FC Welcomes More than 50 New Faculty
Fullerton College is pleased to welcome 53 new faculty this fall. This is the college’s largest cohort of new faculty hired at one time. Read below to find out more about their backgrounds and expertise.
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Mohammad Abdel Haq
Sociology
Mohammad Abdel Haq was born and raised in Amman, Jordan. He was awarded his Master of Arts in Sociology from CSUF. His pedagogical approach and passion for sociology revolve around being a catalyst in creating an egalitarian society that promotes equality, freedom and justice through the development of critical consciousness. His receipt of the Carlene Nelson Scholarship in sociology, and the Honorable Mention by the Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral program, are recognitions of his strong dedication to the sociological field.
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Cristina Arellano-Dueñas
Counseling
Cristina Arellano-Dueñas has more than nine years of experience in higher education. She has served as an adjunct counselor in the EOPS program at Fullerton, Irvine Valley, and Orange Coast colleges. She has also taught counseling courses at FC and previously held positions at Chaffey College and Coast Community College District. Arellano-Dueñas is a proud product of the community college system; she transferred from Santa Ana College, earned a B.S. in Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University, and an M.S. in Educational Counseling from the University of La Verne.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Greg Aviles
Physical Education
Coach Greg Aviles joins Fullerton College as the fifth coach in the history of the men’s soccer program that began in 1976. Aviles is a Southern California native where he was the soccer captain and graduate of Santa Fe High School. He later went on to play soccer at Santiago Canyon College, which led him to Cal State Fullerton where he earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in sports psychology and coaching, and a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University. He has coached with top clubs and programs, and has held positions at Chaffey and Mt. SAC colleges and Yorba Linda High School.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Olivia Barajas
Counseling
Olivia Barajas is excited to join Fullerton College as a career technical education (CTE) counselor. She has served as an adjunct counselor and instructor for multiple programs (including CTE) at Santa Ana College, as well as an adjunct counselor in general counseling at FC. Barajas completed her Bachelor of Arts in History of Art at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science in Counseling at California State University, Long Beach. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting museums and attending CSULB basketball games.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Aram Barsamian
Music
Aram Barsamian is the current personnel manager, bass section leader, and advisor to the artistic director of the Pacific Chorale. The baritone has sung numerous roles in the opera companies of San Francisco, Sacramento, and others. In addition to Fullerton College, he has also served on the voice faculties of La Sierra University, Cypress, Mount San Antonio, and Pasadena City colleges, and has directed many college opera productions.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Garrett Campbell
Physical Education
Garrett Campbell joins the 2016 Hornet football season as the new offensive coordinator. Campbell is no stranger to FC as his father, Dick Campbell, was on the Hornet coaching staff for 15 years while he was a young boy. Campbell served as Fullerton’s ball boy and then grew to become a quarterback and wide receiver for the Hornets from 1995-96. Born and raised in Southern California, he earned his bachelor’s degree at Cal State Fullerton and his master’s degree at Northern State University. He got his start in coaching at FC in 1998 and has since coached at Northern State, Williamette University, Menlo College, and Carthage College and Illinois College.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Anna Carlin
Computer Information Systems
Anna Carlin holds a Master of Science in Business Administration from Cal Poly Pomona. She was a faculty member at Cal Poly Pomona teaching information systems auditing, computer forensics, internet security, internship, and management information systems in the College of Business Administration, Computer Information Systems Department. She has over 15 years of experience in IT audit, software development, and operations management. Carlin is currently serving as director and academic relations chair for ISACA, Los Angeles.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Andrew Clifton
Computer Science
Andrew Clifton grew up in the untamed wilderness of the Sierra Nevada foothills, where he first heard the siren song of computer programming (in the form of a logo on the school’s computer). He holds a bachelor’s degree in applied science and technology from Thomas Edison University, and a master’s degree in computer science from Cal State Fresno. In his free time, Clifton enjoys hiking, playing classical piano, and collecting fountain
pens.[/one_half_last][one_half]
James Crippen
Philosophy
James Crippen began his time at Fullerton College as a student, where he enrolled in his first philosophy class. After spending a few years overseas and receiving his Ph.D. from Temple University, he returned to Fullerton to begin his teaching career. In addition to teaching the core courses in philosophy, he enjoys teaching social and political philosophy and modern philosophy. His areas of interest include German and American philosophy.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Adriana Currie
