Board of Regents Members

Danté Bartolomeo

Danté Bartolomeo joined the Connecticut Department of Labor in January 2019 as a deputy commissioner and was appointed the interim commissioner in June 2021 by Governor Ned Lamont. Her nomination was confirmed by the Connecticut State Senate in March 2022.

Since joining the Department of Labor, Commissioner Bartolomeo has been integrally involved in programs and services throughout the agency. As the deputy commissioner, Bartolomeo worked to expand the agency’s approach to workforce policy to incorporate the Whole Family Approach, a progression of the Two Generations (2Gen) employment initiatives. When the global pandemic hit, Bartolomeo switched gears to oversee multiple pandemic programs that were vital to Connecticut residents who lost their jobs — including establishing the agency’s new Consumer Contact Center and transitioning the American Job Centers to providing virtual services to customers.

Under Bartolomeo’s leadership, the Department has added focus on labor force development in high-demand industries, particularly though Registered Apprenticeship Programs in healthcare, teaching, and childcare. Additionally, the agency has developed stronger partnerships with other state agencies, law enforcement, and educational institutions to expand the reach of CTDOL programs and services, promote career exploration, and raise the visibility of CTDOL workforce development initiatives.

Prior to her service at the CT Department of Labor, Bartolomeo served two terms as the state senator for the 13th senatorial district representing Cheshire, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, and Rockfall. Her portfolio included children’s safety, access to healthcare, and education—primary school through career training. She also served on the Meriden City Council.

Bartolomeo is a proud lifelong resident of the state.

Ira Bloom

Ira Bloom, J.D. is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Lehman College, a CUNY School. His areas of expertise are American Politics and Constitutional Law. His research interest, publications, and teaching focus on the areas of internet law, information privacy, United States public education, higher education policy and constitutional law.

In 2020, Professor Bloom was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Lehman College Foundation where he now serves on the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Governance Committee of the Foundation’s Board.

Professor Bloom has served on several major committees at Lehman including chair of the Lehman College Strategic Planning Council, chair of the Executive Committee charged with preparation of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education accreditation report, and a faculty representative for the most recent Lehman College Presidential Search.

He was a member of the Board of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Greenwich, CT and chaired the Committee on Beaches and Marine Facilities, as well as the Master Plan and Long-Range Planning Committees.

In 2002, Professor Bloom was presented with the Outstanding Public Service Award by the Connecticut Secretary of State.

Bloom holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from City College of New York and his J.D. from Harvard University.

He joined the Board of Regents by gubernatorial appointment on Dec. 17, 2021, replacing Merle Harris, and chairs the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. His current term ends on June 30, 2027.

Charlene Casamento

Charlene Casamento is a seasoned professional with more than 30 years of experience in financial services with the public and insurance sectors. She has 24 years of state public service and has served in leadership roles in various state agencies. She is currently serving as the Undersecretary for Strategic Initiatives at the Office of Policy and Management. 

In this role, she serves as a member of the UConn Health Center Board of Directors, and as a member of its Finance Subcommittee. In addition, she conducts significant financial analysis of and collaboration with higher education to assist in the identification and resolution of challenges and opportunities. She is currently focused on several state-wide initiatives aimed at process improvement, including but not limited to, the exploration of a state-wide common payment platform, co-leading the implementation of a Grant System, and the establishment of a process and methodology for the approval of state agency pilots recommended by Connecticut Innovations, Inc.

Notably, Ms. Casamento served for more than nine years as the Central Connecticut State University Chief Financial Officer. She worked collaboratively with the Executive Committee and campus stakeholders to develop strategies and solutions to address deficiencies, rescissions, new programs, and long-term complex modeling for their strategic plan, enhancing the financial sustainability and student outcomes. Prior to joining CCSU, she served as the Bureau Chief of Finance and Administration for the Department of Transportation, where she was the chief negotiator for a $500 million Service Plaza Concessions Agreement, as well as an $18 million settlement for the State of Connecticut.

Charlene holds a Certified Public Accountant and Prosci Change Practitioner Certification.  In addition, she earned her B.S. in Accountancy from Bentley University and her MBA from the University of Hartford. 
 

