GALA ON GRAND

Because of the incredible generosity of our St. Mary's community, the 2026 Gala on Grand raised $429,581 in support of our students, programs, and the future of St. Mary's South Side Catholic High School.

It was a privilege to honor Kevin Lee and Valerie Todd, whose leadership and dedication reflect the very best of our community. We are deeply grateful to everyone who attended, supported, and gave so generously—your presence made the evening truly unforgettable.

A special thank you to our incredible sponsors, whose generosity and commitment helped make this evening possible and continue to strengthen the mission of St. Mary’s.

This is what it means to be Rooted & Rising.

2026 LEGACY HONOREES

VALERIE TODD

VALERIE TODD

2026 Lecacy Honoree
Valerie Todd was born and raised in South St. Louis City, specifically in Dutchtown. She is the proud daughter of Steve and Sue Geldmacher and the sister of Tina, Emily, and Eric. Valerie has been married to Tony Todd for 27 years, and together they are the parents of two St. Mary’s alumni: Aaron “Max” (Class of 2019) and Sam (Class of 2021).

Valerie earned a Bachelor of Science in Education with a specialization in Special Education from the University of Missouri–St. Louis in 1996. She later received a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University in May 2007.

Valerie is currently in her 29th year serving the St. Mary’s community. After graduating from college, she briefly taught in a Special Education classroom in St. Louis Public Schools. During the 1997–1998 school year, she joined St. Mary’s High School as a Learning Consultant.

She served in that role for 18 years before being named Academic Dean during the 2010–2011 school year. Following the retirement of Jane Goff, Valerie was appointed Associate Principal. After three years in that position, and with the retirement of Kevin Hacker, she was named Principal. She is now in her eighth year leading St. Mary’s as Principal.

KEVIN LEE

KEVIN LEE

2026 Lecacy Honoree

Kevin Lee is the president and CEO of Mid-America Transplant, where he works with a dedicated team to support organ and tissue donation for families across the region. His focus is on strengthening systems, fostering collaboration, and ensuring the organization continues to serve donor families and clinical partners with compassion and reliability.

Kevin has held several leadership roles since joining Mid-America Transplant in 2015, including executive vice president and chief operating officer, executive director of the Mid-America Transplant Foundation, and vice president positions in organ operations and community engagement. His career spans more than 20 years in mission‑driven health care and education organizations.

Mid-America Transplant earned its second Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award during his tenure, a reflection of the shared commitment of staff, partners, and community collaborators. Kevin also completed the Baldrige Executive Fellows Program and received the Baldrige Foundation’s Award for Leadership Excellence.

Kevin is also engaged at the national and regional levels in shaping the future of donation and transplantation. He serves on the boards of AlloSource; the American Liver Foundation; the Baldrige Foundation, where he is Board Secretary; St. Mary’s Southside Catholic High School; the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network; and The Partnership for Excellence. He’s also part of the Government Relations Committee for the American Association of Tissue Banks and the Advisory Board for the College of Health and Human Services at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and a master’s degree from Saint Louis University.