Alumni Association
Alumni House
Board of Directors
The Cal State Fullerton Alumni Association Board of Directors is an involved group of alumni who volunteer to represent all our Titan graduates. The Board plans Alumni Association programs, events and benefits and serves as an advisory committee toward alumni activities with the university.
Executive Committee
Nicholas Cabeza ’18
President
Regional Public Affairs Manager
League of California Cities
Nicholas Cabeza has served on the Alumni Association Board since July 2019 and as President since 2023. He graduated in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in public administration from California State University, Fullerton, where he participated in the Sacramento Semester Program and interned at the State Capitol.
Nicholas currently serves as the Regional Public Affairs Manager at the League of California Cities. In this capacity, Nicholas works with Gateway Cities and the City of Los Angeles to expand and protect local control through education and grassroots advocacy. He previously held the position of Government Affairs Analyst for the City of Long Beach, managing legislative and funding priorities. He previously worked in government relations in Long Beach and with the California School Boards Association. Nicholas also holds a Master’s in Public Administration and a Certificate in Public Policy from the University of Southern California.
Antonia Castro-Graham ’00, M.P.A. ’02
President-elect
Vice President, Policy and Regulatory Affairs
Avantus
Antonia is the Director of Energy Policy and Strategy, Americas for BayWa, a leading renewable energy project developer. Prior to this position she served as Vice President of a Public Affairs firm and spent more than twenty years working in local government. She served as the Deputy City Manager for the City of Fullerton and as the Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Huntington Beach. She led regional efforts and created the Orange County Recycling Market Development Zone and created a working group of cities to study community choice energy, eventually forming the Orange County Power Authority. She holds a BA in Political Science and American Studies and an MPA with a concentration in Public Finance from CSUF as well as a a master’s degree in Sustainability from Arizona State University. She was selected as the Arizona State University School of Sustainability Alumni of the Year (2018) and the 2022 CSUF MPA Alumni of the Year.
Vanessa Acuña ’02, T.C. ’03, M.S. ’07, Ed. D. ’23
Vice President, Student Alumni Engagement
Principal
Butterfield Ranch Elementary
Acuña began her career in education as a classroom teacher at East Whittier City School District, where she served for 17 years. Acuña then went on to serve as a school administrator for five years and is currently an elementary school principal for Chino Valley Unified School District. Acuña is a first-generation and four-time CSUF graduate, earning her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, multiple subject teaching credential, master of educational leadership, and doctorate in education. She has served on the Alumni Association Board and is a past president of the Alumni Association. Acuña is also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional society for women educators, and the Chino Association of Management Personnel.
Vince Fabrizio ’89
Vice President, Finance
Chief Deputy District Attorney
Riverside County
Vince Fabrizio earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1989 from Cal State Fullerton. Vince was a President’s Scholar, ASI President and a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity. After graduating, Vince was a Jesse Marvin Unruh California State Assembly Fellow 1989-90. He graduated with a JD from UC Davis in 1993. He has been working at the Riverside County District Attorney’s office since 1994. He is currently a Chief Deputy District Attorney.
Christine Hernandez ’09
Vice President, Advocacy & Philanthropy
West Coast Program Director
IGNITE National
Christine graduated from CSUF in 2009 with a B.A. in English and joined the alumni association board in 2021. She serves as the Senior Director of Programs for IGNITE National, a national non-partisan non-profit that is training young women for positions of political leadership and civic engagement.
Kathleen Hodge ’71, M.S. ’75
Immediate Past President
Retired President
Fullerton College
Dr. Kathleen O’Connell Hodge devoted her entire career to higher education. She served on the North Orange County Community College District (NCCCD) six years as president of Fullerton College and district vice chancellor. The majority of her career was served in the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCD) and Saddleback College where she served for 28 years in a wide variety of positions including District appointments as vice chancellor of instruction and acting chancellor. She holds a doctorate degree in higher education from the University of Southern California, a master's degree in counseling and a bachelor’s degree in speech from Cal State Fullerton and an associates degree in liberal arts from Citrus College.
