CFCC Senior Institute

Cathy Barbero has 25 years of teaching experience including teaching Keyboarding, MS Word, and Foundations of English at Webster College, and holds permanent certification from New York State in Business Education. Ms. Barbero holds the following degrees:  A.A.S., Office Technology, Suffolk County Community College, N.Y.; B.S. Ed., Secondary Education, Hofstra University, N.Y.; MALS, Teaching Business, State University of New York.

Sandy Barsky graduated from Mohave Community College in Arizona, where she subsequently taught painting. Mrs. Barsky has taught art at CFCC and in The Villages.

Amanda Brennan holds a B.S. in Animal Science/Equine Science from Cook College, Rutgers University. Ms. Brennan worked for ten years as a racing official on the New Jersey/Florida thoroughbred racetrack circuit before moving to Ocala to raise her children. She taught at Kingsbury Academy in Ocala for a year before coming to CFCC, where she is an adjunct instructor of Computer Skills and Equine Studies as well as editor of the “Equerry”, the monthly Equine Studies newsletter.

Tom Burke is a recognized expert in the Internet industry. He has 35 years of senior management hands-on business knowledge and experience across a variety of retail and wholesale industries. Burke, in a shared vision with CFCC, co-founded the CFCC Internet Business Education Institute, and he fully understands the dynamics of consumer sales at eBay and on the Internet. With helping others learn how to be successful and safe at Internet sales, Mr. Burke is right at home.

Dr. Joseph Coffey has spent 40 years studying and applying basic economics in the various positions he has held both in the U.S. and abroad as a professor, business executive, government official, and farmer.  Dr. Coffey lives an “un-retired” retirement with his high school sweetheart in Citrus Hills in Citrus County and remains active as a business and financial consultant and part-time professor at Purdue University.  He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from North Carolina State University.

James Coleman has a B.S. from New York University; M.A., Adelphi College; M.S., Stony Brook University; and is a retired English teacher of 30 years.  Mr. Coleman previously served as a Fulbright to Cambridge, England, did cultural work in India, and taught English in Kenya, Africa, for two years.

Carlito Cruz was born in Balanga, Bataan, Philippines, and attended the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, graduating with a degree in medicine.  He completed his studies in Michigan and has practiced medicine since 1971.  Dr. Cruz is an adjunct at CFCC in the Science and Technology Department.  He has a love of history and has presented to many groups sharing his knowledge and love of the subject.

Thomas Drilling is an Indiana native. He and his family moved to Florida in 1959 and have lived in Ocala for 11 years. He has a B.A. degree from the University of Evansville and a M.S. degree from Indiana University. He has been a member of the Senior Institute for four years; a leader of the discussion group for two years; and a member of the Board of Directors for two years. He is a retired teacher.

Elena Gates holds a B.S. in Communication/Journalism, a M.A. in Language and Culture. Ms. Gates has over 25 years experience in teaching and Journalism.

Dr. Leslie Hammond holds a bachelor’s degree in Art History from Ohio State University, a master’s in Classical Archaeology from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in Art History and Archaeology, with a minor in Museum Studies. She is the recipient of numerous fellowships and scholarships including Fulbright and Samuel H. Kress Fellowships, which supported her dissertation research on ancient ceramics in Greece.

Jan Hitchcock has an MFA degree from Boston University and is a pottery instructor at CFCC. Ms. Hitchcock has many years of art teaching experience at all age levels and has taught in England, Italy and Massachusetts.

Bob Holloran has a B.S. in Physics, 1965, and M.S. of Nuclear Engineering from the University of Washington, 1975.  In 1976, as a part-time lecturer at the University of Washington, Mr. Holloran taught graduate-level nuclear engineering and radiological science courses on the nuclear controversy and on the environmental, safety, and health impacts of nuclear power plants relative to other energy sources.

Mary Lou James is a fellow in the Legacy Builder Institute. Ms. James graduated from Southern Connecticut University and is a former school teacher.

