Carol (McKay) Spielberger (Secondary Education 7-12: Mathematics) reports that, after 25 years of teaching math in middle and high school, she retired to become president of the Jericho Retiree Association. Their focus is to protect Medicare and Social Security benefits and to support their in-service colleagues in their endeavors.

Iris (Devinsky) Keltz (Secondary Education 7-12: English) published her second book: “Unexpected Bride in the Promised Land: Journeys in Palestine and Israel.” The historical memoir documents Keltz’s experiences, as a Jewish American, of finding sanctuary among the Palestinians in the Middle East during spring 1967. This is Keltz’s second book; her first, “Scrapbook of a Taos Hippie,” was published in 2000. Keltz is currently retired after a forty-year teaching career. Keltz is also a freelance journalist and the founder of several peace activist groups.

Gloria (Neita) Gifford (Political Science) received five nominations for directing Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra, the Musical” for the Valley Theatre Awards. The play received the award for Best Sound Design of a Play or Musical.

Joan (Fisher) Robinson (Elementary Education Pre-K-6: Psychology) is retired and living by the water on Cape Cod.

David Null (Political Science) was awarded the President's "Call to Service Award" for lifetime achievement in volunteer service. Dr. Null is a CDC-certified epidemiologist who volunteers with the Medical Reserve Corps, a unit of the U.S. Public Health Service, and with Doctors Without Borders. He is professor emeritus of behavioral science at California Polytechnic State University and has also taught at SUNY Stony Brook, the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, and Aberystwyth University in Wales.

Howard Goldblatt (Political Science) retired after 25 years as director of government affairs for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, a partnership of consumer groups and insurers dedicated to combating all forms of insurance fraud. Howard assisted in crafting state laws and regulations dealing with insurance fraud and protecting consumers from being victimized by scammers. Goldblatt has received numerous awards from several states and organizations for his work and career, including recognition by the New York Alliance Against Insurance Fraud as its 2018 “Fraud Fighter of the Year.”

Bruce Kreutzer (Elementary Education N-6: Social Studies) joined Orlando Magic as an assistant coach. Previously, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Charlotte Hornets and also worked as a shooting consultant for the NBA G League and Philadelphia 76ers.

Jeffrey Rosenthal (Biology) had a reception for his paintings, “Creativity—The Essence of Life,” at the Discovery Museum Art Exhibition in Bridgeport, Conn. Rosenthal is an artist and board certified plastic surgeon specializing in facial rejuvenation.

Robert Moson (History) is retiring after more than eight years as the judge of Middletown City Court. Judge Moson was appointed in 2010, after previously practicing law in Newburgh. 

Annie Nocenti (Art Education) was recently commissioned to help curate the Museum of Pop Culture’s Marvel exhibit in Seattle. “Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes” is the largest exhibition of superhero art and memorabilia mounted by a major museum in North America. Nocenti is currently working with artist David Aja on the new four-issue Dark Horse book, “The Seeds.”

Kevin Cook (Visual Arts Education) exhibited his oil paintings at Mark Gruber Gallery in New Paltz from May 12 to June 30, 2018. Kevin has been named a Painting Fellow by New York Foundation for the Arts, and served on NYFA’s Artists Advisory Committee. He is a guest educator at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art in New Paltz.

Edward Renehan (Political Science) has been commissioned by the Ruth Mott Foundation of Michigan to write a full biography of General Motors mogul and noted philanthropist Charles Stewart Mott. Renehan's previous biographies have addressed such personages as naturalist John Burroughs and Wall Street financier Jay Gould. In other news, Renehan's book, “Desperate Voyage,” published 2016, has been made into the film “The Mercy,” released 2018. The film stars Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, and is directed by James Marsh.

Peter Berkrot (Theatre Arts) has spent 25 years teaching acting and doing TV, theater, film and voice work. In 2007, he started recording audiobooks for the Library of Congress and moved into the professional/commercial market in 2009. Since then he has recorded 350 books and over 200 Children's books. He has been awarded 10 Earphones Awards and an Audie and now teachs Audiobook Acting, Career Workshops and one-on-ones.

