BU Alumni Council Members
The Boston University Alumni Council (BUAC) numbers approximately forty members who have demonstrated their leadership to their professions, communities and their alma mater. The BUAC meets at least three times a year and is governed by a board of nine.
Each of the University’s 17 schools and colleges are “represented” on the Council; and inaugural Council members hail from all over the country, as well as Canada, India, and Hong Kong. Members serve in a variety of professions, and span five decades of University history.
Each Council member is responsible for serving on at least one committee which includes: Career Networking/Mentoring Career Networking & Student Engagement, College/School Relations, Communications and Marketing, Development, Student Programming and Engagement, Regional Club Relations and International Alumni Relations Regional & International Alumni Networks.
Click on the names below to view individual biographies. Nominate new BUAC members here.
Boston University Alumni Council Members
- Shadi Daher, DMD, FAAOMS, SDM’90,’94 President of BUAA
- Mireille Aramati, SPH’86
- Pamela Baldassarre D.M.D, SDM ’82, SDM ‘84
- Mary C. Buletza, SMG’80
- Rosamond Cosentino, SHA’99
- Rasul Damji ENG ‘85
- Mark DiCristofaro, (CGS’06, COM’08)
- Benjamin Flaim, CAS’00
- Debralee Goldberg, CGS’76, CAS’78
- Edward Z. Gormbley, UNI’00
- Alana Feld Hackel, COM’02
- Tom Higgins, SMG’73
- JR Hipple COM’88
- Dave Hollowell, ENG’69,’72, GSM’74
- Lindsey Humes, CFA’79
- Rear Admiral Christine Hunter, CAS’80, MED’80
- Judith Hurwitz, CAS ’73, COM ‘75
- Chelsey Kelly, SED’04
- Joel Kitay, CAS’94, COM’94
- Sarah Lange, SSW’93
- Wendy Engel Lustbader, SAR’83, SAR’84
- Stephanie McBride, COM’09, CAS’09
- Wayne Positan, CAS’70
- Tom Sears, STH’59
- Matt Smith, CAS’70, GSM’72
- Jay Spitulnik, DGE’70, CAS’72, SED’75
- Christopher D. Strang, LAW’05
- Alex Tanguay, SMG’02
- Parul Vadehra, COM’03
- Leon Wilson, MET’75
- Julie Wisniewski, SPH’00
Biographies
Shadi Daher, DMD, FAAOMS, SDM’90, ‘94
President of BUAA
Dr. Shadi Daher, received his B.S. degree in Mathematics from the American University of Beirut, his DMD degree from Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery training from Boston University and Tufts University.
Additionally, he is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, a Fellow of both the AAOMS and IAOMS and was inducted as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists. Dr. Daher lectures extensively, both nationally and internationally, on topics of Oral & Maxillofacial surgery and reconstruction. He is the Surgical Director of the Bicon Institute and has been pioneering in demonstrating surgical techniques via live webcasts.
Dr. Daher is the immediate past president of the alumni association of the BUSDM and continues to the serve on the board. Dr. Daher is the founder and was the Inaugural President of the BCH/BMC Dentistry and OMS Alumni Association.
He is one of the founders and the president of the Massachusetts-based charitable organization “Medical Missions for Children, Inc.” after having served as treasurer and Director for several years. MMFC’s mission is to deliver high-quality specialized surgical and medical care to poor and indigent children and young adults around the world with a growing number of sites (12 currently) in nine countries that span four continents.
Dr. Daher is married to Dr. Millie Serrano, a practicing Periodontist in Brookline, MA; they have three children: Anthony, age 9, Gabriela, age 7 and Hannah, age 4. They live in Westwood, MA.
Mireille (Mickey) Aramati, SPH’86, MET’87
Mireille (Mickey) Aramati is a Global Health Consultant with 24 years experience providing management, technical assistance, and oversight to large-scale health and reproductive health programs. Her expertise includes management, technical assistance, and evaluation in health policy, reproductive health, contraceptive security, maternal child health programs, HIV/AIDS, training, delivery of health services, primary health care and community outreach, management system design, strategic planning, business development, communications strategy, financial management, sustainability of health services, and management of technical assistance.
She has expertise in Institutional Capacity Building as she provided technical assistance and training to health ministries, public and private-sector institutions, non-government organizations (NGOs), universities, and training centers in Asia, Africa, Middle East/Near East, and the U.S.
Ms. Aramati is currently a member of the BUSPH Alumni Board. She has served as an Alumni Board Member at different times, including as Vice President, and as President of the Board in 1993, and during the 2008-2009 academic year. She was nominated and elected to be a member of the BUAC in 2009, and a recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award from BUSPH.
Aramati enrolled in BUSPH after working in banking and finance. She had been drawn to the public-health field through her work as financial manager on the Suez Health Training Project in Egypt, a project undertaken by the Office of Special Health Programs at the BU Health Policy Institute. After she received her MPH in 1986, she worked at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, as director of finance for the Healthy Start program, which provides prenatal care for low-income, uninsured women, and as Maternal and Child Health Coordinator at the health department’s childhood lead-poisoning prevention program.
In 1990, following her interest in international health, Aramati spent eight years as technical assistance manager and director for Egypt programs in reproductive health at Pathfinder International. She went on to provide technical assistance and training in health programs in Tanzania, Morocco, Egypt, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and other countries, as senior program associate for Boston-based Management Sciences for Health. These projects were funded by USAID.
In 2003, Aramati went to Washington, DC, as a public health contractor to International Resources Group (IRG), and as senior reproductive-health policy advisor at Futures Group, providing technical assistance to Egypt, Jordan, and Madagascar.
As a boston-based global health consultant, she conducted the final evaluation to assist ADRA in assessing the USAID flex fund project on FP/RH, STI/HIV/AIDS, and capacity building. In the Philippines, she conducted the Health Business Climate Legal and Institutional Reform (HealthCLIR) pilot tool country assessment as a member of the Booz Allen Hamilton team. Provided technical expertise to the evaluation activities focusing on the health program aspects for Governing the System indicators. In between assignments, she volunteers her services to non profit organizations for the Newton Community Service Center.
