Alumni Council

Jane is the Regional Director of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps in Syracuse, New York. Jane has twenty-five years’ experience in higher education, educational testing and executive training. She has worked for several universities, including as a Major Gift Officer at Le Moyne College, her undergraduate alma mater, New York University and Teachers College, Columbia University. Jane worked in varied areas of student development before moving to academic administration. She has published in the fields of education and psychology and has presented workshops on international education, higher education policy, intercultural competence and women’s leadership and mentorship. She is the editor and principal contributor to The International Student’s Survival Guide to Living in NYC, 3rd Edition.. While living in Hong Kong, China, she was the Asia representative for a major educational testing company, and worked with international students wishing to study in the U.S. She also conducted research in Chinese schools and in intercultural psychology. Jane has been an executive trainer with major U.S. corporations and Executive MBA programs.

Jane holds a B.A. in Romance Languages from LeMoyne College and an M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University with additional coursework in counseling and clinical psychology and independent school leadership.

Hanya (Vera) Shao, a proud alumna of the Teachers College's Psychological Counseling Program, is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of New York. She earned her B.A. in Applied Psychology from New York University and both an Ed.M. and an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from the Teachers College. Currently, she works as a Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor in private practice. There, she provides accessible, evidence-based care to individuals grappling with various psychological challenges and mentors the upcoming generation of mental health practitioners.

 Beyond her clinical role, Vera is involved in research and community organization. She is published and awarded in the field of AIoT and MLLM in mental health screening and interventions. She is also on the board of the New York Coalition for Asian American Mental Health.

Joanne is a graduate of the Master of Arts in English Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern University. She is a certified educator of English Language Arts in the state of New Jersey and is currently employed as an eighth grade English teacher at the Glen Rock Board of Education. Previously, Joanne has held teaching positions at Stuyvesant High School, Bergen County Academies, Fort Lee Public Schools, and the New York City Department of Education. Joanne has also worked as a marketing and communications professional for over half a decade at organizations including Mercy College, Columbia University, WebMD/Medscape, Therapy Source, Writopia Lab, and Sekas Law Group, LLC.

As an award-winning academic scholar, Joanne is a published educational researcher who has presented at fourteen academic research conferences nationally and globally, including at Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California at Berkeley, Columbia University, Northwestern University, the Northeastern Educational Research Association (NERA) Annual Conference, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention, and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference.

Joanne is serving in her third consecutive term as the Secretary of the Teachers College Alumni Council and has previously served as a Co-Chair of the Young Alumni and Student Engagement (YASE) Committee. While a graduate student at Teachers College, she served as the President of Kappa Delta Pi as well as a Chairperson and Co-Founder of the inaugural Arts and Humanities Student Council. Outside of her professional and academic roles, Joanne volunteers as a crisis support specialist at the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN).

Jeffrey S. Putman, Ed.D., was named Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in 2017, serving as Chief Student Affairs Officer, Chief Enrollment Officer, Deputy Chief Academic Officer, and Co-Chair of the Middle States Accreditation Self-Study Process. He provides overall coordination of services for students (supervising the Offices of Student Affairs, Admissions, Financial Aid, the Registrar, Student Life and Student Activities, International Student Services, and Accessibility Services.) He also holds a faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry.

Previously, Dr. Putman was Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students (2013–2017) and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (2006–2013) at SUNY Downstate. Before joining Downstate, he held multiple roles in Student Affairs at Purchase College, SUNY, including Interim Dean of Students and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Ombudsperson.

Beyond Downstate, Dr. Putman serves as Past-Regional Director and Regional Historian and a member of the Advisory Board for NASPA Region II. He is also Past-President of the SUNY Council of Senior Student Affairs Officers and Doctoral Campus Liaison & Executive Committee member of the SUNY Chief Academic Officers Association. Additionally, Dr. Putman is President Emeritus and Member of the Board of Directors of the Purchase College Alumni Association and Co-Chair of the Alumni Experience Committee of the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Council. From 2015-2017, Dr. Putman served as the 26th leader and first elected President of the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Council.

