Appointments / Promotions / Kudos
Binghamton
Sheila Doyle has been promoted to associate vice president for external affairs. Doyle joined the university’s Division of External Affairs in 2000 as assistant vice president for finance and management and associate executive director of the Binghamton University Foundation. She has accepted increasing responsibilities within the division and served as interim executive director of the foundation from July 2006 to August 2007. She now serves as chief financial officer and chief operating officer within the Division of External Affairs and for the Foundation and she will continue to serve as associate executive director of the foundation and executive director of the Binghamton University Housing Corp.
Mathwon Howard is the new assistant vice president for development, overseeing all school- and unit-based directors of development, planned giving and prospect management and research. Howard is also a member of the External Affairs senior management team and the campaign cabinet. He previously served as senior director of major gifts and campaign director for the Eastern Michigan University Foundation. Howard holds a bachelor’s degree from Adrian College in Michigan and did graduate work at Bowling Green State University.
Buffalo State College
Buffalo State welcomes two staff writers to the College Relations Office. Tony Astran previously worked at Eric Mower and Associates, Buffalo, as public relations account executive. He writes for the college’s new online magazine for faculty and staff, the Bulletin (www.buffalostate.edu/bulletin). Jerod Dahlgren comes to Buffalo from Park University in Kansas City, where he was sports information director. Dahlgren works on the college’s public relations efforts.
Corning Community College
Paula Smith has been appointed associate director of marketing effective October 4, 2007. She holds a master of business administration in marketing, a B.S. degree in management with a concentration in marketing, and a B.A. in English from the University at Buffalo. Smith’s graduate work was recognized with UB’s 2004 Sidney N. Kahn Memorial Award for Excellence in Marketing and Sales.
Cortland
Nicholas J. Koziol, associate director of alumni affairs, was awarded a 2008 Professional Development Scholarship from the National Educational Alumni Trust (NEAT).
He was one of 15 winners nationwide selected by a scholarship committee for this award geared to alumni relations field newcomers. The scholarship will support the cost for him to attend a professional development conference in 2008. Koziol plans to use his award to participate in the 2008 Council for the Advancement and Support of Education Workshop for Newcomers in Alumni Relations in Minneapolis, Minn., in February. A native of Huntington, N.Y., he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from SUNY Fredonia and a master’s degree in student personnel administration from Buffalo State College.
Jean A. Palmer of Utica, N.Y., joined SUNY Cortland on Nov. 12 in the newly created, full-time position of staff writer in the Public Relations Office. Palmer, who has served since 2002 as public relations assistant with the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations and journalism from Utica College of Syracuse University.
Dutchess Community College
In June 2007, Trish Prunty, foundation executive director, attended the first weeklong session of the new SUNY Leadership Summer Program founded to develop leadership in the SUNY system. Candidates were chosen from a pool of nominees from the 64 campuses.
Farmingdale State College
Patrick Calabria is the new vice president for institutional advancement. His areas of responsibility will include media relations, marketing, publications, graphic design, Web, alumni relations, community relations and government relations. Calabria was university media relations officer at Stony Brook University where he created a national and international profile for the university. He has a B.A. degree in English from Hofstra University.
Hudson Valley Community College
Paula Monaco has been named director of communications and marketing. She will oversee marketing and advertising as well as public and media relations at the largest undergraduate college in the Capital Region. Monaco was a communications officer at the New York State Office of General Services where she had worked since 2001. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Siena College.
Jamestown Community College
Lawrence P. Sorokes, vice president and dean of planning and development, was designated a certified fundraising professional by the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) organization. The CFRE credential is earned by individuals who demonstrate fundraising achievement and a commitment to service to not-for-profit organizations. CFRE candidates must also pass a rigorous examination that assesses fundraising knowledge, skills, and abilities. Sorokes, who also oversees JCC’s Cattaraugus County Campus, joined JCC’s administration in 2000. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Bonaventure University.
Monroe Community College
Cynthia Cooper has been named assistant to the president for college, community and government relations. She had been director of public affairs since 1994. Cooper has been active in SUNYCUAD for the past 10 years: president from 2001-03 and co-chair of 2007 educational conference, as well as serving in other capacities. Cooper earned her M.P.A. from SUNY Brockport and a bachelor’s in journalism/communications from Juniata College.
Onandaga Community College
Russ Corbin, assistant director of events, was selected to participate in the Horizon Leadership Program at Onondaga.
Amy Kremenek, chief public affairs officer, was selected as one of the “40 Under 40” by the Central New York Business Journal.
Oneonta
Michael T. Sullivan has been appointed manager of Stewardship and Communications. A 2000 graduate of the College at Oneonta with a bachelor’s in psychology, Sullivan most recently worked in grants management at the Philadelphia Zoo. In his new role at Oneonta, he is responsible for managing and implementing communications with donors and potential donors as well as working within the division of College Advancement to further the mission of the college.
Oswego
Pat MacNeill is the new Web/new media coordinator. She brings to her new role several years of experience as Webmaster for the Rochester offices of West, the leading information provider for the legal community, where she also worked as an application specialist and composition specialist to develop database applications and design and produce publications. In addition, she has worked as a freelance Web site designer for small businesses and as Great Lakes information coordinator for the New York Sea Grant Institute on the SUNY Oswego campus. She earned her bachelor's degree in communication studies on the public relations track with a minor in psychology from SUNY Oswego and an advanced graduate certificate in interactive multimedia development from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Plattsburgh
Brendan Kinney began his new role as executive director of marketing and public relations in the Institutional Advancement Division in October 2007. He was director of advancement services and the Saint Michael’s Fund at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt. Kinney earned a bachelor's degree in English literature and a master's in education from Saint Michael's.
Michelle Ouellette has been appointed associate director of public relations and publications. She had served as the Learn and Serve/mentoring coordinator at Champlain Valley Family Center in Plattsburgh where she administered its program, coordinated public relations, wrote press releases, designed communication tools and networked with other groups to plan and implement special events.
Schenectady County Community College
Paula Ohlhous has joined the Office of Planning and Development as coordinator of the annual fund and business gifts. She graduated from SCCC with an A.S. degree in business administration and earned a B.S. degree, also in business administration, from the College of Saint Rose. Her previous experience includes working for the New York State Office of General Services and as a life claims examiner for Farm Family Insurance Company.
Tompkins Cortland Community College
Bryan Chambala was named college editor, working in the Office of External Programs and Communication. He was the managing editor of the Ithaca Times and spent nine years as a reporter and editor at three newspapers.. He is a graduate of the State University College at Oneonta.
Randall K. Stewart was named director of major gifts. He was the vice president and business development officer of the First National Bank of Dryden, and spent 16 years in enrollment management and admissions in the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Stewart earned an associate degree in agricultural science from Morrisville State College and a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural education at Cornell University.
University at Albany
Loida Vera Cruz is the new assistant director of alumni programs. She holds a B.S. degree in psychology from Saint Louis University, Philippines, and a master’s degree in special education from The College of Saint Rose, Albany. She has 20 years of experience human services and more than 10 years’ combined experience in planning special events, fundraising and development of special projects and initiatives.