THE CONNETICUT NEWS PROJECT - Key Persons
Andrew is a member of CT Mirror's investigative team, and his coverage is largely focused on government accountability, financial oversight, abuse of power, corruption, safety monitoring, and compliance with law. Prior to joining the CT Mirror, Brown was a news reporter at papers in North Dakota, West Virginia and South Carolina. He's covered business, environmental issues, local governments and state legislatures. His stories garnered several investigative and public service journalism awards, including one for coverage of how utility executives strung along a failing $9 billion nuclear power project in South Carolina in order to cash in on bonuses. Brown grew up in western Pennsylvania and attended the University of Missouri's graduate school of journalism.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director Emeritus of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission
Attorney Pearlman is executive director emeritus of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission. He is currently a lecturer in law and journalism at the University of Connecticut. During his career, Mr. Pearlman has been a consultant to government and civil society leaders in more than 20 countries on six continents. The author of Piercing the Veil of Secrecy, he is a much sought-after speaker throughout the United States and internationally on Freedom of Information, privacy, freedom of the press, freedom of expression and related topics.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Vice Chair of the Board
Dr. Sekou is associate professor of political science in Hillyer College at the University of Hartford. His research interests are race and politics, urban politics, and campaigns, elections and voting behavior. He is chair of the Governing Board of Common Cause in Connecticut, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Center for a New Economy.
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Intern
Briana works for our team doing intelligence gathering for Connecticut's underrepresented communities of color to develop CT Mirror's relationship and understanding with the Black communities in Bloomfield, Hartford, and Windsor. She has recently graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor's Degree in English. Prior to graduation she worked as a writing intern for the university's Office of Institutional Equity, editing hiring narratives and writing a guidelines handbook for Office's search committee.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Career and Professional Development at the University of Hartford
Ms. Penders is the Executive Director of Career and Professional Development at the University of Hartford. Before joining UHA she served six years as Vice President of Advancement at Goodwin College. Brooke's other experience includes Director of Development at Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity, Consultant for the United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, and Major Gifts Consultant at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center Foundation, Program Officer at the Aetna Foundation, and Deputy Finance Director and Assistant Press Secretary for US Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa. Brooke graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Journalism, currently lives in Wethersfield, where she serves on several town commissions, and is on the boards of the National Conference for Community and Justice and the iQuilt Partnership.
Bruce is CT Mirror's publisher and CEO, responsible for the strategic direction of the organization, revenue generation, product innovation, reader engagement, and all business operations. Before joining CT Mirror in 2017 Bruce owned and operated a West Hartford-based consulting practice for 16 years, providing strategic planning and marketing services to more than 50 nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, public agencies, private equity firms, and other for-profit clients. His interest in journalism dates back to his college years when he worked in commercial radio and TV news. Bruce served as an elected member of the West Hartford Board of Education from 2003 through 2015, including three years as chair of the board. He has a Bachelor of Arts in History and an M.B.A. in Marketing from Cornell University.
Chris is a member of CT Mirror's business team, deepening relationships with existing donors and building relationships with prospective new donors. Prior to joining CT Mirror in early 2022 Chris gained twenty years of experience at Trinity College in the areas of donor stewardship and volunteer engagement, philanthropic giving, event planning, executive administrative support, and relationship and partnership building. Chris grew up in Kansas and New Mexico and attended Kansas State University. She lives in Bristol, CT.
Clare is CT Mirror's development officer, responsible for securing the financial resources to sustain and grow CT Mirror's accountability journalism. She started her career in journalism as a reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media, where she has won multiple awards for her reporting, including being honored with the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists Theodore Driscoll Award for Investigative Reporting for her contribution to a series exploring gun deaths in the state and the Stephen Collins Award for Public Service Journalism for an investigative series she led digging into intimate partner homicides during the Coronavirus pandemic. She grew up in Connecticut and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University.
