Faculty

Meet the Director

Corinne Kyriacou, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Associate Professor of Health Professions and Director of the M.S. in Community Health and Master of Public Health, Hofstra University
Phone: 516-463-4553
Email | Bio

Full-time Faculty

Julie Agris, Ph.D., J.D., L.L.M.
Assistant Professor of Health Professions and Director of the Master of Health Administration Program, Hofstra University; Assistant Professor, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine at Hofstra University

Julie Agris joined Hofstra University in the Summer of 2011 as an Assistant Professor and Program Director of the Master of Health Administration Program. Dr. Agris teaches Health Law and Ethics in addition to Health Policy and Legislation in the Master of Health Administration Program. In addition, she is an Assistant Professor at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and Co-lead of their Continuum of Care Curriculum Design Team. Prior to her current appointment at Hofstra, Dr. Agris served as Corporate Compliance Director and Privacy Officer of the North Shore-LIJ Health System ("Health System"). She served in this capacity for the North Shore University Hospital, Long Island Jewish Hospital, Cohen Children's Hospital and Zucker Hillside Hospital. Dr. Agris has published and presented in the areas of health, law and policy and brings broad experience in these areas to Hofstra University.

Estelle Weinstein, Ph.D.
Professor of Health Studies and Kinesiology, Hofstra University

During her years of service to the university, Dr. Weinstein has had program and course development, implementation and teaching responsibilities in several graduate programs including health education, health administration, community health, counseling and marriage and family therapy. Over the course of her teaching career she has received several awards including: Hofstra University's Graduate and Evening Students Faculty of the Year; Hofstra University's Stessin Prize for Outstanding Faculty Scholarship; AAHPERD, EDA Outstanding Professional of the Year; and NYSFPHED's Distinguished Service Award for a Professional.

Dr. Weinstein's research interests span the disciplines of human sexuality, health education, health administration, and sexual issues in family therapy. In addition to a considerable record of published journal articles and professional presentations at the national, regional and local levels, she has co-authored several textbooks and chapters in edited texts.

Part-time Faculty

Andrew Herman
Adjunct Instructor of Health Studies and Kinesiology and
Director of M.S. in Health Education, Hofstra University

Professor Herman is the Director of the Graduate Health Education program and an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Health Studies and Kinesiology. He spent 34 years working as a physical educator, health educator and District Director of Health, Physical Education, Athletics and Health Services in NYC and two districts on Long Island. He taught as an adjunct for eleven years at Hofstra University, and following his retirement was appointed as the Director of Graduate Health Education.

Professor Herman has given workshops on various topics in over 50 school districts in the NY metro area. He has been the President on the N.Y Council of Administrators and has been credited with the implementation of innovative substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and fitness/nutrition programs.

Marlena Hamann, M.S., R.E.H.S.
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions

Marlena Hamann, M.S., R.E.H.S. (Registered Environmental Health Specialist), has a master's degree in environmental studies and over 35 years of experience in the field of environmental health in the Nassau County Health Department from which she retired as the Director of the Bureau of Environmental Investigation. Her career included routine inspections, complaint investigations, testifying in legal proceedings and administrative responsibilities in the areas of food sanitation, environmental health in health care facilities, solid waste management, prevention and cleanup of hazardous material spills, childhood lead poisoning, air quality, community sanitation and disease vector control.

Martine Hackett, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Special Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions, Hofstra University; Former Deputy Director of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health

Martine Hackett Ph.D, MPH is a sociologist whose research interests include maternal-child health, infant mortality, health communication and health inequity. Her previous work experience is as a deputy director at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health and currently her work centers on public health issues on Long Island and how social media can be used to achieve social justice. She is the author of Back to Sleep: Creation, Conflict and Consequences which examines the social construction of the public health campaign to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Dr. Hackett received her BFA in film and television from New York University in film and television, a master of public health from Hunter College and a doctorate in sociology from the City University of New York Graduate Center.

