Speaker's Bureau

About the Speaker's Bureau

MiraCosta College has established the Speaker's Bureau as a free resource to the communities served by the college: Oceanside, Carlsbad, La Costa, Encinitas, Olivenhain, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Carmel Valley. MiraCosta College’s outstanding faculty and staff will share with North County audiences their scholarly pursuits, professional expertise and personal interests and experiences.

In addition to speakers listed here, other staff members and administrators are available to speak about college programs.

How do I schedule a speaker?

All speakers are scheduled through MiraCosta College’s Public Information Office. Requests may be made by contacting Kristen Huyck at khuyck@miracosta.edu. It’s helpful if you have a first, second and even a third choice in case your first choice is unavailable when you need him/her. It’s also helpful if you can be flexible with dates and times for your program. Please make arrangements at least four weeks ahead of your program date. When you make a request, you’ll need to provide the following information:

Your name, phone number and home/business address
Type of audience and estimated size
Name of group or club
Date, time and address where meeting/program will take place
Directions to meeting/program location
Length of presentation desired
Your first, second and third choice of speakers

A note on speaker availability

Faculty and staff who participate in the MiraCosta College Speaker's Bureau do so on a volunteer basis. If you learn your choice of speakers is unavailable, check out the list for other interesting options. Faculty speakers are often not available during the summer months.

Still have questions?

Please email Kristen Huyck at khuyck@miracosta.edu.

List of Speakers

Eric Bishop
Theatre Arts Instructor
Robert Bond
History Instructor
Larry Burns
EOPS/CalWORKs Counselor
Brad Byrom
History Instructor
Rick Cassoni
Computer Science Instructor
Jonathan Cole
Physics Instructor
Patrick Connolly
Lead Instructor, Administration of Justice
Sean Davis
Sociology Instructor
Michael Dear
Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships
Rachele DeMeo
French Instructor
Mike Deschamps
Accounting Instructor
Mike Fino
Dean, Math and Sciences
Trisha Hanada-Rogers
Dance Program Director and Instructor
Yoshimi Hayashi
Art Instructor
Jose Jara
English Instructor
Don Kalescky
Business Instructor
Nora Kenney
Research Analyst
Keith Meldahl
Geology and Oceanography Instructor
Lynne Miller
Anthropology Instructor
Jane Mushinsky
English Instructor
Edward Pohlert
Director of Retention Services
Aubrey Kuan Roderick
Chinese Instructor/Chinese Club Adviser
Angela Senigaglia
Noncredit English Instructor
Jeanine Sepulveda
Biology Instructor
Mia Scavone
Coordinator, Institute for International Perspectives
Christina Sharp
Business Instructor
Sudershan Shaunak
Director, SBDC
Sue Simpson
Nursing Instructor
Dana Smith
Dean, Letters and Communication Studies
Denise Stephenson
Writing Center Faculty Director
Wendy Stewart
Dean, Counseling and Student Development
Al Taccone
Dean, Career and Technical Education
Erin Thomas
Business Instructor
Sinclaire Tirona
Student Services Specialist, Testing
John Turbeville
Geology and Oceanography Instructor
Steve Vail
Automotive Technology Instructor

List of Topics

ART

Art, Culture, and Everything Else: Development of Western Art in the Last 100 Years.....Hayashi, Yoshimi

BUSINESS, CAREERS

Problem Solving, Decision Making and Planning.....Burns, Larry
Project Management Training.....Burns, Larry
Cultural Capital and the Pursuit of Goals Through Mentorship.....Davis, Sean
Business.....Deschamps, Mike
Taxes.....Deschamps, Mike
Investing.....Deschamps, Mike
Organizational Development and Effectiveness.....Pohlert, Edward
Personal Power and Mentorship: Hand in Hand, They Come Alive.....Pohlert, Edward
Doing Business in China and Taiwan.....Roderick, Aubrey Kuan
How to Generate Business Start-Up Ideas.....Sharp, Christina
Impact of Small Business of the Local Economy.....Sharp, Christina
How Your Local Community College Can Help Develop Your Business.....Sharp, Christina
MiraCosta College's Small Business Development Center..... Shaunak, Sudershan
Career and Technical Education.....Taccone, Al
International Business.....Thomas, Erin
Small Business Management.....Thomas, Erin
Business Communication.....Thomas, Erin
Business Accounting.....Thomas, Erin
Marketing.....Thomas, Erin
Job Opportunities in the Earth Sciences.....Turbeville, John
Boat Repair Industry.....Vail, Steve

