Alumni Spotlights

Maximilian “Max” Ibel (Ph.D. ’00, Computer Science) is a seasoned technology executive, venture capitalist, and dedicated UC Santa Barbara leader. After earning his doctorate from UCSB, Max joined Google during its early years, and spent 17 years there, including as a Senior Engineering Director leading critical initiatives in web search infrastructure, web crawling, and identity management, resulting in over 10 co-authored patents. He later transitioned into venture capital as a Partner at Amino Capital from 2017 to 2023, where he backed high-growth, data-driven startups in cybersecurity, healthcare, and advanced systems. Today, Max remains deeply committed to advancing his alma mater’s mission, contributing his strategic expertise as a UCSB Foundation Trustee and a member of the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering Dean’s Cabinet.

Joel Katz’s work centers on using sport to strengthen communities and expand access to recreational spaces. He earned his B.A. in Geography with a minor in Sport Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where his involvement in Rec Sports and club soccer shaped his leadership and community-focused mindset. After graduation, Joel spent a decade working in the NBA, gaining experience in the community engagement side of professional sports. Today, he serves as Vice President of Community Impact for San Diego FC and sits on the board of the San Diego Parks Foundation, where he focuses on expanding access to youth sports, safe play spaces, and community programming that brings people together through sport.

Mitch Braff is a filmmaker, entrepreneur and founder of LiquidView, a company creating immersive digital windows designed to bring the calming effects of nature into interior spaces. At the University of California, Santa Barbara, he customized his education through the Liberal Studies program with concentrations in Film Studies, History and English, combining his interests in documentary filmmaking, historical research and storytelling. While at UCSB, he produced an award-winning 16mm documentary about Jazz in the Classroom, an arts education program in East Oakland featuring musicians including Wynton Marsalis and Pete Escovedo. The film earned multiple honors and allowed him to compete alongside graduate students from top film schools, helping establish the confidence and creative foundation that shaped his career in filmmaking and visual storytelling. After graduation, he built a career producing documentaries, marketing films and creative media projects before founding LiquidView. Inspired by the lack of natural views in urban spaces, he developed the idea for digital windows that display ultra-high-resolution, real-time landscapes designed to feel indistinguishable from real windows. Drawing on his filmmaking background, he uses cinema-grade cameras, immersive sound design and advanced post-production techniques to create realistic experiences that have since been recognized for their potential wellness benefits. Today, LiquidView installations can be found in hospitals, healthcare facilities and commercial spaces across the country, including partnerships with organizations such as Mayo Clinic and Sutter Health. Through his work, he continues to combine storytelling, technology and design to create environments that promote calm, connection and well-being.

Bianca Fernandez is a New York–based creative strategist and brand builder, currently serving as Head of Brand Engagement at Personal Day, a skincare brand founded by Lili Reinhart. As the brand’s second hire, she helped build Personal Day from the ground up and now leads brand strategy and marketing, scaling its presence across direct-to-consumer, TikTok Shop and nationwide retail at Ulta Beauty. She began her career at TikTok, partnering with leading global brands to shape their content and platform strategies, before going on to lead social media at Tarte Cosmetics. Bianca is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Marketing & Advertising, a TEDx speaker and the winner of NBC’s On Brand with Jimmy Fallon, where she competed as a creative strategist developing campaigns for major national brands. A 2019 graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she studied History of Public Policy and Law, Bianca brings a perspective grounded in cultural insight, audience behavior and the evolving role of media in shaping how we connect, create and consume.

Mark DeMitchell is an entrepreneur whose work centers on expanding access to homeownership through customer-driven innovation. He began his academic journey at Santa Barbara City College before transferring to University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned his B.A. in Economics. At UCSB, the Technology Management Program (TMP) shaped his entrepreneurial mindset by emphasizing experimentation and direct engagement with customers. After graduation, Mark spent his 20s in the advertising world before relocating to the Bay Area to pursue entrepreneurship. He went on to co-found Nestment, a first-time homebuyer advocacy platform that guides clients through lending options and affordability strategies to make homeownership more accessible. Today, he continues to build and scale initiatives rooted in the belief that understanding customers’ real problems is the foundation of meaningful innovation.

Kareena Dhillon is a human rights and social impact professional whose work bridges community-based service with global advocacy. She earned her B.A. in Global Studies at UC Santa Barbara, where an emphasis on intersectional history, language, and global systems shaped her commitment to justice-driven nonprofit work. Through hands-on engagement with youth advocacy and human rights organizations in the Santa Barbara community, particularly her work with Freedom 4 Youth, Kareena developed a deep understanding of equity, systems, and the power of community-centered solutions. That foundation guided her toward leadership roles across Southern California’s nonprofit and policy spaces, where she now works at the intersection of human rights, social impact, and international engagement. Kareena currently serves as one of the youngest nominated board members of the United Nations Association in Orange County and as Director of Human Rights and Social Impact for Young Professionals in Foreign Policy, collaborating with emerging leaders committed to principled, nonpartisan service. Across her work, she remains grounded in the belief that meaningful change begins with listening, showing up consistently, and investing in community.