Faculty

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Courtney Atkins is the Manager of Performance Improvement and Clinical Decision Support for MemorialCare Health System, where she coordinates the collection, analysis, and reporting of all clinical data sources for a five-hospital system.

Ms. Atkins evaluates current data sources for use in key quality initiatives including the incorporation of data from the system-wide electronic medical record for clinical reporting. Ms. Atkins also leads the coordination and submission of surveys which have led to recognition and awards from US News and World Report, from Integrated Health Network, and from Modern Healthcare.

Ms. Atkins' other work includes the creation of physician report cards and performance improvement reporting for the MemorialCare's Board of Directors. Her prior experience includes serving as the Data/Quality Improvement Coordinator for Emergency Medical Services at the Health Care Agency of Orange County and as the Trauma Data Analyst/Project Manager at the University of California Irvine Medical Center.

Education

• B.S. Biology/Pre-Med, UC Riverside
• MSHCA, CSU Long Beach

Teaching

• Healthcare Quality Management

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Dr. Marissa Brash holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Public Health Degree in Biostatistics from Loma Linda University, a Doctor of Public Health Degree in Epidemiology from Loma Linda University, and a Doctor of Education Degree in Mind, Brain, Teaching from Johns Hopkins University. She is also Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners. Dr. Brash has a passion for teaching while also working on curriculum design, accreditation standards, program implementation, evaluation, and assessment. She is interested in integrating curriculum through interprofessional education efforts between the public health, nursing, health administration, business, mathematics, and social and behavioral health sectors of higher learning healthcare. Her research interests include epigenetic-based autoimmune public health prevention efforts through lifestyle interventions, and neuroeducation topics related to academic stress and anxiety in the STEM subjects. Additionally, she sits on the Medical Science Advisory Board for Global Genes, a non-profit serving the rare disease community.

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Garrett Brief has been licensed to practice law in the state of California for over 20 years with a focus on personal injury and bankruptcy law. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara and his Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University School of Law. Throughout his career he has held Vice President and Senior Associate positions. He has been recognized for his ability to manage large caseloads, while treating each client with professionalism. In addition to his experience as an attorney, he also has experience in product development, implementation and training, marketing, and management.

As a member of the Board of Directors for two organizations which rescue food and provide weekend meals to disadvantaged elementary school students, who receive subsidized breakfast and lunches during the school week, but go hungry on the weekends. He is committed to solving food insecurity throughout the greater Long Beach community.

His passion for teaching is based in his desire to help students learn and appreciate new concepts He strives to teach, listen and support each of his students. Professor Brief teaches the following courses in the Healthcare Management major at Concordia: Legal Aspects of Healthcare, Marketing and Strategic Planning for Healthcare Organizations, and Senior Seminar in Healthcare.

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Biography: As a professional in the Public Health field, Teresa Chandler has worked extensively to support exemplary efforts to reduce injury and promote health, particularly for those who are directly affected by violence. After receiving her Bachelor’s in Psychology from San Francisco State University, she worked with an organization in Oakland called Youth ALIVE!, where she gained a passion for Public Health and violence prevention. Teresa then went on to get her Master’s in Public Health from SFSU and then moved to Southern California where she worked for the Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development. After gaining experience working in the public sector, Teresa went back into the non-profit sector with the Children’s Institute as the Regional Director of Community Services. In this position, she was tasked with ensuring ongoing programmatic excellence through program development and evaluation, coaching and training, event planning, fundraising, and building community capacity to surround families with a network of health resources and growth opportunities. Most recently, along with being Adjunct Faculty at Concordia University in the Healthcare Management Department, Teresa has now moved on to work for the Community Health Bureau with the City of Long Beach as the Homeless Services Officer; a position that allows her to combine her passion for prevention with health equity, safe and affordable housing and promotion of health and quality of life for families and communities.

Teaching

• Topics in Public Health

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Briana Hammonds is currently a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and has experience in working in community mental health. Briana has experience working with a variety of populations that include: children, adolescents, families, young adults, and adults. She has previous academic experience as an instructor in the Townsend Institute’s Master of Arts in Counseling.

Briana’s interest in mental health was ignited during her educational experience at Sonoma State university. She has a passion for working with individuals who have survived trauma and is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). She enjoys working with adolescents and teens to assist and empower clients to make choices for change. Along with pursuing a career in academia as an adjunct professor Briana continues to work with her clients in Orange County at a Medi-cal contract agency.

Education

• B.A. Psychology, Sonoma State University
• M.S., CSU Fullerton

Assistant Professor

Biography

Professor Kane received his Master's of Business Administration with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Northcentral University. He also has a Master's of Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership, a Master's in Information Technology with a concentration in computer security and assurance, and a Graduate Certificate in Human Resources. Professor Kane's experience in business, healthcare, and healthcare administration spans more than 20 years. During that time he has served as the president and CEO of a Joint Commission Certified multi-million dollar private national healthcare recruitment, human resources, and outsourcing firm for more than a decade. Professor Kane's healthcare experience includes home health, hospital staffing, physician recruitment & placement, healthcare operations and more.

