Home 2026 April 27 (Page 2)

Day: April 27, 2026

Jesse McMillan

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Principal, Westfield Middle School: Age 33

Jesse McMillan comes from a family of educators, and he counts himself lucky to have had teachers who made a big impact on his life — and inspired him to want to do the same.

So, it’s natural that he would find his way into that field.

But the path he’s taken has been anything but typical.

Indeed, he was named principal of New Hingham Regional Elementary School when he was just 24, making him the youngest principal in the Bay State at that time.

“I had people around me who really believed in me and gave me opportunities to grow; that made all the difference,” he said of his quick ascension to a top administrative role. “I loved being in the classroom, but I realized I wanted to have an impact beyond just my own students. Becoming a principal gave me the opportunity to support teachers and improve the experience for an entire building of kids at once.”
This mindset has propelled him to reach higher and seek new challenges, including his current position as principal of Westfield Middle School, where he leads a staff of 100 and provides direction and motivation to 700 students.

And as he goes about his work, he draws inspiration from his own middle school principal. “Every morning he’d greet me with ‘Hey, Jess!’ and it made me feel seen,” he recalled. “That stayed with me. It showed me the kind of impact a principal can have on a student.
“At the end of the day, it’s about people,” he went on. “If students feel safe and supported, and teachers feel valued, everything else starts to fall into place. That’s what I try to build every day.”

He said that he loves all aspects of this job, but especially the fact that no two days are the same, and every day provides a new opportunity for him to learn and build on those experiences.

“That process of continuous learning and refining my approach is what’s helped me grow as a leader,” he said. “And I hope it creates a culture where staff and students feel comfortable taking risks and learning from mistakes as well.”
“I have always seen myself as a learner first,” he continued, adding that this applies to everything from his teaching as an adjunct at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts to learning something completely new like beekeeping. “It all comes back to that same curiosity. I think that mindset makes me a better educator and leader.”

It also makes him a 40 Under Forty honoree.

—George O’Brien

 

Daniel Miller

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Senior Environmental Scientist, Tighe & Bond: Age 34

When the federal workforce was decimated by personnel cuts early in 2025, Daniel Miller was one of the human faces represented by those job loss statistics. But he has found a new place to put his passion for the environment to work, here in Western Mass.

“A lot of federal employees are mission-driven; they’re not in it for the profit,” he said of his years with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, a role from which he had to quickly rebound last year. But in his current position with regional engineering firm Tighe & Bond, he has stepped into leadership roles in dam removals, tidal marsh restorations, cleanup of former industrial sites, and other projects that blend environmental and community benefits.

“It turns out everyone here is mission-driven, too,” Miller explained. “They care about the projects we work on.”

His drive to improve the world around him began early in life, he added. “One of the things I live my life by is leaving something better than you found it. Growing up, I made sure my room was clean and helped with chores, and now, I want to leave our local communities, and our environment, in a better place than we found it.

“That means helping wetlands and marshes and rivers get cleaner and more environmentally sound,” he went on. “The uncertainty from climate change and sea levels rising and extreme temperature warnings is a big issue, too. So my overarching goal is to help these natural systems adapt in the future after I’m gone, so my kids and my grandkids can enjoy the land the same way I have.”

Outside of work, Miller can often be found volunteering in local wetlands and among rivers and ponds, picking up trash, pulling invasive species, and helping keep public trails open. But he also has a passion for fitness, and as a personal trainer and coach, he works with members of the community who might not otherwise visit a gym, from senior citizens to new parents finding time for short workouts, to people managing weight and anxiety without resorting to extreme diets.

“It’s a huge thing to work on mobility and core strength needs as we age,” he said. “But I’ve also seen people get their first pull-up in their 60s and 70s. And it’s great to help people with their relationship with food, teaching them how to eat all-natural whole foods and not so much processed food. It’s been a passion of mine for the better part of 10 years now.”

—Joseph Bednar

Jamillah Joy Medina Nova

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Community Relations Coordinator, Springfield City Library: Age 35

Hers is a career built “at the intersection of public service, entrepreneurship, and community-centered storytelling.”

That’s how Ellen Williams, director of Community Engagement and Education at the Springfield-based nonprofit Learning for Better, summed up Jamillah Joy Medina Nova, as she nominated her for the 40 Under Forty award.

And she’s right on every score.

