Castillo, who has more than 25 years of experience in higher education, hospital administration and professional nursing, assumes her new duties Feb. 15, 2002.

"CSUN is very fortunate to have such an accomplished leader and educator joining the university," said Louanne Kennedy, provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Dr. Castillo's background in education, hospital administration and nursing, as well as her extensive experience in community service, are assets that will only add to an already strong college. I look forward to having her with us."

Castillo succeeds Ann Stutts, who is retiring this year after seven years as dean of the college.

CSUN's College of Health and Human Development has more than 3,400 students and includes the departments of child development, communication disorders and sciences, family environmental sciences, health sciences, kinesiology and leisure studies and recreation.

"(Cal State Northridge) and the college are full of wonderful challenges and opportunities," Castillo said. "I am looking forward to working with all the staff and faculty."

Castillo, who was born in El Paso, Texas but spent much of her childhood in San Francisco, said among the first things she would like to do when she starts her new job is to identify the students' needs and begin working in the community.

"I enjoy working with hospital administrators and legislators alike," Castillo said. "I like to be proactive in external funding opportunities."

Castillo has been dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services at the University of Texas-Pan American since 1998. Prior to that, she taught at the University of Texas at El Paso from 1976 to 1998, chairing the nursing department during the last five years. While in El Paso, she also served as director of staff education and director of nursing services at Providence Memorial Hospital.

While at the University of Texas-Pan American, Castillo worked to initiate several collaborative programs between her university and other institutions, including an occupational therapy program with the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio, a physician assistant studies program with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and a pharmacy doctorate with the University of Texas at Austin.

Castillo earned her R.N. at St. Vincent's College of Nursing in Los Angeles, her bachelor's in nursing from the University of Texas System School of Nursing, and a master's in nursing from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from New Mexico State University.

Among her research projects have been two different studies on the impact of NAFTA on health care in Mexico and the United States funded by the Center for the Study of Western Hemispheric Trade and the University of Texas at El Paso.

Castillo also has extensive experience in professional and community service, including work on state agencies for the setting of standards for nursing and health service education and accreditation reviews for graduate and undergraduate nursing programs. She has also served as a legal consultant and expert witness in court proceedings.

Castillo is married and has three grown children.

California State University, Northridge has more than 30,000 full- and part-time students and offers 59 bachelor's and 41 master's degrees. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the third largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges recently said CSUN "stands as a model to other public urban institutions of higher education."