Speakers & Presenters

Open the accordion items below to learn more about our conference speakers.

Dr. Erika Beck began her leadership of California State University, Northridge in January 2021 and proudly serves as CSUN’s fourth consecutive female president. A strong advocate for the power of higher education to improve lives, transform communities and promote social mobility, Dr. Beck champions the academic success of students in the attainment of their highest educational aspirations and as future leaders prepared to excel in today’s rapidly changing economy and society. Her unwavering commitment to advancing equity, inclusion and justice is the foundation upon which she leads institutions of higher learning to facilitate human potential while advancing knowledge that serves the public good.

As president, Dr. Beck is invested in the success of a campus community of more than 40,000 students, faculty and staff. Under her leadership, CSUN has developed a new equity-centered strategic plan; realized record-level giving, including the two largest gifts in CSUN's history; launched the Global Hispanic Serving Institution Equity Innovation Hub and received the Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education for leadership, practice and success in serving Latinx students. CSUN is ranked as the second best public university in California and seventh in the nation for accelerating the social and economic mobility of its students.

Immediately prior to coming to CSUN, Dr. Beck served as President of CSU Channel Islands from 2016 to 2021. She was Provost and Executive Vice President at Nevada State College from 2010 to 2016, where she previously served as the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a tenured member of the psychology faculty. Dr. Beck was a research associate at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, San Diego, a master’s degree from San Diego State University, and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of California, San Diego.

As President of CSU Channel Islands, Dr. Beck facilitated the development of a comprehensive strategic plan that led to record enrollment, retention and graduation rates among students and a significant expansion of philanthropic investment in academic priorities and capital projects. Under her leadership, the campus received the inaugural Seal of Excelencia from Excelencia in Education.
Dr. Beck was named one of the Most Influential Leaders in Education by the Pacific Coast Business Times and Woman of the Year by the California Women’s Caucus, and has served on numerous boards and commissions. She is currently a board member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities and the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Committee’s Board of Governors.

Dr. Beck enjoys reading, yoga, and occasionally upstaging her sons with her TikTok dance moves.

Dr. Meera Komarraju was appointed Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs effective January 1, 2023 by President Erika Beck.

Dr. Komarraju comes to CSUN with more than three decades of experience in higher education. In addition to her work as provost and vice chancellor at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, she has been a dean, associate dean, department chair and an undergraduate program director.

She holds a doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology from Osmania University in India and a doctorate in applied social psychology from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. She taught at the undergraduate and graduate level in the Departments of Psychology and Management at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. She also has taught in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore for Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Department of Management’s off-campus executive MBA program.

As an applied psychologist, Dr. Komarraju’s research focuses on student motivation and performance, diversity and leadership, as well as on work attitudes and work-family linkages in dual-career couples.

As Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Komarraju is responsible for directing nearly 3,000 faculty and staff members in the Division of Academic Affairs, the largest unit within the university. Dr. Komarraju oversees eight academic colleges; the college of extended learning; university library; academic support units; and six central academic affairs administrative offices.

Dr. Komarraju serves as a member of the CSU Academic Council, the President's Cabinet at CSUN, and the CSUN Foundation's Board of Directors. She also chairs the Provost's Council, the Academic Affairs Council, the Teacher Education Council, and the University Planning & Budget Group (UPBG).

Dr. Komarraju feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to serve CSUN’s students, staff and faculty in the Provost role and is seeking to make a meaningful contribution to the teaching and learning taking place on campus.

Mechelle Best, Ph.D., is the Dean of the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) at California State University Northridge. Prior to taking up this position, she was a Professor in- and Chair of the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management, at CSUN.

She holds a doctorate in tourism from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management from the University of the West Indies. In addition to some 20 years in academia, Dr. Best has over 30 years’ experience in management and leadership in the tourism industry in the Caribbean and the United States.

