Distinguished Alumni Recipients

Martin Atilano

Came to America speaking no English; Enrolled at MHS and earned his diploma and attended the Real Estate Institute of Chicago. After working two years in real estate he became a managing broker and later opened his own company, American Dream Realty. Named Top 250 Latino Real Estate Agent in the US; now opening a third office in Mundelein. Whenever he is asked where he is from, he always proudly says “MUNDELEIN.”

Oliwia Zurek

BA degree in Biology from Knox College; PhD in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from Montana State University

USMA Immunology Medical Science Liaison II, Genentech, Inc. South San Francisco; Postdoctorate Fellow, Pathology Department, Galli Lab, Stanford University. National Institute of Health Postdoctoral Fellowship ($50K), American Heart Association Pre-Doctoral Fellowship ($50K), Presidential Award: Society for Leukocyte Biology. Contributor to 11 publications; 17 oral presentations in US and abroad. Came to MHS speaking no English and credits the MHS ESL Program and AP Biology, “without the support I received from these teachers and the counseling, I wouldn’t be where I am today!”

BS degree, Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Recent experience at Google Headquarters; Adient, LLC Sales Manager; Managed commercial and sales activities for Tesla Model S/X/3/Y production seat trim covers/panels; Founded the STEM Explorers Scholarship at Mundelein High School in 2018 to provide STEM opportunities to promising students interested in STEM topics and careers

Sol Cabachuela

Parent Liaison at MHS, Mundelein Village Clerk; President of the Mundelein Latino Police Academy; Director, Universidad de Padres; Mentor for Kids Hope USA, Chapel Infant Ministry.

Randall Schenck

Director of Quality Assurance, Medline Industries, Inc., served as a US Army Sniper Section Leader/Illinois Marksmanship Team Captain Chicago, 2013 Federal Employee of the Year, Received Purple Heart for Meritorious Service, President’s Volunteer Service Award, Senior Vice Commander VFW; American Legion member, Lake County Lightning Youth Baseball Head Coach.

Juniper Simonis

DAPPER State founder/owner and lead scientist, Edanz Editing, expert language editor, Lincoln Park Zoo Adjunct Scientist, Course Instructor at Cornell University, numerous learned writings in the field along with research grants and projects, Rose City Rollers, Inc. skater, junior team coach, trainer, training committee member, Lamont C. Cole Award, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University.

BS degree in Law Enforcement Justice Administration; Western Illinois University (Magna Cum Laude); Mundelein Police Officer since 2006; Held positions of Accident Investigator, Evidence Technician, Alcohol and Gaming Compliance Officer, Bike Officer, DARE Officer, Police Explorer Advisor, Field Training Officer; School Resource Officer; Mundelein PD Polar Plunge participant every year for the Special Olympics

Zaneta Stinson Adams

US Army veteran; attorney at law with Williams Hughes PLLC; Challenge America Advocate and spokesperson. Founder of Women Injured in Combat [WINC].

Britt Hanson

Hematology/Oncology Physician; Volunteer work with Lake County Stormwater Management and with project to help protect Bartlett Ravine and Lake Michigan.

West Point Graduate; PhD in History; Four Masters Degrees; Currently on  a mission of command in Turkey; has also commanded the 1-67^th Armored Regiment, deployed to the Republic of South Korea; Bronze Star Medal, Four Awards; Purple Heart Medal; Deployed to Samarra, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; Served as Headquarters Company Executive Officer for eight years; Commander of B Company, 2^nd battalion, 28^th Infantry Regiment in Grafenwoehr, Germany; Many other positions within the military prior to his current post

Jay Hightower

Just completed 20 years in government service – as Sergeant in the US Marine Corps. and now as a senior Federal Air Marshal. Served in the elite Security Forces/Counterterrorism Battalion guarding nuclear weapons; created the “Cheer Dad” movement for fathers of cheerleaders at Grayslake Central High School where his daughter cheered.

Hemal Patel

Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, University of California at San Diego; Chair, Recruitment and Admissions Committee, UCSD School of Medicine; Research Pharmacologist, VA San Diego Healthcare System.

PhD in Geology, University of Tennessee; MS, Ceramics and Materials Engineering, Rutgers University, BS; Geology, Northeastern Illinois University; currently on the staff of Los Alamos National Laboratory, and formerly a senior lecturer at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Instructor for undergraduate laboratory coursework in Materials Science and Engineering; Chancellors Award for Excellence in Advising; Faculty award for Excellence in Service and in Teaching

Nicole Suveges [posthumous]

Nine months active duty, US Army, during Bosnian War; US Defense Department Social Science advisor to Human Terrain Team in Iraqi Freedom 2006 and 2008; Killed in Iraq Ministry Building June 24, 2008; Awarded Defense of Freedom Medal July 11, 2008 by US Secretary of Defense.

Amy Aufmann

BS in Education from Northern Illinois University; MBA from Benedictine University

MBA from Benedictine University; Currently completing an Ed.D. program at the University of Southern California. Currently Group President, Central Region of DeVry University; Regional administrator for 12 Devry University locations in Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Missouri and Colorado; more than 20 years of academic leadership experience. Serves on executive committee for DuPage Workforce Board, served as honorary chair for Illinois Bolingbrook and Joliet March of Dimes Walk for Babies; chair of the Proprietary Advisory Committee for Illinois Board of Higher Education.

