Paul Mounds

Kelly Juleson completed her undergraduate studies at Seton Hall University, and continued her education at NYU. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in policy and government relations, crisis management, relationship mapping, development, and strategic innovation. Juleson is a former Connecticut State Representative, serving as the first female from Connecticut’s 12th House District. She was named Legislator of the Year by the Connecticut Diaper Bank in both 2015 and 2016 for her leadership on eliminating the tax on baby diapers and feminine hygiene products. She was also recognized in 2020 for her transformational leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic with Hartford Business Journal’s prestigious 40 under 40 award.

Juleson has co-led The Governor’s Prevention Partnership for the last five years where she’s been instrumental in partnering with the Governor’s officer and other elected officials to develop strategic initiatives to meet community need. She architected a $1 million+ public awareness and prevention campaign, Prevention Starts with YOU!, aimed at teaching the community to “do the little things every single day to help the young people in your life make the right decisions for their future." Juleson was recognized by CADCA in October with the Nathaniel J. Sutton Advocacy in the Arts Award for her ongoing work amplifyiing the voice of prevention in Connecticut.

Paul Mounds Jr. is an accomplished civic and public affairs leader with over two decades of experience driving impact across government, healthcare, and community sectors. He currently serves as Vice President of Community, Corporate, and Government Relations at Yale New Haven Health, where he oversees external affairs for the system’s eight hospitals and multiple service lines across four states. His work focuses on advancing the system’s mission, vision, and values through strategic partnerships and public policy with government, community, and corporate stakeholders.

Paul previously served as Chief of Staff to Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, playing a key role in leading the state through the COVID-19 pandemic and contributing to a historic state fiscal rebound. He has also held senior policy and communications roles with Governor Dannel P. Malloy, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and U.S. Congressman John B. Larson.

He currently serves on Trinity College Board of Trustees where he is Chair of the Governance Committee and Co-Chair of Shared Governance Committee. In addition, Paul is Vice Chair of the Governor’s Prevention Partnership, and as a board member of ReadyCT, a nonprofit focused on advancing education and workforce readiness in Connecticut. His previous roles include serving as a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Taubman Center for State and Local Government, board service with The University of Connecticut and The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, and political appointments to the State of Connecticut’s Judicial Selection Commission and the Community Investment Fund.