A Fulbright/OAS Scholar for the Eastern Caribbean, Dr. Best conducts research on various aspects of cultural heritage, natural resource use, and sustainability in tourism. Her ongoing research streams focus on the intersection between slavery heritage and tourism in the Caribbean. Dr. Best is co-author of Contemporary Caribbean Tourism: Concepts and Cases (2015) in addition to a range of publications on tourism, sustainability, and cultural heritage. As a lifelong lover of the outdoors, and a supporter of parks and protected areas, she is also interested in how of people of African descent in the United States experience the outdoors.

As Dean for the College of Health and Human Development, Dr. Best is the chief administrator for the College and is responsible for over 300 tenure-track and part-time faculty, and about 60 staff throughout nine departments, nine chartered centers and the Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing. She is particularly focused on inclusive excellence and student success as well promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice to ensure an environment in which all students, faculty, and staff can thrive.

Dr. Best is a member of the CSUN Provost’s Council and the CSU Health and Human Services Deans’ Alliance. In addition to her current administrative role at CSUN, she sits on the Board of Directors for The University Corporation, the California Travel Association, Premier America Credit Union, and several community colleges in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

The Keynote Speaker for the Conference, Professor Andrew Spencer joined the Caribbean Maritime University as President on September 12, 2022. He was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander on August 6, 2024, by the Governor General upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Jamaica.

A scholar of exceptional standing, Professor Spencer’s extensive research portfolio comprises over 50 scholarly publications. He has served as Executive Director of the Tourism Product Development Company Limited, as well as Director of the Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management, University of the West Indies, Nassau, Bahamas.

Professor Spencer holds key positions in private and public sector boards, serving as the Chairman of the National Insurance Fund, Commissioner of the National Water Commission, and Director of the University Council of Jamaica. Additionally, he lends his expertise as a director on the boards of Express Catering Limited, Margaritaville Turks and Caicos Islands, and Sandal Corporate University.

Guest Speaker Mike Paciello has been a pioneer and influential figure in the accessibility industry for more than three decades. He wrote the first book on web accessibility and usability (Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities), and has since achieved many notable milestones. He is the founder of The Paciello Group (TPG) and WebABLE.Com. Mike also co-founded WebABLE.TV and Open Access Technologies (OAT).

Mike served as co-chair of the United States Federal Access Board’s Telecommunications and Electronic and Information Technology Advisory Committee (TEITAC). He co-founded the International Committee for Accessible Document Design (ICADD), and was recognized by President Bill Clinton for his contribution to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). He was the recipient of the 2016 Knowbility Lifetime Achievement and the 2020 ICT Accessibility Testing Symposium Social Impact awards. Mike remains active as a public speaker, mentor and contributor in the accessibility industry.

W. David Wakefield, Ph.D., is Interim Associate Dean of the College, a role he took on after serving as Chair--and one of the original founding members--of the Department of Child and Adolescent Development. He is also a member of the Steering Committee for the CSUN Academic First Year Experience. His areas of research include Emerging Adulthood, Identity Development, Ethnic Identity and Socialization of Children and Adolescents, and Mentoring. He has been a member of the CSUN faculty since January, 2000.

"One of my consistent priorities," he said, "has been expanding students’ exposure to evidence-based practice regarding the developmental processes of children, adolescents and young adults. As an African American faculty member of mixed heritage, as well as being first in my family to receive a doctorate, I am highly committed to creating viable pathways for students to continue on to advanced degree programs."

Open the accordion items below for more information on the presenters.

Aaron Acquisto graduated in 2010 from Rhode Island College with his Bachelor of Science in Nursing and then from the University of Phoenix in 2017 with his Master of Science in Nursing Education. He is currently in his last semester of the Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing at Villanova University. Aaron is board certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in Gerontological Nursing (GERO-BC) and as a Nurse Executive, Advanced (NEA-BC). He is also Wound Care Certified (WCC) through the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy.

Aaron is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Nursing and serves in a full-time position at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center as the Director, Nursing Excellence. His strategy as a leader and educator is a people first approach, eliciting the extraordinary through interconnected relationships.

