Summit 2025

Karen Arnold, Ph.D. is retired Professor of Higher Education at Boston College. She is the author of books and articles in the fields of college access, talent development, and longitudinal study methods. Her books include “The Ecology of College Readiness,” and “Lives of Promise: What Becomes of High School Valedictorians.” She currently teaches “Adulting,” a BC Capstone seminar in which seniors apply adult development theory and research to their own lives.

Lesley completed her nursing degree from the Connell School of Nursing this past spring. She is back in the classroom working to achieve her goal of becoming a women’s health nurse practitioner dedicated to decreasing pregnancy-related inequities worldwide.

Biz Bracher is a 1991 graduate of Boston College who majored in Human Development in the Lynch School of Education. While an undergraduate, Biz was a member of the women’s Varsity Lacrosse team for which she served as a captain her senior year. She returned to the Heights in 1995 to earn her MA and Ph.D. in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology in the Lynch Graduate School of Education.

Since 1996, Biz has worked in the Office of First Year Experience, first as a graduate assistant and then moving up in the ranks to be the Assistant Director, the Associate Director, and most recently was the Interim Director. In 2017, Biz moved into the Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences, bringing the CTK program with her and she now serves as the Director of the Cornerstone Seminar Programs

Trey is an MD-PhD candidate in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program. He graduated from Boston College with a B.S. in Biochemistry, where he embraced the liberal arts education and the Jesuit value of educating the whole person. His time at BC included not only rigorous scientific training but also active involvement in mentorship programs like BC Bigs, where he guided local youth and supported fellow mentors. Trey’s research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital has focused on structural biology and clinical studies, and he strives to integrate these experiences with a holistic approach to making a positive impact in science and the community.

Logan DelloStritto '13 (they/any pronouns) is a Project Manager within the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, which aims to improve population health through research and education. In this role, they manage public health research projects related to infectious disease prevention and treatment. Previously, Logan managed research projects within the Center for Cancer Genomics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

While at BC, Logan served as Chief of Staff for the Queer Leadership Council, a staff member at the Women's Center, and a leader for the 48Hours and Spectrum retreats. They received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the BC Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences and a Master’s in Public Health from Boston University.

Over the past decade, Logan has spent their free time working with LGBTQ+ organizations, including serving as a member of the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ+ Youth and as a Board Member for the Bisexual Resource Center. Most recently, Logan served as one of the inaugural co-chairs of the BC LGBTQ+ Alumni Council. They live in Brookline, MA.

Katie Diasti '19 is the Founder & CEO of Viv period care. Viv’s mission is to provide better for people with periods by creating sustainable and toxin-free products. Viv has built an inclusive and empowered community, led by health education, with over 20 Million in social reach. Viv can now be found in over 1,000 retail doors across the US, as well as sold online. Katie is a Forbes 30 Under 30 2024 lister, Boston Inno 25 Under 25 lister, and was named one of the 25 Most Inspirational Female Leaders by Women in Retail in 2024. Viv has been dedicated to menstrual equity and has supported in donating over 200,000 period products to shelters, schools, and nonprofit partners both here in Massachusetts and across the country. Katie is a first gen Egyptian-American with a family of self-starters that inspired her to build a mission driven business of her own.

Dr. Jayasundera obtained his B.S. (UMass), M.S. and Ph.D. (Yale) degrees in Biophysical Chemistry, as well as an M.B.A. from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. He also completed two Postdoctoral Research Associate positions before joining Boston College: one at St. Jude Children’s Cancer Research Hospital and the second at Brown University, and is now the Director of the Magnetic Resonance Center at the University.

Apart from his Capstone course on Surviving Life with Humor, Dr. Jayasundera teaches two electives for the Chemistry Department at BC. Next to teaching, his interests include food, sleep, music, and long road trips through the country that have spanned the lower 48 states.

