UAlbany Magazine, 2015 September

Big Picture
Welcome Week Candle-lighting Ceremony
The University at Albany family gathers at the uptown campus for the Welcome Week 
Candle-lighting Ceremony, an inspirational start to the 2015-16 academic year.
UAlbany
University at Albany Magazine
Fall 2015, Volume 24, Number 2
www.albany.edu
1
	
8 	 Path to the Pulitzer Prize
	
	
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Stephen Adly 
Guirgis, B.A.’90, discovered his passion for  
the theatre at UAlbany.           
	 10 	 Student Spotlight  
	
	
For senior social-welfare major Jon Gilroy,  
the future holds the possibility of two or three  
careers, including one as a motivational speaker.      
	 11 	 Social-Media Mavens  
	
	
By connecting with consumers via social media, 
University at Albany alumni are expanding product 
lines, services and businesses – and giving 
customers exactly what they want.                          
Contents
Departments
	
2	
From the Podium and Beyond
	
5	
Gifts at Work
	
6	
Out and About	
	
28	
The Carillon  
(Alumni News and Notes)
	
48	
Last Look 
Features
Brian Busher
www.albany.edu
From the Podium and Beyond
UAlbany President Assumes  
Campus Compact Post 
University at Albany 
President Robert J. Jones 
began serving a three-
year term July 1 with 
the Board of Directors 
of Campus Compact, a 
national coalition of more 
than 1,100 colleges and 
universities committed 
to fulfilling the public 
purposes of higher 
education. 
As the only national higher-education association 
dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, 
Campus Compact provides resources that support 
faculty and staff as they pursue community-based 
teaching and scholarship in the service of positive 
change. Its board guides the organizational mission 
of deepening higher education’s ability to improve 
community life and educate students for civic and 
social responsibility.
Strzalkowski’s Research  
Attracts ARL 
Support
Through a cooperative 
agreement with the U.S. 
Army Research Laboratory’s 
(ARL) Open Campus 
initiative, Professor of 
Computer Science Tomek 
Strzalkowski has been awarded $499,930 to explore 
the manner in which new data-capture techniques 
can help advance research in such areas as 
psychology, anthropology, linguistics and sociology. 
An expert on information intelligence and tracking 
of information about terrorists, Strzalkowski directs 
the University’s Institute for Informatics, Logics and 
Security Studies (ILS). His interests include natural 
language processing, and information processing 
and retrieval.
Mark Schmidt
Paul Miller
Paul Miller
Mark McCarty
Joined by family, friends and members of the University at 
Albany community, the Class of 2019 gathered at SEFCU 
Arena Aug. 22 for the first-ever Opening Convocation. More 
than 4,000 guests attended the event, which will be held 
annually on the second day of freshman move-in.  
For additional photos and information, link to  
www.albany.edu/news/61707.php?WT.eml=nc.     
2 
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
www.albany.edu
3
NSF CAREER  
Award Presented  
to Rose
The National 
Science Foundation 
(NSF) has 
presented a 
$544,681 Faculty 
Early Development 
(CAREER) Award 
to Assistant 
Professor of 
Atmospheric and Environmental 
Sciences Brian Rose.
Rose will use the funding to examine 
the role of oceans in the planetary 
energy cycles. In an effort to better 
understand how and why the planetary 
energy budget varies in response to 
oceanic processes on a variety of time 
scales, Rose and his research team will 
study ocean heat fluxes as independent 
climate forcings. 
A major aspect of the project involves 
the mentoring of a new generation of 
climate scientists, including a doctoral 
student and several undergraduates.   
Brian Tolle, B.A.’86, will be bringing his sculptures  
to the University Art Museum this fall.
Bordering Utopia: Sculptures by Brian Tolle is the first 
exhibition to bring together the artist’s 1990s work, based 
on Colonial-American structures, with his more recent 
creations. His works, which include Levittown (2009) and 
Alice and Job (2000), have earned recognition from the 
Irish American Historical Society, the Louis Comfort 
Tiffany Foundation, and the Design Commission of 
the City of New York. Perhaps best known for his Irish 
Hunger Memorial in New York City, Tolle is currently 
working on public projects in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Calgary, 
Alberta; and Columbus, Ohio. 
Tolle, who majored in political science at UAlbany, says 
the negotiation skills he acquired through his studies and 
a two-year internship with the New York State Assembly 
have helped him to achieve success in designing and 
executing public projects. He also holds a B.F.A. from 
Parsons the New School for Design and an M.F.A.  
from Yale University. 
Bordering Utopia opens Oct. 6; a public reception will 
be held Oct. 9 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the museum. The 
exhibition runs concurrently with Oded Hirsch: Three 
Videos through Dec. 12.
Recent Graduate  
Receives Fulbright
It didn’t take Kaitlyn Gulick, B.A.’15, long to transition from 
college life to international educator: Shortly after graduation 
last May, she received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant 
(ETA) Scholarship in South Korea.
During her sophomore and junior years at UAlbany, Gulick 
studied in Japan and South Korea. The Japanese studies major 
from Cohoes, N.Y., participated in the University’s Tae Kwon Do 
Club and was a member of the Korean and Japanese student 
associations. She also helped to develop UAlbany Cultural 
Connections, a club created to promote cultural exploration by 
American and international students.    
Gulick left July 10 for her assignment in South Korea, where 
she will become TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other 
Languages) certified. She will return to the U.S. next July.
Tolle Exhibit Opens at UAlbany Museum 
Mark Schmidt
Mark Schmidt
4
UAlbany Magazine
UAlbany
Magazine
Fall 2015, Volume 24, Number 2
UAlbany magazine is published twice a year for alumni, 
parents, faculty, staff and friends of the University at 
Albany, State University of New York. Our objective is to 
produce a lively, informative publication that stimulates 
pride and interest in UAlbany.
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@albany.edu
Art Director/Designer
Mary Sciancalepore
Writers
Christine Doyle, M.B.A.’04; Michele Flynn;  
Paul Grondahl, M.A.’84; Claudia Ricci, Ph.D.’96; 
Jim Sciancalepore, M.A.’93;  
Stephen Shoemaker, B.A.’02  
Photographers
Atlantic Theater Company/Kevin Thomas Garcia; 
Eileen Barroso/Columbia University; Brian 
Busher; Anna Chan/Birkenstock; Clayton Collins; 
Mark McCarty; Paul Miller; New York State 
Writers Institute; Mark Schmidt; Sarah Stone  
for BuzzFeed 
Researchers
Benjamin Brunjes, B.S.’12; Jennifer Casabonne, 
M.S.’03; Deborah Forand; Lisa Gonzalez, M.A.’03; 
Amy Johnston
Features Manager
Agostino Futia, B.A.’01, M.A.’08
Web Editor
Melissa Fry, M.B.A.’12
Business Manager
Lillian Lee
The Carillon
Editor
Stephanie Snyder
ssnyder2@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 nine schools and colleges. For more 
information about this internationally ranked institution, 
please visit www.albany.edu. 
Cover: For Ron Wechsler, B.A.’92, social media have 
opened up new avenues of promoting NBC Sports’ 
original programming and communicating with 
consumers. To read about the ways Wechsler and 
other UAlbany alumni are using Facebook, Twitter and 
other online venues to spread the word about their 
companies’ products and services, turn to page 11.    
Photo: Clayton Collins
New Senior Administrators Appointed
University at Albany President Robert J. Jones has announced the following 
recent senior administrative appointments: 
Vice Provost and Dean Harvey 
Charles, International Education 
Charles formerly served as vice provost 
for International Initiatives and director 
of the Center for International Education 
at Northern Arizona 
University. He has also 
held senior leadership roles 
at Georgia Institute of 
Technology; San Francisco 
State University; Wheaton 
College; and the University 
of Nevada, Reno.
Vice President Joseph A. Brennan, 
Communications and Marketing 
Brennan joins UAlbany 
from the University of 
Iowa, where he served as 
vice president of Strategic 
Communications. His 
previous professional 
experience includes 
executive communication roles at Ohio 
University, the University of the Pacific, 
and The University of Toledo in Ohio.  
Vice President Michael Christakis, 
Student Success 
Christakis, who earned an M.P.P. and a 
Ph.D. from Rockefeller 
College of Public Affairs 
& Policy, joined the 
University staff in 1999. 
He has held numerous 
positions, including an 
associate vice president’s 
post, in Student Affairs.
Dean and Professor William  
Alex Pridemore, School of  
Criminal Justice 
Pridemore comes to UAlbany from 
Georgia State University, where he was 
a distinguished professor 
in the Department of 
Criminal Justice and 
Criminology and a senior 
researcher in the Cluster 
on Evidence-Based Policy.  
Dean Darrell P. Wheeler, School  
of Social Welfare; Vice Provost, 
Public Engagement 
Wheeler previously served 
at Loyola University 
Chicago as dean and 
professor in the School of 
Social Work. Active in the 
professional community, he 
is president of the Board of 
Directors of the National Association of 
Social Workers. 
Interim Dean Kim L. Boyer, College of 
Engineering and Applied Sciences 
Boyer, who is also 
professor and chair of 
the new Department of 
Computer Engineering, 
formerly headed the 
Department of Electrical, 
Computer and Systems 
Engineering at Rensselaer 
Polytechnic Institute. Previously, he 
served on the faculty of The Ohio State 
University for 22 years.     
Interim Dean R. Karl Rethemeyer, 
Rockefeller College of Public Affairs 
& Policy   
Rethemeyer’s primary 
research interest is in 
social networks; their 
impact on social, political 
and policy processes; and 
the methods used to study 
such networks.
Interim Dean David L. Rousseau, 
College of Emergency Preparedness, 
Homeland Security and Cybersecurity 
Rousseau’s research interests focus on 
military conflict, shared identity, political 
development, and foreign policy. His 
books include Democracy and War: 
Institutions, Norms and the 
Evolution of International 
Conflict and Identifying 
Threats and Threatening 
Identities: The Social 
Construction of Realism and 
Liberalism.
www.albany.edu
5
Gifts at Work
By Michele Flynn
www.albany.edu
5
L
ongtime 
University 
at 
Albany 
supporters 
J. 
Spencer 
Standish 
and 
Patricia Standish donated $1.5 
million in 2014 to endow positions 
for three professors who will 
work with students interested in 
creating and managing their own 
businesses. This fall, Bill Wales, 
Ph.D., becomes the School of 
Business’ first Standish Professor  
in Entrepreneurship.  
Dean Donald Siegel said Wales, who comes to UAlbany 
from James Madison University (JMU), is “the ideal person 
for this professorship.” Added Siegel, “The position is going 
to someone from the region who is an expert and who can 
help us enhance student entrepreneurship on campus and  
in the region.” 
Wales, who grew up in South Colonie, is thrilled to be 
returning to the Capital Region. “It is really my home. I have a 
great deal of love for the Albany area,” he said. Wales described 
New York’s capital as “a great place for entrepreneurship, with 
access to tremendous research universities, a Small Business 
Development Center, tech meet-ups and other opportunities 
for networking.”
Wales holds a B.S. in information technology, an M.S. in 
industrial and management engineering, and a Ph.D. in 
management, all from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His 
research focuses on corporate entrepreneurship, particularly 
identifying where organizations fall on the entrepreneurship 
continuum in terms of their innovativeness, risk taking and 
proactivity.
One concept Wales will bring to the School of Business is a 
hands-on class in entrepreneurship. He created and offered 
the course when he was a visiting professor of strategy and 
entrepreneurship at Skidmore College and continued it at 
JMU, where it is among the most popular electives. For his 
efforts related to the development of an experiential approach 
to entrepreneurship education, Wales was awarded JMU’s 
Kenneth Bartee Endowed Teaching Innovation Award in 
2012.
His classroom approach, Wales explained, involves spending 
less time creating a business plan and more time doing. 
“Deeper, richer learning occurs when one is tasked with 
attempting to start and run a new business. Entrepreneurship 
is about problem solving. Entrepreneurs care about building 
new solutions to problems they encounter. They don’t want to 
be in a lecture hall. They are creators. They are competitive. 
They rise to a challenge,” added Wales, who will teach at both 
the undergraduate and graduate levels.
J. 
Spencer 
Standish, 
chairman 
emeritus 
at 
Albany 
International, and Patricia Standish, a retired college lecturer, 
are well known to Capital Region residents for their support of 
numerous educational and civic interests. Their gift combines 
with a SUNY 20/20 grant to create this professorship in 
entrepreneurship and two others.
Pictured, in the photo at left, are Steven Gagliardo ’15, 
Jameson Wells ’15, Najwa Zarook ’15, J. Spencer Standish, 
Nicholas DeSimone ’16, Patricia Standish, and Lauren Ursaki 
’13, 14. Above is Standish Professor Bill Wales.
6
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
Out and About
By Christine A. Doyle, M.B.A. ’04
William L. Reese Center Dedication
Photos: Valerie DiRocco-Ruskin ’95 and Lori Matt-Murphy 
Dozens of UAlbany faculty, emeriti faculty, staff and friends gathered May 15 to dedicate the University at Albany’s Emeritus 
Center in honor of William L. Reese, Ph.D., its founder. The center sponsors a variety of speakers and educational and 
cultural programs dedicated to what Reese calls its “three voices”: Research, Teaching and Service. The William L. Reese 
Emeritus Center, funded in part by The Professor Reese “Three Voices” Endowment, will continue to enhance its diverse 
offerings to UAlbany’s emeriti faculty. 
Inaugural Massry Lecture a Rousing Success
Photos: Mark Schmidt
More than 100 UAlbany supporters and students attended the inaugural Massry Lecture on March 12 in the Standish Living 
Room of the School of Business. Featured speaker Benjamin M. Lawsky, New York State’s Superintendent of Financial Services, 
addressed a number of his department’s key regulatory priorities. Made possible by the historic generosity of the Massry family, 
the lecture was the first in a series of activities seeking to enrich the academic experience for University at Albany students. 
President Robert J. Jones unveils the plaque  
that will be placed at the entrance to the center.
William L. Reese, seated, is joined by his family at the May 16  
Graduate Commencement Ceremony, where he was  
honored publicly for his dedication and generous support.
Above, left, Norman Massry, Benjamin Lawsky, Micki Massry and University President Robert J. Jones  
gather for a photo. At right, Lawsky speaks with students. 
www.albany.edu
7
The Great Danes at Saratoga
Photos: Colleen Piccolino
The Great Danes graced Saratoga for two days of celebration, networking and horse racing. 
More than 110 UAlbany donors attended the invitation-only reception, held July 30 at the Saratoga National Racing  
Museum and Hall of Fame. Guests had the opportunity to mingle, tour the facility, and hear from University at Albany 
Foundation Board President George R. Hearst III and UAlbany President Robert J. Jones.
The following day, 300-plus alumni and friends gathered for the Second Annual UAlbany Day at the Races. The event  
featured appearances and prizes provided by the partners at West Point Thoroughbreds; guest horse handicappers; and  
the team behind Embrace the Race, a Saratoga-born horse-racing apparel company.
Merci, Gracias, Arigato … Thanking UAlbany Donors
Photos: Mark Schmidt
While preparing for their finals May 7, UAlbany students took time to stop by the  
“Thank a Donor” area just outside the Campus Center and share personal messages of  
gratitude. By supporting scholarships, awards, lectures, nationally ranked programs and  
cutting-edge facilities, UAlbany donors make a difference both inside and outside the  
classroom. For a moving video summary of the day, visit www.albany.edu/giving and  
click on “featured video.”
8
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
A
fter changing his major three 
times, Stephen Adly Guirgis finally 
discovered his passion, and an academic 
home, in the University at Albany’s 
theatre department. He credited 
theatre professors Langdon Brown and 
the late Jarka Burian and Al Asermely 
with inspiring him to pursue a career 
that culminated in the 2015 Pulitzer 
Prize for drama for his play Between 
Riverside and Crazy.
“Al was kind of like a shepherd of 
wayward souls, and he helped guide me 
through to graduation. Al’s playwriting 
class helped open my mind and made 
me think maybe I could write for the 
theater someday,” said Guirgis. 
He recalled Burian as “a great teacher 
who taught me to love the theater,” and 
