Impact Magazine - Volume 1

IMPACT | VOLUME 1
2015

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CATHIE FIELD LLOYD

PRESIDENT OF URSULINE ACADEMY

B“ CLASS OF 1970

E I N G P A R T O F T H E P R E P A R A T I O N O F T H I S I N A U G U R A L P U B L I C A T I O N H A S B E E N

A JOY. WE CHOSE TO PROFILE THIS GROUP OF THIRT Y WOMEN BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT THE “URSULINE

GIRL,” ALL GROWN UP. THEY ARE THE WOMEN WE HOPED THEY WOULD BEC OME AND THE WOMEN WE WANT

“O U R G I R L S T O G R O W U P T O B E . T H E Y A R E D O I N G A M A Z I N G T H I N G S W I T H G R E A T S U C C E S S .

Once we started to gather the names of the women we wanted to profile, phone calls and emails started pouring in
with names of more alumnae worthy of being highlighted - so many that we  immediately knew that this brochure
would have to be considered volume one. There will be more to come, many more stories to tell.

The name of the publication is simple – “Impact.” We listened to these women tell us over and over about the
great impact that Ursuline has had on their lives, giving them the confidence, perseverance, and courage to follow
their dreams and pursue challenging life work. They also talked about the foundation of faith instilled in them
at Ursuline and the values that made them care about the world. Yes, impact is the right word. The impact of an
Ursuline education on them is eclipsed only by the impact they, and our nearly 4,000 other alumnae, are now
having on the world.

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MARJORIE OSTERLUND
RENDELL

“THE URSULINE NUNS TAUGHT ME THAT I COULD
DO ANYTHING I SET MY MIND TO. I TOOK THAT
TO HEART AND NEVER LOOKED BACK.”

CLASS OF 1965

B.A. in French, University of Pennsylvania
J.D., Villanova University School of Law

Federal Judge, United States Court of
Appeals for the Third Circuit

Phi Beta Kappa inductee. Named Fellow of the American
College of Bankruptcy, Inaugural Member and Master of the
Villanova University School of Law J. Willard O’Brien Inn of
Court, and Elected Member of The American Law Institute,
Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania, and Founding
Me m b e r of t h e Tr u s t e e s Co u n c i l of Pe n n Wo m e n

NAMED AS one of “Pennsylvania’s Most Politically Powerful to Pe n n sylvan ia’s c hild re n t hroug h c iv ic le ar ning . To th at e nd, 7
Women,” Judge Marjorie Osterlund Rendell has consistently she worked as a lead partner in establishing the Pennsylvania
used her position of authority to raise the level of civil Coalition for Representative Democracy (PennCORD), which
discourse surrounding issues related to children, education, has become the Rendell Center for Civics and Civic Engagement
and the Arts in the spirit of Serviam. As a former practicing and is currently housed at the Annenberg Public Policy Center
attorney and former First Lady of Pennsylvania, Rendell has at the University of Pennsylvania.
served as a Federal Judge of the United States Court of Appeals
for the Third Circuit since 1997 per her nomination to the seat Rendell was inducted as a judge of the United States District
by President Clinton. Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1994 and was
elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third
Upon graduation from law school, Rendell joined the law firm of Circuit in 1997. In this role, she hears appeals from federal
Duane, Morris & Heckscher, where she subsequently became the courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the U.S.
second woman to become a partner at the firm. Over the course Virgin Islands. Further, Rendell was appointed by Chief Justice
of her 20-year career as a practicing attorney, she specialized in Roberts in 2011 to serve on the seven-member Judicial Panel
bankruptcy law and commercial litigation, served as a mediator on Multidistrict Litigation. In addition to her professional
for the United States District Court, and was a frequent speaker responsibilities, Rendell has been an active member of multiple
at law-related seminars and panels. During this time, she also professional organizations, including the American Bankruptcy
founded and managed the Avenue of the Arts, Inc., and served Institute, American Judicature Society, Judicial Conference of
as an Executive Committee member of the Board of Directors the United States, Federal Judges Association, and National
of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. Association of Women Judges. After a long and decorated
judicial career, Rendell has recently taken senior status as a
As First Lady of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011, Rendell’s federal appellate judge to devote more time to her foundation
primary initiative focused on imparting public responsibility for the civic education of area youth.

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MERRITT As project manager, she delivers an
TA M exceptional end product based on how the
space will be used, including electrical,
CLASS OF 2001 IT, data, and HVAC floorplans, and what
she wants the space to look like, including
B.S. in Art & Design in Architecture with a colors, textures, fixtures, and furniture.
minor in Civil Engineering, Massachusetts From the wires behind the walls to the
I n s t i t u te of Te c h n o l o g y fabric on the chairs, she takes care of it all.

Managing Director, Workplace Strategy & Whether it is in Atlanta, Minneapolis,
D e s i g n , Te a c h fo r A m e r i c a Houston, or Wilmington, just to name a
few, Tam’s creations give TFA teachers
Served as Executive Board Member and and administrators office spaces that are
Co-Chair of Emerging Leaders Committee, as unique and energetic as the cities they
International Facilities Management call home. So, as the educators continue
Association to expand their reach to new communities
across America, her extraordinary work
THE SKY is the limit for this Ursuline continues, too.
grad, whose international design and
architectural credits include luxury hotels “BE RESILIENT.
in India, retail stores for an American
clothing chain, and offices in London and BE AUTHENTIC.
Mumbai for a NYC-based hedge fund. And
n ow a s Te a c h fo r A m e ric a ( T FA) ’s Man ag in g BE COMPASSIONATE.”
Director for Workplace Strategy & Design,
Merritt Tam helps take achievement one
step further by building unique spaces for
learning and collaboration, which in turn
helps build bright futures for children in
low-income communities. Based in New
York City, Tam travels the globe as she
oversees the design and construction of the
organization’s office facilities and creates
places where teachers, students, and
families come together to build educational
success in high-needs communities across
the country.

Blazing her own trail as the first person
to hold the newly formed position, Tam
provides vision and direction for interior
architecture within the nonprofit’s National
Ad m i n i s t rat i o n D e p art m e nt . To d ate , she
has overseen all aspects of the design
and construction of two national offices in
New York and Washington, D.C. and over
60 regional offices from coast-to-coast,
including the renovation of the Los Angeles
office and fit-out of the San Francisco
location.

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CDR KRISTIE SHE HAS shot off the back of an aircraft
ROBSON carrier in an S3 jet, learned how to fly
a T-34C prop plane, provided pediatric
CLASS OF 1991 patient care in a Black Hawk helicopter in
Afghanistan, soared in an E-6B Mercury jet
B.A. in Biology and Philosophy, Bucknell University as a flight surgeon in Oklahoma, received
M.D., Jefferson Medical College casualties from MRAP armored vehicles
in combat zones, lifted off the USNS
Surgical Internship and Emergency Medicine Residency, Comfort in a Sea Knight helicopter, traveled
Naval Medical Center San Diego to Forward Operating Bases in Iraq and
Afghanistan, and practiced medicine in
M.B.A., Oklahoma State University Ghana with limited supplies, power, oxygen,
M.S. in Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, and communications. And this Ursuline
grad has done it all in the name of Serviam.
National Defense University
United States Naval Commander and
Emergency Medicine Physician, United States Navy board-certified Emergency Medicine (EM)
physician Kristie Robson is one of 160 Navy
Recipient of the Meritorious Achievement EM physicians who responds to domestic
Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps and international crises at a moment’s
notice. Whether it is providing triage care to
Commendation Medals, and three Navy and Marines wounded in combat, disaster relief
Marine Corps Achievement Medals to civilians in need, or Global Emergency
Preparedness and Disaster Response
Education training to rookie physicians,
Robson is living the life she always dreamed
of – “a life of serving my nation on a global
level as priority one.”

“THERE ARE NO

LIMITS TO WHAT AN

URSULINE GIRL CAN

ACHIEVE.”

Constantly on the move, Robson has led
Navy medical teams on the ground in
Brunei, Japan, Nigeria, Ecuador, Nicaragua,
Colombia, and Peru, treating the wounded
and teaching EM to first responders and
civilians. Having supported numerous
military exercises and combat missions,
including Operation Iraqi Freedom and
Operation Enduring Freedom, she has
proudly represented her country as a
medical practitioner on five continents.
When she is not aboard Navy speed boats
in Nigeria, the mobile trauma bay in
Afghanistan, or Humvees in the California
desert, she can be found caring for retired
and active duty military members and their
families at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton
in San Diego, CA.

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Photo: Matthew Wright HOW DO you engage an audience of more
than 39 million visitors in one of the
CAROLINE nation’s largest and most vibrant cities
BEAN on the east coast? Talk to Caroline Bean,
the woman responsible for all things social
CLASS OF 1998 media-related for tourism in the City of
Philadelphia. Promoting hundreds of events
B.A. in English with minors in Art History and partner organizations on a weekly basis,
and Spanish, University of Delaware Bean manages VISIT PHILADELPHIA’s
social media presence for the marketing of
Director of Social Media, VISIT PHILADELPHIA® such historically significant events as the
Philadelphia Flower Show, Penn Relays,
Recipient of PR News NonProfit PR award Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta, Philadelphia
for the With Love, Philadelphia XOXO® social Auto Show, Broad Street Run, Wawa
Welcome America festivities, Philadelphia
m e d i a c a m p a i g n ; Two S o c i a l Me d i a i n Tr ave l Film Festival, and countless other music,
+ To u r i s m Awa rd s f ro m Tra ve l + Le i s u re sporting, art, food, and entertainment
events throughout the year.
for Visit Philly’s Foodspotting and Twitter
accounts; and a Hospitality Sales & Marketing Bean has been promoting Philadelphia
Association International (HSMAI) Gold Adrian through social media marketing for 10
years and has created and sustained one
Awa rd fo r a n I n s t a g r a m Pre s s Tr i p of the top ranked channels in the nation.
By starting in the industry when many of
today’s social media professionals were
still in high school, Bean has been a part of
the vast changes that have occurred in how
people approach technology and use “new

“EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOU T

NEGOTIATION IN BUSINESS.

