Live from NY, It’s SBU Alumni

By Christine McGrath

New York City is a place of possibility — where innovation meets urgency, and every block hums with ambition. And there are more than 40,000 Stony Brook University alumni who are helping the city to thrive. 

Evan Gauer (back) and Jordan Rothstein

The Seawolves highlighted here are just a small percentage of the talent and impact that Stony Brook University alumni are making across New York City. Their work in healthcare, education, technology and public service speaks to a shared commitment to excellence, equity and innovation. As leaders, problem-solvers and changemakers, they embody the values of a public research institution dedicated to advancing knowledge and improving lives. Their contributions are shaping the future of the city — and affirming Stony Brook’s role as a vital force in the region’s progress.

A Holistic AI Approach
Evan Gauer ’22, MBA ’23 and Jordan Rothstein ’20 met on the rugby field at Stony Brook in 2018. The pair soon became friends and business partners as they competed in WolfieTank and the Stony Brook Entrepreneurs competition with the Small Business Development Center. And in 2025, with Gauer managing the business end and Rothstein working on the engineering side of things, the pair launched Get Talky, an AI program that helps to ensure healthcare organizations and businesses don’t miss important calls.

“The research we found was that an average healthcare clinic is missing between 35-45 percent of their calls,” Gauer said. “Our system prevents those missed calls by way of a virtual assistant. Even though it’s AI, it will sound like you’re speaking with an actual person. It will take down patient information and leave it all in a portal for the team to review when they’re available or back in the office.”

An operational audit for Get Talky found that approximately 80 percent of callers to a practice will hang up when they reach a voicemail. And 20 percent of those callers won’t call back — both new patients and current patients looking to make appointments. “With Get Talky, that number flips and about 80 percent of callers leave meaningful contact with the practice, whether it’s a scheduled appointment or just leaving information for a call back,” said Gauer.  

The business partners got support for their venture from Seawolf Professor Edward Fabian MBA ’08, with whom they stayed connected post-graduation.

“Jordan and I would present our ideas to Professor Fabian,” Gauer said. “When we brought him our Get Talky plan, he loved it and helped us partner with a healthcare organization to get us started.”

Fabian describes Gauer and Rothstein as go-getters. He recalled that the pair used their time at Stony Brook to learn, network and advance their futures. As far as Get Talky, Fabian believes in not just their technology and the company but in the partners. 

“When it comes to entrepreneurship, it’s about betting on the people. Evan and Jordan are putting themselves out there and grinding every day,” Fabian said. “They have made an impression on more people in the last year than many do in their lifetime. They will certainly be very successful on their endeavors, and I’d like to be around for the ride.”

Right now, Get Talky is focused on the healthcare sector in New York City, Gauer said. “We feel there is an immediate problem with those missed calls, and we feel we can make the greatest impact by reducing those numbers and even bringing in new patients for those businesses.” 

With the continued success of Get Talky, the pair hopes to dabble in different sectors in the city and beyond.

Tara Allmen

Raising Menopause Awareness
After getting her medical degree at the Renaissance School of Medicine, Tara Allmen, MD ’90, a board-certified gynecologist and midlife women’s health expert, had a calling to work with women over 40 as they entered perimenopause and menopause. 

“During my residency at the University of California, San Francisco, I spent so much time learning how to deliver babies,” Allmen said. “There was only one professor who brought attention to this older group of women who were struggling with terrible symptoms and very few solutions. I wanted to help them. When I returned to Manhattan, I started focusing my practice away from obstetrics and toward menopause care.”

When Allmen began her practice in midlife women’s health in 1999, it was clear to her that women were undereducated and undersupported in their journeys through perimenopause and menopause. After appearing on the Dr. Oz Show in 2015 to discuss perimenopause, she decided to write a book, Menopause Confidential: A Doctor Reveals the Secrets to Thriving Through Midlife, to educate as many women as possible. 

While her book connected her to a national audience, she’s still “a gynecologist first, so I do a lot of well woman annual appointments in addition to telemedicine,” Allmen said. “What I bring to the table for the over-40 patients is an expertise in hormone therapy that can be essential as women get older.”  

