Foundation's New Member Brings Expertise In Project Management & Facilitation
NEW BRITAIN (January 18, 2006) - Margarita Torres, Founder and Principal of Torres Project Management, has been appointed to the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) Board of Directors, Chair Leo Canty announced Friday.
"The Foundation will benefit immensely from Margarita's experience and expertise, particularly as we begin to work on our strategic plan," said Canty. "We look forward to her support and enthusiasm as we face the challenges and opportunities ahead."
She founded Torres Project Management, a Hartford-based, Latina-owned business with a commitment to human services and community development programs, in 2004. She brings expertise in change and risk management, budgeting and administration, workflow analysis, user interface design and training, planning, evaluation, usability testing and redesign.
Torres currently directs the Mayor's Healthy Communities Initiative in Hartford, which was established to create a medical care network for its uninsured residents. She also manages economic development planning for the Park Street Special District Project in partnership with the Aetna Foundation and the Spanish American Merchants Association, and serves on several boards including the City of Hartford's Information Technology Advisory Board for the municipal government and public school system, and the North Central Region Mental Health Board.
"CT Health's commitment to children's mental health issues and the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities closely reflects my own professional interests and passions," said Torres. "I am honored to have the opportunity to learn, collaborate and participate in decision-making that can affect public policy, and to change lives for the better."
Previously, Torres held a number of professional positions in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors where she honed her project management skills. Prior to joining the Office of the Mayor, she managed several major projects including: 2005 Latina Roundtable Political Action Committee, 2005 Latinos and Power Symposium, and served as Interim Executive Director for the Connecticut Expo Center.
Additionally, she was Senior Human Factors Consultant for Aetna, Project Manager for Transformation (Business Process Re-engineering), Project Consultant for the Program Management Office of Cigna Healthcare, and Senior Project Manager of eBusiness Technology Solutions, Property & Casualty Group of the Hartford Insurance Group.
The Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) is the state's largest independent, non-profit grantmaking foundation dedicated to improving the health of the people of Connecticut through systemic change, program innovation and health policy analysis. Since it was established in July of 1999, CT Health has awarded 269 grants in 37 cities and towns totaling close to $21 million in three priority areas - children's mental health, reducing racial and ethnic health disparities, and oral health.
For a photograph or additional information about Torres' appointment to the Board, please contact CT Health Public Affairs Officer Maryland Grier at 860.224.2200 or Maryland@cthealth.org.
