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The Young Alumni Award will be announced at the 2026 Communication & Media Hall of Fame.
Tyler Friel is news director and operations manager at the Butler Radio Network, where he also co-hosts morning shows on WBUT and The Rock Station 97.7 FM.
Friel joined the network in 2016 as a media consultant, writing and selling advertising to local businesses, before becoming news director in 2019, overseeing the news department across the network's three stations. In 2023, he added operations manager to his role, overseeing broadcast operations network-wide. He is a recipient of a Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters award for best promotional message and is a member of the Pittsburgh Media Partnership. A 2016 graduate of Slippery Rock University, Friel earned a Bachelor of Science in journalism, graduating magna cum laude. While at SRU, he contributed to The Rocket and broadcast athletic events. 
Zoe Rivett is senior strategist of social media and integrated communications at Pipitone, where she leads integrated social media strategy and brand storytelling for more than 10 active clients across B2C and B2B industries.
She joined Pipitone in 2023 as a social media strategist before being promoted to her current role in 2026. In her role, she owns creative direction for social campaigns and video initiatives, presents strategic recommendations to clients, and mentors a social media team. Prior to Pipitone, she worked at Ten Four Social as marketing operations manager and copywriter, developing multi-channel marketing strategies and content for more than a dozen clients. Campaigns she has worked on have won nine Renaissance Awards, including one Best in Show, and she led the social media campaign that won Best B2C Social Media Campaign at the AMA Marquee Awards in December 2025. She is a member of PRSA Pittsburgh, where she is serving as co-chair for the 2027 PRSA Renaissance Awards. A 2020 graduate of Slippery Rock University, Rivett earned a degree in integrated marketing communication with a minor in leadership, graduating summa cum laude with Dean's List honors all six semesters. While at SRU, she was a four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete and varsity women's volleyball player, and was involved with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Rock PRSSA, Special Olympics of Pennsylvania's volleyball committee, SRU Athletic Communications and Rivalry at the Rock. 
Dilmini De Silva is head of regional partnerships for Meta at Roar Global, leading client partnerships across more than five markets in South Asia and APAC.
She joined Roar Global in 2023 as manager of client partnerships for Meta's ASP program, managing high-value portfolios including Unilever and Nestlé and advising on digital strategy and performance marketing. In 2025, following the global discontinuation of the ASP program, she independently took on emerging markets, earning a double promotion to her current regional leadership role within a year. Prior to Roar Global, she served as group head at MullenLowe Sri Lanka, overseeing key accounts including Unilever and managing global public relations for brands such as Heineken. She is a member of the Digital Media Association of Sri Lanka, Women in Management and the International Advertising Association. A 2019 graduate of Slippery Rock University, De Silva earned a degree in communication with a focus in digital media production and a minor in leadership studies, graduating cum laude with Dean's List honors. She was awarded the International Provost Scholarship for Global Diversity and Academic Achievement. While at SRU, she was involved with WSRU-TV, Lambda Pi Eta and Alpha Phi Sigma, and worked closely with the University Communication and Public Affairs Office for more than three years. 
Megan Musante is major gifts development officer at United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, leading cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major donors and prospects to secure significant philanthropic investments.
She joined United Way in 2024 as donor engagement officer, managing relationships with more than 2,000 donors and partners and supporting gift processing, before being promoted to her current role in 2025. She is a recipient of the Moving Needle Award and the No Solo Acts Award. Since 2024, she has also served on the young professionals board for Friends of the Flock at the National Aviary, supporting fundraising, engagement and advocacy efforts. Musante is a 2020 graduate of Slippery Rock University, where she earned a degree in communications with a focus in public relations. 
Kevin Accettulla is digital executive producer at NBC4 Columbus (WCMH), overseeing day-to-day content for the station's website and streaming platform.
He joined NBC4 Columbus in 2025 after serving as digital content producer at WFLA in Tampa from 2023 to 2025, where he posted daily news content and live streams with an emphasis on breaking news and trending content. From 2020 to 2023, he was digital executive producer and content producer at WBTW in Myrtle Beach, managing a team of digital producers for the market's No. 1 news website and exceeding corporate goals each year. He is a recipient of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters award for Outstanding Television Feature Story. A 2018 graduate of Slippery Rock University, Accettulla earned a degree in digital media production. While at SRU, he was involved with WSRU-TV and won first place in the National Broadcasting Society's On the Spot News Contest. |