Indeed, as Community Relations coordinator at the Springfield City Library, Medina Nova leads marketing and community relations efforts that strengthen the library’s visibility, relevance, and partnerships across the city. She also supports outreach and relationship building across neighborhood events and community touch points, helping residents connect with library services and resources.

It’s a job that blends what she calls her ‘favorite things.’

“That includes community involvement, helping young people, and my marketing background, so it’s a perfect fit,” said Medina Nova, who joined the library staff in 2019 and has led initiatives such as the recent drive to secure 10,000 library card signups.

But she’s also an entrepreneur — the founder of LMN Creative, a marketing and branding consulting firm, and the owner of Jamillah Joy Designs, which provides graphic design services, especially to women-owned and BIPOC-owned small businesses.

With LMN Creative, she specializes in helping clients show up on social media — and generate revenue on those platforms.

“I have big plans for a studio in the future, but right now, I’m doing mostly consulting, working behind the scenes to help clients,” said Medina Nova, a graduate of EforAll’s cohort program and the Sphere Northampton’s accelerator program, adding that her portfolio includes several hair salons, wellness studios, and other small businesses.

All this means she’s quite busy, but she finds time to get involved in the community, especially with efforts to support young people, women, and the arts. She is co-troop leader with Girl Scouts of the USA and serves as a board member of the Drama Studio, supporting access to theater and arts education for area children and families. She also volunteers with agencies such as Girls Inc. of the Valley, the YWCA, and Give Kids the World Village.

She also enjoys spending time with her 4-year-old daughter, Luna, “the light of my life,” and serving as an inspiration to her and many others.

“I want to teach my daughter that there are many buckets that can be filled — you just have to appropriate your time properly,” she explained. “This is the city that raised me, so I want to give back in any way I can.”

—George O’Brien

Shannon O’Connell

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Facility Manager, The Good Dog Spot: Age 32

Shannon O’Connell has always had a heart for animals.

“My mom told me the first time I belly laughed as a baby was when we picked up our puppy; the mom dog started barking, and I started belly laughing,” she recalled. “So I guess I’ve always loved animals, even as a baby.”

O’Connell has been fortunate to turn that love into a career at the Good Dog Spot in Chicopee, which she joined in 2011 just out of high school. There, she’s grown through nearly every role in the organization to become facility manager.

“Shannon oversees daily operations across daycare, boarding, and grooming, while also handling scheduling, client relations, and the health and safety standards that define the business,” wrote Cory Staples, general manager of the Good Dog Spot and one of a whopping 10 individuals who nominated O’Connell for 40 Under Forty. “She leads with both competence and compassion.”

She also manages the company’s social media presence, among other responsibilities. But her favorite role is still daycare, she noted. “I love interacting with the dogs and just watching them interact with each other — the different behaviors, the funny things they do, the joy they have to be there socializing.”

But her journey into animal foster care has been impressive as well. In 2012, a rescue organization reached out to the Good Dog Spot, asking for help boarding some 8-week-old puppies until they could find homes.

“They were adorable. I said, ‘well, I can’t leave them at work. I’ll take them home,’” O’Connell recalled. “And that’s how my fostering happened. It was a lot of fun, so I kept asking for more. I started fostering kittens, and now we do a little bit of everything — mostly dogs and cats. I found it to be very rewarding.”

Indeed, she and her partner have opened their home to close to 300 animals, many from the Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center — creating a calm, nurturing environment where they can safely grow, heal, learn to trust, and eventually find forever homes.

O’Connell has also fostered for Canine Companions, which provides service dogs to adults, children, and veterans with disabilities; and facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice, and educational settings — all at no cost to clients.

“I love seeing the growth of each foster while we have them and watching them go to their new home,” she said, “and seeing how loved they are after starting out in the shelter.”

—Joseph Bednar

John Page

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Executive Director, Amherst Business Improvement District: Age 29

It’s called Amherst Restaurant Week.

As that name suggests, it’s a week (in June) designed to promote, celebrate, and introduce people to Amherst’s eclectic mix of dining establishments.

And it’s just one of many initiatives created or enhanced by John Page, executive director of the Amherst Business Improvement District (BID) as he carries out the agency’s mission to support local businesses and cultivate a dynamic and vibrant downtown Amherst. Others include everything from the fall Downtown Block Party and summer concerts on the Common to the holiday-season Sip and Shop Stroll, which encourages holiday shopping.

