Overview

Instructor Directory

We draw from a rich pool of campus faculty, as well as off-campus industry leaders. CCE attracts and retains a diverse group of instructors, making sure to match subject matter expertise and research disciplines with course offerings to ensure the best student experience.

Read more about our instructors and faculty in the profiles below.

Profile

Penelope Larry
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.S., Marketing; MBA; TESOL Certificate

Languages spoken: English

What is your best advice for success in the IEP at Sacramento State?

“Use your time to become immersed in the culture – speaking, writing, and thinking only in English – whether you’re hanging out with friends, texting or thinking about your future!”

Favorite quote: “Problems cannot be resolved at the same level of thinking as that which gave rise to them.” – Albert Einstein

Profile

Olya LeBaron
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.A. in TESOL from BYU-Hawaii; working towards M.A. in TESOL at Sacramento State

Languages spoken: Ukrainian, Russian, English

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?

“I love sharing my knowledge with students and helping them achieve their goal of acquiring a new language. At the same time, I love learning about their cultures and creating friendships.”

Profile

Timothy Albright
Criminal Justice Instructor

As a criminal justice instructor, Timothy Albright says his goal is “demystifying the law enforcement profession for students and preparing those future practitioners to better lead within the communities they serve.”

Profile

Jackie Alcalde Marr
Instructor

Jackie Alcalde Marr joined Sacramento State in 2014 and teaches leadership courses at the College of Continuing Education. She is the founder of Evolutions Consulting Group, providing business consulting, facilitation, and coaching to individuals and teams.

Profile

Tim Aldinger
Workforce Development Professional Instructor

Tim Aldinger is the director of Workforce Development Services at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, supporting the economic and workforce development for the 113 Community Colleges of California. He designs and facilitates trainings for the California Workforce Association (CWA) and specializes in communication skills in CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Certificate and Apprenticeship programs.

Tim teaches “Communicating for Results.” 

Profile

Tim Aldinger
Instructor

Tim Aldinger is the director of Workforce Development Services at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, supporting the economic and workforce development for the 113 Community Colleges of California. He designs and facilitates trainings for the California Workforce Association (CWA) and brings his expertise in communication to CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Certificate and Apprenticeship programs.

Profile

Kathleen Barton
Instructor

Kathleen Barton is an author and has expertise in the private sector and as a small business owner. She joined Sacramento State in 2011, teaching in the Supervisory Development Program at the College of Continuing Education.

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Jeannie Benoist
Instructor

Jeannie Benoist joined Sacramento State in 2007 teaching in the Project Management series at the College of Continuing Education. She took a break after the birth of her daughter and rejoined the team in 2015.

Profile

Ann Blanton
Speech Pathology and Audiology Professor

Dr. Ann Blanton is a licensed speech-language pathologist, who has been a professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Sacramento State since 2008.  She also teaches in the Second Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology, a degree completion program coordinated by the College of Continuing Education.

Profile

Tina Burton
Instructor

Dr. Tina Burton joined Sacramento State in 2015 as an instructor in the Project Management certificate program at the College of Continuing Education. Dr. Burton is currently the associate dean for the School of Business and Information Technology at Kaplan University.

Profile

Sherry Caraballo Dorfman
Judicial Administration Faculty

Sherry Caraballo Dorfman brings 20 years of executive experience in the superior court system to the Judicial Administration Graduate Certificate Program at Sacramento State. She has been an instructor since 2009. 

Profile

Brooke Choo
Learning Disabilities Instructor

Dr. Brooke Choo started teaching at the College of Continuing Education in 2015 in the learning disabilities (LD) assessment courses. She is a learning disabilities specialist and psychologist and currently works at Irvine Valley College coordinating the Student Success Center. 

Profile

David Coffman
Summer Academies for High School Students Instructor

David Coffman is a retired Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy and an instructor with the Summer Academies for High School Students in the College of Continuing Education.  The Law Enforcement Summer Academy provides students with a broad understanding of the law enforcement profession and what it takes to become a successful police officer or sheriff’s deputy in an urban community.

