CTLCV Education Fund Board of Directors
Amy Merli, Chair, is the founder of Trashion Fashion, an organization whose mission is to promote creative reuse in our society by challenging individuals to create wearable art with items diverted from the waste stream. Trashion Fashion has events and programs in Connecticut, New York City and Washington D.C.. Amy also leads creative workshops for youth and is guest speaker throughout the northeast on the topic of creative reuse. Amy has been a professional dancer since 2003, performing from the east to the west coast as well as in Madrid. In 2008 Amy competed her 200hr yoga instructor certification and has been teaching ever since. She is a graduate of the Integrative Institute for Nutrition, has competed Thai Massage training from Lotus Palm and has a background in personal training (ACE and NASM). Amy is frequently seen working on productions and a part of creative teams for fashion shows, dance performances, immersive theatre, fundraisers and festivals.
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Thomas J. Kehoe, Treasurer, was elected to two terms as Glastonbury’s State Representative (2006 and 2008), where he served on the Energy and Technology, Environment and Transportation Committees. As Vice Chair of Transportation, Tom initiated the Complete Streets Bill which requires the ConnDOT to allot funding to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists in the construction and improvement of road ways. In 2009, Tom was named an Environmental Champion by CTLCV for his advocacy for open space and farmland preservation and his leadership of the “Complete Streets” legislation.
A resident of Glastonbury since 1987, Tom has also been very involved with local land conservation issues. He is past president of the Glastonbury Land Heritage Coalition Inc that works to preserve open space and farmland. Tom is also on the Board of the Great Meadows Conservation Trust which owns hundreds of acres along the Connecticut River in the towns of Glastonbury, Wethersfield and Rocky Hill. An avid bicyclist, Tom was a founding member of Glastonbury Bikeways Inc., and led an effort to secure funding for a local multi-use trail. Tom is currently general counsel for a business unit of ALSTOM Power Inc, in Windsor CT. Prior to joining ALSTOM, Tom was general counsel for Electric Boat Corporation, Groton, CT. |
William A. Ruskin, Secretary, is a Member of the Epstein Becker & Green Firm in the Litigation, Real Estate, and Health Care and Life Sciences practices in the firm's New York office. For more than 25 years, William has represented chemical manufacturers nationally in matters involving the defense of products liability, toxic tort and environmental actions involving claims of serious injury and damage to persons and property. William has received the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell. William is a frequent speaker on products liability, toxic tort and litigation management issues and is the author of numerous published articles. He is also the author of EpsteinBeckerGreen's Toxic Tort Litigation Blog. He is a certified mediator for the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York and mediates disputes in that court on a pro bono basis. He is also on the Board of the New York League of Conservation Education Fund.
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Wildaliz Bermudez is a long time Hartford resident and community activist. She founded and chaired the City of Hartford's first Green Action Team from 2009-2013, promoting workplace environmental stewardship. While working for the City of Hartford's Mayor’s Office, she assisted in developing sustainable policies which led to a Hartford Clean Energy Task Force. She was a Co-Host for Univision Spanish T.V. “El Show de Analeh- Cafe con Luis segment”, where she educated Latino viewers on public policies.
Wildaliz has a Masters Degree in Environmental Science Education from the Universidad Metropolitana in Puerto Rico and a Bachelor's Degree from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Having served on the Board of the CT Landmarks Society from 2011-2013, she assisted with event/outreach promoting historical preservation. Wildaliz is committed to teaching and encouraging urban communities to shape and foster more environmentally sustainable practices as part of everyday city living. She is presently a member of the Hartford City Council. |