Maria Capriola

MPA, 2003

Chief of Shared Services & Administration, Town of Mansfield, Connecticut

Maria Capriola currently serves as the Chief of Shared Services and Administration for the Town of Mansfield, Connecticut. She currently oversees the departments of Facilities Management, Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology. Maria has had a long and rewarding career serving the Town of Mansfield.  Her service to Mansfield began while in graduate school, working as a graduate intern for the Town Manager’s Office. She later rejoined the Town of Mansfield’s staff as their Assistant to Town Manager.  She was promoted to Assistant Town Manager in 2012. Prior to her current role, her primary areas of focus in Mansfield included Municipal Management, Human Resources, Risk Management, and Community Development. Maria served the Town of Mansfield in the role of Interim Town Manager from July 2017 until January 2018 when she began work as the first ever Town Manager for the Town of Simsbury.

Maria began her local government career working in her hometown of Bennington, Vermont during summer breaks from college.  She was selected as the City of Savannah, Georgia’s Management (Intern) Fellow in 2003.  She then went on to serve as a Management Analyst for the City’s Research and Budget Department for two years.  As an analyst, Maria was assigned to the Bureaus of Public Development and Sanitation.  In addition to budget and program evaluation work she coordinated the City’s ICMA Center for Performance Measurement efforts. Maria moved back to New England and then served the City of Newburyport, Massachusetts in the capacity of Assistant Chief Administrative Officer.

Maria is a 2001 graduate cum laude of the University of Connecticut with a BA in political science.  She began her studies with the UCONN Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) program through the fast track program, completing her degree in 2003.

Maria was a member of the UCONN MPA Alumni Council from 2007 – 2015 and served as their secretary for six years.  In April 2011 she became the first recipient of the UCONN Department of Public Policy Outstanding Service Award for providing significant service to MPA students and the Department. Maria was honored in May 2014 with the MPA Program’s Recent Distinguished Alumni Award for demonstrating leadership, high ethical standards, and achievements in the field of public administration.