Bentley University Magazine Spring 2022

WINTER2022 SPRING 2021

MARKING A MILESTONE Inaugurating our ninth president, E. LaBrent Chrite

PHOTOS HERE AND ON THE COVER BY TOM KATES

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COLUMNS

7 | Five Things: Tips for navigating the murky waters of online news 20 | Campaign Update: A transformative gift from alumni brothers 22 | The PROfile: Vinay Gokaldas ’10 on blockchain’s next big thing 27 | Inside Job: Designing a home-away-from-home for astronauts

FEATURES

8 | Making History, Looking Ahead

12 | Instrumental: Business skills and an entrepreneurial spirit amp up alumni careers 16 | Solving Society’s Ills 23 | C LASS

NOTES

Magazine

Editor Susan Simpson Senior Director Strategic Communications John McElhenny Project Manager Vanessa Salas Writers Mary K. Pratt Kristen Walsh Creative Director Greg Gonyea Senior Associate Director Creative Services Claire S. Anderson Art Direction & Design Juliana Freire Multimedia Producer Kevin Maguire Associate Director Print and Production Judy Metz

Executive Director Advancement Communications Terry Cronin

BETWEEN THE LINES It was an afternoon packed with memorable moments. The sight of the Bentley community gathered — in person! unmasked! — for an institutionwide event. The cheers that went up as E. LaBrent Chrite came into view during the opening procession. The heartfelt welcomes by student, faculty, staff and alumni speakers, which sprang from 10 months’ acquaintance with the president. And one of my favorites: the performance by Boston area jazz, gospel and R&B artist Athene Wilson, whose soaring vocals captured the solemnity and joy of the occasion.

Credit her presence to an invitation that President Chrite received last summer. Though just six weeks into his new role, he said an immediate “yes” to speaking at the 35th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast, hosted by the Greater Framingham Community Church. Our jazz-loving president struck up a conversation with the event’s vocalist and set the stage for bringing her to the Bentley Arena. For this inauguration-goer — pure magic.

I’m hardly alone in welcoming back live music from its two-year hiatus. Inside, you’ll meet four other inveterate fans: alumni whose business smarts are key to succeeding in an industry they’re passionate about. There’s a similar chord of passion in our health care-related stories. Faculty, students, staff and alumni are lining up behind Bentley’s push to bring business solutions to bear on challenges in the U.S. health care system. In April, this groundbreaking work inspired a $5 million investment by Chris Smith ’91, MBA ’92, P ’19/’20 ’24 and Greg Smith ’91. Meet the entrepreneurial brothers on page 20.

I write this note in early May, looking forward to the next tune on Bentley’s playlist. The commencement standard “Pomp and Circumstance” is an oldie (1901) that will have new significance as we hear it played — on campus! — for the first time in three years. And as a president sees off his first class of Falcons to follow the passions that capture their minds and hearts.

Here’s wishing them, and you, all the best.

Senior Associate Director Advancement Communications Caroline Cruise Associate Director Content Development Kristin Livingston Class Notes Editor Molly McKinnon

President E. LaBrent Chrite, PhD Vice President Marketing and Communications Christopher Joyce

HERE SAY I looked back this morning on the Bentley Magazine article [“Rooted: The pull of forests, fields and family”; spring 2021]. It made me smile.

So much progress since then.

We’ve doubled the size of our farm; we’re nearly done restoring our barn (which we learned is the oldest in the country, dating to 1625); and we're getting ready to

start on-farm retail. Thank you so much for capturing the beginning of it all last year. I will cherish it for a very long time.

Here is a pic of the barn project, using 11-by-11-inch hand-hewn timbers — the way they did 397 years ago.

Take care, Justin Chase, MBA ’09

We welcome your feedback.

Send your compliments and critiques on the stories inside — or suggest one for the future.

MAGAZINE@BENTLEY.EDU || @BENTLEYU || @BENTLEYALUMNI || 781-891-2076 175 FOREST STREET, WALTHAM, MA 02452 Bentley University is more than just one of the nation’s top business schools. It is a lifelong-learning community that creates successful leaders who make business a force for positive change. With a combination of business and the arts and sciences and a flexible, personalized approach to education, Bentley provides students with critical thinking and practical skills that prepare them to lead successful, rewarding careers. Founded in 1917, the university enrolls 4,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate and PhD students and is set on 163 acres in Waltham, Massachusetts, 10 miles west of Boston. For more information, visit bentley.edu.

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SENSATIONAL SEASONS Falcon athletes with much to celebrate included (1) the 2021 women’s lacrosse team, Northeast-10 champions; (2 and 5) men’s and women’s basketball, whose NE-10 championships in 2022 were the first for a single school in the conference’s 40-year history; (3 and 4) women’s and men’s swimming and diving, both of which finished second in their NE-10 contests for 2022. They won 20 and 21 medals, respectively, including 10 gold for the women and nine for the men.

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BENTLEY 2030

Strategic positioning moves ahead What is our vision for Bentley in the next decade and beyond?

Answering that question has kept this school in step with the workplace and world for 105 years now. Falcons addressed it anew in a strategic positioning process that began last fall.

A steering committee led by President Brent Chrite, members of the President’s Cabinet, and trustees designed the process to spur collaboration and creativity.

Committees representing all parts of the university community have helped lead the work, focusing on four strategic priorities: the student experience, on- and off-campus partnerships, resources and revenue, and institutional culture and values. Town

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Hall meetings and eight open engagement sessions were a highlight of the initiative: Several hundred community members Zoomed in to share creative ideas and big-picture thinking on Bentley’s future.

With draft reports in hand, the steering committee is working this spring and into the summer to finalize a single, cohesive plan. The final report will go to trustees this fall. Working groups will then begin putting the strategic recommendations into action.

The president reflected on the process in a recent email to the university community.

“The engagement we’ve seen is proof of your belief in Bentley and commitment to ensuring the success of our next chapter.

The future of higher education is not without disruptions and obstacles. But I am confident in how we will approach those head-on, thanks in part to the students, faculty, staff and alumni who make our community special.”

Catch up on the latest news.

ILLUSTRATION BY SHUTTERSTOCK/HOWCOLOUR

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Good Energy

BY KRISTEN WALSH

The university’s latest Sustainability and Climate Action Plan lays out 14 goals aimed toward achieving carbon neutrality at Bentley by 2030.

Working on the plan has already helped one of its lead architects reach a personal goal.

“I knew I wanted to use my business degree to make an impact,” says Sophie Rodgers ’20, who joined the Office of Sustainability as manager shortly after earning her BS in Marketing and Liberal Studies.

Rodgers’s interest in sustainability grew organically — and quickly — when she transferred to Bentley in 2018 and joined the organization Students for Sustainable Business. On the academic front, she paired her business major with the Liberal Studies concentration Earth, Environment and Global Sustainability. Serving as a student sustainability leader in the Office of Sustainability gave her experience on the ground.

“I asked for big projects,” Rodgers says, noting one of her favorites: assembling the first committee to oversee the university’s Green Revolving Fund. Established with a gift from trustee Nickolas Stavropoulos ’79, the fund finances energy efficiency projects and supports student education.

Her love for the work made the thought of graduating bittersweet.

“I had so many more ideas, and we have such a great community — from professors to Facilities Management to alumni — committed to sustainability and reducing energy use,” Rodgers says. “I knew we weren’t done.”

True enough: The five-year Sustainability and Climate Action Plan she helped develop sets goals for energy and building systems, transportation, materials management, lifelong learning and education.

“For me, as a new manager, working on the plan was an accelerated training program,” Rodgers says of promoting events, facilitating meetings, collecting feedback and similar tasks. “I learned about collaborating with other campus departments and with faculty and staff who were members of our committees.”

Cross-campus collaboration, she says, is the key to piecing together the sustainability puzzle. “I get jazzed by other people’s passion for climate action and environmental justice and I love collaborating. This job can’t be done by one person or one office. Together, we’ve accomplished major milestones, but there’s so much more to do.”

Learn more about the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan at bentley.edu/climate-action.

“For me, as a new manager, working on the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan was an accelerated training program.”

PHOTOS BY EMMANUEL BOAKYE; SHUTTERSTOCK/ZHANGYANG13576997233

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MARCH 24

1,819 DONORS RAISED $483,000 TO MOVE FALCONS FORWARD

Bentley’s biggest-ever giving day!

Thanks to challenges from trustee Brian Zino ’74 and Bill ’88, MST ’90 and Christine (Marudzinski) ’90 Speciale.

Thank you!

WEDDINGS, EVENTS, PARTIES! We’ve got you covered.

bentley.edu/conferencecenter

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WAYS TO TELL (NEWS) FACT FROM FICTION

BY NOAH GIANSIRACUSA

About three-quarters of Americans who say they follow news and current events agree that “fake news is a big problem,” according to a study by Deloitte in 2021. What’s a careful reader to do? Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences Noah Giansiracusa shares strategies drawn from his expertise in areas such as machine learning and misinformation.

USE A RATING SERVICE Several organizations have sprung up to evaluate the quality of online news sites. While in principle these services could be biased or misleading themselves, finding one you trust is much easier than vetting news stories individually. My favorite one — NewsGuard — provides an overall rating and a detailed “nutrition label” for most news sites.

FOLLOW THE MONEY News sites generally make money through either subscriptions or ads. The former, with paywalls and article limits, tend to be more reliable; they need you to feel satisfied with their product over the long term. Conversely, ad-funded sites are financially motivated to post content that draws in as many clicks as possible.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PROFESSOR; ILLUSTRATION BY SHUTTERSTOCK/IVECTOR

BE A VIRAL SKEPTIC Internal research leaked by the Facebook whistleblower in fall 2021 showed that posts with the most “deep reshares” among a chain of users are more likely to contain misinformation. Many academic studies also find that fake news travels faster and farther. So when you encounter a post that is spreading quickly, and doing so from user to user, be extra cautious about believing it.

FIND A FACT-CHECK We have not reached the point where algorithms can fully automate fact-checking — and probably never will. But they can help you find fact-checks written by a person. For example, if you include the words “fact check” in searching for a claim on Google, it will try to find professional fact-checker analyses of that claim.

QUESTION CAPTIONS A lot of information that spreads virally on social media comes in the form of images. One of the most common types of deception is also one of the simplest: a caption claims an image is something other than what it really is. To verify, plug the image into Google’s search bar.

You’ll be able see where on the web that photo and others like it have appeared.

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MAKING HISTORY, LOOKING AHEAD PHOTO BY TOM KATES

<< FEATURES

Past, present and future met in the Bentley Arena on April 6, 2022. E. LaBrent Chrite, poised to share his vision as the university’s newly installed ninth president, found inspiration in the words of its first leader.

“To quote Harry C. Bentley: ‘The long-range success of the Bentley School must depend upon far-sighted planning, in which recognition of a changing world in education should not be obscured by traditional prejudices or by lack of progressive thinking.’”

