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Dr. Jane Bokunewicz is a Professor of Hospitality teaching casino and hotel management classes at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý.  Bokunewicz worked 22 years in the Atlantic City casino industry with 12 years as Vice President of Administration at Tropicana. She began her career as a computer programmer in the Information Technology department of Playboy Casino. She later held the position of Director of IT at Tropicana and was promoted to Vice President in April of 1994.  Bokunewicz was part of the management team that opened The Quarter, the retail, dining and entertainment facility at the Tropicana.  As Vice President of Administration Bokunewicz oversaw Human Resources, Facilities, Security, Purchasing and Quality Assurance.

Bokunewicz has worked with the LIGHT institute since 2012. She was lead researcher on several LIGHT studies including a study on Millennial entertainment preferences that received international press coverage and several studies on underage gambling and college gambling behavior. 

In addition to being lead author of Casino Gaming Technology, Bokunewicz also wrote a chapter in Casino Gaming in Atlantic City, A Thirty-Year Retrospective. Bokunewicz holds a PhD in Communication, Culture and Media from Drexel University  and she is a third-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do Karate.  

Sarah Grady joined the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism (LIGHT) as Assistant Director in 2017. Ms. Grady comes to LIGHT with experience in performing arts non-profits, and heritage tourism. She graduated with her dual B.A. in Media & Communications and Theater Design from Muhlenberg College and holds a M.A. in Arts Administration from Montclair State University.

In her time as Assistant Director Grady helped to launch the International Journal of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (IJGHT) as its Managing Editor. She also oversaw the development of the Certified Tourism Industry Professional (CTIP) certificate program in collaboration with Ã×À¼ÌåÓý’s Office of Continuing Studies and the New Jersey Tourism Industry Association (NJTIA).

 

Jennifer Aarons is a Teaching Specialist in the Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management Studies (HTMS) Program in Ã×À¼ÌåÓý's School of Business. Ã×À¼ÌåÓý's School of Business has earned accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), an international body whose accreditation has been earned by less than 5 percent of the world's business programs.

Jennifer earned her undergraduate degree in Human Resources from the University of Delaware, her master's degree in Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and her doctorate in Education from NOVA Southeastern University.  She has over twenty-five years' experience in the hospitality industry across many fields, including hotel operations, housekeeping, reservations, restaurant management, and human resources in casino and non-casino hotels.  Jennifer spent the majority of her career in the spa and recreation segment at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa, where she refined her skills in managing, leading, mentoring, and budgeting.

Jennifer first joined Ã×À¼ÌåÓý as an Adjunct Professor after creating the Spa Management in Hospitality course as a new elective for the HTMS program in 2011. In 2022, she launched the Introduction to Wellness Tourism class.  She worked with the Holistic Healthcare Minor program so both courses could become acceptable electives within that program as well.  In addition to these courses, Jennifer teaches Introduction to HTMS, Food & Beverage Management, Introduction to Casino Management, Hotel Administration & Operation and Event Management.

Jean Abbott is an Assistant Professor of Business Studies, Accounting, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý.  She is a Certified Public Accountant with over thirty-five years of experience.  She has a doctorate in Education from Wilmington University, a MBA from Monmouth University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Ã×À¼ÌåÓý. 

Dr. Abbott worked in the Atlantic City casino hotel industry for twenty-one years.  She was employed by The Claridge Casino Hotel where she served in various executive management positions, including as Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President of Finance and Corporate Development, as a member of the Board of Directors, and as Secretary to the Board.

She is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor and has a Certified Distressed Business Valuation credential and has worked as an accountant and consultant in the field of bankruptcy and insolvency. 

Dr. Abbott serves on the New Jersey Society of CPAs Board of Trustees.

 

Dr. Albano is an Associate Professor in the Hospitality & Tourism Management Studies (HTMS) Program at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý’s School of Business. Responsibilities include teaching, research and service to the college and community.  Donna’s service to the university includes the foundation board, the scholarship committee, national search committees, AACSB Student Standards Committee, Advising Advising Council, Essential Learning Outcome Committee and more.

