Alumni Years at CSDR and CSDB/F for Education and Employment

In 2002, the alumni employees from all departments met for a group picture near the dining hall. Billy “Rusty Wales, ‘63, broke the glass ceiling with his hiring for employment on campus as the first alumnus in Fall 1967.

Alumni employees can be especially valuable to any Deaf school because they understand the unique culture, language, traditions, and experiences of the Deaf community. They inspire the youth of the same ilk to reach their potential.

Below are the retired CSDR alumni employees in the prescribed order based on their total years of education and employment on campus. The first set of years are for school. The second set of years are for work. The total of both is shown at the end in the photo caption. Enjoy the trip down the article and admire the alumni who have contributed, small or big, to the greatness of the school since 1967 when the first alumnus was hired.

Kimberly Cheek, ’86 1969-1986 and 1990-2025 = 52 years

The Longest Tenure at CSDR

Kim Cheek, ‘86, earned the distinction as the school’s longest enrolled student with 17 years from 1969 to 1986 (from ages 3 to 20). She was held back for one more year in junior high school because the high school was swarming with the largest student body in the school’s history due to the Rubella epidemic that brought forth thousands cases of deafness nationwide in the mid-1960s.

At the peak of the Rubella epidemic in 1966, Kimberly was born deaf. Her mother knew nothing about how a deaf child could grow up and succeed. She soon found out about the John Tracy Clinic, a special school for deaf toddlers in Los Angeles. The mother subscribed to their philosophy that deaf children should undergo aural and oral rehabilitation for success in a world designed for hearing and speech.

Kim’s father and uncle worked at their father’s feed store for livestock in nearby Pedley. They had a regular customer who bought bales of grass for her horses one block from CSDR. The customer was Eloise Wudadinovich, a Deaf teacher in the elementary department at CSDR. The father admired that Eloise was able to perform daily tasks like everybody else and care for her horses at home.

The father was also impressed that Eloise had a college education (Gallaudet Class of 1949) and held a job as a teacher for Deaf children. He persuaded the mother to forget about the John Tracy Clinic and focus on CSDR, which was within a 15-minute drive. She finally succumbed to common sense.

With her parents present for admission and orientation, Kim met Dr. Brill in his office. For a picture for Kim’s new school folder, Dr. Brill lifted Kim and placed her on his lap. (This is quite a surprise to the school historian as a Brill alumnus that Dr. Brill would do this.) His secretary, Virginia Firth, used a Polaroid camera that released a photo quickly. Upon Kim’s admission in 1969, she was three, one of the youngest at the time. Kim had no clue that she would end up staying as a student for 17 years, a new school record that she still holds since 1986.

Kim then spent 35 years in the residence hall at her alma mater for employment. Kim now enjoys her retirement in Riverside.

Bruce Gould, ’71 1955-1971 and 1977-2012 = 51 years

Susan Hagood Tousignant, ’74 1958-1974 and 1981-2016  = 51 years

Greg Decker, ’66 1956-1966 and 1972-2012 = 50 years

Gregory Decker, ‘66, is acknowledged as the first fully credentialed alumnus teacher with a master’s degree was hired to teach at CSDR in 1972. Greg is also highly revered in the CSDR community for his long affiliation with the school first as a student in 1956 and then a teacher that finally ended in 2012 for retirement. His combined student and employee year total is 50 years which is remarkable. The teaching span is 40 years altogether as a contractor teacher for 35 years and a sub teacher for the last five years.

Greg has an interesting story about how he transferred to CSDR.  Since Greg is hard of hearing and can fairly speak for himself.   His classmate, Jane, observed how he communicated with peers and staff in a public school at Victoria Elementary School and figured out that he didn’t belong in regular education.

Jane went home one block to the CSDR Superintendent’s house and told her Dad about Greg who experienced communication challenges.  Her Dad turned out to be Dr Brill who headed CSDR.  After the conference and campus tour with his parents, Greg transferred to the new school with a language and culture unknown to him.

Greg is also remembered for his time donation to the CSDR Alumni Association. He is recognized for starting the new alumni association in 1983 and was elected president for its first executive board from 1983 to 1988.

Greg spent hours filling out the paperwork for tax exemption status for the CSDRAA.  To satisfy the postal regulations for alumni newsletter bulk rate, he developed bylaws to get a break on newsletter postage.   For the 50th anniversary in 2003, he led a committee to build a time capsule on the Ella Brill walkway in 1983.   The time capsule tower is still there for something else.