Here are highlights of this history-making and forward-looking occasion.

By Susan Simpson and Kristen Walsh

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ore than 1,400 students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, friends of the university and representatives of other colleges gathered in person and online to celebrate the inauguration of E. LaBrent “Brent” Chrite. Speakers praised his leadership skills and conviction that business can be a force for good in the world.

“President Chrite personifies our strong belief in the power of business to create solutions to human problems,” said J. Paul Condrin III ’83, P ’19 ’22, chair of the board of trustees. “For much of his career, he has dedicated himself to improving business education, developing market-based economies, and expanding economic opportunities for organizations and people around the world. President Chrite is a shining example of the type of leader we hope all our students aspire to be — using knowledge, wisdom, compassion and a strong business mindset to change the world.”

Keynote speakers included Debora Spar, the Jaime and Josefina Chua Tiampo Professor of Business Administration and senior associate dean of business and global society at Harvard Business School, and B. Joseph White, president emeritus at the University of Illinois.

Spar, a Bentley trustee, said Chrite is the type of leader who is “perpetually willing to seek and revel in the magic that education can, and should, bring. He has seen the transformative power of education in his own life and has dedicated his life to bringing that same transformation to others.”

White spoke to five qualities he has seen the president demonstrate time and again during their 30 years as colleagues and friends: integrity, courage, compassion, commitment and change.

“Not frivolous change, but rather, good change, needed change, wise change,” he said. “Brent knows that if an institution is sitting

“ I’m excited by the opportunity of

working closely with this incredible community to take Bentley University to the next tier of excellence, in a marketplace that will demand nothing less.”

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still, it is stagnating. … Rest assured, such change will benefit current and future generations of Bentley students, faculty, staff and alumni.”

Twelve speakers offered greetings on behalf of faculty, staff, students and alumni.

“I am honored to stand here today and welcome Bentley’s first Black president,” said Kiana Pierre-Louis ’99, senior lecturer in Law and Taxation. “You are willing to walk around campus and talk to everyone in the community to make holistic decisions, always keeping in the forefront of your mind that we must do what is best for Bentley and the students we are charged to serve.”

Associate Director of Diversity and Inclusion Matt Banks recalled meeting Chrite on his first day as president, at the annual LGBTQ+ Pride Flag Raising. “After the event, President Chrite remained at the flagpole talking with the students, faculty and staff. I saw him come alive as he built community, striving to understand and see the beauty of the people on this campus.”

Hiral Mehta, MSBA ’22, MBA ’22 called Chrite “the president of the masses. Through my interactions with him, formally or informally, at graduate events or at the gym, what stuck with me is his rigor and passion to make a difference and create a strong, diverse and engaging community.”

Alumni greeters included Dominique Balzora-Rivert ’20, who co-chairs the group Falcons of the Last Decade. “President Chrite has made alumni engagement and philanthropy one of his top priorities.

He stresses the importance of coming together as a community and giving back to the institution that has done so much for us.”

Taking the stage himself, the president said that Bentley’s greatest strength is the ability to empower the next generation of students and business leaders to reach their full potential. He shared his vision for three “bold bets” that will distinguish the university. n Close the distance between rungs of the economic ladder by increasing students’ access to a Bentley education. n Become the institution that solves difficult societal problems through and for business. n Keep improving the quality and rigor of our academic foundation while building the skills needed for today’s innovation economy.

“Identifying opportunities in the market that others missed led to Bentley’s founding and success in the early 20th century,” said Chrite.

“Disruptions around the corner today require a similar level of prescience, will and courage — and this is where Bentley University will shine. It is a great privilege to lead this university, and its most important stakeholders, on this next phase of its journey.”

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All Together Now … Above (1) Brent and Phyllis Chrite with their family at the President’s House.

On the preceding day (2), the president and entrepreneur Marcelo Claure ’93 discussed the potential of business to solve societal problems, particularly by using technology. The president with Bentley trustees and other special guests (3).

PHOTOS BY JOEL HASKELL, TOM KATES AND JAMIE WEXLER

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Watch highlights of the inauguration.

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Business skills and an entrepreneurial spirit amp up alumni careers

By Kristen Walsh

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<< FEATURES

I love artist-facing dialogue and working with creative people, because I am naturally more business-minded.

Tessie Lammle ’15

was raised by a “concert mom.”

One who routinely stood in long lines and acted as a human barricade so Lammle and her friends could catch a glimpse of performers like singer and rapper Aaron Carter.

“I was a pop music junkie,” says the alumna, who attended her first live show at age 6, by late rock icon Tom Petty. Her ticket stub collection went on to reach epic proportions.

Lammle chose Bentley to focus on another part of her identity: numbers person. And then a course about the music industry introduced a possible career path.

“A music agent is a liaison between an artist and different buyers, negotiating deals and contracts on their behalf,” she explains. “The course really opened my mind to this whole industry that had not been on my radar.”

Lammle confirmed her interest and built skills during internships at Universal Music Group and talent agency ICM Partners. Shortly after graduation, she landed a job at United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills — in the mail room.

“I was literally sorting mail,” Lammle says of the position where most new hires start. “I was delivering Mariah Carey’s shoes to her, driving different celebrity clients and executives around. It’s kind of

PHOTO BY LEX RYAN; ILLUSTRATION BY SHUTTERSTOCK/THENATCHDL AND SHUTTERSTOCK/GALYNA_P

like a graduate project for the industry; you’re constantly learning how the business runs.”

She was an apt pupil and, in 2020, became a talent music agent for clients that include Iggy Azalea, Lil Wayne, TLC, Pussycat Dolls and a multitude of up-and-coming artists. Most of the deals she manages involve live shows with promoters like Live Nation and AEG who produce the popular Coachella Music Festival. Her day typically starts with a staff meeting, followed by client lunches and studio sessions. By night, she often scouts talent at local clubs.

“Honestly, the business is a lot of networking. I love artist-facing dialogue and working with creative people, because I am naturally more business-minded,” says Lammle, who majored in Marketing with minors in Law and Finance.

She credits Bentley for developing skills and perspectives that “helped set me apart in this industry.” Among them: a talent for number crunching, early lessons about how to be a professional, and an appreciation for other countries and cultures.

Ben Aslinger, associate professor, English and Media Studies, taught the course that set Lammle on her career path.

“Tessie was invested in learning from the exclusionary past and present of the music industry, gaining useful lessons from current disruptors and innovators, and working toward a future that would be more inclusive for everyone.”

Indeed, Lammle says one of the favorite parts of her job is watching the development of new talent, such as SAINt JHN, a GuyaneseAmerican singer, songwriter and record producer, and Tierra Whack, a rapper, singer and songwriter from Philadelphia.

“It’s so rewarding to see a client grow from playing a 200-person room to headlining a festival — and to be a part of that journey.”

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Chukwudi Anagbogu ’16

was working at a financial risk management firm in New Jersey when he went from singing in the shower to performing as an independent artist.

“My cousin is a producer, and I was in his recording studio while he was working on instrumentals,” recalls Anagbogu. “I said, ‘Hey, let me just try something.’ I started humming and I was shocked by the different melodies that came out of my mouth. I was already starting to think about which artists would sound good on what I was doing.”

The Nigeria-raised alumnus jumped on Twitter and sent a direct message to Ayo Jay, one of the first artists from his home country to chart on Billboard.

“Music is something I had always wanted to do, but more from a business perspective,” says Anagbogu. “Ayo Jay recognized my drive and passion, and gave me an opportunity to work with him. We recorded a song [“Killing Me”]. I was nervous, but I haven’t looked back.”

Under the stage name chuXchu (pronounced choo-choo), Anagbogu has been featured on the Apple Music Africa Now radio station as the Africa Rising Track of the Week and recognized as Africa Rising Artist of the Week on “The Nadeska Show.” Apple Music named him among the top rising Afrobeats artists to watch, alongside Tems, Omah Lay and Oxlade.

“My music fuses elements of the Afrobeats sound coming out of Africa with different genres like pop, R&B and hip hop,” Anagbogu explains. “The goal is to find that intersection and get people all over the world to see and embrace African culture.”

His own contribution to the cause includes introducing Bentley classmates to the latest African music, by sharing monthly playlists and partnering with other songwriters around the world who are interested in Afrobeats.

Anagbogu’s finance background and Managerial Economics major are assets in building out his career.

“Music is very much a creative process,” he says. “But as an independent artist, you also have to be involved in the business side of things.”

By analyzing back-end data, for example, Anagbogu can see which countries his streams are coming from. An Excel dashboard helps him determine revenue received per stream. Bentley courses in negotiation and general business taught him the art of negotiating a contract and reviewing its legalities with care.

The alumnus calls his late nights in the recording studio “therapeutic,” as he balances his music career with full-time work as a mergers and acquisitions professional in New York. This intersection of business and music figures into his long-term plans: setting up an investment fund to finance artists in Africa.

“Afrobeats has transcended across the world and influences music today by artists such as Beyoncé, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran. But there are still gaps in access and investment from global music operations,” says Anagbogu. “There is so much talent on the continent and my dream is to provide African artists with the opportunities to reach their full potential.”

Jenna McPhail ’15

says the behind-the-scenes work to clear a song or album for release is “careful and delicate.”

As manager of business and legal affairs for East Coast labels (Island Records and Republic Records) at Universal Music Group, she handles the clearance process of side artists, samples and other business affairs.

“People don’t realize how many elements of a song get nitpicked and analyzed before going out the door,” McPhail says. “Every single lyric is reviewed for copyright concerns. Each version of a song and album artwork have to be reviewed by a legal team for potential copyright issues.”

Though quick to say she has no interest in being in the spotlight, McPhail does like to be in the know.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ALUMNI

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Hannah Gerry ’13

has a playlist for every occasion.

“Even studying in the Bentley Library, I had specific songs and playlists that kept me inspired,” she says, citing Portishead, Phantogram and Massive Attack as go-to bands of the time.

It’s not surprising, given that by age 7, Gerry had professed her dream of becoming a singer. She was active in local arts programs — singing, dancing and acting — in her hometown of Sudbury, Massachusetts.

Things took a different turn in high school, Gerry recalls. “At that pivotal time in life, there was a lot of pressure to conform. So I started to identify more with my athleticism.”

She brought her field hockey skills to Bentley, and spent three seasons as a Falcon midfielder and forward. Meanwhile, marketing and writing courses “reinvigorated” her thinking about music.

“The skills I was learning made me confident that I could harness my passion for music, even if it was on the business side,” says the former Marketing major.

Gerry started blogging for a college music publication, and continued to do so after graduating and taking a full-time analyst role at TJX Companies. As her blogging grew from album reviews to artist interviews and festival reviews, so did her confidence.

“I remember thinking, ‘I can sing; I want to learn how to produce; I want to learn how to create and distribute my own songs,’” she says.

