UPals Partners Staff

Patricia Tyre (Executive Director)

A successful entrepreneur, Patricia is dedicated to advancing education in corporate and non-corporate settings. Patricia brings a wealth of experience from consulting a myriad of clients both International and domestic. From these experiences, she has had firsthand experience with the widening gap in educational access between developing countries and the U.S. and seeks to make changes to eliminate the continuing trend. Patricia is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt; a designation referencing operational excellence, an author, and guest speaker on cultural transitions and managerial effectiveness. She also sits on the Board of Directors of the Norwalk YMCA, where she is Treasurer. Personally, Patricia and her husband have worked with "underserved children" for over seven years to stimulate a love of learning. She has received degrees from Boston University and New York University.

Gloria Tenofsky (Managing Director)

Gloria Tenofsky has been actively engaged in public education for 10 years. Working tirelessly in the Norwalk (CT) Public Schools on behalf of all children, Gloria has played a role as change agent. She has served as PTO President for a progressive magnet elementary school (Columbus Magnet), a middle school in transition (Nathan Hale Middle School was the Norwalk pilot school for UPals) which went on to become a Spotlight School. She is currently President of Parents for Norwalk High as well as a board member of the Norwalk Education Foundation (NEF), the private charity for the Norwalk Public Schools. With a BS from Syracuse University and an MBA from Columbia University, Gloria started her career in education and later moved to marketing and advertising. She believes in the transformative power of education as a way to change lives and end poverty.

Tom Chiappetta (Media and Communications Director)

As the executive director of two Fairfield County educational and charitable organizations, Tom has helped both groups to increase their visibility and impact in the communities. Tom spent the bulk of his career in marketing and public relations. Calling on his skills and contacts in the community, Tom worked to get the UPals program in the hearts and minds of the community through active contacts with the press and community influencers. Tom has over 30 years of marketing and communications experience. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a BA in Communications.