Cleveland Heights High School Distinguished Alumni
41hallst of fame Homecoming Weekend
October 15-16 , 2021 Cleveland Heights High School
history of the hall of fame Now celebrating the induction of the 41st class, the Cleveland Heights High School distinguished alumni Hall of Fame has inducted more than more than 400 members. Dr. Patricia Ackerman, retired CHHS principal and CHUH administrator, created the HOF as a way to provide students with direct access to life-sized role models and provide inspiration that professional achievement—even exceptional success—is indeed within their reach, as evidenced by many alumni who sat in the same seats and walked the same halls as they do. With more than 50,000 graduates, Heights students have an impressive and diverse list of alumni from whom to select for induction. As Dr. Ackerman initiated, a student committee blindly selects inductees from nominations provided by the general public. Students only know the nominees’ accomplishments, making the recognition even sweeter.
a new celebration format For nearly 40 years, the HOF induction ceremony and celebratory events were held towards the end of the school year in late April/early May. As with everything else, the Covid-19 pandemic also impacted this event in 2020. The planned spring 40th anniversary HOF event was too important to cancel, so the Board approved moving the event to fall to coincide with Homecoming Weekend and embraced incorporating digital platforms as a means to make the event bigger than ever. With that success behind us, we welcome you to the 2021 HOF induction ceremony designed to meet the newest moment of pandemic life. We hope you enjoy what we have planned. Today’s events will indeed reach more students, alumni and community members than ever before. This is a new tradition. Congratulations and enjoy, Tiger Nation!
hall of fame fund
Heights Schools Foundation created this fund in fall 2019 in honor of the 40th anniversary of the CHHS Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame to support the program and guarantee that it continues for another 40th years. This event is among key offerings that provide current high school students with direct access to, and meaningful engagement with, role model alumni. The Hall of Fame Fund also supports the Alumni Tiger Talks speaker series. By speaking to current Heights students, alumni guests are helping to expand what students think is possible for their future. With a focus on pathways to success, and strategies for overcoming obstacles, students become more prepared for their next steps toward career and college success. To volunteer for the speaker series, contact our offices at info@heightsschoolsfoundation.org. The Hall of Fame Fund has commissioned a new work of art, a mural celebrating the ideals behind the program – excellence, striving, resilience, and potential. The mural will have a prominent place in the front hall of Heights High serving to both acknowledge the past and inspire the next generation. Installation is expected in 2021. The artist is Jerome White, an alumnus from the Class of 1988 and faculty member of the Heights High art department.
In the coming year, the Hall of Fame Fund will sponsor the complete digitization of the Hall of Fame program since its inception, including photos and biographical information about all Hall of Fame members. We strive to make the Hall of Fame easily accessible, searchable and to ensure the stories of our exceptional graduates continue to be celebrated for decades to come. To support these projects, please visit HeightsSchoolsFoundation.org to make a contribution, or send a check to the address on the back of this booklet with “Hall of Fame” in the memo.
Shay Bilchick ’71 “ Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead
Shay is among the nation’s most influential leaders in the field of juvenile justice, child welfare and related youth-serving systems. Early in his legal career, Shay identified the need for a fundamental shift in how agencies worked together on behalf of youth and worked towards making that happen. From 1977 to 1993, he served as a trial lawyer, juvenile division chief, and as Chief Assistant State Attorney, establishing the first Child Advocacy Center in Florida. In 1994, President Clinton appointed Shay to serve as Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention within the United States Department of Justice. There, Shay transformed the agency into one that prioritized research, identified best practices and supported innovation at the state and local levels. His impact is still felt today as juvenile justice agencies nationwide strive to shape their efforts grounded in research and in line with the principles of youth development, family engagement, fairness and equity. From 2000 to 2007, Shay also served as President and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America, a national organization that supported public and private organizations serving vulnerable children. His contributions to the public policy arena during those years earned him a spot on the Non-Profit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 in 2001 and 2004 – 2006. Shay left in 2007 to form the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University to serve as a beacon for the youth-serving field across systems of care seeking to improve the lives of youth and families.
Education
Achievements
JD, University of Florida
• Chief Assistant State Attorney, Miami-Dade County, Florida, leading all juvenile delinquency and child abuse and neglect matters and serving as a national speaker and trainer
BSBA, University of Florida
Current Occupation Research Professor, Georgetown University
“ I credit all of my personal and career accomplishments to my years growing up in Cleveland Heights. I made lifelong friendships, met my wife, and gained the foundational knowledge that led to my successes in college and law school. My teachers at CHHS inspired me and as I moved on to college and law school I often reflected back on those inspirational conversations as motivation in my career and personal life. Being honored with this induction into the CHHS HOF brings so much of what I value in my life full circle!”