ADVOCATE FOR YO URSELVES

AND FOR YOUR WORK.”

media” platforms. In tourism, an industry
that was initially slow to embrace social
media marketing, she is known for her early
adoption of the emerging technology and her
innovative work with VISIT PHILADELPHIA’s
collaborative in-house team, including
podcasts, the popular uwishunu.com blog,
and integrated social programs.

Managing 15 social platforms to a following
of more than 800,000 people throughout
the world, Bean has helped establish
Philadelphia’s voice to consumers. So
whether it’s a Phillies playoff game, Pope
Francis’ visit to the City of Brotherly Love,
or a farmer’s market in Fairmount Park,
Ursuline alumna Caroline Bean has got you
covered.

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“LIFE IS NOT EASY FOR ANY
OF US. BU T WHAT OF THAT?
WE MUST HAVE PERSEVERANCE
AND, ABOVE ALL, CONFIDENCE

IN OURSELVES. WE MUST
BELIEVE WE ARE GIF TED FOR
SOMETHING AND THAT THIS

T H I N G M U S T B E AT TA I N ED. ”

— Marie Curie

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STEPHANIE CONTINUOUS GOAL setting is not just a
SEITZ professional standard for Stephanie Seitz; it is
her way of life. At 27, she has already earned a
CLASS OF 2007 Bachelor’s degree, a specialized Master’s degree in
Accounting and Professional Consultancy, passed
B.S. in Accounting and Finance with a minor the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
in History, Boston College Carroll School of Examination, and is scheduled to finish her MBA
coursework at Villanova in 2016. In addition to her
Management ongoing academic pursuits, Seitz is also a full-
CPA; MAC, Villanova University time Tax Senior Associate at KPMG, one of the
MBA candidate, Villanova University world’s largest and most prestigious Audit, Tax,
and Advisory firms. Setting the bar exceptionally
Tax Senior Associate, KPMG high is just who she is.

Member of American Institute of Certified Having a strong aptitude for mathematics from a
Public Accountants, Pennsylvania Institute young age and a family legacy in accounting, Seitz
of Certified Public Accountants, and Boston planned for her career starting as an undergrad at
Boston College (BC). As a varsity student-athlete
College Alumni Association, Philadelphia on BC’s rowing team, she skillfully balanced her
Chapter rigorous studies with her passion for athletics while
also earning academic recognition as a member of
“FOLLOW YOUR PASSION, WORK HARD the Dean’s List, the Golden Key International Honour
AND WORK SMART, AND DON’T BE Society, and Atlantic Coast Conference Academic
Honor Roll. Knowing her desired career path early
AFRAID TO ASK FOR GUIDANCE. NO on, she seized the opportunity with KPMG as an
MATTER WHAT, KEEP YOUR FAITH Audit intern, working with clients in the financial
AND SENSE OF HUMOR.” services, consumer markets, pharmaceutical, and
not-for-profit industries. Proving her dedication to
the technical work at hand, Seitz accepted an offer
to become an Audit Associate upon graduation
from BC. After spending nearly two years in Audit,
she transferred to the Tax Practice.

Based in Philadelphia, Seitz is now a member
of KPMG’s specialized tax practice team in the
Accounting Methods and Credit Services group,
providing tax credit services and strategic
maintenance to multiple Fortune 500 client
companies. She plays an integral role in assisting
clients to qualify for special purpose income tax
credits through her exceptional dedication and
attention to detail. As she continues working
toward her next graduate degree, we can only sit
back and wait to see what is next for Seitz, a true
model of hard work, perseverance, and success for
all Ursuline graduates.

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K AT H L E E N ALIGNING PERFECTLY with her academic past,
KILLEN VETERI Kathleen Killen Veteri’s newest career venture
incorporates her personal knowledge of the
CLASS OF 1989 benefits of single-gender education with her
passion for the law, giving her a unique foothold
B.A. in Political Science (Honors Program), Boston to continue strengthening institutions dedicated
College to the exceptional education of young women. As
an Assistant General Counsel for Barnard College,
J.D., William & Mary Law School one of the original Seven Sisters all-women’s
colleges, Veteri now works as a valued member
Assistant General Counsel, Barnard College of the College’s legal team to strengthen the
mission of the 125-year old academic institution,
Member of National Association for College and which was the first women’s college in New York
University Attorneys, the New York State Bar City. Barnard, the undergraduate women’s college
affiliated with Columbia University, was created to
Association, and the Westchester Women’s Bar offer high quality education to exceptional young
Association women at a time when Columbia did not admit
women.

“URSULINE IMPACTED WHO I AM AS

A WOMAN, LAWYER, MOTHER, WIFE,

AND COMMUNITY MEMBER BY GIVING

ME THE EDUCATION, SKILLS, AND,

ULTIMATELY, THE CONFIDENCE TO

FIND MY PLACE IN THE WORLD.”

In Barnard’s Office of General Counsel, Veteri
handles all labor and employment matters
and advises the College on various contract
negotiations, including issues related to vendor
management, real estate holdings, and commercial
leases. As the College’s legal representative in
arbitrations, collective bargaining negotiations,
and matters before the National Labor Relations
Board, she works with her counterparts campus-
wide to find common ground in issues involving
complex labor matters. In addition, Veteri works
closely with faculty members in the College’s
Dance and Theatre departments, providing legal
counsel on engaging artists in residence and other
performance matters. As a former commercial
litigator in New York City with Fried, Frank,
Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, an international
law firm representing many of the world’s largest
companies, Veteri’s professional experience truly
spans from one end of the legal spectrum to the
other, which is just perfect for this self-proclaimed
lifelong student.

Veteri recognizes the importance of her role as a
legal steward in ensuring Barnard continues its
work educating and empowering future generations
of young women leaders and faces each challenge
with the confidence and grace of a true Ursuline
girl.

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AUBREY PLAZA

“URSULINE INSTILLED A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE IN ME AT AN EARLY AGE. I WAS
ALWAYS ENCOURAGED TO SPEAK MY MIND AND CELEBRATE MY INDIVIDUALITY. THE

LESSONS AND VALUES I TOOK FROM MY EXPERIENCE AT URSULINE HAVE HELPED
ME SUCCEED IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE SINCE I GRADUATED. I AM WHO I AM

TODAY BECAUSE OF URSULINE AND ALL THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS AND MENTORS
I H A D T H E R E . I LOV E D G O I N G TO A N A L L- G I R L’ S S C H O O L . I T WAS A L E A R N I N G

ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT TYPICAL TEENAGE DISTRACTIONS. AND I REALLY THINK IT
HELPED ME BECOME A STRONGER, MORE CONFIDENT WOMAN.”

CLASS OF 2002
B.F.A., Tisch School of the Arts, New York
University
Ac t re s s a n d Co m e d i a n , F i l m a n d Te l ev i s i o n
Recipient of 2012 ALMA Award for Favorite
Movie Actress in a Comedy/Musical for her
performance in Safety Not Guaranteed

AS ONE of the few Ursuline alumnae with her own IMDb and Parks and Recreation and Judd Apatow’s Funny People. Since
Wikipedia web pages, Aubrey Plaza has become a standout then, she has been cast in multiple films including Safety
leading actress on the Hollywood landscape, landing roles Not Guaranteed and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and made
over and over again in major motion pictures and television ap p e aran ce s on The Ton ig ht S how w it h Jay Le no and The
shows. Recently finishing her 7-season run on Parks and Ellen Degeneres Show, among many others.
Recreation as April Ludgate, her impressive rise to popular
fame continues with more than 50 film and television credits Through her own diligence, ability, and ambition, Plaza is
to her name. practically a household name in comedy today. With features
in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, and
Currently based in Los Angeles, Plaza worked her way from Time Magazine, appearances at the Sundance Film Festival
intern to leading actress by taking every opportunity available and SXSW, and guest interviews on Late Night with Jimmy
to hone her craft, network, and build her portfolio. After Fallon and Late Show with David Letterman, she has achieved
graduating from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she started incredible success and popular acclaim at a young age. As
her career with internships as an NBC network page, an Plaza continues entertaining audiences with her acting and
assistant at Saturday Night Live, and a director’s assistant to comedic performances, we can’t wait to see what is next from
writer/producer/director Bennett Davlin while she performed this Ursuline girl as her potential is as limitless as her talent.
improv and sketch comedy at the acclaimed Upright Citizens
Brigade Theatre. Working tirelessly to achieve her dream, Plaza 15
got her big break in 2009 with major comedic roles in NBC’s

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BETSY LAZZERI PURSUING AN unlikely career path in television
RILEY broadcasting for a finance and philosophy major,
Betsy Lazzeri Riley, a lifelong athlete, knew the
CLASS OF 1999 key to her personal happiness was ensuring sports
remained an integral part of her life beyond
B.A. in Finance & Philosophy, University college. Now, as a decorated sports broadcasting
of Notre Dame producer and associate director with five Sports
Emmy Award wins and multiple international
Freelance Producer & Associate Director, credits to her name, she has proven that following
S p o r t s Te l ev i s i o n your dream pays off.

