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Your classmates want to know about the milestones in your life. Send your news including career changes, accomplishments, publications, weddings, births, and adoptions to the Office of Alumni Relations. Email alumwne@wne.edu or complete a short online form.

1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s| 2020s

1960s

David Erickson ’63 (Mechanical Engineering) recently retired after 50 years of a career practicing corporate and business law in Denver, CO. In that time, David also wrote three books and published more than 70 articles, stories, essays, and historical studies.

1970s

Peter S. Benton ’73 (Accounting) is a member of the Board of Directors of Sunshine Village and was recently elected Treasurer of the organization. Sunshine Village is an organization that provides day habilitative services and employment opportunities for mentally challenged adults throughout western Massachusetts.

Philip Adams ’75 (Law Enforcement) was named Grand Marshal for the East Longmeadow, MA, Fourth of July Parade. The Grand Marshal is selected based on their actions and impact on the community.

Hyman Darling L’77 (JD) was recognized as a 2023 Best Lawyers in America for his work in elder law at Bacon Wilson, P.C.

Stanley Light L’77 (JD) is a member of the Pioneer Valley Symphony, where he plays the French horn, and was recognized as a Musical Gem of the Valley for his dedication of time and talent to the orchestra.

Michael Ligorano L’78 (JD) has returned to Norris McLaughlin, P.A. following a nine-year stint as the General Counsel for the Diocese of Metuchen. Michael previously worked at Norris McLaughlin from 2001-2003.

The Honorable Michael E. Riley L’78 (JD) was named 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America for arbitration in the Hartford, CT, area. Judge Riley is a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practice at Connecticut law firm, Pullman & Comley. He retired from the bench in 2017 after 13 years of service as a Connecticut Supreme Court Judge.

1980s

Gary Breton L’81 (JD) has been included in the 2023 Best Lawyers in America for his work in banking and finance law, at Bacon Wilson, P.C.

Robert Craig, Jr. ’82 (Industrial Engineering) graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), School of Education with a PhD in Education, specializing in Educational Research, Assessment, and Evaluation.

Gerri Roberts L’82 (JD) has been appointed to her second term on the Board of Trustees at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT.

Irve Goldman L’84 (JD) Chair of Pullman & Comley’s Bankruptcy, Creditors’ Rights and Restructuring practice, has been named a 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” in the area of litigation—bankruptcy in Stamford in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers in America. This is Irve’s second consecutive year earning the prestigious award, with last year’s distinction being in bankruptcy and creditor debtor rights/insolvency and reorganizational law.

Willie A. Deese G’84 (MBA) has been named to President Biden’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He was also recognized as the newest member of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Board of Trustees.

Kenneth Albano L’85 (JD) was included in the 2023 Best Lawyers in America list for his work at Bacon Wilson, P.C. Kenneth specializes in business organizations, including LLCs and partnerships.

Francis Wright, Jr. L’85 (JD) retired in June 2022 after 23 years in the Somerville (MA) Law Department. For the last 12 years Frank had served as the City Solicitor. From 2005 until 2020 Frank also served as a Melrose City Councilor.

Lynne Wilson L’86 (JD) was included in the 2023 The Best Lawyers in America list for her work in real estate law. Lynne is a Partner at ShuffieldLowman in Florida.

Joseph Aberdale ’87 (Mechanical Engineering) has been named Superintendent of Great Barrington’s Public Works Department. Joseph oversees the town’s highway and wastewater operations, cemeteries, waste transfer facility, and other town infrastructure.

Deborah Etlinger L’87 (JD) joined the law firm of Neubert, Pepe & Monteith, P.C. as a Principal. Deborah practices in the areas of insurance defense and insurance coverage.

John Mutchler G’87 (Engineering Management) has joined Robinson+Cole as a Partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology Group. John has a global practice advising clients on their intellectual property rights with specific experience in patent, trademark, and copyright prosecution, as well as patent appeals before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and intellectual property litigation.

Margaret Mantoni G’89 (MBA) has been elected to the Springfield Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.

1990s

Scott Aitken ’90 (Technical Management) retired from coaching high school boy’s lacrosse in Pittsfield, MA, after 30 years. Scott began coaching following his graduation from WNE. Scott was most recently inducted into the Western Massachusetts Chapter of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Karen DeMaio ’90 (Accounting) has been promoted to Assistant Vice President, IRA, and Operations Risk Management at bankESB. Karen will be responsible for IRA services, vendor management, business-continuity planning, and insurance for the Hometown Financial Group family of banks, which includes bankESB, bankHometown, and Abington Bank.

