Bisons announce new hires, promotions to ballpark team

Spring training is all about putting your team in the best position to succeed during the season, and in that mindset the Buffalo Bisons today announced several front office staff promotions and new hires that will allow them to continue to provide championship service to their fans, customers and business partners.

Internally, the Bisons are thrilled to announce the promotion of ‘The Voice of the Bisons,’ Pat Malacaro to Manager of Baseball Communications, Terri Cerabone to Rich Baseball Operations Retail, Licensing & Entertainment Manager and Kim Milleville to Ticket Office & Sales Coordinator.

The Bisons are also excited to welcome new members to the Herd, Graphic Designer, Ally Marcano, Digital & Social Content Coordinator, Marissa Packard, Video & Digital Productions Coordinator, C.J. Gates, Game Day Entertainment Coordinator, Amanda Ballestero, Consumer’s Pub at the Park Manager, Kailey Gyorffy, and Pub at the Park Kitchen Manager, Dean Williams.

“One of the key factors in our ability to deliver a high-quality entertainment experience and value to fans and customers every season is the development of our associates into the next leaders of our organization,” said Anthony Sprague, Bisons General Manager. “Much like the prospects that take the field in a Bisons uniform, it’s tremendous to watch the growth of our team off the field who often progress from intern or seasonal employee to key members of our ballpark staff.”

Entering his fourth season as the “Voice of the Bisons” and 19th overall in the organization, Malacaro will now manage all baseball communications for the club, keeping the media and the fans fully connected with the team on the field. Malacaro will continue his lead role on all Bisons broadcasts while working closely with Major League Baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays media relations departments. A South Buffalo-native and graduate of Syracuse University, Malacaro began his Bisons career as a bat boy in 1999 and joined the Bisons broadcast team in 2010 after spending three seasons with the Batavia Muckdogs.

Cerabone is in her fifth season with the Bisons, first joining the club in 2018 as Merchandise Manager before expanding that role to encompass all three minor league teams in the Rich Baseball Operations family in 2020. In her new role, Cerabone will also oversee the Bisons game day entertainment schedule, including the planning, execution and licensing of the team’s popular theme nights and promotional giveaways. A native of Angola, Cerabone is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia with a degree in sports management.

Milleville began her Bisons career in 2015 as a merchandise intern and after two months as a promotions and marketing intern in 2016, was hired as an account executive. In her eight years with the organization, she has shown her versatility by working in the sales, accounting and merchandise departments. In her new role, Milleville will work closely with the club’s ballpark partners to ensure all sponsorship execution while also serving as a lead customer service representative for fans at the Sahlen Field Box Office. A Niagara-native, Milleville has earned both undergrad and graduate degrees in Sports Management from Niagara University.

Marcano is in her first season with the Bisons as their lead graphic designer. Along with the creation and design of the team’s marketing and advertising initiatives, Marcano will oversee the look of team’s in-game presentation on the Sahlen Field videoboard. A native of New York City, Marcano graduated from Costal Carolina University where she was not only a standout pitcher for the Chanticleers softball team but created many of the marketing designs used by the school’s athletic department. Marcano pitched the 2022 season with the University at Buffalo as she began her graduate work and is also a member of the Puerto Rican National Softball team.

Packard returns to the Bisons in 2022 after serving as a marketing & promotions intern during the 2019 season. In her new role with the organization, the Lackawanna-native will plan and execute the team’s marketing efforts on all social media platforms as well as be a key member of the Bisons’ game day entertainment team. A 2021 graduate of SUNY Brockport, Packard was a content contributor for Discover 716 and a Marketing and Event Operations intern for the Western New York PGA in the year after achieving her degree.

Ballestero also returns to the Bisons organization after serving as a marketing & promotions during the club’s last full season in Buffalo in 2019. This season, she will be the director of the Bisons game day entertainment experience, overseeing all in-game promotional elements and fan-engagement. A native of Chicago, IL, Ballestero spent the 2021 season with the Athletics’ Single-A affiliate in Lansing as a sales intern. A graduate of Davenport University in 2020, Ballestero is finishing her Master’s Degree in Sport and Athletic Admission from Gonzaga University this May.

Gates will be entering his ninth season with the Bisons, as he first started as a video productions intern in 2014 and continued as a freelancer for the club since 2015. Gates will now oversee the team’s video productions department, directing the team’s television broadcast and webcasts as well as assisting the club in their marketing and promotional efforts. Since graduating from Canisius College in 2016, the native of Derby, NY has provided freelance editing throughout Western New York as well as production work for the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Toronto Blue Jays, NFL Films and for the University at Buffalo, Niagara University and Canisius College.

Gyorffy has worked for the Bisons for over eight years in the ballpark’s in-stadium restaurant, Consumer’s Pub at the Park. In her new role, Gyorffy will oversee the game-to-game operation and marketing of the restaurant while also assisting with the club’s gameday food and beverage hospitality. A native of Williamsville, Gyorffy has worked with many of WNY’s favorite destinations, including assisting with the launch of the Alley Cat bar on Allen St. and Ru’s Pierogi on Niagara St. She also helps run the Classic Cue Billiard Hall on Transit Rd. in Depew.

Williams’ appointment as Kitchen Manager of the Consumer’s Pub at the Park is a testament to his many years of service to the Bisons organization. The Buffalo-native first joined the team’s food & beverage operations in 1999 and served as a sous chef for many seasons, ensuring that the Pub at the Park restaurant continued to deliver excellent food selections to Bisons fans. In his new role, he’ll oversee all aspects of the Pub at the Park’s kitchen operations. Williams spent 2020 assisting with the food & beverage operation at the Ralph Wilson Explore & More Children’s Museum while minor league baseball went without a season.

The Bisons still have many opportunities for hard-working and dedicated individuals looking to start or continue their careers in baseball. For all hiring and internship opportunities, visit Bisons.com.