Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honored 13 accomplished alumni at the second annual HCLAS Alumni Spotlight Awards on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
In his welcome to the honorees, friends, family, and HCLAS faculty, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Charles Riordan spoke about the University’s core values – belonging, community, creativity, discovery, and integrity – and how they continue to guide Hofstra’s liberal arts and sciences education.
“What has always set Hofstra apart and what will remain at the core of our identity is our commitment to outstanding teaching and learning. Here students and faculty don’t just cross paths; they engage, they collaborate, and they build lifelong connections. That personal, high-impact educational experience is certainly what makes Hofstra special.”
This year’s honorees earned degrees spanning a wide range of disciplines, from music to math, political science to psychology. Through their individual achievements, Eva Badowska, dean of Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, emphasized the impact that these successful and diverse alumni have on their alma mater.
“Looking at tonight’s honorees, I am deeply impressed by the breadth of your accomplishments. Your careers reflect not just the strength of your individual disciplines, but also the interconnectedness of knowledge and skills – which is truly a part of the liberal arts. Tonight, we celebrate you, not just for your individual success but also for what you represent: the enduring value of an HCLAS education.”
The honorees have made remarkable strides in their industries, demonstrating that a Hofstra education indeed serves as a launchpad for excellence. Their stories inspire current and future students to pursue their passions with confidence, knowing that a liberal arts foundation prepares them to thrive in a dynamic world.
Future alumni nominations for this annual award may be submitted to the website for the HCLAS Alumni Spotlight Awards.
The 2025 honorees are:
Howard Balzer ’74 (social science)
Howard Balzer has been covering professional football as a writer, editor, and broadcaster for 50 years, including 44 Super Bowls. His connection with pro football began in 1976 with College and Pro Football Newsweekly on Long Island. Since then, he has been a featured columnist for The Sporting News, Pro Football Weekly, USA Today Sports Weekly, and The Sports Xchange.
Balzer has won seven writing awards in the Professional Football Writers of America competition, an Emmy for commentaries on KPLR-TV in St. Louis in 1986, and Emmy nominations in 1988 and 1990. He has served on the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee for 21 years and is also on the Hall’s seniors committee. He appears regularly as an NFL Insider on ESPN 620 Radio and Fox 10 TV sports in Phoenix.
Christy L. Bareijsza ’98 (liberal arts)
Christy Bareijsza is the founder and creative director of Red Carpet Events, where she develops innovative concepts that encompass full sensory experiences with a signature style that surpasses expectations.
Bareijsza is a hospitality leader and recognized feature for industry conferences, magazines, and podcasts. She contributed to the bestselling book How to Create Events to Remember and served on the corporate meetings advisory board for the Four Seasons Hotel New York. In addition, Bareijsza has forged influential partnerships with Amazon, Macy’s, Clinique Bridal Salon, and Brides magazine.
Bareijsza was recognized as an Alum of the Month by Hofstra University. In 2021, she was honored for her innovation and industry influence as Smart Women in Meetings Entrepreneur of the Year by Bright Business Media.
Rachel Blaustein ’13 (music)
Praised for her “exquisite lyricism and velvet-gloved high notes” (Washington Classical Review), German American soprano Rachel Blaustein was recently named a 2022 Grand Finalist in The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Blaustein’s varied 2024-2025 season includes her debut with Austin Opera as Jocelyn Jordan in Kevin Put’s The Manchurian Candidate, the titular role in Rusalka with Pacific Opera Project, and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Opera Mississippi. She makes appearances with South Florida Symphony Orchestra and Maryland Opera and advanced to the next round of the 62 Concurs Tenor Viñas Competition in Barcelona, Spain, in January 2025. She finishes out the season in her debut with Cincinnati Opera as Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof.
Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Hofstra University and a master’s degree in music from The Peabody Conservatory.
Christopher De Bono ’06 (mathematics)
Christopher De Bono has worked as an attorney for 15 years, focusing on drug-related policy and litigation. In 2023, he joined the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy, where he advises on policies, legislation, and regulations involving drugs, firearms, and violent crime.
De Bono received his Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Hofstra University’s [Rabinowitz] Honors College in 2006 and his Juris Doctorate from The George Washington University Law School, magna cum laude and Order of the Coif, in 2009.
Benjamin Dynkin ’14 (economics)
Benjamin Dynkin is the global head of AI assurance for Amazon Web Services. Previously, he was an executive director at Wells Fargo, where he led efforts on AI cybersecurity governance, education, and policy engagement.
Dynkin’s work has appeared in several leading national and international journals, and he has been a regular commentator on television and radio. He is also the treasurer of the New York Metro InfraGard Chapter, the FBI’s public-private partnership. Dynkin is a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts and the Economic Club of New York. He received a BA in Economics from Hofstra University, a JD from Cardozo Law School, and an MSt from the University of Cambridge.
Scott L. Eck ’79 (theater arts)
Scott L. Eck is the founder and chief executive officer of Leadership Masters, a premier leadership development organization serving Fortune 100 organizations, governments, and elite learning institutions worldwide.
