Faculty and Staff Profiles

CAROL ACQUILANO (Adjunct Facutlty Member, Rochester)
Carol has been involved with many aspects of the arts as a professional in the Fine Arts field. She graduated from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston MA in 1982, and with a semester abroad, her art career has since provided many opportunities for travel and advancement. She has attended programs at Pilchuck Glass Center, Women's Studio Workshop, New York University, Syracuse University and completed a B.A. degree with Empire State College. Mentoring Interests: Fine Arts: Painting, Drawing, Printmaking and Book Arts.

ADELE ANDERSON (Mentor, Rochester)
Adele mentors studies in Cultural Studies and in Social Theory Structure and Change. Degrees include a B.F.A. and M.F.A. in studio fine arts (drawing and painting) and a Ph.D. in social and cultural anthropology. Adele has also worked as an independent consultant, research associate, compliance analyst, and program evaluator in health and human services. Mentoring Interests: General and Applied Anthropology: Ethnography, International Studies (Globalization, Americas, Development), Cultural Studies (Corporate Responsibility, Attraction-based Marketplaces, Tourism, Technology and Society, Popular Culture, Arts) and Research Methods. She also mentors selected topics in Sociology (Theory, Social Programs & Services, Social Change) and some applied organization studies (Program Planning and Evaluation).

JAMES ANDERSON (Part-time Mentor, Rochester)
Jim did both undergraduate and graduate work at Stanford University and received a Ph.D. in materials science there in 1965. He has taught at the University of Rochester and has had several research and development positions in the electronics and petroleum industries. His research work has been in surface science, catalysis, spectroscopy and microelectronics reliability. He also studied at the Colgate Rochester Bexley Hall-Divinity School. Mentoring Interests: Physical Science, Engineering and Technology, Role of Technology in Modern Society, Mathematics, Science and Mathematics, Teaching in Elementary Schools, Religious Studies (Judeo-Christian Tradition), Evaluation of Bible College Transcripts.

MARC A. CIRIGLIANO (Mentor, Rochester)
Marc joined the Empire State College faculty in 1987. As an undergraduate, he earned a B.A. in history from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. In graduate school at Syracuse University, he earned an M.S. in fine arts, and M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in humanities. He taught art history in an interdisciplinary manner for four years at Syracuse, where he was nominated as an outstanding undergraduate teacher. Mentoring Interests: Art History, Criticism, Aesthetics, Music History, the Avant-garde, Creative Writing (esp. Screenwriting), Literature Studies (Ancient, Mediaeval, Renaissance and Romantic), Fostering Creativity, Sports Conditioning, and Wellness.

MARGARET CLARK-PLASKIE (Mentor, Corning/Elmira)
Margaret is a full-time mentor in the area of human development. She has a B.A. in psychology from Barnard College and an M.S. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Rutgers. Margaret was also a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Brandeis University on a National Institute of Aging Training Grant from 1992-1994. Then for four years she taught psychology, advised students and conducted gerontological research as an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut (Hartford Campus). Mentoring Interests: Developmental Psychology, Adult Development and Aging/Gerontology, Identity/Self Development, Personality Theory and Assessment, and General Psychology.

ANNE COBB (Mentor, Rochester)
Ann earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.S. in accounting and economics, Mississippi State University and is a Certified Financial Planner; Certified Employee Benefits Specialist; Enrolled Agent; and passed the CPA exam. Anne has taught in traditional universities since 1961 and joined Empire State College in 1990. Anne mentors in the graduate and undergraduate programs, has taught in the CEBS certification program, and formerly maintained a practice in financial planning and tax preparation. Mentoring Interests: Economics, Money and Banking, Corporate Finance, Personal Financial Planning, Fiscal and Monetary Policy, International Banking and Finance, and Business and Technical Writing.

TIMOTHY COSGRIFF (Assistant to the Dean)
Timothy Cosgriff joined Empire State College in 2005 as Assistant to the Dean. He has a B.S in Business and Economics from Empire State College and an M.S in Hospitality Tourism Management from RIT. Timothy brings to Empire State College over fifteen years experience in business management and community board involvement in the Rochester community.

