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The Young Alumni Award will be announced at the 2024 Communication & Media Hall of Fame.
Deana Callipare, Class of 2018 Deana Callipare is the director of communications at the Environmental Charter School (ECS), where she oversees all public relations and marketing initiatives. Her responsibilities include organization-wide communication strategy, employee and media relations, event planning and crisis management as well as overseeing direct reports and newsletter writers. Before taking on her current role, Deana served as communications manager and earlier as communications coordinator at ECS, developing comprehensive communication strategies and enhancing brand visibility. Her prior position was as a marketing event coordinator at the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), where she crafted event marketing content and maintained digital platforms. Callipare’s work with ECS was recognized in 2024 by PenSPRA with both a Gold Medallion Award and an Award of Merit in Education Communications Excellence. In 2022, Callipare was selected to participate in Meltwater's Expert with Insights pilot program which has only continued to grow since. After her contributions as an Expert with Insights, she continued to provide content and resources as the leader of a rising communication professionals group with more than 100 members from across the globe. During her time at SRU, Callipare served terms as the president and secretary for the SRU chapter of Lambda Pi Eta. Under her leadership, Lambda Pi Eta was recognized as Chapter of the Year by the National Communication Association (NCA). Callipare also served as an event volunteer for the 2017 NYSCA conference and the SRU Office of Disability Services. Callipare graduated magna cum laude from SRU in 2018 with a degree in communication and a concentration in public relations. 
Morgan Ellenberger, Class of 2017
Morgan Ellenberger is a healthcare communications manager at CVS Health, where she's worked for over five years. In this role, she acts as chief of staff for the Medicaid COMET program’s business director and is responsible for all internal communication. She also creates or approves all graphic design work for the program to ensure adherence to CVS brand guidelines. Ellenberger participates in stakeholder meetings, which include the state plans’ CEOs and COOs, and other key stakeholders, to ensure their satisfaction with the program remains positive. Additionally, she works with the program business director on all hiring efforts and is a member of the CVS Enterprise Editorial Review Board. Ellenberger's contributions have earned her a CVS Health Award. During her time at SRU, she was a member of PRSSA, and its senior writing specialist, and was awarded for making the dean’s list. Ellenberger graduated from SRU in 2017 with a degree in communication with a concentration in public relations. She received her master's degree in public health in 2023. 
Kelly Martin, Class of 2017
Kelly Martin has worked as Point Park University’s social media manager since 2022. Martin came to Point Park from the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), where she was the director of communications. In this role, Martin managed media inquiries, social media campaigns and university communications. Before her time at UT Austin, she was a marketing and communication graduate assistant for Adventure West Virginia and WVU Campus Recreation at West Virginia University (WVU). During her time at SRU, Martin was a part of SRU’s chapter of Rock PRSSA, Slam Poetry Club and CRU, where she served as the chairperson for communication and social media, and later as the organization’s president. Martin graduated from SRU in 2017 with a degree in communication with a concentration in public relations. 
Morgan Koziar, Class of 2019
Morgan Koziar is a producer and television personality at WTAJ, where she has worked for over five years. In addition to reporting for the station’s local newscast, Koziar is a co-creator, producer and host for Studio 814, a lifestyle program broadcast live at 10 a.m. daily for the Altoona-Johnstown-State College market. Koziar is responsible for planning and executing feature television segments that focus on topics such as travel, cooking and home improvement. In 2023, Koziar was recognized with a Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters (PAB) Award in the breaking news category. During her time at SRU, Koziar was a member of WSRU-TV and Rock PRSSA and was recognized with the Undergraduate Excellence Award at the 2019 Communication & Media Hall of Fame for her involvement in the department. Koziar graduated from SRU in 2019 with a degree in communication and concentration in public relations. 