Allmen said all of the professors at the medical school were phenomenal. However, one stood out as having a profound impact on her time at Stony Brook and throughout her career — Distinguished Teaching Professor Jack Stern, PhD, who ran the gross anatomy group in the Department of Anatomical Sciences. 

While Allmen said she has helped thousands of women in New York City and beyond for more than 35 years, she has also helped all the men in their lives. “It’s important for spouses, partners, friends and even co-workers to understand exactly what these women are going through,” she said. “This way they can be helpful, supportive and understanding.” 

Matthew Mahoney

New York City Resilience 
Matthew Mahoney ’10 has been putting his political science degree to good use. He has been working for the City of New York since 1998, when he left Stony Brook just a few credits shy of graduating, later returning to complete his degree. He started as the deputy director of the New York City’s Mayor’s Office. 

“When the attacks on the World Trade Center happened in 2001,”  Mahoney said, “I was part of the team that led the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero.” 

After a brief stint working on some political campaigns and in the private sector, Mahoney found himself back in the city as the assistant commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, where he worked on major health issue campaigns for New Yorkers. He said that in 2012, he was appointed as head of the community recovery for Manhattan after Superstorm Sandy. 

While at Stony Brook, Mahoney, a 2014 40 Under Forty honoree, took advantage of the campus-wide events like the Roth Regatta and Homecoming. “I really felt a sense of community at Stony Brook,” said Mahoney. “I loved the big events because it brought students from every walk of life together.” 

He added said that his professors in the Department of Political Science, Milton Lodge and Helmut Norpoth, were very supportive throughout his academic career and as he pursued his career in New York City.

After his time in government, Mahoney worked at the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, where he was executive vice president. In that role he dedicated his time to supporting first responder and Gold Star families and helping to house over 13,000 homeless veterans. Currently, Mahoney works as a consultant for first responder and veterans’ charities across the country.

“I feel my biggest impact on the city was after the World Trade Center attacks,” Mahoney said. “The hard work and dedication of myself and so many others during that time left a legacy of resilience for New Yorkers that lives on today.”

Pedro Zapata

Strengthened by Community
Pedro Zapata ’08, MA ’14 has devoted his career to strengthening the communities in New York City in meaningful ways. His first role after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science was with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), where he worked with residents in East Harlem to connect them with education, training and job opportunities. His next role was with the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS), where he worked his way up to director of policy and strategic initiatives. 

“At DVS, I spearheaded an initiative to create digital performance management and data systems that transformed how veterans access city services,” Zapata said. “Those systems continue to shape decision-making within the department — making the agency transparent, responsive and accountable.”

While with the DVS, Zapata worked with fellow alumna Ellen Greeley ’76, MS ’77. Greeley, who is assistant commissioner for policy and strategic partnerships, said she believes that Stony Brook effectively prepared Zapata for his role as a senior policy advisor with the DVS. “His strong critical thinking skills, friendly personality and data analysis abilities significantly contributed to his success and capabilities in leading impactful initiatives.”  

She added that Zapata  helped to establish the first-ever Veteran Business Leadership Association in New York City, as well as coordinated the Service 2 Service Mentoring program, which connected veterans seeking jobs in the New York City government with experienced city government employees. “Numerous New York City veterans benefited immensely from the lives that Pedro touched through the successful implementation of these programs,” Greeley said.

Today, Zapata serves as the deputy director of program implementation at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). He helps lead the execution of cross-divisional public health initiatives — from strategic planning and program oversight to project management and policy development. 

“My proudest accomplishment in my current role is helping to direct resources to communities disproportionately affected by health disparities,” Zapata said. “I focus on embedding equity into public health programs to ensure they are implemented with accountability and measurable outcomes.” 

He has helped to implement the Mobile Vision Van demonstration project, now known as Vision For All NYC, which is designed to provide on-site eye exams and free prescription glasses for under-insured adults. Zapata has also stewarded the interagency transition of Making Waves, which provides water safety training and instruction for children and teens in vulnerable communities across New York City. Together, he noted, these programs have helped thousands of New Yorkers.

