New Faculty Newsletter

East Los Angeles College /Spring 2017 ELAC New Faculty Newsletter East Los Angeles College would like to give a warm welcome to our new Professors and Faculty!

Randall (Randy) Adsit Vernita Burrell Anthropology/Geography/Geology English M.S., Geology, California State University, Los Angeles Ph.D., English, Fordham University B.S., Geology, San Diego State University M.A., English, Loyola Marymount University B.A., English, Hunter College, City University of New York In between getting his B.S. and starting his graduate program, Professor Adsit joined the Professor Burrell is a Los Angeles native, but Peace Corps and served for two years in Liberia, West Africa. His just received her Ph.D. in English literature at Fordham University job in the Peace Corps was to teach farmers how to raise fish - he in New York. She is very excited to begin her full-time teaching was a fish farmer! After getting his M.S., Professor Adsit started career at East. Professor Burrell feels that East is an amazing col- part-time at ELAC, and worked as a “freeway flier” for 23 years, lege, and already feels at home here! until he was hired full-time. Professor Burrell always had an interest in teaching Basic English Professor Adsit teaches four disciplines: Geology, Earth Science, Composition. Encouraging students to have confidence in their Oceanography, and Environmental Science. He enjoys being mul- writing by guiding them to discover correct ways of crafting a sen- tidisciplinary, and does not specialize! Professor Adsit is the fac- tence, teaching students grammar and new vocabulary, and having ulty advisor for the Geology Club here on campus. Off campus, he students create rich paragraphs that lead to writing formal essays is the assistant scoutmaster for his son’s Boy Scout Troop. has always given her joy. Professor Burrell loves talking with stu- dents one-on-one, and would eventually like to utilize this love by Gia Barilari getting involved with student success initiatives at East. English Hyo Jin (Angela) Chung M.A., English Composition and Certificate in Teaching Post-Secondary Reading -- San Francisco State University Mathematics B.A., English Literature -- University of California, Berkeley M.A., Applied Mathematics, California State University, Long Beach A.A., English -- Pasadena City College B.A., Mathematics, California State University, Long Beach

Professor Barilari enjoys teaching students how to annotate their Professor Chung was born and raised in Seoul, texts, especially for main ideas and supporting details. Active South Korea and moved to California when reading helps students process information that will lead them she was in high school. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s to a stronger comprehension of what they are reading. She enjoys degrees in mathematics from Cal State Long Beach, and has taught assisting professors across the disciplines in developing reading all different levels of math courses at community colleges as an strategies to facilitate their students’ success in the classroom. adjunct professor since 2010. Professor Chung currently resides in Cerritos, CA, with her husband and two sons. She is very excited Maria Betancourt to begin her career as a full-time math professor at ELAC. English Professor Chung enjoys teaching all math classes, but her favorite classes are Pre-calculus and Trigonometry. She finds both of these M.A., English, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona courses fun and intriguing, and has a great passion for teaching B.A., Spanish, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona these particular topics. Professor Chung wants to spread her love of math to her students, and believes that what goes on outside of Professor Betancourt grew up in the city of El the classroom can be just as important as what happens inside. She Monte. After completing her degrees at Cal Poly would like to serve as a mentor for students in the MESA program Pomona, she worked at Citrus College and Mount San Antonio and also serve in campus-wide committees, such as the Student College as an ESL and English instructor for five years. Grammar Success Committee and the Work Environment Committee. is one of the subjects that interests Professor Betancourt the most. She considered it one of her weakest and most dreaded subjects when she was in high school. While attending college, Professor Betancourt took an introduction to English grammar course, and the professor’s dynamic presentations changed her life forever. Professor Betancourt enjoys attending professional conferences within her field so that she can share what she has learned with her colleagues. She has also had several opportunities to present at many of these conferences, and considers these opportunities to be helpful for her to strengthen her own pedagogy and mentor novice instructors.

