Ray Blakeney graduated from Brookfield High School in 1989. He attended the University of Dayton and became the first in his family to graduate from college. While at UD, Ray worked in the admissions office as a tour guide. He was a member of the Model United Nations Club and competed at conferences across the country including at the UN headquarters in New York City. As a junior, Ray won a fellowship through the Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) housed at Phillips Academy Andover, Massachusetts. Ray graduated in 1993 from the University of Dayton and began his career as an admissions counselor and manager of the Enrollment Management Student Admissions tele-counseling program.

One year later, Ray moved to Worcester, MA and began working as the Assistant Director of Admissions for the College of the Holy Cross, a highly selective liberal arts college. His primary responsibility was to lead the college's recruitment for students from communities of color. In this role, Ray built relationships in some of the most economically depressed cities in the country such as Newark, NJ, the Bronx, NY, and SW Atlanta. During his tenure, he grew the underrepresented population at Holy Cross every year.

In 1996, Ray was awarded a full graduate scholarship to attend Boston College. He enrolled in a master's program with the goal of becoming a director of admissions He also worked as a policy consultant for the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education and wrote financial policy for the Commonwealth's university and community college system. While attending Boston College, Ray was recruited by Microsoft leading him to eventually relocate to the Seattle area.

Ray began his career at Microsoft as a recruiter for the campus recruiting team and was responsible for hiring engineers. At the height of the dot.com era, he was asked to move back to Boston to manage Microsoft's recruiting relationship with Harvard and MIT. During this time, he also led diversity outreach on various college campuses and served on numerous advisory boards at universities across the US providing input on curriculum. 

Ray was asked if he could help develop a recruiting strategy in support of an underground project at Microsoft. At the time, the project had no name, no budget, nor actual headcount, but Ray agreed and held recruiting presentations at Harvard and MIT. A point of pride in Ray's career came in November 2001 as that passion project, now named X Box, launched in Times Square, NY.

In 2005, Ray became a program manager for a new start-up within Microsoft. He served as leader for the Microsoft Academy for College Hires for North and South America. In that role, he was responsible for the integration of college hires in Microsoft's World-Wide Sales, Marketing and Services group. By 2006, Ray led the program across the Americas, Japan, China, and ultimately, globally.

In 2007, Ray left Microsoft for a role at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He led the recruiting efforts for the Global Development program which focused on a variety of issues including Agriculture & Financial Services for the Poor. Within his first year, Ray took his first trip to Africa spending time with farmers in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. He spent time in the Kibera slum and gained a deep appreciation for the challenges facing those living in extreme poverty. Ray also visited HIV clinics across Uganda and gained an understanding of the massive challenges and inequities in Global Health.

Ray was asked to take on the additional responsibility of leading recruitment for the foundation's Global Health programs. Combined with Global Development, the two programs represented approximately $5 billion in annual giving. Ray was then asked to take on a short-term role in India which led him to move to New Delhi, where he partnered with the leadership team on growing the India Country office. Upon his return, he led the HR for the Chief Strategy Officer and Global Policy Advocacy division. This is the group that leads the foundation's efforts to build strategic relationships with governments, private philanthropists, and other key partners to increase awareness, action, and resources devoted to the foundation's programs in both the U.S. and abroad. Additionally, he oversaw the foundation's human resources and strategic presence in Europe, India, Africa, and China and started the Bill & Melinda Gates Fellowships and Interns programs. This work was highlighted by a yearly meeting with Bill and Melinda Gates.

In 2017, Ray returned to Microsoft where has held a variety of roles since. He currently is the global talent acquisition leader for Microsoft's Cloud & Artificial Intelligence & Security groups. These groups are at the forefront of technology in areas such as AI Super Computers, Quantum computing, and Security.

Ray takes the most pride in the thousands of lives impacted by the opportunity a job provides. He is also engaged in his community through philanthropic work having served on numerous boards including the Dayton Board of Trustees, Girl Scouts of Wester Washington (previous Vice Chair), KidsCo, President of the Alumni Association for the University of Dayton, and Northshore Little League (former VP).

Ray and his wife reside outside of Seattle, Washington. They have two children.

Erin and her family moved to Brookfield from Farrell, PA in 1979 just before she started kindergarten. She grew up in the Brookfield School system and was co-valedictorian of her 1992 graduating class. while in middle school, Erin became interested in learning about other countries and their cultures. As a middle school student, she was fortunate to participate in an exchange program between US students and students from the former Soviet Union. Her summer in Russia taught her much about the culture of living in a communist country as she met people who had far less, but who were still grateful for what they had. From that experience grew a desire to pursue a career in service.

After graduating high school, Erin enrolled at American University in Washington, DC pursuing international studies. She soon discovered politics and economics were not for her! During that year, she participated in a volunteer project for her biology class and worked on a project at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD. She had always enjoyed science and realized that medicine was where her passions were. She transferred to Case Western Reserve University and graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1996. She studied at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating in 2000 as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

Erin chose a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics to allow herself the opportunity to explore different fields of medicine. She realized in her first year of residency at Akron Children's Hospital, that her path would lead to a field in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. In 2005, after the birth of her first daughter, she started a fellowship at Case Western Reserve/Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. There she pursued a fellowship research project on thrombotic diseases. Following graduation, she accepted a position at Akron Children's Hospital as an attending physician. In 2010, she helped establish and co-direct the Young Women's Bleeding Disorder Clinic.

In 2013, Erin accepted a position at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and became the director of the St. Joseph's Hospitals Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders which is one of 145 federally funded treatment centers that provides comprehensive care for patients with inherited bleeding disorders. She has led several clinical trials for patients with bleeding disorders including gene therapy for hemophilia A, a severe and potentially life-threatening bleeding disorder. She also has spoken at national bleeding disorder conferences and served on numerous hemophilia advisory boards.

Erin continues to have a passion for children diagnosed with cancer and serves as a sub-investigator on clinical trials for pediatric cancer through the Children's Oncology Group. She also volunteers her time by service as a board member for a local Tampa non-profit organization, Finn's Fighters, and volunteers at other local pediatric oncology nonprofit organizations such as Children's Cancer Center and Angling for Relief.

In recent years, Erin has developed a passion for participating in medical mission trips to Kenya with her local church and the World Gospel Mission organization. Her two older daughters have accompanied her on these trips and, together, they have been fortunate to experience this beautiful country and help with the children they visit in various orphanages. She plans to revisit with her youngest daughter soon.

Erin and her family reside in Tampa, Florida and have been blessed with six children total as a blended family. While Erin loves the Florida weather and beaches, she misses the sense of community that Brookfield provided to her growing up. She has fond memories of the teachers that motivated and encouraged her to pursue her passions. Although writing was challenging for her, Ms. Warren always provided great words of wisdom when commenting on her journal entries. Mr. Falhamer was always so helpful providing trigonometry tutoring during the ski club bus rides. Mr. Deramo made geometry quite easy to understand and it remains her favorite math subject. Senora Kerrigan established a foundation in the Spanish language which has been so beneficial in Erin's career as she cares for so many Spanish-speaking families. Finally, Mr. Kozar provided a much-needed reprieve from teenage life by lending a listening ear and comic relief. His love for theater has influenced his former student who loves attending local theater.

During her high school years, Kathy participated in many athletic and academic extracurricular activities. Through them, she learned that she enjoyed being active and helping others.

After high school, Kathy studied at Kent State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art Education. During her college years she was an Art Therapy volunteer working with physically disabled special needs children as well as unwed pregnant teens. Upon her college graduation, due to a downscaling of fine arts in the public schools, Kathy returned to the classroom and earned her certification in Special Education. She was hired by the Girard City School system where she was employed for 32 years. Kathy furthered her education by earning a master's degree in special education at Kent State University. During her years in the Girard school system, she served as a Girard Education Association vice president, building representative, and contract negotiator. Kathy served as an after-school academic tutor both in Girard and at the F.H. Buhl Club. She also held memberships in the Ohio Education Association and the National Education Association as well as many other educational organizations.

Kathy's past involvement in the community included memberships in the Masury-Brookfield Women's Club (vice president), former St. Bernadette Church (Parish Council, CCD teacher, and Eucharistic Minister), Brookfield Township Citizen Police Academy Class of 2003, Crime Clinic of Greater Youngstown, and Ohio Federation of K9 Search and Rescue. She currently is a member of the North American Police Work Dog Association, International Police Work Dog Association, Female K9 Handlers, Brookfield Historical Society, and the ECHO Charitable Foundation. Kathy also volunteers her time to assist Brookfield Township community activities and fundraisers for local animal charities.

In 1999, while working a full-time job and raising a family, Kathy decided to get involved with canine-assisted search and rescue. Both a "dog person" and a "people person," she felt it was a good way to combine the two to help others in need. Kathy joined a team in Pittsburgh, PA and later Meadville, PA to begin learning the SAR fundamentals. She served as the NE Regional Coordinator while in Meadville and has completed numerous handler classes as well as K9 courses and seminars.

In 2004, Kathy became a founding member of K9 S.O.S. (K9 Searching Out Scent) search and rescue team, a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation serving Northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Kathy has worked primarily in Ohio and Pennsylvania but has traveled to other states to serve as back up for other teams. This volunteer group NEVER charges for its services although it has held fundraisers and takes donations. The team's goal is to help families find a sense of closure or peace of mind by returning their loved one to them.