Opportunity came when the blogging platform was acquired by Verge Campus Media. The college media company was recruiting a first-ever director of community relations and strategic planning who could work with college students, and Gerry jumped into the role. Her work involved creating campus chapters, doing strategic and operational planning for direct student/brand engagement, and increasing advertising sales and sponsorship.

“I was excited to build something from the ground up,” says Gerry, who went on to serve as music licensing manager for Endemic Sound and as director of business development at Signature Tracks. “I credit Bentley with helping me realize that with marketing, you can marry your creativity with a skill set that could drive a business forward.”

Last year, that “business” would become her own. She was dealing with a health issue that made it difficult to sit at a desk for hours at a time.

“I seriously reevaluated my priorities and leaned into my creative pursuits in a way I hadn’t been able to do before,” Gerry says.

She turned to creating floral arrangements for weddings and ramped up songwriting. Her EP, released in 2021 as Hannah Noelle, is influenced by soul, R&B, alt rock, ’90s aesthetics, pop and folk.

Finally, there is Neon Owl: an online community founded by a friend, which aims to help independent artists, producers and musicians succeed while also generating support for philanthropic causes.

“There’s so much opportunity for music to be licensed to movies, commercials, ads and games,” she explains. “My goal is to create viable streams of income for them and provide education and resources to help them see that potential.”

“I get to see and touch everything before the general population, and oftentimes this is for artists who are just starting out,” says the alumna, who had subscriptions to Rolling Stone and SPIN as a middle schooler. “I always thought, there has to be a way to make this my life.”

At Bentley, she seized every opportunity to keep music center stage.

For example, helping start a program that recruited local musicians to perform at student events, DJ’ing for the campus radio station and interning at The Echo Nest — newly acquired by Spotify and an early player in collecting data to personalize music to listeners’ taste.

When it came time for a full-time gig, McPhail says she dug herself into the music industry. “I somehow got myself an interview at the Artists Den, a PBS-run concert series, doing brand partnerships. I convinced them — because I believed it — that I could do whatever they needed me to do: the ultimate industry mentality.”

McPhail developed the company’s first sponsorship contacts database and supervised VIP guest services at concerts. After a brief stint

at TuneCore, she joined Universal Music Group in 2018.

“I have a fantastic sense of what I’m messaging to other people, labels and teams — and how it makes our artists look,” says the former Corporate Communications major. “It allows me to play the role of ‘gatekeeper’ in many senses, using that PR mindset to think of things from all angles.”

McPhail is happy to see her own appreciation for new talent on the rise with others.

“People are really connecting on a personal level with artists who show their true selves,” she says, citing IDLES, a post-punk group from England, among her current favorites. “The lead singer speaks very openly about being bisexual and very liberal, and about his sufferings with addiction and the loss of a child. You would never have seen that kind of openness 10 years ago.

“Authenticity is what really excites me about going forward.

I think we could all use that.”

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S O LV I N G S O C I E T Y’S I LL S Bentley fixes a business lens on health care

By Kristin Livingston

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<< FEATURES

Accounting for 19.7% of the gross domestic product in 2020, health care spending in the United States has nearly tripled over the past 50 years — without necessarily healing all that ails this colossal system. The pandemic cast the good, the bad and the ugly of American health care into stark relief, leaving most of us to wonder: How do you help a $4.1 trillion behemoth efficiently and effectively deliver on a basic human need?

It turns out that good business is crucial to good health. And Bentley has been at the forefront of fostering this synergy for years.

Dedicated researchers, educators and deep divers from all corners of our community continue to come together to advance an industry that affects us all. They recognize that everyone deserves to be well. That it’s not only big business — it’s big impact. And it needs our help.

PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK/ART STOCK CREATIVE

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“That’s not covered by your insurance.”

What American hasn’t heard this line at the pharmacy counter? The price tag on a prescription drug can be a wild card, for no discernible reason and with no obvious person to hold accountable.

And yet our society spends more on health care than any other nation in the world. On average, U.S. consumers pay 2.5 times more than customers in other countries for the same prescription.

One contributing factor is the “innovation myth” that large pharmaceutical companies have perpetuated: Cutting costs for the consumer compromises the ability to discover and develop new medications. When faced with a life-threatening illness, what’s a sick person to do?

Enter Fred Ledley, MD, professor of Natural & Applied Sciences and Management, and Gregory Vaughan, assistant professor of Mathematical Sciences. The two participated in a congressional briefing to debunk this age-old excuse.

The research they presented, funded by the nonpartisan West Health Policy Center, examined the financial practices of 1,349 publicly traded biopharmaceutical companies over nearly 20 years.

Specifically, the relationship between each company’s annual revenue and its reported research and development spending.

“Evidence indicates that these [small drug] companies are responsible for the majority of all clinical trials and as many as 40% of new drug approvals in recent years,” says Ledley, who directs the Center for the Integration of Science and Industry. This is significant, because “the finances of established firms are dramatically different from those of small biotechnology companies.” The former make gains through product sales and profits, while the latter focus on creating new intellectual property and products.

Ledley and Vaughan’s findings corroborate earlier research that shows how pharma companies have stacked the deck against us, so policymakers can avoid what he calls the “false choice” of affordability or innovation. At Bentley, their work joins that of colleagues like Danielle Blanch Hartigan, who are similarly determined to improve the state of American health care — and prepare students to do the same.

The Beating Heart of Business When Danielle Hartigan, PhD, MPH, joined Bentley’s Natural and Applied Sciences Department 15 years ago, health care accounted for roughly $2 trillion of the U.S. economy; it has since doubled.

Understanding this fundamental axis of our society is important for future leaders of any organization, she says.

The finance and management of employee health and wellness affect every business, no matter the size, location and industry.

“But I would say there’s a newfound appreciation for the role of public health since the pandemic,” Hartigan says. Stress on supply chains, mental health, the impact of sick employees, the uncertainty around an illness we’re still uncovering — all are real-time lessons for Bentley students.

“Understanding the impact of societal health is “ OUR RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE BIOPHARMA an essential business tool.”

Hartigan has been leading this charge as head INDUSTRY CAN SUCCESSFULLY DELIVER NEW of the university’s Health Thought Leadership DRUGS TO THE MARKET WHILE ENSURING THAT Network (Health TLN) since 2016. With 60-plus faculty and staff members spanning 25 departESSENTIAL MEDICINES ARE AFFORDABLE FOR ments, the Health TLN is the campus hub for ALL AMERICANS.” health care collaboration and information, bridging academia and industry to advance health-related

FRED LEDLEY research and education.

In the 2021-2022 academic year alone, students have had access to a specialized course on the health care delivery system, and to nearly 1,250 life sciences internship opportunities and career mentorships in Boston — one of the best biotech and medical cities in the world. Alumni in health care have Zoomed in to talk with students about everything from research and clinical perspectives of the LGBTQ+ patient experience to the laws, ethics and impact of the opioid crisis. And faculty researchers have opened innumerable doors for students to broaden their business education by joining distinctive, news-making studies.

All of these are a boon for students like Andrey Dobrynin ’22, who came to Bentley from his native Moscow to build a future in finance that fuses with a lifelong passion: biology. By taking traditional lab and economics courses along with electives like the Science and Business of

18 | SPRING 2022

<< FEATURES

Biotechnology, he has studied Massachusetts-based biotech companies from top to bottom, learning about their competitors, products, marketing and, of course, the science. As he puts it: “I’m gaining a very unique skill set that will help me work my way up in the industry.”

“ UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF SOCIETAL HEALTH IS AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS

Perception vs. (Virtual) Reality TOOL. ” Across campus, PhD candidate Ja-Nae Duane agrees. Carefully pop on DANIELLE HARTIGAN a VR headset and she’ll welcome you to the Virtual Communications Research (VCR) lab.

The pandemic’s punishing sprint from in-person to remote care continues to cause a seismic shift in how, why and when we reach out for help. Fortunately, most of us don’t need a trip to the doctor every day. But for those living with cancer or another serious illness that requires specialized care, who’s going the extra mile to make sure nothing is lost in cyber translation?

The VCR has tapped Duane and dozens of other students to dive into this research in partnership with the Health TLN and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — and the collaboration doesn’t stop there.

The VCR lab itself was founded by Hartigan; Jon Ericson, assistant professor of Information Design and Corporate Communication; and Justin Sanders, the Kappy and Eric M. Flanders Chair of Palliative Care at McGill University.

Dress, background, lighting, facial cues, clutter, even how much upper body is showing on screen. All of these factors play a role in establishing psychological safety and an effective patient experience, according to Bentley researchers. Their findings were included in the peer-reviewed Telemedicine and e-Health journal, presented at medical conferences, and helped create an illustrated guide of dos and don’ts for clinicians.

Using 360-degree video, researchers from Bentley’s Immersive Design Lab have also recorded a live oncology visit. Cameras rolled in every direction at the same time to recreate a full-view doctor-patient scenario.

“We know that good communication leads to better patient outcomes,” explains Ericson. “But how do we definitively know that poor communication leads to worse outcomes?”

Studying the galvanic skin response (unconscious reactions like sweat and goosebumps) of cancer survivors, Bentley researchers measured their Life-Changing Research The National Institutes of physiological responses to positive and negative conversations with an Health and National Science oncology doctor avatar. While analysis is still underway, the data is sure Foundation have invested in Bentley researchers like to be an asset to the palliative care community.

Mounia Ziat, who is creating Conducting more of our care in this metaverse of interacting a tactile communication virtual worlds, Duane says, is where her career — and all of us — device for Deafblind students: bentley.edu/ziat are headed. “VR is in many ways the future in which we will not only work, but live.”

Evolving Together Health concerns have reached a fever pitch during COVID19, but the need for efficient and equitable care is timeless.

As humans evolve, so do the societal infrastructures we depend on.

“Pre-pandemic, I had to explain what epidemiology is,” Hartigan says. “Today, students come in knowing that health care and disease prevention have an immeasurable impact on society. Bentley is preparing them, and helping all of us, to better that impact.”

375+ Publications Since 2014, Health TLN faculty have published hundreds of health-related papers to enhance their fields: bentley.edu/healthtln

Breaking Down Barriers Watch Professor Fred Ledley, MD, address Congress about the unnecessary increase in drug pricing: bentley.edu/ledley

COLLABORATION MATTERS Inside the Health Thought Leadership Network

Nearly 1,250 Connections Students have had access to more than 1,000 life sciences internship opportunities and career mentorships in the 2021-2022 academic year PHOTO BY SHUTTERSTOCK/ART STOCK CREATIVE

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 19

CAMPAIGN UPDATE >>

TRANSFORMING THE

BUSINESS OF HEALTH CARE Alumni brothers Chris and Greg Smith invest $5M in health care at Bentley When Chris and Greg Smith first learned about a burgeoning effort in Bentley’s business education they were intrigued; health care is a personal — and professional — interest for them. It’s an industry, they say, that’s headed for a very necessary disruption. And these lifelong entrepreneurs are excited to help guide that change, for the better.

