Diane Hollems & Bob Hawkes

Diane Hollems

Dr. Diane Hollems has more than 20 years’ experience in the public sector and as a faculty member at the postsecondary level. As the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Dean of Educational Programs, she was responsible for, among other things, the Dual Enrollment Program, and the Professional Development and Scheinfeld Entrepreneurship Centers serving the local business community. Dr. Hollems was vice president of a community television station in Louisiana for more than 15 years where she also had an on-air program. Prior to that she was a licensed principal for the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and Corporate Secretary of a securities firm. She was also a flight attendant for Pan American World Airways. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, her Master’s degree in Intercultural and Organizational Communication from the same university, and her Doctorate in Communication Theory from Louisiana State University. She is recently retired from SBCC and, in addition to being the co-founder of the Get Focused…Stay Focused!® (GFSF) Initiative, is now Board President of the newly formed 501(c)(3) nonprofit for the GFSF Initiative, which provides career exploration and comprehensive guidance to students in the K-14 education sectors. Dr. Hollems does extensive consulting for California Dual Enrollment Programs and continues to teach “Communication in Public Organizations” for the Masters in Public Administration Program at California State University, Northridge.

Bob Hawkes

Bob Hawkes has taught classes on small business planning and start-up, marketing, management, finance, cash flow, and communications at Bakersfield College and College of the Canyons for 25 years. He was a consultant for the Small Business Development Center for 20 years and also served as the interim director of the new Business Assistance Center at Kern Community College District. As a trainer, specializing in supervisory skills, communication, and change management, Bob has provided assistance to a broad array of business and governmental organizations. Until his recent retirement, Bob was the Director of Workforce Development for the Kern Community College District. In that role, Bob worked with the faculty and staff of a consortium of four community colleges, the middle schools and high schools they serve, and regional industry. His goal was to implement a new system of career-based training that would increase high school graduation rates; reduce the need for college entrance remediation; and increase community college certificates and graduations. He also served as the Director of the Central/Mother Lode SB1070 Region. In this role, Bob coordinated pathways and best practices among 14 colleges and their feeder high schools. Bob has lived in Kern County for nearly 40 years. He and his wife, Beth, spend time spoiling their 8 grandchildren and planning their next visit to Italy.