What have you done since you graduated?
"After graduating in 2000, I attended Wheaton College in Massachusetts, playing on the basketball team and majoring in Political Science and US History. In 2004, I moved to Boston to get some "real life" experience, working as a legal assistant at a law firm. Following that, I attended Brooklyn Law School, graduating in 2009 and then working at the law firm of Bingham McCutchen in Manhattan. In 2014, I returned to Connecticut to work as an in-house attorney at The Hartford, and I now live in New Hartford with my husband, Matt Flaherty (a '00 Gilbert alumni), and three young boys."
What do you remember from your time at Gilbert?
"I remember and still appreciate the strong sense of community shared by students, teachers, staff, and coaches. Gilbert is a relatively small school, but it has a lot to offer in terms of academics and extracurriculars and many opportunities to find your niche."
What lessons from Gilbert have you applied to the real world?
"I spent a lot of time playing sports at Gilbert, on teams at both the top and bottom of the rankings. The lessons learned as a Gilbert athlete in underdog, winner, teammate, and leadership roles have helped me understand the value of a strong work ethic, working collaboratively with others, and learning from mistakes, and moving beyond setbacks."
What advice would you give to current students at Gilbert?
"Don't worry, if you feel like you don't have it all figured out in high school, find something that motivates and drives you. Keep working at it and opportunities and direction will fall into place."