14 Sports Emmy Award nominations with five Starting at the bottom, Riley, a college senior at the
wins for 2008 Beijing Opening Ceremony, 2008 time, got her start in broadcasting working Notre
Dame Football games as a gopher for legendary
Beijing Olympics, 2011 NFL Playoff Coverage, N B C Sp ort s b road c aste rs Pat Hade n and To m
2012 London Olympics, and 2013 NFL/JFK Hammond while her friends watched the games
Assassination Project. Recipient of CINE from the bleachers. Aspiring to make a career out
of her love of sports, she continued working as a
Golden Eagle Award for work on Barbaro: A production assistant through college, gladly taking
Nation’s Horse every odd job available, and landed her big break
when she was offered a research assistant position
covering the 2004 Athens Olympics. Diligently
working her way from Production Assistant to
Associate Director and Producer over her 13-
year career, Riley has covered Olympic Games in
At he n s, Turin o, B e ijin g , Vanco u ve r, and Lo ndo n
and the greatest sporting events in football,
hockey, horseracing, track & field, golf, and tennis
for NBC Sports and the NFL Network.

Currently based in Santa Monica, CA, Riley and
her team travel the globe covering large-scale,
international athletic events and producing and
d ire c t in g fe at ure s on sp ort s f ig u re s , inclu ding To ny
Romo, Pete Carroll, Peyton Manning, Bill Belichick,
and Herschel Walker, among others. As a freelance
producer and director working with television’s
largest networks, she steers the editorial and
creative direction of the coverage, developing
compelling content that provides a personal
connection for the audience. So, the next time you
watc h N B C ’s cove rage of t h e Tr iple C rown o r Track
& Field remember Ursuline’s own Betsy Lazzeri
Riley is behind the scenes bringing you the best
that sports has to offer.

“ M Y U RS U LI N E ED U CAT I O N TAU G H T

ME HOW TO THINK CREATIVELY

AND INSTILLED A SENSE OF

CONFIDENCE THAT WENT BEYOND

THE CLASSROOM.”

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RACHEL FUELED BY her natural sense of adventure and
SAMPLES limitless energy, Rachel Samples has achieved
incredible professional acclaim at such a young
CLASS OF 2010 age through her endless pursuit of creative
collaboration. As a self-proclaimed “ideas person,”
B. S . i n Te l ev i s i o n , Ra d i o a n d F i l m w i t h Samples now blends her passion for digital media,
a minor in Information Management and new technology, and creative development with
Te c h n o l o g y, S .I. New h o u s e S c h o o l of P u b l i c her trademark comedic style as the Creative
Communications, Syracuse University Coordinator for Los Angeles-based Collab, LLC.

Creative Coordinator, Collab, LLC Forging a path destined for success right out of
Ursuline, Samples jumped feet first into her studies
Kappa Alpha Theta and Order of Omega an d ex t rac urric ular ac t iv it ie s as a Te lev is io n,
Honors Society inductee; Recipient of 2013 Radio and Film major at Syracuse University’s
Te l l y Awa rd fo r O u t s t a n d i n g Pe r fo r m a n ce i n internationally-renowned S.I. Newhouse School
an Online Program; 2014 RvD IDEA Awards of Public Communications. Through her work
IT Category; 2014 Rookie of the Year for New with Syracuse’s Marketing Department, multiple
York State Business Plan Competition professional collaborations with friends and
colleagues, and her own personal ingenuity on
p roje c t s suc h as Toc k , she b e c am e an ins tantly
recognizable figure on campus and an emerging
social media guru. Feeding her passion for new
and emerging trends in communications, Samples
fine-tuned her video editing, filming, writing, and
social media skills through internships with MTV
News in New York City, NBC Sports during their
coverage of the Olympics in London, and Octagon
Entertainment in L.A. Most notably, Samples
received university and statewide recognition for
he r co- c re at ion of Toc k , an ant i- sm art p h o ne app
borne out of a class assignment that rewarded
users for engaging in more face time and less
screen time in social settings.

“URSULINE HELPED ME NAVIGATE

MY PASSIONS AND TURN THEM INTO

TANGIBLE GOALS. MAKE SURE THE

INDEPENDENCE AND CONFIDENCE YOU

DEVELOP AT URSULINE GOES WITH

YOU WHEN YOU GRADUATE.”

Currently based in L.A., Samples helps promote top
social media celebrities through her conception and
development of branded marketing campaigns for
clients, including Fortune 500 companies. Thriving
in Collab’s fast-paced startup environment, she
works within her collaborative team to create
pitch ideas, media packages, and original content
for distribution across multiple social media
platforms, including Vine, Instagram, Twitter, and
YouTub e . Wit h he r han d on t he p ulse of eve r yth ing
new and emerging in social media, Samples is
sure to make a name for herself once again in
her endless pursuit of personal and professional
innovation.

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“EVERY GREAT DREAM BEGINS
WITH A DREAMER . ALWAYS

REMEMBER, YOU HAVE WITHIN
YOU THE STRENGTH, THE

PATIENCE, AND THE PASSION
TO RE AC H T H E S TA R S TO
CHANGE THE WORLD.”

— Harriet Tubman

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DR . PATRICIA “WHAT BRINGS you joy?” and “What gifts will you
PERILLO offer the world’s need?” are the questions that
drive the professional career and personal calling
CLASS OF 1981 of Dr. Patty Perillo. As Vice President for Student
Affairs and Assistant Professor of Higher Education
B.A. in Psychology, University of Delaware at Virg in ia Te c h, Pe rillo is t h e v is io nar y le ade r of
M.Ed. in College Counseling and Student Personnel 3,400 educators and professionals whose sole focus
Administration, University of Delaware is the programs and services that promote learning
Ph.D. in Public and Community Health, University of and holistic development outside of the classroom
Maryland for the campus’s 22,000 undergraduate and 8,000
graduate students. Providing leadership for 24
Vice President for Student Affairs and Assistant departments and five administrative units, she
Profe s s o r of H i g h e r Ed u c a t i o n , V i rg i n i a Te c h oversees a vast array of vital collegiate functions,
including Career Services, Student Conduct, Dean
Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Phi Alpha of Students Office, International Center, Housing
Epsilon inductee; Recipient of ACPA’s Esther Lloyd and Residence Life, Services for Students with
Jones Professional Service Award and ACPA’s Diamond Disabilities, Counseling Center, Fraternity and
Honoree Award for Service to Higher Education Sorority Life, and Health Center, among others. With
nearly 30 years in higher education at institutions
“SERVIAM PLANTED THE SEEDS FOR A GENUINE including Davidson College, University of Maryland,
COMMITMENT TO LIVING A LIFE OF SERVICE.” State University of New York, and University of
Delaware, Perillo currently heads the Blacksburg
campus’s largest division with a budget of more
than $150 million and has responsibility for more
than 30 percent of the college’s physical capital.
However, it is the opportunity to impact the lives
of young adults during these critically important
college years that inspires Perillo every day.

Realizing early on in her own academic pursuits
how important Student Affairs can be in helping
students navigate the developmental shifts and
changes that occur between the ages of 18 and 24,
Perillo has dedicated her life to helping students
reach their full potential. For 30 years, she has
focused her days on the healthy growth and learning
of young people, whether that means talking to
contractors about building new residence halls,
presiding over a steering committee to increase
diversity on campus, talking with students about
summer internships, or meeting with parents about
a student’s behavior, just to name a few. In fact,
as a result of her tireless commitment to ensuring
positive student outcomes, she was elected by her
peers to serve as President for the ACPA – College
Student Educators International – an international
higher education association serving over 10,000
members.

For Perillo, her career is a reflection of her
personal commitment to service and living her
values. Knowing firsthand how transformative
and esteemed education can be, with less than 7
percent of the world’s population having a college
degree, she prides herself on “helping those who
have had the privileged opportunity to go to college
come to understand the goal of higher education
is not about personal gain but rather to make the
world a better place.”

19

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DR. SARAH AS A student, athlete, and, now, entrepreneur, Sarah
Parks has always welcomed new challenges with
PA R K S enviable determination, using each new experience
as an opportunity to reinvent and restructure the
CLASS OF 1998 status quo. Applying her trademark enthusiasm
to her role as President and Founder of Amala
B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Economics, Consulting, Parks has become a leading consultant
Colgate University in ecological economics and nonprofit development
across northern New York, supporting organizations
M.S. in Ecological Economics, Values, and Policy, working to raise awareness about the value of the
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) environment and its assets.
Ph.D. in Ecological Economics, RPI
After her experiences as a Division I collegiate athlete
President and Founder, Amala Consulting, LLC at Colgate and semi-professional basketball player
for t he I rish Nat ion al Te a m , Par k s be g an pu r s u ing a
Phalanx Honors Society inductee; Recipient of 2012 career in environmental advocacy, quickly realizing
Barnabas McHenry Hudson River Valley Award and 2009 her long-range career aspirations necessitated
advanced graduate degrees. Combining her interests
RPI Founders Award of Excellence in science, technology, and business with her
passion for the environment, she pursued degrees
in ecological economics, an interdisciplinary field of
study that aims to improve how traditional economic
theory addresses the interrelationships between the
environment and human wellbeing. With her unique
academic and professional expertise, Parks travels
the globe providing communities and organizations
with her specialty services, including ecological
economics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
analysis, grant writing, graphic design, development,
and project management.

