General Information: Distinguished Alumni
2005 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
Richard Ohlemacher
B.A. Environmental Studies & Planning, 1992
Manager, Environmental Systems
Northrop Grumman Corporation
From grassroots efforts of the international development community in the African Sahel, to conducting diplomatic protocols for multilateral environmental agreements at the US Embassy in South Africa; from negotiating with foreign nations for the exchange and application of advanced technology to monitor the natural cycles of the Earth's systems to the commercial applications of that environmental information, Mr. Ohlemacher's career has continued to build upon his early studies and influences at SSU.
After graduation in 1992, Mr. Ohlemacher was selected to join the US Peace Corps and was sent to Senegal, West Africa, where he initiated an environmental education program that later served as a model country-wide. His efforts brought together community experts in the region, and harnessed the knowledge of village leaders, farmers, teachers, and officials in education, hygiene, agriculture, forests and water management to solve problems relating to the degradation and use of their scarce, natural resources.
After receiving his master's degree in International Affairs from Columbia University, Mr. Ohlemacher was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow for the federal government.
During this time he worked on international and interagency science and technology policy, as well as specific applications for implementing international, Earth-monitoring and environmental agreements at the Department of Commerce in Washington D.C. with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
His last two years at NOAA were spent with a small cadre of staff reporting directly to the NOAA Administrator and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, USN (Ret.).
His principal focus centered on implementation and communication of the first-ever Earth Observation Summit, a high-level political initiative spearheaded by Lautenbacher and the Secretary of Commerce that garnered G8 endorsement. Hosted by Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans, and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, over 30 nations and 20 international organizations participated at the highest levels.
Mr. Ohlemacher and his team were recognized for their achievement with the Gold Medal for Leadership, the highest from of honorary recognition the Department of Commerce bestows for distinguished contributions to the nation.
Mr. Ohlemacher has since left public service to join Northrop Grumman Corporation in Los Angeles as Manager of Environmental Systems. He provides private sector analysis, outreach, and business development to advance broad efforts to integrate technology and its civilian applications for monitoring and understanding the Earth and its natural systems.
2004 Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
Martin Klein
B.A. Psychology, 1982
B.A. Sociology, 1982
Associate Dean for Student Services
and Administrative Operations,
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,
Yale University
Dr. Klein's diverse responsibilities at Yale University include overseeing the admissions office, finance and administration, career services, student services, and preparation for teaching as well as coordinating with the registrar's office and the public affairs offices. Throughout his career, he has advanced developing strong links between education and community involvement through research, special projects, curricular innovations, policy change, and practice implementation.
Before accepting the position at Yale University, he was Associate Dean for Primary Care and Associate Director, Center for Primary Care Education at New York Medical College. In these positions he was involved in medical education and developed interdisciplinary programs that broadened the views of medical students and health professionals.
Dr. Klein received a Ph.D. from Columbia University, Graduate School
of Arts and Sciences in 2000, a M.P.H. from Yale University, School
of Medicine in 1986. He was also selected for additional training as
a Harvard Macy Scholar at the prestigious Harvard Macy Institute Program
for Physician Educators in 2002 and received the honor of a fellowship
in Medical Informatics through the National Library of Medicine.
2003 Distinguished Alumni Award
Winner
Timothy Smith
B.A. Political Science 1976
Sonoma County Supervisor
District #3
Mr. Smith was born and raised in Marin County and graduated from Terra
Linda High School. He served in Vietnam from 1970-1972 as a radioman
in the U.S. Navy. After graduation from Sonoma State, he began public
service as an administrative assistant to then State Congressman Doug
Bosco and continued as district director when Bosco was elected as 1st
District United States Congressman. He was elected to the Sonoma County
Board of Supervisors in 1988 and was reelected in the 2000 March primary
election to his fourth four-year term. Mr. Smith has participated in
the development of major public policy related to health and human services,
fiscal responsibility and the environment. Mr. Smith was elected and
is currently President of the California State Association of Counties,
a statewide group composed of all 58 California counties and one of
the most important organizations of local governments in the nation.
Mr. Smith’s youngest daughter recently graduated from SSU.
