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The Board of Directors of the Emeriti Association are volunteers who donate time and energy into the management of the Association. They are retired faculty who wish to remain involved in the activities of the group and are glad to support the group with work and organization. Together, they provide the planning and implementation of the activities and projects of the Association members. These include a regular newsletter, a web site, the two open meetings with luncheon, the participation in the Learning Community Awards program, cooperation with the LACC Foundation, and other activities. Below you can meet these dedicated people.

    Charlene Carnachan
  Ren Colantoni
Ren retired from the CTEL department in June of 2007. He served 37 years at Trade-Tech and LACC, after starting in 1967 as an hourly instructor. He was department chair for four years, then served as Director of Academic Computing, during which time he was responsible for bringing the Internet to LACC, and, working with Roberta Holt in Staff Development, provided equipment and training for instructors in the use of technology in the classroom. Ren enjoys fishing and off-road exploring, old hobbies like amateur radio and painting, and new ones like photography. He is married with five children and eight grandchildren. His wife Mary teaches Creative Writing at CSUN.
  Raoul dela Sota
Raoul De la Sota studied art at Los Angeles City College and then at UCLA where he earned his Master of Arts degree. Soon after graduation, he received the first Fulbright Fellowship ever awarded to a Chicano artist for a year's study in Peru. De la Sota has shown his work in solo exhibits at The Museum of Man in San Diego, in Mexico at galleries in Oaxaca, Morelia and Valle de Bravo. He has had one-man exhibits at the SPARC Gallery in Venice, the David Zapf Gallery in San Diego and the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, along with many group exhibits. He has been commissioned to do paintings and sculptures by the Institute of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Hyatt Corporation in the Bahamas and by the writer Victor Villaseñor for the cover of his book Wild Steps to Heaven. He has created four murals in Los Angeles and in Cuernavaca, Mexico in private residences. He has designed a poster for the Metro Neighborhood program and created a 20' high mural for the Metro Division 9 headquarters in El Monte. Prizes include an Arts America Grant for a series of lectures on Chicano Art in Colombia. His work can be seen in the two-volume book Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art published by the Arizona State University Press and at Howeeduzzitgallery.com. In 2007 his work was seen in the exhibit "Skyscapes" in Terminal Three at the Los Angeles International Airport and at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery in the exhibit "Spirits of LA". He and his wife Leticia Garcia-De la Sota have been collecting art since their marriage 22 years ago.
  Ann Gallagher
    Lee Hancock
  Roberta Holt
Roberta retired from LACC in 2001 after a 35 year career at LACC. The first 25 years she spent as a member of the CAOT Department and served as Chair for 10 years. In 1991 she became Coordinator of Staff Development and spent the last 10 years in that position where she also was the Director of the Teaching-Learning Center. Roberta became president of the Emeriti Association in 2004, when Dr. Lou Hilleary stepped down at President. She is only the second president the organization has had in its 15-year life. Roberta states that one of the joys of being active with this organization has been working with the Emeriti Board, a dedicated group of Emeriti without whom our organization would not exist. Roberta is also an ex-oficio member of the LACC Foundation. Since retiring, Roberta works as a volunteer at the Center for Healthy Aging in Santa Monica as a peer counselor and co-facilitates a woman’s support group. She has also traveled to Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Peru and Mexico. She loves cruising and her four timeshares as well. Roberta has a 15-month old grandson who she travels to Seattle to see as often as possible.
  Carol Johnson
  Eve Jones
  Jim McCloskey
Jim McCloskey studied drama at Los Angeles Junior College, now LACC, from1938 to 1941while working in films as an extra. In October l941 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was trained as a pilot. Later he flew 42 combat missions in the South Pacific. After the war he attended USC. In 1949 he was hired to teach an acting course in the evening division and in l950 he was hired full time in the day program. While waiting for an opening in the Theatre Department he taught in three other departments: Speech, Broadcasting and English. Finally, he secured a full time position in the Theatre Department, where he served as chairman from1973 until his retirement in 1982. During his tenure at LACC he remained in the Air Force Active Reserves, retiring in 1978 with the rank of Colonel.
Bob Pollyea
