Alumni Spotlight: Todd Gooch
MPA grad Todd Gooch channeled his passion for emergency preparation into benefiting the community. He applied the knowledge he gained in the MPA program to creating MySafe: Riverside, a nonprofit modeled after MySafe: LA.
Alumni Spotlight: Todd Gooch
MPA grad Todd Gooch channeled his passion for emergency preparation into benefiting the community. Knowledge gained in the program helped the battalion chief for the City of Riverside create MySafe: Riverside, a nonprofit modeled after MySafe: LA. MySafe: Riverside teaches the public how to plan and respond should disaster strikes, such as an earthquake or fire. The MPA degree made the difference in moving the idea from concept to reality.
The MPA program’s focus on collaboration helped launch MySafe: Riverside. Gooch worked with the City of Riverside Fire Department and the City of Riverside to develop the project. MySafe: Riverside trains and educates people of all ages about disaster preparation. It helps them create a plan for reactions that can minimize casualties. The program’s effectiveness stems from the public, private and nonprofit sectors working together for disaster planning, response and recovery. “I would never have been able to do this without the knowledge that I obtained during my CSUN MPA program,” he said.
What Our Graduates are Saying
“Everything you learn in the classroom can be applied in the workplace the next day”.
– Erick Lee, Deputy Director of Public Works, City of Beverly Hills
What Our Graduates are Saying
“The price is right and the program is great for working individuals because it offers evening classes. I was able to complete the program with a full-time career/ family. I was actually pregnant with my first child a year into the program and was able to complete the program.”Mona Karroum
Housing Specialist
City of Culver City
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My cohort was filled with mostly public sector employees, like myself, but from a wide range of departments and agencies. I learned just as much from my classmates as I did from my professors.
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Stephanie Lynn Magnien Rockwell
Principle Project Coordinator
City of Los Angeles, City Administrative Officer
“It was a great program. The classes all applied directly to what I was doing and what I am still doing. I always say if I could repeat the degree again I would without thinking twice.” Frances Caron
Assistant Director & Professor
University of California, Riverside
California State University, Long Beach
“The Cohort program was such a convenience for me as a full-time employee, the automatic registration which was done for us, the starting and finishing the program with the same students allowed for special relationships in which we really gelled together as a group. I would not change this if I were to do the program again.” Wendell Brian Wall
General Manager
Georgetown Divide Public Utility District
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Everything you learn in the classroom can be applied in the workplace the next day.
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Erick Lee
Deputy Director of Public Works
City of Beverly Hills
“The cohort provides a great opportunity to network and work with other people in your same field of work and study. It provides an excellent opportunity to share information, be a sounding board, learn from each other’s public agencies practices, procedures and methods.” Mariam Lee Ko
Human Resources & Risk Manager
City of South Pasadena
“I really enjoyed not only the classes but the instructors. I definitely left the program feeling like it was worth it and that I learned a great deal that I could carry forward in any future job, regardless of whether I ended up working in the public sector or not.” Devon Renwick
Sales Associate
Johns Hopkins University Press
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Great leadership program, excellent professors, and flexible schedule.
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Jaime Barajas
Director
The Barajas Foundation
“It’s a well-rounded program which covers various levels of government, so this gives you more career options as you move forward.” Jennifer Harkey
Program Analyst
County of Ventura
“If a student is looking to find a quality MPA program that is designed for working professionals and incorporates real life situations in discussions and collaboration then CSUN’S program should be in their top choices. The program has instructors who are well trained and have worked in the field.” Fernando Garces
Assistant Vice President
Union Bank
Careers
Graduating from CSUN will make you a part of an extensive network of over 200,000 alumni that will build relationships for continued professional success. Our MPA alumni have successful careers in these organizations and many others
Graduating from CSUN will make you a part of an extensive network of over 200,000 alumni that will build relationships for continued professional success.
Our MPA alumni have successful careers in these organizations and many others: