Graduate Alumni
Gabriel Manrique
Gabriel Manrique is a Community Organizer at Latinos United for a New America (LUNA),
a non-profit organization based in San José that helps Latin American immigrants address
the many work-related, educational, and health challenges facing their communities.
Among other things, his recent work with LUNA has centered on the struggle to maintain
affordable housing in East San José. Gabriel received a BA in Anthropology in 2008
and an MA in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2017. His graduate project focused
on strategies for serving undocumented college students in California.
James Doucet-Battle
James is Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He received an M.A. in
Interdisciplinary Studies from San Jose State University in 2005 with a committee
made up of anthropology faculty. After graduating from SJSU, James attended the UC
Berkeley/UC San Francisco Ph.D. Program in Medical Anthropology and received his doctoral
degree in 2012. He has received a number of prestigious fellowships including the
University of California's President's Postdoctoral Fellowship. His current work focuses
upon the intersection of race, science, and medicine.
Chelsea Bahr
Chelsea is SaaS (Software as a Service) Implementation Coordinator at Brown and Brown, a national
insurance intermediary. She manages software implementation for an employee benefits
administration system and is responsible for collecting and formatting data, developing
educational and marketing materials, and training clients and colleagues. Chelsea
also designed custom project management workflows to use in Salesforce and is now
a Salesforce Administrator. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU
in 2015. As a student she worked with NOVA, a workforce development agency, to uncover
soft skill sets that lead to career success in the tech industry.
Robert Johnston
Robert is Program Manager for Student Leadership and Engagement at San Jose-based International Technological University. He received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State University in 2014. In his current position, Robert oversees student events, works with student government and organizations, and helps develop initiatives to increase student engagemnt. His graduate research focused upon the challenges faced by women immigrating to the San Francisco Bay Area from Taiwan. Prior to attending SJSU, Robert served as a US Army Infantry Lieutenant and was stationed in Germany and Iraq.
Jing Li
Jing is a Human Resources Generalist at Suning Commerce R&D Center in Palo Alto, a
research and development lab that supports one of China's largest retail companies.
She is responsible for a range of activities, including recruiting top talent for
Suning's research center and serving as a cultural broker between the company's Palo
Alto office and its headquarters in Nanjing, China. Jing Li received an M.A. in Applied
Anthropology from SJSU in 2013. Her graduate project was a critical analysis of the
development of a national park in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan.
Gustavo Flores
Gustavo is an Adjunct Faculty member of the Evergreen Valley College Department of Social Sciences at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose. He is also involved in the Bay Area Cultural Landscape Research Group, a collaborative effort between researchers at Foothill College, Stanford University, and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Gustavo received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2014. His graduate research, based upon ethnohistorical methods, examined the ways in which Bay Area Native American groups resisted Spanish colonial institutions during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Christine Moellenberndt
Christine is a Community Manager at Reddit, a San Francisco-based online discussion site. She received an M.A.
in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2013. Her graduate thesis, which focused on the
relationship between online communities and the companies that run the sites on which
they gather, was the College of Social Science's Outstanding Thesis for 2014. Christine
uses her anthropology skills for serving as a bridge between Reddit's community and
company, surfacing community sentiment, and solving community issues. She was interviewed
about her work by the public radio program Marketplace in 2016.
Chris Keith
Chris is a Content Writer and Social Media Marketer at Software Developers Incorporated, a Silicon Valley company specializing in mobile app
design. He also works as a Regulatory Analyst for Caldwell Consulting Engineers, an
environmental engineering firm. Chris received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from
SJSU in 2014. As a graduate student, he worked for two different cultural resource
management companies. He also served as field director for a field school in the Caribbean
island nation of Nevis. Chris's research project, which analyzed the prehistoric skeletal
remains of a Nevisian woman, won SJSU's Outstanding Thesis award in 2014.
Karen Johannson
Karen is Business Manager at Bookshop Santa Cruz, an independent community-oriented bookstore established in Santa
Cruz in 1966. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State University
in 2015. Kären's position requires her to provide accounting services for the bookstore,
to interact with employees and customers from diverse backgrounds, and to support
the bookstore's commitment to community values. As a graduate student, she worked
collaboratively with the Santa Cruz Archaeological Society and the Santa Cruz Mission
State Historic Park to develop interactive educational modules for young learners.
Andrea Presler
Andrea is a Senior Scientist and Ethnobotanical Specialist at Northwest Anthropology LLC, based in Richland, Washington. She
received her M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State University in 2009.
