Featured Alumni
CASAS is proud to celebrate our UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare alumni who share a passion for aging—whether they focused on aging during their studies or pursued it in their careers after graduation. We are continuing to build a vibrant alumni community and invite you to stay connected with us through our contact form or by email at casas.aging@berkeley.edu.
Roy Earnest, MSW
Class of 1982
Roy Earnest
Class of 1982
In late July, Roy Earnest (’82) received the Icon Award from KPIX for his work on the Kahuna Kupuna Benefit Surf Contest in Pacifica, California. Meaning “Big Chief, Wise Elder” in the Hawaiian language, this contest started in 2000 to create a more inclusive surf competition for older adults, addressing a gap he saw in the community. Over the next 25 years, Roy provided surfers aged 40 to 80 the opportunity to ride the waves on anything from surfboards to inflatable mats. But for Roy, this was more than just a surf contest; it was a way to give back to the community he loved and promote healthy aging—two causes he dedicated his education and career to.
A fellow Berkeley student, he entered the halls of Haviland because of its strong and focused programming for those interested in working with older adults, like himself. During his time here, he not only worked in the In-Home Support Services Unit in Marin County and at the San Francisco Senior Center, but also met his wife of 41 years, Nancy Littlefield (’81). Upon graduation, Roy would go on to work for Catholic Charities, manage a 110 HUD-subsidized unit apartment complex in the Mission for older adults, join the advisory council for the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Program, start a beach cleanup program that would turn into the Pacifica Beach Coalition, and serve as a program officer for the Northern California office of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), overseeing grants for AmeriCorps, VISTA and Senior Corps volunteer programs. He would also produce Surfing for Life (1990), a documentary about older surfers as an example of healthy aging. This production won Best Documentary and the Audience Award at the 1999 Hawai’i International Film Festival and catalyzed the Kahuna Kupuna Benefit Surf Contest.
These days, Roy dedicates his time to serving as Chair of the Pacifica Age-Friendly Community Initiative and staying active through volunteer work—because, as he jokes, “Social workers never retire; they keep going to meetings.” Reflecting on his journey and offering advice to current Haviland students, Roy emphasized that Haviland is just the beginning—education and growth continue throughout a lifetime, and he’s living proof of that:
They should be proud that they’ve chosen a great profession with a great history of helping people in a professional, thoughtful way…We learn ethics, how to treat people with respect, and give people the room to figure out what they want to do with their lives.
Our work at CASAS is a collective effort.
We collaborate with community organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, and, most importantly, older adults and their caregivers. This collaborative spirit ensures our work is grounded in real-world experiences and addresses the needs of diverse aging communities.