Earlier in his career, he taught and held a number of administrative positions at the local level and worked for the New Jersey State Department of Education on several special initiatives. More recently, he served as adjunct instructor for the M.A. program in Educational Leadership at ����vlog.

Dr. Alvarez has received appointments to several regional and national boards including the Middle States Commission on Elementary and Secondary Education (finance committee co-chair); Tri State Consortium (chair); the Victoria Foundation (president); Panasonic’s NJ Superintendents’ Network (founding member); and Pearson Education’s Hispanic Advisory Board (member).

Dr. Alvarez received a BA from ����vlog in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and an MA and EdD in Educational Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University. He was on the MSU Alumni Association board from 1997-2008, serving as president from 2006-2008. In 2008, ����vlog awarded him an Honorary Doctorate for his contributions to the field of education.
Dr. Alvarez and his wife, Nancy ’76, ’02 MA, live in River Vale, NJ.

Dr. Waichungo was born and raised in Kenya. She joined The Coca-Cola Company in 2000 as Strategic Marketing Manager in the Northern African Division based in Nairobi, Kenya. Subsequently, she held positions of increasing responsibility in innovation, strategy, and business planning in roles that took her from Nigeria to Egypt, the U.K, South Africa and beyond. Prior to joining The Coca-Cola Company, Dr. Waichungo held product and consumer research roles at ConAgra Foods, in Omaha, Nebraska, and Campbell Soup Company, in New Jersey.

Dr. Waichungo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foods and Nutrition from ����vlog. In addition, she holds MSc and Ph.D. degrees in Food Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She also attended the Program for Leadership Development at Harvard Business School. Dr. Waichungo serves on the board of Community Health Charities, is a member of the President’s Club at ����vlog and is a distinguished fellow of the Monticello Society at the University of Missouri-Colombia. Dr. Waichungo also serves on the Advisory Council for the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Colombia. Dr. Waichungo has been a keynote speaker at several events including the 2019 Kenya Scholars and Studies Association Annual Meeting, the 131st AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition, the 18th IUFoST World Congress of Food Science and Technology and the 2016 Women in Manufacturing Summit. In May 2016, Dr. Waichungo was honored to deliver the Commencement address for the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Colombia. In 2020, Dr. Waichungo was named Distinguished Alumna for the College of Education and Human Services at ����vlog.

In her work, teaching, philanthropy and travel to more than 80 countries, Dr. Waichungo advocates for training the next generation of food scientists and closing capacity gaps so that all communities can enjoy safe, abundant food and economic opportunity.

León attended Hawkins Street School from Kindergarten to eighth grade and graduated from Science High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences at Rutgers University and was determined to remain in Newark to teach and impact lives at both of his alma maters. For three years, he taught fifth grade at Hawkins Street School and was the Head Coach of the Science High School Debate Team for eight years. His classes won local competitions and his students demonstrated high academic growth. The debate team won local, state and national championships. The Eighth Grade Algebra Pilot resulted in his move to Rafael Hernández Elementary School. León taught Algebra I to eighth-graders for high school credit and provided intensive professional development in mathematics to Newark teachers across the district. The success of this project resulted in hundreds of eighth grade students earning high school credit in Algebra I, teachers earning dual certification in Mathematics, and the district’s highest elementary mathematics standardized test scores in years.

León earned his Master of Arts in Administration and Supervision from ����vlog and subsequently served as a turnaround principal in Newark for 10 years. He was the principal of Dr. William H. Horton School for four years and University High School of the Humanities for six years. Since León believes that every child is a genius, it was his responsibility to lead and work collaboratively with all stakeholders to improve both schools. With the Accelerated Schools Project model at Horton, he promoted data-driven instruction, built a strong culture of achievement, and increased parent and community involvement. Student achievement increased, attendance improved and discipline referrals decreased. Under his leadership at University, the school implemented its own whole-school reform model, which was a return to the school’s original design; a school that is an engine of social change and social justice. As a result, the middle grades standardized test scores ranked #1 in New Jersey and the school became the top performing high school in the city, one of the top 75 high schools in the state and ranked one of the top high schools in the country.

