News, Notes, and Nods: Undergraduates
1980
Carl Meyer ’80 has been named to the board of directors of Dale Medical Products in Franklin, Massachusetts. He also has been named to the board of directors of the nonprofit Hire Heroes USA. The event he created, 100 Holes for Our Heroes, benefits Hire Heroes USA and has raised more than $1 million over the past 13 years, helping more than 600 veterans gain employment and generating more than $30 million in annual income for them and their families. This summer, Meyer will attempt to play 114 holes of golf, in recognition of the event’s 14th year.
1985
Deborah De Santis ’85 (right), a Babson College trustee, married her partner of 25 years, Elizabeth Murray. De Santis and Murray were joined by their two children, Anuar and Ari De Santis, for a small ceremony at their home in Metuchen, New Jersey.
1988
Karen Collier ’88 moved to Smithfield, Virginia, in March 2019 to open a bakery called The Cake House. “Because we’re near Norfolk, there is a lot of military here, and this year, we have collaborated with the Military Spouse Society. They run a cookie drive every year, and collect and distribute cookies to first responders, soldiers, and hospital staff during the holiday season. This year, their target is 40,000 cookies. I really wanted to make a big impact, so The Cake House is donating 5,000 cookies.”
1989
Matthew J. Kidd ’89 is the founder and director of his own firm in Boston, The Law Office of Matthew J. Kidd. The practice handles employment, personal injury, and criminal defense matters. In March 2021, Expertise.com selected the firm as one of the top 20 employment law firms in Boston for 2021. Close to 250 law firms were reviewed for the recognition.
Sean Wheeler ’89 began a fellowship at Stanford University’s Distinguished Careers Institute. He will spend up to two years at Stanford working to support social impact innovators, and act as an angel investor to a variety of startups.
1993
Patrice X. Thiry ’93, P’25 released his first book on the 17-year journey of his startup, ProwebCE, which he founded in Paris in 2000 and sold in 2017.
1998
Mark Giovino ’98 writes that he has enjoyed a wild ride as CEO and founding partner at Allionce Group. After running global sponsorships for soccer team AS Roma, Giovino launched his marketing agency in 2016 to help connect brand marketers to parents with young children who visit U.S. zoos and aquariums. Giovino has his own focus group at home with two young children and a third on the way.
1999
Nicole Couder ’99 currently is the public affairs manager for SUEZ, a company based in Brussels working with the European Commission and Parliament. Couder is helping to bring change for a sustainable transition in the European Union. She feels incredibly rewarded by her work at SUEZ and is proud to see change.
2000
Derick Jaindl ’00 has been appointed as the chief financial officer for MobileHelp in Boca Raton, Florida. After Babson, Jaindl completed his MBA and master’s degree in accounting. He currently is pursuing his CPA designation.
Yan Katz ’00 has been named a Leaders Club qualifier by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Leaders Club is one of the highest honors annually awarded by Guardian to financial professionals who demonstrate outstanding service and dedication to their clients.
Tim Ryan ’00, Crisis Assistance Ministry’s chief financial officer, was named a CFO of the Year by the Charlotte Business Journal. This signature awards program recognizes financial executives who provide insights to help guide companies through challenges and help leadership teams make crucial decisions.
2001
Katharine Grover ’01 was appointed to the board of Doc Wayne Youth Services, a Boston nonprofit that fuses sport and therapy to heal and strengthen at-risk youth. Grover is a director in the Northeast Health Industries Assurance practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Boston, working with higher education, healthcare, and other nonprofit organizations. “I hope my professional background combined with my love for sports can help support Doc Wayne’s mission and make a difference in the lives of the children it supports,” Grover said.
University of Michigan Professor Kyle Whyte ’01 was named to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. According to the University of Michigan, Whyte will provide advice and recommendations to the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality and the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council on how to address current and historic environmental injustices.
2002
Oksana Westerbeke ’02 shares an uplifting story. “In addition to COVID, 2020 included recovery post two cancer surgeries, 19 rounds of radiation therapy, shingles due to weakened immune system, and osteopenia due to cancer drugs side effects. Still, it did not stop me from escaping to South Dakota to live my life and enjoy Badlands, Devil’s Tower, and Black Hills. Can’t wait to see more of the world once all restrictions are lifted. With more than four years of cancer treatment remaining, I am happy and in great spirits!”
