Distinguished Alumni

Marianna Borrelli had worked in banking and in legal administration for several years when she resumed her education at MassBay Community College. Graduating with honors, she was accepted at Boston University, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science magna cum laude in Business Administration. Continuing her studies at B.U., she earned her Master of Arts in Gastronomy, with a concentration in Business.

As a MassBay student and alumna, Marianna has dedicated herself to leadership and service. In her hometown, she has several times won re-election as a Town Meeting Member. Additionally, Marianna has been a successful fundraiser and reviewer, serving on scholarship committees for the Needham Exchange Club and for Boston University. Professionally, Marianna has been a committee chair and president in local and regional chapters of the Association of Legal Administrators.

As much as she enjoyed these opportunities, Marianna is most enthusiastic about the relationships she has forged through the MassBay Alumni Council. As a member, president-elect, and president, Marianna has organized and participated in a range of alumni events, reviewed scholarship applications, and led fundraising efforts. She has worked hard to gather and mobilize MBCC alumni, empowering one generation to help another achieve their dreams.

Marianna is fluent in Italian and English. When she is not with her family or creating amazing dinners, she enjoys traveling with friends. She is always ready for an adventure — ask her about encountering a wildebeest in Tanzania or skydiving in Maine.

2022 Distinguished Alumni winner is Elizabeth A. Kinsman.

2021 Distinguished Alumni winner is Lauren Curley.

2020 Distinguished Alumni Award winner is Deborah Georgopoulos.

2019 Distinguished Alumni Award winner is Katherine Tonelli.

Joseph A. Sergi is the Principal of Sergi Consulting Services LLC which provides strategies for growing revenue and enhancing operations to higher education organizations. Prior to this endeavor, Mr. Sergi was the Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at Southern New Hampshire University, and has held numerous leadership roles in finance and administration with multiple organizations. Mr. Sergi earned his MBA in Finance and BS in Management from Bentley University, and has his AS in Management from Massachusetts Bay Community College.

With nearly 25 years of extensive experience in higher education, Mr. Sergi has worked at a community college, a private college, and both public and private universities. Considering this experience, Mr. Sergi brings a strong commitment to an institution’s mission with a focus on student success. Mr. Sergi is dedicated to assisting colleges and universities navigate through this “time of change” in higher education by positioning the educational institution’s finance and operations areas to support transformative initiatives that provide quality, low cost offerings to today’s students.

Originally from Waltham, MA, Mr. Sergi resides in Pepperell, MA with his wife and two beautiful daughters. He was an elected official in Pepperell, MA for eighteen years, and has served on numerous committees with the goal of economic development, advancing the delivery of services and to the protection of the local environment for its citizens. Mr. Sergi served four years in the United States Air Force, serving both domestically and overseas, and received numerous citations and awards, including the Air Force Achievement Medal.

Thomas M. Britt ’63 is one of MassBay Community College’s strongest champions. Both as an alumnus and in his role as a member of the MassBay Foundation’s Board of Directors. Mr. Britt, a Medford native, attended MassBay as a member of the College's first graduating class, earning his Associate of Science degree In Business in 1963.

He continued his education at Suffolk University, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and eventually his Masters in Business Administration. He also earned his Masters in Education from Boston University. He began his career as a mathematics and business teacher in the Boston Public Schools, and in the years since, he has worked as the treasurer and chief financial officer for multi-national corporations, as well as for schools in the Greater Boston area.

Mr. Britt reconnected with MassBay in 2013 at his 50th Reunion, where he had the opportunity to meet with old classmates and with current MassBay students and faculty. Impressed by the dedication of the faculty and students’ drive, he was compelled to join the Foundation Board to help make a MassBay education a reality for more students. In 2016, Mr. Britt helped set up the Thomas M. Britt Endowed Scholarship Fund to help students in perpetuity and provide the financial support necessary for committed students to finish their education at MassBay.

In a recent interview, Mr. Britt said: "I had the ambition and the support of my family to achieve my education and career goals. I saw so many students who had the same ambition and drive, but who needed more support. I wanted to be involved in the effort to give students the financial help they need to push them to the finish line."

He lives in Arlington with his wife of nearly 50 years, and together, they have four sons and eight grandchildren.

Walter Bachelder become personally involved in the battle against the AIDS epidemic after the loss of a close friend to AIDS in 1991. He began volunteering at the AIDS Action Committee of Boston and became active in advocating for increased funding for AIDS research , housing services for people living with HIV/AIDS, and AIDS education and prevention programs.

However, with a GED, he hit professional roadblocks in his work. After more than 25 years away from the classroom, Mr. Bachelder began attending MassBay Community College in 2008 to take on a new challenge: earning a college degree. At MassBay, he also learned of his second passion - education. As a student, through the support of MassBay faculty Maxine Elmont, he became a champion and voice for non-traditional students and served in a leadership role as President of the Human Services Club.

Currently, Mr. Bachelder is the Medical Case Manager for New Beginnings Independent Housing for the South Middlesex Opportunity Council in Framingham, supporting single adults living with HIV/AIDS. He also serves on the Education Advisory Board of Bethany Hill Place, an organization that serves individuals and families affected by homelessness, addict ion, violence and loss. He also serves as Chair of the MetroWest AIDS Consortium.

