Conversations

Wojciech Kocyan is a clinical professor of piano in the College of Communication and Fine Arts, where he teaches piano and opera among other courses. Born in Poland, Kocyan has performed around the world and won multiple awards. In 2007, Gramophone magazine named his “Skriabin Prokofiew Rachmaninow” (Dux Records) as one of the 50 best classical recordings ever made. He was interviewed by Editor Joseph Wakelee-Lynch.

Raj Tut graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in mechanical engineering. Today, he is director of product for Disney Interactive Media Group in Palo Alto, Calif., a position he took in 2008 when Disney acquired Togetherville, a social networking website for kids that he co-founded. We spoke to Tut about children’s social networking sites and his engineering education. He was interviewed by Fred Puza.

Johnny Gilbreath ’12, a business administration major, is president of the LMU Men’s Lacrosse Team, a non-NCAA club sport. As a freshman, Gilbreath and Marc Napp ’11 began teaching lacrosse to Westchester kids. Today, the LMU team is deeply involved in the city program, and the Westchester teams compete in the West L.A. Lacrosse League. On March 4, Gilbreath was inducted into the West L.A. Lacrosse Hall of Fame in recognition of his work with kids. He was interviewed by Editor Joseph Wakelee-Lynch.

J.D. Hokoyama was president and CEO of Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics (LEAP), an organization he helped cofound that develops leaders in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities in the United States and abroad. After 23 years at the helm, he retired in November 2011. We sat down with Hokoyama to talk about acculturation, social media and his views as an immigrant of the proverbial American melting pot. He was interviewed by José Martinez ’11.

Alexandra Natapoff is a professor of law at Loyola Law School. She is a nationally recognized expert on snitching in the criminal justice system and has written articles and given testimony before the U.S. Congress on confidential informant practices. Natapoff is the author of “Snitching: Criminal Informants and the Erosion of American Justice” (NYU Press, 2009). She was interviewed by Editor Joseph Wakelee-Lynch.

Chris Ayzoukian’s head and heart are in perfect harmony. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition in 1999 and later returned to LMU and the Del Rey bluffs to a get a degree in the Executive M.B.A. program in 2007. Ayzoukian now is director of recorded media with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He was interviewed by Janis Rizzuto.

Chick Russell ’75, ’78 is a show producer for Universal Studios. He was interviewed by Aaron Smith.

Young Dwayne Hickman was a TV fixture in the 1950s and early ’60s. As a student at Loyola University, he had a supporting role in the smash hit “The Bob Cummings Show” and, after college, the lead — Dobie — in the groundbreaking comedy “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” Hickman has enjoyed a full career in acting and directing, and another as a painter, which he pursues today. See his artwork here. We spoke to Hickman about his acting career, his friendship on- and off-camera with Bob Denver ’57, and his art work. He was interviewed by Editor Joseph Wakelee-Lynch.

Young Dwayne Hickman was a TV fixture in the 1950s and early ’60s in a supporting role (while a student at Loyola) in the smash hit “The Bob Cummings Show” and the lead — Dobie Gillis — in the groundbreaking comedy “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” Hickman has enjoyed a full career in acting and directing, and another as a painter, which he pursues today. (See his artwork at here.) We spoke to him about both.

Hawley Almstedt is associate professor in the Department of Health and Human Sciences of the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering. Her work focuses on bone development and the prevention of osteoporosis. In between her work and maintaining her own active lifestyle, Almstedt also helps run LMU’s Human Performance Laboratory, which offers to the LMU community a range of exercise, fitness and nutritional analysis services. She was interviewed by José Martinez ’11.