BV Hub 20/40 Speaker Series November

Last month we successfully launched our BV Hub 20/40 Speaker Series at Northbridge High School. With a focus on health science and care, we were joined by the inaugural Chair of Dermatology at the newly formed Mass General Brigham Hospital, Dr. John E. Harris, in addition to Hunter Schulz, a recent graduate of Stonehill College with a bachelor's degree in health sciences and a minor in healthcare management. 

Our October in-person audience totaled 25 and with the support of the Northbridge High School staff, including School Counselor, Lauren Hubbell, we were thrilled to be able to zoom the entire event to students and administrators at both Grafton and Uxbridge High School, bringing the participant count up to 41. 

The event was recorded and is available for viewing by all twelve school districts involved in our Partnered School Program or in the Connecting Activities Program. To receive this link, contact barrett.lauren@bvhub.org.

“It was great! The students really enjoyed hearing from the speakers.” -Kelly Stairs, Grafton College & Career Counselor

With November upon us we are gearing up for our second BV Hub 20/40 Speaker Series. Once again we are featuring 2 speakers from the same or an adjacent career pathway; one who is in the early stages of their career and another who is an established professional. 

On November 12, 2025 at 10am we will zoom our speaker series live from Miscoe Hill Middle School in Mendon, MA with a focus on the diverse opportunities within the Massachusetts’ Arts Industry. See biographies for esteemed speakers, Kristie Raymond and Erica Shields below!

Kristie Raymond is a 30 year veteran of the modeling and commercial advertising industry.

She began her career by opening Models, Inc. in 1991, shaking up the New England modeling industry with a progressive approach to finding new faces for her clients. In 2000 she launched Viewfinder Productions. Casting, location scouting and producing print campaigns for clients like BOSE, Sebago and Liberty Mutual for the next 15 years. Photo Producer with Hasbro rounds out her recent career. It was here that Kristie directed conversations of how to approach casting talent for branding marketing materials in a way that reflected a brand’s mission statement of diversity and inclusion. 

Seeing this as an overarching need for brands and companies, Kristie launched HumanKind, LLC in January 2021. Her mission is to find and cast accurate and authentic talent to appear in photo and video campaigns.

Her biggest accomplishments to date are the launch of Beauty Has No Limits photo clinics

designed to build the adaptive talent pool and HumanKind Originals, a modeling agency that

represents children and adults across the disability spectrum. Kristie’s plan is to seek out

clients who are ready and willing to be more inclusive and create imagery that represents

everyone. She believes Every Body Belongs.

Erica Shields is an actor and musician based in Worcester, MA. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre, as well as an alumnus of The Hanover Theatre Repertory’s Worc at Play program, which trains aspiring actors of different skill levels in classical work and provides them the opportunity to perform in a professional setting. She has worked with theatres such as The Hanover Theatre, Penobscot Theatre Company, and Studio Theatre Worcester. Performances include At the Wedding (STW), The Dog Days Now (STW – staged reading), The Crucible (THT Rep), Little Shop of Horrors (PTC), 12th Night (THT Rep), and Mary Poppins (PTC). She continues to pursue acting professionally.

Our BV Hub 20/40 Speaker Series’ objective is to engage and inform students along with school staff about future career pathway trajectories. We also aim to highlight New England-based companies and training programs. We want to help students see themselves in the workforce, provide career awareness, and fulfill our goals for Partnered Schools along with the Connecting Activities program.

Please reach out to me with any questions that you may have about our BV Hub 20/40 Speaker Series at kerins.annie@bvhub.org !