Alissa Weathers is the Supplier Connection and Sustainability Manager at Xerox, where she leads initiatives to strengthen supplier diversity and promote sustainable business practices. She actively advocates for the inclusion of certified diverse suppliers who align with Xerox’s strategic goals and commitment to excellence.

With many years of experience in contracting and compliance, Alissa has a strong background in government contracting, having worked closely with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as industry partners and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Her expertise spans supplier engagement, regulatory compliance, and contract negotiation, all grounded in a deep commitment to ethical procurement practices.

Alissa currently serves as Membership Chair for the Department of Defense Mid-Atlantic Regional Council (MARC) and has previously contributed as a member of the Pipeline Committee for the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP). She has held multiple leadership roles across procurement organizations and is recognized for her collaborative approach and strategic insight.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Homeland Security from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Procurement and Contract Management from Old Dominion University.

Outside of work, Alissa enjoys traveling, discovering new restaurants, and dedicating her time to volunteering. She strives to bring sunshine to everyone she meets.

Eileen Candels is the Director of Partnerships at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT), where she leads outreach to Manufacturers and Trade Associations to connect with CCAT resources. Eileen joined CCAT in late 2020, leading CARES Act, Workforce, and Education programs for the CT Manufacturing ecosystem. Prior to CCAT Eileen had a 35-year career in the staffing industry, as Vice President of the Greater Hartford and Western MA area, and later as Director for New England with educational staffing. She is involved in several Education-Business partnerships around the State, Million Women Mentors – CT, Hunger Action service and lives with her family in Wethersfield. Eileen holds a BA from Tufts University.

Ishrat Nazmi brings a wealth of experience to her role as the Business Development Manager at CT APEX. Starting her journey as a Procurement Specialist, Ishrat quickly demonstrated her strategic acumen and dedication, which paved the way for her transition into business development.

With over a decade of experience in aerospace manufacturing, particularly with industry giants like Pratt & Whitney, she has honed her skills in procurement, project management, and supply chain optimization.

In her current role, Ishrat leverages her extensive background in strategic planning and stakeholder relationship building to drive growth and development for Connecticut businesses in the government contracting space.

Her expertise includes conducting market research, organizing educational workshops, and developing competitive proposals for government contracts. Ishrat is focused on strengthening the Defense Industrial Base and enhancing the CT Manufacturing Ecosystem.

Contact Ishrat: inazmi@ctapex.org

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Kate is a visionary and growth mindset coach with the ability to think strategically and operationally. She is a leader with proven success in strategic sales and business coaching.

She is the owner of Compass Coaching Group which offers business consulting services, team development programs and executive coaching.

As CEO of Keller Williams Legacy Partners, the largest Keller Williams Real Estate Franchise in Connecticut with 400 agents and 8 locations, she was responsible for the growth of the franchise and coaching of the top 20% of their agents which represents over $820,000,000 in real estate transactions in 2022. This franchise ranks in the top 200 nationally, top 5 in New England and recently ranked #1 in New England for growth.

In addition to her work in Real Estate, Kate worked in the insurance industry for over 25 years. She helped two independent agencies grow and prepare for sale to national firms.

Kate’s background includes working with leadership in manufacturing, nonprofit organizations, as well as entrepreneurs, and small business owners. She has volunteered and held positions on numerous boards including Advance Behavior Health, a state-wide managed care organization, and ManufactureCT. During her time on the Board, she led the team responsible for the major rebranding from NHMA to ManufactureCT.

Kate will tell you she is passionate about helping others see beyond the limitations they place on themselves and excel when they thought it was impossible.

Kate is a Professional Certified Coach, an Energy Leadership Index™ Master Practitioner, and a Results Roadmap™ certified practitioner.

Kate lives in West Hartford with her partner, has two children, two grandchildren and three dogs. She loves music, being at the beach, supporting local businesses and playing setback.

