Staff, Faculty Awarded for Outstanding Service with SUNY Chancellor's Awards

ALBANY, N.Y. (Sept. 18, 2025) — Outstanding members of UAlbany’s faculty and staff were honored Tuesday with Chancellor’s Awards, SUNY’s highest honor. The celebration, hosted by President Havidán Rodríguez and Provost Carol Kim, was held in the University Art Museum.

Kim noted that the awards recognize excellence in professional service not only to the University, but to SUNY as a whole. Chancellor’s Award winners all previously received the President’s Award for Excellence.

Kim and Rodríguez both lauded the awardees for going beyond their daily jobs in support of colleagues, students and the institution.

“It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of answering emails, joining zoom calls, taking meetings and putting out the proverbial fires in front of you,” President Rodríguez said. “In these particularly challenging times, new urgent issues pop up frequently with the potential to derail your day’s plans. But each of you has managed to rise above the daily tasks and do something greater for our university.”

2024-25 Chancellor’s Excellence Awardees

Excellence in Professional Service

Angelina Díaz-Myers — Coordinator for Digital Services and Technology, Counseling & Psychological Services

Sheena Loughlin — Director of Student Affairs, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy

Debernee Privott — Assistant Dean for Public Engagement and Director of UAlbany in the High School, College of Arts and Sciences

Kristen Swaney — Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Director of Academic Advising, Undergraduate Education

Stacey Zyskowski — Student Services Coordinator, School of Criminal Justice, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy

Tremaine Harris — Senior Associate Director for Operations, Department of Residential Life

Excellence in Faculty Service

Edmund Stazyk — Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration and Policy, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy

Excellence in Teaching

Susanna Fessler — Professor of Japanese Studies, Department of East Asian Studies, College of Arts and Sciences

Federica Francesconi — Associate Professor of Judaic Studies, Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences 

Paul Stasi — Associate Professor, Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences

Allison Craig — Lecturer II, Writing and Critical Inquiry Program, Undergraduate Education

Excellence in Librarianship

Amanda Lowe — Associate Librarian, University Libraries

Excellence in Research and Creative Activities

Julia Hormes — Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research, College of Arts and Sciences

Justin Pickett — Professor, School of Criminal Justice, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy

Matthew Szydagis — Associate Professor, Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences

Excellence in Classified Service

James Stalker — Central Plant Supervisor, Power Plant, Facilities Management

Mario Labrecque — Maintenance Supervisor 1, Mechanical Repair Shop, Facilities Management