Alan C. Miller is the founder of the News Literacy Project, the leading provider of news literacy education in the country. He helped launch the field of news literacy when he started NLP in 2008. NLP’s award-winning nonpartisan resources are being used in all 50 states. After more than 14 years leading the organization, Alan relinquished the CEO role in July 2022 but remains active with NLP. He previously had a distinguished journalism career at The Times Union in Albany, NY, The Record in Hackensack, NJ, and the Los Angeles Times, where he worked for 21 years, primarily in the paper’s Washington bureau. He received more than a dozen national reporting honors, including the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series on the dangers of the Marine Corps’ Harrier attack jet. His reports on illegal contributions from foreign nationals to the Democratic National Committee in 1996 won the George Polk Award, the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting and the Investigative Reporters and Editors Medal. In June, during the East-West Center’s International Media Conference, Alan received its award for Journalists of Courage and Impact, which "recognizes the contributions of exceptional journalists from across the Asia-Pacific region." He also won the 2022 EWC Distinguished Alumni Award from the Center and the 2022 AARP Purpose Prize, and was named one of the 2020 Washingtonians of the Year. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, Alan received a master’s degree in political science from the University of Hawaii. Inducted 2024

Robert Hoffer, renowned as the "Botfather," has made unparalleled contributions to the technology and AI industries through his groundbreaking inventions and visionary insights. As a co-founder of Colloquis, Hoffer developed SmarterChild, the first commercially viable AI chatbot for instant messaging. This pioneering innovation transformed human-computer interaction, laying the foundation for modern virtual assistants and conversational AI technologies that are prevalent in today's digital landscape. The success of SmarterChild and its subsequent acquisition by Microsoft for $46 million underscore the strategic significance of Hoffer's work. SmarterChild, Hoffer,'s invention is widely considered the progenitor of all modern chatbots - from Siri and Alexa to ChatGPT. Hoffer's inventive prowess extends beyond AI chatbots to include the development of the first online directory services, interstitial advertising, and web-based scratch-off games. These innovations have become integral components of digital marketing and online engagement strategies, highlighting his extensive influence on the tech industry. His philosophy of "everything old is new again" reflects his approach to repurposing and evolving existing ideas to create transformative technologies. Notably, Hoffer was among the earliest to raise concerns and ring the alarm bell about the dangers of AI, advocating for the necessity to "give bots a soul" and warning of the potential risks inherent in chatbot technologies. His foresight into the ethical and societal implications of AI remains pertinent as the industry continues to grapple with and navigate these ethical challenges. Robert Hoffer's legacy is defined not only by his technological innovations but also by his profound impact on shaping the discourse around the future of AI and digital communication cementing his place in computer science history and its future. Rob has 3 children, Nathan, Abigail, and Rebecca. He is an avid yachtsman and enjoys playing guitar, photography, and traveling. He resides in Miami Beach but also maintains residences in New York, San Francisco, and Cannes, France. Inducted 2024.

Libby Geist Wildes, RHS Class of '98, is responsible for overseeing all documentaries and docuseries as President of Words + Pictures. Since she started at W+P in 2021, the company has produced and sold projects to HBO, Netflix, AppleTV+, Amazon and ESPN including two-time Emmy winner, SuperLeague: The War For Football and Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story which premiered at Sundance earlier this year. Prior to joining W+P, Libby worked as the vice president & executive producer of ESPN Films, overseeing all projects under the ESPN Films banner including “30 for 30,” docuseries, podcasts, and short films, as well as original content on ESPN+. During her 12 years at ESPN, she pushed the company’s long-form storytelling to new heights, launching “30 for 30 Podcasts,” creating “Nine for IX,” and serving as the executive producer of groundbreaking projects including The Last Dance and O.J.: Made in America, which won an Academy Award in 2017. Geist now lives in Rye, NY with her husband, two sons. Inducted 2024

