York Community High School

 John Aravosis is a lawyer, journalist and LGBT advocate. John created one of the first online grassroots networks in 1995 for the Children’s Defense Fund and started his own global Internet consulting business in 1997. He went on to become The Economist magazine’s first correspondent covering the Internet and society; and then launched an online media company, AMERICAblog, called “recommended-reading” by the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and PC Magazine. The Washingtonian magazine's annual “50 Best Journalists” issue listed John alongside CNN's Jake Tapper as one of   “journalism’s rising stars." John has also run a number of high-profile LGBT advocacy campaigns  and was twice chosen for the “Out 100” as one of the most compelling LGBT people of the year. John   received his Bachelor’s in Rhetoric at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and joint Juris Doctor and Master’s in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

Dr. Joseph M. Collins is a 1972 York High School graduate who has  had a distinguished career as a physician and teacher at the Mayo  Clinic in Arizona. He received the Distinguished Mayo Clinician  Award in 2004, a singular honor from his peers for his dedication to patient care and acclaimed expertise. A gifted and respected teacher, he has won a multitude of awards, including 2002 Educator of the Year in Medical and Laboratory Specialties; Outstanding Faculty Member in 2010 and 2014; Top Faculty Member 2016; Radiology Educator of the Year Award 2014, 2016, and 2018. He has more than 40 peer- reviewed published articles or book chapters and numerous national and international invited lectures. He has a Bachelor’s from the University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign and earned his M.D. from the University of Illinois. He studied at Queen Square in London, England and completed his residency in Radiology from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine (Minnesota).

 Dr. Rachel Elliott is an aerospace engineer and an advocate for       LGBT individuals. She also has a passion for lifelong learning, a trait, she said, was first instilled in her by the faculty at York. She earned  her Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University in 1989, completed her Master’s in Mechanical Engineering in 2011, and her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2021. Her first post- college job was supporting fighter jets in Texas. Since then, she has  worked on commercial aircraft with Boeing, on an airborne observatory for NASA, and many other commercial and military  aircraft programs. Dr. Elliott came out as a transgender woman in 2013, and since then has facilitated support groups for transgender youth and adults and has advised many public and private organizations on LGBT rights. She has testified before the Utah legislature and partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice to provide transgender awareness training. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the ACLU of Utah, seeking to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans.

Bruce Mather has dedicated his life to his faith, his family, his   vocation and his community. A 1965 graduate of York High School, he worked his way through college and graduate school as a youth minister and a part-time employee at Elmhurst Hospital. Positions of  increasing responsibility prompted him to become a licensed engineer and a member of the hospital administration. In 1980 he became the Executive Director for Facilities Management at   Elmhurst College. As a forward-thinking leader he worked to   transform the college into a modern, beautiful and welcoming   institution while developing the campus into a nationally recognized registered arboretum. His concern for the environment led to innovative programs and facilities which emphasize sustainability and conservation of natural resources. The college’s West Hall received many awards including national recognition as a LEED Gold building for its green initiatives. He founded a regional facilities association and has served as an officer in national and international organizations. He has been a leader in various churches throughout his lifetime.

Jerry Rich is the architect and owner of Rich Harvest Farms, Sugar   Grove, IL, a golf course that is consistently ranked in Golf Digest’s     “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.” After graduating from   Northern Illinois  University  in 1961 with a degree in mathematics and earth science, he joined his father’s company, Rich Inc. In the 1970s, he revolutionized the way Wall Street trading is done, and still done today, with the development of   the integrated trading terminal. Jerry is most proud of the Kids Golf Foundation of Illinois, a non-profit junior   golf organization housed at Rich Harvest Farms, which he founded with lifelong friend Don Springer in 1998. Since   its inception, the Foundation has introduced 250,000 kids throughout the state of Illinois to the sport of golf. In addition, Jerry has hosted over 50 amateur, collegiate, and professional  tournaments during the past   20  years, including the 2009 Solheim  Cup, the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships, and the 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup.

 Dr. George A. Williams, MD is Chief of the Department of     Ophthalmology and Director of the Beaumont Eye Institute at   Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Michigan. He also serves as     Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at Oakland University   William  Beaumont School of Medicine and is Professor at the   European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology in   Lugano, Switzerland. Dr. Williams has published more than 250   articles and book chapters in his field, has participated in more   than  30 clinical trials and delivered 25 named lectureships around  the world. As former President of the American Academy of  Ophthalmology (AAO) and active board member, he is a recipient of  the Lifetime Achievement Award from the AAO. He is an Associate Editor for Surgical Techniques for the journal RETINA. Dr. Williams is a recertified Diplomate (2005, 2016) of the American Board of Ophthalmology and an elected  Fellow of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.