Town hires new leader with background in social work

Hopes creativity, sense of adventure are assets

CROMWELL — The town has hired a new youth services coordinator to fill a post that opened late last year.

Katelynn Puorro began work Monday, filling the position vacated when Anne C. Hale retired in June 2017. Puorro is a third-generation resident of Portland, where she graduated high school as Katelynn Kelly.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Central Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Connecticut. Puerro then moved to Austin, Texas, and shortly thereafter, married her husband Anthony Puorro in a ceremony in Mexico.

They chose Mexico because “it was an adventure,” but also because “it’s the first place my husband and I went on vacation.”

Shortly afterward, Puorro took a job doing victim services work in the Travis County Family Violence Division. She and her husband “gave ‘living tiny’ a try” near Lake Travis in a recreation vehicle they renovated. These “avid animal lovers” shared space in the RV with Mud, their French bulldog, and Juniper, an Australian shepherd.

Still, Puorro said she missed working with young people and being separated from their families, and so she and her husband moved back to Connecticut. “I’ve enjoyed working with young people” in a variety of settings, including “child care, school social work and in mental health settings.”

She proved that passion by becoming a licensed master social worker.

When she returned to Connecticut, Puorro set her sights on working in youth services. And now, she has become the youth service administrator, working for Amy Saada, director of human services.

Eric Richardson, a former state employee, was hired as administrator in October 2017.

When he received a callback notice from the state, Richardson “made the difficult decision to return to state employment,” according to Marcia Sacco, Youth Services program assistant.

Puorro said she’s “eager and excited to work as the youth services administrator. I hope my love of creativity and adventure serve as an asset to empower Cromwell’s youth and their families.”

“We’re extremely pleased to have Katelynn on board and look forward to her being an innovator with the youth programs,” Town Manager Anthony J. Salvatore said. “We also look forward to Katelynn coming up new ideas and programs to better serve our youth population.

“She’s a welcome addition to our Town Hall family,” Salvatore said.

In her off-hours, Puorro enjoys “hiking, reading learning new skills, meditation, and spending time with my friends and family.” She is also a photographer.

Puorro