2022 Meet Your New Colleagues Stories

African American woman with long curled hair and black shirt, standing in front of wall with graphic of Wolfie and the football team

Karla Mason-Morrison

Compliance Communications Manager, Budget, Financial Planning and Analysis
Start Date: October 17, 2022

The Budget, Financial Planning and Analysis (BFP&A) team helps areas across campus plan for, implement and allocate their financial resources effectively and efficiently. Now, thanks to a new role – and a new employee who’s all about communication – BFP&A will be better able to let departments, schools and colleges know what they do, why it’s important, and how every area across the University can play an integral role in ensuring the University’s overall financial success.

Meet Karla

Caucasian woman with long blonde hair wearing dark blue cardigan over lighter blue shirt, sitting in classroom desk

Christine Gilbert

Assistant Professor of Climate Communication, School of Communication and Journalism/Alda Center and School of Atmospheric Sciences (SOMAS)

Start Date: September 1, 2022

Christine Gilbert’s eclectic academic studies have ‘spanned the globe’ from international affairs (her undergraduate degree from University of Maine), to communication (with her Master’s and PhD from University of Rhode Island and University of Connecticut, respectively) to everything from anthropology and sociology, to journalism and history.

Meet Christine

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Tasheka Sutton-Young

Assistant Vice President for Presidential Initiatives

Start Date: July 11, 2022

“Whatever it is I’m given, I will give it my all.”

That’s Tasheka Sutton-Young’s credo and a principle she’s followed throughout her educational studies, her career and her life. With a Master’s degree in Communications and a Doctorate in Executive Leadership, Tasheka also got involved in every club and leadership role imaginable …

Meet Tasheka

Caucasian hispanic woman with brown hair pulled back, wearing a gray t-shirt over a white t-shirt - the gray t-shirt says, "Student Community Development;" the woman's arms are crossed. She is leaning against a wall with two signs (one orange, one pink) that say, "Let's #vote together." There is also a sticker on the wall that says, "New York Votes"

Ashley Mercado

Assistant Director of the Center for Civic Justice and the Food Pantry

Start Date: January 6, 2022

While Ashley Mercado received her Master’s in Social Work from Stony Brook with a Psychology undergraduate degree from Oneonta, her career took a turn toward politics when she started exploring and experiencing the difference she could make in that broader arena.

Meet Ashley

Hispanic woman with short brown hair, wearing a pink cardigan over a black shirt with a black cord necklace

Beatriz Joanne Vera

Development Coordinator, Department of Advancement

Start Date: May 25, 2022

Beatriz Joanne Vera studied psychology and studio arts as an undergraduate and was involved in student leadership programs, serving on various executive boards. She says her ability to build relationships and “understand where people come from, what motivates them and how to engage them; how to provide true customer service” stems from her studies, along with her genuine curiosity about others and her desire to make a difference in people’s lives.

Meet Beatriz

Woman with long curly hair wearing shirt with high neck and standing next to rainbow acrylic statue

Gabriella Czerw

Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications, Division of Student Affairs

Start Date: January 10, 2022

The field of marketing and communications was love at first sight for Gabriella Czerw, a self-described ‘Energizer Bunny’ who loves talking with people, helping match programs and products to their needs, and striving to provide the best ‘customer’ service.

Meet Gabriella

Caucasian man with dark short hair and facial ahir, wearing blue and red athletic shirt

Richard ('Ricky') Tomczak

Director of Faculty Engagement,
Division of Undergraduate Education
Start Date: May 19, 2022

Richard (‘Ricky’) Tomczak says he’s a ‘big believer that 99 percent of life is showing up.’ And he plans to put that practice into place in his new role as Director of Faculty Engagement.

“I want faculty across campus and disciplines to know I’m here for them."

Meet Ricky

African American woman with shorty curly hair and glasses, hands clasped below chin, wearing golden rod cardigan over black shirt, desktop monitor facing her

Ellice Wallace

Science Communication Specialist, Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

Start Date: August 1, 2022

Ellice Wallace has always loved science, reading, writing and drawing. She studied biology, neuroscience, British literature, and journalism here at Stony Brook University. Today, this Queens, NY resident whose parents hail from Norway and the island of Jamaica, brings all these diverse passions and skills to bear as our Science Communication Specialist. She’s also pursuing her Master’s degree in the field.

Meet Ellice

Caucausian woman with curly brown mid-length hair, wearing black shirt with gold buttons on pockets, gold cross necklace, standing in front of a wall with two shelves filled with books

Carrie Cotton

Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, University Advancement

Start Date: February 28, 2022

Carrie Cotton grew up with her nose in a book. “The only times I got in trouble were for sitting in my closet past my bedtime with a flashlight, reading. Even my mom couldn’t get too mad at me for that,” she laughs. Writing also came naturally to her, so it’s not surprising that Carrie has Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees of Art in English Literature … from here at Stony Brook.

