Dean’s Leadership Council

Cal Poly, ’89
B.S., Biological Sciences
M.A. Biology, Harvard University
Ph.D. Biology, Harvard University

In 1989, Dean arrived at Cal Poly as a first-generation transfer student from the Sacramento area. After completing his undergraduate education in Cal Poly’s then College of Science and Mathematics, he went on to earn an M.A. and Ph.D. at Harvard University.

Dean returned to Cal Poly as a biological sciences professor in 2002. Before his appointment as dean of the College of Science and Mathematics in 2017, Dean served as an associate dean for the college, dean of Cal Poly’s Office of Research and director or the Center for Coastal Marine Sciences.

Dean continues to advise research students in the Wendt Lab, with his research and advising focused on physiology and ecology of marine invertebrate animals and marine conservation.

Cal Poly, ’89
B.S., Applied Mathematics

After a 33-year career at The Walt Disney Company, Sherri Brown retired at the end of 2024 as a Vice President in the Enterprise Technology division. Sherri was responsible for the strategy, architecture, engineering, and design of global network shared services supporting the business segments of The Walt Disney Company. She led a team of engineers who designed and supported network solutions for theme park attractions and resorts, transportation systems, TV stations, theatrical venues, content productions, the company-wide offices and campuses, data centers and cloud connectivity.

She also represented Disney on Cisco’s Global Customer Advisory Board and AT&T’s Executive Client Advisory Council. She was a Board Member for over 10 years and the Vice Chair for the Institute for Communications Technology Management at USC’s Marshall School of Business. She also represented Disney at AT&T’s Global Advisory Council and HP’s Women’s Innovation Council.

Sherri received a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo before starting a career at Arco Petroleum Products in Los Angeles. She is the recipient of the Cal Poly 2024 Honored Alumni Award for the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics.

Sherri now lives in Santa Rosa Valley, California with her family. She enjoys volunteering her time to tutor local students in math, mentoring, traveling, and enjoying an active outdoor lifestyle.

Sherri’s Focus for the DLC:

“My focus on the Dean’s Leadership Council will be to share my business and life experiences to develop ideas and support solutions to further enhance the mission of Bailey College for the students and faculty.  In addition, mentorship was invaluable during my tenure at Cal Poly and is an area I want to advocate for expanding upon for students.”

B.S., Nursing / M.S., Nursing
University of Illinois-Chicago

Peggy Burhenn is a Clinical Nurse Specialist specializing in geriatric oncology, most recently retired from the City of Hope’s Center for Cancer and Aging in Duarte, California. She received her B.S. and her M.S in Nursing from the University of Illinois in Chicago. She is a licensed RN and holds certificates in Oncology Nursing, Advanced Oncology Nursing, and Gerontological Nursing.

She was a co-investigator for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R25 grant, and principal investigator and co-investigator on other studies. In her previous roles, Peggy was involved in education, research and care management of the older adult with cancer. Her focus has been to teach healthcare professionals about caring for the older adult with cancer. Her professional work, including over 20 peer-reviewed articles, focused on a diversity of gero-oncology issues such as: geriatric assessment, delirium, sleep promotion, fall prevention, cognition, pain in the older adult and guided imagery. She has received multiple awards for her work and in 2022 was awarded the Mara Mogensen Flaherty Memorial Lectureship at the annual Oncology Nursing Society Congress.

During the COVID pandemic she volunteered as a nurse performing testing and vaccination support for the county health department.

Currently, in retirement Peggy has transferred her education skills into roles in the natural world. As a certified California Naturalist, Master Gardener for San Luis Obispo County, an ambassador for the Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation, a docent at the California State Parks, a member of the California Native Plant Society, and the Audubon Society she gives talks and leads nature walks.

She resides on the Central Coast of California with her husband, one very lucky black cat adopted from the Cal Poly Cat Program, and more ground squirrels than you can count.

