Criminal Justice Faculty

Simon Purdy

Dr. Simon Purdy

Program Director & Associate Professor

E-Tower 709

purdysj@delhi.edu

607-746-4373


Dr. Purdy has been teaching in the Criminal Justice Program at SUNY Delhi since the fall of 2018. He received his PhD in Sociology, with specializations in research methods and power and inequality, from Western Michigan University in 2016. Dr. Purdy teaches a wide range of criminal justice and sociology classes, though his true academic passion is the intersection of technology and the social world, including technologies used to enforce and thwart the law. Dr. Purdy also has a dedication to applied community-based research, and has conducted several research projects for community organizations throughout Delaware County and the larger region, including studies on substance use and harm reduction efforts related to the opioid crisis. He also serves as the program director for the on-campus criminal justice program, and is an advisor for the CJ club. Outside of academics, Dr. Purdy enjoys spending time with his family hiking, camping, kayaking, gardening, bee keeping, renovating their old farm house and playing the drums.

Richard Caister

Prof. Richard Caister

Assistant Professor

E-Tower 707

caisterk@delhi.edu

607-746-4458


Richard Caister graduated from Albany Law School in 2012, and after admission to the NYS Bar, he opened his own solo practice in which he practiced mostly in family court and criminal defense assignments. In 2016, Rich began working as an Assistant District Attorney in Sullivan County, and then moved to the Delaware County District Attorney's office in 2018, having practiced there until October, 2021. Professor Caister is now a full-time member of the criminal justice program at SUNY Delhi.

Michele Frazier

Dr. Michele Frazier

Assistant Professor

E-Tower 419

frazieml@delhi.edu

607-746-4133


Michele Frazier grew up in Oneonta, NY. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in Law, Letters and Society, a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University, and a Master of Science from American University in Justice, Law and Society. She obtained her Doctorate in Law and Policy (DLP) at Northeastern University. Michele is also a local real estate agent and former city council member for the city of Oneonta. Her research interests are the intersection of race and gender in American systems, particularly criminal justice and law. All her research centers on the role of social justice and fixes to social problems. Michele had a winding career toward academia. She has been a Chief Financial Officer, development professional, sexual assault crisis intervention worker, and office administrator prior to finding her passion for teaching. She currently resides in Delhi, NY with her spouse and three children. In her spare time, of which there is little, she enjoys knitting and laughing with friends over good food.

Criminal Justice Faculty Online

Lindsay Walker

Dr. Lindsay Walker

Program Director & Assistant Professor  

E-Tower 709

walkerln@delhi.edu

607-746-4143


Dr. Walker earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology from Barry University, a Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and a PhD from Texas State University.  She received a Doctoral Research Support Fellowship from the Graduate College at Texas State University.  Dr. Walker’s research focuses on intimate partner violence.  Her research has been published in Violence Against Women and the Journal of Research on Women and Gender.  Dr. Walker currently serves as a co-advisor to the Criminal Justice Club, and is serving on the College Senate, as well as various other campus committees. 

Simon Purdy

Professor Patricia DeAngelis

Professor

deangepa@delhi.edu

Simon Purdy

Dr. Sandra Johnson

Associate Professor

johnsosj@delhi.edu

Simon Purdy

Professor Paul Rogan

Associate Professor

roganpd@delhi.edu

 

Paul D. Rogan is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at SUNY Delhi.  Professor Rogan teaches a variety of law courses, including Constitutional Law, New York State Penal Code, Civil Liberties and U.S. Supreme Court. Professor Rogan has also created various courses for SUNY Delhi for in-person as well as online instruction.

 


Professor Rogan also works as an advisor for off-campus students, as well as advising prospective off-campus potential new students. Prior to arriving at SUNY Delhi, Professor Rogan had taught for over a decade at Hudson Valley Community College in their Criminal Justice and Business Administration departments.  He has also been a guest lecturer at Albany Law School. Professor Rogan received his Law Degree from Albany Law School in 1998.

