Graduates on the go

A decade-by-decade look at our alumni.

1970s

Lou Grandieri (B.S. ’71) recalls the closeness he shared with fellow NYIT classmates in the late 1960s and the protests they participated in during the Vietnam War. The Bronx, N.Y., native now lives in Las Vegas, Nev., where he has worked in the system computing services division of the Nevada System of Higher Education for nearly 24 years. He continues to use the engineering and project management skills he learned at his alma mater. “I would not have been hired without the education I received at NYIT,” says Lou.
 
For nearly 40 years, Don Greenblatt (B.S. ’73) has dedicated himself to the education of severely handicapped children. For 15 years, he taught students in the public and private sectors before joining the New York State Education Department. For the next 22 years, he worked for the Office of Vocational and Education Services for Individuals with Disabilities. Don grew up in Freeport, N.Y., and continued his education in upstate New York. He now lives in Albany, N.Y., and has two daughters, Karyn and Doron.
           
Winston F. Barnes (B.F.A. ’76) of Davie, Fla., likes to keep busy. He is the news and public affairs director at WAVS Radio Inc. in Broward County, as well as a town commissioner, doing his best to meet the needs of his neighbors. But Winston – who graduated magna cum laude from NYIT with a degree in communication arts – also shares his knowledge as an adjunct professor at Florida Memorial University in Miami-Dade County. In addition, he was awarded the Jamaican Prime Minister Award for Excellence for contributions made to Jamaicans overseas through his call-in show currently airing on WRAV radio. Lastly, Winston is the author of a book about the development of Reggae music. He recalls his days at NYIT when he practiced in Central Park as part of the Manhattan campus’ fledgling soccer team. He and his wife, Andrea Campbell, have two daughters, 2-year-old Hannah and 29-year-old Tamar.

Mike Pregmon (M.B.A. ’76) of Orlando, Fla., is executive vice president of the Quality Assurance Institute with more than 40 years of experience. He focuses on customer satisfaction, defining system requirements and acceptance testing. Over the years, Mike has been an author, consultant, senior corporate executive and adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Business at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He is currently an adjunct at St. Petersburg University in Florida. Mike has presented seminars and training programs at more than 65 colleges and universities in the United States and in other countries. He is a former member of the editorial review board of Software Development magazine and a current member of the Software Testing Advisory Board at the University of Washington. He is also an advisory board member and technical expert for the World Business Review television program hosted by General Alexander M. Haig Jr. that airs on CNBC and Bravo. In his spare time, Mike enjoys photography. His marriage of 44 years has produced three children and six grandchildren.

Maryanne Bert Rainone (B.F.A. ’77) of Manhasset, N.Y., is a senior vice president and managing director at Heyman Associates, where she handles executive searches in the areas of corporate communications, public relations, investor relations, speechwriting, internal communications and public affairs for the firm’s blue chip clients. Maryanne likens her position at Heyman to that of a matchmaker. “Clients come to us with a particular job opportunity and we reach out to potential candidates.” While at NYIT, Maryanne was involved in student government and the radio station (WNYT), and was the first female editor of the Old Westbury campus student newspaper, The Campus Slate. Maryanne and her husband, Ron (B.Arch. ’80), have two daughters, 19-year-old Katherine and 16-year-old Victoria.

1980s

Dennis Penzell (D.O. ’81) received the Chair Recognition Award from the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine. He is the former medical director of Suncoast Community Health Centers in Hillsborough County, Fla., where he worked for 20 years before leaving in January 2006. Dennis, a native of New York, went to Florida to complete a four-year obligation to the National Health Service Corps and ended up dedicating two decades of his life to the state’s underserved communities.

Can ancient wisdom be used to solve modern problems? Astrologer and consultant Joseph Yung-Yuan Lai (B.S. ’84) thinks so. Using Chinese lunar astrology, western solar astrology and his own intuition, Joseph created a forecast system for his new book, Global Financial Crisis-Cycle Analysis. The book, says Lai, can be used to foretell financial and personal matters using ancient astrological cycles. Joseph is a former chief librarian for the American Embassy in Taiwan and is now an astrologer and consultant in Flushing, N.Y.

