Our Staff

Ellen Carter is vice president of program at the Connecticut Health Foundation. She oversees the foundation’s programmatic strategy, which includes grantmaking, policy, strategic communications, leadership, and evaluation.

Ellen joined the foundation after nine years at the Connecticut Community Foundation in Waterbury, where she most recently served as vice president of program and strategy. In that role, she guided strategy and leadership direction for grantmaking, evaluation, advocacy, and community engagement work. Recently, she spearheaded the community foundation’s COVID-19 response, working closely with community organizations and city agencies on equitable vaccine access, outreach and education. Ellen previously worked at the Connecticut Association for Human Services, serving as director of programs focused on building economic and food security for low-income families across Connecticut.

She is involved in many local and statewide organizations, including the Bridge to Success Community Partnership, Greater Waterbury Health Partnership, the Connecticut Healthy Living Collective, Age Well Steering Committee, Health Equity Trust Planning Committee, Waterbury Juneteenth Committee, and the Waterbury School Readiness Council.

Ellen is a graduate of College of the Holy Cross and has a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Connecticut.

Eminet Abebe Gurganus is the director of grantmaking at the Connecticut Health Foundation. She leads the foundation’s grantmaking work, directs leadership development activities, and manages evaluation of the strategic plan and program initiatives.

Before joining the foundation, Eminet served as a health policy associate at the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut, where she took part in efforts to improve pediatric care and early childhood services. She also held several roles at the Office for Community Child Health at Connecticut Children’s, where she conceptualized and implemented community health projects in response to gaps in the child health system and directed a quality improvement program for pediatric care providers.

Eminet has Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Health degrees from Yale University and is a PhD candidate in human development and family sciences at the University of Connecticut.

Tamisha Phillip is the grants manager and program administrator for the Connecticut Health Foundation. Tamisha coordinates the grantmaking process and provides administrative support for the department.

Tamisha came to the foundation from Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, where she served as an administrative assistant. She has also worked at Rockville General Hospital and Hartford Hospital. She has a bachelor’s degree in health care management from the University of Connecticut and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in business analytics from Quinnipiac University.

Paulina Lopez is the program officer for the Connecticut Health Foundation, where she works with current grantees, builds relationships with potential grantees, and supports the growth and success of the program team.

Before joining the foundation, Paulina worked as a bilingual dental health care specialist for the Connecticut Dental Health Partnership, where she conducted community outreach and care coordination to promote oral health services for people covered by HUSKY. She has also worked for the Connecticut Public Health Association, Staywell Health Center, West Haven Health Department, and interned at March of Dimes and the Community Health Center Association of Connecticut.

Paulina received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Public Health degrees from Southern Connecticut State University. She is a certified community health worker.

Paulina is passionate about making a difference in the lives of Connecticut residents and changing the culture of health and wellness to better serve communities that do not have access to equitable health care. Paulina believes in being an advocate and representative for a population close to her heart. She is excited to continue learning and growing as a public health professional.

Arielle Levin Becker is the director of communications and strategic initiatives for the Connecticut Health Foundation. She handles the foundation’s publications, media relations and strategic communications. She and the communications team work to give voice to the mission of improving access to care and care quality, and to help showcase the work of the foundation’s grantees. In addition to her work in communications, Arielle coordinates organizational planning and strategy, looking at initiatives across the foundation as a whole.

Before joining the foundation, Arielle spent six years as the health care reporter at The Connecticut Mirror, a nonprofit news organization focused on politics and public policy. She previously worked at The Hartford Courant, where she covered health care, education, criminal justice and municipal issues, and the Home News Tribune in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Her first job in journalism was at Real Change, a homeless newspaper in Seattle. She has a B.A. in history from Yale University.

Stephanie Luczak is the communications officer for the Connecticut Health Foundation. They lead the foundation’s digital media portfolio, with a focus on educating and informing state leaders and other audiences about solutions for health equity.

Before joining CT Health, Stephanie served as senior project coordinator at the Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut, where she coordinated implementation activities for a major federal grant for children’s behavioral health services and led a website redesign. She previously served as program coordinator for the Help Me Grow National Center at Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health, where she helped execute strategic communications initiatives, and Connecticut Voices for Children, where she served as a child development policy fellow. Stephanie serves on the advisory board of the Black Infinity Collective and is a middle school mentor through LiveGirl, Inc.

Stephanie holds a bachelor’s degree and Master of Social Work degree from the University of Connecticut.

Todd Thomas is the foundation’s vice president of finance and operations. He serves as the foundation’s primary liaison on asset management and finance and will lead the accounting, personnel, and technology functions, as well as office operations for the foundation.

Todd has served in finance, planning, and analysis roles at companies including Prudential Financial, Cogstate, Time Warner, Subway Restaurants, and PreciBake. He has also worked as a consultant and investment banker.

Todd is a graduate of Amherst College and has an MBA from Columbia Business School and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Hartford.

Stephanie Tatro, CPA, is the director of finance for the Connecticut Health Foundation. She is responsible for day-to-day management of the Foundation’s financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, as well as the annual audit and tax return preparation.

Prior to working for CT Health, Stephanie worked in public accounting. In between her tenures with PwC, she gained experience in not-for-profit and governmental accounting. She also spent time as a substitute teacher in her local school system. In her spare time Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family, walking their two dogs, reading Stephen King novels and remodeling her house and yard. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Michigan State University and is a CPA.

Anette Mendoza-Hollis is the executive assistant and operations manager for the Connecticut Health Foundation. Anette provides administrative and logistical support to the president & CEO and the board of directors, and supervises administrative and operational functions of the organization. Prior to her position at CT Health, she served as secretary for the Central Registration Department at the East Hartford Board of Education. She also worked at Jumoke Academy, a Hartford charter school, for over 14 years. Anette received a bachelor’s degree of science in Public Administration/Policy from Charter Oak State College.

Lyniesha Barber is the administrative assistant for the Connecticut Health Foundation. She is responsible for supporting the entire organization. Lyniesha has six years of experience in customer service, most recently working as a customer service expert for CareCentrix. Lyniesha received a bachelor’s degree in human services from Colorado State University.

Brianna Hughes is the accounting associate at the Connecticut Health Foundation. She supports the finance and operations department with accounts payables, contracts, and other accounting functions.

Before joining the foundation, Brianna spent eight years at a chemical manufacturing and distribution company, where she served as accounting department manager and executive assistant to the president. She is a member of the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers and is working toward obtaining her bookkeeping license. She also holds a certificate in medical billing and coding from Stone Academy.