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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m M a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 9 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 45 W o m e n W h o M e a n B u s i n e s s "is is a transitional time, and things are changing constantly," she says. As a result, "I've gotten very good at saying, 'Okay, I'll work with that.'" e emergence of social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have been some- thing of a Godsend for Gard, as the new technology allows her to reach a larger audi- ence with fewer dollars. "Social media has changed how I commu- nicate with people," she explains. "It's an efficien- cy I am able to create, and it costs a lot less than [renting] a billboard." For Gard, the oppor- tunity to interact with students "from different walks of life but all with a common goal" on a daily basis far outweighs the challenges of balancing the budgetary difficulties and marketing activities of two thriving urban colleges. "e younger people I work with and mentor eventually leave me, and they go on to great things," she explains. "I'm really proud of that because it's giving to the next generation." In addition to the personal fulfillment that her career has provided her, Gard is proud of the measurable accomplish- ments that both colleges have achieved during her tenure. In 2017, Housatonic was awarded the Aspen Prize for community-col- lege excellence and was ranked by the Aspen Institute as one of the na- tion's top 150 community colleges. "I would love every- body to spend some visiting a community college," Gard says. "ey are going to see a mi- crocosm in the classrooms and hallways. It is the most amazing thing to see." Housatonic has also become renowned throughout the Connecticut business community for its Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, which trains and places students into a broad spectrum of manufacturing jobs aer graduation. Balance career and life As a woman in a prominent public leadership role, Gard strongly encourages the women that she mentors to pursue a career in a field they are passionate about. She also advises them to find a balance between their career and personal life. "You have to put your family first," she says. "I'm not going to say you can have it all, but you can have it. You have to be at peace with your arrangement." Evelyn Gard Continued from Page 18 Gard herself has taken great strides to follow her own advice in maintaining a balance in her work and family life. However, she takes pleasure in immersing herself in an array of volunteer activities that closely align with her career. Gard has been a driving force for the Southern Connecticut Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). She served as its president from 2007 to 2009, and assumed that respon- sibility again in 2016. During that time, she spearheaded the effort to consolidate the state's two PRSA chapters into one organi- zation while rebuilding the group's presence in Connecticut. As a result of her work, the Greater Con- necticut Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (as the con- solidated chapter is now known) honored Gard with its Practitioner of the Year award for 2018. In her "spare" time, Gard is a professional so- prano and voice teacher and also serves as a can- tor at St. omas More, Yale's Catholic chapel. She also serves on the board of directors of the Elm Shakespeare Co. and is a former member of the New Haven Sym- phony Orchestra and Connecticut Virtuosi boards of directors. Despite her success and stature in the community, Gard remains circumspect with regard to her achievements and personal accomplishments. "No matter what I'm doing, I throw myself into the things that I love wholeheartedly," Gard said. "It is one of those jobs where you know you're making a difference." n In the 1950s PTA Plastics was a pioneer in the then- nascent technology of injection plastic molding. PHOTO/DAVID OTTENSTEIN

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