Edith Marcel ’03
Vice President, Community & Campus Outreach
Migrant Education Assistant
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Edith Marcel is a training and development specialist focusing on early childhood education. She values public education and is passionate about service and advocacy for students and families in her community of West Whittier Los Nietos. She currently serves on the Los Nietos Elementary School Board and has had more than ten years of experience in volunteering and working alongside different committees within her community. She previously served as Plaza de La Raza Child Development Services board chairperson. She was a former community representative for Promotoras, Healthy Los Nietos Collaborative, and served as a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion task force for Child360.
Vanessa Pinzon ’09
Vice President, Communications & Marketing
Associate Media Director
Exverus Media
Vanessa Pinzón is an Orange County native and graduate of Cal State University Fullerton. During her time at CSUF she was an active participant of Sigma Kappa Sorority and the Ad Club and has remained an active alumna since then. Vanessa majored in Communications with an emphasis in Advertising and has 18+ years of experience in the digital and media space. She started her career for an app design firm and came to Casanova//McCann over 12 years ago to head up their digital team. Vanessa has worked on campaigns for Nestlé USA, The Wine Group, Pernod Ricard, Chick-fil-A, USPS, and Covered California. In her spare time, Vanessa runs her own event planning company called Soulcial Butterfly that provides unique styling for picnics, showers, and birthday celebrations.
Directors at Large
William Bryan ’02
Director
Wealth Manager
LPL Financial Advisor
William Bryan has been in the financial service industry since 1989. In 2011 he became a financial adviser with Edward Jones and in 2013 transitioned his business to LPL Financial as an Independent Wealth Manager, where he founded WHB Financial (Wealth, Health & Business financial services.) Before becoming a financial adviser, he spent 23 years with the Capital Group/American Funds, one of the largest money management firms in the world. During his 23 years with the Capital Group, he served in various roles, including being The Endowment & Foundation Specialist, in the Institutional Investor Service Group, where he focused on helping “People that do good, to do good”. In 1985, he earned a full- ride scholarship to play football at Cal State Fullerton (1985-1989). He returned CSUF many years later and earned a BA degree in Business/Economics with emphasis in personal financial planning in (2002).
Kevin Bui ’02
Director
CEO/President
Kevin Bui Real Estate
As a seasoned real estate expert with more than two decades of experience in banking, finance, real estate, and mortgage loans, Kevin take pride in serving the Orange County and Los Angeles area. His passion for real estate is evident in his ability to employ innovative and creative strategies to achieve the best possible results. As of January 2024, he has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce, embracing the opportunity to make a significant impact on the Fountain Valley community, its businesses, and the city he calls home.
Bob Crellin ’90
Director
Director of Sales
Avidex
Bob Crellin earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 1990. He is currently the Director of Sales at Avidex Industries, where he channels his passion for audio-visual integration. Over his distinguished career, Bob has significantly contributed to the industry by developing new markets and standardizing products. Bob has been happily married to his wife, Kristin, also a CSUF alumna, for 32 years. They have two children: their daughter, a graduate of ASU-FIDM, and their son, a proud Titan who graduated in 2021.
Chad Eimers, M.S. ’21
Director
Attorney
BakerHostetler
Eimers is an attorney at BakerHostetler in Orange County, practicing patent law. To increase his technical background, Eimers returned to school after law school and chose CSUF to obtain his master’s degree in electrical engineering. The evening (part-time) program allowed Eimers to attend Cal State Fullerton while working full-time. As an attorney at BakerHostetler, Chad focuses on drafting, preparing, and prosecuting U.S. and foreign patent applications for portable electronic devices, wearable electronic devices, accessories, and infotainment, as well as medical/healthcare (artificial intelligence and machine learning), augmented reality, virtual reality, networking and video distribution and solid- state memory devices. He collaborates with client in-house counsel, engineers, and inventors and discusses cases with patent examiners as new applications move through the process.
