Meet our Consultants
Keith Chapman
Began his career as Groundskeeper in Newington; retired as Town Manager 30 years later.
Experience/Education
- Served the Towns of Newington, Windsor, Manchester, Hartford, and New London on a full time basis over a span of 40 years
- Assistant Highway Superintendent / Highway Superintendent / Fleet Manager / Solid Waste Manager
- Served as AFSCME Local President
- Attended Central Connecticut State College
Strengths/Accomplishments:
- Appointed by Governor to serve as management arbitrator with the State’s Labor Board of Mediation/Arbitration
Focus Areas:
- Public Works operations
- Training & mentoring employees
- Interim assignments as Manager/Director
- Problem solving
- Operational audits
Bob Meyers
Public and private sector operational evaluation and implementation consulting services for traditional and special circumstances for a wide variety of scenarios.
Experience/Education
- Interim Director of Public Works
- AVP commercial, retail and operational banking
- Masters in Finance, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Masters certification in Public Administration, UNH
Strengths/Accomplishments:
- Diversified background (public and private sectors) in business operations, policy, procedures, best practices and troubleshooting
- Ability to drill down and offer creative solutions to complex issues and challenges
- Evaluated City of Hartford’s Public Works Department - Final report nicknamed “The Myers Report” by NBC 30 and the Hartford Courant
- Evaluated Town of Portsmouth RI’s Public Works Department offering best practice recommendations for higher efficiency, effectiveness, stakeholder satisfaction and budget adherences
Focus Areas:
- Evaluation of single or multi-department operational programs, processes and procedures
- Fill interim positions in wide variety of capacities and responsibilities
- Problem solver with best practices implementation
- Available for teaching, coaching, counseling and/or mentoring to individuals or groups on leadership and management
Nick Fischer
Professional educator working in public education for 47 years.
Experience/Education:
- High school teacher
- Elementary principal
- Director of human resources
- Associate superintendent for instruction
- Associate commissioner for finance and accountability
- School Superintendent
- Masters and doctoral degrees, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Strengths/Accomplishments:
- Extensive experience throughout the US: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida, Iowa, Delaware, Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut
- Experience at all educational levels, including school, district, state and national levels in urban and suburban schools as a teacher and administrator
- Research Associate for the National Institute of Education
Focus Areas:
- District and School Improvement (Improving Student Achievement)
- State, District and School Finance
- Bond Referendums
- Parent and Community Involvement
Loretta Jay
Designed and implemented actionable, solution-focused approaches to improve operations and systems for communities for more than 25 years. A highly experienced, detail-oriented strategic planner, team builder and team player with advanced problem solving and analytical thinking, with proven success in grant writing and managing RFPs and projects.
Experience/Education:
- Connecticut Department of Children & Families: 12 years working in direct service, managing & training staff, overseeing and supporting DCF-funded community programs
- Serves on Fairfield’s school climate committee and its ethics commission
- Has held leadership roles for numerous local, state and national organizations
Strengths/Accomplishments:
- Founded and lead national non-profit (B Stigma-Free), forging national strategy for social change and establishing broad coalition of national stakeholders
- Strategic management, consulting and planning with US Food and Drug Administration
- Principal investigator and project manager for FDA-funded gluten in medicine research project
- Subject matter expert in mental health, children’s special needs, food restrictions & celiac disease, child abuse and neglect
Focus Areas:
- Research and needs assessments
- Program and policy development
- Evaluation and implementation plans
- Stakeholder engagement and awareness building
- Report writing and position paper development
Jasmine Alcantara
Experience during 20 years within integrated program and project management, acquisition and grant development, organizational analysis, and change management services.
Experience/Education:
- Conducted multiple internationally-based presentations on project, quality and earned value management
- Holds several active security clearances as well as certifications and licenses in project management, change management, Agile, and real estate
Strengths/Accomplishments:
- Developed and implemented strategic and operational solutions for the Federal Government (Department of Homeland Security), healthcare provider organizations, large payer groups (UnitedHealth Group, Cigna, Aetna) as well as financial services (ING) and pharmaceuticals (Pfizer)
- Winner of the 2010 DHS Science and Technology Under Secretary’s Award for Contractor’s Support
Five Focus Areas:
- Program and Project Management
- Strategic Planning and Communications
- Grant Acquisition and Grant Planning, Development and Execution
- Quality, Change, and Transition Management
- Organizational and Process Improvement and Performance Measurement