Fall 2022 LIU Magazine

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE • FALL 2022

YOU ARE OUR LEGACY

YOU ARE OUR LEGACY

Long Island University has earned more national recognition than ever before because of YOU.

Long Island University has earned more national recognition than ever before because of YOU

Alumni leaders and friends—like YOU—advance the mission of the University through your successes, honors, and awards. We are proud of all you have achieved.

Alumni leaders and friends—like YOU—advance the mission of the University through your successes, honors, and awards. We are proud of all you have achieved.

YOUR GIFT HAS POWER

Your support is crucial to help LIU students achieve their dreams.

YOUR GIFT HAS POWER

FUND A FUTURE

Your support is crucial to help LIU students achieve their dreams.

Scholarship funds play a critical role in recruitment, retention, and graduation. YOU can make a dream come true with your gift to the Annual Fund for LIU.

FUND A FUTURE

Please visit liu.edu/donate.

Scholarship funds play a critical role in recruitment, retention, and graduation. YOU can make a dream come true with your gift to the Annual Fund for LIU.

Please visit: liu.edu/donate

Your gift to the Annual Fund helps make your LIU degree more valuable!

Your gift to the Annual Fund helps make your LIU degree more valuable!

DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN HONORED WITH DISTINGUISHED PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN AWARD

Few people can describe the lives and legacies of United States presidents like Doris Kearns Goodwin. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian has studied and written about some of the country’s most cherished leaders for the past five decades. Her work has been adapted into Academy Award-winning movies and she has executive produced acclaimed documentaries for the History Channel.

Even when standing in a room with nearly 50 members of presidential families— perhaps the only people in the world who know the presidents as well as she does— Goodwin still manages to tell stories no one has heard before.

Doris Kearns Goodwin accepted the inaugural Distinguished Presidential Historian Award from the Society of Presidential Descendants and the Roosevelt School. Goodwin spoke about the unique ways in which presidents

found down time to recharge amid their hectic lives. She filled the room with laughter over stories of Theodore Roosevelt’s sporting activities and John Quincy Adams skinny dipping in the Potomac River. She explained the importance of the presidents’ hobbies and artfully connected history to the present moment.

“We’re living in a really difficult time now, there’s a cascading series of crises, and we have to find ways to find ourselves in the midst of it all,” Goodwin said. “History can teach us that we’ve been through these tough times before and we emerged with greater strength. We have to believe in this country, we have to act for this country.”

Her words underscored the mission of the Society of Presidential Descendants and the Roosevelt School – to promote the importance of civic education and learn leadership skills from our nation’s presidents. The Gala was also a

ABOVE: Doris Kearns Goodwin speaks inside the replica White House Briefing Room at Long Island University's Roosevelt School.

representation of that vision, with a weekend of events including panel discussions led by presidential descendants, a symposium on the personal life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, and a visit to Roosevelt’s famed Sagamore Hill estate.

The Gala dinner and award ceremony took place inside the “White House Experience” at the Roosevelt School, featuring replicas of the executive mansion’s most famous rooms. Guests ate dinner in rooms that model the Oval Office, Situation Room, Red Room, Green Room and more.

The building will include a digital archive encompassing the first 30 presidents—from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge—who do not have a dedicated presidential library, and it will be used for educational events for K-12 school districts.

“Long Island University is a national leader in presidential studies, service learning, and civic education,” said University President Kimberly R. Cline. “Our ambitious academic and research agenda provides opportunities for students to grow as thought leaders and innovators who will serve and inspire their communities.”

The partnership between the Roosevelt School and the Society of Presidential Descendants has garnered national attention. Together they founded National Civics Day on October 27 of each year, the prestigious Biennial Presidential Leadership Book Award to be presented next in 2023, and the Roosevelt Conference on Leadership and Service.

While Goodwin’s books won’t be eligible for the upcoming book award, they are the gold standard for works on presidential leadership. The Gala closed with a book signing, and guests quickly filled their arms with Goodwin’s New York Times best-selling novels.

LEFT: Doris Kearns Goodwin speaks during the inaugural Gala in the "Briefing Room" as Tweed Roosevelt stands to her side next to the Distinguished Presidential Historian Award. RIGHT: Doris Kearns Goodwin signs copies of her best-selling novels during the Gala. Ms. Goodwin was dubbed America’s “Historian-in-Chief” by New York Magazine for her world-renowned work chronicling the lives and legacies of U.S. presidents.

HISTORY CAN TEACH US THAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH THESE TOUGH TIMES BEFORE AND WE EMERGED WITH GREATER STRENGTH. WE HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVE TO ACT FOR THIS COUNTRY.

Turning Vision into Reality

The School of Film and Digital Media Launches with Prestigious Advisory Board

ong Island University’s newly launched School of Film and Digital Media offers aspiring filmmakers the comprehensive skillset needed to break into the spotlight, with guidance from some of the industry’s brightest minds.

The School of Film and Digital Media is led by a distinguished advisory board that includes renowned film producer and former Paramount Pictures executive Michael Tadross, Academy award-winning actor Whoopi Goldberg, and legendary Broadway producer Wendy Federman

The curriculum is designed with a progression that gives students a complete understanding of the production process in nearly every video format, which Tadross identifies as the key to prolonged success.

“I started out in this business as an assistant film editor, and I have worked in nearly every aspect of film making,” said Tadross, who is the chairman of the Advisory Board.

“I know how important it is to understand the full scope of producing a film, from the camera person’s angle to the financing, to the editing and so on. I’m thrilled to be working with LIU students to prepare them for this exciting career.”

The School of Film and Digital Media offers six degrees: a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Broadcasting, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Film, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Film & Television, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Media Arts, a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Acting for Film and Television, and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Writing and Producing for Television.

Students will master different film genres that contribute to high-quality filmmaking throughout each academic year. First-year students are tasked with studying preproduction and creating short films, while sophomores focus on cinematography and diverse film formats. During junior year, students are responsible for producing a documentary. Their senior capstone project is to create a feature-length film.

Students have access to state-of-the-art production equipment as well as prestigious faculty, skilled professional mentors, and acclaimed guest lecturers. The project-based course work ensures graduates enter the workforce with a versatile portfolio and robust professional connections.

Those relationships include strategic guidance from Tadross, Goldberg and Federman, whose prestigious résumés and experience helped propel them into the upper echelon of the film industry.

SCHOOL OF FILM AND DIGITAL MEDIA ADVISORY BOARD

Learn more about the School of Film and Digital Media, including it's advisory board, at: liu.edu/school-of-film-and-digital-media

MICHAEL TADROSS Executive Producer

ACHIEVING GLOBAL PROMINENCE IN RESEARCH

Above: Chronic renal disease histology stain. The College of Veterinary Medicine provides pathology diagnostic services to its clinical affiliates and a local opportunity to participate in cutting-edge translational research and rehabilitation applications.

CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATION

ong Island’s ability to secure a global leadership role within a broad range of cutting edge research has been significantly strengthened with LIU’s recent designation as a High Research Activity Doctoral University (R2) by Carnegie Classification, academia’s means of recognizing educational eminence at colleges and universities across the United States.

What this recognition also reveals is that LIU’s transformational investments in facilities and exceptional faculty hires have allowed the University to significantly expand its research capabilities. This new standing allows LIU to forge additional partnerships with leading companies seeking research opportunities with institutions of higher learning that have achieved the rigorous R2 designation.

LIU is the only private university on Long Island to achieve this accreditation, joining other institutions in the northeast including Villanova University and Fordham University. It is a unique standing given that Carnegie Classifications designated fewer than 7% of post-secondary institutions nationwide as R1 or R2 in their 2022 announcement.

The response to this achievement has been immediate. Fortune Future 50 technology company Dassault Systèmes and its subsidiary Medidata Solutions have expanded their partnership with LIU on the first global Center of Excellence in Life Sciences, only the company’s second partnership in the United States, joining Perdue University. The Center of Excellence focuses on research that advance the fields of pharmaceutical sciences, precision medicine, and health care in the digital age.

These alliances are consistent with LIU’s history, given that LIU Pharmacy, the New York metropolitan area’s first pharmacy school, is now engaged in a series of new partnerships— including international healthcare technology company Omnicell. This has given LIU the means to expand research in areas of infectious disease, new drug discovery, therapeutic and diagnostic agents for brain cancer, prostate cancer, obesity

and cardiovascular diseases, drug metabolism, pharmacogenetics and metabolomics. These areas of study provide obvious synergies with healthcare providers in the region including Northwell, Mt. Sinai, and NYU–Langone.

Other areas will allow LIU and the region to welcome additional research opportunities that will attract further investment to Long Island. A new state-of-the-art facility is slated to open this fall for the College of Veterinary Medicine, one of four colleges of its kind in the Northeast, sharing that reputation with Cornell, Tufts, and the University of Pennsylvania.

An R2 ranking is as essential to LIU as it is to the metropolitan area and the Long Island economy cannot be overstated. In an era when traditional manufacturing jobs are now but a modest fraction of the overall workforce of the bi-county economy, the ability to attract a broad range of research disciplines is key to bringing new investment and creating lifelong careers on the island. LIU’s emergence as a respected research magnet under R2 has the means to complement existing centers of excellence such as Brookhaven National Labs and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Additional technology centers are already planned for the former Calverton Flight Test Center which will only add to the “critical mass” of facilities capable of supporting the Island’s innovation infrastructure.

