Panel: SUNY Online Learners
Online Learner Panel
Panel Moderators:
Susan Warner, SUNY Online Student Supports/Success Project Manager
Dr. Michele Forte, Associate Professor & Mentor in Community and Human Services, SUNY Empire State University.
Tracks: Plenary, (Online Admin/Leadership, Online Student Support, Online Instructional Designers, Online Faculty)
Online Learner Panelists (Virtual):
Kurt Maier is a father and dedicated community leader from Castleton, NY. He is working towards a degree in Healthcare Management at SUNY Alfred State to further his career. With 16 years of experience in healthcare, Kurt currently serves as a Cost of Care Director for ElevanceHealth. A Marine Corps veteran, he actively supports his community through several roles, including Vice President of the local Board of Education, Treasurer of his local Kiwanis Club, and Trustee for his VFW post. Kurt also serves as the Chartered Organization Representative for the Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack in his area. His dedication to service and helping others is evident in all that he does.
Jenna Miori is a US Army veteran with an Associate of Applied Science in Horticulture from Niagara County Community College. She is enrolled in the Bachelor of Sustainable Food and Farming program at the University of Massachusetts. Jenna currently works at the Academic Center of Excellence at SUNY Niagara. In her free time, she volunteers with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) which is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting grieving military families.
Rachel Mussachio is a Buffalo, NY native. She received a B.S. in Psychology and a Minor in Media Studies at the University at Buffalo in 2020. Shortly after she was diagnosed with a chronic health condition that put her original career plans on hold. In 2023 she decided to pursue a Website Design and Management certification at SUNY Broome. Since in-person schooling was too difficult with her health, an online program was perfect for her. She currently holds a 4.0 grade point average and is a part-time online tutor for the Business Information Technology department at Broome. She hopes to later work in website and social media management after completing her certification later this year. Outside of her studies she enjoys crocheting, reading, and perfecting her shortbread cookie recipes.
Stella Brewer is an experienced professional specializing in travel planning, office management, and administrative support. As an Affiliate of Cruise Brothers since 2022, she provides personalized travel solutions, including destination research, bookings, and seamless itinerary management, tailored to clients’ unique needs. Since 2012, she has also served as Office Manager at Ampak Company, Inc., overseeing daily operations, human resources, trade show logistics, and customer care. Her strengths in process improvement and relationship building have contributed to enhanced organizational efficiency. Her career includes roles in luxury travel and finance, where she developed expertise in project management, event coordination, and financial reconciliation. She has managed hotel operations, administrative tasks, and client relations with a focus on delivering exceptional results. With a background in Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management, along with certifications in CPR/AED and fitness instruction, she is committed to excellence, continuous learning, and creating outstanding experiences. She is enrolled at SUNY Genessee Community College for an A.A.S. degree in Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management.
Kerry Bogert has worked in craft media for the last twenty years. From glass artist and international instructor to award-winning author, she has had a unique and successful career, including the roles of Editorial Director of Craft Books at Interweave and Fox Chapel Publishing and Editor-in-Chief of Interweave Knits magazine. Despite her extensive experience, when Kerry found herself laid off in the Fall of 2023, navigating job hunting without a degree in the age of AI-run recruiting felt insurmountable. So, in Spring of 2024, she found herself back in school, working to finally finish the degree she started almost 30 years ago. Today, she attends the University at Albany online while working full-time as an acquisitions editor for The Quarto Group from her home in Webster, NY.
Janardan Parsudial, born and raised in Queens, New York, is pursuing an associate’s degree in Website Development and Management at SUNY Broome Community College. Janardan has actively participated in boot camps and internships to advance his expertise. As part of the TechFlex Leaders program at America On Tech, he gained over 100 hours of training in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Repl.it, and Bootstrap under the guidance of a professional software engineer. Janardan also completed the Tech Incubators internship at Queens College, where he mastered WordPress, including its features and plugins, and used this knowledge to create a personal website. During the internship, he contributed to social media management for a retail company, using Canva to design engaging posts that drove interaction. A strong proponent of self-learning, Janardan leverages resources like YouTube, online articles, library books, and professor guidance to deepen his understanding and refine his skills.
Catherine Austin was born in the Caribbean Island of Barbados and migrated to the state of New York during her teenage years. It was after moving to the US that she obtained her associate’s degree in computer Programming in May of 1996. It has been a dream of hers to obtain her bachelor’s degree in business administration. However, Catherine placed that goal on hold and worked in the mortgage industry for over ten years. The delayed passion and dream of hers to return to obtain a bachelor’s degree was realized in Spring of 2024 when she matriculated in the Accounting Online program at SUNY Plattsburgh. As a Pastor’s wife, mother and grandmother, Catherine hopes she can assure her children and others that delayed goals are not denied goals, keep pursuing and you will receive your manifested desires.