DAVID DUBOIS (Mentor, Rochester)
Dave Du Bois is a full-time Business and Education mentor who joined Empire State College in that role in 1976 on a part-time basis. In 1989, he joined Empire State College, leaving his primary employment as Academic Dean at Rochester Business Institute. He holds a master of business administration in accounting and management from Rochester Institute of Technology which builds upon his undergraduate degree in Accounting. He has completed his Ph.D. in higher education administration through Union Graduate School, a nontraditional program somewhat like Empire State College. Mentoring Interests: Accounting Principles, Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, Auditing, Income Taxes, Accounting Information Systems, Non-Profit Accounting, Business Law, Business Policy, Corporate and Managerial Finance, Personal Financial Planning, Public and Non-Profit Administration, Adult Learning, Traditional and Non-Traditional Higher Education, and Profit Finance.

LESLIE EDWARDS (Part-time Mentor and Writing Center Tutor)
Leslie has bachelor's degree from Empire State College with a concentration in English. She also holds a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from Oberlin College and a master's degree in Journalism and Communications from the University of Florida, and a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Union Institute and University. . She currently tutors at the GVC Writing Center and teaches high school English with the Rochester City School District. She has more than fifteen years experience as a broadcast and print journalist, producer, and writer. She is an active storyteller, dedicated to passing along African and African American folklore, culture, and traditions. Mentoring Interests: Journalism, Feature Writing, Broadcast Writing, and College Writing; Literature from perspectives such as African, African American, Third World, Class, Gender, and Folklore.

JONATHAN FRANZ (Dean, Rochester)
Dr. Jonathan Franz has served as Dean of the Genesee Valley Center in Rochester since April 2006. He has enjoyed leading the Center’s programs and activities during a time of extensive growth and change at Empire State College. Dr. Franz has over 20 year of college teaching experience and over 15 years
of administrative experience in both academic and student affairs. His administrative activities have emphasized strategic planning, assessment, faculty development and evaluation, and student life policies and programming. As Provost at Tusculum College he was responsible for an extensive program serving working adult students across the eastern region of Tennessee. As Academic Vice President at Newberry College, he helped shape a team-taught, seminar-based general honors program and a service-learning program. He also gained faculty and administrative approval for major revisions in faculty evaluation procedures and program assessment processes. As Dean of Students at St. Andrews College, his achievements included improved coordination between academic and student affairs in the orientation process, revision of student judicial and disciplinary procedures, and strengthening of the career services program. As Associate Dean for Faculty Development a St. Andrews, his responsibilities included providing assistance with development of grant proposals and coordination of assessment and planning. He also served as Chair of the Psychology Department and as Chair of the Freshman Experience Program at St. Andrews. Dr. Franz grew up in Clarence, New York, and completed a B.A. degree in psychology, magna cum laude, at Hiram College in Ohio, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He returned to his Western New York roots to complete his Ph.D. in Psychology at SUNY Buffalo. His research in the field of biopsychology has been published in journals such as Brain Research and Physiology and Behavior. His interdisciplinary teaching has included courses in psychology, statistics, writing, global issues, and communication skills.

BRUCE HILYARD (Part-time Mentor, Batavia)
Bruce holds a B.A. in English from Tufts College; a master’s degree in education with emphases on educational administration and English from the State College at Worcester, Mass.; and a Ph.D. with a focus on educational communication from SUNY Buffalo. As a full time staff member at Genesee Community College he filled a number of instructional and administrative roles. He has taught courses in writing, literature, and education at GCC, and as an adjunct he has taught writing at several western New York colleges. Prior experiences include 10 years as a high school teacher and 5 years as a newspaper editor in Massachusetts, and consultancies as an instructional designer to a variety of businesses and industries. Bruce was cited in the 1995 State University of New York publication Excellence in Teaching. In 1997 he was also a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s award for Excellence in Teaching. He currently teaches an education course on line for GCC. His teaching interests at Empire State include college composition, literature, creative and technical writing, communications, education, and related areas.

