The Alumni of the Month feature on the Hofstra University website showcases graduates who are doing interesting and exciting things, or who have made exceptional contributions to their chosen field or profession.
For information on how to nominate a graduate, please visit hofstra.edu/alumni and click on “Recognition & Awards.”
To read more in-depth profiles of each honoree, visit hofstra.edu/Alumni/AOTM.
Summer 2011
I had the privilege of attending Hofstra as an undergraduate and then went on to be accepted into its graduate program in speech-language pathology. I hate to use the cliché that college makes us more “well rounded,” but my education was so balanced that I felt I had a solid basis to continue on in this challenging field no matter where the path of life was to take me.Tracey has been providing speech and language services to toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children on Long Island for the last 15 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Hofstra in teaching the speech and hearing handicapped as well as a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Her work experiences include providing school-based therapy to middle and high school students with speech impairments and learning disabilities.
Tracey is also the author of The Secret Adventures of Louie V children’s book series. The three stories, The Secret Adventures of Louie V, Louie V Takes the Cake and Louie V Trims the Tree, chronicle the escapades of Tracey’s Siamese cat, Louie V.
Tracey is deeply involved in a number of charitable organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Autism Speaks and VH1 Save the Music. For more information on the Louie V series and Tracey’s charity work, visit louievadventures.com.
You have to be multidisciplinary when working in e-commerce. It is beneficial to use both the left and right sides of your brain. One day you could be producing or creative directing a photo shoot and, on another day, analyzing data on site performance. Working with a variety of clients early on had helped me understand the core needs of an online marketing campaign. No matter if it’s a car company, a bank, or a toy company, the goals are the same; it’s just the target audience that is different.
Cecilia is CEO of StyleTrek.com, an e-commerce boutique dedicated to helping entrepreneurial fashion designers from around the globe reach new customers through social commerce. She founded StyleTrek in February 2010 after raising $1.5 million in seed capital from angel investors and venture capitalists. Previously, she launched and marketed online stores for Nine West, Burberry, Frette, and La Perla. She has grown sales from 40 to 70 percent year after year for fashion brands.
Cecilia has experience in running and working for Internet startups such as K2, RichFX, and Abilon, and was CEO of Boutique Y3K, an e-commerce consulting firm. After working at several dot-com startups, Cecilia was the founder/ CEO of Boutique Y3K (1998-2001); vice president, strategic development at RichFX (2002- 2004); consulting director of e-commerce at Burberry (2004-2006); and vice president of e-commerce and direct marketing at Frette and La Perla (2006-2010).
Cecilia has received numerous prestigious awards for her work and is among 96 executives featured in the book Distinguished Asian-American Business People, published in 2004. She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Wall Street Journal Asia, VOGUE, Asiaweek, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune Small Business, Entrepreneur, Advertising Age, and E-commerce Times, and appeared on CNN’s Entrepreneurs Only. She is a frequent speaker at conferences on e-commerce, multi-channel marketing and entrepreneurship.
The relationships I developed with my professors and Hofstra administrators gave me my edge. I fostered mentoring relationships, and have maintained them since graduation. The professors in the Health Professions and Kinesiology Department care about their students’ academic, professional, and personal goals. Student Affairs administrators taught me invaluable leadership skills and gave me the opportunity to implement programs for other students.
Jessica earned a Bachelor of Science in community health and psychology, and credits her educational experiences at Hofstra with providing the foundation for a career as a health educator. Jessica’s community health interests include family planning and reproductive health issues for women.
While at Hofstra, Jessica worked as a public health aide for the Nassau County Department of Health in 2008, interned in public affairs at Planned Parenthood of Nassau County in 2009, and served as the youth programs intern at NARAL Pro-Choice New York in 2010. Jessica is currently working as a community health educator at The Bronx Health Link (TBHL), a community-based organization focused on improving the health of women and their families in the Bronx. As TBHL’s community health educator, Jessica facilitates workshops on various health topics, including chronic diseases, family planning, nutrition and obesity, maternal health, infant and child development, and home safety. Jessica is also responsible for a youth advisory board, a project she proposed to The Bronx Health Link.
SEPTEMBER 2011
Hofstra’s focus on infusing an understanding of the “business” aspects of the various fields of study was invaluable. As well, Hofstra’s graduate psychology program focused on the treatment of related outcomes, stressing the importance of being able to determine actual results from therapeutic interventions. That focus and understanding have been critically important to my success, especially as the field of psychology and psychotherapy moved into the managed care arena.
Pamela, a licensed psychologist, is the author of Let Me Stop You Right There and 28 Other Lines Every CEO, Manager, and Supervisor Should Know, which provides workplace solutions and strategies that build a spirit of collaboration, respect and mutual benefit.
Prior to founding her speaking and writing business, Pamela consulted with hundreds of senior executive and middle management team members in the mental health and leadership development arena. She provides consulting services to the Special Services Department of the Hoboken, New Jersey, Board of Education and serves as a psychologist peer reviewer for the OptumHealth/UnitedHealth Group.
Pamela holds a doctoral degree in school and community psychology from Hofstra University, where she also earned a master’s degree, and she has achieved alumna status at Columbia University’s Executive Level Institute for Not-for-Profit Management.
Early in my studies at Hofstra, I remember debating in one of my political science classes with then Political Science Professor Stephen Burgess about the judicial process and its impact on certain social and economically disadvantaged citizens. I found his classes and the course work stimulating, and I believe that what I learned helped to develop my commitment to influencing policy through the judicial-legal process to better serve the employment rights of individuals.
On September 11, 2001, Matthew escaped from the World Trade Center, where he worked in the legal department of Morgan Stanley. Shortly thereafter he and his family relocated to upstate New York, where he started a law practice out of his house. When the practice outgrew his home, he and fellow Hofstra ROTC alumnus Greg Rinckey ’95 opened Tully Rinckey PLLC in Albany in 2004. Today the firm has offices in Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Matthew concentrates his practice on the representation of military personnel and federal government sector employees. He has represented federal employees before numerous federal agencies and has appeared before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the United States Supreme Court. He has become a pioneer in the field of Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) litigation, winning several landmark cases that have greatly influenced the laws protecting U.S. veterans.
He writes a biweekly “Ask the Lawyer” column for the nationally syndicated Army Times Publishing Company. A lieutenant colonel in the New York Army National Guard, Matthew was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of England and Wales, becoming one of the few American attorneys licensed in a foreign country.
OCTOBER 2011
In 10 years I hope to continue making a difference in children’s lives – either around the world or in my own home!
Kara Koch is lucky to count Cookie Monster, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Kermit the Frog, Bert, Ernie and Big Bird among her co-workers. As production coordinator in the global production department of Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, she is responsible for production activities related to Sesame Workshop’s international properties such as Jalan Sesama in Indonesia and Sisimpur in Bangladesh. Kara works closely with the production teams in these countries to ensure the Sesame brand is successfully integrated with local content.
Prior to joining the global unit, Kara was part of Sesame’s special projects team, helping to produce various outreach programs, including Let’s Get Ready, Coming Home, and When Families Grieve.
Kara earned a Bachelor of Arts in audio, video, and film and graduated from Hofstra University Honors College. While she was a student she engineered the Gone Country radio program on WRHU-FM, and worked for Hofstra Spirit Support for four years as a mascot cheering on the Hofstra Pride.
Don’t worry about selecting the “perfect” major. Select something that relates to your interests as best as you can, but recognize that a lot of your career will be about what you do with your degree, not what the degree will do for you.
Talk about multitasking! Jayme, a licensed clinical psychologist and certified yoga instructor, holds a B.B.A. in banking and finance from Hofstra. She is also a published author and motivational speaker. She has a private practice and behavioral/wellness consulting firm on the upper east side of Manhattan. She specializes in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Yoga/Biofeedback Therapy, and Executive Coaching in the treatment of anxiety, somatic complaints, mood disorders and behavior problems.
Following her graduation from Hofstra, Jayme earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a concentration in health psychology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University and a master’s in developmental psychology from Columbia University.
In 2008 Jayme published a book on the treatment of fear of flying using biofeedback and virtual reality therapy. That same year she started an online forum and newsletter, Ask the Cognitive Behavior Therapist (askthecbt.com). In 2009 Jayme began SculptNYC.com, a multidisciplinary consulting firm that focuses on holistic health and wellness therapies.
NOVEMBER 2011
My first job after graduating from Hofstra was as a financial analyst with a company called Patient Technology. The most valuable thing I learned there was the importance of honesty and ethics in business dealings and in standing up for what is right.
Margaret chronicles her experience with cancer in her book, The Cancer Odyssey: Discovering Truth and Inspiration on the Way to Wellness, which she calls a blueprint to help others overcome their fear of cancer and return to wellness.
In 2009 Margaret was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and as she sought to educate herself about the disease and its treatments, she began blogging about her discoveries. She calls herself an “accidental” author; she never intended to write a book, and certainly never a book about cancer. The book unfolded as her journey unfolded. Her intention in writing it was to challenge readers to look into nontraditional approaches to cancer treatments.
Margaret graduated from Hofstra in 1985 with an M.B.A., with distinction. She previously co-authored management articles published in scholarly journals, and was the co-recipient of the Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior Journal Distinguished Paper Award in 1985. She is a first-degree black belt and an avid golfer. She is presently chief fiscal officer of a government organization.
I’m pretty pleased with my own experience as a student at Hofstra, which was a mix of doing well in most of my classes and spending a good amount of time involved with student organizations. The classes grounded me and gave me a good foundation. The student organizations and my interactions with staff gave me a chance to lead and to be creative – a virtual life laboratory as it were. To this day most of my friends are those I met on the second floor of the Student Center in my days with The Chronicle and the Screaming Dutchmen Booster Club.
David is vice president for development for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association, an organization that operates on the Academy campus in New London, Connecticut, and raises funds to provide “margin of excellence” support for the Corps of Cadets to preserve the traditions and enhance the reputation of the Academy.
