Current Board Members
Jennifer Medina Zaccagnini
Chairperson
Ms. Zaccagnini was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Pardons & Paroles as a Full-time Board Member in 2014 and was appointed as a Chairperson in April 2023. Ms. Zaccagnini ’s experience and education prepared her for her initial appointment to the Board of Pardons and Paroles as a Part-time Board Member in 2008. She holds a Bachelor's in Sociology from Central Connecticut State University and a Master's in Criminal Justice from the University of New Haven. Ms. Zaccagnini began her career in Social Services as a Residential Monitor and Treatment Social Worker with the Alternative Incarceration Center (AIC) in Waterbury, CT and was responsible for the direct supervision of approximately 40 residents who were on pre-trial, probationary or parole status and receiving services and work release opportunities while residing in the facility.
Ms. Zaccagnini also worked as an Investigative Social Worker and Social Work Supervisor with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Torrington, CT. At DCF, her primary focus was the protection of Connecticut’s children. She was responsible for providing families with the necessary services and programs to maintain their family unit or to provide the tools for the successful reunification of families when possible. In her role as Investigative Social Worker, she was the first to respond to allegations of child abuse and neglect and ultimately made the determination whether a child was at risk of harm and whether services were necessary for a family. As a Social Work Supervisor, she supervised social workers in a treatment/training unit.
Rufaro Berry
Full-Time Board Member
Ms. Berry was appointed to the Connecticut Board Of Pardons and Paroles as a Full-time Board Member in October 2014. She was previously employed as a paralegal at Bershtein, Bershtein and Bershtein for 15 years assisting with firm’s partners and interviewing clients.
Ms. Berry graduated Magna Cum Laude from Albertus Magnus College in 2009 with a degree in Criminal Justice, Sociology and Business Management. Ms. Berry is passionate about justice prevailing and is honored to serve as a member of the Parole Board.
Joy Chance
Full-Time Board Member
Ms. Chance was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Pardons & Paroles as a Full-time Board Member in October 2014. Ms. Chance came to the Board with more than 16 years of supervisory experience evaluating parolees for appropriate placement in a parole supervised program. She most recently worked as a Therapist with The Connection, Inc., where she counseled and assisted parolees in maintaining parole compliance. Prior to this position, Ms. Chance served as Director of Employment, Education and Training for both staff and parolees at Open Hearth Association in Hartford, CT.
Ms. Chance began her work in social services as a Program Supervisor at the Open Hearth Association and was responsible for the direct supervision for approximately 50 residents on parole, probation, pre-trial status, as well as Department of Correction inmates who were receiving a variety of services and work release opportunities.
Ms. Chance holds a Master's of Education Degree with a Minor in Psychology from Cambridge College.
Stephen D. Dargan
Full-Time Board Member
Mr. Dargan was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles as a Full-time Board Member in 2017. Prior to his appointment to the Board, Mr. Dargan served as a State Representative for the Connecticut General Assembly’s 115th Assembly District of West Haven, having held that office from 1991 to 2017. For 22 years, he held the position of House Chairman of the Public Safety and Security Committee, which has cognizance of all matters relating to the state police, municipal police training, fire marshals, civil preparedness and homeland security.
From 1980 to 2004, Mr. Dargan served as Fire Commissioner for the City of West Haven and was also a member of the West Haven City Council from 1985 to 1991.
Michael Pohl
Full-Time Board Member
Mr. Pohl was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles as a Full Time Member in May 2019. Prior to his appointment to the Board, as a certified teacher, he taught 8th grade United States History at Illing Middle School in Manchester from 2009 to 2019. Mr. Pohl earned degrees at Manchester Community College, Charter Oak College and also performed graduate work at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Mr. Pohl was appointed in 1986 to the Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (CADAC) by Governor William A. O’Neill due to his experience and knowledge in the prevention and treatment of alcohol addiction. While a CADAC Commissioner, Mr. Pohl interacted with many community based treatment programs, as well as, many Connecticut Department of Correction Addiction Services programs. Mr. Pohl is the Executive Director of Pathfinders Association in Manchester where he began his own personal recovery from alcoholism and addiction in 1984. For the past 35 years, Mr. Pohl has worked with many people seeking recovery, in most recent years with people recovering from opioid addiction. Mr. Pohl has also been a Justice of the Peace for the past 25 years.
Nancy Turner
Full-Time Board Member
Ms. Turner was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles as a Full-time Board Member in 2017. Prior to joining the Board, she coordinated a statewide effort to address the needs of substance-exposed infants and their families at Advanced Behavioral Health, Inc., and served as the Director of Offender Risk Reduction for the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) where she also chaired the Connecticut Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee.
Previously, Ms. Turner worked in Washington, D.C. for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as a Senior Program Manager. During her fourteen years with the IACP, she managed a series of Federal grants to set standards and policy to guide police response to and investigation of various crimes including homicide, stalking, human trafficking, sexual assault and gun violence. In addition, Ms. Turner developed and delivered leadership training programs for major city, state, rural and campus law enforcement executives.
Ms. Turner taught on the faculty of The George Washington University from 1990 to 2005 and previously lobbied Congress for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Connecticut and a Master's Degree from The George Washington University.
Deborah Smith-Palmieri
Full-Time Board Member
Deborah Smith-Palmieri was appointed to the Board of Pardons and Paroles as a Part-time member in July 2020. She retired as Supervising United States Probation Officer for the District of Connecticut in 2018 where she served for 28 years. Throughout her career she specialized in working with high-risk offenders, including substance abuse and mental health clients. In addition, she was the treatment contracting specialist, responsible for the solicitation and subsequent monitoring of evidence-based substance abuse and mental health services for the District. In 2008, she led the implementation of the Connecticut U.S. District Court’s three Drug Courts and was the operational coordinator of each until her retirement. In 2015, Ms. Smith-Palmieri also worked to implement the District’s first Re-entry Court in Connecticut.
Since 2017, Ms. Smith-Palmieri has served as a board member with the New England Association of Recovery Court Professionals. She has also consulted with the Center for Court Innovation on Drug Court education and has participated on the Connecticut Project Safe Neighborhood grant review team. Ms. Smith-Palmieri has a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from SCSU.
Sergio Rodriguez
Full-Time Board Member
Mr. Rodriguez was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles in May 2023. He was previously employed with the New Haven Board of Education as a Restorative Coach. He is passionate about his work with some of Connecticut’s most vulnerable children and families. He brings over 40 years of experience in substance abuse treatment, general social services, criminal justice and re-entry employment services to his appointment to the board. He is humbled and honored to serve as a member of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Robert Cizauskas
Full-Time Board Member
Mr. Cizauskas was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles as a Full-Time Board Member in August 2024. He comes to the Board having retired from the Waterbury Police Department as a Lieutenant after 20 years of service. During his career, he was assigned to the Patrol Division, Vice and Intelligence Division, Detective Division, Statewide Narcotics Task Force, and Police Activity League. He has also served as a Torrington Police Officer and as a Sergeant with the Connecticut Army National Guard. He most recently worked as the Director of Campus Safety at The Taft School.
Mr. Cizauskas has earned an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice from Naugatuck Valley Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Charter Oak State College. He is honored to use his education, training, and experience to serve his community as a member of the Board of Pardons and Paroles.