UAlbany Magazine, 2008 January

The Big Picture
Performers with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company entertained at UAlbany last fall. 
Contents
Features
6
It’s Bouna Time! 
Bouna Coundoul, B.S.’05, is getting his kicks 
as goalkeeper for Major League Soccer’s 
Colorado Rapids.
7
That’s Entertainment!
As actors, music industry executives, authors,
directors and other showbiz giants, UAlbany 
graduates turn on the star power.   
25
Striving to Make a Difference
Members of the Presidential Honors Society 
are making life better for their fellow students –
and their neighbors at home and abroad.
26
Great City, Great University
Four-term Albany Mayor Gerald D. Jennings,
M.S.’76, is loyal to both his hometown 
and his alma mater.
Departments
3
From the Podium and Beyond
29
Out and About
30
Gifts at Work
32
Alumni News and Notes
52
The Last Word
East Meets West at UAlbany
Colorful costumes and talent galore were on display during Fall 2007’s Gateways to China, a themed semester of special events
designed to introduce UAlbany students, faculty, staff and Capital Region residents to China and all things Chinese. The EastRiver
Ensemble and the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company performed in October and November, respectively, and award-winning Chinese-
American playwright Elizabeth Wong (Letters to a Student Revolutionary) discussed her work during an Oct. 17 visit. In keeping
with the theme, the University Art Museum hosted Chen Qiulin: Recent Work, an exhibit of videos and photos by Chinese artist
Chen Qiulin, and Chinese Shadow Figures from the Collection of Dr. Fan Pen Chen. The China Semester was presented by the
University; The University at Albany Center for the Humanities, Arts and TechnoSciences (CHATS); the China Center; the College
of Arts and Sciences; the Office of International Education; and the Office of the Provost.  
UAlbany
University at Albany Magazine
Winter 2008, Volume 17, Number 1
Chen Qiulin captured this image, River, River (2005), which 
was displayed at the University Art Museum in conjunction 
with the China Semester. 
UALBANY MAGAZINE
2
Dear Friend:
A number of years ago, I was invited – challenged, really – to
become involved with the University at Albany. Although I’m a
proud graduate, I hadn’t given much thought to volunteering my
time and talent with the University until then-President H. Patrick
Swygert called one day and asked me why I wasn’t involved.
Frankly, I couldn’t think of a good answer! 
I came to the University as a freshman in 1965 and met my wife,
Sandra, also an undergraduate at the time, the following year. 
We’ve been married 38 years; two of our sons are UAlbany gradu-
ates. (The third went to SUNY Geneseo.) As you can see, I strongly
believe in public education, and I have a real passion for the
University at Albany.
That’s why I said “yes” to volunteering for the University in the
early 1990s. I was appointed to chair the University Council and
also served as an ex-officio director of The University at Albany
Foundation. In those posts, and as a director of the State University
Research Foundation, I’ve had the satisfaction of witnessing, first-
hand, the growth of UAlbany’s academic, research and athletic 
programs – and a concurrent surge of pride in our great University.
Now, as interim president of the University at Albany, I extend two
invitations to you. First, I invite you to read this issue of UAlbany,
which focuses on alumni who enrich our lives through entertain-
ment. In addition to learning about your former classmates’ 
accomplishments and ambitions, you’ll discover how their 
experiences at the University contributed to their career success 
and personal satisfaction – and prepared them to become better
citizens of the world.
Second, I invite you to lend your considerable talents to UAlbany.
Like our fellow graduates highlighted in these pages, you have skills
and initiative, and innovative ideas for using both. Participation in
the Alumni Association is just one of the many ways you can bene-
fit the University. (To learn about volunteer opportunities, please
visit the association’s Web site at http://www.albany.edu/alumni.)
With more than 138,000 UAlbany graduates throughout the world,
the possibilities for service to the University are endless! 
I hope you’ll accept both of my invitations. Reading UAlbany will
strengthen your pride in our University. And serving UAlbany will
reinforce your conviction that the University is well worth the
investment of your time and talent. 
Sincerely yours,
George M. Philip, Esq., B.A.’69, M.A.’73
Interim President
University at Albany
Gary Gold '70
Upfront
Two Invitations
George M. Philip earned a bachelor’s degree in history and
a master’s in social studies at UAlbany, and a J.D. from
Western New England School of Law. In 1971, he joined
the staff of the New York State Teachers’ Retirement
System, which, with 400,000 members and $105 billion in
assets, is one of the 10 largest public retirement funds in
the United States. Philip held a number of high-level 
positions with the system, including those of executive
director and chief investment officer, until his recent
retirement. His appointment to head the University 
temporarily was announced in October 2007 by 
SUNY Interim Chancellor John B. Clark.
WINTER 2008
3
From the Podium   And Beyond
By Carol Olechowski
Photos by Mark Schmidt
Susan D. Phillips Is Interim Provost
School of Education Dean Susan D. Phillips 
was named interim provost of the University 
at Albany in January. The appointment 
was announced by Interim President 
George M. Philip. 
Phillips, who has a background in human 
biology and psychology, has served as professor,
program director and department chair since
joining the UAlbany faculty in 1979. A recipient of both the
University at Albany and Chancellor’s awards for Excellence in
Teaching, she has headed the School of Education for six years.
UAlbany Celebrates Winter
Commencement
Thousands gathered at SEFCU Arena Dec. 9 to celebrate with 
the students honored at Winter Commencement 2007. 
A total of 550 bachelor’s and 457 graduate degrees were awarded 
at the ceremony, which featured a keynote address by Albany
Mayor Gerald D. Jennings, M.S.’76. Jennings himself received 
the Medallion of the University as a tribute to his years of public
service and support for education.  
The undergraduate commencement class included students from
eight states and 26 foreign nations, as well as seven military veter-
ans and 12 Presidential Scholars. The youngest member of the 
class was 20; the eldest, 58. 
McNutt, Howell Receive Fulbrights
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Louise-Anne
McNutt and Professor of Philosophy Robert C. Howell are among
800 recipients nationwide of Fulbright Grants for 2007-08.
McNutt left in February for a five-month stay at Tbilisi State
Medical University in Tbilisi, Georgia. There, she is lecturing on
blood-borne pathogen transmission prevention and offering
insight into the development of the School of Public Health.
Howell, an expert on the history of modern philosophy, analytical
metaphysics and aesthetics, is teaching about Kantian objects and
the metaphysics of art at Moscow State University in Russia. 
He will return to the United States in July.
The Fulbright Scholar program, which provides resources to 
faculty wishing to teach and conduct research abroad, seeks to 
promote mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. 
and other countries. 
Three Education Programs Rank 
Among Top 10 
The School of Education’s doctoral programs in reading, 
curriculum and instruction, and educational psychology rate
among the top 10 in the United States, according to the firm
Academic Analytics, which conducts data collection and 
reporting for higher education.
The rankings were based on Academic Analytics’ Faculty
Scholarship Productivity Index, which evaluates more than 7,400
doctoral programs in 172 disciplines at 375 institutions. In addi-
tion, the index ranks institutions in such broader categories as the
humanities and biological sciences, and institutions as a whole. 
NHGRI Awards $2.2 Million Grant to Tenenbaum 
The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) has
awarded Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences Scott Tenenbaum
of the School of Public Health and the University’s Gen*NY*Sis
Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics a three-year, $2.2 million
grant to study the organization and function of human genes.
As part of a consortium of researchers participating in ENCODE –
NHGRI’s ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements – Tenenbaum is conduct-
ing in-depth research with colleagues from MIT, Harvard, Duke, Stanford and Yale on the human genome in an
attempt to discover “all of its parts and how they function together, so we can use this information to improve people’s
health. It can have a direct impact on the future of understanding cancer and other diseases, and has the potential 
to positively affect many people's lives,” explained Tenenbaum, a pioneer in ribonomics, which uses RNA-binding 
proteins to pinpoint sets of genes identified in specific diseases.
In late 2007, NHGRI, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced grants totaling more than 
$78 million over the next four years to expand the ENCODE project.
UAlbany
Magazine
Winter 2008, Volume 17, Number 1
UAlbany magazine is published three times a year 
for alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends of the
University at Albany, State University of New York. 
Our objective in producing UAlbany is to provide 
lively, informative content that will stimulate pride 
and interest in our University.
Acting Vice President for University Development
Fardin Sanai
Director of Development Operations
and Assistant to the Vice President
Cecilia Lauenstein
Editorial Staff
Executive Editor
Carol Olechowski
colechowski@uamail.albany.edu
Art Director/Designer
Mary Sciancalepore
Writers
Christine Doyle, M.B.A.’04; Harold Gould, B.A.’47;
Brad Rabinowitz, B.A.’85; Whitney Sperrazza
Photographers
Michael Ficeto; Gary Gold, B.S.’70; 
Gina Muscato; Mark Schmidt
Researchers
Daniel Doyle, B.A.’97, M.A.’04; Deborah Forand; 
Agostino Futia, B.A.’01
Mailing and Distribution Coordinators
Diane Bouchard; Alan Topal, B.A.’83; 
Kimberly Verhoff, B.A.’00
Business Manager
Lillian Lee
The Carillon
Editor
Melissa Samuels
msamuels@uamail.albany.edu
“Alumni News and Notes” Editor
Kathleen Gaddis
kgaddis@uamail.albany.edu
Art Director/Designer
Mary Sciancalepore
UAlbany magazine is available online at:
http://www.albany.edu/news/index.shtml
The University at Albany’s broad mission of 
excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, 
research and public service engages more than
17,000 diverse students in 10 schools and colleges.
For more information about this internationally ranked
institution, please visit www.albany.edu.
Cover: Broadway star Carolee Carmello, B.S.'83, 
lights up the stage as Donna Sheridan in
Mamma Mia! The long-running musical is 
playing at New York’s Cadillac Winter Garden
Theatre. Photo: Joan Marcus
School of Public Health Launches New Major 
A new major introduced last fall by the School of Public Health is preparing students for
careers in public health and in such related fields as medicine, nursing, law and journalism.
Through the public health major, students will explore scientific methods used by public
health professionals to determine the causes of various infectious and chronic diseases, as well
as the methods utilized in developing effective disease prevention programs. In addition, they
will be exposed to disciplines – including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and bio-
medical health sciences, health policy analysis and behavioral studies – that contribute to pub-
lic health research and practice.  
The school also offers a minor in public health, as well as graduate-level programs in the field.
Association Lauds Toseland for Career Achievement
The Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGE-SW) recently
honored Institute of Gerontology Director Ron Toseland with its Career
Achievement Award. 
Toseland, a School of Social Welfare professor since 1979, has worked in the
field of gerontology for more than 30 years. Throughout his career, he has 
sustained and developed his interests in social group interventions and social
services to the elderly and their families, and consistently produced research relevant to the
delivery of social services and to clinical work with older adults. 
UALBANY MAGAZINE
4
NRC Presents Fellowship to Awo-Affouda
The National Research Council has awarded
Chaffra Awo-Affouda, Ph.D.’07, a postdoc-
toral fellowship.
Awo-Affouda, a College of Nanoscale
Science and Engineering (CNSE) graduate,
works in the Materials Science and
Technology Division of the Naval Research
Laboratory in Washington, D.C. His research
focuses on the emerging field of spintronics,
or harnessing the spin of the electron, which
is responsible for magnetism and magnetic
storage technology. 
The University at Albany Foundation’s 28th annual Citizen Laureate Dinner Nov. 8 honored (left to right)
2007 Academic Laureates Paul A. Leonard, Ph.D., B.S.’75, M.B.A.’76, and Leonard A. Slade Jr., Ph.D.; 
and Community Laureates Neil and Jane Golub and George M. Philip, B.A.’69, M.A.’73.
WINTER 2008
5
From the Podium
And Beyond
Spencer Foundation Supports Writing Instruction Study 
Department of Educational Theory and Practice Distinguished Professors Judith Langer
and Arthur Applebee have received a Spencer Foundation grant totaling nearly $500,000 to
support the next phase of the National Study of Writing Instruction. This stage of the three-
year project will focus on writing instruction in 20 middle and high schools in five states. 
The study – a collaboration of the National Writing Project; the Education Trust; the
College Board; and UAlbany’s Center on English Learning & Achievement (CELA), which
Langer and Applebee co-direct – focuses on grades 6 through 12.  
Naming Recognizes Capital Region Philanthropists
Morris and Esther Massry are well known throughout the Capital Region for their support
of such philanthropic interests as the University at Albany’s cancer research efforts. Last
October, to thank the Loudonville, N.Y., couple for their generosity, the University bestowed
the Massry name on the conference facility at its Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in
Cancer Genomics. 
Seminars, colloquia, and larger classes taught by the faculty of both the Cancer Research 
Center and the School of Public Health are hosted at the Massry Conference Center. 
Morris Massry, vice president of The University at Albany Foundation, is also a Foundation
director. He was instrumental in helping the University to acquire the former Sterling
Winthrop property in East Greenbush, N.Y., where the University’s School of Public Health
and the Cancer Research Center are located. The Massrys have donated $500,000 to further
cancer research at UAlbany.
Mara, Tisch Are Honored 
UAlbany recognized Wellington T. Mara and Preston Robert Tisch for their contribu-
tions to the University by naming the football practice field used by their team each
summer since 1996 in honor of the late co-owners of the New York Giants.
Mara and Tisch, both of
whom passed away in
2005, established the
Giants’ summer camp on
UAlbany’s uptown campus
nearly a dozen years ago.
In addition to supporting
the monthlong camp, the
men were instrumental in
creating the New York
Giants Scholarship, which
has benefited 11 Capital
Region students to date.
“60 Minutes” Correspondent Attains 15 More Minutes of Fame 
Peabody and Emmy award-winning newsman Steve Kroft, a correspondent for CBS’ 
“60 Minutes,” received the Medallion of the University at a Sept. 17 ceremony that also 
honored the first year of UAlbany’s journalism program.
The time he spent at at the University, Kroft noted, “provided me an opportunity to spend
some time with college students, which is always invigorating.” His visit to Andy Rooney’s
hometown also prompted a good-natured jibe at Kroft’s “60 Minutes” colleague: “I’m
relieved to report that the current residents aren’t nearly as grumpy as he is.” 
Belfort and Schell Are
AAAS Fellows
Professors Marlene Belfort and Lawrence
Schell have been named Fellows of the
American Association for the
Advancement of Science.
Belfort, who joined the
University’s Department
of Biomedical Sciences
more than two decades
ago, also directs the
Division of Genetic
Disorders at the New York
State Department of
Health’s Wadsworth
Center. 
Schell, director of 
the Center for the
Elimination of Minority
Health Disparities, is well known for his
studies of pollutants and their effects 
on the physical and mental growth of
children, especially youngsters from 
disadvantaged groups. 
NSF Funds Strait’s
Research
The National Science Foundation (NSF)
has awarded a $940,000 grant to
Professor of Anthropology David Strait
for the study of how the facial skeletons
of human ancestors and
some primates are adapt-
ed to withstand the 
forces of chewing. 
Researchers from the
University of Chicago;
Baylor College of
Dentistry of Texas A&M; Arizona State;
George Washington University; Emory;
Mercer; the University of Massachusetts
at Amherst; Kansas City University of
Medicine and Biosciences; and the
University of Vienna in Austria will also
participate in the project, “Integrative
Analysis of Hominid Feeding
Biomechanics.” 
For more information about 
UAlbany people, programs and 
initiatives, please visit the University’s 
Web site: www.albany.edu.
John Mara (left) and Steve Tisch, sons of the late New York Giants
owners Wellington Mara and Preston Robert Tisch
UALBANY MAGAZINE
6
C
olorado Rapids goalkeeper Bouna
Coundoul is really getting a kick 
out of life. 
Since joining the team in 2005, the
Senegal native has built a loyal following.
And he credits the University at Albany,
which made it possible for him to “get a
degree and play soccer,” with helping to
him to launch his career as a professional
soccer player. 
“Back home in Senegal, everything is 
soccer,” remembered Coundoul, who
came to the United States at age 14 and
lived with his three older brothers in 
The Bronx. “Everybody played, so 
automatically, you play.”
When it was time for college, “UAlbany
was my first choice.” He majored in infor-
mation science, minored in French and
devoted plenty of
time to the soccer
team. “You need
time to play. You
have to put every-
thing into it, and
really focus,”
Coundoul
observed.
At the University,
he “took a giant
step to get closer
to my goal. The
coaching staff and
my teammates
gave me a little bit
of a taste of the
pro environment. I learned a lot from
[head coach] Johan [Aarnio] and [assis-
tant coach] R.J. [Bevers]. I was lucky to
be part of the team,” said Coundoul, who
was ranked one of the top college players
during his years at UAlbany.
Toward the end of Coundoul’s senior
year, “Coach made some phone calls” to
pro soccer teams. Later, “I got a call from
the Colorado Rapids. I joined the team 
for one week and trained with the play-
ers, and was offered a four-year deal.”
Coundoul is testimony to the power of
positive thinking: He has wanted to be a
professional soccer player “since I was six
years old. I was always telling people I
would be a pro someday.”
Positive thinking also played a role in the
creation of Coundoul’s rallying cry, “It’s
Bouna Time!” He explained, “We were
doing some shooting drills, and I said,
‘Say, guys, it’s Bouna Time today!” The
phrase caught on. Spectators now chant
his name, and, when asked, “What time is
it?” they roar, “It’s Bouna Time!” 
Coundoul is using his personal motto to
assist kids in his hometown, Dakar. In
conjunction with the Rapids Foundation,
the team’s charitable organization, he
designed jerseys imprinted “Bouna Time.”
Coundoul also autographs the shirts,
which are sold at Rapids games. “The 
fans are really supportive,” reported 
the 25-year-old soccer star, who sends 
the proceeds back home to benefit 
children there. 
Soccer, Coundoul pointed out, “is a year-
round sport. We start out in February,
and the season goes all the way to
November. We are on the road a lot.”
Lately, he has been traveling even more
than usual. Last fall, Coundoul was invit-
ed to Paris to play with the Senegalese
National Team, which competed Nov. 17
and 21 against the teams from Mali and
Morocco, respectively. Senegal won the
earlier match with a score of 3-2 but lost
the second, 3-0.
In 2007, Coundoul became the only team
member ever to receive two player awards
from the Rapids. He hopes that his suc-
cess will encourage UAlbany to “pay a lit-
tle more attention” to its soccer program.
The University, he noted, “has some tal-
ented players, and soccer is the fastest-
growing sport in the U.S. It is just like 
the rising sun; you cannot stop it.”
Bouna Coundoul, B.S.’05
It’s Bouna Time! 
By Carol Olechowski
Bouna Coundoul wows spectators 
at Colorado Rapids games.
©DigPicPhoto
©DigPicPhoto
WINTER 2008
7
Decades ago, a famous Hollywood film studio boasted that it had “more stars than there are in the heavens.” 
We don’t like to brag (too much), but a veritable constellation of University at Albany graduates works in the 
entertainment industry. Turn the page to begin reading about their lives and their work. And if your favorite 
UAlbany celebrity isn’t included in “That’s Entertainment!” this time around, don’t worry: There are so 
many others that we’ll have to publish at least one more issue with a focus on our star-studded alumni.
Brothers Avery (left) and Monte Lipman, 
pictured in Monte’s office at Universal Republic
Records in New York, don’t play instruments or sing,
yet they’re one of the most successful family acts in
the music business. For their story, turn to page 20.
That’s Entertainment!
By Carol Olechowski
UALBANY MAGAZINE
8
Frank Whaley, B.A.’85
“Ironweed” and Irony
A
t the University at Albany, Frank Whaley discovered a “great” 
theatre program, “amazing” facilities, a city with a “different”
cultural scene – and his range as an actor.
“Professor Jim Leonard, one of my acting teachers, was a great
influence. He helped me to find my range,” recalls the Syracuse,
N.Y.-born Whaley, admitting, “I’ve played a lot of bad guys.”
He attended SUNY Potsdam as a freshman but, in 1982, transferred
to Albany, where his brother, Robert Whaley, B.A.’84 (now an actor
and musician), was enrolled as a theatre major. An EOP student,
Frank Whaley majored in theatre and “began writing monologues
to perform in class.” He took two courses with Professor of English
William Kennedy, who would also have a profound – and some-
what ironic – influence on his career.
In the late 1980s, Whaley was working as a waiter in New York City
Suzanne Tenner/Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.
when he learned of a casting call for the
film “Ironweed,” based on Kennedy’s
Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. “I had read
the book, and all of William Kennedy’s
books, and I made sure that I got into audi-
tions. I was cast in the role of Francis
Phelan, the main character, as a young
man; Jack Nicholson played Francis at a
later age. It was amazing.” The movie,
filmed in Albany, brought Whaley back to
“Lark Street below Central, where I had
lived while attending the University. It was
just crazy,” adds the actor, who received his
diploma two years after graduating from
Albany because “I couldn’t afford to pay 
my library fines” until 1987.
“Ironweed,” Whaley’s first film, set
the pace for his career. (For a par-
tial list of his movies, see the side-
bar.) But Whaley, 44, is also a pop-
ular character actor on TV; his
recent guest appearances include
roles on “House” and “Boston
Legal.” At this point, though, the
father of two (Buster, 5, and
Tallulah, 3) observes: “I prefer to
write and to direct my own writ-
ing. It’s much more challenging
and fulfilling to see the project
transform from beginning to end.”
In 1999, for his first writing-direct-
ing effort, “Joe the King,” Whaley
won the Sundance Film Festival’s
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.
His latest project is intended for the small
screen. Whaley and his wife, actress-writer
Heather Bucha, are collaborating on a “dark
comedy” about the fictional Sharon Shaw,
“an actress past her prime, and her struggle
to maintain her sanity and raise her daugh-
ter in Hollywood. Sharon was a big movie
star, but she’s forced to take a co-hosting
job on a nature program. Heather and I
will write and produce the series; we’re
negotiating with a couple of TV networks.
We’re talking to a few actresses, too; it’s 
a meaty role.” 
