offered a scholarship and mentoring program to students from California high schools. The mission of the program is to provide fiscal support and one-on-one mentoring for students engaged in studies supporting an agriculture-related career. Class 50 will award two recipients a scholarship valued at $1,250.
Multiple Classes Mike Testa (42), outgoing chair of the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) board of directors, was recognized for his leadership and commitment at a CAWG dinner in November 2021. He will continue to serve on the board. Jeff Bitter (32) was elected vice chair of the CAWG board for 2021-22.
Heather Mulholland (44) and Sal Parra, Jr. (46) are Fresno County Farm Bureau’s newest board members; they were installed on Oct. 21, 2021. They join reelected directors Daniel Hartwig (49) (president), John Chandler (44), Jon Reelhorn (38), Alfreda Sebasto (35) and Mark Sorensen (23).
Denise Junqueiro (42) was promoted to vice
president of marketing and communications for Mission Produce. She started at Mission Produce in 2016 as a customer marketing manager.
Jessica Light (44) was honored with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine 2021 Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her sustained support of the school’s livestock clinical training programs. Tom Merwin (44) was named a 2022 Nuffield International Scholar. He is one of nine farmers and agri-professionals from the U.S., Chile, Japan and Brazil who will join the unique global network of Nuffield International Scholars. He is the first-ever Nuffield Scholar from California. Abby Taylor-Silva (45) was honored by
the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with the 2021 Award of Distinction – Distinguished Friends of the College in recognition for her leadership and efforts advocating for farmworker safety during the pandemic.
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