CLASS NOTES

1969

Ronald P. Coderre was inducted into the Putnam High School Wall of Honor for his outstanding leadership to his community in the areas of politics, business, health services, youth activities, sports journalism, education, and Veterans affairs. His affiliations have led Ron to receive local, state, and national awards, bringing honor to his community.

1971

William Humbert has been elected vicechair of the Park City, UT, Library Board.

1972

50TH REUNION

Former Superior Court Judge Edward Neafsey was appointed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to the Advisory Board of the Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson. Edward is an adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School–Newark and has spent over 33 years in public service at the county, state, and federal levels.

1978

Peggy (Sheehan) Flood was awarded Mitchell College’s 2020-21 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award in recognition of distinguished dedication and service to the students of Mitchell College.

1980

Francis X. Doyle was recently named by Travelers Insurance as an Agent of the Year for his outstanding work with AAA Northeast.

Mike Robinson recently retired from AT&T after 39 years of service. During his tenure, Mike held various sales and marketing positions at the company, most recently serving as director of business development for AT&T Intellectual Property. In retirement, he and his wife Elizabeth (Varga) ’81 will retire to Cape Cod.

1982

40TH REUNION

Pauline (Smith) Echols of Charlotte, NC, joined Shopkick as a senior account director.

1983

Sandra A. Merlini is the resident poetess of the Marlborough Senior Center. She is a member of the Marlborough Artists Group and the Longfellow Poetry Society.

1984

Nancy (LeMay) Ignagni, a resident of Rock Hill, SC, is the general and technical laboratory supervisor at the Center for Rheumatology and Arthritis Care. She has served in the U.S. Army Reserves and has a master’s degree in advanced investigation forensic science from the University of New Haven.

1987

35TH REUNION

Patrick W. Ryan was appointed to the New Hampshire Circuit Court bench in March 2021 and began his tenure as a sitting judge in June. After spending six years as an attorney at a private practice, he has served in the court administration of the State of New Hampshire Judicial Branch for the last 24 years.

1988

Colleen (Johnson) Ogilvie was appointed registrar of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), a position she held in an interim capacity for several months prior. Colleen has served in various capacities at the RMV over the course of a 30-year career, beginning as a customer service representative and most recently as deputy registrar for operations, where she oversaw many of the RMV’s back-office identity and vehicle credentialing and technology functions.

1989

Deborah Ann (Palmer) McRonald has joined Danimer Scientific, Inc., a leading next-generation bioplastics company focused on the development and production of biodegradable materials, as chief corporate development officer.

1990

Tom McAuliffe II, president of My FM Media, won an unprecedented 10th Radio Station of the Year Award from the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association at their annual Soundbites Awards Ceremony, which was held virtually in fall 2020.

Robert Silveri published his book, Even If You Don’t Like Poetry: The First Fifty, in July 2021. His collection of poems is “based on the philosophy that poetry should be brief, clear, and beautiful in its simplicity,” and his short poems are designed to be accessible for those individuals who don’t typically enjoy poetry.

1992

30th Reunion

John Giordano, DMD, has been deployed with the Massachusetts Army National Guard (ARNG) since March 2020 to assist in the State of Massachusetts’s COVID-19 response. He currently serves as the state dental officer, but during the last year has held positions such as public affairs officer, liaison to the U.S. Army medical teams and OIC of National Guard medical teams at Tewksbury State Hospital, director and developer of a contact-tracing team for the Massachusetts ARNG, and director of the safety and standards team overseeing safety compliance for over 10 vaccination sites. During this time, he also completed his Intermediate Level Education, the secondhighest level of education in the Army.

1993

Diane (Coombs) Spinale is the co-founder of Wowel USA. Wowel is the only towel made in America and is manufactured in Massachusetts.

Robin Frkal, who has been working as the associate professor of human resource management at Nichols College for the last three years, has been promoted to associate dean for the college’s Graduate School of Business and Professional Studies.

Alumni Spotlight

Szivos G’83 Recognized by Lt. Governor with Bravery Award

On June 7, 2021, Annette Szivos G’83 was enjoying a day with her grandchildren at Dunn State Park in Gardner when she heard cries of distress coming from a nearby pond. Szivos jumped in and saved a drowning man.

“I just couldn’t watch someone drown,” said Szivos, who realized those on the beach were either unable or not willing to help the man. “I was raised Catholic and to do the right thing, and the right thing is you don’t look away when there is someone in distress. I knew I had to go in.”

Szivos kept the man’s head above water until another passerby jumped in and helped her bring him to shore. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery to treat several brain bleeds. Thanks to Szivos’s bravery, that man, Andrew LePage, a Vietnam combat Veteran, is alive.

“Annette is an example of what it means to be a hero,” said Massachusetts Lt. Governor Karyn Polito in presenting Szivos with the annual Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Bravery. The award is named for Madeline “Amy” Sweeney, a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, who alerted the flight’s ground services crew of the hijackers before the plane hit the first World Trade Center tower, and is presented to a deserving citizen every September 11. “Her selflessness is a great reminder of the bravery displayed by ordinary citizens as we remember those who did the same on September 11.”

“It was amazing and makes me cry every time I think about it,” Szivos said of receiving the award, adding that just being recognized was enough for her. “It’s an incredible honor.”

This fall, the city of Gardner proclaimed June 7 “Annette Marie Szivos Day.” Szivos, who was born and raised in the 236-year-old Worcester County city, is just the fourth person to have a day proclaimed for them. Szivos, who worked as a program manager for the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services for 32 years, keeps in touch with LePage, who is recovering well.

“I am thankful every day I did what I did,” she said.

1994

Tracey Kenney Borrelli was hired as the new assistant principal at Central Middle School in Quincy.

Robert Balderson joined MutualOne Bank in Framingham as vice president of residential lending. With nearly two decades of experience in the industry, he is responsible for promoting the bank’s lending services to the local community through loan originations and educational seminars.

1998

Brock Erickson, a former shooting guard for the Assumption Men’s Basketball team, is the head men’s basketball coach at Nichols College.

1999

Joseph Lombardi, a member of the Sturbridge Police Department since 2001, was recently promoted to lieutenant.

birth: Jeff Logee welcomed his second child, Allan George Logee, on June 8, 2021. Allan joins his older brother, Otto. The Logees reside in Bar Harbor, ME.

Alumni Spotlight

Ryan Murphy ’03: Raising Awareness Through Running

Most who live in Massachusetts and nearly all involved in the running community are familiar with Dick Hoyt, the Holland native who pushed his wheelchair-bound son, Rick, in more than 1,000 road races, including dozens of Boston Marathons. Ryan Murphy ’03 and his son, Jack, know the Hoyts well: they are members of Team Hoyt.

2002

20th Reunion

David Harvey of Tacoma, WA, recently stepped down as the head coach of the men’s rowing team at Pacific Lutheran University, a position he held for five years, to start a not-for-profit youth rowing program called Tacoma Rowing. Tacoma Rowing increases access to the sport for inner-city youth through swimming lessons, STEM activities, and other support.

Brad MacDougall has joined CGI, a global IT and business consulting company, as a director of consulting services, in which he is responsible for partnering with state and local governments, agencies, and institutions of higher education to deliver mission-critical IT solutions and programs. Prior to joining CGI, Brad served in various leadership roles at Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM), the state’s largest and most influential business association.

“It is more of a running group where I have met other special needs families with similar challenges who enjoy running with their child,” said Ryan.

Ryan, an avid runner who ran his first marathon as a senior at Assumption, started running with Jack, now 9, when he was an infant, like he has with his three other children – Owen (12), Declan (10), and Quinn (6) – over the last 13 years. “The time was a

2004

Jerrell Engermann joined the board of directors of Boston Uncornered, an initiative of College Bound Dorchester that leverages education to end gang violence and systemic generational urban poverty. Jerrell has built a career in financial services and currently serves as a senior relationship manager at Empower Retirement.

2005

birth: Katherine (Burke) Davey welcomed Patrick Robert Davey in December 2020. He joins older siblings Thomas, Clare, Mary, and John.

Allison James, chief operating officer and COVID-19 manager of Girls Inc. of Worcester, was named to the Worcester Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” list for 2021. SEE STORY ON PAGE 4.

Katherine Marie (Mulford) Phillips was named the new head varsity field hockey coach at Leominster High School. Katherine, win/win,” he said. “They enjoyed the ride and stopping at places around town, and I got exercise.”

But Jack never tired of running with his dad. When he outgrew his stroller, Ryan’s wife, Ali (Reyell) Murphy ’05, reached out to the Hoyt Foundation, who loaned Jack a specialized chair that would allow him to continue running with his dad. After that, Ryan and Jack became proud members of Team Hoyt.

“I have run 10 or so races with Team Hoyt, ranging from 5Ks to half marathons, all with my son Jack,” said Ryan, adding that he has also run many local races on his own that allow strollers. And although Jack is too young to run in the Boston Marathon, which doesn’t allow participants under the age of 18, Ryan hasn’t ruled it out. “Not sure what the future will hold, or if Jack will be into running himself as he gets older,” he shared.

Running with Team Hoyt allows Ryan to spread awareness of the organization’s mission to support “America’s disabled young people through inclusion in all facets of daily life.”

