Movers & Shakers for Jan. 25, 2021

Dr. ANNE C. LARKIN has been promoted to vice provost for educational affairs at University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, a newly created position including responsibility for creating an inclusive process to implement the educational goals of the school’s IMPACT 2025 Strategic Plan as well as oversight of crucial educational resources that support the school’s educational mission. Larkin was previously senior associate dean for educational affairs at UMass Medical School, and is vice chair and associate professor of surgery, specializing in breast and endocrine surgery.

PARTH CHAKRABARTI has been named the new executive vice chancellor for innovation and business development at UMass Medical School in Worcester. Chakrabarti began his career as a medicinal chemist before growing into business leadership roles in major industry firms, including Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Sanofi Genzyme, Becton Dickinson and Amgen. He most recently served as vice president of business development at Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston. Chakrabarti has a master’s degree in public health in management and health policy from Harvard University in Cambridge, an MBA from the Indian School of Business, and a master’s degree with specialization in pharmaceutical chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology.

ARA DERDERIAN of Worcester has joined the Worcester firm Knight Dik Insurance as a commercial lines producer. Derderian, a graduate of Anna Maria College in Paxton, has more than 12 years of experience in business development and client management. He joins Knight Dik from the Worcester security business Joseph’s Lock & Safe Co., where he represented the installation of high-security locks and locksmith services for residential and business customers.

ESI A. ASARE has joined UMass Medical School in Worcester as the new director of admissions for the School of Medicine. Asare was most recently the director of multicultural admission at Le Moyne College, a private university in Syracuse, N.Y., where she has held a series of increasingly responsible positions over 11 years. She holds an MBA and a master’s degree in management systems from Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisc.

Dr. DAVID McMANUS has been named the UMass Medical School’s chair of the department of medicine and made the founding director of the school’s new program in digital medicine. McManus, a 2002 graduate of the medical school’s School of Medicine, is a principal investigator on a $123-million federally funded initiative to find new methods for addressing the coronavirus pandemic. He succeeds Dr. Robert Finberg, who will remain on the school’s faculty as its most accomplished pandemic response researcher.

Lydia Boateng

The Montachusett Home Care Corp. in Leominster has announced the recipients of its Eleanor Gilmartin and Margaret Kielty Awards. The Eleanor Gilmartin Award for Professional Excellence, which was created to honor Eleanor Gilmartin, the first executive director of Montachusett Home Care Corp., was awarded to KRISTINA SANDERSON. The Margaret Kielty Outstanding Service Award, which is given to recognize outstanding service by a homemaker, was awarded to LYDIA BOATENG.

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, headquartered in Fitchburg, announced the addition of TRAVIS CONDON as public affairs manager. Condon will work on growing the advocacy and public policy efforts of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber and increasing the visibility of the region's businesses and economy at the Massachusetts state legislature.