People Type: Alumni

Everett Baker ’13

A love for chemistry was activated in Rob Bradley’s science classes, and Baker matriculated to Worcester Polytechnic Institute into its chemical engineering program. Once there, he refined his interest and majored in chemistry with a minor in material science. His years at WPI included an internship at the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Baker’s first position after college was for Worthen Industries, manufacturer of specialty adhesives, coatings, coated products, and thermoplastic extrusion, located in Nashua, NH. Baker was part of the research development lab, where he was responsible for developing new products. He worked collaboratively with several well-known companies, including New Balance and Nike. After three years at Worthen, Baker decided to pursue his Ph.D. He is currently a doctoral student at Missouri University of Science and Technology, where his concentration is in explosive engineering. He expects to complete the program in two years. Part of his doctoral research includes studies of explosives and brain injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder prevention in soldiers for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. His current project involves the creation of graphene by combining and combusting materials together in small chambers. Graphene is a form of elemental carbon that has the potential to be used for impactful advances in cancer treatments and drug delivery systems. Graphene is extremely expensive and hard to supply so Baker is conducting experiments to determine if alternate, cost-effective materials and solutions exist. Once this project has run its course, he is hoping to publish his findings and plans to write his thesis this year. Baker is delighted to be part of a Ph.D. program that had the potential to change and advance the treatment of diseases.

When not immersed in groundbreaking experiments, Baker enjoys exploring the outdoors. Two of his favorite hobbies are rock climbing and competing in shooting competitions. He also renews his EMT Basic certification every two years and continues to foster his goal of making a difference in this world.

“Derryfield made me a great communicator. It gave me the knowledge to verbally express my ideas but to also be proficient in explaining my ideas on paper too. Derryfield helped me in so many ways, but it really helped me when it came to my skills in writing, proofreading, editing, and research writing. I was overly prepared for college and above college level in writing once I got there.”

Kathleen Booth ’88

Kathleen Booth graduated from Derryfield with a love for activism, politics, service, Spanish, and problem-solving. With advice from Chuck Sanborn, a college counselor at the time, Booth attended Johns Hopkins University. Upon graduation, she accepted a position in the international sales office of a manufacturing company in Barcelona, Spain. She continued her studies at The George Washington University where she completed an MBA in international business and marketing, as well as an M.A. in international politics. This academic feat was accomplished at night, within four years, while working a full-time job.

During her career, Booth has traveled to and worked in 54 countries. In 1993, she became the associate director of the Environmental Export Council. Next Booth was a senior consultant with Stone and Webster, where she advised foreign governments on how to restructure their water and energy services. She continued this work with the Institute for Public-Private Partnerships. In 2006, she founded Quintain Marketing, and served as the CEO, before selling the company to IMPACT Branding and Design in 2017. As vice president of marketing at IMPACT, she orchestrated a massive rebranding effort to elevate IMPACT’s position as a media company. Booth then became a freelance marketing consultant, startup mentor and advisor for The Founder Institute, FounderTrac, DAPT, and GMGN Supply Co. She also served as the chief marketing officer for Clean.Io.

Booth continues to work in freelance and advising roles, and is also the senior vice president of marketing for Tradeswell. In 2016, she co-founded Ignite Annapolis, a program that helps individuals learn to market themselves, their ideas, and their stories. Booth won the BRAVA Women in Business Award in 2015. Check out her popular podcast, Inbound Success, which features conversations with influencers who have successfully built world-class inbound marketing strategies. Booth is grateful to Derryfield legends like Chuck Sanborn and Bruce Berk for being fundamental to her success.

“Derryfield was hugely impactful for me. I recall an assignment at Derryfield in Mr. Berk’s class in which we were asked to play the roles of major world actors in considering whether or not the United States should support the Mujahideen. I took on a position contrary to my personal beliefs and did very well. That assignment kick-started my interest in politics and world affairs.”

