DSS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Student
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Director of Web Services
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Accessibility Services Analyst
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Advisory Committee
- Director
Brent received his M.A. in Psychology from the University of the Pacific and B.S. in Psychology from Willamette University. Over Brent's career, he has worked with a diverse population of individuals to provide career planning, job placement, academic advising, and coordination of vocational and academic accommodation services.
Prior to coming to SSU in 2001, Brent worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor where he was the liaison to school districts in Seattle providing academic and career counseling for high school students with disabilities, and helped facilitate academic accommodation services for the students at local post-secondary institutions.
Brent also served as a Habilitation Plan Administrator /Behavioral Specialist at Fircrest School in Seattle for four years where he directed the activities of an interdisciplinary team at the Residential Habilitation Center (RHC); monitored treatment plans and other standards to assure compliance with Federal and State policies, procedures, regulations, and laws. Brent is a transplant from Seattle and native of Portland, Oregon. He enjoys family activities, running, weight training, kayaking, hiking, and gardening.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Web Designer, Library
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Chief Planning Officer
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Senior Disability Management Advisor
- Senior Disability Management Advisor ( Ex - Officio )
Christy Giambastiani has been at Sonoma State University serving as Senior Disability Management Advisor in Disability Services for Students since August 2007. She received a B.S. in Biology from UCLA.
Prior to coming to SSU, Christy had over 12 years of experience working as a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor and Orientation and Mobility Specialist in California, Canada, and most recently, Australia. She received a Diploma of Guide Dog Instruction from Guide Dogs Victoria, (Australia) and a Certificate IV in Orientation and Mobility, (Vision Impairment Support) from the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind. Christy completed further studies in brain function and neurological vision impairment with Guide Dogs Victoria.
As a mobility specialist, Christy worked in multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams providing mobility services and training, counseling, disability access and advocacy support to adults and children with blindness and other disabilities. She also assessed and trained dogs to become guide dogs and coordinated the Pets as Therapy program.
Christy is originally from California, but has lived in Vancouver, Canada and most recently, Melbourne, Australia, for six years before she returned to the USA in 2006. She enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, scrap-booking, and spending time with animals, particularly dogs, horses, and her two transplanted Aussie cats.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Department of Rehabilitation
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Student
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Title IX Officer and Senior Director ( Ex - Officio )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Disability Management Advisor
- Management Advisor
Mary Lenoir is a Disabilities Management Advisor working in the office of Disability Services for Students. Her professional experience includes twelve plus years of teaching in general education and special education in primary and secondary settings. Mary earned a Master's Degree in Special Education at Sonoma State University in May 2021. Mary's career and passion have been working with families and students with exceptional needs helping students with self-determination skills, advocacy, and inclusion.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Disability Management Advisor ( Ex - Officio )
- Testing Center Coordinator
Michael Eynon joined the DSS team during summer of 2018 and has been involved at SSU in some capacity since the fall of 2005. He is a Sonoma County local and SSU alumni, graduating with a B.A. in Psychology and Theatre Arts in 2010. Michael received his Master's degree in December 2014 in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Drama Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco.
While at SSU, Michael has worked as a summer mentor, student assistant, and outreach advisor for the pre-college TRIO program Academic Talent Search from 2007-2016. Michael worked for the TRIO Student Support Services program United for Success for the 2017-2018 academic year as a College Support Coach assisting first-generation, income eligible, and students with disabilities with time management, stress management, and other non-cognitive academic needs. As a student, he was president of the comedy improvisation club, an officer in the PSI CHI honors society, and was involved both onstage and backstage on many SSU theatre productions.
Michael is also a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) since June of 2018 though he does not provide therapy in his DSS role. Michael completed all of his practice hours working primarily with middle and high school students and their families in the Novato area of Marin County. Michael is passionate about mental health and supporting students with time management and presentation skills. He enjoys advocating for educational access for students with disabilities and first generation and/or low-income students.
