Six people will be inducted into the Honeoye Falls-Lima Alumni Hall of Fame at a ceremony during Fall Weekend activities this Saturday, October 3.
BONNIE NOBLE CODDINGTON
Honeoye Falls-Lima Class of 1980
Who is the person you call to get things done? For many, it’s Bonnie Coddington. Boy Scouts needing leadership? Coddington can do that. Mendon Foundation Board Fundraising advocate? Coddington can do that. Cougar Tech Robotics planner and administrator? Coddington can do that, too. She isn’t hesitant to get down and dirty when the project needs a strong leader. She handles the details expertly.
When she was a high school athlete, Title IX was just gaining footing. And, if her participation in soccer, basketball, and softball were a case study, it would demonstrate just how important sports can be in building strong, independent women leaders and team builders.
Coddington is a lot like a shepherd who tends, guides, and nurtures her charges. Longtime friend Erik Van Bork recalls, “I first crossed paths with Bonnie when I was in high school (almost 50 years ago). She was a “go-to” person that had the answers and could get things done.” Twenty years later, Van Bork met up with Coddington again. She was serving as Den Mother of his son’s Cub Scout Den. “There she was – shepherding her Den through the ranks, encouraging adults (like me) to get involved, executing community events like “bike rodeo’s” and “Dunking Booth” fundraisers.”
In addition to starting a new Troop with the Mendon Fire Department’s help, Coddington has motivated at least 20 or more scouts to attain their Eagle rank. She created new partnerships with the Mendon Foundation to help Scouts find worthwhile volunteer opportunities and to assist the Foundation to strengthen its mission.
Since 2008, Coddington has helped coach FIRST programs at HFL. As a CougarTech FIRST Robotics mentor, she has helped students with Marketing and Operations work and, since 2012, has served as one of two Senior Mentors overseeing CougarTech.
Fellow Senior Mentor, Gary Stottler explains, “Bonnie can be the drill sergeant when it comes to getting the students organized and moving towards the goal. We laugh that she is the “bad cop” that is sometimes needed to end the fooling around and get to work! It has been my absolute pleasure to know Bonnie and to work with her the past 12 years. I can say without reservation that she continues to set an amazing example for our youth and for the rest of us with her selfless dedication to organization that make our community such a great place to live and to raise children.
“She epitomizes what we need in our community. Someone that is always there to help, someone that works to help prepare the next generation of citizens, and someone that does all this just because she knows it’s the right thing to do,” said Larry Roth.
STEVEN COYKENDALL
Honeoye Falls-Lima Class of 1981
Coykendall, a 1981 graduate of HF-L, was actively involved in many aspects of school life, including soccer, photography, yearbook, drama, and the musical productions.
Following graduation, Coykendall attended Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Monroe Community College, studying photography and art. While in college, he worked for Southco and UPS. In 1983, he married Vickie DeMartinis. Coykendall eventually focused on Industrial and Interior Design at RIT, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1987.
Putting his education to work, Coykendall built a successful career in the Rochester area as a nationally recognized designer and builder of corporate trade show exhibits. Over the past 39 years—and continuing today—he has helped create exhibit environments for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative start-ups, with projects spanning everything from small pop-up displays to custom exhibits measuring 90 by 110 feet.
Working alongside an exceptionally talented team, Coykendall helped position his employers to secure projects for some of the country’s most recognizable companies, earning a reputation for creative design, craftsmanship, and innovative problem-solving.
While establishing his professional career, Coykendall also became the father of a son, Tim. He volunteered as a youth baseball coach for eight years beginning with Red Willison Youth Baseball in Lima, where he enjoyed helping young athletes develop both their skills and confidence.
As impressive as his professional accomplishments have been, Coykendall is perhaps best known within the HF-L community for his decades of service as set designer and builder for more than 30 high school, middle school, and Manor School musicals and dramas. What began as a family effort—balancing college, work, and theater productions—grew into a lasting commitment to the performing arts at HF-L.
