Joe Oliveri
Business
With over 23 years as a dedicated business professor at Santa Monica College and a seasoned entrepreneur, I offer a rich, multifaceted perspective to the field of business and management education. My teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in practicality, emphasizing real-world experiences, ethical standards, and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students. In my role, I am committed to preparing the next generation of business leaders to navigate the complexities of today's dynamic business landscape. I do this by imparting not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills that enable students to create a positive societal impact through innovative and engaging approaches.
Adam Harrison
Drawing and Painting
Adam Harrison has built a practice that redefines traditional methods of portraying a physical space on canvas. Harrison reimagines conventional landscape painting approaches with a unique amalgamation of working from both memory and real-life observation.
Harrison found representation at the George Billis Gallery, now known as the Billis Williams Gallery in Culver City. Since then, his works have been showcased nationwide, spanning commercial and public venues, including his recent exhibition at the Long Beach Museum of Art in 2019.
Catherine Tirr
Drawing and Painting
Catherine is an England-born artist whose work has been presented at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Armand Hammer Museum, and the SMC Emeritus Art Gallery. She has also had successful exhibitions in Detroit and New York, as well as in galleries in England, Iceland, and Japan.
Robert Foxx
Emeritus Faculty
Autobiography and Poetry & Fiction Robert has been teaching writing since 2005 when he discovered his love for teaching working with incarcerated juveniles in the LA County juvenile justice system, teaching self-reflective writing. For over a decade, he worked with jailed kids getting them to write about their lives in the hopes they may reflect and make better choices in the future.
Laura Canellias
Dance
Known as The First Lady of Salsa, she was the first woman inducted into the Salsa Hall Of Fame, May 2019 & again in 2022. She is one of the foremost instructors on the west coast, as well as one of the pioneers of the L.A. salsa style.
Daphna Hausman-Ozery
Psychology
Daphna Hausman-Ozery graduated with a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in Educational Psychology at CSUN. She continued her education, getting a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. Her research focuses on information processing and decision-making. She is specifically interested in the interaction between language, culture, and cognition. In addition to teaching at SMC, Ms. Ozery teaches at Cal State Northridge (CSUN) and at Alliant School of Psychology where she teaches doctoral students about cognition and emotion. Daphna’s goal in teaching is to create a learning environment for everyone that supports a diversity of thoughts, ideas, perspectives, and experiences; an environment that respects and honors everyone’s identities (e.g., ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, ability, etc.)
Daphna loves reading, especially detective-style and historical fiction books. Another fun fact: One of her children attended SMC before transferring to UC, so she has the perspective of both a parent and an instructor.
Carol Davis
Creative Writing
Carol is an award-winning writer who was twice named a Fulbright scholar in Russia and whose poetry has been presented on National Public Radio, in the Library of Congress, and on Radio Russia. Her new book, Below Zero (Stephen F. Austin State University Press), will be released in 2023.
Timothy Lee Conley
Film
Tim (AKA Professor T) is the Executive Producer and Owner of 67 Entertainment, a television, film, and new media entertainment company. He hosts the podcast “The Politics of Hip-Hop Culture” with Professor Marq DJ Cli-N-Tel Hawkins, and serves with the Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council and the Urban Scholars Academy of Inglewood, California.