Instructor Biographies

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  Mr. Anderson graduated from PAFA (Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art), the oldest school in America and has a BFA from Philadelphia College of Art. He works in a realist narrative style, possessing an intimate knowledge of materials and techniques from the old masters to modern day painters. He has been painting 45 years, been in various group exhibitions, has undertaken many commissions and has had several solo shows on Long Island and New York City.

• Bart Badalucco has taught driver education for thirty-seven years. He prides himself on staying current in his field. He maintains a driver education Web site for student use and encourages students to visit local traffic courts. NYS Driver Traffic Safety Education Assn., Member. H. Frank Carey HS, Teacher of the Year, 2006, technology.

Risa Bellach has been playing Canasta for ten years and teaching privately to students for the past four years. Risa says learning to play Canasta has been a wonderful addition to her life, and she wants to give this gift to others. She loves gathering with friends and making new friends along the way through the game of Canasta.

• Greg Blank is a Long Island based filmmaker, film historian and lecturer with over 15 years of experience as a producer, director, cinematographer and editor with a B.A. in Communications from Florida Atlantic University as well as New York Film Academy. He is an award-winning producer for the show “Push Pause Long Island” on Verizon Fios1, and as a documentarian for the films “Undocumented”, and “A World Within a World: The Bay Houses of Long Island”. He also produces over 30 film lecture programs for LIU Post Hutton House Lectures, Molloy College, The Huntington Cinema Arts Centre, and many public libraries and private organizations around Long Island and the Northeast.

• Carolyn Carpentiere is a certified, Yoga, Pilates, Meditation, Clinical Somatics and Reiki Instructor. She is passionate about mind-body health and it is her belief that practices in mindfulness and yoga hold the solution to many of today’s health problems. Carolyn received her 200 hr yoga certification at Long Island Yoga School in 2009 and has continued to work in and study many other holistic solutions to health. She has studied at Kripalu in the Berkshires, Yoga International and the Open Center in NYC. She has passion for learning solutions to help people connect to their innate potential for healing and leading their best life. She teaches at yoga studios, clinical centers, corporations and privately in the NY area.

Roger Chizever graduated from Great Neck South High School and currently lives in Great Neck with his wife and daughter. He has been a NYS Accident Prevention Workshop Certified Instructor for over 20 years and is an insurance broker specializing in auto and property insurance. Roger is an active member of the Rotary Club of Great Neck and is a board member on the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce and also the Great Neck Social Center.

• Keith Crocker is a Long Island, NY based filmmaker and film historian. He attended the New York Institute of Technology from 1984 through 1988, where he majored in film and TV production. Keith's first job in cinema was making short Super 8mm films used for aversion therapy in phobia clinics. In 1993, Keith made his first feature film, which was based on Edgar Allan Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue. During this time, he also worked as a motion picture projectionist and started a video on demand company. Thirty-two years later, that business is still running. From 1987 through 2005, Keith was editor of the fanzine The Journal, which published 25 issues before going into hiatus. In 2008, Keith released Blitzkreig, which was a WWII based film. During this time, he was also the co-founder of Wildeye Releasing. He left Wildeye in 2012. Keith has been teaching adult education at Nassau Community College for the past 20 years. He has also been giving seminars on motion pictures to public libraries and community centers for the past 27 years. He lives on Long Island with his wife/muse Christina Crocker. He has two screenplays written for upcoming production.

• Mary L. Dono, Ed. D. – Lecturer of Art History – with presentations at: Hutton House; Queensborough Community College; Queens Borough Public Libraries; Great Neck Cumberland; Mill I and II (Molloy College); R.E.A.P.; Great Neck Library; Hewlett-Woodmere Library et al. I have facilitated book discussion groups at Queensborough Community College, and now I am continuing this at Great Neck Cumberland. I had the pleasure of serving as docent at Coe Hall at Planting Fields for six years. As a teacher and administrator for the New York City Department of Education for more than twenty-four years, I served the children, staff, and parents of District 30 in northwest Queens. I retired as Principal of P.S. 92 Q. in Corona. My education background includes the following: Doctorate in Instructional Leadership from St. John’s University; Professional Certification in Supervision and Administration as well as a M.S. in Special Education and a B.A. in Elementary Education all from Queens College.

Larissa Finik is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher with years of experience in teaching various styles of yoga. This includes chair yoga, vinyasa yoga, balancing yoga and gentle yoga. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge of this ancient healing modality to people of all ages genders and fitness levels. Her priority is the safety and well being of all students. She always looks forward to students feeling better leaving than when they came in.

