Page 54 - BusinessWest September 28, 2020

Modesto Montero
Founder and Executive Director, Libertas Academy Charter School; Age 31; Education: UMass Amherst (BA)
Under Montero’s leadership, Libertas Academy Charter School, in its third year of operation, is on track to be one of the highest-performing middle schools in the area, with plans to expand to a high school in the near future.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I grew up very poor, but I was fortunate to have been raised in a Christian home. My upbringing fostered a sense of focus and a dedication to finding a way to make a difference in my community in a worthwhile career. As an immigrant, I initially thought about
becoming an immigration lawyer, but while in college, I worked for an Upward Bound program as a mentor and tutor, and I instantly fell in love with working with young people in communities like the ones our school serves. So I decided to teach, and have continued my career as an educator. It’s been a wild and rewarding experience that has far exceeded my expectations.
What three words best describe you? Focus, relator, futuristic.
What are you passionate about? John Wesley, an 18th-century Methodist theologian, wrote, “do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” This quote really captures the core
of what I am most passionate about, which is fighting for social justice and equity. Not to be morbid, but when I die, I want to know that I did all the good that I could, for as long as I could.
What person, past or present, would you like to have lunch with, and why? My answer is so cliché and likely overused, but Barack Obama. He has been the most influential and consequential leader of my generation. I vividly remember the night he was elected; I cried. Obama continues to be a source of inspiration for so many black and brown kids — kids that, for so long,
didn’t see themselves in our presidents or in most of our leaders. The power of representation cannot be overstated, and its impact has the type of ripple effect that can change the world. My one demand is that he brings Michelle to lunch because we know she is a powerhouse in her own right!
Photo by LifeTouchPhotography
Tom Naro
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Owner, My PT; Age 37
Education: Springfield College (MS), A.T. Still University (tDPT)
As a doctor of physical therapy frustrated
by restrictions created by health-insurance companies that hindered the care and recovery of his patients, Naro created a new business model focused on patient-based care. He
takes the time to holistically evaluate a client and teaches preventive measures to avoid the recurrence of the issue, all the while focused on the treatment of the discomfort, ailment, condition, or injury. My PT has evolved from house calls to a brick-and-mortar location in Southwick. Among his civic work, he’s been instrumental in the success of a bowling fundraiser in memory of a childhood friend to benefit the Westfield Baseball League and the Babe Ruth League of Westfield, and he has begun to connect to Friends of the Southwick Rail Trail.
What did you want to be when you grew up? I always wanted to be a doctor, but in the fourth grade, I wanted to be a cardiologist.
What three words best describe you?
Compassionate, understanding, visionary.
What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career? Opening a custom physical-therapy clinic for My PT in 2019.
What are you passionate about? Helping others be better healers for themselves.
What do you do for fun? Being outdoors hiking, golfing, or going to rock concerts.
How do you relieve stress? Exercise by stretching, running, cycling, or practicing kicks.
What actor would play you in a movie about your life? Nicolas Cage.
Who inspires you, and why? My mom because, as a nurse, she cared for thousands of patients at Holyoke Medical Center. She worked throughout her parenting life because she wanted to provide for her family and her children’s future.
What person, past or present, would
you like to have lunch with, and why? My grandmother, my mother’s mom, because we had lunches together when I was young. She passed away when I was 6 years old. I was too young to have an adult conversation with her. She would make tuna sandwiches with potato chips between the slices of bread, and for dessert, she made an angel-food cake that was perfectly sweet and airy. I’d like to hear her talk about her life and any pearls of wisdom she had to offer.
A30 SEPTEMBER 28, 2020
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