Speakers
SPEAKER 2024
Maria Coutant-Skinner
Executive Director, McCall Behavioral Health Network
Maria Coutant Skinner, LCSW, is the President and CEO of the McCall Behavioral Health Network. During her 27 years at McCall, she has worked with children, families, and communities to help facilitate change, connection, and healing. In 2013, she co-founded and continues to Co-Chair the Litchfield County Opiate Task Force which works to reduce addiction and overdoses in the region. Maria serves on the boards of the Winchester and Canton Youth Services Bureaus and Advanced Behavioral Health. She also co-chairs the mental health committee of the Connecticut Healthcare Cabinet and the treatment committee of the Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Policy Council.
SPEAKER 2024
Lynn Rapsilber
CEO, National Nurse Practitioner Entrepreneur Network
Dr. Rapsilber is passionate about enhancing the business skills of nurse practitioners (NP’s). Recognizing a gap in NP education, she founded NP Business Consultants, LLC to provide information on NP reimbursement and is an expert in coding and documentation. Additionally, she is the co-founder, and CEO of the National Nurse Practitioner Entrepreneur Network (NNPEN), which aims to transform healthcare delivery systems by creating a financially sustainable community of NP entrepreneurs.
Dr. Rapsilber received her diploma in nursing ’81 Saint Mary’s SON, University of Connecticut, BSN ’91, and MSN adult NP ’98. She attained her DNP in nursing leadership from Quinnipiac University 2016 Dr. Rapsilber was honored as the Quinnipiac Transformational Nurse Leader Alumni Award 2017.
She currently serves as the chair of the Connecticut Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses and played a key role in attaining full practice authority for APRNs in 2014. Dr. Rapsilber is a dedicated advocate for patients and the nursing profession. She has served as a Connecticut State Representative and is the current Health Policy Chair for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and was inducted as a Fellow. She was honored with a 2021 Nightingale Award and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners NP Advocate award.
Dr. Rapsilber is currently the owner of NP Wellness Care, LLC, wish she provides Hepatitis-C treatments at residential addiction, treatment centers.
SPEAKER 2024
Brooke Goff
Attorney
A personal injury, lawyer dedicated to improving the lives of accident victims throughout CT. With a proven track record, attorney Goff only works for the injured or those suffering and justice – not for insurance companies. As a prominent personal injury, attorney in Hartford, Attorney Goff has never shied away from a challenge, regardless of who the opponent may be. Notably, Attorney, Goff pursued sexual abuse cases against the Boy Scouts of America, which were covered by Time and CNN.
Speaker 2024
Kathy McAfee
Fearless Leader, Mentor & Author
Kathy McAfee is an accomplished author and speaker, creative entrepreneur, and business coach. She thrives on helping professional women advance their careers and influence, and partners with organizations and communities to cultivate leadership diversity. Known as America’s Marketing Motivator, Kathy is the founder of The Fearless Leader program and creator of its book series. For the past 19 years she has operated a woman-owned talent development and empowerment company offering coaching, training, and butt-kicking accountability. A bright and resilient woman, Kathy is a graduate of Stanford University in Economics, and ovarian cancer survivor, and holds a double black belt in Taekwondo.
Speaker 2024
Nicole Zuraitis
2024 Grammy-winning American Jazz Vocalist, Pianist, Songwriter & Arranger
Nicole Zuraitis is a GRAMMY Award-winning (2024) jazz singer-songwriter, pianist and arranger, New York-based bandleader, and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal. With a “heart as big as her remarkable voice”, (Jazz Police), Nicole has positioned herself as one of the top artists and “prolific songwriters” (Broadway World) to watch in jazz and beyond.
As a recording artist, Nicole has released five albums as leader, and her sixth album “How Love Begins”, co-produced with eight-time GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride (2023), features all original music and was awarded the GRAMMY for BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM. In addition to leading her quartet, Nicole is the premier vocalist for the Birdland Big Band and frequently headlines iconic NYC jazz clubs.
In 2020, Nicole was named in the top 40 under 40 for 2020 in Connecticut Magazine, and her weekly livestream during the Covid-19 crisis, “Virtual Piano Lounge”, was featured in Forbes Magazine.
An ardent activist with a decade-long track record of giving back, her 2023 album release coincided with a self-produced music festival and day of activism for Save the Sound. Org. In 2024, Post University awarded Nicole an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters.
Master of Ceremonies
Karen Thomas
Karen Thomas is a certifies etiquette expert enjoying 21+ years of continued success creating leaders and powerful business practices throughout the Tri-State area. She offers unique training that strengthen communications, company, and entrepreneurial image; all while increasing the bottom line. Karen’s powerful training techniques allow participants to emerge with a new sense of confidence knowing their leadership skills are on point in any given situation. Her unique ability to engage an audience is what allows Karen to enjoy a long and continued presence on television, radio, and at colleges and universities across the US.
Karen is a published author of Poised, Polished, Professional – the Experts’ Guide to Executive Presence which is used as her teaching tool in CT colleges and universities including Quinnipiac and UCONN where she lectures each semester. She resides in NW CT with her husband and 3 children
Master of Ceremonies
Cathy Coyle
Mrs. Coyle has an MBA from the University of Connecticut, a BS magna cum laude in Health Care Administration from Providence College, and an AS from Northwestern CT Community College.
Cathy’s career spans 37 years in the non-profit sector, including health care, social services, and children’s services. 28 of these years were in executive leadership roles. Most recently, she was Executive Director of Brooker Memorial in Torrington where she retired after 20 years in 2024.
In retirement, Cathy has launched a leadership and management consulting practice (CC Consulting) with a specialty interest in delivering inspirational and leadership workshops and keynote speeches.
Mrs. Coyle and her husband, Bill, reside in Torrington. They have two adult sons -one living in Vermont and the other in Boston. They enjoy traveling, camping, biking, hiking, and most outdoor activities.
