NEHS Alumni Hall of Fame Archives

2024 Wall of Fame Honorees

Solomon Jones		Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author and award-winning journalist who appears frequently on CNN. He has also appeared on Nightline, NPR, TV One, and the BBC. Jones, who graduated from Northeast High School in 1985, is the host of Wake Up With WURD, which airs weekday mornings on WURD Radio. He is also Community Affairs Director for Radio One Philadelphia, and hosts Your Voice, a weekly show on Classix 107.9 FM. He holds a B.A. in journalism from Temple University, and pens a column on race and social justice for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Jones is the author of 11 books, including Pipe Dream (Random House, 2001), The Bridge (St. Martin’s Press, 2003) and Ten Lives Ten Demands (Beacon Press, 2021). Jones’s love for writing was nurtured at Northeast High School, where Mr. Grabar, a dedicated English teacher, recognized his gift. Today, in addition to his many writing credits, Jones is a licensed Baptist minister and the founder of ManUpPHL, a non-profit that partners with the Philadelphia School District and criminal justice agencies to fight gun violence. ManUpPHL pays stipends to participants, provides them with mentoring, and assists them in finding employment. A married father of three, Jones is a national voice on race and politics. A recipient of Temple University’s “Lew Klein” award, the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists “Journalist of the Year” award, the Father’s Day Rally Committee’s “Father of the Year” award, the Knight Foundation’s “Black Male Leadership” award, and Community College of Philadelphia’s “Distinguished Leadership,” award, Jones lives in Philadelphia with his family.

Karen Kolsky		As noted on The School District of Philadelphia Northeast High School website, the Northeast High School mission and approach to learning is to empower students to embrace learning as a lifelong process…to foster students a respect for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, class, gender, or sexual orientation, for this is the essence of learning in a global community. The school will prepare students to be contributing members of the high-tech society, with the ultimate goal of becoming empathetic and transformative leaders within their families, communities, and world. With the stated mission and approach to learning, how fortunate it is to be a current student at Northeast High School…how fortunate it is to be a former student who graduated from a school that even then, recognized each of us as individuals who could contribute to the better good…and how fortunate it is to embrace this mission today and connect to it fifty years later. Karen Kolsky graduated from Northeast High School in June 1974. And in June, she will be attending her 50th high school reunion along with many students from the 133rd class. Following high school graduation, Karen attended a multitude of colleges and universities. Each institution carved a path for growth and leadership opportunities. From attending Penn State University and graduating from Temple University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, she knew that being a teacher in the district where she received her education, would be a personal goal. Throughout her years as a practicing teacher in District schools, Karen attended Arcadia University (formerly Beaver College) and Cheyney University of Pennsylvania obtaining a Masters in Special Education and a Principal Certification. She also attended St. Joseph’s University and earned a Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility. And finally, Karen earned her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focused on the Principals’ Effect on Teachers’ Instructional Practices in Kindergarten through Grade Eight Urban School Settings. Her research has been used in multiple capacities within the district. Dr. Kolsky’s core belief of an educational organization is grounded in the work of the district is in Schools and the work of Schools are in classrooms. Dr. Kolsky has had numerous roles and responsibilities spanning almost four decades within the district, including but not limited to being a teacher, Principal, Assistant Superintendent, Deputy Chief of Leadership Development, and most recently retired as Deputy Chief of School Organization & Management. Dr. Kolsky is the wife of 37 years to Jeff, a Central High School graduate, mother of two children and grandmother to the joys of her life, her four grandchildren. She devotes much of her time to being with her grandchildren. She is hoping to write a book in the near future about best practices for the principalship.

