MIRAMONTE TO EARLY TECH STARTUPS & BACK TO MIRAMONTE 

This month, Kevin Roebuck, Miramonte Class of 1982, shares his experience starting his career in the early years of Silicon Valley tech startups, offers some advice for both students and alumni, and provides insights into his current life as a Miramonte parent.

Please tell us a little about yourself and your history with Miramonte High School.

KR: My family moved to Orinda in the Spring of 1972. I started school in the 2nd grade at Sleepy Hollow, then attended OIS and eventually Miramonte where I graduated with the great class of 1982. My son is a member of the class of 2027. My daughter looks to graduate with the class of 2030. My sister, Karen, also graduated from Miramonte in 1976.

Can you tell us what you’ve been up to since high school, for those who might not know? 

KR: After Miramonte, I went to Santa Rosa Junior College for 2 years. I took a summer job after that at a startup called Sun Microsystems in Palo Alto.  I then transferred to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in 1985 majoring in Industrial Technology. After leaving Cal Poly, I re-joined Sun and, eventually Oracle, where I spent the next 25 years working primarily in global industry sales development for the Education and Research market. After Oracle, I spent 2 years with a UK-based startup called Interactive Scientific delivering a new virtual reality platform for the nanosciences market. 

Along the way, I met my wife in San Francisco in 2001. We moved back to Orinda in 2009.

What is your greatest professional/personal accomplishment? 

KR: At Sun, we created a technology transfer program called SunSITE to set up World Wide Web servers at top universities in Russia, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. The initiative led to projects and travel to more than 45 countries. It was an invaluable life experience. During that time I was proud to join the Advisory Board at Digital Hollywood’s University Project, Cal State University Entertainment Alliance, and the Immersive Education Media Grid Initiative at Boston College. 

Can you share what it was like working in Silicon Valley in the early technology startup years? 

KR: The early days of the internet and web were a very exciting time. Anything could happen. Innovation was everywhere. Startups were popping up all over in new areas of search and browsing, e-commerce, multimedia publishing, mobile apps, and digital stores. There was a lot of money being made all around. If you took a risk and got lucky, then everyone from the CEO to middle management to front desk staff with early stock options could do very well. 

The same thing is happening now in AI. It’s an enormous opportunity for students and alumni of all ages. Learn to code or about the industry use cases for its application in areas like business, health, education, and the sciences and you’ll likely be in a great position to be successful.

What can you say about your time at Miramonte? How did it help prepare you for success later in life?

KR: Miramonte taught me how to understand the systems that I was a part of, how to play by the rules or create new ones, how to set out longer-term goals and objectives, the importance of collaborating with others, and when to take advantage of outside help when you need it. As much as what I learned in my academic work, I learned about the importance of relationships in life and that many times it’s not just what you know, but who you know that may help out the most.

Did you have any favorite Miramonte courses and/or electives? School sports? 

KR: Mr Gompf’s crafts class was the best! I also enjoyed Mr Raikes’s woodshop class and Otis McCain’s physiology class (except the cat dissection!).“Bachelor Living” was another elective class that I look back at with a smile. For sports, I played on both the JV and Varsity basketball teams under Coach Blackwood. In the end, the best things about it all were the great friendships and memories we made together in class, on the court, or hanging out off-campus. 

It sounds like you still stay in touch with a close group of MHS friends, how have you stayed connected? 

KR: I regularly see my best friends from Miramonte every month or two for a happy hour, a round of golf or we go see a concert. Our class also has a Facebook group so folks post topics and updates when they’ll be in town or announce news about classmates or upcoming events to check out. Our class has a reunion every 10 years and it’s always a great turnout and awesome to see everyone again.

These days I’m at Miramonte nearly every day dropping off my son, catching Mats Football and Basketball games, or attending campus events. I am so impressed by the leadership at Miramonte today and their focus on a positive student experience and college readiness. The parents bring a whole lot of spirit and commitment as do our local business leaders. Miramonte is a special place indeed.

Do you have any interesting Miramonte stories or memories? 

KR: I still remember the “Zombie” hot cheese rolls hot out of the oven in the morning at the cafeteria. Our Freshman-Senior Dance was an eye-opening welcome to life at Miramonte. The punk rock concert in the cafeteria was a memorable night.  Junior Prom was a blast and our Senior Ball was held at the St Francis Hotel with the Greg Kihn Band! Outside of school, it was all about cars, summer nights, great music, and road trips to Berkeley, Stinson Beach, or The City.

My best friends and I also started a tradition of holding an annual Christmas Dinner at the Casa Orinda which we still do to this day.

As a parent of a current Miramonte student, in what ways has Miramonte stayed the same or changed?

KR: The campus looks so familiar, but much improved. The new football field, library, student union, and theater are all really nice upgrades. Parking and traffic do still remain a daily challenge.  The campus seems as dynamic as ever with so many events and activities going on all the time. It is really fun to be on campus again, but this time as a proud parent and with no homework!

Since you are an Orinda parent, you are likely aware that our Orinda schools, including Miramonte, receive some of the lowest state funding in California. As a dedicated supporter of Orinda schools, what motivates you to continue investing in Miramonte’s success? 

KR: Miramonte is a place where I had some of the best times of my life and made friendships that have lasted a lifetime. I hope it will be for my kids too. It’s rewarding to give back whenever we can to support ONE Orinda, MClub, MatsNation, and any other fundraisers to help bridge the funding gap. The spirit of our school leadership, parents and community is very motivating to help ensure every student continues to have a great experience at Miramonte and is ready to take on the future.

Do you have any final words for your fellow Miramonte alumni and students? 

KR: Beat Campo!