Ann Marie Ferguson, MPA – is a Philanthropist, eCommerce Specialist, and an Entrepreneur. In November, 2021 she embarked on a new journey as the Executive Director of The Monroe Foundation, NY. She is the Creator and Host of Coffee & Conversation a Virtual Series for the Monroe College Alumni Association. Ann Marie previously held the position of Associate Director-Supply Chain Management at NYU Langone Health System. She had a 29-year career in healthcare, with 27 of those years as a Supply Chain Management Professional. In her last role she was responsible for daily operations, project management initiatives, and provided leadership support to the NYULH Supply Chain Management organization. She is humbled to have held numerous positions within her healthcare career and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, trained in lean management and process improvement. Ann Marie holds a BBA from Monroe College and an MPA from MCNY. She continues to participate in Alumni Activities, where she can make an impact in the lives of students and Alums by mentoring and motivating them to being their best. Ann Marie has been recognized as an Alumni of Distinction in 2011 & 2014 respectively. Ann Marie is passionate about her volunteer services and has volunteered for a few organizations including New York Cares, where she has participated in their yearly Coat Drive initiative. She participates in philanthropy work where she has raised funds for different causes. Due to her dedication to the Jah Jerry, Inc (a nonprofit organization) over the last 5 years; Ann Marie was named as Chair of the USA Scholarship Committee in 2018. Ann Marie is a Monroe College Alumni Association Board Member, sits on the Young, Gifted and Black Entrepreneurial Awards Board and is a committee member of the Jamaica Independence Foundation, Inc (JIFINYC). Ann Marie believes although she had a long career in healthcare, her current roles and projects are right where she is meant to be. She states, “Being called to be of service is an honor”.

Assistant Athletic Director, Monroe College - Communications professional specializing in sports. Great self-starter and team player. Independently motivated. A sports fan living out his dream behind the scenes.

I am Frank J. Costantino Jr, a decorated culinary competitor who’s been at CINY since Fall 2021. I am a National Student Team Champion and have won 3 gold medals in culinary and pastry. I’ve been an RA at Monroe college since January 2022, run CINY Media including the Instagram page, all articles, and finally the weekly CINY Expo on Excellence podcast. I believe in the grit necessary to become somebody extraordinary and strive for that everyday.

More than 40 years as a host and producer in radio and television, publicity and public relations, higher education, and community development. Along with my talents as a writer, communicator, speaker, and advocate I am an accomplished professional who has provided unmatched support for organizations and companies who have expanded their outreach in a multitude of ways. As the host and senior producer of BronxTalk, New York’s longest-running weekly TV talk show (more than 1,370 programs since October, 1994) on BronxNet, I have become an expert interviewer, able to provide a range of entertaining and informative interviews with the most significant figures in government and entertainment as well as individual community leaders and advocates. Also, I have developed meaningful relationships not only with movers and shakers all over the Bronx and the City, but with leaders of organizations, colleagues in media, community leaders, and experts in many fields, including politics, education, healthcare, youth services, arts and culture, and much more. As the host and producer of The Bronx Buzz (since March, 2016), I have continued to expand my base of close contacts and relationships to colleagues in the media. In my fourteen years as Director of Public Relations, SID, and Director of Community Relations at a Bronx college, I have developed strong personal contacts and associations with dozens of groups and organizations of many sizes.

