UMass Boston

Beacon Magazine Spring 2024

Sidnee Berch ’20 landed a position as digital marketing coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, a National Football League team based in Ohio. In this role, Berch manages the team’s email marketing and engagement. She also creates outreach initiatives to keep fans informed about upcoming games, housekeeping notes, and other game-related news. Prior to this role, Berch completed a sports marketing and operations internship with the Jacksonville Icemen, a mid-level professional ice hockey league. After eight months, she was offered a position with the Atlanta Gladiators, a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Georgia. She said these opportunities gave her the type of hands-on experience that she might not have otherwise had before landing her coveted role with the NFL team.

De’Shawn Washington ’13, G’18, G’22, a fourth-grade teacher at Maria Hastings Elementary School in Lexington, was named 2024 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. The Massachusetts Teacher of the Year Program is the state’s top award for educators and annually recognizes excellence in teaching across Massachusetts through the selection of a teacher who exemplifies the dedication, commitment, and positive contributions of educators statewide. Washington is the first Black male to be named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and the fourth recipient from Lexington. His recognition as the 62nd recipient of this award automatically designates him as Massachusetts’ candidate for the National Teacher of the Year Program.

U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo ’98 was honored as one of the distinguished recipients of the 2023 Brother Thomas Fellowship. Administered by the Boston Foundation, the Brother Thomas Fellowship is a highly sought-after accolade that celebrates exceptional artists for their significant impact on the arts and their dedication to creating meaningful change. Mhlaba-Adebo is a multifaceted artist known for her profound exploration of culture, identity, and social justice through various artistic mediums. Her work spans visual arts, spoken word, and music, and she consistently uses her art as a catalyst for initiating critical conversations and inspiring social change. 

1960

Arthur N. Mabbett ’69, founder, chairman, and CEO of Mabbett & Associates Inc., was honored with an EBJ Lifetime Achievement Award by the Environmental Business Journal, an independent business research publication that provides strategic market intelligence to the environmental industry. For 44 years, Mabbett, Inc. has provided environmental, health, and safety consulting and engineering services to industry, commercial enterprise, and federal, state, and local agencies. Mabbett, Inc. is a U.S. Small Business Administration certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business. 

1970

Sterling Anderson ’76 used his own family history to portray how race, politics, religion, and economics set the cultural direction of a society in his new book, Escaping the Delusions of Culture: A Cultural, Familial, and African American Reality.

Dennis Cowan ’78 was selected for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in government relations and practice. Cowan is a former managing partner at Plunkett Cooney and currently serves as coleader of the firm’s Business Transactions & Planning Practice Group.

Eduardo Crespo ’72 was featured in the Boston Business Journal for his business receiving the Small Business Administration’s 2023 Minority Owned Small Business of the Year for Massachusetts. He is the founder and CEO of Hispanic Market Solution, a multicultural-focused marketing firm with offices in Lawrence and Boca Raton, Florida, which he launched in 2003.

Peter Grimshaw ’76 is a freelance cartoonist at Silver Moon Comics and Collectibles in Salem, Mass. He is also a volunteer and exhibiting artist at the Salem Arts Association and is a Fine Arts Committee volunteer and exhibiting and demonstrating artist at the Topsfield Fair.

Karen Keane ’73, chairman emerita of Bonhams Skinner, was appointed chair of the Massachusetts College of Art and Design Board of Trustees. Keane was instrumental in establishing Bonhams Skinner—a leading provider of live and online auction and appraisal services for fine art, antiques, and jewelry. Keane is also a leading appraiser on the PBS series “Antiques Roadshow” and specializes in American furniture and decorative arts, Americana, and folk art.

James Pontuso ’70 was named visiting professor at University of Virginia, where he is teaching “The American Political Tradition,” a course in the Politics Department. He has authored or edited seven books and published more than 100 articles, reviews, and essays. His latest book, Nature’s Virtue, was published by St. Augustine’s Press in 2019. Until his retirement in June 2022, he was Patterson Professor in the Government Department at Hampden- Sydney College.

Richard Trapilo ’76 joined Coastal Commercial Real Estate as a broker. He has an extensive background in acquiring, developing, and selling commercial properties. In addition to commercial property, he has experience in buying and selling residential property. 

1980 

Diane Britt ’87 had her artwork featured at the Thomases Family Endowment of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation Art Gallery. The exhibit, which was on display from March to April 2024, focuses on Jewish themes, imagery, and historical and personal imagery. This includes her grandmother’s stories spanning from life in town at the end of the 19th century to experiences during the Holocaust, as well as ancient folklore surrounding golems.

Paul English ’87, G’89, H’19, tech entrepreneur and philanthropist, and his partner Rachel Cohen developed a dating app that pairs people based on their availability to go out that week. Lola Dating—a project under English’s Boston Venture Studio—is designed to reduce the “talking stage” between prospective partners and instead get them to meet in person.

