Dean welcomes CHSS community back to campus at Fall Opening Meeting
![Dean Alvarez gives presentation at Fall Opening meeting](/sites/default/files/styles/sf_state_1440x564/public/images/dean%20and%20presentation.jpg?h=bdea7406&itok=nsOeahSH)
The College of Health & Social Sciences held its annual Fall Opening Meeting on August 18 in hybrid in-person and virtual format. In-person attendees enjoyed breakfast and mingling before the meeting at Seven Hills Conference Center.
The program included remarks by Dean Alvin Alvarez and presentation of the 2022 Faculty Excellence Awards by Associate Dean John Elia. The event also included the presentation of the Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor Emerita Mickey Eliason (virtually).
The dean acknowledged the difficult, uncertain times we are in and celebrated the fact that so many members of the CHSS community were together again in person after two years of virtual Fall Opening Meetings. He remarked that personal connections are what give meaning to our work and make us “more than cogs in a wheel.” The CHSS community, he said, is one that “strives for kindness, respect and decency.”
![Attendees at Fall Opening Meeting](/sites/default/files/images/fall%20opening%20group%20700%20px.jpg)
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Dean Alvarez recognized the College’s newly tenured and promoted faculty members, introduced new members of the CHSS faculty and staff and announced the appointments of current members to new roles:
New faculty
- Miguel Abad, Department of Child & Adolescent Development
- Angela Fillingim, Department of Sociology & Sexuality Studies
- Cynthia Martinez, Department of Counseling
- Soheyla Mohammadigorgi, Family, Interiors, Nutrition & Apparel Department
New staff
- Nhi Nguyen, Department of Public Health
- June Parra, SOAR TRIO
- Saya Santos, Student Resource Center
- Saya Tanaka, School of Nursing
Appointments to new leadership roles
- Kate Hamel, Assistant Dean for Faculty Development & Scholarship
- Erik Rosegard, Assistant Dean for Student Success
- Valerie Francisco-Menchavez, Assistant Dean for Restorative and Transformative Racial Justice
- Sherria Taylor, Faculty Director, CHSS Racial Healing Circles
- Juliana van Olphen, Chair, Department of Public Health
- Jackson Wilson, Chair, Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism
- Ruth Cortez, College Business Officer
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