 


He is admitted to practice law in New York State and Georgia.  Prior to law school, Professor Rogan studied Philosophy at Hobart College with a Minor in Education. Professor Rogan has legal experience representing clients in various criminal and civil matters.  He has provided countless hours of Pro Bono work over the years, with some of his best memories advocating for disabled individuals through the Albany Law School Disability Law Clinic.

 


Professor Rogan loves spending time with his wife and four children skiing, hiking and playing/coaching various other sports.      

Chief Joseph Centanni

Chief Joseph Centanni

Adjunct Instructor

centanjl@delhi.edu

 

Joseph Centanni has been an adjunct faculty member at SUNY Delhi since August 2020. He currently serves as the Chief of Police for the City of Watervliet, NY Police Department. Centanni's expertise includes police operations and administration gained throughout his 27-year law enforcement career, which began with the City of Troy, NY Police Department in 1995.


His leadership roles include 10 years as a detective sergeant, 12 years with the department’s Emergency Response Team, Instructor for the Zone 5 Regional Law Enforcement Training Center, Program Manager for the NYS Accreditation Council, and Coordinator of the Department’s Less Lethal Weapons Program.


As a captain, he was assigned to various supervisory duties to include platoon commander, planning and analysis unit, internal affairs unit, and concluded his career with Troy as the captain of detectives. Prior to his appointment to the City of Watervliet in April 2021, Centanni served as the Director of Safety and Security at SUNY Empire State College.


Centanni earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Arts in Social and Public Policy with a Graduate Certificate in Community Advocacy from SUNY Empire State College. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Brendan Cox

Chief (Ret.) Brendan Cox

Adjunct Instructor

coxbj@delhi.edu

 

Chief (Ret.) Brendan Cox is the Director of Policing Strategies at the LEAD National Support Bureau where he provides strategic guidance on the implementation of Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion/Let Everyone Advance with Dignity to jurisdictions around the world. Brendan was previously employed with the Albany, New York police department where he retired as Chief of Police in 2017. He served in numerous capacities in the Albany police department, including overseeing its Special Operations Unit and Children and Family Services Unit.


Brendan rose through the ranks to become the Commander of Investigations, Assistant Chief of Operations and Deputy Chief.  In July of 2015, he was appointed Chief of Police. In 2016, under Brendan's leadership, the Albany Police Department was recognized by the Department of Justice as one of the top 15 police departments in the country, as part of the COPS Advancing 21st Century Policing Initiative.


This was a direct result of strategies that were implemented on community policing and procedural justice platforms aimed at building positive relationships with the community. Included in these strategies were the implementation of a Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) initiative, a Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents training and protocol, and training around implicit bias for both police employees and the community. Brendan has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Dayton and a Master of Public Administration from Marist College.


Brendan is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police. He is a member of the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group and was appointed to the New York Governor’s Workgroup to Draft Legislation for Regulated Adult-Use Marijuana Program in 2018. In addition to teaching at SUNY Delhi, he is an Executive Fellow with the Police Foundation, a speaker for the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, and a member of the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association. He sits on the board of directors for several local organizations, including the Albany Police Athletic League and the LaSalle School of Albany. He and his wife Ann have two children, Connor and Spencer.

Simon Purdy

Dr. Mary Jo Downey

Adjunct Instructor

downeymj@delhi.edu


Mary Jo Downey lives and works in upstate New York. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College (AB) and University at Buffalo (PhD), she is a college instructor, rare book dealer, and certified fitness instructor, depending on the day. 

Simon Purdy

Ann Geisendorfer

Adjunct Instructor

geisenab@delhi.edu

 

Ann Geisendorfer holds bachelor's and master's degrees in forensic science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She worked 13 years at the New York State police crime laboratory in Albany, NY. She has expertise in drug analysis, hairs and fibers, and basic serology. Ann received her JD degree from Albany Law School in 1994. She has licenses to practice law in New York, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia.


