As the CEO and co-founder of the Archangels platform for unpaid caregivers and as a health care entrepreneur and leader, Alexandra Drane understands the sacrifices, skills and integrity of people who dedicate themselves to caring for loved ones.
“Caring for others is not a straight-line endeavor,” Drane said. “It involves leveraging a holistic skill set and thinking out of the box and outside the lines — it’s real-time problem-solving with drop-dead timelines and huge financial implications and logistic realities.”
“Those skills are invaluable,” she continued. “Those skills also perfectly transfer to any industry.”
Drane was the 2025 College of Professional Studies Commencement speaker, addressing graduates at a ceremony held in Matthews Arena on Northeastern’s Boston campus on Wednesday.
Archangels uses data and storytelling to identify and support unpaid caregivers, connecting them with often-overlooked resources. By partnering with communities and organizations, it works to elevate the role of caregivers and improve both well-being and health outcomes.
Drane also leads the Engage with Grace campaign, encouraging individuals to share end-of-life plans with family and caregivers, and is “a serial entrepreneur” who focuses on making health care more human-focused.
She sees those same attributes among the graduates of Northeastern, a global leader in experiential learning.
“What you learn at (Northeastern) is how to adapt, and how to know when there is more to learn — and how to put your body there to learn it,” Drane said. “Because life is deliciously unpredictable.”
Indeed, unpredictability and adaptability are hallmarks of caregivers, Drane said. She encouraged graduates to embrace these skills.
“That‘s the kind of magical person who comes to (Northeastern) — those who have lived their lives showing up for others,” Drane said.
Drane concluded her talk by telling graduates that — in addition to their diploma — they would receive a “Care Badge Challenge Coin” emblazoned with three words: “‘integrity, strength, devotion’ and the phrase ‘translating skills to opportunities.’’’
“It honors the care you have shown, the care you have shown to get here,” Drane said. “And it reflects all the places you are set to go.”
“One of the greatest opportunities you have is to care for each other and to commit — right now — to having each other’s backs,” Drane continued. “When you do that — with integrity, with strength, with devotion — you together will be unstoppable.”