A recognized expert in immersive, interactive theatrical experiences, Eck’s career began in 1985 when he and four fellow Hofstra alumni created Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, a groundbreaking environmental stage play that enjoyed extraordinary international success.
Eck is also the author of three books: The Status Solution, The Status Solution Leadership Tool Kit, and The 29 Best Practices of Global Team Dynamics.
Matthew Goldberg ’12 (psychology)
Dr. Matthew Goldberg is a research scientist and the director of experimental research at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication at Yale University. His research focuses on persuasion, social influence, and strategic communication about climate change, renewable energy, and other urgent environmental, social, and political issues.
In 2022, he was named a Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science, and, in 2023, he received the Early Career Achievement Award from Division 34 of the American Psychological Association for exceptional research contributions. Goldberg earned a BA in Psychology from Hofstra University and a PhD in Social Psychology from City University of New York.
Sanam Hafeez, MS, ’00; PsyD, ’03 (school-community psychology)
Dr. Sanam Hafeez earned an MS and PsyD from Hofstra University, with a research interest in PTSD and secondary trauma, and completed her postdoctoral work in neurodevelopmental psychology at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, New York.
Dr. Hafeez is a pioneer in neuropsychological assessment, reshaping its clinical model and best practices. She founded the neuropsychological assessment center Comprehend the Mind in 2006 and continues to serve as director.
A trusted media expert, she has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, ABCNews, and Fox News. She serves on multiple boards as an expert in mental health and education.
Jeannette E. Jones ’93 (history)
Dr. Jeannette E. Jones graduated from Hofstra University with a BA in History with minors in political science and philosophy. She went on to earn an MA (’97) and PhD (’03) in History from the University at Buffalo. She joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2004, where she is now the endowed Carl A. Happold Associate Professor of History and Ethnic Studies.
She is a United States historian, with expertise in American cultural and intellectual history, African American history and studies, and pre-colonial Africa. Her research focus includes Gilded Age and Progressive Era America, the U.S. and the world, trans imperial history, and the transnational history of race and racialization. She is the author of In Search of Brightest Africa: Reimagining the Dark Continent in American Culture, 1884-1936.
Emily Miethner ’10 (fine arts)
Emily Miethner is a serial entrepreneur with a focus on community building, social media, and digital marketing. An educator at heart, she has over 15 years of experience delivering engaging talks and sharing her expertise at conferences and events, and through teaching courses.
In 2017, Miethner co-founded Travel Cat, the No. 1 cat travel brand in the world. Travel Cat is a profitable, fast-growing, 7-figure omnichannel brand that serves “catstomers” in 100+ countries and is sold in over 1,200 retail locations worldwide. Miethner oversees influencer marketing, SMS and email marketing, organic digital content, retail, product development, licensing, and partnerships for the brand.
Since 2014, Miethner has been an adjunct professor at institutions such as the School of Visual Arts and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she teaches career and social media classes. She is also a member of Hofstra University’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board.
Eric M. Plakun ’68 (biology)
Eric M. Plakun, MD, is former medical director and chief executive officer of the Austen Riggs Center and former Harvard Medical School clinical faculty member. He is the editor of two books and author of over a hundred published papers and book chapters, and he has presented widely in the United States and overseas. Plakun is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and served as an elected member of its board of trustees. He is past chair of the APA committee on psychotherapy by psychiatrists and the APA bylaws committee, and founder and past leader of its psychotherapy caucus. He is a past member of the APA finance and budget committee and the APA Assembly executive committee, and past chair of the APA Assembly committee of representatives of subspecialties and sections.
Plakun earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Hofstra University and a Doctor of Medicine from Columbia University.
Joshua Sankowski ’09 (political science)
Joshua Sankowski serves as the director of corporate partnerships at PathStone Corporation, a pioneering community development and human service organization. Since joining PathStone 13 years ago, he has dedicated his career to advancing affordable housing initiatives and antipoverty programs.
Sankowski serves on the Homeless Services Network of Rochester and is on the board of directors and development committee for the Genesee Land Trust. His impactful work has earned him numerous accolades, including Rochester Business Journal‘s Forty Under 40 in 2017 and consecutive appearances on their Power List for LGBTQ+ Business Leaders in 2023 and 2024.
Sankowski graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, cum laude, and minors in English and fine arts.
Jamie Whitfield ’82 (liberal arts)
Jamie Whitfield graduated from Hofstra University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. Her advertising career includes 16 years as partner and director of broadcast talent and J. Walter Thompson. She is currently the senior talent specialist at Havas Advertising.
Whitfield has been an involved member of the Hofstra community, serving as president of the Black/Hispanic Alumni Association from 2022 to 2024. She is currently the co-chair of the Hofstra Alumni Organization’s fundraising and scholarship committee. In addition, she uses her career experience in advertising in her role as a member of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication Advisory Board.
She established a scholarship to honor her father, Oscar N. Whitfield III, which supports students studying the creative arts. Whitfield is a member of the Women in Leadership Advisory Board.