SUSAN TOWER HOLLIS (Mentor, Rochester)
Susan earned her A.B. in religion from Smith College as a traditional student and then returned to Harvard University as an adult learner to earn her Ph.D. in ancient Near Eastern languages and civilizations with a focus on ancient Egypt. She has previous service as a center director at Empire State College, Dean at another institution, program director at several institutions including an internship program and a program for high school girls in science, and core faculty (like Empire State College’s mentors) at the Los Angeles Office of the Union Institute’s College of Undergraduate Studies. Mentoring Interests: Mythology, especially ancient Near Eastern and Classical; Folklore Studies including introductory and all kinds of narrative (e.g., myth, folktale, epic, etc.), Ancient Near Eastern History and Ancient Egyptian History; Biblical Studies, especially Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and Women in the Bible/Hebrew Bible; World Religions; American History of different types, e.g., Immigration, African-American, Women in the American Experience, and general American History; African History.

JOYCE HOWLAND (Unit Coordinator, Alfred Unit)
Joyce earned her bachelor’s degree in economics at Wellesley College and completed her Ph.D. in economics at Vanderbilt University. Prior to coming to Empire State College, she taught economics at SUNY Oswego, directed Columbia College's Hancock Field site for non-traditional students, and worked with students studying architecture, art history, fine arts, graphic design, landscape architecture and urban/regional planning at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She loves to travel and has lived with families in Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Mentoring Interests: Economics and Business: Environmental Issues; Labor Relations; Latin America and the Developing World; Personal Finance; Program Planning, Evaluation, and Student Advising; Urban/Regional/Rural Issues.

LAURA JEZSIK (Student Recruitment Specialist)
Laura joined the Empire State College team of student service professionals in July 2000. Laura has a bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester and several years of sales and marketing experience. She worked in pharmaceutical sales for 3 years and as administrative manager for a local home healthcare agency for 3 years. As a member of the student services team, Laura recruits new students and promotes Empire State College programs to local businesses, community groups and human service organizations.

MARY KLINGER (Unit Coordinator, Corning Unit)
Mary is a full-time mentor in the areas of business and education. She has a B.A. in history/secondary education, a M.S.Ed. in education, both from Elmira College, and Ph.D. in organizational behavior with collateral studies in adult learning and issues in disabilities. She has NYS permanent public school certifications in business, social studies, elementary education, and home economics. Mentoring Interests: Organizational Behavior; Gender and Work, Diversity Issues; Training and Development; Child, Adolescent, and Adult Education; Disability Issues.

AUDREY LYNCH (Coordinator of Student Services)
Audrey joined Empire State College in January 2000 as a member of the college's new team of student services professionals. She works out of the GVC Office of Student Services and Assessment and splits her time between facilitating the CBE process for the Rochester center and working on student retention initiatives. Audrey is available to assist students with their CBE development as well as to assist them in their relationship with the college. Audrey has a B.S. in applied economics and business management from Cornell University and an M.B.A. in accounting and finance from the University of Rochester. Prior to joining Empire State College she was academic coordinator and senior instructor for Kaplan Education.

TIMOTHY J. MADIGAN (Adjunct Faculty Member, Rochester)
Tim did his undergraduate and graduate work at SUNY Buffalo, and received his Ph.D. in philosophy in September of 1999. He is the editorial director for the University of Rochester Press, overseeing the production of books in such areas as music theory, African studies, the history of medicine, film and photographical history, philosophy, and art history. He has taught philosophy courses at various western New York colleges for the past decade. He recently delivered a paper on "The Value of Pragmatism" at the Darwin State Museum, Moscow State University, Russia. Mentoring Interests: Introduction to Philosophy; Ethics; Business Ethics; Medical Ethics; Epistemology; Metaphysics; Aesthetics; Philosophy of Religion; World Religions; Social and Political Philosophy

FARROKH MAMAGHANI (Part-time Mentor, Rochester)
Dr. Farrokh Mamaghani is an associate professor of Management Information Systems at St. John Fisher College’s Graduate School of Management in Rochester, NY. Previously, he was a senior programmer at the Systems Design Concepts, Inc. and senior Systems Analyst at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. His research interests are software evaluation, information technology strategic planning and data mining. He holds a bachelor of science in physics, and master of science and Ph.D. in computer information systems from George Washington University. Dr. Mamaghani has published and presented over 20 papers in various scholarly journals and professional conferences. Mentoring Interests: Computer Science and Management Information Systems.

