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.
Melissa Baralt, PhD, Sciences, Division of General Education, delivered a presentation called “Know Your Influence” at the Paterson Healing Collective to youth in Paterson, NJ, about self-awareness and the importance of inner strength. Baralt offered her seminar “How to Ace the Interview: Master the Art of Impression” at William Paterson University. Baralt was a featured guest on the Teach Me Something podcast, presented by Berkeley College and iHeartPodcasts, where she discussed her experiences as a first-generation professor.
Kristina Belanger, JD, PhD, MBA Program, Larry L. Luing School of Business®, graduated from Texas A&M University with a Master of Laws and a Certificate of Risk Management and Compliance in July 2025.
Yesudas Choondassery, PhD, Humanities, Division of General Education, presented “Eco-Ontology and Ethical Praxis: Reimagining Sustainability from the Ground Up” at the 41st International Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies (RAIS) Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities in August 2025.
Barbara Cohen, PhD, JD, PMHNP-BC, RN, Health Services, Larry L. Luing School of Business, was designated as a 2024 Devoted Reviewer for The Journal of Transcultural Nursing, the official journal of the Transcultural Nursing Society, in September 2025. In August 2025, Cohen was recertified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Board Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC).
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.
Christopher Doran, DNP, RN, Nursing, School of Health Studies, successfully defended his doctoral research and project implementation on “Increasing Social Work Referrals via the FACIT-Sp-12 Spiritual Health Assessment Tool.”
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, Media Communications 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, was quoted in a Forbes article about ethical fashion in March 2025. Kennedy served on a CURVE NY panel titled “From Sustainability to Sales: How to Drive Conversions by Aligning with Consumer Values,” where she discussed how sales will increase when brands align themselves with consumers’ values.
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.
Lori Rassas, JD, Legal Studies, School of Professional Studies, had her article “Forget ChatGPT: Meet Fred” published on Inc.com.
Sarah Salib, 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.
Dave Sharpe, Accounting and Finance, Larry L. Luing School of Business, presented “Career Pursuit Readiness” to Bucknell University and Berkeley College Online®. The seminar discussed entry-level hiring and marketplace dynamics, strategies for succeeding in the workplace, and how to leverage experience to build durable skills.
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 Triumphsfor the Spring 2025 NYCLSA newsletter, for which she is the editor.
Eileen F. Toplansky, English, Division of General Education, published a book titled Won Ton is Not Now Backwards under Kendall Hunt Publishers about the correct enunciation and articulation of certain sounds to assist children in gaining control of their speech.
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.
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.
