Alumni Association Board of Directors

The MCLA Alumni Board of Directors exists to drive engagement across our community by connecting with, celebrating, and supporting the unique individuals who call themselves MCLA/NASC alumni. We operate with empathy as our guiding light, and we believe it’s the catalyst for inclusivity and respect. 

Education is the foundation of everything we do and set out to achieve. Not just the role it played in uniting us, but the assumption that — as humans and as Board members — we’re dedicated to the lifelong act of learning. We achieve this through transparent communication, intentional collaboration, and a deep-rooted belief that education empowers alumni everywhere, opening the door to a new realm of possibilities.

To contact a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, please email alumni@mcla.edu.

Board of Directors Elections

Considering running for a seat on the board? Learn more about what it's like to be on the Alumni Association Board of Directors here. To view a job description for the Alumni Association Board of Directors, click here. 

Meet the Board

OFFICERS

KAITE (BONNEVILLE) ROSA '10, PRESIDENT

Student Clubs/Orgs: Editor-in-Chief of The Beacon student newspaper, Vice President of Pi Upsilon Omega sorority, LEAD Academy, Peer Advisors, SGA, Center for Service, Admissions, New Student Orientation staff member, RASM, and MCLA Public Relations office intern.

Kaite (Bonneville) Rosa ’10 has been an active member of the MCLA Alumni Board of Directors since 2017. Throughout her tenure, she’s served on and led multiple Alumni Board Committees. Currently, she’s completing her second term as President of the Alumni Board. Prior, she served as Vice President for two terms.

Throughout her tenure on the Alumni Board, Kaite has been committed to deepening the connections and engagement within the MCLA alumni community. 

Kaite lives west of Boston with her husband, young son, and two rescue dogs. She is Senior Director of Brand for Axonius, a cybersecurity company. Passionate about running, she has served for the last two years as co-lead for the Hopkinton chapter of Moms Run This Town, a free running group for women.

JAKE BOILLAT '18, VICE-PRESIDENT 

Student Clubs/Orgs: Resident Advisor for 3 years, Class of 2018 Treasurer, Environuts, Student Affairs Governance Committee, SGA, student worker in the Registrar's Office

"I hope to bring a new/younger perspective to the board this year that represents all members of the MCLA community. This is important to me because with every passing year, the population continues to change and so do their wants, needs and how they want to feel supported. I want current and incoming students to have the same amazing experience I had while attending MCLA. Overall, I want to help MCLA and its Alumni network connect more with current students, each other and with the nearby community members."

DIRECTORS

JOHN CADIZ '88

STEPHANIE ESPOSITO ’12

For the last seven years, I have worked for Special Olympics Massachusetts, building inclusive communities for people with and without disabilities, through the unifying power of sport. As AVP Development, Fundraising & Partner Engagement, I convince people, teams, and companies to invest in the idea that we all deserve to belong to a community where we share in joys and triumphs, challenges and defeats, and where we grow and gain so much in the process. In my unpaid time, I am committed to learning and growing as a volunteer and an activist for social, progressive causes I believe in, and I am obsessed with podcasts and the U.S. Women’s National Team.

LIZZ FURTADO '91

Student Clubs/Orgs: all things theatre—performance, direction, tech, audience; intramural sports; SGA, RA, WJJW Radio DJ

"I am relatively new to the Board but have enjoyed listening and learning from those that have served previously. I look forward to continuing to build better relations between the college and our Alums. NASC/MCLA gave me so much as a student...so much that I carry with me today in my work and personal life. I am honored to be able to give back to the school, the alums and the local community as well. I hope our work builds bridges and strengthens our community."

dANIELLE GISMONDI '10, M.ED. '15

Student Clubs/Orgs: Founder of Good Vibes Yoga Club, Student Activities Council, Comedy Stop Chair, LEAD Academy Staff, Orientation Leader, Peer Advisor, Wellness Committee, Dance Company, Psi Chi, MCLA M.Ed. Commencement Speaker 2015

Danielle Gismondi '10, M.Ed. '15 has been observing MCLA's growth for many years. She's excited to have the opportunity to serve the institution that helped guide her current career. 