Expanding that list is among the priorities for Page, a UMass Amherst grad who formerly worked for the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, which shares space with the BID, and came to understand and respect the latter’s mission. After a stint working on events at his alma mater, he eventually decided to seek the BID director’s job after the departure of Gabrielle Gould.

That’s eventually.

“I was reluctant at first because I didn’t know if I was ready,” he said, adding that the BID’s board asked him to help with some projects, such as the Block Party and summer concerts, in the interim, and while doing that, he became convinced he was ready.

And over the past two years, he has become a force in efforts to bring people downtown and create more vibrancy there.

“It’s an interesting time to be in the downtown because there’s a little bit of a renaissance, but there are also some really big challenges,” he said, adding that there’s been a changing of the guard, with the owners of some long-standing businesses retiring, and new ventures taking their places. “We’ve been very lucky to have several new businesses open up, expand, or move into the downtown over the past few years, and there’s still room for more.”

While being active in the community is part of Page’s job description, such work takes many forms and extends well beyond Amherst’s downtown, including service on the board of the Amherst Education Foundation. He also serves as co-chair of the Pelham Cultural Council and has been a lead organizer of Amherst’s LGBTQ+ Pride events in downtown Amherst, including the first-ever Amherst Pride Parade.

And when not doing all that, he loves to travel — including trips to Barcelona, Costa Rica, and Mexico — while always looking forward to returning home to a community where he plays a key role in setting the tone.

—George O’Brien

Robyn Miller

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Owner, MorningBird Media: Age 37

Robyn Miller highly values being a mom — her daughter, Addy, is 8 — and is grateful she was able to launch a successful digital marketing and media business that not only helps clients succeed, but gives her the flexibility to raise her child.

“Everything is built around her — I’ve grown this business since she was little,” Miller said. “It was a bit tumultuous at the beginning, at the beginning of COVID; all the daycares were shut, and it was a very difficult, very isolating time, but we persevered.”

Today, she operates MorningBird Media in Springfield’s downtown Marketplace row, offering strategic marketing, media management, branding, website development, and content production. She’s also in the process of building out a podcast studio, a small product and headshot studio, and other services for clients and the community.

“We want to be more than a standard marketing agency,” Miller said, adding that she enjoys the work because every day is different and she’s constantly learning new things to stay ahead of the industry curve.

“The digital landscape evolves every day, so there’s an urgency to evolve with it — or be antiquated,” she noted. “I enjoy that there’s always something new to learn, and our product suite never stops evolving. What worked today might not work tomorrow, so it’s up to us to make sure we’re steering that ship properly.”

As part of that evolution, MorningBird has expanded into AI education and marketing master classes, equipping business owners with tools that prepare them for what’s next.

A connector outside of work as well, Miller has served in multiple leadership roles with the Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts, founded the Western Massachusetts Women’s Business Network, organized events such as the Creative Unconference at Holyoke Community College, and worked with area colleges to create internship and training opportunities for students.

In recent years, Miller and her husband owned the ShopRite of Enfield, through which they launched an initiative, in partnership with area middle and high schools, to present “The Act of Kindness Award.” This effort was inspired by the nonprofit agency Rachel’s Challenge. At the program’s peak, 84 students a year, in eight schools in four towns were presented awards and recognition for their efforts. When they began new business ventures, they passed the program to the North Central CT Chamber of Commerce, where it has continued, and Miller is looking to start a similar endeavor in Western Mass.

“We were also making donations to the charity of their choice,” she explained. “The award had nothing to do with their grades or how good an athlete they were — just simply, ‘you’re a good person.’”

—Joseph Bednar

 

Leanese Ramos

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Owner, RCollaborative: Age 36

Leanese and Gio Ramos had a decision to make.

She was working in their church, in a marketing and communications role, while he was working for a local utility when he was suddenly laid off. Both people of faith, they talked to their pastor about what to do.

“He said, ‘definitely look for another job — but in the meantime, do you have any skills that are immediately marketable that you can monetize?’” she recalled. “And we did — we had all this knowledge for marketing and content creation.”

So, in 2019, they launched RCollaborative, a strategic marketing and content creation agency. In the first year alone, while Leanese was pregnant, they built a six-figure enterprise, and have grown exponentially from there.

“The operational backbone, the discipline, and the strategic structure … came from her,” Gio said in nominating his wife for 40 Under Forty. “Her strength is operational clarity. She brings structure where others bring ideas. She creates frameworks because she refuses to let businesses operate in chaos.”

