Hudson County Community College Appoints Fourteen Full-Time Faculty Members

Ingrid Aviles, Instructor of Practical Nursing, who joined HCCC in January 2022 after serving as a Staff Nurse Educator and working in the Emergency Room at Christ Hospital. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at HCCC, Aviles is an Adjunct Instructor at Felician University and Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center. Aviles earned a Master of Science degree with a specialization in Nursing Education from Aspen University, Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Thomas Edison State University, and Associate in Science degree in Nursing from HCCC. A member of the American Nurses Association and the Emergency Nursing Association, she also volunteers at Hackensack Meridian Health Palisades Medical Center.

Tosha Bratcher, Instructor of Nursing and Health Sciences, who most recently worked as a Nursing Instructor for the Milwaukee School of Engineering - School of Nursing, and Bryant & Stratton College. As a Registered Nurse, Bratcher cared for patients in various medical facilities including Glendale Health and Rehabilitation Center and Wheaton Franciscan-St. Francis, where she managed patient care and supervised staff. Bratcher earned a Master of Science degree in Nursing from Capella University, and Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Concordia University. She holds a New Jersey State License and a Wisconsin Multi-State License in Nursing. Bratcher is a member of the Code Red RN Student Nurse Mentor Program.

Jonathan Cabrera, Instructor of Criminal Justice, who has been an Adjunct Instructor at HCCC since 2019 and is a current member of the HCCC All College Council. He taught Criminal Justice courses at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) and Rutgers University. While arranging initiatives and coordinating team management at the New York City (NYC) Mayor’s Executive Office, he also collaborated with the NYC Department of Corrections on various projects. Cabrera holds Master of Public Administration and Bachelor’s degrees from New Jersey City University. Cabrera served as a Rutgers University Part-Time Lecturer Senate Representative and a BMCC Association Board Member.

Dr. Christopher Cody, Instructor of History, who has been teaching at HCCC as an Adjunct Instructor since 2019. Before coming to HCCC, he taught an array of history courses at various higher education institutions including New Jersey City University (NJCU), New York City College of Technology, and St. John’s University. He obtained a Ph.D. in World History from St. John’s University. Dr. Cody has a Modern Standard Arabic Certificate from New York University (NYU) School of Professional Studies, and a Master’s degree in World History from Northeastern University. He is the recipient of the 2021 National Society of Leadership and Success Excellence in Teaching Award.

Madeline Cruz, Instructor of Nursing, who joined HCCC in January 2022 after serving as a faculty member at Eastern International College. Cruz worked as an educator at Bloomfield College. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Nursing from Rutgers University. Cruz is the proud recipient of the Excel Grant, the Minority Biomedical Resource Support Fellowship, and the Spirit of Nursing Award. She is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and the New Jersey Association of Infant Mental Health. Her community outreach work includes the National Service Office of Nurse-Family Partnership and participation in the Nurse-Family Partnerships Diversity Committee.

Yavuz Guner, Instructor of Computer Science/Cybersecurity, who has served HCCC as an Adjunct Instructor in the Division of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) since 2020. He also teaches Cybersecurity at Saint Peter’s University. Guner holds a Master of Science degree in Cybersecurity from Saint Peter’s University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the Koc University in Istanbul, Turkey. He is certified as an Ethical Hacker by EC-Council and Security+ by CompTIA. His community service includes College Pathways Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Training, and Community Food Distribution for Jersey Cares.

Marissa Lontoc, Instructor of Table Service, who has served at HCCC for nearly 10 year as Baking and Pastry Adjunct Instructor, Culinary Arts Lecturer, and Coordinator of the Baking and Pastry Program. Prior to joining HCCC, she was the Pastry Chef and Garde Manager for the Liberty National Golf Course, a chef at Skinner’s Loft in Jersey City, and a Home Economics teacher at Paref Woodrose School in the Philippines. Lontoc anticipates completing her Master of Arts degree in Education at Saint Peter’s University this year. She holds a SERV Safe Food Protection Manager Certification and maintains an industry standard of excellence by participating in various professional development courses, including Bread on the Rise at Johnson and Wales University, Trendsetting Plated Desserts, and French Pastry School.

