Staff Appreciation Honorees Breakfast

Staff Appreciation / Honorees 2017

45 Years

Helen Slevin

A longtime and quintessential New Yorker, Helen Slevin came to work at Brooklyn College in 1972 when a friend of hers recommended her to the security director. The department needed another worker in the small Security Office, and Helen was looking for a part-time job while her daughter was in school. And while she got lost on the drive in from Queens (and almost turned back to go home), she found the college, had a good interview, and was hired. Helen began as a "girl Friday," supplementing the secretary who was the only other office staff member. Through the years, she has become the go-to person for department purchasing, processing, and time-keeping for part-time department employees. While she has seen a lot of changes and expansions both at the college and in the Department of Public Safety, Helen says that the wonderful people of the Department are what have kept her here. She was active and loved to swim and travel, and she still travels to other countries on occasion with her daughter. The department values Helen's continued employment, and we are glad that she was not deterred when she got lost coming for her interview 45 years ago.

35 Years

Stephen Bailey

Stephen Bailey has been the lighting director at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts since 1981. Stephen designed and manages the state-of-the-art stage lighting systems in the center. He was on the design team for the new lighting and staging systems for the Tow Center, and he looks forward to working in this new facility. He has had the honor of working with some great performing talents, such as Tony Bennett, Pearl Bailey, Art Garfunkel, Itzhak Perlman, and Alvin Ailey Dance, while also having supported the thousands of college and community events and college departmental productions, helping all the great and beginning artists realize their visions.

Anthony Stergianopoulos

Tony Stergianopoulos is a longtime member of ITS whose career has spanned virtually the entire evolution of modern computing. Tony began his work in computer operations, tending to the needs of a huge room-filling IBM mainframe and continued to adapt to the changing technology that ITS manages. Today, Tony is one of the senior staffers in the Network Support Group, with expertise in managing sophisticated and complex network infrastructure. As the right-hand associate of Network Manager David Best, he has primary responsibility for managing and documenting the thousands of campus network ports, building and maintaining scores of network servers, and continually troubleshooting complex flows of data around the campus and out to the Internet.

30 Years

Jaclyn Smerling

Jaclyn Smerling was hired as a part-time college assistant in the Office of the Registrar in 1983 to help manage the fall enrollment. Jackie quickly proved her value and was hired in a full-time capacity shortly afterward. At that time, the office was known as the Office of Student Records, and Brooklyn was the only CUNY campus that was using a computer system to process enrollment. Jackie worked in every capacity in the Registrar's Office between 1983 and 2006, when she moved to the Department of Theater, where she has been ever since, keeping everything on track and moving smoothly. Her institutional knowledge of the campus is unrivaled by anyone else in the department. She insures that the department is able to keep its operations in top-notch form. Jackie is a Brooklyn native who grew up in Gravesend and moved to Sheepshead Bay when she married her husband, Steven. She has a married daughter and two grandsons.

Nancy J. Tinevra

Nancy Tinevra has truly been a loyal Brooklyn College citizen for 30 years. In 1998, Nancy worked as an assistant to the director of specialized programs and was being groomed to take over the leadership of the office. In developing a partnership program with the University of Puerto Rico, Nancy was instrumental in organizing all the logistics, from advertising the offerings to teachers, to setting up housing and classroom space on the UPR campus, to travel arrangements. Over the years, Nancy created strong relationships with the local unions in her offerings of additional certifications to advance their teaching options. She offered NYSED-mandated workshops on weekends for students who worked and took courses at night. Nancy has always been student-centered and committed to her work.

25 Years

Steven Alliano

The Brooklyn College campus is often described as one of the most beautiful in the country. This is in large part due to Steven Alliano. He holds the title of principal park supervisor and has responsibility for the laborers who maintain the campus grounds. For 25 years, Steven has dedicated himself to making sure that every aspect of the grounds is maintained. He is known for his outstanding multitasking skills while supervising his staff. In the spring, Steven is planting flowers and cutting grass; in the fall, he is picking up the tree leaves and trimming shrubs; in the winter, he’s behind the snowplow, clearing paths for people to walk. He is passionate about keeping the campus in shape for faculty, staff, students, and the many visitors who come from all around the world. To top it off, Steven is a great leader!

