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August 2, 2018 40 Under Forty 2018

Alicia Woodsby

Photo | J. Fiereck Photography

Age: 38

Company: Partnership for Strong Communities

Title: Executive Director

No. of years with current company: 7

Town where I live: Marlborough

Town where I work: Hartford

College: University of Connecticut

Highest degree: Master's degree in social work in policy practice

Alicia Woodsby is the executive director of the Partnership for Strong Communities, a statewide nonprofit policy and advocacy organization dedicated to ending homelessness, expanding affordable housing and building strong communities in Connecticut. Woodsby became the interim executive director in Feb. 2014, and was named the executive director in June 2014.

She leads the statewide Reaching Home Campaign, which played a major role in Connecticut being named the first state to end chronic homelessness among Veterans, and the second state to meet the federal definition of ending all Veteran homelessness.

What's been your biggest professional accomplishment?

The privilege of leading a large statewide collaboration to end homelessness and proving that it can work. Together, we've created lasting change in Connecticut to resolve an unacceptable social problem and helped to ensure safe, stable housing for thousands of people who were formerly homeless. Through our efforts to end chronic homelessness over 14 years, we dramatically increased the state's stock of supportive and affordable housing and substantially reduced long-term homelessness for people with disabilities.

How are you involved in the community?

I've mentored several social work students over the years and volunteered for the North Central Regional Mental Health Board for many years. My deep passion for appropriate support for people with serious mental illness and their families has driven me to serve on several state boards and councils.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Spending time with my three-year-old daughter, Emilia, is my greatest joy. I'm a family person, and spend quite a bit of time with my parents, three sisters, five nephews and other loved ones. I love to hike and do yoga.

What do you hope Greater Hartford will be like in 10 years?

A vibrant region with mixed-income housing opportunities for people of all income levels, races and ethnicities and access to fresh food, health care, employment and training opportunities, and transportation.

Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty:

• Served as policy director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in CT for six years; and co-founded a statewide children's mental health coalition in 2009.

• Directly supported numerous individuals with serious mental-health disabilities in advocating for themselves in state policy.

• Serves on Federal Reserve's Bank of Boston Community Development Advisory Council.

• Appointed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to second term on the board of directors for the CT Housing Finance Authority.

Fun Fact 

I completed three silent meditation retreats and two scuba certifications.

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