WXXI named Ann Costello and the Golisano Foundation the 2018 Associates of the Year during WXXI’s Associates Dinner at its downtown studios on Saturday September 29. More than 125 WXXI supporters attended the dinner with special guest speaker Lidia Bastianich, renowned Emmy-winning TV host, restauranteur, chef and author.
WXXI President Norm Silverstein presented Costello with the Associates award, which recognizes those who have made significant contributions in support of WXXI’s mission of public service. As a professional with more than 30 years of experience in the non-profit sector, Costello has been a role model of philanthropic leadership for the Rochester community. After joining the Golisano Foundation in 1999 as Director, Costello has been integral in the Foundation’s rapid growth, redefining its role in the intellectual disabilities service arena as a proactive partner and catalyst for transformation. Under her leadership, the Foundation has also supported and launched innovative programs and partnerships like WXXI’s Move to Include.
Made possible with support from the Foundation, Move to Include promotes inclusion for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Through programming and special events, WXXI and the Foundation look to build a more inclusive community by inspiring and motivating people to embrace different abilities and include all people in every aspect of life. Costello has been instrumental and unwavering in her work on behalf of the Move to Include initiative, which is receiving national recognition for its work to use public media to change attitudes and ensure that people of all abilities are seen, heard, and supported.
Costello joins a long list of Associate of the Year recipients, including WXXI Honorary Trustees Catherine Carlson, Betty Strasenburgh, and Richard F. Brush, as well as Larry and Jane Glazer, Suzanne Gouvernet, Harry P. Trueheart III, Dr. Nancy Perkins Weyl, Ted Shepard, Dick Eisenhart, B. Thomas Golisano, George M. Ewing, Sr., Robert C. Stevens, Dolores F. Parlato, Ed Saphar, Jacques Lipson, MD and Dr. Dawn Lipson, Justin Vigdor, Dee Mosteller and Henry Simon.
To commemorate the award, a tree will be planted in Highland Park in honor of Costello and the Foundation, and their names will be inscribed on an award plaque.
WXXI is the essential, life-long educational media resource for the Greater Rochester area. WXXI puts the community first with programming that stimulates and expands thought, inspires the spirit, opens cultural horizons and promotes understanding of diverse community issues. WXXI also has a long-term affiliation with Little Theatre, which helps enhance the cultural life of the community and strengthens two of Rochester’s most vital arts institutions. Log on to wxxi.org for more information about our services and programs.
