Executive Committee (SWEP-CT Leadership)

Please feel free to contact any board member for more information about our organization.

Deborah Brancato 
Deborah is Co-Chair of SWEP-CT  and a Partner at Carmody Torrance Sandak and Hennessey LLP in the Real Estate Practice, focusing on environmental, land use, and real estate matters. She has practiced environmental law since 2008, beginning as a Staff Attorney with a prominent clean water advocacy organization based in Westchester County.  She received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Fairfield University and her J.D., magna cum laude and Environmental Law Certificate, from Pace University School of Law. Contact Deborah at dbrancato@carmodylaw.com.

Diane Duva 
Diane has worked for CT DEEP since 1992 and currently directs the Emergency Response Planning Office and State Emergency Response Commission.  At DEEP she has conducted field inspections, implemented enforcement actions, supervised remediation, coordinated brownfields policies, developed materials management policies, and directed energy efficiency investments.  Diane graduated from Brown University and earned a master's degree in environmental management from the Yale School of the Environment. Contact Diane at diane.duva@ct.gov.

Kirstin Etela

Kirstin is a partner at Day Pitney and licensed in CT and New York.  Kirstin's 20 years of practice include outside counsel and in-house roles, most recently as general counsel for a hazardous waste management company before returning to private practice.  Kirstin has broad environmental experience in compliance, enforcement, remediation, permitting, internal investigations, crisis management, real estate transactions and mergers and acquisitions.  She received her B.A. in History and Sociology from Tulane University, her Masters of Science in Social Psychology and Graduate Degree in Business from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and her J.D. and Certificate of Environmental Law from Pace Law School.  Contact Kirstin at ketela@daypitney.com. 

Beth Fortino

Beth is a partner at Winnick Law LLC, where she has practiced environmental law for 10 years.  She is licensed to practice in CT and FL.  Beth also worked as an environmental consultant at Environmental Compliance Services, Inc. for two years prior to attending law school and for a short period after graduating law school.  She received her B.A. cum laude, from Assumptions College and her J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law.  Contact Bet at Elizabeth.Fortino@winnicklaw.com. 

Ruth Kennedy 
Ruth is Secretary of SWEP-CT and a Project Manager at GZA GeoEnvironmental's Glastonbury, CT office. She has more than 15 years of experience in environmental consulting, specializing in site investigation and regulatory compliance. She is a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) and received her B.S. in Biology from Central Connecticut State University. Contact Ruth at ruth.kennedy@gza.com.

Joy Kloss 
Joy is Co-Chair of SWEP-CT and a Sr. Project Manager and Principal at BL Companies. She has over 20 years of experience in environmental consulting and specializes in site investigation and controlled material management for various construction projects to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Joy is a Licensed Environmental Professional in CT and a Certified Hazardous Material Manager. She has a B.S. in Environmental Science from Hobard and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY.  Contact Joy at jkloss@blcompanies.com. 

Victoria Man

Victoria (Tory) is Director of Environmental Services at ZUVIC, an environmental and civil engineering company in Rocky Hill, CT. Tory has been in the environmental consulting field for over 30 years and became a CT Licensed Environmental Professional in 1996. She specializes in site investigation and remediation, permitting, hazardous building materials and polychlorinated biphenyl management.  She received her B.S. in chemistry and biology from the University of Connecticut.  Contact Tory at Victoria.Man@Zuvic.com. 

Mary Mintel Miller

Mary is a Stockholder at Reid and Riege, P.C., where she practices both the litigation and transactional sides of environmental law.  Her litigation experience ranges form federal CERCLA and RCRA actions, to state disputes arising under the Environmental Protection Act, to administrative actions and appeals.  She is licensed to practice in CT and MA.  Mary has been named a Connecticut Rising Star in both environmental and intellectual property law.  She received her B.A. in Biology form Swarthmore College and her J.D. from William and Mary Law School.  Contact Mary at mmiller@reidandriege.com. 

Rebecca Merz
Rebeca is the New England Sales Manager with Phoenix Environmental Laboratories, Inc.  She is a seasoned laboratory professional with more than 20 years of experience in quality control, technical project management and business development, she possesses a wide range of environmental knowledge and expertise. Rebecca received her B.S. in Environmental Science from Westfield State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Contact Rebecca at rebeccam@phoenixlabs.com.