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Devin Cook
Coding Academy Instructor

If you can decipher “PB&J,” then without a doubt you can start coding, as in writing a computer program, says Devin Cook, a computer science professor at Sacramento State. He will lead the Coding Academy, one of the newest offerings in the 2017 Summer Academies for High School Students.

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Jeff Cooke
Paramedic Program Clinical Experience Coordinator and Lecture Instructor

Jeff Cooke has been with the Sac State Paramedic program since its start in 2009 and has always been a student favorite. Jeff spent the first 10 years of his career in EMS as an EMT and later a Paramedic with a private ambulance company in Stockton, California. In 1994 he was hired with Sacramento City Fire Department and has been serving the community of Sacramento as a Firefighter/Paramedic since. Jeff has worked in multiple capacities for Sacramento Fire Department including Rescue and Hazmat specialties.

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Tim Croisdale
Criminal Justice Professor

Dr. Timothy Croisdale brought an extensive background in crime analysis when he returned to Sacramento State, this time as a professor in the Division of Criminal Justice. He started out as a graduate student in the university’s criminal justice program before heading to British Columbia to earn his doctorate degree in  criminology from Simon Fraser University.

Profile

Larry W. Culler
Instructor

Larry W. Culler joined Sacramento State in 2014, teaching his communication workshop, “The Effective Communicator,” at the College of Continuing Education. Larry is the owner of Culler Consulting, primarily focusing on communication consulting and facilitating his workshop. 

Before starting his own consulting business, he had a long career in the computer industry and held positions with Burroughs/Unisys, Intel and Schoolhouse Software. 

Profile

Trudy Currier
Instructor

Trudy Currier joined Sacramento State in 2012 as an instructor in the Train the Trainer program at the College of Continuing Education.

Trudy is a quality services manager with Delta Dental. Before joining Delta Dental, she held positions with National Imaging Associates, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and Blue Shield of California.

Trudy holds a master’s degree in special education from Sacramento State and serves on and supports the local chapter of the Association for Talent Development (ATD). She is a resident of Sacramento and enjoys singing in her spare time.

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Lindsay Curtis
English Language Institute Instructor

Lindsay Curtis holds a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Sacramento State. She taught English as a foreign language for two years at an elementary/middle school in the Republic of Azerbaijan. She has tutored several English learners to help improve their speaking, reading, and writing skills, and has interned in two college composition classes for multilingual learners.

Profile

Jun Dai
Cyber Security Academy Instructor

Growing up in China, Jun Dai didn’t own a computer but he was still able to master video games. He got access to computers and the internet through “net bars” that rented machines by the hour. And there, he discovered his passion and a profession, not as a gamer but as a defender.

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Julie Davis-Jaffe
Workforce Development Professional Instructor

Julie Davis-Jaffe has spent 25 years on employment services for youth, adults and dislocated workers. She manages the Sacramento Works America’s Job Centers as a workforce development manager at the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) and also provides staff development and training. She brings an extensive background in career coaching to CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Certificate and Apprenticeship programs.

Julie teaches “Career Coaching.”

Profile

Julie Davis-Jaffe
Instructor

Julie Davis-Jaffe has spent 25 years on employment services for youth, adults and dislocated workers. She manages the Sacramento Works America’s Job Centers as a workforce development manager at the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) and provides staff development and training. She brings an extensive background in career coaching to CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Certificate and Apprenticeship programs.

Profile

Tamara Dorris
Instructor

Tamara Dorris joined Sacramento State in 2005 and teaches communication studies at the College of Continuing Education. Professor Dorris is a faculty member with American River College’s Business Department.

She is also a sales trainer and author of 16 books. Professor Dorris holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in communication from Regis University. She has been awarded as a leader in social media and noted as an expert in the neuroscience of sales and success and holds training seminars across the United States.

Profile

Brandon Doughty
Paramedic Didactic Curriculum Coordinator and Lead Lecture Instructor.