Dave is a member of CT Mirror's investigative team, pursuing stories focused on government accountability including financial oversight, abuse of power, corruption, safety monitoring, and compliance with law. Before joining CT Mirror Altimari spent 23 years at the Hartford Courant breaking some of the state's biggest, most impactful investigative stories, including the investigation that led to the impeachment and eventual arrest of former John G. Rowland on corruption charges, children being improperly restrained and dying in psychiatric hospitals, child abuse in the Catholic Church, disabled people dying in group homes due to staffing shortages or criminal activity, and multiple investigations into police misconduct. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and has been awarded the Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award for Public Service, the Roy W. Howard Award, a National Headliner Award, and numerous other prizes over the years for his work. Dave is a graduate of the University of Dayton.
Dr. Jonathan L. Wharton is associate professor of political science and urban affairs. His teaching and research centers on state and local government, public policy, economic development as well as identity and coalition building politics. He currently serves on the New England Political Science Association and Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation boards as well as volunteers for tristate area university chapters of his Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He served as a New Haven City Plan commissioner (2016-2020), deacon and moderator at New Haven's First Congregational Center Church on the Green (2017-2021), New Haven Republicans chairman (2016-2018) and elected to the Republican State Central Committee (2018-2020).
Mr. Williams was Vice-Chair of the Board of CT Mirror when he passed away in May 2021. His professional career included roles as Senior Vice President, Corporate Citizenship and Diversity at GE Asset Management in Stamford, Assistant to the Commissioner at the Connecticut State Department of Education, Charter School Program Manager, and 15 years in the publishing industry. His considerable public service roles included the Chairmanship of the Connecticut Center for School Change, elected member on the Stamford Board of Finance, President of the Stamford Board of Education, Chairman of The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Treasurer of the Connecticut Science Center, Director of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, and member of the board of the United Way of Western Connecticut. Mr. Williams was also a member of the Connecticut Commission on Educational Improvement and was appointed by Governor Dannel P. Malloy to the Education Cost Sharing Task Force.
Elizabeth is CT Mirror's executive editor and has responsibility for all of the journalism content on CT Mirror. She partners with the publisher in leading the organization and manages the news staff. Prior to joining CT Mirror in 2018 Elizabeth spent 20 years in Connecticut newsrooms, including more than a decade at The Hartford Courant where she was Reporter of the Year in 2000 and where she won the prestigious Theodore Driscoll Investigative Award for a series of stories about deaths in group homes for the developmentally disabled. Elizabeth has a degree in history from the University of Connecticut and an MFA from Southern Connecticut State University, where she taught writing as an adjunct professor.
Job Titles:
- Economic Development Reporter
Erica is CT Mirror's economic development reporter. Before joining CT Mirror in August 2021 Erica was a writer / producer for public radio's Marketplace, and was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal for seven years, first as a general assignment / regional economy reporter and then as a supply chain reporter covering freight, trade, and e-commerce. She grew up in Minneapolis, MN, graduated from Haverford College in Pennsylvania with a degree in economics and a concentration in Latin American studies, and received a master's in specialized journalism from the University of Southern California.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center
Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens is the Director of Operations at the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, a legal nonprofit focused on the preservation and enforcement of federal and state civil rights laws. Before joining the Center in 2017, Fionnuala implemented and ran new developmental education programs within Connecticut's Community College System, where she now serves as an adjunct faculty member. She has spent most of her career researching disparities in housing and education. Fionnuala earned a B.A. from Trinity College and an MPA from the University of Connecticut. She lives in Norwich with her spouse and two children.
Job Titles:
- Audience Engagement Specialist
Gabby is CT Mirror's audience engagement specialist, working to grow the organization's reach and, ultimately, impact by bringing the journalism to more people in the state. She works to distribute CT Mirror's journalism through both in-person events and using digital tools like newsletters, social media, search, podcasts, virtual events and more. She previously worked as a general assignment editor on Patch.com's Connecticut team and as an associate editor at The Woonsocket Call in Rhode Island. She is a Connecticut native and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from UConn in 2020.
