2023 Spirit of JA Celebration Program Book

WITH A BETTER TOMORROW .

Proud

Thank you for your support of Junior Achievement of Greater Boston’s Spirit of JA Celebration. Tonight, we celebrate Junior Achievement’s mission and impact on the lives of the young people we serve in the region.

We continue to make significant progress with our new strategic vision to close the wealth and opportunity gaps for youth in key impact communities in our region (currently Boston, Brockton, Chelsea, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Quincy, Somerville, and Worcester) by creating middle school to career pathways, igniting youth entrepreneurship, and preparing financially savvy youth.

We launched JA Inspire in December 2022, a hands-on career readiness and exploration fair which exposed 750 8th graders to 38 employers representing diverse companies and industries to get them thinking about their potential career pathway during the critical middle school years. We recently celebrated the first anniversary of our JA Innovation Center @ RSM in Charlestown, which has provided the region’s youth a safe environment with topof-the-line technology and access to mentors to ideate, innovate, explore their creativity, and experiment with various JA curricula.

We implemented the largest JA Stock Market Challenge in our history, with 1,125 high school students from our impact communities taking the JA Take Stock in My Future curriculum that introduced them to the stock market and the basics of investing. Over 130 of these students competed in the culminating fast-paced, live action simulation of the stock market exchange, putting into practice what they learned in the classroom in a fun and exciting competition to grow their portfolios.

We are excited to share news of the significant progress made concerning our JA Career Pathway For Alumni, through which we are preparing JA alumni (post high school) to secure, complete, and succeed in their first career opportunity through paid internships with some of the world’s leading employers in Greater Boston. Employers such as Accenture, AIG, CGI, Eaton Vance, Moderna, Staples, and Voya Financial – just to name a few. We are excited to help these bright JA alumni launch their careers at great companies while also helping diversify the region’s talent pipeline.

Tonight, we are excited to share more details on the launch of 3DE Schools by Junior Achievement at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Boston. This comprehensive, transformational instructional model, which connects high school education to the real world, is re-engineering high school education by making education more relevant to students’ future in the workforce, preparing students to master critical competencies that will help them succeed in any career pathway they choose; all while exposing them to positive role models from the business communities who will model what these students can become in the future.

Congratulations to tonight’s honorees who truly represent the spirit of Junior Achievement in their accomplishments, commitment to our mission, and strong partnerships.

We could not deliver on our mission without the generous support of our sponsors. I want to thank Delta Air Lines for returning as our Presenting Sponsor and to every other company and individual who contributed towards the success of this celebration of Junior Achievement’s positive impact on our youth and our communities.

We are humbled by your generosity.

Radhamés Nova

TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY

We’re proud to support Junior Achievement of Greater Boston.

Evening Class Schedule

FIRST PERIOD: 5:30-7:10 PM

Experience JA programs as you make your way through three pathway rooms with student-led, hands-on activities. Grab a cocktail and stop by our unique food stations

RECESS: 7:10-7:30 PM

Brief intermission for guests to grab refreshments and dessert as we transition into the Mann Foyer for the program

Drop your JA Report Card at the door to be eligible for a chance to win a free night at Aloft to be announced at the end of the program (winner must be present at the time of the drawing)

SECOND PERIOD: 7:30-8:30 PM

Welcome Remarks

Candice Stover

Delta Air Lines

Opening Speaker

JA Career Pathway for Alumni Video

JA of Greater Boston Chairman of the Board Remarks

George Moore

Spirit of JA Awards Presentation

Delta Air Lines, Spirit of JA Corporate Awardee

Parthum Middle School, JA School of the Year

Angel Burgado, Spirit of JA Individual Awardee

Michael Kelly, JA Volunteer of the Year

Melinda Kuleszka, JA Alumni Hall of Fame

Ada Wu, JA Student of the Year

3DE Video

Closing Remarks

Radhamés Nova President & CEO

JA of Greater Boston

Report Card Raffle Announcement

Program Speakers

Candice Stover, Opening Remarks

Candice Stover is the District Sales Manager for New England Global Sales at Delta Air Lines, who leads a multi-level team of sellers in Boston representing over $1B in corporate and agency revenue. She is responsible for managing the growth and development strategy for Delta’s newest coastal Hub and coordinates the sales teams in focus cities Raleigh and Nashville. In her current role, corporate branding is her main priority while also recognizing her personal brands impact on the development of the hub.