Teresa Alston

Teresa Alston is a proud Brooklyn College alumna, earning her bachelor’s degree in studio art in 1989. She is an integral part of the Performing Arts Center, and over the past 25 years her professionalism and courteous manner have made Teresa indispensable to the Box Office as well as a customer favorite. She is a vital member of the Box Office family and has had a profound influence on our student staff throughout the years. Teresa is very devoted to her family as well as a longtime member of the Sanctuary Gospel Choir.

David Hall

David Hall is a custodial assistant who has worked at the college for 25 years. Numerous faculty members seek David out and request that he be assigned to their classrooms, not only for his commitment to get the job done in an efficient and timely manner but for his great smile and positive attitude. David helped to improve and implement a program to properly disinfect and clean facilities across the campus. He always provides support to his team and never refuses to help a co-worker or his supervisor.

Cynthia Hunter

Lieutenant Cynthia Hunter came to Brooklyn College in 1992 and was in the first class of sergeants in the then University Initiative (which paved the way for the current Department of Public Safety). Prior to that, she worked at Merrill Lynch as a corporate security manager. Lt. Hunter is an alumna of John Jay College. Cynthia was promoted to security specialist in 1998 and then to lieutenant in 2000. While working at Brooklyn College, Cynthia has served on the bike patrol unit and was responsible for selection and oversight of the officers in that unit. Additionally, for several years, she oversaw the college fire alarm system and scheduled and ran the fire drills. Currently, Cynthia heads up the sexual assault/harassment team, which does intake and follow-up on reports by students, in addition to being the go-to person for the Clery Report. Cynthia enjoys bike riding, music, traveling, and spending time with her family—especially her nephew Blake. She also loves the Yankees, win or lose, and, in her own words, makes "the best strawberry shortcake in the universe!"

Verna Kinlock

Verna Kinlock has worked in the Office of Purchasing and Contracting for more than 25 years. Verna is known as "the fixer" because of her in-depth knowledge of the procurement reports associated with CUNYfirst. If there is an issue that needs to be resolved, Verna gets to the bottom of it. She is meticulous and detail oriented, and she has the skill to work out complex issues with vendors. Verna makes sense out of complicated problems, thus enabling end users to better comprehend the procurement process. Verna is health conscious and likes various types of organic food, particularly fruits, vegetables, and nuts. You can always spot Verna eating a very colorful, healthy lunch or drinking a nutritious homemade smoothie. Her religion is of great importance to her, and she takes her worship very seriously. As part of her service, Verna has traveled to Moldova and Ukraine and is fluent in Russian.

Denise Pucci

Denise Pucci has been the office manager for the Psychology Department since 2007. Denise supervises five other administrative and secretarial staff members plus a CLT, keeping everyone organized and the department running smoothly. Officially we are the Psychology Department, but affectionately and appropriately we are known across campus as "Denise's Department." In spite of her serious exterior, we all know that Denise has our backs and will come through in a pinch. On one occasion, her protection of us involved doing battle with the operator of a very loud machine that was disturbing the office and all the classes on the fifth floor of James Hall. Denise made sure he understood that the educational mission of the college required him to run the machine at another time when classes were not being held. We rely on her to organize department festivities, and they always draw compliments. She even has found a way to keep us on time for these events: If you arrive late, you're sure to miss out on her goat cheese and olive spread. Denise also loves to travel—provided she doesn’t have to be on an airplane too long.

Carlton Sutton

Officer Carlton Sutton immigrated to the United States from Jamaica in the 1970s. He attended Erasmus High School and then Brooklyn College. Carlton began his employment as a contract security guard at Brooklyn College, then became a campus security assistant and finally a campus peace officer. He received an honor for saving a life and for being a member of the elite bicycle patrol unit. Carlton is a fun-loving person who enjoys dancing and working special details. Several of his passions are sports, collecting watches, traveling, and spending time with his family—his wife, Anita; their three children, Kendra, Ryan (a Brooklyn College student), and Brian (a college campus security officer); and five grandchildren. Upon retirement, Carlton would like to take a cross-country road trip.

John Vetter

John Vetter has been the ticket services manager for almost all of his 25 years at Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts. Each year he oversees the selling of more than 55,000 tickets to at least 70 events held at the center. John has worked hard during his tenure to keep up with trends in the box office industry as well as providing excellent customer service to the patrons of the center. John has also been very vocal in bringing awareness to Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, inspired by his goddaughter Charleigh Jolene, who sets an example for all of us with her courage and bright smile as she lives with this congenital condition. Walking on the boardwalk with CJ is one of the joys of John’s life in the Rockaways.

