Laurentians in Residence October 2018
Thursday
8:00 p.m. - Power of Connections Alumni Panel Discussion
Sykes Common Room - Dessert reception following
Friday
9:30-11:30 a.m. - Coffee Chats with Alumni participants
30 minutes each - call (315) 229-5906 to schedule
Laurentians in Residence highlights the power of the Laurentian network through alumni and student interactions during a two-day in-residence program. Each semester Laurentian leaders are invited to campus to connect with students through classroom presentations, networking and informal conversations, and an interactive career panel discussion. This fall, seven alumni will be on campus on October 25th and 26th showcasing the Power of Connections, a priority in The Campaign for Every Laurentian, as they speak with students, share experiences and advice, and offer insight into various career paths.
This program is sponsored, in part, by the Alumni Executive Council, and is a collaboration between University Advancement, Career Services, and the Student Alumni Association.
Panelist Biographies
MICHAEL FLOOD '02
Actor
Michael Flood ’02 is a classically-trained professional actor. He received his Master of Fine Arts with a focus in acting and performance from Case Western University/Cleveland Play House. After Case Western, Michael signed with About Artists Agency and is a member of Actors Equity Association. Currently, he participates in readings and workshops by emerging playwrights in New York City. Michael is also a playwright and screenwriter himself and has a few projects in development. While at St. Lawrence, he was involved in the Black Student Union and the Artists’ Guild, and in 2002, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and theatre.
KEEFE GORMAN '84, P'21
Managing Director - Wealth Management Advisor, Merril Lynch
Keefe Gorman ’84, P’21 is a Managing Director – Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch. Keefe began his financial career with Merrill Lynch in 1987. He applies more than 30 years of experience and insight to help clients address a broad range of wealth management needs, from retirement income planning to designing and implementing investment strategies. The clients Keefe works with include business executives and entrepreneurs, as well as college professors and administrators. He understands the value of financial education in mitigating the anxiety many clients feel about investing, and he is committed to communicating clearly and regularly about individual financial strategies, goals and objectives. Keefe holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification, awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. He holds the Series 7, 31, 63 and 65 FINRA registrations. Keefe is named to Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2018. Barron's included Keefe to its 2014 list of Top 1,200 Financial Advisors. In 2013, Barron's recognized Keefe to its state-by-state listing of the Top 1,000 Financial Advisors.
Keefe was a Vilas Scholar at St. Lawrence University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. His degree included study abroad in Spain at the University of Madrid. A former professional skier, he enjoys snow and water skiing as well as hockey and bicycling. He is a member of Rotary International and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), and is a supporter of Foodnet Meals on Wheels.
DR. WAMBUI MUTORU '06
Senior Reservoir Engineer, ConocoPhillips
Dr. Wambui Mutoru ’06 is a Senior Reservoir Engineer in the Strategy, Exploration, and Technology organization of ConocoPhillips – the world’s largest independent oil and gas exploration & production company. In the last 6+ years with the company, she has contributed to technology development and deployment for improved oil recovery from onshore fields in U.S. Lower 48, Alaska, and Canada; and, offshore fields in Norway. Prior to ConocoPhillips, Dr. Mutoru earned her Ph.D. and Master of Science degrees from Yale University in Chemical Engineering. She graduated from St. Lawrence in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. While at St. Lawrence she was a member of the African Student Union and studied abroad in Denmark.
NICK PENNIMAN '92
Founder and CEO, Issue One
Nick Penniman ’92 is the Founder and CEO of Issue One, a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to political reform and government ethics in order to strengthen democracy and return government to the American people. Formerly, Nick was the founder and executive director of the Huffington Post Investigative Fund; founder and CEO of the American News Project; Washington director of the Schumann Center for Media and Democracy; publisher of The Washington Monthly magazine; executive editor of TomPaine.com; associate editor of the American Prospect; director of the Alliance for Democracy; editor of the Lincoln Journal; and associate editor of the Missouri Historical Society.
