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PHOENIX, Ariz., Nov. 10, 2011) – What do Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, former Arizona Governor Rose Mofford, Arizona State Supreme Court Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch, and world-renowned artist Eric Fischl have in common? They are all Phoenix College alumni who have been inducted into the college’s Hall of Fame.
On November 17, 2011, alumni and community members will gather to honor the 2011 Hall of Fame inductees at the 13th annual Phoenix College Alumni History Makers Scholarship Dinner and Auction. Among them are educators, judges, politicians and community advocates.
The event begins with a reception and silent auction at 6 p.m. followed by dinner and an awards program. It will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 4000 N. Central Avenue in Phoenix.
This year’s honorees are:
Signature Award Recipients
Lela Alston, ’67
Al Battle, ’72
Shirley Hawkins, ’71
Patrick Irvine, ’76
Moody Jackson, ’68
Marty Manning, ’70
Gregory Pafford, ’80
Ralph Sandoval, ’69
Legend Award
Lori Bayless, ’05
Ann Oehmke, ’53
Heritage Award
Gail Jamieson
Ronald Dean Price
Tickets are $55 per person, and net proceeds benefit the Alumni Scholarship Program in the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation, which helps financially deserving students attend Phoenix College. For tickets and information, contact Paula Miller at 602.285.7652.
Biographies of inductees
Rep. Lela Alston ‘67
A Phoenix native and graduate of Phoenix Union High School, Rep. Lela Alston currently serves as a Representative for District 15 at the Arizona House of Representatives, where she serves on the Appropriations, Commerce, and Environment Committees. In 1976, Rep. Alston was elected to the Arizona State Senate where she was a member on the Appropriations Committee for all 18 years of her service until 1995.
Alston focused her support on programs designed to strengthen the state’s education system, and improve healthcare and economic conditions for children and families. Her tireless efforts resulted in the creation of Arizona State University’s West Campus. In 1995, she spearheaded efforts to bring Metro Tech High School a licensed primary care facility in partnership with Banner Health Care.
Mr. Alvin Battle ‘72
Born in Sapulpa, Oklahoma and raised in Phoenix, Alvin Battle began his career at the Arizona Bank in the mail room and was later promoted to supervisor of computer operations, a position he held for more than 25 years. While still employed with the bank, he pursued an additional career in real estate. He eventually became the CEO of his own company, Battle Realty.
Battle’s contributions to the community have included coaching his Pop Warner Football Team to a league championship and The Stewart Boys and Girls Club Basketball Team to a state championship. He hosted the Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Classic for several years and he was an original member of the Martin Luther King Celebration Committee. The Arizona Juvenile Justice Advisory Board has honored him in recognition of his service and commitment to youth. He was awarded the Living Legend Award by the Phoenix College NAACP/Black Student Union in 2010. He currently serves on the Maryvale Planning Committee and the Cricket Pavilion Task Force.
Lori Bayless ‘05
A fourth generation Arizonan, Lori Bayless was born in Phoenix and raised in the Los Angeles/San Diego area. As the daughter of Dick and Patty Norton, she is the second generation of alumni to become active in supporting Phoenix College through the Phoenix College Alumni Association (PCAA) and has served Phoenix College and the PCAA for more than ten years in various roles, including President and Vice-President.
Bayless’s community involvement also includes PTO officer at her children’s schools; youth leader; youth camp director; presenting financial education seminars through the First Financial Education Centre; and humanitarian service in Brazil and Peru with her husband. While in Brazil, her husband built churches for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and she also taught English at a local school. In Peru, they helped install a roof on a community center for a small village.
Shirley Hawkins ‘71
Shirley Hawkins is a registered nurse who has spent the bulk of her career as a school nurse in the Wilson School District for 18 years in addition to six years in the Murphy School District. She has also worked at St. Joseph Hospital, Camelback Hospital, Maricopa Medical Center and Health Department, Thunderbird Health Care Center, Glencroft Care Center, and Heartland Hospice. She currently works for the Arizona Department of Health Services as a medical facility license surveyor. In 2008, Hawkins was elected to the board of the National Federation of Grandmothers Clubs of America as its national treasury. Her local club is the Helping Hands Grandmothers.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Hawkins attended Phoenix Union High School and then Phoenix College where she received her associate’s degree in nursing. She went on to receive her bachelor’s degree from Ottawa University and her master’s degree from the University of Phoenix.
Hon. Patrick Irvine ‘76
Much of the Honorable Patrick Irvine’s life has revolved around Phoenix College. He was born just east of the college at St. Joseph’s Hospital, grew up several miles to the north, attended high school a half-mile to the west at what was then called West High School, and has spent most of his professional career several miles to the south at the state capital.
Irvine attended Phoenix College in 1976 before transferring to Arizona State University. He went on to earn three university degrees, work as an in-house lawyer for the Gila River Indian Community, successfully argue a case before the United States Supreme Court, and act as an adjunct instructor at Phoenix College for nine years. He currently serves as the vice chief judge of the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division 1, a position he has held for eight years. In addition, he is a faculty associate at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.
Dr. Moody Jackson ‘68
Dr. Moody Jackson is a well-respected educator, professional athlete, and community advocate. Jackson began his athletic career at South Mountain High School, where he lettered in four different varsity sports. Although Jackson had an impressive career as an athlete, he is most proud of his career in education. After leaving the Canadian Football League in 1978, he began coaching at his alma mater, South Mountain High School. He served as an assistant track coach, head girls basketball coach, and the head football coach. In addition, he began his teaching career in the Phoenix Union High School District in 1979 and taught for six years. He later served as an assistant principal at several schools before being selected as the principal of South Mountain High School. He went on to receive his doctorate degree at Northern Arizona University and later became the athletic director for the Phoenix Union High School District.