Nick Jones-Liang ’06
Director
Global PR Director, Diablo
Activision Blizzard
With almost 20 years of experience in entertainment communications, Jones- Liang is the global PR director for Diablo at Activision Blizzard. Before his current position, he was the director of series publicity at Netflix, focusing on young adult and drama series and overseeing such shows as “Shadow and Bone,” “Locke and Key” and “Cobra Kai.” Previously, his work on the nonfiction team at Netflix had him leading the launch of several notable unscripted television series, including Emmy-award winner “Queer Eye,” Emmy-nominated “Nailed It” and “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.” Prior to Netflix, Jones-Liang worked in both agency and studio settings, with a focus on reality and talk shows. Jones-Liang served as a volunteer for the nonprofit Reading to Kids, where he organized weekend reading clubs for local K-5 elementary school students.
Christopher Lamberth ’94
Director
Project Manager
E2 Contracting, Inc.
Christopher is the project manager for E2 Contracting, Inc. as the PM and CM for commercial earthwork contracting. Prior to his current position, he was the principal of venues global business strategy for HKS, Inc. He previously was principal of sports architecture at TVS Designs. In that role, he led the sports design practice for a national architectural firm. Responsibilities include setting the marketing strategy for the sports practice, establishing and maintaining client relationships, and targeting new project opportunities nationally. He currently volunteers at his children’s schools and has previously served on the Titan Athletics Board.
Ricardo V. López, M.P.H. ’07
Director
Medical Management, Population Health-Chronic Disease Management
Prospect Medical Systems, Inc.
Ricardo V. López is a proud Titan and class of 2007 graduate who earned his Master of Public Health and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. He currently works in a medical management company that is focused on population health management programs. He is a former AB 540 student and had two brothers who are also CSUF graduates. His motto in life is “change is the only constant.”
Nylinne Nguyen ’12, MBA ’19
Director
Transportation Funding Analyst
Orange County Transportation Authority
Nguyen has more than 12 years of experience specializing in various industries such as banking, utilities, and transportation. Currently, she is a transportation funding analyst for the Orange County Transportation Authority. Nguyen is dedicated to using her experience to strengthen alumni advocacy and financial support to the university. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in business administration from Cal State Fullerton. Nguyen enjoys traveling to explore and try out local cuisines in her free time. She also loves to bake because it allows her to share and connect with her family and loved ones.
Kim Smith-Grime ’85
Director
Chief Financial Officer
Bejac Corporation
Kimberlee Smith-Grime completed her bachelor’s degree in business administration (accounting) at Cal State Fullerton in 1985 and obtained her CPA license in 1988. She is currently the Chief Financial Officer for Bejac Corporation which is a preeminent specialty equipment dealer with locations across the western United States. She has experience in an array of businesses including closely held, municipalities, non-profit, manufacturing, and distribution. Kimberlee has been involved with the Cal State Fullerton Alpha Chi Omega House Corporation chapter serving as treasurer for over a decade. She was recognized for her exceptional service in 2018 as the National Local House Corporation volunteer of the year.
Greg Washington ’12
Director
Attorney
BraunHagey & Borden LLP
Greg earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and human communication in 2012 and his juris doctorate from UC Berkeley in 2017. He is a litigator at Jenner & Block in San Francisco, handling cases from pleadings through appeals in state and federal courts. He advises clients on patent, privacy, trade secret, trademark, employer mobility, and commercial litigation, and maintains an active pro bono practice in civil and voting rights. Greg teaches at Berkeley Law, serving as the Academic Director of the James Patterson McBaine Moot Court Competition and offering a course on applying legal skills in public policy. Before joining Jenner & Block, Greg worked at a boutique litigation firm in San Francisco, clerked for the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and the US District Court for the District of Connecticut, and was a senior research fellow at the California Constitution Center.
Kathy Yu ’10
Director
Inclusion & Outreach Specialist
Pixar Animation Studios
Kathy Ting-Ting Yu (she/her) graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Communications. She spent the first 10 years of her career in media and advertising sales, working at Saatchi & Saatchi LA, Wavemaker, Hulu, and TikTok. She then decided to pursue a career pivot, and received her Masters in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) from Northeastern University in 2023. She has worked for the American Red Cross, Coupa Software, and Tia in various roles of philanthropy, CSR, and diversity recruiting. She currently works at Pixar Animation Studios and Disney Entertainment on their CSR teams. She grew up in Los Angeles County and has been based in San Francisco since 2013.
