Board of Directors
President
Felix Manuel Rodriguez
Born in Waterbury, Connecticut, Felix Manuel Rodriguez is the youngest son of Antonia Rodriguez of Penuelas, Puerto Rico. While growing up in the public housing projects, Felix was exposed to both American and Puerto Rican culture and tradition. He serves as Vice President for the Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc., where he plays an integral part in the development of after school programs, mentoring services, and cultural activities.
A love for public speaking and a strong sense of social and civic responsibility led Felix to a career in public service. He currently works for the state's largest child welfare agency as an Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, where he assists in the leadership of various agency initiatives. Felix also serves as a professional boxing inspector for the Connecticut State Boxing Commission, motivated by his love for the sport and contribution it makes to life. Most recently, he was appointed by City of Waterbury Mayor Michael Jarjura to serve a four-year term on the Waterbury Police Board as a Police Commissioner, becoming the only Latino to serve on the board.
Previously, he served as an undercover operative combating underage drinking for the Connecticut Liquor Control Division. In the past, Felix has served as an Outreach Coordinator for U.S. Representative Nancy Johnson. Felix also served as an assistant youth coach, where he developed self-confidence, promoted respect, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Felix also served as Steering Committee Co-Chair to the Greater Hartford Male Youth Leadership Program designed to empower young men to achieve higher goals through education and community awareness. He is the author of DAD, ME, and MUHAMMAD ALI: A Father and Son Story (www.dadmeandali.com). Felix is a writer who seeks to inspire children everywhere to dream big and learn more. Rodriguez was also recently selected as a Hartford Business Journal 40 Under Forty Award Winner.
Board Secretary
Kim Benitez
A native New Yorker, of Puerto Rican descent. Presently resides in Waterbury, CT. Her educational background is in Human Services. She has worked for:
Safe Haven Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Crisis Services, in Waterbury-she was a Bilingual Crisis Counselor.
StayWell Health Center- she was a Family Support Worker for first time mothers and their children.
Family Services of Greater Waterbury-she was also a Family Support Worker for the Reunification Program.
As an active Board member of the Hispanic Coalition for the past 3 years and the secretary of the Board, her interest is to help bring awareness and education programs for the youth, parents and the elderly.
Ms. Benitez works for the Social Security Administration in Torrington, CT. She is also a Mentor for the Connecticut Junior Republic, in Waterbury. She enjoys cooking, movies and being with friends and family.
Treasure
Mark Shumilla
Born and raised in Boston Massachusetts. Sports played a major role in his life growing up. He qualified for the Junior Olympic Team for the 50 yard breaststroke, only to forfeit his spot in finals qualifying due to the chicken pox.
Was recruited to play football for the University of Rhode Island after high school. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration – Management, signing a contract as a player/coach for the Vienna Rangers American Football Club in Vienna, Austria.
Upon returning to the United States, he worked for only one other company prior to joining State Farm in 1994. From 1994 to 1999, worked both auto claims and traveled all over the United States with the fire national catastrophe team. In March of 2000 Shumilla opened his own agency which is now based in Waterbury, CT. He also earned his Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Advisor for Senior Living (CASL) designations from the American College.
Company Honors include Master Agent Guild qualifier, 4 time Ambassador for Life qualifier, and 4 time Legion of Honor qualifier. Mark has being happily married for 14 years and have 3 boys ages 9, 7 and 5. While most of his free time is spent volunteering to coach their baseball and football teams, Shumilla other passion is competing in the sport of triathlon, and playing golf.
Javier Alvarado
Born and raised in Waterbury, CT, living in several neighborhoods such as South End, Overlook Willow, and Brooklyn sections. After graduating from John F. Kennedy High School, Javier enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard. Javier was shipped to basic training the day after graduation. He attended basic training at Ft. Bliss, Texas then later to Ft Sam Houston where he attended The Academy of Health Sciences and graduated as a combat medic.
In 1990, Javier was deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Desert Shield. In 1991, along with the 1st Armored Division, Javier took part in the ground invasion of Operation Desert Storm and the liberation of Kuwait. He served as a combat medic treating US soldiers, Allied forces, and prisoners of war. After the war, Javier obtained his B.A. from the University of Connecticut (UCONN) and was hired by the CT Department of Children and Families. Javier later attended the UCONN School of Social Work where he received his Master in Social Work.
In 2004 to 2005, Javier served his second tour of duty in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. For his military service, Javier has been awarded numerous medals and awards to include 2 Army Commendation Medals, 3 Army Achievement Medals, National Defense Service Medal with two Bronze Stars and many more.
