Novelette Peterkin, CEO, and Phil Butterfield, President
Carver’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, held Wednesday evening at the Carver Community Center, brought together board and staff members, volunteers, community partners, families, and supporters for a night of transparency, celebration, and shared commitment to Carver’s future. This annual public board meeting fulfills essential governance responsibilities and honors the students and families who inspire Carver’s work every day.
Board President Phil Butterfield opened the meeting, welcoming the community as the agenda was officially adopted. The entire 28-page Annual Meeting booklet is linked here.
The meeting began with an Alumni Spotlight from Isiah Gaddy, who reflected on his journey from student to Carver Future Readiness Coordinator and offered a powerful reminder of Carver's long arc of support.
Nathan Hale Middle School Principal, James Crouch (watch a video about him here), spoke of Carver’s long and successful partnership with his school, students, and families
Approval of the prior year’s minutes followed, along with the Treasurer’s Report, which highlighted both Carver’s “clean” financial audit and the real fiscal challenges of the past year, including increased demand, rising operational costs, and temporary revenue shortfalls.
Facing Challenges, Strengthening Carver
The past year brought meaningful challenges—growing student needs and the complexity of managing programs across four districts. We sharpened the organization’s focus, encouraged more strategic planning, and accelerated improvements in governance, staffing, data systems, and financial structure.
Throughout the evening, committee reports reinforced Carver’s commitment to fulfilling its mission:
The Fundraising & Marketing Committee, led by board members Brooke Sorensen and Drew Seath
The Fundraising & Marketing Committee, led by board members Brooke Sorensen and Drew Seath, detailed new donor engagement efforts, expanded events, and the hiring of a Chief Advancement Officer to strengthen Carver’s long-term revenue pipeline.
The Governance & HR Committee report delivered by board member Deborah Brennan outlined improved board onboarding, expanded leadership staffing, and stronger HR practices—part of the ongoing effort to ensure long-term sustainability.
The Program Committee showcased strong student outcomes, expanded summer programming, and the nineteenth consecutive year of 100% on-time high school graduation for Carver seniors.
Together, these committee updates painted a picture of an organization that not only learned from last year’s pressures but used them to become stronger, more resilient, and more aligned with best practices.
Diaghilev Lubin-Farnell, Connecticut Assistant Attorney General, Carver alumna, and board member
Looking Forward With Confidence
CEO Novelette Peterkin shared heartfelt remarks reflecting on the year’s enhancements, including improved academic outcomes, stronger school-based partnerships, and significant capital investments such as the transformative $3.5 million Community Investment Fund award. She expressed deep gratitude for Carver’s staff—more than 500 strong—whose commitment ensured continuity and quality across all programs.
President Phil followed with remarks that blended candor with optimism. He reminded the community that:
students who achieved at exceptional levels,
families who trusted Carver day after day,
staff who gave their all, and
partners and donors who stood with Carver during a challenging period.
Longtime Carver Social Worker, Jackie Roberson, and Novelette Peterkin, Carver CEO
Phil emphasized that Carver has never been an organization that chooses the easy road—it chooses the right one, always staying focused on the children and youth in our care. And this coming year, Carver is taking targeted steps to strengthen its financial position, expand partnerships, complete major facility upgrades, and build the Advancement and Marketing capacity needed for long-term stability.
A United Board and a Shared Mission
Before adjournment, Deborah Brennan presented the proposed slate of officers and directors for 2025–2026, which the Board approved unanimously. This new slate reflects a strong, experienced, and engaged leadership team ready to guide Carver into its next era.
Phil closed the meeting with gratitude—for the board, for the staff, for the families, for the programming, many partners and donors, and especially for the students who remain the reason Carver exists.
As Carver steps confidently into the new fiscal year, one truth is evident from the Annual Meeting: Carver is stronger with the community behind it.
