Meet Your New Colleagues from the School of Health Professions

Anu Andrews, MA, BS-RRT
Clinical Assistant Professor, Respiratory Care Program
Start Date: May 2022

Anu is an active member of the American Association for Respiratory Care, the National Board of Respiratory Care and current Health Forum Chair for the World Malayalee Council.

“I got into teaching because when I was in school for respiratory care, I had the pleasure of having amazing professors who, later in life, encouraged and guided me to pursue a career in education. As a guest lecturer, and eventually an adjunct, I loved watching students' faces as they finally understood a concept. It brought me joy to know that I was able to be a part of their love for the field. Being an alum of the School of Health Professions, I know the level of love and dedication that the staff has towards their students. And now, I am proud to be a part of the SHP family and excited to be part of the University’s future as it takes on new challenges and goals.”

Rosalia Casanova-Charles, OTD, OTR/L 
Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Program
Start Date: September 2022

Dr. Rosalia Casanova-Charles' research interests include burnout prevention and cultural competency in occupational therapy. She has three years of teaching experience in a graduate Master’s Occupational Therapy Program and undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology. And she continues to clinically practice in adult rehabilitation, physical disabilities, and geriatric populations.

Breanna Coach, MSW
Academic Advisement Assistant
Start Date: July 2022

Breanna received her BSW from Stony Brook University's School of Social Welfare in 2021 and recently received her MSW from University at Buffalo. In her new role, Breanna will be advising students on course selection and overseeing the Health Science club. 

“I have always found a school setting to be the environment that I connected with the most. When I saw a position for this, I knew it would be the perfect fit. Whether it be working in a fast-paced environment, laboratory or doing clinical rotations there is something here for everyone. To help guide someone and be part of their journey is very rewarding and I enjoy working with students and engaging in problem solving methods.”

Dale Coffin, EdD, OTR/L
Chair and Clinical Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy Program
Start Date: August 2021

In August 2021, Dr. Dale Coffin joined the Stony Brook School of Health Professions as Chair and Clinical Associate Professor of the Occupational Therapy Program. She has participated and published research studies including Service Learning, the use of the Wii with pre-school populations and therapeutic intervention with Head-Start schools. In 2014, she began the Annual Service Learning Trip to Belize, in conjunction with The Inspiration Center. Through her guidance, hundreds of children are serviced each year with needed therapy, equipment and plans of care. 

“There are many opportunities available through SBU, especially seeing the many women in leadership positions. SHP has an invaluable amount of resources to train our future clinicians and healthcare providers. The opportunity to have representation in my field was very important to me, even in 1990 when I started OT School. Only 5% of OTs are Black and I wanted to make an impact in my field. Becoming Chairperson of the OT Department here at SBU affords me the opportunity to influence students with how to approach the field with sensitivity, humility, and respect for diversity. I also love Service Learning and volunteering in various international countries.”

Audrey Grimaldi, DHSc, MS, MT (ASCP)
Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Laboratory Services 
Start Date: February 2022

Dr. Audrey Grimaldi is an American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) board certified medical laboratory scientist. She was awarded the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) research participation fellowship where she worked as a research microbiologist at Plum Island Animal Disease Center BSL-3 laboratory. After her fellowship she joined a global clinical research organization conducting pharmaceutical clinical trials and has served as adjunct faculty first teaching microbiology lab and later immunology, medical ethics, pathology, and hematology courses.

"When the opportunity came to teach in the Clinical Laboratory Science program at SBU, I was so excited. It felt as though I came full circle and could now share my appreciation, experience, and enthusiasm with the next generation of scientists. Stony Brook University has such a great reputation of prestige and excellence. It’s an honor to be a faculty member here. I enjoy the diverse group of students I work with who all share the same eagerness and passion to work in both healthcare and laboratory medicine.”

Katherine Hackett, BA
Staff Assistant, Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy 
Start Date: July 2022

Katherine Hackett has more than a decade of experience working with students in admissions at both the secondary and collegiate level. She is looking forward to collaborating with the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Programs as Staff Assistant.

“I am thrilled for my new position in the SHP because I truly value being part of a team. Working as Staff Assistant for both the PT and OT departments to assist with their Clinical Education experiences is showing me that the faculty and staff of these departments know what it means to work as a cohesive unit. While I fell into admissions by accident, it's no accident that I truly fell in love with helping students find the right place for their skillset. In addition, as someone who has received my fair share of physical therapy through sports injuries, I am humbled to be a part of the process to launch the next generation of therapists into the field. I love being a part of the community, taking advantage of service opportunities, meeting new people, and cheering on our students.”

