About Alyssa

Alyssa Kathleen Bittner-Gibbs was born on October 3, 1980 in Everett, Pennsylvania, the firstborn child and only daughter of James and Donna Bittner (now divorced). In 1983, she was joined by her brother Steven, and in 1986 she was joined by her youngest brother James, Jr.

Alyssa attended public school in the Bedford Area School District from 1986 to 1999. Growing up, Alyssa took enjoyed drawing and painting, horseback riding, playing softball and soccer, and taking piano lessons. During her time in high school, she served on the student council, chorus, the Envirothon, National Honor Society, and most significantly contributed as a member of the yearbook staff. She served as business manager for the Echo her freshman and sophomore years in high school, and was made editor-in-chief her junior year. For the 1998-99 academic year, Alyssa became a Rotary International Exchange Student and left her home for Eskilstuna, Sweden. There she attended St. Eskils Gymnasium and graduated there, picked up some Swedish, traveled throughout Europe, and most importantly gained valuable worldly experience and cultural insight. This time was Alyssa’s most formative year in her youth.

In August 1999, Alyssa traveled to Franklin & Marshall College to begin studying for her bachelor’s degree. She majored in Government, adding a German Studies major her junior year of studies. Her preferred activities during college involved belonging to the College Democrats, debate club, college chorus, College Dispatch, working at Student Activities, serving as an international orientation advisor, all while holding a part-time 20 hours a week job at the local Lenscrafters. It was in the Spring of 2000 that Alyssa met her future husband, and they began dating September 3, 2000. In Spring 2002, Alyssa studied public policy and Swedish at the University of Stockholm, living in an apartment on the island of Södermalm and interning at the U.S. Embassy. Alyssa and Keith kept in constant contact during her four month absence abroad.

Upon graduation in May 2003, she and her then-boyfriend, Keith began to make plans for the future. Notably, they became engaged on June 19, 2003 and moved to Quincy, Massachusetts on August 6th, 2003. After nearly a year, temping and figuring out what she wanted to do, Alyssa began pursuing a M.Ed. in Policy, Planning, and Administration at Boston University’s School of Education, with a sub-concentration in Higher Education Administration. Meanwhile, while working and attending graduate school part-time, she wed Keith on September 3, 2005 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where they met and attended college. She was awarded her Masters degree in January 2006, and walked in Boston University's May 2006 Commencement exercises.

In July 2004, two months after beginning her graduate studies, Alyssa was hired as a Program Coordinator in the Office of Housing, Boston University. On July 28, 2006 (two years exactly after she had her first day of work) Alyssa resigned her position to work on personal projects and pursue a new position to compliment her existing experience and educational background.  In October 2006, Alyssa was hired by Harvard Business School as a faculty assistant for the Organizational Behavior Unit.  She currently assists two faculty members with their teaching and research.  Keith and Alyssa relocated to the City of Boston in September 2004 to be closer to their work, and currently reside in the district of Allston with their two cats, Ghost and Goblin.

Her current extra-curricular pursuits include entertaining and feeding friends frequently, doing genealogical research, watching movies, exploring the sites of New England, and spending time with her husband. She hopes to make it a point in the upcoming year to finish old projects and discover the hidden gems of the Boston area.