Women In Leadership

The Women in Leadership Advisory Board, established in 2009, is designed to highlight the accomplishments of the countless successful Hofstra alumnae. The group serves a professional resource and powerful network for both alumnae and current students.

DENISE JONES ADLER '81

Denise Jones Adler, the youngest of four children, was raised in the Bronx by her parents, a NYC fireman and a housewife. When she was 14, her father started a new career and relocated the family to Long Island. Adler attended Buffalo State University, where she met her husband, Rob. After they were married, she continued her education at Hofstra, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts in 1981.

Adler began her career as a graphic designer. She worked for 14 years at a New York City publishing company, advancing to the position of art director. Adler pivoted to freelance when her children were young. Her design and photography work has been featured in magazines, book covers, and as the backdrop for a dance performance. More recently, she moved into mixed media collage, digital photomontage, and photography from her studio in West Chelsea.

Adler is a founding member of ArtSpeak Collective, a virtual gallery platform. In May 2021, the Collective opened its physical space; Pictor Gallery is in the Chelsea Arts Building and Adler is the managing director. The Collective continues to grow and nurture diverse and talented member artists, launching more than 30 shows and salons a year.

As an artist, Adler has had six solo shows in various venues in and around New York. In addition, her work has been included in group shows at galleries and museums nationally and internationally, and featured in many private collections worldwide. In 2020, she was included in the 2020 LI Biennial at Heckscher Museum in Huntington.

Since 2005, Adler has been a trustee of the Hudson Guild, a community-based settlement house in Chelsea, NY. She has two adult sons and a daughter who recently graduated from Redlands University.

TRACEY ANT '87

Tracey Ant is head of middle and large commercial at The Hartford. She is responsible for driving profitable growth and underwriting excellence across the segment’s fourteen business units. In this national role, Tracey is responsible for leading over 400 commercial underwriters, growing a nearly $4 billion premium portfolio, and developing, strengthening and expanding independent agent and broker relationships.

Prior to joining The Hartford in 2013, Tracey served as a managing director and the primary casualty placement leader for the United States for Marsh & McLennan. In this role, she was responsible for leading and coordinating the placement operations for Marsh’s U.S. primary casualty business, including global risk management and middle market clients. Tracey’s tenure with Marsh & McLennan spanned 20 years. She began her career as an underwriter at ITT Hartford where she spent the first six years of her insurance career.

Tracey earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hofstra University and an MBA in accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Tracey is a member of Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board and is active with the university’s women’s basketball program. She is the secretary of the Board of Freedom House, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and reuniting families that are suffering from substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. She lives with her husband Todd and two children, Elizabeth and Benjamin, in Gillette, New Jersey.

TAKITA W. BATTLE '01

Takita Battle is an accomplished and experienced fundraising professional with over 22 years of experience in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors. As senior director of corporate giving, Takita is responsible for raising funds for Communities in Schools national office. Her work supports a network of 35 affiliates and licensed partners, surrounding students with a community of support and empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. She is responsible for identifying, cultivating, and stewarding corporate relationships with new and existing partners to leverage Communities in Schools as the go-to organization and thought-leader in integrated student supports across the nation.

She has a deep knowledge of corporate strategy to lead organizational growth. Before joining Communities in Schools, she served as the director of corporate and federated memberships at BoardSource, leading membership sales; and was the director of development at Paul Public Charter School (Paul PCS), where she led the fundraising, marketing, family recruitment, and communications strategy in collaboration with its chief executive and board of trustees. Takita also served as the director of corporate relations at United Negro College Fund, working closely with its corporate scholars program and other national initiatives. Beginning her career in the special events and publishing industry, Takita worked in sales with Working Mother Media (Diversity Best Practices, The National Association of Female Executives, and Working Mother magazine), Black Enterprise magazine, Katz Radio Group, and Noelle-Elaine Media, Inc.

In addition to her professional life, she is involved in a variety of organizations. She is the past president of the Black/Hispanic Alumni Association at Hofstra University. As BHAA president, she helped grow its membership, launched the new website, logo, and the association’s firstever scholarship endowment. She is a member of Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board. The group is expected to become a professional resource and powerful network for both alumnae and current students.

Takita is also an active and dedicated member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She has served the eastern region for four years as the co-chair of program planning for 147 chapters, launched the region's first ever “Regional Day of Service” (HIV/AIDS, Parent Involvement in Education), worked closely on key resolutions for the organizations’ social action commission, and cochaired the North Manhattan Alumnae Chapters’ Social Action Committee. She also served as the primary advisor to her chapter, Xi Gamma, from 2002-2009.

Takita is an activist in her own right. As a Hofstra student, she spoke out against injustices facing our society and the Hofstra community, attended a host of key programmatic events across diverse communities and groups at the university and ultimately ensured that she made an impact while continuing to give back to the Hofstra community by serving African American and Hispanic students. In 2000, she founded of the Collegiate Women of Color, an organization that promotes education, unity, culture, and feminist ideals and provides a forum for students to discuss a wide range of topics that impacted women of color. It has always been her goal to do what she can, when she can, to make a difference—even if it means lifting one person up, knowing that, in time, others will follow. Since high school, Takita has kept one quote from John Maxwell at the forefront of what she does: “To get nowhere, follow the crowd.” It has shown to be true in every move she’s made. She hasn’t followed the crowd, but instead has moved to her own beat with God’s direction.

In her spare time, she loves to cycle, read, travel, shop, and participate in public service. She loves spending quality time with her extended family and friends, but most importantly, her husband and children.

ELISA BERGER ’88, PhD. ’92

Elisa is the president and a managing partner at Cross Country Computer Corp (CCC). Under her leadership, CCC’s client base has grown seven-fold and generated its highest revenue and profit in the last three consecutive years. Elisa has successfully helped database marketers achieve their ROI goals for over two decades.

After building a solid reputation as a thought leader under the last name Krause, Elisa became partners with her husband, Tom Berger, and joined Cross Country Computer in 2008. Elisa leveraged her understanding of marketer needs to re-brand the company with the mission of bringing strategic marketing within the reach of all organizations, regardless of size. She developed the vision and specifications for the Database Marketing Optimization Suite, CCC’s high value and affordable tool for managing, analyzing, and targeting customers. In her daily role, Elisa is responsible for the client services, new business development and analytics teams, and takes a leadership role in overseeing product development and strategic planning. As one of the most respected subject-matter experts in the retail-catalog marketing space, Elisa works regularly with database clients to provide advanced analyses and strategic recommendations.

Prior to joining CCC, Elisa was credited with creating the analytics offering at both MBS and Abacus, a division of Epsilon. As vice president of analytics at Abacus (owned by DoubleClick, Epsilon and then Alliance Data), Elisa was responsible for developing the custom analytics team, its product line and held accountability for the P & L. She also wrote the Abacus Annual Trend Report for both consumer and business retailers. She was part of the development team for the ClearEDGE database offering and managed $25MM in account revenue.

Elisa is an active participant in the American Catalog Marketing Association and is a member of their vendor advisory committee. She is a member of other direct marketing organizations, including NEMOA. A contributor of thought leadership to the industry via white papers, blogs, articles, interviews, and speaking engagements, Elisa has been published and quoted in multiple trade publications, such as DM News, Multichannel Merchant, Catalog Age, Catalog Success, and B to B Magazine. In addition, Elisa is often a ghost-writer for other service providers. She has been a conference speaker at NRF, ACC, DMA and CRMC as well as a judge for the international Echo awards for more than five years.

