Networking Professionals

Kelsey Sakaida

Kelsey Sakaida is an East Bay native and a graduate of Penn State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science with minors in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She has spent the past 11 years at the California Department of Justice’s Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory, working in the Data Bank program. Kelsey currently serves on the Robots, CODIS, and Familial Search teams, supporting the use of DNA technology in the justice system.

Paul West

Paul West joined Chemtrade in August 2022, bringing a broad background in scientific and technical fields. From 2016 to 2022, he served as the science laboratory coordinator at Los Medanos College, managing the chemistry stockroom in the Physical Sciences Department. His prior experience spans work with the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Navy, USDA, Customs and Border Laboratory, private industry chemical analysis, environmental consulting, hazardous waste management, and ISO quality systems. Outside the lab, Paul has dedicated over 24 years to a local Search and Rescue team and is also an active reserve peace officer and EMT.

Dr. Alexander Liu

Dr. Alexander Liu discovered his passion for plant diversity at an early age and went on to major in Plant Sciences at Cornell University. He earned his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis, where his research focused on the genetic control of root systems in crop plants such as maize. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis in Dr. Siobhan Brady’s lab, studying interactions between parasitic plants and tomato. Outside the lab, Alex enjoys gardening, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with his cat, Beans.

Jesus Mauricio

Jesus Mauricio is a Los Medanos College alumnus and a graduate of Oregon State University, driven by a deep curiosity about the mechanisms of life. As an undergraduate researcher, he worked in the Mark Phillips Lab at OSU, supporting genetics research on adaptation and complex traits using experimental evolution, omics data, and computational approaches. He also collaborated with the Luis De La Torre-Ubieta Lab at UCLA, studying gene expression in neural progenitor cells and their links to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions. Currently, Jesus serves as a Program Coordinator at Biotech Partners, where he supports and inspires underrepresented youth to pursue higher education and pathways into meaningful science careers.

Victor Huang

Victor Huang is a Criminalist at the California Department of Justice’s Jan Bashinski DNA Laboratory in Richmond, where he has worked since 2023. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from UCLA and a master’s degree in Forensic Science from UC Davis. Victor began his career in the DNA Casework Unit, specializing in biological screening and DNA analysis of crime scene evidence. He currently works in the Method Development group, where his research focuses on developing and validating advanced DNA analysis techniques, including probabilistic genotyping tools such as STRmix for complex DNA mixtures.

Aerial Enea

Aerial Enea is a Los Medanos College alumna with a strong commitment to pursuing a career in forensic science. She earned four associate degrees from LMC in Biology, Mathematics, Administration of Justice, and Liberal Arts: Math and Science, and later completed a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with a concentration in Bioanalytical and Forensics from Cal State East Bay. Aerial’s academic and professional journey reflects perseverance through challenges, including balancing work and school and navigating a highly competitive job market. She has gained experience in research, quality assurance, hazardous waste management, and operations in industry settings, including roles at Chevron and Univar Solutions. Currently, she has returned to Los Medanos College to complete certificates in Criminal Investigations and Criminal Law, with the goal of strengthening her pathway into a forensic laboratory career.

Amy Vreeland

Amy Vreeland is a Los Medanos College alumna who graduated in 2019 and went on to earn her degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from UCLA. She spent four years as a research associate specializing in cancer immunology, contributing to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, and diagnostic research efforts worldwide through high-quality cellular products. Amy also serves as a board member of the Kennedy-King Memorial College Scholarship Fund and is currently taking time to focus on her family.

Marissa Montjoy

Marissa Montjoy holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences and is a wildlife biologist with experience in amphibian biology, targeted wildlife surveys, construction monitoring, hydroelectric project support and license compliance activities, and project management. Ms. Montjoy has led or assisted in wildlife-focused surveys throughout California, with a wide range of species, and she holds a federal 10(a)1(A) recovery permit and a state permit and Memorandum of Understanding for Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, foothill yellow-legged frog, and California tiger salamander. She also has experience with habitat evaluations, impact analyses, environmental compliance, and eDNA collection for sensitive or invasive aquatic species.

Zoe Katzman

Zoe Katzman is an environmental scientist with APTIM Environmental, specializing in hazardous waste management, remediation, environmental sampling, and commercial waste auditing. They earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Conservation and Management from UC Davis in 2022. Prior to joining APTIM, Zoe worked in commercial fueling, where they gained hands-on experience in spill response, hazardous waste management, and regulatory compliance.

Dr. Ross Corriden

Dr. Ross Corriden is Senior Director of Inflammation at RAPT Therapeutics in South San Francisco, where he leads discovery biology across immunology and inflammation programs. He earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from UC Santa Cruz and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from UC San Diego, followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Nottingham and UCSD. His career has spanned academic research, pharma, and biotech (including roles at Merck, Neuron23) with a focus on immune cell biology, pharmacology, and neutrophil function. His work has contributed to programs ranging from early target identification through clinical development, with publications in journals including Science and Nature Communications. Ross is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists and is excited to share what a career at the interface of basic science and drug development can look like.