Executive Management
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Bill Rybczyk
President & Chief Executive Officer
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(203) 575-4202
Bill Rybcyzk is originally from Bristol, CT. His family later relocated to Torrington, where they still reside today. Bill graduated from Torrington High School, and went on to complete his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication at Eastern Connecticut State University. After graduating from ECSU, Bill began his involvement with non-profit service work by completing a 10-month term in the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corp (NCCC). Based out of its Denver campus, Bill participated in projects that included tutoring at-risk middle school students, developing a mentoring project at an alternative High School in southern Colorado, and rebuilding a state park impacted by a forest fire in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
In 1998, Bill commenced his career at New Opportunities, Inc., as the Assistant Director for a State AmeriCorps project which included recruiting 20 Corps members to work with students at the Ancestors Community Charter High School (ACCHS) which was the first of its kind in the City of Waterbury. He worked at ACCHS for three years with students on tutoring, community service, and school to career learning activities until the school’s closing in June of 2001. He then moved on to begin work in the agency’s Planning Department, where he gathered and analyzed data for grant submissions while also providing direct oversight to the agency’s Youth Employment Program and Individual Development Account (IDA) Program. Bill also established the agency’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Site which has been in operation for 15 years. He was promoted to the positions of Senior Planner, then Director of Planning, and the Division Director of Research, Development and Planning. In this capacity, Bill was responsible for the oversight of grants/contract development as well as the budget development process. He also provided supervisory oversight to the agency’s Meriden and Torrington programming. Bill is a Nationally Certified Results Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) trainer which provides a performance and evaluation platform for community action agency activities. Bill currently serves as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Waterbury Development Corporation, while also serving on the Board of the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, and the Waterbury School Readiness Council.
Bill began his appointment as President/CEO of New Opportunities, Inc. on April 1st, 2021. Bill has also served as the past Secretary for the Board of Directors for Cornerstone Church in Oxford and resides in Seymour, where he lives with his wife Cynthia of 21 years.
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Toni Hirst
Chief Administrative Officer
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(203) 575-4211
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Toni Hirst is the Chief Administrative Officer at New Opportunities. Her background includes over thirty years of experience of serving the community, and over two decades of senior leadership experience.
Toni began her career at New Opportunities working as the Director of Weatherization programs and quickly progressed into a role as a Director of the Research, Development and Planning division. Today, she is Chief Administrative Officer and has full operational accountability for the agency.
In 2014, Toni was appointed to the Finance Audit Review Commission for the City of Waterbury where she continues to serve. During her time at New Opportunities Toni has served on the Post University's Human Services Advisory Committee, the Northeast Institute for Quality Community Action and the Bobby Bonds Memorial Scholarship Committee. She is also the past Chairman for the Northeast Institute for Quality Community Action. Toni is a founding member of the Board of Trustees for the Waterbury Hospital Foundation, where she serves as Treasurer. Toni served on the Board of Directors for the CT Brownfield Land Bank where she was the Secretary of the Board.
Toni has also been a speaker and presenter at national events on issues related to community action. She was a Co-Facilitator at the 2009 and 2010 national Community Action Partnership conference, served as a panel member at the 2007 National Symposium on Poverty and Economic Security, and has presented various workshops for the Tri-State and Connecticut Community Action Network Conferences on Integrated Service Delivery Models, Leading Transitional Leadership and Organizational Change Initiatives. Toni presented at the Center for Community Progress National Conference discussing the imperative of community engagement in marginalized communities when addressing brownfield remediation and the related economic and health impacts.
Toni holds a Master of Science degree in Urban Studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Doane College. She has also earned the designation of as Family Development for Leaders Certificate from the Children's Trust Fund & University of Connecticut School of Development and Family Studies, has been designated as a Peer Reviewer by NIQCA (Northeast Institute for Quality Community Action), and received a Human Services certificate from the Hartford Seminary.
Toni has been honored with a Leadership Award from the Rivera Memorial Foundation in 2009 and the B. Bernard Gillam Award for Altruism from the Bobby Bonds Memorial Scholarship Classic in 2008. Most recently she received the Trailblazer Leadership Award from Kellogg Lodge #5 for her dedication and leadership to the Waterbury community.
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Mark E. Kovitch
Chief Financial Officer
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(203) 575-4293
Mark is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Connecticut and Massachusetts. His background includes over twenty-five years of experience providing accounting, auditing, consulting, technology implementation, and governmental interaction services for not-for-profits, housing projects, higher education and governmental entities.
At New Opportunities, Mark is responsible for managing all financial and accounting operations, including internal and external financial reporting, financial and administrative controls. Providing senior management with strategic guidance and presenting financial status and projection reports to the Board of Directors. The management of fiscal operations includes New Opportunities, Inc, its affiliate entities, and fiscal sponsorship of another non-for-profit.
Prior to joining New Opportunities in 2019, Mark was CFO of Geer Corporation, a non-for-profit, which provides a continuum of care for seniors. As CFO, Mark was responsible for providing direction and guidance to maintain the financial systems, audit activities, strategic objectives, information technology, human resources, financial policies, and control systems.
Prior to that, Mark was the CFO of Key Human Services, Inc. a non-for-profit, supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities. His responsibilities included financial management, technology implementation, monitoring internal accounting controls and compliance with financial, State, and Federal regulations.
Mark started his career in the public accounting firm environment for eight years specializing in providing accounting, auditing and consulting services to not-for-profit, higher education, and governmental entities.
