Courtney Brennan and Matt Dieterich are the 2026 awardees of the North Hills High School Distinguished Alumni Award, the district announced in early March.
They will be inducted on May 18 and serve as keynote speakers at the high school’s annual Senior Awards Night that evening.
Brennan, a 2001 graduate, studied broadcast journalism and policy studies at Syracuse University. She works for Aerie, a lifestyle brand of American Eagle Outfitters, where she works in marketing.
She previously worked at Acceleration Partners, where she helped build and grow creator programs for national retailers including Target and Home Depot.
Brennan spent a decade in television as an anchor and reporter at WPXI in Pittsburgh, WLOS in Asheville, N.C., WQAD in Moline, Ill., and WKTV in Utica, N.Y.
At her Instagram account “itscourtneybrennan,” she shares home renovation projects, approachable style and family life with more than 85,000 followers.
Dietrich, a 2009 graduate, holds a master of science in geology and planetary science from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor of science in environmental science from Robert Morris University. He is CEO of First Light Astronomy, where he leads the design and construction of custom observatories and advanced telescope systems.
He owns Matt Dietrich Photography, a company he founded in 2007. His nightscape and astrophotography work has been featured by major national organizations, and he has served as a National Park Service artist-in-residence.
Dietrich previously worked as a research geologist with the U.S. Department of Energy, publishing research in geology and energy sciences.
The North Hills School District Distinguished Alumni program began in 2011 to honor graduates of North Hills High School and the former West View High School.