Our Board

Lisa Breglio is an active member of one of our founding churches, First Church of Christ in Wethersfield.  She first became involved with Hartford's North End communities through “Project Concern,” a ministry that her Mom and Dad  took part in during the 1960s.  Lisa later became involved in the LIFE program in the 1990s with Vicki Huffman, who helped found the Noah After School program.  Lisa and husband Paul have been actively involved in the rehabilitation and maintenance of HCM's ministry headquarters on Vine Street through Paul's business, Crest Mechanical Services, which is also located in Hartford's North End.  Lisa is a part-time practicing dental hygienist and has a passion for helping children.  Lisa became a HCM board member in 2012.  She felt this position would help afford her more opportunities to share HCM's vision with her home church as well as members of her community.  Lisa and Joanna Kubiak have worked to build an outreach with mothers of the Noah program ("Mom's Time").  When asked what her favorite part about HCM is, Lisa eagerly tells people, "having the opportunity to engage the greater Hartford community in celebrating the commonality in Christ's love rather than the difference in ethnicity."

Tim Goodwin has significant experience working with non-profit organizations in Hartford. He is familiar with the hard work and perseverance that it takes to develop the infrastructure and support base of a small organization into something strong and tenable. He was the first Executive Director of Hartford Youth Scholars and Community Farm of Simsbury, two start-up organizations, which now have sustained success serving hundreds of Hartford youth and families. Tim’s work in the Hartford public school system as a Teacher, Dean, and Principal has given him great insight into developing young people into community leaders. While Tim was Principal at Weaver High School he oversaw significant test score improvement for students, as well as significant reductions in behavioral referrals and suspensions. He is well aware of the needs of the children, youth, and families with whom HCM partners. Most importantly, Tim is passionate about his faith and working under God to see lasting transformation take place in the city of Hartford.

Karen Green is an active member of one of our founding churches, Valley Community Baptist Church in Avon.  Her connection to HCM started back in 2004 when she started volunteering in the Noah After School program which was meeting at the Milner School and Simpson-Waverly School at that time.  Karen joined the board in 2012 and has worked professionally as a realtor for over 30 years.  When asked what her favorite part of HCM is she replied, "the kids and a desire to help them be successful."

Eliezer Mercado joined the board in August of 2014.  He is a District Sales Manager with Frito Lay, Inc., a division of PepsiCo where he has sales leadership responsibility for Frito Lay's Greater Hartford area generating over $3 million in annual revenue.  In addition to his work at Frito Lay, Eliezer is an ordained minister and currently an Associate Pastor at New Life Worship Center (in the North End) and helps lead the Faith-Based Initiative for the city of Hartford, CT.  When asked what his favorite part of HCM is, Eliezer replied, "I love the wholistic Christian approach HCM utilizes for the betterment of the community.  I also love how we are empowering our kids to become better individuals through our Noah After-School program by providing tutoring and mentorship.  In addition, we are building long lasting relationships with tomorrow's future teachers, doctors, pastors, city leaders, etc.  Overall, every program we have is a blessing to our youth as we help enrich their spiritual lives. 

Alpha Nicholson is one of our newest board members, having joined the board during the Fall of 2014.  He is the Curriculum & Program Specialist for the Hartford Adult Education Center, which operates under the auspices of the Hartford Public School system.  He received an undergraduate degree in public affairs from Princeton University and a graduate degree in legal studies from Yale University and is certified in the state of Connecticut as an adult educator (age 17 and up).  At the Hartford Adult Education Center, he assists (1) those who have dropped out of the comprehensive K-12 system in obtaining a high school completion credential, and (2) immigrants in our community in acquiring English language skills and citizenship.  When asked what his favorite part of HCM is, Alpha replied, "My favorite thing about HCM is the Noah After School program.  The focus on supporting our younger students in their after school activities is a critical success factor in the public school environment."

Bishop Victor Rush Managing Director of Administration, CT Housing Finance Authority, Pastor of Ebenezer Temple UHCA

Scott Wilhite began volunteering with Noah’s Sidewalk Sonday School ministry in Hartford’s North End in June 2003, along with his wife, Rebecca.  Partnering with its founders, he helped to incorporate the ministry and set it up as the public charity now known as Hartford City Mission (HCM), serving as the first Board President.  From 2004-2006, Scott served as the coordinator of the project to renovate the ministry’s donated home base location at 280 Vine Street in the North End, now known as “the Vine."  Knowing God’s leading for him to “go all in” serving with HCM, he and Rebecca sold their home and moved to the North End, around the corner from the Vine in 2006.  Scott has volunteered with most aspects of HCM over the years and currently volunteers as HCM’s Administrative Director two (2) days per week and also in the roles of President and Treasurer on the Board of Directors.  He loves the way he’s seen children and youth embrace living “God’s way” through HCM’s ministries and also how God challenges and matures the faith of HCM’s volunteers when they begin to build relationships with the children and families in our community.  Scott graduated from Sterling College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, & Management Information.  He has worked in information technology at Travelers Insurance and then Citi ever since.  Scott is an active member of one of HCM’s founding churches, Valley Community Baptist Church in Avon.

Todd Willard got his first taste of children's ministry in Hartford in 1995, when he served with a ministry called the LIFE program which worked in Charter Oak Terrace off of Flatbush Ave.  Todd also spent significant time in Hartford's North End working for the family business, New England Seed Co., which has been located in the old Fuller Brush Plant on North Main Street for over twenty (20) years.  His relationship with HCM started back in 2000 when he served as HCM's first summer intern.  He continued to volunteer with the tL program and Noah's Sidewalk Sonday School while home on college breaks from Gordon College where he studied Social Work as an undergraduate.  In 2003 Todd moved to California to study at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he received his Master of Divinity degree.  He moved back to Connecticut in 2007 to take a job at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, CT where he now serves as the Associate Minister.  Todd is a regular volunteer at our Noah After School-Antioch Site where he has often brought youth from his church to serve with him.  When asked what his favorite part of HCM is, Todd replied, "I love the wholistic approach that HCM applies to ministry.  You can see this in the after school program where we address the spiritual lives of the children as well as their educational development and life skills.  I love the way HCM is striving to partner with local churches with the goal of generating Kingdom growth in the city."  Todd has been on the HCM board since 2012.  He currently serves as the Vice President of HCM's Board.