David started his professional career at Hofstra immediately after graduation working as an admissions counselor. After a little more than a year, he joined the Dean of Students Office as an assistant dean, working with clubs and organizations and overseeing winter entertainment programs. Not long after, he joined the Development Office as assistant director of special events. From there, his career in development and alumni relations took off. He worked at Hofstra for 11 years, ending his tenure as director of alumni relations and director of special events for development when he and his wife, Linda ’88, past president of the Hofstra Alumni Organization, decided to move to Connecticut.
David has been working at nonprofit organizations and fundraising for more than 26 years and previously held the position of director of major gifts, planned giving and capital campaign operations at the Baystate Health Foundation in Western Massachusetts. Today, he and Linda reside in Glastonbury, CT, with their daughter, Katherine.
DECEMBER 2011
Emily Miethner ’10
My first job after Hofstra was as a social media marketing coordinator at Sterling Publishing. It was a new position for Sterling so I learned not to sit back and wait for instructions but to take the initiative and start projects on my own. Some of my best experiences came from working on projects I took the lead on, which then gained support from the rest of the department. Sterling also had a great mentorship program, which solidified my belief in the importance of mentor/mentee relationships.
Emily noticed a disconnect during her college career, between internship hopefuls and companies that need them on their staff. In May 2010 she graduated from Hofstra with a B.F.A., and saw an opportunity to bridge that gap. She co-founded NY Creative Interns, an organization dedicated to enabling college students and recent graduates to find internships, mentors, and inspiration through networking and meetups. Since then, NY Creative Interns has grown to become the largest and most active meetup of creative interns and recent graduates in New York City. The NY Creative Interns blog offers great advice with an emphasis on encouraging readers to reach out to the contributors and those highlighted in their articles. Emily also works full time as the community manager at RecordSetter, a new home for world records, where she manages social media, communications, and events. She is a nextNY fellow and a board member of Techies Give Back.
Dean Young ’85, ’87
There were two Hofstra professors who had a significant impact on my decision to become a writer, and thus I found their courses to be the most memorable. The first professor was Peter Koper, who taught a variety of journalism classes. The second was Julia Markus, a creative writing teacher. They both told me that I had a talent to write and gave me the encouragement to cultivate it further ... At a time when I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do professionally, their influence was quite profound. I’m grateful to both of them and look back on their classes with a particular fondness.
Dean moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduating from Hofstra to embark on a career as a sitcom writer. During the 23 years that followed, Dean would go on to write and produce television programming for Nickelodeon, MTV, Lifetime, the Disney Channel, UPN, WB, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.
Dean’s early jobs in Hollywood included both writing and producing dating and game shows. A five-year stint in this genre culminated in his producing the highly successful Singled Out for MTV. From the reality world, he transitioned into comedy writing. His writing and producing credits include Mad About You (writer/story editor), King of the Hill (writer/supervising producer) and The Drew Carey Show (writer/ co-executive producer). On the development front, Dean has written comedy pilots for CBS, NBC, Fox, Comedy Central and Spike. He has been nominated for two Emmy Awards.
JANUARY 2012
Eve Tahmincioglu ’85
My favorite professor was, without a doubt, Ignacio Götz. He changed my life by believing in me. When I entered college, I didn’t understand the importance of a good education when it came to helping me achieve my goals. ... Professor Götz helped me realize I had something important to say, and he also helped me realize I needed a commitment to my studies to find my voice. I hunkered down that first year and never looked back.
Eve writes the popular “Your Career” column for MSNBC.com and she is author of From the Sandbox to the Corner Office: Lessons Learned on the Journey to the Top. Her blog, CareerDiva.net, covers a broad range of career and labor issues, and was just named one of the “9 Job Blogs You Should Be Reading” by CareerBuilder.com. She was also named one of the top 10 tweeters on Twitter by CNN and U.S. News & World Report. She’s been a regular contributor to The New York Times, The Huffington Post, TheAtlantic.com, and Bloomberg Businessweek, and her stories have appeared in Black Enterprise, Time, Working Mother, Kiplinger’s, Good Housekeeping, and Salon. She was a staff business reporter for UPI and Women’s Wear Daily in New York; The News Journal in Wilmington, DE; and the St. Petersburg Times in Tampa. She is a regular speaker at women’s conferences nationally, discussing leadership and social media; and she’s also appeared as a guest on a host of national shows on CNBC and NPR. In addition, she’s a mentor for the Op-Ed Project, and has written op-ed pieces for PBS’s Need to Know, AOL and USA Today. She lives with her husband, Andy, their two young children, Circe and Cheiron, and dog, Odysseus, in Wilmington, Delaware.
Tom Karlya ’81
You have no idea how much Hofstra means to you until you leave. I loved every single minute I was there and am so very proud to say I am a Hofstra graduate.