Ex-Officio
Kimberly Shiner
Vice President, University Advancement
Kimberly Shiner has spent more than two decades in higher educational advancement, communications, and government and community relations. She has worked in key leadership roles in advancement and communications for Pitzer College, Cal State University, San Bernardino and the University of Southern California (USC). Prior, Kim worked for top public relations firms including Lages & Associates, Ruder Finn and Carl Byoir and Associates (part of Hill and Knowlton). She is also an alum of LC's California Issues and Trends program, the African American Board Leadership Institute (AABLI), and the Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP) Regional Leadership Academy. Kim received her bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in public administration from California State University Northridge.
Bill Cole ’90
CEO/Executive Director
Assistant Vice President, Alumni Engagement
Bill Cole joined Cal State Fullerton as the Assistant Vice President and CEO/ Executive Director in 2020. In this role, Cole provides visionary leadership to the Office of Alumni Engagement and the CSUF Alumni Association, a California non- profit organization. He leads a dedicated team in developing and implementing strategies designed to engage, cultivate, serve, and steward alumni relationships, enhancing support for Cal State Fullerton's vision, mission, and priorities. Additionally, he oversees the management of the Alumni Association's funds and spearheads fundraising initiatives that support both the alumni association and student engagement programs, serving a global network of over 334,000 alumni. Before his tenure at Cal State Fullerton, Cole spent over eighteen years at UC Riverside in alumni relations. As Associate Executive Director, he managed legislative advocacy, alumni constituency groups, regional events, and international alumni relations. He also provided oversight for student relations programs, scholarships, career resources, alumni awards programs, and the UCR Parents Association.
Ken Hagihara ’99
Faculty Representative
President, Integrity Public Relations, Inc.
Lecturer, California State University, Fullerton
Ken Hagihara is a full-time lecturer in the CSUF College of Communications and is the president of Integrity Public Relations, Inc., a public relations agency serving technology companies and nonprofit organizations. A member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) College of Fellows, Ken contributes to the global public relations profession through several leadership roles which include the Universal Accreditation Board, PRSA Educators Academy, and National Faculty Adviser for the Public Relations Student Society of America. A retired Navy lieutenant commander, he also serves on the board of the Pacific Battleship Center and is the outreach committee lead for the annual LA Fleet Week. Ken holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University, Fullerton, and a master’s in communication management from the University of Southern California.
Standing Representative
Verne Wagner ’77
CSU Alumni Council Representative
Verne D. Wagner is a long-time supporter of Cal State Fullerton as a volunteer, leader and donor and is the recipient of the CSUF Vision & Visionaries Distinguished Alumna award. She currently represents the Alumni Association on the CSU Alumni Council. She has given of her time and talents to the university serving as a member of the President’s Associates, including as chair, for more than 20 years, the President’s Scholars selection committee for twelve years and is a founding member of the Guardian Scholars board of directors. Additionally, she served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, including a term as president in 2009-2010.
Wagner’s extensive contributions also include serving on the Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors, being a founding member of the Women in Philanthropy support organization, and being named one of the university’s 50 Women of Distinction. She participated in the CSUF 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee, the Gala Committee for the opening of the Joseph A.W. Clayes III Performing Arts Center, and the Blue Ribbon Committee for Front & Center. Her commitment extends to several scholarship selection committees and fundraising efforts for the College of the Arts. In recognition of her unwavering dedication, the Fullerton resident has received the university’s Volunteer of the Year Award four times.
Katherine Bush
President, Student Alumni Ambassadors
Katherine (Katie) Bush is a dedicated leader and student currently serving as President for the Student Alumni Ambassadors at CSUF. Pursuing a double major in Studio Arts and American Studies, Katie exemplifies a passion for both creativity and cultural exploration. Looking towards the future, Katie plans to further her education by pursuing a master's degree, with aspirations to become a professor and work in a museum setting. Her leadership in fostering connections between students and alumni, combined with her academic ambitions and commitment to community service, Katie is dedicated to making a meaningful impact both within her university and in broader academic and cultural contexts.