Candice is an experienced sales leader who has been in the airline industry for 19 years; beginning her career at Delta 11 years ago. In her previous role, Candice managed the world’s largest private equity firms in NYC and worked on the Global Corporate Sales Team in Atlanta. Prior to joining Delta, Candice worked for AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines.

Additionally, Candice holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a certificate in Sales and a Master’s degree in Management from the University of West Georgia, where she also studied international business in Beijing and Shanghai. She is a certified Consultative Selling instructor, 5-time Chairmans Club nominee, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion East Sales leader, 2–time Global Sales Excellence winner, recognized as one Delta’s emerging leaders through two development programs, and board member at Junior Achievement-Greater Boston.

She grew up in Pittsburgh and has since lived in Atlanta, NYC, and currently Boston. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, spending time with loved ones, spinning, guitar, fine arts, photography, adopting new hobbies, and exploring new destinations.

Olivia Sheng, Student Emcee

Olivia Sheng is a senior at Sharon High School and a JA Ambassador. Olivia has been a part of the JA Company Program for four years throughout high school. At school, Olivia is a part of her school’s National Honor Society and World Language National Honor Society. She is also the outreach lead of running the Sharon Math and Science Tournament for middle schoolers in New England. After high school, Olivia plans on studying Corporate Finance & Accounting at Bentley University as part of the Class of 2027.

Adrian Diaz, Student Emcee

Adrian Diaz is a senior at Notre Dame Cristo Rey High School and a JA Ambassador. Adrian has participated in the Junior Achievement Company Program for 2 years.

Adrian is a part of the National Honor Society as well as the team captain for SquashBusters Lawrence. After high school, Adrian plans on attending Middlebury College.

George Moore, JA Board Chair Remarks

George Moore is a proven leader with a reputation for driving business growth through digital innovation. His exceptional background includes leading initiatives that support business reinvention and transformation within the healthcare and education sectors. He has designed and launched gamechanging digital products, built both data-focused software and customer support teams, as well as implemented and managed cloud-first strategies. He has a successful track record of transitioning biopharmaceutical customers from paper to electronic format for regulatory submissions.

As CareMetx’s Chief Technology & Information Officer, George oversees the company’s technology vision, reinvention, and transformation. With George’s leadership, CareMetx will continue to scale and expand its services, improving the patient experience with specialty therapies and providing patients with the best possible support.

2023 Spirit of JA Awardees

Delta Air Lines

Spirit of JA Corporate Awardee

Junior Achievement of Greater Boston is proud to recognize Delta Air Lines as the 2023 Corporate Spirit of JA Awardee. This recognition is a testament to Delta’s outstanding commitment to supporting JA’s vision of closing the wealth and opportunity gaps for young people.

Over the last seven years, Delta Air Lines has steadfastly supported Junior Achievement’s initiatives, providing vital assistance through their annual partnership. Whether it’s by sponsoring events, offering program support, or contributing volunteers, Delta has shown a deep commitment to JA’s mission. Their dedication to corporate social responsibility and philanthropy has made a tangible impact on the lives of young people, helping them realize their full potential.

Delta’s mission to connect the world starts with its commitment to being a strong partner to the communities where our employees live, work, and serve. Focused on the pillars of Environment, Equity and Education, Delta invests its time and resources to care for the planet and the people within it. As a company driven by purpose, giving back to our communities has been core to Delta and its culture for nearly 100 years. Delta has been recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the U.S. as an honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light for the past five years in a row.

