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BA Advisory Committee

The Tunxis Business Administration Advisory Committee is comprised of business and educational leaders who help steer the future of the Tunxis Business Administration program. Members meet several times a year, and attend a variety of campus activities throughout the semester. Advisory members also play an important role in evaluating graduating BA students final ePortfolios.

BA Program Advisory Committee

• Juan Berrios, Community/Financial Services Program Manager, Human Resources Agency of New Britain, Inc.
• Sharon Braverman, Assistant Dean, CCSU School of Business
• Eric Chen, Associate Professor of Business Administration, University of St. Joseph
• Pete Chrzanowski, Southington High School, Business Department
• Dawn Draper Classen, VP, Human Resources CT Mutual Holding Company
• Heidi Fitzgerald, Coordinator of Business Programs/Professor, Asnuntuck Community College
• Deana Giordano, Programs and Services Coordinator, CT Department of Labor
• Cristina Higham, Advising and Student Support Specialist, CCSU School of Business
• Steven Jarett, AMPA, CPA, Department of Business, University of St. Joseph
• Fernando Macaro, Financial Analyst, The Hartford’s Financial Leadership Development Program
• Kathryn McClellan, Customer Care Manager, Zurich North America
• Laurie Roberge, Bristol Central High School, Business Department
• Sondra Sanford, Academy of Finance (AOF) Director, New Britain High School
• Doreen Stickney, Museum Director, Imagine Nation Museum

Tunxis Community College members

• Andre Blaszczynski, Professor of Business/Economics
• Nancy Grassilli, Professor of Marketing Emerita
• Mark Milewski, Professor of Business Administration, Business Club Advisor
• Tatiana Machado, Co-Chair of Careers & Social Sciences, Program Coordinator and Professor of Business Administration

BA Faculty Bios

Full-Time Faculty

Tatiana Chavarriaga Machado is Co-Chair of Careers & Social Sciences, Program Coordinator and Professor of Business Administration.  In 2019, championed the re-accreditation of the business program with the Accredited Council of Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) for an additional 10 years. Tatiana has her AS in Business Administration from Tunxis Community College, her BS in Information Design & Communication from Bentley College, and her MA in Communication from Central Connecticut State University.  She has worked in the Marketing/Advertising/Communication roles for various local  agencies, started her own multi-cultural agency in 2001 and began college instruction in marketing/communication at Tunxis in 2009.  She serves on the Southington High School Business Advisory Board and also the New Britain High School Academy of Finance (NAF) Advisory Board.  She is also the College Career Pathways (CCP), the dual enrollment program for Business Administration with all the participating high school partners. 

Mark Milewski is a Professor of Business Administration.  He teaches a variety of management courses and is the Business Club advisor.  He holds a B.A. in political science from Syracuse University, an M.A. in history from the University of Connecticut, and an M.B.A. with a concentration in marketing from Bentley University.  He is a former manager with Eastern Mountain Sports and currently serves as Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 25 in Manchester, CT.  He hiked the entire 2,160-mile Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine and on May 20, 2016, he summited 29,029 ft. Mount Everest.  He serves on the Advisory Board of the Polish Studies Program at Central Connecticut State University.

Angela Fierro is the Program Coordinator for Paralegal and an instructor of Law and Ethics.  She developed and launched the Paralegal Studies Certificate program, later expanding it into an associates degree accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). She obtained her B.A. from Providence College in 1995, her M.S.W. from Fordham University in 1998, and her J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2001. Mrs. Fierro has worked as an attorney  in private practice for both small and large firms, as well as in the public sector for the State of Connecticut, Office of the Attorney General. Mrs. Fierro began teaching at Tunxis in 2009 in a part time capacity, transitioning into the full time position in 2020.

Crystal Amara became a full-time instructor of accounting in the fall of 2022 after extensive experience as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).  She received a BBA in Accounting from Hofstra University and a MBA from the University of Hartford. She also received a CT Business Education Certification from CCSU. She began her career as an Auditor at Blum Shapiro and then continued on to become a Senior Accountant of Financial Reporting and Corporate Accounting at Stanley Black & Decker. She has been teaching at Tunxis part-time since 2010 and currently is an accountant at Ryan Marketing in West Hartford.

