WEDF looks forward to celebrating the induction of our 13th class of Distinguished Alumni& Friends of the Worcester Public Schools at a banquet in their honor.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
5:30 p.m. Cocktails & Conversation
6:30 p.m. Dinner & Awards Presentation
Hogan Center at the College of the Holy Cross – Worcester, MA
This annual event recognizes former students of the Worcester Public Schools who have distinguished themselves in their chosen career pathways and also recognizes corporations, community agencies, foundations, and other entities that support the Worcester Public Schools.
2024 Honorees
Jason Ardizzone-West – Emmy Award-Winning Stage Designer
Sarah Christie, Esq. – Attorney
Sharyn Eaton – Educator & Performing Artist
Wayne Glazier, MD – Physician & Community Leader
Mari Gonzalez – Community Leader
Bill Murphy – Business Leader, Author & Philanthropist
Monsignor Richard Reidy – Spiritual Leader
Karon Shea
Friend of the Worcester Public Schools
Interested in sponsoring the event or placing an ad or tribute in our Program Book? Please check out opportunities below.
Recent Posts
- WEDF Honors Worcester Public Schools Distinguished Alumni
The Worcester Educational Development Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce the 2024 Distinguished Alumni of the Worcester Public Schools. They are:Jason Ardizzone-West, Doherty Memorial High … - 2024 Nominations Now OpenDo you know a distinguished Worcester Public School Alumnus who is deserving of a nomination? The Worcester Educational Development Foundation is pleased to announce that …
- WEDF Announces Honorees for 12th Annual Distinguished Alumni & Friends of the Worcester Public Schools Awards
The Worcester Educational Development Foundation, Inc. (WEDF) is proud to announce the 2023 Class of Distinguished Alumni of the Worcester Public Schools. A celebration of …
Previous Recipients
2023 Recipients
Woodrow Adams, Jr. – Public Servant & Community Leader
Dimitrios Angelis, M.D. – Cardiologist
Matthew Brown – Business Leader
Maritza Cruz – Community Leader
The Hale Sisters – Entertainers
David Klein – Business Leader
Brian LaRose – Business Leader
Charles Olson (posthumous) – Poet
R. Norman Peters – Real Estate Attorney
Chloe Nester Sundberg – Educator & Artist
Marian Younge, M.D. – Family Medicine
The North High Alumni Association
Friend of The Worcester Public Schools
Holmes-Shusas Florist
Friend of The WEDF
2022 Honorees
Friend of the Worcester Public Schools:
Quinsigamond Community College
Orlando Baxter – Entertainer
Nina Barber and Miriam Barber (posthumous) – Educators
Brian D’Andrea – Attorney / Clerk Magistrate
Lainey Feingold – Disability Rights Lawyer and Author
Rosemary F. Ford – Philanthropist
James Laurie – Journalist and Author
Barbara Abramoff Levy – Musician, Conductor and Historical Interpreter
Aaron Lubowitz – Private Equity and Investment Banker
Sean Mitchell – Public Servant
José Rolón – Public Figure, LGBTQ+ Advocate and Wedding Planner
The Reverend Jonathan Slavinskas – Spiritual and Community Leader
2021 Honorees
Sydney Taylor Brown – Educator/Social Services Leader (posthumous)
Enmanuel “Manny” Familia – Public Safety Hero (posthumous)
John Goldsberry, M.D. – Physician
Mary Beth Bolduc Heffernan – Artist/Professor of Art
Dmitry Kustanovich – Performing Artist
Barry Levenson – Lawyer/Museum Founder & Curator
Stacey Luster – Education Professional/Lawyer
Timothy MacDonald – Health & Wellness Manager
Walter Shea – Business Leader/Community Activist
Friend of the Worcester Public Schools:
College of the Holy Cross
2019 Award Recipients
Matthew Aselton – Entertainment Director
Penelope Bitzas – Performing Artist/Educator
Megan Condron Smith – Investment Professional
Diane Benson Davis – Conservationist
