Alumni Update

• Courtney Menzarich (2009) and Ellie Koscheski (2002) have taken jobs at the public relations and marketing firm Barnett Cox and Associates in San Luis Obispo as account managers. In the two years Menzarich has worked at BCA, she’s won both ADDY and TELLY communication awards. Koscheski is returning to the Central Coast from Sacramento, where she worked as the associate director of marketing and public relations at the California Musical Theater.
   
• Lauren Rabaino (2009) left the Seattle Times to take a job as production manager for The Verge, a new publication at Vox Media dedicated to long-form reporting at the intersection of technology, science, art and culture. As a student, Rabaino was one of the first to design the Mustang Daily in WordPress.
   
• Ali Grant (2009) has opened a second location for Be Social Public Relations in Chicago, her San Diego-based public relations and blogger management agency. Grant was featured in national publications for her agency’s campaigns and was also nominated for San Diego's Woman of the Year award.  
   
• Shannon Downing (2003) has been named one of "Top 20 Under 40" by the Tribune in San Luis Obispo. Downing is marketing manager for Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center. After graduating, she worked at KSBY as a television news producer before transferring her skills into the healthcare marketing field in 2008.
   
• Tim Williams (1996), founder and CEO of Digital West, signed an agreement with the city of San Luis Obispo for his company to provide downtown businesses with access to high-speed, fiber-optic Internet. The agreement will also provide five of the city’s public safety facilities with digital services. Williams served as chairman of the board of directors for the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce in 2014. He is a member of Cal Poly’s Journalism Advisory Board.
   
• Steffan Tubbs (1992) debuted his first film, “Life, Liberty and Resilience,” at the 2014 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, March 5-9. Tubbs is a member of the Cal Poly Journalism Advisory Board.
   
• Jill Gregory (1988) leads key brand marketing initiatives for NASCAR and was featured in the 2014 winter quarter edition of Cal Poly Magazine.
   
• Rebecca Alarcio (1981) retired as director of public affairs at Allan Hancock College, after 30 years at the college. Rebecca transferred into Cal Poly from Santa Barbara City College and worked in radio and television journalism before becoming a public affairs specialist at Alan Hancock. 
   
• Terry San Filippo (1977) retired as communications director for Cal Poly’s College of Liberal Arts in 2013. Along with her son, Jack, and Pete Kelley, San Filippo published “Images of America: Avila Beach,” a book designed to preserve the history of the quiet California beach town.
   
• Steven Seybold (1977) died Feb. 17, 2014, after an accident at a meditation retreat center in Manzanillo, Mexico. Seybold fell in love with San Luis Obispo while attending Cal Poly and spent the rest of his life here. He worked as the city’s crime prevention coordinator for 15 years and then spent the rest of his time before retirement at the San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Department.
   
• Claudia Buck (1976) was named business editor for the Sacramento Bee. Buck is also the new vice chair of Cal Poly’s Journalism Advisory Board.
   
• Mark Grossi (1975), an environmental reporter for The Fresno Bee, took second place in April for environmental reporting in the Best of the West competition. His 2013 series, “Living in a Toxic Land,” comprised nine stories that highlighted the challenges of living in the San Joaquin Valley and dealing with its pollution and poverty.
   

Let us know what you’re up to — keep in touch!