The Alumni Association is governed by a 16-to-20-member Alumni Association Board.

The members are elected by alumni to two-year terms. The AAB works with the Office of Advancement to help our alumni stay connected to each other and Emmanuel.

The purpose of the Association is to further Emmanuel College’s Catholic mission by challenging alumni to act, lead and give generously to others and to strengthen the bonds between the alumni and the College. The following values will guide the Association’s work: spirituality, service, pride, professionalism, relationships and traditions. The Association will translate into action the strong mission, beliefs and legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and Emmanuel College by building bridges and inspiring involvement within the alumni community.

Executive Officers

Major: B.A. Sociology

Joanne Quinn Moffatt

Career Experience: Most recently engaged as self-employed Human Resources Consultant, retiring in 2015. In prior role(s) as Vice President, Human Resources, worked in privately held and publicly traded global organizations.

Personal Interests: Boating, power and sail, cruising Cape Cod Bay and Southern N.E. Coast, occasionally fishing; enjoying a round of golf and some winter sports. Reading historical novels, music, traveling and catching up with family and friends!

Additional Volunteer Work: Current Member of the Emmanuel College School of Business Advisory Council. Served as Corporator/Director with Family Services of Central Massachusetts, Inc., until its recent merger with Seven Hills Foundation. Past initiatives have been informal while being involved in the care of my elderly Mom, actively participating at her senior living community activities. In-kind work included human resources consultation for a municipality and non-profit organizations.

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: An Emmanuel education afforded me a platform from which to launch a truly rewarding career! Serving on the Alumni Board is an opportunity to “pay it forward,” applying my experience to increase alumni connectedness within the Emmanuel community.

Collaborating with the Alumni Relations and Development Staff and our talented, diverse team of alumni board members, I’m enthused about facilitating engagement among alumni across generations, sparking interest and feedback in meaningful ways, fostering a spirit of philanthropy and commitment to Emmanuel’s mission during its Second Century.

Tina Ascolillo

Major: History and Political Science – American Politics and Government

Current Company: Associate Vice President, Rasky Partners

Personal Interests: Traveling and exploring new places, visiting local breweries, and following current events and the news.

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: I want to give back to the institution that gave me so much and want to ensure that we are not only serving current students and alumni, but that the college is adapting to fit the needs of future generations of students that choose to attend. By serving on the Alumni Board, I want to connect alumni with current students by bringing them back to campus more frequently throughout the academic year to interact with the Emmanuel of today and reinforce that the College is a place that they can return to and continue to call home after they leave the gates on graduation day. It is important that we truly encourage alumni to live up to the mantra, “Once a Saint, Always a Saint,” by identifying innovative ways to increase involvement and engagement of all alumni, locally and remotely, so that we can truly capitalize on the talents and assets of our global community.

Jane Hanrahan

Major: Education
Advanced Degree: Master of Education - Providence College
Current Company: Marianapolis Prep School

Personal Interests: I love to spend time with family and friends, watch sports and practice yoga.

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: I have worked in education for twenty-seven years and have held administrative roles in Admission, Development and Communications. I have been involved in the planning of events, fundraising and school promotion, and worked on strategic planning initiatives and NEASC accreditation teams. I am honored to give back to the college that has given me so much. Because three of my children have attended Emmanuel, I was able to see the many positive ways in which the school has evolved over time while never departing from its core mission and values. While Emmanuel is a small college, the positive change brought about by students and alumni has been a phenomenal force for good in the world.

Directors-at-Large

Nancy Bunch

Major: B.A. History
Advanced Degree: M.B.A., College of William and Mary (1990)

Professional Career: U. S. Navy: 1974-1995. Retired as a Commander. My specialty was as an Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer. Also worked in the Florida College System; Florida Keys Community College (1998-2009) - Director, Institute of Criminal Justice; Pasco-Hernando State College (2010-2015) - Director, Public Service Programs

Personal Interests: Traveling, reading, supporting the arts and spending time with family and friends

Volunteer Work: Advisor, Florida Keys Council of the Arts; District II Representative, Monroe County Tourist Development Council, Cultural Umbrella; Chairperson, Russel Sullivan Memorial Scholarship Committee, College of the Florida Keys

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: I have not been able to be as active as an alumna as I’ve wanted in the past. Due to my career choices and now living in Florida, I was not able to attend events. As I have finally retired, I wanted to give back to the College that inspired me in so many ways. Emmanuel instilled in me a sense of integrity for both my personal and professional life along with a curiosity and desire for life-long learning and adventure. I look forward to this new adventure and supporting Emmanuel College.