Parthum Middle School

JA School of the Year

Parthum Middle School is a public school located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, serving students in grades 5-8. The school has a diverse student body with a majority of students identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Parthum Middle School strives to provide its students with a high-quality education that prepares them for success in high school and beyond.

The school offers a range of academic programs and extracurricular activities, including sports teams, clubs, and music programs. Parthum Middle School also has a strong commitment to fostering a positive school culture and creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students.

Angel Burgado

Spirit of JA Individual Awardee

Angel Luis Burgado Jr. was born and raised in Passaic NJ and is a proud graduate of Rowan University. He has been in the banking field since 2006. He started with Santander Bank NA, in 2013 and has been in his current role as Vice President, Community Partnership Manager since 2016.

As the Community Partnership Manager, he works with non-profit community organizations on behalf of the bank to facilitate mutually beneficial areas of partnership, including potential grant relationships, volunteerism, sponsorship opportunities and other collaborative initiatives. He covers New Hampshire, Northern, Central & Western Massachusetts.

Angel also serves as Vice President of the Board for My Turn Inc and sits on the Finance Committee of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Nashua. He is also a Fellowmen / Member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc.

Angel and his Wife Shannon recently welcomed their first child Violet into the world.

Michael Kelly

JA Volunteer of the Year

As the Client Director for AIG in Boston, Michael is responsible for driving profitable growth and client retention for Fortune 1000 clients. He also collaborates with AIG’s executive and product leadership teams to strategically manage some of the Boston office’s most valued brokerage relationships.

Michael began his insurance career more than 30 years ago and has been involved with charitable organizations in Greater Boston, volunteering with Junior Achievement of Greater Boston as a mentor for high school students in the JA Company Program.

A graduate of University of Connecticut, he lives in Ashland, Mass., with his wife and their three children.

Melinda Kuleszka

JA Alumni Hall of Fame

Over her long career at Fidelity Investments, a global financial services firm headquartered in Boston, Ms. Kuleszka held leadership roles in marketing, communications, business development and technology program management.

During her tenure, she led the market introduction of several large-scale programs including a mutual fund marketplace, small market 401(k), estate planning, a consumer research panel, and an online retirement planning tool. During her career, she has been active in mentorship programs, and a panelist in/member of various industry associations.

As a JA alumna, she was a member of a high school company program in Baltimore, Maryland. Invited to join by a neighbor, she was encouraged by her father who was himself an alumni of a JA company program in Dallas, Texas. Ms. Kuleszka received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Delaware. After college, she joined Legg Mason Global Asset Management as a brokerage trader, inspired by her early business experience with Junior Achievement. Then a year later, she moved to Boston and joined Fidelity.

Over the years, she continued her JA involvement by leading elementary school programs in her daughters’ classrooms. Then, in November 2017, she joined the Board of Directors for the Greater Boston Junior Achievement and served through June 2020. She has also been a mentor in the company program for the last several years, including a current one Re-Write, held at the JA Innovation Center @ RSM.

Her husband, Andrew Kuleszka is the Tax Director at the wealth management company, Captrust. She and her husband have two grown daughters - Nicole Kuleszka, a Product Owner at a health & wellness technology company (and a first year JA company program mentor) and Amy Kuleszka, a Registered Nurse in Trumbull, Connecticut. In addition to her JA involvement, Melinda enjoys pilates and cycling at the gym, traveling and boating.

Ada Wu

JA Student of the Year

Ada Wu is a senior at Boston Latin School and this year’s JA Student of The Year and $10,000 Steve Sullivan Scholarship recipient. Ada has been involved with JA through JA Our Region in elementary school, JA Summer Institute, JA Financial Literacy, JA Take Stock in Your Future, and JA Company Program. She also interned at JA. She will be continuing her connection with JA through the JA Alumni to Career Pathway.

At school, Ada is the co-president of her school’s largest volunteering club and vice president of National Honor Society, as well as an international DECA competitor. In her free time, Ada enjoys editing videos, crocheting, making paracord bracelets, and taking walks.