he took Brown’s classes in Comic Theory, 
Shakespeare and Modern Drama. Brown 
also cast Guirgis his senior year in his 
first lead in a University play, Richard 
Greenberg’s Eastern Standard.
The son of an Egyptian immigrant, 
Guirgis grew up in Manhattan and had 
only vague objectives when he arrived 
at UAlbany. He struggled academically 
and felt adrift as he tried various 
majors before he found his niche in the 
tight-knit theatre program. “Things 
really started to click, at that point,” 
he recalled. “We were kind of like a 
weird group, but we were always doing 
something, creating shows, and we 
stuck together.”
Glenn Fleshler, B.A.’90, Guirgis’ 
roommate in off-campus apartments 
and fellow theatre major, went on to 
star in the TV series “True Detective” 
and “Hannibal” and has been cast in 
many feature films. Another Guirgis 
collaborator who attended UAlbany  
is John Ortiz, a founder, with the  
late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman,  
of the off-Broadway LAByrinth  
Theater Company. 
When Guirgis visited UAlbany in 
2010 for a seminar, lecture and student 
production of his play Jesus Hopped 
The A Train, Brown introduced his 
former student, praising Guirgis for 
his “amazing ability to hear dialogue 
and reproduce the rhythm and dialect.” 
Added Brown: “He’s a very empathetic 
person with a high intelligence 
quotient. He has a take on diversity  
and colorful characters that is unique 
and fresh.”
“His writing is electrifying,” said 
Donald Faulkner, director of the New 
York State Writers Institute. “We’re 
very proud of Stephen, who’s still 
legendary around here.”
PAT H  T O  T H E  
P U L I T Z E R  P R I Z E 
From left, Mike Pride, administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, and Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger  
present the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Drama May 28 to Stephen Adly Guirgis for his play Between Riverside and Crazy.
Stephen Adly Guirgis, B.A.’90
By Paul Grondahl, M.A.’84
Eileen Barroso/Columbia University
Left to right, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Elizabeth Canavan, Michael Rispoli, Rosal 
Colon and Ray Anthony Thomas star in the world premiere of Guirgis’ Between Riverside 
and Crazy. Opening night for the play, directed by Austin Pendleton, was July 31, 2014, 
at Atlantic Theater Company’s Linda Gross Theater in New York City.
www.albany.edu
9
Guirgis enjoyed returning to his alma mater. “I have a lot of good 
memories of UAlbany,” he said. “I’m really happy that I’m still 
friends with several people from the theatre program. We’re all just a 
lucky bunch of kids from UAlbany who were trying to find ourselves, 
and now we’re making a living in theater in New York.”
Guirgis is an actor and playwright who endured lean years while 
getting established in the New York theater world. He worked as 
a violence-prevention specialist and HIV-prevention educator in 
prisons, shelters and schools. He was recently hired as a writer  
for an upcoming Netflix TV show. “Get Down,” focused on the 
birth of hip-hop in the 1970s, is set in the South Bronx and  
directed by Baz Luhrmann. 
The Pulitzer jury called Between Riverside and Crazy “a nuanced, 
beautifully written play about a retired police officer faced with 
eviction that uses dark comedy to confront questions of life and 
death.” Critics have hailed Guirgis as “a masterful poet of the 
downtrodden.”
Guirgis lives in the apartment where he grew up on the Upper West 
Side. His parents are deceased. “I wish my parents and my great 
friend Phil (Seymour Hoffman) could have lived to see me win  
the Pulitzer. I know they’d be incredibly proud,” he said.
During an  April 12, 2010, visit to UAlbany,  
Guirgis is interviewed by New York State Writers  
Institute staff and performs  a presentation  
reading with theatre major Weston Johnson.
New York State Writers Institute
Courtesy Atlantic Theater Company/Kevin Thomas Garcia
10
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
J
on Gilroy is well on his way to attaining his “big dream”:  
a career as a motivational speaker.  
The senior social-welfare major from Pleasant Valley, N.Y., 
visits secondary and elementary schools to talk with students. 
“I spoke at one school because a student there has cerebral 
palsy,” recalls Gilroy. “I have it, too.”  
Gilroy, who spoke at Vanderbilt University in 2014, also 
shares his wisdom at UAlbany. “I talked with a family whose 
child, a first-semester freshman, was struggling with the 
transition to college. But they seemed comfortable afterward, 
and I felt good because I was helping someone else.” 
As a Residential Life peer educator, Gilroy looks forward to 
doing more on campus. “I’m working with [ResLife staff] 
Ekow King and Mayra Raxon to develop programming 
surrounding the creation of dialogues on the issues of 
culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability and religion. 
The dialogues will also cover basic issues of identity and 
learning to love, appreciate and embrace oneself.”
Gilroy, who uses a wheelchair, is pleased to have chosen 
UAlbany, where “I could live a relatively independent life.” 
He found the School of Social Welfare’s reputation and 
its “very competitive” academic offerings attractive, too. 
“The professors are great,” he adds; “they’ve all been very 
accessible to me. There are so many academic-support 
services here. My work in peer advisement exposes me to a 
lot of different outlets, too.”  
Michael Carmen, who founded the Michael T. Carmen ’84 
Mentoring Scholarship Gilroy has received since freshman 
year, has likewise been supportive. “I can call him and say: 
‘Can you help me? I need to know how I’m going to tackle 
this,’” notes Gilroy.
Gilroy, who graduates in 2016, is weighing his post-UAlbany 
options. “I may enter the speaking circuit after completing 
master’s studies in a year,” he says, “or work three years in 
a supervised clinical setting, become clinically certified and 
start my own practice.” 
Student Spotlight
By Carol Olechowski
Dreaming Big
social-media  
mavens
University at Albany alumni who work in corporate administration, public 
relations, advertising and marketing take to social media to spread the 
word about their companies, engage consumers and inspire brand loyalty. 
www.albany.edu
11
12
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
Anna Chan/Birkenstock
davidkahan
www.albany.edu
13
F
ootwear legend Birkenstock “is not 
your typical company,” maintains 
David Kahan, the firm’s chief 
executive officer since 2013. “This is a 
company with heart and passion. Our 
mission is not just to sell footwear, but to 
sell footwear that brings people happiness 
and satisfaction.”
Kahan is responsible for “all elements of 
the business, including distribution; brand 
management; and, of course, delivering 
a profit to our shareholders.” He also 
relishes another role: connecting with 
Birkenstock’s customer base through 
social media.
For customers who prefer more traditional 
communication 
methods, 
Birkenstock 
maintains a call center. “In a day and 
age where it is nearly impossible to get a 
human being on the phone, we believe in 
personal engagement,” observes Kahan, 
adding that consumers also receive 
responses to email messages forwarded to 
the company’s general mailbox. 
Thanks to its commitment to customers, 
Birkenstock has experienced “explosive 
growth over the past two years,” according 
to Kahan. The brand’s fans include actors 
Leonardo Dicaprio, Kate Hudson and 
recent Academy Award winner Julianne 
Moore. “Julianne has my cell-phone 
number and can reach out anytime to 
find out when the newest style is coming 
out. Her Twitter picture shows her feet 
in a pair of fur-lined Birkenstocks. This 
isn’t something you can fake. We do no 
celebrity seedings or product placement.”   
Social media, Kahan adds, “have changed 
the way brands engage their consumers. 
We believe in wrapping our arms 
around our loyal fans and creating a true 
community. The direct contact shows 
respect for our customers; it lets them 
know they are valued.”
Birkenstock, founded by a family in 
Germany more than 240 years ago, is still 
made there, “largely by hand.” The brand 
came to the United States in the late 
1960s when a California woman, Margot 
Fraser, discovered the comfortable shoes 
after developing foot pain while trekking 
through Europe. When Fraser returned 
to San Francisco, Kahan relates, “she 
contacted the Birkenstock family and, 
with zero footwear experience, asked if 
she could import some pairs. Managers at 
shoe stores told her the shoes were ugly 
and would never sell.”
Convinced of the shoes’ health benefits, 
however, Fraser sold the first pairs to 
health-food stores. “Birkenstocks caught 
on with a somewhat ‘alternative’ crowd 
that included college students and have 
since become a global phenomenon. 
Our styles are considered some of the 
most iconic footwear silhouettes in the 
industry,” Kahan observes.
Kahan himself is somewhat iconic. While 
majoring in accounting at UAlbany, he 
worked at Macy’s for a few summers. 
The experience melded his enthusiasm 
for sports, clothing and fashion with a 
penchant for assisting customers. After 
completing 
the 
retailer’s 
executive-
training program, Kahan created The 
Macy’s Athletic Club, which capitalized on 
“the huge cultural interest in health and 
wellness, and marked Macy’s entry into 
the athletic-footwear business.” 
Senior-management roles with Nike; 
Reebok, North America; and Adidas and 
its Rockport footwear division followed.
Birkenstock inspires customer loyalty 
because “we will never, ever compromise 
our quality or brand values,” explains 
Kahan. He can personally attest to the 
company’s unwavering commitment to 
workmanship and mission: Kahan wears 
Birkenstocks to work – with a business suit. 
David Kahan, B.S.’82
A Foothold on Customer Loyalty
What’s Next  
for Birkenstock?
Birkenstock’s “fans for life,”  
says CEO David Kahan,  
have given the company  
opportunities to expand  
its product line. 
“A closed-toe shoe collection 
introduced recently includes 
warm winter boots, women’s 
spring wedges, and also 
great men’s casual shoes.” 
Response to the line “has 
exceeded all expectations,” 
Kahan reports. “We also 
just launched hosiery. Many 
people wear them with the 
Birkenstocks – a look we  
call ‘socks ‘n’ stocks.’”
Kahan promises that 
Birkenstock “will continue 
to introduce what we call 
‘limited-edition’ styles that 
deliver seasonally and excite 
the market. Spring 2016 will 
include neon colors.”      
Daymond John of “Shark Tank,” left, 
poses with Birkenstock CEO David 
Kahan after presenting the footwear-
company executive a Brand of the 
Year award.
By Carol Olechowski
14
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
M
ichele Husak intended to major in business at 
UAlbany, “but statistics wasn’t my cup of tea.” 
She enjoyed her psychology classes more. “I 
always loved trying to figure people out on a deeper 
level,” recalls the movie and TV lover, who relocated to 
Los Angeles two weeks after graduation to work in the 
entertainment industry. 
After five years assisting agents; reading scripts; and 
serving as a development executive for various production 
companies at Warner Bros., Columbia/TriStar andSony 
Pictures, Husak moved back to New York to do band 
publicity at record labels. At the advent of the late 1990s 
dot-com boom, she began a career in tech public relations 
at Jupiter Communications. The communication skills 
Husak had honed at UAlbany – and the “invaluable” 
public-speaking proficiency her former professors had 
encouraged by pushing her to participate more in class 
– were useful as she aided companies in “refining and 
telling their stories on a broad scale.”
She returned to California to take a role with Shopping.
com (later acquired by eBay) in 2003. Later, as one of 
Pandora’s first employees, Husak helped the start-
up evolve into a “very popular” music service. She 
subsequently worked in PR at Digg, then in corporate 
communications for the online video network Revision3, 
which Discovery acquired in 2012. Husak went on to head 
communications for Thumbtack, “a marketplace that 
matches customers seeking service professionals to assist 
with everything from home repairs to party planning and 
music lessons.”
Husak’s UAlbany degree enabled her to “manage the 
unique personalities of my bosses, and 
of the producers, actors and writers, and 
musicians” early in her career, and those of  
the Silicon Valley executives she works with 
now. “The entertainment-business craziness 
you see and hear about is not an exaggeration,”  
she says, adding, “the same applies to the 
Silicon Valley!”
A self-described “behind-the-scenes type,” 
Husak is “happy promoting others.” Since she 
began her career, “social media has absolutely 
transformed the public relations industry,” 
notes 
Husak, 
who 
embraces 
Twitter, 
Facebook and the company blog posts that 
have superseded Rolodexes, newswire services 
and press releases.
       Michele Husak, B.A.’90 
Connecting and Conversing
By Carol Olechowski
Y
ou wouldn’t expect a former 
English major to say that 
analyzing literature in college 
helped him interpret important trends 
in social networks and understand 
why people use Facebook and other 
social media.
Well, then, meet Patrick Albano, 
who says one of the most influential 
teachers he had at UAlbany was 
Professor of English Jeff Berman. 
In one class, Berman – whose 
specialties include 
literature 
and 
psychology 
– 
taught Albano how 
to 
define 
clearly 
and concisely what 
it was he was trying 
to say.
That skill comes in handy today in 
Albano’s role as vice president, head 
of Advertising Solutions for Yahoo! in 
Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 
In this position, and for most of his 
17-year career, Albano has looked at 
how advertising is evolving because 
of social networks.
One of the most important new 
trends in social media, Albano says, 
is “native advertising,” in which 
companies mirror ordinary users 
in how they present their content. 
Albano is currently focusing on 
Tumblr, 
the 
social-networking 
website acquired by Yahoo! in 2013. 
He also served as co-chair of an 
industry-wide task force trying to 
define guidelines for this new type of 
advertising.
Albano, 
who 
previously was vice 
president of Sales at 
Citizen Sports, says 
that businesses are 
not only using social 
networks to promote 
their services, but 
they can actually build their entire 
business on social networks like 
Tumblr or Facebook. That’s just 
what Citizen Sports did, and under 
Albano’s direction, Yahoo! acquired 
the company in 2010. “That’s the 
next evolution of social marketing.” 
www.albany.edu
15
Patrick Albano, B.A.’98
Tracking Trends in Social Media  
By Claudia Ricci, Ph.D.’96
“Communicating 
directly 
with 
customers is a great opportunity to form 
a trusting relationship, and it shouldn’t 
be taken for granted. Consumers now 
look for a response in real time and 
in an authentic manner; the younger 
generation 
wants 
to 
connect 
and 
converse. The companies excelling at 
social media are the ones that are super 
fast, super helpful and super smart 
about conversing with, not at, their 
customers,” explains Husak.
Recently, she took on a new role, 
running communications at Indiegogo, 
the global site that helps bring people’s 
ideas to fruition through crowdfunding. 
In her spare time, Husak also does 
PR and social media for husband 
George Yatrakis’ new venture. “He 
creates handmade wooden surfboards  
(www.facebook.com/pacificaboards), 
and it’s been great fun attempting to 
build a following from scratch,” Husak 
recounts. “It’s a challenge to know what 
to post and when, and how to speak in 
the language of potential customers. 
Each new ‘like’ or comment is a  
personal victory!” 
Husak, a mom of two, is a Girl Scout 
troop leader and started an adventure 
club for boys and their dads three years 
ago. She is also active with the parent-
teacher organization at her children’s 
school. Husak and her family live in 
Pacifica, Calif., where they hike and 
enjoy the beach, camping, concerts, and 
“being outside as much as possible.” 
Advice for Social-Media Users
“Social-media 
managers 
and 
PR 
professionals need to be transparent 
and honest in how they communicate,” 
observes veteran public-relations expert 
Michele Husak. “It’s never a good idea to 
respond only to positive messages or to 
delete negative comments. Don’t be afraid 
to put yourself out there – humility goes a 
long way. If you treat your customers with 
respect, it will pay dividends. 
“Remember, when you reply to a comment, 
you’re not just responding to one person: 
Your entire customer base will see how 
you handle the situation, so make sure 
you get it right. And if you don’t, apologize  
and fix it.” 
16
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
S
ports perfectly illustrate the symbiosis 
between social media and live events. That 
fact isn’t lost on Ron Wechsler, senior vice 
president for Original Programming and Production 
at NBC Sports: He says he contemplates the role 
social media play in his industry on a daily basis. 
“Anything that comes up, I want to make sure, at 
the very least, I have an understanding of how it 
is being consumed,” he said. As a result, Wechsler 