Martin S. Hirko (B.S. ’84) of East Islip, N.Y., credits NYIT’s “user-friendly” education policies for success in his professional life, most recently his appointment as TRITEC Building Company’s newest president. Prior to joining the East Setauket, N.Y.-based company, he held senior management positions at several companies, including Kajima Construction Services and SKANSKA USA Building Inc. Martin considers education a lifelong process and lives each day as if it was a gift. He enjoys traveling with his wife, Elisabeth, and their three children, Matthew, Jared and Zachary. He also has three children from a previous marriage, Andrew, Karen and Daniel.

Mavis Martin-Gilham (B.S. ’84) works for the Yonkers Public School System as a General Educational Development (GED) teacher. She also works with adults in a job readiness program sponsored by the New York State Department of Social Services.
In addition, Mavis can be seen on the Educational Access Channel as the host of GED TV and On Common Ground, a show that helps prepare immigrants who want to become naturalized U.S. citizens.

Hazlet, N.J., has a new deputy mayor – Scott Aagre (B.Arch. ’85) – who is also a member of his community’s planning board, board of education and environmental commission and serves as a liaison to the zoning board. A true multi-tasker, Scott enjoys the complexities of architectural work and finds his demanding schedule rewarding. Scott also works as a code and zoning analyst with Milrose Consultant Inc. and previously worked for Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., where he was responsible for overseeing all worldwide architectural services. Scott and his wife of 24 years, Regina, have two children, Colleen and Christopher.

If you’re a librarian, does reading really qualify as a hobby? For Rosemary S. Feeney (M.L.S. ’86) of East Meadow, N.Y., reading is a way of life, even “if it includes the backs of cereal boxes.” After nearly three decades of being an integral part of the Central Islip campus, Rosemary is now museum director of the Northport Historical Society on Long Island. She still remains friends with many of her former NYIT co-workers and says her time spent with students, faculty and staff members was the highlight of her professional life. In addition to spending time with her four sons, Rosemary loves traveling, gardening, cooking, tai chi and tap dancing.

Kevin L. Hyms (M.B.A. ’86) is an environmental, health and safety consultant who also serves as treasurer of the NYIT Alumni Federation’s Executive Council and Long Island chapter. Last May, Kevin received the Heart and Soul Award from the Chamber of Commerce of the Greater Ronkonkomas for his community volunteer work. Recently, he served as the Sachem School District’s 50th Anniversary Committee co-chair and raised more than $10,000 towards scholarships as well as a vehicle for the Special Education Transition Program. Kevin is also the school district’s Community Education Advisory Council chairman, the Sachem High School North PTA president, a Special Education PTA past president, and serves on the Sachem Legislative Committee. In recognition of his efforts, Kevin received another award recently, Honorary Life Member of the New York State PTA. He and his wife, Gail, have a daughter and a son, both students at Sachem High School North.

After receiving his license in 1991, Thomas Baio (B.Arch. ’87) of Short Hills, N.J., founded Baio & Marcille Architects PC. Since then, Thomas’ work has been featured in newspapers, magazines and professional journals, and his personal residence was featured on the cover of The Newark Star Ledger and on News 12 NJ. As a former pole vault athlete and record holder for NYIT’s track and field team, Thomas remembers former coach Pete Zinno fondly.

Susan Volpicella-Levy (D.O. ’87) was elected vice president of the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons at the annual Atlantic Regional Osteopathic Convention in April. She is also the director of the Division of Family Practice at Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood, N.J.

Martin Lesser (D.O. ’88) of Holyoke, Mass., has been a family practitioner since 1992. He and his wife, Joan, have three children. Their eldest, Eric, was born during his first year at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM). Martin loves what he does and states, “I’ll forever be grateful to NYCOM for the opportunity to become a physician.”

Richard Terry (D.O. ’88) is a clinical associate professor of family medicine at NYCOM and the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, N.Y. He is also the director of osteopathic medical education at the Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center and director of the Wilson Family Practice Residency Program. Richard has lectured both regionally and nationally on the subject of obesity and has written a book, Tomorrow’s Weigh In – The No-Diet Way to Lose Weight Book. He is also an avid runner and has completed seven marathons. Richard resides in Apalachin, N.Y., with his wife and four children.