David Cedarholm (Geology) has become the new city engineer for Concord, N.H. Married to Sally Cedarholm ’83 (Art History), David has worked as a civil engineer for almost 30 years. His most recent work is as senior project manager with Tighe & Bond in Portsmouth. Previously, he worked as the engineer for the town of Durham's public works department for more than eight years. He has also done work with the Southeast Watershed Alliance, and served as a selectmen in Lee, N.H.

Gayle Grasso (Computer Science) was added as a director to the BookZurman corporate team, where she will support the company’s breadth of government support and expansion into the private healthcare space. Previously, Grasso worked at IBM for a decade as the company’s veteran affairs client executive. Before that, Grasso spent 12 years in a variety of roles supporting the delivery and operations of complex national assets deployed in the execution of classified national security missions.

Marlene Wiedenbaum ’83g (B-6: Humanistic Education) held an exhibit of her new series “Rock Hill Home” at the Mark Gruber Gallery in New Paltz from May 12 to June 30, 2018. Marlene’s paintings have been exhibited internationally, and are also featured by galleries in the tri-state area and in private collections throughout the country. She is a member of the Pastel Society of America, the Audubon Artists, The Woodstock Artists Association & Museum, NAPPAP, NYPAP, the Organization of Independent Artists, and LongReachArts.

Jennifer Dean (Theatre Arts) had her essay “The Keepers of the Ghost Bird,” about her encounter with one of the rarest seabirds in the world, published by Massachusetts Review's Working Titles series as an Amazon ebook. The essay will also be anthologized in “Trailhead, Literature for the Backcountry” (LimeHawk Press). It was a 2016 finalist in the New Millenium Writings Literary Awards.  An interview with Jenn appears at https://www.massreview.org/node/881.

Norman Sassi (Business Administration) has joined the Board of Directors at Walden Savings Bank. Sassi is the managing partner at Nugent & Haeussler, P.C. He is a member of the Mid-Hudson Chapter of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Sassi has served on the Board of Directors for Occupations and New Dynamics. Additionally, he’s served as a member of the Facilities Planning Committee for Middletown City School District and as golf committee chairman for the American Cancer Society. He is currently active in fundraising with the Center for Discovery in Harris, N.Y.

Linda Engler (Psychology) has owned Ad Essentials, an advertising agency and graphic design company in New Paltz, for 23 years. Engler is an active member of the New Paltz community, serving as a board member for Local at Heart, a not-for-profit that helps to reduce food insecurity locally. She is also the service unit manager and troop leader for Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson.

Lisa (Vidal) Cohen (Psychology) from the BET's “Being Mary Jane” has been cast opposite female lead Ana Villafañe in multi-camera/hybrid comedy “History of Them,” from “One Day at a Time” co-creator/executive producer Gloria Calderon-Kellett, Sony Pictures TV and CBS TV Studios.

Sandra (Spencer) Jackson (Business Administration) received the Alumna of the Year award from the School of Business at SUNY New Paltz. Jackson has worked at Covanta Energy for more than twenty years. Currently, she is the vice president of diversity and employee engagement, where she helps promote employee engagement, diversity and inclusion and leadership development. She is also a board member with Grace Smith House, which provides services and shelter to victims of domestic violence in Dutchess County.

Sean Cammann (Sociology) has joined Monarch Private Capital (MPC) as the director of asset management. In this role, Cammann is responsible for the leadership and direction of the company’s asset management and underwriting platforms. Prior to MPS, Cammann was a senior asset manager at Wells Fargo. 

B.J. Pierce (Business Administration) is an executive national vice president with Arbonne.

Arnold Schmidt (English) ’90g (English) reports that The California State University, Fresno, has selected his play, “The Super Cilantro Girl,” for its 2019 season. The comedy, which centers on Mexican migrant workers and immigration issues, is based on works by recent U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera. For more information on Schmidt’s play, visit http://fresnostate.edu/artshum/theatrearts/performances/young-audiences/.