Stuart Gregerman ’86 was sworn in as the ninth board member of the Revere & Son Heritage Trust Corporation. In addition to his role as board member, Gregerman serves on the Revere & Son Heritage Trust Corporation Development/Marketing/PR Committee, working on fundraising and marketing. 

1990

Vanessa Calderón-Rosado G’94, PhD’00, CEO of Inquilinos Boricuas en Accino, Boston, received the Governor’s Award in the Humanities from Mass Humanities. She was honored for her work in promoting Latinx culture and building community through the arts in Boston’s South End, as well as for her contributions to shaping a more equitable philanthropic ecosystem in Massachusetts.

JD Chesloff G’93, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, and Imari Paris Jeffries ’97, G’99, G’03, PhD’23, executive director of Embrace Boston, were among those named to the Boston Business Journal’s list of 2023 “Movement Makers.” The list comprises 50 individuals in the Greater Boston business community who are taking a stand, creating change, and taking actionable steps to work together to make Boston continue to grow as a place for equity, inclusion, and diverse points of view. 

Mary Kelly G’98, CER’17 was appointed principal of St. Patrick School in Lawrence. She started her position on July 1, 2023. Kelly brings more than 30 years’ experience in the public and private school sector serving as principal at Lawrence Catholic Academy and as an assistant principal at Saltonstall School in Salem. She taught in the Lowell Public Schools and in Cath- olic schools in Medford and Woburn.

Marianne Genova Long G’93, a dedicated educator in the field of mathematics whose career spans nearly three decades, has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. Long currently serves as a mathematics teacher for grades 9 through 12 at Malden High School. Prior to this, Long was a high school mathematics teacher with RPA Fall River Public Schools and spent 25 years with the City of Waltham.

Hadley Luddy ’94, CEO of the Homeless Prevention Council, announced her candidacy to represent the Outer and Lower Cape in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. She worked for the state’s Department of Children and Families for five years, for the nonprofit Community Connections for 10 years, and for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Cape and Islands for five years before joining the Homeless Prevention Council in 2018. 

Mark Reed-Edwards ’90 published his debut children’s book titled Bo Gotta Go. The story revolves around Bo, a spirited Portuguese water dog with a penchant for lounging on the couch, exploring every nook of the house, and basking in the sun. However, Bo occasionally succumbs to restlessness! Residing in Massachusetts with his family, Reed-Edwards, a dedicated writer, draws inspiration from his beloved Portuguese water dog, Bowie, who serves as the muse behind Bo Gotta Go.

Danielle Robinett ’94 retired from the U.S. Army after 34 years. She enlisted in the Army in 1989 as an operating room technician and left active duty to return to school, enrolling at UMass Boston to study finance. While at UMass Boston, she worked in the university’s Veterans Affairs office and joined the ROTC program. In 1994, she became a combat engineer and was the first female combat engineering company commander. Robinett now supports the Military Officers Association of America.

Marjorie Tucker G’90 published Hard’s Luck: An Infantryman’s Personal Memoir of World War II in the Battle of the Bulge. Tucker is the daughter of Corp. Howard Tucker, Jr., the original author, who is a retired federal civil servant and teacher. Tucker modified and rewrote Hard’s Luck, which recounts Corp. Tucker’s experiences as an Army half-track driver and technician during the largest land battle ever fought by U.S. forces.

2000

Adam Baacke G’03 was named commissioner of the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance for the Commonwealth. Baacke comes from UMass Lowell, where he spent the past nine years, most recently as assistant vice chancellor for campus development. He has an extensive background in city planning, real estate development, and capital construction management.

William Baga G’07 was appointed principal at Clifford Academy, the Home for Little Wanderers’ special education school in Walpole for students experiencing emotional, behavioral, and/ or learning difficulties. Baga joins Clifford Academy from Boston Prep, a charter school in Boston’s Hyde Park, where he was assistant principal of the high school.

Abbey Baker ’08 published a book educating prospective and current law students on what it is like to be an attorney so that they might make an educated decision on whether a life in law is for them. The book is called Legally Briefed: The Aspiring Attorney’s Essential Guide to Life After Law School.

Chris Breen ’06 was appointed deputy director of the Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) by Mayor Michelle Wu. A Boston native, Breen has already devoted 18 years to serving the city, in roles that span from teaching at the Eliot K–8 Innovation School to tackling urban renewal. As deputy director, he is tasked with enriching the ONS’s essential service provision and strengthening ties with local entities.

Flossy Calderon ’01 was promoted to vice president of ABCD Head Start & Children’s Services at Action for Boston Community Development. A 20-year veteran of early education, Calderon most recently served as director of ABCD Head Start & Children’s Services. She serves on the board of the Massachusetts Head Start Association.