Kathy and her K9 partners work with emergency agencies to locate missing individuals, perform body recoveries, human remains detections, and article searches. She has worked four dogs in her 25 years in search and rescue. Her K9 partners have been trained in the following disciplines: obedience, live find, tracking/trailing, wilderness area search, buried cadaver, cadaver on land, in water, rubble, vehicles, and buildings, article search, and blood evidence.

In 2007, Kathy earned her SAR TECH II national certification from the National Association for Search and Rescue. She and her dogs have been certified by the International Police Work Dog Association and the North American Police Work Dog Association. Search and rescue education and training are on-going. Kathy has participated in seminars in nine different states. She has trained with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Child Abduction Response team, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Her favorite training sessions were at Western Carolina University's FOReSt (Forensic Osteology Research Station) also known as the "body farm." She and her dogs have trained on bodies in all states of decomposition, land/water cadaver, clandestine graves, aged skeletal remains, and disarticulated remains.

Using her artistic talent, Kathy designed the K9 S.O.S. team patch, business cards, all team t-shirts, and promotional flyers for the team's annual fundraising event. She also has worked as a medical illustrator for a series of radiological textbooks.

Retired from the teaching field, Kathy continues to follow her passion for helping others. She is an American Red Cross blood donor with nearly nine gallons donated to date and is proud to have joined the ECHO Charitable Foundation whose goal is to help Brookfield alumni in need. She and her K9 partner, Lucia, continue to respond to search calls and participate in public relations events and demonstrations.

Kathy and her K9 partners have had 20 "finds" so far. Her dogs have saved the lives of 10 individuals and have had 10 cadaver/human remains finds. Ten of these finds were in the Brookfield/Masury area.

Kathy's family includes her husband, Greg; daughter and son-in-law; son and daughter-in-law and two grandsons, as well as her final K9 partner, Lucia. Her past K9 partners were Shaman, Gracie, and EJ.

The confidence needed to continually challenge herself and reach out to care for others began early in Joan's life when she transitioned from a parochial education to entering Brookfield Schools as a ninth grader. Life-long friendships were forged from day one as Joan found herself welcomed by fellow classmates, became a member of multiple high school clubs, and found mentors among the school's faculty members. Joan's high school years provided a positive experience leading her to spend her life investing and residing in the Brookfield community.

Joan originally graduated from Sharon Regional Health System's School of Nursing program and worked for over 20 years in the roles of ER, ICU, and mobile intensive nursing. Her interest in public health began early on and eventually led to administrative roles in community outreach and teaching in community and school settings. Programs in which she was involved included the instruction of basic First Aid, CPR, and Advanced Life Support classes to over 4,800 individuals.

Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Youngstown State University, Joan majored in both health education and nursing. Further accomplishments included earning the Master of Public Health degree, and then graduating as a Public Health Nursing leader at the University of Massachusetts Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

While at UMass, Joan earned the Family Nurse Practitioner post-mater's certificate and continues today to practice as a Board-Certified Registered Family Nurse Practitioner. She has been awarded the Margaret Foley Cunningham teaching award, the 2021 Teaching Excellence Award, and the Janet Williamson Teaching Excellence Award. She has served as a board member and as a part president of the Board of Directors at the Mercer County food bank, served as Vice President of the Northwest Pennsylvania Nurse Practitioners Association, and served as a member of the Public Health Management National Nurse-Led Care Consortium for the Pennsylvania Action Coalition.

Dr. Humphrey has embraced leadership roles throughout her career. As a student, she served as Vice President of her nursing class at the Sharon Regional Health System School of Nursing and was President of the Eta Sigma Gamma National Health Educator Honorary during her undergraduate studies at YSU. In her academic role as an instructor and program course developer of public health, she has served as campus director and teaching professor in nursing at Penn State University in Pennsylvania.

Joan has a passion for working with underserved and marginalized populations not only in the delivery of health care but in service to the community, where she delivers nurse practitioner services in family practice as well as mobile unit outreach settings She specializes in care within the Amish community and has worked to finalize publication of research in delivering telemedicine to this population. Additionally, she engaged in writing grant initiatives and has been funded for thousands of dollars in developing health and wellness programs for students. Her work in rural communities included educating and assisting farmers and other rural residents to remain viable in the workforce after sustaining injuries. She has dedicated time and teaching efforts to help individuals maintain stewardship of healthy lifestyle outcomes in the community and academic settings, with the hopes of continuing for years to come.

Joan continues to reside in Brookfield and has enjoyed raising her family here. She is married and has two children and four grandchildren. When not working, Joan relishes spending time at home with her family and friends, reading, and taking walks. She also enjoys participating in planning and supporting community and church events.

Alex Nagy was a competitive athlete in football and track at Brookfield High School until his graduation in 1958. He was born on February 4, 1940, in Masury, Ohio, to Alex and Margaret (Krupe) Nagy. He was the oldest of three boys. After high school, Alex served and retired honorable from the United States Air Force. His last duty station was at the White House Communications Agency preceding notable non-political service within seven presidential administrations.

In 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Alex to become the first White House Director of Telephone Services. During his tenure, Alex served seven Presidents, from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush. He traveled with the Presidents around the world as the point man responsible for telecommunications for the National Command Authority. Alex played an integral part in America's history and was an eyewitness to significant historical events:

There were so many things about his job Alex could not and would not talk about. He respected the Office he served and was proud to be part of the inner workings of the greatest institution in the free world. He was also an institution within that institution: Presidents called him "Al." Alex was one of the first people Presidents met when moving into the White House, teaching them how to use the phone system and access the switchboard, and was also the last person the Presidents shook hands with as they moved out. Alex and his White House Operators kept the Office of the Commander in Chief of the United States, their presidencies, and our government running.

In 1961, Alex met a beautiful flight attendant, Sachiko, while stationed in Tokyo. He always recounted it was love at first sight and knew he would spend the rest of his life with her, regardless of the challenges and obstacles of marrying into a completely foreign culture. They married in 1962 and raised two daughters.

Alex was friendly and well-liked by everyone that knew him. He was just fun to be with. He had the best sense of humor and loved to tease his girls and to joke and pass around funny emails to family and friends. He cherished his only grandson and was there to teach him to ride a bike, throw a baseball, swim, and build birdhouses. He loved to read, watch the news, and keep up with current events. Upon retirement, he and his wife would travel and spend time with friends and family. He loved to watch his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers play football every week. When he got together with his brothers, they would reminisce about their younger days, and tease and make fun of each other as only brothers could - giving their children and grandchildren glimpses of the life they must have had when they were growing up.

Alex passed away on September 27, 2016. His ashes were laid to rest with full Military and Masonic honors at Arlington National Cemetery in May 2017. Presidents Carter, Bush (41), Bush (43), Clinton, and Trump paid their respects.

Alex George Nagy is survived by his beloved wife  and two daughters. As a living memorial, a remembrance tree with his dog tag is located in Columbia Falls, Maine where he and other Veterans are honored for their service to our country. The organization Wreaths Across America harvests the balsam tips of trees each year to be made into the wreathes that are placed on Veterans' graves across the United States.

When a person achieves success in an activity or study, the person often attributes the accomplishment to a significant event or markedly influential individual. Fred F. Paulenich agrees with this assertion with one slight modification. During Paulenich's years at Brookfield High School it wasn't one person who inspired him to pursue a position in public education, but four individuals. Under the tutelage of Gar Aikens (speech), Tony Mason (American history), Charles Sindledecker (audio-visual aids), and Anne Berardi (English), Paulenich was exposed to values, ideas, and creative teaching methods of four dynamic teachers. Their classroom techniques inspired Paulenich's desire to maintain classroom excellence throughout his career.

For nearly four decades students at Crestwood High School (Mantua, Ohio) were recipients of a creative teaching strategy Paulenich defined as "Real World Education." Paulenich used photographs, songs, films, letters, journals, magazine articles, newspaper pieces, catalogs, comics, editorials, etc., to shatter the artificiality that often permeated classrooms. Paulenich wanted his students to see that literary works need not stand in isolation. With Real World Education materials, Paulenich's students saw the relevancy of the learning process.

When educators heard about Paulenich's techniques and successes, they wanted to learn how he employed Real World materials in the classroom. Paulenich's presentations were of such quality that Indiana State University frequently asked him to headline their summer and fall reading and writing conferences.

In acknowledgement of Paulenich's innovative classroom teaching techniques and relentless research and scholarship, the Ohio Council of Teachers of English Language Arts in 1994 presented Paulenich the Outstanding English Language Arts Educator Award for Secondary Instructors. Patti Bilhorn, language arts instructor from the Sycamore Ohio School District captured the essence of Paulenich's contribution to education: "He has been an instructional leader to many teachers throughout Ohio and other parts of the country and has, therefore, helped shape the destiny of many classrooms."

Paulenich's multimedia interdisciplinary classroom techniques won him a $2,700 grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation to develop a poetry/nature unit for Crestwood senior English students. As a result of his successful classroom endeavors, Paulenich captured the Northeastern Ohio Teachers' Association Positive Teacher Award and was one of fifteen teachers selected nationally to participate in the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar at Oberlin College. The one-month seminar focused on "The Romantic Imagination in New England."

Paulenich was also a recipient of a grant from Indiana University to further investigate the impact of interdisciplinary teaching techniques. It was at this time Paulenich became one of thirty teachers (the only language arts instructor) to participate in the National Endowment for the Humanities at Bard College. The unit for analysis was "The Age of Franklin D. Roosevelt."

