Jim has been teaching in the CA Community College system since 1971, first at Miramar College in the Aircraft Inspection and Maintenance dept., and since 1981 in the Electronics and Mechatronics program at Sierra College. He is currently the Vice President and Membership Chair for the Sierra College Faculty Association.  

He attended Grossmont Community College and graduated from San Diego State University in 1967 with a degree in Physics, Mathematics and Aerospace Studies. When not teaching, he finds time to run his aviation electronics manufacturing company, write a monthly column for a national aviation magazine, teach student pilots, inspect aircraft for airworthiness, keep the orchard trimmed, plant the garden, and take the airplane up for the occasional pleasure flight.

Prior to his academic career, he worked on the space program (Apollo, Surveyor, and Viking) and put himself through school as a mechanic for Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA).  

Jim lives in Grass Valley on a couple of acres of garden and orchard with Gail (also a flight instructor and consummate web guru),  Katie (the Sheltie), Ollie (the Lhasa Apso), and Charly and Gnarly (the pound brother kitties and world-class ratters).

Claudio Bravo teaches electronics classes at the Tahoe/Truckee campus and has a very cool accent.

However, declining to send a biography to our webmaster due to claims of being in the witness protection program sounds unlikely to us. ROFL.

Alysia is the lab technician for the Mechatronics program. Based in Rocklin, she also helps make sure that our NCC and Truckee campuses have all the working equipment and supplies needed to teach our program. She is an indispensable member of our team. Have a question? If Alysia can't help you out, she definitely knows who can.