D’Angelo Center, Room 416
St. John's University
8000 Utopia Parkway • Queens, NY11439
Jennifer Baum Associate Professor Director of the Child Advocacy Clinic Clinical Legal Education School of Law St. John's University | A graduate of Hunter College of the City University of New York, Professor Baum earned her law degree with distinction from Brooklyn Law School. Jennifer served as a senior staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society Civil Law Reform Unit in New York where she litigated law reform cases, provided legal support to advocates, and conducted legal training for poverty law practitioners. Her law reform litigation resulted in the creation of a New York City policy ensuring appropriate provision of medication to detained children. She is the co-founder and co-director of the Immigrant Children’s Justice Project, a collaborative program involving the Child Advocacy Clinic and the Immigration Clinic at St. John’s School of Law. This collaboration recently achieved a ground breaking result concerning the rights of detained children to seek protection of the Family Court in matters of abuse or neglect. (In re Daniel T.H. (2nd Dept, 2011)). She is currently associate professor of Clinical Legal Education, the Director of the Child Advocacy Clinic, and a Vincentian Research Fellow, Class of 2010. |
Michael A. Benjamin Former Member NYS Assembly, District 79, Bronx | Michael A. Benjamin is a former Member of the NYS Assembly (2003-2010) where he represented District 79, one of the poorest congressional districts in America. Benjamin wrote the State’s first law protecting Muslim consumers of Halal foods, strengthened state laws against sexual predators, and authored changes in the state’s banking and election laws. He has over 25 years experience in Government, Human Services, and Politics. AP News cited him as “one of the increasingly rare legislators respected by both parties in both houses.” He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Syracuse University and is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. His op-ed articles and letters have appeared in the New York Post, Legislative Gazette, New York Daily News, Newsday, the Democrat and Chronicle, and the Kingston Freeman, among other publications. |
Barrett P. Brenton Professor Anthropology St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Barrett Brenton holds a B.S. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is a Professor of Anthropology at St. John’s University and director of Center for Global Development and Social Justice. His cross-cultural research is focused on international food security and policy, meeting the healthcare needs of the poor, and the health consequences of dietary change. Dr. Brenton’s applied research experience has taken him to both rural and urban impoverished areas across the U.S., to the Peruvian Andes, the Ecuadorian Amazon, Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa. |
Elizabeth N. Brondolo Professor Psychology St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Elizabeth Brondolo is a Professor of Psychology in St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the State University of New Jersey at Rutgers. Dr. Brondolo specializes in the study of social stress and health and has conducted research projects on work, stress, racism, and poverty and their effects on ambulatory blood pressure. She directs a laboratory at St. John's funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, among others. In her clinical work, Dr. Brondolo specializes in treating bipolar and schizoaffective disorders. Her most recent book, “Break the Bipolar Cycle: A Day-to-Day Guide to Living with Bipolar Disorder” was published in 2008 by McGraw-Hill. |
Scott J. Budde Managing Director TIAA-CREFF Asset Management | Scott J. Budde is a Managing Director in TIAA-CREF’s Asset Management Division. In this capacity, he heads TIAA-CREF’s Global Social and Community Investing Department, which works on the organization’s community investing programs and oversees its socially screened funds. Mr. Budde’s experience includes financial, analytical, and consulting positions with several financial services companies in the USA and overseas. Mr. Budde is the author of “Compelling Returns: A Practical Guide to Socially Responsible Investing Strategies” published by Wiley and Sons of New York City. Mr. Budde holds an A.B. in Economics from Bowdoin College and a Masters in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Mr. Budde was a Fulbright Scholar in Hungary and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. |
Frank R. Cantelmo Associate Professor Biological Sciences & Environmental Studies St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Dr. Cantelmo earned his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography at the City University of New York and was named a Vincentian Research Fellow in 2010. He has received several awards for his course development and teaching. For example, his course in Ecological Principles was selected by the Center for Educational Policy Research (CERP) as a model of best practice for Advanced Placement Environmental Science. Furthermore, Dr. Cantelmo is recognized as an innovator in the development of science methodologies and programming for various age groups and community members. Before joining academe, Dr. Cantelmo was an ecologist at Texas Instruments and developed a biological database for the Hudson River. Currently, he serves as an Environmental Advisor to the Holy See Mission to the UN as part of the Faculty Expert Program of the Vincentian Center and is active on the Board of Directors of “Soundwaters.” |
