Grounded in the values of Chaminade Julienne’s founding religious communities, this year’s Distinguished Alumni have embraced the school’s mission to be lifelong learners, compassionate leaders, and dedicated servants to others.
Although they graduated years ago, the impact of these six individuals continues to be felt throughout the CJ community and beyond. Through their leadership, professional accomplishments, and commitment to service, they have enriched the lives of countless individuals while exemplifying the values of a Chaminade Julienne education.
Chaminade Julienne will honor the Class of 2026: Roger Glass ’60, Kelly and Mike Muhl ’87, Dr. Nikki (Winchester) Vail ’06, Jim Burneka ’98, and David Leppla ’68 during the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Reception on Saturday, Aug. 8 at American’s Packard Museum.
Legacy Award
Honoring an individual or family that has had a long-standing tradition of faith, excellence, and service to the Chaminade Julienne community.
Roger Glass ’60
Roger Glass’ enthusiasm and ambition were unmatched – his namesake stadium is a case in point. “Roger was a visionary and he dreamed big,” said Dan Meixner ‘84, president (2002-2026) said. “The complex was twice the cost of what we originally envisioned, but so much more impactful because Roger encouraged us to dream big and supported it with his landmark gift.”
His support became a catalyst for countless others to become part of the CJ community.
“Roger’s support reframed, for many people, the way they looked at CJ,” Meixner said. “Families, employees and benefactors—they could all see how their gifts could impact the community, that’s what Roger’s support over the years did.”
The longtime Marion’s Piazza CEO was determined to make a difference in a variety of projects. From the early renovations of the student conditioning center to classroom renovations and the cutting-edge STEMM Center to the landmark creation of Roger Glass Stadium, his impact has been felt for decades and will continue to do so for decades to come.
“Roger was interested in projects that had a significant impact for a significant number of students,” Meixner said.
But it was always about more than brick and mortar, it was about making a difference.
“His enthusiasm and willingness to be an ambassador for CJ were significant,” said Meixner. “Roger leveraged his relationships in the community and his credibility for our benefit.”
Philanthropy was a family tradition and one that Glass, who died in 2022, took to heart, speaking about it before the stadium project even began. “My dad always told me, ‘When you’re successful, you have to give back a little bit and, maybe a little bit more than a little bit, but you have to give back,’” he said years earlier.
For Glass, that generosity was paired with a steadfast belief in CJ’s mission.
“Going to Chaminade Julienne is a lot more than learning just math or science, you mature with the actual experience,” he had said. “It was a school that molded me, it molded my morals, the way I live and my ideals.”
The former “band kid” was grateful for his experience and determined to improve the experience for future generations of CJ students. His impact continues to be felt on campus and in the community.
“He was a very kind man,” Meixner said. “He always felt like he came from Dayton and his success came from this community and he wanted to share the benefits of that with the community.”
Chaminade Julienne Community Award
Honoring graduates who have positively impacted the Chaminade Julienne community through the devotion of time, efforts, and selfless use of their God-given gifts.
Kelly and Mike ‘87 Muhl
Exemplifying the compassion, integrity and service that are integral to the school’s mission, Kelly and Mike Muhl are committed to their family, their community and the CJ Eagles.
“Kelly has taken on every challenge offered her, continuing to learn and grow in her ability to help meet the mission of Chaminade Julienne,” Meixner said.
Kelly has been a familiar face for decades, serving as a member of the CJ administrative staff in various roles since 2008, most recently as assistant to the president, a job she recently retired from.
“Since I started working at CJ, I have had the chance to grow, learn, make mistakes, try again, leave, come back, be promoted, be creative, be sad, be happy, be faithful and most importantly – be a part of something bigger than myself,” Kelly said. “For that I am forever grateful.”
While Kelly was making an impact on campus, Mike was serving the community as a firefighter and rescue operative and, more recently, assistant chief of the Huber Heights Fire Division. The 1987 graduate is also a founding member of the Ohio Task Force 1 with FEMA where he served as a rescue team manager, rigging specialist and task force leader.