Vilicia Cade (Black Studies) has been hired as the Sandusky School District’s chief academic officer. Cade started her career in 1989 with the NYC Department of Education. Since then, she has served in multiple academic roles, such as director of secondary curriculum and professional development for the Christina School District in Wilmington, Del.; elementary school principal in the suburbs of Chicago; and director of curriculum and instruction for standards-based instruction in Chicago Public Schools

Joan (Bowden) Bowden-Welling (Geography) worked as an environmental planner for the Chazen Companies in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., after graduating from SUNY New Paltz. Bowden-Welling raised two sons in Dutchess County. Her eldest son, Kyle Welling, graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a degree in English literature and her younger son, William Welling, is pursuing his undergraduate degree in geology at SUNY New Paltz and is a licensed climbing guide for Alpine Endeavors in New Paltz. In 2008, Bowden-Welling earned her master's degree in social work from Adelphi University and is currently employed as an adult care facilities surveyor and investigator for the New York State Department of Health in Central Islip, N.Y.

David Cullen (Journalism) reports a rich variety of professional achievements since graduating. From 1989 to 1996, he taught in the New York City Public Schools. After returning to the Hudson Valley in 1996, he worked as a residential counselor at a group home and as a substitute school teacher. Between 1998 and 2002, he worked as an elementary school teacher on the Navajo Indian Reservation, then continued teaching both in Phoenix and Glendale, Ariz. Says Cullen, “I consider my education at New Paltz integral in my personal growth and development.”

Richard Dobbins (English) reports that he was severely injured in a car wreck in early 2014 and after two years of bed rest, reading and watching Netflix, entered graduate school through the Federated Department of History at Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He spent six weeks in Vacone, Italy, in the summer of 2017 studying at the Rutgers University Archeological Field School. This past spring Rich was inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society, earning a grade point average of 3.957. Dobbins has decided to move straight into his Ph.D.; he is deciding between Princeton and Rutgers. His goal would be to teach maritime history and literature of the sea at United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Todd Heilman (Business Administration) was appointed vice president for enrollment management at Marymount Manhattan College. Previously, he was the dean of enrollment at Pace University. Prior to that, he worked at St. John’s University, where he was assistant vice president of enrollment operations and CRM.

Michael Mazzuca (Sociology) was hired as the vice president of business development at Rhinebeck Bank. Along with 15 years of experience in banking, Mazzuca is a SCORE counselor for Orange County and is currently studying for his NMLS license. He is a trustee of the United Way of Dutchess-Orange’s board, and is on the board of trustees for the Foundation of Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

KT Tobin (Sociology) was awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Services. In her role as associate director of the Benjamin Center for Public Policy Initiative, Tobin has provided invaluable leadership on The Center’s many ongoing research projects, supporting the professional development of New Paltz students and enhancing the College’s outreach and relationships with a range of regional stakeholders.

John Barry (Journalism; English) received first place at the NYS Associated Press awards for his article “Just Another Person,” a tribute to the life of Mary Tyler Moore. The Associated Press Association also honored Barry for his piece, “Where is the Music?”

Leslie Gordon (Sociology) was appointed co-chair of the not-for-profit council for BCW (Business Council of Westchester). Gordon is the president and CEO of Feeding Westchester, where she leads its mission to provide nutritious food and other resources to eradicate hunger. Previously, she served as a key executive at City Harvest, where she led plans to improve food access and nutrition for 500,000 low-income New Yorkers.

Joseph Laurro (Painting) had a recent solo exhibition at the Mercer Gallery in Rochester, N.Y., in April and May 2018. Afterwards, an article was published featuring an interview and several of his works in the Sunday Arts section of the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper. Laurro is an active painter and works in a high school in New York City.

Linda (Illobre) Richichi (Painting) had a reception for her E X P A N S E exhibit at 530 Burns Gallery. Linda’s work has exhibited extensively around North America, including the National Arts Club in New York City with the Pastel Society of America. Linda is a current member of Oil Painters of American and a signature member of the California Plein Air Painters, N.Y, and International Plein Air Hunters.

Shawn Davis (Secondary Education 7-12: Social Studies) ’99g (Secondary Education 7-12: History) ’05cas (Educational Administration) was promoted to principal of Stamford Central School District. Davis was unanimously recommended by five community advisory groups. Previously, Davis spent 22 years at the Liberty Central School District in Sullivan County.

Adrianne Finlay (English) released her debut book, “Your One & Only.” It’s a young adult science fiction novel about a future where humanity has been replaced by nine clone models, the first new human in centuries, and the clone girl who falls in love with him (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February 2018). “Like the works of Ursula K. LeGuin, inside this lyrically written, suspenseful tale is a deeply humane thematic core.”—Kirkus Reviews.

