The Highland Alumni Association Announces 2025 Distinguished Alumni Inductees
The Highland Alumni Association, in partnership with The Highland Foundation for Educational Excellence, is pleased to announce their newest class of Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame inductees. The five honorees span generations of Highland graduates, reinforcing the district’s ongoing commitment to educational excellence.
The Highland Alumni Association recognizes a new class of honorees every two years, with nominations accepted via The Highland Foundation website. The Selection Committee considers various criteria when selecting Distinguished Alumni, including a nominee’s accomplishments in their chosen vocation, their demonstrated leadership skills and their commitment to the community. All nominees must have graduated from Highland at least 10 years ago.
The district and community celebrated the honorees at a special Hall of Fame ceremony and reception on October 3 at the Highland High School Media Center prior to the start of the Homecoming Community Pep Rally. Inductees were also recognized on-field during the pep rally.
L to R: Kristen (Price) Oberhaus, Terri (Barndt) Pfister, Rebecca (Chattin) Lutzko, Bob Kelly, Cathy Wilhelm and Jesse Leng
Introducing the Highland High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame Inductees of 2025
Bob Kelly, class of 1964, has dedicated his life to service and leadership across education, business, and community. He is a highly respected and renowned member of the Highland community, Medina County and beyond.
While at Highland he was a member of Highland’s very first golf team and a proud member of the Highland Marching Band. After Highland he attended Ohio University’s School of Business and graduated cum laude. He married Becky (Newberry) Kelly, a 1969 Highland graduate, and celebrated 46 years together.
Bob served over 27 years on the Highland School Board and 16 years on the Medina County Board of Education. He was also a Granger Township Trustee for 16 years. His business acumen led him to a 30+ year tenure as owner and president of Bil-Jac Foods, along with over three decades on the Board of Directors at the Pet Food Institute in Washington D.C., where he served two years as chairman. He was on the Board of Directors at Root Candles for over 30 years and the Huntington Bank Advisory Board for 26 years. He also was a member of the Pleasant Valley Construction Advisory Board. He is a lifelong member of Granger United Methodist Church.
In 2022, he received the Ohio School Board Association’s Veteran Board Member Award, recognizing 25 years of exceptional service and in 2024 was awarded the Highland Pride Award in honor of his dedication to Highland and the surrounding community.
This list of achievements offers only a glimpse into his involvement in the community. They can’t begin to reflect the true depth of his impact — something so profound it may never be fully known or measured. His enduring impact reflects a legacy of integrity, commitment, and leadership.
Jesse Leng, Class of 1999, has distinguished himself through an extraordinary record of achievement as a student-athlete, Marine, entrepreneur, and global ambassador for the sport of wrestling. At Highland High School, he was a two-time State Wrestling Champion before going on to compete as a four-year starter at The Ohio State University, while also serving six years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. His rare dual commitment, to both country and competition, set a lifelong standard of integrity, discipline, and leadership.
After graduation, Jesse dedicated himself to advancing wrestling at both the national and international levels, coaching and mentoring future leaders while building organizations that served athletes and communities. Guided by conviction and vision, he co-founded RUDIS, a company that began as a small Ohio start-up and has grown into one of the most influential brands in the world of sport.
As CEO of RUDIS, Jesse has led the company to remarkable achievements in one of the most fiercely competitive industries in the world. In 2024, RUDIS secured landmark partnerships with Team USA Wrestling and United World Wrestling – prevailing over global giants such as Nike -an achievement once considered unthinkable for a company born from wrestling itself. These victories were not merely commercial but symbolic, reflecting the power of belief, perseverance, and the indomitable spirit of the sport and future vision and potential of the brand and business.
Jesse’s leadership has advanced the Olympic Movement by strengthening wrestling’s global platform and affirming its place in the Games. His work reflects the very ideals of The Olympic Spirit—excellence, respect, and friendship—while ensuring that the values of wrestling reach athletes across nations and generations. Under his vision, RUDIS has become more than a company; it has become a cultural force, honoring the spirit of sport and elevating wrestling to new heights on the world stage.
