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Announcing the 2024–26 Laura Johnson Leaders

The Women’s Advancement Initiative is proud to announce 19 women faculty and staff from across the University have been selected to participate in the 2024–26 cohort of the Laura Johnson Leaders Program. This dynamic two-year program began on Sept. 13.

Since 2008, there have been 163 program participants and more than 20% have gone on to advanced leadership roles. In its inclusion of faculty and staff together, this popular program succeeds in not only building leadership and professional development, but also in fostering greater community on campus. Continuing the legacy of Hartford College for Women (HCW), this program was named for Laura Johnson. Laura Johnson was the third dean and first president of Hartford College for Women who personified leadership and instilled confidence in the many students, faculty, and staff whose lives she touched. She spent more than 30 years at Hartford College for Women and established it as a place for “women who wanted to learn and teachers who loved to teach.”

Participants in the Laura Johnson Leaders program benefit from an innovative leadership training program, networking, engagement in campus and personal development projects, and creative collaborations. Participation is free thanks to the generosity of The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s donors, a community of women and men who believe that advancing women’s potential is a personal and collective priority. These donors include faculty, staff, and students who have benefited from one of The Women’s Advancement Initiative’s programs, including many Laura Johnson alumnae.

2024–26 Laura Johnson Leaders

Tanya Bethea, Enrollment Management Analyst, Office of Admission and Financial Aid

Tarra Cemborski, Adjunct Faculty, Psychology, A&S

Bharati “Bobbie” Shah Chakraborty, Adjunct Faculty, Psychology, A&S

Bilqis Chasmawala, ESL Instructor, English Language Institute

Tamyra Farrell, Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Office of Development and Alumni Affairs

Jacqueline Lubin, Assistant Professor, Special Education, ENHP

Sarah Miner, Applied Assistant Professor of Communication, A&S

Lindi Mitsou, Clinical/Applied Assistant Professor of Prosthetics & Orthotics, ENHP

Kelsey Nestel, International Pathway Program Director, International Center

Theresa Pilch, Budget and Office Service Administrator, Office of Marketing and Communication

Gwen Pond, Electronic Resources Coordinator, Libraries

Barbara Sanchez, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, ENHP

Natasha Segool, Associate Professor in School Psychology, Co-Chair, Department of Psychology, A&S

Sheetal Sood, Associate Dean for Assessment, Faculty Development & Special Projects; Director of Online Education Graduate Programs; Associate Professor of Special Education, ENHP

Maggie Spear, Director of Admissions, The Hartt School

Lauren St. Pierre, Student Success & Research Librarian, Harrison Libraries

Cindy Thomas-Charles, Assistant Professor of Biology, A&S

Valerie Whynall, Nursing Skills Lab and Simulation Coordinator, ENHP

Linda Yamamoto, Assistant Professor and Program Director of Exercise Science, ENHP