“The value of giving back was cultivated in me at Assumption and has been part of my career ever since,” he said. “I have felt that I can really make a difference within the community. I’m grateful for my wife Ali who is supportive of the time commitment that work and running take.” who currently teaches fifth grade at Frances Drake Elementary School, has taught in the Leominster district for 15 years.

Jennifer Quinn, a senior producer at WPRI 12 in Providence, RI, was awarded a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for the documentary The War on Alzheimer’s, for which she served as producer.

2006

Amy Kalogeropoulos was promoted to director of the National Philoptochos Office of the National Philoptochos Executive Board of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, Inc. She served as the development and information officer since 2018.

Jon Weaver ’06, G’17, a member of the Assumption University Board of Trustees, was named to the Worcester Business Journal’s “Power 50” Class of 2021, which recognizes the most influential business professionals in central Massachusetts.

2007

15th Reunion

Frank Galligan was recently appointed principal of Warwick Neck Elementary School in Warwick, RI.

birth: Christopher (Morris) Krueger welcomed his daughter, Andrea Vaile Krueger, on February 18, 2021.

2010

Chelsea Gilson starred in a Lifetime TV movie, Mommy’s Deadly Con Artist, in May 2021. She has appeared in a number of roles in movies and shows for CBS, Netflix, Lifetime, and the Hallmark Channel. She also runs the travel blog Traveling Fig, and teaches yoga retreats around the world.

Chris O’Day was elected to the national board of directors for the Association of Accounting Marketers. He welcomed his son, Dean, on April 17, 2021.

Colin Webb has joined the board of directors for Healthy Communities of the Capital Area, a coalition of individuals who work to improve the health and quality of life in Kennebec County, ME. Colin is an overdose prevention specialist in harm reduction at MaineGeneral Health’s Prevention and Healthy Living Center.

2011

Christine Roach married Brad Vongphrachanh in August 2021 in Seattle, WA. Alumni in attendance included Carleigh Baldwin, Julia Brough, Stephanie Burns, Michael and Christine Cram, Laura Halloran, Patrick Jergel, Kiley Krafve, Dave Paradise (who served as officiant), Jessica Pulido, and Dennis and Courtney Sojka

2013

Kristen Manchester began a position as a graphic production artist for Life is Good, an American apparel and accessories company, in May 2021.

2014

Mike Uva won his first Emmy Award in June 2021 for his work as a sports anchor at WACH FOX in South Carolina. He is a four-time nominated sportscaster by the Southeast Chapter Emmy Awards. This fall, Mike accepted a new position as director of digital content at GamecockCentral.com, a site dedicated to sports and recruiting coverage of the University of South Carolina’s football program, the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Devyn Oliver graduated with a Ph.D. in basic and biomedical sciences from the University of Massachusetts Medical School neuroscience program last spring. Her thesis work focused on understanding how neurons develop and maintain synaptic connections. Devyn, who recently began working as a scientist with the neurology team at Berg LLC in Framingham, married Brian Jolicoeur on May 29, 2021, in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

2015

Tyla Wade began a new position as a digital marketing supervisor at UniWorld Group, Inc., the longest-standing, fullservice, multicultural marketing and advertising agency in the U.S.

2016

Rachel (Montgomery) Berten married her husband, John, on July 17, 2021, at the Mountain View Grand Resort in Whitefield, NH. Alumni in attendance included Sarah Ardolino ’20, Grace Clark ’19, Lorin Colucci, Eric Cyr, Ryan Delmastro ’17, Breanna Dolciotto ’15, Ann Donahue ’15, Alyssa Giambanco G’18, Katie Jorgensen ’15, Kaylee Miodonka ’15, Kathy Montgomery ’18,

Katie Montgomery ’18, Nicole Papazian G’18, Katelyn Parente, Kristen Piek ’15, Katarina Perez, Lily Sheehan ’20, Alaina Short, Lyla Stressel ’17, Jean-Pierre Tetreault ’18, Allie Zinni, and Provost Emerita Louise Carroll Keeley, Ph.D.

Michael David Hoye was ordained to the transitional diaconate by His Excellency, the Most Rev. Robert McManus, Bishop of Worcester, on August 7, 2021, at St. Mary Parish in Uxbridge, where he was serving as a seminarian. After graduating from Assumption, Michael attended the Theological College at The Catholic University of America, then the Pontifical North American College and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology and where he will return to begin a two-year program for his licentiate in sacred theology.

Rev. Lucas LaRoche was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Worcester on June 19, 2021, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Worcester by Bishop McManus. Also present were Assumption President

Francesco C. Cesareo, Ph.D.;

fellow alumni

Marian (Murphy) Eno ’15, Julia Gilberto ’15, Michael Hoye, Corinne Murphy ’17, and Zack Sullivan ’17; and many other friends and relatives.

