Cohort 11 - Student Information
Jessica Baker
Research Interests: My research interests include looking at transfer student transition to the CSU, proactive advising approaches, and student generational differences and how they influence advising practice.
Job Title: Senior Professional Advisor
Place of Employment: College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, California State University, San Bernardino
Leadership Quotes: “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves”—Ray Kroc
Cynthia Elizabeth Britt
cynthia_Britt@bearvalleyusd.org
Research Interests: To explore the effects of Neurofeedback, an alternative non-invasive treatment to medication for students that struggle with the ability to sustain attention, are easily distracted, experience excessive activity, or display difficulties with controlling behavior.
Job Title: District Bilingual School Psychologist
Place of Employment: Bear Valley Unified School District
Leadership quote: "Authentic leaders genuinely desire to serve others through their leadership. They are more interested in empowering the people they lead to make a difference than they are in power, money, or prestige for themselves. They are as guided by qualities of the heart, by passion and compassion, as they are by qualities of the mind." -Bill George
Christina Marie Castro
Tinna_c23@yahoo.com or castc324@coyote.csusb.edu
Research interests: Effective teaching strategies on engagement and performance within students in low socioeconomic status areas.
Job Title: 1st Grade Teacher
Place of Employment: REAL Journey Academies – San Bernardino Public Charter Schools for a Better Education
Leadership Quotes: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Ghandi
Karen Childers
karen.childers9992@coyote.csusb.edu
Research Interests: Career Technical Education (CTE), Career Education, Workforce Development, Workforce Readiness, career counseling. My dissertation interest is factors that influence the choice of CTE field of study for community college students who go on to get a job in a CTE field.
Job Title: San Bernardino Valley College Director of Development and Community Relations
Place of Employment: San Bernardino Valley College
Leadership Quote: "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to
Cecile Dahlquist
Research Interests:My research interests include improving access to the full spectrum of effective, affordable contraception to reduce unplanned pregnancy in the United States.
Job Title: Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Place of Employment: California State University, San Bernardino - Palm Desert Campus, Student Health Center
Leadership Quote: "Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It's about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers." - Robin S. Sharma
Herbert L. English, Jr.
Research Interests: I am very interested in the experiences (academic, social, professional) of African American (Black) Male Students in Higher Education
Job Title: Dean, Student Equity and Success
Place of Employment: Victor Valley College
Leadership Quote: "There can be no mystery about the role we must play in the millennium. We are the role models. We are the mentors. We are the gatekeepers and the stewards of the progress and hope for the next generation. There is no one to whom we can 'pass the buck', but many to whom we must pass the torch." -Hazel J. Harper DDS, MPH
Theresa Gonzales
Research Interests: My research interests include educational technology and how it can help English Language Learners in 2nd language acquisition.
Job Title: English and EL Teacher
Place of Employment: Perris High School
Leadership Quote: “We as women should shine light on our accomplishments and not feel egotistical when we do. It's a way to let the world know that we as women can accomplish great things!” -Dolores Huerta
Laura Raskin Graff
Research Interests: I am interested in looking at ways to narrow the education access gap for Latina/o/x students through outreach and mentoring.
Job Title: Professor of Mathematics
Place of Employment: College of the Desert
Leadership Quote: “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest” ―Elie Wiesel
”One person of Integrity can make a difference.”― Elie Wiesel
“It is never too late to start good practices.”—Jim Berg
Deborah Dorado Grijalva, MPA
Research Interests: Traditional graduate school enrollment for the Latinx community, how we can begin to bridge the gap between the undergraduate degree and the post-baccalaureate degree.
Job Title: Adjunct Instructor at CSUSB
Doctoral Studies Graduate Assistant
ASI Graduate Student Advisory Committee Vice-Chair
Graduate Studies Strategic Planning Committee Student Representative
Place of Employment: California State University San Bernardino
Leadership Quote: "Great Leaders move us. They ignite our passion and inspire the best in us." - Daniel Goleman
L.A. Insley
Research Interests: Fostering Critical thinking Through Critical Advising: A type of academic counseling with the assumption, considering all things are equal, one is primarily unsuccessful in their professional endeavors, their professional and personal relationships, and their personal goals; due to a lack of emotional intelligence that is directly related to critical thinking.
Job Title: Generalist Counselor, Puente Program Coordinator, and Religious Studies Instructor
Place of Employment: Victor Valley College, Counseling & Guidance Center
Leadership Quote: John Quincy Adams: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more; you are a leader.”
Getachew Kiros
getachewkiros@gmail.com
kirosg@coyote.csusb.edu
Research Interests: Policy-making and postsecondary education achievements and success in workforce Readiness for lower-income students
Job Title: Assistant Professor and Pastor
Place of Employment: Previously at, Concordia University, Irvine and now at Pacific Southwest District - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
Leadership Quote: "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way." -Maxwell
Alliance Gueming Nenkam
Research Interests: I am interested in closing the achievement Gap, and will like to explore and propose a model of practice, from teachers’ perspective, that can potentially help reduce and eventually close the achievement gap of black and brown students in K-12.
Leadership Quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela
Tod Larson
Research Interests: Interested in writing and becoming a liaison leader for LGBTQ employees in K-16 public educational settings.
Job Title: Guest Teacher
Place of Employment: Desert Sands Unified School district
Leadership Quote: "If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so we weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place". -Margaret Mead 1901-1978
Michael Quoc Nguyen
Research Interests: My research interest is in ways to raise mathematics achievement scores through the adaptation of Common Formative Assessments (CFAs) to Claims and Standard of Mathematical Practices (SMPs).
Job Title: Teacher on Special Assignment: GATE/AVID
Place of Employment: Rialto Unified School District
Leadership quote: "Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions." -Harold S. Geneen
Rebecca Parres
Research Interests: I am interested in educator's attitudes about the academic potential of student's with disabilities. Do educators believe that student's with disabilities are capable of learning? I would like to know if the attitudes of educators impact how a student can learn.
Job Title: Program Administrator of Special Education
Place of Employment: Balwin Park Unified School District
Leadership Quote: "Leadership is unlocking people's potential to become better." -Bill Bradley
Catherine Tamayo, M.Ed.
Research Interests: I am interested in learning how to improve education for the students and educators. Research interests include: Professional Development, Curriculum, Special Education, Effective and Positive Behavioral Interventions.
Job Title: Principal
Place of Employment: Alta Loma School District
Leadership Quote: Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. —Jack Welch
Frances Valdovinos, M.Ed.
Research Interests: The purpose of my research is to discover the benefits on how the Puente Program provides first-generation community college students support to facilitate transfer.
Job Title: Student Academic Advisor - UC Riverside
Place of Employment: Graduate School of Education, University of California, Riverside
Leadership Quote: “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”-Friedrich Nietzsche