“The health care space is in a transformative period, and that transition is creating a lot of silos, inefficiencies and dislocation,” says Chris ’91, MBA ’92, P ’19/’20 ’24 (below right). Now is the time, he adds, to be progressive and innovative. AI and data analytics. Organizational design and finance.

Says Greg ’91: “Everything is rapidly changing.

There is a crossover between health care and technology that was accelerated by the pandemic and it’s going to explode. Only a handful of institutions have been keeping up, and Bentley is one of them.”

President Brent Chrite’s commitment to addressing real, human needs through smart business and Bentley’s Health Thought Leadership Network (Health TLN) have inspired the Smiths to take a closer look at how the university can bring even more expertise to bear on this vital field that affects us all.

By Kristin Livingston

20 | SPRING 2022

PHOTO BY STEVE BRIGGS

<< CAMPAIGN UPDATE

A solid, renowned business education is a given at Bentley. But what some may not know is that, since 2016, the Health TLN has been a nexus for health care research and education across campus — with dozens of faculty and staff leading international collaborations, numerous NIH- and NSF-funded projects, hundreds of publications, internships, a pilot course and more.

“We’ve made huge strides,” confirms Associate Professor Danielle Blanch Hartigan, who leads the Health TLN. “But with the Smiths’ support we can do so much more: preparing today’s students to be the entrepreneurs and thought leaders who’ll guide the health care system into a new realm that can have a maximum benefit for society.”

Inspired by the Health TLN’s critical and timely initiative, Chris and Greg have made a gift of $5 million to the university to help grow and transform the business of health care education; give new graduates and researchers a head start in this exciting space; and make Bentley a household name in the industry. With this extraordinary investment — one of the largest by a living donor in the university’s history — they join Bentley’s Great Benefactors, generous donors who've committed $1 million or more to the future of the institution.

“Chris and Greg’s generosity is a bold bet on Bentley — one that I know will have a strong ROI for the university, our communities and the greater health care business landscape,” says Chrite. “With this incredible investment, Bentley has the backing to further the Health TLN’s impressive work, to create a robust and scalable platform that will be a force for innovation and impact with renowned health care organizations in Boston, and beyond.”

There is a crossover between health care and technology that was accelerated by the pandemic and it’s going to explode. Only a handful of institutions have been keeping up, and Bentley is one of them.

GREG SMITH ’91 Growing up in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, the Smiths knew snow.

But while other kids raced to sled after a storm, Chris and Greg grabbed their shovels and hit every driveway on the block. Entrepreneurship, and drive, are in their DNA. “Try and fail. Try and fail. Try and fail,” says Greg. “Great ideas don’t always work, but with my Bentley degree as this foundation, I had these building blocks to keep trying until I was successful.”

Chris agrees and says his sons, Chase ’19, MBA ’20 and Trevor ’24 didn’t come to Bentley just because of Dad. “It was because we knew how well this school worked for me,” says Chris, “and they would have that same foundation to start their lives.”

Giving back and creating a generational legacy means that much more, says Greg.

“This is our way of making a transformative gift that we could be a part of, to help Bentley, our industry and anyone who is facing the challenges of the health care system.”

Compassion is a natural underpinning of their businesses and they have been focused on serving communities for over 25 years. Chris founded and served as CEO of multiple private equity real estate companies, he co-founded Maplewood Healthcare, and owned and operated more than 10 hotels. Maplewood Healthcare has evolved into a health care real estate platform and had a name change to

Aspect Health in 2020. Greg moved from finance to real estate, and a particular property he acquired in 2004 ignited a passion that would come to serve countless families, including his own. He is the president and CEO of the Maplewood and Inspı̄r senior living brands.

As successful alumni, Chris says, they have a social responsibility to make a difference, no matter the amount. “What we’re doing isn’t just a monetary gift. It's a commitment of our time and resources to help move this program over the goal line, to be a part of the fabric of the university.

To step back, look at the next generation and think: How do I make an impact?

“It’s going to be fun, and a lot of work.”

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 21

THE PROfile >>

Singular Sensation AS TOLD TO KRISTEN WALSH

Vinay Gokaldas ’10 is founder and CEO of Pasiv Financial, an artificial intelligence-powered investing app that allows people to build and manage a stock portfolio using simple chat commands. Find out why he calls NFTs (non-fungible tokens) the next big breakthrough on the blockchain.

Bentley now accepts crypto for tuition and plans to do the same for gifts.

Learn more.

22 | SPRING 2022

POWER OF ONE An asset is “fungible” when one is identical to the other, like a dollar or a bitcoin. But an NFT is a singular item on the blockchain [digital ledger] indicating ownership. That singularity is where the power of the concept of NFTs fundamentally lies.

the future; the Nyan Cat NFT (below) sold for almost $600,000 in February 2021. It only takes a few celebrities or social media influencers jumping on a particular NFT to build hype in the NFT community.

Unfortunately, a lot of the value is being driven by speculation.

EASY EXCHANGE An NFT allows for ownership tracking and is particularly popular for art and images.

You can create an NFT for almost any kind of digital media, post it publicly online and have its ownership changed in a decentralized way.

You don’t need anyone in between, such as a bank, for that exchange of a sale.

OWNERSHIP ON DISPLAY I often get asked about the value of owning a digital asset that you can’t hold and feel.

First, an NFT can be displayed in a digital photo frame, which could be in a home or art gallery, for example. But owners also share the digital wallet address — where the asset lives in the metaverse. The simple act of “owning it” is powerful. Some people are using their NFT as Twitter or Instagram profile pictures.

DRIVING VALUE The NFT demographic is a mix of art collectors and young adults. They are buying on the potential to sell it for a high value in

GETTING REAL A big emerging trend is the “vaulting” of physical items that are then sold as an NFT digital copy, so they can be traded and bought and sold in an easy, secure, transparent way.

The NFT is tied to a real-world item, say a rare wine collection, that is stored in a vault managed by a company. In these cases, there needs to be a mechanism to “burn” the NFT if someone takes the item out of the vault.

If you served the rare wine at your wedding, for example, the NFT must cease to exist.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE S. ANDERSON; NYAN CAT BY SHUTTERSTOCK/MININYXDOODLE

CLASS NOTES

Welcome, Kenna Stevie, daughter of Michelle (Brouillard) Rubin ’10 and husband Daniel

Bentley partnered with Rebecca Blakely ’22 (@madebyrebecca) to create dozens of Giphy stickers that celebrate some of your favorite things on campus, from the footbridge to Spring Day to this cute-as-can-be Flex. To use them, look for “BentleyU” in the Instagram Stories search bar — and remember to tag @bentleyu and @bentleyalumni.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 23

CLASS NOTES >>

1958 The late Richard J. “Dick” Barry, Saugus, Mass., was recognized posthumously as the town’s senior center was named in his honor.

The “Saugus legend” was widely known for his involvement in the Little League and CYO Basketball programs, local politics and, of course, the senior center.

1974 Jack Cummings, St. Johnsbury, Vt., has moved on from St. Johnsbury Academy after 43 years. He served the school in a variety of roles, most recently as

associate headmaster.

He is now CEO of the Kingdom Development Company.

1984 Michael Corey, P ’14, Milton, Mass., was awarded a Doctor of Business Administration from Temple University in May 2021. He shares: “My dissertation was ‘The Impact of Advisor’s Knowledge and Experience on the Performance of OwnerManager Companies.’”

Corey is the co-founder of LicenseFortress, which helps clients stay compliant with Oracle licensing.

A TOAST TO CONNECTION Phil Belanger ’82, Waltham, Mass., celebrated the 34th annual glögg holiday party with fellow Falcons from the Class of 1982, hosted by Deb (Sargent) Mead in Eastham, Mass. Front, from left: David Kelman, Tim Felter, Phil Belanger, Paul Logan; back: Bob Shore, MSF ’87; Melanie (Kasparek) Kregling; Deb Mead; Janet (Larsen) Logan.

1985

1986

1987

Kent Gregoire, Corinth, Vt., has been certified as a consultant of conscious capitalism by Conscious Capitalism Inc. He is a founding member of 100 Months to Change NL, which works to expand the definition of business success — from a sole focus on financial performance to maximizing performance in six areas essential for a socially and environmentally sustainable world.

The alumnus has more than three decades’ experience helping businesses “establish and pursue a clear purpose beyond profit,” as founder and CEO of Symphony Advantage.

Kevin P. Martin Jr., MST ’92, Milton, Mass., reports that Kevin P. Martin & Associates PC, a top Massachusettsbased accounting, consulting and tax firm, has joined CohnReznick LLP, one of the leading advisory, assurance and tax firms in the United States — and now among the top 10 in Massachusetts.

“My dad, Kevin P. Martin ’63, founded our practice over 50 years ago and we will continue to honor his legacy every day,” he writes, noting that the change brings several other Bentley alumni to CohnReznick.

“This is an exciting move for our firm, at the right time in the marketplace.”

Richard Duffy, MSA, Tamarac, Fla., has published Musings of a Mystical Accountant, which he describes as “a collection of my experiences and opinions, primarily from the mystical/occult side.”

Laurie (Peterson) Zaucha, Pittsford, N.Y., joined Congruity Group’s board of directors.

Sharon Nikosey, MBA, Wakefield, Mass., is an active member of the Bentley Alumni and Family Book Club, which met online in December 2021 to discuss The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

“It was a good read,” she reports, and urges fellow Falcons to join and participate as often or as little as they like. “Most members agree that it encourages them to read about topics they may not have picked on their own; and it’s usually enjoyable!”

Join the book club at pbc.guru/bentley.

Jim Sano, MBA, Medfield, Mass., is enjoying semi-retirement, spending time remodeling his home with wife Joanne,

SAVE THE DATE October 21 to 23 The homecoming football game and alumni activities will be paired with the best of family weekend events, so there’s truly something for everyone — students and their families, alumni and friends, and faculty and staff. We look forward to welcoming you to campus for Bentley’s best fall weekend!

<< CLASS NOTES

1990

IN THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS Kristen Conover ’91, Farmington, Conn., shares that three dozen Bentley alumni, most from the Class of 1991 and a few from the Class of 1990, gathered in September 2021 to celebrate 30-plus years of friendship.

attending Franciscan University for his master’s degree in Catechesis and Evangelization, and writing novels. His fourth, Van Horn, was released in November 2021. The main character’s search for his kidnapped daughter takes readers to cartel-controlled towns on the Texas-Mexico border.