Martha Crawford is a Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO) for the Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems business area. She has supported the Sikorsky line of business since 2014. In this role she’s responsible for assisting in the management and administration of all aspects of the Comprehensive Small Business Subcontracting Plan, which is a DoD program established to assist in providing increased subcontracting opportunities for small businesses (SBs) which encompasses all types of SB categories, i.e., Small Disadvantaged SBs, Woman Owned SBs, etc.

She regularly provides and/or coordinates high level assistance to SBs regarding Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin subcontracting, quality requirements, payment terms and assistance with understanding and complying with contractual requirements. A critical component of her current role is regular participation in a variety of outreach events that provide SBs with opportunities to introduce their products and/or services as potential subcontractors to Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin.

Martha had previously spent more than seven years at Pitney Bowes as a Strategic Sourcing Manager. At Pitney Bowes, her ongoing responsibilities included supporting the supplier inclusion manager with proposal responses and at various outreach events. Prior to that, she spent over 15 years in various Procurement roles, in academe as well as private industry. Martha graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Marisol Herrera is a leader in government procurement and small business development, serving as State Director of the Connecticut APEX Accelerator (CT APEX). With a Master of Science in Management (MSM) and certification as a Certified Procurement Professional (CPP), she brings extensive experience in contract administration, compliance, and procurement strategy, helping businesses navigate government contracting.

Under her leadership, CT APEX has become a primary resource for businesses pursuing federal, state, and local contract opportunities. In 2024, her team helped Connecticut businesses secure over $503 million in government contracts—a 9% increase from the previous year—driving job creation and economic growth.

• Government contracting strategy & compliance
• Contract administration (federal, state, local)
• Proposal development & competitive positioning
• Industry partnerships & business expansion
• Market research & procurement innovation

Committed to success through a spirit of excellence and a dedicated work ethic, Marisol leads a team of six Procurement Specialists who provide one-on-one counseling, procurement training, and strategic market research to help businesses secure competitive contracts. She is dedicated to transparent, data-driven, and results-oriented procurement assistance that empowers Connecticut businesses in the government marketplace.

Paul S. Lavoie was appointed by Governor Ned Lamont as the Chief Manufacturing Officer for Connecticut in February 2022. The Chief Manufacturing Officer position was created to coordinate efforts from the state and private sector to expand manufacturing in Connecticut.

Paul has extensive industry experience, most recently as General Manager at Carey Manufacturing in Cromwell, CT. Carey is known for their reshoring efforts, bringing jobs back from China to Connecticut. Prior to Carey, Paul was vice president of sales, marketing and human resources at ETTER Engineering Company in Bristol. Prior to ETTER, Paul has owned two businesses and served at senior level positions at publicly traded and privately owned businesses.

Paul serves as the Board Chair of the Central CT Chambers of Commerce, member of the i4.0 Working Group, member of the Governors Workforce Council and a member of Senator Chris Murphy’s Aerospace and Advance Manufacturing Advisory Council. In 2022, Paul was named as one of the Greater Hartford’s Top 50 Power Players by Hartford Business Journal.

Ryan is responsible for managing CONNSTEP’s Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network (SCOIN) and the CONNEX grant program. In his role, he provides expanded services to Connecticut manufacturers by addressing supply chain challenges for small-to-medium sized companies and helping them identify domestic suppliers for their businesses. He also performs grant monitoring and ensures that outlined performance metrics and outcomes are met.

Ryan began as a college intern at CONNSTEP, where he created a Microsoft Access database in order to provide more visibility to the Connecticut manufacturing economy, allowing CONNSTEP to more accurately perform supplier scouting activities and map the Connecticut manufacturing supply chain. During his internship he impressed company leadership with his data analytical skills, leading to a full-time job offer while still in school.

Steven Semaya is the Director - CT Supplier Connection.

Val brings a wealth of experience to CTSBDC as a former commercial banker, entrepreneur, and Director for one of Connecticut’s largest non-medical home care companies. He has over 20 years of experience in the non-medical home care field as both an entrepreneur and a Director. The value he brings to Connecticut entrepreneurs is knowledge from first-hand experience what it takes to start a company from the startup phase and scale it step by step into a mature business. He earned a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University and has extensive experience in leadership development, process improvement, change management, performance management, operations management, employee engagement, and revenue growth strategies. As a former banker, Val understands what lenders are looking for when they are considering loans to a startup or small business entrepreneur.

