Alumni Hall of Fame

Colonel Franz’ career with the United States Army began at the West Point Military Academy, where he graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Aeronautical Systems.

In 2001 Col. Franz graduated from the United States Army Aviation Center as a UH-60 helicopter operator.  Two years after that he would serve his first of three combat tours in Afghanistan, flying countless missions as the pilot of a Blackhawk helicopter.

In 2017 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was appointed as commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Battalion at Camp Zama, Japan.  During his time in the Army, Col. Franz was awarded 26 medals for his service, including two Bronze Stars, two Air Medals and three Meritorious Service Medals.  He retired from the Army after serving more than 28 years.

Col. Franz has worked with and supported families and soldiers through the Family and Soldiers Readiness Group at Camp Zama, Japan and has also been very active in numerous churches as both a leader and Sunday School teacher.

Col. Franz now lives in Corpus Christi, Texas with his wife Tracy.

Karen Hermance is Board President of the Sally Edelman Harry Gardner Cancer Research Foundation.  It was established in 1984 with the goal of raising $1,000,000 for cancer research.  Today it has continued raising these crucial funds and has donated more than $1.5 million to the Wilmot Cancer Institute.  The foundation's mission was to allocate all funds raised directly to research projects, avoiding administrative costs. Partnering with the University of Rochester ensured donations directly supported the Wilmot Cancer Institute. The foundation has contributed "seed" grants to Wilmot researchers, encouraging further funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and National Institutes of Health {NIH). This strategy has secured over $8 million in grants for promising projects.

As one of her nominators Tiffany Paine-Cirrincione stated, “Karen is an inspiration to the women of my generation; teaching us by example that one person’s voice, perseverance, and compassion for their community can make a tangible impact.”

Randy Jensen has literally dedicated his life to serving others.  In 1978, at the age of 20 he joined the Lake Shore Fire Department.  He rose through the ranks and served two separate three-year terms as Fire Chief.  At the same time he was holding this volunteer position, he was also working full-time with the Ridge Road Fire District.

Mr. Jensen was also selected to serve the Monroe County Fire Bureau as the 2nd Battalion Deputy Fire Coordinator. Serving in this role from 2007-2019, he worked to coordinate firefighter and public safety training, as well as assisting in emergency response situations by providing assistance to incident commanders at active structure fires, special operations, hazardous materials incidents, and the coordination of mutual aid.

As committed as he has been to the local community, his efforts with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation might be even more impressive.  The NFFF’s mission is to honor America's fallen fire heroes, supporting their families, colleagues, and organizations, while working to reduce preventable firefighter death and injury.  For 12 years Mr. Jensen served as the Chairman for the Rochester Area NFFF Golf Tournament.  Under his leadership it grew to be the largest tournament of its kind in the nation, raising more than $750,000.

Ms. Whelehan Leport is probably best known as the face of the Hilton Alumni Association, but she is so much more than that.  Her commitment to community service began in her senior year when, as an 18-year-old she organized Hilton’s first Earth Day celebration.  She climbed aboard a Town of Parma truck filled with recyclable bottles and cans and delivered them to Wegmans headquarters, urging them to begin a recycling program.

Ms. Whelehan Leport earned her Master of Divinity for Colgate Rochester Divinity School in 1990 and embarked on a 27-year ministry career that touched numerous communities and countless lives.  She founded the LeRoy Christian Community Project, a cooperative involving multiple churches. This innovative program provided essential services including after-school programs, teen drop-in centers, and caregiver support groups, directly improving hundreds of families' lives.  She also established Real Life Programs, providing workshop and retreat leadership, life coaching, leadership coaching, and church coaching services.

As President and co-founder of the Hilton Alumni Association, she transformed initial pledges of $20,000 into a thriving organization that has awarded multiple scholarships annually to Hilton graduating seniors, provided classroom grants to teachers for unfunded educational projects, created lasting connections between the school district and broader Hilton community, and expanded membership across multiple decades of Hilton graduates.

Mr. Sorensen excelled both in the classroom and on the soccer field during his time at Hilton High School, a member of the National Honor Society, he was also a starter on the 1987 New York State Championship Soccer Team.  He continued that success at SUNY Oswego where he graduated Magna Cun Lauda and also earned the 1991 SUNYAC Dr. T. Fred Holloway Award given for academic and athletic achievement.

Upon graduating from college, he went to work for Price Waterhouse Coopers, where he has been for more than 30 years.  He is currently the Lead Engagement Partner on one of the firm’s largest and most iconic clients, IBM.  Mr. Sorensen was also the partner assigned to the Eastman Kodak account when that company was going through its most difficult financial times.

Mr. Sorensen has contributed generously to the Hilton Athletic Department, and along with his wife Ginger, established the Jeffrey ’92 and Ginger Bray Sorensen ’93 Scholarship at SUNY Oswego.  This scholarship was established to provide support for future generations of deserving students, particularly those students from disadvantaged backgrounds who did not have a lot of opportunity, with a goal of educating students who will contribute back to society.

Class of 1981

Lisa Snape Avery’s career in classical ballet began in Upstate New York at the Botsford School of Dance and the Burhyte School of Ballet. She trained with the New York City Ballet after receiving a scholarship to the New York State Summer School of the Arts.

Ms. Avery’s professional training led to opportunities throughout the country. However, early in her career, a serious injury sidelined her performing career. This monumental event pivoted her focus to developing her teaching and choreographic career, which led to various positions with prominent schools throughout the U.S.