Ajay J. Kirtane, MD, SM, is Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital/CUMC. Dr. Kirtane is an internationally renowned leader in Interventional Cardiology, specializing in the care of patients with complex coronary and peripheral vascular disease. In addition to his clinical commitments, Dr. Kirtane has a strong interest in clinical education and research, serving as Chief Academic Officer of Columbia Interventional Cardiovascular Care, and as director of several international, national, and regional educational conferences in Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Kirtane's research interests are in clinical trials and outcomes of device-based and pharmacologic interventions in Interventional Cardiology. He is/has been Principal Investigator and serves on the steering committees of numerous clinical trials in interventional cardiovascular medicine. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Bergen County, New Jersey, Dr. Kirtane is a graduate of Ridgewood High School, Princeton University, and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and completed his residency/chief residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California — San Francisco. He then completed fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease and Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Intervention at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center / Harvard Medical School and additionally obtained a Masters of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health prior to moving back to Columbia. In his free time, Dr. Kirtane has avid interests in sports and music, and lives in New Jersey with his family. Inducted 2022

Groundbreaking performer Ali Stroker won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Ado Annie in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! She made history as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway when she originated the role of Anna in Deaf West's acclaimed 2015 revival of Spring Awakening. Ms. Stroker is also the first actress in a wheelchair to graduate from NYU's Tisch drama program. She starred in 12 episodes of the talent competition The Glee Project, which led to a guest role on Fox's Glee. She then recurred in the Kyra Sedgwick ABC series Ten Days in the Valley, and she has guest-starred on Fox's Lethal Weapon, CBS's Instinct, and Comedy Central's Drunk History. Ms. Stroker earned a Barrymore Award nomination for starring as Olive in The Twenty-Fifth Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. In addition to her work on and off-Broadway, she has soloed at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., New York's Town Hall, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Ms. Stroker has been a co-chair of Women Who Care, which supports United Cerebral Palsy of New York City. She co-founded Be More Heroic, an anti-bullying campaign that tours the country connecting with thousands of students each year. In addition, she has led theater workshops for South African women and children affected by HIV and AIDS with the group ARTS Inside Out. Ms. Stroker's dedication to improving lives through the arts, disabled or not, is captured in her motto: ”Making Your Limitations Your Opportunities.” Inducted 2022

Carole G. Jones, D.V. M. graduated from Ridgewood High School as a member of the Class of 1981. Prior to her untimely death in March 2014, she had been a practicing veterinarian in Bergen County for nineteen years. Jones received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Ramapo College and then in 1994 earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama. She also participated in the Master's Program for Biology at Montclair State University, including teaching various biology courses, prior to attending Tuskegee University. Before matriculating into veterinary school, she worked as a veterinarian technician at several practices. She also was an assistant scientist in veterinary emergency medicine at Hoffman La Roche prior to attending veterinary school. During the summer between academic years of veterinary school, she worked at the Animal Emergency Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she learned to be a first-line provider responsible for initiating resuscitation and stabilization, starting investigations and interventions to diagnose and treat illnesses in the acute phase, and determining disposition regarding patients' need for hospital admission, observation, or discharge. This experience proved to be invaluable in her career. She spent the majority of her time in practice at Wayne Animal Hospital where she was known as a first rate diagnostician and surgeon. Her focus was her clients; she treated them as if they were her pets. She would often spend nights at the hospital if an animal in a dire situation was brought in or to monitor a client's vitals after surgery. Telephone calls or texting with clients late into the night and early morning hours was a common activity. In addition to her dedication to her practice, she volunteered her surgery skills at spay and neuter clinics, animal refuges and free rabies clinics. A co-worker remarked, "She was a true doctor in every sense." Carole loved animals and the practice of veterinary medicine and her clients respected her for her acumen, ability, generosity, and integrity. Inducted 2016.

ommander Catherine M. Buckley graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1929 and The College of New Rochelle in 1933. She attended Officers Candidate School at Smith College and was commissioned as an ensign as one of the earliest female Naval Officers in U.S. History. She served the nation in World War II and continued her military service during the Korean War. Commander Buckley received several military decorations including the Naval Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal and the Naval Reserve Medal. Commander Buckley's image was used nationwide on a poster as a recruitment tool. Commander Buckley serves as an inspiration to Ridgewood High School students as a result of her extraordinary achievements. Commander Buckley was a pioneer. Inducted 2008.

Charles L. Brown was a graduate of the Class of 1939. After high school he attended the University of Virginia in 1943 with a degree in electrical engineering. He honorably served in the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard the Battleship U.S.S. Mississippi, where he was discharged in 1946 as a Lieutenant. After leaving the military, he joined AT&T Long Lines Department in Hartford, Connecticut. He worked at AT&T for more than 40 years, serving as Chairman and CEO from 1979 to 1986. The University of Virginia characterized Charles Brown as a person who exemplified Jeffersonian ideals as an ethical, intelligent, and creative leader. Inducted 2008.