2 Kenneth Chaiprasert Bryant Horowitz Social Sciences Psychology Ph.D., Political Science, University of California, Irvine Ph.D. Behavioral Neuroscience, University of California, Los Angeles J.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison M.A., Behavioral Neuroscience, University of California, Los Angeles B.A., Political Science & History, University of California, Los Angeles B.A., Psychology, California State University, Northridge

Born in Monterey Park, Professor Chaiprasert Professor Horowitz received his Ph.D. in 2012 grew up in the South Bay (Hawthorne/Lawndale and Torrance). from UCLA in Behavioral Neuroscience and taught part-time at After earning his B.A. in Political Science and History, he went to ELAC for 2 years before becoming one of the family, full-time. law school and earned his Doctor of Law degree. Nevertheless, His favorite subject is Biopsychology, and he is a self-proclaimed his true calling is in Political Science, and Professor Chaiprasert “NEURO NERD”. just recently finished his Ph.D. in Political Science. His goal is Professor Horowitz enjoys teaching about the brain and drugs, to help students use the knowledge and skills gained from polit- and behavioral disorders. He likes to mentor students, and put his ical science to be successful in whichever institution they may lessons in action. transfer to or whichever profession they may pursue. Professor Chaiprasert now has come full circle: he returns to Monterey Park, his birthplace, to work with the spectacular people at ELAC to LaQuita Jones serve, inspire, guide, and teach the awesome students at ELAC. Social Sciences M.A., Sociology, Cal State University, Fullerton François-Pierre Couture A.A., General Studies, Cypress College Theater Arts Professor Jones has over ten years of experi- M.F.A. in Scenic and Lighting design from UCLA ence in higher education. She has extensive B.F.A. in theatre, scenic design from Concordia University experience in student service programs such as Financial Aid, Originally from Montreal, Professor Couture CARE/CalWORKS, and EOPS from Cypress College. Professor has had the privilege of working in Los Angeles Jones worked as an instructional assistant at Fullerton College’s and the United States for the last decade as a scenic, lighting and Academic Support Center and adjunct instructor at Mt. San projection designer. His multifaceted and dynamic approach to Antonio and El Camino colleges. his craft has given him the opportunity to work across multiple The discipline of Sociology offers a broad range of topics that environments and venues across the United States. He is also pur- expands one’s knowledge and social consciousness; giving them suing a fulfilling career as a teacher at East Los Angeles College the tools to explore and discover the influence of the social world and is proud to be part of one of the most dynamic and upcoming on their lives and their influence on the social world. For this rea- theater departments in Los Angeles. son, Professor Jones enjoys teaching topics such as Socialization, Some of Professor Couture’s designs include; Destiny of Desire Critical Race Theory, Crime and Delinquency, Gender, and Social at the Arena Stage Theatre, SCR and the Goodman; James and Movements. She views these topics as being some of the most the Giant Peach, Pinocchio and The Light Princess at South Coast stimulating, transforming, and educationally enriching. Repertory; The Mexican Trilogy, an American History at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, Médée and Teseo for the Chicago Opera Professor Jones embraces the role of being a change agent and Theatre; A Picasso at the Geffen Playhouse; Woodboy Dogfish mentor. For this reason, she is an avid supporter of all student with the Rogue Artist Ensemble; Everything you Touch for support and success efforts. Professor Jones enjoys serving on Rattlestick productions at the Cherry Lane Theatre and Boston the Equity Committee, serving as the Sociology Club Faculty Court Theatre; The Year of Magical Thinking at the Laguna Advisor, being part of Student Success Advocates, and serving on Playhouse; Metamorphoses and Woyzeck at the Santa Barbara Scholarship Selection Committees. Ensemble Theatre. Charles Fogel Mathematics M.A. Math, California State, Long Beach B.A., General Studies, University of Michigan