As the father of two children with diabetes, Tom has been active in diabetes charities and causes since his daughter Kaitlyn’s diagnosis in 1992. Tom, who is vice president of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation in Florida, has lectured across the country and chaired many panels about being “Diabetes Dad” – his pen name. Over the years he has been featured in numerous newspapers, such as Newsday, USA Today, and The Los Angeles Times, to name a few. He has written and/or produced public service announcements for diabetes causes, featuring celebrities such as Ray Romano, Sugar Ray Leonard, Doris Roberts, Nicole Johnson, Sandra Oh, Patti LaBelle, Peter Boyle, Bret Michaels, and Jim Turner. Tom received the prestigious Jeff Hitchcock Distinguished Service Award from Children with Diabetes, Inc. in 2008, and was named “Man of the Year” by the Long Island Advertising Club and Diabetes Advocate of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
As an actor for 12 years, he was featured in the original cast of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, Summer of the 17th Doll and his film Lbs., was which screened at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. Tom also has appeared in Unsolved Mysteries, Spin City, The Cosby Show, NYPD Blue, Law and Order, America’s Most Wanted, Entertainment Tonight, and Access Hollywood.
FEBRUARY 2012
Jenna Mucha ’08
Working in a very demanding, entry-level job at a television network taught me a few important things – give 110 percent every day, don’t complain, respect those more senior, and always offer your help no matter how small the task, because it will prove to others that you really want to be there. In the competitive communications job market, there is always someone eager to take your spot – so always prove that you are the best.
Jenna is the social media specialist for talent acquisition and employee communications at North Shore-LIJ Health System, the nation’s second-largest nonprofit secular health care system. Jenna began her career in television working full-time as a desk assistant at the ABC News Network. After spending a year working at World News with Charles Gibson, Weekend News, and contributing to ABCNews.com, Jenna became a segment producer on Good Morning America. During her time at GMA, Jenna learned about the power of social media and became an avid Twitter and Facebook user, using the tools not only to promote hot segments, but to find guests for interviews as well.
After her career move to North Shore-LIJ, Jenna embraced the use of social media in her new communications areas. Jenna’s day-to-day tasks include working with the talent acquisition team to engage and communicate with potential candidates in new and exciting ways. She creates and posts unique content for the North Shore- LIJ Careers social sites, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. She also works with the employee communications department on special projects and events.
Jenna grew up outside of Buffalo, NY, and while she was a Hofstra student, she was active as a senior RA, an admissions ambassador, a WRHU-FM DJ and news reader, and a member of Lambda Pi Eta. Follow Jenna on Twitter at twitter.com/Jennamucha.
Kevin E. Boston-Hill ’93
My favorite part of the job is helping students see their potential and that they are not alone in the world – as many adolescents think.
Kevin is an assistant principal at the Nassau BOCES Joseph M. Barry Career and Technical Education Center in Westbury, NY, helping students get a head start on their career goals with vocational or technical training. Kevin has worked in education for more than 15 years, teaching science, social studies, math, English, and technology to students of all ages. He has led professional development workshops in areas such as instructional technology and 21st-century learning. He has conducted a youth leadership program through the Toastmasters Club and is involved with The African American Museum of Nassau County in Hempstead, NY. He also speaks to high school students about college and career choices.
In addition to his position as assistant principal, Kevin serves as president and CEO of KBH Enterprises, Inc., a full-service public speaking company. He is also a voice actor and has recorded several audio and video projects that were used for professional development and training purposes. Most recently, Kevin established the SAVe (Smart And Versatile) Scholarship to assist Hofstra students.
In his spare time, Kevin can be found refereeing basketball or volleyball games or umpiring softball games. Kevin lives in West Hempstead, NY, with his wife, Donyshia, and son, Keith.
MARCH 2012
Tamika Blaize ‘97
My favorite professor was Nancy Kaplan. I remember her being easy-going and personable, and always very welcoming. One of my fondest memories of Hofstra is driving the 15-passenger Hofstra van full of ALSICA [African American & Latino Students Interested in Communication Arts] members to a taping of The Ricki Lake Show in NYC. We had so much fun going to a real, live taping of one of the hottest talk shows of that time period and seeing what we were learning in our classes taking place in a real studio.
Tamika is the founder of A Princess for a Day (APFAD), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that honors students from impoverished communities with a magical prom. Honorees receive a dress donated by a celebrity and complimentary limousine, photographer, makeup artist, hair stylist, and tailoring services. Prior to founding APFAD, Tamika, a television producer, worked on daytime talk shows, court shows, and game shows such as The Queen Latifah Show, The Tyra Banks Show, and Divorce Court.
After graduation, Tamika worked at WNYW-TV, followed by a brief stint at CNBC. Then came opportunities with the Saks Fifth Avenue Training Program, The Queen Latifah Show and Divorce Court. Tamika tells people her idea for APFAD came from God while she slept, and she woke up to write down the entire concept in a notebook. In 2008 Tamika decided to turn this dream into reality. She made calls to a few industry contacts and got her first dress donation for prom season 2010 from Queen Latifah. Since then, she’s received donations from Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts; supermodel Tyra Banks; mogul and model Kimora Lee Simmons; actresses Vanessa Marcil, Tichina Arnold, and Paula Patton; Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas; and many other celebrities.