“URSULINE REQUIRED DISCIPLINE AND

COMMITMENT IN THE CLASSROOM,

ON THE COURT, AND IN THE FIELD,

WHICH NOW HELPS ME EVERY DAY.”

Parks has worked with the United Nations
Development Programme in Thailand, U.S. Forest
Service, the New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA), and multiple
nonprofits protecting and sustaining New York’s
Rensselaer Plateau, the state’s fifth largest forest.
Actively engaged in her local community, she also
guest lectures at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
(RPI), covering themes related to ecological
economics, GIS, and public service. As she looks
to her next big challenge, Parks aims to once again
professionally pivot with the characteristic energy
and gusto for which she is known to expand her
array of services to New York’s Tech Valley and its
burgeoning start-up scene.

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26309-15_001-044.pdf 18

SR. JACKIE IF THERE is a challenge to accept or an opportunity
GRIFFITH, SSJ to defy all odds, Sr. Jackie Griffith is there, ready to
hit the ground running. Currently serving as a Social
CLASS OF 1971 Worker and Care Coordinator in Savannah, GA,
B.A. in Psychology, Chestnut Hill College Griffith became a Sister of St. Joseph at 19 years
M.S.W., University of North Carolina at Chapel old, answering God’s call to serve those with the
Hill greatest needs. Now, after four decades of working
Post-Master’s Certificate in Administration of to give a voice to the voiceless, she is a nationally-
t h e S o c i a l S e r v i ce s , Te m p l e Un i ve r s i t y recognized social justice activist whose work has
M.A. in Earth Literacy, St. Mary-of-the-Woods changed countless lives across the country.
College
Social Worker/Care Coordinator, St. Joseph’s/ With endless drive and energy, Griffith aimed
Candler Health System high in her early professional career, successfully
Member of the National Association of Social opening the Catholic Social Services branch
Workers, Academy of Certified Social Workers, in Winston-Salem, NC and developing the
and Clinical Social Work Association of Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s St. Joseph Catholic
Savannah Home for Children into six group homes providing
abused and neglected teen girls with vital social
26309-15_001-044.pdf 19 services. Following her calling to serve where her
talents were most needed, she left the Northeast in
the mid-1990s to perform mission work in Selma,
AL, providing outreach and crisis intervention to
poverty-stricken communities. With her eyes open
to the increased need for services in the South,
Griffith jumped at the opportunity to become the
Director of Catholic Social Services for the Diocese
of Savannah, broadening her ability to bring real
change to those dependent on the charity, social
services, social justice, pro-life, and prison ministry
programs provided by the Church. During this time,
she made national headlines for her support of
anti-death penalty efforts.

“DEVELOP YOUR SPIRITUALITY AND
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SOUL. MAKE
SERVICE AND ATTENTION TO OTHERS

AN INTEGRAL PART OF YOUR LIFE.
MAKE MISTAKES AND MOVE ON.”

After more than a decade in social service
administration, Griffith recently returned to her
activist roots working with Savannah’s chronically
poor and uninsured population at St. Mary’s Health
Center. Creating comprehensive plans that connect
the links between mental health, medical care,
housing, medication, and diet for the benefit of her
patients, Griffith enriches the physical and spiritual
lives of those who seek her help. Whether her efforts
impact an entire diocese or an individual client,
Griffith’s local, regional, and national contributions
are immeasurable and, lucky for us, ongoing.

21

11/24/2015 9:18:24 AM

22 12/7/2015 3:09:51 PM
26309-15_001-044.p20.pdf 1

JESSIE
WOOLLE Y-WILSON

“MY URSULINE EDUCATION HELPED ME TO GET WHERE I AM TODAY. I WAS TAUGHT TO BE A

LEADER AND INSTILLED WITH THE DESIRE TO MAKE OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE.”

CLASS OF 1981

B.A. in English, University of Virginia
M.B.A., Harvard Business School
2007 Henry Crown Fellow, The Aspen Institute

President, CEO, & Chairman of the Board,
DreamBox Learning®, Inc.

Named to the Forbes “Impact 15” list for her
contributions to education. Recipient of the
2015 Executive Excellence Award in the CEO of
the Year category by Seattle Business Magazine
and 2012 Puget Sound Business Journal Women
of Influence Award

GUIDED BY her desire to ensure a quality education for every served as President of Blackboard’s K–12 Group, leading the
child regardless of their zip code, Jessie Woolley-Wilson’s company’s growth for the virtual and blended online learning
visionary leadership has created a company that delivers 1 market.
million math lessons a day to students in grades K-8 in all 50
states. As Chair, President, and CEO of DreamBox Learning®, Driven to provide every student the experience of high quality
Inc., the company that pioneered Intelligent Adaptive Learning™, education, Woolley-Wilson has delivered on her vision, creating
she has guided the tech startup from its early days to national a company that provides students the unique opportunity
prominence, building a company heralded as a “game changer” to experience adaptive math learning. By giving students an
in the ed-tech sector. individualized environment that suits their learning strengths
and the type of nimble responsiveness children raised on
Pursuing her passion for business, Woolley-Wilson earned technology have come to expect in the classroom, DreamBox
her M.B.A. from Harvard while living Serviam through Learning encourages enthusiastic interest in math and STEM
multiple volunteer experiences with education nonprofits and fields by making learning fun again. With her prominence as an
government committees. Blending her interests in business ed-tech leader, Woolley-Wilson has served as a member of the
and education, she gained an early appreciation for the power World Economic Forum’s Global Age nd a Council on Techno lo gy
of technology in traditional education through leadership and Education and has shared her vision for blended and
positions at Kaplan, the leading test preparation company adaptive learning on the stages of TEDx Rainier, SXSWedu, and
in the U.S., and Collegeboard.com, the interactive division DENT. With an ingrained focus on service, Woolley-Wilson also
of the College Board. Making the cross-country move to the serves on several boards, including the International Association
West Coast, Woolley-Wilson became President of LeapFrog for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL), Camelot Education, the
SchoolHouse, establishing the division as one of the fastest Woodrow Wilson Foundation, IslandWood, and Seattle Venture
growing educational software producers in the U.S., and then Partners International.

23

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“URSULINE HAS PROVIDED ME WITH
AN AMAZING NETWORK OF LIFELONG
RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON SIMILAR

VALUES AND IDEALS.”

ABIGAIL RODGERS STEADFASTLY DETERMINED to protect society’s
LAY TON most innocent at any cost, Abigail Rodgers Layton
fearlessly leads the State of Delaware’s efforts to
CLASS OF 1994 combat Internet crimes against children. As the
Commander of the Child Predator Task Force for
B.A. in Philosophy, Gettysburg College the State of Delaware, she and her team, working
J.D., Villanova University School of Law in coordination with federal, state, and local law
enforcement, operate a nationally-renowned unit
Commander, Child Predator Task Force, State of Delaware responsible for 300 arrests, 225 convictions, and
132 child rescues since 2007.
Named 2007 Delaware Department of Justice Outstanding
Deputy and 1999 Gettysburg College’s Woman of Distinction. After four years in private practice following law
school, Layton joined the Delaware Department of
Recipient of Linnean Award for Outstanding Leadership and Justice as a Deputy Attorney General, prosecuting
Alfred J. Hamme Award for Leadership. Appointed President violent felony criminal cases in Delaware’s Superior
Court. Handling every detail of her caseload
of the Board of Directors, Prevent Child Abuse Delaware, from start to finish, she managed multiagency
a n d C h a i r, H u m a n Tr af f i c k i n g Co o rd i n a t i n g Co u n c i l investigations, pretrial motion practice, and trial
and post-trial motions, including appellate briefs
before the Delaware Supreme Court. She was later
appointed to the Felony Arson Unit, supervising
the investigation and prosecution of all arson
matters in New Castle County. In 2009, Layton
returned to private practice, litigating personal
injury actions, commercial disputes, and multistate
medical malpractice suits while managing office
operations.

Layton was appointed in 2011 by the late Attorney
General Beau Biden to lead the statewide Task
Force and has elevated the status of the unit
to levels of national acclaim as a model of best
practices. Managing the proactive pursuit of child
predators, she is actively involved in every aspect
of the unit’s operation from tracking down leads
to prosecuting offenders. Recently approached by
Widener University to develop the curriculum for
it s C hild Pre d ators, L aw and Te ch no lo g y co u r s e ,
Layton also co-teaches with a Task Force colleague
to educate the next generation of the legal
community on the issues and cases they handle
on a daily basis. Knowing the impact her efforts
can have, Layton continues her relentless pursuit
of perpetrators each day in the hope of saving lives
and protecting children.