Interior Design
Adriana Currie is a certified interior designer with a broad range of experience in both the commercial and residential sectors. She is a graduate of Cal State Long Beach’s division of Family & Consumer Science with an emphasis in interior design, and has been an adjunct instructor in this field for more than 15 years. Currie is fluent in Spanish and English, having been born in Peru and educated in the United States.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Megan Debin
Art
Megan Lorraine Debin is Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Art History at UCLA, where she also earned a master’s degree in Latin American studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Italian. Her research interests include contemporary performance and land art in Mexico, pre-Columbian art, global indigenous arts, feminist, activist, and street art, and her pedagogical interests center on innovation and technology. She is currently writing her doctoral dissertation, titled “Body Traces: Contemporary Art Against Violence in Mexico.” To date, her research has benefitted from the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and UC Mexus.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Spiridon Dimitratos
Biology
Spiridon (Spiros) Dimitratos is interested in molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, and biotechnology. He has many years of experience in the biotechnology industry, where he developed novel biosensors and insect pest control products. He has taught biology courses at Cypress and Fullerton colleges. Dimitratos holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from UCLA and a Ph.D. in Developmental and Cell Biology from UC Irvine.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Yolanda Duron
Physical Education
Coach Yolanda Duron will take over as the head coach of the tennis program. Duron comes to FC by way of the University La Verne. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Drexel University in 2003 while earning her master’s degree in kinesiology from Cal State Fullerton in 2008. Duron is also currently pursuing her doctorate in education with an emphasis in educational leadership.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Christopher Fernandez
Chemistry
Chris Fernandez is an alumnus of Fullerton College where he graduated with an A.A. in Biology before transferring to California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) where he earned both his B.S. and M.S. in Chemistry. After finishing his M.S. he went to work in the field of chromatography for approximately three years. In the five years since, he has enjoyed using his industry experience to go beyond the textbook for his students as an adjunct instructor at Fullerton College, Mt. SAC and CSUF. Fernandez was recently nominated for outstanding lecturer at CSUF for his dedication in serving undergraduate students.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Mario Gonzales
Music
Mario Gonzales is a San Diego native with 20 years of experience in the music industry. His studio recordings have been in major motion picture soundtracks for Pixar, Disney and Universal Pictures. He has toured the globe with Sheila E performing and leading as musical director in addition to live performances on world renowned stages such as the Hollywood Bowl. Gonzales continues to work as a freelance mix engineer and is excited to integrate into the Fullerton College family.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Aline Gregorio
Geography
Aline Gregorio is a Brazilian immigrant who overcame customs and language struggles to achieve her educational goals. She earned her liberal studies degree from Fullerton College; her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography from Cal State Fullerton, and has been teaching geography at the college level for the past six years. What attracted her into this discipline, and continues to motivate her studies today, is how relevant it is in the contemporary world. She looks forward to being part of FC and strives to continue the great legacy of geography educators here.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Cynthia Guardado
English
Cynthia Guardado is a Salvadorian-American, professor of English at Fullerton College, poet, and activist in the Los Angeles area. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from California State University, Fresno and her Bachelor of Arts in Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has previously been published in The Acentos Review, The Packinghouse Review, PALABRA: A Magazine of Chicano and Literary Art, bozalta, ING: An Inglewood Anthology. She also translated The Madrid Conversations published by University of New Orleans Press.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Tracy Guild
Psychology
Tracy Guild teaches numerous classes in the Psychology Department, drawing on eight years of teaching experience at campuses across the region. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UC Irvine and her Master of Arts in Psychology from Pepperdine University. She worked in an acute care psychiatric hospital setting for four years and launched her teaching career in higher education at Chaffey College.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Zachary Harless
Theatre
Zachary Harless has spent the last 15 years designing and working as a technician for various professional, educational, community and cultural events around California. Harless began working at Fullerton College while attending in 1999, and continued in various capacities through the years, most recently as a full-time staff member in Theater Operations. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s degree in Project Management from Keller Graduate School.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Jon-Michael Hattabaugh