Dr. John Tantillo ’80
Embrace the negative option: Never give up on your dreams, so that you can become the brand you are truly meant to be. This means surrounding yourself with people who support you, then planning the work and working the plan. Expect failure and learn from it and never give up. I really mean this. If you look at the people who succeed, never giving up is the one constant with all of them.
John is a branding and marketing consultant, radio talk show host, contributor to the Fox News opinion page, and a go-to expert for BBC on a range of marketing issues. He frequently appears in the national media, including Cavuto, Fox & Friends, MSNBC’s Weekends With Alex Witt, ABC News Live, Fox News Live and the Mario Solis Radio Show on Colorado’s Progressive Talk station.
In his marketing analyses and critiques, he refers frequently to a concept he calls “adpublitizing,” which means creating an advertisement that is sure to generate controversial coverage, thus ensuring that the advertisement and the related brand get many more impressions than a typical media buy. He has also been called the “Howard Cosell of marketing” for his distinctive voice, mannerisms and clothing. In December 2007 he provoked controversy for advocating a fat Santa campaign and commented that Santa Claus should lose weight and join the fight against the obesity epidemic. He has also been particularly outspoken about what he perceives as money wasted on Super Bowl advertising.
John earned a Ph.D. in applied organizational psychology at Hofstra. He is the host of BrandTalk (brandtalkradio.com), the only show on the radio where branding gets practical. It can be heard every Wednesday from 3 to 4 p.m. on WVOX Radio. He is also the author of the popular book People Buy Brands Not Companies available at Amazon.com in print and e-book.
APRIL 2012
Todd Zelnick ‘77
My education at Hofstra also taught me the importance of time management. Being able to manage your time properly and multitask is important if you want to advance professionally.
Todd is marking his 29th year working for the federal government, currently as an auditor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. Todd reviews reports in connection with disaster relief projects to determine if they are in accordance with the federal government’s requirements.
At Hofstra Todd was a business major with an interest in political science. He landed his first job with the federal government in 1984. From there, he worked for the IRS in Manhattan as a taxpayer service representative.
Over the course of his career with the U.S. government, Todd has worked within the departments of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Bureau of the Public Debt, and the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of the Inspector General. In March 2003 he transferred to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General and has worked there since.
Vincent Micucci ‘01
There is no question that my experience at WRHU made my time at Hofstra an enjoyable and fruitful one. The work associated with the radio station helped me make a smooth transition into professional TV and radio. I cherish the times that I covered and traveled with the Hofstra sports teams. I’ve maintained close friendships, to this day, that originated in Dempster Hall.
As an avid sports fan, it was evident from an early age that Vinny needed at least part of his day to revolve around sports. While at Hofstra, he worked with both WRHU and HTV Interactive. His fondest memories are at WRHU where he was sports director for nearly three years and broadcasted 100 games, which – back in 2001 – was a record. A few months after graduation, Vinny was hired by MLB.com as an engineer. At the same time, he worked during home games for the Long Island Ducks Baseball Club as the in-game on-field host. At MLB.com, he was promoted to the position of on-air talent. Over the course of a decade, he called play-by-play commentary of Major League Baseball games on TV and radio. He has interviewed many baseball legends and celebrities, including Derek Jeter, Jay-Z and Robert Redford.
In 2010 Vinny started his own company in order to teach aspiring students how to speak in public and become sportscasters. His new website, Sportscaster101.com, has many features where students can elect either to train at his East Meadow, New York, studios or download online classes to perfect their craft. In early 2011 he published From Sports Fan to Sportscaster, which chronicles what it’s like for an everyday sports fan to climb the ranks and be on the field and in the mix as a sportscaster.
MAY 2012
Christy Bareijsza ’97
The fondest memory I have of Hofstra is being part of the Hofstra University Kickline [now called the Dance Team] and ranking nationally at the Universal Dance Association Championships in Walt Disney World. We were considered an underdog and successfully placed in the top five, bringing an overwhelming sense of Hofstra Pride back to the campus.
Christy is founder and CEO of The Red Carpet Events, and is one of the most sought-after event planners in the New York metropolitan area. She has been responsible for detailed party planning and venue consultation since 1999. She is known in the industry for her constant creativity, fresh ideas and commitment to surpass client expectations. She has created a multitude of memorable events for a long list of corporate and celebrity clients, including IMG World, Brooks Brothers, Bombardier Flex Jet, American Express’ Departures magazine, Brown-Forman, and many radio and television personalities.
As a former vice president of corporate events for one of North America’s top financial firms, Christy has vast experience in negotiations, event and sports management, hospitality, and audio/visual and venue consultation.
Michael Cruz ’02
My fondest memory was working on a student-run show called TNL, Thursday Night Live. It allowed us to put into practice all that we had learned in class. Today, I work side by side with many of those students. There were no grades, nor was any credit assigned; it was truly a passion project, and it’s where I learned most of my real-world skills.
During his 12 years of experience in the film and television industry, Michael’s talent for directing has enabled him to work on a variety of projects ranging from Web-based media to television commercials. In 2006 he co-founded Hiccup Media, a full-service creative content production company, with clients such as Sony, T.J. Maxx, MTV, Procter & Gamble Co., E*TRADE, Comcast Corp., TLC, and Dave Matthews Band.
