Great Alumni

Lt. Kris Siegert (AKA Firefighter Kris), '93
Lt. Siegert is a familiar face around Mt. Lebanon, as the Youth Fire Intervention Program Manager. But when a special education student hid in the closet instead of escaping a fire (and was thankfully rescued safely), he saw a need for a different approach to fire safety for non-typical students. He developed an adaptive program to teach fire safety to special needs students across the District, a program that has been so successful that he has held training to fire departments in other states. He has spoken at numerous local and national safety education conferences and offers his curriculum free of charge to others. In addition to being a volunteer firefighter for seven years prior to becoming a professional. he has worked with various animal welfare organizations and served on the South Hills Area Council of Governments Technical Rescue Team. He is also a Founding Member and Curriculum Specialist of Youth Fire Intervention International, a group dedicated to helping prevent fires started by children. He is a prolific teacher, providing instruction across PA and Ohio, including to many of our CCAC students. He was nominated for the award twice - once in 2024 by Bonnie Dougherty and again in 2025 by Lindsay Cashman '00. 

Rear Admiral Katie Sheldon, '95
Admiral Sheldon graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1999 and is a seasoned surface warfare officer with extensive operational and leadership experience. She has deployed to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Gulf, and held numerous command roles in both active duty and the Navy Reserve. She most recently served as the Reserve Chief of Staff for U.S. Third Fleet and currently serves as Vice Commander for U.S. Seventh Fleet. She earned her Rear Admiral commendation in October of 2024. Her personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Navy Female Athlete of the Year for 2001 and various other unit and service awards.  She is also a devoted wife and mother of three. She is the daughter of retired teacher Tom Bluemling and sister of current teacher Tyler Bluemling. She was nominated for the award by her parents, Tom and Kathy.

Michael Turian, '97
Michael rose to fame as a professional Magic: the Gathering ProTour player and is now in the MTG Hall of Fame, having 13 top-ten finishes in his competitive career. He began his professional career as a developer for Wizards of the Coast (MTG's division of Hasbro) in 2004, rising through the ranks steadily over the last 20 years, and most recently was promoted to Executive Producer. Since 2019, Michael has sat on the Board of Directors for Safe Crossings Foundation, a leader in funding services that help grieving children heal. In addition, he has fostered fundraising competitions in Wizards of the Coast/MTG chapters to raise more than $5 million for Seattle Children's Hospital, naming their newest Magnuson Center for Autism waiting room after the Wizards of the Coast. He was first introduced to MTG at a leadership conference during his freshman year at Mt. Lebanon. His mother, Lorie Turian, nominated him for this award. 
 

Introducing our 2024 Great Alumni:

Laura Catena ‘96

• Dr. Catena is the Founder and President of The ArmOR Hand Gloves, which she developed after a life-threatening injury she endured while working emergency medicine, which is now used around the globe. The glove is used to safely handle animals without the use of force, reducing injuries to humans, improving animal welfare, and advancing the cause of wildlife and pets. Dr. Catena was awarded a Fear Free Preferred Product certification for ArmOR Hand and was a recipient of the Pet Age 2021 Women of Influence Award.

Paige Kassalen ‘11

• Kassalen began her career as the only American engineer working with Solar Impulse 2, the first solar-powered airplane to circumnavigate the globe. She has worked in the manufacturing, finance, and defense industries, developing implementation strategies for a range of emerging technology trends, from autonomous vehicles to machine learning. Notably, she served as the Chief Operating Officer at CrowdAI, a start-up recognized by Forbes as one of the most promising AI companies in 2021. She is an advocate for women in STEAM and has also published over 50 articles for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

Sarah Silver Manzke ‘04

• Ms. Manzke is an accomplished violinist who co-founded Agarita, a nonprofit organization in San Antonio, TX that “nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, education, community engagement, and free, adventurous programming.” In addition to being the CFO and a principal musician for Agarita, Ms. Manzke is also the  Chief Growth Officer overseeing the sales, marketing, and development for Blue Skies of Texas, which provides continuous senior care in the region. 

Lynn Scarlett ‘67

• Lynn Scarlett retired in December 2021 from The Nature Conservancy, the largest conservation organization in the world, where she served as Global Chief External Affairs Officer. Prior to her role at the Conservancy, Lynn served at the U.S. Department of the Interior from 2001-2009, including her role as the Deputy Secretary/Chief Operating Officer of the department. She has served and continues to serve on numerous publications on collaborative conservation, network governance, adaptive management, climate adaptation, science and decision making, and related topics.

Introducing our 2023 Great Alumni:

Mr. Jonathan “Jon” Delano has been the Money & Politics Editor for KDKA-TV (CBS) in Pittsburgh for nearly 30 years, and recently retired after 25 years teaching public policy at CMU's Heinz College and writing for the Pittsburgh Business Times. His reputation for taking complex government and business issues and making them understandable to any audience in an even-handed way has made him one of the most sought-after journalists in Pennsylvania. He has interviewed Presidents Biden, Trump, and Obama, Vice Presidents Harris and Pence, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Mitt Romney, many Cabinet members, and numerous Pennsylvania governors and state officials. Mr. Delano’s accolades include the Edward R. Morrow Award, Golden Quill Award, Small Business Champion Award, Good Government Award, Vann Award for Excellence, and the Clarity Award. In addition to many nightly news stories, he writes, produces, and hosts TV segments called "The Sunday Business Page" and "Money Minute", and frequently lectures and moderates programs on public issues for state and local organizations. A near-lifelong resident of Mt. Lebanon, Mr. Delano and his wife, Jane, raise their children here, and he has been a leader at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, the Historical Society of Mt. Lebanon, and the Denis Theatre Foundation.

Mr. Delano was nominated for this award by his classmates: 2022 Great Alumni Award recipient, Dr. Gayla Kraetsch Hartsough ‘67 and Mr. Bob O’Neill ‘67.

Mrs. Elena LaQuatra lost 100% of her hearing to bacterial meningitis at age four. She underwent extreme rehabilitative measures and now hears with a Cochlear Implant, having regained her listening and spoken language skills at DePaul School for Hearing and Speech in Pittsburgh. She went on to excel in the performing arts before finding success in journalism, reality television, and pageantry, being named Miss Pennsylvania USA in 2016. She also serves as the Mistress of Ceremonies for galas nationwide and as an ambassador for numerous non-profit organizations, including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Her accolades include being named one of Whirl Magazine’s “13 Under 30”, Pittsburgh Magazine’s “40 Under 40”, the National Herald’s “40 Under 40”, and Pittsburgh Business Times “30 Under 30”, as well as earning ACHIEVA’s "Yvonne Zanos Excellence in Media Award" and the Girl Scouts’ "Woman of Distinction in Journalism Award". Mrs. LaQuatra is currently a morning Traffic and News Anchor with WTAE, as well as serving on the Board of Trustees and as a spokesperson for DePaul and on the Board of Directors for the Eye & Ear Foundation of Pittsburgh. She and her husband, Jordan, were married in 2022 and live in Pittsburgh. 

Mrs. LaQuatra was nominated for this award by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Effie LaQuatra. 

Susan McFadden (née Hamilton) Ph.D. began her pursuit of Psychology in Dr. Margaret Anderson’s high school class. She pursued undergraduate and graduate degrees in Psychology at Bucknell University, teaching high school and community college classes before earning her doctorate in Psychology and Religion at Drew University. She soon taught at the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh while focusing her teaching and research on the Psychology of Aging and the Psychology of Religion. Dr. McFadden’s research and scholarship appear in many journal articles and books, and she continues to give lectures on aging, dementia, and creative engagement to improve the lives of older people. Since retiring in 2012, she continues to write academic papers, attend conferences, and give lectures. She also co-founded the Fox Valley Memory Project, a nonprofit that offers joy and meaning to people with dementia and their care partners. Her most recent book was Dementia-Friendly Communities: Why We Need Them and How We Can Create Them (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2021). Dr. McFadden lives in the Oshkosh area and enjoys spending time with her family, which includes two grandchildren. She continues to regard Mt. Lebanon as having been integral to her academic journey and pursuits. 

Dr. McFadden was nominated for this award by her classmate, Ms. Jane Offutt ‘66.

Mr. Jeremy Deluca graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, earning his B.S. in Music Education with a focus in Percussion and Educational Psychology. He returned to Mt. Lebanon and rose to become the Director of Percussion Studies in 2019, overseeing programs for 200 percussionists, grades 4-12. Through initiatives like the “Kind Korner”, curricular enhancements, and private lessons for all, his focus on student experience and growth has led to a comprehensive program that produces well-rounded, empathetic students. Mr. DeLuca and the Mt. Lebanon Percussion Program were awarded the 2016 Scott E. Folmer Memorial Exemplary Practice/Partnership Award by the Local Task Force for the Right to Education in Allegheny County, when he was recognized for his efforts to make percussion and marching band fully inclusive. He received the Extra Mile Award from the Mt. Lebanon School Board in 2022, having been nominated by over 40 individuals. In addition, Mr. Deluca is a prolific arranger and composer, and developed a cymbal technique widely adopted by area programs. An alumnus of Washington Elementary, Mellon Middle School, and the High School, Mt. Lebanon has been a constant part of Mr. DeLuca’s life and career.  

Mr. Deluca was nominated for the Great Alumni Award by alumna Lily Connell ‘23, by percussion parent Mrs. Bonnie Dougherty, and by percussion grandparent, Ms. Margaret Farrell. 

Introducing our 2022 Great Alumni:

Mr. Michael Antonelli

Mr. Antonelli, Class of 1998, is an active-duty police officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), where he is assigned as a SWAT team leader. After being shot in the face causing the loss of his right eye while conducting a traffic stop in 2005, he turned down both a lifetime of disability and a career at a desk job, instead fighting to return to active duty.  He broke barriers in monocular discrimination, and has worked to develop programs to keep police safe, counsels injured officers, and teaches leadership classes within the Indianapolis Police Academy. He is a co-founder of the IMPD’s “Save-A-Cop” program, which created a way to improve the forensic collection of firearms. This led to an increase in prosecution against gun-related crimes by 75% in the first year alone. This program was nationally recognized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and has been adopted by numerous police departments across the country. His awards include the 2005 Indianapolis Police Officer of the Year, four IMPD Medals of Bravery, an IMPD Purple Heart, four IMPD Medals of Valor, and two IMPD Medals of Merit. Mr. Antonelli and his wife, Leslie, live in Zionsville, IN and have two children, Gino and Annalisa. 

Dr. Ali Michael

Dr. Michael, Class of 1996, is the Director and Co-Founder of the Race Institute for K-12 Educators, which provides immersive racial identity training for teachers in order to build anti-racist schools. It has trained 700 teachers and continues to train educators across the nation. She also teaches DEI within the Diversity and Inclusion Program at Princeton and the Equity Institutes for Higher Education at USC. She has won multiple awards for her work in anti-racism, including the 2017 Society of Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award for Raising Race Questions: Whiteness, Inquiry, and Education and the William E. Arnold Award for outstanding contributions by a doctoral student at Penn, as well as authoring, co-authoring, co-editing, and/or directing several publications and films on race. A prominent theme across her work is that her learners find her work accessible and welcoming. Dr. Michael was deeply invested as a student at Mt. Lebanon and believes her time here nurtured her purposefully early on.

Dr. Gayla Kraetsch Hartsough 

Dr. Kraetsch Hartsough, Class of 1967, is the President and founder of KH Consulting Group and an associate adjunct faculty member at the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. During the pandemic, she was Executive Director for the Los Angeles County Citizens Redistricting Commission, the first-ever independent commission to establish boundary lines for electing the Board of Supervisors. Despite complications from population and land size, as well as the pandemic shutdowns and delays, the measures were successful. During this time, she also organized Zoom reunions for ‘67 Mt. Lebanon alums. Dr. Kraetsch Hartsough has also served with many executive women’s groups, including Northwestern University’s Council of 100, the Organization of Women Executives (former president), Women in Film (mentor), the National Association of Business Owners - Los Angeles (former board member), and the Women’s Leadership Council.  She received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who’s Who in 2018. Dr. Kraetsch Hartsough lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeffrey Hartsough ‘66. They are proud of their son Jeff, his wife Kate, and their grandson Robbie.

Mr. Dick Williams

Mr. Dick Williams, Class of 1963, is a successful entrepreneur and advisor. In 1977, he founded Valquip Corporation, which was acquired by Tyco International in 2000. In 2006, he was Founding Chairman of Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School which has sent over 1,200 disadvantaged, inner-city boys to college. He is currently Chairman of HC Capital Trust, part of the investment advisor firm Hirtle Callaghan. He is also Chairman of Boys' Latin Foundation. He served for many years as a board member and later Chairman of Jefferson Health System, as well as serving on the boards of Thomas Jefferson University and The Haverford School. He also started the Pittsburgh Club in Philadelphia which connected many great people loyal to Pittsburgh and Mt. Lebanon. He and his wife, Pam, reside in Palm Beach, Florida. They have three children each and share thirteen grandchildren. 

Mr. Jim Bigham

Mr. James Bigham, Class of 1949, enjoyed a successful career in the field of flight.  He graduated from Purdue University with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and worked in Germany as a USAF instructor pilot for NATO. He earned an honorable discharge and became an aircraft structures engineer for Boeing, working on the 707, 727, TFX, and C-5, among others. He earned his M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Washington. This soon took him to NASA at the Johnson Space Center, where he became the Project Manager for the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle used to train Apollo astronauts in the Space Program. Astronaut Bill Anders referred to this program as “the much unsung hero” of the space program. Mr. Bigham then worked on a team that developed the preliminary design for the Space Shuttle. Mr. Bigham enjoyed a 47-year marriage to his wife, Camille, who passed away in 2019. Mr. Bigham passed in early 2022 and was buried with full Military Honors. 

Mt. Lebanon High School proudly announces the recipients of the 2021 Great Alumni Award: Dr. Gregory L. Fenves, Class of 1975; Erin Hohlfelder, Class of 2004; Dr. George A. Leibler (Deceased), Class of 1954; Ted Swisher (Deceased), Class of 1967. 

The Great Alumni Award is a project of the Mt. Lebanon High School Student Council. Administrators, faculty, students, and alumni serve on the selection committee. This is the 16th year of the award program. The recipients of the Great Alumni Award are selected based on exceptional work in at least one of the following areas: improvement in the lives of others, involvement in community service or achievement in a professional field.

Mt. Lebanon High School proudly honored the recipients of the 2021 Great Alumni Award with a luncheon and recognition during the Homecoming football game on October 1, 2021. 

Introducing the 2021 Great Alumni:

Gregory L. Fenves, Ph.D., Class Of 1975

Dr. Fenves is the current President of Emory University.  During a 36 year career in higher education, he led the University of Texas-Austin as its President, in the landmark lawsuit, Fisher vs. University of Texas (2016) that argued that race as a consideration in the admissions process violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. He has received the Hope for Humanity Award from the Dallas Holocaust Museum, the Academy of Distinguished Alumni award from  UC-Berkeley, and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his groundbreaking research in earthquake engineering and academic leadership. Dr. Fenves and his wife, Carmel, a textile artist, reside in Atlanta, GA and they have two adult daughters, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren.    

Dr. Fenves was nominated for this award by Mr. Thomas Heagy, a current Emory student and a Mt. Lebanon High School Co President, Class of 2018.

Erin Hohlfelder, Class Of 2004

Ms. Hohlfelder is a Senior Program Officer in the Gender Equality Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  She has worked at The One Campaign (co-founded by Bono) and served as the Policy Director for Global Health, and has been featured in media outlets including MSNBC, NPR, and the Financial Times.  Ms. Hohlfelder is a Board Member and Chair of the Nominations and Safeguarding Committee for Girl Effect, which builds global youth brands and mobile platforms that empower adolescent girls, and she was a founding Executive Committee member of Foreign Policy for America, which supports principled American engagement in the world. Her volunteering includes coaching for Girls on the Run and hosting mentoring sessions for young women seeking career advice. Ms. Hohlfelder resides in Seattle, Washington.

Ms. Hohlfelder was nominated for this award by Mr. Pete DiNardo, a Mt. Lebanon High School Social Studies teacher. 

George A. Liebler, M.D.  (Deceased), Class Of 1954

Dr. Liebler was a distinguished Pittsburgh cardio-thoracic surgeon who performed one of the first successful triple heart valve replacements (1970’s), was the first surgeon in the United States to perform a pericardial to peritoneal shunt (1980’s) and performed, while serving in the Army in Korea (1968), the only successful liver resection on a soldier’s gunshot wounds. Dr. Liebler was an Associate Professor of Surgery at Drexel University’s School of Medicine and a Surgery Instructor at the University of Pittsburgh.  During 1966-1967, Dr. Liebler performed surgery on 800 indigent patients and continued to treat indigent patients throughout his career.  Dr. Liebler and his widow, Judith, are the proud parents of Stacey, Cindy, George, and Casey and the grandparents of seven grandchildren.

Dr. Liebler was nominated for this award by Frederick B. Liebler, M.D., a  Mt. Lebanon High School Class of 1945 alumni and Dr. Liebler’s identical twin.