Lawrence Eisenstein, M.D., FACP
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions, Hofstra University; Commissioner of Health for the Nassau County Department of Health

Lawrence Eisenstein, M.D., FACP is Commissioner of Health for the Nassau County Department of Health, Uniondale, New York. Dr. Eisenstein is dual Board Certified in Internal Medicine, and Infectious Diseases through the American Board of Internal Medicine. Prior to becoming Commissioner, Dr. Eisenstein joined the Nassau County Department of Health as Deputy Commissioner in 2009.

Michael Gatto, M.P.A.
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions, Hofstra University; Associate Executive Director of Ambulatory Care Services, Harlem Hospital Center

Professor Michael Gatto is the recipient of ACHE Distinguished Faculty Regent's Award, 2012. Mr. Gatto has more than 20 years healthcare management experience in various leadership positions within hospital operations and practice management at Harlem Hospital Center, as well as at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, Montefiore Medical Center and Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center. He holds faculty positions at both Hofstra and Long Island Universities.

Mary Gravina, LCSW
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions, Hofstra University; Vice President of Counseling Services, Hospice Care Network

Mary Gravina has been involved in end of life care for more than 20 years. She does her clinical work with dying and bereaved children and their families and with women who choose to carry to term a baby with an adverse diagnosis. She has been a keynote speaker and guest lecturer throughout the country, with particular emphasis on crisis intervention. Currently the Vice President of Counseling Services with Hospice Care Netowrk, Ms. Gravina oversees the Social Work, Bereavement, and Pastoral Care Departments.

Sharon Mullon, D.Min.
Special Project Manager, Long Island Community Foundation

Elissa Friedman, ACSW, LCSW
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions, Hofstra University; Director, Family and Adult Services, Mid-Island Y Jewish Community Center

Professor Friedman received her BSW from the University at Albany and went on to receive her MS in Social Work from Columbia University. She began her career as a staff social worker and went on to become a social work supervisor in the Juvenile Rights Division of the Legal Aid Society. In 1999 she joined the staff of the Mid – Island Y Jewish Community Center as a per diem social worker. In 2006 she became the Director of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Neighborhood NORC program and has worked tirelessly to develop supportive and relevant programs for older adults. In 2008, Ms. Friedman became the Director of Family and Adult Services where she oversees Family and Parent Education, Older adult programming, Frail senior programming, two Neighborhood NORC programs POB CARES and Project PACE, the C2C program at the Mid Island Y, the Shabbat Respite Alzheimer's program, and social work internship program.

Walter Markowitz, Ed.D., M.P.A.
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions, Hofstra University; Director, Office of Strategic Planning and Program Development, North Shore-LIJ Health System

Dr. Markowitz is the Director of the Office of Strategic Planning and Program Development within the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Prior to this role, he served as Director of Strategic Planning and Managed Care at Southside Hospital for thirteen years.

Lori A. La Salle, Esq.
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Professions, Hofstra University; Partner, The Greenberg, Dresevic, Hinrichsen, Iwrey, Kalmowitz, La Salle, Lebow & Pendleton Law Group, A Division of The Health La Partners, P.C.

Professor La Salle has a great deal of experience in healthcare law, having represented hospitals, nursing homes, physician practices, federally qualified health centers, independent practice associations, and Regional Health Information Organizations. Ms. La Salle's experience ranges from advising healthcare providers and suppliers on compliance matters, fraud and abuse issues, HIPAA, EMTALA, human-subject research, assisted reproductive technology, mental health matters, advance directives and all aspects of guardianship proceedings. Moreover, her contracting experience spans from IPA formation to managed care contracting, commercial and government audits, physician arrangements, drafting and negotiating services, clinical trial and software agreements. Prior to her vast legal experience, Ms. La Salle was a practicing RN in the operating room at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center and was instrumental in establishing a multi-specialty physician practice in Westchester County.