Aramati’s educational background includes a Master of Public Health degree, with a concentration in Health Services including a certificate program in Health Care in Developing Countries at BUSPH, and a BS in Business Administration at Boston University. She also obtained a BA degree from the University of Massachusetts with a concentration in French. She lived in Paris and attended the Sorbonne during the junior year abroad program. In addition, she obtained certificates in Participatory Strategic Planning, Group Facilitation Methods, Training of Trainers, and Strategic Leadership, the Flagship program on “Health Sector Reform and Sustainable Financing” sponsored by the World Bank Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health. In August 2003, she received a Certificate on “Entrepreneurial Management; Business Planning for Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations” at the Harvard School of Public Health. In July 2007, she received a Certificate on “ARV Program Management and Adherence Issues in Low Resource Settings” at Boston University School of Public Health. Her language skills include French and conversational Egyptian Arabic.
Pamela Baldassarre D.M.D, SDM ’82, SDM ‘84
Dr. Baldassarre is a native of Framingham, Massachusetts. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania as a registered Dental Hygienist. Following her training as a dental hygienist she continued her liberal arts education at Boston University. After attending Boston University she then attended the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry. She was awarded her Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree (D.M.D.) in 1982. She received her CAGS in the Specialty of Periodontology in 1984 from the Boston University Henry M Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry.
After her training she worked as an assistant clinical instructor in the department of postdoctoral periodontics at Boston University part time. She was in private practice in Framingham, Massachusetts with her father Dr. Eliot Zigelbaum for two years before marrying and moving to Bedford, New Hampshire. Dr. Baldassarre has been in the private practice of Periodontology in both Bedford and Nashua, New Hampshire since 1985.
Currently Dr. Baldassarre is the Delegate at Large of the New Hampshire Dental Society. She the Secretary/Treasurer for the ADA First Trustee District and Past Chair of the ADA Council on Membership. She has hospital staff privileges at the Catholic Medical Center. Dr. Baldassarre is a member of the New Hampshire Dental Society, Massachusetts Dental Society, the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Periodontology. She is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists.
Advance training certificates have been received for the surgical placement of endosseous implants and the surgical placement of the Goretex membrane. Other significant advanced surgical training programs completed include the use of Goretex membrane for more sophisticated esthetic and reconstructive procedures.
Currently Dr. Baldassarre resides in Bedford, New Hampshire with her husband, Dr. Marshall Baldassarre, and her two children, Laura and Gregory.
Mary C. Buletza, SMG’80
Mary is a partner of the accounting and consulting firm of Raphael and Raphael LLP with offices in Boston and Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Previously, she headed her own accounting firm for seventeen years after beginning her career at Deloitte, Haskins & Sells and later Deloitte Touche, where she was a senior manager and leader of the financial planning practice.
Mary earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting summa cum laude from the Boston University School of Management in 1980 and an M.S. in Taxation from Bentley University Graduate School. Mary is a licensed CPA in Massachusetts and New Jersey and maintains her California practice privilege. She holds the Personal Financial Specialist credential from the American Institute of CPAs. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Massachusetts and New Jersey Societies of CPAs. Mary received the Massachusetts bronze medal on the May 1980 CPA exam.
Mary’s primary areas of expertise are individual taxation and financial planning, with a special focus on affluent multi-generation family groups, family offices and individuals, trust administration and taxation, and estate planning and taxation. She has extensive experience in tax and estate planning and compliance for individuals and trusts.
An active Boston University alumna, Mary is a member of the Boston University Alumni Council and the Athletic Director’s Advisory Council. She is a previous instructor at the Boston University Metropolitan College financial planning program. In addition, Mary was a long time member and past president of the SMG Alumni Board of Directors. She received the SMG Special Distinction Young Alumni Award. She also co-chaired her twenty-fifth reunion committee.
An avid ice hockey fan, Mary began attending games as a freshman and has attended all but three Beanpot games since 1977. She and her husband, the Very Reverend Gary Breton, had their first date more than twenty-five years ago at the Beanpot finals at the Boston Garden. She is a long-time season ticket holder for Boston University Terriers men’s and women’s ice hockey and basketball. Mary and her family have endowed a scholarship to honor female School of Management athletes.
Mary is chair of her parish finance committee, the Treasurer of the Diocese of NY and NJ of the Orthodox Church in America, holds various other positions in her parish and church administration, and is active in non-profit activities in the community.
In 2002, Mary and her family relocated to Point Pleasant Beach on the Jersey Shore. She returns to Boston regularly to handle client matters and to attend BU functions. Mary and her husband have two children, Mary, age 19, and Alexander, age 17.
Rosamond Cosentino, SHA’99
As senior vice president of Citi Executive Services Global Operations, Rosamond is responsible for developing strategy, establishing governance models to support responsible finance, and managing communications to align the global management team. In addition to these core focus areas, Rosamond manages reengineering projects, monitors performance metrics to identify business trends for process improvement and liaises with HR to create a succession pipeline for management.
Rosamond joined Citi in 1999 as manager of the Corporate Executive Dining & Conference operation at Citi’s headquarters. Her role expanded to include oversight of conferencing services across multiple locations in midtown Manhattan. In 2005 she moved into the role of Operations Manager to support the overall Executive Services group. Since that time, she has led a number of initiatives including implementation of Virtual Event Management System (VEMS) for on line space reservations, centralizing the multimedia service program across multiple regions and leading the expansion of Executive Services from functional oversight across North America to a global platform. Prior to Citi, Rosamond developed and managed the catering program at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, CT.
In addition to her role in Executive Services, Rosamond is an active member of the Corporate Center Womens Organization Steering Committee. In 2007, she co-chaired the CCWO Leadership Development Program which provides talented women across Citi’s corporate center with the opportunity to participate in a dynamic training program that expands participants’ skill set and showcases their abilities through executing challenging business projects with measurable impact.
Rosamond is an active member of the Boston University School of Hospitality Administration alumni board and completed her MBA at New York University’s Leonard Stern School of Business.
Rasul Damji ENG ‘85
Rasul, Senior Vice President, Global Product Operations, is responsible for global operations including product management, engineering, manufacturing, customer care, sourcing and delivery at Raritan. An industry pioneer, Raritan was established in 1985. Today, it is a leading provider of power and energy management, KVM and access solutions.
