| Graduate |
Graduating Class |
Accomplishments |
| Akina, Scott |
1985 |
Graduated from National University, Business Administration
major, B.S. Degree; Certified Flight Instructor at John Wayne Airport; telephone
investigator for ATT; joined the FBI as an agent in 1995; specialized in
narcotics investigations; DEA/FBI Task Force; full time FBI pilot |
| Baca, Alfredo |
2006 |
Currently playing baseball at Phoenix Community College,
1st Team All-League, 1st Team All-CIF 2005/2006 School
year |
| Barnhart, Steven |
1978 |
Graduated from USC in 1982; M.A., USC; currently Director of
Student Information Systems at USC |
| Botzong, Bill |
1972 |
Graduated Louisiana State University, BA, Management and
Business Administration major; University of Oregon MBA, Finance and Information
Systems; Associate Director, Verizon Wireless; creator of the La Quinta High
School Alumni Association website: lqaa.org/AboutMeList.htm |
| Bushnell, Cathy |
1978 |
Graduated UCLA, BA, Sociology, 1982; multiple subject teaching
credential, UCLA, 1983; rowed varsity crew at UCLA qualifying for the NCAA
championships; 1982, won NCAA gold medal as a bow rower in the Women’s Open
4 Boat; MA, General Missiology Fuller Theological Seminary, School of World
Missions, 2003; taught elementary school for Palm Springs Unified and Long Beach
Unified School Districts; served as a mentor and teacher coach for student
interns, new and veteran teachers; worked for Empowering Lives International as a
short-term missionary in the village of Igoma, Tanzania ; trained native women to
become teachers; 1995, began the Pentecost Evangel Shule ya Watoto Wadogo nursery
school for children from the villages of Igoma, Nyakato and Kisessa; has also
lived in villages in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ; currently
works for the Free Methodist Church, missionary to Tannzania, East Africa |
| Bushnell Chris |
1984 |
US Naval Academy graduate, worked in Pentagon, currently
Commander of the U.S.S. Paul Hamilton, destroyer |
| Cavin, John |
1972 |
Graduated CSU, Long Beach; Pepperdine University, Juris Doctor
(J.D.); Attorney |
| Chatman, Steve |
1975 |
Graduated Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo; Electrical Engineering
major, B.S. Degree; Lear Siglar, Communications Engineer; Boeing, Inc., Principal
Engineer |
| Crosby, Bobby |
1998 |
Graduated from CSU, Long Beach, on baseball scholarship; signed
a contract for $1,700,000 to play professional baseball with the Oakland
Athletics organization; 2002 minor league “Player of the Year”;
currently on the Athletics’ major league roster; promoted to the major
league roster 2004; named the American League Rookie of the Year 2004 |
| Daniels, Karyn |
1988 |
Professor of Sociology, Long Beach City College, former Laker
Girl |
| Du, Dien |
1990 |
Graduated UC San Francisco, Pharmacy |
| Foster, Heidi |
1999 |
Currently attending/playing softball for Purdue University;
Communications major; 2nd career home run hitter in Purdue history;
team Offensive/Defensive “Player of the Year”; 1st team
All-Big 10; 2nd team All-Mideast Region |
| Fredrickson, Ben |
1999 |
Currently attending/playing football for the University of
Missouri; Business Agriculture major; attended Orange Coast College; played
football and was team MVP and JUCO All-American |
| Garcia, Jason |
1998 |
Currently attending/playing baseball for Brigham Young
University on a baseball scholarship |
| Garner, Cole |
2003 |
Selected in the 26th round of the major league
baseball draft by the Colorado Rockies; signed a $110,000 contract |
| Hasheminejad, Dan |
1998 |
Graduated UC Berkeley, 2001; English major, B.A. Degree;
Graduated UC Irvine, MA Degree; student teaching La Quinta High School in
English; Princeton Review tutor for SAT preparation |
| Hayden, Paul |
1969 |
Minister, The Presbyterian Church, Jackson Hole, Wyoming |
| Jackson, Larry |
1981 |
Ascend Communications, Vice President of Sales and Marketing;
retired in 1999 after Lucent Technologies acquisition |
| Jameson, John |
1969 |
Sergeant, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, 26 years;
attended Orange Coast College, Riverside City College and UCSB |
| Jorgenson, Adam |
2004 |
Baseball Scholarship to Cal State Fullerton |
| Kennedy, Ian |
2003 |
Accepted a full athletic scholarship to play baseball for USC;
1st round pick by New York Yankees, signed for $2,250,000 |
| Kurisu, Kurt |
1975 |
Former class valedictorian; graduated UC Irvine, 1979;
Biological Sciences/Chemistry, B.S. Degree; graduated USC, 1982 with an M.S.