She is currently working with members of the Wanapum tribe conducting ethnobotanical
surveys and habitat assessments of traditional cultural properties. For nearly a year,
Andrea taught anthropology and environmental studies courses at Central Washington
University. As a graduate student, she focused on ethnobotany, environment, and culture
in Quillabamba, Peru.
Sara Salinas
Sara is the Educational Coordinator and co-founder of Comstock Community Farm in Hollister,
California. In her current position, she creates curricula for workshops and classes,
maintains partnerships with local schools, and coordinates groups of volunteers who
work on the farm. She also has experience consulting with a community food bank. Sara
received her M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State University in 2013.
Her project was a needs assessment of food preferences among Latino food bank clients
in San Benito County. Sara also teaches introductory anthropology courses at Gavilan
College and Hartnell Community College.
Matthew Boehm
Matthew is a Research Manager and Analyst for Mozaic Group, a global market research firm serving the technology, finance and healthcare industries. He received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State University in 2008. He currently conducts and provides analysis of research in the areas of user experience, customer advocacy, segmentation, product design, messaging, positioning and business strategy using a variety of qualitative methods. Matthew's graduate research focused on the evaluation of a Kaiser Permanente funded community education program at the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose.
Robin Connors
Robin is an Associate Archaeologist with the California State Department of Parks and Recreation's Colorado Desert District,
located east of San Diego. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU
in 2009. After graduating, Robin worked as an archaeologist at Kalaupapa National
Historical Park. Robin is currently involved in diverse projects ranging from protection
of Native American cultural resources to public outreach and education. In 2015, her
efforts to safeguard Native American artifacts were featured in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Robin's graduate research focused upon status, gender, and the role of women in pre-contact
Hawaii.
Candice Locke
Candice is a Sales Enablement Manager at SumoLogic, a Redwood City-based Internet technology
company that provides cloud-based data analytics services to private and public sector
organizations. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State University
in 2010. Prior to her current position, Candice held managerial marketing positions
at two different Bay Area firms, Blue Coat Systems and Abiquo. Her graduate project
was focused upon helping a non-profit organization develop appropriate educational
materials for middle-school students.
Emily Green
Emily is a Research Associate II at ETR, a national non-profit with three co-located
offices in California. ETR is committed to improving health outcomes and advancing
health equity for youth, families, and communities. Emily received her M.A. in Applied
Anthropology from SJSU in 2014. In her current position she uses anthropological
methodologies to work with school districts and other non-profits as a researcher
and evaluator. As a graduate student, Emily focused upon the civic and cultural uses
of public spaces. Her research site was the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy in San
Jose.
Stella D'Oro
Stella is a Senior Archaeologist, Project Manager, and GIS Specialist at Albion Environmental, Inc., a Santa Cruz-based cultural and natural
resources consulting firm. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology and a GIS
Certification from SJSU in 2009. At Albion, Stella is involved in a range of activities
including project management, field laboratory management, archaeological excavation,
ethnographic interviewing, mapping, and co-authoring field reports. She is also an
experienced graphic designer. Stella's graduate research explored the impact of climatic
changes on southern San Francisco Bay Area Native American populations approximately
1000 years ago.
Varsha Damle
Varsha is Director of Commercial Effectiveness at ZS Pharma, a San Mateo-based pharmaceutical company. In her current
position, Varsha specializes in pharmaceutical market analytics, sales operations,
and salesforce effectiveness. She received her M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San
Jose State University in 2016. Her graduate research focused upon the higher educational
challenges faced by veterans in Northern California. Prior to working in her current
position, she did consulting work for BizInsights, a business information service
company.
Marissa Massaro
Marissa is a Field Technician at Cogstone Resource Management, a company that specializes in paleontology, archaeology, and
history, and serves both public and private sector clients. She received an M.A. in
Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2018. As a field technician, Marissa works at various
sites throughout the Bay Area and Nevada. Her responsibilities include surveying land,
taking photographs, searching for human remains, historical materials or other signs
of material cultures, and documenting historic or prehistoric finds. Marissa also
assists with excavations.
Arianna Heathcote
Arianna is a permanent Archaeologist with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), working with an interdisciplinary
team managing 1.7 million acres of public lands within Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside,
San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology
from SJSU in 2019. As a graduate student, Arianna partnered with California State
Parks to perform cultural resource surveys of a historic lumber town in Nisene Marks
State Park. She has worked as an archaeological technician for the US Forest Service
and National Parks Service, Albion Environmental, Pacific Legacy, Cogstone, Holman
& Associates, and Ohlone Family Consulting Services.