Teresa (Pierce) Sutton ’95g (Elementary Education Pre-K-6: Computer Education & Instructional Technology) won first place for her third book of poetry, “Breaking Newton’s Laws,” in the 2017 Encircle Chapbook Competition. The first poem in the book, “Dementia,” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize and the last poem in the book, “Confiteor 2,” won second prize in the 2018 Luminaire Award for Best Poetry.

Louis Fagan ’97g (Humanistic-Multicultural Education) was awarded the SUNY Chancellor Award for Excellence in Teaching. Fagan is an assistant professor of English at Fulton-Montgomery Community College. Fagan is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), New York College Learning Skills Association (NYCLSA), and AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs). Self-published, his two novels are “New Boots” and “Angelo.” His short story, “Slit,” recently appeared in Weber—The Contemporary West, and a second short story, “Fly on Freddy,” will be included in an upcoming issue of Typehouse Magazine.

Monika (Pattantyus) Jansen (Business Administration) was featured on “Fit Small Business” in “Top 31 Productivity Tips and Hacks from the Pros.” She is currently the head copywriter and strategist of Jansen Communications. You can see the article she’s featured in here: https://fitsmallbusiness.com/business-productivity-tips-and-hacks/ 

Jacqueline Ahl (English) ’06g (English) is currently assistant manager of learning strategies for the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Previously, she served as instructor for the Summer Institute for the Gifted (2005-2015), as well as specialist for disabilities and learning at SUNY New Paltz (2007-2015). In June 2018, Ahl taught a three day session entitled “Studying Doesn’t Have to be Boring: Sensory Engagement, Advertising Tricks, and Atypical Neurology”for the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. A former grant writer and performer for Arts for Peace, Jacqueline appeared as visiting poet for the Language Arts Program of The Northeast Center for Special Care. Jacqueline’s poetry credits include “A Slant of Light: Contemporary Women Writers of the Hudson Valley” (2013), and her plays have been produced in N.Y., N.C., and M.O. 

Denielle (Ziemba) Cazzolla (Sociology) was appointed editor at the Daily Star. Cazzolla joined the Daily Star almost 20 years ago as a copy editor. In 2016, Cazzolla led the newspaper’s digital effort, which earned the Daily Star third place in Digital Presence in the 2016 state Associated Press contest.

Jason Gehlert (Communication Media) reports, “I am vice president for the Down Syndrome Association of the Hudson Valley. We adopted our daughter Cara who has Down syndrome when she was a baby and had to learn sign language to bridge the communication barrier. My work as V.P. is a rewarding one, reaching out to our community and families to assist them in learning more about the benefits of our association and the tools available to them as we all walk this journey together.” Gehlert is also a prolific author. His latest work, “Cinema,” is a short story horror collection that features a teenager with Down syndrome. All of his books are available on Amazon.

Kimberly Libertini (Biology) reports she has launched a new app for grief to provide support and understanding to family members as they navigate the grief path in the days, weeks and months that follow. It’s a platform whereby people who have lost one or more loved ones can privately and anonymously chat with others in similar situations. The idea came from personal experiences of Kimberly and her co-founder Robynne Boyd. Both women were in the midst of their own forms of grief and the friendship between them emerged as a silver lining. The goodgrief app is the social network for loss. Their story is available at blog.goodgriefapp.com. The app is in The App Store, Google Play, and on the web at www.goodgriefapp.com.  

Annmarie (Sairrino) Bailey (History) reports that she is currently president of Akatsuki Entertainment USA, which specializes in adapting current Japanese intellectual properties into movies and other content, as well as creating original content inspired by Japanese stories or folklore. Bailey says she’s found success "pairing projects with the likes of Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Chris Weitz, and Mike Medavoy," and she continues "to bridge relationships between Hollywood and Japan.”

Candice Seti (Psychology) recently launched her newest book, “Shatter the Yoyo,” aimed at helping people end their dependence on diets while learning to manage their weight through lifestyle and behavioral changes. The book includes her unique strategies, tips, and tricks that can be incorporated into a lifestyle rather than a short-term regimen that leaves participants subject to yo-yo weight gain. The book is currently available on Amazon.

