Catch up on what fellow alumni are up to in this issue of Class Notes. Have some news? We’d love to hear from you! Submit your news online at assumption.edu/classnotes.
1973
Louise M. Peloquin, Ph.D., of Groton, was named Knight of the National Order of Merit during a ceremony at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris in February. This distinction, which is decided and proclaimed by the president of the French Republic, was in recognition of her 13 years of service with the Ministry, as well as the 30 years she spent promoting New England’s Franco-American community and its cultural heritage. From 2005–18, Louise was a language coach at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and worked with eight ministers and countless high-level civil servants and government officials.
1976
Joan Laracy, representing the Worcester Garden Club, created a floral arrangement for the Flora in Winter event at the Worcester Art Museum. She was also selected to present a piece of artwork through floral design. Joan and her husband, John ’73, own the Bagel Inn Company located in central Massachusetts.
1978
James Bruce has announced his retirement as a partner from the CPA firm Daniel Dennis & Company LLP after 36 years. Jim remains at the firm as a principal where he provides client services on a part-time basis.
1981
Bob Guinto, founder of Non-Profit Capital Management in Sterling, has moved into a consulting role with the organization.
1982
Joseph Finn, of North Andover, recently retired from his career in federal law enforcement in which he served as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Special Agent-in-Charge in the Chicago and Boston field offices. He recently joined the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage firm in Andover as an associate broker.
1983
Paula J. Del Prete, of Ashland, announced her retirement from the Framingham Public Schools (FPS) after 31 years. During that time, Paula taught middle and elementary school, and served as principal and vice principal of an elementary school for the last nine years. She also worked in the area of special education as a team coordinator and a department head. Paula will continue her role as a part-time FPS mentor for principals.
Vincent Librandi has been named chief operating officer of the Jewish Healthcare Center (JHC) of Worcester. Additionally, he will oversee JHC Hospice, JHC Home Care, and Eisenberg Assisted Living.
The artwork of Sandra Merlini, a Marlborough-based artist, was exhibited at the Marlborough Senior Center and Marlborough Public Library from mid- February through March. Her “Purple Heart” and “Floral” paintings were on exhibition at the Spring Arts Festival in March.
For the 20th consecutive year, Michael Sullivan coordinated a dinner with his former roommates and their spouses. Attendees of this annual roommate Christmas dinner included Brian Bulger P’11 and his wife, Wendy Bulger P’11; Dean Hildreth and his wife, Patti Bishop Hildreth ’82; George Hogan and his wife, Sharon; Todd Solar and his wife, Rose Karl Solar ’85; and Michael and his wife, Cathy Thomas Sullivan.
1986
Robert A. Martin began a new position in the insurance claims area of Robert M. Currey & Associates in Boston in January. Bob serves on the Alumni Association Board, working on the Alumni/Admissions Committee, and recently completed another Pan-Mass Challenge; in the last 12 years, he has raised $169,059 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund.
1987
Michelle Loranger was named South Coast Woman of the Year for her work as executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Center in Bristol County. She was recognized for her work with the victims of physical, sexual, and emotional trauma.
1990
Raena Heppenstall was recently featured in the Telegram & Gazette; her restaurant, Corner Grille in Worcester, is celebrating 20 years of operation. She has been the proprietor and chef since it opened in 1998.
1991
Ellen J. (Lavigne) Pilch has a story published in the book Black Cats Tell All. The book is a compilation of stories about black cats to help end the superstitions about them.
1992
Maureen (Murphy) Wojnar, of Grafton, has been promoted to vice president of operations of the Homefield Credit Union. Maureen, who joined the credit union 30 years ago as a part-time teller, is also a member of the compliance committee, IT steering committee, and spirit committee, which directs fundraising campaigns. She is also a dedicated volunteer in her community, working for many years with the Grafton Lions Club as a volunteer Biddy Basketball coach, and is an active member of the Grafton Garden Club. In 2017, she was awarded the Banker and Tradesman’s Credit Union Heroes Award for her dedication to volunteer efforts.
1998
Derek Mohamed, of Westborough, recently earned the Certified Private Wealth Advisor SM Certification, awarded by the Investments and Wealth Institute. Derek has worked in the Wellesley Hills Merrill Lynch office since 2015.
1997
Mark Cleland and his wife, Katherine Kane Cleland ’04, welcomed their first child, Aislinn Rose, on January 11.
2001
Sarah Briggs Galindo and her husband Patrick welcomed their son, Patrick William Galindo, Jr., on August 28, 2017.
2003
Jessica Cremin received the prestigious Distinguished Young Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Award at the organization’s international conference in February. Jessica was recognized for her outstanding contributions to AFCEA’s Lexington-Concord Chapter, including raising more than $5,500 and helping to increase membership by 25 percent.
Valerie Kerr, of Manchester, CT, was recently promoted to circulation librarian of the Manchester (CT) Public Library. Valerie received her Master of Library Science from Clarion University (PA) in December 2015.
2004
Identical twin brothers Matthew and Michael Perfetuo appeared in Chen Sicheng’s comedy-thriller, Detective Chinatown 2, which opened in February in Beijing, Boston, and other cities. The movie is the second in the series; Sicheng has a goal to film a movie in every major Chinatown in the world. The brothers have held several other movie roles and have appeared in HBO shows and in national commercials. They reside in California.
Matthew Starr married Melissa Carey Starr at the Publick House in Sturbridge on August 9, 2013. Their first child, Kaitlyn Carey Starr, was born on June 27, 2017.
2005
Heather (Miner) Sweeney and her husband, Michael, welcomed their third child, James Patrick, on January 17. James joins Nora (5) and Connor (3).
