2019–2023 Retirees
These are the retirees we are celebrating at the 2023 Annual Employee Recognition Breakfast on May, 12, 2023. After a 3-year hiatus due to Covid, we are happy to be back together to celebrate the commitment and dedication shown by so many members of our college community. Click on a name below to read more about the accomplishments of these NSCC retired employees.
Kristine Babcock
Michael Badolato
Lisa Barrett
Richard Belanger
Cheryl Blundell
John Bosco
Kim Bushey
Patricia Callahan
Barbara Carey
Elaine Champagne
Bruce Ciaramella
John Clarke
Lynn Clarkson
George T. Craig, Jr.*
Susan Curry
Diane Dickerson
Donna DeOrio
Brianne Duff
Ronald Duval
* In Memoriam
James Amirault
James was an incredibly knowledgeable Maintainer that worked in almost every location the school has operated out of. Jimmy was able to explain cleaning approaches and techniques, and had a wealth of product knowledge. He was a great asset to the college. His passion outside of work was attending small venue concerts. We wish Jimmy all the happiness in his retirement.
Kristine Babcock
Kristine dedicated 10 years of service to NSCC, our Veterans and the larger NSCC community as the Senior Special Programs Coordinator who ran our Veterans Centers. Kristine was a constant advocate for our Veteran population, and is the main reason why NSCC attained a Military Friendly Gold Star rating for 22-23. Kristine was a great thought partner and always a pleasure to work with. She is just an all around good human, and those who got to work closely with her were astounded by her work ethic, kindness and positive attitude. She was a consummate professional and was a steadying presence for our Veterans population through her entire tenure at NSCC.
Michael Badolato
Michael Badolato was the Dean of Curriculum and Assessment in Academic Affairs, overseeing the Library, CAS, CTLI, Tutoring, Academic Technology, and our NECHE accreditation work. He shepherded us through accreditation visits, and helped build pedagogical support. Michael retired in 2020.
Lisa Barrett
Lisa Barrett started her career at NSCC in the Admissions department. While in that position she served as the Assembly Delegate for the NACAC (National Association for College Admissions Counseling) and was the Chair of NEACAC’s Two-Year College Committee for 6 years. Lisa has been involved with many higher education organizations including NEACRAO and NAFSA. Later, Lisa joined the Student Support and Advising Center as an Academic Counselor, specifically supporting students in the Career and Technical Education Division. Lisa has since retired but is still active with NSCC. She can be found working with Erinn Gilmore supporting federal grants programs. Lisa retired from NSCC in 2022.
Richard Belanger
Richie was a Maintainer 2 that retired with an astonishing 40 years of service at North Shore Community College. Richie began his career here in June of 1982, and continues to support us in a part time capacity. Richie has always been passionate about the cleanliness of not only his areas but the entire college. Outside of work Rich is a great sports fanatic. If you see Richie please thank him for his many years of service he has and continues to provide to us.
Cheryl Blundell
Cheryl joined the Facilities Staff at North Shore Community College on January 3, 2000 but had worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since 1978. She worked in a few different positions in the Facilities Office until she became Office Manager in March of 2008. When she started in the office everything was on a manual system. She reorganized the office to efficiently process purchase orders, invoices, food requests and payroll for Facilities and Campus Police Departments. She was always ready to assist. Through many changes and computer upgrades she always kept the very busy Facilities Office running smoothly.
John Bosco
Professor John Bosco has retired from the full-time faculty at North Shore Community College effective as of December 2022. We thank Professor Bosco for his time, energy, and contributions over his 17-year NSCC career which began full time in 2006. He studied chemistry at Merrimack College and business administration at Suffolk University, and we have kept him busy at NSCC! He has enjoyed a successful teaching career in business, management, and accounting courses. He is also a licensed pilot, and, prior to full-time teaching in business, he was an instructor and faculty coordinator of NSCC’s Aviation program. We wish John well in retirement and are pleased that he has remained with us in an adjunct capacity for, we hope, the foreseeable future!
Kim Bushey
Kim retired in 2020. Kim has been the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program for ten years, securing enough sites and preceptors and managing the student learning experiences of up to 80 student placements each semester. During this time, occupational therapy practice and education have faced various challenges impacting the field learning experiences of students, including but not limited to the most recent COVID-19 situation. Kim has persevered in meeting these significant challenges with a forward-thinking strategy and creative solution-based approach that steadfastly maintained the integrity of field learning experiences based on ACOTE accreditation standards and student performance expectations necessary for entry-level competency. Under Kim’s leadership, innovative community-based field learning experiences under faculty supervision have been developed and implemented, fulfilling the OTA Program’s need for Level I Fieldwork and meeting various community needs. In addition, Kim was a member of a research team of AFWCs from the OT Programs at Salem State University and Tufts University, along with investigating the effectiveness of a collaborative OT/OTA intraprofessional Level II Fieldwork experience. Kim has participated in various forums to disseminate the research findings, including presentations at academic institutions and state, regional, and national occupational therapy conferences. Kim’s leadership in fieldwork education was also demonstrated in her engagement within the New England Occupational Therapy Education Council, a consortium of Occupational Therapy Educational Programs dedicated to supporting the academic and clinical aspects of Occupational Therapy Education. We wish her the best in retirement.