Whaley knows about meaty roles. Whether
he’s offered a dramatic or comedic part, 
“I can do it all, and I’m really excited about
both. I’ve never thought in terms of doing
one or the other. If it’s something I can 
sink my teeth into, it doesn’t matter what
category the role falls into. I’m proud of 
my range.”
WINTER 2008
9
Film facts
Opposite: Frank Whaley starred in 
the 2007 thriller “Vacancy.”
Whaley poses with “Pulp Fiction” 
co-star Uma Thurman (above), 
and joins wife Heather Bucha 
and children Buster and Tallulah 
for a family outing (right).  
Since graduating from the 
University at Albany,
actor Frank Whaley has 
amassed an impressive list 
of movie credits, including:
“Ironweed” (début; 1987)
“Field of Dreams” (1989)
“Born on the Fourth of July” (1989)
“The Doors” (1991)
“JFK” (1991)
“Swing Kids” (1993)
“Pulp Fiction” (1994)
“Joe the King” 
(Whaley’s writing and direction
earned this movie the Sundance
Film Festival’s Waldo Salt
Screenwriting Award; 1999)
“The Jimmy Show” (2001)
“The School of Rock” 
(not credited, 2003)
“World Trade Center” (2006)
“Vacancy” (2007)
Getty Images
Getty Images
UALBANY MAGAZINE
10
I
f Carolee Carmello hadn’t decided to try out for theatrical roles
during her undergraduate years at the University at Albany, life
might have been very different today for the Broadway star.
Born in Albany and raised in the city’s Pine Hills neighborhood,
Carmello majored in business administration at the University and
was looking forward to a career in personnel work or marketing. 
“I lived on Dutch Quad, and I tried out for a couple of shows there
as a lark,” recalled Carmello, who played the roles of Nancy
(Oliver!) and Hodel (Fiddler on the Roof) in quad productions. At
the time, though, acting “was really just a hobby for me,” she noted.
In the summer of 1983, Carmello went to Lake George, where she
performed in the musical They’re Playing Our Song. For her, “that
was the beginning. I met a lot of actors from New York City. I had
to join the Actors’ Equity Association to do the show, and I was
exposed to a part of the theatre I hadn’t seen before. I had no
expectations.” 
The only thing Carmello did expect was that her aspirations would-
n’t work out, “and I would be going back to my business roots. I
thought attempting to have a career in the theatre would last a year,
or maybe two. That was 24 years ago.”
Carmello modestly attributes much of her success to luck. When a
show closed or she missed out on a role, “I was lucky enough to get
another theatre job.” Her first big break on Broadway was City of
Angels. Since then, she’s gone on to star in numerous other produc-
tions. For her role in Parade, Carmello was nominated for a Tony
and earned a Drama Desk Award; Lestat won her Drama Desk and
Carolee Carmello, B.S.’83
From Bachelor of Science to Broadway Star
From left, Judy McLane, Carolee Carmello and Gina Ferrall take center stage at the Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre.
Joan Marcus
WINTER 2008
11
Tony nominations. Her other Broadway credits include The Scarlet
Pimpernel; Kiss Me, Kate; Urinetown; Falsettos; and 1776. Off Broadway,
Carmello has performed in such shows as Elegies; I Can Get It For You
Wholesale; and Hello Again, for which she received an Obie.
Currently, Carmello is appearing at the Cadillac Winter Garden Theatre
in Mamma Mia! the long-running musical that features a score packed
with tunes by the popular 1970s rock group ABBA. The role of Donna
Sheridan showcases both Carmello’s vocal talent and her acting skills.  
When she’s not onstage, the actress plays two other roles: wife 
and mother.
She and her husband, Tony Award nominee Gregg Edelman, first met 
in City of Angels. Carmello had one line; “I played a maid. The part was
very small, and I didn’t stay with the show.” 
Years later, the couple appeared together in another production, and
something clicked. Married for almost 13 years, they have two children,
Zoe and Ethan. The family resides in New Jersey.
If she weren’t a world-famous theatre professional, Carmello could pic-
ture herself in “corporate administration somewhere.” She’s thought of
returning to school for her M.B.A. and is glad to have earned a business
degree at UAlbany. “A lot of my friends feel the theatre is the only career
path; they can’t even entertain the idea of another possibility,” she
observed. “With my degree, I could do other things. I have something to
fall back on. It’s also helped me in the business – dealing with contracts
and negotiations and investing my money. There are a lot of entrepre-
neurial aspects to show business; you have to market yourself, in a way.
My degree has definitely paid off.”
Carmello (as Donna Sheridan) and her co-star Carey Anderson (as Donna’s
daughter, Sophie) share a touching moment onstage in Mamma Mia!
D.B. Woodside,
B.S.’91
H
e’s not even 40, but he’s already been a
high-school principal, a physician and
President of the United States – all on the
small screen, that is! D.B. Woodside, B.A.'91,
earned a degree in theatre from UAlbany, then
went on to the Yale School of Drama for an
M.F.A. In the years since, the Queens, N.Y.,
native has had recurring roles on “The
Division,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and
"Murder One," and guest-starred on such hit
series as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “CSI” and “JAG.”
Woodside is probably best known for his role
as the brother of President David Palmer – 
and then as President Wayne Palmer – on 
the TV drama “24.”
Joan Marcus
Eric Deskin, 
B.A.’86
Taking Life Less Seriously
I
f you need an attorney, don’t call Eric Deskin. (He
describes himself as a “lapsed lawyer.”) But if you need
someone who excels at ice and in-line skating; plays
piano, French horn, guitar, tennis and golf; and professes
to be “fluent in Legalese,” “conversant in Spanish,” com-
puter literate and able to do bird calls, then Deskin is
your man. 
He even claims to be capable of accomplishing several 
of these feats simultaneously. “Yes, I can indeed do bird
calls, while I skate and play the piano,” affirms Deskin.
“The French horn is largely in the past, but I could fake 
it if I had to!”
Deskin is much better known for his comedic and acting
skills than for his musical talent, however. He’s made
audiences in the United States, Canada, Britain and 
The Netherlands laugh at his observations about family,
news, pop culture and life in general. In his native New
York City, Deskin has performed in the theatre (Edward
Albee’s Everything in the Garden; The Duchess of Malfi).
He’s also worked on television (“Rescue Me”; “One Life
to Live”) and in many independent films (“You Are
Alone”; “Killing Time,” a 2002 Sundance® Official
Selection). His latest foray into TV was a guest shot as an
advertising executive in the pilot episode of ABC’s
“Cashmere Mafia,” which stars Lucy Liu. He has also
appeared in many television commercials and 
print campaigns.
Deskin came to acting and comedy in a roundabout way.
He intended to major in biology at the University at
Albany but “got slammed by organic chemistry and 
calculus. So I began taking geography courses, notably
Stanley Blount’s freshman course in physical geography,
which was incredible. Each class was a slide show of
every place on the planet that Professor Blount had
explored. Later, I took more and more courses focusing
on urban and regional planning. One of them, with
Christopher Smith and Sam Thyagarajan, was a gradu-
ate-level class where we did a comprehensive plan for 
the City of Saratoga Springs.” 
After receiving his bachelor’s in geography, Deskin
earned a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law,
then “went right into a big white-shoe Wall Street firm
that has since folded – through no fault of my own. My
first year there, I did very little work and was compen-
sated nicely. It was a fun time.” However, Deskin soon
grew “disillusioned with the law game” and eventually,
T
o listeners, Kathryn Zox is 
“Your Social Worker with a
Microphone.TM” But the nationally
recognized radio host, who produces
“The Kathryn Zox Show” from her
Slingerlands, N.Y., home, could just as accurately be called
“The Teacher Who Loves to Talk” or “The Talker Who 
Loves to Teach.”
Zox honed her credentials through education, hard work and life
experience. A graduate of Boston University with a B.A. in psychology
and an M.Ed. in counseling psychology, she enrolled at the University
at Albany (“a great school”) after she and her family relocated from
New Jersey to Oneonta, N.Y., in the early 1980s. Zox cites “good pro-
fessors,” like the late Susan Sherman, and the “excellent curriculum” 
as having contributed to her positive experience at UAlbany. 
“A friend and I commuted to the School of Social Welfare. I’d get all
my classes done in two days. I had a field placement in the dialysis
unit at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, and another at the Delaware
County Probation Department. It would have been a great reality 
television show,” laughs Zox, adding, “I was nine months’ pregnant
when I graduated.” A week after giving birth, she went back to Albany
– “nursing new baby, with nanny in tow” – to take the 
C.S.W. exam. 
Zox, 60 – “the new 40,” she points out – has combined her education
and talents to create a multifaceted career. Highlights include training
doctors and medical students to communicate effectively with their
patients through Albany Medical College’s Clinical Competency
Program; developing and implementing a corporate training pro-
gram, “Managing AIDS in the Workplace,” for Fortune 500 compa-
nies; and acting in community theatre, television (“The Sopranos,”
“Law & Order”) and commercials (for Time Warner and Fox TV).
Zox has also been featured in print ads for the I Love New York 
State Travel Guide and “even admits” to having modeled for 
AARP magazine. 
Several years ago, Zox’s volunteer work opened a new avenue of
opportunity. While reading for RISE, a 24-hour radio information
service WMHT provides for the blind and the print disabled in the
Capital Region and the Hudson Valley, “I realized I loved being on the
radio,” and “The Kathryn Zox Show” was born. For the program,
aired daily via Internet on the VoiceAmerica Women’s Network and
weekly on WMET 1160AM in Washington, D.C., Zox has interviewed
“thousands of guests.” The focus on women’s issues “keeps women
connected, informed and entertained, with memorable guests like 
Al Roker, Robin Cook and Miss America 2007,” says Zox, who will
receive the UAlbany Alumni Association’s 2008 Excellence in Public
Service Award this May. 
“It takes a lot of time to produce the show,” adds the mother of three
grown sons. Zox selects the topics, books guests, markets the program
and works the controls at her home studio herself. Her dedication has
been rewarded: Recently, “The Kathryn Zox Show” was the most-lis-
tened-to program on the VoiceAmerica Women’s Network.
[Visit Kathryn Zox’s Web site at www.kathrynzox.com.] 
UALBANY MAGAZINE
12
UALBANY MAGAZINE
Kathryn 
Zox, M.S.W.’83
“Your Social Worker 
With a Microphone
TM”
the firm, which was downsizing, “asked me to leave.” He went to a smaller firm, “where
it was more of the same, just smaller.” One of the other attorneys there advised him to
“start taking life more seriously.” Instead, Deskin signed up for a New School workshop
taught by comic Scott Blakeman – “his alumni include Jon Stewart and Caroline Rhea”
– and hit the comedy-club circuit.
Deskin feels his law training, his experience in the business world and his stand-up
have all made him a better actor. “Maybe,” he speculates, “I wouldn’t be who I am if 
I hadn’t done all those things.”
Just who is Eric Deskin? A funny guy who can do bird calls, skate and play piano – 
all at the same time. And act. And fake the French horn.
[Visit Eric Deskin on the Web at www.ericdeskin.com and 
www.myspace.com/ericdeskin.]
WINTER 2008
13
UALBANY MAGAZINE
14
F
or decades, the story of Dorothy, the Kansas farm girl propelled
by a tornado to a mystical land in L. Frank Baum’s The
Wonderful Wizard of Oz, has captivated readers. But, until Gregory
Maguire decided to delve into the matter, no one had given much
thought at all to the Wicked Witch of the West, the nemesis who
plagues Dorothy and her companions as they seek out the wizard,
who will (they hope) grant them some special favors, including the
girl’s wish for a safe return home.
In Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,
Maguire explores the background of the witch from birth to death.
Although Wicked is often characterized as “the back story of the
Wizard of Oz,” the author himself describes the work as “a novel in
which I could examine the curious conundrums surrounding the
notions of human malfeasance and the tendency to demonize those
with whom we disagree. That it should be about a villain that read-
ers would commonly understand to be evil was simply a given; the
Wicked Witch of the West occurred to me as an
inspiration. Everyone in the U.S. knew who she
was, yet Baum, and the 1939 film based on his 
classic children’s novel, had given virtually no 
background story for her. She was easily identifi-
able, yet ripe for interpretation.”
Maguire “knew Wicked was a good idea,” but he 
felt the book, written for adults, would be only
“moderately successful; it might stop selling when
enough people had read it to pronounce, ‘Oh, it
doesn’t live up to its promise.’ I did not expect that
the word of mouth would be positive, would make
it a sleeper.” By the time the musical Wicked, based
on Maguire’s work, opened on Broadway in 2003,
“the novel had sold 700,000 copies. It has sold six
times that number by today.”
Both versions of Wicked have garnered so much
acclaim that most people are probably unaware
that Maguire is also a highly successful author of
books for children. He credits the University at
Albany with nurturing his interest in that genre.
Maguire enrolled at the University in 1972, attract-
ed by its “fine reputation,” its proximity to his
home and its affordable tuition. The Albany, N.Y.,
native was “too busy” working his way through
school and completing his academic work in dual
majors (English and studio art) to participate in
extracurricular activities. However, he enjoyed his
classes and recalls that, freshman year, he was “par-
ticularly taken with a six-credit course in [William]
Faulkner, and also my first English course, Love, Sex
and Power in the American Novel.” Maguire also
fondly remembers Assistant Professor Lillian
Orsini, M.S.L.S. [now emerita], who taught library
sciences and “kindly allowed me into her graduate
seminar in children’s literature. With her as one of
Gregory Maguire, B.A.’76
A Wicked Talent 
WINTER 2008
15
my mentors, I took an independent study
in writing fiction for children.” His first
book, The Lightning Time, was published
by Farrar Straus and Giroux in 1978. 
Over the next two decades, Maguire
penned a number of other children’s
books, including Six Haunted Hairdos and
Seven Spiders Spinning. “I knew from per-
sonal experience that writing for children
can be among the most powerful of com-
munication tools,” he observes. “Young
readers are generous in their sympathies,
open-minded and passionate. To write for
children is to write for the most dedicated
and responsive audience around.”
Yet, the switch to adult literature was not
difficult. “My solidest prep work for
Wicked was the reading I had done as a
child. I felt I could use all the love of the
invented landscapes I had developed in
reading [J.R.R.] Tolkien, [Ursula] LeGuin
and others; I could range from low comedy
to high tragedy, from mild social farce to
social criticism. It was not hard to change
gears; it was merely a matter of changing
topics,” Maguire says.
For his latest book, Maguire returned to
his roots as a children’s author. What-the-
Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy,
written for readers aged 9 to 12, was pub-
lished late last year by Candlewick Press.
They majored in communications.
The sisters live in New York City.
They’re known for their work as 
twin-preneurs – entrepreneurs inspired 
by their twinship.
Their latest success story is Twins Talent
(http://www.twinstalent.tv), which Lisa
describes as “a unique company that special-
izes in casting real people for reality TV,
game shows, human interest segments, and
documentaries.” 
Recent reality show clients include “Hell’s
Kitchen,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Nanny
911,” “Mr. T” and “The Moment of Truth.”
As heads of one of the leading casting 
companies for reality TV, the Ganzes have
“auditioned many Albany alumni. It has 
been a fun way to reconnect with old 
friends and talk about old times!”
Twins Talent also specializes in talent man-
agement for twins, triplets and quadruplets
for television, film, print and commercials.
“With more than 100,000 twins and multi-
ples – fraternal and identical, newborn 
to age 95 – our clients will leave you 
seeing double!” 
Through Twins Talent, the sisters have
recently done casting for such films and TV
series as “American Gangster,” “Painkiller
Jane,” “Gossip Girl,” “Guiding Light,” “One
Life to Live” and “Law & Order SVU.”
The firm’s advertising clients include
Toyota and Levitz.
Lisa and Debbie are currently developing 
“a number of reality shows and documen-
taries for various TV networks. In the world
of reality TV, there is a show out there for
everyone, and everyone is a potential client!”
Other upcoming projects include “publish-
ing two humorous books about embarrassing
moments and bad dating stories.”
The Ganzes returned to Albany in late 2006
to be honored in conjunction with the
University’s Alumni Awareness campaign. 
Lisa says the sisters’ experience at the
University “was a great contributing factor
in preparing us for our career as entrepre-
neurs. Many of our classes gave us the start-
ing business platforms and interpersonal skill
set that helped make our visions a reality.”
The “most priceless gifts” the Ganzes
received at Albany were “the friendships we
developed. Twenty years later, we have an
annual get-together, ‘Femme Fest,’ with the
same group of 15 girlfriends we had when we
started as freshmen. During a long weekend
every year, we catch up on our lives and 
families, share photos and stories from 
our days at Albany, and celebrate our 
longtime friendships.” 
[Contact Lisa and Debbie Ganz
at twinsworld1@aol.com.]
Lisa and Debbie Ganz, 
Both B.A.’89
That’s Twin-ertainment!
UALBANY MAGAZINE
16
W
hen Brian McNamara answers the telephone, his voice is
husky, as if he’s been weeping. “I have to cry today,” he sobs.
“It’s an emotional day.” 
Then, unexpectedly, he bursts into a hearty laugh. He’s just prepar-
ing for a role in the CBS television series “Criminal Minds,” in
which he portrays a man who’s just learned a family member has
been murdered. 
“It’s a very strange world I live in,” adds McNamara, still laughing.
“I try to explain it to my six-year-old son, Tyler, but he doesn’t get
it. When I tell him I have to spend the day crying, he says, ‘Fine,
Dad; have a nice day.’”
It is a strange world for someone who started out at UAlbany 
as a business major to please his parents, who sold real estate.
McNamara, now 47, also got a real estate license – “which I never
used.” But the self-described “class clown” really longed for the
footlights and decided to minor in theatre.
Paradoxically, McNamara was also “particularly shy”; in fact, when
he went to his first acting class at the University, “I walked out
because I was so scared.” Still, “I loved the theatre and the theatre
department, and the Performing Arts Center, which had five or six
beautiful theatres,” the Long Island native recalls. “I became a scenic
design assistant and stayed that for three years. Finally, somebody
Brian McNamara (top row, second from left) poses with his “Army Wives” co-stars Wendy Davis, Sterling K. Brown, 
Kim Delaney, Catherine Bell, Brigid Brannagh, Drew Fuller and Sally Pressman. 
Brian McNamara, B.A.’82
Inhabitant of a ‘Strange World’ 
ABC Studios/Dan Littlejohn
WINTER 2008
17
At UAlbany, Cathy Ladman majored in
English education and media & commu-
nications.
Her initial career goal (at her mom’s
behest) was teacher. 
Her own true passion was – and is –
comedy. 
She writes and performs her own
stand-up routines, both on the road and
on TV (“The Late Late Show with Craig
Ferguson,” “The Tonight Show” and
HBO’s “One Night Stand”).
Inspirations for her material include
her husband, Tom Frykman, and 
daughter, Milan, 4, adopted from 
China in 2004.
The proud mommy says Milan
“is a great kid. She’s smart and has a
lot of energy. When she’s here, she’s
the show! She comes home after a
full day [of pre-K], and she’s just starting.
It’s as if she’s saying, ‘That was a good
warm-up; now, let’s do the real stuff!’
Milan’s a great mix of feminine and mas-
culine: She loves wearing dresses, but she
also likes power tools – just like my hus-
band. He’s not too proud to put on a
dress, either!”
Ladman’s work earned her a 1992
American Comedy Award for Best Female
Stand-Up Comic; and appearances on the
last two anniversary broadcasts of Johnny
Carson’s “Tonight Show.”
In addition to performing stand-up, she
writes scripts for television (most recently,
“Rules of Engagement” – “if the WGA
strike ends soon!”). Her other writing
credits include “The King of Queens” and
“Roseanne”.
Ladman has guest-starred on such 
series as “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and
“Everybody Loves Raymond.”
She’s also performed in a number of
films, including “The Aristocrats”; “White
Oleander”; and “Charlie Wilson’s War,”
which was released in late 2007.
Recently, she’s appeared in: “The JAP
Show: The Princesses of Comedy,” an 
Off-Broadway “homage to the pio-
neering women of Jewish stand-up come-
dy”; and, in Palm Springs, Calif., a panel
discussion of “Making Trouble,” a docu-
mentary highlighting the comedy of
Sophie Tucker, Molly Picon, Fanny Brice
and other Jewish funny ladies.
Currently, she’s working on “Does This
Show Make Me Look Fat?” soon in pre-
views at Actor’s Art Theatre in Los
Angeles. The show was inspired by
Ladman’s battle with anorexia. “I was
about 19 when it really started to manifest
itself in full force. After college, I went
down to under 85 pounds, and I’m 5’5”. 
I was not a healthy person.”
Ladman got help from New York’s
Ackerman Institute and Overeaters
Anonymous, “a 12-step program not only
for people who are obese, but for those
with all sorts of eating disorders.”
She considers “Does This Show Make 
Me Look Fat?” “a calling.” “A lot of these
problems start when women are so
young, and they really don’t know where
to go for help,” notes Ladman, who hopes
to bring the show to schools and to 
theatres.
[Learn more about Cathy Ladman and
her work at www.cathyladman.com.]
Cathy Ladman, B.A.’75
Just for Laughs
pushed me into a Jules Feiffer comedy. 
I enjoyed the rehearsal process, but as soon
as I walked out onstage the first night, I 
just knew this was what I wanted to do 
with my life.”
McNamara honed his craft with William
(Bill) Leone, then a voice and acting teacher
at UAlbany. “He’s a terrific actor, and he saw
how driven and focused I was. Any oppor-
tunity we got, we would go into a theatre
and work. It was a great experience. He
taught me to keep my acting very simple,”
McNamara remembers.
After completing his studies, McNamara
headed for California, where he still lives,
and soon found work. His résumé includes
roles on dozens of television programs,
including “St. Elsewhere,” “Hill Street Blues,”
“Murder She Wrote,” “Seinfeld,” “CSI,”
“NYPD Blue,” “The O.C.” and “Monk.” 
His latest role is that of Col. Michael
Holden on the Lifetime drama “Army
Wives,” in which he co-stars with Kim
Delaney (his screen wife), Catherine Bell,
Wendy Davis and Sally Pressman.