• Confirmed by the United States Senate to lead the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at the U.S. Department of Justice, administering a budget of over $650 million • Led the Child Welfare League of America as its CEO as it expanded its work to include both a focus on child welfare and juvenile justice • Founded the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform Research Center at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, a research center designed to work with counties and states in improving the way they serve children, youth and families involved in multiple systems of care
Kris Billiar, PhD ’87 “ We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.” ~ Randy Pausch
Immediately after earning his doctorate in Bioengineering, Kris developed a remarkable career as a research scientist focusing on how mechanical forces influence the development and healing of biological tissues, particularly valves, skin, lungs and bones. A primary investigator for numerous research grants, Kris has authored or co-authored more than 65 publications and 140 conference presentations. A Fulbright scholar, Kris’ work is recognized around the world, as evidenced by invitations to present in Italy, China, Australia and the Netherlands. At only 45, he was promoted to full professor at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute and was appointed Head of the Department of Engineering the following year. In recognition of his scholarship and leadership, his peers elected him to Fellow status across three different engineering institutes and professional societies, an honor afforded to less than two percent of the groups’ memberships. Dedicated, driven and hard-working, Kris leads by example. He is a mentor passionate about supporting the development of younger generations of engineers and leads an institute-wide effort to support women and minorities in the field. He is one of WPI’s “go-to” people for governance, curricula, student advising and faculty recruitment. While Kris loves to lead, he strives to help others “to be the best they can be.” As an adult, Kris embraced running and cycling. He has competed in four triathlons and has a reputation for riding his bicycle to work on all but the very snowiest of New England winter days.
Education
Achievements
BS in Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University
• Chairman’s Exemplary Faculty Prize, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2021
PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Current Occupation Professor and Department Head
• Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), 2018 • Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 2013 • Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), 2016 • Fulbright Scholar, 2009-2010 • Board Member, Interfaith Hospitality Network Homeless Shelter, 2019-present
“I am honored that I was chosen by students (thank goodness it’s a blind review!!). When I think of myself back at Heights High, I’m not sure I would have chosen a scientist or engineer for such an honor. I value the diversity of people and experiences at Heights High and the impact it’s had on my life. Even though I live 600 miles away, I still feel a special connection to Cleveland Heights: my kids call it their second home, my closest friends are from here, and the best part, my wife is a Heights High grad!”
Kenyon Robert Bonner, EdD ’90 “Lift as you climb.”
Rising to the challenge is the norm for Kenyon, who joined the University of Pittsburgh’s Division of Student Affairs in 2004 as Assistant Director of Residence Life. Now as Vice Provost for Students Affairs, Kenyon leads a complex team of 200 individuals serving 30,000 students. This past year, Kenyon effectively and empathetically guided his staff as they cared for the social, emotional, physical and mental well-being of undergraduate and graduate students through the pandemic and helped lead the University’s collective response to addressing the pervasive and adverse effects of systemic racism. Kenyon listened to and worked with Black student leaders to hear their concerns and led the development of a comprehensive Anti-racism Action Plan for Student Affairs, to which the Black Senate responded positively. More than a decade ago, Kenyon was instrumental in creating Pitt Make a Difference Day (PMADD), a university-wide community service project that sends thousands of students, staff and alumni to volunteer alongside more than 90 community agencies and nonprofits that has since expanded into a national model. Committed to caring for students and helping his community, Kenyon volunteers throughout the year by mentoring Black youth through a variety of programs. He holds leadership roles in the Southwestern Pennsylvania chapters of the United Way and American Red Cross and also Family House Pittsburgh, an organization that provides a special “home away from home” for patients and/or their families in Pittsburgh seeking medical treatment.
Education
Achievements
EdD in Higher Education Management, University of Pennsylvania
• Recipient of Washington and Jefferson College’s Waltersdorf Award for Innovation Leadership, 2017
MEd in Rehabilitation Counseling, Kent State University
• Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence in Service to the University of Pittsburgh, 2013
BA in Psychology and Philosophy, Washington and Jefferson College
• Co-chair of the United Way of Southwest PA Impact Cabinet
Current Occupation
• Board of Directors for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross
Vice Provost for Student Affairs, University of Pittsburgh
• Board of Directors, Family House Pittsburgh
“ I am deeply humbled to be recognized by my alma mater, Cleveland Heights High School. As an educator, one of the greatest honors is to be recognized by students. I stand on the shoulders of the people in my life, both at Heights and beyond, who sacrificed, mentored, taught, and challenged me to strive to be the best version of myself. I am grateful and appreciative and will honor them by continuing to lift as I climb.”
Karen Zauder Brass ’82 “ Share your light. In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” ~ Albert Schweitzer
As a Second-Generation Holocaust Survivor, Karen is dedicated to educating children and adults about taking responsibility for their actions, and encouraging them to rise up and take action in the face of human cruelty. Karen has taken her father’s inspirational story (a young Polish boy who spent time in the Krakow Ghetto, Sachsenhausen and Flossenburg concentration camps, Plaszow and Auschwitz death camps prior to a number to death marches to becoming the first cornetist, second trumpeter and the first personnel manager of The Cleveland Orchestra) to create Standupsters®, an international anti-bullying and Holocaust education program. Karen coined the term, defining it as “any human being who chooses to take a stand and use their sense of personal responsibility, and moral leadership, to take action to stop bullying and discrimination in today’s, school work and community environments.” To complement her school and community presentations (including CHHS), Karen created the website www.standupsters.com and a company, Can I Count on You, LLC, to make the material she teaches more accessible to educators, parents and students alike. Karen presents nationally and internationally and is the author of I am a Standupster and Trauma Filters Through. In her spare time, Karen, a devoted wife and mother of two children with special needs, is a senior sales director with May Kay Cosmetics who has earned 17 career cars (pink Cadillacs!) over 29 years with the company.
