Faculty and Staff

Meet everyone in Career and Internship Services, read our bios, and learn more about how we support our students and alumni. 

Frantz L. Alcindor, Director/Career and Internship Counselor, previously served as the Program Manager of the Entrepreneurial Technology Apprenticeship program at Wheeling Jesuit University’s National Technology Transfer Center in West Virginia, where he directed the career and internship placement program for science and business students. Frantz has also served in two key student services roles at the City University of New York (CUNY) as the Director of New Student Advisement at Hostos Community College, and most recently as the Director of Academic Advisement at Queensborough Community College. Frantz holds a Master of Science in Human Resources Development from the University of Scranton, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political and Economic Philosophy from Wheeling Jesuit University.

Adrian Jones, Assistant Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, joined FIT in 2006. He worked as a Technologist C in the Photo Department for two years before assuming his current role in 2009. Adrian holds the following degrees: 
C.A.S., Studies in Arts & Humanities, New York University
MA, Creative Related Arts, International Centre of Photography / New York University
BAS., Information System and Business Applications, Boston University
AAS, Communication Electronics, Graham Junior College, Boston, Mass
Additional classes in Multimedia Design and Production, New York University.
Adrian is an Educator and Artist with experience that includes academic advising and student workshop development for higher education, serving as Faculty Advisor for student organizations, lecturer at high schools and universities and has over twenty years’ experience in Fashion / Fine Art photography with numerous magazines and gallery shows. His work can be viewed at "www.adrian-jones.com" and on Instagram "adrianjones_ny" and "adrianjones_nyc".

Amy Mato, Assistant Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, has been with FIT since 2001 and has previous industry experience in fashion design (Men’s and Women’s), product development, merchandising, buying, and retail. Amy is a FIT grad with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Fashion and Related Industries and an Associate in Applied Science in Fashion Buying and Merchandising. Her favorite things: When not at FIT, spending time with her rescue dogs, husband, and friends

Anthony Hicks, Counselor Associate, joined FIT in 2018. He previously worked in the Center for Continuing and Professional Studies as a Student Services Representative. Anthony holds a BA in English and a Master’s degree in English Literature specializing in postmodern theory from York University in Toronto, Canada. Anthony joined the CIS team in 2022 and works with employers to help them register to provide opportunities to FIT’s students and alumni.

Bonnie Recca, Assistant Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, works mainly with the AMC students since 2009.  Previous to her work at FIT, Bonnie had a long career in the media planning and buying side of advertising, agency management and as a marketing/strategic planning consultant. She incorporates that industry experience to help guide students in their future career decisions. In addition to counseling, Bonnie has taught in the AMC and ITM departments at FIT, as well as NYU
She holds the following:
Master of Arts, Stony Brook University in Higher Education Administration
Bachelor of Arts, Stony Brook University with a dual major of economics and political science
Certificate of Landscape Design, New York Botanical Gardens

Chenise Marine Rice, Administrative Associate, has been at FIT for decades starting in the Registrar’s Office then moving on to the Department of Student Life and now in the Career and Internship Services Office.  Chenise is an original member of the EAP committee at FIT as well as a member of the Board of Directors for UCE of FIT’S Welfare Trust Fund.  Chenise has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and an MBA with a concentration in Management.  She is also an FIT certified Image Consultant.  Outside of FIT, she is an Adjunct Professor at Metropolitan College of New York, MCNY, teaching for over 18 years as well as a Coordinator for the NYC Board of Elections.  In CIS, she manages the department often referring to herself at the Olivia Pope of CIS.  There is no task too hard for the Opts Team, CIS’s white hats.  Chenise loves a good book and TV series.  She is always on the look out for a challenging work out class too.  Look for her outside at lunch time and accompany her on one of her brisk lunchtime walks.

Debbie Diaz, Resource/Counselor Associate, started working at FIT over 25 years ago, at Health Services for the first few, then in Career Services. She also serves as Advisor to FIT's Christian Fellowship Club. Debbie is a grad of FIT completing AAS and BFA degrees in Illustration with minors in Fashion Design and Fine Arts, Masters in Gallery Retail Administration course work and additional courses in Business, Photography, Graphics, Marketing and Web applications at FIT and elsewhere. Personal work successes: She has enjoyed advising and encouraging freelancers and those employing them, producing sold-out Job Fairs, creative problem-solving, and creating our department’s first webpage on FIT’s first website as well as planning, customizing, implementing and managing our former and current Career Services Job Bank Symplicity database. Debbie's favorite things: faith, family, friends and food, 18th-19th century classical art and fashion, museums, antique and artist dolls, naturopathic and nutritional medicine.

Elaine Jackler, Adjunct Instructor/Career and Internship Counselor, joined FIT in October 2023 after 20+ years in the apparel, footwear, and fashion industry. As a Human Resources and Talent Acquisition leader she coached and counseled creative, product, marketing and innovation teams in managing change, maximizing organizational potential, and identifying and developing talent. Elaine brings her industry-related recruiting experience and coaching skills to support students in successfully transitioning from college to the workplace. She has a BA in Psychology from the University of Delaware, MA in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University/Teachers College, and received her Certificate in Professional Coaching from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Felix Rivera-Perez, Resource Associate, has worked with interns at FIT for 13 years. At FIT, he has held various positions:  February - August 2009: Temp. Secretary I, Internship Center, September 2009 - August 2012: Secretary III, Career and Internship Center, September 2012 - Present: Resource Associate, CIS
Felix’s education includes:
Institute for Integrative Nutrition: Certified Holistic Health Counselor
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Baruch College, City University of New York
Master of Science in Education (concentration: Higher Education Administration)
Currently working on his Doctor of Education in E-Learning, Northcentral University
Personal successes: Adjunct Lecturer, Psychology Department and College Now Program, Baruch College, City University of New York; Member of FIT’s Diversity Collective for Academic Affairs; former bass/baritone in Synagogue choir; mentor, Baruch College Alumni Association
Likes/Hobbies: Cooking; tie-dye and hand sewing silk fabric to create "flow" instruments used in dance; Reiki Practitioner; holistic health

Gabriella Zink, Career and Internship Counselor/Instructor, has worked in career services and in the mental health industry for the past four years. Her work is centered around helping young adults explore their values, and interests as they transition through different life phases. She received a BA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University, and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Gonzaga University.