Professor Fogel is a former newsman who spent 20 years researching, writing, and reporting the news for papers in Detroit, Louisiana, Texas, and California. In 2009, he earned a master’s degree in math and made the switch to teaching. Professor Fogel is especially interested in teaching Higher Math, Calculus, Statistics and Discrete Structures. He volunteers at the Natural History Museum, and also as a tutor. Octavian Le Professor Lee enjoys teaching Biology the most, and feels that it exists in the most beautiful, alluring, and fascinating parts of the Life Science world. In other words, all of it! Everything from our cells, physi- M.D., Medicine, Universidad Central Del Este ology, and ecology paints a dazzling patterned picture of intricate B.S., Biological Science, University of California, Davis interactions. He welcomes partnerships with other colleagues and community organizations to help students move beyond East LA Professor Le feels that the best way to con- College and to find their own life adventure. tribute to the health profession is to properly train future clinicians in core science courses. He uses his medical background and experience as a basis for teaching his lectures and Amber Marsden labs. Students have the benefit of Professor Le’s first-hand experi- Counseling ence to learn about the medical profession. His goal is to create a classroom setting where students gain knowledge and build their M.A., California State University, Long Beach, MS Counseling: Student Development in Higher Education confidence and critical thinking skills to help them become better B.A., University of California, Berkeley, BA Sociology clinicians. Professor Le enjoys teaching different levels of Anatomy and Professor Marsden is a counselor in the Physiology. He finds the human body to be a very interesting topic General Counseling office and the Adelante First-Year Experience because you get to learn about yourself - in a biological and phys- Program. She enjoys working with first year ELAC students, espe- iological sense. Professor Le hopes to convey his enthusiasm and cially those who are exploring their career and major options. She interest in this subject to his students. His courses are designed also teaches Counseling courses which help students become to be organized, stimulating and challenging. Students who com- familiar with ELAC, career decision making, and the transfer pro- plete Professor Le’s courses will gain a better understanding and cess. Having grown up in Monterey Park, Professor Marsden is appreciation of the miraculous human body machinery. passionately dedicated to contributing to the ELAC community as a professional. Grace Lee Fernando Mejia English Social Science/History Ph.D., English, Claremont Graduate University M.A., English, Claremont Graduate University M.A., Humanities, Mount Saint Mary’s University B.A., English and Humanities & Social Sciences with a focus on Creative Writing, B.A., History & Art History, UCLA University of California, Riverside A.A., History, Los Angeles Valley College

Professor Lee has over 12 years of college teaching experience (at Professor Mejia teaches History at East public and private colleges) and over 12 years of pre-college tutor- Los Angeles College. He attended Los Angeles Valley College ing experience (in college test prep and grammar). She also writes and transferred to UCLA majoring in History and Art History. short stories, poetry, and the occasional freelance feature article. Professor Mejia received his graduate degree from Mount Saint Whenever possible, she tries to connect to nature and dream a Mary’s University. He is passionate about transfer/ student suc- little. cess and he brings that energy into his classroom. Professor Lee enjoys teaching grammar and composition skills, Inside and outside of the classroom, Professor Mejia encourages helping students to understand the nature and purpose of writ- students to do their best academically, and wants to prepare them ten and oral communication tools, and to help students form- to transfer to a four-year institution. connections between the texts they analyze and the texts they produce. Her other interests include Creative Writing, Children’s Leonard Melchor Literature, Asian American Literature, and Oral/Multimodal Storytelling. Professor Lee enjoys helping students to develop Social Sciences - History a sense of their own belonging on campus, like making friends, Ph.D., Culture and Performance, University of California, Los Angeles joining clubs, and forming their own networking groups. She M.A., Latin American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles also likes to be part of charities, community-building events, and B.A., History, University of California, Los Angeles nature walks and hikes. A.A., Liberal Studies, Santa Monica College

Having been born, raised and educated in West Los Angeles, Jimmy Lee Professor Melchor’s experiences turned into an intense desire Life Science to study the multifaceted relationship between politics, race and Latino identity in Los Angeles. His favorite topics to teach are Ph.D., Biomedical Science, University of California, Riverside B.S., Biological Science, University of Southern California Political History, Foreign Interventions, and Media Literacy. Professor Melchor likes advising student clubs, volunteering, and Professor Lee is a wanderer in the scientific fundraising. He and his wife are proud of their two children cur- landscape, pursuing knowledge in biotech- rently attending universities (CSULB and UCLA). When not lost nology, biomedical research, marine biology, and evolutionary in a bookstore, Professor Melchor likes to get lost in the forest. ecology. His academic wanderlust has taken him from high tech molecular labs to outdoor adventures in the Colorado Rockies, Catalina Island, and Antarctica. But his greatest adventure is just beginning!

