The School of Labor and Urban Studies has a world-class faculty, which includes renowned social science scholars as well as expert practitioners in the fields of Labor and Urban studies. Together, this faculty provides both intellectual development and practical learning to give students the tools they need to succeed. Many SLU faculty hold the title of Distinguished Professor, the highest-ranking bestowed by the University. All of them are dedicated teachers as well as activists who are committed to education for meaningful social change. Collectively, the faculty has produced a widely recognized body of work, including some of the most influential social science research in the field.

  • Stephanie Luce

    Stephanie Luce

      • Professor of Labor Studies, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies
      • Professor of Sociology, CUNY Graduate Center
  • Ruth Milkman

    Ruth Milkman

      • Chair of Labor Studies Department
      • Distinguished Professor of Sociology, joint appointment, CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies and CUNY Graduate Center

  • James Rodriguez

      • Assistant Professor of Urban Studies

    Adjunct Faculty

    Joshua Bienstock

    Teaches “Collective Bargaining

    Jane Bogart

    Teaches “Urban Health Issues”

    Eugene T. Carroll

    Teaches “Issues in Labor Organizing”

    Elena Conte

    Teaches “Community Organizing & Community Organizations”

    Gouri P. Sadhwani

    Executive Director of the Akanksha Fund, a public grant-making charity.  She has worked in social justice with a focus on human rights, education, labor rights for over 20 years. Prior to joining Akanksha she served as Deputy Executive Director at Amnesty International USA; Special Assistant to the President of the Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ; Executive Director of the New York Civic Participation Project and; Executive Director of the Hague Appeal for Peace. She is currently President of the Board of the Friends of Watsessing Park Conservancy in Essex County, NJ. and an Adjunct Professor at CUNY.  She teaches at the graduate and undergraduate levels on nonprofits, labor and immigrant issues.  She has also taught at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.  She has a B.A from Montclair State University and an M.P.A. from New York University.

    Teaches “Community Organizing & Community Organizations”

    Claudia Shacter-deChabert

    Has worked in the labor movement since 1974, when she started working for the United Farmworkers Union as a Boycott Organizer. She also worked for many years as a Labor Relations Specialist for New York State United Teachers in the Nassau Regional Office on Long Island.  Claudia has a Master’s degree in Labor and Policy Studies from Empire State College.

    Teaches “Leadership & Administration”

    Denise Torres

    Teaches “Social Justice & Health Equity”

    Richard Wells

    Teaches “Capstone project in Urban Studies”

    Marianne LeNabat

    Teaches “Capstone Planning & Capstone Project in Labor Studies”

    Lyam Lynch

    Teaches “Worker Health and Safety”

    Melinda Gordon

    Teaches “Arbitration”

    Michael P. McNeil

    is the Chief of Administration for Columbia Health, Columbia University and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health, where he teaches evaluation courses. At the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, Dr. McNeil specializes in teaching research methods as well as evaluation of health policy and urban health services.  His research interests span a broad range of topics in health. He has conducted studies on linking health promotion with student academic success, professional preparation regarding health promotion in higher education, and is current preparing manuscripts addressing topics including the spectrum of sexual infections, and a temporal exploration of alcohol use in college undergraduates. Additionally, Dr. McNeil is the author of dozens of practice-oriented articles and hundreds of presentations.

    Teaches “Research Methods in Urban & Community Studies”

    Andrew Sparberg

    Retired MTA/Long Island RR manager, transportation historian, and author of the 2015 book From a Nickel to a Token, a history of New York mass transit between 1940 and 1968.  He teaches “The Development of Mass Transit in New York City: The Industry and its Workers.”

    Teaches “Development of Mass Transit in New York City”

    Paul Italie

    Teaches “U.S. Labor History”

    Rebecca J. Lurie

    She is the founder of the Community and Worker Ownership Project where she champions, facilitates and engages in learning activities for cooperative ownership, both locally and nationally.

    Teaches, “Cooperative Management for a Changing World”, “Community Development and Urban Social Problems”, “Urban Studies Fieldwork” and Independent Study projects.

    Justin M. Laird, Ph.D., L.P.

    Has worked in corporate wellness, college health promotion, and academic medicine, and has served as a university administrator, professor, academic advisor and faculty-in-residence.  In addition to his work in higher education, Justin is a private practice psychotherapist.  His academic interests include mindfulness, cultural humility, leadership, and existentialism.

    Teaches “Health Disparities”

    Andres F. Puerta

    Has worked in the labor movement for over two decades as an educator and organizer.  He has worked with unions in several industries including construction, television, radio and film and building services.  He participated in the first CUNY Union Semester, has a B.A in Political Science and an M.S in Labor Studies.  He has been a member of the Murphy/SLU faculty since 2008.   Andres directs the Labor Studies Field Work/Internship.

    Teaches “Labor & Workplace Studies Field Study/Internship

    Anushay Said

    Teaches “Urban Public Management”

    Herns Pierre

    Teaches “Statistics for Social Change”

    Daniel Katz

    Teaches “Work, Culture, Politics”