Pulse of the Region

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Rob Ruggiero, Artistic Director at TheaterWorks Hartford. Rob reflects on the success of the 25/26 Season as it comes to a close—a milestone year that marked TheaterWorks’ 40th anniversary. He also offers a preview of the 26/27 Season, which opens October 8 and features a diverse lineup of stories centered on family dynamics. Learn more about Theat...

This week on Pulse of the Region, Hartford Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs (HYPE) Executive Director Lauren Zevetchin hosts a reunion of HYPE leaders from across the past 20 years—founder Julie Daly Meehan, former Executive Director Kim Bishop (2016-2018), 2015 Chair Adam McLaughlin, and current Ambassador Saskia Butler. Tune in as the group revisits HYPE’s evolution and shares exciting de...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we discuss Hartford's thriving arts scene with Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam and TJ Noel-Sullivan, Founder and Director/Producer of the  Hartford Film Company . We dive into what the state's burgeoning film industry looks like today, its workforce development potential as the ecosystem continues to disperse across the country, and ways to watch CT-made...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we are joined by Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers; Nathan Grube, Tournament Director of the Travelers Championship; Robin Kulasekararaj, Portfolio Head of the Insurance Business Unit at Cognizant; and David Griggs, President and CEO of the MetroHartford Alliance. Andy and Nathan return to discuss the Travelers C...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers, and Nathan Grube, Tournament Director of the Travelers Championship. Andy and Nathan take us inside what to expect at this year’s Travelers Championship, returning June 22–28 to TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. They share updates that will elevate the fan experie...

On this week’s bonus episode of Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Brenda Watson, Executive Director of the North Hartford Partnership, and Patrick McKenna, the Partnership’s Director of Sustainability & Real Estate. Brenda and Patrick share updates on major initiatives underway at the North Hartford Partnership, including the new Climate Resiliency Hub, expanded sustainability projects, and...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Jason Jakubowski, President & CEO of Connecticut Foodshare, and Joe Gianni, President of Bank of America Greater Hartford. Jason shares a closer look at food insecurity across Connecticut and why summer can be especially challenging as children lose access to school meals and volunteer availability declines. We also explore Bank of America’s lo...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Jeannette Dardenne, Owner and Creator of Opportunity at INgroup Creative; Jason Jakubowski, President and CEO at Connecticut Foodshare; and Matt Bannister, Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Sponsorships at PeoplesBank. Jeannette, Jason, and Matt share a preview of what to expect at Hartford Taste—from food and music to art and com...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Taneisha Duggan from the City of Hartford’s Office of Arts, Culture, and Entertainment, and Shannon Frost, the city's Director of Marketing Operations, Special Events, and Special Projects. Taneisha and Shannon share an inside look at Hartford’s upcoming Long Weekend celebration, taking place July 1–5 in honor of America’s 250th birthday. The m...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Lauren Zevetchin, Executive Director at Hartford Young Professionals & Entrepreneurs (HYPE); Bruce Soltys, Vice President of Emerging Talent at Travelers; Angela Pannesco, Engineering Development Program Manager at Travelers; and Kaleigh Scarfo, HR Specialist at Nassau. With summer approaching, the Hartford Region is preparing to welcome thousa...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by Leadership Advisor, Speaker, and Coach Andi Campbell. Andi also recently founded SELENE, a women's leadership collective for experienced women leaders in Connecticut. In this episode, Andi breaks down the concept of imposter syndrome, a topic she has been researching for her upcoming book set to be released this fall. She explores how imposter...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re joined by KeyBank's Michael Astorino, Home Lending Leader, CT/MA, and Elona Shape, Retail Leader, CT/MA. Michael and Elona discuss consumer sentiment and the results of KeyBank's financial mobility survey, how economic realities are impacting homebuyers, and tips on how to navigate finances and buying a home in an uncertain economy. Pulse of the Regi...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we’re taking a look behind the curtain with two of Hartford’s most influential creative forces: Melia Bensussen, Artistic Director at Hartford Stage, and Rob Ruggiero, Artistic Director at TheaterWorks Hartford. Melia and Rob will take us inside their upcoming spring productions—Circus Fire at TheaterWorks and Native Gardens at Hartford Stage—revealing the stories...

