Class Notes, Fall 2025

Rosanne Ponchick, MA ‘69, taught in Livermore, CA for two years and in Teaneck, NJ for 46 years. Her life changed after responding to a child's question: How much is a million? Her plan was to collect a million tea tags. A story of her tea bag collecting project first appeared in The New York Times followed by an article in The Wall Street Journal. Now, she is the author of Steeped: Stories About How Tea Treasures Poured Into My Cup of Life, published in 2024 and available on Amazon.

Shortly after graduation, Kathy Monaghan worked in New York and New Jersey as a promotion, showroom, and runway model, while attending and becoming director of the Barbizon School of Modeling. She later worked for Manpower Professional, where she launched the company’s technical division in New Jersey, and with her team brought their offices to the highest-earning NOP group for corporate on the East coast. Always involved in stage performing, Monaghan started doing voiceovers when she retired. “So far I have been blessed to do 10 seasons of commercials for the Jazzy Vegetarian cable TV show, narrated a video about assets for Charles Schwab's website, and narrated Hazmat corporate training for a company, to name a few things,” she says. You can also find over 20 classic literary audiobooks and collaborations on her Audible.com website, www.voicealive.net.

Fred Neil has been retired for 10 years after working 40 years as a chiropractor.

Joseph Duffy has been honored to be a volunteer puppy raiser for The Seeing Eye in Morristown, NJ. Puppy raisers take a Seeing Eye pup into their homes beginning at age seven weeks and raising them for a year, when the pup returns to the Seeing Eye for training and pairing with their blind companion. “My wife and I are raising our eighth pup now,” he says. “The Seeing Eye needs more puppy raisers. I invite you to become a volunteer puppy raiser too.” For more information, visit seeingeye.org/raise.

Drummer Joe Farnsworth released his latest album, The Big Room, in July 2025 via Smoke Sessions Records. The Big Room features an intergenerational sextet of modern masters and rapidly rising stars: trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, an adjunct professor of music at William Paterson, saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, vibraphonist Joel Ross, pianist Emmet Cohen, and bassist Yasushi Nakamura. Farnsworth has worked with a long list of jazz greats that includes McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Harold Mabern, Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Cedar Walton, Barry Harris, Curtis Fuller, George Coleman, Johnny Griffin, Lou Donaldson, Cecil Payne, Kenny Barron, and others.

Beatris Ortiz-Drace earned her doctor of social work degree in May 2025 from Monmouth University. “This milestone is more than a personal achievement, it’s a commitment,” she says, noting that less than four percent of Latinas hold such as degree. A first-generation and EOF student at WP, she is the first in her immediate family to earn a doctorate, and she is looking forward to mentoring, coaching, and uplifting other Latino/a/e/x on their journeys toward advanced degrees. “Together, we can expand representation, break barriers, and build a future where our voices lead and thrive. Of course, I had to wear the pava (jíbaro hat)—because representation matters! When my students in 2025 tell me I’m their first professor who shares their native tongue, culture and customs, it’s a reminder that we have work to do. It’s time to change that by making space for more of us in academia and beyond.” She is a council member for the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, a bilingual therapist, and an adjunct professor at Touro University.

Michael D. Russo is beginning his third season as the music director of Delaware Symphonic Winds. He taught music in the New Jersey communities of Saddle Brook, Kinnelon, Parsippany, and Morristown during a 34-year teaching career. Delaware Symphonic Winds is a semi-professional wind ensemble, comprised of music educators, freelance musicians, and current college music students from Delaware and surrounding states. The ensemble performs the finest literature available for wind band and is intentional in programming works by under-represented voices in the wind band medium.

Julia Gomez, a Phi Sigma Sigma alumna, married her WP sweetheart Andrew Wardell '09, a TKE alumnus, in August 2003. They have two children—Gabriela Wardell, a current WP student, and Andrew Wardell Jr., a senior at Neptune High School who hopes to attend William Paterson in the fall of 2026. Julia is a Spanish teacher at Monmouth Regional High School and just started her 24th year of teaching. She was awarded Teacher of the Year for 2024. Andrew is a social studies teacher at Monmouth Regional High School. He served as a councilman in Neptune City from 2016 to 2020, and as mayor from 2020 to 2024.

Michael Van Gaalen and his wife Kristie (Mucha) Van Gaalen ’01, recently relocated to the Denver, CO metro area. They are pictured attending a Colorado Rockies baseball game.

Lazara Paz-Gonzalez graduated with a doctor of public health degree from Tulane University in May 2025.

Kaymarie Tyrell-Ferguson now works online for a large university. She also moved from North Jersey to South Jersey in 2023.

Scott Cumberbatch’s composition, “Praise Him! Praise Him!” has been selected as an Editor's Choice for the fall 2025 edition of J.W. Pepper's music catalog. J.W. Pepper is a major sheet music retailer and distributor that supplies choral, band, orchestra, and educational music worldwide. Each year, their editors listen to thousands of submissions from a wide range of publishers to curate the highest-quality selections for musicians of all ages.

Michael Depsee and his wife Kelly welcomed son Alexander James on September 10, 2024. Alexander joins big brother Michael Jr., age 3.

