CCM Staff And Board
Officers And Board Of Directors For 2020 back to top
Michael J. Freda
|
First Selectman of North Haven CCM President |
Prior to being elected First Selectman of North Haven in 2009, Freda served as President / CEO of ESM / BTM in New England and President / CEO of CBS Marketing. Freda is also the Past Regional President for Advantage Sales and Marketing, a substantial player in the sales and marketing agency industry.
Freda is a past member of the North Haven Board of Finance and served as Third Selectman for two years prior to being elected First Selectman.
Luke A. Bronin
|
Mayor of Hartford CCM First Vice President |
Bronin was first elected Mayor of Hartford in January 2016.
Prior to that, he served as chief of staff to the President of The Hartford’s Property and Casualty Company. He served in the Obama Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department. And for the two years prior to his election, he was Governor Malloy’s General Counsel. As a U.S. Navy officer, he served in Afghanistan on the military’s anti-corruption task force.
Jayme J. Stevenson
|
First Selectman of Darien CCM Second Vice President |
Jayme is serving her third term as Darien’s First Selectman and fourth term on the Board of Selectman. She also serves on the CIRMA Board, is Chairman of Western Connecticut Council of Governments and Chairman of the Southwest Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Jayme began her career as an asset-backed finance bond analysis with Standard & Poor’s Corporation. She holds a B.S. in Telecommunication and Business Management from Arizona State University. Jayme grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania and has lived in Darien with her husband and five children for 26 years.
Elinor Carbone
|
Mayor of Torrington Newly elected to the Board of Directors |
Elinor Carbone has been serving as Mayor of Torrington since 2013. Prior to her election to the office of Mayor, she served as a member of the Board of Education for four years and a member of the City Council for six years. Carbone also serves on the Executive Board of the Torrington Development Commission, Corporator of Brooker Memorial and the Litchfield Bancorp Advisory Board.
Thomas Dunn
|
Mayor of Wolcott Newly elected to the Board of Directors |
Thomas Dunn has been serving as the Mayor of the Town of Wolcott since 2003. Prior to being elected, he worked for the Wolcott Public Works Department for 16 years. He was born, raised, and educated in his hometown of Wolcott where he raised his family as well. A lifetime member of the Wolcott Volunteer Fire Department Company #2, and a member of the VFW Men's Auxiliary. He is also a member of the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments and Connecticut Council of Small Towns.
Justin Elicker
|
Mayor of New Haven Newly elected to the Board of Directors |
Justin grew up in Connecticut. He graduated with a BA from Middlebury College in Vermont, and earned both a Master’s in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management and a Masters in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry. He has been an elementary and high school teacher (for at-risk youth) and served for three years as an adjunct professor of education policy at Southern Connecticut State University. He served for four years on the New Haven Board of Alders where he was a champion for residents across the city who felt unheard, underserved, and unsupported by the City of New Haven. He advocated for renters who lived in sub-standard apartments under absentee landlords, and fought against predatory landlords.
Justin is now the 51st Mayor of New Haven, and will work hard so that every resident has the opportunity to thrive, no matter where they live.
John A. Elsesser
|
Town Manager of Coventry Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Elsesser has been Coventry's Town Manager for over 25 years. He previously worked as Assistant Town Manager in Avon and Assistant to the Town Manager in Wethersfield.
He serves as a member of the State Tax Panel, State's Emergency Response Commission, State E-911 Commission, and on the Board of Directors of the Eastern Highlands Health District. Elsesser also is a past Chairman of the Board of CIRMA, the risk management and insurance services arm of CCM.
Laura Francis
|
First Selectman of Durham Newly elected to the Board of Directors |
Laura was first elected to the office of First Selectman in 2007. Prior to that she served as Assistant Town Clerk and then Town Clerk, winning Connecticut Town Clerk of the Year in 2004.
She is currently a member of the Durham Middlefield Wellness Coaliton, Durham Republican Town Committee, Durham Middlefield Exchange Club, Durham Fair Foundation Board of Directors, UCONN Safety Circuit Rider Advisory Committee, and the Middlesex County Revitalization Committee. She also serves on the CIRMA Board of Directors and is a member of the CIRMA Risk Control Advisory Committee. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Sustainable CT Board of Directors.
Joseph P. Ganim
|
Mayor of Bridgeport Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Mayor Ganim was born on October 21, 1959 in Easton, CT. He attended the University of Connecticut and the University of Bridgeport, where he earned a law degree. He was elected as Mayor of Bridgeport in 1991 and again in 2015.