Richard Himes		Richard (Dick) Howard Himes was born in north Philadelphia in 1935. He was the next to the youngest of six brothers and sisters. His mother passed away when he was eight years old and his father died when he was 14. Dick then lived with four of his siblings and his grandmother. In January of 1950, he entered Northeast High School and graduated in January of 1953. During his first year at Northeast High School, he was invited to join the honors section. Dick’s interest in chemistry was formed in his senior year upon taking a chemistry course under an influential chemistry teacher. Upon graduation, Dick was a recipient of a four-year full tuition scholarship from the University of Pennsylvania. This scholarship was the catalyst for a long and successful academic career in Biochemistry. Dick was first generation, and the only sibling from his family, to go to college. He obtained a Bachelors of Arts degree in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania in 1956. This was followed by a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of California, Berkley in 1961. Dick then spent 2 years at the Max Planck Institute in Munich Germany for post-doctoral research studying enzymology. He has had numerous Fellowships and Honors and has held memberships in a number of American Societies for Chemistry, Cell Biology and the Advancement of Science, to name a few. Following his post-doc, Dick joined the University of Kansas, Lawrence Kansas, in 1963 as Assistant Professor. Dick spent 38 years at the University of Kansas, during which he served as chair of the Biochemistry department before retiring as full Professor in 2000. He has published over 150 articles and papers. During his tenure at the University of Kansas, Dick’s research in enzymology and cell biology contributed to important discoveries in the understanding and treatment of cancer. Dick and his wife, Sue, continue to live in Lawrence Kansas and are active members of the University alumni community. They have three children living in Virginia, Arkansas and Washington state. Dick and Sue are active travelers, having visited all seven continents and many countries across the world. They continue to take on new adventures.

Tom Rosenfeld		Tommy Rosenfeld is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CanAm Enterprises. Tommy’s upbringing was imbued with lessons on the importance of strong moral values and persistence. Despite his parents’ modest education, Tommy regards them as the wisest people he knows, an outlook that has fueled his journey from Northeast High School’s class of ’71 to the top of the EB-5 investment immigration industry.The U.S. EB-5 program allows qualified foreigners who invest in pre-screened projects that create significant new jobs for U.S. workers, to become U.S. permanent residents. In essence, it’s about transforming foreign investment into a dual boon: enabling investors to achieve their American dream and stimulating job creation and economic development in the U.S. at no cost to the American taxpayer.Under Tommy’s stewardship, CanAm Enterprises is nationally recognized as the EB-5 industry leader. The firm has raised and invested more than $3 billion in EB-5 capital into job creating projects nationwide. These investments have been credited with generating over 100,000 new jobs. In Philadelphia, CanAm has proudly partnered with the City’s economic development agency to finance more than $700 million in projects, including the Pennsylvania Convention Center expansion, SEPTA and the revitalization of shipbuilding and other industries at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.Tommy’s journey to the heart of the EB-5 program is deeply personal. Born in Israel to Holocaust survivors and raised in Philadelphia, his own immigrant experience, witnessing his parents navigate a new life in the U.S., endowed him with a profound understanding and empathy for his investors.’ Tommy is an attorney and certified public accountant. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in business administration and his Juris Doctor from Temple University. He is Director Emeritus of the EB-5 industry trade association and honored to be awarded the associations’ first lifetime achievement award. For his depth of experience and business insight, Tommy is frequently invited to speak at economic development and EB-5 conferences, both nationwide and abroad. But Tommy’s life is more than his professional accolades. He resides in Brooklyn with his beloved (and extremely tolerant) wife Debbie, who are the proud parents of their two sons, Zach and Noah. The values instilled in him by his parents have not only shaped his professional ethos but also underscore his role as a husband, father, and leader.

2023 Wall of Fame Honorees

< Lorrie Caplan		Abstract Watercolor Artist/Professional Pop Song Artist Intuitive Life Coach and Published Author Lorrie Caplan graduated Northeast High School in 1971. She is a passionate and involved alumnus, participating in class reunions and keeping in close touch with many of her classmates. She has announced that she will host and plan the 55th reunion for her class, which will be held in 2026. A student of Gilbert Spruance Elementary School and Fels Junior High, she arrived at Northeast High School in 1968. Lorrie is an intuitive life coach for 35 years, an abstract watercolor and acrylic painter, a published author and a professional pop song writer. Her book, “Giving Birth to My Parents,” was published in 2012. It is a love letter to her parents. Lorrie reaches hundreds with empowering words and speaks with clear intention. Her infectious enthusiasm, enormous courage, commitment and understanding team together to transform the lives of those who find her upon their paths. In 2014, her abstract watercolors and acrylics were featured at the world’s largest fine arts gallery, the Holtzman Gallery at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. Her art also graced 23 floors of Caesars Hotel Atlantic City, NJ at the Centurion Towers as hotel art. She has lived in New York City, Los Angeles CA and Boulder CO before returning to live in Rittenhouse Square in Center City in 2022. She was married to Stephen Shern, a successful photographer and Creative Food Stylist for 36 years before his passing. She currently has a Rittenhouse Square Studio/gallery. She has achieved great success with her art and her love for life. You can see her work at her website Lorriecaplanart.com.

