FOX61 and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut ImpaCT Awards presented by Travelers
6:00 p.m. – Doors Open
7:15 p.m. – Program Begins
8:00 p.m. – Silent Auction Closes
FOX61 and United Way are joining forcers to recognize and honor individuals, groups and organizations who make a significant contribution to health care, housing, financial empowerment and/or education in Connecticut through the ImpaCT Awards. Together, we are raising awareness and resources to benefit the well-being of children, adults and families in the communities where we live and work.
Schedule of Events
Welcome
Brent Hardin, Evening Anchor, FOX61
Opening Remarks
Eric Harrison, President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
Humberto Hormaza, President and General Manager, FOX61
Remarks from Hartford’s Mayor
Luke Bronin, Mayor, City of Hartford
Acknowledging Our Diamond Presenting Sponsor
Travelers
Impactful Emerging Leader Award
Mackenzie Manning, Chair, United Way Emerging Leaders Society
Alondre Rush, Leadership Volunteer, United Way Emerging Leaders Society
Finalists: Elexa Orban, Karas Co. | Samuel Tapper, Hartford’s Camp Courant | Rani Viroja, Accuturn Manufacturing Company
Impactful Woman Award
Jennifer Shanley, Vice-Chair, United Way Women United
Finalists: Shelly Carter, Girls Firefighters Camp | Dr. Jennifer Hernandez, The Hospital of Central Connecticut | Jacqueline Purcell, Evolution Reentry Services
Unsung Hero Award
Keith McGilvery, Journalist, FOX61
Finalists: Manon Gagliardi, Quinnipiac University (retired) | Ana Gopoian, TriCircle | Osvaldo Lugo, LOOKSHARP Barbershop
Impactful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award
Jeff O’Shaughnessy, HSB-Hartford Steam Boiler
Finalists: ActUp Theater | Iran Nazario, The Peace Center of Connecticut | Shop Black CT
Community Organization Making an Impact Award
Rachel Frank, Chief Meteorologist, FOX61
Finalists: For All Ages | Hands on Hartford | Our Piece of the Pie
Company Making an Impact Award
Vittoria Pace, Chair, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut’s Board of Directors
Finalists: The Hospital of Central Connecticut | Eversource Energy | HSB-Hartford Steam Boiler
George Bahamonde Lifetime Achievement Award
Susan Dunn, Past President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
Honoree: Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Travelers
Conclusion
Brent Hardin, Evening Anchor, FOX61
Thank You to our Sponsors
Diamond Presenting Sponsor
Emerald Sponsor
Premium Sponsor
Travelers is proud to be the Diamond Presenting Sponsor of the inaugural ImpaCT Awards! Travelers Insurance employees are empowered to volunteer and share their talents in the communities in which they live and work. They are dedicated to assisting communities in academic and career success, creating thriving neighborhoods and developing culturally enriched communities. Travelers builds resilient, safe and vibrant communities.
Meet the 2023 George Bahamonde Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree
The Lifetime Achievement Award was created to celebrate individuals who have outstanding personal and professional achievements and have dedicated themselves to philanthropy and community with the goal of making the future brighter for generations to come. It is named in honor of the late George Bahamonde, who served as the President and CEO of United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut for 12 years and was passionate about educational outcomes and opportunities for local children.
Andy Bessette was selected due to his vast professional accomplishments and his strong connection to our community both individually and through his work at Travelers. Andy’s commitment to our local health care institutions through his board service and his leadership of philanthropic endeavors through the Travelers Championship and many other employee and community engagement efforts are remarkable. Andy is committed to making the greater Hartford region a thriving community.
HSB-Hartford Steam Boiler is proud to be the Emerald Sponsor of the inaugural ImpaCT Awards! HSB places a high value on improving the quality of life in Hartford, its home for more than 150 years, and the other cities where offices reside. HSB believes businesses dedicated to the community reap more benefits than simply their own prosperity and growth. HSB helps improve the ultimate bottom line – life – by creating a place where everyone wants to live, work and grow.