Counseling
Jon-Michael Hattabaugh comes to Fullerton College with six years of experience working in higher education. His time spent as a studentathlete and baseball coach at the University of La Verne ultimately led him to become a college counselor. His professional experience has allowed him to work with various student populations (veterans, STEM, and athletics) and he looks forward to adding to the already stellar reputation of the counseling department. He holds a B.S. in Sociology and an M.A. in Educational Counseling from the University of La Verne. Hattabaugh resides in Claremont with his fiancé and has a little boy due in the fall.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Rita Higgins
Nutrition and Foods
Rita Higgins is a registered dietitian nutritionist who has been teaching nutrition and foods at the community college level for more than 15 years. Prior to joining Fullerton College, Higgins was an adjunct instructor at Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon colleges. She has also worked in the fields of public health nutrition and out-patient education. She earned her B.S. in Biology from U.C. Irvine and her master’s in public health nutrition from Loma Linda University.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Brian Jones-Ramey
Foreign Language – Spanish
Brian Jones-Ramey arrives at Fullerton College from the Tar Heel State of North Carolina. His experience teaching Spanish spans 17 years of both full- and part-time teaching in universities and community colleges. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish literature, an Master of Arts in Romance Languages and Literature, as well as an M.A. in Spanish Translation and Interpreting. His favorite pastime is spending time with his family, which includes his English bulldog.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Jennifer Kinkel
Child Development and Educational Studies
Jenn Kinkel has been working in the field of child development and educational studies for more than 20 years in a variety of capacities. She completed her B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior from UC Irvine, and her M.A. in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena. Kinkel remains a lifelong learner, and continues to serve on a variety of boards, committees and councils in Orange County related to early childhood education.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Brendon Kirby
Welding
Brendon Kirby works as a certified welding inspector and educator. He has been working in the building trades since 2004 filling various roles including welder, plant and heavy equipment operator, small business owner, and inspector. He completed an A.S. degree in Manufacturing Technology at Fullerton College in 2011 and earned his B.A. in Operations Management at Cal State Fullerton in 2014. Kirby is a member of the American Welding Society, APICS, PMI and SHRM.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Graham Krahn
Physics
Graham J. Krahn earned his doctorate in theoretical physics in 2012 from the University of California, Riverside. He is interested in condensed matter theory, physics education research, science and religion, and enjoys wrestling with deep unresolved problems in fundamental physics. Krahn grew up near Vancouver, Canada and loves outdoor activities including hiking, cycling, and barefoot waterskiing.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Laura Loney
Mathematics
Laura Loney is originally from Northern California but moved south to attend Cal State Long Beach where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics. For the past few years, she has been adjunct faculty at Santiago Canyon College, Long Beach City College, and Fullerton College. She currently resides in Lakewood, CA, with her husband Darren and her four cats. Loney is excited to begin her career as a full-time faculty member at Fullerton College![/one_half_last][one_half]
Brian Lopez
Psychology
Dr. Brian Lopez joins us from the University of California, Santa Barbara where he has taught courses in introductory statistics and research methods. He received his Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCSB last September. Prior to UCSB, Lopez received his B.S. in Psychology from UC San Diego and was a researcher at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Ruben Lopez
Geography
Ruben Lopez is excited to join the Geography Department at Fullerton College. Lopez earned his B.A. in Geology from Occidental College, an M.A. in Geography from Cal State Fullerton, an M.A. in Teaching from Chapman University, and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Higher Education from Claremont Graduate University. Some of his interests include environmental justice concerns as they relate to school achievement, climate change, and the history of science.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Michelle Loy
Nutrition & Foods
Michelle Loy joins the Natural Sciences Division as a nutrition and foods instructor this fall. Loy taught a variety of nutrition courses at Cal State Long Beach for more than six years and has provided nutrition house calls through her private practice for the last eight years. In addition to serving as the communications chair for the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics-Orange District, she also serves as the social media chair for Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Valentin Macias
Library
