Meet the Career and Internship Services Team

Frantz L. Alcindor, Director, previously served as the Program Manager of the Entrepreneurial Technology Apprenticeship program at Wheeling Jesuit University’s National Technology Transfer Center in West Virginia, where he directed the career and internship placement program for science and business students. Frantz has also served in two key student services roles at the City University of New York (CUNY) as the Director of New Student Advisement at Hostos Community College, and most recently as the Director of Academic Advisement at Queensborough Community College. Frantz holds a Master of Science in Human Resources Development from the University of Scranton, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political and Economic Philosophy from Wheeling Jesuit University.

Adrian Jones, Assistant Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, joined FIT in 2006 where he worked as a Technologist C in the Photo Department for two years.  At SVA (The School of Visual Arts) he was the Photography Dept. Academic Counselor and Photography Instructor before assuming his current role in 2009. Adrian holds the following degrees:
C.A.S., Studies in Arts & Humanities, New York University (ABD towards PHD)
MA, Creative Related Arts, International Centre of Photography / New York University
BAS., Information System and Business Applications, Boston University
AAS, Communication Electronics, Graham Junior College, Boston, Mass
Additional classes in Multimedia Design and Production, New York University.
Adrian is an Educator and Artist with experience that includes academic advising and student workshop development for higher education, serving as Faculty Advisor for student organizations, lecturer at high schools and universities and has over twenty years’ experience in Fashion / Fine Art photography with numerous magazines and gallery shows. His work can be viewed at “www.adrian-jones.com” and on Instagram “adrianjones_ny” and “adrianjones_nyc”.

Amy Mato, Assistant Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, has been with FIT since 2001 and has previous industry experience in fashion design (Men’s and Women’s), product development, merchandising, buying, and retail. Amy is a FIT grad with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Fashion and Related Industries and an Associate in Applied Science in Fashion Buying and Merchandising. Her favorite things: When not at FIT, spending time with her rescue dogs, husband, and friends.

Bonnie Recca, Assistant Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, works mainly with the Business and Tech division students since 2009.  Previous to her work at FIT, Bonnie had a long career in the media planning and buying side of advertising, agency management and as a marketing/strategic planning consultant. She incorporates that business experience to help guide students in their future career decisions. In addition to counseling, Bonnie has taught in the AMC and ITM departments at FIT, as well as NYU.  She holds the following:
Master of Arts, Stony Brook University in Higher Education Administration
Bachelor of Arts, Stony Brook University with a dual major of economics and political science
Certificate of Landscape Design, New York Botanical Gardens

Jeanne Golly, Associate Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, was recruited to FIT in August 2003 to direct the stand-alone Internship Center, which she did for eight years before the merger of the Internship Center with Career Services. She now counsels undergraduate and graduate students interested in interning in FIT’s college-credit-earning internship program and students and alumni interested in career-services support.  She has also done some teaching, including an Internship Studies course and a Global Marketing course for FIT’s International Trade and Marketing for the Fashion Industries major.  Jeanne spent more than three decades as a corporate marketing, advertising, and communications executive with multinational companies including Toyoto (Japan), ING (The Netherlands), Bertelsmann (Germany), NICE (Israel), and USA-based Kmart, American Standard, JC Penney, and Price Waterhouse. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Jeanne holds MA (Michigan State University) and BS (The University of Texas at Austin) degrees in Textiles, Apparel, Home Furnishings, and Retail.  She is co-authoring a book on Southeast Asian textile artisans and has collaborated with scenic artists in readying for the luxury global interiors market “Sfumatura”, a textile wall covering that replicates the remarkably beautiful aesthetics of the ancient walls of Venice, Rome, Pompeii, and other Mediterranean settings.

Josephine Jee is an Assistant Professor and Career & Internship Counselor whose work integrates design, education, and career development to support pathways within the creative industries. Her professional experience includes a decade of work in product and footwear design, including the development of an inclusive, patented footwear label in New York City, where she served as creative director. She has also served as a lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist on two musical albums released on major streaming platforms.

At the Fashion Institute of Technology, she supports student career development in creative fields, drawing on both industry experience and academic training. Her work connects curriculum, advising, and industry engagement in support of student career development. She previously served as an Assistant Professor and AICAD (Association of Independent Colleges of Art & Design) Post-Graduate Teaching Fellow at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, where she taught foundation curriculum. She has also taught adult learners at Pratt Institute, as well as precollege and footwear design courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

She holds a Master of Design Management and a Bachelor of Industrial Design from Pratt Institute, as well as a Footwear Design diploma from Arsutoria School in Milan, Italy. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Learning and Instruction at the University at Buffalo, SUNY.

Nancy Ross, Associate Professor/Career and Internship Counselor, has over thirty years of experience in education, PR, and marketing communications. She joined FIT as an Adjunct Professor and currently counsels students in Business and Technology and Art and Design. She finds fulfillment in helping individuals hone their natural talents as they transition from academia to the workplace.  Her degrees include a BA in Arts & Humanities from Kirkland (Hamilton College), a MEd from Goucher College, and a Certification in Gemology from FIT.  Nancy has won awards for advertising from BBDO and Marsteller. As Director of Marketing for Amanda Fielding of JCPenney, she branded and launched 13 specialty stores.  At FIT, Nancy has served on the Faculty Senate and the UCE Executive Committee. She has created and conducted educational programs for LIM, Chautauqua Institution, and FIT. Courses have included “Professional Panache” and “Business of Jewelry.” Nancy custom-designed commemorative rings for her alma mater, Kirkland (Hamilton College), for which she received the prestigious Key Award.  As a jewelry historian, she has presented at many conferences, including the Annual National Antique Jewelry and Art Conference, and has served on the boards of related professional organizations. She was quoted in Thursday’s Style Section of The New York Times. Both at FIT and in industry, Nancy applies her skills as a marketer, consultant, and stylist, combining aesthetics with strategy to help people enhance their personal and professional presentation. She enjoys exploring the arts, traveling, cooking, natural health, and the outdoors.

