Who We Are

Ellen Andrews, PhD, Executive Director

Ms. Andrews has been Executive Director of the CT Health Policy Project from its inception eight years ago. The Project hosts policymaker briefings at the Capitol on timely topics, most recently on HSAs and Consumer Directed Health Plans with experts in the field, in collaboration with the Dept. of Insurance and the state Health Care Advocate. Her most recent publication, In Their Own Words, is. Her other work includes a monthly newsletter for health care consumers, publication of CT Health Notes, a bi-weekly listserv of timely health care issues in CT, numerous policymaker issue briefs, surveys of Connecticut health care policymakers assessing their use of health policy information and a qualitative study following the struggles of eight Connecticut families over the last year as a member lost HUSKY coverage. Dr. Andrews' experience includes positions as legislative staff on health policy, non-profit health care advocacy, prenatal educator at a community health center, and academic teaching and research. She coordinates a multi-state Health Policy Steering Committee for the Council of State Governments/Eastern Region Conference. She holds a PhD in Human Genetics from Yale University where she is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing.

Sherri Aquilino, Board of Directors

Judith Blei, MSW, JD, Board of Directors

Judy Blei has been a prominent health care lobbyist in Connecticut since 1989. Her clients include the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Alliance for a Healthy Connecticut, Connecticut's school based health centers, the MATCH Coalition, End Hunger Connecticut, the United Way, the Coalition of Social Work Organizations, Planned Parenthood, and Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services. Ms. Blei is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law, a member of the Connecticut bar, and holds a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of California at Berkley.

Monica Still, RN, BSN, Board of Directors

Monica is a novice to the arena of formal policy making but she brings with her a lifetime of experience as an informal activist. She started her nursing career in the Infants and Toddlers Unit of Yale New Haven Hospital in 1987. Since 1989, Monica has been a home care nurse in the Greater New Haven Area. She is currently employed as Co-Director of QI for VNS, Inc. of Southern Connecticut. She has never forgotten her roots as a primary care nurse, visiting patients in their homes and keeping them where they wish to be, at home. Through her professional life she became well acquainted with the health care system in the State of Connecticut. But, it is her personal life, which motivated her to want to change the health policy and the system in the state. Monica was born with Spina Bifida. Thought she was a patient often, she never had to work through the state Medicaid system and her health was excellent. In 2001, her world changed dramatically when she contracted necrotising faciitis. She became disabled, went on SSDI and became a HUSKY consumer. While she was struggling with her changing ability level, she also had to cope with the changing HUSKY system and the cuts made by the legislature. It was this experience that became a blessing in disguise. Not only did she heal and resume her life albeit as an amputee. It was this experience that motivated her to become an active voice for change. Her children remain on HUSKY as she works a varied schedule between full and part-time. Monica has a unique perspective in that she sees both sides of the equation. She has navigated the states health care system as both a patient and a professional. She now advocates for more then her patients and herself. She had become involved in forming health care policy, disability rights and is working with the Amputee Coalition of America. She currently resides on the shoreline with her two daughters.

Sally S. Cohen, PhD, RN, FAAN, Secretary, Board of Directors

Sally S. Cohen is an associate professor at Yale School of Nursing, where she directs the Center for Health Policy and Ethics. She is also the Director of the Program for the Study of Health Care Relationships, a statewide, interdisciplinary initiative, housed at Yale and in partnership with U Conn. The Program, funded by the Donaghue Medical Research Foundation, strives to elevate the discourse about relationship-centered care in practice, policy, and research arenas. Sally's scholarship focuses on the political development of nursing, the organizational and policy contexts of care, and the relationships between managed care organizations and nurse practitioners. She also has studied health and social policies for children and their families. Her most recent book, Championing Child Care, is a fascinating account of the politics of recent federal child care policies. Sally is a member of the American Academy of Nursing. She has a doctorate in public health and political science from Columbia University and a master's in nursing from Yale, specializing in pediatric primary care.

Joseph Courtney, JD, Board of Directors

Joe Courtney is serving his first term representing Connecticut’s Second Congressional District. Mr. Courtney serves on the Armed Services and Education and Labor Committees. He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives for seven years, serving as Co-Chair of both the Human Services and Public Health Committees. Mr. Courtney chaired the Blue Ribbon Commission on Universal Health Insurance from 1989 to 1991.

