Faculty Appointments

Hilbert College is pleased to welcome five new full time faculty: Michael Barry (Cybersecurity), Kristen Connolly (Criminal Justice), Andrew Hill (Biology), Patrick Johnson (Accounting/Business), and John Payne (Forensic Science/ Crime Scene Investigation .)

Michael Barry, who earned his master’s degree in Computer Science from Nova Southeastern University and a bachelor’s in Computer Science and Statistics from the State University at Buffalo, joins the cybersecurity faculty as visiting assistant professor . He has previously served as a lecturer in Computer Information Systems at Buffalo State College; an assistant professor in Computer Repair Technology at Erie Community College, and an adjunct lecturer in Computer Science at the State University of New York at Geneseo .

Kristen Connolly, Ph.D.,

who will be an assistant professor of criminal justice, earned her doctorate in Sociology at the University at Buffalo . She received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice at Hilbert College . Dr . Connolly has taught at the University at Buffalo, Buffalo State College and Daemen College . Her research and teaching interests include the following topics: Criminology, Drugs and Society, Sociology of Law, Inequality and Diversity, Race and Racism and Medical Sociology .

Andrew Hill, Ph.D.,

joins Hilbert as assistant professor of Biology . He comes to us from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, where he was visiting assistant professor . He previously served as full time adjunct lecturer at the University of Florida and visiting assistant professor at Knox College in Galesburg, IL . Prior to these faculty positions, Dr . Hill was a research associate at the University of Chicago and the University of Arizona . He received his Ph .D . in Neuroscience from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a bachelor’s degree in Zoology/Animal Biology from the University of Rhode Island . Hilbert welcomes

Patrick Johnson, CPA,

as assistant professor of accounting/business . He received his Master of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance from St . Bonaventure University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Niagara University . Most recently, he served as associate professor at Medaille College in Buffalo, NY, teaching both at the undergraduate and graduate level . Previously, Johnson held positions with a local accounting firm and at BlueCross of Western New York .

John Payne,

previously adjunct instructor – Forensic Science/Crime Scene Investigation at Hilbert from 2017-2021, has been named an assistant professor – Forensic Science/Crime Scene Investigation . He served as a detective, Major Crimes Investigator, and police officer with the Town of Orchard Park Police Department . Payne received his Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degrees at Hilbert College .