Alumni Spotlight

Why did your family choose Kennedy for your education?
JFK provides a well rounded education close to home.  Dedicated teachers, friendly classmates and a location "down the road" from home were all appealing to my family.

What is your favorite Kennedy memory?
Cheering with classmates at sporting events is a memory I treasure.  Standing in the student section dressed in "Blue Pride" clothes with face paint we cheered at football and basketball games in addition to amazing pep rallies prior to football games.

Did you have a teacher or class that was a major influence on you?
Mrs. Rupinsky was a great math teacher and role model. She pushed students to excel in the classroom without causing them to feel overwhelmed. This certainly prepared me well for math classes in college.

Education/Professional Experience:
What career did you choose and tell us a little bit about how you got there.
I am a dermatologist (skin doctor) and was inspired by my parents, my Uncle Jim and my grandfather.   Growing up in a home attached to a medical office, it is perhaps natural that I wanted to be a physician. The path to becoming a doctor is one that involved A LOT of delayed gratification.  It was common for me to study long hours and I missed some social events that would have been fun.   It was, however, well worth it.  I love helping people in my community every day and the field of dermatology offers so many wonderful treatments for even the most difficult conditions. 

After graduation from JFK, I left the state of Ohio for college at Washington University in St Louis  and went to medical school and residency in Rochester, New York and St Louis, respectively. (12 years of study after high school)  I learned a lot about myself during that time. I remained persistent and reached my goal of becoming a physician.   It is great to be back in Warren, raising my family close to our extended family and friends, some of whom I have known since I was a little girl in Warren!

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am so very proud of my family - my husband Kevin, whom I met in St. Louis but he is from Northeast OH, and our two girls, Kara (7) and Kate (4). Kara had a great first year at JFK Lower School where Mrs. Roscoe is her first grade teacher. The priest at JFK (Father Chris Cicero) graduated a year before me at JFK, and Kara and Kate both have classmates whose parents went to JFK with me. It is wonderful to be a part of a small community with so many familiar outstanding families.

What is a specific piece of advice you would give to a Kennedy senior?
This sounds trite, but it is so important to focus on your goals and stay steady in your course to achieve them. Find a mentor in your area of interest.   It is important to get good advice on the most efficient and effective way to reach for your dreams.   College and life thereafter will bring both challenges and great joys. Take a moment to enjoy something every day, even if it is small (like an ice cream cone at the end of a long day). Enjoy the ride, knowing that your upbringing in Warren, OH and JFK will take you far.