6 Springfield school grads to receive Alumni of Distinction Award

The alumni to be honored are Janet Elaine Sallee Davis, of Houston, graduate of North High Class of 1972; Anastasia (Martin) Fischer, of Columbus, graduate of North High Class of 1989; Justin Pinn, Ed.D., of Miami, graduate of Springfield High Class of 2009; Todd Stoll, of New York City, graduate of North High Class of 1981; Chris Williams of Springfield, graduate of North High Class of 1993; and Brian Yontz, of Springfield, graduate of North High Class of 1995.

The program was established in 2005 by the Springfield Board of Education to recognize former students who have distinguished themselves through professional success and community services.

Janet Elaine Sallee Davis: She is a Spacesuit Technical Engineer at Axiom where she serves on the mission team to design new flight suits and boots for the 2024 Axiom flight to the International Space Station, leads tours of the facility, and takes part in promotional videos and commercials. Davis has also worked for Denim Appeal Factory in North Carolina and has produced samples for Tommy Hilfiger, Gloria Vanderbilt and Levi Strauss; was a wardrobe specialist at Paramount Theme Parks and Paramount Studios, working on the Star Trek Next Generation movie refurbishing and upgrading costumes; and was a lead designer for the Pro Santa Shop, designing and sewing original Santa costumes.

She earned her associate’s degree in fashion/apparel design from Massey Fashion Institute in Atlanta, Georgia, is a licensed minister and certified mentor providing outreach, counsel and support to incarcerated persons. Davis also wrote a book teaching animal signs to elementary students, has has become proficient in American Sign Language, has served as an ASL advocate, consultant and interpreter for over 18 years, and is the ASL interpreter for the live-stream services for her church.

Anastasia (Martin) Fischer: She is a member of the Division of Sports Medicine in the Section of Ambulatory Pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. Fischer obtained a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Miami University and a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology at the University of Georgia before attending medical school at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. She then completed a family practice residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a primary care sports medicine fellowship at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine.

Fischer is fellowship trained and board certified in sports medicine; is a member of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine, where she has served on the Board of Directors of the Midwest Regional Chapter, the national Board of Trustees, the Strategic Health Initiative for Women’s Health, and currently serves as Past-President; sits on the Board of Directors for Action for Healthy Kids; and is a volunteer physician with the Tour de Grandview bicycle race and serves as team physician at Grandview Heights High School in the central Ohio area.

Justin Pinn: He is a management consultant supporting social good organizations and leaders throughout the country and is an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College and Barry University. Pinn’s a former Teach for America Corps Member where he led initiatives in secondary science and post-secondary access, he pioneered the after school environment at Breakthrough Miami where he earned recognition as a National Afterschool Alliance Ambassador in 2017, spearheaded TFA Miami-Dad’s Alumni network,

Pinn holds an Ed.D. from Barry University, an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Georgetown University, an M.S. from Johns Hopkins University, and a B.A. from Georgetown University. He also chairs Miami EdTech, serves as a Founding Trustee Member at Cristo Rey Miami High School and chaired the City of Miami Community Advisory Board where he addressed police misconduct in a U.S. Department of Justice settlement agreement.

Todd Stoll: He is an educator, administrator, performer, conductor, and has traveled to four continents and 35 countries to bring jazz to people of all ages and backgrounds. Stoll holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Miami University and a Master’s degree in classical trumpet from the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music.

Stoll founded the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra in 1991 while working as a music teacher, joined Jazz at Lincoln Center as Vice President of Education in 2011, later partnered with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra in 2019 and found the Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra, and in 2021 began working with the Springfield Kiwanis Club as the founding artistic director of the two-day Springfield Jazz and Blues Festival.

Chris Williams: He is the Senior Director of Aftermarket Support Services at Yaskawa America, Inc. and has made significant contributions as a successful business leader in the field of technology. He graduated from North High School, studied business management at Clark State and graduated from the University of Toledo with an emphasis in marketing in advertising.

Williams served on the Springfield City School District Board of Education for nine years and two as president where he was a part of the Business Advisory Council, STEAM Advisory Group, Urban School District Advisory Network, Recruitment and Retention Committee, Capital Plan and Alumni of Distinction Committee; was the founder of the Springfield Beasts Youth Sports organization, which operated for 12 years; was a coach and volunteer for baseball and football for 15 years in the Springfield district. He is also a board member of the Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center and a member of the Business Advisory Council, STEAM Advisory Group, and Athletic Advisory Committee.

Brian Yontz: He is the provost at Wittenberg University, where he started at in 2006 after beginning his career in higher education at Wright State University. Yontz graduated in 1995, earned his B.A. from Asbury College, a M.S. from Wright State University and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University.

He has served as Department Chair and Professor of Education at Wittenberg, is an award-winning teacher and scholar, won the National Scholar Award in 2015 from the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education, won the Matthies Award in 2018, received the Excellence in Community Service Award in 2019 at Wittenberg, and was awarded the Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2020. Yontz is also the author of multiple peer reviewed articles and book chapters and has presented at numerous state and national conferences.

The event is open to the public and will be held at 5:30 p.m. on April 26, at the Courtyard by Marriott — Downtown Springfield, 100 S. Fountain Ave.

The cost is $34 per person, and prepaid reservations are due by April 19. For reservations, call Sherry Casto at 937-505-2806. They can also be mailed to the Alumni of Distinction Award Committee, 1500 W. Jefferson St., Springfield, OH 45506. Checks should be made out to Springfield City School District, marked in the memo: Alumni Award Dinner and postmarked by April 19 in order to guarantee seating.