Sandra Altiné (BA, ’86) was named Vice President, Workforce Diversity & Inclusion at Facebook. Prior to joining Facebook, Altiné was the Managing Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion for Moody’s. She is a board member of Coro NY, a premier leadership training organization in New York City, and sits on the advisory board of The Families and Work Institute.

Dr. Marc J. Diener, Associate Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of Clinical Training, shared his expert insight in an article from The Washington Post. The piece discussed the different types of psychological therapy and provided guidance for readers to determine if they should consider pursuing treatment to help cope with stress brought on by the coronavirus.

Dr. Kenneth R. Morris, Professor at LIU Pharmacy and Director of the Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Analysis, was selected as the 2020 David J. W. Grant Distinguished Scholar in Basic Pharmaceutics by The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology & Education. The award recognizes outstanding scientific achievements in the relevant areas of pharmaceutical science and technology. It is the Institute’s highest awarded recognition.

The National Science Foundation is funding research from Dr. Cheng Zhang, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, that will mitigate the negative impacts of carbon emissions on the environment and the ecosystem. Zhang is developing a new approach that has the dual impact of removing CO2 from the atmosphere while generating commercial products.

Eric Bitetto (BA, ’01), Founder of Semper Fortis Financial, LLC, was recently selected as Top Financial Professional of the Year 2020 by the International Association of Top Professionals for his outstanding leadership and dedication to the industry. The award is given to individuals based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, longevity in the field, other affiliations and contributions to their communities.

Nearly 200 students from LIU Pharmacy’s graduating class have worked on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Among this group, over 100 students have worked in community pharmacies, while over 70 have worked in a hospital pharmacy, including dozens of students on rotation at The Brooklyn Hospital Center. Additionally, many students worked in both hospital and community pharmacies.

Long Island University recognized the graduates of Long Island University during the 2020 Commencement Ceremony. The distinguished speakers were Wynton Marsalis, a world-renowned trumpeter, bandleader, composer and winner of 9 Grammy awards and the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in Music who currently serves as Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center; Rudy Ruettiger, the iconic Notre Dame University football player who inspired the blockbuster film Rudy; and Abdul Muktadir (MS, ’84), founding Chairman and Managing Director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals, the second largest drug manufacturer in Bangladesh.

Dr. Sheldon D. Fields, adjunct professor at LIU’s Harriet Rothkopf Heilbrunn School of Nursing, was awarded the 2020 Towers Pinnacle Award by The American Association of Nurse Practitioners. The award is annually given to an individual who has made outstanding contributions resulting in increased national recognition for nurse practitioners and increased opportunities for nurse practitioners to provide care to patients.

Michael Okon (BS, ’00; MBA ’03), an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres, won a 2020 Feathered Quill Book Awards for his novel Monsterland. The Association of Independent Authors named the Feathered Quill awards one of the best award programs for independent authors.

Patty Barron (MS, ‘92), director of Family Readiness for the Association of the U.S. Army, was sworn in as member of the Defense Department’s Military Family Readiness Council. The 18-member council provides recommendations on family programs, policies and plans, meeting at least twice a year to monitor and evaluate programs.