• Marilyn Gold-Mandell is an artist and designer who believes creativity feeds the soul. The process of creating is something to be respected and nurtured and can be more satisfying than the finished work of art. She is an avid art “journaler” and believes in the daily practice of making. This carries over into her love of mixed media tangle drawings. Her work spans a wide range of media, exploring printmaking, fiber arts, collage, drawing and ceramics and often mixing medium. Quilting and fiber arts are additionally a driving passion in her life. The common threads of her work are color, texture, and pattern. She loves the interaction of working with her materials finding great satisfaction in making things by hand, living a creative life. Hand sewing and Sashiko have also become part of her “mindful” art practice. Marilyn's watercolor artwork has been exhibited nationally and can be found in private collections. Her love of the fluidity and the transparency of the paint are evident in her paintings. The tactile quality of pushing and pulling the paint on the paper are integral to her enjoyment of the medium. Her subject matter focuses on finding peace and beauty in nature and about creating sacred spaces. Marilyn’s professional experience spans over 25 years as a stylist and colorist in the home textile industry. She began her career designing and coloring home furnishing fabric. She spent many years supervising the printing of fabric in mills on the east coast of the United States. Her career path led her to designing and styling bedding for a major manufacturer. Her bedding ensembles were sold in Target, Wal-Mart and Kmart to name a few. Marilyn has had the opportunity to work with many talented individuals. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA major in textile design, she also studied Figure Drawing at New York's Art Student’s League. She frequently participates in workshops to learn new techniques and engage with other artists. Sharing her work and teaching others what she has learned is very important to her life.

• Ken Grossman is a presidential historian on Long Island, speaking at various venues and sharing his views on political issues. His recent book, ‘Musings of a History Teacher’, is a compilation of many of his lectures on America’s continuing role in forging a unique democracy. Ken is also well-versed on the history and music of the Great American Songbook, which he enjoys sharing with his classes as well as in cabaret performances. He has combined his love of history and music in writing history-based musicals, the most recent being Different…The Lincoln Musical. Woodrow Wilson School of Political and Int’l Affairs, Princeton University; NYU School of Law

• Dorit Gryn has taught Hebrew since 1983. She is an adjunct professor at Nassau Community College and Hofstra U. She is a Hebrew teacher at the Sid Jacobson JCC and the Teacher Center in Seaford. Graduate, Wingate Institute, Israel.

Leslie Hirschhorn has been making jewelry since 1976. Her metal work was exhibited at the Forbes St. Gallery in Pittsburgh and at a juried show at LSU. She was a corporate art director for twenty years before “retiring” to raise her twins. BFA, Fine Arts/ Metalsmithing, Carnegie-Mellon.

Mark James - College Professor - National Ballroom Champion - Education - SUNY@ Stony Brook- Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Major CED - Univ of Wyoming - BS Education Secondary Education Biology & General Science Experience - 2002- Present - SCCC Selden & Riverhead Campus - Adjunct Professor teaching Latin, Ballroom + Line Dance - 2002- Present - Town of Hempstead - Recreation Dept. teaching Latin, Ballroom + Line Dance Competitive Highlights United States National Championships - 2-time Finalist in the Open Theatrical National Rising Star Theatrical Champion Featured Dancer on TV PBS - Championship Ballroom Dancing America’s Ballroom Challenge 6 time American Star Ball - Theatrical Champion 4 Time Zachary's - Show Dance Champion 3 Time Baltimore Invitational - Theatrical Champion Empire State Ballroom Classic - Theatrical Champion Imperial Star Ball - Theatrical Champion New England Imperial - Theatrical Champion New York Dance Festival - Theatrical Champion Imperial Star - Theatrical Champion North Star Ball - Rising Star Theatrical Champion & Open Theatrical Champion 1999 Dance Teacher of the Year Hustle Hall of Fame Elite Honoree Honorarium Hustle USA - Open Cabaret Champion

Karen Jia is a passionate teacher of Chinese and Creative Belly Dance. She prides herself in her ability to connect to the students and cultivate their interests and skills, while maintaining a fun classroom environment. She is a long time instructor at Community Ed and always looks forward to seeing her students.

Beth Jucovy, is founder, artistic director and choreographer of Dance Visions NY, which presents Isadora Duncan repertory as well as contemporary works inspired by the aesthetic. Ms. Jucovy’s full length, often interdisciplinary programs have been presented extensively at universities, festivals, theaters, museums, schools, centers, libraries and annually at gardens throughout the NY metropolitan area and beyond. Her works have also been presented at many NYC showcases, most recently off-Broadway at the TADA! Theatre. Beth has been an Isadora Duncan dancer throughout her lifetime. A protégé of Julia Levien; she also studied with Anna Duncan from early childhood. Beth performed as a soloist, staged and taught the works internationally including for Rubin Academy, Kibbutz Dance Company, Karmiel Dance Festival, and the Suzanne Dellal Center in Israel. Beth worked intensively with Anna Sokolow, another major influence on her work, as well as with ballet, modern dance and jazz dance companies during the course of her career. Beth has been teaching dance, dance education and fitness classes for 4 decades, including for the NYC public schools, the Dalton School, Tilles Center Aesthetic Education, among many other institutions. She operated her school, “Children Dancing” in Great Neck from 1989-2019 teaching Ballet, Creative Movement, Nickolaus Based Exercise, Jazz Dance and Isadora Duncan style. She has been a Great Neck Continuing Education dance and fitness teacher since 2015.

