A Message from VP Bowman
Welcome to the spring 2024 edition of the ABA Focus Newsletter.
As many of you know, I visited the majority of ABA departments throughout this semester. By doing this, I have been able to see first-hand all of the great work ABA is accomplishing. I’ve truly enjoyed catching up with all of you in your offices, sharing stories, and strengthening our connections.
The spring version of our newsletter is always one of my favorites as we highlight members of the ABA division who are CSU and Sacramento State alumni. Thank you to those who shared their stories about how to utilize the CSU fee waiver – I encourage anyone who may be considering taking advantage of the fee waiver to reach out and make connections; we are here to support one another.
Looking forward, I'm excited about continuing the ABA strategic planning process. The ABA Admin Council has been able to host two Community Conversations with campus stakeholders and one thing is clear – our campus colleagues recognize how much we care about our work. They see how much we care about the people who work here, the campus physical environment and safety, and our fiscal resources. They know it is ABA that maintains the most basic operational rhythms of the university. We will always strive for continued operational improvements, but our core tenets of accountability and respect has shined through.
Thanks again for all that you do. Here’s to wrapping up the semester—cheers!
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Earth Day
The Sustainability team did an incredible job planning and hosting Earth Day at Sacramento State. Kudos to the team for a job well done.
The Office of Environmental Health & Safety collaborated with Sustainability to set-up a table for Earth Day.
They provided information on their heat illness prevention program and collected batteries and E-Waste. They also had fun games and giveaways for the students and staff.
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ABA Was Caught In The Act!
The Division of Inclusive Excellence selected multiple colleagues in ABA to receive the Caught in the Act Award. This award is awarded to members of our community who have gone above and beyond to make the campus an antiracism, inclusive, and welcoming environment.
Huge congratulations everyone!
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Have You Caught A Colleague in the Act of Doing Something Awesome?
Our colleagues make a difference throughout the year!
Please take a moment and nominate a colleague who has made a difference to you, on our ABA Appreciation Blog.
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Employee Spotlight
Leslie M. Fernandez, Police Officer
By Anna Anderson
What is your name, position, and department or unit?
Leslie Fernandez, Police Officer at Sac State PD.
How long have you been with Sac State?
I was at Sac State as a student studying Criminal Justice from 2016 to 2020 and worked as a community service officer. I came back to Sac State in 2023 to apply as a cadet and now I’ve been an officer for a few weeks, but I’m still in training.
Who are your primary customers?
The campus as a whole. I serve the community, staff, visitors, and students. Officers also patrol Sac State buildings off campus such as the downtown location and the Julia Morgan House. Officers like myself work to ensure Sac State is a safe and comfortable place for everyone.
How would you define your role on campus?
My main role is serving the campus community and helping people feel safe, heard, and protected. My work day as an officer is very routine, it begins with checking patrol vehicles and equipment. Then we have a briefing and begin doing campus checks. Since I’m still in training I have to be accompanied by another officer while in uniform.
What makes you passionate about your work/duties?
I am passionate about my work because of my background. I am a Hispanic woman and not many police officers are Hispanic or women. I also want people to have a better outlook when it comes to police officers since I did not have very positive encounters with them growing up. My past experiences with police officers were not great, it was more of an indifferent experience. I did not see any community engagement from police officers and when they attended events the police officers wouldn’t engage with others, only with their partners. I also felt like the police officers made themselves look intimidating when they were in an environment where they did not have to be.
It was only when I came to Sac State and met the police officers here that I had better experiences. The officers at Sac State changed my perspective and I want to do that for others as well. The police officers on campus take the time to care for their community. The officers on campus make an effort to get to know their community by patrolling on foot and talking to random students, faculty, staff, and visitors to let them know they are here to help with whatever needs they have.
Prior to working at Sac State as a cadet, I worked in Alameda for EMS training. Before that, I was doing loss prevention, but I didn’t feel like either of those jobs was the right path for me. My husband was also a community service officer at Sac State and now he applied to be a cadet for the Roseville Police Department.
In your position, what are some of the biggest challenges faced, or rewards found?
