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30 Hartford Business Journal • August 10, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com 40 UNDER FORTY 2020 Christopher Cusano Age: 36 Company: Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance Inc. Title: Executive Director No. of years with current company: 6 Town where I live: West Hartford Town where I work: Avon College: UConn; Roger Williams University School of Law Highest degree: Law degree C hris Cusano is the executive director of the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance Inc. (CTBTA). After spending many years working in the legal sector, Cusano's desire to effect change steered him to the United Way. Ultimately, his passion as a brain tumor survivor and advocate led him to the CTBTA, a nonprofit dedicated to providing hope and support to brain tumor patients and caregivers, while advancing brain tumor awareness, quality of care and brain tumor research. Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: • In 2020, the CTBTA increased its to- tal grant funding to partner hospitals by roughly 18% compared to 2019. • Tirelessly advocates for each pa- tient and caregiver who contacts the CTBTA for support. • Recently nominated to serve on the external advisory board for the Yale SPORE in Brain Tumors at the Yale School of Medicine. • Maintain volunteer connections in the community and value the impor- tance of giving back philanthropi- cally to organizations in need. Matthew K. Curtin Age: 38 Company: Murtha Cullina LLP Title: Partner No. of years with current company: 2 Town where I live: Manchester Town where I work: Hartford College: University of Connecticut; Quinnipiac University School of Law Highest degree: MBA/Law degree M atthew Curtin is a partner at Murtha Cullina. He prac- tices labor and employ- ment law and chairs Murtha's data privacy and cybersecurity practice group. Curtin was made partner at only 36 years old. He is the current chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's labor and employment law section. He has achieved the International Association of Privacy Profession- als Certified Information Privacy Professional certification. He vol- unteers his time serving on the St. James School board in Manchester. Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: • Serve as chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's labor and employ- ment law section. • Volunteer for the St. James School board in Manchester. ª Named partner at Murtha Cullina at only 36 years old. • Recognized by the International Association of Privacy Professionals as a Certified Information Privacy Professional. Bridget D'Angelo Age: 30 Company: Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP Title: Associate Attorney No. of years with current company: Started July 2020 Town where I live: Glastonbury Town where I work: New Haven College: University of Chicago Law School Highest degree: Law degree B ridget D'Angelo is an associ- ate attorney in the real estate practice group in the New Haven office of Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey. D'Angelo rep- resents clients in the areas of real estate and financing. She assists clients with real estate acquisitions, development, leasing, financing and entity formation. Her representation of clients includes negotiation of loan documentation, purchase and sale agreements, leases and entity for- mation, as well as all other aspects of commercial real estate and lend- ing transactions. Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: • I am an asset to my firm and play many diverse roles within the firm. • I am committed to improving the business environment in Connect- icut and seeking out leadership roles in local organizations. • I am passionate about problem solving and giving back to the communities I live and work in. • I am a member/former treasurer of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association. Cheryl Demko Morello Age: 37 Company: Heritage Funeral Home & Cremation Services Title: Owner & Funeral Director Town where I live: Suffield College: Springfield College, American Academy of Mortuary Science Highest degree: Bachelor's degree in health education C heryl Demko Morello is a second-generation licensed funeral director, embalmer and proprietor at Heritage Funeral Home in Suffield. She has 15 years of experience as an active funeral director and embalmer and has successfully run thousands of local funerals and international burials. Her previous work experi- ence includes being a restorative art laboratory professor at Lincoln Com- munity College, social work and crisis counseling in the mental health field. Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: • Representing female funeral direc- tors and business owners in a male- dominated field and achieving the highest standards of client care. • Named a top 10 female funeral director by the National Funeral Directors Association 2016. • Purchased Heritage Funeral Home at 33 years of age and have managed staff of more than 20 people while performing duties of a full-time funeral director and embalmer. • Successfully navigated small busi- ness ownership through a world- wide pandemic and ever-changing regulations.