McNamara admits to being “the biggest
mushbowl there is; I cry at the drop of a
hat!” So playing the Holden character – a
tough military officer accustomed to “giving
commands without yielding and letting his
subordinates know he’s the guy to follow” –
has “its own challenges.” For inspiration, 
he looked to his eldest brother, Christopher
McNamara, a retired U.S. Navy captain
“who got things done. I’ve seen him 
in action!”
Coincidentally, “Army Wives” is taped at a
former naval base in Charleston, S.C., where
Christopher McNamara was once stationed.
Brian McNamara had a feeling of déjà vu
the first day of taping when he realized that
the house where he “lives” in the series was
directly across the street from the home
where his brother once resided. 
“Army Wives” taped 13 episodes for its first
season; the show has been picked up for 19
episodes for 2007-08. In November,
McNamara and the other cast members
were awaiting the outcome of the writers’
strike to resume taping.
McNamara’s mom, sadly, passed away while
he was in college, but his 79-year-old dad is
“my biggest fan.” And his kids? Tyler and his
sister, Brenna, 16, are “growing into being
fans,” McNamara says.
David List,
B.S.’83
From Driver to Driven
UALBANY MAGAZINE
18
N
ew York City native David List majored in marketing at the
University at Albany. When he wasn’t studying, he captained 
his intramural softball and hockey teams.
List broke into show business in the New York offices of the William
Morris Agency as the chauffeur for Lee Stevens, the agency’s presi-
dent. Bill Cosby, George Burns, Katharine Hepburn and Barbara
Walters were among the first stars List drove around in Stevens’
Jaguar. This opportunity to shuttle TV and movie stars around
Manhattan gave List “access to watch and listen to, in a very inti-
mate and private setting, the interaction between some of the most
powerful theatrical agents and stars in the entertainment industry.”
It didn’t take long, however, for Stevens to realize that List’s potential
went beyond the steering wheel. After six months, List was promot-
ed to serve as assistant to the president. Shortly thereafter, he joined
William Morris’ television packaging department, which packaged
and sold such megahit series as “The Cosby Show” and “Roseanne.”
In 1988, List moved to Los Angeles, where he continued to work as
an agent for two years. But in 1990, he left the agency business and
segued into film production when he became the head of produc-
tion for Dodi Fayed’s new company, Allied Stars, based at Tristar
Pictures. After a two-year collaboration with Fayed, List was offered,
and accepted, a similar post with legendary producer Albert S.
Ruddy, whose many films include Academy Award-winners “The
Godfather” and “Million Dollar Baby.”
In the late 1990s, List founded his own company, RoadDog
Industries, Inc. (The name was inspired by the nickname “Road
Dog,” given him by a female colleague.) List is both a personal man-
ager representing writers and directors, and a film producer set to
produce the return of the “Fletch” comedy/mystery franchise for
Harvey Weinstein. The films are based on the series of 11 Fletch
novels by author – and List client – Gregory Mcdonald; “many
worldwide fondly remember the original ‘Fletch’ film made in 1985,
which starred Chevy Chase.” List is also producing an independent
film, “Comeback,” with Kris Kristofferson and Ashley Judd.
List’s marketing degree “provided a great foundation” for his career
in the entertainment industry. “You have to know not only market-
ing, but also finance, economics and entertainment law,” he
observes. “There’s a reason it’s called ‘show business,’ not ‘show art.’”
Laura Bonington Masse, B.A.’86
Marketer Par Excellence
A
s a student at the University at Albany, Laura Masse 
thought she would someday teach “at the collegiate level.” 
But today, as Hallmark Channel’s executive vice president of
Marketing, Masse is using the skills she acquired as an undergrad-
uate to promote the general entertainment cable network and 
better serve its millions of viewers.
The Chappaqua, N.Y., native “had a
wonderful high school experience,
but the first day I visited Albany, I
knew I wanted to go there. It was
just about the polar opposite of 
my high school – large, diverse 
and very urban in tone.”
She majored in political science –
“political philosophy, to be exact” –
and had “a strong minor” in history,
missing a double major “by just a
few credits.” Masse, who graduated
magna cum laude, fondly recalls
Distinguished Teaching Professor of
History Warren Roberts: “I think I
took every class he taught. It didn’t
matter to me what the subject was,
because I found his very integrated
approach to teaching so interesting.
He looked at specific periods of time
from the standpoint of music, art,
political discourse and literature. 
So you really came away with a 
360-degree view of the period and 
the interplay of themes and ideas 
that influenced events.”
Courses like Roberts’, and others in
political science, helped Masse hone “the ability to tease out 
ideas, synthesize concepts and develop integrated conceptual
frameworks.” She has used those skills throughout her career,
which included 10 years “on the advertising-agency side of the
business.” She later worked for one of her clients, Discovery
Channel, then for American Movie Classics. She joined Hallmark
Channel six years ago.
In her role as executive VP, Masse directs “all marketing activity
for the network, including brand stewardship, consumer market-
ing, affiliate marketing and ad sales marketing. In addition, the
Print Design team – responsible for all print, creative and advertis-
ing – reports to me.”
Masse is proud of her affiliation with Hallmark, “a 100-year-old
brand that stands for quality, trust and 
connecting with people you care about.” Its
Hallmark Hall of Fame movies, a collection
of which runs on the network, have been
television staples for more than five
decades. “We are also the leader in produc-
ing new original movies – great stories well
written and well told, with universal themes
relevant to our viewers,” noted Masse,
adding that Hallmark Channel will produce
30 such films – “more than any other net-
work” – for 2008. “We also air well-loved
series like ‘Little House on the Prairie.’” 
Launched in 2001, Hallmark Channel has
enjoyed “tremendous growth” in just six
years, according to Masse, and consistently
numbers among “the top 10 cable networks
in both primetime and total day ratings.”
She attributes its popularity to the “real
demand for family-friendly television, for a
place where viewers can feel comfortable
with a good story, and not challenged by
violence or obscenity.” 
Masse, who splits her time between
Hallmark Channel’s East and West coast
offices, finds her work interesting and
rewarding. Early on, though, there was one
challenge: maintaining two households.
“When I first joined the network, I spent about 80 percent of my
time in Los Angeles,” Masse remembered. “My husband, Paul, and
I rented a furnished house there, and he would join me most
weekends.” Now, Masse usually spends only about a week a month
in L.A., so she’s given up the second house, along with all of its
stresses. “I’d frequently forget what groceries I’d need in which
place and end up with, say, twice as much coffee in one location
and none at the other.”
WINTER 2008
19
UALBANY MAGAZINE
20
M
onte Lipman says he and his brother, Avery, have always had
“a tremendous interest in music,” although neither sings or
“has ever played an instrument.” But that hasn’t kept Monte,
Universal Republic Records’ president and CEO, and Avery, co-
president and chief operating officer, from becoming one of the
most dynamic family acts in the music field. 
For the Lipmans, music has been “a hobby and a passion,” explains
Monte, who was on the staff of WCDB and a member of the con-
cert committee when he majored in communication and minored
in business at Albany. Selling recorded music is nothing new to
them: Both worked at the campus record co-op as undergraduates;
in fact, Avery managed the shop for two years. Today, they’re still
selling music – but on a grander scale.
Monte recalls “transitioning into the business” in the early 1990s.
That was when he and Avery launched their own label, Republic
Records, “in the kitchen of our father’s house” in New Jersey. Back
then, “in the pre-computer days, any album packaging we created
was cut and paste. But everything went well. We never intended to
build Republic into a powerhouse; we just wanted to work with
cool artists, people who put out music that we liked.”
The Lipmans scouted potential talent in clubs and from newspaper
stories, or via tips from friends and relatives of fledgling acts, as
well as from demo tapes submitted by performers. The first artist
Republic signed, Bloodhound Gang, became “a huge international
smash.” Hits by Chumbawamba and 3 Doors Down followed – as
did a buyout several years ago from Universal Music Group, which
is No. 1 in international sales of recorded music. The siblings’ 
label, now known as Universal Republic Records, retained them 
in upper management. 
Both brothers “spend a fair amount of time trying to find artists we
feel we can be successful with,” notes Avery. “We oversee marketing
and promotion and development of artists, helping them to be suc-
cessful. In terms of technology, we find ourselves in the midst of a
fundamental transformation. On the one hand, it’s frustrating and
scary; on the other, it’s probably the most incredibly challenging
and exciting time to be in business.”
Technology has indeed transformed the music business, Monte
confirms. “With the popularity of the Internet, there’s more access
and communication than ever. Back in the day, a kid didn’t know
where to send the [demo] tape. Now, we can correspond directly
Monte Lipman, B.A.’86
Avery Lipman, B.A.’88
A Passion for Music
Music-loving brothers Avery (left) and Monte Lipman head Universal Republic Records.
Courtesy Universal Republic Records
WINTER 2008
21
with artists in a matter of moments. Most of the music
we receive now is digital. A good number of people
still mail it to us, but folks also send things to their
MySpace pages.”
Universal Republic “is a major label powerhouse with
the spirit of an independent,” adds Monte. “In the last
two years, we’ve had tremendous success with rock
bands like Hinder and Godsmack. Our most recent
signing is Colbie Caillat, who currently has the No. 1
song in the U.S., ‘Bubbly.’ Mika has become an interna-
tional phenomenon; so has Amy Winehouse, who just
received six Grammy nominations, including Album of
the Year. Country phenom Taylor Swift has also been
nominated for Best New Artist. And our No. 1-selling
artist, Jack Johnson, put out a new album Feb. 5.” In
all, approximately 40 artists record on the Universal
Republic label.  
The recording industry, according to Monte, “is always
changing. It’s never the same year after year; there’s a
natural evolution to it. The way we produce and dis-
tribute music will change. What won’t change is the
impact music has on culture and society.”
Both Lipmans use the abilities they acquired at Albany
to manage Universal Republic’s 200 employees, a quar-
ter of whom are located in Manhattan, where the
brothers work. Monte has drawn inspiration from “the
entrepreneurial spirit” embraced by the School of
Business. Avery, an English major who played junior-
varsity football as a freshman, describes “problem solv-
ing, getting things done when there are seemingly
impossible obstacles, becoming an adult and a respon-
sible person, and coming into contact with people who
are go-getters and can really make things happen” as
just a few of the lessons he mastered during “the col-
lege experience.” He also acknowledges that he’s found
“practical applications,” such as “writing promotional
documents and things of that nature,” for the language
skills he sharpened as an undergraduate. 
You won’t find Avery writing lyrics, however – or
strumming a guitar or improvising a tune on the
piano. “The only thing I play,” he jokes, “is the radio.”
Harold Gould '47
Skits and Self-Discovery
As a teenager, Harold Gould “had done a lot
of plays in high school” and decided to enroll
at the New York State College for Teachers 
at the suggestion of his aunt Eve, who had
studied with Agnes Futterer, founder of the
school’s drama program. 
During his undergraduate years, “I was fairly
arrogant. I had a lot of self-confidence.” 
Gould’s “early instincts were for comedy.”
World War II interrupted his college
career. Gould served his country in the
Army Specialized Training Program
(ASTP), then returned to State to 
complete his degree requirements.
He earned graduate degrees from Cornell, then taught there and at 
a college in Virginia. Later, Gould also taught at the University of 
California, Riverside.
In 1960, he took his first professional theatrical role in West Side Story
and made his television début – as a police dispatcher on a program 
called “Hong Kong” – appearing on camera “for about 15 seconds, 
sitting in front of a microphone.”
Gould is probably most recognizable to TV audiences from his portrayal
of actress Valerie Harper’s dad on “Rhoda” and “The Mary Tyler Moore
Show,” and for courting Betty White’s character, Rose Nylund, in the 
long-running series “The Golden Girls.”
The veteran actor has earned five Emmy nominations for his TV 
appearances.
Other recognition has included an Obie for his Off-Broadway work in 
The Increased Difficulty of Concentration (1969), and a Los Angeles Drama
Critics Circle Award for Lead Performance in Incommunicado (1993).
Gould also won acclaim for his role in John Guare’s The House of Blue
Leaves, which earned the New York Drama Critics Circle Award as 
Best American Play for 1970-71.
Now 84, Gould also enjoys drama. Shakespeare’s King Lear and Prospero
are two of his favorite dramatic roles. 
His numerous Broadway appearances include roles in Fools, Artist
Descending a Staircase, Grown Ups and Mixed Emotions. 
Gould’s film work, which dates back more than three decades, includes
performances in movies ranging from “The Sting” to “Freaky Friday.”  
Currently, he’s portraying Moe, the straight-laced, good-natured pal of the
more fun-loving Charlie, in Viagara Falls, a three-character comedy Gould
describes as “a combination of vaudeville, burlesque and a straightforward
play.” Popular with critics and audiences alike, the play has earned good
reviews and standing ovations from California to Florida. If Viagara Falls
heads for an Off-Broadway stint, as seems likely, Gould would enjoy con-
tinuing in the role of Moe.
Gould hopes that his acting will “make life richer” for his fans – and 
enable him “to keep my sensibilities fresh and continue the process 
of self-discovery.” 
[For more insight into Harold Gould’s experience at the former New
York State College for Teachers and his work, please turn to page 52.]
Gina Muscato
Singer Colbie Caillat (center, with Monte, left, and Avery)
was recently signed by Universal Republic.
Courtesy Universal Republic Records
UALBANY MAGAZINE
22
John Morogiello, M.A.’88, and
Martin Blanco, B.A.’85, M.A.’88
Impressive Impresarios
J
ohn Morogiello was only in the third grade when he began his
career. The inspiration? His mom’s old Underwood typewriter. 
“I found it in a closet, and I immediately started writing ripoffs of
‘F Troop,’” remembers the Peekskill, N.Y., native. “Then I got start-
ed on plays. I was the annoying neighborhood kid who always said,
‘Let’s put on a show!’”
As the author of such works as Stonewall’s Bust, Engaging Shaw,
Fashion Specifics and The
Matchmaker’s Guide to
Controlling the Elements,
Morogiello is still putting
on shows today at venues
ranging from regional the-
atres to the Kennedy Center
in Washington, D.C. He
earned his undergraduate
degree at Stony Brook, then
enrolled at the University at
Albany – “a school so eager
to have me, I was given a
full fellowship.” He planned
to do advanced study after-
ward at a school on the
West Coast, but “things
changed when I met Martin
Blanco. We struck up a pro-
fessional partnership, and I
never made it out to
California,” notes
Morogiello, playwright in
residence at the Maryland
State Arts Council. 
For the Bronx, N.Y.-born
Blanco, a SUNY school was
the most logical choice, economically speaking, for college. He and
his parents “visited many universities, but I loved Edward Durell
Stone’s design of the Albany campus. It was a good school; the
University never disappointed me. I felt totally satisfied, and I had a
wonderful education. The acting program was superb. I was cast in
a lot of character roles because I looked older and could play the
age. I was mediocre as an actor, but I worked hard.” 
Blanco studied English with Professor Harry Staley, “an extraordi-
nary teacher,” and “took many classes” at both the undergraduate
and graduate levels with Professor Jarka Burian. He also met his
wife, radiologist Barbara Salvia Blanco, M.D., B.S.’85, at Albany.
The couple, married nearly 17 years, has two children, Matthew, 8,
and Kathryn, 6.
After attending the Yale School of Drama, where he studied per-
forming arts administration, Blanco worked in regional theatre “for
about 12 years.” He currently freelances “with my own projects.”   
The Connecticut-based director
and stay-at-home dad also fre-
quently collaborates with
Morogiello. They were disap-
pointed last year when they had
to scuttle a Boston production
of the comedy Irish Authors Held
Hostage after Blanco contracted
Lyme disease. In the 90-minute
series of sketches, Morogiello,
who also plays some of the roles,
imagines Oscar Wilde, James
Joyce and other masters of the
English word taken captive by
such miscreants as a radical ter-
rorist and a firearms enthusiast
– to the eventual regret of the
captors. Irish Authors was 
popular with audiences in
Washington and New York City,
says Blanco, and would have
done well in Boston. 
Blanco and Morogiello hope to
mount the production, possibly
this year, through J.T. Burian
Theatricals, a company they
formed several years ago as both a tribute to Burian and a play on
the name P.T. Barnum, the showman who purportedly observed,
“There’s a sucker born every minute.” The company’s Web page
(www.jtburiantheatricals.com) features a biography of the fictional
J.T. Burian, a 19th-century impresario who knew Chekhov, George
Bernard Shaw and other giants of the theatre – and is still alive and
producing shows. 
Burian passed away around the time the company named for him
Playwright John Morogiello (left) and director Martin Blanco met at 
the University at Albany and formed a professional partnership.
Paul Bruno, M.B.A.’86
“The Career Czar” 
Personal: Troy, N.Y., native; raised in Colonie, N.Y.; resident 
of Henderson, Nev., since 1997
Education: bachelor’s degrees in management (University at
Binghamton) and computer software (Excelsior College – for-
merly Regents College) 
The best advice he ever took was “my brother Karl’s suggestion
that I go back and get my M.B.A.” After Bruno earned his
undergraduate degree in the early 1980s, the job market was the
worst it had been in nearly 40 years. Karl told him, “Once you
have your M.B.A., no one can take it away from you, and you’ll
be more marketable when you graduate.”
Bruno’s UAlbany inspiration was William Danko, now profes-
sor emeritus of marketing. “He taught us how to do professional
work and how to comport ourselves in the business world.”
When he’s not at his “day job,” managing the Information
Technology Program Management Office (ITPMO) for the
City of Henderson’s Department of Utility Services, Bruno is
radio’s “Career Czar.” He and Cathy, his wife of almost 18 years,
approached alltalkradio.net, an Internet radio station, in 2007
with an idea for a program “to help people with their careers.
The station loved it, and here we
are, on the air.” 
For the one-hour weekly program,
Bruno serves as “on-air talent,
show scheduler and head of all 
marketing efforts. It is truly a labor
of love. I handle the entertainment
and emcee duties; ‘Coach Christine’
Wunderlin provides the career
expertise.”
The “Career Czar” has learned “people truly don’t know where
to begin to build the career and life they want. They don’t learn
these skills in school. So we try to tell people they can have
some control over their lives, set some goals, think about what
they want to do, as opposed to letting the waves of life carry
them along.”
Bruno’s own “extensive” work experience includes strategic
planning, project management, budgeting, staff development
and training, and customer service and support.
His greatest love (besides Cathy) is history. At the University of
Nevada, Las Vegas, Bruno is studying for a master’s in the sub-
ject, with a specialty in Nevada Politics 1920-1933. His original
research paper, “The Cole-Malley Scandal: Nevada’s Political
System Revealed,” was published in the Summer 2007 Nevada
Historical Society Quarterly.
Bruno’s affinity for history has inspired him to branch out
into screenwriting. His screenplays include: “‘Duty’s Call,’ about
Charles Young, the third African American to graduate from
West Point, and the first to reach the rank of U.S. Army colonel;
‘Sarah,’ which focuses on Sarah Bagley, who organized the first
labor union for women in 1840s Lowell, Mass.; and ‘Ace,’ the
story of Lt. Frank Luke, the first Army Air Corps pilot to receive
the Congressional Medal of Honor.” His screenplay “The Jeep:
An American Triumph” has attracted interest and may “possi-
bly” be produced for television, with production underwritten
by “some major sponsors.” 
To help with his screenwriting, Bruno has taken courses in
acting and stand-up comedy. 
[Visit Paul Bruno and his “Career Czar” alter ego on the 
Web at www.alltalkradio.net\careerczar.] 
WINTER 2008
23
was launched. But his wife, Grayce Susan Burian, B.A’63, M.A.’64,
seemed pleased by the honor, according to Blanco. “It’s a delightful
tribute, and those who knew Jarka Burian would certainly under-
stand it.”
“Martin and I have made plans to produce a play of mine, Gianni
Schicchi, under the J.T. Burian Theatricals banner sometime next
year in Washington,” Morogiello says. And this spring, Morogiello
will bring Engaging Shaw to New Jersey Repertory Company.
Former Albany theatre department chair Langdon Brown, with
whom he’s kept in touch, will direct the production. “I was only
there for three semesters, but the University affected me and my
career in a profound way,” notes Morogiello, who resides near the
District of Columbia with his wife, Betsy, a scientist, and their sons,
Evan, 13, and James, 12. 
Adds Blanco: “Hardly a week goes by when I’m not using some-
thing I learned at Albany. I can still hear Dr. Burian’s voice in 
the back of my head: ‘You can do better. Don’t settle.’ I’ve been 
very blessed.”
UALBANY MAGAZINE
24
Y
vonne Perry is best known as a television, stage and 
commercial actress; voiceover artist; director
Perry took her first acting class at age 11, with the Helderberg
Workshop in her hometown, Voorheesville, N.Y. As a teenager,
she acted with the Empire State Institute for the Performing
Arts, now the New York State Theatre Institute (NYSTI).
She earned a B.F.A. in acting at Adelphi University and an 
M.A. at UAlbany. Perry also studied at London’s Royal 
National Theatre.
Perry repaid her student loans by playing the role of Rosanna
on the CBS soap opera “As the World Turns.” 
She has also been a featured performer in “Guiding Light”
(CBS); “Candid Camera” (syndicated); and the films 
“Uncivil Liberties” and “Love Conquers Paul.”
Her dream is to do a sit-com.
“I shot the pilot for a sit-com
called ‘Dads’ while living in
L.A., but the show did not get
picked up for a full season.”
Perry particularly enjoys 
theatre. “Being onstage is a
rush like no other. Plus, the
writing is usually better.”
Her most recent stage roles
have included Mrs. Kendal in 
The Elephant Man (with The
Theatre Company at Hubbard Hall, Cambridge, N.Y.); Gwenda
Vaughn in Ordeal by Innocence (NYSTI); and Mrs. VanBuren in
Intimate Apparel (Capital Repertory).
Last November, she auditioned in New York City for
Capital Rep’s M. Butterfly but didn’t get the part. “Not
getting jobs,” Perry observes, “just makes an actress’
successes that much sweeter!”
