Governance Structure

Various teams and work groups guide the initiative and include Ascend team members, community partners and residents. All participants work together to provide input, make recommendations and share expertise to help design and implement Ascend. Community and resident voices are critical to the work of Ascend.

The Leadership Team is responsible for leading the planning, implementation, evaluation, and sustainability of the North Hartford Ascend. 

Leadership Team Members:

• Nuchette Black-Burke, M.ED., Hartford Public Schools
• Kareena Duplessis, United Way of Connecticut
• Paul H. Dworkin, MD, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Gina Federico, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
• Tammy Freeberg, MSW, The Village for Families & Children
• Jennifer Gifford, MSW, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
• Elysa Gordon, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
• Marcia Hughes, PhD, LCSW, University of Hartford
• Courtenay Jackson, City of Hartford
• Kim Oliver, MBA, City of Hartford
• Michelle Riordan-Nold, Connecticut Data Collaborative
• Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH, North Hartford Ascend
• Michelle Safo-Agyeman, MS, North Hartford Ascend
• Toral Sanghavi, PhD, The Village for Families & Children
• C. Wesley Younts, PhD, University of Hartford

Management Team: The Management Team facilitates and implements operational and administrative aspects of Ascend, such as contracts, work plans, and budget management. 

Management Team Members

• Nuchette Black-Burke, Hartford Public Schools
• Lauren Dominique, MA, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Paul H. Dworkin, MD, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Gina Federico, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
• Courtenay Jackson, City of Hartford
• Scott Orsey, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Luis Rivera, MSW, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH, North Hartford Ascend
• Michelle Safo-Agyeman, MS, North Hartford Ascend
• C. Wesley Younts, PhD, University of Hartford

Advocacy Team: The Advocacy Team is responsible for elevating visibility, awareness, and understanding of the North Hartford Ascend among external stakeholders.

• Jane Baird, MPA, Connecticut Children’s Government Relations and External Affairs
• Linda Barry, MD, MPH, FACS, UConn School of Medicine
• Kimberly Beauregard, LCSW, InterCommunity Health Care President and CEO
• Mark Boxer, University of Hartford Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
• Luke Bronin, Mayor, City of Hartford
• Paul H. Dworkin, MD, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Jennifer Gifford, MSW, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut Vice President of Community Resources
• Zeev Harel, MD, Community Health Services
• Patricia McIntosh, LCSW, MPH, Director of Community Safety and Wellness, City of Hartford
• Aimee Monroy Smith, Connecticut Children’s Senior Vice President of Government Relations and External Affairs
• Thea Montanez, City of Hartford Chief Operating Officer
• Deb Pappas, MBA, Connecticut Children’s Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
• Galo Rodriguez, MPH, The Village for Families & Children President and CEO
• Jim Shmerling, DHA, FACHE, Connecticut Children’s President & CEO
• Richard Sugarman, Hartford Promise
• Richard Sussman, Early Childhood and Family Consultant
• Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, Ed.D., Hartford Public Schools Superintendent

Data and Evaluation Work Group: The Data and Evaluation Work Group focuses on activities related to the collection of data, quality monitoring and improvement, process evaluation, outcome evaluation, and the processes and infrastructure needed to support these activities. 

Data and Evaluation Work Group Members:

• Mark Abraham, DataHaven
• Eunice Blemahdoo, MBA, University of Hartford
• Champa Das, University of Hartford
• Lauren Dominique, MA, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Geethika Fernando, Hartford Data Collaborative
•  Brenna Fitzmaurice, University of Hartford
• Jessica Hollenbach, PhD, Connecticut Children’s Easy Breathing Program
• Marcia Hughes, PhD, LCSW, University of Hartford
• Michelle Riordan-Nold, Connecticut Data Collaborative
• Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH, North Hartford Ascend
• Michelle Safo-Agyeman, MS, North Hartford Ascend
• Toral Sanghavi, PhD, The Village for Families & Children
• Reena Sen, City of Hartford
• Livia Silva, University of Hartford
• Bethany Silver, PhD, Hartford Public Schools
• C. Wesley Younts, PhD, University of Hartford

Family Navigation System Building​ Work Group: The Family Navigation System Building Work Group focuses on activities related to improving communication, coordination, and collaboration among Ascend service providers, including designing and implementing a universally accessible pipeline and processes and infrastructure needed to support the network.

Family Navigation System Building​ Work Group Members: 

• Viviana Alvarado, Hartford Public Schools
• Marc Boucher, Capital Workforce Partners
• Kareena Duplessis, United Way of Connecticut
• Gina Federico, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
• Nilda Fernandez, Connecticut Children’s Hartford Youth HIV Identification and Linkage Consortium
• Marcia Hughes, PhD, LCSW, University of Hartford
• Courtenay Jackson, City of Hartford
• Katherine Ramirez, MS, Connecticut Children’s Center for Care Coordination
• Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH, North Hartford Ascend
• Michelle Safo-Agyeman, MS, North Hartford Ascend
• Toral Sanghavi, PhD, The Village for Families & Children
• Reena Sen, City of Hartford
• Nancy Trout, MD, MPH, Connecticut Children’s Pediatrician

Community and Family Engagement​ Work Group: The Community and Family Engagement Work Group focuses on soliciting and elevating community and resident voices in the design, implementation, and evaluation. 

Community and Family Engagement​ Work Group Members: 

• Gina Federico, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
• Jose Figueroa, The Village for Families & Children
• Venton Forbes, InterCommunity Health Care
• Nahkia Henry, Hartford Promise
• Taniqua Huguley, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
• Allyson McGinty, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
• Melissa Mendez, LCSW, Wheeler Clinic
• Amalyn Morales, Connecticut Children’s Injury Prevention Center and Healthy Homes Program
• Morriscia Morris, Hartford Public Schools
• Luis Rivera, MSW, Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health
• Jacquelyn M. Rose, MPH, North Hartford Ascend
• Michelle Safo-Agyeman, MS, North Hartford Ascend
• Cierra Stancil, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
• Michelle Szynkowicz, Hartford Public Schools
• Kae Taylor, City of Hartford
• Erica Turner, InterCommunity Health Care
• Danielle Warren-Dias, MS, Connecticut Children’s Hartford Youth HIV Identification and Linkage Consortium