Gobble’n Go for Education
Gobble’n Go for Education” is Auburn Education Foundation’s iconic fundraiser!
Ticket holders can stroll through our beautiful downtown area, stopping at various participating restaurants, pubs and retail shops and sample mouth-watering tastes of signature dishes while greeting friends, enjoying conversation or even doing a bit of shopping! Many stops feature wonderful live music, and also include drink specials (not included in the ticket price).
Along the way, “Gobblers” can win a gift card by searching for specially painted “Gobble Rocks” that have been hidden in a few of the businesses and can collect their prizes at the “Last Stop” where a light buffet and raffles await.
We want everyone to enjoy the festive experience synonymous with “Gobble’n Go”, so for those attendees whose mobility is limited, or in the case of inclement weather, a trolley or limo bus makes various stops in a continuous loop throughout the day!
This year, we have 16 partnering businesses, and their generosity, along with your participation, raises money to fund innovative educator grants that provide creative learning opportunities for the students within the Auburn Enlarged City School District.
Tickets are $30 each. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Tubman Administration Building or Equal Rights Heritage Center
MUST BRING PROOF OF PURCHASE TO HILTON GARDEN INN OR THE GENESEE MALL TO RECEIVE EVENT WRISTBAND. THEN YOU MAY PROCEED IN ANY ORDER YOU WISH
Our Events
Typically, our education foundation holds events throughout the year to recognize and reward outstanding achievements throughout the school community.
Upcoming Events
Celebrating Education
Auburn Alumni Hall of Distinction
Do you know an extraordinary Alumnus to Nominate?
Auburn Alumni Hall of Distinction inductees are selected from all submitted nominations. The nominations are kept and reviewed each year by the Auburn Education Foundation Hall of Distinction Selection Committee. Nominations can be submitted and are accepted at any time. To date, the Auburn Alumni Hall of Distinction has inducted 62 graduates.
Class of 2024
Major General James Rafferty (Retired)
Karen Macier
Sean and Beth Lattimore
Marc Petrosino
Gary Mann
Eric Emanuel
Class of 2023
Carmen Cosentino
Carmen was born in 1932 on the property where he now lives. A graduate of the East High School Class of 1950, Carmen attended Cornell University where he majored in Horticulture with a minor in Agricultural Journalism. He believes that his years at East High were the basis of his future successes.
In 1962, Carmen married Anne Marie DiMatteo and they embarked on a fifty-year adventure in the world of flowers. Together they built a successful business, attended seminars and conventions and were innovators in the field of floral design. Involved in all aspects of his field, Carmen served on FTD, SAF, and Telefloral boards and was an officer of the state floral organization. Besides being asked by FTD to join a team that traveled the US and Canada to talk to florists about houseplants, Carmen also developed a 3-hour program about roses that was presented at florist meetings. Carmen has shared his knowledge and presented at conferences across the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Holland, Bermuda, Dominican Republic and Columbia.
For several years, Carmen wrote a column for Floral Management Magazine, the industry’s business journal and the Professional Floral Designer, the industry’s magazine for trends in floral design. He has also entertained and educated people with his column in the local newspaper, the Citizen.
Carmen’s dedication has been evident in his service to the community. As a member of the Lion’s Club, he focused on eyesight, making sure that funding was available for children in need of glasses. Carmen also served on Auburn’s Parks and Recreation Commission during the time when the Commission spearheaded the efforts to approve and build Casey Park.
Awards include being named to the Society of American Florists Hall of Fame and receiving the Tommy Bright Award by the Professional Floral Communicators International. In 2016, Cosentino’s was named Teleflora’s Best Retailer of the Year and Carmen was presented with the prestigious Tom Butler Award.
Carmen credits his late wife, Anne Marie, and his children Guy, Russell, Jessica and Julie Anne who was lost to cancer at the age of 11, for being such a wonderful and supportive family to him. He continues to work in his floral shop while enjoying the successes and escapades of his grandchildren.
Patricia Ryder
Patricia, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, attended Auburn schools and graduated in 1974. She received an Associate Degree at Auburn Community College and both a BS Degree in Special Education and a Master’s Degree at SUNY Geneseo. Pat started her career path as a volunteer at Camp Columbus, a summer camping program for special needs children and adults. This experience ignited her passion for working with special needs individuals. Pat then taught special education at Auburn High School for 40 years. Her commitment to Camp Columbus continued and she was the director of the camp for 35 years. In addition, Pat taught adult education and continues to be a night and weekend relief counselor working at numerous ARC houses. She has coached the Special Olympics and established and co-advised a Boy Scout Explorer post for high schoolers with special needs.
Pat’s commitment to all students is notable. She was a guiding force for the AHS Russian Exchange Program, where students and teachers from Auburn High and their sister school in Moscow, lived in each other’s homes, attended school, toured historical sites and participated in volunteer activities in both communities. Pat also served as advisor to the AHS Student Government Organization and supervised the SAT program for students in the surrounding school districts.
Pat developed ties with her classes and a first-grade class at Casey Park. Both classes wrote journals that were exchanged between partners at each school in the Big Buddies program. She received an Auburn Board of Education Certificate of Commendation for her Read to Me program where students and teachers read/recorded over 300 children’s books on CDs which were then given to district elementary schools. She received a grant for Play Aways, a device that played those recorded audio books for struggling readers.
Pat is currently retired and resides with her husband, Gary, in Auburn. She enjoys traveling, reading, and organizing the book rooms for the St. Luke’s monthly book sales fulfilling her desire that everyone has access to books. Pat is also a consultant for Coffee +, a new, local non-profit which will provide job training skills to adults with special needs.
Neil Salvage, Jr.
Growing up in Auburn, Neil Salvage, Jr. enjoyed participating in a variety of sports at the Y Field and Owasco Lake. He graduated from Auburn High School in 1991 where he competed in football and track. Neil was a member of the LaSalle University track team before transferring to the University of South Carolina Business School. He graduated in 1995 with a dual major in management and finance. A proud supporter of the University, he had the honor of delivering the commencement speech to the Graduate School of Business in 2019 and is a regular speaker at the Faber Entrepreneurship Center.
Professionally, Neil was most recently President and Chief Operating Officer of LendingTree where he focused on helping consumers obtain the best rates on savings and financing. Prior to joining LendingTree, Neil served as Head of Digital sales for CBS Television and Radio where he led the effort to transition advertisers from over-the-air campaigns to multi-media campaigns. He also served as Executive Vice President of Citysearch and as the first Vice President of Sales for Yellowpages.com following its acquisition by AT&T.
Currently, Neil participates on several boards in the online media industry including CHALK and Pillar4 Media. CHALK is a pioneer in democratizing advertising for businesses of all sizes through marketing automation and data intelligence. Pillar4 Media is a portfolio of digital brands that connects consumers to the best products across the four pillars of health and wellness (Sleep, Fitness, Nutrition, and Mental Health). Neil is also involved in Mackey Realty as a co-founder and investor. Mackey Realty is a boutique real estate firm serving Charlotte, NC and surrounding areas.
Neil and his family have dedicated their time and resources to supporting causes they are passionate about. As a cancer survivor, Neil has participated in raising significant funds for cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In addition, Neil and his wife have participated in fundraisers for the Alzheimer’s Association as well as many other local charities.
Neil lives in Waxhaw, NC with his wife, Amanda, and his two youngest children, Neil III and Addison. His oldest daughter, Kaitlyn, will be graduating from Columbia College in May.
Dr. Joseph Freeman
Dr. Joseph Freeman is the sixth child born to Ted Sr. and Fannie Freeman of Auburn’s founding Freeman family. He graduated from Auburn High School in 1977 and then chose to attend Oklahoma University where he earned an undergraduate degree in Zoology and a master’s degree in Biochemistry. In 1988, Dr. Joe received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma’s Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Freeman began his residency at New York Downtown Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. There, he met Dayne Jones. They married and moved to Connecticut, where Dr. Joe changed his residency to family medicine, which he completed in 1993. Dayne and Joe moved to Plaquemine, Louisiana where they opened the Freeman Medical Center. Dr. Freeman’s approach to delivering medical care was to treat anyone and all. He made home visits to the elderly and infirmed in the bayou area. His attention to caring for the less fortunate earned him the love and respect of his many patients. Dr. Freeman’s selflessness as a physician was also demonstrated when he established two clinics to supply daily medications (with help from Angel Flight) to the thousands of New Orleans evacuees during hurricane Katrina. His commitment to his community continued to grow and culminated in being elected as Coroner. He holds the distinction of being the first Black physician Coroner elected in the state of Louisiana.
Dr. Freeman’s talents and desire to administer care to all people of different races and socio-economic backgrounds made for a diversified career. His jobs as a physician included working for Veteran’s Hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Correctional Facilities, and Indian Reservations. He even served a two-week stint as a cruise ship physician.
Always looking for a challenge in his field, Dr. Joe has maintained an interest in serving small rural communities through Emergency and Rural Medicine. Currently, he’s running the Hart Clinic of East Baton Rouge Parish. The mission of this clinic is to reduce the prevalence of HIV.
Of all his many accomplishments, Dr. Freeman is most proud of his family. He and Dayne have three sons, Zachary, Hunter, and Toliver. It is this very sense of family that drives him to be the best doctor for all his patients.
Phillip Gregory Burke
Phillip Gregory Burke is an artivist, actor, and playwright. His Auburn roots run deep as branches of his family have lived in Auburn since 1858. Phillip graduated from Auburn High School in 2002 and then attended Syracuse University where he received a BFA in Drama from The College of Visual and Performing Arts and a BS in Sociology from The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Phillip worked at Binghamton University’ s Upward Bound Program before moving overseas where he attended The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, receiving his MA in Classical and Contemporary Text: Acting. He holds the distinction of being the first Black person awarded this degree. He also trained at Shakespeare’s Globe Education in London and The Alexander Gibson School of Opera in Glasgow. He earned his Equity card by acting in the hip-hop musical, King Kong, his AFTRA card by appearing in multiple episodes of “One Life to Live” and his SAG card in the Coen Brother’s “Inside Llewyn Davis.”
Phillip has appeared in commercials with NFL/CBS Sports’ Thursday Night Football’s “A Girl named Raven,” Oral B/Crest and Nike/Air Jordan. As a playwright, his writing chronicles the sociology of the African Diaspora and illuminates the intricate intersections of Blackness and queerness throughout history. Earlier this year, his ten-minute play, He’s the First, was filmed for All Arts & PBS where it will be available to stream later this year. His saga, The Suncatchers of Sahel: An Ancestral Tale Told to Today’s Griot, Part 1: The Crumble Under the Crescent was a 2022 Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow Finalist and a 2022 Princess Grace Award in Playwriting Fellowship semi-finalist. This saga is the genesis of an epic ten cycle play chronicling spiritual and sociological warfare. Phillip is currently working on developing Suncatchers and He’s the First into television series. He has taught developmental English both at Kingsborough and Hostos Community Colleges. In all elections, he works as a poll worker, specializing in assisting elderly and disabled voters in Black and Brown communities. Phillip’s entire body of work is dedicated to the memory of the legendary Miss Dame Sally Ann Jones, a brilliant orator from Georgia who called Auburn home for 50 years and who made his entire existence possible.
