Get to know the faculty and staff who have recently joined Geneseo. This is the fourth part in a continuing series welcoming the newest members of our family and introducing them to the campus.
View part one, part two, and part three of this series.
Amy Gonzalez, office assistant 1 and recruiting assistant in Career Development, approves jobs and employers through Handshake, the College’s career development system. She is also the point person for the accounting recruiting program and the main contact for employers looking to recruit on campus.
Gonzalez brings a wide variety of experiences to her new role from working as a medical secretary in a women’s health medical practice, as an associate buyer/merchandise analyst for a catalog company in home textiles, and as an office manager and physical therapy aide. She has an associate of science degree in fashion merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and a bachelor of science degree from Buffalo State College.
Outside of the office, Gonzalez enjoys baseball — participating as well as watching games — spending time with her husband and 10-year old son, reading, and designing and creating various craft projects.
Samuel Fallon joins Geneseo as assistant professor of English. Previously, he served as a visiting assistant professor at Wesleyan University and SUNY New Paltz. Before that, he was a writing instructor, teaching fellow, and acting instructor at Yale University, where he earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees in English language and literature.
Fallon also holds a masters (M.St. in English, 1150-1780) from the University of Oxford. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Princeton University. In his spare time, Fallon enjoys watching soccer.
Robert Manchester, a licensed practical nurse (LPN), works with staff in the Lauderdale Center for Student Health and Counseling to support the physical and mental health of students. His role is similar to that of an LPN in a provider's office.
In his “former life,” Manchester was a research scientist for Bausch and Lomb in Rochester. As a nurse, he has worked as a private duty nurse, and as an LPN and a blood pressure coach for Jordan Health in Rochester. Manchester completed the nursing program at the Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing, and passed his nursing board exam and received his nursing license in 2015.
In his spare time, he likes to read, walk, work out, go camping and listen to music.
Bradley Taber-Thomas joins Geneseo as a visiting assistant professor of psychology. Previously, he taught at the University of Buffalo. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the Pennsylvania State University, working in the Cognition, Affect, and Temperament Lab in the Department of Psychology, Child Study Center.
Taber-Thomas earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Iowa, a master’s in philosophy from Georgia State University, and a bachelor’s in modern languages from Northeastern University. His research interests include cognitive, affective and developmental neuroscience, developmental psychology, neuroimaging, and scientific computing and programming. In his spare time, he enjoys civic engagement and organizing, hockey, playing music, hiking, camping, and traveling.
Dennis Maher, office assistant 1 in the mail room, takes pride in delivering mail in a courteous, efficient manner and sorts mail for students and faculty. Maher brings a broad range of experience to his new role, beginning with stints in the home construction industry early in his career while in college. He worked for Monroe County Parks Department for a number of years and then served in various capacities in the Rochester City School District and Pittsford Mendon High School.
Maher attended Genesee Community College, going on to SUNY Brockport, earning a degree in physical education. He grew up on a farm and loves the outdoors so he enjoys finding time to walk at home and on the job. Maher also enjoys sports, history, music and plays piano in his spare time. He’s also a big Cincinnati Reds fan, displaying his support by wearing his every-present Reds ball-cap!
Penny Ashton, a physician assistant in the Lauderdale Center for Student Health and Counseling, addresses the health concerns of the students. Previous experience includes working in private practices that specialize in pediatric and adolescent medicine. She earned a bachelor of science degree in physician assistant studies from D'Youville College.
Outside of the office, Ashton enjoys reading and gardening/home improvement projects.
Katelynn Kochalski joins Geneseo as assistant professor of mathematics. Kochalski earned a Ph.D. and master’s degrees in mathematics from the University of Virginia, and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Canisius College.
Previously, Kochalski taught at SUNY Cortland and the University of Virginia. Her research centers on probability theory, specifically, queueing theory and fluid limits of measure-valued stochastic processes. Outside of math, she enjoys music — singing and playing the clarinet and piano — and also reading, Euchre and watching a good Bills game.
Francisco Puerto Ureña joins Geneseo as a visiting assistant professor of Spanish. Previously, he taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Madison College. He will defend his Ph.D. in modern peninsular Spanish literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in November.
Puerto Ureña holds a master’s in Spanish literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a bachelor’s in Spanish language and literature from the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. His research interests include humor and satire, visual culture, and detective fiction. In his spare time, he enjoys playing board games and taking his dog for long walks.
Linda Cicero, secretary 1 in the Registrar's Office, maintains the calendar and provides staff support to the registrar. Cicero also maintains the calendars for the office and processes staff travel arrangements, transfer articulations, student registrations, and leave of absences and withdrawal communications. Her prior experience includes responsibilities in the registrar’s office at SUNY Brockport. Cicero enjoys gardening, reading, crafts and remodeling the house that she recently purchased.