Trailblazers

Connie Bosse, Class of 1972

Connie Bosse is a native of Warrensburg and received an associate degree from Adirondack Community College in 1972. After graduation, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where she completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She spent her career in higher education administration as a dean at Boston University and Babson College, and vice president at Kaplan Corporation. She retired in 2013 and moved back to Glens Falls. She has participated in a wide variety of community activities since retirement, including serving on Glens Falls Cemetery Commission and the Ward Redistricting Task Force; acting as a citizen representative for The Post-Star editorial board; participating as an alumni member of the 2016 SUNY Adirondack Campaign Committee; serving as a Glens Falls representative to the Friends of Crandall Library Board; functioning as an appointed member of Warren County Comprehensive Plan Committee; and serving as president of the Adirondack Chapter of AAUW where, in conjunction with SUNY Adirondack Continuing Education, she oversaw the “Let’s Go STEM” Program.   
 

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James LaFarr, Class of 1991

Warren County Sheriff Jim LaFarr is a 1991 graduate of SUNY Adirondack who served in the U.S. Army and the Air Force National Guard. He was elected sheriff in 2020, after serving Warren County Sheriff’s Office for nearly 30 years, working up the ranks from seasonal officer to investigator, investigative sergeant and lieutenant. He served on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks, is an active member of Kiwanis International and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks No. 81, and was an ambassador for Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce. 
 

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Julie Mosher, Classes of 2003 and 2008

Julie Mosher, MS, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, serves as director of Nursing Practice & Professional Development at Glens Falls Hospital, an affiliate of Albany Med Health System. With a career grounded in clinical excellence and a passion for advancing practice, Julie leads initiatives that strengthen professional growth, enhance patient safety,  and foster a culture of lifelong learning. Under her leadership, the Professional Development team at Glens Falls Hospital designed, developed and implemented a comprehensive Nurse Residency Program that supports new graduate nurses as they transition from student to professional nurse. In 2019, the program earned initial Practice Transition Accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for its medical surgical pathway. In 2022, the program achieved reaccreditation for its medical surgical pathway and expanded accreditation to include Critical Care 101 and Emergency Room101. Julie also led the development of many other new graduate programs such as Psych 101, OB 101, PeriOp 101 & PACU 101. In 2023, Julie received the Claire Murray Best Practice Award from NY Organization for Nursing Leadership for implementing an innovative Psych 101 new nurse graduate program. Julie holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration and earned two associate degrees from SUNY Adirondack (2003 and 2008). She is pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Capella University. In addition, she maintains two national board certifications: Nursing Professional Development (NPD-BC) and Nurse Executive-Advanced (NEA-BC).   
 

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Robert Smith, Class of 1990

Honorable Judge Robert A. Smith, Class of 1990, is Warren County Court judge and surrogate. He earned a bachelor’s degree from University at Albany and a juris doctorate from Albany Law School. He was in private practice under Bartlett, Pontiff, Stewart and Rhodes doing civil and criminal litigation, estates and trust work. He worked in state Supreme Court Judge Stan Pritzker’s private practice, doing general law in Washington County, then served as Warren County Court attorney. Smith is on the Board of Trustees of Big Brothers Big Sisters, serves as a  “Big Brother” in the program, and a is member of Glens Falls Elks Lodge No. 81.     

Meghan Cook, Class of 1992
Meghan is director of Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT) and assistant director of the Office of Counter Terrorism (OCT) at the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (NYS DHSES). A global leader in public sector digital transformation, Cook has more than 27 years of experience in government policy. She spent 25 years at the Center for Technology in Government (CTG), a renowned research institute at  University at Albany. She is an affiliate professor at Albany Law School and formerly served as adjunct professor at Rockefeller College and Advisor to the NYS Local Government IT Directors (NYSLGITDA) for two decades. Cook has published extensively on digital transformation in government, including recent works on AI and local government cybersecurity. A sought-after speaker, she has led more than 350 strategy sessions for government leaders worldwide and earned awards including Excelsior College’s Alumni Achievement Award and SUNY Chancellor’s Award. She holds degrees from SUNY Adirondack, Excelsior University and University at Albany. She is a board member for Saratoga Rowing Association and a former leader in Girl Scouts of Northeastern NY. She resides in Saratoga Springs with her two children.
 

