MEET OUR 2022 CELEBRITY DANCERS

Laura grew up in Natick, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Stonehill College.  After meeting her husband Todd in Newport, Rhode Island, they moved to Connecticut to start their family.  While raising their two children, Taylor and Mitchell, Laura was a successful real estate agent and investor.  With an unwavering passion for self-help, Laura transitioned into Results Coaching and is honored to serve businesses and families in Connecticut and across the US.  Laura and Todd live in Fairfield with their two teenagers and a sweet dog named Cooper. When she is not coaching she can be found behind the lens of a camera, with her head buried in a self-help book, or enjoying the sweet smell of the ocean at their home in Rhode Island.  

Laura loves to dance but her self-proclaimed "two left feet" have kept her interest a secret…until now.  INSPIRE’s mission of serving local families has her happily leaving it all on the dance floor tonight.

Brian grew up in the Naugatuck Valley in a working-class family, who instilled in him the value of a strong work ethic and the importance of education. He and his siblings were first-generation college graduates who all went on to earn multiple degrees. He is currently an adjunct professor at Fairfield University and the University of Connecticut. Brian and his wife Kimberly are the proud parents of two children. He is an active volunteer on the Sherman and Ludlowe Middle School PTA and coaches youth soccer, basketball, boxing and football. He was a State Representative in Fairfield in 2020 when he hosted food and mask drives and helped constituents with small business loan assistance during the pandemic. Brian officially breaks through his comfort zone with his debut performance on FTC's dance stage tonight! He is excited to support INSPIRE’S mission, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic. He believes mental health concerns have reached a crisis level  in both our country and our local community of Fairfield.

Mary Alice was born in Houston but has spent much of her adult life in Kansas City and Vancouver Island, Canada. As a child she loved acting and dancing. After graduating from the University of Houston she worked as a corporate trainer. While raising her children in Kansas City, she started her own business creating and selling original handmade jewelry. She was a co-founder and board member of The Culture House, a local non-profit arts organization. Mary Alice relocated to Fairfield in 2020 and is now a real estate agent with the Mar Jennings Team at Higgins Group. She is enjoying being so close to family and her new grand baby! As an avid volunteer, life coach and creative artist, Mary Alice is delighted to learn of INSPIRE’s pursuit of improving mental health and wellness. She has always wanted to learn ballroom dance and could not resist when asked to take a chance to dance in support of her new community.  

“Do it big, do it right, and do it with style.” - Fred Astaire

Parker was born and raised in Southport and is the youngest of four siblings. As the son of the ministers, Parker has been an active member at Southport Congregational Church his whole life, and currently is the director of their live-stream program. Parker's educational background includes attending high school at Greens Farms Academy and graduating from Syracuse University's School of Architecture in 2019. Since then, he has been working as a designer on residential and commercial scales alike. When Parker is not working, he enjoys rock climbing, 4x4 off-roading, tennis, snowboarding, and finding new ways to challenge himself … including trying his hand (or feet) at dance, which he has never attempted before! 

As a strong believer in the importance of mental health and well-being, Parker is thrilled to be a part of INSPIRE’s event and mission to help the people of the community that he knows and loves. 

Alessandra was born in Long Island .She played golf and took ballet and tap lessons  from a young age. By high school she was taking jazz and became captain of the dance team. She has a BA in Biology from Hofstra University where she met her husband, Tom. They moved to Fairfield in 1994 and expanded their household to four children (Thomas, Gabriella, Nathaniel and Brian) and two dogs (Lady and Ginger). She worked at Bayer Pharmaceuticals through 2001 and received an MBA in Marketing from Fairfield Univ. in 2003. She is now a full time mother and committed community volunteer. She has taught her children's religious ed. classes for 12 years and taught English at The Mercy Learning Center. Alessandra is a past member of Junior League and donates her time and baking skills to raise funds for St. Baldricks Childhood Cancer research and The Thomas Merton Center. She feels music and dance can be an effective reliever of stress and anxiety, and views INSPIRE's event is a great chance to put her dancin' shoes back on!  

Cindy is a Boston College grad and earned an MBA in Marketing from UCONN. She worked in Consumer Packaged Goods for 20 years with most of her time spent in Global Marketing. She left the corporate world in 2017 to become full time mom to T.K. (11) and Reagan (9). Cindy has been a dedicated advocate for Reagan, who has Hydrocephalus and a rare genetic disorder. She and her husband Tim are the CT Chapter Directors for the Pediatric Hydrocephalus Foundation. They have raised over $300K and founded the Reagan Sloane Shanley scholarship to support students who work toward finding more advanced treatments for the brain condition. The Shanleys live in Fairfield but also love spending time at their home in the Poconos. Cindy is a Bar Method instructor, SEPTA volunteer and on the board of the Fairfield Garden Club.  Reagan’s condition has taught Cindy the importance of mental health and emotional wellness, and she is honored to dance in support of INSPIRE's unique and much needed programs.