Stratton Bouloukos, Career and Internship Counselor, is an upmarket womenswear designer who’s worked in the fashion industry for more than three decades. Stratton’s designs demonstrate how forward, yet timeless creations of graceful, structured pieces can become progressive, modern classics. His collections have been sold at Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, and many specialty boutiques. Early in his career, Stratton worked as a design assistant at Carolina Herrera, Albert Nipon, as well as serving as the head designer for Mary McFadden Suits. Stratton’s work has been favorably reviewed in W, WWD, Paper, and the New York Times. He has contributed clothing to several charity events including Sotheby’s, the Boston Ballet, the Junior League of New York, Boys’ Town of Italy, and the Loisaida Project.

Since March 2008, Stratton has served as a part-time non-classroom faculty member at FIT, providing counseling to students interested in interning through FIT’s college-credit-earning internship program in the Career & Internship Services department. He studied fashion design in Paris through Parsons School of Design and is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College.

Anthony coordinates our Employer on-campus events and off-site corporate visits as well as our Career Fairs.  Please reach out to him if you have any questions or feedback about our employer events, job skills workshops, or our Spring and Fall Career Fairs.

Chenise Marine Rice has been at FIT for decades starting in the Registrar’s Office then the Department of Student Life and now in the Career and Internship Services Office.  Chenise is an original member of the EAP committee at FIT as well as a member of the Board of Directors for UCE of FIT’S Welfare Trust Fund and she sits on the UCE of FIT’s Executive Committee.  Chenise has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and an MBA with a concentration in Management.  She is also an FIT certified Image Consultant.  Outside of FIT, she is an Adjunct Professor at Metropolitan College of New York, MCNY, teaching for over 18 years as well as a Coordinator for the NYC Board of Elections.  In CIS, she manages the department often referring to herself at the Olivia Pope of CIS.  There is no task too hard for the Opts Team, CIS’s white hats.  Chenise loves a good book and TV series.  She is always on the look out for a challenging work out class too.

Debbie Diaz, Career Resource Associate, started working at FIT over 25 years ago, at Health Services for the first few, then in Career Services. She also serves as Advisor to two clubs on campus: FIT CRU Christian Fellowship Club and FIT Delight. Debbie is a grad of FIT completing AAS and BFA degrees in Illustration with minors in Fashion Design and Fine Arts, Masters in Gallery Retail Administration course work and additional courses in Business, Photography, Graphics, Marketing and Web applications at FIT and elsewhere. Personal work successes: She has enjoyed advising and encouraging freelancers and those employing them, producing sold-out Job Fairs, creative problem-solving, and creating our department’s first webpage on FIT’s first website as well as planning, customizing, implementing and managing our former and current Career Services Job Bank Symplicity database. Debbie’s favorite things: faith, family, friends and food, 18th-19th century classical art and fashion, museums, historic restoration preservation, antique and artist dolls, naturopathic and nutritional medicine.

Felix Rivera-Perez, MSEd., Resource Associate (He Him, His), has worked at FIT for 17 years. ​He has held various positions:  Temp. Secretary I, Internship Center, Secretary III, Career and Internship Center, ​​currently Resource Associate, CIS.  Felix’s education includes:
Institute for Integrative Nutrition: Certified Holistic Health Counselor
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Baruch College, City University of New York
Master of Science in Education (concentration: Higher Education Administration)
Personal successes: Adjunct Lecturer, Psychology Department and College Now Program, Baruch College, City University of New York; Member of FIT’s Diversity Collective for Academic Affairs; former bass/baritone in Synagogue choir; mentor, Baruch College Alumni Association, Mental Health First Aider
Likes/Hobbies: Social Justice warrior; Cooking; tie-dye and hand sewing silk fabric to create “flow” instruments used in dance; Reiki Practitioner; holistic health​.

Joy Villanueva, joined FIT’s Career and Internship Services in January of 2024. As the department’s point of contact, she manages the front desk particularly assisting students who are interested in doing an internship. She has been working in administrative roles in legal, retail, and higher education for more than 20 years. Prior to coming to the United States, Joy’s professional background includes more than 15 years of corporate and management experience working in Public Relations, Advertising, Events and Marketing in print media, travel and hospitality. She took a course in Fashion Design and Merchandising in Manila, Philippines where she also earned her degree in Business Management. Joy speaks fluent Tagalog and enjoys cooking, reading, and volunteering in her community.

Suzanne Steffe, Counselor Associate, has worked in CIS for over 25+ years which includes but is not limited to servicing all paid jobs, credited internships, student and alumni requests and running student centered programs. Suzanne has held various titles and worked for multiple departments at FIT both full time and part time, including the Registrar Department , managed the Student Services Dept. under the former Ms. Edithe Sancroft, managed the Tutoring Department and worked in  the Museum.  In industry:  Suzanne leverages a profound institutional knowledge and diverse industry background to champion student success.   Her professional perspective is further sharpened by a successful 5 year tenure career as a  Merchandiser for a luxurious brand bedding manufacturer for Macy’s and Bloomingdales, alongside experience in the competitive NYC real estate market for almost a year. Suzanne is a graduate of the  FIT Buying and Merchandising program.  On the Job:  Suzanne seamlessly bridges the gap between academia and industry, overseeing the Retail Table Events and processing industry employers  with premier career opportunities to match FIT Students  to achieve  much success in their fields.