Dr. Peter Jacobs ’62g (Art Education) has been the Faculty Advisor to the Colorado State University Women’s Ice Hockey team since its inception 15 years ago. The team plays in Division 1 of the National Collegiate Hockey Association. Peter founded the National Council of Art Administrators (NCAA), a professional organization that is celebrating its 50-year anniversary in 2022. More information on the history of the organization can be found on the NCAA website. 

Lila (Artz) Hauptman (Early Childhood Education B-2) reports, “I am sad to share that my boyfriend from my college years, and husband of 56 years, Jeff Hauptman, passed away in November. We were married after my junior year, and I spent weekends as a wife and weekdays as a student.”

Mitchell Edelstein (Political Science) is celebrating ten years as Town Justice for the Town of Long Lake in Hamilton County, New York. Mitchell was first elected in 2011 and took office on Jan. 1, 2012.

Lorraine Riess recently published her first collection of poetry, “Still Life with Wings.” It is available from Amazon or lorraineriesspoet.com.

Debbie Babitt (Theatre Arts) is the author of “Saving Grace,” a southern gothic thriller that has received wonderful praise and has been compared to “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Set in a Bible Belt town in Arkansas over two time periods, the novel introduces Mary Grace Dobbs. In 1995, she was an eleven-year-old orphan when two classmates went missing. Twenty-four years later, she is a single parent and the first female sheriff of Repentance when another young girl disappears. “Saving Grace” is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and independent bookstores across America. The book is also available in a Kindle edition and an audio version. Please go to www.debbiebabitt.com to read reviews, learn more about the book and listen to an audio trailer.

Edward Renehan's (Political Science) most recent book, “Deliberate Evil: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Daniel Webster, and the 1830 Murder of a Salem Slave Trader ” (Chicago Review Press) has received rave reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and other publications. The Wall Street Journal comments: “[Deliberate Evil is] well-crafted, imbuing the gothic affairs of nearly 200 years ago with suspense and vividly portraying a large cast of characters.” Renehan is the author of more than 20 books, including the biography of Hudson Valley naturalist and writer John Burroughs.

Patti Azoto (Printmaking) has been appointed to Registrar and Office Manager at Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Patti is native to New York and has resided in Florida for the past 13 years.

Barbara Esmark (Painting) previously had a painting titled, “PULSE,” on display during the past show, “Tell Me A Story,” at Emerge Gallery in Saugerties, New York. Also, part of the exhibition were writings in response to the artwork. Barbara’s poem, “Open Carry,” was included.

Thomas R. Davis (Communication Studies) was elected in November to serve as a Justice of the Supreme Court in New York State's 9th Judicial District. The Supreme Court is the trial-level civil court in New York State and has broad authority over a variety of different areas of the law, including such things as personal injury, medical malpractice, divorce, guardianship, commercial disputes, and various actions against municipalities. New York's 9th Judicial District comprises the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, and Dutchess and has over two million residents making it larger by population than a dozen states. Davis will assume office on January 1. Davis graduated from New Paltz in 1985, the New England School of Law in Boston, cum laude, in 1991 and has been in private practice for just under 30 years. Davis will give up his private practice when he assumes his full-time judicial duties for a term of 14 years. He lives in Dutchess County with his wife Mary and daughter Anna.

Catherine Kozak (Journalism) recently published an article in CoastalReview.org about conservation efforts to save wild red wolves in North Carolina. Catherine resides in Nags Head, North Carolina and has been a reporter and writer on the Outer Banks since 1995, writing about many environmental issues.

Gorgette Green-Hodnett (Black Studies) has moved onto the University of Maryland, College Park where she serves as the Coordinator of Academic Enrichment Programs at the Teaching and Learning Transformation Center. In this role, Gorgette is responsible for the administration and oversight of student learning support and success programs as well as management of the department's Math Success Program. Gorgette spent the last 23 years as a math teacher and instructional leader with the Charles County Public Schools.

Adam J. Schenkman (History; Political Science) ’95g (Social Studies) recently published a book on Nov. 15, 2021, titled, “Patriots and Spies in Revolutionary New York.” It is available for purchase on Amazon.com.

Kevin Bryant (Political Science) was elected as Supreme Court Justice in New York’s Third Judicial Court. Kevin was sworn in at the Ulster County Courthouse in Kingston, New York, on Dec. 28, 2021.

Edward Grigg (Graphic Design) is enthusiastically celebrating his 25th year anniversary as a professional Visual Artist in New York. He will be opening a gallery space in Spring 2022 in New Paltz on Main Street to highlight his Retrospective Art Work Show. The show will be called, “Spring into Summer New Paltz.” Edward is going to celebrate this milestone in his career by conducting community service work with the local school district. More to come in 2022.

Florence Zhu (Accounting) has been appointed to Vice President, Finance, at Asher Bio. Prior to joining Asher Bio, Florence was the Vice President of Finance and Corporate Controller at Olema Oncology.

Jacinda Félix Haro (Communication Media) was featured in a story by Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Jacinda is the Dean of Students and Senior Student Affairs Officer at the college. The full story can be read on their website.

Adam Rosen (Biology) has published his first book “The Knee Book - A Guide to the Aging Knee.” He is currently an orthopedic surgeon who practices in Southern California and specializes in the treatment of knee arthritis and knee replacement surgery. He also hosts the "Your Knee Your Health" podcast that covers knee and other health related topics.

