Bob comes to Hall Neighborhood House with over 20 years’ experience in the medical device industry, serving as President of BioMetrics Orthotic & Prosthetic, Inc. for 15 of those years. He believes every successful leader leads by example and every successful organization has a clear vision and the ability to execute it. Bob’s passion for helping others led him to Hall Neighborhood House and can be seen in the time and personal resources he graciously shares. His general business acumen guides him in effectively overcoming organizational challenges. Bob is active in the community. He is currently a board member at the Trumbull Rotary, the Brigeport Chamber of Commerce, and Leadership Greater Bridgeport. He is an advisory board member of St. Catherine of Siena School, serves as the Secretary for the East Side Neighborhood Revitalization Zone (NRZ) and on the Leadership Committee of the NRZ City Leadership Committee. He has an undergraduate degree in Management Information Systems from St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA, a Marketing MBA from the University of New Haven and holds a Lean Six Sigma Certification from Villanova University. Bob’s childhood dream job of being a carpenter propels him to try every do-it-yourself project at home…which usually results in calling in a professional.
Graduating Magna cum Laude from Bryant University, Joe became a CPA and built his career foundation at Price Waterhouse as a Senior Audit Manager. He then held finance and accounting leadership roles in a variety of industries with companies ranging from start-ups to global businesses. At Hall, he is responsible for all aspects of Profit & Loss, including all analysis, budgeting and financial reporting. Joe came to Hall Neighborhood House in 2017 and has been integral in helping Hall grow to where it is today. A lifelong resident of Connecticut, Joe is an avid baseball fan, enjoys time outdoors and spending time with his growing family.
Nicholas comes to Hall Neighborhood House with over 25 years of experience in the commercial banking industry, where he excelled in business development and client relations. He has held leadership roles across commercial lending and equipment financing, including key positions at GE Capital, Citibank, People’s United Bank, and KeyBank Equipment Finance.
Active in his community, Nicholas currently serves on the Board of Finance for the Town of Monroe, where he resides with his family. He is also a proud alumnus of the University of Connecticut, where he earned both his Bachelor’s Degree and MBA in Finance, and he remains engaged with the School of Business and the Fairfield County Alumni Chapter.
A 40-year resident of Bridgeport, CT Hector was born in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico. He graduated from Bassick High in Bridgeport and received his Associate in Early Childhood Education from Housatonic Community College. He went on to receive his Bachelor's Degree at Wheelock College in Human Services followed by his Masters in Early Childhood Education from Capella University. Hector has spent over 30 years in the field of Early Childhood Education wearing many different hats: teacher, site manager, site coordinator, assistant director, Director.
He is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish. Outside of work Hector loves sports, both watching and playing and is very competitive. His favorite superhero is Spiderman. Hector shared that he “came into Early Childhood when I was looking for a job after my first year of College. Enjoyed the energy children bring and haven’t left since.
Adiel is the Youth Director for Hall Neighborhood House. For the last decade, Adiel has been working with children and youth through various organizations and has a passion for empowering young leaders to reach their full potential. He has a particular focus on working with family members to ensure that the care for their child(ren) at Hall aligns with parents' hopes and values. Adiel is also a fine artist and photographer and brings those skills and passions into the Youth Services curriculum to help students learn healthy, productive ways to express themselves. Originally from Mexico, Adiel has his Bachelor's in Business and Tourism from Centro Universitario de Valladolid and his Masters in Business Administration from Sacred Heart University. He and his wife Amy live in Trumbull, Connecticut, and are expecting their baby girl, Sofia, to arrive in December.
Edith Peralta is Hall Neighborhood House’s Director of Senior Services, managing the organization’s activities and programs for older adults in the community. In this role, Edith builds relationships with seniors, develops educational programming, and plans a robust calendar of social activities so that older adults can connect with one another.
Prior to her work at Hall, Edith served as a case manager at Caregivers Home Solutions, coordinating safe, effective care for seniors in their homes, and a case coordinator and companion at Almost Family, where she helped older adults manage their daily tasks and medical needs. She began her career in customer service, working with major airlines in New York. She lives in Bridgeport, CT.
Carol Donnelly has served as a member of the Hall Neighborhood House Board of Directors since 2017. She currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board, having held the positions of Vice Chair and Treasurer in the past. Carol is a CPA and is the CFO for The FA Bartlett Tree Expert Company located in Stamford, Connecticut.
Carol joined the Board because she had been impressed with the excellent work Hall does and the impact it has on the local community. She has seen the wonderful programs and services Hall offers grow and expand, and she wanted to be a part of and contribute to such a wonderful organization.
She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family.
After graduating from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, and Fordham School of Law in New York City, Tom Reilly began his career as a lawyer in New York City. He went on to build a successful 25-year career in the energy industry. Tom spent the last 15 years serving as CEO of two international trading and supply companies, and is currently a Managing Director of Sport of Kings, a west coast based sports apparel company.