Charles Tadduni (Secondary Education 7-12: English) ’03g (English) has been selected as a 2018 New York State Middle School Principal of the Year by the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). Tadduni, who is currently principal at Rondout Valley Junior High School, has implemented several programs to improve the education and quality of life for children in the district. Among these unique initiatives, Tadduni has written a grant to partner with local farms and provide healthier, fresh food to students, has implemented mindfulness trainings and a yoga club after school and during recess, and has introduced two sensory rooms to help students with disabilities. 

Sacha Zarba (Business Administration) has been promoted to vice chairman in the midtown Manhattan office of CBRE, a commercial real estate services and investment firm. Zarba has previously worked with Netflix, PayPal, Pinterest, and Salesforce.

Bob Bazargan (Business Administration) ’03g (Master of Business) has joined Community Bank N.A. as vice president, commercial banking officer. At his new role, Bazargan will bring his more than 18 years of experience in the financial industry to manage new business with present and prospective commercial customers in the Capital Region. Outside the office, Bazargan is actively involved in his community and serves as a member of the SUNY New Paltz School of Business Advisory Board and Universal Preservation Hall board.

Eric Gullickson (Journalism) has been appointed president of Mohonk Mountain House. Gullickson joined the Mohonk management team in 2010 as the director of hotel operations after a decade-long career in journalism and public relations that included work at SUNY New Paltz as director of media relations. He was promoted to general manager in 2014 at Mohonk and appointed vice president in 2016.

Savoy Stevens (Visual Arts Education) completed her Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Spiritual Formation from Portland Seminary, in Portland, Ore. Her master's thesis focused on religious disengagement among the Millennial and Gen-X cohorts, and has been presented in several venues. Currently, Savoy is a doctoral student at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, in Lampeter, United Kingdom. 

John Agnelli ’02g (Humanistic-Multicultural Education) is now serving as the program services supervisor at the Watershed Addiction and Treatment Center in Boynton Beach, Fla. In his new role, he is supervising a staff of 45 professionals assisting patients through their detox and residential level of care in treatment.

Tara Dalton (English) is a health and beauty researcher at HowGood, a company that assesses products for social and environmental sustainability.

Larry Korytny (Communication Media) and his wife Bonnie (Sampliner) Korytny ’06 (Elementary Education Pre K-6: English) announced the birth of their daughter, Emily Sarah, on April 15, 2018.

Jamel Johnson (Visual Arts) was named assistant principal of the Nassau BOCES Adult Education Program. Previously,  Johnson served as an assistant principal at Richmond Dill High School in Queens. He holds a number of certifications as a New York State educator including school building leadership, general education, and education of students with disabilities.

Alexander Marrero (Music History) was selected to be on the Cultural Inclusion Council for the College Music Society. The College Music Society, according to its chairperson, is “committed to identifying and promoting initiatives for further cultural inclusion in music pedagogy.” Marrero, who received his Master of Arts Degree in Music Education from Teachers College of Columbia University in May of 2010, also serves as the executive director of the Rockland Youth Orchestra.

Andrea Wenglowskyj (Photography; French) is a photographer and runs DELVE, an Educational Platform for Artists. Says Wenglowskyj, “We help our peers better communicate what they do and develop better business practices. We have two online courses that are accessible to artists at any point in their lives. We recently partnered with artist Hannah Cole, who is also a tax expert who founded Sunlight Tax, to create an online course called The Ultimate Honest Guide to Understanding Artist Taxes. And we also help artists write about their work in a productive way through Crafting a Powerful Artist Statement.” For more information, visit www.delve-art.com.

Shaina Dunn (Visual Arts Education; Ceramics) ’10g (Art Studio) has a solo exhibit for her ceramics, “Search for Enlightenment,” on display in the foyer of the Mindy Ross Gallery in Kaplan Hall at SUNY Orange. This exhibit is featured as part of the Artists of Excellence series, which spotlights talented regional artists.

Camille Hall (Sociology) is now the assistant director of Upward Bound at Columbia University’s Double Discovery Center. In addition, she is the board chair of the College Access Consortium of New York, Inc.