Education
Achievements
BEd, Bowling Green State University
• Invited to speak in both Warsaw, Poland and in Berlin, Germany to the Educational Consulate
Current Occupation Educator, Entrepreneur, Small Business Owner, Keynote Speaker, Author
• Involved in getting the Holocaust and Genocide Bill passed into Colorado Law, HB20-1336 • Published 3rd book, How to Create Peace: Teaching Children How to Navigate Their Personal Choices, Build Their Character and Social Morality • Finalist, two years consecutively, for The Unsung Heroine Award in Jefferson County International Women’s Day for work with education through her Standupsters programs.
“ It is both an honor and a dream to be recognized and inducted into the CHHS Hall of Fame. I always hoped to make something of my dream, which was to honor my heritage while making a positive difference in the world. I found my voice at CHHS, and it is wonderful to be able to share that my roots are from here, in Black and Gold country.”
• Award of Distinction from both the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition and The Colorado Autism Society for her work in advocacy • Invited Holocaust speaker to the military brass at Cheyenne Mountain’s Norad facility, to the Peterson Air Force Base military personnel, and to Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs
Brian Gold ’91 “ If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” ~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Brian began his military career after graduating from CHHS by volunteering for the US Navy’s submarine fleet as a paramedic, becoming one of the few Americans to qualify for submarine service. After earning his BA in Political Science, as well as a JD from the University of Akron, he went on to gain commission as a Naval Officer, working as an intelligence analyst in Europe. After transferring to the Naval Reserve, he earned an honorable retirement from military service. Brian’s military career continues today with ongoing service to the Air Force and Department of Defense as a senior intelligence analyst. He also serves several veteran’s organizations, including the Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW), and Blue Star Families, where he actively works to support military families worldwide through peer support and family programming. Brian is an active member of the Sierra Club, and participates frequently in watershed cleanups and trail maintenance. He often brings his best friend-his young daughter- along with him, ensuring that his appreciation for nature is passed down to future generations.
Education
Achievements
AA Arts, Cuyahoga Community College
• Being a husband and a dad, nothing has been more fun, exciting, unpredictable, and rewarding! My daughter is my mini-me!
BA in Political Science, Cleveland State University MMOAS (Master of Military Operational Art and Science), Air Command and Staff College JD, School of Law, The University of Akron
Current Occupation Senior Intelligence Analyst, United States Air Force
• Qualified for Submarine service, earning ‘Silver Dolphins’ in 1993 while aboard the nuclear ballistic missile submarine USS John C. Calhoun SSBN 630 • Earned Navy Achievement and Expeditionary medals while aboard the USS Enterprise CVN 65 • In 2010, was among the initial cadre of United States Navy Officers assigned as Information Warfare Officers (IWO) • Chosen to serve in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, as the Special Projects Lead • Selected as a Presidential Scholar while attending Cleveland State University
“ I am honored and truly humbled to be inducted into the CHHS Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. During my time at Heights, I learned three important lessons that sustained me throughout my personal and professional life. First, we are all more infinitely capable than we believe we are. Second, at the end of the day, the only person’s verdict that truly matters is the person looking back at you in the mirror. Lastly, help is always available to those who seek it. Teachers, mentors and peers at Heights endowed me with tools and mentoring, as well as the space to practice new skills without fear of failure, which became the springboard for a life worth living. I am forever indebted to Heights, and I am honored to momentarily carry, and then pass, the baton to the next generation of Tigers.”
Denitra Isler-Luecke ’89 “Be yourself…everyone else is taken.”
After moving to Atlanta and becoming the make-up artist for Nancy Grace (the Nancy Grace Show which aired on HLN), Denitra got the “acting bug.” She has since created a successful career appearing in films, television and theater. Denitra’s most notable film role to date may be in the movie Just Mercy, which debuted December 2019 and featured Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson, and told the story of world-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson and his work to free a wrongly convicted death-row prisoner. In the movie, Denitra plays Evelyn McMillian, the sister of Jamie Foxx’s character. Denitra’s other 2019 film credits include What Men Want and Lady and the Tramp. On television, Denitra can be seen in two current shows. She is “Nurse Hundley ‘’ in the hit drama The Resident appearing on Fox. The series, which premiered in January 2018, was recently renewed for a fifth season set to air fall 2021. On Netflix, one can see Denitra as Mae in one episode of The Underground Railroad series based on the best-selling book of the same name by Colson Whitehead. Between 2018-2019, Denitra held TV roles in Nashville, The Act and Good Girls. In theater, Denitra appeared in The Christmas Carol, Ain’t Misbehavin and The Music Lesson. Also the lead singer for the rock band Conkrete God, Denitra makes time to care for the least fortunate. She is the co-founder of Misfit Love Mafia, an Atlanta-based program that distributes hygiene products, including food, water and socks, to the homeless.
