Alumni Award Honorees
Dale Mason Cochran '71
2025 Outstanding Alumni Award Honoree
For more than 50 years, Dale Mason Cochran ’71 has exemplified the strength of a Nazareth education through her professional achievements, civic leadership, and personal dedication to others. Cochran earned her bachelor’s degree from Nazareth University, then Nazareth College, and both her master’s and doctorate from Atlanta University.
Cochran presently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Concourse Ventures, Inc. As CEO, she oversees some of the nation’s busiest airports, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, and JFK. Her past professional experiences include leading a successful marketing research firm for nearly 15 years and directing leadership development programs across dozens of colleges and universities.
Equally committed to service beyond her profession, Cochran is a Life Trustee of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, serves on the board of the Johnnie Cochran Brain Center, and is a member of various other organizations that make a lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
Through her leadership, integrity, and lifelong commitment to service, Dale Mason Cochran embodies the values of Nazareth University. She serves as a role model to her community, inspiring pride in a Nazareth education and demonstrating the power of the Naz experience as a true changemaker.
Madison Dobbertin ’23
2025 GOLD Alumni Award Honoree
As a Rochester, New York, native, Madison Dobbertin is a proud 2023 graduate of Nazareth with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a passionate advocate for community resilience and public service. While studying at Nazareth, Madison honed her leadership skills and commitment to service through roles as an orientation leader, student orientation coordinator, student ambassador, assisted in COVID-19 testing, and was a graduate assistant for the Public Health Department. She has also returned to Nazareth multiple times to present at National Public Health week and speak on an alumni panel.
After graduation, Dobbertin joined AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) in partnership with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), dedicating 11 months to national service as a FEMA Corps member. During this time, she deployed on four missions, starting with supporting recovery operations and flood mapping for critical infrastructure after Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida. Then she was “boots on the ground” conducting door-to-door survivor outreach and FEMA assistance registrations days after Hurricane Idalia struck St. Petersburg, FL. Dobbertin also worked at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in disaster communications and supporting External Affairs. Lastly, she developed K-12 educational materials on earthquake preparedness and refining business continuity during a national preparedness assignment in San Francisco, California.
Dobbertin currently serves as an emergency preparedness manager for the Rochester Regional Health system, where she oversees system-wide planning, response, and training initiatives to strengthen hospital readiness and resilience for eight hospitals and various other practices. She has led the implementation of a mass emergency communication platform capable of reaching more than 20,000 employees across the health system to ensure critical and emergent notifications. In her role, Dobbertin has been an integral part of the Incident Command structure during several high-impact events. Notably, she coordinated multi-site internal and external communications and response efforts during a mass casualty bus rollover and helped lead the system’s strategy during a critical IV fluid shortage —both requiring swift decision-making, collaboration across departments and agencies, and a focus on maintaining safe, effective patient care under pressure. In her role, Dobbertin is a member of the Monroe County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), where she works closely with members of local fire departments, law enforcement agencies, state departments, and businesses to ensure the safe planning of major local events.
Through both her national service and professional work, Dobbertin has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protecting communities before, during, and after disaster. Dobbertin credits her dedication to service and work ethic to her parents — her father, a fire chief, and her mother, a nurse. Her leadership, compassion, and commitment to protecting communities exemplify the values of Nazareth and the transformative power of education to create lasting impact.
Charles Falgiatano ‘94
2025 Outstanding Alumni Award Honoree
Charles L. Falgiatano, a lifelong resident of Syracuse, graduated from Nazareth University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a concentration in pre-law. During his time at Nazareth, Falgiatano was on the men's basketball team and a member of the Pi Gamma Mu (Social Sciences) Honor Society.
Following his undergraduate work, Falgiatano worked as a legislative aide to New York State Senator John A. DeFrancisco, concentrating on state budget matters, economic development projects, and constituent service. Falgiatano went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree magna cum laude from Syracuse University in 2001, where he was a member of the Syracuse Law Review and Syracuse College of Law Moot Court Honor Society. While in law school, Falgiatano worked as a law clerk at the firm of Harris Beach, LLP.
