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People in Business: A who's who in business for Sept. 12

The Bakersfield Californian | Friday, Sep 12 2008 1:21 PM

Last Updated: Friday, Sep 12 2008 1:32 PM

RUTHANNE ESPARZA has joined Wood & Randall, Certified Shorthand Reporters, as a client liaison focusing on customer relations and litigation-support services. Esparza, a licensed certified shorthand reporter since 1986, moved to Bakersfield in 2000. She shifted into the administration side of the business in 2007.

Cal State Bakersfield made announcements regarding a Fulbright scholarship, two new deans and two new faculty members.

ANDY ALALI has been accepted into the Fulbright Scholar Program for the 2008-09 academic year, when he will be lecturing and conducting research in Nigeria, West Africa. Born in Nigeria, Alali is to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in mass communications at the University of Abuja, in Abuja, Nigeria. He also plans to research the country's media, militancy and petroleum-related violence. The Fulbright program sends 800 scholars to more than 140 countries every year.

EDWIN SASAKI has been appointed interim dean of CSUB's School of Humanities and Social Sciences. A member of the university community for 34 years, Sasaki served as a psychology professor before becoming special assistant to the provost. He earned a doctorate in psychology at Stanford University. He succeeds Marla Iyasere, who filled the position since early 2001 and now serves as special assistant to the provost.

CRAIG KELSEY has been named interim dean of the university's School of Education. Kelsey joined CSUB in 2006 as the dean of extended university, having worked previously as department head in the College of Education and Human Services at Utah State University. He earned a doctorate in curriculum and instruction at the University of New Mexico. Kelsey succeeds Curt Guaglianone, who accepted a position as special assistant to the provost.

JIE YU has joined CSUB as a faculty member in the Department of Nursing, assuming the endowed Robert and Edith Cochran Gerontology Professorship. Yu recently completed a doctorate in nursing at the University of Missouri. She hopes to develop cost-effective measures to prolong elderly people's functionality.

NORMAN L. KELTNER has been appointed chairman of the university's Department of Nursing. He worked most recently as a professor and director of the Accelerated Masters in Nursing Pathway program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He earned degrees at Delta College, Fresno State and the University of San Francisco.

BRANDON JAMES HAWKINS has joined Stockdale Podiatry Group as a podiatrist. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and English, Hawkins is expected to work in the group's Bakersfield, Delano and Porterville offices. He now serves as team podiatrist for the Bakersfield Blitz, Bakersfield Jam, Bakersfield College, Taft College, College of the Sequoias, Fresno Pacific University and Bakersfield Christian High School. He earned his doctorate in podiatric medicine at Rosalind Franklin University's Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine.

DENISE DENTON has been promoted to become vice president of finance and administration/CFO at Mazzei Injector Co LLC. In her new position she is to be responsible for monetary issues within the company's global business transactions, while also supervising human resource activities.

ADRIAN SMITH has been appointed controller of Mazzei Injector Co. LLC. A Bakersfield native who went on to graduate from Princeton University, Smith specializes in financial analysis and forecast modeling.

KYLE A. MORTENSEN has joined the Oak Street dental practice of James K. Kirkpatrick. Mortensen, a 1996 graduate of West High School, earned his bachelor's degree in biology at Cal State Bakersfield before going on to earn a doctorate in dental medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

People in Business announces new hires, promotions, awards, professional achievements and other business “people news” in Kern County. Submissions can be mailed to The Bakersfield Californian, business editor, P.O. Bin 440, Bakersfield, CA 93302; faxed to 395-7519; or e-mailed to business@bakersfield.com. Sorry, photos that are submitted cannot be returned. For information, call 395-7345 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.