Education
Achievements
BFA, Florida A&M University
• Nurse Hundley in The Resident (4 seasons to present)
MFA, Case Western Reserve University
Current Occupation Actress, Singer
• Mae in Underground • Evelyn in Just Mercy • Shelly in The Act • Mae in Lady and the Tramp • Lead singer of Rock band Conkrete God • Co-founder of nonprofit Misfit Love Mafia
“ I’ve always been proud of the fact that I went to a school that was extremely diverse. Having the exposure to different cultures contributed to the person that I am today. I am extremely honored to be recognized by a school that knows the importance of supporting and encouraging differences.”
Christopher Stitt ’91 “ Explore, Collaborate, Teach: Engage your curiosity, find communities to engage with to learn more, and pass on what you have learned to stimulate the curiosity in others.” ~ Christopher Stitt
Christopher Stitt is a Supervisory Special Agent with the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. In his 24-year career with the U.S. Department of State, Chris has served abroad in Guatemala, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, Panama, and Iraq. Domestically, Chris has served in the New York Field Office, Counterintelligence Investigations, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, the Washington Field Office and twice as Chief of Emergency Planning. Prior to joining Diplomatic Security, Chris was an officer with the United States Capitol Police and an Agent with the South East Counties of Ohio Narcotics Task Force. He is credentialed as a Certified Emergency Manager by the International Association of Emergency Managers and a Professional Continuity Practitioner by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In 2020, Chris joined the faculty of George Mason University as an Adjunct Faculty member to teach Homeland Security and Law Enforcement in the Criminology, Law and Society Department. In his spare time, Chris volunteers in the Department of State’s mentoring program as mentor for entry level personnel and is involved with The Kindness Games, an initiative created in 2020 to promote empathy through acts of kindness.
Education
Achievements
BS, Ohio University
• Advocate for Kindness and Gratitude The Kindness Game Alumni 21
MSSI (Masters of Science in Strategic Intelligence), National Intelligence University (formerly the National Defense Intelligence College)
Current Occupation Supervisory Special Agent, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service
• U.S. Marine Corps Marine Embassy Security Group Region 9 Regional Security Officer of the Year (2011 and 2013) • 2004 Department of State Innovation in Technology Award • FBI Medal for Meritorious Achievement • International Association of Emergency Managers Certified Emergency Manager • Eagle Scout
“ I have always valued my time at Heights and I am proud of my Tiger roots. To be inducted into the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame is one of the greatest honors I have received, especially knowing the caliber and accomplishments of the other inductees. I sincerely hope that my journey can be used to inspire others to explore the world in service to our country.”
Keith A. Walker, PhD ’67 “ Most of life is ‘your setup’ (i.e. preparation), the key to success is your punchline. What is yours?” ~ Comedian Michael Jr.
Keith has had a brilliant career of over 40 years in the agriculture biotechnology industry. He was one of the first persons to effectively use plant genetics to modify seeds at a molecular level, first at Monsanto and then at Lubrizol, Plant Genetics, Micogen, and others. Keith’s scholarship and diligence resulted in significant enhancements to breeding techniques and metabolic processes in plants resulting in improved shelf lives for everyday foods, such as tomatoes, peanuts, cooking oils, and candies. In addition, he created a salt-tolerant variety of rice suited to arid environments and increased the heart-healthy aspects of canola oil while at the same time significantly increasing its plant yields and lowering production costs. For his work, which includes authoring numerous articles and reviewed papers in major scientific journals and books, Keith holds two hundred and forty patents, including two for techniques to edit the DNA of crops (CRISPR). Through his vision, successes and leadership, Keith started or co-founded three venturefunded companies: Plant Genetics, Inc. (1981-1989), Cibus Global, Ltd. (2001-2014) and Valley Oils (2012-present). Regardless, this entrepreneur remains humble, kind and generous. To share his knowledge, Keith assists schools in his sunny California community with their long-range planning efforts and established a not-for-profit organization to bring biotech crop improvements to small, landholder farmers in under-developed countries.
Education
Achievements
BA, College of Wooster
• Managed team that launched first Bt tolerant (transgenic) corn in North America
PhD, Yale University, PhD
Current Occupation Business Consultant
• Biographed in Marquis Publication on ‘Who’s Who in the West’ 1984 Edition • Founder/Co-founder of four venture funded companies • Numerous publications/book chapters in scientific journals • Inventor/co-inventor of over 200 patents and patent applications in agricultural biotechnology
“ Aware though I was of the application, the call about the award was unexpected. I hope that it means that not only did I know my ‘setup’, along the way I discovered my punchline. I am honored and deeply humbled. Clearly, no one ever does this alone.”
