Instructor Bios

Gail Brown:  Trainer, Motivational Speaker, Consultant

Gail is an energetic, motivating and highly skilled consultant specializing in corporate training programs and motivational speaking presentations.  Her background includes over 20 years working for the Walt Disney Company in Human Resources, Sales, Marketing and Operations and four years as Director of Sales and Operations Jenny Craig, International.

Gail’s areas of expertise include:  Customer Service, Communications, Leadership, Teambuilding, Sexual Harassment Prevention, Ethics, Problem Solving, Change, Stress and Time Management and Hiring and Retaining Superstar Employees.

She enjoys working with clients in a variety of industries; Hospitality, Health, Finance, Real Estate, Merchandising and Technology.  She is also an instructor for Mira Costa College, San Diego State University and Chapman College.

Gail has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from CSULB and has earned certificates from Wilson Learning Sales Training and Motivational Management, Inc.

Elise Hartmann

Elise Hartmann is an Account Manager and Trainer for MiraCosta College.  She designs and delivers training workshops for businesses and has as worked in sales and customer service for the past twenty years, gaining most of her experience in  advertising, retail, travel, restaurant, education, health and fitness, and corporate business.  Prior to becoming a trainer, she worked for AT&T for ten years as a Corporate Account Manager and Field Service Manager.  Elise draws on her background to deliver high impact training sessions specializing in communication skills, dealing with difficult people, conflict resolution, management and supervisory overview, motivation, teambuilding, time and stress management, facilitation skills, meeting management, and many other exciting topics.

Elise holds a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo.  She is currently a member of the American Society for Training and Development, North County Personnel Association and the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management.   

Karen Kramer Horning, SPHR

As a human resource professional, Karen Kramer Horning has helped venture-backed high technology and biotechnology startups as well as large telecommunications and Internet companies at every stage, from inception through major mergers with Fortune 100 companies.

Karen's areas of expertise include strategic recruitment and retention programs, merger and acquisition transitions, organizational development, benefits and incentive program design, and corporate training. Also an HR educator, Karen is an Associate Professor of Business at MiraCosta College and teaches in the HR Certificate Program at UCSD.

Karen is certified by the Human Resources Certification Institute as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). She has earned a Bachelor's degree in Sociology at UCSD and a Master's degree in Business Administration at SDSU.

Merilyn Merenda

Merilyn is a communications training expert whose specialties in Management and Supervisory Training are Presentation Skills, Business Writing Skills, Interpersonal Communication, Leadership Skills, Conflict Management, Listening Skills, Performance Appraisal, Team Building, Problem Solving, Customer Service, Stress Management, Sales Techniques, Dealing with Diversity, and Time Management.

Merilyn has consulted with firms in New York such as Hazeltine Corporation, Remy Martin, King Features, Microwave Power Devices, Inc., Central Semiconductor Inc., Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., and Suffolk County National Bank.

As Professor of Communications at Suffolk County Community College in New York for twenty-three years and a Business Communications Consultant for the college for twenty years, Merilyn supervised more than fifty employees as Department Chair of Communications, coached an award winning public speaking team, and served as Chair of the Committee to Encourage Appreciation of Diversity, among other things.  In addition, her continuous record of distinguished achievement has earned her two teaching awards and the title of Professor Emeritus.

Merilyn moved from New York in 2004, and is currently at the UCSD Extension where she teaches in both the Business Essentials and Business Management Programs.  Her specialties there are Business Writing, Presentation Skills for HR Professionals, Presentation Techniques for Marketers, and Business Essentials-Communication.  

In addition, Merilyn does business workshops for the Supervisory Academy at MiraCosta College in Customer Service, Developing Effective Teams & Facilitation Skills, Problem Solving, Decision Making & Facilitation, and Evaluating and Improving Employee Performance.