Class of 2022
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Dr. Marc Brown, CLASS OF 1971 (AHS)
Dr. Marc Brown (AHS 1971) became the first director of the division of Dermatologic Surgery, Oncology and Mohs Surgery at the University of Rochester. He lectures and trains peers and students on Mohs surgery, a precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer. Dr. Brown has published numerous articles and has written two books as well as serving as an editorial reviewer for several major dermatologic journals. Leadership positions nationally include President of New York State Dermatology Society, President of the American College of Mohs Surgery, President of the Association of Academic Dermatologic Surgeons and President of the International Transplant and Skin Cancer Collaborative.
Brian Kreydatus, CLASS OF 1987 (AHS)
Brian Kreydatus (AHS 1987) is a Professor of Printmaking and Life Drawing at The College of William and Mary. A Fulbright Scholar, Professor Kreydatus has exhibited his work extensively in the US and abroad with solo exhibitions in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington, DC. His many honors and awards include an Artist Residency at “La Cite Internationale des Arts” in Paris, France. While enrolled in a master’s degree program at the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kreydatus illustrated historic Auburn homes for a Community Preservation Committee booklet.
Martha Gallo, CLASS OF 1975 (AHS)
Martha Gallo (AHS 1975) is Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at AIG. Ms. Gallo has more than 30 years of experience at some of the world’s largest and most complex global financial institutions. Ms. Gallo also has a long-standing commitment to the advancement of women and girls. She serves as board-co-chair of the Women’s Refugee Commission. She supports the belief that women’s contributions play a critical role in business, government, and the broader community.
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William Snee, (posthumously), best known as Bill Carey, CLASS OF 1971 (AHS)
William Snee (AHS 1971), professionally known as Bill Carey, is being honored posthumously.
Mr. Snee/Carey was one of Central New York’s most honored television news journalists. His career began in radio at WMBO in Auburn and he rose to the position of Executive Producer of WTVH. He also worked at WIXT and then helped to put Time Warner Cable’s all-news channel on the air. Mr. Snee/Carey was a Syracuse Press Club Wall of Distinction honoree. During his distinguished career, he won three Emmys, six RTNDA Murrow Awards and numerous awards from the Syracuse Press Club and New York Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
Joe Alberici, CLASS OF 1987 (AHS)
Joe Alberici (AHS 1987) is presently the head lacrosse coach at West Point where he was twice named Patriot League Coach of the Year and became on of three coaches in the history of West Point to achieve 100 victories. In 2017, Coach Alberici was awarded the Mike Krzyzewski Award for Excellence in Teaching Character Through Sport. The award recognizes West Point athletes and coaches (sport educators) for their outstanding commitment to the development of noble character through athletic participation and leadership.
Maria Papalia-Meier, CLASS OF 1992 AHS
Maria Papalia-Meier (AHS 1992) is the author of “I am a Runner: The Memoirs of a Sepsis Survivor”. In the book, Papalia-Meier chronicles her recovery from sepsis and the mindset of perseverance that pushed her to run again. Close to death, she spent seven weeks in the hospital and had to have her toes amputated. Through determination and perseverance, Papalia-Meier now runs marathons and offers support to others suffering from life-altering illnesses.
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Susan Taylor-Brown, Ph.D., MPH, ACSW, CLASS OF 1972 (AHS)
Susan Taylor-Brown, PhD (AHS 1972) is a recognized social worker and an expert on mental health issues of chronic illnesses. She was invited to serve on the care-giving and mental health expert panel for the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Human Development. Dr. Taylor-Brown has also developed services for the HIV affected community and family members and was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for Developing Services for HIV women and their children, New York State Department of Health, World AIDS Day, 1999. Dr. Taylor-Brown is dedicated to promoting social equity and supports those organizations that promote the social participation of individuals and groups confronting barriers to full inclusion in today’s society.
Chief Warrant Officer Jared Tuxill, CLASS OF 1989 (AHS)
Jared Tuxill (AHS 1989) has been a distinguished member of the elite Navy Seals. He was assigned to SEAL Team Eight and deployed twice to the Persian Gulf. Tuxill is currently serving as the Operations Officer at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. His personal decorations include the Silver Star, six Bronze Stars with V, two Purple Hearts, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, and numerous individual and unit decorations.
Class of 2019
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Julie Jordan DiPalma, CLASS OF 1997 (AHS)
Julie Jordan DiPalma graduated from Auburn High School in 1997 and from the University of Rochester with a dual degree in Political Science and Health and Society with honors. She earned her law degree at Syracuse University of Law, cum laude.
Julie began her career in the litigation department of a large well-respected Rochester law firm of over 100 attorneys. She also worked as Counsel in a Rochester plaintiffs’ firm for several years focusing her practice on medical malpractice and heading that firm’s nursing home neglect and abuse practice. In 2017, Julie opened her own practice.
Julie has been chosen time and again as a leading trial attorney. She was selected by her peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America publication for Medical Malpractice-Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs. Julie received recognition as a Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyer-Civil Plaintiffs in New York by the National Trial Lawyers. She has been listed by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Plaintiffs’ Medical Malpractice and was recognized as a recipient of the Top Women in Law Award in 2015 by the Rochester Daily Record. Julie has been highlighted as a Woman to Watch (2016) by the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.
Currently, Julie serves as the Chair of the Board for the Mental Health Association of Monroe County and is a Director-At-Large on the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Academy. She has lectured extensively throughout New York State on topics including Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse, Use of Supplemental Needs Trusts in Personal Injury Actions, and Products Liability. She more recently presented at the annual summer meeting of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers on the use of expert accident reconstructionist testimony at trials of motor vehicle accident cases.
Julie enjoys spending time with her husband who is also a trial attorney and their two children. In spare time, she enjoys playing the flute and cello. Julie also hosts a weekly legal radio show, Off the Record.
John Liberatore, CLASS OF 2003 (AHS)
John Liberatore is a native of Auburn with strong ties to Central New York. He graduated from Auburn High School in 2003. He received a Bachelor of Music Degree, summa cum laude, from Syracuse University and a Master in Music and Ph.D. from Eastman School of Music. John is a composer, pianist and one of the world’s few glass harmonica players. In 2015, he joined the faculty at University of Notre Dame as Assistant Professor of Composition and Theory where he is currently.
Described by critics as “enchanting” and “truly magical,” John’s compositions have been performed in venues around the world. Leading ensembles and soloists have taken his music to the International Viola Congress, Carnegie’s Weill Hall, the Hindemith Centre, The American Cultural Institute of Peru and the Four Seasons Centre of Toronto to name a few. His chamber opera, The Investment, was commissioned by the American Opera Initiative of the Washington National Opera and premiered at the Kennedy Center in November of 2014. He has written for many top-tier performers in classical music, including Grammy-winning artists Roomful of Teeth, Molly Barth, and Nicolas Photinos as well as for principals from major orchestras and internationally renowned soloists.
In 2015, John commissioned glass blowers G. Ginkenbeiner Inc. for a new glass harmonica, becoming one of the few exponents of this rare instrument in contemporary music. In 2018, Albany Records released “Line Drawings,” a portrait album of his chamber music, which features his recording debut on the glass harmonica.
John is the recipient of an NEA Fellowship from the MacDowell Colony, fellowships from Tanglewood and Yaddo as well as commissions from the American Opera Initiative. Other recognitions include two ASCAP Morton Gould Awards, the Brian Israel Prize (first place), and invitations from the I-Park Artist’s Enclave, the Brush Creek Arts Foundation, the MusicX Festival, and the Bowdoin Music Festival.
John lives in South Bend, Indiana with his wife Jennica, also an Auburn native. They have triplet children, Marie, Leo and Grace.
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Michael Lynch, CLASS OF 1969 (EAST HIGH)
Michael Lynch, the son of Bob and Bernice Lynch, grew up in Auburn, spending much time on Owasco Lake and in the woods, learning some biology in the process. He graduated from Auburn East High School in 1969 where he enjoyed math, biology and literature classes. He became the first member of his family to go to college, receiving an undergraduate degree in biology from St. Bonaventure University in 1973. He then obtained a Ph.D. in Ecology and Behavioral Biology from the University of Minnesota, where he studied the ecology of lakes.
In 2018, Michael became the founding Director of the Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University. Prior to that, he held professorships in ecology and evolution at the University of Illinois, University of Oregon and Indiana University. He has been the advisor of dozens of Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows. His papers have been cited in the scientific literature more than 60,000 times, and he gives about 20 talks annually all over the world.
His research focuses on the genetic mechanisms of evolution, particularly at the genomic and cellular levels, and on the development of statistical methods for analyzing whole-genome sequencing data. His lab focuses on a number of model systems most notably the microcrustacean Daphnia and the ciliate Paramecium. Current research topics include the 5000 Daphnia genomes project, the evolution of error rates in cells, the evolution of the gene regulation and the evolution of complex protein structures.
Michael is an elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has served as president of several organizations including the Genetics Society of America and the Society for the Study of Evolution. Three widely cited books are Genetics and Analysis of Quantitative Traits (with Bruce Walsh), The Origins of Genome Complexity, and the Evolution and Selection of Quantitative Traits (with Bruce Walsh).
He is married to Emilia Martins, an eminent behavioral biologist and has three adult children, Adam, Erin and Gabriel.
Brian McKeon, CLASS OF 1981 (AHS)
Brian McKeon was born and raised in Auburn. As a son of William McKeon, attorney and chair of the New York State Democratic Party, Brian learned about government and politics at an early age. It is not surprising that his background and interest in politics led him to a career in law and politics. He graduated from Auburn High School in 1981 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and International Studies from the University of Notre Dame. Brian received his law degree from Georgetown University in 1995.
Brian has served for over three decades in all three branches of the federal government. He worked for over 20 years in the U.S. Senate, all for Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), in his Senate office and then as his chief counsel for 12 years at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He served in the Obama administration for all eight years in various national security positions, including Deputy National Security Adviser to Vice President Biden where he advised the Vice President on all national and homeland security issues. As Executive Secretary and Chief of Staff for the National Security Council, Brian traveled regularly with the President as National Security Council representative on domestic trips. Then as Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Department of Defense, he advised Secretary Hagel and later Secretary Carter on a range of national security and defense policy issues. Brian also worked for a year as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar in the Eastern District of Virginia and then on the Clinton/Gore re-election campaign in 1996.
Today, Brian is a senior director at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania, a foreign policy institute based in Washington, DC. He is responsible for research and writing on various national security topics, and participating in engagements on international affairs with faculty and students at the University as well as policymakers in Washington. Brian lives in Washington,DC with his wife, Liz Tankersley.
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Tricia Purdy Messinger, CLASS OF 1996 (AHS)
Tricia Purdy Messinger is a wife and mother, health care executive, and passionate advocate for the inclusion movement. Tricia graduated from Auburn High School in 1996 and then received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland. She spent her junior year in college at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. Presently, Tricia is Senior Vice President and Head of External Affairs for UnitedHealth Group in Washington, DC.
After graduating from Loyola, Tricia’s career began in New York City where she worked for a law firm. Realizing that she still had a strong interest in politics, she became a health care lobbyist in Washington, DC. where she served as a Lobbyist at Hunton & Williams LLP, working on behalf of large hospital systems, pharmaceutical companies and the health insurance industry. Tricia next joined UnitedHealth Group and from 2004-2010, she served as a Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton, leading a team of 40 cross-disciplinary health care professionals supporting government and commercial customers in the Medicare space.