Since 2002, Falgiatano has successfully represented clients in medical malpractice, wrongful death, automobile accidents, and other serious personal injury cases at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano, LLP, where he serves as partner. He is a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association and New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, holding a position on the board of directors.
In 2020, Falgiatano became a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the preeminent invite-only organization for the top 1% of trial lawyers who have demonstrated the highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality.
He is passionate about giving back to the community. He has served on the Elmcrest Children’s Center Board of Directors for over 20 years, and until their closing, served as the vice president on the Bishop Grimes Board of Directors. For 30 years, Falgiatano has volunteered his time coaching basketball at both Jamesville-Dewitt and Bishop Grimes High Schools.
Falgiatano and his wife, Colleen, have three children, Anthony, Sarah, and Vincent. Their sons currently attend Nazareth University and are members of the men’s golf team.
Falgiatano credits Nazareth for instilling the values of tradition, dedication, and philanthropy in him, which he carries throughout his daily life. He is grateful for the many lifelong friendships he forged at Nazareth and thankful that his sons have been able to attend his alma mater.
Maureen Bell Field '65
2025 Outstanding Alumni Award Honoree
In 1965 during an era when Nazareth College students were required to wear skirts or dresses 7 days a week and residents’ weeknight curfew was 9:30 if at the library (7:30 otherwise) with an early mandatory lights out, Rochesterian Maureen Bell received a B.A. cum laude in history. She was taught by two college founders, Sisters Agnes Patricia and Raphael.
Maureen began her career teaching history with two years in East Irondequoit, NY. She then pursued an M.A. in history from the University of Colorado Boulder and taught three years in Boulder where she met and married David Field.
In 1971 the Fields moved to Worcester, MA where David was on the faculty at College of the Holy Cross and Maureen took the only two computer science courses they offered. She stayed at home with their two Worcester-born children. During this period the Fields spent a year in Canterbury, England.
The Fields moved to Birmingham, MI in 1978 where David was a research scientist for General Motors and Maureen stayed home with soon-to-be three children. She enrolled for an M.S. in computer science and engineering at Oakland University, Rochester, MI and convinced them that two semesters of calculus taken 23 years prior at Nazareth should fulfill a pre-requisite of the program. In 1990 a few months after obtaining the M.S. she began her 17-year career as a software developer and project manager at Ford.
From her husband Maureen learned that they should support their colleges with yearly donations, no matter how small. Another mentor was Susan Reynolds Baime who established the Class of 1965 Scholarship. In 1998 with the encouragement of President Rose Marie Beston, they created the David A. and Maureen Bell Field Book Fund to enhance the college’s library collection. At the time both of their employers had matching gift programs. In 2023 the Fields thought the funds could be better utilized as a scholarship and established the Maureen Bell Field ’65 and David A. Field Scholarship to support students studying the liberal arts (natural and social sciences, humanities and the arts).
Maureen is an active member of the extraordinary Class of 1965. She has attended all of their 5-year reunions and is presently on the planning committee for their 60th reunion. During the pandemic she and classmates Mary Fran Rodzai O’Herron and Bernadette Malone McMahon set up monthly Zoom programs as there was no 2020 reunion. The meetings have continued post-pandemic on a less frequent basis.
Maureen is an active community volunteer especially with the local senior center where the knitting group she chairs helps raise funds and the public library where she has served as president of the Friends. She enjoys swimming, reading, cooking, and travelling. Before retiring Field volunteered in southwest China to teach oral English to Chinese English teachers. Since retirement she has visited more than 25 countries, lived 8 months in China and 5 months in Chile. She has hiked 6 times on various routes of the Camino de Santiago.
In addition to their three children Maureen Bell Field is the proud grandmother of five.
Lindsey Spector '11
2025 Outstanding Alumni Award Honoree
Bio coming soon.
Gaynelle D. Wethers '74G
2025 Outstanding Alumni Award Honoree
Gaynelle D. Wethers has had an expansive and celebrated career as an executive administrator, educator diversity/inclusion expert, and community volunteer. Her most recent accomplishment was as strategist and campaign manager for Lovely Warren, elected mayor of Rochester, New York, in 2013.