Delwyn F. Cummings

Jodi Hill-Lilly

Jodi Hill-Lilly is a national child welfare leader and systems transformation expert who serves as Director of Child Well-Being at the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF). She leads a national portfolio focused on improving outcomes for children and families by advancing prevention-oriented approaches, strengthening supports before challenges escalate, and helping public systems and communities translate research and innovation into sustainable practice. Through initiatives such as DDF’s Opportunities for Prevention Transformation Initiative (OPT-In), she partners with leaders across the country to test and scale strategies that connect families to concrete supports and services earlier.

Hill-Lilly joined DDF in August 2025 following a distinguished 37-year career with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF), where she began as a front-line social worker and ultimately served as Commissioner. Appointed Commissioner by Governor Ned Lamont in December 2023, she led one of Connecticut’s largest human services agencies, advancing priorities focused on child safety and well-being, system modernization, workforce development, and improved outcomes for children, youth, and families.

Throughout her career at DCF, Hill-Lilly held progressively responsible leadership roles spanning direct practice, workforce development, administration, organizational strategy, and system reform. She helped lead major transformation efforts to strengthen practice, modernize infrastructure, and build a state-of-the-art child welfare system. Central to her leadership has been a commitment to developing people—cultivating emerging leaders, strengthening workforce capacity, and helping organizations translate vision into sustainable practice.
Beyond Connecticut, Hill-Lilly has spent more than two decades as a national consultant, trainer, speaker, and advisor on federal and state child welfare initiatives. She has gained a national reputation for her expertise in systems transformation, workforce and leadership development, and strengthening public child welfare organizations.

Hill-Lilly proudly holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work from Southern Connecticut State University.

Sophia Jappinen

Sophia Jappinen is an accomplished Senior Systems Media Design Engineer, recognized for her leadership in designing and implementing cutting-edge technology across the entertainment industry over her 15-year career. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Florida International University and a Master's degree in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership from Charter Oak State College, providing her with a diverse and holistic skill set that blends technical expertise with strategic leadership.

Sophia’s innovative approach and commitment to excellence have garnered significant recognition, including the prestigious 2018 Technical Achievement Award from Women in Cable and Telecommunications. Beyond her engineering career, she is a dedicated personal development coach and Organizational Systems Strategist. She is passionate about empowering individuals to align their actions with their values and live authentically. Her creative talents extend to designing planners that inspire personal growth and success.

Appointed to the Board of Regents on March 8, 2023, Sophia actively serves on the Human Resources and Administration Committee, as well as the Technology Committee. Her term runs through June 30, 2026.

Manisha Juthani, MD

Manisha Juthani, MD, is the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH). She is the first Indian American to serve as a commissioner in the State of Connecticut. She served as professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine through September 2024 and currently serves as an adjunct professor of medicine. She served as Director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program from 2012 to 2021. Juthani received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and M.D. from Cornell University Medical College, completed Internal Medicine residency training at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell campus, and served as chief resident at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She came to Connecticut in 2002 as an Infectious Diseases fellow at Yale School of Medicine.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Juthani was a leader in the COVID response at Yale which led to her appointment as Commissioner of CT DPH in 2021. In the early days of the pandemic, she was a voice to help educate the public in both local and national media outlets, a role she was able to expand in her role as Commissioner. Upon joining CT DPH, she helped guide Connecticut out of the pandemic and worked to revitalize areas of public health, such as gun violence, maternal health, opioid use, and sexually transmitted diseases, that were exacerbated during the pandemic.

As she continues in her role as DPH Commissioner, Juthani has shifted her core vision to “Preserve and Protect Core Public Health Principles and Services.” As Connecticut is presented with new public health challenges, she remains committed to preserving public health achievements made over the years, including improvements in regulatory oversight in healthcare, drinking water, and environmental health which includes food safety. It is more important than ever to highlight the importance of vaccines, control of infectious diseases, road safety, and healthier mothers and babies. Clear, accurate communication about public health risks is vital to her mission. She continues to advocate for health as a human right which is the core vision of CT DPH.

