Be Connected

2023 Meet Your New Colleagues Stories

Caucasian man with facial hair and glasses, sweater and dress shirt, standing arms folded in front of a bookshelf

Matthew Salzano

IDEA Fellow in Ethical AI, Information Systems, and Data Science & Literacy

Start Date: September 1, 2023

Matthew Salzano has been yearning and fighting for social justice most of his life – from his days as a closeted gay youth attending an evangelical Christian School in his home state of Washington, to college and beyond. Today, he has a job at Stony Brook that exemplifies everything he and the University s Matthew Salzano.

Meet Matthew

Caucasian man with facial hair and dress shirt seated, holding a pencil and working on architectural drawing on a desk

Thomas DiBenedetto

Mechanical Engineer, Campus Planning, Design, and Construction

Start Date: May 22, 2023

Thomas DiBenedetto grew up watching Judge Judy with his mom, leading him to want to be a lawyer when he really grew up. But his first physics class in 10th grade – and “a law class I couldn’t stand in college” – changed everything.

Meet Thomas

Asian man with facial hair and glasses, wearing a white medical coat with shirt and bowtie underneath and a stethoscope around his neck (Andrew) standing and smiling 

Andrew Yang

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health

Start Date: July 3, 2023

Every morning, Dr. Andrew Yang starts his workday with a 6 am alarm and a tasty homemade breakfast.

Meet Andrew

Young white man on the left with glasses, short dark brown hair and facial hair, wearing a short sleeved collared shirt, crossing his arms and smiling (Seth), next to a young caucasian woman with long dark brown hair wearing a black blouse and smiling (Rachael)

Rachael Eyler and Seth Vessa

Division of Student Affairs

Start Dates: July 24 and July 10 (respectively), 2023

Starting within two weeks of each other in July, Rachael Eyler and Seth Vessa are offering fresh new energy and perspectives to the Division of Student Affairs in their marketing and communications roles.

Meet Rachael and Seth

Young white woman with long dark brown hair (Danielle) wearing a flowery black blouse and smiling behind a desk with flowers and in front of a wall saying Stony Brook University College of Arts and Sciences

Danielle Belmonte

Communication Coordinator, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)

Start Date: March 6, 2023

Danielle Belmonte is all about working hard, growing, learning and striving. “I like to hit the ground running, always be busy, and I want to be challenged.”

Meet Danielle

Two white men -- one with light brown hair (Evan Tousey, on left) wearing a suit jacket and shirt, the other with very short black hair and a shortsleeved collared shirt (Eric Brodsky), smiling and leaning on a computer table

Eric Brodsky and Evan Tousey

School of Communication and Journalism (SoCJ) / Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

Start Dates: January 4 and March 15 (respectively), 2023

The School of Communication and Journalism is quickly evolving, and two new team members – Eric Brodsky and Evan Tousey – are here to help it flourish.

Meet Evan and Eric

Mostly bald caucasian man with slight facial hair, wearing a blue suit, red tie and white shirt, leaning on the 'A' sculpture outside of the Admin Building, with another white male with a crew cut and facial hair and wearing a suit crouching inside the opening of the letter 'A' on his right

Richard Beatty and Mark Cortez

Enrollment Management and Retention

Start Dates: September 6, 2022 and May 1, 2023 (respectively)

Working in higher education wasn’t always the plan for either Richard Beatty or Mark Cortez – at least until they each became student tour guides at their respective undergraduate institutions.

Meet Richard and Mark

White male (Brett Mauser) with sandy-light brown hair and beard in a purple collared shirt and matching tie smiling at the camera in front of his computer

Brett Mauser

Director of Communications, School of Dental Medicine

Start Date: August 24, 2022

As a native New Hampshirite with a lifelong passion for sports and a love for the Boston Red Sox, Brett Mauser never dreamt he’d relocate to New York or work in higher education.

Meet Brett

White woman with hair tied back and glasses (Catherine), smiling and wearing a pink sweater (

Catherine Sherman

Assistant Dean for University Honors Programs, Division of Undergraduate Education

Start Date: January 23, 2023

Catherine Sherman was new to Stony Brook when she became assistant dean for the Honors College, University Scholars, and the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Program in January, but her experience working in higher education spans more than 20 years.

Meet Catherine

Young white male with mostly shaved head and short beard wearing a striped short sleeve golf shirt (Vincent) on left next to a young white woman with long light brown hair, shirt and sweater (Sherie) both smiling in front of an SBU wall banner

Vincent Digiovanna & Sherie Peacock-Flohr

Budget, Financial Planning and Analysis

Start Dates: February 20, 2023 and November 29, 2022 (respectively)

Having spent most of his childhood in Suffolk County, Vincent Digiovanna felt like he was ‘coming back home’ when he got the job he’s always dreamed of at Stony Brook University. Sherie Peacock-Flohr literally traveled across the world – from Australia! – to come live and work here.

