Graduates on the go

A decade-by-decade look at our alumni.

| 1960s |

Chris Christensen (B.S. ’64) of Southlake, Texas, recently retired as vice president of business development for Microturbo, a subsidiary of the international technology company, Safran Group. During his 18 years at the company, Chris traveled extensively throughout Europe. He continues to consult for Microturbo and other firms but said he is looking forward to relaxing. “I enjoy sailing, golfing and skiing and have been running for more than 30 years.” Chris and his wife, Ann, have two children, Cary and Christopher, and one grandchild.

John Mainieri (B.S. ’68) of Wharton, N.J., turned his hobby into a career. After spending years as an amateur photographer, John and his family opened ESP Studio and have expanded three times to accommodate demand for their services. John says his wife, Diane, is his best friend as well as business partner. He has two daughters, Deon and Donna, and five grandchildren. 

With the government’s recent changes to Medicare, Harry P. Thal (B.F.A. ’68), a health insurance salesman, has become a popular person in his hometown of Kernville, Calif.
“I am very busy assisting hundreds of seniors and disabled people understand the changes.” He and his wife, Stephanie, have one daughter and two grandchildren.

Don Greenblatt (B.S. ’69) of Albany, N.Y., began his career teaching mentally challenged children and spent the last 20 years working on a variety of special education programs for the New York State Education Department. In his spare time, Don listens to acoustic folk music. He has one daughter, Doron, who owns a vegan bakery in Washington, D.C.     

| 1970s |

After a long career in finance, insurance, and estate planning, Chester A. Blum (B.S. ’70) is taking up a new vocation – writing. He and a friend, Karen Elizabeth Luethke, recently released their book, Morning Coffee, under the pen name Elizabeth Alan. They wrote the book entirely through e-mails sent back and forth between his home in Staten Island, N.Y., and hers in California. “It’s been a fabulous experience,” he says. Chester has two children, Randy and Rochelle.

Robert J. Bryar (B.S. ’70) of Sherman Oaks, Calif., followed 10 years as an Internal Revenue Service agent with 25 years as an independent certified financial planner. “My hobbies are baseball and basketball. Even though I live in California, I follow the Yankees with my satellite dish, and my daughter, Michelle, is a basketball player, so I am always going to her games.” Robert is happily married to his wife, Gayle.

Leonard Cosimano (B.S. ’71) of Franklin Township, N.J., is senior vice president for entertainment at Baker & Taylor Inc., in Bridgewater, N.J. “I have been in the retail entertainment industry for more than 30 years and have met many great people who, by sharing their knowledge with me, enabled me to succeed. I now work hard to pass this knowledge on to the next leaders of the industry.” He and his wife, Adele, have one daughter, Gina.

Russell Ketcham (B.F.A. ’71) of Carle Place, N.Y., is the new head coach for men’s lacrosse at Maritime College. Previously, he was a volunteer assistant coach at Hofstra University and the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. He has spent more than 30 years in education, administration and coaching. He and his wife, Carol, have two sons, Todd and Doug.

Norman Keller (B.S. ’71) of Ponchatoula, La., is senior project engineer and capital coordinator for Cytec Industries Inc., an international specialty chemicals and materials technology company. Norman oversees the annual capital budget and expenditures for plant modifications, new processes and equipment. He and his wife, Barbara, have three children and five grandchildren.

Victor Gangi (B.S. ’72) of Fresh Meadows, N.Y., is a project manager for Turner Construction Company, a construction firm with offices throughout the United States. His current project is a new fast-track, high-rise residential tower in New York City’s Times Square. He and his wife, Stacy, have five children, Robert, Mark, Jennifer, Alaina and Dakota.

Murray Pell (B.S. ’73) of Teaneck, N.J., knew how to network when he got his degree from NYIT. After receiving a graduation award from the accounting firm, Harris Kerr Forster, he used this as an opportunity to get a job with the company. Still with the firm, which is now called Pannell Kerr Forster, Murray is a partner specializing in tax practice. He and his wife, Ellen, have two daughters, Stephanie and Jessica.

For almost two decades, Mitchell Weingarten (B.S. ’73) of Syosset, N.Y., has been a director of environment and occupational health and safety for the Colgate Palmolive Company. He works with people around the world to help reduce occupational injuries and illnesses, as well as negative effects on the environment. He and his wife, Anne, met while attending NYIT. She is an account executive at Sammis Insurance in Woodbury, N.Y. They have two children, Tracey and Andrew. 

