Hilary Noren and AnnaMaria Gounaris
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Office of the Dean
Start Dates: September 25 and October 2 (respectively), 2023
Hilary Noren and AnnaMaria Gounaris each have familial ties to Stony Brook – Hilary’s grandmother worked in Counseling and Psychological Services for many years, and three of AnnaMaria’s nieces have attended school here. Both supportive staff members are new to the College of Arts and Sciences, but neither is a stranger to the SBU community.
Hilary Noren
Staff Assistant for Faculty Affairs and Personnel
Hilary, who grew up in Stony Brook and got her master’s degree at the university, loves stepping onto campus each day when she comes to work. “I just feel inspired by the energy and opportunities for growth here,” she says. “And it makes me happy to now share this experience with my grandmother, who worked for both the university and the hospital.”
In her current role, Hilary focuses on supporting the people who make the CAS function – faculty and staff. She collaborates with Assistant Dean Lois Carter and various departments, handling personnel tasks such as sabbatical leave, reappointments, research assignments and promotion to tenure status.
“I have a customer service mindset,” she says. “I genuinely want to connect with people,
understand their needs and work to resolve any issues.” Hilary specialized in human
resources (HR) for more than two decades, working at private retailers such as Macy’s
and Lord & Taylor, until the retail landscape shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She then decided to explore new horizons and accepted a provisional role helping the
Suffolk County Government develop a new HR department.
After her assignment ended, she set her sights on SBU. “When I came across this role in the College of Arts and Sciences, I saw it as an opportunity to continue growing my HR background in a university setting,” she says. Now that she’s part of the team, Hilary’s colleagues can feel confident that she has their backs.
“There are so many moving parts in Faculty Affairs,” she says. “It’s important to be organized and communicate.” Any task that benefits another employee – even in a small way – is worth completing, she adds. “What resonates with me is collaboration, and I value the responsibility of being the point person for anyone needing assistance.”
When she’s not in the office, you’ll most likely find Hilary on a pickleball court. She started playing around two years ago and enjoyed it so much that she put her college tennis racquet on the shelf. The sport’s fast-paced rallies and social vibe create a unique and fun experience that keeps her returning to the game, she says. Her husband Paul, also an SBU alum, recently joined the pickleball craze.
“It adds to a healthy competitive spirit in our relationship, which stems from both of us being former college athletes,” she says, noting that Paul played lacrosse. “Sports continue to be a source of happiness for both of us, whether we’re actively engaged, cheering from the sidelines or, in Paul’s case, coaching.”
AnnaMaria Gounaris
Assistant to the Dean
When AnnaMaria stepped down as coordinator and administrative assistant for Stony Brook University Hospital’s Fellowship Program in Geriatrics in 2020, she didn’t say goodbye to SBU. She knew she’d come back someday, but she needed to devote more time to supporting her three daughters as they entered high school with increasingly busy schedules. It was uncharted territory for the young girls who came from a different cultural and academic environment.
Originally from Greece, AnnaMaria first came to the US when she was a teenager to attend high school and college in Maryland. “I met my husband at the University of Maryland,” she says with a smile. “And the rest is history. We moved back to Greece together, got married and raised a lovely family.”
AnnaMaria went on to get her MBA and build a career in higher education, holding titles
such as Associate Registrar and Quality Assurance Administrator at the Athens Graduate
School of Management. She quickly became known for her ability to find creative solutions
to obstacles with calm determination and good humor.
“As I balanced my demanding career with our growing family and social responsibilities, I knew that I had what it takes to cope well with challenges that can sometimes be overwhelming,” she says.
In 2018, she and her husband decided to relocate to Long Island so their daughters could finish school in the States. After the big move, AnnaMaria worked for a nonprofit and consulted part-time for Edextra Worldwide Learning before she joined SBUH a year later.
“Stony Brook is a globally recognized institution that I knew about even before I moved here from Greece,” she says. “Since joining the campus community, I’ve found it easy to start each workday with joyful commitment. I’m glad to be part of an institution that focuses on people with an inclusive mindset that ensures equal opportunity for all students.”
AnnaMaria’s vibrant personality is contagious and inspiring. Friends and coworkers agree that she’s both amiable and empowering – indispensable attributes for her role as assistant to Interim Dean Axel Drees, who fulfills the diverse and demanding mission of the CAS. Having to collaborate with such a wide variety of departments and programs could be daunting for a lot of people, but not for AnnaMaria, who finds it easy to build a good rapport with other members of the Stony Brook community.
“For me, the workday doesn’t always finish at five o’clock,” she says. “If I need to close the loop on a conversation or finish up an urgent task, I’m going to make sure it gets taken care of no matter what the clock says.”
After work, AnnaMaria loves connecting with her family over a delicious home-cooked meal. “Relaxing and paying attention to each other is a great way to end our busy days,” she says, noting that her daughters are thriving academically and beyond. “Our eldest is now in the process of applying to colleges – so hopefully, starting in September, she’s going to be a Stony Brook student!”