Highlighting the amazing Administration, Faculty, Classified Professionals, and Students that make up our pirate family.
This month's highlights include:
Debbie Newcomb (Dean of Career Education I), Coleen Scott Trivett (Costume Designer), Kammy Algiers (Faculty), and Enrique Rodriguez (Student).
My name is Debbie Newcomb. I am the Dean of Career Education I. I’ve been in this position since 2017 but I’ve been with Ventura College for over 25 years, first as an adjunct instructor then tenured professor with the Business Department. Teaching has always been my passion.
I’m married to Len and we have an interesting and diverse family. We have a son Ken, a son Gary who had muscular dystrophy, and a daughter Nicole who we adopted from Korea when she was 3 years old. They have given us 3 wonderful grandchildren (see picture). We also have a foster daughter, Terri, who is only 10 years younger than I am. She has given us 3 great foster-grandchildren. We are very blessed.
My main hobby is reading and my favorite movie is When Harry Met Sally – classic! Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite food is chocolate but not on fruit, except the chocolate covered strawberries my husband makes that are fantastic! My favorite song is Falling for You (from Pretty Woman but much better by a San Diego band called Rainmaker).
Something interesting about me is that I got to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame last year when my grandson played in a Cooperstown Baseball World Tournament.
Years of Service: 1!
Family: Husband Ben and fur baby Kismet the cat
Hobbies: Beachtime, writing, gardening, quilting, baking, voice lessons
Favorite Food: Nachos
Favorite Movie: Two of many favorites: Ghostbusters and The Shape of Water
Favorite Song: Somewhere Over the Rainbow (it’s on my mind since I’m working on this one in voice lessons)
Something fun, interesting and unique about you: I moved back to California (born and raised in the Bay Area) from New York City in 2018 after 15 years living and teaching in Brooklyn. I published a monograph on costume history with Routledge last year called The Costumes of Burlesque 1866-2018.
Major: My biology degrees are from Cal State Northridge. I also went to Pasadena City College during summers to complete some GE courses as I worked on my undergraduate degree, so I was in a way a non-traditional student at a community college for a bit.
Years of Service: I’ve been teaching full time at Ventura College for 14 years. I love teaching at VC. I’ve taught at 4 other institutions previously and VC students are by far my favorite.
Family Life: I live in Ventura with my husband and two kids (they’re in 3rd grade, and yes, they are twins), and my mom has been living with us since COVID started. Though she’s lived with us on and off before. I grew up in Iran until I was 9 years old so having family members move in and out has been a normal thing throughout my life. Luckily, my husband’s Italian side is also used to family living together. The more the better!
Hobbies: I enjoy hiking and traveling. Biologists hike a little differently than most people – we stop and look at every plant, insect, lizard, bird, or if we are lucky, mammal or snake. So I’m not a fast hiker. Most of my travels also include ecotourism and learning about the different ecosystems and organisms around the world.
Favorite Food: I like food in general, and have many favorites. However, my mom’s Persian cooking is always a favorite. Very hard to replicate.
Favorite Movie: I’m not a big movie person. But I really enjoyed Black Panther and am devastated that Chadwick Boseman died.
Favorite Song: I like bands such as the descendants, the slackers, social distortion, and the vandals.
Something fun, interesting, and/or unique about you:
I have dual citizenship (Iran and US) but have not gone back to Iran since I moved to the US when I was 9. I can speak Farsi pretty fluently (that is all I speak with my mom and most of my side of the family). But one day I’d love to go back and visit. I have a lot of family back home so I’d just have to show up and they’d take care of everything.
Major: Agriculture Business/Plant Science
Years at Ventura College: 3 years
Family Life: The youngest out of three, First Generation
Hobbies: Anything outside (started a garden)
Favorite Food: Homemade Tamales
Favorite Movie: The Karate Kid (1984)
Favorite Song: This One’s for You - Luke Combs
Something fun interesting, and/or unique about you: I used to raise swine for our county Fair