R. Mitch Casselman  Assistant Professor Management The Peter J. Tobin College of Business St. John's University | Dr. Casselman has taught strategic management, innovation, and international management at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive levels in Australia, China, Panama, California and most recently, in the Department of Management, Peter J. Tobin College of Business. Prior to undertaking a Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne in Australia, he spent more than 15 years in various senior management roles in the technology industry in Ottawa, Canada. Dr. Casselman’s research is focused on innovation, knowledge management and “base of the pyramid” theories and practice of inclusive business. |
Charles M.A. Clark Professor Economics The Peter J. Tobin College of Business St. John's University | Charles M.A. Clark is a Professor of Economics in The Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University and is a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. His research interests include poverty and income inequality and Catholic social thought. He is the author or co-author of ten books, the most recent being Rich and Poor (2010) and Rethinking Abundance: Interdisciplinary Essays within the Catholic Social Thought Tradition (2006) and over 100 journal articles and chapters in books. Dr. Clark serves as an expert to the Holy See Mission to the United Nations on Financing for Development and Economics. He has taught and lectured internationally and holds a Ph.D. from the New School for Social Research in New York. |
John M. Conry Associate Clinical Professor Clinical Pharmacy Practice College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences St. John's University | John M. Conry is an Associate Clinical Professor in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. He received both his Bachelor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from St. John’s University. He is a licensed pharmacist in the state of NY, is board certified as a pharmacotherapy specialist, and is certified as an HIV expert. Dr. Conry currently practices as the clinical pharmacy coordinator for Project Renewal, a non-profit organization that provides health care to the homeless and indigent of New York City. His practice and research interests include the evaluation of access to health care, health disparities, health literacy and optimal pharmacy care services as it relates to the urban indigent patient population. |
Vincent M. DiLorenzo Professor of Law School of Law St. John's University | Professor Vincent DiLorenzo, a Professor of Law at St. John's University School of Law, holds a B.A. from Pace University and a J.D. from Columbia University where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and Associate Articles Editor of the Columbia Journal of Law and Social Problems. Before coming to St. John's, Professor DiLorenzo taught at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and practiced real-estate and banking law. He has authored many articles and books in the banking, legislation and real estate areas. |
Irvin N. Hirshfield Associate Professor Biology St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Irvin N. Hirshfield is a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow and Associate Professor, department of Biological Sciences, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in molecular microbiology and microbial physiology and genetics. He conducts various sponsored research at St. John’s University on the regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes in response to environmental stress with special emphasis on acid stress responses and microbial pathogenesis. His interest as a Vincentian scholar is the relationship between parasitic and bacterial diseases and poverty, especially in developing countries. |
Peggy F. Jacobson Associate Professor Communication Sciences and Theatre St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Peggy F. Jacobson, a licensed Speech Pathologist, earned a Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the CUNY Graduate Center in New York. Dr. Jacobson’s clinical and research interests are in the areas of child language disorders, bilingualism, second language acquisition, and the effects of poverty on communication development. Her research has been supported by the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders/ National Institute of Health. She is a Senior Vincentian Research fellow at St. John’s University. Dr. Jacobson has traveled extensively to Nicaragua volunteering her services for children with disabilities and engaging other students and faculty in these endeavors. |
Azzedine Layachi Professor of Politics Politics St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Azzedine Layachi, Professor of Politics and Government in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Staten Island Campus, is a specialist in the Middle East and North Africa. His research interests are in the Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, Political Islam, the Political Economy, and U.S. Foreign Policy. He is the author of several books, book chapters, and articles in academic publications. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from New York University and was named a Vincentian Research Fellow in 2009. |
