Alumni Awards Honor Anselmians Making A Difference
The Alumni Council recognized nine Anselmians at the 2023 Alumni Awards this fall for their inspiring achievements and generous contributions to the college and their communities.
During the evening, honorees, their family and friends, and other college alumni had the opportunity to come together. The evening began with a welcome from James Flanagan, senior vice president for college advancement, an invocation from Fr. Benet C. Phillips, O.S.B., ’87, and a welcome and college update from Joseph A. Favazza, president of Saint Anselm College.
“It is deeply meaningful to see our alumni make a difference once they graduate from the Hilltop,” said Dr. Favazza. “On behalf of our entire college community, I want to thank and commend all of our award recipients for the many ways they have served and inspired their communities. You demonstrate every day what it means to be Anselmian.” The 2023 Alumni Awards winners include:
Michael Siddall ’84 received the Joseph P. Collins ’34 Alumni Award of Merit,
the most prestigious award presented by the Alumni Council to an alumnus who has demonstrated professional excellence or who has significantly contributed to the betterment of society. Siddall is the founder of Siddall & Siddall, P.C. where he specializes in real estate, corporate, municipal and estate law. He also serves on the Executive Committee of Sunshine Village, as a former director of Elder Care Initiatives, and a current member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys. He has also served on Saint Anselm College’s Alumni Council and currently is a member of the Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament Committee.
“This award serves as a reminder that our achievements are never in isolation. They are the result of collective efforts and shared values,” said Siddall. “Let this award not only be a recognition of my efforts but a symbol of our collective ability to effect positive change in our communities.”
Matthew Donahue ’14 received the Young Alumni Achievement Award. Since graduating from Saint Anselm College, Donahue has gone on to receive a graduate degree from Brown University, work at the Federal Bureau of Investigation on their counterterrorism team, and currently has founded and runs KODEX, a start-up which provides software to law enforcement agencies that allows them to quickly, safely, cleanly, and reliably send and share information with other law enforcement agencies\ around the world.
Paul Casey ’70 received the John F. Barry Spirit of Saint Anselm College Award for the dedication and enthusiasm he continually displays in his professional life, where he served as an advisor to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, advocating for access to affordable housing, as well as in his personal life, where he continues to be a dedicated alumnus—serving as a member of his 50th Reunion Committee and on the board of the College’s Center for Ethics in Society.
Terry Newcomb, the evening supervisor at the Coffee Shop, received the Walter J. Gallo ’58 Award for her dedication and service to Saint Anselm College students and alumni. Terry embodies the Benedictine value of hospitality— greeting all visitors with a smile, and going above and beyond to make sure students feel welcome and seen. She is often the first person who returning alumni visit when they return to campus.
Dorothy M. Mullaney ’81 received the Career Achievement Award. After graduating with a nursing degree, Mullaney went on to work in the neonatal care field, earning her Doctorate of Nursing Practice, and is currently serving as the first chief advanced practice provider officer at Dartmouth Health where she oversees all advanced practice providers across the Dartmouth system.
Carol and George Hooper P ’07, ’09, ’12 received the Parents Leadership and Service Award. Nominated by their children, three of their four who graduated from Saint Anselm College. “My siblings and I owe a debt of gratitude to my parents. Our parent’s sacrificial love is inspiring, and when Mike, Jess, Nick, Alicia, and I look at them and see their goodness, we are inspired and desire to be a little better ourselves,” said Craig Hooper ’12. “Thanks, mom and dad.”
David Giarusso ’10 is the associate director of admission at Bishop Guertin High School and this year’s recipient of the Catholic Leadership Award. Each day, he serves as an example to prospective and current students of the transformative power of a Catholic education.
Tina Russo Quirk ’70 accepted the Nursing and Health Sciences Award via Zoom from her office in Tanzania. She has spent her career treating marginalized populations, and promotes the inclusion of homeopathic and complementary treatments alongside more western medicine. She’s currently working in Tanzania with the African Institute of Integrated Medicine.
Meet the New Dean Alumni Event in Boston
On Thursday, November 16, 2023, nursing alumni, family, and friends gathered in Boston to celebrate Saint Anselm College, as well as meet (for the first time at an alumni regional network event), Diane Uzarski, D.N.P., inaugural dean of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences.
James Flanagan, senior vice president and chief advancement officer.
Hosted by Jean Egan ’97 and Chris Egan, more than 80 guests gathered to reminisce as well as envision the future of the Jean School of Nursing. Dean Uzarski began as the inaugural dean and Professor of Practice at the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences in July 2023.
