Our Staff

Jim Horan

Executive Director
Jim has served as Executive Director of CAHS since 2001. CAHS has refocused its advocacy, research, and outreach under the umbrella of "family economic success" during Jim's tenure, while continuing its long-time commitment to improving early care and education, health, and access to nutrition and other basic needs. Through Jim's leadership, CAHS has bolstered its advocacy efforts at the State Capitol and increasingly in Washington, built strong coalitions among advocates and providers, and fostered best practices that move low-income children and families toward economic self-sufficiency.

Before coming to CAHS, Jim was Chief Administrative Officer, Executive Assistant to the mayor, and lobbyist for the City of New Haven. After receiving Juris Doctor and Master of Planning degrees from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University, he worked as an attorney at Robinson & Cole in Hartford and as the Associate Director of the Connecticut Housing Coalition.

Karen Adamson

Development Coordinator
Karen Adamson joined CAHS as the Development Coordinator in October of 2012. She is responsible for overseeing CAHS funding development, including managing grants, gifts and donations, and seeking new funding sources. Prior to joining CAHS, she was the Development Coordinator for the Rockville Public Library... In 2010, she retired from a 31 year career in public education, having been a high school band director, music teacher, department leader, assistant principal and principal. She is excited about her new “encore” career in the nonprofit sector. She has a BS and MA in music education from the University of Connecticut and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in educational leadership. She is also a graduate of Encore Hartford, a program that prepares professionals from the corporate and public sectors for second careers in nonprofit management.

Brian Berry

Business Manager
Brian came to CAHS in 2009 as Business Manager. He oversees the day-to-day business, financial, and accounting operations of CAHS. Brian has 10 years of experience in the nonprofit field, including working at Bethphage (now MOSAIC) and MARC: Community Resources. Brian has his associate’s degree in Accounting from Middlesex Community College.





Jalmar De Dios

Special Initiatives Manager
Jalmar joined CAHS in 2011 as the Community Engagement Coordinator for Opportunities Hartford. Jalmar is working closely with members of the community and community agencies to bring the voice of residents into the Opportunities Hartford conversation. He provides support to the Opportunities Work Group (OWG) in convening large and small working groups of the Community Steering Committee (CSC). Jalmar has a background in community organizing and financial planning. He is in the final stage of completing his Masters of Global Management from SIT Graduate Institute and holds a B.A. from Penn State University. Jalmar recently returned to Connecticut after spending a year living in the Sultanate of Oman doing Arab Gulf economic development research.

Jillian Gilchrest

Early Care and Education Analyst
Jillian joined CAHS in 2011 as the new Early Care & Education Policy Analyst. Prior to CAHS, Jillian worked as a Child Advocate at a Sexual Assault Crisis Center and as the Committee Clerk to the State’s Appropriations Committee and Legislative Aide for then-Committee co-chair, Denise Merrill. Jillian received a Masters degree in Social Work with a focus in Policy Practice from the University of Connecticut in 2008 and most recently worked as the Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut. She is active in a number of organizations, including the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women’s Young Women’s Leadership Program, the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Park Street Playhouse in West Hartford. Jillian is excited to be a part of the CAHS team and to be working on ECE issues in the state of Connecticut.



Sheryl Horowitz

Community Research and Evaluation Director
Sheryl came to CAHS in 2010 with the goal of implementing Results Based Accountability evaluation within the family of programs administered and operated by CAHS. Sheryl has a background in anthropology and has worked in community based organizations and non-profits doing research and evaluation on programs to improve the health and quality of life of low income and marginalized populations. Most recently, Sheryl has worked with the Institute for Medical Quality in California to assess an educational mandate to train physicians to communicate effectively with patients from diverse backgrounds. Sheryl received her PhD in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has completed post-doctoral work at UC Berkeley in Demography and Stanford University in Population Ecology.

Robin Hudson

Executive Assistant
Robin has been with CAHS since 2008. She serves as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director. Previously, she worked in the corporate sector as an Account Executive for Mass Mutual Insurance Company. She currently serves as a Board Member for the Bridge Family Centers Inc., and as the leader of a Daisy Girl Scout Troop.





Jamal Jimerson

Program Coordinator
Jamal joined CAHS in 2012 as the Program Coordinator to manage the organization’s integrated service delivery and asset building programs. Jamal has worked for several nonprofit organizations supporting underserved communities and connecting them to education (public, private, charter, postsecondary, adult education), employment, and human services opportunities. Prior to CAHS, Jamal worked as the School Partnership Manager for College Summit CT where he managed relationships and program implementation with high school administrators, educators, and students in Bridgeport and New Haven. He also worked as the Life Skills Specialist for the Educational Training and Enrichment Center of Youth Continuum where he coordinated the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) partnership with New Haven’s Habitat for Humanity. Jamal has served diverse populations including at-risk youth, homeless teens, ex-offenders, and low-income families. He holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from the University of Bridgeport, an M.A. in Business Communications from Jones International University, and an M.S. in Human Services from Capella University.

Aleja Rosario

Outreach Advocate
Aleja came to CAHS in 2005, and works as the Outreach Advocate for the Greater Hartford, New Britain and Middletown area. She connects individuals, families, and seniors to SNAP (Food Stamp) and other services. Before working at CAHS, she coordinated a breast feeding program at the Hispanic Health Council for 13 years. Aleja is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Trinity College. She is currently working towards a master’s degree in Human Services from Central Connecticut State University.

Lucille Sclafani

VITA Coordinator
Lucille Vaughan Sclafani is the VITA Coordinator at CAHS, she took this position in 2012. As (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) VITA Coordinator, Lucille is responsible for the administrative and strategic operations of the VITA Campaign that is conducted New Haven, Greater Bridgeport/ Norwalk, Stamford, Danbury, Greater Waterbury, and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. The administrative duties include management of the federal IRS VITA grant, plan and implement the outreach program to effectively reach low-moderate income individuals and families, and integrate financial stability services at the free tax sites. She previously was the VITA Coordinator for 5 years at Co-opportunity, Inc. Prior to that Lucille worked at the Connecticut Association for Community Action as the statewide Section 8 Director. Lucille has a Master of Public Administration degree from University of Hartford.

Roger Senserrich

EarnBenefits Project Coordinator
Roger has been with CAHS since 2008 as the Outreach Advocate for SNAP (food stamps) in the Greater New Haven region. He also coordinates the EarnBenefits project, a program dedicated to streamlining the process of applying for public benefits. Before CAHS, Roger worked as an advocate and organizer for 1000 Friends of Connecticut, and in public relations as an Account Manager at Bauza & Associates. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, and a master’s degree in Social Studies from the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid.

Calvin Ware

Information Technology Administrator
Calvin Ware has been the Information Technology Administrator at CAHS since June 2010. He oversees the organization’s technology needs, including hardware and software maintenance, website, database development and maintenance, and staff training. Calvin previously was the IT Manager for AIDS Project Hartford and Information Specialist for the Hartford Board of Education.





Nancy Woodward

Bank On Associate
Nancy joined CAHS in 2012 as a Bank On Associate. Prior to CAHS, Nancy was a Donor Services Officer at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, overseeing the Scholarship Grants Program and working with donors. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Regis College in Communications and Spanish and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Boston College.