Laura has a passion for and desire to help organizations build high functioning and engaged teams.  She has a strong track record in strategic decision making, complex organizational leadership as well as team and project management. After 30 years of management and leadership experience in higher education, Laura (she/hers) took her strategic, process driven and administrative acumen and founded Fortify Associates, LLC. 

Shawn brings over 25 years of experience in Student Affairs to Fortify Associates, LLC. For eight years, Shawn served as a consultant and interim leader on campuses ranging from major health science centers to small liberal arts colleges.

He currently serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs/Dean of Students at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Bill Boozang has worked in education for 25 years, and currently serves as Executive Director of Graduate & Continuing Education at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts. Bill has an interest in creating opportunities for affordable and accessible post-secondary education.

He earned his Ed.D. from Northeastern University where he currently serves as a Senior Lecturer and Doctoral Chair.

Alex graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from the University of Hartford and completed his Master’s Degree in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Administration at Springfield College. He currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

Rich DeCapua has more than 20+ years of experience both in senior level student affairs administration, but also in c-suite level corporate roles.

A dynamic faculty member who has taught finance and administration courses at several graduate programs, he brings his deep knowledge of finance and operations to Fortify Associates, LLC.

Dustin brings over 15 years of experience in post-secondary education and international non-profit program management and Career Program management to Fortify Associates. Dustin holds an M.A. in higher education and student affairs from New York University and a B.A. in communication and writing from Juniata College. He is a 2010 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Fellow to Montenegro. 

Jen worked in higher education for 20 years in a variety of roles from Residence Life & Community Standards to Student Support, Retention, and Outreach and the Dean of Students Office.  Jen most recently served in an interim capacity for The College of the Holy Cross in Residence Life & Housing and previously served as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students at Curry College.  Jen received her Master's in Student Development in Higher Education from The University of Maine and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Keene State College.

Beth is currently serving as the Director of Health Promotion and Wellness and Chief Wellness Officer at Simmons University in Boston, MA. She has been working in higher education for 20 years, with a focus on college health for most of her career. A Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Beth holds a B.S in Community Health from Hofstra University and an MPH in Community Health Education from the University of Massachusetts.

Jenn will bring her expertise in student discipline process, Title IX, and behavior intervention to Fortify Associates. She currently serves as the Dean of Students at Wentworth Institute of Technology. Jenn earned her Bachelors at Merrimack College in Business Administration, her Masters of Higher Education at Boston College, and her Doctorate of Education from Northeastern University. 

David is a US Army veteran of 20 years with deployments for Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom in the early 2000s who earned a PhD in Higher Education Administration from UMass-Amherst as a student veteran using the Post 9/11 GI Bill in which his dissertation research focused on explaining student veteran success. He currently serves as an Associate Professor and has an administrative role in the Provost's Office at the Naval War College. His book, entitled "Straight Talk for Veterans" is an evidence-based handbook intended to help veterans successfully transition to higher education.