Brandon Doughty has worked with the Sac State Paramedic Program in multiple roles since 2012, and in 2013 he took on the position of Lead Lecture Instructor. He has worked in Fire Service and EMS since 2004, and was hired by the Sacramento City Fire Department in 2006 as a Firefighter. Brandon spent five years working on one of the busiest ambulances in California gaining invaluable experience and even better real life stories for the classroom. In 2014, Brandon was promoted to Engineer/Paramedic and continues to serve the Sacramento community in the North Sacramento region.

Profile

Craig Duehring
Instructor

Craig Duehring joined Sacramento State in 2002 as an instructor in the Project Management Certificate program at the College of Continuing Education.

Craig is an engineering manager with the California Air Resources Board.  Before joining the Air Resources Board, he held positions with the California Department of General Services, California Department of Water Resources and the California Department of Transportation, where he managed many high-profile projects over his career. 

Profile

Marcia Durst
Instructor

Marcia Durst owns Durst Event Strategies, and joined Sacramento State in 2014 as an instructor in the Meeting and Event Planning Certificate Program at the College of Continuing Education. “It was a great opportunity to share my experience, to help people breaking into the field or just getting started. It was a natural fit for me.”

“The program is very well known in the events community, which is important for students to know.”

Profile

Laurie Earl
Democracy in Action Academy Instructor

Judge Laurie Earl took her seat on the Sacramento Superior Court in 2005, appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. She created and leads the Democracy in Action Academy, formerly the Civic Duty Academy for High School Students, where she gives students a behind-the-scenes look at the three branches of government.

Profile

Monica Eisel
Instructor

Monica Eisel joined Sacramento State in 2014, teaching leadership programs for government managers and leaders as well as business analyst courses at the College of Continuing Education.

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Matt Fisher
Instructor

Matt Fisher joined Sacramento State in 2013 teaching in the Business Analyst Program. Matt is currently the chief of training with the 70th Air Refueling Squadron, United States Air Force Reserve.

While an active reservist for 19 years, he held civilian positions as a contract negotiator for Petroleum Properties Land Company, a competitive intelligence analyst and supervisor for VSP, the sales and product director for The Dentist Insurance Company, and was an IT implementation consultant for KAI Partners.

Profile

Philip Flickinger
Summer Academies for High School Students Instructor

Philip Flickinger joined the faculty in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Sacramento State in 2013 and is an instructor in the Summer Academies for High School Students, coordinated by the College of Continuing Education. He and fellow Sac State Professor Melinda Wilson Ramey teach the Theater and Performing Arts Summer Academy, combing their talents in choreography, dance and drama.

Profile

Philip Flickinger
Theater and Performing Arts Academy Instructor

Philip Flickinger joined the faculty in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Sacramento State in 2013 and is an instructor in the Summer Academies for High School Students program. He and fellow Sacramento State Professor Melinda Wilson Ramey lead the Theater and Performing Arts Summer Academy, combing their talents in choreography, dance and drama.

Profile

James (Jay) Glass
Lecture Instructor

In 2012, Jay retired as a Battalion Chief for Sacramento City Fire Department after 32 years as a career firefighter. ‘Chief,’ as he is respectfully called by his students, has always had an interest in EMS and received his first certification as an EMT 2 in 1983 and later became a licensed Paramedic in 1993. In addition, he is trained as a Certified Tactical Medic and has been in EMS instruction for over 20 years.

Profile

Jason Hemler
Paramedic Program Director and Fire and Emergency Services Academy Instructor

Jason Hemler has been a part of the Sacramento State Paramedic Program since its inception in 2009. He became program director in 2013 and has been instrumental in making the Paramedic Program a leader in quality prehospital education in California. He’s also an instructor in the Summer Academies for High School Students, leading the Fire and Emergency Services Academy.

(916) 278-4846
jhemler[remove-this-and-replace-with-at]csus.edu
Profile

Michael A. Hodge
Instructor

Michael A. Hodge joined Sacramento State in 2014, teaching in the online supervisory program at the College of Continuing Education. Michael is the owner of Organizational Development Services and teaches at the Los Rios Community College District Government Training Academy.