Well, I’ve only been an officer for a short amount of time. I think the hardest thing I’ve had to face is putting what I learned in the academy into practice as an officer, specifically talking to people while I’m in uniform. It’s easier to do when you are practicing with other cadets and officers, but actually doing it can be challenging. You never know how someone will react in reality, but in the academy, you know you can trust the people around you. Being in the academy was also mentally and physically draining so it was gratifying when I graduated and received an award while I was there.
Could you please talk about some of your recent accomplishments?
I’d say my most recent accomplishment is graduating from the academy. I also received an award for being the most inspirational cadet during my time there. The academy was 7 months long and what led me to receive the award was facing my biggest challenge: jumping over the 6-foot wall. This was part of the ‘Sample Battery Test’. We had two practice tests, which I failed both times. This caused me to worry about the final test in November, which was just a month before graduation. To fully prepare myself, I used my lunch time to practice jumping over the wall and I also had my dad build me one at home so I could continue practicing on my days off. I was dedicated to the program and my classmates saw that I never gave up and truly tried my best to overcome this obstacle. All of my hard work came through in the end, but the only option I had was to pass. Failure was unacceptable. It felt good to be recognized by my peers and instructors through the award, and a personal accomplishment I have is that I’m the first Hispanic female in my family to pursue a career in law enforcement.
How would someone contact you?
You can email me at madeline.fernandez@csus.edu. You can also stop by the Police Department on campus and ask for me. My schedule fluctuates since I am still in training, but those are the best ways to get in touch with me.
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Alumni Month
April is Alumni Month at Sacramento State, where we celebrate CSU alumni and recognize their accomplishments. ABA is so proud of the graduates from our division, and wants to give a special shout out to everyone!
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CSU Alumni from Administration & Business Affairs
Auditing & Consulting Services
- Cheri Acton, BA English
- Mashariki Lawson-Cook, BA Economics
Business & Administrative Services
- Melissa Ardelean, BA Psychology, Sociology
- Rocke Bauhofer, BA Communication Studies
- Laura Lockett, BS Graphic Design
- Deneilia Pappas, BS Business Administration
- Emily Parmelee, BA Anthropology
- Edelsa R. Corpuz, BS Health Sciences
- Ryan Todd, BA Environmental Studies
- Camellia Sahm, BA Industrial Arts, MA Education
- Kevin Wilhite, BS Graphic Design
Budget Planning & Administration
- Jennifer Harris, BS Business Administration, Accounting
- Karla E. Rodriguez, BS Business Administration
Facilities Management
- Graig Dutton, BS Computer Science
- Edna Flores, BS Criminal Justice
- Marie Mann, BS Kinesiology
- Todd McComb, BS Mechanical Engineering
- Begaim "Becky" Mirzaeva, BS Accountancy
- Thomas Moon, BA Interior Design
- Greg Paul, BA English
- Alena Rybachuk, BA Geography
- Glen Schaezlein, BS Social Science
- Grant Watkins, BA Interior Architecture
Financial Services
- Michelle Adams, BA Liberal Studies
- Nicole Barksdale, BS Accountancy, MS Accountancy (in progress)
- Jeanne Brewster, BA Communication Studies, MA Communication Studies (in progress)
- Tyler Carpadus, BA Anthropology
- Gina Curry, BS Business Administration, MBA Business Admin
- Victoria Forayter, BS Recreation Administration, Event Management
- Michael Gill, BA French
- Elena Larson, BA Liberal Studies, MA Education
- Hai T. Ly, BS Business Administration
- Katie Ragle, BA Photography
- Lan Pham, BS Electrical, Electronic Engineering
Human Resources
- Marissa Carmona, BA Sociology
- Michelle Dungca, BS Business Administration
- Jack Gonzalez, BS Business Administration
- Galina Grigoryan, BS Business Administration, Human Resources, General Management, MBA Business Admin
- Christine Hall, BA Religious Studies MA Educational Leadership
- Dante Jadavi, BS Social Science
- Kevin Mackey, BA Economics, Religious Studies
- Machelle Martin, BA Communication Studies
- Mackenzie Martin, BA Communication Studies
- Scott Oleinik, BS Business Administration
- Mellonie Richardson, BA Communication Studies
Office of the VP/CFO
- Anna Anderson, BS Hospitality and Tourism Management
- Sagan Bachtold, BA Psychology, MBA Business Admin
- Margaret Hwang, BS Business Admin, MBA Business Admin, & Ed.D. Educational Leadership
- Janelle Lee, BA Psychology (in progress)
- Wendie Zhou, BA Psychology (in progress)
Police Department
- Amanda Haddan, BA Mathematics & Spanish, MBA Business Admin
- John Hamrick, BA Criminal Justice
- Peter Ho, BS Criminal Justice
- Jason Johnston, BS Business Administration
- Priscilla Llamas-Mckaughan, BA Communication Studies
- Brenda Louie-Jiang, BA Sociology
- Brent Moffatt, BS Criminal Justice
- Nathan Rice, BS Criminal Justice
- Harvey Woo, BS Criminal Justice
Risk Management
- Yvanne Bolano, BS Kinesiology
- Nayeli Gonzalez, BS Criminal Justice, MS Counseling
- Janie Mutchler, BS Health Sciences
- Meysee Vang, BS Health Sciences, Occupational Health and Safety
Please let us know if we missed your CSU degree by emailing us at vp-cfo@csus.edu.
