A Yolo County native has been inducted into the San Francisco State University Alumni Hall of Fame, making him one of six inductees for the 2026 cohort.
Woodland native Juan Acosta, along with five other SFSU alumni, will be honored on Nov. 6 at a celebration and dinner at the InterContinental San Francisco. The Alumni Hall of Fame celebration is the University’s second largest event of the year, behind Commencement, according to an announcement from the university.
The 2026 inductees include a mental health advocate, a “Sesame Street” puppeteer, San Francisco’s fire chief, an Academy Award-winning documentary film producer and two nurses and friends who founded a nonprofit benefiting Black women and girls in Oakland.
SFSU President Lynn Mahoney said this event is one she looks forward to annually.
“This event is imbued with Gator spirit, and I relish my role in inducting these distinguished alumni into the SFSU Alumni Hall of Fame,” Mahoney said. “Each of these alums, when they graduated from SFSU, possessed the same promise as our current students. It’s wonderful to see their full-circle journey and celebrate the contributions they’ve made to their communities.”
Acosta is a first-generation Mexican immigrant and nationally recognized mental health and LGBTQ+ activist, content creator and public speaker whose advocacy began at age 13.
At 21, Acosta drafted a historic LGBTQ+ proclamation for his hometown of Woodland, and since earning his degree, he has held leadership positions in the nonprofit sector, managed mental health programs and led initiatives focused on advancing community well-being. He works in philanthropy, overseeing statewide initiatives and collaborating with diverse partners to drive meaningful and lasting impact across California.
He has served on various national mental health committees, with speaking engagements including United Nations Side Events and the first-ever Youth Mental Health Action Forum at the White House, where he spoke alongside First Lady Jill Biden, Selena Gomez and former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.
In 2024, Acosta was invited to the inaugural White House Creator Mental Health Summit. He also co-authored The New York Times bestseller “Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community” with musician and actress Lady Gaga and other Born This Way Foundation reporters.
As a content creator, Acosta partners regularly with organizations and brands whose missions align with his work. His advocacy and storytelling have been featured by DoSomething, MTV, Yahoo, LGBTQ Nation, Out Magazine and others.
His work has earned recognition across the mental health, LGBTQ+ and life sciences communities. In 2023, he was named to STAT News’ STATUS List for his influential work in life sciences.
That same year, he was included in The Advocate’s annual “30 Under 30” list. In 2024, Acosta was recognized as a Young Innovator in Behavioral Health by Behavioral Health Tech, Hopelab, Pivotal Ventures, Resonance Philanthropies and Manatt.
Acosta was recognized as a Pride Honoree by the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus in 2025 for his efforts to advance representation and inspire the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. He was also named to the 2025 NextGen Collective 30 Under 30 list.
“I am honored that San Francisco State University is recognizing this work through its Alumni Hall of Fame … highlighting a Woodland resident whose journey of community service began here. I am forever grateful for all those in Woodland who helped shape who I am today.” Acosta said.
Other honorees for this year include:
Dr. Shelitha R. Campbell, a nurse leader, educator, scholar, clinician, entrepreneur and community leader who founded a nonprofit benefiting Black women and girls in Oakland.
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, best known for playing fairy-in-training Abby Cadabby on “Sesame Street.”
Dean Crispen, who has served as the San Francisco Fire Chief since 2025 and has worked with the fire department for over 30 years.
Dr. Jaliza Johnson, a nurse leader and co-founder of A Sista’s Touch with her friend, sorority sister and fellow inductee Dr. Campbell in 2017.
Conall Jones, an Academy Award-winning documentary producer whose work spans feature films, shorts, series and investigative journalism.