Patricia Callahan
Patricia (Trish) Callahan began her career at NSCC as an Accounting Temp and retired as the Comptroller of NSCC in October 2019. During her time at NSCC, she was a steady and proficient finance professional, skilled in State and College Finance systems, and responsible for completing the College annual financial statements and other audits. She was a member of the MHEC (Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium) Board for many years and held in high regard by system finance and procurement colleagues. She was a very hardworking, dedicated employee of the College, always willing to assist others at every opportunity. Trish was passionate about the mission of the College and proud of her accomplishments at NSCC. She and husband John are generous donors to our students through the NSCC Foundation. She loved to travel and her staff enjoyed stories of many great trips. We wish Trish a happy retirement to spend time with her much loved family and granddaughters!
Barbara Carey
Professor Barbara Carey is retiring from the full-time faculty at NSCC! We wish her well, of course and cannot overstate her important contributions to our college. She has led our Horticulture Program for several years. In all we have experienced in recent years, her program has seen INCREASED enrollment no doubt because of the enthusiasm, care, and compassion she shows for her students and her passion for being outdoors sharing the New England landscape with them. She has dedicated so much of her time to keeping and maintaining our greenhouse and makes our Horticulture program one of the best anywhere! In the last year, she has developed our new Cannabis Certificate program and mentored our new curriculum developer and faculty in that area. She will still be with the college in an adjunct capacity going forward, and for that, we (and her students) are very fortunate.
For truly embodying the COMMUNITY aspect of our college, Barb, we thank you for being a part of this great faculty for so long!
Elaine Champagne
Elaine began her career in the Corporate and Professional Education Division in June 2002. Elaine was well-known throughout the region, and her expertise in sales and marketing and her reputation throughout the North Shore as a highly-respected professional made her the perfect choice when an addition to the Corporate Training Solutions sales team was needed. Elaine’s winning personality, her persistence, and her approach to systems change and organization was welcomed in the Division, and she embraced every project with enthusiasm and innovative practices. Elaine ushered in numerous projects, among them ones that supported our area’s businesses’ ability to gain access to workforce training fund opportunities so that new skills could be learned by their existing workforce. Among the many programs for which Elaine was responsible, she directed the newly designed Workforce Training fund program “Essential Skills for Supervisors.” That program allowed various employers from our region to send employees to training in our corporate training room on the Danvers campus. In that confidential and comfortable environment, new supervisors shared best practices and learned skills from the top facilitators in our region. Elaine built relationships for NSCC with those employers and employees and dozens more that have lasted well beyond her June 2021 retirement date. Elaine is also a proud graduate of NSCC.
Bruce Ciaramella
Bruce Ciaramella became a North Shore Community College Human Services adjunct faculty member in 2001. Bruce brought his specialized knowledge along with real world clinical experience including providing correctional rehabilitation as well as refugee support services. He eventually became the Human Services Practitioner Program Coordinator in 2008. Bruce was always a top-tier professional which showed in his dedication to student support and development. Bruce also endeavored to keep the Human Services program current with developing community trends and needs. Specifically, he worked to create a new Introduction to Community Health Worker course. Bruce aligned the course outcomes to match the Massachusetts Department of Public Health core competencies needed to become a community health worker. Bruce was also recognized by the college president for his diligent and thoughtful work on the team that developed the 2015 - 2020 NSCC Master Academic Plan.
Outside of work Bruce is a U.S. Navy veteran, a devoted father to two sons and a hard core swimmer. Sadly Bruce left NSCC and New England in December of 2021 to take up a new life in Florida. When I asked one of his closest co-workers to tell me about Bruce she said he was a wonderful colleague and a great friend. Along with his lifelong dedication to the success of his Human Services students there can be no greater legacy. Enjoy the southern sun and warm waters.
John Clarke
John started working for NSCC at our Danvers Campus in 1994. John was NSCC’s HVAC II Technician, he worked on the Danvers Campus for several years before transferring to our Lynn Campus in a new role as Utility Plant Operator. John was responsible for keeping our HVAC and Utilities Structures up and running as well as monitoring our state of the art Building Automated System (BAS).
Outside of work John loves being out on his boat and in his amazing RV (I can say it’s amazing, I’ve seen the pictures). He and his wife moved to Florida where they can enjoy them year round. I’m still waiting for the invite to be in one of their golf cart parades.
Lynn Clarkson
Lynn joined NSCC in 1985 and has been a pillar in the English department and across the college for nearly four decades. Lynn got her B.A. from Antioch College and her M.Ed. from Harvard University. She is a gifted, compassionate teacher who has taught in multiple roles across the college, most notably TRIO and WIT. Her students adore her and speak glowingly of how much they learn about the craft of writing in her classes. How committed a teacher is Lynn? It's the stuff of legend now, but Lynn was in the middle of teaching an English class when she went into labor. Shortly after leaving campus in labor, Lynn gave birth to her twin boys, Ethan and Ben. One of those twins just became a father himself, and Lynn, a new grandmother. In her retirement, Lynn is looking forward to spending time with her new granddaughter, Nora, as well as traveling with her husband, Bob, and taking long hikes with her Golden Retriever, Angus.
George T. Craig, Jr. *
George Craig started his career after graduating with an A.S. from North Shore Community College in 1978. He started at the Essex Street Campus in the Accounting Department. He became part of the “Central Services” (which later became Auxiliary Services Department) and soon after was assigned to the new Lynn Campus. After many years of service in Lynn, he was promoted to Storekeeper IV position at the Danvers Campus. After several years of service at the Danvers Campus, he was promoted to Reproduction Services Supervisor to head the printing services of the Auxiliary Services Department, again at the Lynn Campus. This is where he finished his distinguished career in August of 2019 after 41 years of service.