Harvey Sotland ’04g (Educational Administration) ’05cas (School Business Administration) was named assistant superintendent for business by the Mahopac Board of Education. Previously, Sotland enjoyed a successful career in the private sector, working for such firms as Coopers & Lybrand, Raw & Sotland, CPAs, and Alex Brown & Sons. 

Jennifer Abbott-Cole (Theatre Arts) was recently promoted to the director level at LMT Communications, Inc., an all-female media and publishing company in Newtown, Conn. Abbot-Cole reports that her “education at New Paltz excellently prepared” her for her career. As the events director at LMT Communications, she works in events, planning trade shows, conferences and corporate meetings.

Julie Cracco (Adolescence Education: French) co-authored the “French Tutor Grammar and Vocabulary Workbook” with Associate Professor Mary Christensen of SUNY New Paltz. Cracco has been a French teacher at Fox Lane High School in Westchester for the last 13 years.

Miles Partington (Women’s Studies) presented his latest exhibition, “Where, Where is the Town,” at the Tripoli Gallery in Southampton, N.Y. Previously, Partington interned with sculptor William King, and has also exhibited at Space 98, Ashawagh Hall, and the Southampton Arts Center. 

Jaanika Peerna ’05g (Intermedia Design) had two exhibitions in New York City in April. The first, called “Transitions,” opened at Project ArtSpace on April 5th. The other, “Envisioning Natural Forces,” opened at Key Projects on April 14th. Her “Glacier Elegy (Swansea)” performance art was added to the contemporary art collection at the Glynn Vivian Museum in the United Kingdom.

Paul Abrams (Biology) reports that he completed his MBA with Temple University in 2016. In 2017, he and two friends started a training, coaching and consulting company called RTB Limited.  In March 2018, Abrams took a role as the general manager of an Italian Robotic startup company in the rehabilitation space called Movendo Technology. There, he will be tasked with running the company here in the U.S., building out sales, marketing, and operations.

Bethany Dellapolla (Theatre Arts; Communications Media) offered a three-day School Vacation Theater Camp for children at Bay Street Theater in Long Island. Along with being an actress, teacher, director, and choreographer, Bethany has a Master’s Degree in Childhood Education. She also co-founded NexGen Youth Theatre, a youth theatre company based out of New York City.

Christopher Scott (History; Sociology), a climber with 20 years of experience, took ownership of a climbing gym in New Paltz. Previously known as The Inner Wall, Scott renamed the space BC’s New Paltz Climbing Gym. He hopes to provide local rock climbers with a challenging and inspiring experience.

Jeanmarie Evelly (English) was hired as youth program manager and reporter for City Limits. She runs CLARIFY, which provides paid internships for high-school students who learn public-interest and investigative reporting as they research and write articles for publication. Evelly was previously a reporter and producer at DNAinfo.com and also spent several years reporting for community newspapers in the Bronx.

Lindsay Lennon (Journalism) recently returned to SUNY New Paltz as a marketing and promotion coordinator for the School of Fine & Performing Arts. She also began working as an adjunct lecturer in the Digital Media and Journalism department in January 2018. Lennon worked for the College previously as a web content producer in the Office of Communication & Marketing from 2012 to 2016. She lives in the New Paltz area with her husband and 3-year-old daughter, and couldn't be happier to be employed by her alma mater.

Haifa Lakshmi Koleilat (English) ’12g (Political Science) was named a 2018 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellow in Fiction from The New York Foundation for the Arts.

Sarah Shelzi-Kugelman (Childhood Education 1-6) was promoted to assistant principal of Long Beach’s West School. Kugelman has nine years of classroom teaching experience. Most recently, she served as district support team master teacher in the Hempstead Union Free Public Schools.

Alexander Cadmus (Physics) reports that he works for Gulfstream Aerospace supporting the advanced aircraft program. Previously, he has worked for GE Energy in Schenectady, N.Y., then US Army Corps of Engineers in Savannah, Ga. 

Holly Palmieri (Communication Studies) is now the program director and anchor of TODAY Show Radio on SiriusXM. Palmieri is a Gracie Award winner for producing Hoda Kotb’s radio program and she manages a talented staff to run the day-to-day operations of the radio station. Currently married and expecting a child, Palmieri says of New Paltz, “I am very grateful for my time spent in New Paltz. The experiences I had there are instrumental in my career… in my life.”

