SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — The Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame has announced that nine graduates will make up its latest class of inductees.
The 2025 class includes Shaker graduates who have made significant impacts in the areas of environment, health equity, First Amendment issues, public service, civic service, economic development, philanthropy, and the breaking of barriers.
Here is a look at the new members and their achievements:
Judge Adam B. Abelson, Class of 2001, has served as a United States District Judge for the District of Maryland since 2024. Abelson previously served as a United States Magistrate Judge. Before becoming a federal judge, Abelson worked as a litigator with the law firm Zuckerman Spaeder, LLP, where he represented clients in complex civil litigation, white collar criminal defense, and government investigations.
He previously served as Chair of the American Bar Association’s Working Group on Building Public Trust in the American Justice System, and on the board of the Job Opportunities Task Force.
Joanie and Tom Adler, Class of 1958, have been married for sixty years and together have shown a lifetime commitment to community service. Joanie began her career as a first-grade teacher and later co-founded Adler/Berick, Inc., representing regional artists for over two decades before dedicating herself to volunteer work, including serving as a lifetime trustee of Family Connections.
Tom co-founded Cleveland Real Estate Partners and has held leadership roles with numerous nonprofits, including Playhouse Square, University Hospitals, and The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio.
Cyrena Davis, Class of 1993, is a senior vice president at Whiting-Turner, a construction management firm with more than 6,000 employees and 60 offices nationwide. She has overseen more than $4 billion worth of construction projects and currently oversees the company’s South Texas region, that includes offices in both San Antonio and Houston. Cyrena is a role model for women coming up in the construction industry and is part of the Executive Leadership of the company’s WOW (Women of Whiting-Turner) program.
Andrew Geronimo, Class of 2001, is a civil rights attorney and director of the Dr. Frank Stanton First Amendment Clinic at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. His work focuses on free speech, press freedom, and government transparency, and he regularly litigates First Amendment cases in Ohio’s state and federal courts. He is also a frequent news commentator on First Amendment issues.
He lives in Shaker and serves on the city’s Community Advisory Group, while remaining active in national media law advocacy.
Quiana Howard, PhD, RN, Class of 1998, is a nurse scientist whose work centers on advancing health equity and addressing disparities in marginalized communities. With a PhD in nursing from Case Western Reserve University and NIH-supported research, she studies how social vulnerability impacts cardiovascular health in young adults with Type 1 diabetes. Her career spans clinical care, research, and mentorship, all rooted in a deep commitment to justice, compassion, and community empowerment.
Her work has earned recognition at the local, state, and national levels, reflecting the strength and resilience of the communities she serves.
Melinda Kassen, Class of 1974, practiced law for 40 years, first prosecuting domestic violence cases, and then focused on Western water quality and water management. She represented nonprofit conservation organizations advocating for healthy rivers, as well as several Colorado agencies.
She also did stints teaching law school, as environmental counsel to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee and negotiating the cleanup of the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant. Melinda now volunteers as a victim advocate, teaching older-adult short courses and in the Jewish community.
Robyn Minter Smyers, Class of 1987, is a partner at Thompson Hine LLP and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. She previously served as the partner-in-charge of the firm’s Cleveland office. Robyn’s legal practice focuses on transformational real estate projects, such as the development of the Van Aken District and the restoration of the West Side Market.
Smyers is described as a passionate “community builder,” actively serving on numerous civic and philanthropic boards throughout Cleveland.
Brigadier General Jeff Watkins, Class of 1985, serves as director of the Joint Staff for the Ohio National Guard, overseeing more than 17,000 personnel across the state’s military forces. He began his service when he enlisted as a decontamination specialist in January, 1986, and has held numerous leadership roles, including commander of the 73rd Troop Command and director of joint operations.
A veteran leader with advanced degrees in public administration and strategic studies, BG Watkins grew up as a son of a Vietnam veteran.
The Shaker Schools Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be celebrated with a dinner on Saturday, Oct. 11, during which the nine inductees will be honored at the Shaker Heights Country Club, 3300 Courtland Blvd.
The public is welcome to attend. To buy dinner tickets and for more information, visit shakerschoolsfoundation.org/alumni. Tickets must be purchased in advance.