Peggy’s Focus for the DLC:

Is to bring the perspective of the health care professional to the council as the Bailey College supports students in the pre-health fields.

B.S., Biochemistry,
Case Western Reserve University
M.S., Molecular and Cell Biology,
University of Maryland Baltimore

Diana is a biopharma executive and independent strategic advisor with over 25 years of experience spanning drug discovery through global development. She advises biopharma organizations on clinical development, operational execution, and corporate strategy, partnering with executive teams to advance programs efficiently and drive value creation.

Diana most recently served as Chief Development Officer at SiteOne Therapeutics, where she led development strategy and operations and built the infrastructure to support R&D execution. During her tenure, the company was acquired by Eli Lilly. Prior to SiteOne, she was Chief Development Officer at Terns Pharmaceuticals, where she played a key role in advancing a diversified pipeline across liver disease and oncology.

Earlier, at Gilead Sciences, Diana built and led early development and biomarker operations, advancing Phase 1 study design and execution and integrating biomarkers into clinical development. She also led clinical operations across the Inflammation and HIV and Emerging Viral Infections therapeutic areas and contributed to nine U.S. and global drug approvals.  
She began her career in clinical operations at Roche/Genentech, Theravance, and XenoPort.

Diana holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University and an M.S. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Cal Poly, ’11
B.S., Statistics & Mathematics,
FSA

Megan Evans graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2011 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Statistics. She was born, raised and is currently living in Orange County, California. Megan pursued a career as an actuary right out of college and has worked at Pacific Life in Newport Beach ever since. She has worked in multiple areas within the company over the past 12 years, including life insurance product design, annuity product design and annuity valuation. Megan currently works in the company’s product analytics team on the annuity side of the business. In 2020, she received her Fellowship of the Society of Actuaries (FSA). In her spare time, Megan enjoys being a cat-foster-mom and doing DIY projects on her 1930s era home in Santa Ana.

Megan’s focus for the DLC:

To be a voice for math and statistics students in industry and promote the actuarial profession.

Cal Poly, ’93
B.S., Mechanical Engineering

Chris Finley is a high school teacher at Edison High School in Fresno, California, teaching physics, mathematics, restorative justice, and dual-enrollment courses. He graduated from Cal Poly in 1993 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. With interests spanning multiple disciplines, he ultimately chose engineering as his fall back. He holds a Single Subject Credential in Mathematics, with authorizations in Physics and Computer-Aided Drafting, and earned an M.A. in Mathematics Education from Fresno Pacific University.

While at Cal Poly, he was a member of the Society of Black Engineers and Scientists, Phi Beta Sigma, Fraternity, the Black/Pan African Student Union, and the Associated Students Speakers Forum. He credits these organizations with sparking his commitment to diversity and equity in education. He met with then Cal Poly President Emeritus Warren Baker and joined student rallies aimed at the Academic Senate to advocate for ethnic studies at Cal Poly.

Upon graduation, Chris was hired as the first MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) Director at COS (College of the Sequoias). As director, he was responsible for running the tutorial center and providing academic counseling and support for underrepresented students pursuing degrees in math, science and engineering. While working at COS, he decided to enter the field of teaching. He felt that he would have the biggest impact in the classroom. He has taught all levels of mathematics, as well as drafting, mechanical drawing, architecture, Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), Men’s Alliance and Restorative Justice, which focused on building community within the school. He has been a speaker and presenter at various high schools, colleges, and teacher development conferences.

Chris is married to Sheila Finley and is the proud father of five children and three grandchildren.

Chris’ focus for the DLC:

"As a member of the DLC, I want to use my knowledge and expertise to address problems that will arise within our work, with an equity lens that focuses on diversity and inclusion. I believe that the path forward lies in our ability to harness talents from diverse human groups.”