Meet Vincent and Sherie

Smiling white woman (Amy) with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a light green sweater over a white, flowery blouse, standing in front of a light green stairway background

Amy Prokop

Executive Assistant to the Dean, School of Nursing

Start Date: August 3, 2022

Once you soak in the atmosphere of Stony Brook University, you’re destined to find your way back someday. Amy Prokop is living proof of this – and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Meet Amy

Young caucasian man with short black hair and glasses wearing a blue collared shirt and folding his arms smiling (Nick)

Nicholas (‘Nick’) Amador

Employer Relations Associate, Career Center

Start Date: August 29, 2022

Like so many students, Nick Amador “had no idea” what he wanted to do when he began his college career. Four years and a Business Management degree later, he saw an opportunity that appealed to him: a chance to stay in the college environment where he felt so comfortable and help others make their best career decisions.

Meet Nick

Young blonde caucasian woman in blue blazer and blouse standing smiling in front of a Stony Brook Medicine sign on the wall (Erika)

Erika Karp

Community Relations Representative for SBUH, University and Hospital Community Relations Office

Start Date: May 2, 2022

From state-of-the-art healthcare services to top-tier education programs, SBU has so much to offer the surrounding community. Stony Brook veteran Erika Karp is now the liaison who keeps our campus connected to Long Islanders everywhere, particularly when it comes to the Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) side.

Meet Erika

Two Black women (in suit and blouse and black blouse) on either side of a young white male with a shaved head and a beard in a suit and tie, all smiling

Brady Brick, Marie-Line Lubin and Natasha McCombs

Simons STEM Scholars Program

Start Dates: October 6, 2022, January 3, 2023, and January 28, 2023 (respectively)

Avengers, assemble! Erwin Cabrera, executive director of the Simons STEM Scholars Program, has gathered what he considers the greatest group of heroes since Marvel’s dream team – his colleagues Brady Brick, Marie-Line Lubin and Natasha McCombs.

Meet Brady, Marie-Line and Natasha

Two young, dark-haired women in sweaters leaning over a stair railing and smiling at the camera (Janet and Heather)

Janet Campoverde and Heather Gates-McGee

Undergraduate College (UGC) Advisors, Department of Undergraduate Colleges

Start Dates: March 14, 2022

First-year students often need extra support while they learn how to schedule their classes, take root in the campus community, and navigate all the new experiences of Stony Brook. Luckily, they have expert college advisors ready to lend a helping hand.

Meet Janet and Heather

Caucasian man with shaved head and reddish facial hair, wearing a suit jacket and collared shirt smiling at the camera in front of a wall saying Welcome to Counseling and Psychological Services (Rob)

Robert ('Rob') Alpi

Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Student Health, Wellness & Prevention Services

Start Date: November 3, 2022

Chat with Rob Alpi and he’ll tell you, excitedly, how he’s a “big fan” of all things Stony Brook and the job he gets to do here in the new role of Marketing & Communications Coordinator for Student, Health, Wellness & Prevention Services.

Meet Rob

Woman with a hijab wearing and black jacket and black-and-white blouse smiling sitting by the computer at her desk in her office (Wesam)

Wesam Hassanin

Executive Assistant to the Provost, Office of the Provost

Start Date: July 18, 2022

If you’d like to connect with Provost Carl Lejuez, chances are you’ll start by meeting his Executive Assistant, Wesam Hassanin – and you’ll be all the better for it.

Meet Wesam

Young Indian male with dark short hair and glasses smiling with striped shirt (Krish) with long curly haired blonde white woman wearing a purple sweater (Maria) in front of a brick, glass and wood wall background

Maria Dietrich and Krish Patel

Intellectual Property Partners (IPP)

Start Dates: October 23 and November 7 (respectively), 2022

Transforming ideas into action. Leading with integrity. Committed to success. Intellectual Property Partners is all about growth and innovation, with a mission that fits right in with Stony Brook’s overall vision for the future.

Meet Maria and Krish

Causasian woman (Allison) with long brown hair, a pink blazer and white flowery blouse sitting and smiling on a couch in front of a colorful orange painting

 

Allison Parrish

Procurement Systems Analyst

Start Date: September 19, 2022

Sporting her Stony Brook red sweatshirt every Friday, lounging in her comfy SBU fleece at home,  and proudly displaying her Seawolf teddy bear in her new office space, Allison Parrish says, “I joke with my friends and family that I’ve got the most school spirit for a place I never actually attended!”

Meet Allison

Young caucasian man with short brown hair and glasses smiling standing in the SAC lobby in front of the rainbow sculpture (Peter)

Peter Lupfer

Student Success Specialist, Division of Student Affairs

Start Date: November 7, 2022

Peter Lupfer didn’t say goodbye to Stony Brook University when he graduated in the spring of 2021 – he went with “see you later.” It was hard to believe that two and a half years prior, he’d almost transferred out of the university altogether.

Meet Peter

Margret next to college of business sign

Margaret Echelbarger

Assistant Professor of Marketing, College of Business

Start Date: September 1, 2022

Margaret Echelbarger lives by three simple rules – be kind, be humble, be curious. The rest, she says, will fall into place. 

Meet Margaret