Job Titles:
- Children 's Issues and Housing Reporter
Ginny is CT Mirror's children's issues and housing reporter a Report For America corps member. She covers a range of topics, from education and child welfare to affordable housing and zoning. Ginny grew up in Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas' Lemke School of Journalism in 2017. She began her career at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette where she covered housing, homelessness, juvenile justice, and investigations. Along the way Ginny was awarded a 2019 Data Fellowship through the Annenberg Center for Health Journalism at the University of Southern California. She moved to Connecticut in 2021 and covered housing for Hearst CT.
Job Titles:
- Newsletters & Podcasting Intern
Grace is CT Mirror's newsletters and podcasting intern. She works with staff to craft the newsroom's weekly and monthly newsletters, and builds topic-specific special briefings and breaking news alerts. She also provides support to CT Mirror's Untold and Long Story Short podcasts. Heading into her senior year at UConn, Grace is the general manager of the student-run radio station WHUS and digital editor of student-run newspaper The Daily Campus. She is double majoring in English and American studies.
Jan is an award-winning energy, environment and food and agriculture reporter. In 2013 she was the recipient of a Knight Journalism Fellowship at MIT on energy and climate. She is a former editor at The Hartford Courant, where she handled national politics including coverage of the controversial 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. As a freelance reporter, her stories have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and elsewhere. She was an editor at the Gazette in Colorado Springs and spent more than 20 years as a TV and radio producer at CBS News and CNN in New York and in the Boston broadcast market. She graduated from the University of Michigan and attended Boston University's graduate film program.
Ms. de Jesús has spent her career improving the health and social well- being of people within diverse communities and who may experience challenges due to inequity. She is currently Managing Director of West Hartford-based management-consulting firm Strategic Moves. Previously, Ms. de Jesús held leadership positions at a Federally Qualified Health Center, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, the Connecticut Hospital Association, and at a community health organization. In addition, she served as Special Advisor to the Governor on Health Reform. She has a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University and a Master of Social Work from New York University.
Jenna is CT Mirror's health reporter, focusing on health access, affordability, quality, equity and disparities, social determinants of health, health system planning, infrastructure, processes, information systems, and other health policy. Before joining CT Mirror Jenna was a reporter at The Hartford Courant for 10 years, where she consistently won statewide and regional awards. Jenna has a Master of Science degree in Interactive Media from Quinnipiac University and a Bachelor or Arts degree in Journalism from Grand Valley State University.
Job Titles:
- General Assignment Reporter
Jessica is CT Mirror's general assignment reporter for the summer. She was also the reporting intern for the 2022 spring semester. She is currently a rising senior at Central Connecticut State University pursuing her bachelor's degree in journalism. Within the journalism program, she concentrates in print and online journalism. She also works at her school's newspaper, The Recorder, and peer mentors first-year undergraduates at Central. Jessica is a Connecticut native through and through.
Job Titles:
- Director of Events
- Director of Events / Multi - Platform Consultant
John is CT Mirror's director of events and a well-known and highly-regarded radio personality and moderator who divides his time between CT Mirror and the NPR / PRI program Science Friday. Previously John was executive editor of the New England News Collaborative and the host of NEXT, a weekly program about New England. He also appeared weekly on The Wheelhouse, WNPR's news roundtable program. His 25 years in public media also include serving as vice president of news for Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network, host of WNPR's Where We Live, and regular fill-in host for the PRI program Science Friday in New York. He is also a regular moderator for political debates and moderated conversations at The Connecticut Forum , the Mark Twain House and Museum, The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, The World Affairs Council of Connecticut and The Litchfield Jazz Festival.