Susan Curry
Susan started her career at NSCC as a part-time staff member for the Tech Prep program in the early 2000s. As Susan became recognized for her abilities, her role evolved to full-time work in articulation and transfer and Early College/Dual Enrollment programs, for which she earned a Commonwealth Citation Award in 2019. Susan is thankful for the opportunity to serve North Shore area high school students, most of whom are traditionally underserved in secondary and post-secondary education. Susan’s work of providing these students access to higher education or careers through articulation, early college/dual enrollment, or transfer opportunities has been exceptionally gratifying. Throughout her College and Community service, Susan has cultivated colleagues across the Community Colleges, high school personnel, students, and families. Susan plans to continue to work part-time and teach courses for our Early College programs.
Diane Dickerson
Diane spent 11 years of dedicated service to our students, faculty and staff as the Director of TRiO Student Support Services. From day one, Diane has been a tireless advocate for NSCC's students! She is a Director who walks the talk and isn't afraid to roll up her sleeves and get the work done. Prior to the pandemic, you could often find Diane taking shifts at the front desk of the TRiO office in Lynn to keep an ear to the ground and stay informed of the NSCC student experience. It's not glorious work, but Diane has always been willing to share her thoughts and solutions on how to improve the overall student experience.
Additionally, over the years, Diane has built a juggernaut of a team in the TRiO Office and is considered by one and all to be a Director who is supportive to her team's growth and opportunities.
Donna DeOrio
Donna DeOrio retired from NSCC on December 30, 2021 after 22 years of dedicated service to North Shore students as an Enrollment Counselor on the Danvers Campus. She was a cheerful, funny, student-centered, team player who wasn’t afraid of a nice chat. Donna could be so creative and student-focused that her colleagues often had to check in with her to make sure that the policies at “her college” were still at least similar to what everyone else was doing. She contributed to countless college committees and teams, was an NSCC “Best of the Best” award recipient, multi-year winner of SES division awards, yada, yada, yada. While working at NSCC Donna earned her M.Ed in Higher Education from Salem State University.
Now a proud grandmother of twins, she spends her free time with them daydreaming about the day when they will be ready to learn how to twirl a baton. Donna worked for at least 8 different supervisors over her career at NSCC but this write-up was fondly submitted by her favorite, John Duff.
Brianne Duff
As the Coordinator of Health Services for 20+ years and the inaugural Coordinator of Health Education, Brianne Duff has been an invaluable member of the NSCC community and has left a lasting impact. Throughout her career, Brianne has demonstrated her passion and commitment to her work. Under Brianne’s leadership, Health Services evolved into a bright, vibrant, proactive, and multidimensional department serving the entire College Community. She has always been eager to learn and grow, and her dedication to health and wellness has been an inspiration to others. Her expertise and knowledge have been invaluable to her colleagues, and she has been a mentor and friend to many. As Brianne begins her retirement, she leaves a legacy of excellence and kindness. Brianne’s compassion, creativity and dedication to health and wellness touched countless students, faculty and staff. She will be missed by all who have had the privilege of working with her!
Ronald Duval
Ron was a Maintenance Working Foreman and spent many years working on both the Lynn and Danvers Campuses. Ron started working at North Shore Community College in March of 1993. He was a great employee that always strove to improve the appearance of the college. He was able to build great relationships both within our department and in other departments on both campuses. Ron’s true passion was being the best grandfather he could be. We hope Ron enjoys the extra time he gets to spend with his family during his retirement.
Margaret (Peggy) Figgins-Hill
Peggy came to North Shore Community College after an eleven-year federal career working primarily for the US Department of Health and Human Services. She joined NSCC as the Workforce Assessment Coordinator in 2006. However, she quickly made the jump to become the Coordinator of the Women in Transition Program in 2007. Since then Peggy has dedicated herself to supporting this underserved population. While the program may have existed before Peggy’s arrival, it certainly bears her signature today. Peggy has exhibited extraordinary patience, compassion, wisdom and a warm heart in support of her students. Using her own inner strength, Peggy has been able to build resilience, confidence and a can-do mindset in her groups. Her students could not ask for a better role model and mentor. Peggy’s file contains well over two dozen letters from individual students and entire classes thanking her for helping them to learn to grow. Peggy is also a leader in Service Learning and has been repeatedly recognized for her efforts. Peggy is a recipient of the NISOD award. Outside of NSCC, Peggy has also been recognized by the town of Stoneham as the Citizen of the Year for her volunteer work in helping to create a new community playground. I have written this in the present tense for even though Peggy retired in May of 2022, we are fortunate that she has agreed to continue teaching for us as an adjunct. I am grateful to have her still serving our students and the entire NSCC community. Peggy is described as being a dynamo and that is an apt description for the way she has supported and advocated for her students.
Sandra Fuhs
Sandy served as faculty and then program coordinator of the Graphic Design and Integrated Media program for 17 years. Her exceptionally strong background in the field, technical expertise in the software and hardware, and collaborative and collegial demeanor resulted in the development of a program that enjoys a stellar reputation among colleges in our area and in the larger industry sector. In her retirement, Sandy continues to teach for NSCC on a part-time basis and assists with programmatic support. She enjoys golf, connecting with friends, and attending the theater. We will forever be grateful for her continued contributions to the college.
Norene Gachignard
Norene has had a successful twenty-three-year career teaching first-year Nursing students the Fundamentals of Nursing Practice and Maternal Child Nursing with a focus on child health. Norene never shies away from her passions and continuously advocates for the inclusion of community based experiences for nursing students. She helped to coordinate numerous public health vaccination experiences in her role and volunteered to supervise students at several clinics on her own time. She was on the front line volunteering to give Covid-19 vaccinations and worked to provide this experience for students. Another kudos for her work includes her advocacy to bring students to Ethics Committee meetings at Salem Hospital. This provided students invaluable experience allowing them to consider real life ethical dilemmas in health care and to reflect on the issues facing nurses and patients in practice.