Julie Johnson has been an avid photographer all her life and finds a good photograph to be inspirational.  As a child she helped her grandmother, a portrait photographer, hand-tint photos, and then became very involved in competition and 4-H photography.  Being able to now do on the computer everything she used to try to do in the camera has given Ms. Johnson a fresh new appreciation and enthusiasm for digital photography.

Paula Krause is a graduate of the State University at Brockport. She   is a Life Enhancement Coach and Energy Psychology trainer and practitioner. A Master Scuba Instructor for more than 20 years, she has a unique way of integrating the underwater world into her seminars.

David Lanzilla has an associate degree from Somerset Community College, N.J.; a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts, Management Information Services; and an MBA from Regis University in Denver. Mr. Lanzilla is an assistant professor at CFCC.

Don Lubov has an M.S. degree in Education and has taught courses at Suffolk County Community College, McNeese State University, East Carolina University, and Stanford University. Mr. Lubov’s work with Zen began in 1971 and includes lectures, classes, and three books on Zen.

Adalberto Marin has a B.A. in Psychology from Hunter College, City University of New York, with an interdepartmental minor. Mr. Marin also holds a MSPHE from the University of Puerto Rico, Medical campus, with a minor in Industrial Safety. He has taught at Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts, American University in Puerto Rico, and the University of Florida. Some of Mr. Marin’s experience comes from his involvement in community grassroots organizations.

Norman Mobley has been teaching bridge since 1985, starting at the University of South Carolina in Walterboro, S.C. After moving to Florida in 1992, he switched to Audrey Grant’s material and is now a certified bridge teacher by the American Contract Bridge League. Mr. Mobley is a graduate of General Motors Institute, and received his MBA from Kent State University in 1965.

Dr. Scott Olsen holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota; a M.A. in Philosophy from the University of London; a J.D. from the University of Florida; as well as a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Florida. Dr. Olsen is a professor of Comparative Religion and Philosophy at CFCC, teaching here since 1984.

Emelyn Palm holds a MFA in drawing and painting from the University of Georgia and has studied in Cortona, Italy. Ms. Palm has more than 15 years of teaching experience in public and private schools working with children and adults. Her work has been selected for juried exhibitions and is included in numerous private and corporate collections in the U.S., England and New Zealand.

Daria Paolillo has a degree in ornamental horticulture, degree in agriculture, and more than 20 years of experience in landscape design, instillation and growing. Ms. Paolillo holds a master’s degree in Education.

Debra Penton – She has taught over the past nine years, instructing beginner/intermediate Everyday Yoga classes to seniors. Ms. Penton is a certified Registered Yoga Teacher, from the Classical Yoga Lifestyle Institute, with Professor LM Sukhatankar, The Yoga Institute, Mumbai, India.

Vicki Pritchard is a graduate of Ringling School of Art and Design, with more than 30 years of experience in teaching and studio experience in art. Ms. Pritchard is a docent at the Appleton Museum of Art of Central Florida Community College.

Marilyn Schneider has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas. Ms. Schneider also earned a Certification in Gerontology from St. Edwards University, New College, Austin, Texas. She has been teaching Hatha Yoga for 19 years. Ms. Schneider received her teaching training at the Himalayan Institute Yoga Center in Austin, Texas.

Ellie Urdaneta was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, and attended the Catholic University Andfres Bello, Caracas School of Pharmacy. Ms. Urdaneta came to the U.S. in 1957 and attended Boston University School of Pharmacy.  Ms. Urdaneta has been teaching Spanish at CFCC since 2005, including Beginners Spanish, Spanish I and II.  Her native language is Spanish.

Korene Wilbanks is the museum educator at the Appleton Museum of Art. She obtained her B.A. in painting from the State University of New York, College of Fredonia, and her M.A. in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University. Ms. Wilbanks’ extensive museum background includes a state archives, a historical museum, library art gallery, art collection management, as well as a member of an art gallery board of directors.