Due to his unwavering commitment to public service, Javier is actively engaged in his community by serving on the Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury Board of Directors, where he once served as President (2000 - 03). He currently serves as the Program Director (PD) of Foster Care Services/Area Office Operations. As the PD, he is directly responsible for the coordinating, planning, and management of foster care operations for the state of Connecticut.
Tavis Tindall
Tavis Tindall
Is a partner with the law firm of Tindall, Stratton & Kestenband, LLC, which is a full service law firm located in Waterbury and Hartford, Connecticut. Tavis specializes in civil and commercial litigation and corporate law.
Prior to entering the legal field, Tavis worked for several years in his father's international fine wine import and wholesale businesses, Le Courtier du Vin and Tindall Family Wine Company. For these companies, he supervised the company's banking, inventory, and account receivable transactions.
Tavis received his Bachelors of Arts degree from Swarthmore College in 1994 graduating with several national academic honors, including Academic All American. He also studied in England at Oxford University, concentrating on the economic development of the European Community and Eastern Europe.
He received his law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1997, where he graduated in the top of the second quintile of his class. While at UCONN School of Law, Tavis was elected Administrative Editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal. He was also selected as a Dean's Fellow Teaching Assistant and received the Cali Award for Future Excellence in Law. Tavis also served as a Research Assistant for Professor Dean Emeritus, Philip Blumberg, helping in the preparation of the Seventh Volume of Professor Blumberg's book, The Law of Corporate Groups.
Tavis is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyer's Association and the Waterbury Chamber of Commerce. Tavis is also Vice President of Home to Home Foundation, Inc., a non profit organization he co-founded with Dr. Richard Silverman dedicated to enhancing the life of long term care residents in the state of Connecticut. He is an active member of the Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc., Board of Directors. Tavis has contributed his time and service to various businesses, community, civic, and charitable organizations through the years.
He currently resides in Southington, Connecticut with his wife, Kelly, and their three children, Riley, Reese, and Regan.
Haddie Beauchamp
Ms. Hattie Beauchamp was born in Bronx, New York and at the age of 12 her family moved to Connecticut. She attended Hemingway Park School, Walsh grammar school and John F. Kennedy High School. She pursued her undergraduate degree at Central Connecticut State University where she earned a BS in Spanish and TESOL.
In 1974 she graduated from Central Connecticut State University and was hired as Bilingual Teacher for the City of Waterbury at Chase school. She taught grades 1 – 3. She also taught at Hopeville School. Hattie continued her studies by attending Southern Connecticut State University where she earned a Masters Degree in Elementary Education and Bilingual Education. In l986, she completed her 6th year in Administration and Supervision at Southern Connecticut State University.
After working for 13 years at the elementary level Hattie transferred to Wallace Middle School where she taught Social Studies and ESL to bilingual students of grades 6 – 8 and became the teaching Vice Principal. In 1994 decided to transfer from the Bilingual Program and teach in the mainstream at North End Middle School. Hattie taught 6th grade Science, as well she was the teaching Vice-Principal. In September l999 Hattie became the 7th grade House Principal at North End Middle School. Subsequently, she was assigned to the 8th grade as House Principal which is now called the Red House.
As undergraduate student at Central Connecticut State University Hattie was president of SLAC Spanish Latin American Society, she served on the President’s Advisory Committee at Central. She was vice-president of the Waterbury Bilingual Association. She was a member of the Teacher Preparation Program Approval Review Committee with Connecticut State Department of Education. She was actively involved with the Puerto Rican Parade of Waterbury. She is presently treasurer for the Herencia Hispana also known as the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee and a member of the Hispanic Coalition. Hattie enjoys listening to salsa and jazz music. She also enjoys vacationing in Florida visiting her sister Evie and her family. Hattie has a son Ronnie Vazquez.
Victor Díaz
Victor M. Díaz
Born and raised in Waterbury, CT to a single mother. He was the second of six children. Victor is a proud graduate of the Waterbury public education system. While growing up, Victor had big dreams of one day being the first in his family to graduate from college, but while in high school, he was told by a guidance counselor to relinquish his dreams of going to college and pursue a technical career.
Though devastated by the advice of his counselor, he would not let it impede his goals. So, he took the military entrance exam (ASVAB) and joined the United States Army. He knew the Army would instill in him values that would make him the best possible student. At first, Victor
felt as many young men do about the rigidity and uncertainty of military life. However, he never thought about quitting; instead, he drew on the strength and determination instilled in him by his mother. This strength guided his military career to a point where he became one of his unit's
most respected staff sergeants. During his military career Victor received numerous awards including the Army Commendation Medal, five Army Achievement medals, five Certificates of Achievement, two Good Conduct medals, Expeditionary medal, Global War on Terrorism medal, Army Service Ribbon, and NCO Professional Development Ribbon, etc.