Chris Economaki is a legendary Motorsports commentator, Pit Road reporter and journalist. He started his illustrious career at age 13, selling copies of National Speed Sport News newspapers. He began his writing career with a column called "The Editor's Notebook" which he still authors more than 50 years later. He became a track announcer at a number of major races and is regarded as the Dean of American Motorsports. Mr. Economaki covered most of the "ABC Wide World of Sports" motor sports events and after 23 years switched to CBS. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in America in 1994. Inducted 2008.

Dave Duffield is an enterprise software entrepreneur who founded six companies, including two that grew to be publicly traded global business leaders, PeopleSoft and Workday. He is currently the founder and CEO of Ridgeline, a startup building a software platform for the investment management industry. Dave is known for making employees and customer service a top priority, and his companies are known for their focus on core values and strong people-based cultures. He is a father of 10, grandfather of 9, husband, and philanthropist. His first family foundation, Maddie's Fund, is a leading nationwide influencer and supporter of innovative solutions in animal welfare. His current foundation, the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, supports his local community, veterans, and companion animal welfare. He has a special interest in giving back to the educational institutions that provided him with an exceptional experience. In addition to supporting the Duffield STEAM Initiative at Ridgewood High School, Dave is the benefactor behind Duffield Hall, one of the country's most sophisticated research and teaching facilities for nanoscale science and engineering at Cornell University, where Dave earned a B.S. in electrical engineering ('62) and an MBA ('64). While at Ridgewood High School, Dave received the top math award for the Class of 1958 (a new slide rule), threw the first no-hitter in school history, and was named a New Jersey All-State (Honorable Mention) baseball pitcher. Inducted 2022.

Deborah Thomas has worked in the field of higher education for over thirty years. After graduating from Middlebury College, she began her career at Bates College as Assistant Dean of Students and Foreign Student Advisor. She then worked as a Foundation Associate at the Rhode Island Foundation, reviewing grant proposals from nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island in the areas of health, historic preservation and environment, education, arts and cultural activities, and social services. From 1982-1999, Dr. Thomas was Associate Dean of the Graduate School and Lecturer in America Studies and African American Studies at Yale University. As Associate Dean she oversaw the administration of graduate education leading to the MA, MPhil and PhD. degrees, academic planning, the awarding of fellowships and grants, and the recruitment of underrepresented students. A high point of her career at Yale was her work as a member of the Yale Corporation Fact-Finding Delegation to South Africa which led to the establishment of new educational initiatives. As a member of the Yale College Faculty, she taught courses in American Civilization, American Literature and Women's Studies and advised students majoring in these fields. In 1999, she was asked to take on a number of university-wide projects as Associate Secretary of the University and Assistant to the President, including the President's Council on International Affairs. She retired from Yale in 2004, after 33 years of service. She continued her work in higher education as a member of the Board of Trustees of Middlebury College, beginning in 2004. As a Board member, she chaired the College Board of Overseers and the Educational Affairs Committee. She was a member of the Presidential Search Committee. She retired from the Middlebury College Board in 2019 as a Charter Trustee, after 15 years of service. She attended public school in Ridgewood, NJ. She graduated in 1971 from Ridgewood High School, a year earlier than the rest of her class, in order to start her freshmen year at Middlebury College. She earned a BA degree in American Studies and American Literature from Middlebury College, followed by MA and PhD degrees in American Civilization from Brown University. She is the recipient of a number of honors, including a Dorothy Danforth Compton Fellowship from Brown University, the Women's Campaign School at Yale, and, most recently, she was inducted into the National Edward Alexander Boucher Graduate Honor Society. She has deep roots in the Ridgewood community. Her mother, brothers and numerous other family members graduated from Ridgewood public schools. Her father, Wesley C. Thomas, served on the Ridgewood Board of Education. Her family believed not only in the importance of education, but community service. She continues that tradition through her involvement in the local community. She is member of a community service organization, The Links, Inc., has served on the Whitney Center Board, a senior living facility, and, along with her husband James, served on the Capital Campaign Committee for the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale. Inducted 2022.

