New Britain, Conn. – The American Savings Foundation recently announced the election of four new members to the Board of Directors: Melvin J. Kelley IV, James O’Rourke, Christopher Porcher, and Joyce Ribeiro. The announcement was made by board chairman Charles J. Boulier, III.
“American Savings Foundation was created to be a perpetual endowment. Our board of directors is charged with safeguarding and advancing this mission for generations to come,” said Boulier. “As leaders in the nonprofit, business, and academic sectors, all four new board members are deeply engaged in the local communities we serve. Each also brings their unique perspective as well as tremendous business and leadership experience to advancing the fiduciary and philanthropic mission of the Foundation.”
Melvin J. Kelley IV is an Associate Professor of Law and Business at Northeastern University
Melvin currently teaches in both the business and law schools at Northeastern. He previously served as an assistant professor of law at Villanova University. Professor Kelley’s research focuses on antidiscrimination law governing real estate transactions and community economic development, seeking to identify and evaluate possibilities for redressing regional inequities to enable upward mobility. Professor Kelley was previously a Teaching Fellow at Northeastern Law. He previously held positions with the Connecticut Fair Housing Center and the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, and currently serves on the advisory board of Northeastern Law’s Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project. Professor Kelley grew up in New Britain and is a past American Savings Foundation Scholar. He earned received a BA in political science, economics and Africana studies from the College of the Holy Cross and a Jurors Doctorate with honors from Columbia Law School. He has served as a member of the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee since 2012.
James O’Rourke has served as the Chief Executive Officer at the Greater Waterbury YMCA for 15 years. Under management agreements with the greater Waterbury YMCA, O’Rourke also holds the titles of Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut and Interim Director of Waterbury Youth Services. O’Rourke currently serves as president of the board of directors of Waterbury Bridge to Success, secretary of the Board of Naugatuck Valley Community College, and serves on the board of Shakesperience Productions in Waterbury He began college as a student at Naugatuck Valley Community College before earning a bachelor’s from Central Connecticut State University. A seven-time Ironman triathlete, O’Rourke is deeply committed to the YMCA’s mission of fostering the social and physical health of the Waterbury community. O’Rourke served on the Foundation board from 2013-2022, and he continues to serve on the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee.
Christopher Porcher is Vice President of Operations at Community Mental Health Affiliates, located in New Britain. Porcher has been with CMHA since 2015, where he has served in a variety of positions across multiple community and residential programs. In his current role, Porcher oversees the organization’s operations, reporting to the Chief Operations Officer. Porcher is an integral part of CMHA's Legislative Advocacy initiatives, Diversity Officer, and represents CMHA in the statewide CLAS standards initiative. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Porcher is a graduate of the University of Saint Joseph and CCSU, and holds both a master’s in clinical social work and a Master's in Business Management. Porcher grew up in New Britain and currently serves on the Foundation’s Grants Committee as well as on the boards of directors of New Britain EMS and the Boys and Girls Club of New Britain.
Joyce Ribeiro is Senior Commercial Finance Manager at Stanley Black and Decker. She moved from Brazil to the United States at age 14 to pursue an American education. Her diverse background includes working in Life Sciences, Consulting, Consumer Goods, Finance, eCommerce and Commercial Strategy. After earning a BS degree in biochemistry and molecular biology, Ribeiro earned an MBA from the University of Hartford and an Executive master’s in finance and leadership from Georgetown University She also transitioned from scientist to consultant, before beginning her current role in Financial Leadership. Ribeiro is co-founder of a non-profit which provides aid to victims in areas affected by natural disasters, and currently serves on the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee.
The new board members join Chair Charles Boulier, Vice Chair Laurence Tanner, Secretary
Sheri Pasqualoni, and Treasurer David Davison, as well as board members Caitlyn Bee,
Michael Carrier, Paula Gilberto, James Jones, John Miller, Loan Nguyen, Bruce Noe, and Artila Tasho. Professor Kelley joins Ms. Bee, Ms. Nguyen and Ms. Tasho as past American Savings Foundation Scholars who currently serve on the board.
American Savings Foundation is a permanent charitable endowment which provides grants to local nonprofit organizations, and college scholarships to area students. Since its inception in 1995 the Foundation has contributed nearly $74 million in total grants and scholarships in central Connecticut. For more information, call 860-827-2556 or visit the Foundation’s website at www.asfdn.org.