One of Paulenich's most meritorious educational moments was when he was named a National Fellow for Independent Study in the Humanities. Over 1400 applications were submitted for this truly prestigious award. Paulenich was one of 150 successful candidates. The stipend provided by N.E.H. enabled Paulenich to independently study the painting, sculpture, architecture, decorative arts, photography, film, and music of the Great Depression.

At Crestwood High School Paulenich established the Advanced Placement English program. He served on the Ohio Teacher Leader Network and chaired the Crestwood High School North Central Self-Study Team. The Ohio Reading Teacher asked Paulenich to serve on its editorial board. The National Council of Teachers of English requested that Paulenich serve as a state judge for student literacy publications. Hiram College selected Paulenich to participate in the college's Classic Hill Seminar and serve as an arts coordinator for its Building Community Through Arts program.

In addition to his years in the Crestwood classroom, Paulenich was also an adjunct at Youngstown State University.

Throughout his educational career Paulenich published approximately 125 op-ed pieces, poems, educational articles, and book reviews. His New York Times article about sports and violence remains a "mini-classic."

Since Paulenich's retirement he has devoted extensive reading and researching of the poetry of Carl Sandburg, the novels of African-American author Walter Dean Myers, the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, and the multiple issues associated with the May 1970 shootings at Kent State University.

Paulenich and his wife have four sons and eight grandchildren.

Darlene’s education in the Brookfield School System started at Addison Elementary School. Her love of science began in middle school with Mr. DeJulia’s physical science class. He assisted her in the successful preparation for the state exams and with her first grant - a National Science Foundation grant between her Junior and Senior years. In high school, Mr. Blasko’s chemistry and Mr. McCullough’s Advanced Biology classes furthered her interest in science. Although it wasn’t appreciated then, Mr. Guerriero’s typing class was a blessing in disguise!

Graduation from Brookfield High School as one of the joint Valedictorians, was followed by a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology from the State University of New York in 1978. After working as a medical technologist for 8 years, Darlene began the path to her ultimate goal of becoming a doctor.  She received a full scholarship for the Master of Science degree in Chemistry she completed at Youngstown State University in 1987- all while working full time during the day.  Darlene’s medical school education at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine (now Heritage College of Medicine) was followed by Pediatric Residency at Ohio State’s Columbus Children’s Hospital (now Nationwide Children’s Hospital) in 1991 and a fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the University of Florida in 1997.

Darlene’s research training was in Neonatal Hematology-blood problems of the newborn infant, the most common problem seen in newborn babies. She trained neonatal-perinatal fellows, pediatric residents, medical students, as well as graduate and undergraduate students in research techniques and grant writing. She has been honored to receive grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Children's Miracle Network. Her research includes 61 peer-reviewed publications, 16 invited reviews, and four book chapters. [Thank you, Mr. Guerriero!]

Darlene has held numerous positions throughout her career including the Rothman Endowed Chair in Pediatrics, Director of Pediatric Research and Director of the Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program while at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL; Division Chief of Neonatology at Nemours Children's Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. Darlene is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Neonatal Perinatal Medicine and Pediatrics and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ sections for Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and Osteopathic Physicians.  

Although retired from clinical practice, she continues to write for UpToDate and is the Neonatology Topic Editor for DynaMed, a clinical decision support solution helping healthcare professionals to improve health outcomes worldwide. She also is a reviewer for five medical journals, manages her own independent consulting business, and provides expert witness services for several legal firms representing the families of neonates.

Darlene lives in Florida where her two adult children, Ashley and Ryan, both live and work. She enjoys biking, gardening, and experimenting with different culinary styles.

Dr. Dillon is a native of Brookfield, Ohio, and graduated in the class of 1974. Post-graduation she worked in the business sector as a stenographer and bookkeeper. College was not an option at this time as her twin, who was Valedictorian, was destined for higher education.  She acknowledges her interest in nursing was first noted as she admired her mentor and former school nurse, Mrs. Maude McBride, RN.

She attended the Sharon Regional Hospital School of Nursing and completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Youngstown State University. She received her master’s degree in nursing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist from the University of Pittsburgh.   She returned to Kent State University to achieve her post master’s certificate as an acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP).  While working in practice as an acute care nurse practitioner, she completed her doctorate in nursing practice at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western University.

Upon graduation, Debbie worked at St. Elizabeth Health Care System in Youngstown, Ohio as both a clinical nurse specialist and acute care nurse practitioner. Dr. Dillon’s 20 years of clinical practice focus includes bedside practice and nursing management in a medical intensive care unit, staff development instruction for critical care, and clinical practice both as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in cardiac electrophysiology.

Upon completion of her doctorate, she moved to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville as Program Coordinator of their Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program.  She returned to Ohio and joined the faculty at Case Western Reserve in their nursing program after the birth of her first grandchild. She practiced as a nurse practitioner at the Cleveland Clinic while at Case Western. Currently she is an associate professor and the inaugural Director of the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.

Dr. Dillon is certified as an acute care nurse practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialling Center, a certified critical care registered nurse by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and a heart failure certified nurse by the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses.

Dr. Dillon’s research focus is on factors related to successful transition to practice for the acute care nurse practitioner. Her textbook on Transition to practice for the new nurse practitioner was published in Spring 2021. She has numerous publications on the NP role and practice transition. She has presented nationally and internationally on these topics as well.

Dr Dillon’s teaching experience includes clinical instruction in acute care for acute care nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. She holds a variety of professional memberships in addition to being a member of the Founder’s Circle of the Marian K. Shaunghnessy Leadership Academy at Case Western Reserve. In the summer of 2022, she was inducted nationally as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and in the fall of 2022 was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.  

When asked what advice she would share with others, Debbie responded, “Follow your dreams, don’t let financial concerns limit your educational desires – if there’s a will, there’s a way.  Aim for the stars to be all that you can be.  It’s important to give back to others what you have benefited from in your education”.

Debbie’s leisure activities include boating with a ‘bucket list’ to sail the Great Loop.  She also enjoys spending as much time as possible with her grandchildren.

Debbie’s family includes her mother, Loretta Vasbinder, her husband, Dr. Walter Paladino, four siblings and two sons who are Brookfield High School graduates.  Her father, Joseph Vasbinder passed away in 2001.  At that time, the family created the annual Joseph E. Vasbinder memorial scholarship in memory of their father and as a tribute to their mother for instilling their values of a good education and encouraging them to pursue their dreams.  This scholarship is presented annually to a graduating student who desires to pursue higher education but lacks the financial resources to get started.

Growing up as an African American in a segregated America, Clyde P. Ledbetter could have been full of resentment and excuses. Instead, he honed his vast array of diverse talents with remarkable fortitude, self-discipline, and courage. He paved for himself paths that others didn’t even dream of following, combining talents as a gifted athlete with aspirations of furthering his education and service to others.

The son of Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Ledbetter, Clyde grew up in Masury, OH with his twin brother, Clayton, brothers Matthew, Cletus and Lester Eugene, and sisters Geneva,  Violet and Viola. As a Brookfield student, Clyde excelled as a football and basketball star. Upon his high school graduation, he was awarded an athletic scholarship (in swimming and diving) at West Virginia State University, one of only four nationally accredited black universities at the time.  He graduated from college with a pre-med degree.

Like his brothers, Clyde went on to serve in the US Army during World War II and was in the medical corps in a segregated unit. After the desegregation of the Armed Services in 1948, Clyde had the opportunity to enroll in Walter Reed Medical School and graduated second in his combat medic class. He served in the Army for twenty-two years, including World War II and the Korean War, starting as a medic.

Upon completion of his distinguished military career, Clyde was recognized as a Master Sergeant and given a Certificate of Appreciation which cited his devotion to duty and spirit of sacrifice. Clyde continued his love of nursing while working in a variety of veteran, prison, juvenile, and general hospital settings. Throughout these years, he merited numerous positions, awards, and honors including five years as president of the Nurses League of San Francisco, member of the California Nurses State Board, Licensed Vocational Nurses League Certificate of Appreciation award, and serving as Head Nurse at Brooke Medical Center, Washington, DC. Clyde’s nursing career culminated with his work in the orthopedic department at San Francisco General Hospital where he served 24 years as head nurse.

Clyde was also a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and a life member of the AME Zion Methodist Church. Clyde’s affinity towards service to others fueled a desire to give back to younger generations and this was clearly manifested in his work with the Knight of Honor Civic and Social Club. Working as its Public Relations Manager, Clyde was an active fund raiser for the organization which funded numerous scholarships for San Francisco-area youth.

Clyde and his wife La Freda, would have three children: son, Patrick Ledbetter, Sr. and daughters, Carmen and Freda.
In 1989, Clyde was named “Father of the Year” by the San Francisco Spiders Civic and Social Club. Upon this occasion, Milton Marks, member of the California State Senate, lauded him for being “a role model to both young and old in exemplifying the importance fathers play in the family,” noting his “many years of civic and social involvement in the community”, along with his service to the sick, and the love and sharing he gave to his church.

Throughout his life, Clyde showed an eagerness to accept new challenges and break both racial and gender barriers. He was truly a Renaissance man who believed in service to others.

Clyde passed away October 12, 1990.

When Victoria Husted moved to Brookfield in the 5th grade, she could never have known how much her new school would shape her life. She made great friends, had incredible teachers who cared about her, and had the opportunity to pursue her interests in many areas. She was able to be a varsity cheerleader with a leading role in the school play and participate in student government. The size of the school and her incredibly supportive teachers and peers provided a great environment to spark Vicki’s confidence in public speaking, leading groups, performing, and pursuing her academic interests.  The foundation for her future success was firmly constructed in the halls of Brookfield High School.  

