Chair Roberto Alves came to Danbury, CT when he was 5 years old with his Brazilian and Portuguese parents, who worked tirelessly to support their family and instilled in him the value of hard work and community service.
A graduate of Danbury Public Schools, Roberto’s early activism included the Danbury Police Cadets. He later served on the City Council and was a member of many community organizations including the PTO, and local nonprofits, as a member and Chair of the Danbury Democrats, and as CT Dems Treasurer from 2022 – 2024.
In 2019 Roberto was overwhelmingly elected at-large to the Danbury City Council, building a broad and diverse coalition focused on honesty, transparency, and accountability — demanding more from local government and its representatives. In 2023 after 12 years in the business sector, Roberto’s leadership, pragmatism, and strategic vision flipped 22 years of local Republican majorities on the City Council, and boards and commissions, and was elected Mayor of the City of Danbury.
As Mayor, Roberto leads by example and demonstrates a commitment to transparent, effective communication and strategic planning, ensuring residents are informed and engaged in decision-making. Alves’ leadership focuses on pragmatic, responsible solutions, coalition-building, and thoughtful strategic action. His work has been instrumental in organizing and mobilizing democrats, volunteers, and activists, fostering a unified and effective Democratic presence in the toughest districts. Roberto was elected CT Dems Chair in 2025 and is a proud husband and father of two.
Vice Chair Adrienne Billings-Smith, Esq. is a dedicated public servant, advocate, and leader committed to equity, justice, and community empowerment. In her capacity as Vice Chair of the Connecticut Democratic Party, she plays a key role in shaping , strategy and outreach to ensure a more inclusive and representative democracy.
Adrienne’s political journey includes serving as a Town Councilor in West Hartford, Connecticut, where she worked to advance equity-driven policies, foster community engagement, and champion initiatives that promote social justice. Her leadership was instrumental in addressing systemic disparities, advocating for historically marginalized communities, and strengthening local governance through transparency and accountability.
Beyond elected office, Adrienne has been a powerful voice for diversity and inclusion. Currently, she serves as a DEIA professional, where she leads efforts to promote fairness, accessibility, and anti-discrimination policies. With a background in law and extensive experience as a Diversity and Equity Consultant, she has worked with professional organizations, government agencies, and community groups to develop workshops and policies addressing bias, discrimination, and institutional barriers.
Adrienne’s passion for advocacy extends beyond politics. She has been deeply involved in grassroots movements, civic engagement efforts, and voter empowerment initiatives, ensuring that all communities have a seat at the table.
With her legal expertise, leadership experience, and unwavering dedication to Democratic values, Adrienne Billings-Smith remains committed to fostering equity, strengthening democracy, and creating lasting systemic change.
Vice Chair Jimmy Tickey grew up in Shelton, CT and continues to call the Naugatuck Valley home. He graduated from Fordham University in New York City with a degree in Business Administration and Economics. Tickey served as Community Campaign Chair for the Valley United Way for 3 consecutive years raising $3m for the Lower Naugatuck Valley which assisted over 110,00 people in need. Tickey serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut’s League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood Action Fund of Southern New England and Griffin Health.
Tickey, along with fellow small business owners, started Celebrate Shelton – an organization providing high quality community gatherings and seasonal concerts that improve arts engagement in the community. Tickey served as Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro’s (CT-3) Campaign Manager for eight years; and as a Senior Advisor to Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, overseeing Connecticut’s 2020 Census preparedness and outreach to municipalities. Since 2019, Tickey has led the Connecticut offices of Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) as District Director. Tickey has been elected to the City of Shelton’s Planning & Zoning Commission for 3 consecutive terms; the highest local Democratic vote-getter in Shelton on record. Tickey formed the LGBTQ Caucus of the Connecticut Democratic Party in 2020. Tickey was named to Connecticut’s Top 40 under 40 at the age of 27.
Secretary Audrey Blondin has been a member of the Democratic State Central Committee since 2002, representing the 18 towns of the Northwest Corner, and is also currently the longest serving woman member of the Committee. She was one of the Committee’s first women attorneys and has served as a delegate to four Democratic National Conventions. She became involved in politics in 1979 on the Torrington mayor’s race, and served on the Democratic Town Committee there before moving to Litchfield in 1986, where she became local chairman and was elected to the Board of Selectmen, serving for ten years. She currently resides in Goshen where she serves as a member of the Board of Assessment Appeals. She and her daughter have Litchfield County’s only mother-daughter law firm and practice primarily real estate, business, bankruptcy, probate, elder and estate planning law, as well as assisting her husband and son-in-law in Blondin Shea Eyecare. She also holds a Masters in Public Health degree from the University of Connecticut and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Haven teaching Law & Public Health.
Party Treasurer Vanita Bhalla migrated from India as a child. One of her grandfathers was the mayor of the town in which she was born, and her other grandfather owned a hotel and restaurant. This blending of politics, service and hospitality describe Vanita very well. Vanita represents the 32nd District on the Democratic State Central Committee, and served as co-chair of the party’s AANHPI Caucus. She is Vice Chair of the Woodbury Democratic Town Committee, where she has helped lead multiple campaigns and volunteers for many more. After graduating from UConn with a BS in Biochemistry and an MBA, Vanita worked in sales and marketing at Procter and Gamble, Tambrands, and Gillette. Subsequently, Vanita made a career switch to recruiting, and later started her own business as a Career Coach. Vanita lives in Woodbury with her wife.