Long Island has a long history of transformation and change. From being the rural “breadbasket” for an emerging New York City at the turn of the 20th Century, to playing a key role in the Arsenal of Democracy of World War II, to the nation’s first suburb, the Island is now in the midst of yet another evolution as a center for pioneering, transformative research. It will be dependent on vision, investment, and above all, its people. LIU is prepared to play its role in fulfilling that promise.

TOP 7% ranking

Long Island University’s transformational investments in facilities and exceptional faculty hires have allowed it to significantly expand its research capabilities. Carnegie Classifications designated fewer than 7% of post-secondary institutions nationwide as R1 or R2 in their 2022 announcement.

LIU is the only private university on Long Island to achieve this accreditation, joining other northeastern institutions including Villanova University and Fordham University.

YOUNG GURU

PHOTOS: Gimel “Young Guru” Keaton teaches LIU students at the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment. Keaton joins a growing roster of exceptional artists and industry elites who teach courses in hip-hop history and the making of an album.

is known widely in the music industry as JAY-Z’s personal engineer and has worked with other premier artists including Beyonce, Rhianna and Mariah Carey.

YOUNG GURU JOINS ICONIC ARTISTS AND BRANDS SUPPORTING THE ROC NATION SCHOOL

Collaborating with the entertainment industry’s top artists and executives makes the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment a national destination for experiential learning. Acclaimed Grammy Award-winning audio engineer, record executive and producer Gimel “Young Guru” Keaton is the latest to join the Roc Nation School roster as director of the Music Technology, Entrepreneurship and Production program.

Known widely in the music industry as JAY-Z’s personal engineer, Keaton has worked with other premier artists including Beyonce, Rhianna and Mariah Carey. He has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, and in 2019 won the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album for mixing “Everything Is Love” by The Carters. He co-founded and co-leads the record label Jamla, which houses Grammy nominated and critically acclaimed lyricist Rapsody.

“This chapter is called Education,” Keaton wrote on his Instagram as he announced his arrival at the Roc Nation School. “I can’t tell you how excited I am!” His passion for educating the next generation of music entrepreneurs follows his previous role as artist-in-residence at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music and lecturer at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Music.

“Education is a valuable platform to show talented students how to navigate the music industry, preserve music history, and share their culture with the world,” Keaton said. “Joining the Roc Nation School is an incredible opportunity to offer my experience as a guide for up-and-coming artists and producers.”

The Roc Nation School and Keaton celebrated his hiring by offering a full-tuition scholarship to one highly qualified student who applied for the fall 2022 semester Keaton joins a growing roster of exceptional artists and industry elites, such as super producer 9th Wonder, visiting professor and artist in residence at the Roc Nation School, who teaches courses in hip-hop history and the making of an album.

“The Roc Nation School is the premier destination for the next generation of professionals in the music industry who have the opportunity to learn directly from top executives and artists,” said Long Island University President Kimberly Cline. “We are thrilled to welcome Young Guru to the Roc Nation School’s leadership team. His decades of experience and expertise in the music business will be an incredible asset to the school.”

EDUCATION IS A VALUABLE PLATFORM TO SHOW TALENTED STUDENTS HOW TO NAVIGATE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, PRESERVE MUSIC HISTORY, AND SHARE THEIR CULTURE WITH THE WORLD.

DISTINGUISHED ARTS LEADER TAKES THE STAGE

eing named Executive Director of Tilles Center for the Performing Arts is more than an honor—it is the culmination of Tom Dunn's childhood ambitions.

“Leading Tilles Center is a dream job for me,” Dunn said. “I’ve been coming to Tilles my whole life. Being a member of this community and being granted this opportunity to lead this institution is incredibly exciting.”

Dunn has had an illustrious career in arts management highlighted by more than 16 years in leadership positions at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. He most recently served as executive director of the Southampton Arts Center since 2018. In addition to his work in arts administration, fundraising and operations, Dunn is a writer, director and producer. He was co-author and director of the acclaimed off-Broadway comedy “Who Killed Woody Allen?” He has also created and developed projects with the Bravo, Epix and Oxygen television networks.

Photo: Debbie Egan-Chin for Newsday

ABOVE: Elvis Costello & The Imposters perform at Tilles Center in October, 2022.

“I have been so fortunate in my career to do everything from writing, directing, producing and performing to creating and operating world-class venues that host preeminent artists,” said Dunn. “Now, I look forward to expanding Tilles Center’s stellar run as the premier destination for live performance on Long Island. I’m excited about bringing world class, highquality, high-profile acts to Tilles Center, building on what’s been a 40-year legacy of entertaining and enriching the growth of our community.”

TILLES

“Tom played an integral role in the notable redevelopment and expansion of Lincoln Center,” said Reynold Levy, former CEO of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. “He has the rare talent of being able to bring bold visions to fruition and succeed even beyond the highest expectations.”

Tilles Center was the first to bring the New York Philharmonic to Long Island and Bruce Springsteen’s legendary “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” was recorded onsite, among other notable events. The world-class concert hall hosts more than 70 performances each season by worldrenowned artists in music, theater and dance. Dunn is eager to see Tilles Center continue to help advance Long Island University’s reputation as a destination for performing arts.

70 performances each season

At Lincoln Center, Dunn served as senior director, concert halls operations, and was part of the senior management team that directed the $1.2 billion physical redevelopment of its 16-acre campus.

“I take our connection and presence at LIU very seriously. We’re part of this university and I want Tilles integrated into university life in all possible ways,” Dunn said. “LIU is an extraordinary university, making incredible strides in academics, research, athletics and the performing arts and Tilles will be no exception.”

For almost 40 years, Tilles Center has been host to more than 70 performances each season by worldrenowned artists in music, theater and dance. Tilles Center was the first to bring the New York Philharmonic to Long Island and Bruce Springsteen’s legendary “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” was recorded onsite.

Recent performances by chart-topping artists include Kesha, Jason Derulo and more.

Below: Harry Connick Jr. performs at the 2021-2022 Tilles Center Season Gala.

LEADING

CENTER IS A DREAM JOB FOR ME. I'VE BEEN COMING TO TILLES MY WHOLE LIFE.

LEADING THE WAY IN NATIONAL SECURITY

For nearly half a century, Long Island University has been preparing students for careers in national security and criminal justice. With the growth of international travel and advent of the internet, LIU programs have expanded to include training in cyber terrorism and homeland security.

Since 1974, Dr. Harvey Kushner, current Chair of the Criminal Justice Department and longtime Director of Homeland Security & Terrorism Institute, has been at the helm of these important programs.

“We were one of the first,” Dr. Kushner said. “Thousands of people have gone through our program and reach all sorts of heights.”

As a recognized authority on terrorism, Dr. Kushner has advised elected officials, military personnel, and foreign governments, as well as trained federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He has been featured in many publications, including The New York Times, New York Daily News, The Washington Post, The Guardian and USA Today. His best-selling Encyclopedia of Terrorism is considered the gold-standard of terrorism reference works, and has won numerous awards.

The strength of the department coupled with the University’s location in New York City and close proximity to other national security and intelligence headquarters in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia, make professional placement in the field obtainable. LIU’s Homeland Security and Terrorism Institute is the nation’s only institution offering a graduate degree in Homeland Security designated as a DHS Center of Excellence.

Suffolk County Sheriff Dr. Errol Toulon Jr. ’09, who earned an advanced certificate in Homeland Security Management from LIU, has become a national figure in law enforcement as a member of the Major County Sheriffs of America’s Intelligence Commanders Committee. Sheriff Toulon helps provide sheriff departments around the country with timely and accurate intelligence, focusing

on foreign and domestic terrorism, human and narcotics trafficking, and cyberattacks. He is the first African American sheriff and first African American elected official to hold a nonjudicial countywide office in the history of Suffolk County.

“My experience was on the local and state level, but I wanted to understand things globally,” Sheriff Toulon said. “It’s been extremely helpful. I would strongly recommend anyone that’s in law enforcement—specifically those looking to get into a leadership role—participate in a program.”

Sheriff Toulon’s father attended LIU Brooklyn and his son graduated from LIU Post in 2011. Besides his family connections to the University, the program’s impressive curriculum and flexible scheduling prompted him to enroll. Students in the different programs learn from faculty with real-world experience in the field.

“I bring in people who are currently active in what they do,” Dr. Kushner said. “You’re not just getting textbook knowledge.”

In addition to Toulon, several other LIU alumni have risen to prominence positions in the field. Brian C. Turner ’98 was appointed associate deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, becoming the first African American to ever serve in the role. He served in the U.S. Army for nearly a decade and also taught at West Point before joining the FBI as a special agent in 2002. Jacqueline Maguire ’99 was named special agent in charge of the Philadelphia Field Office by FBI Director Christopher Wray. Her decorated career includes serving as the lead investigator of the five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77 after the 9/11 terror attacks, and most recently as the special agent in charge of the Criminal Division of the New York Field Office. Wayne Stone ’92 has served in multiple senior management positions with in the United States Intelligence Community, most recently as the Senior Executive Management Officer in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Prior to this role, he served as the Acting Inspector General of the Intelligence Community.