1988 John Brown, Cohasset, Mass., has retired after 25 years’ service as director of administration and finance for the Massachusetts Disabled Persons Protection Commission. He is devoting more time to his entrepreneurial passion: Chelsea Fire Hot Sauce LLC. “My Chelsea Fire Wicked Hot Sauce combination of habanero and ghost pepper has been on New England retail shelves for 10 years,” he writes, citing Whole Foods Market, Market Basket and Big Y

as examples. As of January 2022, vendors include Whole Foods Market locations in Florida. A portion of gross sales proceeds goes to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which helps the families and co-workers of those who lost their lives.

Angelo Manioudakis, Boston, Mass., is chief investment officer at Northern Trust Asset Management. He held senior roles at several global financial firms over his 32-year career, the most recent being managing partner with Lantern Harbor Investment Partners, an alternative investment firm that he co-founded.

1989 In December 2021, Wendy (Kloskowski) Fielding, Grantham, N.H., was promoted to the position of chief financial officer for Dartmouth-Hitchcock and system vice president for finance for the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System.

Richard Howell, Foxboro, Mass., of The Bulfinch Group, has earned the designation Five Star Wealth Manager, as featured in the February 2022 issue of Boston magazine.

Julie A. Zolfo, Largo, Fla., released a book in July 2021: The Way of the Traveler’s H.E.A.R.T. It landed on the Amazon bestseller list in 11 travel and adventure categories (taking the no. 1 spot in three of them). The book’s subtitle — Experience the Fullness and Variety of Life … With or Without a Passport — speaks not only to her experience as a world traveler but also her professional work as a life coach. She guides clients in developing a mindset that treats each day like a new adventure.

1991 Terry Apruzzese Days, Andover, Mass., has become a principal at Modera Wealth Management LLC, a national fee-only comprehensive financial planning firm with offices in seven states. She joins Modera’s ownership group after having served as compliance officer since 2019. The alumna is the founding vice archon of the Zeta Delta chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma.

GOING THE DISTANCE Terry Rice ’93, MSA ’94, MST ’99, Medford, Mass., shares that he completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. “I covered over 2,000 miles in 149 days, hiking from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia!”

Pamela (Krull) Rosenberg and her husband, Steve, Newton Center, Mass., have launched The One By One Project to help Greater Boston nonprofits cover client needs that fall outside the organization’s mission. The goal is to fill gaps that, when left unpaid, can quickly turn into a crisis for a family.

They were inspired by Steve Alperin ’87 and Michael Connelly ’86, two co-founders of Boston Bullpen Project, which provides a similar service. Learn more at theonebyoneproject.org.

1992 Former Bentley men’s ice hockey player Dan Connolly, Marshfield, Mass., was elected to the Massachusetts High School Hockey Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2021.

Michael Meehan, MSF ’00, MSFP ’00, Topsfield, Mass., was named a shareholder of TFC Financial. He serves as vice president and client adviser at the independent, fee-only firm, which is majority owned by its staff. The alumnus joined TFC Financial in spring 2020 and holds certified financial planner, certified public accountant and personal financial specialist credentials, as designated by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 25

CLASS NOTES >> (Class of 1992, continued from page 25)

SPOTLIGHT: GROWING ENGAGEMENT

BY MARY K. PRATT

Keith Singletary ’96 has long wanted to create more opportunities for alumni of color to get or stay engaged with their alma mater. Soon he’ll get his wish, joining fellow members of the Global Alumni Board (GAB) to host such a gathering during Falcon Weekend, October 21 to 23.

In-person and online sessions will invite alumni to network, share experiences, and otherwise support and learn from one another.

“The goal is to have greater interaction with alumni of color,” says Singletary, who is a vice president in Risk Management at Morgan Stanley.

“We’re planting a seed for engagement that I’m confident will grow.”

Singletary traces his interest in accounting back to a high school career day, where a member of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) was a keynote speaker and would later become his mentor.

“That exposure to what was then the Big 8 accounting firms created a drive in me to become a CPA,” he says, adding that the influence of a mentor and the group’s active presence at Bentley motivated him to apply.

Singletary was further impressed by the school’s strong academics, great reputation in the business world and wide-ranging extracurricular activities. He himself joined the campus NABA chapter, Black United Body and the Boston citywide chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. “Coming from a humble, working-class family, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to get a quality education at a prestigious institution like Bentley University. That opened doors and propelled me into a career in accounting, investment banking, trading and, eventually, risk management. Bentley staged the building blocks I needed to further my path and set me up for success in business school and ultimately on Wall Street,” says the alumnus, who received full-tuition scholarships to Bentley and NYU Stern. “I give back to Bentley because I am grateful. By being involved, I can also partner with the administration and share ideas on ways we can further diversity and inclusion.”

He puts the same mindset to work at Morgan Stanley, by mentoring others and being part of the company’s Black Employee Network Steering Committee. His role on Bentley’s GAB includes chairing its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, which keeps the relevant issues at the forefront of thinking and planning.

The alumnus is eager to welcome fellow Falcons to the activities planned this fall. “Through this and future opportunities to connect as alumni, I hope we will follow the motto ‘lifting as we climb’ and find ways to support the next generation of leaders on campus.”

Singletary and his wife, Ana, have two daughters and live in New Rochelle, N.Y.

26 | SPRING 2022

Sharliese Smith married Ronald Ballard on September 5, 2021, at Homewood Suites in Stratford, Conn.

The couple resides in Bridgeport.

1993 Terry McMahon, Needham, Mass., was named a managing director at Morgan Stanley.

1996 Monique (Young) Jefferson, Brooklyn, N.Y., was included in the 2021 list of 25 Influential Black Women in Business

by The Network Journal, an award-winning business magazine for African-American professionals, corporate executives and business owners. The alumna is the chief human resources officer at New York Public Radio.

Damien Stile, Garden City, N.Y., is now chief executive officer at Alba Wheels Up. He will set corporate strategy and manage overall operations at the industry-leading freight forwarder, customs broker and e-commerce logistics provider.

1997 Suz (Parks) Bourgault and husband Joe, Portland, Maine, welcomed baby girl Nicole on July 8, 2021.

1999 Lawyer and longtime social justice advocate Kiana Pierre-Louis, Sharon, Mass., was appointed the first assistant dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Northeastern University School of Law. Her charge is to create and implement the school’s strategic vision and plan for DEI, while also leading and facilitating new initiatives and activities that promote DEI among students, faculty and staff. At her previous institution for 13 years — Bentley — she was a much-loved and highly respected senior lecturer in Law, pre-Law adviser and course coordinator in the Law and Taxation Department.

Ken Viciana, Marietta, Ga., is now vice president, global data and analytics products at TSYS/Global Payments.

2000 Mark Milewski, MBA, West Hartford, Conn., has been promoted to professor of Business Administration at Tunxis Community College, which is located in Farmington.

<< INSIDE JOB

DEEP SPACE DESIGN I M AGI N E packing up the old RV for a camp-out in … outer space.

Astronauts headed to NASA’s Artemis Gateway, a space station set to orbit the Moon in 2024, will be living tiny in their new quarters: the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO). Northrop Grumman human factors expert Shawnette Adams, MSHFID ’14 and fellow engineers have been tasked with designing HALO to be intuitive — and safe. If all goes to plan, HALO will take the astronauts — including the next man, first woman and first person of color — one step closer to Mars.

MIND AND BODY EXPERIENCE Our team’s job is to ask, “How is a person going to complete this task?” for every aspect within HALO. Human factors helps us answer that question and many more by combining facets of psychology and engineering.

The field requires an in-depth understanding of mental and physical capabilities and limitations of humans — how people think, behave and perceive their surroundings and why. Limitations such as physical size and strength and cognitive challenges are also addressed during the design process. The design team’s goal is to maximize HALO’s 11.8 cubic meters of usable space to be the most effective and efficient for the astronauts!

UP, DOWN, ALL AROUND In space, there is no “down.” Water doesn’t drain. Feet aren’t indicators of foundation, as is true on Earth. So we have to think about the impact of many variables, such as the microgravity environment and the lack of earthly orientation cues. Astronauts will live in HALO for up to 30 days: exercising, conducting research, repairing and replacing hardware, and performing medical care. The team has to rethink simple tasks and flip them on their head.

MISSION: SAFETY AND COMPLETION For each task the astronauts will need to perform, our team asks: How quickly? In what order?

Using which tools? Where in HALO will the task be performed? We’re also designing for survivability and maintainability. Astronauts in space can’t run to Home Depot. There’s no calling 911 for emergency fire or medical services. Habitability, safety and occupational health are critical aspects to ensure HALO is “human-rated.”

This is a term implemented by NASA after the Challenger and Columbia accidents, ensuring that human spacecraft are failure tolerant and offer protection by allowing astronaut control should a failure occur.

THE HUMAN FACTOR The human is what makes HALO. I enjoy the work, but I really enjoy the people. Our successes, our challenges, our growth as a team over time. It’s almost unfathomable to work on something so historic. I'm interacting directly with the astronauts who are going to be using this system, with the goal of helping them complete their missions and return to Earth safely. It’s a great honor and a privilege. One day when I retire, I’ll look back and say, “HALO! I was part of that! I was able to contribute to history and leave my mark.”

As told to Kristin Livingston PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNA; ILLUSTRATION BY SHUTTERSTOCK/ALEXANDERTROU

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 27

CLASS NOTES >>

2001 Brad Champion, Westwood, Mass., of The Bulfinch Group, has been designated a Five Star Wealth Manager for the third consecutive year, as featured in the February 2022 issue of Boston magazine.

2003 Bella (Nemernitskaya) Amigud, MST ’05, Northborough, Mass., has been promoted to tax partner at AAFCPAs, a best-in-class CPA and consulting firm known for tax, assurance, accounting, wealth management, valuation, business process and IT advisory solutions.

Michelle Beaulieu, MSCF ’04, MBA ’10, Woburn, Mass., welcomed daughter Anabelle Juliette on October 5, 2021.

Neeta (Bheecham) Beepath, Randolph, Mass., has been named the first director of development at the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, the globally recognized leader in brain aneurysm awareness, education, support, advocacy and research funding. She leads fundraising and donor engagement efforts that build awareness of signs, symptoms and risk factors of brain aneurysms, as well as emphasize available treatments and the importance of early detection.

28 | SPRING 2022

Benjamin Bielak, MBA ’03, Holliston, Mass., is on the executive team at iSpecimen which, in June 2021, went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol ISPC. He spent three years as chief information officer at the company, which works to accelerate life science research and development. Its global iSpecimen Marketplace connects researchers to people, human biospecimens and data.

Susan (Foss) Palmacci and husband Mark, Stoneham, Mass., welcomed Mia Grace on October 26, 2020. She joins big brother Samuel.

2004 Ryan Martin, Mansfield, Mass., was appointed vice president, portfolio manager for the Investment Management Group at Rockland Trust.

He works primarily out of the Franklin office and serves clients as far south as Cape Cod. His experience includes 17 years at Eastern Bank Wealth Management, most recently as a vice president and relationship manager.