Valentin Macias was born and raised in Southern California. He received an MLIS from the University of Alabama, an M.A. in Education, a B.A. in Literature from UC Santa Cruz, and an A.A. and A.S. from Riverside City College. He worked as an adjunct librarian at Moreno Valley College, and directed the Westwood College – Inland Empire Campus library from 2015-2016. Prior to that, he experienced life as an academic instructor in various capacities in the Republic of Korea—having spent eight years teaching at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul before repatriating back to the U.S. in early 2015. He likes to travel and photograph microfauna when there is time to spare.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Samreen Manjra
Accounting
Samreen Manjra is an accounting instructor and certified public accountant who utilizes her professional accounting and auditing experience to teach the applicability of financial concepts. She graduated from UC Irvine with a bachelor’s in economics, with minors in education and management. She obtained a master’s degree in accountancy from CSU Fullerton. Prior to joining Fullerton College, she was in the Assurance Practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and an adjunct accounting instructor at Cypress College.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Michael Mueller
Theatre
Michael Mueller is an actor, educator and fight choreographer. In addition to being a certified teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD), Mueller is a combat instructor with Revenge Arts and a member of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the British Academy of Dramatic Combat (BADC), the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat (BASSC), Fight Directors Canada (FDC), SAG-AFTRA, and Sword Fights Inc. He earned his M.F.A. in Performance Pedagogy from the University of Pittsburgh and B.F.A. in Acting from Wright State University. He also serves as an associate editor of The Fight Master, a bi-annual magazine published through the SAFD.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Meg O’Rourke
English
Meg O’Rourke first joined Fullerton College as a struggling student, having attended a continuation high school. After graduating from FC, she earned her B.A. in English from CSUF and her M.A. in English from Cal Poly Pomona. She has taught English at Cal Poly Pomona, Chaffey, Fullerton and Norco colleges. O’Rourke has played an active role on each of these campuses and is passionate about social justice, equity, and the community college mission.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Julie Patel
Journalism
Julie Patel is an investigative reporter who has worked at the Center for Public Integrity, D.C.’s National Public Radio affiliate, South Florida Sun Sentinel and the San Jose Mercury News. She has earned more than a dozen journalism awards and honors and previously taught journalism at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree from Stanford University.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Wendy Perez
Cosmetology
Wendy Perez is a proud Southern California native. She began her career as a ROP student and now has 29 years of professional experience. Perez earned an A.S. from Fullerton College and a B.S. in Workforce Education Development from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She became an adjunct instructor at FC in 2011 and is committed to education, life-long learning, fostering good communication skills, and is devoted to student success.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Caleb Petrie
Mathematics
Caleb Petrie was born in Fullerton and grew up in Brea. While a student at Brea-Olinda High School, he had the pleasure of taking an AP calculus class taught by FC math Professor Scott Malloy. After graduating from BOHS, Petrie completed degrees at Biola University, the University of Southern California, and Auburn University. In his spare time, he enjoys watching sports and is involved at Grace Covenant Community Church in Brea.
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Iris Rauda
Chemistry
Dr. Iris Rauda received a bachelor’s in biology and master’s in chemistry from Cal State Los Angeles, and her doctorate in chemistry from UCLA. She previously held adjunct faculty positions at Glendale Community, Pierce and Santa Monica colleges, as well as Loyola Marymount University. She is very passionate about teaching chemistry and one of her goals as an instructor is to inspire young students to pursue careers in science. The child of immigrants and an immigrant herself, she is dedicated to increasing diversity in science by reaching out to students from underrepresented groups to help them develop their intellectual talents.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Jeanette Rodriguez
Speech/Communication Studies
Jeanette Rodriguez was raised in Santa Ana and comes to Fullerton College after earning her B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in Communication Studies at Cal State Fullerton. She joins the Speech Department as assistant director of forensics, bringing with her 11 years of forensics experience both as a national competitor and a regional coach. She has a passion for teaching and making a difference. She also loves to read, travel, and spend time with her beloved family.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Kimberly Rosales
Biology
Kimberly Rosales received her Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Irvine. She worked for the Minority Science Program at UC Irvine. She then joined City of Hope as a post-doctoral fellow to conduct research on cancer cell metabolism. She has taught a variety of biology courses at various institutions including Cal State Dominguez Hills and Coastline Community College. She has also been involved in outreach providing interactive science lessons to elementary students.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Adriana Sanchez