Taloneith Rushie (Adolescence Education: English) ’16g (Literacy Education: 5-12) celebrated the 10th anniversary of her band, The Big Takeover, at BSP in Kingston last November. Rushie is singer/songwriter for the reggae band, which also includes New Paltz alums Chas Montrose ’10 (Adolescence Education: Math) on saxophone and Batuhan Attila ’13 (Economics) on drums.

Nina Schutzman (Journalism) was honored by the NYS Associated Press awards. Schutzman earned second place in the Investigative/Enterprise Reporting category for her investigations of a series of issues at Poughkeepsie schools.

Thomas Smiley ’09g (Business) has been appointed chief executive officer at Mohonk Mountain House. Previously, Smiley has served as director of properties and vice president of Mohonk. Currently, Smiley also serves as vice chair of the Business Advisory Council at SUNY New Paltz.

Harry Fournaris (Management) has joined the Water Mill office of Farrell Fritz as a real estate associate. Prior to joining Farrell Fritz, Fournaris was an associate at Lieb at Law, P.C. in Center Moriches, where he also served as a law clerk. Fournaris earned his Juris Doctor from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center.

Glenís Hunter (Psychology) and fellow alum Jacob Moore ’10 (History) report they are working on the production of a web series called “Woke.” Says Glenis, “Woke is important to the times we are living. Now, more than ever, artists are free to create masterpieces and have it be seen by the audience of our choice. Woke is a celebration of art, diversity, and determination. A unique place where people of color can see themselves represented on the screen.” For more information about “Woke,” please see their Seed and Spark funding page: https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/woke#story.

Jessica Mingoia (History) is currently working to obtain her Ph.D. in Art History at Rutgers University. She gives premium tours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the private company Art Smart. Previously, Jessica worked at Florida Studio Theater for 3.5 years. She earned a Master’s Degree in Art History at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts, graduating with a 3.9 GPA and completing her thesis, “The Business of Hospitality and the Praedia of Julia Felix at Pompeii.”

Janee Nesbitt (Black Studies; English), LMHC, joined New Alternatives for Children as a prevention social worker and was quickly promoted to prevention supervisor and to a part time position in their Mental Health Clinic as a psychotherapist. Nesbitt is motivated and driven to better the lives of the families she works with through her supervision and oversight of her staff. Nesbitt comes from NY Foundling, where she began her career after earning her Masters of Education in Mental Health Counseling at Long Island University. 

Sarah Weikel (English) ’12g (English) has been appointed as the new director of donor relations for the Arc of Dutchess, which provides support services for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Previously, Weikel was the community relations manager for The Art Effect in Poughkeepsie. She is involved in the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Cerebral Palsy Inspire Foundation Board, the United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region’s Young Leaders United, and the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s nonprofit committee.

Emily Atkin (Journalism) is an environmental reporter and writer for the New Republic, a century-old magazine of progressive politics and culture in Washington, D.C. 

Lauren Brois (Childhood Education 1-6) was recognized by The North American Association for Environmental Education and placed on the “30 Under 30” list for her work in home energy efficiency and waste management with Energize NY and Bedford 2020.

Kristyn Lang (Theatre Arts) has been named an award recipient for the “Celebrate Long Island’s Young Professionals” Recognition Event. Lang will be honored as one of 30 young people under the age of 30 who have achieved great success and improved the quality of life in local communities on Long Island.

Emma Schlieder (Communication Media) was hired by Creatacor in Clifton Park, N.Y., as a graphic production designer. In this position, she will create 2D graphics for exhibits, help create promotional design items, and assist with the production and application of vinyl graphics. 

Theodore Svirbly (Asian Studies) is currently a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual. After graduating from SUNY New Paltz, Svirbly lived in China for two years, teaching English and learning Mandarin. He studied abroad in Tokyo to receive his Master’s Degree in International Relations from Waseda University in 2016.

Ross Ballot (Management; Marketing) got engaged to fellow alum Samantha Morgan ’13 (Communication Disorders) in November 2017. The two met during their senior year at SUNY New Paltz and have been together ever since.

