Coming March 2020, Encore!Hartford and Encore!Fairfield are relaunching as Encore!Connecticut. The redesign is changing to a Saturday format in order to be more accessible to individuals with varying goals. Individuals seeking immediate employment, and those currently working but planning for a career change, can both engage and benefit from this nationally recognized nonprofit career program located at UConn Hartford. 

The focus of Encore!Connecticut is to assist corporate and public sector professionals transition their skill-sets and experience into successful professional and managerial opportunities (paid and/or volunteer) in the Connecticut nonprofit sector. The program is designed to leverage your professional experience and prepare you for life in the nonprofit arena, whether it is as a strongly engaged volunteer or an employee.

The relaunch kickoff for the next cohort occurred at the Connecticut Takes the Lead: Inter-Generational Leaps in Employment and Education forum. Moderated by Marci Alboher of Encore.org, this forum addressed Connecticut’s increasingly multi-generational workplace, and how this environment creates opportunities to build on our generational strengths. The three panels and corresponding panelists are noted below.

• • Panel one, “Generation2Generation” addressed how Connecticut Public Schools are invigorating K-12 learning with inter-generational inclusion.
    • Dr. Christopher Clouet, Superintendent, Shelton, CT
    • Fran Rabinowitz, Executive Director, Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPPS)
    • James Thompson, Jr., Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Town of Bloomfield, CT
  • Panel two, “Manufacturing: A Second Act” engaged AARP CT and Connecticut’s colleges and high schools and how they are teaming up to take a multifaceted, inter-generational approach to meet the needs of Connecticut’s thriving manufacturing industry. 
    • Marilyn Diaz, AARP CT Executive Council
    • Melanie Hoben, Director of Workforce Development, Goodwin College
    • Richard DuPont, Director of Community & Campus Relations, Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, Housatonic Community College
  • Panel three, “What is Your Encore” allowed Encore!Connecticut alums to take the stage and talk about how they took their corporate skills and experience to impactful managerial and professional careers in Connecticut’s multi-generational nonprofit sector.
    • Joan Barere, Encore ’13 was an Attorney is now the Director of the Office of Grants Administration & Strategic Partnerships for the City of Hartford
    • Roy Mainelli, Encore ’13 was a UTC Director and is now the Director of Career Pathways Employment Program for Journey Home
    • Kathleen Kiley, Encore ’16 was Journalist and is now the Communications Manager for the Grace Farms Foundations
    • Nancy Brennan, Encore ‘12 was an Insurance Vice President and is now the Senior Vice President & Regional Director of the National Executive Service Corps