American International College Appoints Five New Members to Board of Trustees

SPRINGFIELD — American International College (AIC) announced the appointment of five new members to its board of trustees, effective July 1. The new trustees are Charlie Carroll, John Falcone, Stefania Raschilla, Rachel Romano, and Rebecca Thibault. These additions bring a wealth of experience in education, finance, law, and business leadership to the college’s governing board.

Carroll is a financial advisor for Edward Jones Investment Co. A graduate of AIC with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, he began his career as a financial planner with American Express. Over the years, he has held leadership roles with nationally recognized firms, including Liberty Mutual, TD Bank, TD Ameritrade, and First Country Bank, serving in positions ranging from head of Sales to senior vice president.

In addition to his undergraduate degree, Carroll holds a level II certified financial planner certification. He is actively involved in his community, volunteering with Xavier High School in Middletown, Conn., as well as with local youth football and cheerleading organizations, and was recently asked to join the executive leadership committee for the New Haven, Conn. Walk for Alzheimer’s Assoc.

Falcone began his career as an acquisitions analyst at Colony Hills Capital before joining his family’s business, Rocky’s Ace Hardware. Since then, he has held several roles within the company, including category manager and director of merchandising. In his current position as process engineer, he focuses on streamlining operations, developing scalable processes, and advancing innovation to strengthen organizational performance.

Falcone earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Bentley University and an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship from the FW Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College.

Raschilla has served as the superintendent of schools in West Springfield since May 2023, overseeing nine schools and nearly 4,000 students. She has worked in urban public education since 1999, beginning her career in the Springfield Public Schools. Over the years, she has served in a range of roles, including elementary school teacher, reading director, principal, and chief instructional officer.

Raschilla earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Saint Mary’s College and a master of education degree in reading from American International College. She also holds a professional license from the Massachusetts Department of Education.

Romano is the founder and executive director of Veritas Prep Charter School in Springfield, which was established in 2012 as a middle school and has since expanded to include a high school. Before founding Veritas Prep, she served as a teacher and school leader in the Springfield Public Schools and as executive director of the Christa McAuliffe Regional Charter School in Framingham.

Romano earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Syracuse University and a master of education degree in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts. She was selected as a 2010 fellow with Building Excellent Schools.

Thibault is a shareholder and co-managing partner at Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy, P.C., where she focuses on advising and representing businesses and institutions in corporate and transactional matters, including real estate. Her clients include educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses across a range of sectors.

Thibault earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Trinity College and a juris doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, where she served as managing editor of the Washington University Global Studies Law Review. She currently serves on the board of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts and is on the personnel committee of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Each December, she leads the firm’s team in the Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage in Northampton, raising funds and awareness to support survivors of domestic violence.