BC Alumni Hall of Fame inductees a group of serious influencers

Apr. 30—The Bakersfield College Alumni Association has named five honorees who will be inducted into the BC Alumni Hall of Fame next month.

And what a group it is.

Each year, the Hall of Fame honors BC alumni who have made a significant impact through their profession, public and community service, or by making a positive impact on the lives of others, the alumni association said in its announcement.

In order to be eligible for induction, candidates must have either earned their associate's degree, transferred from BC to a four-year university, or attended classes at Bakersfield College without earning a degree.

This year's Hall of Fame celebration dinner will be held at 6 p.m. June 22 at the Bakersfield College Renegade Event Center at 1801 Panorama Drive.

The inductees include:

Steven Val Alvidrez, who will be honored posthumously, was instrumental in the development of a police department at the Kern High School District, according to BC's news release. Alvidrez served as chief of police for the high school district's police department from January 2000 until his tragic death in 2011.

Prior to that key role, Alvidrez served as a sheriff's deputy at the Kern County Sheriff's Office where he played a critical role in lowering tension between local youth and sheriff's deputies.

He was a tremendous influence as he coached in a multitude of sports programs where he taught sportsmanship and teamwork not only to young athletes, but to their families as well. Alvidrez developed and presented the "Scared Straight" program to help correct the path of troubled young people in Kern County. And it was Alvidrez who spoke to a young Manuel Carrizalez when Carrizalez was a convicted felon behind bars. Alvidrez, working in the jail, asked Carrizalez if this was where he wanted to be and how he wanted to live his life.

The two continued talking, and Carrizalez, affected by the interest and sincerity of the veteran peace officer, changed his ways. He's now a minister with an outreach to young people who may also be at risk.

Ryan Alsop — As Kern County's chief administrative officer since January 2017, Alsop's job has been critical to the success of the nearly 8,000-person organization and nearly 1 million residents who call Kern County home, according to the alumni association's news release. Alsop has navigated a host of challenging and complex issues, from guiding the organization through an annual fiscal deficit of $62 million to weathering the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently, he is changing the way the county deals with one of its most prevalent issues — homelessness — by implementing Kern County's Strategic Mitigation Plan. Alsop has worked in a variety of positions across the nation, but he was born and raised in Bakersfield, and his dream was always to return to Kern County to pour his experience back into the community. Now that dream has come true.

Max Becherer — After 25 years as a photojournalist covering the most important stories of our times (including Iraq, Afghanistan, and the civil rights movement in the deep South) Becherer is now the national photo editor at The Washington Post, one of the nation's top newspapers. His pictures have appeared in virtually every major magazine and newspaper in the United States and the world, and they are instantly recognizable, according to the news release.

Becherer's work reveals to the world not just the enormity of the events he covers, but the human and emotional toll these world-changing events have had on the people affected. Becherer got his start in the Bakersfield College journalism program, according to the news release, and also worked as a photo intern at The Californian early in his career. Over the years he has conducted numerous lectures and presentations, and has mentored photojournalists around the world and at BC.

Robin McNabb is vice president and chief nurse executive officer at Bakersfield Memorial Hospital. She is responsible for the day-to-day nursing operations of the hospital, with a staff of more than 900 nurses and 1,400-plus total staff members under her leadership, BC said in its news release. McNabb got her start at Bakersfield College when she was a single mom of four girls. Her children remember that each day she would feed, bathe and clothe them, and help with their homework and school projects before she would try to get some rest. Her alarm would be set for 3 a.m. so she could get up to study before she had to be ready to do it all again.

McNabb has experience as a critical care nurse, and she served as a transplant coordinator during a brief hiatus from working in a hospital environment. She continues to work to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation and she volunteers with a variety of health-related nonprofits.

Jay Tamsi — As the president and CEO of the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the chamber's Business Education Foundation, which he founded in 2002, Tamsi has had a tremendous influence and impact on the local economy, the alumni association said in its news release. In addition to tripling the membership of the chamber in less than 10 years at the helm, Tamsi has developed and implemented programs that have helped prepare more than 1,200 entrepreneurs and new business owners.

As the central region chairman of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, he has played a pivotal role throughout California advocating for Kern's small businesses, Hispanic and diverse communities, policy issues, and political dynamics impacting local economic growth.

Recent expansion of KCHCC programs focuses on rural communities and providing new opportunities for entrepreneurs in outlying areas. Tamsi also has partnered with Bakersfield College on initiatives, expanding the partnership to the benefit of students and higher education.

To reserve tickets or to help sponsor the event, go to supportbc.org/bc-alumni-hall-of-fame.

Steven Mayer can be reached at 661-395-7353. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter: @semayerTBC.