From 1953 to present, only five boys at CSDR reached the highest rank as an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.  Greg was the first CSDR boy to accomplish the rank in 1964.

By all accounts, Greg was a poster boy for CSDR for his dedication to the school as a student, a teacher, a coach and an active alumnus for 50 years. Greg is retired and leads a quiet life in Riverside.

Gayle Bena Thompson, ‘72 1956-1972 and 1980-2012 = 48 years

Beverly Greer, ‘68 1959-1968 and 1975-2012 = 46 years

Lily Miller, ’68 1955-1968 and 1978-2008 = 43 years

Carolyn Gomez, ’81 1968-1981 and 1990-2020 = 43 years

Scott Vermilya, ’67 1960-1967 and 1977-2012 =42 years

Patty Walsh Lopez, ’75 1967-1975 and 1981-2016 = 42 years

Kenneth Andrews, ’84 1972-1984 and 1996-2026 = 42 years

Mike Cardinale, ‘66 1956-1966 and 1974-2006 =42 years at CSDR and CSDB

Shelly Freed, ’82 1967-1982 and 1996-2019 = 39 years

Nancy Moore, ’83 1977-1983 and 1992-2025 = 39 years

Peter Stecher, ’88 1982-1988 and 1992-2025 = 39 years

Ken Clark, ’79 1966-1979 and 1995-2019 = 37 years

Melinda Moore, ’69 1963-1969 and 1978-2008 = 36 years

Gena Fischer, ’68 1963-1968 and 1980-2010 = 36 years

Gail England Riley, ‘74 1965-1974 and 1979-2015 = 36 years

Patricia Heynen, 1970-1977 and 1992-2021 =-36 years

Mark McCrory, ’62 1955-1962 and 1978-2005 = 34 years

Jens Rechenberg, ’81 1977-1981 and  1991-2021 = 34 years

Barbara Carr, ‘69 1956-1969 and 1980-2000 = 33 years

Kyle Bayarsky, ‘02 1989-2002 and 2005-2025 =-33 years

Margaret (Peggy) Dominick Almendarez, ’61 1953-1961 and 1989-2014 = 33 years

Sharon Nunn Vollmar, ’68 1955-1968 and 1995-2014 = 32 years

Tari Williams, ’74 1972-1974 and 1992-2021 = 31 years

Alban Branton, ’81 1969-1981 and 1999-2015 =28 years

Pat Davis, ’63 1953-1963 and 2000-2017 = 27 years

Erlinda Gomez Miller, ’82 1970 -1982 and 2011-2026 = 27 years

Antonia Torres Clark, ’79 1973-1979 and 1997-2019 = 26 years

Connie Paine Henes, ‘66 1963-1966 and 1985-2008 = 26 years

Janice Jo Garey, 70. 1963-1970 and 1989-2008 =26 years

Robert Johansmeyer, ’74. 1968-1974 and 2006-2025 = 25 years

Theresa Fiala Ventura, ’79 1973-1979 and 1985-1989/2006-2019 = 23 years

Rae Etta Marquez Gamache, ’57 1953-1957 and 1980-1998 = 22 years

Adrienne Cleva Kosek, ‘63 1959-1963 and 1988-2006 = 22 years

Farley Warshaw, ’74 1968-1974 and 2000-2015 = 21 years

Annie Utley, ‘03 1990-2003 and 2012-2020 =21 years

Bettie Jill Meinke Cote, ‘74 1964-1974 and 1991-2001 = 20 years

Brian Goodloe, ‘86 1980-1986 and 1996-2010 = 20 years

Jack Lamberton, ‘66 1953-1966 and 2022-2024 =15 years

Juddie Joiner Lamberton, ‘66 1963-1966 and 2022-2024 =5 years

Billy “Rusty” Wales, ’63. 1956-1963 and 1967-1978 = 18 years

Trailblazer Rusty Wales

In September 1967, Billy “Rusty” Wales, ’63, earned the distinction of being the school’s first alumnus to be hired for employment on campus. Rusty trailblazed an employment route that has opened for the next 115 alumni and still counting.

