| President | Jimmy Grimes |
| Vice President | Allisha Smith |
| Treasurer | Andrew Hathaway |
| Secretary | Jon Gold |
| Scholarship Chair | Tony O’Neill |
| Young Alumni |
Dillon Patel |
| Communications Co-Chairs | Kerry Cassetta and Joe Wieciek |
UM Club of San Diego Board of Governors
Troy Brinza . I was raised in Terre Haute, IN but both my parents were from the Greater Detroit area. That rubbed off on me and my siblings in the form of fandom for Michigan Football. By the time I finished high school, there was only one school that held my interest, and my entire family was thrilled when I was admitted to UM. I enjoyed my student experience and reflect fondly on my years in Ann Arbor. I remain in touch with many of my brothers from Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and laugh as the stories get told and re-told about our student days and embellished further with each passing year.Fast forward a few years, and I’m now thrilled to earn a new title as “Michigan Parent”. To watch both my kids attend and graduate from UM has been an incredible source of pride. It’s been fun to watch them go through the various stages of their college years and hang out at many of the same places where I had many years before.
I have been a member of the Michigan Alumni Club in San Diego since 2015. In that time, I’ve been involved with our local Speaker Series, Mentor Program, our Go Blue! Night for area HS students, and our annual Family Picnic and Freshmen Send-Off. I never grow tired of the “Go Blue!” shout-outs when walking around SD in Michigan swag. |
 Gary Brucker. As a Southern California native, the decision to leave San Diego for Ann Arbor was a difficult one to make. Fortunately, it turned out to be the right decision and one of the best that I have ever made. The breadth of knowledge that I gained and connections that I made while attending U-M Law School are unparalleled. After obtaining a J.D. in 2005, I returned to San Diego to practice law as a civil and criminal defense attorney. I am now a partner at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP. I joined the U-M Club of San Diego in order to stay connected with the University and give back for future generations. Go Blue! |
Kerry Cassetta . I am from Centennial, CO. At UM, I was active with Pi Phi, Michigan Student Assembly and the Mentor program and worked at the Athletic Dept. After graduating from Michigan in 1997, I moved to Washington, DC to work for the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). I transitioned to healthcare IT working for Siemens. I lived downtown DC for over 15 years. I started making my way back west with the Siemens healthcare acquisition by Cerner and I lived in Chicago for a few years before moving to San Diego. Up until 2020, I have always traveled extensively with my career in health IT and would work in an annual trip to Ann Arbor during football season. Currently, I am the Director of the healthcare provider group at CGI and spend much of my spare time on dog beach with my German Shepherd/Husky mix, Cooper. |
| Jessica Dickson |
| Scott Dickson. Having grown up an Army Brat (Brat in this case being a term of pride), living in at least 14 houses and a few “temporary” accommodations while waiting for housing, and attending 10 schools including 3 in Europe, it’s difficult to say where I’m “from”. Fortunately I happened to have been in Michigan when graduating high school and, of course, applied to the University of Michigan where I was invited into the Honors program. After graduating with a degree in what at the time was called Computer and Communications Sciences, I remained in Ann Arbor, employed by the University in research positions at the School of Natural Resources (now called School of Environment and Sustainability) and the School of Dentistry (some things don’t change). While leaving the vibrant Ann Arbor was a difficult decision, I departed the gloomy winters for sunny California, where I quickly found employment and year-round pleasant weather for outdoor activities. The computer and wireless communications businesses have been entertaining and rewarding, and it has been both fun and challenging to keep up with the rapid changes in technology. There have been satisfying successes and a few gut-wrenching failures, fortunately with quick rebounds. While I’m currently retired from full-time work, I still keep active in wireless communications and internet of things development. I enjoy outdoor activities, including hiking, cycling, disc golf, skiing and snowshoeing, as well as continued learning via the Osher Institute at UCSD. Oh, and joining the local and visiting alumni and fans at the club’s football watches. |
Steve Efroymson . I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and received a B.S. from Indiana University prior to attending and graduating from UM School of Law with a J.D in 1970. After leaving Ann Arbor, I moved to California where I have been practicing law since 1971. I am currently working as a sole practitioner with my own office in La Jolla and also serve as Counsel to Barker Olmsted & Barnier, APLC. In my free time, I like to play golf, hike, go to the gym, and attend movies, plays and concerts. |