Profile

Shelly Hodgkins
Law Enforcement Academy Instructor

Shelly Hodgkins works as a sergeant in the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and has been one of the instructors in the Summer Academies for High School Students program for several years. As leader of the Law Enforcement Academy, Hodgkins wants young people to meet and talk with different officers, to get a first-hand look at their assignments and to explore law enforcement as a career.

Profile

Elena Honeycutt
Instructor

Elena Honeycutt joined Sacramento State in 2015, teaching in the Human Resources Management Certificate program  at the College of Continuing Education. Elena is a senior consultant in the organization effectiveness department with Health Net, Inc.

 Before joining Health Net, Elena held human resources positions with Sutter Medical Foundation, Comcast and AT &T Wireless.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in business, human resources from Sonoma State University and a master’s degree in human resources management from Golden Gate University. 

Profile

Allison Horak
Instructor

Allison Horak joined Sacramento State in 2014, teaching in various supervisory series and the Business Analyst Certificate program at the College of Continuing Education. She is a trainer with People Development Systems.

Allison holds a Juris Doctor degree from Lewis & Clark Law School and a bachelor’s degree in communications from UC San Diego, and is a member of the California and Oregon State Bars. She serves as the 2016 co-director of programs for the Sacramento chapter of the Association for Talent Development.

Profile

Helen Horyza
Instructor

Helen Horyza joined Sacramento State in 2007, teaching business communication, leadership development and employee engagement at the College of Continuing Education. Helen is president of Elevate, Inc., which specializes in online career assessment.

Before joining Elevate Inc,. Helen held positions with UC Davis and the University of the Pacific. She holds a master’s degree in career development and is a nationally certified career counselor.

Profile

Rick Hudson
Paramedic Program Field Experience Coordinator

Rick Hudson has been a part of the Sacramento State Paramedic Program as the Field Coordinator since 2015. Rick began his career in EMS in 1987 when he became an EMT and a certified Paramedic in 1991 from UCSF. Rick has worked in a variety of counties and different agencies as a firefighter and a paramedic.  As the field coordinator he targets recruitment, mentoring, and internship placement. He currently also works as a battalion chief for the Sacramento City Fire Department. 

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Stewart Knox
Workforce Development Professional Instructor

Stewart Knox’s dedication to workforce development has defined his career. He is currently executive director and a governor appointee to the state Employment Training Panel. He has also served executive roles for a number of partnerships and municipalities and brings his strategic and practical leadership to CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Certificate and Apprenticeship programs.

Stewart teaches “Business Engagement and Sector Strategies.”

Profile

Stewart Knox
Instructor

Stewart Knox’s dedication to workforce development has defined his career. He is currently executive director and a governor appointee to the state Employment Training Panel. He has also served executive roles for a number of partnerships and municipalities and brings his strategic and practical leadership to CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Certificate and Apprenticeship programs.

Profile

Jamie Korer
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: M.A. in TESOL from Sacramento State; M.A. Teaching and Teacher Education, University of Arizona;  B.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona

Languages spoken: Some spanish

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?  

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Laurie Kubicek
Criminal Justice Professor

Dr. Laurie Kubicek has been teaching law to undergraduate students in the California State University and the University of California since 1998. She has been a professor in the Division of Criminal Justice at Sacramento State since 2002.

Dr. Kubicek directs the Sacramento State Pre-Law Advising Program and Justice Epstein Sacramento Courts Judicial Internship Program. She also teaches in the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice online degree  completion program, coordinated by the College of Continuing Education.

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Ken Kubo
Summer Academies for High School Students Instructor

Professor Ken Kubo makes science come alive for students from middle school all the way through college. He serves as interim dean of Planning, Research & Technology at American River College and teaches biotechnology and microbiology. Professor Kubo also leads the Get Bright with Biotech: The Biology of Glow Summer Academy for High School Students, coordinated by the College of Continuing Education.