Kazys Shukis (B.T. ’75) of Mountain View, Calif., retired from IBM in 2004 after 25 years as an engineer and quality assurance manager. He is now working as a quality manager in the standards division of KLA-Tencor, an international corporation specializing in yield management and process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing. He and his wife, Claudia, have two children, Sarah and Carolyn, and one grandchild. In his spare time, Kazys enjoys following New York sports teams, especially the Mets and the Jets. 

Randolph Mineo (B.S. ’76) of Wilton, Conn., was named New York state’s first inspector general for the New York Liquidation Bureau. In this position, he will manage the state’s efforts to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse in the agency. Randolph has more than 27 years of law enforcement experience and was chief of police for the Wilton Police Department.

James A. Zarifis (B.S. ’76) of Sullivan, Ohio, has retired from two careers – police work and engineering – and continues a third. He trains bloodhound and basset hound show dogs and is a judge for the American Kennel Club. James and his wife, Beatrice, have three children, James III, Faith and Jason.

John R. Sorrenti (M.B.A. ’78) of Glen Cove, N.Y., was appointed to the New York State Board of Architecture. In addition to being president of JRS Architect P.C. in Mineola, N.Y., he is a long-time legislative lobbyist and represented the American Institute of Architects in the drafting of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and assisted with the New York City ADA code. John’s firm was named to Interior Design magazine’s list of “Top 100 Giants” in the United States.

James C. Gherardi (B.S. ’79) of East Hampton, N.Y., and his company, Sound Builders Inc., received seven awards from the Long Island Builders Institute over the last six years. The company specializes in single-family, modular-built houses, predominately in the Hamptons on Long Island, N.Y. “One of the most satisfying parts of my business is that my wife and sons are part of it.” James and his wife, Ellen, recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They have two sons, James III and John. “The highway of life has many twists and turns, some good, some difficult. My time at NYIT better prepared me to go down this highway.”

| 1980s |

Award-winning architect Richa Bansal (B.A.R. ’81) of Herndon, Va., has joined the Lessard Group, a design firm based in Vienna, Va. Over the next several months, Richa will build a team to specialize in residential design. “The market is booming in Virginia,” she says. “I am very fortunate to have a job that is my hobby, too.” She enjoys spending her free time with family, including her daughter, Aparna.

Jorge Vidal (B.S. ’81) brings more than 20 years of experience in international sales management to his new position as vice president of sales at Iris Financial, a leading provider of advanced trading and risk management solutions. 

When Mark J. Grossman (M.A. ’83) of East Patchogue, N.Y., moved to the suburbs, he felt disconnected from his Jewish roots and sought a means to celebrate his culture.
That was the inspiration for Giant Menorah, a five-foot-tall lawn ornament that he sells for the Hanukah season. According to Grossman, the product provides an enjoyable way for Jewish people to celebrate their religion. In addition to this new venture, Mark is special assistant for intergovernmental relations for the Town of Brookhaven in New York. He and his wife, Lisa, have two daughters, Halle and Mia.

Emmy is no stranger to News 12 Long Island’s Michael DelGiudice (B.F.A. ’84, M.A. ’86) of Massapequa, N.Y., who was among the very first students to earn credits through NYIT’s LI News Tonight program. He already boasts 41 New York Emmy awards as a photographer, editor and producer. This year, Michael was nominated 17 more times, setting the all-time individual record for the most New York Emmy nominations. An active member of the NYIT Alumni Federation’s Communication Arts Committee, he has worked at News 12 for 20 years.

William Lindsay (M.S. ’84) of Holbrook, N.Y., was named presiding officer of the Suffolk County Legislature last fall and is serving his third term representing the Eighth Legislative District. William started his career in 1967 as a construction electrician and went on to become a labor leader, retiring from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers after 40 years. William and his wife, Pat, have three children, Bill Jr., Denise and Kathleen, and three grandchildren.

Lee C. Wortham (M.B.A. ’84) of Montclair, N.J., was named executive vice president of wealth management at First Niagara Bank’s Management Committee. He has 25 years of global experience working for companies such as Bank of New York and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Peter O’Connor (B.S. ’85) of Glen Cove, N.Y., is manager of purchasing and programs for AAR Corp., an international aerospace/aviation supplier. He and his wife, Darlene, have two children, Kristin and Ryan. Peter enjoys hiking, camping and soccer.