Both see the enterprise as an example of solid teamwork.

“We own this business as a couple, and everything we do is through the lens of our faith to make decisions for our clients,” she said. “And we’ve also built a business around our strengths as a couple. You have to identify your strengths; you have to be able to create your own roles and not step on each other’s toes, and that has helped in our growth.”

In working for clients ranging from mom-and-pop restaurants to a multiple-location gym, Ramos said she most enjoys the personal connection with clients. “I get the most joy from having conversations with somebody, identifying with them, and figuring out what their issues are.”

She’s also still very active in Restoration City Church in Springfield — she directs its online campus, a program she helped build from the ground up — as well as serving as vice president of the Ad Club of Western Massachusetts and on the Greater Holyoke Chamber of Commerce’s membership committee.

She also co-created Una Noche en Puerto Rico in collaboration with MGM Springfield, Explore Western Mass, the Latino Economic Development Council, and the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee.

Summing all this up, she said, “I want people to know I am someone who deeply cares about the community we call home, which is why we are so involved in these different things outside of our business. And I live my life through the lens of my faith, putting family first and building something significant from that.”

—Joseph Bednar

Bianca Romero

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Residence Life, Adjunct Professor, Bay Path University/Cambridge College: Age 29

Bianca Romero’s title is a long one, and indeed, it encompasses quite a few responsibilities, she said.

“But my biggest goal is always to help our students feel like Bay Path and Cambridge are their home away from home — to help them engage and find themselves,” she explained. “Every day, I think about how each student can change the world, and what I can do to help them get closer to their goals and bring their skills outside campus and into the community.”

Romero’s work can be fun — hosting fun events and promoting residential life — and less so, when having tough conversations around crisis response and student safety. She founded and scaled up residence hall associations at both institutions, led new student orientation strategy, implemented RA and RD training programs, launched a graduate student association, and much more.

“But the goal, every day, is to help students become leaders,” she said, and that applies to her work as an adjunct professor as well, teaching classes in legal studies, business, and criminal justice. “I remember being in their shoes, being nervous, having imposter syndrome as a first-generation college student. Whether it’s online or in person, I think about those moments and ask myself, how can I connect with students no matter where they are academically, financially, or emotionally?”

Early on, Romero took steps toward a career in law enforcement, graduating with honors from the NYPD Cadet Corps program aspiring to work in community policing, and later shifted gears, enrolling at Bay Path for legal studies, hoping to one day defend and advocate for people. But she then became student government president and met Bay Path’s then-president, Carol Leary, who mentored her. “I never in my life thought about being a college president until I met her,” Romero said, but that is, indeed, her current long-range goal.

“As a child, I wanted to be a businesswoman, a lawyer, in law enforcement, in community building — but education holds all of those things,” she explained.

“When you’re able to educate and give opportunities to people who never thought they’d have those opportunities, you are changing the world,” she went on. “You’re making the world a better place and building communities. Now it’s not only you, but others who can go out and use what you’re teaching them to make the world a better, safer, happier place, especially in the climate we’re in now.”

—Joseph Bednar

Amanda Shafii

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Owner, CopyCat; President, Downtown Northampton Assoc.: Age 35

Amanda Shafii wasn’t thinking about entrepreneurship when she earned a psychology and neuroscience degree at UMass Amherst, but when a business ownership opportunity emerged, she found she had a passion for it.

“My parents had started a printing business in 1985 and created a commercial company called TigerPress,” she said, and when they were selling off their former CopyCat shops, Shafii decided to take over the one in Greenfield.

“I’d moved back to the area, and they needed a manager. So I started managing that store in 2015 with the intention of selling it. But I fell in love with being a business owner, so I moved the business to Northampton.”

“I really enjoyed the sense of community and saw how shopping small and supporting small businesses is important to keep a diverse downtown. Instead of having all big box stores, we have a lot of unique shops. I also really love the fact that, as a business owner, the sky’s the limit — you can do whatever you want.”

The first thing she changed was the company’s outdated logo, and she also created a new website and focused on modern services like digital design, which hadn’t been offered before.

“The next major pivot was during COVID when we started being a B2B instead of a B2C, focusing on our business customers,” Shafii said. “I realized how much I loved helping entrepreneurs, not just with the printing part, but with the strategy part.