James J. Maher  Executive Vice President for Mission St. John's University | James J. Maher was named the Executive Vice President for Mission and Student Services at St. John’s University effective January 1, 2011. In his career at St. John’s that began in 1990, he has held various leadership positions in University Ministry and Student Affairs. A longstanding member of the Board of Directors of St. John’s Bread and Life Program, Inc., the second largest emergency food provider in New York City, he is also currently on the Board of Trustees of DePaul University in Chicago, Il and Niagara University in Buffalo, NY. He was ordained a priest of the Congregation of the Mission Eastern Province in 1990 and holds a D.Minn. from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception. |
Daniel J. Misleh Executive Director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change | Daniel J. Misleh, is the founding director of the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change which includes 12 national Catholic organizations including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The mission of the Coalition is to engage the Catholic community in a Catholic approach to climate change, implementing the U.S. Catholic bishops’ 2001 statement Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good. Prior to working at the Coalition, Dan worked for the USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development as the director of diocesan relations and as a policy advisor. Earlier in his career, he served in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and other Church related social ministry positions. Dan graduated with a degree in business management from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and holds a masters degree in theology from the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, California. |
Basilio G. Monteiro Associate Professor and Chair Division of Mass Communications College of Professional Studies St. John's University | Basilio G. Monteiro is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Division of Mass Communication in the College of Professional Studies at St. John’s University and a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. He earned a Ph.D. at The Union Institute and University (Ohio) in Mass Communication and Media Studies. His areas of particular research interest are international communication and development, media and public policy, and the theology of communication. In addition to his undergraduate courses, in 2010 he began teaching in and directing the newly approved Master of Science in International Communication program. Dr. Basilio is involved in several associations of Catholic and International Communicators. |
Robert F. Pecorella Associate Professor Government and Politics St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Robert F. Pecorella, Associate Professor in the Department of Government and Politics and a Vincentian Research Fellow at St. John’s University, was formerly a Professor-in-Residence with the New York State Assembly Intern Program. Professor Pecorella is the author of Community Power in a Postreform City and co-author of the Politics of Structure and Governing New York State. His articles have appeared in numerous journals including: Polity, Public Administration Review, the Journal of Urban Affairs, and the Journal of Catholic Social Thought. He is currently working on a book exploring the fit between Catholic norms of economic justice and American political culture. Dr. Pecorella holds a Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University. |
Yvonne Pratt-Johnson Professor of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Department of Human Services and Counseling The School of Education St. John's University | Yvonne Pratt-Johnson is a Professor in the School of Education and has just attained the rank of Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. She has taught English as a Second Language for over 30 years and has been the recipient of several research grants. Through her research, presentations, and publications, she has raised awareness of the special needs of second language learners, especially the English/Creole-speaking population in U.S. Schools. Dr. Pratt-Johnson serves as a consultant for the NYC Board of Education and holds a Ed.D from Teachers College, Columbia University. |
Kevin S. Rioux Associate Professor Library and Information Science St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Kevin S. Rioux is an Associate Professor in the Division of Library and Information Science in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. John's University. He is also a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. His research focuses on social justice issues related to information access and information technologies as tools of social and economic development in local and international contexts. He has lectured and presented internationally on needs, seeking, and use of information literacy and information access. Dr. Rouix holds a Ph.D. in Library and Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin. |
