University Housing and Food Service, CSU, Chico
Meet Our Faculty Mentors
Mike Spiess
Mike has an AA in natural resources from Delta College, a BS in agriculture (ag mechanics) from CSU, Chico, a MS in plant science (emphasis in irrigation) from Fresno State, and a doctorate from UC Davis & CSU, Fresno. He is a former vocational agriculture teacher and spent 13 years designing and supporting agricultural accounting software. Previously he taught in the Plant Science Department and served as general manager of the Agricultural Information Technology Network (ATI-Net) which is part of the California Agricultural Technology Institute (CATI) at Fresno State. He also owns a consulting business specializing in Internet solutions for businesses and education.
Bradley Dodson
For 29 years, Dr. Dodson, has been involved in agricultural education. He taught high school vocational agriculture at Lemoore High School for six years teaching primarily production agriculture courses. He then accepted a lecturer position at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and his duties included coordinating the statewide in-service program for high school and community college agriculture teachers as well as teaching undergraduate agricultural education courses such as the Future Farmers of America, supervised occupational experience programs, computers, and field experience. While at Cal Poly, he received his master's degree in agriculture.
After six years at Cal Poly, he enrolled at Texas A&M University as a PhD graduate student in agricultural education. On a teaching assistantship, Dr. D taught courses, advised students and the Collegiate FFA Chapter. He was then hired by the California Department of Education as a regional supervisor for the Northern California area. He advised the regional FFA Program and provided technical assistance to high school agriculture teachers.
Dr. D coordinates the Agriculture Teacher Education program at CSU Chico. He teaches agricultural education courses and advises undergraduate and graduate students.
Tray Robinson
Travon (Tray) Robinson was born in Los Angeles, but raised in Compton California. He came to Chico in the fall of 1989 and received a BA in liberal studies/bilingual in the fall of 1995. He says he has had the wonderful pleasure of working as a resident director for University Housing and Food Service, EOP adviser for the Educational Support Program, admissions counselor for the Admissions Office, and currently serves as the director of University Diversity Programs. His passion is working with students. He wants to give them the positive experience and support that was given to him when he was a student. Music is his other passion, to listen to it, play it, and write it. He plays saxophone and is learning how to play guitar. Tray's hobbies include reading, writing poems, watching movies, playing sports, cycling, worshipping the lord, and enjoying the company of my partner, family and friends.
Jennifer Meadows
Jennifer Meadows is a professor in the Communication Design Department. She came to Chico State in 1996. Dr. Meadows teaches in the Media Arts Option. Her classes include studio television production, media performance, broadcast news and technology, and communication. She got her doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin in radio, television, film and her master's degree at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She’s a big college sports fan and follows the Longhorns and the Tar Heels religiously. Jennifer is also involved with KCSC radio — Chico State’s student-owned and operated Internet radio station. She is originally from Rhode Island and now lives in Chico with her husband Floyd and cat MacGruber. In her free times she likes working out, cooking, seeing live music, and traveling.
Zanja Yudell
Zanja Yudell received his PhD (with distinction) in philosophy from Columbia University in 2005, the same year he joined the faculty at Cal State Chico. The title of his dissertation is "Scientific Realism and Inconsistency: A Model-Based Approach." His area of specialization is philosophy of science, with a particular focus on the philosophy of physics. He has taught courses in philosophy of science, logic, and the history of western philosophy at Columbia and the New School University. He is currently working on issues concerning the conflict between quantum mechanics and relativity, scientific explanation and realism, and reductionism and the nature of fundamental theories.
Celina Johnson
Celina was raised in Fallon, NV on a small purebred cattle and alfalfa hay operation where she was active in both 4-H and FFA. Upon graduation from high school, Celina attended Modesto Junior College and was a member of a nationally winning livestock judging team. Celina completed her undergraduate degree at California State University, Chico in May 1996.
She moved to Gainesville, FL to pursue a MS degree in animal science and coach the University of Florida livestock judging team. During her tenure at the University of Florida, she assisted with various youth livestock programs and assisted with many undergraduate animal science courses. Upon completion of her MS degree, she transferred to Oklahoma State University to complete a PhD in animal nutrition. At Oklahoma State University, she developed an interactive applied animal nutrition Web site and assisted with youth livestock activities and her research focused on applied beef cattle nutrition. In July of 2005, she joined the faculty at California State University, Chico in the College of Agriculture.
Noriyuki Sato
Noriyuki teaches physical geography courses in the Department of Geography and Planning, and is particularly interested in climate change and transportation geography. He is originally from Japan and lived in the Midwest for almost 15 years before coming to Chico.
Elisa Trimboli
Elisa grew up in Healdsburg and came to Chico State in 1999. She spent one year in Germany from 2001-2002. She graduated with a recreation administration degree in May 2003 from Chico State and came back to Chico State in 2007 and got a master’s in education (MAE). On weekends Elisa loves to spend time in Bidwell Park; upper and lower; jogging, biking, hiking, and at the swimming holes.