In her present position at UnitedHealth Group, a company listed No. 5 on the Fortune 500 list, Tricia focuses on effectively positioning the Enterprise with key audiences at the federal and state levels. This includes leading policy, public affairs, advocacy, thought leadership, and philanthropic efforts across UnitedHealth Group. She also manages the company’s efforts to develop partnerships and coalitions with key third parties and associations. Tricia is committed, in this position, to deliver a better health care experience to all.
Tricia resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband, Dan, and her three children, Ava (9), Norah (7) and Andrew (5). When she isn’t mothering or working, Tricia, former Vice President of the National Board of Trustees of the Williams Syndrome Association, volunteers her time, giving back to her community and focusing on her own personal health having become a SoulCycle devotee. Tricia is also recognized for her creative and festive cakes made for important family occasions.
Class of 2018
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Kevin J. Corcoran, CLASS OF 1972
Kevin J. Corcoran grew up in Auburn and graduated from Auburn High School in 1972. He graduated cum laude from LeMoyne College and holds a Masters in Business and Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Kevin states that he has leveraged his high school experiences to forge a successful business career along with a passion for travel, politics and unique life experiences.
Kevin is an internationally-recognized speaker, executive coach, sales and marketing expert who has consulted with numerous global organizations. He has worked with Procter & Gamble in Chicago and San Francisco and also with Learning International in Boston and Stamford, CT. He authored two books during this time: High Performance Sales Organizations; Creating Competitive Advantage in the Global Marketplace and The Alligator Trap; How to sell with becoming a pair of shoes! In 1997, Kevin founded RevenueLab, a Go-To-Market Strategy, training and revenue acceleration consultancy. Kevin eventually relocated to Southern California and continues to assist organizations with strategic planning, sales strategy, executive development and coaching.
Kevin is also the founder and president of Artful Travelers, LLC, a company that uses travel experiences to cultivate critical relationships between organizations and their customers, members or donors. The company produces luxury cruises that feature the best of PBS and NPR producers, directors and on-air talent along with world class speakers, political strategists and Broadway performers.
Kevin has consulted on several political campaigns and causes including work with the Gill Action Fund to advocate for LGBTQ rights and marriage equality. His efforts contributed to the overturn of Proposition 8 in California and the passage of same sex marriage in New York State. He has supported the Trevor Project, the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people ages 13-24. Closer to home, Kevin has mentored young gay adults in Auburn as they pursue a healthy road to authenticity as gay adults.
Although residing in Palm Springs, California, Kevin maintains a strong connection to high school friends in Auburn and while mentoring high potential area youth, he has been responsible for providing career coaching, internships and first jobs to many Auburnians. In turn, these recipients of his mentoring are expected to “pay it forward” to younger kids.
Dr. Larry Ellison, CLASS OF 1971
Dr. Larry Ellison graduated from Auburn High School in 1971. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the State University of New York at Oswego and a Master of Science degree in addition to a Certificate in Advanced Studies in Education Administration from the State University of New York at Brockport. Dr. Ellison received his doctorate degree in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher College in 2010.
Dr. Ellison has worked as a teacher, assistant principal and is currently the principal at John James Audubon School #33 in the Rochester City School District. Dr. Ellison has proved to be an inspirational, motivational and highly respected principal at the school. His leadership capabilities are best summarized using the words of staff members at his school. “No organization can rise higher than the caliber of its leader. Our school has experienced academic and social success because we have set a goal of creating a community of learners that respects the intellect and capabilities of our students and their families. The level of our success can be measured by the extent to which we have risen to the strong degree of Dr. Ellison’s belief in that goal and his leadership and his actions in support of our efforts.” Another teacher wrote, “Dr. Ellison epitomizes what it means to be a great leader. He leads by example and has a clear vision that drives School #33 towards excellence and long range success.” Dr. Ellison has certainly been an outstanding school administrator who has made exceptional contributions to elementary education.
Dr. Ellison has been the recipient of several awards for his work and dedication to the profession. Included in these awards are the City of Rochester Renaissance Award; the School Administrators Association of New York State T. Walsh McQuillan Award; the Parent-Teacher Organization Award; and the Rochester City School District Board of Education Service Award.
Dr. Ellison is a member of the Association of Supervisors and Administrators of Rochester; served as a member of Rochester Council of Elementary and Secondary Leadership; served as Vice-President on the Board of Directors for the Institution for Research and Reform in Education in Rochester; and served on the Board of the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester.
Dr. Ellison and his wife, Brenda, have 5 children and 10 grandchildren.
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Pauline Copes Johnson, CLASS OF 1945
Pauline Copes Johnson, the great-great-grandniece of Harriet Tubman, was born and raised in Auburn. After graduating from West High School in 1945, Pauline worked for the New York Telephone Company becoming the first African-American telephone operator in Cayuga County. It was here that she learned about the NAACP and became a member. When the telephone company moved out of Auburn, Pauline worked until retirement as a secretary at Red Star Express Lines of Auburn. Pauline and her late husband raised twelve children.
In her hometown, Pauline Copes Johnson is best known and highly regarded as the spokeswoman and advocate for her Aunt Harriet. After learning that she was a descendent of Harriet Tubman, Pauline researched the life and legacy of her aunt and then traveled throughout the United States and across the globe to give presentations at schools, agencies and community centers. It has become Pauline’s mission to not only champion the legacy of her aunt, but also to teach the historical importance of the role that Harriet Tubman had as an abolitionist and conductor on the Underground Railroad. Pauline has lobbied for the redesign of the $20 bill to feature the image of her aunt and has promoted the U.S. Department of Interior’s efforts in establishing the Harriet Tubman National Park.
Pauline Johnson has been recognized for her work. She received the Martin Luther King Jr. Millennium Award and was inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame. She has also received various awards and proclamations from the City of Auburn, the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church, the State of New York, and from the many places she has visited. In 2017, Senator DeFancisco honored Pauline by naming her a New York State Senate Woman of Distinction. This award was established to recognize the many contributions of female New Yorkers.
Today, Pauline Copes Johnson is an active member of the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church where she plays the piano every Sunday. Pauline is also a member of the Harriet Tubman Booster Club. She plans to continue her passion for preserving the history of her family and the Auburn community.
Kevin Murphy, CLASS OF 1997
Kevin Murphy always loved to swim. He graduated from Auburn High School in 1997 where he competed on the award-winning swim team. Kevin won three sectional championships and achieved four All-American awards. He then attended St. Bonaventure University on a swimming scholarship. While there, Kevin won an Atlantic 10 Conference championship and graduated in 2001. Kevin settled in North Carolina and is presently the 5th grade reading lead teacher at Mary C. Williams Elementary School in Wilmington.
In 2008, Kevin founded the non-profit, Ocean Cure, and continues today as its president. Ocean Cure arose from Kevin’s desire for surf school instructors to have a way to give back and to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to experience the salt water, sand and scenery that can be found on an ocean beach. Its mission is “To Better the Quality of Life for Those with Disabilities Through Surfing” and its slogan is “We measure our success by the smiles we create.” Kevin and Ocean Cure have created many smiles in the past ten years.
The signature event of Ocean Cure is Life Rolls On where quadriplegic and paraplegic individuals are taken out into the ocean to enjoy a day of surfing and fun. Kevin enlists approximately 500 volunteers to assist in this yearly event and it has become a day of hope and fun for all volunteers, participants and community members who support the event.
Kevin’s organization also dedicates one weekend a month to Wounded Warriors. Kevin and his counterparts spend the days surfing and partaking in water adventures with these men and women who have bravely served our country. Other camps that Kevin coordinates throughout the East Coast include camps for women and families dealing with breast cancer, autistic children, Down-Syndrome children, senior citizen groups, children and teens affected by AIDS, the visually impaired and teens with special needs.
Kevin and his wife, Danielle, have two dogs, Koa and Hogan. Kevin’s main hobby is surfing and obviously helping others.
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Dr. Peter Usowski, CLASS OF 1973
Peter Usowski was born and raised in Auburn and graduated from Auburn High School in 1973. He earned a B.A. in History from LeMoyne College, an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in History from the George Washington University.
Peter has devoted his entire 37 year professional career to service in the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) as an analyst, staff officer, manager, and senior executive at the National Security Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the Central Intelligence Agency. Among his most consequential assignments was as NGA’s Inspector General (IG).
Peter is currently the Director of CIA’s Center for the Study of Intelligence (CSI). The mission of CSI is to capture, analyze, and share the Agency’s history, lessons, and best practices and promote discussions about its future in order to improve the operational , analytical, and administrative effectiveness of the CIA. As the Director of CSI, he also serves as the chairman of the Editorial Board of Studies in Intelligence, the oldest and most influential journal devoted to the intelligence profession.
Peter has been a manager for over 30 years. During that time he has been a mentor, sponsor, coach, and trusted advisor to many junior intelligence professionals. He regularly lectures on various aspects of the intelligence business at academic institutions outside the Intelligence Community and at training classes and seminars sponsored by IC agencies. He is a contributing author on intelligence history and intelligence tradecraft in classified and unclassified professional journals. He founded the Geospatial Intelligence Review, a professional journal devoted to advancing the tradecraft of imagery and geospatial intelligence analysis. He has been a member of the journal’s editorial board since its founding in 2001.
Peter received the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal for his leadership and accomplishments as the NGA Inspector General. He also was the recipient of a Presidential Rank Award during his tenure as Director of CSI. This award is given annually by the President of the United States to recognize a select group of federal career senior executives for exceptional performance over an extended period of time.
He lives in Centreville, Virginia with his wife Debrah. They have two daughters, Kimberly and Michelle, and three grandchildren.
Thommie Walsh (1950-2007), CLASS OF 1968
Thommie Walsh, an accomplished dancer, actor, choreographer and director is Auburn’s connection to Broadway! Born in 1950, he was the son of Thomas “Jitch” Walsh and Eleanor Cosentino Walsh. Thommie began to study dance at the age of five at the Irma Baker School of Dance. He graduated from East High School in 1968 and then attended the Boston Conservatory of Music. Thommie joined the national tour of Applause starring Lauren Bacall and the company of The Ann-Margaret Las Vegas Show. He appeared in several shows until 1975 when he created the role of Bobby in A Chorus Line.
This show was the beginning of a successful and award-filled career on Broadway. His portrayal as Bobby earned him the Theatre World Award for Ensemble Performance. Thommie also co-wrote the book, On the Line, which chronicled the life experiences of the dancers in the musical.
Thommie left his dancing career to focus on choreography and directing. Shows he worked on included The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? and My One and Only. Thommie was nominated for the Tony Award for Outstanding Choreography nine times. He received the Tony Award in that category for both A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine and My One and Only. He also won the Drama Desk Award for outstanding choreography for both shows as well.
During his illustrious career, Thommie staged musical numbers for legends such as Tommy Tune, Ann-Margret, Chita Rivera, Mitzi Gaynor, Joel Grey, Luci Arnaz, Michele Lee and Barbara Cook. He also directed and choreographed several commercials including one for the New York Lottery.
Thommie Walsh passed in 2007. In 2008, The Boston Conservatory of Music gave him a posthumous Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his accomplishments. Today, Thommie will be the first person inducted posthumously into the Auburn Alumni Hall of Distinction. His memory and the legacy of his artistry will always be valued and preserved by his family, his Broadway family and all in the Auburn community. His sister, Barbara Walsh, will accept this honor in his name.