Until his recent retirement Joe McGee was the long-time Vice President, Public Policy and Programs at The Business Council of Fairfield County where he focused on economic development, transportation, housing, energy conservation, the environment, and tax and fiscal policy. His prior experience includes serving as Staff Director to Congressman Stewart McKinney, Vice President at People's Bank, and Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Economic Development under Lowell Weicker. Joe was the founding board member of the Bridgeport Neighbor Fund, Co-Chair of The Commission on Economic Competitiveness, and a member of the state Commission on Judicial Selection.
Job Titles:
- President of the Seedlings Foundation
Ms. Pritzker is the President of the Seedlings Foundation, which supports programs that nourish the physical and mental health of children and families as well as institutions that foster an educated and engaged citizenship and is co-founder of KPJR Films. Karen has produced five documentaries. She serves on the board of the National Archives Foundation and Grameen America. A mother of four grown children, Karen lives in Branford.
Katy is a member of CT Mirror's investigative team and the organization's first-ever investigative researcher. Originally from New Jersey, Katy earned a bachelor's degree in English and Mathematics from Williams College and received a master's degree in Business and Economic Journalism from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in August 2021. Her work experience includes roles as a Business Analyst at A.T. Kearney, a Reporter and Researcher at Investment Wires, and a Reporter at Inframation, covering infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Job Titles:
- Capitol Bureau Reporter
- State Budget Reporter
Launched in 2010, The Connecticut Mirro r is the state's trusted source for in-depth news and reporting on public policy, government and politics.
Keith is CT Mirror's state budget reporter, joining the newsroom shortly after in launched in 2010. He has spent most of his more than 30 years as a reporter specializing in state government finances, analyzing such topics as income tax equity, waste in government and the complex funding systems behind Connecticut's transportation and social services networks. Prior to joining CT Mirror Keith was State Capitol bureau chief for The Journal Inquirer of Manchester, a reporter for the Day of New London, and a former contributing writer to The New York Times. Keith is a graduate of and a former journalism instructor at the University of Connecticut.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Initiatives at the Vera Institute of Justice
Kica Matos is the Vice President of Initiatives at the Vera Institute of Justice. She is a national advocate for racial justice, criminal justice and immigration reform issues and has extensive experience as an advocate, community organizer, and lawyer. She is also very involved in social justice issues in New Haven, CT, where she lives. She has a B.A. from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, an M.A. from the New School and a J.D. from Cornell Law School. She was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Albertus Magnus College in 2017 and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of New Haven in 2019.
Job Titles:
- Director of Membership
- Director of Membership and Digital Innovation
Kyle is CT Mirror's director of membership and digital innovation, overseeing the organization's membership program, cultivating and providing services to members, and implementing marketing programs to grow CT Mirror readership and engagement. Kyle was previously a reporting intern and then general assignment reporter for CT Mirror in 2016 and 2017. He graduated from UConn with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2017.
Lisa is CT Mirror and CT Public's shared federal policy reporter. Based in Washington, D.C., she focuses on the impact of federal policy in Connecticut and covers the state's congressional delegation. Lisa previously covered national politics and campaigns for U.S. News & World Report, The Hill and National Journal's Hotline. She is a New Jersey native and graduate of Boston University.
Job Titles:
- Hartford Healthcare 's Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Mani Seetharama is Hartford Healthcare's Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Medical Director of Rehabilitation Network and THOCC Spine Center. He is also an Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. His areas of interest include Sports Medicine, Adolescent Concussions, and Spinal Cord Injuries. Dr. Seetharama graduated from the Armed Forces Medical College in India in 1981, completed his Internship at the Ohio Valley Medical Center and completed his Residency at the St. Francis Medical Center (PA).