Beyond their professional endeavors, the couple are proud parents of CJ graduates Nicholas ’11, Courteney ’13, and John ’20.
“The culture, beliefs and faith I experienced from my time at CJ undoubtedly had a profound impact on who I became as a young adult,” Mike said. “It absolutely fueled my desire to work in a service-based profession, and my time at CJ – and my continued interaction with the Eagle community – continues to influence who I am now. I knew I wanted this same experience and influence for our children.”
While not a graduate herself, Kelly is grateful that her children had the gift of a CJ education.
“That education has opened many doors to their future and given them opportunities, community and family far beyond just their own homes,” she said.
Being an Eagle is something Mike will never take for granted.
“The faith, mission, diversity, and culture surrounding Chaminade Julienne has provided an immeasurably positive influence on our entire family,” he said. “The pride and sense of community that comes with having worn the iconic blue and green is profound and humbling. I can never completely state or demonstrate how important this school and community have been to me personally, but Kelly and I have attempted to exemplify it through our actions.”
That blue and green runs deep for the entire Muhl family. “As the ‘adopted’ Eagle in our family, this is such a great honor personally because I have worked hard to be a part of the CJ family and have felt the impact and responsibility of what it means to be an Eagle,” Kelly said.
Dr. Nikki (Winchester) Vail ‘06
Radical genuineness is more than an integral part of the dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) that Nikki Vail practices, it’s how she describes her experience at Chaminade Julienne.
“Really embracing that ability to be myself and to have that reinforced was a game changer,” she said.
From impactful experiences like Kairos to everyday interactions with her friends and the faculty, Vail was struck by the acceptance of vulnerability during that critical adolescent developmental period.
“Even though we might all look like we’ve got it together, everybody has struggles and that’s something that I think was formational for me in terms of going into mental health work,” Vail said. “The therapy that I practice now is all about the therapist being their real, genuine self with their clients and I think my draw to that started at CJ.”
A triple board-certified psychologist in Cincinnati, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton and her doctoral degree from Xavier University. As the founder and CEO of Cincinnati Center for DBT (dialectical behavior therapy), she has built a patient-centered group practice specially adapted for people who experience emotions very intensely.
“Her career embodies many of the values at the heart of Chaminade Julienne’s mission: educating the whole person, working for justice, developing family spirit and preparing graduates to become contributing members of society marked by compassion, integrity and service,” said Alexa Lopez, a fellow ’06 CJ graduate and longtime friend of Vail’s. “Her work stands out not only for its professional rigor, but also for its profound impact on her community.”
DBT treatment requires the therapist to provide 24/7 phone coaching, something that came naturally to Vail, even in high school.
“When my parents got me a cell phone, I would leave it on next to my bed at night and my mom wanted me to turn it off and I told her, ‘No I can’t, what if someone needs me,’” she said. “I really feel like that was setting the stage for where I’m at now in my career and the type of therapy I’ve chosen to do.”
Making a difference is the rule, not the exception, for Vail and the Cincinnati Center for DBT. “Clients do not simply receive isolated coping skills or supportive counseling but have access to a full model of treatment that can include individual therapy, skills training groups, phone coaching, and consultation structures that support high-quality care,” Lopez said.
Professional Achievement Award
Honoring graduates whose professional achievement and community involvement and service reflect the excellence that Chaminade Julienne and its predecessor schools encourage all graduates to pursue.
Jim Burneka ’98
A friend said it best. “He said I have one word for you— advocate,” Jim Burneka said. “You’re an advocate for yourself and you’re an advocate for everyone else.”