The Honorable Patrick Moriarty L’90 (JD) has been appointed to the Snohomish County Superior Court in Washington state. Patrick fills a newly created judicial seat in the county. He was previously a Court Commissioner for the Snohomish County Superior Court, a position he has held since 2018.

Kristen Komer ’91 (Marketing) was hired as Vice President, Head of Marketing at Foresight Insurance. In this new role, Kristen will oversee marketing and brand initiatives for Foresight, the first insurtech specializing in work comp for core industries such as construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. She will also be overseeing the existing and growing Foresight Marketing team.

Michael McNulty G’91 (Engineering Management) and his firm McNulty and Associates was acquired by Citrin Cooperman. Michael has joined Citrin Cooperman as a Partner leading the McNulty team under the Government Contracting Specialty Advisory practice.

Donald Baptiste, Jr. G’92 (MBA) recently published his book The Nice Handbook: A Practical Guide to be Better People for a Better World.

John Rota ’92/G’03 (Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice Administration) received a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as a member of the class of 2022.

Lisa Wray-Schechterle ’92/G’17 (Marketing/Communication) became the Director of Community Benefits for Holyoke Medical Center.

Andrew Hirshfeld L’93 (JD) stepped down after a 30-year career at the United States Patent Office (USPTO) and joined the law firm Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner as a Principal.

Amy LaBelle ’93 (English) of LaBelle Winery in New Hampshire, was named 2022 Business Leader of the Year by Business NH Magazine and the New Hampshire Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Sarah Turano-Flores L’93 (JD) was elected Partner at Nutter McClennen & Fish, LLP. She is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Department and Land Use practice group. She has been with the firm since 2006.

Thinh Pho ’94 (Mechanical Engineering) was hired by Williams as President and General Manager. Williams is a leading provider of HVAC heating equipment.

Jeffrey Hastings ’95 (Biomedical Engineering) accepted a one-year position for 2022 as the topranking member of the Western Massachusetts Melha Shriners. During the year, Jeffrey acted as CEO and Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. He has also helped celebrate the organization's 125th year of community service.

Allen Falke L’96 (JD) was named 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in tax law in Worcester, MA. This is the second year in a row that Allen has been recognized by Best Lawyers. Allen is a member of the Business and Trusts & Estates group at Mirick O’Connell.

Scott Rogoff L’97 (JD) has been named to 2023 The Best Lawyers in America for his work in labor and employment. Scott works for Barclay Damon LLP, out of the Rochester, NY, office.

Elizabeth Tanner L’97 (JD) has been appointed as Rhode Island’s next Secretary of Commerce by the Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee.

Kevin Mealy G’98 (Criminal Justice Administration) was promoted from Lieutenant to his current position of Deputy Superintendent of the Brookline (MA) Police Department.

Gina Barry L’99 (JD) has been recognized as a 2023 Best Lawyers in America for her work in elder law at Bacon Wilson, P.C.

Cheryl Molloy G’99 (Criminal Justice Administration) has been promoted from Officer to Sergeant within the Brookline (MA) Police Department.

2000s

David Stefanelli G’00 (Criminal Justice Administration) and the Stoneham (MA) Police Department were honored for crisis intervention outreach by the Metro Boston Crisis Intervention Team Training & Technical Assistance Center (MB CIT-TTAC).

Andre Charbonneau ’01 (Accounting) was promoted to Executive Vice President at Adams Community Bank.

Kristen (Chipoletti) Clark ’01 (Criminal Justice) was promoted to Patrol Captain with the Vanderbilt University Police Department in Nashville, TN. November 2022 marked Kristen’s 15th year employed with Vanderbilt University, and a total of 18 years in law enforcement.

Dr. Gianleo Duca ’01 (Education-History) has been appointed as the new interim Superintendent at Ballston Spa Central School District for the 2022-23 school year. Gianleo has been with the Ballston Spa district since 2005, serving as an Assistant Principal and Interim Principal before being appointed to Principal in 2018.

Thomas Keleher ’01 (Law Enforcement) is the new Deputy Chief of Operations for the Canton (MA) Police Department.

Nicholas Delmolino ’02 (Sociology) has joined Berkshire Community College as Executive Director of Institutional Advancement.

Andrew Lawendowski L’02 (JD) is now a partner at Morrison Mahoney, LLP. Andrew specializes in professional malpractice and general liability, with a focus on dental and medical malpractice.

Timothy Netkovick L’02 (JD) has joined Bacon Wilson, P.C. He is joining as a member of the firm’s Employment Law Practice group.

Christopher Wuorinen ’02 (Sport Management) joined TimelyMD as their Director of Strategic Partnerships. In this new role, Christopher will be dedicated to removing barriers and increasing access to care for college students.

Christina Anstett L’03 (JD) was appointed to Senior ERISA Council at Smart, a leading global retirement technology provider. Christina has 27 years of ERISA retirement plan industry experience.

Adam Moreau ’03/G’09 (Marketing/MBA) has joined Marketing Doctor, Inc., as part of their management team. Marketing Doctor, Inc., is one of the fastest growing media planning and buying agencies in the world.

Laurie Borrelli G’04 (Criminal Justice Administration) was promoted to Sergeant in the Methuen (MA) Police Department. Laurie began her career in the Methuen Police Department in 1995.

Tahirah Amatul-Wadud L’05 (JD) was the keynote speaker at The New England Learning Center for Women in Transition’s annual fundraiser and celebration in April 2022. Tahirah was recognized for her legal work and advocacy.

The Honorable Jason Bergevin L’05 (JD) was appointed by Nebraska Governor Pete Rickets as District Court Judge in the Fifth Judicial District. Jason has served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Bureau of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office since 2015.

Allison McKeen L’05 (JD) and Ryan McKeen L’05 (JD) own Connecticut Trial Firm, LLC which was named by Hartford Business Journal as Connecticut’s top family business with under 25 employees.

Timothy McMahon L’06 (JD) joined Bond, Schoeneck & King’s litigation department in their Syracuse, NY, office as Senior Counsel.

David Wright ’06 (Political Science) was named Assistant Principal of the Year in the state of New York by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. David has recently accepted the position of Principal at Pearl River Middle School.

Mary Gallant-Cote L’07 (JD) was selected by MA Governor Charlie Baker to serve as Clerk Magistrate of the Berkshire Juvenile Court. Mary is a Springfield-based Assistant Regional Legal Counsel for the Department of Children and Families.

Chelsea Prizio ’08 (Accounting) has been promoted to Vice President, Credit Manager at Cornerstone Bank. Chelsea began her career in 2006 as a parttime teller while attending WNE and has worked her way up through the deposit operations and commercial credit departments.

Rebecca Michaels L’09 (JD) is a Northwestern Assistant District Attorney and was honored with the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Access to Justice Prosecutor Award. This award is given to state and federal prosecutors for distinguished efforts in public service activities and a commitment to justice.

Jared Pabis ’09 (General Business) was inducted into the Western Massachusetts Chapter of the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Jonathan Proulx ’09 (General Biology) is the newest member of the New England Cancer Specialists (NECS) medical team.

2010s

Ashley LaRocque ’10 (Marketing Communication/Advertising) was promoted to Director of Client Services within the regional marketing, advertising and public relations agency of Market Mentors. Ashley has been with Market Mentors for six years.

Michael Monti ’10/G’12 (Integrated Liberal Studies/MBA) has been named the Assistant General Manager, Director of Player Development, and Assistant Coach of the Omaha Lancers Hockey Club.

Bill Garcia ’12 (Finance) joined Coastal Bridge Advisors in Westport, CT, as an Operations Strategy Associate.

Angelina Stafford L’12 (JD) has been elected as a new shareholder at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy P.C. Angelina, who was previously an Associate Attorney at DWPM, concentrates her practice on trust and estate matters, including estate and tax planning, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, and probate litigation.

Lan Kantany L’13 (JD) was promoted to Chief Counsel of the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations (DLR) in May 2022. Lan has been working for the DLR for the past two years as a Hearing Officer, Mediator, and Arbitrator.

Laura Penney L’13 (JD) has been recognized as a 2023 The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch in the areas of commercial litigation, insurance law, and personal injury litigation. Laura is a Partner at Fitzpatrick, Lentz & Bubba, P.C. in Connecticut.

Emilie Wallace ’13 (Sport Management) started her fifth year as a high school soccer official this past fall. Emilie began this season as the first female on the executive board serving as Vice President of the Western Massachusetts Soccer Officials Association (WMSOA).

Rochelle Duyan L’14 (JD) has joined Suisman Shapiro Attorneys at Law as an Associate. Rochelle will concentrate on probate, estates, and wills.

Angelia Nystrom LLM’14 (Estate Planning & Elder Law) was recently installed as the 41st Chair of the Tennessee Bar Foundation. Angelia was first elected to the Board in 2015, serving as an East Tennessee Trustee and Secretary.

Laura Fisher L’15 (JD) has been named Executive Director of the nonprofit community organization Just Roots in Greenfield, MA. Just Roots manages a community farm and community gardens on 61 acres of protected town farmland and operates one of the highest Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-enrolled community supported agriculture programs in Massachusetts.

Daniel McKellick L’14 (JD) was recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for his high-caliber work in real estate law with Bacon Wilson, P.C.

Lenore Montanaro L’15 (JD) was honored by Providence Business News for its Top 40 Under Forty 2022 Award. Lenore was also selected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). Members are nominated by their peers and selected by the ABF Board.

Jordan Freeman L’16 (JD) is an Associate at Vaughan Baio, a mid-sized firm based out of Philadelphia, PA.

Bradley Kneeland L’16 (JD) has been appointed the role of Standing Master for the State of Montana’s Judicial Branch, in Billings, MT. Previously, Bradley served as a Domestic Violence Prosecutor with the Billings City Attorney’s Office.

Nicole Petersen ’16 (Business Administration) has joined Mack Prototype as a Project Manager, supporting new and existing accounts across the company’s broad service offerings. Nicole brings 20 years of customer and sales support experience to this new role.

Alan Sincic G’16 (MFA) was recently awarded the 2022 Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize for his entry “God of the Gator,” an excerpt from his unpublished novel titled The Slapjack, an 84,000-word depression-era novel set in the hinterlands of Florida. Over the past two years, several short stories from The Slapjack have won or placed in contests here and abroad. For details, go to alansincic.com.

Lauren Sweeney ’16 (English) started a new position as a Library Media Specialist at Naramake Elementary School in the Norwalk Public School District, in Norwalk, CT. Lauren was previously the Children’s Services Librarian at the Fairfield Public Library for three years.

Kylie Brown L’17 (JD) joined The Royal Law Firm. Prior to joining The Royal Law Firm, Kylie worked as a Law Clerk of Court at the Connecticut Superior Court in Hartford, Rockville, and New Britain.

Payton North ’17/G’20 (Communication/Public Relations) has been promoted to Executive Editor at Reminder Publishing. In this new role, Payton oversees the editorial department, managing 12 weekly newspapers, one daily newspaper, and two monthly magazines.

Abigail (Helfrich) Roy ’17 (English) accepted a position as the Digital Marketing Specialist at the digital and video marketing agency Forge Apollo in Newton Square, PA.

Rebecca (Freitag) Miranda ’18 (Psychology) received her Master of Elementary Education from Lesley University in 2019 and recently started teaching fourth grade in the Westfield Public School District in Massachusetts.

Erika Sheinhait ’18/G’19 (Sport Management/ MBA) was promoted to Director of Communications for the Bay State Games organization, based out of Woburn, MA. Erika previously held the position of Communications Coordinator.

Veronice Santana L’19 (JD) was recognized as part of the Class of 2022 for 40 Under Forty from BusinessWest. Veronice is an Assistant District Attorney in the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office and is also an adjunct professor at Bay Path University and WNE’s School of Law.

2020s

Shirley Arriaga G’20 (Law) was elected to the 8th Hampden District State Representative. 

Kesandra Husselbeck ’20 (Sport Management) is the Operations Coordinator for the Philadelphia Union Academy, a professional soccer academy that competes in the MLS Next.

Caitlyn Kunz ’21 (Communication) accepted a position at the University of New Hampshire as a Marketing and Promotion Specialist.

Carli Ross L’21 (JD) joined Raipher, P.C. in Springfield, MA, as a personal injury and civil litigation attorney. 

Nicole Acevedo ’22 (Creative Writing) joined the Eastern States Exposition as Communications and Social Media Manager. Nicole is responsible for print publications and projects, content creation, and maintaining a positive presence across the digital spectrum. 

Meaghan Collins L’22 (JD) joined Kahan Kerensky Capossela, LLP, as a Law Clerk. 

Bailey Devine-Scott ’22 (Mechanical Engineering) was signed to the Calgary Stampeders as a defensive back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) after completing an illustrious athletic career at WNE. 

Peter Picknelly ’22 (Management and Leadership) has been named Director of Safety & Security for the Peter Pan Bus Lines. Peter was previously working in customer care and operations within the company.