Degree in Electrical Engineering; Recipient of a TRW USC Masters Fellowship; TRW
Technical Staff Member; The Aerospace Corporation, Engineering Manager;
Scientific Atlanta, Business Development Manager; MI Technologies, Regional Sales
Manager; Conexant, Channel Marketing Manager; Pamcor, Inc., Vice
President/Partner/Owner |
| Kurisu, Warren |
1981 |
Graduated, Cum Laude UC Irvine, 1985; Electrical Engineering,
B.S. Degree; graduated UC Berkeley, M.B.A., Haas School of Business; high tech
company management including Senior Director of Product Marketing and independent
consultant activities |
| Kuzmic, Craig |
1995 |
Graduated from Texas A & M, on baseball scholarship; plays
professional baseball with the Seattle Mariners organization, AAA team in Tacoma,
Washington |
| Laird, Gerald |
1998 |
Attended Cypress College; signed a contract for $1,100,000 to
play professional baseball for the Texas Rangers organization; promoted to the
Ranger’s major league roster 2003 |
| Larkin, Shaun |
1997 |
Graduated from CSU, Northridge, on baseball scholarship; plays
professional baseball with the Cleveland Indians organization, AA team in Toledo,
Ohio |
| LaVeau, Monique |
1984 |
Graduated from Menlo College, 1988; Communications major, B.S.
Degree; Director of Client Services for the Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Licata, David |
1972 |
Chemistry teacher Pacifica High School |
| Luong, Carolyn |
1993 |
Graduated UC Berkeley, 1998; Political Science major, B.S.
Degree; UCLA School of Law, 2000; attorney for Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in
Irvine, CA |
| Lurker, David |
1972 |
Graduated CSU, Long Beach; graduated University of Pacific,
Juris Doctor (J.D.); Attorney with Voss, Cook and Thel, LLP |
| Munoz, Oscar |
1977 |
Graduated USC, 1982; Finance/Economics Major, BS Degree;
graduated Pepperdine University, 1986, MBA; chief financial officer and regional
financial and administrative vice president , Coca Cola Company; Senior vice
president, US West telephone; chief financial officer and vice president,
AT&T Consumer Services, a $10 billion division of the company; chief
financial officer, CSX Corporation, which owns transportation services over a
23,000 route-mile network in 23 states, the District of Columbia and two Canadian
provinces as well as intermodal and global container terminal operations;
responsible for all financial accounting, treasury, tax, real estate, information
technology and strategic planning activities; 2001, selected as one of the
“top 100 most influential Hispanics in America” by Hispanic Business
magazine and philanthropic organizations, including the American Cancer Society
and the Make-A-Wish Foundation |
| Nguyen, Mina |
1994 |
Former Senior Class President and Homecoming Queen; Graduated
from UC Berkeley, Walter Haas School of Business, 1998; Grand Marshall of the
21st Tet Parade in Little Saigon, 2003; currently employed as the
Director of Public Liaison for the Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.;
specializes in working with small businesses, employee groups and ethnic
associations that deal with labor and workplace issues; Regional Coalition
Director for the Presidential campaign headquarters in D. C. |
| Nguyen Cuong |
1994 |
Director of Critical Care Medicine & Professor at Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore |
| Nguyen, Peggy Hai |
1990 |
Senior Class President; Graduated Harvard, B.S. Degree,UC
Berkeley, M.A., UCLA, M.A.; Director of a non-profit environmental lobbying firm
in Los Angeles |
| Nguyen, Phu |
1998 |
Graduated Stanford University, 2002; Art History major, B.A.
