Hartford Business Journal

B14 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MARCH 23, 2026 T H E 2 0 2 6 WOMEN IN BUSINESS H O N O R E E S stepHanie sobKowiaK Partner; Co-Leader, Health Care Industry Team Harris Beach Murtha What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? As an elected member of Harris Beach Murtha's Management Committee, I am excited to help strategically lead our firm forward by realizing opportunities for continued growth, remaining at the forefront of legal developments and training and mentoring our young talent. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? From my first days at the firm, I worked incredibly hard and was fortunate to have wonderful mentors who not only taught me the law but also taught me how to practice law. Now, I strive to share that experience with others every day. How are you involved in the community? I had the privilege of serving on the board of directors of a nonprofit preschool and child care center for many years, ultimately taking on the president role and working with the executive director on a wide variety of policies, fundraising efforts and facil- ity renovations to continually enhance the program. S tephanie Sobkowiak is an attorney at Harris Beach Murtha who represents health care clients in complex, high-stakes matters and oversees a team of more than 45 attorneys. As leader of Murtha Cullina's Deal Team, she played a pivotal role in the firm's 2025 combination with Harris Beach PLLC, forming a firm of more than 250 lawyers practic- ing in offices across four states. She is an elected member of the firm's Management Committee and previously served on Murtha Culli- na's Executive Committee and as chair of its Regulatory Department. What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far? My biggest professional accom- plishment has been leading Murtha Cullina LLP's Deal Team into its January 2025 combination with Harris Beach PLLC, creating a regional firm with more than 250 attorneys. We just completed a very successful first year as a combined firm. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? My next big professional goal is to continue expanding my leadership impact by developing and mentoring high-per- forming teams, driving sustainable business growth and influencing strategy at a broader level while creating opportu- nities for others — especially women — to advance and lead with confidence. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? One of the biggest challenges I've over- come is leading through uncertainty and change. Navigating complex business environments while keeping teams engaged and motivated taught me resil- ience, adaptability and the importance of clear, empathetic leadership. How are you involved in the community? I am passionate about being the exec- utive sponsor for Key4Women in the Connecticut/Massachusetts market. Key4Women helps businesswomen and women-owned businesses in our communities meet their professional and financial goals through advocacy, connections and empowerment, as well as providing them with the tools and resources to help raise capital. H aving started her banking career in 2008, Elona Shape serves as market retail leader, overseeing KeyBank's retail network of 55 branches throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts. She joined KeyBank in 2021 as area retail leader, responsible for sales and service activities in Key's branches in Fairfield and Westchester counties. Prior to joining Key, Shape spent four years at JPMorgan Chase, first as a personal banker and then as a branch manager. Outside of work, Shape is a mother to two boys, whom she says are her "why" to everything she does in life. What have been your biggest profes- sional accomplishments so far? My biggest professional accomplish- ments include leading high-perform- ing teams through growth and change, driving strong business results, and building inclusive cultures rooted in accountability and development. I am especially proud of my commitment to community involvement — support- ing initiatives that help individuals, small businesses and women entre- preneurs thrive. elona sHape Market Retail Leader CT/Mass KeyBank girls to play pro. What's the next big goal you want to accom- plish professionally? My focus is on elevating Hartford Athletic to Division 1 while launching our W League women's team in 2026. Expanding the Green & Blue Foundation's community impact through neighborhood event programming, like bringing a local farmers market to the venue, is equally important. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? Twelve years ago, a young single mom with- out a college degree was looking to provide for her family. There was no roadmap into professional sports — every opportunity was earned through relentless work, beginning in direct mail. That grit carried us through building Hartford Athletic from scratch during a pandemic. How are you involved in the community? As president of the Green & Blue Founda- tion, our programs have donated over $1.5 million locally, including STEM & Soccer Education Days reaching thousands of students. Coaching my daughter's basket- ball team and serving as guardian for a young adult with developmental needs round out my community work. M ichele Roux serves as chief operating officer of Hartford Athletic, Connecticut's profes- sional soccer team in the USL Champi- onship. She also serves as president of the Green & Blue Foundation, the club's nonprofit, which has donated more than $1.5 million to Connecticut communities and distributed over 30,000 tickets to underserved families. Since joining at the club's founding in 2019, she has grown the youth academy from fewer than 25 to more than 425 families and launched Connecticut's first pre-pro- fessional women's soccer team. In 2025, Hartford Athletic won the USL Jägermeis- ter Cup — the club's first championship and Hartford's first title in 25 years. What have been your biggest profes- sional accomplishments so far? What makes me most proud is the team we've built and what we've learned together. Winning takes so many pieces firing at once — our 2025 Jägermeister Cup was a testament to that. Our fan base continues to grow year over year with record-breaking sellouts. We've grown our Youth Academy exponentially, solidifying our position as a family first product while developing pathways for MiCHele roux Chief Operating Officer Hartford Athletic

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