Meet the Faculty

Meet the Faculty

Chairperson, Gregory D. Gross, MSW:

The chair administers the program's internal and external affairs (e.g., chairs bi-weekly department meetings, meets with the dean, advocates for the department's resources, serves as contact person for college offices (e.g., Registrar) and for accrediting bodies.

The chair teaches the following courses:

SWK 212/213: Social Change & Social Service
SWK 215 and 315: HBSE I and II
SOC 256: Old Age in America
SWK 379: Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families
SWK 483: Practice with Groups

Professor Gross has maintained his vitality via two forms of scholarship--studying and writing. Twenty-one credits of post-graduate study in theatre, much of that on Asian theatre, has aided in selection of class texts and has informed his grasp of cultural diversity. His publications span journals such as Family Therapy (on foster families), Journal of Religion and Aging (on the elderly), Journal of American Culture (on gay relationships), and Interrace Magazine (on bi-racial families). In 2000, The Encyclopedia of Aging published his review of the book, The Measure of My Days. In August/September 1999, The Journal of Teaching in Social Work published "The Drama of Prejudice: Three AIDS Plays," his article on the pedagogy of AIDS and homophobia. Later that year the reference work, Drama Criticism, anthologized his "Coming Up for Air: Three AIDS Plays" under its section on literary criticism on playwright and activist Larry Kramer, and in 2002 The Council on Social Work Education re-published "Drama" in its Teaching Social Work Values and Ethics.

More recently, academic year 2002-2003 saw the publication of "ScienZart deconstructed to da Max: A (Post) Modest Proposal" and "'Witness Protection' or 'I am a Seagull'" in The Journal of Progressive Human Services and Reflections: The Journal of Professional Helping, respectively. In the fall, he presented the postmodern approach as a part of a panel at the BPD Conference in Pittsburgh about understanding an aging man and in the spring he traveled to Atlanta to present a paper, "Deconstructing Death" and a satirical play, "Canditatus, Accreditatus, Oh God Help Us: A Mock Opera in One Unnatural Act," at CSWE's Annual Program Meeting.

The Journal of Poetry Therapy published his "Deconstructing Death: Toward a Poetic Remystification and All That Jazz" in 2003-2004; several students contributed to the article by lending poems for inclusion. Also in '03-'04 Professor Gross gave two papers at the BPD Conference in Reno, Nevada; one was titled "The End of Justice and the Last Brand" and the other was titled "Deconstructing the Dominant Text on Domestic Violence: A Postmodern Perspective toward a More Inclusive Narrative." Professor of Counseling, Dr. Michael Bologna, co-wrote this latter piece with Gross. In March 2004 Professor Gross traveled to Anaheim, California, to present a paper, "The Viagra Monologues," co-written with Dr. Robert Blundo of the University of North Carolina. In summer, 2004, Professor Gross and Dean Kathleen Crowley-Long conducted a poster session on the course they created at Saint Rose on postmodern social science; their presentation took place in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association. Other projects for 2003-2004 included his participation on a panel at the College of Saint Rose on racial themes running through the Spike Lee movie, "Do the Right Thing;" moreover, Professor Gross presented his paper, "Social Work - - A Profession in Search of Its Text" for the BPD Conference in Detroit, Michigan, in the fall.

In 1992 and 1994, Professor Gross delivered papers at the New York State Social Work Education Association's annual meeting (one on AIDS plays and the other on Javanese shadow puppetry as means of delivering social work content on the micro and macro levels). In 1998, at the annual BPD Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he delivered "Gatekeeping for Cultural Competence Ready or Not: Some Post and Modernist Doubts," which the Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work published in April, 2000. He presented three other papers at the BPD Conference in 2000 and 2001. In 2002 he presented on postmodern theory for a panel titled "Social Work Practice with an Older Adult: Teaching through a Kaleidoscope of Relevant Theories."

Professor Gross has remained active off campus. In the past, he served for several years on the International Adoption Advisory Board of Parson's Family and Child Center, on K.A.F. (Korean American Families), an educational and support group for adoptive families, and on Camp Mujigae, a Korean Culture Camp for adoptees and their families. In 1996 Parson's and the camp honored Gross, who with his wife Judi had adopted two children from Korea, for having been a co-founder of Mujigae, ten years earlier. In 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 Professor Gross served as a mentor for the Educational Leadership Corps for minority students interested in careers in higher education. For the past decade he has served on the advisory board of the Human Services Program at Schenectady County Community College. From 1999 to the present, Professor Gross has served on The Correctional Rehabilitation and Life Skills Committee established by the Schenectady County Human Rights Commission.

For community theatre he has directed major plays that highlight issues of diversity related to single parent families and the elderly. In Summer 2000 Professor Gross wrote and directed a postmodern adaptation of Chekhov's The Seagull in collaboration with Tseyhaya and Company, a modern dance company specializing in African influences. Gross directed this dance-drama with a cast composed almost exclusively of minority children and teens from the Albany inner city. Later that year he co-presented a workshop at the BPD conference on theatre of the oppressed. He now serves on the organization's board and was instrumental in bringing Tseyhaya to the campus as Company-in-Residence, 2002-2003.

His major interest in diversity, however, rests with Asian, Hawaiian, and Pacific Island peoples, about whom he injects content in several courses. This area of interest found its way into two presentations, Fall, 2000 -- one for the New York State Conference on Asian Studies and the other for the national BPD conference where he presented on the puppet theatres of India, Java, Vietnam, and Japan as cultural expressions of those four nations. In 2002-03, Professor Gross chaired the year-long series, "The Year of Asia" at The College and presented "Southeast Asian Theatre: Dance, Trance, and Shadow," based primarily on his brief field research in Bali the previous summer.

