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Speaker Program

Belmont Hill is so fortunate to be able to offer our boys a wide array of distinguished speakers in our historic Hamilton Chapel. Through the years, our Head of School, alumni, and faculty—as well as an impressive list of guest speakers—have presented on a broad range of topics. Head of School Chapel Talks and the Parents' Council Speaker Series are made available to parents by video whenever possible. Other talks are shared publicly on occasion, but the primary audience is the internal community of faculty, staff, and the boys.

2025-2026 Speakers

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Eric Kapitulik 
September 26, 2025

Mr. Kapitulik is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, where he was a four-year varsity letter recipient on their Division 1 lacrosse team. After graduation in 1995, he went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps as both an Infantry Officer and Special Operations Officer with 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, 1st Marine Division. In 1999, during a routine training mission to prepare for an upcoming deployment to the Persian Gulf, Mr. Kapitulik and his Force Recon platoon were in a helicopter crash that resulted in the death of six of his Marines. In an effort to raise money for a college scholarship fund set up for the children of his deceased teammates,Mr. Kapitulik has completed eight Ironman Triathlons, The Canadian Death Race Ultra Marathon, The Eco Challenge, and The American Birkebeiner Ski Marathon. He is also an avid mountaineer and has summited five of the Seven Summits (the highest peaks on each of the seven continents): Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. McKinley, Mt. Aconcagua, Mt. Elbrus, and Mt. Everest. He left active duty after eight years of service and received his MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business in 2005. He founded The Program in 2008. Watch the Ironman coverage of Eric’s story here. 

 

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Paige Wallace
October 6, 2025
Cum Laude Speaker

Ms. Wallace teaches Advanced American Literature, English 3, The Hero in Literature, and Advanced Action Research. She is the faculty advisor to the Panel and is an assistant Alpine Skiing coach. Before coming to Belmont Hill she taught at the Community Charter School of Cambridge and was responsible for redesigning the AP English Language curriculum. While at Community Charter, Ms. Wallace also worked with new teachers in developing relationships with students. Prior to that, she held positions at the Charles Sposato Graduate School of Education, where she served as a summer practicum instructional coach, and at the Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice, where she taught 12th grade English. She holds an EdM from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an AB Honors in history and literature with a secondary in the classics from Harvard College.

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Nick Barnicle ‘03 and Colin Barnicle ‘04
October 10, 2025

Belmont Hill graduates Colin Barnicle '04 and Nick Barnicle '03 are award-winning documentary filmmakers who founded their production company, Barnicle Brothers, in 2010. The Emmy Award-winning production company operates under the simple yet powerful mantra of "good stories, told well."

The brothers have created an impressive and entertaining portfolio of recent projects that showcase their storytelling expertise. Their Emmy Award-winning Netflix docuseries "The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox" demonstrates their ability to craft compelling sports narratives, while their four-part Netflix documentary series "This Is a Robbery" explores the fascinating 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist. Additionally, their film "Carol and Johnny" about a real life Bonnie and Clyde, premiered at the prestigiuos Tribeca Film Festival in 2022.

Colin serves as director on their projects and, in addition, produces, shoots, and edits. As well as producing, Nick orchestrates relationships with interviewees, clients, creative partners, and helps secure financial investment for projects.

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The 2025 Veterans Day Speaker is Alex Santangelo ’15

At Belmont Hill, Alex Santangelo ’15 was co-captain of the varsity lacrosse team, an Academic All-American, and a two-time ISL champion (2013 and 2015). He also played varsity football, served as vice president of his class, and played cello in the orchestra. After graduating, he attended Brown University, where he majored in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizations while playing four years of Division I varsity lacrosse and serving as vice president of Brown’s No Labels chapter.

After completing his studies in 2019, Mr. Santangelo was inspired by his family’s history of service in the U.S. Navy and the legacy of Charlie Kenney ’06. He enrolled in Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, and upon graduation was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer. Over the next five years, he served aboard the USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), a guided-missile destroyer homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, and later Mayport, Florida. He held multiple roles onboard, including Antiterrorism Officer, Assistant Weapons Officer, First Lieutenant (Deck Division Officer), and Operations Intelligence Officer. He deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and throughout the Middle East in support of anti-drug and anti-weapons smuggling operations, escort missions, and regional security efforts.

