Angela Schlingheyde has served as Executive Director of the Connecticut Bar Foundation since October 2023, where she provides strategic leadership in advancing access to justice across the state. In this role, she oversees organizational strategy, legislative advocacy, financial stewardship, and day-to-day operations in support of the Foundation’s mission.

Before joining the Connecticut Bar Foundation, Attorney Schlingheyde spent more than eight years at The Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport, Connecticut, serving as Director of Civil Legal and Court Advocacy Services. There, she played a central role in expanding legal services for underserved communities and developing innovative programs to meet unmet legal needs.

A long-time advocate for equitable access to legal representation, Attorney Schlingheyde spearheaded the creation of the Justice Legal Center in 2017, Connecticut’s first legal incubator designed to help attorneys build sustainable practices focused on serving low- to moderate-income clients. She later secured funding to launch the Pro Bono Legal Center in 2019, ensuring survivors of domestic and sexual violence have access to trauma-informed, high-quality legal assistance regardless of financial resources.

Attorney Schlingheyde began her legal career more than 28 years ago as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where she prosecuted cases involving domestic violence, sexual violence, and child abuse. She earned her Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law in 1998 and her Bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1995.

Ashleigh Backman (she/her) is the Deputy Director & Chief Operating Officer of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, where she translates strategic vision into operational impact to advance civil justice and equity statewide. A former civil legal aid attorney, with more than a decade of experience designing and leading high-impact pro bono programs and strategic partnerships, she has built collaborations with law firms, corporate legal departments, and access-to-justice organizations that have earned state and national recognition. 

Ashleigh has been recognized as Connecticut’s Top 40 Under 40, Connecticut Law Tribune Unsung Hero, United Way Impactful Woman nominee, and is a James W. Cooper Fellow. She’s an active member of the Connecticut Bar Association and Connecticut Asian Pacific American Bar Association (CAPABA) – where she serves as an Officer, Vice President of Operations. A believer in the power of pro bono, outside of the office, she volunteers her time representing asylum seekers with the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI).

Prior to joining Connecticut Bar Foundation as the Grants Program Manager, Emma Bayer wrote and managed grants at Mystic Seaport Museum for projects ranging from tall ship restorations to NASA-funded planetarium education. Emma’s work in grants pulls from a commitment to community-building and authentic storytelling; she earned a Master of Education in Community Counseling at Boston University and a BA in American Studies at Trinity College in Hartford.

Keelie Ni is the Executive Assistant/Program Coordinator at the Connecticut Bar Foundation. They have a background in nonprofit operations, project management, and event coordination, supporting mission-driven organizations focused on social justice. Before joining CBF, they managed administrative processes, donor databases, and advocacy initiatives at Community Resource Exchange and the USC Volunteer Center. They hold a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Southern California, where they concentrated on comparative transnational politics. When not keeping things organized, they enjoy live music and diving into new craft projects.

Carolyn Arnold is a marketing and communications professional with over a decade of experience in the higher education field. She worked at Fairfield University for many years, where she crafted stories about students, faculty, and alumni to advance the school’s community and national presence. She has also executed multi-channel marketing campaigns at online bookstores to increase utilization and sales among target audiences. She has a BA in English and an MBA in marketing, both from Fairfield University.