Our Professional Advisor Partners

Established in 1993, the Professional Advisory Committee provides valuable feedback to Hartford Foundation staff on philanthropic strategies, communications efforts, and community reactions and attitudes. The committee also advises the Foundation on trends, and opportunities to engage individuals and families in the region’s charitable community.

The current chair, Danielle Ferrucci, is a partner with Shipman & Goodwin LLP and practices law in the areas of estate planning, estate settlement and trust administration.  She assists clients with the full range of planning techniques for tax-effective intergenerational and charitable transfers.  Danielle also actively administers trusts and advises trustees  and  represents clients in contested matters in Connecticut's probate courts.  In addition, Danielle is an Adjunct Professor at the Western New England College School of Law, LL.M. Program teaching Estate Planning and Elder Law.  Danielle has been a member of the Foundation’s professional advisory committee since 2010.

• Danielle P. Ferrucci, Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Chair
• Morris W. Banks, Pullman & Comley LLP
• Christel Ford Berry, Ford Berry Associates
• Alfred R. Casella, Murtha Cullina LLP
• Daniel P. Casper, US Trust, Bank of America
• William H. Connelly, retired, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
• Christopher S. Drew, Drew & Mersereau, P.C.
• Nancy B. Fellinger, Coburn & Meredith, Inc.
• Lisa M. Gilmore, First Niagra Private Client Services
• Douglas E. Kerr, Kerr & Company
• Benjamin D. Kille, Private Capital Group, LLC
• Kevin C. Leahy, Connecticut Wealth Management, LLC
• Michele D. Loughlin, BlumShapiro
• Stuart E. Magdefrau, Magdefrau, Renner & Ciaffaglione LLC
• Alan J. Nathan, Nathan Accounting Group
• Mark H. Neikrie, Andros, Floyd & Miller, P.C.
• Louise E. Pisarski, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
• Monique R. Polidoro, Rogin Nassau LLC
• Barbara J. Randolph, Edward Jones
• Heather J. Rhoades, Cummings & Lockwood LLC
• James G. Russell, Filomeno & Company, P.C.
• Barbara A. Taylor, Reid & Reige, P.C.
• Stephen P. Whittemore, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
• Jeffrey M. Winnick, Kahan, Kerensky & Capossela, LLP
• Maureen O. Zavatone, BNY Mellon Wealth Management

Seated (l-r): Maureen Zavatone, Barbara Taylor, Morris Banks, Christel Ford Berry, Monique Polidoro

Standing (l-r): Danielle Ferrucci (chair), Louise Pisarski, James Russell, Benjamin Kille, Douglas Kerr, Stephen Whittemore, Stuart Magdefrau, Christopher Drew, Alfred Casella, Daniel Casper, Mark Neikrie, Nancy Fellinger, Jeffrey Winnick

Not pictured:  Lisa Gilmore, Kevin Leahy, Michele Loughlin, Alan Nathan, Barbara Randolph, Heather Rhoades

Please let us know if your name should be added to this list.