Norene is also known for her contributions as the MCCC chapter president and support for faculty and staff. She continuously advocated for a positive work environment, resources and compensation that would serve to keep faculty and staff feeling valued, allowing all to focus on supporting students.
Norene’s work extends beyond the College. She continues to work with community advocacy groups in Salem, MA and on the Public Art Commission.
Norene may be retiring and spending some time in California but she never does anything quietly. We are likely to see her involved in some college activity that improves the lives of students or supports fellow faculty members.
Ann Haviland
Ann came to NSCC in March 2004. For over 12 years, she worked in the college bookstore, first as a bookkeeper working with students and agencies concerning financial aid, then as an accountant with a range of responsibilities including reconciliations, book rentals, buybacks, accounts receivable and payable. She then transitioned to the grants accountant position in Fiscal Affairs managing the finances for all of our post-grant awards. While she had many memorable experiences and met many wonderful people at NSCC, she was looking forward to a retirement filled with travel and enjoying other interests. We are so thankful for her years of dedicated service and wish her a very happy, healthy retirement!
Esperanza Herrera
Espy Herrera dedicated much of her professional life to NSCC and the Lynn Community. She worked in a variety of roles in her time at NSCC, finally settling in the Student Support and Advising Center as a Multi-Cultural Outreach Specialist. Anyone who knows Espy knows that her priority was helping students, especially from the Lynn Community. Espy worked tirelessly to help students secure grants and funds to attend college and was a lifeline for many students in the community hoping to join ESL classes. On campus, Espy advised the Multi-Cultural Club. She was instrumental in the club raising money and planning events. Espy retired from NSCC in 2020.
Lorraine Jones
Lorraine Jones brought her giant smile and irresistible wit to NSCC’s fiscal office in 2012 and over the next ten years cemented lasting relationships throughout the college community and paved the way for meaningful improvements in the accounts receivable and cash accounting processes for the College and Foundation.
She took immense pride in her work and tended to the tiniest detail with the same industry and precision as she did to orchestrate the series of complex, multi-department transactions under her management. Whether she was “raffling off” mystery payments in an email, trying to identify the source, or sharing the antics of her new puppy, she made the work just a little bit more enjoyable for her colleagues.
In preparation for her retirement in 2022, she (of course) exercised the proper due diligence on the subject and found that individuals often experience a sense of loss of purpose upon retirement. However, she discovered that she did not have that problem. She is enjoying herself, spending the extra time with family, friends, and lots of books.
She is remembered in the fiscal office for her many contributions, but mostly we just miss her. She kept everyone in line and on track. She was a joy to work with.
Karl Kasprzak
Karl was a maintainer in the Math and Science building. His career at the college started in March of 2003. His attention to detail and work ethic was unmatched. He loved music and reading. He was a great conversationalist and well versed in current events. He took great pride in the appearance of the College, there was never a task he felt he could not accomplish if he put his mind to it. We hope enjoys his well-earned retirement.
John Koza
A true Renaissance man, John enjoys beekeeping, bird-watching, sporting, gardening, and more. He serves as an ordained Catholic deacon and as music director for the Salem Philharmonic Orchestra. During his more than 20 years at NSCC, John has not only been the able steward of library collections — books, databases, media — but also as the helper of all helpers. He is the calm in the storm, the person behind the scenes who connects and supports library staff, College-wide employees, and external partners in collaborative networks like NOBLE and HELM. John is a patient teacher, compassionate advisor, generous colleague, and irreverently funny friend. In 2012, John was a recipient of the NISOD award, his statement at the time exemplifies what his service ethos means to NSCC and the world: "The most exciting aspect of my work is to see the effects of my efforts as a member of the library support staff pay off in a tangible way with students. It's good to know that what I am doing makes a real difference in the quality of their research."
Lory Kwan-Keller
Lory worked at NSCC from 8/21/2006 to 2/22/2022. I met her as an Administrative Assistant in CAS Lynn. Administrative Assistants in CAS are key, front line individuals who are central to administering examinations for faculty courses to students, including accommodated testing, quizzes, mid-terms, and finals. They are also responsible for ensuring that students, who may be anxious in the face of high stakes testing, are welcomed into CAS and given the substantive help that they need, as well as managing the day-to-day operations in the office.
Lory was always willing to go the extra mile in service to the NSCC community. She daily demonstrated a tremendous capacity to provide supportive and edifying assistance to students, faculty, and staff. She maintained an informed and professional stance — backed by a great sense of humor — and never failed to ask the important questions that helped to continually improve our services.
Lory’s passion for student success was evidenced by her work. Her energy, commitment to excellence, and intellectual agility engendered confidence in others to the benefit of the overall work environment and the College community as a whole. A little-known fact: Lory was instrumental in the layout of our new Testing Center and offices in Lynn South! She was a wonderful colleague who put her own unique stamp on our department. While we miss you, we hope that you enjoy your retirement, Lory!
