CSUF Comm Week 2026: Full Schedule

1:00pm PDT

Where PR Meets Influence: The Role of Creators at Disney

Monday April 27, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Rachel Green is the vice president of global PR and Events for Disney Experiences where she leads communications programs across public relations, social media and influencer marketing, content strategy, campaigns, and experiential events.

Hear how Disney is scaling impact across PR by engaging creators. The approach requires an evolution of corporate mindset, responding to the speed of culture and creating with relevancy and authenticity in mind.

Hosted by Professor Emily Erickson

Speakers

Rachel Green

Vice President of Global PR and Events, Disney Experiences

Rachel Green is the Vice President of Global PR and Events for Disney Experiences, where she leads communications programs across public relations, social media, influencer marketing, content strategy, campaigns, and experiential events. She has worked on award-winning brand partnerships... Read More →

Monday April 27, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Entertainment & Tourism

4:00pm PDT

Inside MLB Public Relations: Behind the Scenes with the Angels

Monday April 27, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Titan Theater

Adam Chodzko serves as the senior director of Public Relations for the Los Angeles Angels, where he plays a key role in shaping the team’s public image and communications strategy. In his talk, he will share insights from his career, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to represent a Major League Baseball organization. Drawing from his experience, he will also discuss the fast-paced, dynamic nature of working in the sports industry and the unique challenges and rewards that come with it.

Hosted by Professor Ricardo Valencia

Speakers

Adam Chodzko

Senior Director, Communications, Los Angeles Angels

This year marks Adam Chodzko's 18th season working in Major League Baseball. He enters 2026 as his 17th season with the Angels, having spent the past four years as the organization's Sr. Director of Communications. In his current position, he oversees the Club’s baseball information... Read More →

Monday April 27, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Journalism

5:30pm PDT

Industry and Real World Opportunities in Entertainment - 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival

Monday April 27, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT

Titan Theater

Hear about the amazing opportunities at the 2026 Newport Beach Film Festival, which gives students the unique opportunity to be a part of a major entertainment event in Orange County -- building your network and gaining relevant experience. There will be five different speakers sharing their experiences in the film and television industry. Students will get insights on internships, leadership opportunities, class options, and more!

The Newport Beach Film Festival is now the largest celebration of cinema in coastal Southern California. Be part of this very special evening. Discussions will cover: Entertainment PR, Brand Building, Event Planning, Hospitality (Hotels and Resorts), Marketing and Outreach, Celebrity Wrangling, and much more!

Hosted by Professor Greg Schwenk

Speakers

Danielle Solorzano

Director of Interns & Volunteers, Newport Beach Film Festival

Danielle Solorzano is the Director of Interns at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where she leads intern recruitment, training, and development across all departments. She holds a degree in Communications with an emphasis in Entertainment and Tourism from Cal State Fullerton, along... Read More →

Taylor Bazella

Features Programming Coordinator, Newport Beach Film Festival

A Chapman University graduate, Taylor was a Strategic and Corporate Communication major with a passion for learning more about how to effectively take a company's mission and implement it into their marketing strategies. Growing up with theater thoroughly assisted Taylor in building... Read More →

Cindy Cisneros

Co-Director of Feature Film Programming, Newport Beach Film Festival

Fellow Titan, Cindy Cisneros, graduated from California State University, Fullerton May 2022 with a Bachelor's in Communication and an emphasis on Entertainment and Tourism. Her journey with the Newport Beach Film Festival began in the fall of 2021, when she took 2 classes: Comm... Read More →

Todd Quartararo

Co-Founder and VP of Marketing & Development, Newport Beach Film Festival

Todd Quartararo has more than 25 years of public relations experience and founded Quartararo & Associates (Q&A) in 1997. Quartararo brings his account experience along with an entertainment, luxury retail, and real estate focus to Q&A. Since the start of Q&A, Quartararo has attracted... Read More →

Katie Alves

Marketing Coordinator, Newport Beach Film Festival

Katie Alves studied Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Cinema and Television Arts at California State University, Fullerton. She first joined the Newport Beach Film Festival as an intern, later stepping into the role of Social Media Coordinator.
Katie led the Festival’s TikTok strategy by identifying trends and applying creative marketing techniques to grow the Festival’s digital reach. She also played a key role in red carpet coverage, conducting interviews with high-profile talent. Her efforts helped generate over 3
... Read More →

