2020 Alumni Awards

Alumni Awards

Class of 2020

Each year, Covington Latin School has the privilege of honoring its own for their outstanding achievements and their dedication to CLS. Sadly, we had to postpone our Awards Banquet in May. We are proud to announce this year’s honorees. If you would like to nominate an alumni who best exemplifies our motto, please contact amy.darpel@ covingtonlatin.org.

Distinguished Alumna Anna Gier Pfaehler ‘02

After graduating as Valedictorian of the Class of 2002, Anna attended Vassar College, imagining she would study drama. She was wrong. She studied economics and mathematics. In her Junior year, Anna attended the London School of Economics then finished her degree at Vassar graduating with general and departmental honors. She earned membership to Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Epsilon honors societies and received the Virginia Swinburne Brownell Prize for excellence in economics.

Anna began her career at Palisades Hudson Financial Group, thinking that she would work for two years and then return to school. She was wrong again. Instead of a PhD, she earned the Certified Financial Planner™ designation. Anna was a contributing author of the first edition of Looking Ahead: Life, Family, Wealth, and Business after 55 and was quoted in numerous publications regarding financial planning for unwed couples.

Anna was sure she would never leave New York, but she was once again wrong. In 2014, she returned to Ohio and joined Horan to lead the financial planning department. She earned a certificate in business succession planning and the Accredited Estate Planner designation. In 2017, Anna received the NextGen Financial Services Professional Award, a national recognition presented by the American College of Financial Services.

The daughter of two business owners, Anna never thought she would become a business owner herself. Remarkably, she was wrong once more. In March 2020, she joined Constellation Wealth Advisors as a Partner and Wealth Advisor.

Anna specializes in helping ultra-high net worth families and is humbled daily by their trust. She also serves on several committees and boards for Covington Latin School and Girls on the Run Cincinnati and is an active member of the Cincinnati Estate Planning Council.

Anna credits the fundamental skills CLS taught her for carrying her along each time she got it “wrong.” Through whatever uncertainties, she has fallen back on her approach to learning and her capacity for hard work – skills honed at CLS. Of course, sometimes you need more than skills. You need friends. Anna considers herself lucky to be able to rely on the tremendous people she has met through CLS as both a student and an alumna. She believes that the greatest gift CLS has given her will always be her husband and classmate David, who faces every turn with a sense of adventure and their children will always be Anna’s greatest joy.

Bonitatem Award Michelle Thompson ’96

Michelle Wagner Thompson ‘96 entered CLS in 1992 in the first class integrated with girls. After graduation, Michelle attended Northern Kentucky University where she studied pre-pharmacy. She was then admitted to the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy, graduating in 2004 with a Doctorate of Pharmacy. Michelle has worked for Walgreens Pharmacy since 1997 where she is on the front lines helping with the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccinations.

Michelle married her classmate, Sam Thompson in 2004. They have three children: Kayla (14), Lucas (13), and Logan (9). Kayla and Lucas are currently students at CLS. Michelle has been very involved at her children’s schools. She served on the Mothers’ Club board for four years at St. Therese School. She has been the organizer of one of their biggest fundraisers, the St. Therese Walkathon, for the past 4 years. She also served on the board for two years for the parish’s Raise the Roof Gala. At Covington Latin School, she has served on the Grand Event Committee and serves on the Association of Parents and Teacher Board. She and Sam are class “Teach me goodness, discipline, and knowledge” is a motto that she still lives by today. Michelle shares that it has been 25 years since she graduated from Covington Latin School but is still very grateful for everything that she learned while she was there. You have to work hard for your accomplishments. She has made life-long friendships with some of her classmates and even some of the faculty. She considers herself lucky to be part of such a great school community.

Disciplinam Award Dave Kramer ‘76

The Covington Latin School Alumni Association has awarded the 2020 Disciplinam Award for professional achievement and service to CLS to David Kramer of the Class of 1976. After graduating from CLS, Dave obtained an HAB degree (concentrated in classical languages and humanities) with honors from Xavier University and then received his Juris Doctor degree University of Kentucky College of Law. He joined Dressman Benzinger LaVelle psc (DBL Law) in 1986 and has been a partner since 1994. He chairs the firm’s Civil Litigation Practice Group.

In recognition of his civil litigation experience and his reputation in the legal profession, Dave has been named a Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and Litigation Counsel of America. He was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 lawyers in Kentucky by Super Lawyers® Magazine. He had previously been named one of the Top 50 Kentucky Super Lawyers on two occasions. He has also been named to the Best Lawyers in America for health-care litigation and is rated AV (pre-eminent) by Martindale Hubbell. His publications include the Thomson West two-volume treatise on the Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure, part of the Kentucky Practice Series. The treatise is often cited by Kentucky’s appellate courts and is widely regarded as the leading reference on the Kentucky Civil Rules. He is also the chief Kentucky contributor to Thomson Reuters “Practical Law” series in several civil litigation areas.

In 2008, Dave was appointed by Governor Steven Beshear to serve as a Special Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court. He was elected by lawyers in the Sixth Supreme Court District as their representative on the Board of Governors of the Kentucky Bar Association (KBA) from 2008 to 2014, and served from 2011 to 2014 as the KBA’s representative on the Kentucky Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee. He currently serves as a member of the Ethics Committee of the Kentucky Judiciary. He was elected in 2020 as President of the Salmon P. Chase Inn of Court, and in 2016 was presented the Defense Lawyer of the Year Award by Kentucky Defense Counsel. From 1993 to 1998 he served on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Lottery Corporation by appointment of Governor Brereton Jones.

