Speed Mentoring: Mentor Bios

Register for Speed Mentoring Here

Click the name below to be directed to the mentor bio. We will update this page as more bios are available.

Mentor Bios

Allison Dowe, Director of Business Operations -Dept. of Nursing, Homecare & Collaborative Partners, Middlesex Hospital

Allison Dowe, MBA, works for Middlesex Hospital as the Director of Business Operations for the Nursing Department, Homecare, Palliative Care, Hospice & Collaborative Partners: the Center for Chronic Care Management and the Wound & Ostomy Center. Allison has over 30 years of experience in both finance and operations management.  She graduated from Rutgers University in 1983 and earned her MBA in Finance in 1988. She spent 15 years in New York City working in the private sector for Marsh & McLennan, a fortune 500 company and Sotheby’s Inc. the auction house.  There she specialized in mergers and acquisitions, new business development, and strategic initiatives both nationally and internationally. In 1999, Allison entered the Healthcare Industry as the Chief Financial Officer of a stand-alone Homecare agency in Central Connecticut.  In 2008, she joined Middlesex Hospital, where she has held several positions.

In the community, Allison currently serves on the Board of Directors for Middlesex United Way and the Finance Committee.  Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors as Secretary for The Connecticut Association for Healthcare at Home as well as Chairs the Future of Healthcare at Home Advisory Committee.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Try to align your work with what you are passionate about.

Daniel Drew, Mayor, City of Middletown

Daniel Drew has been Mayor of the City of Middletown since 2011. Since he took office, the City of Middletown has taken steps to increase economic development in growing sectors and to globalize Middletown’s economy. Mayor Drew is focused on growing Middletown as a center of economic vitality in alternative energy, healthcare and the sciences, as well as high-tech research and development and manufacturing.

Mayor Drew previously served on Middletown Common Council, the Economic Development Commission, the Public Works Commission, the Parks & Recreation Commission, and the Ordinance Study Committee. 

Mayor Drew is a former journalist whose investigative work led to the conviction of a corrupt official. He is a graduate of UConn, and he is married with three children.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Empathize with others.

Jennifer Ferri, Owner & President, The Ferri Godmother LLC

Jennifer Ferri is owner and president of The Ferri Godmother LLC. She has been a business owner for 10 years, providing personal assistant services to small businesses and personal clients. Services include business strategy and financial review, administrative support, bookkeeping, invoicing and collections, bill paying, payroll, lease and property management, project management, appointment scheduling, travel arrangements, customer contact, contracts, insurance policy management (Health and Property) and and more. Ferri previously spent 15 years in health insurance learning business. She serves on the Board of Directors for Saving Teens.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Start at the bottom of your field. You will learn everything about the business as you work your way up.

Katharine S. Gillespie, Principal and Head of the Real Estate Department at Dzialo, Pickett & Allen, P.C.

Katharine S. Gillespie, Kate for short, was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1979 and was admitted to the Bar of the State of Connecticut in 2006. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Quinnipiac University in 2003. Ms. Gillespie graduated magna cum laude from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2006 where she earned two Distinguished Academic Achievement awards in the areas Evidence and Environmental Law.  She also served as Associate Editor of the Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal.

Ms. Gillespie joined the firm of Dzialo, Pickett & Allen, P.C. in 2004 as a law clerk while still attending law school and became an associate in 2006.  She is now a principal of the law firm and is the head of the real estate department. She is a member of the Middlesex County Bar Association and the Connecticut Bar Association. Ms. Gillespie practices in the areas of family law, probate litigation and administration, and real estate law. She resides in Berlin, Connecticut with her husband, Matthew Atkinson and their two children.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Relationships are most important and in relationships, integrity is everything.  To me, integrity means doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Izzi Greenberg, Executive Director, Middlesex Coalition for Children

Izzi Greenberg is the Executive Director of the Middlesex Coalition for Children, whose mission is to improve the lives of children growing up in Middletown and Middlesex County.  The Coalition advocates on behalf of low-income children and children of color around issues of Juvenile Justice, Early Childhood, Income Disparity, Early Childhood and Education. It convenes task forces to mobilize and coordinate community efforts to address specific children’s issues, and advocates for children at the local, state and national levels.

Previous to that, she was the Executive Director of the North End Action Team in Middletown, CT, where she worked for 12 years.  Through grassroots community organizing, leadership development, youth and family programs and issue-by-issue campaigns, NEAT worked to raise the quality of life for the under served residents of Middletown's North End.  She is active in the Middletown community where she serves as a trustee of the Russell Library, a corporator of Middlesex Community College, and a commissioner on the Middletown Housing Authority.  She lives in the North End neighborhood with her husband and two children.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be:  Follow unusual opportunities, even if they don't fit your master plan.  The winding road is often more interesting and more beneficial than the straight path to success.

Chandler Howard, President and CEO of Liberty Bank

Chandler Howard has been president and CEO of Liberty Bank since 2007. Previously he served as president of Connecticut Innovations and as a senior executive at Bank of America and Fleet Bank. He began his banking career at People’s Bank in 1974 as a teller.

