Advisory Board
Meet our Club 55 Advisory Board! Each of our advisers is not only a Chapman Faculty Member but also a huge Disney Fan just like you! The Chairman also serves as a partial adviser and club member and is elected by the club to provide a strategic vision for the organization.
Lead Adviser ~ Dr. Brian Alters
• President, Board of Directors, National Center for Science Education (NCSE). 2012
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Biological Science section. 2012
• National Medal -- McNeil Medal – from the Royal Society of Canada (equivalent to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences). Awarded to one individual annually “who has demonstrated outstanding ability to promote and communicate science to students and public nationally.” 2009
• TV Host of a prime-time, nationally-broadcast, commercial television series viewed by millions. Project X, a PBS-like science magazine show with the mandate to educate the public about science, airs on CBC, BBC, and PBS stations. 2008
• Published 5 books in the past decade on education, science, and religion.
• Delivered over 300 talks worldwide (e.g., France, Russia, China, Harvard, MIT, University of Pennsylvania, Russian Pedagogical University, National Academy of Sciences to the AERA, Royal Society of Canada.)
• Winner of McGill University’s President’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching. 2003
• Simultaneous international appointments at Chapman, McGill, and Harvard universities. Current.
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Biological Science section. 2012
• National Medal -- McNeil Medal – from the Royal Society of Canada (equivalent to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences). Awarded to one individual annually “who has demonstrated outstanding ability to promote and communicate science to students and public nationally.” 2009
• TV Host of a prime-time, nationally-broadcast, commercial television series viewed by millions. Project X, a PBS-like science magazine show with the mandate to educate the public about science, airs on CBC, BBC, and PBS stations. 2008
• Published 5 books in the past decade on education, science, and religion.
• Delivered over 300 talks worldwide (e.g., France, Russia, China, Harvard, MIT, University of Pennsylvania, Russian Pedagogical University, National Academy of Sciences to the AERA, Royal Society of Canada.)
• Winner of McGill University’s President’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching. 2003
• Simultaneous international appointments at Chapman, McGill, and Harvard universities. Current.
Chairman ~ Jordan Beeks ~ Main Street
Hometown: Issaquah, Washington
Favorite Disney Character: Captain America
Favorite Disney Movie: Captain America, Lady & The Tramp, & The Princess Diaries II
Favorite Disney Attraction: Peter Pan's Flight & Soarin' Over California
Bio: Jordan is a Chapman Alumni (Class of 2015) and a founding member of Club 55. He currently resides in Southern California and provides support for Club 55 activities and events.
Favorite Disney Character: Captain America
Favorite Disney Movie: Captain America, Lady & The Tramp, & The Princess Diaries II
Favorite Disney Attraction: Peter Pan's Flight & Soarin' Over California
Bio: Jordan is a Chapman Alumni (Class of 2015) and a founding member of Club 55. He currently resides in Southern California and provides support for Club 55 activities and events.
Alumnus Advisor ~ Amanda Shake
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Favorite Disney Characters: Miley Stewart, Bolt, Liv and Maddie Rooney, Mal, Darkwing Duck
Favorite Disney Movies: Hannah Montana: The Movie, Bolt, Descendants 1 and 2
Favorite Disney Attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, and Soarin' Around the World
Bio: Amanda is a former Club 55 president and graduated from Chapman in 2019. She currently lives in Orange County and is more than happy to continue to help the club in any way she can. This owner of 1300 and counting Disney stuffed animals is a lover of all things Disney, but most of all, the animated movies (ESPECIALLY Bolt), the parks, and the Channel. Her favorite Disney Channel shows/movies are Hannah Montana, Liv and Maddie, Girl Meets World, and Descendants (you’ll never meet a bigger Dove Cameron fan). She also loves animated shows like Darkwing Duck! Amanda tries to visit the Magic Kingdom weekly (look for the girl with the Mal ears and the Bolt or Disney Channel lanyard), and finds herself at other local Disney events at about the same frequency. The quote she lives by is, “If there’s a Disney event within 40 miles of me, I’ll be there!” As a lover of these events, she hopes to help promote them and hopefully, one day, help coordinate them. Bam, what!?