Beth Petrillo (M.A. ’88) has been protecting the environment for more than two decades as a scientist at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Agency. She is a member of the New York Water Environment Federation’s Metropolitan Chapter Public Education Committee and the Residuals and Biosolids Committee. Beth and her husband, John, have two children, Kerri and Jon. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, needlepoint and cross-stitching.

Debra Hopke (B.S. ’89) is a partner in the law firm of L’Abbate, Balkan, Colavita & Contini LLP in Garden City, N.Y. She specializes in construction law disputes, assisting construction clients and design professionals with all facets of construction industry. Debra, a lifelong Long Islander, enjoys sports, including martial arts and hiking, and loves gardening and cooking.

Claudia L. McCarty (D.O. ’89) was voted president-elect of the American Academy of Osteopathy (AAO) and will serve for one-year beginning in March 2007. She
currently has a private practice on Long Island and holds certifications in neuromusculoskeletal medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine, and family practice medicine. Claudia has also written articles for the AAO Journal and the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

Guido Scrivanich Jr. (B.S. ’89, M.S. ’94) of Aberdeen, N.J., is an engineering manager at ASCO Valve, which supplies a large portion of the world’s solenoid valves. In addition to being a CPR and first aid instructor, Guido has been a certified diver since 1986 and has been involved with the National Association of Underwater Instructors since 1997. He and his wife, Christine, welcomed their first child, Giselle Lynn, on May 5.

1990s

William R. Cole Jr. (B.Arch. ’90) of Winter Park, Fla., was named job captain for Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects & Planners Inc. He brings 17 years of experience to the company, having served at the New York firms of Bruck and Franzese Engineers and Wiedersum Associates, as well as William R. Cole Design. In his current position, William is involved in the design of residential, multi-family, multi-use and showcase homes across the United States. He also teaches middle school students about the skills needed to be an architect. A rock ’n’ roller at heart, this former Long Islander plays drums with The Imposters in his free time. William and his wife, Janet Marie, have two children, Sergiy and Sianna.

Humayun Chaudhry (D.O. ’91), assistant dean and chair of medicine at NYCOM, has been appointed chair of the Standards Review Subcommittee of the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. Humayun will lead the effort to update and revise the standards and procedures by which osteopathic medical schools get accredited in the United States.

Leslie Gonzalez (B.S. ’94) has been named director of communications of the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation. Leslie made the unlikely jump from television news and is thrilled with the results, noting that her diverse background allowed her to offer a wide range of services to the foundation, from news coverage to photography, video, graphics and Web design. Leslie is a graduate of the LI News Tonight program, which she says provided her with the practical, hands-on experience she needed. 

Juan F. Acosta (D.O. ’97) is the new residency director of emergency medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, N.Y. Previously, he served as research director for two years and emergency medical services director for four years. He became a fellow at the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians and the American College of Emergency Physicians. Juan is also deputy commander of the NY2 Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

Paul Marino (B.F.A. ’97) of Greenwich, Conn., is a financial planner for New York Life Insurance Company. A former NYIT baseball player and LI News Tonight intern, Paul’s fondest memory was covering the ticker-tape parade for the New York Yankees after they won the World Series. Paul and his wife, Happy, are the proud parents of twin boys, Theodore and Ryan.

Long Islander Vincent T. Geraci (D.O. ’97) is a medical program administrator for the Suffolk County Department of Health Services and medical director for the Suffolk County Correctional Facility. Previously, Vincent was a director at the Riverhead Health Center and its satellite clinics in Southampton and East Hampton, N.Y. Vincent is on the verge of realizing his dream of becoming a flight surgeon; he is awaiting final endorsement for his commission as a medical captain with the New York State Air National Guard 105th Airlift Wing in Newburgh. Vincent lives in Stony Brook, N.Y., with his wife, Lynda Varlotta (D.O. ’98), and their 4-year-old daughter, Geena Ellen.

Trauma room physician Christopher M. Prior (D.O. ’98) returned from his second tour in Iraq last year. After eight years of taking care of soldiers, retirees and their families in Hawaii, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Fiji, New Zealand, Kuwait and Iraq, he is leaving the army and joining Columbine Family Practice in Littleton, Colo. This summer, he traveled with the Irish National Lacrosse Team to help players prepare for the World Cup. Chris and his wife, Suzanne, recently welcomed their third daughter.

