Jocelyn DeMaio

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Age: 35

Title: Director of Account Management

Company: The Hartford

Locations: Hartford, Windsor, Simsbury

Hometown: Manchester

College: Eastern Connecticut State University (Graduate); University of Connecticut (Undergraduate)

Bio

In her role in The Hartford's chief technology office (CTO), Jocelyn DeMaio acts as the principal interface between the CTO and the information technology divisions within the company's businesses. DeMaio advises the businesses on enterprise IT strategy, drivers for business success, and opportunities to enhance IT services.

DeMaio is a member of nine of The Hartford's employee resource groups. She is most active in the Professional Women's Network, where she serves as an attraction and retention committee member.

Outside work, she is very involved in the community. DeMaio serves as membership chair of the Northeast and Central Connecticut United Way Women's Leadership Council and as the vice president of finance for the CT Chapter of HDI, a professional service management organization.

Since 2000, a big passion for DeMaio has been fitness and wellness, including helping others achieve their fitness goals. She's certified in and teaches classes such as kickboxing, boot camp and spinning.

Q&A

At what age did you decide what you wanted to do with your career? Even as a child, I was a strong communicator, bold and persuasive. I had a knack for bringing order to chaos and didn't fear failure. I wanted to be a leader. In sixth grade, despite knowing no one at a school I had just started at, I ran for class president. I lost that election, but learned a valuable lesson in willpower, which I put to use when I ran for and won the office of class president in high school.

Another early leadership indication was when I performed in a musical and had a 30-second costume change into a dress with a two-foot zipper. While changing, the zipper broke, exposing my entire backside. As we all know, the show must always go on! My challenge was to carry on without the audience realizing what had happened. This meant a complete change to my choreography and stage direction. As nervous as I was, I survived.

Which destination has most shaped who you are in business and life today? I enjoy traveling to New York City several times a year. The energy and vitality thrums and hums. The lights never go out, a city so large that it elicits humility because I will only ever explore a miniscule piece of it.

I like to be engaged and therefore pack my day with activities. I like to be on the go. Perhaps this is why I've always found inspiration in New York City.