2006
Jenn Bell ’06 married Matt Del Bonta in Vero Beach, Florida, on January 25, 2020. More than 15 Babson alumni attended the wedding, which ended up being the last vacation and social event for the couple before the pandemic.
Co-founded by Alex Melen ’06, SmartSites was featured in the Inc. 5000 for the fourth consecutive time as one of the fastest-growing advertising agencies in the U.S., as well as Adweek’s list of fastest-growing agencies in the world. The company has in the past offered discounts for all Babson students, graduates, friends, and family.
2007
Sarah Girouard ’07 and Eric Girouard ’08 were featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal for their hard work on their small businesses, Early Apres and Brunt Workwear. Their businesses are generating about $25,000 to $40,000 a year, and the couple are incredibly proud of their entrepreneurial endeavors.
2008
Eric Girouard ’08: See 2007, above.
Ryan Holbrook ’08 wrote and illustrated a children’s book titled Liam the Loon.
2010
Changebridge Capital, founded by Ross Klein ’10, launched two actively managed ETFs on November 13: Changebridge Sustainable Equity (CBSE) and Changebridge Long/Short (CBLS), the first of its kind actively managed long/short ETF.
Alexander Moazed ’10 married Lindsey Moazed on July 31, 2020.
Elizabeth Sheerin ’10 married Justin Taubman in summer 2020. “We had just family and a few close friends but had some fun with it with matching masks,” Sheerin writes. “Despite all the COVID curveballs, we had the absolute perfect day!”
2011
Nicole Crowley ’11 married Jake Foy in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, on December 12, 2020. The celebration included attendees from Babson with Kelsie Marr ’11 as the maid of honor.
2012
Kelsey Dulac ’12 writes, “Curtis Dulac ’12 and I met at Babson in 2012. We were married in 2016 and welcomed our son, Van Robert Dulac, on March 6, 2020. We were fortunate he was born a few days before the pandemic hit. Ever since, he has been the best distraction and the brightest light in a crazy world!”
May Sresthaporn ’12 married Thonmai Limapichat ’13 on January 18, 2020, at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, Thailand. Their wedding included Babson alumni from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Korea.
2013
Thonmai Limapichat ’13: See 2012, above.
Founded by Aakaanksh Pothukutchi ’13, startup Dash Beyond was acquired by an Irish multinational, Alison, that offers free educational and skills training courses to close to 20 million users. Dash Beyond won the B.E.T.A. Challenge in 2020.
2014
Alexander Deeb ’14 won third place in the Impact Ventures Accelerator with his company, ClassHook. ClassHook aims to bring a solution to help teachers increase student engagement by using scenes from popular TV shows and movies.
Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni Jr. ’14 and Gabriella Henriquez ’18 were married in a civil ceremony on April 17, 2021, in Miami, Florida, and are planning a more formal ceremony for January 2022 in Mexico.
2017
Arushi Chawla ’17 and Revant Khullar ’17 were married on October 29, 2020, in New Delhi, India, at a wedding attended by 100 people. “We met for the first time in New Delhi following our admission to Babson in 2013 by connecting through Facebook,” Khullar writes. “The two of us gradually became best friends before falling in love after moving back to India.”
2018
Laure Bello ’18 founded a startup called Linawin with her uncle in Paris this past year. Linawin focuses on making tutoring more accessible and affordable to students in the Philippines. She started the company after quitting her job at a commercial real estate firm in New York, a proud decision, she says.
Gabriella Henriquez ’18: See 2014, above.
2019
Julia Dean ’19 was recognized for co-founding the GTB Mentorship Program during lockdowns enforced because of COVID-19. She launched the organization after ending Fulbright early and connected more than 75 mentees to more than 50 mentors in a dozen-plus industries.
MORE NEWS, NOTES, AND NODS FROM THE SUMMER 2021 ISSUE:
Graduates » In Memoriam »
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