Bernadette Lucas
Bernadette started her career with us at Essex Aggie in 1991 and joined the college in 1999. She was the program coordinator for the Dietary Technician and Nutrition Science program since its inception at the college. Her leadership in the program has led to its national accreditation with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was also an active participant in Interdisciplinary Studies and was a chair of this department for many years. She also accompanied Amesbury for Africa to Kenya three times, and did a USAID study that she presented nationally and internationally. She led the major articulation for the Dietary Tech and Nutrition Science department with Simmons College. Countless students have benefitted from her exceptional content knowledge and engaging style of teaching through the years. We wish her a wonderful retirement and more quality time with her beloved family.
Mary Malone
Mary retired in 2020; Mary is an NSCC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program alumnus who has made valuable contributions to the occupational therapy profession as an occupational therapy practitioner and educator. Since graduating as an OTA in 1974, Mary worked in various health care environments and, after earning her bachelor's degree in health care administration, followed by a master’s degree in occupational therapy, came back to NSCC as a full-time faculty member in 1995. Mary’s genuine respect for the role of occupational therapy assistants within the profession and her steadfast commitment to supporting OTA students in their efforts to be successful has fueled her passion for teaching within the OTA Program. Her teaching practices are creative and collaborative in their design. Although Mary strongly believes in a “high touch” pedagogical approach for our community college students, she has embraced technology as an effective tool in the teaching-learning process. She has initiated several technological advancements within the OTA curriculum, including the most recent virtual simulation conducted in Blackboard Collaborate as a telehealth service delivery session performed by OTA students.
Along with these noted attributes, students appreciate Mary’s humility and humor, which she shares within the classroom and during advising sessions. Her long-standing tenure as faculty advisor to the Student OTA Club attests to Mary’s student-centered focus beyond the classroom and her strong belief in student engagement's value to promote success and satisfaction in one’s life. Mary herself has consistently engaged within the NSCC community serving on various governance committees, ad-hoc committees, and special task groups, as well as in MCCC Chapter positions. In addition, Mary has served in various leadership positions within the Massachusetts Association for Occupational Therapy and the American Occupational Therapy Association, all of which have facilitated success and gratification in her occupational therapy career. We wish her the best in retirement.
Betsy Mariere
Betsy Mariere joined NSCC in August of 2008 as the Coordinator of Advising after having worked many years at Bunker Hill Community College. Betsy was chosen to attend the Community College Leadership Academy which led to the development of a college wide survey of advising. Over the course of her time at NSCC she has been part of the NSCC Leadership Program, NCBI and was a leader in bringing the MCCADA (Massachusetts Community College Advising Association) conference to NSCC. In retirement Betsy will continue to practice kindness as a volunteer in a fundraising drive for cancer patients. In addition, she plans to continue honing her event planning skills, becoming a Justice of the Peace, attending musical theater, swimming, traveling with her family and continuing her quest to be the best Scrabble player New England has ever seen. Betsy retired from NSCC in 2020.
Madeline McAuliffe
Madeline was a much beloved longtime professor and former chair of the Medical Administration department within the former Division of Business and Career and Technical Education, and that she was truly dedicated to providing academic and career guidance to all students, particularly those in Greater Lynn.
Justine Morse
Justine worked at NSCC in a variety of roles from 12/1/2002 to 2/22/2021. I knew her in her role as an Administrative Assistant in CAS Danvers. Administrative Assistants in CAS are key, front line individuals who are central to administering examinations for faculty courses to students, including accommodated testing, quizzes, mid-terms, and finals. They are also responsible for ensuring that students, who may be anxious in the face of high stakes testing, are welcomed into CAS and given the substantive help that they need, as well as managing the day-to-day operations in the office.
Whether Justine was guiding students to the resources they needed, administering high stakes exams, or greeting them as they entered CAS, her calm, kind approach was a balm for students worried about passing a test, trying to find their class, looking for credit for prior learning, or any of the other myriad of reasons students come through our doors.
Justine was not only an amazing support to students, she was also a great colleague. If any faculty, staff, or member of the wider NSCC community needed assistance, she was always ready with a smile and a solution. She was our "go-to" person in Danvers when we had questions or needed ideas. After 18 years in the NSCC family, she certainly had knowledge to share! Happy retirement, Justine!
Bob Murphy
After twenty outstanding years as a member of the Information Systems department, Bob Murphy retired in the Fall of 2019. His affable personality and warm smile were a welcome and reassuring sight to all. Bob was always ready to talk sports or photography and on occasion could be inspired to actually fix a computer or two. As a Systems Analyst Bob’s knowledge and skills spanned a wide gamut; on any given day he could be found upgrading a user’s computer, enhancing our network capabilities or helping plot the college’s IT future. However, Bob’s greatest gift to NSCC was his passion for the school itself. He made it his business to encourage students who visited the Helpdesk. In they’d walk, nervous and troubled, and out they’d go, with a fire in their belly, stoked by Bob. “You can do it,” he’d say. “This is the place for you.” As a member of the Alumni Association Bob worked to promote NSCC’s interests and, along with his wife, established the annual Bob & Mary Murphy Scholarship in 2015.
Maureen Nardella
Maureen retired in 2022, Maureen worked as an OT in various settings; however, working with the older adult population was her passion. She was hired in 1992 at NSCC as full-time faculty for four years and then transitioned to OTA Program Director in 1996. At NSCC, she was a champion advocating for the importance and need for OTAs in the field. Maureen held many leadership roles within organizations, including Massachusetts Association for Occupational Therapy and the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Maureen shared her expertise in the field by presenting at state and national conferences as well as being a published author on topics such as the Importance of Collaborative Occupational Therapist-Occupational Therapy Assistant Intraprofessional Education in Occupational Therapy Curricula, Primary Care Education in OT curriculum, and the Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy amongst others. Maureen received many professional awards, including the Roster of Fellows Award in 2017. This distinguished honor recognizes occupational therapists who, through their knowledge, expertise, leadership, advocacy, and/or guidance, have made significant contributions to the profession with a measured impact on consumers of occupational therapy services and/or members of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Maureen was highly passionate, methodical, and intuitive in her teaching practice.
