Members

Dr. Lorna Thomas-Farquharson has lived in West Hartford since 2000.  Growing up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, Lorna received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Spelman College and Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hartford.  For over twenty years she had strived to educate and empower individuals to address challenges and improve the quality of their lives.  She is passionate about community outreach and demystifying stigma associated with receipt of formal mental health care.  Lorna works as a program manager at Connecticut’s Office of Early Childhood where she is fortunate to work with individuals who share a vision focused on equity, where all children are safe, healthy, learning, and thriving. 

Lorna values community service and firmly believes in the African proverb It Takes a Village to Raise a Child. She volunteers within the youth department at her church and is honored to have been elected in 2017 to the West Hartford Board of Education where she now serves as Vice Chair. Lorna values education and implementing effective policies that support development of well-rounded youth, where excellence is defined by thriving academically, socially, and emotionally and where the values of learning extend beyond the walls of a classroom. 

Lorna and her husband Jerome are proud parents of two daughters, Julianna and Gabrielle, who are West Hartford Public School students. 

Shannon Marimón was elected to the West Hartford Board of Education in November 2023 and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board.

Shannon is the executive director of ReadyCT, which is a statewide education nonprofit seeking to advance policies and practices that equitably serve all children in Connecticut with a focus on academic excellence and career-connected learning. Shannon has worked in PK-12 and higher education for just over two decades. As a graduate of Connecticut public schools, she is committed to narrowing the state’s opportunity gaps, raising academic outcomes for all students, and better aligning our educational system with the world of work through advocacy, public awareness, and capacity-building of schools and districts.

Before stepping into her role at ReadyCT, Shannon was director of talent and operations for the CT RISE Network, responsible for establishing, advancing, and monitoring organizational goals related to student on-track achievement and college and career readiness. Prior to RISE, Shannon was division director for the Talent Office at the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). During her five years with the CSDE, Shannon provided leadership and support to districts and schools to expand talent management systems and strategic planning efforts on behalf of the educator workforce. Shannon was also a partner and director of site launch with The New Teacher Project (TNTP) and spent seven years working in higher education with a focus on admissions, development, and study abroad programming.

Shannon holds an MBA with a focus on nonprofit and public sector management from the Yale School of Management, an M.A. in art history from Stanford University, and a B.A. in art history and Spanish literature from Dartmouth College. She resides with her husband, Michael, a professor of geology at UConn, and her two daughters who attend school in West Hartford.

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Clare Neseralla brings extensive experience in education, a commitment to working with children, and a track record of getting results. Clare and her husband are current members of the Sedgwick Middle School community and are past Duffy Elementary School parents. She taught for sixteen years at Duffy in both 3rd and 5th grade.

Clare is the STEM Curriculum Coach at CREC Discovery Academy and supports teachers, students and families in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.  Clare worked twenty years in media and marketing and ran her own marketing business for computer software companies before becoming a teacher. Her business foundation gave her a unique perspective in the classroom in creating real-world tasks. Clare’s interest in Global Education led her to travel to Japan and Brazil, to visit schools, meet with parents and connect with teachers across the United States. She is a winner of the NEA Innovation Award and brought GPS technology to the West Hartford District and was honored as Citizen of The Year by the West Hartford Fire Department. She also won the CEA Award for Teaching Excellence and three CECA Technology Integration awards. 

Clare has worked with children for over twenty years empowering them to make a difference in the world. An active community member, Neseralla has served on the Hello! West Hartford Board as Communications Director and Treasurer as well as the CECA (Connecticut Educators Computer Association) as the Treasurer. She received a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Communications from Central Michigan University and master's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Hartford. She also has her 6th year in education comprised of STEM classes from Central Connecticut University, Leslie University and Columbia NASA Endeavor program. 

I have been a resident of West Hartford for most of the last 50 years. I attended the WHPS and UCONN Medical School. I raised my four children in town. I have practiced medicine in town for the last 20 years working in private practice as an OBGYN. I am active in my synagogue and religious life in town. I have been a DCF mentor at the Village and have worked with incarcerated women helping improve health outcomes in this population.

Ethan Goldman and his wife Julie have lived in West Hartford since 1989. All four of their children have grown up in West Hartford.

Ethan received a Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Pennsylvania’s Faculty of Arts and Science. He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School (Harvard University) with a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and also a graduate of the University of Hartford, with a Masters in Accounting and Taxation (MSAT). 

Ethan is currently working as the CFO of a midsize (international) manufacturing company. Prior to his current position, Ethan worked at ADVO as their Vice President of Network Planning. He had also has worked in Retail – for Ames Stores as their Director of Pull Replenishment. Ethan is a CPA (State of Maryland non practicing license) and worked for the public accounting firms, Coopers and Lybrands (Boston) and Touche Ross (Baltimore). 

Ethan spent over twenty years in the US Army/Army Reserve in the Army’s Field Artillery branch, retiring as a Major.

Ethan is currently serving as the Treasurer of the West Hartford Youth Soccer Assn (WHYSA) and coached in the WHYSA (Boys/Coed League) and WHGSL (Girls) for approximately fifteen years. He is also a Trustee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford and previously served on the Board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford as its Treasurer.

Jason Gagnon was elected to his first term on the West Hartford Board of Education in November 2023.

A graduate of Boston College Law School and Florida State University, Jason comes to the Board of Education as a parent of two children enrolled in the West Hartford Public Schools and the son of a life-long educator.

​Jason is a partner at the Connecticut-based law firm of Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP where he has practiced since 2008. He has a national practice representing manufacturing clients here in Connecticut and across the country with professional honors that include:

• Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation, 2022-2023

• Rising Star, Connecticut Super Lawyers® – Products Liability Defense, 2012-2022

• New Leaders in the Law, Connecticut Law Tribune, 2016

• Rising Star, New England Super Lawyers® – Products Liability Defense, 2012-2017

Although Jason was a first-time candidate for public office, he was no stranger to public service. Jason has served on the Board of Directors for the Mattatuck Museum and is a Past President of the Waterbury Bar Association. He is a board member of the United Way of Greater Waterbury and was elected to the Connecticut Bar Association’s Board of Governors.

Jason and his wife, Jessie, moved to Connecticut in 2008 and have lived in West Hartford since 2016, where they have chosen to raise their two children, Hadley and Emerson.