LHLS Faculty

Dr. Melany Spielman
Department Chair

Melany Spielman’s life has been spent working to make the lives of people struggling with various challenges to be filled with dignity, respect and the highest quality of life possible. After working for six years with children with developmental disabilities and orthopedic disabilities, her first position after graduation in Recreation Therapy from the University of Oregon was with clients with mental illness who had just been discharged from state mental hospitals closed by Governor Reagan. The challenge became how to re-socialize these folks to life in the community and to instill hope and the belief that recovery was possible. After more than 20 years working as a Recreation Therapist in various settings including Chief Recreation Therapist at City of Hope National Medical Center, she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Oregon in Leisure Management with an emphasis in Health Care Management. She has been the Coordinator of Recreation Therapy in the Department of Recreation and Community Services at California State University, Hayward since 1991. Her program prepares students to be Certified Recreation Therapists and graduates from her program pass the national certification exam with higher scores than those from other programs in our region as well as much higher scores than the national average. She is now the Chair of the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services at CSUEB. She is focused on helping students reach their potential and wants to provide access to education for working adults through online education.

Dr. Doris Yates

B.S. Federal City College, M.A., Michigan State University, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Dr. Chris Chamberlain
510.885.3043

Chris has been creating community in the recreation field since 1988 and has served on faculty in the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services at Cal State since 2005. He also currently works as a Program Manager for the City of San Ramon overseeing Aquatics, Teens, Summer Playground Programs and Fitness Runs. In addition Chris has served on the California Park & Recreation Society state board representing several special interest sections as well as serving as the chair of the Curriculum Advisory Committee for the LHLS department. He is also a frequent speaker at local, state and national conferences on the topics of leadership and staff development, team building, risk management, and growing a part-time staff.

Chris holds a BA in Liberal Studies, a BS in Recreation Administration and a MPA in Public Management all from Cal State Hayward. He also holds a doctorate from the University of Phoenix in Organizational Leadership.

Dr. Zach Hallab

Dr. Hallab is culturally diverse and brings with him over 15 years of teaching and industry experience in the field of hospitality and tourism management. He has lectured at prestigious international academic institutions such as the American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University in Lebanon. He is active in major regional and international hospitality and tourism associations, a previous board member in the Travel and Tourism Research Association, South Central States chapter. He has published numerous articles in peer refereed international academic journals and conference proceedings. Dr. Hallab’s primary research interests involve the following areas: information search behavior, lifestyle and travel behavior, image, and satisfaction with travel experiences.

Dr. Hallab is a member of premiere international and regional travel and tourism associations such as the Travel and Tourism Research Association, the International Society of Travel and Tourism Educators, and the International Society of Quality of Life Studies. He has been acknowledged by ISTTE for his outstanding contributions towards the advancement of travel and tourism education.

Dr. Richard O. B. Makopondo

Ph.D. in Leisure Behavior (Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management): University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (2003)
M.A. in Recreation and Leisure Studies (Tourism Management): University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (1995)
B.S. Hon. in Hospitality Management, Florida International University, Miami, Florida (1984)
MIH. Member of the Chartered Institute of Hospitality (USA Branch)

Dr. Richard O. B. Makopondo joined the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services in the fall of 2007. He has previously held positions at the University of Florida and San Jose State University. Dr. Makopondo has extensive experience in the area of hospitality management. He earned his bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Florida International University and went on to lead the Business Administration (Hotel Management) Department at the Kenya Utalii College in Nairobi, Kenya. Makopondo previously worked as a manager for The Stanley Hotel in Kenya and Ramada Limited in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Makopondo has continued his professional partnership with the tourism community in Africa as a consultant to regional hospitality, recreation and tourism businesses including restaurants, resorts, travel agencies and tour operations, and tourism development and marketing agencies throughout Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania

Jane Dubitzky

Jane is a Registered Dietitian who worked for many years at Montana State University counseling students with eating disorders. She has been teaching health and counseling related classes for over 10 years. Jane has a B.S. in Nutrition and an M.Ed in Counseling

For recreation, Jane likes to hike, camp, flyfish and travel with the lasted trip to the Himalayas in India

Dr. Mary Fortune

Dear Cal State East Bay Students!

