SUNY Empire Spotlight: May 2025
(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — May 28, 2025) The latest news on research efforts, awards, grants, and media appearances from Empire State University faculty, staff, and leadership.
Lauren Allen and Noor Syed—both assistant professors and the assistant director and director of CAARES, respectively—received mini-grants from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Nidal Daou, assistant professor, co-authored an article discussing positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) as related to neurodiversity-affirming practices. The article was published in the spring 2025 edition of the International Journal of Positive Behavioural Support.
Pamela Doran, digital accessibility coordinator, received an Innovative Instruction Technology Grant (IITG) for her proposal titled “Custom Machine Translation to Support Spanish-Language Higher Education Programs.”
Desiree Drindak, director of the Veteran and Military Resource Center, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Foreverly House by the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition. The Foreverly House is a transitional home for veteran mothers and their children who are experiencing homelessness.
Cailyn Green, assistant professor, and Thalia MacMillan, associate professor and department chair for Health & Human Services, recently published a textbook titled “Evidence-Based Substance Use Treatment.”
Himanee Gupta, professor, was featured on an episode of Radio Catskill, which focused on community sustainability.
Thomas Mackey, professor and program coordinator for the digital media arts program, organized a presentation by Michele Zizza on “Disinformation, Digitization, and Destabilization,” which provided a glimpse into the contents of Zizza’s new book. Zizza’s presentation, hosted by the Center for International Education, analyzed the effects of fake news on international politics in today’s global digital era, as well as strategies for strengthening the integrity of information.
Pamela Malone, strategic improvement lead and UUP Empire State chapter president, received the Judith Wishnia Award at last month’s United University Professions’ Delegate Assembly. According to UUP, the award “recognizes UUP members who have rendered exceptional service (beyond standard union work) and who have advocated tirelessly for UUP, labor, equity, and humanity.” Malone was also selected to join the statewide team for the next round of UUP’s contract negotiations with New York state.
Aley O’Mara, CAARES program associate and training coordinator, was quoted in a WHAM article about an interactive theater game hosted by CAARES.
Shaun Richman, program director for the School of Arts & Humanities, appeared on an episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his new book, “We Always Had a Union: The New York Hotel Workers’ Union, 1912-1953.”
Jason Russell, professor, spoke about President Trump’s impact on Canada’s election results and tariffs on Talk of the Town.
Heather Shalhoub—librarian and coordinator for web services, user experience, and systems—was the keynote speaker at the 2025 Arab American Heritage Month event hosted by the Office of the State Comptroller’s Division of Diversity Management. “This was the first time the office celebrated Arab American Heritage Month, and it was an honor to be invited and to represent my heritage, culture, and family,” she says.
Gayle Stever, professor, has co-authored a second-edition textbook titled “Understanding Media Psychology,” which will be published in July. Her co-authors include J. David Cohen, an adjunct instructor. Stever was also recently quoted in articles about celebrities by Cosmopolitan and Yahoo Entertainment.
Victoria Vernon, associate professor, contributed as one of eight experts to a recently published U.S. Government Accountability report titled “Telework: Private Sector Stakeholders and Expert Views.”
President Lisa Vollendorf was honored as one of six recipients of the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce’s Women of Excellence Award in a May 9 ceremony. She was also named to City & State’s annual Trailblazers in Higher Education list for the second consecutive year.
Melissa Wells—assistant professor and director of teaching, learning, and faculty development—had her article, “Enhancing Faculty Integration: The Role of Structured Onboarding, Peer Mentorship, and Belonging,” accepted for publication by The Journal of Continuing Higher Education.