Crowded Debate Stage

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Voters have more than a year before they go to the polls to pick their next president, but the 2020 election process is already underway with ongoing Democratic primary debates that will thin a field of 20 candidates to one nominee. Experts who can analyze debate performance and discuss how candidates can stand out in a crowd include:

Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication and a former NBC news executive who has produced live coverage of ten presidential debates. He can discuss the evolution of televised debates, the impact of moderators, and the growing dependence on entertainment elements to draw viewers.

Tomeka Robinson, rhetoric professor and director of Hofstra’s award-winning speech and debate team. She can offer commentary on the candidates’ debate styles and overall performance.

Rosanna Perotti, political science professor, can discuss candidates’ policy stands and the overall race for the White House.

Connect with:

Mark Lukasiewicz

Dean, The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication

Dean Lukasiewicz is a veteran producer, journalist, and media executive. Before joining Hofstra, he was SVP of specials at NBC News.

news platformsnews industryBroadcast NewsDigital MediaMedia Ethics

Tomeka Robinson

Senior Associate Dean, Professor of Writing Studies and Rhetoric

Dr. Robinson is an expert on effective public debate as well as health communication. She directs Hofstra's award-winning forensics team.

Public/Social AdvocacyRhetoricHealth CommunicationsArgumentation and DebateIntercultural Communication

Rosanna Perotti

Professor of Political Science

Professor Perotti's expertise is in American politics, including Congress, elections and political parties.

American PoliticsCongressMedia and PoliticsAmerican Political PartiesAmerican Elections

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Oct 22, 2026

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Credibility a Must for White House Press Secretary Role

Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, talked to Newsday about Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure as White House press secretary. He explained that the person in that challenging role needs to have a high level of credibility with the press. “It is a tough job, but successful press secretaries – and there have been several in the two Trump administrations – I think take a different approach, which is not the kind of bumbling approach that this press secretary took,” Lukasiewicz said. “You have to have a very deep command of the facts and policies of the president … so we’ll see who’s next in line.”

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Martine Hackett, associate professor and chair of population health, spoke with Newsday about health and wellness advice disseminated by social media influencers. People looking to make a lifestyle change are likely to look at posts by influencers. Dr. Martine Hackett, chair of the population health department at Hofstra University, said posts from these influencers can be helpful to people looking for detailed wellness information that they might not be able to get at a routine office visit with their doctor. “You can go for your annual health checkup, but if you are younger and don’t have a chronic disease, you might be told to exercise, but they don’t have the time to tell you how,” she said. “And you may not be able to go to a nutritionist or a trainer.”

Oct 7, 2026

1 min

Auction of LI’s Oheka Castle Draws Bidders with Big Dreams

Lawrence Levy, associate vice president and executive dean of Hofstra University’s National Center for Suburban Studies, spoke to Newsday about the auction of Long Island’s Oheka Castle, which will take place later this month in Manhattan. The property has been called “a real-life Gatsby estate” and “one of the rarest trophy properties in the country.” Buyers could include hedge funds interested in developing condos, a boutique hotel chain or a catering company. “It would be broadly appealing once the economic backdrop improves in terms of being able to borrow to finance construction and purchasing,” Levy said.