Age: 34Company: The Connecticut ForumTitle: Director of ProgrammingTown where I live: South WindsorTown where I work: HartfordCollege: Stonehill College, UConnFun FactI spent a semester abroad working at a London pub, and it was one of the most fun times of my life.Q&A:What do you do in your current job? As the director of programming at […]
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Age: 34
Company: The Connecticut Forum
Title: Director of Programming
Town where I live: South Windsor
Town where I work: Hartford
College: Stonehill College, UConn
Fun Fact
I spent a semester abroad working at a London pub, and it was one of the most fun times of my life.
Q&A:
What do you do in your current job? As the director of programming at The Connecticut Forum I program, produce and execute high-profile panel discussions and speaker events on a wide variety of topics. I also work to proactively identify new audiences through strategic partnerships and creative marketing and expand opportunities to leverage programs however possible.
What are your goals in your current job? My goal is to envision new programming that adds cultural vitality and a spirit of curiosity and learning to the Greater Hartford community. I strive to continue the organization's legacy of bringing exciting leaders, thinkers and artists, as well as new discoveries, to our community.
What's your biggest passion? I feel passionate about pushing myself to keep learning and considering new viewpoints and about creating opportunities for other people to do the same. I think too many people shut off that part of themselves as they move through their careers. (It helps that I have a two year old at home who reminds me to always ask 'why?') I try to approach each Forum topic as a mini-class and an opportunity to learn.
What are your future professional aspirations? Honestly, I just want to remain open to possibility without over-planning for what comes next. I get to meet amazing, accomplished people as a part of The Connecticut Forum, and one of the things that has struck me is how many of them have come to do interesting things by embracing openness and possibility and forgoing rigid plans. I want to follow my curiosity and enjoy where I am now.
How are you involved in the community? This year I was a founding member and fundraiser for the Hartford Area Neighbor Alliance (HANA), a grassroots organization that supports refugee families in their process of resettling in the Hartford area. We are currently helping a wonderful Syrian family with five children get acclimated in West Hartford.
If you were governor of Connecticut for a day what is one policy you'd push to improve the state's future? I would advocate for regionalism. I think we would be better suited to address economic, governmental and social issues if we were able to approach them using all of the strengths we have as a region, rather than dividing ourselves arbitrarily into smaller towns and cities.
List four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: In my first year as director of programming, I developed a season that featured sellout crowds for substantive, issue-driven topics like Racism and The Science of Our Minds. I secured a sitting Supreme Court Justice for our upcoming season. I helped launch and build Forum Event Consulting, which has worked with clients like Travelers, Goodwin College, Prudential and others on community conversations, conferences and other speaker events. I frequently moderate “brainstorming” sessions and conversations, both in-house and on-site at schools, community organizations and workplaces to engage the community and gather input about Forum topics and important community issues.