My Story Vault: Returning Home to MCLA with Kristin Nichols

My Story Vault: Returning Home to MCLA with Kristin Nichols

Kristin Nichols returns to the campus where her life changed, now serving as the inaugural Chief Marketing Officer at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this conversation with Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Kristin reflects on growing up with an undiagnosed learning difference during the 1990s, when she was repeatedly told she was smart but simply "not trying." Despite her love of writing, storytelling, and communication, those experiences left her questioning her own abilities throughout middle and high school. Everything began to change after visiting North Adams State College, later renamed MCLA, where Professor Joe Abiware recognized her potential and became a mentor who challenged and encouraged her. His guidance led her to pursue a psychoeducational evaluation that ultimately revealed she had ADHD, giving her an explanation for struggles she had carried for years. That moment reshaped how she viewed herself and reinforced the importance of seeing students as individuals rather than labels. Today, Kristin leads MCLA's digital strategy, overseeing marketing, communications, search optimization, artificial intelligence initiatives, and student recruitment. She discusses the challenges facing higher education, including changing demographics and the importance of helping students connect their strengths with meaningful educational paths. Kristin also shares how becoming a mother to a son with a rare medical condition has deepened her advocacy for children, education, and identity development. Throughout the conversation, she reflects on the mentors, educators, and personal experiences that continue to shape her work as a connector, advocate, and leader dedicated to helping others realize their potential. Links: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA): https://www.mcla.edu/ [https://www.mcla.edu/] Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program [https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program] Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ [https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/]

My Story Vault: Helping Students See Beyond the Horizon with Aaron Bayer

Aaron Bayer’s story begins with a childhood defined by uncertainty. Raised by a family of traveling lounge singers, he spent much of his early life moving between communities, attending multiple schools, and navigating periods of financial hardship. Aaron reflects on growing up in California, where he often felt out of place, particularly after being bused into a more affluent middle school during desegregation efforts. Struggling to fit in, he experienced bullying, culture shock, and eventually found himself in physical confrontations that became important turning points in understanding who he wanted to become. A profound loss during high school, the death of his stepbrother Bobby, forced Aaron to confront the direction of his life. Influenced by educators, coaches, and mentors who saw potential in him, he began channeling his energy into athletics, particularly wrestling, where he discovered confidence, discipline, and a sense of identity. Wrestling became more than a sport; it became a vehicle for self-expression and personal growth. After high school, Aaron postponed college plans to help support his family following a move to rural Oregon. Working a variety of jobs while helping his mother and younger brother establish a new life, he eventually enrolled at Umpqua Community College. Encouraged by mentors along the way, he continued his education at Oregon State University, earning a degree in Exercise Science and beginning a career dedicated to serving young people. Today, Aaron serves as a public school superintendent and champions an educational philosophy centered on opportunity, student voice, career and technical education, and preparing students for an uncertain future. Drawing from his own experiences, he believes that quality public education can transform lives and that educators have a responsibility to help students discover who they are, what they value, and what they are capable of becoming. Throughout the conversation, Aaron reflects on leadership, hope, mentorship, and the importance of helping others find their own path forward. Links Aaron Bayer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bayer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bayer] Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/ [https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/] Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ [https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/]

My Story Vault: Voices That Care with Kaitlyn Keen

Kaitlyn Keen joins Dr. Dennis Rebelo in the Vault to reflect on a life shaped by advocacy, caregiving, curiosity, and community. Raised in Springfield, Illinois, Kaitlyn describes herself as an explorer from an early age, spending childhood weekends riding bikes, seeking adventure, and learning how to navigate environments that either nurtured or limited her sense of belonging. Through stories about switching soccer teams in second grade, working long hours as a teenager, and becoming self-reliant after her parents’ divorce, she shares how early experiences taught her to recognize alignment, community, and personal fit. Originally studying communication arts and marketing with plans to pursue photojournalism, Kaitlyn’s career direction shifted after working overnight shifts in a trauma center emergency department while finishing college. Witnessing a young woman experience inadequate care during a traumatic moment exposed Kaitlyn to health disparities in real time and motivated her to pursue a Master of Public Health degree. She reflects on how applying science and mathematics to improving human outcomes transformed her relationship to learning and ultimately led her into population health science. Throughout the conversation, Kaitlyn discusses the overlap between storytelling, psychology, advocacy, and systems change. She explains how her work at the American Cancer Society and the Illinois Lung Cancer Roundtable centers on connecting organizations, leaders, survivors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to improve lung cancer outcomes across Illinois. Kaitlyn also shares her personal connection to the cancer community through her mother’s experience surviving breast cancer and learning that she carries the same genetic mutation connected to her mother’s diagnosis. The episode explores themes of identity, self-awareness, and continual growth. Kaitlyn reflects candidly on recently being diagnosed with ADHD at 35, becoming a mother at a young age, and realizing that much of her adult life was spent empowering others before fully understanding herself. She speaks about the importance of modeling self-discovery, intentional living, and personal alignment for both her daughter and the communities she serves. Grounded in her belief that people are “better together,” Kaitlyn emphasizes that authentic storytelling and meaningful connection can help individuals, caregivers, advocates, and communities move toward healthier and more supportive futures. Links: Keen on Pet Care, LLC  www.keenonpetcare.com [http://www.keenonpetcare.com] Rockford University Women in Leadership Advisory Board  https://badgefol.io/advisor/kaitlyn-keen-38900736 [https://badgefol.io/advisor/kaitlyn-keen-38900736] Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program [https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program] Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ [https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/] For more information or to share a question or insight, please email Shannon [at] narrativeresearchgroup [dot] org

