Greater New Haven Board of Directors
Lynne Bonnett, President
Lynne has been an environmental advocate in New Haven since 2000. She recently lead citizen science projects to measure mercury emissions from the sewage sludge incinerator in East Shore as well as to measure mercury levels in fish caught from the shoreline in New Haven CT. She loves being outside in nature and enjoys sport activities such as hiking, biking, kayaking and skiing. She has always loved music and supports local music organizations in addition to being principal cellist in the Hamden Symphony Orchestra. She stays engaged in local community efforts to support an equitable, just, and sustainable community.
Lynne has been an environmental advocate in New Haven since 2000. She recently lead citizen science projects to measure mercury emissions from the sewage sludge incinerator in East Shore as well as to measure mercury levels in fish caught from the shoreline in New Haven CT. She loves being outside in nature and enjoys sport activities such as hiking, biking, kayaking and skiing. She has always loved music and supports local music organizations in addition to being principal cellist in the Hamden Symphony Orchestra. She stays engaged in local community efforts to support an equitable, just, and sustainable community.
Hannah Peragine, Grants Committee, Microgrants chair
Hannah Peragine is an environmental scientist with a background in tech and science communication. As Microgrants chair, she is interested in increasing the access community organizations have to seed funding for great ideas, and how the microgrants process can increase equity and play a role in enhancing institutional capacity for applicants and grantees.
Hannah has a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment and has lived in New Haven since 2016, where she and her partner are foster parents. She completed the Community Leadership Program in 2020, and is committed to enact what she learned in that program in her role with the GNHGF
Hannah Peragine is an environmental scientist with a background in tech and science communication. As Microgrants chair, she is interested in increasing the access community organizations have to seed funding for great ideas, and how the microgrants process can increase equity and play a role in enhancing institutional capacity for applicants and grantees.
Hannah has a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment and has lived in New Haven since 2016, where she and her partner are foster parents. She completed the Community Leadership Program in 2020, and is committed to enact what she learned in that program in her role with the GNHGF
Martha Smith, Vice President
Martha has more than 30 years professional experience in the water and environmental field: Professionally she’s worked as an environmental consultant, performing hydrogeologic investigations at industrial and Superfund sites across the country. She also served as the Director of the former Yale Center for Coastal and Watershed Systems. A resident of New Haven since 1999, she’s worked with watershed groups for New Haven’s three rivers: the Quinnipiac, West and Mill Rivers. Currently she works as the Policy Coordinator at Rivers Alliance of Connecticut. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, bicycling, and home projects.
Martha has more than 30 years professional experience in the water and environmental field: Professionally she’s worked as an environmental consultant, performing hydrogeologic investigations at industrial and Superfund sites across the country. She also served as the Director of the former Yale Center for Coastal and Watershed Systems. A resident of New Haven since 1999, she’s worked with watershed groups for New Haven’s three rivers: the Quinnipiac, West and Mill Rivers. Currently she works as the Policy Coordinator at Rivers Alliance of Connecticut. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, bicycling, and home projects.
Ratan Koneru, Grants Committee Chair
Ratan has lived in New Haven since 2016 and worked as the Finance Manager for The Nature Conservancy's Connecticut chapter from 2016-2019. He has a background in accounting, but is currently taking time off of work and looking to transition into a new career. Before becoming the Grants Committee Chair he served as the Treasurer of the Green Fund for two years. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, camping, reading, birding, biking, basketball, and many other outdoor activities.
Ratan has lived in New Haven since 2016 and worked as the Finance Manager for The Nature Conservancy's Connecticut chapter from 2016-2019. He has a background in accounting, but is currently taking time off of work and looking to transition into a new career. Before becoming the Grants Committee Chair he served as the Treasurer of the Green Fund for two years. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, camping, reading, birding, biking, basketball, and many other outdoor activities.
Marian Evans, MD, MPH, Grants, Nominating, and Marketing and Outreach Committees
Born and raised in Bridgeport, CT. A graduate of Lauralton Hall (Academy of Our Lady of Mercy), BA from Swarthmore College, MD from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Southern CT State University. Currently, a tenured Assistant Professor, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate public health courses, and serves as the graduate coordinator of the MPH program for the Department of Public Health. She is faculty liaison to the Multicultural Center and chapter advisor to the Golden Key International Honour Society. In 1999, she was a physician scientist at the Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center. In 2004, she was appointed the Director of Health and Social Services for the City of Bridgeport until 2010. She is a Connecticut Health Foundation Health Leadership Fellow, and a Community Leadership Program fellow of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund. A world traveler and environmental global health champion, whose most recent trip will be a 2020 Study Abroad to Puerto Rico.
She has received numerous awards most recently: 2018-Elm City National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women (NANBPW), and Outstanding Faculty Member by the SCSU Multicultural Center. She presently sits on the Board of Director’s as the Vice-chair for Community Health Network of CT Foundation, a board member of the Greater New Haven Green Fund, and the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund. She is passionate about ministry to people in untraditional, and unconventional forms. (Tenacious, educated, professional, physician, researcher, scientist, professor, woman of faith, award winner, sister, caregiver, community activist, leader, scuba diver, mentor, and wife).
Born and raised in Bridgeport, CT. A graduate of Lauralton Hall (Academy of Our Lady of Mercy), BA from Swarthmore College, MD from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Southern CT State University. Currently, a tenured Assistant Professor, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate public health courses, and serves as the graduate coordinator of the MPH program for the Department of Public Health. She is faculty liaison to the Multicultural Center and chapter advisor to the Golden Key International Honour Society. In 1999, she was a physician scientist at the Yale Griffin Prevention Research Center. In 2004, she was appointed the Director of Health and Social Services for the City of Bridgeport until 2010. She is a Connecticut Health Foundation Health Leadership Fellow, and a Community Leadership Program fellow of the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund. A world traveler and environmental global health champion, whose most recent trip will be a 2020 Study Abroad to Puerto Rico.
She has received numerous awards most recently: 2018-Elm City National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women (NANBPW), and Outstanding Faculty Member by the SCSU Multicultural Center. She presently sits on the Board of Director’s as the Vice-chair for Community Health Network of CT Foundation, a board member of the Greater New Haven Green Fund, and the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund. She is passionate about ministry to people in untraditional, and unconventional forms. (Tenacious, educated, professional, physician, researcher, scientist, professor, woman of faith, award winner, sister, caregiver, community activist, leader, scuba diver, mentor, and wife).