SAHS Distinguished Alumni
Our Distinguished Alumni Award is our way of recognizing truly outstanding alumni for their academic, professional, and/or community achievements.
Some Examples of a Deserving Candidate Might Include:
• Accomplishments and honors earned while in high school.
• Job related exemplary achievement and/or noteworthy record.
• Personal accomplishments and honors earned post high school graduation.
• Work in and impact on community (local, state, and/or national level).
• Demonstrated leadership and positive role modeling.
Nominate a Distinguished Alumni Today
2024
Gregory Black, Class of 1987, Alex Duffard, Class of 2007, Ken Mease, Class of 1960, Brandon Smith, Class of 2001, and Janet Fisher Tomcavage, Class of 1976 were honored as the 2024 Distinguished Alumni recipients.
Gregory Black – Class of 1987
Gregory Black graduated from SAHS in 1987. Upon graduation, Greg received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology followed by a Ph.D. in Astronomy from Cornell University in 1997.
His career began with a research position at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, using some of the world’s largest radio telescopes to study moons, asteroids, and planetary rings in our solar system. His research in this position has been published in various scientific journals.
In addition to publishing his research, Greg has spent several years as a lecturer and researcher in the Astronomy Department of the University of Virginia. Since 2010, he has been supporting NASA to ensure software for satellites and spacecraft operates correctly and safely. Currently, he is leading the team focused on the on-board software that controls the rocket for NASA’s Artemis program that will send astronauts to the Moon. His team was recognized with the NASA Space Flight Awareness award for support of the successful first launch in 2022.
In addition to supporting NASA, Greg has supported local STEAM outreach through speaking to school groups and mentoring at student robot competitions
Alex Duffard – Class of 2009
Alex Duffard graduated from SAHS in 2009. Upon graduation, Alex went on to earn a B.S. in Psychology at Penn State University. He then moved to New York City and began working in a cognitive neuroscience lab (under the direction of Dr. Jin Fan) within both CUNY Queens College and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai.
His career then took him to Denver, Colorado where he completed a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of Denver in Dr. Pilyoung Kim’s lab. After completing his doctoral program, he began his postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale School of Medicine in Dr. Dustin Scheinost’s lab followed by a year of an assistant professorship at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
While in Chicago he was contacted by the Oregon Health & Science University interested in recruiting him for a new center in the Department of Psychiatry called the Center for Mental Health Innovation. He accepted the invitation and now directs his lab (The InterGenerational Neuralimaging Lab) at OHSU focusing on the brain and behavior pathways in which anxiety disorders may be passed from one generation to the next.
In addition, he mentors students from the high school to postdoctoral level. He also serves as a co-investigator for the largest study of child development to date, the Healthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD). His program of research focuses on how we can make a positive difference in the lives of as many people as possible through the use of neuroscience to advance early detection and intervention.
Ken Mease – Class of 1960
Ken Mease graduated from SAHS in 1960 where he excelled in both sports and academics. Upon graduation, he attended Susquehanna University and worked part time at WKOK as a disc jockey and reporting the news and sports.
From this local beginning, his love for broadcasting took off, taking him to Bucknell, Harrisburg, Charlotte, NC, Pittsburgh as a KDKA sports anchor and feature reporter, and Rhode Island where he received the Rhode Island Sportscaster of the Year Award. Ken took a few years off from broadcasting to join the PA Air National Guard and then accepted the position of Athletic Director at Robert Morris College in Moon Township, PA.
While at Robert Morris he did play by play, coached baseball, helped lay the groundwork for
the Sports Management Major and worked with his staff to become the first athletic department to take a school from Junior College Athletics directly to Division-1. His work as AD earned him an induction into Robert Morris University’s Hall of Fame.
After his work at Robert Morris, he returned to Pittsburgh and continued broadcasting
at KDKA earning two Golden Quill Awards in the mid-1980’s. His last assignment took him to WUSA in Washington, DC where he spent 17 years as a weekday and weekend anchor and feature reporter. He also hosted Sunday evening Washington Redskins (now Commanders) football shows.
Unfortunately, Ken passed on August 22, 2022 with Selinsgrove always holding a special place in his heart.
Brandon Smith – Class of 2001
Brandon Smith graduated from SAHS in 2001. Upon graduation he earned BS degrees in physics and nuclear engineering from the Pennsylvania State University. He completed mechanical engineering and nuclear engineering masters degrees then earned his doctorate in nuclear engineering at the University of Wisconsin in 2011.
Upon earning his doctorate, Dr. Smith accepted a staff scientist position at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) where he became a core member of multiple activities related to international nuclear cooperation and has made significant contributions to the Advanced Simulation and Computing program. He has been recognized by Los Alamos
Awards Program. and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Defense Programs Awards of Excellence. Dr. Smith has received formal education in nuclear weapons physics
as a graduate of LANL’s Theoretical Institute for Thermonuclear and Nuclear Studies.
Today Dr. Smith leads a team of ~30 staff scientists, students, and postdocs that develop, integrate, and deliver LANL’s mission-critical multi-physics production software to enable the design, assessment, and certification of the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
Janet Fisher Tomcavage – Class of 1976
Janet Fisher Tomcavage graduated from SAHS in 1976. Upon graduation, Janet earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Bloomsburg University and her master’s degree in nursing from Misericordia University.
Early in her nursing education, she took care of a patient with diabetes with significant complications which sparked her interest in special projects and led her to a community hospital in Maryland which opened the door for her first role at Geisinger 44 years ago. Her career at Gesinger led her to the position of Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing (CNE) since 2019. In this role, Janet has accountability for Geisinger’s Nursing Institute including strategic planning, nursing practice, professional development, research, and education partnerships.
Prior to becoming the CNE, she served as Geisinger’s senior VP and Chief of value based care strategic initiatives. She led the nursing enterprise through the COVID-19 pandemic and is committed to the recovery of the nursing profession following the major impact of the past few years. She is a pioneer nationally in population health and advanced medical homes which focus on the delivery of new care team models in the home and supports clinical, social, and palliative care services for the most vulnerable populations. Janet was
the first Geisinger nurse to receive the PA Nightingale Award for clinical excellence in an advanced nursing role.