Christine DePalma ’04, G’09 was promoted to associate director of campus operations at EMD Serono, the health care business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany in the U.S. and Canada.

Blake Dinius ’09, an entomologist extension educator for Plymouth County, led a discussion titled “Rainbows on the Wing: Creating Landscapes for Dragonflies.” The event was hosted by the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. After earning his biology degree from UMass Boston, Dinius embarked on a career in insect research on bees, lacewings, springtails, and various other critters, contributing to the establishment of global guidelines and practices in the field.

Phillip Gonzalez G’01 was appointed president and CEO of the MetroWest Health Foundation by its Board of Trustees, effective February 2024. Gonzalez is a national leader in health philanthropy with experience leading innovative initiatives in health and health care policy. His career includes leadership roles at esteemed organizations such as the Point32Health Foundation, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, and Community Catalyst.

Katrina Hobbs Everett ’07 was elected to the Haverhill City Council earlier this month, making history as the first Black woman to serve on the council. Everett is an adjunct instructor at Merrimack College and was the cofounder of Power of Self-Education. She runs a B2B consulting firm focused on providing large- and small-scale consulting, coaching, and facilitation services.

Jason Kaplan G’01, CER’02, associate professor and chair of the School Psychology Department at William James College, has been named 2023 Trainer of the Year by the Massachusetts School Psychologists Association. Kaplan’s research interests include systems change, the assessment and treatment of children with learning, social, and emotional disabilities, and supervision.

Susan Ko PhD’01 joined Vantage Leadership Consulting as a partner based in Los Angeles. Ko has more than two decades of experience as a licensed psychologist and executive coach, with expertise in assessment, multi-project management, talent recruitment, and leadership development. In her role at Vantage, Ko focuses on client service, business development, and thought leadership.

Katherine Kuusela ’05, G’07 was hired as a financial planner and insurance agent at New York Life and Orchard Financial Strategies & Insurance Services. In this role, she helps clients with family and income protection (insurance), retirement planning, estate conservation, budgeting and saving, employee benefits, buy-sell agreements, and rollovers.

Patrice Lamour ’03 launched LAMOUR Clinic to provide behavioral health, therapeutic, and community-based services that aid individuals, children, and families to achieve optimal daily functioning. In August 2023, she opened a second location in Randolph, Mass.

Kristine Lincoln G’06 was named interim director of student services for Old Rochester Regional School District. In this role, Lincoln oversees the student services office, which assists school staff in working with families to meet the unique needs of students through individualized learning programs.

Victoria McKay ’05 was named director of development at the Massachusetts Historical Society. In this role, she manages and oversees the internal infrastructure, major gifts, and recurring giving, and provides crucial support for overall development strategy and goals.

Anna Rue G’05 gave a presentation titled “Supporting Nordic American Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest: Past Projects and New Directions,” which explored the Nordic Folk Arts project at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and gave an overview of how the project worked to support the practice and study of Nordic American traditional arts in the region and beyond.

Yvonne Spicer EdD’04, who previously served as the first mayor of Framingham, was named executive director of Life Science Cares’ Boston operations.

Ryan Stoute ’02 was hired as an MRI technologist at Salem Hospital. He was appointed to this role after passing his ARRT MRI registry exam in June 2023.

Eliza Wilson ’09 was appointed associate member of the School Site Council for Brockton Public High School. 

2010

Abe Abdul G’13 assumed his role as the 159th president of the Massachusetts Dental Society in July 2023. Abdul has the distinction of being the first individual from a minority background to lead the organization.

Christian Chan G’08, PhD’12, an associate professor at the International Christian University in Tokyo, became a co-winner of the Ig Nobel Prize in Education for his team’s studies that showed a correlation between boring teachers and bored students.

Shawn Connors G’10 was appointed assistant principal of King Philip Regional Middle School. He has over 18 years of educational experience teaching English.

Whitney Dailey G’11 was a speaker at the Impact Relations Institute–Impact Council in January 2024. Dailey is the executive vice president of Purpose at Allison and leads the agency’s Purpose Center of Excellence—a dedicated team specializing in Purpose brand strategy and ESG leadership.

Kurt Deion G’19—a public historian, author, guest speaker, and presidential expert—was promoted to the position of education specialist at the Historic Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC. He was also named to the 2024 Next-Gen Leader cohort for the White House Historical Association. Additionally, Deion is on a speaking circuit for his book, Presidential Grave Hunter: One Kid’s Quest to Visit the Tombs of Every President and Vice President (2023).

Emily Dulong G’12, vice president of government advocacy and public policy at the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, was named to Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. Dulong is a leading advocate for health care organizations, caregivers, and patients in Massachusetts.

