CSUDH Magazine

The Official Magazine of California State University, Dominguez Hills

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Spring 2022

Faculty Publications & New Releases

Faculty Publications & New Releases

Teodross Avery

Saxophonist and assistant professor of jazz studies and contemporary music, Avery released the album Live in NYC (Teodross Avery Music). The album showcases his quartet playing seven original compositions, as well as the Thelonious Monk classic “’Round Midnight.”

Nancy Erbe

Professor of negotiation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, Erbe released the book Living Inspiration: A Text/Workbook for Applied Ethics, Public Speaking, Human Relations and Creative Good (Kendall Hunt).

Brad Hollister

Assistant professor of computer science, Hollister authored the book Core Blender Development: Understanding the Essential Source Code (Apress). The book is designed to help readers understand and code with Blender, open-source 3D modeling software that is used in the development of animated projects, 3D printing, and game design.

Mary Talusan Lacanlale

Assistant professor of Asian-Pacific studies, Lacanlale published Instruments of Empire: Filipino Musicians, Black Soldiers, and Military Band Music during U.S. Colonization of the Philippines (University Press of Mississippi), which tells the forgotten history of the Philippine Constabulary Band of the early twentieth century.

Lacanlale also co-produced the CD Kulintang Kultura: Danongan Kalanduyan and Gong Music of the Philippine Diaspora (Smithsonian Folkways). The two-disc set presents both traditional kulintang music and modern tracks that incorporate elements of the music in a variety of genres.

Jerry Moore

Professor of anthropology, Moore authored Ancient Andean Houses: Making, Inhabiting, Studying (University Press of Florida), which explores the diverse ways ancient Andean peoples made houses, the ways houses re-create culture, and new perspectives and methods for studying houses.

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Alumni Association Awards Record Number of Scholarships

Alumni Association Awards Record Number of Scholarships

Thanks to increased philanthropic donations, the CSUDH Alumni Association awarded a record 16 students with scholarships for the 2021-22 school year, providing them with funds to help continue their education. This marks the most Alumni Scholarships that have ever been awarded in a single year.

The recipients include seven graduate and nine undergraduate students—all carefully chosen for the scholarships, which are given annually to students with strong academic records and service to the university and their communities.

The 2021-22 recipients of the CSUDH Alumni Scholarship are:

Daisy Aguilar

Daisy Aguirre

Kerrington Boykin

Mariana Castro

Janelle Catbagan

Krista D’Angelo

Ana K. De La Torre

Keonna R. Simpson

Christina Johnson

Gustavo Limon

Fatima Mohammad

Christina Nesbit

Angelica Tan

Karla Torres

Jazzmyne Urquiza

Cybil Vidal

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Meals 4 Toros Program Distributes Holiday Dinners to Students in Need

Meals 4 Toros Program Distributes Holiday Dinners to Students in Need

Generous donors provided fully-cooked Thanksgiving meals for 500 Toro families.

Responding to the needs of many in the campus community, CSUDH’s Basic Needs Office distributed holiday meals to students at a pair of events in late 2021. The events were part of the university’s new Meals 4 Toros program, which is aimed at providing holiday dinners for CSUDH students in need.

The program is a joint effort between the Office of Development, the Basic Needs Office, and Campus Dining. It was the brainchild of Andre Khachaturians, CSUDH’s former senior director of annual campaigns and advancement services. As a member of the school’s Basic Needs Committee, he was keenly aware of the lack of resources available to many Toro students.

“I was at home thinking about Thanksgiving,” he explained, “and wanted to do something for our students who didn’t have the means to celebrate it with a meal. The Meals 4 Toros program allows us to combine philanthropy with some of the initiatives we already have going on campus, like the Toro Food Pantry.”

Khachaturians and the CSUDH Office of Development sent out a donor request, asking Toro alumni and friends to contribute to the new program. The response was impressive, and the program’s initial goal of providing 250 meals was bumped up to 500 meals. The meals were distributed to students at events held on Nov. 19 and Dec. 10.

The meals, which cost $100 each, included a cooked turkey and a full array of side dishes, including mashed potatoes, stuffing, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie. The food was all prepared and packaged by the Campus Dining Services staff. “That’s one of the most special things about the program,” said Khachaturians. “It’s a collaborative effort that is done totally in-house. This is truly Toros helping Toros.”

