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Mira Costa 2024 Hall of Fame Inductees Named

Sep 08, 2024 10:23PM ● By Jeanne Fratello

Clockwise from top left: Eileen Shea Davis, Naomi Kalish, Joe Marcy, David Morrison, Steve Napolitano.

Mira Costa High School and its Distinguished Alumni Recognition Committee have announced the 2024 inductees into the Mira Costa Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.

A ceremony honoring the new inductees will be held on September 26, followed by recognition under the lights on the 50-yard line during halftime of an upcoming home football game in Waller Stadium.

The five inductees are:

Eileen Shea Davis (Class of ‘10), a naval aviator who has flown missions in the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, including deployment in the Mediterranean Sea, where her carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, played a crucial role during the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Davis's dedication and leadership have been recognized through various awards, including her performance during a Medical Evacuation mission, for which she received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. 

Currently pursuing a master's degree in Space Systems, Davis has been nominated for prestigious leadership awards and actively contributes to her squadron's operations and participates in training missions with various military units. She aspires to attend Test Pilot School and eventually become an astronaut for NASA.

Naomi Kalish (Class of ’88), a rabbi, educator, and advocate who has dedicated more than three decades to fostering peace among diverse communities and interfaith dialogue.

Currently, Kalish serves as the Harold and Carole Wolfe Director of the Center for Pastoral
Education and assistant professor of Pastoral Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary in
New York City. Previously, she played pivotal roles at New York–Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center, where she integrated spirituality into healthcare
practices.

Kalish also engages actively with organizations such as the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom and coordinates inter-religious dialogues in her community of Hudson County, New Jersey. In times of crisis, she provides guidance and support, ministering to survivors of events such as the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting and supporting communities affected by global conflicts.

Joe Marcy (Class of ’03), the senior business development executive at See Monterey who leads initiatives in diversity, sustainability, and tourism, crucial to the destination’s post-pandemic recovery. He also chairs the US Council of Meeting Professionals International’s Global Board of Trustees, overseeing the distribution of 2,234 grants and scholarships since 2020.

Recognized in Collaborate Magazine’s "40 under 40" and named "Visionary Supplier of the
Year" by Smart Meetings Magazine, Marcy also mentors hospitality students at California
State University, Dominguez Hills, and drives DEI initiatives in Manhattan Beach. He championed the installation of rainbow crosswalks, collaborating with the Cultural Arts Commission, city officials, and local groups.

Under Marcy's leadership, the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair marked its 50th anniversary in 2022, attracting 80,000 attendees and raising substantial funds. Marcy currently serves on the Manhattan Beach Parking and Public Improvement Commission and is a current candidate for the Manhattan Beach City Council.

David Morrison (Class of ’84), a physicist at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in Brookhaven National Laboratory, NY. His primary focus lies in the sPHENIX detector, a crucial instrument in exploring the conditions of the universe mere microseconds after the Big Bang. RHIC, renowned for its capability to collide gold ions and unveil mysteries about the origins of matter and mass, represents some of the most pivotal work in modern science.

Recognized as a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Morrison has been honored for his contributions to relativistic heavy ion physics. His expertise in determining collision geometry's impact on Quark Gluon Plasma observables and his leadership on the sPHENIX experiment underscore his significant role within RHIC's multi-million-dollar program.

A former member of the Mira Costa cross country team, Morrison attributes his determination to his formative experiences, a trait that continues to drive his relentless pursuit of scientific discovery.

Steve Napolitano (Class of ’84) is a lawyer and Manhattan Beach City Council member who was the youngest member of the Manhattan Beach City Council when he was first elected in 1992. He has since served five terms, and is a five-time mayor of Manhattan Beach. 

Beyond local governance, Napolitano serves as a state-appointed attorney, specializing in parole representation for California inmates. Additionally, he provides expert legal counsel across legislation, public policy, and negotiation arenas.

Napolitano's contributions have earned him widespread recognition, including accolades from the South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce, healthcare and elder law programs, and commendations from notable officials such as Governor Jerry Brown and Senator Dianne Feinstein. He is running on the November ballot to be a judge in Superior Court Office No. 39. 

The inductees are selected from nominations made by graduates, teachers, staff, and members of the community. Sixty-four graduates have been inducted into the Mira Costa Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame since the first ceremony in 2012.

 










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