Presenter Information

Meet the presenters facilitating sessions at this year’s conference:

Alemao, Luann

An alumna of Fresno State, Luann Alemao, owns and operates Luann Alemao and Associates, an image, etiquette, leadership, food and nutrition consulting firm. For 24 years, Luann has helped companies understand making the little things count leads to excellent business. Luann has had the pleasure of serving as the host and producer of her own television show, Get Fit, coordinating her own radio show, writing newspapers columns for business publications and regularly making guest appearances on television. In addition to authoring several popular books, Luann has written, directed or acted in various commercials for local businesses dedicating to making the little things count.

Appleton, Samantha

Samantha Appleton is a Realtor with Realty Concepts, Ltd. here in Fresno.  She has a BA from UCLA and has been an instructor for Anthony Schools Kaplan Professional, teaching the Real Estate Principles course which prepares people for the State Licensing Exam.  She was also one of the five Realtors selected as the sales team for the proposed Donald Trump purchase of Running Horse.  Recently she was named "Five Star: Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agent for 2008", which will appear in the Fresno Magazine May 2008 issue.  Fewer than 7% of all licensed real estate agents in the Fresno area were selected for this award.  Real Estate is not just a career for her, it's her passion.

Besse, Jen

Co-founder of Cap & Compass, an entrepreneurial enterprise that publishes books, seminars and starter kits designed to explain the “life skills” needed after college. Jen, a graduate of New College with a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, has done a little bit of everything. She's taught Latin in Virginia and SCUBA in St. Thomas. Ask her about her new novel.

Parten, Jan

Jan Parten is currently the Human Resources Director at Fresno State.  She has a B.A. in Sociology and M.B.A. in Human Resources from the University of North Texas.  her 20+ years of experience in Human Resources spans both the public and private sectors.  Jan’s 16 year HR career with ARCO culminated in a presitgious corporate position in Los Anageles.  She spent 8 years as HR Director at the University of Alaska, Anchorage.  She also served four and a half years as the Vice President for HR at AMEC Eart & Environmental, a British-owened consulting firm whose international headquarters are located in London.  Jan has won several internal communication awards including the Achievement Communications Excellence Gold Award in 2001 from the Canadian Public Relations Society (Toronto).  Her passion for training led her to be named a speaker in 2004 at the Northwest Chapter Meeting of the College & University Professional Assn. of Human Resource whose topic was on-line training.  Jan enjoys living in the Central Valley with her three Alaska-born cats who are still trying to adjust to the heat!

Romsa, Don

Don Romsa is Lutheran Campus pastor here at Fresno State. Romsa was part of a group that in 1994 founded University HOPE, an organization based at Fresno State that builds homes for families in need, in partnership with Granville Homes and the Clovis Community Development Agency. Seven years ago, he helped found the SMILE Center, an after-school tutoring and enrichment program that focuses on at-risk children at Vinland Elementary School. Fresno State students tutor and mentor about 45 children a week. He also helped Fresno State students start the Bulldog Food Pantry in October. The pantry is open 9-11 a.m. Saturdays; each week, it serves 50 to 75 families that live in the neighborhood south of Fresno State.

Dr. John Fu

John is bi-lingual and bi-cultural.  He established the ’Going-Within’ Center, which explores inner peace (beauty), inner love (sweetness) and inner joy (laughter).  He enjoys the West and the East mysticism and the beauty of mind, body and spirit through meditation, contemplation and daily life-experiences. John has served for 15 years as an advisor in the field of international education. He has now been working as a staff counselor at the University health and psychological service center since 1996. John received his doctoral training in counseling and educational psychology from USF.  He completed his law degree at U of Taiwan, and pursued graduate studies in political science, linguistics and counseling respectively from ISU, U of Ill., and CSU, Fresno. Above all, John deeply appreciates works of heart-to-heart interaction, human connection, inspiration, forgiveness, bridge of grace, again love again, knowing and being.

Born and raised in the Monterey Bay Area, Amanda (Holder) Leath moved to Fresno with her family when she was 16 and graduated from Clovis West High School in 1995.  She attended Fresno State and graduated in May of 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication & Journalism.  After several years in media sales and marketing, and special event planning, she went "solar" and is currently the Regional Sales & Marketing Specialist for the Central Valley for REC Solar, Inc.  She recently married James Leath II on the island of Maui.  Her favorite thing about Fresno State is the strong sense of loyalty its graduates has to the university and the true sense of community that's felt throughout.

