Members 2012— 2013
Helen Wachs, Chair
I am honored to be a member of the Emeritus College Executive Committee. I was born in New York City, and received my BA from Hunter College of the City University of New York, my MA in history from Northwestern University, and a Certificate in Gerontology from the University of Southern California.
I worked as a high school history and English teacher, and also worked in the field of Aging for more than twenty years. I am married, have two grown married children and two wonderful grandchildren.
Judy Blits
It is my pleasure to represent the students of Emeritus College since 2010 as an Executive Council member. I have been a volunteer at Emeritus College since 2007, working in the computer classroom, and the mini-lab. I am a student and also an instuctor, teaching computer classes here at Emeritus.
Education has always been important to me as a middle school teacher, manufacturing instructor-trainer at Hughes Aircraft Company and Raytheon Company. I have also been a consultant for the Read 180 Program and a teacher for computer classes on the Celebrity Cruise Line.
Walter Coronel
I was born in Holland and came to the United States in 1947. I attended Hollywood High School and several years of college at LA City College and UCLA. I worked for PacTel and AT&T until 1990.
I have two children, my son Ken is a lawyer, and my daughter Debi is an events planner. I have eight grandchildren.
I have been attending Emeritus College since 2006. In 2011 I became the Chair for the Emeritus Fundraising Committee. I enjoy the challenge of fundraising and look forward to continuing in this position. In 2012, I became a member of the Executive Council. As a member of the Executive Council, I hope to maintain the standards of our school.
Ted Ehrlich
I was born and educated in Chicago, Illinois. After medical school, I moved to Los Angeles where I was board certified in psychiatry and radiology. Since retiring, it has been my great pleasure to attend Emeritus College. My main interests are Bible studies and exercise.
Beverly Fischer
I am a graduate of The City College of New York with a B.B.A. in Advertising and earned an M.A. in Education from Adelphi University. I am married with four children. My husband and I had a gift and china shop for 13 years in Bay Shore, Long Island, NY. I was a teacher for 27 years in Brentwood, Long Island, NY and after retiring, I volunteered tutoring homeless children in the district where I taught.
I moved to California in 2001 and three of our children have also settled here. I have been attending and enjoying Emeritus College since I arrived.
Marsha Franker
I am a native Southern Californian and have been taking Emeritus classes for the last three years. While raising three children, I received my B.A. from UCLA and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University. I found it impossible to leave the educational milleu and I pursued a rewarding career in student services at two small, private colleges.
Believing in lifelong learning, Emeritus affords me the opportunity to study subjects that have always interested me, but for which I didn't have time to pursue before my retirement years. I have met many interesting students and have made new friends. I want to make a contribution toward sustaining and advancing this beloved institution.
Charlotte Horstein
I taught nursing for the Los Angeles Community College District and specialized in gerontology which I taught in hospitals and in many community centers. I received a Master's in Pediatrics and Education from UCLA in 1974. My Ed.D. is from Pepperdine University in 1997 in Education and Institutional Management.
I hope to promote and assist the educational classes at Emeritus College in any way possible. I have lived in West Los Angeles for many years and have two children.
Miriam Kafka
I have been a student and volunteer at Emeritus College for over 20 years. I have also served six years as the chair for the Advisory Board and now am a member of the Executive Council.
I am a member of the Fundraising Committee for Emeritus College. Emeritus College has been and continues to be a very important part of my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of Emeritus College.
I have acquired many lifelong friends from my participation here at Emeritus.
Edie London
I have been a student at Emeritus College since 1997 and have served as the Chairperson of the Emeritus College Executive Council, the Advisory Body for Emeritus.
My career as a psychotherapist included serving as the President of the Minnesota Psychoanalytic Foundation. While living in Minnesota I helped organize an educational program for seniors which became part of the University of Minnesota Extension Program. As a graduate of Antioch College a progressive school, I drew from my experience there a lifelong love of learning.
Lorraine Miller
I was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa. I attended and graduated from the University of Minnesota. In 1961 we moved to San Francisco and then to Santa Monica in 1969. During my working career, I served as Director of Volunteers at Mt. Zion Medical Center in San Francisco and at St. Vincent Hospital in Los Angeles.
I have three adult children, Dale, Scott and Marjorie.
Serving on the Emeritus College Executive Council is an honor. Like many of my fellow students, I appreciate the continued education we receive, and gladly give moral and financial support to Emeritus.
Sue Raff
As a student at Emeritus College, the past eight years represent a very important time in my life. The knowledge and friendships I have gained are immeasurable.
In addition, my three years as a Board member have added yet another dimension of learning and pleasure. I hope to continue to enjoy being active at Emeritus for years to come.
Lidia Rubenstein
I am retired after more than 40 years as an OB-GYN physician and Associate Professor from UCLA.
Since 2008 I have been a Student at Emeritus College where I renewed contact with old friends and gained new ones.
Serving on the Executive Council allowed me to appreciate even more the extraordinary stimulating influence of Emeritus College not only in my life, but also in the life of my fellow students.
Germaine Sheppard
I had a career that I loved in my life before Emeritus College. I was a buyer for Bullocks Wilshire Department Stores. I started in accessories, then moved to sportswear. For the last fifteen years before the closing of the Bullocks Wilshire stores I was the buyer for couture from Chanel, Armani and many other great designers.
I have been with Emeritus since 1986, and it is a joy to come here four times a week.
Esther Spachner
Executive Council member since 2011.
Harvey StrombergI have been involved with Emeritus College since the 1970's when I started teaching American History at Santa Monica College. In 2010, I retired after 40 years of teaching on the main Santa Monica College campus and returned to teach Current Events for my "first love" -the Emeritus Program.
During the 1980's and 1990's, I was lucky enough to have produced my own talk show on National Public Radio (NPR) and found that to be a great learning experience. I am very fortunate to be able to teach seniors with many years of life experiences and over the decades, I have learned a lot more from them than they have learned from me.
One of the goals that I hope to achieve as part of the Executive Council is to find ways to incorporate parts of this program with some aspects of the main SMC campus. For example, I would like to see some of our students serve as tutors to some of the pupils at SMC.
It is with great excitement and personal challenge that I look forward to serving as a member of this council.
Photos provided courtesy of Judy Blits and Gerald Schneir