Wauwatosa East High School’s Wall of Inspiration just got a little more inspiring.
Five new honorees were added to the wall last week, and they were celebrated with daylong festivities March 26 at the school, including an all-school assembly.
“We hope that whatever successes and accolades that we’ve been blessed to receive over the years will serve as an inspiration to you, for you to realize your goals,” Jeffrey Zuba, a 1973 graduate of the school and new inductee, told current students at the assembly. “If we have done that, then we’ve done our job.”
The school on Milwaukee Avenue dates to 1931, and it was known simply as Wauwatosa High School until 1961, when a second high school opened on the west side of the city, Wauwatosa West. The historic building was then renamed Wauwatosa East.
One of this year’s Wall of Inspiration honorees graduated in 1961, the year of the east-west split: Michael Hayes, who served as a brigadier general in the U.S. Marine Corps. The other four spanned the decades since, from Jane Becker, class of 1968, who served as an ambassador in the U.S. State Department, to Hailey Danz, class of 2009, a Team USA paratriathlete and 2024 gold medalist in Paris, France. Zuba was a staff veterinarian at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and Paul Bartolotta of the Milwaukee area’s Bartolotta Restaurants graduated in 1979.
Becker, who died in 2020, was represented at the school’s festivities by her brother, Bob Becker. Hayes was unable to attend due to illness.
“The advice I would give you is to be lifelong learners and then have the belief that it’s also your job to be a lifelong teacher. Whatever you know, share,” Bartolotta told the students, according to the district's news release. “Give back to your community at every stage possible. Be part of that community. Make a difference in other people’s lives.”
The following are the inductees’ biographies, as provided by the Wauwatosa School District.
Michael Hayes
Hayes, a University of Wisconsin graduate, served 33 distinguished years in the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring as a Brigadier General in 1999. He served twice in Vietnam and held command and staff positions in Japan, Panama, Saudi Arabia and across the United States. His military decorations include the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars, two Legions of Merit, and the Defense Superior Service Medal. Following his military career, Hayes served 18 years as director of military and federal affairs for the State of Maryland, where he was instrumental in generating more than 100,000 military and federal-related jobs.
Jane Becker
Becker devoted her life to distinguished service representing the United States around the world. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Michigan State University with a double major in biology and Latin American studies, she entered the U.S. Foreign Service in 1972. Her career took her to some of the world’s most complex diplomatic environments, including Lisbon — where she witnessed the 1974 Carnation Revolution firsthand — Moscow during the height of the Cold War, and Geneva, where she served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Mission. In Vienna, she played a critical role in nuclear arms negotiations. A trailblazer for women in the Foreign Service, Becker left a lasting legacy of service, integrity, and inspiration.
Jeffrey Zuba
Zuba earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Wisconsin and completed a residency in zoo and wildlife medicine at San Diego Zoo Global. After serving as a clinical professor in zoo medicine at Colorado State University, he joined the veterinary staff at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where he worked for 31 years. Career highlights include serving as director of veterinary programs for the USFWS California Condor Recovery Program, acting as veterinary adviser for the White Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan, and leading a team of international veterinarians who developed anesthetic and laparoscopic protocols for the surgical contraception of free-ranging African elephants. Zuba continues to consult and lecture internationally and is the founder of In Case of Anesthesia, which designs and manufactures specialized mega-vertebrate anesthetic equipment.
Paul Bartolotta
A two-time James Beard Award winner and six-time nominee, Bartolotta is co-founder and owner of The Bartolotta Restaurants, a nationally recognized restaurant and catering organization celebrating over 30 years in the Greater Milwaukee region. After attending Milwaukee Area Technical College, Bartolotta honed his craft in prestigious kitchens across New York, France and Italy, earning three stars from The New York Times at just 24 years old. He has worked alongside culinary icons such as Paul Bocuse and Roger Vergé and has been recognized by the president of Italy as a global ambassador of Italian cuisine. Since assuming full ownership in 2019 following the passing of his brother and partner, Joe, Bartolotta has continued their shared vision of authenticity, mentorship and world-class service.
Hailey Danz
Danz spent much of her time at Longfellow Middle School battling bone cancer in her left leg. During her freshman year at Wauwatosa East, she chose to have her leg amputated above the knee to improve her quality of life — a decision that set the stage for an extraordinary athletic career. After graduating in 2009, she studied psychology at Northwestern University, where she discovered the triathlon. In 2016, she competed at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, the first Games to feature triathlon, and won a silver medal as part of a Team USA sweep. She added a second silver at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. In 2024 in Paris, she accomplished her career-long goal of becoming a Paralympic champion, claiming the gold medal. Danz currently lives in Denver, balancing elite training with her work for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
