Our Instructors

Jen García designed and teaches all Employ California courses, drawing on nearly 20 years of experience in education and workforce development to create programs that bridge skill gaps and foster career success.

Jen is also an AI instructor for Caltech and UCLA Extension and a certified Microsoft AI Engineer. Her expertise spans topics from professional writing to AI literacy, emphasizing digital equity and practical AI adoption.

Throughout her career, Jen has taught at distinguished institutions such as UCLA Extension, USC, UCI Extension, and Cal State Fullerton, training thousands of students to harness technology and critical thinking skills for success in today’s workforce.

Dr. Nancy Che Mahan is an associate tenured professor of Mathematics at Long Beach City College. She earned her Bachelor’s in Pure Mathematics at the University of Irvine with a minor in English, Master’s in Applied Mathematics at the California State University of Long Beach, and her Doctorate degree in Educational Leadership, writing her dissertation on Remedial Mathematics Innovations and Outcomes. She has taught mathematics at UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, Santa Ana College, Long Beach City College, and several online schools across the nation.

Dr. Allison Walter has taught writing for over 25 years at both private and public institutions including University of California, Irvine, Irvine Valley College and Orange Coast College. Allison specializes in academic writing and has been responsible for English Language Learners to achieve success at U.S. colleges and universities. Teaching advanced grammar and rhetorical strategies are central to her classes with students who have never written an essay before turning out outstanding work for their courses. To the workplace, Allison brings a positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed.

Diane Ford has been teaching mathematics, from basic arithmetic to calculus, at several community colleges for over 20 years. Equipped with both a master’s degree in Applied Math and 7 years’ work experience in the aerospace industry, Diane enjoys sharing how she used math at her job. She has also worked with students from diverse populations, including students with physical and learning disabilities and English language learners. With years of research into problem-solving techniques, Diane employs these in her instruction so her students absorb the material, overcome math anxiety, and actually have fun doing math!