Raffi Manjikian, Instructor of Chemistry, who has amassed an impressive higher education background teaching at various institutions including Saint Peter’s, Rutgers, and Kean Universities as well as at HCCC. In addition to teaching courses in the College’s Division of STEM, he served as the Secretary of the Adjunct Faculty Federation Union and was a member of the Return to Campus Task Force. Manjikian anticipates completing his Ph.D. in Health Science in 2023. He holds a Master of Science degree in Chemistry from Seton Hall University, certification in Higher Education Teaching from Harvard University, and the Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.

Daniel Ondieki, Instructor of Mathematics, who joined HCCC as an Adjunct Instructor in 2016. He previously held the position of Algebra and Geometry Teacher for the Newark School of Fashion and Design, where he was a member of the High School Student Success Team. He also tutored students in Mathematics at the Newark YMCA and served as an Adjunct Instructor at New Jersey City University (NJCU). Ondieki is pursuing his Ed.D. in Mathematics at Columbia University Teachers College. He holds a Master’s degree in Mathematics Education from NJCU, and a Certified Public Accountant designation from Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examinations Board.

Dr. Josué Pérez, Instructor of Philosophy, who comes to HCCC from Nyack College where he served as an Associate Professor of Theological Studies for over 10 years. He also taught Philosophy as an Adjunct Instructor at various institutions including Hillsborough Community College, Union College, and William Paterson University. Dr. Perez received his Ph.D. in Theology and Religious Studies and Master’s degree in Philosophy from Drew University. He also holds a Master’s degree from Columbia International University and was the recipient of the Drew and William Randolph Hearst Scholarships. Dr. Perez is a member of the American Philosophical Association, the American Academy of Religion, and the author of several academic publications.

Dr. Gunes Senturk, Instructor of Physics, who has many years of experience as a college-level Instructor of Physics at various institutions including Wichita State University and Skidmore College. Dr. Senturk also served as Astrophysics and Planetary Research Scientist Editor for the American Museum of Natural History in New York and as Senior Data Scientist with AdTheorent, Inc. She received her Ph.D. in Physics, Master of Philosophy, and Master of Arts degrees from Columbia University. Her extensive research experience includes various projects at Columbia University.

Dr. Kate Thurman, Instructor of Sociology, who comes to HCCC from Passaic County Community College (PCCC). Prior to PCCC, she taught at Rutgers University. Dr. Thurman holds Doctoral and Master’s degrees in Sociology, and expects to complete her Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University this coming year. Her research experience in sociology includes work for the Center for Gender, Sexuality, Law and Policy at Rutgers Law School. Dr. Thurman’s grant-writing and consultation skills have proven to be profitable for the institutions she has served.

Michelle Vera, Instructor of ESL/Bilingual, who began teaching at HCCC as an Adjunct Instructor of English in 2020. She previously taught Creative Writing and English Language Arts at EPIC High School. Vera holds a Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Education from the City University of New York (CUNY), and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University with a triple major in Gender Studies, Latin American Studies, and Political Science. Fluent in English and Spanish, her vast translation experience includes the New Brunswick Today online newspaper. She assisted individuals through the immigration and visa processes when she was a legal assistant for Salmen-Navarro and Lavergne.

Saliha Yagoubi, Instructor of ESL/Bilingual, who has been a member of the HCCC family for over 16 years, teaching as an Adjunct Instructor and an Instructor of ESL in the College’s Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development. She earned her Master’s degree in Theory of Translation from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Spain, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Translation and Interpretation from the University of Oran, Algeria. Yagoubi is fluent in speaking and interpreting multiple languages.