Sharon V. Ryan (B.S. ’85) of Huntington, N.Y., became an associate at Jaspan Schlesinger Hoffman, one of the New York metropolitan area’s largest general practice law firms. She specializes in real estate, commercial transactions and banking law. Sharon has two children.

Nahida Alarab (B.S. ’86) of London, England, is a computer science lecturer at Kingston College in London. “I encourage young adults already employed in the computer industry to further develop their professional skills by continuing their education on a part-time basis.” She and her husband, Zuhair Ibrahim, have two children, Omar and Leena. Nahida enjoys swimming, golf and participating in humanitarian activities.

Judith Davidson (M.B.A. ’86) of Chatsworth, Calif., finds satisfaction in working as a transitional specialist and coordinator of special education programs for the W.S. Hart School District in Santa Clarita, Calif. She has two sons, Ron and Larry; four stepchildren, Tiffany, Tamra, Steven and David; and three grandchildren. “I love being a grammy and all it entails – having sleepovers, swimming in our pool and reading about dinosaurs and snakes.”

David R. Morton (B.S. ’87, M.A. ’98) says his life started at 45. That was the year he left behind years of boring jobs to follow his dream – moving to Taichung, Taiwan, and opening Chopper’s American School, which provides English language education. “It feels great to be master of my destiny and achieve success in a far away country,” says David, who does not speak any Chinese. “I recently celebrated my 54th birthday with my students and am the happiest man on Earth. I want to thank all the people at NYIT who helped me engage in
‘possibility thinking.’”

Stephen H. Friedman (M.B.A. ’88) of Westbury, N.Y., is the executive director of United Cerebral Palsy of Suffolk County, which helps 4,000 children and adults with disabilities annually. He is also on the board of directors of the Suffolk Community Council. Stephen says he is excited about this new position because he cares about the quality of life for residents in Suffolk County. In addition, he enjoys golf and traveling with his wife, Norma.

Anthony Gioeli (B.S. ’88) of Las Gatos, Calif., is president and CEO of Atrua Technologies Inc. in Silicon Valley. His company develops advanced touch-input controls for mobile phones. “Our main investors are Nokia Ventures, Ericsson Ventures, Intel Capital and Acer Technology Ventures,” Anthony says. “We have several top 10 mobile phone manufacturers as customers and most of our business is in Asia.” He worked for AT&T, Compaq and Xircom before making the switch to startup companies like Atrua. Anthony and his wife, Monica, have two children, Francesco and Stephanie. “My favorite hobby is coaching my kids’ soccer teams.”

The Wall Street Journal named John Mack’s (M.A. ’88) blog, pharmamarketingblog.com, a “must read” for those in the medical industry. The Newtown, Pa., resident is a principal at VirSci Corporation, a marketing firm that caters to global pharmaceutical and health care industry clients. He specializes in providing e-health strategy consulting for pharmaceutical companies and writes the e-newsletter, Pharma Marketing News. John and his wife, Deborah, have two children, John and Gregory. 

Patricia McGrath Margas (M.B.A. ’89) of Schenectady, N.Y., retired as director of housing for the Schenectady YWCA in 1999. She and her husband, Rick, spend their summers relaxing at their house on Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks.

| 1990s |

Lana Reimer Vogel (M.A. ’90) of Floral Park Village, N.Y., has been with NBC Sports for 23 years and won an Emmy as part of the NBC team coverage of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. As a commercial administrator, she is one of three people who coordinate all sports commercials for the television network. She and her husband, Bruce, are celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary this June. “We love to travel. Most recently, we’ve been to California and Hawaii.”

Lisa Iannucci (B.F.A. ’91) of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., is a 20-year veteran of magazine and book publishing. She has written articles on topics ranging from real estate to health to travel. Lisa has authored five books, including Healthy Travel: Don’t Leave Home Without It, and contributed to three others. In addition, she is the founder of the award-winning Web site, www.youngwidowsandwidowers.com. “I was honored by Charming Shoppes (owners of Lane Bryant and Fashion Bug) as one of 100 women nationwide who have contributed to their communities.” She has three children, Nicole, Travis and Samantha.

