Board of Advisors

Janet Atkins
President & CEO, Ridgeway Philanthropy   

Janet Atkins is a recognized expert in helping families and their charitable entities develop strategic and values-based methods of giving. Among the first in the United States to recognize the need for an organized response to the impact of the $80 plus trillion transfer of wealth over the next 30 years, she left her 20year fundraising career in 1998 to head up an innovative new subsidiary for the Boston based law firm of Goulston & Storrs. As the Founder and CEO of Philanthropic Advisors LLC, she was responsible for $100 million in annual grant making for 25 families. For the last ten years she has led her own independent firm, Ridgeway Philanthropy, focused on creating a personal and philanthropic agenda for the responsible use of individual and family wealth.

Janet’s range of expertise includes structuring philanthropic programs to create maximum impact; creating and managing strategic grant making programs for family foundations; designing foundation governance systems and conducting trustee training; as well as guiding nonprofit organizations and their volunteer boards through campaign planning, strategy, and special initiatives on behalf of her foundation and family clients. Janet’s leadership has guided the commitment of over $3 billion in philanthropic dollars for nonprofits in the US and abroad.

Her fundraising career includes major institutional advancement appointments at Harvard University teaching hospitals, Duke University, Georgetown University, Emory University, the University of Virginia, and the YWCA of Atlanta where she led complex campaigns and managed teams of development professionals. A sought-after speaker, Janet has spoken at many private and public universities as well as numerous private client groups nationwide.

She serves on the World Council of the World YWCA in Geneva, the Board of Directors of the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center of the Boston Public Library, the Board of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and has completed her term on Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts Board of Visitors and as Chair of Strategic Planning on the Board of Managers of The Vincent Club of Boston as well as the Board of Invest in Girls. Ms. Atkins holds Master’s and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Emory University.  

Anthony Autiello ’74
President & CEO, A. Autiello Construction Co., Inc.  

Anthony is the president of the A. Autiello Construction Co., a commercial building firm located in Rhode Island. He has over fifty years of commercial building experience. He is a trustee of St. Eugene’s Catholic Church and Board member of the Alpine Country Club. He previously served as a member of the Foster Glocester School Committee, Glocester School Committee, Board member of Wellone Community Health Centers, President of Glocester Country Club, and Member of the Smithfield and Glocester Planning Boards. 

He is a 1974 graduate of Roger Williams University with a BS in Civil Engineering with a minor in Construction Technology and has previously served as a member of the RWU Construction Management Advisory Board (CMPAB).

Troy Bilyeu P’27
Administrator K-12 for Safety, Security and Compliance
Club Manager/Part Owner of Westchester Flames FC

Troy Bilyeu has worked in education since 1997, starting as a high school Biology and Chemistry teacher, then moving on as a House Principal and currently as a District Wide Administrator for the Mahopac Central School District in New York.  

Over the years, Troy has been involved in curricular leadership as well as program design district wide.  In his current role with the district, Troy serves as the Safety Liaison for all buildings K-12 as well as the Data Privacy Officer (DPO). His collaboration with local law enforcement and the FBI has proven to strengthen safety protocols and practices district wide.

Troy has also been club manager of the Westchester Flames, a youth soccer club, in New Rochelle, NY since 2017.  Under his leadership, the club went from three youth team and a men’s USL 2 team to twelve boy's teams (U9-U19) and two girl's teams (U10-U12) as well as three divisions of men’s team (U23, USL 2 Reserve and USL 2) and one women’s team that plays in USL W.  The club has become one of the top programs in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area with the teams playing locally, nationally and internationally (England and Italy) as well.  The club has players on the Roger Williams soccer team, including Troy's son, Derek Bilyeu, who is a Finance major in the Gabelli School of Business.

Troy received his second master's in administration and Supervision from Fordham University and looks forward to learning and growing with Roger Williams University in this new role.

Scott Blumenfeld '99, P'27
Senior Director CISO Financial Operations, Microsoft Security

Scott currently serves as Head of CISO Financial Operations for Global CISO Microsoft Security. Prior to joining the Microsoft CISO organization, Scott served as Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Executive Leadership for LeagueApps where he led Company-wide Financial Strategy and Operations, Business Operations, Corp. Development and Legal Affairs. 

Scott joined LeagueApps after serving as Global Head of Financial Planning and Analysis at Dataminr, a leading AI Event and Threat Detection Company where he served as a member of the Senior Leadership and Deal Team Member for the Series F capital raise and development of the Finance function.

Prior to Dataminr, he served as Chief Administrative Officer of Global Technology and Chief Financial Officer of the Investment Engine at Bridgewater Associates during his 7+ year tenure at the firm helping to evolve the organizations' structure and approach to financial management.

In earlier roles, Scott served across Strategy, and Finance at the General Electric Company, and General Atlantic LLC, a pioneer and leading global growth equity investor.

Scott serves on the Board of LivFree Today an organization supporting families fighting Pediatric Cancer. He also serves as Vice Commander Finance Officer (impending) and Finance officer in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary based in D1SR and Long Island Sound Sector.

Scott holds a BA from Roger Williams University as well as an MBA and Master of International Business from the University of Maryland. He also earned Executive Certificates from Columbia University Graduate School of Business as well as Tulane University Law School. Scott resides with his family in Connecticut where he enjoys sports, cooking and woodworking. His oldest daughter is pursuing her undergraduate degree at Roger Williams.

Kyle Casserino ’13
Vice President, Fidelity Charitable  

Kyle Casserino is a charitable planning consultant at Fidelity Charitable®, an independent public charity that has helped donors support more than 300,000 nonprofit organizations with $42 billion in grants.1 The mission of Fidelity Charitable® is to grow the American tradition of philanthropy by providing programs that make charitable giving accessible, simple, and effective. Kyle assumed his current role in 2019 and has been with Fidelity Charitable across multiple roles since 2013. In this role he serves as a premier charitable planning resource to advisors and their clients in Southern California. Kyle educates advisors on current charitable planning trends and strategies, along with leveraging the benefits of Fidelity Charitable’s donor advised fund program, to help philanthropic clients give more to the charities they support.  

Prior to assuming his current role, Kyle was a charitable planning associate in the Northwest region, where he worked with advisors to enhance their understanding of Fidelity Charitable’s donor advised fund program and discuss ways to incorporate charitable giving into clients' overall financial and wealth management plans. Prior to that, he worked as a fundraising associate where he supported the national fundraising team. He also worked as client services representative on the Fidelity Charitable Advisor Service Team.  

