Leadership & Faculty
Meet the people who make your WCU education possible.
Welcome to West Coast University! Since 1909, WCU has been dedicated to creating innovative, comprehensive educational programs designed to prepare a new generation of capable and ambitious professionals. As an academic institution focused primarily on healthcare education, it is our aim to create healthier outcomes for the communities we serve — at home and around the globe. This mission starts right here in our campuses.
WCU is a special, vibrant community of learners who share a passion for the health and wellness of others. It is also a place where faculty put teaching excellence, which leads to the success of every student, as a top priority. To achieve our goals, we are committed to recruiting faculty who are experts in their fields and value teaching the next generation of healthcare professionals. Our programs — from nursing to occupational therapy to pharmacy — provide students with not only a quality healthcare education, but also with training in critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills that are in demand by employers of our graduates.
It is an honor and a privilege for us to guide our students through their healthcare education journey, helping them make their way in the world and, in turn, helping to make the world a better place.
Campus Leadership and Administration
Los Angeles
- Johnny Arellano
Interim Executive Director - Allen Perez
Campus Dean of Nursing - Miriam Kahan
Campus Dean of General Education - Monica Englert
Campus Director of Admissions - Tracy Cabuco
Campus Director of Student Financial Services - Arpine Zohrabyan
Campus Director, Career Services - Felicia Lockhart
Campus Registrar - Julie Oshiro
Campus Librarian
Center for Graduate Studies
- Adam Krisan
Campus Executive Director - Colleen Logan
Dean, Counseling Program - Elizabeth Bunting
Dean, Physician Assistant Program - Kurt Wargo
Dean, School of Pharmacy - Robert Nithman
Dean, Physical Therapy Program - Stacey Willis
Dean, Occupational Therapy Program - Mary Tatoyan
Campus Director of Admissions - Edward Bueno
Campus Director of Student Financial Services - Aida Topalian
Campus Director, Career Services - Ana Bedran
Campus Registrar
Orange County
- Johnny Arellano
Campus Executive Director - Sherri Barrett
Campus Dean of Nursing - Michelle Hurlbutt
Campus Dean, Dental Hygiene - Sherri Moore
Campus Dean, General Education - Maggen Burchett
Campus Director, Admissions - Teresa Salcedo
Campus Director, Student Financial Services - Seram Lee
Campus Director, Student Affairs - Ann Marie Rivera
Campus Director, Career Services - Veronica Tarango
Campus Registrar - Ian Capilouto
Campus Librarian
Online
- Marilyn Powell
Interim Executive Director - Cyndi Faudree
Program Dean, MSN FNP & MSN AGAC-NP - Donald Burdine
Program Dean, MSN PMHNP - George Peraza-Smith
Program Dean, MSN AGPC-NP & DNP - Justin Ako
Program Dean, Health Administration - Michele Mouttapa
Program Dean, Public Health - Regina Bush
Program Dean, Speech, Language and Pathology - Luke Eyrise
Campus Director, Admissions - Bertha Hernandez
Campus Director, Admissions - Jeanne Marie Mannarino
Campus Director, Student Affairs
- Seana Wade
Campus Director, Career Services - Keith Johnson
Campus Registrar - Kathleen McSweeney
Campus Librarian
Ontario
- Pamela Daly
Campus Executive Director - Amie Howard
Campus Dean of Nursing - Beth Chamberlain
Campus Dean, General Education - James Kono
Campus Director, Admissions - Alma Sanchez
Campus Director, Student Financial Services - Michelle Cortez
Senior Campus Director, Student Affairs - Mercedes Garner
Campus Director, Career Services - Kimberly Holloway
Campus Registrar - Nalini Singh
Campus Librarian
Texas
- Amy King
Campus Executive Director - Richild Haywood
Campus Dean of Nursing - LaTonya Hughes
Campus General Education Dean - Amy Bronson
Campus Dean, Physician Assistant - Roshae Garner
Campus Director, Admissions - Dahlia Velarde
Campus Director, Student Financial Services - Catalina Rodriguez
Senior Campus Director, Student Affairs - Celeste Jennings
Campus Director, Career Services - Avery Zastoupil
Campus Registrar - Kyle McLaughlin
Campus Librarian
Miami
- Sharon Richardson
Campus Executive Director - Raquel Pastrana
Campus Dean of Nursing - Maria Box
Campus Associate Dean, General Education - Patricia Ramirez
Campus Director, Admissions - Simone Sutherland
Campus Director, Student Financial Services - Adiela Naranjo
Campus Director, Student Affairs - Georgeta Railic
Campus Director, Career Services - Daniela Garcia
Campus Registrar
Faculty Publications and Scholarly Works
West Coast University is home to dedicated professors with extensive experience in a variety of fields and disciplines. Use the menu below to browse their publications, research, and presentations.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Dental Hygiene
Our Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene faculty are knowledgeable registered dental hygienists (RDHs) with diverse experience in the field.