has adopted social-media platforms not necessarily 
targeted to his demographic. 
“A 45-year-old guy on Snapchat isn’t the norm,” he quipped. 
Still, it’s an especially good example of the platform he seeks, 
observed Wechsler, who earned a B.A. in English with a 
minor in rhetoric and communication at UAlbany. While the 
perception of Snapchat was an app for tweens and teens, it’s 
quickly become a much bigger player in the game – one that 
broadcasters and networks are rushing to embrace. 
“Sometimes, you’re chasing very ephemeral platforms,” he 
said. “And sometimes, if you’re not paying attention, what 
seems insignificant can become incredibly significant almost 
overnight.”
While live events are the bread and butter of sports networks, 
Wechsler knows there’s a role for social media in helping to 
promote the types of original programming – documentaries, 
reality series, etc. – he oversees. Compelling, humorous, 
“OMG!” or cliché “viral” posts can all be inclinations to tune 
in. “Those are the sorts of things anybody in the content 
business tries to tap into, whether you’re NBC or BuzzFeed,” 
he said.
Though social media hasn’t altered the core responsibility of 
putting out a quality televised product, Wechsler said it has 
made tapping into the zeitgeist much easier. “The world is your 
focus group. Pay attention; figure out what people are talking 
about,” he noted. “You have access to what they’re enjoying, 
or not enjoying, in a real timeline. That is an incredible tool.”
Ron Wechsler, B.A.’92
The Significance  
of Social-Media  
Platforms
By Stephen Shoemaker, B.A.’02
ronwechsler
“The world is your focus group. 
Pay attention; figure out what 
people are talking about,” he 
noted. “You have access to 
what they’re enjoying, or not 
enjoying, in a real timeline. That 
is an incredible tool.”
Clayton Collins
www.albany.edu
17
andrewpudalov
Andrew Pudalov, B.S.’88
Social-Media Rush 
By Stephen Shoemaker, B.A.’02
W
hen Andrew Pudalov founded Rush Bowls 
in The Hill district of Boulder in 2004, he 
was able to rely on the oldest form of 
social media: word of mouth. His eatery, which 
serves thickly blended fruit bowls with a customer’s 
choice of toppings, turned out to be a hit among the 
University of Colorado crowd.
“It’s a great way to start. Either the students accept 
you and become loyal customers, or they don’t. We’re 
a premium-priced product, so their acceptance is 
important,” said Pudalov, who majored in business 
administration at UAlbany. 
Eleven years later, the landscape of social media 
only amplifies that word of mouth. It also allows 
Rush Bowls to participate in the conversation 
directly. Social media “is about engaging 
[customers], asking them questions, trying 
to get information from them on what they 
like and what they want to see,” Pudalov 
said. One example: Customers very much 
appreciate it when Rush Bowls teams up with a 
student group to donate a portion of sales to charity.
Good will and customer rapport are important to 
Pudalov, especially since the Rush Bowls brand has 
expanded into wholesale distribution – and beginning 
this year, franchises – throughout the Rocky 
Mountains region. But the continual shifts in social 
media require constant attention and input, from his 
managers down to his younger employees. 
Pudalov picks the brains of his teenaged kids, too. 
“Things have changed,” he observed. “Today, 14- 
and 16-year-olds, rather than 50- and 60-year-olds, 
are dictating where they see social media going.”
18
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
Norman E. Snyder, Jr., B.S.’83
Connecting With Consumers
By Claudia Ricci, Ph.D.’96
normansnyder
B
ack in the late 1990s, Norman 
Snyder was leading the South Beach 
Beverage Company and promoting 
its highly successful “SoBe” beverages. 
The company initially relied on guerilla 
marketing, followed by traditional mass-
marketing campaigns, to drive consumer 
awareness. 
Twenty years later, as president and CEO 
of Avitae, USA, Snyder promotes beverages 
under the Avitae brand. But now, thanks 
to social media, marketing has taken on a 
dramatically new approach. Like so many 
other companies, Avitae wants “to interact 
directly with consumers,” Snyder says. “All 
of our advertising is built on social media, 
including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram 
and Pinster.”  
Recently, Avitae – which sells a line 
of caffeinated water without sugar – 
announced new flavors on its webpage, 
and placed pictures and descriptions of the 
products throughout social-media outlets. 
Particularly important to the campaign was 
Facebook, where Avitae purchased digital 
ad space to promote the new drinks to a 
broader audience. Instagram, a photo-
based medium, was also key.
Social media, Snyder says, are “extremely 
cost effective.” He estimates that social-
media advertising costs only about 25 
percent as much as an old-fashioned  
ad campaign.
Not only are social media cheaper, they’re 
also faster: “You can decide one day to run 
a campaign, and that afternoon it’s going 
out.” With social media, Snyder observes, 
“you connect faster than you would 
otherwise, and you get feedback faster,  
with a lot more specifics.”
Above, left: New flavors are introduced on Avitae’s website; above, right: Norman Snyder speaks at the  
Albany Center for Entrepreneurship’s Spring Seminar.   
www.albany.edu
19
Great value.  
Excellent customer service. 
Lifetime warranty.
T
his is the formula that Eric Tong and his business 
partner have parlayed into a nearly overnight 
success story. Following what he termed “a mid-
life crisis” after nearly two decades in the consumer 
electronics industry, Tong decided to strike out on his 
own ... and co-founded Tech Armor in June of 2012. 
Tech Armor manufactures screen protectors, cases, 
cables, and mobile charging solutions for smartphones, 
tablets, and other devices. 
They sold only 89 units in their first month, but they 
moved more than 300,000 in their first six months. 
By the end of 2014, they had sold 6 million screen 
protectors. 
More remarkably, Tech Armor achieved this growth 
without any retail displays in “brick-and-mortar” 
stores, and with no traditional marketing support. 
Their product is sold exclusively online, primarily 
through amazon.com, www.techarmor.com, and Ebay, 
and their promotion is largely a combination of social 
media, public relations and paid search (Amazon and 
Google). In online selling environments like Amazon, 
a product’s success hinges upon its user-generated 
reviews. Based on its many four- and five-star ratings 
and some 10,000+ reviews, Tech Armor’s products are 
held in high regard.
“We stand behind our product, and people appreciate 
that,” said Tong. 
On the rare occasions that someone posts a negative 
comment about the product, Tong’s customer-service 
team responds promptly – reaching out to dissatisfied 
customers, and often sending them a free replacement 
product.
“You have to be nimble in our business,” explained 
Tong. “Word of mouth is everything.”
Tong remembers his UAlbany days fondly – especially 
the accessible, approachable faculty. “I feel like every 
single teacher was there to help,” he noted.
Eric Tong, B.A.’91 
Word-of-Mouth Success
By Jim Sciancalepore, M.A.’93
erictong
20
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
adamdenenberg
Adam Denenberg, B.S.’98
Tuned In
By Carol Olechowski
A
s chief technology officer of the iHeartRadio network,  
 music fan and computer-science wiz Adam Denenberg  
    has a job well suited to his passions.  
The position “was definitely appealing,” says Denenberg, 
who joined iHeartRadio in November 2014 after serving as 
vice president of Engineering with The Huffington Post. 
“Working for a company with the range that iHeartRadio has 
was a tremendous opportunity for me.” 
At iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s all-in-one digital-radio and 
streaming-music service, Denenberg is responsible for overall 
technology strategy. Recruiting is another aspect of his  
work: When meeting with prospective employees, “I talk 
about iHeartRadio’s culture of innovation, and why it’s so 
interesting and fun to work here,” Denenberg notes.   
iHeartRadio’s 858 U.S.-based AM, FM and HD outlets 
broadcast news, talk, music, sports and a variety of other 
formats through iHeartRadio.com, its apps and individual 
stations’ websites. Each month, millions of listeners use 
their tablets, smartphones and gaming consoles to access its 
information and entertainment offerings.    
“The reach of radio remains extremely strong, with 92 percent 
of Americans listening each week,” observes Denenberg, 
whose work experience also includes positions with Thomson 
Reuters, ROO Media, About.com and Comedy Central. 
Since people tune in at their homes and offices, in cars, and 
on public transportation, he mines “data around listening and 
playing behaviors” to personalize their user experiences by 
determining what types of music they enjoy, and when. “By 
understanding the way people use our products – based on 
geographic locations, previous listening behaviors and time 
of day – we can make more informed decisions about whether 
they’re interested in Ben Harper, Drake or Pink Floyd.”  
Denenberg, who majored in computer science and minored 
in physics, entered the technology field right 
after graduating from UAlbany. He praises 
professors S.S. Ravi and Seth Chaiken for 
teaching courses that provided students a 
“solid foundation” and afforded them the 
“flexibility” they would need whether their 
careers took them into robotics, artificial 
intelligence or in another direction. 
www.albany.edu
21
“It’s no longer effective to talk at your audience,” 
explained Rob Stone. “You have to become part of 
the conversation – part of the culture.”
Stone is the founder and co-CEO of Cornerstone, a marketing 
agency that exists at the intersection of music, marketing 
and pop culture. Cornerstone has developed experiential 
marketing efforts for some of the world’s biggest brands 
(including Nike, Converse and Coca-Cola) by connecting 
them in a relevant way with major music artists, including 
Kanye West; actors like Aaron Paul; and movies and TV 
shows such as “Entourage.” Launched in 1996, Cornerstone 
is now staffed by more than 100 people – with offices across 
three continents.
Cornerstone’s campaigns include traditional media, like 
outdoor and print, but they also leverage the viral power of 
video; social media; and live, culture-shaping events, such as 
the annual SXSW festival.
“People value the opinions and recommendations of their 
friends and peers over the clutter of messages being broadcast 
at them – that’s why social media and word of mouth are so 
important,” said Stone. “But you have to create something 
special and entertaining that people will genuinely want to 
interact with and share.”
Before founding Cornerstone, 
Stone began his career in the 
music business, working with 
legendary producer Clive Davis 
and such artists as Sean “Puffy” 
Combs and Notorious B.I.G. 
His love for music extends 
beyond Cornerstone: He is 
also co-founder of The FADER, 
a 
magazine 
that 
spotlights 
emerging artists. With a strong 
eye for talent, The FADER has 
provided the first-ever cover stories for Pharrell Williams, 
Nicki Minaj, The White Stripes and others.
Stone takes great joy in co-running both businesses, and said 
his instincts date back to his UAlbany days and beyond. 
“At age 8, I sent my dad a list of candy and soda that I wanted 
him to bring to my sleep-away camp, because I knew I could 
resell them for a profit,” said Stone. “While at UAlbany, I 
started the first-ever Young Comedians night at LP’s [a now 
defunct Albany bar], and I created an advertising calendar 
with local merchants like Sovrana Pizza and other Albany 
vendors. I’ve always been entrepreneurial.”
Rob Stone, B.S.’90
The Power of Music
By Jim Sciancalepore, M.A.’93
robstone
22
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
W
hen Rachel Galatt launched 
Maternal Science, Inc., and the 
healthy mama® brand in 2013, 
her business plan called for the company’s 
product line to be on shelves in Target, 
Walmart and CVS by 2016. 
“We are a year ahead of my business plan,” 
says a delighted Galatt, who majored 
in Spanish and minored in business at 
UAlbany. “We are very blessed.” 
One reason the company has been so 
successful so quickly is that it is filling 
a niche, supplying the safest over-the-
counter drugs to treat the common 
symptoms of pregnancy. Each product is 
thoroughly researched and guaranteed to 
contain the safest active ingredients for 
pregnant women.
Another reason healthy mama® is growing 
like wildfire is because of the marketing. 
While its products are marketed through 
more 
traditional 
media 
outlets, 
the 
company is busy developing marketing 
initiatives for social media, as well. 
Currently, healthy mama® has a website 
(healthymamabrand.com), 
a 
Facebook 
page; a blog; and accounts with Pinterest, 
Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. The 
company works with an ad agency to 
design print and digital advertisements 
for Facebook. In addition, healthy mama® 
is in the process of hiring an agency that 
will be devoted specifically to promoting its 
products through social media. 
 “I believe in social media,” says Galatt. 
But she admits she’s “challenged” when 
it comes to navigating the social-media 
networks; they are “so fluid and constantly 
evolving.” For that reason, Galatt wants to 
make sure that she hires a very savvy and 
experienced agency. 
Rachel Galatt, B.A.’94
Filling a Niche for  
Expectant Moms
By Claudia Ricci, Ph.D.’96
rachelgalatt
Stephen Loguidice, B.A.’02  •  Leading the Buzz
By Stephen Shoemaker, B.A.’02 
I
t’s one thing to jump onto the content-marketing band-
wagon to tell brand stories. It’s another to have driven the 
wagon all along. That’s what Stephen Loguidice and his 
colleagues at BuzzFeed have done since 2010, when they pio-
neered a new way for advertisers to get in front of the public.
Loguidice remembers: “We were the ones saying that 
everybody needs to start thinking differently, because 
consumption habits have changed drastically: Social [media] 
is the new starting point, and companies need to be looking 
this way. We were shouting it from the mountaintops.”   
In 2010, digital marketing equated to obnoxious banners, 
interstitial ads and video pre-roll. As the first salesperson 
brought on board to help monetize BuzzFeed, Loguidice was 
at the forefront of helping brands create content people would 
find compelling, humorous or interesting enough to share on 
social-media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. “People 
were throwing around the word ‘content,’ but there was 
no context behind it. We were the only ones doing it,” says 
Loguidice, who earned his B.A. in economics with a minor 
in business administration. He now serves as BuzzFeed’s vice 
president of Brand Strategy for the East Coast.
One early client was Comedy Central, for “Tosh.0,” which – 
as a TV show centered around Web content – was a perfect 
fit for BuzzFeed. Another client was General Electric, with its 
“Ecomagination” campaign. As an innovative company with 
“a very strong message” about its identity, Loguidice observes, 
GE “wasn’t trying to sell anything right then and there.”
As BuzzFeed expands into emerging social-media outlets like 
Pinterest and Snapchat, and into producing its own online 
video programming and, potentially, feature-length films, the 
central philosophy of good content marketing still applies, 
Loguidice says. “The core foundation is: How do I make 
something for people, make it for social [media], and build it 
to be spread and consumed on these platforms that people are 
already using?”
www.albany.edu
23
stephenloguidice
Sarah Stone for BuzzFeed
24
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
www.albany.edu
24
terukuwayama
“Back at SUNY Albany, when I first showed up for classes in 1988, it 
was a completely different world,” recalls award-winning freelance 
photojournalist Teru Kuwayama. “Most students didn’t have computers 
of any kind, and smartphones were more than a decade off. 
“I remember one course in which the professor explained that there 
was a new electronic system by which homework assignments would be 
shared with the class. It required students to go to the library, where 
there were some desktop computers, in order to register for something 
called ‘email.’ I thought this was such an absurd and pointless waste of 
time that I immediately dropped the class. I guess that professor was less 
delusional than I thought,” observes Kuwayama, who majored in art at 
the University and began his career taking pictures for the yearbook and 
University Photo Service. 
Teru Kuwayama, B.A.’93
A Photographer’s Perspective
By Carol Olechowski
“I PROVIDE A PHOTOGRAPHER’S  
PERSPECTIVE FOR A PLATFORM  
THAT HAS HUNDREDS OF  
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE MAKING  
AND SHARING PHOTOGRAPHS.”
www.albany.edu
25
“I get to work and have fun,” explained Jennifer Levine, vice president 
of Communications for Sprout, NBC’s cable TV and online network for 
preschool-aged kids.
Levine helms Sprout’s communications team in 
generating buzz for Sprout and NBC Kids brands 
through an integrated combination of marketing, 
