Man and woman at award ceremony.

Alumni Awards

Bestowed annually to individuals highlighting a variety of honors and accomplishments.

Hall of Heritage Award

The highest honor a Brockport alum can receive, the Hall of Heritage Award honors alumni who have distinguished themselves through exceptional contributions to the Alumni Association, the University, the community, and/or have shown a high level of professional achievement.

Most Recent Award Winners

Close up of Pete Guelli.

Pete Guelli is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres. In this role, Guelli oversees the business operations of both teams.

He returned to Buffalo after five years as Chief Business Officer of the New York Giants, where he was recruited to modernize the team’s business model and operations. While with the Giants, Guelli restructured key business functions, established a business intelligence and analytics department, expanded digital capabilities, launched branding initiatives, improved customer service, and extended the team’s partnership with Ticketmaster. He also led efforts to bring Eli Manning into a comprehensive role within the organization.

Before working for the Giants, Guelli served as Chief Operating Officer of the Charlotte Hornets. There, he led the transition of team ownership to Michael Jordan, the rebranding from Bobcats to Hornets, secured a new TV rights deal, launched the team’s G League affiliate, led participation in the NBA Global Games in China, expanded the Live Nation partnership, and managed Spectrum Center renovations—including a successful bid to host the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. He also served as President of the Hornets Foundation.

Guelli is in his second tenure with the Bills, having previously served as Senior Vice President of Business Ventures from 1998 to 2009. He initially oversaw the team’s expansion into the Rochester market and the relocation of training camp to St. John Fisher.

A native of Rochester, New York, and a graduate of Aquinas High School and SUNY Brockport, Guelli lives in Orchard Park with his wife, Patty. They have two sons, Gunner and Grayson.

Headshot of Chuck Plummer.

Lieutenant General Charles L. Plummer, USAF (Ret.) served nearly 30 years in the United States Air Force, culminating as the Judge Advocate General of the Air Force (19th) and Space Force (2nd). In this role, Plummer was the principal legal adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Chief of Space Operations, overseeing a global legal enterprise of more than 4,400 personnel.

A native of Syracuse, New York, Plummer was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1994 and practiced law in Buffalo and Syracuse before entering active duty in 1995. His military career encompassed leadership in military justice, operations, international law, and civil litigation. His lifelong commitment to service and excellence traces back to his formative years at SUNY Brockport. He retired in 2025 with a legacy of integrity, strategic leadership, and dedication to the rule of law.

Headshot of Jill Graziano

Jill A. Graziano, RN, BSN, MBA, currently serves as Senior Vice President, President & Chief Operating Officer of Unity Hospital and United Memorial Medical Center (UMMC) within Rochester Regional Health. During her tenure with the health system, Graziano has held a variety of leadership roles, most recently as Senior Vice President of Extended Care, Pharmacy, and Care Management.

Before joining Rochester Regional Health, Graziano spent over a decade at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield in various roles. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from SUNY Brockport and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Rochester.

Graziano serves on several boards, including the Common Ground Health / RHIO Board of Directors, the HAWCNY Board of Directors, the SUNY Brockport Foundation Board, and the Hillside Finance Committee.

Past Hall of Heritage Award recipients

Outstanding Service Award

The Outstanding Service Award honors those who have demonstrated sustained commitment to the Alumni Association, the University, shown outstanding community service, and/or notable achievement personally or professionally.

Most Recent Award Winners

Marisa Ballard Headshot

Born in Buffalo, New York, Marisa f. Ballaro is the Founding Artistic Director of Ballaro Dance. Based in New York City, where she has lived and worked since graduating from SUNY Brockport in 2007, Ballaro prioritizes bringing sensory-rich dance to new audiences while producing community-based, collaborative projects. Now, in its 11th season, Ballaro Dance recently toured to Nazareth University, the Aurora Dance Festival in Washington, DC, and Detroit, Michigan, for a screening of her collaborative film, Descent, at the prestigious Dance on Screen Festival. In 2024 and 2025, Ballaro received a recurring Impact Grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to lead virtual workshops and performances focused on healing and storytelling.

Ballaro earned her Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Montclair State University, where she was selected as Convocation Speaker for the College of the Arts. A proud Golden Eagle, she graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Brockport while in the Honors Program.

Headshot of Michael Cravotta

“One day, it’ll be your turn to do this.” Those words from respected professor Dr. Harold Rakov stayed with Michael Cravotta long after graduating from SUNY Brockport in 1985 with degrees in Journalism and Marketing. His first job was already secured. Early in his career, Cravotta became the Advertising Manager for Prudential Securities, developing national advertising campaigns. Over time, he served clients including Chase Bank, Centre Reinsurance, Toyota, Cars.com, Carnegie Hall, and Polygram Records. Now, as Senior Creative Manager at Capital Group, his innovative approach to video and digital marketing has earned numerous industry accolades. Cravotta credits many of his career milestones to his studies and extracurricular experiences at Brockport.

Today, Cravotta finds joy in mentoring and speaking to Brockport students, inspired by Dr. Rakov’s words. It’s his turn to give back.

Brockport Alum Headshot

Caroline A. Wojtaszek was elected Niagara County Court Judge and Surrogate in 2020, handling primarily criminal cases. She was elevated to Acting Supreme Court Judge in 2023, where she began presiding over the Integrated Domestic Violence Court. Before joining the bench, Wojtaszek was Niagara County’s first female District Attorney. She previously served as Confidential Clerk to a Niagara County Court Judge for over six years and as an Assistant District Attorney for 12 years, focusing on domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault cases.

As District Attorney, Wojtaszek secured the indictment of Joseph Belstadt in the cold case murder of Mandy Steingasser and worked to enhance the Niagara Intelligence Crime Analysis Center. She improved the prosecution of financial, sexual, and physical abuse crimes against the elderly and collaborated with the Sexual Assault Response Team to improve college campus investigations. Wojtaszek reviewed all animal abuse cases in the county and expanded the use of the Animal Abuse Registry.

She has long been a leader in the fight against domestic violence. As an Assistant DA, Wojtaszek helped develop countywide protocols that became a statewide model. She also led training for lawyers and service providers on mental health issues and coordinated education on cases involving Abusive Head Trauma/Shaken Baby Syndrome. Wojtaszek has served on numerous local committees and the board of the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier.

While earning her law degree at the State University at Buffalo, Wojtaszek led the law school’s Domestic Violence Task Force and served as acting domestic violence coordinator for Niagara County. She graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Brockport with dual majors in political science and sociology, studied abroad at Oxford University, and interned for Congressman Charlie Rangel in Washington, D.C. Wojtaszek lives in North Tonawanda, New York, with her husband, Henry, and their three children.

Past Outstanding Service Award recipients