Michael came to Hofstra, following in his older sister’s footsteps. After a meeting with an academic counselor during which he professed his interest in the buttons found in the radio control room, Michael decided that a career in production was for him and double majored in video/television and film.
Michael has worked at Burnpeak, Connecticut Yankee, AOL Music and Grey Worldwide. Through creative planning and his relationship with Connecticut Yankee, Michael was offered their Avid Editing system, enabling him to start Hiccup Media with Rob Simone, a colleague from Grey Worldwide.
My first job after Hofstra was as a social media marketing coordinator at Sterling Publishing. It was a new position for Sterling so I learned not to sit back and wait for instructions but to take the initiative and start projects on my own. Some of my best experiences came from working on projects I took the lead on, which then gained support from the rest of the department. Sterling also had a great mentorship program, which solidified my belief in the importance of mentor/mentee relationships.
Emily noticed a disconnect during her college career, between internship hopefuls and companies that need them on their staff. In May 2010 she graduated from Hofstra with a B.F.A., and saw an opportunity to bridge that gap. She co-founded NY Creative Interns, an organization dedicated to enabling college students and recent graduates to find internships, mentors, and inspiration through networking and meetups. Since then, NY Creative Interns has grown to become the largest and most active meetup of creative interns and recent graduates in New York City. The NY Creative Interns blog offers great advice with an emphasis on encouraging readers to reach out to the contributors and those highlighted in their articles. Emily also works full time as the community manager at RecordSetter, a new home for world records, where she manages social media, communications, and events. She is a nextNY fellow and a board member of Techies Give Back.
There were two Hofstra professors who had a significant impact on my decision to become a writer, and thus I found their courses to be the most memorable. The first professor was Peter Koper, who taught a variety of journalism classes. The second was Julia Markus, a creative writing teacher. They both told me that I had a talent to write and gave me the encouragement to cultivate it further ... At a time when I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do professionally, their influence was quite profound. I’m grateful to both of them and look back on their classes with a particular fondness.
Dean moved to Los Angeles shortly after graduating from Hofstra to embark on a career as a sitcom writer. During the 23 years that followed, Dean would go on to write and produce television programming for Nickelodeon, MTV, Lifetime, the Disney Channel, UPN, WB, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.
Dean’s early jobs in Hollywood included both writing and producing dating and game shows. A five-year stint in this genre culminated in his producing the highly successful Singled Out for MTV. From the reality world, he transitioned into comedy writing. His writing and producing credits include Mad About You (writer/story editor), King of the Hill (writer/supervising producer) and The Drew Carey Show (writer/ co-executive producer). On the development front, Dean has written comedy pilots for CBS, NBC, Fox, Comedy Central and Spike. He has been nominated for two Emmy Awards.
JANUARY 2012
My favorite professor was, without a doubt, Ignacio Götz. He changed my life by believing in me. When I entered college, I didn’t understand the importance of a good education when it came to helping me achieve my goals. ... Professor Götz helped me realize I had something important to say, and he also helped me realize I needed a commitment to my studies to find my voice. I hunkered down that first year and never looked back.
Eve writes the popular “Your Career” column for MSNBC.com and she is author of From the Sandbox to the Corner Office: Lessons Learned on the Journey to the Top. Her blog, CareerDiva.net, covers a broad range of career and labor issues, and was just named one of the “9 Job Blogs You Should Be Reading” by CareerBuilder.com. She was also named one of the top 10 tweeters on Twitter by CNN and U.S. News & World Report. She’s been a regular contributor to The New York Times, The Huffington Post, TheAtlantic.com, and Bloomberg Businessweek, and her stories have appeared in Black Enterprise, Time, Working Mother, Kiplinger’s, Good Housekeeping, and Salon. She was a staff business reporter for UPI and Women’s Wear Daily in New York; The News Journal in Wilmington, DE; and the St. Petersburg Times in Tampa. She is a regular speaker at women’s conferences nationally, discussing leadership and social media; and she’s also appeared as a guest on a host of national shows on CNBC and NPR. In addition, she’s a mentor for the Op-Ed Project, and has written op-ed pieces for PBS’s Need to Know, AOL and USA Today. She lives with her husband, Andy, their two young children, Circe and Cheiron, and dog, Odysseus, in Wilmington, Delaware.
You have no idea how much Hofstra means to you until you leave. I loved every single minute I was there and am so very proud to say I am a Hofstra graduate.
As the father of two children with diabetes, Tom has been active in diabetes charities and causes since his daughter Kaitlyn’s diagnosis in 1992. Tom, who is vice president of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation in Florida, has lectured across the country and chaired many panels about being “Diabetes Dad” – his pen name. Over the years he has been featured in numerous newspapers, such as Newsday, USA Today, and The Los Angeles Times, to name a few. He has written and/or produced public service announcements for diabetes causes, featuring celebrities such as Ray Romano, Sugar Ray Leonard, Doris Roberts, Nicole Johnson, Sandra Oh, Patti LaBelle, Peter Boyle, Bret Michaels, and Jim Turner. Tom received the prestigious Jeff Hitchcock Distinguished Service Award from Children with Diabetes, Inc. in 2008, and was named “Man of the Year” by the Long Island Advertising Club and Diabetes Advocate of the Year by the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
As an actor for 12 years, he was featured in the original cast of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, Summer of the 17th Doll and his film Lbs., was which screened at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. Tom also has appeared in Unsolved Mysteries, Spin City, The Cosby Show, NYPD Blue, Law and Order, America’s Most Wanted, Entertainment Tonight, and Access Hollywood.
