Matthew K. Poland, Chairman mpoland@hplct.org
Chief Executive Officer
Hartford Public Library

Matt Poland joined the Hartford Public Library in June 2008 as Deputy Administrator and was named Interim Director in December 2008. Poland was appointed the Library’s ninth leader since 1893 and its first chief executive officer in October 2009. Prior to joining the Library, Poland was senior vice president and general manager for Work/Life Innovations, an award-winning employee assistance and work/life programming organization. Prior to joining Work/Life Innovations, he was senior vice president for human resources at Community Newspaper Company and Veritude, both Fidelity Investments Companies in Boston. Before Boston, Matt worked at The Hartford Courant where he held the positions of vice president for human resources and community affairs, vice president for operations, production director, and director of employee relations. He began his career in retail banking and human resources in the financial services sector in Hartford. Poland received his bachelor’s degree with honors in philosophy and literature from St. John’s College Seminary (Boston, MA). He also has completed executive leadership and management programs at Harvard University, Babson College, University of Southern California, and the Times Mirror Executive Leadership Institute. Poland currently serves as a board member at TheaterWorks and Hartford Performs. He was recently elected to the executive board of the Urban Libraries Council. He is a commissioner of the Mayor’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission and a member of the Community Steering Committee of Opportunities Hartford. Poland is also a member of the American Library Association, the Connecticut Library Association, Leadership Greater Hartford, the Society for Human Resources Management, and the Human Resources Association of Central Connecticut. He is a LeadBoston Fellow and a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum. He has served as a board member at Camp Courant, Riverfront Recapture, Greater Hartford Arts Council, the National Conference for Community and Justice (Hartford affiliate), Capital Workforce Development Board, The Hartford Courant Foundation, and he served as the chair of the Allocations Sub-Committee for the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. He also was an instructor on ethical decision-making at the Times Mirror Management Institute.Poland is a native and resident of Hartford CT.

Lori Hudson, Vice Chair LHudson_HBOE@comcast.net

Lori Hudson is a long time resident of Hartford and a single parent of two children who attend Hartford Public Schools.  Ms. Hudson works for the Metropolitan District Commission as a Senior Customer Service Representative, where she oversees the commission’s customer call center.  She has been active at the District in addressing issues of diversity. She has also served as the chair of the MDC Affirmative Action Advisory Committee working closely with the MDC Commission, CEO, Human Resource Manager, high level management and staff. She worked directly with the MDC Diversity Officer in designing a diversity strategic plan and retreat for MDC management and union representatives. She was additionally instrumental in helping to complete the MDC Retreat Goals which were adopted by MDC Diversity Sub-Committee for the District at large. Ms. Hudson is an ordained minister and a member of the Phillips Metropolitan C.M.E. church in Hartford where the Rev. James B. Walker is pastor. She serves as the Minister of Music; a position she has held for the past 22 years, and serves on the ministerial staff.  

Cherita McIntye, Second Vice Chair cmcintye@hotmail.com
Director, Executive Learning

Cherita McIntye, an industrial psychologist with over 15 years of experience working for Fortune 500 companies and the public sector, is director, executive learning, in ESPN’s human resources department.  She joined the company in 2010. McIntye’s expertise is in design and execution of talent management, leadership development and organizational effectiveness strategies.  She has held executive leadership positions creating systems that enable people to thrive within cultures that engage and inspire performance excellence.  She has gained a broad base of experience leading efforts within media and entertainment, hospitality, financial services, healthcare and federal government sectors.  Her passion is unleashing the power of individual and collective creativity to propel positive change.   At ESPN, she is charged with designing and implementing executive development strategies with the goal of meeting business needs.  She works with senior executives to conduct business analysis and align program initiatives with business requirements. McIntye came to ESPN from Marriott International in Maryland where she served in a similar capacity.  From 2007 – 2008, she worked at Safeco Insurance as vice president, talent and organizational capability, and had been vice president, talent and leadership development at Washington Mutual from 2006-07.  She served as director, organizational effectiveness, at Tenet Healthsystem from 2002-2006. McIntye received her doctorate in industrial psychology from George Mason University and master’s in the same field at the University of Minnesota.  She attended Brown University and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and business.  She has previously served as a board member for both the YMCA and Leadership Tomorrow in Seattle, Washington, as well as Board Chair for Aids, Arms in Dallas, Texas. 

Robert Cotto, Jr., Secretary robertcottojr@gmail.com

Robert Cotto is a social studies teacher at the Metropolitan Learning Center for Global and International Studies (MLC). He has worked in both public and private schools in New York City, San Francisco, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Born and raised in Connecticut, Mr. Cotto earned his B.A. degree in sociology at Dartmouth College and his Ed.M. at Harvard University Graduate School of Education. He is on the Board of Directors for Boys Speak Out, Inc., an organization dedicated to working with adolescents on career and social development.

