Staff

Anita Ellis is the director of the Office of Student Leadership and Activities and assistant to the Dean of Students. She is originally from Staten Island, New York, and attended Hofstra University, where she received both a B.A. in creative studies and an M.S. in counseling. Anita became a freshman in 1983 and started working full time in 1990. In 1997, she established the James W. Ellis Scholarship in honor of her father who passed away from cancer. The endowed scholarship helps Hofstra students who have had cancer touch their lives. Anita also serves on the board of directors for the Francis J. Logan Foundation, a program that sends kids to camp who have parents with chemical dependency or HIV/AIDS. She enjoys yoga and walking during her free time.

“You can see beauty in all things.”

Kimberly Rhyan is one of the assistant directors in the office. She attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University and received her B.F.A. in 2000. She finished her M.A. in creative art therapy from Hofstra University in the spring of 2006. Before moving to New York for graduate school, she served with Americorps in Ohio for two years at an after-school art program. She was also an intern for the Ohio Arts Council's "Individual Artist Program." As a graduate assistant for the Office of Student Leadership and Activities, she advised NEXUS, the University’s yearbook, and planned special programming for the Office of Student Leadership and Activities. Kim is an artist/painter and enjoys being close to Manhattan’s museums and galleries.

“Who, being loved, is poor?”
–Oscar Wilde

Anna Arena is the senior assistant to the Office of Student Leadership and Activities. She was born in Brooklyn and has lived in Bellmore, New York, for 30 years. Anna has worked for Hofstra University for 22 years. She worked for the Health Center for 16 years and is now going on her seventh year with Student Leadership and Activities. Her primary responsibilities for Student Leadership and Activities is overseeing the director's appointment book, maintaining calendar and schedules for the director, and supervising graduate students and student aides. She is also responsible for staffing the Game Room, as well as ordering supplies for the undergraduate clubs on campus. Her department responsibilities are unending. She also participates in departmental functions and University events. In her free time, Anna enjoys playing tennis, Mah Jongg, cooking, gardening, crafts, traveling and shopping. Most of all, she likes to spend time with family and friends.

“The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love."
–Hubert Humphrey

Pamela Orefice originally from Valley Stream, New York, and now a 25-year resident of West Islip, has been employed at Hofstra University for the past 10 years. She worked for two years for the School of Education in the STEP/CSTEP Program under the direction of Deanna Hunter. She has been working for the past eight years as the senior assistant to Director of Student Leadership and Activities Anita Ellis. Her responsibilities include Student Government Association (SGA) bookkeeper, and working directly with the SGA comptroller and president. As SGA bookkeeper, she works closely with the student clubs and organizations with regard to their budgets. This includes purchasing, contracts and check requests. She is also responsible for the graduate clubs and Student Leadership and Activities Office's budgets. Her hobbies and interests include travel, music, reading and scrapbooking.

"Bloom where you're planted."
–Mary Englebreit