Wayne Brown, M.S. ’04, opened a new behavioral health group therapy practice, Willow Grove Counseling in Cheektowaga, New York. A practicing therapist, he plans to pro-vide the community with the highest-quality mental health services from nine therapists, as well as group therapy services, when the office is fully established.
Brian Dubenion, B.A. ’05, M.S. ’08, was recognized as an outstanding alumnus by the higher education and student affairs administration graduate program at Buffalo State. He currently serves as associate vice president and dean of students at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, the nation’s first degree-granting historically Black university (HBCU). Before joining LU, he served at Buffalo State and Ithaca College. Dubenion has been recognized with several distinctions as a student and a professional, including the Buffalo State President’s Medal for Outstanding Graduate Student. He was also selected to participate in NASPA’s inaugural class for its prestigious Ujima Institute and recently served as a panelist at the White House for mental health and HBCUs.
Laurian Kidd, B.S. ’05, is a fifth-grade teacher for the New York City Department of Education. She has been a teacher for 16 years. She has also helped adults obtain their general equivalency diplomas (GEDs) as well as taught English language learners.
Dave Hartzell, B.S. ’06, wrote for the Record news-paper, was a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity, volunteered for the big brother/ special needs program, and even briefly served as the mascot while at Buffalo State. He was a member of the water polo club team as well as the men’s cross-country team, making it all the way to the SUNYAC Regionals. He worked his way through school, mainly via the on-campus grounds-keeping department and Pano’s and Cecelia’s restaurants. After graduating in 2006 with a degree in international business, he was accepted to the University of Geneva’s International M.B.A. pro-gram. He deferred and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, graduating SEAL training (BUD/S) with class 268 in San Diego, California, in 2008. After the Navy, he launched a detective agency in 2015, focusing on white-collar crime, including a high-profile case and subsequent conviction of a Hollywood con artist. This work caught the attention of a group of financiers in Los Angeles. Hartzell eventually earned his FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities licenses and now trades pre-IPO stock for Park Lane, a boutique sports investment bank in Santa Monica, California. He currently resides in Southern California but is a lifelong Bills fan.
Tamara Parker, B.S. ’06, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a minor in creative studies. Currently, she owns her own business, TMP Signs, producing signs and vinyl graphics in Corfu, New York. Last year, she earned an award for Polish American Business Owner of the Year. She currently lives in Corfu with her two children. Her daughter, Cameron, is 20, and her son, Patrick, is 16. She looks forward to the new year and growing her business (www. tmpsigns.com).
Sarah Waltz, B.S. ’06, M.S. ’20, recently relocated to Greenville County, South Carolina, after serving in the Maryvale School District as coordinator for the 21st Century Title 1 after-school program. She is currently teaching in Greenville County serving underprivileged students at a Title 1 school. She is also entering her third year as a Teachers Pay Teachers entrepreneur at Sarah Waltz Education.
Gwaina D. Wauldon, B.S. ’07, joined the Connecticut law firm Pullman & Comley as an associate in the areas of education law and labor and employment practices.
Mona Abdulla, B.A. ’00, M.S. ’07, received her B.A. and M.S. from Buffalo State. Her past experiences include working in the private and public sectors. Highlights include serving two terms as a school board member for the Lackawanna City School District. She is also the co-director of the Care Management Coalition of WNY, an alliance of 10 nonprofit organizations on the East Side of Buffalo. Outside of work, she vol-unteers with a national organization called the Arab America Foundation. She has received several awards, including the Arab America’s national Emerging Leader Award and the Buffalo Lafayette High School Agent of Change Award. She has two sons who are in their early 20s.
Jamie Roberts, B.S. ’02, notes that the support and guidance of her professors in the Buffalo State Design Department made a significant impact on her and gave her the knowledge to confidently begin her creative career shortly after graduation in 2002. After 20 years in the design and advertising industry, she decided it was time to pay it forward and leave her role as senior creative director to launch her creative career-coaching business, Rock That Creative Job. She now works with all levels of creative professionals across the globe to ensure they have the personalized support they need to thrive in their careers. She also delivers live keynote speeches, virtual talks, webinars, guest lectures, and Q&A panel discussions to organizations and universities across the globe, including AIGA (USA), RGD (Canada), and TernHeads (UK). She also hosts a weekly Rock That Creative Job podcast and offers online courses to ensure that all creatives can get the help they need, no matter where they are in their careers. She would like to extend her heartfelt gratitude to Buffalo State faculty emeriti Richard Ross, Jim Astrella, Stan Friesen, and the late Rand Schuster for their dedication, patience, and knowledge.
Therese Fuerst, M.S. ’03, has been appointed to the newly created executive team role of chief marketing and development officer for BestSelf Behavioral Health. She holds a B.A. in pre-law/political science and communication studies from Canisius College and an M.S. in public relations management from Buffalo State. She is also a graduate of the University at Buffalo’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership in the Allstate Minority and Women Emerging Entrepreneurs Program. She currently runs a consulting practice and is a faculty member in the Communication Department at Buffalo State. She has proudly served on BestSelf’s Foundation Board and on the Capital Campaign Committee for the Child Advocacy Center. Her many awards and honors include the 2019 May C. Randazzo Outstanding Practitioner Award from the Buffalo Niagara Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, the 2020 SUNY Buffalo State University Communication Department Professional Achievement Award, the 2021 Buffalo State College Community Engagement Award for Service Learning, the inaugural Amherst Chamber of Commerce Young Professional of the Year Award, and the Business First 40 Under 40 Award. She was a finalist for the Athena Young Professional of the Year Award and is a graduate of Leadership Buffalo. An active community member, she volunteers her time with several commu-nity, civic, and professional organizations including Canisius University, Nardin Academy, the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, the BISON Fund, and the Public Relations Society of America (Buffalo Niagara Chapter and National Chapter).
Loni Blandford, B.A. ’04, is a senior corporate recruiter for Nexstar Media Group. She joined the recruiting team after serving as news director for Nexstar’s WDTN in Dayton, Ohio, for almost five years. She has held management positions at stations in Indianapolis and Las Vegas. She got her start in the industry as a news producer. She married her fiancé this summer in Aruba.
Connecticut law firm Pullman & Comley as an associate in the areas of education law and labor and employment practices.
Kevin Manne, B.A. ’08, associate director of communications in the University at Buffalo School of Management, was named the May C. Randazzo Outstanding Practitioner by the Public Relations Society of America Buffalo Niagara Chapter. Manne was also part of the UB School of Management team that won three Excalibur Awards. The Randazzo Award is given to a Western New York public relations professional who has achieved exceptional professional success, displays the highest ethics, and is dedicated to serving the community and profession. The recipient must demonstrate excellence in achievement, application, reputation, ethics, service to PRSA, and community service.
Mario Hicks, B.A. ’09, has been appointed vice president for institutional advancement at Daemen University. An accomplished fundraising professional with a decade of experience, Hicks previously served as vice president of financial development at the YMCA Buffalo Niagara, securing $1.4 million annually for YMCA programs and families. Hicks also led the YMCA’s current $25 million campaign. Before the YMCA, he served in advancement positions leading both annual and leadership giving efforts at UNYTS (now ConnectLife), Buffalo State College, and Trocaire College. He holds fundraising certifications from Boston University and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Hicks received his bachelor’s degree in English from Buffalo State University, an M.B.A. from the University of New Haven, and a doctorate in business management from George Fox University. He also holds a graduate certificate in public management from Buffalo State.