After 8 years of service and frequent deployments, Victor embarked on the mission that would change his life for the better: he revisited his dream to become a college graduate. He knew the discipline, motivation, and management skills acquired during his tenure in the military would
be the catalyst to enable him to fulfill this aspiration. During his undergraduate career at the University of Connecticut, Victor employed all the tools he learned from his mother and the military to become an outstanding student. These tools and his hard work earned him a degree in pre-law. At the University of Connecticut he received numerous accolades: National Honor Society, Presidents List, National Dean's list and 2004 New England Scholar recognition. After completing his undergraduate degree he went on to pursue a M.B.A. degree from the University of New Haven.
Today, Victor works in Waterbury, where he serves as the city's first Latino Deputy City Clerk. He works tirelessly to empower Latino voters and to bridge the political divide that exists between them and city government. His active voice in politics stems from his concern about the issues that face the city's residents daily. He currently serves on the Dominican American National Roundtable as the Connecticut Representative. He also serves on the Waterbury branch of the N.A.A.C.P. as a Vice President, and on the V.N.A. Board. He is also the City Liaison on the Latino Chamber of Commerce.
Yoellie Iglesias
Currently she is working for AFCAMP as a Parent Educator. Besides her formal education, she worked with Catholic Charities and the Department of Children and Families.
As a community leader and a social worker for many years, Yoellie’s prior experience facilitates her in developing strategies to meet the needs of the organizations that she has worked with in the past and the families that she is currently helping.
Yoellie is also a member of the CT Core Team developed by the Department of Children and Families. This initiativeopened her door to cultivate and maintain relationships with healthcare clinics, hospitals, community groups, churches, schools, colleges, associations and many other community entities. This knowledge benefits the family she is serving in the Greater Waterbury Area.
The last three years, Yoellie has been involved with other agencies and programs providing technical support, coordinating and/or facilitating trainings. She facilitated trainings for the Connecticut Association of Foster Parents from 2007 to 2009.
In 2008, Yoellie managed and oversaw trainings for Parents as Partners for University of Connecticut Health Center. As well, she arranged and facilitated the APEX trainings for ASPIRA with parents groups. She has participated as a Family Partner for the TF-CBT model with Wellpath.
Yoellie is an active member of Waterbury Policy Prevention Board Executive Team. Through 2008-2009, she organized and instructed the 40 Development Assets training for PPB.
In addition, she is closely cooperating with the Child Mental Health Planning grant, and Bridge to Succeed with the United Way facilitating Focus groups and Parent Involvement conversations.
Yoellie has being happily married for 19 years and has 1 boy age 9.
Maritza Acosta
Maritza Acosta
Born in Rio Piedras a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is a compassionate and dedicated state child welfare employee and a consummate advocate for abused and neglected children. Maritza currently works for the State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) as a Program Supervisor. In her role as a Program Supervisor, she is responsible for managing the staff and operations of the investigation units in the New Britain Area Office. Her duties also include insuring uniformity in the application of departmental policy, and overseeing the delivery of child welfare services in her division. Maritza has also planned and managed regional activities relating to child welfare and social work programs. She served as a chair for the Quinceañera Program, a rite of passage program for young Latinas in DCF's care. She also served as a project leader for the 1st Annual DCF 5K Community Awareness Day.
Previously, she served as Social Work Supervisor in the DCF Waterbury Area Office where she was responsible for supervising Social Worker staff in investigations, training and the medically complex unit. Maritza also served as a Social Worker in several capacities for DCF. She has worked in collaboration with community groups and organizations in an effort to reach out to families who can best meet the needs of children requiring temporary and/or permanent placement. She also facilitated trainings in both English and Spanish to members of the community and interested families in foster care, adoption, mentoring, and respite programs. In the past, she served as a therapist and provided counseling services to children, adolescents and families in crisis for Family & Children’s Aid (Child Guidance Clinic) located in Danbury, CT. Maritza has also served as a mentor for the Waterbury Youth Services One to One Program and Connecticut Junior Republic, Social Coaches Program.
Maritza has always valued higher education and enjoys speaking and encouraging youth to attend post secondary education. She proudly holds a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut and a Masters degree in Sociology from Southern Connecticut State University.
Maritza has worked in the human service field for over 12 years.