Prior to joining Raritan, Rasul was Vice President, Network Engineering and Operations at AT&T, where he was responsible for network engineering and planning, as well as numerous market initiatives. His previous positions at AT&T include Vice President, Local Network Services and Vice President, Broadband Product Management. At Lucent Technologies, as Vice President, Software Products Group, Rasul built a profitable billing mediation software business. He has also been involved in starting several business units for both Lucent and AT&T. As an entrepreneur, Damji has created several businesses. He launched GovXcel, a company that provides software solutions to local governments, and co-founded Innovative Capital Partners, a consulting and capital investment firm. Rasul holds both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees In Electrical Engineering from Boston University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Leadership from NYU – Stern School of Business.
Mark DiCristofaro
Mark DiCristofaro is a film, TV, and new media producer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He has had the opportunity to work on a number of productions including FX’s The League, Fox’s House M.D., A&E’s Duck Dynasty, and worked for Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson on the Golden Globe winning film, The Adventures of TinTin. Mark worked for a brief time producing live events and was one of the producers for the 2011 AT&T Figure Skating Championships. Recently, Mark has been producing for the production company Skip Film on shows for networks that include A&E and The Discovery Channel.
Mark graduated from Boston University (CGS’06, COM’08) with a BS in Film and Television Production, and attended the Boston University in Los Angeles Internship Program (’09). Student leader, NCAA athlete, and entrepreneur, he was inducted as a member of the Boston University Scarlet Key Society and was the 2008 recipient of the Leila Saad Award—BU’s highest distinction to a graduating senior for excellence in leadership and service. During his time at Boston University, Mark served in a number of leadership positions including student body vice president, founder and program director of the Boston University Leadership Conference, member of the 2008 class gift campaign, and captain of BU’s golf team. Prior to matriculating into Boston University, Mark started a production company called Perspective Productions. He continued his company while at Boston University and was a two-time winner in the Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards regional competition for his company’s achievements while an undergraduate student. Perspective Production produced several productions for Boston University including the Boston University Freshman Orientation Video from 2006-2009.
When not working on a film or TV project, Mark is enjoys working with leadership and community service programs that have a focus on youth leadership development. An alumnus of the National Student Leadership Conference, Mark was the Program Director and Director of Academics for their Mastering Leadership Program from 2008-2012, and co-wrote and directed their Advanced Leadership Program from 2010-2012. Mark has also worked with the National Relief Network coordinating disaster relief programs for high school students and serves as a consultant for RobertPruitt.Com, a leadership training, motivational speaking and life coaching company.,br />
An active Boston University alumnus, each year, Mark returns to campus to speak at the College of General Studies Spring Open Houses and to host a young alumni panel for students aspiring to transition into the film and TV industry. In Los Angeles, he speaks to the Boston University in Los Angeles Internship Program as part of their orientation program. He is an active member of the BU Los Angeles Alumni Organization and enjoys hosting events and mentoring young alumni entering the film and TV industry. In his spare time, Mark teaches as a part-time golf instructor.
Benjamin Flaim, CAS’00
Benjamin R. Flaim is a private wealth advisor at Goldman Sachs. Educated at Boston University, Ben received a B.A. in English from the College of Arts & Sciences, cum laude. After graduation, Ben joined Accenture as a business analyst in their New York office, where he advised firms in the banking and insurance industries. After leaving Accenture, Ben joined Time Inc. as a print purchasing manager, directing multi magazine title advertising buys for Fortune, Time, Entertainment Weekly and other Time Inc. titles. Prior to attending business school, Ben then worked at Goldman Sachs as a financial analyst in investment management. He graduated from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and returned to Goldman Sachs as an advisor to high net worth individuals and families.
Ben is an executive board member on the alumni board of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York and was a Scarlet Key recipient as a junior during his time at Boston University. He volunteers regularly with the Core Curriculum and has been active with the Young Alumni Council in recent years.
Ben is married to Katherine Flaim (COM’01) and resides in Cambridge, Mass.
Debralee Goldberg, CGS’76,CAS’78
Debralee Goldberg is president and chief executive officer of International Financial Data Services (Canada) Ltd, and has served as president since August 2006. IFDS is a leading provider of business process solutions to the investment fund industry, in Canada, Europe, South America and Asia. Today, IFDS operates in Toronto, Canada and employs approximately 700 Associates.
Prior to joining IFDS Canada, Debralee held the position of Vice President, Global Client Services for DST Systems, Kansas City, MO. In this role she managed relationships with DST global clients, across business units and business lines. Debralee joined DST in 2001 with significant experience, from PFPC Global Fund Services where she was previously at for 9 years. She served as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Client Services. Debralee has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and has superior knowledge of mutual fund transfer agency operations, systems and client services.
Ms. Goldberg is a native of Boston. She received a bachelor’s from Boston University and is a member of the Boston University Alumni Board ,CGS Dean’s Advisory Council, and is also on the Board of Directors of FundSERV (Canada) Inc.
Edward Zdenek Gormbley, UNI’00
Ed Gormbley is an Assistant VP at GE Equity, where he invests in mid-market products and services that serve the energy industry. While a student, he was an RA, and founded two companies (a landscaping and yacht maintenance company; and a website for students to sell used textbooks.) He’s a loyal alumnus, returns almost every year for the UNI reunion luncheon and is in touch often with his former faculty.
This year, he will be the UNI commencement speaker. Ed has served on the NY alumni board and has set up two scholarships at UNI- one for students’ books, the other to subsidize a TA’s salary.
Alana Feld Hackel, COM’02
As an Executive Vice President with Feld Entertainment, the largest producer of live family entertainment in the world, Alana Feld plays an integral role in the day-to-day management of the company. In addition to overseeing a multinational family-owned and operated business, Alana is also the producer of Feld Entertainment’s Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and Disney Live! brands. In this role, Alana oversees all the creative and production elements of each new production to ensure all aspects of the show meet Feld Entertainment’s high standards for quality.
A graduate of Boston University with a degree in communications, Alana began her career working for various advertising agencies, but in 2003 returned to the family business of live entertainment, where her first endeavors were in marketing the company’s touring shows, both domestically and internationally. Beginning in 2006 and working alongside her father Kenneth, Alana produced the first-ever North American tour of Doodlebops Live!, giving preschoolers their first ever live rock and roll experience. Following the success of this tour, Alana began producing Feld Entertainment’s Disney Live! shows, bringing Disney-themed live entertainment to families around the world.
In January of 2010, Alana with her sister Nicole, produced the 140th edition of Ringling Bros., marking the first time two sisters created an edition of The Greatest Show On Earth. Other recent productions include Disney Live! Rockin’ Road Show, touring North America, and Disney Live! Mickey’s Music Festival, on tour in Europe. She is currently working on the next edition of Ringling Bros. set to open in 2011.
