Meet Your Democrats on the RTM

1st District RTM

  • Mark McCall, a resident of Branford's 1st District, lives with his wife Fiona and son Matthew. Mark is currently the resident technician with PARABIT for the state of Connecticut and all of New England. Mark holds a Diploma in Information Technology from Cambridge University London, a NYS License in Fire alarms, Burglar alarms and CCTV systems.

    Mark is a native born of Guyana, South America where he worked for 10 years within the aviation industry serving in every department from maintenance to management. After leaving the aircraft industry Mark started an overland tour company, Tours ‘R’ Us, which he ran until he migrated, taking clients into the amazon rainforest. During this time, he served on the tourism board for private operators and represented Guyana at many international trade shows.

    An avid outdoors person, who enjoys the rugged terrain, Mark's passion is sustainable development within the travel and hospitality industries. He looks forward to working with public and private stakeholders to develop Branford's outdoor life.

  • -Chief Science Officer at Branford bioscience company

    -Member of Economic Development Commission

    -Proud wife and mother of three children

2nd District RTM

  • -District 2 Representative

    -Born and raised in Branford

    -Studying biotech at Southern CT State University

    -Passionate about medical advancement, cancer research, and community service

    -Proud mom of two adopted dogs

  • Peter Hentschel, AIA, represents District 2 on the RTM. Peter is Chair of Branford’s Coastal Vulnerability Working Group established by the Board of Selectmen in 2020. He also serves as Chair of the RTM Rules and Ordinances Committee and was instrumental in the recent passage of an ordinance establishing a Branford Harbor Management Commission and an ordinance regulating Short Term Residential Rentals in Branford. He acts as a liaison between the Stony Creek Association, the RTM and Town staff.

    A graduate of both Yale University and the Yale School of Architecture. Peter co-founded of one of the state’s largest architectural firms, Tecton Architects in Hartford, a multi-disciplinary firm embracing new design technologies. He is a US Coast Guard licensed Ship-Master and has participated in several international underwater archeological shipwreck excavations. He and his wife, Elizabeth, reside in Stony Creek.

3rd District RTM

    • Distinguished Healthcare Leadership: Directed large clinical & academic midwifery teams at Yale, Bellevue and UPenn.

    • Commitment to Public Service: Long standing volunteer and professional experience serving diverse populations.

    • Policy & Legislative Experience: Active in Midwifery & Women‘s Health Legislative efforts at the state & national level.

    • Over 20 years in journalism plus leadership roles in NGOs and international advocacy.

    • Experienced in government transparency and humanitarian aid for Ukraine

    • Active in community initiatives with her husband and two children.

    • Passionate about government transparency, environmental stewardship, education, and the impact of local politics.

4th District RTM

    • 22-year Branford resident

    • Current 4th District Representative

    • Retired 22-year employee of Yale University

    • Worked with Local 34 Clerical and Technical Union

    • Jefferson Woods Condo Executive Board

    • Yale University Retiree Association Executive Board Member

  • Shahida Soomro, a dedicated resident of Branford for 17 years, has become an integral part of the community fabric. With a career in the healthcare industry and a mother of two boys who have attended Branford's schools, her commitment to the town's well-being and education is evident. Her elder son graduated from UCONN and younger son's rising senior status at Branford High School highlight her family's engagement in local education.

    Shahida's involvement in groups like the Food Allergy Network and Branford Action Network underscores her caring nature and dedication to community inclusivity. Her decision to join the RTM in 2018 to fill a vacancy, followed by her successful full-term election in 2019, showcases her commitment to civic duty. Her passion for education and the environment aligns perfectly with the town's challenges.

    As a member of the RTM's Education committee, she advocates for quality education and a sustainable future. Shahida's service to the RTM in District 4 reflects her ongoing dedication to amplifying residents' voices in local governance. She stands as a bridge between the community and decision-making processes, epitomizing civic engagement and positive change, making meaningful contributions that uplift the town's spirit and prospects.

  • Dan is serving his third term on the RTM. He previously sat on the Administrative Services Committee and the Rules and Ordinances Committee. He currently serves as Vice-Chair to the Branford Democratic Town Committee and serves on the Board of Directors for the Community Dining Room.

    An attorney in private practice in New Haven, Dan served as a member on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of New Haven for over ten (10) years and served as President of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of New Haven for five (5) consecutive years. Dan has also served on the Statewide Grievance Panel and provided pro­ bono work to clients for New Haven Legal Assistance.

    Dan is currently embarking in graduate work at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Public Leadership and Ethics. He has three children: a 26-year -old son and 23-year­ old boy/girl twins.

5th District RTM

  • Tracy Everson is serving in her fifth term working for Branford’s 5th District.

    As a team, and with public input, the Democratic Majority on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved balanced, forward-looking town budgets, working to reduce the tax impact of the 2024 property revaluation while preserving a strong rainy day fund and Branford’s long-term financial health.

    We know constituents value town services, enjoy our parks and senior center activities. We invested in public education, and a new turf field at Walsh Intermediate School with bipartisan support. Staffing and infrastructure money for public safety allowed for the addition of 16 EMT's for medical response in our aging community and two additional Police Officers.

    This term, the RTM acted in a nonpartisan way, creating and passing a much-needed Branford Harbor Management Commission. We also created and passed regulations regarding Short-Term Residential Rentals that does not ban them but provides a working framework aimed at preserving everyone’s quality of life. 