Perry returned to the Capital Region after years in New
York and Los Angeles because “my husband and most
of my rather large family are here. I’m very close to 
my parents. And I just love people in the Northeast. 
I ‘get’ them.”
The actress also does voiceover work and/or appears on
camera for such national and local advertisers as
General Electric, McGraw-Hill, Taft Furniture and the
New York State Department of Health.
At UAlbany, she enjoys teaching Acting I – “basically, an
introduction class for monologue and scene study” –
two days a week; and covering such topics as “funda-
mentals of text analysis and a general appreciation of
what it takes to ‘put on a show’ – any type of show.” 
Teaching, Perry says, “offers me flexibility, and I love
the diversity of the student body. Acting should be fun,
and to do it well, you must encourage a personal sense
of play – always. But acting is also work, and there is a
skill set involved. You have to work if you want to play!”
On the personal front, Perry’s husband, Mark Hulbert,
is a financial adviser who owns Hulbert Financial
Group. Their daughters, Josie, 7, and Justine, 5, adopted
from China, are the actress’ “other great passion!”
[For more about Yvonne Perry, visit her Web site at
www.yvonneperry.com.]
Yvonne Perry in a scene from 
Intimate Apparel, 2006
Yvonne Perry, M.A.’00
Actress-Teacher Enjoys the Spotlight
WINTER 2008
25
“
Presidential Honors Society:
Striving to Make a Difference
By Whitney Sperrazza
H
ow wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single
moment before starting to improve the world.”
When Anne Frank wrote those words, she was writ-
ing about service performed for the good of others, service
that helps change the world one individual at a time. That’s
the type of service members of the University at Albany’s
Presidential Honors Society (PHS) perform every day. 
Since its founding, PHS has made many contributions to
the UAlbany community and its neighbors. In 1991, stu-
dents Brian Kerr and Kevin McIntyre, with the support of
Professor Sung Bok Kim, envisioned the society as a means
of bringing the brightest students at the University together
to make a commitment to community service. Initially, 15
students performed 500 hours of community service a year
through PHS. Today, more than 200 students give 8,000
hours annually of their time and talent to such national
charities as the American Cancer Society and the American
Heart Association; and to local organizations, including St.
Peter’s Hospital, the Regional Food Bank and Capital City
Rescue Mission. Last year, PHS reached out on a global
scale, collecting more than 1,800 books to assist with 
literacy efforts in Africa.   
While all of these initiatives are central to the PHS mission,
society members feel that serving their fellow students is
among their most important objectives. One of the society’s
major initiatives, Campus Clean-Up Day, was begun in
1996. Today, many UAlbany students enjoy participating
in that tradition.
Recently, PHS adopted Albany Boy Scout 
Troop 413, “setting up study sessions and social
and ‘shadowing’ events, both down-
town and on campus,” explains
physics major Nicholas
Fahrenkopf, the society’s vice
president. “Some members
have helped with camping and
other activities related to earn-
ing badges.” The scouts and PHS
joined forces on a neighborhood
cleanup project in Albany’s South End
last fall. “We also recently assisted the
scouts with their fundraising drive, 
selling popcorn,” Fahrenkopf adds. 
The PHS-Troop 413 partnership – the dream 
of PHS alumnus and troop leader Kevin
Grossman – “went way beyond” his expecta-
tions. “The students truly have made a difference.
I’m really looking forward to continuing this rela-
tionship through the spring semester,” Grossman says.
Others also appreciate the outstanding work PHS students
do each year. The organization has won several President’s
Awards from the University, and individual members are
also honored for their contributions. Says PHS adviser 
and Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education Dan
Smith: “This really is an outstanding group of individuals.
They raise the bar every year, and I’m very proud to be
working with them.”
Society members are looking for new opportunities for
service “so we can take our group to that next level of 
excellence and service,” notes Fahrenkopf. To that end,
“we’re trying to establish some really strong connections
with our former members.”
While alumni outreach is one of its biggest goals for 2008
and beyond, the group will not stop there. This spring, 
PHS is kicking off a “Give It Up Campaign” to increase 
on-campus awareness of hunger and poverty in Third
World countries. And members will continue their 
involvement with Boy Scout Troop 413.  
[PHS President Whitney Sperrazza will graduate later 
this year. Presidential Honors Society alumni who would 
like to help the group’s members make a difference, on and 
off campus, may contact her at wsperrazza@gmail.com.]
UALBANY MAGAZINE
26
Gerald D. Jennings, M.S.’76, has been mayor of Albany since 1994. Currently serving his fourth term as the chief executive of New York’s
capital city, the Albany native turned to politics after 21 years as a teacher and administrator in the city’s school district. Jennings 
represented the 11th Ward (the Pine Hills neighborhood) on the Albany Common Council for 13 years prior to winning his first mayoral
victory in November 1993. He recently mused about the role he has played in the future of both Albanys – city and university.
Great City,
Great University
Q. You’re a hometown boy, aren’t you?
A. I was born and raised in Albany. My mom, who raised my older
brother, sister and me by herself, really stressed the importance
of getting an education, and of hard work. At 14, I started work-
ing as a counselor in a city program at the CYO (Catholic Youth
Organization) Center on First Street; I did that for several years. 
I played high school sports, and these involvements kept me 
busy and out of trouble! 
Q. Why did you want to teach?
A. I decided to become a teacher because I admired the teachers 
I had. I earned my teaching degree at SUNY Brockport, and 
my master’s in educational administration at UAlbany. I began
teaching at age 21, and then became an administrator when 
I was 25. It was an incredibly rewarding experience. I have 
devoted my professional career to kids because they’re 
extremely important to me.
Q. Why did you make the jump 
to politics?
A. At Albany High, the kids are a
microcosm of the city. They told 
me what they were seeing, and 
I wanted to make a difference for
them. That’s one of the reasons 
I ran for mayor.  
Q. How would you describe your 
experience at the University?
A. I met a lot of great people at
UAlbany. They talked with me
about my career and my goals, 
and they encouraged me to pursue
my interests and opportunities. 
Q. How do you use your experience as a student, a teacher, an
administrator, and now as mayor to try to make life better 
for the young people of Albany?
A. Through our collective work and youth programs, we employ
about 1,500 people each summer. We partner with not-for-
profits; for instance, we place students in internships at the
Albany College of Pharmacy and Albany NanoTech. I want them
to obtain positive exposure – to see the proverbial light at the
end of the tunnel. I want them to appreciate that if they get a
proper education, work hard, and listen to adults who want 
them to be successful, they will succeed. 
Q. How, in your estimation, has UAlbany evolved over the years?
A. At the high school, UAlbany students would be in the building
and serve as tutors for our kids. It was good experience for the
students from the University; it gave them some perspective in
the classroom, and broadened their horizons.
I represented UAlbany on the Common Council, and, as mayor,
I’ve seen how critical the University is to the city’s growth.
UAlbany is a great partner; we have nurtured a tradition of
working together, and I want to see the University continue to
grow. We have a University that we can be proud of, and the
application and enrollment numbers are a testament to this.
Students not only receive an outstanding education, but also are
provided an opportunity for personal and professional growth.
In addition, the University has expanded many programs, and
introduced others, such as the UAlbany-Albany High School
Alliance for Young Talent. Its Division I sports program has gar-
nered national attention, as has the New York Giants’ training
camp, held on the uptown campus each summer. Discussion 
of [UAlbany’s proposed] stadium is long overdue.
“Jerry is a man of his
word … When he tells 
you that you’re going to
accomplish something
together and you make a 
commitment, he always
follows through. It always
happens.” 
– Michael Castellana, B.S.
’84, M.B.A.’92; President
and CEO, SEFCU
WINTER 2008
27
“He understands the value of being accessible, whether it’s to a college or high-school kid, in the corporate boardroom or 
around a neighbor’s dining-room table.I think he has a unique perspective on making people comfortable.” 
– F. Michael Tucker, President and CEO, 
Center for Economic Growth  
Teamwork is the key to getting things done. He’s basically been the
catalyst to provide for an environment of teamwork.” 
– George Philip, Esq., B.A.’69, M.A.’73, 
Interim President, University at Albany
Gary Gold '70
UALBANY MAGAZINE
28
Q. What would you like to see the city and the University 
accomplish together in the immediate future?
A. The City of Albany benefits from having young people here. 
We have to create opportunities for them, and we’re working
with the University to do that. We don’t want to continue to
export our young people from New York State or the Capital
Region after they graduate. We should provide good job 
opportunities for them; that’s the goal. 
We want our young people to remember that they received a
good education and got a great start here. We have to continue
to make an impact on the people who live, work and visit here.
One of Albany’s greatest assets is the University. It’s one of the
selling points I use with businesses and with individuals 
who are thinking of relocating. 
“I’ll call him a University-community citizen. Frankly, his achievements have benefited not only the lives of Albany
residents; they’ve also benefited and enhanced the lives of the faculty, students and staff of this great University …
He’s a very strong leader – an exquisite collaborator, innovator and thinker, all wrapped in what I think of 
as the ‘Three T’s’ about Jerry: tall, tan and tailored, all year long.”
– Canon Kay C. Hotaling, B.S.’67, M.S.’70, University at Albany Alumni Association Board Member
UAlbany students Jacob Crawford, Michael Cassidy,
Kim Cutler, Brian Tregerman, Jonathan Tiech and
Colin Ebel congratulated Jennings at the gala. 
The next day, he received the Medallion of the
University from Interim President George Philip.
For his service to his city and his
alma mater, Albany Mayor Gerald
D. Jennings was honored at a black-
tie gala Dec. 8 at SEFCU Arena, 
and at a special presentation the 
following day during the winter
commencement ceremony. 
More than 400 guests attended the gala, which featured a video tribute to
Jennings and musical performances by the Brian Patneaude Quartet and
UAlbany’s own Earth Tones. The program also included the announcement
that an endowed scholarship fund had been established in Jennings’ name.
The Gerald D. Jennings Class of ’76 Scholarship Fund will benefit deserving
students from the City of Albany; financial need and academic achievement
will be taken into consideration in determining award recipients.
On Dec. 9, the mayor received the Medallion of the University, UAlbany’s
most prestigious award for extraordinary service and leadership. “I am
proud to have graduated from the University,” Jennings noted after the 
presentation, “and I have been privileged to partner with UAlbany for 
the betterment of the city, its people and the entire community.”
Contributions are being accepted for The Gerald D. Jennings Class of ’76
Scholarship Fund, which currently totals $60,000. For more information,
or to make a donation, please visit the University at Albany Web site at
www.albany.edu/givingopps.htm, or call the Division of University
Development at (518) 956-8062.
Mark Schmidt
Mark Schmidt
WINTER 2008
29
Out and About
By Christine Doyle, M.B.A. ’04
Following the annual fall meeting of The University at Albany Foundation Board of Directors at the exclusive new Hearst Tower at in Manhattan, some of the 100 alumni and friends who
attended took time out for a photo op. Foundation President George R. Hearst III hosted the event at the most environmentally friendly – or “green” – office tower in New York City history.
Joseph Persico ’52 and Henry Binzer ’60 enjoy conversation while listening to a
live broadcast of the award-winning “Saturday Morning Edition of Jazz,” hosted
since 1985 by Bill McCann ’86, ’87, on UAlbany’s own WCDB 90.9FM.
Associate Vice President for University Development Sorrell Chesin; Grayce Burian ’63,
’64; and Edward and Frances George, both ’38, enjoy the 1844 Society Champagne
Jazz Brunch on Oct. 13. The annual brunch, in its third year, recognizes and celebrates
the generosity of UAlbany donors while affording them the opportunity to participate in
other Homecoming Weekend activities.
Frances Dibner ’50 and Emil Polak ’57 take a break from the phenomenal view
of Central Park to pose for the camera.
Brian Schwagerl ’82, Hearst Corporation’s director of Real Estate and Facilities
Planning, reunites with former classmates David Schaffer ’83 and Alan Goggins ’84. 
Michael Ficeto, Hearst Corporation
Mark Schmidt
Mark Schmidt
Michael Ficeto, Hearst Corporation
Michael Ficeto, Hearst Corporation
UALBANY MAGAZINE
30
F
or 23-year-old UAlbany senior Rachelle Jean-Baptiste, the
Goldie Brenner Swartz ’51 and Howard Swartz Scholarship 
is more than just a financial assist. It’s a form of inspiration – 
“a gesture” from one person with a visual disability “reaching 
out to another.”
The scholarship endowment provides funding for tuition, room
and board, “and a little more,” Howard Swartz, a retired consultant,
said when he and his wife established the award in 2006. He
acknowledged having struggled through school because of a 
visual impairment.
The couple, who reside in Florida, wanted their $300,000 gift to
support students “who were visually handicapped, though not 
necessarily blind, or disabled,” added UAlbany alumna Goldie
Brenner Swartz, a retired fifth-grade teacher. “We wanted to give
someone an opportunity to overcome that disability and lead 
a successful life.”
Jean-Baptiste, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., “was born with sight, 
but prematurely.” She needed more oxygen and was placed in an
incubator; however, “both of my retinas were completely damaged
as a result of having too much oxygen, leaving me with absolutely
no vision. My eye condition is called retinopathy of prematurity, 
or ROP,” explained the psychology major. 
With the award, “Mr. and Mrs. Swartz have allowed me to continue
this part of my academic journey. They have paved the way for me
to accomplish my goals and dreams, and I hope that I could do the
same for someone else.” 
Jean-Baptiste, who minors in education, will have that opportunity.
“I would like to continue on to grad school in counseling 
psychology. I am interested in working with teenagers.” 
Two other undergraduates have also received the Swartz
Scholarship. Melissa Brabham, 19, of Hempstead, N.Y., is a 
chemistry major who plans a career as a dermatologist. 
Taryn Cooper, 18, is a freshman from Mayfield, N.Y.
Gifts at Work
By Carol Olechowski
Swartz Scholarships Provide Inspiration
Mark Schmidt
WINTER 2008
31
Foundations Partner with
Cancer Research Center, 
St. Peter’s
The University’s Cancer Research Center
and St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany are collab-
orating on a one-year study of anti-prostate
cancer therapies. The project is supported
by grants of $10,000 each from The
Dominic Ferraioli Foundation, based in
Johnstown, N.Y., and The Bender Scientific
Fund of The Community Foundation for
the Capital Region. 
Scott Tenenbaum, Ph.D., a molecular
geneticist at the CRC, and Michael Perrotti,
M.D., a urologist at St. Peter’s, are teaming
to investigate how effective Dutasteride
might be in eradicating prostate cancer. 
The drug was originally formulated to treat
benign prostatic hyperplasia; it has also
shown some promise as a remedy for hair
loss resulting from male-pattern baldness.
Twenty-five men from around the Capital
Region are participating in the trial. 
Prostate cancer, the most common non-der-
matological form of cancer in the nation, is
a leading cause of mortality in adult males.
Every year, an estimated 220,000 men are
diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 30,000
die of the disease. 
Dominic Ferraioli, a businessman from
Guilderland, N.Y., established the founda-
tion that bears his name several years ago
through his last will and testament. 
The Bender Scientific Fund of The
Community Foundation for the Capital
Region makes grants to support and 
promote discovery and development in
medicine, science and technology in the
Capital District.
Littauer Foundation Augments 
Axelrod Fellowship
In keeping with the philanthropic vision of its namesake, the
Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Inc., recently awarded a $25,000
grant to the School of Public Health’s David Axelrod Fellowship.
The funding brings the total amount of the endowment – which
provides support for outstanding students preparing for careers 
in public health and public policy – to $325,000.
The fund, which honors the late New York State health commis-
sioner, David A. Axelrod, was established in 1994. In the years
since, fellowship recipients have gone on to careers in the public-
health field, studying hazardous waste sites, airborne chemicals,
adolescent health-risk behaviors, infectious disease and other fac-
tors that impact the health and safety of their fellow citizens, and
recommending appropriate policy implementation or alteration.
To date, 16 students have received the fellowship.
Named for a Gloversville, N.Y., native who became both a success-
ful businessman and a five-term U.S. congressman, the Lucius N.
Littauer Foundation supports various causes related primarily to
education and health.
Today, Tomorrow,
Forever!
Ford, Rockefeller and Carnegie did it. Kellogg did it by
selling cornflakes; Kresge did it with K-Mart. Bill Gates
did it, and so can you…and with much less!
Have you considered establishing an endowment fund 
at UAlbany – a permanent fund in your name (or the
name of a loved one) that will support your alma 
mater in perpetuity? 
The University has more than 300 endowments – funds
that provide scholarships to students, purchase library
resources, award research grants, sponsor graduate fel-
lowships, assist specific departments and programs, and
support a host of educational initiatives central to the
University’s mission. Each one carries the name of the
donor, or of a family member or friend, associating that
name with UAlbany for generations to come. 
You don’t have to be a Rockefeller to make a difference 
in a student’s life; you just have to care. For information,
with no obligation, please contact:
Sorrell Chesin, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President, University Development
University at Albany
UAB 226
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
(518) 437-5090
(888) 226-5600 – toll free
schesin@uamail.albany.edu  
UALBANY MAGAZINE
UALBANY MAGAZINE
32
Helen Goddard Smith is
now living at 131 Lawrence Ave.,
Victoria 211, Saratoga Springs, NY
12866. She would love to hear from any
classmates out there.
Dr. James R. Spence, our
longtime co-councilor, passed away 
Nov. 5, 2007, after an extended period of
ill health. Jim will be remembered fondly
for his deep devotion to fellow class
members, including his leadership in
hosting winter mini-reunions in Florida,
at which alums of contiguous classes
were always welcome, and for his tire-
less efforts in publication of '39er notes.
Ken Doran will continue as councilor
as long as he is able.
Class councilor: Ken Doran,
Kkencon@aol.com
A note from your class 
councilor: Mary Norris was honored
with a lifetime achievement award from
the Capital District Senior Issues Forum
in Albany, N.Y. Bill Thomas and Janie
keep busy in their independent housing
near Watertown. Bill is recovering from a
mild heart problem, and Janie is doing
well. Vince Gillen was 89 on Oct. 4,
and his wife Margaret was 91 on Nov. 2.
On Nov. 21, they celebrated their 65th
wedding anniversary. The usual pills,
aches, etc., but they manage to keep
going. Peg graduated from St. Lawrence
University in 1939 and did graduate
study in foreign languages at
Middlebury, Harvard, New York
University, Columbia and Johns
Hopkins. Peg was a language teacher in
Center Moriches, and Vince was the
business teacher in his own hometown
before the war. They have three children
– two are teachers, and one is a district
manager for Save-A-Lot chain in
Baltimore, Md. Their daughter retired in
June 2007 after 38 years of teaching at
the elementary-school level. She and her
husband live in Stone Ridge. SUNY at
New Paltz conferred a visiting professor-
ship on her last May. Son Donald has
been with Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk
Central School District for 38 years and
lives in Ravena. His daughter is a school
psychologist in the same school district.
Marion Duffy ’42 reports that her hus-
band, Charlie Quinn, is able to take
nourishment. Pete Stanger lives in
Cragsmoor and is going great at 94. He
has the distinction of having two – not
one – but two holes-in-one in golf after
he passed his 90th birthday. Good
reports were received from Hy Meltz,
Norm Baldwin, Helen Miller Kovar,
Elmer Mathews and Jan. They are get-
ting up in years but not letting any grass
grow under their feet. Albany resident
Josephine Autilio Sano has replaced
the late Bob Patton as a co-councilor of
our class. 
Class notes councilor: Vincent P. Gillen,
vpgillen@yahoo.com
A note from your class 
councilor: Replies to the questionnaire
concerning our 60th reunion celebration
are coming in. Please remember to
return yours. More details will be avail-
able soon. Adrienne Iorio Caruso has
been named to two Who’s Who national
publications. The former Saratoga
Springs School District teacher is in the
2007 edition of Who’s Who in the World
and in the 2007-08 edition of Who’s
Who of American Women. Adrienne is
also a member of the New York State
Retired Teachers Association and the
University at Albany board of directors.
Charlotte Goldstein Koblenz is now
living near her daughter and son at
17476 Plaza Animado, Unit 163, San
Diego, Calif. 92128. Charlotte and her
daughter were evacuated during the
October 2007 California fires.
Fortunately, their homes were not 
48
41
39
34
Carillon
Alumni News and Notes
the
Vince and Margaret Gillen
affected. Charlotte reports that it’s taking
some time to adjust after spending most
of her life in New York State. Edna
Wylie’s new address is 1361 Boot Rd,
Apt. 266, West Chester, PA 19380. Ruth
and Jim Elmore now reside at 215 
Trafford Ave., Orange City, FL 32763.
Recent e-mail address changes:
Marjorie Harland Harrington,
Bobandmargeharrington@gmail.com,
and Rita Shapiro Schwartz, rita-
bern@bellsouth.net. Joan Sittner
Sherwood writes from Richland, Wash.,
that living on the other side of the coun-
try prohibits traveling for reunions. She
is recommending the “Power Tools for
Caregivers” classes for all who care for
family members. She keeps active with
volunteer work at the library and muse-
um, and by playing bridge.
Class notes councilor: Eleanor Holbig
Alland, ealland214b@nycap.rr.com
A note from your class 
councilor: Bonnie Totten Adkins
and husband Lee were in South Carolina
with Primetimers, a part volunteer-in-
mission, part Elderhostel-style study
event, to help out at the Ecumenical
Rural Mission, which provides services
to migrant workers and the local Gullah
community. Their oldest granddaughter,
who turned 33, is at a new international
development site in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, working with women with
AIDS. Larry Appleby spent 10 days in
Italy, where he enjoyed the sights of
Rome, Florence and Venice. Last sum-
mer, he participated in a Victorian House
Tour program in his hometown of
Warsaw, N.Y. Larry reports that it took a
bit of work and worry because he had
over 350 people working their way
through his downstairs and gardens.
Elsa Moberg Cox and husband John
survived the terrible California fires in
October but their area, Oceanside, was
covered with ash, soot and smoke. They
had to stay inside for a couple of days
since it was difficult to breathe outside.
