YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Youngstown State University will stage two commencement ceremonies Sunday in the Beeghly Physical Education Center.
Gary Brantley and David Metzler will speak at 1 p.m. during the undergraduate commencement ceremony, followed by Ashley Totin and Tyler Fenton at 4:30 p.m. at the graduate ceremony.
With more than 20 years of leadership in the public and private sectors, Brantley leads digital transformation, football technology, marketing technology and enterprise IT as the chief information officer for the NFL.
A part of the YSU graduating class of 2002, Brantley served as CIO for the city of Atlanta and Beazer Homes before joining the NFL. In these roles, he spearheaded initiatives to modernize IT infrastructure, enhance cybersecurity and implement innovative solutions to improve civic engagement.
His efforts were pivotal in establishing Atlanta as a leader in smart city technology.
Prior to his success in Atlanta, Brantley held leadership positions in health care and education, in which his primary focus was advancing digital accessibility and improving operational efficiency.
Brantley graduated from YSU in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in applied science.
Metzler, the student speaker, will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences, accompanied by minors in chemistry and wellness. At YSU, he was a varsity football player and an active campus community member. He has performed various forms of volunteer work with organizations such as Focus Hippotherapy and United Way.
Metzler earned numerous accolades, including two College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team honors and First- and Second-Team Academic All-Missouri Valley Football Conference recognitions. He was the recipient of the Mincey Family Scholarship, Carmen and Gail Policy Scholarship, Dike Beede Scholarship and Drs. Dianne B. & Michael J. Miladore Scholarship. He plans to continue his studies and become a physician.
Totin serves as the additive manufacturing portfolio manager at BlueForge Alliance, where she leads initiatives to integrate advanced manufacturing technologies within the U.S. Department of Defense.
She supports the U.S. Navy’s goal to certify nine additive manufacturing material and print combinations within three years, focusing on applications such as SUBSAFE components for submarines.
Before her time at Blueforge Alliance, Totin was a senior project engineer at America Makes, developing a digital supply chain for the U.S. Army through the AMNOW program. A YSU alumna, she was named to SME’s 30 Under 30 in 2022 and recognized as a Modern Maker by Manufacturing USA in 2023.
Totin graduated from YSU in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, and in 2017 with a Master of Science in engineering.
Fenton, the graduate ceremony student speaker, graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at the University of Akron before enrolling in YSU’s Family Nurse Practitioner Program.
Over the past 4 1/2 years, he has gained experience as a registered nurse, specifically in cardiovascular care, and spent significant time working in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Cleveland Clinic – Hillcrest Hospital and the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at University Hospitals – Cleveland Medical Center.
Trained in critical care nursing and interventional cardiology, Fenton aims to continue providing high-quality care as a nurse practitioner after graduation.