Thursday, November 17th, 2022

The Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill
421 Wadsworth St, Middletown, CT 06457

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Theresa Hopkins-Staten
President, Eversource Energy Foundation and
Vice President, Corporate Citizenship and Equity
Theresa oversees the company’s foundation and is responsible for community-related employee engagement and development opportunities.  She has developed a strategy to invest in initiatives and organizations that provide broad, meaningful, and sustainable impact in communities served by Eversource. She was named Vice President, Corporate Citizenship and Equity in May 2021, and leads Eversource’s new enterprise-wide focus on Pro-Equity, which is defined as: engaging all stakeholders, including our customers and communities with respect and dignity while working toward fair and just outcomes; especially for those burdened with economic challenges, racial inequity, negative environmental impacts and justice disparities.

Previously, as the Connecticut Director of Regulatory Affairs, she was responsible for developing regulatory strategies and monitoring internal practices to ensure compliance with regulatory decisions, interfacing with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and other consumer advocate agencies and providing appropriate communication and guidance to management and business partners responsible for submitting required regulatory filings. She also directed the oversight of escalated customer complaints for Eversource in Connecticut and western Massachusetts.

Theresa began her career at Eversource in the Legal Department as Senior Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary.  After practicing law for several years, she became President of the Company’s foundation at that time and Director of Corporate Community Relations.  In these positions, Theresa and her team developed programs to assist limited income customers, and strategically invested millions of dollars in Connecticut, western Massachusetts and New Hampshire on initiatives aligned with the foundation’s focus areas. 

She is currently a Co-chair of the University of Connecticut African American Alumni Council, a Board member of the iQuilt Partnership and a Trustee of the Connecticut-Rhode Island National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  She previously served on the Saint Francis Foundation Board of Directors; Connecticut State Board of Education until 2017, becoming Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of its Legislation and Policy Development Committee in 2011; Chair of the United Way of Connecticut Board of Directors; Chair of the Urban League of Greater Hartford Board of Directors; and the National Urban League Board of Trustees.

Theresa has received numerous recognitions and awards for her unwavering leadership and dedication to community service, including having her photograph unveiled in celebration of UConn Law School’s 150th anniversary in a “Gallery of Pioneers” honoring alumni for their community service and professional achievements, receiving the 2018 Connecticut Bar Association “Citizen of the Law Award”, receiving the Inaugural 100 Women of Color Award, Greater Hartford NAACP Queens Gala Award, the Janet Williams-Guest Humanitarian Award, Alpha Kappa Alpha Salute to Excellence Award, Thelma Ellis Dickerson Award for Progressive Leadership in Education, University of Connecticut Alumni Association Service and Inaugural Diversity Alumni Awards, Urban League of Southern Connecticut African American Woman of Distinction, Connecticut Valley Girl Scouts Woman of Merit Award, Hartford Business Journal Remarkable Women in Business Award, Allstate Insurance Sankofa Award, and the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Community Service Award.  Additionally, in 2015, 2013, 2011 and 2009, Theresa was recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut” by the NAACP Connecticut State Conference.   

Theresa earned a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law and received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree (PhD) from Goodwin University.

She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.A. in Sociology, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
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The Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill
421 Wadsworth St, Middletown, CT 06457

info@ctminoritybusiness.com