A government relations manager at FWD.us will be the keynote speaker at Gateway Community College’s 27th commencement exercises on Thursday, May 23 at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport. 

Commencement begins at 11:00 a.m. at the arena at 600 Main Street, Bridgeport.

Maria Praeli of FWD.us is a Gateway Community College alumna.  Her work focuses on strengthening outreach efforts to elected officials, providing education and resources on immigration policy to congressional offices, and working on special projects related to Dreamers and TPS holders.  Prior to joining FWD.us, Praeli was the deputy director for canvass at Mi Familia Vota, where she worked on initiatives to build broad community partnerships and drive stronger voter engagement in Nevada.

She moved to the United States from Peru in 1999 at age five when her family sought medical treatment for her sister, whose leg had been amputated in a car accident.  Praeli attended public schools in Connecticut before earning her associate degree in liberal arts from Gateway Community College.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science, Magna Cum Laude, from Quinnipiac University.

Will Ginsberg, president and chief executive officer of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, will be honored with an associate degree.  Ginsberg devoted his career to community issues, working at both the local and national levels in community economic development, community banking, and philanthropy.  He serves on the boards of numerous organizations, including New Haven Promise, Yale-New Haven Hospital, the Connecticut Council on Education Reform, and the John B. Pierce Laboratory and Foundation.

In 2014, Ginsberg completed a six-year term on the board of the Council on Foundations, the national trade association for the philanthropic sector.  He received the Community Leadership Award from the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce in 2011; the award is considered to be the community’s highest recognition for lifetime civic leadership.

Ginsberg served in the Clinton Administration from 1994 to 2000.  He was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate in 1994 as assistant secretary for economic development in the U.S. Department of Commerce, serving from 1995-1996 as chief of staff to the late Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown.  Following Secretary Brown’s death, he served as managing director and chief operating officer of the Federal Housing Finance Board, the federal regulatory agency for the twelve regional Federal Home Loan Banks, from 1997-2000.

In addition, Jerry Franklin, recently retired president and chief executive officer of Connecticut Public Broadcasting, Inc. (CPBI), will be the distinguished recipient of the President’s Award.  Each year, the President’s Award is presented at the graduation ceremony to recognize and acknowledge special members of the community who have distinguished themselves as outstanding supporters of education and GCC.  Franklin’s responsibilities included overseeing the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN); the state’s only locally owned media organization producing television, radio, print, and Internet content over a variety of media channels for distribution to Connecticut’s wide-ranging and diverse communities.