The CHABSS Staff Spotlight was created to engender greater fellowship and camaraderie amongst the staff of the college. Each month the college will shine a light on a staff member, treat them to lunch and feature them on the college website. Brought to you by the CHABSS Dean's Office in collaboration with the Staff Development Workgroup.
Staff Spotlight on...
Johnna Norris
Literature & Writing Studies
Administrative Coordinator
Years at CSUSM: June 27th 2012 will mark my first full year.
What is your short term goal? To marry my best friend on April 14th with as little stress as possible.
What is your long term goal? To live a happy and healthy life, and to appreciate those around me. To laugh as much as possible.
What is your greatest accomplishment (personal or professional)? Being accepted to and graduating from UNC Chapel Hill was a big accomplishment for me, however both personally and professionally following my gut instinct and moving west from the east coast has benefited me in more ways than I ever imagined.
What is your favorite movie? I LOVE movies, so this is tough. The Big Lebowski is one of my favorites.
What is your favorite food? I cannot lie: While I love all types of food, I have a weakness for good pizza.
What is your favorite book? To Kill a Mockingbird has been a favorite since I was a little girl.
What are your hobbies? I love to cook. I also enjoy reading, camping, and traveling. My fiancée and I make it a point to take a walk on the beach at least once a week.
Tell us about your family: I have a big family. My mother, a librarian, and my step-father, a journalist, live in East Hampton, NY. My twin sister also lives in East Hampton and is a journalist as well. She has a lovely husband and the most adorable three year old, Ella. My older sister is a teacher in Washington DC and my older brother is a VP of Insights & Planning at Corinthian Colleges in Irvine. I also have a younger sister who is a junior at Berkeley and a younger brother who still resides with my father in Palm Desert. My father builds and maintains upscale water features and pools in Palm Desert, CA. Growing up my twin sister and I spent winters in NY with my mother and summers in CA with my father. My future husband, Wally, also works in the pool & water feature trade. In fact, we met while he and my father were building the large water feature outside of the Palm Springs Convention Center.
What is the proudest/happiest moment of your life? The proudest moment: Helping my twin sister deliver her daughter Ella. That was one of the most fantastic and amazing experiences of my life. The happiest moment: Wally look me to our favorite beach to collect shells and asked me to be his wife. We vowed to each other then and there to always love, respect and cherish one another.
What is your favorite thing about working at CSUSM? I enjoy helping students and faculty solve their problems. They are always so grateful and appreciative, and I end up leaving work at the end of the day knowing I did an excellent job. I also couldn’t be happier with the staff and faculty on campus in terms of both working together and creating lasting friendships. This campus is really special in that there are so many incredible people working at CSUSM.
What would you like to do when you retire? Travel. Read. Laugh as often as possible.
Who is the most famous person you ever met? Growing up in the Hamptons waiting tables meant there was never a shortage of famous people around. My most exciting moment occurred when I waited on Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft at East Hampton Point. I was so star-struck and nervous. They were exceedingly nice individuals and excellent tippers.