Prior to joining Fidelity Charitable, Kyle worked as a student fund manager at the Center for Advanced Financial Education at Rogers Williams University Gabelli School of Business.

Bio coming soon!

Rebecca Collins ’97
CEO, Collins Construction Co., Inc. 

Born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts, Rebecca Collins is a 1997 graduate of Roger Williams, where she received her bachelor’s degree in construction management and a minor in business. 

Currently Rebecca is the CEO of Collins Construction Co., Inc. where she is the fourth generation, and the first female, to the family's construction company, which was founded in 1928. Rebecca came to Collins in 2000 after cutting her teeth in the management side of the business at 2 reputable contractors in the New England area.  In 2017 she took over leadership of the Company after her father’s passing getting the Company WBE certification in Massachusetts and Rhode Island as well as a NWBOC national certification.  

The two initiatives that Rebecca is most proud of is the Company’s embracing of digitization within Estimating, Project Management and Job Sites. This has allowed all stakeholders to effectively manage schedules, budgets, and productivity, keeping Collins viable and profitable. Additionally, Collins’ push toward conscious business.  Collins is working on following the four tenants of Conscious Capitalism: Higher Purpose, Stakeholder Orientation, Conscious Leadership, and a Conscious Culture.  We believe that good business creates better value for everyone.

Barrett W. Costello ’99
Financial Advisor, Civale & Associates

With over 20 years of financial services experience, Barrett has spent much of his career customizing financial solutions to the needs of his clients which includes Financial Advisors, Institutions, and now mass affluent and high net worth individuals. Barrett’s team operates as a Private Wealth Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. In addition to building his business by referral, Barrett has built a large part of his business through the acquisition of financial planning practices from retiring baby boomers who are looking for a succession plan for their valued clients.

After graduating from Roger Williams University in 1999 with a B.S. Business Management with a concentration in Finance, Barrett went to work at Fidelity Investments which served as the foundation for his career.  Over much of his career Barrett was responsible for the distribution of investment solutions through intermediaries in key markets such as California and New England. Starting his career at Fidelity Investments, Barrett then went to FBR Funds which got acquired by Hennessy Funds then Neuberger Berman where he was responsible for distribution of all investment solutions including Private Equity offerings in New England. In 2017, Barrett decided to go into private practice, where he enjoys working with the mass affluent and high net worth individuals and families on retirement income strategies, inter-generational wealth transfer strategies and other financial strategies to accomplish what is most import to them.

Barrett served on the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts (FPA) Board of Directors from January 2013-2015 as Public Relations Director. As PR Chair his role was to help guide policy and direction for the 900-member association that seeks to foster the value of financial planning and advance the profession within Massachusetts.  In 2013, the FPA of MA PR Committee was recognized by the National Financial Planning Association with an Outstanding Achievement Award for the Public Relations Advances under his Leadership. Barrett currently serves on the Board of Directors for Taunton Kiwanis.

Gordon S. (Chip) Craig III ’94, P’26
President & CEO, Sterngold Dental  

Gordon has over twenty-eight years of professional business development, sales, marketing, and corporate communications experience and is the President & CEO of Sterngold Dental, LLC located in Attleboro, MA. Gordon has an extensive affiliation with Sterngold Dental as an independent company and as a subsidiary, with a brief start as a Marketing Analyst for a wire and cable products manufacturer. At Cookson America, he first assumed a Corporate Communications and Public Relations Manager role. Over the years, he steadily worked his way to Director of Marketing and eBusiness, where he successfully launched a fully integrated ebusiness platform for the company. Before assuming the chief executive role, Gordon was Vice President & General Manager of Sterngold Dental. 

Under Gordon's leadership, Sterngold Dental has expanded beyond alloys, strengthened its position in restorative supplies and equipment, reinforced the implants and attachments product line, gained a major foothold in the mini-implant category with MOR®, and ventured into digital dentistry. Today, Sterngold has a formidable solution set of restorative supplies, implants, attachments, and digital product offerings. With Vision 2025, a program outlining a 5year progression plan, he has created a blueprint to achieve a sustainable, realistic, year-on-year growth target. 

Gordon holds an MBA from the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor's degree in Corporate Communications and Marketing from Roger Williams University. Gordon and his wife Kristen met while attending Roger Williams. They have two daughters and son and live in Tiverton, Rhode Island. Their son Matt started at Roger Williams as a first-year student in the Fall of 2022.

George (Rick) Daubenspeck ’85, P’17
Managing Director Fixed Assets, BDO  

Rick is a Managing Director in the Phoenix office of BDO, leading the Valuation & Business Analytics Fixed Assets practice. He has almost 30 years of experience developing valuation opinions regarding machinery and equipment pertaining to a broad range of financial transactions, including leasing structuring and dispositions, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcies, expert witness, and ASC impairment reviews.

Rick has significant experience providing valuation services globally for asset groups across numerous industries, including manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, medical and surgical, gaming and entertainment, energy generation and distribution, wastewater and freshwater systems, automated ticketing, and signaling and toll systems. He also had extensive knowledgeable in the renewable energy sector, specifically solar energy, and he has performed inspections and appraisals for a variety of assets throughout the United States, as well as in Mexico, Hong Kong, England, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, France, Austria, Sweden, and the Netherlands. He has presented on numerous occasions at the Equipment Lease Finance Association Equipment Management Conference, as well as at the National Conference of the American Society of Appraisers. In addition, he has published numerous articles on the topic of equipment valuation in The Monitor. He has also authored articles on the topics of solar energy and the financing of solar collection installations and been published in the Second Edition of What’s it Worth: Valuing Oil, Gas, and Alternative Energy Assets.

Rick obtained his Senior Appraiser designation in Machinery & Equipment from the American Society of Appraisers and has provided legal testimony in support of the valuation work he has performed. Rick holds an MBA in International Business from Sacred Heart University and a bachelor's degree in Marketing from Roger Williams University.

Brad Dean ’73
Chairman & CEO, Dean Warehouse Services  

Brad Dean, now Chairman, had served as CEO of Dean Warehouse since its founding in 1980. Founded in 1980 by Bradford A. Dean, the Cumberland based logistics company has grown in size and is now among the largest privately held warehouse, distribution, and fulfillment providers in New England. Dean Warehouse Services Inc. has several warehouses in Rhode Island along with locations in Atlanta and near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, for a combined total of more than 2 million square feet of space. 