Cam Brensinger

NEMO Equipment Founder and CEO Cam Brensinger shared Derryfield instilled in him a love for physics, creative writing, and studio art which led him to continue his studies at Middlebury College. He quipped his only plan for post-graduation was to climb Denali with some friends.

The adventure proved to be life-changing, as it spawned the aspiration to launch a climbing gear company. With encouragement from his father to further his education in a relevant field, Brensinger enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he concentrated in industrial and product design.

In 2002, three days after graduation from RISD, Brensinger opened the first NEMO Equipment Office. He characterized himself as a “naive entrepreneur,” with only $7,500 to his name and a business plan that promised profitability in six months. Brensinger quickly clarified it took $8.5 million in investment and 12 years to truly become profitable.

“As a majority family-owned and founder-led business, we make decisions with a long view of our future. We’re here to build a lasting and iconic brand, and that informs everything we do.” Brensinger recalled his years at Derryfield as a member of the tennis, Nordic skiing, and lacrosse teams, and a student of the arts and sciences. He shared that the NEMO mantra, “never bring anything to market that doesn’t offer a meaningfully better experience than what’s already out there,” was rooted in his high school English lessons with Mr. Anthony. Mr. Anthony would never allow his students to write something if it had already been said and encouraged them to reject cliches, instead being innovative and creative in their work.

Brensinger lives in Stratham, NH with his wife and two adventurous children. NEMO Equipment remains headquartered in Dover, NH.

“Mr. Anthony’s class at Derryfield was really foundational for the thinking that sprouted our company. He never accepted writing that had already been said another way. He demanded we be innovative and creative. We’re seeking to do that every day at NEMO.”

Luke Chapdelaine

Luke Chapdelaine graduated from Derryfield in 2016 and pursued his interest in science. He went on to attend the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, earning his masters’ degree a few months later. His masters thesis paper topic was on the change of blood flow through an artery when the artery is clogged. He used simulations as well as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to measure the blood’s movement. Chapdelaine is working toward getting his thesis paper published publicly, but for now it is currently published at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s library. Earlier this year, he started to work as a mechanical engineer for the Waters Corporation. Waters Corporation is a lab and experimentation company and many biotech and pharmaceutical companies use Waters Corporation’s products and studies. Chapdelaine’s focus is higher performance liquid chromatography, a technique in analytical chemistry that breaks down liquids and deciphers what elements the liquid contains. Waters Corporation had a part in helping both Pfizer and Moderna with the recent COVID-19 vaccine. Chapdelaine is very excited for this new chapter of his life and can’t wait to see what the world of science holds for him.

“Derryfield was where I learned to challenge myself. It bestowed in me a motivation to never give up and to commit. Derryfield really set the groundwork for me to be able to push through any difficulty that comes my way.” – Luke Chapdelaine ‘16.

Zoe Cousineau ’20

Coast Guard Academy student, Zoe Cousineau ‘20, missed her own graduation in August of 2020 due to her early departure for bootcamp. For eight weeks, Cousineau and her classmates endured heat and physical strain during the heart of a global pandemic. She fondly recalls her time as an Academy freshman, but is eager to get out of the first-year rank. Cousineau is a cybersystems major with a packed schedule. She plays on the women’s soccer team and directed the drama program’s show. Cousineau also works in external affairs at the Coast Guard Academy doing outreach and giving tours to prospective students. She remembers not knowing what she wanted her path to be after college until the end of her junior year at Derryfield. Two of her grandfathers served in the military, and she felt inspired to follow them and serve her country. A lover of the water and service initiatives, Cousineau found her perfect fit at the Coast Guard Academy: a school that challenges her mind, body, and spirit. When she joined the drama club, she thought she might land an acting role. Once she shared her experience in the field, they asked her to be their director. An Admiral presented Cousineau with a Challenge Coin, a representative token of special achievement, for her show’s success. She also won second place in an first-year essay writing competition using an essay that she began while at Derryfield. Cousineau says that Derryfield taught her how to effectively manage her time and to balance many responsibilities with great success. During the summer of 2021, she spent six weeks sailing on the United States Coast Guard cutter Eagle, a tall-ship that serves as a training base for cadets. Cousineau has since been certified in engineering and damage control, as well as the correct protocols to correct crises on board. During her time aboard, she sailed from Iceland, to Canada, to Bermuda, and back to New London, CT. Cousineau says that even when a 4:00 a.m. duty shift calls, the gorgeous sunrise, endless sky of stars, and people she has met make the grueling program worth every minute. She is grateful to the Derryfield Community for encouraging her to follow this dream and to her teachers for preparing her to take on new challenges.. She knows her values of grit and determination come from her seven years as a Cougar.

