| Dr. Robert J. Dranoff | ||
| Title | Commissioner | |
| rdranoff@eccsports.org | ||
| Phone | 631 348-3451 | |
Dr. Robert J. Dranoff, Director of Athletics and Assistant Dean of Student Services at Suffolk (N.Y.) County Community College and former Director of Athletics at Dowling College and the State University of New York at Old Westbury, was named the fifth Commissioner of the East Coast Conference (ECC) April 30, 2008 and commenced duties June 15, 2008. Dranoff's appointment was announced by Dr. Drew Bogner, President of Molloy College and Chair of the ECC President's Council.
"I am extremely pleased to welcome Bob Dranoff to the ECC as Commissioner," said Bogner. "Bob brings a wealth of experience and intimate knowledge of our region to the job. As we continue to move forward in our goal of creating a model NCAA Division II conference, I am confident he will continue our mission of positioning the ECC as a leader in Division II not only athletically but academically."
"I also thank the members of the ECC Athletic Directors Executive Committee and the Presidents' Executive Committee for their exemplary work during the search process," Bogner added.
Dranoff begins his duties as commissioner June 15.
Dranoff has spent the past four years overseeing the Suffolk County Community College athletic program which encompasses the intercollegiate and recreation programs as well as facilities. His tenure has been marked by an overall enhancement of the entire athletic program as well building strong connections to the campus community and assisting with facility upgrades including renovations to the Brookhaven Gymnasium and outdoor facilities. Along with his role as Assistant Dean of Student Services he also served as an adjunct professor.
"I am very much looking forward to the opportunity and challenge of serving as Commissioner of the East Coast Conference and I thank the President's Council and Directors of Athletics for providing me the opportunity," said Dranoff. "I am particularly excited because I have been very impressed by the Presidents' commitment to making the ECC a model conference."
While serving Suffolk, Dranoff has also served as the Men's Regional Director of the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XV, and 18-institution regional athletic conference.
Dranoff served as Director of Athletics at ECC member Dowling from 1992 through 2004 and at SUNY Old Westbury from 1988 through 1992.
Further, Dranoff's appointment is a return home of sorts, beyond his tenure at Dowling. Dranoff also served as President and Past President/Ex Officio Chair with the conference when it was known as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference.
"The opportunity to return to a conference with which I am very familiar makes this a great fit," noted Dranoff. "Being part of the ECC is not only about providing championship opportunities, it's also about creating and building community service and helping the student-athletes truly enjoy their collegiate experience."
A 1978 graduate of St. John's University with a degree in Athletic Administration, Dranoff earned a Master of Science Degree concentrating in counselor education from St. John's in 1984 and his Doctorate in Education concentrating on Educational Administration from Dowling in 2006. He resides in Sayville, N.Y.
| Tom Emberley | ||
| Title | Assistant Commissioner | |
| temberley@eccsports.org | ||
| Phone | (631) 348-3452 | |
Emberley comes to the ECC after a stint as Assistant Director/Director of Media Relations at the City University of New York Athletic Conference. He was responsible for the publicity and promotion of a 15-school, 24-sport conference, and his duties included updating the conference's web site; producing weekly press releases and statistical reports; and editing content and design work for the CUNYAC's championship publications. Emberley also played a major role in the visibility of the conference's championship events, which included live statistical updates of all team sport championships, audio webcasts of each event, and televised basketball and baseball championships through Time Warner Cable of Staten Island.
A native of Fitchburg, Mass., Emberley came to the CUNYAC after serving for two years as Director of Sports Information at ECC-member Long Island University-C.W. Post. He oversaw the implementation and design of the school's athletic web site (cwpostpioneers.com), and secured publicity at the local, regional and national levels for the 17-sport department - including the national championship-winning women's lacrosse program in 2007.
Emberley's career has also included stints as the Director of Athletic Communications at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (2003-05) and as Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at La Salle University (2002-03). Upon graduation from Western New England College (2001, Bachelor's in Sport Management), where he was a two-year member of the school's football team, Emberley served a post-graduate sports information internship at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Outside of the ECC, Emberley serves as ECAC-SIDA's Web Site Coordinator and on CoSIDA's Technology Committee. He also coordinates the USILA NCAA Division II Men's Lacrosse All-America program, and has previously served on the Daktronics Division II Men's Soccer All-America Committee and as a voter for the NCBWA Division II Northeast Regional Poll. A member of two award-winning teams in the CoSIDA Publications Contest, Emberley resides in Kings Park, N.Y., with his wife, Jennifer.
| Melissa Perry | ||
| Title | Director of Media Relations | |
| mperry@eccsports.org | ||
| Phone | 631-348-3453 | |
Melissa Perry was named Director of Media Relations on August 1, 2008 after a brief hiatus from the Sports Information World.
Perry is no stranger to the East Coast Conference as she served as the Director of Athletic Communications for Dowling College. During her tenure at Dowling she managed the day-to-day demands of the athletic media office as well as developed relationships with local and national media outlets. As the Co-Advisor for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Perry helped to establish community service initiatives including a yearlong partnership with the "Keep Islip Clean" organization. Additionally, she organized the yearly Athletic Awards Banquet and served as the host sports information director for numerous NCAA events.
After Dowling, Perry held a brief stint with the American Heart Association working as a special events assistant for the "Go Red for Women" movement.
A Long Island native, Perry graduated from Ithaca College in 2005 with a degree in Sports Management.