Brad has spent his entire career in warehousing, logistics, transportation, and supply chain management. For 30 years, he has built the organization to be one of the most innovative supply chain management firms. And, he has created one of the industry’s strongest management teams that include a dozen top regional professionals. He is the supporter of numerous philanthropic initiatives in Northern Rhode Island and serves on a variety of business and community boards.

Candace I. Domos ‘80
Finance and Operations Manager, Massachusetts Association of Conversation Commissions

Candace (Tellier) Domos graduated RWU in 1980 with both a BA and AS degree in Business Administration.  She continued her education at Suffolk University receiving her MBA in Finance and Investment Analysis.   

Over the years, Candace worked in Commercial lending as a financial analysis and as Treasurer on Boards of many nonprofits.  She currently works for the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions where she has held the title of Finance and Operations Manager for the past 20 years. 

Growing up in a family of business and real estate owners, Candace has gained vast work experience.  She owns and manages The Tellier Domos Family LLC and Tellier Realty Trust, which own commercial and residential properties located in Boston, Cape Cod and Florida.

Candace has been married to Robert Domos for 35 years and has two sons, Brendan and Christian.  She enjoys spending her time on the water with family and friends.

Cynthia Elder ’87
Executive Director, Barrington Land Conservation Trust

Cynthia “Cindy” Elder ’87 serves as Executive Director of the Barrington Land Conservation Trust and a grant writer for several nonprofit organizations. Prior to this position, she served as Chief of Business Development for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management in the Division of Parks and Recreation. Cindy has devoted most of her career to service in nonprofit organizations, including roles as executive director of Coggeshall Farm Museum and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Rhode Island. She also served as Director of Communications for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and Hospice of Central Florida. Earlier in her career, she worked as a newspaper, radio and television reporter. While at Roger Williams, Cindy completed a double major in Career Writing and Creative Writing, which she credits for her ability to succeed in a variety of communications positions. She also earned a master of public affairs degree from Brown University in 2014. Cindy is a published poet, now working on her first book of historical fiction.

Yvonne Farrell P’22, PM’24
Finance Director, Quadient, Inc.

Yvonne M. Farrell is a finance director and certified public accountant at Quadient, Inc., the US subsidiary of Quadient SA, a France based public company that offers mail/package solutions and software products to streamline mailing operations. Yvonne is the finance and accounting lead on a global end-to-end financial system implementation project. Before taking this role, she was the Director of the Financial Planning & Analysis group at Quadient and Schick-Wilkinson Sword, a division of Energizer, leading teams in the preparation of budgets, analysis of results and providing leadership with business-decision support. She provided technical accounting and Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory reporting support working closely with investor relations groups for public companies across various industries such as CBS Broadcasting, Inc. -- TV and Radio, Viacom – Cable Programs, and PepsiCo, Inc. a multinational food, snack and beverage corporation. 

Yvonne started her career in public accounting, where she became a CPA working for Deloitte & Touche for 11 ½ years, working her way up to the rank of Senior Manager before leaving to join PepsiCo. While at Deloitte and Touche, she provided consulting services and managed all aspects of audit work on large and small public and private companies in various industries. She performed due diligence reviews and acquisition audits and provided SEC support to Venezuelan office for client’s public offering in the U.S. Yvonne was active in the firm’s recruiting and interviewing activities and was career counselor and mentor for numerous staff individuals. 

Yvonne’s son, Sean, graduated from RWU in May ’22 with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and went on to earn his Masters in Architecture in 2024.

Ryan Fletcher ’11
President and CEO, Fletcher Development LLC 

A native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Ryan has spent the last 16 years immersing himself in all dimensions of residential development and commercial building. Fletcher Development LLC was founded with the vision to transcend common living & workspace to improve the way we live in our lives.  

Taking great care and skill in his attention to detail, Ryan believes that if you can’t do the little things well, you can’t possibly do the big things well; a rooted belief that lives in every detail and space of his work. Ryan’s appreciation for the classic and affinity for the contemporary has separated Fletcher Development from the competition and earned the company both local and national praise in several major magazines and publications. Ryan has often described his style as the coalescence of traditional design with accents of modernistic inspiration driven by a natural inclination to push the boundaries of what is the conventional home. 

Ryan was a Sergeant in the Infantry Division of United States Marine Corps and holds a B.S. in Construction Management from Roger Williams University.

Charles Floyd ’14
Senior Project Manager, Shawmut Design & Construction 

Charles Floyd is a 2014 graduate of the SEECM, construction management program at Roger Williams. Currently residing in Boston, Charles works for Shawmut Design & Construction as a Project Manager. In his role, Charles is responsible for managing complex, phased, occupied infrastructure renovations and various other renovation and new construction projects in Shawmut's New England Academic Group. As an alum he has continued his support for Roger Williams by keeping up with the Construction Management Program and actively participating in the Construction Management Professional Advisory Board.

Stacey Foisy ’84
Artist, Retired

Stacey Brailov Foisy is a 1984 graduate of Roger Williams University.  Stacey has a B.A. Arts and Communication Degree from RWU, a M.A. Degree in Speech and Theatre from Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago and a Graduate Certificate of Gerontology from the University of Washington in Seattle.  

Stacey has over 30 years experience in program development, special events planning, marketing and public relations serving the non-profit and corporate healthcare communities.  Stacey is currently retired and has an art studio in Chicago where she paints full time and is involved in the arts community.

Gerald Francese ’19
Partner, Locke Lord LLP  

Gerald Francese is currently a Partner at Locke Lord in New York City. After graduating from Roger Williams in 1996 with a BA in social science/paralegal studies he went on to complete his JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1999.  

Gerald has an extensive corporate and financial regulatory practice, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, formation, and representation of investment funds, including venture, private equity, hedge, BDCs and interval funds, fintech and bank regulatory matters. His clients include some of the world's largest financial services institutions, investment advisers, investment companies, public and private companies, and investors. He helps investment advisers sponsor investment vehicles and separately managed accounts and has structured and closed numerous seed and growth investments and platforms. Jerry works closely with investors to achieve investment goals and minimize adverse tax consequences.  

Jerry's transactional practice includes domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions; private placements; joint ventures; management buyouts; corporate finance, rights and exchange offers; asset transactions; and going-private transactions. He also has extensive experience helping clients with international transactions and international trade compliance, including export and import laws, economic sanctions regimes, country of origin designations, bank secrecy, anti-money laundering and anti-bribery/anti-corruption laws.

