2020 Shad Derby Judges
Judges Chair
Neill Sachdev Neill Sachdev is a small business owner in Windsor, and Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch, where the mantra of his practice is ‘I believe in entrepreneurship’. Neill is proud to be a part of this community. He is the President of the Windsor Civitan Club, and Governor for the New England District. He is the Vice President of the Windsor Art Center, sits on the Windsor Conservation Commission, and was recently selected to the 2020 class of Hartford’s Finest, in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Neill is a three-time past Shad Derby Festival co-chair, four-time past committee treasurer, and is happy to be your Shad Derby Judges Chair for the second year in a row.
Judges
Gregory Grande has been a Connecticut resident for twenty years having moved here from Rhode Island in 2000. He is a resident of Woodstock, CT with his partner Sue, but calls the Berkshires of Massachusetts and, in particular, Williamstown, as his hometown. Greg has spent the past 20 years at Merrill Lynch in Hartford as a Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor. Greg works with families, business and non-profit foundations in establishing financial strategies relevant to their unique and particular situations. Greg also spent 6 years as a mentor and formal trainer to younger advisors who are new to Merrill Lynch and starting their careers. Greg has a BA in French from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst that included a year of study at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. Greg also has an MBA from Thunderbird, School of Global Management. Additionally, Greg is a certified Spin Instructor, and for the past 10 years has held classes at the Hartford Downtown YMCA. Greg has 3 grown children, aged 25, 21 and 18. His interests include following economic and political trends, watching period dramas, working outside in gardens and landscaping, skiing, squash and the restoration of classic boats over to an electric power drive.
Dr. Lisa Knopf was born and raised in West Hartford, CT, and later achieved her BS in psychology from Amherst college, where she was an avid marathoner, and an a cappella singer. She then spent two years doing research at the National Institutes of Health in Washington D.C., where she studied new treatments for pediatric bipolar disorder. She then attended UConn Medical School, and subsequently completed a neurology residency at Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston MA. Next she spent two years completing a fellowship in epilepsy at the Cleveland Clinic, becoming specialized in the field of brain surgery for epilepsy. She recently moved back to her hometown in CT to serve as the medical director of epilepsy surgery at Hartford Hospital. Dr. Knopf is passionate about teaching, serving others, and the pursuit of lifelong learning.
Dr. Jessica Kaleta hails from Western Massachusetts originally. She received her undergraduate interdisciplinary degree in biopsychology from Bates College in Lewiston, ME. After completing 3 years of scientific research at UPENN’s School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, she then when on to pursue her veterinary doctorate at the oldest veterinary school in the country, UPENN’s School of Veterinary Medicine. After finishing school, she was happy to move back to New England and practiced in Glastonbury, CT for 12 years. She is now so excited to be at RVAC, such a progressive veterinary hospital, in the town and community where she currently resides of Suffield, CT. Her husband Jason, 2 daughters Emily and Allison, basset mix Molly Moo and her kitty Milo all reside with her in town. Dr. Kaleta has always had a strong love of animals and medicine and feels so grateful to have a career combining these two passions. General practice has been an ideal fit for her with its mix of variety and the routine and getting to intimately know her patients and clients while helping them care for the furry members of their family is the part of practice she enjoys the most!
Auditor
Timothy Carmon was born and raised in Windsor, Connecticut. He attended Loomis Chaffee in Windsor, graduating with the class of 1999. Tim went on to the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia graduating with a BS in Accounting and a BA in Religion. Soon after college he became a CPA in the State of Connecticut. Currently, Tim is the Vice President of Risk Management at MassMutual Life Insurance Company in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 2004, Tim moved to South Windsor after marrying his wife, Kristin, whom he met in college. Tim and Kristin have three children, Drew (11), Emily (9), and Luke (6), who keep them busy. This is Tim’s 14th year as auditor of the Shad Derby Queen’s Contest.
Neill Sachdev Neill Sachdev is a small business owner in Windsor, and Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch, where the mantra of his practice is ‘I believe in entrepreneurship’. Neill is proud to be a part of this community. He is the President of the Windsor Civitan Club, and Governor for the New England District. He is the Vice President of the Windsor Art Center, sits on the Windsor Conservation Commission, and was recently selected to the 2020 class of Hartford’s Finest, in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Neill is a three-time past Shad Derby Festival co-chair, four-time past committee treasurer, and is happy to be your Shad Derby Judges Chair for the second year in a row.
Judges
Gregory Grande has been a Connecticut resident for twenty years having moved here from Rhode Island in 2000. He is a resident of Woodstock, CT with his partner Sue, but calls the Berkshires of Massachusetts and, in particular, Williamstown, as his hometown. Greg has spent the past 20 years at Merrill Lynch in Hartford as a Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor. Greg works with families, business and non-profit foundations in establishing financial strategies relevant to their unique and particular situations. Greg also spent 6 years as a mentor and formal trainer to younger advisors who are new to Merrill Lynch and starting their careers. Greg has a BA in French from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst that included a year of study at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. Greg also has an MBA from Thunderbird, School of Global Management. Additionally, Greg is a certified Spin Instructor, and for the past 10 years has held classes at the Hartford Downtown YMCA. Greg has 3 grown children, aged 25, 21 and 18. His interests include following economic and political trends, watching period dramas, working outside in gardens and landscaping, skiing, squash and the restoration of classic boats over to an electric power drive.
Dr. Lisa Knopf was born and raised in West Hartford, CT, and later achieved her BS in psychology from Amherst college, where she was an avid marathoner, and an a cappella singer. She then spent two years doing research at the National Institutes of Health in Washington D.C., where she studied new treatments for pediatric bipolar disorder. She then attended UConn Medical School, and subsequently completed a neurology residency at Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston MA. Next she spent two years completing a fellowship in epilepsy at the Cleveland Clinic, becoming specialized in the field of brain surgery for epilepsy. She recently moved back to her hometown in CT to serve as the medical director of epilepsy surgery at Hartford Hospital. Dr. Knopf is passionate about teaching, serving others, and the pursuit of lifelong learning.
Dr. Jessica Kaleta hails from Western Massachusetts originally. She received her undergraduate interdisciplinary degree in biopsychology from Bates College in Lewiston, ME. After completing 3 years of scientific research at UPENN’s School of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, she then when on to pursue her veterinary doctorate at the oldest veterinary school in the country, UPENN’s School of Veterinary Medicine. After finishing school, she was happy to move back to New England and practiced in Glastonbury, CT for 12 years. She is now so excited to be at RVAC, such a progressive veterinary hospital, in the town and community where she currently resides of Suffield, CT. Her husband Jason, 2 daughters Emily and Allison, basset mix Molly Moo and her kitty Milo all reside with her in town. Dr. Kaleta has always had a strong love of animals and medicine and feels so grateful to have a career combining these two passions. General practice has been an ideal fit for her with its mix of variety and the routine and getting to intimately know her patients and clients while helping them care for the furry members of their family is the part of practice she enjoys the most!
Auditor
Timothy Carmon was born and raised in Windsor, Connecticut. He attended Loomis Chaffee in Windsor, graduating with the class of 1999. Tim went on to the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia graduating with a BS in Accounting and a BA in Religion. Soon after college he became a CPA in the State of Connecticut. Currently, Tim is the Vice President of Risk Management at MassMutual Life Insurance Company in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 2004, Tim moved to South Windsor after marrying his wife, Kristin, whom he met in college. Tim and Kristin have three children, Drew (11), Emily (9), and Luke (6), who keep them busy. This is Tim’s 14th year as auditor of the Shad Derby Queen’s Contest.