Deputy Commissioner Norma Gyle, RN, Board of Directors

Norma Gyle currently serves as Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. She Co-Chairs the Connecticut Women's Health Summit, is a member of the President's Council on Nursing at Yale University, and serves on the Connecticut Commission on Children. She was a member of Connecticut's House of Representatives from 1984 to 1998, serving as Ranking Member of the Public Health Committee. She was Vice-Chair of the National Conference of State Legislators' (NCSL) Health Committee and founding member of NCSL's Forum for State Health Policy Leadership. Her legislative initiatives include designated blood donations, needle exchange programs, managed care reform, and 48-hour maternity stays. She is a registered nurse with clinical experience in both hospital and home health primary care settings.

Senator Toni N. Harp, M Env Des, Chair, Board of Directors

Toni Harp is currently serving her fifth term as State Senator representing New Haven and West Haven, Connecticut. Senator Harp serves as co-chair of the Connecticut legislative Public Health Committee, Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Committee and chairs both the Health & Hospitals and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittees. She also chairs the Medicaid Managed Care Council. Senator Harp has been employed as the Homeless Service Director at the Hill Health Center for 13 years, a community health clinic in New Haven. She holds a Master degree in Environmental Design from Yale University.

Kevin P. Lembo, MPA, Vice-Chair, Board of Directors

Kevin Lembo leads the independent Office of the Healthcare Advocate for the State of Connecticut – advocating for patients and their families in their dealings with the health insurance industry and other aspects of the healthcare delivery system. Lembo was formerly an Assistant State Comptroller, and has worked for almost two decades on issues of healthcare access, financing, and the role of government in care delivery. He is a 2004 Toll Fellow of the Council of State Governments and has been honored for his leadership by the New York State Public Health Association. He is a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha honor society, and the American Society for Public Administration.

Representative Vickie Nardello, MS, Board of Directors

Vickie Orsini Nardello has served the Connecticut House of Representatives since 1994. She is Vice-Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee, serves on the Public Health Committee and Chairs the Public Health Subcommittee of the Medicaid Managed Care Council. She has been a champion of managed care reform and health care access issues. Representative Nardello has worked for 30 years as a public health dental hygienist. For the last 15 years she has provided dental care to Hartford public school student through school-based health centers. Representative Nardello holds a Masters degree in Health Education from Southern Connecticut State University.

Sarah Parker-McKernan, JD, Treasurer, Board of Directors

Sara Parker McKernan currently serves as the Legislative Liaison/Special Project Coordinator at the Legal Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut (LARCC). LARCC is a collaborative project of the state's four legal services programs and advocates legislatively and administratively for policies which benefit low-income people. Her focus is primarily in the areas of public benefits and housing. She also coordinates and staffs the Welfare Working Group, a group of 25 key advocates and lobbyists who meet regularly to strategize around low income issues.

She is the past Director of the Connecticut Anti-Hunger Coalition (CAHC), which helped to establish a strong network and movement around issues affecting food security policies in our state. Her interest in hunger issues has continued with her appointment to the Board of End Hunger CT!, which was established in 1999 to continue with the policy and advocacy work that was started through CAHC. Her work has also included being a staff mediator and case manager at a private arbitration and mediation firm, Senior Investigator for the Boston Fair Housing Commission and the Director of a Housing Mediation Center. Ms. Parker McKernan has a J.D. from Suffolk University in Boston, MA.

Connie M. Razza, Ph.D., Director of Programs

Connie Razza has been and policy and research analyst for the past 8 years. Most recently, she served as Senior Policy Analyst for the New York City Council's Policy and Investigations Division, where her portfolio included health policy. In that capacity, she developed a policy proposal for the most ambitious investment in primary health care in NYC in the past fifteen years. The proposal -- which provides funds (for both building and start-up costs) for the addition of 10 new or expanded primary care clinics throughout the City over five years -- was adopted in the 2007 budget. In addition, she developed and ran an extended and multifaceted campaign to ensure that all New Yorkers will have access to nutritious, affordable food.

Brian Roccapriore, MS, Senior Policy Fellow

Brian Roccapriore formerly served as Director of Programs for the CT Health Policy Project. He is now Executive Director of STRIVE New Haven, a nonprofit providing job training and support to ex-offenders in the New Haven area. Mr. Roccapriore holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology and a BS in Electronics Engineering.

Carla Taymans, MHA, Senior Policy Fellow

Carla Taymans was formerly the Director of Programs at the Connecticut Health Policy Project. Ms. Taymans has worked extensively with several community-based physician groups most recently as the business manager for a multi-site, 16-physician oncology and hematology practice. She consulted with the Hospital of Saint Raphael's MSO to develop and implement a Central Billing Office while attending Quinnipiac College where she earned a Masters Degree in health administration.