Connecticut Public Announces New Board Appointments

New Appointments include Trustee Catalina Samper-Horak and Investment Committee Abigail Wattley

HARTFORD, CT – (May 13, 2022) – Connecticut Public is pleased to announce one new Board of Trustee appointment and one Investment Committee appointment. Catalina Samper-Horak will join the Board of Trustees, and Abigail Wattley will join as a non-trustee member of Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Samper-Horak is a highly experienced non-profit executive, community leader and social sector entrepreneur. A seasoned collaborator across sectors, she was the founder and first executive director of Building One Community (B1C) based in Stamford, Connecticut. B1C launched as Neighbors Link Stamford and was established to address the needs of low-income immigrants. After stepping down from B1C, she served as interim CEO of 4-CT and organization created to address the needs of CT’s most vulnerable residents disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additionally she is on the board of Americares Free Clinic and the investment committee of Social Venture Partners-CT.

She was born and raised in Colombia and has lived and worked in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Switzerland and the USA, bringing a robust portfolio of experience working in the non-profit sector across countries. Samper-Horak holds an M.S. in Genetics and Plant Breeding from Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; an M.A. in Non-Profit Management from The New School, New York, NY; and a BS in Biology from Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.

Abigail Wattley brings extensive non-profit investment experience to Connecticut Public’s investment committee. She currently serves as the Deputy Chief Investment Officer for Williams College, focusing on hedge funds, both long/short equity and absolute return, credit and real assets. Prior to joining the Investment Office in 2007, she served as a Senior Consulting Associate at Cambridge Associates. She holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, Boston, MA and a B.A. in Economics from Williams College, Williamstown, MA.

In addition, she is a current Board Trustee of Ridgefield Academy, where she also serves as a member of the Development, Finance and Investment Committee; Chair for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church; and Massachusetts Historical Society Investment Committee member. She is also the President and Founder of Friends of Ridgefield Suzuki School.

Mark G. Contreras, President and CEO of Connecticut Public, commented, “We are extremely fortunate to welcome Catalina Samper-Horak and Abigail Wattley to our Board of Trustees and to our Investment Committee. Both of these accomplished leaders bring deep expertise and perspective, as well as a strong belief in our non-profit journalism mission. Catalina’s experience as a highly skilled executive, strategic planner and innovator brings valuable experience to Connecticut Public in working with communities in need both in Fairfield County and throughout the state of Connecticut. We are also deeply grateful for the opportunity to rely on Abigail’s extensive investment expertise to help preserve and grow our endowment and for her guidance in aligning that work with our core values and goals.”

About Connecticut Public

Connecticut Public is home to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). Together, Connecticut Public serves nearly one million citizens each month through Connecticut Public Radio and Connecticut Public Television, as well as through our many digital and online platforms. Through our mission to inform, educate and inspire the people of Connecticut, we connect people of all ages to high quality journalism, storytelling, education and experiences, and amplify the voices of our diverse communities. Connecticut Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with an $22 million annual budget, funded primarily through community support from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.