Beyond this though, a relationship germinated in her years as a Warrior that would blossom and grow throughout the rest of Vicki’s life.  As the Vice President of her Junior class, she attended prom with the President of the class, Paul Medvec.  Vicki and Paul planned the prom together with the other leaders of the Junior class and Paul invited Vicki to be his date for the dance in March of 1981.  This initiated a relationship between the football player and the cheerleader that has lasted more than 42 years.  When the Echo revealed that the 1982 Valedictorian (Paul) and Salutatorian (Vicki)  were both voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in their graduating class, they could have never known that they would succeed together, crafting a life that would take them from Akron, Ohio to Ithaca, New York to Lake Forest, Illinois to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and bless them with two incredible sons, Barrett and Tyler, who are their greatest joy.  

Vicki graduated from Bucknell University in 1986 with a degree in Psychology, Management, and Economics.  She uncovered a skill in negotiation in her first roles out of college as a fundraiser for the United Way of America and as the Development Director for a College of Engineering.  She sharpened these skills when she completed her PhD in Psychology at Cornell University in 1995.  Before she completed this PhD, she was offered the opportunity to join the faculty in Cornell’s business school teaching negotiations. In her time at Cornell, she worked with her incredible advisor, Dr. Thomas Gilovich, and had the opportunity to conduct research with two future Nobel prize winners, Dr. Daniel Kahneman and Dr. Richard Thaler.

She loved her time at Cornell but when the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University offered her a faculty role, she could not refuse.  The most talented faculty in negotiations were at Kellogg and Vicki was thrilled to be offered the chance to join this elite group.  She was one of the only faculty members at Northwestern University to be granted tenure in three years and over time, she became a chaired professor at the University where she continues to teach negotiations today.  Her research has been published in top academic journals, as well as highlighted in numerous popular media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and The Today Show.  She also co-founded and leads Kellogg’s Center for Executive Women. In this role, she created the Women Director Development Program and the Women’s Senior Leadership Program and over the past 17 years, she has helped to move many women to leadership roles and prepare more than 800 senior executive women for roles on Boards.

In addition, for the last two decades as CEO of a boutique advisory firm, Medvec & Associates, Vicki has advised CEOs and other senior leaders on mergers and acquisitions, significant customer contracts, and partnership agreements. Many of her clients are Fortune 500 companies, as well as smaller, fast-growing organizations. A sample of her more than 1000 clients includes Google, McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, McDonald’s, Bristol-Myers Squibb, IBM, Astra Zeneca, Cisco, Microsoft, Shell, Pfizer, and Walgreen’s.

In 2021, Vicki published her best-selling book Negotiate Without Fear: Strategies and Tools to Maximize Your Outcomes.  In addition, Vicki has served on both public and private company Boards for more than a decade.

Vicki’s favorite moments though are her time with family and friends.  She was recently asked in an interview for her six-word story, and she conveyed, “Many jobs, but mom is favorite.”  Vicki has always felt that her mom is her biggest fan and she and Paul share that role for Barrett and Tyler. Vicki and her sons love to ski and the family enjoys traveling across the globe together, reading great books, hiking, and biking.

Colonel Donald L. Shaffer – Brookfield High School Class of 1982

Don started his flying career early following in his brother’s footsteps and making his first solo flight on his 16th birthday. After graduating from Brookfield, he attended the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School and then the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, graduating as a Distinguished Military Graduate in 1987. He attended Pilot Training at Columbus AFB, MS, earned his pilot wings in 1988, and was selected to remain at Columbus as a First Assignment Instructor Pilot in the Northrop T-38 supersonic jet trainer. Don served as a Student Check Pilot, Wing Commander’s Executive Officer, and personal Instructor Pilot. On July 29th, 1989, he married Debbie Shaffer (Scarvel), Brookfield Class of 1981.

Don was reassigned to McGuire AFB NJ in 1991 to fly the C-141 strategic airlifter. While at McGuire, he flew a multitude of missions around the globe supporting combat operations, humanitarian relief, and Presidential travel. In 1995, he was chosen to command the first US military airlift mission to return to Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. Later that year, he was picked to be the Aide-de-Camp for the 21st Air Force Commander at McGuire and traveled extensively with the 3-star General for a year serving as a speech writer and personal assistant.

In 1996 Don was promoted early to Major and re-assigned to the Pentagon as a Political/Military Analyst and Regional Specialist for the Air Force Chief of Staff.  There he served as the focal point for all USAF issues involving NATO defense planning and was the Subject Matter Expert for all issues related to the Balkans and the war in Kosovo.  His daily tasks routinely included short-notice briefings and recommendations to AF top senior leaders. In 1999, he was selected to attend the USAF Air Command & Staff College.

After a year at Staff College, Don received his dream assignment to fly the C-17 at Charleston AFB, SC.  Arriving in summer of 2000, he became the Chief of Combat Operations and was tasked with developing C-17 combat tactics and a training program for all Charleston crews to operate in real-world combat environment. Don assembled a team of senior C-17 pilots who designed a syllabus that included aggressive maneuvers, Night Vision Goggle operations, dirt runway operations, and tactical mission planning. The program proved prescient as Charleston’s crews were the only ones capable and ready to deploy for combat operations immediately following the Sept 11th terrorist attacks. The tactics and procedures developed by Don and his team were employed extensively in Afghanistan and Iraq and are still used today.

Don received his second early promotion in 2001 to Lieutenant Colonel and took command of the 17th Airlift Squadron in June 2002.  He immediately received orders to deploy to Rhein Main Air Base, Germany to command the first-ever forward-deployed C-17 squadron. The Squadron oversaw all heavy airlift missions operating into and out of Afghanistan, managing logistics, maintenance, scheduling, and support for over 60 aircraft and 300+ crew members. While deployed, he flew numerous combat missions himself including one notable mission with his brother Emmett -- a 23-hour air-refueled, blacked-out insertion into Bagram (Afghanistan) Air Base. After returning to Charleston, Don would deploy again in 2003 to become the only 3-time C-17 squadron commander in the Air Force. By then, the squadron’s mission had expanded to include airlift operations throughout the Middle East including Iraq and Afghanistan. Under his leadership, the unit rewrote the airlift record books, completing over 1,700 missions and 12,000 flight hours in just 90 days.

In 2004, Don was selected as one of only nine AF officers for the inaugural class of National Defense University’s Joint Advanced Warfighting School (JAWS). He graduated at the top of his class and would be invited back by the JAWS staff to teach annual seminars on Defense Planning and National Strategy. His follow-on assignment took him back to the Pentagon to the Joint Staff where he served as the Senior Planner and lead officer for National Security Council War on Terrorism plans and strategic initiatives. He was promoted to Colonel in 2008 and selected as the Executive Assistant to the Assistant Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  

Don took command of the 319th Air Refueling Wing, Grand Forks AFB, ND in November 2009.  During his Wing Command tour, he successfully tackled the challenge of standing down a 30+ years long KC-135 Air Refueling mission and standing up a new Strategic Reconnaissance mission with the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Don completed the mission change seamlessly and ahead of schedule and was named the Command’s #1 Wing Commander for 2011.

Following Wing Command, Don volunteered to return to the Pentagon and finish out his AF career as a Senior Advisor to the Air Force Chief of Staff.  Don retired on May 27, 2014 – 27 years to the day from his USAFA graduation – with over 3,800 hours in eight different aircraft. He joined his brother Emmett at GEN4 Services as the Vice President for Operations, where he leverages his Air Force senior leadership experience to expand the company’s capabilities for Air Force-related contract opportunities and operations.

Don and Debbie have two children; Leah M. Flair (Shaffer), who resides in Greenville, SC with her husband Robby; and son, Kurt W. Shaffer, who resides in Denver, CO.  Don enjoys golf, travel, woodworking, and spending time with family.

While attending school, Emmett participated in several school programs and played basketball and baseball. Most notably he began taking flying lessons in the 6th Grade, and received his pilot’s license on his 17th birthday. Emmett frequently enjoyed taking classmates flying and gave aerial tours of Brookfield and the greater-Youngstown area. Upon graduation, Emmett attended Youngstown State University and graduated as a distinguished military graduate, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and a minor in economics. Emmett received an Army commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and married Patricia L. Shaffer (Radford) on September 12, 1981. They both traveled the world and provided dedicated service to our country.

Upon completion of Army flight training, Emmett was assigned to 101st Airborne Division where he served as a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Company Commander. In 1983, he deployed and participated in Operation Urgent Fury—The United States’ invasion, occupation and political stabilization of Grenada.

From 1987 through 1991, Emmett was assigned to the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in Germany where he flew the AH-1F attack helicopter and participated in numerous operations along the German border during the final stages of the Cold War with the USSR. The “wall” came down during his service in Germany and his unit transitioned to support Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During Desert Storm, he deployed with an AH-64 Attack Helicopter Battalion, with a mission to provide security to the Kurds in a remote area located in Northern Iraq.

In 1991, Emmett was selected for assignment to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. While assigned, he flew the MH-60 Blackhawk and the AH/MH-6 assault helicopters.  Most of his achievements in aviation, units supported, and operations he participated in while with this unit remain classified to this day. In 1993, he deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia as a member of Task Force Ranger.  The unit conducted several highly successful missions and captured numerous high-priority targets; however, on the 3rd of October, the Battle of Mogadishu was fought and 18 of Emmett’s comrades were lost, including five of his closest friends. The operation was later characterized by Jerry Bruckheimer in the movie “Black Hawk Down”.