Philip is currently an Associate Director in Alliance Management at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. In this role, he supports the innovation between Alnylam and various industry partners from early research through clinical stage molecules on the cusp of becoming new medicines. Previously, he led external outreach at Bristol Myers Squibb as a member of the Strategy & Research Operations team and was a medicinal chemist at Novartis, supporting oncology, hematology, and immunology research with two programs now in clinical trials. Outside of work, he is passionate about supporting community organizations, most recently completing the 2023 Boston Marathon in support of Pine Street Inn and enjoys board games, gardening, skiing, and trying to cook new recipes in his free time. Philip graduated from the Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences in 2014 with a double major in chemistry and history and is a proud first-generation college graduate.

Alison Marshall is a board certified, practicing Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP). She earned her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology with Honors from Boston College in 2000, and her Master’s in Nursing from Yale University in 2005. She recently earned her PhD from Boston College in 2024. Her research is focused on the connection between genital hair modification practices and the associated risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections.

Alison’s nursing practice is based in Massachusetts. She is a full-time Clinical Instructor at the Boston College Connell School of Nursing as well as Faculty at The Sylvie Ratelle STD/HIV Prevention Center of New England, a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) funded national training organization for practicing providers. Alison has practiced clinically at the South Boston Community Health Center since 2005.

Colleen MacDonald is a nationally credentialed Victim Advocate dedicated to preventing and responding to intimate partner violence. With extensive experience working with diverse populations, including military personnel, unhoused individuals, and college students, Colleen is well-versed in survivorship, safety, and the complexities of intimate partner violence. She currently works with Boston College's SANet program, focusing on these critical issues. Colleen is passionate about understanding the evolving dynamics of intimate partner violence in the modern era and how technology influences relationship patterns. She believes in empowering friends and family of those experiencing intimate partner violence to recognize the signs of unhealthy relationships and feel empowered to support those in their lives.

C. Shawn McGuffey, Ph.D., is Professor of Sociology and past Director of African & African Diaspora Studies at Boston College. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Dr. McGuffey’s professional work primarily highlights how race, gender, sexuality and social class both constrain and create the choices sexual assault survivors pursue in the aftermath of trauma in the U.S. and throughout the African Diaspora. Dr. McGuffey’s scholarship is the recipient of multiple awards from the American Sociological Association, the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Association for Women in Psychology, and the American Association of Geographers. He has also served on the Harassment Committee of the American Sociological Association and the Eastern Sociological Society’s Code of Conduct Committee – both charged with developing policies around various forms of harassment.

Christopher Miller serves as the Vice President of Product for Growth and Artificial Intelligence at HubSpot. Having spent the past eight years at HubSpot, Chris has been at the center of one of the biggest B2B growth stories in history—leading HubSpot’s early growth strategy, their shift to product-led growth, and now their investment in AI. Beyond his role at HubSpot, he lends his expertise to founders advising them on PLG and their growth strategy broadly.

As Program Manager for BlueSwell, Julia leads an accelerator dedicated to empowering early-stage entrepreneurs who are driving innovation in the bluetech sector. In her role, Julia designs and implements a comprehensive program that provides startups with the essential tools, mentorship, and strategic connections needed to scale their ventures and bring their solutions to market.

Julia is responsible for managing the entire lifecycle of the BlueSwell program, from recruitment and application processes to due diligence and selection. She works closely with a diverse network of partners and workshop vendors to enhance the accelerator’s curriculum, ensuring it is aligned with the evolving needs of the bluetech industry. Additionally, Julia organizes and leads multiple networking events each year, facilitating valuable interactions between entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.

Passionate about innovation and sustainability, Julia continually seeks new opportunities to expand the program’s reach and deepen its impact on the bluetech ecosystem, helping startups thrive and make a lasting difference in ocean conservation and related fields.

Andy Petigny joined the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center in November of 2006 as the Associate Director. Prior to this position, he served as the Assistant Director of Diversity Resources and Career Counseling at the Boston College Career Center for two years.