Kristen Kagan, PT, DPT, MS
Director of Clinical Education/Clinical Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy Program
Start Date: July 2021

Dr. Kristen Kagan received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Stony Brook University in 2002, a combined Bachelors/Masters of Science in Health Sciences and Physical Therapy from CUNY Staten Island in 2007, and completed her post-professional DPT from Stony Brook University in 2009. She is currently enrolled in an EdD program in Education, Leadership and Change at SUNY Empire State College. She’s been a practicing clinician for 14 years, beginning her career at Stony Brook Medicine in 2007, where she continues to work per diem. 

“I know that the School of Health Professions has a strong reputation not only on campus but in the local area and among other physical therapy programs. When the opportunity arose for me to rejoin the Stony Brook University as a professional I couldn’t have been happier. I knew that I was joining a place that has a positive impact on healthcare professions and I wanted to be a part of that. I have always wanted to give back to my profession and my new position has provided me with the opportunity to 'pay it forward.'"

Jasmine Moore
Staff Assistant, Dean's Office
Start Date: June 2022

Jasmine has worked in the healthcare field for several years in specialties such as allergy and asthma, orthopedics, and urogynecology. She  is happy that she will be able to use her skills and experience in the School of Health Professions, and looks forward to working with new people and learning new skills.

“I'm excited to be working in the School of Health Professions because I enjoy having the opportunity to assist students striving to accomplish their career goals. College for me was very hectic while working full time, so I feel I can relate to many of the students, firsthand. I've always heard great things about Stony Brook University and I hope I can grow within the University. There's a lot of knowledge for me to apply but also so much to learn along the way. I want people to know that I'm very optimistic, reliable, a work in progress, and very understanding.” 

Rudolph (‘Rudy’) Princi, MA, EMT-P, TP-C, NCEE, CIC
Director of EMS Programs
Start Date:  June 2022

Rudy brings decades of emergency services experience to the program.  He began clinically practicing prehospital emergency care in 1992 and had diverse experience in response to major natural, technological and manmade disasters, including TWA Flight 800 and September 11, 2001.

Rudy joined Stony Brook Medicine, Department of EMS as a Critical Care paramedic in 2009 and served as a Flight Paramedic with the Suffolk County Police Aviation Section for over a decade. He was appointed Regional Director of the Difficult Airway Course in 2015 and was primarily responsible for the administrative oversight and Authorized Training Center development from New York to Maine. In 2018, he accepted the position of Stony Brook EMS Educator with the primary responsibility for didactic and clinical skill development of the EMS staff and community agencies. Additionally, he established and chaired the Rapid Sequence Intubation committee, developed a curriculum, provided QAQI for flight operations, and initiated a stress inoculation program for flight paramedics. 

Victoria ('Tori') Rebollo
Staff Assistant, Respiratory Care Program
Start Date: February 2022

After graduating with her undergraduate degree in Health Science with a concentration in Disability Studies from Stony Brook University, Tori went on to support people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, assisting them in learning work skills and obtaining employment in the community. She’s passionate about advocacy and helping those who want to learn, and has returned to Stony Brook to continue doing that for the students and faculty in the Respiratory Care Program.

“I have always had high esteem for the School of Health Professions from my own experience here completing my baccalaureate degree in Health Science. I am excited to now have the opportunity to pay that forward and continue that level of individual support for students. Before coming to Stony Brook, I began my career in healthcare administration and educating adults with disabilities. In the world of counseling and mental health, the relationship between strong administration and advocating for well-being was essential. Higher education was then a natural progression for me with my interest in supporting and building rapport with learners. What I am doing now in my role at Respiratory Care is utilizing everything I learned from these experiences for the benefit of others.”

Risa Stein, MS
Staff Assistant, Physical Therapy Program
Start Date:  January 2022

Risa received her BA in Psychology from Stony Brook University and her MS in Counseling from NYIT.  Prior to coming to Stony Brook, she coordinated three opportunity programs at Farmingdale State College for students in STEM fields. Her interests include student development, diversity, equity,  and inclusion and she is dedicated to helping PT students to reach their education, career and personal goals.   

Ryann Vigliotta, MA
Staff Assistant, Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Health Informatics
Start Date: March 2022

Ryann has worked in various professional and educational environments including working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as other developmental disorders. Before joining Stony Brook University, she worked in the hospitality industry where she developed the strong communication skills needed when interacting with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. She previously worked in the Health Benefit Administration field where she assisted the Human Resource department of major domestic and international companies with administering and managing their employees’ health benefits. She is excited to be working with the Speech-Language Pathology department at Stony Brook where she can utilize her previous work experience and education to aid in the success of its students and faculty.

Kimberly Yoo
Office Assistant 1, Dean's Office
Start Date: September 2022

Kimberly graduated from Ward Melville High School and is currently enrolled in classes at Suffolk Community College working toward an associate's degree in business.

“I am excited to be working at Stony Brook University because this is a new experience for me and I think there is a lot that I could learn. I would like people to know that I love to travel. I think it's exciting to explore new places and try new things.”