The recent success of alumni highlights the University’s strong track record for producing distinguished leaders in the field of national security.

FROM TOP: Dr. Harvey Kushner; Wayne Stone ’92; Brian C. Turner '98; Jacqueline Maguire ’99; Dr. Errol Toulon Jr. '09;

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

• CLIFFORD DORNE , Ph.D., Professor of Criminal Justice and Registrar, Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI

• DOUGLAS KASH , JD, Senior Attorney, Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice

• DOUGLAS KNIGHT , Director, Queens District Attorney’s Alternative Sentencing, Queens, NY

• DENIS LEMKE , JD, noted Criminal Defense Attorney

• JACK COSTELLO , Deputy Commissioner (ret.), Nassau County Police Department

• JAMES KALLSTROM , Assistant Director (ret.), Federal Bureau of Investigation; Director (ret.) New York State Office of Public Safety; Honorary Doctorate, Long Island University

• JAY CAPUTO , Chief of Detectives (ret.), Nassau County Police Department

• KAREN O’CALLAGHAN , first female Chief of Department Police (ret.), Nassau County Police Department

• LAWRENCE MULVEY , Commissioner (ret.), Nassau County Police Department

• RICHARD O’DONNELL , Chief of New York State Park Police (ret.)

• THOMAS HIGHT , JD, President and Chairman of the Board of New Jersey Defense Association

• WAYNE SEAY , Chief of Detectives (ret.), Nassau County Police Department

Since the College of Veterinary Medicine enrolled its first class in the fall of 2020, it has received a record number of applications every year. A driving force behind this growth has been the College’s advisory council led by LIU alumni, decorated veterinarians, and donors with a passion for animal welfare.

Formed during the early phases of the College’s development, the advisory council helps expand outreach, mission and visibility by forming partnerships and spreading the word among respected figures in the veterinary community. The advisory council has helped bring in significant donations that have funded the College’s most innovative programs.

Chair of the advisory council, Clint Severson, a 2007 Forbes Entrepreneur of the Year, and Conni Ahart are noted philanthropists dedicated to animals

and the entrepreneurship training needed for veterinary care. They donated $2 million to the College in 2020 to establish the Veterinary Entrepreneurship Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management Center. Likewise, Co-chair Candy Udell, President of London Jewelers, has been honored for her work with animals. She created the Paw Jewelry Collection, which donates its sales to the Rescue Paw Foundation (RPF), an organization that funds no-kill shelters. RPF sponsors "Fido Fixers," a spay and neuter mobile clinic located at the College of Veterinary Medicine. The clinic provides local animals with critical services while giving Veterinary students firsthand experience.

For 50 years, the equestrian center has served as a lynchpin in the local and national equestrian community, attracting students who want to

$10,000

Fellowship

Vet Med student Wei Man Weng (photo above) was awarded the $10,000 Veterinary Student Research Fellowship from the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research. The funding will support her research on bacterial biofilms— communities of bacteria that form during chronic infection. Bacterial biofilms can inhibit antibiotic effectiveness and consequently increase antibiotic resistance when formed during bovine respiratory disease requiring larger antibiotic doses. Wei Man is identifying safe, non-toxic bioactive compounds that can dissolve an established biofilm.

LEFT: Christine Parascandola, class of 2025, treats "Ms. Piggy," a sugar glider, at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center during a summer externship. OPPOSITE PAGE: Zaida Gomez, class of 2024. Photo taken by Alyssa Williams, class of 2024.

STUDENT SUCCCESS

ride for the University’s equestrian team and horse lovers who ride professionally. Gerald Chasin ’65, a champion equestrian and member of the advisory council, has operated the facility for many years and was crucial in the development of the veterinary technology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs.

Dr. Jean Oberg ’81, an awardwinning veterinarian, advisory council member and director of the veterinary technology program, jumped at the opportunity to join the advisory council to help guide the University’s veterinary endeavors. She, too, rode equestrian at LIU and went on to open her own mobile veterinary practice and animal hospital in New Jersey, earning recognition as Business Woman of Year in 2004 from President George W. Bush.

“When I met the faculty for the Veterinary Medicine program, their credentials just blew me away,” Dr. Oberg said. “The students are receiving a wealth of knowledge from us, but we are excited to be here to give it back to them.”

BUILDING PHILANTHROPY AND PARTNERSHIPS

he College of Veterinary Medicine expanded its clinical partnerships to offer additional opportunities for students to gain hands-on professional experience. The College is affiliated with more than 75 organizations including animal hospitals, shelters, zoos, research centers, rescue organizations, veterinary clinics and animal welfare companies.

Nestlé Purina PetCare Company donated $70,000 to renovate and refurbish a nutrition lab in the Life Sciences Building. The lab will be a center for veterinary students to become familiar with therapeutic

veterinary nutrition products, practice the preparation and administration of enteral feeding formulas, discuss nutritional management of clinical cases and perform nutrition-related research.

The University joined the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s League of VetaHumanz, a national alliance of veterinary professionals in academia, practice, research, government, and industry who are committed to engaging with under-resourced communities to provide access and support for youth who aspire to careers in the veterinary profession. As part of the program, LIU veterinary students and faculty spent this past summer visiting Long Island elementary schools to deliver lessons on animal skeletons and skulls, the circulatory system, types of veterinarians, the cow’s digestive system, and viruses.

The College of Veterinary Medicine is now a mainstay at the iconic Hampton Classic Horse Show, serving as an official sponsor for the past two years. At the 2022 Hampton Classic, the College debuted its first mobile clinic purchased with a generous donation from an advisory council member that will be used to serve animals in the surrounding community, with plans to purchase more mobile units in the future.

"COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE FROM US, BUT WE ARE EXCITED TO BE HERE TO GIVE IT BACK TO THEM."

DR. JEAN OBERG ’81

COMPETITIVE RESEARCH

lumni support and expanded partnerships have delivered direct results for veterinary students in research. For the second consecutive year, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research awarded its Veterinary Student Research Fellowship to an LIU student.

Wei Man Weng earned the $10,000 fellowship to continue her research on bacterial biofilms—communities of bacteria that form during chronic infection. Biofilms formed during respiratory disease in cattle inhibit antibiotic effectiveness, increasing antibiotic resistance and requiring larger antibiotic doses. Weng is identifying safe, non-toxic bioactive compounds that can dissolve an established biofilm. Her research will demonstrate if antimicrobials are significantly more effective when combined with an effective anti-biofilm compound.

The University’s veterinary research efforts are led by Dr. Thomas Inzana, who is ranked among the top 0.029% of researchers worldwide on the topic of Pasteurellaceae, a family of bacterial pathogens. Dr. Inzana has contributed to 15 scientific articles on the topic, and his research has earned millions in government funding and patents for vaccines.

As the College of Veterinary Medicine continues its ascent toward becoming a top-20 veterinary school in the nation, its student- and faculty-driven research is propelling Long Island University toward premier status as a leading research institution.

LEFT

2024. LEFT BOTTOM: Photo of Chance Rohter, class of 2024, taken by the owner of the African Serval Rehabilitation facility.

ABOVE: Veterinary Medicine students Emily DeSouza and Katie Rivera, class of 2024, sign a beam that will join the new veterinary medicine building with the buildings on LIU Post campus. Photo taken by Bailey Decker, class of 2024.

TOP: Veterinary Medicine student, Katrina Macalello, class of 2024. Photo by Shelby Juel, class of

NIGERIA EALEY AND HIS THRIVING FASHION BRAND RETURN HOME TO LIU

Long Island University is woven into the fabric of every article of clothing designed and sold by Nigeria Ealey ’16. TIER, of which he is co-founder and creative director, was launched in 2014 on the LIU Brooklyn campus with two of his fraternity brothers from nearby Brooklyn College. Their first box of inventory was sold piece by piece out of his dorm room to fellow students, and they have funded the entire operation themselves without the help of investors.

TIER is a million-dollar company with celebrity endorsements and collaborations, a pop-up store in the Beverly Center Mall in Los Angeles, and its own New York Fashion Week show hosted in September right at home on the LIU Brooklyn campus.

“There’s a community and a foundation that we built here,” Ealey said. “We started off doing college fashion shows, so to bring it back to LIU on a much wider scope means a lot.”

Ealey’s roots at LIU are much deeper than the foundation of his company. Born and raised in Downtown Brooklyn, he attended public schools within blocks of the Brooklyn campus. His mother, Dimetra Ealey ’03, ’09, studied psychology at LIU and opened the door for Nigeria, his sister, cousin and brother to all attend the university.

Ealey never goes anywhere without his mother’s LIU campus ID in his wallet after she tragically passed away during his first year at the university. It was the defining moment in his life, when he decided to always pursue his passion like his mother told him.

“I was fortunate enough to have a parent that allowed me to explore myself creatively,” Ealey said. “If I didn’t want to play football and I wanted to do an art class, I was always allowed to have that space to try new things.”

Fraternity Inc., participated in community service programs, and managed the campus clothing and merchandise store. He credits the university for exposing him to digital media and new ways to explore his creativity.

TIER debuted its upcoming collection in a New York Fashion Week runway show held on LIU's Brooklyn campus. Nigeria Ealey '16 and his two partners launched TIER while studying at LIU.

