CHS is excited to announce that Synthia Liska is serving as Co-President of the Connecticut Hemophilia Society!

Synthia is a special education teacher in New Haven, Connecticut as well as an adjunct professor at Southern Connecticut State University.

Synthia has a 16 year old son affected by Severe Hemophilia A and has been very active in the hemophilia community for many years.

CHS is proud to welcome Meredith Adler, who will be serving as Co-President of CHS.

Meredith is the Parent Resource Coordinator for Tri-Town Youth Services in Deep River, CT. She has two sons, one of whom has Severe Hemophilia A. Welcome Meredith!

CHS is pleased to announce that Karen Skinner is our new Treasurer.

Karen resides in Windsor Locks along with her husband, Tom and her daughter, Kate. Her son, Peter and his wife, Megan live in East Granby.

Karen, Kate and their standard poodle, Sunny, are members of the Delta Society and Tails of Joy, which are pet partner therapy organizations. Together as a volunteer Pet Partner team they enjoy their visits to local nursing homes, as well as to a group home for young girls who have experienced severe trauma in their lives. Karen enjoys seeing the difference a short visit with Sunny can make in a person's day.

Karen's sixteen year old nephew has hemophilia and she has seen first-hand the benefits and positive influence the hemophilia community has had in his life. She is honored to be able to be a part of that.

Her previous financial experience at a local credit union and a municipal finance office will be a benefit to CHS in her new role as Treasurer. Welcome Karen!

Catherine is a Lead Swim Instructor and Lifeguard at Bubbles to Butterfly Swim School in Baltic, CT, as well as a Third Grade CCD Teacher at Cathedral of St. Patrick, Norwich, CT and an Assistant Cross Country Coach at Kelly Middle School in Norwich.

Catherine has two boys, a 13 year old and a 7 year old with Severe Hemophilia A. She supports the Hemophilia Community through her athletic ability. She ran the B.A.A. 1/2 Marathon in Boston, MA and raised over $5,000 for her son's treatment center at Yale and this year she hopes to participate in Angel Ride for The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp along with her husband. She raises awareness about Hemophilia along with doing something that she is very passionate about.

CHS is pleased to have Joyce M. Cole as a member of the Board of Directors.

Joyce previously served as CHS' Treasurer. She has many years of accounting experience and superb organizational skills.

CHS is pleased to welcome Angela as a member of the Board of Directors.

CHS is pleased to have Stacie as a member of the Board.

Stacie lives in Southbury with her husband, Jeff, and two children, Mackenzie, 12 (a carrier) and Nick, 11 (Severe Factor 8). The Heberts enjoy camping, boating, and snowmobiling. Welcome Stacie!

The Connecticut Hemophilia Society, Inc., is pleased to announce that Dr. J. Nathan Hagstrom of Connecticut Children's Medical Center is a member of the Connecticut Hemophilia Society's Board of Directors.

Dr. Hagstrom is the Director and Division Head of the Hematology/Oncology Department at Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Prior to joining CCMC, D. Hagstrom completed his fellowship and internship in the pediatric hematology/oncology department at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

We are simply delighted that Dr. Hagstrom has joined the board as he brings years of expertise and knowledge in treating children with bleeding disorders to the table.

The Connecticut Hemophilia Society, Inc., is pleased to announce that Salley G. Pels, M.D., is a member of the Connecticut Hemophilia Society's Board of Directors.

Dr. Salley Pels is a practicing physician with the Yale Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut.

Prior to joining Yale New Haven, Dr. Pels graduated from the University of Vermont College of Medicine, completed her fellowship with the Yale University School of Medicine, and her residency with Yale-New Haven Hosptial in New Haven, CT. Dr Pels specializes in pediatric hematology-oncology.

We are simply delighted that Dr. Pels has joined the board as she brings knowledge and expertise about bleeding disorders from a medical perspective to the table. Welcome Dr. Pels!

The Connecticut Hemophilia Society, Inc., is pleased to announce that Dennis J. Mackey, recently became a member of the Connecticut Hemophilia Society's Board of Directors.

Dennis lives in Windsor, CT with his wife Denise and their son Sean. Sean is almost 16 and has severe Hemophilia, Factor VIII deficiency. Dennis has been involved in the Hemophilia community for the past 15 years. Dennis is a member and active contributor to many organizations, including: NEHA, NHF, and the HFA.

Dennis has been actively involved with "Dad’s In Action” and volunteered to be Santa for several years at the NEHA holiday party, and most recently at the CHS holiday party and plans to continue this “tradition”. With a background in the culinary field, Dennis has also helped to cater events and has been involved with NEHA Family Camp and LIT service project. Welcome Dennis!

My name is Penny Kelly. I am very proud to be a new member of the board of directors. I have Von Willebrand's Disease and was first diagnosed before it was in the text books. I did not even know what type I was when I was a child because they did not have "types". I had a horrific history of bleeds and it actually led me down my path to become a research scientist.

My daughter was born and was diagnosed at 3 years old before she had her first surgery. My interest in understanding my disorder lead to me pursue a degree in Biology and Chemistry and I was a research scientist at the University of Connecticut Health Center for almost 20 years. I also was a teacher at Cheshire High school during my years at UCONN and completed my graduate degree in secondary education teaching.

After leaving UCONN, I became the program educator at the Connecticut Science Center and designed all their K-12 programs before they opened and then implemented the curriculum for their programs for the first year. I decided to leave there full time to return to a full time teaching position at the Greater Harford Academy of Math and Science. I have been teaching Chemistry, Advanced Placement Biology and Anatomy and Physiology the past two years and still work part-time doing CSI and related programs for the Connecticut Science Center.

I was a molecular biologist and have enjoyed teaching medical students and dental students over the years but truly feel teaching high school is where I "shine". I truly love inspiring them and I can now share my knowledge in the research field with my aspiring students. I also have tried to share knowledge of hemophilia and related disorders with the school community. I am trying to get the word out as a teacher and now I can help further by being a part of this organization. Thank you for this opportunity.