Joshua Grass: An Alum Worth Honoring
The Bailey College of Science and Mathematics is proud to have Joshua A. Grass as our Honored Alumni awardee for 2026.
After graduating from Cal Poly with a B.S. in ecology and systematic biology in 1993, Josh went on to earn an MBA in finance and entrepreneurship from William E. Simon School of Business at the University of Rochester.
Josh has accomplished what many hope for, using his expertise, experience and skills to create meaningful outcomes. He has spent decades building and scaling biotechnology companies, focusing on rare diseases. His leadership path has included navigating multiple companies through successful acquisitions, including Escient Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Incyte) and Modis Therapeutics (acquired by Zogenix).
During 15 years at BioMarin, he played a key role in shaping the company’s rare disease strategy and supporting the global development and commercialization of multiple therapies. Across his career, Josh has combined company-building, strategic execution, business development and operational leadership to advance innovative medicines for patients with high unmet need.
Currently, Josh serves as co-founder and CEO of Mendra, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company using artificial intelligence (AI) to modernize the development and commercialization of rare disease therapies and reach patients more efficiently on a global scale.
Josh will be recognized by Cal Poly and the Bailey College this fall at the Honored Alumni Awards ceremony, an annual event that has been a university tradition for more than 70 years.
Past Bailey College Honored Alumni
The Honored Alumni Award is the highest recognition bestowed upon graduates of Cal Poly. Through
contributions to their fields and Cal Poly as well as their impact on communities and beyond, our Honored Alumni represent the best of Learn by Doing.
Awardees listed alphabetically with their graduation year.
| Michael R. Abbott, ’94 | Kenneth E. Dyar, ’89 | Candice Ann Morgan, ’69 |
| Dr. Cheryl Achterberg, ’75 | William Howard Fenical, ’64 | Don Monte Morris, ’52 |
| Tony Aghazarian, ’96 | Gerald Alvin Fialho, ’55 | Dorothy Elaine Newell, ’77 |
| William Jay Alison, ’77 | Sally Vreseis Fox, ’79 | Mark J. Newland, ’82 |
| Dale Walker Andrews, ’52 | William Lee Frost, ’72 | Edward Wayne Newton, ’63 |
| Diana Blake Barnhart, ’68 | Tim Geistlinger, ’92 | Nohemy Ornelas, ’07 |
| Isaac Ruben Barpal, ’67 | Daniel Charles Fulmer, ’71 | Charles Ward Patterson, ’62 |
| Bobby Beathard, ’59 | Brian J. Hackney, ’86 | Gordon Lee Ray, ’53 |
| Nanci L. Bell, ’65 | Margaret Jane Hartman, ’66 | Peter Jacob Reitz, ’60 |
| Anne Marie Bergen, ’85 | John Peterson Hartnett, ’61 | Robert B. Samules, ’61 |
| Barbara Lynn Blanke, ’85 | H. Vincent Jacobs, ’65 | Eric E. Schadt, ’91 |
| Linda McArther Bradford, ’71 | Jeffrey R. Jasper, ’84 | Carolyn Baggerly Shank, ’69 |
| Richard John Bradshaw, ’70 | Daniel Kostalnick, ’96 | Michael Parker Sherman, ’65 |
| Howard W. Braham, ’72 | Harold Arden Kurth, ’59 | Glenn R. Stewart, ’58 |
| Sherri Brown, ’87 | Hugo Ernesto Lara, ’89 | Gilbert H. Stork, ’64 |
| Gary John Brusca, ’60 | Brian Philip Lawler, ’76 | Robert Raymond Treanor, ’67 |
| David Raymond Burgess, ’72 | William Robert Livesay, ’67 | Richard Chester Tucker, ’60 |
| Arlene B. Chandler, ’63 | John Earl Madden, ’59 | Gail G. Uilkema, ’75 |
| Lewis Alvin Cryer, ’66 | Charles Robert Manclark, ’53 | John Waggoner, ’89 |
| Agustin Jaime Cuello, ’93 | John Thomas McDevitt, ’82 | Walter William Wilson, ’65 |
| L. Byron Culver, Jr., ’50 | Christina H. McEnroe, ’00 | Dianne Wilson-Graham, ’79 |
| Peter J. Cutino, ’57 | Michael R. McGinnis, ’66 | James T. Woolaway, ’82 |
| Nancy Lee DePue, ’67 | David H. Montgomery, ’54 | |
| Roger L. Duncan, ’84 | Geraldine Owen Montgomery, ’72 |
Explore the Full Issue
Published as part of Milestones, a special commemorative issue magazine from the Cal Poly Bailey College of Science and Mathematics in 2026.