While at Stony Brook, Zapata was placed in the College of Leadership and Service and joined the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), as well as the Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity. He also had a seat in the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate. He said those experiences helped shape his career and drew out his passion for public service and public policy. He credits Hedieh Yazdanseta, current associate dean of students, who hired him as a work-study student in the Facilities Reservations Office. “Her guidance and mentorship gave me the confidence to lead with empathy and purpose, qualities that continue to shape my career today,” he said.

 As a student Zapata also met Yamilka Mena ’11, who now works as the deputy chief for operations in the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. Years later, the pair leaned on each other for resources, connections and networking in their respective roles in New York City. 

“Pedro was my supervisor when I was a sophomore at Stony Brook and always led his team with humility and purpose,” said Mena. “Watching his career unfold across New York City – from creating programs that connect residents to health, education and opportunity to modernizing systems that expand equity – I see the same qualities that inspired me back then. For Pedro, his impact has never been about policies; it’s about people.”

“You meet people from all walks of life at Stony Brook,” Zapata said. “It is a place that gave me the chance to learn, to serve and to connect with a community that still inspires me.  It was where I found my calling to help in building community. And now, my career goal is to make sure all New Yorkers feel seen, valued and supported with dignity.”

Teacher Krystyna
Printup

Introducing Art to NYC Youth
As an educator at The Brooklyn School for Social Justice for the past 20 years, Krystyna Printup, MA ’09 said she has now engaged with multiple generations of families within the Bushwick community. “It’s a great feeling knowing that I am now teaching the children of my past students,” she said.  “It’s such a pleasure to see students graduate, become successful and have the trust in me to teach their own children.”

Printup — a native New Yorker and a Brooklyn-based artist and educator—is  the head of the arts department at The Brooklyn School for Social Justice where she has taught art to more than 2,000 students. During her tenure there, she founded the school’s jazz band “The Irving Aves” for its after-school programming. And through the support of city grants, Printup created a partnership with an outside theater educational group, Inside Broadway, for a curriculum to support literary development for second language learners and special education students through musical theater. 

“My goal as an educator is to support students’ educational needs through an enriched arts curriculum that can allow them to grow as artists — through music, visual arts, theater or dance —  but also support their academic success,”  Printup said. 

Some of those students have graduated from top art programs at The Cooper Union, Pratt Institute and Parsons School of Design, and went on to have their own professional art careers. 

“Ms. Printup doesn’t just teach art; she opens doors. From helping students build portfolios and access scholarships to adapting her curriculum for every learner, she ensures all students feel seen and supported,” said Samantha Chu, assistant principal at The Brooklyn School for Justice. “Her impact extends beyond the classroom, bringing in instruments through grants and connecting students to Broadway classrooms. She is shaping futures with every opportunity she creates.”

Through her art, Printup (Tuscarora Nation, Turtle Clan) investigates the history surrounding her Indigenous identity and the traditions of the Haudenosaunee people. Her current body of work includes portraits based on early 19th century photography, as well as installations for public spaces with feature paintings of reservation lands within an accompanied land acknowledgement. 

“As an artist I hope to educate those who are viewing my work,”  Printup said. “For many, the land acknowledgement series is the first time they have seen or read one. I want to establish a space for more investigation and further exploration.”

Printup recently had her first solo exhibition at the Ely Center of Contemporary Art. Gallery Director Aimée Burg remembered meeting Printup during their freshman year at Pratt Institute, where Printup earned her BFA. 

“She was this outgoing person who I was in awe of how unapologetic and confident she was,” said Burg. Years later, Burg is now the director at the Ely Center of Contemporary Art, where she hosts art exhibitions of all different styles and backgrounds. “Something triggered a memory of Krystyna,” said Burg. “I did a social media search, and was immediately struck by her portraits and her Seeing Red series. Her story of navigating Native histories is an immensely important one, and I was truly honored to have her work in the gallery.”

Printup, a 40 Under Forty honoree in 2019, said she loved absorbing as much as she could from her professors at Stony Brook while she got her Master of Arts in liberal studies. “I wanted to take the courses to enrich my knowledge on literature and social science,” she said. “I felt that to obtain a masters meant I should establish myself as knowledgeable in multiple aspects of academia, not just the arts.” 