2017

5th Reunion

Kathleen Hurley completed her Juris Doctor degree from Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Dean School of Law in May 2020 and was admitted to practice law in New York in March 2021. She is currently working as an assistant district attorney in Nassau County, NY.

Jacqueline Raftery completed her Master of Science in Child Life and Family Centered Care from Boston University in May 2020. In January 2021, she began working as a certified child life specialist at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Boston, where she supports children recovering from burn injuries who are living with craniofacial anomalies.

Class Notes Submission Guidelines

2018

Meghan Cushing ’18, G’19 is a math teacher at Gorham High School in Gorham, ME. She received her bachelor’s degree in secondary education in mathematics and an M.Ed. in special education, both from Assumption.

2019

Karissa M. Foley graduated from Bay Path University with a Master of Occupational Therapy in May 2021. She recently passed her national boards and holds licensure in Massachusetts and Connecticut as an OTR/L.

Assumption Magazine publishes Class Notes in each issue. Submissions can be made at alumni@assumption.edu or by mailing us your information. An icon may be placed by a wedding announcement, indicating a photo is posted online. The Magazineʼs editorial staff makes every effort to accurately print announcements, but cannot always verify the accuracy of information submitted for publication.

GRADUATE STUDIES G’74

Stephen M. Brewer, a retired Massachusetts state senator, served as the keynote speaker for Mount Wachusett Community College’s virtual commencement ceremonies in May 2021. Stephen retired in 2014 after 26 years in the legislature.

Michael Reidy published a three-volume novel on July 4, 2021. The Trumbull Chronicles is the story of a Massachusetts political family spanning the period of 1963 to the present.

G’77

Nelly Chinn published a book, Memories from Morocco and Beyond, in May 2021. In this collection of her memories, which spans from the 1930s through 2001, Nelly shares her experiences from her idyllic childhood in Casablanca, her later life in England, and other travel adventures.

G’97

Stephanie (Forgione) Carbonneau was selected as the 2020 Foreign Language Association of Maine’s Teacher of the Year and was a 2021 North East Conference Teacher of Foreign Languages Teacher of the Year finalist.

G’12

Ashley Luongo was promoted to assistant director of clinical operations at Elevate Counseling Services, a private group practice of behavioral health care professionals serving the needs of clients from locations in South Easton, Middleborough, and Bellingham.

Paul Lincoln, sales audit supervisor for TJX Companies and owner of Lincoln Crafted, and Kat Stevens, LMHC, CEO of Recovery Centers of America (RCA) at Westminster, were named to the Worcester Business Journal’s “40 Under Forty” list for 2021.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CE’04

Robert “Bob” Remillard of Rutland is Workers Credit Union’s new vice president of consumer and mortgage originations, where he ensures high quality and high member satisfaction for consumer, auto, and home loans.

Alumni Spotlight

Boston Globe: Anne Harris ’12 Is “One to Watch”

Since graduating from Assumption with a degree in studio art, Anne Harris ’12 has made a name for herself in the art world. This spring, upon the completion of her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts University, she was named by the Boston Globe as one of the five art school grads to watch for in 2021.

“Being included in the five art school grads to watch article meant everything to me,” said Harris. “It proved my hard work ethic, perseverance, and belief in my work to be true.”

Harris said she’s been “disciplined and focused on developing my artistic practice since an undergrad at Assumption” and spent seven years – between graduating from Assumption and earning her MFA – painting, both inside the studio and outside in the Massachusetts landscape. Harris, who describes herself as an interdisciplinary artist who works in painting, performance, video, and installation, bases most of her work in nature, in particular by capturing the natural beauty of Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in Massachusetts.

When the pandemic began, Harris began installing her work in a forest outside her home in Worcester. “Soon there were bobcats, coyotes, and a porcupine interacting with these paintings,” she explained.

While Harris continues to learn from her surroundings, she credits Assumption’s Department of Art & Music for helping her get where she is today. “I had a strong, supportive faculty who saw and believed in my potential,” she said, adding that they taught her how to paint, incorporate emotion into her work, and become a better photographer in the woods, among other skills. “They wanted to help me succeed.”

Harris said it was Professor Lynn Simmons, MFA, who inspired her to apply to grad school and gave her “the chance to start a studio practice in Worcester after graduating [from Assumption], where I grew as an artist in my own way.” She explained that then-professor Barbara Beall-Fofana, Ph.D., purchased her first painting and “continues to be my patron and an important and special part of my life today.”

This year, Harris will be a postgraduate teaching fellow at SMFA at Tufts, where she will teach Intro to Oil Painting and Intro to Video Art. She also plans to apply to different residencies, galleries, and museums, especially ones with an outdoor focus.

“Making art is something I must do; there is no choice,” she said. “To earn this terminal degree in my field and to be recognized for my achievements always felt like a dream, and now I can say it is a reality.”