Magalie Voltaire-Moyen

Magalie Voltaire-Moyen began working for the Performing Arts Center at Brooklyn College as a theater usher. Now, as a performance manager, Magalie is the friendly face out front working to make sure patrons have an enjoyable theatrical experience and that performances run smoothly. Her dedication and wit have made her a valuable asset to the center. Her grace and charm continue to be a light that encourages and inspires both the staff and patrons.

Donald Wenz

Chief Wenz came to Brooklyn College in 1992 and became the director of public safety in 1993 after a stellar career with the New York City Police Department, where he served for 22 years and rose through the ranks, retiring as a captain and the commanding officer of the Citywide Community Affairs Division. Prior to his NYPD career, Don was in the Navy, serving on submarines. Don has a great ability to view, assess, and address critical situations quickly. He takes a thoughtful approach and has a keen insight to problems. He will not put his officers at undue risk, and always tries to de-escalate situations rather than inflame them. Don has provided strong leadership and gives his staff an opportunity to voice their opinions and to develop and utilize their skills. He is a dedicated law enforcement professional who cares about the men and women of the department and members the campus community. Don and his wife, Marilyn, have three grown children and five grandchildren. He loves to travel (cruising to be exact), and he and his wife love their dogs. The Department of Public Safety and Brooklyn College have benefited from Don's tenure here, and he has made a positive impact during his years of service.

20 Years

Virginia Alonso-Rainsford

As associate director of alumni affairs, Virginia Alonso-Rainsford serves as a resource to alumni and manages many complex programs for the office and the Brooklyn College Alumni Association. Virginia is currently working on the BCAA Student Awards and makes sure to meet honorees in person before the event to congratulate and prepare them. Through her 20 years at Brooklyn College, Virginia has held several positions, collaborated with myriad departments, and become a respected fixture on campus, made evident by the number of diverse students, alumni, and colleagues who visit her for support and guidance.

Christopher Anderson

For the past 20 years, Chris Anderson has been one of the most dedicated officers in the Public Safety Department. His reliability and positive attitude make him the number-one choice for special assignments. Chris works hard and makes sure that the job gets done. His great sense of humor and flexibility make him well liked among his co-workers and the campus community. He is always there when you need him and goes out of his way to help when and where he can. He enjoys bike riding, spending time with his nephew, and watching him play football. We wish Chris the best in the years to come!

Michelle Bugett-Brooks

Michelle Bugett-Brooks has worked in the Office of Purchasing and Contracting for almost 21 years. She is like a traffic cop for the office, reviewing every requisition that enters the procurement workflow (more than 1,700 for this fiscal year alone) and ensuring that each requisition is assigned appropriately. Michelle's enviable patience is displayed in her daily dealings with the members of the campus community. She listens attentively and assists everyone with questions about their pending procurements. She is a team player who is very supportive to the members of the procurement team. She is always willing to offer a smile full of dimples at just the right time. Michelle is a devoted mother who enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and close friends.

Lisa DeStefano

Lisa DeStefano is the liaison for CUNYfirst and business application security access. Previously, she was in charge of the Office of Financial Reporting. Lisa has worked for the associate vice president of budget and planning–chief financial officer, Alan Gilbert, for 12.5 years. When she interviewed for a college assistant position in November 1994, the deciding factor that distinguished her from the other equally qualified applicants was that she listened to heavy metal music. To clarify, it was really her husband who used to listen to it, but Lisa would listen with him.

Jacqueline Galang

Jacqueline Galang is the director of the Fiscal Business Services Center. She oversees the Office of Accounts Payable as well as the Non-Tax Levy Human Resources functions. Jackie has reported to Associate Vice President of Budget and Planning–Chief Financial Officer Alan Gilbert for 12.5 years. Her alternative career choice was being a pastry chef. She is well known for her mixed fruit ambrosia, carrot cake, coconut fruit salad, and Pad Thai. According to fellow colleague Lisa DeStefano, "she is an amazing baker and overall good cook!"

Jennifer Gitto

Jennifer Gitto works with departments to help distribute scholarships and awards, from the beginning of the application process all the way to the selection of finalists. She is extremely meticulous in her approach, looking at data and processes from multiple angles to achieve comprehensive and informed decisions. She is dedicated to a fault and serves as a pillar of confidence to all around her. If you ask Jennifer a question, you will always get an answer. Her diligence and fearlessness to tackle anything make her an all-around superstar. Her co-workers also benefit from her craft skills—jeweled spiders, knitted scarves, and experiments with biscotti. Jennifer loves theater, show tunes, and learning new things.