He has received numerous honors, including the Pillar of the Student Affairs Profession Award (NASPA Foundation, 2020), Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Dean (NASPA Region II, 2019), and Outstanding Contribution to the Student Personnel Profession Award (College Student Personnel Association of NYS, 2017). In 2025, he received the President’s Award for Distinguished Alumni from Purchase College, SUNY, and a Special Recognition from the SUNY Downstate College of Medicine Class of 2025. In 2023, Dr. Putman received the inaugural Resiliency Award for Leadership from SUNY Downstate. Other accolades include the Teachers College, Columbia University Alumni Award for Outstanding Service (2021) and induction into Alpha Omega Alpha (2022) and the Gold Humanism Honor Society (2023).

Dr. Putman earned his Doctor of Education in Higher & Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also received his Master of Education and Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Purchase College, SUNY, and was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education.

Dawn Lucovich is a Strategic Consultant based in Boston, MA. She has a background in Change Management and Organizational Leadership. She previously served as president of the board of directors of a nonprofit in Japan.  

She currently serves on the Programming Committee of the Columbia University Club of New York, the Leadership Committee of the National Association for Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Boston, as Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Alumni Network of The George Washington University, and on the Board of Directors for the Jersey City Arts Council. 

It is important to offer back to help others succeed, whether it is in the field of education, the arts, volunteering, or mentoring.  There is a sincere joy when others meet goals due to mentorships or instruction.  Talking with former students has been very impactful to Dr. Campbell over her career who has worked in all levels of education from teacher to curriculum administrator to school administrator on to Deputy Superintendent in an urban school district and also as a University Professor.  She also worked in private business as a Professor for Gallup University and is a licensed Strengths Coach.

She has volunteered her services to numerous non-profit organizations throughout her career such as mentoring programs for youth to facilitating internships for perspective teachers and artists, to starting arts organizations and serving on numerous boards, from the National Endowment for the Arts grant review committees, Western States Arts Federation Board, Chair of the Wyoming Arts Commission, State Liaison for the Milken Family Foundation, Governor appointed Crisis Commission, Chair of a County Red Cross Board, and national Political Campaigns to name some of them.

Over her career she has been recognized by many organizations, naming just a few: the Kennedy Center for the Arts, Arts Administrator Award; Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award; Wyoming Governors Award for the Arts; United States National Guard Boss of the Year Award.

When asked about her skills she often is described as an innovative, self-starting professional who has extremely creative ideas and can fully concentrate on issues to fruition.  She has experience in all aspects of Public Administration.  Dr. Campbell has published books on School Safety and Security and Managing Marginal Staff and illustrated and wrote a children’s book. 

She has served as an online instructor for twenty-two years.  After earning her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University her roles increased in responsibility.  She is recognized for enhancing the skills and capabilities of others through coaching and presenting  developmental programs.  She has been noted as highly skilled in the following areas: 

Dr. Campbell earned degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City, NY, Doctorate in Educational Administration: Bank Street College & Parsons School of Design (2 MS), New York City, NY, Masters of Science, Supervision with Emphasis in Art; South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art and Art Education.  

 Finally, Dr. Campbell lives in SW Utah and is interested in promoting Teachers College, Columbia University as one of the finest educational institutions, indeed one of the first in the country.  There is a need for more of our western citizens to recognize that fact and join us eventually as alumni of Teachers College.

Jia Liu has in-depth understanding and practice on the mainstream international curriculum in K-12,  with more than ten years' experience in international curriculum economics teaching, college counseling, and curriculum design. She practices and lives life-long learning, growth mindset and positive education. She has guided students who are successfully admitted into The University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Cornell University, Northwestern University, Rice University, New York University, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Toronto, University of Hong Kong, etc. 

 Being a life-long learner herself, she has gained the Certificate in Advanced Education Leadership, the Certificate in School Management and Leadership, the Instructional Leadership Certificate and Certificate in Creating Effective Home and School Partnerships for Student Success from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She also obtained the College Advising Certificate from Teachers College, Columbia University, the Certificate in College Admissions and Career Planning from UC Berkeley and the School Counselor Leadership Certificate from ACT. She will complete the International Professional Certificate in School Leadership from School of Continuing Education in Tsinghua University and UCL in 2024.