He earned his Associate of Arts degree in Human Services from MassBay Community College in 2012 and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Regis College in 2015.

In 2016, Mr. Bachelder was the inaugural recipient of the Maxine Elmont Award for Outstanding Alumnus of a Career Associate Program from the National Association of Developmental Education, named after his advisor, mentor, and former MassBay faculty.

Eugene H. McCarthy earned his associate's degree in liberal arts from MassBay Community College in 1963, before earning his bachelor's degree in ancient Greek from Boston University and later his master's degree in Comparative Literature from San Francisco State University.

A longtime teacher and writer, Professor McCarthy currently serves as Professor of English and Literature at Middlesex Community College in Bedford, Mass. Prior to Middlesex, Professor McCarthy has taught at San Francisco State University, at the University of Maryland's European Division, at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, and at MassBay Community College. He also taught in Boston -area high schools for many years.

During his career, Professor McCarthy also served as a public information officer for the U.S. Small Business Administration disaster relief program and later as regional public affairs director for that agency's New York region. He also worked for the White House as deputy media relations officer for the White House Conference on Small Business.

An avid athlete, he played professional baseball before he attended MassBay and was an all-star pitcher at Boston University. He holds numerous awards in men's basketball, baseball, football and softball. Mr. McCarthy has also coached women's softball at MIT and Emmanuel College. At 72, he continues to play competitive men's softball.

Professor McCarthy is a lifelong advocate of community colleges, which he credits with changing his life. He currently lives with his family in Arlington, Mass.

Donna Raposa describes MassBay Community College as "very much a part of who I am." In 2014, 45 years after graduating with an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts, Ms. Raposa celebrated her 18th year in the MassBay Admissions Office.

After graduating from Sacred Heart High School in East Boston Ms. Raposa enrolled at MassBay at the suggestion of the school principal, who served as a de facto guidance counselor. While she always had a passion for theater arts, at the time she was fairly certain she was going to become a fifth grade teacher. But that plan changed when she took a Music Appreciation class taught by one of MassBay's most beloved professors, Virginia Sapienza.

"Professor Sapienza told the class that we ought to do what we love to do," recalls Ms. Raposa. "She told us not to settle for second best, but to find our passion and figure out how to make it happen." Professor Sapienza's words inspired Ms. Raposa to explore her passion for theater arts.

After graduating from MassBay in 1969, Ms. Raposa transferred her credits to Emerson College where she earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Communications. The day after graduating from Emerson, she began an 18-year career teaching theater arts to middle and high school students in the Watertown Public Schools. She produced musicals, plays, and special performances the students put on. By 1989, Ms. Raposa earned a license to become a talent agent, and a year later, she opened a successful personal management company that serviced nearly 150 actors throughout New England.

In 1996 she had a choice to make: uproot her family and move to Los Angeles to grow her business, or stay home in Massachusetts and find a different line of work. She cherished her time at MassBay and she credits the people there for helping her find her passion, so when she heard that the Director of Recruitment position was available, she went after it. She was hired and was subsequently promoted to Director of Admissions in 1999. She was with the College in that capacity until her retirement.

"I impart on people that I am an alumna, and that I truly believe in the positive affect community colleges have on people's lives," she says. ''This is not just a job - for me it is a mission."

Meredith L. Murphy graduated from Norwood High School in 2006 and earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of New Hampshire in 2010. She had intended to be a veterinarian from a young age, but after graduating college she decided veterinarian school was not for her. She decided instead to switch to a career in human health care.

In 2010 Ms. Murphy worked as a medical assistant at Newton Wellesley Orthopedics, where she drew inspiration from the surgeons. "I was never grossed out by surgery," she notes. "I was always fascinated by it." A family friend who was an O.R. nurse recommended MassBay's Surgical Technology program, and Ms. Murphy enrolled in January 2012. She earned her Certificate in Surgical Technology at MassBay and passed the national certification exam in January 2013. She accepted a position at the Boston Medical Center, the largest and busiest level 1 trauma center in New England in March 2013. Six weeks after she began working there, on April 15th, two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon.

She had just finished an eight-hour shift just before 3:00 pm, when a co-worker received a text message about the incident. Ms. Murphy immediately changed back into scrubs, and within two minutes, the first patients were being rolled in. Normally needing 30 minutes to prepare an operating room, Ms. Murphy had only minutes to secure blades, sponges, suction hoses, and the other equipment surgeons require. For her outstanding efforts, Ms. Murphy received a Certificate of Appreciation from Kate Walsh, CEO of the Boston Medical Center.

Ms. Murphy credits the MassBay Surgical Technology program for preparing her for that fateful day, and she encourages all MassBay graduates to trust in the training and education they have received. "I feel like I'm doing something really important for people," she says. "I'm making people better and helping to heal them."

For nearly a half century, the Juliani family has supported the mission and vision of MassBay Community College. In 1963 Felix Juliani, Daniel's father, served as a member of the College's founding Advisory Committee. He later served with distinction for five years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and was elected Chairman Emeritus.

