Hofstra Magazine

Women in Leadership Group Assemble to Advise, Mentor and Engage

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On October 8, 2009, the first meeting of the newly formed alumnae group, Women in Leadership, convened at the offices of Young & Rubicam in Manhattan. Over the past several years, Hofstra University has made strides toward increasing the quality and breadth of alumni outreach efforts and has reconnected many successful alumni to the institution. In the process, it became clear that a greater emphasis should be placed on highlighting the accomplishments of the many successful Hofstra alumnae. Hofstra alumnae fill the ranks of the top U.S. companies and serve in all facets of the working and volunteer world.

Women in Leadership at Hofstra University is expected to become a professional resource and powerful network for both alumnae and current students. The planning committee that gathered in October has charged itself with assisting Hofstra in its continued efforts to promote the University's brand and generating a greater sense of alumnae involvement. The small group will continue to meet before rolling out an formal initiatives.

Initiatives for the Group Include:

• Planning a series of round-table discussions where students can meet with alumnae to discuss career possibilities and advancement, as well as life experiences.
• Developing meaningful interactions and relationships between graduates and students
• Creating relevant networking opportunities for all Hofstra alumni.

Women in Leadership Planning Committee:

Priscilla Almodovar ’87
Jennifer C. Appel ’86, ’90, ’93, owner, Buttercup Bake Shop
Celia I. Berk ’79, chief talent offi cer, Young & Rubicam Brands
Jeanette Betancourt ’80, vice president,
outreach and educational practices, Sesame Workshop Laurie J. Bloom ’95, director of marketing and communications, Rivkin Radler LLP
Beth Carey ’94, producer, CNN Headline News/Nancy Grace
Ellen B. Deutsch ’96, senior vice president/chief growth offi cer, Hain Celestial Group
Freida Foster ’92, commissioner, NYS Workers’ Compensation Board
Diane Garnick ’96, investment strategist, Invesco
Maria A. Grasso ’86, executive vice president and COO, Flushing Savings Bank
Evelyn Harrison ’84, COO, Ophthotech
Christine R. Houston ’76, managing director, ESGI Limited
Donna Iucolano ’86, ’88, ’94, executive vice president, general manager, Direct Group, New York & Company
Judith A. Jedlicka ’66, ’76, managing partner, Solutions for Arts and Culture
Diana E. Lake, M.D., ’68, oncologist, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Therese M. Lendino ’78, grand jury administrator, Office of the District Attorney, Queens County
Jacqueline O. LiCalzi ’85, managing director for legal and compliance, Morgan Stanley
Catherine Marino ’96, chief medical offi cer, Magnacare
Pamela Mastrota ’87, president and CEO, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Long Island Chapter
Michele Medaglia ’93, president and CEO, ACC Construction
Constance Pizarro ’82, managing director, The Bank of New York Mellon
Jill Rabin, M.D., ’75, clinical associate professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; chief, Ambulatory Care and Urogynecology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center
Patrice Sedelmaier ’79, vice president/business manager, J.J. Sedelmaier Productions Ellen Shedlarz ’73
Kathleen Stanley ‘91
Gail Winston ‘65

Please visit www.hofstra.edu/alumni/index for more information on Women in Leadership at Hofstra University, including future events and networking opportunities.

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