Meet Carrie

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Prathamesh Hajirnis

Project Coordinator, Economic Development for CIEES (Center for Integrated Electric Energy Systems) and AERTC (Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center)

Start Date: August 3, 2022

SBU’s Economic Development area is restructuring and expanding to better serve the needs of departments across the University. As one of its newest members, Prathamesh Hajirnis is excited to use his organizational skills to help our researchers meet their funding contract commitments while focusing on what they do best – research.

Meet Prathamesh

Blonde caucasian woman wearing sleeveless salmon blouse standing in front of wall with red and white blurred words

Jenn Coggin

Divisional Business Coordinator, Facilities & Services

Start Date: May 12, 2022

Jenn Coggin knew what she wanted to do from a really early age. “It was always business for me,” she says, laughing about how “from about five years old on, I had a dream of working in the Australian stock market!”.

Jenn’s professional ambitions took a turn from stock market to education, and from ‘down under’ to Long Island, but she stayed true to her lifelong goal of a career in business management.

Meet Jenn

African American woman with bangs and mid-length brown hair, wearing a navy suit, and holding files in her hands

Anita Douglas

Contracts Officer, Procurement

Start Date: March 7, 2022

Anita Douglas’ job is to make sure we get the best price for the value – and the best value for the University – when it comes to SBU’s Facility Management Services. It’s a job that capitalizes on her experience in the procurement field, legal expertise, negotiating skills, and ability to work well with people and build relationships.

Meet Anita

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Jennifer Stancek

Assistant Registrar for Scheduling Support

Start Date: February 14, 2022

Jennifer Stancek has a philosophy she lives and works by every day:

“Life is hard enough. Let’s try to make it easier while we’re in each other’s presence,” she says. “I like to try to keep it light, keep it fun, keep it friendly. And when there are problems, I want to try to help people solve them.”

Meet Jennifer

Caucasian woman with long chestnut hair wearing jean jacket over black shirt tucked into lavendar skirt, standing with arm over a sign that says, "Thank you for your service."

Jane York

Coordinator of Military and Student Veteran Services

Start Date: May 23, 2022

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers University, Jane York was pursuing an acting career – which translated to waiting tables and managing restaurants in between occasional auditions – while living in Brooklyn in her early 20s.

“When I turned 25, I made the decision to ‘reset’ my life ...

Meet Jane

Older African American woman with closely shaved head and blonde hair growing back, wearing a yellow and orange multicolored swirls shirt, large leaf shaped yellow earrings, and a large gold medallion necklace; standing in front of a cutout of the Stony Brook University mascot Wolfie

Deborah Britton-Riley

Coordinator for New Student and Transition Programs

Start Date: June 16, 2022

While Deborah Britton-Riley started her new job here at Stony Brook in June 2022, SBU is far from new for this long-time Seawolf (and ‘Patriot’ for those who remember our team name through 1994).

She received her undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary social sciences here. She garnered her graduate degree in management and policy analysis here.

Meet Deborah

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Menaza Townsend

Assistant to the Dean of The College of Arts and Sciences (Nicole Sampson)

Start Date: November 15, 2021

Menaza Townsend is a go-getting, multi-tasking, ‘just do it’ kind of person who brings energy to all she does and gets the most gratification improving herself and satisfying others. “I like to do a little bit of everything,” she says … everything, in her case, meaning getting her new job here as Assistant to Dean Nicole Sampson in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), getting engaged, planning her wedding …

Meet Menaza

African American man with blue checked button down shirt standing in front of a parking garage

Ephrem Tefera

Director of Parking, Mobility and Parking Services (MAPS)

Start Date: March 28, 2022

From his birthplace in Ethiopia, to Minnesota, to Ohio, to here, Ephrem Tefera is excited to work at Stony Brook as our new director of parking. He and the team, he says, are “looking holistically at supply and demand to assess the most efficient ways to run operations. We’re planning to centralize our functions, use software innovations to analyze and improve how we use the space we have, and safely and sustainably maintain and build infrastructure for future growth.

Meet Ephrem

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Thomas Gifford

Recruiting Assistant, HR

Start Date: March 4, 2022

Thomas Gifford seemed destined to work at Stony Brook University. His parents met here. He got his Bachelor’s degree here. He temped here after answering an online ad that didn’t state the location. And when the job opening for recruiting assistant became available, he jumped at it.

Now, a few months in as a full-time employee, Thomas couldn’t be happier.

Meet Thomas

Caucasian man with 5 o'clock shadow, wearing lavendar button down, purple tie and gray suit, holding a yellow folder and leaning over a cubicle wall

Daniel Lodato

Scientific/Technical Recruiter, HR

Start Date: May 9, 2022

Daniel Lodato says he “fell in love” with Stony Brook University when he was recruiting our students at job fairs for his previous two companies. And he actually placed 10, two of whom rose the ranks to managerial positions.

Meet Daniel

Read About Colleagues from the School of Health Professions (2022)