Juan A. Figueroa
See Juan's biography page

Frances G. Padilla
Vice President for Program, Policy and Administration
fpadilla@universalhealthct.org

Frances G. Padilla provides strategic direction and leadership across all Foundation operations including its innovative grant making, policy and research strategies. Under Ms. Padilla’s direction, the Foundation’s research and policy initiatives led to the design of a historic health care reform policy that was enacted into law in 2009.

In addition to providing hands on and strategic leadership in her prior position, she was responsible for the organization’s daily administrative operations. Before joining the Foundation, Ms. Padilla owned and operated New Paradigms, a national consulting firm based in New Haven that specialized in organizational, development, program and policy evaluation, strategic planning and capacity building services. She served as president of New Paradigms for 10 years building a successful career in philanthropy, which spans a total of 30 years.

Ms. Padilla is the former Associate Director for Special Projects and Planning for the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven. She was also the Associate Director for Programs and is a founder of the Progreso Latino Fund there. Ms. Padilla, who began her philanthropic career as program officer for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, served two terms on the New Haven Board of Education and has served on board of The Hospital of Saint Raphael. She also serves on the board of the Center for Assessment and Policy Development, a national social policy think tank.

The New York City native is a graduate of Wesleyan University and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Janet Davenport
Vice President for Communications
jdavenport@universalhealthct.org

Janet Davenport, who serves as Vice President for Communications, is responsible for the development, execution and oversight of the Foundation’s communications strategies, including its branding, advocacy and web-based initiatives. Under her leadership, the Foundation’s multi-media efforts have garnered numerous national awards in the fields of public relations, advertising, public policy advocacy and philanthropy.

A veteran award-winning journalist, Ms. Davenport served as the Director of Communications at the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain prior to joining Universal Health Care Foundation. During her newspaper career of nearly 20 years, she held various reporting and editing positions, including as an editorial writer on the editorial board of The Hartford Courant. Ms. Davenport also served as an editorial page editor at the Springfield Newspapers in Massachusetts.

Her writing and contributions to the journalism profession have been recognized by Times-Mirror, The National Society of Professional Journalists, The National Society of Op-ed Editors and The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), among others. Her memberships include the Public Relations Society of America, the Communications Network and NABJ, the nation’s largest organization of journalists of color.

Linda Dahlmeyer
Director of Finance and Operations
ldahlmeyer@universalhealthct.org

Linda Dahlmeyer, CPA who serves as Director of Finance and Operations, is responsible for the day-to-day financial and operational matters of the Foundation.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Dahlmeyer served as Associate Director of Administration and Finance for Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency.  She also served as a Chief Financial Officer for Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center for Saint Francis Hospital and Controller for Rushford Center where she supported the merger with Mid-State Behavioral Health, both subsidiaries of Hartford Hospital.  Prior to moving to Connecticut in 2001, Ms. Dahlmeyer was the principal for a local CPA firm in Dallas, Texas for eleven years.

Kate Busch Gervais
Senior Development Officer
Kgervais@universalhealthct.org

Kate Busch Gervais, Senior Development Officer, guides the Foundation’s development and co-investment activities. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Gervais was principal of Strategic Management Consulting, a business strategy firm. She served as director of new philanthropic services for the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, where she managed the statewide launch of the Leave a Legacy program. She also worked as executive director of the Alliance of Resident Theaters/New York (A.R.T./New York), the trade and service organization for nonprofit professional theater in New York City.

Lynne Ide
Director of Advocacy
lide@universalhealthct.org

Lynne Ide who joined the Foundation in January 2006 as manager of the Foundation’s successful healthcare4every1 organizing initiative was named Director of Advocacy in January 2010.

She is responsible for the development, coordination and execution of the Foundation’s health care advocacy and organizing efforts. The Foundation’s healthcare4every1 grass-roots campaign galvanized a broad-based coalition that pushed for the passage of landmark health care reform legislation which was passed into law in 2009.

Prior to coming to the Foundation, Ms. Ide served as Associate Director of the Connecticut Housing Coalition, Director of the Legislative Electoral Action Program (LEAP), and Director of the Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG).  She has been involved in community organizing and issue advocacy in Connecticut since 1981.

Jill Zorn
Program Officer / Grants Management
jzorn@universalhealthct.org

Jill Zorn, Program Officer, brings a wealth of experience in health care to her position. Her past work experience includes serving as Assistant Vice President for Planning at Mount Sinai Hospital in Hartford, Support Services Administrator at Kaiser Permanente, and most recently as Chapter Programs Director for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Connecticut Chapter.

Lola Elliott-Hugh
Senior Aide to the President
lelliott-hugh@universalhealthct.org

Lola Elliot-Hugh was named Senior Aide to the President after serving as organizer for the Foundation‘s “Stand Up for Health Care” rally in May of 2007. Immediately prior, Ms. Elliott-Hugh was the Program Manager of the University of Connecticut‘s Urban and Community Studies program. She was one of the founding members of Foodshare, the Greater Hartford region‘s food bank and an organization working to end hunger. She also created and launched the AIDS Legal Network for Connecticut and served as Director of Social Services for The Salvation Army in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Kim Carrington
Accounting & Human Resource Assistant
kcarrington@universalhealthct.org

Kimberly Sessions
Communications and Media Specialist
ksessions@universalhealthct.org