Shana Kay Watson-Robinson is a two-time graduate of Monroe College. Graduating with both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration and Management in 2005 and 2008 respectively. At the inception of her Monroe College journey in 2004, Shana Kay immediately started volunteering in the International Department. She developed a love for admissions and student services and she never looked back! She stayed at Monroe College until 2017 and worked in various departments all focusing on varying levels of admissions, enrollment and retention. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Admissions and Coordinator of Multuicultural Outreach at Quinnipiac University in Hamden CT where she primarily recruits the five boroughs of NYC and is in charge of DEI initiatives. She wasn’t always focused on NYC as she spent several years recruiting the Caribbean, specifically Jamaica, from which she is a native; and international student to Monroe College. She took her experience to other universities and continued with international recruiting where she traveled to territories in Africa and Europe. Known for her attention to detail strong interpersonal skills and exceptional people skills, she is dedicated to providing personalized guidance to prospective students and their families, helping them navigate the admissions journey with confidence. Shana Kay is a lifelong learner – She returned to Monroe College during the pandemic to formalize her skills in Culinary Arts as she runs a private catering company when she is not working her 9-5. She would attend no other institution as she was at Monroe College when the famous Culinary Institute was birthed. She is currently exploring other educational pursuits. Working on a second Master’s in Organizational Leadership, at Quinnipiac University; as well as prepping for the LSAT. Shana Kay’s dream was to be an attorney from a very young age. Even though life has had many twists and turns, she still plans to pursue this dream to be fully self-actualized! Outside of work, Shana Kay enjoys volunteering in the local community, cooking and entertaining, and spending time with family and friends, especially her two daughters. With a genuine passion for higher education and a commitment to serving students, shana Kay is looking forward to continuing to empower and help the underserved and to continued future successes, both personally and professionally

Daniel Forbes has over 20 years' experience in both business and higher education and currently is employed at the City Colleges of Chicago as an adjunct Professor of Business, Management, Entrepreneurship, and Computer Information Systems. He is also an Entrepreneur and business consultant. In addition, Mr. Forbes is a professional speaker, workshop facilitator, executive coach and provides mentorship to various youth and adult groups. Mr. Forbes is happily married for over 27 years to his wife Gail and together they have 3 beautiful children. The Forbes family is serving members at Bellevue Baptist Church where Mr. Forbes currently serves as the Sunday School Superintendent.

Della graduated from Monroe in 1991 with an AAS Business Administration. She is a has been a teacher in elementary science in the South Bronx for 25 years!

Senior Vice President, King Graduate School

Karenann has enjoyed a 40-year career in education marked by a commitment to access, affordability, and student achievement. She began her journey as an elementary and high school teacher and then pursued a career in higher education, initially as a student affairs administrator. She has been at Monroe College for over twenty years, serving in a range of increasingly responsible academic and student affairs roles, and has led many successful college-wide initiatives in faculty development and coaching, the first-year experience, student financial literacy, honors education, and programs for English Language Learners. She implemented a restructuring plan at the College that integrates academic and student affairs, bringing together the schools and academic departments, faculty development, academic assessment, learning support services, student development units, and retention services. Under her leadership as co-chair of the strategic planning steering committee, the College recently launched a new five-year strategic plan. Karenann holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and education from the College of New Rochelle, a master’s degree in student personnel administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

Founder-In-Chief - LATIN HORROR - Edwin Pagán is a Bronx-based multidisciplinary artist whose work centers around photography, filmmaking, sound and graphic design. Pagán was introduced to the arts at age 10 at the Hoe Avenue Boys & Girls Club, which led to his extensive careers in photography and cinematography. He is noted as one of the premiere visual artists from the Bronx, and his body of work is an intimate and humane look at the cultural idiosyncrasies of inner-city communities from an “insider’s point-of-view.” In 2011, he co-founded Seis del Sur, a photo collective of six photojournalism and documentary photographers who have documented the South Bronx for over four decades. A life-long fan of horror, in 2008 he founded LATIN HORROR (latinhorror.com), an online portal that promotes Latin influenced horror. As a result, he is widely credited with establishing a distinct and valid genre in the film industry. More recently, Pagán has harnessed his creative skills and ventured into the virtual- and augmented-reality space to create interactive multimedia installations that take as a point of departure the same themes he’s explored in his photographic work.