He’s the proud father of three kids – Rob, Joseph, and Krista.
Barbara M. Henry
|
First Selectman of Roxbury Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Currently in her 18th year as First Selectman, Henry previously served as a selectman and as a member of the Board of Education in Region 12. She currently serves on the Connecticut Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations and is a past Treasurer, Vice President, and President of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns.
Henry is a volunteer EMT with the Roxbury Ambulance Association. She served as Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Northwestern Connecticut Council of Governments.
Matthew Hoey
|
First Selectman of Guilford Newly elected to the Board of Directors |
Elected as Guilford’s First Selectman in 2017, Mat served on the Board of Finance for 26 years, the last 24 as Chair. Prior to being elected, he was Vice President and Director of Operations for ChimeNet Inc., a subsidiary of the Connecticut Hospital Association. A Board Director of the Tweed New Haven Airport, Matt served as the Interim Executive Director from February to November 2019.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University. He and his wife, Cheryl, have lived in Guilford for 34 years where they raised their three children.
Laura Hoydick
|
Mayor of Stratford Newly elected to the Board of Directors |
Mayor Laura R. Hoydick was elected as the third Mayor of Stratford and the first woman to hold that office in 2017. She is currently serving her first term. Hoydick previously represented the 120th District in the State House of Representatives from 2010-2018. In the legislature she served as Ranking Member of the Energy and Technology Committee, and Deputy Republican Leader. Prior to her service in the legislature, Hoydick served seven years on the Stratford Board of Education, four of them as chairwoman.
Hoydick previously had an extensive career in property management, and served as Executive Director of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce from 2003-2007, and again in 2017. She holds a business administration degree from Sacred Heart University. A lifelong Stratford resident, she and her husband Paul have three adult daughters and one grandson.
Catherine Iino
|
First Selectwoman of Killingworth Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Catherine Iino is now serving her fourth term as First Selectwoman.
Matthew S. Knickerbocker
|
First Selectman of Bethel Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Matthew Knickerbocker was recently reelected to his fifth term as First Selectman for the Town of Bethel. Matt entered public service with the Bethel Board of Education, serving as chair for seven years. He is a member of the Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority and COST boards of directors and former chairman of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University and Master of Public Administration from Post University.
Marcia A. Leclerc
|
Mayor of East Hartford Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Marcia Leclerc accepted the oath of office as Mayor of the Town of East Hartford on January 10, 2011 and was elected to her first full term on November 8, 2011. She is a lifelong resident, leader, and champion for the community of East Hartford.
Curt Leng
|
Mayor of Hamden Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Curt Balzano Leng was first elected mayor in the May 28, 2015 special election.
First elected to town council in 1997, Curt served as 6th District councilperson, councilman-at-large (6 years as the Finance Committee Chairman) and then as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
W. Kurt Miller
|
First Selectman of Seymour Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Kurt was first elected in 2011 and now serving his third term as First Selectman.
Rudolph P. Marconi
|
First Selectman of Ridgefield Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
An elected official for 22 years, Marconi has held the office of First Selectman for the past 16 years. In addition, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of COST, the Housatonic Valley Coalition Against Substance Abuse, and the Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority.
In Ridgefield, he has established such organizations as the Lyme Disease Task Force and the Ridgefield Coalition Against Alcohol and Substance Abuse.
Michael Passero
|
Mayor of New London Newly elected to the Board of Directors |
Michael Passero has served as Mayor of the City of New London since December 7, 2015. He previously served three terms, from 2009-2015, on the New London City Council, including serving as the first City Council President from 2011-2013. He earned a B.A. and Master’s degree in English literature from Connecticut College. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
Prior to becoming Mayor he served 31 years as a member of the New London Fire Department and practiced law with the Law Firm of John M. Creane in Milford for 25 years. He serves on the advisory board of the James and Mary Shea Perpetual Trust, was a founder and former director of New London Community Boating, was the former Chairman of the Dr. Carl Wies Scholarship Fund, serves on the board of directors of the New London Fire Fighters Burn Foundation, serves on the board of directors of United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, is a member of the New London Democratic Town Committee, and is a former member of the executive committee of the Thames Yacht Club.