“That’s where my neuroscience degree becomes helpful,” she added. “When you work with CopyCat, we are your strategic partner for smart design and print marketing. It’s an opportunity to watch a customer make smart investments in their business and see the results.”

These days, Shaffi also serves as president of the Downtown Northampton Assoc., which seeks economic and cultural vibrancy through programming, festivals, beautification efforts, and business collaboration. She was already volunteering on a host of local boards — “I have a problem saying no to things,” she noted — and leading the association was a natural next step.

“The goal is always foot traffic and bringing unique art downtown. It’s a cycle: if things are happening, it gets busier. My specialty is marketing and getting the word out on social media and trying to have a very strong digital presence that gets a lot of views and engagement. So my goal for downtown would be to see business owners succeeding and see amazing, unique artists gravitating toward this area because of what Northampton stands for.”

—Joseph Bednar

Corrine Ryan

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Managing Attorney – Hampden County, Community Legal Aid: Age 37

Corrine Ryan wasn’t sure what she would do with the law degree she was earning at Georgetown University Law Center. But she knew it would be in the broad realm of public interest law, which is dedicated to representing and advocating for the rights and interests of individuals or groups that are typically underrepresented or marginalized in society.

And that is exactly the path she has followed, rising to the role of managing attorney at Community Legal Aid (CLA), which provides free civil legal help to low-income and elderly residents in Central and Western Mass. across several practice areas, ranging from eviction defense to education law; immigration to Social Security.

Ryan doesn’t handle many cases in this role; instead, her multi-faceted work is focused on staff development, professional development, grant writing, meeting with legislators to secure adequate funding, community engagement to build awareness of what CLA does, and direct oversight of its many operations, from the more than 100 calls the office receives each day to implementation of new programs.

Since becoming managing attorney, she has led several new initiatives, including the Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA) Medical Legal Partnership, a collaboration between CLA attorneys and CCA medical staff that gave critical legal help in 350 cases to poor and elderly patients presenting with health-harming legal needs between 2022 and 2025, as well as the Family Preservation Project, a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary team that helps families with open child welfare investigations, with the goal of keeping families intact.

“It’s an access-to-justice gap, really, and we try to fill that gap by providing representation to people who can’t afford attorneys,” Ryan said, adding that one of her biggest challenges is coping with the reality that CLA must turn away half the people who apply for help because it simply doesn’t have the capacity.

Active in the community, she serves on the board at Square One, an agency she’s passionate about, most recently as board chair. In addition, she is a board member with the Hampden County Bar Assoc.

Meanwhile, in her day job, she finds all aspects of the work — and fighting those legal battles — immensely rewarding.

“You can really move the needle in a huge way and change people’s lives,” she explained. “Whether it’s defending against a conviction or helping people get services in schools … we win a lot of the time, but even when we don’t, it’s that dignity and representation; they had their fair shake at due process.”

—George O’Brien

Aimee Salmon

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

CEO, Positively Africana by Aimee: Age 35

Aimee Salmon’s entrepreneurial journey began 18 years ago as a student at Mount Holyoke College, when a professor assigned students to start a business.

But her vision for that enterprise — and her personal journey — started earlier than that, before she immigrated to the U.S. from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Her business, Positively Africana by Aimee, brings authentic handmade gifts and cultural items to market in her downtown Northampton store, as well as nationwide through an e-commerce platform. She also offers African dance fitness classes in person and online. In all of this, she creates economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs and artists in Africa, while 25% of her profits directly support women in the Congo — funds that help create sustainable income opportunities, strengthen local businesses, and preserve cultural traditions through women-led entrepreneurship.

“I grew up in the Congo, and I wanted to create something that was not just a job, but a legacy to my grandmother and the women I saw working every day in my hometown in the Congo,” Salmon explained. “I also realized a need for cultural representation, through everyday African stories. I wanted to bring my voice and my entrepreneurial passion to this platform to highlight those stories and bring them to life, building a community around fitness and retail and media and storytelling — they’re all interconnected.”

The 10 individuals who nominated Salmon for 40 Under Forty all wrote eloquently of the connections she is forging between cultures — which is also reflected in her board service with the International Language Institute (ILI).

