Academic Administration

Jiseon Lee Isbara

Provost
Ahmanson Hall, 2nd floor
provost@otis.edu
(310) 665-6979

• Chief Academic Officer
• Strategic Leadership
• Academic Program Planning
• Curriculum and Program Development
• Academic Policies and Procedures
• Assessment and Accreditation
• Academic Division Budgets and Resources
• Faculty and Academic Staff Recruitment and Development
• Faculty Governance
• Operations and Services
• Administrative Systems
• Academic Advising and Mentoring
• Academic Support Services

Joanne Mitchell

Assistant Provost for Academic Effectiveness and Accreditation
Ahmanson Hall, 2nd floor
jmitchell@otis.edu
(310) 665-6963

Primary Responsibilities

• Accreditation Liaison Officer
• Oversee and Guide Assessment and Program Review
• Support Data-Informed Decision-Making
• Academic Policies and Procedures
• Student Success Initiatives
• Support Budget & Resource Planning

Joanne holds a B.A. in Economics and Government from Wesleyan University, a Master’s in Public and Private Management from Yale University, and an M.F.A. from CalArts. Since arriving at Otis in 2010, she has served as a Curatorial Intern in the Ben Maltz Gallery, Interim Academic Coordinator of the Foundation Program, Assistant Chair and Associate Professor in the Foundation Program, and most recently as a member of the Interim Provost Support Team. Her work has been exhibited at the Tsai Performing Arts Center, The Graduate Center - CUNY, SOMArts, and the LGBT Historical Museum among others.

Matthew Penkala

Director of Academic Administration
Ahmanson Hall, 2nd floor
mpenkala@otis.edu
(310) 665-6815

Primary Responsibilities

• Academic Affairs Project Management
• Travel and External Study Management
• Academic Research Support
• Divisional Calendar
• Academic Meeting Schedule
• Assessment and External Program Review Support
• Budget Planning Support
• Administrative Systems Support
• Web and Publications Support
• HEOA Compliance

Matthew Penkala is an artist whose paintings are included in numerous public and private collections nationally, and have been reviewed or featured in numerous publications and catalogues. Penkala came to Otis in 2012, following an interim faculty position heading the Painting Department at Cranbrook Academy of Art. He served as Academic Coordinator in Otis’ Foundation Program for two years before joining the Provost’s Office. He has also been the Faculty Leader for the Foundation Program’s Paris Travel Elective since 2013. He has worked for various Los Angeles-based design firms providing Art Direction and production for web and print based projects. Penkala earned his M.F.A. in Painting at Cranbrook Academy of Art and a B.F.A. in Photography from Arizona State University.

Learn more about Matthew at: www.matthewpenkalastudio.com

Angila Romious, PhD

Director of Institutional Research and Effectiveness
Ahmanson Hall, 2nd floor
aromious@otis.edu
424-207-3753

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide Data-Driven Decision Support for Institutional Operations and Student Success
• Ensure Institution-Wide Data Strategy
• Data and Analysis Related Training and Coaching
• Institutional Research/Institutional Effectiveness
• Accountability Reporting
• IPEDS Keyholder
• Strategic Enrollment Planning Guidance and Monitoring
• Assessment, Program Review, and Program Evaluation Support
• Accreditation Support
• Budget and Resource Planning Support
• Strategic Plan Monitoring

Angila Romious PhD has over 9 years’ teaching experience in higher education and professional experience in institutional research. In addition to her work as Director of the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness at Otis College, she teaches Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in the Departments of Sociology and Social Work at Mount Saint Mary’s University. Dr. Romious consults as an external evaluator conducting program and project evaluations for non-profit organizations and businesses. Currently, she sits on the Board of Directors for Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) Public Schools and is a former Board Member for Precision Dance Company and The Pearl Foundation. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Social Ecology from UC Irvine.

Learn more about The Office of Institutional Research (OIRE) here.