Ann worked for five years in a litigation firm defending medical malpractice. Ann accepted the job as faculty and department chair at Hudson Valley  Community College in Troy, NY. At HVCC, she taught criminal justice, forensic science, law and animal law classes. She has developed the forensic science program at HVCC, as well as the cyber security program (in conjunction with a department share of computer science). Ann retired from Hudson Valley Community College in 2020. She has worked as an adjunct instructor at SUNY Delhi for 10 years. She teaches Forensic Science, Capstone, and the honors Wrongful Convictions course. She is a member of AAFS, ACS, NEAFS and COFSE.

Chief (Ret.) Steve Krokoff

Chief (Ret.) Steve Krokoff

Adjunct Instructor

krokofss@delhi.edu

 

Steven Krokoff was appointed the City Manager of Milton following his nomination by Mayor Joe Lockwood and the unanimous confirmation by the City Council in July 2016. He previously served as the Milton's interim City Manager and its Police Chief beginning in March 2015. As the City’s Chief Administrative Officer, Krokoff is responsible to the Mayor and City Council for the execution of strategic objectives and their transformation into the day-to-day operations of the City.


He holds a firm commitment to servant leadership and expects the same from leaders within Team Milton at every level. As a firm believer in “getting to yes,” Krokoff rejects much of the outdated bureaucratic dogma and remains vigilant in his team’s focus on service to its citizens. Krokoff began his 27 years of public service as a fresh recruit with the Albany, NY Police Department. During his 22-year tenure with Albany, the last six as its Chief, Krokoff was instrumental in leading his team to repair the damaged relationship that existed between the police department and the community it served, while achieving significant drops in crime and fear of crime.


Outcome-focused, he and his team worked with their partners in social services and public health to attack the root causes of crime as part of a broader crime reduction strategy. In addition to his official role, Krokoff continues his passion for preparing the next generation of criminal justice leaders. Involved since the exploration of the Delhi Criminal Justice Program at Schenectady Community College, he has developed and instructed several courses for the immensely popular program for more than a decade. Krokoff moved to Georgia to be closer to his extended family and to the City of Milton for its unbeatable quality of life. He has been married to his wife, Lynn, for 25 years, and together they have two children, Brett and Taylor.


Krokoff holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Albany.

Simon Purdy

Sara Martin

Adjunct Instructor

martinsl@delhi.edu

 

My name is Sara Martin, and I am an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice Department at SUNY Delhi.  Currently, I teach Criminal Courts and Justice (CJUS 340) and Victimology (CJUS 375).  I have taught at Delhi for the past eight years.  I have also been an adjunct instructor at Hudson Valley Community College since 2002, teaching Introduction to Juvenile Delinquency, Victimology, Introduction to Family Violence, Policing, Principles of Criminal Investigation, Animal Abuse and Interpersonal Violence and Introduction to Criminal Justice.


In addition, I have taught one class per semester (Introduction to Family Violence) at Albany College of Pharmacy for the past 15 years. I have a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Union College in Schenectady and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the State University of New York at Albany.


Prior to becoming involved in academics, I was a legal advocate for Unity House Domestic Violence Services in Troy, and I developed and ran the Victim Assistance Program for the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office for 10 years.  I was co-president of the Capital District Coalition for Crime Victims’ Rights and was a founding member of the New York Anti-Stalking Task Force. I have presented at several victim service conferences and provided training on domestic violence, sexual abuse, and victims issues to everyone from elementary school children to officers at local law enforcement agencies.


My areas of interest include family violence, victims’ rights and services, family and juvenile delinquency and victim interactions with the criminal justice system. I enjoy boating, hiking, playing games, and spending time with my family in Lake George, Old Forge and Disney World.  I have a daughter in high school and a son in middle school, along with a wonderful husband and two cute cats.


I enjoy teaching future criminal justice, human service, and health care professionals about important topics in criminal justice and victimology, however, I find it even more enjoyable to learn from all my students, whether fresh out of high school or returning to the academic environment after a prolonged period away.  I look forward to continuing my career in academia and will continue to grow and expand my knowledge to best provide a solid education to those I have the pleasure of teaching. 