Burneka worked tirelessly for the Dayton Fire Department Emergency Services Division as a firefighter and paramedic for more than two decades. His advocacy work began when a co-worker’s 5-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer and Burneka led the fundraising efforts for the family. He later sat on the board of the Firefighter Cancer Support Network before launching his own business, Firefighter Cancer Consultants, helping fire departments around the world take measures to prevent occupational cancer.=
Burneka later took on the role of wellness coordinator for Dayton Fire Department. Ironically, it was while serving in that position that his own mental health began to deteriorate, eventually leading him to an early retirement.
“There are a multitude of things that could have killed me and didn’t,” the Beavercreek resident said. “The reality is that this job took a lot out of me mentally and physically, but I feel like I’m here for a reason.”
Retirement was initially challenging for the longtime emergency responder, but he found purpose by co-authoring the book, “Overcoming Tuesday: A First Responder’s Tale of Healing and Resiliency,” in which he shared his personal struggles as well as the resources he utilized to survive his darkest moments.
“I struggled after retirement to figure out my purpose and I floundered initially,” he said. “But if I can help turn the negative stuff that happened to me into positives for other people, that’s what I wanted to do.”
Burneka has found other ways to translate his struggles into ways to help others including hosting an annual Firefighter Health & Wellness Conference and creating a podcast.
His continued dedication to his peers has not gone unnoticed.
“In a career where many of us don’t like to talk about how the job affects us, Jim chose to shine a light on our struggles and normalize the battles firefighters face in their own minds,” said Stephanie White, editor-in-chief, Firefighter Nation. “Jim is a friend, a father, a husband, a brother, a mentor, a businessman, an author, a speaker, a podcaster and a retired firefighter. Above all else, Jim is a human being with an unwavering commitment to ensuring firefighters get to live their healthiest and happiest lives.”
His focus on others and continuing commitment to camaraderie is rooted in his time at CJ, specifically on the football field with coach Jim Place. “I know playing football and being a teammate prepared me for the fire department,” he said. “You don’t put out fires by yourself.” That team mentality allows him to continue to advocate for others.
David Leppla ’68
David Leppla’s time at his alma mater saw his love of music evolve from a pastime to a profession. From the piano and organ to the baritone and bassoon, Leppla’s skillset developed as did his desire to make music his career choice.
“If anybody had an impact on me, it was Jim Wolf ‘55,” Leppla said. “He was the band director at the time, and he gave me opportunities to be the drum major and even conduct the pep band. He influenced my decision to attend the University of Dayton as a music education major and even had me back at Chaminade as an assistant while I was at UD.”
Leppla’s career as a music director began at Canton Central Catholic but also included other several local schools including Alter and Vandalia Butler high schools. He went on to receive both his Masters and Doctoral degrees in music education from Ohio State University where he was a graduate assistant director of the legendary Ohio State University Marching Band.
Leppla became the director of University Bands and the “All-American” Marching Band at Purdue University in 1989, a position he held until retiring in 2006.
“David has been an inspiration to all the students he has worked with during his time at Purdue and has done so much to help the program grow,” said Thomas Robinson, vice president of Purdue student services at the time of Leppla’s retirement. “Because of him, the great traditions of the ‘All-American’ Marching Band will remain with thousands of students long after they graduate.”
Leppla was also active in a variety of organizations including the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the Big Ten Band Directors Association and the National Band Association. While he spent a majority of his career in the collegiate ranks, it was the lessons he learned at Chaminade High School that provided his essential foundation.
“Jim Wolf taught me the importance of balancing discipline with making sure the students enjoy what they are doing,” he said.
It was during high school that Leppla learned the value of the three Ps— being prompt, punctual and prepared. He instilled those values in the countless young musicians he worked with over the course of a career that spanned more than three decades.
Leppla’s brother Gary ’71, who also played in the school’s marching band, recognizes the tremendous value of this recognition. “Honoring David also honors those Chaminade, Julienne, St. Joe’s and CJ students who enjoyed, benefitted from and carried on the music tradition experienced during their secondary education, as well as the wonderful faculty who made that possible,” he said.