Oliver Greenwood

Oliver Greenwood has worked in the Office of Mailing Services for 20 years. A hard worker with a great personality, Oliver goes above and beyond his duties to help the members of the campus community and his office colleagues. He is responsible for deliveries on campus, to the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, and to several CUNY locations. He is known for his cooking skills, famous for his Jamaican jerk recipes, including jerk chicken, jerk pork, and jerk salmon. He also makes other popular Jamaican dishes, such as oxtail, stewed chicken, and soup, for his friends on campus. Outside of work, Oliver likes helping others and spending time with his family.

Bukurie Iljazi

Bukurie Iljazi—"Rita" to her colleagues—began working at the college on June 7, 1997, in the Adult Degree Programs Office. In 1998, Rita worked on two lines, one as part of the CAASS team and one with Continuing Education. In 1999, she joined CAASS full time. We were fortunate to have such a dedicated and hardworking colleague join our team. Over her 20 years of service at the college, Rita has progressively taken on more responsibility and is now the office manager. She feels a deep loyalty and responsibility to the office and the students she serves, which is apparent in the work she does each day. Receiving students with a warm welcome, assisting advisers on their projects, and diffusing student interactions that might otherwise escalate are all signature strengths of hers. Rita has a calm confidence that guides her work. She has done what is often so difficult for others to accomplish—maintained a balance between being well respected and well liked.

Nicholas Irons

Few are the faculty at Brooklyn College who do not know or have not met Nick Irons. Many are the faculty who seek him out for his knowledge and technical skills. Nick is manager of the Faculty Training and Development Lab, where faculty and staff come for both instruction and technical assistance. In addition to his role as manager, Nick serves as a key member of the Academic Information Technologies (AIT) Department within the library, the group that guides digitally based instruction. Over the years, he has been invited to join numerous college-wide committees. Nick's devotion to the welfare of the faculty and staff does not stop at Bedford Avenue. As an active member of PSC-CUNY, Nick has worked tirelessly to improve the life and working conditions of all employees. Twenty years ago, before Nick was hired, interviews were not going well for the selection committee. None of the candidates came close to meeting our needs, and we considered reopening the search. Then we interviewed Nick. When we finished the interview and Nick left the room, Barbra Higginbotham, the executive director of AIT at the time, smiled at the committee, glanced upward, and said, "Thank you, God." To which we can add, "Thank you, Nick."

Kennie Julien

Kennie Julien has been a pillar of the ITS Help Desk for decades. He started as a part-time assistant and steadily gained the expertise to become an expert technician, even as the technology he supported raced rapidly into the future. But Kennie's value is not just in his technical capabilities. He is beloved by campus users and by his peers for his calm, can-do demeanor and for his devotion to helping his customers solve their problems. He is the go-to guy for challenging and stress-inducing IT set-ups for major events such as registration, transfer evaluation day, and open houses. Users seek his competent assistance, knowing he will always go the extra mile to make sure they get what they need. Kennie may be a quiet unassuming person, but his accomplishments are anything but.

Lavada Lawton

Lavada Lawton started her tenure at Brooklyn College in the Anthropology and Archaeology Department in December 1996 as a CUNY office assistant. She was able to move up to take the CUNY administrative assistant position in the Department of Chemistry in 2007. Today, she works in the Office of the Registrar as the administrative assistant for the registrar where, among other responsibilities, she assists with general inquiries from students. This is a perfect position for her, providing her the opportunity to help others and take pride in her work.

Sherita Levy-Thompson

Sherita Levy-Thompson has worked at the college for 20 years. Sherita is soft spoken and remains calm even during some of the most pressure-filled moments in the office. She is extremely focused and becomes engrossed in projects until their completion. She analyzes issues related to procurements and knows the right questions to ask end users to assist in the resolution of these issues. As a problem solver, Sherita helps the members of the team within the Office of Purchasing and Contracting. She also likes spending time with her family, especially her teenage children. Sherita is an exceptional baker and makes the most amazing banana bread.

Mo Ching Li

Mo Ching Li has had the complex task of managing the huge inventory of campus computers and software licenses for decades. Her drive and her desire to maintain an accurate picture of this infrastructure have made her someone who can be counted on with little oversight to do what it takes to get the job done. She deals with end users, CUNY, Property Management, ITS Procurement, and many other offices to ensure that the flow of millions of dollars of new infrastructure is accounted for, tagged, inventoried, and distributed. It’s a thankless job at which she excels and for which she is very much appreciated.

