Vladislav Veksler

Business and Computer Science, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems
Assistant Professor

Email: vveksler@caldwell.edu
Phone: 973-618-3028
Office Location: Visceglia Hall 204A
Office Location: Werner Hall 218

Dr. Vlad Veksler is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Caldwell University. His research and teaching focus on all topics where there is interplay between humans and machines, including Artificial Intelligence, UI/UX and Human-Computer Interaction, Human-Agent Teaming, Cybernetics, Cognitive Modeling, Behavioral Simulations, Behavioral Game Theory, AI in Games, and Cognitive Robotics.

If you are an undergraduate student at Caldwell looking to get involved in scientific research with a focus on any of these topics, please check out the CogAI Research Laboratory website (https://sites.google.com/caldwell.edu/cogai) for more info.

Additionally, please check out the C-STEM Labs website (https://sites.google.com/caldwell.edu/cstem) for other programs in computational R&D, including the CougarDevs Incubator and Caldwell Robotics.

William Velhagen

School of Arts and Sciences
Dean

Email: wvelhagen@caldwell.edu
Phone: (973) 618-3623
Office Location: Werner Hall, 118

William A. Velhagen, Jr. was born and raised in the Philippines. He received his B.S. Biology degree from the University of the Philippines. He started medical school but then realized he was most excited about teaching and research. He came to the U.S. and obtained his Ph.D. in Zoology from Duke University, where he studied evolutionary biology.

Before coming to Caldwell, Dr. Velhagen taught at James Madison University, Longwood University, and New York University. At Caldwell, he has become a full professor, the head of the School of Natural Sciences, the vice president of the faculty council, and the founding president of the university’s chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Dr. Velhagen serves as the Principal Investigator on the Caldwell SMART (Science and Math: Academics, Research, and Teaching) project, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, which supports students aiming to teach high school biology, chemistry, or math. He is also the Projector Director of Caldwell’s STEM Advance project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Hispanic Serving Institution STEM and Articulation Program. The project aims to grow the number of students choosing and graduating from programs in STEM (Science, Technology, and Mathematics).

Dr. Velhagen is excited to become the inaugural Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. He has long believed in the value of a well-rounded education, even reading classics such as The Iliad, The Odyssey, and the works of Shakespeare before they were assigned in school. His favorite authors include Carl Sagan and Stephen Jay Gould. As dean, he aims to foster the curiosity, creativity, and ambition of the school’s students.

Bella Veskler

Business and Computer Science, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, Institutional Research and Assessment
Director of Institutional Research at Caldwell University

Email: bveksler@caldwell.edu
Office Phone: 973-618-3553
Office Location: Rosary Hall 218

B.A. Computer Science and Psychology with a Concentration in Cognitive Science, Cornell University
M.S. Cognitive Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Ph.D. Cognitive Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Dr. Veksler serves as the Director of Institutional Research at Caldwell University, where she leverages large-scale institutional data to drive strategic decision-making, assessment, and grant support while ensuring reporting compliance. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Instructor in Computer Science, teaching courses in Computational Modeling & Simulation and Programming Languages.

Dr. Veksler brings two decades of experience in computational science and scientific data analysis to the Caldwell community. Her expertise in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and performance modeling is backed by a sophisticated research toolkit, including the design of empirical behavioral studies using eye tracking, actigraphy, and EEG. While her earlier work centered on visual and sustained attention, today, she applies this rigorous analytical lens to the evolution of higher education, focusing on institutional assessment and the optimization of teaching effectiveness.

Her publications can be found here: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Hkjyx-cAAAAJ

Assunta Violante

Modern Languages
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: AViolante@caldwell.edu

EDUCATION
M.A., Spanish, Montclair State University
M.A.in Bilingual Education, Seton Hall University

Professor Violante is an adjunct professor of Italian and Spanish. She holds a Master’s degree in Spanish from Montclair State University and a Master’s degree in Bilingual Education from Seton Hall University. She began her teaching career as an instructor of Italian, Spanish and Latin in the Newark Public School system.

Prior to coming to Caldwell University, she was the Supervisor of World Languages and ESL for eleven years in the West Essex Regional School District in North Caldwell. During this time she implemented a distance-learning program in Japanese. She was also supervisor of World Languages, ESL and Business for eight years in the Paramus School District. From 1986 to 1990, she was an adjunct professor at Montclair State University where she taught Italian and Spanish and was an instructor in the study abroad program at the University of Siena, Italy.