Chris Curtis

Major: B.A. Accounting
Advanced Degree: Master of Science (M.S.), Accounting - Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business

Current Position: Director of Finance, Hyperplane Venture Capital

Personal Interests: Golf, Spending time on the Cape with family and friends, Running Team Cork Inc. - a 501(c)(3) charity focused on helping cancer patients in need

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: Attending Emmanuel has provided me with many professional and personal experiences that I am incredibly grateful for. My reason for joining the Alumni Association Board is to give back to Emmanuel while encouraging fellow alumni to remain connected to the school as they progress in their professional lives.

Amy Ericson

Major: Political Science

Career Experience: I am the Founder of EK Equities, a boutique investment banking practice focusing on commercial real estate and venture capital mandates and the Vice President of Rescom Environmental Corporation, which provides nationwide environmental consulting for developers seeking construction financing. Prior to joining Rescom Environmental Corporation, I was an analyst at Greystone & Co., where I raised approximately $40 million dollars in EB-5 proceeds for multifamily and skilled nursing facility ground up developments from investors in China, India, Vietnam, Brazil and the Philippines.

Personal Interests: I enjoy spending free time practicing yoga, reading, traveling, and enjoying time with my husband and our two toy poodles and two rescue cats.

Additional Volunteering: I serve on the Alumni Board for my high school, the Academy of Notre Dame.

Mary Gavin

Major: B.A. Government
Advanced Degrees: M.Ed., Boston State College; CAS, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Career Experience: I am a retired teacher with more than thirty years of service to the children of Cambridge, MA

Personal Interests: I am a member of the Belmont Garden Club and I enjoy fencing. Additional Volunteering: Belmont Town Meeting Member

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: Serving on the Alumni Board is a way of saying thank you for the opportunities Emmanuel provided to me.

Kristen Ramnsey

Major: Art Education
Current Position: Art Teacher, Consolidated School District of New Britain, CT

I’m very interested in giving my time and resources to the College that made me who I am today. While attending Emmanuel, I gained leadership skills as an R.A., travelled abroad to England, and was afforded the opportunity to study art under Sister Glavin and Michael Jacques. When I reflect upon my experiences from Emmanuel, I have a great sense of pride. That pride, coupled with the experience of teaching 31 years in a diverse urban community will enable me to share this perspective with the alumni committee.     

Marcie Paez

Major: B.A. History
Advanced Degrees: History Ph.D. candidate, University of New Hampshire

Current Position: Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of New Hampshire

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: As a proud alum of Emmanuel College, I hope to continue my passion for the humanities and education through social justice. I plan on bringing a new perspective to the alumni board through my travel, work as an educator, ever-learning student, and most importantly as a Latinx and first-generation graduate. I decided to come back to the college because I felt drawn to help give back to Emmanuel. I learned so much about the world around me and myself when I attended, and I hope to continue to provide space to educate all Emmanuel alumni. I am proud to be an alum of Emmanuel. I hope to start and continue a legacy of diversity and passion-driven social justice and education for all Emmanuel students.

Mary Gene Ryan

Major:Spanish
Advanced Degrees: Master’s and Doctorate in Education, University of South Carolina

Career experience: Aiken Technical College, Aiken, SC, Dean of Arts & Sciences, 1983-1994; Charleston Southern University, Charleston, SC, Dean of Student Success, 1994-2006; Midlands Technical College, Columbia, SC, Retention Coordinator and Title III Grant Administrator, 2006-2013; Health Physics Journal, Managing Editor, 2011-Present

Currently: After a career of over 35 years in the field of higher education administration at three colleges/universities in South Carolina, I am currently the Managing Editor of Health Physics, the Radiation Safety Journal. This is a refereed journal, published monthly, with a readership of roughly 4,000 worldwide. I also serve on the Editorial Board for the Journal and the Executive Board of the Health Physics Society.

As a graduate of the Catholic elementary and secondary schools in Worcester, MA, followed by Emmanuel in 1975, I understand the value of education based on Christian principles and beliefs. My three deanships at institutions of higher education in South Carolina, two of which were secular, helped to confirm my commitment to a faith-based college experience. I would encourage potential students to choose Emmanuel, take advantage of all the opportunities available to them as students, and remain involved as future alumni. My parents taught me that I should give back to those who have given so much to me, and being a member of the Alumni Board is one way that I could live up to that expectation.