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Bob Lanter
Workforce Development Professional Instructor

Bob Lanter, executive director of the California Workforce Association (CWA), is co-creator of CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Apprenticeship Program. He teaches professional skills - specifically the practical know-how on forming strategic alliances with employers, labor, industry and education.

Bob teaches “The Future of Workforce Development,” “Facilitation Skills,” “Relationship Development and Negotiation Skills,” and “Workforce Development Professional Capstone Presentation.”

Profile

Bob Lanter
Instructor

Bob Lanter, executive director of the California Workforce Association (CWA), is co-creator of CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Apprenticeship Program, the first non-trade apprenticeship approved in California. He teaches professional skills, specifically the practical know-how on forming strategic alliances with employers, labor, industry and education, along with a course on the future of workforce development.

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Mary C. Lawrence-Jones
Instructor

“Leadership is providing direction and focus to an individual or group of individuals that is so inspiring or compelling that it guides them down a path of excellence. It is communicating their worth and value to the point that it inspires self-growth beyond what they expect for themselves.”

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Kris Lea
Instructor

Kris Lea joined Sacramento State in 2009, teaching in the Train-the-Trainer, HR, Master Analysis and State Supervisor Basics programs at the College of Continuing Education. Kris is an executive consultant with KAI Partners, a local IT consulting firm.

Before joining KAI Partners, Kris held positions with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Kaiser Permanente and Intel Corporation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in information systems, a master’s degree in organization development (OD), and is finishing up her doctoral degree in OD.

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Jannene Litchfield
Instructor

Jannene Litchfield joined Sacramento State in 2001, teaching in the field of leadership at the College of Continuing Education. She is the chief human resources officer at Litchfield HR Management.

Jannene has held positions with Schools Financial Credit Union, MCI Communications and Verizon Wireless. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Texas Tech and a master’s degree in business administration from National University. She is a member of the Sacramento Area Human Resource Association.

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Ulli Luenemann
Communication Studies Lecturer and CCE Instructor

Born and raised in Dortmund, Germany, an industrial mining city destroyed in World War II, Ulrich “Ulli” Luenemann developed a strong sense of wanderlust at a very young age. As a young adult, he pursued military service as his ticket to freedom and volunteered with the German Luftwaffe (air force). “I’m like Top Gun, I have a need for speed,” says Luenemann. Flying fighter jets across Europe and the United States furthered his passion for world travel.

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Ingrid Lundquist
Meeting and Event Planning Instructor

Ingrid E. Lundquist CSEP joined Sacramento State in 2014 teaching in the Meeting and Event Planning Certificate program. Ms. Lundquist is the owner of The Lundquist Company, event design, management and production. She is also founder of The Book-In-Hand Roadshow which presents workshops on topics of interest to writers. Ms. Lundquist holds a Masters of Arts degree in Fine Art, a Bachelors of Art in Fine Art, and a Bachelors of Art in English, all from Sacramento State University (now, California State University Sacramento).

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Mike Mangelson
Instructor

Mike Mangelson joined Sacramento State in 2015, teaching in the business analysis area at the College of Continuing Education. He is a business architect with VSP Optics Group.

Before joining VSP, Mike held positions with EDS.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in business administration from Sacramento State. He has held several different leadership positions in his church. Mike lives locally and loves to read in his spare time.

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Rosanne McHenry
Instructor

Rosanne McHenry joined Sacramento State in 1999, and currently teaches classes for the State Supervisory Online Certificate Program at the College of Continuing Education.

Rosanne initially developed a series of online business skills classes called The State Training Center Virtual Classroom. These classes were redesigned to become ELearning for Government Professionals. She’s taught many other classes at CCE, including Critical Thinking Skills, Analytical Skills and Time Management. 

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Mark Wallinder
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.A. in English, M.A. in English/Creative Writing, Sacramento State and M.A. in TESOL, Sacramento State

Languages spoken: English and Japanese

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?