Professor Violante is a native of Italy who is very passionate about teaching languages. Her interests include traveling to different countries to enrich her knowledge of other cultures which she imparts to her students. She continues to research and implement effective teaching methods that provide her students with an optimal level of instruction in order to foster an appreciation for other languages and cultures.

Rosemina Vohra

Business and Computer Science
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: rvohra@caldwell.edu

Courses taught: Java Programming I and II, Data Structures and Algorithms, Design and Analysis of Algorithms, Advance Web Programming, Artificial Intelligence

Paul Ward

Visual Art and Design
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: pward@caldwell.edu
Office: Visceglia 134

M.F.A. Brooklyn College, City University of New York
B.F.A. Caldwell University

Edward Wardell

Registrar
Assistant Registrar

Email: ewardell@caldwell.edu
Phone: 973-618-3298
Office Location: Student Center, 192

Hello! My name is Edward “Eddie” Wardell and I am the Assistant Director of Advisement and Academic Support. I have a Master’s in Counseling in Higher Education/Student Affairs from Montclair State University and a background in Mental Health Counseling. I assist students with a wide range of things like registration, major/minor exploration/declaration, academic policies, long-term planning, setting academic goals and working on effective learning and organizational strategies to achieve them. I utilize a strength-based developmental student-centered approach, which includes respect, unconditional positive regard, and encouraging students to utilize introspection to discover their unique strengths.

Ian White

Education
Adjunct Faculty

Email: ikwhite@caldwell.edu
Office Location: Jennings Library, Center for Teaching & Learning

Bach of Arts in Philosophy
Masters of Science in Political Science
Ed.D in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education

Currently University Registrar at New York Institute of Technology. Have worked in higher education for 20+ years in areas including Institutional Research, Academic Affairs, and Enrollment Management.

Buffie Whitfield

History and Political Science
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: fippolito@caldwell.edu

B.A. John Jay University

M.A. Adelphi University

Ph.D. Trident University

Margaret Wilkins

Business and Computer Science
Adjunct Instructor

Email: mwilkins@caldwell.edu
Office Location: Werner Hall, 219

B.S. Hampton University

M.S. Hampton University

Ph.D. University of New Mexico

Jacinta Williams

Business and Computer Science
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: jywilliams@caldwell.edu

Bio

B.A., Kean University
M.S., Rutgers University

Christ Williams

Leadership and Management
Professor

Email: CJWilliams@Caldwell.edu
Office Location: Werner Hall, 211

EDUCATION:
Doctor of Science in Healthcare Leadership (DSc)
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL – Anticipated 2027

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Education Policy, Organization & Leadership (Human Resources Development)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL – Anticipated 2026

Master of Business Administration: Healthcare Management
University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX – December 12, 2015

Bachelor of Science: Business Administration; Healthcare Management (cum laude)
Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC – May 5, 2012

CERTIFICATION:
Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (North Carolina, New Jersey, & Virginia)
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Emory University, July 2024
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt – Healthcare, Emory University, August 2023
Infection Control in Long Term Care Facilities (SPICE)/NC Statewide Program for Infections Control & Epidemiology (SPICE), Raleigh, NC – 2021
Global Career Development Facilitator/National Career Development Association, Raleigh, NC – Issued, December 2014

HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE:
Vice President & Executive Director @ Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey at Crane’s Mill, West Caldwell, NJ, March 2022 – Current
-Vice President & Executive Director, October 2022 – Current
-Associate Executive Director, March 2022 – October 2022

Executive Director @ Pettigrew Rehabilitation Center, Durham, NC, July 2021 – March 2022

Executive Director @ Pelican Health at Henderson, Henderson, NC, April 2020 – August 2021

Administrator @ Hillside Nursing Center of Wake Forest, Inc., Wake Forest, NC, May 2019 – April 2020

Administrator @ PruittHealth – North Carolina State Veterans Home, Kinston, NC, Nov 2016 – May 2019

ACADEMIC TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Business Instructor, Microsoft Training Administrator @ Vernon Malone College and Career Academy, Raleigh, NC, 2014 – 2016

Healthcare Management Instructor (TRIO – Upward Bound Math and Science) @ Central Carolina Community College – Campbell University, Fayetteville, NC, Jun 2015 – Aug 2015

Summer Coordinator, TRIO Upward Bound Programs (Summer 2014); Residential Coordinator, TRIO Upward Bound Programs (Summer 2013) @ North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

Business Instructor, Microsoft Administrator @ E. E. Smith High School, Cumberland County Schools, Fayetteville, NC, Nov 2012 – Jul 2014