In 1995, Ms. Avery founded Avery Ballet, where she specializes in training and developing dancers in the art of classical ballet, and setting traditional and original choreography on the Avery Ballet Company. Dancers are expected to maintain high standards in school, as well as within the community. Students are made aware how fortunate they are to afford dance training, and those who are not as fortunate should be given the same opportunity. Therefore, proceeds from Avery Ballet’s performances contribute to scholarships that provide dance education to the children of the Head Start Program, as well as many charitable organizations.

Ms. Avery’s passion for training the dancer to reach their full potential is shown by the success in her alumni. Dancers who have graduated from Avery Ballet are engaged in programs of higher education, enrolled in professional ballet schools, and have danced in professional companies throughout the world. Ms. Avery plans to continue to pass on her knowledge to the next generation of young dancers.

Class of 1970

Dr. Maureen Biggers, co-founder and executive director, champions the meaningful engagement of women with technology to empower their career success. While serving as assistant dean for Diversity in Computing at Georgia Tech and Indiana University, and as a champion in the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Pacesetter program, she has led successful efforts to significantly increase the number of women studying computing in response to a national corporate call.

Dr. Biggers has served as co-chair and is a current Advisory Board member for the NCWIT Academic Alliance, currently serves as co-chair of the Indiana Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) team, is co-PI on the national Leadership Team for the NSF ECEP 2.0 Alliance and is a broadening participation consultant for the national NSF ICICLE Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Cyberinfrastructure. In 2021, Dr. Biggers was awarded Indiana University’s Bicentennial Medal, in recognition of her distinguished contributions and service.

Class of 1973

Dr. Connie Lee Cushing Lerea loved her roots, growing up in Hilton with her parents Betty and John Cushing, sister Cathy, and brother John. Living in Parma, she was proud of her community and enjoyed spending as much time as possible back at home.

In 1985, Dr. Lerea earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Rochester. She spent the next four years as a post-doctoral fellow and research associate at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle. In 1989, Dr. Lerea established her own laboratory at New York Medical College where she was a professor of cell biology and anatomy. She was awarded a five-year grant from the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the National Institute of Health (NIH). Her studies where recognized to help characterize the molecular basis of certain genetic vision disorders.

The Connie Lee Lerea Travel Grant is awarded yearly to a young researcher at the annual Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. This memorial grant was formed to assure that enthusiastic investigators have the opportunity to discuss their research with leaders in their fields and receive the same mentorship and encouragement that Dr. Lerea received as a trainee. Her mentorship and contributions to science, research and life touched the entire global community and will never be forgotten.

Dr. Lerea was (and continues to be) an inspiration to everyone she encountered and was always there to help. All who knew her would see her upbeat, loving and caring personality. Wherever the journey took Connie, she embraced every moment. Her smile, laugh and zest for life were contagious.

Class of 1999

Loraleigh (Lora - Lee) Roller graduated Hilton High School in 1999. During her high school career, she was a member of the National Honor Society and played field hockey, volleyball and softball. With the support and encouragement of her family, Ms. Roller earned an appointment to the United States Coast Guard Academy, graduating in 2003. She earned her commission as an officer in the Coast Guard, serving on the Coast Guard Cutter TAHOMA as a deck watch officer. Her other units include Maritime Safety and Security Team Galveston, TX; Sector Field Office Grand Haven, MI; District 9 Incident Management Team in Cleveland, OH; Sector Northern New England Contingency Planning Staff, Portland, ME; and several tours at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Ms. Roller transitioned to the Coast Guard Reserve and is currently the Operations Officer for the United States Navy Maritime Expeditionary Security Group 2 out of Norfolk, VA. She is a federal employee with the Coast Guard working as a program analyst in the Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement Policy where she manages the counterdrug and migrant interdiction portfolios.

In her free time, Ms. Roller enjoys competing in The Tactical Games, The Patriot Games, backcountry backpacking, and spending time with her dogs. She has an 18-year-old daughter, 21-year-old son and daughter-in-law, and three-year old granddaughter, all of whom she is extremely proud.

Class of 1983

Maureen L. (Graybill) Werner, Esq. is a partner at the law firm of Schum & Werner, PLLC and has offices in Spencerport and Hilton. She received an AOS degree from SUNY Cobleskill in professional chef, a BS degree from SUNY Brockport in Political Science/Pre- Law and her Juris Doctor from the University of Buffalo Law School.

Ms. Werner’s path to her current position was not conventional, having practiced as a paralegal for 20 years prior to returning to law school at the age of 46. Werner focused on raising her son, Mikhail, before taking on the task of working full time and attending law school full time.

Upon admittance in the NYS bar, Ms. Werner worked for a small eastside firm before joining her current firm, where she was promoted to partner after three years and is currently the town attorney for both the Town of Hamlin and the Town of Parma. Ms. Werner has volunteered her time as a member of several boards of directors for non-for-profit corporations and is an active member in the Hilton Parma Hamlin Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Werner resides in her childhood home with her husband of 27 years, Michael.

History of HHS Alumni Hall of Fame:  The first Hilton High School Alumni Hall of Fame Selection Committee was convened in 1999. The Hilton High School Alumni Hall of Fame Selection Committee performs a review of each nominee's educational achievement; job-related achievements; honors and awards; community involvement; personal accomplishments; and/or any other appropriate qualifications that merit consideration.

Special thanks to the Alumni Hall of Fame Selection Committee; Planning Committee; Hilton Alumni Association, Hilton Education Foundation; Buildings & Grounds, Technology and Food Service Departments; and senior Luke Pisani.