Maribel Martínez
Maribel is Director of Santa Clara County's Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Affairs, the first county-level office
of its kind in the US. Maribel received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU
in 2012. Her graduate projects included ethnographic-based evaluations and infusing
arts and social justice curriculum in local community-based organizations serving
women and immigrant leaders. Before accepting her current position, Maribel served
as founding director of SJSU's César E. Chávez Community Action Center for seven years.
There she applied her anthropological skills to cultivate student leaders among communities
of color on campus and to build bridges to immigrant and marginalized communities.
Kanhong Lin
Kanhong is Regional Manager for Disaster Preparedness with the American Red Cross of New York City.
He received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2012. Over the past three
years, Kanhong has worked with Red Cross teams to provide relief for people affected
by gas line explosions, train derailments, and snowstorms. Recently he worked with
a group that developed New York's landmark Home Fire Safety Program, implemented jointly
with the Mayor's Office and the Fire Department of New York. Apart from helping him
manage projects, his anthropological training has allowed him to help immigrants from
Haiti, Nepal, Tibet, Jamaica, Russia, Haiti and many other countries.
Ida Wilson
Ida is a Research Assistant at the Institute for Scientific Analysis, in partnership with
the Center for Critical Public Health, an Oakland-based research center focused on
improving health outcomes in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is part of a team that
conducts qualitative research projects and analyzes the results. She received an M.A.
in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2015. As a graduate student, she conducted research
on the underground economy in Oakland and presented her work at numerous conferences
and colloquiums, including the annual meetings of Southwestern Anthropological Association
and the SJSU College of Social Sciences Dean's Student Research Colloquium.
Amanda Kadkly
Amanda Kadkly is currently a Lecturer at San Jose State University and De Anza College. She received
an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2015. In previous positions, Amanda designed
research projects using qualitative and mixed methods, provided consulting services
to clients, and conducted coding and data analysis. She has held positions as a graduate
assistant and laboratory assistant at SJSU and UC Santa Cruz. Amanda's graduate thesis,
which explored new methods to analyze sharp force trauma on bone, was awarded SJSU's
prestigious 2015-16 Outstanding Thesis Award.
Armando Ayala
Armando Ayala is an applied anthropologist and practicing user experience (UX) researcher.
He is currently a senior UX researcher at Meta, where he works on products that allow
creators to understand how their content is performing. Prior to this, he's worked
across different products and orgs on the Facebook app, including Mentorship, Community
Help, and Facebook Pay. He has experience working at a variety of tech companies,
including startups (TRNIO), UX agencies (UEGroup), and large tech firms (Google and
Meta). His areas of interest consist of design research, design anthropology, product
strategy, and qualitative and quantitative UX research methods. He is an alumnus of
SJSU and holds a B.A. in psychology with a cultural anthropology minor, and a Master's
in applied anthropology — both from SJSU.
Nicole Conand
Nicole received her M.A in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2011, and currently works
as a UX Research Manager for Roku. Her current work incorporates behavioral research
and user interaction testing for a comprehensive understanding of TV streaming behaviors,
to support product design and business strategy. For several years Nicole worked as
a freelance researcher, contributing to projects ranging from mobile app development,
to data management system research for large government agencies. Her graduate research
integrated anthropology and media to address issues of civic engagement in Silicon
Valley. Nicole has also been a part-time lecturer in SJSU's Anthropology Department.
Kelli Sullivan
Kelli is an Archaeologist for Caltrans (California Department of Transportation). She received an M.A. in Applied
Anthropology from San Jose State University in 2018. At Caltrans, Kelli is responsible
for the environmental planning, research, and analysis of archaeological sites for
transportation-related projects through conducting and preparing environmental studies.
Her graduate research focused on landscape mobility of the pre-contact Ohlone through
stable isotopic analysis of human molars. Her Methodology allowed for a temporal investigation
of dietary shifts and mobility of the population throughout their lifetimes, as well
as throughout different cultural periods.
Jacqueline Gamboa
Jacqueline is a Community Outreach Coordinator at Teatro Visión, a San Jose-based theater company and non-profit organziation promoting the
value and artistic vision of Chicana/o theater. She received her M.A. in Applied Anthropology
from SJSU in 2009. Jacqueline is currently involved in outreach efforts including
presentations for elementary, junior high, and high school students. Prior to her
current position, she worked as a community organizer at Sacred Heart Community Services
where she conducted various projects, including an educational equity campaign with
bilingual and low-income immigrant families. Jacqueline currently teaches courses
in Chicano/a Studies and Ethnic Studies at San Jose City College.
