NEWSMAKERS Education California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo has appointed Mario “Marty” de los Cobos vice president for university advancement. De los Cobos will be responsible for developing networks and alliances throughout the region. He previously served as CSUCI director of community, government and alumni relations, and was former Gov. Pete Wilson’s appointee to the site selection committee for CSUCI. Food Richard J. Dahl has been promoted to president and chief operating officer of Dole Food Co. He was senior vice president and chief financial officer, and has been replaced in that position by Joseph S. Tesoriero. Tesoriero was vice president, taxes. Government Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn has appointed Gabriel Buelna to the Human Relations Commission. Buelna is a Chicano studies lecturer at California State University, Northridge. Healthcare Thousand Oaks-based WellPoint Health Networks Inc. announced it had hired Lee S. Arian, a former assistant U.S. Attorney, to head its fraud and abuse unit. Insurance Steve Tilghman has joined Schifrin, Gagnon & Dickey in Van Nuys, focusing on expanding the company’s property and casualty field claims services. Tilghman was formerly regional claims manager at National American Insurance. Law Fred Hayes was named partner at Glendale-based law firm Bradley & Gmelich. He will continue to head up the firm’s appellate and law and emotion department, responsible for keeping attorneys abreast of new developments in California statutes, regulations and case law. Media & Entertainment Helene Hahn is stepping down from her post as DreamWorks SKG chief operating officer, after 10 years with the Glendale company. She has been commuting from Utah since 1999. Hahn will remain with the company until her successor is found and has agreed to be a consultant for one year. Before joining the fledgling DreamWorks in 1994, Hahn was executive vice president of Walt Disney Studios, a post she held from 1984 to 1987. Martin Becker, a special-effects coordinator and co-owner of Reel Efx, a North Hollywood company, died of pancreatic cancer Aug. 13. He was 49. Reel Efx, which Becker co-founded with Jim Gill, specializes in creative mechanical effects for national commercial campaigns. Among Becker’s special-effects film credits are “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” “Bachelor Party,” and “How to Make an American Quilt.” Susan N. Fleishman has been appointed senior vice president, community affairs NBC Universal, and corporate media affairs Universal Studios, with oversight of the San Fernando Valley-based divisions of the new company. Fleishman most recently served as senior vice president, corporate communications and public affairs. Previously, she was vice president, corporate communications and public affairs having joined Universal in 1995 from Rosen & Company, where she served as director of communications. Prior to that, she was director of public affairs for Sony Corporation of America and assistant vice president, public relations, at Continental Insurance. Fleishman, a Connecticut native, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Literature from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont. Caryn Mandabach is leaving Carsey-Warner-Mandabach in Studio City to start her own television production company. In 1986, Mandabach won an Emmy Award for her work on “The Cosby Show.” The company will revert back to its original Carsey-Werner Co. name. Arthur Alsberg, a writer for stage, screen and television, died Aug. 7 at his home in Sherman Oaks. He was 77. Alsberg got his start in radio, writing comedy for Milton Berle and Danny Kaye, then segued to television and became a lead writer on such shows as “Our Miss Brooks,” “Bachelor Father,” and “I Dream of Jeannie.” Burbank-based Ascent Media Group has named Ron Geller senior vice president, strategic planning and development. Geller most recently worked for Sony Pictures Digital as senior vice president, international operations. Bill Frazee has been promoted to the new post of vice president, North America commercial services. Frazee has held senior sales posts since joining Ascent (when it was known as Four Media Co.) in 1996. Youbet.com, Inc., the Woodland Hills-based online wagering company and the leading provider of horse racing content in the U.S., has appointed Robert E. Brierley an independent member of the company’s board of directors. Brierley is chief financial officer of Extraction Systems Inc., based in Franklin, Mass. Brierley will chair the audit committee at Youbet. Real Estate Beazer Homes Southern California has promoted Carter Dandridge to customer care supervisor for its Los Angeles County division and Stan Westrick to quality assurance department. Previously, Dandridge was customer care area supervisor for Palmdale and Westrick, a Beazer employee for 19 years, was customer care field supervisor. The Los Angeles/Ventura County division of D.R. Horton has promoted Brad Kile to assistant project manager for the firm’s master planned community in Camarillo. Previously, Kile was escrow coordinator. Ann Massei has been named marketing director at Lee & Associates-LA North/Ventura Inc. Massei had worked at Capstone Turbine Corp. as marketing communications manager.