English
Adriana Sanchez studied rhetoric, composition, and literature at Cal Poly Pomona. She has taught composition and critical thinking courses at Cal Poly Pomona and Chaffey, Fullerton, Norco and Pasadena City colleges. She is passionate about empowering students and is excited to join Fullerton College as a full-time faculty member[/one_half_last][one_half]
Michael Schulze
English
Michael Schulze is a Fullerton College alumnus, tutor, intern and adjunct instructor. He received an M.A. in English and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Chapman University. He has full-time experience teaching composition at Modesto Junior College and for Fort Hays State University, Kansas’ cross-border program onsite at SIAS International University in China. He is very excited to be back home at Fullerton College.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Kristen Shedd
History
Kristen A. Shedd received her B.A. from Bowdoin College and M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests include the intersection of religion and politics in modern U.S. history. She was most recently a visiting assistant professor at Oklahoma State University and looks forward to joining Fullerton College.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Arnetta Smith
Ethnic Studies
Arnetta Smith is an ARTivist, who is passionate about social justice and equality for all marginalized people. She received both her B.A. in Africana Studies and her M.A. in Ethnic Studies from San Francisco State University. She is committed to student access and success. Her courses are designed with the intentions of providing an inclusive and holistic education. She blends traditional and new media to create a transformative 21st century learning environment.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Todd Andrew Smith
Art
Todd Andrew Smith earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Sonoma State University and his Master of Fine Arts degree at California State University, Long Beach where he focused his studies on printmaking and intermedia sculpture. He will be teaching 2-D foundation courses as well as printmaking in the Art Department.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Vonn Sumner
Art
Vonn Sumner grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and studied at UC Davis with celebrated artist and teacher, Wayne Thiebaud. Sumner has taught painting and drawing at the college level since 2004. He was also a founding member of the artist collective called Pharmaka, which ran a non-profit gallery in Downtown L.A. from 2004-2009, where he curated exhibitions. Sumner is represented in Los Angeles by the Merry Karnowsky Gallery.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Jefferson Tiangco
English as a Second Language
Jefferson Tiangco is thrilled to join the ESL faculty full-time after teaching at Fullerton College since 2014. He received his Master of Education with a TESOL emphasis and Bachelor of Business Administration with an accounting emphasis from Cal State Fullerton. His eclectic background also includes over eight years of experience in educational technology and web development at Norco College. A native of the Philippines, he often uses his own immigrant story and language learning experiences to connect with his students.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Ana Tovar
Counseling
Ana Tovar has served as an adjunct counselor at Fullerton College in the Counseling Center and Cadena Transfer Center since July 2015. She arrives with more than eight years of counseling experience, having served as an adjunct counselor at Orange Coast and Saddleback colleges. She holds an A.A. from Orange Coast College, a B.A. in English from UCLA, and an M.S. in Education from Cal State Long Beach. Aside from individual counseling, Tovar has a passion for teaching and has taught numerous counseling courses in career exploration, study skills, and introduction to college.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Kimberly Vandervort
English
Kimberly (Kim) Vandervort is thrilled to join the Fullerton College family as a full-time English instructor. She earned both her B.A. and M.A. in English from Cal State Fullerton before teaching as an adjunct at both Fullerton College and CSUF. Her passion is teaching composition, and she has devoted her career to helping students find and use their unique voices. Outside of the classroom she writes fantasy fiction; she is currently at work on her fourth novel.[/one_half_last][one_half]
Chad Willis
Music
Chad Willis has performed in 20 countries and all over the United States with a wide variety of artists. Most recently he has toured as a member in Lyle Lovett’s Large band, with the Manhattan Transfer, Kurt Elling, and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. When not on tour, Willis enjoys a thriving freelance and teaching career in the Los Angeles area. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas and an M.M. in Jazz Performance from USC.[/one_half][one_half_last]
Gilene Young
Biology
Originally from Washington D.C., Dr. Gilene Young has lived in Los Angeles for the last 10 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in Biology from UCLA. Her academic interests include insects, animal behavior, and evolution. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and the outdoors. Young is excited to join the Fullerton College community and looks forward to meeting new students.[/one_half_last]
Additional Faculty
Jonathan Keller, Construction
Jordon Maxwell, Welding
Brandon Tran, Accounting
