CalMU-Faculty Profile

Yvan Nezerwe, D.B.A

Dr. Yvan Nezerwe is an experienced Finance Professor and Executive Management Consultant. Dr. Nezerwe's professional experiences include stints with numerous financial services firms and his own management consulting firm. His consulting engagements led him to present his works at numerous academic conferences. Recent Conference Presentations include the Africa Business Conference at Syracuse University-New York and the International Academy of Business and Economics-Las Vegas NV.

Dr. Nezerwe's fields of specialization include Corporate Finance, International Finance, Empirical Asset Pricing, Public Finance, Regional Integration in Africa and Macroeconomics. With his ongoing research agenda, Dr. Nezerwe has widely published in refereed academic journals such as the Journal of International Finance Studies, the European Journal of Management, the Global Journal of Business Research, Review of Business Research, etc.

Dr. Nezerwe graduated with his Bachelor of Business Administration (Finance) from the United States International University. He received his MBA and Doctorate degrees (Finance) from the Alliant International University-San Diego and was named the "Outstanding Doctoral Student" of the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management. He teaches Finance classes at California Miramar University.

John R. Knight, Ed.D

A retired Navy Commander, and now a finance professor at California Miramar University, Professor John Knight has a rich background in both a practical and academic sense.

After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy with a B.S. degree in physics, John spent 20 years in the surface line of the United States navy where he traveled the globe in various jobs; sea tours included experience at each level of a U.S. Navy warship - Division Officer, Department Head (Chief Engineer), Executive Officer and Commanding Officer. While not at sea, he earned what the navy calls a sub-specialty in finance. This included both education (a master's degree in finance), and associated financial experience as a Cost Analyst for the Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Chief Financial Officer of the Shipyard in Pearl Harbor. As a cost analyst, John worked extensively with foreign governments, including both South Korean and Japan.

After retiring from the navy, John became a licensed stockbroker for Merrill Lynch where he received extensive training in personal investments and financial planning. John comes to California Miramar University with extensive experience in teaching both undergraduate and graduate level finance at National University.

Currently, John resides in San Diego, Ca. Hobbies include reading, playing sports and traveling. On most weekends John and his family can be found on San Diego Bay sailing in their Hunter sailboat. He has two daughters; the oldest is a graduate of San Diego State and now teaches high school English, and the youngest daughter graduated from UCLA and now works at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Lisa McMain Norton, M.Ed.

Lisa Norton is Principal and Consultant at Bridge Building International, specializing in strategic partnerships, innovative marketing, promotional events and professional introductions for business and philanthropy worldwide. In addition, Ms. Norton is President of San Diego Power Networking, offering “world class” networking opportunities to international professionals throughout Southern California.

As a business development executive for both the corporate and non-profit sector, Ms. Norton has cultivated an A-list global contact base, generated millions of dollars in business revenues and directed marketing and public relations campaigns for the arts, entertainment, financial, health and wellness, luxury, medical, real estate, scientific and tele-communications industries.

An experienced teacher and coach, Ms. Norton has trained countless educators and administrators, developed interdisciplinary curricula for schools and universities and launched new educational programs and initiatives throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. A champion of hybrid MBA programs for students overseas, she also enjoys teaching appointments in Africa and Asia. Ms. Norton teaches Business Ethics, the Business Strategy Capstone, and Enterpreneurship courses in the MBA program at California Miramar University.

In addition to her program of study in Organizational Change at MIT's Sloan School of Management, Ms. Norton earned a Master's degree in Administration, Strategic Planning and Social Policy from Harvard.

Sherri Petro, M.B.A.

Sherri Petro is the President of VPI Strategies, a San Diego based management consulting firm, where she focuses on research, strategy and communications. Her mission is to assist organizations in becoming more sustainable by breaking down barriers, creating understanding and making connections.

Sherri is a nationally known expert on generational motivation and its impacts in our workplace. She helps people increase their generational quotient and reduce the misunderstandings that abound with four generations in the workplace together.

Sherri has published over eighty articles on strategy, marketing and coaching in which she simplifies complex concepts for busy professionals. She regularly demonstrates her expertise as an executive coach, one-on-one with CEOS, business owners and executive directors. She is an expert facilitator and presenter credited with over 250 seminars.

