Faculty Accomplishments
George Ackerman, PhD, JD, Social Sciences, Division of General Education, co-authored Sports & Slowing the Progression of Parkinson’s Disease: A Collection of Personal Stories & Research, published by TogetherForSharon® in 2025.
Laura Altomonte, CPA, CGMA, Director, Academic Affairs, 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.
Melissa Baralt, PhD, Sciences, Division of General Education, moderated “The Business of Doing Good” panel for the Montclair Entrepreneurs Group at Montclair State University. Baralt presented workshops titled “Owning the Room: The Art of Presence” and “Mastering the Elevator Pitch” during the SheLeads Mentoring Program, presented by the Small Business Development Center of William Paterson University. Baralt received the Virtuous Mother and Community Leader Award from the Association of United Guatemalans of New Jersey.
Geralyn Cappelli, Management, Larry L. Luing School of Business, earned recertifications from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) as a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). Cappelli also received certificates of completion for attending the Kaufman & Canoles 40th Annual Employment Law Update in October 2024 and the Harvard Business Publishing seminar “Teaching with AI: Practical Approaches to Using Generative AI in Class” in November 2024.
Moon Chang, Fashion, Larry L. Luing School of Business, presented the “Zalando Webinar for Designer of Luxury and Sustainability” at Zalando Europe in May 2025. The brand Moon Chang was selected as the Exclusive Partnership Brand with Zalando, Europe’s largest retailer, in the Designer Luxury category.
Yesudas Choondassery, PhD, Humanities, Division of General Education, presented “The Ethics of Sustainable Development” at the 46th CANADA International Congress on Research in Science, Technology, Social Sciences & Education (RSTSSE-25) in July 2025.
Barbara Cohen, PhD, JD, PMHNP-BC, RN, Health Services, Larry L. Luing School of Business, created and delivered the Northeast Multistate Division Approved Defensive Documentation for Nurses Workshop for New York State’s Public Workshops Program in May 2025. Cohen also served as a journal reviewer for the Journal of Transcultural Nursing for the piece, “Assessment of Cultural Awareness Among Nursing Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study” in June 2025.
Barbara Crump, PhD, NP-C, AOCNP, Nursing, School of Health Studies, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Maria College in May 2025, where she delivered the college’s Commencement speech.
Christopher de la Victoria, DNP, RN, CEN, CMSRN, CDP, CADDCT, Nursing, School of Health Studies, received the 2025 Nursing Excellence Award: Nurse Educator from the Philippine Nurses Association of America in May 2025.
David Glazer, PhD, JD, Director, MBA Program, and Andrea Kennedy, Fashion, Larry L. Luing School of Business, presented “Ditching Disengagement: Top Ten Tips to Enhance Student Learning” at the Association of Private Colleges (APC) Innovation Summit in June 2025.
Jason Gulya, PhD, Applied Media and English, Division of General Education, is the author of Artificial Intelligence, Real Literacy, published in February 2025. Gulya also authored the chapter “The Age of Chat: Education and the Ride of No-Code Chatbots” in the book Teaching and Learning in the Age of Generative AI. He presented “From a Reactive to a Proactive Mindset: On Teaching During the AI Storm” at The Teaching Professor Conference in June 2025.
Laura V. Harste, PhD, Sciences, Division of General Education, was invited to join the Access Champions Working Group, a collaborative initiative co-led with the Accessibility Office and dedicated to advancing digital accessibility at the State University of New York (SUNY), Westchester Community College.
Gene Haynes, EdD, General Business, Larry L. Luing School of Business, was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to serve as a member of the NYC Transit Riders Council. In this role, Haynes will advocate for improved rider experiences by providing constructive feedback to NYC Transit management and the MTA Board.
Heidi Hoefinger, PhD, Social Sciences, Division of General Education, conducted a Student Peer Mentoring Workshop titled “Creating Stronger, More Supportive Peer Relationships – Cultural Sensitivity Training for New Peer Mentors,” which discussed cultural awareness and sensitivity, how to build respectful conversations, and suggestions for inclusive mentoring.
Ruth N. Kaplan, EdD, Humanities, Division of General Education, had two paintings displayed at the Art Educators of New Jersey Members’ Exhibit at ARTWORKS in Trenton, NJ.
Lisa Karakas, English, Division of General Education, participated in an artificial intelligence (AI) panel at the Association of Private Colleges (APC) Innovation Summit in June 2025. Karakas also presented “Building Research Skills through Scaffolding: No Hard Hats Required!” at Temple University’s 23rd Annual Conference on Teaching Excellence in January 2025.
Andrea Kennedy, Fashion, Larry L. Luing School of Business, presented “Fashion Industry Insights and Trends” at Perú Moda. Kennedy was selected as one of 20 participants for “Vision 2050: Rethinking Fashion for a Regenerative Future,” a grant-funded session bringing together fashion industry and academic leaders shaping a more sustainable future for fashion.
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).
Jay Michaels, Marketing, Larry L. Luing School of Business, received the Community Award for Excellence in Marketing and Promotion from The Fresh Fruit Stage and Film Festival in January 2025. Michaels was also named to the Board of Directors for the Queens Culture & Arts Network.
Filippa Modesto, PhD, English, Division of General Education, is the author of a peer-reviewed article “The Primacy of Language in Primo Levi’s Survival in Auschwitz” in Rivista di Studi Italiani.
Brittany O’Brien, NCIDQ, Interior Design, School of Professional Studies, will serve on the Council for Interior Design Qualifications (CIDQ) Writing Committee in January and August 2025. The Committee is a volunteer group of subject-matter experts who write and review exam questions for the National CIDQ exam.
William Orbe, IT Management, Larry L. Luing School of Business, was a faculty participant at “AI and the Future of Business: Strategies, Investments, and Opportunities,” hosted by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association in February 2025.
Sarah Salib, MD, CCMA, Allied Health – Medical, School of Health Studies, received certification as a Basic Life Support (BLS) instructor from the American Heart Association in January 2025.
Patianne Stabile, DA, English, Division of General Education, participated in a roundtable discussion, “Reading and Study Strategies and Helping Students Become More Effective College Readers” at the New York College Learning Skills Association (NYCLSA) Symposium in April 2025. Stabile also participated in an AI panel at the Association of Private Colleges (APC) Innovation Summit in June 2025. Stabile is the author of several short articles reviewing conference presentations and an article reviewing Leonard Geddes’ book How to Successfully Transition Students from High School to College: From Traps to Triumphs for the Spring 2025 NYCLSA newsletter, for which she is the editor.
Jonathan Weidenbaum, PhD, Humanities, Division of General Education, presented “Classical American Philosophers on Humor” at the American Philosophical Association Pacific Division meeting in April 2025 and “A ‘No’ at the Core of Life: Doing Transreligious Theology with William James” at the Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Academy of Religion in May 2025.
Ira Weissman, CPA, CGMA, Accounting and Finance, Larry L. Luing School of Business, recently celebrated an academic milestone when he reached 50 years of service teaching undergraduate and post-graduate courses.
Jennifer Yadav, Sciences, Division of General Education, launched Rescue Vision Films, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit film company with a mission to shine a light on untold stories of people in need and to raise funds to support the causes behind those stories.
Gracer Yung, EdD, Accounting and Finance, Larry L. Luing School of Business, earned a Professional Development Certificate from The Association of College and University Educators.
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.