Chandler has received numerous awards for his community service and involvement with nonprofit organizations.  In 2010-11, he co-chaired  Middlesex United Way’s annual campaign.  He currently lives in Farmington.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Always strive to excel at whatever level your career takes you. You might be surprised that hard work often pays off.

Patricia Jatkevicius, Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer, Liberty Bank

Patti Jatkevicius is a member of the Executive Management Team and Executive Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer at Liberty Bank, Middletown, CT.  Her 20+ year financial services career began at SIS Bank in Springfield, Massachusetts where she started as Marketing Coordinator.  In addition to her marketing responsibilities, Patti also manages the online & mobile banking channels and the Customer Service Center. 

Prior to entering the financial services field, Jatkevicius held various management positions in the amusement park, insurance, and wine and spirits industries.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Never miss an opportunity to take on additional responsibilities and learn something new – the more you demonstrate your willingness to contribute and grow,  the more valuable you are to your team and your employer. 

Cathy Lechowicz, Director of the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships, Wesleyan University

Cathy Lechowicz is the Director of the Jewett Center for Community Partnerships at Wesleyan University. She is responsible for all aspects of community engagement for Wesleyan University, which includes oversight of the Office of Community Service and Volunteerism, Green Street Teaching and Learning Center, WESU 88.1FM and the Center for Prison Education. Cathy has a Master’s in Public Administration and has been at Wesleyan 12 years.  She is married to a teacher and she’s a mom to 9 year old twin boys and a two-and-a-half-year old daughter.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Be present with people and really listen – your email or text can wait.

Matt Lesser, State Representative

State Representative Matt Lesser is serving his fourth term in the Connecticut House of Representatives representing the City of Middletown. In January, 2015 Speaker Sharkey appointed Rep. Lesser co-chair of the General Assembly’s Banking Committee. Rep. Lesser also co-chairs a subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee and serves on the Government Administration & Elections Committee. Rep. Lesser has been a principal author of a number of important laws including Connecticut’s first in the nation Student Loan Bill of Rights, a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing waste, and a major workplace safety law later adopted as a national standard. He has been a leader on consumer protections, the environment and paid family leave.

Rep. Lesser has championed Middletown’s interests in the legislature, significantly expanding funding for local roads and schools, and securing millions of dollars to help rebuild Middletown’s waterfront. Rep. Lesser has been honored for protecting consumers by the Connecticut chapter of AARP, been repeatedly named a champion by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, and has been named “Children’s Champion” five times by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance.

Matt attended Wesleyan University and lives in Middletown’s North End. He previously served on Middletown’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

Sue Murphy, Executive Director, Liberty Bank Foundation

Sue Murphy is executive director of the Middletown-based Liberty Bank Foundation, which she has managed since its inception in 1997.  From 1997 until 2008, she also served as Liberty Bank’s communications manager.  Previously she worked in corporate communications for the University of Hartford and Fleet Bank.  Her earlier careers were in the hospitality industry and music. 

Sue’s volunteer affiliations include the Middlesex County Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, the statewide Reaching Home steering committee, the Middletown Rotary Club, Middlesex United Way, and the Middlesex Chamber Affordable Housing Committee.  She serves on the board of trustees and the Business/Education Council of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, and on the board of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce.  

Sue says her one claim to fame is that she has sung twice at Carnegie Hall (OK, it was with 300 other singers, but it was still Carnegie Hall!)  She lives in Colchester with her husband Ed, and spends her spare time tending her huge flower garden.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Be flexible.  You’ll probably have 4-5 different careers in your life; learn and do everything you can get your hands on, so you’ll be ready when opportunity knocks.  You’ll advance your career faster, and have lots more fun doing it.

Chu Ngo, Entrepreneur and Restaurateur, Owner of Lan Chi's Vietnamese Restaurant

Chu K. Ngo is the owner and proprietor of Lan Chi’s Vietnamese Restaurant in Middletown. She is a former pharmaceutical research scientist with 14 years experience at Neurogen and Bristol Meyers Squibb researching ion channels, infectious diseases, neuropathic pain, and cardiac safety. She is a active with the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, chairing the Holiday on Main-Restaurant Committee. She is also a board member of Middlesex United Way and serves on the Community Impact Council.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Sieze the opportunities you have and try your best, so that you don’t have to look back with regret.

Janet Porriello, Assistant Vice President for Staff Development, Seasons Federal Credit Union

Janet Porriello is Assistant Vice President for Staff Development at Seasons Federal Credit Union. She has more than 20 years of experience as a senior human resources professional in small to mid-sized businesses in a variety of industries.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Springfield College and a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She also holds a Senior Professional Human Resources designation from the Human Resources Certification Institute and she’s a Society for Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional.

Porriello is a member of the Human Resource Association of Central Connecticut and the Society for Human Resource Management. She is a former fundraising committee chair for the Connecticut Chapter of the March of Dimes and a former member of the Professional Women’s Group Steering Committee for Dress for Success Hartford. Porriello lives in Wethersfield. She has two children.

If I could give one piece of advice to a young professional, it would be: Find yourself a mentor (or two) and be sure to schedule time with them on a regular basis.

Register for Speed Mentoring Here