Eric Gheewalla P’27
Orthodontist and Owner, Medford Center for Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry

Eric Gheewalla is an orthodontist in the Greater Boston area. With practices in Medford, Chestnut Hill, and Townsend, MA; his practices treat patients of all ages. He is a former instructor at Tufts University School of Dental medicine as well as a past international lecturer and orthodontic industry consultant. He has an extensive amount of volunteer experiences with organizations such as Tufts University alumni association (several committees), Tufts President Council, Rotary Club of Medford, Massachusetts Dental Society and F.A.R.E. He earned a Bachelor of Science, Doctor of Dental Medicine and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Standing in Orthodontics from Tufts University. He resides with his wife, Kathy in Winchester, MA.

Adam S. Goldman P’24
Senior Managing Director, Mesirow Wealth Advisors 

Adam Goldman is a Senior Managing Director in Mesirow Wealth Management. He works extensively with individuals, families and officers and directors of public and privately held corporations to evaluate and implement investment strategies. His practice includes advising on wealth development, preservation, and distribution. This comprehensive approach addresses the full scope of his clients’ needs, including investment management, retirement and estate planning, college, and charitable funding as well as insurance and tax considerations. Adam joined the firm in 2000 and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. 

Adam is actively involved with several charities and organizations, including the role of President of The University of Michigan James M. Gartenberg Memorial Scholarship Fund, Board Member of Sukkat Shalom Synagogue and Tufts University Alumni Admissions Program, Committee Member for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Fundraiser for The Riverdale Country Day School. Adam earned a Bachelor of Science from Tufts University and his daughter, Jamie, is a freshman studying psychology. 

Domenic R. Grieco '99
Owner, Grieco Automotive Group

Domenic and his wife Jamie currently reside with their three (3) daughters, Layla, Milana and Ilaria in Lincoln, Rhode Island.  Domenic is first a family man, but also enjoys spending his free time boating, traveling and real estate investing. 

Domenic graduated from Roger Williams University in 1999 with a degree in Business Administration.  He also attended the National Automobile Dealers Association Dealer Academy and graduated in 2002.  Domenic and his two brothers, Michael and Robert (also a Roger Williams Alumni), launched the Grieco Automotive Group in 1995, formerly known as Metro Motor Group as first-generation franchise dealers.  Domenic is also the owner of DRG Realty and MDR Realty Real Estate companies, which include properties in multiple states across the country.

Domenic, along with his two brothers, played an intricate role in growing the Grieco Automotive Group over the past two decades. The group now consists of 14 dealerships operating in the states of California, Florida, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Many of the Grieco franchises have won numerous manufacturer awards including those for customer satisfaction as well as President's Awards.  Annual sales in the Grieco organization have exceeded over 26,000 vehicles.

Domenic and the Grieco family are strong supporters of local charities and organizations. They have hosted the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital fundraising event for many years and helped raise over $2 million for cancer research.  Aside from St. Jude’s, their philanthropic efforts spread over many organizations such as Special Olympics, The Humane Society, Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, Toys for Tots, Feeding America, Water for Cambodia, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Best Foot Forward Foundation, Hasbro Children's Hospital and other local, southern New England charities.

Adam Harz ’22
Private Wealth Advisor, IronBridge Wealth Counsel

Adam Harz is a distinguished alumnus of Roger Williams University, where he earned his degree. During his time there, he was a four-year student athlete on the university's baseball team, where he honed his skills as a pitcher. Today, Adam is a valued member of IronBridge Wealth Counsel, a national ensemble firm comprising of financial planning specialists from across the country.

Currently, Adam resides in Austin, Texas, where he serves on the board of directors for the Financial Planning Association of Austin, an organization dedicated to providing financial planning education, networking opportunities, and advocacy to its members.

Given his deep connection to Roger Williams, Adam is thrilled at the prospect of giving back to his alma mater through his appointment to the board. He looks forward to leveraging his experience and expertise to support the university's mission and enhance its standing in the community.

Vin Helfrich ’82
President, Helfrich Brothers Boiler Works  

Vin Helfrich is the current President of Helfrich Brothers Boiler Works in Lawrence, MA. Founded in 1948 by Vin’s father and uncle, Helfrich Brothers is one of the only companies in the commercial boiler industry that can fully meet fabrication and field service needs, providing construction services, ASME pressure vessel and code tank fabrication, machining, and boiler parts of all types. 

While attending high school, Vin learned how to fly at the local airport and worked part time doing sightseeing flights and every summer worked full time at the Boiler Works. As a student at Roger Williams, he worked part time for Atlas Boiler Works in East Providence and for Manney’s Welding in Warwick. Vin also worked part time flying freight out of Boston on the weekends. After graduation in 1982 he went to work full time at Helfrich Brothers. At that time, the company had four employees and did industrial boiler service work in the local area.  

In the years since, Helfrich Brothers has expanded and now services the power industry throughout the country, manufacturing ASME pressure vessels and power boiler parts that are shipped all over the world. Currently Helfrich Brothers employs over 400 Engineers, Draftsmen, Machinists, Welders, and Boilermakers at its manufacturing facility in Lawrence Massachusetts and at its field sights across the country. 

Vin and his siblings became the first generation in their family to attend college; and as first-generation Americans his parents’ proudest moments where when their children graduated from college. This was their American dream, and they were never prouder than the day he received his diploma from Roger Williams. 

George Hemond ’72
Consultant

George Hemond is a management consultant and independent contractor specializing in financial and operations management for small businesses and non-profits. He retired from FM Global in 2007 as Assistant Vice President Staff Underwriting after a successful 33-year career with the company and its predecessors. 

Hemond served on the RWU Student Senate as an undergraduate and later on the Alumni Board. He also was an organizer and first Chairman of the School of Engineering’s Professional Advisory Board from 2008 to 2020. In 2002, George and his late brother Albert ’70 established the Hemond Brothers Scholarship to support engineering students from Rhode Island.

George’s professional background includes experience as a project engineer, resident engineering representative, property loss adjuster, and regional claims manager (New England and Canada.) He also worked as the staff liaison to FM Global’s Western and International Divisions. After retiring he was a member of the RI Chapter of SCORE serving as Chairman until relocating to Corpus Christi, TX in 2018.

Hemond was a member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, certified instructor of Risk Management and Property Casualty insurance law, and a registered Property Casualty Adjuster and Marine Surveyor. His other professional memberships included the New England Claims Executives Association, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, and the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors.