Welcome to the exciting in-class/online world of "blended-coursework" in recreation, hospitality and leadership development.

I am a new Associate Professor at Cal State East Bay-recently serving as the Director of Student Life and Leadership for the Division of Student Affairs from 2005 - 2008. Prior to Student Life & Leadership, I was a Lecturer then Assistant Professor teaching Business Communication in the College of Business at San Jose State University from 2000 - 2005.

My recreation and leisure experience includes working for the Morale, Welfare & Recreation Department/US Navy, La Jolla and Cambria Pines YMCA, Santa Clara Campfire Association, and the San Jose, Los Gatos/Saratoga Parks & Recreation Departments.

My research interests lie in leadership development, mentoring, communication and technology. My specialty areas included Business Communication and Student Leadership Development. I also possess a Doctorate degree in Education from the University of San Francisco (Organization and Leadership), two Masters degrees in Education from San Jose State University (Counselor Education and Higher Education), a Bachelor's degree in Recreation Administration (yes I'm a San Diego State Alumnae-go Aztecs), and an A.A. degree from West Valley Community College (Recreation, General Education).

I feel strongly about student leadership development and am extremely passionate about student success in the higher education setting.

I am excited to be a part of the LHLS Team and I look forward to working with you because leadership today is the future of tomorrow. See you online, on-time and over the Internet!

BTW: Yes it's true, I've jumped out of an airplane and always remember; "The Fun Starts Here!"

Gary Freund

I am President and CEO of my own business, a hotel and restaurant consultancy and meeting and convention planning firm. We advise clients in all aspects of lodging, restaurants, food, and beverage. I consult with both large and small hospitality and food service operations. My clients include franchise owners and management companies of Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood, and Holiday Inn locations, as well as many other independent businesses. I also spent many years in numerous senior level managerial positions for major hotels.

Additionally, I am Co-Chairman of the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services Advisory Board here at CSUEB, in addition to being a member of the faculty. I also have served as Chairman of the School to Career Advisory Board of the San Francisco Unified School District and serve as a member of the Hospitality Management Advisory Board of City College of San Francisco.

It is my sincere pleasure to be associated with all of you and I truly hope that you will all gain from each others work experiences. If there is anything I can do to make this journey smooth, please do not hesitate to ask. All I ask of you is to interact with each other regularly, as well as meeting all of the course assignments

Ken Hanley

Masters Degree: Environmental Recreation Mgt. (CSUH, 1984/ Phi Delta Kappa). Instructor, California State University East Bay, Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services Department / 1995 to present. Business Management and Marketing Department / 1998 to present.

Founding Board Member/Certificate Program
Outdoor Education Programs at DeAnza College and College of San Mateo
(Program instructor / 1976 to 1995).
Director of “The B.A.E.E.R. Fair”
(The Bay Area Environmental Education Resource Fair)
The largest environmental education fair in the western U.S., targeted toward the professional teaching community. (1985 to present)

2005 Hall of Fame Inductee, Federation of Fly Fishers (N. California Chapter)

Over 14,000 students have taken advantage of Ken’s varied programs both in the field and on the water. He’s been in the adventure angling industry since 1970. Ken has two video/DVD’s celebrating saltwater adventures. He’s the author of six fly fishing books. He also writes andgraphs for both national and regional publications in the outdoor industry. Ken’s extensive field experience spans the globe; from the highest peaks in Tibet and the Himalaya, to the remote wilderness regions of Asia, New Zealand, Mexico, Europe, and North America. He’s on Pro Staff with the following sponsors; SAGE Instructor, SIMMS, RIO Products Intl, Daiichi, Renzetti, and Patagonia.

Brian Hill
Cell (510) 415-2098
brian.hill@csueastbay.edu

I'm Brian Hill one of the instructors at Cal State East Bay in the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services. I serve as a volunteer member as a Counselor, teacher and a Vocalist within the Bay Area Christian Church. I started attending January 1, 1984 and I have spent more than 20 years learning how to be a New Testament Christian. I have served in positions as a YMCA Instructor (Berkeley / Albany). Program Directorship (South Branch)87-89 working with teenagers and college students. The (Mt Diablo)YMCA Membership Director 93-94 working with Adults & families. My most recent position I served as the Director of Map Distribution for Barclay Map Works, Inc. March 6, 2000 - August 26, 2005. I concurrently work for the Peralta Community College District (Merritt), as a General Counselor. I am also working on becoming a graduate of Alameda County's 6th Leadership Academy hosted by the Board of Supervisors for residents interested in learning and volunteering for the County of Alameda.