Kelsey Graham Lapiana, Class of 2016
Kelsey Lapiana is the senior manager of talent management at Dick’s Sporting Goods, where she has worked since 2021. As part of this role, Lapiana’s focuses on fostering a high-performance culture and building a strong and diverse talent pool by developing future ready leaders. Before being promoted 2023, she served as the chief of staff and focused on strategic planning, project management, employee engagement, and leadership development. During her time at SRU, Lapiana served as the vice president of standards and the vice president of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, the president of order for the Omega Leadership Honors Society, and was a member of PRSSA. Lapiana graduated from SRU in 2016 with a degree in communication and a concentration in public relations. 
Sarah Morrison, Class of 2017
Sarah Morrison is the director of marketing & public relations at the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority, where she orchestrates comprehensive marketing and PR campaigns that enhance the agency's public image and community engagement. Sarah oversees the organization’s branding initiatives, media purchases, and social media presence. Her responsibilities include designing media, writing vision and mission statements, and maintaining vital relationships with community and government stakeholders. Prior to this role, Sarah held positions at North Country Brewing Company, Port Farms, and Forever Media Inc., gaining experience in social media management, event planning, and media sales. At SRU, Morrison was a member of Lambda Pi Eta and served a term as treasurer. She was also a member of Rock PRSSA, Musical Theatre Society and the intramural volleyball team. She is a three-time recipient of the Federal Lead to Succeed Scholarship and achieved the dean’s list every semester while in school. Morrison graduated from SRU in 2017 with a degree in communication, a concentration in public relations and a minor in political science. 
Alex Mowrey, Class of 2015
Alex Mowrey is a social media content strategist for the Office of University Communications and Marketing at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). He also currently works as a senior live content correspondent for the National Football League (NFL) and as a freelance photographer for Pitt’s Department of Athletics. Prior to his current role, he worked in the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid at Pitt, where he created visual content for digital marketing and recruitment. Mowrey is a member of the University Photographer Association of America and the SRU Strategic Communication and Media Advisory Board. During his time at SRU, Mowrey served on the staff for the Rocket, served as a community assistant and “pride guide,” and was a was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He also worked in the Office of Enrollment where he produced digital content and helped start the SRU Instagram account. He also served as an office assistant to the president. During Mowrey’s time with the Rocket, he was recognized with dozens of photography awards. Mowrey graduated from SRU in 2015 with a degree in communication and a concentration in emerging technology and multimedia. 
Ben Renaudin, Class of 2018
Ben Renaudin is a senior account manager at TrueSense Marketing, where he spearheads direct response strategies for nonprofits. Currently, he works with 11 humane societies and has done extensive work with The Salvation Army. His expertise in direct mail and digital channels have significantly boosted fundraising efforts and supported vital missions across the country. Renaudin started his journey at TrueSense Marketing as an account coordinator. In this role, he honed his skills in managing direct response campaigns and coordinating effective schedules. During his time at SRU, Renaudin served as the president, vice president and treasurer of Rock PRSSA. Renaudin graduated cum laude from SRU in 2018 with a degree in communication, a concentration in public relations and a minor in Asian studies. 
Alexandra Rigby, Class of 2015
Alexandra Rigby is the executive director of Health Sciences Alumni Relations at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). In this role, she manages a team of nine staff members that implements a strategy for senior leadership to increase their participation in the philanthropic process. Rigby is also responsible for over 100 alumni engagement and fundraising events while also deepening partnerships with internal and external partners. Before this role, Rigby was also the director of the Pitt Medical Alumni Association and assistant director of Annual Programs. Rigby belongs to the SRU Alumni Association and was on the board of directors from 2016-2022 while also serving as their chair of membership and marketing from 2020-2022. She is also a part of the Strategic Communication and Media Advisory Board and has served as both a mock interviewer and senior presentation evaluator. Rigby graduated from SRU in 2015 with degrees in communications and dance. While at SRU, she was vice president of Sigma Rho Delta, a presenter at a communication symposium, was awarded a research award from the Department of Dance, made the dean’s list, and graduated with honors. |
