Trainer Bios
 
 
   

 

Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Juri Brilts

Juri Brilts has been writing grants for over 36 years and has raised millions of dollars in grants from Federal, State, and local governments, as well as corporations and private philanthropic foundations. His most recent grant writing video podcast is being hosted on Apple iTunesU. Currently, Brilts is manager of Grants Research & Development at Butte College.

Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Jonathan "Joc" Clark

Jonathan "Joc" Clark works as a facilitator, consultant and trainer. He has been working within leadership, team and organization development for 20+ years. Services include: team building; executive coaching; meeting facilitation; consulting for partnership reorganization/mergers; planning and change management; and the facilitation of participatory processes, outdoor, multicultural and action learning experiences.

Joc has an M.Ed in Organization and Management form Antioch University (2002) and is currently a doctoral student of Leadership and Change Management at Antioch University. He is also a certified facilitator in Future Search methods, dialogue skills and through NTL and Outward Bound Professional.

Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Roger Gerard

Roger Gerard's background includes 19 years of hotel/restaurant management and 11 years teaching in public and private post-secondary education relating to the Hospitality field.  Roger Gerard is currently the director of the Hospitality Management program at Shasta College and the statewide representative for Hospitality for Family and Consumer Sciences in the California Community College system.  Education includes a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and a Masters Degree in Educational Technology from Northern Arizona University.

 

Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Catherine Goggia

Catherine Goggia is a Butte College Associate Faculty member for the Business Education Department and a Training Specialist for the Office of Contract Education. She is also a Subject Matter Expert for the Chabot-Las Positas Training and Development Solution Group. Catherine earned degrees in English and Communication Studies from California State University, Chico.

 Catherine brings more than twenty-five years of private sector work experience - from the front line to corporate level sales and marketing - to her trainings. Her sales background ranges from capitol goods to long-term service programs, including face to face and telephone sales. In addition to that, she has worked with county, city and non-profit organizations. Her training's provide skills, tools and knowledge based on real-life work experience.

 Catherine co-authored and illustrated the children's counseling workbook, When I Think About How I Feel. Her work was included in The Best Contemporary Women's Humor, Crossing Press. Catherine was the recipient of the Butte College Academic Excellence Award in 2001.

Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

George G. Grams

George has worked in many diverse aspects of vocational services for 25 years.  Specific areas of expertise include helping employers control workers compensation costs, disability evaluation, ergonomics, jobsite modification, FEHA/ADA consulting, medical case management, and facilitating a practical approach to good business.  

 He holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology, certification as a Disability Management Professional, a national Rehabilitation Certification, and is the principal of Grams & Associates in Chico, California.  Professional endeavors include developing and implementing Disability Management/Return to work programs for Union Pacific Railroad, California Department of Corrections, Butte County, Department of Veteran Affairs, and a number of smaller employers.

Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Jeanne Gravette

Jeanne began working in local government in the early 1980's.  Previous to her current position as the Butte County Director of Human Resources, she worked for Trinity County as the Personnel Officer/Human Resource Manager for nine years.  She has worked for Butte County for the last eight years and, as the Director of Human Resources, is responsible for the management and oversight or the County's recruitment program, labor relations, labor contract negotiations, supervisory and management training, sexual harassment prevention training, merit system and personnel rule administration, civil rights compliance, ADA coordination, grievance administration, disciplinary processes, and the county's classification and compensation plan for over 2,000 employees.  Jeanne's Bachelor of Arts degree is in human resources and business management. 

In her human resource career, Jeanne has been instrumental in the creation, development, and dev livery of training programs in such topics as: interviewing to hire, performance development and evaluation, progressive discipline, grievance & MOU administration, sexual harassment prevention and non-discrimination. 

 Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Meredith Henrick

 Meredith Henrick earned a BA Degree in Journalism with a Public Relations option from California State University, Chico in 2003 and a MS Degree in Organizational Leadership from National University, San Diego CA in 2006.

 

In addition to working as a Project Manager and Research Assistant, Meredith has taught Microsoft Office Outlook and PowerPoint programs at Highline Community College in Washington State.

 Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Vince Holvik

Vince is currently employed at Johns Manville, a leader in the manufacture of building insulation and building products.  He has a 30 year work history with JM in Management, Quality Systems and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.  Vince’s primary role is the pursuit of continuous improvement opportunities within JM’s Willows facility.  He is currently committed full-time to a 2-year long project to introduce and roll-out OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) to all employees at JM in Willows.

Vince is an Authorized OSHA General Industry Outreach Trainer.  He has classroom training experience in California OSHA and Federal OSHA General Industry.

Vince is a native of Northern California and has a Business Administration Degree from California State University, Chico.

 Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Tim Howey

Tim Howey is an organizational consultant providing consulting services in the areas of leadership assessment/development, coaching, team building and conducting organizational climate surveys. Tim's early, large-scale, organizational experiences were focused at Disney as a trainer for first-level leaders, and later, for the City of San Diego as an internal consultant developing selection procedures for mid to upper management. He also worked closely with the City's Organizational Effectiveness Unit developing city-wide surveys and providing management feedback.

Tim received his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology from the University of San Francisco and his doctoral training in Organizational Psychology from Alliant International University. In addition to his consulting work, Tim currently is core faculty at CSU Chico's Local Government Leadership Institute facilitating Creativity & Innovation, Strategic Thinking, and Redefining Leadership.

 Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Margi Johnston

Margi Johnston has been a Butte College Associate Faculty member for the Business Department for approximately nine years. She currently teaches Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, and Access), WordPerfect, Computers for Beginners, Center for Academic Success Critical Skills workshops, and Personal Computer Use Classes for The Training Place.

Prior to teaching for Butte College, Margi established and was the director for a Vocational Training School and the owner of a hardware and software retail/repair establishment.

Margi holds a Master's Degree in Education, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Marketing from Indiana University, a Paralegal Credential and a Certificate in Online Education.

 

 Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Margaret Schmidt

Margaret Schmidt holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Santa Clara University with a focus in Marketing and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing, with a minor in Sociology, from California State University, Chico.

Margaret spent her early career years working in the electronic semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley. After moving to Butte County in 1989, she focused her career on direct sales and marketing in Northern California. She spent four years at a local economic development consulting firm marketing Butte County. She currently specializes in grant writing, fundraising and developing marketing and public relations programs and managing projects that positively impact economic development in the surrounding communities.  

Margaret brings over 25 years of business experience to the classroom to provide unique, customized onsite training programs.

 Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place

Jes Vargas

Jes Vargas has over 24 years of experience in the fields of Engineering, Quality, Project Management, Business Development, Manufacturing and Executive  Management at such companies as GCS Inc, Bombardier, Advance Technical Systems, Siemens and Rabbit Semiconductor.  Throughout his career Mr. Vargas has serviced as a prime change agent within organizations.  Mr. Vargas holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, a MBA in Operations and certifications in TQM, Material Management, and Lean Manufacturing.

 Butte College: The Training Place  Butte College: The Training Place Butte College: The Training Place
 

 


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