Kaipo Cavanh

Marketing Manager, Newport Beach Film Festival

Kaipo Cavanh graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2022 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, with an emphasis in Public Relations. After graduating, Kaipo joined the Newport Beach Film Festival as the Digital Media Coordinator, where he developed creative... Read More →

Travis Garcia

Co-Director of Feature Film Programming & Director of Interns, Newport Beach Film Festival

Travis Garcia graduated from California State University, Fullerton January 2021 with a Bachelor's in Cinema and Television Arts. He is currently enrolled in CSUF's Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting program and is expecting to graduate this May. In 2022, Travis took on the Director... Read More →

Monday April 27, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Entertainment & Tourism

7:00pm PDT

NSSLHA Graduate Student Panel: Alumni Spotlight

Monday April 27, 2026 7:00pm - 9:00pm PDT

Titan Theater

This panel provides an opportunity to learn about people who were students at CSUF, giving a perspective on their story of how they got to graduate school and life afterwards. The panel will share their insights and recommendations, and answer any questions you may have as an undergraduate student.

Speakers

NSSHLA

Student Club

CSUF NSSLHA is a GOLD-accredited chapter and one of the largest student organizations of its kind in California, with over 300 members. The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) is a pre-professional organization for students pursuing studies in communication... Read More →

Monday April 27, 2026 7:00pm - 9:00pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Communication Sciences & Disorders

4:00pm PDT

The Daily Routine (Or Not) of a Speech-Language Pathologist

Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Titan Theater

The purpose of this presentation is to share what life is like as a speech-language pathologist at an elementary school. Every single day is different. Our role is unique depending on the setting, and I hope that sharing my own experiences will positively shape the interests of future speech-language pathologists. I also want to give everyone a realistic idea of what to expect in the coming years as they purse their education. While the job of an SLP is not always easy, it is significantly rewarding and I hope the presentation provides a realistic expectation of my career.

Hosted by Professor Kaylie Holke

Speakers

Ryan Nadler

Speech-Language Pathologist, Santa Ana Unified School District

Ryan Nadler is a Speech-Language Pathologist who attended CSUF from 2017 to 2021, earning his bachelor's degree in Psychology and Communication Disorders. He stayed at CSUF for his graduate education, officially becoming an SLP after finishing his master's in May 2023. Since then... Read More →

Tuesday April 28, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Communication Sciences & Disorders

2:00pm PDT

Event Planning at the Happiest Place on Earth

Wednesday April 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Titan Theater

Valerie Nuño is an Event Specialist for the Disneyland Resort. In this session, she will share insights and key learnings from planning large-scale themed events. Attendees will look at what it takes to strategically prepare, coordinate, and execute immersive guest experiences.

Hosted by Professor Jasmine Phillips

Speakers

Valerie Nuño

Event Specialist, The Walt Disney Company

Valerie has been working with the Disneyland Resort for 12 years. Most recently, she joined the Event Planning, Operations, and Services team where she plans and executes exciting after-hours events. During her tenure, she has worked primarily in Food and Beverage.

Wednesday April 29, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Entertainment & Tourism

4:00pm PDT

'Land of the Free:' How I Shot a Music Video for The Killers, Directed by Spike Lee

Wednesday April 29, 2026 4:00pm - 6:00pm PDT

Titan Theater

Fall 2018. A migrant caravan moves north across Central America, growing from a few hundred people into tens of thousands seeking safety and opportunity. While the political climate in the U.S. grows increasingly hostile, Spike Lee and the rock band, The Killers, decide to tell a different story.

Cinematographer Felipe Vara de Rey traveled to Tijuana to capture the moment in the powerful music video, “Land of the Free.”

Hosted by Professor Rebecca Sheehan

Speakers

Felipe Vara de Rey

Assistant Professor of Motion Picture Production, CSUF Department of Cinema and Television Arts

Felipe Vara de Rey has collaborated with leading directors including Spike Lee, Andrew Ahn, and Stefon Bristol, with credits on acclaimed projects such as Hulu’s "Fire Island", Netflix’s "See You Yesterday," the HBO docuseries "NYC Epicenters," and PBS SoCal’s Emmy-winning "Ten... Read More →

Wednesday April 29, 2026 4:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Cinema & Television Arts

7:00pm PDT

Shedding Light on the Unseen Mental Health Struggles of College Life

Wednesday April 29, 2026 7:00pm - 8:30pm PDT

Titan Theater

This presentation seeks to raise awareness of mental health-related topics that impact college students. Additionally, this presentation seeks to break the stigmas regarding mental health and how it affects the well-being of college students. This presentation also aims to shed light on the darkness, hopefully enabling those who feel unseen to feel seen by unpacking the theoretical and practical implications of such stigmas.