Brandon Robertson
|
Town Manager of Avon Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Brandon Robertson has been the Town Manager of Avon for eight years. Prior to his appointment in Avon, Brandon was employed by the Town of Simsbury, most recently as the Director of Administrative Services. Prior to working for Simsbury, Mr. Robertson was the Assistant to the Town Manager in Tolland. Brandon earned both his BA in political science and his master in public affairs degrees from the University of Connecticut. Brandon has earned the Credentialed Manager Designation through the International City/County Management Association.
John Salomone
|
City Manager of Norwich Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
John Salomone started working as the Norwich City Manager on February 1, 2016 after a 40 year career in the public sector. Salomone has a bachelor's degree from Hofstra University and a master's degree in public administration from the University of New York at Albany. Salomone's municipal career begain in 1976 as a budget analyst in the City of St. Petersburg, FL. He has served as Director of Finance in East Hartford, Waterbury, and Ridgefield from 1988 through 1992. He then worked as town and city manager in Watertown, Cheshire, and Auburn, NY before becoming City Manager of Newington, CT in 2006.
Scott Shanley
|
General Manager of Manchester Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Scott Shanley came to CT after serving in various other capacities and states. He was previously the Assistant County Administrator for Jackson County, OR; Assistant Town Manager in Groton, CT; City Administrator for Waterville, ME; and then the Town Manager for Enfield, CT.
Erin Stewart
|
Mayor of New Britain Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Erin Elizabeth Stewart is the 40th Mayor of the City of New Britain. She was first elected at the age of 26 in November 2013 and was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term on November 3, 2015. She is the youngest mayor in the City’s history, only the second woman to hold that office, and the only female mayor in New Britain to be elected to a second term.
Mark B. Walter
|
Town Administrator of Columbia Re-elected to the Board of Directors |
Walter is currently the Town Administrator for Columbia. He previously served four terms as First Selectman of East Haddam. He earned a Master's degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston and has more than 25 years of successful business and management experience.
Walter is Chairman of CCM's Legislative Subcommittee on Land Use, Housing and Community Development and a member of the CIRMA Board of Directors.
Neil O'Leary
|
Mayor of Waterbury Past President of CCM, continuing to serve on the Board |
Mayor O’Leary joined the Waterbury Police Department in 1980 and rose through the ranks, becoming Chief of Police in 2004. Chief O’Leary served in that role until his retirement in 2009. Following his retirement, he was recruited by the town of Wolcott, Connecticut to serve as Police Chief to help rebuild the management structure and modernize the department. In 2011, O’Leary stepped down from this role to successfully run for Mayor of the City of Waterbury, taking office in December 2011.
Susan S. Bransfield
|
First Selectwoman of Portland Past President of CCM, continuing to serve on the Board |
Susan Bransfield previously served as CCM President and CCM First Vice President. Before becoming First Selectwoman in 2003, Bransfield worked with the Connecticut State Department of Education as an education service specialist for the Child Nutrition Programs.
She is also a past president of the Connecticut Council of Small Towns. She has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Hartford and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Connecticut.
Mark D. Boughton
|
Mayor of Danbury Past President of CCM, continuing to serve on the Board |
Prior to becoming Mayor, Boughton served as a State Representative from 1998 to 2001. Boughton was elected Mayor in 2001 and has been re-elected five times.
Boughton previously served in the United States Army Reserve where he achieved the rank of Sergeant. He previously worked at Danbury High School as a social studies teacher. He also serves on the Alumni Board of Directors of Western Connecticut State University.
Herbert C. Rosenthal
|
Former First Selectman of Newtown Past President of CCM, continuing to serve on the Board |
He serves as a Newtown elected official, as Treasurer of the Housatonic Valley Resources Recovery Authority, a board member of the Newtown Health District, and President of the Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding (CCJEF). Herb is a past president of CCM and a past chairman of the board of directors of the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials. Rosenthal also served for two years as Chairman of the Board of Directors of CIRMA.
Before being elected First Selectman, Rosenthal was a member of the Newtown Board of Education for 13 years, serving as Chairman for three years. Rosenthal was also a Lieutenant in the United States Navy.
Leo Paul, Jr.
|
Former First Selectman of Litchfield Honorary Board Member |
Leo Paul served eight terms as First Selectman. Before becoming the Town's chief elected official in 2003, Paul served as an officer in the Air Force for more than 20 years. He has also served as Production Manager for Visual Concepts Media in Bloomfield and as Senior Project Manager for Cine-Med, Inc. in Woodbury.
He is an active member of the Litchfield Lions Club, the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, and Elks Lodge. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Television and Radio Communications from the University of Wisconsin, and Master's degree in Human Resources Management from Chapman University in California.