My Story Vault: Building a Career in Microelectronics at 22

Jordan Callahan, a lifelong Berkshire resident, reflects on his journey from an energetic student at Pine Cobble School to Lead Manufacturing Technician at Noble Carbon, a microelectronics clean tech company developing smart circuit breakers. After choosing McCann Technical School in eighth grade, Jordan immersed himself in computer-assisted design, exploring mechanical engineering, architecture, and animation before focusing on mechanical design. He recalls designing projects like a prototype waffle maker and discovering early on that building and understanding how things work energized him. Jordan’s path shifted during his senior year when COVID disrupted his planned co-op experience at General Dynamics. Instead of heading directly into a defense manufacturing role, he worked at Advanced Auto Parts alongside friends, gaining early workforce experience and learning how to navigate workplace conflict and advocate for himself. A family connection eventually introduced him to the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC), where he began working with a member company focused on ergonomic solutions and 3D printing. Through the BIC Manufacturing Academy and later the MIT-designed TechAMP Technologist Program, Jordan deepened both his technical and leadership skills. He credits those programs with strengthening his adaptability, self-leadership, and willingness to commit to long-term growth. While participating in TechAMP, he was recruited by Noble Carbon co-founder Jared Lebos and stepped into a full-time role. Today, Jordan balances hands-on manufacturing responsibilities with advanced coursework, earning 28 college credits toward a mechatronics degree while continuing to grow within the clean tech sector. His story highlights an alternative pathway that blends vocational training, industry experience, and higher education. Links: Jordan Callahan – Noble Carbon: https://noblecarbon.io/ [https://noblecarbon.io/] Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program [https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program] Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ [https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/] For more information or to share a question or insight, please email Shannon [at] narrativeresearchgroup [dot] org

My Story Vault: Amanda Zepka on Integrity, Construction, and Being More Than One Thing

Amanda Zepka joins Dr. Dennis Rebelo in the Vault to reflect on a life shaped by movement, observation, and values-driven decision-making. Born and raised in rural Savoy, Massachusetts, Amanda grew up immersed in imagination, outdoor play, reading, and film, while dancing competitively from age three through high school. Dance became both a discipline and a form of expression, shaping how she understands rhythm, collaboration, and embodiment. Amanda attended Emerson College with plans to pursue film, drawn to storytelling and creative production. Internships with Warner Brothers and Paramount Pictures offered industry exposure, but her time in Los Angeles revealed an environment that felt inauthentic to her values. Graduating during the recession, Amanda moved to Chicago, where years of juggling multiple part-time jobs prompted a deeper reckoning with what mattered most. A pivotal visit home, marked by seeing her father’s aging firsthand, clarified her desire to return to family and community. After moving back to the Berkshires, Amanda began working at Adams Plumbing and Heating, gaining firsthand insight into growing a family-run construction business. She later joined Souliere & Zepka Construction, where she now serves as President alongside her brother and father. Amanda describes learning to translate institutional knowledge, ask questions without ego, and build trust through respect for experienced tradespeople. The conversation explores Amanda’s role in building the Greylock Glen Outdoor Center, a net-zero public building at the base of Mount Greylock, which she continues to volunteer at. She reflects on integrity as a guiding principle, the importance of collaboration, and her belief that people can be more than one thing. Today, Amanda balances leading a construction firm with teaching dance, serving on the Adams Theater board, and intentionally choosing where she invests her time and energy. Links: Souliere & Zepka Construction:  https://souliereandzepka.com/ [https://souliereandzepka.com/] Greylock Glen Outdoor Center:  http://greylockglenresort.com/ [http://greylockglenresort.com/] Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program [https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program] Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ [https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/]