Faculty

James Brusseau’s extensive academic career includes teaching undergraduate and graduate philosophy courses in Mexico, Europe and the United States for more than 14 years. His teaching specialties include continental philosophy, the history of philosophy and ethics.

He is the author of seven books on philosophy and ethics including Dignity, Pleasures, Vulgarity (2017), Business Ethics Workshop (2011) and Decadence of the French Nietzche (2004). Prior to joining Pace University in 2008, he taught philosophy at California State University-Fullerton.

Brusseau earned a PhD in Philosophy from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Vassar College.

Sheila Chiffriller has taught undergraduate and graduate psychology at Pace University for 16 years. She conducts research specializing in interpersonal dating violence, understanding and preventing violence, and the physical well-being of adolescents.

In addition to teaching, Chiffriller has been a licensed psychologist since 2006, counseling clients ranging across the lifespan from preschoolers to retirees. She has authored and co-authored numerous academic articles in publications including the Journal of School Counseling, the North American Journal of Psychology, and Psychological Reports.

Chiffriller holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology, a Master of Science in Counseling and Personnel Services, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, all from Fordham University.

As a professor of creative writing and literature at Pace University, Jane Collins is committed to finding effective ways to make students feel strongly supported and able to construct their own identities as creative writers.

She regularly publishes literary criticism, theater reviews and poetry, and has presented research papers at numerous conferences and symposiums including the Humanities Education and Research Association National Conference and the FRN National Symposium.

Collins earned a PhD in English from The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York and a Master of Arts in English from Queens College, City University of New York. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Rutgers College.

Jennifer D’Agostino has taught undergraduate psychology courses at Pace University since 2010. Her research interests include animal-assisted therapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy, ecotherapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and trauma-informed treatment.

In addition to teaching, D’Agostino has a private practice as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and National Certified Counselor (NCC) specializing in therapy with adolescents, children, adults, families and couples. She has also worked in psychiatric hospitals, non-profit agencies and residential programs.

D’Agostino is currently pursuing a PhD in Mental Health Counseling at Pace University. She holds a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Pace University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from Northeastern University.

Jean Deniro has been an educator in the field of communications for over 10 years. Her teaching interests include mass media, interpersonal communications among cultures and organization communications.

She became interested in teaching online courses while in graduate school and has made a committed effort to be an accessible and flexible online partner in her students’ academic efforts. Deniro is also an expert at helping her students to apply learned organizational communications skills in their current professional lives.

Deniro earned her master’s degree from New York University.

Antonia Garcia-Rodriguez is the Chair of the Modern Languages and Cultures Department at Pace University and teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses.

Garcia-Rodriguez has published numerous articles in academic journals, and she is the co-author of the book Latin America and The World. She has also presented at several academic conferences and symposiums including the Pennsylvania Foreign Language Conference and the National Association of Hispanic and Latino Studies’ regional conference. She is the recipient of the Pace University Employee Recognition Diversity Award and the Pace University Kenan Award for Teaching Excellence.

Garcia-Rodriguez earned both a PhD and a Master of Arts from The University of Binghamton. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Montclair University.

Erica Kipp is the former Director of Biology Laboratories at Pace and has over ten years of experience teaching general biology, ecology, environmental science, and plant biology. She mentors students in the teaching and research labs.

Her research interests include studying heat stress in plants as a consequence of climate age and studying how students learn biology using technology and online learning. She received a Teaching Award from the National Association of Biology Teachers and was given the Pace University President’s Faculty Extra Mile Award.

Marie Kittelstad is a dedicated educator in the field of communications and a freelance blogger who writes about digital marketing, lifestyle, and travel.

Her teaching interests include public speaking, pragmatic communication, and workplace communication. Kittelstad has experience developing online courses that help students get acclimated to higher education and learning online. Outside of the classroom, she has professional experience working for high-profile organizations such as MasterCard and the Social Security Administration.

Kittelstad earned a Master of Science in Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, both from Pace University.

Peggy Minnis is an experienced online educator who developed the first massive open online course (MOOC) offered at Pace. Her teaching interests include geographic information systems (GIS), consumer chemistry, and environmental chemistry.

Minnis advises and assists undergraduate and graduate students in their efforts to create and prevent their theses. She holds professional memberships with the American Chemical Society and the Northeast Arc Users Group (NEARC), an independent regional organization that represents GIS users in the New England and New York regions.

Minnis earned a PhD in Environmental Science and a Master of Environmental Science from the State University of New York College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Marywood University.

