years and became the ED in 2021, previously serving in numerous other roles in the organization. Christina pushes for legal system reform that recognizes youth, families and communities as the most important stakeholders. More broadly, she is committed to dismantling systemic racism across CT so all people can be free to realize their potential. The youth and families she works with are a constant inspiration to her. She wants their voices to be heard, respected, and incorporated into the policy discussions that will impact their lives. Christina holds a bachelor's degree in Psychology from Southern CT State University and a master's degree in Public Administration, with a concentration in nonprofit management from Fairfield University. When Christina is not boldly advocating for meaningful policy change, she enjoys spending time with her husband, dog, and daughter. Her favorite hobbies include travel, going to the beach, and trying new adventures.

She served as an advisory board member for various learning organizations on a district and university regional level. Vilma is a strong supporter of national and international volunteer initiatives serving historically underserved communities. As an educational liaison traveling with The People to People Ambassador Program, Dr. Caban-Vazquez presented research findings on math equity at the Royal University in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; The Teacher Professional Center in Cairo, Egypt; and The Ho Chi Minh University in Vietnam. Collaborating with Social Changers without Borders, Inc. Vilma conducted program evaluations commissioned by Equality Now, Inc. She evaluated a Kenyan girls rescue center utilizing grassroots efforts to save child brides from the dangers of female genital mutilation. Findings were shared with the United Nations Human Rights Children’s Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. As a researcher and educational consultant for various non-profit organizations, Vilma has worked to examine and support NGO founders. Her work has brought her to Rabat, Morocco and Xela, Guatemala examining the global epidemic of street children and orphans. Ultimately, Vilma’s research has brought her full-circle as she examined domestic violence in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. She just completed a documentary project titled La Casa de Maria which chronicles her story as the daughter of a battered woman fulfilling one last promise. Her creative goal is to channel her experiences to support women authors.

Her leadership helped reduce inefficiencies, steady the organizational culture, and improve the quality of services provided for system-involved youth. She also served at the State of CT Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division from 1999 to 2012. She led the implementation of female responsive and trauma-informed programs throughout CT, driving policy and practice change. This included a system-wide implementation of the Girls Circle Model. Her work to deinstitutionalize status offenders and disseminate research and evidence-based practices resulted in significant improvements in detention, probation, and in the network of alternative services across Connecticut. This work translated into her consulting practice, providing consultation, training, and technical assistance for non-profit, state, and federal agencies in the United States and Canada. She co-authored the Trauma Informed Effective Reinforcement System (TIER) for Girls, a comprehensive, gender responsive behavior motivation system, the Gender Responsive Policy and Program Assessment (GRPPA) instrument for the National Institute of Corrections, as well as several female responsive curricula. She is a Certified Training Associate for Dr. Stephanie Covington’s Voices curriculum.

Ms. Selvaggi is currently the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Children’s League of Connecticut, and a member of a start-up non-profit called A Kinder Ground. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies from the University of Connecticut and lives in Wallingford with her family.