Richard Antonelli, SM '80
Harvard Faculty, Boston Children's Hospital
Rich received his Master’s Degree in 1980 from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health (HSPH). His research in pediatric oncology led to his enrolling at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, from which he graduated in 1984. In addition to his clinical work as a pediatrician with a focus on caring for children, youth, and young adults with complex, chronic conditions, he has spent several decades working across the US and internationally evaluating quality of care delivery and informing efforts to advance health justice for all. He spent nearly a decade as a member of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Adult and Child Medicaid Core Set Review Workgroup which advises selection of performance measures for children and adults in Medicaid. He had the privilege of informing portions of the Affordable Care Act, focused on primary care and care coordination. As the Medical Director of Integrated Care at Boston Children’s Hospital, he works with health care organizations around the US and internationally, providing guidance to improve access and outcomes of care. He has been fortunate to provide mentorship to many medical, nursing, and social work trainees through many years.
Rich and Donna (Tervo) Antonelli met at the University of Rochester as undergraduates. They married in 1978 and remain best friends. Donna pursued training in neuroscience, then leveraged her skills in the Development Office at HSPH. Subsequently, she took a leadership position in surgical quality measurement at Massachusetts General Hospital where she was recognized for the impact she made on surgical quality reporting and improvement. She retired in 2022. She is a skilled cook, for which Rich is immensely grateful! Donna is passionate about native plantings in her garden and is an effective steward of wild flora and fauna on Cape Cod. In her “spare” time, she was a contributing writer for the television series MacGyver.
Donna and Rich have been blessed with 4 children and 5 grandchildren. Living on Cape Cod full time, they nurture their wellbeing by hiking in the diversity of ecosystems that the Cape has to offer. They also enjoy birding, kayaking, and travelling to destinations that feature wildlife and untamed natural beauty.