Acting VP, Dean Named

Two campus veterans have been named acting vice president for student affairs and acting dean of the College of Health and Human Development at Cal State Fullerton.

Silas H. Abrego, associate vice president for student affairs and a member of the campus community since 1985, is the newly named acting vice president for student affairs. He fills the position vacated by Robert L. Palmer, who retired in December.

Shari G. McMahan, chair and professor of health science, is now acting dean of the College of Health and Human Development, following the December retirement of Roberta Rikli.

The appointments were made by Cal State Fullerton President Milton A. Gordon.

“Dr. Abrego brings more than 40 years of successful experience as both an instructor and administrator in both public and private institutions of higher education, as well as having a highly successful tenure as an administrator in the Division of Student Affairs at Cal State Fullerton for the past 26 years,” noted President Milton A. Gordon in making the announcement.

“The acting vice president for student affairs advances diversity, implements and assesses student affairs planning strategies, allocates resources, and administrates and coordinates a variety of comprehensive student programs and services related to student growth and development to create a learning environment where all students have the opportunity to succeed.”

“Because of Dr. McMahan’s excellent leadership as chair of the Department of Health Science since 2005, I am confident in her ability to effectively guide our College of Health and Human Development at this time,” said Gordon. "Dr. McMahan has established herself as a successful faculty member and administrator through her commitment to shared governance, collegiality and academic excellence."

In her new role, McMahan oversees the departments of child and adolescent studies, counseling, health science, human services, kinesiology and social work, as well as the college’s new School of Nursing and its Military Science Program. The college has 135 full-time faculty members and serves more than 5,000 students majoring in 24 degree programs. 

Silas Abrego

In his previous role as associate vice president for student affairs, Abrego oversaw the offices of Student Academic Services, International Education and Exchange, WoMen’s Center/Adult Re-entry/Veterans Student Services, University Learning Center and the Career Center. Additionally, he has been overseeing a number of federally funded programs, including the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, Upward Bound, Talent Search and GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program). He joined the campus in 1985 as director of student academic services and university outreach and was appointed associate vice president for student affairs in 1998.

As acting vice president, he now manages all units within the Division of Student Affairs, including intercollegiate athletics, student housing, the Student Health and Counseling Center and Career Center, Office of Disabled Student Services and the University Learning Center. He oversees a staff of more than 325, including the dean of students and college-based assistant deans for student affairs. 

In 2008, Abrego was honored by the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education with its Alfredo G. de los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education Award. He also has been recognized by the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Orange County United Way, Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County and the Hispanic Outreach Task Force.

Prior to joining the university, Abrego served as state coordinator of the National Education Policy Fellowship Program at Claremont University’s Tomas Rivera Center. He earned his master’s degree and educational doctorate at USC.

Shari McMahan

A CSUF faculty member since 2000, McMahan is director of the Center for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles and Obesity Prevention and the Health Promotion Research Institute. As a researcher, she has delved into public policy implications of legislation, such as California’s Injury and Illness Prevention Act, proposed national and state ergonomics standards, and studied implications of an aging workforce and effective modes of risk communication between safety professionals and the public.

Her current research emphasizes the health consequences of exposure to a variety of environmental and occupational health stressors, including exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic fields. Her articles have been published in more than 40 peer-reviewed journals, and she has been the recipient of more than $950,000 in grants. 

McMahan has served as a member of the Academic Senate, the Academic Senate Executive Committee and on numerous campuswide committees, including General Education, Graduate Education, Professional Leaves and Instructionally Related Activities.

She is a certified health education specialist and serves as vice president of the Southwest District of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. McMahan has served on the board of directors of the Orange County section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association and is past chair of the National AIHA Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation. She is co-editor of the California Journal of Health Promotion, as well as a reviewer for the American Journal of Health Promotion and American Journal of Health Studies. She earned her doctorate at UCI.