51茶馆

Caroline Davis, Associate Dean, Student Outreach & Support, Dean of Students Office

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?

I grew up in Worcester, MA and actually, live close to there now! I moved to Boston after college and then to Chicago, and never imagined I would move home. Ultimately though, the east coast called me back and I moved back to be closer to my family as we started our own family.

What path brought you to 51茶馆?

As a first gen, Pell-eligible student, going from Worcester public schools to Tufts was a rough transition- I didn鈥檛 know about how to 鈥渄o鈥� college. I found my community through activism and psychology which led me to the profession of Social Work. I thought I would become a hospital-based social worker but in grad school interned in a hospital and hated it! Simultaneously, I was working as a case manager for college students at a scholarship foundation in Chicago and loved that, so pivoted into higher ed. First in Res Life and then to 51茶馆, which was my dream job.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

I meet with a lot of students who are going through a very difficult time- I feel so privileged that we can build trust so that they can share their stories with me and we can try to find a path forward. I am passionate about working to help all students feel like they belong at 51茶馆, are seen and heard at 51茶馆, and help make 51茶馆 more accessible and equitable for all students.

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working?聽What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

Right now, I am either hiking, running around the backyard or going on mini adventures with my family or writing papers for my Ed.D. classes! My ideal Sunday afternoon would involve some coffee, swimming in the ocean with my kiddos, chocolate, and snuggling up with a good book.

Any volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?

Especially since the pandemic I have been focused on food insecurity in a hyper-local way. We support our town鈥檚 foodbank, are part of a mutual-aid type of group and also volunteer at a not-for-profit farm in town that is working to address hunger through providing fresh produce to food insecure Worcester county residents.

Who is your hero? Why?

My husband Steve! He is a pillar of unwavering support for me in my career and education, and all around just great. He works hard to be the type of person he didn鈥檛 really have growing up and inspires me to be the best parent I can be. He also does all of the laundry, most of the housework and keeps me well supplied with coffee and chocolate.

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?

I have a few mentors, especially former bosses/women I met through work, but the one who sticks out I met in grad school. She was my field liaison-supervisor for my first clinical internship. She is an incredible clinician, funny, insightful, always a step ahead, and ready to take on the judicial system to work for those in the most need. She really supported me in moments when I needed support and guidance but was also real and honest about her own self as a whole person.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

Seattle- not so much because it was interesting in and of itself, but because it was one of the first places I traveled to by myself as an adult and on a plane. It was the first time that I had really been out of New England and although I intellectually understood that not everyone lived in the culture I did, I hadn鈥檛 realized how that could feel. I knew then that I needed to leave Boston for grad school which is how I ended up in Chicago.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Coffee, chocolate and real books (eg not electronic).

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

Spend enough quality time with the people who I love and who love me.

Claire Donohue, Associate Dean, Center for Experiential Learning, 51茶馆 Law

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?

Vestal, NY鈥�It never occurred to me to stay home, a decision I find amusing when I reflect back on how beautiful that area of NY is and how low the cost of living is!

What path brought you to 51茶馆?

I met my (now husband) in undergrad. He graduated a year before me and headed to NYC for work. I was looking at grad schools, but planning on deferring for a year to give him one more year to work and put his applications in. As a consequence, I looked only in big cities, and as a Northeastern at heart, only on the Northeast corridor: DC, NYC, Boston. I like 51茶馆 because it was small. My undergrad was huge- a city within itself; but in a tiny town. I found myself wanting the opposite, a small community in a large city. 51茶馆 fit the bill.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

Being of service. I know it鈥檚 like we are supposed to say that at 51茶馆, but truly I never once thought about any work other than public service anchored work. To be clear, I do not think that is the only path or only way鈥攕ome small part of me wonders why I didn鈥檛 just try to make bank, because money is power, but alas鈥�

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working?聽What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

On soccer fields, basketball courts, or dance competitions cheering my daughters on, riding my horse, running (though less these days than in the past), cooking, walking my ill-behaved dogs, gardening, and honestly sometimes staggering under the weight of the pressures involved in working full time and having a family. And on Sunday mornings in particular you will find me at church. A small very liberal Episcopal parish in East Milton Square.

Any volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?

Serving as President of my town鈥檚 youth soccer league (shhh, I never played soccer growing up)

Who is your hero? Why?