“There is only one race and its human, everything else is culture.”
~ Eracism Foundation

Cal Poly, ’84
B.S., Chemistry
Ph.D., Pharmacology, UC San Diego
Postdoctoral Research Fellow,
Stanford University

Jeff has decades of experience in the bio-pharmaceutical industry including positions at Merck, Roche, Theravance and Cytokinetics. He has expertise in molecular pharmacology, in vivo pharmacology and translational research with industrial experience that includes leadership of discovery, preclinical and clinical development projects. Jeff contributed to five discovery programs that yielded FDA-approved medicines.

Jeff is a co-founder of Altos Therapeutics developing gastrointestinal therapeutics (acquired by Takeda Pharmaceuticals in March 2017) and currently serves as Senior Vice President and Senior Distinguished Research Fellow at Terns Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. His academic activities include more than 18 years as member of the Editorial Board for the American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology and 12 years instructing the “Molecular Pharmacology” course for the University of California, Berkeley Extension. Jeff has published over 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles. He completed his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, his Ph.D. in pharmacology at UCSD and his postdoctoral training at Stanford University.

Jeff’s focus for the DLC:

“I aim to better understand issues facing the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics and provide my perspective as a professional in the healthcare industry, and as a graduate of the university. It is a privilege to assist the council in providing input on the evolving needs of employers and the community, and to consider the corresponding university programs and curricula that equitably prepare students for success following graduation.”

Cal Poly, ’83
B.S., Chemistry
Ph.D., Chemistry, Columbia University
Postdoctoral Research Fellow,
UC Berkeley

Paul is a medicinal chemistry consultant for several small Bay Area based biotech companies working in the areas of senescence, metabolic diseases, oncology as well as in new technology for drug release and disease target regulation. After working in an academic environment at the University of Toronto and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Paul joined Roche Bioscience in Palo Alto as a medicinal chemist and eventually became a principal scientist and drug discovery program leader. In this regard, he holds multiple patents in the areas of adrenergic receptor agonists and antagonists as well IP receptor antagonists. Three of his co-discoveries were tested clinically. Paul’s interest in organic chemistry began as an undergraduate at Cal Poly under the tutelage of Professors Michael Silvestri and Jan Simek. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in chemistry from Columbia University where he conducted his thesis research under the mentorship of Professor Gilbert Stork and was a postodoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley prior to working in academia.

Cal Poly, ’96
B.S., Biological Sciences
M.D., UC Irvine College of Medicine
Residency, UC Irvine
Department of Neuropsychiatry and Human Behavior

Daniel J. Kostalnick, M.D., F.A.P.A. is a Diplomate (Board Certified Physician) of both the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as well as the National Board of Physicians and Surgeons. He is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a member of the Northern California Psychiatric Society and the California Psychiatric Association.

He is also a Fellow of the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP) in Scotland, United Kingdom--a prestigious global organization dedicated to encourage and promote international scientific study, teaching and the application of neuropsychopharmacology.

Daniel’s focus for the DLC: 

“As a member of the Dean’s Leadership Council, I am committed to fostering the educational experience of our students: I have a particular interest in assisting our pre-medical students by advocating for educational programs and strategies that support their education by mentoring and inspiring the next generation of physicians. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and specifically the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics, stands at the forefront of premedical education. Together, we create a diverse and intellectual academic community within the college that fosters the growth and development of our students as they continue their academic and professional careers in medicine.”

Cal Poly, ’99
B.S., Biochemistry
MBA, Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Business

Herb has almost 25 years of biotech and biopharma experience.  In 18 years at Amgen, he has worked in multiple functions including Finance, Sales, Marketing and Strategic Planning. His therapeutic area experience across Amgen’s $23B U.S. portfolio spans cardiovascular, respiratory, inflammation and nephrology. His diverse experience with payer and healthcare provider segments informs how he thinks about complex business scenarios.

Prior to joining Amgen, Herb capitalized on his Cal Poly science education at Genentech manufacturing and Abgenix process development (both focused on monoclonal antibody purification) before deciding to pursue his MBA.

Herb is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (B.S., Biochemistry), and of Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Business (MBA).