This week on the MetroHartford Alliance's Pulse of the Region Cast, we're exploring the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) and how they're celebrating 60 years of providing high-quality, integrated education for all students. We're joined by Executive Director Desi Nesmith and Superintendent of CREC Schools, Sasha Douglas. Learn more about The CREC Foundation Learn more about...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we're welcoming two women-owned businesses operating here in our capital city. Emily Walsh, Co-Owner of the first and only btone FITNESS in Connecticut, Emily Munoz, btone FITNESS instructor, and Chantell Boissiere Kelly, Owner, Capital Ice Cream . We discuss how these unique businesses have grown from their initial inception and how both entrepreneurs are cre...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we're discussing 860Gives, a 48-hour community-wide fundraising campaign powered by United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. Here to discuss 860Gives are Eric Harrison, President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, Corrianne Chipello, CEO of Hartford's Camp Courant, and Carolyn Jasper, Chief Development Officer of Pruden...

This week on Pulse of the Region, we're discussing Connecticut's Electric System infrastructure with Eversource Energy and diving into how Connecticut is preparing for future infrastructure improvements, mitigating outages from storms, and improving overall resiliency. Our guests today are Eversource's Electric Operations President, Steve Sullivan, and Engineering Senior Vice President...

This week, we sit down with two employees from Nassau Financial Group: Anna Pope, Director of Investor Relations, and Michael Remieres, Fitness Center Manager. We examine how employers like Nassau Financial Group are approaching employee wellness and how a focus on employee wellbeing can assist in talent attraction and retention. Pulse of the Region is recorded at ⁠The Swift Factory ⁠ and produced...

This week on MetroHartford Alliance's Pulse of the Region Cast, we sit down with Sarah Westby, Partner and Chair of Shipman & Goodwin's Cannabis Team, and Paul Travaglino, cannabis entrepreneur and advocate, founder of Enlightened Foods, and holder of a cannabis product manufacturing license. In this episode, we explore developments in the cannabis industry and the latest regulations w...

(Originally released 2/12/26) Explore the connection between mental health and financial wellness on this week’s Pulse of the Region Cast, featuring insights from Jacquilyn Davis, Director of Learning & Workforce Development at Mental Health Connecticut , and Brandi Byrne, Financial Education Manager at Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union. The conversation also highlights Mental Health Connect...

(Originally released 2/5/26) This week on MetroHartford Alliance's Pulse of the Region Cast, we are joined by Southern New England Healthcare (SoNE HEALTH)'s Lisa Trumble, President and CEO, George Beauregard, Chief Population Health Officer, and Renee Broadbent, Chief Operating Officer. In this episode, we discuss the use of AI in medicine and how SoNE HEALTH mindfully implements technolo...

(Originally released 1/29/26) This week on MetroHartford Alliance's  Pulse of the Region Cast, we are joined by the MetroHartford Alliance's David Griggs, President and CEO, and Gene Goddard, Chief Business Investment Officer. In this episode, we discuss the MHA's plans for each of our initiatives in 2026, including a focus on hospitality in the Hartford region, as well as development...

(Originally released 1/22/26) This week on MetroHartford Alliance's Pulse of the Region Cast, we are joined by Daniela Michanie, Head of Northeast Public Engagement at DoorDash . In this episode, we explore DoorDash's community involvement and how the company is addressing food insecurity throughout the country and in the Greater Hartford region. We'll also discuss how DoorDash has rec...

(Originally released 1/15/26) This week on MetroHartford Alliance's Pulse of the Region Cast, we are joined by Prem Sagar Sundaram, Craig Weber, and Cary Ellexson from Cognizant . In this episode, we explore Cognizant's community investment in Hartford, as well as the key findings of their Engineering Empathy study, which looks at how AI can help insurers rethink the customer experience. R...

(Originally released 1/8/26) In this episode of Pulse of the Region, we sit down with Valerie Powell-Stafford, President of Saint Francis Hospital , to explore the many ways that Saint Francis Hospital is playing an impactful role in the Hartford area, from award-winning programs within the hospital to their community outreach efforts. Pulse of the Region is recorded at ⁠The Swift Factory ⁠ and pr...