Board of Directors

Joseph Andreana is currently the the Deputy Executive Director of the United Methodist Frontier Foundation.  His extensive business experience includes serving as Executive Director of The Connecticut Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, Inc., President & CEO of the Oxford Economic Development Corporation, and as an Adjunct Professor at the Sacred Heart University College of Business.

Andreana's history of volunteer activity and community involvement include working with the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, the Valley United Way, the Valley Advisory Committee of the Community Foundation, Board of Directors of the United Methodist Homes Foundation and former President of the Shelton Jaycees. 

He is a past recipient of the Service to Youth award (1994), Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce Gold Seal Award (2001) and Secretary of State Volunteer Award (2002). 

Andreana has served as a Corporator of Griffin Health Services since 2006. He and his wife are residents of Oxford.

Kenneth Baldyga, CT State Arbitrator and Human Resources Consultant, received his B.S. in Business Administration from Sacred Heart University and his M.S. in Industrial Relations from the University of New Haven.  He also is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources.

Mr. Baldyga has spent much of his career as a human resources executive. He was previously Vice President of Human Resources at Vishay Intertechnology and Crown Risdon in Naugatuck and Thomaston for many years. He also served as an adjunct faculty instructor at Post University. Mr. Baldyga served as the chairman for the United Way Campaign of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, is a member of the Shelton Memorial Day committee and is currently a volunteer with the Shelton Fire Department.  He lives in Shelton with his wife Janet.

John “Jack” Betkoski III is Vice Chairman of Connecticut’s Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).

Betkoski has served on Connecticut’s utility regulatory authority since 1997 when he was named a Commissioner of the Department of Public Utility Control. He was elected Vice Chairman of that body in 2007. When PURA was established on July 1, 2011 as the state’s new regulatory authority, Betkoski was appointed a Director by Governor Dannel P. Malloy and elected as Vice Chairman of the new authority.

He is the former President of the New England Conference of Public Utilities Commissioners (NECPUC) and is the 2nd Vice President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). In addition to his NECPUC and NARUC responsibilities, Betkoski is currently Chairman of the Connecticut Water Planning Council. 

A past Chairman of the Board of Directors for Griffin Hospital in Derby, Betkoski and serves as Chairman of the Board of Director for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter. He is on the board of Waterbury Youth Services, and VARCA, Inc. of Derby, a private non-profit agency which provides work opportunities to individuals with special needs. He also is a member of the Advisory Board of The Salvation Army of Waterbury. 

Mr. Charmel, President and CEO of Griffin Health Services Corporation,  has been associated with Griffin Health Services Corporation since 1979 when he became a student intern while attending Quinnipiac College, where he received his bachelors degree. He received a Masters in Public Health from Yale University.

He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Connecticut Hospital Association, the Board of Governors of the Quinnipiac Alumni Association, and the Board of Directors of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Charmel has positioned Griffin Hospital as an award-winning, innovative organization outperforming peer organizations by developing and implementing consumer-driven, patient-focused services that result in high patient satisfaction, while maintaining high operational efficiency.

Nancy DiNardo was a teacher in Bridgeport from 1971 to 1978, served as School Psychologist from 1978 to 1985 and was Director of Psychological Services until she retired in 2002. She served as an EMT on the Trumbull Emergency Medical Services and on the Trumbull Town Council, Board of Finance and Board of Health where she worked on the committee to develop the regional Hospice Program. Nancy served as chair of the Trumbull Democratic Town Committee for 30 years. 

Nancy became a member of the Democratic State Central Committee in 1998 before becoming State Party Chair in 2005. She stepped down as the chair in 2015 and now serves as vice chair. She is on the Executive Board of the Democratic National Committee and the Association of State Democratic Chairs. Nancy also is the chair of the Eastern Region Caucus of the Democratic National Committee.

Dr. Hendricks is Associate Chair of Emergency Services at Griffin Hospital and serves as President of the Griffin Hospital Medical Staff.   He received a B.S. in Biology, with a minor in Chemistry, from Southern Connecticut State University and his medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine. 

