Margaret Loret, left, and Denise Payne

On June 6, more than 500 students will graduate from HSPH, adding to the ranks of the school’s approximately 9,500 living alumni. Their needs as alumni will be met by a new staff in the Office of Alumni Programs.

Margaret Loret, director of Alumni Programs, began working at HSPH last month. She has more than 15 years of experience working with American and international students and alumni. In her previous position as director of alumni affairs and international advancement at Suffolk University in Boston, she developed, implemented and managed alumni clubs in Spain, Japan, Taiwan, China, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

For many years, Loret advised foreign students and scholars on immigration matters and designed social and cultural initiatives for them at local colleges. In the past, she worked at the Harvard International Office, where she assisted foreign student advisors with visa processing.

HSPH Alumni by degree

Loret has already completed her first successful project at HSPH–the annual Alumni Day, attended by more than 100 alumni and guests (see page 1). Among the participants were alumni from across the US as well as from Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Norway. The Japanese alumni were joined by Tadamichi Yamamoto, Consul General of Japan in Boston, and Ethan Kuo, director of the Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston.

Loret’s e-mail is mloret@hsph.harvard.edu.

Joining Loret in the Office of Alumni Programs is Denise Payne, coordinator of Alumni Programs, who brings valuable experience to the office. Payne started in January. Born in Puerto Rico and a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in management, Payne became executive assistant to Paul Farmer, the co-founder of Partners in Health at Harvard Medical School. She coordinated essential activities and managed the director’s domestic and international engagements. Payne’s Harvard experience includes working at the Center for Continuing Professional Education at HSPH as a coordinator of programs in professional education.

She played a critical role in planning and implementing Alumni Day, the major alumni event of the year.

Payne is available for faculty, staff, alumni and students at dpayne@hsph.harvard.edu.

Development Office and Alumni Giving

Rebecca Schiff

Explained Rebecca Schiff, director of alumni giving: "Our intent is to encourage alumni to connect with the school and with each other for the purpose of networking, as well as to bolster alumni giving."

She explained that her office and the Alumni Programs office are taking part in each other’s events.

Schiff attends Harvard alumni events around the country with the purpose of meeting HSPH grads. The Development staff also arranges special events for alumni.

Graduates interested in learning more about Development alumni activities and ways of contributing to HSPH should contact Schiff at rschiff@hsph.harvard.edu or 617-432-5629.