Mary-Jane Foster

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT MARY-JANE FOSTER

22 years an actress, I filmed or recorded over 200 commercials-ads famous for such tag lines as “Please don’t squeeze the Charmin” and “ring around the collar.” I began volunteering at the YWCA, now The Center for Family Justice, which brought me to Bridgeport. Finding my voice as a victim\'s advocate, I became a certified domestic violence counselor, court advocate, was appointed to the Mayor’s Commission Against Violence, and was a 9-year member of the Board of Directors, three as president and four as chair of the Investment Committee. I became a lawyer, admitted to practice in CT and NY, with a concentration in family law. I co-founded a development/investment firm that developed a 5500 seat ballpark and seat arena in downtown Bridgeport and formed the Bridgeport Bluefish minor league baseball team. Over the next 20 years, the venues contributed millions of dollars to the local economy and brought more than people into the city each year. From 20••••16, I served as Vice President of University Relations for the University of Bridgeport, crafting and communicating the University’s brand, creating growth opportunities and fundraising. I was a Director of Hudson Valley Bank, 20••••15, a Trustee of Quinnipiac University for seven years and named to their Business Leader Hall of Fame in 2008. I have volunteered through organizations such as The Bridge Fund, Family Assets, Career Resources, The Entrepreneurial Center, and the Women’s Business Development Council. An original member of The Fund for Women and Girls and later a board member of Fairfield County\'s Community Foundation, I worked to address the needs of underserved girls and women in Fairfield County. I co-chaired Success by Six, the United Way of Eastern Fairfield County’s early childhood education initiative, and developed an infant through pre-school day care center in Bridgeport. I joined Interval House in January of 2017 and am proud to serve as the President and CEO of CT\'s largest domestic violence agency. I am currently on the board of the Hartt School of Music, the CT Open Foundation, a corporator for iQuilt and Hartford Hospital and a Commissioner on the Permanent Commission on the Status of Hartford Women.