• What brought you to CSUN and how long have you been dean?
  • I was drawn to CSUN for multiple reasons. My initial encounter with CSUN occurred during the mid-1990s when I visited to present a paper in the accounting department at Nazarian College. An earthquake had recently hit the area, and I was impressed by how quickly the institution had rebuilt itself. Later in 2016, the college was named as the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, and it was clear that there was great support for the institution. I found it to be a welcoming place with dedicated faculty engaged in very interesting teaching and research. In addition, as a first-generation student and immigrant, I strongly identified with the student body. I have been dean for five years, and I enjoy it every day. Each day is a new adventure. Not only do we have the freedom to think of new opportunities for students, but we also have opportunities to break down barriers to their success.

• What do you like most about your position?
  • I enjoy working with faculty and staff to support our students and help them succeed. Success at the Nazarian College does not end when the students graduate: we want to ensure we have provided them all the skills they need to be successful in their careers. As such, we place a lot of emphasis on not only supporting them financially through scholarships, but we also prepare them with soft, professional and technical skills beyond what they learn in the classroom. Our motto  is “What students learn in the classroom is absolutely necessary, but it is not sufficient for the current world of work”. To help students be successful, we also need great faculty and staff. We have continued to invest in our great faculty and staff and reward and recognize them appropriately so we can retain them and watch them grow. 

• What would people be surprised to learn about you?
  • This is an interesting question. I consider myself an open book so I am not sure what would surprise most people. If I had to think of something, it is my passion for family, travel and museums. With children and grandchildren in Dallas-Fort Worth, parents and siblings in New Zealand and Malaysia, and in-laws in Calgary and India, a lot of our regular travel has been to visit family over the past few years, Unfortunately, COVID put a kibosh on even that travel over the past few years. But from the ashes we rise!!     

• Is there anything else you would like to share?
  • I love to solve puzzles or plot twists. As such, I love Perry Mason and John Grisham books and movies, and I still watch them on reruns as well as NCIS and all its episodes. I am also a Trekkie fan, having watched all the original Star Trek shows, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and others. Give me space and stars any day.