Donna teaches Introduction to the Hospitality & Tourism Industry, Hospitality Marketing, Leadership, Career Development and the Internship component of the curriculum which provides a structured educational strategy integrating classroom studies with learning through productive work experiences in the hospitality & tourism industry. Donna originated a faculty led program elective to Italy where students studied hospitality, tourism, wine and culinary in Rome and Florence.  Most recently, Donna created a Wine Fundamentals elective in the Hospitality & Tourism Program. In addition, Donna received a Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) from the Smith Travel Research organization. In November, 2015 Donna was named Faculty Member of the Year.

Previously at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý, Donna served as the Director of the HTMS program from 2000-2014 and Coordinator of Academic Programs for the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism. Responsibilities included recruiting, supporting and evaluating faculty, including adjunct faculty, curriculum design and delivery and playing a service role both inside and external to the University. 

Donna is a member of several education and hospitality industry associations including the International Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Educators (ICHRIE) where she has held several leadership roles.  She is also an active member of the Greater Atlantic City Concierge Association/Scholarship Committee, Somers Point Business Association Board of Trustees, Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs an International Association of Gastronomy, Philadelphia Hotel Association, SKAL- International Association of Travel and Tourism Professionals, the Atlantic City Host Awards Selection Committee and The Howard Bacharach Scholarship Foundation.

Prior to academia, Donna worked in the hospitality industry in hotel operations and casinos, food and beverage franchise operations, country club operations as well as hospitality industry consulting including quality assurance shopping and writing restaurant reviews. 

Donna has earned her undergraduate degree from Widener University in Hospitality Management and her Masters and Doctorate from Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ and was the Recipient of the Larry Marcus Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership, Doctoral Studies in 2007 and most recently the awarded the  2016 Sprit or Hospitality Award  by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority given to an outstanding individual who has made a long-lasting and significant contribution to the Atlantic City region's hospitality and travel industry.

 

Dr. Busler holds a Bachelor Degree in Commerce and Engineering, A Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a Ph.D. in Economics with a secondary specialization in Marketing.  All three degrees are from Drexel University.

 

Dr. Busler has been a Financial Consultant to a number of area businesses and individuals for more than 25 years.  His advice is often sought when making investment decisions and for long term financial planning.  He advises businesses on developing a successful business strategy to optimize cash flows. His research on financial markets, performance modeling, public policy and consumer behavior has been published in 15 different academic journals and presented in 13 countries from the U.S. to the Middle East. 

 

Dr. Busler has written more than 400 Op-ed columns that have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Star Ledger, The Courier Post as well as the Atlantic City Press.  He currently contributes articles to CDN-Communities Digital News and is often quoted by numerous publications including NBC40 TV station.

 

Oliver Cooke, PhD

is Associate Professor of Economics at Stockton University where he teaches

macroeconomics, urban economics, economic history

and political economy. He is also editor of The South

Jersey Economic Review (SJER), a biannual electronic

publication that analyzes the Southern New Jersey

regional economy.

 

Dr. Noel Criscione-Naylor is an Assistant Professor in the Hospitality and Tourism Management program at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý. She earned her Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration from Rutgers University and Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from Rowan University. She is a multi-certified educational leader with over 10 years of Casino Management experience and recognized for measurable successes in customer service, productivity, and performance development. Dr. Criscione-Naylor is trained in Lean and Six Sigma and has successfully lead over 40 kaizen projects across the major gaming markets focused on revenue development, workforce optimization, and service capability.

Education

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• 1993-1998, B.S., Physical Education, emphasis in Corporate Fitness, The College of New Jersey
• 2002-2004, M.S., Kinesiology, emphasis in Exercise Physiology, Pennsylvania State University
• 2004-2008, Ph.D., Kinesiology, emphasis in Exercise Physiology, Pennsylvania State University
• 2008-2012, Postdoctoral Fellow, Physical Activity- and Nutrition-Related Issues in Healthy and Chronically Ill Children, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
• 2010-2014, M.S., Translational Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

 

Diane Holtzman, Ed.D, is an Associate Professor of Business Studies who teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in management and marketing in the School of Business at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý University. She is also a co-director of the MBA program at the University. She has a BA in English from the University of Detroit, an MA in Public Relations from Rowan University, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Business and Higher Education Leadership from Virginia Polytechnic University, and an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. She has twenty-six years’ experience working in the areas of marketing, public relations, management, and training and development for non-profit and profit organizations.