Stephanie Chervinko
Dr. Stephanie Chervinko is a psychologist in the Counseling and Wellness Center. This is her fourth year working at Chico State and her first year as a faculty mentor. Stephanie is very excited about being a part of this program. She says she always enjoys the contact she has with University Housing and Food Services. After graduating with a PhD in counseling psychology from Michigan State University (go Spartans!), she worked as a staff psychologist at the University of West Florida Counseling Center in Pensacola, FL. Hurricanes and unbelievable humidity chased her away, and she happily landed in Chico. She loves the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market, walks in Bidwell Park, and catching up with friends over a cup of joe (Naked Lounge makes the best vanilla lattes!) She's also gotten back into jewelry making—a new passion is making paper beads. Stephanie is looking forward to working with her RA, Leah Tallchief, and her residents out at UV.
Kim Jaxon
Dr. Kim Jaxon teaches in the English Department at Chico State. Her research interests include research on the teaching of writing, teacher's professional development, and the role of social media in education. In the past, she's taught courses on the rhetoric of video games and she currently uses Web 2.0 technologies with 90 freshman in her first year writing course. Kim is a Chico native, a gamer, a Mac addict, and she is thrilled to be working with freshman as part of the faculty mentor program.
David Hibbard
Dave Hibbard received his PhD in developmental psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas. His general developmental focus is adolescent and young adult social development (e.g., peer relationships, friendships, personality traits). He has conducted research on the development and influence of competitiveness on adolescent development, gender differences in social interaction styles, and he is currently examining the development of perfectionism in children, adolescents, and young adults. When he’s not out saving the world, Dave likes playing guitar, mountain biking, and hiking.
Ryan Patten
Ryan Patten is originally from the Puget Sound region. Ryan worked as a police officer before earning his MA and PhD in Criminal Justice from Washington State University. In his second year in the faculty mentor program, Ryan appreciates his interactions with the students and helping them adjust to college life at Chico State.
Marianne Paiva
Marianne Paiva is a lecturer in the Department of Sociology. She earned her bachelor of arts in sociology and master of arts in social science at California State University, Chico. Marianne spends her free time hiking in Upper Bidwell Park, cycling in Lower Bidwell, and playing at Caper Acres with her children.
John Crosby
John Crosby is a lecturer in the Political Science Department. He has been involved in the faculty mentor program at Chico State since 2007. He teaches courses in international relations and U.S. government. He is additionally the faculty advisor for Chico State’s Model United Nations team. A retired U.S. Army officer, he holds a BA from UCLA and a masters from CSU Chico.
Mark Stemen
Mark Stemen is a professor of geography and planning at CSU, Chico, where he teaches environmental courses in sustainability and civic engagement. Known to his students as ‘Dr. Mark,’ he is well known on the campus for his inspiring and tireless work with students and with the community on issues of sustainability. Under his direction, his students recently completed greenhouse gas inventories for CSU, Chico, Butte Community College, and the City of Chico. He is advisor to eight student groups at CSU, Chico and faculty mentor to the new “Sustainability House” in the residence halls. Additionally, he is the executive director of Each One, Teach One of Northern California, a community nonprofit focused on leadership development around issues of sustainability.
In 2008 Stemen was named Sustainability Champion the Seventh Annual UC/CSU/CCC Sustainability Conference. Elvyra San Juan, assistant vice chancellor for the CSU, said in her introductory remarks, “Dr. Mark has been an inspiring and effective champion not only in on his own campus, but also for the CSU system, where he serves on the systemwide sustainability committee. He has reached across California’s three higher education systems and advised both community colleges and UC campuses as well as the CSU.”
Ladona Knigge
Ladona is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Planning. She completed a PhD in geography with an advanced certificate in geographic information science at University at Buffalo (State University of New York at Buffalo) in 2006. Her dissertation research was on community gardens in Buffalo, NY. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from University of Wyoming with a double major of geography and sociology and double minors in international studies and women’s studies. Ladona has two children: Rebekah, who is an engineer and sustainable design coordinator in Virginia Beach, VA, and Michael who is coffee roasting consultant in Buffalo, NY. Her husband, Willis Geer, also teaches at Chico State. She has enjoyed moving to Chico and particularly her experiences as a faculty mentor for the ladies in Konkow House #5 and for the Konkow organic garden.
Brooke Magnotta
Brooke Magnotta is a proud graduate of CSU Chico. After receiving her degrees in Spanish and Latin American studies, she went on to work as a fitness instructor and personal trainer. She is the group exercise and fitness coordinator for the Wildcat Recreation Center and currently teaches activity classes for the Department of Kinesiology.
Robert Tinkler
A graduate of Princeton University (bachelor's degree) and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (master's and doctorate), he taught American history at CSU, Chico since 2001. His courses include the U.S. history survey (HIST 130) as well as the early American republic, the civil war and reconstruction, and the American South. When not doing his job on campus, he enjoys running, biking, and traveling to fun places (like Australia's Northern Territory). I've been with the faculty mentor program since it began in 2006.
Charles Zartman
Dr. Zartman serves as a tenured full professor in the California State University, Chico Professional Studies in Education Department and the Center for Bilingual/Multicultural Studies. He has taught at CSU, Chico for the past 25 academic years.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Loyola Marymount University in 1975 and a master of education in guidance and counseling from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1978. He also holds a PhD in social, multicultural and bilingual foundations of education from the University of Colorado at Boulder earned in 1984.
He currently teaches courses in the first-year experience program, undergraduate professional program, Bilingual Professional Preparation Program, and Master’s Degree Program.
Steffen Mehl
Steffen has an MS and PhD from the U. of Colorado, Boulder in civil engineering. He worked as a hydrologist for the USGS primarily doing research on ground water models before joining the civil engineering faculty at Chico State.