Michelle Hurlbutt, RDH, MSDH, DHSc
General Education
Health Administration
Our health administration faculty members provide instruction and mentorship for both our Bachelor of Science in Health Administration and Master of Health Administration programs.
Paul Chris Okpala, DHSc, MHA, CRT, RCP
Nursing
Our experienced nursing instructors teach courses in our nursing programs including our Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and post-master’s nursing certificates.
Afsaneh Helali, MSN, NP-BC, RN
Arvinder Singh, PhD(c), APRN, FNP-BC
Brenda DaCosta, RN, MSN, PHN, FNP
Camille Josephine Chua, DNP, MSN-Ed, BSN, RN, PHN
Debra Wallace, DNP, APN, FNP-BC
Francie Colas, MSN, ARNP, FNP-BC, CCM
Gayla Love, PhD, MSN, RN, CMSRN, CNE®cl
George Peraza-Smith, DNP, A-GNP-C, GNP-BC, GS-C, CNE, FAANP
Ginger Pierson, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCNS, CLNC
Giselle Abellera, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, CHEP
Jean Gordon, MSN-Ed, MS-HRM, MBA-MAAC, FNP, DBA
Jose Angel Chavez Viamontes, MSN, APRN, NP-C, FNP-BC, MD
Juan Caluya Jr, MSN-ED, RN, PCCN
Khadeer Khan, MD, MSN-Ed, FNP-BC, CNE, CEN, NEA-BC
Maimouna Mongwa, PhD, RN, CHEP
Maria Perez, PhD, RNC-OB, LHRM, CHEP
Marline Whigham, PhD, EdD, APRN-FNP
Raulin Feria, DNP, APRN-CNP, PHN, FNP-BC, PED-BC, CPN, CCRN
Robert Giesler, MSN, RN, RNC-NIC, RRT
Rochelle McAlpin, Ph.D., MSHS, MSN-Ed, RN, PHN
Sylvia Carlson, PhD, RN, PHN, CSN
Occupational Therapy
Our occupational therapy faculty teach in both the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) and Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) programs.
Stacey Willis, OTD, BSOT, OTR/L
Pharmacy
Our WCU School of Pharmacy faculty members are leaders in their field. They provide instruction and mentorship for students in the PharmD program.
Busuyi Olotu, PhD, MSPharm, BPharm
Kurt A. Wargo, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS
Su Young Lee, PharmD, MS, BCPS-AQID, BCIDP
Physical Therapy
Our physical therapy instructors teach students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Nicole Rodriguez, PT, DPT, PhD(c), GCS
Robert W. Nithman, PT, PhD, DPT, GCS
Physician Assistant
Our Master of Physician Assistant faculty provide instruction and mentorship for our MPA students.
Public Health
Our public health instructors teach courses for both our Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) and Master of Public Health (MPH) programs.
Alexandra Auslander, Ph.D., M.P.H, M.S.
Barbara Garcia, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.B.S.
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