David Coward recieved his Bachelor of Engineering Physics from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in Physics from Stanford University. An experimental physicist at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), he made indispensable contributions to the SLAC-MIT experiments that discovered the quark structure of the proton and neutron. The 1990 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for his work. As a member of CERN's NA31 Collaboration, he shared the 2005 European Physics Society High Energy and Particle Physics Prize. He is now Physicist Emeritus at Stanford University. Inducted 2008.

Edwin Walter Hays graduated from Ridgewood High School as a member of the Class of 1942. He excelled as an athlete on the gridiron and baseball diamond. Edwin joined the U.S. Army Air Corps four months after graduating from Ridgewood High School. After receiving his training, he was sent to England where he joined the 95th Bomb Group of the Army's 8th Air Force. Edwin was the tail gunner of the B-17 flying fortress named "Just Elmer's Tune." His plane was shot down by Germans on February 24, 1944, and Edwin became a prisoner of war and was taken to Stalag Luft 6 in East Prussia. On May 13, 1945, Edwin and his comrades were released and transported back to the United States. Edwin Hays is a Ridgewood hero. His courage and perseverance serve as an extraordinary role model for our students. Many call him the All American Boy who provided us with a lesson in courage. Inducted 2008.

Elizabeth Hawes graduated Ridgewood High School as a member of the Class of 1921. She was an American clothing designer, outspoken critic of the fashion industry, author, union organizer, and political activist. Hawes graduated from Vassar College in 1925 and moved to Paris to begin her career in fashion. Hawes began working at a dressmaker shop and in 1926 became a sketcher for a New York manufacturer of mass-produced clothing. She then became a full-time fashion correspondent for the Cosmos Newspaper Syndicate, contributing to a regular article that appeared in the New York Post and other large newspapers. This led to a regular column for the New Yorker under the nom de plume"Parisite", which ran for three years. She worked as a fashion buyer for Macy's and as a stylist in Lord and Taylor's Paris offices. Moving back to New York in 1928, Hawes opened a design house under her own name, and in 1932 had the distinction of being the first American designer, of either gender, to hold a fashion show in Paris. Hawes is one of a very select few who are credited with the invention of what we know today as American Sportswear. She believed the modern American woman did not need to be restricted to the confines of the dictates of Parisian fashion, and espoused the notion that clothing should be comfortable, and championed the idea of individual style over fashion. In the 1940's Hawes slowly began to move away from her design business, and move toward a more involved role in labor unions as both a union organizer and columnist for the Detroit Free Press. She became a very vocal proponent for worker's rights and fair employment practices, particularly the fact that women were being unfairly underpaid for doing the same jobs as their male counterparts. Because of her beliefs, Hawes was blacklisted for her allegedly Communist work, and was never able to regain the stature and success she had achieved during the 1920s and 1930s. Elizabeth Hawes is the author of nine books. Inducted 2016.

From an early calling in New York as a Big Band/Jazz Musician and Recording Artist, to a successful career as a Hollywood Screenwriter, Gordon 'Whitey' Mitchell has written for such hit televisions shows as Get Smart, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, The Odd Couple, Good Times, The Bob Hope Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mork & Mindy, and many more. As a musician, he's played with Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Andre Previn, Mel Torme, and many others. Whitey has released a CD of his work, entitled "Just in Time" and he has also published two books: Star Walk: A Guide to the Palm Springs Walk of Stars and Hackensack to Hollywood: My Two Show Business Careers, which is his autobiography. Inducted 2008.

Bio

Jennifer Klot has devoted her career to addressing the political security and development dimensions of HIV/AIDS, child rights, and gender issues through her work with the United Nations and with a wide range of non-governmental organizations in the U.S. and South Africa. She is a Senior Advisor for the Social Science Research Council in New York, where she is responsible for directing two major global research initiatives on HIV/AIDS and on Gender and Security. Ms. Klot has worked tirelessly to advance women's human rights for 20 years and she has served at the United Nations for 10 years. Inducted 2008.