Julie Long

Julie Long is the chief librarian's administrative assistant. She spends most of her time managing the library business office. She is the mainstay of the office and a dedicated and helpful voice for the library. Julie is a native of Brooklyn and attended school in the Midwood neighborhood. She enjoys the support of a loving family and working with all the staff and faculty at Brooklyn College.

Rosemary Morgan

Rosemary Morgan has worked in the Serials Unit of the library's Technical Services Division since 1996. She is the master bookkeeper and is responsible for all financial functions of the Serials Unit (journals and annuals), including the extremely complicated serials invoicing. The work demands a comprehensive knowledge of the maddeningly obtuse serials publishing system. Rosemary also troubleshoots and resolves vendor-related issues. She is more than diligent in questioning discounts, invoice discrepancies, and all manner of vendor malfeasance. On a daily basis, Rosemary makes an invaluable contribution to the orderly workflow and efficient processing of the unit. If Rosemary ever retires (and we hope that day never comes), the entire division will have to trudge over to her house on St. Patrick's Day in order to partake of her heavenly Irish soda bread!

Annette Nesbit

Annette Nesbit is a dedicated professional with more than 20 years of administrative experience in higher education. While serving the SEEK Program as an administrative assistant, Annette was also given various opportunities to utilize her skills, serving as an adjunct lecturer and an adviser to students on their journey to academic success. As an adjunct lecturer, she enjoyed helping students overcome their fear of mathematics, and, although she no longer teaches, she still receives positive feedback from former students who call or drop by to visit and thank her for helping them. Annette holds a B.B.A. in business management and an M.S. in math education. Annette has two sons who grew up during her service to the SEEK Program. Her oldest, Antoine, worked as a math tutor in the SEEK Pre-Freshman Summer Program, and her younger son, Davone, enjoyed sitting by the lily pond watching the turtles and fish. Annette enjoys taking trips and participating in family events.

Debra Quashie

Debra Quashie has worked in Human Resources for 20 years. She serves as the deputy director and is responsible for managing the day-to-day operation. In addition to attending Brooklyn College to obtain her advanced degree in psychology and human relations, Debra focused on the instructional (faculty) side of HR. Over the years she has quietly and gracefully worked in every area of the department to become an expert in all HR matters. She believes strongly in training and development of all staff. Debra's priority is providing the best service possible to college community. She goes above and beyond to ensure that the job has been done right and on time, and that the information given out from HR is accurate. Debra serves as a role model to staff and students looking at HR as a career option. She is an avid gardener, which is why she only eats green leaves and never gets sick! She is a runner and a health advocate who tries to get everyone in the department (and college) healthy and in shape.

Alexandre Rotkop

Alex Rotkop is both a real-life grandfather and the grandfather of the college's enormously successful efforts to create an online campus. Hired initially to create SALI and WebGrade, the subsequent online tools he and his staff have created have empowered students, faculty, and staff for decades to transact their business online, vastly improving the speed, accuracy, and ease of getting things done. His pioneering efforts created the template for customer-driven automation that works to make users happy, while also helping service offices streamline their operations. Alex's efforts have made Brooklyn College the unquestioned leader of implementing such processes within CUNY and have led to virtually every CUNY campus implementing tools that the college has created. His calm management style over his greatly expanded development group has engendered great loyalty and a synergy of new ideas that help the campus in so many ways. Alex is truly one of the founding fathers of the environment that we depend on today.

Lynda Sobieski

Lynda Sobieski is an impressive woman who merits celebration by Brooklyn College. As the HR manager for Classified Operations, Lynda spends much of her time navigating the dark and scary labyrinth that is CUNY's civil service rules and policies (an assignment Indiana Jones himself would reject), seeking to get the best results for the college and its classified staff. Maneuvering that maze is enough reason for praise, but Lynda brings much more to the table. She is a model of compassion and honesty when helping employees deal with various problems in their work and/or personal lives. And she is a computer genius—the go-to person in 1219 Boylan Hall for those of us who are not as technologically savvy. She is invariably happy and ready to help, and almost never makes fun of how silly most of the questions are. Brooklyn College is well served by her impressive skill set and dedication.

Staff Appreciation Day Committee

Renita W. Simmons, Office of Human Resource Services
Juliet L. Manragh, Office of Human Resource Services
Lynda Sobieski, Office of Human Resource Services