Class of 2017
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Richard & Dorothy Dickman, CLASS OF 1951
Richard and Dorothy Dickman are the third generation of the family to be involved in Dickman Farms whose roots were set in 1903 as a commercial truck farm. After graduating from East High School in 1951, Richard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp and served for 4 years. Dorothy spent those 4 years at the University of Rochester School of Nursing. Those were the only years the Dickmans spent out of Auburn and away from the family business.
Both Richard and Dorothy have strong work ethics and were very involved in growing and promoting the family business. Richard began working the farm at age 12 and learned all aspects of the business from field and greenhouse production to driving a tractor trailer loaded with cabbage and squash to Boston and New York City. After their marriage, Richard was putting in long hours at the farm and Dorothy was an RN at Auburn Memorial Hospital. In 1963, Dorothy was recruited to help with the seeding of spring vegetables and flowers and was soon in charge of scheduling and managing this part of the operation. Richard was in charge of all of the transplanting and the hiring of workers. Many of Auburn’s youth experienced their first jobs as Dickman employees.
In 1985, the difficult decision was made to discontinue all of the farming and transition to greenhouse production. Dickman Farms now has over 10 acres of modern greenhouses and are proud to have maintained a supplier relationship with Ball Horticultural Company. Dickman’s presently provides over 10 million units of Specialty Garden Annuals and Geraniums shipped throughout North America. Richard and Dorothy transferred ownership to their sons, Dave and Jim, in 1995 but stayed involved and still return from Florida each year to help with the busy season at the greenhouses and garden center.
Dickman Farms is a wonderful example of a family-owned business that has thrived and become an icon in the community. Many remember the days of the big bands at Club Dickman and there are few who have not participated in the many family oriented events held in the Garden Center. Richard and Dorothy Dickman have been an integral part of this very successful business.
William “Bill” Fulton, CLASS OF 1973
William “Bill” Fulton is an author, urban planner, politician and presently, the Director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University in Texas. Bill grew up on North Marvine Avenue and was a member of Auburn High School’s Class of 1973. After graduation, Bill received a journalism degree from St. Bonaventure University and master’s degrees in mass communication from The American University and urban planning from UCLA.
Bill is a nationally recognized expert on urban planning and has written hundreds of articles and five books on the topic. His book Guide to California Planning is the standard textbook on urban planning in California. The Reluctant Metropolis: The Politics of Urban Growth in Los Angeles, published in 1997, was a Los Angeles Times best-seller. His continued interest in journalism is evident in monthly urban planning columns he authors for Governing, a national magazine covering state and local government issues. Bill has also served as Vice President for Policy at Smart Growth America, Principal in the California-based urban planning firm now known as PlaceWorks, and Senior Fellow at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.
Prior to accepting the position at the Kinder Institute, Bill was a former Mayor of Ventura, California and Director of Planning & Economic Development for the City of San Diego. At the Kinder Institute, Bill coordinates Rice University’s research partnership with the city of Houston. Rice and Houston are exploring ways to use Smart City technology to improve the city’s operations and policymaking process.
Bill raised his daughter in Ventura and lived in that community for 25 years. In addition to being mayor, Bill was actively involved in PTO and was a youth soccer coach. He played the trombone while at Auburn High School and was a trombonist in bands while living in Ventura. Bill is a runner and competes in 2-3 half-marathons each year. He, along with several family members, is active in the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
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Anthony Gucciardi, CLASS OF 1959
Tony Gucciardi is well known in Auburn as a respected teacher, coach, school administrator and also as an active community leader. After graduating from West High School in 1959, Tony earned degrees from Auburn Community College and SUNY Cortland. He began his teaching career in his home town at West High School and then at Carmel Middle School. Tony served as an administrator at West High School, East Middle School, Auburn High School, Genesee Elementary School and Seward Elementary School. His educational experience spanned all levels from Kindergarten through high school.
Tony’s work with children included coaching junior high football, junior high track and varsity girls’ track. Children and parents alike respected Tony and he served as a mentor to many in this community.
Tony has also been an active participant in community affairs. He is a past board member of Cayuga Home for Children, Pop Warner Football, the YMCA, Tomato Fest, Matthew House, Sacred Heart Church, Martin Point Home Owners Association, Community Services, Office for the Aging and the Cayuga-Cortland Workforce Development Board. He presently serves on the ACC/CCC Alumni Board, St. Joseph Cemetery Board and the C.I.A.O. Board. Tony also became interested in local politics and was elected to serve on the Town of Owasco Council.
Tony’s commitment to his community has been recognized. He received the Cayuga County Community Services Board Award, the ACC/CCC Alumni Achievement Award, the Italian Heritage Award for Achievement in Education, and was named the New York State Disabilities Planning Council Employee of the Year. In addition, Tony was named YMCA member of the year in 2010 and in 2015 earned the Golden Spartan Award from Cayuga Community College.
Tony has been married nearly 50 years to the former Pattie Losani. Pattie and Tony raised four sons, Scott (Laura), Mark (Brigette), Dana (Sue) and Anthony (Sarah) and are the very proud grandparents of seven grandchildren. In his spare time, Tony enjoys gardening, playing racquetball, reading, cooking/baking and simply appreciating the beauty of Owasco Lake.
Christopher Prentice, CLASS OF 1988
Christopher Prentice grew up in Auburn across from Clifford Park and was a member of Auburn High School’s Class of 1988. He is presently the Chief Executive Officer of Mazor Robotics Inc. and was recently named the Chief Commercial Officer of Mazor Robotics Ltd. While at Auburn High, Chris received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point and earned a B.S. Degree in Management/System Engineering. Chris served as a U.S. Army Officer from 1992-1997 achieving the rank of Captain. Chris continued his education and earned an MBA from Western New England University and a Master in Healthcare Administration from the University of South Florida.
Christopher then spent the next 16 years in healthcare management roles with a focus on advancing new technologies in surgical fields. Prior to joining Mazor in 2010, he held leadership roles at Indigo Medical, Johnson & Johnson, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. and as Hospital Administrator for Tampa General Hospital. Throughout his career, Chris has been recognized as a leader and top producer in his field. At Indigo Medical, he earned Specialist of the Year Award; at Johnson & Johnson, he was honored with the Johnson & Johnson Standards of Leadership Award. While at Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Chris led a team of 4 directors responsible for implementing da Vinci Surgical System programs in national accounts and key integrated delivery networks in the United States.
In 2010, Chris joined Mazor Robotics, Inc., a company dedicated to the development and marketing of innovative surgical guidance systems and complementary products that provide a safer surgical environment for patients, surgeons, and operating room staff. He contributed to the establishment of the company as publicly traded on the NASDAQ with an over $500 million market capitalization.
Chris and his wife, Kristen, have two daughters, Lauren and Kate, both who play sports (lacrosse and soccer) on school teams and competitive league teams. Chris and Kristen attend all games as family activities have the highest priority. When not cheering for his daughters’ teams, Chris is an active participant in the West Point Association of Graduates-Florida West Coast and enjoys visits to museums.
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Dr. Robert Vince, CLASS OF 1958
Dr. Robert Vince is Professor and Director of the Center for Drug Design at the University of Minnesota. He graduated from East High School in 1958 and attended Auburn Community College before transferring to the University of Buffalo School of Pharmacy where he earned both a B.S. degree in Pharmacy and a Ph.D. Degree in Medicinal Chemistry. Dr. Vince began his career as an Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Mississippi and in 1967, he joined the Medicinal Chemistry Faculty at the University of Minnesota. In 2002, he became the Director of the Center for Drug Design of the University Academic Health Center.
Dr. Vince has been honored for his work with a career development award from NIH and was recognized for outstanding contributions to research and development by the Minnesota Medical Alley. During President Bush’s 2002 visit to Minneapolis, Dr. Vince was one of two scientists who were selected to speak with him about his research and inventions. He has been inducted into the Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame, the Academy for Excellence in Health Research, the Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota Science and Technology Hall of Fame. These are only a few of the many awards and honors given to Dr. Vince.
Professor Vince’s most notable achievement is his design of the carbocyclic nucleosides termed “carbovirs”, agents that were later developed into the anti-HIV drug, Ziagen that is marketed worldwide for the treatment of AIDS in adults and children. This discovery has ultimately saved the lives of millions of people. Sales of the drug provided royalties exceeding $600 million. This royalty income has enabled the creation of a Center for Drug Design at the University of Minnesota that has already gained an international reputation for excellence in medicinal chemistry research. In addition to its achievements in the antiviral field, the Center has recently made several breakthroughs in early detection and drug development for Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Vince and his wife, Maureen, enjoy their hobby farm in Wisconsin. He has two daughters and seven grandchildren. His hobbies include model railroading, raising horses and restoring classic cars. He is presently building a train layout which features many of the locations as they existed in Auburn during the fifties.
Class of 2016
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Melina Carnicelli, CLASS OF 1966
Melina Carnicelli was born and raised in Auburn and graduated from West High School in 1966. She is a graduate of the State University of New York system as an educator and School District Administrator. Her career in education started at Casey Park Elementary School in Auburn.
In 1990, Melina followed her entrepreneurial dream and founded Treble Associates, a workplace consulting firm that specialized in leadership and organizational development. She and her business partner created Room full of Sisters, an enterprising event of Treble Associates which convened annually for 20 years to celebrate women and girls.
Melina’s political career began when elected to the Auburn City Council. In 1999, she became the first and only woman to be nominated and elected to the office of mayor in Auburn. During her tenure as mayor, Melina was well-known for her positive efforts on behalf of the city.
In retirement, Melina’s entrepreneurial spirit resurfaced to create a new enterprise, Metatron Travel. She now organizes and leads intimate travel groups to sacred sites and energy vortexes around the world. One of her most recent trips was to Cuba.
Melina was instrumental in creating TomatoFest of CNY, the Harriet Tubman Freedom Park in Auburn and in starting Leadership Cayuga County. She is a past member of the Board of Trustees of Auburn Memorial Hospital, the Jenna foundation for Non-violence in Syracuse and the Auburn Education Foundation. In 2012, Melina was appointed to the Board of Trustees of Cayuga Community College by New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo.
Melina is a past recipient of the Central New York NOW Chapter Unsung Heroine Award and the Catholic charities of the Finger Lakes Sharing the Light Award for her local social justice work. She was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the New York State Senate and was also the first recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major Award for founding the mayor’s Social Justice Task Force in Auburn.
Melina lives on Owasco Lake with Matthew, her husband of 46 years. She and Matt have two adult children, Luke and Regina, and precious grandchildren who live close by. Melina loves to travel, prepare mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres, play tennis and celebrate life with family and friends.
Kenneth Davis, CLASS OF 1983
Kenneth J. Davis grew up in Auburn and graduated as Valedictorian of the Auburn High Class of 1983. He earned an A.B. degree in Physics with a Certificate in Theater and Dance, with honors, from Princeton University, a Ph.D. in Astrophysical, Planetary and Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Colorado. Ken then spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.
