Alumnae

Alumnae Awards

Honoring Our Alumnae's Achievements

Throughout the past 130 years, more than 18,200 young women have walked through the doors of Saint Joseph Academy. Young women who turn into accomplished alumnae for us to admire and aspire to be. Each year, we celebrate the accomplishments of our amazing alumnae on the field, in the office, in their church and in their everyday lives.

Distinguished Alumna

The Distinguished Alumna Award was established in 1990 to recognize the achievements of our Nazareth Academy, Saint Therese Academy and Saint Joseph Academy graduates. Honorees are chosen for their service to Catholic education, their church, their community and to women's leadership causes; service in their chosen vocation; living out the mission and philosophy of their Alma Mater; achievements or special recognition in their career or volunteer work. The nominee must have graduated from one of the Academies for fifteen or more years, and their achievements in their personal life or career must reflect the pursuit of excellence instilled and inspired by the Congregation of St. Joseph.

Beginning in 2016, the Distinguished Alumna Award is presented during Saint Joseph Academy's "Celebrate the Academy" gala. The 2021 Distinguished Alumna Award recognizes the hard work and contributions of Rebecca Dessoffy Bennett ’91! 

Rebecca Dessoffy Bennett ’91

Video Archives

Previous Honorees

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  • 1990

    †Mary Fournier Bill ’42
    †Donna Hawk, CSJ N’60
    Nancy Wilkes McCann ’59
    Pearl Mackert Olearcik T’45
    Peggy Murphy Widder ’65
    †Rosemary Smith ’39

    †=deceased

  • 1992

    Corita Ambro, CSJ '53 
    †Eileen Murray Dooley T'43
    Mary Lou Wasmer Durkin '54
    †Vivian Habrat N'64 
    Christine A. Quinn Janicki, MD '63

    †=deceased

  • 1994

    †Brigid Griffin, CSJ '42
    Karen Hren Kleinhenz N'71
    †Mary Westerhold Masten T'43 
    Martha Walther '72

    †=deceased

  • 1996

    Nancy Conway, CSJ '65 
    Mary Ann Corrigan-Davis '71 
    Mary Ann Fischer '66
    †Agnes Roche Lanning '45 
    †Catherine Pinkerton, CSJ '39 
    †Mary Sheila Sweeney, CSJ '40

    †=deceased

  • 1998

    Jacqui Bishop-Klee N'77
    †Kathleen Carey, CSJ '49 
    †Karen Coughlin '66 
    †Mary Patrick Hastings, CSJ '40 
    Kathy Marsh Wintour '70 
    Mary Lou Vrnak Stricklin '61

    †=deceased

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  • 2000

    Rosemary Haas Cochran '41 
    †Dorothy Durkin Egan '47
    †Marie Fillo, CSJ '59 
    Constance Fulgenzi Buran N'72
    Ann Marie Kelly, OSU '49
    Leah Gary N'71

    †=deceased

  • 2002

    †Mary McQuaid Doyle '50 
    Eileen Reynolds Durante '60 
    Anne Dellinger Flannelly N'70 
    Doris Gottemoeller, RSM '53 
    †Michael Francis Hearon, OSU T'29
    † Florence Murphy Lackamp '19

    †=deceased

  • 2004

    Maura Corrigan '65 
    Mary Jordan '79 
    Kathleen Kilbane, CSJ '52 
    Ruth Koehl '54 
    Roberta Joecken Schaidt N'70

  • 2006

    Sheila Donnelly MD '66 
    †Ann Quinn Doran '48 
    Nora Hennessy '80 
    Sally Bubnick Niklas N'60 
    †Patricia Twohig, CSJ '60

    †=deceased

  • 2008

    Mary Ellen Egan N'74 
    Linda Kane '75 
    Felicia Petruziello, CSJ '56 
    †Mary Berry Reynolds '32
    Rita Bontempo Thiron '70

    †=deceased

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  • 2010

    †Jeanne Knoerle, S.P., Ph.D. '45 
    Katherine (Kay) Lockwood Allen, Esq. '51
    Catherine (Cathy) Lanning Knittel '67
    Maureen Brady Johnson '69 
    Linda Quinn, Ph.D. '79

    †=deceased

  • 2012

    Patricia Kozak, CSJ '64 
    Cathy Witt '68 
    Deborah Ghazoul-Mills, MD '79
    Colleen Gallagher Thomas, CAPT. NC USN '82 
    Natalie Leek '85

  • 2014

    Joan Dever Conrad ’49
    Joyce Mone Barra ’67
    The Honorable Geraldine Soat Brown ’68
    Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor N’69

  • 2016

  • 2017

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25 Under 35 Awards

Saint Joseph Academy’s "25 Under 35" awards program celebrates the Academy’s alumnae who are under 35 years of age and are making a difference in their communities. Established in honor of Saint Joseph Academy’s 125th anniversary, this event celebrates our young alumnae for living the mission of the Academy and embodying the character of a Saint Joseph Academy graduate in their personal and professional endeavors.