Cody Buser (English) has a play, “For a Life,” premiering at the Strawberry One-Act Festival in May in NYC. In 2017, Cody founded Second to the Right Productions. He has written several plays, including “For a Life, Let’s Dig Up Dad!,” “How to be a Successful Super Villain,” “Remission,” and “Crazy in Love.” Cody’s work has been produced at Sebsi Studios in Saugerties N.Y, as well as at the Hudson Guide Theater in Chelsea N.Y. as part of the 2016 and 2017 NY Summerfests, where “Let’s Dig Up Dad!” was nominated for Best Play. 

Ryan Judge ’13g (Humanistic-Multicultural Education) has been appointed assistant principal at Highland High School. Prior to that, Judge was the dean of students for the Enlarged City School District of Middletown. He also previously worked as a family and consumer sciences teacher and an administrative intern for the Millbrook Central School District.

Samantha Morgan (Communication Disorders) received her doctorate in Audiology from the CUNY Graduate Center, City University of New York.

Lindsey Guile ’14g (Painting - Drawing) served as juror for Oswego’s 55th annual Juried Student Exhibition. Guile is an assistant professor of visual art and the director of the Mildred I. Washington Gallery at Dutchess County Community College. Her work has shown in numerous places, including the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, the Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, and at Barrett Art Center.

Jacob Meglio (Biology; Economics) celebrated the official opening of Arrowood Outpost in New Paltz on January 5, 2018. The Outpost will showcase beer and seasonal goods from Arrowood Farm in Accord. Jake, along with co-owner Blake Arrowood, opened Arrowood Farms in 2016.

Kaitlyn Poplaski (Accounting) ’16g (Public Accountancy) received her license as a certified public accountant. She is a staff accountant with Waschitz Pavloff CPA LLP, and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Morgan Clarke (Marketing) was promoted to associate account executive at Focus Media. Clarke initially joined Focus Media in 2016, where she worked as a marketing coordinator for the public relations and marketing firm. 

Marco Dasilva (Painting) had an opening reception for his paintings exhibit at the Bureau of General Services—Queer Division @ The Center. DaSilva has previously displayed his art at IMAGE Gallery, Heath Gallery and The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, among others. He was an NYFA Artist as Entrepreneur Fellow and is currently a Visual Arts fellow for Queer Art Mentorship’s 2017-2018 cycle.

Taylor Krigsman (Early Childhood & Childhood Education B-6) reports that she moved with her family to Central Florida after graduating. Shortly after that, she began her career with the Walt Disney Company, working at Epcot. In less than two and a half years, Taylor worked her way up from her position as a restaurant hostess to become a trainer and took on numerous other tasks. She has now been promoted to become a coordinator, and is using her education background to help her connect with other cast members, learn and grow with the company.

Kaitlyn Way (History) was hired at the New Britain Museum of American Art as the manager of visitor and volunteer experience.

Shauna Keating (Graphic Design) has been appointed to serve as co-president of AIGA Upstate New York: the association for professional design. Founded in 1989, AIGA Upstate New York serves more than 300 members in 139 cities. It is one of 73 AIGA Chapters across the United States.

Shani Richards ’16g (Metal) was selected for the 2018 Creative Interventionist Fellowship program, an initiative of the League of Creative Interventionists. As a fellow, Shani will receive a stipend along with local and national mentorship to reimagine her neighborhood in East Akron, Ohio. Shani’s project is called “Crafting food outside the Lunch Box.” Says Shani, “I believe change is possible - through a mechanism that helps bring people together - food and celebration. By having young people learn hands on skills to creatively use all their senses to craft the message of health and nutrition through food.”

Casey Silvestri (Journalism) is an associate Producer at NBC News. Silvestri had the opportunity to work for NBC News at the IBC (International Broadcast Center) in PyeongChang for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in February. She researched athletes, cut competition footage, and prepared Snapchat segments for air. She also helped coordinate and film interview with over a dozen athletes.

Nicholas Tantillo (Journalism) was recognized by the NYS Associated Press awards for his work as part of a team of reporters and producers who created “Hudson Valley Forward: Nurturing the Gig Economy” for the Poughkeepsie Journal. The series won first place in both the Digital Storytelling category and the Public Service category.