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Interested in Getting Your Degree?
By Anna Anderson
Have you heard about the fee waiver program? Sacramento State has a fee waiver program open to all eligible employees and their dependents that allows them to attend classes at reduced rates.
Read some of the ABA employee experiences with the fee waiver program below:
Brent Moffatt and Ceasar Rack, Police Department
Brent Moffatt is an IT manager, and Ceasar Rack is an Equipment System Specialist for the Police Department at Sac State. Brent is still in the fee waiver application process and looking for a Master's degree in Criminal Justice. Ceasar is taking classes for a Physics degree. Both could only afford to pursue these degrees with help from the fee waiver program. Brent says the application process is simple. There are admission requirements, and this information is on the website (see below).
The fee waiver program pushed Brent and Ceasar to get their degrees. It is hard to say whether they would’ve done it independently if the fee waiver was not an option. It’s an investment into career development as well. Brent and Ceasar recommend the fee waiver program to other employees and emphasize that there is no better fee reduction than this one. The fee waiver information is transparent, and the application process is easy.
The only thing that would have been helpful to know about the fee waiver is that it exists and is open to employees. A new application must be submitted for each semester while using the program, which is the only monotonous consideration. Brent and Ceasar also highlight the staff's responsiveness and helpfulness in addressing any questions or concerns they encountered. Overall, their experience with the fee waiver program was positive, and they regard it as a valuable asset for their careers.
Beverly Gentry, Organizational and Learning Development
Before working at Sac State as the Director of Organizational and Learning Development, Beverly used to work at CSU San Bernardino in Facilities. She used the fee waiver program there, applied for an MS in Business, and was conditionally accepted. She also worked at CSU Chico and used the fee waiver to take career development courses. The rules and conditions for the fee waiver program are the same throughout all the CSUs.
Beverly notes that she couldn’t have pursued her degree without the fee waiver program and wouldn’t have progressed in her career. Utilizing the fee waiver allowed her to qualify for other jobs on campus and gave her skills such as basic accounting and management theory. She wouldn’t be in a management position without the fee waiver allowing her to further her education.
She highly recommends the fee waiver program but also emphasizes the time it takes. It can involve restructuring your day to make time for classes and studying. Getting back into the flow of taking classes can be tough if you’ve been out of it for a while. The hardest part of the fee waiver is adjusting the work, school, and life balance. She said that a tip for her was to look through the syllabus and ask for important projects or test days off of work ahead of time. Another thing she did was coordinate with her family and support system to help manage her time and responsibilities now that she had classes.
The advice she gave to anyone considering the fee waiver was to try it. It’s a great opportunity to take advantage of while working on campus. Beverly mentions that you never know where life will take you, so embrace this benefit now. She also suggests that if you’re unsure of using the program, try taking one class at a time to see how it is.
Laura Lockett, University Print and Mail
Laura is the Director of University Print and Mail. Laura got her degree in graphic design and noted that her daughters also used the program. For 12 years, she was a single mom and full-time employee as she was taking classes under the program. Overall, she used the program for 22 years to get her degree.