4 Gregory Mena Cynthia Mari Orozco English Library Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, California State M.L.I.S., San José State University University, Northridge M.A., Latin American Studies, San Diego State University M.A., Education, University of Pennsylvania B.A., Political Science & Sociology, University of California, Irvine B.A., Linguistics and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles Professor Orozco is a faculty librarian special- Professor Mena is passionate about helping students develop aca- izing in equitable library services, with particular emphasis in demic literacy and critical thinking skills. Professor Mena previ- instruction and outreach to non-traditional students. Previously, ously taught in a writing program at CSUN in the Department she was the Student Services Librarian at California State of Chicano/a Studies. He also taught in the Reading Department University, Long Beach and worked closely with first-generation at Long Beach City College. His hobbies include surfing, running college, international, and transfer students. and app development. Professor Orozco loves helping students integrate their interests Professor Mena enjoys helping students improve their critical and personal experiences into the research process. When stu- reading skills. By becoming stronger and more active readers, he dents are passionate about or relate to a topic, finding good infor- feels that his students will be able to thrive in other disciplines. mation is so much more enjoyable. As a librarian, a huge part of Professor Mena enjoys exploring new technology and helping his Professor Orozco’s job is providing drop-in research help at the colleagues use technology effectively. library’s Research Help Desk. She really enjoys connecting stu- dents to the information they need and meeting some amazing Rubén Mendoza people through the process. Chicana/o Studies Michael Perronne Ph.D. (ABD), English, University of California, Riverside M.A., Chicana/o Studies, California State University, Northridge Non-Credit, ESL M.F.A., Communications, University of New Orleans Professor Mendoza earned an MA in Chicana/o B.A., Radio, TV & Film, University of Southern Mississippi Studies at CSUN in 2008, focusing on Contemporary Chicana/o Art. He began teaching Chicana/o Prior to teaching at ELAC, Professor Perronne Studies part-time at ELAC in 2009 and entered the English doc- spent twelve years teaching in Los Angeles toral program at UC Riverside in 2011. His doctoral work in Unified School District’s Division of Adult Education. While at Rhetoric Studies focuses on developing arts-based critical teach- LAUSD, he taught all levels of English as a Second Language, ing. Basic Skills, and high school level credit courses to both adults and high school students. In addition, Professor Perronne served Chicana/o Literature and Art, Rhetoric, Composition, and outside of the classroom as a Teacher Advisor at LAUSD. In this Aesthetics are Professor Mendoza’s favorite subjects to teach. capacity, he counseled new students, evaluated transcripts, served Outside of the classroom, he enjoys helping students learn about as a mentor to new teachers, and acted as the point person on arts and culture, aesthetic practices, and critical teaching. Outside satellite campuses. Professor Perronne started at ELAC in January the classroom, he enjoys mentoring students through aesthet- 2016 in the new ESL & Modern Languages Lab as an Instructional ics-based approaches to critical pedagogy. Assistant. In August, he returned to full-time teaching and began teaching Non-Credit ESL at ELAC. Gia Nguyen Professor Perronne always loved teaching writing skills to his Mathematics ESL students. As a former creative writing student, he felt it was M.S., Applied Mathematics, California State Polytechnic University, always a pleasure to see students develop their “writing voice” Pomona and learn how to express themselves with the written word. B.S., Pure Mathematics, University of California, Irvine When Professor Perronne worked in the campus Language Lab, prior to teaching at ELAC, he particularly enjoyed demonstrating Teaching has been a passion of Professor to students with little to no computer experience all the resources Nguyen’s ever since he was a high school student. Working in the internet has to offer to improve their English language skills. many different areas of education in the past 12 years has given him a holistic perspective in understanding the structure neces- sary to place students in a position to be successful. Probability is one of Professor Nguyen’s favorite topics because nothing in life is certain. In everything we do, we gauge the chances of successful outcomes. Professor Nguyen encourages students to visit office hours for help and participate in departmental activities. Maria Quintero Professor Raulerson loves discussing with students how music reflects and amplifies the social and cultural conditions in which Political Science it develops. He finds it very gratifying to see students interrogat- M.A., Public Administration/CSU, Los Angeles ing the music they love and discovering not only why they love it, B.A., Liberal Studies with a Bilingual Bi-culture emphasis, CSU, Chico but also how that knowledge helps them to better understand the world around them. Professor Raulerson enjoys being one of his Professor Quintero was raised in Boyle Heights, department’s SLO facilitators because he feels that it forces him attended Roosevelt High School and continued to question his assessment methods and provides him with plen- with her college career at Sonoma State University. During her tiful opportunities to discuss best practices with fellow teachers. stay at SSU, she participated in the Mini-Core program and as a Professor Raulerson is also eager to contribute to campus advo- result of this experience she decided to pursue a career in educa- cacy for adjunct faculty. tion. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Bilingual Bicultural studies from California State University, Chico. Tiffany Seeley In 2006, Professor Quintero earned her Master’s Degree in Public Geography Administration from California State University, Los Angeles and M.A., Geography, California State University, Fullerton was an Adjunct Faculty for East Los Angeles College since fall B.A., Geography, California State University, Fullerton 2006. As an adjunct, she participated in various committees on campus and was the Coordinator for the Latina Completion and As a former community college student, Transfer Academy in the spring 2016. She hopes to continue to Professor Seeley is thrilled to be teaching advocate for students to transfer by establishing partnerships at Geography at East Los Angeles College. Like many of our stu- the South Gate Education Center, where she is full time professor. dents, she first discovered the discipline of Geography in a com- munity college classroom. Geography opened up her world, and gave her permission to explore all of the disparate topics and Jenell Rae places she was (and still is) curious about. English Professor Seeley received her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees M.A., English Literature, Loyola Marymount University in Geography from California State University, Fullerton. While B.A., English Literature, University of California, Los Angeles her thesis at CSUF investigated the rapidly changing dynamics of A.A., Liberal Arts, Pasadena City College downtown Santa Ana’s gentrifying spaces, she was also particu- larly interested in the development of California’s diverse cultural Professor Rae has taught academic English and and physical landscapes, the urban geography of cities around ESL for more than ten years. She recently returned to the U.S. the world, the region of the Middle East/Central Asia, and the after spending five and a half years in Nagoya, Japan. In Japan, ways that mapping and geographic information systems can solve she was a university English instructor at two separate universi- real-world problems. To date, Professor Seeley has four years of ties and taught all levels and skills of EFL (English as a Foreign teaching experience with a wide variety of students at commu- Language) to Japanese students. Before Professor Rae went to nity colleges across California - including in the Bay Area and Japan, she taught ESL and academic writing at the University of Sacramento. Her greatest passion in teaching is encouraging stu- Arizona, and academic writing and English literature at various dents to step outside the classroom and investigate geographical community colleges in the greater Los Angeles area, including themes in their everyday lives. ELAC. Professor Rae is thrilled to be back, and looks forward to serving ELAC students for many years to come! Christine Sepulveda Academic writing is one of the topics Professor Rae enjoys teach- ing the most, because it prepares students for higher education Anthropology, Geography, and Geology writing and workplace writing. She likes advising and assisting Ph.D. (in progress), Anthropology, University of Auckland, New Zealand students with their future goals. M.A., Anthropology, California State University, Fullerton B.A., Anthropology, California State University, Fullerton Graham Raulerson A.A., Liberal Arts, Santa Ana College Music Professor Sepulveda is a biocultural anthropologist specializ- ing in primate behavioral ecology. She is particularly interested Ph.D., Musicology, University of California, Los Angeles M.A., Musicology, University of Iowa in how music impacts human and nonhuman primate behavior B.M., Music Education, Bowling Green State University and biology. The topics Professor Sepulveda enjoys teaching most are Human Biological Evolution, The World of Primates, Cultural Professor Raulerson teaches Music History and Anthropology, Issues and History in Popular Music, and Music Literature courses at ELAC. His classroom work focuses on the and Identity in World Cultures - because these are phenomenally intersections between Western art and popular music, music of dynamic areas of study that she finds fascinating. the stage and screen, and several non-Western musical cultures. Professor Sepulveda loves the ELAC community and enjoys He maintains an active research profile in musicology, writing spending time with her students inside and outside of the class- mostly on music in the US. room. She tutors students who need extra help and provides her students with mentorship and support. She also enjoys being involved with student clubs and participating in student activities, as well as doing community outreach education and volunteer work. Professor Sepulveda is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in ethno- musicology in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

