Portia Lewis

Casa Zimbabwe 2018-20, Rochdale 2020-21, Hillegass and Parker – HiP 2021

Portia first moved into Casa Zimbabwe (CZ or Die) in 2018 after transferring to UC Berkeley following four fantastic years at community college (CC). While at CC she earned two AS degrees in Natural Science and in Social and Behavioral Science, as well as, an AA in Anthropology. At Cal she double majored in Anthropology, BA and Conservation and Resource Studies, BS. It would be an understatement to say living in the Berkeley Student Cooperative changed her life. Portia had the opportunity to be the Non-Perishables Coordinator at CFS, and work as a Herstorian, Workshift Manager, and House President while living at CZ. She then moved to Rochdale and then Hillegass and Parker (HiP – formerly Le Chateau), while at HiP she was the Kitchen Manager and Community Builder. Not to mention she made memories and the friends of a lifetime. She graduated in 2021 and continued to remain heavily involved with the BSC. She was one of the lead organizers of the Save Rochdale Coalition and is currently involved with the ongoing lease negotiations. She is grateful for the opportunity to be on the BSCAA Board, and she plans to use the opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the BSCAA and BSC, fundraise for the Rochdale remodel, and to plan for the future of the BSC/BSCAA.

V. Nedeltchev

V (they/he) is a committed coop-er and exciting friend. They lived & worked in the coops from 2016-2022 and have stayed around as a full-time staff member. When they aren’t excited about collaborations with the alum association, they play Quadball (formerly known as Quidditch) and work with harm reduction in substances and non-normative relationships.

Sean Sowell

Lothlorien boarder 1984, Kingman 1984-89, Northside 1989-92

Sean (he/him) was born in Boston and grew up in Watertown, Massachusetts. He earned a BA in Psychology in 1992 and credits the USCA for making it possible to work his way through school at Cal. He served as Kingman’s Board member in 84, House President and Workshift Manager in 85, House Manager 86-88, as Board President in the Summer & Fall of 88, and as Kingman’s and Northside’s House President in 89 (concurrently). He led membership referenda 1 (84), 2 (86) and 3 (88) that eventually closed and sold Barrington in 1989. His twin sons are Matt and Nick. He served as Zephyr Teachout’s volunteer deputy texting director in her 2018 run for New York State Attorney General, leading a team of 275 volunteers nationwide who contacted 1.01 million registered Democrats in New York with a cell phone. He misses Warren Zevon, Harry Chapin, and Johnny Cash, and regrets never seeing Warren in concert. He drives for GrubHub, used to work for Open Heart Kitchen in Pleasanton, and still delivers meals to folks who are hungry. He welcomes the chance to return his service to the BSC. USCA President Emeritus.

Afsheen Lebastchi

Cloyne 1996-98, Rochdale 1998

Afsheen has worked at Google for the past fifteen years in various leadership roles. Prior to that, he worked at Intel. He also received a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. He is a Bay Area native, lived in Berkeley as a child (on Hopkins Street) and now lives in San Francisco. He’s been active with BSC fundraising and is on the Political Economy Advisory Board at UC Berkeley. He loves to travel.

Jim Ausman

Chateau House 1990-93

Jim served on the Board of Directors of the USCA for two years, mostly as the VP of Finance. He was the Board President one summer, the summer they decided to foreclose on Barrington and get it back from the man they had sold it to. Other accomplishments were to raise rent slightly to tackle the backlog of deferred maintenance and to allow any students from any college to join the USCA, not just Berkeley. There was a vacancy problem in this era. Jim would like to add more structure to the Board’s projects and goals and his experience as a Project Manager proves useful therein.

Nancy Brigham Blattel

Barrington 1973-75, Rochdale 1975-76, Northside Apartments 1976-80

Nancy is currently Data Management Lead supporting UC’s database for fundraising and engagement needs. In 1996, she founded the BSC alumni association with a group of dedicated alumni who valued their experience, wanted to give back, and knew other alumni would want to as well. At the BSC, Nancy served on the student board and was vice president for three semesters. She graduated in 1977 with a degree in Social Welfare and then worked at the BSC Central Office in the housing department. She has had a long career of leadership with the Better Business Bureau and the Cal Alumni Association.

John Ehrlich

Barrington Hall 1974-77

BS Business Administration. John had many elected positions at Barrington Hall leading to being the House Manager. at Barrington. He was on the USCA Board when we bought Lothlorien, Kingman & Chateau & sold Oxford. and, in 1977, was elected President of the USCA. After 32 years of service in the San Francisco PD, John retired as a Captain. For many years his family & he enjoyed the Lair of the Bear 5th week Gold. John has served on the BSCAA Board since 2012. He lives in Berkeley with his new wife, Sandy whom he met when house manager at Barrington Hall.