She created many exciting opportunities for students to engage in the community through Service Learning. Maureen mentored countless students in creating meaningful and purposeful therapeutic programs, which students in various community settings would then implement. These programs were always well received and enjoyed by those who attended. Maureen is well known in the North Shore area for her expertise, as evidenced by her role on the board of directors at the Beverly Children's Learning Center.
Maureen was a strong and influential advocate for the NSCC OTA Program and students throughout her time at the college. She successfully led the program through ever-changing external accreditation standards, pioneering new curriculum design, including simulations labs and community-based models for Level II fieldwork, annual reporting, and many onsite re-accreditation visits and program reviews. We wish her the best in retirement.
Mary Beth Nelson
We congratulate Professor Mary Beth Nelson on her retirement after 18 years as full-time faculty at North Shore Community College. She served our college as Faculty Chair of the Business Department for 15 years! Professor Nelson earned her baccalaureate degree from Salem State University and her MBA from Babson College, and she came to us at NSCC after beginning her teaching career at MassBay Community College. Always active in governance and college-wide initiatives, her achievements in teaching and serving students stand out. She was nominated in 2017 (by her peers) for the Commonwealth of MA Performance Recognition Program Citation for Outstanding Performance. She was an early adopter of work-based learning by engaging to place business students in co-op and internship openings. Her contributions as a full-time faculty member will be missed. However, as a skilled teacher, well-liked by students, we are fortunate that she has chosen to continue teaching part-time with NSCC!
Dianne Palter Gill
Dr. Dianne Paltergill is the longest-serving Dean at North Shore Community College, and remains a champion for empowerment and collaboration on the statewide, regional, and national levels. As Dean of the Division of Corporate and Professional Education, she has proven herself to be a skilled leader who excels in building relationships with governmental agencies, business and industry leaders, and educational providers. For decades, she has led the region as a strategic thinker and leader of a highly successful fast-paced workforce development unit at our community college, and she has remained nimble in creating and connecting business and industry's economic needs with educational constituencies.
Dianne’s people skills and warmth have made her an ambassador who mobilizes diverse intra- and inter-departmental units to resolve complex issues. An expert manager, Dianne focuses on process improvement while effectively streamlining and updating business processes operations — all the while increasing revenues. Her UMass Boston dissertation on noncredit-credit alignment and the goal of achieving a true “one college” model was prescient, and remains cutting edge; she is literally stopped by strangers while attending conferences for being the “thought mother” of this model. Leader of countless boards and community organizations, Dianne remains kind and warm to all — newly arrived immigrants to Senators. She is a champion for diversity, for the equitable treatment of women in the workplace, and for the voiceless. We are so lucky to call her our colleague.
Gina Pelletier
Gina started at North Shore Community College as an adjunct in 1985. Over the course of time she has pursued her passion for educating and supporting her students, first in the Early Childhood Development program and then into today’s Early Childhood Education program. She became the Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator in 2005. Gina modernized the program and built the solid foundation that still stands today. The program changed divisions a couple of times over the years but Gina was able to hold a steady course and minimize the impacts on students and faculty alike. Gina oversaw the successful NAYCE program review in 2018. Clearly a true teaching professional, Gina has mentored and motivated her students to succeed and gain meaningful employment in this dynamic field. The wide recognition that the NSCC Early Childhood Education program enjoys today was built on the many years of hard work and dedication exhibited by Gina. Gina officially retired in May of 2021 but remains with us as an adjunct in our Early Childhood Education Program to the benefit of her students, the ECE program and the entire college.
Marion (Mel) Potoczak
Mel served North Shore Community College for 23 years starting in 1996, retiring from full-time service with the college as its Registrar in 2019. Since her retirement, Mel has continued to serve the college in a part-time capacity, most recently back in the Office of the Registrar as Interim Registrar in late 2022 and subsequently as Project Coordinator.
Mel is a fearless advocate for students with a gift for tracking detail. She possesses a deep, vast knowledge of NSCC's records history, including its curriculum, practices, and personnel. Her work as a mentor to staff and leader within Student Affairs has made her a trusted advisor and partner for colleagues across the college. Her passion for the mission of the institution is matched by her zeal to get things right; a project half done is not in Mel's vocabulary. Her kindness and patience have helped onboard a good half-dozen deans in the past six years. She has provided an excellent example of a mentor-director who drove her division forward to meet the demands of the day. All of us in positions of leadership can aspire to such a legacy.
While her family life and retirement has taken her to the south coast of Massachusetts, please join in reminding Mel her home is forever on the North Shore.
Pam Quinlan
Pam started in her Nurse Educator role as a member of the Essex Aggie Practical Nursing faculty in 1991. The former Department Chair person, Donna Lampman, shared wonderful praises for Pam’s work as a faculty member and in particular her role supporting students and pushing them to be safe practitioners of nursing. Pam’s biggest joys include teaching students in the pediatric clinical areas. She enjoyed working with this patient population and teaching the important lifespan concepts needed to work with children and their families. Pam had two major accomplishments while at North Shore. When challenged with declining clinical placements, Pam embraced the use of clinical simulation and completed the Health Care Educator Simulation Certificate course at Saint Anselm College. While taking the rigorous simulation course, she worked to incorporate standardized simulations into the Practical Nursing curriculum, with the goal of providing meaningful clinical learning experiences and improving program outcomes.