When not at the office, Michael can be found on nearby tennis courts playing recreation and United States Tennis Association tournaments and leagues. Michael also spends his time viewing theatre performances with his significant other, gaming, reading (everything from neuroscience to YA novels), and planning how to travel to all four grand slam tennis tournaments during his lifetime.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Senior Accessibility Coordinator
Noelia Franzen née Mendoza, serves as the Senior Accessibility Coordinator at Sonoma State University in Disability Services For Students. She specializes in Alt Media, Assistive Technologies, and Academic Technologies.
Noelia earned a Master's in Education with an emphasis in Instructional Technologies, and a Bachelors in Raza Studies (Latina/o) Studies from San Francisco State University. In her 20-years as an Academic Technology professional and instructional designer, she has served on the Accessible Technology Initiative Committees at SF State and SSU to advocate for students with disabilities. She is an EOP alumna and a first-generation college student. In her previous role as Academic Technology Manager at SSU she provided pedagogical and technical training and support to SSU faculty using the campus Learning Management System (LMS), web-conferencing system and other Academic Technology tools and systems in the SSU service catalog; she also lead the SSU Affordable Learning Initiative, providing faculty with resources to develop and adopt accessible low-cost instructional materials and in doing so provide students with free or more affordable textbook options.
Previous to beginning her work at SSU, she worked as the lead LMS Instructional Designer at SF State. While at SF State, Noelia also taught a hybrid course providing innovative approaches to understanding information technology and its relationship to Latina/o(Raza) populations. Students compared the advantages and limitations of emerging Internet technologies; explored the diversity within US Latino populations; analyzed Internet access and usage patterns; explored a range of internet-driven communications; developed digital literacy skills; designed websites and digital media press kits to promote activism around community-driven needs, and students examined the role of the internet in maintaining cultural connections among Raza and creating communities online.
She had served as the president of Directors of Educational Technology / California Higher Education (DET/CHE), an organization of academic technology professionals focusing on common management concerns within academic computing, instructional technology, media services, and distance education across all levels of higher education.
Noelia enjoys venturing into nature, kayaking, and playing with her energetic canine companion.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Accessibility Specialist
Stephanie Graham has been with Sonoma State University since March 2003. Stephanie started her career in the Human Resources Department where she managed student assistants and focused on employee-related needs and activities.
In September 2008, Stephanie accepted a position in Information Technology. There she helped create the Video Production Department, managed and trained students in video production, and began to close-caption videos. Additionally, Stephanie has the ability to troubleshoot tier-1 computer and software issues in easy-to-understand terms. She works well with the campus community and embraces diversity.
Stephanie moved to Disability Services for Students in March 2017 where she is able to focus her time on creating accessible media and captioning videos for various departments and organizations on campus. Stephanie works closely with faculty and staff in many departments ensuring videos are accessible for all users.
Stephanie has her Professional Certificate in Graphic Design, has many hobbies, and loves animals. She has five dogs, and wishes she could have more. Stephanie spends most of her free time crafting, baking, playing board games, exploring Sonoma County, and enjoying time with her dogs and husband.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Disability Management Advisor
Sydney is one of SSU's Disability Management Advisors. Prior to coming to SSU, she worked as the Career Counselor for another college for five years and for three years as their Tutoring Program Coordinator. During that time she also provided mental health counseling to students as well.
Sydney completed her Master of Science degree in Counseling from Oregon State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with a minor in psychology from California State University - San Bernardino. Most recently she completed a Master of Arts in Education for School Counseling with a Pupil Personnel Services Credential. Sydney is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor.
Her background began in working with domestic violence and sexual assault survivors. Since then she has primarily worked as a career counselor in a college setting providing career development, advising and assessments, resume and cover letter writing classes and other services for academic and lifelong career success. Sydney has experience providing services and support to a diverse student population, particularly to students with disabilities, first generation students, students from many different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and LGBTQIA students.
Sydney is a San Diego California native who definitely enjoys living in the Sonoma Valley. She loves spending time with her husband, young adult kids when she gets the chance, and loving on her two miniature schnauzers Max and Olive and golden retriever KC. She loves beachcombing, playing golf, reading, elephants, hiking and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Workers' Comp, ADA Leave Specialist. ( Ex - Officio )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Committee
- Multilingual Achievers Program Coordinator ( Ex - Officio )