Jon Gold . I grew up cheering for UM in Troy, Michigan, attending football games with my mother. At the University of Michigan, I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. After graduating in 2013, I moved to Solana Beach to work at a startup developing novel medical devices. From Saturdays at the Big House to studying abroad in Shanghai to volunteering in STEM outreach, I loved every second of my time in Ann Arbor. I joined the UM Alumni Club of San Diego board to help grow this a-maize-ing community of alumni and support current and future Wolverines. |
Penina Goodman. Thrilled to have graduated from a Wolverine to a Wolverine in Paradise. Honored to be on the UM Alumni board in San Diego. I’m enjoying helping to lead the mentor/mentee and Hike+Hops programs. I grew up in Franklin, Michigan and was raised in a Go Blue household as both my parents also went to UM. I graduated Michigan with a psychology degree and went on to earn a masters in graphic design at an art school in Atlanta. I am a creative director and brand strategist and currently lead the brand marketing department at a nonprofit. My favorite place in SD is Torrey Pines. I enjoy hiking, skiing, reading and traveling. I’m crazy about my dog and she too can be seen cheering Michigan with her maize and blue collar and leash. |
 Jimmy Grimes. I grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana, and received a B.A. from Indiana University in 2006. After graduating, I spent about a year in Chicago before serving for four years as a US Army Engineer officer. Next I moved to Ann Arbor to pursue my MBA at the UM Stephen M. Ross School of Business. After graduating in 2013, I was fortunate to find my way out to San Diego. I currently work as a Program Manager at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. In my free time, I like to spend time with my wife, Allie, son, Hank and dog, Gracie. Additionally, I like to live in Carmel Valley, work out, travel and grill meat. |
Andrew Hathaway. I grew up in Farmington Hills, MI and graduated from the Ross School of Business at U-M with a BBA in finance in 2005. Shortly after graduation, I moved to San Diego and started my career as a personal financial planner with Ameriprise Financial Services. I’m currently living in Oceanside with my wife Laura, daughter Aubrey, and son Jordan. In my spare time, I enjoy playing soccer, running, watching movies and sports, and enjoying the outdoors. |
| John Hayase. |
 Chelsea Mutual. I grew up in Michigan not far from Ann Arbor, and I loved UM so much that I attended twice. I received my BA in Political Science and Spanish in 2010 before moving to Taiwan for a year. After returning to Michigan to attend UM Law School, I received my JD in 2014. I moved to San Diego later that year to begin my career as an attorney, and I currently work as a senior appellate attorney with the California Court of Appeal. I live in North Park with my partner and spend my free time exploring our neighborhood, reading, traveling, volunteering, and checking out live music and comedy shows. |
| Tony O’Neill |
Dillon Patel . I grew up in North County SD and graduated from UM in 2018 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduation, I moved back to paradise and currently work for HP as a R&D Engineer in 3D printing and 3D scanning. In my free time, I can usually be found at the beach surfing, playing beach volleyball, or planning my next trip back to AA. |
| Yessica Roman |
 Joy Sidhwa |
| Allisha Smith |
| Daniel Wang |
 Joe Wieciek. I was raised in central New Jersey and graduated from U-M with a degree in Computer Engineering in 2011. I spent my four college years in the Men’s Glee Club and served as the Alumni Relations Manager of the group during it’s 150th Anniversary celebration in 2010. I currently lead technical operations for Outrider, a robotics startup in the Denver area. When I’m not working, I like to travel, spend time outdoors, and appreciate San Diego’s craft beer scene. |
Christine Wu . I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. I attended UM from 2004-2007 where I was a member of Alpha Chi Omega fraternity and received a B.A. in Political Science. I moved to San Diego in 2008 and received my JD from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2011. I started my own law practice, The Wu Firm, in 2014 where I specialize in providing business and global migration solutions for companies, entrepreneurs, and investors around the world. I love spending time with my family, friends, and dogchild Luna (who is the cutest), traveling around the world, trying new things often, being active in the community, and giving back to others in any way I can. I am a proud Wolverine. GO BLUE! |