Alums Honored for Career Achievements

Cathi Douglas (Journalism ’80) joins the ranks of some of her classmates as a 2005 inductee into the Department of Communications Wall of Fame.

Douglas currently is the editor – and founder – of the CSUF alumni magazine, TITAN. Under her leadership, the magazine has received numerous awards from professional organizations for both editorial content and for design.

Douglas calls herself “a true hybrid,” referring to a mixed career that includes 15 years in public relations and more than a decade in newspapers and magazines.

She has worked for The Los Angeles Times, The Orange County Register, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune and Sea Magazine. She went on to join Amies Communication, followed by a five-year stint at Chapman University in Orange where she was director of public relations, including producing a quarterly magazine. She continues her involvement in professional organizations where she often is tapped as a speaker.

David Ferrell (Journalism ’78), 20-year reporter for The Los Angeles Times now-retired, was ushered into the Wall of Fame at the Annual Department of Communications Awards Banquet in spring 2005.

Ferrell started his reporting career at The Orange County Register, then moved to the Times where he covered such hot stories as the Rodney King case and the O.J. Simpson trial. He won the Pulitzer Prize with a team of reporters for coverage of the Northridge earthquake in 1994 and the L.A. riots in 1992.

Now, he’s an author of murder-mysteries. His first novel, Screwball, was recently re-optioned by film producer Jay Shapiro, whose credits include “The Dangerous Lives of the Altar Boys.” Near publication is his second novel, Trail of the Ultra-Bimbo, a black comedy set in Los Angeles.

And he’s working on a third, The Buzzards of Mayhem,” which explores the intricacies of a fictional small daily newspaper pit in competition against The Los Angeles Times. “I’ve obviously had a lot of experience to draw upon,” Ferrell said about his choice of topics.

Donna Hatchett (Public Relations ’79) chalked up many awards from professional organizations before being named to the Department of Communications Wall of Fame in spring 2005.

Hatchett retired in June 2004 from her job as director of public affairs for the North Orange County Community College system and is proudest of the D. Richard Petrizzo Award, given by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, for “extraordinary knowledge, skills, leadership and communication abilities.”

Now, she adds the Wall award to her treasures. Hatchett’s full story appeared in the spring 2005 issue of ProComm.