Staff

Yahaira Escribano, Finance & Programs Officer

Yahaira Escribano is the Finance & Programs Officer for the Hartford Land Bank.

She was born, raised, and still resides in the North End of Hartford. Yahaira was the first person in her family to make it past the tenth grade, eventually earning a B.S. degree in Urban and Community Studies and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, both from the University of Connecticut.

For the past several years, Yahaira has connected local residents with needed nutritional assistance through her work at CT Foodshare and local students with educational scholarships through her work with the Hartford Promise. She wants to continue building bridges between community members and the assistance they may need to not just survive but thrive. In her new role at the Land Bank, Yahaira will do that by helping to create a sustainable pipeline of local developers and homeowners. She eventually wants to become a homeowner herself in her beloved North End community.

Yahaira deeply believes the Hartford Land Bank can be a catalyst for community members to create generational wealth and break the cycle of poverty, particularly in North End neighborhoods.

Tyler Havens, Community & Program Intern

Tyler grew up in Hartford County and obtained a B.S. in Business Management from Providence College. After graduation he was involved in various AmeriCorps programs, completing two years of volunteer service across the U.S. then moving to New Orleans, LA.

In his role with Rebuilding Together New Orleans, Tyler performed home renovations for low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners. He saw firsthand how property rehabilitation and home ownership strengthened communities and he aims to continue with these efforts in Hartford.

In another post-AmeriCorps role as the Volunteer Manager at New Orleans City Park, Tyler worked with community volunteers to perform a variety of park improvement projects with the intention to create a more inviting public space for all people to utilize. Tyler believes strongly in the importance of engaging communities, gathering citizen input, and accessibility to green space.

Alongside his internship at Hartford Land Bank, Tyler is pursuing a master’s degree in Public Administration at UConn with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. With prior experience in home building, conservation, and public policy, he is eager to help build a more just future for Hartford citizens and surrounding communities.

Board of Directors

Melvyn Colon, Chairperson

Melvyn is the Executive Director of Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance and lives in the South End neighborhood of Hartford.

Steve Harris, Vice Chairperson

Steve is a retired City of Hartford firefighter and lives in the Northeast neighborhood of Hartford.

Jim Horan

Jim is Executive Director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

Judith Rothschild

Judith is the Director of Blight Remediation for the City of Hartford.

Violette Haldane

Violette is a realtor serving the Greater Hartford community.

Georgiana ‘Jean’ Holloway

Jean is a Commissioner of the Metropolitan District Commission. She lives in the Clay Arsenal neighborhood of Hartford, where she is Vice Chair of the Clay Arsenal Neighborhood Revitalization Zone.

Emily Wolfe

Emily is Executive Director of Sheldon Oak Central, Inc.

Ilka Torres

Ilka is a realtor serving the Greater Hartford community. She lives in the South West/Behind The Rocks neighborhood of Hartford.

Ashley Cooney

A Hartford native, Ashley is a real estate investor, licensed real estate agent, and property manager. She loves all things real estate and is eager to learn as much as the field has to offer.

Jen Hockenhull, CPA

Jen currently serves as the Director of Finance for Adult Congenital Heart Assocation, a national non-profit organization and lives in the West End of Hartford.