Tom Higgins, SMG’73
Tom Higgins is a finance professional with broad experience in financial and operational management. His industry focus is Life Sciences and Specialty Chemicals. He has worked with a range of publicly traded companies from large cap to micro cap and has spent a significant part of his career working overseas. He currently serves as SVP and CFO of Neurometrix, Inc., a medical device company addressing unmet medical needs related to nerve disease.
Prior to NeuroMetrix, Tom was EVP and CFO of Caliper Life Sciences, a tools and services company addressing pre-clinical in-vitro and in-vivo scientific discovery. His introduction to life sciences was with V.I.Technologies, Inc., a biotech company focused on improvement in the safety of blood therapies.
Earlier in his career Tom served in several senior management roles with Cabot Corporation, a Boston-based specialty chemicals company. His last position was EVP and COO of Cabot’s LNG business. Prior to that he was based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he ran Cabot’s Asia carbon black operations. He served Cabot in Indonesia where he established the company’s chemicals business and oversaw the financing and construction of Cabot’s initial manufacturing facility in that country. Tom handled Asia business development activities while based in Japan and oversaw treasury and corporate accounting functions at Cabot’s corporate headquarters in Boston. Tom joined PricewaterhouseCoopers upon graduation from Boston University and worked for PwC in Boston and in Cairo, Egypt.
Tom currently serves on the Finance Committee at St Mary of the Assumption Church in Brookline, MA. He has been active as a member of Brookline Town Meeting, the Boston Center for the Arts, the New Ehrlich Theater and the South End Historical Society. He is married to Constance Kane and lives in Brookline with children Elizabeth and Tim.
JR Hipple COM’88
Managing Partner, Albright Group: Reputation Management
David E. Hollowell, ENG’69, ‘72, GSM’74
David E. Hollowell is the executive vice president and treasurer emeritus of the University of Delaware. Hollowell started his career at the University of Delaware in 1988 as senior vice president and was instrumental in efforts to streamline administrative procedures and re-engineer services. Additionally, he directed a $900 million University of Delaware campus renewal and expansion program comprising more than 3.3 million square feet. He retired in December of 2007 and was recognized with the University’s Medal of Distinction and granted emeritus status. Hollowell continues to be active as a higher education consultant and as an accreditation team leader.
Prior to University of Delaware, Hollowell worked for 18 years at Boston University, where he directed many major construction and renovation projects and rose to the position of vice president for administration. In May of 2005, Hollowell was named an honorary member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for his role in campus renewal and expansion at the University of Delaware and Boston University. Educated at Boston University, Hollowell received a bachelor’s in information engineering and master’s in manufacturing in engineering from the College of Engineering, an M.B.A. in quantitative methods from the School of Management, and a diploma in financial planning.
Hollowell served as president of the BU Alumni Association from 2009-2011. He is also past-president of the Society for College and University Planning and was chairman of the board for the March of Dimes of Delaware. He has served as a volunteer with the United Way of Delaware, the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and served for 13 years on the board of the Wilmington Savings Fund Society Bank. At Boston University, he was the vice-chairman and treasurer of the Credit Union board of directors. Additionally, from 1971 to 1987, he sat on the College of Engineering’s alumni board, where he served as secretary and president.
In addition to his honorary AIA membership, Hollowell’s awards include the Boston University Faculty Council Distinguished Service Award, the College of Engineering’s Distinguished Service Award, the E. A. Trabant Award for Women’s Equity and the Society for College and University Planning Distinguished Service and Founders’ Awards.
Rear Admiral Christine Hunter, CAS’80, MED’80
Hunter is a Rear Admiral with the U.S. Navy and has served as Deputy Director of TRICARE Management Activity since May 2009, where she coordinates the health care of 9.6 million military beneficiaries worldwide.
From 2007 to 2009, Hunter served as the first female Commanding Officer of Naval Medical Center San Diego, where she developed nationally acclaimed programs for wounded warriors, expanded health services across the Pacific; promoted medical research; and led the medical center to achieve the top ranking in the Department of Defense for combined quality, population health, and business performance.
From 2004-2006, she served as Chief of Staff for the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery ensuring the ongoing deployment of medical personnel in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, as well as organized medical support for tsunami, earthquake, and hurricane relief missions. Prior to this, she served as Pacific Fleet Surgeon from 2003-2004; Commanding Officer of the Naval Hospital Bremerton from 2000-2003; Executive Assistant to the Surgeon General from 1998-2000, and as Director of Medical Services at Naval Medical Center San Diego from 1995-1998.
In 1998, Hunter completed her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the Naval Medical Center San Diego, attaining board certification in all three fields.
Hunter’s recognitions and honors include the 2002 Kitsap County Soroptomist Woman of the Year Award, 2002 Kitsap County Woman of Achievement Award, 2003 Bremerton Chamber of Commerce Hyas Tyee Award, 2008 San Diego Business Journal Women Who Mean Business Award, the 2008 Athena Pinnacle Chairman’s Award for Community Leadership in San Diego, and a Laureate Award from the American College of Physicians in 2011.
Hunter’s military decorations include the Legion of Merit (six awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two awards), and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards). In 2010, Hunter accepted the all-University Alumni Award during Alumni Weekend. Hunter returned to campus for her 25th reunion in 2005 and her 30th reunion in April 2010. Hunter received the MED Humanitarian Alumni Award at her reunion in April 2010.
Judith Hurwitz, CAS ’73, COM ‘75
Judith S. Hurwitz is President and CEO of Hurwitz & Associates, a strategy consulting and research firm focused on the business value of emerging technologies. A pioneer in anticipating technology innovation and adoption, Judith advocates for a pragmatic adoption of an architectural and business approach to the emerging market for cloud computing, service orientation, information management, and service management. She has served as a trusted advisor to many industry leaders over the years. Judith has helped these companies make the transition to a new business model focused on the business value of emerging platforms.
Prior to founding Hurwitz & Associates in 2003, she was the co-founder of CycleBridge, a consulting firm focused on life sciences software. In 1992, Judith was the founder of Hurwitz Group, a well-respected research and consulting firm. She was vice president at Patricia Seybold Group. She also served as a senior information technology consultant at John Hancock and Apollo Computer.