One of the most valuable benefits of participating in the fee waiver program is that she took graphic design classes while working as a graphic designer so she could directly relate her classwork to her job. Laura also taught as an adjunct once she graduated. It’s a rewarding experience to teach others what she learned about graphic design through classes and work.
The more challenging aspect of the fee waiver was that she didn’t always get the classes she wanted and had to take some out of order. She also had to schedule her time carefully and utilize some vacation days for class. Laura says her colleagues at ABA are very supportive of professional development and the fee waiver so they were considerate of her time. Utilizing the program allowed her to qualify for management positions that she wouldn’t have been able to apply for otherwise. Laura is proud that many staff members at UPM use the fee waiver for their degrees.
A key to balancing work responsibilities with academic pursuits is to manage time and take it one day at a time. Laura had a lot of late nights, but having a good support system helped make it easier. Her academics were in line with her career. She applied what she learned in class to her work projects and used her work experience to help with her classes. She advises anyone curious about the program to go for it and never stop learning.
For more information on the fee waiver process and how to apply please click the link below.
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Student SpotlightSerina "Sunny" Sieng, Student Assistant at University Print & Mail
By Anna Anderson
How long have you been with Sac State, and how long have you been with UPM?
Sunny transferred to Sac State in January 2021 from community college and got accepted into the Graphic Design program. The program can be seen as competitive since not everyone gets in. Sunny is originally from Stockton and has an older sister who attended Sac State. She’s been with UPM since September of 2023 and was glad to get a job on campus that aligned with her major.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, or rewards found?
One of the biggest challenges Sunny has overcome while working at UPM is getting used to university guidelines when it comes to designs. However, she sees this as an opportunity to find creative solutions that satisfy her clients. Another challenge is balancing her classes as a senior with her work projects. The most rewarding part of working at UPM is seeing a project through from start to finish.
What made you want to work for UPM as a student?
Sunny wanted to work at UPM because it would give her more practical experience in graphic design and expand her portfolio and resume. Being a student and having a job on campus makes it more convenient since her colleagues are mindful of her time and classwork.
What kinds of projects are you currently working on for UPM?
Many clients use UPM for their graphic design needs. Sunny works on about a dozen projects at a time. While it sounds like a lot, it gives her various projects for her portfolio. Her projects include program banners, an academic journal for McNair Scholars, a volunteer shirt for commencement, a trailer wrap for Law Enforcement Candidate Scholars, an illustrated map of Sacramento landmarks for student handbooks, and a challenge coin for ABA.
Tell me about the Challenge Coin you’re designing for ABA:
The coin is going to be an appreciation token used for ABA employees. Sunny's original designs for the coin featured different aspects of Sac State. One showed a tree because we are a tree campus, but the idea was scrapped because it didn’t distinguish Sac State enough. A couple of others had Sac State landmarks but were rejected because had to emphasize ABA values and culture.
Please discuss any specific skills or knowledge you hope to gain or improve through this position.
Regarding Graphic Design, Sunny wants improvement with typography, color variations, naming conventions, and documenting each step in the design process. She also wants to improve on working with clients' time and budget constraints, which challenge her creativity. Sunny can create amazing and intricate design concepts, but they may be out of the client’s budget or timeframe, leading to her simplifying them to accommodate them. It can be disappointing, but she wants to get better at learning to balance those.
How has your experience with UPM aligned with your future career goals?
Sunny’s experience and work helped build her portfolio and collect projects she’s very proud of. She got experience talking directly to clients and corresponding with them at every step of the process. While Sunny is a senior about to graduate, she is also considering getting a fine arts degree but has been on the fence about it since it would be expensive and more years of school. She is also considering freelancing since it would give her more freedom regarding her work and schedule.
What do you hope to gain from this experience working in the university print and mail department?
Working at UPM allowed Sunny to see the entire production process. An issue with production or printing can be addressed right away since the printing team and machines are right next door. She can gain knowledge of the entire production process after she makes the designs and mock-ups.
What do you see yourself doing after graduation?