Joe Donahue, Class of 1987
Joe is a nationally acclaimed host and interviewer. With more than 40 years of broadcasting experience, he is a trusted voice on WAMC/Northeast Public Radio, hosting “The Roundtable,” a daily program celebrated for engaging conversations with diverse guests, including world leaders, best-selling authors, musicians and experts across various fields. In addition to “The Roundtable,” Donahue hosts “The Book Show,” a nationally syndicated program dedicated to literature. Each week, he interviews notable authors such as Stephen King, Anne Tyler and Roxane Gay, delving into their books and creative processes. He has earned more than 100 national and local awards for his interviewing skills, including the Scripps-Howard Excellence in Electronic Journalism Award and several Associated Press and Edward R. Murrow awards. Donahue is also a visiting professor at Bennington College, sharing his expertise in interviewing and the media. He is a Comfort Food Communities board member, supports nonprofits, and advances the arts through initiatives such as The Creative Life series at University at Albany.
 

Paul Dowen, Class of 1979
Paul earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont—Castleton in 1980, then returned to Glens Falls and started his accounting career. He founded his own firm in 1987, which merged to form the Queensbury-based firm Whittemore, Dowen & Ricciardelli in April 2006. Paul has been active in Glens Falls Rotary Club since 1982 and has been involved with numerous other community and charitable groups, serving in various roles, including board seats and committees, and volunteering his time. He serves on the boards of The House of Grace of the Adirondacks and The Adirondack Hockey Coalition. He just completed services to the boards of Christ Church United Methodist (42 years) and SUNY Adirondack Foundation (29 years) and is a director emeritus of SUNY Adirondack Foundation. 
 

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Amy Hogan-Moulton, Class of 1986
Amy is a doctor of nephrology and hypertension at Saratoga and Glens Falls Hospitals. She is the medical director of DCI Renal Centers in Saratoga and Glens Falls, and chair of the Department of Medicine at Glens Falls Hospital. She is a member of the American Society of Nephrology and serves as a board member of the Northeast Kidney Foundation. As a founding member of Upstate Kidney Foundation, she seeks to educate people on the prevention and management of kidney disease. She earned an associate degree in Biology from SUNY Adirondack, a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Albany Medical College. She completed her internal medicine residency at the University of North Carolina and a fellowship in nephrology at Chapel Hill.
 

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Toni Bishop-McWain, Class of 1991
Toni is the chief nursing officer at Saratoga Hospital. She has published articles in ProQuest and Healthy Cells magazines, and lectured at national nursing and health care conferences, including the National Stroke Association. She served as a board member of the Community Health Care Clinic, Illinois Organization of Nurse Leaders, Heartland Community College Foundation, Illinois State University Mennonite College of Nursing and Prevent Child Abuse of Illinois. Toni has more than 30 years of nursing experience, including as a critical care nurse, nurse manager, director of critical care and vice president of patient care. She is a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, American Nurses Association, American Organization of Nurse Leaders and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She earned an associate degree in Nursing from SUNY Adirondack, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Nursing and Nursing Administration from Sacred Heart University, and a doctorate in Nursing Administration from Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing.
 

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Dean Felicetti, Class of 1992
Dean is an international leader in digital forensics and information governance and a former founder and partner of The Oliver Group, a company that provides litigation and compliance support in data acquisition and forensic and legacy data remediation. As director of Data Risk and Remediation for Sullivan|Strickler, Felicetti provides litigation support, information governance, and electronic evidence discovery services. He is the longtime head coach of The Prout School’s varsity basketball team, the 2022 Rhode Island coach of the year, founder and former coach of Chariho Youth Basketball Association, offers basketball clinics, and speaks regularly to high school students about digital footprints. He played basketball at SUNY Adirondack, earning an associate degree in Data Processing. 
 

John Marcantonio, Class of 1990
John died July 22, 2023, but his larger-than-life personality and love of his community lives on in those he touched. John was vice president and Business Development officer at Arrow Financial Corporation. He worked for several years for the Adirondack Regional and Saratoga County Chambers of Commerce. Passionate for making introductions and connections throughout the community, he remained an active chamber member throughout his career. He also served on Glens Falls Rotary’s Board of Directors for a decade. John was a fervent supporter of the Alzheimer’s Association. As co-chair of the Northern Saratoga and Adirondack Walk to End Alzheimer’s, he was responsible for raising awareness and hundreds of thousands of dollars for Alzheimer’s research. He attended the Alzheimer’s Association’s National Leadership Summit six times, twice as a presenter, because of his incredible successes. He was named the Alzheimer’s Association’s Volunteer of the Year in 2019 and served on its Board of Directors. An avid hiker and Adirondack 46er, he developed Paint the Peaks Purple, a hiking challenge in support of The Longest Day fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association. John volunteered as a coach for youth sports, including South Glens Falls Little League and Pop Warner, Northeast Hurricanes Travel Baseball and Adirondack Youth Hockey. A 1990 graduate of SUNY Adirondack with a degree in Business Administration, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Business from SUNY Institute of Technology.
 