Eversource Energy is proud to be the Premium Sponsor of the inaugural ImpaCT Awards! Eversource is committed to the health and economic well-being of the residents, businesses and institutions across its territory. Eversource provides grants to local nonprofits, sponsors charitable events and hosts a robust volunteer program. Sustainability is embedded in how Eversource conducts its business today and for future generations, with environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives integrated into the policies and principles that govern its organization.
Special Thanks to our Silent Auction Donors!
Avelo | The Club Barbados | FOX61 | Lake of Isles | Naomi Jewelry | Pineapple Beach Club Antigua | Trantolo & Trantolo
Thank You to our Judging Committee
Venton Forbes
Russell Hansen
Ray Lamoureux
Mackenzie Manning
Keith McGilvery
Allyson McGinty
William Murphy
Kristen Payne
Dana Rosengard
Lucia Suarez-Sang
Congratulations to All Inaugural ImpaCT Award Nominees!
Impactful Emerging Leader
Alexa Orban
Samuel Tapper
Rani Viroja
Impactful Woman Award:
Christina Baribault
Rosemarie Bassette
Quentesia Brooks
Julieth Callehas
Shelly Carter
Sharon Castelli
Isabel Ceballos
Corianne Chipello
Shanda Comeaux
KimMarie Credido
Candace Donaldson
Tessa Eichelberger (Strong Poss-Abilities)
Mary Smith Floyd
Jane Folston
Tracey Madden-Hennessey
Dr. Jennifer Hernandez
Hospital of Central CT Family Enrichment Center
Destiany Hunter
Lori Ann Marchese
Stephanie Maselli
Kim McLaughlin (Naugatuck Valley Project)
Sandra Merrill
Jendayi Scott Miller
Lindsay Murphy
Paddi LeShane
Marlene Owne
Catherine Peterson
Jacqueline Purcell
Verna Ruffin
Pat Rutkowski
Ronke Stallings
Shell Vera
Unsung Hero Award:
Jimmy Barret
Quentesia Brooks
Kevin Curry
Mike DeLuca
Mary Deming
Jaqueline Ford
Manon Gagliardi
Ana Gopoian
John Holt
Osvaldo Lugo
Thomas Lumpkin
Jendayi Scott Miller
Joe Mulligan
Jeff Myjak
Rescue Temple – Marva Patterson
Steven Taylor
Impactful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award:
Act Up CT
Quay Baskerville
Maria Canales
Access Health CT – Margo Lachowicz
National Conf for Comm and Justin Monique Lorenzo
Wendy Lusk
Iran Nazario
Shop Black CT
Xiaojing Tang
Humphrey Tonkin
Community Organization Making an Impact:
Active City
Camp Courant
The Clothes Tree
Community Level Up
Credit Unions Building Financial Independence
DK Movement Cares
The Estruary
Ethel Walker School
For All Ages
Friendly Hands Food Bank
Hands on Hartford
Harc
Hartford Community Leaders
impaCT Pomperaug HS
In a Heartbeat Foundation
Interval House
Junior Achievement
Literacy Volunteers of GH
Mansfield Lions Club
Midwest Foodbank NE
Mutts Mending Mankind
New Horizons Village
Our Piece of the Pie
Pourings & Passages Bookstore
Presidents College
Protectors of Animals
Quilts that Care
SCADD
TedXHartford
Warren Leach Ungroup Society
Windam Willimantic Cares
Company Making an Impact:
Adelbrook
ARVY Medical
Blue Earth Compost
East Coast Training Systems
Eversource Energy
HSB-Hartford Steam Boiler
Hospital of Central CT
Morley School
Prism Counseling & Support
Impactful Emerging Leader
Alexa Orban
Samuel Tapper
Rani Viroja
Impactful Woman Award:
Christina Baribault
Rosemarie Bassette
Quentesia Brooks
Julieth Callehas
Shelly Carter
Sharon Castelli
Isabel Ceballos
Corianne Chipello
Shanda Comeaux
KimMarie Credido
Candace Donaldson
Tessa Eichelberger (Strong Poss-Abilities)
Mary Smith Floyd
Jane Folston
Tracey Madden-Hennessey
Dr. Jennifer Hernandez
Hospital of Central CT Family Enrichment Center
Destiany Hunter
Lori Ann Marchese
Stephanie Maselli
Kim McLaughlin (Naugatuck Valley Project)