Jim Stroker, or "Coach" as he is better known, is a second-generation graduate of Ridgewood High School's class of 1970. Coach is a lifelong resident of Ridgewood and followed in his late father Jack's athletic footsteps by becoming an accomplished three-sport athlete, achieving Varsity honors in baseball, basketball and football. After High School Coach attended Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, Florida and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education in 1975, followed by a Master's degree in Athletic Administration from Springfield University in 1979. After graduate school Coach returned home and began his teaching career in 1980 as a health and wellness teacher at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, where he taught for 36 years until his retirement in 2016. Throughout the course of his career, Coach impacted hundreds if not thousands of students' lives with his new, ever changing and innovative teaching strategies including integrating yoga and meditation into his classroom to help his students develop more mindful responses to the challenges of life. He is also credited with implementing several recognized and award-winning programs for students throughout his career to combat drugs and obesity, as well as clubs to help kids learn the importance of physical fitness. One of Coach's greatest gifts to his students was his willingness and availability to be there for them as they needed, and his teaching stretched far beyond the classroom. Some of his most treasured teaching moments was working with those students with "different abilities," a phrase coined by his daughter Ali, who along with her brother Jake, were severely injured in a car accident in 1989. Jim was later presented with the Paskalides Award for Outstanding Courage in the aftermath of the serious car accident. Coach continues to credit his three children Jake, Ali, and Tori with helping him find inspiration through their strength and success. In addition to teaching, Jim began his coaching career at RHS as the head coach for both the Freshmen football team and the Freshmen Boy's Basketball teams. He later served as the RHS Varsity Men's Basketball Coach for 18 years, having compiled the most wins in that position in the school's history. He had innumerable coaching victories, most notably leading the 2005 men's basketball team to the Group 4, Section 1 State Championship Title. Coach also served as an Assistant Coach for the RHS Varsity Football team for half of his career. Coach Stroker received numerous awards during his distinguished teaching and coaching career. He was named Teacher of the Year at BF Middle School in 2011 and was inducted into the New Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame. Currently, Coach Stroker can be found using his unique gift to craft and deliver inspirational and educational keynote seminars and trainings that resonate with audiences ranging from Fortune 500 CEO's to thousands of high school students throughout the country, as well as Nonprofits, Military, Gaming Associations, Healthcare Practitioners and Native American Leaders. He speaks on various topics including how gratitude can impact daily performance and behavior. Over the summer months you will find Coach each morning teaching core training and yoga on the beach in Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Inducted 2018.

John Poole, MD is a multi-generational graduate of Ridgewood High School, graduating in 1974. John Poole's Mom, his four Grandparents, and his Great Grandparents all lived in Ridgewood. He met his future wife, Louise D'Aiutolo, as a tenth grade student at Ridgewood High School. They were married in 1978 and raised their three children Leila, Jack and Laura, in Louise's childhood home in Ridgewood. Leila, Jack and Laura all graduated from Ridgewood High School. Upon completing his residency, John Poole, MD returned to Ridgewood and began his General Surgical practice at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. John Poole, MD has also been affiliated with the following hospitals throughout his thirty-year career: Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, Pascack Valley Hospital, formerly located in Westwood and Bergen Pines Hospital, currently known as New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus. He is currently on staff at Holy Name Medical Center and Hackensack University Medical Center. John Poole, MD is President-Elect of the Medical Society of New Jersey and will be inaugurated on May 5, 2018. He is actively involved in the American Medical Association (AMA), serving as Chair of the NJ delegation to the AMA. He served on the Board of Directors of the political action committee of the AMA. He previously served as Director of the Department of Surgery at Holy Name Medical Center from 2011 to 2012. John Poole, MD has served on the Medical Executive Committee of Holy Name Medical Center since 1993. He currently serves as President of the Medical Staff of Holy Name Medical Center. John Poole, MD is passionate about medical advocacy for both his profession and his patients. He believes we have an opportunity to reform the health care system to deliver quality care to more patients at lower cost. John Poole, MD attributes much of his success to the foundation he received as a student in the Ridgewood school system. John Poole, MD has expressed gratitude toward the many excellent teachers who taught both him and his family. Inducted 2018.

Kim Ng graduated as a member of the Class of 1986. After graduating Ridgewood High School she attended the University of Chicago where she studied Economics and Public Policy. She anchored the University of Chicago's Softball Team and was a star player. After graduating the University of Chicago, she served as an intern with the Chicago White Sox. After five years with the White Sox, Ms. Ng became an Assistant General Manager with the New York Yankees in a male-dominated position. After eight years with the New York Yankees, she was recruited to be the Assistant General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kim Ng is a role model for all young females. She is paving the way for female leaders in major league baseball. Kim is an inspiration to to leaders of both genders. Inducted 2008.

