Faculty & Staff

Full Time Faculty

Dr. Thelma James Day, Chairperson 

AD 304; 323-953-4000, Ext. 2541; daytj@lacitycollege.edu; Office Hours: 10:30 – 12:30 M-TH
Spring 2006: CAOT 385, TBA;

Professor Thelma James Day completed her undergraduate and graduate work at Jackson State University where she received both a B.S. and an M.S. degree in Business Education. She received her Doctorate degree in Education with an emphasis in Institutional Management from Pepperdine University. Professor Day is an active member of Phi Delta Kappa. She teaches computer applications classes in both the Computer Applications and Office Technologies and Computer Science and Information Technologies Departments. Professor Day has also taught at Pasadena City College and West Los Angeles College and has been adjunct professor at Santa Monica College. Her contribution to the CAOT Department includes serving as Curriculum Representative, Senator, AFT representative and Professional Expert. She has a passion for computer technology and conducted research in this area for the Classroom 2000. 

Professor Day teaches Microcomputer Office Applications: Spread Sheet online.

Thelma Day is MOUS certified in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Brenda Bell, Assistant Professor 

Da Vinci Hall 212; 323-953-4000, Ext. 2910; bellb@lacitycollege.edu 11 a.m. 12:30 p.m. M/W; Tuesday 11 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Spring 2007: CAOT 32, 9:35 – 11:00 TTH, DH 202; CAOT 31, 9:35-11:00, MW, DH 303 CAOT 1, 12:45-3:15 MW, DH 204; CAOT 33, 11:10 - 12:35 TTH, DH 204

Brenda Bell completed her B.A. in Business Administration from Albany State University in Albany, Georgia. She completed her M.A. in Business Management from Claremont Graduate University, Peter F. Drucker School of Management. Brenda has over 18 years of teaching experience in junior high school, high school, and adult education. Her commitment is education excellence for all students. She teaches a variety of courses in the CAOT Department including Business Communications, Business English, Windows, and Skillbuilding. She was published in Black Enterprise Magazine, August 2000 Anniversary Issue. Outside interests include reading, traveling, shopping, and writing her romance novel.

The CAOT Department is actively seeking qualified student candidates to participate in our Internship Partnership program where you can earn credit for working. Contact Assistant Professor Bell for details.

Carmelita Bronson-Smith

Da Vinci Hall 207E

She has taught Keyboarding, Medical Terminology, and Medical Office Assistant courses. Ms. Bronson-Smith graduated from LACC's Computer Applications and Office Technologies Department as a Medical Secretary with additional training as an R.N. and a Physician Assistant. Her business experience includes working as a legal secretary in Superior Court and as a medical secretary in brain research, space biology, and open-heart surgery. Highlights of her business career include working as a secretary to an engineer who made the umbilical cord for "First Space Walk." She graduated from California State University and the University of Southern California. Her current position as Clinic Administrator in Occupational Health encompasses both business and medicine. Her hobbies include singing in a gospel choir, traveling, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Charlene Morimoto, Professor 

Da Vinci Hall 207D; 323-953-4000, Ext. 2902; morimocs@lacitycollege.edu; Office Hours: Tues., 11 a.m.-3p.m.; Fri.,  1:30-3 p.m., DH 207D; MW 9-9:30 p.m., Etudes-NG Chat Room for CAOT 1 Online; TTh 9-9:30 p.m., Etudes-NG Chat Room for CAOT 84 Online

Fall 2008: CAOT 1. 9-2:15, Fri., DH 204; CAOT 84, Online; CAOT 1 Online

Professor Charlene Morimoto, herself an alumnus of Los Angeles City College, has been a faculty member at LACC since 1980.  She has taught in the business education departments at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo and California State University, Los Angeles.  She has served as as the Vice Chairperson of the CAOT Department.  

Mrs. Morimoto received her B.S. and M.A. degrees in Business Education from California State University, Los Angeles.  Her 12 years of medical and legal office experience and her own years as a college student have given her an understanding of the challenges facing new college students as they begin their journey to improve their lives.  Compassion, discipline, and real-world applications are practiced in her classroom as she prepares students for entry to a professional career.

Professor Morimoto maintains course Web sites for CAOT 1, CAOT 84, and CAOT 3.

Professor Morimoto teaches CAOT 84 Online: Word Processing and CAOT 1 Online: Computer Keyboarding I.

Charlene Morimoto is MOUS certified in MS Word.