Harris Devor		Harris is a nationally recognized forensic accountant. He has been practicing for the past 50 years and remains in high demand in both the United States and internationally, in large, high-profile cases involving financial fraud. He is often retained as an expert by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Justice, State Attorneys General and, in many cases involving large Securities Class Actions and fraud, by some of the most prestigious law firms in the world. He has worked in such renowned matters as the Enron/Arthur Andersen case, the Bernard Madoff matter, specifically involving the largest feeder fund into it and PricewaterhouseCoopers, its auditor, the Lehman Brothers collapse, the WorldCom/Arthur Andersen matter, many of the MBS cases stemming from the financial collapse of 2008 involving some of the largest banks in the world, and countless others. He has testified in Federal and International Courts many times in his career and his forte is distilling and explaining complex financial concepts to judges and juries. Harris has also spent many years in giving back to his community. He has been on the Boards of The Pennsylvania Innocence Project, The Senior Law Center and is currently on the Board of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, to name a few. He is also a national leader of the Pro-Israel community in the United States, often spending time in DC and elsewhere with Members of the Senate and House of Representatives in discussion of legislative initiatives designed to keep Israel safe and secure. Harris was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia (Large St. and Princeton Ave.!!) and proudly graduated from Northeast High School (Class of’68) and Temple University (Class of ’73), from which he graduated with highest honors from the Business School. In recognition of its 100th anniversary, Temple University’s Fox School of Business selected Harris and 99 others who helped shape the school and the business world in those 100 years to be included on the Fox 100 Wall of Honor. Harris served in the US Air Force on active duty and then reserve status for 6 years. For the last 43 years of his life, Harris has been surrounded by three incredible women – the love of his life – Debra – and his two daughters, Elizabeth and Rachel. His first grandchild is on the way! He has resided in Center City, Philadelphia for most of his adult life.

Dara Ruiz		Dara Ruiz Whalen is a member of the 1989 graduating class at Northeast High School (148). She earned her Bachelor’s in Science Education with a focus in Biology (’95) and her Master’s in Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology in Education (’01) from Temple University. With her Science Education PhD defense date set for later this year, she is working towards her Temple Triple Owl and the development of collaborative professional development programs. At Northeast, Dara’s academic interests were supported by her teachers. Susan Cohen Smith prompted a shy, art student to take her first teaching role, and anatomy & physiology teacher, Anthony (Tony) Matarazzo, was a role model for developing her science professor persona. It was also during this time that Dara also met her now-husband Matt Whalen. At Temple, Dara was a biology education major & completed her student teaching back at Northeast. Her training was with Dr. Richard Black and Harvey Kaufman (deceased). These two role models helped Dara develop her strong “front of the room” presence and after graduation, Dara vowed to positively impact science education in Philly. The next two decades served her well as she taught A&P at a local community college and at the lab at world-renowned institutions, including Princeton University and Fox Chase Cancer Center. It was during her time at Fox Chase, as the Education Direction of the Immersion Science Program that she and her collaborator: Alana O’Reilly, shared a dream of designing new ways to train scientists and support science education. They launched the ISP in 2013, and by 2018 over 1,000 students, annually, were contributing scientific data through classroom projects. With this exponential growth and the institution’s best wishes, in 2019 Dara & Alana became founders of their own non-profit entity: eCLOSE Institute. As co-Executive Director and Chief Learning Officer of eCLOSE, Dara has developed programs to support equity for participants through workforce development, science teacher PD’s, and student research trainings to engage scientists as young as 5th grade! Dara has presented her work to the Society for Developmental Biology, the National Science Teachers Association, and the Citizen Science Association. Recently she spoke at the National Institutes of Health-SciEd Virtual Conference to discuss creating science spaces for teachers and students in biomedical research. As a co-founder of eCLOSE, she has been jointly awarded local, national, and international awards in research training and science education. With the support of her colleagues, collaborators, her husband and three amazing children: Zach, Griffin, and Rory, Dara looks forward to sharing what is possible when committed people come together from higher education, public schools, and research institutions.