Highland High Inducts Latest Class Into ‘Hall of Fame’ Including Chain | Cohn | Clark Attorney Beatriz Trejo, Honored for Legal and Community Impact

Highland High School in Bakersfield honored its legacy of achievement by inducting into its Hall of Fame two former principals, 13 members of the 1997 boys’ basketball team, and seven outstanding alumni, including Chain | Cohn | Clark attorney and partner Beatriz Trejo.

Beatriz Trejo joined a class of honorees who have made significant impacts in education, athletics, public service, and community leadership, said David Monsibais, president of the Highland High Hall of Fame board.

You can read Beatriz Trejo’s biography from the even program below.

“It is such a great honor to be inducted into the Highland High School Hall of Fame,” Trejo said. “The award reminded me of the power we have to make a positive impact on Bakersfield and to use our talents to create meaningful change.”

Beatriz Trejo’s joins a distinguished group of alumni and leaders as a trailblazing attorney and community advocate, said Matt Clark, managing partner at the Law Office of Chain | Cohn | Clark.

“Beatriz Trejo’s induction into the Highland High Hall of Fame underscored her journey from an immigrant to community leader and legal advocate,” Clark said. “As Trejo has demonstrated through her career and her dedication to service, Highland Scots are making a difference-one case, one classroom, and one community at a time.”

Clark added: “Her story, and those of her fellow inductees, serve as powerful reminders of the impact Highland High alumni continue to have in Bakersfield and beyond.”

Here are the other honorees from the 2025 class:

• William “Buck” Henry was honored posthumously for his dual career as an educator and police officer, serving both the Kern Community College District and Bakersfield Police Department.
• Dan Shannon was recognized for his decades-long career as a teacher, coach, and athletic director, leading teams to championships and mentoring countless students.
• Dr. Anne Scott guided Highland High as principal through academic excellence and innovation, earning state and national honors for the school.
• Debra Vigstrom led the school as principal, increasing enrollment and revitalizing programs in music, agriculture, and athletics.
• Peter Parra was celebrated for his long tenure as a teacher, coach, and leader, earning “Teacher of the Year” honors and inspiring students in the classroom and on the tennis courts.
• Larry Lennemann was recognized for his leadership as a student and later as a legal professional.
• Octavio Martinez was honored for his professional baseball career and contributions to the Washington Nationals’ 2019 World Series victory.
• Catherine Bordagaray Waldon was acknowledged for her advocacy and nonprofit leadership supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• The 1997 boys’ basketball team was inducted for their championship season and lasting legacy in Highland athletics.

Read the full biographies of all of the honorees in The Bakersfield Californian here.

The “Celebrating Scots” Hall of Fame dinner, hosted by the nonprofit Highland High School Alumni, Parents, and Staff Booster Club, not only celebrates the achievements of its honorees but also raises funds for student scholarships. All proceeds from the event benefit Highland High School and its students.

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Beatriz Trejo grew up in east Bakersfield after moving here from Mexico City. She is now a distinguished attorney specializing in workers’ compensation. After attending Highland, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Bakersfield, a master’s degree from Cal State Northridge, and a law degree from the University of Akron. Since becoming an attorney in 2012, Trejo has represented diverse clients in workers’ compensation cases, initially as a defense attorney and later advocating for injured workers at Chain | Cohn | Clark. In 2017, she was named “Workers’ Compensation Young Lawyer of the Year” by the State Bar of California and served as the keynote speaker at CSUB’s Chicano Commencement. She was a past president of the California Applicants’ Attorneys Association, Bakersfield Chapter, and became a certified legal specialist in workers’ compensation in 2018.

Her peers have recognized her in the “Top Attorneys” poll, and she is featured in the Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine’s “Rising Stars” list, an accolade bestowed on just 2.5% of lawyers under 40 in the region. In 2019, Trejo received the Latina Leaders of Kern County Latinas Leading the Way Award, and in 2020, she became her firm’s first female partner in 90 years.

She’s involved with CAAA’s board of directors and the Immigration Justice Collaborative, speaks for local business academies, and serves on Cal State Bakersfield’s Pre-Law Advisory Committee. Actively supporting her community, she engages with organizations like Latina Leaders of Kern County and co-chairs events for cancer patient support. She is fluent in Spanish and aids local residents through Spanish radio.

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If you or someone you know is injured in an accident at the fault of someone else, or injured on the job no matter whose fault it is, contact the attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or fill out a free consultation form, text, or chat with us at chainlaw.com.