Outside of Amgen, Herb mentors undergraduate students and has also consulted businesses.  In both cases, Herb takes a holistic approach to clearly define the most important decisions that are pivotal to achieve stated goals.

Herb and his family relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, in 2022, where he’s adjusting to “lake life” and sorely missing “beach life.”

Cal Poly, ’98
B.S., Statistics
M.S., Statistics, UC Davis

Laura Patnode serves as the Chief of Staff and Head of Operational Risk and Control for Wells Fargo’s Investment Portfolio Organization, where she applies her knowledge and skills in managing strategic initiatives, product development, operational risk and control environment and human capital management, to create a well-controlled yet dynamic business environment supporting the Investment Portfolio’s people, processes and technology.

She has a Masters in Statistics from U.C. Davis and a passion for continuous improvement across the multi-dimensional business environment. Her areas of expertise and competence include crisis management, operational risk management, compliance, technology and product development, strategic planning, and model risk management.

One of the highlights of her career is, in collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders, implementation of brand new technology supporting trade execution and scenario analysis, which significantly upgraded the team’s real-time and routine capabilities.

When she is not working, she tries to spend her time snow skiing.

Laura’s focus on the DLC:

As a Leadership Council member, my goal is to strengthen the bridge between Cal Poly’s statistics program and the financial services industry.

Cal Poly, ’79
B.S., Chemistry

Joan Pinder is a 1979 graduate of Cal Poly with a B.S. in chemistry. She is retired from the disk drive industry, last serving as the Executive Director of IDEMA, the industry trade association.

She did a specialization in Polymer Chemistry during a year long study abroad program at University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. Professor Dane Jones was her senior project advisor on Cell Casting of Polymethyl Methacrylate, one of the first polymer senior projects in the college.

Joan also serves Cal Poly on the Western Coatings Technology Center Industry Advisory Council and represents the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics on the Alumni Association Board.

Joan is an avid traveler and enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, bike riding and skiing.

Joan’s focus on the DLC:

“As a Leadership Council member, I would like to help integrate alumni back into the college and find meaningful ways for them to engage with the Bailey College.” 

Cal Poly, ’89
B.S., Biological Sciences

Kelly has spent 30+ years in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly in small to mid-size pharma companies, in various commercially-oriented positions, including:  market research, public relations, sales, marketing, new product planning and product ideation — with the last 15 years in product development capacities, leading cross-functional teams in drug development efforts to maximize value to patients, other customers and the enterprise.

Kelly’s focus on the DLC:

“In my role on the DLC, I would like to promote activities and efforts in Bailey College students with a broad understanding of career development paths, particularly in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries; as well as to promote among Bailey College students a broad appreciation of skills and foundational knowledge that make them valuable and effective in roles that can positively impact and improve people’s lives.”

Cal Poly, ’78
B.S., Liberal Studies
MAed, Cal State Long Beach

Jeanne Stone graduated from Cal Poly with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies, also earning her California Teaching Credential. She received a Master of Arts Degree in Education from California State University Long Beach, also earning a California Education Administrative Credential. Jeanne taught elementary methods courses to future teachers and served as edTPA Coordinator for all credential programs in the University of California Irvine School of Education for 25 years. Prior to joining the faculty at UCI, Jeanne taught grades two through five and served as the Language Arts Specialist in Santa Ana Unified School District. Jeanne continues to serve as a consultant for the National edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment) having previously served as Lead Trainer nationally.

Jeanne is a proud Cal Poly alum and parent. She and her husband Ken, who met in the dorms, have been actively involved in supporting Cal Poly for over 40 years. All three of Jeanne and Ken’s sons also attended Cal Poly, during which time Jeanne served on the Parent’s Advisory Council.

Jeanne’s focus on the DLC:

Jeanne shares her focus on the Dean’s Leadership Council as being a steward and supporter of the Liberal Studies program, encouraging future teacher candidates.