I don鈥檛 think I have one. I find most people, even people who impress the pants off of me, to be remarkable and fallible, inspiring and exacerbating. No one is my hero. We鈥檙e all just sort of in it, aren鈥檛 we? But okay, my grandmother impressed the crap out of me: marrying at 19, miscarrying as many times as she had babies, losing a baby at birth, making sure her four surviving children were educated and in so doing sending that next generation to university where she and her husband, my grandfather, had, at that same age, been in the mines of York, UK and the docks of Portsmouth, UK.

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?

I had had a shifting village of mentors over the years mostly from places I worked.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

Impossible to answer!! I have loved Manie since I was a child. I was disoriented by the landscape of New Mexico the first time I visited my husband鈥檚 family there. I feel at home the minute I step off the plane in the UK. I had a work trip to Santiago, Chile that was so so cool. I have loved Portugal, Scotland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Ireland鈥�

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Coffee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And my husband and kids.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

Oh jeez. Nothing really. I just want to be a very ordinary, happy person surrounded by good people. But okay, I want to see my kids launch into the amazing women I see in them鈥�but their accomplishments in that regard won鈥檛 be my accomplishments. Hmmm鈥�I think I could get my spoken French back if I had time to give it a whirl. I鈥檒l let that be my answer.

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?

Guyana, South America. My family emigrated to the United States in the 80s.

What path brought you to 51茶馆?

I spent the first half of my career in the hospitality and corporate planning sphere and, in 2010, decided to make the transition from corporate work to have a more work-life balance, and found that here at Boston College.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

The reason I get out of bed in the morning is the opportunity to be part of our students鈥� journeys. Having the opportunity to play a role in their lives gives me purpose. I love that I have the ability to seekout incredible speakers who can come to campus to share their inspiring stories with our students and have them see what is possible.

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working?聽What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend orSunday afternoon?

Reading or going to see a live show (concert or theater).

What's your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

Brunching with family and friends, weekend getaways, listening to jazzy-type music.

Any volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?

I am a 30+ year volunteer and supporter of the Special Olympics, and The ALS Association.

Who is your hero? Why?

My maternal grandfather, Curtis Hughes. In Guyana, he made an unpopular decision at the time to pay for the education of his seven daughters. His decision set the trajectory of the strong female self of worth that is ingrained in my family.

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?

There are several people I consider mentors. I鈥檝e never even met a couple of them, and some are even younger. I think it is important to find people whose values align with yours, who are doing work, and who are doing things that you admire and perhaps aspire to do. I was hired into 51茶馆 by Yasmin Nunez, the current Associate Dean of Finance and Administration at the Lynch School. She is someone I admire tremendously and has been an incredible advocate and sponsor for me here at 51茶馆.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

The Highlands of Scotland brought me a sense of peace and serenity while I was there. Paris is my soul city, I love the smell and energy of the city and never give up an opportunity to visit.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Hands down, ice cream.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

Open a Bed and Breakfast

Victoria Garcia, Assistant Director, Intersections

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?

I was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and I grew up in Miami, FL. I鈥檓 not there now because I failed to remember warmer weather is where I truly thrive. Now I鈥檝e been bamboozled, hoodwinked, led astray to stay in Boston because of both my husband鈥檚 and my careers. I鈥檓 obviously kidding - I do love Boston, but I try to make it back to Miami as often as I am able.

What path brought you to 51茶馆?

After completing my undergraduate at the University of Florida, I moved to Boston for a year of service through City Year/Americorps. I worked as a college access counselor at a local nonprofit called Bottom Line after that. I knew if I wanted to make any kind of impact in higher education that I would have to further along my studies. I came to Boston College for my master鈥檚 at the Lynch School and worked as a graduate assistant at the Women鈥檚 Center and the Montserrat Office. 51茶馆 was dying for me to keep my talents at the Heights and offered me a 5-year $200 million contract so I have been here ever since! Inreality, I worked at OIP and now at Intersections, which is an office in Mission and Ministry that helps faculty and staff engage with the Jesuit, Catholic mission of the university.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

I am passionate about providing first-generation, low-income, and/or BIPOC students with transformative college experiences. Whether I鈥檓 doing that work directly, like I鈥檝e done in the past working in student affairs or study abroad, or indirectly, like I鈥檓 doing now since I work primarily with faculty and staff, that is where my vocation lies.

