Meet the Board of CARC

Yvonne Deal Chandler is the President and CEO of Better Quality Management Corporation, a newly formed property management corporation founded in Hartford in December 2008. Chandler is also the Executive Director of Horace Bushnell Management Resources, a non- profit property management company which was created by the Christian Activities Council 20 years ago to manage its properties, including Zezzo House, an 18 unit complex for persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Robert Freeman (Bob) has been employed by the APT Foundation for the past 21 years with his current role being the Director of Clinical Operations & Performance Improvement. He established two methadone maintenance programs with early funding through Ryan White specializing in individuals living with HIV/AIDS and is now working with other community leaders in New Haven implementing an overdose prevention program. Bob has strong interests in access, engagement, and retention of clients in treatment services. Bob is also active in the gay community in the City of New London. 

Kasey Harding is the Director of HIV Services and Programs at the Community Health Center. Previously, she worked at Tabor House, a CARC member agency in Hartford. Kasey supervises three large HIV programs in the state and in her personal life trains foster parents on the care of HIV positive children and adolescents.

Nancy Howell is a Transitional Housing Coordinator at Independence Northwest-Independent Living Center. INW is the Disability Rights Agency located in the northwest corner of our state. There, Nancy works in their HOPWA program. Her prior experience was Shelter Manager/Coordinator for Meriden Wallingford Chrysalis (Battered Women's Shelter) for thirteen years and in total has twenty years experience in the domestic violence field. She was involved in facilitating groups on HIV/AIDS education and prevention, domestic violence education and life skills education.

Jenn Kolakowski is a licensed clinical social worker and has been employed with Recovery Network of Programs (Formerly Regional Network of Programs, Inc.) for the past 16 years. She is currently the Director of Residential Services. Jen has many years experience in providing HIV/AIDS specific residential care and was instrumental in first bringing and implementing on-site HIV/AIDS services to Prospect House, a homeless shelter for adult men and women in Bridgeport.

Chelsea Turner is the Director of Government Affairs at the CT Lottery. She is the liaison to both state and federal policy makers on gaming issues affecting the CT Lottery. Prior to that, Chelsea worked as the Director of Policy & Legislative Affairs for Governor M. Jodi Rell, and as a Lobbyist for Betty Gallo & Co., where she was instrumental in supporting CARC’s legislative agenda. Chelsea has served as the Treasurer for Love Makes a Family PAC. She is a Boston Red Sox fan.