CELIA BERK '79

Celia Berk is a human resources consultant and an award-winning vocalist who supports philanthropic causes related to the arts, education, children, social justice, and the vulnerable population.

As a human resources consultant, Berk works with organizations facing disruption, growth, and change. Her career has included a range of roles created at times of critical business transformation. As a group talent partner for WPP, she supported three chief client officers and the company’s top 50 global client leaders as the company became more client centric. Berk was the first chief talent officer for the Young & Rubicam Group, where she worked in close partnership with its leaders to attract, develop, and retain the best talent and promote collaboration across a global network comprised of some of the most powerful brands in marketing communications.

As a vocalist, Berk is known for her intimate interpretations, warm cello sound, and affinity for hidden gems by great songwriters. Her recordings have attracted listeners around the world, and she has made memorable appearances at Carnegie Hall, Birdland Theater, 54 Below, and The Town Hall. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity Association, The Recording Academy, and The National Arts Club.

Berk holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Arts from Hofstra University, serves on the school’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board, and received the 2013 Alumni Achievement Award. A founding member of the advisory board of the National Executive Service Corps, Berk is also a member of the Inclusion Allies Coalition, a trustee of the Nina Abrams Fund, and a Reading Partners tutor.

CALANDRA BRANCH ’91

Calandra Branch, MBA, FACHE, has been in health care for more than 30 years, working in senior leadership roles at NewYork-Presbyterian and mount Sinai Health System. An advocate for mentoring, Branch is part of several hospital-based programs and serves as a mentor for the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) and the Master of Health Administration program of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she also served as an adjunct professor of leadership, ethics, and professionalism in health care.

Branch earned a Master of Business Administration from Adelphi University in 1998 and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Hofstra University in 1991, where she is currently an adjunct professor of health policy and finance. She sits on two dean’s advisory boards – for the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Studies and the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Branch is also a member of Hofstra’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board. For the past four years, she has conducted annual guest lectures in leadership at both Cornell University and Pace University. Branch is a board-certified healthcare executive as a Fellow of ACHE and serves as a member of Healthcare Leaders of New York (HLNY). She produces a podcast “Lessons in Leadership,” and is the owner and lead coach of Calandra Branch Consulting, LLC.

TARA M. BUONOCORE - RUT ’03, MHA ’04

Tara Buonocore-Rut is president and chief executive officer of CenterLight Health System, a notfor-profit organization that operates the nation’s largest Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). She has devoted her career to the health and well-being of older adults and brings impressive expertise in strategic and operational business planning, financial management, dual eligible populations, and long-term care.

Buonocore-Rut joined CenterLight in 2020 and has since led efforts to restructure its care delivery, business development, business intelligence, and compliance functions—all in service of more integrated, higher-quality care.

Prior to joining CenterLight, Buonocore-Rut served as the executive vice president of strategy and operations at Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, where she successfully planned and implemented corporate, financial, clinical and quality goals. From 2012 to 2017, she was executive director of AgeWell New York, overseeing financial performance, business development and operational planning of the organization, which grew to over $750 million in revenue under her leadership.

An active contributor to healthcare industry and governmental workgroups, Buonocore-Rut served on the board of the National PACE Association. She is a member of the American College of Health Care Executives, the American College of Health Care Administrators, Health Care Leaders of New York, and the New York PACE Alliance, and has served as president of the PACE/MLTC Cabinet for LeadingAge New York. She maintains a nursing home administrator’s license and holds a master’s degree in health administration and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Hofstra University, where she serves as chairperson of the School of Health Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board and serves on Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board.

PINA CAMPAGNA '00

Pina Campagna followed her passion for science by attending Hofstra University where she earned a B.S. in biochemistry. She began her career as a research biochemist for Estée Lauder, conducting skin research. While there, she worked with the intellectual property (IP) legal department exploring possible patent opportunities for product formulations she was testing on skin cells. She quickly perceived the opportunities available in patent law and attended Albany Law School of Union University where she earned her J.D. After Ms. Campagna graduated from law school, she returned to Estee Lauder where she leveraged her scientific expertise and knowledge of the law by taking on the role of patent consultant while studying for the State Bar exam and Patent Bar exam. Shortly thereafter, she joined Carter, DeLuca & Farrell LLP as an associate to gain experience in private practice.

Ms. Campagna was named partner in 2015 and has been with the firm since 2005. Her practice encompasses both patent and trademark IP protection for U.S. and international business clients. Ms. Campagna’s patent practice centers on conducting freedom-to-operate searches and analysis, patentability studies, due diligence studies, and all aspects of patent preparation and prosecution. Her trademark practice includes conducting clearance searching and analysis; providing opinions regarding the registration and use of trademarks; preparation and prosecution of trademark applications; oppositions; and cancellations. She also does extensive agreement work relating to licensing, asset purchases, patent and trademark settlements, and assignments of IP rights. Over the years, Ms. Campagna has been instrumental in developing the firm’s trademark practice, design patent practice and international IP practice.

BETH CAREY ’94

Beth Carey is the chief booking and casting producer for Law & Crime Productions in New York. Law & Crime produces premium series and feature documentaries for HBO, Max, Peacock, Tubi, and Netflix, among others. As part of their development team, she secures many of the guests who appear in these programs.

Prior to Law & Crime Productions, Carey was a senior editorial producer at HLN/CNN Headline News. She produced for several of the network’s popular true crime docuseries including Lies, Crimes, & Video; Real Life Nightmare; and Sex & Murder. Her responsibilities included producing episodes, booking guests, and developing talent for future programs.

Before working on these docuseries, Carey produced for HLN’s live news legal analysis programs, Crime & Justice with Ashleigh Banfield and the long-running cable hit Nancy Grace. She booked key newsmakers and played an integral role in Nancy Grace’s highly rated coverage of the Casey Anthony and Jodi Arias trials.

Carey joined HLN from Court TV, where she developed her fascination for crime stories and a passion for our justice system. For almost seven years, she was a producer for the network’s legal news program Catherine Crier Live. During her tenure, she covered some of the biggest trials in recent history including Scott Peterson, Michael Jackson, Robert Blake, and Andrea Yates.

A self-professed foodie, Carey launched her career at the Food Network, working on various cooking programs as well as their celebrity talk show Bill Boggs Corner Table. At Bill Boggs Corner Table, she traveled to our country’s top restaurants and profiled Hollywood legends that include Sophia Loren and Robert Duvall.

Carey earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Hofstra University. She resides in New Jersey with her husband, Bill Niebuhr, and their children, Caitlin and Christopher. When she is not busy with her two kids or producing television, she enjoys singing in a local rock cover band, The Struggle.

MELANIE MOORE CARPENTER ’95, MBA ’98

Melanie Moore Carpenter is a partner at Ideal Advisors LLC, an investor relations agency focused on Latin American markets. Prior to Ideal, she was the founder and managing director of i-advize Corporate Communications Inc., an investor relations agency formed in 2000 as the first to focus exclusively on the Latin American market. Some of her clients included the largest publicly traded companies in Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Panama and Colombia, serving as their U.S. IR counsel and representative to the Wall Street community.

At Hofstra, Melanie was a scholarship member of the women’s basketball team from 1991-1995 and a graduate assistant in the recreation and intramurals department from 1995-1997. She earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and international business in 1995 and an MBA in finance in 1998. She was a member of the Hofstra Business Consulting Team and the president of Hofstra’s Graduate Women in Business. Melanie is fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese. She lives in Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, with her husband, Matthew ’96 and their two children.