I have a BS in Recreation (85), in Educational Psychology (00) from the CSUEB. I am African American YES! I've got soul with a capitol "S". I have been living in California for 29 years. I grew up in Chicago Illinois and graduated from Dunbar Academy June 6, 1976. I was married 9 months later to Feliz (Perocier) Hill on May 21st. 1977. We are still married today and growing more and more "older" :-) or should I say, "More in love" in our relationship. We have 3 Adult children Simone, Isaac and Jay-Marie Hill. We will be celebrating 30 years of marriage this year and that is a "JOY" just thinking about it. To have reached these particular shores in our lives and now we get to reproduce this heart into others!

I am also in the whole foods distribution business as an independent distributor.

Janeen Hill
510.648.0852
Janeen.hill@csueastbay.edu

Janeen joined the faculty at Cal State East Bay in the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services in 2005 after spending more than a decade in the hospitality industry. Her most recent position was as Corporate Director of Revenue for Starwood Hotels & Resorts. She has also held senior management positions in Front Office Operations and Sales and Marketing. She has a MBA in Hospitality Administration from the University of Guelph. She is Canadian (eh?) but has been living in California for the last seven years. She also owns a yoga and pilates studio in Fremont.

Kevin Horan

Kevin's life long interest and passion for outdoor recreation began early in life while living around the world where he began honing his outdoor survival, kayaking, climbing, SCUBA, river rafting, snow skiing, and backpacking skills. Kevin began teaching outdoor based leadership development to students in colleges and universities in 1997. He has taught in the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services since 2004 and formerly served as the Director of Campus Affairs for the CSUEB Concord Campus. Kevin currently works as the Executive Dean of Diablo Valley College's San Ramon Campus.

Kevin earned a BA in Government & Dramatic Arts from Saint Mary's College, an MS in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Saint Mary's College.

Erick Kong

Erick Kong grew up in the Bay Area and received his Masters in Education emphasis on Online Teaching & Learning and completed his Bachelors degree in Recreation Therapy from CSUH. He also received his Associate degree in Physical Therapist Assistant from Ohlone College. He is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) and has been a facilitator at the Adventure Recreation Challenge Course at CSUEB since 2004. Erick’s work experience include working for the Institute on Aging, TODCO services, Kaiser Permanente, and the Center of Adventure Recreation

Besides teaching and working with clients, Erick is avid for adventure. He enjoys many outdoor activities such as rock climbing, hiking, sailing, rafting, biking, skydiving, orienteering, geocaching, sea & whitewater kayaking, surfing, spelunking, windsurfing, rowing, slacklining, sculling, and many more.

Cay Lim

Cay was born and raised in the Philippines. Together with her family, she migrated to the US at 19 after graduating from college with a BS Psychology degree at a Jesuit university in Manila. At 20, she started teaching at Catholic and public schools. She has been teaching for almost two decades now and have taught preschoolers to adults. She has a Masters in Teaching from the University of San Francisco and a CLAD credential from the University of San Diego.

She lives in the East Bay with her husband James, another Cal State instructor, and their three children, ages 7, 5 and 3. She lives an active life but maintains her sanity by balancing work and leisure. For leisure, she loves to read to her kids, travel, dine out, decorate around the house, play the piano, sing, blog, listen to her Ipod, play badminton and table tennis and just kick back at their family's cabin in the Sierra Nevadas with family and friends.

James Lim

I received my A.A. degree in Business Information and Computer Science from Skyline College, transferred to Golden Gate University where I received a degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management and was subsequently awarded the 1990 Student of the Year Award and Magna Cum Laude honors. I also attended courses at Cornell University as the American Hotel Foundation’s Handlery Hotels scholarship recipient as well as the National Tour Foundation’s scholarship awardee. After a few years, I went back to Golden Gate University to pursue my M.B.A. in Marketing.

