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SIVAN HINES MD - PRESIDENT
Hartford Promise President Sivan Hines is a pediatrician by training, and a community builder by choice, with a lifelong focus on advocating for youth and equity. Prior to becoming Hartford Promise's President, Sivan served as Senior Director, leading the expansion of our Reaching Forward Team and greatly deepening efforts to provide resources and support for our Scholars in college. Sivan has also led Hartford Promise's work in preparing Scholars for post-college success, creating multiple opportunities for early career exposure and building partnerships with Connecticut employers to create internships/career pipelines. Sivan is a fierce advocate for our Scholars, and believes passionately that "the young people of Hartford deserve the hope and opportunity that Hartford Promise represents, and that our city and state desperately need their talents." Prior to joining Hartford Promise, Dr. Hines was a dedicated pediatrician in Atlanta for over 20 years. She was also a deeply committed community leader serving as Chair of the Board of Atlanta Youth Academy and in leadership roles with the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Covenant House of Georgia, and Girls Inc of Greater Atlanta. Sivan is also actively engaged in the Hartford community and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Future Forward Connecticut as well as being a member of the Aurora Women's Foundation Giving Circle. She is also the President of the Board of the Brown Medical Alumni Association. Sivan is married to her best friend and husband Jeff, and she has two wonderful children and five very energetic, young grandsons. |
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SAM LEVINE - DIRECTOR OF SCHOLARSHIPS
Sam has been with Hartford Promise since 2016, when she joined alongside the very first class of Promise Scholars. As an attorney with a deep passion for the Hartford community, Sam focuses on supporting local youth through education. In her role as Director of Scholarships, she works behind the scenes to help determine the scholarship awards for all of Hartford Promise's scholars and advocating for our Promise Scholars to ensure that they have the resources they need to succeed. A proud Hartford enthusiast, Sam loves the city’s unique blend of great food, lively theater, and thriving art scene. She’s married to Eric, a dentist, and together they’ve raised two grown children who’ve moved on to call New York City home. Sam is an avid gardener and outdoor explorer, always ready to hike, try something new, or simply enjoy the beauty of nature. |
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JOHN MILLER - DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
John Miller is an accomplished development professional with a rich background in both fundraising and collegiate athletics. Most recently, John served as the Director of Development at New Haven Promise (NHP), where his leadership advanced the organization's fundraising efforts. At NHP, he played a pivotal role in the creation and success of the Back New Haven Initiative, the organization's inaugural career development program. His efforts in this program led to substantial grants and partnerships with major institutions such as Bank of America, Yale New Haven Health, and M&T Bank. During his tenure at New Haven Promise, John managed individual donor relations, corporate partnerships, and the grants program. This work led to significant increases in all 3 phases of funding allowing the New Haven Promise team to increase student supports. Prior to his impactful work at NHP, John had a career in collegiate sports, serving as a Division I women's basketball coach at institutions including Yale University, the University of Richmond, and Rider University. |
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MELISSA PAUL - DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS + REACHING FORWARD
Melissa Paul has spent her career dedicated to empowering young people to live out their best lives through education and leadership development. After earning a degree in Music from UConn she went on to pursue a Masters in School Counseling at CCSU. She has worked in a variety of educational settings including public and private schools, as well as in the nonprofit sector. Her role at Hartford Promise includes cultivating and managing partner college relationships, scholar coaching and outreach, and tracking college success. Melissa also shares a passion for the performing arts as a singer and actress. She performs as a solo artist and with several performing groups throughout the northeast. She and her husband, Jason, have two children whom she loves to bake, dance and sing with as much as possible. |
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JORDAN GREEN - DIRECTOR OF REACHING BACK SERVICES
Jordan Green knows firsthand the importance of a college education, and what it can mean for Hartford high school students, and to our community. Jordan was born in Hartford and is a graduate of Trinity College. As a first-generation college student himself, Jordan has shown his personal commitment to encouraging students to reach higher, and to helping them succeed, throughout his successful career as a widely respected youth counselor, advisor, and educator. Prior to joining Hartford Promise, Jordan served as Director of College and Career Readiness at Capital Prep, a Hartford Magnet School. There he established an internship program connecting professional organizations with Capital Prep students, and helped catalyze over $73,000,000 in scholarships and grants for high school students. In his free time Jordan enjoys skydiving, volunteering, and writing. Jordan lives by the phrase, "Embrace your imperfect reality and be at peace". |
