Hall of Honor

The Sachem Alumni Association officially launched the Sachem Hall of Honor in 2017.

The nomination period for the Class of 2024 is February 1, 2024 and will remain open until March 15, 2024.

The Hall of Honor seeks to recognize alumni who have achieved extraordinary success in their chosen field or have provided exemplary service to the school district.

The goal of the Hall of Honor is to promote school and community pride. Hall of Honor members provide an excellent resource for career advisement and networking for current and future students.

Please note: We get many applications and nominations; not all can be inducted in the first year of submission. The committee will keep the nominations for the following years as well.

Nominating Criteria

  • Please include: Bio/resume, 2-3 letter(s) of recommendation
  • Nominations will be accepted from February 15 through March 15
  • Nominees and inductees must be alumni of Sachem
  • Nominees and inductees must have graduated at least 10 years ago
  • Individuals must be nominated by Sachem alumni or past/present Sachem teachers
  • Individuals must demonstrate outstanding career success
  • There will be 10 inductees each year
  • All nomination forms must be submitted via email to SachemAlumni@gmail.com
  • All nominations and selections are subject to background checks and can be pulled from the Hall, prior, during and after induction, as subject to the committee/association in cooperation with school district officials
  • If someone is not selected, their name stays on the ballot for future consideration

A selection committee of Sachem Alumni Association board members and community representatives makes the selections.

One important element of the Hall of Honor is for our students to interact with the inductees. Inductees are expected to participate in a mentor workshop the week of the induction ceremony. Select students will also be involved in the induction ceremony and will help formally induct the honorees.

There was no induction in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemic.

CLASS OF 2017

  • John Cassese, Class of 1960: Teacher and administrator in Sachem
  • Stephen Costello, Class of 1979: Sports business executive
  • Alexander Nich Di Guardia, Class of 1965: U.S. Army died in Vietnam
  • Kirk Lloyd Douglas, Class of 1990: Musician
  • Robert Greifeld, Class of 1975: CEO of NASDAQ
  • Jerry Figgiani, Class of 1978: Martial artist, motivational speaker
  • Dr. John Heymach, Class of 1985: Doctor
  • Tim Latham, Class of 1984: Grammy-winning music producer
  • Steve Levy, Class of 1977: Suffolk County Executive
  • Lori Ann LaRocco, Class of 1989: Journalist and author

CLASS OF 2018

  • Kristen Marie Bowes Burke, Class of 1994: Esquire
  • Christopher T. Gentile, Class of 1977: Entrepreneur & Inventor
  • Louis Gregory, Class of 1996: Federal Government Director & Business Executive
  • Eileen A. Keneck, MD, Class of 1981: Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
  • Michael Lau, Class of 1986: Music Executive
  • William J. Lindsay III, Class of 1990: Suffolk County Legislator
  • Nan J. Morrison, Class of 1979: Business Executive
  • James Ryan, Class of 1989: Pastor
  • Sam Ryan, Class of 1987: Sportscaster
  • Gerard P. Schrang, Class of 1974: FDNY Fire Fighter who died bravely on Sept. 11, 2001
  • Lifetime Achievement Honoree: Michael J. Timo, Jr., Class of 1969: Board of Education Trustee & Fire Chief

CLASS OF 2019

  • Maureen Brush, Class of 1963: Teacher and administrator in Sachem
  • Michael Cleary, Class of 1980: President of Canyon Consulting and co-founder of their IBM Software Compliance Services initiatives
  • Frank Iacono, Class of 1987: Harvard and Yale grad who is an independent consultant specializing in fixed income, structured products, risk management, and complex securities litigation
  • Scott Lewers, Class of 1993: Executive Vice President of multi-platform programming and digital media for Discovery Channel
  • David Mehlhop, Class of 1982: Captain in the U.S. Air Force before making the ultimate sacrifice and dying while serving his country
  • Rudy Migliore, Class of 1964: Attorney focusing on asbestos, mesothelioma, and lung cancer-related cases
  • Katie Siek, Class of 1996: Associate professor in Informatics and ProHealth Director of Graduate Studies at Indiana University
  • Monica Wallace, Class of 1986: Member of the New York State Assembly, elected in 2016 and serving in the 143-assembly district upstate
  • Lawrence Zacarese, Class of 1993:  Assistant Chief of Police and Director of the Office of Emergency Management at Stony Brook University