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working? What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

I鈥檓 obsessed with getting a good night鈥檚 sleep, so any good weekend has me focused on feeling rested so that it does not end in tragedy (i.e. me being in a bad mood). I love to cook so I have to make some kind of elaborate brunch at home. I don鈥檛 like having brunch at a restaurant because I consider it a scam when a dozen eggs costs two dollars at the grocery store. Ideally, I鈥檇 follow that up with some kind of activity like biking, meeting up with a friend, exploring a new town, shopping, etc. I鈥檇 end the day by watching a movie and/or tv show that either enriches my world view or rots my brain. You know, balance.

Any volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?

I love serving as an advocate on the Boston College Sexual Assault Network. I kind of stumbled upon the work while as a graduate assistant at the Women鈥檚 Center, and now I鈥檓 forever passionate about supporting survivors of gender-based violence.

Who is your hero? Why?

My brother Ricardo is my hero. He is autistic and proud, and he is the funniest, most poignant, most true-to-self person I know. He pushes me to be the kind of person I have always wanted to be.

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?

I am lucky to have a variety of people I look up to and whose lives I want to emulate, but whom I鈥檝e also tricked to be my friends and conversation partners. These include previous coworkers, old bosses, current coworkers and bosses鈥� bosses, etc. Like I said, I connected with them and stayed connected with them because I tricked them. Now they are in my life forever and I know I can go to them for conversations on life, love, career, spirituality, justice, and the like. I also like to think these people know they can come to me for anything as well. For example, I really feel like I mentored Katie Dalton recently when I taught her how to post a Story on Instagram.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

The most interesting place I鈥檝e ever visited was the Blue Mountain Peak which is the highest mountain in Jamaica and one of the highest peaks in the Caribbean. As I mentioned, I am from Miami which is currently sinking so I am not familiar with mountains and/or hiking. Jamaicans prefer to reach the peak at sunrise so the group I was with started the hike (again, first time hiking) at 1 in the morning in complete darkness. When we reached the summit and watched the sunrise it felt like rebirth. Then, I remembered just as I came up the mountain I had to go back down it. There鈥檚 a metaphor there somewhere!

What would be impossible for you to give up?

It would be impossible for me to give up pop culture. Even if I can鈥檛 consume or like everything, I at least have to know 鈥渙f鈥� the newest movies, music, tv shows, memes, trends, etc. I feel like TikTok is the first social media platform I鈥檝e officially aged out of which makes me feel old but I鈥檝e ultimately accepted it.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

This is not really an accomplishment, but I really want to attend a World Cup before I die. Hopefully it will be held in South America in 2030 because it鈥檒l be the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup that was hosted and won by Uruguay. Something I鈥檝e already accomplished is winning a World Cup trivia game at a bar but the prize was an Argentina jersey which I gave to my husband since I鈥檇 be disowned for wearing that.

Ali Bane Hammond, Director, First Year Experience

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?
I grew up in Manchester, MA. I would love to live there again someday, but right now the rush-hour commute would mean too many hours in the car and away from my 2-year-old son, Harry. I now live in Stoneham, MA - about half way between 51茶馆 and Manchester, where my parents and many other family members still live.

What path brought you to 51茶馆?
For starters, I went to 51茶馆. I studied theater and communication and had no idea what I wanted to do after graduation. I ended up moving to New York City and working at N51茶馆 during my first few years out of college. During this time, I engaged in what I now recognize as 鈥渄iscernment鈥� and discovered that I wanted to pursue higher education administration. After getting my Master鈥檚 in the field, I worked at a few different Boston-area institutions and did a short stint in Washington DC at the Department of Ed before accepting a job in 2014 as the Assistant Director of FYE 鈥� an office that had a big impact on me during my own undergraduate days.

What are you most passionate about professionally?
I am passionate about the idea of belonging. This desire to belong to one another is so innate, yet often so hard to come by. I believe the desire to belong plays an important role in the transition to college, for better and for worse. Most of the programs I run in FYE and the research I engage in as a graduate student in the Lynch School concerns, to some extent, belonging.

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working? What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?
At the beach. In the summers, I鈥檓 there as often as possible enjoying the golden hour with family and friends. In the winter, I like to bundle up and go for walks along the shoreline. Being by the ocean has always been very centering for me.