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LINDA MERLIN - FUND DEVELOPMENT + GRANT WRITING
Linda Merlin is an attorney by profession, and used to practice large commercial litigation in both New York and Connecticut. She has organized local “get out the vote” efforts and championed local education budget issues. Linda is also a graduate of Encore! Hartford’s Non-Profit Leadership Program. She is eager to bring her legal writing skills, grass roots organization experience and commitment to education to Hartford Promise. Her responsibilities at Hartford Promise include grant writing, grant reporting and research, as well as development of new funding opportunities. She is married to her husband, Larry, and has two grown kids. |
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MIMI GONZALEZ - DIRECTOR OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Mimi Gonzalez, Master of Science in Organizational Psychology, is a distinguished Organizational Development Consultant and equity strategist dedicated to optimizing pipelines and retention strategies for Black and Latine Gen Z talent in organizations. Mimi has several years of experience spanning human resources, diversity equity & inclusion, program development, strategic planning, communications, change management, and social impact in both corporate and non-profit sectors. She is committed to ensuring that Hartford Promise Scholars not only find a place but flourish and thrive in modern workplaces. Mimi became a member of the Obama Foundation Community Leadership Corps in 2019, serving as a keynote speaker at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, sharing the panel with many notables, including President Obama. She is a member of the Board of Hillyer College of University of Hartford and also serves a pivotal role on the Racial Equity Taskforce at University of Hartford, and was the recipient of Hillyer Colleges Outstanding Young Alumnus Award in April of 2022. Beyond her professional endeavors, Mimi's serves as a social justice coach for Farmington High School as well as a podcast host. She is dedicated to breaking barriers, fostering inclusivity, and championing the next generation in all spheres of life. |
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CLOTILDE GANNON - CHIEF OF STAFF
Clotilde Gannon is a first-generation college student who studied Political Science and Global Studies at the University of Connecticut. Clotilde continued her education at UConn earning a Masters in Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management. She has various experience working and volunteering within the nonprofit sector in Connecticut. Clotilde’s role at Hartford Promise supports her passion for public service and youth development. She believes in shining positivity, love, and kindness. Other passions of Clotilde include reading, traveling, and listening to live music. Clotilde is living out her dream of traveling the world while working remotely for Hartford Promise. |
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TALIA CLARKE - REACHING FORWARD COORDINATOR
Talia Clarke is a resident of Hartford, and a 2020 graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, with a BS in Public Health. She spent a semester abroad studying at the Public Health Institute at Liverpool John Moores University in 2019. Before joining Hartford Promise, Ms. Clarke worked as a Nutrition Education Consultant at the Hartford Public Schools. Prior to that, she was an Americorps Service Member, where she served at Food Corps at Hartford Public Schools Child Nutritional Services. As a Hartford Promise Scholar alumnus, "says Ms. Clarke, I’m thrilled to join the Hartford Promise team. I want to help scholars develop a profound sense of self, community and wellness, because I believe that a college education is a driver of both health and prosperity. My passion for working with students will help me ensure that the next generation of Hartford Promise Scholars has the tools they need to succeed." Talia is a self-taught natural hairstylist, she started braiding hair at the age of 7. In her free time, she travels solo, runs a book club, and does dance/ aerial arts. Talia has competed in many dance competitions, including World of Dance, Hip-hop International, and many others! |
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ASIAH STEWART - REACHING FORWARD COACH
Asiah Stewart, a native of Hartford, holds a degree in psychology from Northeastern University in Boston. Since her return home in 2021, Asiah's held roles across Hartford, including a service term with AmeriCorps and a full-time position at Connecticut Children’s. Committed to reciprocating the support she has received from her city, Asiah, a Hartford Promise alumna, emphasizes the importance of providing assistance to the next generation of Hartford Promise scholars. "The next generation of leaders and change-makers are giving their all in undergrad. They need allies that reassure them that they are not alone in that journey," Asiah asserts. In her role as a Reaching Forward Coach, she strives to encourage students to seek support without hesitation. Beyond her professional pursuits, Asiah finds joy in traveling, exploring new foods, indulging in shopping, and expressing herself through journaling. She also cherishes spending quality time with her pets, fondly named Muffin and Kit Kat. |