David Greene – Educational Leader
Matt Mattus – Horticulturalist/Author
Lester McCorn – Educational and Spiritual Leader
John Morello (Posthumous) – Decorated War Hero
Donna Olsen Red Wing (Posthumous) – Social Pioneer
Jonathan Starr – Investment Professional/Philanthropist
Friends of the Worcester Public Schools
Fallon Health
2018 Award Recipients
Rabbi Andrew Baker – Scholar and Spiritual Leader
David Brunelle – Business and Civic Leader
Cliff Goodwin – Musician
Edward G. Hyder (posthumously) – Entrepreneur
Steve Joseph – Business Leader
Peter J. Kazanovicz – Ocularist
Robert Moylan, Jr. – Innovative Leader
Jo-anne O’Malley Shepard, MD – Physician
Andrew Ory – Business Leader
Paul Proko – Business Leader
Rev. Richard Trainor – Spiritual Leader
Friends of the Worcester Public Schools
Susan and Cliff Rucker & The Worcester Railers
2022 Program Book
2022-DA-Program-FINAL-small2021 Program Book
DA-Program2021.FINAL-small2019 Program Book
DA-Program20192017 Award Recipients
Jaki Byard – – Musician (posthumously)
Barbara Carroll – – Musician (posthumously)
Dennis Dimitri – – Physician
Kimberly Haddad – – Health Care Leader
Sheila Harrity – – Educational Leader
Mark Holden – – General Counsel
John Mirick – – Attorney
Gail Radcliffe – – Scientist
John Vo – – Artist
Geoffrey Zakarian – – Chef, Restaurateur
Corporate Friend of the Worcester Public Schools
Unibank
2016 Honorees
John Anderson – North High School – Educator and Civic Leader
Erica Ayisi – Burncoat High School – International Journalist
Amy Lynn Chase – Worcester Vocational High School – Entrepreneur
Edward “Ted” Coghlin (posthumously) – Classical High School – Business & Education Leader
Robert Goddard (posthumously) – South High School – Rocket Scientist
James Leary – Burncoat High School – Government & Civic Leader
Gail Randall – North High School – Non-Profit Enthusiast
Daniel Sedgwick – Burncoat High School – Musician & Educator
Eric Sedgwick – Burncoat High School – Musician
Marcy Supovitz – Burncoat High School – Business Leader
2015 Honorees
Mary Aframe – Burncoat High School – Health & Wellness Advocate
Phil Bolduc – Doherty Memorial High School – Physician
Arthur Chase, Posthumously – Commerce High School – Entrepreneur & Statesman
Leslie Fish – Doherty Memorial High School – Health Care Executive
Laura Goldstein – Doherty Memorial High School – Poet & Professor
Stephen Mills – Burncoat High School – Educational Leader
Joe O’Brien – Doherty Memorial High School – Civic Leader
Tony Simollardes – South High School – Editor & Journalist
Ann-Marie Soulliere – North High School – Philanthropy & Non-Profit Management Executive
Donna Mason Williams – North High School – Environmental Advocate
Gerry Weston & WICN – Friend of the Worcester Public Schools
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care – Friend of the Worcester Public Schools
2014 Honorees
John Conte
Mary Beth Leonard
Paul Gervais (Posthumously)
The Honorable Mel Greenberg
Dorothy Hargrove & Gordon Hargrove
Mark Harootian
Frances Perkins (Posthumously)
William Soutra, Jr.
Joshua Swidler
UNUM Corporation
James Rushton
Jonathan Silverman
2013 Honorees
Myrna Benson
Laddavanh ‘Anna’ Bouphavichith
Deborah D. Cary
Allan P. ‘Kool Kojak’ Grigg
James Hogan
Alexis Hyder
Audrey Kurlan-Marcy
Erin Moran McCormick
Michael Orland
The Pagano Family
James Rushton
Jonathan Silverman
2012 Honorees
John Durkin, Ed.D.
Jeffrey Greene
Robert Harizi, M.D.
Thomas Hehir, Ed.D.
The Honorable Jordan Levy
The Honorable Paul Mullaney
Rachel Markarian
Gladys Rodriguez-Parker
Milton Pederson
Ralph Santana
The Hanover Insurance Group
2011 Honorees
Charles Birbara, M.D.
Joanne Feinberg Goldstein
Lee Gurel
Jarrett Krosoczka
Helena and Christos Liazos
Miguel Lopez
Jessie Randall
Stephen Pezzella, M.D.
Isaac Spencer
The Junior League of Worcester