Carol Walter has 25 years of experience in non-profit management and administration, program design and implementation, quality assurance, community planning, public policy, education and advocacy in the area of homelessness and housing. She has worked for organizations such as Columbus House in New Haven, Shelter for the Homeless in Stamford, CRT in Hartford and the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition. She is a graduate of Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio and, before returning to her home-state of Connecticut in 1987, worked as a journalist in New York City.

Carol joined the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness in 2006 as its third Executive Director and has since established herself and the organization as primary leaders in promoting research-driven solutions to homelessness in Connecticut and around the country.

Lisa has a history of working for economic justice and effective public programs. Lisa has considerable experience with complex health and social service delivery systems including Medicaid, managed care and long term care.  She is a co-founder of the Connecticut Women’s Health Campaign. Most recently Lisa was the Research and Policy Director for the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. She holds a Masters in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University. As Deputy Director, Lisa oversees CCEH's public policy and advocacy efforts, and leads the CCEH staff in areas such as communications, data analysis, research and field mobilization.

Mary Jane DeFilippo, CPA began working for CCEH in April 2000 as a Financial Consultant and has since been hired as the Financial Manager to the organization.  Mary Jane graduated from the University of Michigan and has worked in both the public and corporate sectors. She has significant experience in non-profit accounting and has worked with several Connecticut non-profit agencies providing financial support, budgeting, analysis and reporting.

Caroline DiPietro comes from a background with managerial experience in both the horticultural and restaurant industries as the assistant manager of Holly Farms of Avon and shift supervisor at the 99 Restaurant. She joined the CCEH team as a project assistant in February of 2009, managing the entry of 2009 Point in Time count data. She is currently assisting with Point in Time Count report release as well as event coordination for the Waterbury Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and other various projects. She has volunteered her time with The Boys and Girls Club of America and the Noah Wallace Elementary School Centennial Gardens.

Tracy worked at the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS), for nine years. Most recently, he served as the Program Director at CAHS. His responsibilities involved overseeing outreach staff, and improving access to programs that benefit people with low to moderate-incomes, including SNAP (formerly food stamps) and the Earned Income Tax Credit, reaching thousands of people across the state. Tracy holds a Masters degree in Social Science from Wesleyan University. As Manager of Community Impact Initiatives, Tracy will be working with Continua of Care and assisting with implementation of Ten Year Plans to End Homelessness around the state.

Edward J. Lazu joined CCEH in March 2010 as a Data Entry Specialist for the Point-In Time Count 2010.  Currently, as the Field Services Coordinator, he works with providers in implementing the Childcare Assistance Fund, a new rapid re-housing program and the various research projects including the Point in Time Count. Edward is  a fulltime student at Central Connecticut State University where he is majoring in Geography specialized in Urban Planning. Edward is a family oriented man and spends as much time as possible with his parents and siblings.

Jeanne D. Miner came to CCEH in February 2010 as a Data Entry Specialist/Point-in-Time Count Coordinator.  As a Research Coordinator, she now helps prepare most of the reports CCEH publishes. She retired from State service in July 2009 after many rewarding years at the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and the CT Department of Labor.  She loves her time with her husband, three children and two grandchildren.

Throughout the course of Sarah’s professional career she has been committed to uplifting disadvantaged communities and empowering individuals to advocate for their basic human rights. After graduating from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in Communications, Sarah worked as a family violence victim advocate at Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven and as a recovery and advocacy advisor working with individuals living with chronic mental illness at Fellowship Place, Inc.  She recently graduated with a Master of Social Work degree in Policy Practice with focused areas of study in both urban issues and international social work. In her graduate career, Sarah interned in the Office of Congressman Christopher Murphy, the Office of State Representative Toni Walker, and the Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work. In 2010, Sarah was elected to serve as the MSW Student Representative on the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Board of Directors. Sarah also serves on the Connecticut Chapter of the National Organization for Women Board of Directors and the University of Connecticut School of Social Work Alumni Board of Directors.  As a Project Coordinator on the Community Impact Team, Sarah works to further the implementation of plans to end homelessness in both New Haven and Norwalk. 

Chelsea Ross joined CCEH in October of 2011 as the Development Coordinator and a Project Coordinator on the Community Impact Initiatives Team. She comes from a background in social work and community organizing with a focus on mental health, housing, and economic justice. Her recent professional focus has been around strengthening the nonprofit sector, working in development and program evaluation, most recently as a consulting intern at the Alford Group. Chelsea graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Certificate in Public and Nonprofit Management.

Sorimar Vazquez is the assistant to the Executive Director. She joined the CCEH team in September 2007. She has extensive managerial, administrative and case management experience. She has worked for companies such as Travelers, Department of Transportation, American Airlines, Nielsen Media Research and has worked collectively with the Department of Social Services through managing the Rowe 77 Emergency Housing Assistance Program. She has also volunteered her services in various soup kitchens and nursing homes in the state of Florida. She resides in East Hartford with her 14 year old son Emanuel.

Sarah Zucker joined CCEH as Research and Communications Associate in May of 2008 as part of the CORE team, working with research, data, and information. She comes from the University of Connecticut 's School of Social Work research department, wherein her last professional focuses were devoted to national domestic violence service evaluation and educational grant assessment in the Hartford Public School system. During her first year at CCEH, Sarah's work surrounded the statewide coordination of the 2009 Point in Time Count, communications, and collaboration in research.

Throughout the course of Pam’s career she has served as an advocate for those who require unique support, including those with mental health concerns, individuals with special educational needs and families challenged by poverty.  In recent years, Pam has been involved as a member of the CT Birth to Three Focus Monitoring Team, a component of the Birth to Three Accountability and Monitoring system, and as a staff member with the State Mental Health Board in Southwestern Connecticut, coordinating projects to evaluate adult mental health services in CT, where she organized an extensive, broad review of programs serving the chronically homeless population in Fairfield County.   Pam has supported parents and children enrolled in New Haven, CT Head Start Programs through her work with the Gesell Institute of Child Development at Yale University, to improve the early educational outcomes for children and to empower the involvement of families in their children’s education.  Pam graduated from The George Washington University and studied Non Profit Management at the Fordham University Graduate School of Business.  She lives in Milford with her husband and their two sons, and has a personal interest in community volunteering where she participates in activities for organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Milford Prevention Council.  At CCEH, Pam is a Project Coordinator with the Community Impact Team, and works to implement plans to end homelessness in the Stamford region.

Kristen Granatek comes to CCEH with more than six years of management experience overseeing diverse programs, including most recently a program for runaway and homeless youth in Meriden.  Since 2008, Kristen has held various positions at the Women and Families Center, Meriden.

Before joining CCEH she was responsible for operations of Project R.E.A.C.H. and Shelter Services, including Street Outreach and Youth Shelter services. During her time there, she also managed WFC's Sexual Assault Crisis Services and Open DOHR programs.  Prior to joining WFC, Kristen served as a Program Manager at Gilead Community Services in Middletown, overseeing the operations of a group home and apartment program. 

Kristen has extensive experience providing direct services to various populations including teens and adults with mental illness, survivors of sexual violence and individuals with developmental disabilities. She has a Master's in Rehabilitation Counseling from Syracuse University and is a certified rehabilitation counselor.