Emmett received the Bronze Star for his actions during the operation.  He would later command the unit’s highly specialized training unit and initiated a Training Development Support Cell (TDSC) which significantly enhanced operator training. The program continues today, and graduates are credited with participating in the rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch (Iraq), capture of Saddam Hussein (Iraq), and the Pakistan raid and death of the 9/11 master mind, Osama Bin Laden.

In 1999, Emmett was selected to activate the 602nd Aviation Support Battalion near the DMZ in Korea, where he commanded until the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Emmett was reassigned to the 160th, where he participated in the planning and execution of continuous combat operations until his retirement as the 160th Deputy Commander in May of 2003.  
Emmett and Patty actively support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. They reside near Nashville, TN and they continue to support the Department of Defense through contracts with their company, GEN4 Services. They have two children: Emmett C. Shaffer IV and Megan Elizabeth Farris, their spouses--Jessica Shaffer and Chris Farris, and five grandchildren: Jaxson Cole Shaffer, Charlee Grace Shaffer, Henley Elizabeth Farris, Peyton Lynn Farris, and Lillian Clare Farris.

William Toby Gibson (Class of  1991)
Following his graduation from BHS in 1991, Gibson attended YSU where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Education and then later returned to obtain his Masters in Administration. 

Following stints in Farrell City and Warren City Schools, Gibson returned to Brookfield in 2000 where he would serve as a middle school teacher before being named the Elementary Principal in 2011. In 2016, Gibson became principal at BMS before being named superintendent in 2019.

Throughout his tenure, Gibson has implemented several programs aimed at bringing families into the schools and establishing community and health-provider partnerships to assist those in need. He has also enhanced academic and post-secondary career opportunities for all students by implementing STEM courses, providing construction, robotics, and pre-apprenticeship programs, and assisting in the formation of a MakerSpace. As superintendent, Gibson has helped secure $2.1 million in grant monies for student programming, safety, and energy-efficient resources. 

In Gibson's free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, gardening, working on old cars, and fishing.

Following her BHS graduation in 1980, she pursued a nursing career, obtaining her Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees in Nursing and Business Administration from various universities. In 2020 she completed her Doctoral Degree in Nursing at Duquesne University with honors. During her education and subsequent career, Dr. Kemp has traveled to Rome, Italy, to research Transcultural Care and Global Health Perspectives, worked in some of the best teaching hospitals in the country, and worked in a liver transplant ICU under the guidance of Dr. Thomas E. Starzl, aka "The Father of Liver Transplantation". Kemp was also actively involved in clinical and medication trials of the drug now known as Tacrolimus which helps to prevent organ rejection after transplant. 

Dr. Kemp has also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a critical care nurse where, in addition to providing care, she also held multiple leadership positions and worked to improve access to medical care using video connect. In 2018 she was elected vice president for Title 38 with The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Northeast Ohio VA Healthcare System. 

Dr. Kemp is a longtime community health advocate and remains committed to providing education, training, and consultation to those in need.

Following her 2004 graduation from BHS, Lang attended The Ohio State University and obtained a Bachelor's, Master's, and Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology. She is currently a Nationally Certified School Psychologist working for a school system in southwest Ohio. 

Lang is regarded as a leader in the field of school psychology, having presented training both locally and nationally. She is the immediate past-president of the Southwestern Ohio School Psychologists' Association (SWOSPA), has been a regular advisor to the OSPA Executive Director, and was recently appointed by the OSPA president to serve as the Chair for the OSPA Autism Task Force, with a goal to improve the educational identification of students with autism in Ohio. 

Lang lives with her husband, two children, and two giant schnauzers in Butler County, Ohio, where they are actively involved in raising money to support military and suicide prevention charities. 

She is the first Brookfield graduate to be inducted into both the Athletic and Distinguished Alumni Halls of Fame!

Following his 1990 graduation, Straka attended Cornell University to study landscape architecture. He eventually went on to earn his Master's Degree with a focus in agronomy, community design, and environmental studies. 

Straka is an industry leader in environmental golf course design by blending his formal education, rigorous professional training, and considerable design experience. Merging his professional training in the many facets of golf course design with his extensive hands-on design experience, he has shaped his specialty: integrating a golf course both functionally and aesthetically into its surrounding environment. An active member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), Straka was one of the youngest members ever elected to its Board of Governors. He was honored in April 2016 with a Presidential Citation for his work in the development of meaningful professional education programs. 

In 2018 Straka was named to the ASGCA Executive Committee to serve a 5-year officer rotation and currently serves as its 75th president. Straka has also served as a Board Member of the Ohio Turfgrass Foundation (OTF), has served as an instructor at a variety of professional seminars around the world, and led educational courses at multiple universities. In 2010 Straka was rated by Golf Magazine as one of the most influential people in golf under 40 years of age, and three Straka-designed golf courses won awards in Golf Inc.'s Renovation of the Year Competition. 

He currently lives in Dublin, Ohio, with his wife and two children. Straka enjoys volunteering, fishing, and spending time with this family.

Following his graduation from BHS in 1985, Zuhosky's post-secondary education led him to the University of Notre Dame, Ohio State University, Northwestern University, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). 

Zuhosky's interest in medicine is driven by his childhood hospitalization experiences. He had a rare Meckel's diverticulum disorder which went undiagnosed from ages 2 to 5. Zuhosky discovered the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation during his time at Ohio State. He has held multiple leadership roles including Chief Resident at RIC. He was elected to the Board of the Physiatric Association of Spine Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation (PASSOR) where he also served as course director training anesthesiologists and PM&R physicians from all over the world in interventional spine procedures. Zuhosky has represented his specialty at the American Medical Association Resource Utilization Committee that assigns valuations for all procedures, evaluations, and management services in medicine. 

Zuhosky has practiced in Charlotte, North Carolina, his entire career. His practice model of seeing patients at the onset of symptoms, instead of at the back end of care when all other interventions have failed, has become so successful that all of the major orthopedic and neurosurgery practices in Charlotte have adopted it; and physicians and administrators from around the country have sought counsel to bring this model to their own practices. 

When he's not working, Zuhosky enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, coaching, volunteering, boating, tailgating, and serving his community.

Jack is a native of Brookfield, Ohio, and graduated from Brookfield High School in 1977. He went on to attend Youngstown State University from 1977-1979 and then transferred to Ohio University where he graduated in 1982 with a B.S. degree in Recreational Management and an M.S. degree in Sports Administration in 1983.

A longtime and avid golfer, Jack's passion for golf started when he began working at the Yankee Run Golf Course as a 10-year-old, which later led him to a career in the luxury resort business. He lettered for three years on the Brookfield High golf team, was Captain his senior year, and went on to be a member of the YSU golf team from 1978-1979 and taught golf physical education classes at Ohio University from 1981-1982.

The opportunities that started Jack's career would not have been possible without the assistance of two individuals, Gil Patrick and Steve Bartolin, both of whom are from Hubbard, Ohio. This connection began at Yankee Run Golf Course, continued at Youngstown State University, intersected at The Greenbrier, and finally concluded at The Broadmoor.

Jack began his hotel career in the spring of 1983 as the Bag Room Manager in the Golf Department at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, WV. During his 23-year career at The Greenbrier, he worked in practically every operational department and was the General Manager of the resort from 2000-2006. During this period, The Greenbrier was an 800-room, full service, luxury resort, encompassing 6,500 acres with comprehensive conference meeting space, dining and recreational facilities. 

From 2006-2013, Jack was the President and General Manager of The Gasparilla Inn & Club in Boca Grande, FL. This 160-room, full service boutique luxury resort is located in the barrier islands of Southwest Florida, offering a full array of dining and recreational facilities, including a full-service marine. During his tenure at the resort, he led a team in the rebirth of the historic property physically, financially, and from a service perspective. 

In January 2014, Jack joined The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs, CO) as Vice President and Managing Director. Following shortly after, in March 2015, he became the 7th President of The Broadmoor and its related businesses, which include The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Cloud Camp, Fly Fishing Camp, Seven Falls, The Manitou & Pikes Peak Cog Railway, and The Broadmoor Development Company. The Broadmoor is the longest-running, consecutive winner of both the Forbes Five-Star Award, having received this award for 60 years, as well as the AAA Five-Diamond Award for 44 years.

Jack is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, as well as a member of the Resort Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association, Colorado Thirty Group, Air Force Academy Foundation, and a board member of the Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado and the Broadmoor World Arena. Jack received the Hotelier of the Year award from the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association in 2018.

Over the years, Jack was President (2005/2006) of the Southern Innkeepers Association and a member of the Young Presidents Organization from 2002-2006. During his hospitality career in West Virginia, Florida, and now, Colorado, he has also served on many local civic and non-profit boards.

Of the various organizations and projects jack has been involved with during his career, none have been more impactful or personally meaningful as the food rescue program The Broadmoor recently implemented with the local hospitality community in Colorado Springs. As the homeless population continues to grow in Colorado, as well as across the country, providing people in need a good, nutritious, hot meal is more important now, than ever. The Broadmoor spearheaded this program in order to rescue surplus prepared food that remained in kitchens, which ultimately would have been wasted. These items are now being donated to the Colorado Springs Rescue Mission. This effort really took off in 2019 and, from The Broadmoor alone, over 10,000 pounds of good, nutritious food was rescued from going to a landfill. These items, ranging from proteins, starches, vegetables, and breads augment the daily menus of the Springs Rescue Mission, which serves hundreds of meals a day. After month of negotiations and countless meetings with the City of Colorado Springs, El Paso County Health Department and various lawyers, processes and procedures have been implemented to safely handle this surplus food, which feeds people in need in the community and reduces landfill tonnage at the same time.