CLASS OF 2022

  • Jonathan Brown, Class of 73: Attorney, Volunteer Firefighter & Former Sachem Board of Education Trustee
  • Todd Costello, Class of 1982: Sales Executive, Motivational Speaker, Philanthropist
  • Jeffrey DeRosa, Class of 1989: Master Sergeant, U.S. Army and Author
  • Amy Engel, Class of 1990: Community advocate, Environmentalist, Facilitator
  • Jill Gallagher Huggett, Class of 1985: Founder and CEO Bridgepath Career Advisors, LLC
  • Laura Gentile, Class of 1990: Sports and Entertainment Media and Marketing Executive
  • Lori Hewlett, Class of 1981: Sachem Health Education Dept. Chairperson
  • Arthur Kropp, Class of 1975: President of People For The American Way
  • Moira Noriega, Class of 1989: International Television Executive
  • John Venturo, Class of 1990: Police Officer – Search & Rescue Pilot, U.S. Navy, Security Executive

CLASS OF 2023

  • Matt DiStefano, Class of ’96: Teacher, Coach, and Founder of Dezy Strong Foundation
  • Walter C. Dunham: Founding Superintendent of Sachem Schools
  • Maria Grasso, Class of ’82: Senior Executive Vice President & COO, Flushing Bank
  • Stephanie Lydecker, Class of ’90: Television Executive
  • Charles Matranga, Class of ’87: Senior Chief, U.S. Navy, and Security Executive
  • Danielle Moodie, Class of ’97: Democratic Strategist and Political Podcaster
  • Cheryl Pedisich, Class of ’78: Superintendent at Three Village Schools
  • Richard Prunty, Class of ’61: FDNY Battalion Chief lost on 9/11
  • Maureen Reidy, Class of ’87: CEO of Paley Center for Media
  • Sean Rosario, Class of ’91: U.S. Navy Seal
  • Richard Scriven, MD, Class of ’82: Pediatric Surgeon and Volunteer Firefighter

CLASS OF 2024

  • Denise Comparetti Brown, Class of 1980: Senior Science Manager of Mission Engineering & Analysis at Naval Undersea Warfare Center
  • Mary Hugelmeyer: Sachem’s first female Board of Education President
  • Dr. Angela Kokkosis, Class of 2001: MD & Associate Professor of Vascular Surgery at Stony Brook University Medical Center
  • Kerin Kolonoskie, Class of 1992: Creative Director of Washington Nationals
  • Albert Martin, Class of 1967: U.S. Marine Killed in Action in Vietnam
  • Joe Maruzzo, Class of 1975: Veteran actor and playwright
  • Michael Murphy, Class of 1990: President of Commercial Real Estate at Douglas Elliman
  • Jo Napolitano, Class of 1994: Award-winning journalist and author
  • Paullina Simons, Class of 1981: Award-winning international best-selling author
  • Hon. Steve Stern, Class of 1986: New York State Assemblyman
  • Justin Vartanian, Class of 2002: Decorated NYPD Detective

There were no inductions in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

The Sachem Hall of Honor is completely supported and funded through the Sachem Alumni Association. It is located in the central corridor of Sachem High School North.

Note that there is also a Sachem Athletic Hall of Fame. While the Hall of Fame is meant to honor successful alumni, coaches and administrators for success on the athletic fields, the Hall of Honor is meant to honor alumni in various disciplines and backgrounds.

Please follow the Sachem Alumni Association on Facebook.com/SachemAlumni, like us on Twitter @SachemAlumni, and visit SachemAlumni.org for more information.