Akyanna Smith-Gonzalez

Major: B.A. Psychology - Counseling/Health
Advanced Degrees: Master of Education (M.Ed.), College Student Affairs - University of South Florida

Current Position: Public Programs Manager at She+ Geeks Out.

Personal Interests: When I'm not working, I really enjoy unwinding by listening to podcasts (and always looking for new recommendations), going to pilates and yoga classes, baking, and traveling to new places. Fun fact, I took a solo trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands for a week and it was a life-changing experience.

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: As a proud Afro-Latina, gay, alumna of Emmanuel who served in various leadership positions on campus, I have remained vigilant about Emmanuel’s responses to issues of injustice and intolerance. While at Emmanuel, I had the privilege to revitalize, redevelop, and reimplement SafeZone training to educate the students, faculty, and staff about the LGBTQIA+ communities. In this position, I want to continue to amplify the voices of those with marginalized identities and advocate for change where needed. While my love for Emmanuel runs strong, I am critical of policies in place that prevent students from gaining a positive experience and reaping all the same benefits as alumni. I am committed to leading with empathy, vulnerability, and with the support of everyone in the Alumni Association.

Linda Tatten

Major: IDS Political Science/Economic

Owns and operates Travel by Tatten, has been active in the travel industry for over 40 years, her recent Antarctic trip was her 7th Continent. She has developed and managed educational and special interest travel programs for universities, cultural institutions, church groups, radio stations and family groups.

She develops and escorts her own tours, including women only trips. She has served on the Board of several business and travel organizations, including as President of N.E. PATA and Marlborough BNI. She was on the Advisory Board for Travel Counsellors, a global travel company operating across eight countries.

Speaking Engagements: Speaker for clubs, associations, and local radio stations

Personal Interests: Travel, meeting people and exploring different cultures. Reading and spending time with family and friends

Purpose: The reason I would like to serve on the Board is because of my experience at Emmanuel College, as a nontraditional student. I attended classes in the evening, after work, and on weekends. I was balancing many things, starting a business, family illness and traveling for my business, I found Emmanuel College to be welcoming and very supportive, making it all possible. The only part of my experience lacking, as a nontraditional student, was coming in just in time for classes, and not having the time to connect with other students, to build lasting relationships. I would like to work toward offering current and former students a way to connect, to be more engaged in the wonderful Emmanuel College Community.

Joe Vallee

Major: B.A. History with a minor in Religious Studies

Career Experience: Retail Manager at 47 Brand Fenway Park, Red Sox Team Store; Residence Hall Director at University of Dayton and University of Cincinnati; Assistant Director of Residence Life at College of Charleston

Current Position: HR/Recruiting Director and Store Manager at 47 Brand Fenway Park, Red Sox Team Store

Personal Interests: Exploring Boston and New England, Golfing, walking around the city with my dog Trixie, baseball card collecting, reading, checking out concerts, and spending time with my toddler twin nephews!

Pat Vittner

Major: B.A. Counseling & Health Psychology

Current Position: Clinical Site Manager, Acceleron Pharma, a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

Personal Interests: Keeping up with all Boston sports and visiting the local dog park with my dog, Milo!

Impetus to come back to Emmanuel and serve on the Board: My purpose for joining the Alumni Association Board is to foster connectedness in order to continue to build EC’s network to inspire future growth of the college’s opportunities and community. My success as a young alumnus is attributed from the sense of community and drive for excellence that was instilled during my undergraduate term. After graduating, I have been able to reflect on all of the relationships I have built there and reflect on the memories that flourished from the resources that Emmanuel College was able to offer its communal network. Emmanuel College has continued to adapt to enhance the Saints’ experience, and I hope to inspire alumni to continue to give back to the College, so all generations can be connected as one.

Bylaws

Effective July 1, 2020, as amended January 1, 2022

The name of this association will be Alumni Association of Emmanuel College, name hereinafter referred to as the Association.

The purpose of the Association will be to further Emmanuel College's Catholic mission by challenging alumni to act, lead, and give generously to others, strengthen the bonds between the alumni and the College and support the growth of the College. The following values will guide the Association's work: spirituality, service, pride, professionalism, relationships, and traditions. The Association will translate into action the strong mission, beliefs, and legacy of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and Emmanuel College by building bridges and inspiring involvement within the alumni community.