I began my hotel career as a management trainee at the Westin St. Francis in the rooms division and in T.G.I.F. restaurant. I landed my first hotel job in 1989 as a night auditor at San Francisco Marriott. In 1991, I became part of the pre-opening team of the $170 million-dollar-renovated Palace Hotel, a Starwood Hotel Luxury Collection

In 1996, I decided to venture the world of education and became an adjunct professor for Golden Gate University where I received the 1998 GGU School of Technology’s Distinguished Teaching Award. I was I was also a member of the Board of Advisors of Hotel & Restaurant Management Program where I worked closely with other hoteliers and restaurateurs in designing a quality academic program.

In 2000, I became the general manager of the Sheraton Four Points San Francisco Bay Bridge. After a year and a half, I moved to downtown S.F. and worked for Joie De Vivre, the largest boutique hotel company in California. I managed Union Square's Maxwell Hotel for five years. In 2005, I moved to Hotel Rex, another Joie De Vivre property.

On a personal side, I am happily married to Maria Carlota Lim, who also teaches part-time in CAL State East Bay. We have two daughters, Mikki and Nina (8 and 6 years old) and a son, Matthew James (4 years old).

Andrea Maes

Andrea has spent more than a decade in the field of education both at the secondary level and in the non-profit world. Her varied career includes event planning, hospitality, student leadership development, communications, and marketing. Athletics and coaching have also played a large part of her life and professional career, having played competitive tennis during college and coaching both boys and girls at the high school level for eight years. Andrea has been teaching in the LHLS Department since the Winter of 2007, but has been employed by CSUEB since 2005. Prior to joining the LHLS faculty, she was an Advisor in the Student Life and Leadership Office, working primarily with the Orientation Team and Greek Organizations on campus

Andrea is originally from New York but has lived here in the Bay Area for nearly 15 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Santa Clara University. For leisure, she primarily spends time with her husband and 2 year-old son, goes hiking, or plays tennis

Mike Shumate

Mike Shumate has taught in the Department of Recreation (currently the Dept of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services since 1989 after obtaining his Master’s of Public Administration at CSUH. Mike also has an Associate of Arts Degree in Recreation from Chesapeake College, a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Recreation from CSUH, and a Doctorate of Public Administration from Golden Gate University. He is a State of California Certified Playground Inspector, Director of the Center for Adventure Recreation at CSUEB Foundation, Campolindo High School Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Coach, Corporate Team Building Consultant and is a California Real Estate Broker. Prior to coming to CSUEB, Mike’s work experience was in resort and recreation management, camp director, marina and yacht club management, and owner of High Sierra Marine in Lake Tahoe. He has taught almost all of the core classes in LHLS and a large number of the electives. His current focus is on Adventure Recreation and the Adventure Challenge Course.

Justin Schwartz

Justin Schwartz is a Bay Area native and lifelong outdoorsman. He attended Wesleyan University where he received his BA in English in 1986. He then earned his JD from Hastings College of the Law in 1989. Mr. Schwartz manages his own law firm in Oakland and specializes in real estate and personal injury cases. He began teaching Adventure Recreation at CSUEB in 2003. He strives to impart his enthusiasm for adventurous activities to his students to increase their appreciation of nature and to foster their own innate sense of adventure

Keith Sell

M.A., English; M.S., Mathematics
Currently: Project IMPACT Coordinator at CSUEB
15 years teaching experience to diverse student needs in a variety of subjects

Judith Silva

Judith enjoys the world of Creativity as she loves Art, Design, Events, and Marketing. She is president of her own company that provides Event Planning and Marketing Services along with all the resources to advertise and support them. Her passion has always involved a variety of areas of art and design: Event design, Graphic design involving corporate branding and logos, previously owning a dressmaking and designing retail business that focused primarily on weddings, writing and illustrating a children’s book, and has fun creating embroidery and screen printing designs

She enjoys energizing her students to develop their world of talents and strengths and encourages them to with confidence, wrap their arms around their goals. Judith is an instructor for the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services. She earned an MS, Education Technology Leadership, California State University East Bay; BA, Art, Graphic Design and Multimedia, California State University East Bay; and an AA, Fine Arts, Ohlone College. She also serves as chair of the Events and Membership Committee on the California State University East Bay Alumni Board