He derived his love for fashion and art at a young age by paying attention to the colors and outfits that the characters wore in his favorite anime cartoons. He was also heavily influenced by hip-hop culture in the 90s and its intersection with fashion brands like Rocawear, Sean John, FUBU and Adidas.

Ealey immersed himself in the campus community as a student at LIU. He was a member of the student government, joined Kappa Alpha Psi

Ealey and his partners committed to taking TIER to another level after earning his degree. Ealey left his job as an art teacher in 2019 to pursue TIER fulltime. They elevated the brand by treating it as an art form that speaks to their values. Now their full circle moment— the New York Fashion Week show at LIU—highlights the company’s latest collection called TIER University, designed to promote the value of creative arts and address the inequities in the education system.

“I show gratitude in moments, but I also realize this is still a small fragment of the bigger vision,” Ealey said. “It’s always bigger than anybody thinks it is. We’re trying to do groundbreaking things and express our art, passion and thought processes through different mediums.”

Nigeria Ealey at the New York Fashion Week show on the LIU Brooklyn campus.

TELEVISION TRAILBLAZER

Distinguished television executive David Kenin ’64 worked alongside some of the industry's most memorable figures, ranging from legendary news anchor Walter Cronkite to professional wrestling icon Vince McMahon throughout his 40-year career. Behind the scenes, Kenin played an important part in shaping the newly developing television marketplace that included over the air networks, independent stations, international programming, and basic and premium cable networks. He held executive positions at USA Network, Hallmark Channel, CBS News and Sports, along with as a seat on the board at World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He played an integral role in developing USA Network into the highest rated basic cable network, and was a driving force behind the development of the Hallmark Channel and the Hallmark Movie Channel.

Kenin was eager to build a strong foundation in the liberal arts when he applied to LIU Post, but he tapped into much more then that once he arrived on campus. The knowledge-hungry English major became an editor of the school newspaper, worked at the school radio station and went on to become student body president— experiences that would all prove invaluable to him at jobs down the road.

Kenin went on to earn master’s degrees from the University of Oregon and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, before landing a job at CBS News as Manager of Field Operations for the 1968 presidential election. The leadership and extensive news, media and writing skillsets Kenin first cultivated at LIU gave CBS confidence that he could excel in the challenging role.

“I was lucky to have a high-profile job as a young guy,” he said. “CBS at that point was the centerpiece for all electronic news. Our anchor, Walter Cronkite, was the voice of the nation. There’s nothing like it today. It was a tremendous start for me.”

Kenin moved into organization development when the election ended, and later, corporate planning at CBS before moving on to leadership positions at independent stations over the next several years in Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and Kansas City. Despite success at each stop, Kenin felt drawn toward the creative side of the business.

“I needed to find some way to get into the entertainment business,” he said. “I’d sharpen pencils if I had to.”

Fortunately, Kenin’s work to that point proved he could excel as an executive. He joined the young USA Network in 1982, where he directed all programming, promotion, production. During his 12 years with the network, Kenin built the made-for USA World Premiere Movie franchise, helped launch the SYFY channel and acquired the WWE as well as the Westminster Dog Show. The idea of USA investing in professional wrestling was met with skepticism, but Kenin knew the dramatic sport’s flare for the outrageous appealed to many Americans all across the country.

“We’re not programming for ourselves, we’re programming for a broad audience,” he recalled saying at the time. “Our broad audience is going to love this show. There’s nothing else like it on TV.”

Kenin spent nearly three years as President at CBS Sports from 1994–1997, ushering in major deals including the NCAA men's basketball tournament and Masters golf tournament. After CBS, he launched his private consulting firm and worked for himself until 2000 when he joined Hallmark as Executive Vice President of Programming. He retired in 2009 and enjoys trips aboard with his wife and visiting his two children, both of whom also reside in the Golden State within driving distance from his home in Los Angeles.

Kenin had to transition his focus from programming entertainment for the masses to filling his own schedule with worthwhile endeavors. His mindset remained the same, however. As he puts it, “Make the most of the moment and celebrate every day."

LONGTIME TELEVISION EXECUTIVE DAVID KENIN ’64 BUILT MAJOR BRANDS AT USA NETWORK AND HALLMARK, WITH STOPS IN NETWORK NEWS, SPORTS AND INDEPENDENT STATION MANAGEMENT ALONG THE WAY.

David Kenin

NEVER RESTING HIS CASE

DAVID A. MORENO, JR. ’08 USES HONORS COLLEGE EDUCATION TO PROPEL HIM TO SUCCESS IN LAW, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SERVICE

David A. Moreno, Jr. ’08 has built an impressive resume through the first decade of his career as a rising star in the legal community. Named “Top Ten Under 40” by the National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys, Moreno’s wealth of experience includes more than 1,200 criminal cases as an assistant district attorney with the New York County District Attorney’s Office – one of the most prestigious in the country. He has gone on to successfully pursue ventures as a sports agent and entrepreneur while also becoming partner at three major law firms along the way.

Moreno recognizes his experience in the Honors College at Long Island University for giving him the foundation he needed to thrive in his professional and personal life. “College was fairly easy for me just given the structure and the amount of free time you had,” said Moreno. “But the honors program really gave me the challenge I needed to make me feel like I was growing as a student and growing as a person.”

Moreno is a Long Island native who was attracted by the University’s sprawling campus that gives it a “big college feel” while fostering a close-knit community. He enjoyed the opportunity to study close to home while simultaneously gaining access to the internships, jobs, and opportunities found nearby in New York City. He also played on the basketball team and formed lifelong friendships with his teammates.

When it came to deciding where to attend law school, Moreno’s relationship with the dean of the Honors College proved to be crucial. They discussed the possibility of staying close to home and enrolling in one of New York’s renowned law schools, but the dean ultimately convinced Moreno to diversify his background by attending the University of Miami.

A. Moreno, Jr.

“That helped push me out of my comfort zone,” Moreno said. “It was such a small conversation, but having the availability to take an interest in my future is something that’s not a priority at every institution, and it holds tremendous value.”

Moreno has continued to diversify his portfolio since entering the workforce. After launching his career at the district attorney’s office, he became partner at Spar & Bernstein, P.C., executive vice president and sports agent at Shah Sports Group, co-founder and CEO of Mediabundance, partner at Brown Rudnick LLP, and is currently partner at Blank Rome LLP. He has also co-founded and co-hosts a show airing on Amazon Prime and Apple TV that focuses on entrepreneurship.

The common thread through all his professional roles has been Moreno’s desire to give back to communities in need and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Coming from a dual minority background – his father is Latino and his mother is African American – he was inspired to become a role model to show that people of color can achieve in business, law, and other traditional career paths. He has witnessed first-hand the inequality and systemic discrimination in the justice system and prioritizes pro bono work to serve the less fortunate. He also encourages students to seek mentorship, as he received from his Honors College dean, to connect with people who have shared experiences in their field.

“For me it’s about paying it forward and lifting while you climb,” Moreno said. “It’s incredibly impactful work, and it’s a badge of honor that I wear in terms of wanting to lean in and be of service and help.”

For me it’s about paying it forward and LIFTING WHILE YOU CLIMB

– David A. Moreno

David

BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE CULTURE

HANDS-ON LEARNING AND MENTORSHIP AT LIU DROVE NADIA OWENS ’94, ’02 TO AN AWARD-WINNING HUMAN RESOURCES CAREER

Recognition often comes to those who least expect it, who simply work hard and do the right things for their colleagues and company. That is how Nadia Owens ’94, ’02 reacted to the news that Savoy Magazine selected her as a 2022 Most Influential Black Executive in Corporate America—a crowning achievement in her 25-year career as a human resources leader.

Owens has worked her way up the ranks to become an executive at billion-dollar corporations like Becton Dickinson and KPMG. Today, she is the senior vice president of human resources performance & rewards at DXC Technology, and her degrees from LIU helped pave her path to success.

“I never expected this to happen, but I think the foundation, in business, that I acquired during my attendance at LIU contributed to accelerating and growing my career,” Owens said.

Owens was immediately attracted to LIU Brooklyn from her very first visit to the campus. Throughout her undergraduate years studying business management, she enjoyed the flexibility of attending night and weekend classes while working a full-time job. She was able to approach her professors with questions from the workplace and actively applied what she was learning in the classroom in real time.

Owens added, “Our professors were out in the field too, doing the actual work, so we learned so much more because they were talking about what’s really happening in the workplace, not only what’s in the textbook.”

Human resources was simply her entry-level job in the business world at first. But she quickly realized that she loved making an impact in her organization by fostering an engaging culture, supporting the wellbeing of employees and helping them fulfill their career aspirations.

Her passion for the field, combined with the caring professors she had at LIU, inspired her to return to the University to earn a master’s degree in human resource management. She formed a strong connection with then-Program Director Jordan Kaplan while serving as his graduate assistant, and even returned as a guest speaker in Kaplan’s classes to talk about her professional experiences.

“He took me under his wing and spent time teaching me about HR and leading change," Owens said. "I could always bounce things off him.”

Owens said the key to her success has been her willingness to continuously learn. As she influences her workplace and the field of human resources at large, her advice to students is to always be inclusive and never stop learning. Listen and be receptive to the various perspectives shared by others and always look for opportunities to develop new skills.

“I was asked to do work that was not in my job description, and I did it because I viewed it as a learning opportunity that would give me new skills,” Owens said. “The new skills opened up new career opportunities for me.”