public relations and social media. Sprout’s 
programming includes well-known shows such as “The Chica Show,” 
“Caillou” and “The Berenstain Bears.”
Levine also coordinates the recruitment of celebrity guests for Sprout’s 
live morning show, “Sunny Side Up.” They range from Jon Hamm (“Mad 
Men”) to first lady Michelle Obama to William Shatner (“Star Trek”). 
More recently, she was finalizing efforts for “Sproutnado,” the network’s 
fun, educational take on SyFy’s “Sharknado” (both Sprout and SyFy 
are part of NBCUniversal) – including a guest stint from “Sharknado” 
star Ian Ziering. “With the many affiliated properties of NBCUniversal, 
we have access to so much talent,” explained Levine.
The mother of two can trace her career track back to a UAlbany 
connection. Upon graduation, a sorority sister helped her land her first 
job in the entertainment industry at Atlantic Records. It would lead to 
stints at Disney; Nickelodeon; and, eventually, NBC.
“I’m very grateful ... I really fell into this,” said Levine. “Every day, I can 
leave work and walk out with a smile on my face.”
Jennifer Levine, B.A.’93
Sharing The Fun
By Jim Sciancalepore, M.A.’93
As a member of the Instagram Community 
Team 
(“‘community’ 
is 
tech-world 
terminology for ‘people,’” he explains), 
the New York City-based Kuwayama fills 
a unique role: “I provide a photographer’s 
perspective for a platform that has hundreds 
of millions of people making and sharing 
photographs.” 
For more than 20 years, Kuwayama worked 
as a photojournalist for news magazines and 
aid organizations, “primarily in places like 
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir and Iraq.” 
Often embedded with military forces that 
ranged from “the U.S. Marines and Special 
Operations Forces to Indian, Pakistani and 
Afghan forces,” he captured images of battle 
and survival. Technology Entertainment and 
Design (TED), The Knight Foundation, 
and the Dart Center for Journalism and 
Trauma 
at 
Columbia 
University 
are 
among the many organizations that have 
recognized Kuwayama for his work.                                                      
“In the early days of the Iraq conflict,” 
Kuwayama says, “I worked with my 
younger brother, Shinji, who’s a lot more 
tech savvy than I am. We launched a social 
network for photographers and people we 
called ‘unconventional travelers,’ like NGO 
folks, fixers, and translators, and the odd 
characters that you meet in off-the-grid 
places. It was called Lightstalkers, and it 
ran for a decade. Shinji went on to work at 
a then-tiny tech start-up called Groupon, 
becoming its director of Engineering and 
overseeing its expansion across the planet.”
The technologies that have combined to 
create what Kuwayama calls “the social-
media age” are readily accessible and easy 
to use, but he cautions that there is “the 
double-edged sword,” as well.  “We’re 
all swimming in an ocean of images and 
information. That’s one of the challenges 
I work on at Instagram these days – the 
question of how we find the most important 
images in the millions uploaded every day.”
26
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
F
or Keith Garber and lifelong friend Kevin Schwartz, the 
entrepreneurial “lightbulb moment” came in 2004. “Kevin 
and his wife were thinking about starting a family,” recalls 
Garber. “They wanted their baby to be safe, but also free to play, 
crawl and explore, as babies should. They started searching for 
products that would make their home, and the planet, safe, but 
couldn’t find them.”
That’s when the idea for Babyganics – the Westbury, N.Y., maker 
of “household and personal-care products made with plant-based 
ingredients and designed to help parents create a baby-safe world” 
– was born. The company, “run by two dads,” has developed “a 
whole ecosystem of products, from home care to skin care, from 
the bath to laundry to sun care,” according to Garber. 
As an undergraduate biology major at UAlbany, Garber was 
planning a career in medicine. “My love for biology and 
physiology was overtaken by my entrepreneurial spirit, and I 
completed a minor in business administration. The reality is, I 
had already begun my entrepreneurial career sophomore year, 
with classmate and best friend Josh Shaw [B.S.’97], as a founding 
partner of Student Advantage. By the time we were 24, we had 
built a six-person organization into a 650-person publicly traded 
company on the NASDAQ, generating more than $100 million in 
sales,” Garber notes.  
While he went on to initiate other successful start-ups, “I didn’t 
feel I was making a real difference in the lives of others – a dream 
of mine since I was a kid. When I teamed up with Kevin, I was 
finally able to combine my passion for growing a business, being 
a dad, and ultimately providing millions of parents access to baby-
safe products.’”
Garber and Schwartz “keep a simple goal for the company: to 
continue making baby products that use the safest ingredients 
available, are attainable for every mom and dad, and work insanely 
well!” The business “is so much fun!” adds Garber, who has 
three children – Zachary, 9; Skylar, 6; and Ashton, 2 – with wife 
Nicole. “Our wives and kids are test subjects for new formulas and 
packaging, and as our families grow, we uncover new parenting 
Keith Garber, B.S.’97
“Lightbulb Moment”
By Carol Olechowski
keithgarber
Top photo, Nicole and Keith Garber;
above, their children, Ashton, 2;  
Zachary, 9; and Skylar, 6
www.albany.edu
27
“Babyganics is fortunate to have some  
of the best online talent working within 
our business-development and marketing 
departments and at our agency partners.” 
scenarios that require new products and 
solutions. Knowing that new parents 
discover our products every day, joining our 
journey to make their babies free to explore 
safely and freely so they can thrive, only 
reinforces the passion that drives us every 
day to continue bringing the Babyganics 
‘baby-safe world’ mission to life.”
With the exception of diapers, all Babyganics 
products are manufactured in the United 
States, “underscoring our baby-safe promise 
by maintaining the highest safety and quality 
standards and expectations. We answer to 
mom (and dad) at the end of the day and 
take the trust they place in us very seriously.  
And, with our company’s tremendous 
growth, it’s nice to know that we are creating 
more jobs and opportunities throughout the 
U.S.,” Garber observes. 
Babyganics products are sold by leading 
national retailers and online. Distributors 
include Babies ‘R’ Us, Toys ‘R’ Us, 
BuyBuyBaby, Diapers.com, Amazon.com, 
Target, Walgreens, CVS, Publix, Safeway, 
Kroger, and Wegmans. 
Given its ambitious merchandising strategy, 
“Babyganics is fortunate to have some 
of the best online talent working within 
our business-development and marketing 
departments and at our agency partners,” 
says 
Garber. 
“With 
their 
expertise, 
Babyganics is very well positioned in the 
online world to engage with parents and 
parents-to-be and help to educate them on 
what they need to know when it comes to 
doing better for their families.”
ADVICE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Babyganics co-founder Keith Garber advises aspiring 
entrepreneurs from UAlbany to “network with students from 
other schools to cross-pollinate and bring different business 
perspectives and approaches to life when building a business.” 
He speaks from experience: Garber and business partner 
Kevin Schwartz, a University at Buffalo graduate, “complement 
each other very well in business, and our combination has 
delivered a 1 + 1 = 11 equation in day-to-day business.”
41   Vincent Gillen and Margaret will 
celebrate their 73rd wedding anniversary in 
November. 
Class notes councilor: Vincent P. Gillen, 
vpgillen@yahoo.com
44  Eleanor Rothe 
Hammond recently celebrated 
her 93rd birthday. She lives in 
Round Rock, Texas. 
48   Sheila Van Scoy Dingley’s husband, 
Albert F. Dingley Jr., passed in August 2014. 
Sheila now lives in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 
and sends her love to her Phi Delta sisters. 
Clara Beninati’s husband, Albert Beninati 
’49, passed away in May 2015. Joan Sittner 
Sherwood attended her granddaughter’s 
wedding in Santa Paula, Calif. Joan keeps 
busy as a volunteer at the REACH Interpretive 
Center and the library, and enjoys going to 
the opera, visiting the beach and spending 
time with her third granddaughter. She lives 
in Richland, Wash. Ruth Seelbach Elmore 
and husband Jim recently celebrated his 
90th birthday at John Knox Village, Lee’s 
Summit, Mo. Ruth’s granddaughter has been 
nominated for an Emmy award. Rosemary 
Ryan McGraw of Voorheesville, N.Y., welcomed 
a great-grandchild. She enjoys spending time 
with her eight grandchildren and now, four 
great-grandchildren. Barbara Hyman Shapiro 
relocated from Florida to Teaneck, N.J., to be 
closer to family. Gari Paticopoulos will join her 
grandson, who works in Shanghai, in Albany to 
visit family. Eleanor Holbig Alland recently 
attended the Vital Volunteers Luncheon at 
UAlbany and visited with many of her former Chi 
Sigma Theta sisters. Wanda Tomasik Methe 
and Viola Abrams Pettersen keep in touch 
with each other. 
Class notes councilor: Eleanor Holbig Alland, 
ealland214b@nycap.rr.com
49  Bonnie Lee Adkins’ granddaughter 
Dee was promoted with the Peace Corps 
in Africa. Dee visited volunteers in Liberia 
and Sierra Leone during the Ebola outbreak, 
returning healthy and fulfilled. Bonnie’s 
grandson Joe recently returned from Japan, 
where his band played in several music 
festivals; he lives in Tucson, Ariz. Lena 
Sorcinelli Capuano’s oldest son recently 
retired from teaching at Truman State University 
and will be living with her for the next six 
months. He’ll return to his home in Kirkville, 
Mo., to spend the holidays with his children. 
Lena’s other son, a real-estate agent, lives 
in Newtown, Conn. Lena feels fortunate to 
have some of her family close by: She also 
has a son who lives across the street from 
her home in Altamont and teaches biology 
and environmental studies at Hudson Valley 
Community College. Elsa Moberg Cox 
reports that one granddaughter is attending 
California Polytechnic Institute; another 
granddaughter, who graduated from UCLA, is 
attending Pepperdine University Law School. 
Her grandson will be a freshman at Arizona 
State University. Elsa maintains her strength by 
attending exercise classes regularly, Monday 
through Thursday. Jerry Dunn and wife Shirley 
celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 
June; they met at NYSCT and were married one 
week after Shirley’s graduation. They attended 
several of their grandchildren’s high-school and 
college graduation ceremonies this past spring. 
Their grandchildren attend various universities, 
including Clark University, Cornell, the University 
of Virginia, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY (IT) Utica, 
Eckerd (Florida), and George Mason University. 
As they see how costly their grandchildren’s 
education is, Jerry and Shirley continue to be 
thankful they attended college in a different era 
and graduated with no debt. Jerry has served 
as secretary/treasurer of a golf group for several 
years, but plays golf less often. Instead, he has 
taken an interest in gardening and has a spot in 
a nearby community garden. Shirley continues 
to write books; her latest is on the history of 
Fort Crailo, a state historic site in Rensselaer. 
She has written a half-dozen others and is a 
recognized scholar on the Mohican Indians. 
Three of Ellen Fay Harmon’s grandchildren 
graduated this past spring, including a grandson 
who received a master’s degree in culinary arts 
from Johnson & Wales University and will work 
as a sous chef at the Sagamore in Lake George. 
A granddaughter received her bachelor’s 
degree from Clarkson University, and Ellen’s 
youngest grandson will attend George Mason 
University in the fall. Ellen’s other grandchildren 
and family members are doing great things, 
as well. One granddaughter will travel to South 
Africa as an instructor in the student-exchange 
the
Carillon
Alumni News & Notes
28
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
Eleanor Rothe Hammond
www.albany.edu
29
program, and another grandson will be 
transferring from Syracuse University 
to Clarkson. Ellen’s two oldest 
grandsons are Virginia Commonwealth 
University graduates who live and 
work in Richmond, Va. Two of Bob 
Kittredge’s granddaughters were 
recently married; Bob and Diana 
now have two great-grandchildren 
as a result of one of the marriages. 
Unfortunately, Diana fell and broke her 
left femur, necessitating a complete hip 
replacement. She underwent rehab at 
the continuing-care facility where Bob 
and Diana recently moved. “Mickey” 
Seaman Rozwod plans to attend 
her high school’s 70th reunion. All 
six of her children, with their spouses 
and grandchildren, visited Mickey 
for Memorial Day weekend. Two of 
her boys live on the West Coast. 
One granddaughter graduated from 
the physician’s-assistant program 
at Clarkson University, and another 
received her degree from the University 
at Buffalo. Mickey says, “That makes 
six grandkids through undergrad 
school, with four more to go.” Ursula 
Neuhaus Schiff was “promoted” to 
the assisted-living facility in Sarasota, 
Fla., in the retirement community 
in which her late husband and late 
dog had lived. Classes provided by 
outside teachers keep Ursula’s mind 
challenged, she says. Her two sons 
and all five of her grandchildren live 
in California. Gloria Maistelman 
Herkowitz is very proud to report 
that one grandson graduated from 
Jefferson Medical College and will be 
specializing in radiology, and another 
grandson is a student at Columbia 
Law School. Joe Zanchelli and 
Joyce Zanchelli ’52 celebrated 
their 64 years of marriage in June. 
They recently enjoyed a Road Scholar 
program in St. Augustine, Fla., and 
attended their granddaughter’s high-
school graduation. Nicole, the youngest 
of eight grandchildren, will be attending 
Drexel University.
Class notes councilor: Joe Zanchelli, 
jjzanch@yahoo.com
50   Irwin Baumel and Elise 
DeSeve traveled to Europe this past 
summer. They spent time in Budapest 
and Amsterdam and visited the Van 
Gogh Museum. Ken George, who 
had a knee replacement, is doing 
well and back to playing tennis. His 
youngest grandson graduated with 
a master’s degree in business and 
works at Price-WaterhouseCoopers in 
New York City. Ben Jackson sends 
best wishes to members of the Class 
of 1950. “I have memories of those 
long-ago years. I can’t believe it’s 
been 65 years, even though I was 
a math major and can certainly do 
the math.” Audrey Koch Feathers’ 
granddaughter, Gretchen, is the online 
marketing manager of Chelsea Green 
Publishing in Vermont, and is an 
aspiring Adirondack 46er following in 
the footsteps of her grandfather, Dick 
Feathers. Her Uncle Rich and Uncle 
Bob Feathers are Adirondack 46ers, 
as well. Lila Lee Silva Harrington 
spent three weeks in Scottsdale, Ariz., 
with her daughter Leslie and family. 
The trip included a visit to Sedona. Lila 
joined Leslie and her husband for lunch 
at the Enchanted Resort. Earlier, they 
participated in a two-day conference 
on global issues, a gathering of 
international dignitaries. They enjoyed 
A MESSAGE FROM LEE SERRAVILLO  
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UALBANY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
No Matter Your Location,  
You Can Make UAlbany Stronger.
C
atherine “Cat” Provost ’05 of Washington, D.C., 
maintains a strong connection with her alma mater 
as an alumni volunteer. Despite the miles that physically 
separate her from UAlbany’s campus, Cat has helped 
current students and alumni connect and build strong 
relationships in the Metro D.C. area. “UAlbany means 
so much to me, I wanted to pay it forward in whatever 
small way I could,” she stated shortly after graduating and 
moving to Washington. Cat recently became the chair of 
our Alumni Volunteer Council, and will help guide initiatives 
to grow a broader, stronger base of local and regional 
volunteers, as well as increased volunteer opportunities. 
Network across the globe, build a brand, and make 
career connections. 
Regardless of your location, time commitment, or 
interests, there are multiple volunteer opportunities to 
help you stay connected to UAlbany. Regional volunteers, 
like Cat, are superstars when the Great Danes qualify for 
the NCAA Tournament, acting as hosts of viewing parties. 
In addition, they help the alumni association coordinate 
events outside the Capital District, everywhere from  
L.A. to Cyprus.  
The UAlbany Career Advisory Network boasts more 
than 2,000 alumni who volunteer as career advisors to 
alumni and current students. Connections made through 
UCAN have resulted in student internships, employment 
immediately upon graduation, and real advice from alumni 
who’ve “been there.” Volunteering as a UCAN advisor 
requires an active email address and/or phone number 
and just minutes of your time.
Social Media Ambassadors spread positive messaging 
and share UAlbany news on social-media networks. They 
can always be counted on for adding up the retweets, 
favorites, and “likes” when a hashtag or event is being 
promoted. They’re connected through their fingertips, 
they live all over the world, and their volunteer efforts take 