He graduated with honors from Roger Williams University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Engineering and earned an MBA with high honors from Norwich University. George is a Navy veteran and Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Vietnam Veterans Association. He and his wife have three children and three grandchildren.

Katherine L. Ilaria ’11
Head of Industry, Google

Katie Ilaria is responsible for overseeing Google's solutions and strategies for luxury and off-price retailers. Her team works to identify industry trends and challenges and develop tailored advertising and technology solutions to address them. Before that, she led consumer insights and strategy for the retail industry. Previously she held various leadership roles with General Electric across growth marketing, content and digital business strategy. She holds a B.A. in Communications from Roger Williams University, and lives in New York with her husband Max, who is also a RWU graduate.

Lucas Laager '23

A history major with a minor in psychology, Lucas is a member of Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society and Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology. During his time at RWU Lucas participated in projects focusing on local history, including an independent study researching free and enslaved people of color in Barrington, RI. Feeling that Roger Williams provided an excellent environment for him to learn and grow, Lucas is excited to participate in the school’s development.

Sarah Mamula ‘12
Head of Government Affairs
Financial Technology Association

Sarah Mamula serves as Head of Government Affairs for Financial Technology Association (FTA), leading the organization’s legislative advocacy efforts. Prior to joining FTA, Sarah served as Vice President of Government Affairs at the Bank Policy Institute (BPI), where she engaged Congress on a diverse set of policy issues impacting the banking sector, including cybersecurity, digital assets, prudential regulation, data privacy and fintech-related issues. She previously served BPI as chief of staff, where she aided in operationalizing leadership directives to maximize advocacy efforts. 

Before her work in the financial services industry, Sarah served as Senior Director for the Global Women’s Innovation Network, a DC-based nonprofit organization and network of leaders in government, business, and academia working in innovation-driven fields. There, Sarah managed all internal and external operations—from fundraising to event conceptualization and execution of local, national and international programming. 

Sarah received an M.A. in international affairs from the George Washington University and completed her undergraduate work at Roger Williams University, receiving a B.A. in media communications and political science.

Elizabeth McGraw ’10
Ex. Assistant to the President, Radius Financial Group  

Elizabeth McGraw graduated in 2010 from Roger Williams with a BA in Communications and a minor in Marketing. After she graduated, she spent another year and a half in Rhode Island working at Ormonde Productions, an event production company. She then moved to Quincy where she worked in Boston in the financial industry as an Executive Assistant at HarbourVest, Saturn and Crescent Capital. In 2010, she decided she was ready to make a change and started working at radius financial group, inc. where she is the Executive Assistant to the owner. Elizabeth currently resides in Pembroke with her husband Phil, who she met at RWU and their two‑year‑old daughter, Izabella. Liz enjoys spending time with her family, doing yoga and spending time on the Cape with her parents and two siblings.

Patrick J. Milner ‘06
Partner 
Garage Management Company / The Chapman Group

After graduating from Roger Williams University in 2006 with a BS in Finance, Patrick started working at Garage Management Company (GMC.) The 100-year-old, New York City-based company operates over 65 valet parking garages throughout Manhattan. During his initial years at GMC, Patrick spent evenings earning an MBA at Fordham University in Lincoln Center. He has since become a partner at GMC and its affiliate, the Chapman Group.

The Chapman Group maintains a diverse portfolio of real estate, hospitality, and other investments. Patrick is primarily focused on repositioning freestanding garage buildings for other uses. Throughout his tenure, he has successfully negotiated long-term ground leases for the conversion of properties to medical, public and private educational facilities, and hotels. Patrick has led the company in seeking discretionary approvals from landmark preservation and other New York City agencies, such as the Department of City Planning, for the purpose of re-zoning to allow for mixed-use development. He invests in and oversees a diverse portfolio of passive real estate investments throughout the United States, which primarily consist of garden-style apartment complexes, but also include medical offices and industrial properties.

In the hospitality sector, Patrick is involved in the active management of multiple restaurants, most notably the Red Rooster Harlem and the Blue Parrot in East Hampton, NY, where Patrick is actively collaborating to launch a canned cocktail.

He also serves as a trustee in the family office and manages treasury functions, financial assets, and alternative investments. These investments are in various businesses including a materials company and a debt platform focused on C-PACE financing.

Lisa Morrison GP’28
Principal, The Newport Group

Lisa has been in the luxury real estate market, both in Connecticut and Rhode Island, since 1987. With her ability to lead teams and focus on market share growth, Lisa’s in-depth knowledge and true passion for the business enabled her to help grow the William Pitt agency to the #1 Sotheby’s International franchise in the US. Her entrepreneurial spirit drove her to start the Newport Group at Coldwell Banker, a leading group within the competitive luxury market in Newport. In addition to her real estate career, Lisa owned and operated three retail stores in Connecticut. She accomplished all of this while raising three strong, confident, and independent daughters.

In addition to real estate, Lisa devotes her time to several charitable organizations in her community. She served as President and a board member of the Rose Island Lighthouse and Fort Hamilton Trust for the past seven years. Lisa is currently Chairperson of the St. Mary’s, Newport parish council and a finance committee member. She lends her skills to host events for Newport Mental Health, the Women’s Resource Center, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Her commitment to service is evident in her contributions to these organizations and the lasting impact on her community and neighbors. Lisa is a proud grandparent of a RWU student enrolled in the 5-year business program. 

Stephanie L. Noris ’92
Founder, Norbella 

Stephanie is the President/Founder of Norbella, an independent media agency in the Boston market. Norbella manages and partners with clients such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cumberland Farms, Athenahealth, Mass State Lottery, Cybereason and many more. Stephanie founded Norbella in 2009 where she built the business from the ground up and now employs over 30 people. The agency manages over $100 million in regional and national media budgets across all media channels. Stephanie recently brought on a new CEO to manage the day-to-day operations of the agency. Her focus will move to new business development and growing revenue and capabilities for the agency. 

Prior to starting Norbella, Steph worked in both Boston and New York City as some of the largest global advertising agencies in the country including Saatchi and Saatchi and Arnold Worldwide. Over the years, she managed many noteworthy media accounts including Volkswagen, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, The Hartford Insurance, and AT&T.  

Stephanie earned her bachelor’s at RWU in 1992. She and Norbella spend time mentoring and teaching occasional classes to the business and marketing students at RWU.