CSUDH Basic Needs Coordinator Morgan Kirk added, “This will be the first time that DH has provided turkeys, sides, and desserts to students and their families. We felt that our students deserved a nourishing and filling Thanksgiving meal, having experienced so much these past couple of years. We understand that many are facing financial and food insecurities, so we knew this event would be a huge help.”

The students who received the meals were just as enthusiastic about the program. Jennifer Fonseca was among the first in line in November, and said, “As a first-generation student trying to work my way through college, food drives like this make it easier on me. This means we’ll be able to eat a great meal on Thanksgiving!”

“As a student, sometimes there isn’t enough money to get me to the end of the month, so these meals really help,” agreed Nadia Al-Said. “Because they’re already prepared, it takes away that pressure of cooking. Being a student and working, there’s just so much you have to do every day, it just really helps relieve pressure and stress on me.”

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Class Notes – Spring 2022

Class Notes

© Brent Durkin, courtesy Columbus Crew Communications

The latest news and successes of Toro alumni.

Notes by Decade

1970s

JOE BANFIELD (BA ’75) was named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction. He received the honor for his work at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, where he serves as both a teacher and academic counselor.

BARBARA CLARKE (BA ’74) released her memoir The Red Kitchen, in which she chronicles the lives of a mother and daughter who both surrendered to society’s expectations for years, before realizing there’s more to life than just being a wife, mother, and dutiful daughter.

REYNALDO SANTA CRUZ, JR (CRDT ’73) published his first book, Pulido del Barrio Libre. The book is about his father, who was born and raised in Tucson, Ariz, served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and was an amateur baseball player in the sandlot leagues during the 1930s.

LEO TERRELL (BA ’77) signed with Fox News as a contributor to provide legal and political commentary and analysis across FOX platforms. A civil rights attorney and radio host, Terrell has provided expert commentary to ABC’s Nightline, CNN’s Larry King Live, and NBC’s Today.

RON THOM (BS ’71) was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the association’s highest honor, for his nearly five decades of research on coastal and estuarine ecosystem research. Now retired, Thom worked as a research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory in Washington.

1980s

BRIAN GIBBS (BS ’85) was recently appointed the vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at UMass Memorial Health Care. Previously, Gibbs led equity and inclusion efforts at Oregon Health & Science University, where he was responsible for diversity initiatives within the university’s clinical, educational, and research missions.

MARIA VILLA (BS ’82) participated in a panel for Loyola Law School’s Dean’s Distinguished Speaker Series featuring Women Trailblazers. Although the speakers shared the commonality of being co-founders of bar associations, Villa was the only CSU graduate, representing as a proud Toro!

1990s

MAHABUB ALAM (BS ’92) retired from CSUDH in November 2021 after 28 years of dedicated service to the Toro community. Alam worked his way up from student assistant to network analyst, and his leadership and knowledge will be missed in the Division of Information Technology.

WINIFRED CARTER (BA ’97) celebrated her 102nd birthday in April 2021. Still going strong, she is the oldest living CSUDH alumna. Carter also worked as a reserve police officer with the Long Beach Police Department until 2005. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carter volunteered every day at her local senior center.

DIONNE FAULK (BA ’94) became the first Black woman elected as a city council member in Inglewood, District 4. Her priorities include community safety, support for small businesses, and maintaining city services during the pandemic. She previously served over four years on the Inglewood Unified School District board.

LESLIE IRVING (BA ’98) was part of a historic election in the city of Victorville, becoming the city’s first elected Black woman. She will be part of Victorville’s first all-female city council, and will also serve as mayor pro tem.

PETE MENJARES (MA ’92) was named interim president at Seattle Pacific University. Menjares most recently served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Vanguard University, where he was also the founding senior director of the Institute for Faculty Development. He has over 27 years of leadership experience in higher education, including serving as president of Fresno Pacific University.

ERICA REIMER SNELL (MA ’99) was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom as the deputy director of the community services division at the California Department of Developmental Services. Reimer Snell previously served as interim director of adult services at the Harbor Regional Center, where she held several positions, including director of community services.

NANETTE (ANTONIO) VERGARA (BS ’98) was appointed chief operations officer at Kaiser Permanente Moreno Valley Medical Center. Vergara recently served as chief nurse executive for Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center. Previously, she worked in Kaiser Permanente’s Regional Home Care Services, before becoming the continuing care leader at Downey Medical Center.

