November 30, 2021
Class Notes: Fall 2021
1950s: A class oration rediscovered
After Harold E. Vayo Jr. ’51 died in April, his daughter, Paula Vayo Werne, remembered hearing that he had presented the class oration when he graduated from Providence College. After connecting with the Office of Alumni Relations, she received a commencement program and newspaper article from the PC Archives confirming that he was the speaker.
Days later, her brother, David, found a rough draft of Mr. Vayo’s speech while cleaning out their parents’ home in preparation for sale. On the 70th anniversary of the oration, Werne, who lives in Ferdinand, Ind., published it on her family blog, TooMuchBrudders.com.
“The obligations which the Dominican Fathers assumed when they undertook to fashion order out of the emotional and mental chaos within us have been discharged,” said Mr. Vayo. “We now possess beginnings of the knowledge necessary to realization of the ultimate human perfection: the enjoyment of everlasting happiness. And each of us must decide what he will do with it.”
Mr. Vayo used his education from that moment on, his daughter said. He began a career at General Electric, married, and had four children. His PC legacy is continued by a niece, Claire Cassidy Davison ’97, and a great niece, Ealish Cassidy Brawley ’14.
“In the sadness of getting our parents’ house ready to sell, this unexpected gift truly lifted our spirits,” Werne wrote.
1960s
Lawrence R. Kane, M.D. ’66 of Newmarket, N.H., was honored with the 2020 Global Humanitarian Award by the American College of Radiology Foundation for his 30 years of volunteer work in Haiti. Since 1989, he has spent one week each year volunteering as a radiologist at the Haitian Health Foundation clinic in Jérémie. He reviews radiographs, performs and teaches sonography, supplies textbooks, and brings medical, dental, and nursing colleagues with him to assist. A graduate of SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, he has retired from radiology but continues his service work.
1970s
Bernard F. McKay ’74 of Celebration, Fla., and Newport, R.I., was named to the board of directors of The Progressive Policy Institute’s Third Way Foundation in Washington, D.C. He formerly was the chief public policy officer and senior vice president for global corporate affairs at Intuit. McKay is a trustee of Salve Regina University and the Washington Shakespeare Theatre. He also served for many years as vice chairman of the board of trustees of John Cabot University in Rome.
Stephen M. Silvestri ’76 of Hampstead, Md., has been recognized in the 2021 Edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, a prestigious annual guide ranking the leading law firms and attorneys in the U.S. Stephen is principal in the Baltimore office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has 40 years of experience representing companies, public sector employers, and institutions of higher learning in complex labor disputes, and has acted as their chief spokesperson and bargaining strategist in negotiations throughout the country.
Marcellino D’Ambrosio ’77 of Dallas, Texas, released a groundbreaking, multi-media study of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Filmed on location in the Holy Land, Jesus: The Way, The Truth and the Life, published by Ascension Press, includes 10 video episodes, a comprehensive study guide, and a book, D’Ambrosio’s fifth. The study makes biblical scholarship and theology accessible for a wide popular audience. D’Ambrosio was co-valedictorian of his PC class.
1980s
Lauren Cook ’80 of Philadelphia is a senior archaeologist for Dewberry Engineers. He was deployed to northern California as a contractor with FEMA to assist in recovery from the 2018 Camp Fire. As an environmental and historic preservation lead, he assists the state in complying with federal environmental and historic preservation laws. His team won the Michael Popper Award for outstanding public service during a period when it contended with both COVID-19 and the 2020 wildfire season, which burned another 44 million acres in 28 counties across California. It was Lauren’s second deployment to the Camp Fire, his fifth for FEMA, and his sixth disaster; he’s worked previously in Alabama, New Jersey, New York City, and Texas. “It’s nice to be recognized for what we’re doing, but the real reward is helping communities recover from disasters,” he said.