“I’ve always enjoyed studying English, and so teaching it gives me a chance to learn and enjoy it even more, and learning about the different students’ languages and cultures is a wonderful added value that deepens my appreciation of everything.”

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Lisa Morrical
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.A. in Language Studies from UC Santa Cruz, M.A. in TESOL from Sacramento State

Languages spoken: English, French and Amharic 

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?

“I really like working with my students to discover how language works.”

Favorite quote: “Failure is a big part of success.”

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Claire Avila
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.A. in Latin-American and Latino Studies from UC Santa Cruz; M.A. in TESOL from Sac State

Languages spoken: English, Spanish

What are your favorite things about Sacramento?

“My favorite things about Sacramento are the diversity, midtown, Ansel Hoffman Park, and the Crocker Art Museum. I also love its proximity to the mountains and the beach!”

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Hugh Le
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.A. in English and M.A. TESOL from Sacramento State

Languages spoken: English, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, Japanese

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?

“I enjoy helping students conquer their fears and help them overcome obstacles.”

Favorite quote: ”There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born and the day we discover why.” – William Barkley

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Lisa Morrical
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.A. in Language Studies from UC Santa Cruz, M.A. in TESOL from Sac State

Languages spoken: English, French and Amharic

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?

“I really like working with my students to discover how language works.”

Favorite quote: “Failure is a big part of success.”

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Carol Zheng
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: B.A., University of California, Davis – Communication and Education; M.A., California State University, Sacramento – TESOL

Languages Spoken: Cantonese, Mandarin, English

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?  

I enjoy the moment when students tell me how they use what they learn in my class in their daily lives.

Favorite Quote: “The mediocre teacher tells.  The good teacher explains.  The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William A. Ward

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Michael Winans
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: MA TESOL

Languages spoken: English, Spanish

What do you enjoy most about being an ESL instructor?

“When you’re an instructor, you get to hear about many interesting cultural norms from all corners of the earth. This also allows for the development of a perspective about your own culture as you engage with people from around the world and with their insights about what is strange, weird, or different about the United States and Americans.”

Favorite quote: “The struggle of today builds the strength for tomorrow.”  

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Michael DeValon
English Language Institute Instructor

Education: M.A. in Education, University of Southern California, M.A., International Management, American Graduate School of International Management

Languages spoken: English, Korean

Why do you like teaching ESL?

“I love the cultural and linguistic interaction that I have with the students.”

Favorite quote: ”Teachers open the door.  You enter by yourself.” (Chinese proverb)

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Brian Melville
Instructor

Brian Melville joined Sacramento State in 2012, teaching in the Business Analysis program at the College of Continuing Education. He is a principal management consultant with NuSight Consulting.

Before founding NuSight, Brian held positions with Experis and EDS.  He has consulted with organizations in government, healthcare, banking, manufacturing, distribution, and high tech. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in business administration from Sacramento State.

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Stephanie Mizrahi
Criminal Justice Professor

Dr. Stephanie Mizrahi brings experience in prosecuting cases and analyzing intelligence as an assistant professor in the Division of Criminal Justice at Sacramento State. She also teaches in the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, an online degree completion program coordinated by the College of Continuing Education.

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Lisa Montanaro
Instructor

Lisa Montanaro joined Sacramento State in 2013, teaching in the areas of productivity, organization, and time management at the College of Continuing Education. Lisa is the owner of Lisa Montanaro Global Enterprises, LLC, which she founded in 2002.

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Scott Nipper
Instructor

Scott Nipper joined Sacramento State in 2010 teaching in the Certification Program for Instructional Design and is currently the director of training with Barco, Inc.

Before joining Barco, he held positions with Kaiser Permanente and Intel Corporations. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in applied management from Azusa Pacific University and a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in computer information systems from Golden Gate University. He supports the Association for Training Development (ATD) and served on the board of directors in 2014.

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Ernie Olson
Professor Emeritus and Fashion Academy Instructor

Dr. Ernie Olson, known for his creative approach to teaching and his humorous delivery style, received an outstanding teaching award from the College of Health and Human Services at Sacramento State. Throughout his tenure, he consistently earned top marks from his students and now, he’s now inspiring a new generation of students.

