Molly deRamel was instrumental in the founding and early development of RhodySquash, leaving a lasting legacy that shaped not only the organization, but the lives of countless young people. While many remember her involvement in Newport’s squash community, Molly’s most meaningful impact wasn’t on the courts—it was in the way she used squash as a vehicle to unlock educational opportunity for underserved students.

A lifelong player and advocate for the sport, Molly served as captain of the Milton Academy women’s squash team and played at the collegiate level—on the women’s team at Harvard University. But her passion extended far beyond personal competition. She saw squash as a “hook,” a tool that could draw young people into a world of possibility, discipline, and ambition. With an unshakable belief in the power of education for all, Molly helped shape RhodySquash into a program where the court was only the beginning. Working alongside Jamie Crowley, she helped bring the program to Thompson Middle School, identifying promising students and connecting them with academic pathways—including scholarships to elite junior high schools like St. George’s and Exeter.

Her vision, dedication, and quiet determination helped lay the foundation for RhodySquash’s mission. Her legacy lives on in the dreams she helped set in motion—and in the young people who now chase them with confidence and purpose.

Molly Falconer deRamel

September 11, 1970 – October 24, 2021

Molly Falconer de Ramel, who with her husband raised two extraordinary children, led a life of inspiring and caring for others through her reporting on national television, leadership coaching work with senior executives worldwide, and community service.

Molly was born in Washington, DC in 1970, the eldest child of her father Allan Ackerman, of Chicago, and her mother, Abigail Campbell King, AIA of Jamestown, RI. Molly grew up in Arlington, Massachusetts, and attended Shady Hill School in Cambridge. A classmate from those days said “She excelled in both academic achievement and well-organized, high-intensity mischief.” 

Molly was recognized throughout her life as a remarkable, accomplished human being, and as a kind, tough, and intelligent mother and wife with a real sense of humor. She was a passionate knowledge seeker and athlete — in high school at Milton Academy she was Captain of the squash team, Massachusetts state champion and top ten nationally in Extemporaneous Speech, and the first woman to be Editor of the Milton paper.

At Harvard, she graduated Magna Cum Laude and was named a John Harvard Scholar. Launching her career in television, she established herself as a powerful talent at smaller cable stations, attracting the attention of national networks, where she was an anchor and reporter daily from New York City for several years, winning an Emmy honor for her reporting of 9/11. She loved language, and it did what she wanted. She once said “I believe that words can change the world.”

Leaving broadcast television to marry Guillaume, the love of her life, Molly moved with him to Newport, Rhode Island to start their family. She soon took a position heading Brown University’s media relations department before establishing herself in the corporate world, founding and leading Periwinkle Worldwide. In the business world, she rapidly became a trusted sought-after coach and teacher of executives in leadership, often helping them glean a compelling narrative from tangled ideas. Her clients led organizations who are household names across the world. Both with her family and with clients, she put others ahead of herself. 

The meteor of her career is clear for all to see, and yet she often said that who her and Guillaume’s children were becoming was her proudest achievement. Guillaume and Molly were devoted to each other for nearly two decades.

Molly lent her insightful voice as a Director or Trustee of The Redwood Library, St. Michaels Country Day School, the Boys & Girls Club, RhodySquash, and the Belmont Chapel Foundation, thus supporting her interests in literature, history, education, and helping disadvantaged children.

Molly died suddenly and too soon on October 24, 2021 of injuries she sustained in a tragic accident at home in Newport RI. She loved learning, she loved teaching, and wanted all children to have the precious opportunity of education.