“Aimee’s business is not just retail — it is bridge-building,” ILI Executive Director Caroline Gear wrote. “As someone who has watched her leadership up close, I can say that Aimee combines entrepreneurial drive with deep integrity. She builds partnerships thoughtfully, invests in community relationships, and leads with purpose. Her business success is inseparable from her commitment to cultural representation and economic empowerment.”

In fact, Salmon said, her success is gratifying precisely because of its worldwide impact.

“It’s a work of love. I do it from the heart because knowing that I’m helping someone every day feels good to my soul. When people are supporting us here in the United States, the people we work with in the Congo and other regions in Africa are growing as well. Just watching their growth, seeing their businesses thrive, gives me so much joy and fulfillment. The African impact is a big piece of what I’m trying to accomplish here.”

—Joseph Bednar

Nicole Stevenson

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Vice President, Consumer Lending, PeoplesBank: Age 36

Nicole Stevenson’s career path didn’t arc toward banking at first; she majored in early childhood education, but after an internship, she decided that might not be the field for her.

“I was at a standstill, wondering, what’s my next career move?” she recalled. Fortunately, she secured a job with Hampden Bank as a teller, and something clicked. “I loved the interaction with customers, and every day was different — so I learned as much as possible and stayed with it.”

Now, as vice president, Consumer Lending at PeoplesBank, Stevenson still has a varied set of roles that keep those days from getting stale, directing consumer lending processing, internet origination, compliance, and loan servicing. With 17 years of banking experience under her belt, she has risen through the ranks with a steady series of promotions.

“I’m not seeing customers anymore, but I get to help people in a different aspect — more strategic, making sure they have the products they need, making sure they’re getting into their first home and have a seamless experience and someone to support them, making sure customers have the best experience at PeoplesBank and know we’re their partner along the way.”

Stevenson’s leadership extends well beyond the workplace. She currently serves as second vice president of the West Springfield Boys & Girls Club, where she is also an active member of the fund committee and co-chair of the emerging leaders committee. She has also volunteered with Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, the West Springfield St. Patrick’s Committee, the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade Committee, the Agawam St. Patrick’s Committee, the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England, and Credit for Life in Springfield, where she served as a booth chair helping educate young people about financial literacy.

“I’ve always worked for community banks, and I’ve always tried to find institutions that align with the same values as me. So I’m glad to work at a bank that promotes time away from the office to volunteer in the community,” she explained.

Having worked with area Colleens for a decade, she said it’s been “so great to teach someone about Irish heritage but also support them as they navigate high school and college. And with the Boys & Girls Club, when I see how happy the kids are to be with their friends, playing basketball, doing arts and crafts, working in the STEM lab … it brings joy to my heart.”

—Joseph Bednar

Brandon Towle

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Executive Director, Camp Words Unspoken: Age 29

Brandon Towle says he’s never let his stutter get in the way of anything he wanted to do, be it earning a degree in business administration at Holyoke Community College or his current work as manager of Rolling Meadows Country Club in Ellington, Conn., or his multiple passions, including golf and collecting sports memorabilia.

“I started to stutter when I was 5, and throughout my schooling, I worked with several speech therapists to live with my stutter,” he said, adding that, with help from those therapists and others, he was able to gain the confidence and courage (both are necessary) to move past his stutter.

And today, he is helping others do the same through a Pittsfield-based nonprofit he founded called Camp Words Unspoken, the first facility of its kind in New England — its name chosen because, with stutterers, many of their words indeed go unspoken.

There, attendees ages 7 to 17 stay for four nights and, through speech therapy, recreational activities, and interaction with others who stutter, gain both self-confidence and self-awareness.

“Many of them feel alone many months of the year, but when they attend Camp Words Outspoken, they feel like a star,” said Towle, adding that attendees gather in ‘speech groups’ to talk about their stutter — and their lives.

“We do so many different activities at camp that make these children and teens feel welcome, but also feel like a shining star, so when they do leave camp, they gain more self-confidence, so they can now do something they’ve never done before,” such as ordering from a restaurant menu, he went on.

Inspired by a camp he attended in the Midwest for teens who stutter, Camp Words Unspoken has become a passion for Towle. Applying lessons learned in an entrepreneurship class at HCC, he handles all aspects of the operation, including marketing, fundraising, recruitment, program and leadership development, special events, and building donor relationships.

And to help families that cannot pay the full camp tuition, he created a fundraising golf tournament. Now approaching its seventh edition, the tournament draws more than 100 players and 36 hole sponsors to support this worthy cause.