Patrice Willoughby ’82 “ It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.” ~ Benjamin E. Mays, civil rights leader
As a veteran of Capitol Hill and the Obama Administration, Patrice brings an equity lens to work across all spectrums of her professional, civic, and personal life. With a profound understanding of critical work and life issues revolving around DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion), technological savvy, as well as financial independence (particularly for women), Patrice always focuses on “lifting others” as she climbs. She has spent more than two decades working consistently dedicated to the needs of women, people of color, and children and adults dealing with the devastating impacts of poverty. Patrice’s first job after law school included making sure that the needs of Cleveland Heights residents and others living in greater Cleveland area east-side suburbs were met while she served as Chief of Staff and Counsel for the late US Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. She expanded her important work in the political sphere when she assumed the high-profile position as the Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus. While she may have moved her professional work into the private sector to hold increasingly responsible positions requiring expertise in strategic communications, government relations, public affairs, finance, and technology, Patrice continues to find time to volunteer and focus on helping others who may not have had the educational opportunities she had. When she is not in the office or a board room, you’re likely to find her at an ice rink sharing her love of ice-skating with the children of low-income families while she teaches them important life-skills.
Education
Achievements
JD, University of Wisconsin Law School
• Board Member N Street Village; Member, Economic Club of Washington
MA, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music BA, Case Western Reserve University
Current Occupation Managing Director and Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Signal Group
• Top Lobbyist and Influencer 2020 “Lawyers of Color”; Board Member, Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement. It was most meaningful to serve the constituents of this congressional district for nine years on the staff of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones and as Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus. Public service is an honor.
“ I was a student at Heights High as the Hall of Fame was created. I am grateful to officials and leaders like Dr. Patricia Ackerman and English teacher Betty Schwartz who opened the door to help me realize my own potential. Public education is essential to the function of an effective society. The Heights Schools are a critical link in shaping our future and I am honored to associate with the district and its graduates.”
Judy Jackson Winston ’87 “ The time is always right to do what is right.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Judy, the first in her family to attend and graduate from college, often credits the education she received from CHHS as the foundation of both her academic and personal success. She has spoken publicly about the impact of a fellow classmate’s suicide during her sophomore year had on her choice to live a life of community service. To help improve the lives of Cuyahoga County’s most vulnerable citizens, Judy became a licensed social worker and attorney. For nearly 20 years, Judy investigated abuse, neglect, and rights violations within the public mental health and alcohol and drug systems as the Client Rights Officer at the Cuyahoga County Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board. From there, Judy furthered her capacity to help others in distress as a Post-Decree Magistrate Judge for the Honorable Tonya R. Jones (the first Black elected judge in the history of the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court), where she presides over custody and property matters that occur after a divorce. When not busy resolving social or legal matters in a courtroom, Judy shares her personal voice as an author who entertains and educates. She has written two fiction novels and one non-fiction book aimed at raising awareness around mental health issues, human trafficking and sickle cell disease. Both novels have garnered significant awards this past year. Earlier in 2019, Judy’s impact on Northeast Ohio was recognized by inclusion in the 14th anniversary edition of Who’s Who in Black Cleveland-Akron-Canton.
Education
Achievements
JD, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University
BA in Social work, The University of Akron
• Author of two award winning novels: The Anniversary, finalist for the Independent Author’s Network 2020 Book of the Year Award and The Commemoration, finalist for the 2021 Eric Hoffer Awards in two categories
Current Occupation
• Martha Infield Excellence Award for fearless leadership in the mental health field (2016)
MSSA, Case Western Reserve University
Magistrate Judge-Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court
“ When I was a Junior at Cleveland Heights High, I had the opportunity to hear Joel Hyatt, who was a wellknown attorney speak, as he was being inducted into the Cleveland Heights Distinguished Hall of Fame. I was moved by his speech and his words helped to spur me to do my part to help change the world and to truly make my community better. It is my hope that the work that I have done as a mental health advocate, attorney and author will motivate future leaders to do their part to make a difference in the world. It is an honor to be included in Hall of Fame with other great alumni. It is a lifelong dream come true and what I have been working my whole professional and personal life to achieve.”
