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Click on
the names below to learn more about the honorees currently on
the Wall of Distinction.
Back to the
Alumni Wall of Distinction
Inductee Class of 2011
Inductee Class of 2010
Inductee Class of 2009
Inductee Class of 2008
Inductee
Class of 2007
CLASS OF 2011
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 James
J. Ryan, PhD, MD, Class of 1974
Inducted 2011 (Deceased 2006)
James
J. Ryan, PhD, MD, class of 1974, was a beloved doctor who was
involved in cutting-edge research in the field of human genetics
as related to seeking cures for cancer.
During high school, he played football, ran track and was
inducted into the National Honor Society. He was also the 1974
Schalmont High School Salutatorian.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, his PhD
from Yale University and his MD from New York University Medical
School. After college he practiced at the Emergency Physicians
Medical Group in Ann Arbor, Michigan for four years. He moved to
the Capital District Oncology practice in Amsterdam, NY, and
finished his career at Hackley Hospital in Muskegon, Michigan.
He was a published researcher in the field of human genetics and
cancer research, and has several patents pending for therapeutic
cancer treatments. As part of his medical practice, he served as
a physician liaison to the Visiting Nursing Association and
Hospice, working closely to ensure cancer patients received
much-needed home care.
He received the National Science Foundation Research Award
(1979-1983) and was named the American Cancer Society Clinical
Oncology Fellow in 1990. He was named chairman of the American
College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. He was a member of the
American Society of Internal Medicine and the American Society
of Clinical Oncology. He was also involved in a number of
hospital committees, such as the Transfusion Committee, the
Infectious Disease Committee and the Tumor Board.
After being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, he fought
his disease for another five years while continuing to care for
his family—his wife, Jane, and his two children, Trevor and
Kerry. He lost his battle with cancer in 2006.
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 Edward
Troiano, Class of 1980
Inducted 2011
Edward
Troiano, class of 1980, inspires family, friends and
colleagues with his devotion to the research and engineering
field, and to volunteering in his community and around the
country. During high school, he participated in soccer and
football. He also began volunteering at his church and at the
local soup kitchen at a young age.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo and
a master’s degree from RPI. He has worked as a mechanical
engineer for the U.S. Army, Benét Laboratories, since 1984.
He holds three patents and one provisional patent—the most
distinguished being the U.S. patent for “Multiple Autofrettage”
in 2010. Over the past 25 years, he authored and co-authored
more than 100 published articles, many of which are in national
and international scientific journals. He was the two-time
recipient (awarded in 2000 and 2004) of the U.S. Army Research
and Development Achievement Award recognizing outstanding
scientific and engineering achievement and technical leadership.
He remains an active volunteer through Volunteers in Mission, a
Christian-service organization serving those in need locally and
across the country. He helped residents rebuild their lives on
the Gulf Coast of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina and
volunteered to work in the disaster relief efforts in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa after the flood of 2008. He actively volunteers on
projects coordinated between the North Country Ministry and Skye
Farms, which provides free labor and materials to disadvantaged
families. He has volunteered as a ski patroller at Gore Mountain
for the past 22 years, and he recently volunteered at Maple Ski
Ridge to provide sled training for new patrollers. He assists a
local firehouse with fundraising events throughout the year, and
previously served as a volunteer firefighter for eight years.
He currently resides in Rotterdam with his wife, Lynn. He has
two step-children, Kevin and Rene.
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CLASS OF 2010
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 Cheryl
Ann Isles, Ph.D., Class of 1970
Inducted 2010 (Deceased 2009)
Cheryl Ann Isles inspired family, friends and colleagues with
her devotion to education and teaching. She was a smart girl
with a rebellious side; the type to wear jeans to school instead
of skirts long before that became the norm. In 10th grade, she
was inspired, entranced and captivated by her biology class and
the teacher, Mrs. Jeanette Miller. After high school, she earned
a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a doctorate in cell
biology from SUNY Albany. She also co-authored several articles
published in scientific journals while working as a research
assistant. In 1986 she embarked on her own teaching career at
Cohoes High School, where she developed an honors biology
program and a science research program. She also shared her love
of nature with students by building a fish pond and a butterfly
and bird sanctuary. Like her former teacher, “Doc” Isles became
an inspiration for her students, and over the years, was
selected six times by those chosen for the CASDA Scholars’
Recognition Program as the teacher who most influenced them.
After her passing, a former colleague wrote to her family and
said, “Dr. Isles was a teacher who cared and who gave her
charges more than knowledge. She taught them to overflow with
passion for inquiry, to be confident in their choices, to be
honest and true in their research, and to be good human beings.”
She is also remembered as someone who encouraged students to
respect each other, to work hard, and to realize that there is
so much more to life beyond high school. She is proudly
remembered by her family and by her husband, Peter J. Braun.
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 Angelo
Santabarbara, PE, LEED® AP, Class of 1990
Inducted 2010Angelo Santabarbara, Class
of 1990 inspires family, friends and colleagues with his
devotion to helping students and enriching his
community. His parents were Italian immigrants who
taught him that if he worked hard, success would follow.
After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army Reserves
and earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany. He is
now a professional engineer (PE), LEED® accredited
professional, and president of the Capital District’s
New York State Society of Professional Engineers. He
served as chairman of the Rotterdam Industrial
Development Agency and is a Schenectady County
legislator. As an alumnus, he is a frequent speaker and
mentor for high school students, colleges, and
institutions through various volunteer programs. His
memberships include: the American Society of Civil
Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers,
Society of American Military Engineers, Schenectady
Military Affairs Council, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Board of Directors, Order of the Sons of Italy in
America, Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks,
and American Italian Heritage Association. He is a
recipient of the Capital District Business Review’s 40
Under Forty Award, Autism Society of America’s
Distinguished Leadership Award, and Schenectady County
Chamber of Commerce’s Good News Award. He created the
Santabarbara Scholarship Award for graduating seniors
pursuing a degree in engineering and founded the
Santabarbara Cheese Company, which donates all profits
to children’s charities. Angelo still lives in Rotterdam
with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children. |
CLASS OF 2009
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 Gail
DeAngelo, class of 1988,
inspires family, friends and colleagues with her devotion to
achieving academic, professional and personal success no matter
what challenges life offers. As a fourth-grader at Jefferson
Elementary School, she developed a neurological disorder that
left her paralyzed from the chest down and with limited use of
her left arm. What might have caused some to give up instead
became a challenge she could rise above, through hard work and
tenacity.
She went on to become
the valedictorian of the Schalmont High School Class of 1988.
During high school, she was inducted into the National Honor
Society and served as business editor and later co-editor in
chief of the yearbook.
In 1992, she graduated
magna cum laude from SUNY Albany, where she earned a bachelor’s
degree in accounting and business management. After college, she
worked for GE for 15 years, filling roles such as financial
analyst, account analyst, project leader, team leader, certified
quality Black Belt leader, and fulfillment manager. She also
served as a GE disaster recovery representative and was a member
of the GE TIP/Mod United Way Cabinet and GE Recognition Team.
She is now a senior manager for Business Process Improvement at
HD Supply.
DeAngelo has earned
numerous awards over the years, including 11 managerial awards
from GE, the SUNY Albany Women’s Club Award, a N.Y.S. Regents
Scholarship, a Sons of Italy Scholarship, and a National Elks
Award. She has also achieved Six
Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt certification.
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 Michael
James Mugits, class of 1971,
inspires family, friends and colleagues with his devotion to
nurturing the dreams and sustaining the hopes of students. As
one of seven children, he faced many challenges early in life.
During high school, he made connections with teachers and staff
members who supported him and cultivated his self-confidence. He
also played on the varsity soccer, basketball, and baseball
teams, and wrote for the school yearbook.
He went on
to earn a bachelor's degree from the University of Maine at
Machias and a master's degree from Plymouth State College. After
receiving his bachelor's degree, Mugits became the youngest
principal in Maine at the age of 24. He then went on to become
an elementary principal in Massachusetts, an elementary and
junior high principal in Texas, an adjunct instructor at West
Texas A&M University, and a high school principal in Wyoming.
