Accelerated Academic Degree Programs

Richard Montanaro
Director, Career & Self Awareness Program

Contact info:

Phone:  203-591-7372
Office: Business School – Lower Library
Email: rmontanaro@post.edu

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Biography

Academic Background:

• PhD Human & Organization Systems -Fielding Graduate University
• MA Organization Development - Fielding Graduate University
• MS Industrial Relations ‑ University of New Haven
• BS Social Work - Southern Connecticut State University

Ph.D. focus/thesis title:
AFTER THE FALL: AN EXPLORATION OF THE COPING BEHAVIOR OF POSITIVE REAPPRAISAL IN MIDCAREER ADULTS’ RESPONSE TO INVOLUNTARY JOB LOSS 
This qualitative study explored how midcareer adults cope with involuntary job loss through their identified coping preference of positive reappraisal. The research combined quantitative and qualitative approaches. It applied a behavioral assessment instrument to identify participants’ preferred coping processes, then employed qualitative interviews to deepen and enrich the data gathered. Participants came from corporate settings. They were midcareer adults, between the ages of 35 and 55 years. This research built on prior research by Lazarus and Folkman that identified a coping process called positive reappraisal. This study expands the prior definition of positive reappraisal and applies the new findings to create a new definition and model of the concept. Ultimately each participant's story revealed aspects of an inward journey resulting in a recommitment to work that expressed a new, intended, job-loss outcome described as self-reflection. This process of self-reflection resulted in a personal re-evaluation and a desire for re-alignment between self and one’s future career aspirations.

Teaching Background

In addition to his current role as Academic Undergraduate Program Director, Dr. Montanaro’s previous academic experience was that of Adjunct Professor – Career Management, Manhattanville College, office of Adult and Professional Studies.

Professional Background

Dr. Montanaro’s corporate background spans 25+ years in professional, managerial and senior leadership positions, in Human Resources, and Learning and Leadership Development. This   experience spans a diverse number of industries, including lodging and hotels, engineering/defense, consumer products, and pharmaceuticals, in such roles as Senior Staffing Representative, Compensation Analyst, Manager Employee Relations, and Director Training and Development.  Dr. Montanaro has led cross-functional project teams for enterprise-wide initiatives as well as for department related projects. Dr. Montanaro’s experience includes extensive work with the selection and hiring process, and selection interviewing that includes numerous workshops dedicated to lawful employment practices for “hiring the best”.

Teaching Philosophy

Dr. Montanaro’s states his teaching philosophy “has evolved over the years.”  It remains, however, grounded in the belief that because adults all learn differently, learning content – and delivery – should reflect this reality.  His teaching philosophy, therefore, relies on engaging students through interacting with them “where they are” based on their life experience and more specifically their experience (or lack thereof) with the topic being taught. This active learning approach seeks to bring in multiple learning modalities to the classroom – lecture, case studies, self-assessment exercises, video, etc. to stimulate individual learning and promote critical thinking through topic discussions. Overall, one tenet of his teaching philosophy is the belief that a teacher must first understand the student’s curiosity to learn, and further stimulate or awaken that curiosity, among other methods, through the introduction of meaningful real world experiences and examples beyond the textbook.

Professional and community activities

Active in American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), and Association of Career Professionals (ACP)

Awards

Awarded “Who’s Who Among College Students in American Colleges and Universities” – SCSU

Personal Background

Dr. Montanaro finds balance and serenity through landscaping, gardening, and as a leather designer and craftsman practicing Olde world craftsmanship with contemporary designs

Research/Academic Interests

Since his early academic endeavors in Social Work and his fieldwork role as counselor at a psychiatric/correctional halfway house, Dr. Montanaro’s specific interest has been the study of adults in transition following a significant “life event” such as returning to college as an adult, entering a new job, or job loss. His corporate experience and now academic interests are in curriculum and program design, multi-level leadership initiatives, and group/individual assessments and results coaching.

Publications

“Developing and Delivering an Effective eCompliance Training Curriculum - An eLearning Case Study”  JOURNAL OF INTERACTIVE INSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT 21 (2), Dec 2009

“Lessons from a problem plagued learning initiative”, Technology, Training & Human Resources (TT&HR), July/Aug 2004

“Career Counseling: A Life-Span Development Approach”, (unpublished research), Fielding Graduate University, Nov. 2006

“Systems Theory: Toward a Better Understanding of Career Transitions”, (unpublished research), Fielding Graduate University, July, 2000

“Why adults go to college: The role of motivation, participation, and persistence factors – and implications for educators”, Feb. 2000 (unpublished research)