Michael Barber - Professor of the Theology, Scripture and Catholic Thought.
Michael is currently completing a Ph.D. in Theology at Fuller in Pasadena, CA, writing a dissertation on the Historical Jesus and Sacramental
Eschatology under the world famous scholar, Colin Brown. He has an M. A. in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and received his
B. A. in Theology and Philosophy from Azusa Pacific University. He is the author of several books, including, 'Coming Soon: Unlocking the Book of
Revelation and Applying Its Lessons Today' (Emmaus Road, 2006) and most recently, 'Genesis to Jesus: Studying Scripture from the Heart of the
Church' (Servant, 2007), a Bible study co-authored with Kimberly Hahn. He is a Research Fellow for the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theoogy,
founded by Dr. Scott Hahn. Barber is also the host of 'Reasons for Faith Live' a radio show heard nationwide each Friday at 11am PCT on EWTN’s
Radio Network. In addition to teaching at JP Catholic, he teaches classes for the Diocesan Institute of San Diego, where he helps to form the
future deacons and religious educators of the Diocese.
Professor Barber has been granted the mandatum by Robert Brom, bishop of San Diego as an ecclesial recognition of Michael's posture and commitment to
teach always in communion with the Church.
Read more about Michael on his 'Singing in the Reign' blog.
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Derry Connolly - Professor of Business
In addition to his role at JP Catholic, Derry continues to work part-time at University of California, San Diego where he represents UCSD
on the Executive Board of CCAT
– the Center for the Commercialization of Advanced Technology, and heads up CCAT CEO mentoring services.
He teaches Applied Innovation at the Von Liebig Center for Entrepreneurism and Technology Advancement at UCSD.
Prior to JP Catholic, Derry worked full-time as the Associate Dean of Continuing Education at UCSD Extension, leading a program with 40,000 part-time adult students, 125+ full time staff
(academic and administrative), 1500+ part-time Instructors. Derry spent 15 years working in industrial Research and Development with IBM and Kodak.
He holds 8 US patents and has numerous technical publications. He has a Ph.D. from Cal-Tech in Pasadena, CA and an
M.Sc. and B.Sc. from University College, Cork, Ireland. Back to Top
Tom Dunn - Director of Digital Media Production and Adjunct Professor of of Film Production
Tom began his professional career over 17 years ago on the Paramount Studios lot working for Entertainment Tonight in the post-production department.
Since then he has gone on to produce, direct, write and edit hundreds of television commercials, documentaries, sports and entertainment programs
and news stories. He has worked for local and national cable television networks, independent production companies and a local broadcast affiliate.
Tom is the recipient of numerous national and regional awards for television production, including 4 Telly Awards and a Cable ACE Award.
Tom served for 2 years as vice-president of the Orange County Chapter of the Media Communications Association International.
He received his BA in Television, Radio and Film Production from California State University, Long Beach.
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Paul Escandon - Adjunct Professor of Digital Media
Paul started his first company in California at age 15 very early in the Internet boom. After years of web and graphic design, he moved into
digital media, film and television.
After an internship in L.A. with a top Hollywood producer and traveling to Sri Lanka where he documented the post-tsunami aftermath, he started
his own production company Oremus Productions,
which produces commercials, music videos, corporate and event videography. Paul has works full-time as an editor,
motion graphics artist, and colorist for a local cable television network.
Paul, a cradle Catholic, brings his many talents and love for the Christ
into the classroom. In his early teens, he developed an interest in Christian apologetics and worked for a time at St. Joseph Communications in Covina, CA.
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Martin Harold - Adjunct Professor of Story
Martin has a BA in Political Science and an MBA from Franciscan University.
He was the Founding Editor of and a regular contributor to Lumen Vincens - a Franciscan University literary magazine.
In Martin's story classes, students learn what constitutes a compelling story and he supplements the classroom learning
with guest lectures, in seminar style, from a diverse group of seasoned industry professionals.
These professional will visit campus and present to the students their perspectives on the ingredients of a compelling story.
Guest speakers include Film and TV screenwriters, animators and video game developers, newspaper and magazine writers.
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Dominic Iocco - Professor of Business
Dominic owned a successful inkjet recycling company. The family owned and operated company grew rapidly and annually recycled over one million cartridges.
The company was sold in 2007 to the world's largest cartridge recycler. He also orchestrated the rescue of a failed PayPal competitor.
He was able to successfully stabilize and sell the operation.
Dominic, in addition to his role at JP Catholic University, serves as an
Entrepreneur-in-Residence at San Diego’s CONNECT. In this role he is helping other entrepreneurs build their companies.
Dominic holds a BAA and an MBA. Back to Top
Jerry Jackson - Professor of Business
Jerry’s 30-year career has included executive management positions at both small and large privately owned and publicly traded consulting firms.
He’s overseen the growth and transformation of firms involving hundreds of staff and $100s million of revenue.
An engineer by education, Jerry has also pioneered the use of innovative technologies to treat water, wastewater, and hazardous wastes.
His projects have been recognized as “outstanding” by professional organizations, and he’s accompanied the US Secretary of Commerce in
international trade missions, and has testified before Congress on applicable legislation.