The year 2002 marked Greg's 25^th year at The College.

Email Gregory D. Gross Here

Field Liaison, Gail Bernadt, MSW:

The faculty member in this half-time position sets-up all field placements for Pre-Field (SWK 378) and for Field Practicum (SWK 480 & 482). Duties include conducting an 8-session orientation for juniors who plan to take SWK 378: Pre-Field in the Spring semester, and tracking those juniors throughout their Pre-field experience. This person, assisted by the chair, also meets these juniors for a weekly discussion group that serves as peer supervision for these first-time student-interns.

Professor Bernadt has been affiliated with the College of St. Rose for over 20 years, serving as a field instructor, an adjunct professor and an advisory board member. As a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work since 1987, Mrs. Bernadt is in private practice in Saratoga Springs, New York, and serves as a consultant to the Colonie Youth Center, Latham, New York. She has been a mentor for Empire State College in Saratoga Springs since 1987 and was honored with their “Outstanding Tutor Award” in 1996. She is listed in “Who’s Who of American Women”.

Mrs. Bernadt’s experience includes direct practice with a variety of client groups. However, she has focused primarily on work with children and families. In the 1970’s she established an adoption/foster care program for hard to place children, conducted statewide training for staff and prospective parents, and directed the development of a statewide network of training for foster parents and social workers. Her 22 years of direct practice in residential treatment settings has enhanced her clinical expertise and her understanding of service delivery systems. Two areas she is especially interested in are grief/loss and relaxation/stress management.

Mrs. Bernadt is also interested in international and cross-cultural social work. On a personal level, this interest is expressed through her volunteer work for the American Field Service. She has hosted three students from Turkey and has served as a consultant to the local AFS chapter. On a professional level, this interest has been demonstrated through her work in the Middle East and Europe. Mrs. Bernadt’s experience in the Middle East has given her knowledge of Moslem culture and religion. In 1997, she accepted a one year position in Adana, Turkey, where she worked with United States Air Force families stationed at Incirlik Air Base, the Turkish Air Base responsible for monitoring the no-fly zone over Iraq. While in Turkey she lived in a Turkish village for three months and later in the center of Adana, a city of 6 million people, where she experienced first hand the devastating earthquake that took place in June of 1998.

While in Turkey, Mrs. Bernadt was part of an early intervention team that provided services to children between the ages of birth and 3 years. She lectured on Adolescent Depression at the annual Hospital Symposium on Wellness and conducted briefings and treatment groups on relaxation /stress management for military personnel. Additionally, she was part of a team effort to train Turkish nanny’s caring for American children. Mrs. Bernadt also took part in disaster preparedness and force protection training along with training in critical incident stress de-briefing and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Mrs. Bernadt’s international social work experience also includes work with the United States Army in Heidelberg, Germany, Headquarters of the United States Army in Europe. In 1998 she served there as Family Service Coordinator for the Early Intervention Program. In this capacity she functioned as team leader working with an interdisciplinary team providing services to families. She also attended annual Early Intervention Conferences in Passau, Germany, and lectured on adolescent development at “The Parent University”, a workshop series for military parents, in Izmir, Turkey.

While at St. Rose, Professor Bernadt plans to continue her clinical work with families through private practice and consultation. She looks forward to the possibility of conducting professional presentations in the areas of grief/loss counseling, relaxation/stress management, and international social work.

Email Gail Bernadt Here

Richard Pulice, Field Coordinator, 464 Western Avenue, phone 454-5251

Dr. Richard Pulice has had over 25 years of experience in mental health, working for state and local governments, not-for-profit agencies, and in private practice. He holds graduate degrees in Psychology (Marist College), Public Health (Columbia University) and Social Welfare (Brandeis University). Dr. Pulice began his career in mental health in the early 1970's working as a direct service provider, clinician, and as an administrator of a large comprehensive mental health center. Following his doctoral work in Social Welfare at Brandeis University, Dr. Pulice began a research and academic career, first as a researcher with the New York State Office of Mental Health and later as a Post Doctoral Fellow and Professor of Social Welfare at the University at Albany.

He has published many articles regarding services for the seriously mentally ill in both the popular press and in professional journals such as Psychiatric Services and Orthopsychiatry and Administration in Social Work. In addition, he has authored numerous monographs on mental health and substance abuse program development, services for homeless women and children, as well as the management of public and not-for-profit organizations.

Dr. Pulice has been a consultant to many state and not for profit organizations in the Northeast and has consulted in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic. He has also served on the Boards of Homeless and Travelers Aid and the Salvation Army and is the current President of the Albany County Consumer Advocacy Board for Mental Health.

Most recently, Dr. Pulice has been conducting training and research in the area of job development for persons recovering from a mental illness. He is also a founder of Research on Advancing Recovery a consumer operated not-for-profit organization which focuses on research which assures the input of those who are receiving or who have received mental health services. In this capacity he has been completing research on the Winds of Change, an initiative of the NYS Office of Mental Health, to re-shape the delivery of public mental health services. Finally, in November 2002, Dr. Pulice was appointed to a three-year term as an at-large Trustee of CARF (The Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities), representing those concerned with Behavioral Health Services.

No stranger to the College of Saint Rose, Dr. Pulice has served as a Field Instructor in Social Work and has assisted as a mentor in the Policy course and working with the senior class on the development of a community based research project. He joins the Faculty in September 2003, teaching a variety of Social Work offerings, and is also the Field Coordinator.

Email Richard Pulice Here

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