The Criminal Justice Department has a strong connection with its alumni. As part of this effort, we profile graduates from our bachelor's and master's programs. We hope that this spot will assist previous, current, and future students in knowing where a degree from our program will lead them.
If you are a Buffalo State criminal justice graduate and are interested in being featured in our Alumni Profile section, please contact the department chair. We look forward to hearing from you.
James J. Soboli, Ph.D.
Chair and Associate Professor
Criminal Justice Department
(716) 878-3217
soboljj@buffalostate.edu
We encourage graduates to join the Criminal Justice Alumni Chapter. For information, please contact Jill D'Angelo.
The Criminal Justice Alumni Chapter is seeking new members for its Executive Committee. If you are interested in serving, please contact Jill D'Angelo.
Alumni: Jason Jelsovsky
Undergraduate degree: Criminal Justice, 2000, Buffalo State
Current position: Director of Surveillance, Fairgrounds Gaming & Raceway
Duties: Oversee surveillance operations for Delaware North Companies Subsidiary Gaming and Entertainment Division.
Personal bio
Along my career path I carried with me one goal, and that goal was to remain localized in hopes of raising a family here in New York. Although my career path did not lead me into a traditional criminal justice role, it provided me with many excellent opportunities to build from. If you believe in yourself and you approach every opportunity as the next step in reaching your goal, doorways to success will open; it's up to you as to how many you will enter. Good luck in your career quests, the educational foundation you have received from the administrative team at Buffalo State will allow you to overcome any challenges your future holds.
Alumni: David Kalish
Undergraduate degree: BA, Psychology, University at Buffalo, 1993
Graduate degree: MS, Criminal Justice, Buffalo State, 1996
Current position: Director, United Martial Arts Center, Rochester, NY
Duties: Oversee all operations of one of the largest Martial Arts facilities in Western New York. Includes teaching civilian-oriented Defensive Tactics and Self Defense Classes as well as traditional martial arts.
Progression of criminal justice related jobs: My Criminal Justice area of interest was Sexual Assault Prevention. At the University of Buffalo, I ran the student organization—the Anti-Rape Task Force for a number of years. In 1996, I started working at Horizon Health Services in Buffalo as a Forensic Counselor specializing in treatment of sex offenders. After that, I moved to West Virginia, where I was the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Officer for WVU—responsible to all sexual assault prevention and education efforts at one of the nation's largest universities. After moving back to NY, I worked in the field of information technology specializing in training and management.
Now I run a very large martial arts school, utilizing my criminal justice education in an unorthodox way, teaching self-defense, ethics, and family values to kids, youth, and adults: forging tomorrow's leaders and upstanding citizens one black belt at a time.
Alumni: Wayne Longo
Undergraduate degree: Criminal Justice, 1975, Buffalo State
Graduate degree: Public Administration, 1988, University of Idaho
Recent position: Chief of Police for the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Police Department, 2007–2013
"Buffalo State has many happy memories in my personal and professional life."
Alumna: Mary Jowsey
Undergraduate degree: Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, 1997, Hilbert College, Hamburg, NY
Graduate degree: Master of Science in Criminal Justice, 2008, Buffalo State
Current position: Program coordinator for the Criminal Justice and Paralegal Studies at Bryant & Stratton College-Online Department
Duties: Oversee the day-to-day management of program areas. Responsible for coaching and mentoring instructors within my program area as related to classroom methodology and delivery. Also responsible for providing guidance to subject-area instructors and for ensuring that all required record keeping and reporting are completed in a timely and accurate manner. I also teach CJ classes to students in an online learning environment.
Personal bio: Married to Jim since July 2000; two children, Jacob, age 8, and Dylan, 3.
Alumni: Kevin R. Kuehmeier
Undergraduate degree: Criminal Justice, 1991, Buffalo State
Graduate degree: Criminal Justice, 1993, Buffalo State
Current position: Pretrial and Probation Administrator, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Washington, D.C., August 2006-present
Duties: Provide administrative oversight and assessment of national drug and alcohol treatment programs; Conduct program reviews and technical assistance visits to provide recommendations and guidance on policy for probation and pretrial offices; Provide staff work for the Judicial Conference Committee on Criminal Law regarding legislation affecting our system; Provide assistance to districts with substance abuse testing and treatment policy and procedure questions; Monitor trends, analyze data, and make recommendations for improvements of national policies; Assist with the implementation of Evidence Based Practices; Assist with the development of national training for treatment services; Provide training to new officers at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Charleston, South Carolina.
Personal bio: Married, two children
Alumni: Jason A. Marshall
Undergraduate degree: Criminal Justice, 2007, Buffalo State
Current position: Border Patrol Agent
Duties: Agent assigned to Deming, New Mexico, Area of Responsibility (AOR). I currently work in Columbus and Deming, New Mexico. Deming's AOR is 14,000-square-miles.
Alumni: Keith Vona
Undergraduate degree: Criminal Justice, 2001, Buffalo State
Graduate degree: J.D., 2005, University of Buffalo Law School
Current position: Attorney with the law firm of Lipsitz & Ponterio, LLC in Buffalo, NY
Duties: I primarily represent former tradesmen and union members as plaintiffs in asbestos litigation.
Progression of criminal justice related jobs: Prior to, and during my academic career, I was a Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority peace officer (1994-1996), and a City of Buffalo police officer (1996-2006).
