Leslie Mendez ’18, ’25 mentored more than 120 students over four semesters at CSUF’s student-run agency. This year, she founded Brisa Collective, a bilingual marketing agency serving Orange County small businesses, and has returned to CSUF as a guest lecturer.
Career started @ Capstone Partners!
After more than twenty years with the California State University at both Fullerton and Northridge campuses, I have continued my career as the Associate Vice President for Finance and Business Operations for the Braille Institute, a nonprofit organization with centers across Southern California.
Lori J. Butler ’85 (B.A. communications), CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive), is the Executive Director of the Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce & LACCC Foundation as well as PT fractional Executive Director for NAMI San Bernardino.
Wesley Ruby ’24 (M.A. music) is beginning a full-time position as a music teacher at Hillcrest Christian School in Thousand Oaks, California, in August 2025. Ruby is also a special project adjunct faculty member at Pepperdine University, where he serves as musical director for theatrical productions.
Steve Haddadin ’18 (B.A. business administration-finance) passed the California Bar exam on his first attempt in 2025.
Robert Shields ’17 (Ed.D. educational leadership) has been named associate dean for the Marketing and Analytics Division within the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business at California Baptist University in Riverside. Prior to this role, he served as assistant director of CBU’s Teaching and Learning Center.
Lorraine Perez ’03, ’07 (B.A. liberal arts, M.S. education) has been named the next superintendent of Santa Ana Unified School District. A veteran educator with more than 20 years of experience, Perez currently serves as the district’s deputy superintendent of educational services.
Cameron Bishop ’21 (M.S. information technology-data science) works in senior technology risk and assurance at EY in Irvine. The former professional baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles decided to pursue a graduate degree to harness his passion for data and turn it into a career.
Derrick Nguyen ’15 (B.A. business administration-finance) has joined forces with financial planners in central and northern California and Hawaii to form Prospera Succession Partners, a comprehensive wealth advisory.