My name is Frank C. Costantino EdD. CEC CEPC CCE CCA AAC. I am Assistant Vice President for Academics and the Dean for the Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College and founding Executive Chef for the critically acclaimed “Dining Lab” at Monroe College. I am in my fifteenth year at the College and prior to taking this position, I was the executive chef/ owner of “Harvest at Greenwood Lake” a fine dining restaurant in Orange County, NY. I sold the restaurant to return to culinary education, which I consider “my calling.” The fact that my current position gives me the opportunity to teach and cook every day is nothing short of a blessing. My role at Monroe College includes one of academic leadership, heading the academic affairs committee and overseeing the New Rochelle campus schedule in addition to my varied duties as dean for the School of Hospitality Management and the Culinary Institute of New York. I began my training at New York City College of Technology, earning both the A.A.S and BT degrees from the Hospitality Management department. I earned my MS in hospitality management from Rochester Institute of Technology an Ed.S. in curriculum and instruction from the University of Sarasota and finally, my doctorate in Teaching and Learning from Argosy University. After working several years in the industry at restaurants including La Caravelle, Windows on the World and Quatorze, where I earned two stars from the NY Times as executive chef of the restaurant, I completed 14 years of service as associate professor and Director of Culinary Education at New York City College of Technology. I established a culinary competition program there and led my students to more than 400 ACF medals. From there, I moved on to The Art Institute of New York City as a senior lead instructor, where I spent three years just prior to leaving to open “Harvest.” I founded and coached the Art Institute’s student team to the 2006 New York State Junior Hot Food Championship and more than 300 competitions medals in my short time there. I currently serve as coach to the Monroe College team whose students have won over 1100 ACF medals in the 13 years I have coached at The Culinary Institute of New York at Monroe College. I am certified by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) as a culinary educator (CCE), executive chef (CEC), Pastry Chef (CEPC) culinary administrator (CCA) and an approved ACF judge. I am also a fellow of the American Academy of Chefs (AAC). I was the ACF Big Apple Chapter Chef of the year in 2004 and Culinary Educator of the year in 2006. I was named the ACF Long Island Chapter Chef of the Year for 2014. After watching Chef Steve Jilleba win in 2001, I vowed to do the same, and won the ACF National Championship in Las Vegas, NV in 2002. I was the captain of the NY Culinary Olympic Team and won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Erfurt, Germany. I won a WACS gold medal en route to the international hot food championship in Massa, Italy in 2005, and a WACS cold food gold in the same competition the following year. I have over 60 ACF medals won in competition, including 18 gold medals. I live in Warwick, NY, where I own a woodworking business, building kitchen inspired crafts as well as custom furniture milled from local wood I process on a sawmill on my property. I enjoy family time with my wife, Ilene, and keeping tabs on my three sons: DJ, Jake, and Frankie…my middle and youngest both pursuing careers in culinary arts. I have a tremendous love for great food and wine. I am a non-smoker. I am a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, recording artist and performing musician with eight albums streaming on multiple music platforms. I earned certification in the Rutgers Master Gardener’s program in Union County, New Jersey, receiving a certificate in Consumer Horticulture where I specialized in integrating edible plants (herbs and flowers) in the perennial landscape. In my nearly 40 years as a culinarian, and 32 devoted to culinary education, I have built the mantra “Pride, Passion and Professionalism” which has guided my career and informed my career choices. Having so many years in this awesome profession, I am at the legacy stage of my career and that legacy is forming as to be known for guiding young people to becoming more than they could have been had they never met me or interacted with me as their mentor, coach, teacher or colleague. I consider this ability to exert some degree of positive influence on those around me to be a blessing every day that I have the opportunity to do it.

Joeane Laurent currently serves as the Director of Residence Life at Monroe College, where she earned her undergraduate degree. With a diverse background, she has held positions as an academic advisor, coordinator of Student Activities on the Bronx Campus, and Director of International Student Services on the New Rochelle campus. Joeane is passionate about working with her students, deriving joy from guiding them to discover their true potential.