Robertson Baker reports that he
became president of the Glens Falls
Senior Center Service Club because 
no one else would take it! (We don't
believe that, Bob!) Don Dickinson
was writing an article, perhaps for a
future edition of the University
at Albany alumni magazine, about the
State Stars. Don says that this was a
small dance band combo of which he
was a part and which played, he thought,
in the Commons. If anyone of you '49ers
remember dancing to the State Stars,
Don would love to hear from you. I can
give you his e-mail address, if needed.
Bob Kaiser and Mary Ann highly rec-
ommend the Grand Circle river boat
cruise along the Rhine and Mosel rivers.
Very enjoyable! In October, Bob
Kittredge and Diana participated in a
church mission trip to Thailand and
Vietnam, which they said was fabulous  –
a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” The
three-week mission consisted of visiting
mission churches in Thailand, teaching
English for a week in Northern Thailand,
and building a house and visiting
orphanages in Vietnam. Bob said that
the 10-person team consisted of himself,
Diana and his eight-woman “harem!” His
daughter, Susan, and family, who live
about 15 miles from San Diego, had to
evacuate their home during the destruc-
tive California fires. Fortunately, when
they returned after five days, the house
was still standing. Bob Kloepfel gave a
quick review of his long-standing friend-
ship with Nolan Powell, Russ Bailey
and Jack Kirby. All returning service-
men from WWII, they graduated together,
got teaching jobs within 45 miles of one
another and got together quite often.
After retirement they still visit with one
another now and then, even though Jack
moved to Sarasota. Bob says he’s speak-
ing for all four when he describes the
NYSCT faculty they had as the greatest.
Elfrieda (Freddy) Laemmerzahl
Miller keeps busy traveling. After
returning from China, she went to
Germany to see where her mother was
born and grew up. After coming home,
there was a trip to Barrington, Ill., for her
granddaughter’s high school graduation,
and then another trip to Trenton, N.J., to
see a friend’s grandson play baseball for
a Yankee minor league team. Jerry
Reisner reports that he and Estelle are
still living in Meadville, Pa.; they have
four children and four grandchildren.
They would love to hear from their old
friends from Albany State. Their phone
number is (814) 336-2797, and their e-
mail is greisner@windstream.net.
Hortense Zeilengold Schmierei
49
WINTER 2008
33
Alumni News and Notes
Warning: Read at your own risk!
Or better yet, become part of the discussion. Because
while I am solely responsible for the content of this
column, there are ample opportunities
for alumni to create and share their own
content with one another through vari-
ous online tools and discussion forums.
The Internet continues to evolve into a
much more interactive environment,
with users sharing information. UAlbany
alumni are using these tools and staying
connected in ways that, until recently,
weren’t popular or even possible.
Log onto www.albany.edu/alumni and click on the
Online Community/Directory button to find a 
classmate, use the Career Center, get a permanent 
e-mail address and much more.
While the University and the Alumni Association do
not monitor, control or endorse the content of out-
side forums, here are a few other sites that UAlbany
alumni use to keep in touch with one another.
• Facebook (www.facebook.com) is a social network-
ing site that previously was only available to college
students. Now, anyone can create user profiles by
posting their interests, activities and photos. I
invite you to join my favorite facebook group:
UAlbany Alumni Association.  
• For professional networking, many alumni are 
also using LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). By 
inviting fellow UAlbany alumni, you can quickly
expand your professional network, taking advan-
tage of the adage “It’s not just what you know, 
but whom you know.”
• With the rise of the UAlbany Division One
Athletics’ program there is even a “Cyber 
Home of UAlbany Great Danes Fans” 
(www.bigpurplefans.ipbhost.com).
Of course, there are concerns with user-controlled
media, but with a little proofreading and some 
common courtesy (not to mention common 
sense), these tools 
will help us all build 
a stronger alumni 
community.
UALBANY MAGAZINE
34
Alumni News and Notes
reported that her husband, Hy, died in
December 2005 after 56 1/2 years of
marriage, and that Arline, her twin sister,
died in July 2007. In going through
some pictures that Arline had, she found
a bunch from their days at Sayles Hall.
There were quite a few from the kitchen,
including one with me and Dick
Hayford, the “ceramic cleansers.” Horty
also said she was very proud of her old-
est granddaughter, who graduated with
honors from Indiana University and
received a coveted internship at Craig
Institute in Denver, a prime rehabilitation
hospital for brain trauma and spinal cord
injuries. Jake and Betsy Schule cele-
brated their 59th wedding anniversary in
September 2007. Their third great-
grandchild was born in May 2007.
Congratulations, Jake and Betsy!
Congratulations also go to Abe Trop,
who was made a member of the
Founders Circle for Habitat for Humanity
in the Bakersfield, Calif., area. Abe and
his crew completed house No. 40, are
working on No. 41 and plan to start in
January 2008 on No. 42. Abe also did
some work on the Jimmy Carter project
in Los Angeles. One of Abe’s grandsons,
on active duty with the Marines, was
married in November 2007. On
Columbus Day weekend, Dick Zeller
traveled to Warsaw, N.Y., to visit his
friend Larry Appleby. Dick reports that
this is an annual tradition that started
way back when. My plea for classmates’
news has produced some modest
results. Now I’m getting greedy and 
want more, more, more! Keep the news
coming by phone, snail mail or e-mail 
to Joe Zanchelli.
Class notes class councilor: 
Joe Zanchelli, jjzanch@yahoo.com
A note from your class 
councilor: Eleanor Roseblum Roth
reports that she’s having fun promoting
her novel, Rainbow Dust, published in
October 2005. The book is based on a
real-life cowboy, whose lariat and bull-
whip she brings to her presentations and
book signings. Watch for her article in
“Modern Maturity,” in which she
describes starting a career as a novelist
after she received her first Social
Security check! Jeanne Seymour
Earle continues her teaching career with
a six-week position as a Latin teacher at
White Plains High School. Jeanne is
also teaching Latin, concentrating on
vocabulary, to the Mahopac teachers in
their continuing education program. She
spent a busy summer working on reno-
vations and maintenance on her house
and property. Busy lady! Jean Faille
Smith had a quieter than usual year,
though she and Smitty did revisit
Yosemite, for the first time since 1960.
Jean said it remains as beautiful today
as it was back then. Al Stephenson
reminds people that our Web site,
www.nysct52.com, will be operational 
52
Enjoy cosmopolitan Dublin, Belfast and the North, explore the 
beauty of the countryside and visit an Irish icon: the Guinness
Storehouse, the largest brewery in Europe. Have a true Celtic 
experience with fellow alumni on this exciting trip sponsored 
by the Alumni Association
SEPTEMBER 15-23, 2008
• Enjoy a scenic drive along the coast to Howth and the Bay of
Dublin. See the historic Baily Lighthouse and admire the magnifi-
cent views, then indulge in an Irish coffee at the Abbey Tavern.
• Take an excursion to Dublin to see the memorial to Jonathan Swift
at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, admire the majestic façade of the
Customs House and learn about Ireland’s literary greats at the
Writers’ Museum. Also visit Trinity College to see its Book of Kells. 
• Journey to Belfast and see the beauty of the Irish countryside come
alive. See Stormont Castle, Queen’s University and the Golden Mile,
and Donegal Square.
• Travel to Dublin’s West End and tour the historic Kilmainham 
Gaol and the Royal Hospital, which houses the Irish Museum 
of Modern Art, then visit the Guinness Storehouse, the largest
brewery in Europe. 
For additional information, contact the Alumni Association 
at 1-800-836-ALUM or visit us on the Web 
at www.albany.edu/alumni/travel.
Dublin in an Irish Castle
WINTER 2008
35
Alumni News and Notes
only until June 2008, so do take advan-
tage of all the pictures and information
Al has put there. And once again,
THANKS, AL. Heartfelt sympathy to
Joan Barron on the loss of her hus-
band and our classmate, Bob Barron.
Bob had a distinguished career as a
librarian and became the bureau chief 
of School Libraries for New York State. 
If your e-mail address was published 
the directory incorrectly and was not
corrected in the Fall '07 newsletter,
please send me the correct address 
at jjzanch@yahoo.com. Thanks.
Class notes councilor: Joyce Leavitt
Zanchelli, Jjzanch@yahoo.com 
A note from your class 
councilor: Class councilor Muriel
Woodman Peterson passed away 
Oct. 4, 2007. Councilor since 2003,
Muriel had helped in planning several of
our class reunions. Also active in her
community, Muriel was supervisor of the
Town of Princetown at the time of her
death. Contact your friends and plan to
meet them at our 55th reunion on
Homecoming/Reunion Weekend in the
fall. Send Dick and Doris any ideas you
have for what class activities you’d like
scheduled for the weekend. Volunteers
are needed to help plan class events.
Class notes councilor: Dick Jacobson,
marjac124@aol.com   
Janet Truesdale Campbell
reports that Howard, her husband of 49
years, passed away unexpectedly in his
sleep on May 3, 2007, at their home.
Janet has two sons and two daughters,
and their families, including 12 grand-
children. Joan Hartman enjoyed two
weeks with her nephew in Salt Lake City,
Utah, this past summer. She did the
usual tourist activities: rode a tram at
Snowbird, watched the Pioneer Day
parade, visited the beautiful new library
and enjoyed King Lear at the Cedar City
Theater. Joan ended her trip with a drive
through Bryce Canyon on her way home.
She also had a new kitchen put in her
home to prepare for the family’s arrival
for Christmas in New York City. Joan has
also been busy with volunteer activities,
one of which is working with the Visiting
Nurse Association of Staten Island with 
the flu shot program. In September, Joan
took a few days to visit friends in
Geneva, N.Y., where she had lived and
worked for 10 years. She enjoyed a nice
luncheon visit with Barbara Stempel
VanDerVeer. Jim Finnen recently
completed his 43rd year as the public
address announcer for Lafayette College
football. Jim is now well into the basket-
ball season in the same capacity, and
when inducted into the Lafayette Athletic
Hall of Fame in l998, he became the only
Hall of Fame member who was not a for-
mer player, coach or athletic administra-
tor at the Patriot League College in
Easton. Meanwhile, Jim’s wife of 50
years, the former Bea Lehan, is equally
active; reading to the blind through the
Radprin program and reading at chil-
dren’s story hours at the Easton Area
Public Library. The Finnens recently
moved to an active adult community in
Easton. John and Dolores White
Granito just returned from a trip to
Rome, Sorrento and all of Sicily. They
continue to reside on an island off the 
coast of Fort Myers in the winter and on
Keuka Lake in New York State in the
summer. John and Dolores are both still
busy doing consulting. John has con-
tracts for co-authoring two books;
Dolores does computer mapping for
municipalities. Don Voellinger is still
alive and kicking and living in New York
City’s West Village. Don frequently goes
to the opera, the theatre and particularly
the Metropolitan Museum. 
Class notes councilor: Bernice Gunsberg
Shoobe, bshoobe@alumni.albany.edu
Kathleen Kelley has been
retired now for many years, and consid-
ers herself very blessed. Kathleen’s
daughter lives a mile from her home, so
her grandchildren almost live with her.
She keeps in contact with friends from
teaching through the political discussion
group that meets monthly in her home.
Kathleen spends summers in her condo
on Cape Cod and travels in the winter,
usually taking cruises. Since 2006, 
Dee Montalbano has had two stories
published in the Chicken Soup series:
one in Chicken Soup for the Soul:
Stories for a Better World, and the other
in Chicken Soup for the Beach Lover’s
Soul. During Spring 2007, Dee spent
two and a half months in Lucca, Italy, her
fourth visit to Tuscany – “a home away
from home,” she states. Back home in
Boulder, Dee is working on a memoir
about her experiences in Italy.
Class councilor: John Orser,
jorser@stny.rr.com
Two Class of ’56 Scholarships
of $1,000 each were awarded in May
2007 to students Karen Lewis and
Katherine Ostrowski. Karen graduated
from the University at Albany cum laude
with a B.A. in English and a minor in
sociology, and is currently pursing a
master’s degree in special education and
literacy. Katherine began the master’s
program in teaching English to speakers
of other languages in Fall 2006 and
earned her B.S. in Spanish at UAlbany.
56
55
54
53
1954 classmates reunite at the Albany Marriott in August 2007. 
Front Row (left to right) Dottie Cherubini Potochnik, Barb Law Usborne, Rose Mary Bradt Zongrove. 
Back row (left to right) Evie Katusak, Bunny Gunsberg Shoobe, Mary Lou D’Angelo Ricci, June Del Vecchio Barno
UALBANY MAGAZINE
36
Alumni News and Notes
Since 1999, our class has awarded 15
scholarships. The fund now stands at
$24,886. Marlene Watson received an
accolade from a student whom she had
taught in seventh grade. The former stu-
dent was determined to locate her to tell
her she had earned her Ed.D. Edward
Rosenthal Ross, who is retired, now
spends five months of the year at his
apartment in Bangkok, Thailand, and the
rest of the year in Mount Kisco, N.Y. This
past June, Bill Shipengrover was
inducted into the Clarence High School
Academic Wall of Fame. The plaque,
which will forever
remain in the foyer of
the school, read as
follows: “Throughout
his 39 years at
Clarence High
School, William
Shipengrover pre-
pared his students
for productive
careers in business,
law, and education. He
established alliances with Junior
Achievement, the Erie County Bar
Association and Future Teachers of
America. Bill was honored with the
“Partner in Education Mentor Award”
from Canisius College and was the first
teacher to ever receive the Liberty Bell
Award from the Bar Association for his 
work with the Mock Trial Team.” Bruce
King is retired and enjoys working on
genealogy and teaching at a Senior Net
Center near his home in New Milford,
Conn. Leonard Kronick, now retired
from IBM, lives in Kingston, N.Y. One of
Leonard’s favorite retirement activities is
playing golf. Thyril Ladd, a retired
research scientist who lives in Deerfield
Beach, Fla., now has the time to enjoy
fishing, traveling and reading. Since her
retirement from her 28 years as chair of
the English department at Dover High
School in Dover, Del., Phyllis Bialow
Levitt has taught classes at the
University of Delaware in
Newark and Wesley College in
Dover. An advocate for the arts,
humanities and civil liberties,
Phyllis has served as vice chair
of the Delaware State Arts
Council, president of the Dover
Art League, chair of the
Delaware Humanities Forum,
and president of the Delaware
ACLU affiliate. Philip Lindberg,
now retired and living in Florida, enjoys
golf, travel, visits to family members and
attending sports events at the University
of Florida and the University of South
Florida. He also enjoys attending con-
certs and plays in Orlando and Daytona
Beach. Marilyn Napik Lucas lives in
Schenectady, N.Y., where she has run 
financial campaigns at her church and
works in the Friends of the Library book-
store. Phyllis Parshall McDonald,
director of Applied Research in the
Division of Public Safety Leadership at
Johns Hopkins University, spent 18
years in police departments at the mana-
gerial level, including the position of
command executive in the New York City
Transit Police. She has written two books
and published many articles in the field
of public safety. In April 2006, Nichols,
N.Y., resident Art Engelbert was select-
ed for the 2006 Tioga County Senior
Citizen of the Year Award. Please don’t
forget to support the Class of 1956
Scholarship Fund.
Class councilor: Dr. Arnold Newman,
Fish7hill@aol.com 
Sheila Bamberger received
the Distinguished Service Award from
the Association of Mathematics Teachers
of New York State. The award was pre-
sented by Ben Lindeman, a past presi-
dent of AMTNYS.
Class notes councilor: Sheila Bamberger,
hsbamb@verizon.net
Ken Kadet died Aug. 31 in
Arles, France, where he had lived for
many years. Ken’s ashes will be buried
in the family plot in New York this winter. 
David Feldman is an adjunct
professor of drama at Syracuse
University and artistic director of Armory
Square Playhouse in Syracuse, N.Y.
Class notes councilor: Doris Hische
Brossy, dbrossy@aol.com
A note from your class 
councilor: The Class of '61 is begin-
ning to plan its 50th reunion. If you have
any ideas, would like to help with the
planning or want your e-mail address
added to our contact list, please get in
touch with Mel. Dick and Marcia
Marion Bailey had a busy year; they
have discovered European river cruises
and love them. Last fall, they traveled on
a river cruise from St. Petersburg to
Moscow and then went on a Christmas
cruise on the Rhine. In the fall of 2007,
Dick and Marcia traveled to South
America. The trip was actually three
mini-trips – Machu Picchu in Peru, the
Amazon basin (jungle) in Ecuador, and
the Galapagos Islands. Anybody want to
see 2,000 digital pictures of the trip?
John Sullivan has been guest lecturing
at the Institute of World Politics to mas-
ter’s degree candidates in International
Relations. He has been invited to lecture
to two classes at The Washington
Institute and is preparing a lesson plan
for a class on Intelligence Analysis to be
taught at Anne Arundel Community
College. John’s book, GATEKEEPER,
Memoirs of A CIA Polygraph Examiner,
was featured on “C-Span-2’s Book TV,”
and in September, John was the featured
speaker at the Association of Former
Intelligence Officers fall luncheon. John
also has signed up to do four lectures
for Elderhostels. Mel Horowitz was re-
elected president of the Eastern Region
at the National Convention of the U.S.-
China People’s Friendship Association in
October 2007. He is currently developing
a rotary project to provide pure water for
portions of the Ningxia Autonomous
Region in north-central China. Carole
Pixie Wilbourn is an author of 10
books on cat behavior, a columnist and a
cat therapist. She was a featured speaker
at the Meow Mix University “Acatemy”
held in New York City and teaches
courses for them. Carole was a lecturer
at the national Feral Cat Summit in
November, and she has made many TV 
61
60
59
57
UAlbany Alumni Association President Robert Burstein ’72 meets with Darren Pon (left), 
the 2006 Legacy Scholarship recipient, and John Teevan III (right), the 2007 Legacy Scholarship recipient, 
at the Presidents’ Legacy Reception during Homecoming 2007.
Bill Shipengrover '56
appearances, including on Regis
Philbin’s show. She was also written 
up in National Geographic.
Class councilor: Mel Horowitz,
melandsis@yahoo.com 
Susan Blank enjoyed an
extended trip to Turkey and Israel in
October. Susan continues her conserva-
torship practice in San Francisco. Steve
Myslinski, who retired from his profes-
sorship at Salve Regina University, 
relocated to Charlotte, N.C., and is now
teaching as an adjunct professor at
Pfeiffer University. Linda Bosworth
enjoyed two Long Island stays with
Sheril McCormack. Elena Rabine
Halady traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia
and Thailand in November. She visited
her niece, Bari, who is teaching at an
international school in Bangkok, and
spent Thanksgiving week with her.
Class notes councilor: Sheril Joan
McCormack, vanillastar202@yahoo.com
There are still a number of
“missing classmates” in the Class of
1965. Please see the list at
http://www.albany.edu/~class65/miss-
ing.html, and if you can provide contact
information, please notify Judy
Koblintz Madnick at jmadnick@alum-
ni.albany.edu or Ira Rubtchinsky at 
irapaul@yahoo.com.
Doug Garnar has been teach-
ing at Broome Community College for
the past 36 years. Last May, the SUNY
board of trustees elevated Doug to the
rank of Distinguished Service Professor.
Of the 28 professorships awarded by the
SUNY board, only three were granted to
community college faculty. For the past
nine years, Pat Reed Harrington has
been living in Fort Myers, Fla., where
she and husband Paul regularly teach
classes at the Bonita Bridge Club. Pat is
a regular columnist for The Bulletin, the
monthly magazine published by the
American Contract Bridge League. She
also serves as a teacher trainer for that
organization and has authored teaching
materials for them. Pat recently retired
from more than 10 years of serving as
business secretary/treasurer for the
American Bridge Teachers’ Association.
At their Nashville convention in July
2007, Pat was presented with the Bridge
Teachers’ 2007 Intermediate Book of the
Year Award for her most recent publica-
tions, Major Suit Raises I and II. In addi-
tion to their involvement in bridge, the
Harringtons are enthusiastic challenge
square dancers. Donald H.
Thompson, a retired history teacher, is
currently working with his wife on a
book about the explorations of Henry
Hudson and Samuel de Champlain. The
book, due out in Spring 2008, is geared
toward juvenile readers in grades four
and five. Your class councilor, Kay
Hotaling, would love to receive your
news to share with classmates.
Class councilor: Kay Hotaling,
aspenpaepke@msn.com.
Tufts University in Somerville,
Mass., appointed
Patricia Campbell
executive vice president
this past September.
Patricia previously
served as vice president
for finance and adminis-
tration at Boston public broadcaster
WGBH. Prior to that, she served as exec-
utive associate dean at Tufts University’s
School of Dental Medicine. Ellen
Datlow is the recipient of the 2007 
71
67
65
62
WINTER 2008
37
Alumni News and Notes
The Purple & Gold Student Ambassador program kicks off in January 2008. Sponsored by the Alumni Association, 
the new group will help host alumni and other University guests at a variety of University and community events.
HOMECOMING 2008
Mark your calendars and join us Oct. 24-26, 2008, as we 
celebrate Homecoming and Alumni Weekend. The classes of
1998, 1983, 1968, 1958 and Half Century Club will be honored.
EOP and WCDB/WSUA also will be celebrating special reunions.
Homecoming will feature a full array of activities for everyone –
from the traditional tailgate and football to alumni events, class
reunions and the ever popular Great Dane, Great Bash party 
for all alumni.  
We want you to come home to your campus next fall. 
Fill each purple and gold heart with Great Dane pride! 
Patricia Campbell
UALBANY MAGAZINE
38
Alumni News and Notes
British Fantasy Society Special Award,
the Karl Edward Wagner Award, given to
someone the committee feels has made
an outstanding contribution to the genre.
She also won the 2007 Locus Award for
Best Editor. Ellen also is guest editor of
Subterranean Magazine issue No. 7.
Catherine Bertini has received the
2007 Gene White Lifetime Achievement
Award for Child Nutrition at the fourth
annual A Possible Dream Gala in
Washington, D.C.
