Mark Silva is Vice Principal and Special Education Administrator at the Harvard-Kent School of Boston Public Schools in Charlestown, serving local students as well as special education students from across the city with emotional/behavioral needs. Mark came to the school 14 years ago to administer that special education program, now regarded as one of the best in the city. Previously, Mark worked for 15 years as an administrator, social worker and youth worker in Chelsea, South Boston, and Jamaica Plain.

As part of the Harvard-Kent’s administrative team, Mark has contributed to the school’s ongoing improvement. The school was awarded the most recent Edvestors’ School on the Move award – the most prestigious school award in the city, annually recognizing one school using innovative strategies and achieving positive results for all its student groups.

Mark has found that a universal need all students possess is to understand the world of careers and individual finance. With this understanding, students can develop a true “future focus,” and can see themselves concretely achieving their dreams. Yet he also has found that this need it not sufficiently met in our schools and youth programs.

To better address this need, Mark first accessed Junior Achievement’s JA in a Day seven years ago. JA Day is now a valued tradition at the Harvard-Kent. The caring of the professional volunteers leads the students to care about the lessons. Students not only enjoy the day. They also retain the core lesson objectives, developing their financial literacy. As students understand better the “game of life” the “game” of careers and finance, they become more motivated students. Believing that they can be successful they are willing to work harder to get there.

RSM is one of JA of Northern New England's largest supporters, impacting our youth not only through financial contributions but through the commitment of hundreds of employees who have volunteered in JA classrooms. Over the past 4 years, RSM has empowered more than 1,000 students through their engaged volunteerism in Charlestown and Harvard-Kent Elementary - leading to truly improved economic futures of our young people and communities. 

RSM’s purpose is to deliver the power of being understood to our clients, colleagues and communities through world-class audit, tax and consulting services focused on middle market businesses. The clients we serve are the engine of global commerce and economic growth, and we are focused on developing leading professionals and services to meet their evolving needs in today’s ever-changing business environment.

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Andreana Santangelo is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the largest private health plan in Massachusetts and one of the largest independent, not-for-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in the country. The company serves nearly 3 million members and is rated among the nation’s best health plans for overall member satisfaction and quality.

Andreana formerly led the actuarial and analytic services department within the finance division. In that capacity, she was responsible for pricing, informatics, reserving and financial forecasting for all of the company's product lines as well as developing the strategic and analytical input that is used to support provider reimbursement plans and contract negotiations. She also developed and led the analytical processes that are used to measure external regulatory and competitive influences on the business and its product lines and the effectiveness of various provider and member programs that are designed to lower medical costs, specifically provider incentive programs, consumer choice products, and wellness and prevention benefits.

Andreana is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

She is a proud member of the board of directors at Junior Achievement of Northern New England. Growing up in East Boston as an Italian immigrant, she personally benefitted from Junior Achievement programs when attending East Boston High School.  She credits Junior Achievement with providing her access to the skills and concepts needed in the business workplace.  BCBSMA has been long time corporate sponsor of JA and its many programs.