Ken is presently a Professor of Atmospheric and Climate Science in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science at The Pennsylvania State University. He studies the earth’s climate system, in particular the terrestrial carbon and water cycles. Much of his research is motivated by the need to understand how humans are changing the climate via emissions of greenhouse gases and how we can best manage and minimize climate change and its impacts. He is currently studying sources and sinks of carbon dioxide and methane in the forests of central Pennsylvania, the forests of the Gulf Coast, the city of Indianapolis, and the Marcellus shale gas fields of northeastern Pennsylvania. Ken was recently selected to lead a five-year, $30 million, NASA airborne campaign to measure greenhouse gas concentrations and fluxes across the eastern United States.
Ken teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in atmospheric and climate science and has supervised 8 master’s theses and 8 doctoral dissertations. He was a contributing author to a U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan, published in 2011, and has served in a variety of other advisory roles for the U.S. government agencies including NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. He is the author and coauthor of 135 peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Ken and his wife, Deb Smart, a veterinarian and horseback rider, live on a small farm outside of State College, Pennsylvania with their youngest child, Mary and a flock of horses, dogs, cats and chickens. Their older children, Maggie and Nathan, are students at Penn State. An avid distance runner, Ken has competed in many marathons including 4 ascents and descents of Pike’s Peak. He and Deb also teach in the religious education programs at Good Shepherd Catholic Church.
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Robert Dorsey, CLASS OF 1976
Bob Dorsey grew up in Auburn and graduated from Auburn High School in 1976 where he played ice hockey and soccer. He received his BFA in Fine Art Painting from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MFA in Illustration from Syracuse University.
Bob became a staff illustrator at The American Greetings Card Co. and later at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He began a successful freelance illustration business in 1982 in which he continues to work. His work has appeared in numerous books, magazines and advertising campaigns. Corporate clients include Coors Brewing Co., Pepsi, Time Inc., General Electric, Citibank, Eveready, Trump International, Fischer-Price just to name a few. Bob’s publishing clients include Disney Press, The National Wildlife Federation, Scholastic Inc., and other educational companies.
Perhaps Bob is best known locally for the numerous portraits that he has completed for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY including Mickey Mantle, Roberto Clemente, Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays. He has also created memorable sports paintings for Syracuse University including the centennial football poster and has completed a total of 224 portraits for the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.
Bob accepted a full time teaching position at his alma mater, RIT, in 1990 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2011. He has served as the Illustration Program Chair for fourteen years and taught for a semester in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Bob’s illustrations have been recognized with awards including an Award of Excellence from Beckett Sports Publications as well as from the American Publishing Corporation. His work has been seen in exhibitions throughout the country including at the society of Illustrators Annual Exhibit in New York City.
Bob currently lives in a century old house in Rochester and likes to travel, golf and stay active with a variety of fitness activities. He has three adult children and two grandchildren. His daughters, Molly and Emily, are both educators and his son, Brian, works as an Information Technology consultant in Boston, MA.
Thomas Lewis, CLASS OF 1976
Tom Lewis graduated from Auburn High School (Class of 1976), Merrimack College and is a licensed CPA. He is presently the Chief Financial Officer of Johnston, a food service and cleaning solutions distributor in Auburn, NY. He has more than 35 years of well-established experience in the fields of Accounting & Finance.
Tom’s career started as a Junior Partner at Dermody, Burke & Brown CPAs, then at GTE Sylvania and finally at Johnston in 1986. His outstanding skills allowed Johnston to grow and become one of the top leading distributors in New York State. As a result of his hard work, Tom received the Financial Executive of the Year award from the Central New York Business Journal in 2013. This award is given to financial professionals in Central New York region for outstanding performance in their roles as corporate financial stewards.
Of equal importance is Tom’s commitment and service to his community. His love for Auburn has been key in his willingness to volunteer his time to the betterment of Auburn. Tom has been a member of the Board of Directors of the E. John Gavras Center, the American Red Cross and the Auburn Ice Hawks where he also served as a coach. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors for CSS (Cayuga Strategic Solution), Cayuga County College Foundation, and CEDA (Cayuga Economic Development Agency). Tom’s strong sense of community involvement was perhaps best demonstrated when he served as Chairman and Co-Chair for the United Way of Cayuga County.
Tom has also been a member of the Knights of Columbus serving as treasurer for two years and has been a Eucharistic Minister at Sacred Heart Church for five years.
Besides being a successful chief financial officer, a community leader and a man of faith, Tom is a dedicated husband and father. Tom, who has been married to his high school sweetheart, Jean Hogan, for more than 34 years, shares an unconditional love for his family. Family has always been a priority for Tom and his support is a constant in both good and bad times. He and Jean are most proud of their five children: Sean, Ryan, Brendan, Maggie and Christian who unfortunately passed away in 2004. He thoroughly enjoys spending time with his family.
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Amy Rankin, CLASS OF 1999
Amy Rankin graduated from Auburn High School in 1999 where she was a talented field hockey play. She continued playing field hockey at Dickinson College where she received a BA in Psychology in 2003. While a senior at Dickenson, her commitment to her sport earned her the Most Improved Player Award.
After college, Amy moved to Baltimore, Maryland where she taught special education. It was in Baltimore where Amy was critically injured when a drunk driver hit her while she was walking home one evening. Amy suffered a severe skull fracture. After spending 33 days in a coma, Amy regained consciousness but was unable to walk or talk and was fed through a feeding tube. The doctors did not give much hope for any improvement in her condition. They obviously underestimated the strength, determination and never-give-up attitude of this particular patient. Amy proved the doctors wrong.
Amy’s journey was not an easy one as she had to relearn how to do everything that had once come so naturally – how to sit, stand, walk, swallow, and speak. But Amy was determined as she set goals for herself. More than 100 days after the accident, her parents were able to move her to The Centers at St. Camillus, a rehabilitation center in Syracuse. After five months of intense therapy, Amy walked out of the center and returned to her home in Auburn. Amy continued to receive outpatient physical and speech therapy.
Amy continues to defy the original prognosis. She has volunteered at Meals On Wheels and now works with Choices for Change, a day program for traumatically brain injured individuals. In 2012, Amy’s book, “Nobody Thought I Could Do it, but I Showed Them and So Can You!” was published. The book helped Amy in her recovery efforts and serves as an inspiration for others suffering from a traumatic brain injury. She has shared her story at the New York State TBI Convention in Syracuse and in Albany and has presented at the Onondaga Community College TBI Workshop. Her field hockey jersey at Dickinson College has been retired and the Most Improved Player Award has been renamed the “Amy Rankin Award” in her honor.
Amy has recently passed her driver’s permit test and is taking driving lessons. She hopes to begin classes in recreational therapy at SUNY Cortland in the fall.
Barry Tharp, M.D., CLASS OF 1954
Dr. Barry Tharp graduated from East High in 1954. Classmates remember him as being most interested in animals and he even had a mini-zoo in his garage on North Hunter Avenue. Due to this interest, he went to Cornell Veterinary School. While there, Dr. Tharp developed an interest in neurology and transferred to Cornell Medical School in New York City. He did his neurology residency at Duke University medical center and a post-doctoral fellowship in epilepsy and electroencephalography at Stanford Medical Center.
Dr. Tharp pursued his academic medical career as a Pediatric Neurologist at Stanford University School of Medicine from 1967-1990 and Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas from 1990-2000. He was primarily engaged in clinical medicine caring for infants and children with neurological disorders. His research was clinical and concentrated on the neurological disorders afflicting newborn infants including epilepsy and autism.
While at Baylor, Dr. Tharp became the director of a large teaching clinic (The Blue Bird Clinic) which provided care to children from all over the US and many foreign countries regardless of the parent’s ability to pay. He served as President of the American Epilepsy Society and the American Society of Clinical Neurophysiology as well as Secretary of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Academic medicine gave him the opportunity to travel to many foreign countries for lectures and conferences. He spent sabbaticals in both Paris, France and Sydney, Australia.
Dr. Tharp now has a faculty position in Neurology and Pediatrics at the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. In 2008, he stopped practicing medicine but continued to teach at the medical school and at the University of California, College of Veterinary Medicine. He continues to be involved in clinical research projects.
Dr. Tharp is married to Nancy Stone. He is the father of four children and thoroughly enjoys watching his grandchildren grow. He also is catching up on all the books that he never had time to read.
Class of 2015
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Gino Alberici, CLASS OF 1954
Gino Alberici is a life resident of Auburn and graduated from Auburn West High School in 1954. While at West, Gino was named to the Herald American Upstate Football Team and to the High School All American Team. He attended Holy Cross College on a football scholarship and after attaining his bachelor’s degree, he began his career at Port Byron High School teaching social studies. As a respected and admired teacher and coach, he was named teacher of the year in 1979.
Gino’s accomplishments as Port Byron’s football coach are legendary. He was the head football coach for 32 years winning 13 league titles. He was named Coach of the Year five times and is ranked among the top coaches with the most wins in NYS football. Besides football, Gino coached soccer for one year at Port Byron and was also varsity basketball coach for several years. He was inducted into the Auburn High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003.
Gino’s dedication to youth and education did not end with his distinguished career at Port Byron where in 2012, the Port Byron Board of Education passed a resolution naming the football field after him. He served for nine years on the Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education and was elected president of the board for two years. He was the pony-league commissioner for Auburn Little League Baseball and served on the board of directors of both the Neighborhood House and the YMCA.
Gino also devoted much time to his community. He and his wife, Maxine, served as the 2009 co-chairs of the United Way Campaign. He was a member of the Owasco Town Board for 12 years serving as supervisor for two years. Gino has also been an active member of Sacred Heart Church where he and Maxine co-chaired the 50th Anniversary activities.
Currently, Gino serves on the Cayuga County Tourism Board, the Cayuga County Parks and Trails Commission, the Tompkins Trust Board of Business Development and is a member of the Board of Auburn High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.
Gino and his wife, Maxine, raised six children and enjoy many family activities with their seventeen grandchildren.
John Bouck, CLASS OF 1959
John Bouck, founder and owner of BOUCK REAL ESTATE, is a lifetime resident of the area. He graduated from Auburn East High in 1959. John was the youngest person in New York State to hold a real estate license and BOUCK REAL ESTATE is the oldest real estate firm in the county with the same continuous owner.
John specializes in the sale and leasing of commercial and industrial real estate and development and over the past several years, has been instrumental in finding locations for over 73 businesses in Auburn and Central New York. He has authored a number of articles for the local newspapers, including a real estate column in the Citizen. John has also written two booklets: Simplified Guide to Valuing Real Estate and A Guide to Opening Your Own Busineess. He is also a licensed appraiser and in that capacity, has testified as an expert witness in New York State Supreme Court, N.Y. State Court of Claims, United States District Bankruptcy Court and the United States Federal District Court. John has served as president for the Cayuga County Association of Realtors. He has been an adjunct professor at Cayuga Community College where he taught the state required courses for real estate brokers, salesperson and appraisers.
In addition to his real estate activities, John is a licensed commercial pilot as well as an F.A.A. Certified Flight Instructor. He has been a volunteer pilot for Angel Flight Northeast and has flown medical patients to hospitals throughout the Northeast. John has written aviation articles for Flying Magazine and authored a monthly column, providing aviation travel information in an on-line aviation magazine, Over The Airwaves. He also founded the Gen. Robert L. Scott Civil Air Patrol Cadet Squadron of Auburn. Of note, also, is John’s 13 years spent as host of WMBO Forum on WMBO/WRLX radio.
