2026 Waggener Hall of Fame – WHS Alumni Association

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The 2026 Waggener Hall of Fame Inductees will be recognized and celebrated at a fabulous event held on Thursday September 10, 2026 at Big Spring Country Club. CLICK HERE TO MAKE RESERVATIONS!

INDUCTION CEREMONY VIDEO PLACEHOLDER – on the way!

VIDEO CHAPTERS

(Each link will open the video in a new window at that spot)

PRELIMINARY COMMENTS PLACEHOLDER

INDUCTEES

INDUCTEE COMMENT LINKS PLACEHOLDER

Inductee Profiles

JEANETTE CASWELL NUNNELLEY (1960)

Jeanette Caswell Nunnelley was a shining light at Waggener, excelling in music, speech, drama, and journalism — and leaving perhaps her most enduring mark by composing the lyrics to the school’s alma mater. After earning her bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing pathology from the University of Kentucky, she went on to receive a Master’s and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Louisville. Jeanette dedicated her career to teaching hearing-impaired young children in California, New York, and Louisville, and later served as a full professor at Indiana University Southeast, retiring as professor emeritus in 2007. She was honored with the University of Louisville Alumni Fellows Award in 1996. A passionate advocate for social justice, education, and young women’s opportunities, Jeanette lived by her favorite motto — “Live, Love & Laugh” — every single day.

TED PAUL WITTE (1963)

Ted Witte made his mark at Waggener as a champion diver, winning the Kentucky State Diving Championship in both his junior and senior years — outscoring his closest competitor by more than 60 points in his final season. His athletic excellence earned him a four-year scholarship to Florida State University. After a successful career in tech, including co-founding Protogate, Inc., a computer communications company that grew from a $6,000 investment into a multimillion-dollar enterprise, Ted returned to the sport he loved. He won gold medals at both the U.S. and World Masters Games and was inducted into the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame in 2014 as an Honor Masters Contributor. Ted has also given back to the Waggener community by building and funding the Class of 1963’s website, helping keep classmates connected for decades.

PATRICIA RUTH HATLER (1972)

Pat Hatler was a standout student-athlete at Waggener — a National Merit Finalist, field hockey co-captain, and Beta Club member — whose drive and work ethic set the stage for a remarkable career. She earned her B.S. with honors from Duke University and her J.D. as a Hardy Dillard Fellow from the University of Virginia School of Law. Pat rose to become Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Governance Officer at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 company, where she led six divisions and a staff of 1,400. She was recognized as Chief Legal Officer of the Year and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Business First of Columbus, as well as the Transformative Leadership Award from Inside Counsel for her trailblazing mentorship of women and minorities. She served as Board Chair of the Association of Corporate Counsel and is currently “Of Counsel” at the international law firm Squire Patton Boggs.

MICHAEL O’CONNELL (1973)

Michael McConnell was a brilliant student at Waggener, a National Merit Scholar and State Champion debater who went on to earn a full scholarship to Michigan State University, graduating in just three years. He earned his law degree from the University of Chicago, where he served as editor of the Law Review, and clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan. His distinguished career has spanned the Reagan White House (as Assistant General Counsel at the OMB and Assistant to the Solicitor General), distinguished professorships at the University of Chicago, University of Utah, Harvard, and NYU, and a seven-year appointment as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Since 2009, Mike has served as the Richard and Frances Mallery Professor at Stanford Law School and Director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center — widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent constitutional scholars.

MARSHA DAVENPORT (1973)

Marsha Davenport arrived at Waggener as a force of nature — a National Merit Semi-Finalist, state debate champion, basketball player, National Honor Society member, and Kentucky’s first official female baseball umpire. She won first place at the 1972 Kentucky Junior Science Symposium and participated in the International Science Fair. After graduating cum laude in Biology from Harvard University, she earned her medical degree with distinction from the University of Kentucky and completed her fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology at UNC-Chapel Hill. Marsha went on to become a full professor of pediatrics at UNC and a nationally recognized expert in Turner Syndrome, directing the UNC Turner Syndrome Clinic from 1991 to 2014. She has been named to the Best Doctors in America list multiple times and received the prestigious Mallinckrodt Scholar Award. Off the clock, she has been a tireless civic advocate for civil rights, environmental justice, and voting rights.

BILL SENG (1977)

Bill Seng spent four years at Waggener on the football field, the track, and in student council — building the foundation of a lifetime of public service. After earning dual degrees in Criminal Justice and Fire & Safety Engineering from Eastern Kentucky University, he joined the St. Matthews Fire Protection District, where he would eventually serve as Fire Chief for 30 years, retiring in 2022. Under his leadership, the district grew from 17 to 96 employees, expanded from two to four fire stations, became the first fire department in Jefferson County to equip apparatus with AEDs, established one of the county’s first joint EMS responses, and introduced the first new ambulance service in the county in over 30 years. Bill’s career exemplifies the values of dedication, community, and service that Waggener has always instilled in its students.

TIM BARNETT (1992)

Tim Barnett was a three-sport standout at Waggener, earning All-District honors in both football and basketball and leading the state in interceptions with 15 during his senior season. His basketball talents earned him a scholarship, and he went on to win a conference championship and compete in the NIT tournament at the University of Nevada, Reno. After his playing days, Tim channeled his gifts into uplifting his community. He founded F.O.C.U.S. Training Academy, a Louisville institution for over 20 years that develops young people’s character, confidence, and life skills alongside athletic training — now reaching students across 15 area codes. In 2018, Tim founded the Jesse E. Barnett Jr. Enrichment Center, named for his late father, providing free educational support, mentoring, and a safe environment for the next generation of Louisville leaders.

SLIDESHOW (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Inductee Introduction Ceremony

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Social Hour and Groups