Stephen Bienkiewicz
Graduate Student Service Generalist
Stephen responds to graduate student and faculty inquiries, makes referrals to appropriate offices, and manages The Graduate School’s central phone and email accounts. He also assists with the processing of administrative and academic requests.
bienkiewiczs@montclair.edu
Dr. Stefanie Brachfeld
Interim Head
Dr. Brachfeld provides strategic leadership and oversight for all graduate programs, initiatives, and policies. In addition to her role as Interim Dean, she serves as Vice Provost for Research, advancing Montclair’s research mission and supporting faculty scholarship and graduate student success.
brachfelds@montclair.edu
Arthur Carlson
Graduate Student Assistance Coordinator
Arthur oversees the Graduate Assistantship program, managing position recommendations, assignments, and tuition remission coordination with Student Accounts. He serves as the primary contact for departments and students regarding assistantship opportunities and related policies.
carlsona@montclair.edu
Kayla Cunningham-O’Donnell
Graduate Assistant
Kayla supports doctoral students in the AUDI, TETD, ENSM, and MTHE programs from candidacy through dissertation submission. She reviews dissertation formatting and prefatory materials, tracks student progress, manages doctoral forms and applications, and facilitates information sessions to help students navigate key milestones.
docstudy@montclair.edu
Sonia Hadjmustafa
Graduate Assistant
Sonia supports The Graduate School’s IT Department with data analysis and visualization. She helps organize and present data in meaningful ways to support reporting, planning, and decision-making.
Michele McCormick
Graduate Writing Support Specialist
Michele supports graduate students with thesis and dissertation writing through workshops and one-on-one consultations. She provides individualized feedback to strengthen academic writing, organization, and clarity while helping students navigate key milestones in the thesis and dissertation process. She also serves as an adjunct instructor and faculty developer.
mccormickmi@montclair.edu
Rebecca Newton
Business Coordinator
Rebecca manages all business operations for The Graduate School, including finance, personnel, and Workday processes. She supports the Dean and administrative leadership in advancing departmental initiatives and ensuring the smooth coordination of day-to-day operations.
shifferr@montclair.edu
Deborah Reynoso
Director for Student Academic Services
Deborah leads the student academic services team and oversees academic processes such as applications, course registration, and thesis submission. She collaborates closely with faculty and programs to resolve student concerns and promote academic success across the graduate community.
reynosod@montclair.edu
Alexa Rose Spear
Communications Coordinator
Alexa develops and implements strategic communications to engage and inform the graduate student community. She creates content for digital, web, and social media platforms and partners with campus offices to highlight events, resources, and achievements across The Graduate School.
speara@montclair.edu
Hannah Stratton
Graduate Assistant
Hannah supports doctoral students in CPCP, IOPS, COUN, and FSHD from candidacy through final dissertation submission. She also assists master’s students completing theses, supports thesis and dissertation workshops, manages related forms and Canvas processes, and contributes to communications, special projects, and events within The Graduate School.
thesisinquiry@montclair.edu
Victoria Speiser
Academic Success Coordinator
Victoria supports graduate student success through academic standing reviews and policy guidance. She manages student requests including concentration changes, course overloads, leaves of absence, and grade updates, ensuring compliance with university academic policies.
speiserv@montclair.edu
Michael Stuhlmiller
Director of Technology
Michael oversees technology strategy and operations for The Graduate School, maintaining reliable systems that support academic and administrative functions. He collaborates with Information Technology and campus partners to enhance digital tools and services for graduate students and staff.
stuhlmillerm@montclair.edu