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RACHEL TAYLOR - REACHING FORWARD COACH
Hartford native Rachel Taylor has spent her adult life teaching and learning. Following three years teaching high school history at Kingswood-Oxford School, she moved to New York, where she taught 8th grade history for nine years at Kings Collegiate Charter School in Brooklyn. Rachel also wrote history curriculum, held various school leadership positions, and developed a classroom-based mindfulness program to help students and teachers manage stress. Outside of school, Rachel dove deep into embodiment, completing teacher trainings in yoga, functional movement, and breath and nervous system regulation practices. She is thrilled to bring these experiences to her work with the wonderful team at Hartford Promise. A proud alumna of Hartford Public High School, Rachel holds her BA from Harvard and MA from Teachers College, Columbia University. She lives with her husband, three young sons, giant dog, and noisy cat in Hartford and is thrilled to now be a Hartford Public Schools parent. She is civically active at the school, neighborhood, city, and state level. Rachel loves gardening, running, cooking, quilting, traveling, and baking, and regularly daydreams about spending an entire week in a hammock reading books. |
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CHEREECE BURRELL - REACHING BACK COORDINATOR
Chereece Latoya Burrell is an alum of Global Communications Academy and a 2022 graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychological Science, with a minor in Human Development and Family Sciences. Chereece has interned at the UCONN Child Lab, where she engaged with and provided care to infants from 4-12 months and helped develop learning plans for children under her care. She has been an active leader in the Hartford Student Senate, Junior Achievement, and served as Valedictorian of Global Communications Academy. Chereece has also devoted the first couple of years of her post-grad career as an RBT, focusing on children diagnosed with Autism and other developmental disabilities. During her senior year and the calming of the pandemic, Chereece co-founded and implemented a mindfulness space at her old high school, GCA, to address the mental challenges middle schoolers faced during the transition back to in-person learning. As a Reaching Back Coordinator for Hartford Promise, Chereece looks forward to continuing to help students within the Hartford community prepare for their post-secondary education. Chereece likes to watch Marvel movies, with her favorite character being Doctor Strange. She is very family-oriented and enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews. |
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BRIAN NANCE - REACHING BACK COACH
Brian Nance is a Greater Hartford native who holds strong passions for charity, mental wellness and financial literacy. Brian grew up attending the Artists Collective and went on to Loomis Chaffee and Trinity College where he ultimately earned an MA in Public Policy. Brian gained expertise in analyzing a range of policy issues while working with organizations including the Children’s Defense Fund, Squire Patton Boggs, Case Western Reserve University and the Obama Foundation. While an avid traveler, he spends a significant amount of time in Hartford and loves seeing the growth of the city year after year. Brian is also a business consultant who works with a range of companies, nonprofits and startups. He has produced documentaries and musical productions, managed media brands, and published financial literacy courses that include topics such as investing for college and the psychology of money. |
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RICHARD SUGARMAN - FORMER PRESIDENT
Co-founding Former Hartford Promise President Richard Sugarman has a varied background including nonprofit leadership, corporate management, investment management, and extensive community engagement work. Richard is the President of Hartford Promise, a new large scale College Scholarship Fund and College Success Program. Prior to this he has been the Founding President of The Connecticut Forum for 23 years, an award winning non-profit organization that brings nationally renowned panelists to Hartford four times a year to discuss a variety of timely and important topics for audiences of 2800. Richard has served on many Boards including: CT Center for School Change, Conn CAN, The Learning Corridor, Police Athletic League, and Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. He has advised and consulted with many organizations including: Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Melville Charitable Trust, Annie E. Casey Foundation, CT Mirror, Travelers, The Village for Families and Children, Partnership for Strong Communities, Children’s Trust Fund, CT Fair Housing Center, and Hartford Public Schools. He has received numerous awards including:
He and his wife Doris live in West Hartford, CT, have three sons; Skip, Jesse, and Scott…. all Buckeye fans. |