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Amy Ryan, Class of 2000
Amy graduated from SUNY Adirondack with an Associate of Arts in Humanities and Social Sciences in 2000, from University at Albany with a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and from Harvard with a master’s in Business Management. Amy, founder and chief circular economist of University ESGStrategies, has more than two decades of strategic leadership experience in public, private and government sectors. Her company assists businesses and municipalities with the redevelopment of industrial property or former factories for economic development. She has extensive application experience of sustainability policy in manufacturing through auditing and participation in COP16 with the U.S. delegation in the EU. Amy was appointed vice chairwoman of the Strategic Foresight Board of the Circular Economy Alliance, an EU-based circular economy policy research center, after advising international clients on sustainability and circular economy projects since the mid-2000s. She serves on the boards of Harvard University Alumni Association’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Team, LifeWorks Community Action of Saratoga County, and Capital District YMCA Camp Chingachgook, in addition to being an adjunct professor at UAlbany/International School of Business of the Americas and an Independent Director for The Oil-Dri Corporation of America, Forbes Magazine’s seventh most successful small-cap company in 2024. Amy was named The Post-Star’s 20 Under 40 in 2020, the University at Albany School of Business’s High Peaks Impact Award Founder, and the Top 50 Women in Sustainability by SustainabilityX® Magazine in 2022. Amy discussed the benefits of the circular economy to the local community at the 2023 Annual Africa-ESG, Impact Investing, and Sustainable Finance Forum, the University of Albany, the APEC Malaysia World-Class Circular Economy of Industrial Parks, and the Mohawk Valley (NY) Brownfield Developers Summit.
 

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Lisa Mitzen, Class of 1989
Lisa is co-founder of Business for Good, a nonprofit organization that supports community organizations and businesses. Profits earned by businesses Mitzen owns — including The Bread Basket and Hattie’s Restaurant & Chicken Shack — fund Business for Good, which donates to regional nonprofit organizations and helps entrepreneurs further develop their businesses. She works to end homelessness, fight food insecurity, and engage in animal rights actions through partnerships with The Lisa Mitzen Animal Care Center/Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, The Handsome Cock Farm, Rebuilding Together Saratoga County, Shelters of Saratoga, The Giving Circle, Double H Ranch, and Alzheimer’s Association, among others. For more than 15 years, she worked as a mortgage lending manager for companies including Countrywide Home Loans, MetLife and Paragon Home Loans. She is a 1989 graduate of SUNY Adirondack and a 1991 graduate of SUNY Utica.  
 

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John Strough, Class of 1971
John is a lifelong resident of Queensbury and a longtime town supervisor. John was a high school teacher for 37 years, retiring in 2011. From 2004 to 2013, he served as a town councilman and, in 2013, as deputy town supervisor. He was elected as town supervisor in 2014 and is serving in his fifth term. He served on SUNY Adirondack’s Board of Trustees, Warren County Economic Developmental Council’s board, and several boards and committees dedicated to preserving Lake George. He developed, designed and built the Rush Pond and Half Way Brook trail systems and has overseen the direction and implementation of major infrastructure projects and initiatives, including solar, fiber optics, lake and land preservation, and economic projects. John’s historical summations, articles, and essays about land and water preservation have been published. He is a 1971 graduate of SUNY Adirondack, a 1974 graduate of the University of Buffalo, and has pursued graduate studies at the University at Albany and other institutions.

Tanya Tobias-Tomis, Class of 1999
Tanya is executive director of Lake George Arts Project, a nonprofit organization that promotes exposure and income opportunities to professional and emerging artists and provides quality arts programming to the Lake George region. Over the past 23 years, Tanya has held numerous arts administration positions in the region, including at The Hyde Collection and Saratoga Arts. She is vice president of the Board of Directors at Adirondack Folk School, a member of Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce Women in Business, and, for more than a decade, has been a juror and steering committee member for LifeWorks’ Latino Community Advocacy Program’s Estamos Aqui fundraiser. In the past, she also served on the Hudson River Mill Museum’s Board of Directors. Tanya is a past Americans for the Arts Emerging Leader Scholarship Award Winner and was an Americans for the Arts Emerging Leader Award panelist, as well as an exhibition juror and guest speaker for many local and regional arts organizations. Tanya is a 1999 graduate of SUNY Adirondack, a 2001 graduate of the University at Albany and earned a master’s degree from Skidmore College.

