» Mission
» Professional Staff
» Advisory Board
Mission
Independently and in collaboration with local governments, business and not-for-profits in the Hudson Valley, the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach’s (CRREO) research mission is to: conduct studies on topics of regional interest; bring visibility and focus to these matters; foster communities working together to better serve citizenry; and advance the public interest in our region.
In addition to Regional Education, a number of well established, regionally oriented New Paltz programs and activities have been assembled under the aegis of CRREO. These include: the Institute for Disaster Mental Health (IDMH), the Legislative Gazette, the Language Immersion Institute (LII), University in the High School, and One Book, One New Paltz.
Professional Staff
| Gerald Benjamin CRREO Director & Associate Vice President for Regional Engagement Gerald Benjamin joined the New Paltz faculty as an Assistant Professor of Political Science in 1968 and achieved the University's highest rank in 2002 when he was appointed Distinguished Professor by the SUNY Board of Trustees. He served as Chair of the Department of Political Science, Presiding Officer of the faculty and (for twelve years beginning in 1996) Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. » Read more about Dr. Benjamin |
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| Helise Winters Deputy Director of Administration Helise Winters is currently the Dean of Regional Education and the Deputy Director of Administration for CRREO. Previously she served as associate dean of Continuing and Professional Education for nine years. » Read more about Helise Winters |
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| Kathleen Tobin Flusser Assistant Director Kathleen (kt) Tobin Flusser joined the CRREO staff in October 2008. Previously, she was the assistant director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion where she provided a variety of research and technical support for all survey projects. Her research at the Marist Poll included studies of voters in the United States, New York State, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York City. She has also performed extensive research in emergency preparedness; children’s issues; community surveys; higher education; business and economic development; and environmental issues. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at SUNY Albany where her specialty areas are political sociology and gender. She has a M.S. Social Research from CUNY Hunter and is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz ’92, Sociology. |
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Joshua Simons |
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Advisory Board
Jack Lester
Chair
Jack Lester is an environmental, land use and real estate lawyer in New York City. He has served as a member of Manhattan Community Board #8, Democratic District leader and delegate to the Judicial Nominating Convention in New York City. He formed the first anti-bias unit in New York City as an assistant district attorney in Queens County. Jack Lester was a member of the Housing Court advisory selecting candidates for the Housing Court in New York City. Jack Lester was counsel to the New York State Senate Finance Committee from 1991-94 and was counsel to David Paterson in the State Senate from 1994-96. As a student legal services attorney at SUNY Albany Jack Lester litigated a class action lawsuit that gave students the right to vote in their college community. Jack Lester graduated New Paltz in 1974 and New York Law School in 1977.
Paul Brown
Dr. Paul Brown currently serves as the Chairman of the Planning Board and member of the Board of Assessment Review of the Town of New Paltz, New York. At the State University of New York at New Paltz he has served as Chairman of the Psychology Department, Chairman of the SUNY Foundation and Chairman of the Friends of the Sojourner Truth Library. He is the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. His consulting firm has provided productivity and organizational effectiveness consulting services to Fortune 50 firms for the past thirty years.
Thomas Cetrino
Thomas Cetrino is currently the Research Director for the Public Employees Federation; his office handles all public policy and civil service research for a NY State employee union of over 59,000 professional, scientific, and technical employees. He also worked in numerous capacities for the NY State Senate Minority leader for over twenty years. His research work and publications in both jobs has led to new laws concerning New York State’s use of consultants, the establishment of community dispute resolution centers, and the treatment of violent offenders. He has a Masters in Criminal Justice from SUNY Albany and a Bachelors in Political Science from SUNY New Paltz.
Richard Croce
Richard Croce is the co-founder and President of Viking Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of corrugated board packaging, incorporated in New Paltz in 1973. He is also a co-founder and partner in Freedom Corrugated, a manufacturer of corrugated board located in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. Richard’s community and business involvement has included: Member of the New Paltz Town Board and Planning Board, Ulster County Legislator, Director and Chair of the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce, Ulster County Development Corporation, Ulster County Community College Foundation, the Council of Industry of Southeastern NY, and Director of the Ulster County Chamber. He is currently a Trustee of Rondout Savings Bank. Richard attended Dutchess Community College and Rider College in Trenton, New Jersey. A resident of the Ulster County for fifty-four years, Richard currently resides in New Paltz and Sanibel, Florida.
Jonathan Drapkin
Jonathan Drapkin is President and CEO of Pattern for Progress the regional public policy, research and planning not-for-profit serving nine counties of the Hudson Valley. Pattern’s mission is to improve the quality of life through regional strategies while encouraging a sustained, strategic and balanced approach to growth. Drapkin guided the creation of Bethel Woods as executive director of the Gerry Foundation. Served as Sullivan County manager and chaired the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development.
He was a member of the Governor’s Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness; serves on the NY/NJ Port Authority’s Stewart Airport Citizen Advisory Panel, chairs the volunteers subcommittee of the 2009 Empire State Games, and heads the Research/Economic Development Committee for the Task Force on the Future of Westchester Medical Center. Drapkin graduated from Washington University, has a Master’s in economics from Long Island University, and a law degree from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law.
Frances Dunwell
Fran Dunwell holds the titles of Hudson River Estuary Coordinator and Special Assistant at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. She oversees the implementation of the state’s Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda, recently updated. The Estuary Program’s goal is to conserve and recover the tidal Hudson and the extraordinary natural heritage of its watershed through programs founded in science and implemented in ways that support the quality of life of the Valley’s citizens. For more information on the program see www.dec.state.ny.us/website/hudson/hrep.html. Dunwell is also the author of The Hudson: America’s River, Columbia University Press 2008.
Barry Rothfeld
Barry Rothfeld is the president and publisher of the Poughkeepsie Journal, where he formerly served as executive editor. He is the past publisher of The Ithaca Journal and editor of the Press & Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton. He is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and serves on the school’s alumni board. He has taught journalism at Marymount College, the State University College at New Paltz and Ithaca College. He is immediate past chair of the New York Newspaper Publishers Association board of directors and currently serves on the boards of the United Way, Dutchess County Economic Development Corporation, the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Pattern for Progress and Miles of Hope.
Geddy Sveikauskas
Geddy Sveikauskas has been the publisher of weekly newspapers in the mid-Hudson area for the past 35 years. Before that he had a variety of interesting experiences in New York City. And before that he went to school in Boston. And before that he was born in England of Lithuanian parents.
