Board of Directors

Executive Committee

Dr. Paulette Blythe-Russell, President

Dr. Paulette Blythe-Russell has been a dedicated member of St. Martin's in Hartford for over 20 years. A native of Jamaica, she has devoted her life to answering God’s call to serve His people, particularly through the gifts of teaching, leadership, mentorship, and advocacy.

Dr. Blythe-Russell is a TESOL educator, PBIS Coach, member of the Hartford Assistant Pcincipal Leadership Academy, and mentor in the Hartford School System. Her dedication to service has been recognized with the NAACP Women of Color Recognition Award in 2015 and the Collin Bennet/Marcus Garvey Community Award in 2018. In addition to her work as President of ECW Connecticut, she serves the Church as a Reader, Lay Minister Leader and vestry member at St. Martin's.

Dr. Blythe-Russell resides in Bloomfield with her husband, John. She is a proud mother to her son, Andre, and daughter-in-law, Jessica, and a loving grandmother to her two grandchildren, Alexander and Abigail, who bring her tremendous joy and inspiration.

Denise Cain Walsh, Vice-President

Denise has been a member of St. Martin's, Hartford since 1992. She was baptized, raised and confirmed in the Anglican Church (The Abbey, CocoWalk and St. Boniface, Harbor View, Kingston 17, Jamaica, West Indies) and migrated permanently to the United States in 1981. She currently serves St. Martin's as the Junior Warden, Lay Eucharistic Minister, and representative to Convention.

She has previously served as a Sunday School teacher and as immediate past President fo the St. Martin's ECW. She is also a past President of West Indian Foundation, Inc., and a past member/officer of Jamaica Progressive League of Hartford, Inc. and West Indian Independence Celebration Committee.

Geraldine McHugh-Williams, Secretary

I am an active member of Saint Monica's Episcopal Church in Hartford, where I serve on the Vestry. I am dedicated to working wtih our youth as a Sunday School teacher and one of the leaders of the Young People's Fellowship. Additionally, I am the Coordinator for Your Place Hartford at Saint Monica's.

In addition to my work with the youth, I am involved in several outreach ministries. I help organize the "Turkey for Thanksgiving" program, prepare fruit baskets fro teh residents of Saint Monica Elderly Housing, and participate as a member of the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance. I also coordinate holiday gift preparations for families in need.

Professionally, I have been a School Social Worker and Special Education Teacher in the Hartford Public School system for the past twenty-five years. I am a wife and proud mother of two children. I also participate in walks for Hunger, Cancer, and Alzheimer's, supporting important causes that are close to my heart.

Julia Johnson-Roy, Treasurer

Having been a member of ECW for many years and enjoyed being president at Trinity Torrington, Christ Church Avon and St. Stephen's in Bloomfield where I am currently senior warden. In the past I have been on the board of directors for My Sister's Place concerning housing for women and their families, recently worked with Days for Girls reaching women of all ages with reusable menstrual products. Service is the golden key. My husband Walter, son Benjamin and I live in Bloomfield.

Lois Frankforter, Administrator

Diocesan Board

Cecile McPherson-Tinker, White Envelope Program Leader

Cecile is a member of St. Martin's Episcopal Church for more than 30 years. I wear several hats at St. Martin's: Lay Eucharistic Minister, Energy Audit Coordinator, Food Share Collection Coordinator, Safe Church Coordinator, Hospitality, and producing the Weekly Bulletin. I am a retired Research/Fiscal Analyst, also a licensed Realtor and Insurance Producer. I reside in Bloomfield with my husband Keith and we are the proud parents of two daughters, Edie and Geva. Grandparent to Dasher, our Diva Cat.

Claudia Dixon, United Thank Offering Program Leader

The Rev. Rowena Kemp, Publicity Coordinator

The Rev. Linda Spiers, Chaplain

Regional Representatives

Evelyn Green, North Central Region

Evelyn is a retired corporate research librarian and certified archivist. She is a lifelong member of St. Monica's Episcopal Church in Hartford, CT where she serves as Parish Archivist, Secretary of the ECW and member of the bulletin team.

Evelyn has served her parish in various roles over the years including as vestry member, church school teacher and superintendent, member of the pastoral care committee and vestry nominations committee among others.

During her current tenure as ECW's North Central Representative, Evelyn is leading the By-Laws Review process, assisting with secretarial duties as needed, and working to help preserve Province I historical materials.

Allison Fresher, Southeast Region

Allison Fresher was appointed to the Board of the Episcopal Church Women in Connecticut in November 2024. Also, she currently serves as the Co-Executive Director of A Sacred Place, Inc., a nonprofit offering Connecticut’s incarcerated women the resources and support they need, empowering them to cultivate responsible, educated, and spiritually fulfilling lives - free from drugs and crime. Allison’s involvement in spiritual endeavors is diverse, including serving as a lay chaplain for Connecticut Hospice for 4 years and providing life skills training to incarcerated men at Connecticut’s Osborn Correctional Institution. She is active at her church, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Essex, CT, where she served as Minister of Worship Life and chairperson of the trust investment committee, among other activities. Allison is a member of the Verger’s Guild of the Episcopal Church and a graduate of The College of Congregational Development.

Before 2017, Allison served for thirty-five years as a corporate banker and risk management professional at Bank of America, retiring as a Managing Director and Treasury Product Executive for the bank’s national portfolio of federal, state, and municipal clients. She lives in Haddam with her husband, Brian. Their children, Molly and Sam, are grown, and they have two grandchildren.

Olive Grant, Southwest Region

I am a retired educator with 42 years of teaching experience — twenty years in the New York school system and twenty-two years at a private school. Throughout my career, I have loved working with children of all ages, designing and implementing curricula tailored to meet each student's individual needs.

Faith and community service are central to my life. I serve as a licensed lay Eucharistic minister, church warden, and Sunday school teacher at my parish. I chair the St. John's Episcopal Churchwomen and serve as a board member of the Episcopal Churchwomen of Connecticut. Each summer, I grow a vegetable garden to provide fresh produce to the Lower Fairfield County Food Bank in Connecticut, and I organize annual fundraisers benefiting three different charities.

Above all, I am a mother of four and grandmother of four. In my spare time, I enjoy baking and tending my garden.