Executive Staff back to top
Joe DeLong
| Executive Director and CEO |
203.498.3010
Joe DeLong is CCM's Executive Director and CEO. He received his Master of Business Administration from West Virginia University (WVU). While attending WVU he was a standout athlete on the football team and helped the Mountaineers to an undefeated regular season in 1993.
Prior to joining CCM in April 2015, DeLong spent time as a State House Majority Leader and the Chief Executive of a $100 million public/private corporation.
Ron Thomas
| Deputy Director |
203.498.3022
Ronald W. Thomas is CCM’s Deputy Director. He has served in various capacities at CCM. Prior to his CCM service, he was Special Assistant to the Mayor of Hartford, CT and Benefits Administrator for the Social Security Administration. Ron holds a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia State University and a Master's in Public Administration from Bernard M. Baruch College (City University) in New York City. He is a member of the Connecticut Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations and the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.
Carolyn Ryan
| Executive Administrator |
203.498.3012
Carolyn Ryan is the Executive Administrator to the Executive Director and Deputy Director. Carolyn joined CCM in May 2005. Prior to that, she worked at Grubb & Ellis in New York City as an Executive Assistant for 8 years. She has over 25 years of combined Executive, Personal, and Administrative assisting experience.
Communications & Member Relations Staff back to top
Kevin Maloney
| Director of Communications & Member Relations |
203.498.3025
Kevin T. Maloney is Director of Communications and Member Relations. He has been a member of the CCM staff for over 30 years, and has previously served in both public relations and marketing posts for CCM. Prior to joining CCM, he served as the news bureau manager at Quinnipiac University in Hamden and started his career as a news reporter and photographer for the Shoreline Times Newspaper Group in Guilford.
Matthew Ford
| Senior Communications Associate |
Over the course of a 20 year career, Matthew’s skill set has become as versatile as a Swiss Army knife. His job titles have included graphic designer, art director, publisher, radio host, marketing manager… Throughout these changes the common thread has always been the development of effective means of communicating ideas, regardless of the medium. Matthew is a firm believer that the best way to be successful in selling a message to others is to first believe in it yourself. A lifelong Connecticut resident with roots reaching into all corners of the state, joining CCM in 2015 was an easy decision. Forwarding CCM’s mission of “collaborating for the common good” combines a love of his home state with the satisfaction of professional challenges and growth.
Matt is the host of CCM's podcast "The Municipal Voice" on WNHH 103.5fm.
Christopher Gilson
| Communications Assistant |
203.498.3067
Before arriving at CCM, Christopher worked with the written word in many different iterations: first as a bookseller at the Yale Bookstore, then as a proofreader/inside sales at the New Haven Register, and as a freelance writer who has placed pieces in the New York Times, Splitsider (part of the New York Magazine group), Paste Magazine, and others. In addition to freelancing, he also hosts a baseball podcast with his wife. After spending his youth in Connecticut Public Schools, he graduated from The University of Connecticut with a degree in English, but had spent time at both Gateway as an undergrad and Yale for their yearly Writers Conference—a Connecticut education through and through.
Municipal Resource and Service Center Staff back to top
George Rafael
| Director, Municipal Resource and Service Center |
203.498.3063
George Rafael is the Director of the Municipal Resource and Service Center at CCM. He has 25 years of experience in economic and fiscal analysis and policy development. In addition, George has 16 years of experience in association management and operations.
He has held positions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors and had the opportunity to work in a number of states across the country.
George has a BA in economics from Central Connecticut State University and an MS in planning from the University of Tennessee.
Andy Merola
| Member Resource & Program Development Manager |
203.498.3056
Andy started at CCM in 1999. Prior to CCM, he was Managing Director of a private sector company with overall responsibility for service programs, and has been an attorney for more than 30 years, admitted to practice in both Connecticut and New York. He is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers and has earned accreditation as a Certified Business Energy Professional and a Certified Energy Procurement Professional.
Brian West
| Principal Research Analyst |
203.498.3077
Brian is a prinicipal research analyst. He started his professional career in the Connecticut State Legislature, first as Committee Administrator, Transportation Committee and then as a Staff to the House Speaker’s office, two years as a research analyst for the Connecticut Public Expenditure Council and then 24 years as a research analyst for the Connecticut Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations.
Brian received a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Southern Connecticut State University and master’s degree in public administration from the University of Connecticut.
