Alumni Spotlights feature outstanding UC Santa Barbara alumni succeeding in their careers, proud of their Gaucho heritage.

Nominate your fellow Gauchos for the Alumni Spotlight series!

DJ Darla Bea ‘03 knows how to get a party started. Dubbed the Best DJ in Santa Barbara numerous times, she doesn’t abide by the rules but instead uses her creativity and nostalgic touch to make magic happen.
Obtaining her degree in Chemical Engineering, Kim (Namazian '08) Donnelly writes books about what she loves. Kim writes not only for her daughter, but for children all around the world to understand their everyday lives through chemistry.
Marco Pinter '15 creates artwork which fuse physical kinetic form with live visualizations. He is also the Director of Software Innovation at Teladoc Health, seeking intersections between medical technology and media arts.
The Biden Administration recently appointed Dr. Tanya Das Ph.D. '17 Chief of Staff for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Previously, Tanya served as a Professional Staff Member on the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Ben Feigin ‘97 wins big as the Executive Producer behind "Schitt’s Creek", helping the show make history with a clean sweep at the Emmys and earning himself an Emmy for "Outstanding Comedy Series."
Jesse Byrd ‘10 & Emaan Abbass ‘09 met through the sociology department of UC Santa Barbara and the social life of Isla Vista. Jesse always had a love for art and storytelling while Emaan had a love for world affairs and beauty.