Jack and his wife, Rachel, met at Ohio University and have been married for more than 30 years. The have two adult daughters, Deanna and Elizabeth, who both live and work in Colorado. Jack still enjoys playing golf as much as he can, as well as exploring the many miles of hiking trails and natural beauty Colorado has to offer.

Harold Danko is a 1965 graduate of Brookfield High School. He was born in Sharon, PA, and raised in Masury, where he attended Stevenson Elementary School, signing lead roles in 5th and 6th grade operettas directed by Mrs. Couts, and, also serving as an altar boy at St. Bernadette's church. His parents, Michael and Susa (Mudry), encouraged their three sons to be involved with music, and brothers Joseph and John were both professional saxophone and clarinet players. Beginning piano studies at the age of five, Harold took lessons in Sharon at Polangin Music with Mrs. Polangin, and at King's Music with Mrs. Coulter. in Brookfield, he participated in the band program with Joseph Parlink and chorus with Paul Cerbus. He was a proud member of the football team, and active in journalism and speech, mentored by teachers Edward Bresnan and Dorothy Drummond.

Harold became serious about pursuing a career in jazz at the age of fifteen when he commenced studies with Gene Rush in Youngstown, Ohio. Soon after that he was playing professional engagements throughout the region. After graduating cum laude in 1969 with a BME degree from Youngstown State University where, in 2021, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in music, and service in the First U.S. Army NY Band, Harold landed the piano chair in Woody Herman's Thundering Herd which launched him as a much sought-after jazz pianist.

Events that followed form an impressive resume of collaborations with legendary artists at prestigious jazz venues all over the world as well as in recordings, television, and video. His work is well-documented and readily available on multiple internet platforms and include Chet Baker's classic 1987 Tokyo concert with more than six million hits, as well as featured performances with Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Gerry Mulligan, and Lee Konitz. Based in NYC during his freelance days in the 1970s and '80s, he performed and toured internationally with vocalists Liza Minnelli, Mel Torme, Chris Connor, Anita O'Day, Sheila Jordan, and Dee Dee Bridgewater, composted music for off Broadway and television productions, and participated in well over one hundred recordings.

After more than half a century of performing and teaching Harold remains active as a composer, band leader, and recording artists with more than thirty of his own CDs on the SteepleChase and SunnySide labels. His catalog of original compositions has earned ASCAP awards yearly since 1980, and he holds Professor Emeritus status at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. There he chaired the jazz studies and contemporary media program for eleven years and established the Jazz Performance Workshop curriculum, retiring in 2017 after nineteen years. In 2007, he was the recipient of a Bridging Fellowship for research in the Linguistics Department of the University of Rochester on the relationship of speech and music. Prior to his appointment at Eastman, he served on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music, the NewSchool/Mannes, Hartt College, and other institutions. Harold's featured column, "Solo Piano," appeared in Keyboard Magazine for more than five years, and his improvisation method, "The Illustrated Keyboard Series," is a highly regarded reference work.

His newest quartet CD, released in March 2021, will be on SteepleChase label, is entitled "Spring Garden," and "Rite Notes," a follow up solo piano CD will be released in May of 2022. Both were inspired by the music of Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.

Harold is married to Fei-Yan Wang, also a pianist, and they live in East Rochester, NY. Their son, Julian, a professional tennis instructor in Rochester, lives nearby in Pittsford, NY, with his wife, Mariana.

For nearly 13 years, Dr. Adam Elhaddi has served the Salt Lake City, Utah community as an interventional cardiologist, caring for patients with a myriad of heart ailments but most especially heart attacks. In all hours of the day and night, his is called upon to stop these heart attacks with catheter-based treatments to open abruptly occluded coronary arteries and to save heart muscle and patients. He is the chairperson of his hospital's STEMI Quality Review program and is the vice-chair of the cardiology section. All of this from a son of an immigrant who lived on First Street in a tiny town in northeast Ohio.

His love for medicine started as a child being a pediatric patient of the late Dr. Richard Stypula of Sharon, PA, Adam's first mentor. Adam tells folks to this day, "I wanted to be a doctor since I was a wee little lad." With that dream and vision, Adam excelled throughout his entire academic career in the Brookfield school system, from Curtis Elementary all the way to Brookfield Senior High School where he graduated in 1994. He was senior class vice president, Academic Top Ten, National Honor Society, voted "best Leader" and "Most Likely to Succeed" by his classmates, and a 3-year letter winner in football.

Adam matriculated into the prestigious B.S./M.S. program, an accelerated program for talented, gifted, and driven students entering the medical profe4ssion. Undergraduate studies are completed in 2-3 years (instead of the customary 4 years), and then one's seat in medical school is reserved and ready. Adam remained home and graduated magna cum laude from YSU with a Bachelor of Science in Combined Sciences (Biology and Chemistry.) Despite his arduous undergraduate studies, Adam remained busy coaching football for Brookfield and maintained weekend employment at Ianazone's Pizza.

After graduation at YSU in 1997, Adam matriculated into the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in Rootstown, Ohio. With a natural and instinctive knack for cardiac physiology and anatomy, becoming a cardiologist was his goal. In medical school he passed with honors the courses of cardiac pathology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology, and into the clinical clerkships (learning from patients) where he met his second mentor, cardiologist Dr. J. Ronald Mikolich of Youngstown. To this day, Adam and Dr. Mikolich maintain contact and friendship, and Adam owes his cardiology career to him. Adam graduated in the top quartile in 2001 and was awarded the St. Elizabeth's Award for Knowledgeable and Compassionate Care and was a finalist for the Ideal Physician Award.

Moving westward, internal medicine residency training was completed at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. Adam excelled in clinical medicine and education, graduating in 2004. He then completed his cardiology training fellowships at Michigan State University: EW Sparrow Hospital in Lansing for general cardiology (2008,) and Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo for interventional cardiology (2009.) Adam is double-board certified in Cardiovascular Diseases and Interventional Cardiology. Like his days in Brookfield, Adam has been blessed with tremendous mentors. As with Dr. Mikolich in Youngstown, Adam owes his career and livelihood to his hands-on cardiology mentors, Dr. Joel Cohen of Lansing, and Dr. Tim Fischell of Kalamazoo.

After college, and in traditional Muslim and Yemieni custom, Adam travelled to his ethnic homeland of Yemen where he found his incredible bride, Nejwa. They have been married for more than 25 years, and have 5 children. In typical northeastern Ohio style, Adam never forgot where he came from and values family. HIs role models have always been and will be his late father and mother, who now boasts 13 grandchildren.

Adam has immersed himself in his new home of Utah, both in community and play. In keeping with his strong NE Ohio roots of family and faith, he was a community member of the mosque building committee for the Utah Islamic Center, calling upon his life with the Islamic Society of Greater Youngstown. He is proud of the mosque's completion and serving his faith Playing outdoors is big in Utah. Skiing became Adam's new love, especially when it's in his backyard. However, his knees remind him he's not the young chap from Masury anymore. The Utah Jazz have provided him with great pro sports entertainments, but he still fervently roots for his home teams: the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Cleveland Browns, and The Ohio State Buckeyes.

Moving forward, Adam hopes to continue his service to humanity with compassionate and skilled medical care until retirement; he wishes to teach medical students; start to play as hard as he has worked; and to make the holy Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

James E. Hoffman, Jr. was bon May 16, 1918 at Sharon General Hospital. When he was five years old, his family moved from Sharon to Brookfield. His mother, who had been a teacher before marriage, taught him to read before entering School. Upon entering first grade, he was quickly promoted into second grade. He remained with that class throughout his school life.

In his senior year of high school, Jim was class President and Editor-In-Chief of the high school yearbook, The Echo. He also participated on the debate team, acted in the Senior Class play, sang in the Operetta and the Glee Club, and played on the football team. He graduated as Salutatorian from BHS in 1935.

Jim received a scholarship from The Ohio State University and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science in 1939. He applied for and was accepted into The Ohio State University Law School. Unable to afford tuition, he returned home to earn money working in a steel mill until he could continue law school. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Jim enlisted in the Army. he met and eventually married Margaret Esselburn. By the end of his enlistment term, he had attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant and received an Honorable Discharge.

Following his release from the Army, Jim returned to Columbus, graduating from The Ohio State University Law School on December 19, 1946, only one of nine students to receive his Juris Doctor degree at that time. Upon graduation, Jim returned to Brookfield to live and practice law. Soon after, he was invited to work with Leo Luchette, who had a small law office on Brookfield Avenue; and, in 1947, the firm of Luchette and Hoffman was established.

Community service was very important to Jim. He soon became involved with the Optimist Club of Brookfield and served as its president in 1952. In 1947, Jim began chairing the Optimist Club's Oratorical Contest and ran the local contest for the rest of his life. His encouragement and compassion made significant impressions on many of the youth he mentored.

From 1953-1957, Jim served on the Brookfield School Board. During this time, he was involved in the approval of a levy and in the planning of the new Brookfield High School which opened in 1959. He was also a member of the Brookfield Parent-Teacher Association, serving on several committees in the early 1960s.

In 1957, Jim left the school board to run for judge of the newly formed Trumbull County Court system. He was elected to be the first judge to serve at the Brookfield County Court and was instrumental in its organization. After one year, he chose not to seek re-election.