24 11/24/2015 9:18:24 AM
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AY N S L E Y AS SOMEONE who was born to dance, Aynsley
INGLIS Inglis has taken her natural talent and applied
endless amounts of personal dedication to
CLASS OF 2005 perfecting her craft to become internationally-
recognized in the highly competitive world of
B.A. in Russian Language and Literature, professional ballet. Now based in New York City,
University of Delaware Inglis continues her rise to the top of her artistic
career with her most recent appearances at The
Professional Ballet Dancer Kitchen Revue at The Kaufman Theater and in The
Fairy Queen & Midsummer’s Night Dream Opera/
Recipient of 2005 National Foundation for the Ballet at dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, both located
Advancement in the Arts (USA) Merit Award in Ballet; in New York City.
2005 USA Russian Pointe Competition Bronze Medal;
At age 3, Inglis started dancing and has never
Pointe Magazine’s 2010 Editor’s Choice Award; stopped. From elementary through high school, her
Jackson International Ballet Competition’s 2010 weekly schedule was an endless loop of school and
Principal Contract; Universal Cultural Foundation/ ballet as a student at Ursuline and The School of
Universal Ballet Company Seoul, Korea’s 2011 Ye First State Ballet Theatre, Kirov Academy of Ballet,
and American Ballet Theater. With her intense
Cheon Miji Award; Korean International Dance training and absolute dedication to the fine art,
Competition 2013 Bronze Medal; Valentina Kozlova Inglis was cast, starting at a young age, in such
full-length roles as Kitri in Don Quixote, Aurora
International Ballet Competition (VKIBC) Finalist in Sleeping Beauty, Marie in The Nutcracker, and
(2013), Contemporary Dance & Choreography Carmen in Carmen Suite. During this time, she was
also a leading competitor in international dance
Competition (CD&CC) Bronze Medal (2014), and competitions, including the Jackson International
CD&CC Silver Medal Senior Division (2014); and 2014 Ballet Competition, VK New York International
Ballet Competition, Seoul International Dance
Wilmington Award for the Arts Competition, Korean International Dance
Competition, and the Youth American Grand Prix.
“URSULINE INSTILLED THE IMPORTANCE OF
After graduating from the University of Delaware,
SERVIAM IN MY HEART, AND IN A PROFESSION Inglis took to the professional circuit, receiving
contracts with the Universal Ballet Company (UBC)
THAT IS DRIVEN FOR PERFECTION AND in S e oul, S out h Kore a an d t he Tu ls a Balle t in Tu ls a,
Oklahoma. For two seasons, she performed in
SOMETIMES ART FOR ART’S SAKE, THIS MOTTO IS t he Corp s d e B alle t on U B C ’s Wo r ld To u r, dancing
he r way t hroug h Tok yo, S eo u l, Bu s an, Ye o s u l,
A BEACON THAT HAS MOTIVATED ME TO ALWAYS Muscat, Johannesburg, Moscow, Vancouver, and
San Francisco. After returning to the United
SEARCH FOR HOW MY ART CAN HELP, IMPACT, St ate s, I n g lis st arte d he r run with th e Tu ls a Balle t,
performing both contemporary dance and ballet
AND INSPIRE OTHERS.” with the company in Ben Stevenson’s Dracula,
Marcello Angelini’s The Nutcracker, and George
B alan c hin e’s Four Te m p e ra me nts . Now, with h e r
career in full swing, Inglis trains under world-
renowned ballerina and coach Valentina Kozlova
while pursuing her next leading role on some of
the world’s biggest stages.

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11/24/2015 9:18:24 AM

FOR MORE than four decades, Denise Hinson Scales
has delivered professional guidance and personal
care for thousands of mothers and babies throughout
the Greater Wilmington area. Now, as the Nurse
Manager of Parent Education and Lactation Services
at Christiana Care Health System, an American
Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Hospital, she
continues her life’s work educating parents on how
to give their children the best start possible.

Scales began her prestigious career in 1973 as a
student nurse working with surgical patients on a
teaching unit at the Medical Center of Delaware,
now Christiana Care. Quickly working her way up the
professional ladder, she moved to the Maternity wing
less than a year later, caring for mothers and their
newborns on the midnight shift. Through a series
of steady promotions as a result of her tremendous
dedication and skill, Scales became Nurse Manager
of the Post-Partum Units at Christiana Hospital, a
leadership position she held for more than 30 years.
In this role, she oversaw the daily operation of the
expansive hospital’s 38-bed Mother/Baby unit,
including supervision of the medical and clerical
staff, establishment of the unit’s performance
standards and goals, review and revision of patient
care standards and outcomes, promotion of nursing
research, and budget development and maintenance.
Through her personal goal-setting, Scales set the
highest level of professional standards for herself
and those around her, resulting in multiple awards
for the department over the years.

DENISE “YOU MAY LEAVE URSULINE, BUT
URSULINE NEVER LEAVES YOU.”

HINSON SCALES Living the spirit of Serviam, Scales has also become

a prominent figure throughout the region for her

dedication to service and health advocacy. For

CLASS OF 1969 more than a decade, Scales has been the parish
nurse for St. Joseph’s Church, providing monthly
R.N. Diploma, St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing health screenings and a health speakers series for
B.S.N., Wilmington College parishioners. She has also served as an adjunct
instructor and mentor at the University of Delaware,
M.S. in Human Resource Management, Wilmington Neumann College, Wilmington University, and
College

Nurse Manager of Parent Education and Lactation D e laware Te c hn ic al Com m u nity Co lle ge , in additio n
Services, Christiana Care Health System to her participation with Christiana Care Health

Charter member of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Tau Eta Systems’ (CCHS) Speakers Bureau, CCHS’s Health
Chapter. Recipient of 2009 Soror of the Year Ministry Outreach Programs, Baylor Women’s Prison
Guest Lecture Series, and Chi Eta Phi Sorority. As
from Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Tau Eta Chapter; 2011 she continues her impressive work caring for the
Nursing Excellence Award for Nursing Leadership, region’s mothers and babies, Scales has already
made an immeasurable contribution to the
Christiana Care Health System; 2011 Nursing community at-large, ensuring the best outcomes for
Excellence Award for Nursing Leadership from the society’s greatest hope.

Delaware Section of the Association of Women’s
Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nursing; and

2014 Diocese of Wilmington Medal of Merit for
Service to St. Joseph’s Church

26

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LAURA of the system’s rubber components, including the
VA N D ER P O S T formulation, development, and optimization of the
raw materials. With her contributions to a product
CLASS OF 2010 expected to revolutionize the industry, van der
Post is now laying the foundation for what will
B.M.E. in Mechanical Engineering with surely be a long and successful engineering career
a minor in Biomedical Engineering, and ultimately her scientific legacy.
University of Delaware
“URSULINE EMPOWERED ME TO BE
Process Engineer, W. L. Gore & AN INDEPENDENT THINKER.”
Associates, Inc.

Alpha Omega Epsilon Professional Engineering
Sorority inductee; Member of American Society
of Mechanical Engineers, Biomedical Engineering

Society, and Society of Women Engineers

ENDLESSLY FASCINATED with the way things
move and how things work, Laura van der Post
had the makings of a successful scientist from
an early age. Now, as a Process Engineer for W.L.
Gore & Associates, she applies her engineering and
biomedical training to develop solutions to real
world healthcare challenges, blazing her own trail
as a young woman innovator.

Recognizing her natural aptitude for engineering,
van der Post constantly expanded her scientific
skill set, including participating as a member and
president of the FIRST Robotics Competition team
MOE 365 and completing multiple AP math and
science courses as an Ursuline student. Focused
on her pursuit of a scientific career, she entered
the University of Delaware’s highly competitive
Mechanical Engineering program, completing
courses in Dynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and
Orthopedic Biomechanics, among others. After
being heavily recruited by leading scientific
corporations, van der Post accepted her position at
Gore, recognizing the endless career opportunities
with the international technology powerhouse.

Embodying the scientific credo that engineering
disciplines “teach you how to learn,” van der Post
is part of 35-person collaborative team working
to develop the next generation of drug delivery
systems. Doing her part to increase the effectiveness
of a complex pharmaceutical system responsible
for maintaining the health of patients in need, she
is solely responsible for the chemical engineering

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11/24/2015 9:18:24 AM

A N I TA FOR SOUTHERN Chester County native Anita
D’AMICO D’Amico, strengthening her community and
supporting her neighbors are at the heart
CLASS OF 2000 of everything she does. After graduating
from law school and gaining experience
B.A. in Elementary Education, DeSales in the field, D’Amico co-founded her own
University law firm and established the practice in
J.D., Western Michigan University Thomas Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Now, after
M. Cooley Law School seven years as Managing Member of the Law
Offices of Rigler & D’Amico, LLC, she has
Founding Partner, D’Amico Law, PC started her own firm, D’Amico Law, PC and
continues to serve a critical function in the
Member of the Historic Kennett Square Board community, representing local and regional
of Directors, the West Grove – Avondale businesses and individual clients across a
Rotary Club, and the Southern Chester County wide range of legal areas.
Chamber of Commerce.
As a self-proclaimed generalist in her own
small town practice, D’Amico expertly
handles matters in civil law, including estate
planning and administration, corporate law,
personal injury, and tax appeals, among
others. Drawing from her undergraduate
experience working with children, her
passion lies with family law, which has
become her professional specialty. With
her extensive legal expertise and effective
case management, D’Amico has grown
her practice one client at a time, helping
countless people skillfully navigate the life-
changing events that brought them to her in
the first place.

Outside of the office, D’Amico is deeply
involved in the local community, planning

“URSULINE PROVIDED ME WITH

THE CONFIDENCE TO SEEK

A CAREER AND EVENTUALLY

OPEN MY OWN BUSINESS

IN A FIELD THAT ALWAYS

INTERESTED ME.”

and promoting a variety of events and
programs through her work as a member
of the Historic Kennett Square Board of
Directors, the West Grove – Avondale
Rotary Club, and the Southern Chester
County Chamber of Commerce. So, whether
you need advice on estate planning or the
best place to eat at the Kennett Square
Mushroom Festival, D’Amico is just a phone
call away.