TOM McELROY (Director of Academic Review)
Tom has a B.A. with a concentration in creative writing from Empire State College and an M.A. in English at SUNY Brockport. Mentoring Interests: Creative Writing, Literature, Literary Criticism.

BARBARA POLLOCK (Part-time Mentor, Coordinator, Monroe County DSS Grant)
Barbara came to Empire State College in 1992 as a tutor for Early Childhood group studies. She has earned her bachelor of science degree from D’Youville College in Buffalo in the area of elementary education. She obtained an M.S. degree in infant-toddler Studies from Wheelock College in Boston, MA. Before coming to Empire State College, Barbara taught at the elementary school level and was a part-time assistant principal. From there, Barbara moved into the early childhood field first as a classroom teacher, then as an educational program director and an administrator of a child care center. She also has been a Child Development Associate (CDA) representative for the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition. Mentoring Interests: Early Childhood Behavior and Development, Infant-Toddler Studies, Child Psychology, Issues in Child Care, Child Care Administration, Child & Family, Environmental Design for Early Childhood Programs, Observation and Assessment Techniques, Development of Play Skills, Early Childhood Curriculum, Child Development Associate (CDA) credential.

DAVID PUSKAS (Assessment Specialist, Rochester)
Dave joined Empire State College in the summer of 2005 manage the credit by evaluation process throughout the Genesee Valley area. Dave works out of the Genesee Valley Center, but will readily be making himself available to the other four units in the Genesee Valley units. Before coming to Empire State College, Dave earned a B.A. in religious studies at the University of Rochester, and an M.A. in systematic theology from St. Bernard’s Institute in Rochester. He has previously worked at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School as coordinator of their library’s computing center, and has many years of experience in the library sciences.

SHEILA SEARLES-FAIREY (Part-time Mentor, Rochester)
Sheila earned a B.S. in sociology and dance and an M.S. in counselor education with emphases on minority individuals. Both degrees were earned at SUNY Brockport. She also has a certificate from Rutgers University in drug and alcoholism studies. She was also a tutor for the Drugs and Society Study for several years. She has a broad range of professional experiences. Sheila has worked in business and industry in the area of human resources. She also has experience in higher education in student personnel with a focus on minority and nontraditional students and diversity and diversity management. Mentoring Interests: Sociology, Human Services, Substance Use and Abuse, Diversity, Interracial Relationships, American African Studies and Multiculturalism, American African Women’s Studies, and Stages of Developing the American African Identity

HERBERT SHAPIRO (Mentor, Rochester)
As Director of the Center's Writing Program, Herb works with students in all areas and levels of expository writing. He is interested in designing learning contracts that will enable students to improve their writing skills, including using resources such as computer-assisted instruction. Herb's special interests include American literature and modern American culture; he holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Rochester. Herb studied at Brooklyn College of C.U.N.Y. (B.A.) and earned his M.A. in English at the University of Rochester where, for his Ph.D., he completed a doctoral dissertation on the Partisan Review. He joined the Empire State College faculty in 1979. In recent years, Herb has also been on the faculty at UCLA, Stanford University, and the University of Rochester where he has taught MBA courses. Mentoring Interests: Writing Skills (expository, remedial, developmental, advanced-level), American Literature, The Novel, Studies in the Short Story, Public Speaking, Professional Writing, and Educational Planning.

RUTH SILVER (Part-time Mentor)
Ruth studied at SUNY Binghamton and received a B.S. (1975) and M.A. in biology (1978). She earned a doctorate in biochemistry (1987) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Ruth taught introductory chemistry at St. John Fisher College and joined the Empire State College faculty in January 1990. Mentoring Interests: Introductory Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Introductory Chemistry, Nutrition (Introductory and Advanced), and Environmental Science.