Augustine Mascuilli develops and teaches technical math for online and on campus students. His teaching interests include elementary statistics, calculus, mathematical structures for computer science, and finite mathematics.

He has worked closely with a program Pace University hosts in collaboration with the National Coalition for Telecommunications Education and Learning (NACTEL) to train network technicians in the telecommunications industry.

Mascuilli earned a PhD and a Master of Arts from the State University of New York at Albany. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Pace University.

David Sachs has nearly 20 years of experience teaching in the online environment and is the former assistant and associate dean of Information Technology for Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems. He also founded the Pace Computer Learning Center and the award-winning NACTEL program, where he served as co-director, helping to provide associate and bachelor’s degrees in telecommunications.

His research interests include social media, telehealth, and online learning. He is well-published in conference materials as well as scholarly journals such as the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. Additionally, he has received over $1 million in funding for his work with Telehealth Intervention Programs for Seniors (TIPS), a program intended to provide remote patient monitoring services to adults in New York and Pennsylvania.

Sachs earned an EdD in Educational Administration and a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Columbia University’s Teaching College. He also holds a Master of Art in English from New York University and a Bachelor of Art in Philosophy from Colgate University.

Professor Meghan Seixas is an adjunct professor at Pace University and the Graduate Academic Advisor for the Psychology department in Pleasantville. Her teaching specialties include Public Administration, Organizational Planning and Industrial Psychology.

Prior to her tenure at Pace, Professor Seixas worked in both the Technology and Non-Profit sectors. Professor Seixas received a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Non-Profit Management from Pace University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Nyack College.

James F. Stenerson is a professor, co-advisor to the Gay-Straight Alliance student organization, and the executive director of the Faculty Center for Innovative Teaching & Professional Development.

His long list of scholarly achievements includes papers, presentations, lectures, and conference and roundtable facilitation at conferences and roundtables on faculty development and information technology. He developed and taught the first online public speaking course and designed and implemented a full-motion video conferencing network for the delivery of courses between Pace University campuses.

Stenerson holds a PhD in Information Science with a concentration in the Philosophy of Technology from Long Island University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Media Studies from The New School.

Ruth Anne Thompson teaches in the English Department and has served as Associate Dean of Dyson College. She serves also as editor and advisor for the Pace masters theses on Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Thompson has published extensively on 19th century American literature and co-authored two books and several articles on the magazines and journals of the times. She has also served as the President of the International Children’s Literature Association.

Thompson earned her PhD and her MA in English from Fordham University where she taught and served as Assistant Dean, and a BA from the College of New Rochelle in English and Communications.

Stuart A. Varden has been teaching with Pace University for over 30 years where he has developed and taught several online courses. His teaching and research interests include database management systems, telecommunications, and information systems.

He has extensive research experience and is well-published in scholarly journals and conference materials. He is a former president of the Education Special Interest Group of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP/EDSIG) and remains active with a number of professional organizations including AITP/EDSIG, the Institute for the Certification of Computer Professionals, and the Foundation for Information Technology Education.

Varden earned an EdD in Educational Administration from Columbia University. He also holds a Master of Science in Computer Sciences from the Stevens Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Columbia University.

Andrés Villagrá is an experienced educator who is leading online adult education initiatives for multidisciplinary programs focusing on professional communications for students returning to the University to complete their degree.

He has held several leadership positions in academic governance, including the role of associate dean of academic affairs for the Dyson College. His research interests include Spanish literary studies and applied technology in the classroom. His research has been published in numerous academic journals within the United States, Europe and Latin America.

Villagrá holds a PhD in Spanish Literature, Language, and Culture from Syracuse University. He also earned a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Pace University.

Marilyn Weigold is a professor of history at Pace University and serves as the Assistant Chair of the Department of Economics, History and Political Science. She specializes in the regional and environmental history of the New York area.

Weigold is the author of several books including Long Island Sound: Its People, Places and Environment (2004); Yonkers in the Twentieth Century (2014); and Peconic Bay: Four Centuries of History on Long Island’s North and South Forks (2015). She is the recipient of numerous fellowships, grants and awards including the Pace University Kenan Award for Teaching Excellence.

Weigold earned a PhD in History and a Master of Arts in History from St. John’s University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Good Counsel College.

Paul Ziek is an assistant professor at Pace University and serves as the Chairperson of the Department of Media, Communications, and Visual Arts.

Ziek has authored and co-authored numerous academic articles in publications including the International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Celebrity Studies, and the Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management. He has also presented at several esteemed research conferences across the country.

Ziek earned a PhD in Communication from Rutgers University and a Master of Arts in Media Ecology from New York University. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Rutgers University.