Monique Brideau (International Relations) will be exhibiting her artwork at Hendrick Hudson Free Library in Montrose, New York. “Recent Works: Abstract Painting and Collage” contains a body of work created by Monique Brideau since moving into The Lofts on Main in Peekskill this year. Monique is a lifelong Hudson Valley resident who recently restarted her art practice after several years on hiatus. After graduating New Paltz in 2005, she attended the Post Baccalaureate Art Program at Brandeis University and earned her MFA in Painting at Boston University.

Adam Bosch (Journalism) was appointed to President and CEO at Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress.

Jesse Lasky (Communication Media) will pen the script for Fox’s new upcoming drama, “The Incident.” Jesse has been involved in other notable works such as the hit TV show, “Revenge.”

Michael Teich ’07g (Electrical Engineering) has been named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly “Up & Coming Lawyers” list for 2021 as an attorney poised to become a future leader in the legal profession. Mike is a graduate of the School of Engineering and is a Principal and registered Patent Attorney in the Washington, D.C. Metro office of Harness IP, where his practice focuses on obtaining patents and managing patent portfolios for clients in high tech industries.

Christine Huhn (Photography), a visual artist and cultural heritage professional, her photographic work was published in the book, “Cyanotype Toning: Using Botanicals to Tone Blueprints Naturally,” and will be available October 2021. In the same month, in partnership with the Del Sol Quartet, the “Angel Island Insight” photographic exhibition opened at the Angel Island State Park Immigration Station to the public on Oct. 23, 2021. “Angel Island Insight” explores the history of the Angel Island Immigration Station by offering a suite of virtual and in-person programs, as part of “The Angel Island Project” and the premiere of composer Huang Ruo’s “Angel Island: Oratorio.”

Lizz Elvira (Theatre Arts) was recently appointed as Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center at Purchase College.

Eva Tringali (International Business; Management) opened an Asian café, Harana Market, in Woodstock, New York, with co-owner Christina Mauricio in late January 2021.

Eve Stern (Sociology; Black Studies) and Mike Krau ’13 (International Relations) finally tied the knot on Oct. 7, 2021, in Woodbury, New York, surrounded by friends and family. They first met in 2012 at P&G's, where Eve immediately knew she would one day marry Mike. Mike is a proud alumnus of the New Paltz Slam team and Eve is grateful for her experiences as a Resident Assistant and Student Association Executive Vice President. They live in Forest Hills, New York, with their cat, Ernie.

Alexis Tellefsen (Ceramics) was featured by the Times Union on Dec. 20, 2021. Alexis is the owner of Tellefsen Atelier, a small ceramics business. The full story can be read on the Times Union website.

Jingwen Zhang ’14g (Music Therapy) was awarded a research grant from the Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Music Therapy Association to develop and test a protocol for Music Enriched Verb Network Strengthening Treatment (MEVNST).

From Hawks to Lovebirds: Melanie Kaplan ’15 and Anthony Lorino ’15 met at the campus dining hall in 2012. The couple celebrated their wedding with fellow SUNY New Paltz alumni on Oct. 3, 2021.  From left to right: Marie Pusateri '16 (Adolescence Education: Math), Gabriella Saccone '17 (Communication Studies), Patricia (Lorino) Matthews, Leonardo Vogel '13 (Marketing), Michael Schaffer '15 (Economics & Political Science), April Lopez del Castillo '14 (Journalism), Melanie Kaplan '15 (Communication Media), Anthony Lorino '15 (Digital Media Production), Jillian Gawricki '16 (Music) ’21 (Music Therapy), Veronika Jachimek '16 (Communication Studies), Jessica (Wiessner) Gonzalez '17 (Psychology), Angela ( Shriman) Carrasquillo '14 (Digital Media Production), Lindsay Price '16 (Visual Arts Education), Meagan Towler '18 (English), Emily Lovelass '15 (English; Journalism), Nia Garfinkel '16 (Early Childhood & Child Education B-6), and Kelsey Damrad '14 (Journalism).

Anthony Alva (History) and Victoria O'Connor ’17 (Digital Media Production), who met on their first day at SUNY New Paltz, were married on Oct. 29, 2021. At the wedding there were many graduates from the University, and they all posed for a group photo.

Teresa Mandrin (Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies) ’19g (Humanistic-Multicultural Education) has returned to the Hudson Valley as the Alumni Engagement Associate at Bard College. While at SUNY New Paltz, she worked in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations for four years. After three years of teaching in the SUNY Orange BRIDGES Program, she decided to get back into her field of development/alumni work. She is incredibly happy to be back in the Hudson Valley and doing what she loves.

Asia Thornton (Sociology) and Joseph Englese ’17 (Finance) got engaged in New Paltz on Nov. 24, 2021. They met during move in day at Deyo Hall when Asia was Joseph's RA.

Joseph Wright (Digital Media Production) recently worked on Denizen Theatre's acclaimed production of “Apples in Winter” as Production Stage Manager and Sound Designer.

Marissa Carroll (Graphic Design) recently celebrated her engagement to Joseph Wright ’17 (Digital Media Production).

Kaitlyn Graves '18 (Metal) helped craft the Lombardi Trophy for this year's Super Bowl as silversmith for Tiffany & Co. The seven-pound piece takes four months of labor to complete.

Travis Benson ’20g (Music Therapy) was invited to submit their thesis research as a concurrent session at the upcoming Mid-Atlantic Region Therapy Conference. The proposal was also accepted by the Scientific Committee of the Nordic Music Therapy Conference being held in Finland.