As noted, the camp is a passion, but only one of many for Towle, who puts golf in that category, as well as collecting sports memorabilia (he counts a rare Tom Brady signed helmet among his prized possessions) and rooting for Boston’s sports teams.

It’s all part of a packed life — one unimpeded by his stuttering.

—George O’Brien

Yeselie Tulloch

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Co-founder, Academic Leadership Assoc.: Age 37

Yeselie Tulloch has a lot on common with her husband, Vilenti — everything from entrepreneurial drive and a passion for helping young people to a deep commitment to family.

And now, they share something else — the designation of 40 Under Forty honoree. Vilenti secured his place in 2024, and now Yeselie is not only a member of the class of 2026, but the highest scorer among more than 120 nominees.

They owe their membership in this club primarily to the efforts to launch (in the middle of COVID) and expand the Academic Leadership Assoc. (ALA), a business and nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young people through school-based mentoring, literacy, support, social-emotional development, and self-advocacy programming.

In her role, Yeselie, who earned an MBA from Bay Path University with a concentration in entrepreneurial and small business operations, manages business operations — she helped develop the business plan — and plays a central role in overseeing organizational activities and strategic scaling efforts.

She said ALA has grown steadily and now has contracts with several area communities, including Springfield, East Longmeadow, Holyoke, and East Windsor, Conn. The agency recently launched a program involving Colonial Estates, a housing project in Springfield; the agency is piloting youth programs for the 500 families living there.

As she carries out her work and advances the agency’s mission, Tulloch draws on her own personal experiences for inspiration — and a drive to succeed.

“As a child growing up in Springfield, I come from a teen parent,” she explained, adding that she can relate to the challenges facing those served by the agency. “We’re providing student services to students that go underneath the radar. We’re mentoring and empowering youth — basically, being the adult I wish I had.

“Education is something that’s really important to me — that was instilled by my grandmother as a child,” she went on. “That’s why it’s so important to me to work with children and just be that adult that some kids might not have.”

Tulloch was recently honored by the Mason Square C3 Committee in Springfield in Springfield for her community service and her role in supporting young people throughout the region. This recognition highlights her strong leadership in youth empowerment, mentorship, and building partnerships within the community.

And for all those reasons and more, she is now not only a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2026 — she sits at the top of that class.

—George O’Brien

Isaac Weiner

By
40 Under 40 Class of 2026

Owner, Familiars Coffee & Tea and Florence Pie Bar: Age 37

It’s called the Great Northampton Haunt.

This is an ambitious, 31-day, city-wide event designed to drive tourism, activate public spaces, and extend economic activity during October. And it’s just one example of how Isaac Weiner, co-founder of the Haunt, has become much more than a restaurateur doing business in Emerald City.

Indeed, he has become a force in economic developments within the city, efforts to promote its base of restaurants and retail establishments, and activities that increase foot traffic downtown, as we’ll see.

But first … he’s not just a restaurateur, but a successful one. He’s the co-owner, with his partner, Danny McColgan, of two popular eateries in Northampton — Familiars Coffee & Tea on Strong Street, and Florence Pie Bar on Main Street. Both establishments have become celebrated for their offerings, distinctive character, and ability to create welcoming experiences for their guests.

Success with these eateries helps explain why Weiner is a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2026, but perhaps a bigger part of the story is his growing involvement in efforts to promote and bring more vibrancy to Northampton.

In addition to the Haunt, this involvement includes work with Summer on Strong, a transformative outdoor dining and social experience that has grown into a premier seasonal destination, and the Market Street Market, a seasonal marketplace created to amplify visibility for businesses in that section of the city.

Launched during the pandemic, Summer on Strong has become an institution in the city and the region, a summer-long block party, bringing together live music and food from several restaurants in a festive atmosphere — a section of Strong Street closed to vehicular traffic.

“That first year we closed down the street, we had live music, we had a ton of outdoor dining, and I think at that time we all knew we had just done something spectacular,” he said, adding that the celebration has been back each year by popular demand and through the support of the city and the hard work of organizers.

Meanwhile, Weiner currently serves as vice chair of the board of the Downtown Northampton Assoc., and he was recently appointed to the board of the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce.

Add it all up, and Weiner is much more than someone doing business in Northampton, He’s someone committed to the economic vitality and long-term sustainability of the city’s vibrant and ever-evolving downtown.

—George O’Brien