​The Alumni Achievement Awards were established by Wilson School’s Alumni Leadership Committee to recognize and honor the accomplishments of Wilson alumni who continue to bring pride and inspiration to our community.
 
We are thrilled to celebrate this year's Award Winners, Ali Kahn (CO '89) and Ross Woolsey (CO '57) at the 2020 Thistle Auction, "The Black and White Ball", on Saturday February 29 at the Moto Museum.  Click here to make your reservations to join us today. 

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Ali Kahn
2020 Alumni Award Recipient

Ali Khan (CO ’89) has always been a natural-born glutton whose passion for food began as soon as he was tall enough to ditch his high chair and commence eating out at fine dining establishments. He has been “eating fearlessly” since day one, embracing new cuisines and cultures along the way. Ali is a natural-born performer trained in the Theatrical Arts at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Southern California where he earned his B.A. in Theater Studies.

Ali found his niche in food writing early, serving as Senior Editor of BlackBook Magazine’s Los Angeles Dining and Nightlife Guide by age 26. While Ali lent his writing skills to sites such as Urban Daddy, LA TACO, and You Gotta Eat This, he launched two successful series: Sandwich Spotting Los Angeles and Bang for your Burger Buck.

His passion for performance and all things epicurean eventually led him to the Food Network, where his earliest appearances include Grill It with Bobby Flay and the Best Thing I Ever Made. Producer credits include Food Network’s $24 in 24, Thanksgiving Live and he helped develop projects for Jeff Mauro, Alton Brown and Simon Majumdar.
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In 2015, Ali premiered his very own show,​ Cheap Eats, on the Cooking Channel. Armed with a budget of only $35, Ali takes a culinary tour of the US on a budget almost anyone can afford. In 2018 Ali joined the Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship​ as the host for the 4th season. He currently resides in Austin, TX where he also takes fans on food tours of the city.

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Learn more about our previous award recipients.

Ross Woolsey
2020 Alumni Award Recipient

After decades of success in the corporate world, Ross Woolsey (CO '57) turned to his passion for Making his Mark a Good One. For Ross, that meant studying social work at Washington University’s Brown School while he worked to create educational and enrichment opportunities for children in St. Louis Public Schools.

​In 2009, Ross co-founded North Side Community School, a charter school that is now the highest performing elementary school in the City of St. Louis.

​Wilson parent Anne Miller (Mary, class of ‘26, and Charlie, class of ‘24) works with Ross at North Side. She cites Ross’s tireless effort to share Wilson’s ethic with students at North Side and throughout the St. Louis Public School System. She writes that “Ross’s spirit and determination to provide excellent opportunities for all children in St. Louis reflects the tenets of Wilson’s mission statement.”



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