Daniel H. O'Keefe

Commissioner of Economic Development, Chief Innovation Officer, State of Connecticut

Daniel O'Keefe was appointed Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and the state's Chief Innovation Officer in November 2023.

Prior to his appointment, Commissioner O'Keefe spent 25 years as a technology investor, most recently as a Managing Partner at Apax Partners, a global private equity firm.

Commissioner O'Keefe serves on the boards of the University of Connecticut, Brown University, the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, Connecticut Innovations, and AdvanceCT.

He is a Fellow of the Foreign Policy Association and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Commissioner O'Keefe holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he graduated with High Distinction, and an AB from Brown University.

Richard J. Porth

Richard Porth has served in government (local, state and regional council of governments) and for nonprofits and private funders in a range of jobs aimed at strengthening communities and enabling better access to opportunities and supports. Most recently, he has worked on initiatives to promote racial equity and property tax reform at the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities. Prior to this he served as President/CEO of United Way of Connecticut (2008 to 2020), which helps to meet the needs of Connecticut residents by providing information, education, and connection to health and human services and crisis intervention services.

Richard Porth also served as Vice President for Grantmaking for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (2003-2008), the community foundation for the Greater Hartford region. And, before joining the Foundation, Rick served as the Executive Director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments for nine years. In his work he collaborated with business, civic, and government leaders to advocate regional solutions to regional challenges, and in particular better access to opportunity for people living in lower income neighborhoods.

Rick started his career in City government in Trenton, New Jersey, ultimately serving as the City’s chief administrative officer. He then served two appointments in New Jersey state government. Rick and his family live in West Hartford.

He joined the Board of Regents by gubernatorial appointment on July 22, 2021, replacing Naomi Cohen, and serves on the Academic and Student Affairs Committee and the Audit Committee. His current term ends on June 30, 2027.

Maria Remiszewska

Maria Remiszewska is a first-generation American and Honors student at CT State Community College Middlesex, pursuing a degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences and Biology on a pre-medical track. Having started college at 22, she understands that students come from different backgrounds and take different paths through higher education. She plans to transfer to a four-year university and eventually attend medical school, where she hopes to combine patient care with research and advocacy.  

At CT State Middlesex, Maria currently serves as Student Senate President, having previously served as Senator-at-Large. Her involvement in student government has given her a better understanding of the challenges students face, from balancing their education with work and personal responsibilities to finding opportunities to become involved on campus. In February 2026, she testified before the Connecticut General Assembly's Appropriations Committee, speaking directly to state legislators about the affordability of higher education. This experience showed her the importance of bringing student perspectives into conversations about policies that directly affect them.  

Maria also co-founded the STEM Club and Art and Games Club at Middlesex to create more opportunities for students to explore their interests, meet new people, and feel connected to their campus. Outside of college, she serves as an Advocacy Ambassador for the American Liver Foundation, where she advocates for people affected by liver disease and works to raise awareness about the stigma surrounding alcohol-associated liver disease. Her advocacy is personally meaningful and has shaped her independent research into early detection and interventions for the disease. Through these experiences, she has learned that advocacy is not just about bringing attention to an issue, but also understanding the people affected by it and working toward meaningful change.  

Maria has earned a place on the Dean's List every semester she has attended college, received the STRIVE Scholarship, and completed the Yale School of Medicine's YSEMA internship. Her experiences as a student, campus leader, and advocate have shaped her approach to leadership. She understands that students have different needs and circumstances, and that those differences deserve to be represented. As Vice-Chair of the Student Advisory Committee, Maria hopes to strengthen communication between students and the Board of Regents, advocate for more affordable and accessible higher education, and ensure that student concerns are taken seriously. She believes that student representation should go beyond simply listening to concerns. Students should have a real influence on the decisions that affect their education, and she is ready to help make that happen. 

