Caprice Taylor Mendez (she/her/hers)
President, Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut

Caprice Taylor Mendez is currently the President of Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut aiming to build people power for Health Justice. Caprice has worked in the nonprofit sector for social and racial justice for over 30 years globally, nationally and locally. Born in Guatemala of a Black Guatemalan father and Ladino Guatemalan mother, she arrived in the mid 1970’s to New Haven, CT as an undocumented child. Caprice graduated from Boston College in Psychology focused on violence prevention, government and family systems; with a Master’s from Harvard in Administration, Social Policy and Planning. She has founded as a Board member or Executive Director three nonprofits and several programs serving the community for systemic change to address root causes of injustice. As a community organizer for racial justice for ten years, Caprice impacted key policy changes in education, economic development, affordable housing, and health equity while building local and national people power across diverse communities. Caprice has served as a consultant in the nonprofit sector, and for 6 years as a part-time professor at Gateway Community College in Peace Studies. Caprice currently hosts and co-produces a local bilingual radio show on La Voz Hispana de Connecticut through 103.5 FM called “Juntos Podemos/Together We Can” celebrating co-creators of a kinder and more just world.

Cesar Aleman (he/him/his)
Director, CT Urban Opportunity Collaborative (TCFGNH, FCCF, HFPG)

In his role, Cesar facilitates and coordinates the team of community foundation chief executives and senior level staff from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and Fairfield County’s Community Foundation to develop collective strategies to dismantle structural racism and advance social and economic mobility; aligning the strategic and programmatic efforts of the three foundations to create an actionable plan that builds on each organization’s individual strengths.

Toral Maher (she/her/hers)
Executive Director, Liberty Bank Foundation

Toral Maher brings over 15 years of experience in foundation leadership and administration, community engagement and volunteer program management to her role as executive director of Liberty Bank’s Foundation. She works closely with leaders across the organization to enhance Liberty’s impact on communities; align the work of the Foundation to pursue the Bank’s social responsibility objectives; advance diversity, equity, and inclusion; and build new programs to bring Liberty Bank’s Be Community Kind brand to life. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy and The Fund for Greater Hartford, and as a corporator for Middlesex Health. She’s been recognized by Hartford Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty as an outstanding young professional. Toral earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Quinnipiac University and a master’s degree in education from the University of New Haven.

Will Ginsberg (he/him/his)
President and CEO, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

Will Ginsberg is President and CEO of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, a position he has held since 2000. Will has devoted his career to community philanthropy and community economic development, including as Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and as Chief of Staff in the U.S. Commerce Department in the Clinton Administration, as President of Science Park Development Corporation in New Haven in the early 1990s, and as Development Administrator for the City of New Haven, the equivalent of deputy mayor, in the late 1980s. Will is a graduate of Trinity College and Columbia Law School.