Tom Olsen ’11
President and CEO of Plymouth Savings Bank (Retired) 

Tom Olsen retired as President and CEO of Plymouth Savings Bank in 2005. Prior to retirement he was President and Chairman for approximately 20 years. During his later tenure at the bank merged with Eastern Bank Corp where he served as Vice Chairman for 7 years. Mr. Olsen has served on numerous boards and has done a considerable amount of non-profit work including serving on the board for Cape Code Health Care, which is the Cape Cod Hospital and its various subsidiaries.

John Puniello ’97
President, Arden Engineering, LLC  

For more than 30 years, John Puniello has played an integral part in the success of Arden Engineering Constructors, from his initial position as a project engineer to his current role as company President. In addition to overseeing day to day operations, internally and in the field, he supports several divisions covering project management for mechanical, fire protection, and electrical construction, building automation, as well as the service/maintenance and traffic divisions. John also has a passion for training and education. He is an instructor for the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Institute for Project Management along with being a Cochair for the UA Local 51 Apprenticeship Committee. He also has been on the Roger Williams Construction Management Professional Advisory Board (CMPAB) for over 10 years and recently concluded a term as the Chair of that board.

Walter J. Ramos ’83
President and CEO, Rogerson Communities

Walter J. Ramos, J.D. joined Rogerson as President and CEO in July 2018. Mr. Ramos brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in non-profit healthcare and municipal agencies to his role at Rogerson. Prior to joining Rogerson, Mr. Ramos served as President of Carney Hospital, part of Steward Health Care, where he was responsible for setting the vision and ensuring effective leadership and management. He managed an $128 million annual operating budget, orchestrating an unprecedented financial turnaround for the long-struggling organization.

Since his arrival at Rogerson in 2018, Ramos has secured new management and real estate development opportunities for the organization despite the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic which struck elders and those living in congregate housing the hardest. Worcester’s Briarwood Continuing Care Retirement Community joined Rogerson’s growing network in 2019 and the second phase of Fairing Way in Weymouth opened in 2020. Through a new affiliation in 2023 with Daggett-Crandall-Newcomb Home in Norton, MA, Rogerson has oversight of this Rest Home and its 92-acre parcel of land.  Together, these two organizations are pursuing opportunities to expand with future mission-driven plans to bring valued services to the community.

Ramos has also taken an active role in advocacy with a solid government-wide approach to ensure that older adults and families can access the care they need. He is serving as treasurer of the national board at LeadingAge in Washington, D.C. and is Chair-Elect of LeadingAge Massachusetts. He sees the importance of working with the Biden Administration, as well as the new Congress to push for fair reimbursement that truly covers the cost of care, and on a range of policy solutions that build the domestic and international applicant pipelines and fund recruitment and retention programs.

Prior to his position at Carney Hospital, Mr. Ramos served as President and CEO of DotHouse Health, a multidisciplinary community health center and social services organization located in the Fields Corner neighborhood of Boston. Prior to DotHouse, Mr. Ramos served as the Vice President of Operations with the Massachusetts Hospital Association. In this capacity, he directed key functions for the association, including education, finance, human resources, information technology and building and office services.

Mr. Ramos’ health care industry experience also includes having served as the chief administrator with the Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan, a $1 billion Medicaid Managed Care Organization, where he directed the organization’s daily operations. While he was with HealthNet, Mr. Ramos established critical processes and operating dashboards for tracking the health plan’s quality and operating performance.

Mr. Ramos also held the senior post of director of administration with the Boston Public Health Commission, where he oversaw the operations, property management, finance, human resources, security and labor relations functions for the 1,200-employee public health department.

Prior to his entrance into health care, Mr. Ramos’ personal commitment to community led to several senior public service positions, including commissioner for the New Bedford (Massachusetts) Housing Authority, Bristol County Assistant District Attorney, and positions with both Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis’ administration and Senator Edward Kennedy’s staff.

Mr. Ramos holds a Juris Doctor degree from Suffolk University School of Law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Roger William University in Bristol, RI, and he is a graduate of the Massachusetts Health Leadership College. 

 

James Reardon ’13
Senior Security Solutions Engineer, Rapid7 

James Reardon is a 2013 graduate of Roger Williams with a Bachelor of Science in Forensics, Networking and Security. Today, Jay is a Senior Security Solutions Engineer at Rapid7, a Cybersecurity & Compliance Solutions & Services company that has been continuing to grow, headquartered in Boston. Jay maintains an extensive knowledge of Rapid7’s enterprise security solutions & service offerings, competitor technologies, and information security concepts. He manages the full technical sales cycle to secure a technical win for all sales opportunities while engaging executive level and technical prospective customers.  

Jay’s technical expertise and business insight which started at Roger Williams has continued to develop and keep up to date with the ever-evolving cybersecurity industry. The RWU NETSEC curriculum gave him the start to help launch his security certifications in which he’s added to as the years go on. From RWU classrooms to across the United States and Canada, he has been able to advise companies of all sizes and sectors on their security program.

Michael A. Reuter ’03
Physician, Medical Associates of Rhode Island

Michael A. Reuter, DPM, FACFAS, is a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and partner at Medical Associates of Rhode Island and attending surgeon and instructor in the podiatric residency program at Rhode Island Hospital, The Miriam Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center.

His primary research and clinical focuses are in the areas of wound care and diabetic limb salvage, foot and ankle reconstructive surgery, and non-surgical approaches to sports medicine injuries of the foot ankle.

Dr. Reuter was named The Miriam Hospital’s Physician of the Year in 2019. He was also named a Future Star by Podiatry Management magazine in 2018. He is board certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, and a fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), and Rhode Island chapter of APMA, where he is a past president. 

A Biology major at Roger Williams University, he went on to earn a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from New York College of Podiatric Medicine. He completed his podiatric medicine and surgery residency at Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence Rhode Island, where he was chief resident. 

Dr. Reuter sits on the board of the Hattie Ide Chaffee Home and consults for several medical device manufacturers and health organizations.

Outside of work, Dr. Reuter enjoys sailing and boating. He is a member of the advisory board of Sail Newport and an active board member of the Barrington Yacht Club where is the current Rear Commodore. He enjoys spending time with his wife and teenage children both on the water and skiing.

Adam Risman ’16
Commercial Risk Advisor | Licensed Broker, Risman Insurance Agency, Inc. 

Adam Risman is a Risk Advisor with Risman Insurance out of Medford Massachusetts, founded in 1925 by his great grandfather. Risman Insurance is a group of Property and Casualty Insurance agencies that has grown to 11 agencies in 9 brick and mortar locations around the state. Licensed in over 35 states, Risman Insurance helps individuals and business owners with all their insurance needs.

