Distinguished Alumni

2012 - Kimberly Alecia Hires, Class of 2005

Mrs. Kimberly Alecia Hires graduated from the Health Science Program with a concentration in Healthcare Management in 2005. During her time at Stony Brook University, Mrs. Hires had the distinction of being an Honor’s College student whose original research assessed and compared conveniently sampled patients’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding quality of care provided by physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and physicians in the primary care setting. Since that time she has attained a Bachelor’s of Nursing from John Hopkins University, and is on schedule to receive her PhD, in December, from the University of Miami’s School of Nursing and Health Studies. Her doctoral thesis is on Predictors of HIV Related External Stigmatization Among Caribbean Young Women. Her doctoral education was generously supported by the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence. Mrs. Hires has collaborated on numerous biomedical and behavioral research studies. She was selected for the nationally competitive Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training Program (MHIRT) which enabled her to train and study in Durban, South Africa. She was also a Clinical Research Nurse at the National Institutes of Health. Currently Mrs. Hires holds a faculty appointment at the Florida State University College of Nursing. She resides in Tallahassee, Florida with her husband, Kyle and their son, Blake.

2015 - Kelly Miterko, Class of 2010

Mrs. Miterko graduated with a BS in Health Science; her concentration of study was Public Health/Community Education. She also minored in Business Management. She is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars where she served as Vice President of Community Service, and is a member of the Sigma Beta Honor Society. Upon graduation, she was awarded an internship at the White House where she worked in the Office of the First Lady, as a Social Office Intern, Staff Assistant and Scheduling Assistant/Trip and Deputy Associate Director for the First Lady's "Let's Move! Campaign. Mrs. Miterko developed and managed media content and successfully engaged local, state, and national level stakeholders for community collaborations. 

2016 - Karl Pierre, Class of 2007 

Karl is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Avalanche Care Inc, a New York State Licensed Home Care Services Agency. As Chief Executive, he has improved overall efficiency in all departments. His leadership style is to surround himself with highly skilled and organized managers that have the right balance of work ethic and open mindedness. Professionally, Karl is a starter who thrives in an environment of change, allowing him to exercise his ability to solve problems. In his personal life, he travels the world to connect with humanity collecting experiences along the way. His favorite thing to do outside of work is to cook and share a meal. 

2021 - Melissa Molina-Trinidad, Class of 2009

Melissa is the Residency Program Administrator and oversees 91 Internal Medicine residents at the Brooklyn Hospital Center. She is the founder and President of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE) Tri-State Chapter. She is a candidate for the Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and currently in the Marketing Committee for the Healthcare Leaders of New York. Melissa is currently serving her second 3-year term, as a Board of Trustee of Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, the nation's premiere Greek-lettered organization working towards the elimination of violence against women and empowerment of women. Committed to the development of collegiate and professional women through sisterhood, diversity, leadership, service, and academic excellence. She received her Master's degree in Business Administration from Mercy College in 2018 and her Bachelor's in Healthcare Management with a minor in Women Studies in 2009. She was involved in campus leadership committees such as President of National Association of Latino Fraternal Organization (NALFO) and President of the Health Sciences Center Association (HSCA). She is currently serving as a Stony Brook University Alumni Mentor. 

2023 - Anupama Walia, Class of 2009

Anupama started her career in clinical research as a Research Study Assistant for the Genito-urinary Pathology teak at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where she developed a passion for this field and where she learned to always have a patient centered approach. Since then, she has relocated to San Francisco Bay Area and has held various roles within the clinical operations team at Roche/Genentech. In her most recent role, she managed a team of Study Start-Up Specialists and was accountable for overseeing her team's feasibility, start-up, and enrollment activities for oncology and non-oncology Clinical trials. She has also partnered with the personalized healthcare team to operationalize a prospective clinic-genomic study, which aimed to understand the patient cancer journey at scale by linking real-world clinical outcomes with clinical images, digital pathology, and genomic data in collaboration with Flatiron and Foundation Medicine. 

2024 - Mark Saraceni, Class of 2008

Mark is a seasoned leader in hospital administration with a rich background in healthcare strategy and operations. During his undergraduate years, he balanced his dedication as a member of the Seawolves football team with academic excellence, gaining invaluable lessons in leadership and teamwork. Mark began his professional career at Saint Mary's Hospital in Waterbury, CT, his home state. He was later drawn back to New York when he pursued an opportunity at NYU Langone Health in 2012. Throughout his tenure at NYU Langone, Mark has held progressive leadership roles and currently serves as Senior Director of Operations & Strategy for Preoperative Services. He ensures that organizational goals are met while collaborating and fostering a culture of safety, quality, and efficiency. Mark's multidisciplinary initiatives promote high-level performance, optimal workflows, and strategic advances within an ever-evolving program. Mark has spoken at several national meetings and conferences and has been published on the work he's been a part of. A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and holder of an MBA from the University of Connecticut, Mark is committed to leading improvement efforts that achieve sustainable and effective results. 

2024 - Shawn Edouard, Class of 2005 

Shawn is the Emergency Medical Services Assistant Director for Stony Brook Hospital. Shawn is a paramedic with over 17 years of experience in the field. He is a former flight paramedic that worked in conjunction with the Suffolk County Police Department. Shawn is also a Clinical Assistant Professor for the School of Health Professions teaching Health Care Ethics, Health Care Issues and Medical Emergencies. He earned his Master's Degree in Business Administration with a specialty in Management. Shawn contributes to the community by sharing his education with future health care professionals. He is inspired daily to be a good role model for his two sons. 

2025 - Christopher Caravella, Class of 2009

Christopher is the Senior Manager - Nuclear Medicine in PET/CT at Northwell Health. He oversees modality-specific operations for the organization. He earned post-baccalaureate clinical training and national board certifications. Additionally, he earned his MHA in Health Administration from Stony Brook University in 2021. Christopher successfully bridged the gap between technical, clinical, and administrative teams, in order to adapt to the evolving field of Nuclear Medicine. His unique ability to integrate his clinical expertise with operational strategy has been key to his career advancement. 

2025 - Brian Mitra, Class of 2001 

Brian graduated from Stony Brook in 2001 and went on to earn a Master's Degree in Community Health Education at Brooklyn College and a Doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership at Columbia University. Brian is currently the Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Queensborough Community College and serves as a Clinical Instructor for the Health Sciences at Stony Brook. Brian is actively involved with the JED Foundation, is an Advisory Board Member for the HERDI Innovate, and is on the Board of Directors of Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow.