Arlington

Paul Rooney

the idea guy

Having grown up in a large family in a tightly knit community, Paul understands the need to stay personally connected, which is how he and his mother developed the xtra xtra site concept. A successful entrepreneur, Paul founded Employee Benefit Solutions (EBS) in 1997. Since then, EBS has grown to become one of the largest regional insurance and financial services firms in the New England region. Paul is a 1987 graduate of Harvard College and an active member of the board of directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. He resides in Milton with his wife Lisa and their three children.

Peg Rooney

the idea gal

Hon is Paul’s mother and is at the heart of the idea for xtra xtra. Her unique understanding of the personal relationships between relatives, friends, and other social contacts led her to wonder if there might be a way to stay connected. Hon is a lifelong resident of the tight-knit South Boston neighborhood, where she met her husband Fred and raised 11 boys. She worked at the State House in Legislative Information Services for 29 years and volunteers her time to many charitable endeavors. Hon has 26 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She and Fred still reside in her childhood home.

Stephanie Burke

the web wizard

Stephanie holds a BA in Business Management from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management and is currently working towards her MBA at Babson College. Stephanie helped found the site in 2007, and she has worked tirelessly to get the website off the ground. She has been with us since the very beginning and currently is the driving force behind our movement to a local news platform. In addition to day-to-day operations, Stephanie's all encompassing role includes market research, website usability, quality assurance testing, fielding site inquiries, and much more. Out of the office, Stephanie enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends. She currently resides in South Boston, MA.

Jamie Reddish

the design guru

Jamie interned with xtra xtra for two years while earning her B.F.A in Graphic Design and Technology from Emmanuel College before becoming a full time employee. At Emmanuel, Jamie refined her design and composition skills, but was specifically enthusiastic about web design and development. Much of her work can be seen throughout the xtra xtra site, from web page layout and design to icon creation. She also works behind the scenes in print design and site coding and maintenance. Jamie’s favorite color is pink (also known as #FF55AA in the design world).

Sara Lambert

Sara is a recent graduate of UMass Amherst and the newest member of the xtra xtra team. Sara's role is to assist with editor recruitment and promote of the transformed site. Her excellent written and verbal communication skills paired with a "can do" attitude make her an asset to the team. Sara has already brought in a number of potential editors and we look forward to seeing what she will accomplish.