Joan Rosenhauer Executive Vice-President of U.S. Operations Catholic Relief Services | Joan Rosenhauer joined CRS in April 2009 and is responsible for the leadership of CRS's domestic programs and advocacy. As the Executive Vice President for US Operations, she also oversees all communications, media and web activity, and six regional offices located across the country. Working in partnership with dioceses, parishes, colleges, universities, and other Catholic organizations, CRS's U.S. Operations builds relationships and provides concrete opportunities for U.S. Catholics to make a positive difference in the world. Prior to joining CRS, Ms. Rosenhauer spent 16 years with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), where she most recently served as Associate Director of the Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development. Ms. Rosenhauer hails from Chicago and has a B.A. in Social Work from the University of Iowa and a Master's degree in Public Policy Management from the University of Maryland. |
Rev. Jean-Pierre M. Ruiz Associate Professor Theology St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Jean-Pierre M. Ruiz, a Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at St. John’s College and a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. His research is focused in three areas: the Theology of Human Migration, Hispanic/Latino theology, and ecumenical/interfaith dialogue. Father Ruiz recently published readings include: From the Edges: The Bible and People on the Move (Orbis, 2011). Jean-Pierre Ruiz is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Hispanic/Latino Theology, Associate Editor of the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, and a Past-President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS). In addition to his numerous publications, Fr. Ruiz has hosted and co-hosted a number of radio and television programs. Father earned his S.T.D. in Biblical Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. |
Linda Sama, Ph.D Associate Dean for Global Initiatives and Professor of Management Management The Peter J. Tobin College of Business St. John's University | Linda M. Sama is the Associate Dean for Global Initiatives and a Professor of Management in the Peter J. Tobin College of Business at St. John’s University. Most recently, she launched the Global Microloan Program (G.L.O.B.E.) at St. John’s University and serves as the Program Director. Dr. Sama earned a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from the City University of New York, a Masters in Philosophy at Baruch (CUNY), and an MBA in International Finance from McGill University. She teaches primarily in the areas of International Business, Strategic Management, and Business Ethics. The new initiative in global micro-lending in the Business School educates students in entrepreneurship and microfinance as they work in cooperation with the Daughters of Charity to source and lend money to small business practitioners in developing regions of the globe. |
Robert R. Tomes Professor of History History College of Professional Studies St. John's University | Robert R. Tomes is a Professor of History in the College of Professional Studies and a Senior Vincentian Research Fellow. His research interests include the social and moral costs of war in the American experience and political activism in youth. He is a member of the American Historical Association. Dr. Tomes holds a Ph.D. in History from New York University. He is the author of Apocalypse Then: American Intellectuals and the Vietnam War and is co-author of an American history textbook now in its 5th edition, American Issues. |
Joan S. Tropnas Assistant Professor, Director, Human Services Program Human Services College of Professional Studies St. John's University | Joan S. Tropnas, Associate Professor and Director of the Human Services Program in the College of Professional Studies at St. John’s University, holds a M.S.W. and Ph.D. from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service and a M.P.A from New York University. Named a Vincentian Research Fellow in 2008, Dr. Tropnas’ research interests are in the area of medical and mental health disparities among minorities, women, and children. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Tropnas is an expert on Women at the Holy See Mission to the United Nations. Her professional career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (New York State) has included working in medical and mental health organizations, child welfare agencies, and in research. |
Christopher P. Vogt Associate Professor, Theology, St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Theology St. John's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences St. John's University | Christopher P. Vogt is an Associate Professor of Moral Theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies in the St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. John’s University and is a Senior Research Fellow of the Vincentian Center for Church and Society. He is the author of Patience, Compassion, Hope and the Christian Art of Dying Well (Rowman & Littlefield, 2004). His research and publications focus on Virtue Ethics, Catholic Social Thought, Fundamental Catholic Moral Theology, and Healthcare Ethics. His recent work includes “Fostering a Catholic Commitment to the Common Good” (Theological Studies, 2007), “Catholic Social Thought and Creation” and “The Use of Scripture in the Ars Moriendi Tradition” (both forthcoming 2011). He served on the Catholic Theological Society of America’s administrative team for Catholic Social Thought. Dr. Vogt earned a Ph.D. in Theological Ethics from Boston College. |
Catholic universities will be particularly attentive to the poorest and to those who suffer economic, social, cultural or religious injustice. This responsibility begins within the academic community but it also finds application beyond it.
Pope John Paul II, Ex Corde Ecclesiae (40)
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