Section 1. Membership. Every person who has completed at least one academic year of study as a student enrolled at Emmanuel College, and whose class has graduated, will be a member of the Association.

Section 2. Honorary Membership. Honorary Membership may be extended to persons whom the Board of Directors nominates by two-thirds vote of the members present. Honorary members may not vote nor hold office, but may attend meetings of the Association.

Section 1. Role. The role of the Board of Directors will be to help Emmanuel College thrive as a world class institution and serve the needs of the Alumni Association. Board members shall act as ambassadors for the College and assist in its development, events and outreach efforts to its diverse Alumni Association and other constituencies (such as, but not limited to students, parents, faculty, businesses, friends and affiliates.)

All members of the Board will:

  • Support the continuing personal and professional growth of alumni.
  • Provide information which describes and announces Association activities to alumni.
  • Promote alumni awareness of the College.
  • Promote the importance of philanthropy.
  • Actively participate in Board meetings and fulfill identified priorities.

Section 2. Composition. The general management of the Association will be vested in a Board of Directors consisting of four Officers and ten or more Directors-at-Large.

Section 3. Terms of Office. No Board member will hold more than one office at a time, and no member will serve more than three consecutive terms in the same office. The term of office of each Director will be two years. Directors will be elected in alternate years as follows: President, Vice President, and approximately half the Directors-at-Large in even calendar years; Secretary, Treasurer and approximately half the Directors-at-Large in odd calendar years.

Section 4. Powers and Duties. No later than mid-July of every year, the College will provide priorities for the FY to the Board. The President of the Association will define, with the Officers, the strategies for the FY. The strategies and committees will be presented at the first meeting of the Board, assigning direction.

The Board of Directors will have:

  • Control and management of the budget and business of the Association.
  • The power to fill any vacancy occurring in its membership until the expiration of terms of the respective offices in which the vacancies exist. The method for filling said vacancy will be determined by majority vote of the Board.

Section 5. Meetings. The Board of Directors will hold no fewer than four meetings in an academic year. Meetings, including any Committee meetings may take place in person, over the telephone, by videoconferencing, or using other interactive electronic methods of communication. The President, in consultation with the other Board members, will determine the meeting dates. Other meetings may be called by the President or at the written request of any five Directors filed with the Officers.

Section 6. Quorum. A simple majority of the voting members of the Board of Directors will constitute a quorum, provided that either the President, the Vice President or a nominee designated by the President or the Vice President is present.

Section 1. Officers. The officers of the Association will be President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Comprising the Executive Committee, they will be responsible for setting policy and oversight of Association affairs under the leadership and direction of the President, as provided in these by-laws.

Section 2. Powers and Duties.
a. President. The President will be the chief executive officer and will preside at all meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors. The President may be an ex-officio member of all committees of the Association except the Nominating Committee. The President of the Association may assign the duties of the Directors-at- Large.
b. Vice President. The Vice President will perform the duties of the President in his or her absence or inability to serve and such other duties as the President may assign.
c. Secretary. The Secretary will keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors. The Secretary will provide the Board of Directors with the minutes of each meeting, providing these minutes to the Board within two weeks following each meeting.
d. Treasurer. The Treasurer will work with the President and Office of Alumni Relations to develop a yearly budget to support the Board’s activities. The Treasurer will approve and monitor the disbursement of the funds of the Association against that budget. The Treasurer will provide a financial report for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

The Director of Alumni Relations will support the Board of Directors in the Alumni Relations implementation of its policies and programs. The Director of Alumni Relations will be an ex-officio member (without vote) of the Board of Directors. She/he will be available to all Committees for assistance, acting in coordination with the President and Committee Chairs as a liaison to the College.

Section 1. Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will be composed of the Officers.

Section 2. Strategic Committees. Strategic Committees will be presented by the Executive Committee at the first meeting of the Board. Committees will be defined and named based upon the College’s priorities and needs. Documents to establish strategic committees include: suggested committee guidelines and past standing committee descriptions. The only exceptions to this will be the Nominating Committee and Executive Committee.

Section 3. Ad Hoc Committees. The Board of Directors may establish ad hoc committees by a majority vote. Ad hoc Committees may be created and eliminated at the discretion of the Executive Committee or President based upon the needs of the Association.

