SUNY Empire Spotlight: February 2026
The latest news on research efforts, awards, grants, and media appearances from Empire State University faculty, staff, and leadership.
Lauren Allen, assistant professor and assistant director of CAARES, led a training session on inclusive event descriptions designed to make everyone feel welcome at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.
Veronica Barrios, associate professor, gave an invited talk at the University of Central Florida’s Counseling Conference.
Zeeva Bukai, assistant director of writing support, won the National Jewish Book Awards Goldberg Prize for Debut Fiction for her novel, “The Anatomy of Exile.” Published in 2025, the book was also recently reviewed by Jewish Journal.
Herbert Covington, assistant professor, co-authored a paper accepted for publication by Psychopharmacology.
Pam Doran, digital accessibility coordinator, presented at a Hispanic Education Technology Services (HETS) event, where she earned a “best student presentation” commendation.
Brian Frederick, assistant professor, co-authored a report titled “Young, Queer, and Away from Home: Understanding the Experiences & Needs of LGBTIQ+ Children Going Missing or Living Away from Home.”
Xiomara Giordano, assistant vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion and chief diversity officer, has been named to the 2026 Fellowship Class for SUNY Leadership Institutes.
Cailyn Green, assistant professor, and student Amile Cominotti had an article accepted for publication by the Journal of Substance Use.
Jolie Kennedy, assistant professor, and Director of Opportunity Programs Diana Centanni were selected to keynote the Pedagogy Track at the SUNY Online Summit. The presentation, titled “Year 2036: Co-Creating Sociotechnical Imaginaries Towards Designing Openness into Online Teaching and Learning for Equity-Embedded Digital Spaces,” will explore radical openness and equity-centered design, challenging educators to co-create inclusive, learner-centered spaces that empower students as agents of change. To request a copy of the abstract, contact jolie.kennedy@sunyempire.edu or diana.centanni@sunyempire.edu.
Mindy Kronenberg, visiting assistant professor, wrote a poem included in an ICE anthology, dedicated to the victims of violence in Minneapolis and elsewhere. The anthology was published by Moonstone Arts Center in Philadelphia.
George Lopez, assistant director of opportunity programs, attended the NASPA Certified Peer Educator (CPE) Training Institute with internship coordinator Asia Moore and academic advisor Madison Townley, as well as four SUNY Empire students. Staff completed the CPE training, and students participated in workshops focused on peer leadership, facilitation skills, and student engagement.
Ian Reifowitz, SUNY distinguished professor, appeared on France24 to discuss the political implications of the Epstein files. He was also a guest on Politics Done Right with Egberto Willies to talk about his recent book, “Riling up the Base: Examining Trump’s Use of Stereotypes through an Interdisciplinary Lens.”
Gayle Stever, professor, was quoted in articles by Byrdie, NBC, and New York magazine.
Lisa Unangst, assistant professor, and Associate Professor Ali Ait Si Mhamed co-authored a paper that has been accepted for presentation by the sixth edition of the Future of Higher Education—Bologna Process Researchers’ Conference (funded in part by UNESCO).