Giselle Aguilar Avila, B.S in Public Health (USCD), is a second year Masters of Public Health student at CSUN, with an emphasis in Applied Epidemiology. She is currently working as a graduate research assistant with MATAspire. Her research interests include mental health, substance use and food insecurity.

Maryna Bankovska is a Master of Public Health candidate in Community Education at California State University, Northridge, graduating in December 2024. She is a research assistant at CSUN, where she investigates the cognitive and social benefits of senior centers on older adults' health. She is passionate about community health and aims to contribute to public health initiatives that support healthy aging and senior well-being.

Dr. Bartlett is an Associate Professor at California State University Northridge and specializes in cardiovascular and pulmonary management, clinical anatomy, and geriatrics. Dr. Bartlett currently has a registered clinical trial investigating the feasibility of a multimodal exercise program plus gamification for older adults with Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Bartlett is a practicing physical therapist in home health, coaches Rock Steady Boxing classes for individuals with Parkinson’s, and offers private health improvement and performance training for individuals. Dr. Bartlett loves to bike, run, and swim during his free time.

Annette Besnilian is the Executive Director of the Marilyn Magaram Center and Dietetic Internship Director; and faculty member teaching Nutrition and Dietetic classes in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She holds a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from CSUN. She received her M.P.H. in Public Health Nutrition from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) while completing her Dietetic Internship (DI) at the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a Registered Dietitian (RD), a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE), and a Faculty Affiliate of the CSUN Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing. She also serves as a NIH BUILD PODER Research Mentor. She has been a DI Director for over 22 years and has trained and graduated over 250 dietetic interns and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDs/RDNs). She currently has affiliation agreements with over 50 community, administrative, and clinical sites throughout LA County. She has received numerous awards and recognitions such as Primary Investigators (PI) Award, Diversity Action Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and CSUN Faculty Scholar, Outstanding Dietetic Educator award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), Excellence in Education from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Young Dietitian of the year award from AND and Extraordinary Service Award. Annette Besnilian’s dedicated academic leadership focuses on serving and educating the next generation of dietitians, food scientists, and public health nutritionists.

Tejen Bhakta is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. He holds an undergraduate degree in cognitive science with a specialization in neuroscience from the University of California San Diego. In his free time he enjoys outdoor rock climbing and dancing. Going forward, he is excited about advancing the frontiers of nursing research and contributing to the development of the profession.

Jennifer Bloom, M.P.H., C.I.P., has been part of the IRB staff at CSUN for 5 years. Their research background is in epidemiology with a specialization in youth health behavior.  Jennifer’s favorite thing about working in research administration is the opportunity to learn about diverse research across disciplines. 

Taylor Leigh Briones is a graduate student from the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She graduated summa cum laude from CSUN with a bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders in 2024, and is currently apart of the Speech Language and Science (SLS) lab there.

After joining the SLS lab in 2023, Taylor realized a newfound joy in research. Her goal is to expand on the current knowledge, as well as lead research projects of her own in the field of speech language pathology. Taylor's research interests include bilingualism, cultural studies, and psycholinguistics. Her clinical interests include voice and swallowing disorders.

In her spare time, Taylor enjoys reading and singing. With a background in musical theater performance, Taylor loves performing and acting, and will often go to karaoke with friends. Taylor also loves watching horror movies.

Jenny Camacho, BS in Kinesiology Dance Option (CSUN), is a Kinesiology graduate student at CSUN. She is currently working in the Psychophysiology Research Lab with Dr. Thomson and Dr. Jaque and in the Biomechanics Research Lab with Dr. Jarvis. She is investigating psychological trauma and its effect on dancers. She has trained as a competitive dancer since the age of five years and continues to train and perform as a dancer. She is passionate about integrating the art and science of dance.

Faculty for 15 years in the Nursing Department. Public Health  Nurse for 19 years

Frequently involved in community outreaches and public health  disease outbreaks. 