Emanuel Lichtenshtein (B.S. ’91, M.B.A. ’93) of Ein-Sarid, Israel, is general manager of Tadicar, a subsidiary of international air conditioning systems manufacturer Carrier.
He and his wife, Iris, have two sons, Dean and Roy. Emanuel is planning a trip to the United States this year and NYIT is on his list of places to visit. “I want to show my kids where I went to school.”

Paul Ligniti (B.Arch. ’91) of Bronxville, N.Y., is a project manager at the engineering/architectural firm, DMJM Harris, in its New York City office. During his tenure, Paul has been responsible for many projects, including the exterior restoration of the Grand Central Terminal and the city sanitation department’s Transfer Stations Conversion Program. He was also a finalist in the 2004 International Masonry Institute Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Creative Design Competition. In addition, Paul develops environmentally friendly building construction products. He and his wife, Jeanette, volunteer at the Sharing Community, an outreach center that provides support services, from housing to employment training.

Azeem Rahaman (B.F.A. ’92) is a design consultant living in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, with his wife, Leila. He also lectures for the visual arts program at the University of the West Indies. “When I get a break, I enjoy spending time at the beach and fishing.”

Jaimini Shah (M.A. ’92) of Monroe, N.J., teaches television production courses at Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J., and manages production of RU-tv, the school’s television network. She and her husband, Sanjiv, have two children, Rahul and Ryan.

Carl J. Nappi (B.S. ’95, M.S. ’97) of Hampton Bays, N.Y., retired as a sergeant in the New York City Police Department and is president of Select Marketing Inc., a consulting firm. He and his wife, Michele, have three children, Clare, Jean and Carly.

Eric C. Peck (B.F.A. ’96) of Levittown, N.Y., is editor-in-chief of The Mortgage Press Ltd., a chain of national trade newspapers. He and his wife, Joanne, have two children, Matthew and Nolan. A lifelong hockey fan, Eric is a certified coach with USA Hockey. “In addition to coaching Matthew’s ice hockey team, I conduct goal-tending clinics for children in Nassau County.”

Gabrielle Strati (M.S. ’96) of Boynton Beach, Fla., is manager of human resources programs for GEO Group Inc., an international corporation that caters to the needs of government agencies. When she isn’t working, Gabrielle says, “I love to travel – anywhere and everywhere – so much that I even own a travel business on the side.”

Former classmates Michael Graziosi (B.Arch. ’96) of Glen Cove, N.Y., and Edward J. Hoschler Jr. (B.Arch. ’96) of Massapequa Park, N.Y., teamed up in 2004 to create the firm, Hoschler Graziosi Architects, in Roslyn, N.Y. “Since graduating almost 10 years ago, we both worked for prestigious architecture firms that prepared us to open our own firm,” says Michael. “We provide our clients with distinctive designs developed through forward thinking and creativity.” Michael and his wife, Janine, have one child, Ethan. Edward and his wife, Kristine, also have one child, Edward.

Michael Nersesian (M.S. ’96) of Wantagh, N.Y., manages disability and restricted duty cases for the Long Island Rail Road, the busiest commuter railway in North America. Michael has been involved in the NYIT Alumni Federation for 10 years and was its president for three years. “Whenever I meet alumni, I encourage them to visit the campuses and get involved. NYIT has so much to offer, and I would like to see more people take advantage of its great facilities and grounds.” 

Dr. Michele C. Reed (D.O. ’97) of West Hempstead, N.Y., is a partner in MS Family Medicine Health Care P.C., with offices in Queens and Garden City, N.Y. She also serves as physician for the Malverne School District and medical director for the Lakeview Public Library on Long Island. She and her husband, W. Scott Kershaw, have twin boys, Marcus
and Stephen.

Paul Healy (B.F.A. ’98, M.A. ’00) of Queens, N.Y., is director of sales and marketing for Broadcast Video Rentals in New York City. After spending years behind the camera working with companies such as Dell, Business Week and NBC, Paul decided to move to sales because of the diversity of his clientele. “It keeps the job interesting and allows me to feel like a freelancer still. For example, I was involved in a political affairs documentary, a feature film and a stand-up comedy special, all within a week.”

Dr. Sharon Koehler (D.O. ’98) of East Rockaway, N.Y., was appointed coordinator of breast health services at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The position may be new to her, but the hospital is not. Sharon did her internship and residency in general surgery at Brookdale. She recently completed a breast surgery fellowship at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital/Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. Sharon is also the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM) Alumni Association president and a past member of the New York Osteopathic Medical Society’s board of directors.