Robert Sambrano, Assistant Professor 

Da Vinci Hall 207E; 323-953-4000, Ext. 2903; Office Hours: 12:45- 1:45, MW; 10:45- 12:15, TTh
Spring 2007: CAOT 2, 8- 9:10, MTWTh, DH 202; CAOT 43, 9:35-11:00, MW, DH 203; CAOT 33, 11:10-12:40, MW, DH 302; CAOT 105, 9:35-10:40, TTh, DH 203; CAOT 1, 12:45-3:15, TTh, DH 204

Robert Sambrano joined the Business/CAOT department in Fall 2005. He earned his B.A. in Business Administration from Trinity University, San Antonio, and his M.B.A. from The University of Texas, Austin. Mr. Sambrano has also taught at Los Angeles Valley College and Vallecitos Center for Employment Training in the SF Bay Area. Prior to teaching, Mr. Sambrano held management positions at American Express and CNET.

Mr. Sambrano has taught courses in keyboarding, Microsoft Office, Publisher, FrontPage, web design, management, general business, human relations, and business communications. He enjoys learning about new technologies and their application in the workplace.

Amy Sirott, Assistant Professor 

Da Vinci Hall 207C; 323-953-4000, Ext. 2909; Office Hours: M W 9:30-11;00 a.m.
Fall 2008: CAOT 98, 7:35 8:50  M-Th, DH 205; CAOT 79, 12:45 -3:15, M,W DH205
CAOT 112 12:10- 2:45 T,TH

Amy Sirott joined the CAOT department in Spring 2005. She earned her B.A. from California State University, Northridge, in Psychology and her Master's degree in Educational Technology from California Lutheran College. Ms. Sirott has also taught at Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles Valley College and College of the Canyons and she has twenty years of experience in the corporate environment. She holds Microsoft Certification in Windows, Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Ms. Sirott will teach these and a variety of other course for CAOT.

Amy gets satisfaction in helping her students learn new concepts and keeping students current on emerging technologies with practical skills and theoretical knowledge which allows them to have a competitive advantage as they enter the job market Her outside interests include hiking, traveling and spending time with her family.

Assistant Professor Sirott maintains a  Faculty Web site for CAOT 112 Dreamweaver, CAOT 79, Advanced Word, CAOT 98 Windows, and CAOT 85 Excel

Amy Sirott is MOUS certified in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Ernest Albertson

Barbara Azar

Young Baek

Ruth Bentley

Patrice Gallagher

Bridget Hana

Bridget Hana has been teaching at City since 1973. She currently teaches Transcribing (CAOT 7), Legal Procedures (CAOT 23) and Legal Transcribing (CAOT 49). She has also taught Gregg Shorthand, Typing, Filing, Legal Procedures, and Business English at various adult schools throughout the Los Angeles basin. Bridget was educated at the Millbank College of Commerce and the Gregg College, Liverpool, England. In this country she attended UCLA. Her business experience has included law firms, banks, insurance companies and medical offices. For the past 22 years she has been working for the Los Angeles Superior Court in the management systems unit, which provides staff support to executive management groups and various judicial committees. She has twice been president of a Toastmasters Club in Los Angeles. Her hobbies include music, dance, and the theatre.

Amy Ho

323-953-4000, Ext. 2068

Fall 2008: CAOT 2, DH 202, 9-2:20, Sat.; CAOT 3, DH 202, 9-2:20, Sat. , Sat.

Sharon Haymon

Linda Motonaga

Da Vinci Hall 204; 323-953-4000, Ext. 2906; Office Hours: TBA during the day M-F

Fall 2008: CAOT 84, 9-2:20, Sat, DH 203

Linda Motonaga has taught CAOT 84, Word Processing, and is also an Instructional Assistant in the Computer Applications and Office Technologies Department.

Jackie Scott 

Anna Staats 

Anna Staats-Welch earned her Baccalaureate in Literature at Queens College New York where liberal arts students were urged to take real-world courses in math and physical sciences. Her exposure to science led to a succession of jobs as writer, editor and publications manager in the aerospace industry. To offset this emphasis on technical matters, she earned a Master's degree in English at New York University. In-house training sessions led to outside teaching assignments. She has worked at LACC since 1964 and has worked full-time at CSULA. She has conducted communication seminars for Kaiser Permanente and the LA Branch of the American Library Association. Her interests include theatre, ballet, wild flowers, alternative medical therapies, and nutrition for pets.

Joan Thompson 

Ray  Walker

Ray Walker has completed 32 years working with the Los Angeles Unified School District. He earned a B.S. degree from Southwestern University in Accounting, a B.S. degree from Pepperdine University in Business Administration with a teaching credential, and a Master of Science degree in Education from the University of Southern California. He has been teaching part-time at LACC since 1975. His hobbies include the following sports: football, baseball and basketball (mostly as a spectator).