DARNISE WILLIAMS (MA ’98) took the helm as superintendent of the Sequoia Union High School District. Williams brings extensive educational leadership experience to the role, having previously been a literacy coordinator, assistant principal, principal, principal supervisor, administrator of instruction, and senior-level administrator.

2000s

HARMONY FREDERICK (BA ’07) was hired at CSUDH as executive assistant to the vice president for student affairs and manager of strategic initiatives. She most recently served as the director of the Office of Alumnx and Family Engagement at the California Institute of the Arts.

JENNIFER GONZALES (MA ’02) was named the chief of the City of Napa Police Department. Gonzales has served in a number of roles within the department since 2015, overseeing the operations division, and acting as training manager, among other positions. Gonzales previously worked for the Chico Police Department for 20 years.

JOVAN JACOBS (MA ’05) is the new executive director of special education at Pasadena Unified School District. Jacobs previously served as the executive director of special education/Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) for Stockton Unified District; as SELPA director for Compton Unified; and as director of special education and support services with the Alliance of College-Ready Public Schools.

CHRISTINA KRAUS (BA ’99/MA ’05) was named the principal of Los Alamitos High School. Kraus has worked for 15 years in the Whittier Union High School District as an assistant principal, and had been serving as the principal of Paramount High School prior to landing the position in Los Alamitos.

CHAD MABERY (MA ’07) is the new Laguna Beach assistant superintendent of instructional services. Mabery has served as the director of assessment and accountability in Long Beach Unified School District since 2018. Mabery will serve as the chief instruction officer of the district in planning, organizing, and directing all elementary and secondary education programs, special education, and pupil services.

DANIEL RALPH (MA ’08) released The Scorpion’s Song, a work of philosophical fiction set in the days leading up to the beginning of the Gulf War. The book combines stories about life in a theater of operations with mini-Socratic dialogues.

WENDY RAMIREZ (BA ’04) was appointed vice president of human resources at GZ6G Technologies Corp., an enterprise smart solutions provider for large venues and cities. Ramirez will be responsible for managing all recruitment, sourcing, training, and organizational development.

AARON ROGERS (MBA ’05) joined the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District as assistant superintendent of human resources. Rogers previously served as the director of human resources for the Val Verde Unified School District.

BELINDA SALAZAR (BA ’04) is the story producer for the second season of the series at Pantaya Wallin-Chamber Amazon Studio, an online streaming service focused on Spanish-language movies and shows.

CAROL VELAS (MS ’05) is the founding director of the new accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. A registered nurse for 35 years, Velas started welcoming students to the program in January 2022.

2010s

LESLIE MEZA ALTAMIRANO (BA ’14) was sworn into the Jurupa Valley City Council, representing District 4. Leslie is a mother of three, a small business owner, and an in-home care provider.

SANDRA BROWN (MA ’16) is part of a task force of experts, researchers, and incarcerated women convened by the Women’s Justice Institute to offer recommendations on how to better accommodate incarcerated women and decrease the female prison population in Illinois. Brown is an incarcerated alumna, having earned her master’s degree while serving in a correctional facility.

WENDI DUNLAP (MA ’10) released her debut album, Looking For Buildings, on Futureman Records in October 2021. The album was recorded remotely during the pandemic, with performers on multiple continents. Wendi wrote nine of the album’s 11 songs.

KENDRICK JONES (BA ’17, MA ’18) is district representative at the office of California State Senator Steven Bradford. Jones is also attending Pepperdine University, pursuing his doctorate in educational administration. His new role within the state senate will allow him to continue his pursuit of social justice on a wide scale.

VALENCIA MOTA (BS ’17) was named management assistant at the City of Torrance manager’s office. Mota joined the city in 2018, and has served as a community services leader and management aide in the city manager’s office and the Torrance Fire Department.

DESHAWN RADDEN (BS ’17) is a medical student who competed on the latest season of the CBS TV series Survivor. Radden made it all the way to the final, ending up in second place on the long-running reality show.

MAX RAHN (BA ’19) is a hip hop/R&B singer, songwriter, and producer whose new album, Your Mind Is A Weapon, was released in April 2021. His music can be heard on all streaming platforms. Rahn is also the owner of the clothing brand and independent music label ANYDAYNOW.