MAKING AN IMPACT BY FOSTERING AN ENGAGING CULTURE, SUPPORTING THE WELLBEING OF EMPLOYEES AND HELPING THEM FULFILL THEIR CAREER ASPIRATIONS

Nadio Owens

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHTS

Supreme Court Justice Speaks at National Forum hosted by USC and LIU

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor participated in a national program spearheaded by Long Island University’s Roosevelt School and the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center on Communications Leadership & Policy. The forum, Renewing American Democracy, is dedicated to engaging and elevating students’ voices in the national conversation on government while examining and upholding the ideals of U.S. democracy.

Justice Sotomayor discussed the importance of civic engagement and urged students to take an active role in government during an exclusive forum on the challenges facing our democracy today. Students from both universities were invited to pose questions and engage with Justice Sotomayor to learn how and why their generation should get more involved in civic action.

“The process of learning about civics is not one class,” Justice Sotomayor said. “It’s a lifelong pursuit of learning not just how our government functions, but how best can you as an individual help it function right.”

World-renowned author and journalist Ellis Cose hosted the conversation with Sotomayor, which included a Q&A session with students.

“[Renewing American Democracy’s] purpose is to improve the state of American democracy through

elevating the level of discourse and through providing opportunities for young people and others to critically engage with the subject,” Cose said.

The nonpartisan, non-ideological initiative seeks to facilitate and promote civic engagement through a variety of programs including listening events with and for young people, a national essay contest, public opinion polling, and at least two convenings to highlight the problems and generate new thinking on solutions.

“For me, this conversation today, the [Renewing American Democracy] initiative and all of the initiatives out there right now trying to ensure civic participation in a civil, productive way are so critical to our survival as a nation,” Justice Sotomayor said.

The Roosevelt School builds upon the rich legacies of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt through a 21st-century lens by encouraging global citizenship and civic engagement for future leaders studying international relations, diplomacy, and service.

Cose, who has dedicated his career to exploring issues of national and international concern and shining a light on civil injustices, joined The Roosevelt School’s Global Service Institute – a consortium of world leaders and dynamic thinkers –at its Conference on Leadership and Service in 2021.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor discussed the importance of civic engagement and urged LIU students to take an active role in government during an exclusive forum on the challenges facing our democracy today. Students were invited to pose questions and engage with Justice Sotomayor to learn how and why their generation should get more involved in civic action.

Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Steve Petteway

Photo:

Hornstein Center Polls Show America’s Support for Health Policies, International Affairs

From the global coronavirus pandemic to the war in Ukraine, recent national polls conducted by the Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling and Analysis are providing valuable data to policymakers and the public amid crises with international implications.

Results of the polls were published by news outlets across the nation, including the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Yahoo! News, and Newsday, showing Americans’ reactions to newly announced public health policies and the threat of escalation in Ukraine.

When a federal court order effectively lifted the CDC’s mask mandate on public transportation and in airports, most Americans proceeded with caution as 42% said they supported the decision. In turn, 64% of Americans said they still planned to wear a mask on airplanes and 63% said they would wear a mask on public transportation.

Political views influenced the results, with 73% of republicans supporting the mask mandate removal as opposed to 21% of democrats. On airplanes, 38% of republicans said they would continue to wear a mask, versus 87% of democrats.

“The findings show that while support for the removal of mask mandates on planes is mixed, a majority of respondents said they will continue to wear a mask while flying or riding public transportation,” said Andy Person, director of the Steven S. Hornstein Center for Policy, Polling and Analysis. “The poll also shows that roughly half of Americans think the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Poll results indicated that Americans’ political beliefs continue to be a driving factor behind their choices related to the coronavirus.”

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, concern from Americans was much less divided. A total of 89% of Americans said they were very concerned about the conflict, and 73% believed it posed 64%

a significant threat to the surrounding countries and NATO alliance. Moreover, 55% of respondents said the conflict posed a direct threat to the United States.

As news coverage of the war unfolded, 79% of Americans said they believed that Russia was targeting Ukrainian civilians, and 80% believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was committing war crimes.

Americans were also asked if they supported the United States’ membership in NATO, and 71% of respondents said yes. Despite the high level of concern for Ukraine and its surrounding nations, 26% of Americans believed the conflict could escalate to a world war.

While the world grapples with these immense challenges, the Hornstein Center will continue to provide valuable in-depth analysis and empirical research that offers a deeper understanding of the concerns influencing public opinion and policy around the globe.

of respondents plan to continue wearing masks on planes

55% of respondents believe the war in Ukraine poses a threat to the U.S.

71% of respondents support the U.S. membership in NATO

From the global coronavirus pandemic to the war in Ukraine, recent Hornstein Center national polls provide valuable data.

Historic Archival Project Unearths Rare Documents

Atattered piece of paper, faded yellow with old age, contains a brief note written in neat cursive.

To the untrained eye, it is a simple ledger of goods traded in Port Jefferson, New York in the mid 1700s. But the author of the note is known throughout history as a leader of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring, a crucial intelligence gathering operation that led to victory in the Revolutionary War.

According to Mark Sternberg, the Culper Spy Ring historian for the Drowned Meadow Cottage Museum in Port Jefferson who uncovered the note, it reveals for the first time that General Washington used illicit trading as a cover for his spy ring operations between Long Island and Connecticut.

The remarkable discovery was made possible by students at the Palmer School of Library and Information Science, who since 2017 have digitized nearly 70,000 pages of historic documents and photographs. The “Digitizing Local History Sources” collection is publicly available online where researchers like Sternberg can find new information, or members of the community can learn more about their home town.

“What we’re hoping to create are megaarchives of Long Island history,” said

Dr. Greg Hunter, director of the Palmer School’s advanced certificate in archives and records management. “We’re honoring the legacies of the people who built these collections and making their work permanently available for the public to learn from and appreciate.”

Supported by a $1.5 million grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, the digitization project employs a sophisticated scanner designed to capture fragile documents. The Palmer School partnered with nearly 50 historical societies on Long Island to digitize their collections, and the online archive is still growing every day.

The Gardiner Foundation committed a second grant of $700,000 to the Palmer School in 2018 to carry out another, more specific digitization project. The “Robert Moses Collection Project” archived an estimated 1.7 million pages of documents produced during the era when Robert Moses developed the Long Island parks and thoroughfares that shaped the region.

In partnership with the New York State Archives and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the collection was released in June on the State Archives website.

The collection illustrates the extent of Moses’ power as the architect of modern

The “Robert Moses Collection Project” archived an estimated 1.7 million pages of documents produced during the era when Robert Moses developed the Long Island parks and thoroughfares that shaped the region. In partnership with the New York State Archives and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the collection was released in June on the State Archives website.

infrastructure. He is credited with creating 2.5 million acres of state parks, 416 parkway miles, a dozen bridges, two dams and 568 playgrounds. His complicated legacy also includes displacing an estimated 250,000 people in the process, and the collection allows for deeper analysis of the socioeconomic effects of his work.

Since the public launch of the “Robert Moses Collection Project” and “Digitizing Local History Sources,” the Palmer School has garnered praise from the Long Island community and significant coverage from CBS and Newsday. New York State provided LIU with additional funding to hire a full-time archivist to continue this historic work. Rudie Hurwitz ’22, who worked on both projects as a student under Dr. Hunter, happily accepted the role.

“We’re going to make thousands of documents available online that nobody’s ever seen before,” Hurwitz told Newsday. “I think it’s going to be a trove for historians.”

Global Environmental Leaders Host International Summit on Plastic Pollution

have been found in every ecosystem on the planet—from Mt. Everest at the top of the world, to Marianas Trench at the bottom of the ocean— and in 2022 scientists found microplastics in human blood for the first time.

nvironmental scientists at Long Island University are spearheading the effort to end plastic pollution across the globe. The University partnered with the Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE) and the Office for Science and Technology of the French Embassy to host the International Summit on Plastic Pollution: From Research to Action.

The summit was the first in North America to discuss concrete solutions aimed at reaching the goals of the landmark resolution to end plastic pollution endorsed by 175 nations at the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi in 2022.

Long Island University organized the summit to share information among researchers and policymakers to support long-term research initiatives and actionable policy proposals.

More than 30 researchers and policy leaders at the summit traveled from around the world to present groundbreaking innovations for replacing and removing plastics from the global economy, understanding health impacts, and opportunities for governments, research institutions and universities to collaborate.

Jesse Ausubel, Chair of the Richard Lounsbery Foundation Outpacing Plastic Pollution through Science and Innovation, delivered the keynote address. Among his many accomplishments, Ausubel helped organize the first UN World Climate Conference in 1979, and he initiated the Census of Marine Life, Barcode of Life Initiative and International Quiet Ocean Experiment.

Other distinguished speakers included Senator Angele Preville and Deputé Philippe Bolo of the French Parliament; United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse; Juliet Kabera, Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority; Amy V. Uhrin, Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Division; and Muriel Mercier-Bonin, Research Director of the French National Institute for Food and Environment.

“Plastic pollution is growing at a staggering pace posing challenges to human and ecosystem health,” said Michelle Wyman, executive director of the Global Council for Science and the Environment. “Cooperation by the scientific community and nations to accelerate solutions and

mitigate most especially single-use plastics is imperative to curb the impacts from this growing global threat.”