“When I learned that Saint Anselm was officially establishing a school for Nursing and Health Sciences, I was inspired to assist during this historic moment for our college community,” said Jean Egan. “As many of you know, Saint Anselm College is truly a special place and I’ve been forever grateful for the foundation I received from my time on the Hilltop. The values of service and compassion that become instilled in us during our Anselmian experience are ones that I’ve carried with me every day. Tonight, I wanted to bring our community together to welcome the inaugural dean of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Diane Uzarski.”
During the event, Dean Uzarski discussed her priorities for the new Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, including a strategic plan, partnerships with hospitals, public, nonprofit, and academic institutions.
“The establishment of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences and the construction of Grappone Hall is certainly a transformational moment for Saint Anselm College,” said President Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D.
“Because of our Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts education, Saint Anslem nursing and health sciences students are uniquely skilled, compassionate, and prepared to provide care for all amidst the health care challenges facing our country and our world.”
By Anna Brennan Curry
Growth Mindset: Jonathan Greeley '00
In his role as Amazon’s economic development policy lead for New England, Jonathan Greeley ’00 is constantly focused on growth. “My work revolves around the intersection of real estate and public policy, and engaging with communities regarding existing operations and potential expansion,” says Greeley. Since 2010—between employee compensation and infrastructure projects like fulfillment centers and Boston’s Amazon Tech Hub—Amazon has invested nearly $25 billion and created a collective 37,000 part- and full-time jobs across the six New England states alone.
For Greeley, however, growth is more than economic; it’s also been part of his personal and community- focused career journey since graduating from Saint Anselm with a bachelor’s in history. He credits his week of volunteering in Mississippi during Anselmian B.R.E.A.K. with putting him on a career path of public service and urban planning. “When you’re volunteering and engaging with people, you start
to look beyond yourself and focus on how you can impact your community,” he says.
After graduation, Greeley’s Anselmian B.R.E.A.K. inspired him to accept a position working for Boston Private Industry Council, a nonprofit that helps build partnerships with public schools in economically challenged neighborhoods. “I spent a lot of time in Boston’s neighborhoods and worked with students from a wide variety of backgrounds and connected them to opportunities beyond the classroom,” Greeley says. The experience spawned his interest in community building, and eventually led to an urban planning role with the Boston Planning & Development Agency. Greeley was there for more than 14 years, and contributed to Boston’s first citywide master plan in 50 years. “Eventually, I oversaw the permitting of all private and institutional development and growth across the city,” he says. He also earned a master’s degree in urban and environmental policy and planning from Tufts University.
Greeley credits his time at Saint Anselm for helping him build the critical thinking and communications skills that have been vital to his career success. One of his most impactful classes was public speaking, taught by the late Fr. Jude Gray, O.S.B. “I learned how to present complex ideas and how to relate to different types of people,” he says, “and I have carried that experience with me in roles well beyond my time at Saint A’s.”
Greeley’s study of history has also been influential. “It’s impossible to look forward without learning from the past,” he says. These days, Greeley is very future-focused, including expanding innovations to address climate change. Amazon, for instance, is rolling out 100,000 electric vehicles for its delivery fleet by 2030. “Amazon is the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy in the world,” Greeley says. Such large-scale initiatives—and the required infrastructure like charging stations—help create jobs and tax revenue for cities and towns.
Greeley also currently serves as an adjunct faculty member teaching urban planning at Boston University. “It’s a cool opportunity to continue to work with young planners and share the lessons I’ve learned through 20- plus years in public service” he says. “It’s an important outlet for how I think about—and give back to my community.”
Through Amazon, Greeley feels he has an opportunity to make a positive impact on the economic growth of the region where he was raised. “I grew up in Massachusetts, went to college in New Hampshire, met my wife in Vermont, and still spend many of my summer weekends in Rhode Island,” he says. And he credits his time at Saint Anselm for teaching him how to be a lifelong learner and open to new challenges. “I like to think holistically about community and personal growth,” he says, noting his career transition from nonprofits to a government agency to the private sector. “I try to avoid personal stagnation; it’s how we grow.”
As for Greeley, who lives in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood with his wife and children, growth continues to be his focus.
By Matthew Broderick '96 | Photo Courtesy of Jonathan Greeley '00
A Career that Follows Her Heart: Courtney (Gray) Tanner '11
Behind its smooth granite façade, the New Hampshire Statehouse in Concord is a bustling place— especially between January and June, when the Legislature is in session. This is where Courtney (Gray) Tanner ’11 is striving to improve health care services and access. She calls the Statehouse and the Legislative Office Building next door “an advocacy ecosystem,” where she connects daily with policymakers, lobbyists, bureaucrats, and state officials.
Tanner is the government relations director for Dartmouth Health, a system of community hospitals, clinics, and health care services across New Hampshire and Vermont serving tens of thousands of people. It includes Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, a 486-bed hospital and New Hampshire’s only academic medical center. She began her role in 2018 with a J.D. and M.S.W. from a dual-degree program at the University of New Hampshire.