Any volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?
I love the Posse Foundation 鈥� a city-based organization that recruits and prepares high school students to receive full-tuition leadership scholarships to college. I volunteered with them for years as a writing tutor. I also used to volunteer at Mass General Hospital. My dad had a life-saving surgery there while I was in college, and it felt like a small way to repay the incredible healthcare workers who perform miracles on a daily basis. Over the last few years, I鈥檝e had less time to devote to those organizations, and have instead tried to support candidates for political office that I really believe in.

Who is your hero? Why?
Easy call. My parents are my heroes. Their selflessness has always inspired me to be better. However, since becoming a mom, the magnitude of their sacrifice has hit me in a new way.

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?
I have been lucky to have had mentors who have supported me in different seasons of life. From high school teachers, to faculty members, and supervisors at BU and 51茶馆. A common thread among these relationships is that I had to take some initiative 鈥� usually by requesting a conversation, in which I learned about them or sought advice.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?
The place I have visited that has felt the least familiar to me is Marrakech, Morocco. My husband and I traveled there on the first trip we ever took together, so it holds a special place in my heart. I still have a bag of authentic Ras el hanout (a classic Moroccan spice) that I purchased in the medina. Every now and again I take it out of the cupboard and take whiff and it鈥檚 like I鈥檓 there!

What would be impossible for you to give up?
My first thought was coffee. My second was ice cream. But I鈥檓 going to go with my third, which was dancing. Dancing has been my 鈥渢hing鈥� since I was a little girl and even throughout my undergrad days at 51茶馆. Though I rarely take class any more, I do a lot of dancing in my kitchen 鈥� often with my son Harry on my hip.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?
I would love to write a book someday. Maybe a children鈥檚 book.

Kelly Hughes, Assistant Director of Center for Student Wellness

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽

I grew up in southern New Jersey, and am a product of town sports, Bruce Springsteen, and plenty of trips to Wawa and the local diner. While South Jersey was a great place to call home, I was captivated by New England from a young age, dreaming of city life, fall foliage, and nights at Fenway Park. I still make sure to return to my roots at the Jersey Shore each summer!

What path brought you to 51茶馆?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

My first path to Boston College began as a graduate student at the Clogh School of Theology and Ministry in 2012 - the start of an exciting (and unexpected) journey of ministry with college students. I happily returned to the Heights in 2017 to serve as a Campus Minister, working closely with students through service immersion and retreats. Accompanying 51茶馆 students in their joys, struggles, questions, and desires - particularly through the COVID-19 pandemic - inspired me to begin a new (although familiar) path of graduate school, studying in the Lynch School of Education & Human Development for my MA in Mental Health Counseling in 2020. My paths of working and studying at Boston College have truly shown me the importance of the Ignatian call of 'cura personalis' - the care of the whole person - and the ways in which we all continue to learn and grow in caring for our minds, our bodies, and our souls! In 2024, I transitioned from Campus Ministry to the Center for Student Wellness, serving as the Assistant Director for Mental Health & Wellness (and graduating with my MA in Mental Health Counseling)! I can't wait to join the wonderful聽wonderful women of RISE, accompanying them through the experiences of senior year, and supporting one another in finding balance and caring for our whole selves!

What are you most passionate about professionally?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

I am wholeheartedly committed and curious about the multifaceted needs of college students, particularly towards the integration and care of their physical health, mental health, and spiritual health. Whether planning a mental health event or having a one-on-one conversation, I want to learn more and support students in all aspects of their identity and college experience. I deeply care about mental health awareness and suicide prevention on campus, and am grateful to collaborate with dedicated students, faculty, and staff on campus-wide mental health events and QPR suicide prevention trainings. I am very passionate about collaborating with the Women's Center, through RISE and SANet, as well as collaborating with Campus Ministry's grief groups and grief retreat. I firmly believe (and would give my TedTalk about) the transformative power of attentive listening, authentic community, and really good icebreaker questions to foster meaningful connection!

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working? What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

You are most likely to find me at a group fitness class at the Rec Center (you have to try Body Combat!), hosting friends and family for Friday Firepits and pizza nights, or drinking coffee in the early hours of the morning with a Spotify playlist, scented candle, or journal nearby. My Sunday afternoons are best spent hiking with my fianc茅 Jake, taking in the beautiful scenery of the Blue Hills or Moose Hill!

