Alfred University AUNY alumni among honorees at CITE 2025 Spring Gala

Several current and former Alfred University faculty and staff, and alumni from the university's AUNY program attended the Center for Integrated Training and Education (CITE) 2025 Spring Gala, where several alumni from CITE partner institutions, including Alfred's AUNY program, were honored. Some are pictured above: Al Mancuso (left), dean of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies; Beth Ann Dobie, provost and chief operating officer (second from left); Bob Bitting, AUNY instructor and retired associate dean of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies (third from left); Sheren Attal, AUNY mental health counseling field placement coordinator (fourth from left); Jamal Horsley '13, '14 (fifth from left); David Robinson '08 (sixth from left); Georges Leconte '15 (eighth from left); Paul Walia, AUNY instructor (fourth from right); Rosemarie Mazzone, AUNY school counseling field placement coordinator (third from right); Ama Darkeh, AUNY instructor (second from right); and Marsha Desroches, AUNY instructor.

The Center for Integrated Training and Education held its 2025 Spring Gala Wednesday evening, March 26, in Queens, New York City, celebrating the relationship between CITE and its partner institutions. Alfred University offers several master's level program at off-campus sites, including its AUNY programs; CITE is a professional service organization that manages logistical operations for those programs.

As part of the Spring Gala, distinguished alumni from CITE's partner institutions were recognized. Four alumni of Alfred University's AUNY programs were among the honorees:

• Jamal Horsley '13, '14 (master's degrees in School Counseling and Master's in Mental Health Counseling). Originally from the Bronx, Horsley is a former New York City school counselor now serving as a New York State school counselor in a district-based, short-term intensive day treatment program. He is a counselor educator with extensive experience in fostering adult learners' growth through experiential learning theory. His research focuses on several key areas that aim to improve the field of school counseling, including clinical supervision for school counselors, leadership development for school counselors, student mental health crisis management, and training and education for school counselor supervisors.
• Georges Leconte '15 (master's degree in Public Administration). Leconte is chief executive officer of NYC Health + Hospitals, Harlem. Over his 30-plus year tenure in the health care field, he has held several key leadership positions, most recently as the senior associate executive director for the Ancillary Services Division at NYC Health + Hospitals, Elmhurst, a 545-bed Level I Trauma Center. Leconte previously served as the regional director of Elmhurst and Queens Hospitals' Respiratory Care Services and as the regional assistant director of Respiratory Therapy at St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center in Manhattan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Leconte joined clinical staff on the front line to provide care to those affected by the virus, and also facilitated donations of PPE and supplies to help combat COVID-19 in India and Haiti. Leconte is past president of the New York Regional Chapter of the National Association of Health Services Executives and is a member of the American Association of Respiratory Care.
• Sharon Medina '19 (Master's in School Counseling). Medina is a dedicated educator with 20 years of experience. She began her career as a mathematics teacher at the High School of Fashion Industries, New York City, teaching for 15 years, leading a geometry curriculum team, coordinating student activities, and founding a Latin dance team. Inspired by a student to pursue counseling, she earned her master's degree in school counseling from Alfred University's AUNY program and has spent the last five years as a school and college counselor. As a founding staff member of Bronx Legacy High School, established in 2020, Medina has developed graduation plans, established a work-based learning program, and helped plan the school's inaugural graduation program in 2024.
• David Robinson '08 (Master's in School Counseling). Robinson is a dedicated educator, counselor and mentor with a distinguished career spanning more than three decades in the New York City Department of Education. During his career, he has served as a guidance counselor, dean of student life, athletic director, and physical education teacher, helping to shape the lives of countless students. In addition to his contributions to public education, Robinson has served as an adjunct professor at Alfred University's AUNY Downstate Programs, where he has taught graduate courses in counseling and mental health. He is also a certified Holistic Life Coach and the host of a podcast dedicated to helping older men maintain their health and cultivate a positive mindset.

The following Alfred University faculty and staff were in attendance: Beth Ann Dobie, provost and chief operating officer; Al Mancuso, dean of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies; Sheren Attal, AUNY mental health counseling field placement coordinator; Rosemarie Mazzone, AUNY school counseling field placement coordinator; Robert Bitting, AUNY instructor, retired Associate Dean, School of Graduate and Continuing Studies; Diane Bitting, invited guest; Ama Darkeh, AUNY instructor; Paul Walia, AUNY instructor; and Marsha Desroches, AUNY instructor.