Amber D. Tucker, CPA
President
Amber is a Partner at Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina (FML CPAs) specializing in providing auditing, tax and consulting services to not-for-profit clients. She began her career at a national firm, performing financial statement audits in not-for profit, manufacturing, distribution and retail industries. Amber is now focusing her time in the not-for-profit industry with her technical expertise focusing on areas including but not limited to social services, performing arts, foundations, memberships and museums. She is also proficient at government single audits for Federal and State compliance. Amber is also actively involved in the community as a board member and volunteers with various organizations. Amber has also spent time giving back to her profession teaching an audit course to juniors and seniors at Eastern Connecticut State University. Amber earned her BS in Accounting from Eastern Connecticut State University and MS in Accounting from University of Hartford. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants (CTCPA). Amber is also a member of the Rocky Hill Board of Education. Amber is a member of the Finance Committee.
Glenn A. Cassis
Vice President
Glenn A. Cassis was the Executive Director of the State of Connecticut African-American Affairs Commission (AAAC) from August 2006 until June 2016 (retired). Prior to joining the AAAC Mr. Cassis, a Bloomfield resident, was the Executive Director of the Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program, Inc. (CPEP) for twenty years. Prior to CPEP, Mr. Cassis spent ten years as Director of the Campus Center and Student Activities at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Mr. Cassis began his professional career at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Mr. Cassis is active in several professional and non-profit organizations. He was a founding member of the Bloomfield Education Foundation and a board member of United Way of Connecticut. Currently he is co-chair of the UConn African American Alumni Council, a member of the Greater Hartford Alliance of Black School Educators, the President and founding member of the Alumni Education Foundation for Malverne (NY) and board member of the Alliance for Bloomfield’s Children. Glenn has received several awards including the NAACP’s 100 Most Influential African Americans in Connecticut and Honorary Member of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. He is an active lifetime member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America - East. Glenn serves as a deacon at Union Baptist Church in Hartford. Glenn is a member of the Finance and Executive Committees.
Jerry Bellizzi
Treasurer
Jerry is a retired finance executive who served in Corporate Tax, Treasury and Legal roles for fortune 500 and mid-sized companies as well as a former senior manager with Price Waterhouse. Jerry currently consults small businesses and individuals on tax strategy and planning as tax counsel for a local CPA firm. He is active in the community most recently as a former Board member for Camp Courant and volunteers his time for a number of organizations. Jerry is a member of the Finance Committee.
Kim Russo
Secretary, Executive Director
Kimberley Russo served as Director of Community Investment for United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut for 11 years. Russo previously worked as a program manager for Meriden-Wallingford Chrysalis and as a residential services coordinator for Domestic Violence Resource Center of South County in Rhode Island. Kimberley became the Executive Director of The Fund for Greater Hartford in September 2015. Kim is Secretary of the Board.
Trustees
Diane Cantello
Trustee
After a successful corporate career in which Diane held leadership roles in Sustainability, Social Responsibility, Philanthropy, Communications and Marketing with leading Fortune 500 organizations including Stanley Black & Decker, The Hartford and Cigna, she is now a full-time MSW student at UConn. Originally from the UK, Diane has spent more than twenty years in the Hartford area. Diane is a member of the Finance Committee.
Erika Frank
Trustee
Erika Frank is the President of the Farmington Bank Community Foundation, a private foundation that continues the legacy of the former Farmington Bank. The Foundation provides financial support to programs that create economic opportunities and support the health and basic needs for the residents of sixteen communities in Central Connecticut. Erika was formerly a Senior Community Officer at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, with a primary focus on grantmaking and impact investing in housing, small business and neighborhood development. She started her career in Hartford as a classroom teacher and in Hartford Public Schools’ Central Office. Erika is Chair of the Grants Committee.
Jesse J. White III
Trustee
Jesse White is a Principal in the Bloomfield Public School system. He has been an educator for the past 24 years. During this time, Mr. White has received district teacher of the year honors as well as the National Association of Black Accountants Educator of the Year Award. Mr. White is a founder of Kingdom Culture LLC, a business that helps individuals to improve in the areas of mind, body, and soul. Mr. White is a member of Beta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Jesse is a member of the Governance Committee.