As the years passed, Jim became instrumental in many projects which brought long-lasting effects to this area. He was involved, both as an attorney and shareholder, in the Ohio incorporation of the Kenley Players, which brought big name musical theater to Packard Music Hall in Warren, Ohio for 20 years. He worked with the Ferrar family in locating the Valley View Department Store in Brookfield and helped establish the industrial park in Brookfield that today includes Strimbu Trucking. He fought tirelessly against the New York Central Railroad and was able to secure flashing lights at a railroad crossing on Kings-Grave Road. He also worked with other local leaders in preventing the elimination of the Village Green by the State of Ohio.

Jim was involved with numerous organizations including the Trumbull County Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He served as the Democratic Committeeman in Precinct A in Brookfield Township for  many years. He was also involved with Boyd's Kinsman Home, the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, and the Arms Museum in Youngstown. As a member of the Brookfield United Methodist Church, he sang in the choir and taught the adult Sunday School class. Other affiliations included the American Legion Post No. 448, the Brookfield Grange, and Jerusalem Lodge No. 19 F&AM. He was an avid, life-long supporter of the Brookfield High School athletic and music programs, The Ohio State University football team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

When not working, Jim enjoyed spending time with his wife, Margaret, and three children, Shirley, Jim, and Robin. Other pastimes included golfing, history, music, dancing, playing games, and vacationing with family and friends. 

Jim passed away July 9, 1988.

When James Seckler reflects upon his time at Brookfield High School, he remembers feeling confident of his life's plan. Certain that he was going to become a computer programmer, which would provide a steady job and good pay, his favorite part of the school day was lunch. He freely admits that he was motivated only to achieve good enough grades to gain entry into college. But that's not the real story.

As a student, James did not take the "easy" way out. He still pursued a rigorous academic schedule which exposed him to concepts which shaped his future. Math classes with Mr. Deramo and Mr Falhamer sparked a lifelong love of numbers and mathematics. Mr. Boyd's physics class introduced concepts which laid a foundation for a college major, not in computer programming, but physics. Ms. Riefstahl's French classes inspired a love of travel and other cultures leading him to make his physics major in college a dual major with anthropology. in short, his high school classes provided a vast array of interests and gave him a wide breadth of knowledge to build on. And build on it, he did.

With his initial plans of going "far away" to college altered with the sudden illness of his mother, James attended Youngstown State University where he decided to further his study of those classes which he most enjoyed in high school while helping to care for his mother. Graduating from YSU in 2004, James decided to pursue his doctoral studies at Case Western University in Cleveland, a location not too far from home so that he could continue to help as needed. By this time, fully entrenched in the love of learning, James focused on Biophysics and HIV research.

Upon graduating with his doctorate, James moved to the University of Rochester in New York state where he worked as a biostatistician employing mathematical modeling to help combat HIV. An unexpected cut in funding caused James to leave a position which he says he could have held for the rest of his life. Returning to Cleveland, James met Dr. Stephan Lewis and Dr. Benjamin Gaston, and a new chapter in his life began.

Now working as a research scientist, again at Case Western University, James was challenged by Dr. Lewis and Dr. Gaston to build a detector to measure the molecules they believe controls our breathing and blood pressure. It was not a new concept, just one which had not been able to be done in 30 years. A year later, the detector was up and working! Another six years later, and they have a patented invention which is being developed into a hospital device capable of detecting when a patient is at risk for developing Sepsis (the disease responsible for a third of all deaths in hospitals.)

James has an impressive list of published research documentation including training in Biostatistics for HIV/AIDS, pediatric respiratory research, and development of a miniaturized S-nitrosothiol detector for the diagnosis of sepsis. He is currently working on establishing a company to develop, produce, and distribute his sepsis detector. His latest focus has him working with Dr. Lewis and Dr. Santosh Baby on developing a therapeutic strategy for combating opioid overdoses and abuse. Together, they are working on developing another company focused on a new treatment to reverse opioid overdoses and suppress opioid withdrawal.

When asked what advice he would share with others, James responded, "You should take interest in as much as you can, because it will help you when you least expect it. You should never underestimate how important it is to be able to hold a conversation with someone who was born half a world away, or to be able to know some random piece of information which you can use to impress a potential employer or mentor."

James's leisure activities include hiking, camping, computer games, and traveling. 

James's family includes his father, Thomas Seckler, and sisters, Laura Soltis and Rachel Workman. His mother, Patricia (Pat) Seckler, a former Brookfield teacher, passed away in 2007.

Daughter of Dave Maliner and the late Jeanne Maliner, community involvement and helping others learn how to make positive impacts on their communities have been the focus of Amy (Maliner) Zell's career. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Thiel College, Amy furthered her studies at Kent State University where she achieved a mater's degree in Library in Information Studies. From here, she began a life of service, compassion, and resiliency.

Amy thrived during her ten-year position with the Hubbard Public Library as their Teen and Patron Technology Services librarian. Tapping into her creative skills, Amy developed diverse library programs which encouraged and empowered the library's clientele. She was instrumental in creating the library's "teen space" which became a certified Safe Zone. She worked tirelessly to create a teen room equipped with public-use computers, lockers, comfortable seating, and access to modern, creative equipment such as 3-D printers and scanners. Here, by creating a place at which they always felt welcomed, teens learned to collaborate with others, develop critical thinking skills, and be respectful of one another. Teens were encouraged to become involved with community service projects and learned to become accepting of one another's needs through activities such as sign language instruction, teen lock-in fellowship, making mats for the homeless, and suicide prevention education.

Amy became the "face" of the Hubbard Public Library at numerous community events. Fellow staff members cite her compassion and energy as well as her ability to always know what was trending in explaining her popularity with the library's clientele. During her employment there, Amy was truly aware of the shifting role libraries play in their communities and the importance of meeting the needs of its clients. This work could not be done without a great deal of flexibility and dedication.

Amy's efforts have been recognized and honored by numerous organizations and serve as a testimony of Amy's positive influence on the community, as well as to her excellence as a librarian and educator. Honors and awards include the Lamplighter Award at the 2015 Delta Zeta State Conference, the 2016 WYTV Hometown Hero Award, the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from A Way With Words Foundation in 2017, the Patriotic Citizen Award from the Hubbard Veterans of Foreign War #3767 in 2018, the Distinguished Woman of Year Award from the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio in 2020, and being names a Lifetime Achievement Honoree in 2020 from the H.O.P.E. Foundation of the Mahoning Valley.

Amy's knowledge for how the development of digital skills can empower an individual has led her to new avenues of success. As the Makerspace Manager for Youngstown's Oak Hill Collaborative, Amy's grant writing and marketing skills enhanced the collaborative's community impact. Currently employed by Whole Life Services, in Sharon, PA, Amy works with individuals who have disabilities to develop skills in laser engraving, 3D printing, and entrepreneurial development at the Valley Fab Lab.

Amy's true passion, however, has been her work with suicide prevention and more recently, postvention. She is the Suicide Postvention Event Coordinator for LOSS (Local Outreach to Survivors of Suicide loss) Community Services, in Columbus, Ohio. She helped establish Trumbull County LOSS through a partnership with Terri Ann Naughton of the Vienna Airbase and the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board. She is currently planning Facilitator Training, scheduling QPR Trainings, and facilitating support groups all while pursuing her certificate in Death and Grief Studies from the Center for Loss in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Amy and her husband, John, reside in Brookfield.

Elizabeth Drummond serves as a Professional Staff Member for the Armed Services Committee in the United States House of Representatives. In this role, Ms. Drummond is one of Congress's top Defense policy experts, providing policy advice and oversight for many of the Department of Defense's largest and most complex weapons programs. Prior to joining the committee staff, Elizabeth was the Legislative Director for Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) where she was the Congressman's primary policy advisor and specialized in issues including Armed Services, Veteran's Affairs, Energy, Small Business, Tax, and Environment.

Her work in the private sector includes business development and public policy management for Bloomberg L.P. in London, England. During her tenure as Government Affairs Manager for Bloomberg, she assisted many of Europe's top financial services and technology firms understand and navigate "Brexit", as well as intricate financial services and technology regulation. Her work on public policy in both the UK House of Commons and the European Parliament earned her recognition as one of the UK's "Rising Star" awards for female leadership in her career field.

Elizabeth also served as Legislative Assistant for Business Development at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems and as Legislative Director for the Navy League of the United States. She was a Staff Assistant for the House Armed Services Committee in the 110th and 11th Congresses. Ms. Drummond began her career in both the local and Washington, D.C. offices of U.S. Congressman and 2020 Presidential candidate, Tim Ryan (OH-13).

A native of Brookfield, Ohio, Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Ohio Northern University and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She resides in Arlington, VA.

After graduating from Brookfield High School in 1961, Barbara attended Kent State University where she earned a B.A. in English and history. She earned a Masters' Degree in literature from the University of Wisconsin in 1965. Additionally, she attended Harvard University and earned a degree in History of American Studies in 1967.

Barbara has been an English instructor at both Kent State University and Cuyahoga Community College. She worked as a typesetter for the Boston Globe, the Gary Post-Tribune, as well as the Chicago Tribune. She has been a writer-producer of filmstrips at Society for Visual Education, a writer-editor at School Zone Publishing Company, and, since 1979, Barbara has been a self-employed writer.

Notable awards and recognition include: Chicago Women in Publishing Award for Children's Books, SABR-MacMillan Baseball Research Award, Chicago Women in Publishing Award for Adult Nonfiction, Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, and a Casey Award Nomination.

Barbara was an activist in the movement against the War in Vietnam as well as advocating for civil rights and women's equality.

