Suffolk University today announced that retired Cape Cod 5 bank Chair and Chief Executive Dorothy Savarese, MBA ’04, HDCS ’21, was elected chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, becoming the first woman to hold that position in the institution’s 120-year history. 

Over nearly two decades leading the Hyannis-based community bank, Savarese was perennially named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking by American Banker magazine. She built a reputation as a community-focused leader and a champion for economic empowerment and environmental resiliency, and became known for her mentoring and leadership development efforts, including establishing a nationally recognized college internship program at Cape Cod 5.  

Savarese was elected as Suffolk board chair at the June 12 trustees meeting. She succeeds outgoing chair Robert C. Lamb, Jr., HDCS ’26, who stepped down as chair after a decade of service. A charter trustee since 2022, Savarese served as the board’s vice chair during the past academic year. Charter Trustee Joseph Delisi, BA ’04, JD ’10, was elected as vice chair, filling the remainder of Savarese’s term. Charter Trustee Marie-Louis Skafte, JD ’96, was reelected as board secretary. 

“I am deeply honored to have been elected chair by my fellow trustees,” Savarese said. “Suffolk University transforms lives through the power of education, and I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members, our new trustees, and President Marisa Kelly to build on that mission and help ensure that future generations of Suffolk students are prepared to lead meaningful and impactful careers.”  

The University also elected four new trustees, all Suffolk alumni, who are leaders in business, banking, and law, and who bring extensive experience growing complex organizations and building high-performance teams. The newest members of Suffolk’s Board of Trustees are: 

• Charter Trustee Kevin M. Donahue, EMBA ’84, former CEO and Chair of footwear outsoles maker Vibram  
• Charter Trustee Sean Riley, JD ’99, P ’27, Founder and President of Mortgage Equity Partners 
• Alumni Trustee (Law) Abim O. Kolawole, JD ’95, Chief Audit Executive at Northwestern Mutual  
• Alumni Trustee (SBS) Christopher J. Paglia, MBA/MSF ’14, Vice President for New England Safety, Health, and Assurance at National Grid 

Lamb praised the new board members for their in-depth leadership experience with business strategy and entrepreneurship, as well as their strong commitment to the University’s mission of transforming individual lives and communities through education. “They join a board committed to empowering students to build successful careers in a rapidly changing world. They all credit their Suffolk education for the success they have achieved,” Lamb said. “And under Dorothy Savarese’s expert and demonstrated leadership, the board will continue to work closely with President Marisa Kelly and her exceptional leadership team to ensure Suffolk delivers on its mission for future generations.” 

Said Kelly: “I am incredibly grateful for Bob Lamb’s decade of distinguished leadership as board chair, and I look forward to working in similar partnership with newly appointed Chair Dorothy Savarese and all of our trustees to continue to move Suffolk forward.” 

Michael James, P’22, P’24, global chief sales officer at NFP, and Kenneth Taubes, MBA ’85, executive vice president and portfolio manager at Victory Capital, were re-elected as charter trustees.

Lamb was named Board Chair Emeritus. The Honorable Amy Nechtem, JD ’85, a past vice chair of the board, was named an Emeritus Trustee.  

Trustee Bios