Catherine also will be
joining the Agricultural
Development team of
the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation’s
Global Development
Program as a senior
fellow. Thomas
Lickon, director of the
Center for the 4th and
5th Rs (respect and responsibility) at
SUNY Cortland, has been named to co-
administer a grant from the John
Templeton Foundation aimed at advanc-
ing the Building Smart and Good
Schools project.
Class councilor: Linda Waters Zusman,
lalocazus@aol.com
In 1992, Ijuka Kabumba had
an opportunity to revisit the United
States: Ijuka spent a week in New
Hampshire at
Dartmouth College
attending a conference
and about two days at
Harvard (via Montreal/
McGill University),
where he spent a week
and gave a short talk.
Dr. Edward Arcuri
was appointed chief
operations officer of
VaxInnate in Cranbury,
N.J. Robert
Gottfried, a partner in Hodgson Russ
LLP’s Immigration Practice Group, has
been listed in the 2008 edition of The
Best Lawyers in America. Susan J.
Fishbein, Ed.D., is in her third year as
assistant superintendent for student
services in the Cormsewogue School
District, Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., mark-
ing her 33rd year in education. Susan is
looking forward to a busy “retirement” in
which she plans to teach, do interim work
and continue her research.
Class councilor: Robert Giuffrida, 
rgiuffrir@nycap.rr.com
Michael J. Catillaz has been
named vice president for college
advancement and
president of the
Foundation at State
University of New York
at Geneseo. Robert
Schiller was named
chief financial officer
at Devcon International in Boca Raton,
Fla. Farrell Fritz partner Charlotte A.
Biblow has been appointed to the board
of The Queensborough Community
College Fund. Six graduates from ’73
have formed Steinmetz Lodge LLC, a
property located on Paradox Lake in the
Adirondacks. The six all lived in
Steinmetz Hall on State Quad from
1970-72. In 2004, they purchased land
and built a 2,300-square-foot home on
Paradox Lake for both rental and person-
al use. Although they are spread out over
the Northeast, the home has allowed
them to maintain their friendship of more
than 35 years. Four of the six recently
gathered at the house. For further infor-
mation about Steinmetz Lodge, please
contact John Fairhall at
john.fairhall@verizon.net, Lloyd
Fishman at lloydf@optonline.net or
Rick Popek at sara1lexi@verizon.net.
Class notes councilor: Sharon Kantor,
firenzaltd@earthlink.net
Actress and comedian Cathy
Ladman was featured on “Curb Your
Enthusiasm” this past September and
also appeared on “The Craig Ferguson
Show” in October 2007. 
Class councilor: David Taffet,
dptaffet@aol.com
Alan Martin is author and
inventor of a unique golf instruction
method called Thumbs Down and
appeared on the Golf Channel in July
2007 as a finalist on the “Fore Inventors
Only” show. For more information, go to:
www.golfinstructionmadesimple.com or
www.freeiq.com/alanmartin.
Class notes councilor: Nathan Salant,
gulfsout@ix.netcom.com
Pace University Law School
appointed Michelle Simon interim
dean of the school in June 2007.
Michelle has been a member of the Pace
law faculty since 1985 and full professor
since 2003.
Class notes councilor: Maria Claps-
Michelsson, mcsmcm@aol.com
Daniel Gaines has been pro-
moted to managing editor, Operations,
for latimes.com - Los Angeles Times.
Baldwin Richardson Foods Co., based in
Frankfort, Ill., has appointed Timothy
Ridgeway senior vice pres-
ident and chief operating
officer. Timothy, a 21-year
veteran of PepsiCo, served
in a variety of sales and bot-
tling operations positions
before being elevated to
director of business development; his
most recent position was director of
sales PepsiCo Foodservice Division. 
He is currently a board member of the
Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality
Alliance, based in Providence, R.I., and
78
77
76
75
73
72
Alumni share their experiences with prelaw students during a law panel at the Alumni House. 
Pictured, from left, are: Richard E. Honen, Esq. ’82; Tracey J. Chance, Esq. ’01; 
Peter A. Lauricella, Esq. ’93; Amy J. Maggs Esq. ’02 ; and Simeon Goldman, Esq. ’82. 
Matthew Davidson (left) and
Tom Lickona, co-administra-
tors of the John Templeton
Foundation Grant
Robert Gottfried
Ijuka Kabumba
(l. to r.) Rick Popek, Lloyd Fishman, Larry Schleifer 
and John Fairhall.
Michael Catillaz
Timothy Ridgeway
WINTER 2008
39
Family Ties Inc. in Atlanta, Ga.
Class councilor: Michael Hayden,
po41756@aol.com
Colonel Jimmy L. Pollard
has retired from the U.S. Air Force after
27 years of outstanding service. Pollard
is a master navigator with more than
2,900 flying hours, including 30 combat
and combat support missions. He has
flown a variety of aircraft, including the
B-52, the RC-135 and T-43A.
Throughout his career, Pollard has
received numerous medals and awards,
including the Legion of Merit. At the
2007 Maryland Trial Lawyers
Association Presidents Dinner and
installation of officers,
Bruce M. Plaxen, the
founder of Plaxen &
Adler, P.A., a personal-
injury law firm in
Columbia, Md., was
awarded the President’s
Award “for exemplary leadership, vision
and unwavering commitment as chair of
MTLA’s Political Action Committee,
which strengthened our ability to protect
our clients, address civil justice and
consumer issues in the legislature and
prevent the erosion of injured people’s
rights.” Bruce spends countless hours in
Annapolis on a completely voluntary
basis, advocating for consumer rights.
Darby Penney recently received a 
79
Y
ou might not think a family man who’s
also a financial manager would be one of
the most adventurous people around. Then
again, you probably haven’t met John Troiano.
Troiano resides in Portsmouth, N.H., with his
wife, Jennifer, and children: Alicia, 14;
Stephen, 12; and Matthew, 10. During a typi-
cal workday at his office nearby, the mild-
mannered financial wizard, who ranks among
the top 1 percent of the advisers in his firm,
A.G. Edwards, performs magic for the approx-
imately 1,000 clients who do business with
him. He’s been with the company since 1988
and wryly observes: “A lot of my newer clients
are in their 30s. I worked with their parents
when these newer clients were only in their
teens.” Troiano doesn’t seek out his clients;
they find him by word of mouth. And he’s
never met most of them. Instead, he “psycho-
analyzes” them on the phone, “determining
their risk tolerances and assessing what’s
going to be right for particular clients.”
Troiano’s psychology degree has come in
handy in that regard. He settled on his major
after first trying accounting, then computer
science. But Troiano, who characterizes him-
self as a technophobe – he doesn’t own a cell
phone and won’t use a laptop – decided to
major in psychology when “a professor came
into class one day wearing a striped shirt and
plaid pants. I didn’t want to end up like that,”
he jokes.
In fact, his psychology studies have been
“more useful than anything else” in the 
financial management field. “So much about
investing is the study of human behavior. 
Two emotions – fear and greed – rule the
stock market.” 
When he isn’t analyzing his clients and their
tolerance for financial risk, Troiano, 46, toler-
ates a fair amount of risk himself. An avid
traveler, he has visited Tibet and Nepal,
among other exotic locales, and gone on
safari. For two weeks last September and
October, he and four friends embarked on 
the ultimate adventure: a two-week trip to
Tanzania, where they scaled Mount
Kilimanjaro. “It took us five days to reach 
the summit and two to climb down,” notes
Troiano, adding that the group was accompa-
nied by 20 locals who served as porters and
guides, carrying equipment and setting up
camp on the 19,335-foot climb. 
To prepare for the trip, Troiano, who enjoyed
Camp Dippikill as an undergrad and used to
return to the Adirondack retreat yearly for
get-togethers with UAlbany chums, climbed
New Hampshire’s Mount Washington “a cou-
ple of times.” He describes his
latest adventure as “the experi-
ence of a lifetime” but found it
“funny” when Tanzanians told
him that they don’t hike
Kilimanjaro. “They told me:
‘That’s crazy. Only the tourists 
do that,’” he laughs.
Still, Troiano feels that everyone
needs an adventure every so
often. “There’s more to life than
sitting behind a desk or lying on
a beach,” he says philosophically.
“It’s OK to get older, as long as
you don’t get old.” 
John Troiano, B.A.’83
John Troiano, right, with his
Kilimanjaro guide, Manuel
Bruce Plaxen
UALBANY MAGAZINE
40
Alumni News and Notes
Teammates
By Brad Rabinowitz, B.A.’85
I met Alan Cornfield in
fourth grade, when he
transferred to my
school. With a name like
that, he was hard to
miss. Alan and I became
instant friends, and that
friendship grew through
lacrosse. We played
together starting in ninth grade. He was the goalie; I was a
midfielder – and, from day one, he took a special pride in
making sure I never scored on him in practice. If I went
high, he went high; if I went low,
he went low. 
Our friendly rivalry continued at
Oceanside High School on Long
Island, then at the University at
Albany, where Alan set almost
every goalie record possible –
records he still holds – during
our four years with the lacrosse
team. Watching him warm up,
the other teams must have been
intimidated by the intensity with which he tried to save
every single shot I took. One day, during a practice, I told
my teammate Ricky Trizano, who was covering me on
defense, to slack off a little because I wanted to fire a laser
at Alan’s head. Ricky stepped back a few feet, Coach blew
the whistle, and I unleashed a shot as hard as any I had
ever made in my life. Instead of going in the goal, the ball
lodged in his facemask. Completely surprised, Alan took
off down the field, the ball still stuck in his facemask, run-
ning straight at me for what I thought would be our first
knock-down, drag-out fight. To my surprise, he continued
past me, then dove headfirst into the other goal, making
sure not to touch the crease before his helmet, where the
ball was. The ball landed in the goal, and the whole field
erupted with laughter. It was one of the funniest things I
had ever seen on a lacrosse field!
After college, we played on various teams together, and
our lives moved in familiar patterns. I was Alan’s best man
at his wedding; he was mine. I was his son’s godfather. 
We also worked together: I was the lawyer representing his
mortgage banking company. It seemed as if we would be
teammates and friends forever.
On Oct. 1, 2001, however, I received a call that would
change my life. Alan had gone fishing with his dad. A
freak storm had struck just as they were heading back in,
and Alan – a lifeguard, volunteer fireman and experienced
fisherman – went overboard and drowned. The call, from
Alan’s sister-in-law, knocked me to my knees in disbelief,
rage, sadness. The next few days flew by with funeral
arrangements, eulogy preparation and attempts to bring
some peace to his distraught 
family. The funeral was a blur, but
the presence of all of our former
teammates, coaches and trainers,
and the lacrosse stories told over
the next few weeks, really helped
me get through a horrible time.
Alan’s life was cut way too short, 
but he left endless memories for
me, both on and off the lacrosse
field. Too often, we take our team-
mates for granted, not realizing how lucky we are to be
playing a game we love and to be forming bonds through
that sport. 
I know I will see Alan again. And when I do, he’d better 
be ready, because I plan to fake high and shoot low. There
is no doubt in my mind that he will make the save!
Lacrosse teammates and lifelong
friends Alan Cornfield (left) and 
Brad Rabinowitz
Alan Cornfield, B.A.’85, was inducted
into the University at Albany’s 
Hall of Fame last October. Brad
Rabinowitz organized a group 
of 25 friends to attend and 
celebrate the honor accorded Alan.
1985 graduation with, left to right, Don Plaus, Brad Rabinowitz, 
Alan Cornfield and Alan Hocheiser.
fellowship in Nonfiction Literature for
2007 from the New York Foundation for
the Arts. Ellen Dunkin was appointed
senior vice president and associate 
general counsel of the Crump Group
Inc., a firm specializing
in commercial and life
insurance brokerage
and retirement services.
Dr. Jeremiah Ryan,
senior vice president of
the Alman Group, has
been named the new president of Bergen
Community College in Paramus, N.J. 
Class notes councilor: Marc Arkind,
Marc@alpinecomptech.com
Dr. Andrea Thau was elected
to the American Optometric Association
Board of Trustees at the 110th Annual
AOA Congress & 37th Annual AOSA
Conference: Optometry’s Meeting in
June 2007. Andrea is a Fellow of the
American Academy of Optometry and a
Fellow of the College of Optometrists in
Vision therapy. A graduate of the SUNY
College of Optometry, where she has
been on the faculty since graduation,
Andrea is an associate clinical professor
and former chair of the admissions com-
mittee. Melanie Pores works in the
Dual Language Program, a two-way
bilingual immersion program, that she
started about eight years ago in the
Albany [N.Y.] City School District.
Class notes councilor: Diane DiGiorgio,
ddigiorg@pdp.albany.edu
Kathleen L. Ryan of Cohoes,
N.Y., was honored as the 2007 Susan G.
Komen Capital Region Local Hero
Fighting Breast Cancer. Patrick Ford
has taken to the stage as a stand-up
comedian, performing on comedy sites
all over the Web and at clubs around Los
Angeles and Hollywood. Patrick has also
had a successful 25-year career as an
entrepreneur and executive, producing
interactive entertainment and
videogames. He is co-founder and chief
product officer of online video startup
ZipClips, and a partner in Comedy
Workshops Online, which provides
online comedy training and tools for
comedians.
Class notes councilor: Anthony Giardina,
agiardina@yahoo.com
Peter Elkowitz has been
appointed chief executive of the Long
Island Housing Partnership of Suffolk
County. The Massachusetts Bar
Association has appointed Patrick
Francomano, Esq., co-chair of the
association’s General
Practice, Solo & Small
Firm Section. He earned
his law degree from
New England School of
Law in Boston, Mass.,
and currently practices
at the Law Office of Patrick Francomano
in North Attleborough, Mass., where he
concentrates on civil and criminal litiga-
tion. Marshall, Dennehey, Warner,
Coleman & Goggin announced that
Katherine M. Keefe has joined the
firm as a shareholder to
lead the health law
group, which is part of
the firm’s healthcare lia-
bility practice group.
David I. Kahan has
been named president of
Reebok USA.
Class notes councilor: Debi Chowdhury,
avoncba25@yahoo.com.
Our 25th Reunion is at
Homecoming in Fall 2008! Please 
contact the Alumni Association or your
class councilors if you want to be
involved in planning the reunion! David
P. Schaffer was promoted to partner at
the law firm of Malaby & Bradley, LLC,
in New York City. John Lasher has
been named the new campus registrar at
SUNY Institute of Technology in 
Marcy, N.Y.
Class notes councilor: Michael Corso,
Michael_Corso@dps.state.ny.us 
Sullivan, Cotter and Associates
Inc. has named Warren Kerper the
managing principal of its Boston office.
Lewis S. Wiener delivered the com-
mencement address at UAlbany’s
Rockefeller College May 2007 gradua-
tion ceremonies. Lew is a partner with
the law firm Sutherland Asbill & Brennan
in Washington, D.C. He recently was
appointed to the Maryland attorney gen-
eral’s Environmental Advisory Council. 
Class notes councilor: Adam Barsky,
Adam.barsky@chamber.state.ny.us
Martha Mooke dedicated her
October 2007 concert at the University at
Albany’s Performing Arts Center Recital
Hall as part of the annual Daniel Pearl
World Music Days network. The annual
event brought together thousands
around the world under the theme
“Harmony for Humanity” to celebrate the
power of music to bring people together
and focus on our common humanity.
Martha, a Yamaha artist who has toured
with Barbra Streisand, performed on
MTV with Bon Jovi and recorded with
David Bowie, presented the concert of
original music and works written for her
by leading new music composers for her
five-string electric violas. For more
information, visit
www.MarthaMooke.com. 
85
84
83
82
81
80
WINTER 2008
41
Capital Region alumni enjoy a wine and cheese reception while learning 
about Italian regional specialties from Professor Maria Giuliana Keyes '78. 
The group then visited the Culinary Institute of America.
Distinguished Alumni Award 
Theresa McGovern ’83
Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Richelle Konian ’95
Bertha E. Brimmer Medal
Thomas Shiland ’87, ’93
Excellence in Alumni Service Award
Susan Shipherd ’64
Excellence in Business Award
Kimberly Welsh ’89 
Excellence in Community Service Award
Kimberleigh Phelan ’89
Excellence in Education Award 
Thomas Brooks ’71
Excellence in Education Award
Donald Cohen ’51, ’52
Excellence in Education Award
Carol Meyer ’06
Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award
Michael Weiss ’88
Excellence in Public Service Award 
Congressman Michael Arcuri ’81
Excellence in Public Service Award 
Kathryn Zox ’83 
Excellence in Science & Technology Award
Brian Levine ’94 
2008 Excellence Awards 
Recipients Announced
Congratulations to the 2008 Excellence Awards recipients. These alumni 
will be honored at the Excellence Awards Gala May 3 in Albany. 
Jeremiah Ryan
Patrick Francomano
Katherine Keefe
UALBANY MAGAZINE
42
Alumni News and Notes
Scott Cohen has been selected for the
U.S. soccer team, which participated in
the 2007 Pan American Maccabi Games
in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Scott was a
four-year member of the UAlbany soccer
team and played in the 2005 World
Maccabiah Games in Israel and the 2006
Australian International Maccabi Games.
Intellectual property law firm
Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds of
Concord, Mass., has named Deirdre E.
Sanders to the 
executive board 
of the Worcester
Polytechnic Institute
Venture Forum.
Deirdre is a principal
with the firm and
practices in the areas of patents,
biotechnology, IP litigation, counseling,
pharmaceuticals, licensing and trade-
marks. Howard S. Krooks, Esq., 
has been named a Florida Super Lawyer
for 2007 by Super Lawyers magazine.
Howard is a partner with the law firm
Elder Law Associates Pa., and is of
counsel to Littman Krooks LLP, in 
New York.
Class notes councilor: Paul Schaffer,
pschaffer@snet.net
Manuel A. Ossers, 
professor of Spanish at the University 
of Wisconsin-Whitewater, received the
2007 Faculty Service Award, which 
recognizes outstanding contributions 
in service to the university and the 
wider community. 
Class notes councilor: 
Martin Glovin, mqcolvin@aol.com
Nick Buron has been promot-
ed to assistant director of Community
Library Services at the Queens Library 
in New York City.
Class notes councilor: Doreen Kleinman,
DKleinman88@alumni.albany.edu
Chris Hartley was
named senior vice president
at Money Management
Group, a macro hedge fund
based in Walnut Creek, Calif.
He relocated to northern
California from Charlotte,
N.C., where he was
employed with Wachovia
Bank. Chris and his wife,
Allison, have a son, Owen,
who turned two in
September. Daniel J.
Baker, Esq., a partner at the
law firm of Sahn Ward & Baker, PLLC,
has been appointed to a serve a third
term as a member of the State of New
York Commission on Quality of Care for
the Mentally Disabled’s Surrogate
Decision-Making Committee Program.
Bob Beyer was named assistant coach
of the Orlando Magic in June 2007. He
joined the Magic after spending the past
89
88
87
86
Members of the Alumni Association board attended the 2007 Citizen Laureate dinner. Pictured, from left, are: 
Anthony Giardina ’81; Brian Fessler ’06; Christine Bouchard ’73, ’87; Jeffrey Luks ’91, ’01; 
William McCann Jr. ’86, ’87; and Donald Putterman’52, ’53.
Deirdre Sanders
Founding members of the Tau Epsilon Fraternity reunite at 
Homecoming 2007 (left to right) Steve Fox '89, Sandy Fisher '87, 
David Weber '87, Ian Spelling '87, Jeff Spar '87.
Chris Hartley with
son Owen
Daniel Baker
Mark Schmidt
EOP 40th 
Anniversary
Come celebrate 
the 40th anniversary 
of EOP at 
UAlbany during 
Homecoming 2008.
Festivities 
will include:
• open house
• career fair
• student 
presentation
• tailgate
• reception and 
banquet
Mark your calendar 
for Oct. 24-26, 2008,
to reminisce, 
reconnect and 
share your stories! 
For more information, 
contact the 
Alumni Association at 
1-800-836-ALUM (2586).
WINTER 2008
43
two seasons as an assis-
tant coach at the
University of Dayton. Jeff
Bogan was promoted to
executive director from senior manager
for Ernst & Young’s Tax Accounting and
Risk Advisory Services practice in the
Pacific Southwest. A certified public
accountant licensed to practice in New
York and Arizona and a juris doctor in
New York, Jeff is also a member of the
American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants. Kimberleigh A. Phelan
is vice president and senior account rep-
resentative for M&T Bank in Albany, N.Y.
Kim sits on the boards of The Arts
Center of the Capital Region and is first
vice president of the board of Parsons
Child and Family Center. She is also a
volunteer with the Hudson Valley Girl
Scouts, Habitat for Humanity and Hands
Across Capitaland, and is a member of
Albany Country Club. 
Class notes councilor: Hillary Fink,
hbean5891@aol.com
After concluding a 14-year
career as a litigator in New York and
Washington, D.C., Marianne Merritt
Talbot has opened her own professional
and lifestyle coaching and
training firm in New York
City, Modern Venus Ltd.,
www.ModernVenus.net.
Joseph S. Bavaro, a resi-
dent of Huntington, N.Y.,
has been named partner in
the law firm of Salenger,
Sack, Schwartz & Kimmel,
LLP, where he has worked
since 1997. He joined the
Manhattan office after serv-
ing for four years as an
assistant district attorney in Richmond
County, N.Y., where he acted as lead
prosecutor in the Sex Crimes Special
Victims Unit. Active in the legal commu-
nity, Joseph was named to the board of
directors of the Nassau-Suffolk County
Trial Lawyers Association. He is a mem-
ber of the Nassau County and New York
State bar associations.
Class notes councilor: Jacqueline Arroll,
Jackie_arroll@yahoo.com
Stephen D’Elia has been
named an associate of the Law Offices of
Scott E. Leemon, PC. The firm focuses 
91
90
A
s an undergraduate in the late 1980s,
Russian language and literature  
major David Smith was disappoint-
ed that financial considerations prevented
him from studying abroad. However,
thanks to the generosity of the founder 
and president of LinguaLinx Language
Solutions, Inc., that option will be available
to three undergraduates through UAlbany’s
Office of International Education: Study
Abroad & Exchanges.
