Russell Holder

Russell Holder BA ’80, after a long-ish career as an attorney, has left the legal profession in order to act as “the CEO of a company that owns and manages a successful chain of roach motels in Northern California.” He is also pursuing, with renewed vigor, his lifetime passion of “writing things that no one is interested in reading.”

Russell Holder BA ’80 recently retired from California’s Office of Legislative Counsel, after 23-and-a-half years of work as an attorney helping to draft legislation and providing legal advice to the state’s lawmakers.

Russell Holder BA ’80 is an attorney with the California Office of Legislative Counsel, where he provides nonpartisan legal services to the legislature, governor’s office, and others. Previously, he worked as a historical researcher and English teacher; earned a master’s degree in English with a creative writing emphasis; and lived and worked in Japan. He continues to write and practice martial arts, which he began at L&C. Holder recently endowed an Academy of American Poets prize for the English department in memory of his professor Vern Rutsala. He has two daughters with his wife, Kathleen Holder BA ’80, all of whom are his pride and joy.