Mark is a member of the American Institute of CPA’s, National Society of Accountants and Connecticut Society of CPA’s. Mark is an active member of Connecticut Society of CPA’s Not-for-profit Committee. Mark is a board member of Greater Hartford Legal Aid.
Mark was a member of the Connecticut Nonprofit Human Service Cabinet which was instrumental in developing of the Connecticut Cost Standards and Single Audit regulations implemented by the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Mark graduated from Lyndon State College with a B.S. in Accounting and A.S. in Computer Science.
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Joanne Balaschak
Director of Energy Services
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Joanne Balaschak is the Director of Energy programs at New Opportunities. Her background includes over thirty years of experience working in the energy services field.
At New Opportunities, Joanne is responsible for overseeing the agency's largest operating division which includes energy and weatherization services for a region that includes over sixty-five municipalities. Joanne also serves on the Board of Directors of Operation Fuel, the Low Income Energy Board and is a Weatherization Policy Advisory Committee Member. She is also an on-staff advisor for CAFCA, the Connecticut Association for Community Action, regarding energy related issues.
Prior to joining New Opportunities in 1988, Joanne worked for the State of Connecticut monitoring energy programs for nearly a decade.
Joanne holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from Southern Connecticut State University. She has also earned the designation of as Family Development for Leaders Certificate from the Children's Trust Fund & University of Connecticut School of Development and Family Studies.
(203) 575-4233
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James Perry, Ph.D
Director of Family Empowerment and Utilization Management
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(203) 575-4289
Dr. Perry is an alumni of the Harvard Program of Refugee Trauma, (HPRT) at the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) with support of Istituto Superiore di Sanita (ISS-Italian Ministry of Health) in Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery 2008. Since his participation in HPRT, he became a member of a global partnership, working with the CoMission Against Diseases of Poverty which has implementing several international economic, medical, agricultural and mental health initiatives.
Dr. Perry met with leaders from Rwanda, planning the development of a faith-based approach of addressing trauma and economic development for the survivor of the genocide. He was the Care Coordinator for TraumAid in Australia, an international non-profit organization that seeks to empower traumatized communities globally.
Dr. Perry's paper was accepted for presentation on "Foster Parent Attunement" by the International Foster Care Organization at the World Conference 2013 in Osaka, Japan. In 2019 Dr. Perry’s paper was accepted by Harvard University’s Alumni Global Mental Health Masterclass in Italy: “The Art and Science of Trauma-Informed Clinical Care and Reflective Practice”.
Dr. Perry is a long–time member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. Dr. Perry has served as the Clinical Director of Community-Based Services for Youth and Family Services, Inc. in Emporia, Virginia. Dr. Perry is currently the Director of Family Empowerment and Utilization Management and past Director of Family Development Services at New Opportunities, Inc. Waterbury, CT.
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Julie Turrell
Director of Human Resources
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As the Director of Human Resources for New Opportunities, Inc., Julie brings over thirty years of comprehensive experience in human resources operations. She has specialized competencies in strategic leadership, talent management and development, which includes leadership culture, performance management and employee engagement. Julie thrives in the work of an organization that has a positive impact and makes a difference in the lives of people and society.
Julie resides in Wolcott with her husband, Rob and their three children. She loves to spend time with her family at the beach in Rhode Island.
(203) 575-4283
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Gawdys Grullon, MPA
Director of Research, Development and Planning
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(203) 575-4285
Gawdys Grullon is the Director of Research, Development and Planning at New Opportunities, Inc. As of 2012, Gawdys has served a vast range of populations in the community, such as the unemployed, underemployed, economically disadvantaged, people living with HIV/AIDS and individuals with mental, physical, developmental and learning disabilities.
At New Opportunities, Gawdys began her career as a Family Development Specialist and AHAP Housing Case Manager. Simultaneously, she provided case management services under the Society of Support (SOS). Gawdys advanced into a role as an Employment Manager, ultimately positioning her to oversee the Vocational, Education & Training programs.
In 2013, as a member of NOI’s Relationship Strategy team, Gawdys presented the team’s missions and goals in Cincinnati, Ohio.
In 2021, Gawdys was appointed to Wheeler Board of Trustees, where she is currently serving as a Board Member.
Gawdys holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Management, with a concentration in Health Care Management from Kaplan University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Post University, John P. Burke School of Public Service.
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Brian Bonds, M.Ed.
Director of Residential and Integrated Services
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Brian Bonds is the Director of Residential and Integrated Services for New Opportunities. Brian’s oversees the agency’s operations in Meriden, Wallingford, Berlin and Southington including the David J. Dudley New Beginnings Emergency Shelter and Hospitality Center and New Opportunities of Greater Meriden (NOGM). Brian is also responsible for the oversight of the early childhood programming at Muriel Moore Child Development Center, residential programming at Bishop House, and integrated services at New Opportunities of Greater Torrington.
(203) 639-5060 ext 417
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Steven Burkman
Director of Information Technology
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(203) 575-4259
Steven Burkman brings over 30 years of experience in the field of information technology to New Opportunities Inc., where is serves as the Director of Information Technology. He offers extensive knowledge of enterprise computing, communications, networking, network security, disaster recovery systems development and implementation, and network development.
Prior to being named Director of Information Technology, Steven served as the IT Systems Coordinator at New Opportunities, where he oversaw the daily operations of all network and communication systems.
Steven and his wife Wendy split their time between New Haven, Connecticut and Eastham, Massachusetts. He enjoys bike rides and long walks with his Australian Cattle Dogs on the beaches and trails of Cape Cod.
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