English

English Department Faculty Group Photo

English is the study of rhetoric, composition, literature, creative writing, language, culture, and more! The aim of English is to understand the diversity of human experiences through reading and analyzing texts, which can include everything from poetry to graphic novels. English helps you think creatively and critically and learn how to effectively and efficiently communicate in order to be an engaged member of society.

At LAVC, a variety of courses are offered in English for both general education credit and for satisfying lower division transfer requirements. All courses are UC and CSU transferable and an AA-T degree in English may be earned. For more information, see the College Catalog.

Contact

Chairperson

Holly Batt
@email
(818) 947-7260

Dept Secretary

Alessandra Fernandes
@email
(818) 947-2343

Office Location
Humanities 121
Office Hours
email for availability

Department
English

Pathways

Humanities & Communications

Arts Media & Design

Programs

English Degree

Click the tab below to find out about the English degree and certificates.

After obtaining an AA-T degree in English, students will demonstrate the ability to use critical thinking skills to analyze, question, and understand their relationship to intellectual and social traditions.

Students who major in English go on to a wide variety of careers. Proficiency in written English is a highly valued skill in hundreds of professions, and a broad knowledge of literature and culture is a basis for success in such areas as law, psychology, sociology, education, political science and many more. Students who major in English go on to pursue a variety of professions such as:

​​​​English AA-T

Faculty

Full-time Faculty

Name Contact Information

Holly Batty

@email 
James Bland @email
Gayle Fornataro @email
Patrick Hunter @email
Alison Jeffries @email
Verzhine Nikoghosyan @email
Susana Marcelo @email
Stacey Park @email
Kimberly Robeson @email
Elizabeth Thornton  @email
Devon Werble  werbledm@laccd.edu
Kristina Yegoryan  @email

Adjunct Faculty

Name Contact Information

Altman, Dylan

@email
Antler, Abram @email
Atkinson, Dustin @email
Bachman, Tracy @email
Baldiwala, Fatema @email
Berliner, Jonathan @email
Besikof, Rudy @email
Bien, Alicia @email
Bishop, Vanessa @email
Botel, Tara @email
Brown, Beth @email
Carroll, Nancy @email
Collins, Glenn @email
Ghaffari, Ida @email

Jensen, Zachary
 @email

Glick, Jessica
@email
Glover, Star @email
Hall, Debi @email
Harrington, Deborah @email
Meade, Colette @email
Moncada, Millie @email
Niwa, Jennifer @email
Oberman, Tracey @email
Payte, Trista @email
Petkovic, Sophia @email
Pincolini, Rebecca pincolr@lavc.edu
Rosow, La Vergne  @email
Sahgal, Padma @email
Sakovich, Lauren @email
Salter, Lily @email
Smith, Jennifer @email
Thorne, Worley hornerw@lavc.edu
Walker, Elizabeth walkerea@lahc.edu
Wallis, William @email
Watkins, Vita
 
@email
Weigand, Scott @email

Yablon, Brian
@email

 

Faculty Profiles

Click below to learn about the English faculty.

Holly Batty
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  • Department Chair 
  • MA in English from CSUN
  • Teaches English 72, 101, 102, 103, 206
  • Interests: British Romanticism, Children's Lit, Science Fiction/Fantasy, and Animal Studies.
  • Fun Facts - I have a chihuahua/pug mix named Newt. 

 

James Bland
  • Pronouns (He/Him)
  • Athlete Mentorship Program, Black Scholars Advisor

  • PhD in English and America Literature, Harvard, MFA (abd) in Creative Writing, Cornell

  • Teaches (Eng 101, 103, Creative Writing)
  • Interests: Video Game Studies, Comic Books and Manga Studies Studies, Creative Writing, African America Literature, Early Modern Literature, and Literary Theory
  • Fun Fact - I once had a pet preying mantis for a day: The mantis hung upside down in one corner; its food cowarded  another --  so I released them all; neither could resisttactics, so I had to release them all

LAVC Logo
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  • Ph.D. State University of New York at Buffalo 
  • Engineering, and Numerical Control from LAVC
  • Teaches English 101, English 102, and English 103 
  • Interests: Effective online learning, code-meshing, American literature 
  • Fun Fact - I do tai chi, play the electric bass, and like to work on complicated seed-bead weaking projects. 

Patrick Hunter
  • Pronouns: (He, his, him)

  • CSUN - Masters (English).  Also an ESL certificate

  • Classes Taught: English 72, 101, 102, 103,  202, 206, 208

  • Interests: Classical literature from America, UK, France, Russia, and ancient Greece and Rome; classic movies from Hollywood, UK, Europe, and Japan

  • Fun Facts: Grand old man of LAVC English who arrives early. I am a veteran (U.S. Navy).   I also have been married for over forty years, so it can happen.

Alison Jeffries
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  •  
  • Teaches:
  • Fun Fact :
  •  

Susana Marcelo
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  •  
  • Teaches
  • Interests
  • Fun Fact - 

Verzhine Nikoghosyan
  • Pronouns (She/her)
  • Doctor of Education, EdD
  • Teaches English 101, English 102, English 103, English 252
  • Interests: Rhetoric, Popular Culture, Student Learning and Motivation
  • Fun Facts: In my free time, I like to crochet, read, and walk. I find nature inspiring and calming.

Stacey Park
  • Pronouns: (she/her)
  • MFA in Creative Writing (CSULB) and MA in English Literature (University of Toronto)
  • Teaches ENG 101, 102, 103, 127, and 207.
  • Interested in poetry/poetics, Asian American literature, and cultural studies.
  • Fun Fact – I’m a Canadian who’s been living in California for 10+ years and I love listening to and playing music.

Kimberly Robeson
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  • Co-chair the English 101 committee. 
  • M.A. in English, San Diego State University

  • Teaches English 72, 101, 102, 103, 124-125, 127, 203-204 
  • Interests: My interests include walking, writing, wine tasting, cooking, reading, doing yoga, being outside, and spending time with my husband, Hugo, and Maltese rescue, Gracie. 
  • Fun Fact - Fun facts: I’ve travelled to more than 35 countries and have lived in Venezuela, Borneo, Greece, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Peru, and the U. S. Also, I’m a published author and my novel, The Greek Persuasion, hit #1 on Amazon in several categories for a few days (very exciting!) Mostly, I love traveling, exploring, tasting the spice of life, meeting people and hearing their «  stories. »

LAVC Logo
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  • Advisor of the Chess Club
  •  
  • Teaches
  • Interests: 
  • Fun Fact -

LAVC Logo
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  • Co-Advisor Community Services Club 
  • M.A. Applied Linguistics/TESOL - University of Portsmouth; London
  • Teaches English 101, English 102, English 103, English 105
  • Interests: linguistic justice, socio-emotional learning, and writing across the disciplines. 
  • Fun Fact - I love to garden when the weather is cool and crisp. Walking my husky, Luna, is one of my most relaxed parts of my day where I gather strength and energy to be the best version of myself in all aspects of my personal and professional life.

LAVC Logo
  • Pronouns (She/Her)
  • MA in Rhetoric and English Composition

    Theory  ( from California State University Northridge)

  • Teaches English 072, English 101, English 102, English 103, E.S.L (credit) 110.
  • Interests: Interested in utilizing dynamic and innovative teaching methodologies, incorporating technology into my classrooms and activities. Interested in Rhetoric and in persuasive writing.
  • Fun Fact - I talk too much and actually started to talk (complete sentences) from the age of 9 months.  

Learn About English