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Tom Pearson
English Language Institute Instructor

“I enjoy teaching a skill, rather than just knowledge,” says Tom Pearson, an instructor at the English Language Institute. ”It forces me to be creative in my approach, and it forces students to be active participants, both of which make for a better class.”

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Roberta Pickett
Instructor

Roberta Pickett joined Sacramento State in 2001 teaching in various management programs. She is currently a certified professional co-active coach and certified business coach with Roberta Pickett Coaching & Training.

Before opening her own business, she held leadership positions over a 25-year period with Sprint. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California and her master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix.

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Robert Pieretti
Speech Pathology and Audiology Professor

“The dedicated faculty here is like family and our graduates are sought after by employers because of the program’s design that fuses theory and practice,” says Dr. Robert Pieretti.

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Robin Purdy
Workforce Development Professional Instructor

Robin Purdy has planned and implemented federal workforce legislation, developed customer-centered workforce policy, engaged businesses and other partners in developing a one-stop system for job seekers and is now, preparing the next generation of workforce leaders in California as an instructor in CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Apprenticeship Program.

Robin teaches “The Future of Workforce Development,” “Service Excellence,” and “Workforce Development Professional Capstone Presentation.”

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Robin Purdy
Instructor

Robin Purdy spent nearly 30 years planning and implementing federal workforce legislation, developed customer-centered workforce policy, engaged businesses and other partners in developing a one-stop system focused on skill attainment and economic mobility, and is now preparing the next generation of workforce leaders in California as an instructor in CCE’s Workforce Development Professional Apprenticeship Program.

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Drew Reams
Forensics Academy Instructor

Dr. Drew Reams brings his students into the “real life” world of criminologists as an instructor in the Summer Academies for High School Students program. He is a professor of biological sciences at Sacramento State and heads the Forensics Academy, showing students how forensic biology can solve crimes and how CSI really works.

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Francisco Reveles
Educational Administration and Policy Studies Professor

“What our students bring is knowledge. But they also bring a lot of wisdom from working in the actual world. When you combine both, it’s an extraordinary experience for them,” says Dr. Francisco Reveles, a faculty member in the Bachelor of Science in Career and Technical Studies, a degree completion program for working adults at Sacramento State. The program is coordinated by the College of Continuing Education.

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Michael Roddy
Graduate Certificate in Judicial Administration Instructor

At 22, Michael Roddy had just started graduate school and worked as a law firm clerk when he made an unconventional decision, to say the least. He quit his job in order to become an unpaid student intern. As Roddy tells the story, he saw his future in the California court system and “never looked back.”

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Thomas G. Rogers
Instructor

Thomas G. Rogers joined Sacramento State in 2003, teaching in the areas of communication and leadership at the College of Continuing Education. Dr. Rogers  is currently an independent consultant and trainer.

Dr. Rogers had been a professor in the doctoral faculty of a joint program at UC Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. In 2014, he was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies.

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Nicole Rogers
Summer Academies for High School Students Instructor

If you have heard Sacramento described as “America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital,” Nicole Rogers is one of the reasons why. She leads the Farm-to-Fork initiative for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, and her job is sharing the stories of the region’s fresh food and agriculture.

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Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin
Speech Pathology and Audiology Professor

When Dr. Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin talks about children who struggle with language and learning, she speaks from the heart. Her son had dyslexia and struggled greatly as a young child. She’s helped him overcome those difficulties, as both a speech-language pathologist and a mother.

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Tim Saville
Instructor

Tim Saville

Tim Saville joined Sacramento State in 2015 teaching sales negotiation in the Professional Sales Certificate Program. Tim is currently the CEO and president of North State Lumber and the general manager and director of business development with General Truss Company.