Alumni Director at Monroe College’s New Rochelle campus

Luis Melendez serves as Assistant Vice President - Athletics for Monroe College, and served as Head Baseball Coach for 14 seasons. He became the second head coach in program history in 2006 after just one season serving as the program’s chief assistant. Since then, he has transformed the Monroe Mustangs baseball program into one of the top NJCAA Division I programs in the nation, while also developing the Monroe College Athletic Department into the premiere NJCAA Division I athletic program in New York and the northeast. While taking the Monroe Mustangs program to new heights over his tenure as Director of Athletics, Melendez also spearheaded the formation of the Monroe Express, an NJCAA Division III program based out of Monroe College's Bronx campus. Melendez tenure at Monroe produced an overall record of 348-258-4, and helped well more than 100 student-athletes move on to four-year programs, including numerous players drafted in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. In 2018, Melendez led the Mustangs to their first-ever Eastern District Championship, as well as their first-ever appearance to the Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colo. In 2019, the Mustangs repeated as Eastern District Champions and made it back to the Junior College World Series for the second straight season. Melendez has also led Monroe to six Region XV titles and has been named Region XV Coach of the Year six times, as well as Eastern District Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019. The Mustangs produced their first-ever NJCAA All-American in 2018 when Antonio Frias was picked to the First Team. July Sosa became the team's second NJCAA All-American in 2019, earning a spot as an Honorable Mention. Under Melendez's leadership, the Mustangs also claimed the Region XV Sportsmanship Award in both 2018 and 2019. A 1995 graduate of Dewitt Clinton HS (Bronx, NY), Melendez received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Lehman College in 1999. After a successful college career in which he was an All-Region catcher, he went on to play professionally for five years, including stints with the Quebec City Capitales, Bangor Lumberjacks, and the Schaumburg Flyers of the Northern League.

Marilyn Kaufman, a dedicated and passionate educator, began her journey at Monroe College in 1951. She taught shorthand and typing, contributing to the educational development of students during a crucial period post-World War II. Marilyn's tenure at Monroe was marked by her commitment to her students and her active involvement in the school's community. Over the years, Marilyn has remained connected to her past colleagues and continues to cherish the memories of her time at Monroe. Her valuable insights and timeless advice serve as a beacon for students embarking on their own journeys. Marilyn's presence illuminates the rich history and spirit of Monroe College.

Marc Jerome is president of Bronx-based Monroe College, a national leader in urban education that delivers some of the best outcomes in the country for first-generation students. He has played an integral role in leading Monroe for nearly three decades, serving as its Executive Vice President for 22 years prior to his elevation to President in January 2017. President Jerome has dedicated his career to higher education and is the architect of many of Monroe’s pioneering initiatives to improve college access, affordability, and outcomes. President Jerome graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a degree in Political Science; he earned his juris doctor degree at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Sandy Rodriguez is a dedicated professional who has devoted many years to serving Monroe College in various capacities. With a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering positive relationships and opportunities, Sandy has made significant contributions as Assistant Director of Compliance / SWA . Throughout her journey at Monroe College, Sandy has exemplified a commitment to excellence in athletics and education. Sandy's unwavering commitment to junior college athletics is evident in her efforts to provide student-athletes with pathways to excel in sports while pursuing academic goals. Her work has helped showcase Monroe College as a premier destination for student-athletes, leaving behind a legacy of unparalleled dedication and positive influence.

Assistant Director of Alumni Relations - Monroe College

President Emeritus/Chairman Of The Board at Monroe College: Stephen Jerome is a product of The Bronx and joined Monroe College in 1966 as an instructor. He held a succession of positions, becoming President in 1978 and serving through 2016. He currently holds the title of President Emeritus/Chairman of the Board. Stephen served more than 20 years as President of the Association of Proprietary Colleges in New York State, and is currently Vice President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Overseer of the Boston Symphony, and Board member of the New Rochelle Police Department. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Dwight-Englewood, Horace Mann, and Barnard Schools, The Fordham Road Development Corporation, and former Commissioner of the Accrediting Commission of the Association of Independent Colleges and Schools and former member of the College Presidents’ Council for the Governor’s Office on New York State Financial Aid. In January 2017, Stephen assumed the Presidency of The Monroe Foundation, a non- profit organization assisting deserving individuals in their pursuit of higher education, emphasizing support of underserved students who are qualified to attend college, but who require additional assistance to pursue or resume their education. Stephen received his baccalaureate degree from Pace University and his M.S. degree in Higher Education Administration from Baruch College. In gratitude for his education, Stephen sponsors scholarships at both institutions. Stephen and his wife Leslie, who is Alumni Director at Monroe College’s New Rochelle campus, have three children, all of whom are involved in careers in higher education.