The health and safety of our alumnae and school community remains our top priority. As many of the honorees would be traveling from out of state, the Alumnae Department does not feel comfortable hosting this special event at this time. For that reason, the event will be postponed until June 2021.

This year's honorees have been selected. Thank you for your nominations.

2020 Honorees

Mary Grace Adler '08
Katie Bartholomew '04
Taylor Whisler Bellan '10
Maggie Berry '10
Samantha Billittier '13
Elizabeth Campion '08
Melissa Campbell Caranfa '09
Brianna Dombo '13
 
Alexandra Ehrett '12
Emily Frost '10
Megan Mayer Gaskin '04
Emily Gehring '06
Kayte Tuleta Gorski '10
Maura Heffernan '09
Laura Kalynchuk '12
Samantha Manzuk '09
Maureen Martin '10
Karen McGraw '13
Michelle Roman '13
Katie Speice Schiau '12
Megan Seaman '11
Ellen Skonce '11
Bridget Smith '08
Bride Sweeney '10
Julie Booker Verlei '04

Photo Archives

Previous Honorees

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  • 2019

    Lauren Adler ’07
    Jazmin Bailey ’07
    Maureen (Mo) Bole ’10
    Nora Conway ’09
    Meghan Crute ’02
    Emily Cunningham ’04
    Emily Kollin ’06
    Rebecca Kostell ’08
    Gabriella Kreuz ’10
    Sarah Link ’06
    Holly Lovey ’10
    Celine Mangan ’12
    Julie Marlowe ’05
    Laura McCarty Waryk ’07
    Jennifer Murphy ’06
    May Nacion ’03
    Analise Ondrejech Neumore ’02
    Carolyn Conway Novak ’06
    Christina Pintenich ’09
    Kelly Shea Quigley ’09
    Sarah Roman ’10
    Sabrina Semidey ’11
    Meghan Hennessey Shimmin ’06
    Elizabeth Viccarone ’09
    Sarah Welch ’03

  • 2018

    Nancy Abdelshahid Baker ’09
    Erin Barrett ’06
    Katherine Bej ’09
    Rachel Bonoan ’06
    Tori Brenneison ’04
    Brooke Danforth ’09
    Carmen Dvorak ’03
    †Darcy Egan ’09
    Kristen Herrmann Fink ’09
    Claire Foley ’09
    Krystle George-Kearns ’05
    Therese Greco ’09
    Alex Borsuk Hasenohr ’07
    Laura Jacobs ’09
    Mary E. Klecka ’02
    Erica Krasienko ’09
    Angel Lett ’02
    Arianne Lovey ’09
    Maggie McGuire ’09
    Abby Millar ’09
    Clare Ogonek ’09
    Natalie Rodriquez ’06
    Julie Seman ’09
    Emily Rose Smith ’09
    Maureen Wolf ’09

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  • 2017

    Anne Bernat ’04
    Katherine Colborn ’10
    Susan Cullen ’04
    Sarah Ginty Edington ’08
    Brenna Fasko ’02
    Jacqueline Gonzales ’03
    Brooke Hamilton ’09
    Kara Isabella ’08
    Lauren Kluth ’09
    Leah Baxendale Kozlowski ’03
    Amanda Kaserman Leininger ’07
    Rebecca Mahall Leiter ’02
    Meredith McGuire ’09
    Emily McGuirk ’03
    Maisie Regotti Mitchell ’07
    Emily Paskert ’02
    Kathe Pocker ’10
    Lisa Sanniti ’03
    Laura Schlecht ’02
    Tracy Carr Schwab ’04
    Beth Phillips Synk ’03
    Jennifer Moloney Taylor ’06
    Alaina Manning Wagner ’06
    Mary Wallenhorst ’08
    Eileen Wyza ’09

