Carolyn Matos is a Bridgeport native and lifelong resident with deep ties to the community. Since graduating from college, Carolyn has devoted most of her 25-year career to community and economic development with a focus on Bridgeport. She has directed community and economic development programs and projects at organizations such as ASPIRA of CT, Bridgeport Economic Development Corporation, Department of Economic and Community Development, and Community Capital Fund, and consulted with the national Opportunity Finance Network. She is employed as the branding, communications and outreach manager at Capital for Change, the largest full-service Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in Connecticut.
Carolyn’s volunteer activities include serving as a founding member of Groundwork Bridgeport and a former board member of Bridgeport Neighborhood Fund. She serves as a member and fundraising chair of the Bridgeport Innovation Places Team and coordinates training activities with an ad hoc group of Bridgeport-area Latino organizations (LLC). Carolyn is proudest of her involvement as a founding member and board member (since 2003) of the Greater Bridgeport Latino Network. She became GBLN president in 2015 and has written a number of articles for GBLN.
GBLN’s dynamic board and volunteers have been engaging Latinos through a variety of communications platforms, service collaborations, networking activities and educational programs such as its E-Community News, Sunset Cruise, Civic Engagement for Youth Program, and most recently, the Puerto Rican Songbook Music Workshop Series.
Carolyn’s passions include travel, writing, music and design. She attended the University of Puerto Rico and holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Political Science) from the University of Bridgeport and a (30-credit) Certificate in Interior Design from Fairfield University. Her short story, “Feeding Frenzy,” was published in Z: Tales from the Zombieverse. Carolyn lives in Bridgeport with her husband of 26 years, Jeffrey, and their two dogs, Maxi and Sandy.