Hosted by Professor Connor Davidson

Speakers

Connor Davison

Adjunct Lecturer, CSUF, Department of Human Communication Studies

Professor Davison is an instructor and alumnus of Communication Studies at CSUF and Fullerton College. His research area focused on the intersection between interpersonal communication and mental health. He has created a class exploring the topic of loneliness and is a returning guest... Read More →

Wednesday April 29, 2026 7:00pm - 8:30pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Human Communication

11:30am PDT

Communicating Through Life: A Panel Discussion on Using AAC to Negotiate Life Events

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:30am - 1:30pm PDT

Titan Theater

This panel is hosted by the AAC Club and consists of 4 panelists who all use AAC as their primary mode of communication. Our panelists include Dr. Tracy Rackensperger, Dr. Yoosun Chung, Kevin Williams, and Mateo Moreno, who will be discussing a variety of topics by sharing their insights and experiences, all centering our main theme of “Communicating Through Life: A Panel Discussion on Using AAC to Negotiate Various Life Events”.

The AAC Club aims to address several barriers during events that have been hosted in the past, and this panel is no exception. We will be addressing the issues of social isolation and stigma, systemic exclusion in systems, and the limited exposure AAC users have to innovative formats and platforms. This panel is the culmination of the AAC Club’s speaker event series for the 2025-2026 academic year, “Nothing About Us Without Us.”

Panel members will be appearing remotely.

Hosted by Professor Lisa Erwin-Davidson, AAC Club

Speakers

AAC Club

Student Club

The AAC Club was founded in the spring of 2021 by a group of Communication Sciences and Disorders majors passionate about learning to serve individuals who rely on AAC for effective communication. The founding board, recognizing the ongoing evolution, complexity, and importance of... Read More →

Thursday April 30, 2026 11:30am - 1:30pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Communication Sciences & Disorders

1:45pm PDT

Inside the Newsroom: Latino Journalists at Telemundo 52

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm PDT

Titan Theater

Bringing the newsroom to Cal State Fullerton, Telemundo 52 panelists will recount their academic and professional journey, navigating the newsroom as bilingual and Hispanic media professionals. Gain insight from notable professionals in the field, including eight-time award-winning news anchor Alejandra Ortiz, alongside four-time award-winning news producer Genesis Samayoa-Hildago, and the Vice President of News at Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, Mike Gaytán.
Following the conversation, the hosts will open the floor for audience members to ask these professionals further questions about their experiences and ask for advice on stepping into the industry. This event is open to all community members and will offer complimentary zero-sugar energy drinks thanks to our sponsor, El Jefe, so join us for a memorable event and learn what it takes to make notable contributions in a high-paced industry.

Hosted by NAHJ and Professor Elise Assaf

Speakers

Alejandra Ortiz

News Anchor, Telemundo 52

Alejandra Ortiz is a weekday news anchor at Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, anchoring Noticiero Telemundo 52 Al Mediodía and co-anchoring the early evening newscasts at 5 and 5:30 p.m. She joined the station in 2017 and is an eight-time Emmy Award winner, recognized for excellence in on-air... Read More →

Genesis Samayoa-Hidalgo

News Producer, Telemundo 52

Genesis Samayoa-Hidalgo is a four-time Emmy award-winning news producer for NBC Telemundo 52 in Los Angeles. She started her career in Denver, Colorado, but her passion for journalism led her to pursue an opportunity in L.A., one of television’s top markets. Genesis is a visionary... Read More →

Mike Gaytán

Vice President, Telemundo 52

Mike Gaytán is Vice President of News at Telemundo 52 Los Angeles, leading a high-performing bilingual newsroom dedicated to breaking news and informing the community.He brings 30 years of experience building teams in competitive markets across the country and believes journalism... Read More →

NAHJ

Student Club

Thursday April 30, 2026 1:45pm - 3:00pm PDT
Titan Theater TSU

Club Event

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