Edmund F. Murray, Jr. ’80 of Warwick, R.I., was named chief of the Rhode Island Department of Revenue Central Collections Unit. The Central Collections Unit assists state agencies in enforcing court judgments and administrative orders by collecting money from debtors who owe fines or fees to state agencies. He served as senior counsel to the unit since March 2019 and, prior to that, was special assistant attorney general in the Civil Division of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
Kevin Friend ’82 of Easton, Mass., returned to campus in October for the live screening of his latest documentary film, Borderland: The Life and Times of Blanche Ames Ames, an artist, activist, builder, inventor, and leader of the women’s suffrage movement in Massachusetts. Friend has been creating films that highlight social and public issues for the last 30 years. He has been the lead producer, director, and editor of more than 110 episodes of two television travel series: Golfing the World and The Mountain Report. His previous documentaries include Kings of Cape Cod (the history of Cape Cod’s Happy Hour), the award-winning Sacred Ground (behind the scenes at Newport Polo), and the shorts Battle for Durham Point (recalling the grassroots effort to thwart development of an oil refinery) and Learn to Cope (families dealing with opioid addiction).
Jim Coffey ’84 and his wife, Christina, recently moved to Sandwich, Mass. Jim also was appointed chief operating officer and general counsel to Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc., an innovative fuel cell technology company with headquarters in Boston. Advent went public on Feb. 4, 2021, and is listed on NASDAQ under the trading symbol ADN.
Glenn Rybacki ’84 of Hamden, Conn., joined the public finance practice at Pullman & Comley, the top-ranked law firm for public finance in Connecticut according to Bond Buyer. In addition to his work in public finance, Glenn has provided state and local tax advice and representation to a variety of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to startups. Before entering private practice, Glenn was a tax manager in the multistate practice group at Deloitte & Touche and a revenue examiner for the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University School of Law and is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.
Paul Briody, CFP® ’85 of South Burlington, Vt., was ranked 12th in Vermont on Forbes’ 2021 Best-In-State Wealth Advisor list. He is president of the Backshore Wealth Management Group of the Wells Fargo Advisor Financial Network. Since 2016, Briody has been recognized by Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network as a Premier Advisor, a distinction held by a select group of financial advisors within the firm as measured by completion of educational components, business production, and professionalism. He studied business administration at PC and has lived in Vermont since 1990 with his wife, Amy MacMullan Briody ’85. They have two grown children.
Dr. Elizabeth Ann “Betsy” Beaulieu ’86 of New London, Conn., is vice president of academic affairs at Mitchell College in New London, Conn. She oversees all academic areas of the college, including Thames at Mitchell, the Bentsen Learning Center, and the Mystic Program. Beaulieu previously served as interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of New Haven. Prior to that, she was founding dean of the Core Division at Champlain College in Vermont, where she served for 11 years, and director of women’s studies at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. She has consulted in many areas of higher education, including general education reform and integrative teaching, learning, and collaboration. Her research focuses on contemporary African American women writers. Beaulieu holds a doctorate in 20th century British and American literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and master’s degrees in literature from the University of York, England, and Georgetown University.
Joseph Poss ’86 of Brooklyn, N.Y., who spent a full career in law enforcement and international peacekeeping, is celebrating eight years at the United Nations Development Programme: Security.
Kathleen Kelly Walsh ’88 of Lynnfield, Mass., was named Essex Media Group’s 2020 Person of the Year in recognition of her efforts to serve the community during the pandemic as president and CEO of YMCA of Metro North. The Torigian YMCA in Lynnfield was the first of four operated by Metro North to reopen to the public in July 2020 after a 16-week closure. The Ys provide such essential services as child daycare, safe summer activities for school-age children, afterschool programs, and quality exercise programs for adults. “Receiving this award tells all of us at the Y that we are doing what we should be doing for the community,” said Walsh. “I don’t look at it as me winning the award, it’s because of the work that I do with an organization that is so critical to the public that is the award winner.”
Paul Olivier ’89 of Boardman, Ohio, was appointed vice president, Mahoning Valley Enterprises, for Akron Children’s Hospital. He is responsible for leading Akron Children’s operations and growth in the Mahoning Valley, a three-county area in northeast Ohio. Akron Children’s Hospital is a nonprofit healthcare organization dedicated to the healthcare of children since 1890.