Adam joined the family business 3 years ago and is tasked with producing new business and building a network around him and the agencies. He is extremely involved in his local Chambers of Commerce, real estate groups, and trades groups in multiple industries. He specializes in working with business owners in the manufacturing, construction, and transportation industries, and takes pride in his involvement with his clientele.

Adam also prides himself on his involvement with the growth of the insurance agency as a whole. Serving on the Young Agents Committee, he is tasked with helping increase the involvement in those just coming into the industry, as well as having more young people get involved.

Leah Saccoccio ’11  
Brand Director of Michelob ULTRA, Anheuser-Busch

Leah Saccoccio graduated from Roger Williams University in 2011 with a double major in Marketing and Graphic Design Communications. She currently serves as the Director of Platforms for Michelob ULTRA at Anheuser-Busch where she is responsible for all marketing communications for the brand across mega-platforms – most specifically soccer and currently leading the 2026 World Cup brand campaign workstream.

She has also held multiple influential roles within the organization, including Digital Brand Manager for Bud Light Seltzer and Budweiser, and Direct-to-Consumer Strategist. Leah also worked as a Senior Art Director at Anheuser-Busch's in-house agency, Draftline, where she played a pivotal role in growing the team from 5 to over 100 employees.

Before Anheuser-Busch, she leveraged her Graphic Design degree and worked at the external agency Catapult Marketing, part of Epsilon and Publicis Group, designing for brands like Pernod Ricard, Family Dollar, Gerber, and Galderma.

Leah's creative expertise and strategic leadership have earned her numerous industry accolades, including most recently a 2024 45th Sports Emmy Award, Clio and Clio Sports Awards, and the One Show, among others. She also contributes to the industry as an awards judge for the Effie Awards. 

Originally from Smithfield, Rhode Island, Leah has called New York City home for the past five years. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, art, boating, and spending time with family and friends.

Mark Saccoccio ’83, P’11
President of Saccoccio & Associates Architects 

Mark Saccoccio, AIA, NCARB, is the President of Saccoccio & Associates Architects, a Rhode Island architectural firm established in 1973. The firm is a leader in educational, industrial, and commercial design, with its primary practice in New England.  

Mark joined the firm in 1980 took over as the firm as President in 1998 from the founder Salvatore Saccoccio. Mark remains actively involved in the firm’s projects, personally overseeing the design decisions. Mark has designed award winning commercial, academic, and public use facilities during his 30+ years of practice. Nationally, his design work in public safety and education has been recognized several times.  

His service to the profession of architecture was recognized nationally with the NCARB President’s Medal in 2007. For several years Mark served on the National Architectural Accreditation Board as visiting Team Chair and Team Member. He participated in the accreditation of Columbia University, Drury University, and several other Schools of Architecture throughout the country. Mark is an active member of AIA Rhode Island and served as past President of the chapter. 

He is an active member of many communities and professional associations, including the National Council of Architectural Registration (NCARB), Providence Art Club, Cranston Historical Society, and the Independence Square Foundation. For several years he was on the Board of Directors for the Greater Providence YMCA and served as Board Chair in 2014.

Mark A. Schiller ’89
President & CEO, The Heico Companies Construction Solutions Group (CSG)

Mark A. Schiller is the President and CEO of The Heico Companies Construction Solutions Group (CSG). CSG, a women owned company, prides itself on having a close-knit culture of a small business with the benefits of a large organization. This group operates business units across three key segments: commercial construction solutions, industrial construction solutions, and construction equipment.

A graduate of Roger Williams University, Mark was an employee with The Lane Construction Company spanning 33 years and in 2019 was promoted to President and CEO before landing at The Heico Companies - CSG. Mark has participated and held board seats in several industry associations including The Moles, The Beavers, Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT), Construction Industry Ethics and Compliance Initiative (CIECI), Construction Industry Safety Initiative (CISI) as well as the American Road and Bridge Transportation Association (ARBTA) and the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) board. Mark and his wife Kathy have been married for 30 years and together have 2 children.

Kelsey B. Shakin '19
Operations Manager, Mantel Capture

Kelsey is currently the Operations Manager at Mantel Capture, a carbon capture start-up based out of Cambridge, MA. She started her career at an early-stage startup that was pushing the Boston ecosystem to a waste free future. She then worked in corporate development at MassChallenge, assisting with large corporate partnerships. Prior to joining Mantel, Kelsey worked for a NYC-based Venture Capital firm in platform operations. There she was responsible for building out the client relationship tools and document tracking database. Kelsey has over five years of experience in operations and project management, along with a deep understanding of customer relationship tools.

Kelsey graduated from Roger Williams in 2019 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology and minor in Public Health. During her time at RWU she was captain of the varsity sailing team and the biology honors society. Kelsey is a former Director-at-Large at Stage of the Harbor Yacht Club in Chatham, MA. She is still an avid sailor and competes with her team at Corinthian Yacht Club up in Marblehead, MA.

Ron Simoneau  
Executive Vice President / Education Market Leader, Shawmut Design & Construction  

With over 33 years of construction industry experience, Ron Simoneau has spent the past 27 at Shawmut focusing almost exclusively on delivering challenging projects utilizing innovative delivery models for Higher Education clients. Ron has developed many important long-term client relationships and has been instrumental in expanding Shawmut’s portfolio to become a Top 10 Nationally Ranked Education Builder. As a member of Shawmut’s Executive Management Team, Ron’s responsibilities include further developing existing and new client relationships, procuring work, executive operational oversight, P&L management, and innovation. Ron is a graduate of the Wentworth Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Construction Management and an A.D. in Architectural Engineering. He holds an Unrestricted Builders License in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a LEED Accredited Professional and holds certifications from the DesignBuild Institute of America and CMLean from the Association of General Contractors. 

At Roger Williams, Ron has served as a member of the Construction Management Professional Advisory Board (CMPAB) where he has actively supported student competition teams, helped with the group’s strategic planning and served as a jury member for senior capstone projects. In addition to his involvement at Roger Williams, Ron has also served as a board member for Amos House and the Providence Foundation. 

Debra Stokes ’79
First Vice President, Wealth Management, Financial Advisor, Chartered Retirement Planning, Morgan Stanley

Debra joined Morgan Stanley in 2010 to access the firm’s global resources and first-rate research capabilities. She made the strategic decision to set up her boutique practice within the firm’s Global Wealth Management Headquarters so her high net worth clients would have immediate access to the firm’s thought leaders and analysts.