Dr. Steve Minard

Dr. Steve Minard

Adjunct Instructor

minardsw@delhi.edu

 

Dr. Steven Minard began his career in 1984 as a police officer with the City of Poughkeepsie, NY Police Department. Dr. Minard has served in the Patrol Division as a patrol officer, Sergeant and Lieutenant, and commanded the patrol division as a Captain for 15 years. In addition, he served as the Assistant Coordinator of the Dutchess County Drug Task Force.


He currently serves as the second-in-command of the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department as the Administrative Captain. He holds an Associate in Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, a Master of Public Administration degree, and a PhD in Human Services/Criminal Justice degree from Walden University.


Dr. Minard has instructed several criminal justice classes at several universities at the graduate and undergraduate level, including Ethical Leadership, Ethics in Criminal Justice, Introduction to the Criminal Justice System, Criminal and Scientific Investigation, Criminology, Criminal Justice Organization Administration, Juvenile Justice System, Policing in America, History of Policing, Drug and Alcohol Use and Abuse, Criminal Justice Technology, Correctional Policy and Practice, Assessing Organizational Performance, Legal and Justice Research, Organized Crime, Criminal Justice Tech, and several others.


In 2018, Dr. Minard developed a new training curriculum for Ethics and Professionalism training which was completed and adopted by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. This standardized training is now presented at all municipal police training academies throughout New York State as required training for police recruits.


The newly-devised training includes contemporary police training in Ethics, Ethical awareness, and Professionalism. He additionally attended a train-the-trainer Ethical Policing is Courageous training conducted by the New Orleans Police Department. Dr. Minard has instructed Ethical Awareness Training at several police academies for over ten years, and currently instructs Ethics and Professionalism at police academies. In addition, he has conducted Ethics and Professionalism Workshop Training throughout New York State and instructed Ethical Policing at the FBI National Executive Institute. He presented at the New York State Sheriffs Association 86th Annual Winter Conference in January 2020, where he provided an overview of Ethical policing and an overview of the New Orleans Police Department EPIC Training Program.


He attended the 216th FBI National Academy session in 2004 and the FBI LEEDS Session 77 in 2018. Dr. Minard currently instructs Ethical Issues in the Criminal Justice System for SUNY Delhi.

Simon Purdy

Lt. (Ret.) Christopher Murphy

Adjunct Instructor

murphycs@delhi.edu

 

Christopher Murphy attended SUNY Albany graduating with a bachelor's degree in Sociology, joined the NYC Housing Police in 1993, assigned to PSA 7 in the South Bronx, and merged into the NYPD in 1995. He worked in the Narcotics Division, Bronx 44 module. He then was promoted to Sergeant in 1998 and assigned to the 40th precinct. While assigned to the 40th precinct, he was assigned to work on Patrol, Community Policing, Training, Domestic Violence and Crime Analysis.


While working as a Sergeant, he earned his master's degree in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Christopher was promoted to Lieutenant in 2006 and assigned to the Vice Enforcement Division, and then to the Organized Crime Investigation Division. He retired in 2015, relocated to the Capital Region and began working as the Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigations Division of NYS Tax and Finance. He has been married for 25 years and has three kids - two girls and a boy. He is a Giants/Yankees/Rangers fan and enjoys skiing and golf.

Simon Purdy

Ken Rulison

Adjunct Instructor

rulisokr@delhi.edu

 

Ken Rulison has held the position of Victim Services Coordinator with the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office since 2001. As coordinator, Ken assists crime victims through the criminal justice process as it pertains to the prosecution of criminal offenders. He oversees three victim specialists and several student interns who assist victims in accessing the NYS victim compensation program, provide short-term counseling to crime victims, advocate to police, judges, and prosecutors, and educate the public on rights of crime victims.

