Alumni of the Month- November 2010

Karin Duncker ’84

“Don’t be afraid of hard work, and learn to be flexible. It may sound trite, but you really can achieve your dreams if you believe you can and are willing to do the work.” 

As president and CEO of the New York Biotechnology Association (NYBA) from 1998 to 2006, Karin grew the NYBA from a startup to the fifth-largest state biotech association in the United States. She established high-value membership programs, created the association’s branding campaign, and produced annual conference programs that maintained net profits of 35-45 percent throughout her tenure. She was recognized as one of the Top 100 technology leaders in New York by Crain’s New York Business (2001) and was Featured Industry Executive in Biotech Magazine (2003). Currently, Karin is founder and CEO of KMS Consulting, which provides executive coaching and advisory services to nonprofit associations.

Lidia Szczepanowski ’87 

“Learn from, enjoy and appreciate your remarkable years at Hofstra. There will come a point in time in your life when you will look back and will be grateful that you did. Also, remember to be humble, have integrity and stay true to yourself. Use your achievements to inspire others.”

Lidia has shown remarkable ingenuity and ambition throughout her career. Following graduation from Hofstra, she attended law school and opened her own practice, The Szczepanowski Law Firm, P.C. She created the interactive website AskLidiatheLawyer.com to help people who need basic information about finding an attorney. She also founded Everything Lidia, Inc., an organization that presents motivational seminars designed to educate women about practical and effective defensive techniques while helping to empower them and build confidence. In November 2007 she founded the National Organization for Women’s Safety Awareness, Inc., to provide more information, awareness, and knowledge about women’s safety issues.

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