only seconds to make a strong impact.
Your time is the future of UAlbany.
The length of a basketball game, the few minutes it takes 
to answer an email, even a split second spent tapping the 
thumbs up on Facebook is all it takes to stay connected 
as an alumni volunteer. We hope that you’ll join us in 
building a stronger UAlbany.
30
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
Alumni enjoy a wine-tasting reception to benefit the Spirit Scholarship.
visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens 
in Scottsdale. Lila is in good health, is 
still driving, and plans to visit Oneonta, 
Vermont, North Carolina and the coast. 
She spoke with Jeanne Bowen 
Walsh-Gardner on her birthday. 
Lila sends warm thoughts to 1950 
classmates and Phi Delta sisters. 
Marjory Lyons celebrated the birth 
of her second great-granddaughter, 
Quinn, as well as her own (85th) 
birthday, in Cavendish, Vt., where her 
family once had a small, historic inn. 
In an English accent learned as a 
student of Agnes Futterer, Marj read 
excerpts from one of her plays, much 
to the amusement of those gathered 
for the occasion. She retired from 
Nova Southeastern University after 
22 years on the graduate faculty. At a 
recent lunch with University Associate 
Vice President Lori Matt-Murphy, Marj 
was presented a framed replica of a 
UAlbany magazine column she wrote 
about Helen Jones Warner, B.A.’36, 
M.L.S.’67. Albert Martin provided 
a testimony to the life of his wife 
and our classmate, Shirley Warner 
Martin. Shirley was a math teacher, 
superintendent of the Sunday school, 
a member of the Board of Directors of 
the Girl Scout Council of Erie County, 
founding member of the Bowmansville 
Very Little Theater, past president of 
the Lancaster Historical Society, and 
an avid traveler. Malcolm Slakter 
spoke of the many advantages of 
living in Hawaii but noted that flying 
to the mainland to visit family is not 
one of them, especially since 9/11. 
Each year, in times past, he and Nancy 
would visit family. But with age and 
health now factors, Malcolm and 
Nancy’s flying days are over, so family 
members visit them in Hawaii. Their 
younger son and two of his children 
visited in June. Malcolm and Nancy 
try to appreciate each day in paradise 
and report that life is good. Harold 
Sparky Vaughn’s granddaughter, 
Olivia Hern, who recently completed 
her first year at Carnegie Mellon, spent 
part of the summer with the National 
Theater for Young Artists in New York 
and in Prague. While meeting in New 
York with two anti-human trafficking 
organizations, Sparky visited daughter 
Karen and granddaughter Christine. 
There will be a family reunion in 
Shelburne, Vt., on the occasion of 
grandson Christopher’s wedding. 
Sparky is working with a group of 
Rotarians in Washington, D.C., and 
Bangkok, Thailand, to address human-
trafficking and child-slavery issues.
Class notes councilor: Harold Vaughn, 
vaughnha@aol.com
52   A note from your class 
councilor: I am saddened to report 
the passing of our classmate Don 
Putterman. Don was a leader of 
our class for many years. Marilyn 
Johnson VanDyke remains closely 
involved with the Warren County 
Historical Society. She celebrated 
her daughter’s wedding in June, 
and now has two great sons-in-law. 
Her grandson manages dorms at 
The College of Saint Rose, and her 
granddaughter has transferred to 
UAlbany. Jean Faville Smith and 
husband Smitty enjoyed a cruise from 
Fort Lauderdale to Puerto Rico, St. 
Thomas and St. Croix this past spring. 
They are planning a trip to Burlington, 
Vt., in September. Madeline 
Weitlof Huchro was diagnosed with 
Walanstrom macroglobulinemia a year 
ago and underwent chemotherapy 
treatments, but she is doing well. She 
plans to spend six months in Westport 
and six months in Florida. Her 
daughter is retiring after teaching and 
coaching for 34 years; her son has 
been a national sales representative 
for PepsiCo since 1985. Her two 
granddaughters have launched 
careers in physical education and 
massage therapy. Jeanne Seymour 
Earle survived an aorta valve 
replacement and three bypasses with 
flying colors. She’s still working at the 
library and enjoys attending Broadway 
shows with friends. Vickie Eade 
Eddy will be attending her grandson 
Jeffrey’s wedding in Seattle. She 
notes, “It is nice being in touch with 
my 12 grandchildren’s lives, as some 
are living in other states, and just 
three live in my hometown of Olean, 
N.Y.” Ginny Maurer Tracey updated 
her mailing address to Rexford, N.Y., 
which is still in Clifton Park (contact 
your class councilor for details.) Bert 
Jablon and his wife enjoyed a Road 
Scholar program in Toronto. Nancy 
Frey Pettinelli’s grandchildren are 
performing very well in their respective 
sports. Her oldest grandson finished 
his first year at Stevenson University, 
where he played on the lacrosse team. 
His brother, a junior in high school, 
plays both basketball and lacrosse; 
he was named to the First Team 
Missouri All Stars. Nancy’s youngest 
grandson lives in Pennsylvania and 
participates in many sports, including 
lacrosse. Her four granddaughters 
are also doing well, with interests in 
art and athletics. Nancy says she’s 
“trying to empty her house, but it’s not 
easy.” Tom Holman is still enjoying 
the benefits of living on Long Island 
and in St. Maarten. St. Maarten now 
has a first-class air terminal; Tom 
invites classmates to stay at “his 
hotel,” Hotel Pasanggraham. Jane 
Minckler Jennings attended her 
granddaughter’s wedding at the Trump 
Winery and saw the beautiful home 
her granddaughter recently purchased. 
Her granddaughter, who recently 
earned a master’s degree from the 
University of Virginia, is an engineer 
for Army Intelligence. Kitty Kloser 
Irons and husband Marty suffered 
long-term bronchitis throughout the 
winter, hindering their usual travel 
plans. They’ve fully recovered and are 
Alumni News & Notes
back to their busy schedules. Kitty’s 
granddaughter Megan is in Senegal 
and has learned the Wolof language. 
Her other granddaughter, Erin, is 
working on a summer internship at 
St. Michael’s College admissions 
office. Margaret Jackson Moschak 
recently wrote Different Drummers, 
a book filled with anecdotes of the 
problems people run into when they 
live and work together. It is available 
on Amazon. Bill Wiley is in his sixth 
year of remission for lymphoma. 
His wife, Jane, had a spinal fusion 
in June. They have moved into a 
continuing-care facility on Hilton 
Head Island, which Jane says is “like 
going to senior camp.” Their family is 
spread throughout the country; one 
granddaughter is studying electrical 
engineering at the University of 
Arizona, and her sister will begin law 
school at the University of California, 
Berkeley. Another granddaughter 
will be a junior in high school. Bill’s 
teenage grandkids are in private 
school in Marietta, Ga. Joyce Leavitt 
Zanchelli and Joe Zanchelli ’49 
attended Road Scholar programs in 
Warwick, N.Y., and St. Augustine, 
Fla. They’ve had some health issues 
but are doing well and have busy 
schedules once again. They celebrated 
their youngest grandchild’s graduation 
in June. Al Stevenson has recovered 
well from his serious illness and 
has returned to teaching. He will be 
traveling to upstate New York for his 
grand-niece’s wedding. Each year, the 
Class of 1952 bestows a scholarship 
on a UAlbany junior or senior, in honor 
of distinguished teaching faculty 
from NYSCT classes of 1948-1952. 
This year’s award honors modern 
languages faculty: Frank G. Carrino, J. 
Wesley Childres, Edwin C. Munro and 
Arlene F. Preseon. It was presented to 
Teresa Peralta ’15 by Joan Barron, 
Class of 1952 co-councilor. 
Class notes councilor: Joyce Zanchelli, 
jjzanch@yahoo.com
53  Irene Brezinsky McDonald 
remembers working on the State 
College News, which was printed and 
proofread in Hudson. Irene’s edition 
featured a banner headline, “Sorority-
Frat Ball.” Irene recalls: “I looked at the 
final copy, and had a shock.  ‘Frat’ was 
misspelled. The printers told me that 
college kids couldn’t proofread and 
that all the papers had been printed 
and if I wanted to change the spelling, 
I’d have to pay. Of course, they’d 
made one bad copy to scare me and 
have a little bawdy joke.” Irene learned 
a wonderful lesson about proofreading 
and often shared this story with her 
students. Irene continues her career 
as a reporter and writes a column, 
“Reading and Renewal,” for her 
Catholic diocesan paper. Herb Thier 
was recognized in a recent National 
Science Foundation article. He is 
highly regarded in his field, as noted in 
“Reflections from Science Education 
Pioneer Herb Thier on the Value of 
Inquiry-Based Learning.” The article 
can be read in its entirety at http://
www.nsf.gov. Howie Fenenbock 
plays poker and bridge regularly. 
If your class councilor remembers 
correctly, Howie liked to play cards 
in the Commons. Doug Nielsen 
enjoys his role as a grandparent. “Our 
granddaughter, Kara, has presented 
us with a second great-granddaughter, 
Naomi, born in March. It’s fun to visit 
and hold her, and her older sister, 
Hannah, enjoys her little sister.” Two 
of Doug’s granddaughters graduated 
from college: Megan, from Oklahoma 
University with dual degrees in 
international relations, and Megan’s 
younger sister, Jonna, from Cornell 
with a bachelor’s degree in human 
relations. Jonna works in New York 
City. Jordine Skoff Von Wantoch 
met her daughter in London for a few 
shows, then traveled to Dubai. Jordine 
is now co-chair of a committee, with 
actor Robert Foxworth, to increase 
www.albany.edu
31
Alumni News & Notes
Chi Sigma Theta sisters attend the Celebration of Vital Volunteers Luncheon to support  
fellow sister and guest speaker Kathleen Tanner ’67, ’71, ’98.
2016 Excellence Awards 
CALL FOR  
NOMINATIONS
Recognize alumni and friends 
of the University for their 
outstanding achievements  
and service. More details  
and nomination forms  
are available at  
alumni.albany.edu/awards.
The nomination deadline is 
Oct. 16, 2015. 
32
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
estate gifts to The Old Globe Theatre 
in San Diego. She traveled to Hartford 
this past spring for the opening of 
Kiss Me Kate, directed by Darko 
Tresnjak. A tribute to Jordine is 
included on the Military Service Wall 
at UAlbany. It describes her career in 
the Navy, including her contributions 
to revised policies allowing women 
to combine motherhood with a naval 
career. Bob Bitgood ’54 remembers 
his first wife, Marie De Seve, who 
died from complications of childbirth 
at age 25. Marie was a cheerful, 
active member of our class. Milan 
Krchniak, Bob Giammatteo, Claude 
Palczak and Paul Ward attended the 
spring Potter Club luncheon. Marie 
Hoffman continues to be involved in 
local events and has been meeting 
with several high-school friends on 
a regular basis following her 50th 
high school reunion. Her son has 
written two computer books, one of 
which has been adopted as a college 
textbook. Bob Hughes and Rosie 
Keller Hughes have celebrated 
several special occasions with their 
grandchildren. One granddaughter 
received a master’s degree in art 
therapy, with honor, from Pratt 
Institute, and the other granddaughter 
was recently married. One grandson 
graduated from high school and will 
attend SUNY Geneseo; his brother 
turned 16 and will be driving. The 
youngest grandson entertains the 
grandparents with his 10-year-old 
antics. Your class councilor would like 
to mention those who left us in recent 
months: Pat Butler Dornburgh, 
Nancy Worden Hebert, Bill 
Helmer, Dick Jacobson, Evelyn 
Paulus Halloran, James Panton, 
Barbara Newcomb Reynolds, 
Bob Babcock, Noreen Connell 
Byrnes and Richard Terzian. To 
keep up with classmates, join us by 
“liking” the Class of 1953 Facebook 
page (https://www.facebook.com/
groups/688873657809259/.) 
Class notes councilor: Rose Mary 
(Rosie) Keller Hughes,  
rhughes5@rochester.rr.com
54   A note from your class 
councilor: I received a letter from 
Mabel Schweizer Loughlin’s 
daughter telling us that she passed 
away in March. John and Rosemary 
Zongrone celebrated 59 years of 
marriage in April. They are going 
to become great grandparents in 
October. Their 16 grandchildren range 
in age from 4 to 32. Mimi Webb is 
recovering from a stroke she suffered 
last year. Her visual field was reduced, 
which is the most challenging result 
of the stroke. Joan Hartman spent 
the bitter cold winter planning a 
Danube River summer cruise and 
a reunion with her family. Inez 
Mallery Parker recently returned 
from Sharon Springs, N.Y., where 
her 106-year-old mother currently 
resides. Inez recalls her mother and 
father playing host to several college 
friends during Inez’ years at SUNY 
Albany. Inez was able to reconnect 
with her Pierce Hall roommate, 
Alumni News & Notes
The classes of 2005, 1990, 1975, 1965, and 1960 will 
celebrate milestone reunions throughout Homecoming. 
The weekend is packed with events,  
so don’t miss the fun and the opportunity to  
rekindle your friendships! 
Visit www.alumni.albany.edu/homecoming  
for more information. 
Celebrate your milestone reunion this fall! 
Bob Hughes ’53, Rosie Keller Hughes 
’53, and Hank Koszewski ’53 recently 
caught up with each other.
Audrey Cahill Silveri; they spent 
time in Venice and Sarasota, Fla., 
reminiscing and sightseeing. 
Inez has nine grandchildren, four 
of them college graduates. The 
remaining grandchildren are juniors 
in college, and one is a high school 
senior. Inez and her husband 
recently traveled to Eugene, Ore., 
where one grandson was selected 
to participate in the Joseph 
Alessi Seminar. Don Voellinger 
is recovering from a broken hip. 
He is pleasantly retired and splits 
his time between New York City 
and Cape Cod. Patricia Byrne 
Manning, still a volunteer with 
2-, 3- and 4-year-olds in nursery 
school, also volunteers with Hospice 
patients. She continues to write 
children’s science-book reviews 
for the School Library Journal. 
Patricia is planning an annual trip 
to Italy, where she will spend time 
in Venice, Rome, Amalfi, Sorrento, 
Naples, Paestum and Pompeii. 
Margaret Jacobson is going to be 
a first-time great-grandmother: Her 
grandson and his wife are expecting 
a baby girl. Margaret’s grandson 
recently accepted a position as 
assistant professor at the University 
of Delaware. July marked one year 
since the passing of Margaret’s 
husband, Dick Jacobson ’53. 
Her son lives nearby and is a big 
help. Gert Daly enjoyed watching 
the men’s and women’s UAlbany 
basketball and lacrosse teams this 
past year. Naoshi Koriyama’s 
translation of the 12th-century 
collection of Japanese tales, 
Konjaku Monogatari, was released 
by Tuttle Publishing in August under 
the title Japanese Tales from Times 
Past. Corinne Valente Moxham 
traveled to Idaho, Pennsylvania and 
New Jersey for her granddaughters’ 
high-school graduation ceremonies 
– not on the same evening, luckily! 
She plans to visit upstate New York 
and Canada before returning home 
to Las Cruces, N.M. Ed Osterhout 
and Carol recently celebrated 
their 50th wedding anniversary 
with a hot-air balloon ride over the 
Rio Grande in Albuquerque, N.M. 
They a hiked along the Rio Grande 
walking trail, enjoyed a tram ride in 
the Sandia Mountains and visited 
the National Lab Center. They 
also enjoyed a walk around Santa 
Fe and attended a country-rock 
concert in which their daughter 
played bass guitar. Their 45-year 
old son David accompanied them 
on the trip, and all had a wonderful 
time. Richard “Dick” Bailey 
missed the reunion last fall, as he 
had back problems and couldn’t 
face a long plane ride. His boat, 
Dreamer, sank in the Pacific about a 
year ago while being operated by a 
friend. Bonnie Dodge Brousseau 
recently celebrated the arrival of 
her first great-grandchild, Kyleigh. 
Jim Thompson and Bill Floyd 
meet for lunch each month. Jim and 
Carol celebrated their grandsons’ 
graduation ceremonies at Cazenovia 
College and the University of Rhode 
Island this past spring, before 
heading to Tupper Lake, N.Y., for 
the summer. They traveled to the 
Pentagon in Washington, D.C., for 
the retirement ceremony of Jim’s 
son, Navy Capt. Scott Thompson 
’91, in July. Scott and his family 
reside in Springfield, Va. In August, 
Jim and Carol traveled to Lincoln, 
Vt., where Jim officiated his 
granddaughter Carissa’s wedding. 
After living in Williamsburg, Va., for 
26 years, Gladys Smith O’Mea 
and John relocated to Bailey’s Glen, 
Cornelius, N.C., to be closer to their 
family. They have three children, 
eight grandchildren, and four great-
grandchildren. John Granito and 
Dolores White Granito continue 
to enjoy traveling. They’re still living 
on Pine Island, Fla., seven months 
a year and at Keuka Lake for five. 
Last October, Dolores traveled with 
their oldest daughter to Slovenia, 
Istanbul, Venice, Sicily and Milan. 
John and Dolores spent Christmas 
with family in Mallorca, Spain. Their 
recent travels also included a trip to 
San Diego to visit a granddaughter, 
as well as a “Chateaux, Rivers and 
Wine” Viking trip in France. Their 
oldest granddaughter graduated 
from Fordham Law School this  
past May.
Class Notes Councilors:  
Bernice Gunsberg Shoobe, 
bunnysh200@aol.com, and Joan 
Paul, fpaul1@nycap.rr.com
www.albany.edu/giving
For more information about the positive impact your support 