Bruce Quinn ’89 of South Kingstown, R.I., has been named deputy commander of the state Explosives Operations Division (Bomb Squad) for the Office of the State Fire Marshal in Rhode Island. In addition to his regular duties, he oversees training for the Bomb Squad, coordinates the unit’s public outreach programs, and sits on the Rhode Island School Safety Committee.
Tom Skala ’89 has taken on a new role as a personal banker at Citizens Bank in Newport, R.I.
1990s
Joy Pilla Corso ’90, ’98G of Austin, Texas, was appointed chief marketing and communications officer of Vonage, a global leader in cloud communications, powering company’s customer experiences through unified communications, contact centers, and communications APIs. She also was recently recognized as an honoree by Microsoft as part of its Women in History Legacy Project, celebrating women who empower change.
Shawn Palmer ’90 of Colchester, Conn., joined Newspapers of New England as publisher of its five newspapers in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. He oversees news, advertising, circulation, digital audience, finance and operations, and websites at Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton, Greenfield Recorder, Athol Daily News, Amherst Bulletin, and Valley Advocate. He was most recently chief revenue officer at The Day in New London and previously was publisher of The News-Times in Danbury.
Francis X. Roque ’90 of Berryville, Va., was named principal of Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington. An economics major at PC, he holds a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Marymount University, Arlington. He has worked at O’Connell since 2011 in roles that include director of information technology, director of student life, and dean of student affairs. Roque and his wife, Meg, are the parents of six.
Phil Pescatore ’92 of Basking Ridge, N.J., was promoted to senior vice president, chief ethics and chief compliance officer at Guardian Life Insurance Company in New York City. He is responsible for protecting Guardian and its consumers and guiding its commitment to ethical business practices. He holds an MBA from Fordham University and has also worked for AXA Advisors and Prudential.
Michael Sherin ’92 of Smithtown, N.Y., was appointed executive vice president and chief accounting officer of AMC Networks Inc., the global entertainment company. He oversees all corporate accounting, financial reporting, and tax functions. Sherin, who earned his bachelor’s degree in accountancy at PC, joined AMC Networks in 2011 after working for The Nature’s Bounty Co. and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Michelle (Balthazar) Murphy ’94 of Milton, Mass., was promoted to executive director, head of regulatory change-corporate and investment banking at Santander Investment Securities in New York City.
Christopher Stanley ’95 of Warren, R.I., was recognized by The Henry Ford, in cooperation with the TV series Innovation Nation, as one of 20 educators from across the country who have gone above and beyond with their students. The winners were selected based on their ability to demonstrate the habits of an innovator — teachers who inspired their students to challenge the rules and take risks, who demonstrated how to be collaborative and empathetic, and who taught the value of learning from failure and staying curious. Stanley teaches history at Ponaganset High School in North Scituate, R.I.
Jennifer Wheelock, Esq. ’95 of Newington, Conn., was elected president of the Hartford County Bar Association for the 2021-2022 year.
‘Knock it off’ shirts a winner for Schofields, pandemic relief
Asher Schofield ’96 and Erin Piorek Schofield ’96, owner of the Frog & Toad stores in Providence, were honored in June with the National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion for outstanding civic leadership and philanthropic giving.
The award, presented by Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, recognized the couple’s contribution of more than $43,500 to the Rhode Island Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
To benefit the fund, Frog & Toad produced and sold more than 11,500 T-shirts with the phrases “Knock it off” and “Shut it down,” favorites of R.I. Gov. Gina Raimondo, who was frustrated by large gatherings during the pandemic shutdown. Raimondo now is U.S. commerce secretary.
“Things were so heavy and dark, having this silly shirt that makes people chuckle or smile, it’s brought a lot of people some happiness,” Asher Schofield said.
Twenty percent of the proceeds from shirt sales are contributed to the relief fund. The shirts can be purchased at frogandtoadstore.com.
Frog & Toad’s philanthropy is well known. The business also supports such nonprofits as the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Amos House, and the Nonviolence Institute, among others.