Hurwitz has recently written a business book, “Smart or Lucky: How technology leaders turn chance into success.” Published by Jossey Bass in 2011. She is also the co-author of numerous Dummies books, published by Wiley including Cloud Computing for Dummies, Service Oriented Architecture for Dummies, and Service Management for Dummies. The Hurwitz & Associates team is beginning work on their next book, “Hybrid Clouds for Dummies.”
Hurwitz’s expertise is widely recognized, and she is frequent speaker at industry events and writes a popular blog focused on distributed technology. She writes a popular technology blog, www.judithbalancingact.com.
Judith holds a BS and MS degrees from Boston University. She is a member of Boston University’s Alumni Advisory Council. She serves on advisory boards of emerging companies. She was named a distinguished alumnus Boston University’s College of Arts & Sciences in 2005. She is also a recipient of the 2005 Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council award.
Chelsey Kelly, SED’04
Chelsey A. Kelly is an international research analyst at Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures.
While at Komen, Chelsey has lead initiatives to engage the diplomatic community in raising awareness of breast cancer in their home countries, often bringing to light the devastating effects of the disease to decision makers for the first time. She has also focused much of her time supporting the efforts of the Middle East/North Africa Partnership for Women’s Cancers Research & Awareness—a partnership of government officials, patient organizations and medical professionals that are united in the fight against women’s cancers through awareness activities, educational opportunities and collaborative research.
Prior to joining Komen, Chelsey worked at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) focusing on cancer research policy and advocacy with a special attention to clinical trial design, enrollment and physician education. She spearheaded innovative partnerships with the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and was awarded the FDA Leveraging/Collaborating Award from as a result of her involvement in an educational project for medical professionals and patients on expanded access to investigational drugs for the treatment of cancer.
During the fall semester of 2003, Chelsey participated in the BU Washington Internship Program (WIP) and interned in the office of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
A native of Caribou, Maine, Chelsey is an active member of the Maine State Society of DC and serves as the corresponding secretary for the Massachusetts State Society of DC in 2011, a recognition of her connection to the Commonwealth via BU alumni activities.
Chelsey is the vice president of the Boston University Alumni Chapter of Washington, D.C., and has been heavily involved in alumni activities in the D.C. area, including the largest telecast of the Beanpot tournament outside of Boston.
Joel Kitay, CAS’94,COM’94
Joel Kitay, a four-time Emmy Award-winning television producer, founded Kitay Productions, Inc., in 2002, with a vision to provide high-quality video productions at reasonable prices for sports teams and corporations.
After graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Boston University in 1994, Joel’s television production career began at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, where he was hired to work on network shows and home videos, such as writing and directing the 1994 Washington Redskins highlight video for Polygram home video. Other production credits included “The NFL’s All-Time Team” for ESPN and “The NFL at 75″ tribute show for ABC.
A year later, Joel jumped at a unique opportunity to return to his hometown to work for the Cleveland Browns football team, as its first-ever full-time television producer, at a time when professional teams were first starting to explore the idea of producing their own television content. When the Browns re-located to Baltimore and became the Ravens in 1996, Joel played a key role in building the team’s in-house video production department, now known as RaveTV.
Joel worked for six more years as a staff member of the Ravens, rising to the position of Manager of Broadcasting, and his tenure yielded many unique experiences that paved the way to the creation of his own production company. Joel produced pre-season game broadcasts, weekly team shows, features, commercials, and video scoreboard programming. In 2000, Joel accompanied the Ravens on their run to Super Bowl XXXV, earning a championship ring, in addition to broadcasting a show live from Tampa the night before the title game. He followed that effort by assisting NFL Films with production of the popular HBO series, “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Baltimore Ravens,” in 2001.
In 2002, Joel left the Ravens on a full-time basis to open Kitay Productions, Inc., and the company immediately signed a multi-year deal to be the producer of the first-ever video scoreboard shows at the University of Maryland, for football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball games. Joel helped to design the video facilities at the Comcast Center, and in 2001-2002, he produced the official commemorative home videos for both the Terrapins’ ACC Championship football team and NCAA Championship men’s basketball team.
Kitay Productions expanded rapidly in the ensuing years, taking on a number of additional sports clients, and building a corporate production business as well. Some of the highlights include designing and operating the video scoreboard systems at Agganis Arena at Boston University, creating the definitive biography video to honor Gen. John Shalikashvili, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Clinton, producing live college sporting events for Comcast SportsNet, producing the Gary Williams Television Show for Maryland basketball, and producing features, game broadcasts and original programming for CBS Sports Network. In the fall of 2008, Joel made his biggest move yet, expanding into the New York market with a second office, and moving to Long Island to spearhead the effort personally. The 2010 football season saw CBS Sports Network tap Kitay Productions to produce a five-part original series called “College Football Confidential,” in which a Kitay-led crew embedded with an individual college football team for the week leading up to a big game, and turned the material into a half-hour show that aired the following Friday.
A 1994 Phi Beta Kappa dual-degree graduate of Boston University, Joel and his wife, Stacey (nee Pinsky), are the proud parents of Isabelle (7) and Alexander (5).
Sarah Lange, SSW’93
Sarah recently accepted a position as Director of Fund Development & External Relations for Abby’s House of Worcester, where she is implementing a range of innovative and successful initiatives. Sarah continues to run New Era, a non-profit management consulting firm, working with a small group of select clients. Sarah has served as counsel to more than 150 New England organizations and their leaders. Having spent more than two decades in the field of non-profit management, Sarah is well known and respected for her depth and breadth of expertise in organizational change, leadership development, strategic and financial planning, fund development, needs assessments and evaluation. Upon completion of their engagement, New Era’s clients experience increased efficiency and effectiveness, are better organized, have a well-defined course of action and well-developed strategies with which to implement change. Sarah has raised more than $60m from foundations, corporations, state and federal governments and individuals.
Sarah has served on the faculties of Clark University, Boston University School of Social Work, Worcester State College, Assumption College, and the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Sarah is a frequent presenter on the topics of management, leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development. Ms Lange has conducted hundreds of workshops and been a speaker at dozens of conferences across the country.
Prior to founding New Era, Sarah directed and grew the Oak Hill Community Development Corporation in Worcester, MA, from 1993 – 99. Her early career includes numerous roles in higher education, community service, the arts, health promotion and non-profit management. She earned her Masters Degree from Boston University School of Social Work in 1993 and her B.A. from Colgate University in 1987. While at BUSSW, Sarah was the recipient of the Louis Lowy Award in Gerontology. In 2007, Sarah received the Hubie Jones Urban Service Award from the BUSSW Alumni Association.