Ms. Chambers was a founding board member of The Connecticut Mirror, and continued to serve as a board member until her death in July 2018. She was a highly accomplished and respected reporter at the Associated Press and New York Times and was a columnist for The National Law Journal. Most recently she was the editor of the award-winning online news site, the Branford Eagle. She was a member of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information and a former member of the Poynter Advisory Board at Yale.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Journalism at the University of Connecticut
- Large Member of Executive Committee
Ms. Shanahan is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Connecticut, where she specializes in digital journalism and interactive communications, including reporting, writing and editing; web site content management, production and usability; social media; SEO; aggregation; web metrics; photo, audio and video editing; data visualization; and audience engagement. Her academic research focuses on trends in online commenting, digital discourse, digital reputation, and the future of journalism. Ms. Shanahan has worked as a professional writer, digital news producer and journalist for more than 20 years.
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Capitol Bureau Chief
Mark is a founder of CT Mirror, a former staff writer for The Hartford Courant and Journal Inquirer and a former contributing writer for The New York Times. In 40 years as a reporter, he has covered some of the most compelling political stories in the state, including the impeachment inquiry and resignation of Gov. John G. Rowland in 2004, the nationally watched Senate race won by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman as an independent in 2006, and Linda McMahon's efforts to remake campaigning in Connecticut by spending $100 million on runs for U.S. Senate in 2010 and 2012. The Washington Post included Mark on its list of best state capitol reporters in the U.S. in 2014. Mark is a graduate of Boston University.
Job Titles:
- Columnist and Community Editorial Board Editor
- Columnist and Editor of CT Mirror 's Community Editorial Board
Mercy is a monthly columnist and editor of CT Mirror's Community Editorial Board. In 2015 she founded and continues to lead The Narrative Project, a mission-driven communications consulting group providing communications support to non-profit organizations throughout the state. Born and raised in New Haven, Mercy has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and a master's degree in Public Relations, Social Media and Applied Communications, both from Quinnipiac University. Her work experience includes roles as a columnist for Hearst Connecticut, Adjunct Professor of Digital Journalism at Southern Connecticut State University, radio show host, and communications specialist for advocacy, community, and educational organizations.
Mr. Kendall is a serial entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. Don's prior career as a for-profit founder spanned four start-ups. Today, Don's work centers on finding and supporting scalable solutions to close the glaring gap in educational achievement and employment opportunity for low-income families in Connecticut. Don is the Co-founder and Chair of 4-CT, a non-profit founded at the suggestion of Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont in March 2020 to coordinate the statewide philanthropic response to COVID-19. Don is also the Co-Founder and Chair of Social Venture Partners Connecticut (SVP-CT), a group of entrepreneurs, executives, professionals and leaders who pool their time, expertise, and resources to strengthen the capacity and impact of nonprofits and drive systemic change. Don is a certified and practicing volunteer EMT in the town of Weston, where he lives with his wife and three children.
Nicole is CT Mirror's social media intern. She works with staff to repackage CT Mirror stories for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. She also produces explainer slide sets and short-form video based on CT Mirror reporting. Heading into her senior year at Quinnipiac University, Nicole is the managing editor of the student-run newspaper The Quinnipiac Chronicle and is enrolled in a program that will award her a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's degree in public relations.
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Editor
- Viewpoints Editor
Paul is the editor of CT Mirror's opinion page, CT Viewpoints. He has more than 40 years of reporting and editing experience at newspapers in New Jersey, Florida and Connecticut. He worked 22 years at the Hartford Courant in various editing roles including as deputy state editor, assistant editor of Northeast Magazine, and as an associate editor at Courant.com. He earned his bachelor's degree from Rutgers University. A trained chef, he and his wife own and operate a bed and breakfast in an historic home in Mansfield.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Senior Research Fellow
Mr. Hohler was executive director of the Melville Charitable Trust at the time of his death in June, 2011. He was a civil rights activist who marched on Selma, Ala., with Martin Luther King Jr., then helped produce an acclaimed television history of the movement, "Eyes on the Prize." As head of the Melville Charitable Trust, he led efforts to combat homelessness and shape public policy. He was the 2009 recipient of the national Grantmaker of the Year Award from the Council on Foundations. He also headed a consulting company focused on enhancing the effectiveness of nonprofits, and he wrote and produced 20 film, radio and TV programs, among many other endeavors over his long career.
