​Join Realist Lab for an inspiring conversation with trailblazing women leaders in the non-profit space. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, this exclusive event will highlight change-makers shaping the future of philanthropy, entrepreneurship, and community development. Hear firsthand how these leaders are driving meaningful impact and building sustainable programs that uplift women, youth, and entrepreneurs.

• ​Date: March 18th, 2025

• ​Location: Stamford Studios - NBCUniversal | 307 Atlantic St, Stamford, CT 06901

• ​Time: 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

​Your Ticket Includes:

• ​A networking hour with industry leaders and professionals

• ​Complementary Refreshments 

• ​Live music

• ​An inspiring panel discussion featuring trailblazing women in the non-profit sector

​Speakers:

• ​Mendi Blue Paca – President & CEO, Fairfield County's Community Foundation

• ​Cristina Vittoria – CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich

• ​Sheri West – Founder & CEO, LiveGirl

• ​Nancy Coughlin - CEO, Person to Person

​​Mayor Caroline Simmons was elected in 2021 with the goal of making Stamford a more equitable, inclusive, affordable, vibrant city where everyone can thrive. Her top priorities include investing in the City's infrastructure, advancing economic prosperity, and making government more responsive to enhance quality of life for residents.

​​In 2014, Caroline Simmons was elected to represent Stamford's 144th house district. She was appointed to be the chair of the Commerce Committee in her second term and successfully introduced, led debate, and helped pass over 16 bipartisan business bills on the House Floor. She is a passionate advocate for women and minority owned businesses and has helped pass legislation to provide more grants and access to capital to entrepreneurs and startups and to support small business and job growth across Connecticut. During her time in the legislature, she was also a member of the Higher Education and Employment and Human Services committees.

​​Caroline lives in Stamford with her husband, Art Linares, and her three sons, Teddy, Jack and William.

​Meet The Panelists

​Mendi Blue Paca is President & CEO of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, where she leads the $275 million regional funder, capacity builder, placemaker, and philanthropic investment manager in partnering with the community to ensure that every county resident has an equitable opportunity to thrive. Her work brings together nonprofits, the business sector, elected and administrative officials, external constituent groups, and other grant makers to achieve positive systems-level change. She joined the Foundation in 2018 and previously served as the Chief Community Impact Officer and VP of Community Impact. In her previous roles, she led grant making, programs, policy advocacy, and major community leadership initiatives to close opportunity gaps in education, employment, housing and health. Mendi oversaw the Foundation’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence, $20M Fund for Women & Girls, Immigrant Success Fund and Thrive by 25 initiatives.

​Mendi holds a bachelor’s degree in economics cum laude from Harvard College, a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School and a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She is a member of the New York Federal Reserve’s Community Advisory Group. She is a board member of the CT Council for Philanthropy; the Stamford Partnership; Partnership for Strong Communities; Partners for Educational Leadership; the Norwalk Chamber of Commerce; and Harvard Business School Community Partners of CT.

​She is passionate about entrepreneurship, maternal and reproductive health, and mental health equity. Mendi lives with her husband, Marcus, daughter, and doodle in Trumbull, CT, where in her spare time she loves entertaining and trying new recipes.

​Cristina Vittoria has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich since July 2020, making history as the first woman to hold this position in the Club's 115-year history. Prior to her appointment as CEO, she served as the Club's Vice President of Development, successfully leading fundraising and marketing initiatives since 2018.

​During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cristina provided steady leadership, ensuring that BGCG remained open throughout to serve families, offering critical support and resources during a challenging time. She is currently leading the Club's $35 million capital campaign, Building Great Futures, which is focused on upgrading and expanding the Club's facilities to provide safe, affordable, and enriching out-of-school opportunities for all children in Greenwich.

​Before joining the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich, Cristina was the Director of External Relations and Development at REACH Prep, an educational access and college success organization in Stamford, Connecticut, from 2014 to 2018. Her earlier career includes roles in sales, marketing, and events at Chief Executive Group in Greenwich and a decade in advertising sales at The New Yorker magazine following her graduation from Yale University.

​A resident of Greenwich since 2004, Cristina lives in Riverside with her husband and has three adult children. Cristina is inspired by the passion, energy, enthusiasm, and promise of the youth who come to the Club daily.

​Sheri West is a former Fortune 500 management executive turned social entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of women’s leadership organization LiveGirl. She is a career-readiness expert, podcast host, and champion for equity and inclusion, with over 25 years of corporate and leadership development experience. West founded LiveGirl in 2014 to pay it forward to the next generation of diverse female leaders—and has served over 20,000 young women to date through its free-of-charge leadership development, mentorship, career readiness, and advocacy programs.

​West is the author of Confidence Unleashed: 10 Kick-Ass Strategies To Grow As A Leader (Without Changing Who You Are). Inspired by a decade of mentoring young women, this book is the ultimate roadmap to unleashing leadership potential and building an authentic, fulfilling career.  

​West regularly speaks on women’s leadership and career readiness, co-hosts the award-winning Confident podcast with her college daughter, and publishes the popular LinkedIn newsletter, Confidence Unleashed. She serves on various boards and loudly advocates for policies and practices that open doors for women and girls. In 2024, she was named one of the 100 Women To Know in America. Find out more at SheriWestLeadership.com.

​Nancy Coughlin joined is the CEO of Person to Person, a nonprofit organization supporting 28,000 lower Fairfield County residents annually as they move toward economic stability with programs that include multiple food pantries, financial and housing assistance, wraparound casework support, financial and workforce coaching and summer camperships.

​Coughlin grew up in a household of women that included three sisters and her social worker mother, where free school lunch helped make ends meet. With a strong belief that the circumstances of one’s birth should not dictate one’s opportunities in life, she has devoted her professional career to addressing issues of poverty and economic equality in all its forms, including food security and women's and children's issues. She spent the early years of her career advocating for battered women and their children, after which she obtained a law degree, clerked for the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and practiced employment law at Baker McKenzie in NYC. She joined Person to Person in 2019, just 9 months before the global pandemic dramatically altered every aspect of the organization’s operations. Coughlin holds a BA in psychology from the University of New Hampshire, and a J.D. from the Suffolk University Law School.  She currently resides in Darien, where she has raised her four children. 

​About Realist Lab

​Realist Lab is a (501(c)(3) on mission-driven organization dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and change makers through education, mentorship, and community-driven initiatives. We provide resources, funding opportunities, and strategic support to help early-stage founders bring their visions to life. Through programs like the Venture Launch Fellowship, we cultivate a thriving ecosystem for underrepresented entrepreneurs, ensuring they have the tools, connections, and knowledge needed to build sustainable and impactful businesses.

​Proceeds from the event will go to fund future generations of the Realist Lab Venture Launch Fellowship Program.