SJ ALUMNI TO SPEAK AT VETERANS DAY ASSEMBLY

On Tuesday, November 11, 2025, St. Joseph High School is proud to share that 3 of our Alumni Veterans will be on campus to speak to our students. Many thanks to these guest speakers who will share their stories at our Veterans Day Assembly: 

Raymond G. Baldwin Jr. '66 was born and raised in Trumbull, CT. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after graduating from SJ. Mr. Baldwin served as a radio operator with 4th Battalion 11th Marines southwest of Da Nang, Vietnam from May 1968 to July 1969. He was engaged in 16 combat operations against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army forces during his tour of duty and was awarded the Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Vietnamese Campaign Service Ribbon, two meritorious Presidential Unit Citations and a Good Conduct Ribbon.

Upon his return from Vietnam he served with the 2nd Marine Amtrac Battalion in the Mediterranean and Middle East, conducting amphibious landings and security operations while assigned to the 6th Amphibious Fleet from October 1969 to June 1970. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Mr. Baldwin enrolled in the Criminal Justice program at the University of New Haven and joined the Trumbull Police Department. While serving on the police department, he received his BS in 1978 and then enrolled in the University of Bridgeport School of Law and received his Juris Doctor degree in 1984.
In 1985, Mr. Baldwin took an early retirement from the Trumbull Police Department and began practicing law in the Greater Bridgeport area. He also became involved in politics and between 1985-2001 he served on the Trumbull Town Council, Board of Finance, Golf Commission, Veterans’ Advisory Committee, and as a Town Attorney. In 2001, he was elected Trumbull First Selectman and served four successive terms.

In 2010 he was chosen as the President/CEO of St. Vincent’s Special Needs Services, where he served for over 8 years, helping to provide care and services to children and adults with cerebral palsy and other severe developmental disabilities.
Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the Trumbull Police Commission and the Chairman of the Trumbull Veterans & First Responders Building Committee. Ray has been married to his wife Mary Ann for 52 years and has two children and 3 grandchildren. He’s a member of the VFW, American Legion and the Bridgeport Elks Club. He’s also an avid golfer and motorcyclist.

Attorney Johnna (Gonzalez) Wallace '99 was born and raised in Bridgeport, CT and has dedicated much of her life to serving her community. Although Johnna had a passion for criminal law at a young age, in her earlier years, life took another path. Shortly after 9/11, Johnna joined the military and served 3 years of active duty as an Army medic. Due to her medical experience, she went on to become an R.N. and worked as an Emergency Room nurse in CT hospitals for several years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnna’s passion for the law never went away, however, and so she began her legal journey at Quinnipiac University School of Law, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2022.

Following graduation from law school, Johnna served the Connecticut Superior Court from 2022-2024, as a judicial law clerk, where she prepared research and writing assignments for judges. Johnna has practiced law in a personal injury law firm and criminal defense as special assigned counsel to indigent clients. Johnna brings her passion for law and zest for public service to her current practice, which includes, white collar criminal defense, as well as a variety of other civil matters. 

In addition to her J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law, 2022, Johnna has a B.A. in Psychology from Western New England University, 2003; M.S. in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Forensic Psychology from the University of New Haven, 2008; and a BSN from Fairfield University in 2015.

Captain Matt Fanning '94 grew up in Bridgeport, CT. He earned a commission from the Naval Academy in 1999. He served aboard three submarines at sea before commanding the USS HARTFORD, where his crew was recognized as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet in 2017. He has driven over a half-million miles and visited sixteen countries during his time at sea.

Ashore, he has served all over the world. His first assignment was in Naples, Italy, and his last tour before returning to Connecticut was in Stuttgart Germany, where he was responsible for all US nuclear weapons in Europe in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He currently commands the Submarine Learning Center, where he directs operations of all submarine learning facilities from Guam to Maine and soon, Australia.

Captain Fanning is authorized to wear numerous awards and decorations; however, he is most proud of the Arctic Service Medal that his crew designed in 2018 for hazardous under-ice operations, which was finally approved by the Navy in 2024.