Another major success for Pam was leading the Practical Nursing Program through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing re-accreditation process in the Spring semester 2019. This visit resulted in the recommendation for approval for the Practical Nursing Program for the maximum term of eight years.
Pam is happily enjoying retirement and spends most of the winter in sunny Florida. She also spends a good amount of her time in Brooklyn, NY spoiling her grandson and visiting with her son and daughter-in-law.
Charlene Random
Charlene came to North Shore Community College in April of 1994 when she started as a Professional Staff Member in the Financial Aid Department. Charlene has managed the $9 million Federal Pell Grant program as well as the disbursement of all of the financial aid funds. Charlene was an integral part of the operation of Student Financial Services. She worked tirelessly for our students, making sure we were equitable in our disbursement of our federal, state and institutional funding. Her attention to detail, understanding of regulations and commitment to students will be sorely missed. We hope she enjoys her retirement with her grandchildren.
Rick Reney
Rick Reney served in the AVP (Asst. Vice President for Facilities) role at North Shore Community College for 18 years, during which time the College made significant strides in Facilities development and management. Along with overall supervision of Maintenance, Campus Police and Auxiliary Services, Rick’s major achievements include the College’s Facilities Master Plans, the study, design and construction of the Danvers Health Professions Zero Net Energy Building (for which the College received the State Leading by Example Award), oversight for construction of the Lynn South addition, and many other projects such as the Middleton Business Center renovation for the Culinary and Cosmetology programs, renovation of the Lynn Bookstore and the Lynn Greenhouse. Rick's expertise was critical to acquire the DCAMM Capital Project $14.1m funding for the Danvers Life Sciences Pathway Center, which will start construction in 2024. A longtime proponent of sustainability measures at the College, he is well known for environmental sustainability initiatives and for his State construction expertise. Rick mentored many facilities employees with his wisdom, generosity, and support over the years. His commitment to the College’s mission is exemplary and demonstrated with lasting facilities to support our students. We thank Rick for his many years of outstanding service and value to the College!
Joe Richardson
Joe started working for NSCC at our Danvers Campus in 1994. Joe started out as a part-time custodian. Later Joe became NSCC’s full-time Painter I. A few years later Joe got promoted to the Painter II Position. He maintained that position until his retirement. Having worked for a generator company previously, he took that knowledge and doubled as the college's mechanic. He took care of all the small engine repairs (grounds and snow equipment) in addition to servicing our fleet of vehicles.
Joe spends his free time skiing in the winter and hiking the rest of the year. He also occasionally stops by NSCC to rub it in.
James Robinson*
Jim joined NSCC after a long career as an arts educator, completing an M.A. and Ph.D. in Theater in Education at Harvard and much professional work in regional theaters. He loved teaching Acting, Theater, Music and Speech and helping students find their voices. His colleagues remember him this way: Jim’s devotion to the college and to theater arts was an inspiration. Always generous and supportive, he embodied the ideal of Liberal Arts–an intellectual jack-of-all-trades with something constructive to offer. He was a mentor–who appreciated how different teaching styles complemented each other and served students better. We thought he might chair Cultural Arts forever. He was a force, charismatic, outspoken, and authentic. What you saw was what you got with Jim. He loved his family, the Bruins, rescuing greyhounds, his colleagues, and North Shore. Above all Jim was fiercely dedicated to our students. His life was a blessing to us. May our memories of him live on forever.
Marty Rodweller
Marty Rodweller joined NSCC in January of 1994 as an Educational Planning Specialist in Financial Aid/Student Support. Five years later, she moved to working in Student Support full time. Over the course of her time at NSCC she has held the positions of Academic Counselor and Senior Academic Counselor. In 2010 Marty was the recipient of the NISOD Award. Marty’s plans for retirement included sitting in the sun on Good Harbor Beach, rowing with the Gloucester Gig Rowers and traveling the world. Marty retired from NSCC in 2020.
Soeum San
Soeum was a beloved maintainer on the Lynn Campus. His career started at North Shore Community College in March of 2003. He had a contagious laugh and loved to share stories from his past. He was always willing to help his peers, and cared for the entire college community. Please help us appreciate Soeum for his many years of service.
Judith Schena
Judy came to North Shore Community College in March of 1987 as a technical services librarian. During her tenure at NSCC, she worked in library technical services, "behind the scenes," processing books, maintaining online bibliographic records, and compiling statistics that are vital for making library decisions. Judy could be regularly seen at the access services desk, directly assisting students, faculty and staff with their use of the library. Judy’s time at North Shore coincided with major changes in the library world, as the first integrated library systems had come online not long before Judy’s arrival. She took part in the implementation of four major library system migrations at NSCC, the last taking place just before her retirement when the library joined the HELM network. Her attention to detail, so crucial in maintaining library systems and delivering information to library users, was second to none.
Kim Selecky
Kim started working at North Shore Community College in June of 2010. He was a wonderful maintainer that was always excited to train any new hires. Kim was a true family man, and often spoke fondly of his wife and children. Kim worked second shift in the Berry building and most days would arrive early to spend time talking to his coworkers. We wish the best retirement to Kim and his family.
Donna Stefano
Donna Stefano, who retired in 2020, was the Staff Associate in Academic Affairs. In her role, she supported our Curriculum Committee, Academic Catalog, new course construction, and data needs of all in Academic Affairs, including the Vice President of Academic Affairs. She was an invaluable asset.