MARY SKINNER (Part-time Mentor, Corning Unit)
Mary Skinner joined the Empire State faculty in February 1997 after previously teaching at SUNY Geneseo and Oswego, Wheaton College (Mass.), Hamilton College and Georgetown University. She has a B.A. degree from Bryn Mawr College, master's degrees from Columbia University and Weston School of Theology and a Ph.D. from Syracuse University. She has always most enjoyed teaching small interactive classes and looks forward to mentoring individuals in the humanities and facilitating small group studies. Mentoring Interests: History; Literature; Religion; Philosophy; Cross-Cultural Studies; Gender and Women’s Studies; Research and Writing Skills; Comparative Spiritualities; Historical Perspectives on Contemporary Issues, such as Death and Dying or Religion and Sexuality.

MICHAEL STONE (Mentor, Rochester)
Michael has a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology. He earned his master’s degree in social work (MSW) from West Virginia University with an emphasis in community organization and program planning and development. Michael completed his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh. While at Pittsburgh he also received a Maternal and Child Health (NIH) grant to pursue a health services administration master’s degree in Public Health (MPH). He has consulted with many agencies/organizations and currently facilitates training for Head Start Program Staff throughout the southeast U.S., and conducts outcome-based program evaluation for local and regional human service agencies. Mentoring Interests: The Organization of Social Welfare and Human Service Delivery, Social Policy, Health Policy and Administration, Organizational Behavior, Research, Practice and Program Evaluation, Individual and Group Counseling, Social Work Intervention Methods with Individuals, Groups, Families, and Communities, Sociology, and Criminal Justice.

FRANK TRICE (Part-time Mentor, Alfred Unit)
Frank joined the Empire State College faculty in 1980 and became the mentor/coordinator of the Alfred Unit in 1990. He holds a B.A. in economics from Florida State, an M.A. in Spanish linguistics from the University of Rochester, and a Ph.D. in romance languages from Syracuse. Mentoring Interests: History of the United States, American Labor Movement, American Educational Systems, Criminal Justice Studies, Hispanic Lit-erature and Civilization, U. S. Literature, Comparative Religions, Solar Energy Applications, World War II.

NEIL WARD (Adjunct Faculty Member and Coordinator of the Writing Center)
Neil earned his B.A. from SUNY Geneseo with a dual major in anthropology and psychology and an academic minor in linguistics; his master of arts degree is in anthropology from SUNY Buffalo. His graduate research projects involved communication in multicultural teams and grammatical properties of American Sign Language. Before coming to Empire State College Neil served as an archaeological research assistant in the Cultural Research Survey Program at the Rochester Museum and Science Center, and he has taught English as a Second Language in a number of academic and private programs. Mentoring Interests: Academic Writing, Cultural Anthropology (focus on cognition and communication), Archaeology, Linguistics, Communication Theory, English as a Second Language, and Intercultural Communication.

EDWARD WARZALA (Batavia Unit Coordinator)
Ed earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the Nelson A. Rockefeller Graduate School of Public Affairs and Policy, SUNY Albany, M.A. from New York University, B.A. from SUNY College at New Paltz, and A.A. from Schenectady County Community College. He serves on the Executive Board of the New York State Political Science Association and is active in the New York College Learning Skills Association. Ed conducts research and publishes in the areas of International Relations and Developmental Education. He has administered components of United States Department of Education grants, including Title III and TRIO grant programs. Mentoring Interests: Media and Politics, International Relations, International Political Economy, Public Administration and Public Policy, Organizational Behavior, Comparative Politics and Government, The Former Soviet Union, Latin American Studies, Politics of Developing Areas, Critical Thinking, and Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education.