She spent four years researching and one year writing Woman at Play: The Story of Women in Baseball, a ground-breaking book which told the exciting stories of women who played hardball from 1983-1993. She published her research notes in three volumes and was asked by the National Baseball Hall of Fame if she would donate all of her research notes to them, which she did in 2016.

Since 2010, Barbara has been self-publishing and, through presentations, has helped many adults learn how to become writers.

She spent two years researching Warren, Ohio author Earl Derr Biggers, creator of the Honolulu police detective Charlie Chan which resulted in the 2018 publication of Charlie Chan's Poppa: Earl Derr Biggers.

In 2012, Barbara began work as a volunteer crocheter for "New Life for Old Bags" which is the organization that uses plastic bags to make sleeping mats for the homeless.

In 2014, she was awarded an Illinois Humanities Road Scholar listing which is a program that provides small communities the opportunity to hear presentations by professionals.

Barbara enjoys being with friends, hiking, watching baseball games, going to hear live music, attending live theater, and weaving baskets. Since 2003, she has woven close to 200 baskets.

Noble graduated as class valedictorian from Brookfield High School in 1993. He attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio and graduated in 1997 with a B.A. in English Literature. He ventured to Wall Street where he first worked at The Bank of America as a Junior Administrator in the Mutual Funds Custodial Division. After a year, he began working at Fleet Boston Financial, where his first position was as a banking associate, followed by his position as a risk analyst.

After experiencing the September 11th terror attacks, Noble left the city to return to Gambier. He worked as an assistant manager at The Village Inn, as the general manager at Gambier Grill, and as a residential and commercial tile contractor and apprentice plasterer. From 2010-2013, Noble served as a Gambier Village Councilman.

Noble worked in the Division of Admissions and Financial Adi at Kenyon College from 2006-2013. His responsibilities included admissions and enrollment management, scholarships and financial aid, athletic recruitment, marketing and communications, supervision and mentoring, and campus service. 

In 2013, Noble became Assistant Director of Admissions at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. In 2015, he became a graduate research assistant at the Institute of Higher Learning at the University of Georgia. He became a graduate research assistant at the Car Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia in 2016. 

He has also worked as an admissions and strategic marketing consultant at Berry College in Georgia. 

Noble earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education at the University of Georgia, Institute of Higher Education in August of 2018. Beginning August 2019, Noble Accepted a position as Associate Dean of Admission at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.

Professional presentations and publications include:

Noble's dissertation titled "Inside the Black Box: The garbage can model of decision-making in selective college admissions" was selected as a finalist to received the American Educational Research Association Division J (Postsecondary Education) Dissertation of the Year award. He is currently working on a book version tailored to higher education administrators.

Upon completing his doctoral coursework, he became a volunteer college counselor and mentor with ULeads Athens. This is a nonprofit devoted to increasing access to postsecondary education for the children of immigrants, including un(der) documented and first-generation college-bound children.

In August 2019, Noble participated in Pelotonia for the sixth time - five years as a cyclist and one as a lead site volunteer in Gambier, Ohio. In its tenth year, Pelotonia has raised more than $187 million for cancer research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute in Columbus. He is the captain for his team - The Midnight Train from Georgia - which brings eleven friends up north every year. Noble has individually raised more than $18,000 and his team crossed the $100,000 mark in 2018.

Noble is married to Erin B. Ciarimboli.

Francis McCabe grew up in Youngstown, Ohio but graduated from Brookfield High School in 1997. In 2001, he graduated with distinction from the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA with a BA in International Studies. From 2001 until 2008, he was in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was an infantry officer, reconnaissance platoon commander, and a special advisor.

Frank served three combat tours to Iraq: the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the first battle of Fallujah in 2004, and a final combat tour in Eastern Al Anbar Province from 2005-2006. He was a principal advisor to the Saudi senior royal navy and Marine Corps military leadership on counter-terrorism operations and logistics.

From January 2009 until July 2010, he served the Global Strategies Group in Kabul, Afghanistan as a Deputy Program Manager. He managed and directed a private aviation operation facilitating the United States Army Corps of Engineers' air travel throughout the country and his company's operations in Central Asia and the Middle East.

Frank's military experiences have resulted in the following honors and awards: USMC Purple Heart, four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals (three with combat distinguishing device), Combat Action Ribbon (Iraq), Presidential Unit Citation (Iraq), three Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbons, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (Iraq), and the National Defense Service Medal, and a Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia (warded for combat jump in Iraq).

Beginning in 2010, Frank worked for Enterprise Information Services, Inc. in Washington, D.C. as a consultant and senior program analyst. His primary client was the United States Coast Guard and he advised the senior service leadership on their global non-lethal weapons program. During this time he was attending law school in the evenings.

He graduated in 2015 from George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. That same year, Frank began working as an Associate at Linklaters LLP, in Washington, D.C./New York, NY. He is barred in the state of New York and practices in the project finance group within his firm. He advises clients on energy and infrastructure projects and the financing of those projects globally.

Frank has a pro bono practice dedicated to veterans' services through his law firm which focuses on the National Veterans Legal Services Program. He is currently working to establish a partnership program amongst his firm, a major international bank, and the National Veterans Legal Services Program.

Frank is a member and supporter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, and Cathloic War Veterans.

He has made several notable presentations regarding his military experience. These include: Non-Lethal Weapons in Maritime Use of Force at the U.S. Coast Guard Non-Lethal Weapons Conference in San Diego, CA in 2015; Fielding Less Lethal Effects to Enhance Coast Guard Mission Success at the Sea-Air Expo in Washington, D.C. in 2013; and in 2007, Frank was the featured speaker for the Gunner Palace documentary film screening at The Third Line art gallery in Dubai.

Frank has lived in Kabul, Afghanistan; Dana Point, California; Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; New York City, New York; Arlington, Virginia; and Washington, D.C. He and his wife Anna-Britt have a son Francis "Teddy" and currently reside in Arlington, Virginia.

Ray Rice was an attorney who served as the Judge for the County Court in Brookfield for 32 years. From 1975 until 1992, Judge Rice was recognized thirteen times for Superior Judicial Service by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Ray was a 1944 graduate of Brookfield High School. He was awarded his diploma while deployed to the Pacific Theater during World War II, where he was a top turret gunner and machinist in the U.S. Naval Air Force. Upon return from the service, he married Doris Lohr and attended Kent State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1949. He then went on to graduate from the Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law at Western Reserve University in Cleveland with a Bachelor of Law in 1949 and from Case Western Reserve University with a Juris Doctorate Degree in 1968.

Judge Rice was a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, Trumbull County Bar Association (past President), Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, American Judicature Society, Association of Ohio County Court Judges, and the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity. He volunteered for the Brookfield Township Fire Department, in addition to being a member and past President of the Hubbard Optimist Club and past Lt. Governor of Optimist International. Ray was a past President of the Shenango Valley Chamber of Commerce and served on the Trumbull County Council on Alcoholism. He was a past President Scoutmaster for Troop 62 of Boy Scouts of America and past member of the Executive Board of the French Creek Council No. 532 of Boy Scouts of America. He served as chairman of the Brookfield Township Trustees' Proposed Incorporation Committee as well as the Citizens Committee on Teachers' Salaries for the Brookfield Board of Education.

Judge Rice and his wife raised four children: Ray J. Rice, Jr., Attorney Ronald James Rice, Attorney Teresa Rice Daugherty, and Mrs. Patricia E. Inskeep.

Jonathan David Sawtelle graduated from Brookfield High School in 1998. He was an Advanced Placement English student and he lettered in cross country, track, and band.

He was awarded an Air Force ROTC scholarship to study meteorology at the University of North Dakota where he also earned a music scholarship. In 2003, he graduated with a B.S. in atmospheric sciences, minoring in mathematics and music. He was awarded the University's Top Music Composition of the Year in 2002 and 2003.

After graduation, he commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force and was stationed in Germany in support of US and NATO operations in Europe and Africa. Upon promotion to Captain, he earned the distinguished graduate award for the Air Force's Squadron Officer's School.

In 2005, Jonathan was selected to become a special operations officer to plan and conduct high-risk missions in Afghanistan. He completed four tours to Afghanistan from 2006-2011, and was interviewed for a highly publicized feature for NBC and The Weather Channel.

On 2008, he earned a Masters of Arts in Diplomacy from Norwich University. He was awarded #1 Company Grade Weather Officers in the US Air Force. 

In 2010, he was a Distinguished Graduate of Air Force Squadron Officers' School. He ranked in the top 3% of 400 graduates.

In 2012, Jonathan was handpicked to become an Aide-de-Camp for the top Air Force Three-Star General in charge of all Air Force Special Operations. From there he was sent to a fully-funded graduate school and published a book entitled Resilient, Effective, Adaptable Leadership which is used by military and business leaders across the US, Europe, and Africa to cultivate teams better-prepared for crisis response.

In 2016, Jonathan was selected by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force to become a Fellow at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - traveling and meeting the people behind game-changing science and technology efforts that create a nationwide ecosystem of laboratories, academia, and the defense industry.

Today, Jonathan is an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who represents the Four Star Commanding General of the US Special Operations Command to the US Congress. Responsible for cultivating relationships across the House of Representatives and the Senate, Jonathan advocates for a $13 billion portfolio that organizes, trains, and equips our nation's elite special operations forces.

Jonathan resides in Arlington, VA, near the National Cemetery where several of his dear comrades lie in rest. He and his wife, a fellow Air Force officer, have three children.