Mario Tejada

Email Address [email protected]

Start Date February 13, 2025

Company Diablo Valley College

Position Computer Information Systems Instructor

DVC Alumni Yes

Background I was born and raised in Berkeley, Ca and have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area my entire life. I have traveled frequently to Mexico to visit family and I have had several other interesting travel excursions. My parents were the owners of Mario’s La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant, in Berkeley (near UCB) since 1959. During my first career I was in the restaurant business for many years. I started off as a dishwasher, then cook and ended my restaurant career as a general manager of a dinner house and nightclub. After much pondering and with the encouragement and support of my family, I went back to school to study computers and information systems. Many classes later I actually graduated!! After college I went to work at a software company, LoanSTAR System, as a hardware tech, software tech, a network tech, a programmer, a help desk tech (yes, the person who answers the phone when you call for HELP!!) and finally as a corporate trainer. After 6 years a bigger company in Washington State bought out the company. I was offered a job with the new company but I did not want to move – this Mexican doesn’t do too well in cold weather. I prefer that dry heat. I spent the next 2 years as an independent Network & IT consultant working for organizations like the Contra Costa Water District and the non-profit organization, IFES – the International Foundation for Electoral Systems. IFES is the world’s premier election assistance organization, providing countries with the technical advice and tools they need to run democratic elections. With IFES, my first assignment was to South Africa to help with the 1994 Nelson Mandela elections. Yes I met him and he was as close to me as you are to your computer BUT there were 27 bodyguards between us! In 1995, I worked in Ghana for three months with the Ghanaian Electoral Commission designing their network and training their IT staff in preparation for the 1997 national elections. Upon returning to the USA, I was hired by Los Medanos College in 1995 to install a network in their open Computer Science lab and was subsequently hired as classified staff as the CS Lab Manager. Also in 1995, Diablo Valley College was looking for adjunct Computer Information Systems faculty and I was hired to teach part-time. In 1996, I applied for a full-time CIS teaching position and was fortunate to be hired by the CIS Department as an instructor. I am an instructor at Diablo Valley College’s San Ramon Campus (satellite campus) in the San Francisco Bay area – East Bay to be specific. I am currently teaching in the Computer Information Systems, Computer Networking Technologies, and Computer Science areas. I teach courses in traditional, hybrid, and online formats. I have been teaching online for approximately 15 years. Besides my work in the classroom, I was department chair for 16 years, I am the current Co-Chair of the Distance Education Committee, Co-Chair of the Student Learning Outcomes Committee, Co-Chair of the Technology Committee, a member of the President’s Accreditation Advisory Group, the District’s Learning Management System Work Group, the District’s Distance Education Council and a past member of the curriculum committee (6 years). Outside of college, I have worked with the ACCJC as a visiting team member. I enjoy working with visiting teams because it gives me an opportunity to see the successes of my colleagues across the state, how they respond to challenges at their colleges, and what they are doing to achieve the mission of community colleges in the state.

Keywords Computer Information Systems, Educator, Consultant, Network Administration, Corporate Trainer, International Consulting, Accreditation, Distance Education, Faculty Mentor, Higher Education, Public Speaker, Technology Advocate