Alumni Spotlight

Kathleen was drawn to Salve Regina for the strong nursing program and her passion for the ocean and sailing. Once immersed in the Salve Regina culture, Kathleen felt at home with a deep sense of community and belonging which felt just as important as her classes and learning.  

Diving headfirst into student leadership, Kathleen was a member of Sigma Phi Sigma, the Honor Society, a Eucharistic Minister, and a Resident Advisor. She also began to volunteer by visiting the elderly in the greater Newport community as a companion and providing good health habits. Mornings would be filled with drowning herself in coffee at the cafe while she chatted with her friends to procrastinate their schoolwork. Free time was spent attending campus events such as Spring Weekend concerts and exploring Newport at the Cliff Walk, Bellevue Ave, Thames Street, and local favorites like Salas’, Aquidneck Pizza, The Taven, and Harry’s 103.  

The professors at Salve Regina encouraged Kathleen when she needed it the most. “When I was a freshman at Salve, during my first week of Anatomy and Physiology I was panicked because unlike many of my classmates, I had not taken Advanced Placement Science courses in high school. I was sure I would fail! My Professor, Sister Mary Brenda, reminded me that I was an intelligent young woman with a curious mind, and that was going to help me to succeed. She told me to put my worries behind me, and start studying like I knew how to!” Kathleen recalls these as the fond memories that created such a lasting impression in her heart for Salve.  

In addition, “I remember Sister Consilli Reynolds paying for a new camshaft in my vehicle until my parents could wire me the money” Santamore says, “She even let me drive her big Buick to my clinical rotations in Providence until my car was repaired."  

After graduating from Salve in 1984, Kathleen married her husband, Cliff. They have since bounced from Boston to Saco, Maine, then to East Amherst, NY, and then to Southborough, MA. Always wanting to return to their hometown of Saco, Maine, Kathleen and Cliff moved their family back in 1997 and have been there since.  Kathleen has worked at Maine Medical Center in the PACU since 1997, transferring to The Scarborough Surgery Center of Maine Medical Center in December 2019. Currently, Kathleen works in the preoperative and postoperative unit.  

As Kathleen was beginning to settle into the comforts of her transfer, coronavirus became her new reality. The elective surgery case volume diminished, so she was deployed to Maine Medical Center to work on a combination of surgical units and coronavirus units.  Although the hospital itself is very familiar to Kathleen, having worked there for much of her career, she had not worked on an inpatient unit since 1987.   

“You can imagine the level of stress and anxiety this caused.  But, through it all, I kept telling myself that I am an excellent nurse with a vast level of knowledge and the experience necessary to be successful as I faced this new challenge. Learning the inpatient charting model, donning and doffing proper PPE, PAPR, N95 became the new normal during the month I spent taking care of COVID and post-surgical patients. It was a humbling experience where I was forced to call upon my nursing expertise and flexible nature in order to perform my job each day.” 

The most difficult part of the coronavirus pandemic for Kathleen has been beyond her healthcare worker job. It was the fear that she might cause her husband, children, or grandchildren to become ill. Kathleen drew from Salve’s Mission, “Salve’s Mission has always impacted my life. I live a life of service above self, and maintain a positive attitude living life with a compassionate, grateful and giving spirit.” She could see her family was more frightened than she was, but she reassured them that being a nurse means taking care of others, no matter what. Kathleen’s family supported her, encouraged her and took precautions to keep themselves safe.  

“I am grateful to be back at the surgery center in my usual role, mask and all, caring for surgical patients providing a positive experience for them and their families.  I appreciate my downtime, my family, and my good health, something I never take for granted.” 

Apart from Kathleen’s professional healthcare work, she enjoys cooking, walking, indoor spinning, and especially loves maintaining her large and varied perennial gardens. She and her husband love to travel, entertain at home, spend time with their adult children and grandchildren. They have two adult children: their daughter Jill Blake, age 33, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, married to her husband Justin, and they have 5-year-old Quinn and 3-year-old Emma.  Their son, Paul age 29, is a high school Counselor, married to his wife Brooke and they have 9-month-old Lainey. Kathleen and Cliff feel blessed their children and grandchildren live nearby to watch them grow.  

In her personal life, Kathleen has always been an active volunteer in their local schools. She is a Eucharistic Minister at her Catholic Church and on the Board of Trustees at Thornton Academy in her hometown of Saco, Maine. Kathleen is also proud to be a member of Maine Hands and Voices. Maine Hands and Voices is an organization for families and people who are deaf or hearing impaired. Kathleen feels connected to the organization as her 3-year-old granddaughter, Emma, is deaf.  

Kathleen looks back on her time at Salve with nostalgia and love as she is grateful for all she has now. “I truly have been blessed beyond measure.”