Nine alumnae ranging from the Class of 1976 to the Class of 2016 have joined Westover’s Alumnae Association Board of Governors this fall following elections earlier this year.

Founded in 1951, the Board of Governors serves as a liaison between the School and more than 4,000 alumnae around the world. Working in conjunction with the Alumnae and Development Office, the Governors’ volunteer work focuses on fundraising for the Westover Fund, engaging the community through events and outreach, and partnering with the Alumnae Office to create programming and opportunities around diversity and inclusion.

Aixamarie Carmona ’05

Aixamarie is the College and Career Placement Counselor at KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy, a charter school dedicated to preparing students in educationally underserved communities for success in college and life and erasing the nationwide racial disparity in college enrollment rates.

A resident of Newark, New Jersey, Aixamarie is on the Board of the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling. She has a bachelor’s in English Literature and a master’s in Organizational Leadership from Rider University.

A West, Aixamarie was First Head of Glee during her senior year at Westover.

Lindsay Clark ’02

Lindsay brings to her new role as an Alumnae Association Governor both her extensive experience working in the field of finance and her many years of service as a volunteer for the Alumnae Office.

A resident of Indialantic, Florida, Lindsay works for Nuance Communications as a Principal Mergers and Acquisitions Integration Analyst. Prior to her move to Florida in 2010, Lindsay lived and worked in the Boston area.

During her tenure at Nuance, Lindsay has held several positions in the finance organization, starting as an intern in 2006. Her work has included the integration of more than 60 companies into Nuance’s financial systems and business process. In 2019, Lindsay worked to establish the financial systems and processes for Nuance’s spin-off of its automotive division.

Lindsay holds a B.S. in Corporate Finance and Accounting, with minors in International Studies and Information Technology, and an M.S. in Finance, both from Bentley University. Lindsay studied at the European Business School at Regent’s University in London in the spring of 2005.

Over the years, Lindsay has served as a Class Agent, is a past Reunion Chair for her class, and has attended a number of School events in Florida.

While at Westover, Lindsay was captain of the varsity basketball team during her senior year and went on the community service trip to Jackson County, Kentucky, in the summer of 2001.

Melissa Franqui ’97

Melissa (she/her/ella) is thrilled to join Westover’s Board of Governors to work to strengthen alumnae connections and networks, and to influence school policies in order to achieve positive and equitable outcomes.

Most recently, Melissa accepted a new role in the fight for reproductive rights and health care. She is the director of philanthropic communications for Planned Parenthood’s national office. Melissa has almost 20 years of experience in communications and marketing for nonprofits, including expertise in digital strategy, media relations, multimedia storytelling, planning and reactive organizational responses.

Before joining Planned Parenthood, Melissa was the director of strategic communications and public engagement at Race Forward, a national nonprofit working to advance racial justice through research, media, and practice. She leveraged her skill set to build awareness and audiences, position the organization and its leaders, and galvanize supporters.

Prior to that, she was a communications manager at the Drug Policy Alliance, and advocated for drug policies rooted in science, compassion, health, and human rights. She was also the director of communications and public affairs at Abyssinian Development Corporation, a powerhouse community and cultural institution fighting for housing, human services, and education for the long-time residents of Harlem, New York City. Melissa began her career coordinating walk-a-tons in Central Park to raise awareness and funds for people with breast or ovarian cancer.

While at Westover, Melissa advanced academically and was involved in all matters of school life. She was the First Head of Wests during her junior year and the First Head of School her senior year. She played field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. She took part in one of our student exchanges, and traveled to Amman, Jordan. She also led Westover’s African American & Latinx Student Association (WALSA). Melissa went on to Wellesley College on full scholarship and graduated with a B.A. in English Literature. Melissa is also the aunt of Saint Heard ’19, who now attends Oberlin College.

Melissa is enthusiastically committed to racial justice and is dedicated to seeing equity realized in our communities. Melissa is a devoted mom, aunt, and proud daughter of parents from Puerto Rico. She enjoys science fiction, tennis, bike rides, and going on walks with her feisty bulldog, Murphy. She is a life-long resident of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Karen Hall ’79

“Westover taught me many things,” Karen said, “but primarily I learned how to learn and to trust that I could be anything I wanted to be. Cogitare, Agere, Esse has been the motto of my life from that point forward.”

“I was a four-year Dewitt Wallace Scholarship recipient,” Karen explained. “When I applied to Westover for a place in the freshman Class of 1979, my sister, Annette Hall Quezada ’76, was starting her senior year. As a middle class and hard-working family, my parents could not have afforded to have both of us attend Westover, but through the help and dedication of the Westover staff, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime.”

While at Westover, Karen was First Head of Wests during her junior year, First Head of Drama, and a four-year, three-season varsity sports player in basketball, softball, and soccer.

Karen has remained connected to Westover since her graduation. She is a member of the Hillard Society, a past Reunion Chair, and a consistent supporter of the Westover Fund.

A dentist from Kennebunk, Maine, Karen has run her own practice for 20 years. She is a graduate of Tufts University and the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine.

Her outside interests include travel, history (“thank you, Miss Norman”), photography, as well as hiking and biking. “I also have volunteered as an EMT in my community in Maine, as well as a hospice- and hospital-based volunteer with my boxer, Winston, as a therapy dog team.”

“I look forward to being a part of Westover’s Board of Governors,” Karen said, “and I hope to learn more about my beloved school and help promote and strengthen her future.”