Sarah served on the BU School of Social Work Alumni Association Board of Directors for 10 years, serving as Vice President from 1998 – 2000 and President from 2000 – 2002. She also has served on SSW’s “Alumni in Action” Steering Committee, been a member of the Career Consultants Network, Chaired the Macro Practice Committee and served on the Curriculum Committee.
Sarah was one of the founding members of Leave a Legacy of Central MA, a county-wide initiative to encourage bequests, and helped launch the “Neighborhoods Taking Action” initiative in conjunction with the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. Ms Lange played a central role in Worcester’s Promise, an initiative to ensure the best quality of life for the city’s youth in five key areas, chairing the “Protect” Task Force. From 1995 – 97, Sarah served as president of the Worcester Area Council of Directors of Volunteer Services. In 1998, Sarah was voted one of eight “Women of Distinction” in Central MA. Over the course of the past decade, she has been a member of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, New England Women Business Owners, and served as a Community Trustee for the United Way of Central MA. Sarah maintains memberships with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Women in Development and is currently serving a three-year term on ! the board of the Jewish Community Center in Worcester.
Wendy Engel Lustbader, SAR’83, SAR’84
Wendy E. Lustbader is a speech language pathologist working in private practice. She has over 24 years experience working with pediatrics with a variety of communication disorders.
She has assisted in the development of neighborhood inclusion to mainstream developmentally delayed students in a regular class. She has created augmentative communication devices for non-verbal students. In addition, Wendy has developed social language skills groups for children on the autism spectrum.
Wendy was a Scarley Key and Sargent College Twinness Award recipient. She also was the president of NSSLHA her during her senior year at Boston University.
She attends BU alumni programs and enjoys staying in touch with other alumni.
Other activities include volunteering for the Dana Farber Pan-Mass Challenge and Scleroderma Foundation.
She is married to David P. Lustbader, CAS ’86, SDM ’86, a practicing oral-maxillofacial surgeon. They have 2 children and reside in Canton, MA.
Stephanie McBride, COM’09,CAS’09
Stephanie McBride is a marketing associate in the Marketing Leadership Development Program at EMC Corporation. As a member of this program, she rotates through new marketing departments each quarter until December, 2010. McBride currently works in Global Alliances, focusing on the development of external communications for EMC’s strategic partners worldwide.
A 2009 graduate of Boston University, McBride earned a B.S. in communication, summa cum laude, and a B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude. Her undergraduate work experience included marketing internships at BC Hydro, TRACS Inc., and Boston University Alumni Relations.
During her time at BU, McBride served on the executive board of the university’s student-run advertising agency, AdLab, and as the president of the College of Communication Student Assembly.
Wayne Positan, CAS’70
Wayne J. Positan is a labor and employment lawyer representing management/defendants, and is the Managing Director of the law firm of Lum, Drasco & Positan LLC in Roseland, NJ. Following his graduation from BU CAS, he received his JD from NYU School of Law. He has been a lawyer in his current firm since graduating law school, first as an associate, then partner, and became Managing Director in 1990. He has been a leading practitioner in New Jersey labor and employment law, being involved in the handling of traditional labor practice, defending discrimination and whistleblower suits, being involved in chancery litigation over non-compete agreements and business disputes, commercial litigation, and appellate practice. He is special labor to the NJ Administrative Office of the Courts. He is Editor-in-Chief of the NJ Institute for Continuing Legal Education book “New Jersey Labor and Employment Law” and has chaired the ICLE Annual Labor Law Forum since 1994. He has s! spoken at over one hundred programs and seminars for the ABA, ABA Section of Litigation, NJSBA, NJ ICLE, the Conference of Chief Justices, and a variety of other entities. He served on the Board of Editors of the ABA book “Jury Instructions in Employment Litigation” and has authored a variety of book chapters and audio-visual/DVD practice series presentations of the ABA Section of Litigation.
He has been very involved in the legal profession, serving as a member of the ABA Board of Governors, its Executive Committee and as Chair of its Operations and Communications Committee. He also served as Board Liaison to the Special Committee on Disaster Preparedness and the Conference of Federal Trial Judges. He was Chair of the ABA Commission on Multijurisdictional Practice, whose report and recommendations on the practice of law have been adopted by 43 states. He currently is Chair of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility/ABA Section Officers Conference Joint Committee on Ethics and Professionalism, is a member of the Coordinating Council of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility, and is a member of the ABA House of Delegates Committee on Issues of Concern to the Legal Profession. He served as a Managing Director and Council Member of the ABA Section of Litigation. Positan has also served as President of the New Jersey State Bar Association, chaired it’s Labor and Employment Section, and served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. He served on the Board of Trustees of Montclair State University for seven years, and has been a member of the Capital Campaigns of Seton Hall University Law School and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Marotta Controls Inc.; and Vice Conseiller Gastronomique of La Grande Cave du New Jersey Chapter of La Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. Wayne has been involved in the BU Friends of Hockey.
Positan was a member of the inaugural class of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers when it was founded in 1996; has been in The Best Lawyers in America for labor and employment law since 1993; perennial Top Ten New Jersey Superlawyers (listed in 2007 and 2009 as #2); and is listed as one of 8 NJ lawyers in Chambers USA “Leading Business Lawyers” Top Tier labor and employment lawyers, and in the International Who’s Who Leading Business Lawyer’s Labour and Employment list.
Positan was inducted into the BU CAS Collegium of Distinguished Alumni in 2009, and recently received the Alfred Clapp Award from NJ ICLE for outstanding service to continuing legal education in New Jersey. He has received the Professional Achievement Award from the Essex County Bar Association; the Humanitarian and Achievement Award from the Columbian Foundation; and Professional Lawyer of the Year Awards from the NJ Commission on Professionalism in the Law, by nomination of the Essex County Bar Association in 2002 and the NJSBA in 2009. Wayne is married to Susan Lukacs Positan (CAS’70). They reside in Essex Fells, NJ. Their daughter Brooke Positan (COM’02), and Wayne’s sister Karen Positan (COM’76) are also BU alumni.