Michael Boero
Michael is an Archaeologist with the US Forest Service in southwestern Oregon. He serves as a resource specialist for a wide range
of projects and activities, from ecological restoration and wildfires to public outreach
programs. As a graduate student, Michael worked with Bok Kai Chinese Temple in Marysville,
California to document hundres of objects dating back to the temple's founding in
the mid-1800s. For his thesis work, Michael conducted ethnographic work in the Sierra
Nevada to understand how traditional ecological knowledge informs contemporary forest
restoration. He received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2017.
Marina Corrales
Marina is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine.
She received her M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2010. For the past six
years Marina has worked as a research assistant, graduate mentor, tutor, student evaluator,
and program developer. Currently, Marina serves as a program coordinator for a U.S.
Department of Education initiative to address retention of underrepresented, first-generation
college students. Her research explores the impact of social capital on retention
of students of color. While at SJSU, Marina participated in a project that brought
together researchers from anthropology, urban planning, industrial design, and nutrition
and food science. The project goal, funded by Kaiser Permanente, was to support health
and wellness at SJSU.
John Schlagheck
John is an Associate Archaeologist at Holman and Associates, a San Francisco-based archaeological consulting
firm. He received his M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2011. John's graduate
research focused upon obsidian hydration dating methods, which he used to conduct
original research at a Middle Holocene site located along California's north central
coast. His interests in maritime and historical archaeology led him to conduct shipwreck
archaeology in the West Indies island nation of Nevis and in Baja California. Closer
to home, John worked on a Gold Rush-era lighter from Yerba Buena Cove. He recently
completed a treatment and discovery plan for the archaeologically sensitive areas
at the site of the Port Chicago navel munitions disaster of 1944 along the shore of
Suisun Bay.
Loan Luu
Loan is a UX Customer Success Mentor at UserZoom, a San Jose-based company specializing in usability testing
and user experience research. She is currently on assignment in the Netherlands. Loan
received her M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2012. Her responsibilities
include helping UserZoom's clients integrate new programs, providing training on user
experience products, and managing work teams. After graduating from SJSU,Loan was
employed as a program coordinator at Kapor Capital and a researcher at Bronze Investments.
Her graduate project informed the design of a public landmark at San Jose's Diridon
Station.
Jessica Donohue
Jessica is Education and Prevention Coordinator with the Santa Cruz AIDS Project, which serves HIV-positive men, women, and children in Santa Cruz county.
The Santa Cruz AIDS Project is connected with Encompass Community Services, a non-profit
organization. Jessica received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2012.
In her current position, Jessica develops evidence-based HIV prevention education
curricula, conducts needs assessments to determine barriers to HIV prevention, and
provides onsite HIV and hepatitis C testing. As a graduate student, she worked as
part of a team that produced a documentary film on terminal breast cancer patients.
Sabrina Morales
Sabrina is a Senior Associate at Circlepoint, an Oakland-based firm specializing in communications and environmental services. She received
an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2012. Sabrina's graduate project focused
on the accessibility of health and social services by Latina immigrants. She conducted
an ethnographic evaluation of a women's health group in San Jose and provided recommendations
for group sustainability and network building. Her experience includes project management,
evaluation, and rapport building with public partners. Sabrina currently collaborates
with agencies and businesses to provide strategic communications to Bay Area communities
concerning public works projects.
Kristy Keller
Kristy is Program Director with San Francisco-based Compass Family Services. She has experience in program
management, service development, and evaluation. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology
in 2013 from SJSU. In graduate school, Kristy developed and implemented programmatic
interventions to enhance volunteer services at an Oakland-based refugee resettlement
agency. These interventions responded to an examination of refugee resettlement policies
in practice, as well as various institutional barriers to effective service delivery.
In her current position, she directs the Drop-In Center at Compass Connecting Point,
a program of Compass Family Services. She also serves on the Communications Committee
of the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology.
Greg Cabrera
Greg is a Research Analyst for TRC Staffing Services, an Atlanta-based company. He received his M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State
University in 2008. Greg is currently working on TRC's Voice of the Customer Project,
an initiative that focuses upon providing customized market research to clients in
the food industry. He also has several years of experience collecting, analyzing,
and presenting market research data for two major insurance companies, State Farm
Insurance and Apex Systems. As a graduate student, he was involved in projects on
entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
Michelle Nero
Michelle is Owner and Manager of Nero and Associates, a San Jose-based private investigations company.
She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2010. Michelle's company provides business and individuals with a range of services
including background investigations, locating missing persons, business litigation,
insurance fraud investigation, and adoptee and birth parent searches. Her graduate
project focused upon ways in which residents in San Jose's Olinder neighborhood might
find new opportunities for improving public safety. (Note: To protect Michelle's identity,
we are not using her real photo!)