During the last decade, Tom served on the board of the McGivney Center and the Cardinal Shehan Center. He has also been a mentor in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Southwest Connecticut for five years and is currently on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Board Riders, an international surfing association. Additionally, he serves on several advisory boards and is a member of the Fairfield Theatre Company's film committee.
Tom and his wife, Ellen, live in Fairfield and have three grown children, Mackie, Conor, and Charlotte, as well and one grandchild, Sonny. For fun, Tom plays basketball and golf and is involved in independent films in Fairfield County.
Nancy Kuhn is the Regional Market Manager for six Newtown Savings Bank branches, where she is responsible for coaching her staff to attain and deepen relationships and foster strong ties to the communities her branches serve. She has a strong track record in customer service, sales performance, and training from her 40 years in banking.
Nancy is very active in many community organizations. She is the current Chairperson of the Trumbull Chamber of Commerce, a board member of Bridgeport Regional Business Council, board member of Trumbull Rotary, board member of Business and Education Initiative, and board treasurer for Hall Neighborhood House. Nancy and her husband traveled to 19 countries between 2017 and 2019. They visited Bermuda, Italy, Amsterdam, Sweden, Helsinki, Tallinn, Germany, Brussels, Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, and Russia.
Nancy was drawn to Hall Neighborhood House by Hall’s executive director, Bob Dzurenda, as well as her passion for working with children. When she was young, she dreamed of becoming a teacher. However, her path took her into the banking world where she has found great success. Nancy did follow up on her childhood dream and got an Early Childhood Degree from Housatonic Community College, but decided to stay the course and remain in banking.
Andrea Canuel serves as the Associate Director for Community-Engaged Learning in the Center for Social Impact at Fairfield University, where she manages faculty development and partnership efforts for community-engaged pedagogies.
Previously, Andrea served as the Assistant Director of the Office of Volunteer Programs and Service Learning at Sacred Heart University and the Administrative Director at Thinking Beyond Borders, a provider of gap year programs with a focus on international development and social impact education.
Andrea earned a B.A. in History with Honors from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.A. in International Education from New York University. While at Holy Cross, Andrea received the Worcester, MA UniverCity Partnership Award for College Student Community Engagement.
A native of Bridgeport, CT, Andrea is proud to serve in a bridge-building role between the Fairfield University community and the Greater Bridgeport region. Andrea has been involved with Hall Neighborhood House since 2014, when she began working at Sacred Heart University. She’s excited to be part of the Board at Hall and contribute to its remarkable work and mission.
Jennifer is the Director of The Simulation and Skills Labs at the Davis & Henley College of Nursing at Sacred Heart University.
SHU has been a partner with Hall for more than a decade, partnering on services that support Hall’s missions and programs. The partnership between SHU and Hall continues to strengthen and expand in various areas, appreciating the importance of Hall to the community. Jennifer is proud to help support the continuation of this partnership.
Jennifer has a BA from Fordham University, a BSN from Villanova University, and a Masters in Nursing from Columbia University. She has worked as a Public Health Nurse and a Pediatric Nurse, holds various volunteer roles in the community, and works as a parish nurse at her Church.
Jennifer is passionate about supporting the education of student nurses as they prepare to enter the professional world of Nursing. She lives with her husband and four children in Fairfield and spends a lot of time watching youth sporting events in Fairfield County.
Sandra is the Chair of the Hall Neighborhood House Board Nominating Committee. She grew up in Roxbury, Massachusetts, a community that is, in many ways, very similar to Bridgeport. Sandra believes the programs offered by Hall Neighborhood House are essential to the growth and development of our youth, the vibrancy of our seniors, and the health and wellbeing of all.
Sandra is an experienced executive who has spent the past 12 years in a variety of human resources roles, including Talent Management, Diversity and Inclusion, Learning and Development, and as a HR Business Partner. Presently, she is the Global Director of Talent and Leadership Development for Quadient, a leader in customer experience technology. Prior to joining the field of HR, Sandra spent the first half of her career in healthcare management and operations.
Sandra received her B.A. degree from Tufts University and Masters of Public Health from the Yale University School of Epidemiology and Public Health. She also holds several professional certifications including Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and Certificate of Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University ILR.
Sandra is a former board member of the Southern Regional Sickle Cell Association, and a former Trustee and an active member of Union Baptist Church in Stamford, Connecticut. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Incorporated.
Dr. Stuart Zarich is an esteemed cardiologist and professor of medicine serving hospitals and health centers in and around Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Currently, Dr. Zarich is Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine, Director of the Joel E. Smilow Heart Institute, and Associate Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Bridgeport Hospital; Founding Member of the Yale New Haven Health Heart Institute Executive Council; and Director of the Bridgeport Campus of the Yale New Haven Health System Heart and Vascular Center. He is also an Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Yale University School of Medicine.