After eight years in the classroom and a few more in education management at Head Start, she is currently the Portland Pre-K program coordinator, which is in one of the largest school districts in Maine. For the last five years, she and her fiance have resided in Portland, where Danielle has continued to teach yoga and run monthly women's groups.

CARLA HOLNESS '95

Student Clubs/Orgs: WJJW, Kappa Omicron, The Beacon, Black Student Union, TV Production Club

"I am hoping to help to bring alumni back to MCLA, to show them that MCLA is a thriving, progressive college. I hope to bring some of the issues being discussed both on campus and as a Board to the forefront and to help to resolve some of these issues in order to ensure that MCLA continues to move forward."

GARY LAVARIERE '16

Student Clubs/Orgs: Pi Upsilon Pi, Community Day of Service, cystic fibrosis fundraisers, Habitat for Humanity volunteer, admissions ambassador for the College, two internships in the Student Engagement department

After graduating from MCLA, I joined New England Newspapers, Inc. as its consumer sales & events manager. Being a native of Berkshire County, I leaped at the chance to join a local media company that informs our community in a multitude of ways. After a few years, I was recruited to Las Vegas to join the Las Vegas Review-Journal as its sales director, overseeing subscription growth and digital analytics. Currently, I am back living in Adams, MA leading New England Newspapers, Inc. as chief revenue officer, overseeing business operations, finance, marketing and advertising.

GLENN LAWSON '77

Student Clubs/Orgs: As a student in the 1970s, NASC soccer and baseball. History Club as an employee, men's and women's rugby since 1986.

"Having graduated in 1977, and having worked in the Library since 1983, I had been involved with generations of our students. I take pride in having helped students in the 1980s and later their children. I believe I know literally thousands of our graduates and am still friends with many. However, there are so many of them that are not involved with the college. This has to change! I am convinced that I can reach out to them and convince them to become a part of the MCLA community."

JOE MCCUE '75 

KEVIN MCGRATH '93 

Student Clubs/Orgs: President and founding member of the Student Alumni Association, Kappa Delta Phi fraternity, President of Intergreek Council 92-93, intramurals, The Beacon

"I want to reconnect MCLA/NASC Alumni to the college and help spread the word about the amazing things happening on campus!"

DEVAN MONROE '13

Student Clubs/Orgs: B-GLAD (now QSU), Peer Advising, Write Stuff, Honors Program, Psi Chi, Lambda Iota Tau, Alpha Lamba Delta, Alpha Chi

"I hope to advance the Board's current initiatives, informed by my lens and experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion work. I also hope we can strengthen connections between alumni and current students, particularly seniors who will soon be entering the job market, to assist with the transition from college student to working adult."

JONATHAN MONROY '13

Student Clubs/Orgs: Pi Upsilon Pi, ALANA, LAS, SGA

"My focus this year is to bring alumni back to MCLA/NASC where it all began. With the current pandemic in mind, let’s make these memories digitally until we can gather once again. One of the most important things for alums is to remember just why our alma matter means so much to us."

ALEX MUKENDI '13

Student Clubs/Orgs: ALANA, Multicultural Club, BSU, CCOR

"I am looking forward to getting started working with the alumni board this year. I hope to help the board build a stronger and more collaborative MCLA alumni network community. I also want to help advocate for alumni as they progress in their professional careers."

KIMBERLY ROBERTS-MORANDI '91, '01, M.ED. '00

Student Clubs/Orgs: intramurals

"First and foremost, I will always listen and learn as much as I can because that sets the stage to make good decisions. The experienced Board members have a lot to share with us and I am eager to hear more about how their current work supports the College's mission and vision. As a nation we continue to face challenges that affect the College community, and therefore, the students. It is of the utmost importance that the staff and students are able to live, learn, and work in a safe, supporting, and open environment that embraces individuality and equality. I hope that the work the Board engages in can lead, or where appropriate, support the campus community in its efforts to reinforce the College's values.