Wethers retired from Nazareth College in May 2013, after serving more than 20 years as its founding director of Multicultural Affairs. She formerly served as director of the EPK and UPK at Baden at Charles Street as well as its fundraising and development chairperson; she currently serves as the director of community engagement.
Wethers' current volunteerism in the greater Rochester includes her service as president of the Interfaith Alliance of Rochester, past president of Baden Street Settlement, past president and secretary of the Jordan Health Center Corporate Board, past president and past vice president of programs at the Association of American University Women Greater Rochester Area (NY) and past president at the Rochester Women’s Network.
She also served as pastoral associate of Immaculate Conception Church, principal of St. Monica School, and a teacher in Rush-Henrietta School District and for the Roman Catholic Diocese. Wethers has received formal mediation training and training in HIV infection and AIDS. She is also a field reader for the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
A native of New Orleans, Wethers received her B.S. degree from Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana, and her M.S. degree in elementary education from Nazareth College. She holds a New York State Certification in Public Administration from the University of Rochester and attended St. Bernard’s Institute.
Mary Ellen Wilson, MS, RN, FNP, CEN, COHN-S, FAEN '70, '87
2025 Outstanding Alumni Award Honoree
Even before Mary Ellen "Mel" Wilson attended Nazareth, the campus was already familiar. Her great aunt, Sister Margaret Teresa Kelley, SSJ, was a beloved English professor. Wilson's mother, Barbara Kelley Bowman ’43, and her aunt, Patricia Kelley Strittmatter ’54, were alumnae.
Graduating with a B.A. in History, Wilson became involved in raising her family but realized there was another career choice in her future. She returned to Nazareth to complete a B.S. in nursing. Before graduating magna cum laude, Wilson also received an Outstanding Adult Student Learner award from Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) and was inducted into the now Pi Psi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing honor society.
Wilson's career included roles as a bedside emergency nurse, nurse manager, clinical educator, and — after receiving an M.S. in nursing — family nurse practitioner. Her involvement with the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) included volunteering at the local, state, and national levels for almost four decades. Her goal has always been to enhance emergency nursing knowledge and skills to provide safe patient care.
In the 1980s, as a co-founding member, she helped re-establish a local emergency nurses association chapter in the Rochester, NY, area. Wilson served as education committee chair, trauma and pediatric committee chair, and then president.
After becoming more involved with the New York State Emergency Nurses Association (NYSENA), she was elected president of this professional state association in 1993. In appreciation of her commitment, NYSENA honored her with the Anita Dorr award in 1995. During this same time frame, Wilson was also appointed to several national ENA committees. Her work on these committees enabled ENA to meet the educational needs of emergency nurses and helped continue the development of this specialty.
After moving to another state, Wilson continued to educate emergency nurses with a focus on trauma and pediatric knowledge. After 9/11, she taught a trauma nursing course at Camp Lejeune and a course to prepare emergency nurses to take their specialty certification exam at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
The culmination of decades of progressive leadership and growth came with Wilson's election to the national Emergency Nurses Association Board of Directors, and then election as president of the Emergency Nurses Association in 2004. In 2006, she was inducted as a fellow in the Academy of Emergency Nursing.
Throughout her career, Wilson has taught emergency nursing courses, organized educational presentations, chaired conferences and contributed to various emergency resources. The multitude and value of Wilson’s sustained accomplishments, her continued leadership and significant contributions were acknowledged in 2023 when she was presented the Emergency Nurses Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Now retired as a family nurse practitioner, Wilson lives in Berea, Ohio. She is the proud grandmother of five grandchildren, Abby, Jack, Ian, Connor, and Morgan. She will always hold a special place in her heart for Nazareth and is so honored to be recognized by her alma mater.
Sports Hall of Fame
Each year, Nazareth honors some of the best ever to don the purple and gold. More than 100 alumni, coaches, and administrators, along with three national championship teams, have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.