Rev. Thomas A. Sears, STH’59
Tom Sears was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He received a BA degree from Cornell College (1956) and a Master of Divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology (1959). Tom was the pastor of United Methodist Churches in Iowa for eleven years. The Onawa church under his leadership tripled their average attendance. He then returned to graduate school at the University of Iowa where he received a MA degree in history (1973). Upon successful completion of the PhD comprehensive examinations, he accepted a teaching position in history at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Tom taught over 9,000 students in full classes at Kirkwood. He was elected President of the Faculty Association and served many years on the Faculty Association’s executive board. He served as chair of the Curriculum Committee and was the chief negotiator for the faculty. He helped change collective bargaining from confrontational to collaborative, problem solving bargaining at Kirkwood. The Kirkwood contracts became models for both faculty and administration in other Iowa Community Colleges.
He was a member of the Humanities Committee, helped revise the history and humanities curriculum and was a leader in establishing Kirkwood’s core program. He was chosen to participate in a National Endowment for the Humanities seminar on the New History at the University of Colorado, and he was invited to be on a Princeton University taskforce revising the introductory history course. He was a co-author and director of Kirkwood’s first NEH grant for curriculum and professional development. The grant was the largest awarded up to that time to any Community College. The history, humanities and Kirkwood’s core curriculum won national commendation as an exemplary curriculum from the federal Department of Education.
Tom and his wife Margaret have two daughters and three granddaughters. He retired as Professor of History at Kirkwood in 2000. He has a special interest in China and has travel to China five times. He is on the BU School of Theology Board of Advisors and the Boston University Alumni Association. He received the School of Theology Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2007.
Matthew B. Smith, CAS’70, GSM’72
Matthew Barry Smith | SecLingua, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer, Member of Board of Directors Mr. Smith has a multifaceted range of healthcare experiences marked by leading edge business developments and has been involved in higher education as an educator and administrator. Mr. Smith is the co-founder, President and CEO of SecLingua, Inc. Prior to his current position, Mr. Smith was a member at Merle Sloss and Associates, LLP, a private consulting firm and served as an advisor to two Connecticut-based private equity/venture firms as well as an advisor to several healthcare companies. He was Managing Director, Investments at Connecticut Innovations, Inc. (Rocky Hill, CT), a venture capital firm, and served on the Board of Directors of several CI portfolio firms.
His experiences include co-authoring the first federally funded HMO feasibility study and corporate healthcare ventures with GTE New Ventures Corporation as well as increasingly responsible management positions with other major medical firms, such as Technicon Corporation, American Hospital Supply Corporation and National Patent Development Corporation, where he rose to be the president of the Acme-Chaston subsidiary.
The majority of Mr. Smith’s career has been as an entrepreneur as he co-founded CompreMedx Cancer Centers Corporation (the first publicly traded firm to build freestanding cancer centers in partnership with oncologists and radiologists), co-owned Kramex Corporation (a privately owned portable and mobile radiology manufacturing and distribution firm), co-owned privately-held New World Healthcare Solutions, Inc. an executive recruiting and online medical education company for the healthcare industry and assisted in the turn around and sale of Medical Sterilization, Inc. (a publicly traded surgical instrumentation firm specializing in electron beam sterilization). In addition, he co-founded Health Excel Management, Inc. (a managed care firm specializing in disease state management) and turned around and sold venture backed HelpMate Robotics, Inc. (a publicly traded medical transport firm). He has served on the Board of Directors for Baseline Medical, Inc. and Campus Connects, Inc., and was Managing Director of Negin-Smith Partnership, a private real estate venture. Mr. Smith has served on the Board of Directors of selected non-profit organizations such as the Connecticut Venture Group (CVG), the Hamden (CT) Chamber of Commerce and the Long Ridge Club, Inc.
Mr. Smith has been on the faculty of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Quinnipiac University School of Business and served as the first Executive Director of the Q.U. Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Institute and was an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Management at LIM College in New York City.
He holds a BA in Psychology (1970) and an MBA with academic honors (1972) from Boston University. He is also a member of the Claflin Society at Boston University and was named to the Boston University College of Arts and Sciences Collegium and Academy of Distinguished Alumni as well as a member of the International Campaign Committee (1993-1996) for the School of Management’s new building. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Boston University Alumni Association.
Jay Spitulnik, DGE’70, CAS’72, SED’75
Jay J. Spitulnik has been an Organizational Consultant at Lifespan in the Lifespan Learning Institute since 2003. In that capacity, Spitulnik is responsible for analyzing, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating large scale change activities such as team building, organizational interventions and training programs to ensure the alignment of work related skills, knowledge and performance in the employed workforce at all levels with Lifespan’s key patient-centered objectives.
Spitulnik also serves as a principal liaison between Lifespan and the institutions of higher education in Rhode Island that provide continuing education for Lifespan’s workforce. He was recently named a Center Associate in the University of Rhode Island’s newly created Rhode Island Center for Nursing Excellence.
Before joining Lifespan, Spitulnik worked as a Senior Consultant and Project Manager with AED, Inc. He worked with senior management in client organizations to identify and build capabilities required to implement new business practices, processes, technologies, and services and supervised project teams responsible for implementing internal and client initiatives. Prior to his work with AED, Spitulnik spent 17 years working in the nuclear power industry as a consultant and manager responsible for individual and organization development activities.
Spitulnik received a bachelor’s in philosophy and a master’s in educational media and technology from Boston University. He is currently completing the requirements for a doctorate in organizational psychology from Walden University. He and his wife, Nancy (SED ‘72), served on the School of Education alumni board from 1975 to 1982 and both returned to service on that board in 2007.
Christopher D. Strang, LAW’05
Christopher D. Strang is a founding partner of the law firm Desmond, Strang & Scott, LLP in Boston. He specializes in business litigation and construction law. Strang has represented subcontractors, general contractors, suppliers, owners and alternative energy providers in construction matters and business disputes and transactions. He is an experienced trial attorney and has successfully represented clients in all phases of dispute resolution. He was recognized twice by his peers as a New England Super Lawyer – Rising Star, in 2009 and 2010, for excellence in the profession. All three founders of the firm are graduates of Boston University School of Law.
Prior to law school, Strang worked as a Project Coordinator for a construction contractor in New York. He managed commercial projects with a broad range of size and scope, and performed many duties including contract negotiation, purchasing, scheduling, project management and labor negotiations.