Studying and practicing meditation, Reiki, crystal, and energy therapy, Jodi Kahn has developed ways to self heal and teach others to learn to heal themselves through a personal wellness practice. She is a practicing and certified Usui and Karuna Reiki Master Practitioner, Transpersonal Crystal Therapy Practitioner, and a meditation Reiki and healing workshop facilitator. She believes that following a path of healing the mind, body, and spirit enables us to eliminate the stressors that affect our health and well-being.

Kevin Larkin is an actively exhibiting artist who currently lives in Smithtown, New York. His paintings have been shown regularly throughout the greater New York area. He has won awards from The Association of Graphic Artists, Print Magazine, The Art Directors Club, and The Smithtown Township Arts Council. His work has appeared in Print Magazine, The Art Directors Club Annual, Village Connections Magazine, and Long Island Pulse Magazine. His paintings were featured in a platform installation presented by New York City’s Transit Authority at the Bronx Zoo/Pelham Parkway Station. Solo exhibitions include The Alfred Van Loen Gallery, Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, Mills Pond House Gallery & B.J. Spoke Gallery. Group Exhibitions include The Islip Art Museum, The Painted Bride in Philadelphia, The Ripe Art Gallery, The Art League of Long Island, The Mills Pond House Gallery, The Hecksher Museum, & The Nassau County Museum of Art. Kevin Larkin is the subject of Kevin Larkin: The Genuine Article, a monograph by Peter Joseph and the essays Josyph & Larkin X-Men of Art by Raymond Todd. Since 2002, Mr. Larkin has been a member of the B.J. Spoke Gallery in Huntington, New York where he serves as the gallery’s President. As a founding member of Victory Repertory Theatre, he has worked an an actor, director, & production manager. Kevin has also had many years of set design experience. Kevin Larkin received his BFA from The School of Visual Arts in Manhattan (1977). He has taught painting at The McBurney YMCA in Manhattan, The Smithtown Township Arts Council, Old Field Middle School, and The Suffolk County Boces III Gifted-Talented. He has also been a guest lecturer at Nassau Community College. Currently, Kevin teaches at The Art League of Long Island and both The Town of Oyster Bay and Smithtown’s Continuing Education Programs.

Alessandra Levine has been a translator, interpreter, and instructor since 1993, and has taught Italian at Cumberland for over twenty years. She is a native Italian speaker, and fluent in English, German, and French. She grew up in Italy, but has lived in GN for twenty plus years. Graduated from the University of Rome, honors in Foreign Languages and Literature.

Patricia Luque, a native-speaker from Paris, has worked for international organizations as an instructor and evaluator in language learning and teaching for adults. She has credentials from European educational governmental organizations, and Université de Paris, Lettres Modernes. She is also fluent in Spanish, certified by Instituto Cervantes, Spain, in teaching Spanish as a second language, ELE.

Susan Louis is an Artist in Residence for Young Audiences and Queens Council on the Arts, kindergarten - 12 grades, with gifted, mentally challenged, immigrant and general students. She has run intergenerational programs as well. Ms. Louis has worked for Elder Craftsman, The Dept. of Aging, Parks Dept., Making Arts Work teaching seniors quilting and crafts in community Centers and nursing homes. Independently she worked at the 108th Street YMHA, Alley Pond Environmental Center and privately.

Stephanie Navon Jacobson is an award-winning printmaker with over thirty years of experience. She is a Professor at St. John’s University and has participated in the Washington Sq. Outdoor Art Exhibit, designed a textbook, and has been a scenery designer. Member of Contemporary Printmakers, LI Craft Guild, and LI Art League. BFA, UMASS Amherst; MA, Long Island University.

Gary Novick has been playing the piano for most of his life. He has taught students of all ages how to play the piano since 1975. He enjoys playing in sessions with many talented musicians and continues to write and arrange songs so that he can share his passion for music with others. Advanced degree, Composition, Berklee College of Music.

Matthew Ring has a degree in Physical Education, as well as Health Education. He began coaching at the age of 13, when he coached his sister's soccer team. Since 2015, he has coached all across Long Island and has tremendous experience in coaching sports among people of all ages. Over the years, he has coached a variety of sports, including many racquet sports, such as tennis, badminton and pickleball. His experiences in coaching racquet sports include working after-school programs, practices, clinics, and individual lessons. What he prides himself on most as a coach is helping to provide all athletes with the skills necessary to maximize their potential.