Presenting along with Nursing students: Nora Aronov, Trinity Faulhaber, Alexander Flynn, Kyle Nunilon, Stephanie Yang, Marie Herrin, and Nahal Salesian.

Abbey Fischer is currently a senior at CSUN working towards obtaining her Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH). Throughout her educational experience here on campus, she also is a research fellow through the Autonomy Research Center for S.T.E.A.H.M. (ARCS). Through the ARCS program she is working on a project called “FAMILIA-DT” which studies individuals in the Latinx community and the barriers they have when it comes to utilizing technology as a way to manage their diabetes. You can also find Abbey around campus providing health education in various formats as she also happens to be a Peer Health Educator with the Matadors4Wellness program affiliated with the Klotz Student Health Center. 

Dr. Rosalia Garcia-Torres is an associate professor in food science in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at CSUN. She holds a Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of Florida.

She is interested in promoting basic needs resources. Her research is in fermented foods, health and sustainability. She is member of the Education, Extension and Outreach division of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Dr. Hessam Ghamari is a LEED Green Associate and Associate Professor of Interior Design for the Department of Family & Consumer Sciences at CSUN. Dr. Ghamari has more than 15+ years working as an architect and an interior designer in Iran and the United States.

He has experience working on healthcare, hospitality, commercial, and residential projects. Prior to his appointment at CSUN, Dr. Ghamari taught at Appalachian State University for four years. He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Interior Design in 2014 from Texas Tech University.

He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences on environmental psychology, evidence-based design, and healthcare design. The decision-making process in the interior design discipline should take the physiological and psychological needs of the people.

Dr. Ghamari' s design philosophy revolves around providing healthy and humanistic environments that can positively impact its users--to improve the quality of life of people in different settings. This attests to his interests in interdisciplinary approaches to improve health and well-being outcomes in healthcare environments.  From his perspective, design can significantly improve the health and well-being of the user of the environment.

Nasrin Golshany, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at California State University, Northridge. Her research explores the intersection of the built environment and health outcomes, focusing on Human-Centric Lighting Design and age-friendly spaces. Specializing in healthcare design, environmental psychology, and sustainable architecture, Dr. Golshany utilizes advanced tools such as simulation and virtual reality to study the effects of indoor environmental qualities on older adults.

Her work integrates evidence-based methodologies to address complex design challenges, aiming to enhance human comfort and sustainability in built environments. Dr. Golshany's research is informed by her Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of Oregon, where she developed extensive teaching experience and research expertise. She is committed to equipping future designers with the skills to navigate real-world constraints and foster solutions that improve health outcomes and energy efficiency.

Additionally, Dr. Golshany collaborates with a diverse community of researchers and practitioners to address critical health, comfort, and sustainability challenges, promoting overall well-being at both individual and communal levels.

Dr. Shu-Sha Angie Guan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development at CSUN. She examines how cultural, social, and digital contexts affect well-being among adolescents and young adults. Dr. Guan serves as a co-Director of the NIH NIGMS BUILD PODER Research Enrichment Core and is the lead Principal Investigator of the NIH NIGMS Educational Modules to Broaden Academic Research Cultures (EMBARC) program that expands culturally-informed research education and training at pipeline partner community colleges. She is also a Principal Investigator in NSF-funded projects that aim to leverage intra- and inter-institutional strengths to support low-income, historically underserved STEM students. Her experiences as a child language broker and first-generation college student have deeply informed her work. 

Rasmey Kao Gomez is a graduate student at California State University Northridge pursuing a Master of Public Health with a concentration in applied epidemiology. Her academic focus and professional interests lie in the fields of data management, data cleaning, data analysis, and transforming data into meaningful information that can help address public health challenges, improve patient outcomes, and enhance overall community health.

Currently, Rasmey works with the SHARE project as a research assistant. She helps with the data collection, data analysis, and weekly data review.   