“I never had the opportunity to travel to
Russia until graduate school,” recalled Smith,
who also earned a certificate in translation.
With the $6,000 gift he has made to support
scholarships, he will give three undergraduate
students that experience “earlier in their
careers.”
After he received his C.A.S., the University’s
Office of International Programs “sent me to
Russia to direct our exchange program for 
nine months.” Smith returned to Albany and
worked briefly as a stockbroker, then relocated
to New York City, where he worked for a 
translation firm, and later for its dot.com 
sister company.
In 2002, Smith founded LinguaLinx out of his
home in Westchester County. He moved the
firm to the Capital Region in December 2003.
“I always liked it up here,” said the Utica, N.Y.,
native. “I have family here; the cost of living is
less than it is downstate; and, for business 
purposes, it’s close to New York, Boston 
and Montreal.”
LinguaLinx provides a variety of services, 
ranging from “traditional translation of docu-
ments” to and from French, German, Russian,
Chinese, and a host of other languages, includ-
ing American Sign Language and Braille, to
“Web site localization and cultural consulting.”
The Schenectady-based firm’s clientele includes 
corporate, non-profit and government entities. 
LinguaLinx began with just one employee:
Smith himself. The company now has a staff 
of 45, and its potential for expansion is great.
LinguaLinx recently opened an office in San
Francisco’s Financial District; eventually, Smith
also expects to launch operations in Canada
and China, and to oversee a staff of 100. 
According to the Capital District Business
Review, LinguaLinx currently ranks as “the
49th-largest private employer, and the 32nd-
largest technology company, in the area,” Smith
noted. In addition, the newspaper recognized
the company’s founder as one of the Capital
Region’s “40 Under Forty” business leaders 
for 2005.
While Smith has established the scholarships to
express his gratitude to UAlbany for the oppor-
tunities that have, in part, contributed to his
success, he has found other ways to thank his
alma mater, too. Students from the University
participate in a LinguaLinx internship program
that provides both practical experience and
academic credit. “Two of our full-time employ-
ees started in that program,” he said. Smith also
returns to campus occasionally to speak to
classes. “I want to make sure students under-
stand there are a variety of career options,
other than teaching or translating, available
with a language degree,” he said.
David Smith, B.A.’90; M.A.’94; C.A.S.’95
Saying Thanks 
by Supporting
Students 
Pictured with LinguaLinx founder David Smith, B.A.’90;
M.A.’94; C.A.S.’95, are Holly Baranowski (left) and Jocelynn
Rizzi (right), recipients of the first two scholarships Smith 
established through the University’s Office of International
Education: Study Abroad & Exchanges.
Carlos Ortiz
Jeff Bogan
Marianne Talbot
Joseph Bavaro
UALBANY MAGAZINE
44
Alumni News and Notes
on state and federal criminal defense, for
high-profile members of the music and
sports industries. Michael Gutter’s
equipment leasing company, Arista
Leasing LLC, which he founded in 2002,
has been listed on Entrepreneur
Magazine’s Hot 500 List as No. 433.
This is a list of the fastest-growing com-
panies in the United States. Michael also
was appointed to the
advisory board of
Mariner’s Bank in
Edgewater, N.J.
Steven Holand
reports that his busi-
ness, Century
Service Affiliates Inc., located in
Paterson, N.J., was recently named to
the new Inc. 5,000 List of The Fastest
Growing Private Companies in America.
Century Service manufactures foam
products for protective packaging and
distributes carrying cases with custom
foam inserts. Steve has grown the com-
pany 65.5 percent from 2003 to 2006 by 
increasing productivity exponentially
through its foam-cutting technology.
Steven and his wife, Yael Gold
Holand, live in Airmont, N.Y., with 
their children, Sara, Ethan and Noah.
Joy Dixon Polanco is currently 
earning a journalism graduate degree 
at Columbia University.
Class notes councilor: Jeff Luks,
jluks@nycap.rr.com
Kris
Bronson, Ph.D., a
licensed psychologist,
has opened a private
practice in Wilmington,
Del. Kris treats teenagers and adults of
all ages for depression, anxiety, stress,
eating disorders, relationship issues and
career concerns. Kris also provides indi-
vidual counseling and psychotherapy,
organizational consultation, and stress-
reduction and career-planning work-
shops. David Goldin was featured in
the New York Times Aug. 30, 2007,
business section, in the story “Executive
Puts Rival’s Patent to the Test” by Brent
Bowers, for his efforts to invalidate 
a patent. 
Class notes councilor: Diane Hodurski-
Foley, dhodursk@pdp.albany.edu
Matthew J.
Farron, assistant pro-
fessor in the Department
of Business and Law at
Schenectady County
Community College,
received the college Foundation Award
for Excellence in Teaching.
Class notes councilor: Andrew Nappi,
nappia@ardsleyschools,k12.ny.us
Dr. David J. Hennessy,
associate
professor/chair of the
Business and Law
Department of
Schenectady County
Community College,
received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award
for Excellence in Faculty Service. The
Hyde Collection’s Board of Trustees has
promoted Erin B. Coe to the position of
deputy director and chief curator of the
museum in Glens Falls, N.Y.
Class notes councilor: Tom Devaney,
devaneytm@yahoo.com
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver &
Jacobson LLP in New York City have
elected Brian D. Pfeiffer partner to the
firm. Christopher H. Wilson graduat-
ed from the New York College of
Osteopathic Medicine in 2006 with a
degree in medicine and a fellowship in
Neuroscience and Histology. Christopher
is currently in residency training at the
Northside Hospital and Tampa Bay Heart
Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., and is in
the process of applying to fellowship
programs in Invasive Cardiology. A
Tampa Bay resident, Christopher married
Johanna Shimnoski in December
2003. They have two children – twins –
96
95
94
93
F
or most alumni, the Career Services office is like health
insurance – most of us never really notice it’s there until we
need it. But when we do, its value is immeasurable.
UAlbany’s Career Services offers a variety of career tools and
services for alumni. Chief among them is direct career counsel-
ing. “Career Services offers one-on-one counseling to hundreds
of alumni each year,” said Noah Simon, assistant director of
Career Services. “Just because an alumnus isn’t local doesn’t
mean he or she can’t take advantage of our services. I have had
the opportunity to speak with alumni all over the country
regarding their career situation and how we can assist them.”
For alumni looking to make a career change, Simon puts them
through a series of exercises designed to help them discover
what they want to do
with their lives. He
critiques résumés
and cover letters, and
helps alumni con-
nect with UAlbany’s
extensive alumni
network. “Often, for
our recent graduates,
much of the work we
do involves dis-
cussing techniques
for job search as well as resume and cover letter critiques,”
Simon noted. “We offer the same services to alumni with more
experience, but often there is a career change involved. We’ll 
discuss what the individual hopes to gain from their career, –
what have they accomplished in the past, what they hope to
accomplish in the future and what skills are transferable 
from one career to another.”
The Internet has made career networking much easier, Simon
noted. In 2001, UAlbany launched AlumNet, an online database
of UAlbany alumni who can provide valuable connections and
information on job search strategies, specific companies, indus-
try trends and professional organizations. Alumni can access the
network through the UAlbany alumni online community, which
offers a job board; alumni also have access to MonsterTrak and
other job banks. Earlier this year, Career Services began offering
alumni access to CareerSearch, an Internet tool that provides
fast, up-to-date information on potential employers in a variety
of industries and fields both nationally and internationally. 
Simon notes that the increasing demand for career counseling
reflects the way the working world has changed. Researchers say
that, on average, new college graduates will have several careers
and up to a dozen jobs during their working lives. "Times have
changed,” said Simon. "It's important for our alumni to be able
to come back to a place they trust and get the help they need 
to be successful.” 
C A R E E R  S E R V I C E S
Noah Simon meets 
with an alumna to 
discuss career options.
Yael & Steven Gold Holand
Kris Bronson
Matthew Farron
David Hennessy
WINTER 2008
45
Alumni News and Notes
a boy and a girl born in November 2006. 
Class notes councilor: Jill Rigney-
Delaney, jsdelaney@nycap.rr.com
Dr. Scott J. Kalicki has been
selected vice-chair/chair elect of the
Special Olympics board of directors in
New Hampshire. Scott is vice president
for student affairs at Southern New
Hampshire University.
Class councilor: Jennifer Ciavirella
Schmidberger, 7247 Swan Point Way,
Columbia, MD 21045-5006
The Class of 1998 will host a
UAlbany 10-Year Reunion in October
2008. We are forming our planning com-
mittee, and we would love as much par-
ticipation as possible. If you are interest-
ed in joining the planning efforts, feel
free to contact Mike Castrilli at mcas-
trilli@aol.com or (202) 262-7969. Save
the date for Homecoming Weekend
2008, Oct. 24-26. Caroline A. Laier,
associate librarian at Begley
Library, received the 2007
Schenectady County
Community College
Foundation Award for
Excellence in Librarianship.
Candace J. Groudine
received her juris doctor degree from
Georgetown University Law Center in
2005 and was admitted to the Maryland
Bar in December 2006. She recently was
promoted to the position of director,
External Civil Rights Programs, for the
Federal Highway Administration/U.S.
Department of Transportation. In addi-
tion, Candace recently was appointed a
commissioner on Montgomery County’s
Human Rights Commission. The Boston
Bar Association has named
Christopher D. Strang of Corwin &
Corwin LLP a member of its prestigious 
Public Interest
Leadership Program.
The leadership training
program, now in its
fifth year, is for lawyers
who have practiced law
for fewer than 10
years, and fosters the professional rela-
tionships that are essential to success.
Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman 
& Goggin announced that Joshua L.
Kirsch has joined the firm's
Professional Liability Group in
Philadelphia, Pa. Prior to joining the
firm, Joshua was an associate at Ruskin
Moscou Faltischek.
Class councilor: Michael Castrilli, 
mcastrilli@aol.com
Kerry M. Cole is a research
director for Hill Holliday, an advertising
agency in New York, N.Y. John P. Sette
is a pharmaceutical representative for
King Pharmaceuticals in Westchester
and Rockland Counties, N.Y. 
Class notes councilor: Robert Bischoff,
1953 Jackson Ave., W. Islip, NY 11795,
(631) 587-7876
Elizabeth A. Murphy has
been named PECO’s new director of
Governmental and External Affairs. PECO
is an electric and natural gas utility sub-
sidiary of Exelon Corp. located in
Philadelphia, Pa. Brandon Jay
McLaren stars in a new Canadian TV
series, “The Best Years,” broadcast on
channel Global/the N. 
Class councilor: Brian Levine,
BrianLevine@alumni.albany.edu
Lisa M. Ferraro is director of
Social Services at St. Camillus Health &
Rehab Center, a skilled nursing facility in
Syracuse, N.Y. Success Communications
Group, a full-service public relations and
advertising firm based in Parsippany,
N.J., has appointed Keri Vanatta to its
public relations department as an
account coordinator. Keri will provide
account management and media rela-
tions support to various clients.
Class notes councilor: Peter Brusoe,
Pbrusoe@alumni.albany.edu
Lee Peretz was honored as
the 2007 Association for Accounting
Marketing Rookie of the Year at the 18th
Annual AAM Summit in June 2007. He
was honored for going the “extra mile”
in contributing to his firm’s success in
the first two years of his marketing role.
Lee joined Grassi & Co. CPAs in 2006 
as marketing coordinator. He is respon-
sible for coordinating and implementing
various marketing strategies, marketing
communications, newsletters, Web site,
and public relations efforts. Former
UAlbany basketball player Kirsten
Zoellner is one of 15 finalists for a spot
on the German Olympic team, which will
compete in Beijing, China, next year. The
7’1” center hails from Hannover,
Germany, and played his rookie season
of pro ball last winter in Greece.
Class councilor: Edwina Kaliku,
ek9033@albany.edu
After retiring from his 25-year
tenure with the U.S. Air Force in
Washington, D.C., Michael Flinton
has been named director of the Saratoga
Automobile Museum in Saratoga, N.Y.
07
05
03
02
00
98
97
Gregory Maguire ’76, author of the best seller Wicked: The Life and Times of the
Wicked Witch of the West, signs his book for Marilyn Pendergast ’64 at an alum-
ni reception in Boston. Attendees preceded the reception with a trip to see a tour-
ing production of the Broadway musical Wicked, based on Maguire’s book. 
Caroline Laier
Christopher Strang
For a complete listing 
of class councilors:
www.albany.edu/alumni/
council_of_classes  
or call the 
Alumni Association at 
(518) 442-3080.
45th WSUA ~ 30th WCDB Anniversary 
Highlights include an open house at the newly remodeled
radio station, a reception and reconnecting with old friends.  
Oct. 24-26, 2008
For more information, contact the Alumni Association 
at 1-800-836-ALUM (2586).
Celebrate
UALBANY MAGAZINE
46
Alumni News and Notes
Weddings   
1989 – Selina Regan and Steve
Molineaux, July 7, 2007 
1994 – Dan Keegan and Jessica
Weld, Aug. 4, 2007 
1999 – Jan Daniels and Michael
Wellik, Sept. 1, 2007
2000 – Kerry M. Cole and John P.
Sette ’01, July 7, 2007
Andrea Constantinescu
and Jonathan Arnoff, 
May 27, 2007
2001 – Wayne Kelly and Jessica
Insel ’03, June 25, 2006
2004 – Christina M. Rugari and 
Drew Serynek, Aug. 4, 2007 
UAlbany alumni now have access to savings and discounts from more than 7,000 companies and organizations
nationwide. The UAlbany Alumni Association recently partnered with Working Advantage to offer this new serv-
ice. Alumni can now enjoy the benefits of this valuable relationship and save up to 40 percent on items such as:
Working Advantage is a free program and enrollment is easy. To register individually and maintain your own
account, all you need is a member ID number, available only through the Alumni Association. By registering
online, you will automatically receive 100 bonus Advantage Points! Advantage Points are accrued in your personal
account when you place orders online at www.workingadvantage.com. Points never
expire and can be redeemed for various reward products such as movie tickets, 
theme park tickets, gift cards and more! For details, visit our Web site at
www.albany.edu/alumni/Benefits.htm. You may also contact the Alumni Association at 
1-800-836-2586 or e-mail us at alumniassociation@uamail.albany.edu for more details.
NEW!
Alumni Benefit Offers Discounts 
on Thousands of Products
• Broadway theatre tickets
• sporting events 
• ski tickets, museums
• travel
• merchant gift certificates
• online shopping
• theme and amusement parks
• hotels
Left to right: James Schlegel ’95,
Jason Graber ’94, Larry Kravitz
’95, Ted Hotaling ’95, Dan
Keegan, Richard “Doc” Sauers,
Paul Fitzpatrick ’94, Kevin
Sheehan ’97, Bob Connolly ’94
and Brian Woods ’94
Alumni Association Annual Meeting Notice
Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of the University at Albany Alumni Association will be held 
Saturday, May 3, 2008, at the Alumni House, University at Albany Campus.
Christina M. Rugari ’04 and
Drew Serynek 
Wayne Kelly ’01, and 
Jessica Insel ’03
Andrea Constantinescu ’00
and Jonathan Arnoff ’00
WINTER 2008
47
Alumni News and Notes
CLASS OF 2029?
1987 – John Kushner and wife Marlene Trzaska
'94, a daughter, Zara Ann, May 2, 2007
1988 – Tim Bulman and wife Gia, a son, Dante James,
Aug. 30, 2007 
1990 – Lisa LaPolt and husband Ramzi Karim, a
daughter, Emelia Mei, May 3, 2007. On May 14,
2007, they also adopted their second daughter,
Elizabeth Grace, born May 2, 2006, in
Gunagdong, China, on May 14, 2007.
1991 – Joy Dixon Polanco and husband Alci, 
a daughter, Chloe Dixie, June 1, 2007
1992 – Wendy Metzer-Macaluso and husband
Marco, a son, Marco Dalton, June 5, 2007
1993 – Jennifer Mayer and husband Matthew
Kaufman, a son, Trevor James, July 30, 2007 
1995 – Peter Russo and wife Teresa, a son, Nicholas
Theodore, August 2007
1999 – Stephanie L. Moreland Fuller and husband
Kevin, a son, Derrick Michael Fuller, 
June 25, 2007
Tina Tarquinio and Bill Van Jura, a 
daughter, Maeve Joanne, March 30, 2007 
2003 – Emily DeTraglia and husband Ramiro, a son,
Ramiro Michael Joseph, Oct. 20, 2006
Amanda Brazee and husband Guy De
Launière, a son, Alexandre Brazee De Launière,
May 24, 2007
Lisa M. Ferraro and husband Giuseppe, 
a son, Pasquale, Oct. 6, 2005
2004 – Rachael Copp and husband Yishai Cohen, 
a daughter, Eden Shalhevet, Aug. 22, 2007
2007 – Spring West and husband David, a daughter,
Isabella Virginia West, April 22, 2007
Births
Eden Shalhevet Cohen
Dante James Bulman
Ramiro Michael DeTraglia
Trevor James Kaufman
Alexandre Brazee De Launière
Pasquale Ferraro
Isabella Virginia West
Marco Dalton Metzer-Macaluso
UALBANY MAGAZINE
48
Authors and Editors
Frances Bethea Grant, B.A.’54,
has written a short story titled Love
Prayers and Peace. It is a book to comfort
those who have lost loved ones and are
going through the grieving process. To
order copies of her 
book, write to 7631 Ladden Court, 
Raleigh, NC 27615.  
Bruce Norton,
B.A.’59, published
Politics in Britain. Norton
is a retired faculty mem-
ber of the School of
Public Affairs at
American University 
and also served as found-
ing director of American University’s
London Semester Program. He has been
living in the United Kingdom for the last
20 years, the last eight them in the Lake
District National Park in northwest
England.
Ron Hamilton, B.A.’65, M.A.’70,
has published his first historical novel,
Behold the Marshal, after five years of
research and three trips to England.
The story is based on the life of the
greatest knight in medieval history,
William Marshal. Marshal rose
from obscurity to become the
Regent of England after the death
of King John, and in the process
saved the Magna Carta from the
dustbin of history. The book is
available on Amazon.com, and by
request at Barnes & Noble and Borders. 
Anne White, M.L.S. ’66, has pub-
lished Secrets Dark and
Deep, the fourth book in
her Lake George Mystery
Series. Her first Lake
George Mystery, An Affinity
For Murder, in which long-
lost Georgia O’Keefe
paintings turn up in a lake-
side attic, won a Malice
Domestic Unpublished
Writers Grant in 1999; the Dark Oak
Award from the book’s publisher, Oak
Tree Books, in 2001; and a nomination as
a Malice Best First Mystery in 2002. 
William E. Nothdurft, B.A.’69, an
award-winning author or ghostwriter of
more than a dozen nonfiction books, has
published his first novel under the pen
name Will North. The novel, The Long
Walk Home, tells the (slightly autobio-
graphical) story of an American writer
who, after caring for his cancer-stricken
ex-wife, honors her last request to have
her ashes scattered atop a mountain in
North Wales. It is a story of grief and
hope and the miracle of new love at mid-
dle age. For details, go to www.will-
northonline.com.
Jane Schwamberger, B.A.’71, co-
authored and published a book titled
Listen Up!: How to Communicate Effectively
at Work. Schwamberger’s
book addresses listening
as the key to effective
communication and pres-
ents easy-to-apply skills
that will help readers to
communicate more effec-
tively with others across
gender, cultural and gen-
erational differences. 
Ellen Datlow, B.A.’71, is the co-edi-
tor of The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales, the
third title in the award-winning “mythic
fiction” series of anthologies. The
anthology, aimed at young adults and
adult readers, explores every permutation
of the Trickster archetype: Coyote,
Hermes, Japanese fox women, and imagi-
nary variations aplenty. It’s a recipe for
rich humor, but also an opportunity to
investigate why they are so essential to
human nature and human narrative.
Datlow, the guest editor of Subterranean
Magazine, issue No. 7, featuring original
science fiction, fantasy and horror, also
has published (and co-edited, with Kelly
Link & Gavin J. Grant), The Year’s Best
Fantasy and Horror 2007, Twentieth Annual
Collection.
Myles Cooley, Ph.D.’74, published a
new book, Teaching Kids with Mental
Health & Learning Disorders in the Regular
Classroom: How to Recognize, Understand,
and Help Challenged (and Challenging)
Students Succeed. Cooley’s accessible,
ready-to-use guide describes mental
health and learning disorders often
observed in school children, explains how
each might be exhibited in the classroom,
and offers suggestions for what to do
(and what not to do).
Eileen Colucci,
B.A.’75, published a
multicultural novel, The
Strings of the Lute, in
June 2007. The book,
which is now available
on Amazon.com, as well as on her Web
site, eileencolucci.com, takes a look at
ordinary people of totally different back-
grounds, cultures and religions dealing
with some of the extraordinary issues of
our time. Colucci says she hopes her
book can contribute in some small way to
fostering peace and understanding among
people of different cultures.
Bill Heller, B.A.’75, is the author of 
A Good Day Has No Rain, which deals with
nuclear fallout that occurred in the 1950s
in New York’s Capital Region due to a
violent storm and domestic atom bomb
testing done by the U.S. government.
Heller also is the racing editor of a bi-
weekly horse racing magazine,
Thoroughbred Style. He has authored 19
books and was inducted into the
Communicators Corner of the Harness 
Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., in 
July 2006. His 10 national awards include 
the 1997 Eclipse Award for Thoroughbred
magazine writing. 
WINTER 2008
49
Alumni News and Notes
WINTER 2008
Jeffrey S. Cramer, M.L.S.’78, has
edited I to Myself: An Annotated Selection
From the Journal of Henry D. Thoreau,
which includes selections from the
entirety of the journal, presenting all
aspects of Thoreau: writer, thinker, natu-
ralist, social reformer,
neighbor and friend.
The book provides
notes on the biograph-
ical, historical and geo-
graphical contexts of
Thoreau’s life. Cramer
is curator of collections
at The Thoreau
Institute at Walden Woods. 