In 2024, Mr. Santangelo separated from active duty and moved to Cambridge, MA, with his wife, Drew, to pursue a joint Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy at Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School.

During his time at Harvard, Mr. Santangelo has completed internships with Blue Origin, where he worked on corporate strategy for national security space programs; Vatn Systems, a startup developing autonomous underwater vehicles for defense applications; and in private equity at Copley Equity Partners. Today, he continues to give back to the veteran community by volunteering with Service to School, an organization that helps transitioning service members navigate the college admissions process. He understands firsthand the challenges of moving from military to academic life and is passionate about helping others make that transition successfully.

Click here to learn more about previous Belmont Hill School Veterans Day speakers.

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Topher Scott
December 5, 2025

Mr. Scott is dedicated to bringing people together and improving the hockey community at every level. A native of the Chicago area, he played youth and junior hockey for the USHL’s Chicago Steel before attending Cornell University, where he was a two-year captain, scored over 100 points, and was recognized nationally for his leadership and community service as a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award.

Following his playing career, Mr. Scott began coaching at Miami University (Ohio), helping the team win its first-ever CCHA championship while earning a master’s degree in Sports Studies. He later coached at Cornell and the University of Michigan, contributing to multiple championship seasons and a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four.

Today, Mr. Scott leads The Hockey Think Tank, an organization focused on educating and inspiring players, parents, and coaches. He also serves on the board of Illinois’ youth hockey affiliate for USA Hockey and has chaired charity hockey events that have raised over $1.5 million for special needs organizations.

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Rosetta Eun Ryong Lee
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Speaker
 
Since 2004, Rosetta has been a diversity speaker and trainer on a variety of topics, including cross cultural communication, identity development, implicit and unconscious bias, gender and sexuality diversity, facilitation skills, affinity groups, and bullying in schools. She has worked with over 350 K-12 schools throughout the country, along with over 100 colleges and universities, nonprofits, businesses, and more. Ms. Lee serves Seattle Girls’ School in dual roles. SGS is an innovative school for Junior High School girls and nonbinary youth, aiming to empower leaders and change agents and dedicating its energies to a diverse community of students and faculty, an anti-bias mission, and an integrated curriculum. As a faculty member, Ms. Lee teaches subjects such as science, math, technology, art, ethics, social justice, and more. As an outreach specialist, she designs and delivers trainings internally for the SGS community as well as externally for schools, nonprofits, government agencies, and businesses.
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Anthony Ray Hinton
February 5, 2026

Anthony Ray Hinton survived for 30 years on Alabama's death row following a wrongful conviction. His story is a decades-long journey to exoneration and freedom. In 1985, Mr. Hinton was  wrongly convicted of the unsolved murders of two fast-food restaurant managers based on the testimony of ballistics experts for the State who claimed that the crime bullets came from a dusty revolver found in Mr. Hinton's mother’s closet. Without the benefit of a competent expert to challenge the State’s theory (Mr. Hinton’s lawyer hired a ballistics expert who was blind in one eye), an all-white jury convicted Mr. Hinton and he was sentenced to death. After years of petitioning to have the revolver re-analyzed, three independent experts concluded that the bullets could not have been fired from his mother’s revolver. With the assistance of the Equal Justice Initiative, led by attorney Bryan Stevenson, Mr. Hinton was freed in 2015. Since his release, Mr. Hinton has traveled the world sharing his story and discussing the changes that need to be made to prevent similar injustices from happening to other people. In 2018, Mr. Hinton published The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row, which was selected for Oprah’s Book Club and is a New York Times bestseller. In 2019, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from St. Bonaventure University, and in 2023, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Emory University. 

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Clarice Assad
February 27, 2026
Kageyama-Hunt Speaker

Brazilian-American composer, pianist, and vocalist Clarice Assad is a Grammy Award–nominated artist renowned for her musical versatility across classical, world music, pop, and jazz genres. Born in Rio de Janeiro, she is one of the most widely performed Brazilian concert music composers of her generation.  Her passion extends beyond performance to social impact, creating works that address climate change, social justice, gender equity, and youth empowerment. Her music harnesses the transformative power of art to connect people and inspire audiences to break free of creative constraints.

