Tom has 25 years of experience in local, state, and federal government. He taught
political science at the University of New Haven from 2016-2021 and returned in 2024.
He received the University of New Haven’s Excellence in Teaching Award for non-tenured
faculty in 2018.
Tom was elected State Representative of the 42nd District in the Connecticut General
Assembly in 2004 and re-elected in 2006, 2008, and 2010. He rose to Deputy Majority
Leader of the House of Representatives, the chamber's fourth highest-ranking legislator.
He served as Vice Chair of the Public Safety and Security Committee and member of
the Education Committee and Planning and Development Committee. He also served as
a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, as Chair of its Regulation & Protection
Subcommittee, Chair of its General Government Subcommittee, and member of its Elementary
and Secondary Education Subcommittee, and Results-Based Accountability Subcommittee.
Tom was a leader in the legislature on many issues, including budget and tax reform,
government performance and accountability, education reform and finance, regionalization
of municipal services, drunk driving, and casino impact aid. He received wide recognition
for raising public awareness of and inspiring a legislative response to Connecticut’s
ongoing fiscal crisis following his authorship of two policy reports, including Crisis:
A Terrible Thing to Waste—Connecticut’s Budget Dilemma and the Opportunity for Reform
and Wake Up Call: Connecticut’s Fiscal and Economic Crisis and a Roadmap for Recovery
and Reform.
Tom served as Co-Chair of the DUI Reform Working Group and Co-Chair of the Task Force
on Domestic Violence in Immigrant Communities. He was a member of the Municipal Opportunities
and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) Commission, the Task Force on Adoption and Foster
Care, and the Smart Growth Task Force and Chair of its Regionalization Subcommittee.
He represented the State of Connecticut on the Council of State Government’s Education
Committee and the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC).
Before his election to the state legislature, Tom was elected to the Ledyard Town
Council from 2003-2004 and was a member of the Education Committee and Transportation
Task Force of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM). He was elected to
the Ledyard Board of Education from 1995-2003 and served as Chairman of the Board
from 1999-2003. In addition, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Connecticut
Association of Boards of Education (CABE).
Tom served as a Congressional Aide in the U.S. Senate from 1989-1994. He has volunteered
on dozens of local, state, and national political campaigns.
Tom served as an administrator at Connecticut College, Manchester Community College,
and The Williams School.
