Meet the 2026 SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction Honorees
The 48th SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction will honor 10 distinguished San Diego State University alumni and friends of the university at a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, April 18, at Paradise Point Resort.
The awards are given biennially to those who have made notable contributions to the university and the San Diego community.
These awards are a symbol of achievement presented to distinguished alumni from each of SDSU's seven academic colleges and SDSU Imperial Valley. Distinguished service awards are also given to an exceptional alumni volunteer and an outstanding university employee.
Meet this year’s honorees below.
College of Arts and Letters
John Paul Fiske, Esq
John Paul Fiske. John Paul Fiske (‘04, political science), a native San Diegan, is California’s leading public entity-as-plaintiff lawyer and a shareholder in the San Diego offices of Baron & Budd. As the 2020 California Lawyer Attorney of the Year in Environmental Litigation and a ten-time consecutive Super Lawyer, John has gone on to establish the Fiske Legal Series to help SDSU students interested in law have more access to real professionals in the field. Passionate about environmental storytelling, John has produced documentaries that shine a light on San Diego County's extraordinary ecosystems. Read more about John here.
College of Education
Bobbie Plough, Ed.D.
Bobbie Plough. Bobbie Plough (‘76, social science, ‘91, administrative education, ‘11, educational leadership,) has remained a deeply engaged member of the SDSU community since graduation through philanthropy, mentorship, and alumni engagement. With nearly 40 years of experience in education, Bobbie has been transformative in spearheading initiatives that have advanced equity, innovation, and student success in school districts across California. Read more about Bobbie here.
College of Engineering
Daisy Galeana, Ph.D.
Daisy Galeana. Daisy Galeana (‘98, mechanical engineering, ‘22, mechanical and aerospace engineering), Senior Program Manager for New Technology Introduction at GE Aerospace, credits SDSU’s Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program for being instrumental in her two decades of success as an engineer. While in her previous role at Solar Turbines, Daisy created the Young Women’s Academy, which helps underrepresented high school girls start manufacturing jobs, then receive paid tuition and flexible hours through college.
College of Health and Human Services
Kimberly M. Giardina, DSW
Kimberly M. Giardina. Kimberly Michelle Giardina (‘04, MSW) has over 24 years of experience working with family-serving organizations through the County of San Diego's Health and Human Services Agency. With a background in child welfare, Kimberly serves as co-chair of the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership with San Diego State University and co-chair of the San Diego County Substance Use and Overdose Prevention Taskforce. Starting January 2026, Kimberly will be the Executive Director for the Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of the SDSU School of Social Work.
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
Gregg Barnes
Gregg Barnes. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty) Gregg Barnes (‘78, theatre arts) is a stage and film costume designer and a three-time winner of the Tony Award for Best Costume Design in a Musical for his work on Broadway. The San Diego native credits his love for theatre due to a local production of “As You Like It” that he saw during his youth. Working at Grossmont College in the costume department, Gregg went on to teach at New York University for over 20 years and served as the resident costume designer for Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey for 9 years.
College of Sciences
Mark Phillips, Ph.D.
Mark Phillips. Mark Phillips (‘73, astronomy) is a globally renowned astronomer known for establishing the “Phillips Relation,” a crucial method that enables Type Ia supernovae to serve as standard candles for determining cosmic distances, which fundamentally shaped measurements of the universe's expansion. Recently named an Honorary Foreign Member of the Chilean Academy of Sciences, Mark currently works in Chile as the Director Emeritus of the Las Campanas Observatory.
Fowler College of Business
Terri Funk Graham
Terri Funk Graham. Terri Funk Graham (‘87, marketing) currently serves as an Independent Board Director for Sprouts Farmers Market and is a member of the Fowler College of Business Dean’s Advisory Board. With nearly 40 years of experience, Terri previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Jack in the Box, where she directly influenced the success, image, and significant growth of the brand. Read more about Terri here.
SDSU Imperial Valley
Michael W. Kelley
Michael Kelley. Michael Kelley (‘75, political science) served for 17 years as Chief Probation Officer of the Imperial County Probation Department before joining the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, where he later retired from. As a member of the Board of Supervisors, Michael advocated for funding and supporting the building of SDSU’s Science and Engineering Laboratories to prepare future generations of students to become renewable energy leaders in the Lithium Valley.
Distinguished Alumni Service Award
John C. Wills
John Wills. John Wills (‘65, accounting) is the retired President/CEO Emeritus of FLI, Incorporated, where he helped Fortune 1000 clients create the tools they needed to meet their changing, dynamic business environments. John currently serves as the Vice Chair of The Campanile Foundation's Finance and Investment Committee, and was instrumental in the creation of the Los Angeles Regional Council. As an avid mentor to students, John has helped create the LARC Scholarship and the Wills Family Trust Endowed Scholarship to ensure SDSU students have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive academically and beyond graduation.
Distinguished University Service Award
Col. Martin J. Wojtysiak
Col. Martin Wojtysiak. Col. Martin Wojtysiak is a United States Air Force Veteran who served as the detachment commander for SDSU’s Air Force ROTC, where he mentored prospective officer candidates for commissioned service. Since his retirement, Marty has been a dedicated member of the SDSU Alumni War Memorial committee and has served as chair since 2012. Under his leadership, Marty ensures that every fallen Aztec who fits the criteria for the memorial is rightfully included on the monument.
Congratulations to our 2026 honorees!