About Us
Our Mission
Empowering children, adults, families, and communities to realize their potential
Our Approach
Family Centers realizes this mission by offering a broad range of connected services. When children, adults or families come to Family Centers for one service, conversations often surface other needs or goals, and referrals can be made across our programs. As a result, they do not have to find new providers, repeat paperwork, or explain their situation multiple times. This approach makes it easier to access essential services, even as needs change over time.
Our Story
Founded in 1891, Family Centers has continually adapted in response to economic, social, and demographic change. Today, we serve more than 26,000 residents each year across Fairfield County and are guided by the same mission that has shaped our work for more than 130 years.
ABOUT US
The Family Centers Team
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Louis Josephson
CEO
Dennis Torres
Chief Health Officer
Leslie P. Sexer
Chief Program Officer
Jim Vivier
Chief Operating Officer
Shawn-Ann Mullen
Chief Financial Officer
Yenny Toone
Vice President
Board Officers
- Chair: Kate Clark
- Vice Chair: Nisha Hurst
- Vice Chair: Jen Hyde
- Treasurer: John Straus
- Asst. Treasurer: Mike McKeever
- Secretary: Meredith Pyne
- Asst. Secretary: Nicki Rose
- At-Large: Kevin Walsh
- Lifetime Trustee: Laurie Grauer
Board of Trustees
- David Ball
- Marge Berkley*
- Nancy Casserley*
- Monique Cunningham
- Jan Dilenschneider*
- Lauren Driscoll
- Sherry Fields
- Ashley Fox
- Carl Goodnow*
- Joli Gross
- Briana Hart
- Terry Kaufmann*
- Kim Kispert*
- Fernando Maddock*
- Arlene Mark*
- Sara Peters
- Ashley Reid
- Abigail Ritman
- Rachel Robison
- Claiborne Swanson-Frank
- David Tuttle
- David Van Dyke*
- Rob Vendig*
- Susan Yonce
* Directors
Leadership Council
- Ramin Ahmadi, Medical Director
- Carolina Ahumada, Director of Outreach Services
- Nicole Beckham, Community and Supportive Services Program Manager
- Brent Brower, Director of Facilities
- Andrea Byrne, Literacy Volunteers Program Manager
- Khoeut Chan, Systems Engineer
- Heather Dawson, Director of School Based Health Centers
- Joanne Derwallis, Director of Human Resources
- Francia Garcia, Director of Compliance
- Catherine Hogan, Director of Early Education
- John Midy, Family Centers Health Care Director
- Jessica Montgomery, Director of Career Readiness and Self-Sufficiency
- Margarita Munoz, Medical Director of Mental Health
- Andrea Payo, OEC-PAT Program Director
- Melissa Schreff, Senior Director of Quality, Compliance and Analytics
- Emily Segal, Director of Adolescent Behavioral Health
- Nataliya Tsoi, Director of Finance
- Jill Winner, Senior Director of Behavioral Health