Full-time Faculty 

Dr. Mónica Byrne-Jiménez, Associate Professor, earned her B.A. in Latin American Studies from Columbia University, an M.A. in Educational Studies from the University of Michigan, and an Ed.D. in Education Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University. Before joining the faculty, she worked in a number of urban settings, including as a K-6 bilingual teacher, Even Start coordinator, literacy instructional specialist, and as a trainer for the Accelerated Schools Center in New York City.  Her scholarly interests are in leadership development among principals and early career superintendents, the role of ethnicity/identity in leadership, professional development as a vehicle for school improvement, and the role of facilitators in fostering adult learning. She is co-author of Developing Effective Principals Through Collaborative Inquiry (Teachers College Press).

Dr. Catherine DiMartino, Assistant Professor, received her B.A. in Anthropology from Haverford College, an M.A. in Social Studies Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Education Leadership from New York University. Her dissertation, entitled: Public-Private Partnerships and the Small Schools Movement: A New Form of Education Management, won the 2008-2009 Politics of Education Associations’ Outstanding Dissertation Award.  Prior to joining the Hofstra community, she taught middle and high school social studies, had a fellowship at the Educational Testing Service and, most recently, worked for the RAND Corporation. At RAND, her projects included evaluations of New York City's promotion policy and New York City’s Schoolwide Bonus Performance Program. Her current research focuses on the politics of public-private partnerships, the implications of marketization and privatization for school leaders and the role of foundations in public education.  Most recently, her work appeared in the Peabody Journal of Education and Teachers College Record.

Dr. Jonathan David Lightfoot, Associate Professor, graduated from Cornell University with an A.B. in Economics and African and African American Studies. He then spent a number of years trying to connect his academic interests to the “real world” of corporate and entrepreneurial pursuits. Upon realizing that his message of participatory economics which promotes a classless society, human rights, and elimination of oppression via social justice did not mesh well with competitive market driven American economics, he decided to return to school for graduate study. His first stop was the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University to pick up an Ed.M. in Educational Leadership. He put his new degree to work at the City Colleges of Chicago where he ultimately became Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Services for the 160,000 student district. Academia eventually called and Dr. Lightfoot responded, eager to apply his Ph.D. in Policy Studies from the University of Illinois Chicago. His research interests include antiracist and anti-oppressive school leadership preparation, critical analysis of legal issues in education and their impact on policy, and foundations in education.  

Dr. Karen Osterman, Professor, received her B.A. in sociology and behavioral sciences from Emmanuel College, an MPIA in economic and social development at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy from Washington University. Her teaching and research focus broadly on motivation in a social context with particular emphasis on organizational structures and processes that affect the workplace behavior of adults and students. Areas of interest include the use of reflective practice for professional development and organizational change, interpersonal and group communication, and student violence.

Dr. Eustace Thompson, Associate Professor, earned his B.A. from the City College of New York in political science and secondary education, M.S. from Long Island University in social science, and M.A. and Ph.D. from New York University in Educational Administration.  Prior to his faculty appointment, he had 37 years of experience in urban and suburban public schools settings and held the positions of Deputy Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, H.S. Principal, and M.S. Principal.  He is a certified curriculum auditor and walk-through supervision trainer.  His special interests include curriculum development and organizational leadership.  He contributed to over ten publications of Program Evaluation Audits in such diverse areas as Fort Bend, Texas, Oakland and Compton, California, and Baltimore, Maryland.  His scholarly interests are in the areas of institutional racism and male subpopulation academic achievement.

 

Part-time Faculty

Catherine Trapani, Instructor

Dr. John Richman, Adjunct Professor