Jamie Ducharme

Author and journalist, Jamie Ducharme, graduated from Derryfield in 2011 and then attended Northeastern University to pursue a degree in journalism. In January of 2013, Ducharme secured an internship as a health reporter at Boston Health Magazine. Eventually she transitioned to working for the magazine full time. Despite her demanding schedule as a journalist, Ducharme took college courses at night. She then moved to New York City to work for Time Magazine as a news reporter, staff writer, and most recently, health correspondent. Through her reporting at Time, she began writing about the dangerous rise of Juuling and vaping. This work led to Ducharme’s first book, Big Vape: The Incendiary Rise of Juul, published in May of 2021. Macmillan Publishers describes the book: “With rigorous reporting and clear-eyed prose that reads like a nonfiction thriller, Big Vape uses the dramatic rise of Juul to tell a larger story of big business, Big Tobacco, and the high cost of a product that was too good to be true.” When asked how her time at Derryfield shaped her journalistic career, Ducharme recounted hours spent with beloved librarian Betty Jipson, and the rigor of Mr. Anthony’s English class. She remembered her days as a writer for Lamplighter and said that while she did not know what form her literary skills would take when she left DS, the foundation she built here carried her through her career. Ducharme’s book is now being turned into a Netflix Documentary Series. “The docuseries happened totally by chance,” she says. “Amblin, the production company I’m working with, was interested in doing a project about Juul and they happened to learn last year that I had signed a book deal with Henry Holt, my [book] publisher”. Big Vape was sent to the production company who felt enthusiastic about making the story fit into a television format. Ducharme and filmmaker, RJ Cutler, recently signed a deal with Netflix. Ducharme says she is excited to have the opportunity to be a consulting producer on the show, which means she will be able to guide the production team’s research and interviews to ensure that the show matches her book. We don’t yet have an air date, but we’ll keep you posted!

“Derryfield was very much a place where you could do anything. You didn’t need any experience, DS would help you do it. They instilled a confidence and willingness to try new things that was scary, but necessary” – Jamie Ducharme ‘11

Kerri Falkenham

As a student, Kerri Falkenham envisioned a career as a veterinarian. Through mentorship and dialogue with her biology professor, she re-routed her career trajectory. Opting to major in Psychology with a minor in Italian at Holy Cross, she found herself drawn to interpersonal communications and workplace psychology. While at Holy Cross she volunteered in the admissions office and interned in the human resources department.

Falkenham gained professional work experience in human resources with an agency that specializes in pharmaceutical logics recruitment. In the next leg of her professional journey, Falkenham was hired as the human resources coordinator for a tech startup, Cloud Technology Partners, and was soon promoted to a human resources associate business partner. She advanced an additional level to human resources business partner upon accepting an offer from a telecommunications company, Fuze.

During her time at Fuze, her boyfriend was graduating from medical school and awaiting residency placement. This inspired her to search for other job opportunities and stumbled across WorkHuman which maintains offices in Boston and Rhode Island. On the day of residency assignments, her boyfriend learned he would spend one year in Boston and three in Rhode Island. It seems as though the stars were aligned—the timing perfection—Falkenham landed the position at WorkHuman the same day her boyfriend proposed!