John has also been an active member of the community serving on various boards and committees. He has been president of East Hill Family Medical, Chairman of the Town of Sennett Assessment Board of Review, former Cayuga County Republican Chairman, former town justice of the Town of Sennett and president of the Sennett Fire Department to name a few. In addition, John is past president of the Auburn Jaycees and founded the Logan Jaycees, a Jaycee Chapter within the walls of Auburn Correctional Facility.
John is married to Connie Coye Bouck and has three children and eight grandchildren.
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Matt DelPaino, CLASS OF 1987
Matthew DelPiano is a native of Auburn and was a member of the Auburn High School Class of 1987. He then studied English literature and drama at Buffalo University, graduating in 1992.
For the past 22 years, Matt has worked at Hollywood’s leading talent agency, Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles. Matt started at this agency working in the mailroom and worked his way up to agent where he has represented an impressive number of well-known clients. Included in this list are many Academy Award nominated and winning actors such as Robin Williams, Al Pacino, Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Halle Barry, Tommy Lee Jones, Matthew Broderick, James Caan, Gary Sinise, Gary Oldman, Jon Voight, and Cuba Gooding Jr. Matt has also represented some of the brightest new and upcoming talent including Sam Underwood (The Following) who performed at Auburn’s Merry-Go-Round Theater, Oliver Copper (Californication and Project X), Katie Cassidy (Arrow), and Ryan Guzman (Step Up and Boy Next Door).
Matt has several notable achievements in his distinguished career. One such achievement was when he negotiated and developed the new production release business model for Netflix’ House of Cards starring Kevin Spacey. His passion for and dedication to real people and real stories led him to the signing of Captain Richard Phillips to help tell his story which led to a book release and then to the Oscar nominated feature film, Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks. Another achievement was in 2014 when Matt was selected as a member to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Matt has made many appearances on TV. He has attended the Academy Awards, The Emmy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards and the Tony Awards with nominated clients. Most recently, many in his hometown heard Matt being thanked in the acceptance speech of Kevin Spacey, winner of the Best Actor in a TV Series at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
Matt and his wife, Allyssa Moore DelPiano, have two children Bella, 7 and Luciano, 5 and reside in Encino, California.
Suzanne Galbato, CLASS OF 1989
Suzanne Orofino Galbato graduated from Auburn High School as the valedictorian of the Class of 1991. Following graduation, Suzanne earned her undergraduate degree in History and Science magna cum laude from Harvard in 1995. Suzanne returned to Central New York for law school and graduated summa cum laude from the Syracuse University College of Law in 1998. Suzanne then served for two years as a law clerk to the Honorable Rosemary S. Pooler of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Suzanne began practicing law at Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC in Syracuse in 2000. Suzanne’s legal work encompasses a wide array of litigation for a variety of clients in New York state courts and in federal courts across the country, including multi-district litigation and class action lawsuits. Her practice includes representing clients in matters concerning the federal civil fraud statute known as the False Claims Act. Suzanne’s work for school districts has included successfully defending a district in a student’s First Amendment challenge to discipline it imposed when the student threatened a teacher over the internet. She also regularly counsels and defends school districts in special education matters relating to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
At Bond, Suzanne serves as the Chair of the Recruiting Committee and the Chair of the Women’s Initiative. She also is a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee, as well as the Professional and Business Development Committee.
Since 2014, Suzanne has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of Hiscock Legal Aid Society, a non-profit agency which provides legal services to indigent clients in Central New York. She also is a member of the Board of Directors of the Syracuse University Law Alumni Association, the Central New York Women’s Bar Association, the Onondaga County Bar Foundation and the NYSBA Committee on Women in the Law.
In addition to volunteering in her children’s school classrooms, Suzanne regularly volunteers at Syracuse Law School, coaching student advocates preparing for competitions and speaking on issues relating to private practice, interviewing skills, work life balance and diversity. She also volunteers annually to interview high school students who apply to Harvard from high schools in Central New York.
Suzanne and her husband, Riccardo T. Galbato (A.H.S. Class of 1987) are the proud parents of two wonderful children, Nicholas (11) and Michael (10).
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Jay Goldman, CLASS OF 1974
Jay P. Goldman is a native of Auburn and a member of the Auburn High School Class of 1974, the first class to complete four years at what was the new comprehensive high school. He earned his B.A. at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. He then earned an M.A. in print journalism at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Jay is presently the editor of School Administrator, a monthly magazine covering education issues for school superintendents across the country, published by the American Association of School Administrators. This award-winning magazine provides perspectives and discussions on a broad range of topics in education, leadership, instructional materials and resources unique to the education community. He joined the magazine in 1989 and has been the editor since 1992. Jay also is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland’s Merrill College of Journalism and served as a visiting professor of journalism at Miami University in Ohio.
Jay’s interest in journalism began at Auburn High School when he enrolled in the journalism elective course and joined the staff of The Outlet, the student newspaper. His professional career began as a high school junior when he was hired by the Auburn Citizen-Advertiser to cover afterschool varsity and junior varsity sporting events. In addition, Jay served as program manager for a weekly Saturday afternoon student-run radio broadcast on WAUB, an AM station in Auburn. After college, Jay worked for the Syracuse Herald-Journal for almost 10 years, mostly covering the education beat. During that time, he started the newspaper’s Minority Journalist Program with the Syracuse City School District and served as co-adviser of the newspaper’s Journalism Explorer Post.
While at the Syracuse Herald-Journal, Jay received education reporting awards from the Associated Press, New York State United Teachers and the New York State School Boards Association. During Jay’s tenure as a magazine editor, he has received awards from the Association of Media and Publications, TASH (a national disabilities organization) and the National School Public Relations Association.
Jay and his wife, Rebecca Salon, reside in Silver Spring, Maryland. They are the parents of two adult children, Abby and Seth.
Class of 2014
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Carol (Shepardson) Colvin, CLASS OF 1978
Carol (Shepardson) Colvin currently serves as the Resource Coordinator for the Auburn Behavioral Health Court and the Auburn Drug and Alcohol Court. Carol was instrumental in establishing the Auburn and Cayuga County treatment court which celebrated its ten-year anniversary in 2013.
As a licensed Mental Health Counselor, Carol has spent her career specializing in addictions counseling. She is a Certified Alcohol and Substance Counselor, holding licenses from both the New York State Office of Alcohol & Substance Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse and the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. She is a NYS Credentialed Alcoholism Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC).
Carol gained experience in the treatment field as a therapist and chemical dependency counselor at Confidential Help For Alcohol And Drugs (CHAD), Tully Hill Treatment Center and Alcohol Services of Cortland. Using her knowledge, experience, and passion for addictions treatment, Carol spearheaded and directed the opening of Grace House, an Auburn-based Halfway House and Supportive Living Program that helps individuals successfully transition from center-based treatment facilities back into community living and independence.
Carol generously gives her time and professional talents to several local organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Booker T. Washington Community Center, the Cayuga Health Network and the Cayuga County Alcohol and Drug Sub-Committee. Carol is a member of the Association of Addiction Recovery Care Homes Association and acted as their conference coordinator from 1999-2001. Carol teaches an OASAS course on Alcohol and Substance Abuse Group Counseling Skills at Cayuga Community College and serves as a Mentor/Tutor for Empire State College.
Carol earned an AA in Human Services from Cazenovia College, a BS in Social Welfare and Sociology from D’Youville College and an MS in Counseling and Psychological Services from SUNY Oswego. A lifelong resident of Auburn, Carol and her husband, Bill, have two grown children and one grandchild.
Bob Foresman, CLASS OF 1986
Bob Foresman is Barclays Group Country Head, Russia. Bob heads Barclays’ businesses in Russia and represents and coordinates the activities of Barclays Group in the country, including investment banking and investment management.
Bob joined Barclays in 2009 from Renaissance Capital, where he was deputy chairman. He was previously with Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, where he was Chairman of the Management Committee for Russia and the CIS from 2001-2006. Prior to Dresdner, he was head of investment banking for Russia and the CIS at ING Barings.
Bob ran the Ukrainian Privatization Advisory office of the International Finance Corporation (IFC, part of the World Bank Group) from 1993 to 1995 in Kiev and worked on private equity and project finance transactions as an investment officer in IFC’s Washington DC headquarters from 1995 to 1997.
He is a graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (1993), where his thesis was on “The Politics of Voucher Privatization in Russia,” as well as Bucknell University (Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, 1990; dual major in International Relations and Russian Studies) and holds a certificate from the Moscow Energy Institute (1989).
Bob and his wife, Luda, have 5 children. After living in Russia and Ukraine for 18 of the past 20 years, Bob and his family now reside in Rye, NY, and Bob travels to Moscow each month.
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Bill & Jane Fox, CLASS OF 1959 & 1963
Jane and Bill Fox, the children of Leo and Elizabeth Fox, have remained lifelong residents of Auburn, NY. They grew up on Nelson St. in humble circumstances. Regardless of those modest beginnings, their parents made sure education was always the number one priority in the Fox household. Jane and Bill have created a partnership exemplified by an excellent complementary work ethic. They have built, what is today, a thriving automotive organization. This organization has received numerous awards over a 39-year period. These awards include the highest recognition by all of the manufacturers they have represented.
Together, Jane and Bill employ as many as 300 people and create numerous opportunities for local residents to pursue a path toward personal success as general managers, office managers, business and Internet managers as well as service technicians and sales personnel.
Jane and Bill’s life-long commitment to Auburn has enabled them to support the youth of Auburn by creating scholarships at BOCES, Cayuga Community College, Georgetown University and Nazareth College. They support several community organizations including The Cayuga Foundation, Tyburn Academy, Matthew House, Auburn Memorial Hospital, YMCA, Auburn Doubledays, MGR Theater, Auburn Public Theater, many local youth athletic leagues and the SPCA.
The most current example of Jane and Bill’s Auburn Pride is exemplified by the creation of a public and private partnership between the Auburn Enlarged City School District and Fox Dealerships, for the benefit of the school’s athletic complex.
Bill Fox graduated from Auburn East High School in 1959. He obtained a B.A. Degree in Finance from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a Juris Doctor Degree from St. John’s University, in New York, N.Y.
He was subsequently admitted to practice before all New York State Courts, the Federal District Court for Northern New York and the United States Supreme Court. He was a practicing attorney for 12 years at Melvin and Melvin in Syracuse, N.Y. where he has continued to consult as “of counsel” for the past 33 years. In 1979, Bill joined Jane in the automobile business and they created the partnership that has become the Fox Dealerships.
Bill currently serves as a member of Subaru’s National Dealer Advisory Board and has served on several manufacturers’ dealer councils and advertising associations. He was director of the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce from 1996 through 1999. For 14 years, he has also served as a Director of the New York State Automobile Dealers Association, chairing many committees and for the past 3 years filled the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, and Vice Chairman, respectively. He has been a member of the Executive Committee for the past 5 years.
Additionally, in 2006, Bill was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Automobile Dealers Association, representing all of the dealers in the State of New York. Since then, he has served as Chairman of the following committees: Policy and By-Laws, Public Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, DEAC-Finance Chairman.
Recently, Bill was elected Vice Chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, putting him in line to become Chairman in 2015.
Jane Fox graduated from Auburn East High School in 1963, and continued her higher education at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY where she earned a B.A. Degree in English.