 As a member of International ACAC, ChinaICAC and Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy Committee for Life and Career Education, Jia Liu mentors many young counselors and strives to guide more and more Chinese students to prepare and thrive in higher education all over the world.

Stuti was born and raised in India, where she imbibed the values of collectivism and service. From a young age, she found solace in understanding the phenomenological perspectives of others and connecting through the universal language of emotion. This passion led her to transfer to a high school offering psychology, marking the beginning of her journey in mental health.

She earned a BA (Honors) and MA in Psychology from Panjab University, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Counseling and Psychotherapy. During this time, she interned at outpatient clinics and rehabilitation centers, gaining firsthand insight into the structural and cultural barriers that hinder access to mental health care. These experiences solidified her belief that research and fieldwork must go hand in hand.

Motivated to deepen her research skills, Stuti pursued an MA in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, graduating in 2024. While at TC, she worked as a Research Assistant in different labs, clarifying her research interests further.

Currently, Stuti serves as a Research Coordinator at a psychology lab at NYU Langone Health. She aspires to continue bridging clinical practice and research to improve mental health systems.

When she’s not immersed in her work, you can find her journaling, attending art shows, or sharing a warm conversation over chai. She deeply values connection, curiosity, and collective care—principles that guide both her professional and personal life. 

Rhonda Clements, Ed.D., is a Professor Emerita in the School of Education at Manhattanville University. A nationally recognized scholar in preschool movement, Dr. Clements has authored or co-authored 12 books for teachers, and written more than 50 articles and 10 book chapters highlighting the need for play and physical activity for preschool and elementary school-age children.  She has presented at 70 international or national conferences, over 40 state conferences, and more than 20 local conferences and workshops. Dr. Clements was one of eight national experts who developed Active Start: A Statement of Physical Activity Guidelines for Birth to Five Years for SHAPE America.  She is also a past President of The American Association for the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA), a United Nations- recognized association composed of experts in child development and play theories from 44 countries.

Her professional service includes working with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she trained Native American Head Start Specialists. She has served on UNICEF’s Early Childhood Development Unit to create a document for caregivers on supporting children through play activities during natural disasters and emergencies. Dr. Clements has provided guidance to numerous prestigious educational organizations, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), KinderCare, Inc., Children’s Television Network/Sesame Street, Nick Jr. Family Magazine and Television, Parental Wisdom, The Disney Channel, The Cartoon Network, Pearson Inc., and Crayola Crayons. Her corporate consultation work includes collaborations with Nabisco, McDonald’s, and Verizon Wireless, reflecting her ability to translate research-based practices into educational initiatives across a variety of settings and media platforms.

To date, Dr. Clements has appeared on more than 100 radio and television stations throughout the country and has been interviewed by more than 300 journalists and newspaper reporters on the topic of children’s play, recess, and physical activity. Several of her articles have appeared on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. She cherishes her 17 years graduate teacher training at Hofstra University and her additional 20 years in teacher training at Manhattanville. Her professional achievements have been recognized with the University of Maine at Presque Isle Alumni Professional of the Year Award, and the New York State AHPERD Professional of the Year Award for Physical Education.

Dr. Clements is honored to serve on the Teachers College Alumni Council as a liaison for the Silver Roundtable Affinity Group.

Education:
1988 Doctor of Education, Department of Movement Sciences and Education: Curriculum and
Teaching in Physical Education Specialization. Teachers College, Columbia University
1984 Masters of Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
1978 Masters of Education, University of Maine, Orono
1977 B.S., Health, P.E., Rec., and Dance, University of Maine, Presque Isle

Brian Kennerly

Carmine Gibaldi
John Battles
Marion Boultbee
Irene Buchman
Diana Clark*
Joyce B. Cowin
Susan Diamond
Joseph Dionne
Delores Friedman
Philip Geiger
David Gomez
Jonathan Hughes
Claude Mayberry
Andre McKenzie
Patrick McGuire
John Nolan
Frances O'Connell Rust
Jeffrey Putman
Ellen Saxl*
Christopher Scott
Sonya Shapiro*
Susan Smyth
Elizabeth Stern
Charles D.W. Thompson
Adam Vane
Alice Wilder
Anna Bell Washburn*
Robert Weintraub
Dorothy White*

*-Deceased