Guy Kawasaki and CSUMB alums put on a “remarkable” evening

By Walter Ryce

Members of the community joined CSUMB students, staff and faculty to hear a message delivered by Guy Kawasaki, author, speaker, podcaster, entrepreneur and former chief evangelist for Apple Computers: “How to be Remarkable.” 

That was the title of his keynote address delivered at CSUMB’s World Theater on Wednesday, Feb. 12, as part of the President’s Speaker Series. 

President Vanya Quiñones opened the evening by talking about the mission of Cal State Monterey Bay. 

“We are committed to social mobility, experiential learning and critical thinking, which drives future careers and moves families forward,” she said. “We help students find direction on their journey…We are all Otters, part of the same Raft.”

Then she introduced Kawasaki, who told the audience that he worked as Apple’s chief evangelist in the 1980s.

“I used to work for Steve Jobs, which I’m still recovering from,” he said. “Now I am chief evangelist for Canva.” 

He is also the host of a podcast called Remarkable People, in which he interviews renowned guests such as Jane Goodall, Brandi Chastain, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Margaret Atwood and Stacey Abrams.

Kawasaki recounted how he began to lose his hearing (he wears a cochlear implant) just before he interviewed Tyson and had to keep up with the conversation by reading a Google Chrome transcript. And how he considers Goodall, a revered primate and biology expert, to be the most remarkable person alive.

He distilled content from guests of that podcast into his 16th book, “Think Remarkable,” which in turn formed the basis of his keynote address. He described it as the “Top 10 lessons I learned about how to be a remarkable person.”

They included nuggets such as, No. 4 - Embracing vulnerability by trying new things.  

“I took up hockey at age of 44. Then I took up surfing at 60,” he said. “You take up surfing at age 60, you’re going to get hurt. You are vulnerable. You’re going to make an ass of yourself.”

But rewards and wisdom will follow. 

No. 5 - Go and be.

“A company like Toyota says if you want to know what’s going on in the factory, don’t just read reports, you go to the factory floor and see for yourself,” he said. “Even better, work on the factory floor.”

Other advice included sweating small stuff like your social media avatar and having a LinkedIn profile, adopting Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, making yourself indispensable in an organization, and embracing AI — Kawasaki is a major fan of AI. 

No. 9 - Take the high road. As he put it, “There’s no traffic jam on the high road. It’s easier than the low road. On the low road, you’ve got to be mean, evil, be a liar.”

When he wrapped up his talk, the audience clapped enthusiastically. 

Next, Monterey Mayor Tyller Williamson, a 2013 CSUMB grad, moderated a panel discussion with three CSUMB alums, posing questions that highlighted their own experiences. 

Amanda Contreras was a first-generation college student and a Pay It Forward scholar at CSUMB. She graduated in 2021 summa cum laude with a degree in Health and Human Services.  

She credits CSUMB and two mentors in particular for helping her grow. 

“I didn’t even know I was going to college,” Contreras said. “I get to be an Otter the rest of my life and I have all these connections. I love it here. I love being part of this community and being a CSUMB alumni.” 

Today she is also the owner of Brewjee Coffee Co. in Salinas and a mother of three. 

She resonated with Kawasaki’s counsel about being vulnerable and open-minded and taking the high road. 

“This community is so important to me,” she said. “I get to donate to things that are important to me and shaped me.” 

Patrice Rodriguez was born and raised in Salinas, attended Hartnell College, and transferred to CSUMB where she earned a bachelor’s in business in 2018 and then a Master of Business Administration. It’s where she overcame her apprehension of public speaking and learned about the “Quintuple Bottom Line” of profit, people, planet, ethics and equity. 

Today she is a procurement category manager at Taylor Farms. 

“I’m in plastics,” she said. “We know the stigma behind it. We went to 100% recycled plastic. And I’m looking forward to [working on a project with] biopolymer based trays.”

She also volunteers for beach cleanups, assembles groceries for the Food Bank, works with and donates to the unhoused at Dorothy's Place, and tends community gardens with kids — a community involvement that was reinforced at CSUMB. 

Jessica McKillip grew up in a small town in the Central Valley and was involved in organizations including Job’s Daughters and 4-H. Her passion for service was nurtured at CSUMB through service learning, the capstone project, and working as a personal assistant for a student in the Student Disability Center.  

“We sign up to do something and expect a certain outcome,” McKillip said. “When you are part of something bigger, it’s a lot of work, sleepless nights, wondering if it’s going to make a difference.” 

She found that it ultimately pays off in sometimes unexpected ways. 

She graduated from CSUMB with a degree in collaborative health and human services and is today the executive director of Independent Transportation Network which provides “dignified transportation for seniors.”

“My professional legacy has come from the opportunities and choices I made at CSUMB,” she said.