Today, Jesse’s impact extends far beyond business. He remains committed to serving underprivileged athletes, mentoring young wrestlers, and inspiring all who step onto the mat to discover character through effort, perseverance, and faith in something greater than themselves. His enduring influence is not measured in contracts or victories, but in the transformation of lives through the timeless values of wrestling and the enduring spirit of the Olympic Games.
Rebecca (Chattin) Lutzko, class of 1989, has dedicated her career to law, public service, and community engagement, with extraordinary success. Those seeds were planted while at Highland, where Becky was an exceptional student leader, serving as Freshman, Sophomore, and Senior Class president; Student Council member; Homecoming, wrestling, and volleyball announcer; and graduation speaker. She excelled in academics, as reflected by her induction into the National Honor Society and graduating in the top 10 of her class. She also showcased her natural athletic ability through softball, gymnastics, and cheerleading.
Becky went on to earn dual B.A. degrees in Economics and International Relations from Boston University, graduating magna cum laude while playing Division I varsity softball all four years. She was a pitcher and captain of the team. She earned several awards, including Academic Dean’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Gretchen Schuyler Top Student Athlete, and the Boston University Hall of Fame Scholarship.
Becky later earned her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center, cum laude, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of The Georgetown Law Journal’s Annual Review of Criminal Procedure and received numerous awards for her public interest work. Her early legal experience included clerkships and internships with federal judges and work with domestic violence victims and community advocacy organizations.
Professionally, Becky has built an exceptional career in law, first in private practice, then serving many years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, where she prosecuted white-collar crimes, public corruption, and complex drug-trafficking cases, among others. She was promoted to serve as the Deputy Chief of the Major Frauds Section, then later as Appellate Chief. More recently, Becky was appointed United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio (2023-2025), overseeing 170 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel in federal civil and criminal law enforcement and defense, and managing a $21M budget. She led the Office’s efforts to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights, and ensure public safety across Ohio’s 40 northern counties, and worked with community leaders, community organizations and advocacy groups, faith-based leaders, and law enforcement on civil rights matters and local violent crime problems. She presently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cleveland State University, and on the Partnership for a Safer Cleveland’s Board of Trustees.
In addition to her legal career, Becky has remained deeply rooted in her hometown of Hinckley, serving as a Township Trustee, Buzzard Day volunteer, a volunteer for numerous Highland booster clubs including Highland Choir Boosters and Highland Swim & Dive Boosters, a softball and soccer coach, and a committed parent of four Highland students. Whether through public service, education, or her legal career, Becky Lutzko exemplifies leadership, integrity, and civic dedication.
Kristen (Price) Oberhaus, class of 1995, has spent the past two decades enriching her community through education, volunteerism, and mentorship. While at Highland, Kristen was an active and accomplished student—excelling in athletics as an all-county and all-conference soccer player, participating in track, choir, school musicals, student council, and the National Honor Society, and serving as a peer leader and class officer. She was honored on the Homecoming Court.
She continued her academic and athletic success at Marietta College, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a degree in International Business and a minor in Spanish. She was a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Council. Kristen was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, captained the varsity soccer team, earned Academic All-Ohio honors, and studied abroad in both Spain and China.
Since 2005, Kristen has dedicated herself to the Highland and broader Medina County community in countless ways. A Girl Scout leader for over 15 years, she has guided three troops, served as the district cookie chair, and inspired many young women through her mentorship. Kristen has coached youth soccer for more than a decade, served as an assistant coach for Highland High School girls soccer, and held leadership roles on the Highland Youth Soccer Board. Her service also includes being Treasurer of the Highland Choir Boosters, running fundraisers at Sharon Elementary, sewing costumes and quilts for school programs, volunteering with Girls on the Run, and hosting international exchange students.