Dave has also served on numerous civic and charitable boards and organizations over the years. He has served on the Crestview Hills City Council and the Lakeside Park/ Crestview Hills Police Authority Board since 2000. Charities that he has been involved with besides CLS include the Congregation of Divine Providence Development Board, the Mental Health Association of Northern Kentucky, and the Kiwanis Club of Covington/Kenton County.

His service to CLS goes back many years. He has served on the School’s Board of Education as a member (from 1994 to 2004) and Chair (1998 to 2000), and as a member of its Alumni Association Board of Directors (1989 to 1992 and 2019 to present). His volunteer activities for the School include planning and fundraising for the Academic Advancement Fund, organizing and running the Alumni Golf Outing, serving on the the school’s Covid-19 committee, and serving on an advisory committee for management of the School’s endowment.

Dave credits his CLS education with instilling intellectual rigor and mental discipline that set him up for success in college and law school and in the practice of law. He also developed many friendships at CLS that have stood the test of time. His group of friends from the Class of ’76 still regularly get together to socialize.

Dave resides in Crestview Hills with his wife Diane. They have one child and three grandchildren.

Scientiam Award Tom Kohlhepp ’66

Tom Kohlhepp graduated from Covington Latin School in 1966 and went on to graduate from Thomas More College with a degree in Sociology. Tom paid his way through college by working as a musician in the Cincinnati area. Tom excelled in this music avocation. He performed with the house band at a venue known as The Inner Circle, which was a top Cincinnati Nightclub featuring national musicians such as The James Brown Band. During Tom’s musical performance career, he also appeared on a local television broadcast as a solo guitarist/vocalist, invited by Marian Spellman, who had previously attended Tom’s show at a local night club.

After studying classical guitar at the UC Conservatory of Music, voice with the renowned Opera Singer Madame Kruse, and keyboard with renowned Cathedral Basilica’s organist Robert Schaffer, Tom decided to make his music avocation his preferred vocation. He served as music director at Holy Cross-Immaculata Church in Mt. Adams from 1974 through 1981. He became the music director and music teacher at St. Pius X Church in Edgewood from 1981 through 2000. In addition, Tom became the music director at Mary Queen of Heaven Church in Erlanger from 2009 to 2018.

Over the past 40 years, Tom and his wife Linda (an accomplished vocalist in her own right) provided music at hundreds of wedding ceremonies and receptions in the group known as Oasis, throughout the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.

In 1980 Tom opened a music store (which he still owns and operates) known as The Music House, where musical instruments are sold and private music lessons are provided to students, including many Kentucky Governor’s School recipients. Tom has taught guitar, keyboard, music theory, song writing, choral music, and elementary education music to literally thousands of students in the Northern Kentucky/ Greater Cincinnati area. Tom credits the discipline he learned while at Covington Latin School for his accomplishments in his music career.

Honorary Alumna Christy Boehmker

Christy Lidington Boehmker was born and raised in Northern Kentucky. Christy lived in Erlanger with her parents, Jim and Nina and siblings Nancy, Jenny, Laurie, and Jay. She attended Lloyd High School, Northern Kentucky Vocational School, and Northern Kentucky University. She worked in customer service at Lightcraft and Lunkenheimer. She married Chip in 1981 and Christy stayed home to raise her three boys, David, Danny, and Joseph. She and Chip owned Herb-&-Thelma’s Tavern from 1982-2012. Christy interviewed at CLS when her son David entered Prep 8. She started in the Development Office part-time in 1999, then moved to the front office, retiring 20 years later in 2020. “I loved my kids at CLS. I’ve cried with a few, laughed with many, and chatted with them all. I always have and always will say they are my kids. I loved my time at CLS. I miss my bestie, Kathy, the faculty, staff, and administration. The best in the area! The students at CLS are so lucky to have this building of people who love them. I surely loved them and will miss them everyday.” One of Christy’s favorite memories was when a student asked where she and Kathy learned medical first aid. Their answer- the show E.R.!

Christy plans to enjoy her retirement with her three boys and their wives and her sweet granddaughter, Riley, and hopefully a few more. Christy and her best friend and husband “Chip” hope to travel, hang out with friends, and enjoy retirement.

Honorary Alumna Kathy Metzger

Kathy Heil Metzger was born and raised in Northern Kentucky. The seventh of thirteen children of Will and Edith Heil, she grew up in South Newport. Kathy attended St. Vincent de Paul Grade school and LaSalette Academy for high school. Attending NKSC (now NKU), she began a work study program in the Admissions/Registrar’s Office. sition in the Admissions Office. There she worked from 1974 – 1980. She was married in 1976 to Mike Metzger. Kathy and Mike made the decision that would allow her to stay home while raising their children. They were blessed with three daughters, Heidi, Bridget and Amanda and one son, Michael. Off and on through those years, Kathy returned to NKU to fill in during busy times. In 1994, with all kids in school, Kathy took a part time job with Desmond Insurance. In 1999, an advertisement in the Messenger caught her eye – Part time Office Help at Covington Latin School. Hoping to get back into the education spectrum, she applied and was offered the position. In 2000, she went full time, eventually taking over the position of Office Manager. She retired in 2020.

“Being at CLS was a wonderful experience. I met so many people. …. Dedicated Administrators, teachers and staff, gracious parents and talented students. I enjoyed meeting alumni and seeing the contributions they have made to the school and the world at large. I am amazed at the time and effort that was expended by all. It was a family-oriented place, where everyone took care of each other. I am so proud to have been a part of this community. I am truly blessed!”

Kathy plans to spend her retirement years being with her large family, including her 10 Grandchildren. She and Mike plan to do some traveling and look forward to new adventures. For now, reading, sewing, crafting and enjoying the alarm-free time is what retirement looks like.