Darby Penney, M.L.S. ’79, has 
co-authored The Lives They Left Behind:
Suitcases from a State
Hospital Attic, Bellevue
Literary Press. When
Willard Psychiatric
Center in New York’s
Finger Lakes closed in
1995, workers discov-
ered hundreds of suit-
cases in the attic of an
abandoned building. The suitcases and
their contents bore witness to the rich,
complex lives their owners lived prior 
to being committed to Willard. Penney 
also received a Fellowship in Nonfiction
Literature for 2007 from the New York
Foundation for the Arts. Information on 
the project and the book is at
www.SuitcaseExhibit.org.
Nancy Levine, B.A.’82, has written a
new book, The Ugly Pugling: Wilson the Pug
in Love. Levine also has teamed with The
Humane Society to produce a special edi-
tion The Ugly Pugling/Neuter or Spay
bookmark. If your organization would
like a supply of free bookmarks to give
away, please respond to this e-mail with
how many bookmarks
you'd like and your
mailing address. If
you’d like an individ-
ual bookmark, please
send an SASE to Pugling Bookmark, P.O.
Box 6304, Albany, CA 94706. For more
information, please visit www.humaneso-
ciety.org/spayday. 
Kathleen Balthazar Heitzmann,
B.S.’82, M.S.’90, has published Cane
River and its Creole Stories. The story looks
at life on Cane River during the teens,
’20s, and ’30s of the 20th century
through stories, letters and interviews. 
James Reed, B.S.’84,
has published Agree or
Disagree: Because Opinions
Matter, a collection of life
lists that are universal in
nature and thought 
provoking in form. 
Michael Carpenter, M.A.’87, and
Roger Fulton, M.A.’87, have pub-
lished Looseleaf Law, a career guide for
criminal justice professionals. Carpenter
is an associate professor of Criminal
Justice at Adirondack Community
College in Glens
Falls, N.Y. Fulton is a
retired captain with
the New York State
Police and also resides
in Glens Falls.
Warren
Hammond,
B.A.’90, has written KOP, a novel of
human triumph and tragedy on a distant
colony world. A corrupt policeman, an
overgrown jungle city that gets only five
hours of sun between 17-hour nights, and
battling crime gangs set the extremely
noir scene for
Hammond’s solidly
constructed, fast-
paced science fiction
debut. 
Ben Tanzer, B.A.’90,
has published Lucky Man, 
a story about friendship,
growing up and trying to
move on. Interwoven throughout are
explorations into dreams, the “Twilight
Zone,” the Grateful Dead and the
“Greatest American Hero.” There are
drugs, road trips, breakdowns, violence
and adultery. Fathers and sons try to
make sense of their relationships, and
characters question what it means to
know God. For more information, visit
www.manxmedia.com/luckyman.htm or
Ben’s blog at
www.bentanzer.blogspot.com. 
Piyasuda Pangsapa,
B.A.’92, has published
Textures of Struggle: The
Emergence of Resistance Among
Garment Workers in Thailand, a
major contribution to the study
of sociology. Pangsapa is an
assistant professor of Women’s
Studies at the University at Buffalo.
Marty Dauer, M.B.A.’97, has
published Harvey Woods: The Royal
Adventures. The children’s book,
geared towards ages 9-12, details
the adventures of Douglas and
Elizabeth as they encounter myth-
ical creatures, royal bandits and
mysteries of a magical land Dauer
has created.
Jan Daniels Wellik, B.A.’99, has
published Nature Writing Field Guide for
Teachers. The 50-page book is a nature
writing curriculum for use with grades 3-
12. Wellik developed the Eco
Expressions nature writing program for
at-risk youth in Southern California in
2004. She works with abused children,
homeless teens and youth in crisis,
encouraging the healing powers of writ-
ing. The book is available for purchase
online at www.EcoExpressions.org.
UALBANY MAGAZINE
50
Deaths
20s
Esther S. Gordon '26, Dec. 21, 2004
Katherine G. Cahalan '27, 
Sept. 1, 1993
Ruth Knudson Plaisted '28, 
March 31, 2007
Marjorie Waite Kenney '29, 
June 21, 2007
Marion Sloan Loveland '29, 
Oct. 31, 2006
30s
Lillian Fisher Levinstein '31, 
June 23, 2007
J. William Sawyer '31, Sept. 4, 1995
Esther De Heus Van Keuren '31,
Jan. 7, 2005
Ruth E. Goldsmith Fillips '32, 
Feb. 18, 2007
Robert Goodrich '32, June 16, 2007
Elva Nealon Hudtwalker '32, 
July 9, 2005
Ellis A. Kolodny '32, Oct. 5, 2006
Alice Giblin Withington '32, 
July 27, 2007
Clarice Simmons Yates '32, 
June 25, 2006
Marylou Walther Canessa '34, 
Jan. 14, 2000
Jessie E. Englehardt Eaton '34,
March 10, 1994
Marguerite H. Paris Stahl '34, 
April 25, 2007
Guy A. Enfanto '35, May 21, 2004
Ruth Waugh Magill '35, Oct. 27, 2005
Margaret E. Delaney Peel '35, 
Aug. 20, 2006
Susan S. Smith '35, Sept. 21, 2005
Lucile V. Hirsh Tolces '35, 
July 24, 2006
Grace Kline Maxfield '36, 
April 6, 2007
Ruth Britt Gleason '37, April 12, 2007
Finkle Rosenberg '37, Oct. 24, 2006
Ida B. Armstrong Smith '37, 
Feb. 9, 2007
Elizabeth H. Christen '38, Nov. 7, 2005
Eleanor Dubois Huba '38, Feb. 9, 2006
I. Harold Losee '38, July 11, 2004
Eleanor Andrews McAbee '38,
March 31, 2006
Galen R. Plumb '38, Nov. 30, 2006
Nan T. Emery MacArevey '39, 
July 10, 2007
James R. Spence '39, Nov. 5, 2007
40s
Frances Field Novak '40, Oct. 17, 2007
Florence Adler Smith '40, 
May 12, 2007
Shirley Vanvalkenburgh Brody '41,
Sept. 25, 2007
Loretta Kelly Weiss '41, Feb. 27, 2007
Bernard D. Arbit '42, Aug. 30, 2006
Ruth Freeman Carter '42, 
Dec. 6, 2005
Beth Pedley Casey '42, Aug. 3, 2007
Muriel Rapoport Crane '42, 
April 19, 2005
Louise D. De Angelis Hall '42,
March 7, 2006
Vesta M. Hauser '42, April 20, 2007
Charles W. Reynolds '42, 
May 31, 2007
Barbara Kerlin Walker '43, 
July 5, 2007
Frederick A. Shoemaker '44, 
Feb. 1, 2007
Elaine V. Alton '46, Aug. 11, 2006
Jean Kinsella Stapf '46, 
May 18, 2005
John D. Crosley '47, Oct. 10, 2006
Eleanor R. Hathaway '47, 
March 2, 2004
Helen Kilbourne Pechin '47, 
Nov. 23, 2005
Abe Sherer '47, June 25, 2005
Theresa Case '48, Aug. 25, 2005
Mary E. Whitney Eager '48, 
July 24, 2001
Henry R. Farley '48, July 5, 2007
Robert W. Hill '48, April 14, 1998
Curtis L. Pfaff '48, April 3, 2005
Martin C. Bush '49, Nov. 20, 2007
Arline Zeilengold Dinkoff '49, 
July 15, 2007
Betty J. Dimon Harrison '49, 
June 11, 1997
Alice Smith Scholl '49, April 12, 2006
50s
Bernadine Ohearn Herskind '50,
April 24, 2007
Lois A. Bassett Keller '50, Jan. 31, 2007
J. Donald O'Hare '50, Feb. 6, 2007
Julian DeLyser '51, May 27, 2007
Betty Hicks Parker '51, Feb. 24, 2007
Raymond Rapacz '51, Feb. 20, 2007
Walter K. Robinson '51, May 20, 2007
Glen N. Armitage '52, March 16, 2006
Robert E. Barron '52, Oct. 2, 2007
Barbara J. Gamage '52, May 31, 2007
Elaine Tinkelman Zweben '52,
March 12, 2003
C. Michael Abraham '53, Feb. 23, 2007
Robert N. Andersen '53, Oct. 23, 2007
Ruth M. Poole Kasper '53, 
April 22, 2005
David W. Martin, Ph.D. '53, 
Sept. 17, 2007
Muriel H. Woodman Peterson '53,
Oct. 04, 2007
Marietta E. Wiles Shannon '53, 
Jan. 15, 2007
Francis O. Streeter '53, April 15, 2007
Robert Johnson '54, Oct. 13, 2005
Marjorie Ashley '55, June 22, 2007
W. David Borden '55, Feb. 17, 2007
Marilyn Broadbent MacIntyre '55,
Sept. 2, 2007
Henrietta D. Diehl '56, May 23, 2007
Peter J. Paulson '56, Sept. 29, 2006
Olina Fusco Quinn '56, Feb. 25, 2007
Sherman E. Hunt '57, March 8, 2006
Myrna Lande Lewis '57, June 15, 2007
Kenneth H. Kadet '59, Sept. 2, 2006
60s
Harriet Adams '60, Sept. 25, 2005
Donna L. Colby McDonough '60,
July 4, 2006
Shirley J. Stone Sussman '60,
March 2, 2007
Margaret Collins Colby '61, 
May 31, 2007
Richard McCumber '61, Aug. 3, 2007
William Wanzer '61, Nov. 4, 2007
James F. Rogers '62, April 12, 2007
Patrick C. Geraghty '63, 
April 13, 2005
Alumni News and Notes
Dr. James Spence, 
co-councilor for the 
Class of 1939, passed away 
in November 2007. 
James became a class councilor 
in 1987 and was a vital part of 
the Council of Classes and 
Alumni Association for more than
20 years. The Alumni Association 
is grateful for his service and 
devotion to his alma mater. 
He will be missed.
Richard Callner
Professor Emeritus of Art Richard Callner, who was instrumental in found-
ing the University at Albany’s M.F.A. program in the 1970s, passed away
Aug. 31, 2007, at the age of 80.
Callner spent his childhood in the Midwest and left school at 17 to serve
in the U.S. Navy toward the end of World War II. Following his discharge
from the service in 1946, he earned his B.A. from the University of
Wisconsin, studied at the Académie Julian in Paris and received an
M.F.A. at Columbia University. Callner began his academic career at
Purdue University in Indiana. Supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship, he
spent a year in England and France, and later taught at Temple
University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. He also served as found-
ing director of Temple’s Tyler Art School in Rome, Italy. 
During his two decades with the University at Albany, Callner continued
to distinguish himself as an artist, and as a teacher and a mentor to hun-
dreds of students. A Fulbright recipient, he traveled extensively in Europe
and Asia, and became the first American artist to speak at the Hermitage
in the former Soviet Union. He retired from the University in 1993.
An artist for 50 years, Callner continued to paint even after the onset of
Parkinson’s  disease, favoring both an increased use of abstraction and
more vivid color as the disease progressed. His works, which also
include prints, etchings and sculpture, are among the holdings at public
and private collections in Russia, Turkey, and Yugoslavia; the Philadelphia
Museum of Art; the New York Public Library; colleges, museums and art
institutes throughout the world; and the University at Albany Art Museum. 
Callner’s survivors include his wife, Carolyn; a son, David; a daughter,
Joanna; and two grandchildren.
Alan A. Tamaroff '63, Oct. 12, 2007
Frances Miller Bogdansky '64, 
June 24, 2007
Ronald L. Beauchemin '66, 
April 19, 1999
Robert J. Mielke '66, May 28, 2007
Marjorie C. Loveland '67, 
June 2, 2007
Alice Grandchamp Richardson '67,
Oct. 3, 2006
Judith Aurand Gibbons '68, 
March 21, 2007
Henry S. Rabinowitz '68, April 5, 2007
Elizabeth L. Lokenberg Dixon '69,
Aug. 27, 2007
Susan Miller Patnaude '69, 
Feb. 1, 2007
Edwin J. Szczepanik '69, Dec. 7, 2001
70s
Rosemary C. Barton '70, Jan. 9, 2006
William J. Carr '70, June 28, 2007
Kathryn P. Carro '70, July 5, 2007
Greg Georgelos '71, May 29, 2007
Glenn S. Schechtman '71, 
March 19, 2007
Theodore J. Vickery '71, 
May 6, 2007
Dennis J. Barrett '72, March 8, 2007
Bruce W. Ferguson '72, 
March 20, 2004
Norman Goldman, Ph.D. '72, 
April 8, 2007
Rosemary A. Infante '72, 
April 16, 2006
Dorothy K. Perrey '72, April 9, 2007
William G. Seeley, Ph.D. '72, 
Sept. 8, 2007
Walter J. Biesiada '73, Aug. 7, 2006
Bette D. Schrader Patterson '74, 
Oct. 15, 2007
Jean E. Smith '74, Dec. 12, 2005
Mary Ellen Carey '75, June 7, 2005
Katie Friedland Goldberg '75, 
Feb. 20, 2007
Richard J. Green '75, March 18, 2007
Roberta S. Collier '76, June 20, 2007
William M. Counts '77, July 21, 2005
Henry H. Simon '77, Jan. 3, 2007
Peter Taylor '77, Sept. 12, 2007
Charles Butkus '78, Feb. 11, 2007
Donald W. Radz '78, Feb. 4, 2007
Joan Zavelo Eckert '78, 
Aug. 14, 2007
David C. Batkin '79, March 30, 2006
David B. Berger '79, Jan. 16, 2006
Jane P. Leonard '79, March 12, 2005
80s
Martin J. Grab, Jr. '80, Nov. 20, 2007
Maureen E. Kelly '80, 
April 25, 2007
Ronni S. Kupersmith Duncan '81, 
Oct. 5, 2007
Robert C. Jones '81, March 19, 2007
Richard T. Nash '81, May 10, 2007
Elaine D. Stoddard '81, Sept. 12, 2007
Frances E. Straus '81, Aug. 24, 2007
Scott Kunen '82, Nov. 13, 2006
Pratap M. Narsu '82, May 23, 2006
Dianne M. Hacker '83, June 6, 2007
Charles A. Peterpaul '83, 
March 30, 2007
Charles A. Flagg '84, July 15, 2007
Mary E. Gordon '84, Sept. 11, 2007
Eileen M. McEleney '84, 
May 21, 2006
Charles E. Lawlor '85, 
Feb. 28, 2005
Kathy L. Loizeaux '85, May 19, 2007
Steven M. Banks, Ph.D. '87, 
Aug. 10, 2007
Alfred A. Campione '87, 
Oct. 2, 2007
Sandra A. Demare '87, 
May 22, 2006
Christopher A. Zackey '87, 
Jan. 8, 2007
90s
Soo Y. Fackler '91, Sept. 6, 2007
Stefan Neeser '91, Aug. 10, 2007
John J. Orlyk '91, July 14, 2007
Charles P. Rosenberg '91, 
April 21, 2007
Sonya L. Snyder '93, Aug. 7, 2006
Kelly R. Mulholland '99, 
Oct. 17, 2007
Jesse R. Radowitz '99, May 6, 2007
00s
Gregory J. Gluszak '04, Jan. 13, 2006
Quinn Ennis Coffey '05, June 4, 2007
Deette S. Cotherman '06, 
Aug. 23, 2007
Sean P. O'Neill '06, July 8, 2007
Jacob Tasher '06, Nov. 7, 2007
Faculty/Staff
Harry L. Frisch, Ph.D., 
Distinguished Service Professor,
Chemistry, Sept. 21, 2007
WINTER 2008
51
Letters to the Editor
ONLY ONE LOUIS R. SALKEVER
The Fall 2007 “Alumni News and Notes” section, page 51, 
carries a death notice for Louis R. Salkever and lists him as
“Lecturer, Economics, 1965-1988, July 1, 1995.” I am pretty sure
this is the same Louis R. Salkever who was dean of Graduate
Studies at Albany in the early 1970s. That I know because I was a
graduate assistant working for Paul Saimond at the time, and he
reported directly to Dr. Salkever. I believe that Dr. Salkever suc-
ceeded Dr. Edgar Flinton as dean of Graduate Studies. Dr. Salkever
earned his doctorate (1951) in labor economics (wage theory)
from the Industrial & Labor Relations School at Cornell, which is
another reason the name sticks in my mind. The reason I am writ-
ing is that his appointment at one time at Albany involved more
than that of merely a lecturer in economics.
I realize I may be a bit reckless, but how many Louis R. Salkevers
can there be out there? For the record, he was born in 1914 and
his middle name was Romov. That we established from our online
catalog because we have his thesis in the Martin P. Catherwood
Library at Cornell University’s School of Industrial & Labor
Relations.
Incidentally, great magazine ... UAlbany. When I retire someday, 
I will make more time to reconnect with the University at Albany.
I am very proud to have earned three degrees from there, and I
gained much from the experience.
Gordon T. Law Jr., B.A.’67, M.A.’68, M.L.S.’72
Ithaca, NY 
[Editor’s note: As Gordon Law writes, Louis R. Salkever was indeed vice presi-
dent for Research and dean of Graduate Studies at UAlbany (1971-79.) Hired
as a full professor in 1965, he chaired the economics department for three
years. Salkever retired as professor emeritus in 1982 but continued to lecture
on a part-time basis until 1988.]
ANOTHER ‘LAST WORD’ ON THE DANES
There is nothing wrong with the school mascot’s being a Great
Dane [“The Last Word,” page 52, Fall 2007 UAlbany]. What caused
a lot of resentment at the time was the fact that no one from the
athletic department was on the selection committee. I know this
to be true because I was a student assistant to the athletic director
from 1964 through 1966. 
Mr. [Merlin] Hathaway was not very happy that neither he nor
anyone from his athletic coaching staff was selected for that mas-
cot committee. When I would ask the coaches what they thought
of the new name, they would just smile and really not say 
much of anything. 
Like it or not, a school mascot is usually identified with the
school’s seasonal team sports. So, not having a coach or the athlet-
ic director on the selection committee was a bit of a snub. Years
later, however, I was very proud of the way the Great Danes took 
it to the Connecticut Huskies during the first half of that NCAA
regional basketball game!
John Neander, B.S.’67 
Frederick, MD    
UALBANY MAGAZINE
52
The Last Word
By Harold Gould, B.A.’47
ADDRESS, E-MAIL, PHONE OR JOB CHANGES
E-mail: rtrinci@uamail.albany.edu
Mail: Rita Trinci
Office of Development Services
UAB 209 
University at Albany
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
ALUMNI NEWS AND NOTES
E-mail: alumniassociation@uamail.albany.edu
Lee Serravillo, Executive Director
Mail: Alumni Association
Alumni House
University at Albany
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
Ph: (518) 442-3080; Fax: (518) 442-3207
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
E-mail: colechowski@uamail.albany.edu
Mail: Carol Olechowski
Editor, UAlbany Magazine
University Development
UAB 214
University at Albany
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
Ph: (518) 437-4992; Fax: (518) 437-4957
s I look back on my State College experience, I think I
can identify three things that have influenced my work 
as an actor.
Certainly, my work with Agnes Futterer in her drama classes was
crucial. She converted me from a smug little know-it-all high-
school performer given to self-indulgent exhibitionism into some-
one more disciplined. She alerted me to the power of language, and
the need to vocalize it with clarity and variety. And, as I came to
realize, her emphasis on attention to language as a means of deter-
mining character and intent in a play vivified my classes in poetry
and the novel in English literature.
But I must say, though I have tried to incorporate such training in
my professional work, and it continues to enrich my reading, it has
also had a depressing effect. It has made me a restless and cranky
witness of most movies, many television programs and even live
theatre performances in their careless treatment of language.
Necessary exposition, important plot revelations and crucial 
dramatic moments are often performed with unintelligible, slurred
speech, or obscured by sound and visual effects. (Oh dear, have 
the standards I acquired At State College actually poisoned my
enjoyment of these performing arts?)
A happier effect of my State College expe-
rience was the opportunity to develop
my comic instincts. Every Friday, the
entire 
student body would assemble in Page
Auditorium to learn of school events
for the upcoming week. I
often took turns delivering
such information in brief
skits or musical jingles,
and my frequent success in
these efforts previewed
that 
portion of my career spent
in sketch work with Carol
Burnett, Red Skelton,
Danny Kaye, Jack Benny,
Red Buttons, Carl Reiner,
Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and others.
In common with my contemporaries at State College, I spent a
good portion of the curriculum in education courses prescribed to
further the school's main goal of teacher preparation. At the time, 
I thought these classes fairly arid and unproductive, and I resigned
myself to enduring them.
But as I now look back on them, I think they may possibly have
enriched my work as an actor. Especially when I was performing
works of Shakespeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Molière, Stoppard, Arthur
Miller, Pirandello, Vaclav Havel, etc., my approach as an actor was
to share my understanding of my character and the text with the
class, the audience – not to perform at them but to maintain their
attention, excite their interest and invite them into the play as I saw
it. Some of the best classroom learning I experienced from elemen-
tary to graduate school came from teachers whose immersion in
their subject matter and whose enthusiasm for it
sparked a similar response in me.
If the enjoyment, skill and love of my work engen-
dered at State College helped to produce for my
audiences laughter, along with a heightened aware-
ness of the human condition, I would deem myself
fulfilled in my chosen profession.
To read more about Harold Gould’s life and career,
please turn to page 21.
UAlbany Here are the best ways to reach us!
“Certainly, my work 
with Agnes Futterer 
in her drama classes
was crucial.”
Agnes Futterer
A
www.albany.edu/giving
Stay Connected. Make UAlbany Stronger.
UAlbany students have unlimited possibilities. 
Your support allows those possibilities to become reality.
1400 Washington Avenue
Division of University Development
University Administration Building 209
Albany, NY 12222
Non Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Burlington, VT
Permit No. 378
www.albany.edu
We’ve added new items, 
new logo options and great deals.
Go Great Danes!
Check out your online 
Alumni Store!
www.albany.edu/alumni/store