Colonel Kim Daub graduated from Ridgewood High School as a member of the Class of 1985. She is currently a Colonel in the United States Army, and presently is the first female Brigade Commander of the 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Daub received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from Bucknell University in 1989. Upon graduation, she was commissioned in the United States Army Ordnance Corps. Her military schooling includes the Ordnance Officers Basic and Advanced Courses, the US Army Command and General Staff College and the War College at The Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. She holds two Masters of Science Degrees, one in Logistics Management from the Naval Postgraduate School and the other in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University. She has previously served in various capacities, including numerous overseas deployments. Some of her previous assignments include Platoon Leader, 647th Maintenance Company in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Battalion S1, and Commander of Bravo Company, 626th Forward Support Battalion, 101st Airborne Division; Brigade S4, 501st MI Brigade, Yongsan, Korea and Battalion Commander, 87th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Ft. Stewart, GA and during Operation Enduring Freedom X during the surge of 2010.Most recently, she was deployed to Liberia, Africa to assist in containing the Ebola outbreak. She is a highly decorated officer, having received the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Bronze Star Medal, among other notable medals and commendations. Inducted 2016.

MichaelAaron Flicker is a 2001 graduate of Ridgewood High School. During his high school tenure, MichaelAaron was the student representative to the Board of Education and was most proud of starting the Quality of Student Life Committee which reconstructed two high school bathrooms in hopes of reducing graffiti across the school. MichaelAaron won the Irwin B. Somerville Award which is awarded a student who most exemplified the ideals of Ridgewood High School, humanitarianism and giving back. He was also awarded the Arthur Little Scholarship for Young Entrepreneurs and the Derekh Eretz Award from the Jewish Theological Seminary. In high school, he participated in the RHS Marching Band for four years where he played the trombone as a section leader and became the Band Council President his senior year. MichaelAaron graduated from the Honors Program at Boston College in 2005 with dual degrees in Political Science and Philosophy. He created a Quality of Student Life Committee at Boston College which, among other things, brought the New York Times and Boston Globe free to students each day. He wrote his honors thesis, "Discerning Truth - A Life's Journey" on the limits of language and the pursuit of better interpersonal communication. He received a number of academic honors including the National Dean's List, Alpha Sigma Nu - National Jesuit Honors Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, The Order of the Cross and Crown and Boston College's most prestigious civic leadership award, the Brian D. A. Hall Leadership Award. MichaelAaron is the founder and president of XenoPsi, a multi-award winning NYC-based strategic marketing, advertising and business consulting agency that specializes in helping brands tackle their toughest business challenges. XenoPsi excels at bringing innovative thinking to a variety of businesses and MichaelAaron has worked with many of the country's leading brands including Nike, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Chubb, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, ACE Insurance, Evan Williams Bourbon, and Hpnotiq Liqueur. He started XenoPsi as a freshman at Ridgewood High School in his parent's basement and over the past 20 years has grown it to 45 employees. MichaelAaron remains actively involved in the Ridgewood community. He is co-chair of Super Science Saturday - Ridgewood's largest non-competitive academic event which just celebrated its 30th anniversary. MichaelAaron became involved in this program as a third grader and has been co-chairing this community-wide event for 14 years. He also runs the Connor Donohue Music Fellowship which raises and awards money each year to a high school student at further build their love of music and leadership skills. In addition, he chairs the RHS Band Council Alumni Scholarship and the Helen Aslanides Scholarship for Social Justice, honoring one of his favorite teachers at RHS. MichaelAaron is grateful for the education he received at Ridgewood High School and for the wonderful and caring teachers and administrators who inspired his passion for community service. He is also grateful for his loving wife Erika Wasenda, their 7-month old son, Max Theodore Flicker and his friends and family able to celebrate with him today. Inducted 2018.

Peter Kim received his A.B. from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Stanford University. In 2003, Dr. Kim was a renowned professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when he was appointed president of Merck's Research Laboratories. Kim, who has always been interested in treating disease, is recognized as a brilliant scientist. His main interest has been in the structure and function of proteins, the building blocks of all living things and the starting point of the majority of drugs. Inducted 2008.