Christopher Avery
Christopher is a Senior User Experience Researcher at eBay. He received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2011. In his current position,
Christopher is responsible for carrying out design research in support of eBay's business
to consumer products. He is also exploring ways in which qualitatively informed approaches
to big data might improve its analytical effectiveness. Before beginning his current
assignment, Christopher conducted user experience research at Yahoo! and design anthropology
at SonicRim. His graduate research was an archaeological investigation into agricultural
expansion and intensification on Hawai'i Island from 1400-1650 AD.
Jeffrey Greger
Jeffrey is a User Experience (UX) Researcher at Varo Money, an online banking startup in San Francisco.
He received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2019. He conducts qualitative research to understand how people think about and manage
money. Jeff works closely with design and product teams to improve banking experiences,
particularly for people living paycheck to paycheck. In graduate school, he worked
with FAIR Money, a pro bono collective of ethnographers studying the financial lives
of people squeezed by Silicon Valley's high cost of living.
DeDe Patterson
DeDe is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Global Studies at the University of Sussex. She received her M.A. in Applied Anthropology from
SJSU in 2016. DeDe’s research focuses on South Sudanese refugees living in Kenya, and their transnational
relationships with their family members in the UK and the US. She is interested in
refugee policy development, economic anthropology, identity, and the community networks.
Currently, DeDe is teaching Introduction to Anthropology and Gender and Development
at the University of Sussex. She also actively works for the Brilliant Club, a nonprofit
organization the helps underprivileged students to prepare for university.
Brett Witteck
Brett Witteck is a Design Researcher for IBM (Silicon Valley Location), an American multinational technology corporation. Brett received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from San Jose State University in 2020. Their graduate project focused on a student-led HIV education and advocacy program on San Jose State campus. In their current position, Brett identifies high priority opportunities for tactical improvements, identifies and communicates appropriate research methodologies, conducts research methods and activities, and delivers compelling stories to communicate actionable insights. Before accepting their current position, Brett worked at SJSU as an academic advisor in the ACCESS Success Center.
Briza Diaz
Briza Diaz is an Education Researcher at Digital Promise. She received her M.A. In
Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2019. Briza’s graduate project focused on educational
program evaluation. Her experience in the educational realm also includes after-school
program work, substitute teaching, and working as a Program Manager for an educational
non-profit. In her current position, Briza works with school districts, teacher unions,
and other educational organizations across the country to evaluate the implementation
of various programs. This role is similar to her graduate project in that it involves
both qualitative and quantitative methods to arrive at a holistic conclusion. The
work done by Digital Promise helps in the creation and growth of programs that support
thousands of students and teachers each year.
Jasmine Low
Jasmine Low is an anthropologist with PRO Unlimited at Waymo. Working alongside an
interdisciplinary team, she designs and conducts qualitative research to advance design
and innovation in ways that are relevant to diverse customers, communities, and organizations.
She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in Spring 2020. As a graduate
student, she partnered with the Tech Interactive to study the design of youth visitor
experiences, explored food robotics, and developing VR for anthropology with Professor
Jan English-Lueck and Tina Korani. Prior to Google, Jasmine worked as a freelance
research consultant and musician.
Leah Grant
Leah Grant is a Laboratory Manager for the Veterans Curation Program (VCP) in San
Mateo. She received an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in 2021. She is responsible
for training veterans to rehabilitate archaeological collections for the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE). Leah oversees the rehabilitation of federally-owned archaeological
and archival collections, ensures that the collections meet federal and state curation
standards, and represents the VCP at public archaeology events. Leah is a veteran
of the US Army and currently serves as a commissioner on the San Mateo County Veterans
Commission.
Kristen Constanza
Kristen Constanza is a Homelessness Prevention System Manager for Sacred Heart Community
Services, a non-profit organization that strives to build a community free from poverty.
The Homelessness Prevention System (HPS) program is a countywide network that provides
assessments, and financial and legal aid to prevent highly vulnerable families and
individuals from becoming homeless. Kristen supports partner agencies with technical
assistance and training, and development and growth of new HPS partner agencies. She
also maintains connections between HPS and community institutions. Kristen received
an MA in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in August 2020. Her work focused on documenting
the stories of Latin American immigrants rebuilding their lives in the Bay Area.
Sarah Luce
Sarah Luce is an associate archaeologist for the California Department of Transportation
(Caltrans). Sarah is responsible for scoping and carrying out state and federal cultural
regulatory responsibilities for maintenance projects as well as guiding 8 counties
and 29 cities through their Section 106 responsibilities on local transportation projects.