Scott Verschoor

The Wharton School, executive leadership development and life sciences at KPMG, President for Life Sciences Practice at Model N, senior manager at Deloittle Consulting, director at Sallie Mae, systems manager for General Motors Account at Electronic Data Systems, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Music Institute of Chicago.

Deirdre “Dee Dee” Healey

Director, Mission Support Division, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA Headquarters; panel member, UN Conference on Arms Control; guest speaker at Brookings Institution Women’s Leadership Program.

Merry Quinn-Krajniak

Regional Director for Vicariate I within Office of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, experience at several Lake County high schools as teacher, counselor, student services director, assistant principal and assistant superintendent, One Million Degrees Volunteer Coach, Board member at First Christian Church, CROP Walk participant, raising money for food pantries and the homeless.

Sean McNanie

Third Round Draft pick by the Buffalo Bills football team, also played for the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts, Current President/CEO of Patriot West Constructors; Chairman/CEO/President of SLM Consulting and Management, participates yearly in Aspen Grassroots Experience in Aspen, CO which provides funding for at-risk youth from across the country.

Raymond Semple

Village Trustee, Village of Mundelein; National Account Manager, Equifax; longest-serving trustee in Mundelein history; serves as Mayor Pro-Tem; has played Santa Claus in Santa’s Village in Mundelein for 25 years.

Brad Steele

Captain of the Boeing 747-400 with Kalitta Air, LLC, flying all types of cargo worldwide, flies military cargo charters in and out of Afghanistan, enjoyed a long naval career in many capacities including the Diplomatic Corp and Foreign Services assigned to Saudi Arabia and throughout the Middle East, Commanding Officer of VC-8 in Puerto Rico, retired after 28 years of service on the USS Missouri berthed at Pearl Harbor.

Tami Haukedahl

Founder and Owner of Hauk Fitness; Deputy Chief of Police, Elgin Community College. Raises money and donations each year for the Palatine Township Food Pantry – four truckloads of food this past year.

Steven Wilson

Math instructor at the Christian International School of Prague, Prague, Czech Republic, has taught mathematics at the junior high, high school and collegiate level. Assistant Chair of Mathematics at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS, named Professor Emeritus there in 2017, served as a Bible teacher in Kansas City, MO and in Lawrence, KS.

Michael Infanti

BS in Management; MS in Military Studies; MS in National Resource Strategy.

Enlisted in the US Army as an infantryman. After serving four years he joined the Army National Guard and enrolled at the University of Illinois-Chicago and was later commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the infantry of the US Army in 1986. Retired from active duty June 2014 from the US Army as a Colonel. Received the Legion of Merit/Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Award, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Joint Service Commendation Medal. He is currently the manager of a production facility in Fishersville, VA where they make furniture for US Navy ships.

Joined the US Air Force Strategic Air Command following graduation from MHS. Served as a jet engine mechanic and aircraft electrical repairman;  Involved in a serious motorcycle accident a year and a half later and medically retired from the Air Force; Life member of the Knights of Columbus; Has made five trips to Washington, DC for House/Armed Service Committee meetings;  Received the Gold Star Family’s Hero for a Day Award in Peoria; The Greater Peoria Honor Fight recently recognized Chad Vale for his accomplishments in the Air Force and his Volunteerism with the Veterans Affairs; Elected judge advocate    Veteran Assistance Commission State Level

Brad Forch

BS in chemistry, MS in physical chemistry, both from Illinois State University

PhD in physical chemistry/chemical physics, Wayne State University. Published several papers on the relative thermodynamic stabilities of substituted Annulenes and their anions and dianions. His research contributions led to the discovery of a new laser-based resonant ignition mechanism that rapidly transitioned to practical applications for many Army weapons systems. He died suddenly in September 2018 while assigned to the US Army Research Laboratory’s Weapons and Materials Research Directorate.

Associate of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering; Co-Owner of Sirius Automation Group, Buffalo Grove, IL;  Mentorship with the MHS Robotics Club; Holds a number of patents in Biomedical Engineering and Robotics; More than 40 years in biomedical engineering field, designing instrumentations; Six years as a consultant with Northwestern University’s Center for innovation in Global Health Technology developing a rapid-AIDS test for South Africa

Steve Figved

Chief Administrator for Will County 911 Emergency Telephone System; previous experiences as fire chief for Bartlett and Barrington fire departments; charter member and president of the MHS Foundation.

James Swanson

Senior Executive Service with Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC; Active service with US Air Force 1971-2003; Attained rank of Brigadier General; CEO, Naples Children Education Foundation.

Mark Knigge

Retired from Abbott Laboratories as cell and molecular biologist; Village of Wauconda Park District Commissioner, Trustee and Mayor; published in Journal of Science regarding HIV Aids research and discovery of a new Hepatitis Virus, President of Lake County Municipal League and Liaison to Great Lakes Naval Base.

Gary Schnurrpusch

Senior Maritime Analyst/Senior Naval Simulation System Modeler, Office of Secretary of Defense Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation Directorate Simulation Analysis Center [SAC]; Forty-eight years in the US Navy and Defense Department; Board of Directors, George Mason University, Friends of the Center for the Arts.