Degree; accepted to Harvard Law School |
| O’Connell, Kristy |
1988 |
Former ASB President; Graduated from Northern Arizona University
on a diving scholarship; Dental Services major, B.S. Degree; Graduated from USC
Dental School; currently practicing dentistry in Laguna Hills, CA |
| Otto, Whitney |
1973 |
Author, How To Make An American Quilt; book was made into
a successful Hollywood movie; she has also authored, A Collection of Beauties
at the Height of Their Popularity and The Passion Dream Book |
| Radtke, Gretchen |
1978 |
Graduate of USC, 1982; graduate of Stanford Law School;
currently a copyright and trademark attorney in Palo Alto, CA |
| Robinson, Paul |
1981 |
Graduated from Stanford University; attended Stanford on a
tennis scholarship; graduated from UC Davis, School of Medicine; currently
practicing industrial medicine in Los Angeles, CA |
| Rowe, Helen |
1975 |
President, La Quinta High School Alumni Association; attended
Mt. San Jacinto College; President and Founder of Video Memory Productions, a
company that produces video photo albums, edits home videos and repairs
photographs |
| Rubio, Martha |
1987 |
Former ASB President; graduated Stanford University, 1991; one
semester studied at University of Santiago, Chile; graduated from Harvard Law
School, 1993; currently a prosecuting attorney for the United States Department
of Justice in Washington, D.C. |
| Sakakura, Nancy |
1978 |
Graduated CSU, Long Beach, 1982; Accounting and Human Resource
Management major, B.A. Degree; became a Certified Public Accountant, 1985; LA
County Controller Department Auditor; family owned dental practice office
manager |
| Santiago, Dennis |
1975 |
Staff photographer for the Aztec Sun newspaper; graduated UC
Irvine, Electrical Engineering major, B.S. Degree; UCLA, MBA, Anderson Graduate
School of Business Management; Executive Vice President, Common Tech LLC, a Los
Angeles based venture firm that incubates and operate a number of internet
e-Commerce and financial analysis services; Chief Information Officer, Luxury
Link LLC, which sells luxury travel on the internet; President and CEO,
CellarMarketing LLC, which sells wine on the Internet; Executive Vice President,
Marketing, Stoner, Clingman, Santiago & Kaplan LLC, which supplies corporate
accounting risk analysis to the financial industry |
| Sargent, Todd |
1990 |
Former Aztec “Guy of the Year”, ASB Finance
Commissioner, Choir President, Founder and President of Boys’ League and
Pep Club; graduated UCLA, 1995; Chair of the UCLA Associated Students; George
Washington University Graduate Student Body President; former Legislative
Assistant for Senator John Kerry (D-MA); Graduate ”Student of the
Year” at George Washington University; Regional Governor of Pi Kappa Phi
Fraternity, Mid-Atlantic Region; Senior Consultant, Accenture, the world’s
largest business consulting firm in the area of Homeland Security |
| Shum, Tina |
1996 |
Graduated with honors from California State University,
Fullerton; Sociology major, B.A. Degree; currently teaching math at La Quinta
High School and coaching girls JV basketball |
| Shimabukuro, Cindi |
1991 |
Graduated Cum Laude from The Fashion Institute of Technology;
Marketing major, B.S. Degree; won the Direct Marketing Department award; Director
of Knit Fabrics, Tommy Hillfiger; specializes in the source, quality control and
development of new fabrics for Men’s Sportswear and Jeans; travels
throughout Europe and Asia to source the latest trends in fabrics as well as
present them to Tommy Hillfiger and his head designers from all divisions |
| Smith, Chris |
1999 |
Currently attending/playing basketball for Azusa-Pacific
University; criminal justice major; attended Fullerton College; played basketball
and was selected 1st team all-conference |
| Stewart, Ian |
2003 |
Selected in the 1st round (10th overall
selection) of the major league draft by the Colorado Rockies baseball
organization; signed a $1,950,000 contract |
| Tang, Annie |
1998 |
Graduated UCLA; Communications major, B.A. Degree; assistant to
the producer for NBC’s Entertainment Tonight |
| Tran, Hien |
1991 |
Graduated from Stanford University in 3 years with a
Microbiology major, B.S. Degree; currently doing a combined M.D.-PhD. program at
Harvard Medical School; graduate work in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Greegberg
at Children’s Hospital, Boston, Mass.; studying the underlying signal
transduction pathways that leads to neurodegenerative disorders such as
Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s Disease. Will complete last two years of
medical school in a hospital setting in 2005 |
| Tunstall, Kathryn |
1968 |
Former “Aztec of the Year”, Girls’ League
President, Commencement Speaker; GG Elk’s Club “Leader of the Year;
graduated UCSB; Economics major; 25 years in the healthcare industry as Chairman
of the Board, Conceptus, Inc., a Nasdaq:CPTS woman’s healthcare company
valued at $300 million; also, first President and CEO of Conceptus; raised over
$63 million to bring innovative, non-surgical method of permanent birth control
to women worldwide; beat breast cancer twice, founded Hopelink, Inc. a company
that matches patients to clinical evaluations of new therapies; on the Board of
Directors for RESOLVE, the National Breast Cancer Coalition and Vivant Medical, a
breast cancer surgery company; recently founded and is President of Fair
Advantage, Inc., a company that produces college guidance seminars for young
women; owner of Tree Frog Vineyard: Mi Sueno 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Vu, Annie |
2001 |
Recipient of Thomas Pickering Fellowship- UCLA Graduate in 2005,
Johns Hopkins Foreign Service Masters Program |
| Vu, Tan |
1993 |
Former ASB President; Graduated UC Berkeley in 1998,Political
Science major, B.A. Degree; Graduated UCLA School of Law in 2000; practicing
attorney for Gibson Dunn & Crutcher in Irvine, CA |
| Whitely, Kelly |
1990 |
Former class valedictorian, graduated UC San Francisco,
Pharmacy |
| Yang, James |
1982 |
Graduate of UC Irvine; Biology major, B.S. Degree; graduate of
USC School of Dentistry; currently practicing dentistry in Costa Mesa and
teaching at USC; honored with an “Excellence in Teaching” award by
the school |
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