Among his most memorable creations were the four Audrey IIs, the man-eating plant in “Little Shop of Horrors”, a fully functioning merry-go-round for “Carousel”, a three-dimensional carriage that emerged from the pumpkin patch in “Cinderella”, and the magic flying carpet for “Aladdin”. Each production challenged him to combine creativity with engineering, transforming ambitious theatrical ideas into unforgettable stage experiences.
Beyond designing and constructing these remarkable sets, Coykendall enjoyed sharing his knowledge with both students and parent volunteers, teaching painting, construction techniques, and problem-solving skills throughout the production process. For Coykendall, the scenery was never just scenery—it was about creating an environment that allowed student performers to fully tell their stories and giving countless students and families the opportunity to be part of something truly special behind the scenes.
ELLEN MAHAFFY
Honeoye Falls-Lima Class of 1983
Dolores Seagren, an HF-L art teacher, nominated Ellen Mahaffy for this honor. She taught Ellen in several art and photography classes, recalling that “She distinguished herself as one of my most remarkably talented and committed students… I go back to the beginning of our relationship to emphasize Ellen’s work ethic and her commitment to excel. This commitment was special for a high school student and continues today in everything she undertakes.” And, indeed, Ellen has excelled.
After HF-L Mahaffy earned a BFA in Photography from the Maryland Institute College of Art. She returned to Rochester for an MFA in Visual Studies from SUNY Brockport’s Visual Studies Workshop. Her skill sets include: Photography – proficient in small, medium, large format, and digital capture; Audio/Visual- proficient with analog and digital video production and editing; Peripherals – proficient with leaf, film, & flatbed scanners; Off-set Printing- proficient in offset preparation (specification, layout, halftones, plate making) and printing; and proficient in software applications in Photoshop, Premiere, and InDesign.
Mahaffy has shared her talents through teaching visual arts,motorcycle safety and Shotokan karate, eventually earning a tenured position as Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, where she has served since 2006. Her past affiliations include the International Shotokan Karate Federation, Gay Alliance of Genessee Valley, Society of Photographic Education, College Art Association Gay & Lesbian Newsletter Editor, and Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
A nationally recognized artist and educatior, Mahaffy’s exhibitions, publications, presentations, grants and honors span multiple pages of her resume. Recent work includes her 2024 solo exhibit at L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, Eau Claire. This exhibit, A Life Undone, explored the life of her father who lived in Lima until he passed in 2019. This exhibit featured over 30 photographic pieces.
In 2025, Mahaffy created an ambitious three-panel plywood triptych in collaboration with three student artists for the show “One Book One Community” inspired by Sharon McMahon’s book The Small and the Mighty ( 2024). This piece honored Clarice Chase Dunn, a former graduate of the teaching college at the now University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire who taught at Heart Mountain, the Japanese American WWII Confinement Site in Wyoming. Ellen’s panels were printed with a backdrop of the site’s Sentinel newspaper, which documents the lives of thousands of Japanese Americans during their forced incarceration. The finished triptych, 8 ft x 12 ft, also showcased her student’s illustration of Clarice Chase Dunn’s life, whose papers are included in the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s McIntyre’s Special Collection.
Mahaffy co-curated an exhibit in the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Haas Fine Arts Gallery, Layers of (in)Queer(y)(2024). A student that worked with her on this project stated, “Professor Mahaffy integrates the real world into the curriculum and supports us and builds a new platform with us and for us. Every community needs someone like Professor Mahaffy: a leader, a scholar, a person of great care and integrity.”
Her colleagues describe Mahaffy as someone who supports students with respect, patience and encouragement as they sometimes struggle to acquire the skills required to complete their project. She is unflappable, strong, courageous, and a great human to boot.” For those she’s met along the way, she makes an immediate impact. “Ellen is a natural teacher and mentor. She is poised, talented, patient, and open-minded. Mahaffy listens carefully to others before supplementing the conversation with her personal experiences or reactions.”
