Connecticut Community Foundation proudly announces the election of three community leaders to its Board of Trustees. Tony Ciocca, Jessica Ocasio, and Christopher Rempfer are set to join a dynamic board comprised of local residents representing 21 towns within Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills, the Foundation’s dedicated service area.
The Board of Trustees plays a key role in steering the Foundation towards its mission of nurturing an equitable and inclusive community by fostering philanthropy, supporting local organizations, and nurturing effective leadership.
Michael Giardina, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Tony, Jessica, and Chris are talented community leaders whose voices will help to advance our vision of an equitable, inclusive, just and vibrant community. We welcome their fresh perspectives, and I am confident that their contributions will help shape a more equitable future for Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills.”
Tony Ciocca is a Middlebury resident and the managing director of a national investment consulting practice. He has been involved with the Foundation since 2018 and has served six years on grant committees focused on equitable opportunity and economic vitality.
Dr. Jessica Ocasio is an associate consultant in the Bureau of Educator Effectiveness and Professional Learning for the Connecticut State Department of Education. A native of Waterbury, Ocasio is also the founder and executive director of Annabella’s Angels, a Waterbury-based non-profit that strives to provide support and raise awareness and education for pregnancy and infant loss families and medical professionals. She is also the executive president of the nonprofit Rivera Memorial Foundation, named after her father, firefighter Eddie Rivera. Dr. Ocasio obtained her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Bridgeport.
Christopher Rempfer is a resident of Southbury and a Professor of English at Connecticut State Community College/Naugatuck Valley in Waterbury, where he is Department Chair. Rempfer serves on the Board of Directors of the Southbury Public Library and on the Board of Equality Connecticut. He serves on the advisory board for the Pride in the Hills Fund held at Connecticut Community Foundation, and serves on the Foundation’s Building Equitable Opportunity grant committee.
In addition to electing new trustees, the Foundation’s members re-elected Dr. Rebecca Eleck Bruce, Subira Gordon, and Deborah Foord to serve second three-year terms on the Board of Trustees. Barbara Bradbury-Pape, Elizabeth Johnson, and Rabbi Eric Polokoff will be departing the Foundation’s board, having completed the maximum six years of service.
Bios of all of the Foundation’s trustees can be viewed at www.conncf.org/board.