If no action is taken, the amount of plastic found in aquatic ecosystems is expected to triple by 2040. Microplastics have been found in every ecosystem on the planet—from Mt. Everest at the top of the world, to Marianas Trench at the bottom of the ocean—and in 2022 scientists found microplastics in human blood for the first time.

“As researchers our goal is to constantly search for new ways to collaborate and share data that helps inform policy to address the greatest challenges facing society today,” said Dr. Randy Burd, senior vice president for academic affairs at Long Island University. “We are pleased to host some of the world’s foremost environmental science and policy experts to support sustainable solutions for the future.”

MICROPLASTICS

FUNDRAISING

Students Join Global Effort to Support Ukraine

LIU students organized fundraising and awareness events through LIU Cares for Ukrainians affected by the war, including a Night for A Cause at the Brooklyn campus, humanitarian campaigns and a benefit. All proceeds from the events are donated to UNICEF’s emergency assistance fund providing relief services to children and families.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Journalism Students Earn International Reporting Fellowship

Reyna Iwamoto and Melissa Fishman, students of the George Polk School of Communications, won the Theodore Kruglak Fellowship in International Reporting. Iwamoto will intern in Paris for Forbidden Stories, a recent winner of the George Polk Awards in Journalism, and Fishman will intern in London for the Hampstead & Highgate Express.

ACADEMICS

Top 10 Research Universities for High-Earning Women

Long Island University is ranked as a top-10 R2-classified research university in the northeast producing the most high-earning women under 40, according to Steppingblocks. The University is recognized for its contributions to closing the gender pay gap by graduating women into pharmacy and pharmacology, nursing and health care careers with an average salary of $128,266.

Read more Long Island University news at: headlines.liu.edu

Kennedy Center Gives National Recognition to Student Playwright

Senior playwrighting major Brett Wolfe was awarded a certificate of merit from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Playwriting Program for his play, “Simulacrum.” Additionally, Wolfe’s full-length play, “Dogs of Peace: A Fantasia on the Hardship of Being” premieres in the Post Theatre Company’s fall 2022 season and will be directed by a professional guest director.

ON CAMPUS

University Hosts Prestigious Enactus National Exposition

Students from around the country filled the Krasnoff Theatre at LIU Post for the 2022 Enactus US National Exposition, a renowned social entrepreneurship and experiential learning competition. Students participated in a career fair and showcased problem-solving, entrepreneurial leadership, business and innovation skills in their projects for a chance to be crowned National Champions and qualify for the Enactus World Cup.

LIU Gala Celebrates Distinguished Honorees and Alumni

The annual Gala recognized former Roc Nation COO Brett Yormark and Red Apple Group owner and CEO John Catsimatidis for their outstanding careers and generous contributions to the University. The event, which also featured Alumni Achievement Awards and performances by Roc Nation artist Becca Hannah and Roc Nation School students, raised more than $1.2 million to support student scholarships.

ACADEMICS

University Announces New Doctor of Social Work Program

The Doctor of Social Work is an accelerated 45-credit path designed to be completed in two years, including two summer intensives. Long Island University’s DSW is a professional practice program that prepares its graduates in advanced clinical social work practice management, organizational leadership, and teaching social work in higher education.

LIU GALA

Rita Cosby presents the LIU Gala Award to John Catsimatidis

FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS

PRESTIGIOUS FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP

Dr. Maria McGarrity, professor of English, received a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Fellowship to conduct research and teach in the United Kingdom. Dr. McGarrity specializes in modern British, Irish, Caribbean, and Postcolonial literatures and theory, with a particular interest in the fall of the British Empire.

ITALIAN MINISTRY SUPPORT

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs awarded a prestigious grant to Professor Vincenzo Pascale to foster teaching of Italian language and culture. Professor Pascale is the chair of the United Nations NGO Committee on Migration, a member of the Italian Mission and a world-renowned Italian journalist.

TREATING BRAIN CANCER & KIDNEY DISEASE

Dr. Bhaskar Das, professor of pharmaceutical sciences, earned two recent grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling $4.5 million to continue his development of life-changing treatments for brain cancer and kidney disease. His studies concentrate on glioblastoma, the most aggressive primary brain tumor, and diabetic kidney disease.

NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY LEADER

Michael Masaracchio ’01, chair of the physical therapy doctoral program, was elected as the vice president of the American Physical Therapy Association’s New York chapter. Masaracchio is a 2018 recipient of the David Newton Award for Excellence in Teaching and is an instrumental member of the faculty that developed the University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy degree program.

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION ADDRESS

Dr. Helaine W. Marshall, Director of LIU Hudson’s TESOL and Bilingual Education Programs, gave the James E. Alatis Plenary Address at the TESOL 2022 International Convention and English Language Expo, the largest professional development event in the TESOL field. Dr. Marshall’s presentation focused on “Creating Fertile Spaces for Instructional Innovation in a Digital Age.”

BREAKTHROUGH SUBSTANCE USE RESEARCH

Dr. Victor Lushin, professor in the department of social work, earned a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the social determinants of substance use disorder treatment outcomes among individuals on the autism spectrum. The study is the first in the U.S. to explore the epidemiology of substance use disorders in this potentially hidden at-risk population.

LEADING NON-PROFIT FUNDING EFFORTS

Keith Scott ’16, professor in the department of social work, was selected as the grants director for Family & Children’s Association, a leading health and human services nonprofit organization. With a proven track record of working to protect and empower vulnerable populations, Scott will lead efforts to secure government funding that is crucial to programs that serve Long Islanders.

PRIMETIME EMMY WINNER

Michael Gugliotti ’05, technical director for the award-winning Post Theatre Company, received a Primetime Emmy Award for contributions to the Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series for NBC’s Saturday Night Live, hosted by Adele.

NFTS FOR CHARITY

Media Arts Department professor Marjan Moghaddam was selected as one of the top 12 female NFT artists worldwide to participate in a historic carbon netnegative NFT charity auction to benefit women impacted by climate change in Africa. The auction was launched by World of Women and non-profit Code Green in collaboration with the World Economic Forum to help fund a natural Great Green Wall across the width of Africa.

STAR OF THE SHOW

School of Performing Arts professor Eric Jordan Young starred in a production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at The Muny, the oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre in the U.S. Young is an accomplished producer, director, choreographer, playwright and songwriter whose Broadway credits include Ragtime, Chicago and Seussical.

Photo by Julie A. Merkle, The Muny

LIU STUDENT LEADERSHIP

JOYCE HO

Class of 2023

Major: Nursing

Joyce is a senior nursing student. She enjoys listening to heavy metal, peoplewatching, making her own cold brew, and cooking. One of her favorite things to do is to make people smile and help others in every way that she can. Joyce is the 2022 recipient of the LIU Women's Gala Advocate and Catalyst for Change Award.

MICHAEL THOMPSON

Class of 2025

Major: Sports Management

Michael is a sophomore studying Sports Management. His passion is leadership and management in the sports industry, specifically ESports. His passion began when he served as the Student President of his high school's Esports program from his sophomore to senior year. Michael currently serves as the Vice President of the LIU Brooklyn Esports program. He gained his love for business from my family, while also gaining a greater interest for problem solving, project management, and seeing the work and quality speak for itself.

CAMILLE WATSON

Class of 2023

Major: Political Science

Camille is a senior pursuing a degree in political science with a minor in psychology with a certificate in international relations, language and diplomacy. She is the captain of the Women's track team, the President of the Black Student Union and NPHC, and a member of the 2022-2023 Resident Assistant and Orientation Leader team. Camille also serves at the VicePresident for The Hidden Opponent at LIU Brooklyn. She is the 2022 recipient of the LIU Women's Rising Leader Award and a proud 2022 Spring Initiate of the Alpha Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

SUCCEED.

ANDREAZ GLASGOW

Class of 2025

Major: Business Administration

Andreaz Glasgow, Class of 2025, is a Business Administration major and teaching assistant in the Center for Gifted Youth. Since enrolling at LIU, Andreaz has solidified himself as an ambitious, creative, and career-focused individual. He had the privilege this past summer of taking on the role of Markets Intern with KPMG in his native country, Bermuda. Through this role, Andreaz was selected to work with The Mirrors Program at the Government of Bermuda to lead the development and launch of a student clearinghouse database for Bermuda—a database which will connect students with potential jobs and internship opportunities. Most recently, he helped welcome the next generation of Sharks as a Resident Assistant and Orientation Leader.

ANNA JOHNSON

Class of 2024

Major: Fashion Merchandising

Anna is a Dean’s Scholar and CEO of the Student Body Collective. According to Anna “it’s really exciting that fashion and business students are given so many experiential learning opportunities - the Collective being one of them - at LIU. I can’t wait to see how we’ll utilize the skills we’ve learned through these opportunities after college.” Since enrolling at LIU, Anna has worked as the Store Manager, Head of Merchandising, and is now CEO, of the SBC. She’s interned for the United Nations Environmental Program and GSCE as a Scholar for Innovation, and has taken on various leadership positions in her sorority, Delta Zeta. With her fashion and leadership experience, as well as her passion for environmentalism, she aspires to run her own sustainable company one day.