FEBRUARY 2012
Working in a very demanding, entry-level job at a television network taught me a few important things – give 110 percent every day, don’t complain, respect those more senior, and always offer your help no matter how small the task, because it will prove to others that you really want to be there. In the competitive communications job market, there is always someone eager to take your spot – so always prove that you are the best.
Jenna is the social media specialist for talent acquisition and employee communications at North Shore-LIJ Health System, the nation’s second-largest nonprofit secular health care system. Jenna began her career in television working full-time as a desk assistant at the ABC News Network. After spending a year working at World News with Charles Gibson, Weekend News, and contributing to ABCNews.com, Jenna became a segment producer on Good Morning America. During her time at GMA, Jenna learned about the power of social media and became an avid Twitter and Facebook user, using the tools not only to promote hot segments, but to find guests for interviews as well.
After her career move to North Shore-LIJ, Jenna embraced the use of social media in her new communications areas. Jenna’s day-to-day tasks include working with the talent acquisition team to engage and communicate with potential candidates in new and exciting ways. She creates and posts unique content for the North Shore- LIJ Careers social sites, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. She also works with the employee communications department on special projects and events.
Jenna grew up outside of Buffalo, NY, and while she was a Hofstra student, she was active as a senior RA, an admissions ambassador, a WRHU-FM DJ and news reader, and a member of Lambda Pi Eta. Follow Jenna on Twitter at twitter.com/Jennamucha.
My favorite part of the job is helping students see their potential and that they are not alone in the world – as many adolescents think.
Kevin is an assistant principal at the Nassau BOCES Joseph M. Barry Career and Technical Education Center in Westbury, NY, helping students get a head start on their career goals with vocational or technical training. Kevin has worked in education for more than 15 years, teaching science, social studies, math, English, and technology to students of all ages. He has led professional development workshops in areas such as instructional technology and 21st-century learning. He has conducted a youth leadership program through the Toastmasters Club and is involved with The African American Museum of Nassau County in Hempstead, NY. He also speaks to high school students about college and career choices.
In addition to his position as assistant principal, Kevin serves as president and CEO of KBH Enterprises, Inc., a full-service public speaking company. He is also a voice actor and has recorded several audio and video projects that were used for professional development and training purposes. Most recently, Kevin established the SAVe (Smart And Versatile) Scholarship to assist Hofstra students.
In his spare time, Kevin can be found refereeing basketball or volleyball games or umpiring softball games. Kevin lives in West Hempstead, NY, with his wife, Donyshia, and son, Keith.
MARCH 2012
My favorite professor was Nancy Kaplan. I remember her being easy-going and personable, and always very welcoming. One of my fondest memories of Hofstra is driving the 15-passenger Hofstra van full of ALSICA [African American & Latino Students Interested in Communication Arts] members to a taping of The Ricki Lake Show in NYC. We had so much fun going to a real, live taping of one of the hottest talk shows of that time period and seeing what we were learning in our classes taking place in a real studio.
Tamika is the founder of A Princess for a Day (APFAD), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that honors students from impoverished communities with a magical prom. Honorees receive a dress donated by a celebrity and complimentary limousine, photographer, makeup artist, hair stylist, and tailoring services. Prior to founding APFAD, Tamika, a television producer, worked on daytime talk shows, court shows, and game shows such as The Queen Latifah Show, The Tyra Banks Show, and Divorce Court.
After graduation, Tamika worked at WNYW-TV, followed by a brief stint at CNBC. Then came opportunities with the Saks Fifth Avenue Training Program, The Queen Latifah Show and Divorce Court. Tamika tells people her idea for APFAD came from God while she slept, and she woke up to write down the entire concept in a notebook. In 2008 Tamika decided to turn this dream into reality. She made calls to a few industry contacts and got her first dress donation for prom season 2010 from Queen Latifah. Since then, she’s received donations from Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts; supermodel Tyra Banks; mogul and model Kimora Lee Simmons; actresses Vanessa Marcil, Tichina Arnold, and Paula Patton; Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas; and many other celebrities.
Embrace the negative option: Never give up on your dreams, so that you can become the brand you are truly meant to be. This means surrounding yourself with people who support you, then planning the work and working the plan. Expect failure and learn from it and never give up. I really mean this. If you look at the people who succeed, never giving up is the one constant with all of them.
John is a branding and marketing consultant, radio talk show host, contributor to the Fox News opinion page, and a go-to expert for BBC on a range of marketing issues. He frequently appears in the national media, including Cavuto, Fox & Friends, MSNBC’s Weekends With Alex Witt, ABC News Live, Fox News Live and the Mario Solis Radio Show on Colorado’s Progressive Talk station.