Jennifer Necci
Trustee
Jennifer Necci is currently a high school English teacher in South Windsor and has 16 years of teaching experience at the middle school level. Jennifer consistently takes leadership roles in developing curriculum in alignment with state and district standards, mentoring new teachers, and participating in innovation technology and professional learning community pilots. Jennifer is a member of the Governance Committee.
Carl R. Ficks
Trustee
Carl R. Ficks, Jr., JD is the founder of No Surrender, LLC, working with leaders to increase their effectiveness and their teams to boost engagement and productivity. A former partner with Halloran & Sage LLP, he practiced law in the Greater Hartford community for over 30 years, and has a long history of non-profit board service. Carl is chair of the Governance Committee, and is a contributing author to both the #1 International Bestseller ``THE WISDOM COLLECTION: Stories That Transform How We Live, Connect, and Lead,`` and ``THE DIFFERENCE: Essays on Loss, Courage and Personal Transformation.``
Sherry Manetta
Trustee
Sherry is a retired insurance executive who served in CFO, CIO and COO roles at Aetna, The Phoenix Companies and Conning. She was an audit and consulting partner with Ernst & Young. Sherry currently serves on the Boards of National Guardian Life Insurance Company, University of St. Joseph, and The Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation and is a trustee of the YMCA of Greater Hartford. Her decades of community service include board and other volunteer positions focused on education and social justice. Sherry is a member of the Finance Committee.
Toral Maher
Trustee
Toral Maher brings over 15 years of experience in foundation leadership and administration, community engagement, and volunteer program management to her role as Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Liberty Bank’s Foundation. She works closely with leaders across the organization to enhance Liberty’s impact on communities; align the work of the foundation to pursue the bank’s social responsibility objectives; advance diversity, equity, and inclusion; and build new programs to bring Liberty Bank’s Be Community Kind brand to life. A Hartford Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree, Toral is recognized for her leadership and contributions to the region’s philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. She serves on the Boards of Directors for the Acton Public Library Foundation, Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, and The Fund for Greater Hartford, and as a corporator for Middlesex Health. Toral earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Quinnipiac University and a master’s degree in education from the University of New Haven. She is a member of the Grants Committee.
Leslie Robertson
Trustee
Leslie has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the commercial banking arena, most notably with Bank of America, Webster Bank, and finally with TD Bank. As senior relationship manager, his earlier work focused on managing and growing relationships with US subsidiaries of European multinational firms located in Connecticut and New England. With their long term success, many of these firms are now interwoven into the fabric of our communities here in Connecticut, providing lucrative employment and economic opportunity for thousands of local residents and their families. Leslie has also worked extensively with locally-owned manufacturers to facilitate their access to lucrative overseas markets, and importantly to provide the owners with assurance of timely payment for goods and services they deliver. Leslie’s work also extends to various board leadership roles with local, state and federal agencies. He is currently serving a final term on the board of the Connecticut District Export Council with the US Department of Commerce. Leslie is past President and executive board member of the World Affairs Council of Connecticut, and past board Chairman of the Hartford Metro Alliance’s Global Business Council. He has also served on the executive board of the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. Leslie is a member of the finance committee.
Inez Diaz-Galloza
Trustee
Inez Diaz-Galloza is employed at the Office of the Attorney General as a Deputy Associate Attorney General and Chief of the Consumer Advocacy Section in Hartford, Connecticut. Previously she was an Assistant Attorney General in the Employment Rights Department and Child Protection Department. Prior to working at the Office of the Attorney General, she was an associate at Wiggin & Dana. She also served on numerous non-profit boards and is currently a board member for The Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity. Inez is a member of the Governance Committee.
Jacqueline O. Berkowitz, LCSW
Trustee
Jacqueline is the Executive Director of the Ossen Family Foundation, a Connecticut-based family foundation committed to expanding access to safe, stable housing, quality education, and comprehensive health care in the eastern and central regions of the state. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Jacqueline practiced as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for more than 25 years, serving in a range of clinical and leadership roles throughout the Greater Hartford region. Her work focused primarily on children, adolescents, and families, with deep expertise in behavioral health and systems of care. This extensive clinical experience shapes her philanthropic leadership and reinforces her commitment to equity and opportunity.
Jacqueline has served as a board member of JCSO, volunteered as a reading mentor, and currently serves on the Program Committee for Community Housing Advocates, Inc. She is a member of the grants committee.