Impactful Woman Award (Cont.):
Sandra Merrill
Jendayi Scott Miller
Lindsay Murphy
Paddi LeShane
Marlene Owne
Catherine Peterson
Jacqueline Purcell
Verna Ruffin
Pat Rutkowski
Ronke Stallings
Shell Vera
Unsung Hero Award:
Jimmy Barret
Quentesia Brooks
Kevin Curry
Mike DeLuca
Mary Deming
Jaqueline Ford
Manon Gagliardi
Ana Gopoian
John Holt
Osvaldo Lugo
Thomas Lumpkin
Jendayi Scott Miller
Joe Mulligan
Jeff Myjak
Rescue Temple – Marva Patterson
Steven Taylor
Impactful Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award:
Act Up CT
Quay Baskerville
Maria Canales
Access Health CT – Margo Lachowicz
National Conf for Comm and Justin Monique Lorenzo
Wendy Lusk
Iran Nazario
Shop Black CT
Xiaojing Tang
Humphrey Tonkin
Community Organization Making an Impact:
Active City
Camp Courant
The Clothes Tree
Community Level Up
Credit Unions Building Financial Independence
DK Movement Cares
The Estruary
Ethel Walker School
For All Ages
Friendly Hands Food Bank
Hands on Hartford
Harc
Hartford Community Leaders
Community Organization Making an Impact (Cont.):
impaCT Pomperaug HS
In a Heartbeat Foundation
Interval House
Junior Achievement
Literacy Volunteers of GH
Mansfield Lions Club
Midwest Foodbank NE
Mutts Mending Mankind
New Horizons Village
Our Piece of the Pie
Pourings & Passages Bookstore
Presidents College
Protectors of Animals
Quilts that Care
SCADD
TedXHartford
Warren Leach Ungroup Society
Windam Willimantic Cares
Company Making an Impact:
Adelbrook
ARVY Medical
Blue Earth Compost
East Coast Training Systems
Eversource Energy
HSB-Hartford Steam Boiler
Hospital of Central CT
Morley School
Prism Counseling & Support
Featured Vendors
Why Your Support Matters
Your generosity through the ImpaCT Awards ensures the well-being of local children, adults and families across our region. Funds raised benefit United Way-supported initiatives that close gaps and create opportunities for every child, adult and family in our community to succeed.
About FOX61
FOX61, Connecticut’s News Station, is one of the nation’s most highly rated FOX Network affiliates, providing Connecticut viewers with outstanding entertainment, news, sports and local event programming. FOX61 News is the market leader in news, producing more news and winning more awards than any station in Connecticut. FOX 61 now airs more than 61 hours of local news and public affairs programming each week, more than any other market station and provides 24 x 7 live streamed content on FOX61+, available on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
CW20, one of the top performing CW network affiliates in the U.S., delivers the best in off network and first-run syndicated programming, movies and sports. The station is home to the Connecticut Lottery drawings and broadcasts major community events and sports including New York Mets Baseball, UConn Football and UConn Baseball.
FOX61 and CW20 are owned by TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA), an innovative media company that owns and operates 64 television stations in 51 markets. For more information, please visit www.fox61.com.
About United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut
United Way brings people and resources together to address immediate needs and finds long-term solutions to challenging problems. United Way does this by investing in programs and services, leading community change initiatives, and mobilizing resources and volunteers to ensure that: children succeed in school; people get jobs and are financially secure; people are healthy; and, basic needs are met during tough times. For more information, visit unitedwayinc.org.