While in Texas, he led the transformation of a low performing,
impoverished, inner-city school into a school of achievement and
hope, and received the O'Brien Foundation Award for Excellence
in Leadership. He is presently an elementary school principal in
Schuylerville, N.Y., and expects to complete his coursework for
a doctorate from Sage Graduate School in August 2009.
Over the
years, he has served as an educational consultant in the United
States, Jamaica and Nicaragua; authored numerous articles and
delivered many presentations on school improvement; and coached
youth soccer. He has also served on the boards of several
organizations, including the YMCA, Rotary, and Kids, Inc. In
1999, he was recognized as the CASDA Principal of the Year. He
currently resides in Gansevoort, N.Y., with his wife, Brenda.
They have two children, Justin and Misha.
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 David
Van Patten, class of 1972,
inspires family, friends and colleagues with his devotion to
helping those in need. During high school, he was captain of the
varsity football team; a member of the varsity basketball, track
and tennis teams; and a member of National Honor Society and
Student Council.
He went on to earn a
bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and a
master’s degree from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy
School of Government. After college, he spent five years with
the U.S. Coast Guard, where he made the first seizure of a
Soviet fishing vessel off the coast of New England and, at that
time, the largest drug seizure in the history of New York City.
In 1991, Van Patten
founded Dare Mighty Things, an organization that creates
restorative programs for prisoners, designs mentoring
initiatives for at-risk youth, and builds the capacity of
not-for-profit organizations. His company has received national
accolades, including the 2008 Outstanding Contractor Award from
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its name was
inspired by a quote from U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt that
begins, “Far better is it to dare mighty things.”
Van Patten has authored
numerous articles and delivered many presentations – most
recently for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community
Initiatives – on mentoring high risk populations, prisoner
rehabilitation, new venture creation, and building faith-based
organizations. He also founded Long Island Youth Guidance and
the National Mentoring Institute, and was a founding member of
the Federal Mentoring Council Working Group. He is now a member
of the board of directors of a homeless shelter and the vice
chair of MENTOR’s Research and Public Policy Council. He
currently resides in Portsmouth, N.H., with his wife, Dana. They
have five children, Jessica, Seth, Chelsi, Julee, Jody.
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CLASS OF 2008
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 Margaret
(Ryan) Anderton, Class of
1978
Inducted 2008
Margaret (Ryan) Anderton, class of 1978, inspires
family, friends and colleagues with her devotion to serving the
poor and promoting social justice. During high school, she was a
member of the Foreign Exchange Club, Campus Life Club, National
Honor Society, and varsity soccer, basketball, and track teams.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany and became
certified to teach high school social studies. After college,
she worked for the Capital District YMCA and later the American
Red Cross. In 1997, she became the executive director of
Bethesda House and helped transform it from a downtown drop-in
center for the poor to a multi-faceted social service agency
serving hundreds of disadvantaged citizens in the Schenectady
area daily. She was a founding member of the Community Crisis
Network of Schenectady and served as chair of the Housing and
Support Services Network of Schenectady (1998-2006) and
president of the Social Service Agency Chief Executives of
Schenectady (2003-2004). She continues to work at Bethesda House
and to serve on a variety of boards, including the Schenectady
County Mental Health Advisory Board, SC Department of Social
Services Commissioner’s Advisory Board, and SC Community College
Human Services Advisory Board. She has earned numerous awards,
including the Schenectady Bar Association Liberty Bell Award,
the SC Human Rights Commission Human Rights Award, and the PBA
Community Service Award. She currently resides in Schenectady
with her husband, Jack. They have two children, Katie and Jack.
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 Thomas
P. Eichler,
Class of 1962
Inducted 2008
Thomas P. Eichler, class of 1962,
inspires family, friends and colleagues with his
devotion to public service and improving public
policies. During high school, he participated in Debate
Club and the school newspaper. He also played in the
band and on the soccer team. He earned a bachelor's
degree from Syracuse University and two master's degrees
from SUNY Albany. He worked in the New York State
Governor's Office for four years before joining the NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation. He later
became the director of environmental control for the
State of Delaware, a regional administrator for the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, secretary of the DE
Department of Health and Social Services, and secretary
of the DE Department of Services for Children, Youth and
Families. In 2001, he became the executive director of
Stand Up for What's Right and Just, an organization
advocating for reform of the DE criminal justice system.