And while she learned a lot, she said what she truly enjoyed was observing the way her professors taught those classes or how they led discussions. “I was doing my own study. I would analyze the way their curriculum was created and the way the educators maneuvered and worked through it,” said Printup. “I found myself referring back to those notes to apply in my own classrooms.”

Printup said one of her proudest accomplishments has been mentoring students who might have felt they lacked the artistic skills or academic rigor to get accepted into some of the best colleges for art. “So many of my students have been accepted into the schools of their choice on scholarships. Knowing that my words have aided in a child’s confidence to pursue education beyond high school and to witness the success of that acceptance and watch them graduate — that is a true gift.” 

Anna and Koray Oncel

Shaping the Future of Science and Technology
Being in charge of cybersecurity for a corporation like Bloomberg LP in New York City is a heavy lift. But Koray Oncel ’98 takes it in stride as the business information security officer for several businesses within the company — Bloomberg News, Bloomberg Research and Bloomberg Media. 

“I lead efforts to protect more than 3,000 journalists, analysts and media personnel working from over 150 bureaus in more than 70 countries against a wide range of cyber threats,” Oncel said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our efforts help safeguard the vital reporting that informs people around the world.”

Oncel wasn’t always on the business side of operations at Bloomberg LP. He began as a software developer, moved on to product manager, and eventually became chief information officer at Bloomberg News before assuming his current role. 

The 2016 40 Under Forty honoree credits his strong computer science education at Stony Brook for his success. “I was lucky to double major in computer science and electrical engineering,” he said. “Understanding both hardware and software proved invaluable as I grew in my career.”

While at Stony Brook, Oncel served as president of the university’s Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) student chapter. “Working with Dean Yacov Shamash, PhD, helped prepare me to lead a globally recognized engineering chapter,” he said. He also credits Associate Professor Emeritus Hussein Badr and Professor Kenneth Short for always being available to answer questions and guide his academic journey.

Now, alongside his high-profile role at Bloomberg LP, Oncel mentors Stony Brook students and graduates. “Last semester, we had a PhD student as an intern,” he said. “Just as my professors and internships helped me, I look forward to supporting the next generation of computer scientists.”

Stony Brook wasn’t just where Koray Oncel gained valuable skills – it was also where he met his wife, Anna Oncel ’99 (LoPresti). “We met through mutual friends, and my roommate would tease me that Koray and I were going to be married one day,” she said. “After college, our paths crossed again, and that playful prediction came full circle in 2004 when we got married.”

Anna Oncel is currently a science teacher at Flushing High School, the oldest public school in New York City. She began teaching there in 2004, stepped away in 2008 to raise her family, and returned in 2022. With more than seven years of classroom experience, Anna Oncel brings a deep commitment to educational leadership and community engagement. She said while her official role is as a biology teacher, her work extends far beyond delivering content. 

“My job entails igniting curiosity, guiding students to ask ‘why’ questions, and helping them see how science connects to their everyday lives,” she said. “I strive to make abstract concepts concrete and relatable so students can see the relevance of biology in their own experiences.”

Though Anna Oncel earned her degree in Italian at Stony Brook, she said her passion has always been science. She had enough biology credits to become certified in Secondary Biology Education and focuses on making science accessible by breaking down complex vocabulary and linking concepts to students’ daily lives. She applies this philosophy through her work at Flushing’s Literacy Hub. “Teaching science is about giving students the language and confidence to believe it’s within reach,” she said.

Anna Oncel also fondly remembers her Stony Brook professors. “Each brought their expertise – whether English literature, biology or Italian – to life in ways that made learning exciting and meaningful,” she said. “They didn’t just teach facts; they shared their enthusiasm, which inspired me to connect deeply with the material.” 

She added that their dedication continues to guide her teaching. “I strive to spark curiosity and help students see science not just as a subject but as a meaningful way to understand the world.”

For Anna Oncel, her proudest accomplishment isn’t a single moment but the collective impact of fostering curiosity, resilience and self-confidence in her students, who will go on to shape the future of New York and beyond.