MassBay Mourns the Passing of EMS Professor

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (May 2020) — MassBay Community College is mourning the passing of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medical Technology (EMT) and Paramedicine, Kimberly Altavesta of Woburn, MA. Kim began working at MassBay in 2011 and greatly impacted the lives of thousands of EMS students, and in turn patients, by teaching the skills needed to respond to emergency medical situations and provide emergency care. Kim worked on the Framingham campus and transformed the EMS program at MassBay, using simulation technology in the classroom to prepare students with real-world practice.

Kim Altavesta came to MassBay after working for more than a decade as an EMT and paramedic. She attended Arlington Catholic High School in Arlington, MA, and graduated in 2000 at the top of her class. While in high school, she also attended Northeastern University’s EMT program, where she earned her EMT certification. Kim continued her education at Brandeis University, earning a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience, while simultaneously attending Northeastern University to attain her paramedicine certificate. She worked as an EMT on campus at Brandeis University, and after graduating, worked as a paramedic at Cataldo Ambulance Service, where she helped save the lives of many emergency patients. Kim received her Master of Education degree from Framingham State University in 2013 and was about to begin a doctoral program.

Kim Altavesta is survived by her mother, Judy, and a sister, Christina Benoit, and her husband Matthew, a niece, Daniella, an uncle, Leonard Sortino, all of Woburn, MA. Due to COVID-19, funeral services were private and under the direction of the Costello Funeral Home in Winchester, MA. In lieu of flowers, Kim’s family asks that donations be made in her memory, and in her name, to the MassBay Community College Foundation Scholarship Fund to continue her mission of helping paramedicine students achieve success.

Kim’s name will be honored at the National EMS Memorial in Washington, D.C. for her dedication and service to the EMS community, as well as at other tributes and memorials to be announced and held at a future date.

MassBay Community College is ranked by the Brookings Institution as one of the top schools for value added and earned salaries in the workforce. Ranked #1 for two-year colleges in Massachusetts, #2 in New England, and #16 nationally. The College’s facilities in Wellesley Hills, Framingham, and Ashland house day, evening and weekend classes that meet the needs of degree-seeking students and career minded lifelong learners. Online options provide convenience and allow faculty to facilitate the learning process. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and strives to meet the needs of the diverse local communities it serves.