Sherri's diverse professional background includes customer service, operations, administration, sales, marketing and strategic planning. She has acquired the cross-departmental expertise to see client challenges from a number of angles.

Sherri earned a Master in Business Administration degree with an emphasis on Strategic Planning from Pepperdine University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Youngstown State University, magna cum laude. At California Miramar University, Sherri teaches strategic management for the Master's of Business Administration Strategy Capstone course.

Mark Edmead, M.B.A.

Mark Edmead has developed and delivered courses for the University of California San Diego, the SANS Institute, MIS Institute, the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), Technology Training Corporation and Learning Tree International. He is also an adjunct professor at Keller Graduate School of Management, Chapman University, and teaches business development and leadership courses at the Professional Development Academy.

He is highly sought-after by various Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies as an author and lecturer on the topics of information security, information technology, and IT strategic planning. He has worked with many international firms, and has delivered presentations and seminars in United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Mexico, Japan, China, Singapore and Europe. His articles have appeared in: Western Banking, Compliance Advisor Magazine, Mobile Advisor Magazine, IIA Insights, IT Compliance Journal, Gaming and Leisure Magazine, and The Auditor.

Mark became a successful technology entrepreneur and a finalist in the Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” award in 1998. He is a member of the International Association of Facilitators, National Speakers Association (NSA), the Organization Development Institute, the Organization Development Network, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD). He is also a certified as an internal Baldrige assessor and a DiSC certified facilitator.

At CMU, Mark teaches courses in the area of Leadership, Organizational Behavior, and Management Information Systems both locally and internationally.

Doyle Young, M.B.A.

CMU welcomes Doyle Young M.B.A. who joins us with over 27 years of management experience. Having served as CEO for two successful start-ups, CEO of the nation's largest human resources chapter, and President of a mature $200M publishing and broadcast media company, Doyle Young is a recognized expert in building and running successful organizations.

Doyle's work has been recognized by Harvard Business school, the University of Michigan Business School, and the Wall Street Journal. He is a frequent speaker for numerous professional organizations such as: The Entrepreneurship Institute, The Human Resource Council, The U.S. Dept. of Labor, The American Management Association, and many more. He has also appeared on television and is a frequent contributor to various business publications including Covey Executive Excellence and Personnel News. He writes a nationally syndicated column on workforce development topics read by 2.5 million subscribers in over 25 cities. Doyle is co-author of, "The Ever-Changing Organization: Creating the Capacity for Continuous Change, Learning and Improvement.."

He holds a BA in Industrial Psychology from Cal State University, Northridge, and an MBA from Golden Gate University. Doyle instructs Graduate level Business Leadership courses at CMU.

Annette Padilla, PhD (ABD), MPH

As professor and a curriculum designer at California Miramar University, Annette Padilla, PhD (ABD) brings over 25 years of working in the nonprofit, government and private sectors. Her work for the German-based biotechnology company Sequenom, Inc (NASDAQ: SQNM), included marketing, public relations, media outreach, and investor relations. As past faculty at CSU Fullerton and former curriculum developer at Grand Canyon University, Padilla combines dynamic instruction with design of innovative learnings to advance the knowledge base for current and future leaders. With a master's degree in public health from San Diego State University (SDSU) and a bachelor's in health education also from SDSU, California, USA, she is finishing a PhD in public policy with an emphasis in leadership and nonprofit management online at Walden University.

Annette is a business owner who serves as a consultant in evaluation, grant writing and US federal proposal reviewer for departments. She also provides grant writing, and training and technical assistance for nonprofits (www.annettepadillaconsulting.com). Padilla is experienced in strategic planning, applied data and research, intentional community organizing, media advocacy, policy, and enforcement.

Annette studies values, methods to improve leadership outcomes, and evaluation of leadership. She teaches courses with students from Kenya, Vietnam and the USA online in leadership and hybrid courses in ethics in Vietnam for the CMU MBA program.