Thomas J. Niglio earned his BS in Computer & Systems Engineering, and an MS in Organizational Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

TJ Niglio is a Vice President and the Chief Procurement Officer at Pitney Bowes. TJ has been with Pitney Bowes for over 20 years, moving through a series of assignments and responsibilities. The past 10 years have been in Procurement on the business side, overseeing all sourcing categories and Pitney Bowes’ supplier diversity initiatives. He was appointed CPO in April 2022 and has been integrally involved with their supply chain strategy as the corporation has evolved and endured pandemic-era supply chain issues. TJ lives in Milford, CT with his wife and daughter and will be setting the stage for a great morning of exploration. He will especially review the evolution of Pitney Bowes’ supply chain as they have responded to supplier, economic, organizational, and technological challenges and what they expect next.

TJ lives in Milford, CT with his wife and daughter.

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Everyday, Demetrius makes strides to be the change he wishes to see in the world. Being an active philanthropist is an important aspect of that mission. Demetrius is so passionate about helping others because he knows what it is like to overcome adversity and hardship. His vulnerability allows him to genuinely connect with people and inspire change in the lives of others. In his free time, he enjoys being a student of life through traveling the world and studying self-development podcasts.

TBA

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Sheila Sweeney Hummel is a National Development Council-certified economic development leader with more than 20 years of experience managing successful state programs that fuel business growth and job creation.

Recognized for establishing a new level of customer service in state government, Hummel connects people with resources and balances state interests with client needs. She leverages expertise in financial management, team leadership, and process improvements to increase access to state funding for all, including business owners from underserved populations

Hummel managed the very successful Small Business Express (EXP) program, which provided more than 2,000 loans and grants for a total of more than $300M disbursed. In its eight years, EXP connected small businesses with the financial support and technical assistance they needed to be successful.

Sheila has assumed Leadership of the following programs:

• · Small Business Development Center
• · CT Procurement Technical Assistance Program
• · University of Hartford, Entrepreneurial Center
• · Women’s Business Development Council
• · Business Industry Foundation of Middlesex County
• · Small Business CT Boost Program (2022)
• · Small Business Support Grant Program (2022)
• · Urban Act Grant Program
• · Small Town Economic Program (STEAP)
• · Black Business Alliance
• · Spanish American Merchants Association

Ron Angelo is CCAT’s President & Chief Executive Officer. He is formerly Principal of Great River Advisors and previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), where he administered business development programs totaling more than $3 billion that targeted retention and expansion of in-state businesses and recruitment of domestic and international companies, as well as state and federal programs focused on building strong neighborhoods and communities. Prior to DECD, he served as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Consumer Protection and Vice President for Fleet Financial Group/Bank of America. He has over 25 years of management experience in the public and private sector. He also has experience working with universities and institutions of higher education and with several successful not-for-profit organizations. He currently services on the Goodwin College Board of Trustees, UCONN’s School of Engineering Advisory Committee, MetroHartford Alliance Board of Directors and the Naval Maritime Consortium Advisory Board. He is a member of the Aerospace Component Manufacturers Development Team and served on Governor Lamont’s Job and Economic Growth Committee.

Hilary Kuhl is the Vice President of Sikorsky Global Supply Chain, focused on leadership, performance, management, compliance, and execution of all supply chain activities across the Sikorsky enterprise serving our military, commercial, and international customers. Partnering with her team, she drives strong collaboration across the portfolio to create and implement strategies leveraging the size and scope of our supply base while standardizing processes and driving innovative solutions to deliver to the mission, capture new business, grow current programs, and accelerate Lockheed Martin Sikorsky into the future.

