Faculty Accomplishments
Laura Altomonte, CPA, CGMA, Associate Dean, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, led the Berkeley College effort for the special International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) Accounting Accreditation for the Associate in Applied Science and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in Accounting, as well as the Master of Business in Management Accounting concentration.
Kwaku Ampadu-Nyarkoh, PhD, Management, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, presented “Healthcare in Post-COVID Africa, Higher Education Myopia or Hyperopia? Rethinking, Rebuilding, and Mapping the Future through Decolonization of Curriculums and Scholarship” at the Accra Bespoke Innovative Conference at The University of Ghana in May 2023. Ampadu-Nyarkoh also published book reviews of “Africa and Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Pathway to Economic Self-Reliance” and “Mindset Matters: The Corner Stone of Sustainable Entrepreneurship” in February 2023.
Ihor Andruch, Justice Studies, School of Professional Studies, presented “ChatGPT in Career Services: Creating Personalized Pathways for Student Career Development” during the virtual New Jersey Career Center Consortium (NJC3) Spring Conference in April 2023. Andruch also received the Spring 2023 Extra Mile Award from Berkeley College, recognizing the ways he supports students and contributes to the College community.
Melissa Baralt, PhD, Division of General Education, was an honoree at the Event USA Entertainment Purple Festival 8th Annual International Women’s Day in March 2023. Baralt also received the Women’s Celebration Award for Service in the Community from the Paterson City Council and the Women’s Community Service Award from New Jersey Senator Nellie Pou at the Women’s History Month celebration, both in March 2023. Baralt was honored for her community service to the City of Paterson by New Jersey Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly at a Hats for Hope event in April 2023.
Brian J. Callahan, AIA, Interior Design, School of Professional Studies, received the 2023 Bergen County Historic Preservation Award from the Bergen County Historic Preservation Advisory Board and the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs in May 2023. Callahan was recognized in the category of “Historic Preservation” for his work converting a colonial revival residence built in 1905 in Westwood, NJ, to law offices.
Kléber P. Castro Pacheco, PhD, Management, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, presented “Educational Model for Tourism on Higher Education” at the University of Havana in Cuba, and “Smart Tourism Destination Platform of Cuenca Ecuador” at Istanbul University in Turkey, the University of Wyoming Haub School for Environment and Natural Resources, and The University of Arizona Department of Agricultural Education, Technology, and Innovation. Castro Pacheco also served as an international consultant in tourism and economics for PROYECTUR, an international consulting company for tourism and economics, from August 2022 to March 2023.
Moon Chang, Fashion, Larry L. Luing Business®, presented an event for her brand, Moon Chang, during New York Fashion Week at Showfields in Brooklyn, NY, in October 2023. Chang’s work also was featured in various publications including L’officiel, Schön! Magazine, Numero Magazine, Mob Journal, and Lady Gunn.
Yesudas Choondassery, PhD, Division of General Education; Patricia Greer, JD, Provost; and Heidi Hoefinger, PhD, Division of General Education, presented “Diversity is Good for Business: DEI in the Workplace” to the Woodbridge Metro Chamber of Commerce – Business Owner Resource Center on April 12, 2023.
Yesudas Choondassery, PhD, Division of General Education, is the author of “Human Rights, COVID-19 and Health Equity: How Can Human Rights Advance Health Equity?” which was published in the International Multidisciplinary Research Journal in September 2022. The paper investigates the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) legal and moral appeal and how it can address health disparities and promote health equity.
Barbara Cohen, PhD, JD, PMHNP-BC, RN, FNYAM, Health Services, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, presented “Defensive Documentation for Nurses (with CNEs)” during a professional services workshop at Rockefeller College at the University of Albany in March 2024. The Certified Nurse Educator course is designed to enhance nurses’ abilities to create meaningful, legally, and ethically intact healthcare documentation.
Nicole Garret, PhD, English, Division of General Education, is the author of “Misreading the Mysterious Mother,” a chapter in Staging The Mysterious Mother (Yale University Press, 2023). The essay puts Horace Walpole’s infamous play in context with other fictional stories of motherhood and grief, and celebrates the play’s return to the stage.