Given his father 's involvement, it was perhaps not a surprise that Daniel Juliani chose to attend MassBay, graduating with an associate degree in 1973 before completing his bachelor at Northeastern University's Forsyth Dental Center in 1976. After a twenty-year career as a dental hygienist, Mr. Juliani changed careers and is now a successful property manager and insurance broker and the Vice President of Deland and Gibson Insurance Agency.

Throughout his career, Daniel Juliani has been generous with his time in the Wellesley community. His activities range from coaching youth soccer to serving on Town Meeting, and as President of the Wellesley Rotary Club. He also finds time to involve himself at his alma mater as a member of the MassBay Foundation Board of Directors. He served as Chairman and currently is Chair of the Foundation Finance and Audit Committee.

Daniel Juliani serves as an example for MassBay alumni. Dedicated to his community and proud of his academic tenure at MassBay, Mr. Juliani is a passionate proponent of MassBay. A Lifetime Member of the Alumni Association, Mr. Juliani has built on the family legacy, making a lasting mark on educational accessibility and student success at MassBay.

Dan lives with his wife, Kenna, and their three daughters in Wellesley.

Dr. Todd J. Leach became the fourth president of Granite State College on July 1, 2010. An innovative academician, leader, and visionary, Dr. Leach's first 100 days as president were punctuated with perceptive strategy creation and bold visioning. Under the leadership of its new president, Granite State College has begun launching a variety of exciting initiatives aimed at advancing the College's mission and fueling record growth.

Prior to serving as President at Granite State College, Dr. Leach was the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Professional Studies at Northeastern University, where he served as the Chief Academic Officer, overseeing both graduate and undergraduate offerings and leading the development and implementation of more than twenty masters and doctorate degree programs, as well as overseeing Northeastern Online. He also served as Executive Director of Northeastern University's School of Education graduate programs and designed curriculum for international programs in Australia and Sin gapo re. Dr. Leach was an Associate Professor at Lasell College, where he was the Director of Business Programs and the Director of the Yamawaki Program, and where he served as Chair of the Faculty and Chair of the Curriculum Committee.

Dr. Leach holds a Ph.D. from Northeastern University, an MBA from Bentley University, a B.S. from Worcester State College, and an A.S. from MassBay Community College. In addition, he has more than two decades of experience as a leader and faculty member . Dr. Leach has presented at numerous national and international conferences on the subjects of distance learning and professional education. He serves on the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees and is one of New Hampshire's Commissioners of Post-secondary Education.

Optimism and a love of cars is the driving force behind James Boyle's success as one of the leading automobile dealers in New England. After graduating from MassBay's business program in 1979, James transferred to Northeastern University to complete his baccalaureate degree with a focus on the future. He started his own business in 1984, expanding that venture with the purchase of several other companies.

In 1997 he acquired his first truck dealership in Massachusetts.
His success with his dealership grew, as did his vision for the future. In 2001 he purchased his first automobile franchise and launched an aggressive renovation.

After he began the renovation, James once again changed his focus, choosing to become involved with organizations that would benefit his fellow dealers. His work on behalf of his colleagues recently earned him the position of President of the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association. He is also a member of the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association, and the GM Commercial Dealer and Toyota National Dealer Councils.

Mr. Boyle served as a Trustee to the Massachusetts Automotive Dealers Charitable Foundation. As Trustee, Mr. Boyle is the chairperson for the technician's scholarship program. This scholarship has awarded over $400,000.00 to MassBay's automotive technology students since 2003. This commitment has provided great career opportunities for our students in a very exciting and rewarding industry.

The current economy has not shaken his vision or determination but instead, has made his focus sharper as he continues to help shape the future of the industry.

Dr. John P. LaCava has given the MassBay biotechnology program reason to be proud. After graduating in 1998 with an associate degree, he went on to receive his bachelor of science in biotechnology from University of California at Berkeley and his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

At a crossroads in his life, Dr. LaCava enrolled at MassBay in order to take more responsibility for his future success than at any point previous in his life. What he found waiting for him was a biotechnology program that challenged him to be passionate about his life, his studies and his work.

Like many community college students; Dr. LaCava faced the challenges of having to work full-time while pursuing his studies. He turned that challenge into an opportunity, however, generally working in jobs related to his studies. He has produced two publications, earned a long-term fellowship, taught in several different environments, and conducted numerous research experiments throughout his career. Currently, he is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, Spain.

Rebecca Woodworth Brodie's road to success was not always easy and was paved with many challenges. Raising a daughter as a single parent and initially discouraged by a financial aid officer from a four­ year institution, Brodie persevered and earned an associate's degree from MassBay.

For Brodie, becoming a lawyer was less about making money and more about speaking up for others. It was while teaching English as a Second Language through the Red Cross that she saw how her students were being exploited. In 2004, Rebecca graduated from Suffolk University so that she could use her law degree to advocate for the voiceless, and currently works as a legal aid attorney with the Massachusetts Justice Project in Worcester.