CHLOE CAPOBIANCO

Class of 2023

Major: Criminal Justice

Chloe aspires to one day become a prosecuting attorney. She is grateful for the expertise of the professors in her major as the faculty members have real world experience in the criminal justice system ranging from former judges to police officers. Chloe's involvement extends far beyond the classroom; she currently serves as the President of the Epsilon Mu chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority. Through large programming efforts, Alpha Epsilon Phi raises thousands of dollars for two philanthropic organizations; Sharsheret (a Jewish breast cancer foundation) and The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Upon enrolling at LIU, Chloe knew being a part of something bigger than herself that was able to contribute to both the campus and local community, while gaining leadership skills and lifelong friends would be an integral part of her student experience.

ATHLETICS

01.

SHARKS DEFEND TITLE AS TOP-PERFORMING ATHLETIC PROGRAM

1

Long Island University won the Brenda Weare Commissioner’s Cup for the second straight year, recognizing the best athletic program in the Northeast Conference. The Sharks earned the most points of any winning program in conference history and claimed both the Men’s and Women’s Commissioner’s Cups, becoming the first university to sweep the three awards since 2011.

02.

BASEBALL CLINCHES NORTHEAST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

The LIU baseball team played their way into the NCAA Tournament after defeating Bryant University 7-0 to clinch the Northeast Conference Championship. Right-hander Nick Torres pitched 6 1/3 innings in the decisive game and earned the NEC Tournament MVP award.

03.

EQUESTRIAN TEAM IN NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT

Two Sharks won national titles at the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association National Championships, leading the University to a fourth place finish out of 300 teams in the country. Senior Kara Bromschwig finished first in the individual intermediate flat, and senior Mackenzie Ashe won first place in alumni over-fences.

04.

ESPORTS

Esports Junior Marco Castelli was crowned champion of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Xbox FIFA Spring Championship. Castelli went on to compete in NextLevel’s FIFA 2022 College National Championship, where he joined 227 students from around the country to compete for a total prize pool of $50,000.

05.

WOMEN’S FENCING

Sophomore Laura Fekete, the reigning NCAA Division I national champion in the Epeé discipline, added to her trophy case by winning gold at the National Intercollegiate Women’s Fencing Association championship. Fekete was one of many Sharks at the event, as sophomore Anna Szántay won silver in Foil and sophomore Chejsa-Kaili Seck took silver in Sabre.

06. WOMEN’S TENNIS

The women’s tennis team won a school record 13 straight matches during the 2022 season. Senior Sofiya Kuzina was named the Northeast Conference player of the week three times, and graduate student Valentina Dancenco earned two player-of-the-week honors.

07.

MEN’S LACROSSE

Men’s lacrosse captain and allconference selection Ryan Blume was claimed by the Archers Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League. The standout defenseman led the Sharks with 22 caused turnovers this past season. During his five-year LIU career, he tallied 186 ground balls, 69 caused turnovers, 15 goals and nine assists.

08.

MEN’S HOCKEY

The men’s hockey senior class set a new school record with nine studentathletes signing contracts to play in professional leagues. Tyler Welsh, Jake Stevens, Billy Jerry, Max Balinson, Carson Musser and Jordan Timmons all joined teams in the ECHL, and Derek Osik joined the Southern Professional Hockey League.

09.

GYMNASTICS

Sophomore gymnast Mara Titarsolej was named a first-team All-American on the uneven bars by the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association. Her record-breaking season included winning the East Atlantic Gymnastics League championship in uneven bars, earning the league’s Specialist of the Year honor, and ranking eighth in the nation among all NCAA competitors.

Building an Iconic Sports Brand

Standing in his kitchen with a cardboard box on the countertop in front of him, Alan Hahn ’93 reaches inside and pulls out an LIU basketball jersey, showing off his alma mater’s signature blue and gold to his tens of thousands of Instagram followers. The popular ESPN Radio and MSG Network host exclaims “Shark season!” when reaching into the box a second time to reveal an LIU hockey jersey.

“Is there a better sweater in hockey than this one?” Hahn asks, rhetorically.

Hahn has good reason to be excited about the Sharks burgeoning brand. The University has experienced immediate success since elevating its athletic departments to a single Division I program between the Brooklyn and Post campuses three years ago and adopting its sleek new look. In 2022, LIU earned its second consecutive Northeast Conference (NEC) Brenda Weare Commissioner’s Cup, recognizing the top performing athletic program in the league across all sports.

The Sharks also brought home the Joan Martin Women’s Commissioner’s Cup and the Men’s Commissioner’s Cup, marking the first sweep of the three awards by a single university since 2011.

Winning has propelled LIU to the top of the standings. The University already produced its first National Championship of the Sharks era in 2021, when fencer Laura Fekete defeated her opponent from the University of Notre Dame to be crowned the best fencer in the country. Over the past two years, the Sharks have won NEC championships in five sports, with student-athletes earning All-America honors and signing professional contracts.

According to Athletic Director Dr. William E. Martinov Jr., the most important factor in the rapid growth of the Sharks brand goes far beyond success on the playing field.

“The biggest key was the immediate ownership of our new brand by our teams and coaches,” Martinov said. “Although there is great history and success with our

Is there a better sweater in hockey than this one?”

Alan Hahn '93 shows off an LIU hockey jersey to his tens of thousands of Instagram followers.

Members of the Long Island University women’s ice hockey team celebrate after winning the 2020 New England Women’s Hockey Alliance title.

former mascots and colors, our studentathletes really embraced the fantastic new look. We even continue to get compliments from our opponents!”

In line with the department’s three main goals—graduate, grow and win—LIU student-athletes are thriving in the classroom. The University has finished in the top three of the NEC’s Institutional Academic Award each of the past three seasons and won the award in 2020. This past year the Sharks earned the conference’s Team GPA Award in seven sports, and four student-athletes were recognized as NEC Scholar Athletes of the Year in their respective sports. The men’s wrestling team posted the top GPA in all of Division I for the second year in a row, outpacing Stanford University, Cornell University and Brown University in the top 30.

This success has only inspired LIU to strive for more. The athletic department has grown to include 38 teams this fall, with recent additions including men’s and women’s rowing, men’s water polo and men’s fencing.

The University is hiring elite coaches from the national ranks to lead the Sharks to the next level. New York basketball legend Rod Strickland joins LIU as head men’s basketball coach after leading the National Basketball Association’s G League professional development program. Head football coach Ron Cooper joins directly from top-ranked University of Alabama’s coaching staff and previously held high-ranking positions at Notre Dame, LSU, Texas A&M and other major programs. Men’s lacrosse is led by Jordan Levine, a former Major League Lacrosse all-star and head coach at Mercy College, which appeared in the Division II national championship game this past season under Levine.

The growth of the department, combined with its excellence on the field and in the classroom, is the recipe for the continued growth of the Sharks brand and the recruitment of more outstanding studentathletes.

“A unified athletic department allows for one brand, one message for LIU that we can share nationally and better position ourselves for recruiting the best of the best students and student-athletes,” Martinov added.

1: Ron Cooper joined Shark Nation directly from #1 ranked University of Alabama. 2: Former All-NBA point guard Rod Strickland, enters his first season as head coach of the men’s basketball team.

3: Jordan Levine, a former major league lacrosse allstar, led his team at Mercy College to the national championship game.

Members of the Long Island University baseball (4) and men's soccer teams (5) celebrate after winning the NCAA Northeast Conference Championship in 2022 and 2021 respectively.

Upcoming Games

FOOTBALL

November 12 vs. Stonehill Skyhawks

MEN'S ICE HOCKEY

November 25 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

November 26 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes

December 3 vs. Brown Bears

December 4 vs. Brown Bears

WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY

November 18 vs. Stonehill Skyhawks

November 19 vs. Stonehill Skyhawks

December 2 vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers

December 9 vs. Franklin Pierce Ravens

MEN'S BASKETBALL

November 14 vs. Mount Saint Vincent Dophins

December 2 vs. Towson Tigers

December 5 vs. UMass Lowell River Hawks

December 22 vs. Purchase Panthers

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

November 22 vs. NJIT Highlanders

December 5 vs. Iona Gaels

December 13 vs. Columbia Lions

January 2 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY

CLASS NOTES

TELL US YOUR STORY! SHARE YOUR PERSONAL MILESTONES AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THE LIU COMMUNITY

Visit liu.edu/alumni/submit to send your story.

1960 s

1968

JOHN BOVE ’68 retired as a partner at Nixon Peabody LLP after a 45-year career as an attorney for various firms and government offices.

1970 s 1971

DR. PAUL GUNSER ’71 completed the training component of health and wellbeing coaching at the Duke University integrative medicine program.

DR. RICK MESCHINO ’71, a clinical psychologist, is volunteering at the Art Institute of Chicago, Morton Arboretum, Wellness House-Cancer, and Central Dupage HospitalPediatric ER.

1971

RAY DALIO ’ 71, founder and co-chief investment officer of the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, moved into the top 30 wealthiest people in America according to Forbes. Dalio’s firm now manages $154 billion, and he is well known for donating $1 billion of his fortune to philanthropic causes supporting microfinance and inner-city education.

1979

LESTER OWENS ’79, senior executive vice president and head of operations for Wells Fargo & Company, was appointed as chair of the RWJBarnabas Health Board of Trustees.