2005 Celia (Pedersen) Carmichael, Billerica, Mass., has built a 17-year career at Fresenius Medical Care, which is now headquartered in Waltham. “I’ve reported to the same two leaders during my tenure,” she writes. “Both are Bentley alumni: my boss, Amy Cuff ’99, and her boss, Jay Mael ’76.”

The positive experience of being mentored by fellow alumni inspired Carmichael to create an accounting internship within her team; current Bentley students are its talent pool. “It’s an opportunity I wish I’d found as a student, and now I get to create that opportunity for someone else!”

Andrea (Boutelle) Doyle and husband James, North Chesterfield, Va., welcomed their second baby, Rowan Shea, on August 16, 2021. Big sister Violet is nearly 7.

After 15 years as a Bentley staff member, Roni Eng, MBA ’20, Waltham, Mass., has taken a position as senior report developer at NEPC in Boston.

Robinson+Cole Business Litigation Group lawyer Amanda R. Phillips, Wayland, Mass., was selected among the Top Women of Law for 2021.

The honor, bestowed by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, goes to female lawyers who are pioneers, educators, trailblazers and role models.

Vanessa Salome, Saudi Arabia, and Lina Kettani ’07 have launched My Little Maroc, an online store to help artisans in Morocco during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2006 Ellen Cliggott, MSIAM, Hyannis, Mass., writes: “After pondering, musing and soul-searching during the height of the pandemic, I stepped down from my position as director of marketing for the Cape Symphony to focus on freelance writing and editing. I’m still handling PR and writing content for the symphony, and also working for multiple clients in nonprofits, health care technology, civil engineering and more.”

The alumna creates new content and edits existing content to help organizations clearly communicate with the public and meet their goals. Examples include blog posts, newsletters, case studies, customer stories, signage, white papers, grant applications, press releases, articles and more. “I’m happy to be spending my time doing excellent work that I love,” says Cliggott.

“A pandemic bright side!”

Matthew DeBernardo, Winter Garden, Fla., is now senior vice president at Alterna Capital Solutions.

Ryan Feller, Beverly, Mass., has joined Theory Wellness as director, Financial Planning and Analysis. He is responsible for building the FP&A function and team at this rapidly growing cannabis multi-state operator.

Jennifer Manghisi, New York, N.Y., has been accepted into the Executive MBA program at Columbia Business School with an expected completion date of May 2024.

Alissa (Rogers) Massimilla and husband Michael, Bedford, Mass., welcomed baby girl Annika Marie on August 29, 2021. She joins siblings Logan and Ava. The alumna writes: “My husband helped draft my fantasy football team during labor. I was in first place right up until playoffs. Sadly, I finished in fourth, but I’ll always remember this draft!”

2007 Charlotte (Thomas) Creech, San Antonio, Texas, was promoted to executive director of innovation at USAA, a Fortune 100 company that provides banking and insurance offerings to U.S. military members and their families.

As head of the claims innovation unit, she oversees a team of 20 business technologists delivering digital innovation solutions and new business products.

Amanda (Grant) Dudley, MBA ’08 and husband Brian, Weston, Mass., welcomed a baby girl, Addison, in April 2020. She joins big brothers Lucas and Brooks.

<< CLASS NOTES

SPOTLIGHT: JET-SET TRAVEL MINUS SKY-HIGH COSTS

BY MARY K. PRATT

It was 2019 and Benji Stawski ’20 was bound for Buenos Aires.

He had booked the trip just hours before takeoff, scoring a business-class plane ticket for a five-day stay in the Argentinian capital. The tab quickly topped $4,000, but Stawski’s out-of-pocket expenses were a mere $100 in taxes and fees.

The nearly free vacation testifies to both his love of travel and his fiscal savvy — a combination he has turned into a career.

Stawski is a reporter for The Points Guy, an online site that offers tips for leveraging discounts and rewards to maximize value. He had freelanced for the company through college and became a full-time staffer at graduation.

The former Managerial Economics and Entrepreneurial Studies major is no stranger to private jets and exotic locales. He has traveled through 28 countries, from the Americas to Europe to Asia, visiting some places multiple times.

Still, not every trip is enviable. One assignment put him on a plane from New York to London. He wrote a review of the flight to submit for publication as soon as he landed, then flew right back home to New York City.

Two countries he has yet to visit — Australia and South Africa — are at the top of Stawski’s wish list.

“The good thing about my job is I can pitch trips I want to take and places I want to go,” he says, noting that travel is returning to pre-pandemic levels.

SOME OF HIS TOP HACKS Transfer credit card points to airline miles instead of redeeming for cash back.

Earn elite status by staying loyal to airlines and hotel chains.

Build points as much as you can, for example, by using the credit card instead of a debit card as often as possible.

Seek out credit cards with travel perks, such as free checked bags, room upgrades and airport lounge access.

Compare the cash and points rates before redeeming rewards. When cash prices are low, it may make more sense to pay outright for a flight or hotel, and save your points and miles for a higher-value redemption.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ALUMNUS

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 29

CLASS NOTES >> (Class of 2007, continued from page 28)

Lina Kettani, Casablanca, Morocco, and Vanessa Salome ’05 have launched My Little Maroc, an online store to help artisans in Casablanca, Morocco, during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This little project of ours is slowly building up, making our dream come true,” Kettani says. “Ever since Vanessa visited me in Morocco during summer vacation, we’ve had this dream to do what we are doing today, together.

Bentley friendship does miracles!”

Meredith (Conant) Piotti, MSA ’08, Bellingham, Mass., reports that she is a principal at Wolf & Company, married to husband Evan and a mom to three lovely girls.

Her oldest daughter, Reagan, who is 8 years old, has a rare progressive disease called Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC), an inherited disorder where cholesterol and other fats accumulate in the brain and elsewhere. The symptoms worsen over time and center around the loss of motor function, causing problems walking, talking and swallowing.

The disease can also cause memory loss and cognitive decline. There are only 100 people with NPC in the United States and Reagan is the youngest in New England.

30 | SPRING 2022

“We were originally told that NPC had no cure or treatment plan,” explains Piotti. “But we discovered there were two promising experimental treatments with compassionate use programs. Unfortunately like many rare diseases, getting them approved has proven difficult.”

In June 2021, Reagan and one of her parents began traveling to Chicago for treatment.

Their wish for a more local location came true in April 2022: Reagan is being treated at Connecticut Children’s Hospital.

Jennifer Palmer, MBA ’11, Norwood, Mass., has been a guest speaker for three years running in the Bentley course Interpersonal Relations in Management. Adjunct lecturer Valerie Sullivan teaches the course, which is mandatory for Management majors.

The alumna is CEO of Universal Power Yoga and donates one free yoga class to students. Their yoga experience guides a class discussion about body language and its use as a critical communication tool.

Andrew Skolnik, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., is now a property and multiline treaty underwriter at Hamilton, working under fellow Falcon Brad Sforza ’00, MSGFA ’02. Skolnik credits Bentley’s Pulsifer Career Development Center for helping him connect with Sforza in 2006. The two have been in touch ever since!

2008

2010

Yvener J. Petit, Los Angeles, Calif., joined Live Nation as director of strategic initiatives and operations in fall 2021. In his role, he partners with key stakeholders across the concerts,Ticketmaster, and media and sponsorship divisions, to outline and implement key company strategies.

In addition, Petit has been elected to serve as an executive committee and board member of Communities in Schools of Los Angeles. This nonprofit provides 1:1 case management for nearly 1,000 at-risk students in the Los Angeles United School District, helping them stay in school and achieve in life.

Krista Huebner, MSA ’11, Auburndale, Mass., was recognized as a 2021 Emerging Leader winner at the MassCPAs Women’s Leadership Summit on October 28, 2021. MassCPAs, in partnership with the AICPA Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee, recognizes women for their contributions to the profession, their communities and their firms or companies, and to the development of women as leaders.

Paul Turner, MSHFID, Matthews, N.C., shares: “In 2021, I started a new career: voiceover acting.

Currently, I am a video narrator and podcast announcer for a YouTubehosted well-being series.”

2009 Nicholas Jasilli and wife Jennifer (Groipen) ’10, Marblehead, Mass., welcomed Aliyah Rose into the family on October 24, 2021.

She joins two brothers, 6-year-old AJ and 4-year-old Zachary.

Garrett Stephen and wife Pamela (Newell) ’10, Wayland, Mass., greeted their second son, Caeden, on September 13, 2021, which also happens to be the proud parents’ wedding anniversary.

Jennifer (Groipen) Jasilli and husband Nicholas ’09, Marblehead, Mass., welcomed Aliyah Rose into the family on October 24, 2021. She joins brothers AJ, 6, and Zachary, 4. “We can’t wait to turn our children into Bentley Falcons!” writes the mom of three.

Michelle (Brouillard) Rubin, Framingham, Mass., and husband Daniel are proud parents to Kenna Stevie, born on April 13, 2021. The new father is the broadcaster for Falcon ice hockey.

Paloma (Ferreira) Stanley and husband Thomas, MBA ’11, Tewksbury, Mass., welcomed son Jackson Thomas to the world on September 9, 2021.

He joins big sisters Vivian and Evelyn.

Pamela (Newell) Stephen and husband Garrett ’09, Wayland, Mass., welcomed their second son, Caeden, on September 13, 2021, which is also their wedding anniversary.

“What a present!” writes the new mom.

Bin Wang, MST ’11, Rego Park, N.Y., was promoted to senior manager at CPA firm UHY.

2011 Taylor Fisher, Nashville, Tenn., was promoted in December 2021, from director of sales to vice president of ticket sales and service with the Nashville Sounds, a Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sucheta (Desai) Hattiangadi and husband Rohan, Seattle, Wash., became proud parents of daughter Riya on May 28, 2021. “Fun fact,” the alumna writes.

“Riya was delivered by her father, who is an OB/GYN.” John Lawrence, MBA, Stamford, Conn., left the General Electric Company after 10 years.

He has joined ITT Inc. in White Plains, N.Y., relocating to Harbor Point in Stamford. As director, Talent and Human Capital Analytics, he helps lead HR transformation through data-driven decisionmaking to support a high-performance culture.

<< CLASS NOTES

2012 FOLD Cody Clarkson and Julia Chopay ’13, New York, N.Y., tied the knot in Playa Mujeres, Mexico, on October 29, 2021.

Daniel Fava and Courtney Swan ’14 said “I do” on October 30, 2021, in Coronado, Calif., surrounded by family and friends. The couple mini-mooned on Catalina Island, Calif., and are planning a honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand. They call Medford, Mass., home.

In 2017, Andrew Lafuente, Somerville, Mass., opened Lafuente Sign & Awning out of his mother’s garage in Somerville. Today, the Everett-based national headquarters and production facility provides design, engineering, manufacturing and installation of custom stationary and retractable awnings, pergolas, shade structures, interior/exterior signage and aluminum shaft flagpoles. Learn more: lafuentesignandawning.com.

Eric Ulmer and Jenna Cavicchia, MBA ’16 wed on October 10, 2021, at Brick South in Portland, Maine, in the company of many fellow Falcons.

They honeymooned in Bora Bora and live on the South Shore of Massachusetts.

Renee Watts married John Kubinsky Jr. on May 8, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C., at St. Gabriel Church with a reception at Alexander

Homestead. They are living in Charlotte after a honeymoon in Spain and Portugal.

2013 FOLD Rachael (Litton) Champagne and husband Tyler, Ashland, Mass., welcomed their firstborn, daughter Emma Marilyn, on October 8, 2021.

Julia Chopay and Cody Clarkson ’12 tied the knot in Playa Mujeres, Mexico, on October 29, 2021.

Loryssa (Millman) Dello Stritto, MSA ’14 and husband Tony, MST ’14, Northborough, Mass., are proud parents to son Luca Francesco, born on September 19, 2021.

Taryn Dooley and Hayden Ziebel-Lipitz, MSA ’14 were married on September 14, 2019, at Springfield Country Club in West Springfield, Mass.

The guest list included Larissa Brewster ’11, MBA ’12; Patrick Bridge; Michael Bronson; Matt Burns, MST ’14; Kevin Costello ’12; Jessica Hodsdon; Joe Frantel ’12; Katie (Donnellan) Harrington ’12, MSA ’13; Ethan Harrington, MSA ’14; Owen Karl ’16; Brittany Lyon ’11, MSA ’12; Evan MacLeod; Tim Marsh; Luke Mason ’15; Kelly Mazza, MSA ’14; Jaime Petricca ’12; Bentley Aquatics Director and Head Men’s and Women’s Swim Coach Mary Kay Samko, P ’18 ’20; Sergio Servello, MSA ’14; Sarah Temple ’11; Thomas Walsh; and Tyler

Winther. The newlyweds honeymooned in Sorrento, Italy, in September 2019.

They reside in Tewksbury, Mass.

Ariana DiMona and Dylan White were married in Rye, N.H., on September 11, 2021. The Bentley lovebirds both lived on the third floor of Slade during their first year of college. Other Falcons joined the happy couple, including officiant Greg Bonomo and the groom’s cousin, Andrew Goehrig ’25. The newlyweds honeymooned in Greece and live in North Chelmsford, Mass.

Andrew Goodman, MSA ’14, Glastonbury, Conn., shares that in September 2021, he was recognized among that year’s Emerging Leaders, by Internal Auditor magazine.

In November 2021, he was promoted to business project program manager, Aetna Strategic Programs, at CVS Health.

Eric Goodwine, Shrewsbury, Mass., is now vice president, commercial loan officer at Rockland Trust. His focus is developing and strengthening the bank’s commercial lending relationships throughout Greater Worcester and Central Massachusetts as well as pursuing new lending opportunities for existing properties, construction, new development and community redevelopment projects. Active in the Greater Worcester community, Goodwine is a board member of the Worcester Regional Strategic Opportunities Foundation.

Dennis Lagace, MSF ’14 and Olivia Prentiss ’16 celebrated their marriage at The Essex Room in Essex, Mass., where they reside. Many Bentley alumni, family and friends were part of the occasion, which took place on the couple’s one-year anniversary: September 25, 2021.

Scott Scarpato Jr., Boston, Mass., was promoted to chief operating officer at Automatic Laundry Services.

2014 FOLD Tomas Allen and Emily Williams ’15, MSA ’15 were married on August 7, 2021, at the Museum of Science in Cambridge, Mass. Many fellow Falcons joined the celebration. The newlyweds honeymooned in Greece and Spain and reside in East Boston, Mass.

Leah Cauley married Jim Stanton ’15 on July 10, 2021, at The Red Barn at Outlook Farm in South Berwick, Maine. Many fellow Falcons were part of their big day.

Paul Cheek, Wellesley, Mass., was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2020, highlighted as one of “the 10 standouts who hold the future of cleantech in their hands.”

The alumnus co-founded Oceanworks, which has diverted thousands of tons of plastic from waterways and helped corporate clients like Clorox, Sperry and zipper-maker YKK launch

sustainable products.

Cheek is a serial entrepreneur and lectures on the subject at MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

Ally DeVoe, MBA ’19 and Janco Cornelius ’15, MSA ’16 said “I do” on September 24, 2021, at Stonehurst at Hampton Valley in Hampton, Conn.

Many fellow Falcons were on hand, including Peter Belanger; Phil Chan; Shannon Connor ’15; Ben Demeule ’13; Michelle Giordano ’16; Danny Grassi ’15, MSA ’16; Claudia (Schulz) Kendall, MBA ’15; Dan Lang ’15; Caroline Lewis, MSA ’15; Paul McLaughlin ’01; Luke Mason ’15; Robert Porzio ’15; Chris Ricci ’15, MSA ’16; Ryan Shanahan ’15; Amelia Suda; and Christopher Woods.

The couple honeymooned in New Orleans, La., and Grenada, Spain. They call Boston, Mass., home.

Eduardo Villarreal Holguera, MBA, Tampico, Mexico, was promoted to senior director of operations at Walmart Mexico and Central America.

Jessica Jacovino and Cesar “CJ” Pellerano tied the knot on July 23, 2021, at The Aria in Prospect, Conn. Guests included Derek Bressler, Chris Celotto, Harrison Chan ’15, Heather (Eastman) Celotto ’16, Dan Fava ’12, Courtney Swan and Jill (Weiss) Werner. The couple spent a week in St. Lucia after the wedding. They live in Beverly, Mass.

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 31

CLASS NOTES >>

Courtney Swan and Daniel Fava ’12 said “I do” on October 30, 2021, in Coronado, Calif., surrounded by family and friends. The couple mini-mooned on Catalina Island, Calif., and are planning a honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand. They call Medford, Mass., home.

2015 FOLD Adam Carreiro, MSA ’16 and Melanie Rousseau, MST ’16 said “I do” on August 13, 2021, at the Renaissance Boston Patriot Place Hotel. Many fellow Falcons were part of their big day. The two honeymooned in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and live in Hanson, Mass.

Janco Cornelius, MSA ’16 and Ally DeVoe ’14, MBA ’19 said “I do” on September 24, 2021 at Stonehurst at Hampton Valley in Hampton, Conn.

Many fellow Falcons were on hand, including Peter Belanger ’14; Phil Chan ’14; Shannon Connor; Ben Demeule ’13; Michelle Giordano ’16; Danny Grassi, MSA ’16; Claudia (Schulz) Kendall, MBA; Dan Lang; Caroline Lewis ’14, MSA ’15; Paul McLaughlin ’01; Luke Mason; Robert Porzio; Chris Ricci, MSA ’16; Ryan Shanahan; Amelia Suda ’14; and Christopher Woods ’14.

The couple honeymooned in New Orleans, La., and Grenada, Spain. They call Boston, Mass., home.

32 | SPRING 2022

Eric Gaynor, MSA, Winthrop, Mass., has been promoted to manager of cost allocation services at Sivic Solutions Group, a Solix company.

Scott Marshall, MBA, Watertown, Mass., was promoted to manager of business systems at CrowdStrike Inc. in August 2021.

Renee Guyette and Chris McLeod ’16 exchanged vows on June 5, 2021, at Water’s Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, Conn.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Maui, Hawaii, and live in Dorchester, Mass.

Chris McLeod and Renee Guyette ’15 said “I do” on June 5, 2021, at Water’s Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, Conn.

The newlyweds honeymooned in Maui, Hawaii, and live in Dorchester, Mass.

Kassy (Berube) Naser and husband Mahmud, Berea, Ohio, welcomed daughter Nasra on October 5, 2021.

Olivia Prentiss and Dennis Lagace ’13, MSF ’14 celebrated their marriage at The Essex Room in Essex, Mass., where the couple resides.

Many Bentley alumni, family and friends were part of the occasion, which took place on the couple’s one-year anniversary: September 25, 2021.

Jim Stanton married Leah Cauley ’14 on July 10, 2021 at The Red Barn at Outlook Farm in South Berwick, Maine. Many fellow Falcons were part of their big day!

Emily Williams, MSA ’15 and Tomas Allen ’14 were married on August 7, 2021, at the Museum of Science in Cambridge, Mass. Many fellow Falcons joined the celebration. The newlyweds honeymooned in Greece and Spain and live in East Boston, Mass.

2016 FOLD Hanna Lucas and Michael Vecchione tied the knot on September 11, 2021, at The Mansion at Mountain Lakes in Mountain Lakes, N.J. After a honeymoon in St. Lucia, the two are living in Oakland, N.J.

2018 FOLD Indre Naujokaite, MST ’19, South Boston, Mass., reports that she has started a business partnership with Ken Sumner ’65. The firm, Sumner & Naujokaite CPAs LLC, opened in September 2021 on Main Street in Waltham.

It specializes in tax preparation and bookkeeping for individuals and businesses. The alumna shares: “Combined, we have over 50 years of CPA experience and look forward to meeting new clients!”

Ryan Stark married Brooke Andreozzi on July 31, 2021, at Castle Hill Inn in Newport, R.I. Other classmates who attended: Carolyn Cruise, MSA ’19; Mitchell Dehetre; Casey McKeon; Rajan Meswani; Eric Mogilevskiy; Sean Ryan; and Emma Stoker, MSA ’19. The newlyweds honeymooned in Barbados and St. Lucia. They live in East Greenwich, R.I., having purchased a home there in September 2021.

2020 FOLD Renee Perkins, Nantucket, Mass., started her own digital marketing agency less than a week after graduation. Today, Nantucket Island Marketing has a 14person team that includes three Bentley student interns, a roster of more than 50 clients, and projected revenues of $500,000 for 2022.

“I founded this company with a passion to help small businesses across New England and beyond,” says the former student-athlete. “My Bentley education helped me accomplish all of this, just a few short years out of college.”

Company services include web design, graphic design, social media, advertising and email marketing. Learn more: nantucketislandmarketing.com.

Reilly Zubricki and Christine Houghton tied the knot on August 29, 2021, at Tuck’s Point in Manchester, Mass. The alumnus writes: “We honeymooned on Mount Desert Island in Maine and enjoyed the beautiful hikes, mountains, lakes and seashore of Acadia National Park.” The couple lives in Beverly, Mass.

2021 FOLD Juan Cristo Diaz, Providence, R.I., has been promoted to finance associate at Intus Care, and moved to the Ocean State from Waltham.

He has been with the company for more than a year and a half and is excited to continue working toward the same goal: to improve care for the elderly.

Cam Egan, Waltham, Mass., joined The Bulfinch Group as a financial representative in September 2021.