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Kim Schnurbush
Criminal Justice Professor

Kim Schnurbush is an assistant professor in the Division of Criminal Justice at Sacramento State, whose research surrounds death penalty and wrongful conviction issues. She also teaches in the Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice online degree completion program, coordinated by the College of Continuing Education.

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Gary Slavit
Instructor

Gary Slavit, a certified Project Management Professional (PMP),  joined Sacramento State in 2002 to teach in the Project Management Certificate Program at the College of Continuing Education. Gary is a private independent consultant specializing in project management, non-profit organizations, and small business; and serves as an equity partner and board secretary for Response 1 Medical Staffing, Inc. 

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Christina Strandgaard
Health Careers 101 Academy Instructor

Dr. Christina Strandgaard has been a lecturer with the Department of Biological Sciences at Sacramento State since 2011 and is an instructor in the Summer Academies for High School Students program. In the Health Careers 101 Academy, students will learn whether a career in the health profession suits their interests, talents and skills by researching various health professions and developing academic and career goals.

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Heather Tanfani
Instructor

Heather Tanfani, a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), joined Sacramento State in 2004, teaching in the Meeting and Event Planning Certificate program at the College of Continuing Education. She is currently president of events!, which she started in 1995.

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William (Bill) Teeple
Instructor

William (Bill) Teeple joined Sacramento State in 2001, developing courses and  teaching  in the Contract Management program, Project Management program, and Caltrans programs at the College of Continuing Education.  He is a business advisor and consultant for the Sacramento Metro Chamber Small Business Development Center (SBDC).  

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Heather Thompson
Speech Pathology and Audiology Professor

Dr. Heather Thompson is an assistant professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Sacramento State and one of the faculty members of the Second Bachelor of Science in Speech Pathology and Audiology, a degree completion program coordinated by the College of Continuing Education.

A speech-language pathologist, Dr. Thompson earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Waterloo, her master’s degree in speech-language pathology from Western University and her doctoral degree in speech-language pathology from University of Utah.

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Rustin Vogt
Engineering and Robotics Academy Instructor

Dr. Rustin Vogt is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sacramento State and an instructor in the Summer Academies for High School Students program. He opens up the world of robotics in the Engineering and Robotics Academy, where students build and program their own “Boe-Bot.”

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Dennis Wade
Instructor

Dennis Wade joined Sacramento State in 2003 teaching in the subject area of management and leadership. He is currently principal of People Development Systems (PplDev).

Before joining PplDev, Dennis held positions with Intel Corporation and Level One Communications. He earned his master’s degree in human resources and organization development from the University of San Francisco. 

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Tyler Wade
Instructor

Tyler Wade joined Sacramento State in 2009 teaching in the State Supervisory Training Certificate Program. He is currently a people developer with People Development Systems (PplDev).

Before joining PplDev, he held positions with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the California State Legislature, and Intel Corporation. He earned his master’s degree in public policy from Pepperdine University and is a member of the Association for Talent Development (ATD), serving as president of the Sacramento chapter in 2012.

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Nicole Welch
Instructor

Nicole Welch joined Sacramento State in 2012 teaching in the Train-the-Trainer Certificate Program. She is currently the principal consultant and executive coach with Transformation Catalysts.

Nicole has provided training, coaching and organization development strategies to public and private clients in California and has worked with the California Department of Public Health, California Employment Development Department and the California Department of Transportation. She currently teaches a management and leadership course at American River College.

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Tracy Williams
Instructor

Tracy Williams joined Sacramento State in 2006 teaching in the Crime and Intelligence Analysis Certificate Program. She is currently an administrator in the California Department of Justice and serves as the analytical manager for Western States Information Network (WSIN). 

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Melinda Wilson Ramey
Theater and Performing Arts Academy Instructor

Dr. Melinda Wilson Ramey joined the Department of Theatre and Dance at Sacramento State in 2005 and brings her talent to a new audience through the Summer Academies for High School Students program. She has teamed up with fellow Sacramento State professor Philip Flickinger for the Theater and Performing Arts Academy, where students explore the dramatic world of performing arts and learn about educational opportunities in the arts.