Sonny Igoe, who was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, started playing the drums when he was only five years old, and at age 16 he won the first Gene Krupa drum contest held on the East Coast. During World War II, while serving four years in the Marine Corps, Sonny advanced his entertainment experience by playing in countless U.S.O. tours and shows. In 1946, Sonny played with the Ina Ray Hutton Orchestra; in 1948 and 1949 with the celebrated “King of Swing” Benny Goodman; and from 1950-1953 he performed with another renowned clarinet player, Woody Herman and his Herd. After a brief stay with the NBC Television Orchestra, Mr. Igoe joined the CBS Television Orchestra, where he remained until 1968, during which time he played for every major TV & Radio show. Among the more notable Variety Shows he performed on during the Golden Age of Television Musical/Variety shows were The Ed Sullivan Show, the Garry Moore Show, the Jackie Gleason Show and Candid Camera. Inducted 2008.

Stephanie J. Jones graduated from Ridgewood High School as a member of the Class of 1977. She has been the deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Transportation since January 2014. Jones received her Bachelor's Degree from Smith College. She then earned her juris doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law where she was a Fellow in the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights and was on the editorial staff of the Human Rights Quarterly. She also attended Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University). From 2010 until her appointment, she was President of Stephanie Jones Strategies LLC, a Washington, DC public affairs and strategic planning firm. From 2005 through 2010, Jones was Executive Director of the National Urban League Policy Institute. Prior to joining the National Urban League staff, Jones was Chief Senate Judiciary Committee Counsel to Senator John Edwards from 2002 to 2005 and Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones from 2000 to 2002. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed her to serve as Secretary Richard Riley's Regional Representative in the U.S. Department of Education (Region V), a position she held for six years. Before entering government service, Jones was an Associate Professor of Law at Northern Kentucky University's Salmon P. Chase College of Law. Inducted 2018.

Steven Mannion graduated from Ridgewood High School as a member of the Class of 1986. He has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey since 2012. Mannion received his Bachelor's Degree from Gettysburg College in 1990. He then earned his juris doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1993. Judge Mannion practiced law for eighteen years in the private and public sectors. He founded Mannion & Associates before becoming a partner at DeCotiisFitzPatrick& Cole from 2001 to 2012 where he represented clients in civil and criminal cases. His public service includes appointments at the state, county, and municipal levels. Notably, he was the State's youngest and first American of African descent to be appointed as a county attorney when appointed Essex County Counsel in 2001. Judge Mannion is also a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, serving in various high level capacities since 2004. As a Lieutenant Commander, his active duty assignments have included service from 2013 to 2014 as the Liaison Officer for the Coast Guard Special Missions Training Center, as well as being mobilized with the New Jersey Naval Militia to provide maritime security in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Judge Mannion has received numerous awards, commendations, and badges. Inducted 2016.

Sybil Gibson graduated from Ridgewood High School as a member of the Class of 1940. Sybil enrolled at he New Jersey College for Women, part of Rutgers University and with the war effort in full force, joined the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). After graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Home Economics in 1944, Sybil was commissioned as Lieutenant Junior Grade. Gibson worked in the communications facility in Washington, D.C. decoding enemy communications, a task that earned her the National Defense Service Medal. Sybil met her husband, Navy Commander Robert C. Gibson, while working as an instructor at the Navy War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Sybil and Robert were married in Glen Rock, New Jersey in 1955 and had three children. Upon her husband's retirement as a Captain in the Navy in 1973, the family moved to Sunriver, Oregon where Sybil played an integral role in developing the fledgling resort community. Sybil was a founding member of the Sunriver Music Festival and served as its President for three years. She also helped start the Sunriver Community Church and the Sunriver Christian Fellowship, serving in leadership positions in both. Inducted 2016.

Thelma Schoonmaker has been working in the film industry for over 30 years and is one of the greatest living film makers. She is a three-time Academy Award winning film editor and she is the "editor of choice" for Martin Scorsese, having edited every one of his films since Raging Bull. She won Oscars for her work on Raging Bull, The Aviator, and The Departed. Ms. Schoonmaker could be considered a pioneer in the world of films, having gained high respect in an industry dominated by men. Inducted 2008.