DIANA CECCHINI ’85, MBA ’97

Diana Cecchini is the chief financial officer and vice president of finance at Korg USA, a global distributor and manufacturer of musical instruments and music products. A 30-year veteran of the company, Diana is responsible for directing all global financial strategy, acquisitions, planning and forecasts, as well as overseeing all global company accounting, financial, and credit. In addition to heading the international manufacturing division, Diana’s responsibilities include corporate officer in the position of secretary, as well as a trustee of Korg USA sponsored pension, retirement, and 401k employee benefit plans.

Diana is a certified public accountant and holds an MBA from Hofstra University. An active community service volunteer, she also serves on the board of directors of Long Island Cares – The Harry Chapin Food Bank.

DENISE CHARDOVOYNE ’99

Denise Chardavoyne is currently executive vice president, head of deposit and commercial services for Valley Bank. She joined in 2022 to lead the transformation of Valley Bank’s technology and operations systems. Prior to joining Valley, Denise served as executive vice president, chief operations officer of Hanover Bank. At Hanover, she was responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of various initiatives while she managed IT, retail banking, marketing and operations. Denise also worked in similar positions with Amalgamated Bank, Suffolk County National Bank, Citibank, Fleet Bank, New York Community Bank, and the State Bank of Long Island. She has over 20 years of financial services experience that spans global banks to local community banks, with extensive experience in M&A, system integrations, and business process improvement.

Denise earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science and mathematics from Hofstra University in 1999. She currently resides on Long Island with her husband and two children. Outside her commitment to volunteerism and mentoring, she enjoys traveling, golf, and spending time with her family and friends.

HEATHER COHEN ’98

Heather Cohen is president of The Weiss Agency, a broadcast talent agency that represents and develops the careers of many of the industry’s most successful local and syndicated personalities. Cohen joined the Weiss Agency directly from GreenStone Media, LLC, where she was vice president of programming.

Before joining GreenStone, Cohen worked at New York’s legendary WOR as assistant program director, overseeing the station’s local and national on-air content, programs, and production. Prior to that, she served as executive producer for “The Joan Hamburg Show.”

In 2013, Talkers Magazine awarded Cohen with the prestigious Judy Jarvis Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions to Talk Radio by a Woman, also known as “Woman of the Year.” Radio Ink Magazine has recognized Cohen as one of the Most Influential Women in Radio annually since 2014, and in 2024, the magazine named her one of Radio’s Top 20 Leaders. She was featured on the cover of Radio Ink’s June 2017 Most Influential Women in Radio issue. Cohen is also a 2015 recipient of Hofstra University’s George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award. In 2019, she was inducted into the WRHU Radio Hall of Fame, and in 2021, she was one of the first recipients of the “Sheroes in Media” Award from the Multicultural Media and Correspondents Association.

Cohen has previously served as the immediate past chair, chair, vice chair, and treasurer of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. She currently serves on the foundation’s board and has co-chaired the Gracie Awards since 2016.
Cohen chairs the long-range committee for the Broadcasters Foundation of America. She is also on their board of directors, as well as the board of directors for the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation and the Nick Cannon Foundation.

Cohen earned her Bachelor of Arts in Audio/Radio Rhetorical Studies from Hofstra University in 1998. She is president of the executive board of Hofstra University’s Alumni Organization and previously served as vice president for programs and vice president for services. Cohen is also a member of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication Dean’s Advisory Board and Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board. She recently completed her term on the board of directors of the George M. Estabrook Alumni Association and previously served as president of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication Alumni Association.

Cohen has mentored New York City schoolchildren as part of NYC’s Principal for a Day program and has served as a Safe Space committee member. She judged the Tony Awards for eight seasons.

CAREN COOK ‘87

Caren Cook is senior vice president and deputy general counsel of legal and business affairs at ATL Hawks, LLC. She has been with ATL Hawks, LLC since December 2005.

Cook was previously the general counsel of structured finance at ORIX USA Corporation in Atlanta, Georgia.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Hofstra University in 1987, attending on a four-year academic and gymnastics athletic scholarship. She is also a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Law.

Cook was born in Rochester, New York, and practiced there prior to moving to Atlanta, where she currently resides with her husband, Michael, and daughter, Alexandra.

EMILY CORZEL ’13, MBA ’14

Emily Corzel is a managing director on the Capital Introduction Team at Jefferies LLC. Since joining Jefferies in 2018, Corzel has built out and managed the West Coast Capital Introductions Program, where she helps alternative fund managers execute their marketing strategy and works with the institutional allocator community as they develop their alternative investment programs. Corzel also led the build-out of the Canadian Capital Introductions Program to coincide with Jefferies’ growth in the region, where she focuses primarily on Canadian pensions and family offices. In addition, she maintains active tristate manager and institutional investor coverage.

Since joining Jefferies, Corzel has been an active member of JWIN (Jefferies’ Women’s Initiative Network). She was appointed to the JWIN Emerging Leaders Committee in 2020 and later joined the JWIN Steering Committee in 2024. Corzel received the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award for the equities division in 2023 in recognition of her commitment and service to JWIN.

Prior to joining Jefferies, Corzel worked at Credit Suisse on the prime services sales team, where she focused on emerging managers and hedge funds. Corzel graduated magna cum laude from Hofstra University’s Honors College with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance in 2013. She received a Master of Business Administration with distinction from Hofstra in 2014. While at Hofstra, Corzel was a member of the women’s lacrosse team, serving as a team captain in 2013 and 2014. Corzel is an active supporter of Hofstra Athletics and passionate about the advancement of women in sport. She has served on the board of the Hofstra Athletics Pride Club since 2017 and volunteers as a mentor for the Hofstra Athletics Leadership Academy. Hofstra University honored Corzel with the Young Alumna Award in 2022; she joined the Women in Leadership Advisory Board in 2024.

PINDA ENG ’94

Pinda Eng is a highly accomplished, results-driven senior finance and accounting professional with over 27 years of accounting, financial reporting, and administration experience in the real estate operational and alternative asset management industry.

Pinda has worked for over 16 years at The Blackstone Group, where she is a managing director, co-leading the Global Fund Finance Group and overseeing the accounting, financial reporting, fund administration and operations for all of Blackstone’s global opportunistic real estate business with total AUM over $90 billion.

Before joining Blackstone in 2004, Pinda worked at UBS Investment Bank as a director and business unit controller in the commercial real estate trading group, where she managed the daily trading P&L reporting, accounting and various trading system implementation projects. Prior to UBS, she worked at Credit Suisse First Boston as a senior associate in the capital markets group, where she was responsible for the accounting and financial reporting for the real estate investments. Prior to Credit Suisse First Boston, she was an auditor in PricewaterhouseCoopers in its real estate financial services group.

Pinda received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Hofstra University and is a certified public accountant.

CRISTAL FELICIANO ’94

Cristal Feliciano is an accomplished HR executive with more than 20 years of experience leading strategic HR operations, benefits, compensation, and HR technology functions for organizations with nationwide workforces. She specializes in optimizing HR processes, enhancing employee experiences, and aligning people’s strategies with business objectives to drive growth and success.

A trusted HR business partner, Feliciano excels at collaborating with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to improve employee engagement, retention, and productivity. Her expertise spans strategic HR planning and execution, change management, corporate culture development, benefits management, budget oversight, HRIS (human resources information system) implementation, regulatory compliance, employee relations, training, M&A integration, and risk management.

Feliciano’s industry experiences span retail, e-commerce, professional services, and consumer packaged goods, giving her a well-rounded perspective on HR challenges across various business landscapes.

She received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Hofstra University in 2004 and also earned a Professional in Human Resources certification, HRCI.