Jerry holds a BS, MS, and PhD in civil engineering, is a licensed professional engineer, and has been on the faculty at five universities in the
United States and overseas. He is an avid runner, surfer, sky diver, and pilot. Back to Top
Alan Lane - Professor of Finance
Prior to joining JP Catholic as CFO, Alan was President and COO of Southwest Community Bancorp. Before that Alan was CEO of Financial Data Solutions, Inc., a recently
divested subsidiary of Southwest Community Bancorp. Prior to joining Southwest Community Bancorp, he was President/CEO of Business Bank of
California until the bank's sale to Union Bank of California in early 2004.
Alan has served as President/CEO or Chief Financial Officer of both manufacturing and retail companies, ranging in size from $10 million to
$50 million in annual revenues.
Alan is also a member of the Board of Directors of Natural Alternatives International, Inc., a leading formulator and manufacturer of nutritional
supplements headquartered in San Marcos, CA. Alan has a BA in Economics from SDSU.
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Candace Person MBA, CPA, CFP - Adjunct Professor of Business
Candace has been a member of the academic community for over 25 years. She has taught financial accounting and budgeting at UCSD Extended Studies and San Diego
Gas and Electric. Candace has worked at a number of financial fields, including banking, insurance, and retail. She received a B.A. from the University of
Toronto, Canada, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and CPA certification from the University of Illinois. Candace has maintained her Certified Financial
Planning credential for over 20 years and is currently preparing to take the first level of the Certified Financial Analyst Exam in June of 08.
She is also a volunteer at the La Jolla High School, the Red Cross, and Integrative Medicine at Scripps Clinic. Candace and her husband have resided in La
Jolla for 27 years. She has 2 daughters: one a graduate of UCLA and currently in graduate school at the University of Texas and the other an undergraduate at
UC Berkeley.
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Christopher Riley - Adjunct Professor of Film
Chris is a screenwriter whose first film, After The Truth, an award-winning courtroom thriller written with his wife and professional partner,
Kathleen Riley, sparked international controversy in 1999 when it was released in Germany. Other credits include 25 To Life, a dramatic thriller
for Junction Entertainment and Touchstone Pictures; The Other White House, a political thriller for Sean Connery’s Fountainbridge Films and
Intermedia; Aces, an action-adventure romance for Paramount Pictures; and a screen adaptation of the book Actual Innocence for Mandalay Television
Pictures and the Fox television network. A veteran of the Warner Bros. script department, Riley is the author of The Hollywood Standard:
The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style. Since 2005, he has served as director of the acclaimed Act One Writing Program
in Hollywood.
Act One trains Christians of all denominations for careers as
writers and executives in mainstream film and television. Back to Top
Nathan Scoggins - Adjunct Professor of Film
Nathan is both a writer and director who most recently directed the independent feature 'The Least of These' starring Isaiah Washington (Grey's Anatomy) and
screen legend Robert Loggia (Big). Two of his short films have just received DVD distribution by Lionsgate. Nathan is a graduate of Act One
and is an effective speaker and teacher. He's also a leader in the Christian community in Hollywood, chairing Premise, a group of Christian writers, producers
and directors from all denominations who gather each month to pray for one another and for Hollywood.
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Maria Rangel - Adjunct Professor of Art
Maria, a native Southern Californian, pursue art as a career after graduating with a B.A. from Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, CA.
She also holds a B.F.A. in fine arts from the Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, CA. Maria is a professional fine artist, specializing in
drawing and painting. She also works part-time as a digital architectural illustration artist. She has grown in her insight and technique throughout her studies
and has gained much inspiration from her time spent at the Angel Academy of Art in Florence, Italy.
Maria’s art can be seen on her website
www.rangelstudios.com and at various locations throughout Southern
California. Back to Top
Ed Snow - Adjunct Professor of Business
Ed, a co-founder of JP Catholic University, is the vice president of engineering for DriveCam.
In this role he is responsible for product research and development. He ensures that products are designed to meet quality and market objectives,
maintains economical production methods and recommends changes, reviews and approves estimates and proposals.
Ed previously served as founder and president of Time-To-Market Engineering Inc.
TTM is a consulting firm based in San Diego, Calif. that specializes in high-risk problem solving and product development for the embedded
software market for such prestigious clients as HP and Cymer. They were primarily focused on new product development and first generation platforms.
He has experience in all phases of new product development from product definition, technical investigation, design and implementation through to
first customer shipment.
Ed earned a Masters in Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a BS in Computer Engineering from
UC San Diego.
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Jonathan Velasco - Adjunct Professor of Business Law
Jonathan is registered patent attorney with over 10 years of experience protecting the intellectual property rights of companies ranging in size from Fortune
500 companies to early-stage companies. Currently Jonathan is patent counsel with QUALCOMM Incorporated, providing legal counsel in various wireless
technologies including client counseling, patent procurement and prosecution, acquisition analysis, and infringement analysis. Prior to joining QUALCOMM,
Jonathan headed the patent prosecution group of Kyocera Wireless Corp. as Sr. IP Counsel, where he developed a growing domestic and international patent
portfolio. In addition to his corporate counsel experience, Jonathan has worked as an associate with a number of law firms, practicing in all areas of
intellectual property law, with a particular emphasis on U.S. and foreign patent protection in a wide variety of technologies.
Jonathan received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of California at Irvine and his J.D. from McGeorge School of Law, University of the
Pacific, and is currently pursuing his M.S. in Theology with Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Distance Program.
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