Patricia Elliott, DrPH

Clinical Associate Professor, Boston University School of Public Health

Amy Dark, DNP, MSN-PH, BA, RN

Director of SHIELD, Boston University School of Public Health

Jacquelyn M. Raco, MSN, MEd, CSSHS, CSN

Assistant Director of SHIELD, Boston University School of Public Health

Karen Robitaille, MBA, MSN, RN, NCSN

Director of School Health Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health

SHIELD Senior Program Manager/Planner: Lesly Zapata, MPH

Catherine Gaudet, BSN, RN, NCSN

Originally from Bakersfield, California, and a 1984 graduate of Leominster High School, I have spent my career caring for the Leominster and Fitchburg community. After earning my BSN from Fitchburg State College in 1988, I spent 20 years in hospital and home care before transitioning into school health leadership. For the past 17 years, I have led the nursing department at Leominster Public Schools, managing the CSHS grant and serving as the district’s primary CPR instructor.
As the Chair of the Wellness Committee and a former adjunct instructor at MWCC, I am passionate about health education and community advocacy. My commitment to public service was recognized in 2020 when I was named a Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. Beyond the school district, I serve as President of NAMI North Central MA, Vice President of the Leominster Lions Club, and special consultant and trainer for the Lions District 33a Sight Mobile. In addition, I am the proud mother of three independent daughters and an avid gardener and artist.

Judy M. Duarte, MS, RN, CPNP

Judy is a seasoned pediatric and school nurse educator based in Plymouth, MA. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Southeastern Massachusetts University and a Master of Science from Boston College. Currently in her ninth year as a school nurse educator at Plymouth Community Intermediate School, she brings decades of clinical experience from her long tenure as a pediatric nurse practitioner at Cape Cod Pediatrics (1993–2017), where she continues to work on a per diem basis. Her professional interests include promoting wellness and exercise and encouraging help-seeking for mental health concerns.

Jacqueline Westrin, MSN, BSN, RN

Jackie joined the Lynn Public Schools Nursing Department in 2015, where she provided direct care to nearly 17,000 students across 30 schools. After developing a strong interest in public health initiatives and workforce development, she transitioned into the role of Assistant Director of Nursing in 2021.
In her current role, Jackie provides leadership in school health programming, staff education, and policy implementation. She led the initiation of Lynn Public Schools’ condom availability program, navigating regulatory requirements, stakeholder engagement, and implementation logistics to support student health and access to preventive services. She also serves as an American Heart Association CPR Instructor, training nurses, school staff, and students in emergency prep.

Marie DiAngelis, MSN-PH, RN

A native of Dedham, Massachusetts, I am honored to serve my community as the High School Nurse and, more recently, as the Interim Director of Health Services for the district. My nursing career began in 2011 at Boston Medical Center, where I started as a Med/Surg float nurse. That role offered invaluable exposure to diverse specialties and patient populations, an experience that I later carried into the Medical ICU during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside of my professional life, I am a proud mother of two boys, Jacob (8) and Aiden (2.5), and have shared nearly twenty years with my husband and best friend, Greg.