Bonnie Rubens is a certified yoga instructor who teaches yoga flow and chair at continuing education, senior centers, studios, and health clubs. Emphasis is placed on the physical/ mental connection derived from combining breathing, stretching, and balance with fluid movement. MBA, Baruch College.

Tim Savage is an artist working in watercolor, oil, pastel and multimedia pen and ink sketch booking. His major interest is in representing the world he sees around himself in his own personal style. Tim’s current emphasis in art encompasses watercolor painting and drawing. Classes at GN Community Education allow Tim to share his passion with the medias with students new to painting and drawing. Tim’s classes are designed to work with students at their levels, guiding them to improve their craft and above all to share Tim’s enjoyment with art. Tim has had a long career as an advertising agency art director and illustrator. He designed ad-vertising for firms like IBM, Bayer Healthcare, Sara Lee Foods and many others. Among Tim’s Illustration clients are firms such as Madison Square Garden, Standard and Poor’s, and Bayer Health Care Diabetes Care. Tim’s professional associations include the Art League of Nassau County and the National Art League, Douglaston. He has served on the board of directors of both Leagues, and is a past President of the Art League of Nassau County. Tim is an active member of the Ink Well Foundation, a group of illustrators dedicated to bringing drawing and painting events to children in Metro area hospitals. Tim is a graduate of Cornell University. He attended night school at Parsons School of Design and school of Visual Arts. For more information, Google Tim Savage Artist.

Aviv Shahaf was born and raised in a Kibbutz in Israel and served as an officer in the IDF before migrating to the US in 1992. He received his certification from ACBL and started teacing Bridge in 1995. Aviv became the Head Tournament Director at the Honors Bridge Club in NY in 2005 and currently still holds that position.

An Advertising Art & Design Major at State University, Farmingdale, N.Y. Barbara is now a Certified Zentangle Teacher. She is also a semi-retired Instructor/Designer/Art Director/Illustrator. She has been teaching pastel portraiture, painting and drawing at Great Neck Continuing Education, Haven Art Studio in Port Washington, the Port Washington Senior Center and The Art Guild at Elderfields for over 15 years. She is a former president of the Manhasset Art Association and is current Membership Chairperson, a member of The Art Guild, and a juror for various art organizations.

Published Photographer with over 15 years of experience. I was exposed to photography by my father Wayne “ Zoom “ Summerlin who was a war photographer in Vietnam. My brother and I would accompany our father to photo shoots all over NYC and we hated it. In my early 30’s I picked up my first camera and fell in love with landscape photography and then night photography. Once I mastered night photography my passion grew and I started in fashion, sports, wildlife, underwater and drone photography. I foresee the future of photography heading in the direction of drones because it allows us to get the shots that were impossible 20 years ago.

Alan Walowitz, a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, is a Contributing Editor at Verse-Virtual, an Online Community Journal of Poetry.  He’s studied with poets Stephen Stepanchev, Colette Inez, Carol Muske, James Reiss, George Chambers, C.K. Williams, and Estha Weiner.  His chapbook Exactly Like Love comes from Osedax Press.  The Story of the Milkman and Other Poems is available from Truth Serum Press. From Arroyo Seco Press, In the Muddle of the Night, written with poet Betsy Mars.  The chapbook, The Poems of the Air, is from Red Wolf Editions. Free for downloading. 

Teaching nearly every English subject, from ESL to Literary Criticism, every ability level and every age, from pre-K to university, my career spans 30 years in Nassau County and NYC. Today I am an adjunct professor at Berkeley College in NYC, teaching Advanced Writing, Literature and Research courses. For my Master of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College, I published my thesis, a novella and poems, “Weathering the Equinox and Other Small Storms”. I have studied under poets C.K. Williams, William Packard and Fred Marchant, and earned a Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities to research the poetry of William Butler Yeats. Privately and with a community collective in NYC, I conducted poetry and prose writing workshops. In between jobs and raising a family, I've taught American Literature and Creative Writing Seminars as a teaching Fellow and as an adjunct, at several C.U.N.Y. campuses. I play too much tennis and do volunteer work as a grassroots organizer; I love the ocean, poetry, music and of course, reading. I currently live in Great Neck with my husband, my daughter and our two cats, Chocolate and Chippy.

Dr.Theresa Walter has spent 27 years in public education teaching English, reading, and writing. She had spent time teaching at North Middle, North High, South High and now leads the English department at South Middle School. Dr. Walter has over 10 years experience supporting students as they prepare for their next educational experience in college. She is a co-founder of her consulting firm Donovan Lane Consulting that works to support students through the college application process. Dr. Walter is the 2019 recipient of the Christa Fulton Memorial Award and the 2023 winner of the Harvard Club of Long Island’s Distinguished Teacher Award.