MARIA GRASSO ’86

Maria A. Grasso is senior executive vice president, chief operating officer, and corporate secretary of Flushing Financial Corporation and Flushing Bank. She joined in 2006 as chief operating officer and was elected corporate secretary in 2007. Maria is responsible for several of the company’s strategic initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate-wide change management, process reengineering, expense management, and customer experience. She also manages human resources, compliance, BSA, operations, and the customer service departments for the bank. Maria had previously managed the retail and ethnic markets, business banking, government banking, digital banking, marketing, and sales areas. Maria has been in the banking business for more than 36 years, beginning her career with Chase Manhattan. Prior to joining Flushing Financial, she held the title of senior vice president and division head of The Bank of New York for Long Island and Queens, where she oversaw 102 branch locations.

Maria is a former chairperson of the Retail Banking Division Committee of the New York Bankers Association and has been a director and trustee for several of their subsidiaries. She is a member of the National Board of the American Kidney Fund and president of the Hofstra University Frank G. Zarb School of Business Alumni Association. She is also the secretary and a former chair of United Way of Long Island’s Board of Directors. Recently, Maria was inducted to the Sachem Hall of Honor. She was also named to the LIBN Business Influencers list in banking and finance and was inducted into the Long Island Business Hall of Fame. Maria was recognized by Crains as a 2021 Notable Woman on Wall Street and as a 2019 Notable Woman in Banking and Finance. Maria recently joined Chief, a private membership network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders. She has been honored by Hofstra University as Alumna of the Year and by the United Way of Long Island with the Anthony J. Stupore Memorial Live United Champion Award.

Charitable organizations have benefited from Maria’s leadership and support throughout the years. As an advocate of volunteerism, she has given her time to the March of Dimes, Long Island Cares, Bias Help of Long Island, Women’s Fund of Long Island, the American Cancer Society, and American Heart Association. Maria has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hofstra University and a master’s in business administration in marketing from Adelphi University.

EVELYN HARRISON ’84

Evelyn Harrison is the senior vice president and chief clinical operations officer at IVERIC Bio Inc. and a member of their executive leadership team. Prior to joining IVERIC Bio (formerly Ophthotech Corporation) in 2007, Evelyn was with Eyetech Pharmaceuticals Inc., where she held the positions of vice president and senior vice president of clinical research and development. While at Eyetech, Evelyn played a key role in the development and approval of Macugen (pegaptanib sodium) for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

Evelyn has more than 30 years of management, clinical research and development experience in the biotech industry. Her career started at Hoffmann-LaRoche, where she held several positions in clinical development and was responsible for the development and implementation of strategic programs for Roche’s oncology franchise. She has worked on all phases of global clinical trials in multiple therapeutic areas such as ophthalmology, bone marrow transplantation, organ transplantation, and virology.

Evelyn holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Hofstra University and and an MBA from Manhattan College.

DAPHNE JACKSON HORNBUCKLE ’86

Daphne Jackson Hornbuckle is the information technology manager for Charter Communications (Spectrum). For the past decade, she has managed the desktop support team providing technical and project support for the North Texas Region. She also oversees the development and implementation of the IT infrastructure for various business units. Prior to joining Time Warner Cable, Daphne owned her own IT consulting firm, Diamond Technology Group, LLC. Her clients included American Airlines and many other Fortune 500 companies.

Daphne has served the Dallas community as an IT professional and entrepreneur for 25 years. Her passion is only rivaled by her proven commitment to service. Through her leadership and vast IT career, Daphne has been a tireless champion, working to steer young adults toward higher education, entrepreneurship and leadership opportunities. In 2007, she led the establishment of the Dorethea N. Hornbuckle Memorial Scholarship at the Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. This national scholarship, named after her late mother-in-law and the sorority’s past national president, has been given to numerous deserving students.

As a dedicated community leader and a past president of Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., Psi Chapter, Daphne was influential in the volunteer efforts of various community organizations. During her tenure as chapter president, she and her chapter received the Outstanding Chapter President and Outstanding Chapter awards on both regional and national levels from 2014- 2017. In 2016, she accepted the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Connie Davis Roseborough Volunteer of the Year Award for the chapter’s outstanding service and significant enhancements to the African American community. Daphne was also inducted into the third (2016) and fourth (2017) editions of Who’s Who in Black Dallas for her leadership role in the Dallas community.

Daphne currently serves on the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board. She is a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians, Women in Cable Telecommunications and the Dallas Society of Women Engineers, where she volunteers and encourages young women to pursue a career in STEM fields.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science from Hofstra University. This New York native resides in Dallas, TX with her husband, Jesse Hornbuckle, III. Together they own The Hornbuckle Group, LLC, TriBecCa Studios, LLC, and 200 Tyler Square, LLC residential and commercial real estate companies. Outside of her passion for volunteering and mentoring, she enjoys traveling.

DONNA IUCOLANO ’86, MSED ’88, MBA ’94

Donna M. Iucolano (pronounced U-CO-LA-NO) is a highly accomplished direct and digital marketing, e-commerce, strategy, and digital business transformation executive turned marketing and management professor, researcher, consultant, and business advisor. She is a bilingual in English and Italian; a first-generation college graduate with a PhD in management from Case Western Reserve University; a BA, MS, and MBA from Hofstra University; and an AAS from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Donna is a member of the American Marketing Association, and she peer reviews papers submitted for the organization’s summer and winter educator conferences.

Since 2014, Dr. Iucolano has leveraged her deep corporate experience to inform her work as an adjunct associate professor of marketing at the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University and an assistant professor of marketing at Molloy University. Her approach combines the practical and the academic to better prepare students for entry-to-leadership roles in an increasingly social, political, technical, environmental, and economically complex world. Courses taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels include consumer behavior, branding strategies, marketing strategy, marketing management, retail management, direct and interactive marketing, and degree completing capstones.

Donna’s 20-year corporate career has been marked by innovation, growth, and award-winning achievements in direct and digital marketing, e-commerce, strategy, and digital business transformation. She worked for private and public companies in the New York City area in the industries of floral/gifting, media/publishing, and women’s apparel and accessories. Donna’s corporate roles include senior and executive vice president, general manager, division president, and regional CEO at select firms, including 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.; Scholastic Corp.; IMP/International Master’s Publishers; New York & Company, Inc.; and Weekly Reader, a division of the Reader’s Digest Association (now part of Scholastic).

While at these firms, Donna started and/or led many pioneering initiatives and divisions, growing them to $400+ million in annual revenues. She was responsible for core operating functions, such as, direct and digital marketing; customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty; ecommerce; revenue creation and profitability; product/content development; merchandising; fulfillment and customer service; website development and management; and internet technologies and back-end systems integration.

Donna’s industry work now includes consulting, guest speaking, meeting facilitation, research, serving as an independent advisor or board member, and work with nonprofits. She also leverages her extensive professional network on behalf of students, helping them secure internships and full-time employment.

DALLILAH JACOBY-LERNER ’93

Dalliah Jacoby-Lerner, a senior vice president with Bank of America’s Business Banking Group, focuses on companies with revenues ranging from $10-$100 million. As a Pinnacle Award Banker, she is known for crafting innovative solutions to meet client needs and help them achieve their business strategies. Dalliah has expertise in various industries, including consumer goods, financial services, and commercial real estate.

Before joining Bank of America, Dalliah served as a regional processing manager for the Commercial Term Lending Group at JPMorgan, covering the Northeast, Pacific Northwest and Midwest markets, where she managed a high-performing team to ensure timely and accurate loan processing. She led high-profile projects and pilot programs to maximize client experience, efficiencies, and controls.