He is now chief of staff for Nemours Health and
Prevention Services. He also is a founding board member
of the Central DE Habitat for Humanity, Christ the
Teacher Elementary School, and DE Children's Campaign.
He has earned numerous awards, including the National
Alliance for the Mentally Ill-DE Excellence in Advocacy
Award, DE governor’s Order of the First State Award, EPA
Special Achievement Award, American Society for Public
Administration and National Academy of Public
Administration National Public Service Award, and
National Governors Association Distinguished Service
Award. He currently resides in Bear, DE, with his wife,
Susan. They have three sons, Matthew, Mark and Michael.
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 Dr.
Valerie Gaus, Class of 1982
Inducted 2008
Dr. Valerie Gaus, class of 1982, inspires family,
friends and colleagues with her devotion to helping those with
developmental disabilities. During high school, she participated
in color guard, choir and track, and painted the music-inspired
wall mural in the high school lobby with three friends. She
earned a bachelor’s degree from Hofstra University and master’s
and doctoral degrees in psychology from SUNY Stony Brook. After
working as a therapist for several years, she became a
residential psychology supervisor for the YAI/National Institute
for People with Disabilities (1992-2003), a senior supervising
psychologist for YAI/NIPD Premier HealthCare (1994-2006), and
opened a private practice for adults with developmental
disorders, mental retardation, anxiety disorders, and depression
(1994-present). In 2006, she became a staff psychologist at the
Vincent Smith School for students with learning disabilities.
She is an advisory board member for the Asperger Syndrome and
High Functioning Autism Association, a steering committee member
and curriculum author for the Downstate Centers for Excellence
in Dual Diagnosis, an adjunct grant reviewer for the
Organization for Autism Research, and a founding board member of
the New York Metro Chapter of the National Association for the
Dually Diagnosed. She shares her knowledge with others as an
adjunct professor, guest speaker and author of various
publications, including the recently released book
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adult Asperger Syndrome.
She lives in Cold Spring Hills, NY, with her husband, Lider
Raynor, and their two sons, Sean and Gabriel.
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CLASS OF 2007
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 Alfred T.
DeCarlo, Class of 1961
Inducted 2007 (Deceased)
Alfred T. DeCarlo inspired family, friends and colleagues with his dedication to
community safety and drug prevention. During
high school, he was a gifted athlete who played on the varsity
football, basketball and baseball teams. He earned an A.A.S.
degree in business administration before serving two years in
the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. In 1967, he joined the
Rotterdam Police Department as a patrolman. He spent the next 30
years rising through the ranks as an investigator in the
Detective Division, a sergeant in charge of the Youth Services
Unit, the deputy chief of police, and finally the chief of
police (1987-1996). He volunteered his time as a member of the
New York State D.A.R.E. Advisory Board, member and president
(1993-1994) of the Northeast Chiefs of Police, member and
president (1994) of the N.Y.S. Association of Chiefs of Police,
and member of the N.Y.S. Juvenile Officers Association. He
earned numerous awards and commendations over the years,
including a N.Y.S.
D.A.R.E.
award for dedication and service and the Distinguished
Service
Award from
U.S. Attorney
General Janet Reno and N.Y.S. Governor Mario Cuomo. He is
proudly remembered by his wife, Linda, and their three sons,
Eric, David, and Phillip.
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 Leonard
Parker,
Class of 1971
Inducted 2007
Len
Parker inspires family, friends and colleagues with his dedication to
engineering innovations and community service.
During high school, he participated in band, football and
basketball (1971 Most Valuable Player). He earned a bachelor’s
degree in imaging science and a master’s degree in printing
technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology. As an
electro-optical laser engineer, he spent several years working
on early network and laser printing innovations at the Xerox
Palo Alto
Research Center, and now holds several joint patents in relation
to his work. Since
then, he has served Xerox as vice president and general manager
of the Office Solutions and Software Business Group, chief
technology officer of the Global Services Group, and chief
technology officer of the Production Systems Group. He is
currently vice president and chief engineer of the Xerox
Engineering and Enterprise Center in Rochester, and serves on
the Xerox Credit Union board of directors. In addition, he has
coached Little
League
soccer, been a Cub
Scouts den leader, served on the board of a YMCA,
taught mountaineering, held several leadership positions in his
church, and gone to Haiti to help refurbish a hospital.