Joanne Sullivan
Prior to joining NSCC in 2010 as a part-time grants writer, Joanne Sullivan worked as an adjunct instructor at NSCC. During her tenure first as a grants writer and later as the Director of Grants Development and Management, Joanne has spent the last 12 years shepherding projects (state, federal and private) and herding cats (us) with her inimitable style. North Shore has been the fortunate recipient of her many successful grant submissions — most notably our recent Title III grant — and we are lucky to have had her. Over the years, the college benefitted in innumerable ways both by her calm, unflappable approach and by her expertise in turning often jumbled ideas into compelling projects that attracted funding time and time again. Joanne has left her indelible mark on NSCC in projects great and small, and even in retirement has made time to lend her considerable skills in assisting with the transition caused by her retirement. We wish her well as she begins this next chapter of her life!
Cindy Therrien
Cindy worked at NSCC from 6/27/1999 to 1/19/2021. As an Assessment Officer, Cindy served a significant role in developing students’ ability to navigate the culture, vocabulary, and expectations of post-secondary education. She was adept at putting students at ease — faculty and staff too — thus empowering them to really envision themselves as college students. Cindy was unfailingly patient and positive in her interactions and a true relationship builder in her big heart.
Cindy had a special relationship with NSCC students seeking English language instruction, conducting intensive, individualized pre-post-assessment and placement conversations that helped with their transition to college by making them instantly part of our community. Faculty, staff, and the wider NSCC community relied on her for her in-depth knowledge of and connections with our ESOL students.
Cindy was the kind of team member that would, in an afternoon snowstorm, volunteer to stay with a student to give them a little more of the time needed to finish their examination. She was a much beloved colleague and friend. While we miss her, we also wish her all the best in the next chapters in her life. Congratulations, Cindy!
Jill Thornton
Jill Thornton was the college’s inaugural Dean of Strategic Partnerships. Her work building the foundations of our Early College program and community partner connections established NSCC’s reputation of excellence and countless meaningful relationships. She retired in 2020.
Nancy Tufo
Nancy Tufo started her career at NSCC in 1978 as the Tutor Coordinator for TRiO’s Motivation to Education. In 1980 Nancy taught math full time and supervised the Math tutoring program for TRiO. Eventually she moved over to Student Support as a full-time Academic Counselor in 1995. Nancy spent 8 years overseeing the Bridges to the Stars (STEM) program and could always be found with her Bridges students in and out of her office. Nancy brought her background in math and technology to advising and was a longtime, and much needed, Banner expert for the department. Although Nancy is retiring you may still be able to find her on campus at NSCC teaching math or advising. Nancy retired from NSCC in 2020.
Helene VanDernoot
Helene began her career at NSCC in January of 1996 as the Business and Industry Liaison for the School-to-Work Initiative. Helene matched students with internships, and teachers with summer externships, at area businesses. This important work was a perfect match for Helene’s next role at NSCC’s brand new Corporate Training and Technology Division at the Cummings Center in Beverly. Helene continued her commitment to our area’s employers and their employees by providing customized training programs so that employees could learn new skills to earn better wages, increase opportunities, and maximize their productivity. In doing so, our region’s economic vitality improved and the reputation of NSCC’s Corporate and Professional Education Division (as it was later named) thrived as it became the number one provider of workforce development in Massachusetts among community colleges. Helene’s reputation as a relationship builder who cared deeply for our business partners and their employees lives on in the strong image the college maintains in our community. Helene retired in June of 2021.
Madeline Wallis
Madeline Wallis provided 19 years of excellent service to North Shore Community College, including her initial role as Director of HR/Payroll and longevity as VP of Human Resources Development. With experience in organizational development and leading the HR/Payroll department, she provided collaborative solutions and sensible advice on many College issues, at all levels. Madeline supported the College's Governance Steering sub-committee for many years and led the revision of the Governance structure at the college. She was a keen advocate of professional development activities college-wide, including the Collegiality Committee and employee appreciation events, Leadership and Supervisor training programs, and Diversity initiatives. After her retirement in January 2021, she worked part-time for an additional period coordinating the Search that led to the approval of President Bill Heineman by the NSCC Board of Trustees in June 2021. Madeline is a valued and generous colleague and friend, and we wish her continued happiness with her family in her retirement!
Gary Williams*
Gary Williams joined NSCC as an Academic Counselor in 2001. Having previously worked with the department of employment, Gary was very passionate about helping students translate their academic degrees into careers. For those who have had the pleasure to know Gary, they know he was a Renaissance man. If you were lucky to have the opportunity to have a cup of coffee with him, you would be regaled with stories about his time in the fashion and music industries. He was most proud of his family. His face lit up when talking about his daughters and grandchildren. Gary retired from NSCC in 2019. Sadly, Gary passed away in 2022.
John Zamparelli
John joined NSCC in 2010 on a one-year contract. He was such a gifted, remarkable teacher that the college found a way to create a tenure-track position for John, and he has continued that tradition of excellent teaching for a dozen years. John got his B.A. from New York University and his M.F.A. from Emerson College. John is a passionate, tireless teacher who gives his all and then some to his students day in and day out. John has taught our Creative Writing class for years, and his students have had their work recognized at several regional competitions, always with John in the audience cheering them on. John took on the Visiting Writer initiative and under his care, it has flourished. John has brought to campus an extraordinary and diverse collection of writers. John is a huge fan of the New England Patriots and some guy named Tom Brady. He is also an avid skier and traveler. In his retirement, John and his wife Pannawadee are moving to Thailand where many adventures await them.
*In memoriam