Spartan Spirit Alumni Awards

Jeanine Grillo has spent more than a decade at KPMG, building a career across financial analysis, business operations, innovation, and firm transformation. After participating in KPMG’s University Mentoring Program and completing internships with the firm, she joined KPMG full-time and has continued to grow her career within the organization.

Jeanine remains deeply connected to STAC and committed to helping students explore opportunities and prepare for their careers. She serves as the liaison between KPMG and St. Thomas Aquinas College for the KPMG University Mentoring Program, mentors STAC students, and serves on the College’s School of Business Advisory Board. She is also a former member of the St. Thomas Aquinas College Alumni Board.

Ryan Leiter has embraced opportunities to lead, learn, and serve throughout his career. During his time at STAC, he held leadership positions in multiple clubs, worked as a peer tutor and Orientation Leader, and served as a Resident Assistant.

Ryan began his teaching career with the Clarkstown Central School District during his final semester at STAC and continues to serve as a Special Education and Science Teacher at Clarkstown High School North. He also serves as an adjunct instructor through Syracuse University’s Project Advance program and as an adjunct professor of education at St. Thomas Aquinas College, where he shares his experiences with future educators.

Ryan remains actively involved with STAC as a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Through teaching, mentorship, leadership, and continued service to his alma mater, he is helping prepare the next generation of students and educators while giving back to the institution that provided him with so many opportunities

Jessica McMillan has built her career around her passion for therapeutic recreation and serving the geriatric population. Today, she serves as Lifestyle Director at The Bristal Assisted Living, where she designs and implements meaningful experiences that promote connection, creativity, engagement, and quality of life for residents.

Jessica has also remained committed to sharing her knowledge and passion for therapeutic recreation with the next generation. Since graduating from STAC, she has spoken about the field at her local high school and returned to the College to speak with students pursuing careers in therapeutic recreation.

A Rockland County native, Jessica is proud to continue making an impact in a field she finds deeply meaningful. She is also looking forward to a new chapter in her life, welcoming her first child with her husband, Tom, in November 2026.

Jeremy L. Morris is a Senior Software Engineer at Scale AI, where he works on cloud and Kubernetes infrastructure supporting enterprise generative artificial intelligence workloads.

His career has included senior engineering roles at Microsoft and DigitalOcean, along with significant contributions to the open-source technology community. At Microsoft, Jeremy worked on container infrastructure and software supply chain systems for Azure. He also contributed to improvements in container security and compliance and infrastructure designed to improve model-image distribution and startup times.

Jeremy has contributed to the broader technology community as a Kubernetes contributor and Istio maintainer emeritus, working on areas including routing, policy, and operator experiences. 

While at STAC, Jeremy was involved with the Computer Science Club, Chess Club, and High Adventure Club.

Originally from Accra, Ghana, Kobe Opoku moved to the United States at age 15 to pursue his passion for basketball. He joined St. Thomas Aquinas College in 2018, where he enjoyed a standout collegiate basketball career and was part of multiple championship teams.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Kobe joined STAC’s IT department as an IT Support Technician. While working full-time, he continued his education and earned his MBA from STAC in May 2026. In December 2025, he was promoted to Systems Engineer, where he oversees vital technology infrastructure for the College.

Kobe also contributes to student success as an adjunct professor at STAC, teaching courses in student success and computer science. Beyond campus, he remains committed to youth development as a basketball coach with the Rockland Spartans, an AAU travel program serving student-athletes from third grade through high school.

Rickssen Opont has built a multifaceted career spanning athletics, sports entertainment, coaching, motivational speaking, and security. During his time at STAC, he was a captain on the men’s track and field team and served as President of the Class of 2019. He went on to earn a master’s degree in Sports Management from the University of South Alabama while continuing his track and field career, becoming a two-time Sun Belt Conference shot put champion and a school record holder.

Rickssen competed professionally for Haiti on the international stage and currently holds four Haitian national records in the shot put, hammer throw, and weight throw. His athletic career also led him to sports entertainment, where he performed with WWE/NXT from 2022 to 2026 as Tyson “The Brick” DuPont. 

Today, Rickssen works as an Armed Security Professional and Executive Protection Professional while continuing his work as a coach, motivational speaker, and mentor. He also resumed training with the goal of competing at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles Through his CHASIN’GR8NESS platform and its message, “The pursuit that never ends,” he encourages others to pursue growth through resilience, discipline, hard work, and perseverance.

Samantha Pisano serves as Communications and Executive Coordinator for SUNY’s Office of Higher Education in Prison, supporting a team committed to expanding access to higher education for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals across New York State.

In her role, Samantha coordinates conferences, events, and special initiatives while supporting communications, executive operations, and the day-to-day work of the office. Through this work, she contributes to initiatives focused on creating meaningful educational opportunities for students and communities throughout New York State.

Her work brings together her interests in communications, public service, education, and criminal justice, allowing her to support initiatives with a broad impact across the state.

Samantha’s education at STAC provided a foundation for her continued work in public service and higher education

Jessika Platon Sauter serves as Assistant Vice President and Branch Manager of M&T Bank’s Piermont office, where she leads her team while helping individuals, families, and small businesses achieve their financial goals. She is particularly committed to supporting local entrepreneurs through financial guidance, connections to resources, and support for their businesses.

Jessika is also deeply involved in her community. She is a member of M&T Bank’s Asian American & Pacific Islander Network and Women’s Leadership Network, as well as the Professional Filipino American Youth Organization, and the Nyack Chamber of Commerce. She mentors students and teaches financial education at Rockland BOCES Hudson Valley P-TECH. She also supports People to People, Rockland County Meals on Wheels, and other local nonprofit organizations through her work with M&T Bank.

Jessika remains actively connected to STAC as a member of the Business Advisory Council. She has conducted workshops for STAC seniors and participates in the College’s annual Career Fair, helping prepare the next generation of Spartan professionals for success.

Through her leadership, community service, and commitment to education, Jessika continues to make an impact on local businesses, students, and the communities she serves.

Pamela Maria Rodriguez has built a career at the intersection of sports, marketing, and storytelling, bringing the foundation she gained at STAC into professional roles across baseball, football, and soccer.

Pam serves as Partnership Marketing Operations Manager at Major League Soccer, where she contributes to the league’s continued growth and the expansion of soccer across the United States. Her experience across multiple professional sports has given her a broad perspective on the business of sports and the power of storytelling.

Beyond her professional career, Pam is passionate about writing and exploring important issues. Her work addressing mental health and the stigmas surrounding it within her culture has been published across multiple online platforms. She also connects with high school and college students, sharing her experiences and helping young people navigate their paths toward higher education and their careers.

Pam is also a proud mother to her beautiful one-year-old daughter, Raela. Through her career, writing, and mentorship, she hopes to inspire young Latina women to dream boldly, recognize their potential, and understand that where they begin does not define where they can go.

Lauren Widman began her career at KPMG in the Audit practice, specializing in banking and capital markets, before transitioning into consulting. Today, she serves as a Manager at Siegfried Consulting.

Throughout her career, Lauren has contributed to high-profile transactions and worked with nationally recognized companies, including Bombas, the merger of WWE and UFC, and NBCUniversal’s carve-out and spin-off. She currently supports Versant, the newly independent company formed through the NBCUniversal spin-off.

Lauren has made mentorship and professional development important parts of her career. She recently earned a certificate in Artificial Intelligence in Finance from Columbia University, continuing to expand her knowledge at the intersection of finance, consulting, and emerging technology.

Lauren enjoys staying active through soccer, softball, and pickleball leagues and spending time with family and friends.