Falkenham was married in the Summer of 2022 and recently celebrated her first year anniversary at WorkHuman.

“Derryfield taught me how to talk to people. I have received many opportunities in my life solely because I know how to create meaningful relationships. A lot of that comes from how caring my teachers were and how much they truly wanted you to achieve your dreams.”

Kae Fink ’11

Kae Fink graduated from Derryfield in 2011 with a great love for Nordic skiing. After Derryfield, she went on to do a post graduate year at Burke Mountain Academy, a private school that specializes in training ski racing ahletes in Vermont. Fink then attended Middlebury College where she skied for the Nordic team, sang acapella, was a member of the Outdoors Club and worked for Residential Life. She graduated from Middlebury with a dual major in chemistry and environmental engineering. Her graduation date actually happened a year later than originally scheduled because Fink was given the opportunity to ski for the Sunvalley Ski Team in Idaho. She planned her classes for her last year in a way that allowed her to have one more additional season of skiing at Middlebury before she moved out west. Once Fink said goodbye to Middlebury, she started working toward her masters degree at the University of Utah. After a few short months, she was offered an internship at National Renewable Energy Lab in Boulder, Colorado. Fink and her boyfriend had always dreamed about minimizing their carbon footprint and living off the land, so they decided to launch “Operation Off the Grid,” and started building their own sustainable and self-sufficient tiny home. Their tiny home took about two years to complete and during those two years Fink was offered a full time position at National Renewable Energy Lab. She is now a chemical engineer and is developing better battery recycling methods and the next generation of batteries. Fink is still working toward her masters through a virtual program at Columbia University. She is also getting married in the summer of 2021. Kae is very excited for this next chapter!

“Derryfield helped me become me, and gave me the tools and support to follow my dreams. No matter what path I take, Derryfield gave me the confidence of knowing that I can do anything and be anything.” -Kae Fink’11

Xiaoyue (Zoe) Guo

Upon leaving Derryfield, international alum Xiaoyue (Zoe) Guo ‘17 left the small town environment of Derryfield for a big-city life at New York University. Guo was an active member of the debate club and worked to take advantage of living in NYC. She recalled striking up conversations with people in Washington Square Park, idly strolling the city, and exploring new restaurants and bars. Guo has just graduated from NYU with a BA in philosophy and a minor in history. She is now working on law school applications and hopes to begin her studies in the fall of 2021. In the meantime, she will continue interning at Beijing Tiantai Law Firm. Guo is interested in environmental preservation and has plans to go into environmental and international law. She has worked as an intern at the China Ministry of Environmental Protection in the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office, the World Wildlife Foundation, and SynTao Green Finance. Guo has fond memories of Derryfield, particularly of her global trip to Nepal and Mr. Berk’s history class.

Rachel Humphrey ’87

Rachel Humphrey attended Connecticut College, where she majored in international relations and minored in Spanish and sociology. Humphrey aspired to become a lawyer and ultimately decided to become a criminal defense attorney. Following law school at Syracuse University, she relocated to Washington D.C. and began working at a law firm that concentrated on high-profile street crimes.

A subsequent opportunity led her south to Atlanta, GA, where she spent the next 15 years as a litigation and transactional attorney, married, and had two children. In 2014, she stepped away from practicing law to focus on herself and her family. Upon introspection, Humphrey decided she yearned for a career shift. She began exploring opportunities within the nonprofit sector which led her to the Asian American Hotel Owners Association. Humphrey rose through the ranks, culminating as the association’s CEO upon her retirement this August.

Her retirement was short-lived as she felt compelled to act after learning many women in leadership roles were leaving their industries. She believed strongly that more opportunities for women to advance to leadership positions, especially in the hospitality field, were needed. Humphrey founded The Women of Hospitality Leadership Alliance, a non-profit comprised of 22 organizations that work collectively to help elevate and advance women to leadership positions within the hospitality industry. She also serves as the Board Director of DEI Advisors, a nonprofit organization that empowers personal success through learning from experts representing the field of hospitality.