In 2016, he coauthored Nation on the Take. Published by Bloomsbury Press, it received praise from a politically diverse group, including historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, former Republican Senator Alan Simpson, New York Times writer Nicholas Kristof, former George W. Bush communications director Mark McKinnon, and Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.
He has served on multiple nonprofit boards and advisory boards, including the Center for Responsive Politics and the Homeless Empowerment Project.
Nick graduated from St. Lawrence in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy.
DR. JANE SALAMONE '85, P'20
Doctor of Internal Medicine and Executive Medical director of the Primary Care and Ambulatory Specialty Institute, Rochester Regional Health
Dr. Jane Salamone ’85, P’20 is a Doctor of Internal Medicine and Executive Medical Director of the Primary Care & Ambulatory Specialty Institute with Rochester Regional Health. Following her graduation from St. Lawrence, Jane attended the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Rochester.
Jane worked as an attending physician at The Genesee Hospital Emergency department from 1992-1993, and then joined a large hospital-owned multispecialty medical group at Park Ridge Health System from 1993-1997, where she practiced outpatient and inpatient internal medicine. In January 1998, Jane joined Rochester General Health System as an internist and lead (managing) physician at Long Pond Internal Medicine, a hospital-owned medical group, where she continued practicing inpatient and outpatient medicine, as well as manage the clinical aspects of the practice. In 2008, she became the Medical Director for Adult Medicine for Rochester General Health System, responsible for the clinical quality, patient safety, patient experience, physician recruitment and retention, and operational excellence for 19 adult medicine practices in Monroe County.
In January, 2017, following the merger of RGHS with another large health system in Rochester, Jane became the Executive Medical Director of the Primary Care and Ambulatory Specialty Institute at Rochester Regional Health, with responsibilities including clinical quality, excellence in patient care delivery, practice transformation, practice innovation, and patient experience for Rochester Regional's 85 primary care practices. She continues to practice internal medicine, in partnership with a nurse practitioner, one day a week, with the majority of her time now being in health care administration. Jane also serves as the Associate Chief of Medicine at Rochester General Hospital since 2013.
Jane graduated from St. Lawrence University with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biology, and received her MD in 1989 from University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
JEFF SPAFFORD '88
President and CEO, AssistRx
Jeff Spafford ’88 has served as AssistRx’s President and CEO since founding the firm in 2009. AssistRX is a leading Healthcare Information Technology company focused on developing business solutions for the Specialty Pharmaceutical Industry. Mr. Spafford has more than 15 years of experience in leadership roles within the specialty pharmaceutical industry.
He started his career with the General Electric Company. After completing GE’s Financial Management Program, Mr. Spafford joined GE’s Corporate Audit Staff, then a management position with GE Lighting in Budapest, Hungry before returning to pursue his MBA Degree. Upon graduating from Business School, Mr. Spafford started his healthcare focus while management consulting for APM, Inc., in New York City. He led engagements for a variety of healthcare providers including large hospital systems and independent practice associations.
In 1998, Mr. Spafford established OncoScripts, one of the first specialty pharmacies. OncoScripts developed a Chemotherapy Drug Management Model and contracted directly with large, national payers. OncoScripts was soon acquired by CuraScript, a Florida-based specialty pharmacy whose primary focus was on managing specialty drugs on behalf of managed care payers. In 2001, Mr. Spafford relocated to central Florida and transitioned into his new role as Executive Vice President for CuraScript, in which he was responsible for leading sales and marketing. He remained with CuraScript through its acquisition by Express Scripts in 2004.
In 2004, Mr. Spafford co-founded and served as President and CEO of Advanced Care Scripts. He built ACS into one of the leading specialty pharmacy and pharma services organizations in the country. After four successful years, he sold the company and shifted management of the business to Omnicare, Inc. In 2009, Mr. Spafford co-founded AssistRx.
Mr. Spafford earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from St. Lawrence University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.