Dalliah is a member of several of the bank’s employee network groups, including the Jewish Heritage Chapter, Lead for Women, and the Disability Action Network. She is a member of the Jewish Executive Advisory Council at Bank of America. In addition, Dalliah serves on the board of directors for the Real Estate Institute, on the advisory board for Hofstra’s Women in Leadership group, and has been co- captain for Cycle for Survival teams.

Dalliah holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a marketing concentration from Hofstra University. She lives in Merrick, NY, with her two sons. She enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.

MAUREEN P. KIEDAISCH ’93, MBA ’98

Maureen P. Kiedaisch serves as the senior managing director at FTI Consulting. With more than 25 years in the financial services industry and experience in operations, compliance, risk management, human resources, and training, she focuses her practice on compliance, administrative, and operations-related services.

Kiedaisch has extensive experience developing compliance and BSA/AML/Sanctions programs, policies, procedures, and processes; performing risk assessments; and evaluating and implementing internal controls. She has been engaged in a variety of matters for banks, money service businesses, and crypto service providers, including working directly with regulators on BSA/AML/Sanctions monitorships, independent reviews and transaction lookbacks that include conducting KYC file reviews, and evaluating transaction monitoring and sanction screening processes, rules, and systems. She has developed, reviewed, and modified procedures for all aspects of the BSA/AML and Sanctions programs, for compliance as well as for operations, such as customer onboarding, beneficial ownership, periodic reviews, and client exits. Kiedaisch has also conducted training on BSA/AML/Sanctions regulations, provided compliance advice and guidance, and reviewed advertisements and new product development to ensure compliance with regulations.

Kiedaisch has established, reviewed, and implemented various policies, procedures, processes, and internal controls, as well as designed and documented process workflows to ensure compliance and best practices as well as create efficiencies. She developed and administered training materials and related initiatives pertaining to operations, compliance, marketing, and other corporate needs. She has also supported clients to assess risks and build a governance framework. Kiedaisch reviewed audit/exam findings and designed programs to ensure necessary corrective actions were implemented. She conducted a loan review and analysis project to ensure the loan processes implemented covered applicable regulations as cited in the consent order and that internal controls were sufficient to mitigate risks.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Kiedaisch held various banking roles that focused on operations, compliance, administration, management, and employee development. She served in various positions in operations, many dealing with payments, electronic fund transfers, and associated regulatory requirements, including Regulation E. Kiedaisch also worked on implementing integration activities for bank mergers. Some of those activities included coordinating systems data validation to ensure accuracy for the unification of the databases; conducting reviews to implement policies, procedures and products; training staff; and maintaining status reports and timelines in the role of project manager.

In her most recent role, Kiedaisch was a member of the senior management team providing support and counsel to executives in matters pertaining to organizational strategy, project management, regulatory exam response, and human capital.

As an inaugural member of a de novo bank, Kiedaisch created a human resources department from scratch. In this role, she defined, directed and implemented all human resource initiatives, including establishing policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with regulations, and conducting investigations. She evaluated and implemented employee benefit plans. Kiedaisch also managed the payroll function, benefits administration, employee recruitment, onboarding, and performance appraisal management. She guided and counseled managers regarding employee relations, career paths, disciplinary actions, and all other human resource matters.

Kiedaisch received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 1993 and her Master of Business Administration in Finance in 1998, both from Hofstra University.

JOANNE KRUSH ’79

Joanne Krush is chief financial officer at SterlingRisk, a national, privately held insurance broker. In addition to her ongoing responsibilities, she is a member of the SterlingRisk executive team and participates in strategic planning and operational decisions impacting all facets of the organization. Her extensive financial management background includes a focus on strategic planning and M&A (having led or participated in over 30 acquisitions), FP&A and cash management with oversight of the 401k plan, all internal/external reporting, auditing and taxes.

Named one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Women” by Long Island Business News, Joanne joined SterlingRisk in 2015 after having held various financial positions in the insurance brokerage industry, including senior vice president of finance for HUB International Northeast, senior vice president of finance at Aon/Berkely Travel, and vice president of finance at Jardine Insurance Brokers. She began her public accounting career in 1979 at Grant Thornton.

A licensed CPA and CGMA, Joanne received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Hofstra University. She belongs to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; the Institute of Management Accountants; and the New York State Society of CPAs, where she co-chairs the Nassau CFO Committee.

In addition to her professional affiliations, Joanne is active in community service that benefits Long Island’s most vulnerable citizens. She volunteers at both the Mercy INN Soup Kitchen in Wyandanch, NY, the Huntington Interfaith Homeless Initiative (HIHI), and is active in the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF). She has also served the United Way of Long Island and Imagine Awards, reviewing financial statements and applications of member agencies.

With her SterlingRisk colleagues, she was pleased to serve as a 2018 Go Red for Women honoree.

DIANA E. LAKE ’68, MD

Dr. Diana E. Lake is a medical oncologist with a practice that is devoted solely to the care of breast cancer patients. Her research interests involve all areas of breast cancer but focus mainly on the development of new therapies, prevention of cancer recurrence following surgery, and treatment of recurrent disease.

Working in conjunction with her colleagues on the Breast Cancer Medicine Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and as the liaison in breast medicine to Cancer and Leukemia Group B (a national clinical trial cooperative research group sponsored by the National Cancer Institute), Lake is involved in clinical trials to develop better hormonal therapies and improved approaches to treatment before surgery.

Lake is a member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Scientific Review Committee. She served on the NIH Cooperative Group Review and its cancer education committees and has received the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center fellowship.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Hofstra University in 1968 and her Doctor of Medicine from Chicago Medical School. Lake is a member of the Hofstra University Women in Leadership Advisory Board. In addition, she has lectured to faculty and community members at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Lake currently serves on the Hofstra University Board of Trustees.

In 2011, Lake was awarded the Hofstra University Annual Alumni Achievement Award in recognition of her incredible achievements in the field of medicine. She also received the 51st Annual George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award.

Lake has led clinical trials and has published countless articles throughout her successful career in medicine.

TERRY LAMANTIA ’81, JD ’86

Terry Lamantia is a managing director at CBIZ and serves clients in the banking, capital markets, and alternative investments industries, as well as high net-worth individuals.

Lamantia was a partner at Marcum, which CBIZ acquired in 2024. Before that, she was a senior financial services tax partner at KPMG, advising on tax advisory, tax accounting, and tax compliance matters for banking and capital markets clients.

Lamantia’s extensive leadership experience includes the management of diverse teams across geographies and business segments to render value-added services. In addition, she acts as a mentor to colleagues at all levels.

She earned two degrees from Hofstra University: a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 1981 and and a Juris Doctor in 1986. Lamantia currently serves on the Cambridge Trust Advisory Board, Hofstra University Women in Leadership Advisory Board, Meals on Wheels of Greenwich Board, Junior League of Greenwich Sustainer Board, and Greenwich United Way Advisory Board. She has served as the vice chair of the YWCA Greenwich and co-president of the Greenwich High School PTA.

VALERIE LANDRY '08

Valerie (McDonald) Landry is an Arlington native. She attended Hofstra University on an academic scholarship and captained the Division 1 tennis team during her undergraduate tenure.

Graduating with honors in 2008, Valerie returned to Texas to join the family business, The Sanford House Inn & Spa. She has led the company through several iterations, helping to diversify the scope of the business, including the development of Arlington’s top fine-dining restaurant, Restaurant506.

She actively participates on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Rotary Club of Arlington, Downtown Arlington Management Corporation, Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and the Arlington Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.