Greg Kahn

Greg Kahn has an MBA from Wharton School of Business with a concentration in Finance and Management. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from UCLA with degrees in Mathematics (member of Pi Mu Epsilon, mathematical honor society) and Economics. Mr. Kahn is fully bi-lingual and bi-cultural, having been born in Mexico and worked there extensively.

Mr. Kahn is a seasoned C-level executive with international financial and operational experience in various industries including: retail, oil and gas, telecommunications, personal development, medical equipment, pharmaceutical, biotech, agriculture, aerospace and office equipment. As a Tatum Financial Leadership Partner, Mr. Kahn was CFO/COO for Tony Robbins Companies and acting CFO for Jerome?s Furniture. He held various financial and operational responsibilities while working in various divisions of ConAgra, United Technologies and Xerox. Some of his key accomplishments include being the Project Manager and President of the Mexican subsidiary responsible for building a turn-key engine overhaul facility in Queretaro, Mexico for Aeromexico and Mexicana; turning around a money losing operation in Argentina, and developing Transfer Pricing models for multinational operations.

At California Miramar University, Mr. Kahn teaches Managerial Accounting in the Hybrid MBA. Additionally, he has taught Global Strategic Planning and Survey of Global Business at National University, and at UCSD he has taught the Financial Module for the LAMP (Leadership and Management Program) Program.

"After 35 years of wonderful experiences in both Fortune 50 and start-ups in various countries around the world, I have learned what works and what doesn't. Many times I wish someone would have shared such experiences with me! For years, I have been answering questions and giving advice to my co-workers. By teaching, I hope my advice will give students a more rewarding, successful and enjoyable business career no matter where in the world business takes them."

~ Greg Kahn

Peter H. Antoniou, MIBA, DBA

Peter H. Antoniou, MIBA, DBA, received his Master’s in International Business Administration in England and his Doctorate in Strategic Management in the US.

He is principal of Pomegranate International, founded in 1986, has been involved in International Venturing, Educational Programs and Consulting activities. He is one of the founders of the Ansoff Institute dedicated to operationalizing tools in the field of strategic management. He teaches select courses in International Business and Strategic Management.

In International Venturing, Pomegranate International matches United States and Asian organizations, negotiates joint venture agreements, establishes international distributorship contracts and arranges contract manufacturing. In addition, Pomegranate International assists Asian firms in entering and establishing into the US market. In the area of Education, Pomegranate International develops and implements training programs for executives in the United States and China. In Consulting, Pomegranate International develops and executes Strategic Transformations globally.

Dr. Antoniou travels frequently to Europe, Mexico and China to deliver seminars and consult in the areas of International Marketing and Strategic Management. He has worked with a wide range of companies including IBM-Brazil, IBM-Mexico, Johnson Wax, Infotec and the Pearl River Investment Company.

Dr. Antoniou has authored and co-authored 18 books published in the United States, China, Bulgaria, Greece and Korea. He has written numerous articles featured at national and international conferences and publications. He was contributing editor at the China Business Review.

Dr. Antoniou brings real life business experience to the classroom and helps the students navigate the complicated maze of doing business internationally and formulating strategy for both domestic and global operations. At California Miramar University, Dr. Antoniou teaches strategy, international business, general management, and entrepreneurship.

Talal Bakdache

Talal Bakdache has a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the American University of Beirut and a Master of Science in High Technology Management from National University

Talal Bakdache is the president and co-owner of Tabanna Properties, LLC a commercial property investment company with operations in California, Ohio and Hawaii. From June 1991 and until September 2005, Talal Bakdache has been with Hewlett-Packard Company (HP). Most recently with HP, Mr. Bakdache has been a service planning manager. During his employment with HP, Mr. Bakdache occupied many program and project management positions and accumulated an extensive experience in analytical processes related to program and project management in a high-technology industry setting. With a background in management and engineering, his professional experience includes Program and Project Management positions with Hewlett-Packard, Unisys, Ionics and other companies in the field of IC fabrication, oil production, construction and water treatment, here in the USA and overseas.

At California Miramar University, Talal teaches project management, supply chain management, and decision making. He brings real life business experience to the classroom making the learning process more enjoyable.