Ted Swisher (Deceased), Class Of 1967 

Mr. Swisher played a central role in developing the international nonprofit, Habitat for Humanity, from 20 affiliated chapters in 1983 to over 1700 communities in the U.S. and hundreds more around the world.  His involvement with the organization began in 1983, in Americus, Georgia, continued in Sydney, Australia, and led him to become Santa Fe, New Mexico’s Habitat for Humanity Executive Director in 2010.  During his tenure in Santa Fe, he added a home repair and renovation program for low-income homeowners and in 2018 instituted solar panels as a standard feature for all Habitat for Humanity homes. He also volunteered with a homeless shelter, a day care center, and the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association.  Mr. Swisher’s widow, Betsy Groves, lives in Albuquerque, NM where his daughter, Miriam, also resides.  His son, Benjamin, lives in Vermont.

Mr. Swisher was nominated for this award by his friend, Mr. Chuck Brodbeck, a 2012 Great Alumni and Mt. Lebanon High School Class of 1967 alumni. 

CRAIG M. DREW 
CLASS OF 1998 
Mr. Craig Drew is a Chief Petty Officer for the United States Coast Guard. He started as an enlisted member after three semesters of college and continued to advance in this career. He has conducted a myriad of rescues that include pulling fishermen off burning boats, evacuating Hurricane Katrina victims, and airlifting people with medical emergencies from remote areas of the world to safety. Officer Drew continues to be an active mentor to fellow Coast Guard employees and is responsible for training new members in operations and administrative duties to enact the Coast Guard's missions of saving lives and ensuring our country's continued security. Mr. Drew and his wife, Stephanie, reside in Massachusetts and are the proud parents of Ellie, Abby, JD, and Mackenzie.  Mr. Drew was nominated for this award by Mr. Brian M. Drew, his brother, who is a 1994 graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School. 

THOMAS MICHAEL FINKE 
CLASS OF 1982 
Mr. Thomas Finke was a member of the 1980 WPIAL AAAA championship football team and the winner of the Robert M. Conn award as a senior at MLHS. Currently, he is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Barings a billion dollar global investment management firm. His 28-year financial career led him to roles in both banking and investment management, more specifically in High Yield and Loan Syndications in notable companies such as First Union Capital Markets, Bear Stearns, and Company and Mellon Bank. The organizations that he directly supports or mentors others to support are the Levine Children's Hospital 5k Run, the Charlotte Ballet, Opera Carolina, Habitat for Humanity, Teach for America, and Hugo the Hornet & The Barings Book Bus. Mr. Finke and his wife, Heather, reside in North Carolina and are the proud parents of Ashley, Caroline, William, Walker, and Michael.  Mr. Finke was nominated for this award by his wife, Mrs. Heather Sutherland Finke ('83), and his cousins Mr. Tom Joyce, Mr. Mike Joyce, and Mrs. Keary McFeeley, ('91). 

HAROLD A. LANGSTAFF (DECEASED) 
CLASS OF 1939 
Mr. Langstaff was a star athlete and scholar at Mt. Lebanon High School before attending The University of Michigan where he was a member of the football team. He attended college for two years before being called into military service as a fighter pilot in both World War II and the Korean War. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and eight Air Medals for his heroic actions during those wars. He retired as a Lt. Colonel and began a career in the aerospace industry as a project manager for Aerojet General Corporation. One of the projects he worked on was the Polaris Missile program. Mr. Langstaff and his wife, Ruth Means Langstaff (40), who currently resides in Sacramento, California, are the parents of Gordon, Nancy, and Gary. They are also the grandparents of Kevin, Carly, Danielle, and Brett. Mr. Langstaff was nominated for this award by Mr. Harold H. Wilson, a 2009 Great Alumni and Mt. Lebanon High School Class of 1947 alumni. 

DOUG SATTERFIELD 
CLASS OF 1971 
Mr. Satterfield owns Rollier Hardware, a 65-year- old Mt. Lebanon institution. In 1953 he worked alongside his father at the Shadyside Rollier store and then at the Mt. Lebanon McFarland Road farm building. He has welcomed his sons, a third generation, into the hardware business. Mr. Satterfield's stock of innovative tools and hardware supplies coupled with his employees' consistently excellent customer service generate the store's substantive and ever-growing customer base. Rollier's presence on the internet continually grows. Mr. Satterfield helped rebuild Foster Elementary School's playground, supported the Center for Theatre Arts, and created hand thrown pottery to be auctioned at the Pittsburgh Empty Bowls fundraisers. Mr. Satterfield and his wife, Mary Lou ('72), are the parents of Brett ('01), Derek ('03), Tara ('05), and the proud grandparents of Luke and Conner.  Mr. Satterfield was nominated for this award by Mr. Michael Blehar and Mr. Dann Scheiferstein. 
 

DALE AARON CABLE 
CLASS OF 1975 
Mr. Cable is a founding member of the Mt. Lebanon Basketball Association and he has coached sixteen different youth travel basketball teams over the past 24 years. His commitment to creating and fostering Mt. Lebanon youth sports is evidenced in his volunteer work as a board member for the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil Club, the Mt. Lebanon Youth Sports Alliance, the Mr. Lebanon Parks Advisory Board, the Mt. Lebanon Sports Advisory Board, and Mt. Lebanon High School's Hall of Champions. As an attorney, Mr. Cable has established a practice in the area of workers compensation law and is a recipient of the Allegheny County Bar Association's Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Cable and his wife, Suzie, reside in Mt. Lebanon and are the proud parents of Kassie Mielecki ('05), Jourdan ('07), and Madison ('11), and son-in-law Christopher Mielecki. Mr. Cable was nominated for this award by Mr. Lawrence Lebowitz, a current Mt. Lebanon School District Board of School Director and a 2015 Great Alumni Award recipient. 

DAVID CONOVER 
CLASS OF 1975 
Mr. Conover is the Chief Technologist for Additive Manufacturing at Ansys, a mechanical computer-aided engineering software development company. He serves as a board member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information Sciences and the Swanson School of Engineering at Syracuse University. He is the technical team leader and mentor for topology optimization and process simulation for 3D printing. After experiencing the loss of their son, Matthew, to lymphoma, Mr. Conover, and his wife Noelle, have created a program to empower the next generation of engineers, mathematicians, and artists through hands on, experiential learning. This program, Matt's Maker Space, has been donated to the Mt. Lebanon School District and is in place at all of the school district's elementary schools. The program is also in operation at Mt. Lebanon Public Library, St. Paul Episcopal Church's nursery school, and UPMC Children's Hospital Pittsburgh. The Conovers plan to expand Matt's Maker Space to other sites in the future. Mr. Conover and Mrs. Conover reside in Mt. Lebanon and are the proud parents of four children: Megan ('05), Matthew, Alex ('11), and Anna ('17).  Mr. Conover was nominated for this award by Mr. Dale Ostergaard, a former Mt. Lebanon School District Board of School Director and a 1974 alumni. 

NOELLE CALABRO CONOVER 
CLASS OF 1978 
Mrs. Conover is the Project Coordinator for the Survivor Connect program in the Hematology/Oncology Division of UPMC Children's Hospital Pittsburgh. She advocates for resources and educates cancer survivors and their families. Along with working alongside Mr. Conover in the continual development of Matt's Maker Space, Mrs. Conover serves on the Executive Board of Our Clubhouse, the Robert Morris University Nursing Advisory Board, and on committees for the Pittsburgh Foundation, the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, and the UPMC Children's Hospital Pittsburgh Cancer and Blood Disorders Auxiliary. Mrs. Conover and her husband, David, reside in Mt. Lebanon and are the proud parents of four children: Megan ('05), Matthew, Alex ('11), and Anna ('17).  Mrs. Conover was nominated for this award by Mr. Dale Ostergaard, a former Mt. Lebanon School District Board of School Director and a 1974 alumni. 

JOHN S. HALLER, JR. 
CLASS OF 1958 
Dr. Haller is the Professor Emeritus of History and Medical Humanities and the Emeritus Vice President of Academic Affairs at Southern Illinois University. During his long tenure as a college professor, Dr. Haller authored twenty-five books. The topics of those books include American alternative healing methods, the history of New Thought and 19th Century Relief Systems, battlefield medicine, and true crime about which he has written nine novels. Dr. Haller has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and worked to preserve sites of historic significance in Cairo, Illinois. In 2003, he wrote and published The Mt. Lebanon Hallers, a 300 page book of the history of his paternal lineage. Dr. Haller and his wife, Robin, are the proud parents of Jonathan and Peter, and the grandparents of Arvo. Dr. Haller was nominated for this award by Mr. Daniel Haller, his cousin and a 1955 alumni. 

SHIRLEY ERNER HANSON 
CLASS OF 1954 
Mrs. Hanson is a conservator of historic buildings and sites in eastern Pennsylvania, particularly in Montgomery County's Chestnut Hill and Springfield Township communities. She directed the efforts in establishing the Chestnut Hill Conservancy as the nation's first accredited urban land trust, established that community's Task Force on Youth School Coalition against alcohol and drugs, and co founded the Springfield Township Historical Society. Mrs. Hanson coauthored Preserving and Maintaining the Older Home. She considers the book a classic work on the subject of preservation. In 2017, Mrs. Hanson was recognized by Governor Wolf with a citation for her preservation contributions. Additionally, she received the Pennsylvania Preservation Chairman's Award for outstanding preservation work and has been recognized by the Philadelphia City Council for 50 years of preservation work. Mrs. Hanson and her husband, Robert, (deceased) are the proud parents of Karen, Elise, Robert, Jr. and the grandmother of six grandchildren. Mrs. Hanson was nominated by her Class of 1954 classmate, Mrs. Carolou Fidder Marquet. 

Mt. Lebanon High School welcomed the recipients of the 2017 Great Alumni Award to the high school on October 6. The high school held a luncheon to honor the awardees during the day and a special recognition was held at the football game that night.
This year's recipients are: Judith Balk, M.D. Class of 1981; Cheston M. Berlin, M.D. Class of 1954; Tacy Byham, Ph.D. Class of 1986; Steffanie Jones Lewis, Class of 1954; Linn F. Mollenauer, Ph.D. Class of 1954; Michael J. Riemer, Class of 1978.

The Great Alumni Award is a project of the Mt. Lebanon High School Student Council. Administrators, faculty, students, and alumni serve on the selection committee. This is the 13th year of the award program. The recipients of the Great Alumni Award are selected based on exceptional work in at least one of the following areas: improvement in the lives of others, involvement in community service or achievement in a professional field.

Dr. Balk is a graduate of Washington University (Bachelor of Arts), the University of Pennsylvania (Master of Arts in Public Policy and a Medical Doctor degree), and the University of Pittsburgh (Master of Public Health). After her training with a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, she focused her work on combining integrative medicine and women's health and developed a national reputation as an expert in this field. Dr. Balk grew her skill set by studying functional medicine and completed advanced training in mind-body medicine. She also became a licensed acupuncturist and a certified yoga teacher. She has dedicated her career to finding alternative solutions for difficult health challenges by integrating acupuncture, mind-body skills, and nutrition for women in the menopause transition, cancer survivors, and women with other midlife medical issues. Dr. Balk volunteers her time as a physician at Casting for Recovery retreats for breast cancer survivors. The retreats focus on the medical and emotional aspects of breast cancer while teaching mindfulness, patience, and developing peer support as the survivors learn to fly fish. She is also actively involved at Beth El Congregation of the South Hills as a Board Member, torah reader, and volunteer. Dr. Balk and her husband, Andrew Schaer, are the proud parents of Jordan ('12), Brady ('14) , and Maya ('17).

Dr. Balk was nominated by her classmate and 2015 Great Alumni Award winner Lawrence Lebowitz.

Dr. Berlin has devoted his career to improving the lives and health of others as a practicing pediatrician for fifty-four years. He has been a Penn State University Professor at the M. S. Hershey Medical School for the past forty-seven years. In recognition of his esteemed career, Dr. Berlin is only the third person to be appointed an Honorary Alumnus of Penn State University's College of Medicine. Dr. Berlin directs a pediatric clinical office, teaches at the medical school, and conducts research in pediatric pharmacology, nutrition, lactation, drugs in human milk, Tourette syndrome, and newborn screening. His major clinical effort in recent years is caring for children with Phenylketonuria (PKU) of which many children afflicted are of the Amish and Mennonite communities. Several times a year Dr. Berlin provides pro bono care of the Amish families. Early in his career, he established the first Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in the United States at the National Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C. Dr. Berlin and his wife, Anne, reside in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and are the proud parents of and the proud grandparents of .

Dr. Berlin was nominated by his Class of 1954 classmate Carolou Fidder Marquet.

Dr. Byham is the CEO of Development Dimension International (DDI), a global leadership consultancy that helps the world's most successful companies, educational institutions, and

nonprofit organizations transform the way they select, develop, and accelerate leaders. The global and local effect DDI has on the community is recognized through various accolades by those who have been impacted by its work. Accomplishments like these may be, in part, due to her degrees in mathematics and computer science from Mt. Holyoke College. Additionally, getting her masters in Industrial Organizational psychology from the University of Akron has proved to be beneficial in Dr. Byham's career. Her #LeadLikeAGirl presentations before college and business audiences demonstrate her commitment to mentoring women as they advance in the workplace. In her recent article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Dr. Byham highlighted the need for women to more accurately assess themselves as effective leaders to fully reach their workplace potential. As an advocate for women's professional success, she discovered that women-led organizations generated "better financial results" a majority of the time. Dr. Byham's book, Your FIrst Leadership Job, coauthored with Rich Wellins, was released in 2015 to excellent reviews. Dr. Byham has spearheaded numerous successful fundraisers that have supported the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, the Mount Holyoke Club of Pittsburgh and of Great Britain, and the Junior Leagues of Pittsburgh, London, Akron, and New York City. She has also been a board member of the Pittsburgh Musical Theater, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium and is currently a board member of City Theatre. Dr. Byham resides in Mt. Lebanon along with her son, Spencer, who currently attends Mt. Lebanon High School. And according to her son, when her schedule isn't too busy, she enjoys a mean Zumba class.

Dr. Byham was nominated by her friend Cecile R. Usner.

Mrs. Steffanie Jones Lewis entered the workforce as a school teacher. Within less than a decade, she had taught in five states across the United States. After moving to Alaska for a teaching position, she and her late husband established an air taxi company, Parkair, which served the southern coast of Alaska and grew to be successful. As a radio dispatcher in Alaska, Mrs. Lewis many times assisted with the search and rescue efforts of stranded and injured fishermen. She obtained a law degree from the California Western School of Law, returned to Alaska, and became the owner of a commercial salmon seining business. A subsequent move to Virginia resulted in her developing an interest in immigration law where she is currently a managing partner at the International Business Law Firm. Mrs. Lewis works tirelessly on behalf of immigrants who have skills that are otherwise unavailable in the United States and supports the rights of American and foreign nationals in courts. She and her husband, Alfred, reside in Arlington, Virginia. They are the parents of Jennifer, Yani, and Kieren and the proud grandparents of four grandchildren.

Mrs. Lewis was nominated by her Class of 1954 classmate Judith Musgrave.

Dr. Mollenauer received a Bachelor of Engineering Physics degree from Cornell University and a PhD in physics from Stanford University. After teaching for seven years at the University of California - Berkeley, he joined the technical staff of Bell Laboratories where he focused on the application of solitons and other nonlinear effects in optical fiber pulse propagation to ultra long distance transmission. Retired from Bell Labs at the end of 2003, in the winters of 2005 and 2006, he was an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona at Tucson. During this period of time, he wrote the textbook Solitons in Optical Fibers: Fundamentals and Applications with co-author James P. Gordon. Among his many honors, Dr. Mollenauer received the Stuart Ballantine Medal from the Franklin Institute in consideration of the importance of the work on the soliton laser and of its potential application in high speed optical communication. He was also elected to be a Bell Laboratories Fellow for the seminal contribution of the generation, understanding, and system applications of optical soliton. Dr. Mollenauer and his wife, Marjorie, live in Colts Neck, New Jersey, are the parents of David and James, and the proud grandparents of three grandchildren.

Dr. Mollenauer was nominated by his Class of 1954 classmate Barbara Center Mann.

Mr. Riemer first served the Mt. Lebanon community as a police officer and then as the Public School Education officer who became known to all of the elementary aged students as he taught the children about the dangers of drug and alcohol addiction, bullying, cyberbullying, and internet predators. Since 2013, Mr. Riemer has been a Mt. Lebanon School District Board of School Director. Throughout his police career, Mr. Riemer worked collaboratively with the Mt. Lebanon Parent Teacher Association Council, the Mt. Lebanon School District's Drug & Alcohol Task Force, and the Outreach Teen & Family Counseling Organization. Mr. Reimer developed the Mt. Lebanon School District's security training for dealing with an active shooter. He is currently serving as the Emergency Disaster Services Director of the Western Pennsylvania Salvation Army in which he has directed relief work for disasters in New York City and throughout Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Riemer has volunteered as an elder at Bower Hill Community Church and as an advocate and speaker for both the Center for Organ Recovery and Education and the National Kidney Foundation. Mr. Riemer and his wife, Catherine, reside in Mt. Lebanon and are the proud parents of Rebecca ('10) and Megan('14).

Mr. Riemer was nominated by his friend Alfonso Frioni, Jr., Esq.