1980 s 1981

LOUIS E. VALVO ’81 joins Hall Booth Smith P.C. as partner with more than 35 years of experience in criminal and civil litigation.

1983

PAUL ADLER ’83 was chosen by Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to receive the Access to Justice Award at its annual Equal Access to Justice Gala.

DESPINA DALTON ’83 was appointed by Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp as a member of the newly created Healthcare Workforce Commission tasked

1985

DANNY SIMMONS, JR. ’85 was honored by the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Lurie Cumbo for his accomplishments as a painter, author, poet and philanthropist. Simmons is the co-founder of Def Poetry Jam, the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and Rush Arts Philadelphia, which bring arts access and education to disadvantaged youth.

1989

STEVE BANDROWCZAK ’89 was appointed as the CEO of Xerox after serving as the company’s president and chief operating officer since 2018. His wealth of experience in the technology industry includes high-ranking executive roles at DHL, Lenovo, Nortel, Avaya, and Hewlett-Packard.

with addressing the challenges of hiring and retaining health care workers.

1984

BOB JAHELKA ’84, president of the LIU Post Alumni Association and a member of the Board of Trustees, was named to the Long Island Business News Power List of Accounting.

1985

BOB BADOLATO ‘85 was selected as the chief financial officer of The Bachrach Group, one of the nation’s top-ranked executive recruiting firms.

DAVID P. GRZAN ’85 was promoted as executive chairman and CEO of PreIPO Corporation, a financial technology company specializing in private market securities transactions.

1986

SUSAN FREY ’86 joined Marywood University as professor and university librarian where she provides leadership and strategic planning for the Library & Learning Commons.

CARTER WARD ’86 was selected as the chief financial officer of Mirror Biologistics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company.

1987

JIM CLOUDMAN ’87 has been named First Vice President,

Relationship Manager of Dime Community Bancshares, Inc., and will lead the bank’s business development throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

1988

DR. PEGGY BRADY-AMOON ’88 published her first book, Building Your Career in Psychology, a practical guide for students, prospective students, and others interested in a career in psychology or related fields.

1990 s 1990

SHARI CAMHI ’90 , superintendent of the Baldwin Union Free School District, was sworn in as the president of The School Superintendent’s Association.

1992

COL. WILLIAM J. GALLAGHER ’92 was named the 18th headmaster of Holy Cross School in New Orleans after a 28-year career in the United States Army.

1993

THOMAS MCGRATH ’93 was selected as the executive director of the department of human resources for Nassau BOCES after previously serving as an administrator at Eastern Suffolk BOCES for over 20 years.

1995

LONI DA SILVA ’95 is one of Miami’s Top 25 Healthcare Technology Leaders, according to The Healthcare Technology Report.

CHRISTINE GAVILLA ’95 celebrated 10 years as controller at Piping Rock Club, a private country club in Matinecock, New York.

1996

BERTRAND PETYT ’96 was appointed as fleet director of hotel operations for CMI Leisure Management, where he directs all hotels aboard CMI cruise ships.

1997

JOEL BARNETT ’97 joined Fulton Bank in Pennsylvania as its new senior vice president and director of commercial affinity banking, where he will focus on building relationships with businesses owned by people of color, women and veterans.

LOUIS ONYANGO OTIENO ’97 was chosen as board chairman of Airtel Networks Kenya, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services in Africa.

MICHAEL PETROUTSAS ’97 was promoted as senior vice president of the U.S. Specialty Business Unit for GSK, a leading global pharmaceutical manufacturer.

DR. RANEKKA DEAN ’97 was appointed as the senior director of infection prevention and control for NYU Langone Health, where she oversees activities of infection prevention at all the health system’s hospital and ambulatory locations.

SRINIVAS SADU ’97 was re-appointed as the CEO and managing director of Gland Pharma Limited, a smallmolecule generic injectablesfocused company.

JAMES SHILES ’97 was named the senior vice president and chief production officer of capital markets for Walker & Dunlop, one of America’s largest providers of capital for commercial real estate.

1998

DR. COLLEEN O’HARA ’98 was selected to serve as the assistant principal of Riverhead Middle School after a 28-year tenure in education that includes experience at all levels.

BRIAN C. TURNER ’98 was appointed associate deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, becoming the first African American to ever serve in the role. Turner oversees all FBI personnel, budget, administration, infrastructure, compliance, insider threat, and diversity and inclusion programs.

2012

PATIA BRAITHWAITE ’12 was selected to serve as senior staff editor of NewYork Times Well, a section dedicated to healthy living. Braithwaite has spent more than 10 years writing about health and wellness as the health director for Well + Good, senior health editor for SelfMagazine, health editor for Refinery 29, and freelance writer for the WashingtonPost and other outlets.

2000 s

2001

MICHAEL MASARACCHIO ’01, chair of the physical therapy doctoral program, was elected as the vice president of the American Physical Therapy Association’s New York chapter.

2003

TAMIKA DUDLEY ’03 won the 2022 Naismith High School Girls Coach of the Year Award, considered the highest national honor in high school and college basketball.

2004

DR. LATISHA ELLISWILLIAMS ’04 joins the Bethlehem Central Board of Education as its first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer.

JEN LAPERA ’04 was selected as vice president and casualty leader for M&T Insurance Agency’s real estate and construction practice in New York City.

2005

CHRISTY GARDNER ’05 will be inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame this fall in honor of her inspirational career as one of America’s leading International Paralympic Committee athletes.

MICHAEL GUGLIOTTI ’05, technical director for the awardwinning Post Theatre Company, received a Primetime Emmy Award for contributions to the Outstanding Lighting Design/ Lighting Direction for a Variety Series for NBC’s Saturday Night Live, hosted by Adele.

AMI PATEL ’05, ’16 was selected as the senior director of product development for Boyds, a global pharmaceutical consultancy service supporting the development of new, cuttingedge medicines.

2006

BRIAN CABRA ’06 was hired as the vice president of implementations at LiquidityBook, a leading provider of cloud-native buy- and sell-side trading solutions.

2008

TIMOTHY J. RUSSO ’08 was named assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and assessment for the Commack Union Free school District.

2009

MICHAEL FABIANO ’09 was selected as the assistant superintendent for business for the Levittown Public School District and is a past president of the executive board of the Nassau Association of School Business Officials.

2010 s

2010

AYANNA HILL ’10 was appointed to the board of directors for Zip Code Wilmington, a nonprofit software development and coding boot camp.

LESLY ST. LOUIS ’10 joined the United Spinal Association as director of employment and DEI programs, where he assists people with spinal cord injuries or disabilities obtaining gainful employment.

2011

MIR BASHAR ’11 was appointed by New York City Mayor Eric Adams as the chief administrative officer in the Office of the Mayor, a significant role in the day-to-day finances, budgets, contracts, and general administration of City Hall.

SEAN SALLIE ’11 was appointed as director of planning and development for Heatherwood Luxury Rentals, one of the largest developers of apartment communities on Long Island.

DR. LISAMARIE SPINDLER ’11 was appointed as the superintendent of the Hudson City School District with a wealth of experience at all levels of education.

2012

TATIANA MELANI, ’12, ’13, founder of Beyond Cheer Athletics in New York City, led her non-profit competitive cheerleading program to its first regional championship.

JOHN O’KEEFE ’12, a recipient of the School District Business Leader Award from the New York State Association of School Business Officials in 2013, was elected to serve as assistant superintendent of business for Great Neck Public Schools.

2013

DONNA MCGREGOR ’13 was appointed as the president of St. Lawrence Health, which includes three hospitals and multiple facilities in Northern New York.

2014

EMILY ANTOVILLE ’14 joins the United Nations as an information management assistant in the New York City repository and reading room.

2016

BRENDON RODNEY ’16, added to his track & field medal collection with a gold in the 4×100-meter relay for team Canada at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

KEITH SCOTT ’16, professor in the department of social work, was selected as the grants director for Family & Children’s

Association, a leading health and human services nonprofit organization.

2017

ANDREA HAYNES ’17 was appointed by Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard to serve as director of economic development for the City of Mount Vernon, New York.

LAILA SALES ’17 was chosen as the new director of fine, performing and culinary arts for the West Hempstead School District.

2019

CONNOR FARRELL ’19 served as a team captain in the Premier Lacrosse League All-Star Game and has become one of the league’s most popular players.

2020 s

2020

DR. ZSOLT KULCSAR ’20 was chosen as the medical director of the virtual care team for Lee Health, a leading health system in Southwest Florida.

DR. FRANK QUINTERO ’20 assistant director of Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Preparedness at White Plains Hospital, was recognized as the 2022 “Physician of Excellence” by the Westchester Regional EMS Council.

TUMELO TLADI ’20 was named one of 30 fellows for Film Independent’s Project Involve, its signature diversity and mentoring program that has produced award-winning short films.

2021

CLAUDINE CAMPANELLI ’21 was honored by the American Montessori Society for her doctoral dissertation “Birth to Three Language Acquisition: Influences of Ambient Language in the Montessori Setting.”

2020

CHRISTOPHER FERRO ’20 became the chief of detectives for the Nassau County Police Department after serving the county for 29 years. Ferro was most recently a twostar assistant chief and previously served as commanding officer of several precincts, oversaw the Major Case Bureau and Narcotics, and has received 10 departmental awards.