We are proud to be guided by a dedicated advisory board of business and community leaders who support the mission of Horizons SHU.
Deane F. Martire
Co-Chair
Deane Martire has over 30 years of experience in financial services, including roles at Goldman Sachs, Barclays, and GE Capital. He has focused on regulatory compliance, fixed income, and investment banking. Deane earned degrees from Notre Dame and Duke University and chaired the Welch College of Business & Technology Board of Visitors. He resides in Westport with his wife and two daughters.
Dr. Mel Horton
Co-Chair
Dr. Mel L. Horton serves as the Dean of the Isabelle Farrington College of Education and Human Development (FCEHD) at Sacred Heart University. In this role, she manages a significant budget, leads a team of 30+ full-time faculty, and oversees more than 20 programs across two campuses. Her leadership has been instrumental in driving the continued success and growth of the college. Before assuming the deanship, Dr. Horton spent 6 months as the interim dean and 5.5 years as the associate dean of the FCEHD, where she spearheaded new program development, accreditation efforts, and budget management. Prior to joining SHU, she held the role of associate dean at Central Connecticut State University for five years. Dr. Horton earned her Doctor of Education degree from the University of Virginia, specializing in adapted physical education with minors in research and instructional technology. Earlier in her career, she was a tenured associate professor at both The Sage Colleges and Winthrop University. Her expertise lies in assessment and accreditation, areas where she has built a strong reputation both within and beyond SHU. A respected Lead Site Visitor for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for over a decade, she conducted numerous reviews to ensure that educator preparation programs meet rigorous national standards. Additionally, Dr. Horton made impactful contributions as a national academy consultant for edTPA, delivering invited workshops across the U.S.
Mary Lou DeRosa, MBA
Vice Co-Chair
Mary Lou DeRosa retired after 25 years at Sacred Heart University, where she served as Vice Provost and Dean of University College. She also led SHUonline and the Stamford Graduate Center. A past board member of several nonprofits, she has volunteered with organizations including the Tommy Fund and CT NOIAW. Mary Lou earned her BA from the University of Dayton and her MBA from SHU.
James Moye
Treasurer
James Moye is Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, where he has worked since 1989 in Private Wealth Management. He serves on the Boards of The Catholic University of America and Wakeman Boys and Girls Club. A former trustee of Lauralton Hall, James is active in youth basketball. He lives in Fairfield with his wife, Jeanne.
Laurie Bellico
Laurie Bellico is a proud double SHU alumna and Alumni Award of Excellence recipient. She served as SHU’s Director of Alumni Relations & Special Events for over a decade, creating hallmark events like the Discovery Dinner. Now a top-producing Realtor in Naples, FL, Laurie was ranked among the top 200 agents in the state in 2022. She is also an active volunteer with numerous organizations supporting seniors and youth.
Mary-Ann Bunting
Mary Ann Bunting is a private wealth advisor with Ameriprise Financial and a member of Sacred Heart University’s Board of Trustees. She actively supports nonprofits including CT Challenge and the Daughters of the Holy Spirit. Mary Ann holds a master’s in education from Boston College. Her professional and volunteer work reflects a strong commitment to service and community leadership.
Eliza Chang
Eliza Chang has spent her career helping companies thoughtfully communicate through content. After graduating from The College of William & Mary, she spent a decade working in media — at The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and most recently, NBC — and now partners with organizations large and small on their own content marketing needs. She is active in her community, serving on the board of the Southport Congregational Preschool for the last five years, and volunteering at her church, her children’s schools, and various other local groups. She lives in Southport with her husband, Jake, and their three young children.
William Cody
Bill spent most of his career with The Progressive Corp. as its Chief Investment Officer, retiring in 2020. He graduated from SUNY at Buffalo with a degree in Chemical Engineering and from Columbia Business School. He formally Chaired the Board of Cristo Rey New York High School and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School. Bill and his wife, Laura, live in Wilton. They have three children and eight grandchildren.
John Cofini
John Cofini stands as a transformative figure in the construction insurance sector of New York, distinguished by his strategic foresight and over 30 years of experience in navigating the industry’s intricacies. As the Partner and Construction Insurance Practice Leader at Acrisure, John is celebrated for his mastery in formulating all-encompassing risk management solutions and pioneering insurance strategies, empowering contractors, developers, and property owners to significantly lower costs while bolstering their market leadership. His influence is acknowledged through his past leadership as chair of Big I New York and his current role on Sacred Heart University’s Board of Trustees. John’s appointment to the Horizon SHU Board reflects his dedication to driving community progression and spearheading innovative educational initiatives.
Sean Dowling
Sean M. Dowling, CFP®, EA is President of The Dowling Group Tax & Wealth Advisors, a Greenwich, Connecticut–based firm specializing in sophisticated income and estate tax planning within an integrated wealth advisory framework. He advises high-net-worth families and business owners, aligning tax strategy, investment oversight, and long-term planning to support financial independence, philanthropic goals, and multigenerational wealth. Sean has been quoted by MSNBC, Bankrate, and The Greenwich Time and is a frequent speaker on taxation and investment planning.
Bradford Evans
Member Emeritus
Bradford Evans is a Senior Advisor at Morgan Stanley, where he has held roles including Vice Chairman and Head of European Investment Banking. A longtime leader in mergers and acquisitions, he joined the firm in 1970. He is a graduate of Dartmouth and Columbia. Bradford lives in Southport with his wife, Barbara.