Mt. Lebanon High School is proud to announce the recipients of the 2016 Great Alumni Award: Mary D. Birks Class of 1982, Ruth Colker Class of 1974, Gretchen R. Haggerty Class of 1972, and Dr. Mark C. Lester Class of 1970. The high school will hold a luncheon tomorrow to honor the awardees and they will be recognized at the football game tomorrow night.

The Great Alumni Award is a project of the Mt. Lebanon High School Student Council. Administrators, faculty, students, and alumni serve on the selection committee. This is the 12th year of the award program. The recipients of the Great Alumni Award are selected based on exceptional work in at least one of the following areas: improvement in the lives of others, involvement in community service or achievement in a professional field.

Mary D. Birks Class of 1982
Mary D. Birks' professional and volunteer work careers have showcased her outspoken advocacy for children. This is evidenced by her focus on the development of leadership skills for underserved girls throughout Allegheny County while employed at Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania, during the many years she was a PTA, PTSA, and PTA Council leader, while being a board member for the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education, and as a Mt. Lebanon School District School Board Director for the past seven years and currently the Vice President of the Board. She is the Executive Director of Outreach Teen & Family Services, a community based child, teen, and family counselling agency.

Mrs. Birks was nominated by friends Ms. Elyse Berkowitz Lattner and Mrs.Jodi Kubit.

Ruth Colker Class of 1974
Professor Colker is a Distinguished University Professor and the Heck Faust Memorial Chair in Constitutional Law at the Moritz College of Law at The Ohio State University. She is an advocate for disability rights and is one of the leading scholars in the country in the areas of Constitutional Law and Disability Discrimination. Her legal writings had a strong impact on a major constitutional decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, Tennessee v. Lane. Nationally, she is an active member of the pro bono legal community who advocates on behalf of women's rights, LGBT rights and individuals with disabilities.

Professor Colker was nominated by Mr. Peter DiNardo, a Mt. Lebanon High School Social Studies teacher.

Gretchen R. Haggerty Class of 1972
Gretchen R. Haggerty began as a management trainee at the United States Steel Corporation and thirty-seven years later she was its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. She also served on the Board of Directors of the US Steel & Carnegie Pension Fund as chairperson of the Pension fund and the Investment committee for the Pension fund. Mrs. Haggerty currently serves as a board member of the USG Corporation, the United Way of Allegheny County , The Strategic Investment Fund, and Duquesne University School of Law Advisory Board. In 2012, she was elected as the first female president of the Duquesne Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Mrs. Haggerty was nominated by Mr. Charles Brodbeck, a 2012 Great Alumni award recipient.

Mark C. Lester Class of 1970
As a neurosurgeon and healthcare system physician executive, Dr. Lester has created clinical care systems at Texas Health Resources (THR) in Dallas, Texas. He led the development of a trauma center in Michigan and implemented a surgical checklist for THR. He serves on the Board of Directors for the American Association for Physician Leadership and is the Executive Vice President of the Texas Health Resources organization.

Dr. Lester was nominated by Mr. Harold H. Wilson, Jr. a 2009 Great Alumni award recipient.

2015 Great Alumni. From left to right: Jack Daley, representing Commander Gregg Gnipp were his father Mr. Gnipp and his mother Mrs. Patricia White, Larry Lebowitz, Jo Posti, Father John Chakos and high school principal Brian McFeeley.

REVEREND JOHN CHAKOS CLASS OF 1959
Father John Chakos has been instrumental in training future indigenous clergy, building churches and medical clinics, as well bringing much needed health care to remote Guatemalan mountain villages since 1999.  He also has volunteered at the Hogar Rafael Ayau orphanage in Guatemala City, Guatemala for the past sixteen years.  Father Chakos received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Western Kentucky University and earned a teaching certificate from Duquesne University in 1964.  He and his wife, Alexandra, became Peace Corps volunteers in 1966 and subsequently lived and worked in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for two years.  Upon his return to Pittsburgh, he taught in the public schools for another two years.  Father Chakos graduated from Holy Cross Seminary in 1971 with a Masters of Divinity and received his ordination to the Greek Orthodox priesthood in 1974. He then served in the Dioceses of Chicago, Illinois and in 1981 received the Masters of Religious Education from Loyola University of Chicago.  Father Chakos and his family moved to Pittsburgh and throughout the following 31 years, he served the parishioners at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Mt. Lebanon.   Since 2011, he spends six months of every year assisting the Mayan communities in Guatemala.  The South Hills of Pittsburgh and Mt. Lebanon in particular, have been strong guiding influences in his life.  Father John, a Pittsburgh native, and his wife Alexandra, are the parents of four children and their spouses and the adoring grandparents of twelve grandchildren.  

Reverend Chakos was nominated for this award by Mr. John Conomos, his classmate and friend.

Jack Daley Class of 1984
Jack Daly is on the Board of the Navy SEAL Foundation and in 2014 chaired the Navy SEAL Foundation Gala in New York, New York.  This fundraising effort resulted in $6 million being raised to support the families of the Navy SEALs who have been killed or wounded in action. Mr. Daly’s work and close relationship with the Navy SEAL community is based on his lifelong friendship with Navy SEAL Captain Robert Smith.  Mr. Daly received his Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science in mechanical engineering at Case Western Reserve University.  While a student at Case, he founded the Case Engineering Service Group (CESG), a non-profit organization in which students and local engineers designed and built specialized devices for physically disabled people. The CESG was featured on ABC World News, the New York Times and on National Public Radio.  After graduation, he joined the mechanical engineering faculty at Case Western Reserve and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in design and manufacturing.  In 1999, Mr. Daly received a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and subsequently joined Goldman Sachs.  He is currently a Partner at Goldman Sachs and is the head of the Americas Industrials Private Equity business focusing on making control investments in large industrial companies.  Mr. Daly and his wife Metka live in New York, New York with their sons Joey, James, and Luke.

Mr. Daly was nominated by Captain Robert Smith, USN, his classmate and a 2009 Great Alumni award recipient.

GREGG GNIPP, U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH COMMANDER  CLASS OF 1986
Commander Gregg Gnipp is a Commissioned Corps Officer in the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research Facilities in the Division of Environmental Protection in Bethesda, Maryland.  He received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 1990 and a Master’s of Science in Environmental Science & Management and a Masters of Business Administration graduating with honors from Duquesne University in 2003. In 2005, CDR Gnipp accepted a civilian government position with NIH in Bethesda, Maryland to revitalize their environmental management programs throughout its research campuses nationally. In 2006, CDR Gnipp was commissioned by the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in the U. S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS CC) as a Health Services Officer and joined a Rapid Deployment Force called PHS-2. CDR Gnipp has deployed to numerous events to provide medical care and shelter to special needs individuals during a crisis.  Some of these disasters include Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Super Storm Sandy, Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors in Arizona, and the Ebola Outbreak in Monrovia, Liberia.  CDR Gnipp is a diehard Pittsburgh sports fan who lives in Washington, DC.

Commander Gnipp was nominated by Mrs. Patricia White, his mother.

LAWRENCE M. LEBOWITZ CLASS OF 1980 
Larry Lebowitz is a partner and founder/head of the Immigration Practice Group of Cohen & Grigsby, P.C.  For more than a decade, he has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America for immigration law, in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and in Who’s Who in Law Education.  He received his Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984 and obtained the Juris Doctorate, cum laude, degree from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Law in 1987.  Mr. Lebowitz is an adjunct professor of immigration law at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Law and previously taught at the Duquesne University School of Law.  His professional and community involvement includes serving as a Mt. Lebanon School Board Director since 2009 and is currently the President of the Mt. Lebanon Board of School Directors.  He is also a member of the de Tocqueville Society of the United Way, the Economic Development Council of the Allegheny Conference, and the Pittsburgh Regional Immigration Assistance Center.  He is a former member of Leadership Pittsburgh XX, The Mt. Lebanon School District Capital Campaign Co-Chairperson, a board member of the Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education, the Board of Directors of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Temple Emanuel of the South Hills, and Outreach Teen and Family Services. He has also been a mentor with the Career Literacy for African American Youth program.  Mr. Lebowitz and his wife Lynn reside in Mt. Lebanon and are the parents of two daughters and one son.

Mr. Lebowitz was nominated by Mr. David Birks, his friend.

JOSEPHINE POSTI CLASS OF 1986
Josephine Posti is an accredited public relations professional and is currently the senior external affairs specialist for Pennsylvania American Water, the Commonwealth’s largest regulated water and wastewater service provider.Her Bachelor of Arts in English degree and a writing certificate were received from Kent State University in 1990.  She became a Mt. Lebanon School Board Director in 2005, reelected in 2009, and served a term as the President of the Mt. Lebanon School Board Directors. Mrs. Posti’s tenure spanned a critical time during the high school renovation project that included municipal approvals, the bidding and re-bidding process as well as the project’s groundbreaking.  Mrs. Posti assisted with the development of Mt. Lebanon’s “Stop Addiction For Everyone” task force in response to an increase of drug overdoses within the community. She is currently the Co-Chairperson of the Mt. Lebanon School District’s capital campaign.  She was awarded a Lifetime Membership by the Pennsylvania PTA and is currently a Girl Scout leader.  Mrs. Posti serves on a capital campaign committee for Pittsburgh Friends Meeting and has helped to facilitate inter-visitation between Cuban and American Quakers including leading groups of Friends from Florida and Pennsylvania to Cuba.  As a beekeeper, she steers the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association’s Bee Friendly City initiative.  Mrs. Posti and her husband Steve are the parents of Jakob and Bela. 

Mrs. Posti was nominated by Ms. Arlan Hess and Mrs. Elaine Cappucci, her friends.

DEAN A. CALLAND 
CLASS OF 1972 
Dean Calland is a nationally recognized attorney who is an authority on the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), regulatory and corrective action issues, and all forms of site remediation, including brownfields. He has been widely published and is a frequent lecturer on environmental law issues. Mr. Calland serves on the board of directors of River Quest, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children and teachers regarding the ecological value of Pittsburgh's three rivers. He is also the president of the board of directors of the Crossroads Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the helping at-risk inner city youth graduate from high school and go on to higher educational opportunities. Mr. Calland and his wife Mary are the recipients of the 2009 NCEA Elizabeth Ann Seton National Award for outstanding service to Catholic education. Mr. Calland obtained his B.A. from Yale University and his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame. He and his wife reside in Mt. Lebanon and are the parents of five children and grandparents of one grandchild. Mr. Calland was nominated by Mr. Larry Lebowitz, his friend. 

CLINTON A. HODDER, U.S. ARMY, COLONEL (retired) 
CLASS OF 1958 
Clinton Hodder, Colonel, U.S. Army (retired), is recognized as one of the first quartermaster officers of his time to become a charter member of the Army Acquisition Corps. His career was focused on obtaining clothing and protective gear that enhanced the survivability of the soldiers on the battlefield. This included his direction and support of the research and development of military helmets, protective vests, and the acquisition of boots that could specifically withstand the desert heat during the first Iraq war. He has received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Vietnamese Honor Medal first class. Upon his retirement, he became the director of the Quartermaster Foundation. He continues to mentor young officers and soldiers in order to make them better quartermasters and multifunctional logisticians. President Obama selected him as a recipient of the Call to Service Award for his dedication to volunteerism. He was also recently inducted into the Quartermaster Regimental Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Distinguished Order of Saint Martin. Colonel Hodder earned his Bachelor in Science in Business Administration from the University of Dayton and as a distinguished graduate of ROTC. He also is a graduate of the Naval War College and earned a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Alabama. He and his wife Kim are the parents of six children and grandparents of fourteen grandchildren. Colonel Hodder was nominated by Ms. Nancy Anderson, his friend. 

RUBY LEE KANG 
CLASS OF 1983 
Ruby Kang is a steadfast volunteer and a hardworking supporter of a wide variety of Pittsburgh and Mt. Lebanon service organizations. She is currently the vice president of the Ladies Hospital Aid Society, the immediate past president and current board. member of the Mt. Lebanon Community Endowment foundation, and an advisory board member of the Mt. Lebanon Key Communications. Mrs. Kang was the Woman's Golf Association 9 Hole co-chairperson at St. Clair Country Club, a Gala Committee member for the Ward Home, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Pittsburgh Kid's Foundation. She formerly held the positions of PTA president and vice president at multiple schools in the Mt. Lebanon School District and was the co-chairperson of the 2014 Mt. Lebanon High School prom. She is a former board member of Outreach Teen and Family Services and was a 2007 Mt. Lebanon School District Baldridge Internal Assessment team member. She also volunteers at the South Hills Food Pantry as a monthly shopper. Always active in her children's sports affiliations, she held positions as treasurer and board member for the Mt. Lebanon Hockey Association and concessions manager for the Mt. Lebanon Girls Volleyball Team. Her industrious efforts have earned her the 2004 National PTA Life Achievement Award, the 2014 PTA Outstanding Service Award, and the 2014 Crohn's and Colitis Foundation Woman of Distinction Award in Philanthropy. Mrs. Kang received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Duquesne University. She and her husband James are the parents of three children. Mrs. Kang was nominated by Steve and Teresa Saxton, her friends. 

BETTY JO HIRSCHFIELD LOUIK, D.M.D. 
CLASS OF 1972
Betty Jo Hirschfield Louik, D.M.D., is a nationally recognized dentist and has a long standing dental practice in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She is the recipient of the American Association of Women Dentists Award, the American College of Dentists Award, the Alpha Omega Fraternity Award, has been elected to the national dental honor society Omicron Kappa Upsilon, and recently received America's Best Dentist Award. For four years she was a part-time instructor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Hirschfield Louik was elected president of Temple Emanuel and served in this role during a major building renovation and expansion of the synagogue. For her efforts during this tenure, she received the Pennsylvania Scroll of Honor Award from the Union of Reform Judaism and the Woman of the Year Manny Award from Temple Emanuel. She has served on the Agency for Jewish Learning board of directors and as board member and fundraising chairperson for the Denis Theatre Foundation since 2008. Dr. Hirschfield Louik, a Phi Beta Kappa from Chatham College, graduated first in her class from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. She and her husband Howard are the parents of three children and grandparents of one grandchild.
Dr. Hirschfield Louik was nominated by MJ Meenen, her friend. 

JOHN MACDONALD, M.D
CLASS OF 1954 
John Macdonald, M.D., is the former Chief of Surgery at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and is a medical consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO). He was a volunteer member of the United States medical team that arrived in Haiti two days after that country's devastating earthquake in 2010. As a direct result of his experiences with the Haitian people, Dr. Macdonald opened a wound care clinic in 2012 located in the Project Medishare Hospital Bernard Mevs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Dr. Macdonald, in conjunction with the University of Miami School of Medicine, works tirelessly in Haiti to establish a sustainable medical program that addresses the most basic needs of the patients and supports the training of Haitian medical clinicians in the fundamentals of wound care. Currently, the World Health Organization and Dr. Macdonald are conducting extensive wound care research in Ghana. His received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Notre Dame, his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, completed his internship at Jackson Memorial Hospital at the University of Miami, completed his residency in general and cardiovascular surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, and completed his fellowship in cardiovascular surgery at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, England. Dr. Macdonald and his wife Kari are the parents of four sons and grandparents of four grandchildren. 
Dr. Macdonald was nominated by Barbara Center Mann, Carolou Fidder Marquet, and Judith Langhart Musgrave, his classmates and friends 

FATHER DONALD McILVANE 
CLASS OF 1942 
Donald Mcllvane was a man of passionate opinions who worked on behalf of social justice for the disenfranchised. He supported organized labor and marched in protest. for jobs, peace, and civil rights. He resided in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania during his senior year of high school. He became a sailor in the United States Naval Reserve and was stationed on the Yale Victory ship from 1942-1945. Influenced to become a priest by Jesuit Father Philip Sullivan, he attended St. Vincent's Seminary. Ordained in 1952, he celebrated his first Mass at St. Bernard's Church in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. In 1965, as a representative of the Catholic Interracial Council of Pittsburgh, he walked with Martin Luther King Jr. in the historic Selma-to-Montgomery March that supported voting rights for African-Americans. He served at many churches in Allegheny and Beaver counties and as chaplain for the Allegheny County Jail throughout his 60 years of ministry. In April 1994 he traveled to South Africa as a documented observer of the free elections when black South Africans voted for the first time and Nelson Mandela ran for president. He spoke out on behalf of the poor, for women's rights, increasing the minimum wage, improving bus service for the disadvantaged, and brought to the forefront racist hiring practices. He challenged the church's traditions as well as the practices of local and national politicians. At age 74, he was arrested and later acquitted for civil disobedience on behalf of janitors protesting job cuts. His name is honored on the Freedom Corner Memorial in the Hill District of Pittsburgh.
Reverend Mcllvane was nominated by Mr. Terry Phillips, 1968 Mt. Lebanon High School alumni. 