Deirdre Driscoll-Lemoine ’98G of Harmony, R.I., was promoted to associate vice president in the newly created Division of College Event Management and Planning at Providence College. She will report directly to the President’s Office and provide central leadership for campus partners who are planning large scale and special programs on and off campus. She has served PC since 1998 in several roles, including as director of college events within the Office of Institutional Advancement. She has a master’s degree in business administration from PC and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Bryant University, and holds the designation Certified Meeting Professional (CMP).
Emily A. Benfer ’99 received a presidential citation from the American Bar Association for her work during the pandemic as chair of the bar association’s Task Force on Eviction, Housing Stability, and Equity. Benfer is a visiting professor of law and public health at Wake Forest University School of Law and a visiting research collaborator at Princeton University’s Eviction Lab. She is on leave from those positions to serve the Biden administration as a senior policy advisor to the White House, American Rescue Plan Implementation Team.
Dr. James P. Huguley ’99 of Pittsburgh was named the inaugural associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Pitt School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. He has been a faculty member since 2015 and was awarded tenure in the spring. He also received the Counseling and Human Development Distinguished Research Award from the American Educational Research Association and the Excellence in Research Award from the Society for Social Work and Research. His research focuses on school-based interventions that promote positive academic and mental health outcomes for African American youth. An English-secondary education major at PC, he earned a master’s degree in risk and prevention and a doctorate in human development and psychology from Harvard University.
2000s
J. Hanley ’00 of Rockford, Ill., was elected Winnebago County State’s Attorney. While proud of this accomplishment, he says it pales in comparison to winning back-to-back intramural flag football championships with his dormmates while at PC.
Federico Carmona ’01G, ’02G of Northridge, Calif., is a trauma therapist for victims of domestic and sexual violence at Peace Over Violence in Los Angeles. His article, “A Hero/ Heroine’s Journey: A Road Map to Trauma Healing” was featured in the print and online editions of the American Counseling Association magazine in July 2021.
Angela L. Carr ’01 of Providence, R.I., a partner at Barton Gilman LLP, was elected president of Defense Counsel of Rhode Island, an association that advances the interests of businesses and individuals in civil litigation. Carr focuses her practice on medical and professional liability defense. She is immediate past president of PC’s Greater Providence (Mal Brown) Alumni Club and serves on the Providence President’s Council. She has been honored as a Woman to Watch in Legal Services and a 40 Under Forty by Providence Business News, a Lawyer of Professional Excellence by Rhode Island Monthly, a Rhode Island Super Lawyer Rising Star, and a Massachusetts Super Lawyer. She is a member of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel.
Jeannine Nota-Masse ’01G of Cranston, R.I., superintendent of Cranston schools since 2015, was selected by her peers as the 2022 Rhode Island Superintendent of the Year. She will be recognized at the National Conference on Education of the American Association of School Administrators, to be held in Nashville in February. She received a master’s degree in education administration from PC. She has served as assistant superintendent, executive director of educational programs and services, and assistant principal in Cranston, and has worked in public schools in East Greenwich and Providence.
Nicholas W. Vitti Jr. ’01 of Bethel, Conn., joined Murtha Cullina LLP as a partner in the Business and Finance Department and Real Estate Practice Group. Vitti is chairman of the Bethel Democratic Town Committee and deputy town counsel for the town of Bethel. He was a former director of the Fairfield County Bar Association and is a graduate of Quinnipiac University School of Law.
Theresa Amaral ’03 of Saint Augustine, Fla., was promoted to senior manager, internal audit and compliance, for the Neuroscience and Diabetes Operating Units and Enterprise Functions at Medtronic. Her team performs Internal Quality Management System Audits and compliance consultancy for Medtronic entities around the globe. In February, Theresa was elected hubs co-chair for SWEnet Global, the professional area network of the Society of Women Engineers. In this role, she is responsible for increasing the number of SWEnet Hubs globally with a focus on promoting the development and interests of female engineers and scientists at Medtronic. Medtronic is the world’s largest medical device company, with operations in 150 countries and products treating 70 health conditions, including cardiac devices, cranial and spine robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, and patient monitoring systems.