In his marketing analyses and critiques, he refers frequently to a concept he calls “adpublitizing,” which means creating an advertisement that is sure to generate controversial coverage, thus ensuring that the advertisement and the related brand get many more impressions than a typical media buy. He has also been called the “Howard Cosell of marketing” for his distinctive voice, mannerisms and clothing. In December 2007 he provoked controversy for advocating a fat Santa campaign and commented that Santa Claus should lose weight and join the fight against the obesity epidemic. He has also been particularly outspoken about what he perceives as money wasted on Super Bowl advertising.
John earned a Ph.D. in applied organizational psychology at Hofstra. He is the host of BrandTalk (brandtalkradio.com), the only show on the radio where branding gets practical. It can be heard every Wednesday from 3 to 4 p.m. on WVOX Radio. He is also the author of the popular book People Buy Brands Not Companies available at Amazon.com in print and e-book.
APRIL 2012
My education at Hofstra also taught me the importance of time management. Being able to manage your time properly and multitask is important if you want to advance professionally.
Todd is marking his 29th year working for the federal government, currently as an auditor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. Todd reviews reports in connection with disaster relief projects to determine if they are in accordance with the federal government’s requirements.
At Hofstra Todd was a business major with an interest in political science. He landed his first job with the federal government in 1984. From there, he worked for the IRS in Manhattan as a taxpayer service representative.
Over the course of his career with the U.S. government, Todd has worked within the departments of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Bureau of the Public Debt, and the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of the Inspector General. In March 2003 he transferred to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General and has worked there since.
There is no question that my experience at WRHU made my time at Hofstra an enjoyable and fruitful one. The work associated with the radio station helped me make a smooth transition into professional TV and radio. I cherish the times that I covered and traveled with the Hofstra sports teams. I’ve maintained close friendships, to this day, that originated in Dempster Hall.
As an avid sports fan, it was evident from an early age that Vinny needed at least part of his day to revolve around sports. While at Hofstra, he worked with both WRHU and HTV Interactive. His fondest memories are at WRHU where he was sports director for nearly three years and broadcasted 100 games, which – back in 2001 – was a record. A few months after graduation, Vinny was hired by MLB.com as an engineer. At the same time, he worked during home games for the Long Island Ducks Baseball Club as the in-game on-field host. At MLB.com, he was promoted to the position of on-air talent. Over the course of a decade, he called play-by-play commentary of Major League Baseball games on TV and radio. He has interviewed many baseball legends and celebrities, including Derek Jeter, Jay-Z and Robert Redford.
In 2010 Vinny started his own company in order to teach aspiring students how to speak in public and become sportscasters. His new website, Sportscaster101.com, has many features where students can elect either to train at his East Meadow, New York, studios or download online classes to perfect their craft. In early 2011 he published From Sports Fan to Sportscaster, which chronicles what it’s like for an everyday sports fan to climb the ranks and be on the field and in the mix as a sportscaster.
MAY 2012
The fondest memory I have of Hofstra is being part of the Hofstra University Kickline [now called the Dance Team] and ranking nationally at the Universal Dance Association Championships in Walt Disney World. We were considered an underdog and successfully placed in the top five, bringing an overwhelming sense of Hofstra Pride back to the campus.
Christy is founder and CEO of The Red Carpet Events, and is one of the most sought-after event planners in the New York metropolitan area. She has been responsible for detailed party planning and venue consultation since 1999. She is known in the industry for her constant creativity, fresh ideas and commitment to surpass client expectations. She has created a multitude of memorable events for a long list of corporate and celebrity clients, including IMG World, Brooks Brothers, Bombardier Flex Jet, American Express’ Departures magazine, Brown-Forman, and many radio and television personalities.
As a former vice president of corporate events for one of North America’s top financial firms, Christy has vast experience in negotiations, event and sports management, hospitality, and audio/visual and venue consultation.
My fondest memory was working on a student-run show called TNL, Thursday Night Live. It allowed us to put into practice all that we had learned in class. Today, I work side by side with many of those students. There were no grades, nor was any credit assigned; it was truly a passion project, and it’s where I learned most of my real-world skills.
During his 12 years of experience in the film and television industry, Michael’s talent for directing has enabled him to work on a variety of projects ranging from Web-based media to television commercials. In 2006 he co-founded Hiccup Media, a full-service creative content production company, with clients such as Sony, T.J. Maxx, MTV, Procter & Gamble Co., E*TRADE, Comcast Corp., TLC, and Dave Matthews Band.
Michael came to Hofstra, following in his older sister’s footsteps. After a meeting with an academic counselor during which he professed his interest in the buttons found in the radio control room, Michael decided that a career in production was for him and double majored in video/television and film.
Michael has worked at Burnpeak, Connecticut Yankee, AOL Music and Grey Worldwide. Through creative planning and his relationship with Connecticut Yankee, Michael was offered their Avid Editing system, enabling him to start Hiccup Media with Rob Simone, a colleague from Grey Worldwide.
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