The Learning Collaborative Instructor Biographies
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein
* Indicates that the instructor is new to TLC
Suzanne Altman, B.F.A., Tyler School of Art, Master’s in Art Education, Pace University, has taught art and art history in public and private schools. She has lectured on art history at many venues in the Hudson Valley and New Jersey. Suzanne is also a painter whose works have been widely exhibited.
Beth Blecker, RFC, provides clients approaching their retirement years or in times of transition with proactive financial strategies. She understands that it’s not just your money, it’s your life and works toward helping establish financial balance. Beth teaches retirement planning and distribution strategies to local CPA groups and corporations, as well as at various financial services industry events.
Courtney Boniface is the managing partner at Cane, Boniface & Eisen, P.C. The firm focuses on the areas of estate planning, elder law, and Medicaid planning. Courtney and her team offer personalized services to guide you through life’s important decisions. They prioritize your peace of mind, ensuring that your legacy is thoughtfully protected for future generations.
Robin F. Brancato taught English, journalism, and creative writing at Hackensack H.S., Teaneck H.S., and Kean University, all in New Jersey. She has published eight young adult novels with Alfred Knopf and two nonfiction books for teenagers with Scarecrow Press. She is a member of the Authors Guild, PEN International, and Writers Guild East.
*Susan Carroll, Esq. holds the position of Director of Training at Pace’s Women’s Justice Center. Through outreach and training programs, she raises awareness, shares information, and trains judges, police officers, attorneys, social service providers, law students, and the community on domestic violence and sexual assault, including issues involving campus sexual assault and elder abuse issues. Before joining PWJC, Susan worked with the Bronx D.A.’s office for 10 years, handling a wide mix of felonies including homicides, assaults, and domestic violence. She is a graduate of Boston College and Boston College Law School.
Vincent Cina is a computer scientist with over five decades of experience. He started as a computer operator and progressed to senior system programmer at a prominent New York utility. He then transitioned to IBM’s Research Division where he spent 15 years as a senior computer science research manager and then 12 years as IT manager for IBM’s worldwide Research Division. Vincent holds four computer science U.S. patents. Vincent is a member of TLC Board.
Phyllis Citrin holds a B.S. in Biology and a Master’s in Science Education from CCNY. She did research and participated in leadership institutes at Princeton, Cold Spring Harbor Labs, Nathan Kline, and Cornell University. She was a finalist for 1999 New York State Teacher of the Year and taught Advanced Placement Biology and Science Research for over 44 years. Phyllis is a member of TLC board, having served, in the past, as Chair.
Marty L. Cohen is Adjunct Professor of History and Geography at CUNY. He was chairman of social studies at the Clarkstown Central School District, is the director of the Rockland County Mentoring Collaborative, and has lectured at the Rockland and Bergen YMHAs. He has written numerous articles for magazines and journals on history and politics.
Dr. Marty O. Cohen has a doctorate in Nuclear Science and Engineering from Columbia University. He has lectured on history, science, and the historic approach to Bible at Road Scholar (nee Elderhostel) seminars, the Melton Institute, alumni associations, JCCs, synagogues, culture clubs, and well over sixty times here at the Collaborative. He is a member of TLC Board and is the catalog editor.
Tom DeStefano taught American History at Paterson H.S. for 30 years and currently teaches at Bergen Community College. He has presented many programs at local libraries. His specialties include the American presidents, the Civil War, and New Jersey history.
Rick Feingold worked as the marketing director at the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State University. He teaches American Business History at Bergen Community College. He holds a B.A. in History from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. from Penn State.
Dr. Lenny Grob is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Fairleigh Dickinson University where he taught for over forty years and where he chaired the philosophy department for several decades. Lenny’s expertise lies in Existential thought, in particular, the philosophy of dialogue. He has written extensively on the philosophies of Martin Buber and Emmanuel Levinas. Lenny is also immersed in Holocaust Studies and in ethical issues pertinent to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Dr. Duncan Rogers Lee II is a local attorney who has taught a variety of Constitutional Law and science classes at the Collaborative. His former newspaper column and WRCR radio show, The Law and You, has explained legal issues to the general public for almost two decades. A former acting judge for the Village of Upper Nyack, he coaches the award-winning Nyack H.S. Mock Trial Team.