Fakisha Fabre ’17, G’17 was promoted to vice president of diversity and inclusion at Morgan Stanley. Fabre is an experienced diversity and inclusion professional with a demonstrated history of working in both the nonprofit organization management and finance/financial services industries.

Kristie Ferrantella G’16 was named Nantucket’s municipal housing director. In her role, she oversees all the administrative functions and communication initiatives of the town’s housing office, represents the town to local and state agencies, as well at the state house, and serves as the fair housing director for the town.

Amanda Grant ’19 was appointed co-response mental health clinician to the Behavioral Health Unit Police Collaborative for the Tewksbury Police Department. In this role, she will respond alongside Tewksbury police to mental health emergencies and crises as part of the Behavioral Health Unit Police Collaborative and will work with individuals after crises to ensure they have access to appropriate services.

Daniel Hartford ’13, a financial advisor and portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Hartford has worked at the firm since 2020. The CFA charter is a globally recognized credential for investment analysis competence and integrity and portfolio management.

Shray Joshi ’19 was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for marketing and advertising. He founded Good Peeps in 2022, a full-service marketing agency focused on helping consumer packaged goods companies.

Bienvenu Musehenu Kulungu ’10, founder and CEO of Kulungu Corp., announced the construction of a major new hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The hospital will satisfy the needs of an underserved region where most hospitals are poorly staffed and equipped.

Brian Moynihan G’16 was promoted to partner at E.J. Callahan & Associates, a construction accounting firm in Massachusetts. He has over 15 years of experience in the construction industry, specializing in accounting, tax, and business advisory services, with a focus in the construction, real estate, architecture, and M&D industries.

Stephanie Peach G’15, a 2007 graduate of Peabody High School, has made history by becoming the first woman to lead the Peabody City Council in over a decade. Committee for the Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association.

Matt Rafeld ’10, G’18 was hired as director of financial wellness at Alera Group, a Deerfield, Illinois-based firm.

Andrew Rebello CER’16, principal of Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, received the national Milken Educator Award, bestowed by the Milken Family Foundation. The award honors exceptional educators from coast to coast for their excellence and innovation in the field. A respected leader in and outside the school, Rebello was recently sworn in as a member of Governor Healey’s Economic Development Planning Council to develop the Massachusetts Economic Development Plan and serves as a member of the Educational Policy and Legislative Committee for the Massachusetts School Administrators’ Association.

2020

Gustavo Burkett PhD’24 was appointed to the role of dean of Colby College. In this role, Burkett has broad oversight of the student experience at Colby and works to fully integrate the College’s academic and campus life programs.

Debra Butler PhD’22 was named executive director of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals. Butler joined ASAP as a member in 2017 and worked part time for ASAP in 2019 while completing her PhD dissertation in environmental studies from UMass Boston.

Caroline Cooney ’22, the current Miss World Massachusetts, recently competed for the title of Miss World America. The Miss World and Miss World America Organization stands out in the pageant world for their “Beauty with a Purpose” service project, with each state competitor embarking on a service project of their own choosing.

Timothy Cronin G’23 was selected as a 2024 honoree for the Boston Innovators in Healthcare Award from the Boston Business Journal. The award celebrates those whose work most stands out locally in the industry.

Miguel Ferry CER’23, G’23 was promoted to senior project manager at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Victoria Franco G’21 was named director of marketing at BCC Research, a market research and data company headquartered in Boston.

Sheila Gould CER’22 was named director of early literacy initiatives at the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation. In her role, she will help the foundation determine how best to engage area stakeholders and the early learning community around early literacy.

Karen Hunt ’20 announced her retirement from Catholic Charities in Malden, where she worked for 18 years as a lead preschool teacher.

Donald J. Jenkins PhD’23 was named chief operating officer of Convergent Energy and Power. He entered the energy storage sector through various roles at Enel X (previously EnerNOC), a division of multinational power company Enel.

Rebecca Penders PhD’20 and her team received the Quality Improvement Award by the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) for their work on the Blue Band Initiative, a program that helps to alert health care providers about a patient’s risk for preeclampsia.

Thamara Pierre-Louis G’22 joined the Boston Parks and Recreation Department as its community outreach coordinator. In this role, Pierre-Louis is responsible for planning and scheduling events and activities; participating in meetings and workshops; coordinating and providing program plans; and helping to formulate, implement, and maintain community events.

Keelin Severtson G’20 was named the Macalester College volleyball program’s top assistant coach.

Maria Vasco ’20 was named to Boston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list. She is the founder and owner of Uvida Shop, Boston’s first and only zero-waste store, which she started while a student at UMass Boston.

Gabrielle Weatherbee G’20 was promoted to audit and assurance manager at Deloitte and Touche. She serves clients in the investment management sector, including mutual funds, closed-end funds, and private investment funds.