Frank Castro (B.S. ’99) of East Meadow, N.Y., has been a New York City police officer for 12 years and was recently transferred to forensic investigations. Frank also operates a business that specializes in home theater installations. He and his wife, Vanessa, have two children, Justin and Kenneth.
 
| 2000s |

Dr. Anders J. Cohen (D.O. ’00) of Manhasset, N.Y., is an assistant professor of neurological surgery at Cornell Medical Center in New York City. He lectures on new technologies for minimally invasive brain and spine surgery around the world. In addition, Anders is the faculty adviser for NYCOM’s Student Osteopathic Surgical Association and is a member of the New York Osteopathic Medical Society’s board of directors. Anders stays in touch with many of his NYCOM classmates, including Dr. Rich Jadick (D.O. ’97) and his wife, Dr. Melissa Hemlock (D.O. ’97) of Sneads Ferry, N.C. He is also godfather to the couple’s daughter. 

Arlene Oechsler (M.S. ’01) of Huntington, N.Y., has joined Nassau Educators Federal Credit Union as vice president of human resources and training. She previously served as director of human resources for airplane parts manufacturer GenMech/Bill-Jay Aerospace.

Jack W. Willis (M.S. ’02) of Fort Wayne, Ind., is the electrical facilities engineer for Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. “I record all types of blues music on my guitars, harmonicas and keyboards. I was a professional musician during my teenage and early adult life. Now, it’s just a fun and relaxing hobby.” Jack and his wife, Sandra, have three children, Erica, Heather and Chelsea, and four grandchildren. 

Michael Stellino (B.S. ’03) moved to Palm Beach, Fla., soon after graduation and is a project manager with development and design firm Opus South Corporation in Tampa, Fla. “I enjoy tennis, racing, company golf outings and the south Florida nightlife, as well as fishing and diving in Key West.” 

Architect Kiyoe Takada (B.Arch. ’03) of New York City specializes in residential and commercial work for Gene Kaufman Architects. She enjoys skiing, golf, Japanese calligraphy and cooking. 

John Whalen (B.Arch. ’03) of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., was appointed to project associate at Fivecat Studio of McCarthy LePage Architects, a residential design firm in Pleasantville, N.Y. In his free time, John enjoys the outdoors. “I’m an avid cyclist and runner and recently finished my first marathon.”

A 20-year employee with Delta Air Lines, Charles S. Jensen (M.B.A. ’04) of Atlanta, Ga., wanted to earn a post-graduate degree, but when you fly around the world for a living, attending classes can be a little difficult. “The opportunity to pursue an M.B.A. through Ellis College of NYIT came along at the right time,” he says. With his new degree in hand, Charles made the transition to delta.com, where he is program director of online sales and service.

Zubair A. Kazi (B.Arch. ’04) took a leave of absence from his job at William Nicholas Bodouva and Associates to join the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Stationed in Jackson, Miss., he is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a hazard mitigation architect, surveying the damage in order to create better building codes so that safer houses and businesses can be constructed. Zubair’s other projects at William Nicholas Bodouva and Associates have won numerous awards. He and his fiancée, Misha Bhalla, plan to marry this year.

Enis Piskiner (B.Arch. ’04) has joined Princeton, N.J., design firm Hillier Architecture and is working on the master plans for Montgomery Academy and the Virginia Commonwealth University Business School. He and his wife, Brenda, are new residents of Princeton.

Lourdes M. Berrios (M.S. ’05) of New York City has just finished her first decade as financial analyst for Mount Sinai Medical Center. She and her husband, Felix, have two sons, Felix and Anfernee. Lourdes enjoys reading, exercising, biking and running.

Even before they wrote their first prescriptions, Dr. Rupen Modi (D.O. ’05) and Dr. Naishadh Shah (D.O. ’05) wrote a review guide to help medical students prepare for the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam. The book was so successful that the title has been purchased by medical publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Currently, Rupen is completing an osteopathic rotating internship at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, while Naishadh is completing a rotating internship at Union Hospital in Union, N.J.

Send us information about your work, family, hobbies, accomplishments and things important to you. E-mail alumni@nyit.edu or drop us a line at NYIT Magazine, Northern Boulevard, P.O. Box 8000, Old Westbury, NY 11568-8000.