Our Board of Directors
John Maziarz, President
A resident of Milford, John Maziarz is now retired from his position as Vice President of Yankee Gas/Energy and Utilities. Maziarz has also volunteered for more than 20 years for Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, where he teaches classes in work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy skills to youth.
A resident of Milford, John Maziarz is now retired from his position as Vice President of Yankee Gas/Energy and Utilities. Maziarz has also volunteered for more than 20 years for Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, where he teaches classes in work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy skills to youth.
Cheryl Zeiner, Secretary
Cheryl Zeiner serves on the Executive Committee of the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood (CSS/CON). Zeiner earned her master’s degree in Library & Information Science, Special Education, and Teaching from Southern Connecticut State University. She has worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and a receptionist for the Salvation Army and Central Baptist Church. She is a resident of Armsmear, a community for senior women in the former Colt Mansion, an historic landmark in the heart of Hartford.
Cheryl Zeiner serves on the Executive Committee of the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood (CSS/CON). Zeiner earned her master’s degree in Library & Information Science, Special Education, and Teaching from Southern Connecticut State University. She has worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and a receptionist for the Salvation Army and Central Baptist Church. She is a resident of Armsmear, a community for senior women in the former Colt Mansion, an historic landmark in the heart of Hartford.
Bernadine Silvers, Director
Bernadine Silvers co-founded the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood (CSS/CON), which advocates for the interests of community residents, and which helped Sheldon Oak Central acquire and redevelop MLK Apartments, Twin Acres, and Sheldon Oak Cooperative. She led CSS/CON’s growth into one of the most effective of the city’s Neighborhood Revitalization Zones (NRZ’s), successfully pushing for the redevelopment of the Hartford Housing Authority’s Dutch Point project into a mixed-income community homeownership and rental community. CSS/CON also helped ensure that residents had a voice in the design of the Convention Center and were hired to work on the construction of the entire waterfront development. Silvers also founded Hartford 2000, the city-wide coalition of NRZ’s. She has served on the boards of many organizations, including Riverfront Recapture, the MetroHartford Alliance, the City’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and Sheldon Oak Central, and she is a Director of the Hartford Redevelopment Agency. She still resides in her apartment at Sheldon Oak.
Bernadine Silvers co-founded the Coalition to Strengthen the Sheldon/Charter Oak Neighborhood (CSS/CON), which advocates for the interests of community residents, and which helped Sheldon Oak Central acquire and redevelop MLK Apartments, Twin Acres, and Sheldon Oak Cooperative. She led CSS/CON’s growth into one of the most effective of the city’s Neighborhood Revitalization Zones (NRZ’s), successfully pushing for the redevelopment of the Hartford Housing Authority’s Dutch Point project into a mixed-income community homeownership and rental community. CSS/CON also helped ensure that residents had a voice in the design of the Convention Center and were hired to work on the construction of the entire waterfront development. Silvers also founded Hartford 2000, the city-wide coalition of NRZ’s. She has served on the boards of many organizations, including Riverfront Recapture, the MetroHartford Alliance, the City’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and Sheldon Oak Central, and she is a Director of the Hartford Redevelopment Agency. She still resides in her apartment at Sheldon Oak.
Marta Leal Osorio, Director
Marta Leal Osorio is a case worker with the Village for Family & Children. Osorio earned her MSW from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. She also served for many years as a volunteer counselor with the YWCA, where she received the Volunteer of the Year Award. Osorio lives in West Hartford. She is bilingual, with fluency in English and Spanish and proficiency in French.
Marta Leal Osorio is a case worker with the Village for Family & Children. Osorio earned her MSW from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. She also served for many years as a volunteer counselor with the YWCA, where she received the Volunteer of the Year Award. Osorio lives in West Hartford. She is bilingual, with fluency in English and Spanish and proficiency in French.
Walter Ricci, Director
A retired civil engineer, Walter Ricci brings knowledge and expertise in architecture and engineering to his role on the Sheldon Oak board. He lives in Rocky Hill.
A retired civil engineer, Walter Ricci brings knowledge and expertise in architecture and engineering to his role on the Sheldon Oak board. He lives in Rocky Hill.
James Jeter, Director
James Jeter is a New Haven native who spent 20 years incarcerated at Cheshire Correctional Institution, where he completed 20 credited college courses with Wesleyan’s Center for Prison Education. A former Tow Foundation Fellow with the Yale Prison Education Initiative, Jeter is currently enrolled at Trinity College. He is on staff at the Yale Center for Public Service and Social Justice and is the co-director of the Full Citizen’s Coalition to Unlock the Vote. He is also co-producer of The Frontlines documentary series. He resides in one of Sheldon Oak’s properties in Hartford.
James Jeter is a New Haven native who spent 20 years incarcerated at Cheshire Correctional Institution, where he completed 20 credited college courses with Wesleyan’s Center for Prison Education. A former Tow Foundation Fellow with the Yale Prison Education Initiative, Jeter is currently enrolled at Trinity College. He is on staff at the Yale Center for Public Service and Social Justice and is the co-director of the Full Citizen’s Coalition to Unlock the Vote. He is also co-producer of The Frontlines documentary series. He resides in one of Sheldon Oak’s properties in Hartford.
Jeremy Baver, Director
Jeremy Baver is an attorney specializing in real estate law. He earned his J.D. from Western New England University School of Law. Baver is also the Executive Director of Hartford 2000. In addition to serving on Sheldon Oak’s board, he has also served on several other boards and committees, including the Southwest/Behind the Rocks NRZ, Hartford Public Access Television, and the Charter Revision Commission. He is a Hartford resident.
Jeremy Baver is an attorney specializing in real estate law. He earned his J.D. from Western New England University School of Law. Baver is also the Executive Director of Hartford 2000. In addition to serving on Sheldon Oak’s board, he has also served on several other boards and committees, including the Southwest/Behind the Rocks NRZ, Hartford Public Access Television, and the Charter Revision Commission. He is a Hartford resident.
Jo Hawke, Director
Jo Hawke joined SOC’s board after completing Leadership Greater Hartford’s Quest and Leaders on Board programs. A graduate of Ohio State University, Hawke works as Lead Researcher with the Governor’s Prevention Partnership. She also serves on the West Hartford Prevention Partnership and the Children’s Behavioral Health Advisory Committee. She lives in West Hartford.
Jo Hawke joined SOC’s board after completing Leadership Greater Hartford’s Quest and Leaders on Board programs. A graduate of Ohio State University, Hawke works as Lead Researcher with the Governor’s Prevention Partnership. She also serves on the West Hartford Prevention Partnership and the Children’s Behavioral Health Advisory Committee. She lives in West Hartford.