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“IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL, IT IS BECAUSE SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME,
S O M E O N E G AV E YO U A LI F E O R A N I D E A T H AT S TA RT ED YO U I N T H E
RIGHT DIRECTION. REMEMBER ALSO THAT YOU ARE INDEBTED TO
LIFE UNTIL YOU HELP SOME LESS FORTUNATE PERSON, JUST AS YOU
WERE HELPED.” —Melinda Gates

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SPENDING MANY years of her childhood living
abroad with her family in London and Mexico City,
Alanna Stewart Piser experienced some of the
world’s most historically significant structural icons
at a young age in her travels throughout Europe and
Latin America. Now, as a Preservation Designer for
nationally-renowned John Milner Architects, Inc.,
Piser makes her own contributions to the highly
specialized field of historic preservation, furthering
her appreciation of the architectural arts that
developed in her youth.

ALANNA Starting her career with a local architecture firm,
S T EWA R T P I S ER Piser prepared architectural drawings, finish
selections, and project schedules for large-scale
CLASS OF 2003 design and renovation projects in Wilmington,
including preliminary drawings for the renovation of
B.A. in Interior Design, Marymount the Queen Theater on Market Street. Pursuing her
University interest in historic preservation, she entered Penn’s
School of Design, studying bridge restoration and
M.S. in Historic Preservation, University preservation techniques in Montenegro, Croatia,
of Pennsylvania and Bosnia and urban conservation in Shanghai,
China when she was not in the classroom learning
Preservation Designer, John Milner Architects, Inc. from internationally distinguished architects and
preservationists. Applying her newly acquired skills,
Me m b e r of Th e Na t i o n a l Tr u s t fo r H i s t o r i c Pre s e r va t i o n , Piser joined Cultural Heritage Research Services,
the Scholarship Committee for the University of Inc. out of Penn, researching and writing National
Register Nominations and Historic Resource Surveys
Pennsylvania Alumni Society of Delaware, the Building for buildings through the greater Philadelphia
Committee for Ursuline Academy, and the Spring Brook region.

Farm Board In 2013, Piser joined John Milner Architects, Inc.
and assists in the survey and assessment of historic
buildings, the preparation of historic preservation
documents, and the development of design and
construction documentation for large- and small-
scale construction and renovation projects. Her work
includes the design and renovation of an expansive
apartment in a New York City Landmark Building
on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and wholescale
compilations of Historic Structures Reports for the
National Park Service for buildings in Virginia and
New Jersey. Knowing the impact our past has on
our present, the best is yet come from Piser, as
she continues her work to ensure a historically rich
future for generations to come.

“GO OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
AND ENGAGE WITH ORGANIZATIONS OR
CAUSES THAT OFFER NEW EXPERIENCES.”

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C. PICARA BORNE OUT of her personal dedication to Serviam
VA S S A LL O and helping those in need, C. Picara Vassallo
pursued a life and career path grounded in the art
CLASS OF 1997 of healing. By investing her life’s work in the study
and practice of oriental medicine, she has devised
B.A. in Psychology/Biological Basis of Behavior, her own path, realizing her dreams as a successful
University of Pennsylvania solo practitioner of Chinese medicine in New York
M. S . i n Tr a d i t i o n a l C h i n e s e Me d i c i n e , and Delaware and as the founder of Sanctuary, an
Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, and Medical integrative healing center providing acupuncture,
Massage, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine yoga, massage, and other healing treatments.
Licensed Acupuncturist, and Founder,
Sanctuary In pursuit of her divine calling, Vassallo traveled
the globe collecting her varied spiritual and
Member of the National Certification Chinese medicine wisdom and becoming a leading
Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental voice in the Eastern medicine community today.
Medicine Studying psychology with a focus in neuroscience
as an undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania,
“ U R S U LI N E S U P P LI ED A F O U N DAT I O N F O R M Y VA L U E S, A she developed a deep interest in the intricate
connection between the mind, the body, and
PLACE TO NURTURE MY DESIRE TO SERVE, AND A SAFE one’s holistic health. Furthering her training, she
worked toward her graduate degree at the Pacific
COMMUNITY OF LIKEMINDED WOMEN TO SUPPORT THOSE College of Oriental Medicine where she studied
traditional oriental medical theory and techniques
IDEALS. IT HELPED MAKE ME A STRONGER AND MORE of acupuncture, herbal medicine, and tui na,
along with the biomedical subjects of anatomy,
CAPABLE AND EFFECTIVE WOMAN IN THE WORLD.” physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and
nutrition in both S an Diego and New York City.
After her internships at San Diego Hospice and
NYU’s Center for Joint Diseases, she received her
Master of Science in Oriental Medicine and became
a licensed acupuncturist in Delaware and New
York. In addition to her formal degrees, Vassallo
has also studied energy healing in Thailand and
kinesiology in Utah and apprenticed with a world-
renowned acupuncturist, herbalist, and Sufi healer
in locations throughout the country.

As her solo practice in New York expanded,
Vassallo knew a demand for her healing services
existed in Delaware. Collaborating with likeminded
practitioners, therapists, and healers, she envisioned
and built Sanctuary, a single location that provides
convenient, powerful, integrated healing resources
for people seeking alternative treatment and
health services. Now traveling between New York
and Delaware on a weekly basis, Vassallo has
realized a significant dream in Sanctuary, creating
a space that houses a community of acupuncture,
yoga, massage, therapy, spiritual guidance, and
wellness education resources. Energized by her
opportunity to help people fulfill their dreams on
their path of personal growth, she will continue
her groundbreaking work throughout the country,
bringing healing, health, and wellness to those in
need.

31

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ELENA DELLE DONNE

“TO ME, URSULINE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A SCHOOL. IT IS A
SISTERHOOD THAT BLESSED ME WITH RELATIONSHIPS THAT I’LL HAVE

FOR A LIFETIME. ON TOP OF RELATIONSHIPS, URSULINE INSTILLED
IN ME VALUES THAT I HAVE TAKEN WITH ME IN MY CAREER AND WILL

CONTINUE TO USE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.”

CLASS OF 2008

B.A. in Human Services with a
concentration in Administration and
Family Policy, University of Delaware

Professional Basketball Player, Chicago Sky

Recipient of 2011 World University Games Gold Medal, 2012-2013
Senior Class Award, 2013 WNBA Rookie of the Month Honors 2014
Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award and 2015 WBNA MVP.
Named three-time Capital One Academic All-American, two-time
Capital One Academic All-American of the Year, two-time John
Wooden All-American, two-time WBCA All-American, CAA All-
Time Leading Scorer, and 5th All-Time Leading Scorer in Division I
History

NATIONALLY AND internationally recognized as one of today’s 3,039 college career points, the fifth highest in women’s NCAA
leading figures in women’s basketball, Elena Delle Donne is history, she set multiple national women’s basketball records,
not only an athletic phenomenon but also a devoted philan- paving the way for her WNBA career.
thropist and pillar of Ursuline’s sports legacy. With count-
less collegiate and professional accolades to her name, Delle Selected as the second overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft by the
Donne has become a household name for her dominating Chicago Sky, Delle Donne continues to raise the image of women
athletic abilities and steadfast commitment to volunteerism in professional sports with her endless record-making perfor-
and service. mances. Selected for the 2013 and 2014 WNBA All-Star team and
named the 2013 WNBA Rookie of the Year, she has established
As one of the most decorated and highly recruited high school a personal brand rooted in Serviam through her professional
basketball players of all-time, Delle Donne entered her col- achievements. Focused on philanthropy on and off the court, Del-
legiate career as a national record holder, three-time state le Donne is a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics, expanding
champion, McDonald’s All-American, and National High School opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities, and works
Player of the Year. As a University of Delaware (UD) Blue Hen, to raise awareness about Lyme disease. In her early professional
she ruled the court, becoming UD’s all-time leading scorer career, Delle Donne has already established herself as an interna-
for men’s and women’s basketball, earning a Consensus First tional athletic powerhouse, inspiring the next generation to accept
Team All-A m e r i c a n t i t l e , a n d l e a d i n g t h e 2 0 1 1 U SA B a s ke t b a l l every challenge with endless drive and spirit.
Team to Wo r l d Un i ve r s i t y G a m e s’ go l d m e d a l d o m i n a n ce . Wi t h

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DR. THERESE DR. THERESE Johnson Dunn was born an animal
JOHNSON DUNN lover, borrowing her friends’ dogs and cats and
taking the classroom pets home every chance she
CLASS OF 1999 got before she could have a pet of her own. With
the guidance of her Upper School Biology teacher
B. S . i n A n i m a l a n d Po u l t r y S c i e n ce , V i rg i n i a Te c h at Ursuline, Dunn transformed her avid interest
D.V.M., Virginia-Maryland Regional College of in animals into a veterinary career, where she
Veterinary Medicine now helps foster the bond between humans and
animals and advocates for the proper treatment
Veterinarian, Companion Animal Care and wellbeing of animals everywhere.

