Young Women's+ Leadership Program

Public radio journalist Laura Knoy is widely known and respected in her home state of New Hampshire for her in-depth coverage of important issues, probing interviews of newsmakers, and the ability to make every guest welcome and every news topic accessible to a wide audience. For 25 years, Laura hosted statewide conversations on The Exchange, New Hampshire’s only daily radio call-in talk show. In June 2021, she stepped away from the host’s chair to pursue other interests, finish her first novel, and spend more time with family.

Laura is highly regarded for her interviews with presidential hopefuls and newsmakers across the political spectrum. Throughout her career in journalism, she’s held discussions with local officials in small towns and cities, regular conversations with New Hampshire’s Congressional delegation and governor, and interacted with hundreds of state lawmakers. She’s hosted Congressional debates, town halls, and candidates’ forums at NHPR and throughout the Granite State. Along with her trusted production team on The Exchange, Laura also steered multi-day, in-depth coverage on topics ranging from mental health and the opioid crisis to enjoying New Hampshire’s beautiful natural environment.

In her free time, Laura’s likely to be in the woods, by a lake, biking or reading a book. 

Miyoshie Lamothe-Aime is a proud 2009 Tilton School alumna. Following her time at Tilton, Ms. Lamothe-Aime earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs. During her time at GW, Miyoshie pursued a dual concentration in Latin American Studies and International Development. She, then, went on to obtain a law degree from the Fordham University School of Law, where she served as editor-in-chief of the Fordham Urban Law Journal, captain of the Jessup International Moot Court team, and Secretary of the Black Law Students Association. 

Ms. Lamothe-Aime is now an Associate in the Corporate Department of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP and is based in the firm’s New York office. Ms. Lamothe-Aime’s practice focuses on Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity transactions. Ms. Lamothe-Aime also serves as a Co-Chair for the EDGE working group, which focuses on creating community, developing mentorship and professional development opportunities, and generating awareness on important topics on behalf of their associates and business professionals of color.

Kelly Shen graduated from Tilton in 2013. Originally from Shanghai, China, Kelly had a life-changing journey at Tilton that opened the door for many more new opportunities and experiences to come. She went on to attend MIT and graduated with B.S. degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and Engineering. Kelly currently works as a senior data engineer at Sotheby’s on art intelligence. Prior to Sotheby’s, she worked at Etsy and fintech startup Button, focusing on the design and implementation of data platforms and applications.

Kelly believes in the power community. She has taken active leadership roles in both employee resource groups at work and non-profits in her communities. In her free time, Kelly also enjoys reading, writing, making art, and playing with her pet bunny.

Lorraine Connell, MEd, MS, is the Owner of Peers not Fears, LLC, and a veteran educator of over 20 years.  As a workshop facilitator, speaker, coach and consultant for schools and youth-serving organizations, she has developed curricula on leadership and empathy.  She works in collaboration with others to provide coaching to educators and students everywhere through her company Peers not Fears, LLC. Lorraine hosts the podcast Unimagined where she interviews students, current and past, on their experiences in education, and listens to their advice on how we could do better. Her work spans the impact of understanding how and where our biases come into play, to develop strong communities.  

In 2022, Lorraine left her full-time chemistry teaching job to work with interested schools, families, and communities to develop more equitable access and empowerment of students. When she is not working with others on developing leadership skills she is supporting her two boys in all their adventures. Lorraine and her husband Justin are both educators and work to improve and develop their and others social and emotional learning.

Jenn Persio, MSN, RN, APRN, ACNPC-AG completed a post-graduate year at Tilton in 2009 and is currently a Nurse Practitioner for the Pulmonary Vascular Disease Program at Yale Medicine and Winchester Center for Lung Disease. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Adult/Gerontology Acute Care from Yale University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Utica College. Jennifer is board-certified by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).

Michaela Callahan graduated from Tilton in 2009 before pursuing a degree in Economics and concentrations in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Massachusetts. She is a passionate advocate for teaching financial literacy and independence to young people and believes in the importance of young women establishing themselves as leaders in their communities. Michaela is an experienced investment strategist who is currently a Risk and Compliance Manager for Protiviti Global Consulting Firm in Boston, MA.