Charlene Russell-Tucker

Charlene M. Russell-Tucker was appointed by Governor Ned Lamont as Commissioner of the Connecticut State Department of Education in August 2021 after having served as acting Commissioner. Prior to becoming acting Commissioner, she served as the Department’s deputy commissioner, managing educational supports and wellness priorities, and as chief operating officer overseeing the Office of Student Supports and Organizational Effectiveness. She also served as associate commissioner and bureau chief within the Department, previously overseeing a portfolio of programs and services. She is a performance-driven and visionary education leader with over 20 years’ experience in successfully leveraging the interconnectedness of the social, emotional, physical, and mental wellness of students and their families as foundations for positive school and life outcomes. She passionately supports family and community engagement in education and has successfully led school attendance and school discipline initiatives with intensive focus on improved outcomes for all learners.

As a sought-after national education leader, Commissioner Russell-Tucker has participated on various state and national committees, such as the Connecticut General Assembly’s Committee on Children Strategic Action Group on Chronic Absence, she has testified at hearings before the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) (2022 and 2023), and  served as a panelist for a White House Event on Improving Student Achievement (2024). Currently, she is the president-elect for the Council of Chief State School Officers board of directors, serves on the executive committee of the Education Commission of the States, and is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s (NASEM) Collaborative for Advancing Science Teaching and Learning in K-12 Steering Committee. Commissioner Russell-Tucker has extensive teaching experience, formerly serving as an adjunct faculty member at the Albertus Magnus College School of New Dimensions.

On a personal note, Commissioner Russell-Tucker believes in finding and fulfilling one’s life purpose. 

Colena Sesanker, PhD

Dr. Sesanker has been a full-time member of the faculty at Gateway since 2017 and, before that, was a part-time lecturer at Three Rivers Community College for seven years. She holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Connecticut with a specialization in Mathematical Logic. Her current work in the field centers on valuation and justification in non-formal (social and embodied) contexts and on the limitations of such justification for grounding dignity in an unequal society. She sources meaning outside of discourse in what Wittgenstein calls ‘forms of life’. As a result, yoga, masquerade, and other practices that challenge and transform established social meaning and value are central to her work. Colena was Gateway’s elected representative on the Students First Academic and Student Affairs Committee from February 2018 to January 2020 and also served on that committee’s Shared Governance Workgroup.

Kelli-Marie Vallieres, PhD

Kelli-Marie- Vallieres, Ph.D., is a leader in workforce development, advanced manufacturing, and cross-sector system building. She serves as Connecticut’s Chief Workforce Officer and leads the Office of Workforce Strategy (OWS), acting as the Governor’s primary advisor on statewide workforce initiatives. In this role, she oversees the implementation of Connecticut’s Strategic Workforce Development Plan, a business-led blueprint designed to align education and training systems with the needs of employers, expand high-quality career pathways, and position Connecticut as a top- tier talent destination. 

A distinctive strength of Dr. Vallieres’s leadership is her deep experience in the private sector. She is the owner of Sound Manufacturing, Inc. and Monster Power Equipment, Inc., two Connecticut-based manufacturing companies where she served as President and CEO for 14 years before transitioning to public service. This background gives her an exceptional understanding of the challenges employers face in recruiting and retaining skilled workers, as well as the importance of aligning workforce development with real labor- market- demand. She brings this dual perspective to her work, ensuring that Connecticut’s workforce strategies are practical, responsive, and grounded in industry realities. 

Dr. Vallieres earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Adult Learning from the University of Connecticut, a foundation that shapes her approach to system design, adult learning, and organizational leadership.

Donald E. Williams Jr

Donald E. Williams Jr. brings decades of experience in public service, leadership, and policymaking, with a particular focus on education and workforce development, to the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education.

Don served in the Connecticut General Assembly from 1993 to 2015, including 10 years as Senate President Pro Tempore. During his legislative career, he chaired the Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittee, where he played a key role in overseeing policy and fiscal matters related to the CSCU system and the University of Connecticut. 

Among his legislative achievements, Don helped secure $320 million in capital improvements for the state’s community colleges, now unified as CT State Community College, and led efforts to invest $1 billion to transform the facilities and campuses of Connecticut’s four regional state universities.

He also worked with leaders at Quinebaug Valley Community College, now CT State Quinebaug Valley, to secure the resources for a 30,000-square-foot addition to the college’s campus and fund its Advanced Manufacturing Center, further supporting workforce development in eastern Connecticut.