 

Dr. Holtzman has conducted training and development sessions for the casino industry and regional businesses in the areas of customer service, conflict management, working with different generations in the workplace, developing supervisory skills for the workplace, the role of communication in the workplace, developing management skills, and marketing for the small business. Added to these topics in training and development are presentations in crisis communication, business protocol, and team building.

 

She is published in the areas of experiential learning in workplace settings, managing workplace generational diversity, developing workplace skills, marketing for small businesses and non-profit organizations, and assessment of learning.

Phil Kening has taught undergraduate Marketing classes in the School of Business at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý since 2006, and both undergraduate and graduate classes at the Haub School of Business at St. Joseph’s University since 2009.  At Ã×À¼ÌåÓý, Phil also serves as Marketing Committee Co-Chair for Ã×À¼ÌåÓý’s Strategic Enrollment Management Council (SEMP). 

Since 1993, he has been a founder and Principal with Beacon Marketing Group, Inc. which specializes in marketing research, analytics and planning services.  Beacon’s client roster has included leading companies in the food, OTC, automotive, hospitality and technology industries.  Prior to his role at Beacon, Phil was a VP of Marketing for the Sands Hotel and Casino and a Group Marketing Director for Nestles Purina Pet Foods.  At the Sands, Phil had responsibility for the advertising, public relations, marketing research and direct marketing functions for the Atlantic City property and helped introduce the company’s player loyalty program.  At Purina, he was responsible for several national pet food brands, including the national rollout of the Pro Plan line of dog and cat foods.  He holds an MBA and a B.S. in Journalism from Southern Illinois University.

Phil and his wife, Carrie, have lived in Atlantic County for over 30 years.  They have one adult son, David, who resides in Brigantine and is employed by Caesar’s Entertainment in Atlantic City.  Phil has served as a Director and Executive Board member of the Galloway Police Athletic League for over fifteen years and has been a youth travel and college volleyball coach since 1998.  As a coach, he has participated in numerous large-scale events including NCAA Playoffs, National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Championships and AAU Girls Junior Nationals.  He has also assisted in running local / regional volleyball events at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý and at the AC Convention Center and Harrah’s.

Ph.D. (Auburn University)

Operations Management, Quantitative Business Methods

 

Dr. Madan is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý. His research focuses on examining sexual harassment, gender empowerment, sexual assault on college campuses, and citizen-policing relationship. It is also grounded in policy, international and comparative perspective. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate students.

His research has appeared in International Criminal Justice Review, Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Asian Journal of Criminology, and Journal of Criminal Justice and Security, and in many prominent media outlets including NY Times, India Today and The Economic Times. He has been recognized with President’s Outstanding New Scholar Award by the Western Social Science Association. His latest study was ranked#4 in the top 10 CRIM articles of 2016. He frequently consults organizations on gender-based violence issues and has also appeared on an NPR talk show to share his research expertise.

Dr. Madan earned his Ph.D. (Criminal Justice) from the Michigan State University, has Masters in Statistics, from India (Delhi) and Canada (Memorial University, Newfoundland) and a Bachelor in Mathematics (Hons). You can follow him @Prof_Madan or get in touch .

Amit Mukherjee is an Associate Professor of Business Studies at Ã×À¼ÌåÓý College where he teaches Marketing and International Business courses at the MBA and undergraduate levels. He is also an adjunct faculty in the Master of Diplomacy program of Norwich University where he teaches courses in International Political Economy. He has held Visiting Professor positions at Auburn University, University of Latvia in Riga, Latvia and the Institute of International Relations in Hanoi, Vietnam. Prior to entering academia, he gathered seven years of sales, marketing and general management experience in the U.S. and in India working for large multinationals as well as small, entrepreneurial organizations.