Whitman Breed Partner, Jevera Hennessey, along with her husband Bill Hennessey, were recently named the 2023 City of Stamford Citizens of the Year. Jevera grew up in Greenwich, but, along with Bill, she has called Stamford home since the 1980s. Besides both of their professional work as attorneys, the two have dedicated countless hours to volunteering for an eclectic selection of organizations and agencies over the decades.
Jevera has served on the board of directors for SilverSource, which provides services for at-need seniors, the Stamford Public Education Foundation and the Hill House. She is currently on the Professional Advisors Council for the Greenwich Historical Society and previously served on the Professional Advisors Council for the Fairfield County Community Foundation. Jevera was a governor appointee to the Connecticut Board of Examiners of Embalmers and Funeral Directors. Currently, she is a member of Stamford’s Community Emergency Response Team and serves on the board of the Stamford Hospital Foundation.
Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons congratulated the pair in a press release from the Citizen of the Year committee. “In both their personal and professional lives, Bill and Jevera have served our city and supported impactful initiatives through their work with various nonprofits and organizations,” she said. “They have made extraordinary contributions to the community we love, and I congratulate them on receiving this well-deserved recognition.”
The two join a long list of Citizen of the Year winners. The award was established in the 1940s, and the first one was given in 1945. The past three winners include former governor and Stamford mayor Dannel Malloy, nonprofit volunteer veteran and the previous executive director of Person-to-Person Cathy Ostuw and former board chairman of the city’s housing authority Courtney Nelthropp.