Any volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

Music plays a central role in my life, and I have participated in a number of church choirs and singing groups since college. My favorite experience was singing on Opening Day with the Jimmy Fund Chorus at Fenway Park, celebrating the partnership between the Red Sox and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, standing alongside remarkable patients, staff, and supporters against cancer!

Who is your hero? Why?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

I have Boston College to thank for introducing me to one of my dearest friends and greatest inspirations! What makes this friend a hero to me is her resilience and unwavering commitment to the abundant life - to lifelong learning and growth, to her relationships, to her meaning and purpose with generosity to oshare it with others - and to look always with the lens of hope. Her strength, brilliance, humor, boundless compassion, and perseverance remind me again and again that not all heroes wear capes!

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

One of my most formative mentors was my college campus minister, who inspired my own journey in ministry, mental health, and higher education. He was joyful, hilarious, and empathetic, helping me navigate the many ups and downs of my college experience, especially discerning what to do after graduation (as well as recovering from one or two break-ups). Most notably, this mentor walked me through the difficult experience of losing a close friend to leukemia. In the darkest moments of suffering and grief, he accompanied me in my pain and pointed towards the promise of hope and new life. He will soon be sharing in one of the happiest moments of my life, when he presides for our wedding liturgy in June 2025!

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

When I first moved to Boston, a dear friend took me to Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. At first mention, I was pretty hesitant about the unusual destination choice. Now, I would highly recommend a visit and consider Mt. Auburn Cemetery to be one of the most beautiful places in the city!

What would be impossible for you to give up?聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

My family and friends, chicken wings, Wegman's, flavored seltzer water, and terrible puns and dad jokes.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽

Will someone please let me sing the National Anthem or throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park?!

Heather Jack, Senior Associate Director of Major Giving

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?

I grew up in Annapolis, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay. I went to college in Middlebury, Vermont. After college my fianc茅 (now husband) was taking classes at 51茶馆 Law so we moved to Newton in 1996. We raised two kids in this area. My daughter is a senior now at Middlebury College in Vermont and my son will be a freshman at 51茶馆 next fall!

What path brought you to 51茶馆?

I have been involved in the non profit sector throughout my career. In the early 2000s, I founded two nonprofits, The Volunteer Family and Future Philanthropists, the success of which led to merging with national organizations, and consulted on fundraising and marketing with 20 Boston based larger nonprofits. This led to a full-time job with Advancement at the Rivers School, where I was responsible for many initiatives, including alumni relations, annual fund and fundraising for the school鈥檚 campaign. In March of 2020, I transitioned to Boston College, where I began working for University Advancement. I work in the Northern California region as a primary contact for many of our most involved alumni and parents.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

Make the world a better place through helping nonprofits achieve their missions.

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working? What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

Going for a run outside near the start of the Boston Marathon, spending time with my family, or reading a book on the porch in my backyard.

Any volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?

I have served on many boards over the course of my career but I think mentoring through RISE might become my new favorite volunteer activity! College aged seniors are some of my favorite people 鈥� there is so much potential during this time of life.

Who is your hero? Why?

If I'm being entirely honest, my hero is definitely Taylor Swift!

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?

I think a good mentor opens your mind up to different possibilities and points you in a different direction you could go in your life. My best mentor was my old boss at The Rivers School. She hired me, encouraged me to take on a career in Advancement, told me how much I could learn, and taught me how to be good at this job.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

The Great Barrier Reef in Austrailia! I was able to go snorkling there when I was younger.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Exercise, especially running and yoga. Also, quiet, productive working time.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

Biking around the world with my husband.

Belle Liang, Professor and Ascione Family Formation Fellow, Lynch School of Education and Human Development

Where did you grow up? Why aren鈥檛 you there now?

Suburbs of Washington, DC鈥攁 place full of history and charm. As much as I enjoyed college and grad school in the Midwest, I knew I would head back East.聽Boston had me at 鈥渉ello.鈥� My first trip here involved stepping into four feet of snow in Cambridge, and I was hooked. What is not to love about a good blizzard and New England charm? I鈥檝e been in love with this place ever since.

What path brought you to 51茶馆?