Jean Crum Jones, of Jones Family Farm, started the Harvest Kitchen as a way to pursue her passionate interest in teaching others about food, nutrition, and agriculture.  Jean gradually learned the ways of sustainable farming and traditional New England cooking after marrying Farmer Terry Jones (5th generation) and moving to the farm in 1969. 

Professionally, Jean has worked as a Registered Dietitian and Community Nutritionist, serving as an administrative dietitian with Yale Dining Services, as a clinical dietitian in New Haven health centers, and as an adjunct associate professor at various colleges in Connecticut.

State Rep. Themis Klarides is serving in her ninth term representing the 114th House District which includes Woodbridge, Orange and Derby. Following the statewide elections in 2014, her House Republican colleagues unanimously chose her as Caucus Leader - the first woman to hold the position. She was a Deputy Republican Leader from 2007 through 2014. As Leader, Klarides is a member of the legislature’s committee on Legislative Management.

Rep. Klarides has been active in her community, serving on numerous boards and civic organizations.  In 2006, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of Griffin Health Services and is a member of the Residency Advisory Committee of Griffin Hospital in Derby. She is an outspoken advocate for first responders and public safety personnel including firefighters, police, and emergency medical technicians.

Themis Klarides is a graduate of Trinity College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and later graduated from Quinnipiac University School of Law. She is a practicing lawyer in the State of Connecticut and in the United States District Court for Connecticut. She is of Counsel to Bridgeport-based Cohen and Wolf in the firm’s Orange office.

Since 2014, George Logan has taken on the role of Director of Environmental Management and Government Relations for Aquarion Water Company (Aquarion) of Connecticut, the largest investor-owned water utility in New England and among the seven largest in the U.S.  

He is responsible for leadership and support roles related to government relations and environmental functions related to sustainability programs, alternative energy programs as well as watershed maintenance, law enforcement, source protection, environmental compliance, natural resources management, and community outreach programs. 

Prior to taking on this current position with Aquarion, Mr. Logan was responsible for leadership and support roles in all aspects of water utility engineering.  In other previous roles with Aquarion, Mr. Logan was also responsible for supervision of Aquarion’s land survey, CAD drafting and design functions and was in charge of Corporate Purchasing for the Company.  

Mr. Osak, Chairman and Executive Vice President of Derby Cellular Products and member of the Economic Development Committee, has been affiliated with Griffin Hospital since 1966 when he was elected as a corporator. He served as hospital trustee for numerous years after taking on positions as Second Vice President, First Vice President and, in 1985, chairman of the GHSC Board for four terms.

He lives in Shelton with his wife, Navia.

Dr. Pearson serves as the Vice President of the Medical Staff.

Mark Peterson is Chief Financial Officer of OEM Controls in Shelton.  He is certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) and is a Certified Continuous Improvement Champion of Lean Manufacturing.

He holds an MBA from Sacred Heart University and a BS in Accounting from Bentley University. Mark and his wife Monica, a teacher, have lived in Shelton since 1980. They have two children, Jessica and Kurt.

Gerald Weiner is an Attorney with Weinstein, Weiner, Ignal, Vogel and Shapiro of Bridgeport.  He received his juris doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the State Investment & Advisory Council for the State Treasurer's Office.

He lives in Woodbridge with his wife, Tina, and their three children.

Chairman, Valley Chamber
President & CEO, Better Packages, Inc.

A Griffin Corporator since 1989, Mr. Zaprzalka is a partner in the firm, Apicella, Testa & Company, P.C., in Shelton. He received his Bachelor Degree in Accounting from Fairfield University, served as manager of accounting at Gaylord Hospital for several years and is a consultant to numerous medical practices.

He serves on the board of the Valley Community Foundation, the Parish council of St. Michael's Church, and is a corporator of both the Valley United Way and Boys & Girls Club of Lower Naugatuck Valley. He is also a member of the American Institute of CPAs and Connecticut Society of CPAs.

Mr. Zaprzalka is a lifelong Valley resident and currently lives in Seymour with his wife, Laura and two children, Alyssa and Andrew.