Lisa Smusz, MS

Ms. Smusz holds a Bachelors of Science in Bio-Psychology from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and a Masters of Science in Educational Psychology from California State University, Hayward.and brings over fifteen years of experience in business management, workforce development, education, and technology consulting

Ms. Smusz has been employed at California State University, East Bay since 2002 when she was selected to create and oversee a wellness program for Workability IV and helped to establish Project Impact, a wrap-around service program for at-risk students (funded by the US Department of Education). Today she continues to work as an instructor and consultant at the university, teaching on-line courses and advising faculty and staff in the effective and accessible use of technology to deliver educational content. Before Cal State East Bay, Ms. Smusz was the owner/operator of a web-development and consulting company for over five years. Smusz & Associates Consulting Services and its partner company GetYourOwn.net, specialize in providing innovative technological solutions to improve the delivery of mental health services and workforce development. Past clients have included the Culture-to-Culture Foundation, the Institute for Mental Health and Wellness Education, and the Mental Health Workforce Education Collaborative (which resulted in a nomination for innovative practices from the Annapolis Coalition)

Ms. Smusz holds a Bachelors of Science in Bio-Psychology from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo and a Masters of Science in Educational Psychology from California State University, Hayward.

Ben Tran, PsyDc.
510.885.2489 office
510.885.2520 tty
510.885.4775 fax
ben.tran@csueastbay.edu

PsyDc. Organizational Consulting, Doctoral Candidate, Alliant International University at San Francisco
MA, Organizational Psychology, 2004, California School of Professional Psychology
BS, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, 1999, California State University, Hayward
BA, Communication, 1999, California State University, Hayward
Minor Sociology, 1999, California State University, Hayward Assistive Technology Instructor
Project IMPACT
Student Disability Resource Center

Sam Tran
510.885.3084
sam.tran@csueastbay.edu

It is an honor to be part of the Leadership Hospitality and Leisure Service Department at Cal State East Bay. I am currently an academic counselor at the University Advisement Center. I am a CSUEB alumnus who graduated with a Business Administration Degree with an option in Finance, minor in Youth Services Administration in 1996, and a Masters in Public Administration focus in Counseling Educational Psychology in 2002 at Cal State East Bay

Not only am I a former Student, I have served many positions and departments at Cal State East Bay. My experience at CSUEB include: Academic Advisor, General Education Evaluator, EOP Counselor, Admissions Counselor, and Summer Bridge Instructor/Counselor. In addition, I have worked at San Francisco State University as Admissions Specialist and an undergraduate admissions reader at U.C. Berkeley

Todd Trimble

Todd Trimble joined the faculty at Cal State East Bay in the Department of Leadership in Hospitality and Leisure Services in early 2008 and has been creating community in the municipal recreation field since the late 1980’s. Todd is currently a Recreation Manager with the City of Walnut Creek, serves on the state board of the California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) and is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA)

Todd is an East Bay native, growing up in Pleasanton and currently residing in Brentwood, and received his BS in Recreation Administration from Cal State East Bay in 1987 and his Masters in Recreation Administration from San Jose State in 1999.

Margaret Zeiger

After growing up in Oakland, Margaret attended University of California, Berkeley and earned her B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. Upon graduation she moved to Southern California to begin her career in Hotel Management at the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel. Margaret spent 10 years at the Biltmore working in almost all departments but found Front Office Management to be most challenging and enjoyable. Operations was truly her love. While at the Biltmore, Margaret started her teaching career at Orange Coast College and California Polytechnic University, Pomona. In 1985, Margaret relocated with her husband to Northern California where she became Front Office Manager at the Berkeley Marina Marriott and started teaching at Golden Gate University, San Francisco. After teaching at Golden Gate for 16 years, Margaret moved to Cal State East Bay to develop the new hospitality program for the University. She is currently the coordinator of the Hospitality option. Margaret also has taught part-time at City College of San Francisco since 1998 in their renown Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management program.

For fun, Margaret loves to spend time with her husband and three teenage daughters, travel, and enjoying culinary arts. She is an avid Olympic fan.