Dr. Maurice Rosano

Dr. Rosano received his B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Oregaon, his MBA from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA., and his Juris Doctor from Western State University School of Law in San Diego, CA. He earned the Golden Gate University President's Award for Academic Excellence upon completion of his MBA. Dr. Rosano received the Golden Gate University Outstanding Instructor of the Year Award. He also received an Outstanding Instructor Award for the University of Phoenix, Southern California Campus. He was the Area Chair for Law and Ethics at the University of Phoenix, Southern California Campus. He was recently named as the Area Chair for Law and Ethics, as well as Distinguished Faculty of the Year -2006 for the San Diego, CA campus.

He is also a member of the University of Phoenix 'Distinguished Faculty'. He was also nominated and selected as a member of the University of Phoenix, National Training Bureau. He has been an adjunct professor of Golden Gate University, National University, Cypress College and American River Community College.

At California Miramar University, Dr. Rosano facilitates courses at both the graduate and undergraduate level in Human Resources, General Management, and Business Law. In his professional career, he has held both corporate and divisional level Human Resources/Labor Relations assignments in a Director and Vice President capacity with Fortune 100 Companies. Emphasis has been in the collective bargaining and arbitration functions. He is currently employed with a World Wide Software Development 'start up' company in San Diego, California as Director, Human Resources/Labor Relations. The company has offices in Allentown, PA, Hydrabad, India and Tokyo, Japan.

Antonio F. Vianna

Antonio F. Vianna holds a B. S. Degree in Biology from Union College (Schenectady, New York), a M. M. from Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois), and is a former Officer in the United States Air Force. His functional area of expertise is Human Resources. He consults with various organizations helping them find ways to invest in their workforce to maximize a return on that investment, and he is frequently on television and radio offering practical tips for taking charge of your career. He is a Faculty member and Head Area Chair with the University of Phoenix teaching business and management courses. He has been on the CMU faculty since 2005 specializing in Management, Business, Human Resources, Leadership, and Career Planning. As a published author of mystery novels and nonfiction books he frequently speaks on the topic and conducts workshops on "How to Write a Book and Get Published" and "Re-Careering At Any Age." Click here to visit his web site. He lives in Carlsbad, California.

Download some of Antonio Vianna's Work:

• Courage to Re-Career
• Re-Careering at Any Age

Dr. Ellie Miraftabi

Dr. Miraftabi is a bilingual and multicultural licensed psychotherapist with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She has worked in a variety of settings such as mental health centers; community agencies and outpatient programs; treating adolescents, adults and families.

Dr. Miraftabi has presented her research via film and lecture on the topics of Parenting, Adolescent issues, and Peace and Media Psychology at the International Congress of Applied Psychology in Greece, and at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Drug Court Providers in Washington, D.C. She also received travel awards to attend the International Committee for Adlerian Summer Schools and Institutes in Austria, and the annual meeting of College on Problems of Drug Dependence in Puerto Rico.

Dr. Miraftabi instructs Psychology courses within the Associate and Bachelor of Business Administration degree programs at California Miramar University.

Doreen Gounaris

Doreen Gounaris went to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts for her undergraduate degree with the hopes of being a Social Worker. She succeeded with that goal and worked in the heath care industry in clinical outpatient setting until she realized she needed more of a challenge. The challenge turned into a Management degree from Brandeis University.

After her masters, she transitioned to a marketing career in Health Care and has worked in both HMO and hospital systems in the Los Angeles and San Diego area. Her experience includes marketing, operations, strategic planning, and business development in both management and executive positions. She has developed broad knowledge base about operational protocol, management theory, problem solving, change management, quality improvement, and team leadership. Several years ago the entrepreneurial bug took a hold and she started her own consulting business, Strategjik. The experience has been both a challenge and a fun adventure. The change has allowed her to expand her management and marketing skills beyond health care by working for companies in education, the accounting industry, software development field, housing industry, etc.

She has been teaching in the university setting since 2002 and joined the Faculty at CMU in 2006.

"It's incredible when you are guiding a student in the learning process and you see the transition in their understanding of a topic from the beginning to the end of the class. It's an extremely rewarding experience."

~ Doreen Gounaris