Natalie Kessimian ’04 of Cranston, R.I., was appointed the first female assistant principal in the history of Bishop Hendricken High School, an all-male Catholic high school in Warwick. She studied elementary and special education at PC and received a master’s degree in school administration from Simmons College. She taught in Boston as a first-grade special education teacher and in the classroom for about six years. Kessimian has been a Hendricken faculty member since 2014.
Kyle Anderson ’05 of Los Angeles earned a master’s degree in business administration, with a focus on general leadership and strategy, from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business in May 2021.
Christopher Arnella ’05 of New York City was named to the Forbes Best-In-State Advisors List in New York for 2021 and the Forbes Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors List for 2020.
Nathan D. Howlett, D.O. ’05 of Saunderstown, R.I., joined Ortho Rhode Island’s orthopedic and sports medicine team, specializing in sports medicine and surgical management of shoulder and knee injuries. He sees patients in Ortho Rhode Island’s Wakefield and East Greenwich offices. Howlett holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University and a medical doctorate from the University of New England. He completed his orthopedic residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and a sports medicine fellowship with Boston University at Boston Medical Center.
Mike Raia ’05 of Barrington, R.I., was appointed to a position on Johnson & Wales University’s executive cabinet in fall 2020 and was recognized as one of Providence Business News’ 40 Under Forty honorees this summer. He previously served as a top aide to Gina Raimondo, former Rhode Island governor and now U.S. commerce secretary.
Matthew Teich ’05 of West Hartford, Conn., was named to the Hartford Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty Class of 2021. A partner at the law firm Halloran Sage, he was recognized for his professional talents and community involvement. As a corporate transactions and commercial real estate attorney, Matt works with major banks and middle market companies in Connecticut and the broader New England and tri-state region, and routinely acts as counsel to institutional lenders and businesses in high-profile, multi-million dollar commercial lending transactions.
Kevin Hanlon ’06 of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., was appointed assistant principal of Farragut Middle School in Hastings-on-Hudson. He previously worked for 10 years in the Port Chester School District as a mathematics teacher and department chair, mentor to new teachers, interim assistant principal, grade level team leader, and coach.
Kenneth J. Perry, M.D. ’06 of Mount Pleasant, S.C., is an emergency medicine attending physician at Trident Medical Center in Charleston. He is a spokesperson for the South Carolina College of Emergency Medicine and uses this platform to help the general public understand health policy.
Joseph Demers ’07 of Woburn, Mass., was named the newest Ward 4 alderman by the Woburn City Council, beating out a crowded field of 10 other candidates. A former School Committee chairman, he stepped down from the local education board in 2018 after serving for six years. Demers is employed as a program coordinator at the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Informational Services.
Tim Fogarty, Esq. ’07 of Narragansett, R.I., has joined Dime Bank of Norwich, Conn., as vice president, senior trust officer, leading the Trust Services Department. He is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor as recognized by the American Bankers Association. Tim and his team provide fiduciary and investment services to families and nonprofits.
Ben Sarraf ’08 of Plattsburgh, N.Y., is the head coach of the women’s basketball team at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where he was associate head coach for eight years. Sarraf studied accountancy at PC and earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Lynchburg College in Virginia, where he also worked as assistant coach. He has been on the staff of numerous basketball camps, including Duke University, the University of Virginia, and PC, and he volunteered as an assistant coach at Saint Anselm College.
Amanda Silk Baer ’08 of Boylston, Mass., has been named a partner in the labor, employment and employee benefits group at Mirick O’Connell, where she has worked for the past 10 years. A magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, she practices employment litigation defense and is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as well as before the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts and Connecticut, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.
Ryan Whalen ’09 of East Greenwich, R.I., is chief development officer for Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, overseeing fundraising for both hospitals. In October, he married Carolyn Bartley ’11, operations manager for oncology clinical research at the Lifespan Cancer Institute. Though they were at PC at the same time, they met while at work, Whalen reports.