Debra began her career at Merrill Lynch in 1986 where she completed an extensive training program and gained a wide range of experience in all aspects of wealth management. She proudly served as a Merrill Lynch Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor for 24 years, guiding her clients through numerous market cycles, and through each situation, helped them maintain the focus and diligence required to help achieve their long-term goals in any market environment. At Merrill Lynch Debra was awarded the prestigious title of Chairman’s Club

An education advocate and active philanthropist, Debra has unique insight and experience with respect to charitable giving, which she incorporates into her planning process when working with high-net-worth individuals interested in supporting causes about which they are passionate.

She currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Dubin Breast Center at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, on the Visiting Committee for Thoracic Oncology at the Dana-Faber Cancer Institute in Massachusetts, and is a member of the White House Historical Association in Washington, DC. Debra previously served on the Westchester Country Club Board of Governors in Rye, NY, and on the President’s Advisory Council at Whittier College in California. 

Debra has been on the Gabelli School Dean’s Advisory Council since 2006. She received an Associate’s Degree in Marketing from RWU in 1979 and went on to earn a BA in Economics in 1982 at Syracuse University.

Judith Vigar P’24, PM’26
VP R&D, Global Beverages Technology, Engineering and Operations, PepsiCo 

Judy is a passionate and hands on Engineering leader in PepsiCo R & D, with more than 40 years of experience in the food industry. In her current role, Judy is responsible for Global Beverages R & D Process Engineering, Water Technology, Equipment Development, Digitalization, Facilities and Operations and she has a large global team of Engineers and Scientists.  She has led R&D for the development and launch of many new beverage products around the world for Carbonated Soft Drinks, Gatorade, Tropicana, and other PepsiCo beverage brands.  She has expertise in Engineering and Manufacturing of Carbonated and Non-Carbonated Beverages, particularly, in juice-based beverages. 

While at PepsiCo, Judy and her family spent close to four years in Europe, where she created and led a Beverages R&D satellite lab and was part of the acquisition team for two large Eastern European beverage companies.  Judy joined PepsiCo in 2002, following almost 19 years with Procter and Gamble in Food and Beverage Manufacturing, Process Engineering and Product Development.  She holds two patents in the area of chelating agent technology.  She graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in 1983, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and is a member of Tau Beta Pi.  

Judy is a certified Project Management Professional through PMI and is currently working towards her Masters in Food Science at Rutgers University. Judy is Secretary on the Board of Trustees at Saint Elizabeth Community in Rhode Island and chairs the Philanthropy Committee.  She is also a member of the vestry at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. In addition to her involvement with the Board of Advisors at Roger Williams she is also an active member of the RWU Parent and Family Leadership Council. 

Judy has one son, James, who is a graduate of RWU’s Cummings School of Architecture and currently pursuing his Master’s in Architecture at Roger Williams.

Debra L. Westgate-Silva '91, P'12
Founder, The Write Help and Luminohr Books

Debra Westgate-Silva, founder of The Write Help and Luminohr Books, is a 1991 graduate of Roger Williams University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in business from Roger Williams, a Master of Arts in teaching from Rhode Island College, and a certificate in Educational Administration from Providence College. After twenty years in the Pawtucket Public School Department as an English Language Arts teacher and assistant principal, she moved to the nonprofit world to impact more directly the issues that young people face. Today, she continues to serve nonprofit organizations, particularly those focused on childhood trauma and early childhood literacy, through The Write Help, her grant writing service.

Deb credits her studies and professors at RWU for cultivating her belief in the power of language and story. She recently founded Luminohr Books, a small, independent book imprint publishing children’s stories that make the world a brighter place. Her work has been published in Highlights children’s magazine, Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance), and Intrepid Times. Her second children’s book will release later this spring. Deb is a member of United Way’s Women United and serves on the board of Books Are Wings and the mission board of her church. She lives in Bristol, RI, with her husband, whom she met at Roger Williams. They have two sons, one of whom is also an RWU alum.

Allison R. Yount ’11 
Vice President of Global Sales, Fairmarkit 

Allison Yount graduated from Roger Williams in 2011 with a BA in Elementary Education and a minor in French. She spent her first few post-grad years teaching elementary school in the Washington, DC area before making a career change into corporate sales and relocating to San Francisco. She was one of the first employees at Scout RFP and was responsible for scaling post-sales revenue functions, which contributed to a successful acquisition by Workday. She has since worked for multiple early-stage startups in the Finance and Procurement Space with a focus on building and scaling revenue teams.  She currently leads Global Sales at a Boston-based Fairmarkit and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Jake and two young sons.  

Eric N. Zuena ’01 
Principal & Founder, ZDS Architecture & Interiors 

Eric is the founding Principal of ZDS and a lead contributor to the firm’s continuing success. He carries over two decades of project management experience in the hospitality industry. Eric’s keen ability to direct his staff of talented architects and designers through the successful completion of all of the firm’s projects produces outstanding results for the assignments in which the firm is engaged. Eric is impassioned with providing stellar design solutions that are lucrative for the entire project team. His hands-on, learned, and enthusiastic approach from the onset of a project instills a perpetual forward motion, affording immediate results.

Eric has led the design and project management of numerous luxury hotels and mixed-use properties through the United States, Middle East, China, and Southeast Asia. Some of his greatest works include luxury hotels for clients and major operators in India, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh. His veteran work experience in both the domestic and international markets equip him with the ability to foresee a myriad of practical and innovative design and business solutions. A strong business sense paired with his innate design talent makes certain for solid project success.

After 15 years as a Principal, Director of Operations, and Lead Project Manager at his previous firm, Eric pivoted his focus to building his firm that threads those international experiences into the more regionalized fabric of the United States. Eric’s daily quest for a successful balance between creative thinking, exceptional design, and efficient execution, reinforces his passion for the design industry and his persistent desire to provide his clients with profitable and successful properties.

Eric is a mentor for young architects and designers in the industry. Eric frequents universities offering his skillful knowledge in portfolio reviews and is a champion of ensuring an optimistic future for the next generation of architects and designers. He received his B.Arch from Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. He is licensed to practice architecture in multiple states, is NCARB certified, and is LEED accredited. Eric also served as Past President on the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Rhode Island Board of Directors in 2018/19. He was born and still a proud resident of the State of Rhode Island.