Danielle Wilson

Business and Computer Science
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: dpwilson@caldwell.edu

B.S. Business Administration, University of Florida
M.S. Management, University of South Florida

William Winslow

Modern Languages
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: wwinslow@caldwell.edu

Adjunct Instructor of French

MA Kutztown State College

BA University of Scranton

J. David Woods

Business and Computer Science
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: dwoods@caldwell.edu

Bio

B.A., Fordham University
J.D., Seton Hall University

Sonia Workman-Wolfe

Human Resources
Payroll Manager

Email: SWorkman@caldwell.edu
Phone: 973-618-3231
FAX: 973-618-3358
Office Location: Albertus Magnus Hall

Employed at Caldwell University for 10-plus years.

Erica Wyrovsky

President’s Office
Administrative Assistant

Email: ewyrovsky@caldwell.edu
Phone: 973-618-3547
Office Location: Werner Hall, 312

Office:
Mon: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Tues: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Wed: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Thurs: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Fri: 8:30am – 4:30pm

B.S., Penn State University, Hospitality Management
Licensed Notary

Yanxing Yang

Natural Sciences
Associate Professor

Email: yayang@caldwell.edu
Phone: (973) 618-3656
Location: Werner 121
Office Location: Werner Hall, 121

Work history:

From 2024: Assistant Professor at Caldwell University.
2022-2024: Post-doctoral Associate at Rutgers University.
2015-2018: Associate Professor at Jiangxi Normal University.

Education:

Ph.D. in Applied Physics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 2022.
Ph.D. in Condensed Matter Physics, Wuhan University, 2015.
B.Sc. in Physics, Wuhan University, 2009.

Webpage: https://sites.google.com/caldwell.edu/yang-lab

Dan Yates

Music
Adjunct Lecturer

Email: dayates@caldwell.edu

Dan Yates is a professional theatre performer, director, and producer and has been teaching and directing at Caldwell College since 2004.

Dan toured the country for two years with the National Players and was a member of the Round House Theatre Company in Washington DC. Along with extensive professional, regional and local theatre credits, Dan is the Producing Director of the Yates Musical Theatre for Children which has appeared at such venues as Paper Mill Playhouse, Capital One Bank Theatre at Westbury, North Shore Music Theatre, PNC Arts Center, Oakdale Music Theatre, Cape Playhouse, and many more.

Dan directs for the Garden State Opera Company and holds a Master of Arts Degree in Communication from Seton Hall University

Cagla Yildirim

Business and Computer Science
Assistant Professor

Email: cyildirim@caldwell.edu
Office Location: Werner Hall, 218

B.A. William Paterson University

M.S. Texas Tech University

Ph.D. Texas Tech University

Dr. Yildirim received her Ph.D. from Texas Tech University in August 2018 and joined the faculty at Caldwell University in August 2024. She is a member of the Financial Planning Association and Academy of Financial Services.Her research interests are Retirement Planning, Investment Planning, and Debt Management. Her teaching experience includes Fundamentals of Asset Management, Introduction to Applied Personal Finance, Retirement Planning, Money Management Basics, and Banking courses. She typically teaches Principle of Finance, Financial Market Analysis, and International Finance courses. She incorporates technology and financial software in her classes to model and solve financial problems. Cagla lives with her son, Alex in Denville. She likes to go hiking. Cagla is a big fan of the Major League Soccer team Besiktas.

Eduardo Zappi

Natural Sciences
Professor Emeritus of Biology

Email: ezappi@caldwell.edu
Office Location: Albertus Magnus Hall, 303

Office:
Mon: 11 – 12 Noon
Tues: 10 – 11:30 AM
Wed: 1:15 – 12 Noon
Thurs: N/A
Fri: 12:30 – 1:30 PM

B.S. University of Wisconsin, Madison

M.S. Rutgers State University

Ph.D. Rutgers State University

Professor of Biology –

Most Recently Taught:

General Biology Lecture and Labs – BI 102 & BI 102L

Microbiology Lecture and Lab – BI 315 & BI 315L

Senior Seminar in Biology

I Have Taught at Caldwell University from Fall 1994 to the Present

Alex Zarenin

Business and Computer Science, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems
Former Principal Solution Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Email: azarenin@caldwell.edu
Office Location: Werner Hall, 219

B.S. Polytechnic University, Operations Research

M.S. Institute of Cybernetics, Info Systems Eng.

Ph.D. New York University, Computer Science