6 Gerardo Villasenor New Faculty Philosophy Mia Castro – Child Development M. Allen Coson - Economics M.A., Philosophy, California State University, Los Angeles Edwin R. Cruz – Child Development B.A., Philosophy/History, Pomona College Kellee Davis – Child Development Nursing/Psychology Professor Villasenor thoroughly enjoys teach- Jack Duncan – Barbara Eazor - Counseling ing and exposing students to philosophy. His Adolfo Espinoza - Accounting hobbies include coaching and watching soccer, reading, and dis- Cristina E. Fish - Administration of Justice covering new music. Professor Villasenor’s favorite topics to teach Deborah Glickman – Child Development include Continental Philosophy, Metaphysics, Epistemology, and Ryan Godfrey - Psychology Critical Theory. He enjoys assisting with the Philosophy Club. Robert Godinez – Health David Hale – Communication Studies Nora Zepeda Dennis Lao – Administration of Justice Ken Lin - Library Modern Languages Eugene Liu – Nursing M/S Ph.D. (in progress), Hispanic Languages and Literatures, University of Wendy Macias – General Counseling (Noncredit) California, Los Angeles Claudia Molina – Chemistry M.A., Spanish Literature, San Diego State University John Mosley - Kinesiology B.A., English/Spanish, University of California, Davis Lacey Olivarez – Child Development Elizabeth Ortega - Sociology Professor Zepeda is a self-proclaimed second-generation Marina Juarez-Rueda – General Counseling Salvadoran Air Force brat. She was born in the U.S. but considers Dina Szhlarek - English herself fortunate to have been able to live in Spain and Italy, as well Eddie Villanueva – Electronics as to travel to Mexico and Central America. Those experiences inspired her to study Spanish in college and graduate school, and to eventually teach it at the community college level. Professor Zepeda is a firm believer in following your passion and considers New Academic Affairs Administrators that something of value that she can pass on to her students. Gina Chelstrom Professor Zepeda enjoys teaching accents because most heritage James Kenny speakers of Spanish are mystified by them. She likes to demon- Ming-Wei Lam strate that they are not impossible to learn, and also enjoys teach- Armida Ornelas ing students to appreciate their Spanish-speaking heritage because Juan Urdiales it allows them to connect to their past and family at a deeper level. Professor Zepeda loves tutoring because she believes she has a lot to offer students by working with them one-on-one. She is inter- ested in helping with student success and learning assessments. Special Thanks to the Contributors Yegor Hovakimian Brady Miller-Wakeham Aura A Orellana Claudia Perez Josue Ramirez Layla Ramos J. Edward Stevenson Jessica Zaldana

Nari Choi Christine Frerichs Mathematics Art

Kashif Powell Lin Simon Communications Studies Computer Science Information Technology East Los Angeles College /Spring 2017