Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/848827
42 Hartford Business Journal • July 17, 2017 www.HartfordBusiness.com Jessica Ritter Q&A: What do you do in your current job? As a partner in the school law practice group, I work with many of the 125-plus public school districts the firm represents throughout Connecticut as well as some independent schools. I represent these clients in a broad range of matters related to collective bargaining, employment, school policy, the freedom of information act and student conduct. In addition, I represent clients in labor disputes, employment litigation, mediation and interest arbitration proceedings. What are your goals in your current job? To serve as a mentor to younger attorneys and continue to strive for work/life balance. What's your biggest passion? Raising our children, Jake (age 6) and Katie (age 3) with my husband, Joe. What are your future professional aspirations? I would like to teach in some capacity to aspiring attorneys and/or school administrators. How are you involved in the community? Born and raised in Hartford, I have a strong commitment to community involvement. I serve as the lead advisor to my Family's Donor Fund, the Ritter Family Fund, associated with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. The Ritter Family Fund gives out scholarships totaling more than $7,000 per year to deserving eighth graders at Noah Webster. The money is placed in escrow until the student attends college. Additionally, the Ritter Family Fund, on average, donates an addi- tional $7,000 per year to other local Greater Hartford charities and nonprofits. In 2017, I was elected to the Mark Twain House & Museum's board of trustees. I am an active member of Shipman & Goodwin's Diversity and Inclusion Committee. If you had one wish to brighten Greater Hartford's eco- nomic future what would it be? I wish for Hartford to be a thriving metropolis, a vibrant city where people want to work and live. List four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: Was elected an equity partner to my firm at the age of 36. I am an active member of Shipman & Good- win's Diversity and Inclusion Committee. I serve as the lead advisor to my Family's Donor Fund, the Ritter Family Fund. For the past four years, I have been selected as a Connecticut Super Lawyer Rising Star in the area of schools and education. I was the captain of my college soccer team and I love '90s hip hop music. Age: 37 Company: Shipman & Goodwin Title: Attorney Town where I live: West Hartford Town where I work: Hartford College: Trinity College FUN FACT Ojala Naeem Q&A: What do you do in your current job? At reSET, I work with entrepreneurs of all backgrounds and ages to develop viable and scalable business models, many of which have a positive social or environmental impact. As part of the Greater Hartford business community, I'm helping build an impact ecosystem by ensuring there are competitive resources available to startups. What are your goals in your current job? My goal is to foster an environment of social innovation and entrepreneurship that will support talent retention in the region, while simultaneously generating more revenue, jobs and investment. What's your biggest passion? Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge advocate of Hartford. As someone who grew up in Connecticut, left for college and returned to the region after graduation, I see the amazing opportunity our state has to be a more desirable place for business and the next generation. But unlike many other cities that have experienced periods of great growth at the expense of some long-time residents and businesses, I really want to see Hartford bring prosperity for all. What are your future professional aspirations? I see me always working to strengthen Greater Hartford's economic stability through innovative solutions for our many challenges. I'd be particularly grateful for an opportunity to take on the issue of economic hardship with and for our underserved communities. How are you involved in the community? I serve on the board of directors for Compass Youth Collab- orative, an amazing organization working on youth development here in Hartford. I'm also on the gover- nance committee for Innovation Places for Hartford, an initiative focused on increasing the city's economic viability through innovation and entrepreneurship. What do you hope Greater Hartford will be like in 10 years? Ten years from now, I want the Hartford region to be thriving, with diversity in the scale and impact of business. I want to see more non-traditional entre- preneurs solving our problems through innovative business solutions. I want to see more opportunities for early stage entrepreneurs, as well as a consistent pipeline of business ideas. Hartford also needs to be known for encouraging collab- oration between its local entities, both small and large. The more we all work on strengthening our relationships with like-minded organizations, the more meaningful services and programs we can provide to the greatest number and range of people. List four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty: I produced Impact Fest Hartford in collaboration with Public Allies; this was an event focused on provid- ing exposure to Hartford's arts community and busi- ness resources. I have taken steps to reduce barriers to entrepreneurship for the surrounding Hartford com- munity by adopting policies that have made reSET's service more accessible and affordable. Through my leadership and dedication to entrepreneurship in Hartford, I have ascended from program associate to managing director at reSET in five years. Alongside my colleagues, I supported the passage of benefit corpora- tion legislation in Connecticut. I'm the eldest of four girls and 26 grandchildren. I like to think that kicked my sense of responsibility and leadership into gear! Age: 26 Company: reSET Title: Managing Director Town where I live: Waterbury Town where I work: Hartford College: Fordham University FUN FACT 40 Under Forty 2017 P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D