In 2005, Merilyn was trained by the Professional Development Academy in San Diego to facilitate both Customer Service and Supervisory programs through community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Merilyn loves living in San Diego, and enjoys serving both students and organizations here.  In her spare time, she helps prepare food for the homeless and conducts a human values program for homeless children.

Danielle Osicki

Danielle Osicki is a training consultant working with public and private organizations in the field of personal and professional development. She has eleven years experience working, volunteering and training for organizations committed to human services, education and leadership development. Her training skills include curriculum design and delivery for leadership programs, facilitation and meeting management, communication skills, group development, conflict resolution, and stress management.

Danielle is committed to helping organizations and companies increase their capacity to serve others while developing the skills of their employees. She has served as a coach and facilitator for numerous national service projects including Save the Children Out-of-School-Time Collaborative training, National Service Leadership Institute and National Civilian Community Corps. She has worked closely with community organizations such as Bay Area Community Resources, YMCA of Fall River and Partners in School Innovation. Currently, some of her clients include MiraCosta College, AmeriCorps*VISTA, Scripps Memorial Hospital, Callaway Golf and CSU San Marcos Foundation.

Danielle has a B.A. degree in Political Science from University of California, San Diego and is currently enrolled at Antioch University, where she is studying for a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management.

In addition, Danielle holds a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher certification from Mt. Madonna Center and has completed Roger Cole’s Iyengar Teacher Training Program. Yoga taught by Danielle provides an opportunity to experience the integration of breath and movement, while emphasizing mindful intention, self-acceptance, stress reduction, and meditation. She attends a variety of yoga conferences, workshops, and retreats contributing to her interdisciplinary style.

Danielle is available to direct training programs, design and deliver training modules and facilitate meetings and retreats. She will design and implement curriculum to fit your individual needs.

Rita A. Soza, MBA

Rita Soza is hands-on HR practitioner and devoted teacher.  At her most recent corporate post as Human Resources Director, she was responsible for 700 employees working a complex shift arrangement providing for 24/7 manufacturing in a 650,000 sq. ft. chemical plant. She led a department of nine, which included four technical trainers, responsible for an extensive manufacturing certification program and management training curriculum.

Previously Rita served as Vice President of Human Resources, North America/Europe for a $750 million multi-national manufacturer of electronic devices headquartered in Carlsbad, California. She was with the company for 19 years and during that time held numerous roles and was assigned many strategic initiative special projects such as mergers & acquisitions and division restructuring. Rita has been responsible for integrating international Employee Benefits programs in four multi-billion dollar corporate acquisitions. She has served as senior Human Resources advisor to several division presidents and corporate executives at Emerson Electric Co, the parent company. She served as Ethics Officer for the division in four countries and managed the company's large annual charitable gift program. Her expertise in Employee Benefits was developed over many years of Employee Benefits administration and management responsibilities, including serving as a trustee for 3 retirement plans.

A full-time faculty member of MiraCosta College’s Business Department, Rita is passionate about the Human Relations Skills Course she teaches.  She also teaches in two Human Resources Certificate programs - one for MiraCosta as well as at Cal State University at San Marcos, Extended Studies. 

Ms. Soza has been selected to participate as a panelist on numerous legal programs presented by the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie labor practice.  Additionally, she has taught numerous supervisory, discrimination and sexual harassment prevention and ethics workshops through MiraCosta's community development department. She is an active member of in North County Personnel Association.

Rita completed an Executive MBA from University of California Irvine. She earned a Professional Human Resources certification in 1992 from the Society of Human Resources Management in Arlington, VA and her Senior Professional in Human Resources certificate in 2001.

Rita and her husband grew up together in Los Angeles, California and currently live in North San Diego County. Proud of her L.A. roots, Rita initiated and is the alumni chairperson of East Los Angeles College's Helen Miller Bailey Legacy Project honoring the memory of charismatic professor and community activist. This work is in conjunction with the biography and oral history of Dr. Bailey's life that Rita is currently writing/producing.