ELIJAH SIMS (MA ’11) was appointed as the interim director of the Long Beach College Promise, a program designed to provide local students with a seamless transition from high school, free community college tuition, and guaranteed transfer to a local university.

GYASI ZARDES (BS ’17) became a CONCACAF Gold Cup champion with the U.S. Men’s National Soccer team (USMNT), defeating Mexico in the 2021 tournament final. Gyasi has made 62 appearances for the USMNT, scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists in his international career.

Photo of Gyasi Zardes, at top, credited to Brent Durkin, courtesy Columbus Crew Communications.

2020s

TRISTAN GARNETT (BA ’20) signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an undrafted free agent. Garnett, a starting pitcher, began his professional career with the Phillies’ Low-A affiliate Clearwater Threshers this summer. He became the first Toro to sign as an undrafted free agent since 2016.

MARIA MANNING (BA ’21) made CSU history as one of the oldest graduates in the system’s history by earning bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts and Spanish at the age of 88. She attended CSUDH on and off since the 1990s, and also participated in music and choir classes during her educational journey.

Share your career, family, and personal news with CSUDH Magazine.
Please submit a class note, with photo(s), by email to alumnirelations@csudh.edu.

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Major League Help for Minor Leaguers

Major League

help for

Minor Leaguers

Alumna credits CSUDH for her success in helping new Los Angeles Dodgers acclimate to careers in baseball.

Alumna Cathy Lara (BA ’93), senior manager of minor league instruction and education for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has always had baseball as part of her life. In fact, the sport even played a part in helping Lara decide to attend the university.

After high school, Lara was accepted into both CSUDH and Cal State Los Angeles and didn’t know which one to pick. A picture of a baseball player on the CSUDH flyer helped her make her choice. “I didn’t know any better and I love the game of baseball!” she laughs.

Lara is making her own mark on the sport in her position with the Dodgers, where she helms the education program for the organization’s minor league players. It’s her responsibility to help young players from around the world develop the skills they’ll need to succeed in the major leagues—and in life. Depending on their background, players might need to learn anything from English and Spanish literacy to banking and public speaking.

The team has academies in Arizona and the Dominican Republic, as well as five different affiliate clubs scattered across the country. As such, Lara spends a lot of time away from Los Angeles. “During the season, I’m in Arizona about four days a week, then come back here on the weekends,” she says. “I travel to each of our affiliate teams once a year, and visit the Dominican Republic four times a year. That’s where the bulk of our international players are, and they’re the ones who need the most help.”

In the Dominican Republic, children are only required to attend school through the fifth grade, so players end up at the Dodgers academy lacking in many non-baseball skills. “We get boys who come in at 16 years old, who’ve maybe finished fifth grade. Their education is below adequate—it’s been all baseball for them. Being inside a classroom is a foreign concept to them.”

Lara’s task is to help mold the young players into responsible adults capable of withstanding the rigors and trials of a life in baseball. Many of her young charges have never even been inside a bank, let alone know anything about how to open an account or cash a hefty bonus check. Many foreign-born players aren’t even fluent reading and writing in their native languages, so she and her staff have to get them up to speed there before working on English. “How can we expect them to learn to read and write in English if they’re struggling in their own languages?” she asks.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, it threw all of Lara’s—and the Dodgers’—plans into flux. Everything in the organization transitioned online, from coaching to Lara’s language courses. The MLB season was delayed for months, while players were stranded wherever they happened to be when the pandemic struck.

“We had some players stuck here because they couldn’t get back to their home countries,” says Lara. “Even our U.S.-based players had to scramble to keep training and stay in shape. Some players had to drive two hours to find someplace they could work out. We got one young pitcher in the Midwest connected with a local high school catcher, so that he could go to the park and practice.”

Even as the team has slowly transitioned back to mostly face-to-face interactions, Lara plans on continuing with some of the online learning options she was forced to adopt. “Moving forward, we’re going to be looking at a hybrid model,” she says. “For some, virtual learning worked great; for others, not so much. We want to use what we’ve learned over the past few years and create a system that works best for every player in the system.”

Cathy Lara overlooking the Dodger Stadium from top row seats.

Lara didn’t originally plan on a career in education, but started taking on substitute teaching jobs to help make ends meet while she was pregnant with her first child. “I just got so much energy from the job and the kids that it all started to make sense for me,” she says. 

