Retired
Faculty: California State University, Los Angeles
English
3093 St. George Street
Los Angeles
CAUSA
90027
Email:
norinedresser@yahoo.com
Biographical Sketch: Folklorist Norine Dresser holds an MA in Folklore/Mythology (1972) and a BA in anthropology (1970) both from UCLA. She taught at California State University Los Angeles for 20 years (1972-1992). Her current interest in End of Life was inspired by caring for her husband in home hospice for a full year. She became such an enthusiast for the benefits of hospice care that, with Fredda Wasserman, she co-authored SAYING GOODBYE TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE: YOUR EMOTIONAL JOURNEY THROUGH END OF LIFE AND GRIEF (DemosHealth,2010)
Prior to her husband's illness and death Norine's teaching, research and writing focused on cultural differences and how they can impede effective communication. Her nine books have been published by major companies, for example, Wiley, Pearson, and Norton. Her eight-year-running LOS ANGELES TIMES
column, "Multicultural Manners" and book by the same name (Wiley, 1996) both received the 1998 Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations Award for easing intergroup conflict. She is an internationally recognized expert on global cultural traditions and rituals and has given papers to professional groups such as the International Society for Anthrozoology, the American Folklore Society, and the American Dietetic Association. Groups that have invited her to present include the New York State Dept. of Health, Food Stamp and Nutrition Workers, Dept. of Homeland Security, Meeting Professionals International, California Institute of Technology, and the Clark County (NV) Educational Conference.