Consider partnering with the NVCC Foundation by sponsoring this signature event. You will be sending a strong message of support and commitment to the success of NVCC students and future leaders of our community.
Your generosity supports the educational needs of Naugatuck Valley Community College students, including scholarships, emergency services, and food pantry.
Fifth Annual Leadership Breakfast
“Leadership Supporting Education”
Date and Time: Thursday, April 25, 2024
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
La Bella Vista, 380 Farmwood Road, Waterbury, CT
$200 Patron ticket*
$65 General ticket
*Seating at preferred table and name listed in event program
Deadline to purchase tickets is Monday, April 15, 2024.
If you have any questions please contact the Development Office at
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Your generosity supports the educational needs of Naugatuck Valley Community College students, including scholarships, emergency services, and food pantry.
Tamara Brown, Vice President, Sustainability and Community Engagement, LINDE
In her role, Tamara is responsible for the strategic direction for global projects that make an impact in Linde communities and align closely with our overall business goals in more than 80 countries worldwide. Her team is responsible for ESG reporting, goals and targets, auditing of sustainability metrics, policies, as well as programs, including Zero Waste, community engagement, climate change initiatives with operations teams, and workforce development efforts.
Tamara has worked at Linde (formerly Praxair) more than twenty years, including time spent in research and development, capital project execution, and product safety. Prior to joining the company, Tamara was responsible for the design and development of traditional medical devices, and she led Praxair to achieve our first FDA clearance of an archetype medical device.
Tamara holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in chemical engineering and biomedical engineering from Vanderbilt University, a master's degree in chemical engineering from the University at Buffalo, and an MBA from Canisius College. She is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
She has worked for many years to introduce STEM careers especially to women, girls and the underserved. She founded the Tech Savvy program in Buffalo in 2005; now national, the program has many sites nationally through AAUW branches and other organizations. Proudly, Tech Savvy has introduced thousands of girls to the wonders of STEM. She was recognized by The White House as a Champion of Change for efforts to promote STEM for women and girls in 2011. In 2014, Tamara was named one of the Heroes of the 500 by Fortune Magazine and is a contributor to the academic discourse on out-of-school STEM experiences.
She has been recognized by several organizations, including the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department Heads Association’s Diversity Award. She sits on advisory boards for biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University, sustainability education at Vanderbilt, and Graduate Women in Science and Engineering at Boston University.
An advocate for women and children, Tamara is active in her community and around personal passions. She serves in church, is a former board of director of the United Way of Western Connecticut and is a member of the Naugatuck Valley Community College Foundation Board of Directors. She recently published a collection of essays and is a contributor to an academic publication on out-of-school STEM interventions.
A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Tamara lives in Danbury, Connecticut.
The Honorable Maurice Mosley, Retired Judge, CT Superior Court, and Co-founder of Granville Academy.
Honorable Maurice B Mosley was born and raised in Waterbury Connecticut. He attended Crosby High School in Waterbury where he was an All-City Basketball Star and led the city and valley in scoring. Judge Mosley received a series of basketball scholarships and chose South Carolina State University where he received a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration.
After returning to Connecticut, Judge Mosley began teaching elementary school while pursuing a Master’s Degree in education from Central Connecticut State University. In 1972, he left the teaching to pursue a law degree at the University of Connecticut.
While in law school he did government relations work at the capitol for the Urban League. This was his first taste of politics. Upon finishing law school Maurice was hired as an executive to the Connecticut State Treasurer, Henry E. Parker.
Two years later, in 1976, Judge Mosley was elected as the first Black State Representative from Waterbury. During his tenure in the Legislature, he was the Chairman of the Black and Hispanic Caucus, Chairman of the General law Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He also chaired the Connecticut Pretrial Commission.
Judge Mosley was the managing partner of the Mosley and Sinclair Law firm for 35 years and served as counsel to the City of Waterbury’s Department of Education. Well-known in Waterbury as an educator and mentor for urban students, he and his brother Ernest founded Granville Academy, an after-school program designed to provide Waterbury students with finance and entrepreneurial skills. Over 90 percent of Granville Academy graduates go on to pursue higher education.
Mosley was nominated by Governor Daniel P. Malloy and confirmed by the legislature on March 6, 2013 as a judge for the New Haven District Superior Court of Connecticut where he handled child protection and delinquency matters until his retirement in 2021.
Judge Mosley is married to Esther Mosley and his only son Sean and wife Aza are lawyers. His only grandchild Serena Winifred Mosley born October 29, 2021, is not a lawyer yet.
James O’Rourke, CEO, Greater Waterbury YMCA and NVCC Foundation, Secretary
Jim O’Rourke began his journey in higher education at Naugatuck Valley Community College in 1992. He went on to receive his bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State University. Jim returned to Naugatuck Valley and began serving on the NVCC Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2013. During Jim’s tenure on the board he has held the positions of both Treasurer and Secretary and has spent countless hours serving as an inspiration and champion for the students of Naugatuck Valley. In 2019 Jim was awarded NVCC’s Presidential Medal of Honor for his significant contributions to the program outcomes of our students and the mission the College.
Professionally, Jim O’Rourke has been with the Greater Waterbury YMCA for the past ten years in the capacity of CEO/Executive Director. The Waterbury YMCA has over 280 employees and 100 volunteers that engage over 22,500 individuals annually from Watertown, Woodbury, Watertown, Middlebury, Prospect, Thomaston, Southbury, Bethlehem and Wolcott.
Jim supports a management team of 11 staff directors at the Y. Support is a key component of Jim’s management style as he works closely with his team to help grow the Greater Waterbury YMCA into a cause driven organization that fosters Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. Through Jim’s unique leadership style, the YMCA has developed sustainable initiatives and programs that continue to promote health and well-being for the greater Waterbury area. The Waterbury YMCA is ranked in the top 5% of YMCA’s in the country.
Jim believes in getting his hands dirty. You might see him in a suit from time to time, but more often than not, you’ll find him in running clothes or sweats while he engages members in key wellness programming along with other YMCA program directors. He works tirelessly with his staff team to bridge the gaps in our community whether it be with children that need something constructive and safe to do after school, or with people at risk for developing diabetes that need guidance and regular exercise.
Some of the life changing programs that the YMCA team have implemented include the Beginning Running Program and Triathlon Club that engages over 300 individuals annually and teaches the importance of being healthy through running, Race4Chase Youth Triathlon Program hosted by 25 YMCA program sites throughout three states serving 800 youth, and the KIDS Marathon program hosted by 26 program sites throughout the city of Waterbury serving 2,500 youth.
In 2012, the Greater Waterbury YMCA launched the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program which provides 12 weeks of health and wellness recovery free of charge for cancer survivors for a renewed sense of living. The reach of this program has allowed more people than ever to experience healing and recovery after cancer treatment to over 250 members since the inception of the program.
Jim serves as a community stakeholder serving on numerous steering committees and boards to build citywide networks through community action plans and collective impact to support policy environmental and systems changes in the arena of healthy living for Waterbury.