Jason Gulya, PhD, English, Division of General Education, presented “Teaching and Learning in the Age of AI” at the virtual AI@SHSU Mini-Conference in March 2024. The presentation focused on the key challenges with learning in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Gulya also served as the keynote speaker and presented “Teaching and Learning with AI” at the RECAP Conference at West Chester University in May 2024. The presentation discussed the emotional effects of new technology and proposed questions for higher education in the age of AI. Gulya contributed insights for the article “5 AI Prompts for Educators Using ChatGPT and Google Gemini,” which was published by Forbes in May 2024.
Jodie Hirsch, IT Management, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, was re-certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP). The PMP certification represents leadership experience and excellence in project management.
Heidi Hoefinger, PhD, Social Sciences; Lisa Karakas, English; and Jennifer Yadav, Sciences, Division of General Education, presented “Conducting Inclusive Workplace Meetings: Strategies and Breakout Sessions” during a DEI Leadership Summit at Berkeley College in March 2024. The presentation was part of an inaugural International Women’s Day event in collaboration with the United Nations and Eve Cortes Coaching.
Kirk Johnson, DMH, Division of General Education, is the author of “Exploring Social Determinants of Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Challenges and Solutions in Communities of Color,” which was published in Review & Expositor in December 2022.
Candice Kaup Scioscia, EdD, English, Division of General Education, earned Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Management from Drexel University in June 2024.
Andrea Kennedy, Fashion, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, was quoted in “Taking the First Steps in Creating Traceability in an Apparel Business,” which was published in California Apparel News in August 2023. Kennedy also served as a panelist for “Fashion Climate Advocates: The Era of Collective Action,” during a New York Climate Week event in September 2023.
Samuel Lloyd, DPS, Management, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, earned recertifications from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) as an SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).
Filippa Modesto, PhD, English, Division of General Education, presented “Primo Levi: Echoes of Survival and the Importance of Language” during the 2nd CUSIAC International Conference at the University of Molise in Italy. Modesto’s paper explores the importance of language in Levi's work as a means of survival and “internal liberation.”
Gina Robertiello, PhD, Justice Studies, School of Professional Studies, is a member of the Mantoloking Shores Property Owners Association and works with the Brick Township Police Department on its Neighborhood Watch Team.
Patianne Stabile, DA, English, Division of General Education, organized an interactive webinar titled “How to Help Students Develop Their Authentic Voice in a World of AI,” which was presented at Westchester Community College in June 2024. Stabile is a member of the Executive Board of the New York College Learning Skills Association (NYCLSA) and a representative of the downstate HUB of NYCLSA.
Robert Thomas Torres, CST, CRCST, CHL, Allied Health – Surgical, School of Health Studies received an award for five years of service to the U.S. Government in April 2024. Torres is employed at the U.S. Army Medical Command/Defense Health Agency at Keller Army Community Hospital, U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY.
Hui-wen Tu, EdD, Social Sciences, Division of General Education, presented “Enhancing the Quality of Blended Class by Using Owl” at the OLC Accelerate 2023 conference in October 2023. Tu discussed the benefits and limitations of blended learning in the post-pandemic classroom.
Christopher E.S. Warburton, PhD, MBA Program, is the author of the book “The Political Economy of Underdevelopment in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Routledge, 2024) and the article “Pathways from Poverty: The Correlates and Probabilities of Penury Life in 131 Countries, 1980-2022,” which was published by Applied Econometrics and International Development.
Jonathan Weidenbaum, PhD, Humanities, Division of General Education, delivered a presentation titled “Five Days in the ICU: When a Bioethicist Experiences What He Teaches” to the Ethics Committee at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in March 2024. During the presentation, Weidenbaum describes the moral dilemma he experienced when faced with the decision of taking a loved one off of life support.
Gracer Yung, EdD, Accounting and Finance, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, received a certificate for Effective Teaching Framework for Higher Education from the Association of College and University Educators in April 2024.
Focus on Faculty
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we spoke to some of Berkeley’s dedicated professors to get their insights on timely topics such as what excites them about their roles, the ways in which students inspire them, and their advice for the next generation of leaders. We thank them for their commitment and the important part they play in preparing our students for success and continuing the reputation of Berkeley College.
The accomplishments reflected on this page have been furnished and verified by each individual faculty member, who is solely responsible for such content.
