Congratulations to the 2025 Wagner College Alumni Association award recipients. These alumni are being recognized for their consistent service, leadership, and achievement.
Gregg Gavioli ’98 — Kevin Sheehy ’67 M’70 M’92 H’99 Alumni Leadership Medal
Michael J. Coppotelli ’05 M’12 — Distinguished Graduate of Wagner
Dani Lucchese ’14 — Wagner Alumni Key
Rev. Annmarie Lambiasi ’85 - Reverend Lyle Guttu Award
This year’s awards will be presented at our Alumni Awards Dinner during Wagner Weekend scheduled for Thursday, October 16, in the Manzulli Boardroom in Foundation Hall. Click here to register.
Kevin Sheehy ’67 M’70 M’92 H’99 Alumni Leadership Medal
For consistent leadership and service
Gregg Gavioli ’98 has remained a dedicated leader and mentor to the Wagner College community since his graduation. While a student, Gavioli served as president of the Student Government Association during both his junior and senior years and was also president of the Theta Chi international fraternity. His leadership laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to Wagner and its students.
Today, Gavioli serves on the Nicolais School of Business Advisory Council, where he advises on employer trends, hiring practices and program improvements — including the addition of analytics courses that continue to attract top students. He has supported the Wagner Select program, providing mentorship to the college’s most promising business students.
Gavioli has returned to campus many times to host resumé workshops, offer career advice and connect students with professional opportunities. Through his role as Managing Director of Accounting and Finance Staffing at Solomon Page, one of America’s largest staffing firms, he has sponsored Wagner interns at both his firm and client organizations, including Fox News.
His influence extends beyond professional mentorship to program development, where his guidance has helped strengthen Wagner’s business curriculum and prepare students for the future. A trusted advisor and steadfast alumnus, Gavioli continues to exemplify leadership and service to Wagner College.
Distinguished Graduate of Wagner Award
For bringing honor through your career and contributions to your community
Michael J. Coppotelli ’05 M’12 is a nationally recognized executive leader known for driving transformational change across education, nonprofit and public sectors. As Deputy Superintendent for the Archdiocese of New York, one of the nation’s largest school systems, Coppotelli guided 200 schools through the COVID-19 crisis. His leadership ensured continuity of in-person learning for 62,000 students and raised test scores during a period of national decline.
He is credited with securing over $175 million in funding for academic programs, technology infrastructure and pandemic relief. Coppotelli’s expertise is sought by higher education institutions, state agencies and policymakers nationwide. He has advised the University of Notre Dame ACE program, CUNY and Boston College, and served on the Board of the National Catholic Educational Association and the USCCB FAAC Board of Secretariat for Catholic Education.
As managing partner of Bridge & Learn Advisors, Coppotelli works with corporations in the product, technology and education sectors to optimize operations and forge strategic partnerships. He is a national expert in local, state and federal funding for non-public schools and has successfully led fiscal and academic turnarounds at the executive level, including a $1 million swing from deficit to surplus at a charter school.
Coppotelli’s experience in public policy, honed as Chief of Staff in the New York State Legislature and as Commissioner for the NYC Board of Elections, has shaped his community-minded approach. His extensive nonprofit board service underscores his career-long commitment to equitable access to education and opportunity for all.
Wagner Alumni Key Award
For your professional achievements and dedication
Dani Lucchese ’14 is a multiply disabled, neurodivergent queer scholar and educator dedicated to advancing access in higher education. Currently serving as Program Coordinator at the Disability Cultural Center and as adjunct faculty at the W.A. Franke Honors College at the University of Arizona, Lucchese is also pursuing a doctorate in higher education. Their research focuses on equity for multiple marginalized disabled people through a disability justice–inspired, person-led approach.
Lucchese holds master’s degrees in disability studies from the CUNY School of Professional Studies and in sociology with a minor in design studies from The New School. They are active in the Disability Cultural Center Professional Network and the Association on Higher Education and Disability.
At Wagner, Lucchese was a student leader and advocate, serving as president and co-founder of Exceeding the Expectation, the college’s first disability awareness and education club. They also held editorial roles with the Nimbus Literary Magazine and The Wagnerian newspaper, and co-organized the 2013 Disability Awareness Month.
Recognized for their achievements, Lucchese received the C. Wright Mills Award, was inducted into ODK National Leadership Honor Society, and joined AKD, the National Sociology Honor Society.
Reverend Lyle Guttu Award
For spiritual contributions and serving the needs of the local and global communities
Annmarie Lambiasi ’85 has been a cornerstone of the Wagner College community for more than two decades. Since joining the Office of Institutional Advancement in 2001, she has served in a variety of roles and is currently Director of Advancement Services. Her commitment and care have made her not only a trusted colleague but also a steadfast ambassador of Wagner within Staten Island and beyond.
In addition to her professional contributions, Lambiasi is an interfaith minister who has offered spiritual support and leadership to the Wagner community. She plays a central role in organizing and leading the college’s annual memorial service, a tradition that honors the lives and legacies of the Wagner family. She is also a dedicated member of the alumni choir, sharing her talents in service of community and faith.
Colleagues and alumni alike describe Lambiasi as the embodiment of Wagner pride, someone who consistently lifts others up, approaches challenges with positivity, and seeks to advance the college’s mission. Her spiritual contributions, her service to others, and her role as a unifying presence on campus have had a lasting impact on generations of Wagner students and alumni.