Working with the Director and the other Associate Director to provide overall leadership and direction of the office, his major responsibilities include implementing programs around issues of diversity and leadership, such as the Bowman Advocates for Inclusive Culture Leadership Program, Dialogues on Race (DOR), and the RIDE Retreat. He also advises several student organizations, and works with students on issues dealing with academics, career, and life. Additionally, he serves as the liaison to several campus partners and helps to coordinate overall assessment. A native of the Boston area, his educational background includes attending Boston Latin Academy H.S., undergraduate studies at Northeastern and Hampton Universities, a Master of Science degree in Communications Management from Simmons University, and completion of the Carroll School of Management’s Leadership for Change program. He also loves learning and talking about cultures, languages, and travel.

Evelyn is a member of Citizens Bank Community Development Commercial Lending team and an experienced Commercial Real Estate and Finance professional with proven ability to analyze data and deliver reporting in the underwriting process. Evelyn has expertise in affordable housing, Community Reinvestment Act and, LIHTC property deals. She is a candidate for Master of Science in Data Analytics with a specialization in business analytics from University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Rick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Campus Minister. He joined Boston College in 2002 after earning his Master’s in Pastoral Ministry. Over the years, he has worked with various Campus Ministry programs including Kairos, 4Boston, the Ignatian Society, and the Manresa Retreat. Rick is a trained spiritual director and has also served as a BC SANet Advocate. He completed his degree and licensure for clinical social work in 2015. Within a psychodynamic grounding, Rick draws on various therapeutic approaches in a strengths-based focus, prioritizing the importance of identity, justice, and compassion. Rick enjoys partnering with students to discover how spirituality and spiritual practices can be relevant to overall healing and growth.

Dr. Akua Sarr is the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs. As a senior leader in student academic affairs, she promotes a holistic education that fosters academic success, cultivates intellectual inquiry, and nurtures students in the fulfillment of their human promise and potential. She is dedicated to connecting students with the intellectual life of the university and to fully realizing a liberal education committed to diversity, belonging, and inclusive excellence. Dr. Sarr holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Dartmouth College and a Ph.D. in African Languages and Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she is a former Fulbright Scholar, who spent a research year in Dakar, Senegal examining women’s activism and the emergence of feminist literature.

She is the parent of two daughters both BC Alums, class of 2019 and 2023.

Arivee Vargas is an award-winning executive coach, former lawyer, host of the Humble Rising Podcast, and the author of Your Time To Rise: Unlearn Limiting Beliefs, Unlock Your Power, and Unleash Your Truest Self (coming January 14, 2025). Influence Digest has named Arivee a top coach in Boston for the past three years. With nearly 20 years of legal and corporate executive experience, as a coach and sought-after speaker on burnout, work-life harmony, and personal and leadership development, Arivee guides high-achieving lawyers and leaders through personal and professional inflection points to move forward with more clarity, conviction, fulfillment and higher life satisfaction. Arivee's work has been featured in Oprah Daily, Forbes, Success Magazine, Boston Business Journal, FIERCE by Mitú, and Hispanic Executive Magazine, among others. She is a proud alumna of Boston College and Boston College Law school, and received an honorary degree from Boston College in 2022.

Chris is a seasoned marketing professional in the financial services industry with over 20 years of institutional experience in business development, relationship management, and product development.  He, currently, works as an Investment Solutions Director at Aon Investments USA, Inc.  He is a graduate of Boston College High School (’88) and holds B.A. (’92) and M.S. (’98) degrees from Boston College.  Chris is an Executive Committee Member for the Boston College Hellenic Alumni Network.  He also served as the Chairman of the Membership Committee (2014-2023) and as a member of the Board of Governors (2015-2023) at the Boston College Club.  Chris enjoys traveling abroad with his wife, son, and daughter, especially to Greece, England, and Luxembourg, where his extended family resides.  He is also an avid history buff, tennis player, and angler.