After graduation, Jane joined Sibley, Lindsay and Curr Retailers in their Executive Marketing Program. In 1976, Jane was awarded the Chevrolet franchise in Weedsport, N.Y., making her the first woman Chevrolet dealer in the Northeast. Thereafter, Jane was awarded the Chrysler franchises for Cayuga County, the Ford franchise in Watertown, N.Y. and Honda franchises for Cayuga County, the Ford franchise for Victor, N.Y. and the full GM line franchise for Steuben County.
Jane was elected to the Board of Directors of the New York State Automobile Dealers Association in 1982, and over the next 10 years served in every leadership capacity, holding all offices, culminating in her election as President in 1991. Additionally, Jane was the Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award recipient in 1993.
Jane’s civic contributions include being elected to serve on the Board of Directors of Nazareth College, Rochester, N.Y., and Auburn Memorial Hospital. Jane’s service on these boards occurred during very transitional periods for both institutions and her expertise and insight helped to shape the future of both institutions. She has also received The Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce Phyllis Goldman Encouragement Award for Women.
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Stephan Wasylko, CLASS OF 1966
Stephan completed 35 years of federal government service and achieved the rank of Minister Counselor in the United States Senior Foreign Service. In his last assignment, he served as the Senior Commercial Officer (SCO) at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa where he was responsible for developing, directing and managing the U.S. trade development programs and business facilitation services for U.S. businesses in Canada. In addition to overseeing operations in six U.S. commercial offices stretching from Vancouver to Halifax, he served as a key member of the U.S. Ambassador’s Country Team and worked to strengthen bilateral commercial relations with Canada, our largest and most important trade partner in the world.
Stephan began his career in international business development in 1976 with the U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau (USDOC) of Exports Administration in Washington D.C. Since then, Stephan has served as an International Trade Specialist in the USDOC New Jersey District and as a project manager in the Bureau of East-West Trade in Washington, D.C. where he assisted U.S. companies in early business development programs in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and China. In 1981, Stephan joined the U.S. Foreign Service as a member of the Diplomatic Corps where he served with distinction as the Senior Commercial Officer with American Embassies in Prague, Czechoslovakia (81-83); Budapest, Hungary (85-89); Kyiv, Ukraine (92-95); Moscow, Russia (00-03); London, England (03-07) and Ottawa, Canada (07-10). During his career, Stephan has also filled special assignments in China, Poland, and Japan.
During his career, Stephan was consistently recognized for his performance and accomplishments in advancing U.S. interests abroad. He earned numerous commendations from business and civic organizations and U.S. Government Performance Awards; including the Commerce Department’s Silver Medal for his pioneering work in establishing U.S. commercial service operations in the Ukraine and a State Department Meritorious Honor Award for his leadership, wisdom and courage in protecting employees and U.S. property during violent ethnic demonstrations, as the acting Consul General in Toronto.
Stephan was born in Salzburg, Austria and reared in Auburn, NY. He holds a BA in International Relations from Syracuse University and an MBA in International Trade and Finance from the University of Toronto. Stephan is a U.S. Army Veteran and has a wide range of language skills, including Ukrainian, Russian, Czech, Polish, and others. Stephan and his wife, Carol, have two grown children who live and work in New York City.
Class of 2013
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Amy Dacey, CLASS OF 1989
Amy currently serves as the Executive Director of EMILY’s List. During the 2011- 2012 election cycle, EMILY’s List (EL) helped elect a historic number of candidates – the only Democratic woman governor in the country, 19 new women to the House, six Senate incumbents, and three new Senators – all the first women to represent their states in the Senate. EL helped elect the first Hindu and first female combat veterans to serve in the House, the first openly gay Senator, and the first Asian-American woman to serve in the Senate. Now more than two million members strong – EMILY’s List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since it’s founding in 1985, EMILY’s List has worked to elect 101 Democratic women to the House, 19 to the Senate, 10 governors, and over five hundred women to state and local office. In the 2011-2012 cycle, EMILY’s List had the largest number of members and donors in its 28-year history and raised a record-breaking $52 million dollars.
She joined EMILY’s List from the Service Employees International Union, where she served as the Director of Government Relations. Dacey created the department’s strategic plan and managed the Legislative, Policy, Intergovernmental and Executive Branch Outreach Departments of the Union.
Amy served as Senator John Kerry’s National Political Director at Keeping America’s Promise PAC during the 05-06 cycle, as Senator Kerry’s Traveling Political Director on his 2004 presidential campaign, and as a Regional Political Coordinator for the primary campaign, responsible for political structures in 30 states.
In the 2002 election cycle, Dacey was the Deputy Political Director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), under the chairmanship of Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash). In 2000 Amy served as the Deputy Political Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Amy successfully helped to re-elect Congressman Maurice Hinchey and Congresswoman Louise Slaughter she also served as Congresswoman Slaughter’s Deputy Chief of Staff.
Dacey currently serves on the Board of the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL). ACYPL is a nonpartisan NGO internationally recognized as the pre-eminent catalyst for introducing rising political and policy professionals to international affairs and to each other. As Chairwoman of the Board of the ACYPL she serves to help the organization fulfill its mission to promote mutual understanding, respect, and friendship and cultivate long lasting relationships among next generation leaders. Through her work, she has joined delegations trips to India and Jordan.
Dacey received her Master’s in Political Science from the American University in Washington, D.C. (95) and her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from the State University of New York at Binghamton (93). Dacey is also a proud graduate of Auburn High School (89).
Major General John “Jack” Leide, CLASS OF 1954
Jack received a BS degree from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University. He was inducted into Phi Alpha Delta legal honor society. He served as fellow at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government.
He completed the Infantry Basic Course in 1958 and the Infantry Advanced Course in 1963 prior to being selected as aide-de-camp to the Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division and 18th Airborne Corps. In Vietnam, he commanded an airborne rifle company with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. In 1968, after transferring to the Military Intelligence Corps and the Army’s Foreign Area Officer Program, specializing in China, he served as Chief, China, Korea, and Japan Military Branch in the Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence’s Special Research Detachment. Again in 1969-70 in Vietnam as Commander, 101st Military Intelligence Company Plans and Operations Officer.
Jack studied Chinese Mandarin at the Defense Language Institute and Armed Forces Staff College and at the State Department Foreign Service Institute’s School of Chinese Language and Area Studies in Taiwan. In 1974 he was the only U.S. officer to graduate from the Chinese Army Command and General Staff College. He served as Ast. Army Attaché in Hong Kong until 1978. He then was the G2 of the 82nd Airborne Division until 1981 when he attended the National War College. He served as Chief, China Far East Division, Directorate for Estimates, Defense Intelligence Agency, then as Military Ast. in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, with major responsibilities in counterterrorism, special operations, and international security with particular emphasis on African affairs.
Jack commanded the Japan-based 500th Military Intelligence Group, serving as the Director of Foreign Intelligence, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Department of the Army from 1986-88, then as U.S. Defense Attaché/Army Attaché to China through the Tian An Men Square Crisis until assuming the duty as Director of Intelligence, United States Central Command in 1990. He served as General Schwarzkopf’s chief of intelligence (J-2} throughout Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. Following this, he served as Director for Attaches and Operations until 1993 when he assumed his position as Director for the National Military Intelligence Collection Center, the Defense HUMINT Service, and the Central MASINT Office, Defense Intelligence Agency.
His military decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star for Valor with three oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He has been awarded the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Special Forces Tab, OSD Service Badge, Army Staff Badge, and is a Master Parachutist. He was awarded the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement for duties in China and the Liberation Medal first class by the government of Kuwait. He was awarded the Central Intelligence Agency Seal Medallion and the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal.
Major General Leide was inducted into the US Defense Attaché Hall of Fame and awarded the Knowlton Medal by the US Army Military Intelligence Corps, and inducted into the US Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Defense Intelligence Agency’s “Torch Bearers Hall of Fame. He was the President of the National Military Intelligence Association 1995-1999 and a Distinguished Speaker at the Joint Military Intelligence College.
He was awarded the highest Medal given to foreigners by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and was awarded the PLA parachutist certificate and badge. Jack has been made an Honorary Citizen of Bedonia, Parma, Italy and awarded the Christopher Columbus Outstanding Italian-American Military Service Award.
A 1954 East High graduate, Jack is married to the former Ann H. Searing of Auburn, New York. They have three children: John F, a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army; Jeffrey; and Meridith.
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Gerry “Butch” Martin, CLASS OF 1965
Gerry credits his parents with igniting his passion for education, instilling a strong work ethic. Gerry’s father was a voracious reader who loved discussing books and current events with his five children, while his mother was the essence of family and faith.
A 1965 Central High School graduate, Gerry was voted ʻmost-shyʼ by his classmates and has since maintained this reputation as a very humble man. Throughout his career, both coworkers and students have described Mr. Martin as a very composed, positive and inspirational man.
Gerry earned an AAS from Auburn Community College (67) and BS from SUNY Brockport (69) majoring in economics, minor in history. Gerry fell in love with teaching while working at St. Alphonsus School, part-time as a graduate student at Cortland earning an MS in education from SUNY Cortland (71). He has completed advanced coursework in history and political science at Syracuse University and SUNY Oswego.
Gerry began his 43-year teaching career at St. Alphonsus. Gerry taught at both West Middle and Mount Carmel Middle before joining the faculty at Auburn High School, where he remained one of the most beloved teachers, from 1974 until his retirement in 2011. He was an adjunct faculty member at Cayuga Community College from 1975-2006.
During his tenure, Gerry started the school’s History Club and remained its advisor throughout his career, was a Student Government Advisor and advisor to The Lake Ave Times. He started the Test of Knowledge, a Jeopardy-style game show based on the entire HS curriculum which aired on public access. Throughout his career, Gerry made countless trips to Philadelphia, Colonial Williamsburg, FDR Home, Boston, NYC and most significantly, Washington DC.
Gerry has always believed that active student involvement is the best way for students to learn. He co-created (with Tom Eldred) the Cayuga County Model Senate, which ran from 1975-2008. This two-day role-playing activity engaged students in writing their own legislation, debating for and against various bills and amendments, and the intricacies of the legislative process.
Gerry has received many awards throughout his 43-year teaching career. Most notably, he was the 1997 Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year, the 2000 Teen Ink Magazine Teacher of the Year and received the Cayuga County Bar Association Liberty Bell Award for Educational Excellence in Civics in 2010. But Gerryʼs most meaningful recognitions came in 2004 and again in 2005 when he was named a Cornell University Merrill Presidential Scholar Outstanding Educator. (Paul Stuart and Jason Pike)
A lifelong resident of Auburn, Gerry is the proud father of Erin, James, and Timothy. Gerry is a film buff and avid biography reader. Since his retirement in 2011, he has begun a serious study of the works of William Shakespeare; he enjoys walking, biking, and spending time with his children, his partner, Shelly, and her three children: Zachary, Taylor, and Jamie.
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Linda Townsend, CLASS OF 1971
Linda is one of seven children born to Carl, Auburn Policeman, and Mary who managed a busy home filled with love. Linda was the first in her family to obtain a college education. Linda was a member of the first Auburn Hig School graduating class in 1971. A former West High student, Linda had the privilege of being the first AHS graduate to sing at the 1971 Graduation ceremony. Linda was active in the musical program and Student Council. She credits the guidance and sound educational training of her teachers and counselors with igniting her lifelong love of learning.