Strang has been an active member of the LAW alumni community since graduation. He served as National President of the Young Alumni Council for 2 years, helping coordinate professional networking, social and community service events in many cities across the country. He now serves as Secretary of the law school’s alumni Executive Committee, chairs the student/alumni relations committee, and is on both the Programming Committee and the Nominating Committee. In 2008, he was presented with the Alumni Mentor of the Year award by the law school’s Career Development Office.
Strang is also very involved with the Boston Bar Association, where he currently co-chairs the New Lawyers Section. Prior to taking that role he completed the BBA’s Public Interest Leaders Program, a one-year commitment to working with a team of lawyers dedicated to studying and improving lawyers’ involvement in pro bono and public service activities. He recently accepted an invitation to join the Boston Bar Foundation’s Society of Fellows, an organization which provides much needed funding to many legal services organizations in the greater Boston area. Strang has chaired multiple fundraising events for the BBF, each time helping raise tens of thousands of dollars for legal services and related projects.
Alex Tanguay, SMG’02
Alex Tanguay received his BSBA degree in Business Administration from Boston University’s School of Management. Since graduation, he has served actively in alumni efforts for the school in varying capacities, including SMG’s Alumni Board of Directors for over four years among others. He has been a member of Boston University’s Annual Leadership Donor Society since 2007.
Alex applies more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry as an Assistant Vice President at Merrill Lynch and a partner within The Barcomb Group, a nationally ranked wealth management team in the Boston office. Alex serves as a member of the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certificate, a designation awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Additionally, Alex serves on the national governing body for the Sigma Chi fraternal organization. Originally from Cape Cod, Alex resides in Boston with his wife Shanti. He has been a Big Brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Massachusetts Bay for over six years and is an avid runner who has completed numerous marathons.
Parul Vadehra, COM’03
Vadehra is a director of the Vadehra Art Gallery, which is owned by her family and is one of the premier art galleries in India. She joined the family business in 2007 after working at several well-known public relations firms in Boston and New Delhi, India.
She is also director of public relations at Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA), a three year old organization that works to promote the arts in Delhi, and is actively involved with the NGO Love & Care, which works towards improving healthcare, education and community development in over 80 slums in Delhi.
Vadehra is married to Assem, her brother, Rahu, is a BU ’95 SMG alumnus, her sister in law, Roshini, is an alumna SMG ’04. Vadehra is a recipient of the 2010 BU Young Alumni Award.
Leon Wilson, MET’75
Leon E. Wilson has over thirty years of experience in Financial Management and currently serves as Executive Vice President of Direct Services at the Nonprofit Finance Fund. In this capacity Mr. Wilson serves as the head of all business activities for the organization. These services provided to the not for profit sector by the fund include financial consulting, lending, investment services, training and sector advocacy.
Mr. Wilson is the former head of the Mid Market Asset Division for Bank of America Corporation. Mr. Wilson previously held the position of Corporate Senior Vice President/Managing Director of GMAC Residential, the holding company for GMAC Mortgage, GMAC Global Relocation Services, GMAC Home Service, GMAC Real Estate, GM Bank, Family First by GMAC and Ditech.com.
Wilson’s Emerging Markets Division also housed GMAC Mortgage’s new Economic and Community Lending initiative. This $100 million fund was established to help finance housing and economic development in underserved and urban communities. In combination with key GM executives, Wilson constructed an approach that addresses the complete financial needs of Emerging Markets customers.
Earlier, Wilson worked for Fleet Financial Group as Senior Vice President of the Charitable Asset Division. Prior to that, he worked at the Bank of Boston where he held increasingly more senior positions leaving as National Director, Risk Management & Compliance for The Private Bank. Beginning his nine-year career there as Vice President and Division Head of the Consumer Finance Division, he was then tapped to be Director, Massachusetts Residential Mortgage Division, served as the Chairman of Boston First Banking, predecessor to First Community Bank, where he designed the bank’s “Bank Within a Bank” strategy and product offerings. He later moved to Senior Vice President/Director of BancBoston Mortgage Corporation. His earlier years in banking began at Boston’s Shawmut Bank as Senior Lender, Consumer Banking with responsibility for credit card and consumer finance.
Through May of 2004, Mr. Wilson built two companies focused on meeting the financial needs of minority and female consumers, and small businesses. First Financial Access Group, and Capital City Ventures are organizations with a local focus and national market.
Mr. Wilson has served on numerous professional and community boards including The Bell Foundation, Boston University, Dimock Health Care, Fannie Mae’s Regional Advisory Board, Cambridge College Board of Trustees, and Philadelphia Safe and Sound, to name a few. Nationally recognized as an expert in his field, Wilson is often called upon as a speaker on financial services, philanthropic support, and community development. Mr. Wilson is the recipient of the Boston University Outstanding Alumnus Award, the Urban Banker Professional Service Award, and The Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award. His achievements have earned him recognition in Who’s Who in Corporate America and Who’s Who in Black America.
Mr. Wilson completed advanced studies at Harvard Business School and the University of Virginia’s Graduate School of Retail Bank Management. He holds an undergraduate degree from Boston University.
Julie Wisniewski, SPH’00
As a women’s health marketing product manager at Genzyme Genetics, Julie Wisniewski increases people’s awareness of and access to genetic testing and carrier screening, resulting in exceeding forecasted sales revenues. She markets testing services to health care professionals in reproductive and pediatric medicine, and develops educational materials for patients. When she first joined Genzyme, Ms. Wisniewski was the managed care product manager working to improve coverage of testing for health plan members.
From 2000-2007 Ms. Wisniewski was the Director of Worcester Healthy Start Initiative, a federally funded program to reduce infant mortality and eliminate health disparities in Worcester, MA. During her tenure she made numerous presentations at national and local conferences and as part of courses in public health, social work and outreach. Prior to her career in public health she conducted bench research in molecular and cellular biology at Purdue University (1996-1998) resulting in articles published in peer reviewed journals.
Ms. Wisniewski graduated from the School of Public Health in 2000 with an MPH and a concentration in maternal and child health. She was honored with the department’s Alumni Award in 2005. As president (2004-2006), vice president (2003-2004) and board member (2000-2006) of the BUSPH alumni board, and as a student mentor (2000-2001), she has enjoyed giving back to her school and staying engaged with fellow alumni and students. Since 1997, she has volunteered for numerous other organizations, including the March of Dimes, Head Start and hospice.
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