Bob started teaching and counseling in 1957 for the Los Angeles Unified School District. In 1962 he accepted Administrative Counseling positions at several high schools in the LAUSD. In 1968 he was promoted to Supervisor of Secondary Counseling for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Bob left the LAUSD in 1971 to join the Psychology and Counseling Departments at Los Angeles City College. He had been a strong advocate for Para-Professional and Peer Counseling, and he established a Counselor Aide Program as part of the Psychology Department. In 1975 Bob was recognized for his achievements in Para-Professional Counseling by the California State Counseling and Guidance Association. He was honored to accept their award as the “Outstanding Counselor in the State of California.” In 1976 he was selected as Assistant Dean of Students at Los Angeles City College. In 1981 he served as a counselor until his retirement in 1992. His LACC colleagues presented him with the college’s first “Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award” in appreciation for his outstanding and dedicated service to the students, faculty and administration. Bob and his wife, Sharlene, a professor at Los Angeles Valley College have been married for 52 years. They have two children and three grandchildren.
Myra Siegal
Myra began her career with the LACCD in 1976 at West Los Angeles College as assistant to the Financial Aid Director. From 1978-1982, she worked in the Budget Branch at the district office. After four years at the District, she longed to return to college life, and was thrilled to do so when a position opened at Pierce College. After a year in Pierce’s Admission’s Office, she was offered the position of Associate Dean of Admissions and Records at LA City College. In 1990, she was selected to substitute for the CSSO (Chief Student Services Officer) when he took a sabbatical and a few years later, when he left, she accepted the position on a full time basis. She served as Dean and then Vice President of Student Services until her retirement in August 2009. Myra introduced the annual professional development program for Admissions and Records staff in the district; led the charge to re-open the Health Centers district wide; chaired the taskforce to develop a new student identification number system; served as a regional representative on the executive board of the statewide CSSO organization, and, in her last year on the board, coordinated the statewide leadership program for potential CSSOs and CIOs. In her newly found spare time, Myra enjoys traveling with her husband, practicing yoga…and most of all, spending quality time with her eleven grandchildren.
  Martha Sklar
MARTHA was born in Havana, Cuba and immigrated to Detroit, MI when she was eight and a half years old. She attended public school in Detroit and graduated from Central High School in their Centennial Year Class. She went back last fall to celebrate her 50th year reunion- Central's 150th year. She received a BA in Mathematics from Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL, an M.A in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Martha taught mathematics at the high-school level and then at Los Angeles City College for about 20 years. Later she entered administration and was Transfer Center Director and then Dean of Academic Affairs. She retired in January 2004 and has been traveling (Italy, Baltic, etc.) as well as involved in the Emeriti Chapter, League of Women Voters - LA, Santa Monica Emeritus College, and her Temple. Currently she is the Treasurer of LWV - LA. She has two sons, Benjamin who lives in the Seattle area and Jonathan who lives in Los Angeles.

President
   Roberta Holt

Vice-Presidents:
     Communications:

       Charlene Carnachan

     Finance:
       Martha Sklar

     Programs:
       Raoul dela Sota

LACC Foundation Representative
   Roberta Holt

Learning Community Award
   Carol Johnson

Web Guy
   Ren Colantoni

Members at Large
   Ann Gallagher
   Lee Hancock
   Eve Jones

   James McCloskey
   Myra Siegal
   Robert Pollyea
   Leanna Watts

 
Leanna Watts
Leanna was hired in July 1974, to set up and supervise the first Campus Child Development Center at LACC. It opened in February 1975, serving 32 children. While directing the Center, Leanna also taught child development courses as an adjunct instructor from 1974 to 1989. In 1997 Leanna assumed the newly created position of Dean of Student Services, supervising the ASO, student activities, financial aid, and the child center, under Myra Siegel's supervision. Over the next ten years her duties fluxuated, dropping some areas and adding others. In Fall 2007 Leanna returned to faculty and the child development center. The program was finally achieving a major goal, building a permanent facility. After much hard work from many hands, the building opened in January 2009, serving 90 preschool age children and 30 school-age children. Leanna retired in June 2009, after 35 years at LACC. Leanna is married to Ron and they have two adult children.

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