Peggie Fariss, Disney Creative Development Executive, Named Keynote Speaker for UCLA Extension Certificate Graduation Ceremony

More Than 2000 Certificate Graduates to Be Honored on Friday, June 24, 2016, Royce Hall, UCLA Campus


LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Peggie Fariss, a 50-year veteran of creative development at Walt Disney Imagineering, will be the featured keynote speaker and professional achievement honoree at the UCLA Extension Certificate Graduation Ceremony on Friday, June 24, at Royce Hall.

"Peggie Fariss has dedicated half a century to Disney, and it is an honor to have such a creative powerhouse address our graduates," said Wayne Smutz, Dean of UCLA Extension and Continuing Education. "We are confident Peggie's remarks will inspire our certificate graduates to push their personal and professional boundaries."

The annual ceremony recognizes more than 2,000 graduates expected to receive UCLA Extension professional certificates in the academic year ending in June 2016. Ranging from accounting to paralegal studies, directing, writing, and more, these career-focused credentials help adults augment their skills. More than 100 certificates will be acknowledged. Fariss received her Certificate in Business in 1990 and has taken more than 40 continuing education courses at UCLA Extension.

"As a long-time Disney Imagineer, I know the importance of 'story,'" said Fariss. "It's at the heart of everything we do. And yet I never imagined UCLA Extension would ask me to tell my story. It is a very humbling experience and carries with it daunting responsibilities. My sincerest hope is that in hearing my story, those we are honoring and celebrating at the Certificate Graduation will take a moment to think of the stories they are writing with their own lives and determine to let their courage and curiosity take them where they will."

Fariss' speech will trace her robust career at Disney, from her beginnings at Disneyland, Anaheim, to Epcot at Walt Disney World, Florida, to her final post at Disneyland, Paris.

In her various roles at Disney she learned to define and articulate a philosophy for integrating corporate brands into Disney theme park environments. Fariss also mastered the role of being the interface between the creative and project management teams to deliver the creative concept within the constraints of the project.

UCLA Extension is heading into its 100th year in 2017 as one of the largest and most comprehensive continuing education programs. Its resources are tailored to the needs of working adults and lifetime learners, with open enrollment and evening, weekend, daytime, and online courses.

The UCLA Extension Certificate Graduation Ceremony at Royce Hall commences at 4 p.m. on June 24.

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Contact Information:

Contact:
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Peggie Fariss, a 50-year veteran of creative development at Walt Disney Imagineering, will be the featured keynote speaker and professional achievement honoree at the UCLA Extension Certificate Graduation Ceremony on Friday, June 24, at Royce Hall.