Director

Mirna Troncoso Sawyer, PhD, MPH


18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8211

Phone: (818) 677-7709

Send email

Department Coordinator

Hema Kapil


Phone: (818) 677-7715

Send email

Past Leadership

Dianne Philibosian, PhD 



Special Projects Consultant

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Director of the of the Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing from 2010-2015. Dr. Philibosian provided over four decades of service to the CSUN community. As director of the Institute she was instrumental in developing the Neighborhood Partners in Action (NPA) program in the Canoga Park Community. One of the legacies of the NPA program is the Bridge to the Future (B2F) program which directly addressed the problem of lack of access to college among local high school students. B2F has gone on to admit over 7 cohorts of students. During her time as the director, the Institute focused around the following Advisory Board developed priorities of:

(a) autism,

(b) obesity prevention and mitigation, and

(c) veteran’s needs.

She been recognized by a number of political dignitaries, including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Pasadena Mayor Henry Hearns. She received the Extraordinary Service Award from California State University in 2014-15--the Extraordinary Service Award recognizes outstanding contributions of service to the university and community.


Lou Rubino, PhD

Special Projects Consultant

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Interim Director of the Institute from 2009-2010. One of the Institute’s earliest leaders, Dr Rubino helped to develop the Council of Center Directors group with the Institute serving as an umbrella for cooperation and public relations. The Council helped address the problem that many community members and leaders didn’t know where to go for services and how to find them. Received the American College of Healthcare Executives Senior-Level Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award today at the ACHE Southern California Health Care Summit in Ontario, California in 2009.

Dr. Rubino Rubino is board certified in healthcare management in the American College of Healthcare Executives, demonstrating a commitment to professional excellence. He is also board member of St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood and a board member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).


David Boyns, PhD


Special Projects Consultant

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Director of the Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing from 2015 to 2022. Dr. Boyns played a pivotal role in securing nearly $5 million to establish community wellbeing initiatives supporting neurodiversity, obesity mitigation, veterans, and education. During Dr. Boyns time as director, the Institute and partners facilitated over 1,000 mindfulness and wellbeing programs, established 13 school and community gardens, organized numerous community resource fairs and cultural exhibitions, and conducted over 100 free produce distributions.

Dr. Boyns also spearheaded the founding of the Bridge to the Future Scholars Program ("B2F") in 2016 in collaboration with Canoga Park High School. The B2F program as of Spring 2024 has provided tuition-free education to over 200 students from Canoga Park High School at CSUN. The B2F program stands as a testament to the transformative potential of higher education, offering students exemplary high-impact practices and comprehensive support services.

Moreover, the B2F program shines in terms of community engagement—through Spring 2023, program participants have collectively contributed over 12,000 hours of volunteer service in the. In 2023, B2F received national recognition from Excelencia in Education as a model program for supporting Latinx students at the post-baccalaureate level. None of these achievements would have been possible without the collaborative efforts of community partners.

Director

Mirna Troncoso Sawyer, PhD, MPH


18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8211

Phone: (818) 677-7709

Send email

Department Coordinator

Hema Kapil


Phone: (818) 677-7715

Send email

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