Welcome to the FoCUS Alumni Page of First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley!  Thanks for visiting!  This is an attempt to reconnect with FoCUS alums from the last several decades.  Bear with us while we continue working on this page.  We welcome any suggestions for how this page could best serve you (just send them to focusalumni@fpcberkeley.org).

Here are some developments that you may be interested in:

ALUMNI NOTES

2000’s

Rachel McCullough-Sanden writes, “I’m living in New York City and managing ASA Foundation, a nonprofit that funds training for microfinance institutions in developing countries.  Accepting donations.”

Joe Kwon graduated medical school in Illinois in 2007 and is currently in residency training for psychiatry at NYU.

Kevin Kuo graduated med school in 2008 and started an internship/residency in pediatrics 2008 (back in the Bay Area at Stanford).

Charles Cannizarro writes, “I worked as a legal assistant for World Vision International for two and a half years after graduation.  Now, I am a law student at Pepperdine University School of Law.”

Anna Joe married Paul Loscutoff (alum 2004) on January 3, 2009.

Evan Chung married Angie (Morrish) Chung on September 15, 2007.  He is now serving as Director of Youth Ministries at Trinity Presbyterian Church in San Carlos, CA.

Christopher Wilson started working for Arch Rock Corporation in San Francisco and moved to the Berkeley hills.

1990’s

Becky McKain writes that she has had “too many job changes to track.  This past year God gave me a great gift of a calling to serve international students at Montana State University full-time.  I am now working with ISI (International Students, Inc.) and LOVING it!!  God is amazing and exciting!”

Carrie Holt Strand shares, “I moved to Colorado in the spring of 2007, to be closer to my family.  (My dad had retired and moved there as well.)  Then in October of 2008, I married Erik Strand, who I met through my church here in Colorado Springs!”

Timothy Sloat is just working (in architecture firms) and a single guy so far….

Matthew Naylor became engaged to Carrie Andersen on October 18, 2008.  They are marrying in August 2009 at 1st Pres.

1980’s

Maria Svensson and Mike Francis were married in 1987.  They write, “We moved to Seattle in 1988 for Mike to practice law and Maria to get a masters in Russian studies.  We have three children: Madeline (17), Luke (15), and Lydia (13).  In 1997 we moved to Orlando for Mike to attend Reformed Theological Seminary, and we have remained here, where Mike is pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church.  Maria has worked for various non-profit organizations (including 2 years as Tim Shaw’s secretary), part-time since the arrival of children.”

Paul Hamalian and his wife Nancy Hamalian have three children: Jacob, Elizabeth, and Madeline.  He has worked with Habitat for Humanity International since 1994.

Allan Pratt graduated medical school in 1993.  He served overseas in the Navy until 1999.  He writes, “This is when I met my wife.  We were married in 2000.  I finished training in Pediatric Gastroenterology in 2002.  I now have a girl, Sarah, who is 7 and a boy, Dylan, who is 5 years old.  We recently moved from Anchorage, Alaska to Tucson.”

Jo Ann Deasy writes, “I graduated from Gordon Conwell with an M.Div. in 1997 and was ordained by the Evangelical Covenant Church in 2000.  I served for 7 years as the dean of students at North Park Theological Seminary and am now finishing a Ph.D. in congregational studies from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary.”

Amy Spanne married Alan Spanne in 1994. They moved to Seattle.  She writes, “We have 2 boys, Phillip, 11 and Warren, 8 and are currently attending Lake City Presbyterian.  LCPC is in a pastor search process, so refer to us any good candidates you know!”

Amy Reynolds currently works at First Pres and the Director of Hospitality.

Travis Culwell and Alexa Cortes Culwell have had lots of (life events).  They were married in 1990 and are “expecting” their third child…a toddler boy who they will be uniting with in China in June.

Ron Sage married Alice in 1998.  They have two children, Peter who is 7 and Megan who is 4.

Eric Jacobsen is married (to Liz) with three kids (Katherine, Peter, and Emma).  He serves as Sr. Pastor at First Pres Tacoma.

Chris Ha writes that he “married Angelica almost 11 years ago and we have 2 kids (a 7 year old girl and a 4 year old boy).  After years at Kaiser, I finally jumped ship and opened a private practice in Roseville, CA.  Oh, I am a dermatologist, so I am a glorified pimple popper!”

1970’s

Daly Jordan-Koch has been married to Claudia Jordan Koch for the past 30 years and raised two sons.  They are now 23 and 21 years old.  He has been a respected educator and classroom teacher in the Vallejo Unified School District for 29 years.  He is very involved at First Pres Berkeley.