Fair and Just

Risë Jones Pichon ’73, J.D. ’76 becomes presiding judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court.

Risë Jones Pichon ’73, J.D. ’76 becomes presiding judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court.

Risë Jones Pichon. Photo courtesy of Risë Jones Pichon.

Presiding judge for the Santa Clara County Superior Court since Jan. 1, Risë Jones Pichon ’73, J.D. ’76 is the first person of color to hold the post—in one of California’s most diverse counties. She has served as a judge for Santa Clara since 1998. She grew up in the segregated South and recently said in an interview with KQED, “It’s given me the courage at this point of my life to make sure people are treated fairly. I can’t say it’s best to treat everyone the same because that’s no longer true. Justice is not blind.” Pichon also serves on the advisory board for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

post-image Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building. View full image. Photo licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
A Crescendo of Achievements

Nicolás Lell Benavides ’10 shares how his Santa Clara experience and passion for composition led to the creation of his largest project to date: “Dolores.”

Haunted or Not? We Ask the Winchester Historian

“One day, I was at the house very early when no one else was there, and I heard the clearest footsteps treading on the metal roof above me.” Meet Janan Boehme ’81, the first-ever historian of the Winchester Mystery House.

Impact That Lasts

“Steve and I want whatever is left when we die to make a real difference for people and the planet.”

A California Leader

Richard Riordan ’52 leaves a lasting California legacy as a distinguished leader, committed philanthropist, and a visionary innovator.