Rowena (Cowie) Pouliot and her husband, Jeffrey, welcomed their second daughter, Norah Rosaline, on October 11, 2017.
2006
Steve Pagios was recently named the director of student engagement at Stonehill College in Easton.
2008
Teresa Kuehhas Leite married Jason Leite in Smithtown, NY, on July 6, 2017. Classmates Cristin (Costa) Freed and Lauren (Konicki) D’Ambrogio were in attendance.
2009
Caitlin Lahey recently performed in the play It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, which was produced by the Worcester Light Opera Company. Caitlin is an English teacher at Wachusett Regional High School.
Joe Fabiano has been named co-leader of the Jones Lang LaSalle real estate service’s New England Industrial Practice Group. Joe will manage the growth of the industrial brokerage business and work closely with the firm’s national industrial group. He also serves as co-chair of the Italian Home for Children’s Emerging Leaders Society and is a member of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board.
Liz Storer is an elementary education teacher in the Walpole Public Schools. She received her master’s degree in elementary education from Bridgewater State University in 2011. She resides in Foxboro.
Lynne Cronin ’09, G’12 was honored at the St. John’s High School (Shrewsbury) Annual Gala in fall 2017 for her service as chief financial officer. Lynne serves on the board of Catholic Charities and the United Way Dollars for Scholars program.
Rebecca (McCarthy) Martin gave birth to her second daughter, Cecelia Lynne, in April 2017. Cece joins big sister Aubrey Marie.
2010
Kimberly Cohen married Robert Tyler on October 8, 2017, with Fr. Dennis Gallagher, A.A., ’69 concelebrating. Alumni in attendance included Quentin Bond ’17, Jacqueline Branca, Kevin Dabrieo, Cait DeFerrari ’11, Dan Ferry, Kevin Grayson, Holly (Tortora) Haskell, Sarah (Ambacher) Paradee, Kevin Pratt, Derek Shanahan, Brian Sullivan ’11, Brian Tirrell, Courtney (Stratton) Wall, and Sean Whalen.
Jennifer Clancy married Jason McWhirter on May 27, 2017. Alumni in attendance included Kerry Davis, who also served as matron of honor, Conrad and Gena (Bevilaqua) Audette, Amy (Laurendeau) Basbas ’09, Marie Bucklin, Danielle and Dan Case, Ashlee (Sweeney) Grassey, Matt Kisil, Gayle (Renfrew) and Peter Melko, Alyse Moccia, Steve and Brandon Pare, Nichole (McIntyre) and Doug Reilly, Kim Ricciardone ’09, and Sarah Wyman.
Jeffery Alderson married Brittany Sousa on September 24, 2017, at Five Bridge Inn in Rehoboth. Jeffrey works as a technicaldirector for Cramer Productions in Norwood.
Jessica (Gerardi) Mordarski and her husband Nick welcomed their first daughter, Lennox Avery, on May 21, 2017.
2011
Katie Storer is a senior assistant director of admission at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI. Katie received her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Nichols College in 2014. She resides in Foxboro.
2012
John Clinton married Bridgette Boyle ’13 on November 12, 2016, at Assumption’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Alumni in attendance were Rilie Brown ’13, Stephanie Coombs, Julia Donovan ’13, Emily (Davies) Emrick ’13, Grace Flaherty ’13, Lilian Irwin ’14, Sarah Matteodo ’13, Katie McIsaac ’13, Greg O’Rourke, Sam Pericolo ’13, Ross Petrain ’13, Justin Pugliese, Tim Robertson ’13, Joelle Santiago ’13, Stevie Senior, Jr., Andrew Smith, Emily Tavares ’14, and Jules Verbic. Bridgette and John reside in Watertown, and both work for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Delia Klim and Brian Nowak were married at Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire on September 16, 2017. Alumni in attendance were Timothy Bienert, Ashley Caissie, Jacqueline Carlson, Caitlin Fitzpatrick, Kelsey Fitzpatrick, Michelle Lubas, Stephen MacDonald ’11, Katrina Mitchell, Taylor Parent, Janet Testa HD’07, Elizabeth Villano ’11, and Jack Weissman.
2013
Jennifer Kennedy married Christopher Rawson in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on November 11, 2017. Alumni in attendance were Nate Lafond ’12, Jennifer Libin ’12, Kim McIntyre ’12, Pat McIntyre ’12, Kevin O’Brien, Michael Perkins ’11, Ashley Perkins ’11, Allie Plack, and Matthew Wrenn.
2014
Alex Marshall ’14, G’15, a Shrewsbury native who now lives in Mansfield, led the New England Patriots out of the tunnel and onto the field carrying the American flag before Super Bowl LII. Alex works for the Patriots as a senior accountant – cash supervisor.
2015
Kyle Barrett began working as a human resources associate for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston in December.
2016
Tim Carroll is an enterprise risk analyst at Santander Holdings USA in Boston.
ASSUMPTION PREP
AP’61
Frank Dionne is making the most of his retirement in East Winthrop, ME, where he enjoys fishing and playing music.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
CE’02
Bethanne Groccia CE’02, G’14, of Auburn, has been promoted to chief human resources officer at Oriol Health Care, which owns and operates Oakdale Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in West Boylston and a separate branch in Holden. She has worked in executive human resource leadership positions for more than 15 years.
GRADUATE STUDIES
G’77
Cynthia Bioteau, Ph.D., will retire from her position as president of Florida State College at Jacksonville at the end of the 2017–18 academic year. Cynthia, who has an M.A. in special education from Assumption, has served as president since 2014.
G’97
Kerry Ann (Leblanc) Goldsmith was promoted to executive director of Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where she previously worked as the assistant executive director for 10 years.
G’07
Kristin Mayotte has been named vice president for strategy and program development for YOU Incorporated.
