2026 Annual Meeting and Trustee Nominees

Meeting Minutes

Click here to view Minutes of the 102nd Annual Meeting.

Trustee Nominees

First Term Nominees

Trayvonn Diaz is a proud Waterbury native, Wilby High School graduate, and Community Outreach Manager for the City of Waterbury. A first-generation college graduate who grew up in Connecticut’s foster care system, he holds a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Connecticut. Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, he spent six years leading outreach and constituent engagement efforts for U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. Trayvonn also serves on several local boards and commissions and is passionate about civic engagement, community partnership, and expanding opportunity for all residents.

Rev. Shawn Garan is the Senior Minister of the United Church of Christ in Southbury. A graduate of the Blanton-Peale Graduate Institute in New York, he teaches on psycho-spiritual topics, including a certificate course on the psychodynamic treatment of religious trauma. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Connecticut and a Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary, completed a clinical pastoral education residency at Stamford Health, and has taught in various settings. A U.S. Coast Guard veteran, Shawn is a husband, dad, minister, and psychoanalyst, and lives in Southbury with his wife Ashley and three children.

Diane Teixeira is Vice President of Retail Banking at Torrington Savings Bank and has more than 27 years of banking experience, including 21 years in community banking. She serves on the boards of the Naugatuck Valley Community College Foundation, the Greater Waterbury YMCA, and United Way of Northwest Connecticut, and is Co-Chair of the Waterbury Youth Services Advisory Board. Diane is a graduate of Naugatuck Valley Community College, the Connecticut School of Finance and Management, and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. She lives in Naugatuck with her husband and raised four children there.

Second Term Nominees

Dr. Jessica Ocasio is an Associate Consultant in the Bureau of Educator Effectiveness and Professional Learning at the Connecticut State Department of Education. A Waterbury native, she is dedicated to advancing educational excellence, equity, and community service. She serves as Executive President of the Rivera Memorial Foundation and is the Founder and Executive Director of Annabella’s Angels, a nonprofit that supports families affected by pregnancy and infant loss while increasing awareness among healthcare professionals. Dr. Ocasio is active in several community and educational organizations, including the Connecticut Community Foundation, Waterbury Public Schools Equity Leadership Team, and the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents. She holds degrees from Southern Connecticut State University and earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Bridgeport.

Christopher Rempfer is a Southbury resident and is Professor of English at CT State Community College Naugatuck Valley, where he is the Department Chair. Chris serves on the Board of Directors of the Southbury Public Library and is a member of the Democratic Town Committee. At CCF, he chairs the Advisory Board for the Pride in the Hills Fund and serves on the Governance, Pathways for Older Adults committees, and is Chair of the Southbury Community Trustee Fund. A former professional actor, Chris also serves on the Board of Directors of the Palace Theater in Waterbury. Chris holds a Master of Fine Arts in English and Creative Writing from the City College of New York and is an alumnus of Connecticut College.