Alumni in the News

Research and commentary by Dr. Paul J. Arciero ’86 appeared in the Nov. 4, 2019, issue of Woman’s World magazine. In an article titled “Automatic Weight Loss,” Arciero offers advice and information about how timed consumption of protein-heavy foods can boost weight loss. Arciero also has written Amazon bestselling book on the subject, “The Protein Pacing Diet,” and presented his research at the 2019 Spring Nutrition Symposium at New York Chiropractic College.

The U.S. Department of State selected English Language Specialist Joan Barker ’10 in January to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, to facilitate English language training with the Rwanda Defense Force. Barker’s project is one of 130 that the English Language Specialist Program supports each year. Barker holds a Master of Science in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from CCSU.

A short film written and directed by Rashad Frett ’09 was named “Best Short Film” at the 2020 CaribbeanTales International Film Festival, which ran from Sept. 9 to Oct. 2. CTFF celebrates the talents of established and emerging filmmakers of Caribbean heritage across the Caribbean diaspora and worldwide. In January, Frett was one of eight recipients of Spike Lee Film Production Fund grants from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.

Sophia Gray ’04 and John A. Perkins ’84 were selected as two of this year’s inductees to the Alumni Wall of Fame at Capital Community College. Four CCC graduates received the honor at the virtual Changing Lives Gala on Oct. 23. Gray is an enrollment specialist in group benefits at Hartford Insurance Group, and Perkins retired in March after 19 years as a data manager for the Hartford Public Schools.

The Connecticut Association of Boards of Education presented the 2020 Superintendent of the Year award to Kathleen C. Greider ’89, ’94, ’08 at its annual convention on Nov. 15 and 16, 2019. Greider is the superintendent of the Farmington Public Schools.

Dan Holmes was named to BusinessWest magazine’s 40 Under 40 list on May 12. Holmes is a senior project manager at Tighe & Bond, an engineering and environmental consulting firm. In 2019, he successfully managed seven construction projects throughout the state with a total construction value of nearly $11 million.

CCSU adjunct faculty member and alumnus Michael Nicastro ’84 was among the Financial Technology Report’s Top 25 RegTech Executives of 2020. Nicastro is the chief executive officer and director of the New Haven-based company Continuity.

Scott Pioli ’88, a former college coach and longtime executive in the National Football League, announced on Oct. 2 a new endowed fund for coaches and scouts at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The program continues Pioli’s long association with the Black College Football Hall of Fame and the family’s efforts to increase opportunities in the game across race and gender.

The town of Newington named Fernando G. Rosa ’75 its 2019 Volunteer of the Year. Rosa is a member of the Economic Development Commission, the Newington Portuguese Club, and the Democratic Town Committee. He also established an endowed scholarship at CCSU in memory of his late wife, Graciette.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced the appointment of Chris Rocheleau ’87 as the agency’s deputy assistant administrator for Policy, International Affairs and Environment on June 8. Before joining the FAA, Rocheleau served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. A native of Newington, Rocheleau resides in Alexandria, Va., with his wife and family.

The National Association for Healthcare Quality presented Dr. Terri Savino ’96 with its Fellowship award on Nov. 8, 2019. Dr. Savino is the manager of Patient Satisfaction & Service Excellence at Middlesex Health in Middletown.

Connecticut magazine published its 2020 “40 Under 40” list in January, featuring its list of noteworthy Nutmeggers under the age of 40. CCSU alumnus Anthony Valentine ’16 was among this year’s designees. Valentine is the founder of Kulture magazine, a print and digital publication aimed at helping high school and middle school students develop socially and emotionally.