In 1956, Rusty transferred to CSDR from Mary E Bennett Oral School (1897-1986) in Los Angeles. He soon embraced the new school for its myriad of school activities that kept the students busy from bed rise to bed time. Further, sign language was a better fit for his free-flowing communication.

After seven years of solid academic progress in 1963, he went on to Gallaudet University for four years, earning a BA in sociology in 1967. A month before his graduation, Rusty saw a job opening for a dorm counselor at CSDR in the Gallaudet Dean of Students’ office. He soon sent the application to Riverside.

In late August, Rusty obtained the surprise news from his father that CSDR had hired Rusty for employment in the residence hall and requested he reports to duty on the following Monday.

With little time until Monday, Rusty packed everything into his MG sports car for a continental drive. He drove for 22 hours from Boston to Los Angeles—a quite impressive record for a fast drive across the country. He made it home safely.

Later in the week of new employees orientation at CSDR, Rusty met Dean of Students Mary Scully (1953-1974) for the interview. Mary didn’t know sign language and knew only fingerspelling. She had polio that rendered her left arm and left leg useless. As a result, Rusty and Mary had a brief interview with a few questions. In the end, Mary notified him that he was officially hired and ready to work. As part of the job, he was asked to live in a small apartment in the back of Rubidoux dorm, where he stayed for two years.

In 1969, Assistant Superintendent James Hoxie offered Rusty a part-time teacher aide position to work with Teacher Rudolph Ackerman in the bakery shop adjacent to the dining room on the top of his full-time dorm work. Rudolph needed extra help managing boys’ disruptive behaviors in the shop. Rusty’s help smoothed out the boys under his care. It was at this point Rusty started contemplating a career change to teaching.

One day, Dorm Counselor Little Bob Jackson told Rusty to go to Dr. Brill’s office immediately. During the Brill era (1951-1977), any employee who was asked to see Dr. Brill first wondered, “What did I do wrong?” Rusty mustered his courage and walked straight to the office. Dr. Brill had learned beforehand that Rusty was interested in becoming a teacher. Dr. Brill encouraged Rusty to start his graduate studies in summer 1970. He was then issued a provisional credential for his first year of teaching in Fall 1970 at CSDR. With the new appointment, Rusty earned another first in the school’s history—the first alumnus teacher.

Meanwhile, Rusty continued to drive 80 miles to CSU Northridge one day a week during fall and spring. Once again, he took more summer classes in 1971. The good news finally came with the award of a clear state teacher credential for life. He continued to travel to Northridge to work on his master’s degree, which he finally obtained in 1978.

With positive reflections on his 18 years of life at CSDR, Rusty enjoys his well-earned retirement in the Pacific Northwest.