JAMES H. OFFUTT, U.S. NAVY, COMMANDER (retired) 
CLASS OF 1961 
James Offutt became national president and chief executive officer of the Navy League of the United States in June 2013. As a volunteer, he has served the Navy League at all levels of governance. He spearheaded the establishment of relief funds for the families of the 2013 Navy Yard shooting victims. For several years, he served as chairman of the Maritime Policy and Resolutions Committee, directed the creation of the Navy League's annual Maritime Policy, and received the Secretary of the Navy's Distinguished Public Service Award. During his U.S. Navy career, Commander Offutt, was a pilot and weapon systems acquisition manager, flying the S-2, A-6, and S-3 carrier-based aircraft in 201 combat missions. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, ten Air Medals, and three Navy Commendation Medals. Mr. Offutt worked in industry as president of Rosslyn Group and National Capital Group, and vice president of Vanguard Research, AC Technologies Inc., Alpha-insight, and Titan Corporation. As president of Computer Reclamation, Inc., he led an organization that provided IT solutions to non-profit associations. Mr. Offutt's civic activity included serving as chairman and member of the Fairfax City Planning Commission and vice-chairman of the Economic Development Commission. He served as chairman of the Region Transportation Citizens' Committee for Northern Virginia. Mr. Offutt holds a Master's in Public Administration from the University of LaVerne, California and a Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of New Mexico. He and his wife Becky are the parents of two sons and the grandparents of three grandchildren. Mr. Offutt was nominated by Ms. Jane Offutt, his sister. 

JASON BACHA, M.D. 
CLASS OF 1998 
Dr. Jason Bacha works for the Texas Children's Hospital Global Health Service Corporation in Mbeya, Tanzania as a pediatrician and is the Co Clinical Director at the Mbeya Pediatric Clinic. He provides direct clinical care to more than 2000 children who live with HIV/AIDS, TB, or malnutrition. Dr. Bacha mentors and trains African medical personnel, develops social programs for the local Mbeya teenage population and initiates HIV outreach programs for several Tanzanian communities. Along with his team of medical professionals, Bacha's work in Mbeya is a model for a "Center of Excellence" for the underserved and at risk populations in Tanzania as well as throughout East Africa. Also, he has performed countless hours of volunteer work in the United States, Haiti, Kenya and Malawi. Dr. Bacha received his M.D. from the University of Michigan and completed his residency program at Stanford University. Jason was recently married and he and his wife Liane have returned to Tanzania to work for an extended stay.  Nominated by John and Connie Bacha, parents 

KIM L. FROCK 
CLASS OF 1978 
Ms. Kim L. Frock led a team of educators in 2003 in founding the Alternative School for Math and Science (ASMS) in Corning, New York. She was motivated to develop this middle school because she was concerned about the declining achievement levels of middle school and high school students in the southern tier of New York. The school was recognized as an Intel School of Distinction Finalist in 2007, and 75% of its graduates are pursuing STEM degrees in college. Since the school's inception, Ms. Frock has served as the Administrative Head of School and Board Treasurer on a solely voluntary basis. Ms. Frock holds a B.S. degree in Accounting from Lehigh University, Summa Cum Laude and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She earned a M.B.A. from Harvard University. Ms. Frock joined Corning Incorporated where she held a variety of positions including the CFO at Corning Asahi Video Products and Corning Consumer Product Company. She served as Deputy Treasurer and Director of Financial Consulting at Corning Incorporated prior to leaving to found the Alternative School for Math and Science. Nominated by Roberta and Sheldon Campbell, friends 

RICHARD LACKNER 
CLASS OF 1974 
Mr. Richard Lackner has developed an award-winning football program at Carnegie Mellon University over the past thirty five years. Coach Lackner was elected to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, was recognized as the UAA Coach of the Year after five different football seasons, and was named the 2006 All-South Region Coach of the Year by D3football.com. On November 5, 2011, Lackner coached Carnegie Mellon to the 500th win in program history. Currently, Lackner's lifetime record as a Carnegie Mellon head football coach is 181-90-2 (.667 winning percentage), ranking as the University's all time winningest coach. Throughout his time at CMU, he has played with or coached 44 Academic All-Americans, ranking tops in Division III and seventh in all of collegiate football. Lackner himself earned Academic All-American honors in 1976 and 1978. He earned a BA in History from Carnegie Mellon University while being a standout linebacker for the school's football team. He began his tenure as an assistant coach and was named the head coach in 1986. As a senior at Mt. Lebanon, he led the football team to the WPIAL Class AAA title game with a 9-2 record. He is the proud father of Nick and Kimberly and the exuberant grandfather of Marco Richard Mauro. Nominated by Steven Killmeyer, JP White, and Socrates Zacharias, former CMU football players and Mt. Lebanon High School alumni 

PRESTON V. MCMURRY, JR. 
CLASS OF 1955 
Mr. Preston V. McMurry, Jr. founded McMurry, Inc., which at his retirement, was the 12th largest privately owned advertising/marketing firm in the United States. His company has won more than 1400 awards for creative excellence and was recognized as one of the ten best places to work in the nation for nine years in a row. Preston founded Theresa's Fund in 1992 and considers it his purpose in life. This charitable foundation has donated and helped raise more that $49 million for causes related to preventing family violence. For his work in combating child abuse and domestic violence, Preston was named the 2002 Greater Arizona AFP Philanthropist of the Year. In 2003, the Ohio State University Alumni Association named him the recipient of its coveted Citizenship Award. He was honored as the Lipsey Outstanding Philanthropist in 2013. Preston was a record setting fullback on the Mt. Lebanon football team, and he set a single game rushing record by gaining 309 yards in 18 carries against a previously undefeated Penn Township squad. The 1954 Blue Devils were the first Mounties to wear the horned helmets and Preston scored the first touchdown doing so. From 1955-1959, he played at Ohio State University for the legendary Hall of Fame coach, Woody Hayes, for whom he as a running back in a three-yards-in-cloud-of-dust offense. Preston was a member of the 1957 OSU team that won the National Championship Rose Bowl. Nominated by Mike Melnyk, Mt. Lebanon High School Head Football Coach 

BILL ROTH 
CLASS OF 1983 
Mr. Bill Roth was "the Voice" of Mt. Lebanon High School's football and basketball teams during his senior year of high school. This experience led him to establish his professional broadcasting career as "the Voice" of the Virginia Tech Hokies. For the past twenty-six years, Mr. Roth has been known throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond for his signature broadcast opening: "From the blue waters of the Chesapeake Bay to the hills of Tennessee, the Virginia Tech Hokies are on the air!" He is the lead play-by-play announcer of Virginia Tech football and basketball radio broadcasts, serves as the host of a weekly radio show featuring the head basketball and football coaches and hosts "Virginia Tech Sports Today". Bill has been honored ten times as Virginia's Sportscaster of the Year and was inducted into the Commonwealth of Virginia's Sports Hall of Fame. Since 2002, Roth has sponsored the "Bill Roth United Way Kids Day." This annual event provides disadvantaged youths with an opportunity for fun and interaction with the University's athletes. He is a member of the United Way Board of Directors and has worked in conjunction with the Virginia Tech Police to develop unique emergency training modules for Virginia Tech faculty, staff, and visitors. The modules promote campus safety, awareness, and self-preparedness. Roth graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in broadcast journalism and was awarded the distinguished Robert Costas Scholarship. Nominated by his friends Russ Jones, Tom Steffora, Bruce Rudoy, and his cousins the Dreifuss Family 

ERIC M. SCHMUDE 
CLASS OF 1978 
Mr. Eric M. Schmude has a long history of service to his family, friends, and community. Since 2003, Mr. Schmude has work tirelessly on behalf of the Arthritis Foundation, Autism Speaks, Virginia Repertory Theater Company, and the Tourette Syndrome Association. He was named as the Arthritis Foundation's National Volunteer of the Year in 2008. Throughout his high school years, Schmude was inseparable from his friends, D.R. Papalia and Eric Posey, as they played football together and forged a friendship that lasted until the untimely deaths of Mr. Papalia and Mr. Posey. Since 2009, Mr. Schmude and another classmate have organized a local golf tournament to benefit Mr. Papalia's children's college education. Mr. Schmude is a Lafayette College graduate and earned his MBA at the University of Pittsburgh. His career at Pitney Bowes has earned him recognition for outstanding contribution to the Pitney Bowes Vision of "One Company" on four different occasions. Eric and his wife Michele reside in Virginia with their two children, Christian and Erica. Nominated by Lynn Roberto, sister 
 

CHARLES BRODBECK
CLASS OF 1967 
Chuck Brodbeck has enjoyed a distinguished legal career while being actively involved in the Mt. Lebanon and Pittsburgh communities. A partner in the law firm of Cohen & Grigsby specializing in finance and real estate, he was named "Pittsburgh Public Finance Lawyer of the Year" for 2011 by The Best Lawyers in America. Despite the demands of his legal career, Chuck currently serves as immediate past Chairman and board member of Phipps Conservatory and as Treasurer and board member of the Eye & Ear Foundation. He previously served as President and board member of Outreach Teen and Family Services and as a board member of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children. Chuck received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his law degree from Northwestern University. One of his fondest high school memories occurred during his senior year when he was the starting center on Mt. Lebanon's first WPIAL championship football team. Nominator Larry Lebowitz's stated that "Chuck is one of those rare people, who, through intelligence, an incredible work ethic, integrity, impeccable character and commitment to his community, is able to succeed not only professionally but also to give back to his community." Nominated by: fellow Mt. Lebanon alumnus Larry Lebowitz 

JOHN ECKENRODE 
CLASS OF 1946
A lieutenant of the United States Air Force from 1950 to 1955, John Eckenrode served on active duty during the Korean War. His achievements include receiving the Soldier's Medal of Valor from the Air Force for saving a young boy's life in 1954, and placing in the 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 National Senior Olympics for cycling. He has donated over 100 pints of blood in his lifetime. For "Jack" Eckenrode, family is the top priority. His many volunteer activities today include Meals on Wheels, St. Anne's Soup Kitchen, St. Patrick's Church, Military Officers Association (awarding medals to Junior ROTC recipients) and assisting with numerous sporting events in the Pittsburgh area including the Pittsburgh Marathon and various Triathlons. To his wife Margaret of 60 years, 12 children, 55 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren, he is a role model who demonstrates that being happy everyday is possible with love and family. His positive attitude and friendly smile are an inspiration to all who meet him. Nominated by his Mt. Lebanon grandchildren: Katelyn, Sarah, Jack and Nick Rendulic and Reese, Steele, Bryce and Grant Eckenrode 

STEWART C. PUTNAM 
CLASS OF 1967 
Stewart C. Putnam has dedicated his life to improving the lives of others. As President of St. Mary's Hospital, Putnam made a commitment to provide quality healthcare for people in the poorest and most underserved parts of Rochester, New York, for which St. Mary's won the coveted Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. In 1997, Putnam successfully merged St. Mary's and Park Ridge Hospitals to form Unity Health System, which is upheld by state officials as a model for hospital mergers. For his excellence in the healthcare field, Putnam has received numerous awards and was the recipient of the Horace Blood Award for outstanding service for the YMCA at Camp Belknap in 2010. He has served on the boards of many non-profit and charitable organizations including, currently, the national board of the Alzheimer's Association. Nominated by: Caroline Struebing Lascek, stepdaughter and Mt. Lebanon resident 

WARNER V. SLACK 
CLASS of 1951 
Warner Slack has served his community and his country as a researcher, teacher and physician, as a volunteer serving children and the disadvantaged, and as physician and Captain in the U.S. Air Force in the Philippines during the early days of the Vietnam War. A professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Slack is recognized as a pioneer in the field of Medical Informatics and in the development of programs to empower both doctors and patients to improve the quality of health care for all. He is a founding member of Princeton Project 55, which trains undergraduates for service jobs. He has made two trips to Honduras to provide medical care for residents of a remote mountain village. He was a member of the board of directors of the Committee of Responsibility, which provided care for children wounded in the Vietnam War. During the 1960s he co-founded "Faculty and Students for Equality" at the University of Wisconsin, where he worked extensively on civil rights issues, culminating in his participation in the march in Montgomery, Alabama in support of Martin Luther King. Nominated by: his wife Carolyn P. Slack 

TODD DePASTINO 
CLASS OF 1984 
Todd DePastino is co-founder and executive director of the Veterans Breakfast Club, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to gathering veterans to share their stories of service. Nominator Gwyn Cready noted that "Todd is an inspiring leader who draws people to his vision." The VBC has hosted almost 2,000 people at its events over the past three years and recently launched Veteran Voices of Pittsburgh, a transmedia oral history project. Todd is the author of several books, including the award-winning Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front and Citizen Hobo: How A Century Of Homelessness Shaped America. He has a Ph.D. in American History from Yale University and teaches at Waynesburg University where he received the Lucas-Hathaway Award for Teaching Excellence. He lives in Mt. Lebanon with his wife and two daughters and serves on the board of the Mt. Lebanon Historical Society. Nominated by: M.A. Jackson and Gwyn Cready, fellow board members and alumni 

JAMES J. KULESZ, JR. 
CLASS OF 1957 
James J. Kulesz, Jr. Captain, United States Navy, Retired, Deceased, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1961. He then embarked on a thirty year career of achievement and heroism. Captain Kulesz was credited by his shipmates, when, as Captain of a ship of the fleet, he saved the ship and crew by his performance fighting a Pacific storm of epic proportions. Later, he was a recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award from the U.S. Naval War College. He also was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal and the second highest peacetime medal the Navy can confer, the Legion of Merit. Captain Kulesz was recognized not only for his skills as an officer and a sailor, but also for his basic human decency and wonderful sense of humor. Captain Kulesz was a gifted and admired Naval officer throughout his career. Sadly, shortly after his retirement after thirty years of dedicated service, he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in 1991. He left behind a grieving widow, two children and thousands of former shipmates whose lives he touched. Nominated by: Classmate Dale Herrington 

Kenyen Brown Class of 1987

A graduate of the University of Alabama and the University of Tennessee School of Law, Kenyen R. Brown has devoted his career to public service. Upon graduating from law school in 1995, Mr. Brown moved to Montgomery, Alabama, to work as an Assistant District Attorney for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit.  He moved to Mobile shortly thereafter, accepting a position as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama, where he prosecuted drug offenses and general crimes.  Immediately prior to his recent appointment, Mr. Brown spent the last ten plus years working for the Ethics Committees of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, culminating in his service as Senior Counsel and Director of Education and Training for the Senate Ethics Committee, and more recently as Acting Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the House Ethics Committee.  President Barack Obama nominated Mr. Brown on August 6, 2009, to serve as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. He was confirmed by the Senate on November 21, 2009, and entered on duty on December 4, 2009, becoming the first African-American United States Attorney in the history of the State of Alabama.

Nominated by: Jackie Foor, President of Mt. Lebanon Foundation for Education.
 

Laura Leigh Hughes Class of 1978
In 1993, actress Laura Leigh Hughes founded “The Unusual Suspects” in response to deteriorated community relations that resulted from the 1992 Los Angeles Riots.  Designed to assist youth in underserved and at-risk environments, The Unusual Suspects offers intensive 10-week theatre arts mentoring workshops to help participants develop self-esteem, communication, and coping skills necessary to make positive life choices.  Ms. Hughes and The Unusual Suspects have received several awards including the 2007 Coming Up Taller Award, the nation’s  highest honor for after-school arts programming, and the 2000 National Juvenile Justice Award. An actress for the past 25 years, Ms. Hughes has appeared in dozens of television and film productions.  She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Sociology.

Nominated by: Classmate Wendy Smile. 

Joe Manganiello Class of 1995
Joe Manganiello currently plays the role of werewolf Alcide Herveaux in HBO’s True Blood.   A 2000 graduate of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama, upon graduation he moved to Los Angeles and quickly landed the role of Eugene “Flash” Thompson, Peter Parker’s nemesis in Spiderman.  Mr. Manganiello has appeared in over two dozen film and television productions. He is a supporter of The Art of Elysium, a non-profit organization that sets up one-on-one workshops with artists of all disciplines and children with disabilities, and is also active with Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. While a student at Mt. Lebanon, Mr. Manganiello lettered in football, basketball and volleyball.  His senior year, he won the role of Jud Fry in the high school’s production of the musical Oklahoma! and was involved with the school’s TV studio as a writer, director, and editor.  He also acted in a variety of movies with his friends

Nominated by: Connor Bahr, Class of 2011.

Andrew Mason Class of 1999
Andrew Mason is the founder and CEO of Groupon, a Chicago-based website offering users deep discounts at local businesses.  Launched in November 2008,  Groupon has over 35 million subscribers in over 30 countries and has sold more than six million deals.  Through daily e-mail, Twitter and app offers, subscribers receive a limited time offer group coupon – or “Groupon” - customized to fit their interests. Mr. Mason graduated from Northwestern University in 2003 with a degree in music.   Mason considers himself “an online enthusiast" and notes that his achievements date back to his 8th grade wrestling rookie of the year trophy at Mt. Lebanon High School.

Nominated by: Neal Ulrich, Class of 2012.
 

Kenneth Polsky Class of 1985
Kenneth Polsky has spent his career at Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services and Pittsburgh-based Global Links managing humanitarian programs in developing countries in Africa and Latin America.   He has devoted his career to managing short-term and ongoing crises in poor, warring and troubled parts of the world.  Mr. Polsky has worked in the areas of HIV/AIDS, peace building, and emergency preparedness.   As CSR’s Regional Representative for Latin America, he has played a major role in assisting with the relief efforts after Haiti’s devastating earthquake in January 2010.  Mr. Polsky received a B.A. in History in 1991 from the University of Michigan.

Nominated by: Josephine Posti, Class of 1984.