In addition, Sarah sits on the Native American sub-committee that works closely with
tribes throughout California to advocate for their cultural expertise to be well represented
and compensated for on state and federally funded projects. She received her M.A.
in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in the spring of 2019. Sarah’s thesis work was on
cross-sectional geometry of femora in a pre-contact burial population whose likely
descendants are the honorable Muwekma Ohlone.
Melanie Baliey
Melanie is a UX Researcher with Sage Intacct, an accounting technology company in
San Jose. She partners with the design and product teams to plan and execute both
discovery and evaluative research initiatives on existing and new products, and to
deliver insights on core parts of the business strategy. Melanie graduated with an
M.A. in Applied Anthropology from SJSU in December of 2021. Her thesis research focused
on changing accounting technology and how that was impacting small bookkeepers in
the United States, in how they ran their businesses, completed their work, and connected
with their communities (both virtual and in-person).
Mayra S. Cerda
Current Employer: Amigos de Guadalupe, Center for Justice and Empowerment
Current Job Title: Director of Programs
Job Overview: As Director of Programs at a local non-profit, Mayra S. Cerda leads efforts to promote economic and education justice in East San Jose. She oversees after-school programs tailored to the unique needs of unhoused children and newcomers, ensuring they receive academic support and enrichment opportunities. Mayra actively builds and maintains partnerships with schools and districts to advocate for the educational rights and basic needs of these students, advancing economic and education justice initiatives. Additionally, she designs and implements summer programs aimed at empowering low-income students, furthering her commitment to equity and justice. Mayra's dedication to education equity extends to her role as a member of the School Site Council in the Oak Grove School District, where she contributes to decision-making processes that prioritize student success and well-being. Also, in her role as a Cultural Anthropology lecturer at DeAnza College, Mayra fosters an inclusive learning environment centered on cultural appreciation and understanding, particularly emphasizing the experiences of immigrants.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career? My Applied Anthropology degree cultivated leadership skills and instilled a visionary mindset, allowing me to transcend conventional boundaries. By understanding diverse cultures and conducting insightful research, I've led teams and advocated for marginalized communities. This foundation enables me to develop innovative programs at the intersection of economic and educational justice, forging partnerships and empowering individuals to thrive in diverse environments.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career? My tenure as a student at San Jose State University equipped me with invaluable skills and knowledge pivotal to my career. Profound cultural understanding gained through Anthropology studies enables me to appreciate diversity and tailor programs to diverse communities. Rigorous research methodologies honed my analytical abilities, facilitating evidence-based decision-making. Additionally, teaching at SJSU fostered effective communication and pedagogical skills, enhancing my capacity to educate and empower individuals from varied backgrounds in pursuit of social justice and community development.
Erika Harvey
Current Employer:Sierra Business Council
Current Job Title: Director
Job Overview: Erika Harvey is a Director for Sierra Business Council (SBC), a triple bottom line non-profit focused on sustainable economic development work serving communities in the Southern Cascades and Sierra Nevada regions. Currently at SBC, she primarily works on state grants that are community led and build climate forward economies in rural Sierra communities. Some of the project themes include sustainable outdoor recreation, community health, forest resiliency, and small businesses development. The initiatives of these projects are to empower rural communities and local governments to promote a sustainable and equitable recovery from COVID-19 by supporting new strategies to diversity Sierra economies, with a focus in underserved communities. Erika received an MA in Applied Anthropology in 2017, where her research was focused on landscapes and site formation processes of archaeological sites at risk from climate change factors.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career? It prepared me in that when starting out, I don't need to be the content expert, because I have the tools to figure it out.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career? Becoming a classically trained independent researcher is the most valuable take away from the masters program. We were challenged to think critically, solve problems independently, articulate under pressure, listen to our peers and mentors, and self-manage our work products. While these skills may seem fundamental, they are actually uncommon. As a hiring manager, to say it's challenging to find people with this skill set, would be an understatement.
What do you know now that you wish you knew during your time at SJSU? It's okay to think differently - being different can be an asset during a paradigm shift. However, that in itself, comes with experience and confidence.
Chloe Angst
Current Employer: 2 careers: (1) University of California, San Francisco, (2) B.A.D. Musical Theatre
Current Job Title: (1) Willed Body Program Technician, (2) Founding Artistic Director
Job Overview:
The UCSF Willed Body Program is a non-profit entity that accepts full-body donors to be utilized for medical research and education. This includes supplying specimens for surgical training and gross anatomy courses. As a technician, my job is to embalm donors to be dissected and prepare fresh tissue specimens. I also study the medical histories of donors to determine the course that will be the most appropriate for allocation, based on their conditions before or at the time of death.