Anthony Petrizzo (D.O. ’99) completed his residency at Pinnacle Health Hospitals in Pennsylvania, followed by a fellowship in spinal reconstruction at the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York City. He currently has a private practice on Long Island and is assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at New York University and the Hospital for Joint Diseases. Anthony was also appointed attending spine surgeon and oversees the scoliosis clinics at both locations.
 
2000s

Jeffrey DeSarbo (D.O. ’01) and Wie-Li Hsu (D.O. ’01) opened a new psychiatry practice in Garden City, N.Y., with a satellite office in Riverhead, N.Y. Jeff specializes in the treatment of eating disorders and Wie-Li specializes in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and complementary psychiatry.

Shannon Ludlow (M.S. ’01) of Boca Raton, Fla., is human resources director for the Delray Medical Center, a Tenet Health Systems hospital. After graduating from NYIT, she worked for Tenet as the human resources manager and has been on the rise ever since. Shannon and her husband, Paul, are currently awaiting the birth of their first child.

Like her father and grandfather, Kim Clark Prochazka (B.F.A. ’02) of Hancock, N.Y., likes to keep her business all in the family. Kim and her husband, Drew, work for Beaver Mountain Log & Cedar Homes. She is the company’s director of marketing and advertising. While at NYIT, Kim spent most of her free time working with fellow members of the drama club, but found time to serve as co-editor of The Campus Slate. These days, her free time is spent fishing and camping in the summer and skiing in the winter – all while taking care of three children who are all under the age of two!

Vanilla Records, an independent record label created by Lisa Kontogiannis (B.F.A. ’03) of Brookville, N.Y., has signed Greece’s number one recording artist, Anna Vissi. Lisa’s production of Vissi’s hit single, Call Me, topped the charts in Greece. Vanilla Records will soon produce Anna’s full-length English album and co-produce another in her native language with Sony Music of Greece. After graduating from NYIT, Lisa started Worldwide Simulcasting, an international public relations, marketing and advertising company. As her marketing firm grew, so did Lisa’s reputation. She currently produces and co-hosts an international talk show for the Greek community, Horizons, which airs on Dish Network’s MEGA Cosmos Channel. Lisa also produces several yearly concerts in the United States and Canada featuring top Greek performers.

Lloyd Ferber (B.P.S. ’04) of Brooklyn, N.Y., will be working in the hospitality field for Norwegian Cruise Lines on one of the company’s Hawaii-based cruise ships.

Nader Nakhleh (D.O. ’04) is completing his second year of residency in pediatrics at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. He and his fiancé, Maria, will move to Washington, D.C., as Nader starts his fellowship training in pediatric pulmonology at the Children’s National Medical Center next July.

Geri Berdak (M.B.A. ’05) was recently named president of the Soyfoods Association of North America. In her new position, Geri will concentrate on educating consumers about the health benefits of soy products, including weight management and the prevention of heart disease. According to Geri, sales of soy-based foods have gone from $300 million in 1992 to $3.9 billion in 2003. “It is our goal to educate consumers so they know that choosing soy means choosing a healthy and satisfying lifestyle,” she says. Geri is also the director of public affairs for the Solae Company, a leading manufacturer of soy-based foods.

Beer: The Movie may not be coming to a theater near you but you can order the DVD. Peter Hoare (B.F.A. ’05) and his sketch comedy troupe, Beer TV, signed a three-DVD deal with Halo 8 Productions and RED Distribution, a division of Sony/BMG. Peter took time off from MTV, where he works as a production assistant, to finish work on his movie, which was seven years in the making.

Ghady St. Hellien (B.S. ’05) signed a one-year contract with the Long Island Rough Riders, a professional team in the United Soccer League (USL). He was a member of the men’s soccer program from 2003 to 2005, when the Bears made two appearances in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Northeast Regional Tournament and advanced all the way to the Elite Eight in 2005. Ghady was born and raised in ice hockey territory – Montreal, Canada – but after an introduction to the game of soccer from his Haitian-born cousins, he was addicted for life. He says his best play was listening to the advice of Bears coach Carlos Delcid. “He told me I had to work harder to improve my game. The next year, I became a starter. That kind of confidence helps me in all aspects of my life.” Ghady also accepted a position as business administrator in the Internal Audit Department of the Pall Corporation.

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.