COMMUNICATION

Culture and Human Behavior: Leadership.....Pohlert, Edward
Business Communication.....Thomas, Erin
Communication.....Stewart, Wendy

COMMUNITY, ENVIRONMENT

Environmental History.....Byrom, Brad
Climate Change Update: Are Human Activities Causing the Earth to Warm?.....Cole, Jonathan
Surf, Sand, and Stone: How Waves, Earthquakes, and Other Forces Shape the Southern California Coast.....Meldahl, Keith
Rough-Hewn Land: A Geologic Journey from California to the Rocky Mountains.....Meldahl, Keith
Equity.....Stewart, Wendy
Leadership.....Stewart, Wendy
The Activity of the Rose Canyon Fault in San Diego.....Turbeville, John
The Geology of Calavera Hills.....Turbeville, John
Surf Forecasting for San Diego County.....Turbeville, John

COMPUTERS, TECHNOLOGY

Need for STEM.....Cassoni, Rick
Lack of Skilled Employees.....Cassoni, Rick
Innovate 78.....Cassoni, Rick
Cloud Computing.....Cassoni, Rick
Cyber Security.....Cassoni, Rick
STEM Education and Careers.....Fino, Mike
Career and Technical Education.....Taccone, Al
Automotive Industry/Technology.....Vail, Steve

EDUCATION, LEARNING

CalWORKs and Community College.....Burns, Larry
Critical Thinking Skills Development.....Burns, Larry
Serving Welfare-to-Work Clients.....Burns, Larry
Teaching in Digestible Bites: Rethinking Higher Ed Classrooms.....Davis, Sean
Low-Income Men of Color and Higher Education.....Davis, Sean
Financial Aid.....Dear, Michael
Student Success.....Dear, Michael
Learning Styles - Using Them to Learn and Retain Information in your Educational and Professional Careers.....DeMeo, Rachele
STEM Education and Careers.....Fino, Mike
Critical Reading and Response.....Jara, Jose
Latinos and Education.....Jara, Jose
Learning Strategies in the Classroom.....Jara, Jose
Reflections of a Former Community College Student and Current Community College Teacher.....Jara, Jose
The Role of the Community College.....Jara, Jose
Education.....Kenney, Nora
Teacher Education.....Kenney, Nora
Research.....Kenney, Nora
Urban and Multicultural Education.....Kenney, Nora
Educational Anthropology focusing on Qualitative Research and Ethnography.....Kenney, Nora
Service Learning and Community Partnerships.....Kenney, Nora
Strategies for Students: How to Choose a Major, a Four-Year College, a Graduate Program.....Miller, Lynne
Culture and Human Behavior: Multi-Ethnic Identity.....Pohlert, Edward
Establishing Your College Identity.....Pohlert, Edward
Life Narrative as a Learning Tool.....Pohlert, Edward
Personal Learning Styles.....Pohlert, Edward
Foreign Students in the United States.....Scavone, Mia
International Education.....Scavone, Mia
Study-Abroad Opportunities.....Scavone, Mia
Adult Education.....Senigaglia, Angela
Basic Skills: English, Reading and Composition.....Senigaglia, Angela
Continuing Education.....Senigaglia, Angela
Pathways from Noncredit to Credit.....Senigaglia, Angela
Higher Education and/or Workforce Preparation Coursework and Certificates.....Senigaglia, Angela
Information Overload: Living in the 21st Century.....Stephenson, Denise
Career and Technical Education.....Taccone, Al
Bridge to Success in Math Program.....Tirona, Sinclaire
Gear Up Summer Program.....Tirona, Sinclaire

GOVERNMENT

State and Federal Legislative Processes.....Dear, Michael

HEALTH, MEDICAL

Medical History.....Byrom, Brad
Stone-Age Bodies in a Space-Age World: An Anthropological Perspective on Human Health.....Miller, Lynne
Health Care.....Simpson, Sue