He received his BA from College of the Holy Cross and his MD from Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY. He then continued his medical training, residency, and fellowships at New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Zarich and his wife are the parents of two grown daughters. He looks forward to helping Hall Neighborhood House better deliver quality, local primary care to the neighborhood.
Evron graduated summa cum laude from Fairfield University with a BS in Accounting and Finance. Immediately after completing his undergraduate degree, he enrolled in Fairfield’s masters program where he earned his Masters in Accounting.
After graduate school, Evron launched his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He is an active CPA and is currently an Audit Director in the firm’s New York Metro Technology practice where he services both public and private companies in the technology, entertainment, and media markets.
For many years he has worked with young people in the Bridgeport area as a Director, Counselor, Mentor, and Coach. He recognizes the importance of showing up, offering an ear, and sharing his personal experiences with the hopes of enriching the lives of all the children and youth that he encounters.
In his free time, Evron enjoys watching and playing sports, his favorite being basketball. He loves traveling and enjoys spending time outdoors. His location of choice for rest and relaxation is a beach anywhere in the Caribbean.
Rick Sherrod grew up in the Beardsley Terrace housing project in Bridgeport, attended Central High School, and has been a resident of Bridgeport for over 50 years. For the past 34 years, he has worked for the United States Postal Service. Currently he serves as the Manager of Customer Services at the Bayview Station Post Office. Previously, he was the Postmaster of Derby and the Postmaster of Norwalk.
In addition to his work at the Postal Service, Rick is a realtor with Coldwell Banker Real Estate and he officiates high school basketball and volleyball. He has also served on the Citizens Union in Bridgeport. he and his wife Cassandra have been married for 30 years and have four children—Brandon, Chelsea, Chayla, and Chynna.
John DeMattia, a native of Bridgeport and a Bassick High School graduate, has been a successful business owner in the city for over 50 years, primarily in the automotive industry. For the past 25 years, he has also managed his family’s real estate portfolio.
John and his wife, Connie, live in Fairfield and have four adult children and three grandchildren. Both are actively involved with several Bridgeport non-profits. In his free time, John enjoys golfing and spending winters in Florida.
Dave Sheehan is a seasoned technology sales executive with over 30 years of experience across the Los Angeles, Northeast, and Canadian markets. A College of the Holy Cross graduate, Dave served as Senior Vice President of Sales at Dell Technologies, where he led a team of 850 people and generated over $4.5 billion in annual revenue.
Currently, Dave provides executive coaching and advises a technology company in which he is an investor. He is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Sales Community Organization. Dedicated to giving back, Dave has supported several charitable organizations, including the CT Challenge Cancer Center, Hands on Hartford, the Mikey’s Way Foundation, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Dave and his wife, Lisa, split their time between Connecticut and Florida. They have three grown children—DJ, Tim, and Zach—and enjoy traveling to explore new cultures and history and spending time on the golf course.
Dr. Peter Ferrara is a graduate of Fairfield University and Georgetown University School of Dentistry. He practiced dentistry in Westport, Connecticut, for 35 years and has spent the last nine years practicing in Shelton. He is also a member of the dental staff at Southwest Community Healthcare.
Dedicated to community service, Dr. Ferrara volunteered at the Norwalk Hospital Dental Clinic for 12 years, served as a mentor in Norwalk Schools, and was a member of the Westport Rotary Club for 30 years, where he also served as President.
Dr. Ferrera is married to Chris and resides in Fairfield. Together, they have four daughters and four grandchildren. Dr. Ferrera enjoys golf, painting, and spending time with his family. He currently serves as the Dental Consultant at Hall Neighborhood House, where he played a key role in developing the dental clinic, a resource he believes is essential for the Bridgeport community.
Chief Roderick Porter has over 36 years of law enforcement experience, with 30 years dedicated to the Bridgeport Police Department, where he has served as Chief of Police since December 2022. He is also an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies at Post University.
A Bridgeport resident since 1989, Chief Porter lives in the Upper East Side neighborhood with his wife, Mrs. Nicole Porter. Together, they have one adult son. Chief Porter has actively contributed to the community, volunteering with the Police Athletic League, North End Little League, and Boy Scouts of America Troop 103.
Chief Porter holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Springfield College and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy at Quantico, Police Executive Research Forum at Harvard University, Sacred Heart University Command Institute, and Tunxis Community College Police Leadership Institute. His master’s research focused on urban youth violence, highlighting the impact of education, environment, and trauma. He is also pursuing a Doctorate in Human Service and Leadership at Capella University.
Throughout his career, Chief Porter has emphasized community engagement, transparency, and accountability. As leader of the Community Services Division, he was instrumental in initiatives like the Safe Schools Corridor Program, which contributed to an 84% reduction in school-based arrests.
Chief Porter remains committed to serving Bridgeport with integrity and dedication.