Member of the American Veterinary Medical Working toward her goal of earning her veterinary
Association degree even as an undergraduate student, Dunn
participated in multiple research opportunities
in t he Dairy S c ie n ce p rog ra m at Virg inia Te ch ,
where she graduated summa cum laude. After
her admission to the Virginia-Maryland Regional
College of Veterinary Medicine, she excelled in the
rigorous medical curriculum and took an interest
in the area of exotic companion animal health
care, focusing on reptiles. In the spirit of Serviam,
Dunn dedicated her spare time during veterinary
school to Wildlife Ward, a student-run triage and
transport service for injured and orphaned wildlife,
and to using her industry contacts to organize
technical labs in surgery and avian medicine.

Dunn began practice as a companion animal
veterinarian at Community Animal Hospital
in southwestern Virginia, where she provided
diagnosis, medical care, and preventative
treatment to every pet from cats and dogs to
lizards and mice. With special interest in exotic
pets, including rodents, reptiles, amphibians, she
provided skilled medical care to a wide range of
companion animals throughout the region. Now
located in the San Francisco Bay area, Dunn is
working towards her California licensure to provide
the same outstanding care she provided on the
East Coast to owners and their amazing pets on
the West Coast.

“ T H E AT M O S P H ERE O F ACC EP TA N C E ,
THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHERS, AND
THE SMALLER SCHOOL SIZE ALLOWED
ME TO I ND ULGE I N MY AVI D I NT EREST
I N LE A RN I N G A N D, M O RE I M P O RTA N T LY,
BUILD MY SELF-CONFIDENCE TO USE

THAT KNOWLEDGE.”

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“URSULINE INSTILLED A NO-
LI M I T S M EN TA LI T Y A N D G AV E M E

THE FOCUS AND THE LATITUDE
T O B E W H AT I WA N T ED T O B E —

W I T H O U T H ES I TAT I O N . ”

BY COMBINING her two academic interests –
engineering and law – Vicky Petrone has created
a highly specialized legal practice that handles
all aspects of construction law throughout the
mid-Atlantic region. As partner and co-founder of
Logan & Petrone, LLC, she has established herself
as a leading legal expert in the male-dominated
construction industry, advising her clients on their
distinctive transactional and litigation needs.

With a lifelong aptitude for math and science,
Petrone completed her undergraduate degree in
Civil Engineering at University of Delaware and,
soon af te r, join e d t he Whit in g-Tu r ne r Co ntracting
Company as a project engineer. Seeing firsthand
the great need for comprehensive legal services
in the local construction and building business,
she returned to school, earning her law degree
while working as a full-time engineer. In 2003,
she established her practice, becoming a valued
legal advisor to business owners, developers,
contractors, subcontractors, architects, and
engineers throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and New Jersey.

VICTORIA Currently, Petrone’s legal specialties include but
PETRONE are not limited to corporate formation, contract
development, review and negotiation, construction
CLASS OF 1991 defects, public bidding and prevailing wage
law, employment disputes, insurance coverage
B.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Delaware and claims, and alternative dispute resolution,
J.D., Widener University School of Law among others. Her practice spans state and
federal courts, as well as private and American
Partner, Logan & Petrone, LLC Arbitration Association mediation and arbitration.
Professionally, Petrone is an active member of
Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity inductee. Member Associated Builders and Contractors, Commercial-
of Mo e Lev i n e Tr i a l Ad vo c a c y Ho n o r S o c i e t y Industrial Realty Council, Delaware Contractors’
Association, and Delaware State Bar Association.
Board, Committee of 100 Board of Directors, and In keeping with the spirit of Serviam, she has
St. Edmond’s Academy Board of Directors served as a court-appointed guardian ad litem
for the Delaware Office of Child Advocate, been
a volunteer judge for various trial competitions
with both Widener University and the Delaware
H ig h S c hools Moc k Trial Co m pe titio n, and is an
active volunteer at Ursuline as both an alumna
and current parent, among others. By making
a name for herself in two highly specialized and
competitive industries, Petrone has blazed her
own professional trail, becoming a model of what
it means to define your own path.

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“MAY THE STRENGTH AND TRUE
CONSOLATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE
I N YO U A LL , S O T H AT YO U CA N S U S TA I N
AND CARRY OU T VIGOROUSLY AND
FAITHF ULLY THE CHARGE LAID UPON
YOU.”

- St. Angela Merici

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THE NEXT time you pick up a copy of Glamour
magazine and leaf through its glossy pages full of
the most popular trends and products in fashion
and beauty, you can thank Ursuline alumna Alexis
Witt. As the Marketing Director for one of Condé
Nast’s leading fashion magazines, she oversees
the development of the publication’s national
brand strategy and works to bring today’s top
international life and style companies to your
front door.

Witt began her career in New York City’s highly
competitive marketing industry working for
top advertising agencies MPG and OMD, where
she managed media strategy development and
execution across the U.S., Europe, and Asia for
blue chip clients such as Intel and GE. After
seven years on the agency side of the business,
she transitioned to publishing, becoming the
Marketing Director for ELLE DÉCOR, where she
successfully re-established the brand and built
the internal marketing team from the ground up.
Building on her publishing industry experience,
Witt served as an Integrated Marketing Consultant
with Time Inc., contributing to the conception and
development of custom marketing products across
the company’s portfolio, integrating print and
technology-based solutions for the benefit of its

ALEXIS “URSULINE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN
WITT TEACHING ME THAT A DIVERSITY OF

CLASS OF 1995 EXPERIENCES WOULD BE GREATLY
BENEFICIAL, BOTH PERSONALLY
B.A. in Communications, University of Delaware AND PROFESSIONALLY.”

Marketing Director, Glamour (Condé Nast) major advertisers. In this role, she conceived one
of the largest integrated marketing campaigns in
Recipient of 2007 Myers Media Innovation & Creativity the company’s history for a major pharmaceutical
Awards: Grand Award, “GE One Second Theater”, and client, netting $20 million.
2006 MediaPost Creative Media Award, “GE One
Second Theater.” In her current role, Witt leads her team in the
development of brand management and strategic
marketing solutions to generate revenue, maintain
existing business relationships, and drive growth
in key product categories for the magazine. High
atop New York C it y in he r One Wo r ld Trade Ce nte r
office, she works each day to effectively position
Glamour within the advertising marketplace,
ultimately bringing her loyal readers the latest
and greatest in fashion and beauty.

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11/24/2015 9:18:24 AM

KATHLEEN
HORNING FORTE

“URSULINE WAS UNDOUBTEDLY THE KEY GUIDEPOST IN MY
GROWTH, BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY.”

CLASS OF 1968

B.A. in English/Communications,
University of Delaware
M. J. i n Jo u r n a l i s m , Te m p l e Un i ve r s i t y

Vice President of Public Affairs, DuPont (Retired)

Inaugural member of the Ursuline Academy
Hall of Distinguished Alumnae and member
of t h e Ha l l of Fa m e a t Te m p l e U n i ve r s i t y ’s
School of Communications and Theater.
Named a “Public Relations All Star” in 2000
by Reputation Management Magazine

KATHY HORNING Forte rose to professional prominence within Big Sisters of Delaware, Catholic Social Services, The Nature
a Fortune 100 company, traveling the globe and managing Conservancy - Delaware Chapter, United Way of Delaware, and
international offices of communications professionals as the Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Vice President of Public Affairs for DuPont. And by striving to
be her best possible self each and every day, she made an even Focused on ensuring DuPont’s position of global prominence
bigger impact on her community, serving on several nonprofit among its key stakeholders and competitors, Forte developed
and educational boards in Delaware, including two terms on and directed massive international projects, each with its
Ursuline Academy’s Board of Directors, and living the spirit of own set of significant challenges. In the late 1980s, she led
Serviam. communications for DuPont’s leadership of the global phase out
of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), appearing before international
Over her 30 year career with the scientific giant, Forte was committees to educate stakeholders about its impact on the
involved in developing and deploying all aspects of DuPont’s ozone layer. In 2002, Forte oversaw hundreds of events related
corporate communications strategy, including employee and to the celebration of DuPont’s 200th anniversary, including
leadership communications, public and media relations, online kickoff events in China, Switzerland, India, and Mexico, among
content and branding, crisis management, and corporate others, and the anniversary celebration at its headquarters in
publications. Joining the company in 1978 as a staff writer, Wilmington, hosting more than 20,000 employees and their
she steadily climbed through the ranks, becoming the seventh families. And in 2005, she led crisis communication efforts in
woman to be named a DuPont vice president leading Public the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which damaged several DuPont
Affairs globally with offices in the U.S., England, Australia, Hong manufacturing sites along the Gulf coast. Now, living in Naples,
Kong, Belgium, Switzerland, Russia, China, Japan, Argentina, and Florida, Forte mentors young people who are considering
Brazil. At the height of her career, Forte managed a $150 million public affairs as a career, inspiring the next generation of
department with more than 150 communications professionals communications professionals to be their best possible selves
for approximately 90 individual DuPont businesses. All the every day.
while, she actively served on the boards of Big Brothers/