Part Time Faculty

• Dawn M. Bradanini earned her Associate’s of Applied Science degree in Paralegal Studies at Briarwood College, her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Criminology at CCSU, and her Juris Doctor degree at University Of Connecticut School Of Law. During her education at UCONN, she had the opportunity to participate in the Poverty Clinic as well as the Street Law Program.  The Poverty clinic focused on the legal representation of indigent clients regarding housing and benefits while the Street Law Program allowed law students to teach law at area inner city high schools. She is currently employed as an attorney by the State of Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services and has actively taught many law classes over the past 14 years.
• Vicky E. Bullock holds a B.A., M.P.A., and Juris Doctor. She is an attorney with the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) in Hartford, Connecticut. There she handles real estate matters and Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, for which she was the recipient of the Governor’s Service Award for the CT Supreme Court case of DCP v. American Car Rental.  She is also the DCP Affirmative Action designee and is responsible for prosecuting matters before several Commissions and Boards.  Attorney Bullock has taught for more than ten years.
• Margaret Carlin received her Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from Eastern Connecticut State University. She has worked in a variety of positions at Tunxis Community College, and is currently a Student Services Specialist helping students meet their academic, career, and personal goals.
• Pete Chrzanowski graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and from CCSU with a Master’s Degree in Business Education. He worked for 10 years in both public and private accounting, focusing in audit, financial analysis, IT and budgeting. Since 2003, he has worked in public education, teaching courses in all facets of business and computer technology at the high school level and has been an adjunct instructor since January 2013.
• Sharron Dillon received her BS degree in Political Science and her JD from North Carolina Central University. She is an attorney in solo private practice for 24 years, focusing on small business formation and consulting, contract drafting and review, and the preparation of wills and advance directives. She has over 18 years of teaching experience. She is a recipient of the University of Hartford’s Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award.
• Nicole Downes holds a Masters Degree in Accounting from the University of Connecticut.  In her professional career, she has found a passion for the non-profit sector, and is currently the Chief Financial Officer at a local non-profit organization.  She has been sharing her passion for accounting with the students at Tunxis since 2011.
• Beatrice Ferry holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Central Connecticut State University. She has more than 15 years of broad finance/accounting experience, including serving as CFO managing the strategic and financial aspects of insurance organizations, and public speaking experience. Her professional background includes Finance, Accounting, Tax, Insurance (Healthcare, Personal/ Commercial Property and Casualty), Estate/Trusts, and Sarbanes-Oxley Audits. She has owned and operated various businesses. Her talents also include performing as a classical pianist, producing and hosting her own television and radio shows.
• Nancy Grassilli received her marketing degrees from UMass Amherst and Montclair State. She also has her Educational Administration,  6th year equivalent, from UConn.  She presently owns a Real Estate Business and is the former owner of a retail location. Additional information on Prof. Grassilli can be found on facebook!
• Donna LaGanga has her doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin. She was the Dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at Tunxis and prior to joining Tunixs, was Vice-President of the Career and Community College Markets for South-Western Publishing in Cincinnati.
• Jean Madden Hennessey holds an MBA from the University of Hartford and a B.S. In Mathematics from Central Connecticut State University. She has worked in the Information Technology field for 30+ years. For the past 24 years she has served as the Director of Information Technology for a large non-profit in Hartford, CT and as the Chief Information Officer for a local University. In 2000, she began teaching technology and management courses part-time at various colleges. She has presented at numerous professional conferences and serves on several technology and finance committees for local non-profit organizations.
• Genita Mangum received her Doctorate Degree in Management: Community College Policy & Administration from the University of Maryland University College. She has worked in a variety of positions at Tunxis Community College for the past 13 years.  She presently is Registrar at HACC (Harrisburg Area Community College) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
• Giorgio Mugno earned a B.A. degree from Southern Connecticut State University and an M.S. degree in Finance from The University of Tampa. While in graduate school, he worked as a Research Assistant for an institutional brokerage group at Morgan Stanley. He has served in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary as an Aircrew Commander in addition to having a finance specialty and currently holds the grade of Major. He is fluent in Italian and Spanish and has taught at Tunxis since the Spring of 2012 as either a full-time or part-time lecturer and also instructs at Charter Oak State College.
• Kenneth Muccino graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1973 with a BS degree in electrical engineering and began working as an engineer at Northeast Utilities. He earned an MBA degree from the University of Connecticut in 1977 and later became certified as a Management Accountant (CMA). He retired after 30 years in private industry and now teaches at Tunxis and CCSU. He also does accounting for a number of non-profit organizations and serves as Treasurer for the Board of Directors of Farmington Ecumenical Elderly Housing Corp. in Unionville, CT.
• Stephen Paulone received his PhD from Northcentral University financial management. He holds degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (MBA concentration in marketing) and MS (concentration in Finance). His undergraduate degree was from Fairfield University. He has over twenty-five years of experience in manufacturing, marketing and finance and has held such positions as marketing manager, manager of new product development, marketing program manager and finance director.
• Jon Sahlin was born and raised in nearby Bristol, CT, Jon started his educational path right here at Tunxis, graduating in 2001, before moving on to CCSU and subsequently to University of Hartford. He is currently employed during the day at LAZ Parking in Hartford where he serves as a Senior Accountant in their corporate accounting department. In his free time, Jon enjoys spending time with his son Landon, playing his guitar, and also playing hockey on the weekends.
• Cliff Sargis is an alumnus of Tunxis Community College with an A.S. in Business Administration.  He earned his M.S. degree in Organizational Communication at Central Connecticut State University where he also received his B.A. in History.  He became adjunct faculty after spending roughly 30 years in the field of healthcare administration including non-clinical administrative roles with the UConn Health Center, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, and St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center.   Cliff has also worked for American Airlines, has traveled extensively, and was employed as a 6th grade elementary school teacher in Southington, CT where he earned the title, The Terminator.  Cliff spends his free time volunteering with the Tunxis Civic Engagement Institute and devoting time to his second passion:  landscaping.
• Lorraine (Lori) Winston holds a BA from the University of Delaware and an MBA with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Hartford. She has taught part time in the Connecticut Community College System for the past 15 years.