In 2012, Valerie earned her master’s in business administration from the University of Texas at Arlington College of Business and was awarded the 2017-2018 Alumni Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement. In 2018, Valerie received the Rising Star Award on behalf of the Women’s Alliance and continues to pave the way for others to expand their leadership development through civic involvement. In 2022, Valerie was recognized as a member of the inaugural 40 Under 40 Class through the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

Valerie is married to Christopher Landry, and they have two daughters, Vivian, and Arya. In her free time, Valerie enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and travelling.

TANYA LEVY-ODOM ’90

Tanya Levy-Odom is a managing director and deputy head of BlackRock's investment stewardship (BIS) team in the Americas. She represents BIS Americas in all its activities as it engages with companies to promote effective governance and create value for clients. Tanya oversees the BIS Americas consumer/technology team, in addition to direct coverage of selected industries within the consumer sector. BIS evaluates the corporate governance of companies in which BlackRock invests, including the assessment of environmental and social factors material to a company's business operation. Prior to joining the BIS Americas team, Tanya served as the executive director of investor relations and corporate social responsibility officer for Time Inc. Prior to joining Time Inc., she was a vice president and domestic equity analyst for Alliance Growth Equities (a subsidiary of Alliance Bernstein), responsible for equity forecasting and stock recommendations in the consumer sector. She received her master’s degree in business administration in finance and her undergraduate degree in banking and finance from Hofstra University.

Tanya served as president of the Hofstra University Alumni Organization from 2012-2014. She was the vice president for services from 2010 to 2012 and also served as parliamentarian/historian.

Since graduating Hofstra University in 1990, Tanya has been active alumna, returning frequently to campus to share career advice with students and serving as a member and officer of the Black Hispanic Alumni Association (BHAA). In addition to serving as a member of Hofstra University's Women in Leadership Initiative, Tanya currently serves as a trustee on the Brooklyn Children’s Museum board; is an active member and past president of the East Kings County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and an associate jewel life member of the Brooklyn Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. She has been married to Edward Odom for over 30 years; they have two adult children.

JACQUELINE LICALZI ’85

Jacqueline LiCalzi is managing director, global head of regulatory relations, and a member of Morgan Stanley’s management committee. She is also the firm’s senior point of contact with the Federal Reserve for its supervisory program. LiCalzi leads the day-to-day activities of the enterprise regulatory oversight committee and is a member of the firm’s risk committee and global franchise committee. LiCalzi is also responsible for the global conflicts offices, environmental and social risk management, and the new product approval process. Further, she is the chair of Morgan Stanley’s political action committee.

LiCalzi is the executive sponsor of Morgan Stanley’s LGBT employee network and is on the Senior Leaders Advisory Council for the firm’s Institute for Inclusion. She is a recipient of the firm’s John J. Mack Leadership Award. LiCalzi is also on the board of directors of SIFMA andchair of its legal and compliance committee. Previously, she was a decade-long member of the executive committee of SIFMA’s Compliance and Legal Society and co-chair of its diversity committee. She is the recipients of SIFMA’s inaugural Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Advocate Award.

LiCalzi joined Morgan Stanley in 2006 from Credit Suisse, where she was the counsel to the global head of compliance. Prior to that, she was an in-house litigator at UBA Financial Services/PaineWebber and a litigation associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell, following a clerkship for a federal district judge in the Southern District of New York.

LiCalszi earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Hofstra University in 1985 and her Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Woman of the Year). She is a member of the board of directors of TDF (formerly the Theatre Development Fund) and of the Peconic Land Trust. LiCalzi is also a member of Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board and the Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, and a recipient of Hofstra’s Alumni Achievement Award.

STELLA MENDES '09

Stella Mendes, CAMS, is a senior managing director and leader of the financial services practice at FTI Consulting, focusing on financial institutions, bank governance, and regulation. Based in New York, she has more than 25 years of diverse banking industry experience.

Since joining FTI Consulting, Mendes has led numerous BSA/AML reviews for banks, money service businesses, and other financial services providers. She has established and enhanced BSA/AML/OFAC policies, procedures, and processes to ensure compliance with regulations and has led several compliance “look-back” reviews. Mendes consults with clients on BSA and anti-money laundering best practices, performs reviews and enhancements of BSA/AML/OFAC risk assessments, and conducts anti-money laundering investigations as part of governmental investigations. She provides advisory services on regulatory responses, anti-money laundering training to banks and other financial services firms, and gives webinars on regulatory compliance best practices. In addition, she assists clients with fair lending, CRA, UDAAP, TILA, Regulation O, and other regulatory compliance matters.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Mendes served as president and chief operating officer for First National Bank of New York. Additionally, she served as the compliance and bank secrecy officer, interfacing with regulatory agencies and coordinating all communications and the regulatory exam process.

In her role as the bank’s senior compliance officer, Mendes was responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive compliance, risk assessment, and training programs for staff and the board of directors. In addition, she was responsible for overseeing all compliance issues, including money laundering, terrorist financing activity, and violations of the BSA (including structuring transactions to evade reporting). She also conducted BSA/AML/OFAC compliance reviews and mock exams in preparation for regulatory examinations. She also managed client relationships and branch offices.

Over the years, Mendes established, reviewed, and implemented various policies, procedures, internal controls, and work programs, as well as designed and documented process workflows in the banking industry. As a senior manager at a commercial bank, she was responsible for the audit function, review of audit/exam findings, and design of programs to ensure necessary corrective actions were implemented. Mendes has been a core integration team member for three bank mergers, where she conducted due diligence for the compliance program; material contracts; and customer base and sales. In addition, she conducted skill set assessments and coordinated integration activities and training.

Mendes earned her Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Hofstra University in 2009. She is CAMS– certified, fluent in Portuguese, and is active in numerous professional organizations, including the Hofstra University Women in Leadership Advisory Board, New York Bankers Association, American Bankers Association, and The Cancer Center for Kids. She also serves on the board of trustees at Hofstra University and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of NYC.

EMILY MIETHNER '10

Emily Miethner is a serial entrepreneur with a focus on community building, social media, and digital marketing. An educator at heart, she is an award-winning keynote speaker with more than 15 years of experience delivering engaging talks and sharing her expertise at conferences, events, and through teaching courses.

In 2017, Miethner co-founded Travel Cat, the #1 cat travel brand in the world. Travel Cat is a profitable, fast-growing, seven-figure omni-channel brand that serves “catstomers” in 100+ countries and is sold in over 1,200 retail locations worldwide. Emily oversees influencer marketing, SMS and email marketing, organic digital content, retail, product development, licensing, and partnerships for the brand.

In 2021, she founded a short-term rental brand in the Catskills/Hudson Valley, Getaway Upstate.

Her first business, FindSpark, launched in 2011, has connected hundreds of employers with top-level, diverse, early career talent; produced more than 300 career programs; and cultivated an online and offline community of over 33,000 young professionals and employers, including Hulu, BuzzFeed, NBCUniversal, L’Oréal, Showtime, Ralph Lauren, and Walmart eCommerce.

Miethner regularly leads talks on social media, networking, e-commerce, small businesses, and cats. She has spoken at Global Pet Expo, The International Youth Leaders Assembly at the United Nations, SXSW, Sony, Columbia, Yale, NYU, and the American Pet Products Association, among others. Her expertise has been featured on TV, print, and digital platforms, including Good Morning America, Cheddar TV Live, The New York Times, WSJ, Vice, and Vogue, as well as on 20+ podcasts.

Since 2014, Miethner has been an adjunct professor at institutions, such as the School of Visual Arts and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she teaches career and social media classes. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Fine Arts from Hofstra University in 2010 and is currently a member of the University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board.

VICTORIA MINK '90

As executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSG Sports), Victoria Mink helps support the long-term direction and overall management of the MSG Sports' portfolio of assets, which includes: the New York Knicks (NBA) and the New York Rangers (NHL), and two development league teams – the Westchester Knicks (NBAGL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). Victoria is responsible for providing strategic financial insight on all facets of the business, helping prioritize opportunities and drive value creation. She also oversees all financial and accounting matters, including budgeting, forecasting and financial planning and analysis, as well as MSG Sports’ treasury, investor relations, tax and risk management functions.

Prior to MSG Sports becoming a standalone company in April 2020, Victoria served as executive vice president and chief financial officer at The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG), where she oversaw financial and accounting matters, including helping lead the spin-off of MSG’s entertainment businesses from its sports business. Prior to being named chief financial officer in 2018, Victoria was MSG’s executive vice president of finance.

Before joining MSG, Victoria served as senior vice president and chief accounting officer for Altice USA, where she oversaw accounting and financial matters and played an important role in the Company’s purchase of Cablevision Systems Corporation in 2016. During her tenure at both Altice USA and Cablevision Systems Corporation, Victoria led all accounting and reporting activities through a significant period of change. She set the strategic direction, goals and initiatives for the accounting, financial reporting and accounts payable departments, and ensured the management team had access to timely and robust performance measures, while leading all accounting activities for multiple acquisition and sale transactions, an initial public offering and spin-off transaction. Victoria joined Cablevision in November 1997 and served in a variety of accounting and finance roles of increasing responsibility. She was named among the “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Cable” by Cablefax Magazine in both 2015 and 2017. Before joining Cablevision, she was an audit manager with KPMG LLP.

Victoria serves on the board of directors of the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works with MSG Sports to assist young people in need. She graduated from Hofstra University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She is also a certified public accountant in the State of New York.

HILLARY SEROTA NEEDLE '89

Hillary Serota Needle, president of Hillary Needle Events Inc. in Dix Hills, NY, has more than 25 years of senior management expertise in event planning for corporate and nonprofit organizations. She created Hillary Needle Events Inc. in 2009 to bring her creativity, passion and dedication directly to her clients who value her unique ability to create exciting opportunities to generate revenue and gain recognition for their events. Hillary is successful in developing and implementing strategies that help organizations brand and grow existing events in addition to building an event from concept to celebration.

Long Island Business News featured Hillary in the inaugural “Power List: Long Island’s Most Powerful Women 2022.” In 2013 and 2015, Hillary was named one of the “Top 50 Most Influential Women in Business” by Long Island Business News and in 2019 she was inducted into the Hall of Fame. This prestigious award recognizes the significant contributions of women professionals to the region’s economy and to the communities in which we do business. LIBN also featured Hillary in the 2017 and 2018 “Who's Who in Women in Professional Services” issues. In 2015, Hillary was selected as a “Long Island Power Woman in Business” by Schneps Communications. She is often quoted in Long Island Business News and Newsday.

Hillary is a cum laude graduate of Hofstra University with a bachelor’s degree in communications/journalism. She serves as immediate past president of the Hofstra University Alumni Association, where she represented over 140,000 Hofstra graduates in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. She previously served as president of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communications Alumni Association. She also held the following leadership roles as vice president for programs, Hofstra University Alumni Organization; co-chair for events on the executive board committee and as chair of the Hofstra University Women in Leadership (WIL) Campus Connections Committee. In 2014, Hofstra University presented Hillary and her mother, Harriet Schiff Serota ’64, a past alumni organization president, with the Marjorie and James M. Shuart Alumni Family Award honoring a family where two or more members have been active alumni, donors and volunteers in their service to Hofstra. She is also a proud member of the Alpha Theta Beta sorority, Hofstra’s oldest fraternal organization.

Hillary is also a contemporary realist painter whose work in oils has attracted collectors from across the country and has been featured in numerous galleries and juried exhibitions. She is a member of the Art League of Long Island, Art Studio Hamptons Gallery, Huntington Arts Council, Long Island Museum LIMarts and the Mills Pond Gallery/Smithtown Township Arts Council.

JILL RABIN ’75, MD

Dr. Jill Rabin is vice chair of education and development for obstetrics and gynecology at North Shore University Hospital/LIJ Medical Center, Northwell Health. She is also the co-chief for the division of ambulatory care, obstetrics and gynecology at Northwell Health; section head for urogynecology at LIJ Medical Center; professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Barbara and Donald Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell; and professor at the Center for Health Innovations and Outcomes Research, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.

Rabin earned her Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology, magna cum laude, from Hofstra University in 1975, and subsequently earned her Doctor of Medicine from the State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, in Brooklyn in 1981. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Rabin came to Northwell Health in 1985 as an attending physician, where she completed a fellowship in urogynecology.

A diplomat of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rabin is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Urogynecologic Society and the International Continence Society. In addition, she is an active researcher, consultant, frequent lecturer, and media spokesperson. Rabin holds nine patents and one copyright for urogynecologic medical devices. Widely published, she has authored four books, including Mind Over Bladder, a step-by-step guide to continence (mindoverbladderbooks.com).

She also acts as reviewer and editor for several journals, such as the International Journal of Urogynecology, and is a board member for the Journal of Patient Experience.

ALYEAH E. RAMJIT, MHA ’15

Alyeah E. Ramjit currently serves as a system vice president with One Brooklyn Health (OBH). OBH is a two-hospital system located in Brooklyn, NY, serving a population of roughly one million patients. Ramjit currently oversees the departments of cardiology, orthopedics, and surgery, where she is the operational and administrative lead with specific oversight on fiscal, human resource, and strategic operations. Prior to this role, Ramjit held the same responsibilities for OBH’s department of medicine.

Before joining OBH, Ramjit was chief of staff at the Mount Sinai Health System, in change of leading key initiatives to transform organizational culture, including patient experience, system learning and process improvement, as well as overseeing initiatives within system and hospital operations, hospital joint venture strategies, and business development. Ramjit has further experience in population health management, creating integrated networks, Medicare Part D operations, long-term care operations, and emergency medical services.

In addition to her vast experience in health care, Ramjit is a clinical assistant professor with the Master of Health Administration Program in Public Health at Stony Brook University. She also serves on many Hofstra initiatives, including the School of Health Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board, the Women in Leadership Advisory Board, and as an executive-in-residence for the Master of Health Administration Program.

Her additional volunteer activities include serving as immediate past president with Healthcare Leaders of New York, a local chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). She is a recipient of the ACHE 2018 Early Career Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award and the 2020 ACHE Recognition Award for Chapter Service. Ramjit was named by Crain’s New York Business on their Most Notable in Health Care 2021 list, been featured as a guest on Becker’s Healthcare Podcast and is an alum of the 2022 Young Executive Leadership Program hosted by the International Hospital Federation.

Ramjit earned a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences/Biology in 2010 and a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition in 2013 from New York Institute of Technology. She also received a Master of Health Administration with distinction from Hofstra University in 2015, and certificates in executive healthcare leadership and healthcare change leadership from Cornell University.

DEE RAVIV, MBA '12

Dee Raviv is a seasoned certified executive coach and business consultant with more than 25 years of experience leading and developing talent in large-scale organizations. Currently, she serves as the director of career advisors at myNextory, where she leads the strategy, business development, operation, and training for the unit. Raviv also runs her own executive coaching practice, Arete Executive Coaching & Consulting LLC, where she works with professionals to help them navigate and elevate their career and “do” work/life better.