“Through JA I became braver and bolder, unafraid to try new ideas and take on projects that felt too ambitious or scary before. My experience fueled my skills and knowledge, boosting my confidence to apply for higher positions and aim for a higher benchmark.”

- Ada Wu

JA Career Pathway for Alumni

JA Career Pathway for Alumni prepares current high school seniors and recent graduates to ladder their Junior Achievement learning experiences, continue honing their skills, secure and succeed in paid internships, apprenticeships, and entry-level jobs with our corporate partners.

2023 Official Launch for the JA Career Pathway for Alumni by the numbers

students for the first cohort of JA Career Pathway for Alumni 20 are young people of color 90%

hours of pre-internship workshops 70

earned per student as stipends for their participation $1,400

JA alumni placed in paid internships in Summer 2023 15 in summer wages $141,600

area alma maters: Boston College High School, Boston Latin School, Boston Preparatory Charter School, Cristo Rey Boston, Jeremiah Burke High School, Lawrence High School, John D O’Bryant School, Lowell High School, North Quincy High School, Notre Dame Cristo Rey (Methuen), and Somerville High School.

11 investors in the JA Career Pathway for Alumni 19

total investment for the launch year $1,062,500 match by JA Alum Bill Schawbel $500,000

Thank you to investors

Individual

Lincoln Financial Group

Yawkey Foundation

RSM

TIAA

Wayfair Webster Bank

Accenture

3DE Schools by Junior Achievement is a holistic and comprehensive model to reconstruct traditional high schools.

3DE re-engineers education to create engaging learning environments that reflect the world in which we live and empowers students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to unlock greater economic opportunity.

JA of Greater Boston in partnership with the Boston Public School (BPS)

will launch the first 3DE School in Massachusetts at the

Jeremiah E Burke High School

Fall of 2023

2023 Spirit of JA Celebration Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor

Board of Directors

Officers

George Moore, Chair Chief Technology & Information Officer, CareMetx, LLC

Migdalia Diaz, Secretary

Members

Christine Barry*

Tim Behling

Vice President of Supply Chain, Gemline

Christine Berberich

James Boviard

Assurance Partner, PwC

Daniel Budington Chief Strategy Officer, Santander US

Brendan Callahan Managing Director, JLL

Michael Carpentiere

Group Car Sales Manager, Enterprise Car SalesBoston Group

Toly Chea

Chief Operating Officer, Sanalife & Aqualite US

Chris DeMeo

Brian Diepold

Head of Marketing & Sales Platforms, Wells Fargo

Bernard Dockrill

Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Alithya Group, Inc.

Josh Drew

Regional Director, Robert Half

Patrick Dunn

Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Providence Equity Partners – Providence Public

Kurt Edwards

Founder & CEO, Pyxai

Lydia Edwards

State Senator, First Suffolk & Middlesex District, State of Massachusetts

Rommel Espinal

Vice President, Customer Inclusion Community Leader, Fidelity Investments

Amy Zidow, Treasurer Assurance Partner, EY

Natalie Fedyuk

Managing Director, Cybersecurity & Privacy, Protiviti

John K. Ferguson

Maricel Goris

Assistant Superintendent, Lawrence Public Schools

Robert Hazard

Group Manager, Commercial Banking Senior Vice President, M&T Bank

Sheryce Hearns-Brisbon

Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Dellbrook | JKS

Charlie Hoban

Partner, Health & Life Sciences and Boston Metro Leader, Oliver Wyman

Ray Hoefling

Pooja Ika

Founder & CEO, eternalHealth

Cynthia Izzo Principal, KPMG

Brian Kalberer

Managing Director, Accenture

Michael Kelly

Client Director, AIG New England

Alvania Lopez

Founder and CEO, PeachBox Co.

Max Lopez

End User Computing Senior Solutions Engineer, Healthcare, VMware, Inc.