Thomas Graham
Tom Graham is President of a real estate investment firm and former Vice Chair of Realty Growth Investors. He has served on several boards, including Wakeman Boys and Girls Club and the Inner City Foundation for Charity and Education. A Georgetown alum and U.S. Army veteran, he lives in Southport with his wife. They have four children and six grandchildren.
John Lynch
John Lynch’s 40-year HR career culminated as Chief HR Officer at GE, overseeing over 300,000 employees worldwide. He began his career in the UK and joined GE Capital in 1991. Since retiring, he has advised numerous global organizations. John lives in Southport, CT, with his wife, Ellen.
Cheryl MacLachlan
Cheryl MacLachlan recently retired from Morgan Stanley, where she served as Executive Director and Private Wealth Advisor. She previously worked at U.S. Trust and was Associate Publisher at Esquire. Cheryl is a published author and multilingual advocate for literacy and mentorship programs. She lives in New York and New Haven with her husband, a Yale professor.
Gaga Murray
Gaga Murray is a jewelry designer and entrepreneur who founded her jewelry company in 2018. Her designs have gained international recognition and have been featured in leading publications including Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, L’Officiel, Town & Country, Marie Claire, and Glamour. While her brand initially developed a global customer base, Gaga is currently focused on expanding and strengthening its presence within the United States market. Born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and raised in Dubai, UAE, Gaga’s multicultural background has shaped her creative perspective and appreciation for global design. She later moved to Boston to pursue her undergraduate studies before relocating to Miami, where she lived for eight years with her husband while building her business and creative career. After welcoming their two sons, the family moved to Westport, Connecticut, when their children were ages two and one. In addition to her work as a designer and founder, Gaga is committed to community engagement. While living in Miami, she supported a local shelter serving single mothers and their children. Today, Gaga balances growing her brand with raising her two boys in Connecticut while contributing her perspective as an entrepreneur, creative professional, and globally minded community member.
Brenda Thickett
Brenda is the Chief Operating Officer of the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC), a nonprofit that supports women-owned small businesses in the state of Connecticut. Before WBDC, she worked at the Boston Consulting Group for over 20 years, managing and leading teams, while driving strategy from approach to implementation and impact.
Brenda has lived in Connecticut for over twenty years and in Fairfield for nine years. She has an undergraduate degree from Tufts University, and graduate degrees from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University. She currently serves on the boards of Horizons Sacred Heart University, the Pequot Library and New Canaan Mounted Troop. She also serves on the Webster Bank Connecticut Community Advisory Council.
Jen Tooker
Jen Tooker is a proven leader who has a unique combination of private-sector financial expertise and local government experience. Raised in Dallas, Jen graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Economics and International Studies. She built a successful 20+ year career in the global reinsurance industry at Gen Re, where she held senior roles in underwriting, marketing, and management in Chicago and London. Jen and her family moved to Westport CT in 2008 where she immediately began her career in public service, with roles on Westport’s Conservation Commission, Board of Education, and Board of Finance before being elected Second Selectwoman and later First Selectwoman. A dedicated community member, Jen has also been active in local nonprofits and education initiatives, with a particular focus on closing the achievement gap. Jen lives in Westport with her husband, Mo Tooker. They have 3 children, Jack, Riley and Nicole.
Harold J. Trischman
A graduate of McGill University, Harold earned his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry in 1983, and an MBA in international finance from New York University in 1993. Harold is a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley. He has remained committed to philanthropy. Harold is a member of the board of directors of Horizons Sacred Heart University and past Board Chair of LifeBridge Community Services in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He is also Board President of Friends of McGill University and past member of the McGill Regional Advisory Board. Harold resides in Fairfield, Connecticut, with his wife, Susan, and has two grown children, John and Hannah. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, golf, gardening and curling.
Amy Orenstein
For the last 20 years, Amy has been actively involved in the non-profit community in Fairfield County. Recent work includes founding Horizons Bridgeport and active roles at Social Impact Partners, including Board Treasurer. She has strong skills in strategy development, team building, project management, and financial modeling. Amy’s professional experience developed in management consulting; she has an MBA from New York University and a Bachelor of Science from Babson College. For 24 years, she has lived in Westport with her husband Ted and their four children.
Kenneth Weinstein
Ken Weinstein is president and chief executive officer of Newtown Savings Bank, a $1.8 billion mutual savings bank founded in 1855 and headquartered in Newtown, CT. He joined the Bank in 2011 following more than 20 years in a variety of senior roles at People’s United Bank in Bridgeport. Ken serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of the United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut, Vice Chairman of America’s Mutual Banks, and on the Boards of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Connecticut Community Bankers Association. He is also a trustee and chairman of the finance committee at Berkeley College and a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Committee on Recommendation of Candidates. He previously served on and chaired the Board of LifeBridge Community Services in Bridgeport. A resident of Easton, Ken is a graduate of Trumbull High School, Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School.
James White
James grew up on the south coast of the United Kingdom and moved to the United States in 2003 after graduating from the University of the West of England in Bristol. He began his career with Wolverine Trading on the floor of the American Stock Exchange in New York. He then spent 17 years at UBS, working across New York and Singapore, where he focused on institutional client coverage in foreign exchange markets. In 2025, James joined HSBC, continuing his work with institutional clients in the currency markets. James and Leahkay have lived in Fairfield since 2012, where they are raising their two sons, Mark and Harry. Outside of work, much of his time is spent driving the boys to sporting events, and whenever he gets the chance, he enjoys practicing and playing golf.