As an outlet and a creative passion, I spend my time outside of paid work running B.A.D. Musical Theatre, a community theatre group whose mission is to spotlight artists from underrepresented backgrounds and marginalized identities, break down social barriers by embracing accessibility for artists of all backgrounds, and inspire through innovation and non-traditional ideas on the stage.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career? Although my dual careers at this time are not directly anthropology-related, my graduate work prepared me in many ways that have been valuable in my professional life. Here is just a handful of those ways: First, it taught me how to lay out and understand the steps needed when taking on a professional project. Second, it drilled the essentials of how to write in an academic and formal way that is appropriate for both grant-writing and defining the scope of work to be undertaken. Third, it has opened up avenues in certain situations by inspiring me to think critically and to always question assumptions.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career? I developed the skill to see points of view from all sides. In my professional and creative work, I always think ahead with the consideration that all humans have different cultural and personal experiences, and something that may seem second nature to me might not be the same for someone else. Nothing is as black and white as it is at first glance. In order to fully understand real-world issues (in the workplace and beyond), we must look at the whole picture and think outside of the box to find solutions
What do you know now that you wish you knew during your time at SJSU? Research is HARD. Sometimes you need to find creative ways to jump through hoops in order to finish what you set out to do. Plans will always change. When you begin a project, never assume it will turn out how you expect. Regardless, there is always SOMETHING to be learned that will come out of it, whether it’s what you expected or not.
Shilpa Shah
Current Employer: San Francisco Giants
Current Job Title: Research & CRM Analyst
Job Overview: I assist in launching cross-departmental surveys for our organization for several different initiatives. For example, I work with our sales representatives to launch surveys for Season Ticket Members. Additionally, I work as a Salesforce Admin assisting in the upkeep and updates in Salesforce. I also assist sales managers with launching multiple sales campaigns.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career? Research is a large part of my current career, and my research experience during grad school largely contributed to the knowledge I started my career with.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career? Collaborating, speaking, presenting, analyzing, Features and capabilities within Qualtrics
What do you know now that you wish you knew during your time at SJSU?
Alicia Hedges
Current Employer: San Jose State University, De Anza College, Applied Technology & Science
Current Job Title: Lecturer of Anthropology, Senior Archaeologist
Job Overview: I wear many hats in the archaeology world! I am a Lecturer here in the Anthropology Department at SJSU as well as De Anza College where I teach courses in Archaeology, World Prehistory, Human Evolution, Cultural Anthropology, and Applied Anthropology. I am also the Senior Archaeologist at Applied Technology & Science, which is an integrated engineering and environmental consulting firm in San Francisco. In this position, I work with local stakeholders pertaining to infrastructure projects that may impact archaeological resources.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career? In my case, anthropology has been especially important in my career as I now teach the subject as well as utilize our "toolkit" in my role as Senior Archaeologist. Not only that, but anthropology also taught me how to better relate to people and empathize with the experiences of others. These professional and personal skills have been invaluable.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career?Learning how to research is my most prized skill, which is something that was fostered at SJSU. In anthropology, we do a lot of reading and writing, which is a great way to learn how to find information, engage with the information, and then put that information to use in conceiving an argument. Not only has this helped me in creating class content for my students, but it has been especially helpful when conducting background research for the various archaeological sites I work on in the Bay Area
What do you know now that you wish you knew during your time at SJSU? It's okay to take time to regroup and relax. During my studies, I was a perfectionist and would feel guilty if I was not working on a project. Now, with the many projects I deal with, I recognize how important a work / life balance is and it is okay to unplug when needed.
Sarah Gallardo
Current Job Title: Behavior Intervention Teacher
Current Employer: Pflugerville ISD
Job Overview: I serve as the behavior specialist on an elementary campus in Pflugerville, Texas. My students require special education supports to equitably access the general education curriculum due to challenges with neurodivergence and emotional disturbance, emotional dysregulation, and underdeveloped social skills. My team and I provide in-class supports, explicit social skills instruction, and crisis intervention to help our students bridge their gaps between knowledge and practice
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career? My training in anthropology provided insights and experience directly relatable to special populations as a culture. Parents, students, service providers, and educators navigate a variety of challenges and needs unique to this culture. We have our own language, customs, behaviors, beliefs, and values as related to our children and students. The ability to view these perspectives from an anthropological lens, ask questions, and learn about the cultural components of children and families with Autism, ADHD, and Mental Health Challenges helped create a working knowledge to apply directly to my teaching and intervention style.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career? Observational skills, attention to detail, and writing ethnography directly impacted my ability to do my job. We take a variety of qualitative and quantitative data on our students. That data is converted into numeric data where needed, entered, analyzed, and reported on quarterly as progress monitors for a host of clients. Data is shared to committees of stakeholders (called the ARD committee which consists of parents, teachers, administrators, and school psychologists, service providers, and IDEA compliance officers) annually. The skills and knowledge gained from the Applied Anthropology masters as well as my experience as a special educator prepared me for the PhD program in Special Education and Leadership at Texas Tech University. I'm currently in my third year as a doctoral student studying program evaluation. My focus includes leveraging training and experience to evaluate state and district programs for special populations in public school districts across Texas
What do you know now that you wish you knew during your time at SJSU?Anthropology benefits all fields of study and professions. The ability to see fine details, patterns, and cultural aspects in a variety of locations and environments is a skill and a gift. I embrace all I learned at SJUS and I am forever thankful for the training!