has on the lives of University at Albany students, or to make  
a gift online, please visit www.albany.edu/giving. 
Meet Sara.
“My cousins went here and loved it,” said Sara Lucisano, “and both 
are very successful.” As she plans for a career as a physician’s assistant, 
the Chi Sigma Theta Sorority Scholarship recipient looks forward to 
succeeding in her life and career, as well.
When she visited the University for the first time, Lucisano recalled, 
“I loved the campus, and I loved the opportunities that would come 
from attending UAlbany. Completing my senior year and graduating 
will be the greatest accomplishments of my life, so far.”
Lucisano, an EMT with Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Service, is 
also founder and president of the campus Food Recovery Network. 
After graduation, she plans “to gain as much experience as I can in 
the healthcare field,” then apply to schools with physician’s-assistant 
programs. “This has been my dream since freshman year, and I have 
been working hard to attain it ever since.” 
The Chi Sigma Theta Sorority Scholarship is keeping her focused 
on her goals, added Lucisano. “It means a great deal to me that  
I was selected for a scholarship; it has been extremely helpful to me.” 
34
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
58  Arlene Adel-Posses and 
Alice Lockwood Say reunited in 
West Palm Beach, Fla. They had not 
seen each other since 1958.
59   A note from your class 
councilor: Greetings to the Green 
Gremlins of 1959. Ron Short and his 
wife have been traveling to spend time 
with their children and grandchildren, 
including to Nova Scotia, where 
their oldest and his family reside. 
Ginny Buddenhagen Guglielmone 
and Tito Guglielmone ’57 had a 
wonderful family reunion in Italy, 
where they visited Rome, Florence and 
Sorrento. Terri Vitale Bosomworth 
and Bob toured Australia and New 
Zealand in 2014; sadly, Bob passed 
away unexpectedly in March 2015. 
They loved their home in New Smyrna 
Beach, Fla. Carol Scheu Hackett 
passed away in May after a three-
year battle with cancer. She and 
husband Art Hackett ’60 lived in 
Virginia and enjoyed visiting their kids 
and grandkids. A beautiful memorial 
service was held in the church where 
Carol led Bible studies. They attended 
Art’s 50th reunion in 2010. Joe Hill 
and Jane Bushart Hill ’60 live in 
central New York. They have three 
daughters and five grandkids. They 
spend winters in Las Cruces, N.M., 
and return to the Finger Lakes in 
spring. Joe taught junior-high social 
studies and coached wrestling; he 
moved to BOCES and became director 
of Instructional Services. He and 
Jane are seasoned travelers; they’ve 
visited Antarctica, Easter Island, Tibet, 
Swaziland, Cuba and Iceland. Carol 
Waldron Robinson and her husband 
live in Phoenix and have been active in 
real estate, but are now retired. Their 
two daughters have settled in Denver 
• Connect online with students  
and young alumni
• Share your insights and 
professional experience
• Offer inspiration and 
encouragement
• Provide guidance on job 
preparation, career paths, 
industry trends, etc.
• Make a difference with only  
a minimal time commitment
15 Minutes is all it takes 
to make a difference.
UCAN 
Bertha Brimmer Medal recipient Stuart Palczak ’87, ’88 celebrates with his family at the  
2015 Excellence Awards Gala, held at the Albany Country Club. Palczak was one of 14 alumni  
and friends of the University honored for their achievements and contributions
Sponsored by the UAlbany Alumni Association.
UALBANY CAREER ADVISORY NETWORK
TO BECOME A UCAN ADVISOR:  
www.alumni.albany.edu/volunteer_UCAN
and Salt Lake City. You may remember 
that Carol was one of the finalists 
for “Campus Queen” our senior year. 
She says a former sorority sister, Bev 
Burke Poole ’60, lived in Phoenix 
for a while, and they enjoyed getting 
together during that time. Our class 
has been invited to be a part of 1960’s 
55th reunion in October. Class of ’60 
members are hoping to see people 
from the classes of 1957-1963. Your 
class councilor attended their 50th 
reunion and would encourage any who 
can to attend this one. 	
Class notes councilor: Ron Short, 
skilab3@tampabay.rr.com
60  John Johnston was recently 
named a National 
American Association of 
Physics Teachers Fellow. 
Inducted as a Science 
Teachers Association of 
New York State Fellow 
in 2004, he is the only person in New 
York State who holds both titles. 
Class Notes Councilor: Doris Hische 
Brossy, dbrossy@aol.com
61   Christina Noring Hammond 
retired from the chemistry department 
of Vassar College in 2006 after 
teaching for 42 years. She co-
authored an organic-chemistry 
laboratory text in 1998; its fourth 
edition was published in 2014. 
Christina now lives in a retirement 
community in Millbrook, N.Y.
Class Notes Councilor: Mel Horowitz, 
melandsis@yahoo.com
63   Marie Zongrone Robinson 
enjoys her annual meetings with the 
sisters of Kappa Delta, including Anita 
Pepe Disansa ’64. Marie works part-
time at Nassau Community College. 
She and her husband Gene take 
cruises throughout the year.                                                                                       
Class Notes Councilor: Peter Fisher, 
peternfisher@yahoo.com
64   A note from your class 
councilor: Anyone who graduated 
more than 50 years ago can certainly 
appreciate that our contribution is 
a tad behind schedule. Our biggest 
news concerns the very successful 
50th class reunion, held Oct. 10-12, 
2014. It was led by class councilor 
Alan Minarcik and guided by 
Loida Vera Cruz and her alumni 
office staff. Planning committee 
members Sandy Baburchak 
Condojani, David Crystal, Bob 
Fairbanks, Bob Gibson, Columba 
Defrancesco Heinzelman, Evelyn 
“Corky” Petrick, Bill Robelee, 
Dave Simington and Norma Youse 
worked well together. The Yellow 
Jackets buzzed around uptown and 
downtown campuses for activities that 
included the Welcome Wine Tasting, 
the Half-Century Club Breakfast, 
a tour of “our” downtown campus 
and an enjoyable dinner. Due to the 
generosity of our many classmates 
who sent donations, those attending 
the class meeting as part of the 
dinner gathering voted to give $8,000 
towards the renovations to the Pierce 
Hall student lounge, which will be 
completed as the University prepares 
to celebrate the 80th anniversary 
of the building during Homecoming 
2015. Contributions are still welcome 
and can be sent to the University at 
Albany Alumni Association, Alumni 
House, 1400 Washington Avenue, 
Albany, NY 12222-0001, clearly 
marked “Class of ’64 Gift.” There are 
a few copies of the updated directory 
($7 per copy) and the class photo (3” 
x 5”, $3; 8” x 10”, $6) that can also 
be ordered. Make checks payable 
to the University at Albany Alumni 
Association. Committee member 
Corky Petrick left UAlbany’s reunion 
team to join Binghamton Central High 
School’s Reunion Committee. Corky 
has also re-immersed herself in 
Facebook-posting on political issues. 
Bill Robelee and wife Margaret 
recently enjoyed lunch with David 
Siver ’66 and Carol Darby Siver 
’65. We encourage all of you to 
submit news for future editions of this 
publication. (Yes, we really do want 
to hear about your accomplishments, 
retirement plans and grandkids!) Enjoy, 
stay healthy and keep in touch. 
Class note councilors: Alan Minarcik, 
amcmouse@hotmail.com, and Bill 
Robelee, wmrobelee31@gmail.com.
65  Ellen Jacobs LeClair is now 
retired in Hawaii after teaching French 
in a special immersion program at 
Commack High School for 30 years. 
She has a home facing the Pacific 
Ocean. She stays busy tutoring 
English, volunteering for events at 
Kauai High School and volunteering 
for the Kauai Humane Society. In 
addition, Ellen has a small dessert-
catering business. The UAlbany Class 
of 1965’s 50th reunion is next month! 
Reunion activities will be held during 
Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 9-11, 
when you will have a chance to relive 
memories, catch up with your college 
friends, and become reacquainted with 
Alumni News & Notes
www.albany.edu
35
CELEBRATING  
45 YEARS
Middle Earth, established in 1970, 
celebrates its 45th anniversary with 
a reunion brunch Oct. 10 during 
Homecoming. Alumni are welcome to  
join in the festivities of the weekend! 
Contact Dr. Dolores Cimini ’86  
(dcimini@albany.edu, 518-442-5800) or  
Dr. Chad Waxman ’03, ’04  
(waxman822@gmail.com.)
John Johnston
36
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
your alma mater. If you 
haven’t received an email 
regarding this milestone 
reunion, please contact 
class councilors Judy 
Koblintz Madnick 
(jmadnick@gmail.
com) or Ira Rubtchinsky 
(irapaul@yahoo.com) so 
that we have your email 
address for future reunion 
communications. 
We’re looking forward 
to seeing you in October! Learn more 
and register at: www.alumni.albany.
edu/homecoming. 
Class notes councilor: Judy Madnick, 
jmadnick@gmail.com.
69  Gary Mattson was recently 
reappointed by Kentucky Gov. Steve 
Beshear to the Banklick/Lower Licking 
River Watershed Council. 
71  Michael Blum graduated 
from UAlbany in absentia in 1971 
while attending Tel Aviv University. 
He served in the Israeli Army and, in 
1976, returned to the U.S., where he 
has worked as a global consultant. He 
and his wife split their time between 
homes in California, New York and 
Tuscany.
74  Mehmet Odekon, Tisch 
Family Distinguished Professor at 
Skidmore College, addressed the Class 
of 2015 at Skidmore’s graduation 
ceremony last May. He is a professor 
of economics. 
76  Donna Scanlon received the 
2015 Excellence in Research Award 
from the University at Albany.
77  Stuart P. Gelberg was 
named a 2015 “Legal Eagle” by Pulse 
Magazine and was also selected as 
one of only two bankruptcy attorneys 
for Legal Leaders as determined by 
Martindale-Hubbell. He was recently 
honored at the First Annual Access 
to Justice by the Nassau County Bar 
Association.
78  Steve Toretto was promoted 
to associate general counsel, 
Corporate Division of Pacific Life 
Insurance Company. He resides in 
Mission Viejo, Calif. 
79  Bruce Plaxen became 
a certified member of the Million 
Dollar Advocates Forum. The forum 
is recognized as one of the most 
prestigious groups of trial lawyers 
in the U.S. In addition, Plaxen & 
Adler, P.A., is celebrating its 30th 
anniversary. The firm maintains nine 
locations throughout the State of 
Maryland.
80  Sharon Potoker Liese 
premiered her documentary,  
“The Gnomist,” at the Tribeca Film 
Festival. More info:  
TheGnomistFilm.com.
82  Bill Steffen is a faculty 
member at Ohio University, where he 
teaches recreation and sport pedagogy 
courses. He is also the administrator of 
the school’s online master’s degree in 
coaching education program. 
Alumni News & Notes
More than 300 alumni and friends gathered at Saratoga Race Course for UAlbany Day at the Races.
Build new connections  
with the UAlbany  
Alumni Group on
Through this free network of UAlbany alumni,  
you’ll find inside connections to jobs, industry  
experts and business partners. Use it to:
• Leverage the power of the UAlbany alumni network to  
connect with other alums and their non-alumni contacts.
• Present yourself and your professional capabilities. 
• Search LinkedIn’s job database and connect with  
UAlbany alumni at companies around the world.
• Accelerate your career through referrals from  
UAlbany alumni.
To register, visit www.linkedin.com  
  and search for “UAlbany Alumni group.”
Judy Koblintz 
Madnick
Ira Rubtchinsky
83  Andrea Wolfe received the 
2015 Excellence in Professional 
Service award from the University at 
Albany.
84  Andy Jay recently moved to 
Osaka, Japan, to serve as the U.S. 
Consulate’s management officer. 
Carol Nordhausen Perrin received 
the 2015 University at Albany 
Excellence in Professional Service 
Award. Jonathan Hudis joined the 
intellectual-property practice group 
of Quarles & Brady, LLP, Washington, 
D.C. He counsels clients in copyright, 
trademark, trade secrets, and unfair 
competition matters. 
85  Elizabeth Erhardt Donovan 
was recently appointed 
the first director of 
Experiential Education 
at Ave Maria School of 
Law. She teaches the 
Human Trafficking 
Law Clinic and 
the Mediation Law Clinic, as well 
as Advanced Clinical Law, Client 
Representation, and Alternative 
Dispute Resolution. A member of the 
Board of Directors of the Southwest 
Florida Human Trafficking Coalition and 
co-chair of the Collier County Coalition 
Against Human Trafficking, she was 
an original member of the Michigan 
Human Trafficking Task Force. Nancy 
J. Barry received the Appellate 
Division, Second Department, Milton 
Mollen Commitment to Excellence 
Award. The annual award, named for 
Milton Mollen, former presiding justice 
of the Second Department, recognizes 
the achievements of New York State 
Unified Court System employees 
within the Second Judicial Department 
who have demonstrated outstanding 
professionalism, dedication and 
service. Nancy is chief clerk of 
Westchester Supreme 
and County Courts. 
Sandra M. McDermott 
joined Goldberg Segalla, 
LLP, as a partner in 
its Global Insurance 
Services Practice Group. 
She practices from the firm’s offices 
in Manhattan and in her hometown, 
Syracuse, N.Y. 
 86  Mary Beth Labate was 
appointed budget director for the New 
York State Division of the Budget. 
She has been directly involved in 
a number of the administration’s 
key fiscal accomplishments. They 
include maintaining state spending 
at 2 percent, reforming the Medicaid 
program to limit growth dramatically, 
and developing and advocating for 
$60 billion in federal aid in response 
to Superstorm Sandy. Sal Perednia 
has joined Interactive Data Corporation 
(www.interactivedata.com) in 
Manhattan as a senior information-
security risk analyst. He has served 
as treasurer for the Garwood Baseball 
League since October 2010, and also 
as treasurer for the Cranford Alliance 
Church, Cranford, N.J., where he was 
recently elected to serve a three-year 
term as an elder. Paul Schaffer is in 
his seventh year as managing director 
and CFO of Alterna Capital Partners, 
a private equity fund based in Wilton, 
Conn. He is president of the Danbury 
Westerners and was recently re-elected 
to the Dippikill Board of Directors.
www.albany.edu
37
Alumni living in the Metro D.C. area gathered for a summer night at Nationals Park.
Sorority-Fraternity 
Coffee Hour
Saturday, Oct. 10, 10:30-Noon
All NYSCT sororities and fraternities 
are invited to mingle, reconnect and 
reminisce with fellow alumni over  
coffee this Homecoming Weekend.  
To learn more, visit  
www.alumni.albany.edu/homecoming. 
Elizabeth Erhardt 
Donovan
Sandra M. 
McDermott
38
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
87  Michael Mund retired from 
a career in federal law enforcement 
following 26 years of 
service. He is currently 
the corporate security 
manager for JetBlue 
Airways in Fort 
Lauderdale, Fla. Connie 
Numbers, PsyD, joined 
the faculty at The Sophia Institute and 
recently conducted the workshop “50 
Shades of Remembering: Knowing 
Yourself on a Deeper Level.” Frank 
Whaley’s film “Like Sunday, Like Rain” 
– starring Leighton Meester, Debra 
Messing and Billie Joe Armstrong – 
was released by Monterey Media in 
March. Frank is a UAlbany Alumni 
Excellence Awards recipient.  
Info: http://montereymedia.com. 
88  Thomas O’Connor is the new 
director of Government Relations at 
the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber 
of Commerce. He will be responsible 
for the coordination of planning, 
development and implementation of 
the chamber’s government-affairs 
program. Paul S. Linzer, 
labor-group partner at 
Certilman Balin Adler & 
Hyman, LLP, was included 
in Island Pulse Magazine’s 
top 10 list of “Legal 
Eagles.” 
89  Blanca Ramos received the 
2015 Excellence in Teaching Award 
from the University at Albany. Daniel 
Baker joined Certilman 
Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, 
East Meadow, N.Y., as a 
partner in the real-estate 
and land-use and zoning 
practice groups. 
90  Clarence Eckerson’s work 
was featured during the Streetfilms 
Mini-Festival, which is focused on 
urban planning, cycling and transit, 
at the Madison Theater in Albany. 
Clarence’s short films show how smart 
transportation design and policy can 
result in better places to live, work 
and play.
92  Latonia Spencer received 
the 2015 Excellence in Professional 
Service Award from the University at 
Albany. Stephanie M. Cerasano has 
been named litigation 
manager of Jackson 
Lewis P.C., Phoenix. 
Michael Hickey was 
elected interim president 
and CEO of The Center 
for Economic Growth 
by the CEG Board of Directors. David 
Bentley was promoted to the rank of 
captain with the Fairfax County [Va.] 
Fire & Rescue Department. He is also 
the officer in charge of Engine 401, 
which is the first fire engine due to 
the George Bush CIA compound in 
Langley, Va.
 93  John M. Bagyi  
of Bond Schoeneck & 
King was listed as one 
of the nation’s “Most 
Powerful Employment 
Attorneys” in Human Resource 
Executive® for the second  
consecutive year. 
94  Nini Hadjis 
recently screened her  
film “Old Fashioned” at 
the Palace Theater in 
Albany, N.Y. 
Alumni News & Notes
2005-2015 graduates enjoy baseball at Citi Field  
during GOLD Night at the Mets.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER2015
	