• Co-Chair of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Connections Committee for the Alpha Omega Chapter • Sickle Cell Chair for Top Ladies of DistinctionCleveland Chapter • Domestic Relations Chair for the Ohio Association of Magistrates • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Cleveland Chapter Community Leader of the Year (2009)
Cleveland Heights High School is proud to recognize all of the past inductees to the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame *deceased
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley ’76 *Sergio J. Abramof ’75 Daniel Abrams ’48 Donald Abrams MD ’68 Rita Abrams ’61 Alexis Abramson PhD ’91 Elaine Splaver Abramson ’60 *Stanley Adelstein ’37 Richard M. Abel PhD ’68 *Richard E. Adler ’50 Martin A. Alpert MD ’67 Sallyann Amdur Sack PhD ’53 Barbara Cotesworth Andrews ’48 Cantor Perryne Schnider Anker ’56 Jeffrey Appel PhD ’60 Robert Apple ’50 Alan Arnold JD ’54 Bernard S. Arons MD ’65 Lee I. Ascherman MD ’74 *Lucy Jo Atkinson RN ’49 Christopher G. Axelrod ’74 Robert Bain PhD ’66 Robert Baker ’61 William F. Baker PhD ’61 Jim Barle ’87 Arthur P. Barnes PhD ’48 Gary E. Barnett MD ’58 Harold (Hal) Becker PhD ’72 Jules Belkin ’49 *Mike Belkin ’53 Joan Goldstein Bendix ’73 *Burton Benjamin ’35 Carlol Miller Benzer MD ’57 Irving Berkowitz PhD ’69 Stuart D. Berger PhD ’61 *David Bergman ’50 John J. Betchkal ’54 Joy Kline Binkovitz ’50 *Nelson Blachman PhD ’40 Kathy Simkoff Blackman ’86 *Myron Bloom ’44 Mark M. Blumenthal ’81 Richard Bogomolny ’53 Robert Bogomolny LLB ’56 Brian D. Bornino ’91 *Judith Botwin PhD ’48 Annette Bouso ’67 Jr Bremer ’98 Anita Bryant-Bradley ’83 Christopher P. Brandt MD ’76 James B. Breckinridge PhD ’57 *William R. Brinker MD ’47 Ralph Brody PhD ’53 Laura S. Brown PhD ’70 Roger J. Brown ’80 Vincent Brown ’82 *Ashel G. Bryan ’39 Michael A. Buchanan ’91 Thomas David Burton EDS ’83 Lori Hermelin Bush ’74 Sherry Carter-Strothers ’77 Gerald B. Chattman JD ’60 David Eric Chesebrough EdD ’69 Howard Chizek ’65
*Shirley Beistle Climo ’46 Amy Paller Cohen MD ’70 Lenore Wohl Cohn ’54 Eric J. Collins ’87 Lisa G. Collins PhD ’85 *William H. Collins ’47 Chuck Cooper ’72 Dale H. Cowan ’55 Edward F. Crawford ’57 *Robert L. Cronquist ’47 Linda Daskal Crowe ’55 Kenneth Cushner EdD ’69 Cmdr. Douglas Cuthbert ’80 *Charles D. Cuttler PhD ’31 *John L. Dampeer ’34 Kelly Bullock Daugherty ’90 Dr. Alan J. Davis ’43 Lauren Davis PhD ’77 Myron D. Davis ’92 Michael Deet ’88 Barbara Demming Lurie ’64 Teresa E. Dews MD ’80 Harlan Diamond ’52 Michael Diamond MD ’57 Jacob W.E. Dijkstra MD ’64 Charles F. Dolan ’45 JoAnne Jaffa Donner ’65 Rodger Evans Doxsey PhD ’65 David P. Dubal ’58 *David Dwoskin ’60 Jacquelyn C. Edmonds ’78 Kenneth Ehrlich ’60 Joel Eigen PhD’65 Gary B. Ellis PhD ’72 Roger Englander ’44 *Muriel Israel Ente ’42 Rita S. Eppler-Goss JD ’74 Amy Steindler Epstein ’63 Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein DD ’61 Natalie Zuckerman Epstein ’44 Jacques D. Evans ’99 Stephen E. Farber ’61 *Audrey Feinberg ’44 *Harvey D. Feinberg ’40 Tom Fello ’70 Eric D. Fingerhut ’77 Norman Finson ’41 Tim (Bruce) Flack ’66 Richard (Rick) Fleeter ’72 Sanford Fleeter ’61 Jonathan Floyd ’91 Patrick G. Flynn ’75 James. K. Fox ’65 *Robert J. Freeman ’45 *Jacob J. Fraier ’45 *Manuel Freeman DDS ’54 Gary D. Friedman MD ’51 Jeffrey H. Friedman JD ’65 *Ralph Friedman ’44 Phyllis Peltz Froimson ’49 *Robert Gaede FAIA ’38 David A. Gardner ’65 Richard L. Garwin PhD ’44 *Lauree Pearlman Gearity PhD ’60