Shauna Mundt
Current Employer: Pacific Legacy, Inc.
Current Job Title: Senior Archaeologist
Job Overview: I’m a Senior Archaeologist working in cultural resources management in Northern California. My firm contracts with federal, state, and local agencies to preserve and protect archaeological and cultural resources under CEQA, NEPA, and Section 106 of the NHPA. I manage projects from start to finish including budget proposals, pre-field research, Native American consultation, fieldwork, reporting, site record production, and developing mitigation measures. Additionally, I oversee and train junior staff. I started there as an on-call field technician right after graduating from and have been able to advance my career as a result of my advanced degree from SJSU.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career? My degree gave me specific knowledge about Cultural resource Management, as well as a strong background in theory, field methods, and artifact identification.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career? Artifact identification, field methods, working collaboratively with others.
Elizabeth Fernandez
Current Job Title: Staff Archaeologist
Current Employer: Tremaine & Associates
Job Overview: I work for Tremaine & Associates (a Cultural Resource Management company) as part of a team throughout all phases on multiple projects. I conduct records searches, literature reviews, and other forms of research, collaborate and prepare documentation for submittal to clients, supervise field teams, assist with and supervise all phases of field work, assist with consultation, and work as the lab manager. I have been with this company since 2012 and continued to work for them during my time at SJSU, including working on the Santa Clara Courthouse project in Downtown San Jose. I graduated in Fall 2017.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career:
Occasionally we contract with companies that require a Masters degree, which has allowed me to expand my work experience and provide more valuable work to my company.
Jhaid Parreno
Current Employer: Catalyze SV
Current Job Title: Community Engagement Manager
Job Overview: In my role, I build and maintain relationships with community members,stakeholders,
and partners while overseeing our community engagement services. I often write grant
proposals and respond to RFPs to secure funding. Collaborating with community-based
organizations, nonprofits, city staff, and larger firms is a key aspect of my work.
I also organize and coordinate mission-aligned community and educational events throughout
the year. I support initiatives that enhance our existing programs, including panel
discussions, "Ride and Discover" events (with VTA and/or Caltrain), community partnerships,
and pop-up or tabling events in the community. Additionally, I manage our Community
Engagement Ambassadors and Leaders (CEAL) Team, ensuring we effectively reach and
involve the community in our initiatives.
How did your degree in anthropology prepare you for your career?::
My master’s in applied anthropology really set the stage for my career in community
engagement and advocacy. It gave me the practical skills I needed to navigate the
nonprofit
world. What I loved most about my research project was working directly with the
community—listening to their stories and amplifying their voices. While I might not
remember all
the theoretical aspects of the program, I occasionally find myself referencing insights
from one
of the books and journal articles I’ve read. My degree has been incredibly helpful
in navigating
cross-departmental teams and organizational dynamics. Even though DEAI wasn’t a formal
part
of the curriculum, its principles were woven into everything I did, from inclusive
facilitation to
best practices for working with the community.
What skills or knowledge did you learn at SJSU that you find most useful in your career?
Writing? I didn’t realize that all those years spent writing essays and working on my research
project would actually pay off! In my 2.5 years in the nonprofit sector, I’ve written
my fair share
of reports, event summaries, grants, and proposals. I know I wouldn’t have done nearly
as well
without the skills I gained from my anthropology classes.
Group Projects? While most of us dreaded group projects in school, they really helped set
expectations for collaboration. I’m especially grateful for ANTH 149 (Ethnographic
Methods, Fall
2016), which gave me my first real taste of community engagement. Interviewing residents
and
employees in Japantown and Hensley Neighborhood, collecting data, writing a report,
and
presenting to stakeholders was an invaluable experience.
What do you know now that you wish you knew during your time at SJSU?
1. I wish I had known that group projects and research provide practical skills that
can
enhance your resume.
2. Adaptability and continuous learning are essential in any career–you may not end
up
working in the field you studied, and much of what you learned in school might not
directly apply to your job.