Linda earned an AAS degree in Criminal Justice and an AA in Liberal Arts Humanities from Auburn Community College. While at Cayuga, Linda was elected President of the Omicron Gamma Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), received the National John Clasby Award as the Most Outstanding Member of PTK and a Scholar’s Distinction. She was a founding member of the College Criminal Justice Society. In 1993, Linda was awarded the Auburn/Cayuga Community College Distinguished Alumni Award for Outstanding Civic and Public Service.
Linda received a dual BA in Political Science and Public Justice from SUNY Oswego, where she helped create a Political Science Honors Program sequence and was one of the program’s first graduates. In 1980, she received a Juris Doctorate degree from Syracuse University College of Law.
Linda was awarded a Reginald Heber Smith “Reggie” Fellowship and worked with Legal Services of Central New York and John M. Caster; Esq. for helping economically disadvantaged citizens in Cayuga County and publishing two books related to this project.
In 1983, Linda was elected as a Cayuga County Legislator and was elected Chairperson in 1985, the first and only time in the Cayuga County history a woman had ever held the position. During her 10 years of service, Linda oversaw the County Veterans Memorial Tree Project, the purchase, and renovation of the Historic Post Office Building and was awarded the Cayuga County Senior Citizens Council Outstanding Elected Official Award.
Linda has been a teacher at Dana L. West High for more than 20 years. Renowned for her creative teaching methods; she has engaged students in a legislative project to have Sweet Corn declared the state’s Official Vegetable, and annual trips to Albany and Washington D.C. Linda supervises many activities, most notably; the Newspaper in Education, Constitution Day, the Lincoln Bicentennial Activities and Wreaths Across America Program which honors Veterans.
Linda was named a 2013 WCNY Woman Who Make a Difference. She has received a Syracuse Newspapers Golden Apple Outstanding Educator Award, a Horace Mann Fellow at the Lincoln Presidential Museum, an Izzit Winning Ideas Teacher of the Year and one of only 8 to receive a national A&E Network Winning Ideas Book Teacher Award.
Linda is a vocal performer and has volunteered her services for a number of Civic organizations throughout the community. She has served on various community boards during the last thirty years. She enjoys teaching, reading, traveling, and collecting antiques. One day she would like to write a book on Abraham Lincoln and Wm. Seward’s unique leadership styles.
Class of 2012
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Alfred (Al) Emmi, CLASS OF 1953
One of twelve children, Al Emmi grew up knowing the importance of hard work, education and community service.
Mr. Emmi has shown a lifelong commitment to education. He attended SUNY Cortland where he earned a BS in Health & Physical Education, a MS in Education and Certificate of Advanced Studies in Public School Administration. He has also completed extensive advanced graduate coursework at SUNY Oswego and Geneseo.
Mr. Emmi began his professional career as a middle school teacher. For thirteen years he taught courses in Physical Education, Science, Biology and Adult Education and High School Equivalency. Mr. Emmi became a Middle School Principal in 1972, and over the next 19 years, he would oversee the administration of East, Mt. Carmel and West High Middle schools. Mr. Emmi went on to become the Deputy Superintendent for three years and was appointed to Superintendant of Auburn Enlarged City School District for the final four years of his career.
During his 39 year career in education, Mr. Emmi was actively involved in athletic coaching. Over the years he has coached Gymnastics, Varsity Football, JV Football, JV Baseball and Varsity Baseball, including two years as League Champions. He has also been affiliated with numerous professional teaching and coaching associations, most notably, he served as president for both the Auburn Teachers Association and the Auburn Administrators Association. He served on the New York State Council of Superintendents and the National Education Association.
Mr. Emmi received numerous awards and recognitions for his professional and community service, most notably, the National Science Foundation Award at Cornell University, 1990 Italian Heritage Honoree. He has been inducted into the Section III Wrestling & Coaches Hall of Fame, The St. Francis Athletic Hall of Fame and the Auburn High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
After his retirement, Mr. Emmi was elected to the Cayuga County Legislature where he was a member of the Ways and Means, Public Safety & Judicial and Public Health Committees. He also served an 18 month appointment as Interim City Manager.
Mr. Emmi has been active with several local charitable organizations including the Cayuga County Children’s Board (which became The Cayuga Home For Children and is now known as Cayuga Centers) and the Auburn Industrial Development Council.
Joseph F. Karpinski Sr., D.D.S., CLASS OF 1942
Dr. Joseph F. Karpinski Sr. is a respected oral and maxillofacial surgeon, community leader, and philanthropist. He retired from practice in 1997 after 45 years as one of the most foremost oral and maxillofacial surgeons in New York State.
Dr. Karpinski began his education while serving in the US Army Infantry during WWII. With Undergraduate degrees from Cornell University, Creighton University and the University of Minnesota, Dr. Karpinski then went on to receive his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Indiana University School of Dentistry and The University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia. He completed two Residencies, his first with the US Public Health Service in Baltimore, Maryland, with fieldwork at the Curtis Bay Coast Guard Base, the second residency at the Jersey City Medical Center.
During the Korean War Dr. Karpinski was stationed in Alaska. As the only dental officer in the territory, Dr. Karpinski treated both enlisted men and civilians including native Alaskans, Eskimos, and Indians, most of whom had never before received dental services.
Dr. Karpinski has continued his commitment to education throughout his career. He completed an advanced graduate course at numerous universities including NYU, Columbia College and Tuffs University Dr. Karpinski has also lectured on dental surgery at Georgetown University, Loyola University, Cayuga Community College and BOCES Nursing School. He is a member of numerous professional associations, most notably; he was a Founding Fellow of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and a Past President of the American Association of Oral Surgeons.
In 1953, Dr. Karpinski and his wife Honey returned to Auburn and established his practice and raise their six children. Dr. Karpinski remained active in community and professional organizations throughout his career and into retirement. He served as the commissioner of the Auburn Housing Authority from 1955-1960, was a founding member and past president of the Cayuga County College Foundation and served on the Cayuga Community College Board of Trustees from 1977-1986. In 2005, the new CCC entrance was dedicated as the Karpinski Rotunda. In 2012, he became the first person to receive a Doctorate of Humane Letters from CCC.
Dr. Karpinski’s philanthropic activities abound. He is best known for commissioning the Gazebo that is the showcase of Hoopes Park. He was instrumental in the building of the Dr. Joseph F. Karpinski Sr. Educational Center, a wing of the Ward O’Hara Agricultural Museum and he is now engaged in the effort to build an Athletic Stadium Complex in cooperation with Cayuga Community College and the Auburn Enlarged City School District. Dr. Karpinski has a long and honored history with the Boy Scouts. In 1982, forty-two years after becoming an Eagle Scout, he was awarded the Boy Scouts top honor the Distinguished Eagle Award.
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Harold (Hal) Morse, Ph.D., CLASS OF 1955
A Cable television Pioneer, Mr. Morse is the founder and past president of The Learning Chanel (TLC) and The Ovation Networks. He currently serves as the Chairman and CEO of The Health and Healing Network (H+H), an integrative medicine electronic platform. He is also chairman and CEO of HMORSE INC., a management consulting company.
Harold E. Morse, began his career in education, teaching in Rome, NY, public schools. As a Washington Fellow during the Johnson administration, he helped create and implement the Developing Institutions Program for assisting black colleges and universities. As Director of Education for the Appalachian Regional Commission, he was responsible for building hundreds of vocational technical schools, university facilities, and teacher training projects throughout Appalachia. He developed and wrote the policy guidelines for the Higher Education Act, enacted in the Civil Rights legislation.
In 1989, Dr. Morse was appointed to a special State Department team to negotiate with the USSR. The team successfully negotiated an agreement that allowed the United States to broadcast more television programs to the citizens of the USSR.
Dr. Morse was a founding board member of Cable in the Classroom, a cable industry initiative designed to provide cable programming to the nation’s schools.
Dr. Morse founded two cable television networks, The Learning Channel (TLC) and The Ovation Network, for which he was awarded the prestigious Vanguard Award for Programmers from the National Cable Television Association and was named Communicator of the Year by the International Communications and Information Association. OVATION remains to this day the only television network dedicated exclusively to the arts.
Dr. Morse is a graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, where he received his Bachelor and Master’s degrees as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree. Dr. Morse earned his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle. He is a member of the Board of the Oswego College Foundation.
Barbara L. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., CLASS OF 1974
Dr. Smith is one of the most accomplished breast cancer surgeons and researchers in the country.
Dr. Barbara L. Smith holds an undergraduate degree from MIT and both a M.D. and Ph.D. from Harvard Medical School. She is a Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical Center and the Director of the Gillette Center for Women’s Cancers at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Her research activities have focused on reducing the extent of surgery and radiation required to treat breast cancer, diagnosis and treatment issues in young women with breast cancer, and three-dimensional anatomy as it relates to breast surgery and pathologic analysis of specimens.
In 1994 she developed and implemented a clinical database for patients with benign and malignant breast disease. This database was later merged into the Dana Farber Cancer Center database and continues to collect data on all new breast cancer patients. This database contains information on nearly 23,000 women treated for breast cancer since 1960 and has served as a valuable resource for clinical research reviews and hypothesis-generating studies. It is one of the largest breast cancer databases in the world.
In addition to her teaching obligations, Dr. Smith maintains a very active clinical practice with over 450 surgical cases per year with the majority being complex case referrals from Boston, as well as national and international patients. Dr. Smith is referred to in Elizabeth Edward’s book, Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life’s’ Adversities, as “a trusted doctor, friend, and confidant.” She is a sought after lecturer; Dr. Smith has a reputation for being able to speak to highly technical medical academia audiences as well as general public or lay audiences. Dr. Smith has delivered hundreds of lectures all over the United States and internationally, including China, South Korea, Turkey, Brazil, Italy and Switzerland and is credited on over 90 medical publications.
Dr. Smith was the first surgeon to perform a lumpectomy in China, where the standard of care for a woman diagnosed with breast cancer is a mastectomy. She has been a Visiting Professor at Sun Yat-sen University in China since 2006 where she has assisted in the development of multidisciplinary breast cancer programs and clinical research activities including nipple sparing mastectomies.
Dr. Smith was AEF’s 2011 Alumni Speaker.
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Christopher Viscardi, CLASS OF 1980
Chris Viscardi is an award-winning writer and producer of television and film.
Along with his writing partner, Will McRobb, Chris wrote the films “Alvin and the Chipmunks”, “The Tale of Despereaux”, “Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging” and “Snow Day”. Some of his uncredited movie scripts include “Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakuel” and “My Boss’s Daughter.”
Chris is an accomplished television creator, writer, and producer. Along with his partner Will McRobb, they created “The Adventures of Pete and Pete”, an award-winning television series for Nickelodeon from 1993-1995.
Chris co-created “Kablam!” a groundbreaking alternative animation series for Nickelodeon that brought underground artists and animators into the mainstream. In addition, Chris co-created and produced the television comedies “The War Next Door” for USA Television and “The Assistants” for Teen Nick. He has also written episodic television for numerous series, including “Ed” on NBC, “Brutally Normal” for The WB and “The Naked Brothers” for Nickelodeon.
Chris graduated from Niagara University (B.S) and Syracuse University (M.A.).
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