D*onald A. Don Glaser PhD ’44 William B. Glasser MD ’42 Gary Glazer MD ’68 David Gilbert ’85 Greer Glazer PhD ’72 Jean Berko Gleason PhD ’49 Judith Newman Glickson ’46 Michael A. Glueck MD ’56 Erika Taubner Gold ’52 Robert B. Goldberg PhD ’62 Susan L. Golden PhD ’64 David B. Goldstein PhD ’69 Marion L. Good PhD RN FAAN ’52 Charles A. Gooding MD ’53 *Esther Goodman ’45 Lois Klein Goodman ’51 Jo Marcia Shaw Goren ’66 Karen L. Gotwald ’65 *Alvin Lawrence Gray ’45 Richard S. Gray ’49 Judye Robbins Groner MSW ’60 Norton J. Greenberger MD ’51 James L. Greenfield ’42 *Lois Wyse Wohlgemuth Guber ’44 Gerald S. Gurney PhD ’69 David H. Gunning JD ’60 Gladys Haddad PhD ’48 *Franklyn S. Haiman PhD ’39 William Halal PhD ’51 Cynthia Moore-Hardy FACHE ’75 Larry Harmon ’43 *Lee (Pat) Hartzmark ’47 Col. Robert C. Hauver MD ’50 Everett D. Heard ’71 Barry Henkin ’80 Thomas P. Herbell PhD ’52 *Clay Herrick ’29 Lizbeth Ann Heyer ’82 Michelle Heyer ’80 Ellen Newman Heyman RN ’60 Capt. Lynne Margo Hicks USN ’74 David S. Hirsch MD ’65 Deborah Kay Hirsch ’68 Lynda Hirsch ’66 Jerry Hirshberg ’57 Joel Z. Hyatt ’68 *Robert A. Hyde ’49 Diana Gentner Hyland ’53 Stanley Inhorn MD ’45 *Victor Ippolito MD ’31 Seth Isler ’77 Congressman Darrell Issa ’71 Anita Iyer MD ’91 Robert H. Jackson JD ’55 Major Shannon C. Jackson ’88 *Allan B. Jacobs ’47 *Herbert G. Jakob MD ’47 Stephen M. Jeandheur ’74 Jerome E. Jennings ’99 Jeff Johnson ’91 Anthony D. Jordan JD ’83 Joy Jordan DDS ’80 Rajiv Joseph ’92 Gail Rose Kane ’56
Rosabeth Moss Kanter PhD ’60 Abba J. Kastin MD ’52 Lois Cowan Katovsky ’49 Robert Katz MD ’55 Rebecca Spyke Keiser PhD ’87 Jason Daniel Kelce ’06 Travis Michael Kelce ’08 Katie Klarreich ’74 Ronald J. Klein JD ’75 Tovah Klein ’82 Douglas Klunder ’78 Deborah A. Kohn ’67 S. Lee Kohrman JD ’45 Susan Koppelman PhD ’58 Michael J. Krasny MD ’62 Michael Krausz PhD ’61 Allan C. Krulak ’55 William A. Krupman ’54 Maxine S. Landers ’66 *Steven LaTourette ’72 Robert B. Layzer MD ’49 Earl M. Leiken JD ’60 *Jerry Leonard ’46 Steven B. Lesser JD ’71 Arthur Lester MD JD ’57 Ester Atkin Leutenberg ’54 Mark R. Levine MD ’57 Phyllis Rapport Levine ’41 Gary D. Levy PhD ’79 *Lawrence R. Levy MD ’49 Joanne Waxman Lewis ’51 Clea Lewis ’83 *Peter B. Lewis ’51 Jeffrey A. Lieberman MD ’66 Charles G. Lief JD ’68 Lawrence Lipking PhD ’51 Nathan S. Lipsyc ’55 Harvey F. Lodish PhD ’59 Leonard M. Lodish PhD ’61 Richard Lodish PhD ’64 Susan Fischer Lodish ’61 *Rear Admiral Wayne Loud (ret.) ’23 Jeffrey A. Lox ’87 Brig. Gen. Alan P. Lurie (ret.) ’51 Mark Lurie MD ’62 David Lynch ’75 Thomas Mack ’62 Juliette Madison ’75 Gene I. Maeroff ’57 Marian Katz Magid ’53 Robert Malkin PhD ’80 Richard D. Mann ’50 JoAnn E. Manson MD ’71 Jed K. Margolis ’69 Joy Margaret Marshall MD ’66 Michael J. Marks ’56 Lynne Gerson Maxwell MD ’65 *Gale Stubbs McClung ’41 Michael McGruder ’80 Susan M. McGuire ’62 Irma R. McQueen ’69 *Leza Sullivan McVey ’26 Eugene Meieran PhD ’55 Phil Mendelson ’70 Jenny Mendes ’78 *Harold Mendes ’45 David G. Miller, MD ’49 Rev. Laurence E. Miller, Jr. ’51 Pamela Anne Miller ’73 *Ruth R. Miller PhD ’44 Sydell Lubin Miller ’55 Tanya Miller ’92 *Irvin M. Milner ’33
Michael Mitchell ’94 Peter Mitchell ’89 Leonard N. Moore PhD ’89 Rachel Tara Moresky MD MPH ’87 Milton ‘Chip’ Morris ’88 *Arlene Tichy Mosel ’39 *Edward Allen Moulthrop ’34 Marsha Bragg Myhand ’78 Marissa Ann Nance ’87 Paul Newman ’67 Rita Gray Newman PhD ’47 Douglas Nowacek PhD ’87 Anthony E. Oden ’91 Rena Shapiro Olshansky ’52 Kevin F. O’Neil JD ’73 Pamela Asberry Oxendine ’78 Scott Pennyman ’97 Katrena Carr-Perou ’98 *Eleanor Rosenfeld Perry ’31 *Lester Persky MD ’37 *Perry K. Peskin ’46 Richard C. Peterjohn PhD ’53 Stuart L. Petrie PhD ’52 Tony V. Phelan ’82 Clifford E. Pinkney ’80 Leslie G. Polgar PhD ’61 Marc. S. Pollick ’71 Jeffrey L. Ponsky MD ’64 Jacquie Carlisle Posey ’78 Steven L. Presser ’76 *John L. Price ’38 Alan J. Rapoport ’67 Albert B. Ratner ’46 Mary Ellen McEwan Reed ’60 Elaine Katz Rembrandt ’56 Bonnie Kohn Remsberg ’55 Phillip J. Resnick MD ’56 Sonjai Amar Reynolds PhD ’79 *Larry J.B. Robinson PhD ’46 Beth Bassett Rosenblum ’57 Ronald J. Ross MD ’52 A. David Rossin PhD ’49 Rabbi Julie Roth ’91 Greta Rothman ’90 *Beryl Shapiro Rothschild ’47 Henry L. Roubicek EdD ’70 Brent E. Routman JD ’74 