HISTORY, WORLD CULTURES

Current Events in Middle East.....Bond, Robert
Middle East History.....Bond, Robert
The Ottoman Empire and Turkey.....Bond, Robert
American History ranging from pre-Columbian and colonial history to modern American history.....Byrom, Brad
The American Western Movement.....Byrom, Brad
California Mission History.....Byrom, Brad
Environmental History.....Byrom, Brad
Progressive History.....Byrom, Brad
Medical History.....Byrom, Brad
Twentieth Century Social History.....Byrom, Brad
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.....Byrom, Brad
Masculinity in Contemporary Society.....Davis, Sean
Bilingualism/Multi-lingualism.....DeMeo, Rachele
Bi-culture/Multi-culture.....DeMeo, Rachele
Maintaining a Learned Language.....DeMeo, Rachele
Raising Children with a Culturally Diverse Mindest.....DeMeo, Rachele
Educational Anthropology focusing on Qualitative Research and Ethnography.....Kenney, Nora
Hard Road West: A Historic and Geologic Tour of the California Trail.....Meldahl, Keith
Surf, Sand, and Stone: How Waves, Earthquakes, and Other Forces Shape the Southern California Coast.....Meldahl, Keith
Rough-Hewn Land: A Geologic Journey from California to the Rocky Mountains.....Meldahl, Keith
Chinese Language and Culture.....Roderick, Aubrey Kuan
Chinese Traditional Arts and Festivals.....Roderick, Aubrey Kuan
Doing Business in China and Taiwan.....Roderick, Aubrey Kuan
Helen Miller Bailey: The Pioneer Educator and Renaissance Woman Who Shaped Chicano(a) Leaders.....Soza, Rita

LITERATURE

Literacy.....Kenney, Nora
Found Poetry Writing Workshop.....Mushinsky, Jane
Poetry From Two World Wars..... Mushinsky, Jane
Readings: Original Poetry & Original Short Fiction.....Mushinsky, Jane
The Shakespeare Authorship Mystery.....Mushinsky, Jane
Topics in British Literature.....Mushinsky, Jane
Isolation: Reading from a Dystopian Novel.....Stephenson, Denise
Monologues: A Reading and Discussion of Character Development.....Stephenson, Denise
The Writing Process: What it Takes to Write.....Stephenson, Denise

LIFE SKILLS

Being organized.....DeMeo, Rachele
Money-saving tips.....DeMeo, Rachele
Cooking.....DeMeo, Rachele

MIRACOSTA COLLEGE

MiraCosta College: Past, Present and Future.....Superintendent/President Cooke or member of the Board of Trustees
MiraCosta College History.....Byrom, Brad
Financial Aid.....Dear, Michael
Student Success.....Dear, Michael
Reflections of a Former Community College Student and Current Community College Teacher.....Jara, Jose
The Role of the Community College.....Jara, Jose
Transitions from Community College to University.....Kenney, Nora
Continuing Education.....Senigaglia, Angela
Pathways from Noncredit to Credit.....Senigaglia, Angela
Higher Education and/or Workforce Preparation Coursework and Certificates.....Senigaglia, Angela
How Your Local Community College Can Help Develop Your Business.....Sharp, Christina
MiraCosta College's Small Business Development Center..... Shaunak, Sudershan
The San Elijo Campus.....Smith, Dana
The Library and Information Hub.....Tirona, Sinclaire
Gear Up Summer Program.....Tirona, Sinclaire
Bridge to Success in Math Program.....Tirona, Sinclaire
Welcome Days.....Tirona, Sinclaire
Personal Experience as a MiraCosta transfer student.....Tirona, Sinclaire

OCEANOGRAPHY

Marine Stewardship.....Sepulveda, Jeanine
Fisheries Sustainability.....Sepulveda, Jeanine
Current Research on Swordfish.....Sepulveda, Jeanine

PERFORMANCE

Lecture/Student-Performed Scenes from Upcoming Drama Productions.....Bishop, Eric
Dance Lecture-Demonstration.....Hanada-Rogers, Trisha

SAFETY/CRIME-RELATED TOPICS

General Overview of FBI Operations.....Connolly, Patrick
General Overview of the Terrorist Threat and the Government's Response.....Connolly, Patrick

SCIENCE

Need for STEM.....Cassoni, Rick
Climate Change Update: Are Human Activities Causing the Earth to Warm?.....Cole, Jonathan
Biotechnology.....Fino, Mike
Biomanufacturing.....Fino, Mike
STEM Education and Careers.....Fino, Mike
Educational and Workplace Program Development.....Fino, Mike
Hard Road West: A Historic and Geologic Tour of the California Trail.....Meldahl, Keith
Rough-Hewn Land: A Geologic Journey from California to the Rocky Mountains.....Meldahl, Keith
Surf, Sand, and Stone: How Waves, Earthquakes, and Other Forces Shape the Southern California Coast..... Meldahl, Keith
Archaeology in East Africa.....Miller, Lynne
How to be a Primatologist: Research Methods in the Field.....Miller, Lynne
Life as a Monkey: Research with Capuchins in Venezuela.....Miller, Lynne
Sex Differences in Human Behavior from an Evolutionary Perspective.....Miller, Lynne
Current Research on Swordfish.....Sepulveda, Jeanine
Engaging Students in Science.....Sepulveda, Jeanine