Section 4. Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee will consist of no fewer than five members, all of whom will be members of the Board. The chair will be elected by majority vote of the members of the Nominating Committee for a term of one year, which may be renewed by a majority vote of the then current Committee.

Section 5. Committee Chairs. Committee chairs will be appointed by the President of the Association from among the Directors-at-Large with the exception of the Nominating Committee. The role of chairperson or designee will be to set meeting dates, document committee minutes and report progress at board meetings.

Section 6. Committee Membership. In addition to the general duties of all Board members, Directors-at-Large are expected to actively serve on at least one committee (Nominating, Strategic). Most also serve on ad hoc committees or defined initiatives that are of special interest to them. Committee assignments occur through voluntary sign-up, recruitment or appointment to ensure a mix of experienced and new talent, expertise and interest.

Section 1. Candidates. All candidates for election will be members of the Association and hold a degree from Emmanuel College. Further, all candidates for election to the office of President will have served on the Board of Directors within five years of their candidacy for President. No candidate's name will be presented by committee or by petition without the candidate's written consent.

The Nominating Committee will work to recruit alumni who may be interested in joining the Alumni Association Board Members and will strive to recruit nominations that reflect the diversity of the alumni population, representing varied backgrounds, geography, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and class years, including representation from the last decade and Graduate and Professional Programs (GPP).

The College may provide names of nominees for consideration.

Section 2. Nominations by Committee. Nominations will be made by the Nominating Committee for candidates to elected positions. The Nominating Committee will provide to the Alumni Office a list of open positions for the upcoming year and instructions for nominating candidates to fill them, which will then be posted on the College website.

The Nominating Committee will explain to all potential nominees the process to be a candidate on the ballot. A slate of nominees will be presented to the College by the Nominating Committee. The College will approve nominees’ names to appear on the ballot as candidates. The Nominating Committee will notify all nominees of approval or not.

Section 3. Election. The College will notify all alumni for whom it has an e-mail address on record by May 1st that the ballot has been posted on the College website. Notification will include a link to the online ballot. Paper ballots will be mailed to alumni who graduated prior to 1955 for whom the College does not have an e-mail address on record. All votes, whether electronic or mailed, must be received by the College no later than June 1st. Ballots will be counted and candidates notified of the results of the election no later than the second week of June and will take office on the following July 1st. The College will publish the Board roster for the upcoming fiscal year no later than June 30th of the preceding fiscal year.

Section 4. Appointment. The President of the Alumni Association, in consultation with the College, may appoint up to five (5) additional Directors-at-Large with the approval of the Executive Committee. Appointments as Directors-at-Large together with those elected Directors-at-Large will collectively fulfill the role and responsibilities as defined by Article IV.

Section 1. Annual Meeting. The Board may vote to hold an Annual Meeting of the Alumni Association. Notice of this meeting will be posted on the Association website no later than two months before the scheduled meeting date.

Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Association may be called at the discretion of the Board of Directors or by written request of twenty-five members filed with the Secretary of the Association not less than two months prior to the proposed meeting date. Written notice of the special meeting, with a statement of the business to be transacted, will be posted on the College website not less than one month before the date of the meeting.

Section 3. Minutes. Minutes of any annual and/or special meeting of the Association will be posted on the College website.

Section 1. Operating Funds. Operating funds will be provided by the College. The College will notify the Board of its operating budget by mid-July of each year. The Board will manage the budget and will require a majority vote for all expenditures of $500 or more.

Section 2. Reporting. The College will provide a report of expenditures against the budget to the Treasurer of the Board prior to each Board meeting.

Section 3. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association will be the same as the fiscal year of the College.

Any member of the Board may be removed for cause. Said member will be given reasonable notice of the pending action and be offered the opportunity to submit a letter of resignation. Said member will also have the right to a hearing before the Board, meeting in Executive Session.

Prior to the Board hearing, the Executive Committee will conduct an investigation of the alleged violation. The Executive Committee will provide said Member with reasonable notice of the investigation and the process to be followed.

In the event that the Executive Committee recommends removal and in the absence of a letter of resignation from the affected Board member, a two thirds vote of the Board will be required on the removal motion. Said member will not be allowed to vote on the removal action.

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. Approved amendments will be effective on the January 1st or July 1st—whichever date is closest—following their enactment.

All meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors will be governed by Roberts' Rules of Order, Newly Revised.