Education

• MBA - Healthcare Administration
• Me.D - Organizational Leadership

Publications

• Kane, R. T., Shaw, M. E., Pang, S., Salley, W., & Snider, J. B. (2016, January). Relationships among faculty training, faculty degree, faculty longevity, and student satisfaction in online higher education. Journal of Online Distance Learning Administration, 18(4).
• O’Bryan, A., Kane, T., & Shaw, M. (2013, April 29). Establishing an online professional development community to promote faculty engagement and excellence. Faculty Focus.
• Shaw, M. E., Walters, K. J., Kane, R. T., & Long, D. M. (2012). Online Course Activities: A Survey of Assignment and Assessment Types. In Learning Management System Technologies and Software Solutions: Tools and Applications. IGI Global.
• Kane, R. (2012). Career Management. School to Work Consortium. Colorado State University.
• King, W. & Kane, R. (2012). Live Session Course Enhancements. IGI Global. Stevens Henager College.
• Shaw, M., & Kane, R. T. (2011, July). Online Teaching Opportunities and Strategies! The Missouri Distance Learning Association Annual Conference. Springfield, MO.
• Shaw, M., & Kane, R. T. (2011, April). Teaching Online and Loving It! The United States Distance Learning Association National Conference. St. Louis, MO.
• Kane, T. (2010). Removing Obstacles to Student Success. Stevens Henager College- Faculty Best Practices, Colorado Springs, CO.
• Kane, T (2010). Staffing gets a partner. San Antonio Medicine (SAM), 63 (9).
• Bradley, C., Talbott, B., Kane, R.T. (2010). Online Discussion Strategies: Build Critical Thinking and Online Community. Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, MO.
• Braun, N. & Kane, T (2010). The future of management. The Journal of Business Management and Entrepreneurship (JOBME), 1 (8).
• Walters, K., Shaw, M.E., Lessard, D., & Kane, R.T. (2010). Innovative Professional Practices, Synergy, and eCollaboration. The eLearning Institute 2010 Virtual Conference.
• Shaw, M. E., & Kane, R. T. (2010). Distance Learning Course Activities and Assessments. Missouri Distance Learning Association Conference, Springfield, MO.
• Shaw, M. E., & Kane, R. T. (2009). Distance Learning Course Activities. The Fifteenth Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning, "The Power of Online Learning: Opportunities for Tomorrow.” Orlando, FL.
• Kane, R. T. (2008). Industry Roundtable. Staffing Industry Analyst Healthcare Staffing Summit, "Breaking the Ten Million Dollar Barrier”. San Francisco, CA.
• Kane, R. T. (2007). Expert Panel. Staffing Industry Analyst. Healthcare Staffing Summit, "Organizing & Operating for Growth”. Chicago, IL.

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Rodney S. Mardirosian, MPH is the Manager of Business Development for Adventist Health Physicians Network, where he is responsible for growing the organization's provider network in the Southern California Region. He facilitates the seamless integration of the affiliation between the hospital network and Adventist Health Physician Network (APHN). Prior to his role at Adventist, he oversaw operations for the division of Thoracic Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Formally recognized for excellence in leadership and maintains an active membership in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He is on the board for the American Lung Association, Healthcare Executives of Southern California, The Campbell Center, and on the MHA Advisory Board for Concordia University Irvine.

Biography

Mark holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach, and a Master of Science Degree in Human Resources from Chapman University in Orange, California. Mark also holds a lifetime SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute.

Mark currently serves as the Vice President of Human Resources at MBK Senior Living. MBK provides Seniors with Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care, and associated services. MBK has nearly 2000 Associates in six States.

In addition to his experience at MBK, Mark has over 30 years of experience as a Human Resources and Administration Executive. He has worked in a variety of industries including: Automotive, Staffing, Internet, Medical Device, and Dental industries. He has successfully lead Administrative functions for these large and medium-sized companies where he has been responsible for Employee Relations, Recruiting, Risk Management, Organizational Development, Total Rewards, Purchasing, and Payroll.

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Cesar Rivas-Sanchez is a Strategy Consultant at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), where he leads strategic planning efforts for the Fetal and Neonatal Institute and the Children’s Orthopedic Center, as well as other departments to meet enterprise-wide goals and priorities. Prior to his current role, he completed an Administrative Residency with the Clinical Services department at CHLA and worked as a Research Coordinator with the USC Keck School of Medicine, where he was responsible for various industry-sponsored clinical trials, a telemedicine study, and a national registry.

Cesar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Studies with a minor in Health Policy and a Master’s degree in Health Administration from the University of Southern California. He is currently a Board member for the local chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and an Associate Board member for the Inland Empire Future Leaders Program.

Program Director and Associate Professor

Biography

Dr. Sinardi holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from St. Cloud State University and a Master's degree in Counseling from California State University, Long Beach. She became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2006. In 2011, Dr. Sinardi completed her Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership at the University of La Verne.