SEPTEMBER 12	 Great Dane Game Day, UAlbany vs.  
Rhode Island
	
18	 GOLD Schmooze, NYC
	
26	 Great Dane Game Day, UAlbany vs. 
Duquesne
	 OCTOBER  9, 10, 11	 Homecoming
	
9	 All-Alumni Wine Tasting 
	
10	 President’s Breakfast 
	
10	 Sorority & Fraternity Coffee Hour
	
10	 Great Dane Game Day, UAlbany vs. Maine 
	
10	 GOLD Party @ Pearl St. Pub
	
17	 Great Dane Game Day,  
UAlbany vs. Villanova
	
22	 SAKS Alumni Fashion Show 
	
NOVEMBER   TBD	 Alumni Happy Hour, NYC
	
13	 Men’s Basketball vs. University of Kentucky 
game, Pre-Game Party, Lexington, Ky.
	
14	 Great Dane Game Day, UAlbany vs. New 
Hampshire 
	
16	 Men’s Basketball vs. Boston University 
game, Pre-Game Party, Boston
	
24	 Men’s Basketball vs. University of South 
Florida game, Pre-Game Party, Albany
	
DECEMBER 12	 UAlbany vs. Siena doubleheader  
(Albany Cup), Pre-Game Party
For a full list of Homecoming 2015 events, please  
visit www.alumni.albany.edu/homecoming.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Paul S. 
Linzer
Daniel 
Baker
Stephanie M. 
Cerasano
Nini Hadjis
John M. Bagyi
Connie  
Numbers
96  Deborah Lines Anderson 
received the 2015 University at 
Albany Excellence in Teaching 
Award. Peter Morea was 
promoted to general counsel, North 
America, for Scheidt & Bachmann. 
Based in the Boston area, he 
is responsible for covering the 
U.S. and Canadian subsidiaries; 
he also supports the parent 
company in Germany. Matthew 
Anderson has been named chief 
operating officer of 
The Osborn, located 
in Rye, N.Y. Matthew 
previously served as 
the organization’s 
senior vice president of 
Healthcare Services. 
00  Gracie Mercado was 
promoted to senior vice president of 
Business Operations, Prudential Center 
and New Jersey Devils. Previously, 
Gracie oversaw human 
resources for the 
Prudential Center and 
the New Jersey Devils 
in a vice-president’s 
capacity. 
01  Donna Canestraro received 
the 2015 Excellence in Professional 
Service Award from the University at 
Albany. Erin McCampbell joined 
Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria, LLP, 
Buffalo, N.Y., as an 
associate in the  
criminal-defense trials 
and appeals practice  
area. 
02  UAlbany Alumni Association 
President Joseph Garba was recently 
appointed to the role of secretary, 
Intergovernmental Relations, to New 
York State Assembly Speaker Carl 
Heastie.
www.albany.edu
39
Members of the classes of 2005-2015 take in a gorgeous night on the Hudson  
during the GOLD Summer Music Cruise.
Enjoy great food, drinks, trivia, karaoke  
and more at the eighth annual  
GOLD Party at Homecoming, Oct. 10.  
This year’s event will be at the Pearl St. Pub.
For details, visit  
www.alumni.albany.edu/homecoming. 
Don’t Miss the 
GOLD PARTY  
at Homecoming
SEPT. 18 – GOLD SCHMOOZE, NYC    OCT. 10 – GOLD HOMECOMING PARTY    NOV. – NYC HAPPY HOUR
CLASSES OF 2005-2015
CALENDAR
Matthew 
Anderson
Gracie  
Mercado
Erin  
McCampbell
40
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
03  Claudwardyne Thevenin 
is a faculty member and medical 
doctor at Albany Medical Center. Lisa 
Ferretti received the 2015 Excellence 
in Professional Service Award from 
the University at Albany. Nathan W. 
Giesselman was recently named 
partner at Skadden, 
Arps, Slate, Meagher 
& Flom LLP. He has 
practiced tax law with 
Skadden since 2006. 
Nathan transferred 
from the New York City 
office to Palo Alto, Calif., in 2013 to 
help launch the firm’s Silicon Valley 
tax practice.  Tracey McNerney was 
recently accepted to the University at 
Buffalo’s Ph.D. program in Curriculum, 
Instruction and the Science of 
Learning. Her research will focus 
on the use of digital video in online 
education.
04  Ryan M. McCabe was 
honored as a member 
of the New Orleans 
City Business 2015 
Leadership in Law 
class, which recognizes 
50 area lawyers. 
Leadership in Law 
acknowledges legal professionals 
in four categories: firm associated, 
court associated, in-house counsel 
and educators. Honorees are selected 
based on their professional and 
community involvement, as well as for 
achievements that have set the pace 
for the overall community. Ryan is an 
associate at Steeg Law Firm, LLC, 
New Orleans. 
07  Andrew Kennedy was 
appointed deputy director of State 
Operations for Policy, State of New 
York. Previously, he served as Gov. 
Andrew Cuomo’s assistant secretary 
for Economic Development. Timothy 
Buddenhagen recently accepted 
the position of training manager 
at Documentation Strategies in 
Rensselaer, N.Y. Kristin Anderson 
is the lead school psychologist at 
Beaufort County School District in 
South Carolina.
08  Post-Star reporter Amanda 
May (Whistle) Metzger 
received the New York 
State Federation of Lake 
Associations’ Media 
Award, presented  
annually to a 
journalist who has 
brought attention 
to issues and potential problems 
involving water bodies and watershed. 
She was chosen for her story “New 
septic treatment units seen as way 
to protect Lake George,” and for 
her continued coverage of issues at 
Lake George and lakes throughout 
the southern Adirondacks. Graham 
Leonard was named an associate 
Alumni News & Notes
Ryan M. 
McCabe
Amanda May 
(Whistle) Metzger
Nathan W. 
Giesselman
Great Dane Game Day
Experience UAlbany Great Dane Game Day every 
home game this football season! Enjoy pre-game  
food, live music, activities and more! 
Sept. 12  |  Sept. 26  |  Oct. 10  |  Oct. 17  |  Nov. 14
HOMECOMING
of Hodgson Russ, LLP, 
in Buffalo. Graham 
represents clients in 
estate and trust matters. 
Prior to attending law 
school, Graham served 
as an AmeriCorps VISTA. 
09  Chris Flowers joined Godfrey 
& Kahn, S.C. as an associate in the 
litigation practice group at the firm’s 
Milwaukee location. His practice 
focuses primarily on contract and 
commercial litigation. Chris received 
his J.D. from Marquette University 
Law School. While at UAlbany, he was 
a legislative fellow at the New York 
State Senate and an intern at the state 
Assembly. Caitlin Root was recently 
promoted to senior 
accountant in the audit 
department of Lumsden 
& McCormick, LLP. She 
serves commercial 
businesses and 
exempt organizations 
by performing review, audit and 
bookkeeping services.
10  Joaquin 
Souberbielle competed  
on the 30th season of the 
CBS reality show “Survivor.” 
11  Victor Cueva, a member of 
the Benjamin N. Cardozo 
School of Law Class of 
2015, was chosen to be an 
Immigrant Justice Corps 
Fellow. He was recently 
featured in The New York 
Times for this honor. 
12  Gabrielle Bogan launched Life 
by Design, a life-coaching business.
13  Gregory Skochko was recently 
awarded a fellowship from the New 
York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) in 
crafts/sculpture. Stephanie Kazanas 
received the 2015 Excellence in 
Teaching Award from the University 
at Albany. Tyler Carroll 
is employed by the 
Dutchess County 
Department of Social 
Services. He is president 
and director of Hudson 
Valley Bridge Builders 
(info: hvbridgebuilders.org.) Alysia 
Siciliano graduated from Trinity 
College with a master’s degree 
in public policy. While there, she 
interned for the U.S. Senate and the 
Office of the Secretary of the State 
of Connecticut. Alysia aided in the 
creation of a statewide civic-education 
curriculum that shaped her final 
graduate studies project, “Increasing 
Civic Engagement: Revising Civic 
Curriculum in Connecticut.” In addition, 
she wrote a dedication within the 
2014 Connecticut State Manual and 
Register, co-founded the Trinity College 
Graduate Student Association, and 
spoke at the Connecticut Council for 
the Social Studies C3 Framework 
Conference. Alysia currently works for 
the Hartford Board of Education and 
serves as a member of the graduate-
studies advisory board. Casey 
Jakubowski, recently appointed 
an alumni mentor by the University 
at Buffalo, was a guest speaker at 
the HIRE Conference for the School 
of Education in late May. She has 
also authored two book reviews on 
education reform for The History 
Teacher and the Alberta Journal of 
Education Review. Amber Wilmot 
was recently promoted to director of 
Administration with the office of New 
Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan.
www.albany.edu
41
2015 graduates hang out  
at the GOLD alumni BBQ  
Tent during Senior Week.
Graham  
Leonard
Caitlin Root
Joaquin 
Souberbielle
Victor 
Cueva
Tyler Carroll
Oct. 9 | 5-7 p.m.
Start your weekend of Homecoming activities 
with the All-Alumni Wine Tasting and view  
the work of award-winning alumni artist  
Brian Tolle ’86. Connect with alumni from  
all classes while enjoying samples of  
New York wines and cheeses. 
Learn more at  
http://alumni.albany.edu/homecoming. 
All-Alumni 
WINE-TASTING  
RECEPTION 
University Art Museum
42
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
For a complete list of class councilors:  
www.albany.edu/alumni/avc.php  
or call the Alumni Association at  
(518) 442-3080.
Alumni News & Notes
Weddings
Births
Kristin Anderson ’07 and Lawrence 
Anderson welcomed Grace 
Elizabeth, May 11, 2015. 
Chris Sangimino ’06 and  
Nina (Accorsini) Sangimino ’06 
welcomed Giuliana  
Sept. 25, 2014. 
Corey Murray ’07 and  
Natalie Sena ’11,  
June 6, 2015
Lisa Fund ’05 and David Berg,  
Aug. 2, 2015
Amber Wilmot ’13 and  
Brian Melo, Nov. 8, 2014
James Nannariello ’10 and 
Kristen Kielbasa ’09, ’11, 
Oct. 11, 2014 
Jordan Donahue ’10 and  
Gina (Curcuru) Donahue ’10, 
Oct. 11, 2014 
Chris Fink ’81 and  
Stacey Miller ’89,  
May 22, 2015 
Alumni News & Notes
www.albany.edu
43
Deceased Alumni
1930s
Dorothy G. Griffin ’34, March 24, 2015
Evelyn Hoyt Fullagar ’35, June 23, 2015
Richard L. Margison ’37, March 1, 2015
Mary Harbow Renison ’37, April 8, 2015
Anne Service Sheeley ’37, May 14, 2015
E. Helen Gardner ’39, ’64, April 20, 2015
1940s
Marcia Brown ’40, April 28, 2015
Adelaide Vagnarelli Nadler ’40, March 31, 2015
Muriel Howard Bennison ’41, October 14, 2014
Lois Mannheimer ’41, May 20, 2015
Mary E. Viliano Tropia ’42, May 9, 2015
Mary Stengel Bond ’44, October 19, 2014
Catherine Huvar Henry ’44, November 3, 2014
Barbara Putnam Marr ’45, March 16, 2015
Patricia De Rouville Brown ’47, April 20, 2015
Mary L. Stolfe Paley ’47, April 18, 2015
Lois I. Hutchinson Root ’47, March 5, 2015
Anne R. Donovan ’48, April 24, 2015
Marie Fernandes Lewenstein ’49, May 22, 2015
1950s
Reba Somes Battaglia ’50, March 26, 2015
Anna M. Buno ’50, December 25, 2014
Donald C. Hoyt ’50, February 24, 2015
Regina Bollenbach Taylor ’50, May 19, 2015
Jeanette Zelanis Sweringen ’51, March 27, 2015
Francis W. Baker ’52, May 16, 2015
Emily Rose Burch ’52, April 21, 2015
Sandy Murphy Johansen ’52, November 20, 2014
Donald E. Putterman ’52, June 11, 2015
Patricia A. Butler Dornburgh ’53, January 28, 
2015
Mary Cossaboon Campbell ’54, April 6, 2015
Mabel Schweizer Loughlin ’54, March 21, 2015
Donald E. Matthews ’54, November 17, 2014
Kenneth B. Schoonmaker ’54, April 16, 2015
Stephen Veselka ’54, June 9, 2015
Frank R. Denton, Jr. ’55, January 18, 2015
Charles C. Derwin ’55, March 27, 2015
William J. Horak ’55, May 4, 2015
Joyce A. Burwash Call ’57, May 4, 2015
Beverly McIntyre Haviland ’57, January 24, 2015
Paula Segal Shulak ’57, December 22, 2014
Edson B. Travis ’57, April 19, 2015
Robert Bosomworth ’58, March 13, 2015
Burton J. Rounds ’58, June 9, 2015
Lenore Mosner Shapiro ’58, September 30, 2014
Marlene Ferner Allison ’59, December 29, 2014
Barbara Thornhill Callaghan ’59,  
February 13, 2015
Carol Scheu Hackett ’59, May 5, 2015
1960s
Joseph Clement, Jr. ’60, April 10, 2015
Gloria F. Deutsch, Ph.D. ’60, February 22, 2015
Carl G. Eppelmann ’60, March 15, 2010
Burton Kaliski ’60, June 16, 2015
Robert G. Lundergan ’60, September 22, 2012
Paul T. Reagan ’60, March 5, 2015
James E. Sharp ’60, August 30, 2013
Joseph Hetko, Esq. ’61, March 2, 2015
Gertrude Modell ’61, July 21, 2006
Marlene F. Schwarz Shelmandine ’62, April 7, 2015
Doris M. Almstead ’63, April 10, 2015
Celeste C. Calio ’63, March 29, 2015
Elizabeth Sloger Cleary ’63, April 5, 2015
Oliver J. Orton ’63, April 5, 2015
Muriel S. Robinson ’63, February 25, 2010
Isabella K. Sharpe ’63, February 28, 2015
Gary F. Quick ’64, June 1, 2015
Helen Meserole Oleniczak ’65, July 23, 2014
Robert V. Rench ’65, June 28, 2012
Henry A. Sterling ’65, September 29, 2012
Suzanne Swerbenski ’65, February 7, 2015
Anne Murphy White ’65, June 29, 2015
Vera Komanowski ’66, May 16, 2015
Anne Lawlor, R.S.M. ’66, June 11, 2015
Jean Decker Dunham ’68, April 19, 2015
Erick R. Grinde ’69, June 9, 2015
Marcia J. Brown, B.A.’40
Three-time Caldecott medalist Marcia J. Brown, 
who delighted generations of youngsters with her 
illustrations and stories, died in California April 28  
at the age of 96.
Determined to become an artist, the Rochester-
born Brown enrolled at the former New York State 
College for Teachers in 1936 to major in English 
and drama. She later taught high school for three 
years before taking a position with the New York 
Public Library’s Central Children’s Room.  
Brown’s first book, The Little Carousel, was published in 1946. Two years later, 
she received Caldecott Honors from the American Library Association (ALA) 
for Stone Soup. Between 1950 and 1954, five more of Brown’s works (Henry 
Fisherman, Dick Whittington and His Cat, Skipper John’s Cook, Puss in Boots and 
The Steadfast Tin Soldier) earned Caldecott recognition. The ALA presented her 
the Caldecott Medal – its most prestigious award for excellence in children’s 
picture-book illustrations – three times: for Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper 
(1955); Once a Mouse (1962); and Shadow (1983). 
Brown, who produced more than 30 books, presented the University at Albany 
a collection of art books in French, German, English, Italian, Chinese and 
Japanese, and funds necessary for its maintenance and interpretation. Housed 
in the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, the 
Marcia Brown Collection also includes watercolors, pastels, woodcuts, puppets 
and other creations, as well as her personal papers. 
In 1969, Brown received the University at Albany Alumni Association’s 
Distinguished Service Award. She was awarded a doctor of letters degree from 
the State University of New York in 1996.
44
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
1970s
Gary R. Allen ’70, March 6, 2015
Diana R. Ayers Blanchard ’70, April 06, 2015
George J. Gravrogkas ’70, January 30, 2015
Donald B. Hunt, Jr. ’70, May 21, 2015
Adrienne G. Rogers, Ph.D. ’70, May 14, 2015
Fred Baruchin ’71, March 29, 2015
Suzanne J. Carr ’71, April 7, 2015
Thomas A. Constantine ’71, May 3, 2015
Julie A. Puskarenko Gardner ’71, April 24, 2015
Thomas Grealish ’71, April 13, 2015
Janice P. Kippert ’71, December 2, 2006
Irene K. Ropelewski ’71, January 4, 2015
Judith Goldseger Rubin ’71, May 3, 2014
Jaqueline F. Shane ’71, January 18, 2015
George R. Turo ’71, May 3, 2015
Patricia A. Brown ’72, April 15, 2015
Alfred T. Cullen ’72, May 17, 2015
Thomas H. Dinnel ’72, July 18, 2013
Robert W. Albright ’73, April 3, 2015
Stephen Bohen ’73, January 6, 2014
Linda A. Lombardi Doyle ’73, April 1, 2015
John T. Griffin ’73, June 15, 2014
James D. Nerone ’73, February 14, 2015
Harriett L. Redd ’73, May 14, 2015
Peter F. Stoll, Ph.D. ’73, March 13, 2015
Soumaya B. Baaklini ’74, June 10, 2015
Roslyn G. Gladstone Brown ’74, May 24, 2015
Dale R. Cobane ’74, May 8, 2009
William M. Derrick ’74, August 27, 2014
Daniel D. Dewey ’74, May 23, 2015
Thomas R. Haberbush ’74, May 29, 2015
Gerald E. Hochreiter ’74, March 5, 2015
Susan Witters Brannen ’75, February 19, 2015
Robert A. Cannon ’75, May 3, 2015
Brian F. Howard ’75, February 20, 2015
Bruce A. Newman ’75, May 19, 2014
Richard L. Olson ’75, April 9, 2015
Susan Weiss Patti ’75, April 25, 2015
Patricia A. Plastow ’75, September 21, 2013
John J. Velie ’75, June 13, 2015
Annie P. Barrow ’76, January 14, 2015
W. Daniel Morgan ’78, December 2, 2014
Elaine Stryker Spear ’78, March 12, 2011
Meta L. Reid ’79, March 22, 2015
1980s
Kenneth Bykofsky ’80, December 2, 2012
Lloyd W. Franks ’80, June 13, 2012
Lynne M. Martin Olver ’80, April 14, 2015
Eric L. Shepcaro ’80, May 4, 2013
Evan E. Fortinsky ’81, February 23, 2015
Robert P. Poleto ’81, May 15, 2015