Prior to her current role, Hilary worked in Space as the Special Programs Quality Director, delivering first class quality products at a competitive price and delivered high-performance systems and innovative concepts for critical applications. She was also the Director of Operations Excellence, responsible for driving short-term and long-term improvement strategies for processes and systems-thinking throughout Operations. Hilary led a team focused on continuous improvement and implementing Enterprise transformation while establishing a new operating model dedicated to delivering results and measuring cost take-out across the business.

Previously, Hilary was the Technical Assistance to the Executive Vice President of Space, where she served as a strategic advisor to the EVP and Space Executive Leadership Team and coordinated cross-enterprise integration activities.

With over 20 years of experience at Lockheed Martin and across multiple business areas, Hilary brings a breadth and depth of knowledge to the Operations organization. Hilary first joined Lockheed Martin as a Co-Op before joining the Operations Leadership Development Program (OLDP). After graduating from OLDP, Hilary spent the next several years working in Supply Chain, Product Cost Analysis, and international subcontracts for Rotary & Mission Systems (RMS), including leading subcontract program management (SPM) efforts on the corporate focus program Space Fence.

Hilary has a well-established background in Operations, with leadership roles in Supply Chain, Quality, Production, Operations, and Assembly, Test and Launch Operations (ATLO). She has enjoyed re-joining RMS in 2022 and supporting the Sikorsky line of business.

Hilary graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management and Finance and earned her Master of Science in Engineering Management from Drexel University. Hilary also graduated from the Program Management Development Talent Initiative (PMTI) and is an active OLDP graduate and mentor.

Andrew manages the newly established Clean Economy Program at the State of Connecticut’s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) and is responsible for spearheading the development of the renewable energy industry in the State - in particular, the offshore wind industry, with a focus on advancing Connecticut’s green economy supply chain, workforce, port assets and research and development.
Before joining DECD, Andrew managed business development and special projects at the Connecticut Port Authority, the state’s maritime economic development agency. Andrew previously served as director of special projects for a national nonprofit policy institute and leadership development organization headquartered in Washington, DC and prior to that he managed the flagship policyprogram for a DC-based nonprofit research center covering a wide range of issues, including defense, renewable energy, transportation, critical infrastructure, and resilience.

Saranda is the Director of Business Development at AdvanceCT, a nonprofit economic development organization that engages and recruits businesses to Connecticut. Saranda works to increase the regional and global competitiveness of the state, with a primary focus on renewable energy and offshore wind. Building on public and private sector partnerships, she manages new-to-market foreign direct investment opportunities seeking the best regional advantage for their next stage of growth.

With work focused on offshore wind energy in the US, the SCD role facilitates the interactions and exchange of information related to supply chain development between Ørsted’s internal sourcing teams and external vendors who would like to provide goods and services to the projects.

Mohawk Northeast Inc. a local Heavy Civil Construction firm located in Plantsville Connecticut. Mr. Schill has degrees in Civil Engineering, Ocean Engineering, and Marine Biology. He has over 35 years of experience in civil and marine construction, with a wide range of skill including many years as a commercial diver, a design engineer, and Project Manager for numerous large-scale civil projects. Mr. Schill is also very involved in the community, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Associated Builders and Contractors of Connecticut (CTABC), Naval & Maritime Consortium (NMC), Connecticut Construction Industries Association (CCIA), and various Town Agencies.

Primary Responsibilities
Bernice manages the CONNEX Connecticut Supply Chain Solution database, directing customer engagement efforts, including building relationships with manufacturers, suppliers, stakeholders as well as government entities. She also maintains the CONNEX Marketplace portal, designed to connect manufacturers to resources andexpertise across the state, provide supplier lists to Connecticut partners, and identifygaps in Connecticut’s manufacturing industry community.

Notable Performances
Bernice has over three decades of experience working for the Connecticut Department of Labor, where for the last several years she managed the Manufacturing Innovation Fund Incumbent Worker Training Program in collaboration with the CT Department of Economic and Community Development. She also has extensive background working with state manufacturers on marketing, business development, grant writing, contract management, and project coordination.

Achievements
Bernice has a Bachelor of Arts, Communications Sciences degree from the University of Connecticut. She also earned supervisory skills and project management certifications from Capital Community College.