Officers and Members
Board members are appointed to their position for a nine year term. Including the annual meeting, the Board meets four times during the year to discuss and implement Special Olympics Connecticut policy.
Charlie McLaughlin
Board Chair
Vice President, The Hartford Financial Services
2026 Officers
Lisa Kovlakas
Vice Chair & Board Management Chair
Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Corporate Citizenship
ESPN
DJ Bowne
Development Committee Chair
Sales Manager, New England
Enterprise Mobility
Claudette Beamon
Human Resources Chair
Former Asst. Executive Director
ACES
D. Keith Johnson
Finance Committee Chair & Treasurer
Retired CEO/Private Equity, Situs & Ranieri Partners
Gino Caro
Program Committee Chair
Owner of Fast Lane Speed Training
Robert S. Galvin, MD
Health & Wellness Committee Chair
Professor Adjunct of Medicine & Health Policy, Yale School of Medicine
Tizziana Fusco Weber
Board Secretary
Vice President & Chief Communications Officer, Pratt & Whitney
Kathleen D. Hayes
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee Chair
Attorney/Owner, Office of Kathleen D. Hayes, LLC
2026 Members
David Bremer
Senior Vice President, Market Credit Manager
TD Bank
John Brody
Consultant & Advisor
Christopher Chute
Chief of Police
CT State Community College System
Kit Geis
Executive Vice President, Chief Client Officer
Genesco Sports Enterprises
Brett Glaser
Special Olympics Connecticut
Athlete & Global Messenger
Jason Guyot
President & CEO
Foxwoods Resort Casino
Kristi Kahn
Chief Administration Officer, Commercial Banking
Webster Bank
Catherine Kortlandt
Associate General Counsel
Linde Inc.
Deborah Kritzman
Senior Vice President
Global Atlantic Financial Group
Kimberly Malan
Special Olympics Connecticut
Athlete & Global Messenger
Tahj McCall
Local Coordinator
Special Olympics Hartford
Amy Oldenburg
Vice President, Network Performance & Execution
Aetna
Josh Pandolfi
Managing Director & Senior Portfolio Manager
Pontoro
Michael Pendell
Attorney
Motley Rice LLC
Sean Rabinowitz
President, Employee Benefits
Procyon Benefits, LLC
Michelle Repass
English Instructor
The Hotchkiss School
Colette Rubio
Vice President, Strategy & Governance
Quaker Houghton
Peter Scotella
Senior Account Executive/Consultant
Anthem Blue Cross
Blue Shield - Wellpoint
Ronald Smith
Vice President, Internal Audit & Security
Eversource Energy
Jennifer Street
Special Education Teacher
Family of Kidz
EMERITUS BOARD MEMBER
Susan Saint James
Actress/Activist
Special Olympics Staff
Executive Department
Mike Mason
President & CEO
Kelli Bigelow
Executive Assistant, President
[email protected]| Ext.276
Financial/Administration Department
Nicole Downes
Chief Financial Officer
[email protected] | Ext.255
Debra Coulter
Salesforce Project Manager
[email protected]
Nari Boodhoo
Director, Finance
[email protected] | Ext.237
Jackie Turro
Senior Director, Business Systems
[email protected] | Ext.265
Justine Hillman
Coordinator, Finance & Administration
[email protected] | Ext.271
Carter Cyr
Data and Office Assistant
[email protected]
Special Events
Jeff Veneziano
Senior Director, Special Events
[email protected] | Ext.251
Amy Zdanowski
Director, Special Events
[email protected]
Lisa Carlone
Senior Director, Special Projects
[email protected] | Ext.270
Taryn Barrett
Associate Director, Special Events
[email protected] | Ext.264
Development Department
Liza Nolan
Senior Director, Foundations & Grants
[email protected] | Ext.241
Christy Miller
Senior Director, Donor Impact
[email protected] | Ext.280
Alexis Szymecki
Assistant, Development
[email protected]
Partnerships, Corporate Relations, Marketing & Communications
Sharon Rozum
Senior Director, Partnerships & Corporate Relations
[email protected] | Ext.223
Debbie Horne
Senior Director, Communications & Marketing
[email protected] | Ext.240
Katie Dennett
Senior Director, Organizational Development
[email protected] | Ext.245
Tara Baker
Senior Director, Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
Health & Wellness
Caitlin Daikus
Senior Director, Health & Wellness
[email protected] | Ext.238
Angie D'Amico
Assistant, Health & Wellness
[email protected]
Sports & Local Programs
Marc Mercadante
Vice President, Sports & Local Programs
[email protected] | Ext.249
Thomas Green
Assistant, Sports & Local Programs
[email protected] | Ext.294
Sara Pierson
Senior Director, Sports & Local Programs
[email protected] | Ext.229
Chantel Overton
Assistant, Sports & Local Programs
[email protected] | Ext.235
Katie York
Director, Volunteer Services
[email protected] | Ext.224
David Pellino
Coordinator, Sports & Local Programs
[email protected] | Ext.277
Emily Pitney
Manager, Sports & Local Programs
[email protected] | Ext.254
Troy Sundwall
Manager, Sports & Local Programs, CIAC Unified Sports Liaison
[email protected]
Connecticut Association Of Schools/Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference
30 Realty Drive, Cheshire, CT 06410
203-250-1111
John Niski
CIAC Unified Sports® Director
[email protected]
Karol Brzozowski
Unified Sports® Executive Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
Kathy Davey
CIAC Unified Sports® Assistant Director
[email protected]
Steve Trifone
CIAC Unified Sports® Assistant Director
[email protected]
Barb Horn
Unified Sports® / Unified Champion Schools Coordinator, Young Athletes / Elementary Unified Sports® Coordinator
[email protected]
Paul Cavaliere, Jr.
CIAC Unified Sports® Assistant Director
[email protected]