Please meet our Board of Directors & early "BLUE" Champions

Ms. Barishian is a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts and Director at Marcum LLP – Boston and Providence, with more than 10 years of experience in public accounting focusing on audits of public and private companies. She works primarily with companies in the technology industry, particularly in software, life sciences and renewable energy. Kristin also has experience providing in-house technical consulting for public companies. She has also worked for 4 years in private industry as a manager of SEC and financial reporting and as an accounting manager. Kristin graduated from Bentley College (now University) in 2003 and obtained her Master of Science in Accountancy (MSA) from Bentley University in 2004. In her spare time, Kristin enjoys mentoring start-ups.  

Ms. Curtis is a recognized leader in the fields of climate change, business strategy and government relations. Julia has over two decades of experience working with governments, private industry, academia, and international organizations such as the International Energy Agency, FAO, and International Renewable Energy on communications, negotiations, strategy and teambuilding. Her main specialization has been in the energy, agriculture, climate change and environment sectors where she has  been publicly recognized for her leadership, project management and communication abilities. Julia led one of the first US EPA Water Rights Treaties with Mexico. Ms. Curtis received a master’s degrees in international economics, and energy and environmental policy from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and New York University with dual bachelor’s in art history and political science. Julia has consulted on energy, technology, agriculture and environmental projects in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. She has published articles on climate and renewable energy and is often asked to speak at Industry Conferences. A life-long passion for civics and education and serves as a Director of the Junior Statesmen Foundation. Trilingual in English, French and Italian Julia loves to sail and to row Venetian boats. She lives in Venice, Italy with her daughter Cornelia. 

Rear Adm (Ret). David Duryea is a native of Orchard Park, New York. He graduated from the University of Rochester earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Geomechanics. A retired Submarine Officer, Duryea’s served on 4 submarines including Commanding Officer of the USS Florida Gold (SSBN 728). Shore duty assignments include a tour at the United States Strategic Command and Force Engineer, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. As an Acquisition Corps member, he served as Program Manager, Advanced Submarine Systems Development Office, Program Manager, Submarine Imaging and Electronic Warfare Systems (PMS 435) and Program manager, Special Operations Forces Undersea Mobility Program Office (PMS 399). As a Flag officer, he served as Naval Sea Systems Command, Deputy Commander for Undersea Warfare and Commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC)/Director, Undersea Technology (SEA 073).  He retired from the Navy on Nov. 1, 2014. After retirement, he was the Vice President for Finance and Management at the State University of New York at Cortland from 2015–2018. He is currently the Director, Naval Initiatives at Systems Planning and Analysis in Alexandria, VA.  

Dr. Robyn Hannigan is the President of Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. She has served as the Provost of Clarkson University since August 2019. Dr. Hannigan is recognized globally as an innovative leader, and her passion for higher education and research, coupled with her dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion has transformed the institutions where she has served, including at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she was the Founding Dean of the School for the Environment. She has translated her spirit for invention into two start-up companies and continues to be an active, prolific researcher and mentor, garnering over $30 million in external funding and producing over 100 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Hannigan has been a stalwart supporter of the vision behind the Blue Institute and has been as one its four key academic advisors since Incorporation in 2016. Dr. Hannigan has an undergraduate degree of science in biology from the College of New Jersey, a masters in geology from SUNY-Buffalo, and a masters and Ph.D. in earth and environmental science from the University of Rochester. She has held many previous positions in her career including Program Officer at the National Science Foundation, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at GeoMed Analytical, and several faculty appointments at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Arkansas State University.  

 Dr. Michael Passow is a Principal Member of Technical Staff in Data & Analytics Solution Architecture at GlobalFoundries in Malta, NY. From within the corporate IT organization, he leads a global program in AI and Machine Learning development and deployment of manufacturing applications in GF semiconductor chip factories in the US, Europe and Asia. Of particular interest is the advancement of sensors and edge computing which enable distributed ML from the cloud to the device in the field. Prior to joining GF in 2020, Dr. Passow spent six years as a Senior Technical Staff Member and Research Scientist at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Laboratory in Yorktown Heights, NY. There he co-developed the Environmental Monitoring and Management cyberinfrastructure for The Jefferson Project at Lake George, NY, a state-of-the-art systems approach which supports environmental monitoring, modeling, simulation, forecasting and experimentation. This solution was designed to inform smart decision-making for ecosystem resilience in the face of long-term pressures from climate change and intensifying human use. Prior to this, Dr. Passow led the development and deployment of advanced sensors, real-time analytics, and advanced process control systems at IBM’s semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities in the US. Michael Passow received his PhD in Nuclear Engineering (plasma physics) from the University of Michigan, along with a MS and BS in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

Jessica Vonashek is the Chief of Economic and Community Development for the City of Norwalk, Connecticut.  Jessica Vonashek has worked as Chief Officer of Operations: Policy and Oversight at Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and as the Economic Development Director for the Plymouth Regional Economic Development Foundation.  She remains an Adviser at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston where she served as a Fellow in Public Policy in 2011. Jessica Vonashek received a BA in Geographic Analysis from Ryerson University and graduated from Northeastern University with a MS in Urban and Regional Policy in 2012.    

  It is with heartfelt thanks that we appreciate the ongoing pro bono work of Eugene (Gene) Curry for the Blue Institute since our early days as we participated in the EforAll South Coast 2016 Summer Cohort, and the 2017 CleanTech Open. 

Gene Curry is the principal of the Law Office of Eugene R. Curry. The firm provides corporate, regulatory, and intellectual property solutions to the business, arts, and non-profit communities and estate planning and administration services to individuals. His clients range from start-ups to multi-national corporations. Gene serves as on the Board of Directors of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and as General Counsel to the Cape Cod Technology Council, Inc., the Bourne Community Boating, Inc. and is a Co-founder and Clerk of the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation. 

If you are in need of legal representation please consider the Law Office of Eugene R. Curry.