LEAH GOTCSIK
Honeoye Falls-Lima Class of 1992
Leah Gotcsik is an Emmy-winning television executive, educator, and advocate. As a curious, passionate and occasionally ridiculous leader, Gotcsik has built a multi-faceted life around the ideas that there is always more to learn, there isn’t a problem that can’t be solved with a great team, and most things are better with jokes.
At HF-L she was a member of the National Honor Society, performed in musicals, and once attended the Science Olympiad because everyone else was away on a trip. After graduating from HF-L, Gotcsik lived in Belgium as a Rotary Exchange Student. She then attended Swarthmore College, where she earned her B.A. in Anthropology and Sociology in 1997 and traveled to Kenya for a semester. She graduated from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education with an Ed.M. in 2002 with a focus in out-of-school learning and curriculum development. And she continued her education at improv theaters like Second City, iO and Upright Citizen’s Brigade, and through the Writers Guild of America East Showrunner Academy.
Gotcsik’s wide-ranging career has always bridged the worlds of education and entertainment. After college she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA, and as she coordinated community service and service learning programs by day, she performed improv and sketch comedy by night. She continued performing — in Boston, Chicago, New York and around the country — while she created museum workshops and exhibits, taught in elementary schools, designed educational games, led corporate trainings, and even taught teachers how to teach online… online. She also performed comedy on a cruise ship for four months.
Her “aha moment” came when she realized that her curiosity about the world and her love of stories, comedy, and education could be combined into writing for children’s television. Gotcsik has since built a career as an Executive Producer and Head Writer, creating television series and stories that impact the childhoods of millions of kids globally, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (Emmy nominee), Odd Squad (Canadian Screen Award winner), Bubble Guppies, SuperKitties, Barney’s World and many more. She is a two-time Emmy Award Winner, most recently taking home the Emmy for Outstanding Preschool Animated Series in February 2026 for her work as Executive Producer and Head Writer of The Tiny Chef Show.
Beyond her creative success, Gotcsik is committed to supporting her fellow creators and ensuring a fair future for the industry. She recently served on the Negotiating Committee for the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) as they secured first-ever union protections for animation writers working for PBS stations.
Outside of work, she co-leads her local PTA “Green Team” to promote environmental awareness, looks for auction bargains, volunteers with Daisy Scouts and spends countless hours cheering on her three children alongside her husband.
Growing up in Lima and attending Honeoye Falls-Lima taught Gotcsik the value of community, curiosity and pursuing many interests Those lessons shaped a career built on collaboration, creativity and the belief that with hard work and authenticity, even the biggest childhood dreams are within reach.
Gotcsik is proud and honored to be inducted into the HF-L Hall of Fame and hopes her story inspires others to pursue their own dreams.
DANIEL MULLIGAN
Honeoye Falls-Lima Class of 2003
It’s hard to capture the scope and breadth of Daniel James Mulligan’s accomplishments. As a high school student, he played football and participated in multiple HF-L theatre productions including The Mystery of Edwin Drood during his senior year and the production of Les Miserables at Kodak’s Theatre on the Ridge. In college at SUNY Plattsburgh, he received his BA in Criminal Justice while minoring in Psychology. Mulligan acted in several theatre productions at Plattsburgh State and held leadership roles with the Plattsburgh college Democrats/ Progressives as well as the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity.
Upon graduation, Mulligan shifted into a short career as a community organizer. He worked for congressional candidates in New York, along with the AFL- CIO, Howard Dean’s Democracy for America, Maine Change that Works and in 2012, Mulligan led the Vermont State organizing campaign for President Barack Obama’s re-election. He then went to work as a youth mentor & volunteer coordinator at the Burlington Partnership for a healthy community. His resume is vast and varied, but throughout it reflects an individual who is motivated by service to his loved ones and his community.
Family friend, Moe Bickweat describes Mulligan’s life as a “life defined by service, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to the communities he calls home.” Bickweat explains how Mulligan was among the early advocates working to advance Universal and Single Payer Health Care. Additionally, Mulligan served as Director of GunSense Vermont in Burlington. Under his leadership, GunSense Vermont successfully advocated for passage of S.141, a landmark gun violence prevention bill – a historic achievement that demonstrated what focused, principled organizing can accomplish even in the face of fierce opposition.
Family friend Glenn Clark says, “What I’ll always remember about Dan is not so much “what” he’s done, but “how” he’s done it. Danny is a deeply kind and grounded person. He treats people with respect, regardless of who they are or where they stand.”
Mulligan’s passion for the outdoors has also shaped his path. His aunt, Katherine Gorton, shares “Dan cares deeply about environmental issues. He is an outdoorsman who respects wildlife and the land.”
Andrew Little, PhD, met Mulligan in Burlington and explains how his passion for nature led him to consider a career where he could be outside. “Dan is an outdoorsman who has a strong passion for nature, the plants and animals that live in it, and conserving the wild in the wilderness,” Dr. Little explains. “Dan began his landscaping career in 2015 at Shelburne Farms – an educational nonprofit organization with a mission to inspire and cultivate learning for a sustainable future. Again, thoughtfully, Dan desired to work with and for people and organizations who want to change the world for the better.”
In 2019, Mulligan, his wife Amy, and their two kids made the decision to move closer to family. They settled in Dryden, NY near Amy’s family. Mulligan is now the owner operator of a small landscaping business in Dryden that he built from the ground up. Four years ago, he made a return to community service as an elected member of the Dryden Central School District Board of Education.
His life is filled with family, including his two children (Adaleen & Rohan) and weekends spent at soccer, baseball/ softball games. Tae Kwon Do Kai, movies, bonfires, cookouts and community events.
JONATHAN STILLS
Honeoye Falls-Lima Class of 2003
Jonathan Stills is remembered for a life defined by service, compassion, and an extraordinary ability to bring people together. A cherished member of the community, Stills had a rare gift: he made people feel seen, valued, and like they truly belonged. His kindness, generosity, and quiet commitment have left an enduring impact across Honeoye Falls and Lima.
During his time at HF-L, Stills was both a dedicated athlete and musician. He competed in varsity football and track and field, choir, band, and school performances, sharing a voice that would later become one of the many ways he connected with and uplifted others.
Stills gave selflessly to his community as an EMT, ambulance driver, and firefighter, meeting people during their most vulnerable moments with compassion, steadiness, and care. He also worked as an aide through Heritage Christian Services, building meaningful relationships with teens and adults with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and autism, treating each person with dignity, patience, and genuine love.
A natural leader, Stills mentored generations of children through the Lima Summer Recreation program and was recently elected to the Lima Village Board, a reflection of the deep trust and respect he earned throughout the community. As a Honeoye Falls–Lima school bus driver, he became affectionately known as “The Singing Bus Driver,” bringing joy to students each morning.
Stills was also a small business owner and entertainer—sharing his talents as a DJ, wedding singer, and event professional. Whether performing on stage, at a wedding, or in the community, his music brought joy and connection. His musical talent also reached a wider audience through his appearances on American Idol.
In 2018, Stills founded the nonprofit organization Love Leads Us, dedicated to promoting unity and addressing division through love-based initiatives throughout Livingston and Monroe counties. Through peace walks, food cupboards, meal drives, and other community efforts, the organization worked to bring people together, meet practical needs, while promoting a message of compassion and belonging.
At the center of Stills’ life was his family. He was a devoted husband and a loving father who found his greatest joy in the everyday moments spent with his wife and children. He approached family life with intention, humility, and a strong sense of responsibility – modeling kindness, accountability, and unconditional love.
Above all, Stills will be remembered for the way he made people feel seen, valued, and supported. Whether through his service, his music, or a simple conversation, he brought light into the lives of others. His legacy of love, leadership, and community impact continues to resonate throughout Honeoye Falls and Lima. He embodied the very best of HF-L and his induction into the Alumni Hall of Fame honors a legacy of love, service, leadership and compassion,that continues to live on in the countless lives he touched.