Chris MacKenzie

Market Leader, Massachusetts, RSM US LLP

Mark Melito

Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP

Smaiyra Million

Executive Director, Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship; Director, Butler Institute for Free Enterprise through Entrepreneurship, Babson College

Oscar Moreno

First Vice President, Commercial Lending, Rollstone Bank & Trust

Gale Murray

Suzanne Norman

Frank O’Neill

Chief Risk Officer, Voya Financial

Jason Pacor

Managing Director – Consumer, Manufacturing and Technology, Slalom Consulting LLC

Federico Papa

Vice President & Deputy Treasurer, American Tower

Raj Pathak

Managing Director, Morgan Stanley

Eddie Perkin*

Heidi Pickett

Director of Strategic Initiatives & Chief of Staff, The TIE

Karsys Ramirez-Starsiak

Director of Human Resources, UPS – Northeast District & Cape Cod Territory

Mark Reilly

Senior Vice President of Government and Regulatory Relations, Comcast Corporation

Glenn Ricciardelli

Senior Partner, MDD Forensic Accountants

Andreana Santangelo CFO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Candice Stover District Sales Manager, New England | Global Sales, Delta Air Lines

Jimmy Suppelsa Chief Revenue Officer, Touchplan

Elke Trilla Associate, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Chris Webster

*Past Chair

Associate Board of Directors

Stephanie Marchand, Co-Chair Director, Advisory Marcum LLP

JP Bernard Business Manager, Key Accounts New Balance

Shauna Bernard Director, Risk Consulting, RSM

Greg Boccio

Audit and Assurance Senior Manager Deloitte & Touche LLP

Lauren Campson

Audit & Assurance Manager

Deloitte & Touche LLP

Rob Coly

Senior Credit Officer, M&T Bank

Jordan Gauthier

Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Jack Kerins

Audit Manager, KPMG

Mike Preite, Co-Chair

Vice President, Healthcare Corporate & Investment Banking Truist

Dave Han Hotel Manager Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport

Foster Jondro Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, PwC

Josh Kanter Senior Vice President, NNN Pro Group

Jack Kerins Audit Manager, KPMG

Allie Ketzler Industrial Engineering Supervisor, UPS

Shaun Leonard Vice President, Vitality and Resilience RISE Development and Construction

Erika Neilssen

Manager, Management Consulting Accenture

Enda O’Shea

Senior, Technology Risk, EY

Rebecca Risk

Market Director, Robert Half

Tanuja Thikekar

Vice President, Consulting Services, CGI

Carol Warren

Underwriting Consulting Director, Management Liability Private Co and Non-Profit, CNA

Tim Zubak Director, Slalom Consulting

JA Staff

Akash Altman Executive Assistant

Jojo Antonio Director of Operations

Yanille Baez

Senior Education Manger, High School Partnerships

Val Brooks

Associate Director, JA Career Pathway for Alumni

Luiza deCamargo Vice President of Development

Paulo Frade Vice President of Finance and Technology

Joanna Furgiuele Senior Development Officer, Foundations Partnerships

Latia King-Fontánez Chief of Staff

Tara MacKenzie Education Manager, JA Innovation Center @ RSM and JA Company Program

Melina Mardueño Development Officer, Annual Giving & Stewardships

Eva Maynard Development Officer, Corporate Partnerships

Susan McDonald Education Manager, High School Partnerships

Deirdre O’Connor Mitchell Chief Operations Officer

Radhamés Nova President and CEO

Bill Stiles

Director of Education

Sue Ung

Senior Education Manager, JA Inspire and Middle School Partnerships

Alexis Yang Events Coordinator

Spirit of JA Celebration Committtee

James Boviard

Assurance Partner, PwC

Bernard Dockrill

Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, Alithya

Maricel Goris

Assistant Superintendent, Lawrence Public Schools

Sheryce Hearns-Bribson

Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Dellbrook | JKS

Pooja Ika

Founder & CEO, eternalHealth

Cynthia Izzo

Principal, KPMG

Alvania Lopez

Founder & CEO, PeachBox Co.

Gale Murray

Mark Reilly

Senior Vice President of Government and Regulatory Relations, Comcast Corporation

Elke Trilla

Associate, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati