Summit Presenters and Moderators

A product of the California Community Colleges, Dr. Jesús Miranda has over 18 years of experience providing guidance, leadership, and strategic planning focused on student success and equity in California Community Colleges for instructional areas, student services, and professional development. As a faculty member, he served in various roles such as department chair, coordinator, and various officer positions for the Academic Senate.

Currently, Dr. Miranda serves as Dean, Instruction and Student Services at Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education. Responsibilities in this capacity involve overseeing the High School Diploma program, Adult Basic Education, General Counseling, Distance Education, and the High School Equivalency program. Previously, he served as Dean, Student Success and Equity in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Success, and Equity at Cuyamaca College for over 7 years. In this role, he oversaw the Student Equity and Achievement Plan (SEAP) and the development and implementation of the college’s equity framework, he also led college-wide efforts such as Guided Pathways, Professional Development, a Hispanic Serving Institute Title V Grant, Online Educational Resources, In-reach Services, the Zero Textbook Cost Program, establishment and management of the Queer Center and the Chicanx Center.

Dr. Miranda holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Literacy with an emphasis on Educational Leadership from St. John’s University, his research focused on Equity-Minded Teacher Preparation in the California Community College. Also, a Master of Science Degree in Counseling with emphasis on Marriage and Family Therapy, plus completed coursework for a Master of Arts in Education with emphasis on Multicultural Counseling (Community-Based Block program), both from San Diego State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from the University of California, Riverside.

Christine T. Moody, Ph.D., leads the postsecondary education and employment initiatives at the UCLA Tarjan Center. In this role, she is involved with multiple partnerships with the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and California Department of Rehabilitation, providing training and technical assistance to support those serving young adults with developmental disabilities, such as autism and intellectual disability, in these systems. In addition to these efforts, Dr. Moody is the Director of Research at the UCLA PEERS Clinic, facilitating and publishing research on the efficacy and implementation of the various PEERS social skills programs for neurodivergent youth and adults. By training, Dr. Moody is a licensed clinical psychologist, and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from UCLA in 2020 under the mentorship of Drs. Bruce Baker and Jan Blacher. Dr. Moody has been working with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families for 15 years, receiving specialized clinical and research training from leaders in the field. Her research interests have focused on identifying factors that promote positive outcomes for young people with neurodevelopmental disorders. She is especially passionate about the importance of mental health, positive relationships, and bolstering systemic supports and awareness at all levels (e.g., families, schools, society).

Fred Parker is the Vice President of PM-CM Operations for MAAS Companies, Inc. He is an accomplished owner’s representative, program and project director, and construction management executive with more than 26 years’ experience leading, developing, and implementing all facets of program, project, and construction management for more than $4B in public and private capital programs. He has been integral to the delivery of many complex programs both locally and internationally and excels in unifying project teams to achieve the focused goals of our clients. Fred holds a MBA and BS in Business Management and Finance from the University of Jos in Plateau, Nigeria.

Starting as an adjunct counselor at NOCE in 2014, Michelle Patrick-Norng has always had a passion to help students reach their goals. Prior to working at North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE), Patrick-Norng held a variety of positions in the education system helping students advance in their educational career. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in education-counseling, a teaching credential, and several certificates: pupil personnel services credential, child welfare and attendance authorization, adult learning disability certificate, and learning disability specialist certification. Patrick-Noring started as a full-time Disability Support Services (DSS) Counselor at the NOCE Anaheim Campus in 2019. Among her many accomplishments, Patrick-Norng has assisted in piloting the Kindness Scholarship through the NOCE Academic Senate; awarding the first two scholarships in the 2022 Spring Semester. She also serves as the Academic Senate President and a member of the CARE Team, Distance Education Committee, and Accessibility Advisory Workgroup. Patrick-Norng has a passion for advocacy and wants to support local and statewide initiatives to increase services related to mental health and wellness. Patrick-Norng believes all students have the right to pursue their educational and vocational goals; she is dedicated to her role in serving students with disabilities within the field of noncredit. She values life-long learning and encourages students to dream big!

For the past 24 years, Jennifer Perez has served as the chief communications professional for North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE). As the fourth largest Community College-based noncredit school in California, Perez has dedicated her career to serving 15,000+ community members annually in noncredit education. In 2000, Perez was hired as the Public Information Officer to manage external and internal communication strategies, including publications, public relations, marketing/outreach, community relations, and advertising. In 2013, Perez became Director of Campus Communications for NOCE with an increased focus on advocacy, social media, website management, enrollment management, and incident communications. In addition, Perez also oversees photography/videography, digital media, branding, accessibility, community engagement, special projects, and events. Prior to joining NOCE, Perez worked for three years in a small public relations firm in Orange. Perez earned her bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations from Chapman University. Perez is a graduate of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations Leadership Institute, the North Orange County Community College District’s (NOCCCD) Leadership Academy, the Association of California Community College Administrators’ Admin 101 Program, and Leadership Anaheim. She was awarded NOCE’s Manager of the Year in 2009 and 2015, and the NOCCCD North Star Award in 2019. She is currently the Assistant Director for NCMPR District 6 Executive Council, has earned several NCMPR medallion and paragon awards, and has served as a conference and workshop speaker for various organizations.

Valentina Purtell was named the fifth president (formerly provost) of North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE). She was officially approved by the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD) Board of Trustees—which governs Cypress College, Fullerton College, and North Orange Continuing Education—at their December 13, 2015 meeting. Purtell served as the Interim Provost since July 1, 2015 and began her permanent post as the NOCE President on December 14, 2015.

Purtell began her career with NOCE in 2002 as an English as a Second Language (ESL) Program Assistant, and then ESL Program Manager. Prior to serving as Interim Provost, she was Dean of Instruction and Student Services at NOCE’s Cypress Center. Purtell has also served as an instructor at several institutions, including Hope International University, Chapman University, and Rivne State Humanitarian University.

“I am honored to have been selected as NOCE’s President,” said Purtell. “I have seen the transformational power that NOCE has on the lives of our students. I am passionate about our mission to serve the whole community and to empower individuals to reach their fullest potential.”

Purtell earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Applied Linguistics from the Rivne State Humanitarian University in the Ukraine. She is a member of North Orange Consortium Regional Consortium for Adult Education’s Executive Committee and has served on the board of the Association of Community and Continuing Education (ACCE) since 2011. She has been active on several regional and statewide committees, including the Orange County Workforce Investment Board and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) Noncredit Taskforce.