08/21/2026
Yesterday, our Quest 2026 cohort gathered at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History for a meaningful day of learning, reflection, and conversation centered on what it means to Model the Way as a leader.
Mari Serrano and Taylor Tucker of The Cadence for Social Impact guided the cohort through the Leadership Compass, creating space to explore how we lead, communicate, make decisions, and work alongside others.
We were also grateful to welcome back Thea Montañez, Senior Fellow at The Connecticut Project, whose reflections on her leadership journey, values, and commitment to community brought our theme of Modeling the Way to life.
The afternoon concluded with a candid conversation about leadership presence, confidence, authenticity, imposter syndrome, and the many ways leaders can show up. A huge thank you to our panelists Jason Jakubowski (CT Foodshare), Daniell Hynes (Corporate Compliance), Mayor Nuchette Black-Burke (Town of Windsor), and JT Eldridge (Amazon) for generously sharing their experiences and perspectives.
Thank you to Fire x Forge for keeping our cohort well fed, and to the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History for welcoming Quest into your beautiful space and helping us learn more about the important role the Museum plays in preserving and sharing the stories that shape our region.
✨ Ready to take the next step in your own leadership journey? Applications for Quest 2027 are now open! Join a community of leaders committed to growing their leadership, building meaningful connections, and making a greater impact across Greater Hartford. Apply today and be part of the next Quest cohort! https://leadershipgh.org/programs/leadership-development/quest