Lori McCleary-Szala Class of 1988
Lori Szala is the Executive Director of the Pregnancy Resource Center, an organization that has provided young women and men with confidential medical care and compassionate peer counseling free of charge.  Ms. Szala helped develop the “in the kNOw” educational programs that inspire local middle and high school students to consider abstinence in order to prevent teen pregnancy and STD’s while safeguarding their futures and reaching their fullest potentials.  The innovative program also offers students knowledge and understanding about the importance of thinking about individual values with respect to relationships. Ms. Szala has been a presenter in the Mt. Lebanon health classes for the past 11 years and has had a direct impact on thousands of our students when sharing her personal story. In addition to her work with pregnant teens, Ms. Szala has made five mission trips to Africa and has helped drill a water well, and build, supply and organize schools for children in small remote villages while teaching the “in the kNOw” program to thousands of students in HIV/AIDS infested regions.

Nominated by: Ken Wentzel and Janice Billotte, High School Health.

Carole Beebe Tarantelli Class of 1960
Carole Beebe Tarantelli is an educator, psychoanalyst, former member of the Italian Parliament, antiterrorist activist, and women’s rights activist. Following the 1985 assassination of her husband by Red Brigade terrorists, Ms. Tarantelli became the first American citizen elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies (a 638-member legislative body comparable to the U.S. House of Representatives).   Ms. Tarantelli helped found Differenza Donna, an association to combat violence against women.  She, served as its  president for eight years.    The organization opened Italy’s first shelter for victims of domestic violence. Ms. Tarantelli earned her B.A. from Wellesley, her M.A. in English Literature from the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in English Literature from Brandeis University. 

Nominated by: Classmates Colonel Stuart Herrington, Betsy Lynch Ahlborn and Leonard Jon Parsons.

David C. Farrell Class of 1951

David Farrell graduated in Mt. Lebanon's class of 1951, where he was Student Council President and active in theater. After graduating from Antioch College, he embarked upon a more-than-four-decade career with the May Company (beginning at Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh). One of the nation’s most successful retail executives, Farrell  retired in 1998 after serving as chairman and CEO of the May Company for twenty years. Under his leadership the May Company became one of the nation's largest and most profitable department stores in the country.

Farrell has served as a member of Washington University’s Board of Trustees for 30  years.  In April 2009,  Farrell received the "Search" Award - the William Greenleaf  Eliot Society's highest honor . This award is presented each year to a person who has made enduring contributions to Washington University in St. Louis.   In 2003, Farrell and his wife, Betty, made a leadership gift to build the Farrell Teaching and Learning Center on the Medical Campus.   

Nominators and fellow classmates John and JoAnn Smith note Farrell’s extensive community service.  Farrell has  served on the boards of Emerson Electric Company, Ralston-Purina, Company, the Boy Scouts of America, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the St. Louis Art Museum.  His contributions for enriching the qualify of life for St. Louisans were acknowledged in 1988 when he was the recipient of the  “St. Louis” award, an honor given to area leaders who have brought distinction to St. Louis.
 

Dr. Jeffrey Fisher Class of 1967
Professor Jeffrey Fisher is one of the foremost health psychologists active in health promotion and disease prevention worldwide today. Professor Fisher is the Founder and Director of the Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention at the University of Connecticut and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor at the University of Connecticut.  With  his brother, William A. Fisher (Mt. Lebanon High School Class of 1970 and 2008 Great Alumni Recipient),  he is the co-developer of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills approach to HIV/AIDS prevention, a preeminent prevention approach endorsed by the U.S. and Canadian governments and implemented in the US, Canada, Africa, and worldwide.

The recipient of numerous awards, Dr. Fisher has published eight textbooks and over 100 papers in peer reviewed academic journals. Professor Fisher's contributions in the four decades since his graduation from Mt. Lebanon High School have positioned him as an international leader in the science of HIV/AIDS prevention, as a sought after health promotion intervention developer in countries worldwide, and as a first-ranked scholar and humanitarian.

The Business Editor of the Lebanon Lantern his senior year, Dr. Fisher has remained very active in the Mt. Lebanon High School Alumni Internet Listserve and has attended all of his Mt. Lebanon class reunions.   His brother and nominator William A. Fisher notes, “My brother’s 1965 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible was clearly the best decorated car for Seniors Day, 1967; he had the best flat top haircut, and he took the Argentinean Exchange Student to the Prom to the envy of many.”
 

M.A. (Betzler) Jackson Class of 1985
Associate editor of Mt. Lebanon Magazine and Historical Society of Mount Lebanon president Margaret Jackson has made indispensable contributions to the historic preservation of Mt. Lebanon.  Through her active engagement with Mt. Lebanon Magazine and the Historical Society, Margaret has developed programs and initiatives that educate students and citizens about the history of Mt. Lebanon.   

Margaret has made significant contributions to the Historical Society of Mount Lebanon and has    worked relentlessly to ensure its continued success. Stating “the entire reason for having a historical society is to educate the public,” Margaret spearheaded efforts to establish a Mt. Lebanon History Center, which she spent three years developing. The center opened in June 2009 at 200 Lebanon Avenue with an exhibit entitled “What We Wore.” Margaret updates the Historical Society’s website, writes copy for the Society’s quarterly newsletter, and oversees the staff of History Center volunteers.  She also created a 56 page booklet and website about the history of St. Clair Cemetery, the community’s oldest graveyard. Margaret has won several awards for her writing for the Mt. Lebanon Magazine.  She also has demonstrated a strong commitment to the Mt. Lebanon Public Library, as a regular volunteer at the library’s used bookstore, a former board member of the Friends of the Library, and as publicity chair for the library’s 75th gala.   Margaret is currently heading a committee compiling an Arcadia “Images of America” photobook about Mt. Lebanon.  The book will debut in 2012, which is the community’s 100th anniversary.  Nominated by Carol Fryday and Monique Fontaine.

Jay Kopelman Class of 1978
Retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Jay Kopelman is the New York Times bestselling author of the books, From Baghdad, With Love, and From Baghdad To America, now serves as the Executive Director of Freedom Is Not Free, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting wounded service members and their families, and the families of the fallen by making financial grants to ease their financial burdens, and by hosting programs that enrich their lives.  Here he developed the Little Warriors Surf Camp for military children.  The camp was featured on The Today Show.

Jay began his military career in 1985; he earned his Naval Aviator wings in September 1987, and later earned his gold naval parachutist wings while assigned to the 1st Air/Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO). Remaining active in the Marine Corps Reserve, Jay was recalled to active duty after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  As the Special Operations Forces Liaison Officer for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Jay deployed to Iraq to train the Iraqi Special Forces.   He was assigned as the liaison officer to an Iraqi Army battalion and led them into the battle of Fallujah to remove insurgents and take control of the city. There he met Lava, a five week old puppy abandoned days before the invasion.  Jay retired from the Marine Corps on February 1, 2007.

Nominator and classmate Wendy Smiley notes that Jay is a sought-after public speaker and military commentator for network and local news.  Jay is a member of the Armed Forces Interest Group of the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation; the advisory board of the Virtual Reality Medical Center; and the Military Advisory Committee of the G.I. Film Festival.

He and his wife, Pamela Godde, an anthropologist, are avid surfers who live in Southern California with their two boys and their pets, including Lava, the Iraqi stray.
 

Alby Oxenreiter Class of 1978
Alby Oxenreiter is one of Pittsburgh’s best-known and most popular sportscasters.  Alby is the sports anchor for Channel 11 News on Fox 53 at 10pm, and an anchor/reporter for Channel 11 Sports.  Alby joined WPXI-TV in January of 2006.  Alby is one of 12 children of Jeanne and Bill Oxenreiter.  Alby's father and all 12 Oxenreiter children attended Mt. Lebanon High School.  Alby received a B.A. degree in Communications from Villanova University, and began his career as a sportscaster in Grand Junction, CO.  Alby then returned to Pennsylvania, working as a sportscaster in Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and in Pittsburgh for WTAE-TV, WPGH-TV and WPXI-TV.  Alby has earned four Golden Quill Awards from the Pittsburgh Press Club, numerous awards from Associated Press, and a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award.  Alby was recently honored with the Ethos Award by the Villanova Communication Honor Society for character and excellence in the field of communication, and for his commitment to service through multiple projects and organizations.  Alby is also the co-author of “Sports Memories of Western Pennsylvania.” 

Alby is very involved in Pittsburgh-area charities.  The annual Alby Oxenreiter Golf Classic benefits the Multiple Sclerosis Service Society, a division of UCP/CLASS.  Alby sits on the UCP/CLASS Board of Directors, as well as the Funding Committee for the Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial.  He’s also been involved in a board or advisory role for the Southwestern PA Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Southwinds, the Arthritis Foundation, and DePaul Institute, and has worked with Saint Anthony's School programs for children with special needs.  Alby serves as the annual emcee for the Golden Apple Awards dinner, which recognizes outstanding teachers in the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese and for the North Side Friends and Neighbors Sports Gala benefiting Cardinal Wright Regional School on Pittsburgh’s North Side.  Alby’s a member of the Champions Committee of the Heinz History Center’s Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

Alby was a member of the 1977 Mt. Lebanon HS WPIAL championship soccer team (Mt. Lebanon’s first WPIAL soccer champion).  Alby has shown a remarkable commitment and dedication to Mt. Lebanon, and has always supported his community whenever the opportunity presents itself.  Nominator John Grogan states that "Alby is a community treasure.  My favorite anecdote was when Alby wanted to come to a Lebo Spirit Assembly to present an award, and he managed to move the taping of "The Jerome Bettis Show" so that he could do both.”  Alby lives in Mt. Lebanon with his wife Karen and their three children, Alby III, Abigail, and Oliver.  "I'm very fortunate to have the opportunity to live and work in the same town where I was born and raised," Alby says, "and to report on the sports teams I grew up watching."
 

Robert Schilken, M.D. Class of 1982
Dr. Robert Schilken is an orthopedic surgeon at Allegheny General Hospital, and an Instructor of Orthopedic Surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Schilken is an active member in the sports medicine division. He is presently a team doctor for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He also serves as the team physician for Seton La Salle high school as well as Bethel Park High School. Dr. Schilken has formerly served as the team physician for the Washington Wild Things baseball team, Brentwood and Baldwin high schools.

A three year starter for the 1979-1981 Mt. Lebanon football teams who won two WPIAL Championships, Schilken was a Parade All American, and an All State and All Conference player. Schilken was a highly recruited Division I football player who chose to attend the University of Pittsburgh. A member of the University of Pittsburgh football team from 1982-1985, Schilken played in the Fiesta and Cotton Bowls, and was a three year letterman.  Schilken received the Blue-Gold Award for Academic Achievement his senior year, as well as an NCAA scholarship for post-graduate studies. Robert continued his post graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, were he combined his love of sports with medicine. Following his completion of medical school Dr. Schilken completed an Orthopaedic residency at AGH. He did a Fellowship in sports medicine at Penn State/ Hershey Medical Center, treating Penn State's varsity athletes.

Nominators Tom Steffora and Russ Jones note that Dr. Schilken “truly defines the phrase ‘scholar athlete’ and always remembers his Mt. Lebanon roots. He continues to be the respectful, cheerful, unassuming and humble person he was when he attended Mt. Lebanon High School.”

Presently Dr. Schilken resides in Mt. Lebanon with his wife Dolores and two daughters Alex and Meghan. Robert continues to stay active in the community he grew up in by serving on local community boards. His favorite activity though, is coaching football at St. Bernard School. "I feel I have something to teach these kids not only in football, but with life as well. I find it very gratifying to see the kids I've coached playing in high school now." 

Clayton A. Sweeney Class of 1949
Clayton A. Sweeney has enjoyed a successful career as a corporate executive and a lawyer, and has shared his time and talents with  many charitable organizations.   Clayton received his B.S. and J.D. from Duquesne University.  He is a business consultant and Senior Counsel at Schnader, Harrison, Segal and Lewis.

Clayton has been an influential and valuable volunteer, board member, and benefactor of Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh through the years.  He was instrumental in organizing a capital campaign for the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh.  To date the campaign has raised $1.2 million of its $1.6 million goal. Emmaus serves persons with developmental disabilities by providing residential homes, respite situations and advocacy.  Emmaus was founded by Lorraine (Mt. Lebanon Class of 1955 and 2008 Great Alumni Award Recipient) and Ken Wagner who are parents of special needs children.

Clayton, along with his sister Mary Grace Stafford and Judith Nowe of Mt. Lebanon, founded the Center for Theater Arts which opened in Mt. Lebanon in 1981.  Center classes strive to challenge students while inspiring creative expression, boosting positive self-esteem, enhancing presentation skills and developing a love and respect for the arts.  Since its inception, the Center has also offered classes for individuals with developmental disabilities.    Clayton is a former Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Wesley Institute.  Niece and nominator Margaret Pollock states that “Clayton believes that everyone should contribute to their personal endeavors to the extent which they are able.  For many years Clayton has contributed to more than seventy charities.   However the impact Clayton has had on the charities he supports cannot be measured in dollar amounts.  His commitment to the mission of any organization he has served with always brings that organization to a higher level of excellence.”

Robert Ufer (Deceased) Class of 1938
Bob Ufer – the Voice of Michigan Football - was the legendary radio broadcaster for the Michigan Wolverines football team for 37 years, starting in 1944.   He is remembered for his exuberant, partisan broadcasting style, openly rooting for the Wolverines.    He had many familiar so-called “Uferisms” such as referring to Michigan and “Meeechigan” and honking loudly on the actual horn from General Patton’s Jeep whenever Michigan scored a touchdown. 

Renowned and beloved for his broadcasting style and skills, Ufer was an outstanding athlete in his own right.   At Mt. Lebanon, Ufer was a great sprinting fullback, scoring over 100 points during the 1937 season.  He set the WPIAL 440 record in 1937 of 50.8 seconds that stood for 18 years.  He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1943, playing football as a freshman but excelling in track, setting eight all-time Michigan track records, including the world’s quarter mile record which stood for five years and was a Michigan record for 32 years.   Many believe he would have been a strong candidate for the Olympic Games of 1940 and 1944 if they had not been cancelled due to World War II.

The last U-M football game Ufer broadcast, his 362nd straight, was against Iowa on October 17, 1981.  The band spelled out “UFER” on the field in his honor.  He lost his battle with cancer nine days later, at the age of 61.  

Nominator Harold Wilson, Jr.  (Class of 1949 and 2009 Great Alumni Award Recipient)  first met Ufer just prior to Wilson’s son enrolling at University of Michigan.  Wilson notes that “Bob was very welcoming and personable.  He spoke very highly of his Mt. Lebanon roots, particularly his athletics involvement at Mt. Lebanon High School.”

William Critser Class of 1946

Over the past five decades, Bill Critser has shared his passion for music with hundreds, if not thousands, of Mt. Lebanon’s finest woodwind, piano and guitar students. In addition to teaching private lessons at his Royce Avenue music studio, Critser has provided countless volunteer hours supporting bands and orchestras at both the Senior High and Middle School levels, as well as with the South Hills Junior Orchestra, where he has been an associate conductor for twenty-four years.   The last two movements of his “North Star Suite” were performed by the Mt. Lebanon High School Orchestra at the “Music for All” National Festival in Indianapolis in March 2009. 

Debra Lon Fitzgerald Class of 1982
Debra Fitzgerald is a CPA and Ernst & Young’s Pacific Southwest Advisory Managing Partner.  She leads a practice of 300 professionals, providing Fortune 1000 companies Advisory Services focused on risk and business performance.   A four year letter winner and senior captain for Mt. Lebanon Cross Country and Track, Fitzgerald was on the 1982 WPIAL Spring Track Championship Team and a three time winner of the Molleneur award.   A strong supporter of Mt. Lebanon girls’ cross country and track for over twenty years, Fitzgerald in 2006 established the Coach Schreiner and Coach Wentzel Awards, given to a girl each season who demonstrates positive attitude, hard work and a strong commitment to the team.

Major Christopher D. Marchetti Class of 1995
Major Christopher D. Marchetti is a veteran of three consecutive combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and is a recipient of the Military’s Bronze Star Medal.  Currently serving as a military strategist at the Pentagon, Major Marchetti was one of four Army Officers awarded a scholarship to attend the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, earning a M.S. in Public Administration in 2009.  He was instrumental in the planning and execution of over one hundred U.S. military strikes.  On his third tour of duty in Iraq, Major Marchetti returned home with 100% of his 150-soldier company. Today, he counsels local young men and women who want to pursue a military career.

Susan Fleming Morgans Class of 1965
Susan Fleming Morgans is a life-long resident of Mt. Lebanon.  She taught English and journalism at Mt. Lebanon High School for five years prior to taking a maternity leave and eventually returning to her first love, journalism.  Since 1997, Morgans has been Mt. Lebanon’s Public Information Officer, and in that capacity, serves as the editor-in-chief of Mt. Lebanon magazine, is a member of Mt. Lebanon Municipality’s senior administrative staff and is responsible for all municipal publications, special events, community and media relations, the municipal web site, cable channels and the new LeboAlert notification system.  She is the winner of seven Golden Quill Awards for journalistic excellence from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania and has won numerous other awards.
 

