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Our Staff and Board

The Partnership is staffed by a dedicated team. Their collective policy, outreach, advocacy and administration experience spans decades and disciplines.

Chelsea Ross

Executive Director

Chelsea joined the Partnership in 2020. Her journey within the Partnership has seen her assume various roles, from Director of Special Projects to Deputy Director, and subsequently, as Interim Executive Director. In 2023, Chelsea was appointed as the Executive Director, where she now oversees all aspects of the Partnership’s work and operations. Her priority is to support collective approaches to shared visions for change, developed by amplifying diverse and underrepresented voices and perspectives across sectors and communities.

Chelsea brings 15+ years of experience in the housing and homelessness sector, previously as Associate Director for the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). She oversaw and strengthened the management and operations of CSH New England, and directed responsive technical assistance and systems change implementation to housing and service providers, policy makers, and communities throughout the region. Chelsea has spent the bulk of her career working in housing, including serving as Manager of Planning and Development for the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH). She has served in additional roles in policy, marketing, fund development, volunteer coordination and in direct service as a community case manager providing client centered case management to adults experiencing severe persistent mental illness. Chelsea has centered her career in organizations that seek to stabilize at-risk individuals and families through housing.

Chelsea serves on the boards of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Community Child Guidance Clinic, and Girls on the Run Greater Connecticut, where she also serves as a coach. Chelsea serves as an elected member of a municipal board in her town. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, she holds a Master’s in Public Administration with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, and a Bachelor of Social Work. Chelsea lives in Avon with her husband, her children, and their dogs.

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Chelsea Ross

Executive Director

Sean Ghio

POLICY DIRECTOR

Sean joined the Partnership as Policy Director in 2017. He leads the Partnership’s statewide advocacy efforts on affordable housing and plays a public, leadership role for the Partnership. He is responsible for overseeing the Partnership’s research, analysis and housing policy recommendations.

Sean’s career has given him experience in housing policy from several different perspectives. Early in his career he worked as a local town planner on Cape Cod learning local land use requirements of housing creation. Sean worked many years as Director of Information Services at 2-1-1, the statewide information and referral system for social and human services where he gained experience in how deeply housing insecurity impacts families.

As Program Officer at Local Initiatives Support Corporation in Hartford, Sean provided technical assistance and grant-making to community-based organizations developing affordable housing across Connecticut. He supported community partners in neighborhood housing planning, program development and implementation.

Sean graduated from Connecticut College with a B.A. in Economics. He and his wife live in Cheshire with their son, daughter, and two dogs.

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Sean Ghio

POLICY DIRECTOR

CARLINE CHARMELUS

OPERATIONS & EQUITY DIRECTOR

Carline Charmelus joined the Partnership for Strong Communities in February 2015 as a Policy Analyst, supporting statewide initiatives to prevent and end homelessness. During her tenure, she has assumed different roles, from managing the now-sunset Reaching Home Campaign to directing and coordinating a board-based Collective Impact initiative on affordable housing. In 2024, Carline became the Operations and Equity Director, providing leadership across financial management, organizational operations, and human resources while advancing an equity-centered organizational culture. Her work focuses on building strong internal systems, fostering an inclusive workplace culture, and aligning systems and practices with the Partnership's mission.  

Before joining the Partnership, Carline worked as an Access to Care Specialist at United Community and Family Services, assisting individuals and families with applying for health insurance through the Access Health CT exchange. As a graduate student, Carline interned as a Public Policy Planner at the Access Community Action Agency, where she conducted a community needs and assets assessment and mobilized community stakeholders.  

She is heavily involved in providing leadership and support in her local community. She serves as the President of the NAACP Norwich Branch, as Secretary of the Board of Sankofa Education and Leadership, Inc., a nonprofit agency that serves marginalized and underserved youth in the Greater Norwich Area, and as the 19th Senate Democratic District representative. She formerly served as the Secretary of the Norwich Board of Education. Charmelus is also a deacon in her church, where she works with both youth and children, and at times uses her voice in a capacity other than advocating for those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, marginalized, and in need, when singing with the worship team. 

Carline graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in Political Science with High Distinction from Eastern Connecticut State University. She has a Master's in Public Administration and Certificates in Nonprofit Management and Survey Research from the University of Connecticut School of Public Policy. 