Summing up her role briefly and succinctly (a skill she learned as a Classics major and honed as a law student), Tanner says her job is “to advocate for policies that are in the best interest of our providers in the communities we serve and to oppose policies that are not in these interests.” During the Covid-19 crisis, for example, she pressed for bills that supported expansion of telehealth services.
Looking back, Tanner says her career path as an attorney and health policy advocate has been a matter of following her heart. She grew up in a Maine mill town with a mother who was a pre-school teacher. While at Saint Anselm, she completed an internship with the Dove Project, a program that pairs volunteer attorneys with low income women in abusive relationships. During law school, she realized that she enjoyed family law, and volunteered in the community. Prior to her current position, she ran Hope on Haven Hill, a residential facility that treats pregnant and parenting women with substance abuse disorders. She also worked as executive director of the New Hampshire Providers Association, a group dedicated to substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery through public policy.
Among Tanner’s priorities with Dartmouth Health is securing funding for programs that support women with complex and often challenging needs. She recently secured $2.5 million in federal funding for Families Flourish (of which she is a board member). The nonprofit aims to establish a residential treatment program for pregnant and parenting women working toward recovery. She has applied for $4 million more to renovate a building and hire staff.
Tanner’s work is gaining recognition, such as selection to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s “40 Under Forty.” In October, she was selected for the 2024 Carol Emmott Fellowship. The prestigious national program chooses recipients for their potential to make an impact and advance to senior executive roles in health care.
While raising two girls, working, and developing an “impact project” with a fellowship mentor, Tanner has little free time. But she has not left her undergraduate studies behind—she serves as a board member for New Hampshire Humanities. For this Classics major, health care and the humanities are on the same page.
By Laurie D. Morissey | Photo Courtesy of Courtney (Gray) Tanner '11
Politics and Beyond: Brodie Deshaies '21
For Brodie Deshaies ’21, life is politics. Not because he has worked on political campaigns, served as a state representative, or sits on the school board and library board of trustees in his community (though all are true) but because of a lesson from an American Government course with Professor Jennifer Lucas that still resonates with him. “In that course, we learned that politics is defined as the organization of people and resources,” he says. “That simple definition reinforces that you will be impacted by government and politics, no matter your level of involvement.”
Growing up in Wolfeboro, N.H., Deshaies’ family modeled the importance of public service. His maternal grandparents were civil servants for decades in Tewksbury, Mass., and his father served as a town meeting representative in Chelmsford, Mass. This fostered an early interest in public policy for Deshaies, who was drawn to Saint Anselm by the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP), in addition to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) Program—and Davison Dining Hall’s acclaimed food.
He entered Saint Anselm as a politics major, but after taking English and history courses, he switched to an English/history double major. “The positive impact on my writing was immediate,” he says. And the college’s humanities program, Conversatio, deepened his critical thinking skills. “Conversatio’s multidisciplinary approach brought our lessons full circle. It also reinforced that what we create has value and impact.”
In 2020, while a junior, Deshaies launched a campaign for N.H. state representative. “I was motivated to run to be a non-polarizing voice in the candidate pool,” he says. His academic experience was critical for connecting with voters. “English and history department curricula force you to think differently and consider other perspectives,” he says. “Saint Anselm’s focus on strong writing skills allowed me to develop concise campaign messaging.”
Deshaies won the election, becoming a Republican state representative for Carroll County District 6. While serving in the Legislature from 2020 to 2022, he focused on combatting the opioid crisis, investing in infrastructure and green energy, and improving food security. He collaborated closely with state Rep. John MacDonald ’83.
After his term, Deshaies became the communications and policy manager at New Hampshire Hunger Solutions in Concord, N.H., an organization dedicated to ending hunger in the state. He creates public advocacy plans, writes policy updates, and develops messaging for a variety of stakeholders. As a registered lobbyist, he also calls and meets with elected officials to secure funding and support. He credits an advanced composition course with Professor Ann Holbrook for strengthening his communications skill set.
While his professional life has a statewide impact, he is also dedicated to his local community. He lives in Wolfeboro with his fiancée, Grace Trites ’22, and is a school board member for Governor Wentworth Regional School District (alongside Jim Manning, D.D.S. ’74). He is a member of the Wolfeboro Public Library’s board of trustees; he is also treasurer, overseeing $600,000 of public investments. “Local politics is very rewarding. I can see the impact of service improvements firsthand and how taxpayer money is being used,” he says.
Deshaies does not have plans to run for state office again, but that could change in the future—which gets back to that lesson he learned in American Government. “I don’t view myself as entering or exiting politics; I see politics as a spectrum of involvement,” he says. And he encourages everyone to get involved.
By Bridget (Martin) Lazzara '11 | Photo Courtesy of Brodie Deshaies