Kelli-Marie Vallieres ‘92, ‘05 MA, ‘08 Ph.D., was appointed by Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont to lead a new state office, the Connecticut Workforce Unit, designed to collaborate with the Department of Economic and Community Development and Department of Labor to advise state officials on workforce strategies and initiatives. Vallieres was also recently named among the Hartford Business Journal’s 2021 Power 50.

Tyler J. Hurlburt ‘00, a licensed financial advisor and wealth manager, has joined Energea as partner, head of investor relations. Energea is the first crowdfunding platform for alternative energy projects in the United States, connecting investors to premium renewable energy projects to accelerate renewable energy development in select global markets. Hurlbutt previously worked for Ameriprise, Prudential, Wells Fargo, and TIAA.

Rowena Ortiz-Walters ‘96, ‘05 Ph.D  has been named Dean of St. Mary’s University Greehey School of Business, becoming the first Latina to lead the business school. Ortiz-Walters was previously the Dean and Professor of Management in the School of Business and Economics at SUNY Plattsburgh, a public liberal arts college that is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) System.

Alex Schaefer ‘08  has been named Vice President, Acquisitions at AXA IM – Real Assets, the investment management arm of French-based multinational insurance firm Axa S.A. Schaefer was most recently a vice president at TKF Real Estate Investment, LLC, where he focused on sourcing and execution of value-add and core-plus investments in office and mixed-use assets. Schaefer has also held the roles of vice president, head of acquisitions for ALTO Real Estate Funds, as well as director within the Acquisitions Department of VEREIT.

Katherine A. Donovan ’09 has been named member-at-large of The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.  Donovan, an assurance manager with Whittlesey in Hartford, CT, has served the CTCPA as chair of the New and Young Professionals Cabinet and a member of the Advisory Council.

Amber Moore ’09, ’11 MSA has been named the advisory council chair of The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.Moore, a manager at Goldblatt Bokoff, LLC in Norwich, CT, has served the CTCPA as a member of the Advisory Council, State Taxation Committee, Federal Taxation Committee, New and Young Professionals Group, Southeastern Connecticut Chapter, and Technology Committee.

Michael Jen Maksymiw MSA ’05 has been named secretary of The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants.  Maksymiw,  a partner with Marcum LLP in West Hartford, CT, has served the CTCPA as chair of the Advisory Council, a member-at-large of the Board of Directors, a member of the New and Young Professionals Cabinet, and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee.

Robert P. Amenta ’07 was recently promoted to lead portfolio manager, US High Yield and co-lead portfolio manager, Global High Yield at NN Investment Partners in New York, NY. In this role, Amenta is responsible for all portfolio and investment decisions regarding the firm’s US and global-focused high yield bond investment strategies. He has worked at NNIP (formerly ING Investment Management) since 2012.

Robert Statchen ’01 MBA is running for the 18th District Senate seat against incumbent Heather Somers ’88.

Kevin M. Gokey ’02, ’04 MSA has been named Chief Financial Officer at The Siemon Company, Watertown, CT effective January 1, 2021.