Bernice Schwarz Rube ’45 Patricia Berkman Rubin ’75 Colleen Fahey Rush ’82 Paul A. Russo ’61 Michael J. Ryan JD ’89 Harvey S. Sachs ’64 Susan Riemer Sacks PhD ’54 Burton Saltzman ’55 Martin Samuels MD ’63 Harry W. Sargous ’66 David A. Schaefer JD ’66 Tracy W. Schermer ’67 *Jerome Schmelzer ’56 James Schoenberger MD ’37 *Alan R. Schonberg ’46 *Marjorie Lipkin Schuster ’41 Sander D. Schwartz JD ’71 Paul Segall PhD ’72 Karen Seibert PhD ’77 *Bernice Jacobs Shanker ’46 Gary Shamis CPA ’71 *Gov. Milton Jerrold Shapp ’29 Ronald A. Sharp PhD ’63 Gen. John A. Shaud USAF (ret.) ’51 Fred E. Sheibley PhD ’27 Dennis Shere ’59
Alix Kates Shulman ’50 Larry Shyatt ’69 *Muriel Siebert ’46 Lawrence J. Siegel PhD ’67 Lloyd Siegel ’65 Eric J. Silverman ’87 Eric J. Simon PhD ’42 Anika Simpson, PhD ’91 Sister Annette Sinagra ’55 David Skoke ’68 Jerry L. Sloan ’55 Mary Ellen Slone ’60 Cecilia M. Smith ’78 Stacey L. Smith ’72 Wilton S. Sogg JD ’52 Tobi Levine Sokolow ’60 *Marcia West Sollisch ’49 *Stanley L. Spero ’38 H. Jay Spiegel JD ’70 Toni Milano Starinsky ’72 Yiji Shen Starr ’87 *David L. Stashower ’47 Ezra Steiger MD ’58 Robert P. Strauss PhD ’62 James Streem ’52 Gary Stromberg ’68 Lauren Sugerman ’75 Sean Sullivan ’88 *Alvin Sutton Jr. ’36 Lisa Tarantino ’93 Harold K. Taylor ’35 Lenore Cagen Terr MD ’53 Donald A. Thomas PhD ’73 Ellen Bowen Thompson ’50 Anthony R. Tomsic ’53 *Warren T. Troutman ’35 Mel Tucker ’90 Susan Wolf Turnbull ’70 T. Temple Tuttle EdD ’51 *Paul A. Unger ’32 Eugenia Poporad Vanek ’66 Edward W. Vinocur ’69 Douglas Steven Volmar ’63 Kurt L. Wallach ’45 Peggy Leuten Wasserstrom ’54 Latasha Cummings Watts ’92 Alisa Weilerstein ’99 Lee C. Weingart JD ’84 David E. Weiss JD ’79 Stephen F. Weiss PhD ’62 *Eunice Podis Weiskopf ’38 Marcia Wexberg JD ’71 Darrow E. White ’77 *Charles Z. Wick ’35 Hon. Kurtis T. Wilder ’77 Ellen Teitelman Wohl ’70 Jane Puracchio Wojnarowsky ’74 Marshall J. Wolf ’60 *Bertram (Bart) Wolstein ’45 Iris J. Shur Wolstein ’47 Linda Cohn Wood PhD ’62 *Bobby Worth ’29 June Crouter Wortman ’48 Debra S. Yasinow ’81 Eric M. Yasinow MD ’75 *James M. Yasinow ’49 Adrienne Steinhoff Yelsky ’65 Philip Yosowitz MD ’59 Christopher Young ’90 Hari Ziyad ’09 Chryssa I. Zizos ’90 Gene Zuckerman ’54 *Morris (Morrie) Zryl ’67
acknowledgments Heights Schools Foundation Dr. Susan Carver ’78 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Steven Haynie ’91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President Shanice Settle ’06 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President Meghan Zehnder McMahon ’90 . . . . . Treasurer Peter Shriver ’90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary Trustees Rachael Collyer ’11 Dr. Carmen McGugan Daniel ’07 Krissy Dietrich Gallagher ’91 Dan Heintz ’85 Tim Jones ’92 Kathryn T. Joseph ’78 Hank Kornblut ’81
Ed Long ’89 Scott Pennyman ’97 Margaret Rothschild Slesnick ’79 Jennifer Thomas Kelly Singleton Thomas’83 Kelly Thomas ’83
Executive Director Julianna Johnston Senturia ’87 Development and Communications Associate Jillian White Development Consultant Abbie Nagler Sender (Spouse ’82, In-laws ’50 & ‘51)
Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board Elizabeth Kirby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James Posch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Malia Lewis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Heintz ’85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jodi Sourini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beverly Wright ’76 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Superintendent President Vice President Board Member Board Member Treasurer Pro Tem
chuh.org • heightsschoolsfoundation.org Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education 2155 Miramar Boulevard University Heights, Ohio 44118
Heights Schools Foundation 2155 Miramar Boulevard University Heights, Ohio 44118
