30th Anniversary Celebration Program

Master of Ceremonies

Steve Flamisch is the Director of Media Relations for the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. He is responsible for promoting the faculty’s research and expertise to the news media and managing the school’s relationships with journalists. 

Steve brings more than a decade of news anchoring and street reporting experience to his role. He spent most of his career in Albany, New York, serving as an investigative reporter and Capitol Correspondent for CBS 6 WRGB-TV and later reporting on breaking news, crime, and politics for NewsChannel 13 WNYT-TV. He covered the administrations of Governors Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson, and Andrew Cuomo.

On weekends, Steve freelanced for Time Warner Cable Sports as a television play-by-play announcer and sideline reporter for college football, college basketball, and other sports. He also spent time as a public affairs director, news anchor/reporter, and disc jockey for several radio stations and served as a press officer for two New York State agencies.

Steve holds a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Mark Anner is Dean and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR). He joined Rutgers in August 2024, bringing two decades of experience in scholarship and academic administration at Penn State University.

With strong expertise in global workers’ rights, he helped to affiliate SMLR with the Global Labour University in his first six months at Rutgers in addition to building out scholarship opportunities for SMLR students.

He holds a Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University and an M.A. in Latin American Studies from Stanford University. He is the recipient of the Susan C. Eaton Outstanding Scholar-Practitioner Award, the John T. Dunlop Outstanding Scholar Award, the Luis Aparicio Emerging Scholar Prize, and the George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. Francine Conway is the Chancellor of Rutgers University–New Brunswick, the nation's 15th-ranked public university (U.S. News and World Report) and a member of the Big Ten Academic Alliance with more than 20 programs and schools in the nation’s top 20; a more than $300 million research portfolio across STEM, the humanities, and the arts; and a proud culture of diversity among 40,000 students and 10,000 faculty and staff.

She assumed the title of Chancellor on July 1, 2023, after serving as Chancellor-Provost since July 2021 and previously as Provost. She is also a Distinguished Professor in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, where she served as Dean from 2016 to 2020, and is an internationally recognized clinical psychologist.

As the leader of Rutgers–New Brunswick, Chancellor Conway champions the Academic Master Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the institution’s future based on Four Pillars of Excellence: Scholarly Leadership, Innovative Research, Student Success, and Community Engagement. Its implementation includes bold new initiatives to reimagine the student experience from enrollment to retention and graduation; establish a public health and prevention-focused approach to wellness; create interdisciplinary scholarly communities to address society’s grand challenges; expand the access and affordability of higher education; and more.

As Provost, Dr. Conway prioritized diversity and inclusivity, working to create an environment that reflects New Jersey’s diversity and addresses equity gaps. She also developed a robust suite of faculty support initiatives including the Center for Faculty Success, the position of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, the Rutgers Associate Professor Project (RAPP), and the Provost’s Fellowships in Teaching and Faculty Advancement.

Throughout her career, Chancellor Conway has also made significant contributions to the field of clinical psychology, having treated children in hospitals and private practice for more than two decades, and through the Cultivating Compassion Project, a mentalization-based psychotherapy treatment for children with ADHD and their families.

Chancellor Conway has served as a past president of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology and as an editor for prestigious journals in her field.

Dr. Conway completed her education at Cornell University, Columbia University, and the Gordon F. Derner Institute for Advanced Psychological Studies at Adelphi University, where she later joined the faculty for 13 years.

Susan J. Schurman is Distinguished Professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations. She served as Dean of the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and also served as Dean of the University College Community. From 1997-2007 she served as the founding president of the National Labor College.  She received BA and MA degrees from Michigan State University and a Ph.d.  from the University of Michigan where she served as Director of the Labor Studies Center and Research Investigator in the School of Public Health.  She is a past president of the United Association for Labor Education and a past a board member of the Labor and Employment Research Association.  She currently serves as President of the International Federation of Workers Education Associations.  She has served on numerous non-profit boards and government commissions including as a member of the Board of Trustees of Morris Brown College. Her research and teaching focus on leadership, organizational effectiveness, and labor-management relations. She is also an expert on workplace safety and health – especially on the effects of occupational stress on physical and mental health. Schurman serves as an advisor to many national unions and with labor-management groups on strategy.  In 2012 she helped to guide the merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists using an interest-based problem-solving process. More recently she has also focused on new forms of collective action by informal workers.

Mr. Hubert Mathanzima Mweli is the Director-General of the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa, a position he has held since 2015.

His previous positions include that of the Deputy Director-General of Curriculum Policy, Support and Monitoring, as well as Head of the Education Department in the North West Province.

Mr Mweli has over 35 years of experience in the education environment in South Africa, as a seasoned educationalist  and leader in the public education sector.

He holds several qualifications, including a Bachelor of Arts in Education with Honours, a Bachelor of Administration in Industrial Relations with Honours, and a Master’s Degree in Development and Management, all from the North-West University in South Africa.

Rebecca L. Greenbaum received her bachelor’s degree in Finance from the Warrington College of Business Administration, the University of Florida, in 2003. She then worked for two years as a Claims Adjuster for a rapidly-growing insurance company. She returned to school and received her Master’s in Human Resources Management from the University of Central Florida in 2008, followed by her PhD in Business Administration in 2009. In 2009, Rebecca also began her first academic appointment in the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. In 2018, Rebecca was promoted to Professor of Human Resources Management in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Rebecca’s research interests include behavioral ethics, dysfunctional leadership, organizational justice, workplace deviance, and the effects of social media on workplace relationships. Her research appears in the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Personnel Psychology, among others.