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  • 2016

    Erin Adler ’06
    Emily Lusk Battle ’04
    Sarah Billittier ’11
    Rebecca Ivic Britt ’02
    Sylvia Olaszek Brochue ’00
    Emma Cleary ’09
    Ginger Margevicius Fiscella ’00
    Kelly Heilman ’08
    Lisa Abraham Hoekenga ’00
    Allison Jarus ’05
    Nora Kelly ’01
    Caroline Kelly Kessler ’00
    Kelly Glasenapp Lisy ’04
    Rachel Mistur ’02
    LauraAnn Moore ’99
    Chelsea Mullarkey ’07
    Alyssa Phillips Nadin ’04
    Fadia Nemeh ’02
    Moline Prak Pandiyan ’03
    Katherine Mone Patton ’02
    Beth Rath ’04
    Deirdre Rossman ’10
    Laura Simna ’03
    Amanda Waltos ’10
    Sophia Weinmann ’07

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  • 2015

    Sandy Abraham ’03
    Kate Andrejcak ’06
    Alison Barberic ’01
    Allison Busser ’04
    Maureen Clark ’05
    Liz Conway ’99
    Christine Dersi Davis ’03
    Eileen Dorsey ’01
    Meghan Fibbi ’05
    Krista Freeman ’07
    Emily Hanson ’99
    Elizabeth Looney ’02
    Megan Lowes ’09
    Hannah McGlynn ’07
    Gina Morris Tohme ’99
    Ashley Nemeh ’06
    Claire Occhionero ’06
    Renee Rawlings ’06
    Emily Roach ’02
    Meghan Roach Kapp ’01
    Kathryn Rybarczyk ’02
    Ellen Setzer ’08
    Margaret Sweeney Kresser ’03
    Emily Tarr ’07
    Shannon Tomek ’08

Athletic Hall of Fame

The Saint Joseph Academy Athletic Hall of Fame was created to recognize the contributions of individuals instrumental in the growth and excellence of the athletic traditions and standards of Saint Joseph Academy Athletics throughout the past 35 years.

In 2019, Saint Joseph Academy added four new members to the Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame comprised of Katie Berry ’07, Katie Lehane Koehl ’06, Kate Rybarczyk ’02 and Colleen Gallagher Thomas ’82.

2019 Honorees

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  • Katie Berry ’07

    Katie Berry ’07 was a four-year varsity letter winner in basketball and was a four-time Most Valuable Player (MVP). During her time at Saint Joseph Academy, she was named All-District three times. She served as a team captain for three seasons and earned All-Ohio Honorable Mention Honors her Senior season. She played collegiately at Walsh University and was into the Walsh University Athletic Hall of Fame as well. At Walsh University she was a 1,000-point scorer, named First-Team All-Conference and earned All-American honors while helping lead her team to the NAIA Final Four as a Senior. Her Walsh University uniform was displayed in the ring of honor at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 to recognize her outstanding play during the 2010-2011 season.

  • Katie Lehane Koehl ’06

    Katie Lehane Koehl ’06 will join her sister in the Saint Joseph Academy Hall of Fame as Sarah Lehane Walsh ’05 was inducted in 2015. Katie earned 12 varsity letters during her time at the Academy, lettering all four years in volleyball, basketball and track & field.  In volleyball, she was a team captain as a Junior and Senior while also earning team MVP honors her Sophomore, Junior and Senior seasons. She also earned Second-Team All-District honors as a Junior and Senior. In basketball, she was a two-time All-District Second-Team selection and was the team MVP her Senior season. As a member of the track & field team, she earned letters all four seasons competing in the sprints and jumps.

  • Kate Rybarczyk ’02

    Kate Rybarczyk ’02 was an outstanding thrower for the track & field team during her time at Saint Joseph Academy. She was a four-year letter winner for the Jaguars and still holds the Academy’s record in the discus with a mark of 129’2″ in 2002. During her Junior year, she finished third at the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) District meet to advance to regionals for the first time. She was named the Jaguars’ Most Outstanding Field Athlete that season. She came back her Senior year and earned the track & field team Award for MVP and Most Outstanding Field Athlete. She finished in fourth place at the Regional meet in the discus to advance to the State meet for the first time, where she finished sixth overall in the state.

  • Capt. Colleen Gallagher Thomas ’82 NC, USN (Ret.)

    Capt. Colleen Gallagher Thomas ’82 NC, USN (Ret.) was unofficially the first Saint Joseph Academy athlete to play four years of three different sports, lettering 10 times over that span. She was a four-year letter winner in softball all four years while lettering three times in basketball and three times in volleyball. Her Senior year, she was a captain for all three teams she played on. As a basketball player, she earned Honorable Mention honors by The Plain Dealer as both a Junior and Senior while earning team MVP honors and receiving recognition as a GCCGAC (Greater Cleveland Catholic Girls Athletic Association) All-Star her senior year. In softball, she earned GCCGAC All-Star honors and was named team MVP as a Senior. In college, she was a member of the Villanova University Women’s Basketball Team.