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6 Hartford Business Journal • July 25, 2016 www.HartfordBusiness.com 40 Under Forty 2016 Ahlstrand with her two daughters. Age: 37 Company: Seiger Gfeller Laurie LLP Title: Equity Partner Town where I live: West Hartford Town where I work: West Hartford College: Colby College, UConn School of Law Q&A: What do you do and what are your goals in your current job? I'm an equity partner of Seiger Gfeller Laurie LLP (SGL), with a primary focus on insurance coverage and bad-faith litigation. My goals are to continue to expand SGL's client base and increase the depth of our of attorney base, all while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. What are your goals for your community involvement? Personally, I strive to contrib- ute at least 10 hours per month, through hands-on volunteering, board participa- tion and/or attendance at community events/fundraisers. What's your biggest passion? Planning Pinterest-worthy birthday parties for my daughters. In our house, weekdays are often hectic and meals are ad hoc, but when it comes to birthday parties I love to slow down, get creative and break out the craft supplies. What are your future aspirations? Big picture, to be a good role model for my daughters. In terms of more tangible aspirations, to run a half-marathon. It's an unmet goal that I want to meet before turning 40. If you had one wish to brighten Hartford's economic future what would it be? Address food insecurity faced by so many Hartford residents, in particular children. The statis- tics regarding hunger and food insecurity are staggering and heartbreaking. Without this most basic need being met, it is impossible to expect adults to be productive members of society or for children to learn. There are many complicated factors impacting Hart- ford's economics, but consistent and reliable access to nourishing food is a fundamental building block to a bright future. List four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: 1) First female partner and equity partner in my firm. 2) Established SGL's mentoring and community impact programs. 3) A longtime and varied commitment to vol- unteerism in Hartford. 4) My younger female clients repeatedly tell me that as they are considering having children they are encour- aged by my ability to work full time, raise two daughters, and entertain clients (mostly in New York City), without giving-up my own interests (book club, volunteering, girls nights out, vacations with just my husband). Time Tested: What personal possession in your life has with- stood the test of time? High school English class copy of "Pride and Prejudice" What hobby did you develop at a young age that you still enjoy today? Skiing 20 years ago, what did you envision as your future profession? Lawyer Who do you consider your mentor? Lucille Festa, my own working mom and business owner extraordinaire, American Country Rugs LLC Elizabeth F. Ahlstrand I learned how to ski at age three, attended an elite sports academy for two years of high school (graduating with three future Olympians), and competitively downhill ski raced through college. Ahlstrand at her firm's first volunteer outing, Habitat for Humanity, Hartford, 2012 40 Under Forty 2016 Ambrose in front of his church, Glory Chapel International Cathedral. He grew up in the church as a son of a pastor. He later worked for a church before joining Hartford City Mission. Ambrose at Hartford City Mission's winter retreat earlier this year. Dave Ambrose Q&A: What do you do and what are your goals in your current job? I'm the development direc- tor at Hartford City Mission, a faith-based nonprofit serving north Hartford. I help connect volunteers and funders who sup- port our programs, which seek to empower children and young people to become strong transformational leaders. What are your goals for your community involvement? As someone who is relatively new to my community I seek to listen and learn first. I desire to actively join the great leaders already present in our community serving where they best think my gifts fit. I do aspire to be elected to the board of education. What's your biggest passion? I seek to serve my God and his city. In Jeremiah 29 the Lord says, 'Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into. … Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.' What are your future aspirations? Years of building new magnet schools and bussing our children to the suburbs have severely broken down one of the traditional institu- tions that builds community, neighborhood schools. I aspire to work with local churches and Hartford Public Schools to support north Hartford's neighborhood schools creating a stronger more tightly knit community. What needs to happen for Hartford to become a more vibrant city where people work, live and play? More of our best and brightest emerging leaders need to see success from the community perspective instead of an indi- vidual perspective. As long as success in our under-resourced neighborhoods is defined by getting out of the city we will continue to have a leadership drain. More emerging leaders must stop leaving our communities behind and instead choose to return to the commu- nity after college to be part of the solution not perpetuate the problem. List four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: 1) Served as the volunteer director of The Hartford Project (THP) for four sum- mers overseeing its move from one to three weeks each summer and the hiring of THP's first organizational development assistant. 2) Was hired as Hartford City Mission's first implementation director overseeing the open- ing of HCM's third after-school site and the move of the original site into a neighborhood church. 3) Serves as vice chair of the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Revitalization Zone. 4) Served as a parent member of R.J. Kinsella Magnet School of the Performing Arts' School Governance Council (SGC) and now as a com - munity member of Simpson-Waverly's SGC. Time Tested: What personal possession in your life has with- stood the test of time? My Bible 20 years ago, what did you envision as your future profession? A teacher Who do you consider your mentor? Andre Rien- deau, Lead Pastor, Wintonbury Church Age: 35 Company: Hartford City Mission Title: Development Director Town where I live: Hartford Town where I work: Hartford College: Gordon College My wife and I will celebrate our 14 th wedding anniversary this summer. We were married in-between our junior and senior year of college.