León has served as the Assistant Superintendent in the Newark Public Schools for 10 years. His vision was to set high educational standards for everyone in every school and provide all of the necessary time and resources to effectuate change across the district. His mission was to improve the lives of our students and their families and strengthen the community. In this capacity, he supervised the school leadership team of the high schools and a network of elementary schools, served as the Deputy Chief Academic Officer in charge of Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support Services, and directed administration responsibilities district-wide. This 10-year experience drove national, state and local education reforms where he led, co-led and implemented new standards from ESEA to NCLB to now, ESSA. The reforms influenced early childhood, special education, bilingual education, and elementary and secondary education in the city of Newark. León spearheaded and organized major initiatives and community conversations influencing change throughout the entire district. During these 10 years, León led and worked collaboratively with local and state agencies, higher education, foundations, private-public partners, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, elected officials, principals, teachers and staff, every central office department, community advocates, parents and students.

As a resident, student, teacher, principal and assistant superintendent in Newark,. León has taught thousands and mentored hundreds. He has witnessed generational progress and has inspired outstanding leaders, doctors, social activists, teachers, principals, attorneys, scientists, authors, professors, innovators, business owners, artists, and countless others who he has encouraged to remain in Newark, like he has.

León is passionate about education, passionate about Newark, and passionate about progress.

Bio as of May 2019

Dr. Scrofani received his BA in Business Education in 1961 at Montclair State, where he was the captain of one of the four undefeated football teams in the University’s history. As a result of his athletic accomplishments, he was named NJ State College Alumni Association Distinguished Athlete and was the All-State Northern New Jersey Selection Football Team Captain at Seton Hall Prep, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 2007, Dr. Scrofani led the effort, along with his football teammates, to establish the Coach Jerry Edwards Athletic Endowment Fund to honor their coach and to create a special fund to assist men’s sports at Montclair State.

Dr. Scrofani received an MA in Supervision and Administration from California State University, Los Angeles, and an EdD in Educational Administration and Management from the University of Northern Colorado. He had post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Texas at Austin, at University of California at Santa Barbara and at Pepperdine University.

Dr. Scrofani has served on numerous boards, committees and advisory groups, and in other leadership positions. He was director of research and evaluation and assistant executive director of board development for the California School Boards Association. He served as commissioner for teacher credentialing for the California State Department of Education. He was on the boards of directors for the California Institute of School Improvement and the California Consortium of Educational Foundations. He was on the advisory boards of the Sonoma State University Administrative Credentialing Program and the Far West Regional Laboratory.

Dr. Scrofani and his wife, Meg, who spent many years as a school principal, now live in Napa Valley in the town of Angwin, Calif.

Bio as of May 2018

Allen and her husband have established the Craig and Arlene Crescenzi Allen Endowed Scholarship, which helps support Montclair State teacher education majors during their student teaching experience. The two also support three other annual scholarships to assist student teachers. Allen made the lead gift to establish the Dr. Russell Krauss Classroom in University Hall, which was dedicated in 2008, in memory of a beloved professor and mentor.

A dedicated supporter of Montclair State, Allen has served on the Alumni Association Board, and as a member of her 50th Anniversary Reunion Committee and the Annual Scholarship Dinner Committee. She was a participant in a panel discussion at the University entitled, “Teacher Education at Montclair State: A Proud Past, A Promising Future.”

Allen earned a BA in English from Montclair State College and an MA in humanities from Kean University. Allen and her husband regularly attend events at Montclair State, including the recent Kasser Theater 10th Anniversary celebration, the Annual Scholarship Dinner, and the opening celebrations for the new Feliciano School of Business building and the Center for Environmental and Life Sciences.

