Chairman of The New York State Association for Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, NY Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat

New York’s most influential politicians and community leaders attended the ceremony in Albany, NY where Ms. Konkoth’s achievements were celebrated as part of the “2008 Annual Legislative Conference.”

This is the 2nd time in only 4 years that this award has been given to a senior executive at ASA, a rapidly-growing, private 2-year college in Manhattan and Brooklyn, with more than 3,000 students and 600 employees -- many of whom are immigrants. In 2004, ASA’s President, Alex Shchegol, was the honoree.

Ms. Konkoth began her career in higher education as an Administrative Assistant to Dr. Marvin Weiss at New York Institute of Technology in 1987.  She later became a Senior Instructor and Curriculum Specialist and then the Business Division Director at ASA.  In 1997,  she was promoted to her current position of Vice President of Education, where she is heavily involved with the academic community. Her responsibilities include developing articulation agreements with 4-year colleges so ASA graduates can transfer their credits to get a Bachelor’s degree. She is also an evaluator for the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), a national accrediting agency, and periodically visits other colleges around the country in this capacity to review them for accreditation.

Like many immigrants, Ms. Konkoth had to work hard and make many sacrifices to successfully meet the  challenges that all senior leaders encounter.

“My accomplishments at ASA have brought me tremendous satisfaction,” she says, “especially my work with our students who go on to have successful careers in the healthcare, business, computers, and criminal justice fields.”

She has also championed greater involvement for ASA in community issues.  For years, she has co-led ASA’s delegation in campaigns for women’s concerns, most notably generating college-wide involvement for breast cancer awareness.

Originally from Bombay, India, Ms. Konkoth came to the United States in 1987.  She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Stella Maris College in India and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from New York Institute of Technology.  The Queens resident lives with her daughter, Anjali, who she says is her greatest source of pride and inspiration.