Peter P. Engel ’82, May 4, 2015
Patti Hill Gordon ’82, May 19, 2015
Timothy T. Gunther ’82, May 5, 2015
Cheryl R. Solomon-Koenig ’82, June 26, 2013
Jane E. Stevens ’83, April 23, 2015
Charles E. Yandell ’83, May 24, 2015
Joanne M. Hatch Aguillon ’86, May 3, 2015
Ellen G. Schaeffer Brody ’86, February 3, 2015
Janet F. Anderson ’87, May 25, 2015
Steven M. Benevento ’87, September 2, 2014
Michael H. McGovern ’87, February 28, 2015
1990s
Sylvester W. Braswell ’92, March 18, 2015
Andrew J. Luebker ’93, August 18, 2014
Daniel S. Richards ’93, April 13, 2013
Marsha M. Vandusen ’93, May 23, 2015
Pamela R. Gold ’96, February 9, 2013
Deborah A. Reid D’Antoni ’97, June 22, 2015
Judith Rosenberg ’97, March 8, 2015
Roderic Bacote ’98, September 3, 2009
Luan M. Laroche ’98, July 24, 2014
2000s
John M. Lebret ’04, March 11, 2015
John T. McGowan ’06, February 23, 2015
Daniel L. Barnes ’07, March 23, 2015
2010s
Sun Jung Kim ’11, May 2, 2015
Darren Testo ’13, April 11, 2015
Alumni News & Notes
Donald E. Putterman, B.A.’52, M.A.’53
Educator Donald “Don” E. Putterman passed away  
June 11. He was 83.
Putterman completed undergraduate and graduate studies 
at the New York State College for Teachers. A retired 
U.S. Navy commander, he was a teacher and school 
administrator in several New York school districts. After 
retiring from his career in teaching and administration, 
Putterman served as interim superintendent and business 
manager for several districts. 
A strong believer in public service and an enthusiastic 
supporter of the arts, Putterman was a volunteer fireman 
in Rotterdam, N.Y., and was a volunteer with WMHT 
Educational Television. He sponsored and promoted the 
Rotary Youth Exchange, and was a Cornell Cooperative 
Extension volunteer and a founding board member of The 
Committee for Missing Children.   
Putterman, a dedicated alumnus of the University at 
Albany, served as president of both the Alumni Association 
Benevolent Association and the Class of 1952, and 
chairman of program planning for the Capital District 
alumni chapter. A longtime member of the Alumni 
Association Board of Directors, he received the Excellence 
in Alumni Service Award in 2000. The association honored 
him again in 2003, presenting 
Putterman the Excellence in 
Education Award. 
He was predeceased by his 
wife, Joyce Shafer Putterman 
’52, and sister, Ellice Rollins. 
Survivors include his daughters, 
Jennifer Putterman and Melissa 
Putterman Hoffman ’02; a 
brother, Dr. Sheldon Putterman;  
and two grandchildren.
www.albany.edu
45
UAlbany
Here are the best ways to reach us!
ADDRESS, E-MAIL, PHONE  
OR JOB CHANGES
E-mail: proyce@albany.edu
Mail: Pushpa Royce 
Office of Development Services, UAB 209 
University at Albany
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
ALUMNI NEWS AND NOTES
E-mail: alumniassociation@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@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
Deceased Faculty/Staff
Carol A. Delisle, April 27, 2015, Clerk I, Economics, 1976-2004
Peggy L. Mann, March 3, 2015, Associate Professor, Physical Education, 1963-1973
Karen A. Mitchell, June 11, 2015, Clerk I, Athletics and Recreation, 1970-2012
Oliver Nikoloff, February 19, 2015, Professor, Educational Psychology and Statistics, 1966-1994
Edeltraud H. Roach, March 25, 2015, Chartwells, 1983-2001
William D. Roth, Ph.D., March 17, 2015, Associate Professor, School of Social Welfare, 1978-2008
Edward G. Sellnow, May 15, 2015, Plant Utilities Engineer 2, 1973-2002
Robert H. Gibson, July 3, 2015, Associate Dean, Registrar’s Office, 1966-2010
Melvin Harvey, June 23, 2015, Security Services Assistant I, University Police, 1996-2015
Thomas A. Constantine, M.A.’71
Thomas A. Constantine, former New 
York State Police superintendent and 
onetime administrator of the U.S. Drug 
Enforcement Administration, passed away 
May 3 in Pinehurst, N.C. He was 76.
A native of Buffalo, Constantine earned 
degrees from Erie County Community 
College and the State University College 
at Buffalo. He later enrolled at the 
University at Albany School of Criminal 
Justice, receiving a master’s degree and 
completing the academic requirements of 
the doctoral program.   
Constantine began his law-enforcement 
career as an Erie County sheriff’s deputy. He joined the New York 
State Police as a uniform trooper in 1962, rising through the ranks 
to serve as superintendent. In 1994, former President Bill Clinton 
appointed Constantine administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement 
Administration. 
After retiring from the DEA in 1999, Constantine joined Rockefeller 
College of Public Affairs & Policy as a professor of public policy. The 
following year, the British government tapped him to serve as oversight 
commissioner for a major reform of provincial policing in Northern 
Ireland. In addition, he was a senior adviser to the director of Intelligence 
in Washington, D.C.
The University at Albany recognized Constantine in 2012 with an 
honorary doctor of laws degree.
Constantine’s survivors include his wife, Ruth; six children; 15 
grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a brother.   
AUTHORS & EDITORS 
46
UAlbany Magazine • Fall 2015
Naoshi 
Koriyama, 
B.A.’54, 
recently 
translated Japanese Tales from Times Past, 
a collection of 12th-century Japanese tales. 
Koriyama co-translated the collection with 
Bruce Allen. 
Emil J. Polak, B.A.’57, is the author of 
Medieval and Renaissance Letter Treatises 
and Form Letters: A Census of Manuscripts 
Found in Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, France, 
Germany, and Italy. These Latin manuscripts 
(ars dictaminis) were consulted in almost 
900 libraries and archives in 36 countries. 
Polak is professor emeritus of history, having 
taught nearly 50 years at CUNY.
Michael Gilbertson, B.A.’71, recently 
published his first book, Write Right: A 
Style Sheet for Everyone. Gilbertson’s book 
focuses on clear, graceful writing and is 
available in both paperback and eBook 
format via Amazon. 
Gail Shanley Corso, Ph.D.’72, recently 
published her first collection of poetry, 
Tendered to Us in Love. Corso is a 
professor of English and the humanities 
at Neumann University in Aston, Pa. She 
and her husband, Charles, reside in Mount  
Royal, N.J. 
Marleen Barr, B.A.’74, is the author of Oy 
Pioneer! The humorous novel is set on the 
UAlbany campus. 
Shel Weissman, Ed.D.’74, is the author 
of Midnight Train to Trieste: A Collection of 
Short Stories, which chronicles a college 
student’s 
European 
backpacking 
trip. 
Weissman’s tales focus on ordinary people 
searching for meaning and personal growth 
in ever-changing situations. This publication 
is available through Amazon.
Barry 
Perlmutter, 
B.S.’75, 
published 
Practical Guides in Chemical Engineering: 
Solid-Liquid Filtration. Perlmutter is president 
and managing director of BHS-Sonthofen 
Inc. Filtration, Mixing & Recycling Divisions. 
Rhona Friedman, B.A.’76, is the author of 
Daughter of the Blue Sapphire, a memoir of 
her father’s life. 
Bill Howard, M.A.’84, published What the 
RAF Airman Took to War, commemorating 
the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. 
The book was published by Shire Publishing, 
a subsidiary of The Bloomsbury Group. 
John 
Friedman, 
B.A.’85, 
recently 
published PR 2.0: How Digital Media Can 
Help you Build a Sustainable Brand. 
Paul Bruno, M.B.A.’86, wrote Project 
Management in History: The First Jeep. The 
book details the Jeep’s triumph in the 49-
day challenge issued by the U.S. Army.
Jack Glaser, B.A.’87, is the author of 
Suspect Race: Causes and Consequences 
of Racial Profiling, published by Oxford 
University Press.
Jean Colaio, B.A.’87, recently published 
That Day: My Story of September 11th, in 
which she vividly recalls the devastation and 
confusion of that fateful day, as well as the 
agonizing moments of suspense during the 
days that followed.
Mike Goldman, B.S.’87, is the author 
of Performance Breakthrough: The Four 
Secrets of Passionate Organizations. More 
information: www.passionateorganizations.
com. 
Brian Obach, B.A.’88, recently published 
his second book, Organic Struggle: The 
Movement for Sustainable Agriculture in 
the United States (MIT Press, 2015). Obach 
examines how the organic movement 
grew from a fringe interest into a multi-
billion-dollar industry, analyzes why the 
movement developed as it did, and explores 
the shortcomings of market-based social-
change strategies. He is a professor of 
sociology at the State University of New 
York at New Paltz. 
Amy Halloran, B.A.’90, is the author of The 
New Bread Basket, which profiles regional 
grain production. Halloran also writes the 
blog Home Economics: Three Avid Eaters 
Plus One Picky Fellow. More information: 
www.amyhalloran.net. 
Patricia Dunn, D.A., Ph.D.’91, recently 
published 
her 
fourth 
book, 
Disabling 
Characters: Representations of Disability in 
Young Adult Literature. Dunn is an associate 
professor of English at Stony Brook 
University. 
Suzette Bishop, D.A., Ph.D.’93, recently 
published her third book of poetry, Hive-
Mind. Currently, Bishop teaches at Texas 
A&M International University in Laredo. 
Leslie Tayne, Esq., B.A.’93, recently 
published Life and Debt: a Fresh Approach 
to Achieving Financial Wellness. The book 
is described as a fun, easy-to-read guide 
filled with useful tips about managing 
debt, confronting the fear of budgeting, 
and the importance of knowing your 
credit history and score. More info: www.
LifeandDebtBook.com. 
Darryl Green, M.A.’97, and Mary Rose 
Green, M.S.’94, are co-authors of Jake 
and the Buggy Melee and Five More of 
You. Both books are targeted for children 
K-3. The Greens illuminate and educate 
through humorous and insightful prose, and 
bold and colorful illustrations. More info:  
www.greenspublications.com.
Kelly Williams, B.A.’97, is the author of 
OP-DEC: Operation Deceit, Blue Honor 
and the forthcoming first installment of The 
Trailokya Trilogy. 
Rasheem Rooke, B.A.’98, published the 
suspense novel Black Ribisi. As a student 
at UAlbany, Rooke served as vice president 
of Albany State University Black Alliance 
(ASUBA) in 1994-95 and as president the 
following year. He served as the Student 
Association president in 1997-98. More info: 
www.RasheemRooke.com. 
Gloria Russo Wassell, M.S.’00, recently 
co-authored Adopting Older Children: A 
Practical Guide to Adopting and Parenting 
Children Over Age Four, which enumerates 
the issues an older adopted child faces.
Sandra (Sherman) Zelka, M.B.A.’03, 
recently published her first book, A Bad Day 
at the Beach, in which a couple’s much-
needed Caribbean vacation is cut short by 
a Category-5 hurricane. This book aims 
to give the reader perspective on what it 
means to come home.
www.albany.edu
47
John Howard Smith, Ph.D.’03, published The 
First Great Awakening: Redefining Religion in British 
America, 1725-1775. Smith is an associate professor 
of history at Texas A&M University-Commerce. 
Matthew Seery, B.A.’04, self-published his first 
novel, The Record Prophets, in April. A murder 
mystery set against the backdrop of the recording 
industry, the book has received excellent reviews 
from readers, who describe it as “clever,” “witty,” 
“intelligent” and “compelling.” More information: 
http://amzn.com/1781323658. 
Bryan Robinson, Ph.D.’12, recently published 
Lethal Violence and Religion: Institutional and 
Denominational Effects on Homicide and Suicide in 
U.S. Counties. 
Janelle Adsit, Ph.D.’14, is the author of Unremitting 
Entrance, a collection of poems that take root in and 
spring from the wedge driven between the living and 
the loved one lost to sudden death. Adsit is currently 
a post-doctoral fellow at Simon Fraser University in 
Vancouver, B.C. 
48
UAlbany Magazine  •  Fall 2015
Last Look
By Christine A. Doyle, M.B.A.’04
Congratulations,  
Class of 2015!
Photos: Island Photography and Mark Schmidt
Class of 2015 students were invited to decorate their graduation caps prior to the ceremonies. We salute their creativity! 
At the undergraduate ceremony, student speaker Peter Hooley ’15 – SUNY Chancellor’s 
Award recipient and nationally recognized hero of March Madness – received a standing 
ovation after his address, which he closed with a slightly modified refrain that his mum 
constantly reinforced before her passing this last winter: “Keep Flying, Class of 2015!”
Honorary-degree recipient Barbara Smith inspired graduates not only 
with her words, but with her demonstrated passion for social justice. 
A public-service professor in UAlbany’s School of Social Welfare, 
Smith has received numerous awards for her work, including a 
nomination for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.
Graduate Ceremony speaker Penelope Andrews, former  
president of Albany Law School and incoming dean of the faculty 
of law at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, poses with 
UAlbany President Robert J. Jones prior to the ceremony. 
UAlbany’s Spring Commencement 2015 ceremonies, held  
May 16 and 17 in venues across all three campuses,  
celebrated the successes of more than 3,200 graduates. 
The graduate class included 1,167 students. Of those:
• Multinational class members from 30 countries, including 
China, Kenya, Pakistan, Malaysia, Peru, Korea, Yemen, 
Kazakhstan, Russia and Barbados, earned advanced degrees. 
• Women accounted for 57 percent of the graduates. 
• The average age of class members was 29, with the  
oldest born in 1938 and the youngest, in 1993. 
• The class included 10 military veterans.
In the undergraduate class of 2,170:
• Students earned undergraduate degrees in 56 majors. 
• Degree recipients hailed from 17 countries, including  
China, Egypt, Great Britain, Ghana, Morocco, Thailand, 
Germany and Australia. 
• The average age was 23; the oldest classmate was born in 
1952, and the youngest, in 1995. 
• At 52 percent, women represented the class majority. 
• The class included 12 military veterans.
Rosanna Garcia ’13, ’15, poses with her mother after 
receiving her M.S.W. at the graduate ceremony. The 
Office of University Events staff extend their deepest 
thanks for the six years of assistance she provided 
for their signature events, and salute her incredible 
achievements. We miss you so much, Rosanna!  
A
t age 30, while expecting their first child,  
  Jeffrey and Shelley Luks decided to make  
a will. The Lukses felt it was important to  
safeguard their family’s future. By including  
a bequest for a scholarship endowment at  
UAlbany, the young couple simultaneously  
made provision for future generations  
of students, as well.    
Jeff, a Rockefeller College  
of Public Affairs & Policy  
graduate, credits the  
University with “shaping  
me inside and outside  
the classroom.” 
Jeff urges his fellow alumni  
to “get involved!” Find  
out how you can invest  
in UAlbany’s future.  
Contact our office today! 
For information about including the University  
at Albany in your estate plans, please contact  
Lori Matt-Murphy  
Office of Gift Planning  
University at Albany, UAB 226  
1400 Washington Avenue, Albany NY 12222  
(518) 437-5090 or (888) 226-5600, toll free.  
Providing For  
the Future
“When we were 30,  
we didn’t have much 
money, so a gift in  
our will made  
sense,” said Jeff.  
“It still makes sense.”
1400 Washington Avenue
Division of University Development
University Administration Building 209
Albany, NY 12222
Non Profit Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Burlington, VT 05401
Permit No. 378
www.albany.edu
HOMECOMING 2015 – OCT. 9, 10, 11
GET READY for the biggest 
annual gathering at UAlbany! Bring your 
Great Danes spirit, and we’ll do the rest. 
Take in the vibrant autumn colors as you 
enjoy the weekend’s festivities!
Bring your family and friends and share a weekend of memories, fun and excitement with classmates!  
For details, visit www.alumni.albany.edu/homecoming.
Wine-Tasting Reception
PRESIDENT’S BREAKFAST
Great Dane Pre- 
Game with food &  
entertainment
UALBANY FOOTBALL VS. MAINE
Sorority & Fraternity Coffee Hour
GOLD PARTY
Legacy Reception
REACHING HIGHER, ACHIEVING 
MORE GUEST SPEAKER