Long-term sub positions eventually turned into a full-time position at Bishop Alemany High School in Mission Hills. Lara then moved to Chaminade High School in West Hills, where she served for 12 years as a teacher and chair of the school’s foreign language department. At Chaminade, she created an academic support program for student-athletes—a program similar to what she’s doing for the Dodgers now. Lara discovered the Dodgers opportunity while she was trying to help her daughter find employment.

“I showed the job notice to my daughter and she said, ‘Mom, that’s you! You’ve done all those things,’” Lara explains. After looking at her background, the Dodgers were excited to bring her into the newly-created position.

With the Dodgers, Lara has tailored individualized educational programs for everyone from teenage Dominican shortstops to twentysomething Korean pitchers. Each student has their own individual needs, so Lara works with a team of experienced teachers and coaches to develop classes that speak to them. “We’re dealing with a specific kind of person who’s very kinesthetic. They learn by experience. So I ask my instructors to toss the books and experiment, be creative,” she says.

She has been impressed with the Dodgers’ commitment to their young players. “I feel completely supported. The Dodgers have been incredibly open to exploring new ideas. They have the players’ well-being at the forefront of their thinking. They really do care about these young men being prepared for life in the major leagues and off the field, as well, because at some point baseball will end for everybody.”

Cathy Lara’s World Series Ring

Although the 2020 season had its share of COVID-related challenges, the Dodgers pulled together and made it a year to remember—capping it with a 2020 World Series win. One of the highlights of Lara’s stint with the club was the day that Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, flew down to the academy in Arizona and presented the staff with their very own World Series rings.

“It was so cool!,” says Lara. “My mother and father were both battling health problems, and it was great to see the effect it had on them. My dad, who came here with nothing, who’s been a fan and followed the Dodgers for years—for his kid to have a Dodgers World Series ring? It was very emotional.”

“Sometimes I feel like Forrest Gump,” she laughs. “I’m just this suburban mom from The Valley, and now just from doing my work, I have a World Series ring! It helps bring home the whole idea that we really are a team here, working together, when everybody down the line gets a ring like that.”

Lara, a first-generation college student, is the child of parents who immigrated to the United States in the 1960s. Her father worked in custodial jobs while her mother served as a nanny. Eventually the young couple saved up enough money to buy a house in Venice, which is where Lara grew up. As a young student, she didn’t really have college on her radar—she only applied to the CSU because one of her close friends did and Lara figured she’d give it a try. She was pleasantly surprised when she got the acceptance notice.

Lara credits CSUDH’s student success programs and professors for helping get her college career pointed in the right direction. “Dominguez Hills welcomed me, offered me a place where I felt I could belong, with class sizes that allowed me to be seen. I had professors who challenged me, who took time to know me. They gave me the opportunity to find my voice, to have enough confidence to ask for help, and validated my ideas.”

In particular, Lara pointed out CSUDH emeritus professors Jay Kaplan, and the late Lyman Chafee and Frances Lauerhass as mentors who helped guide her through her first years in higher education. “They created really safe spaces to express my ideas. Being first-generation and not really knowing anyone who was at a four-year institution, I really didn’t have anyone to talk to about problems I was having. But they really created the sense that I could talk to them about anything. I didn’t feel like I was getting lost in the system.”

I had professors who challenged me, who took time to know me. They gave me the opportunity to find my voice, to have enough confidence to ask for help, and validated my ideas.

Lara also credits CSUDH’s Summer Bridge program with making her feel that she could succeed on campus. “The Summer Bridge program was exactly what I needed,” she says. “Had I started off at the beginning of the school year, brand-new, without knowing the environment or knowing what the expectations were, I don’t think I would have done well. I think it would have been a little too much. I would have felt like a fish out of water.”

After graduating from CSUDH in 1993 with a degree in political science, Lara attained a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Southern California (USC) in 1995. She returned to USC 10 years later, earning a doctorate in education in 2015. She’s still a Toro at heart, though.

“I credit Dominguez Hills for taking a chance on a shy, average student, a young woman with no idea of what to expect,” she shared. “CSUDH provided the foundation to enhance who I could be, and allowed me to dare to look beyond the predictable. If not for that environment during my undergraduate studies, I would not have developed the fearlessness required to take the path less followed. That’s why I am so proud to be a Toro!”

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