Movers & Shakers

STOKES

RIVARD

KELLY

SMITH

MORELAND

Kola Akindele

RICHARDSON

GAYNOR

RASHID

HACKETT

ZORN

CHANG

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MAUREEN STOKES is the new assistant vice president for communications and marketing at Worcester State University. Stokes most recently was the associate vice president of external relations, marketing and communications at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where she oversaw the office of communications and public relations, special events, the website and social media. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a master’s degree in strategic communications and leadership from Seton Hall University.

MARCELLA RIVARD is the new chief financial officer of AdCare Hospital in Worcester. Rivard was most recently the CFO at Steward Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, and has worked as executive director of finance and business operations for Harvard Medical Faculty Practice Group at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and as corporate controller and director of financial planning decision support for Hallmark Health System in Medford.

LORI KELLY is the new first vice president branch administrator for Rollstone Bank & Trust. Kelly was most recently with Cornerstone Bank and has nearly 30 years of experience. She is a graduate of the New England School of Financial Studies.

PATRICIA SMITH of Westborough is the new associate vice president and branch manager for the Bolton branch of Clinton Savings Bank. Smith, who previously worked for Fidelity Bank, has 37 years of banking experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Assumption College.

KOLA AKINDELE has been promoted has been promoted by the UMass Medical School to assistant vice chancellor for city and community relations. In his new role, Akindele leads the medical school’s efforts and relationships with city leaders, community partners and key stakeholders across the region. He previously served as senior director for community and government relations. Akindele earned a bachelor’s degree from UMass Boston, a master’s degree from UMass Lowell, a law degree from Northeastern University, and currently serves on the board of the United Way of Central Massachusetts. He replaces James Leary, who now serves as UMass Memorial Health Care’s vice president of government and community relations.

VALERIE MORELAND has joined Reliant Medical Group’s family practice department. Moreland is now welcoming patients in Reliant’s Holden office. She received her medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of Oklahoma. Moreland has previously been associated with practices in Oklahoma, Needham and Sterling.

MARK RICHARDSON is the new director of horticulture for Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston. Richardson was previously the horticulture director at the New England Wild Flower Society in Framingham. He succeeds Joann Vieira, who led Tower Hill’s horticultural staff for 30 years until stepping away in March. At Tower Hill, Richardson now helps oversee 17 gardens, indoor conservatories, growing areas and surrounding woodlands. Richardson received his bachelor’s degree in urban horticulture and turfgrass management from the University of Rhode Island and his master’s degree in public horticulture at the University of Delaware.

JAMY GAYNOR of Leominster is the newest member of the Mount Wachusett Community College Board of Trustees in Garnder. Gaynor is a school nurse for Marlborough Public Schools and teaches at HealthAlliance Hospital in Leominster. She received her associate degree in nursing from Mount Wachusett in 2006 before going on to receive her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Fitchburg State University in 2014. Gaynor is pursuing her doctorate in education in higher education leadership from Regis College in Weston.

KAMAL RASHID has stepped down from his teaching and research position at Worcester Polytechnic Institute to lead International Biotechnology Associates, a strategic consulting firm. Rashid was the director of the Biomanufacturing Education & Training Center at WPI and the school’s representative for the U.S. National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals. IBA, which has offices in Plymouth and Utah, expects to work with Central Massachusetts institutions. Rashid first established the firm in 1997 as a part-time consultancy.

LAURA HACKETT of Thompson, Conn., has joined ERA Key Realty Services in Northbridge as a real estate agent. A U.S. Army veteran, Hackett previously worked at Century Tool Co. in Thompson. She is earning a business degree at Nichols College in Dudley.

LISA ZORN of Fitchburg has been promoted to manager of indirect lending at Leominster Credit Union, making her responsible for all aspects of the indirect lending department. Zorn has more than 15 years of experience in the financial industry and joined the credit union in 2015 as indirect lending underwriter. She previously worked for GFA Federal Credit Union in Gardner in a similar role, as an underwriter of indirect and direct lending.

ALLEN CHANG has joined Reliant Medical Group’s department of internal medicine, where he is welcoming new patients at Reliant’s new office at 5 Neponset St. in Worcester. Chang received his medical degree from the UMass Medical School in Worcester and completed his internal medicine internship and residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He was a primary care physician at UMass for six years prior to joining Reliant Medical Group.

JENNIFER ROY is the new director of communications and donor relations for Mechanics Hall in Worcester. Roy is a former reporter and news anchor for Worcester News Tonight, and has been a communications specialist at Unum, Worcester Public Schools and The International in Bolton. At Mechanics Hall, she is responsible for meeting fundraising goals and managing daily public and media relations.