Sean Palfrey(aka John G. Palfrey), AB '67
Pediatrician, faculty, dean, deep family roots in Massachusetts and Harvard
Sean Palfrey concentrated in biology at Harvard, went on to do grad work at Rockefeller University in neurophysiology, transferred into the MSTP program at Columbia, graduated in 1974 and undertook his pediatric residency and chief residency at Tufts. Since then, he has served for ten years as Chief of Pediatrics at St. Vincent Hospital, Worcester / UMMS, three years in pediatric emergency medicine at Childrens Hospital, Boston, and then for 32 years attending staff at Boston City Hospital / Boston Medical Center and Professor of Pediatrics and Public Health. He has been a member, with a term as president, of the Mass Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Throughout his career, Sean has been a legislative advocate for child health in Massachusetts. In 1999, he and his wife, Judy Sullivan Palfrey, MD, Radcliffe ‘67, took over as House Masters / Faculty Deans of Adams House at Harvard and served in that role for 22 years. The couple retired in 2021 but Sean has continued to teach in the Extension School and at medical schools and to serve on Harvard committees. The Crimson and Gazette have articles on both Sean and Judy. Sean can trace his family in Massachusetts back to 1623 and their association with Harvard since it began (Palfreys and Roosevelts). Two of their three children graduated from Harvard (and the other from Columbia) and two of their grandchildren are currently undergrads. The Palfreys now live full time in Cataumet.