About Us

Ever wonder what happened to your old classmates and neighbors? Want to know who from your hometown or college is engaged? Curious about what happened to that cute guy from your high school chemistry class? Would you like to receive updates without having to join a network? www.xtraxtra.com is your digital resource for hometown news, photos, and life events; including birth announcements, engagements and weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, adoptions, military, athletic, academic, professional achievements and more.

Best of all, xtra xtra is FREE, simple to use, and no registration is necessary. If you just want to look - that’s ok with us. If you do choose to post something on the site, there is a simple registration process. We don’t need your birthday, eye color or a DNA sample - all we need is a verifiable email address. Registered users also have the ability to sign up for email notifications, participate in forum discussions and send e-card responses directly from the xtra xtra site.

Want to celebrate something that isn’t on our list? Go ahead! We want you to celebrate the milestones that are important to YOU, whether it’s Johnny passing his driver’s test or Susie scoring her first soccer goal of the season. You choose the stationery and the areas where your announcement will appear, then email the posting out to family and friends. No milestone to post right now? You can post about an upcoming event or upload photos to the On the Scene section!

Unlike social networking sites, there are no profiles or “friends,” and you won’t be invited to take a quiz to determine what type of superhero you are! And unlike your local newspaper, xtra xtra content is fresh, posting is instantaneous, and you can keep up with multiple areas and schools all in one place.

What are you waiting for? Get started on xtraxtra.com today!

Join xtra xtra!

History

xtra xtra founder Paul J. Rooney was born and raised in the close-knit community of South Boston, Massachusetts. When Paul moved out of South Boston, he found it increasingly difficult to keep in touch with people and events in the area. After discussing this dilemma with his mother, Peg Rooney, a frequent patron of local news, the idea for xtra xtra was born. Paul wanted to give users a single website where they could stay up-to-date with local news and life events in various locations. He also wanted to give users the ability to share their own photos and personal milestones with the people and communities to which they feel connected. xtra xtra enables users to remain connected to the people and communitites that matter most to them, regardless of their geographical location.

Our Team

Paul Rooney

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

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 has worked at the State House in Legislative Information Services for 29 years, with no plans to retire. Hon has 26 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She and Fred still reside in her childhood home.

Stephanie Burke

Stephanie Burke

the web wizard

Stephanie is a recent graduate of UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management, where she earned a BA in Business Management. While at UMass, she was a member of the Commonwealth College and spent time studying in both Hawaii and Europe. Since joining the xtra xtra team, Stephanie has initiated an internship program, implemented a research and data collection process for localized news links, and conducted research to identify the xtra xtra user base. She has also been intricately involved with all facets of affiliate marketing, the partnership strategy and the site development and design. Stephanie currently resides in South Boston, MA.

Cooley Horner

Cooley Horner

the connector

Hailing from Tennessee, Cooley came to the area to attend Boston College where she earned a BA in Communication, and interned both with CNN and the Museum of Science. In her work with xtra xtra, Cooley maintains correspondence with bloggers and contributors to the site’s various marketing initiatives, while also connecting the site to its national nonprofit partners. An internet junkie at heart, she keeps xtra xtra on top of social media trends and is currently working on the xtra xtra company blog. Cooley is never without a diet coke and enjoys acting in community theater. She currently resides in Allston.

Jamie Reddish

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. 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).

Additional Team Members

  • Alex Theodossiou
  • Matt O’Connor

Advisory Board