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CARLINE CHARMELUS

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Amy Peltier

COALITION AND ADVOCACY DIRECTOR

Amy joined the Partnership as Coalition and Advocacy Director in 2024. She aims to lead the Partnership’s collaborations with various stakeholders and support and coordinate Partnership advocacy for housing policy statewide.   Before the Partnership Amy spent seven years working with the town of East Hartford as Director of East Hartford Works, a place-based community and economic development initiative addressing barriers to economic mobility for families. This work offered experience understanding how housing stability and affordability deeply impacts family self sufficiency.  Amy previously worked as a staff attorney for the public defender agency of Massachusetts for seven years, handling both criminal and civil cases in Plymouth and Hampden county courts, often addressing housing and tenant issues that intersect with the systems that drive social justice.  In the last twenty five years, Amy has had other professional and volunteer experiences that have spanned from Alaska to Zimbabwe, offering experience and insight into social and human services and institutions that frame the cycles of poverty.   She is an Aspen Institute Economic Opportunity Fellow and has been a leader within the CT Statewide 2Gen Advisory Council addressing policies and identifying solutions that affect public benefits.  Amy graduated with a degree in Social Science from Providence College and earned her JD from Roger Williams Law School.  She serves on steering committees at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving’s Catalyst Giving Circle, SEE-CT (Solidarity, Equity, Education), is a local Girl Scout troop leader and recreational sports coach and is a Housing Commissioner with the Housing Authority where she lives in Canton.  She resides in Collinsville with her husband, two children, and their puppy, Dublin.

Amy Peltier

amy peltier

coalition and advocacy director

Kayla Giordano

SENIOR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES MANAGER

Kayla joined the Partnership for Strong Communities in September 2024 as the Senior Strategic Initiatives Manager.  In this role, she aims to help the Partnership align its mission, vision, and long-term goals to advance our shared hope of a more affordable and equitable state.  She brings with her a depth of knowledge in affordable housing, particularly in the areas of financing, policy, and community development strategy.

Prior to her role with the Partnership, Kayla spent five years with the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA), first working on multifamily development and then as a Senior Program & Data Analyst with the Research, Marketing, and Outreach team. In this role, she provided housing market research and data analytics to assist CHFA leadership in making key programmatic decisions. In 2023, Kayla co-authored the Connecticut Housing Needs Assessment which has been cited by legislators, advocates, and journalists across the state as a crucial piece of research that illuminates the depth of the housing crisis in Connecticut. Before joining CHFA, she worked with Capital for Change, underwriting small-multifamily loans for BIPOC developers and assessing community impact.

Kayla holds B.As in both Political Science and Economics from Eastern Connecticut State University. She also holds a M.A in Community Development Policy and Practice from the University of New Hampshire’s Carsey School of Public Policy. Kayla lives in Hamden with her husband, Rob, and her dog, Honey.

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kayla giordano

SENIOR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES MANGER

ALYSHA GARDNER

Policy Manager

Alysha joined the Partnership in May 2023 as a Senior Policy Analyst. Alysha comes to PSC with a wealth of experience in evidence-based policy analysis, particularly in fiscal and public finance policy. Alysha has previously worked as a budget analyst with the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, a research associate studying international development finance at DC-based think tank Center for Global Development, and as an economist with the Utah State Office of Legislative and Fiscal Analysis.

Throughout her career, Alysha has centered her work around the needs of vulnerable populations. She possesses exceptional skills translating complex policy research into accessible formats for a wide range of audiences. She has participated in a wide range of policy initiatives, including overseeing the rollout of federal ARPA funds in CT for housing, economic, and education programs; econometric and cost-benefit analysis of state social impact bond, rent control, and tax policies; and serving as budget lead for a multijurisdictional homeless services reform initiative in UT.

Alysha graduated in 2021 with a Master of Public Policy and Certificate in Public Finance and Budgeting from George Washington University. She also hold’s a B.A. in International Relations from Brigham Young University.

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alysha gardner

policy manager

Michelle Montano

Communications Manager

Michelle Montano joined the Partnership for Strong Communities in April 2024 as a Communications and Policy Analyst. Prior to joining the Partnership, Michelle worked as an Associate Account Manager at The Narrative Project where she helped develop anti-racist communications for socially conscious organizations throughout Connecticut. She also interned with The Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at UCONN, where she assisted with the Police Transparency and Accountability Task Force.

Michelle holds a B.A. in Marketing from Central Connecticut State University and a M.A. in Political Psychology from Arizona State University.

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MICHELLE MONTANO

COMMUNICATIONS MAnager

DANIELLE HUBLEY

ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION MANAGER

Danielle joined the Partnership for Strong Communities in July 2018 as a Policy Analyst and has remained here since 2018. In 2021, she was promoted to the position of Advocacy and Education manager, responsible for supporting staff and community members in engaging in state level policy advocacy relating to Affordable Housing and oversees several different learning opportunities for community members and organizations interested in supporting reform in the housing sector. Danielle also serves as an active Coordinating Council member to the Keep The Promise Coalition.

Danielle graduated in 2017 with a B.A. in Social Work from Eastern Connecticut State University, where she was recognized for her efforts in promoting and pursing Macro Social Work practices. She also holds a Master’s in Social Work after graduating in 2018 from the University of Connecticut with a concentration in Policy Practice.

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DANIELLE HUBLEY

ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION MANAGER

SAMAILA ADELAIYE

RESEARCH AND POLICY FELLOW

Samaila Adelaiye joined the Partnership for Strong Communities in February 2024 as a Research and Policy Fellow, bringing with him years of experience in research methodology, data analysis, and policy analysis.

With a profound passion for research and evidence-based policy, he has dedicated himself to various projects, including research on evictions, affordable housing, and housing security in Connecticut. His contributions to research extend beyond local housing issues, with publications in academic journals covering topics such as development, international economic relations, and international security.