    Branford Democrats remain focused on respectful leadership, transparent policy-making and inclusive governance. Tracy’s constituents know that they can rely on her to listen and take action to address their concerns and issues. 

    Tracy lives in Branford Point on Mill Creek with her two Jack Russell Terriers. Her family has deep roots in town. She was baptized at Branford’s Trinity Church. The Everson family has summered in the Thimble Islands for four generations. She is a realtor with Century 21 AllPoints Realty in Branford, and is the manager of estate online auctions for Monarch Homes CT LLC. She also serves as the Thimble Islands Association Police and Fire Dept. Liaison and has been a member of the Branford Coastal Vulnerability ad hoc Working Group since its inception.

  • Long before Abigail Adams and her dog Sheba moved around the corner from Branford’s astonishing Foote Memorial Park, she fell in love with the shoreline communities. Following generations of her mother’s family, she’s made her home here.

    She is a recently retired professor and department chair from Central Connecticut State University, where she also founded the university’s award-winning environmental sustainability program and community engagement/civic agency program. Abigail works now in outdoor education and will study this Fall with Connecticut’s Tree Warden Association. She volunteers with New Haven’s Sanctuary Kitchen and is a member of several non-profit boards, including the Friends Committee on National Legislation (a national nonpartisan Quaker lobby to advance peace, justice, and environmental stewardship) and New Britain (CT) ROOTS, which cultivates community connections and equitable food access, urban land stewardship, and agricultural education.

    As an anthropologist and lifelong Quaker --and parent!, Abigail has learned to work constructively and respectfully with people of many different backgrounds, perspectives and languages (she is fluent in English and Spanish). She will advocate for Branford’s equitable and smart development, above all protecting its breathtaking natural environment and its welcoming close-knit neighborhoods.

  • John and his wife Janet chose Branford as the perfect place to retire. They both enjoy watching the mix of commercial and pleasure boats on the Branford River, dining with friends at our great restaurants, and the welcoming attitude of everyone they’ve met.

    Since moving back to Connecticut in 2003, John has been deeply involved in community service. He has been active on the non-profit boards of a nature preserve, a private library, a historical society, and a state-wide pro-choice advocacy organization. He was elected to the Board of Finance in Westport, and he has been a leader on Democratic town committees where he has lived.

    John is a former banker and financial industry consultant, and he draws on his finance training, marketing, and customer service experience to contribute to a variety of local non-profits. After earning a Masters in Public and Private Management from Yale’s School of Management, he was a Vice President at Chase Manhattan Bank where he led service quality initiatives in the branch system and worked on international business development projects.

    Prior to grad school John lived in the Middle East for eleven years. There he met Janet, who was a teacher, and they both were active members of community theater groups. When their two children were young John coached boys and girls soccer, basketball, and baseball teams, and he took a boys soccer team to a national tournament.

    John believes deeply in the role of citizens in our local government, and if elected he promises to listen carefully and work collaboratively to make Branford an even better place to live.

  • Alex is a recent transplant to Branford with his wife and dog, Chase, who he fosters for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. He chose to move to Branford because of the beautiful landscape, but also the close-knit community feel that Branford offers.

    Alex currently works as an Academic Adviser/Credentialing Specialist and History Professor at Post University. Prior to Post University, Alex was an adviser at Western Connecticut State University. He also ran for the 66th District State House seat in 2018. When Alex isn’t working at Post, he helps run his non-profit, Connecticut Crossroads Project, which seeks to document the individual experience of people young and old to preserve the history of community through casual conversations.

6th District RTM

  • Nancy is currently on the RTM in the 6th District. She previously served as the first female Democratic Moderator of the RTM in the late 90s. Nancy was born and raised in New Haven and moved to Branford when she purchased her first home in 1978. She is the mother of one daughter, who was educated in the Branford public school system and graduated college with a degree in Elementary Ed. You can find Nancy backstage at the BHS musicals volunteering to do hair & make-up for the cast. She recently retired as a Chief Probation Officer after 31 years with the State of CT Judicial Branch. She holds a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Criminal Justice Management. Nancy is environmentally conscious, has a great appreciation for the Police and Fire Departments and the public school system in town.

    • Executive Director of Regional Environmental Organization

    • Represented the 6th District for over 15 years

    • MPA from UNH 

    • Former member of Branford Stingrays Swim Team

    • Father of two daughters, one at Walsh Intermediate School and another at Branford High School

7th District RTM

  • Susan Dahill currently represents the 7th District on the RTM. She and her family have lived in the 7th District (part and now full-time) for over 35 years. Although this is her first run for elected office, Susan has served as a town official in her previous home in New Canaan. She was appointed by two successive Republican First Selectmen, Dick Bond and Rob Malozzi, to serve as the Chairperson of the Emergency Services Commission. In that position, she chaired a committee that developed Emergency Preparedness Plans in the event of a pandemic outbreak. That plan was then modified and executed during the recent Covid 19 pandemic. In 2003, she received the New Canaan Volunteer Center Award for “Outstanding Adult Volunteer.” Susan’s business career was in Advertising in New York City. She has used the skills she learned there to advertise and promote non-profit ventures in both towns.

    In both her business and volunteer efforts, she has strived to learn as much as possible about the tasks and issues involved and then to develop and execute plans that meet the agreed upon objectives. She would bring these skills, along with a strong affection for the town and its citizens, to the RTM.

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