Alumni Hall of Fame 

Tell us how you're doing!  Each semester we will feature a department alum in our Hall of Fame who has gone on to do great things in the field of communication. Would you be a good candidate? Please let us know by submitting your information to Paige Koehler Bowles at pkbowles@albany.edu today!

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When Debra Smiley Holtzman began her academic career as a Communication major at SUNY-Albany, she found herself instinctively drawn to audiences.  “All of my classes were stimulating and thought-provoking, but I especially loved my public speaking classes.”

Today she is an internationally acclaimed safety and health expert, green living specialist, and published book author.  Her books, The Panic-Proof Parent: Creating a Safe Lifestyle for Your Family (McGraw-Hill, 2000), The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety (Sentient Publications, 2005), and the newly released edition, The Safe Baby: A Healthy Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Living (Sentient Publications, July, 2009) have received rave reviews and endorsements by leading parenting authorities and safety and health organizations. The Safe Baby won the National Parenting Publications’ Gold Award, one of the country’s most authoritative consumer-awards recognizing the best in children's and parenting resources.
   
Debra has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television shows, including the Today Show, Weekend Today, CNBC, ABC News, MSNBC, and Washington Post Radio. She served as the safety expert on Discovery Health Channel’s weekly TV series, Make Room for Baby. She has been quoted in Newsweek, Parenting, Child, Parents, Fit Pregnancy, USA Weekend Magazine, was chosen an "Everyday Hero" by Reader’s Digest, and was named a "Woman Making a Difference" by Family Circle magazine.  Debra is currently the Honorary Co-Chair of the Florida Safe Kids Coalition and teaches infant and toddler and CPR safety classes at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida.  She is a parenting columnist for Today's Parent and serves on the Advisory Board of The Healthy House Institute (HHI).
   
In addition to her B.A. in Communication from SUNY-Albany, she also holds an M.A. in Occupational Health and Safety from New York University, and a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law where she graduated in the top ten percent of her class.  She is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida.  As well as practicing law, Debra has worked as a safety and health consultant and has inspected numerous plants and factories for hazardous working conditions.  She is also a former Mrs. Florida.
   
Debra now sees her time spent as a Communication major at UAlbany as a crucial step along the path to her successful career in public speaking.  "I remember my days at SUNY-Albany with great fondness. The invaluable on-camera training and critiques by professors and peers combined to help me hone the necessary skills to feel comfortable and confident in front of TV cameras and audiences." 
   
Debra currently lives in Hollywood, Florida with her husband, Robert, son Adam, daughter Laura, and dog, Rocky.  For more information, you can visit Debra's web site at: http://www.thesafetyexpert.com/ 

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The Department of Communication was pleased to have Mr. Chris Pierce, Senior Director of Merchandise and Venue Services for the New York Jets and SUNY-Albany Department of Communication alum, as our 2009 commencement speaker. 

Mr. Pierce is entering his seventh season with the Jets, and is responsible for all retail ventures.  This includes the Jets Shop e-commerce business, Jets Shop Catalog, Jets Shop at the Meadowlands, Jets Shop at Training Camp, and Jets Shop retail stores.  In his role he directs the design, development, and production of all Jets licensed products.  He also oversees the food and beverage business on game days, and is responsible for the Fan Experience initiative of the Green Team.  The Green Team manages every aspect of the customer experience, with the goal of improving the overall fan experience during games. 

Prior to joining the Jets, Pierce held various director and merchant positions with Lord & Taylor, Joe Boxer, Diesel, and J.Crew.  Pierce graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Communication, minoring in Business Administration and Sociology, with a concentration in the areas of organizational and interpersonal communication.  Pierce was recruited on campus by Lord & Taylor to begin his career.

He reflects fondly on his time at UAlbany: “My time at UAlbany was one of great personal and professional growth.  I had intended to become a Meteorology Major and in my sophomore year became a Communication major.  I was moved by two professors in particular: Dr. Richard Wilkie and Dr. Donald Cushman.  Each of these men has had a lasting impact on me.  Dr. Wilkie had a sign in his office that said “Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part”.  It certainly impressed upon me that I was accountable for my actions and that I needed to rely on my own problem solving skills.  Dr. Cushman was the reason that I felt such a connection with organizational communication and how much impact I could have in the corporate world with that skill set.  I am grateful for my experiences at UAlbany.  The staff and faculty helped prepare me for the corporate world and shaped me in ways that have helped me immeasurably”.  Chris Pierce and his family currently reside in New Jersey.    

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David P. Wehner was unanimously chosen as the New York State Insurance Fund Executive Director by the Board of Commissioners in December of 2005.  Since joining NYSIF, Mr. Wehner has played a major role in the implementation of the recent reform of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Law.  Under Mr. Wehner’s direction, NYSIF’s total assets grew to more than $12.3 billion in 2006.  
   
Mr. Wehner has broad experience governing labor and workplace safety issues.  After 9/11, he testified before a Congressional panel regarding the agency’s efforts in assisting those affected by the World Trade Center attacks. He has also spoken extensively about worker protection and labor standards issues worldwide while participating in a national association of labor officials.
   
Mr. Wehner joined NYSIF after two years as Chairman of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), a position for which he was nominated by then Governor George E. Pataki.  With Mr. Wehner’s leadership, the Board continued to set new standards in customer service and to improve services for New York’s injured workers and employers.  Mr. Wehner’s commitment to abolishing fraud led to a record-setting 148 arrests for workers’ compensation fraud committed against NYSIF in 2006, representing restitution and estimated future savings of $17 million.
   
Prior to being named WCB Chairman, Mr. Wehner was Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor for more than three years.  Mr. Wehner also served more than three and a half years as Deputy Commissioner for Administration and Public Affairs.
   
He also served as Chief Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Labor and Director of Communications.  A past President of the National Association of Government Labor Officials (NAGLO), he was previously State Media Director in the U.S. Senate where he worked for 10 years in both Washington, D.C. and Albany.
   
NYSIF is a non-profit agency of the State of New York that was created as part of the Workers’ Compensation Law of 1914.  By law, NYSIF is a competitive insurance carrier that sells workers’ compensation and disability benefits insurance to any employer doing business in New York State.  Approximately 186,000 employers hold NYSIF workers’ compensation insurance policies, constituting about 37% of the market.
   
In December of 2006 Mr. Wehner was honored by the New York Claim Association’s Award of Excellence, in recognition of outstanding service to the insurance industry.  Mr. Wehner was also the recipient of the State University of New York Chancellor’s Recognition Award, and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation of Northeast New York.
   
David Wehner is a native of Rochester, New York, and holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany.