Our Shining Star

Kimberly Altavesta, M.Ed, BSHE, NR-P, I/C, CHSE, NCEE, our esteemed faculty member and colleague, had been at MassBay Community College for the past 9 years.  Kim was an Associate Professor, and Program Director, as well as Department Chair for the Emergency Medical Services Program. 

Kim had credentials after her name and I want to pause to identify her hard-earned academic achievement as evidenced by these credentials: NR-P (Nationally Registered Paramedic),
BSHE (Bachelor of Science, Neuroscience),
M.Ed. (Master of Education, Educational Technology),
CHSE (Certified Simulation Healthcare Educator),
NCEE (Nationally Certified in EMS Education),

I/C (Instructor / Coordinator)

How would one sum Kim up in a brief sentence? Perhaps by saying, “Kim was our SHINING STAR in the Division.” Why? Because everything she did, she did brilliantly. 

After her passing, her health sciences colleagues were asked to give a ONE-Word picture description of Kim.  In the center of this word picture and biggest of all would be DEDICATED/DEVOTED, quickly followed by caring and compassionate, passionate, funny, witty, ambitious, practitioner, amazing and brilliant.  She was just fun to be around.

As a faculty member, Kim was an example of organization and doing things meticulously.  Kim loved teaching.  She was an effective and involved Program Director with such positive energy. Kim made the effort to get along with others and she was SOOO innovative.  Kim, along with our Director of Simulation Technology, Lise Kinahan, did amazing things together in Simulation at MassBay: new scenarios, new equipment, challenging multi-disciplinary Disaster Drills involving community stake holders to name a few.  Kim embraced technology and she picked up concepts with the snap of a finger. 

Kim was important to the EMS community.  She presented at the statewide level and at national EMS Conferences. She was always willing to help her fellow colleagues ‘get their feet wet' by speaking at conferences and providing college teaching opportunities.  She sat on a national advisory committee and her input was valued.

OUR shining star has been taken from us but that will always be an appropriate description of Kim. Her work is living on – most especially in her EMS Faculty Team.  The instructors in the EMS Program said, “the way we honor Kim's legacy and brilliance, is to keep her work going on in the dedicated fashion that she would have.”