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07/07/2021 08:30 AMAs a lifelong East Haven resident, Tina Hedley had never had aspirations of working at Town Hall, though when the opportunity presented itself, she decided to make a change. Since November 2019, Tina has been an executive administrative assistant to Mayor Joe Carfora at East Haven Town Hall.
“When we first talked about me coming in for this position, I thought it would be like a secretary position, but I soon realized the mayor’s office is the main hub for all things East Haven,” says Tina. “Besides the little things like scheduling for the mayor, it’s assisting residents when they work in door, triaging phone calls, planning events, keeping the mayor on point every step of the way, and anything else that comes up.”
With a background and experience in IT and communications infrastructure, one of the first things that came up for Tina was the realization that the Town of East Haven’s systems were outdated. She says there was no caller ID, phone systems that didn’t fit the town’s needs, and unsecured email accounts.
“When I came in and saw how out-of-date and archaic the technology was in town, I put myself into the role of updating the town’s IT and technology,” says Tina. “Then when COVID happened, it really put how outdated we were at the forefront.”
At that point, Tina worked on creating remote access for town employees. She also helped design and implement the town’s new phone system, which turned out to be a cost-savings for the town. The new phone system will soon be extended to the Senior Center and Department of Public Works.
Tina is now in the midst of redesigning the town website, which has been updated since it was first published. She also posts the agendas and minutes of town boards and commissions to the website and manages the town’s social media pages.
Tina had no idea she would be so interested in IT. She originally went to Branford Hall for medical assisting and got a job at a cardiology group. Soon after, the practice administrator, John Colebaugh, changed the course of Tina’s career.
“He took me under wing and got me training with phone and computer technology vendors and it took off from there,” says Tina. “He’s now retired in Florida, but this one person blessed my life. He saw I had a lot more in me than what I was being utilized for.”
Tina made such an impact that she was asked to take over as office manager while the practice’s office manager was on maternity leave. She worked the the cardiology practice for five years and for the seven years prior to her current position, Tina worked for the Gastro Center of Connecticut as part of the administrative team and in IT support.
While working at the Gastro Center, Tina decided she wanted to run for Town Clerk and through her campaign, she met Carfora. Though Tina lost the election, she had formed a bond with Carfora and was offered the position at Town Hall. It wasn’t an easy decision for Tina as she loved the IT aspect of her career and wasn’t sure what the new position would entail.
“He saw how hard I worked during the campaign and wanted to take me with him,” says Tina, who is also vice chair of the Democratic Town Committee. “It seemed like a good age where I could make the jump and I wasn’t happy, I could make another change.”
Tina quickly realized that her new position not only combined her interest in IT, but helping residents, multi-tasking, and event-planning as well. Tina is no stranger to planning events in East Haven as she has been involved with the PTO at Momauguin Elementary School since her 12-year-old son Jason was young.
Though Jason is now moving on to the middle school, Tina has several years left at Momauguin with her 9-year-old son Vinny. She currently is the vice president of the PTO. In addition to running various events, dances, and fundraisers, Tina also helped to spearhead the efforts to team up with the town to prepare the grounds for a new playground at the school.
“With all of my jobs, all of my paid time off went to my children and Momauguin School,” says Tina. “I don’t know what I’ll do when I’m not involved there.”
Tina has not only enjoyed helping the students, but meeting different people through her volunteer work through the years. She has also found that those connections have helped her in her current position as she is familiar with many residents.
“A lot of the parents know me so they feel comfortable reaching out with questions or to seek guidance with something,” says Tina, who is also thankful to her children and her husband Keith for helping in her efforts with the PTO. “They get recruited to help with everything, but they love it. They see that this is what life is about and it’s not about yourself but helping others. It’s nice that they learn that early.”
Tina also stresses the importance of family. She grew up in East Haven next to her grandparents. She and her husband chose to raise their family in Tina’s hometown and her mother now lives down the street from her.
Though Tina is busy between her job and volunteering, her favorite thing to do is spend time with her children and her family and they often gather at her mother’s house with her brother, sister, and their children. She is also grateful to her supervisors at each of her jobs, who have understood the importance of family.
That understanding was especially important in 2020 as Tina and her family faced a difficult year. Her older son faced a rare complication from a tonsillectomy that left him hospitalized for a month and with only 60 percent movement in his neck. Soon after, both of her sons contracted COVID.
“From January to June, it was juggling that and my job, but the mayor was great and is such a family guy and that really helped,” says Tina. “Family is really important and they have been my No. 1 supporters my whole life – my parents made me who I am today.”
Since she was young, Tina and her family have always enjoyed East Haven’s Fourth of July celebration and beach party. Now working at Town Hall, she has seen all that goes into that event as well as what it takes to run the town.
“Residents don’t always see or realize the time and effort that goes into the fireworks and just how many donations from businesses make it happen,” says Tina. “As a lifelong resident now being a town employee, I see how hard the mayor has to work on day to day basis. I never could’ve imagined how demanding it is being in this office, but I love it. I might go home exhausted, but it’s worth it. We have a great group here.”