Professional Staff

WestCOG’s work is carried out by a professional staff with expertise in transportation, community planning, environmental planning, geographic information systems (GIS), economic development, finance, communications, and municipal services. Working under the direction of the Council, staff provide technical expertise, administer grants and programs, coordinate regional initiatives, and assist member municipalities with a wide range of planning and implementation activities.

Our staff are committed to providing objective analysis, responsive service, and practical solutions that help municipalities address regional challenges and achieve shared goals.

Meet Our Team

Our team brings together professionals with diverse backgrounds and expertise who are dedicated to serving the municipalities of Western Connecticut. Click on a staff member below to learn more about their experience and interests.

AdministrativeExecutive

Francis Pickering – Executive Director

Francis directs WestCOG’s staff and represents the region to partners, including state and federal agencies. Prior to joining WestCOG, he …

AdministrativeEnvironmentPublic SafetyRegional Services

Michael Towle – Deputy Director

Michael works on Regional Services, Environmental Planning, and Public Safety along with staff coordination for WestCOG’s planning/service programs. Prior to …

AdministrativeFinance

Victoria Ricks – Financial Director

Prior to joining WestCOG, Vicky worked as a Financial Analyst for Kimberly Clark Corporation for 9 years. She received a …

Administrative

Cricket Carpenter – Office Manager

Prior to joining WestCOG, Cricket worked alongside her husband managing a construction business in Fairfield County. She attended the Southern …

TAGTransportation

Kristin Hadjstylianos – Transportation Director

Kristin assists with transportation planning services at WestCOG, including management of corridor studies and development of the region’s Long-Range Transportation …

Transportation

Todd Fontanella – Principal Planner

Todd has over thirty years of experience in transportation grant programs, MPO activities and transit planning. Before coming to WestCOG, …

Data CollectionTransportation

Kristin Floberg – Senior Planner

Kristin Floberg has been with WestCOG since 2017, supporting a range of regional and transportation planning initiatives. She has served …

Transportation

Mike Wilson – Senior Planner

Mike has over thirty years of experience in the transportation field, in both public and private sectors. Prior to joining …

Transportation

Harrison Lewis – Planner

Harrison supports transportation planning initiatives and related process improvements. Prior to joining WestCOG, he worked with organizations focused on sustainable …

Transportation

Amal Malik – Associate Planner

Amal provides transportation planning support on various projects. She earned her B.A. in Environment & Society from McMaster University in …

TAGTransportation

Kevin Mahoney – Program Director

Kevin is a civil engineer with over 30 years of experience in the transportation field. He was previously employed with …

EnvironmentHousingLand Use

Charles Vidich – Senior Project Manager

Charles has over 40 years of experience in planning and government, including as the Principal Planner at the Council of …

BrownfieldsEconomicGrants

Betsy Paynter – Program Director

WestCOG has hired Betsy Paynter to serve as a Project Manager. Betsy will provide technical support for communities to get …

AnalyticsData CollectionGIS

Nicholas Trabka – Senior Data Scientist

Nicholas supports the planning staff with environmental management and transportation projects. Prior to joining WestCOG, he assisted the GIS staff …

Analytics

Edward Provitz – Data Scientist

Eddie supports the improvement of parcel and CAMA data for municipalities within WestCOG’s planning region. Prior to joining WestCOG he …

Analytics

Sagnik Chand – Data Scientist

Sagnik Chand is a Data Scientist at WestCOG, currently working on the development of the Regional Transportation Safety Plan for …

Planning

Garrett Reed- Associate Planner

Garrett Reed- Associate Planner Garrett graduated from Penn State with a major in Earth Sciences and a minor in Geosciences …

Planning

Kathleen Maeder – Planner

Kathleen Maeder – Planner Kathleen supports WestCOG’s flood mitigation program and other environmental and land use planning initiatives. Her professional …

Planning

Farnaz Kamyab – Planner

Farnaz is WestCOG’s lead planner on understanding our region’s housing needs and developing strategies for future development. She holds a …