McAuley To Induct 6 Women In 2022 Hall of Honor

CHICAGO —A pair of family physicians, the founder of a sports nutrition and wellness company, a Catholic school principal, a member of the Daughters of Charity religious order, and a special education teacher will be inducted into the Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School’s Hall of Honor Sunday, March 20. Alumnae, friends and supporters of the school are invited to attend the ceremony and brunch on the school's Chicago campus at 3737 W. 99th St.

Emelie Ilarde MD, ‘87

Beverly-resident, Dr. Ilarde, is a licensed board-certified practicing family physician at Lawn Medical Center. She has been a stout advocate for both her patients and peers throughout her career, receiving numerous awards and serving on committees at both Christ Medical Center and under Advocate Aurora Health System. She currently serves as president of the Advocate Physician Partner PHO Board at Christ Medical Center, representing more than 500 physicians and serving as a member of the governing council and medical executive committee for the hospital. This past winter, she was elected as vice chair of APP’s governing board of directors, and will be both the first female and first Asian America to serve in the position.

Michelle Dennis Nitsche, ‘93

Nitsche, of Morgan Park, is an award-winning educator and administrator whose career has been dedicated to inspiring her students and enhancing the schools in which she has served. After taking time away from her career to care for her young children, Nitsche returned to the workforce in 2016 as the principal of St. Cajetan Elementary School in Chicago’s Morgan Park community. Under her leadership, St. Cajetan has consistently increased its enrollment, conducted fundraising campaigns that have netted more than $2.8 million, and designed and built new STEM and technology labs for its students. In recognition of these efforts, Nitsche was recently awarded the St. Thomas Aquinas Award from the Archdiocese of Chicago. This award is given to principals who relentlessly foster excellence in education through a commitment to rigor, continuous improvement, and 21st-Century instructional practices.

Julie Hansen Burns ‘79

Western Springs-resident Burns is the founder of SportFuel, Inc., an integrative sports nutrition and wellness consulting firm she started in 1993. At the time, Burns served as director of research at the Chicago Center for Clinical Research, a former affiliate of Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center. There she specialized in cardiovascular experimental nutritional and pharmaceutical clinical research, and had an adjunct faculty appointment in the department of nutrition. She became a consultant to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1988, and continues as the team’s lead team nutritionist today. Burns has worked individually with athletes who compete in the NFL, MLB, NBA, Olympics, and on other elite sports teams, and has received national recognition for her work.

Juliet Bradley M.D. ‘86

Dr. Bradley, of Wicker Park, is a family physician whose medical career has been dedicated to caring for underserved populations. Through the years, she has practiced medicine as a physician in the Chicago area and internationally through medical mission trips. Bradley currently holds a faculty appointment at Loyola University's Stritch School of Medicine, as well as teaches family medicine residents at the Saints Mary and Elizabeth Family Medicine residency program. She serves on the board of “Through Our Own Eyes” and PlaySmart Literacy; has received numerous professional awards for her teaching, dedication, and commitment; has presented at national conferences; and has published book chapters, clinical evidence reviews, and personal medical reflections.

Sr. Katie Norris D.C. ‘65

Sr. Norris is a member of the St. Louis-based Daughters of Charity, and has worked diligently through the years at the local, national, and international level for nonprofits, universities, and legislative committees. Her compassion and devotion have left a lasting impact on the communities in which she’s served, including in her role as administrator at the St. Vincent de Paul Center on the North Side of Chicago. Under her leadership, they built a new state-of-the-art center, increased the number of clients they were able to serve, and much more. Sr. Katie has received numerous awards for her service and dedication, including the Mary Potter Humanitarian Award from OSF Little Company of Mary Hospital; the Dei Glorium Award presented by St. Ignatius High School; the Brigid Award, presented to her by Concern Worldwide; the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin As Those Who Serve Award; and the high school’s prestigious Catherine McAuley Leadership Award.

Denise Sullivan Huguelet ‘72 (posthumously)

Huguelet was a special education teacher for more than 30 years, a mother to five, grandmother to 11, and friend to all who met her. Huguelet began her career in special education in Orland Park, continued in Coral Springs, Fla., and then, upon moving back to Chicago’s South Side, continued in Evergreen Park Elementary School Dist. 124. Her family and past students can attest to her energy, passion, and kindness. Time and time again, past students have shared how they wouldn’t be where they are today if they hadn’t been taught by Huguelet. She not only helped her students find strategies to learn and overcome their disabilities, but treated her students as people, making them feel special and making them feel valued when so many others did not.

The event will begin with Mass at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 20, in the auditorium, with celebrant Monsignor Kenneth Velo, followed by the induction ceremony. A champagne brunch will be held in the student lounge immediately after the induction. The mass and induction are free of charge; tickets to the brunch cost $50 per person or $400 per table (8 guests). Tickets can be purchased online.

“We are blessed to have such accomplished women as alumnae of Mother McAuley - women with great religious conviction, business acumen, heroes in healthcare, and educators who have made the world a better place,” said the school’s president Mary Acker Klingenberger, in a news release. “It is our privilege to recognize, honor, and celebrate these dedicated women and welcome them into the McAuley Hall of Honor.”