2010s
Air Friars
Friar reunions can happen anywhere!
For Simon Sarkisian ’10, Elizabeth Leong ’16, and Kyle Newton ’20, it took place at the U.S. Army Airborne School in Fort Benning, Ga. The three found themselves in line for breakfast together on their first day of instruction in a class of 370 students.
They received their silver wings in June. Newton is a second lieutenant with the 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Leong is a captain and network engineer with the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; and Sarkisian, is a captain and emergency medicine physician with the 274th (Airborne) Forward Resuscitative Surgical Detachment, Fort Bragg. Leong and Newton were members of PC’s Army ROTC Patriot Battalion. Sarkisian was commissioned after graduation.
Sister Kathryn Teresa Clemmer ’10G of Falls Church, Va., is the new assistant principal at St. James School in Falls Church. She earned a master’s degree in special education from PC while teaching in Fall River, Mass. She entered the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary community in 2012, and spent the past several years teaching at Catholic schools in Pennsylvania.
Mallory Visser ’11 of Little Rock, Ark., a licensed master social worker, is leading crisis intervention efforts as head of a new social work department established by the Little Rock Police Department with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Visser previously served as a victim services specialist, elderly specialist, and LGBT specialist for the police. She earned a master’s degree in social work from Rutgers University and also works as a medical social worker at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock.
Brianna Muñoz, D.M.D. ’12 of Enfield, Conn., returned to Gillette Stadium as a New England Patriots cheerleader for the 2021-22 season. Muñoz, who majored in biology and chemistry and minored in dance, originally served on the team 10 years ago while a student at PC. The pediatric dentist and public policy advocate was one of 33 selected this season from the more than 300 who auditioned.
Nicole L. Andrescavage, Esq. ’13 of Smithfield, R.I., has joined the Providence office of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith as an associate. Her practice consists of workers compensation, general liability and coverage, and admiralty/maritime law. She is licensed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is excited to join an office with several other PC alumni.
Dionne Nickerson ’13G of Bloomington, Ind., completed her Ph.D. in marketing at the Scheller College of Business at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on the impact of sustainability on business outcomes. She is an assistant professor of marketing at Indiana University Bloomington.
Michael Rose ’13 of Providence, R.I., gallery manager at the Providence Art Club, was invited to write a regular feature, “Inside Art with Michael Rose,” for the website GoLocalProv. His column focuses on local exhibitions and artists and contextualizes local art for a broad audience. Among his topics: a summer exhibition at the Bert Gallery in Providence, contemporary artists at Coastal Contemporary Gallery in Newport, and a review of the reopened RISD Museum in Providence.
Kwaku Frimpong ’14 of Chicago is a 2021 graduate of the MBA program at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, where he was a Kilts Marketing Fellow. He has joined PepsiCo as an associate marketing manager on the sports and fitness business unit with Gatorade. He earned degrees in both finance and marketing at PC.
Eric Lebel ’15 of Menlo Park, Calif., defended his dissertation, “Fugitive Methane in the Oil and Gas Industry,” and earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in earth system science. He is a scientist at PSE Healthy Energy, a non-profit research institute in Oakland.
Claire (Hosinski) Shepherd ’15 of Arlington, Va., is leading partnerships and growth strategy at TryNow, a tech startup.
Anthony DeFilippo, DMD ’16 of North Haven, Conn., graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine in 2020 and completed a general practice residency at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, N.J. Since completing residency, he is working as an associate general dentist at Dental Associates of Wethersfield in Wethersfield, Conn.
Pedro Alemán ’17 of San Diego, Calif., an immigration advocate and U.S. Department of Justice-accredited representative at Jewish Family Service of San Diego, has been granted the additional title of HIAS Border Fellow. HIAS is an internationally recognized NGO. He holds a master’s degree in international studies from the University of San Francisco, concentrating in Latin American and human rights.