Prior to myNextory, Raviv spent nine years at Northwell Health, where she performed various executive roles and served as vice president, program administration for ophthalmology. Other roles included director of financial and operational management for cardiothoracic and director for people strategy, planning, and analytics. Her tenure with the health system helped her build an extensive skill set around budget management ($80 million+), operation, human capital development, process improvement, M&A, project management, and administration. Raviv’s passion for empowering and growing talent has led her to cocreate the successful Emerging Leaders Diversity Mentorship Program across the organization, which provides growth opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

Before her career in health care, Raviv spent 13 years in the financial industry working for American Express and Ameriprise Financial, with roles that included financial analyst, business development, and strategic planning.
Raviv’s unique career journey contributed to her adaptability, agility, and out-of-the-box thinking. Her areas of expertise include identifying and developing talent, elevating high-performing teams, building leadership programs, and strategic planning, as well as strong communications and collaboration skills. Her biggest passion is helping people become their better best and discover or rediscover success.

Committed to this passion, Raviv obtained an executive coaching certification through Columbia University and is working toward her International Coaching Federation Certification. She is also certified in Taking Flight with DISC and serves on Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board and the Columbia Coaching Learning Association Board of Directors. Her commitment to lifelong learning affords her the opportunity and privilege to influence and make a greater impact on others.

Raviv received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management Administration, summa cum laude, from Long Island University in 1999, and an executive Master of Business Administration, magna cum laude and Beta Gamma Sigma, from Hofstra University in 2012.

She served in the Israeli Navy as a lieutenant for more two years before moving to the United State over 30 years ago. She now resides in Florida with her family.

ARISLEYDA RIEHL, MBA ’94

Arisleyda Riehl earned her MBA in international business from Hofstra University 's Frank G. Zarb School of Business in 1994. For years, she served in the Hofstra Alumni Association with pride and was invited to join Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board in 2013. Arisleyda joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management after interning with the firm during graduate school. Arisleyda is now vice president, resident director of the Stamford, Connecticut office, responsible for leading strategy, managing sales, and driving growth results. In addition to her management role, Arisleyda is a wealth management advisor turned educator who is passionate about helping people live better financial lives. In her long tenure in the industry, she has experienced a variety of challenging markets and economic landscapes. The lessons she has learned have proven invaluable as she helps guide clients through today’s complex, everchanging investment environment on the path to achieving their most cherished financial goals.

Working with a diverse clientele, Arisleyda has a nuanced understanding of the needs of professional women who have become a stronger financial force in recent years. With longer life expectancies, women are spending more years in retirement and are faced with increased health care costs and greater exposure to the effects of inflation on their long-term savings. Working together, Arisleyda strives to help them achieve greater financial security and build a life in retirement around what matters most to them.

Giving back to the community in which she lives and works is a priority for Arisleyda. In addition to the Women in Leadership at Hofstra University, she is currently a member of the Investments & Wealth Institute™; Rotary International; and the boards of Ferguson Library and Building One Community, an organization dedicated to the advance of successful integration of immigrants and their families. In recognition of her hard work and dedication to the community, Arisleyda has been named to the Bank of America Volunteer Honor Roll every year since 2018.

Arisleyda has earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst® certification and the Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM designation from the College for Financial Planning and the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor™ credential from National Association of Plan Advisors. She also holds the FINRA Series 7, 66, 9, 10 and 31 registrations, as well as life, health and long-term care insurance licenses. She is also fluent in Spanish. Arisleyda resides in Connecticut with her husband, Ralf, and enjoys baking, playing golf, skiing, and beach vacations.

SARA SHINDEL ’83, MBA ’88

Sara Shindel is executive vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Lifetime Brands Inc., a publicly traded housewares company. She established a full-service legal department structure and strategy upon joining the company. Sara is responsible for all legal matters, including corporate governance, public filings, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, contracts and licensing, real estate and environmental matters and litigation.

Prior to her current role at Lifetime, Sara was a corporate associate at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, specializing in securities offerings and mergers and acquisitions transactions. Prior to joining Pillsbury, she began her legal career as a corporate associate at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, working on general corporate matters, securities offerings, and mergers and acquisitions transactions for private equity and public company clients of the firm.

Sara began her career in the banking industry at Marine Midland Bank (now known as HSBC Bank), becoming a branch sales manager of one of the bank’s midtown Manhattan branches. After five years at Marine Midland Bank, she continued her career in banking at The Bank of New York, where for ten years she held the roles of assistant vice president in the retail banking division as a branch manager, vice president-district sales manager for 25 branches in western Nassau County, and as a vice president in the trust and estates division, while also attending New York Law School.

Sara received a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance in 1983 and an MBA in finance in 1988 from Hofstra University. She earned her JD from New York Law School in 1999, where she was graduated magna cum laude and received an award for Outstanding Editorial Contribution as executive notes and comments editor of the New York Law School Journal of International and Comparative Law. She is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey.

Sara lives in Nassau County with her husband Ron ’96, a fellow Hofstra alum, and her three children, one of whom is an undergraduate student at Hofstra.

KATHLEEN M. STANLEY '91

Kathleen Stanley is currently an executive managing director at Webster Bank. With more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, Kathleen is responsible for regional banking, law firm banking, non-profit, property management, municipal and government institutional banking, and public sector finance groups. Prior to joining Webster, Kathleen led treasury management and depository solutions for the East Coast for City National Bank and the cash management sales team for Capital One's Northeast Commercial Bank. She launched the treasury management department for both Empire National Bank (2008-2010) and State Bank of Long Island (2004-2008).

Kathleen was recognized as one of Long Island’s 40 rising stars under the age of 40, and in 2007, as a Woman of Achievement in Banking and Finance by the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women. In 2012, she was a Butterfly Award recipient at the Inaugural Girls Incorporated of Long Island Butterfly Awards Dinner and in 2014 as Woman of the Year for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island. Kathleen was the chair and honoree for the American Heart Association 2022 and 2023 Go Red for Woman Campaign. In 2023, she was a recipient of the LIBN Business and Finance award and most recently named one of LIBN’s “Most Influential Long Islanders of 2024”. In July 2024, Kathleen became board chair of the American Heart Association of Long Island.

Kathleen has a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in banking and finance from Hofstra University. She was president of Hofstra University’s Alumni Association and the Frank G. Zarb School of Business Alumni Association. She is an avid supporter of the Northwell Health Katz Women’s Hospital, the American Heart Association, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

JAMIE WHITFIELD '82

Jamie Whitfield graduated from Hofstra University in 1982 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts. Her advertising career includes 16 years as partner, director of Broadcast Talent and J. Walter Thompson Advertising. She is currently the senior talent specialist at Havas Advertising.

Jamie has been an involved member of the Hofstra community, serving as the president of the Black Hispanic Alumni Association from 2022 to 2024. She is currently the co-chair of the Hofstra Alumni Association’s fundraising and scholarship committee. In addition, she uses her career experience in advertising in her role as advisor at Hofstra’s School of Communication.

She has a scholarship established to honor her father, Oscar N. Whitfield III, which supports students studying the creative arts.

Jamie is a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and has dedicated her spare time to the graduate chapter of the organization, Eta Omega Omega. There, she engages in public service through mentorship to high school students and other public service in the chapter’s Bronx community.

In addition, she serves as a judge for speech competitions for high school students on the local and national level. An avid community theater performer and stage manager, Jamie volunteers her time working with the Pelham Memorial Middle School and High School drama departments. Jamie is extremely honored to receive of this wonderful award.