Cassandra Moore, Class of 2005
Cassandra is a service line administrator of Glens Falls Hospital’s Neurology & Stroke Program. She graduated from SUNY Adirondack’s highly respected Nursing program in 2005. Over the past 16 years, she has worked as a critical care nurse and nurse educator and developed Glens Falls Hospital’s nurse residency and stroke programs. Moore earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Nursing Education and Leadership in a bridge program through Excelsior College in 2015 and, in 2016, returned to Glens Falls Hospital to help establish a nurse residency program in high-acuity areas. In 2018, she led a team in developing the hospital’s Stroke Program, of which she became director in 2020. 
 

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J. Buckley Bryan Jr., Classes of 1987, 1994
Bryan is a longtime resident of Bolton Landing and a two-time graduate of SUNY Adirondack, earning degrees in Business Administration and Psychology. As a retired commercial airline pilot and U.S. Navy officer, as well as an entrepreneur and retired SUNY Adirondack adjunct faculty member, Bryan has been a driving force and pillar of the community. Bryan is the college’s largest donor, and an advocate for education and philanthropy. He has served as a member and president of the Foundation Board of Directors and played a key role in developing the college’s entrepreneurship program. Bryan has also served as a member and former president of Lake George Association and was a member of the Board of Directors of Warren and Washington Advocacy, Bolton Landing planning board, Bolton Landing Volunteer Fire Department and National Ski Patrol.    
 

Capt. Evan Love, Class of 1983
Capt. Evan Love enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1975 at the age of 17. He was assigned to the ballistic missile submarine USS Francis Scott Key, SSBN 657, where he completed five deterrent patrols as a reactor operator during the Cold War. After his honorable discharge in 1981, Evan relocated to Fort Edward and completed a degree in Engineering Science at SUNY Adirondack. He later went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from RPI. Evan worked for the Naval Laboratory for 34 years as a licensed professional engineer. He also remained in the Navy Reserve until his retirement in October 2017, achieving the rank of captain. He continues to serve his community and fellow veterans in his retirement as an active member of the Red Cross, St. Stephen’s Church and the Employer’s Veterans Organization.

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Jennifer Pettis, Class of 1991
Jennifer has more than 25 years of health care experience and has dedicated her career to improving health care for older adults. She graduated from SUNY Adirondack’s Nursing program in 1991 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management and a master’s degree in Nursing Education from SUNY Empire. Jennifer is an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Empire, a member of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern New York Board of Directors, the New York State Auxiliary Board for Nursing, the Foundation of New York State Nurses Board of Directors and the Alumni Student Federation Board of Governors of ESC. She was named an Alzheimer’s Association Ambassador to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer in 2019 and recognized by the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence as a Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing in 2020.

Tim Badger, Class of 1969
Tim’s 45-year professional career began at Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co. as a management trainee and progressed through various marketing and business development positions. When he retired in 2017, Tim was senior vice president of Marketing, PR and Shareholder Relations. Tim holds an A.A.S. degree in Business Administration from SUNY Adirondack, a Bachelor of Science degree from the University at Albany and an MBA from the University of Vermont. An avid hockey fan, Tim coached Adirondack Youth Hockey and served on its board, coached the Skidmore College women’s ice hockey club for seven seasons, and participated in the Senior Olympic Games in Lake Placid. Many community organizations have benefitted from Tim’s leadership, including SUNY Adirondack Foundation, Queensbury Senior Center, Tri-County United Way, CWI, Moreau Community Center, Adirondack Balloon Festival, Warren-Washington Counties Association for Mental Health and Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, Tim was named the Tri-County United Way Volunteer of the Year. 

Jason Carusone, Class of 1989
Jason’s academic career began at Adirondack Community College in May of 1989. He transferred to Binghamton University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and, ultimately, a Juris Doctoral degree from Buffalo University School of Law. He returned to Warren County and worked as a private attorney until 1999, when he became an assistant district attorney in Warren County. In 2004, his hard work earned him a promotion to the first assistant district attorney position in Warren County, a position he held for 13 years before being elected to serve as Warren County district attorney in 2017. Jason’s distinguished service includes recognition by the Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association and the District Attorney’s Association of New York.