Commander Robert E. Smith, USN Class of 1984
U.S. Navy Commander Robert Emmett Smith, U. S. Navy, is one of two recipients of the 2008 Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Award for Inspirational Leadership. Commander Smith was recognized for his time in command of SEAL Team TWO and is the first Navy SEAL to receive this recognition.  While attending Mount Lebanon, Commander Smith was team captain for both football and wrestling and a member of the 1983 WPIAL football championship team.  A 1989 graduate of the Naval Academy, Commander Smith has received numerous personal and unit awards for his deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Dr. Donald W. Stechschulte, Jr. Class of 1964
Don Stechschulte has been the medical director of the Student Health Service and an Adjunct Professor at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA since 1992.   The Bucknellian “Person of the Year” in 2008 in recognition of his contributions to the campus community, Dr. Stechschulte has traveled to Nicaragua with the “Bucknell Brigade” 22 times since Hurricane Mitch displaced thousands of families in 1998, helping to build two clinics and treat thousands of patients.  He has received numerous awards for his volunteer work.  Prior to moving to Lewisburg, Dr. Stechschulte practiced Family Medicine in Mt. Lebanon for ten years.  As the Medical Director at Bucknell, he has continued to interface with Mt. Lebanon High School graduates who attend Bucknell.

Dr. Ann M. Valentine Class of 1989
Ann Valentine is an associate professor of inorganic and biophysical chemistry at Yale University.  Her research explores the use of metals in nature and the development of potential titanium-based anticancer drugs.  She was awarded the American Chemical Society Dreyfus Lectureship Award in 2007 and the Saltman Award for Metals in Biology in 2009.  A varsity swimmer while at Mt. Lebanon, Valentine was a four year varsity swimmer at the University of Virginia where she was an Echols Scholar and member of Phi Beta Kappa.  She received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from M.I.T.  Valentine credits her high school biology teacher, Ada Margaret Hutchinson, with encouraging her love for science.

Harold H. Wilson, Jr. Class of 1947
Hal “Brooms” Wilson has been an avid sports historian for more than six decades. His strongest interests include scholastic and collegiate athletics, the Olympic Games, and world soccer. His collections of programs, tickets, pins, mascots, related books, and other items are among the finest in the world. Wilson has attended twelve Olympics including the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Far East and Australia. His collections will eventually become part of the Special Collections at the Paterno Library at Penn State. Wilson was a medalist on Mt. Lebanon’s 1946 WPIAL champion cross country team. He was also part of the gold-medal four man Mile Team Race champions at the 1947 WPIAL Relays. Wilson has been a devoted fan and supporter of Mt. Lebanon High School athletics for 70 years.

Thomas R. Donnelly Class of 1959

Thomas Donnelly attended Rollins College where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in 1963.  He pursued a distinguished career with the United States Agency for International Development for 30 years and retired from USAID in 1995.  In 2008, Mr. Donnelly was the recipient of the Rollins College Distinguished Alumnus Award.

During his career with USAID, Mr. Donnelly designed and implemented the Central American Peace Scholarship program which brought 10,000 Central Americans to the United States each year for academic and technical studies.  He also designed a university project to improve Latin American higher education through linkages to American Universities.  In Ecuador, he was responsible for designing and implementing the country’s first vocational education system; developing a series of university bookstores on campuses; and pioneering the Ecuadorian Youth Volunteer Service.  In Costa Rica, he helped to bring 1500 socio-economically disadvantaged Central Americans to the United States for 2 years to live with American families and study at community colleges.  In Mexico, Mr. Donnelly developed programs to improve maternal and child health and to assist small business development.  In addition to Central America, he also provided technical assistance to major USAID projects in Asia, Africa, and South America.

Following his retirement, Mr. Donnelly continues to dedicate his efforts to community service activities.  His main focus in recent years has been volunteering with Florida Hospital’s SHARES Program where he has also served as the director for the past six years.  SHARES is an international outreach program of Florida Hospital.  The organization sends surgeons, anesthesiologists, and family medicine physicians to Mexico regularly to perform cleft lip and/or palate for children and medical care and cancer screening to rural communities.

William H. Fisher Class of 1970
William Fisher is Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Western Ontario, and Research Professor and Co-founder of the Center for HIV Intervention and Prevention at the University of Connecticut.  Dr. Fisher received his Bachelor’s Degree from Tel Aviv University and his Masters and PhD from Purdue University.

Dr. Fisher serves on the editorial boards of seven academic journals and has published over 150 papers in the area of sexual and reproductive health and the prediction, understanding, and promotion of health behavior change.  He has held a National Health Scientist award from Health Canada, and his research has been supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health for the past two decades.

Dr. Fisher’s research involves creating and testing models of the psychological determinants of human sexual and reproductive health behavior.  For two decades, Dr. William Fisher, together with his brother, Dr. Jeffrey Fisher (Mt. Lebanon High School Class of 1967), has collaborated on research concerning HIV risk and HIV preventive behavior, interventions to promote safer sex, and adherence to antiretroviral therapy among HIV+ persons, as well as work on contraceptive utilization and male and female sexual function.

Dr. Fisher has devoted his career to reducing the incidence of HIV infection throughout the world and has acted as consultant to public health organizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, Canada, and the United States.  Dr. Fisher is the 2007 recipient of the Hellmuth Award for Achievement in Research from the University of Western Ontario.

Richard T. Minnotte Class of 1972
Richard Minnotte is the founder of the nationally renowned Mt. Lebanon Percussion Program and a recipient of “This Town Would Be Different Without” Award by Mt. Lebanon Magazine.  In his professional career, Mr. Minnotte is the Senior Manager for Operations at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Control Tower, located at the Pittsburgh International Airport, where he has been employed for the past 26 years.

Richard Minnotte received his Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Music Education from Duquesne University.  Even while working full time as a professional Air Traffic Controller, Rick has managed to create one of the most innovative and comprehensive percussion programs in the country.  The Percussion Ensemble has performed at numerous prestigious events including three appearances at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Annual Conference, a 2006 performance in Salt Lake City for the Music Educator’s National Convention, and a 2007 concert at the National Percussion Festival in Indianapolis.  Mr. Minnotte has just recently been informed that the Mt. Lebanon Percussion Ensemble has been selected to again perform at the national Percussion Festival in March of 2009.  The Mt. Lebanon High School percussion program is recognized as one of the best high school programs in the nation. 

Mr. Minnotte was hired by the Mt. Lebanon School District in 1973 as the Assistant Director of the Blue Devils Marching Band.  In 1978, after graduating from Duquesne University, he joined the Mt. Lebanon School District full time as an Elementary School Band Director.  He retired from this position in 1982 to become an Air Traffic Controller.  After a brief absence to attend Air Traffic Control School, he returned to Mt. Lebanon as Director of Percussion and began building the Mt. Lebanon Percussion program.  The 2008/2009 school year marks Mr. Minnotte’s 35th year of instructing the Blue Devils Marching Band and the 25th Anniversary of the Mt. Lebanon Percussion Program.  Mr. Minnotte gives back to the community every year by taking the Percussion Ensemble “on tour” during the holiday season, scheduling performances at local churches, nursing homes, and for the past 12 years, at the KDKA-TV/Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund Telethon.  The ensemble has also performed at Carnegie Museum, Heinz Hall and the State Capitol.

In the words of former student Jeremy Smith, “His dedication to the students of Mt. Lebanon is unparalleled….I owe so much of who I am to Rick.  My character, work ethic, career, and general success are all due largely to that fact the he took an interest in me and ….I am only one of his students.  The impact he has had on his students and the Mt. Lebanon community is far reaching.  There are countless examples of him helping students find jobs, visiting them, mentoring them.  He is truly a remarkable man.”

Donald Moore Class of 1958
Don Moore attended the University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris College where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.  He worked as a CPA for D. G. Sisterson and Company and Arthur Young and Company before starting his own CPA practice.

Don Moore has an outstanding record in service to others. He has been the volunteer treasurer and member of the Board of Directors of the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil Club since 1984.  He is a member of the Scholarship Committee that yearly selects a student athlete to be awarded the Blue Devil Club Scholarship.  Don has over 7000 hours of volunteer time for the South Hills Chorale, including being a singing member for 23 years; financial advisor and Executive Board member for 18 years; and principal fundraiser organizer in 2007.  Additionally, he has served as the volunteer treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for the Mt. Lebanon Baseball Association for over 20 years.  He volunteered as treasurer of the Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church.  Don served as volunteer chairman of the audit committee of the William D. McIlroy Masonic Lodge No. 269 for 10 years where he has been a member for 47 years. 

As evidence of his service to his community, Don was the recipient of “This Town Would Be Different Without” Award in the year 2000, given by Mt. Lebanon Magazine.  He also was the recipient of the Blue Devil Youth Appreciation Award, which is given to an individual who shows dedication to Mt. Lebanon’s athletics by donating time and demonstrating commitment.  Don has not missed a high school football game – home or away- in 42 years, and helps sell programs and 50/50 tickets at all home games.  He makes a point of visiting clients who area in nursing or retirement homes during the holidays.  Don is actively involved with his 1958 Mt. Lebanon graduating class and assists with planning of reunions, including his 50th reunion to be held this October.  As eloquently stated by Art Walker, former Mt. Lebanon Athletic Director and football coach, “He supports all of the players on every team.  He also supports the coaches and parents.  Every community should be so lucky to have a Don Moore.  He is the cornerstone of the Blue Devil Club.”

Wayne Nicholas Class of 1959
For nearly 20 years Wayne Nicholas worked as managing editor of The Bolivar Commercial, a small newspaper in the Mississippi Delta.  During that time he won approximately 100 national and state awards for excellence in journalism.  Before his retirement in 2005, the Mississippi Press Association chose him as the top editorial writer in the state. 

In the 1960s, Wayne served as a combat correspondent for the 4th Infantry Division in Dak To, Vietnam and eventually became editor of the division’s newspaper in Tokyo, Japan.  He was at Dak To, Vietnam during a battle in which 376 American soldiers were killed and 1,441 wounded.  He was awarded the Bronze Star medal for “outstanding meritorious service…against a hostile force” for his coverage of the Battle of Dak To.  In the 1980s, before coming to Mississippi, he worked as a reporter for The Charlotte Observer.  While there, he started a street ministry in nearby Gastonia, North Carolina and eventually established a street shelter for the homeless.

Mr. Nicholas has won national and state awards or honors including the Mississippi Press Association’s J. Oliver Emmerick Award in 2003, which is given to the top editorial writer in Mississippi; the University of Florida Brechner Award from the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information for his editorials on freedom of the press; the George Washington Honor Medal for an editorial on prayer from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge in 1994.  In addition to his journalism achievements, fifty years after graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School, Wayne graduated from the Lay Ministers Training Institute of the Southern District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

John P. Surma Class of 1972
John Surma is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United States Steel Corporation.   He began his career by joining Price Waterhouse LLP in 1976 and in 1981, served in the Manchester, England office of the Price Waterhouse United Kingdom firm.  In 1987, he was admitted to the partnership.  In 1983, he participated in the President’s Executive Exchange Program in Washington, D.C., where he served as Executive Staff Assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.  In 1997, Mr. Surma joined Marathon Oil Company as Senior Vice President, Finance & Accounting.  He was appointed President, Speedway SuperAmerica LLC in 1998, and Senior Vice President, Supply & Transportation for Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC (MAP) in 2000.  He was named President of MAP in 2001.

Effective with the separation from USX Corporation, Mr. Surma became Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of United States Steel Corporation on January 1, 2002.  He was named President in March 2003, and President and Chief Operating Officer in June 2003.  He was elected President and Chief Executive Officer in 2004 and Chairman of the Board of directors and Chief Executive Officer in February 2006.

Mr. Surma is a member of the Board of Directors of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation.  He serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Iron and Steel Institute and held the title of Chairman from 2006-2007.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the American Iron and Steel Institute and previously served as chairman and vice chairman of the organization.  Mr. Surma is also a member of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Board of Directors and also serves as a member of the National Petroleum Council.

Additionally, he is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Allegheny County Parks Foundation, and he is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development; the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business Board of Visitors; and the Pennsylvania State University’s Board of Trustees and its Smeal College of Business Board of Visitors.

While a student at Mt. Lebanon High School, John Surma was one of the founding members of the inaugural Mt. Lebanon High School Varsity Ice Hockey Team which captured the first high school ice hockey varsity championship in Western Pennsylvania in 1972.  After graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School, Mr. Surma received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Penn State University.  In 2005, Mr. Surma was also inducted into the Penn State University Ice Hockey Teams Hall of Fame.

Lorraine S. Wagner Class of 1955
Lorraine Sweeney Wagner has provided the greater Pittsburgh area with a lifetime of service and contributions since her graduation from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1955.  She served the broader community as dedicated Registered Nurse for many years at Mercy Hospital.  Lorraine left the hospital environment in 1976, but continued to utilize her nursing skills in various medical management positions in the Pittsburgh area.  In addition to serving the public in her career, Lorraine has volunteered in numerous ways to improve the lives of others.  In 1989 Lorraine and her husband Ken founded the Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh, a faith based ecumenical organization that serves persons of all faiths.  Emmaus provides permanent homes, respite and advocacy for persons with intellectual disabilities (mental retardation).  Lorraine still serves as Emmaus’ Executive Director and inspires everyone she meets with her dedication and spirit.

In 2000 the Lorraine and Ken Wagner Family was named Family of the Year by both the Knights of Columbus and ARC Allegheny in recognition for dedication and service to persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities.  The Emmaus Community received a citation from the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a Proclamation from the Pittsburgh City Council that Tuesday, October 18, 2005 be proclaimed as “The Emmaus Community of Pittsburgh Day” in recognition of the outstanding level of commitment to each resident in Emmaus’ care.  Lorraine is a recipient of the LaRoche College Thanksgiving Tuesday Award in recognition for service to the community.

In April 2008, Lorraine was recognized for promoting full inclusion of persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities in the Catholic Church and received the Recognition Award from the National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry.

Chip Dalesandro Class of 1976

Chip Dalesandro has served the Mt. Lebanon Youth Football Association for over 20 years as president, coach, and spokesman.  His dedication to the youth of the community is one of the key reasons why Mt. Lebanon has developed one of the most successful in-house leagues in the country.  A recipient of the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil Club Distinguished Service Award, Mr. Dalesandro served as a Mt. Lebanon High School varsity football coach in 1983 (WPIAL Champions) and 1984.  He also served as a varsity baseball coach in 1984 (Section Champions) and 1985.  Chip is the president and coach of the Mt. Lebanon Youth Football Association and a long-time member of the Parents’ Athletic Council.  Chip also belongs to the Mt. Lebanon Baseball and Basketball Associations and the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department.  He is a 1980 graduate of Slippery Rock University.  For the past 23 years, Chip has been employed by Golden Triangle Construction Company where he is project superintendent. 

“Chip Dalesandro has touched hundreds, if not thousands, of lives through his passion, commitment and dedication to the youth athletic programs of Mt. Lebanon.  Not only does he provide instruction and life lessons, but he makes every single one of the individuals he meets feel like a member of his family.  He builds life-long relationships with his players and their families – and this is more important to Chip than winning games.  His relationships extend beyond the playing field and the tenure on his team.  He has shown coaches the joy and satisfaction associated with working with children not only through teaching a game, but through teaching the related aspects of discipline, teamwork, and commitment.  I share a sentiment with hundreds of Mt. Lebanon residents when I say that every child should be coached by Chip Dalesandro at least once – it is an experience of a lifetime.” (Mark Saghy)

Colonel Stuart A. Herrington (Retired) Class of 1960
Colonel Herrington graduated from Duquesne University, Cum Laude in 1964 with a BA in Political Science and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Military Intelligence Corps.  Awarded a National Defense Education Act Fellowship, he studied International Relations at the University of Florida from 1964 - 1967, earning an MA in International Relations, and completing course and language requirements for his PhD.  Colonel Herrington was called to active duty in the U.S. Army in 1967.

Between 1967 and 1998, Colonel Herrington served on active duty as a counterintelligence officer in the United States Army, with duties in Vietnam, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.  He became a German and Vietnamese linguist after attending language schools and serving four years in Vietnam and eight years in Germany.

In April 1975, in Saigon, Vietnam with the mission of obtaining information about missing-in-action American service members, then-Captain Herrington was the last member of the United States mission to leave Vietnam in the face of the North Vietnamese final attack.  He departed from the roof of the United States Embassy only after assisting 2500 American and Vietnamese citizens to board evacuation helicopters throughout the night of April 29-30.

In 1975, Herrington was assigned to open up a new Army ROTC program at the University of South Florida.  In 1979, upon his departure, this new program won the “Warriors of the Pacific” trophy as the top Army ROTC program in the United States.  Then-Major Herrington was awarded the Leo A. Codd Memorial Trophy as the Outstanding Army ROTC instructor in the United States.

From 1983 to 1994, Colonel Herrington commanded four sensitive counterintelligence and human intelligence units.  During this period, his units tackled some of the most serious investigations of the Cold War, including the identification, prosecution, and resultant sentencing of some of the most damaging spies of the Cold War.  He established and led Task Force Russia, POW/MIA, to investigate the fate of American missing-in-action personnel in the former Soviet Union, participated in Operation Just Cause (interrogation of Panamanian detainees-1989); and Operation Desert Storm  (interrogation of Iraqi senior prisoners of war-1991).  He became known as the Army’s subject matter expert on counterintelligence and the application of humane interrogation procedures that yielded positive results.

