As Thanksgiving Nears, William James College Remains Thankful for its Staff

A dozen years ago, when William James College took up residence at One Wells Avenue, faculty and staff gathered for a group photo to mark the occasion; the resulting image went on to grace the Fall 2012 cover of The Rapport. This past October, to honor the College’s 50th Anniversary, Senior Director of Marketing Katie O’Hare endeavored to recreate the scene, inviting the entire William James College community to participate in a group photo to be splashed across the Fall 2024 facade of The Rapport. 

“We had a great turnout,” says O’Hare who suggested a second group photo of those faculty and staff members who have served 10+ years. “I think it’s really impressive that there are 27 people pictured, representing over 500 years of combined service,” says O’Hare, adding that not everyone who meets this criteria was present. 

“These days, amidst so much turnover in organizations, it's unique to have employees who—because they are committed to the mission of the College and enjoy working here—stay for the long haul,” says O’Hare (who has 23 years under her own cap). 

At this auspicious time of year, we are especially grateful to the following folks who chose to share slivers of their own stories, including what keeps them rooted on campus.

Jeff Choo, MS, Director of Information Technology and Services

Following a brief stint as consultant, Jeff Choo joined the full-time staff in March 2006 and prides himself on implementing the tools needed to help faculty, staff and students reach their goals.

(Fun fact: He also serves as Information Security Officer.) Since arriving on campus, Jeff has gained many things—from good friends to great professional experiences—as well as a new perspective of and respect for those who work so hard to improve the lives of others.

Jeff loves the team approach that permeates his work. To date, a favorite project to which he has contributed was helping the College migrate to a brand new Enterprise Resource Planning and Student Information System called Anthology—which has helped provide a solid foundation for future growth in data and technology.

Outside of the office, Jeff (like many of his colleagues in higher ed tech) is an avid Star Wars and Star Trek fan. He’s also a self-described foodie keen on vegetarian restaurants; when the weather is nice, he enjoys hiking in various local parks. 

Among the top professional advice he’s received to date? Never fear being the voice for change; all it takes is one courageous person to speak out for improvement, and others will join. Suffice it to say, he is grateful for the extended community.

“William James College is training the next generation of mental health professionals, who in return will improve other people’s lives; I am honored to be a part of this work.”

Denise Feeley, Development Associate

When she first joined the William James College community in 2004, Denise Feeley’s youngest of three children was just starting full-day kindergarten. On days off from school, Emma enjoyed accompanying her mother to campus (and going out to lunch with her boss at the time, Pat Capiobianco). Over the course of her tenure, Denise has also served as administrative assistant to the CFO and executive assistant to the VPAA. In all three roles, she has watched the stigma surrounding mental health slowly slip away.

Her proudest accomplishment every year is organizing Commencement—an event that has grown from approximately 36 graduates two decades ago to 195 in June of 2024. Despite lots of behind-the-scenes work, Denise finds joy creating a memorable day for William James College graduates.

Today, she and her husband are empty nesters (and that long-ago kindergartner is 28 years old!!) Off campus, Denise enjoys relaxing at the beach; walking; and spending time with her growing family here and in Ireland.

“I am proud to be part of the William James College community and appreciate the growth it has seen under Nick’s leadership.  It’s inspiring to work somewhere that’s evolving and making a positive impact on people’s lives.”

Cheryl MacDonald, MBA, Associate Director of Programming and Site Development

Since arriving on campus in 2001, Cheryl MacDonald has kept busy wearing a trio of hats. In addition to her official position (more on that later), she has enjoyed contributing to the Community Building Committee efforts and planning activities for college staff. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she led a campus-wide effort to support frontline workers via homemade cloth face masks. While not a sewer herself, Cheryl was happy to coordinate efforts to collect materials, organize volunteers and distribute the masks—which made their way across the country—to those students and family members in need. 

To date, Cheryl’s favorite professional accomplishment has been implementing a new field education platform to manage student placement at one of the College’s 350 hand-selected field sites—many of which have been added over the course of Cheryl’s tenure. When she’s not pitching in to improve the lives of folks on campus, Cheryl can be found riding her bike and working in her garden. 

As to what keeps her energized? “It is very meaningful to me to support the William James College mission around experiential education by developing new training sites.”

Dr. Gemima St. Louis, PhD, Vice President for Workforce Initiatives and Specialty Training

Looking back on her 11 years at William James College, it is the establishment of the Center for Multicultural & Global Mental Health that makes Gemima St. Louis most proud. The initiative, which took a village to launch, was borne from Nick Covino's vision to focus on addressing the mental health needs of historically underserved communities locally and nationally.

An invaluable piece of professional advice—to always pay it forward—continues to guide Gemima in her many endeavors both on and off campus. She sees the work of breaking down systemic barriers and making the impossible possible a shared responsibility. From her perspective, this work is both meaningful and personally rewarding because it grants folks a unique opportunity to engage in practices that really matter and can have a lasting impact on the individuals and communities the College is committed to serve. 

When she is not busy overseeing myriad grant-funded initiatives or teaching in the Clinical Psychology Department, Gemima can be found walking in nature and traveling with her family. And, she believes, the best is yet to come…

“I feel fortunate to belong to an academic environment and a community of concerned changemakers who are not deterred by the loud noises of the day; who remain steadfast in their core values, beliefs, and ideals; and who are unapologetic about advocating for social justice and equity.” 

Mary Yasuda, BA, Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs

In 2012, following a year spent teaching abroad, Mary Yasuda returned home to Newton with a solid understanding that—while teaching was not for her—working in higher ed was the place to be. When a local temp agency placed her in admissions at MSPP, it felt like a homecoming. 

Holding fast to advice shared by the speaker at her college commencement, Mary has a unique view on change: People and institutions are constantly evolving, so we do well to embrace change in a positive manner. In the dozen years since her arrival on campus, Mary has grown and changed—gaining a spouse, a child, and tremendous confidence in herself along the way. 

In her spare time, Mary works with the non-profit Volunteer Musicians for the Arts, Inc. to spread healing classical music throughout Boston and beyond.

While she is not directly educating students to meet the evolving mental health needs of a diverse society, Mary finds meaning knowing she is contributing to something larger than herself. 

“I’m grateful to this community for helping to shape me as a person and a professional.The enthusiasm and dedication students and colleagues bring to the institution every day is energizing and contagious; folks’ willingness to learn and grow is enriching and sustaining.”

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