Domenique Harrison ’08

Domenique is an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology and a Curriculum Developer at the DMH-UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence, where she develops curriculum and trainings around a number of topics, including Implicit Bias, Professional Wellbeing, and Trauma and Resilience Informed Care.

A resident of Los Angeles, California, Domenique has a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University as well as a master’s degree in Public Health from New York University. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in History at Haverford College.

While at Westover, Domenique played varsity basketball and ran cross country, wrote for The Lantern magazine, was a member of the Glee Club, and served as Head Proctor during her senior year.

A West, Domenique is the twin sister of Danielle Harrison, who is also a member of Westover’s Class of 2008.

Kristin Hartley Leithiser ’76

“Westover is very present in my life as my Westover friendships are active and well,” Kristin said. “I also have evoked my teachers of the past in my own teaching. I always told myself I would show that I loved what I taught.”

A longtime, passionate teacher with a degree in English from the University of Maine, Kristin is well-versed in the challenges of preparing young women to take on an ever-changing world.

After working as an English teacher for 35 years, Kristin recently retired from Hampden Academy in Hampden, Maine — but not quite.

“Although I have retired,” Kristin said, “I have returned to Hampden Academy part-time. I am teaching AP Language and Composition, and I am coordinating the BARR (Building Assets, Reducing Risks) program, a nationwide initiative that focuses on the fresh-man transition to high school, team building, etc.”

A recipient of the Elizabeth Corkran Gamble Prize for Poetry at her Westover graduation, Kristin said, “I continue to write poetry and essays, and one of my favorite parts of teaching is the teaching of writing — I have taught Creative Writing, Expository Writing and AP Language.”

Kristin noted that she also has been “making the pilgrimage” to the biennial Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival for the past 20 years, and “I often have run into a Westover contingent there.”

A West, Kristin was Head of Glee and an Undertone at Westover. “I miss singing with a group,” she added, “but I continue to sound just marvelous as I sing in the car. I also love to cook and to read, and I especially love to read while I stare at water.”

Kristin resides in Old Town, Maine, and is committed to offering her talents to the communities she loves — including Westover.

“I am excited about being part of the Board of Governors as many of my close Westover friends have said how much they enjoyed their time on the board,” Kristin said. “Westover gave me so much and I would like to offer what I might have.”

Jamie Mathurin ’16

Jamie credits her experiences at Westover for preparing her as she begins her professional career.

“The four years I attended Westover were pivotal in shaping who I am today,” Jamie said. “If it weren’t for my experiences at Westover, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I look forward to being on the Board of Governors, so that I may give back to the school I love.”

Jamie is a recent graduate of Pace University Lubin School of Business, where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance. In the fall of 2020, Jamie began her career in finance as a Citi Private Bank Analyst.

“My job entails working with high-net-worth individuals and top law firm partners to help manage their wealth and plan for their families’ futures,” Jamie explained.

During her time at Westover, Jamie was a member of the Invest in Girls Program. In addition, she served as Third Head of Overs and was a varsity volleyball team captain.

Jamie resides in New York City.

Laura Mullins Nolen ’89 P’22

Laura became a Westover parent last year when her daughter Ruth became a member of the Class of 2022.

“I think Ruth’s attending Westover has brought us closer together, which I love,” Laura noted.

Laura herself has maintained a close connection to the School since her own time as a student. She has served as a past Class Agent and an Admissions Representative, and has been a consistent leadership donor of the Westover Fund.

An in-house attorney at Trane Technologies, Laura said the English skills she gained at Westover still play a role in her professional work. “The grammar I learned at Westover has been invaluable as I’ve drafted various agreements and disclosure documents,” she explained, adding, “I didn’t enjoy learning grammar at the time, but I am very glad Westover taught it so well.”

An Over, Laura also values the “amazing friends” she met at Westover.

Laura holds a degree in Art History from Trinity University and later graduated from the University of Chicago Law School.

Laura and her husband, David, live in Cornelius, North Carolina. Thanks to a new-found Westover connection, Laura and David are currently learning Korean. “We became interested when one of Ruth’s friends from Westover, who is from Korea, spent time with us this spring,” she explained. “Our progress is very slow, but it’s a good, long-term challenge.”

Milcah Zewdie ’10

Milcah (she/hers) is a joint JD/MPH student at Georgetown University Law Center and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

She graduated from Boston University in 2014 with a B.A. in Environmental Science and a minor in Public Health.

Since her time as Dorcas Head, Milcah has remained passionate about environmental and health justice. During college, she studied abroad in Geneva, Switzerland, where she designed a 7-million-euro project to incorporate renewable energy technologies into Kenyan health centers and presented her project to dozens of leaders at the World Health Organization headquarters and the International AIDS Society.

After graduating, Milcah worked at the Human Impacts Institute as an Environmental Leadership Intern, at the New York City Department of Education to support students with learning and behavioral challenges, and at the Natural Resources Defense Council, where she met with residents of Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey, regarding the lead in their drinking water.

During law school, Milcah has worked pro bono with the Health Justice Alliance Clinic and is volunteering with Mothers Outreach Network.

Milcah spent her summer during quarantine as a Summer Litigation Fellow at Georgetown’s Civil Litigation Clinic and is currently interning at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Milcah is fluent in Amharic and, in her free time, enjoys baking Half Baked Harvest recipes and taking aerial lyra classes. Milcah is a West and is originally from the Bronx.