For his achievements as an intelligence officer in Vietnam, Germany, Russia, Panama, and the Middle East, Colonel Herrington received numerous decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal, 5 Legions of Merit, 2 Bronze Stars, the Air Medal, and two awards of the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.  For counterespionage successes and for actions during Operation Desert Storm, he was twice awarded the CIA’s Agency Seal Medallion.

Though retired, in 2002-2003, Colonel Herrington was dispatched by the Department of the Army to visit Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Baghdad, Iraq, to evaluate interrogation operations and counterinsurgency programs.  His reports warned the Army of serious deficiencies in Guantanamo and significant problems of misconduct/mismanagement in Abu Ghraib and other facilities in Iraq.  His findings and recommendations are now regarded by national defense experts as “warnings not heeded.”  In Iraq, several senior officers were ultimately relieved and disciplined as a result of failings pointed out by Colonel Herrington’s report.

Other significant achievements include:

1985 Inducted into the Duquesne University Century Club for Distinguished Alumni

1989 Honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, McAnulty College of Arts & Sciences,  Duquesne University, and delivered commencement address to the College’s Class of 1989.

1995 Awarded the General Maxwell D. Taylor Chair of the Profession of Arms by the United States  Army War College, for excellence in teaching as a faculty member, U.S. Army War College,  Carlisle, PA

2000 With his nomination supported by letters from Dr. Henry Kissinger and Peter Jennings, ABC,  News, Colonel Herrington was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters,  honoris causa, by Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA and delivered the commencement  address to the Class of 2000.

2005 Serving as Director, Global Security & Investigations, Callaway Golf Company, Colonel  (retired) Herrington was named “Corporate Security Director of the year 2005” by “Access  Control and Security Systems” magazine, which did a cover story on this honor in its September  2005 edition.

1980-present Published three successful non-fiction books and numerous op-ed pieces (“Wall Street  Journal,” “San Diego Union-Tribune,” “Miami Herald,” “Harrisburg Patriot-News.” Pittsburgh  Post-Gazette,” and various magazines and journals).  Books include Silence Was A Weapon; The  Vietnam War in the Villages; (Later re-released as Stalking the Vietcong; Inside Operation  Phoenix); Peace with Honor? An American Reports on Vietnam: 1973-1975; and Traitors  Among Us; Inside the Spy-Catcher’s World.

Mary Lois Tiffany, Ph. D (Deceased) Class of 1934
All through her life, Dr. Mary Lois Tiffany was a role model, especially for young women interested in science and technology.  After graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1934, she continued her education at the University of Pittsburgh, earning an electrical engineering and physics degree in 1938.  At the age of 21, she was the second woman to have graduated from the University of Pittsburgh’s engineering school and was considered by many to be a pioneer for women in the field of science.  Dr. Tiffany was one of seven women in the nation to become a member of the American Association of Electrical Engineers.

She was often the only woman in classrooms and labs full of men.  In a 1981 interview with Ann Arbor News reporter David Wahlberg, Dr. Tiffany disclosed how, as a young woman, she had read in the newspaper that only twelve men were smart enough to understand Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.  It was the 1920s, not long after the famous theory was revealed.  “I said to myself, I’m going to understand that (theory) and no one’s going to stop me!”  She further recalled “Oh, the boys were always nice to me.  I really haven’t done anything special – I just couldn’t stand not knowing how things work.”  Science was a joy to Dr. Tiffany.  After completing her studies at the University of Pittsburgh, she continued her education at the University of Michigan, receiving a Master’s degree in physics in 1946 and a doctorate in biophysics in 1971.  Samuel Krimm, University of Michigan professor emeritus, published papers on protein molecules with Dr. Tiffany and served as her thesis advisor.  He related to a journalist that it was not common at that time for women to be in that field and that Mary Lois was “very inquisitive and exuberant about the things she was learning.”

In the early 1940s, Dr. Tiffany continued her research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois.  While attending a physics symposium at the University of Michigan, she met her husband, Dr. Lyle Tiffany.  The couple married in 1942 and had five children.  Her daughter, Kathryn Tiffany Larcher, recalls her mother’s passion for science as contagious.  “My mother would explain the molecular structure of the feathers that abounded in the kitchen, shown in her x-ray diffraction photos…we didn’t necessarily understand the physics behind it, but …my friends all loved it.”

The Honorable Gerald B. Tjoflat Class of 1947
The Honorable Gerald Bard Tjoflat is a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  He attended undergraduate school at the University of Virginia and began law school at the University of Cincinnati Law School.  His studies were interrupted by military duty when he served for two years in the U.S. Army as a special agent of the Counter-intelligence Corps.  Thereafter, he completed his law degree at Duke University.  After earning his law degree in 1957, Judge Tjoflat began his legal career in private practice in Jacksonville, Florida.  He was appointed to the Circuit Court for the Fourth Judicial District of Florida in 1968 and to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in 1970.  In 1975, Judge Tjoflat was nominated by President Gerald Ford to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U. S. Senate confirmed him just seventeen days later. In 1981, following the division of the Fifth Circuit, he moved to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals where he served as Chief Judge from 1989-1996 and remains in active service.

Judge Tjoflat was one of two sitting federal appellate judges who testified in December 1998 before the House Judiciary Committee on the topic “The Consequences of Perjury and Related Crimes” in connection with possible impeachment proceedings against President Clinton.

Judge Tjoflat has indicated that he enjoys golf, fishing, writing opinions and teaching. “I get great joy interacting with my elbow law clerks.  Each August, when the new law clerks come aboard, is like the fall semester of law school.  They have a new professor and I have a bunch of new kids” (From How Appealing, posted by Howard J. Bashman)  One of his classmates recalls Judge Tjoflat as “a good athlete, scholar who is best known for his sense of humor.” (Jerry Scherer).

Mrs. Barbara H. Veazey Class of 1950
Barbara Veazey has worked with and served residents of all ages – from the very young to the elderly and all those in between.  No request or concern has been too much for her to pursue and solve.  Barb has lived in and served the Mt. Lebanon community all her life while raising five Mt. Lebanon graduates.  She has taken an active part in numerous community activities, boards, and committees.   She has shared her kindness and expertise with many friends and acquaintances and was responsible for several very successful 4th of July celebrations while a member of the Mt. Lebanon Civic League.

Barbara’s service to others includes the following organizations:  Wish Grantor for the Make a Wish Foundation; Volunteer Usher, Benedum and Byham Theaters; Girl Scout Leader and Older Adult Outdoor Camping Director; Advisory Board Member, Pittsburgh National Bank Continuing Education Department; Chairman, Joint Parks and Recreation Commission of Mt. Lebanon; Member, Drug & Alcohol Intervention Network; Member, Citizens Advisory Committee; Youth Outreach Worker Project; Member and Observer, League of Women Voters; Executive Board Mt. Lebanon PTAs for 18 years; Citizen’s Advisory Committee on Use of Surplus School Space; Speaker for Community Programs Available for Seniors; Chairperson, Membership Mt. Lebanon Civic League. 

As a Registered Nurse, Barb has been involved in medical community service projects including the PA Department of Education Advisory Council, Nutrition Education and Training; member Health Curriculum Evaluation for the Mt. Lebanon School District; volunteer for Christmas Seal League; member Chronic Organic Brain Syndrome Society; volunteer speaker for the American Cancer Society; and volunteer for the C. M. Howard State Tuberculosis Hospital.

Monica L. Vernino (Deceased) Class of 1973
Monica was an inspiration to many people that she knew and met, especially the hundreds of Mt. Lebanon High School students she spoke with each semester in Ms. Harriot Prinz’s psychology classes.  Monica suffered a neurological infection that left her in a coma for six months.  Because of this experience, she spent over 20 years relating to others how people should view and treat disabled persons.  Her cheerfulness, positive attitude, perseverance and indelible spirit affected all who came in contact with her.  She explained comas and brain damage and provided great insight to students and their families.  She often helped parents who had children in comas.

Monica received thousands of letters from students she helped and spoke with until her death in November 2006 of ovarian cancer.  Even when she was no longer able to provide lectures for students, they still asked about her. 

Students always left her classes with requests that she return soon.  The students affectionately referred to her as “Aunt Mon.”  Monica’s gift was the affect she had on the many lives she touched and encouraged throughout her life.  “She over came so much adversity in her 51 years of life and up to the end of her life, she was still concerned about everyone around her and was the big sister that everyone knew, respected and loved.” (Dr. Richard Vernino)

Karen Taylor Class of 1983

Karen Taylor has dedicated years of service to children in Mt. Lebanon and Allegheny County. In addition to serving as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for seven children, Karen has spent the past 15 years volunteering as a PTA leader, softball and soccer coach, and church volunteer.  Karen’s innate ability to meet the needs of children, combined with her kind spirit, has allowed for positive changes in the lives of many children.

Karen has been a PTA volunteer and leader for fifteen years.  She served as Foster School PTA President and as the PTA 2nd Vice President at Mellon Middle School.  Additionally, she chaired multiple PTSA committees at the high school.  Karen has participated in campaign work for local candidates in various offices and is also a member of the Blue Devil Club and The Knitwits, a fundraising group that benefits the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh as well as The Matthew Conover Scholarship.

Karen was recently named CASA Volunteer of the Year.  CASA volunteers are assigned to the most complicated cases of children who have been victims of terrible abuse or neglect.  She was also the past recipient of the Foster Friend Award which is given to an individual who has demonstrated dedication and service beyond the call of duty to the students of the Foster School community.

Newton Heisley Class of 1938
Newton Heisley is the designer of the POW/MIA flag commemorating and honoring Prisoners of War or Missing in Action personnel from U.S. wars.  He made the flag public property with no copyright or trademark fee for its reproduction.  It is flown at most national, state, and local government buildings.  In 1998, Mr. Heisley was recognized in a Congressional Citation by Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Senator from Colorado. 

After high school, Mr. Heisley graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts from Syracuse University.  Mr. Heisley served in the Air Force in World War II as a troop carrier pilot.  He is now retired and lives in Colorado Springs.

Mr. Heisley first sketched the image in pencil while working for an advertising agency contracted to design the POW/MIA flag.  Color was intended to be added, but the flag manufacturer began production while the design was still in the black and white stages.  The flag first flew over the White House in 1988 and was installed in the Capitol Rotunda in 1989.  It is the only flag ever permanently displayed there.  In 1990 Congress adopted the flag as “the symbol of our nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing, and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.”

Richard Louis Ray, M.D Class of 1961
Dr. Ray served in the military from 1974-1977, first as Lt. Commander and Chief of Orthopedics at the U.S. Naval Regional Medical in Yokosuka, Japan and then as  a Staff Orthopedic Surgeon at the Naval Submarine Medical Center in Groton, Connecticut.  From 1979-1987, he was Team Physician for the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Department.

Dr. Richard Ray graduated from Kenyon College in 1965 with a degree in Chemistry, and from the University of Pittsburgh Medical School in 1969.  He is an accomplished and experienced orthopedic surgeon.  He presently practices at Allegheny General Hospital and recently completed 3 years as the Interim Chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.   Dr. Ray has held faculty appointments at The University of Pittsburgh, Harvard Medical School, MCP Hahneman School of Medicine, and presently, the Allegheny Campus of Drexel University where he serves as Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery.

In addition to his extensive publications and professional service, Dr. Ray has served on the Board of Directors for Area E of the Pennsylvania Special Olympics, as Director of Health & Safety, Japeechen District, Allegheny Council, BSA, and as Chairman of the Pack Committee for Cub Scout Pack #154.

Numerous awards and recognitions have been given to Dr. Ray including Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center Outstanding Surgical Resident Award, the American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award and The Allegheny General Hospital Golden Mallet Award for Excellence in Orthopedic Teaching.  From 1995-1998 he served as president Elect and President of the Medical Staff of Allegheny General Hospital.  In 1996, by special invitation, Dr. Ray visited the Republic of Guinea to evaluate the potential for improved orthopedic care, and in 1998 served on the Advisory Group for Hospital Evaluation for Accreditation for the Kingdom of Qatar.  In 2005, he was the visiting Orthopedic Surgeon at the International Medical Center in Egypt.

Vincent J. Russo (Deceased) Class of 1968
Vince Russo died in 1995 but his memory continues to have an effect on the football players and members of the Mt. Lebanon community who knew him.  Upon his death, an award was established and dedicated to his life and his achievements. The Vincent J. Russo Memorial Football Award is given annually to a Mt. Lebanon football player not only for the athlete’s football ability, but for the qualities of his character.  These include the same qualities that have been attributed to Vince Russo; heart, leadership, desire, and true friendship. 

Vince Russo has been hailed as one of the most outstanding athletes ever to graduate from Mt. Lebanon.  As testimony to this, he was named as a Parade All American while in high school.  Upon graduation from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1968, Vince went to Virginia Tech on a full football scholarship.  He became captain of the Virginia Tech football team.

Virginia Nungesser Jamieson Class of 1937
Ginny Jamieson launched her volunteer career with St. Clair Hospital 52 years ago when the hospital was a dream, not a reality, of the South Hills community.  She helped raise funds for the new hospital by organizing raffles, fashion shows, card parties and other activities and became the schedule coordinator for the hospital’s two information desks when it opened in 1954.  Working 31 hours per month, Ginny continues to serve as chair of the Information Desk.  In this post, she supervises the training and scheduling of over 100 volunteers.  Her 35,000 hours of community service demonstrate why she is one of the pillars of St. Clair Hospital. 

For her efforts, Ginny was named one of the Post Gazette’s Community Champions and one of Mt. Lebanon’s Outstanding Citizens.  Ginny Jamieson continues to be a dynamic force as a volunteer and her amazing leadership has been an inspiration to patients, visitors, and staff at the hospital.

Anne Borik, M. D. Class of 1982
Dr. Borik received her undergraduate degree from Temple University and her medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  She is an adjunct assistant professor at Midwestern University.  Dr. Borik has pioneered the field of Hospitalists Medicine and started IPC (Inpatient Consultant), one of the largest hospitalist groups in the country.  Anne also serves as Medical Director for the Hospice of Arizona.  She has also published research articles in various medical journals, lectures nationally about heart disease, new treatments in pneumonia, and critical care hypertension, and has had multiple TV appearances promoting health and wellness.  She is the author of a bi-monthly column that appears in the Gilbert Good Living Magazine.Dr. Borik has received many outstanding awards, including being voted as one of the Top Doctors in the Valley by Phoenix Magazine in 2000 and was named to the Who’s Who in the World of Medicine and Healthcare for three consecutive years.  Dr. Borik is a veteran martial artist and at one time ranked 3rd in the world in the women’s’ black belt division.  She is also the founder of the Pittsburgh Blind Karate Academy.

Several years ago she combined her appreciation for the martial arts and her medical knowledge to design a new relaxation exercise system called Sign Chi Do. Sign Chi Do can help lower blood pressure, decrease risk for heart disease, and enhance balance and memory.  One of the first installments is “the Art of Moving Prayer.”
Additionally, she recently completed the curriculum for the drug and alcohol recovery population known as the 12 Step Sign Chi Do Program.  Dr. Borik contracted with CIGNA, a large health management group, to provide Sign Chi Do to members.  This is the first time a health insurance company is offering “prayer” as a modality covered benefit.

Martha Dixon (Deceased) Class of 1977
Martha graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School, and earned a degree in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. After working as a forensic chemist in the state crime lab in Little Rock, Arkansas, Martha entered the FBI Academy and graduated in 1987.  Special Agent Martha Dixon’s first assignment was in Knoxville, TN, where she earned a spot on the elite S.W.A.T. team.

Her next assignment was at the Washington, D.C. Field Office, working on the Cold Case Homicide Task Force.  There, on November 22, 1994, she confronted a gunman who had just killed 2 of her partners and wounded another.  Ignoring the opportunity for escape, Martha disabled the gunman, but was killed in the exchange.

For her sacrifice in preventing further loss of life, she received the FBI’s highest honor, the Medal of Valor.  She also was recognized at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. and at the FBI Field Offices in Washington, D.C. and Knoxville.  In addition, the FBI Field Office in Pittsburgh is named in her honor.

In memory of Martha’s love of children, The Martha Fund, sponsor of an annual 10K race in Mt. Lebanon, supports area playground equipment.

Vincent C. Albo, M. D. Class of 1947
After Mt. Lebanon High School, Dr. Vincent Albo was graduated from Dartmouth College in 1951 and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1955.  He is a clinical professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, a senior Pediatric staff member at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Magee Women’s Hospital in the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology. Dr. Ablo brought the National Cancer Institute sponsored Children’s Cancer Study Group (CCSG) to Pittsburgh and served as the principal investigator from 1963 to 1993.  He also was the Assistant Medical Director of the Central Blood Bank and served on the Board of Directors as both an Executive Committee member and as a member of the Medical Advisory Committee.  He was instrumental in bringing the Ronald McDonald House and Make-A-Wish to Pittsburgh and served a term as President of the Ronald McDonald House as well as a member of the Medical Advisory Committee for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  From 1983 to 1985 he served on the Board of Directors of the Leukemia Society of Pittsburgh.  Through his numerous publications and research in childhood leukemia and other childhood cancers, Dr. Albo has received several million dollars in grant support for children’s cancer research.

