The Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) is proud to announce that Chris Hart, a lifelong resident and dedicated advocate for student athletics, has been selected as the recipient of this year’s Arthur Hecht Volunteer of the Year Award. This prestigious award is given annually to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the community and to Piedmont’s youth through years of dedicated volunteer service.
Dr. Jennifer Hawn, PUSD Superintendent, expressed her gratitude for Hart’s unwavering commitment: “The Board and I are pleased to recognize Chris Hart for his outstanding service to Piedmont’s youth and the greater community. Chris represents the very finest of Piedmont—someone who grew up here, benefited from its schools, and has dedicated countless hours to giving back so that future generations of students can thrive. It is with great honor and gratitude that we recognize his contributions.”
A member of the Piedmont High School (PHS) Class of 1987, Chris grew up playing many sports throughout his childhood in Piedmont. While at PHS, he played basketball for four years and competed in swimming, football, and baseball. Recognizing the lessons learned on the court, field, and in the pool, Chris has worked tirelessly to improve access to athletics and the overall student experience.
Throughout his years of service, Chris has played a vital role in supporting Piedmont schools. He served as President of the PHS Boosters from 2020–2024, where he played a pivotal role in support for athletics, including developing the “Oktoberfest” fundraiser to build community and financial support, and organizing community support for the renovation of Witter Field. His support contributed to the transformation of Witter into a facility that serves both student-athletes and the broader community while honoring the legacy of the Witter family. Additionally, as a member of the Title IX committee, he helped evaluate and strengthen programs to ensure equitable opportunities for girls in sports.
Beyond his work with the Boosters, Chris has been a leading member of the Piedmont Recreation Facilities Organization (PRFO), contributing to the refurbishment of the Corey Reich Tennis Complex and the campaign for the new Piedmont Community Pool. He is also a long-standing member of the Piedmont Sports Hall of Fame Committee.
Chris’s volunteerism extends into civic leadership. Since 2023, he has served on the Piedmont Recreation Commission and is a member of the board of the Piedmont Scouts. Most recently, he served on the City-School Facilities Task Force, developing ideas to improve the use of limited athletic facilities across town.
The Board of Education will formally present the Arthur Hecht Volunteer of the Year Award to Chris Hart at its meeting on May 6, 2026. PUSD extends its heartfelt congratulations to Chris Hart for his extraordinary service, leadership, and dedication to the students and families of Piedmont.
The Arthur Hecht Volunteer of the Year Award is presented annually to individuals who have volunteered their efforts over a period of time and made a difference because of their involvement and commitment to Piedmont’s youth. Arthur ‘Art’ Hecht was a tireless community volunteer dedicated to students in both Piedmont and Oakland. He served on Piedmont’s Board of Education from 1970 to 1982 and was instrumental in developing the Piedmont Continuation High School (now called Millennium High School). In 1998, the Volunteer of the Year Award was established in his memory.
Previous recipients include: Hunter McCreary (1998); Ann Chandler (1999); Ruth Cuming (2000); Lisa Lomenzo (2001); jointly by Cathie Geddeis and Marion Souyoultzis (2002); jointly by Fritz and Mary Wooster (2003); Elizabeth (Betsy) Gentry (2004); Cynthia Gorman (2005); Grier Graff (2006); Julia Burke (2007); Maude Pervere (2008); jointly to Anne-Marie Lamarche and Mark Menke (2009); Janiele Maffei Tovani (2010); Andrea Swenson (2011), June Monach (2012), Bill Drum (posthumously) and Mary Ireland (2013), Ray Perman (2014), Jennifer Fox (2015), Katie Korotzer (2016), Hilary Cooper (2017), Holly Hanke (2018), Cathy Glazier (2019), Sue Smegal (2020), Ken Li (2021), Eileen Ruby (2022), David Ragones (2023), Sarah Pearson (2024), and Cory Smegal (2025).
Chris Hart will be officially honored at the May 6, 2026, meeting of the PUSD Board of Education.