Board of Directors

Treasurer and Poet Laureate Spotlight

Waterford RISE congratulates its longtime member, Dr. José B. González, for being named the Connecticut State Poet Laureate. Dr. González, a resident of Waterford for over twenty years, is the author of the poetry collections Toys Made of Rock and When Love Was Reels. Locally, he has been a featured keynote speaker for Waterford Public Schools’ Convocation and has presented to students at Waterford High School, the Waterford Public Library and Quaker Hill School. His efforts with Waterford RISE to honor the author Ann Petry, the first African-American woman to sell over one million copies of a novel (The Street) contributed to Connecticut designating Ann Petry Day on May 10. He has coached Waterford recreational sports, including lacrosse, basketball, and soccer. He lives in Quaker Hill with his wife, Kristin, who is a member of the Waterford RTM; his son, Nolan; and his daughter, Sofia.

To learn more about his many accomplishments on the national level and to find out where you can see Dr. González present, visit his website, JoseBGonzalez.com. Waterford RISE is proud of Connecticut’s Poet Laureate and looks forward to seeing him work with communities across the state to showcase the power of poetry.