Drew Schiavi, Class of 2003
Drew officially began his professional broadcasting career as a director and chief technical director for a variety of news and specialty programs at WRGB/WCWN–CBS 6 in Albany, New York. In 2012, Drew became a master control operator at ESPN in Connecticut and was promoted to associate director in 2014. Drew was part of a team that won an Emmy Award at the 37th Annual Sorts EMMY® Awards for Outstanding Trans-Media Sports Coverage; College Football Playoff National Championship. However, Drew’s career truly began in college, where he was program director at WGFR, SUNY Adirondack’s student radio, while he earned an associate degree in Radio and TV Broadcasting. He transferred to SUNY Oswego and became producer of the Oswego Laker Men’s Hockey Team games. Drew earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting and mass communication at from SUNY Oswego in 2005. Drew shares his experiences with SUNY Adirondack broadcasting students and established a scholarship for broadcasting majors.

Sarah Ghent, Class of 1980
Sarah earned an AAS in Nursing from SUNY Adirondack in 1980 as an adult learner while raising her family, and she earned a bachelor’s in Health and Human Services from Columbia Pacific University in San Rafael, California. Ghent continued a career in nursing that included medical/surgical nurse at Staten Island University Hospital and Glens Falls Hospital; manager of a home care staffing agency on Staten Island; implementation of the first case management program on Staten Island for H.I.P. Plan of Greater New York; clinical review, quality improvement for Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield; and clinical reporting to physicians for Mohawk Valley Physicians. Since retirement, her volunteer endeavors include The American Red Cross, NY State Long Term Care Ombudsman (Certified) and Ombudsman of the Year 2017, NY Connects Long Term Care Council, Chairperson-SUNY Adirondack Nursing Alumni Association, SUNY Adirondack Nursing Program Advisory Board and the High Peaks Hospice.

Stephen Harmon (Conigliaro), Class of 1976
Stephen came to Adirondack Community College from Flushing in 1974. A student of Professor LeRoy Aiken, he found great joy in the Radio and TV Broadcasting major and at the newly established WACC Radio station. After graduating, Steven worked at WIPS Ticonderoga, then moved to WBZA in Albany. He later settled in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a position as a professional DJ came with a new professional name, Steve Harmon. Through the years, he has won numerous awards, including three Billboard Major Market Air Personality of the Year awards, CMA Awards and, most significantly, an induction in 2018 to the Country Radio Hall of Fame in Nashville.

Dennis Harris, Class of 1996
Dennis is a systems engineer working at United Launch Alliance, helping the company qualify its newest rocket, Vulcan, which was used to launch manned missions to space. He graduated from SUNY Adirondack in 1996 with a Math/Science degree and then went on to University at Albany for bachelor's and master's degrees in Physics. He received an MBA in 2010. Dennis has worked for several aerospace companies, and his projects include instruments for NASA, NOAA, the Air Force and South Korea. 

Rich Johns, Class of 1970
Rich is a native of South Glens Falls who began his academic career at ACC in 1968, and transferred to the State University of New York at Potsdam, from which he graduated in 1972. Rich taught elementary and middle school and coached tennis at Saratoga Springs High School for 38 years. Under his guidance, Saratoga won 17 League titles, nine Sectional Team Titles and holds the Section II record for Class AA with 85 consecutive wins and a record of 107–2 during that period. He has won numerous awards as a coach, an Excellence in Teaching Award by the SUNY Albany Chapter of The National Society of Leadership and Success in 2015 and 2016, and was inducted into the SUNY Adirondack and SUNY Potsdam halls of fame as well as Saratoga Springs School District and South Glens Falls Athletic and Community Pride Hall of Fames. Following his passion for personal character development, Johns started a “pay it forward” mission called Act With Respect Always, which has grown into a national model of student and athlete character development.

Brett Lange, Class of 1992
Brett graduated from SUNY Adirondack in 1992 with an AAS in Radio Broadcasting. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in finance marketing from University of Albany. Today, Brett owns four local businesses in Lake George: Christie’s on the Lake, S.J. Garcia’s, Pablo’s Burrito Cantina and Magic Castle Indoor Golf. His entrepreneurial career has kept him linked with SUNY Adirondack. Many of his employees are students or graduates, and he has established two scholarships, one supporting students pursuing culinary degrees and another related to the study of humanities.