With over 70 compositions to her credit, Ms. Assad has received prestigious commissions from Carnegie Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and major orchestras worldwide. Her works have been recorded by luminaries including Yo-Yo Ma, Dame Evelyn Glennie, and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, and performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony, and other renowned ensembles.

As a performer, Ms. Assad has collaborated with Bobby McFerrin, Paquito D'Rivera, and other notable artists at venues including Carnegie Hall and the Concertgebouw. She is also the creator of VOXploration, an innovative music education program that makes musical creation accessible to participants of all ages and backgrounds.

She holds degrees from Roosevelt University and the University of Michigan, and has received numerous honors including an Aaron Copland Award and multiple ASCAP composition awards.

Previous Speakers

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Previous Speakers

Ibram X. Kendi
Lt. Daniel McDonald
Arshay Cooper
Field Yates
Jessica Lahey
Brandord Marsalis
Mark Chandler
Joani Geltman
Caroline Randall Williams
Dr. Michael Thompson
Greg Dayton
Peter Flaherty
Rabbi Marc Baker
Alison Crowther
Kenya Barris
Michael G. Thompson
Dr. Lee M. Levison
Rich Newton
David Brooks
Taswell Papier
Olympians Tokyo 2020
Mayor Ruthanne Fuller
Imari Paris Jeffries
Julie Nicoletti
Chris Herren
Dr. Noubar Afeyan
Stephen Kinzer
Dr. Shinya Yamanaka
The image shows a man with a beard wearing a dark suit, standing in front of a background with the text %22SEPTEMBER 30, 2022%22 and %22Ryan O'Callaghan%22 displayed.
The image shows a smiling woman with long blonde hair wearing a navy blue top, standing in front of a plain background with the text %22OCTOBER 7, 2022%22 and %22Molly King%22 displayed.
The image shows a middle-aged man with a gray beard wearing glasses and a light-colored shirt against a plain background with the date %22November 8, 2022%22 and the name %22Glenn Loury%22 displayed.
The image shows a man in a military uniform with various medals and insignia, standing in front of a banner that displays the date %22November 30, 2022%22 and identifies him as %22Cdr Peter Firenze 97%22 and a %22Veterans Day Speaker%22.
The image shows a smiling man with glasses wearing a dark gray sweater and holding a plaid scarf, with the text %22JANUARY 17, 2023%22 and %22Clint Smith%22 displayed above him.
The image features four headshot portraits of individuals in formal attire, along with text announcing an event titled %22Alumni in Medicine%22 on February 3, 2023.
The image shows a smiling man with glasses wearing a black suit, with the text %22FEBRUARY 17, 2023 Jason Hsu (Hsu Yu-jen; 許育仁) KAGEYAMA-HUNT LECTURE SERIES%22 displayed below.
Poet Regie Gibson at Belmont Hill for a week of poetry
Visiting Speaker Lisa Monaco
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The image shows a smiling woman with blonde hair wearing a floral-patterned blouse, with the text %22OCTOBER 20, 2023%22 and %22Jamie Hagerman Phinney%22 displayed above her.
Joe Toscano
The image shows a smiling man wearing a beige vest and a blue shirt, with the text %22FEBRUARY 16, 2024%22 and %22Dr. Karan Thakur%22 displayed above him, along with the text %22KAGEYAMA-HUNT LECTURE SERIES%22 below.
The image shows a smiling man with glasses wearing a gray sweater against a plain background, with the text %22APRIL 29, 2024%22 and %22Alex Maws '89%22 displayed below.
The image features a headshot of a man with a friendly expression, set against a dark background with the Earth Day logo and the date %22April 22, 2024%22 displayed prominently.
The image shows a smiling man wearing a suit and tie, standing in front of an American flag. The text below the image states %22November 10, 2023, Ian Connor '10, Veterans Day Speaker%22.
The image shows an older man with a cowboy hat playing an acoustic guitar against a dark background with the date %22December 8, 2023%22 displayed.
The image shows a smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a blue top, with the text %22January 16, 2024%22 and %22Jennifer De Leon%22 displayed above her.
The image shows a smiling man with gray hair wearing a suit and tie, with the date %22November 17, 2023%22 and the text %22Dr. Richard I. Melvoin%22 displayed above him.
The image features a book cover for %22New Kid%22 by Jerry Craft, along with a portrait of the author wearing a baseball cap.

Speaker Program

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