Rasmey Gomez is a graduate student at California State University Northridge pursuing a Master of Public Health with a concentration in applied epidemiology. Her academic focus and professional interests lie in the fields of data management, data cleaning, data analysis, and transforming data into meaningful information that can help address public health challenges, improve patient outcomes, and enhance overall community health.

Currently, Rasmey works with the SHARE project as a research assistant. She helps with the data collection, data analysis, and weekly data review.   

Johnathan Ho is currently in his second semester as a nursing student at CSUN. He obtained an undergraduate degree in biology from UCI where he studied the effects of early life stress on microglia-neuron interactions. In his free time Johnathan likes to go on walks, play video games and hang out with his friends. 

Dr. Sean Jefferson is an Assistant Professor in the College of Health and Human Development at California State University Northridge. Dr. Jefferson teaches graduate level research method courses and undergraduate level courses in marriage and family relations. His research is centered on family stress and resiliency, and social-emotional development.

Rodica Reif Kohn, M.Arch (UCLA), MFA (UCLA), B.A. (Central School of Art and Design, London England), CID, LEED GA.: Professor Kohn has a background in art, photography, video, graphic design, product design, digital design, interior design, and architecture.

She says: “I believe that exposing students to a broad range of techniques is critical to their ability to navigate between various fields of expression and succeed in today’s competitive environment.”

Dr. Patchareeya (Patty) Kwan is Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at CSUN. As a population scientist, she studies health disparities and health equity, particularly the factors that facilitate and hinder good health outcomes among diverse populations. Currently, Dr. Kwan is the lead Principal Investigator of a community-engaged research project funded by the National Institutes on Minority Health and Health Disparities ($1.04M) titled “SEA US, HEAR US” which aims to understand and address multi-level social, ethical, and behavioral implications of COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and its sequelae among Southeast Asian Americans.

She is also 1 of 4 Principal Investigators of the BUILD PODER Center funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences ($19M) to engage, support, and retain CSUN undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds in biomedical research and STEM fields through direct student support, faculty mentor training and research support, and institutional level support. Dr. Kwan also serves as co-Director of BUILD PODER’s Research Enrichment Core and Evaluation Lead where she oversees the evaluation efforts of the Center, working with UCLA’s Coordination and Evaluation Center and a team of evaluators from the University of Mississippi’s Center for Research Evaluation. 

Drestine Leogo is a transfer student in her second and final year at CSUN, majoring in Communication Disorders and Sciences with an emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology. She is a Badge Project Peer Mentor, as well as the Chair of Advertisement and Graphic Design for the National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). Her interests in bilingualism and working with kids led her to join Orange Lab in the fall of 2023, and she has been a research assistant ever since. She’s interested in learning more about the factors that foster bilingualism and how it possibly contributes to cognitive advantages.

During the past four decades Renée Martínez has worked in higher education supporting equitable educational access for communities who have been previously excluded.  Working in Educational Equity at CSUN for 29 years in a variety of roles, she currently serves as an EOP Data & Retention Support specialist in the College of Health and Human Development.

As a practitioner of Applied Critical Pedagogy, Transformational Pedagogy and Critical Equity she believes that student engagement grounded in intentional processes can help facilitate student self-efficacy and empowerment; such practices support students developing agency – academically and in the larger society.  Despite the pandemia’s long-lasting trauma impacting us all, Renée encourages exploring opportunities for transformative justice.  She invites us to reflect and envision a more just future -- first by simply considering: “What would it take to…”

Renée holds Bachelors degrees from UC Santa Cruz in Biology (Ecology) and Environmental Studies (Planning & Public Policy), and Masters degrees in Urban Planning (Environmental Justice) from UCLA, and Art Education (Teaching Violence Prevention through Art) from CSUN.

