Alumnae Awards
Forest Ridge alumnae strive to live with purpose and meaning. They inspire and challenge others around them to enrich their communities and the world. They distinguish themselves in many ways, reimagining the limits of their own potential.
Distinguished Alumna Award
The Distinguished Alumna Award is given to honor an alumna who inspires and challenges others around them to enrich their communities and the world. This award bestows institutional recognition on an alumna who has distinguished herself in her personal or professional life, in her intellectual pursuits, or in her dedication to service of community, country or society.
The Distinguished Alumna Award also serves to inspire the entire Forest Ridge community— students, alumnae, staff and faculty— to strive to become their best selves in their pursuit of a meaningful life.
To honor alumnae who have stood out amongst their peers, Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart created the Distinguished Alumna Award in 1997. This award is presented annually and bestows institutional recognition on one alumna who has distinguished herself in her personal or professional life, in her intellectual pursuits, or in her dedication to service of community, country or society. The nominee must be a minimum of 10 years post high school graduation. To nominate an alumna, please fill out the form below.
Sacred Heart Award
The Sacred Heart Award is given to honor an alumna whose dedication to Forest Ridge School of the Sacred Heart has called her to serve. She has generously given her time, over the course of many years (consistently or on/off) in support of Forest Ridge, the Society of the Sacred Heart or another Sacred Heart School. The nominee must be a minimum of 10 years post upper school graduation. To nominate an alumna, please fill out the form below.
2022 Distinguished Alumna
2022 Distinguished Alumna, Alexia Vernon ’98 was branded a “Moxie Maven” by President Obama’s White House Office of Public Engagement for her unique and effective approach to empowering women’s professional success. Alexia is also the author of Step into Your Moxie: Amplify Your Voice Visibility, and Influence in the World.
A sought-after speaker, coach, consultant and media contributor, Alexia is the creator and leader of multiple speaker training programs and has delivered transformational keynotes and corporate trainings for Fortune 500 companies and professional associations, spoken at the United Nations, delivered a TEDx talk on the future of feminism, and been featured by media including CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Inc., and Women’s Health.
To learn more about Alexia, visit her website.
2021 Distinguished Alumna
2021 Distinguished Alumna Lori Dauphiny is in her 24th year as the head coach of women’s open crew for Princeton University. She arrived to Princeton in 1989 from Columbia University and was promoted to Head Coach in 1996, the first female head coach in women’s open crews’ 41 year history.
Twice she has been named National Coach of the Year and has led the Princeton Tigers to an unprecedented era of success over her career. Under Lori’s leadership, Princeton has won two V8+ NCAA Championships and 10 Ivy League crowns.
Lori was inducted into the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association's Hall of Fame in 2019. She also has spent summers since 1997 working with the U.S. national team and coached the pair and lightweight double at the 2004 Olympics. Lori likes to spend her free time with friends and family and enjoys hiking, running and watching her 14 year old son play soccer.
2020 Distinguished Alumna
2020 Distinguished Alumna Julie Peterson Genjac built her career in financial services and is currently a Managing Director at the Hartford Funds. In 2019, Julie was named one of Financial Planning Magazine’s Top Women in Asset Management. She is also a Certified Wealth Strategist, Accredited Asset Management Specialist and Registered Corporate Coach.
Julie lives in Kirkland with her husband, Nedim, and in her spare time, loves to boat, engage in home renovations and cook gourmet meals. Julie truly values the foundation that Forest Ridge gave her in life and is delighted to be able to give back to the Forest Ridge community having joined the Alumnae Board this Fall.
2020 Sacred Heart Award
Sacred Heart Award Recipient Mud McHugh ’70 has always been loyal to Forest Ridge. Mud’s devotion to the Sacred Heart runs deep. Her mother, aunts, sisters and many cousins attended Forest Ridge too. Mud credits the RSCJ’s with giving her and her family a solid foundation based on love and faith.
Mud has given generously of her time over the years. She served on the Alumnae Board and the Board of Trustees in the 90’s and continued to stay involved by helping with many school fundraising events and reunions until COVID closed down our campus. One recent example is that Mud was the creative mind behind a 2019 Silent Auction item of Who Wants to Take On the Irish Shark at Pool, where she donated a watch party at T.S. McHugh’s Irish Pub for the highest bidder to compete against Sr. O’Dea, aka “The Irish Shark.” Her fun-loving spirit and generosity brought alums together and created community spirit. Its many acts like that over the years that makes it an honor to confer this award on Mud.
2020 Honorary Alumna
Sue Magan has a devoted following among Forest Ridge alumnae. For 39 years, until her retirement in 2002, Sue taught music and drama and even started a catering operation, Ed-U-Caterers, to provide lunch options for the students who otherwise left campus for lunch. Because of her strong presence in our community and devotion to Sacred Heart values, the Alumnae Board and the Alumnae Office voted to make Sue an Honorary Alumna of Forest Ridge School.
Read more about Sue's impact on Forest Ridge in this Mes Amis article.
Past Recipients of the Distinguished Alumna Award
2021
Lori Dauphiny '81
2020
Julie Peterson Genjac ’99
2019
Amy Stone ’84
2018
Joan Blanchette Broderick ’83
Tom Manion, Honorary
2017
Maureen Pleas Brotherton ’72
2016
Elizabeth Gray ‘91, MD
2015
Carla Elbert Lewis ’75
2014
Cora Edmonds Crean ‘83
2013
Cristina Mendoza ‘82
Audrey Threlkeld, Honorary
2012
Sue Heffernan ’72
2011
Jenny Durkan ‘76
Rhoady and Jeanne Marie Lee, Honorary
2010
Judy Pigott ’67
Julie Lundgren, Honorary
2009
Sandy Robison Kemper ’72
Janet Graeber, Honorary
2008
Mary Magnano Smith ’61
Alycia Long Allen ’69 (posthumously)
John Fenoli, Honorary
2007
JoAnne Clampitt, Honorary
2006
Christa Gadola ’98
Sharon Carey LeeMaster ’53
2005
Alix Furness ’86
Jan Chalupny ’80
Marcia O’Dea, RSCJ ’56, Broadway
2004
Peggy Taylor ’69
Soleil Leilabadi ’98
Dean Shoemaker, Honorary
2003
Yvonne Pometti, RSCJ ’37
Atherton Eileen Brown Geller ’78
Katie Tierney McKay, Honorary
2002
Kathleen McGonigle Murtha ’50
June Rogers Kennedy ’54
Britt Glomset, Honorary
2001
Genevieve Albers ’27
Mary B. Flaherty, RSCJ ’49
Jan Adair Eichler ’55
2000
Ann Cronin, RSCJ ’37
Virginia McMonagle, RSCJ ’39
I. Marie Bone '70
1998
Harriet Berens Barrett ’28
Dorothy Miller Pickel ’32
Clair Rogers Jenkins ’46
Susanna McPherson Lane ’48
Linda Haydock, SNJM ’73
1997
Dorothy White Hanscom ’27
Gege Purdy Brennan ’35
Lee Peabody Evoy ’40
Mary Helen Strout Heffernan ’42
Julie Carvalho Impett ’56
Linda Zeman Gadola ’66
Mud McHugh ’70
Kim Ackerley Cleworth ’82
Kendee Yamaguchi ’95