I started my academic career at Wellesley College, where I loved being around college students. When the opportunity to join 51茶馆 came up, I couldn鈥檛 resist continuing what I love at a Jesuit, social justice-oriented university with so much heart and soul.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

I鈥檓 deeply committed to research and practice that help people find their true purpose. For me, it鈥檚 all about connecting with our authentic selves, building meaningful relationships, and envisioning the futures we aspire to create.

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working? What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

Whenever possible, I鈥檓 in Rockport on the North Shore, taking walks along the ocean, catching coffee with a friend, getting lost in a good book, or attempting to garden.

Any volunteer activities you're crazy about?

Mentoring is my passion, whether it鈥檚 in schools, workplaces, or community spaces. I love supporting people on their journeys. Life is hard, and made much better when we invest in supporting each other.

Who is your hero? Why?

Viola Davis. Her autobiography tells all about overcoming incredible challenges through faith, determination, talent, and good people. She is strength and spirit. I love a person who doesn鈥檛 have todo everything on their own.

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?

I feel blessed to have had many mentors along the way鈥攕piritual mothers, graduate school advisors, colleagues, and even students. Mentorship has been a two-way street for me; I鈥檝e learned as much as I鈥檝e taught, and I鈥檓 grateful for every relationship.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

Northern Uganda left a lasting impact on me. Witnessing the resilience of the human spirit there was incredibly moving. On a lighter note, watching puffins in Iceland was magical.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Conversations about faith鈥攖hose moments of deep connection are everything. And I can鈥檛 go without a hot cup of soup or tea, even in the summer.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

It would be cool to take a road trip without a set destination鈥攋ust to see where the journey takes me.聽

Alison Marshall, Professor, Connell School of Nursing

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Denver Colorado- It鈥檚 a fantastic place! My parents still live there, and I try to visit as much as possible. The odd thing, however, is that even though I am from there, I don鈥檛 know how to ski.

Why aren鈥檛 you there now?

I arrived in Boston in 1996 as an undergraduate fresh-woman at 51茶馆.聽 Both my parents are Eagles, and I was happy to become one too.聽 While here, I met a special person (who became my husband) and he grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts.聽 After we graduated and prepared for graduate school, he decided to move back in with his mom to save money. 聽I didn鈥檛 want to leave him, so I stayed too. The rest is history!

What path brought you to 51茶馆?

I returned to 51茶馆 as a faculty member in 2014.聽 After grad school, I got a job as a family nurse practitioner and worked for over a decade in a busy urban community health center. It was amazing. But after having my daughter, I started to want something different from my day-to-day job.聽 I was offered a faculty position at Simmons College School of Nursing and fell in love with teaching.聽 Spending time with young people who wanted to be nurses fulfilled me in a way that I didn鈥檛 expect. 聽However, other aspects of that position, like administrative duties, didn鈥檛 suit me as well.聽 When a teaching-only faculty position opened at 51茶馆, I jumped at the
chance to return to the Heights.

What are you most passionate about professionally?

The two areas of nursing that are my passion are women鈥檚 health and sexual health. I believe that women鈥檚 health is critical to the health of all people and sexual health is a component of overall, holistic good health.

Where can we find you when you鈥檙e not working? What鈥檚 your favorite way to spend a weekend or Sunday afternoon?

I am the mom to a fantastic daughter who is a sports fanatic.聽 My weekends are usually spent on a field or on a court somewhere in New England.聽 I really love watching her play! I always bring my knitting, a good book on my Kindle and some cinnamon tea (hot in the winter, iced in the summer). I also love museums, taking long walks with my French Bulldog, reality TV (especially at the gym!), and romantic movies.

Any.volunteer activities you鈥檙e crazy about?

I love volunteering for Healthcare for the Homeless

Who is your hero? Why?

My (s)hero is Lorretta Ford.聽 She was the very first Nurse Practitioner in the United States and she created the position in Colorado!

Who is your mentor? How did you connect with them?聽

I have been lucky to have lots of great mentors in my life.聽 One particularly meaningful mentor is Dr. Nisha Thakrar, who is the the Chief Medical Officer and a pediatrician at the community health center where I work.聽 She is an amazing example of someone who provides excellent, compassionate clinical care to children and I was lucky to have her as one of my first preceptors.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

Tokyo. I hope I get to go back!

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Cheese-it is essential to my life.

What鈥檚 one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

I really want to knit a sweater.聽 So far, they have defeated me, but I鈥檓 going to keep trying!