Welcome to the alumni community, CLASS OF 2022!

See highlights from your special day at bentley.edu/commencement

<< CLASS NOTES

In Memoriam 1939 Donald Ovans

Karl Taylor Robert Terravecchia

1940 John Amodio

1958 Joseph Balerna Peter McCluskey Robert O’Malley William Tozier

1942 Paul Briggs 1947 Henry Landino 1948 Caleb Hayward Harold Hines 1949 William Leahy Richard Parece Kenneth Paul Frederick Strelau 1950 Gordon Reynolds 1951 David Berg William Bischoff Francis Clifford, P ’89 Joseph Moran

1959 Warren Foreman Francis McCauley, P ’80 ’88 Thomas Norris Donald Ogden John O’Toole Lucien Vaillancourt 1960 Raymond Ayers Russell Dailey Richard McCarthy, P ’92 1961 David Hanson Richard Nolan Robert Viner

1952 Roger DiNapoli Anthony Gravina Nicholas Liakas

1962 Patrick O’Mara

1954 Margaret (Duff) Boyden, P ’80 Robert Wessa

1965 Naomi Poverman George Ross

1964 Walter Dunbar

1955 Joseph Boughan Edward Callahan Alfred Cohen Ronald Downing Norman Phaneuf George Small

1966 Martin Banning Francis Doherty Kenneth Hughes Thomas Lowney Louis Spychalski Nancy (Davis) Wells David Woodbury

1956 N. Joseph Arancio Stanley Berger Arnold Bennett Frederick Pratt John Slipkowsky

1967 Roland Lozeau James Mulvey Brian Perkins Sheldon Tandler Robert Walker

1957 Frank Bramante Daniel Gorman Clarence Ramsey

1968 Stephen Curtis John St. Onge Jacob Wolfson

1969 Darwin R. Carpenter Jr. Paul Hutchinson Bob Olinto 1970 Jeremiah Mullane 1971 Robert Graff John O’Maley Gerald Urban 1972 Donald Andrew Norman Beauparlant Arthur Corbett Joseph Cove Walter McCarthy David Nocella, P ’91 1973 Earl Elliott Arthur Poltrino 1974 Barry Kiely Paul Laffey 1975 Roger Lucey Douglas Morse George F. Norton

1982 Steven Geller Clark Jones 1983 Elizabeth (Rzecycki) Tomaszewski, MBA 1985 Mark Boullie 1987 Steven Frank Carol Stacey 1989 William Connelly Lois St. George, MBA 1991 Justin Dunleavy, MST 1992 Joan Platt (Saxe) Dolinsky Thomas Flood, MST 1993 Joseph Moscarito 1995 Richard Quinn

1976 Richard Ellis Edward Maguire, MSA

1997 Daniela Castillo-Callejas Geraldine “Geri” Goulart Kristin (Zeoli) Waryas, MBA

1977 Daniel Munson

1998 E. Patricia Killory, MST

1978 Thomas Cronin Susan (Earlam) Hagstrom Paul Philips Louis Woolf

1999 Shannon (Cummins) Mania, MST

1980 Elizabeth Clauburg Paul Deschenes David Morris, MST James Robertson, MST

2002 Jennifer (Davidian) Sorenson Gregory Vardaro

1981 Randy Darling John McGonagle Wendy (Parrish) Taylor

2000 Shirley (Branco) Owen, MBA

2004 Nicholas Bopf Stacy (Ward) Zari

2011 Richard Hall 2018 Michael Miller Faculty, Staff and Friends Richard Baxter, Former electrician, Facilities Operations George S. Gallitano Sr., Former adjunct professor, Municipal Planning, Budgeting and Finance Kimberly Hagerich, Former staff member, Financial Aid Thomas Kennedy, Former adjunct professor, Finance Raymond Miller, Trustee emeritus and former chair, Academic Affairs Committee Margaret M. Morris, Former staff member, Library Paul Norton, Former professor, Behavioral Studies Laurie Pant, Former professor, Accounting William “Bill” Radochia, Former security officer, University Police Paul Rhinhart, P ’00, Former director, Internal Audit C. Robert “Bob” Sprich, Former professor, English and Media Studies Laura Sullivan, Former staff member, Graduate Admission

2008 Cathy (Yeb) Phillips

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Eric Ulmer ’12 and Jenna Cavicchia ’12, MBA ’16 Cody Clarkson ’12 and Julia Chopay ’13 Hanna Lucas ’16 and Michael Vecchione ’16 Sharliese Smith ’92 and Ronald Ballard Ryan Stark ’18 and Brooke Andreozzi ’18 Adam Carreiro ’15, MSA ’16 and Melanie Rousseau ’15, MST ’16 Dennis Lagace ’13, MSF ’14 and Olivia Prentiss ’16 Dylan White ’13 and Ariana DiMona ’13 Emily Williams ’15, MSA ’15 and Tomas Allen ’14 Renee Watts ’12 and John Kubinsky Jr. Renee Guyette ’15 and Chris McLeod ’16 Daniel Fava ’12 and Courtney Swan ’14 Reilly Zubricki ’20 and Christine Houghton Taryn Dooley ’13 and Hayden Ziebel-Lipitz ’13, MSA ’14 Jessica Jacovino ’14 and Cesar “CJ” Pellerano ’14 Janco Cornelius ’15, MSA ’16 and Ally DeVoe ’14, MBA ’19 Jim Stanton ’15 and Leah Cauley ’14 BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 37

CLASS NOTES >>

THEN& NOW

Roomies

We all get by with a little help from our friends, and that holds true for former Falcon roommates who’ve kept in touch to this day. Share your now-and-then roommate photos with classnotes@bentley.edu and we’ll print your story in a future issue!

1986

Mark Clark and Bill Gallagher, with classmate Jackie (Yeu) Chan

1978 Mike Sokolski, MST ’89 and Bobby Bibeau Former roommates in the “D apartments” (now Kresge Hall) and hockey teammates, Sokolski and Bibeau met as freshmen in the fall of 1974.

The pair played hockey together at Bentley, forming a special bond as teammates, and played every year until the start of the pandemic.

Sokolski writes: “We are still best friends today. We have season tickets to the Bentley hockey games, attending most, if not all, of the games.

Our families are very close, too. We have attended each other’s children’s weddings and other special family events all these years.

We were very fortunate to meet each other 44 years ago. Those four years were a great time for us!”

38 | SPRING 2022

<< CLASS NOTES

1982 Jane (Wermuth) McCahon and Paula (Gorman) Flanders

1991

1988 Annemarie Frank and Patricia (Loyola) Foglia

1990 Melanie (Melone) Perkins, MSF ’95; Mary Margaret (Sloan) Conners and Sharon (Van Genderen) Maguire “We met in fall 1986 on the first floor of Waverly. We make it a point to get together at least once a year, most often in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., or Newport, R.I., but we have enjoyed celebrating life’s great moments together for the past 35 years! Thanks, Bentley, for making us great friends!”

1991 Kim (Poissonnier) Listrina, MST ’93; Dawn MacGregor; Denise (Roberge) Laferriere and Monica (Odoy) Swanson “Roommates all four years!”

Lisa (Dugan) Cooper, Tracy (Nestico) McDonagh and Karyn Schilke As Cooper was getting into the car to head home from new student orientation, McDonagh and Schilke ran up and asked her to fill their triple room. Cooper writes: “To be honest, I could barely remember their names, but I remembered how nice they were, so my gut told me to say ‘yes.’ We were an inseparable trio during our four years. And, despite taking separate paths after graduation, we remained in touch, celebrating milestone events together and, in recent years, meeting a few times a year for dinner. I’m always amazed at the ability the three of us have to immediately pick up exactly where we left off, as if no time has passed.

We know we’ll always be there for each other — no matter what — because that’s what ‘roomies’ do!”

BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 39

CLASS NOTES >>

1992

John Houlihan ’93, Greg Clayman, Ralph Pisani and Martin Pashuck

2000

2002

Erica (Pappastergion) Murphy, MBA ’05; Michelle Morin; Meghan (Larochelle) Forgione and Rachel (Levine) Ziminski

Kolleen (Ross) Mooren and Jess Thomas

2001 Joelle (Cannon) Denham and Jennifer McGurty, MBA ’11

2003 Sara (Yousefi) Roy and Elizabeth (Barglowski) Petrangelo Fast friends: from their first day in Maple to a day in Boston with their families.

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<< CLASS NOTES

2007 Arlenis Almonte, Bermary (Coste) Coughlin and Gisselt (Fernandez) Sanchez

2012 Alex (Yerxa) Niccoli, Susie Otazo, Annie (Desmond) Wong, Nicole Karagianis and Christy (Draicchio) VanderPloeg

2008 Lauren Gotimer and Katelyn Thompson, MSHFID ’09

2016

Gotimer and Thompson root for different home teams (Yankees and Red Sox, respectively), but share a love of baseball. Gotimer reports: “Our first game we went to together was on Patriots' Day in 2005 and our most recent game was pre-COVID when we visited both LA teams and San Diego in August 2019. We try to get to at least one game a year and plan to visit every MLB park together! We are excited to be planning our next game for this summer!”

Bugra Kocaman ’18 and Emirhan Sahinoz BENTLEY MAGAZINE | 41

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1. Addison, daughter of Amanda (Grant) Dudley ’07, MBA ’08 and husband Brian, with brothers Lucas and Brooks 2. Anabelle Juliette, daughter of Michelle Beaulieu ’03, MSCF ’04, MBA ’10 3. Aliyah Rose, daughter of Jennifer (Groipen) Jasilli ’10 and husband Nicholas ’09, with brothers AJ and Zachary 4. Annika Marie, daughter of Alissa (Rogers) Massimilla ’06 and husband Michael 5. Riya, daughter of Sucheta (Desai) Hattiangadi ’11 and husband Rohan 6. Nicole, daughter of Suz (Parks) Bourgault ’97 and husband Joe 7. Jackson Thomas, son of Paloma (Ferreira) Standley ’10 and husband Thomas ’10, MBA ’11 8. Nasra, daughter of Kassy (Berube) Naser ’15 and husband Mahmud ’15 9. Emma Marilyn, daughter of Rachael (Litton) Champagne ’13 and husband Tyler ’13 10. Mia Grace, daughter of Susan (Foss) Palmacci ’03 and husband Mark 11. Caeden, son of Pamela (Newell) Stephen ’10 and husband Garrett ’09 12. Rowan Shea, daughter of Andrea (Boutelle) Doyle ’05 and husband James ’05, with sister Violet 13. Luca Francesco, son of Loryssa (Millman) Dello Stritto ’13, MSA ’14 and husband Tony ’13, MST ’14

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Bentley has never been afraid to build on tradition, taking bold steps to stay

We push academics beyond the ordinary and expand the boundaries of what business can do for the world — and its future leaders.

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PHOTO BY TOM KATES