Don was the Executive Director of the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) where he managed and helped lead policy development for Connecticut’s largest education union, representing more than 43,00 public school teachers. He previously served two terms as First Selectman of the Town of Thompson.

Don holds a J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Syracuse University.

Ted Yang

Ted Yang has founded numerous companies and non-profits, including as Founder and CEO of 4-CT, Connecticut’s largest COVID-19 relief fund. Some of his current companies include Daily Voice, Highclere Castle Spirits, Playerpulse, Adapt Beauty and Gather Insurance. He was a Founder of the Stamford Innovation Center and a Founding Partner of Social Venture Partners, Connecticut.  Regent Yang was a capital markets executive with CTO and leadership positions at banks and hedge funds, including Citigroup, Tudor, Citadel, and Bridgewater.  He is Chairman of Connex Partners and sits on other boards, including ChemPacific Corporation and formerly the Wiki Education Foundation.

Regent Yang is the author of Table for Five: a Father’s Story of Life, Love and Loss, a story of his triplets born at 24-weeks.  He received his Bachelor of Science and Masters of Engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NPR and Fox Business News. He has spoken worldwide including at South Summit, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, MIT, Columbia, and NYU.

He joined the Board of Regents by gubernatorial appointment on Sept. 8, 2023, replacing Holly Howery, and serves on the Finance and Infrastructure Committee and Technology Committee. His current term ends on June 30, 2029.

Tyler Ye

Tyler Ye is a first-generation college student from Cheshire, CT pursuing a degree in Political Science with a minor in Philosophy at Central Connecticut State University.

At CCSU, he has served as an SGA Senator for three semesters, advocating for students' needs. During his tenure with the CCSU SGA, he had advocated for increased resources to support students and address the pressures and challenges they regularly face. He had previously furthered this advocacy by testifying before the Connecticut General Assembly’s Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee on behalf of the CSCU system and its students.

As Vice-Chair of the Student Advisory Committee, Tyler has led representation of the student voice to the Board of Regents as a voting member. He was able to vote in favor of many student-first votes including the freezing of tuition for FY26-27. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Student Connections Subcommittee in response to the mental health epidemic on college campuses, advancing initiatives focused on student belonging, campus engagement, and peer-to-peer community-building across CSCU institutions.

His academic excellence is reflected in his placement on the Dean’s List every semester he’s been a student and having been previously placed on the President’s List showcasing his ability to succeed as a student. With his skills, passion for advocacy and strong commitment to students, Tyler is well positioned to make a meaningful impact as Chair of the Student Advisory Committee for the Board of Regents.

Ari Santiago

Ari Santiago is an entrepreneur, investor, and technology executive with more than two decades of experience building and advising growing businesses. He currently serves as interim chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education, the governing body for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities.

In 2002, Ari founded IT Direct as a one-person technology company in Hartford and grew it into Connecticut’s leading managed-services provider. Following its acquisition by CompassMSP, he became CEO of the combined company and built it into a national provider of managed IT and cybersecurity services. During his tenure, Ari led more than a dozen acquisitions, the company’s 2024 recapitalization with Agellus Capital, and its combination with BlackPoint IT Services. The combined company now has more than 450 employees serving small and midsize businesses across the country. Ari stepped down as CEO in 2025 and continues to serve CompassMSP as an investor and strategic advisor.

Ari is now managing partner of Everward Partners, a Connecticut investment firm focused on acquiring and stewarding established, owner-led businesses.

A longtime advocate for Connecticut’s manufacturing sector, Ari created and hosted Made in America with Ari Santiago, a podcast featuring manufacturing leaders. He speaks locally and nationally on technology, leadership, and business strategy. He also serves on the boards of ManufactureCT, Hubbard-Hall, and Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford.

Governor Ned Lamont appointed Ari to the Board of Regents in 2020 and selected him to serve as interim chair in May 2026. He previously served as vice chair of the Finance and Infrastructure Committee and as a member of the Technology Committee. Ari lives in West Hartford with his family.