Jeanne Golly, Associate Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, was recruited to FIT in August 2003 to direct the stand-alone Internship Center, which she did for eight years before the merger of the Internship Center with Career Services. She now counsels students interested in interning in FIT’s college-credit-earning internship program and students and alumni interested in career-services support.  She has also done some teaching, including an Internship Studies course and a Global Marketing course for FIT’s International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries major.  Jeanne spent more than three decades as a corporate marketing, advertising, and communications executive with multinational companies including Toyoto (Japan), ING (The Netherlands), Bertelsmann (Germany), NICE (Israel), and USA-based Kmart, American Standard, JC Penney, and Price Waterhouse. A native of San Antonio,Texas, Jeanne holds MA (Michigan State University) and BS (The University of Texas at Austin) degrees in Textiles, Apparel, Home Furnishings, and Retail.  She is co-authoring a book on Southeast Asian textile artisans and collaborating with two friends in readying for the luxury global interiors market “Sfumatura”, a textile and wall covering that replicates the remarkably beautiful aesthetics of the ancient walls of Venice, Rome, Pompeii, and other Mediterranean settings.

Josephine Jee, Assistant Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, started as a product/shoe designer and musician, launching her patented footwear label in New York City. She served as an Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD) diversity, equity, and inclusion fellow at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She teaches courses on footwear design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and product design at Pratt Institute. Josephine holds a Master of Design Management, a Bachelor of Industrial Design from Pratt Institute, and a Footwear Design diploma from Arsutoria School in Milan.

Nadia Peters-Marulaz, Associate Coordinator of Employer and Sponsor Relations, previously worked at Manhattan College as the Assistant Director of Employer and Alumni Relations. She has 10 years of experience bridging the gap between employers, mentors, and students. Nadia has her Master of Arts in Counseling and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Manhattan College. She loves spending time with her husband, daughter, dog, extended family, and close friends. Nadia enjoys LIFE, especially helping others, playing basketball, nature walks, and traveling!

Nancy Ross, Associate Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, has over thirty years of experience in education, PR and marketing communications. She joined FIT as an Adjunct Professor and currently counsels primarily advertising marketing communications and jewelry design students. She finds fulfillment in helping individuals hone their natural talents as they transition from academia to the workplace.  Her degrees include a BA in Arts & Humanities from Kirkland (Hamilton College), a MEd from Goucher College and a Certification in Gemology from FIT.  She has won awards for advertising from BBDO and Marsteller. As Director of Marketing for Amanda Fielding of JC Penney, she helped launch 13 specialty stores.  At FIT, she has served on the Faculty Senate and the Executive Committee of the UCE. She has created and conducted educational programs for LIM, Chautauqua Institution and FIT with courses that have included Professional Panache and the Business of Jewelry.  As a jewelry historian, she has presented at the Annual National Antique Jewelry and Art Conference among others and is a member of numerous professional organizations. She's had the privilege of being quoted in Thursday's Style Section of The New York Times. Both at FIT and in industry, she utilizes her skills as a marketer, consultant and stylist, combining the aesthetic with the strategic to help people enhance their personal and professional presentation.  She enjoys exploring the arts, traveling, cooking, natural health and the outdoors.

Stratton Bouloukos, Career and Internship Counselor, is an upmarket womenswear designer who’s worked in the fashion industry for more than three decades. Stratton’s designs demonstrate how forward, yet timeless creations of graceful, structured pieces can become progressive, modern classics. His collections have been sold at Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, and many specialty boutiques. Early in his career, Stratton worked as a design assistant at Carolina Herrera, Albert Nipon, as well as serving as the head designer for Mary McFadden Suits. Stratton's work has been favorably reviewed in W, WWD, Paper, and the New York Times. He has contributed clothing to several charity events including Sotheby’s, the Boston Ballet, the Junior League of New York, Boys’ Town of Italy, and the Loisaida Project.
 
Since March 2008, Stratton has served as a non-classroom faculty member at FIT, providing counseling to students interested in interning through FIT’s college-credit-earning internship program in the Career & Internship Services department. He studied fashion design in Paris through Parsons School of Design and is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College.

Suzanne Steffe, Counselor Associate, has worked in CIS for over 25+ years which includes but is not limited to servicing all paid jobs, credited internships, student and alumni requests and running student centered programs. Suzanne has held various titles and worked for multiple departments at FIT both full time and part time, including the Registrar Department , managed the Student Services Dept. under the former Ms. Edithe Sancroft, managed the Tutoring Department and worked in  the Museum.  In industry:  Suzanne had embarked upon a 5 year career as  Merchandiser for a luxurious brand bedding manufacturer for Macy's and Bloomingdales. Suzanne had a part time job after work, selling real-estate apartments in  NYC for nine months. Suzanne is a graduate of the  FIT Buying and Merchandising program.  On the Job:  With extensive background working for FIT and in the industry, she is able to bring her expertise in helping employers hire our extraordinary students and help bring them much success in their fields.