He currently resides in Rochester with his wife, Sandra, and
their son, Dylan.
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 Christine
Patneaude-Krahulik, Class of 1983
Inducted 2007
Christine
Patneaude-Krahulik inspires family, friends and colleagues with her dedication to
the rights, health and success of those in her community.
During high school, she learned the value of mentoring from her
teachers and coaches. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Siena
College and a law degree from Albany Law School. Over the years,
she rose from a legal assistant to an associate attorney, and
now serves as the principal court attorney to an Orange County
Family Court judge. She was instrumental in implementing the
county’s Family Treatment Court, and continues to chair its
steering committee. She also has served as treasurer of the
Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties, as a
board member and Quality Sub-committee chair at St. Anthony
Community Hospital, on the Leadership Orange Board of Directors,
on the Orange County Drug Court Steering Committee, on the
Warwick Town Beach Visioning Committee, and on the Sharing
Success Team, which promotes permanency for children in foster
care. She is an active volunteer and contributor to community
organizations like United Way, Safe Homes of Orange County,
Warwick Little League, and Warwick Soccer. In 2006, she was
honored as a Woman of Achievement by the Sarah Wells Girl Scout
Council and the YWCA of Orange County. She currently resides in Warwick with her
husband, Bob, and their children, Thomas and Katie.
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 Michael R.
Piotrowski, Class of 1970
Inducted 2007 (deceased)
Michael R.
Piotrowski inspired family, friends and colleagues with his dedication to
using natural means to clean up the environment.
At Schalmont, he was an honors student
with a particular interest in the sciences.
He later received a
bachelor’s degree in ecology from Cornell University and a Ph.D.
in biogeochemistry from the Boston University Marine Program. In
addition to starting a family, he spent the next 30 years of his
life conducting research projects; acting as a scientific
consultant; teaching government regulators, private industry
professionals, other environmental consultants, and college
students; and founding a company that helped find solutions for
treating contaminated soil and water. He eventually became an
internationally recognized, award-winning expert in the
application of innovative remedial technologies to treat
hazardous and
toxic materials in soils and waters. His accolades include
earning Vice President
Al
Gore’s Golden Hammer Award for significantly reducing government
costs in cleaning up a former military site on American Samoa.
Though passionate about his work, he also took time to be
involved in his children’s school and extracurricular
activities, to play basketball, and to root on his favorite
sports team, the New York Giants.
He is proudly
remembered by his wife, Rita
Linda,
and their children, Melina and
Orion.
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 Michael F.
Saccocio, Class of 1979
Inducted 2007
Michael F.
Saccocio inspires family, friends and colleagues with his dedication to
supporting those in need. At Schalmont, he learned the
importance of teamwork and how to be successful as a group. He
earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Union
College and a master’s degree in public policy from Regent
University. His athletic skills led him to spend three seasons
playing professional baseball with the Montreal Expos. Over the
next 10 years, he worked as a legislative assistant to an
assemblyman; the director of Urban Youth Ministry, Development,
and Operations at the City Mission of Schenectady; and the
deputy mayor of Schenectady (1992-1994). Since 1996, he has
served as executive director of the City Mission. In that
capacity, he created new programs (e.g. Innovative Learning
Center, transitional housing), built collaborative partnerships,
strengthened the Mission’s presence in the community, and helped
bring about new facilities (e.g. Family Life Center). He has
earned numerous awards from Schenectady organizations, including
the GE Elfuns Accolade Award, Sons of Italy Person of the
Year Award, P.B.A. Community Service Award, and Schenectady
County Chamber of Commerce Non-profit Organization Executive of
the Year Award. He currently resides in Scotia with his wife,
Carol, and their children, Michael and Daniel.
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