Dr. Zarmine Naccashian earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1983 from American University in Beirut. In 1993 she graduated from University of California, Los Angeles with Masters in Nursing as Primary Ambulatory Care Family and Geriatric Nurse Practitioner.  She completed her PhD in Nursing from Azusa Pacific University. Her dissertation topic “The Impact of Diabetes Self-Management Education Classes on Glucose Levels in Ethnic Armenians” has been published in The Diabetes Educator journal.

Dr. Jennifer Newman holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of La Verne, an M.S. in Environmental and Occupational Health from CSUN, and is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist.  She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences and teaches in the Health Administration Program.  Dr. Newman’s research focuses on the interprofessional collaborations needed to provide a coordinated response to protect population health. 

Stephanie Orjiakor, BS in Public Health (Cal State LA), is a Master of Public Health student at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), with an emphasis in Community Health Education. She is in her final year and currently serves as a graduate research assistant with MATAspire, working under her mentor, Dr. Rainisch. Additionally, she is a CSU Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar on the Health Professions Track. Her research interests focus on understanding how various coping strategies influence substance use behaviors among college students.

Anjum Padyal, Ph.D., an accomplished researcher, author, and international mental performance consultant brings unparalleled depth to her mindfulness-based art workshop. Ranked 8th in the world in aerobic gymnastics, Dr. Padyal is a living example of resilience, having overcome Hypokalemic Paraplegia at age 23 to pursue a remarkable career in mental performance coaching and academia. Her extensive research encompasses mindfulness, neuroplasticity, ambidexterity, breathwork, yoga, and art as tools for mental and emotional transformation. A published author of ten bestsellers, she combines her expertise in sports psychology with holistic practices to empower others. In this workshop, Dr. Padyal provides participants with scientifically grounded yet deeply personal strategies for self-awareness, creativity, and well-being.

Destiny Parks is a senior Nutrition and Dietetics major at CSU Northridge, where she currently serves as project coordinator for The Family Kitchen Project and Field to Family Produce Incentive Program, under Dr. Dena Herman. Passionate about community health, Destiny plans to pursue her MS in Nutrition and Dietetics, focusing on community well-being, in hopes to become a Registered Dietitian (RD). Through her work, she aims to make nutrition education accessible, especially for underserved families, and is dedicated to cultivating health equity through research-driven, practical solutions.

Dr. Beth Phillips is a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at California State University, Northridge.  Dr. Phillips’ teaching expertise is in human anatomy and wellness & prevention with an emphasis on global environmental health as well as individual health from a holistic perspective. 

Stephana J. Powell is a senior kinesiology student at CSUN. She is currently interning at the LEAAP biomechanics laboratory on campus. Some of her interests include sciences such as physical health, physiology, biomechanics, and chemistry. Besides school, she enjoys her artistic hobbies as well. After graduating with her bachelor's degree, she plans to pursue optometry school.

Bennett Quevedo is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. He holds an undergraduate degree in Education from the University of California, Irvine, a teaching credential in K-12 education, and a Master’s degree in School Leadership from California State University, Dominguez Hills. A dedicated educator, Bennett is also a National Board Certified Teacher with a decade of experience in classroom teaching, coordinating specialized magnet programs, and managing school-wide discipline. He enjoys beach camping with his wife, where they unwind and connect with nature. Bennett looks forward to combining his passions for teaching and healthcare in his future nursing career.

Rachel Regi is an undergraduate student, majoring in Communications Disorders and Sciences with an emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology. She is the current NSSHLA Vice President for CSUN. 

Rachel is a first-generation South Asian-American immigrant. Her goal is to continue into higher education and continue her passion for research. Her research interests include bilingualism and psycholinguistics. Her current clinical interests include aphasia, swallowing disorders, and voice disorders. 

In her free time, Rachel loves to bake and try new recipes from around the world. She loves hosting people at her house for dinner parties. Rachel is also an avid film-watcher. She loves watching newly released movies as well as the classics in film. She also loves volunteering at her church in the children’s ministry.