Professionally, Kristen has been a teacher at Spring Garden Waldorf School for 12 years, where she also serves as athletic director, mentors new teachers, and has coached cross country, basketball, track, and Power of the Pen. A devoted wife and mother of four, Kristen continues to lead by example—living a life of purpose, passion, and dedication to youth development and education.
Terri (Barndt) Pfister, Class of 1976, has dedicated her life to education, community service, and student enrichment. At Highland High School, she was head majorette, Lil Sis and scorekeeper for wrestling, 4 year concert band member and band president. Terri was also actively involved as a four-year member of Spanish and Science clubs and on stage her Junior and Senior years as a member of the drama club. She volunteered in the school offices and as a coach and mentor for Pee Wee Football Pom-pom Squad.
Academically, Terri excelled. She was in the National Honor Society, becoming secretary her Junior and Senior years. She graduated Summa Cum Laude. Terri pursued Spanish at Kent State University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in education. At Kent, she was involved in Delta Gamma sorority and devoted herself to helping the blind and deaf through sorority philanthropy.
Her teaching career began at Black River High School, where she spent 14 years building the Spanish program and serving as department chair. She developed Black River’s first International Education Travel Program taking students and community members on multiple international trips. As the Spanish Club advisor, Terri developed an outreach program which involved the students going to nursing homes to share activities. She was the Majorette, Flag Line Advisor and the Cheerleading Advisor. She was twice awarded Black River’s highest honor, Teacher of the Year and two-time nominee for County Teacher of the Year. Terri was inducted into Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Society of Medina County.
Terri took an early retirement to focus on being a mom and raising her two boys. As a mom she became involved in the Highland PTO, holding many positions including president. She was honored with the PTO Volunteer and Leadership Award. She also served on Highland’s Facilities Advisory Committee, as a Trustee on The Highland Foundation for Educational Excellence, and served as chairperson of the alumni committee. Terri’s intense participation and dedication to Highland earned her the Highland Pride Award in 2023.
While being an active mom in the community, Terri continued her focus on education by working on her Master’s in Education at Ashland. During this time she developed Spanish programs at multiple preschools and elementaries. She went on to sub at Highland and then teach Spanish at North Royalton High School.
Terri continues to support the community at large. She served as school outreach director for Kelli’s C.R.U.S.A.D.E and was instrumental in bringing the CRASH Scholarship program to Highland. She and her husband sponsor the annual Race with Grace, supporting families affected by cancer. Her nominator wrote, “Terri is an exemplary nominee, exhibiting leadership, organizational and motivating skills, who is truly an inspiration to students, graduates and the community.”
Honorary Teacher: Cathy Wilhelm
Most Highland graduates remember Cathy Wilhelm as an enthusiastic middle school English teacher who often broke into song while teaching lessons in literature, communication, and, most importantly, life. Her nominator credited Cathy with helping her to build the public speaking skills and confidence that she needed to pursue her own career in teaching.
During her time with Highland Schools, Cathy received multiple Who’s Who in America awards and served in leadership roles within the Highland Education Association, including Treasurer, Vice President, and President. She initiated the Middle School’s Power of the Pen, school newspaper, Honor Society, and Drama Club. Cathy also served as the Middle School Yearbook advisor for many years and once assisted as director of the high school play. Among her recognitions, she received the Highland Pride Award, placed in the Medina County Teacher of the Year competition, and earned an impressive 63 post-master’s degree credits.
Cathy’s impact didn’t end in the classroom. For the past 16 years, she has served as Director of the Highland Community Support Network (HCSN), a volunteer-led initiative supporting local families facing hardship. Through HCSN, Cathy helps coordinate donations for those impacted by house fires, health challenges, or other difficult life events. She organizes seasonal support efforts such as a Thanksgiving food drive and a holiday Family Give-a-Gift program. Throughout the year, she coordinates bread runs, food deliveries, and yard work assistance—with the help of the Highland Football Team—for families in need.
Her nominator wrote, “This selfless dedication to the community and district to whom she has dedicated so many years is so refreshing and, in my opinion, deserving of the Honorary Teacher Award.”