Instructor Spotlights and Insights

Instructor Spotlight: Cathy Hoyle

Cathy Hoyle believes that understanding how our brain functions can help us better understand our triggers, reactions and behaviors. And she should know. Hoyle has led learning and organizational development programs for nearly 30 years and has more than 20 years of experience teaching management and leadership development in the corporate setting. She is currently an instructor for in our Leadership programs.

Instructor Spotlight: Tony Oliver

In his two decades of experience in a variety of roles, including project manager, business analyst and change management specialist, Tony Oliver has come to believe that listening is the most essential skill for facilitation. As an instructor for UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education, he aims to instill in his students a passion for the subject matter and becoming a lifelong learner.

Instructor Spotlight: Al Pangelinan

In almost 30 years of providing programming services, Al Pangelinan has witnessed the rise of Python and the thriving community around it. In his course Introduction to Python Programming, he helps students understand the versatile language of Python and how it can prepare them for careers in almost any technical field.

Instructor Spotlight: Demond Philson

Demond Philson is an attorney in employment law. He translated his love for learning into a passion for teaching, joining UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education as an instructor in the Human Resource Management Program. In his course, he provides students with a roadmap for navigating employment law issues that often come up in the workplace.

3 Things You Should Know about Creating Beer Recipes

With a decade of experience in the brewing industry, Dan Weber, assistant brewing manager at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, knows a thing or two about crafting unique, quality beer. For Weber, the magic of brewing is in the process of marrying art with science to create a great recipe every time. These are skills any brewer needs to know, and it’s the focus of Weber’s new class Beer Recipe Development and Scaling: From Small to Large.

Instructor Spotlight: Bret Gwaltney

Bret Gwaltney worked for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) for over 30 years, holding progressively responsible positions in health and safety. He served as a team leader, technical advisor and trainer for many investigations involving employees, third parties, fatalities and major property losses. In addition, Bret has 15 years of experience as a senior safety and health consultant specializing in companies with large unions. Now semi-retired, Bret spends his time traveling and teaching fellow health and safety professionals.

Instructor Spotlight: Joann Hillenbrand

Joann Hillenbrand, CCIFP, is the Chief Financial Officer for Airco Mechanical, Inc., overseeing all aspects of company finances, including accounting and reporting, surety, banking, risk management and human resources. Joann has over 30 years’ experience in construction accounting and finance for both specialty contractors and general contractors.

What made you decide to get into teaching?

3 Reasons Why Malt is Important to Brewing

Beer is made from four main ingredients: water, malt, hops and yeast. Of those four ingredients, malt is perhaps the most important. However, malt can be a somewhat overlooked ingredient in the brewing process. So, we reached out to Glen Fox, the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting & Brewing Science at UC Davis, to find out just how important this ingredient really is.

Instructor Spotlight: Glen Fox

Glen Fox joined UC Davis in 2019 as the new Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting & Brewing Science. With a Ph.D. in the subject of barley genetics as it relates to barley and malt quality, Fox has conducted research with some of the world’s largest beer companies. He is an instructor in UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s Master Brewers Certificate Program.