After graduating from South Mountain, he attended Phoenix College where he was selected to the Arizona Junior College All Conference First Team and was a member of the Junior College Grid Wire All American Football Team. He went on to New Mexico State University where he also excelled as a football player. After leaving New Mexico State, he signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers as a free agent and later played in the Canadian Football League.
Dr. Gail Jamieson
Dr. Gail Jamieson is a faculty emeritus of Phoenix College who served as the chair of the Art Department for five years during which time she was a pioneer in the computer graphics field. In 1986, she was recognized as the “Innovator of the Year” at Phoenix College for her work in this area. She developed and implemented the Computer Graphics Certificate and degree programs at Phoenix College as well as the art computer labs. She was also instrumental in obtaining several of the professional sculptures that enhance the campus today. In her many courses at Phoenix College, Jamieson provided basic art foundations for such notable artists as Eric Fischl and Forrest Richardson.
Jamieson began working for Phoenix College in 1968. Before that time, she was an art resource teacher for Alhambra Elementary School District. Today, she continues to excel in both academic and professional areas.
Marty Manning ‘70
While a high school student at Brophy College Preparatory, Marty Manning discovered his passion for theater. After working odd jobs throughout the country after graduation, he decided to come back to Phoenix and enrolled at Phoenix College in 1965 and joined the Tau Omega fraternity. He participated in numerous stage productions, both behind the scenes and as a performer. Acting roles at Phoenix College led to other theatrical adventures at Phoenix Little Theater, Mesa Little Theater, Stagebrush in Scottsdale, and several others. He credits his teachers and instructors at Phoenix College for his passion in theater arts, especially the late John Paul.
Since graduating from Phoenix College in 1970, Manning has been in the radio business almost continually. He began his career at local “underground” station KCAC, and then joined the initial staff at KDKB, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Other radio jobs took Manning to Austin, Houston, San Jose, and Cincinnati. He returned to Phoenix in 1985 to work at 99.9 (then KLZI, now KEZ) and has remained there ever since. He is an active PC alumnus.
Ann Oehmke ‘53
Ann Oehmke has had a lifelong connection to Phoenix College and the Maricopa Community Colleges. In addition to being a Phoenix College alumna, she returned to serve as a faculty member and staff development coordinator. She chaired and served on countless campus committees, coached numerous sports, served as advisor and department chair of Women’s Athletics, was an advisor for physical education, and developed the first fitness facility for women’s activities as well as the first Advisement Center in conjunction with the Counseling Department.
In addition, Oehmke developed and coordinated the Neighborhood College in conjunction with the City of Phoenix and produced many campus social and wellness activities. She was actively involved in helping develop Phoenix College as a community of caring, concerned citizens focused on student issues. She eventually accepted a position at the Maricopa Community Colleges District office Think Tank program, where she developed and coordinated MARISERVE, made possible through a grant from the Ford Foundation.
Dr. Gregory Pafford ‘80
Dr. Gregory Pafford attended Phoenix College in the late 1970s before transferring to Arizona State University to receive his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1982. He went on to earn his doctorate in dental science from the University of the Pacific in 1986. For almost two decades he has served on the boards of numerous charitable organizations. A founding member of the Dave Pratt Boys and Girls Club Dental Clinic, he continues his commitment through regular involvement with local school districts and providing follow-up care to children participating in annual Give Kids A Smile events.
In addition to maintaining a successful private practice in Phoenix, he has served in leadership positions on the boards of numerous professional organizations. During his presidency with the Arizona Dental Foundation, he conducted programs where volunteers saw close to 8,000 patients and delivered $2.17 million in free treatment to underserved communities across Arizona. He has also served as the president of the Central Arizona Dental Association and is currently the vice president of the Arizona Dental Association. In 2007, the Arizona Dental Foundation named him “Dentist of the Year.”
Ronald Price
The late Ronald Price was the longest serving professor in the history of the Maricopa Community Colleges District at 38 years. A respected accounting professor at Phoenix College in addition to being a highly skilled tax accountant, he mentored thousands of students and helped them gain skilled employment. Today, his legacy lives on through the Ronald D. Price Memorial Scholarship which benefits students at Phoenix College and helped young people achieve skilled employment.
Raised by his grandmother who lacked resources to send her two grandsons to college, Price worked in the oil fields of Texas in order to earn money to go to school. He eventually saved enough money to begin taking classes at Eastern New Mexico University and went on to earn an MBA from there in 1964. He and his wife Pat moved to Phoenix shortly thereafter. After three years working for Arthur Anderson & Co, he became a PC professor so he could spend more time with his family. While teaching at Phoenix College, he grew a successful accounting practice into what is now known as Price, Kong & Co.
Ralph Sandoval ‘69
Ralph Sandoval joined the Maricopa Community Colleges District in 1999 as a reading specialist. He brought a wealth of experience gained both in public schools, but also his services as an education officer for the Arizona National Guard. He has served as the president of MACHE where he worked closely with Maricopa Community College officials to advocate for and improve educational programs for Arizona’s Latino student community. He has served in department administration and various important committees representing the interests of the Phoenix College Reading Department and its students. He has helped to develop curriculum, materials, assessments, and online learning content to help meet the needs of the culturally and linguistically diverse student population served by Phoenix College.
He received his associate’s degree from Phoenix College in 1969. Afterward, he attended the University of Arizona where he received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education. Afterward, he enjoyed a distinguished career with the Phoenix Union High School District. He taught courses in bilingual English, English, and helped develop the freshman orientation program at Alhambra High School.
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