As a Board member, I also want to be involved in the ongoing activities that fundraise for current and future students. Providing an opportunity for future generations of MCLA alum is an obligation I, like countless others, take seriously."

BENTLEY MUNSELL '15

Student Clubs/Orgs: Undergraduate Research and Conferences (Psychology), Biology Teaching Assistant (Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and Cell Biology). 

"As a non-traditional student MCLA created an environment that I could succeed in: simultaneously challenging and supportive. MCLA created a stage for me to be successful. After MCLA, I received my bachelor's degree in Nursing from the UMass-Amherst accelerated bachelor's degree in the nursing program. Currently, I work at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in the Emergency Department. Last fall, I enrolled in Rush University’s Master of Science in Nursing program.

As an alumnus, nurse, and community member, I am most passionate about social justice work and the intersection of social justice, education, health, and healthcare. The liberal arts education I received at MCLA created a foundation and passion for social justice and DIEB (diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging). I hope to bring that lens to the alumni board as well. 

I am looking forward to engaging with the current students and alumni community to both celebrate everything that MCLA and North Adams have to offer as well as identify pressure points and opportunities for improvement."

MICHAEL OBASOHAN '11

Student Clubs/Orgs: Nexxus Step Team, Dance Company, a few Harlequin shows, and Black Student Union. I was a facilitator for Campus Conversations on Race and ALANA Club Council. I also served as an Orientation Leader and a Peer Advisor.

"Connecting alumni to current students attending MCLA is what I want to accomplish on the board this year. During my years at MCLA, I had very few connections with alumni and I often wonder what my life would be like if I connected early and often to Alumni that look like me. There were very few positions I saw myself in, but there were people that came into my life that have taught me I can do anything I set my mind to. I want to create this opportunity for students now.

I will be doing this with the lens of diversity and inclusion. Creating and opening up opportunities for students of color to establish a sense of belonging at MCLA. Showing POCs that, Yes, we also work in companies, own businesses, and have graduate degrees. We have a great Black Alumni network to show off and it's time to showcase our talent."

THERESA O'BRYANT '86

Student Clubs/Orgs: Black Student Union, current volunteerism in addition to MCLA Board: Board of Directors for the Northern Berkshire United Way; Cive President and Governance Committee Chair of the Board of Trustees of Agassiz Village

"I am invested in making a difference for our current and future MCLA students. I think the Alumni Association is an important opportunity to engage MCLA alums in the work of giving back to an institution that gave us all a valuable and important starting point in our professional lives. Nowadays, achieving a college degree is harder than ever. MCLA students will benefit from the support and relationships an engaged alumni ensures."

CAROL K. SPECTOR '82

Student Clubs/Orgs: Intramural Sports, Orientation Leader

Carol offers significant professional career development experience and would be able to assist the Alumni Association in continuing to build career development programs for alumni and current students. She can also help to engage other classmates of her decade, who represent an important segment for the College to engage.

CRYSTAL WOJICK '21 

Student Clubs/Orgs: Class Council President, Student Activities Council (SAC), Accounting Club, Student Government Association (SGA), Admissions Ambassador, National Society of Leadership & Success (NSLS), Peer Mentor

"One of my goals as a part of the MCLA Alumni Board of Directors is to improve both current student and newer alumni engagement. Often times when students graduate, it seems they move on to the next chapter of their life and tend to lose engagement with their Alma Mater. Since there are still many services and guidance available to MCLA Alumni, I would like to work towards establishing a better connection with recent graduates who have joined the alumni network and linking them to resources that will allow them continued success throughout their professional careers. I would also like to expand current student engagement with the local communities around MCLA. For example, I currently work for the Town of Adams and I started working there through an internship. I felt a connection to the community and the internship is the reason I decided to stay in the area after graduation and find a job right here in my hometown. In Adams, we have discussed the possibility of building an internship program with MCLA that would connect students directly to the community through public service, while also allowing them to gain real-life work experience in a government setting with various career opportunities. I believe that we could expand the alumni base in the Berkshires if we work to connect students with the communities around us through avenues such as internships or volunteer opportunities."