Connecticut Public Board Elects New Officers
HARTFORD, CT— June 10, 2022 — Yvette Meléndez was elected today as Chair of the Connecticut Public Board of Trustees. Recognizing its growing diverse audience, Connecticut Public is especially pleased to note that Ms. Meléndez is the first Latina of Puerto Rican descent to lead the Connecticut Public Board of Trustees and will step up from her current post as Vice Chair effective July 1.
Ms. Meléndez is president of YMR Consulting, a management consulting organization specializing in board governance and has a strong background in administration and public policy, with a focus on healthcare, human services and education.
She has extensive leadership involvement in the nonprofit and philanthropic community and has led large government agencies, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations, including serving as Interim President and Board Chair of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, Vice President of Government Relations and Strategic Community Alliances for Hartford HealthCare and Chief Administrative Officer for the Connecticut State University System. She has led major reforms in education, public health and social justice and equity issues.
Ms. Meléndez has diverse corporate and nonprofit board experience including the Boards of The Mitre Corporation, the Connecticut Health Foundation and Hartford HealthCare, Inc. She served as Vice Chair of the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education and served on the boards of the Wadsworth Atheneum, the World YWCA and the MetroHartford Alliance, among others.
“We are so incredibly fortunate to have someone of Yvette’s caliber leading our Board of Trustees. She has worked tirelessly to advocate for Connecticut Public and we couldn’t be happier to see her take the helm,” said Mark G. Contreras, President and CEO of Connecticut Public.
“Now, more than ever, local journalism and storytelling are essential to a properly functioning democracy. Connecticut Public’s brand of local journalism is centered on investigative reporting, arts, culture and policy-focused programming.
During the past several years, our Trustees have overseen Connecticut Public’s investments in people and content that have enabled us to deliver Connecticut-based journalism on 44 platforms with operations in Hartford, New Haven, Fairfield and Norwalk,” Contreras added.
“As such, we are truly Connecticut Public Media.”
Meléndez succeeds Gregory Butler as Chair. Butler has served in several top leadership roles on the Connecticut Public Board of Trustees during the past two decades and has served as Chair for the past two years. “I thank Greg for leading us here, welcome our new Trustees and look forward to future progress with great anticipation.”
Joining Ms. Meléndez in the Board’s top three leadership posts are two current Trustees.
George Norfleet, who will be Vice Chair, is Executive Director of the state of Connecticut’s Office of Film, Television and Digital Media. He began his professional career in advertising before moving into commercial and then feature film production.
He has worked on films and television shows helmed by many of Hollywood's top directors and producers, consulted on tax, finance and production structures for film and television productions and spoken on tax incentives at Cineposiums, seminars and film industry conferences across the United States.
As Executive Director of Connecticut’s Office of Film, Television & Digital Media, George oversees all of the office's programs and operations and focuses the state's resources on marketing Connecticut as a prime destination for film, television, entertainment and digital media companies to conduct production operations or to establish a Connecticut location from which to do business.
Connie Weaver, the incoming Board Secretary, is the Chief Marketing Officer of Equitable and a member of the company’s Operating Committee. In this role, Ms. Weaver oversees and aligns marketing, digital and insights and analytics efforts to advance business objectives and grow the strategic value and positioning of the company through deeper client engagement and an enhanced end-to-end client experience.
She is focused on implementing programs to advance the company’s holistic approach to helping clients reach their goals allowing more Americans to face the future with confidence. Since joining the company in 2019, Ms. Weaver has played a key role in the launch and positioning of the Equitable brand in the marketplace.
Before joining Equitable, Ms. Weaver served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at TIAA, where she oversaw the transformation of the company’s marketing strategy, digital experience and brand. Previously, she was Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at The Hartford and served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of AT&T. She has also led award-winning organizations in investor relations and marketing as an executive at Microsoft, McGraw-Hill and MCI.
Ms. Weaver has diverse board and advisory experience, having served on the boards of several corporate and nonprofit entities. She currently serves on the boards of Make-A-Wish America and the National Council on Aging, among others.
About Connecticut Public
Connecticut Public is home to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). Together, Connecticut Public serves nearly one million r each month through Connecticut Public Radio and Connecticut Public Television, as well as through our many digital and online platforms. Through our mission to inform, educate and inspire the people of Connecticut, we connect people of all ages to high-quality journalism, storytelling, education and experiences, and amplify the voices of our diverse communities. Connecticut Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with a $22 million annual budget, funded primarily through community support from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.