Professional Experience

Dr. Catherine Sinardi is the Director of Healthcare Programs, overseeing the following: Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Management (traditional and online), Master of Healthcare Administration, and Master of Public Health. As an Associate Professor, she develops and teaches a variety of courses in the aforementioned programs. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Healthcare Executives of Southern California as the Chair of Academic Affairs. Previously, she was Regional Director of Clinical Services at Children’s Institute and Director of Quality Assurance and Program Evaluation at Counseling4Kids, both in the greater Los Angeles area. She also worked in private practice as a licensed counselor and held various administrative positions at ChildNet Youth and Family Services in Long Beach.

Publications

• Scheinfeld, E., Barney, K., Gangi, K., Nelson, E. & Sinardi, C. (2021). Filling the void: Grieving and healing during a socially isolating global pandemic. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
• Scheinfeld, E., Gangi, K., Nelson, E. & Sinardi, C. (2021). Please scream inside your heart: Compounded loss and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Communication. 

Manuscript Under Review

• Scheinfeld, E., Barney, K., Gangi, K., Nelson, E. & Sinardi, C. (Under Review). Moving forward in compounded grief: Communicated resilience after COVID-19 related losses. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Marci Trump has been an RN for 15 years and knew while she was in nursing school that she wanted to work in the Operating Room. Upon graduation, she was accepted into a Periop 101 class where she began her career as an OR nurse at Long Beach Memorial Hospital. Over the years, she has coordinated for the General, Vascular, Urology and Robotic service lines; helping to train on endovascular and developing a robust and growing robotics program. Marci choose to go back for her MSN and upon graduation took a new position as Clinical Educator in the OR. In those 4 years, she has taught multiple five Periop 101 classes and on-boarded over 250 new employees to best practices. She has encouraged many of her staff to become certified and helped them in the process to level on the clinical ladder within her department. Marci has been involved with many committees and has used her leadership abilities to enhance her peers and unit. Marci has been a leader within her hospital, participating in Lean projects with a variety of departments on multidisciplinary process changes. She is a champion for TeamSTEPPS and has succeeded in reviewing workflows with the OR and other units by holding continual drills to improve on communication, confidence and skill. Marci is an active member of her national organization, AORN and has participated in poster presentations at her annual conferences.

Marci is a lifetime member at Bethany Lutheran Church in Long Beach, where she also attended grade school. She has an elementary aged daughter, who also attends Bethany Lutheran School. Marci is the Secretary for the PTL and enjoys being an active part in her daughter’s schooling. Marci and her husband enjoy traveling and go to Hawaii as often as possible. They spend their free time attending concerts, going on bike rides through the park, playing rummikub, and playing fetch with their Miniature Schnauzer.

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Kirsten Van Holt is currently a Talent Coordinator at MBK Senior Living and has experience in the Senior Care sector of healthcare and Human Resources. She received both her Undergraduate Degree and Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from Concordia University Irvine.

She enjoys helping others and is very excited to be an adjunct professor and give back to Concordia University Irvine.

Education

• B.A. HCM- Healthcare Management
• MHA- Healthcare Administration

Adjunct Professor

Biography

Jonathan Westall, FACHE is currently the Vice President of Ancillary Services at MLK Jr. Community Hospital in South Los Angeles. He previously held multiple positions at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena including Manager of Security, Director of Security, and finally Director of Support Services. Prior to working in the acute care setting, Jonathan oversaw Security, Emergency Response, and Parking operations for Sony PlayStation and its subsidiary groups across the United States. Jonathan spent 8 years working in various Federal, State, and local correctional facilities where he oversaw security operations for an incarcerated population.

Jonathan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice w/ a minor in Sociology from Upper Iowa University and a Master’s degree in Law Enforcement Administration from Grand Canyon University. He is also a graduate of ACHE’s Senior Executive Program. He is a volunteer leader with IAHSS and was the LA/OC Chapter Chair for 3 years, and now The International Board’s VP/Secretary. He also chaired The Hospital Association of Southern California’s Safety and Security Committee from 2018 to 2020 and remains an active member. He is currently The Vice-Chair of Sponsorship with HCE.

Jonathan is a native of Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan. He enjoys hiking, working out, and true crime documentaries.

Adjunct Professor

Biography

After receiving her Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Arizona in 2013, Dr. Jennifer Zamzow completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in ethics and cognition in the Department of Philosophy and the Center for Ethics and Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Zamzow has published work on diversity in ethical intuitions, affective forecasting in medical decision making, the ethics of theism, and how our use of moral rules, moral intuitions, and cost-benefit analysis affect the way we interpret moral requirements for ourselves and for others. She has also written about ethical issues for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, and Sojourners.

Education

• B.A., Azusa Pacific University, Philosophy and Psychology
• Ph.D., University of Arizona, Philosophy with a minor in Cognitive Science