Pamela Days-Luketich

Vice President and Community Development Team Lead, Liberty Bank

Pamela Days-Luketich serves as Vice President and Community Development Team Lead at Liberty Bank, where she is responsible for developing strategic partnerships and programs that advance affordable housing, small business growth, and community development initiatives across Connecticut. In this role, she collaborates with community organizations, municipalities, and internal business lines to promote economic opportunity through grants, lending, and financial education—while ensuring alignment with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). With extensive experience in community outreach and financial inclusion, Pamela is recognized for her ability to design impactful education programs that support low- to moderate-income individuals and families. Before joining Liberty Bank, she held a long-standing leadership role at Chelsea Groton Bank, where she specialized in community engagement and program development. Deeply committed to civic engagement, Pamela serves on several nonprofit and community boards, helping to guide mission-driven work that strengthens local neighborhoods and expands access to economic opportunity. In addition to her professional work, Pamela is an adjunct faculty member at Eastern Connecticut State University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Assumption College and an MBA from the University of New Haven. Pamela resides in Mystic, Connecticut.

Melanie Hoben

Director of Workforce Development, AdvanceCT

Melanie brings more than 20 years of economic and business development experience to AdvanceCT, having served as the Director of Workforce Development at Goodwin University. She began working at the Governor’s Office and worked for the state government for 21 years. She has held leadership roles at the Connecticut Development Authority and was instrumental in effectuating passage of legislation regarding the Tax Incremental Finance program. In 2017 she joined Goodwin to utilize her statewide networks and help train the manufacturing incumbent workforce. Her job was to liaise with University Relations, the Grants Management team, external business and community partners on workforce development. In addition, she served as project manager of a $2M U.S. Department of Labor grant, which provided funding for manufacturers to upskill their incumbent workforce. She successfully led the charge in training 1,000 participants.She serves on the ManufactureCT Workforce Committee, and other workforce organizations throughout the state. These organizations provide excellent opportunities for women to expand their local network, build valuable business relationships and enjoy industry-related programming. Ms. Hoben received a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Goodwin University in 2021.

Andrew DiSilvestro

President, AmeriTech Contracting LLC

Andrew DiSilvestro is president/owner of AmeriTech Contracting, a federal general contracting firm. An Air Force veteran serving as senior enlisted leader for the 103d Civil Engineering Squadron, he fuses military precision with strategic vision to execute complex federal construction projects and build high-performing teams. Taking lead at AmeriTech in 2022, DiSilvestro increased total sales from under $1 million to over $125 million. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Eastern Connecticut State University and an EMBA from the University of New Haven.

Linda W. Ferraro

Founder and Principal, Valency Consulting Linda Ferraro is the Founder and Principal of Valency Consulting, where she partners with organizations to strengthen leadership capability, develop inclusive workplace cultures, and improve organizational effectiveness through strategic talent and leadership development initiatives. Her work focuses on leadership coaching, organizational development, and human resource strategy, helping businesses align people practices with measurable business outcomes. Throughout her career, Linda has worked with organizations across industries including defense contracting, manufacturing, healthcare, education, financial services, and government, partnering with major organizations such as Pfizer, Verizon, and General Dynamics/Electric Boat to design leadership development programs, build talent pipelines, and support large-scale organizational change initiatives that strengthen collaboration and performance. In addition to her consulting work, Linda is committed to developing future business leaders through her role as an adjunct professor teaching organizational development and leadership courses, and she is actively involved in nonprofit and community initiatives focused on inclusion and social impact. Linda holds an MBA in Organizational Communications from SUNY Binghamton and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Humanities from Le Moyne College, and she is a SHRM-Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Mary Fitzgerald

President, Acme Wire Products Mary Fitzgerald is the President of Acme Wire Products in Mystic, CT. Acme Wire Products specializes in custom formed and welded wire component parts for a variety of industrial applications such as baskets, racks, frames, handles, guards, and CNC wireforms. She participates in and/or serves on the boards of various organizations such as the Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance, Women in Manufacturing, the Precision Metalforming Association, and the Noank Community Support Services. Mary coordinated the EAMA Video Challenge which paired high school students with local manufacturing companies to expand manufacturing career awareness and develop partnerships between educational and business entities. She has an English degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA and an MBA in Marketing from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

Thayne Hutchins Jr.