Before joining the Partnership, Samaila served as a Research and Policy Fellow with Connecticut Voices for Children, focusing on family economic security and housing policy. Additionally, he has shared his expertise as a political science lecturer at several universities, teaching courses on international relations and the politics of development.

Samaila holds a PhD in Political Science from the University at Buffalo, as well as an MS degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Aberdeen and a BS degree in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University.

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SAMAILA ADELAIYE

RESEARCH MANAGER

Jane Peters

Development Consultant

Jane Peters officially retired from the the Partnership on June 30, 2026, and now serve as a Development Consultant. Jane joined the Partnership in October 2016 as the Events & Building Manager and was promoted to Administrative Director in October 2018. She manages the Partnership’s financials and human resources and fosters and encourages community collaboration and involvement. She is also instrumental in day-to-day operations, event planning and development for the Partnership. Jane deeply supports the mission of the Partnership and its core values. She uses the Partnership’s guiding principles and values as her guiding star to lead internal human resources efforts and recruitment, staff engagement, and community and vendor outreach.

Jane’s 20+ years of experience in program, events and building management along with 10+ years of human resources experience have led to her strong leadership at the Partnership. Before joining the Partnership, Jane worked for the Town of Glastonbury as the rental agent for the town’s community center and acted as their Dial-A-Ride manager. She was instrumental in helping the center’s rental and Dial-A-Ride programs bloom into a thriving and successful facility and reliable transportation program. Jane enjoys working with the Partnership team, Board of Directors, partners, and community. She is dedicated to supporting the work to ensure everyone in Connecticut has a safe, stable home that is affordable to them in an equitable community of their choice.

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JANE PETERS

DEVELOPMENT consultant

GREATER MUTSIKWI HOULE

OFFICE MANAGER

Greater manages administrative functions for the Partnership for Strong Communities. Prior to joining Partnership for Strong Communities, Greater lived and worked in the Boston area. Greater was born and raised in Zimbabwe, where she attended Marlborough High School and finished her O’Level at Terry Goss Secondary School. She graduated from University of Hartford with a Communication and an English degree. Greater has worked with Partnership for Strong Communities since March 2004.

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GREATER MUTSIKWI HOULE

OFFICE MANAGER

DON BRANSON

IT MANAGER

Don is the Director of IT Services for Gallo & Robinson, LLC and he has also filled that role with the Partnership for Strong Communities since 2003. Don works with organizations to help them effectively utilize information technologies to meet their legislative and organizational goals. This includes running on-line legislative advocacy campaigns, managing grassroots contacts databases and on-line legislative action centers as well as being the systems administrator for a vairety of offices in Hartford and Boston, consulting on website design and development, and technology planning for organizations.

Don holds a Masters degree in Sociology from Minnesota State University-Mankato and spent seven years as a Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Connecticut teaching courses on Social Problems, Deviant Behavior, and Political Sociology.

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Don Branson

IT Manager

CAREERS

Board of Directors

Terence Floyd, Board Chair, Vice President, Senior Social Impact Specialist, Wells Fargo

Taylor Tucker, Vice Chair, Partner & Chief Strategy, The Cadence of Social Impact

Kevin B. Sullivan, Board Treasurer, Former Lieutenant Governor, State of Connecticut

Randal Davis, Board Secretary, Deputy Director of Development Services, Hartford

Pamela A. Days-Luketich, Board Member, VP Community Development, Liberty Bank

Aaron Frankel, Board Member, Attorney & Advisory, Franklin and Frankel Law Firm

Jesse Sugarman, Board Member, AVP, Public Policy Initiatives, Travelers Institute

Steve Hernandez, Board Member, Executive Director, ConnCAN

Patrick E. McCabe, Board Member, Founder and Principal, Capitol Strategies Group

Mendi Blue Paca, Board Member, President & CEO Fairfield County’s Community Foundation

Aimee Hendrigan, Board Member, Executive Vice President, Melville Charitable Trust

Ashleigh Backman, Board Member, Deputy Director & CEO, Connecticut Bar Foundation

Kassandra Perez, Board Member, Housing Specialist, West Hartford Housing Authority

Erin Burns-Maine, Board Member, Chief Strategy Officer, The Community Preservation Corporation

Andrèa Comer, Board Member, Chief of Staff/Assistant Treasurer, CT Office of the Treasurer

Aaron Isaacs, Board Member, Vice President and Dean of Student Success, University of Hartford

Johnny Shively, Board Member, Housing Policy Manager, Elm City Communities

Mariana Serrano, Board Member, Founder & CEO, The Cadence of Social Impact

Fionnuala Darby-Hudgens, Board Member, Chief Adminstrative Officer, The New London Homeless Hospitality Center

Kathy Taylor, Board Member, President and CEO, Connecticut Community Foundation

Aimee Chambers-McKay, Board Member, Chief Real Estate Officer, Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance

OUR HISTORY

OUR HOME