Mike Garza, ’02. 1995-2002 and 2010-2019 = 17 years

James Baer, ‘73 1961-1973 and 2009-2015 = 18 years

Franklin Johnston, ’66. 1962-1966 and 1980-1983/2005-2015 = 17 years

Virginia Wauson Powers 1953-1957 and 1990-2002 =16 years

Lillian Quartermus, ’57 1953-1957 and 1990-2001 = 15 years

Paul Maucere, ’79 I966-1979 and 2003-2006 = 16 years

Tamara Foronda Coleman, ‘02 1992-2002 and 2008-2013 = 15 years

Fadi Alberre, ‘03 1994-2003 and 2011-2017 = 15 years

Allon Stigall, ’76. 1963-1976 and 1977-1978 = 14 years

Kevin Struxness, ‘76 1970-1976 and 1994-2001 = 13 years

Fernando Guzman, ‘02 1991-2002 and 2021-2023 = 13 years

Joshua Beatty, ‘03 1991-2003 and 2003-2005 = 14 years

Charles Katz, ‘78 1967-1978 and 2004-2005 = 12 years

Ryan Baldiviez, 1998-2010 and 2013-2015/2019-2025 = 20 years

Katryna Baldiviez 1999-2010 and 2022-2024 = 13 years

Carmen Jimenez Croasmun, ’02. 1994-2002 and 2009-2012 = 11 years

Howard Sultan, ’66 1958-1966 and 2001-2003 = 10 years

Mary Ann Rose Sultan, ’68. 1959-1968 and 2009-2015 = 15 years

John Foronda, ‘74, 1966-1974 and 1995-1997 =10 years

Joshua Valencia, ’ 00 1996-2000 and 2018-2023 = 9 years

Colleen Shaw, ‘81 1972-1981 and

Petra Horn Marsh, ‘82 1975-1982 and 2000-2002 = 9 years

Jeremias Valencia, ’99 1996-1999 and 2009-2011/2021-2024 = 8 years

Stefanie Ellis-Gonzales, ’93 1989-1993 and 2001-2004 = 7 years

Tracy Rouly Knight, ‘88 1985-1988 and 1998-1999 =4 years

Keith Gamache, ’92. 1989-1992 and 2003-2004 = 4 years

Kevin Gamache, ’95 1989-1995 and 2024-2025 = 7 years

Katherine Gibbins Valencia, ‘02 1990-2002 and 2011-2015 = 16 years

Kesha Murray, ’98.

Joseph Anderson, ’95.

Joyce Lovell, ’81.

Thomas Korn, ’83, 1977-1983 and 1999-2006 =13 years

Below is the next group of the CSDR alumni who are still working on campus, starting with the oldest (approaching retirement) and ending with the youngest on the bottom.

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Kenneth Watson, ‘71 1957-1971 and 2016-present

Tim Price, ’81 1969-1981 and 1996-present

Wendy Calhoun Korn, ’82 1969-1982 and 1993-2003/2015-present

Norman Weiss, ’88 1974-1988 and 2006-present

Fred Weiss, ’89 1975-1989 and 2002-present

Len Gonzales, ’91 1979-1991 and 2001-present at both CSDR and CSDF

Brad Miles, ‘88 1981-1988 and 2003-present

John Lawson, ‘98 1984-1998 and 2006-present

Robert Connor, ‘00. 1991-2000 and 2006-present

Tyler Bayarsky, ‘03 1989-2003 and 2010-present

Humberto Guzman 1990-1999 and 2009 - present

Arianne Kassell Hendrix, ’94, 1992-1994 and 2016-present

Ben McCrory, ’97 1993-1997 and 2010-present

Scarlett Bernstein Valencia, ’97 1993-1997 and 2003-present

Reagan Anders 1994-1998 and 2007-present

Maryann Izzo, ‘96 1994-1996 and 2011-present

Jonathan Valencia, ’02 1996-2002 and 2013-present

Guiletta Maucere 1997-2006 and 2023-present

Edward Delfosse, ’14 1997-1998/1999-2014 and 2023-present

Jessica Valencia-Biskupiak, ’03 1996-2003 and 2007-present

Alex Morales, ’14 2012-2014 and 2016-2017/2020-present

Noah Valencia, ’16 2003-2016 and 2023-present

Montana Murphy, ‘11 2005-2011 and 2025-present

Bradley DeLoye, ‘98 1992-1998 and 2000-present

Mary Torres Angoorani, ’86. 1979-1986 and 2001-present

Judith Padilla, ’03 1997-2003 and 2012-2017/2022-present

Sylvia Padilla Fraser, ‘82 1973-1982 and 2011-present

Galvin Drake, ‘10 1997-2010 and 2015-present

Kevin Phillips, ‘87 1981-1987 and 2016-present

Daniel Ruccione, ‘05 1999-2005 and

Ruth Rodriguez, ‘82 1970-1982 and 2010-present

Andrea Bryson Thomas, ’96

Kent Turner, ‘05 1999-2005 and 2024-present

Gabby Balmaceda, ‘05 1992-1993/1996-2005 and 2016-present

Yvette Vazquez Ring, ’99. 1995-1999 and 2009-present

Mark Dorsey, ’86. 1979-1986 and 1996-present

Sara Wnek , ’14? PE teacher

Kevin Wnek , ’08? NA

Joseph Montes, ‘00

Tommy Korn, ‘03

April Getten, ’03

End of compilation…

Wow… This article assignment alone took me 30 hours chasing alumni through phone texts to ask for self pictures and their years of school and work at CSDR. I also made many trips to trusty yearbooks for pictures and years. I appreciate the helpful alumni to connect me with the lost alumni. I tried my best to make the exhaustive list of alumni employees hired after 1967. I believe qualified alumni make outstanding employees. They see past their paychecks as to why they work hard. Simply stated, they choose to pay back. They treasure their memories at CSDR.

Kevin Struxness, ‘76, MA

Editor, CSDR Old Times

2026