Sylvia Lewis is a retired journalist who spent many years heading the publications department of a nonprofit professional association, where she was in charge of magazine and book publishing. Early in her career she worked as a newspaper reporter and book editor. She earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in English literature (from Cornell University and the University of Washington, respectively). She also holds an M.S.J. from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
Joan Adinolfi Mallory has taught her popular “The Opera Experience” class at The Learning Collaborative for many years. She has 56 years of teaching experience and spent 22 years as head of the Music Education Department at Nyack College. During her tenure as a teacher, she received the MENC model classroom teacher award.
*Maia O’Brien has been working with adults for 30+ years, teaching creative integration of body, mind, and spirit through dance, integrative physical therapy, body-centered psychology, the creative arts therapies, and astrology. Maia offers new perspectives that promote wellness and self-care for better life balance. She specializes in burnout prevention, adult development, life transitions, grief/bereavement, trauma, management styles, and organizational transformation. Maia helps people master skills of creativity and emotional intelligence to bring higher levels of excellence to all areas of life at home, at work and in the community.
Dr. Alan J. Pierce, Ed.D., is the co-author of six textbooks on technology published by West Publishing and Glencoe McGraw-Hill. He was the technical consultant on the children’s book Discover How Things Work and was an editor for the six books created by The Techknow Project and published by Centre Pointe Learning. His magazine column on new and emerging technology was published monthly for 26 years in the magazine TechDirections. His columns can be found online at https://www.technologytoday.us/. Alan is a member of TLC board.
Jay Rifkin spent over 35 years teaching math and almost twice that time as a BIG TIME baseball fan. By the age of 7, he was collecting baseball cards and could recite the starting lineups of all Major League teams (16 at the time). He also spent countless hours voraciously reading whatever he could about baseball. He looked forward to and enjoyed Opening Day with the same enthusiasm and excitement as his birthday. By March 1st, he was in full countdown mode to the start of a new baseball season. Not much has changed through the years.
Judith Rose, the founder of Vital Movement™, is an experienced educator, choreographer, published poet, and movement artist. She has an extensive background in a variety of movement arts, therapeutic modalities, and specialized trainings. Her private practice in therapeutic wellness work is located in Nyack.
Mike Rossi was an undergraduate at St. Thomas Aquinas College, a graduate of LIU, and a post-graduate of Iona College. He taught high school social studies and was a high school administrator. As a retired educator, he has authored four mystery novels, has become an education consultant, and advocates for elder care providers.
Martin Schneit is a born and bred New Yorker and historian. He has lectured at the New York Public Library, JCCs, the 92nd St Y, the Health Outreach Program of New York, Presbyterian Hospital, The Central Synagogue, The Hebrew Home for the Aged, The Ziegfeld Society of New York, for the patients at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in Manhattan, and at the Lincoln Center of Riverdale. The Jewish Braille Institute has recorded Marty’s lectures for their audio magazine.
Alice Twombly has a B.A. in English from Brandeis and an M.A.T. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She taught Shakespeare and AP English at Teaneck H.S. for over 35 years. An educational consultant, photographer, and poet, Alice frequently lectures on literary topics at regional libraries, is the Curator of Thursdays Are for Poetry, a monthly poetry reading in Teaneck, and a member of Brevitas, an online poetry collective of over 70 poets in the NY Metro Area.
Bette Willins, M.S., LDT-C, is a certified yoga instructor holding advanced degrees in special education with years of experience in addressing the needs of clients of all ages and ability levels. Her personal journey, facing the daily challenges of Parkinson’s Disease, and as a Davis Phinney Foundation Ambassador, has broadened her passion to acknowledge the needs of the whole person, specifically through the practice of yoga, breath work and meditative practices.
“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” – Japanese proverb