For Suzi Brown, working with the Disneyland Resort communications and public affairs team is a lot like suiting up with “The Incredibles.”
“Like Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Edna Mode and the kids — we are strong leaders, flexible, adaptable, efficient, cool under pressure, creative and prepared. Our team of superheroes uses its powers to tell Disney stories and protect and enhance our reputation,” says Brown, vice president of communications at Disneyland Resort.
Back row, from left to right: Kyleigh Johnson ’16; Sasha Azoqa ’15, ’22; Sabrina Sanchez ’22; Gabe Valenzuela ’23; Sarah Garreton ’24; Amanda Arreguin ’21; Suzi Brown ’88; and Jessica Pineda ’15
Front row, from left to right: Serene Soto ’23; Karalee Darnell ’04, ’06; Christopher Ho ’20; and Miranda Bravo ’24
(Courtesy of Disneyland Resort)
Suzi Brown ’88
Vice president of communications at Disneyland Resort
(Courtesy of Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)
Beyond their storytelling strength, Brown says there’s another superpower that many people on the team possess: They’re Titans.
Of the 60-person communications and public affairs team at Disneyland Resort, 20 are Cal State Fullerton alumni, including Brown, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications-public relations in 1988 and launched her career as an intern for the resort.
Brown says what sets CSUF graduates apart is the hands-on training they receive in the College of Communications. In addition to completing internships, communications students build their portfolios through student-run media outlets and gain experience working with companies who partner with campus organizations.
“It has been our experience that CSUF grads are talented, professional and well-prepared for the workplace,” says Brown.
The Disneyland Resort communications and public affairs team oversees government and public relations, internal, external and executive communications, public and external affairs, and corporate social responsibility.
“We have alumni at every level of our team, from interns and managers to executives, who represent every decade from the 1980s to the 2020s,” says Brown.
"CSUF grads are
Suzi Brown
talented, professional and well-prepared for the workplace."
‘Always a Part of the Titan Family’
The Titan legacy at Disneyland Resort is part of the magic that Gabe Valenzuela experiences every day.
After graduating in 2023, Valenzuela landed an internship with the resort’s internal communications team before he was promoted to a communications associate, and later, an internal communications specialist.
“There’s a shared sense of pride knowing we all came from similar academic upbringings and found our way to Disneyland Resort. It brings our team closer together and serves as a constant reminder that I’ll always be a part of the Titan family,” says Valenzuela ’23 (B.A. communications-entertainment studies).
In his current role, Valenzuela helps tell cast members’ stories, capturing Disney’s history and culture through the lens of its employees. Valenzuela has penned multiple stories for the Disney Parks Blog, including a feature about cast costumes for one of Disneyland’s newest attractions, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Valenzuela and his team also are responsible for fostering employee engagement and keeping cast members updated with company news.
Disneyland Resort internal communications team members Sasha Azoqa ’15, ’22; Gabe Valenzuela ’23; Ross Hunter-Boak ’25; and Andrea Agustin ’24, ’25 with Suzi Brown ’88
(Courtesy of Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)
He likes to think of his team as Disneyland Resort’s very own Jiminy Cricket: “Just as Jiminy helps Pinocchio stay on the right path, we’re that steady guide for our cast members, making sure they are informed and ready to support guests day in and day out.”
Like Brown, Valenzuela credits CSUF for preparing him to succeed and grow in his Disney career.
“The coursework pushed me to be organized, detail-oriented and strategic — skills I use every single day. From writing-intensive classes to collaborative projects, I constantly found myself challenged in the best way at CSUF.”
Beyond academics, Valenzuela says that his career trajectory would not have been possible without student organizations like the Entertainment & Tourism Club, where he networked with industry leaders and developed skills that are crucial to his work, such as public speaking, project management and financial planning.
“CSUF didn’t just prepare me for the professional world — it helped me discover who I wanted to be in that world. The values of collaboration, resilience and creative thinking that were instilled in me at CSUF are the same ones I carry into my work every day,” says Valenzuela.
Training a New Generation of Communicators
When she’s not collaborating with Titans to share the wonder of Disney, Brown is training the next generation of CSUF communicators as a lecturer in the Department of Communications.
Brown’s decision to return to her alma mater as an educator was inspired by the people who had a monumental impact on her career journey: “I had wonderful professors and advisers who not only encouraged me and helped me stay the course, but ensured that I was career ready.”
Gabe Valenzuela ’23 and Mickey Mouse
(Courtesy of Gabe Valenzuela)
Back row, from left to right: Natalia Ramirez ’25; Ross Hunter-Boak ’25; Mackenzie Motsinger, CSUF master’s student; Gabe Valenzuela, ’23; Larry Labrado ’97; Christopher Ho ’20; Karalee Darnell ’04, ’06; and Kyleigh Johnson ’16
Front row, from left to right: Andrea Agustin ’24, ’25; Miranda Bravo ’24; Eric Benitez ’17; Sasha Azoqa ’15, ’22; Suzi Brown ’88; and Jessica Sweetman ’16
(Courtesy of Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)
She teaches the Entertainment Public Relations course, providing expert insights into such areas as media and talent relations, special events, and crisis management.
Outside the classroom, Brown participates in panels and presentations to support students in CSUF’s Public Relations Student Society of America, where she got her start as a student. The organization provides aspiring communicators with networking opportunities and helps them hone their skills in leadership, media strategy, event planning, social media management and more.
“My academic and professional careers have come full circle,” says Brown. “I remember sitting in the same classrooms trying to envision myself in a communications role, and I find it incredibly energizing and rewarding to be able to help guide and advise students on their next steps.