Pedro E. Segarra, Mayor

Pedro E. Segarra was sworn in as Hartford 66th Mayor after he was overwhelmingly selected by Hartford voters on January 3, 2012. However, his commitment to realizing the promise of Connecticut’s Capital City began long before that day.Mayor Segarra’s personal experience with poverty, discrimination and overcoming adversity has shaped his vision for Hartford – to bring people of all ethnicities, faiths and socioeconomic backgrounds together to create meaningful change.As Hartford and the nation emerge from financially challenging times, Mayor Segarra is working with corporate, community and philanthropic partners to develop innovative solutions. With community activism, social work, law and public service in his background, he is keenly aware of the issues facing the City with regard to education, public safety and the need for sustainable jobs. His mission over the next four years is to aggressively build on the City’s education reform foundation; to implement strategies that strengthen community-police relationships and reduce crime; and through the Livable and Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative and other programs, to improve the vitality of our neighborhoods and increase job opportunities.Born the oldest of six children in Maricao, Puerto Rico on April 28, 1959, Mayor Segarra moved to Hartford from New York as a teenager. While his arrival in the City did not result in an immediate escape from the extreme poverty his family faced, it did fuel his determination to succeed and not be defined by his circumstances. After graduating from the former Hartford Community College (now Capital Community College), Mayor Segarra earned a full scholarship to the University of Hartford where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. He went on to attend the University of Connecticut Schools of Social Work and Law, where he was a founding member of the Latino Law School Organization and served as its first President. He is currently admitted to the Connecticut state and federal bars (1986) and the Bar of the State of Florida (2000).In addition, Mayor Segarra was the youngest person to serve as Corporation Counsel for the City of Hartford when he was appointed in 1991. His public service includes his appointment as a member of the Court of Common Council in 2006 and re-election in his own right to that seat the following year. He became Council President in January 2010 and was sworn in as Mayor in June of that year.Among his community involvement efforts are as a founding partner of Hogar Crea, The Hispanic Health Council and CLARO. Mayor Segarra lives in the West End of Hartford with his partner, Charlie who has been an advocate of beautification efforts in the City.

Luis Rodríguez-Dávila, Board Member lroddavila@gmail.com

Luis Rodriguez-Davila is one of four elected members of the Hartford Board of Education. His four-year term of office began in December 2005.
He is employed by the City of Hartford Economic Development Services Department where he is responsible for small business development.
Born and educated in Puerto Rico, he came to Hartford in the early 1990s as a community organizer for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Previously, he was Minority and Women Business Enterprise Coordinator for the City of Hartford.

Elizabeth Brad Noel, Board Member ebradnoel@me.com

Ms. Noel received her B.A. from Oberlin College in History and Education, M.A. in Guidance and Counseling from Cornell University, and 6th Year degree in Administration from the University of Hartford. She retired as the Weaver and Fox guidance chairperson after 25 years. Ms. Noel served as an elected member of Hartford Board of Education from 1993 to 1997. She has been a Blue Hills neighborhood resident, with her husband Don, a retired journalist, since 1966. Their children graduated from Hartford schools.

Jose Colon-Rivas, Ph.D. jcolon-rivas@hartford.gov

Dr. José Colón-Rivas, Director of the Department of Families, Children, Youth and Recreation since July 2011, oversees and directs efforts to coordinate and implement early childhood, youth and recreation planning and policy.  Previously , José served as the Executive Director of the Office for Young Children when he joined the City of Hartford, overseeing  operations of the Office and to implement Hartford’s Early Childhood Blueprint.  
José is an innovative, accomplished professional educator who has spent over twenty four years dedicated to his mission of making a profound and positive difference in children’s lives.  Born and raised in Puerto Rico, José came to Hartford in 1989 to further his work as a teacher.  He began his career with Hartford Public Schools as a Math Teacher, and later served as High School Principal, and Senior Director of Early Childhood Education and Accreditation.   As a high school principal, José was able to secure national reaccreditation to a school that was destined for termination. 
He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico in Elementary and Secondary Education/Mathematics, a Master’s degree from The Interamerican University in Supervision and Administration/ Curriculum Development and a Ph.D. from Penn State University in Individual and Family Studies/ Educational Psychology/Early Childhood Education.
Throughout his academic and professional career, he has empowered thousands of children to create a more powerful and purposeful future for themselves, while motivating their desire to learn and become resourceful citizens.  His love and faithfulness to the Hartford community is demonstrated in his dynamic and unique style as a communicator with proven ability to work effectively with individuals of all ages and diverse cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.  His administrative leadership over time is proven in his ability to serve complex and diverse environments.
Although he has ventured throughout the United States and the world, his loyalty to the cultural beauty and wonders of Puerto Rico remain, which he humbly refers to as home.

Richard F. Wareing rwareing@mdmc-law.com

Richard F. Wareing is a partner in the Hartford office of the law firm of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney, and Carpenter, LLP.  He practices in the area of construction law and litigation and also in general commercial litigation, municipal law, and appellate litigation.  He received his JD, cum laude,from the Harvard Law School and his AB, magna cum laude, from the College of the Holy Cross.  He has lived in Hartford since 1994 and has been active on numerous boards and commissions, including the Metropolitan District Commission, two charter revision commissions, the Hartford Economic Development Commission and the Hartford Redevelopment Agency.  He and his wife Rebecca live Downtown.