Myriam Salazar is a graduate student from the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences at California State University Northridge (CSUN). She graduated summa cum laude from CSUN with a bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences with a double major in Chicana/o Studies. She is a current research assistant within the Speech Language and Science Lab at CSUN and aspires to increase diversity in the field of Speech-Language Pathology and hopes she can use her unique background to educate and aware peers on cultural competency and biases. 

Her interests include bilingualism, cultural studies, rehabilitation and aspires to work with incarcerated populations in the future, helping them find their voice and improve their communication skills as she believes this population is overlooked despite there being a high demand. 

Outside of the lab, Myriam is a dance teacher at a cultural center where she teaches folklorico to new generations. Myriam has been dancing folklorico professionally for over five years and continues to perform around California with Ballet Folklorico Ollin, a nonprofit company dedicated to preserving and interpreting the diverse cultural beauty of México through music, dance, and folk traditions.

Mirna Troncoso Sawyer is an Associate Professor in California State University Northridge’s (CSUN) Public Health program, Department of Health Sciences. She is also currently serving as Director of the CSUN Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing. Her research has primarily been focused on Latino/a health and college student health—from nutritional knowledge among diabetes patients, to food decisions among families, to the role of food insecurity in student success. Recognizing the role of stress in relation to many health behaviors and health outcomes, Mirna is on a teacher training pathway to become certified to teach mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) for students, faculty/staff, and community members. Mirna has a PhD in Community Health Sciences from UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health; a Master of Public Health degree in Health Education from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, GA; and a bachelor’s degree in History from Stanford University. She has published in peer reviewed journals such as the Diabetes Educator and the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Dr. Zahra Sharifiheris is a faculty member in the Nursing Department at California State University, Northridge, specializing in pregnancy and maternal health. Her research focuses on improving maternal health outcomes, with a particular emphasis on reducing maternal morbidity and mortality. She is dedicated to exploring innovative solutions, including the use of biomarkers, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence, to support clinical practice in predicting and preventing pregnancy-related complications. Dr. Sharifiheris is committed to blending theoretical knowledge with practical skills, empowering students to provide patient-centered care rooted in ethics.

Tom has been teaching, guiding, and facilitating experiential and outdoor adventure learning for four decades. His current research interests include today’s abstract which concerns the intersection of Wilderness and Expressive Writing. He actively pursues personal challenges of the type he teaches- climbing rocks, ice and mountains, racing skis and mountain bikes, and hiking long trails. But he can also be found watching extended sunsets with his wife and kids, playing in the ocean surf, and training his German Shepherd not to eat people. He is partially successful in most of these endeavors.

Dr. Shane Stecyk is in his 23rd year as a professor of Kinesiology and Athletic Training. He joined the IRB in 2015 and currently serves as the Co-Vice Chair of the IRB. Dr. Stecyks’s faculty interests are in the areas of curriculum and program development and student advisement.

Myra Stewart, PT, DPT (she/her), is a proud alumna, assistant professor, and the Director of Clinical Education for the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program at CSU Northridge. In addition to her academic responsibilities, she also works as a clinician in the acute care setting. Dr. Stewart is excited to share her current research interest, which focuses on the use of asynchronous video interviewing in the admissions process for DPT programs.

Dr. Sussman-Dabach is a Professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in the area of Nutrition and Dietetics in the College of HHD at CSUN. Dr. Sussman-Dabach has been at CSUN for 11 years and her research focus centers around kidney failure patients receiving dialysis. Dr. Sussman-Dabach has been with the CSUN IRB for over 5 years. 

Nickolas Szostkowski is an undergraduate public health student at CSUN. He is a member of HESO and is doing his internship serving as a student research assistant with MATAspire. His public health and research interests include mental health, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases, and data collection and analysis which has led to the next academic goal of pursuing a Master of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology.

