Urban League Board Elects Officers and Adds Seven New Directors

The Urban League of Greater Hartford Board of Directors elected its Officers for the 2026-2027 Fiscal Year and added seven dynamic professionals to the governing body at its June 17^th Annual Meeting. The local affiliate of the National Urban League is beginning its 62^nd year of continuous service providing education, employment, housing, and health programs while fighting for social justice.

The 2026-2027 Officers of the Urban League of Greater Hartford are:

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·Chair (second year): Wes Alexander, J.D. – Vice President of Workforce Solutions, Travelers.

·Vice Chair (second year): Angelo Adams – Owner / Operator, Grip Hands.

·Treasurer (first year): Cathy Velez – Executive Vice President and Director of Retail Banking for Beacon Bank’s Springfield, Mass. and Hartford, Conn. region.

·Secretary (first year): Teshia Levy-Grant – Senior Managing Director, Inclusion and Belonging Officer, Webster Bank.

·President: David J. Hopkins – Chief Executive Officer, Urban League of Greater Hartford.

Seven (7) new At-Large Members were elected to the Urban League of Greater Hartford Board (see above):

·Barry Camara – Area Director of Operations, Starbucks Coffee Company.

·Zillah Matare Fluker, PhD. – Founder of activate|elevate, LLC powered by Martin Loyd, Inc., where she leads Higher Education, Leadership and Philanthropy Strategy.

·Princeton Jennings – Talent Acquisition Partner, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast.

·Dr. Dayeshell P. Muhammad–Chief Operating Officer, My People Community and Clinical Services.

·Bishop Maurice S. Porter – Founder and Pastor, IMPACT CHURCH in Hartford.

·Alex A. Toribio, J.D. – Head of Global Litigation and Government Investigations, Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.

·Cathy Velez (ULGH Treasurer) – Executive Vice President and Director of Retail Banking for Beacon Bank’s Springfield, Mass. and Hartford, Conn. region.

The new Directors join the existing roster of dedicated At-Large Members who are: Brenda Dinnald, Senior Project Manager, Aetna/CVS; Erika Goldstein, VP Field Operations, Asia Pacific, Otis Elevator Co.; Jeffrey F. Hines, M.D., Vice President of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, University of Connecticut and UConn Health; Pamela Hippolyte, Assistant Vice President, Affordable Mortgage Loan Officer, Dime Bank; Nicole Hughey, senior director of the Office of Colleague Opportunity & Engagement, Hartford HealthCare; Patrice Y. Wood, retired SVP, Senior Audit Director, Bank of America Corp. Global; and Luz Holmes-Padgett as the President of the Urban League of Greater Hartford Young Professionals (YPs) Auxiliary.

“This season is difficult as we say goodbye to Board members who have been critical to our progress and invaluable in affirming our mission,” says David Hopkins, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Urban League of Greater Hartford. “But we are excited to welcome new Directors whose experience, leadership, and vision will help us navigate the current climate of economic impact.”

In his second consecutive year as Chair, Wes Alexander will lead the group of 18 in planning for the annual Board Retreat in August where they will conduct orientation for the new members, set the governing agenda for the year, and finalize the 2027 budget.

Proceeds from the support of corporations, foundations, and individual donors help fund Urban League programs and operations. Donations are welcome and can be made at: www.ulgh.org/donate. Institutional Partners include Greater Hartford Gives Foundation, M&T Bank, Webster Bank, United Way, Comcast, Verizon, Beacon Bank, Lincoln Financial, Liberty Bank, OTIS Elevator, Robinson & Cole, LISC, Coca Cola, Stanley Black & Decker, Bank of America, Eversource, UCONN Heath, Hartford HealthCare, Barnes Group, Inc., Hartford Steam Boiler, Dalio, Audacy, and National Urban League.

The Urban League of Greater Hartford is a community-based, not-for-profit 501(c)(3), established in 1964 as the National Urban League’s 66^th affiliate. Its mission is to promote racial equity through economic empowerment programs in the areas of youth development, adult education, workforce development, housing, personal financial management, community health, and social justice, impacting more than 3,000 individuals and their families every year. For more information about the Urban League of Greater Hartford, visit www.ulgh.org or https://linktr.ee/ulgh64or call 860-527-0147. Follow us on social media @ulgh64.