Janice Menke Abraham Class of 1975

Janice Menke Abraham holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies from American University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.  Mrs. Abraham is the President and CEO of United Educators Insurance Company, a position she has held since 1998.  There she leads a liability insurance company which is owned by and insures over 1,200 schools, colleges and universities.  She has been Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer at Whitman College, and has held several positions at Cornell University.  She also served as an international banker at J. P. Morgan. 

In 2004, Mrs. Abraham was recognized as “Woman of the Year” by the Association of Professional Insurance Women and in 2000, was ranked one of 100 Top Leading Women in the field of insurance by Business Insurance.  She serves on the Boards of the Property and Casualty Insurance Association, the National Risk Retention Association and American University’s Dean’s Advisory Council.  She lives in Washington, DC with her husband of 23 years and 14 year old daughter.

Peter W. Augsburger Class of 1947
Upon graduating from Mt. Lebanon, Mr. Augsburger received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from the University of Maryland.  He was a member of ROTC and received a commission in the United States Air Force.  Mr. Augsburger is the retired President of Industrial Extrusions, Inc.  During his college years, he set all the pass catching records and played in two winning Gator Bowls for the University of Maryland.  He also received a bronze medal at the Southern Conference Finals (now the Atlantic Coast Conference). 

In 2005, he represented the state of Ohio and won a Gold Medal in the Shot Put competition at the Seniors National Outdoor Meet.  He has been the Shot Put Champion for Ohio for 15 consecutive years.  In 2004, Mr. Augsburger was named to the Summit County Ohio Hall of Fame as a Senior Athlete.  He is ranked fourth nationally in his age bracket in both the indoor and outdoor shot put.  Mr. Augsburger attended his 50th Mt. Lebanon reunion and is looking forward to attending his 60th in 2007.

Timothy J. Hauser Class of 1966
Timothy Hauser was an alumnus of the Class of 1966 of Mt. Lebanon High School.  He graduated from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and received a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.  He began a career in public service at the U. S. Department of Labor and later transferred to the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he was currently Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade, a position he was appointed to in 1991.  In this position, he served as the Chief Operating Officer for the 2500 person, $400 million International Trade Administration. 

During his career, he served at the White House where he developed recommendations on international trade issues for the President, Cabinet and senior White House staff.  He frequently represented the Commerce Department and the U.S. Government in bilateral and multilateral international trade negotiations.  In 1992 and again in 2003, Mr. Hauser received the Presidential Distinguished Executive Award for “exceptional service to the American people over an extended period of time.”

Kathryn Kolankiewicz Class of 1977
Kathryn Kolankiewicz received a Bachelor’s Degree in Health & Physical Education & Recreation from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a Master’s Degree in Recreation Administration from the University of Mississippi, and a Ph.D in Sports Administration from the University of New Mexico.  She is in her 20th season as the head coach of the University of New Mexico women’s tennis team and achieved her 300th career win in March, 2005.  Coach Kolankiewicz’s teams have achieved “Academic All America” status every year and have maintained above a 3.2 GPA as a team for 10 consecutive years.

In 2004, she was named Mountain West Conference “Coach of the Year” and in 1999, 2000 and 2004 named I.T.A. “Central Region Coach of the Year”.  In 1995, Dr. Kolankiewicz was inducted into the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Athletic Hall of Fame.  She was a two-time Pennsylvanina State (PIAA) champion in doubles and has her picture displayed in the Hall of Champions at Mt. Lebanon High School. In 1982, Dr. Kolankiewicz was world ranked (#249) as a professional tennis player. In addition to being head coach, she is the Director for the Lobo Tennis Club and serves on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Women’s Collegiate Hall of Fame committee.

Anne B. Marietta Class of 1964
After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Marietta received a Master’s Degree from Drexel University and a Doctor’s Degree from Southern Illinois University.  She is an Associate Professor and Dietetic Internship Director of the graduate program at Southeast Missouri State University.  Her service record is extensive and she has made many contributions to dietetics and dietetics education at the local, state and national level. 

Dr. Marietta is a national site visitor for the Commission on Accreditation of Dietetics Education and has numerous publications and national presentations to her credit.   In 2005, she was nominated for the Outstanding Service Award in the College of Health and Human Services at Southeast Missouri State University.

John R. McCartan Class of 1952
Following graduation at Mt. Lebanon, John McCartan graduated from the University of Notre Dame and received an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.  Currently president of J. R. McCartan Company, a consulting firm serving post-secondary institutions, Mr. McCartan has served as President of Pittsburgh Technical Institute, Chairman of the Board of York Technical Institute, Director of Berkeley Schools in New York, and President of Robert Morris College in Illinois.

Mr. McCartan has served on the boards of numerous colleges and universities, including Duquesne University.  He is currently on the Board of Trustees for five educational organizations including the Teacher Excellence Center.  Mr. McCartan’s philanthropy has benefited organizations such as NEED, The Homeless Children’s Education Fund, and the Extra Mile Foundation.

Raymond J. Pan, M.D. Class of 1985
Dr. Raymond Pan trained at Stanford University as an electrical engineer, specializing in magnetic resonance imaging.  He graduated at the top of his class at Stanford and received the highly competitive Frederick E. Terman Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering.  His interest in neuroimaging with MRI inspired him to pursue a career in medicine.  He was awarded a fellowship from the National Institute of Health for his excellence as a physician scientist. 

Dr. Pan works both as a clinical child psychiatrist and a researcher, teaches at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, and, on a volunteer basis, supervises interns in the University of Pittsburgh Psychology Program.  He studies early symptoms of bipolar disorder in children and cares for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder who have bipolar parents.  His research is helping to discern which children are at risk to develop mania later in life and he also worked with children and adolescents at risk for suicide.  Dr. Pan changes the lives of children everyday, and with his continued scientific endeavors will improve treatment of children with mental health problems in the future.  Dr. Pan also volunteers as a judge for the Pittsburgh Science and Engineering Fair and is involved in community education at Chartiers Valley School District, New Brighton Head Start, and the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum.

Gary S. Sawhill Class of 1967
During his years at Mt. Lebanon, Dr. Sawhill was quarterback and captain of the 1967 WPIAL Championship team.  He was also a pole-vaulter for the high school.  As a graduate of Rutgers University, Dr. Sawhill holds a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife, a Master of Science in Resource Management and a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Resources.  He is also a Licensed Professional Planner in the State of New Jersey, as well as a Certified Professional Soil Scientist and Soil Chemist in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.   Previously, he served as Director and President of Costal Plains Environmental Consultants and Planners in New Jersey. 

Dr. Sawhill coordinated the Resource Management and Planning curriculum of the Environmental Studies Program at Stockton State College in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  As an Assistant Professor at Stockton, he taught courses in wildlife ecology, fisheries management, soils, environmental planning and environmental impact assessment.  As an adjunct professor to the Center for Environmental Research at Stockton, he has taught courses on coastal zone, wetlands and riparian laws.  He also worked for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish, Game and Shellfisheries, and was a former Commissioner to the New Jersey Pinelands.  He has extensive experience in developing resource management strategies and environmentally sound development plans throughout the country.

In his private life, Dr. Sawhill has served as a Youth Soccer coach, organized a United Way Benefit, and served as the project coordinator for Absegami High School in New Jersey for the memorial scoreboard and concession stand/video tower.

Robert C. Adams Class of 1936

Robert C. Adams was the valedictorian of the Class of 1936 of Mt. Lebanon High School. He graduated with highest honor from the University of Pittsburgh and received his Master of Business Administration from Harvard University. He served as a Lt. Colonel in the United States Army in World War II and received two battlefield promotions in Okinawa. He has been happily married for sixty-two years to Patricia Adams, is the father of seven children, the grand-father of twenty-five children, and the great-grandfather of four children. He was the chief editor of the Harvard Business School Alumni News Magazine, Class of February, 1947.

Mr. Adams started his career as Vice President for Adams Brothers Manufacturing Company but closed the company in 1967 to pursue a career with Westinghouse Electric Company. Mr. Adams is a CA Licensed Professional Engineer, Nuclear Engineering. During his tenure with Westinghouse, Mr. Adams wrote the Original Quality Assurance manual for Nuclear Valve Assemblies for a project directed by Admiral Rickover. He worked on the first military nuclear reactor for Washington Class submarines. As a nationally pre-eminent expert on nuclear valve technology, Mr. Adams was retained for consulting and auditing by most major utilities that had nuclear capacity. He provided professional results with respect to repairs and function on multi-billion dollar facilities, including the Indian River GE Nuclear Reactor in Brownsville, Texas.

Gary D. Brown Class of 1967
Gary is a 1971 graduate of Westminster College.  While at Westminster, he was a 3-year starter on the basketball team and voted the most valuable player during his junior and senior years.  He was also captain of the team and a NAIA First Team All-District and Honorable Mention All-American selection.  Gary is President of Iron City Sash & Door Company, a family owned business founded in 1952.  He built and owned the Greentree Racquet Club for twenty-seven years. 

“Gary is a lifetime resident of Mt. Lebanon who has devoted countless hours of volunteer service to our school district and community.  His emphasis has been in service that has benefited the students of our school.  His love, energy and enthusiasm have been most evident as he has assisted our boys’ and girls’ basketball programs for the past twenty years.  He has made many sacrifices in his business schedule to fulfill his commitment to serve our young people.  Gary has privately contributed financially to many projects that would benefit our young people.” (Richard Black)  Gary was a leader in establishing a college scholarship fund and coordinating a series of fundraisers for the seven year old daughter of a fellow Mt. Lebanon graduate who died unexpectedly at an early age.

A few days following September 11, Gary stocked seven of his company’s trucks with needed basic essentials and with 14 of his drivers, drove to New York City.  Upon delivery of the goods, the drivers returned home.  Gary stayed and worked at Ground Zero with the Salvation Army for many days delivering such goods and other essentials to the disaster relief workers.  Gary currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army of Greater Pittsburgh. “Gary ALWAYS takes time to help people in need.” (Richard Black)

Ian Cannon Class of 1974
Ian Cannon is a rocket scientist turned businessman. Ian aspired to be a veterinarian while at Mt. Lebanon. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1979 and has 12 technical papers to his credit. Ian has worked on many projects since 1978 at Boeing Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, California. Highlights include: leadership on Solar One Power Tower, implementation of welding robotics, engine systems hardware lead for the Aerospike rocket engine, Systems Development manager, and his latest role, running a consulting business. Ian is considered a proposal expert, having worked in proposal leadership over one hundred times, contributing to business capture of over $600 million. He has traveled extensively teaching these techniques for Rockwell & Boeing. Mr. Cannon has received numerous awards, with a highlight as 1986 Society of Manufacturing Engineers “Young Manufacturing Engineer of the Year” – one of 12 world wide, for efforts in implementing welding robotics for use in fabricating the Space Shuttle Main Engines.

Mr. Cannon enjoys teaching and has provided instruction for Diversity Awareness, Management Skills, Robotics, Windsurfing, Business Communications for Professionals (UCLA), and Proposal Preparation (Santa Barbara City College).  Ian is active in his community and speaks at middle and high schools on the importance of education, career and life planning through the Youth Motivation Task Force.  He also serves on the Math Engineering Science Achievement Program as advisor to minority high school students, and is active in the Boy Scouts of America and YMCA.

Mark Cuban Class of 1976
Mark Cuban co-founded Broadcast.com, the leading provider of multi-streaming on the Internet, and sold it to Yahoo! in 1999.  Prior to Broadcast.com, Mr. Cuban headed Micro-Solutions, a leading National Systems Integrator and later sold it to CompuServe.  In 2000 he purchased the Dallas Mavericks.  Mr. Cuban was successful at instilling a sense of pride and passion into Mavericks fans by cheering from the same seats as he had in years past.  He also became the only owner in team sports to encourage fan interaction through email on his personal computer.  It was through personal touch that fans around the world began to notice Mark Cuban’s entertaining personality and take notice of the Mavericks.  He has personally responded to thousands of emails, and has taken suggestions from fans that have led to innovative changes such as a new three-sided shot clock.  Mark Cuban’s enthusiastic attitude and commitment to winning has everyone’s attention.  A few years ago, Mr. Cuban founded HDNet, an all high-definition television network on DirectTy.

Mark Cuban has also been widely recognized for his many charitable contributions and for serving as a mentor and inspiration to young people.  He likes to put people in a position to succeed as evidenced by his most recent project, a reality television series, The Benefactor.  This program gives contestants the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills and talents with the hope of winning one million dollars.  A Mt. Lebanon Magazine article written by Joel Roteman (December, 2001) stated that Mark indicated his success “is beyond anything I could imagine…I am about having fun and enjoying my friends and family; I had a great time growing up in Mt. Lebanon. I developed friendships and whatever good or bad habits I have for life.”  Mark lives in Dallas with his wife and daughter.  He returns to Mt. Lebanon for visits with his family and friends.

Sandra Moore Faber Class of 1962
Sandra Moore Faber was the 1962 class valedictorian at Mt. Lebanon High School.  She received a B.A. in Physics from Swarthmore College in 1962 and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from Harvard in 1972.  She is University Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and was the first female astronomer on the staff of the Lick Observatory. Sandra played a leading role in establishing the presence of cold dark matter in the Universe and elucidating its key role in galaxy and structure formation.  She and the other “Seven Samurai” discovered huge irregularities in the expansion of the Universe, caused by cold dark matter. 

Dr. Faber led the scientific case for 8-10 m class telescopes, leading to construction of the twin 10-m Keck Telescopes on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.  With colleagues on the Wide-Field Planetary Camera team, she diagnosed the flaw in the Hubble Space Telescope mirror and helped to design the successful recovery effort.  In the1990’s, Dr. Faber led construction of the advanced DEIMOS spectrograph at Keck Observatory, which is being used to conduct the first large-scale red shift survey of 65,000 galaxies in the distant Universe.  The survey takes advantage of the “lookback” ability of big telescopes to study galaxy formation as it occurred billions of years ago.  She is married to attorney Andrew L. Faber and has two daughters, Robin and Holly.

John Frank Class of 1980
John was a distinguished football star at Mt. Lebanon High School, Ohio State University, and with the National Football League San Francisco 49ers.  He retired from pro football while at the top of his game at age 28 to complete medical school at Ohio State, going on to a career in surgery in the San Francisco area.  He is a leader in the Northern California Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and other service organizations.  Recently, Dr. Frank helped to found and fund the first Israeli Bobsled Federation Team, Israel’s youngest Olympic Association.  He also competes on the team as the brakeman.

Dr. Frank was recognized as an athlete by the All Big Ten in his junior and senior year at Ohio State and was a three time Academic All American while there.  He was also the team captain, most valuable player, and most inspirational player.  He ranks as one of the top five athletic scholars in the United States and was a candidate for the Rhodes Scholarship.  He was on two winning teams for the Super Bowl and twice on the All Madden Team.  Dr. Frank was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 

“John Frank is an ideal candidate because he exemplifies our district’s commitment to academic and athletic excellence as well as to community service and citizen participation.  Through the Bobsled Federation, John is helping to bring the ideals of the Olympic movement – building a peaceful and better world through sport, mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity and fair play – to the Middle East.” (Dave Black)

Peter W. Gregory Class of 1976
Commander Peter Gregory is a previous recipient of the Mt. Lebanon Distinguished Alumni Award.  He graduated from Grove City College in 1980.  Afterwards, he graduated from the Pittsburgh Theological Institute with a Masters Degree in 1983. Entering the Navy in 1986, he is a graduate of the Navy Command and Staff College as well as the recipient of 4 Commendation Awards for Operations Excellence in combat zones such as the Persian Gulf and Bosnia.  Presently, Commander Gregory is the Deputy Program Manager for Pastoral Services for Commandant, Naval District in  Washington, D. C.

“He has been a cornerstone to the command’s high morale and retention.  Commander Gregory’s distinctive accomplishments, unrelenting perseverance, and steadfast devotion to duty reflected credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.” (Award Citation)

Richard J. Madden Class of 1952
Richard J. Madden truly valued the education he received from the Mt. Lebanon School District.  When he graduated in 1952, he was undecided about continuing his education due to a lack of funds.  At that time, it was possible to work extra jobs in order to finance one’s education, which is what he did.  He went on to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, School of Engineering.

Mr. Madden began his business career upon graduation from Pitt, designing process control computer hardware for Westinghouse industrial products.  In 1969, he and a former colleague from Westinghouse founded Computerm Corporation, one of the first and most successful technology companies in Pittsburgh, employing more than 100 people.  Computerm’s successful work with the University of Pittsburgh spearheaded the company’s significant achievements for the next three decades.  Mr. Madden served as the Chief Executive Officer of Computerm from 1991 until 2000 when the company was sold to Inrange Technologies Corporation.  Richard Madden has built a distinguished career of entrepreneurship. His successful newest business, The Future Fund, is a venture capital organization that provides backing to first-time entrepreneurs.

In 2001 he established The Richard J. Madden Foundation to support undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the Department of Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering Program at the University of Pittsburgh.  His Foundation also provides post-secondary scholarship assistance to students graduating from Mt. Lebanon High School.  He has been the donor of many significant "Thank You" scholarships to graduates of Mt. Lebanon High School.