Kader Tekkas-Kerman, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Nursing at California State University Northridge, USA. She received her PhD in Nursing from the University of Washington in 2015. At California State University, she teaches courses on Public Health Nursing, Nursing Research, and Nursing Leadership-lab. Dr. Kerman has an extensive multidisciplinary research background on psychiatric nursing, public health nursing, and global health Dr. Kerman has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences on nursing. Her research primarily focuses on investigating intimate partner violence, exploring its impact, prevention, and promoting community health. Currently, she has collaborated with her colleagues from South Korea to develop a scale to assess social abuse in the general population. She plans to disseminate study results and develop programs to prevent social abuse.

Paula Thomson, PsyD, Professor California State University, Northridge, licensed Clinical Psychologist, Co-Director of the Performance Psychophysiology Laboratory, and Professor Emeritus/Senior Scholar at York University (Canada). She is the co-author of two books, Creativity and the Performing Artist: Behind the Mask and Creativity, Trauma, and Resilience and author of multiple chapters and peer-reviewed articles. She continues to work as a choreographer in dance, theatre and opera. In 2013, she was named one of the top 20 female professors in California.

Karley is an undergraduate student majoring in Communication Disorders and Sciences. She has been a member of the Speech-Language Science Lab and a current executive board member for CSUN NSSLHA. With a bilingual background in Vietnamese and English, Karley is passionate about researching bilingualism, particularly bilingual advantages. Her clinical interests are in neurogenic communication disorders. Her goals are to attend higher education and become a competent Speech Language Pathologist. Outside of academics, she loves swimming, spending time with her pet fish, and immerses herself in books on Minimalism or the workings of the human body while sipping on her Vietnamese iced coffee.

Veda Elaine Ward was born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Catonsville MD, and attended public school in Baltimore County. She earned a bachelor’s degree at Bucknell University (1972), Masters at University of Baltimore (1978), University of Redlands (2011), and doctorate at University of Maryland, College Park (1984). Ward was employed by the Baltimore City Bureau of Recreation, in fitness and hospitality followed by 12 years at University of MD before joining CSU Northridge in 1990. Professor Ward chaired three Faculty Senate Standing Committees and has served as Faculty Advisor to Associated Students, Inc. for more than a decade. Emphasis on community service learning, experiential learning and professional leadership complement publications, presentations, student support and interdisciplinary participation. 

Dr. Hui Jimmy Xie is a professor in Department of Recreation and Tourism Management. With a background in Geography and Recreation, he is interested in understanding how physical/social environment and recreation behavior affect health, with a particular focus on older adults and ethnic minority groups. He is currently working on a 4-year NIH R16 grant aimed at examining the role of senior center environment and activity participation in promotion of healthy aging. Most of Dr. Xie’s research projects are interdisciplinary and involve collaboration with community organizations and researchers from different disciplines.

Beatrice Yen is a first-generation graduate student in the Master of Public Health program with a concentration in Community Health Education. Her interests include mental health and women's health. Currently, she is part of the team for the NIH/NIMHD grant funded SEA US, HEAR US study as a research assistant. She hopes to work with underrepresented and under-resourced communities as a Community Health Educator. Upon completion of her graduate studies, she plans to continue her work in the public health field as a Lactation Consultant. 

The 2024 Conference Planning Committee:

We are thankful to the faculty planning committee for this organizing this conference. You can find more information on each of these faculty among the listings above. The committee team members are:

• Andrew Bartlett (Physical Therapy)
• Rosalia Garcia Torres (Family and Consumer Sciences/Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science)
• Laurie Gelardi (Nursing)
• Hessam Ghamari (Family and Consumer Sciences/Interior Design)
• Yeonhak Jung, (Kinesiology)
• Rodica Kohn (Family and Consumer Sciences/Interior Design)
• Patchareeya (Patty) Kwan (Health Sciences)
• Christine Lamonica (Kinesiology)
• Zarmine Naccashian (Nursing)
• Jennifer Newman (Health Sciences)
• HeeKyung Sung (Recreation and Tourism Management)
• Kader Tekkas-Kerman (Nursing)