Worcester Business Journal

24 Worcester Business Journal | August 21, 2017 | wbjournal.com F O C U S 4 0 U n d e r F o r t y After achieving all-time highs in stu- dent enrollment and revenue at Plymouth State and The Sage Colleges, Palumbo joined WPI in 2015 and since new underrepresented minority student enrollment reached an all-time high while the rate of women in class jumped from its previous record of 34 percent to 43 percent. Last year, his op-ed about the inherent bias in stan- dardized testing and WPI's decision to quit the National Merit Scholarship Program ran in The Washington Post. Palumbo advocates for food allergy issues since his eldest daughter was diagnosed with life-threatening aller- gies. He lives with wife, Krista, and daughters, Cecelia and Zoe. What would a movie made about your career be called? "Changing the Game." Higher education's access and affordability no longer meet today's needs. My goal is to improve how our industry admits and aids students. What one Central Massachusetts location should everyone visit? Purgatory Chasm Escobar moved from Boston to Worcester in 2013 to found law firm, Ross Escobar Group, to make legal pro- tections more accessible for small busi- nesses and startups. After three years, her firm merged with Doucette, adding litigation assistance for clients. She serves as advisory board member on the Worcester County Commission on the Status of Women, focusing on the opioid crisis and its impact on women and children. Escobar sits on the Worcester City Historical Commission. She enjoys hiking with her husband, Christian, and two chil- dren, Leo and Lola, at the many parks of Central Massachusetts. How do you define success? When my clients' businesses grow, they hire more employees, move to bigger spaces or open additional businesses. Favorite piece of Central Mass. his- tory? President John Adams studied law in Worcester. What superpower would you like? Telekinesis. It's simultaneously awe- some and practical. Montaner was the second employee ever hired by The Hanover Theatre and assisted with the $32-million campaign to open the facility. Her priority has been education, developing programs impacting 18,000 students annually. In January, her effort to bring arts educa- tion downtown – The Hanover Theatre Conservatory for the Performing Arts – opened with 180 students. Her Adopt-A-School program to get arts into Worcester school core curricu- lum impacted 3,000 and was presented as an arts integration model at the 2014 Broadway League Conference. She lives with her husband, Jason, and son, Jack. What person do you look up to? Oprah Winfrey, for her no-nonsense attitude, perseverance and compassion. I wrote letters to her when I was a young girl, and she always wrote back. What will people say at your funeral? I was a force to be reckoned with and my passion for arts was contagious. Where is your ideal vacation spot? Near the ocean. The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears or the sea. DiGregorio started serving area vet- erans and their families nine years ago, first as residential advisor at the non- profit's headquarters on Grove Street, helping the men who live there with day-to-day activities. He has moved through the ranks in almost every aspect of the agency to now managing staff in four different grant programs. He has chaired the Veterans subcom- mittee of The Continuum of Care for the last two years, focusing on identify- ing veteran homeless in Worcester County and getting them into perma- nent housing, as one of his passions is helping the homeless. What do you daydream about? Owning my own business Why do you work in Central Mass.? I believe in the area. It's a diverse com- munity, and I'm happy to be part of it. We are an hour away from bigger cities, the beach and the mountains. What actor would play you in a movie? Seth Rogan. He is funny, outgo- ing and dedicated to helping people in need. P H O T O / E R I K A S I D O R Residence: Grafton Birthplace: Sutton Colleges: Union College, The Sage Colleges Andrew B. Palumbo, 34 Dean of admissions and financial aid, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Residence: Natick Birthplace: Worcester College: Emerson College Meghan E. Montaner, 33 Director of education, The Hanover Theatre, Worcester Patrick J. DiGregorio, 31 Regional manager for Massachusetts, Veterans Inc., Worcester Residence: Worcester Birthplace: Worcester College: Worcester State University Courtney Ross Escobar, 38 Attorney, Doucette & LaRose, Oxford Residence: Worcester Birthplace: Fort Lauderdale, Fla. College: UMass Boston, New England School of Law Creative Hub Worcester, 2 Ionic Ave. W W W W

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