Bio as of May 2016

Professor Bensimon’s critical action research agenda has been supported by grants from the Ford Foundation, Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, Lumina Foundation, Teagle Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and The James Irvine Foundation. Dr. Bensimon has published extensively about racial equity, organizational learning, practitioner inquiry and change; and her articles have appeared in journals such as the Review of Higher Education, Journal of Higher Education, Liberal Education, and Harvard Educational Review.

Her most recent books include: From Equity Talk to Equity Walk (with Tia Brown McNair and Lindsey Malcom-Piqueux) Critical Approaches to the Study of Higher Education (co-edited with Ana Martinez-Aleman and Brian Pusser) which was selected as the 2016 Outstanding Publication by the American Education Research Association, Division of Postsecondary Education; Engaging the Race Question: Accountability and Equity in US Higher Education (with Alicia C. Dowd), Confronting Equity Issues on Campus: Implementing the Equity Scorecard in Theory and Practice (co-edited with Lindsey Malcom).

Dr. Bensimon has held the highest leadership positions in the Association for the Study of Higher Education (President, 2005-2006) and in the American Education Research Association, Division on Postsecondary Education (Vice-President, 1992-1994). She has served on the boards of the American Association for Higher Education and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. She was the Chair of AERA’s Social Justice and Action Committee. In 2007, Dr. Bensimon was presented with a Distinguished Service Award in recognition of exceptional commitment to the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) and in 2018 she received its Leadership Award. The University of Wisconsin system recognized Dr. Bensimon with the Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award in 2010. In 2011, she was inducted as an AERA Fellow in recognition of excellence in research and received ASHE’s Council on Ethnic Participation Founders Service Award. In 2013, she received the Association for the Study of Higher Education Research Achievement Award. She is a recipient of the USC Mellon Mentoring Award for faculty. In 2015, she received the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) Outstanding Latina Faculty Award for Research & Teaching, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from ����vlog’s College of Education and Human Services.

In 2017, she was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Education and she was presented with the 2017 Social Justice in Education Award by the American Education Research Association. Her opinion pieces have been published in Inside HigherEd, Denver Post, Sacramento Bee, and Zocalo. In January 2018, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Dr. Bensimon to the Education Commission of the States. She is the 2018 AERA Division J Research Award recipient. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Campaign for College Opportunity and Complete College America.

Dr. Bensimon was associate dean of the USC Rossier School of Education from 1996-2000 and was a Fulbright Scholar to Mexico in 2002. She earned her doctorate in higher education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Zelman received one of the highest honors from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the 2016 ‘Lenna Frances Cooper Memorial Award’ in recognition of a distinguished career and remarkable contributions to the dietetics profession.  In 2007, Zelman was awarded the prestigious AND “Media Excellence Award” for her contribution and commitment to educating consumers about food and nutrition. The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) named Kathleen the 2011 recipient of their “Nutrition Science Media Award” for outstanding science and nutrition journalism. The Institute of Food Technologists awarded her with the 2012 “Media Award for Excellence in Consumer Journalism”.  In 2014 Zelman was awarded the “Distinguished Alumni” award from ����vlog.

Her media experience is extensive, including co-hosting a weekly radio program for four years, serving twelve years as a national spokesperson for the Academy, over 1000 print and television appearances and a co-author on several books.

Zelman is an invited speaker at professional meetings worldwide and had the honor to share the stage as the nutrition expert with First Lady Michelle Obama celebrating Let’s Move and with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at the launch of My Plate.

Zelman has served as a dietetic internship director at Ochsner Medical Institutions and assistant professor at St. Mary’s Dominican College.  Active in local, state and national dietetic associations including serving on the Academy’s board of directors, as a trustee on the Georgia Dietetic Foundation and two terms as a delegate to the Academy House of Delegates.  She received her master’s degree in public health from Tulane University and her bachelor of science from ����vlog.