The Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Board of Trustees has approved the appointment of eight faculty to new, full-time, tenure-track positions.
“Hudson County Community College is dedicated to ensuring our students learn from the very best faculty — inspiring, highly qualified professionals, who, first and foremost, are committed to their students’ success,” HCCC President Christopher Reber said. “The college further encourages and provides opportunities for all faculty and staff to develop and grow professionally. We are pleased to announce these appointments, to welcome our new colleagues, and to congratulate those who are being promoted.”
Sharon Daughtry has been on the HCCC faculty since 2006, first as an adjunct, then as a lecturer of business for the School of Business, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, and now as an instructor of business. She serves as a Perkins Grant writer and business program coordinator; is a member of the advisory board for business, culinary arts and hospitality management and the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (PACDEI); and is the adviser to the HCCC Business and Accounting Club. Daughtry has a master’s degree from Rowan University. She is currently pursuing her Ed.D. in education at St. Peter’s University.
Gabriel Holder joins HCCC as an instructor of medical billing and coding. Prior to accepting this position, Holder served as a temporary full-time instructor of Medical Billing and Coding and Assessment Coordinator for the School of Nursing and Health Professions, and as an adjunct instructor in the Schools of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); and Nursing and Health Professions. He received his MD at Iberoamericana University in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Prior to joining HCCC, Holder was an instructor of Medical Assisting at the Cittone Institute in Paramus.
Sebastian Pieciak joins HCCC as an instructor of speech/communications. Prior to joining the faculty at HCCC, he served as an adjunct lecturer for more than five years at LaGuardia Community College where he created and developed a new course in sports communication.
Pieciak received his master’s degree in media studies at St. Joseph’s College. He is a recipient of the Rose Goldstein Memorial Scholarship.
Sovi Pujols has been teaching English at HCCC since 2014 and is now a full-time, tenure-track instructor of English. Prior to this appointment, Pujols served as an instructor of business and technical writing at the Swedish Institute. She obtained her MFA in creative writing at the New School and has a Cambridge University CELTA (the qualification for teaching English as a foreign language). Pujols has authored several published works including “After Death” and “Hunger,” which were featured in “Families: A Journal of Representation.”
Sonja Rodiger-Radovic joins HCCC’s full-time, tenure-track faculty as an Instructor of English as a Second Language (ESL). She has been teaching at HCCC as an ESL/English adjunct since 2017. Prior to her work at HCCC, Ms. Rodiger-Radovic was an International Academic Support Tutor at Pace University. She obtained her Master’s degree in Secondary Education with specialization in English as a Foreign Language, English Language Arts, and Pedagogical Studies at Goethe-University in Frankfurt, Germany.
Dorante Dawn Richards joins HCCC as an instructor of nursing. Richards was a substitute teacher at Monroe Career Technical Institute in Pennsylvania. She earned her master’s degree in nursing from Grantham University and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Capella University.
Richards is a graduate of HCCC, having received her associate degree in 2009. She is ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support), Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certified. Richards is a recipient of the Exemplar Capstone and Oral Defense Award from Grantham University and the Writer’s Excellence Award from New Jersey City University.
Keeley Thornton joins HCCC’s faculty as an instructor of English as a Second Language. Prior to coming to HCCC, Thornton held the position of senior ESL instructor and curriculum specialist at Drew University and taught as an ESL adjunct instructor at HCCC in 2014.
She earned a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at the New School, and received her TEFL/TESOL certification at Maximo Nivel, San Pedro, Costa Rica. Thornton is the recipient of various awards, including the Rennert TESOL 2020 and NJTESOL 2018 Presenter and the INTO North America Academic Innovation Award for unique curriculum design scholarship.
Benedetto Youssef joins HCCC as an instructor of English. Youssef previously had positions as an adjunct lecturer in composition and writing at City University of New York (CUNY) and as an English teacher at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. He received his doctorate in English pedagogy from Murray State University and his master’s degree in English and creative writing from Southern New Hampshire University.
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