Attorney Geballe is on the faculty of Yale School of Public Health and Yale Law School, where she teaches courses in public health law, health disparities, and legislative advocacy. A co-founder of CT Voices for Children and its President until 2008, Attorney Geballe now serves as its distinguished senior fellow. A former civil rights attorney, she was a founding member of Yale's Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) and has done national and international consulting in the areas of public health and AIDS law. Her publications include "Forgotten Children of the AIDS Epidemic" (Yale University Press, 1995). Attorney Geballe is a founding Board member of The Connecticut Mirror. She received her BA from the University of Michigan, and her law and public health degrees from Yale.
Stephen is CT Mirror's managing editor, where he helps to manage and support the reporters on the news staff. His career in daily journalism includes 20 years at The Hartford Courant, where he served as a member of the editorial board, data editor, breaking news editor and bureau chief. Prior to that Stephen was city editor at the Casper Star-Tribune in Casper, Wyo., and the editor of the Daily Press in Craig, Colo. He was won many awards for editorial writing, data journalism and breaking news. While he was breaking news editor, The Courant was a named finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news for its coverage of the Sandy Hook shootings. Busemeyer is a Koeppel Journalism Fellow at Wesleyan University, where he teaches data journalism, and he has also taught at the University of Hartford, the University of Connecticut and the University of Colorado.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Leon Lowenstein Foundation
Mr. Hudson is Executive Director of the Leon Lowenstein Foundation. Previously, he was a vice president of the National Audubon Society, executive director of the state office, Audubon Connecticut, and president of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation with successful philanthropic investment in clean energy and climate protection policies, including the creation of the first-in-the-nation Green Bank in Connecticut. His experience also includes service as executive director of the Jane Goodall Institute and as a vice president at the National Wildlife Federation. He began his career as a senior legislative aide to then-U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker.
Job Titles:
- Urban and Regional Affairs Reporter
- Urban and Regional Issues Reporter
Tom writes about urban and regional issues for CT Mirror, including planning, transportation, land use, development and historic preservation. These were among his areas of interest in a 45-year career as a reporter, columnist and editorial writer for The Hartford Courant. Tom has won dozens of journalism and civic awards, and was elected to the New England Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2016. He is a native of New London, a graduate of The University of Notre Dame and the University of Connecticut School of Law, and is a Vietnam veteran.
Mr. Kruger is an attorney in the Corporate practice of Paul Hastings in New York City, where he focuses on corporate finance, securities law matters, and mergers and acquisitions. Tom has lived in Connecticut since 1981 and has served on a number of local community boards. From 2011 to 2019 Tom was a member of the board of trustees of the University of Connecticut, serving as Chairman of the Financial Affairs Committee from 2013 to 2017 and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 2017 to 2019. He also has served on a number of private sector boards. He has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School.
Yehyun is CT Mirror's photojournalist and a Report For America corps member. Her role at CT Mirror is to tell visual stories about the impact of public policy on individuals and communities in Connecticut. Prior to joining CT Mirror, Yehyun photographed community news in Victoria, Texas and was a photo and video intern at USA TODAY and at Acadia National Park in Maine. She holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Yehyun was born and raised in South Korea.
Job Titles:
- Director of Mission Advancement for the Brotherhood of Hope
Mr. Janowski is the Director of Mission Advancement for the Brotherhood of Hope, a community of religious Brothers who represent the Catholic Church on college campuses. Prior to joining Brotherhood of Hope in September 2017, Zach was Director of External Affairs and an investigative reporter at Yankee Institute for Public Policy over seven years. Other journalism roles that Zach has held include founding RaisingHale.com, a Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship, and six months as a visiting member on the Hartford Courant editorial board.