Francis Ryan has taught labor history and industrial relations since 1997. He teaches introductory courses in labor studies, the development of the U.S. labor movement, and graduate courses in public sector employment issues and practices.

Francis Ryan's scholarship addresses unionization in the public sector and retail industries, and twentieth century working class politics. His book, AFSCME's Philadelphia Story: Municipal Workers and Urban Power in the Twentieth Century, was published by Temple University Press in 2011. He is the editor of The Memoirs of Wendell W. Young III: A Life in Philadelphia Labor and Politics (Temple University Press, 2019).

Dana Bryan is currently the Vice President, People & Culture for IBM Research, where she is responsible for the talent and people strategy for twelve research labs globally. IBM Research is focused on delivering innovation and technology breakthroughs, including in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum computing. Prior to joining Research, Dana was the Compensation Director, Americas & Global Recognition, where she was responsible for strategy, design and execution of various compensation and appreciation programs, to create optimal outcomes for both our employees and the business.

Dana joined IBM through an acquisition, after working for several small technology start-up companies. During her time at IBM, Dana has held many different HR roles, both specialist and generalist, across many different business units including Software, Systems, Research, Global Sales, and Consulting. These roles included Recruiting, Compensation, Talent, and HR Partner. Dana was on assignment for three years, in London, as European Talent Partner for Consulting. This role provided additional perspective in leading a global organization.

Dana is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and moved to the Hudson Valley in New York to continue her career with IBM. She has also lived in Cambridge, UK, and has dual citizenship for the US and UK. She has a BS in Human Resources Management, and an MA in Industrial & Labor Relations.

Easter Orelus is a highly skilled labor relations professional with ten years of experience. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management and Labor Relations from Rutgers University, where she graduated on the Dean's List. Ms. Orelus furthered her education by obtaining a Master's degree in Labor and Employment Relations from Rutgers, achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA. Her academic accomplishments and dedication to excellence are indicative of her strong work ethic.

As an undergraduate student, Easter participated in campus activities as a member of the Rutgers University Senate for the School of Management and Labor Relations. She also joined professional organizations including Rutgers University Lera, the Society for Human Resource Management, and Rutgers University Power. These engagements helped her develop leadership skills and build a network in her field.

Easter has held positions as a TA, Payroll Manager, and currently serves as HR Director at Aviate. She applies her interest in labor relations to her profession, focusing on analyzing policies, procedures, laws, and regulations to ensure workplace fairness and equity. She is recognized for her organizational skills, attention to detail, and capability to manage complex payroll systems.

Easter is committed to advancing positive changes in employment practices and workplace culture through loyalty and dedication. She remains informed about the newest trends in compensation, benefits, labor laws, and human resource best practices by engaging in continuous professional development. Easter is adaptable and open to learning in a dynamic field. Her work ethic, expertise, and interpersonal skills have established her credibility and influence. She leverages her knowledge and abilities to mentor individuals who are pursuing careers in labor relations and human resources. Easter's compassion and resolve to enhance conditions make her well-suited to contribute significantly to any organization.

Monalisa Malladeb is a current MHRM student at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. She is also the current President of the RUSHRM Graduate Chapter and works part-time as a Graduate Coordinator – Advising and Programming at Rutgers Career Explorations and Success. She has also been a Teaching Aide for Professor Hadi and Professor McCune during her earlier semesters. Moreover, she recently interned with Segal Consulting in the Fall of 2024. 

Before her journey at Rutgers, Monalisa earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from SRM Chennai, India, where she graduated as a silver medallist, ranking second among over 400 students with a GPA of 9.4/10. She then pursued an MBA at SIBM (Symbiosis Institute of Business Management) in Pune (pronounced pu-nay), during which she secured a brief internship at Accenture. Following her MBA, she joined the Aditya Birla Group in their Fashion and Apparel Business under a young leadership talent program.

Monalisa began her career as a store manager for Allen Solly and later transitioned to a Retail HR Business Partner role in Bangalore, supporting around 500 employees across three premium brands across exclusive business and department stores. In 2021, she was promoted to Manager of Talent Management, Learning, and Development at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL), where she spearheaded talent and learning initiatives for retail employees across seven major brands, including Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Simon Carter, and American Eagle.

Randi Weingarten is president of the AFT, a union of 1.8 million teachers; paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; higher education faculty and staff; nurses and other healthcare professionals; local, state and federal government employees; and early childhood educators. The AFT is dedicated to the belief that every person in America deserves the freedom to thrive, fueled by opportunity, justice and a voice in our democracy.

Prior to her election as AFT president in 2008, Weingarten served for 11 years as president of the United Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 2, representing approximately 200,000 educators in the New York City public school system, as well as home child care providers and other workers in health, law and education. Weingarten taught history at Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood from 1991 to 1997, and helped her students win several state and national awards debating constitutional issues.

Weingarten was included in Washingtonian’s 2022 Washington’s Most Influential People, and in 2013, the New York Observer named Weingarten one of the most influential New Yorkers of the past 25 years.

Weingarten holds degrees from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and the Cardozo School of Law. She worked as a lawyer for the Wall Street firm of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan from 1983 to 1986. She is an active member of the Democratic National Committee and numerous professional, civic, religious and philanthropic organizations. Born in 1957 and raised in Rockland County, N.Y., Weingarten now resides in the Inwood neighborhood of New York City.