Danvers, Salem, North Reading Residents Named To Salem State Alumni Leadership Board

SALEM, MA — North Shore residents from Danvers, North Reading and Salem were named to the Salem State University alumni leadership board charged with promoting pride in the university and inspiring philanthropy to invest in student services.

The school said the newest additions have backgrounds and professional experience that complement the existing AAF board of directors, bringing balance and depth to key areas of fiduciary responsibility and governance.

Adam Lord, of Salem, graduated from the business administration program in 2008.

"Salem State is actually the first place that encouraged me to get involved," Lord said. "The community it gave me back then still serves me to this day."

Lord is a certified public accountant at Henry & Co., CPAs in North Andover.

Judi Thomas, of North Reading, earned both her bachelor's ('08) and master's degrees ('13) in business administration from Salem State. She is currently the human resources director at Partners In Health in Boston.

"My parents and grandparents instilled in me the critical value of education," she said. "As one of the first individuals in my family to graduate from college, I know firsthand the power of opportunity and education. For these reasons, I feel a deep sense of gratitude and a desire to give back to the institution that shaped my journey."

A longstanding advocate for Salem State and graduate of the master's in social work program, Joseph Wamness, of Danvers, has been elected as an emeritus board member and will serve on the advancement committee. A social worker at Element Care in Methuen, he immersed himself in alumni activities upon graduation, collaborating with the School of Social Work to establish and recruit volunteers for the Friends of Social Work affinity group while becoming an active member of the AAF.

"Through my work on the advancement committee, I aim to expand resources and opportunities to Salem State students," he said, "particularly because they work so hard to turn their dreams into reality. They deserve our advocacy and support."

Craig Goryl, of Wakefield, also brings over 20 years of investment management experience to the AAF's investment committee, where he will help shape strategies for managing the board's financial assets. He is the chief investment officer of Cabot Wealth Management in Beverly and has volunteered for various local nonprofits, helping to enhance financial literacy within the
community.

"I am excited to contribute to Salem State's important mission, and to work alongside so many talented, dedicated professionals on the AAF board."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)