William J. Tooma has been appointed as dean of faculty and academics at Essex County College after serving for four years as the chair of the Humanities and Bilingual Studies Division. Tooma is also an associate professor of English there.

Laura Duffy, MA ‘15, is currently celebrating a decade of working in the field as a mental health and substance use/addictions therapist for adults (LPC/LCADC). She also has volunteered with WP’s Pesce Family Mentoring Institute for the past two years to help students navigate their college, graduate school, and career experiences.

Valerie Amaral was selected as a global 40 Under 40 awardee by the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). APMP's global 40 Under 40 award recognizes young bid and proposal professionals from around the world who have made a noticeable impression on their companies and the overall profession.

Kaitlyn Koch released her second album, Cockeyed Optimist, under her stage name, Kaitlyn Fay. The 14 tracks include jazz standards with original lyrics, Great American Songbook selections, and a few original songs. Since its release, several tracks have aired on radio stations ranging from upstate New York to Hawaii, and CD distribution has reached as far as Japan.

Kristen Holton was recently selected by NJBIZ as among the honorees for its 2025 Leading Women in Business Awards, recognizing her outstanding leadership and impact in the public sector. Holton currently serves as director of economic development for the Borough of Ringwood, where she helped establish a new Special Improvement District to support local revitalization. She also works closely with the William Paterson Small Business Development Center, fostering entrepreneurship and small business growth. She earned her master’s in social work from the University of Kentucky in 2023 and is a licensed social worker. Prior to her current role, Holton spent eight years with the County of Passaic Division of Economic Development, driving strategic initiatives for county-wide development.

Bruce Spadaccini and WP sweetheart Shannon Tarolli-Spadaccini were married on July 25, 2025. but they have been together since before their days at WP. Both Bruce and Shannon graduated with undergraduate and graduate degrees. Shannon is now a licensed professional counselor in Delaware where they live, and they have just launched a private mental health practice, Clarity Counseling of Delaware.

Mercedes Aguirre Valenzuela recently launched her own business, Happy Baby Solutions, where she provides pediatric physical therapy services for infants and toddlers. She specializes in supporting families during the earliest stages of development, helping children reach important milestones such as rolling, crawling, and walking. Through in-home visits and community programs, she aims to empower families with the tools they need to support their child’s growth.

Princess Eminue, MBA, came to William Paterson as an international student. Despite financial struggles and raising three children, she decided to pursue her true passion in nursing. This year, she graduated from William Paterson magna cum laude with her BSN and received an academic award. “I am forever grateful to my professors and clinical instructors who guided me through this journey. My story is a reminder that perseverance turns obstacles into steppingstones, and dreams do come true,” she says.

Maria Rojas, MEd, recently earned her second master's degree, a master of arts in Latino American Literature applied to pedagogy, from the prestigious Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca in Spain. “This program deepened my expertise in using literature as a tool for innovative teaching,” she says.

Kevin Zorba says his journey from a school principal to a future physician was shaped at William Paterson. “When I first enrolled at WP, I joined the post-baccalaureate program with the goal of strengthening my foundation in science. What began as a steppingstone became a transformative journey. I transitioned into completing a bachelor of science in biology — an accomplishment that would not have been possible without the program’s flexibility and support,” he adds. Zorba, who was working full time and serving as a school principal, was balancing the demands of leading an educational community while pursuing his academic goals. “The flexibility of WP’s program allowed me to manage these responsibilities, and the encouragement of professors and peers made the challenge achievable,” he continues. “The experience at WP laid the groundwork for everything that followed. It taught me resilience, discipline, and perseverance — qualities I relied on heavily as I transitioned from education into medicine. Today, I am preparing to graduate from medical school and begin my residency, a milestone that once felt like a distant dream. I hope my story inspires current and future Pioneers to believe that no matter how demanding life may be, with commitment and the right support, it is possible to achieve extraordinary goals. William Paterson University was the place where I transformed my aspirations into reality, and I remain grateful for the foundation it provided.”

Lindsay Martin is entering her fourth year as a teacher with Headstart Community Program of Morris County where she is a district DOE collaborating teacher with Morristown.

Amy Boright Porchetta has been appointed vice president of development and revenue operations for Argentum, the leading national association representing senior living communities. Porchetta brings more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, corporate partnerships, and strategic growth to Argentum’s leadership team. In her new role, she will oversee revenue generation initiatives, corporate partnerships, and development strategies to advance Argentum’s mission and expand member value.

Kayla Vashey earned a master of science degree in clinical mental health counseling from Monmouth University. She is now a licensed associate counselor providing mental health therapy to children and teens. “William Paterson was the beginning of my professional journey. I will always be thankful for the Willy P community!”

Darwin Cipion is a multimedia journalist for Telemundo Utah. He had to move across the country but says that the sacrifice was worth it. “It has been an amazing journey. Thank you to all my teachers.”

Mahin Rahman is pursuing an MBA degree in marketing at William Paterson…

Lisa Rios was hired as the new intake manager at TheraCare for the behavioral health departments in New Jersey and Connecticut.