Ken has served as the Treasurer of The Capital District Coalition for Crime Victims Rights; now known as The Capital District Crime Victim Taskforce. In 2006, the Coalition honored Ken for his dedicated service to crime victims. His passion for criminal justice extends to the field of teaching where he has served as an Adjunct Professor at Schenectady County Community College teaching courses such as Corrections, Criminology, Introduction to Criminal Justice, Juvenile Delinquency, and Current Issues in Criminal Justice; and at SUNY Delhi where he has taught Victimology, Ethics in Criminal Justice, and Treatment of Offenders. In his spare time, Ken is an avid fly fisherman and enjoys fishing the streams of the Catskill Mountains. He is married to his wife Christina and resides in Rotterdam, NY.

Rachel Seeber

Rachel Seeber

Adjunct Instructor

seeberre@delhi.edu

Dr. Seeber Conine is an adjunct lecturer for the criminal justice departments. She received her bachelor’s degree from SUNY PolyTech in psychology and her master’s from Boston University in criminal justice and her Ed.D. from The University of New England in education.

Her main research interests and dissertation focus on student disclosures and instructors’ responses of personal trauma in the online classroom. Rachel has over two decades of experience advocating for crime victims at the local, state and federal levels of government and has served nearly eight years in local government as a supervisor at large in Queensbury, N.Y.

In addition to her previous service on numerous state and federal boards, including being appointed to the New York Association of Counties Women’s Advisory Board, Rachel was the first woman to be elected as the chair of the Warren County Board of Supervisors in 2021. She continues to teach Criminal Justice, Gender Studies and Education courses, as well a curriculum design with several colleges and Universities across the Country and in NYS.  Dr. Seeber Conine also owns her own small business in her free time and specializes in student abroad travel experiences, exploring comparative criminal justice within the field of victimology and victim assistance.

David Van Aken

David Van Aken

Adjunct Instructor

vanakedw@delhi.edu

 

I would prefer if you called me Mr. V, Mr. Van Aken, or Professor Van Aken. I was born in Saratoga Springs, NY in January of 1954, and moved 21 miles south to Clifton Park after the fourth grade. I graduated from Shenendehowa High School in Clifton Park, NY in 1972.


I have a Bachelor and a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology, with a concentration in historical archaeology, from the University at Albany. I have a second master's degree in Military History from Norwich University. I am married and have four children - all boys. I live with my wife, Kathy, and our youngest, Kevin, in Schenectady, NY. My experience in education includes teaching vocational education at a local residential living-center school for disadvantaged youth, GED courses at a state correctional facility, Social and Global Studies in a state correctional facility for youth, and at a local high school. I taught full time for five years at the Albany ITT Technical Institute where I taught Sociology, DC and AC Electronics, Professional Procedures and Portfolio Development, and Group Dynamics.


At present, I am a full-time, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Sociology, and History at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY where I have been employed for over 18 years. And, as you have probably guessed, I am an adjunct instructor of anthropology for ANTH-300, Survey of World Cultures for SUNY Delhi. I first started teaching in the U.S. Navy as a Shipboard Instructor (certified 1980) on the USS Ulysses S. Grant, SSBN 631, a nuclear powered, fleet ballistic missile submarine where I served four years as a second class petty officer in the Interior Communications Division.


I am also a certified scuba diving instructor (#10547) by the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI - 1988), but I am retired from teaching scuba diving. If you count 1980 as my start in the life of the profession of teaching, I have been practicing this for over 40 years. I am one of the original archaeological survey team members that found - utilizing side scan-sonar - and surveyed - utilizing SCUBA gear - the Lake George Rideau, Land Tortoise, in 1990. This vessel, lying in 107 feet of water, is virtually intact and dates to the French and Indian War. It was constructed and sunk in 1758 and is considered to be the oldest intact warship on the North American continent.


My research and fieldwork on this vessel culminated in a published paper in a field report to the State of New York (1994). A derivative of this paper was my Master's Thesis at the University at Albany. I am, by training, an underwater archaeologist.

Simon Purdy

Captain (Ret.) John Damino

Adjunct Instructor

Daminohj@delhi.edu

Simon Purdy

Craig Penet

Adjunct Instructor

penetcf@delhi.edu

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