California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) has announced its annual Alumni Hall of Fame Awards to recognize the professional accomplishments and community service of distinguished alumni.

The alumni will be honored during a dinner and awards ceremony on April 25 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Alumni Center.

"Our alumni embody excellence and innovation, leaving their mark on industries ranging from the arts to technology, health care to education, entrepreneurship to civic leadership, and beyond," said CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales. "The Hall of Fame celebration is a unique opportunity to recognize these extraordinary individuals whose achievements inspire our campus community and elevate the university's legacy on a global scale."

Three university-wide awards — Distinguished Alumnus, Emerging Leader and Coyote Spirit — will be presented, as well as the Paw Print Awards, which honor esteemed alumni from each of the university’s five colleges.

The honorees include:

Distinguished Alumni Award:  Dr. Appannagari “Dev” GnanaDev ’01, MBA

The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes an achievement of noteworthy value, a series of such achievements or a career or humanitarian effort of noteworthy accomplishment.

Dr. Appannagari “Dev” GnanaDev is chairman of the Surgery Department at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) in Colton and founder and president of Cal Med Physicians and Surgeons, Inc. A surgeon who specializes in vascular, general and trauma surgery, he is former medical director at ARMC (2000 to 2012). In addition, he served as president of the California Medical Association (CMA) from 2008 to 2009, one of only three physicians from San Bernardino County to hold that position in the past 150 years.

His exceptional contributions to the medical field have been recognized with numerous honors, including: the American Medical Association Foundation Excellence in Medicine Award, the Houston Academy of Medicine’s John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award and the Medical Board of California’s Physician of the Year Award. He has served on the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation Board and has also been recognized by the university with the Distinguished Executive of the Year Award.

Emerging Leader Award: Mirna Orihuela ’14, B.S., Health Care Management

This award honors an individual who has made a positive impact in their community, industry or profession and has received their degree within the past 10 years.

A passionate emerging leader with a proven track record in health care services administration, Mirna Orihuela serves as a regional administrator in the Los Angeles metropolitan area with Kaiser Permanente. Before joining Kaiser in 2022, Orihuela served with MLK Community Healthcare as a manager in post-acute and transitional care from 2019 until 2022. From 2016 until 2019, she worked in post-acute care and detox services with College Medical Center.

Active in professional organizations and committed to community service, Orihuela has served as an advisory board member with the California Hospital Association since 2019 and in various volunteer roles with the American College of Healthcare Executives of Southern California since 2014.

She is a member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association and has volunteered as a Children’s Holiday Movie Volunteer with the Venice Family Clinic, helping more than 1,300 children and family members enjoy a special holiday celebration.

Coyote Spirit Award: Roderick M. “Rod” Hendry ’83, B.A., English, ’85, M.A., English Composition

This award honors an individual who has gone above and beyond to help advance the mission of CSUSB as a dedicated volunteer.

Roderick M. “Rod” Hendry is a certified financial planner and financial advisor with Raymond James Hendry Integrated Wealth Strategies. He has been serving the financial needs of retirees, professionals, business owners and their families for more than 35 years.

Prior to joining Raymond James in 2022, Hendry worked for Morgan Stanley/Smith Barney for 33 years. Away from the office, Rod enjoys playing golf, reading, volunteering at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, traveling with his wife, and an annual Alaska fishing trip with his father-in-law.

Paw Print Awards

This award recognizes alumni who have shown exemplary accomplishments that reflect the spirit of their academic college.

Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration

Lt. Col. Jeffrey S. Lehmkuhl ’05, B.A., Management

Lt. Col. Jeffrey S. Lehmkuhl is a pilot and squadron commander in the United States Air Force. He is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a transport pilot in several different types of airplanes and rotorcraft helicopters. In addition, he is an FAA-certified remote pilot of small, unmanned aircraft systems. He is also certified by the FAA as a flight instructor on the Rotorcraft Helicopter and Instrument Helicopter and has his Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit from the Federal Communications Commission.

After earning his B.A. in management at CSUSB, Lehmkuhl went on to earn an M.P.A. in public management from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and an M.A. in strategic security studies from the College of International Security Affairs in 2023, as well as numerous professional certifications. He serves as an Alumni Executive Board Member with the College of International Security Affairs in Washington, D.C.

College of Natural Sciences

Kathleen E. Elison ’12, B.S., Chemistry/Biochemistry

Kathleen E. Elison is co-founder and senior scientist at Terray Therapeutics. The company’s lab is a data factory for artificial-intelligence-assisted drug discovery and development in Monrovia. Their platform uniquely blends experimentation and computation to improve the cost, speed and success rate of small molecule drug discovery and development.

Elison earned a Ph.D. in biology/biological sciences in 2018 from the Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, housed at the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope National Medical Center.

The groundbreaking work being done by Elison and the team at Terray Therapeutics was featured in a June 2024 New York Times article titled, “How A.I. is Revolutionizing Drug Development.”

College of Arts and Letters

ValLimar Jansen ’90, B.A., Theatre Arts

ValLimar Jansen is a singer, composer and recording artist who tours regionally, nationally and internationally as an inspirational speaker, storyteller, psalmist, song leader, principal vocalist and emcee. She is the president of A Fire Within Music.

Known for her work with contemporary Christian music, she sings a wide range of music, including spirituals and traditional, organ-based choral music. Jansen began her professional recording career in 2000 as a guest artist on a number of projects. In 2005, Jansen, along with her husband, Frank Jansen, released her first solo CD, “You Gotta Move.”

The couple won two 2008 UNITY Awards for Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Song and have performed and/or collaborated with some of the best-known songwriters and musicians in Catholic music in the country.

James R. Watson & Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education

Mauricio V. Arellano ’96, M.A., Educational Administration

Mauricio V. Arellano is the superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD), which includes 73 schools and more than 46,000 students. Previously, he served as superintendent of the Redlands School District, and prior to that role, he served as the assistant superintendent of human resources in the Palm Springs Unified School District for 14 years.

As a child, Arellano attended SBCUSD schools, and after graduating from San Bernardino High School, he began his career as a bilingual elementary school teacher in the district. The son of immigrant parents from Mexico, his parents also worked in SBCUSD schools. A first-generation college student, Arellano went on to earn undergraduate degrees in sociology and Spanish at the University of California, Riverside.

Arellano has been widely recognized for his leadership in education and was named U.C. Davis C-STEM Superintendent of the Year in 2020. He has previously served on the CSUSB Alumni Association Board.

Social and Behavioral Sciences:

Wayne M. Harp ’72, B.A., Sociology

Wayne M. Harp enjoyed a successful career in public service with the city of San Bernardino for more than 33 years. He served as acting chief of police for the city of San Bernardino from 1995 to 1996 and as assistant police chief from 1989 to his retirement in 2001.   

Harp is an active Golden Grad of Cal State San Bernardino, an alumnus who graduated more than 50 years ago. His wife, Anita B. Harp, is a CSUSB alumna, and graduated in 1976 with a B.A. in sociology. They reside in Highland.

For more information, visit the Alumni Hall of Fame Celebration website, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (909) 537-3700 or email alumni@csusb.edu. The office provides opportunities for alumni to connect with each other and their alma mater and for CSUSB graduates to mentor and support current students through volunteer opportunities.