Our Staff

Garrick Wong is the director of grantmaking for the Connecticut Health Foundation. He identifies and supports strategies such as grantmaking, public policy, leadership development, and nonprofit capacity building that advance the foundation’s goals and objectives.

Garrick previously served as a community benefit specialist at El Camino Hospital in California, where he guided the organization’s community health improvement initiatives and grantmaking program. Prior to joining the hospital, Garrick was a program associate in the David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s children, families, and communities program, working to ensure that all children and their families have access to quality and affordable health insurance coverage. Before that, Garrick was a health policy advocate at the California Immigrant Policy Center. Garrick received his M.P.A. from the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy, and his B.A. in Political Science from the University of California, Davis.

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.

Tsiry Endor Rakoto is the program officer for the Connecticut Health Foundation. She oversees a portfolio of grants, working with grantees and potential grantees. She supports strategies including grantmaking, convening of stakeholders, research, and technical assistance to advance health equity.

Tsiry comes to the foundation with more than 13 years of service in the nonprofit sector, working in humanitarian, health care, and international development organizations. She has extensive experience in grants management, project oversight, communications, and outreach. Her career has allowed her the opportunity to work with communities in Africa, Eurasia, Latin America, and the U.S. Tsiry previously served at the Ms. Foundation for Women as the grants administrator. She also served as an operations officer for American Friends of Jamaica, and a program operations officer at Vital Strategies. Tsiry has a passion for social justice and is a strong advocate for effective social, economic, and health care systems that support communities.

She is a graduate of the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar and has a master of arts degree in social justice in intercultural relations from the SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont.

Geralynn McGee is the policy director for the Connecticut Health Foundation. She leads strategies for advocacy and policies that will help eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities and improve the health of all Connecticut residents. Before joining the foundation, Geralynn worked at Greater Hartford Legal Aid, where she most recently served as the organization’s policy advocate, representing the interests of low-income state residents to legislators, administrative agencies, and in community and advocacy coalitions. She began her career at Greater Hartford Legal Aid as an oral health policy fellow, developing an expertise in oral health issues, health equity, and advocacy through a series of rotations with advocacy, government, and nonprofit organizations. Geralynn is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Before attending law school, she spent four years as assistant director at Resources for Human Development in North Carolina, providing clinical oversight to staff and working on the operation of five mental health residential programs. She also worked as a case manager for people involved in the justice system and served as an intake specialist for the Governor’s Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities in North Carolina.

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.

Liz Kellner is the senior communications officer for the Connecticut Health Foundation. She uses digital communications to educate and inform state leaders about solutions for health equity, and ensures that the foundation continues to stay attuned to the evolving media landscape. She is focused on growing the foundation’s social media presence, managing and redesigning the website, coordinating content that engages audiences, and collaborating to create targeted communications campaigns to make the greatest impact.

Before joining CT Health in 2016, Liz worked at Born Free Africa, a philanthropic initiative focused on preventing the spread of HIV from mothers to their babies. As the organization’s associate director of operations and social media guru, Liz led the development of Born Free Africa’s strategic communications initiatives – breathing new life into its website and social media platforms and coordinating the logistics and communications strategy for the organization. Liz received her B.A. in International Affairs from Northeastern University.

Carol Pollack is the Connecticut Health Foundation’s primary liaison on asset management. She directs finance and accounting, personnel and technology functions, and oversees office operations.

Before joining CT Health, Carol was founder and president of Diversified Financial Solutions, providing finance and operations support to several organizations, including the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut. Previously, Carol served as chief financial officer for Housing Authority Insurance in Cheshire; the Comprehensive Care Corporation in Tampa, Florida; and held several positions at CIGNA Corporation in Bloomfield and Philadelphia.

After 20 years with the foundation, Carol plans to retire July 31, 2021. She will serve as an advisor and consultant to the foundation through the end of the year to ensure a seamless transition.

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.

Tatia Lewis-Hayes is the office manager and executive administrative assistant for the Connecticut Health Foundation. Tatia provides administrative and logistical support to the President & CEO and Board of Directors, performs payroll and bookkeeping functions, contract management and supervises other administrative staff for the organization.

Tatia comes to Connecticut Health Foundation with extensive administrative experience in supporting senior-level executives. Prior to her position at CT Health, she served as executive associate to the Senior Vice President of Clinical Services & Chief Nursing Officer of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. She has also worked at Saint Francis Healthcare Partners and Trinity College. Tatia has a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Southern New Hampshire University.

Anette Mendoza-Hollis is the senior administrative assistant for the Connecticut Health Foundation. Anette provides administrative support to the Operations, Programs and Policy departments as well as other members 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 recently received a bachelor’s degree of science in Public Administration/Policy from Charter Oak State College.

Lyniesha Barber is the receptionist for the Connecticut Health Foundation. Lyniesha reports to the office manager/executive administrative assistant and is responsible for greeting and assisting visitors and staff as well as performing various clerical functions. Lyniesha has six years of experience in customer service, most recently working as a customer service representative for Care Centrix. Currently, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Human Services.