Mark Riley has worked in the banking industry for the past nineteen years and is currently a Vice President and Senior Business Banking Officer for County Bank.  Mark’s undergraduate degree focused in the area of finance.  Mr. Riley is a two time graduate of the Craig School of Business at California State University, Fresno, where he obtained his Masters in Business Administration degree and was awarded the prestigious Dean’s Medal.

Kent Karsevar has been a Clovis/Fresno resident since 1977 and graduated from Clovis High School in 1979.  From there, he attended Brigham Young University from fall 1979 until December 1984.  Kent graduated from BYU in December 1984 with BA in Advertising with a Media Sales emphasis and minor in Sociology.  Upon graduation, he moved to the Manhattan Beach area of Los Angeles and worked in the advertising field until returning to Fresno in 1989.  During the fall of 1989, Mr. Karsevar enrolled in the Mass Communications MA program at Fresno State a graduated in May of 1994.  As a student Kent liked the diversity of Fresno State from the programs, to the professors, to the student body.  Presently, Kent is the Director of Development for the College of Social Sciences at California State University, Fresno.

Michele went to Sierra High School in the mountains east of Clovis. Here she excelled in her college preparatory classes, played Varsity tennis and lettered in academics all 4 years. She was involved in multiple extra-curricular activities and enjoyed raising horses with her family.  Michele graduated in 1997 from the Craig School of Business with a bachelor’s of science degree in Business with an emphasis in Marketing.  Although Michele had worked in multiple industries from technology to food manufacturing to retail fashion, she now works as the Marketing Manager for the California Raisin Marketing Board where she plans and executes a 6 million dollar, public relations/advertising/event-heavy marketing plan across the U.S.  Michele’s favorite thing about Fresno State was the quality of education she received at the Craig School of Business. The teamwork and critical thinking skills that she learned helped more than prepare her for the working world. The projects that she was able to participate in that allowed her to get involved with local area businesses helped move ideology to reality in addition to helping her develop local business relationship that proved useful after college.

Katie Johnson, a first generation college graduate, received degrees in Political Science and Philosophy in 2003.  During her time on campus she was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and a McNair Scholar.  Since graduation she has worked in politics and the non-profit sector.  She is currently the Alumni Outreach Programs Administrator at the Fresno State Alumni Association and will start the Masters of Public Administrator program in the fall.  Katie enjoyed her high-quality education at Fresno State and found that living in Fresno provided her with an excellent opportunity to travel the state of California and the Sierra Nevada.

Mark Riley (Alumni Panelist – Class of ’92)

Michele Meisch (Alumni Panelist – Class of ’97)

Kent Karsevar (Alumni Panelist – Class of ’94)

Amanda Holder (Alumni Panelist – Class of '99)

Katie Johnson (Alumni Panel Moderator – Class of ’03)

Ralph Watkins

Ralph Watkins has lived in a variety of places and worked at the management level in a variety of retail organizations.  He attended high school at Cony High School in Augusta, Maine and then graduated from Camelback High School in Phoenix, Arizona where he also lifeguarded and coached swim team.  Ralph earned his bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and then went on to work for Kmart Corporation in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and California for six years as a Merchandise Manager.  He then worked for Zody’s Stores for two and a half years as a Merchandise Manager and Store Manager.  After Zody’s Stores, Ralph started working for Target Corporation where he has been for the past twenty-three and a half years as Merchandise Manager, Operations Manager, and Store Team Leader in Southern California, the Central Valley, and the Bay Area.  Ralph also has a wife and three children, two of whom have business degrees from Fresno State. 

Marco Diaz

Growing up as a son of “campesino” field worker parents’ and being the first person in his family to attend college and receive a BA and MA has given Marco first hand knowledge of how important it is for students to pursue a brighter future.  Marco has worked with students from Fresno, Santa Clara, and Los Angeles County to implement strategies to encourage students to pursue a higher education.  He is currently working with the Division of Graduate Studies at California State University Fresno to help students learn about the dynamic programs that this great university offers. His doors are always open to any student.