“Derryfield gave me exposure to a much bigger world than I knew at the time. It gave me the experience and tools that I have implemented in all of my endeavors. It taught me how to be comfortable outside my comfort zones as well as the importance of teamwork. DS told me that the sky was the limit and that I could do anything I set my mind to. The lessons I learned from Derryfield are now the lessons I share with my two daughters.”

Dick Jardine

Dick Jardine graduated from Derryfield in 1971 on a scholarship that the school offered at the time for students who were going to go into the military service after high school. Jardine was one of seven children in his family and knew if he went into the Army he could be the first one in his family to receive a college education. He also knew this was the only way for him to accomplish his dream of being a math teacher. After Derryfield, Jardine was accepted into the United States Military Academy, also known as West Point. After being a cadet for four years there, he went on to serve in the Army for five years. Jardine’s first assignment was as a Platoon Leader at Fort Gordon in Georgia. Following that assignment he went to Germany as a Communication and Personal Officer where he commanded a company and was promoted to Captain. His Captain status qualified him to go back to school as well as to teach at West Point. Jardine was sent to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) for his masters in mathematics. After graduating from RPI, he went back and taught math at West Point for a few years. He then went to Alaska and became an Executive Officer which authorized him as a Major. During his time in Alaska, Jardine learned about a Trade Program in which America and Britain exchanged personnel. He signed up and went to live in North Yorkshire, where he served for the British Royal Signals Regiment. Once he returned from across the pond, Jardine went back to RPI to earn his PhD in Mathematics and taught again at West Point. He retired from the Army in 1999 and moved back to New Hampshire to become a professor in the mathematics department at Keene State University. Jardine was the department chair for 16 years and introduced online teaching programs for math classes at Keene State.

Outside of his career journey, Jardine has a great love for running. He coached the Cadet marathon team for many years and he himself has completed over 40 marathons, including qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon eight times and running the Mount Washington Road Race a dozen times. He ran three half-marathons over the 2020-2021 year and is training for a fall marathon.

“Derryfield helped build my self confidence and made me realize that I could do more than I ever thought I could do.” – Dick Jardine ‘71

Rosalind KennyBirch ’13

Rosalind KennyBirch attended Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. She graduated cum laude with her Bachelor’s degree in international studies and history with a minor in anthropology/sociology. While at Rhode’s, KennyBirch served in a variety of leadership roles in cultural, Greek, lobbyist, and diplomatic organizations. She also completed a semester abroad program at the University of Oxford where she studied European art, history and literature during the medieval and Renaissance periods. While on summer break between her sophomore and junior years, KennyBirch worked as a marketing and content manager at Street Talk TV in Cape Town, South Africa. She has also worked as a collections and education intern at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. Upon graduating from Rhodes, KennyBirch decided she would return to Europe to start her professional career, and first found a job in London as a communications officer at Local Partnerships LLP before moving to Lexington Communications as a research consultant and consultant on political intelligence. In January of 2021, KennyBirch began a job working for the UK Parliament House of Commons as a transport select committee specialist. In her current role, she writes briefings and suggests lines of questioning for politicians on issues of transportation. Her committee also leads inquiries into issues such as the impact of COVID-19 on the airline sector. KennyBirch is proud to have worked on teams that have written and issued policy recommendations, multiple of which have passed as law. At Derryfield, she participated in a variety of extracurriculars, including Key Club and the student newspaper, Lamplighter. She remembers when Derryfield parent, Lee Nyquist, ran for State Senate and looked to Derryfield students for interns. KennyBirch applied for and earned her first position in the political field. She remembered her courses in the humanities with favorite teachers Bruce Berk and Lindley Shutz as being foundational for her educational and professional career. KennyBirch is especially grateful for Derryfield’s focus on histories and cultures outside of American history.