Sunny wants to find a graphic design job and is currently looking at job postings. Nothing has caught her eye so far. She emphasizes how hard it can be since some companies expect graphic designers to wear many hats. They might need to pair their skills with photography, art, animation, video editing, or coding to do graphic design work. Sunny also noted that a growing tech hub in Texas might be a better place to find opportunities and get her footing as a fresh Graphic Design graduate.
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Upcoming EventsBy: Felicia Forte
ABA Summer Social
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Small Theater Grass Area
ABA hosts an annual Summer Social that remains the highlight to our division and is essential to establishing employee morale.
During this event ABA staff enjoy great food, music and games while winners of the ABA Cook Off competition are announced, along with prize drawing winners. As always, Vice President Bowman opens the event with brief heartfelt remarks and kudos to ABA staff for their dedication to the mission of Sac State and we also have an emcee from S.T.A.R.T. to keep the party going.
If you’re interested in joining the fun as an attendee or a cook off competitor, please be on the lookout for the Save The Date email from the VP/CFO office to sign up and RSVP!
We hope to see you there!
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If you have any questions about upcoming events, please contact the Office of the Vice President/CFO at vp-cfo@csus.edu.
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START Serves YOU
ABA's START Committee
ABA's Strategy Team: Achieving Results Together (START) Committee is comprised of staff representing each of ABA's families and is chaired by a representative from the Office of the VP/CFO.
START members act as the primary communication vehicle for ABA's strategic planning activities, particularly those focused on staff recognition and engagement. START members also work to identify issues for discussion, propose initiatives, and to facilitate implementation of action plans in partnership with Management Council.
START hosts many activities for ABA such as Spirit Week, friendly divisional contests, cook-offs, the annual awards process and so much more!
START Committee Members- Sagan Bachtold (Chair), Operations Specialist, Office of the VP/CFO
- Yvanne Bolano, Administrative Support Coordinator, Risk Management
- Jeannie Brewster, Administrative Analyst, Financial Services
- Suzzanne Castaneda, Administrative Support Coordinator, University Print & Mail
- Jeffrey Dierking, Administrative Services Director, UTAPS
- Felicia Forte, Administrative Coordinator, Office of the VP/CFO
- Lori Harrison, Scheduling Specialist, Space Management
- Regeena Lewis, Director, Clery Compliance and Training
- Brenda Louie-Jiang, Business Executive Support Analyst, Police Department
- Jessica Pounds, Student Assistant, Office of the VP/CFO
- Mellonie Richardson, Director, Talent Acquisition, Human Resources
- May Xiong, Customer Service Associate, Facilities Management
Do you want to serve on START, or have a question for us? Please reach out to start@csus.edu.
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| Fresh Faces & Fond Farewells
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Fond FarewellsBudget Planning & Administration
Facilities Management
- Joseph Arca
- Richard Avery
- Richard Clack
- Hernando Esteban
- Daniel Garrett
- Robert Lobua
- Susan McGuire
- Mark Perry
- Steven Plessas
- Victor Takahashi
- Octavia Thrower
- Ana Topete
- Joseph Valila
Financial Services
- Victoria Forayter
- Sara Fryslie
- Honghui He
- Nicole Lack
- Aileen Rasmussen
- Omar Ruiz
Human Resources
- VeRonica Dupree
- Patrick Murphy
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Fresh Faces
Budget Planning & Administration
Business & Administrative Services
Facilities Management
- Toby Baker
- Joseph Carrino
- Rolly Enriquez
- Alejandro Gonzalez
- Noel Guzman
- Humberto Lopez
- Angel Thayer-Smith
- Bryce Webster
Financial Services
- Jonathan Alberts
- Jolan Dober-vanya
- Zachary Gonzalez
- Alwyn Lam
- Viridiana Mejia Aguilar
- Stacy Pucci
- Emerson Reinl
- Melinda Yang
Human Resources
- Troy Bettcher
- Nichol Burton
- Magdalena Gonzalez
- Brandy Kurbatsky
- Adam Lau
- Alexis Soto
Police Department
- Alondra Arroyo
- Jose Duran
- Samuel Flores
- Joshua Lopez
- Dianne Patton
- Adrian Santillan Andrino
Risk Management Services
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