2025 Distinguished Alumni honorees announced

The 2025 awardees of the North Hills High School Distinguished Alumni Award are Olivia Jaklic and Sean Collier. Olivia is a member of the Class of 2006 and Sean graduated in 2008.

Olivia Jaklic, Class of 2006

Olivia Jaklic is a dedicated medical professional whose contributions to perfusion education and cardiac surgery have made a significant impact both in the U.S. and internationally. As the Perfusion Education Supervisor at Baylor University Medical Center, she plays a vital role in training future perfusionists by establishing affiliations with the University of Nebraska and Utah’s perfusion schools, coordinating clinical rotations and guest lecturing on heart transplantation.

Her commitment extends beyond education—she has been a key figure in the Salvando Corazones Medical Mission Trip to Peru since 2017, participating nine times and helping coordinate travel, funding and medical supply donations to provide free cardiac surgeries. Notably, she facilitated the shipment of essential heart-lung machines to Peru, enabling life-saving procedures in rural areas.

During her career, she has also assisted in transporting critically ill ECMO patients via ambulance and helicopter particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Olivia's dedication to mentoring and advancing the field of perfusion, along with her humanitarian efforts, exemplifies her passion for both education and patient care.

Sean Collier, Class of 2003

After graduating from North Hills in 2003, Sean Collier attended Penn State University receiving a Bachelor's Degree in English and Theatre Arts with a minor in International Studies. From that point on Sean has been a dynamic force in Pittsburgh’s arts, media and entertainment scene, making significant contributions as a writer, critic, performer, and advocate for local creatives. 

He has served as the Managing Editor of Pittsburgh Magazine since 2011 and a film critic for WDVE since 2009. He is also the city’s only regularly published film critic on the well-known website, Rotten Tomatoes. His work has been recognized with multiple Golden Quill Awards and national nominations.

Beyond journalism, in 2018 Sean co-founded the Vigilance Theater Group, an immersive theater company dedicated to producing original works and supporting local artists. Since then, he has written and directed multiple productions.

His passion for community engagement extends to stand-up comedy fundraisers and his weekly segment on KDKA’s Pittsburgh Today Live, where he spotlights local events and performers. Through his diverse roles in media, theater, and comedy, Sean continues to shape and elevate Pittsburgh’s cultural landscape.

Olivia and Sean will be honored at the Distinguished Alumni Dinner to be held Monday, May 19, and will then serve as keynote speakers at the high school senior awards ceremony later that evening.