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2022 Distinguished Alumnus Award

Congratulations to our 2022 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient, Dr. Ron Chacko (’99).

The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes Harding Academy graduates who have enhanced the reputation of Harding Academy through their professional and community leadership and their advancement of Harding Academy’s mission.

Our Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for 2022 began his journey at Harding Academy in junior kindergarten. Before graduating as valedictorian in 1999, he was president of the National Honor Society, president of the A Cappella chorus, and secretary of the senior class. He was also senior captain of both the track and cross-country teams. And to top it all off, he was a National Merit Semi-Finalist.

After Harding Academy, he completed his undergraduate degree, then medical school, at Northwestern University through the Honors Program for Medical Education. He went on to complete his training in family medicine with an additional fellowship in primary care for those affected by HIV. Over the past 24 years, he has served in many leadership and teaching roles at the intersection of primary care, health care delivery, and community medicine.

Currently, he splits his time providing primary and HIV care in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood and serving as Clinical Director of Data and Digital Services at Heartland Health Centers—a federally qualified health center in Chicago.

He is married to Sunitha (Su NEE tha), and they are proud parents to Amadee (UH ma DEE) and Prashanth (PRA shanth).