Rev. Fernando Ayala ’17 of Chelsea, Mass., was ordained to the priesthood in the Archdiocese of Boston in May by Cardinal Sean O’Malley at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. Father Fernando studied philosophy at PC and completed his studies for the priesthood at St. John’s Seminary. He is parochial vicar at the Holy Rood Collaborative, which includes St. Mary and St. John the Evangelist Parishes in Chelmsford and St. Margaret of Scotland Parish in Lowell.
Nicole Cullen ’17 of Foxborough, Mass., began classes this fall in the M.D.-Ph.D. program at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Cullen, who majored in biology, was a research assistant at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for two years and, as an undergraduate, worked in the labs of Dr. Laura Williams, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Kathleen Cornely, professor of chemistry and biochemistry.
MacKenzie Griffin ’17 of Boston, Mass., was accepted to the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She began studies for a master’s degree in education this fall.
Rev. Daniel Mahoney ’17 of Wakefield, R.I., was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Providence in June by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. He is assistant pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in East Greenwich.
Paige Calabrese ’18 of Dallas, Texas, graduated from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law with her juris doctor in May 2021. She is grateful to her family and friends, especially her PC friends, for supporting her throughout the experience. She sat for the July 2021 bar exam and looks forward to practicing law in Texas.
Michael F. Rogers ’18 of Baldwin, N.Y., received the 2019 Elijah Watt Sells Award from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. CPA candidates must earn a cumulative average score above 95.50 in all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination, pass all four sections on their first attempt, and complete testing during a calendar year to qualify for the award. Among the nearly 75,000 people who sat for the exam in 2019, only 133 candidates met these criteria. Rogers is a tax associate with Ernst and Young in Jericho.
Bryan Sabbag ’19 of Norwood, Mass., has a role in the feature film CODA, a coming-of-age comedy-drama that follows a teenage girl who is a child of deaf adults. The movie, starring Marlee Matlin, was filmed in Gloucester, Mass, in 2019. It received numerous awards at the Sundance Film Festival. Sabbag, who has been involved in musical theatre since childhood, majored in theatre and in music at PC.
Madeline Snow ’19 of Providence, R.I., has accepted a position as rotational writer in corporate communications at Amica Insurance. She will be writing for social media, public relations, sponsorships, event planning, and more. Snow is a former manager of the Benjamin Family Social Media Fellowship and says “my experience with the fellowship definitely helped me get the position.”
Tori D’Agostino ’20 of Southington, Conn., and Megan McNabb ’20 of Wallingford, Conn., became classmates again this fall at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. Both were biology majors who graduated magna cum laude.
Alumni Authors
- Dr. Jodi (Botelho) Leffingwell ’94 of Bristol, R.I., published A Letter to Our Daughters (Salty Girl Publishing LLC, May 2021), a gift book designed to provide a message of empowerment and hope in an ever-changing world. It was inspired by an letter to her daughters in her soon to be released leadership book, Life After Coffee An Every Woman’s Guide to Finding a Seat at the Table in Leadership.
- Dr. Terza Lima-Neves ’00 of Charlotte, N.C., published her first book, Cabo Verdean Women Writing Remembrance, Resistance, and Revolution: Kriolas Poderozas (Lexington Press, May 2021). It’s an edited collection with her colleague and friend, Dr. Aminah F. Pilgrim, documenting the work and stories told by Cabo Verdea women and refocusing the narratives about their experiences.
- Peter J. Malia ’73 of Cheshire, Conn., has published an award-winning historical reference, New Haven Town Records, 1769 – 1819: Ancient Record Series Vol. IV (The Connecticut Press, 2020). The book, a fully annotated and indexed primary source transcription of the minutes of New Haven’s Town Meetings over what is arguably the most significant half century of the city’s long history, is available through bookstores as well as the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
- Joe Piscatella ’66 of Gig Harbor, Wash., will publish his 17th book later this year: Strong Heart/Smart Mind: The 6-Step Brain-Body Balance Program that Reverses Heart Disease and Helps Prevent Alzheimer’s (Humanix Books, Dec. 2021). He is president and CEO of the Institute for Fitness and Health.
