Jason Marchioli began his career as a business education teacher, teaching a wide-array of business and computer courses, while also serving as a basketball coach and DECA advisor. Jason has served as a school administrator in the West Seneca Central School District since 2016, and is currently the Principal of West Seneca East Middle School. In addition to actively working with students and staff members, Jason spends a great deal of time working with aspiring educators and new teachers to help them strengthen and develop their craft. He is most proud of his recent work with The Buffalo State English Education department, and is grateful for the relationship he has enjoyed with Dr. James Cercone and Dr. Kristen Pastore-Capuana. Together, they have created many opportunities for educators to gain meaningful experiences in the classroom, while always placing emphasis on the importance of fostering a nurturing learning environment designed to promote success. Jason currently lives in East Aurora, NY with his wife Lisa and their daughter Vienna Capri.

Mike Gunsolus teaches English 10 Honors and a senior elective course entitled Social Justice at Lockport High School. His focus is on creating classrooms that are centered around the student, inquiry-based learning, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Mike is also the advisor of the high school’s newspaper and the Take a Look At Teaching Program (TALAT) which gives high school students who aspire to be future educators opportunities to learn more about the profession. He earned his BS from Niagara University and his MSED from SUNY Buffalo State, both in the field of English Education. Mike and his wife Aman love traveling, and currently reside in Tonawanda, NY with their 14 year-old dachshund Cooper.

Brandy Kinney is currently in her 17th year of teaching. Although her career started in Jamestown City School District with Videography and Sports Journalism, she has spent the last sixteen years teaching ninth and tenth grade for the Salamanca City School District. In addition to being a classroom teacher, she is co-advisor of Student Council, a Volleyball Coach, a Team Leader, and Head of the English Department. Brandy is the creator and coordinator of the SCCD Mentoring Program where within her role she provides information, support, and encouragement for the success of educators/staff new to the district. She is a member of NCTE and has presented at their conference along with ISTE, and NYSCATE. She is also an ADL Jacques Wolf Educators’ Conference presenter. She is a partner of Echoes and Reflections which provides professional development to empower educators to become transformative classroom teachers about the Holocaust and has presented at Yad Vashem. She was recently recognized by the NYS Board of Regents with the Louis E. Yavner Teaching Award for her work in Human Rights and the Holocaust in the classroom using her engaging and interdisciplinary project Atrocity Museum. Brandy earned a Master’s Degree from Edinboro University in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Bachelor’s Degree from SUNY Fredonia in English with a minor in Sports & Exercise Studies.

Diane (Eggenweiler) Meaney graduated from West Seneca West High School in 1984. She graduated from Canisius College in 1988 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in English. She continued her education at Buffalo State, earning a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Secondary Education and eventually her Master’s Degree in Reading. In 1991, after working as a substitute teacher for West Seneca Central Schools she was hired as an Inclusion Aide for the district which eventually led to the positions of Teacher’s Assistant and finally full-time English teacher in 1997. Diane was the advisor for West Horizons newspaper for ten years. In addition to teaching English 9, Diane has been the co-teacher for WSTV (West Senior TV) which produces a live morning broadcast daily for the past seventeen years. She has worked with 13 student teachers during her career, three of whom she is proud to say work in the West Seneca School District. Throughout her years in West Seneca, she and her husband have been active members in the West Seneca West Alumni Association since its inception in the early 90’s.

A proud graduate of Buffalo State College for both her BS in English Education 7-12 and MS Ed in English 7-12 — Go, Bengals — Darla has taught for the past 28 years. She has worked with WNYNET for several years and has also hosted many student teachers from Buffalo State. Darla is the president of her local teachers’ union, president of the Niagara County Teacher Presidents, and sits on the NYSUT Board of Directors for ED3. She is active in unionism and education. Her greatest accomplishment is working to shape the minds of students and future teachers - a legacy that has a lasting yet immeasurable impact. It is with humility and honor that Darla accepts this prestigious award.

Dr. Melissa Meola Shanahan is an educator and theatermaker. She has worked at Lafayette International High School for over two decades, exploring language, identity, and agency with her students in the English Language Arts classroom. Meola Shanahan is the founder and advisor of two extracurricular clubs. Meola Shanahan also serves as an adjunct professor at Buffalo State University and University at Buffalo, teaching courses to preservice English Teachers. Melissa is also the co-founder and Associate Director of Torn Space Theater, a contemporary performance company located on the Eastside of Buffalo. Each spring, she facilitates collaboration between LIHS and TST with a project called Agents of Change. Agents of Change is a community-based research project exploring the talent and assets of people in Buffalo. The students create a public installation and present their research findings at a community event. Meola Shanahan recently earned her doctorate in Learning and Instruction at the University at Buffalo this spring.