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Favorite Disney Characters: Miley Stewart, Bolt, Liv and Maddie Rooney, Mal, Darkwing Duck
Favorite Disney Movies: Hannah Montana: The Movie, Bolt, Descendants 1 and 2
Favorite Disney Attractions: Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, and Soarin' Around the World
Bio: Amanda is a former Club 55 president and graduated from Chapman in 2019. She currently lives in Orange County and is more than happy to continue to help the club in any way she can. This owner of 1300 and counting Disney stuffed animals is a lover of all things Disney, but most of all, the animated movies (ESPECIALLY Bolt), the parks, and the Channel. Her favorite Disney Channel shows/movies are Hannah Montana, Liv and Maddie, Girl Meets World, and Descendants (you’ll never meet a bigger Dove Cameron fan). She also loves animated shows like Darkwing Duck! Amanda tries to visit the Magic Kingdom weekly (look for the girl with the Mal ears and the Bolt or Disney Channel lanyard), and finds herself at other local Disney events at about the same frequency. The quote she lives by is, “If there’s a Disney event within 40 miles of me, I’ll be there!” As a lover of these events, she hopes to help promote them and hopefully, one day, help coordinate them. Bam, what!?
Student Affairs Adviser~ Dr. Julye Bidmead
Hometown: San Ramon, CA
Favorite Disney Character: Jasmine
Favorite Disney Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Favorite Disney Attraction: It's a Small World
Bio: Julye Bidmead (Ph.D., Vanderbilt University) is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies. She is the author of The Akitu Festival: Religious Continuity and Royal Legitimation in Mesopotamia (Gorgias Press, 2002) . Dr. Bidmead has been on the staff of numerous archaeological excavations in Israel, including the Megiddo Expedition. She teaches courses in Hebrew Bible, biblical archaeology, and gender studies. Dr. Bidmead teaches courses on Hebrew Bible, biblical archaeology, Gender studies in Religious Studies and the Honors Program. This include the Honors Student Exclusive Course "Disney: Gender, Race, and Religion."
Favorite Disney Character: Jasmine
Favorite Disney Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Favorite Disney Attraction: It's a Small World
Bio: Julye Bidmead (Ph.D., Vanderbilt University) is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies. She is the author of The Akitu Festival: Religious Continuity and Royal Legitimation in Mesopotamia (Gorgias Press, 2002) . Dr. Bidmead has been on the staff of numerous archaeological excavations in Israel, including the Megiddo Expedition. She teaches courses in Hebrew Bible, biblical archaeology, and gender studies. Dr. Bidmead teaches courses on Hebrew Bible, biblical archaeology, Gender studies in Religious Studies and the Honors Program. This include the Honors Student Exclusive Course "Disney: Gender, Race, and Religion."
Professional Adviser ~ Professor Eric Young
Hometown: Washington D.C.
Favorite Disney Character: Captain Nemo
Favorite Disney Movie: The Reluctant Dragon
Favorite Disney Attraction: The Haunted Mansion
Bio: "Focus on stories—meaningful stories,” Eric Young advises. “Everything we contribute as technicians, craftspeople, and creatives must serve the story.”
Young began his career at Walt Disney Studios, where he worked as a producer and Home Entertainment executive for 10 years. In 2001, Young started up his own production company, Sparkhill, where he serves as President and Executive Producer of Original Programming. His company is responsible for the creation of hundreds of original behind-the-scenes special features, interviews, and documentaries for a multitude of award-winning DVD releases such as Leonard Maltin's Disney Treasures," Swiss Family Robinson," 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," "Pollyanna," "Parent Trap," Darby O'Gill and the Little People," "Freaky Friday," "The Lion King," "Old Yeller," "Oswald the Rabbit," Peter Pan II: Return to Neverland," "Pooh's Grand Adventure," "The Love Bug," "Escape to Witch Mountain," "The Black Hole," "The Shaggy Dog," "The Tigger Movie,", and his personal favorite, a collection of early films by animation great, Ray Harryhausen.
Favorite Disney Character: Captain Nemo
Favorite Disney Movie: The Reluctant Dragon
Favorite Disney Attraction: The Haunted Mansion
Bio: "Focus on stories—meaningful stories,” Eric Young advises. “Everything we contribute as technicians, craftspeople, and creatives must serve the story.”
Young began his career at Walt Disney Studios, where he worked as a producer and Home Entertainment executive for 10 years. In 2001, Young started up his own production company, Sparkhill, where he serves as President and Executive Producer of Original Programming. His company is responsible for the creation of hundreds of original behind-the-scenes special features, interviews, and documentaries for a multitude of award-winning DVD releases such as Leonard Maltin's Disney Treasures," Swiss Family Robinson," 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," "Pollyanna," "Parent Trap," Darby O'Gill and the Little People," "Freaky Friday," "The Lion King," "Old Yeller," "Oswald the Rabbit," Peter Pan II: Return to Neverland," "Pooh's Grand Adventure," "The Love Bug," "Escape to Witch Mountain," "The Black Hole," "The Shaggy Dog," "The Tigger Movie,", and his personal favorite, a collection of early films by animation great, Ray Harryhausen.