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DR. DEBRA As a student-athlete at James Madison University,
Zinni haphazardly enrolled in an anthropology
PRINCE ZINNI course, setting herself up for a whirlwind career
that has taken her to some of the most remote
CLASS OF 1992 places on Earth. Endlessly fascinated with the
puzzles archaeology and anthropology aim
B.S. in Anthropology and B.S. in Psychology, James to solve, she has sought every professional
Madison University opportunity available to become a recognized
expert in her field and advance research in her
M.A. in Anthropology, The George Washington University specialty of skeletal analysis. Getting her start
P h .D. i n A nt h ro p o l o g y, Un i ve r s i t y of Te n n e ss e e , Kn ox v i l l e as an archaeological intern in the Department
Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Anthropology, #85. of Anthropology at the Smithsonian’s National
Museum of Natural History, Zinni’s career reads
Forensic Anthropologist/Laboratory Manager, Defense like a bestselling novel. She has trained teams of
POW/MIA Accounting Agency Central Identification FBI agents in excavating human remains and crime
Laboratory, Department of Defense scene recovery techniques at the University of
Te n n e sse e , exc avate d a Ne an d er th al cave in France ,
Om i c ro n D e l t a Ka p p a i n d u c t e e .Tre a s u re r a n d led a search and recovery mission to an aircraft
member of the Board of Directors, American crash involving U.S. service members in Laos, and
directed analysis and identification of decomposed
Board of Forensic Anthropology and skeletal remains for Massachusetts as the State
Forensic Anthropologist. In addition to her day
AS ONE of 77 active American Board of Forensic job, she has been published in various academic
Anthropology Diplomates in the world, Dr. Debra and medical journals and has presented before
Prince Zinni has become an internationally- countless national and international councils and
recognized leader in her field for her contributions committees on her work and research.
to forensic science, anthropology, and archaeology.
With a vast range of expertise in her field, Zinni Stationed on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickham,
found the perfect opportunity to combine all Zinni now works to give families of missing U.S.
of her professional experiences as a civilian service members from past military conflicts the
forensic anthropologist and lab manager for the answers they so desperately seek about their loved
U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense POW/ ones. In her current role with the Defense POW/
MIA Accounting Agency Central Identification MIA Accounting Agency Central Identification
Laboratory in Hawaii. Laboratory, she serves as a Recovery Leader in
worldwide excavation and retrieval missions,
oversees the forensic anthropological casework to
identify soldiers lost in warzones, including WWII,
Vietnam War, and Korean War, and manages the
Disinterment Project, which exhumes remains
believed to be those of missing soldiers. By piecing
together past events and lives lost using historical
accounts, dental analysis, nuclear DNA matches,
and radiograph analysis, among others, Zinni works
to piece together vital parts of American history,
giving families a bit of peace amidst their grief.

“URSULINE PROVIDED ME WITH

A FOUNDATION BASED IN

CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP

SKILLS I HAVE UTILIZED

THROUGHOUT MY CAREER AS A

STUDENT AND AS A PROFESSIONAL.”

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APPROACHING EACH new challenge with boundless
enthusiasm and intense drive, Lieutenant Junior
Grade Erin Edwards has achieved one impossible goal
after another, and she is just getting started. In 2014,
after four years at the United States Naval Academy
(USNA) and two years of Naval Flight School, Edwards
received her “Wings of Gold,” becoming one of a
select few to achieve United States Naval Aviator
status as a MH-60R “Romeo” Anti-Submarine (ASW)/
Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) multi-mission helicopter
pilot.

LT J G ER I N Exceeding all expectations but her own, Edwards
EDWA R D S graduated from USNA in a class comprised of 21 percent
female as a decorated Division I Women’s Basketball
CLASS OF 2008 athlete and a published English student. Receiving her
first choice preference out of the academy, she entered
B.S. in English, United States Naval Academy Naval Flight School in Pensacola, FL, “The Cradle of
Naval Aviation,” and successfully completed mentally
Helicopter Pilot, United States Navy and physically arduous training designed to prepare
her for life as a helicopter pilot. Through Aviation
Designated Naval Aviator #32,557. Recipient of Preflight Indoctrination, she achieved proficiency in
Division I Basketball N-star Letter and Coaches ejection seat training, parachute maneuvers, pressure
chambers, and the “helo-dunker” simulator, which
Calvert Award tested her ability to successfully and safely exit a
helicopter that is underwater and upside down while
blindfolded. Primary training continued with fixed-
wing flying, including aerobatics, radio instrument

“URSULINE PROVIDED ME A LIMITLESS

ENVIRONMENT. I WAS FREE TO NOT

JUST TEST THE WATERS WITH MY FEET

PLANTED IN THE SAND BUT TO DIVE IN

AND IMMERSE MYSELF IN A WORLD OF

ENDLESS OPPORTUNITY.”

analysis, and formation flight. Her advanced helicopter
training taught her tactical flight operations for active
military missions. After two years of endless tests and
physically demanding exercises, she received her pilot
wings and is currently stationed at Naval Air Station
North Island, CA.

Continuing her endless training while actively
accumulating flight hours, Edwards prepares for her
next assignment with squadron HSM-75, also based
in San Diego. Always thriving in a team-oriented
environment whether it is on the court or in the air, she
anticipates the opportunity to continue her training,
working with seasoned naval pilots and professionals.
With her sights set on one day becoming a Helicopter
Aircraft Commander, Edwards always enthusiastically
accepts the next challenge to come her way, knowing
her work is never complete.

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WITH SERVIAM as a core influence in her life, Judge
Vivian Medinilla has become a prominent public
servant through her dedication to advocating for
society’s most vulnerable and helping countless
people navigate the legal system. Now, as a
Superior Court Judge for the State of Delaware,
she strikes a fine balance to ensure the delivery
of justice and the best outcomes for all who come
before her.

A consummate student of the law, Medinilla’s
early career included positions in private practice,
public legal aid services, education, and solo
practice, which developed her deep breadth of
knowledge across multiple legal fields. In 2000,
she became an associate at Young Conaway
Stargatt & Taylor LLP in Wilmington, and, in
2004, made the entrepreneurial leap to become
president and owner of Rapposelli & Gonzales,
the state’s first law firm comprised entirely of
bi-lingual and multi-lingual attorneys providing
immigration and civil litigation services. Becoming
a member of Governor Markell’s Cabinet in 2009,
she led the Department of Services for Children,
Youth & Their Families for four years, focusing
on prevention efforts in child welfare, juvenile
justice, and behavioral and mental health systems
and spearheading the State’s initiative in early
childhood education.

“URSULINE PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT

EDUCATION AND STRONG SENSE OF

WORK ETHIC THAT HAS REMAINED

WITH ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.”

VIVIAN In 2013, Medinilla began her 12-year term as
MEDINILLA a Delaware Superior Court judge as one of six
women on a panel of 21 judges. With general
CLASS OF 1984 jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases in the
State, she presides over felonies, drug offenses,
B.S. in Business Administration with minors in and civil matters and hears appeals on the record
International Business and Spanish, University of from the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court,
and a number of administrative agencies. Actively
Delaware involved in her community, she has held board
J.D., Widener University School of Law positions with Junior Achievement of Delaware
and the Delaware Community Foundation and
Judge, Superior Court of Delaware, State of Delaware currently serves on the Executive Committee for
the Delaware State Bar Association and the Board
Recipient of Delaware Futures’ 2009 Haskell/Wyeth Award, of Truste e s for S ale sia nu m Sch o o l. Co ntinu ally
Latin American Community Center’s 2010 Distinguished expanding her public service role both in and out
of the courtroom, Medinilla has become a true
Hispanic Delawarean Award, Girls, Inc.’s 2012 Strong, Smart model of service for Ursuline alumnae today and
& Bold Award, and Ursuline Academy’s 2014 Angela Boyle for generations to come.
Award for Service. 2012 Delaware Women’s Hall
of Fame inductee

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“THE FUTURE
BELONGS TO THOSE

WHO BELIEVE IN
THEIR DREAMS.”

—Eleanor Roosevelt

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SUSAN AS THE daughter of a florist and owner of a
BENARCIK home improvement center, Artist Susan Benarcik
was surrounded by endless amounts of natural
CLASS OF 1984 and creative materials and ample opportunity
for exploration of and experimentation with her
B.F.A. with High Distinction, Rosemont College innate artistic gifts. Now, as an entrepreneur and
M.F.A. in Printmaking, Cranbrook Academy of Art founder of her own studio practice, she melds
her earliest creative influences together with her
Fine Artist and Founder, Susan Benarcik Design passion for the environment and sustainability to
create sculpture and print designs for national and
Recipient of 2009 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award regional exhibition.
and the 2006 E. Avery Draper Award for Outstanding
Based in New York City for 18 years, Benarcik’s studio
Craft Exhibition from DCCA practice is focused on the inherent connections
between the natural world and man-made world.
Her work has been exhibited across the country in
private collections and galleries, sculpture parks,
museums, and universities, including the Brooklyn
Botanic Garden, Lyman Allyn Art Museum, and the
Delaware Center for Contemporary Art (DCCA).
Part printmaker and part sculptor, her work reflects
her diverse academic and professional experiences
and spans an artistic spectrum of functional
textile design to large-scale gallery installations,
always emphasizing environmental awareness and
consideration.

Steadfastly committed to shifting perspectives
through arts-based learning, she also runs
classes and seminars focused on unlocking the
creative problem solving potential in all of us and
furthering individual skills of budding artists. Now
based in Arden, Delaware, Benarcik continues to
exhibit artwork that raises our awareness of the
environment and engages people in the arts to
help them recognize the value of creativity.

“URSULINE’S SMALL AND

SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY OFFERED

THE ENCOURAGEMENT I NEEDED

TO DEFINE MY STRENGTHS AND

TALENTS, WHICH HAVE BROUGHT

ME SUCCESS TODAY AS A

CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR.”

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