Treasurer, Tribal Counsel, Mohegan Tribe Thayne D. Hutchins, Jr. has served on the Mohegan Tribal Council since 2007. He assumed his role as Treasurer after six years in the finance department of the Mohegan Tribe. As a staff accountant, Hutchins’ business skills were employed in a variety of responsibilities, including the analysis and monitoring of the Tribe’s many financial concerns. Hutchins graduated Magna Cum Laude from Eastern Connecticut State University, holding a B.A. in Economics with a concentration in accounting. He is a board member of SECTER (Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region), he serves on the Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment Audit Committee, and he is also on the Eastern Workforce Innovation Board (EWIB) where he serves as the Vice Chair. 

Joseph Lobe ('03)

VP, Deputy General Counsel, Mohegan As Vice President, Deputy General Counsel Joe provides legal support across the entire Mohegan organization including gaming properties in Connecticut, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada.  For over 20 years Joe has held various positions across multiple companies in the gaming industry.  Prior to becoming an attorney he held financial analysis and mergers and acquisitions roles. Lobe has a law degree (J.D.) from Western New England University School of Law and a B.S. in Accounting from Eastern Connecticut State University. Lobe also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the ECSU Foundation.

Melissa Meyers (’89)

Chief Executive Officer, Generations Family Health Center

Melissa Meyers is the Chief Executive Officer at Generations Family Health Center, Inc., a community health organization with multiple facilities across Eastern CT. She has worked at the organization for more than 28 years, and volunteers for or is on the Board of Directors of several local civic or non-profit organizations in the area. Melissa is an alumna of Eastern, having graduated in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She holds a master’s degree in Health Administration from A.T. Still University. Melissa has been a visiting lecturer at Eastern, teaching in the business administration program with a particular focus on healthcare law and ethics, and continues to collaborate with faculty and students on many different initiatives to further the advancement of the Business Department and ECSU as a whole.

 

Tim Restall

President, The Hartford Yard Goats

A veteran of Minor League Baseball with over 23 years of experience, Tim Restall serves as President of the Hartford Yard Goats. Tim started in Minor League Baseball working for the Single A West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers) of the Midwest League as the Food and Beverage Manager from 2000-2003. He also oversaw the food service operation at a half-mile racetrack called Berlin (MI) Raceway. Prior to joining the Yard Goats, Tim worked for the Double A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays). Tim was a founding member of the front office staff for the Fisher Cats during the 2004 Inaugural Season, serving as the Director of Food and Beverage at Gill Stadium. In 2005, Restall became the General Manager for Centerplate, a position he held through the 2007 season. In 2008, Restall became the Vice President of Business Operations for the Fisher Cats. Tim was a proud member of the 2009 Fisher Cats Front Office that was awarded the prestigious 2009 Double A Bob Freitas Award by Baseball America, recognizing the club for achieving long-term success in Minor League Baseball. Tim serves on the board of directors for the Southern and Western New England American Cancer Society, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, and YMCA of Greater Hartford. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the Miracle League of Connecticut, Board of Corporators on the IQuilt Plan, and RBI Committee for the Hartford RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities) program.

Brian Sullivan (’08) (Council Chair)

President, Emerald Consulting, LLC

Brian's passion for sustainable, efficient development and green job creation guides his vision for the future of real estate finance. He founded Emerald Consulting in 2016 after building and managing innovative multifamily housing, solar, and energy efficiency loan portfolios with one of Connecticut's largest Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI). He currently serves as an expert consultant to the US Department of Energy's Solar in Your Community program. ​Brian graduated summa cum laude from Eastern with majors in Mathematics and Mathematical Economics before earning his law degree from the University of Virginia. He is admitted to the Connecticut Bar.