Dean J. Kereiakes, M.D. is Medical
Director of The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, Medical Director of
the Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research and Education at The Christ
Hospital, and Professor of Clinical Medicine at Ohio State University.
After attending the University of
Cincinnati undergraduate for 3 years where he was President of Sigma Alpha
Epsilon Fraternity, Dr. Kereiakes received his medical degree and was
valedictorian of his graduating class at the University of Cincinnati College
of Medicine in 1978. Following training at the University of California, San
Francisco and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, he completed
fellowships at the University of California, San Francisco and the San
Francisco Heart Institute and the Sequoia Hospital. Dr. Kereiakes has pioneered most of the leading
edge cardiovascular technologies introduced over the last three decades. In
addition to lecturing nationally and internationally, he has participated in
over 1400 research protocols and has published over 900 scientific journal
articles, abstracts and book chapters and has served on the editorial boards of
every major cardiovascular medical journal.
Among many honors, Dr. Kereiakes has been selected as Outstanding Alumnus University of Cincinnati School of Medicine and the Ohio Valley American Heart Association’s Kaplan Visionary Award for cardiovascular research. He was honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Sciences from the University of Cincinnati in 2014. Dr Kereiakes and his wife, Anne, have been involved in multiple civic activities and have chaired and/or been honorees for the annual AHA Heart Ball and the annual USO Gala.
“Along with my siblings, Tom (IHHS ’73), Penny (IHHS ’74) and Beth (IHHS ’79), I was fortunate to be afforded unparalleled public education in a community that was actively engaged in all aspects (academics, athletics, performing arts, etc.) of our school experience. The Indian Hill school system is remarkable in that it is common to see three generations of graduates and/or students at school events.” He continues, “It was very emotionally gratifying for me to have had all 4 of my children attend Indian Hill K-12 and be given the same tremendous opportunity that I had.”
Carol "Buffie" Rixey (IHHS '72) - Brave Service Award
Carol “Buffie” Eveland Rixey has served as a committed community volunteer and has made a positive impact both for the Indian Hill School District and the Greater Cincinnati area and beyond. After graduating from University of Cincinnati with both RN and BSN in 1977, she pursued her nursing career in both hospital systems and in private health care services. After retiring, she has continued to give her energy to supporting numerous non-profit organizations with a focus on education, women, children and health.
Within the Indian Hill School District alone, she has had leadership roles throughout the PTO. She created or co-chaired many fundraising events that have become long-standing traditions within the district. She started the International Parents Network and chaired the Winter Festival (which became Spring Fling). She worked on and ultimately chaired the early “Party on the Hill” events, raising over $200,000 for the schools. Additionally, she co-founded the Odd Couples Dance to raise funds for After Prom, and was Chair of After Prom twice. She is also a founding member of the Indian Hill Foundation and served on its Board for ten years.
Outside of her dedication to Indian Hill Schools, Buffie has served the city in many ways. Among many roles, she has been President of Kindervelt #50, President of the Kindervelt City Wide Board of Trustees, and served on the American Heart Association’s Heart Ball Committee. She currently serves on the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing Advisory Board, helps The Salvation Army Camp Swoneky HOPE event, and advises the Junior League’s Sustainer Council.
“I have always known that I was extremely fortunate and blessed to have attended and graduated from Indian Hill High School. My formative years were spent living in Europe, and moving to Cincinnati, and then attending Indian Hill High School for four years, was life changing for me, in an incredibly positive way!” remembers Rixey. “I will always be grateful for the amazing IHHS teachers I had, who not only educated me and prepared me for college, but also shaped my future life. Lifelong bonds of friendship were established and continue to this day, including meeting the love of my life, Eppa. Our three children graduated from IHHS as well, and our entire family credits so many of our life successes to the education, opportunities, support and encouragement we received in the Indian Hill Schools. “
Rixey continues, “As a parent, I wanted to help the Indian Hill Schools in as many ways as I possibly could, out of gratitude for my wonderful experiences there and with the hope that future generations would continue to have the same opportunities as my children, Eppa, and I had.’ She concludes, “I am proud to be an Indian Hill High School graduate, grateful for the close friendships I made there, with both students and faculty, and thankful for the many opportunities I had to become involved in supporting an outstanding School district.”
Adhrucia Apana (IHHS ' 01) - Young Brave Award
Adhrucia
Apana is currently the Managing Director of Creative Wealth Media the finance
arm of Bron Studios best known for Oscar nominated films such as Fences and Roman J. Esquire. Creative Wealth Media is an industry leader in gap financing solutions to producers and distributors of motion pictures, television, and animated productions. Creative Wealth finances 15-20 theatrical releases a year including studio hits from top directors such as Martin Scorcesee, Bradley Cooper, Clint Eastwood, and box office talent such as Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Joaquin Phoenix and Charlize Theron.
She is a
board member of The Athena Fund, started by Selma Hayek that champions women
based stories, and a founding member of M Group,
an invite only organization that champions collaboration with creatives and
executives within the entertainment industry led by some of the top industry
leaders
Apana has been a featured speaker representing women and minorities in her field in the last few years at prestigious industry events as Sundance, Toronto International Film Festival, Relativity School's Hidden Numbers Program, and La Femme Film Festival. Apana currently volunteers with the Art of Elysium at the Children's Hospital in LA bringing art and artists to kids struggling with cancer and other terminal diseases. She also has given her time to help support The Young Storyteller's Organization of LA promoting storytelling and the arts in public schools. While in Cincinnati, she was the founder of the Cincinnati Chapter of 85 broads, member of the Cincinnati Symphony YPO board, FUEL board for funding non-profits in the area, and an avid supporter of the Cincinnati Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
"Attending Indian Hill was a unique experience that prepared me for the journey I've been on since graduating in 2001. I am grateful for the continued support I've received from my IH community throughout my career," acknowledges Apana.