ROBERT WASSERLAUF (Part-time Mentor, Canandaigua Unit )
Bob was raised on a small farm in the Catskill Mountains. He received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Arizona in 1980 and his M.B.A. in Marketing from Wright State University in 1982. He has worked in industry for the last twenty years. In 1992 he started his own business providing packaging and material handling equipment to industrial accounts. A lifelong love of history led Bob back to college. In 1997 he went to St. John Fisher College to earn his teaching certification. Mentoring Interests: Business studies, management, marketing, economics and history.

WAYNE WILLIS (Mentor, Rochester)
Wayne earned his B.A. in political science from Washington University and completed his M.A. and Ph.D. in history of American civilization at Brandeis University. At Empire State College he has served as chair of the M.A. program in Culture and Policy Studies (now titled Social Policy) and regional faculty coordinator for the M.A. in Liberal Studies. He represented Empire State College in the Association of American Colleges’ national project on "The Meaning and Purpose of Baccalaureate Degrees." He is a recipient of the Empire State College Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Mentoring Interests: American Studies: including American History, Politics, Culture, Arts, Social Structure, and Social Issues; English and Modern European History; World History; Political Philosophy and Ideology; History and Philosophy of Education; Contemporary Issues in Education.

LORRAINE LANDER (Canandaigua Unit Coordinator)
Lorraine holds a B.S. in nursing, a M.A. in Applied Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Human Development in Educational Contexts. She has been teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels since 1999 and has been a full time faculty member at Empire State College, State University of New York since 2003. Since August 2008 Lorraine has been the unit coordinator at the Canandaigua Unit of the Genesee Valley Center. She teaches in the areas of human development, psychology, education, and health care. Lorraine’s research interests focus on the interactions between cognitive development, learning, and motivation with the role of self-directed learning being an important link between these areas of interest. Projects have examined achievement motivation, faculty scholarship, retention, and wisdom as the culmination of cognitive development. She is currently working on integrating these interests into developing educational materials on sustainability and environmental issues.

LUE TURNER (Mentor, Rochester)
Lue Turner is a full-time mentor in the areas of Family Studies and Community and Human Services. Her background and education is in marriage and family therapy with a special interest in family dynamics and marriage relationships. Lue has a B. S. in family studies and M. S. in marriage and family therapy, both from Brigham Young University. She earned a Ph. D. at Iowa State University in human development and family studies with a specialization in marriage and family therapy. Lue's research interests revolve around female adolescents and their developmental response to society and social expectations. Prior to joining Empire State College she was faculty at University of Kentucky. Her mentoring interests include studies in marriage, family relationships, counseling theory, assessment and intervention, counseling skills, family theory and dynamics, marriage and family therapy, and family life education.

GAYLE STEVER (Mentor, Rochester)
Gayle is a full-time mentor in the area of human development. She has a Bachelor's in Music Education from Arizona State University with an emphasis in Choral and General Music, a Master's in Education, a Master's in Counseling, and a Ph.D. in Lifespan Development Psychology from Arizona State as well. She taught for a variety of colleges in Arizona as an adjunct before becoming a Clinical Assistant Professor for ASU at the Polytechnic where her primary teaching responsibilities were with Master's students in Teacher Education. Gayle has published numerous articles in the areas of para-social attachment and fan studies and is a frequent presenter for the International Communications Association in those same areas. Her mentoring interests include Developmental Psychology, Adult Development, Aging and Bereavement, Child and Adolescent Development, Psychology of Gender, Introduction to Psychology, and Research and Statistics.

Rusty Tobin (Part-time Mentor, Alfred Unit)
Rusty is a 1979 graduate of the Empire State College Metro unit and began mentoring at the Alfred unit in 1985. She holds a M.A. in history from the University of Buffalo and is currently completing a doctorate in history at Binghamton University. She has also worked in the field of Community and Human Services for over 20 years in several capacities with a variety of consumers. Her experience includes providing direct services and coordinating programs with health, employment, aging and literacy agencies and she has worked primarily with low income, low literacy adults in both rural and urban environments. Mentoring interests: U.S. and European social and political history, especially social policy, health and social welfare and women’s history; American Ethnic history, Native American history; Community and Human Services studies, especially Case Management, Program Planning and Evaluation, Social policy, Addiction & Dependency, Sociology.