This fall, you won't find the newest faces at Commonwealth in front of the classroom—but their critical behind-the-scenes work ensures our complex ecosystem keeps running smoothly, whether they're managing big data or interpersonal relationships, planning events or posting to Instagram. Keep reading to learn more about their role at Commonwealth and what makes them tick.

Lilit DerKevorkian, Student Life Intern

Lilit is a third year clinical psychology doctoral student at William James College. In her role as Student Life Intern, she assists Commonwealth's Dean of Students and School Counselor in providing well-rounded supports for all students. She studied Neuroscience and Behavior at Simmons College and continued her studies at Columbia University, where she earned a master’s in psychology. Her clinical interests include integrated mental health, cultural competence, and problems related to addiction. She has experience working with children and families in a private practice, as well as conducting memory assessments within the VA Boston Healthcare System. She is a proud Armenian American, an avid reader, and someone who will always make herself available to lend a listening ear. 

Becca Gillis, Communications Coordinator

Becca is a recent graduate of Gettysburg College, where she earned a B.A. in English. During her time in college, she enjoyed spending a semester studying literature in Bath, England, as well as pursuing her passions for writing and civic engagement. As Communications Coordinator, Becca supports the myriad and multifaceted communications needs of community. On any given day, she might interview a student for a blog post, shoot some video at a soccer game for an Instagram reel, write copy for the alumni/ae newsletter, post an important announcement for students to a bulletin board, prepare an email reminding parents/guardians to complete a permission form. Or a bit of all of the above. When not at Commonwealth, Becca can be found frequenting local theaters or catching up on the latest Oscar-nominated films.

Sasha Himeno-Price, Admissions and Advancement Coordinator

Sasha was raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She earned her M.P.P. with a concentration in Child, Youth, and Family Policy and B.A. in Psychology and Education Studies from Brandeis University. Prior to Commonwealth, she helped families access child care subsidies at Action for Boston Community Development. At Commonwealth, Sasha works closely with our Admissions and Advancement teams in managing data entry and integrity across systems; supporting events such as open houses, visiting days, prospective family information sessions, new parent social events, and alumni/ae reunions; communicating across constituencies; and much more. During her free time, you can find her exploring new places or relaxing with friends at home.

Julia Siegle, Advancement Associate

Julia's journey into the education sector began in 2016 when she joined the Michigan-based Joyce Ivy Foundation, an organization focused on leadership development and college advising for young women from the Midwest. This experience ignited her interest in education as a means of transformation for young people. Julia graduated with honors from the University of Michigan, earning a B.A. in Public Policy with a concentration in education policy. Following her time at university, Julia worked as a Student Services Fellow at Anatolia College in Thessaloniki, Greece, where she helped bolster the school’s unique extracurricular offerings and was heavily involved in communications and outreach. Julia then completed her M.A. in Education Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she selected a specific focus on K–12 education and deepened her knowledge of innovative education initiatives. Julia manages a wide variety of responsibilities as Commonwealth’s Advancement Associate, largely centered around strengthening our connections with our alumni/ae and current families. This might entail event planning, communications, database management, and more. Julia is thrilled to be joining the Commonwealth community!

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