Rosemary J. Aiello may be known to readers of the Hartford Business Journal as one of the current crop of “40 Under Forty” winners, but she’s also a fresh face making a transition from a career as a psychologist to director of development.
“This is really turning a new leaf for me,” said Aiello.
It’s a leaf that is a lateral career move, Aiello said, “but it’s seen as a major career change.” She explained that as the new director of development for Hands on Hartford she will be raising funds for a population she once served as a psychologist at the Wheeler Clinic in Plainville.
“I know what they go through and the amount of care they need and the resources they need,” she said.
Aiello is also actively involved in Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) as its events chair. It’s a position that keeps her active and out meeting new people constantly as she promotes the capital city. At one event, she met Doug Sudell, CEO of Hands On Hartford. She learned about the organization and its mission as a volunteer-action center and social-services agency. Aiello knew she wanted to be part of it, but there was no room in the organization for her at the time.
But Aiello kept in touch and learned more about the organization. “It touches upon so many social issues,” she said, such as Alzheimer’s and AIDS, substance abuse and mental illness, as well as helping children from poverty stricken families. “This is so intriguing to me,” she said. “I’ve really found my niche.”
Aiello said her upbringing was as the child of immigrant parents (she is a Hartford native who now lives in New Britain) who was taught that what you do is a reflection of everybody around you, especially your family. Her parents also instilled in her a desire to see Hartford succeed.
HYPE is helping her do that. She called her role as event chair “socializing with a purpose.”
