Alumni Awards

Althea Largie Ceasor is a Senior Vice President, Private Client Manager at Bank of America Private Bank, serving ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and Foundations. She helps simplify complex financial lives by delivering tailored wealth management, banking, and credit solutions aligned with clients’ goals.

Althea began her career at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY, and brings leadership experience across both corporate and nonprofit sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Brockport and a master’s in data science and artificial intelligence from Florida Atlantic University.

An active community leader, Althea serves on multiple boards, is a Leadership Palm Beach County alumna and Rotarian, and has received national recognition for her volunteerism. She and her husband, Mario, have three young adult children: Taylor, Tiffany, and Mario, Jr.

Daniel Velte is the Vice President of Operations for Little League Baseball and Softball and serves as the organization’s International Tournament Director. Daniel began his Little League career as an Assistant Regional Director for the Southwest Region in Waco, Texas, supporting leagues, volunteers, and communities across the region. Through a commitment to service, innovation, and operational excellence, he advanced through leadership roles including Director of League Development, Senior Director of Regional Operations, Senior Operations Executive, and ultimately Vice President of Operations.

Throughout his career, Daniel has helped strengthen the Little League experience for players, families, volunteers, and communities around the world. In his role as International Tournament Director, he leads the strategy, operations, and execution of Little League’s International Tournament, including the iconic Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

A 2001 graduate of Brockport, Daniel credits the leadership, teamwork, and service values developed during his time at Brockport as foundational to his professional journey. He remains committed to expanding opportunities for children worldwide and advancing Little League’s mission of bringing communities together through baseball and softball.

Daniel resides in Williamsport with his wife, Amanda, and their children, Cooper and Claire.  

Stu Krieger is a 1973 graduate of Brockport and a retired professor of screen and television writing in the University of California, Riverside’s Department of Theatre, Film & Digital Production; he also taught in the Creative Writing for the Performing Arts MFA Program at UCR and at USC’s Peter Stark Producing MFA. Prior to turning to academia, Krieger wrote the animated classic The Land Before Time for producers Steven Spielberg & George Lucas and ten Disney Channel original movies including Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century and its two sequels, Tru Confessions, Smart House, Phantom of the Megaplex, Going to the Mat and Cow Belles. He also co-wrote the Emmy Award-winning mini-series A Year in the Life. His first novel, That One Cigarette, was published by Harvard Square Editions in 2017. His second book, Raft, debuted in May 2023.

Dr. Lauren Bates-Fraser is a population scientist with training in exercise physiology and epidemiology. Her research examines how physical activity and sedentary behavior influence cancer incidence, survival, and quality of life. Her work focuses on identifying modifiable factors related to health and well-being, particularly among female cancer survivors and underserved populations.

Since graduating from SUNY Brockport in 2018, where she was also a member of the Cross Country and Track & Field teams, Dr. Bates-Fraser has completed both her master’s degree and PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a prestigious NCI T32 predoctoral fellowship. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in physical activity epidemiology and behavior at the American Cancer Society.

With 40 peer-reviewed publications and multiple national awards, including the highly competitive ACSM Paffenbarger-Blair Fund Early Career Research Grant, Dr. Bates-Fraser is well positioned to become a leader in the field of exercise oncology.

Camechia “CC” Johnson is an educator, mentor, servant leader, and community advocate dedicated to empowering students and strengthening her community through education and service. As Student Success Coach for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) and Transfer Students and instructor of Smith Seminar at Johnson C. Smith University, she provides holistic support that promotes academic achievement, leadership, and personal growth.

A graduate summa cum laude with a Master of Science in Counseling, Camechia also holds degrees in Sociology, Human Services, and Liberal Arts. Beyond campus, she is the published author of Say It!…ALOUD! and Founder and Host of the Leslie N. Johnson Community Day Event, which raises awareness about drowsy driving in honor of her late sister. She also serves as CEO and President of the Leslie N. Johnson Youth Foundation for ART, creating opportunities that inspire youth through creativity, education, and service.

Camechia’s unwavering commitment to uplifting others embodies the spirit of servant leadership and lasting community impact. In her words: “Please Never Drive Tired, It’s Dangerous & Preventable. Reading is always FUN! & Empowering with CC!”

Metz has been actively involved in substance abuse prevention and treatment since 1969. Prior to returning to Brockport, he served as a Chemical Dependency Counselor and Supervising Counselor at Park Ridge Chemical Dependency, Associate Director of the New York State Governor’s Task Force on Alcoholism Treatment in Criminal Justice, and Director of St. Joseph’s Villa Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program.

Metz is the founder of the Addictions and Behavioral Health Program (1973) at SUNY Brockport. It was the first bachelor’s degree program in addictions counseling in New York State and the second in the nation. He serves as the Program Coordinator, and the program has been ranked as:

• 1st in New York State for Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling by Universities.com
• 4th in the Nation by Best Degrees in Addiction and Recovery by Best Counseling Degrees
• 5thin the Nation for Top Addiction Degrees by College Choice

Metz, an active grant writer, has secured federal funding for numerous substance abuse prevention initiatives for New York State and the international community. In these grants, he served as Director of the Near East and South Asia Regional Project on Drug Education and Public Awareness (India, Egypt, Morocco, Bangladesh, and Nepal) and as Program Consultant to Linkages of Rochester for substance abuse prevention and treatment in Novgorod, Russia. He believes it is always better to exchange ideas than missiles.

Metz is the longest-serving Employee Assistance Program Coordinator in New York State, with 39 years of service. He also serves the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff in the Criminal Division/Marine Unit. In his spare time, he enjoys writing books with Dr. Richard Lumb, SUNY Brockport Emeritus Associate Professor and Past Chair of Criminal Justice, on substance abuse interventions and the criminal justice system and public safety initiatives.