Hugo and his wife, Maria, have lived in New Canaan for the past 15 years. They have three daughters currently attending West School and Saxe and recently welcomed a rambunctious puppy named Arlo to the family. Having graduated from UConn in 2000 with a degree in Economics, Hugo has built a successful financial planning practice and is consistently ranked in the top among his peers. As a leader in the financial services industry, he takes annual trips to Washington, D.C. where he serves as a government relations delegate and industry advocate. His team schedules meetings with our state representatives so Hugo can be a voice and activist in the legislation that impacts the residents of CT and US at large. This is a volunteer position. Locally, he is a member of St Aloysius Parish, has served on the board of the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society and recently appeared as the newest member of the Gridiron Club.

A product of public schools, Hugo is passionate about education and is completing his second 2-year term on the BOE. He has served as BOE Chairman the past two years and looks forward to building on the current board’s accomplishments. During that time, the board has successfully implemented new start times, balancing the needs and wishes of all families; rolled out Yonder pouches to remove cell phones from Saxe middle school; added SRO’s and improved security in each of our schools; streamlined the district goals, ensuring our focus remains on education and development, keeping identity politics out; extended the budget season, adding workshops and improving transparency for constituents and town bodies. New Canaan was recently ranked Best School District in the state and top 50 in nation while maintaining among the lowest spending per pupil among our neighbors. Hugo has developed an excellent working relationship with teachers and the administration which is paramount as we collaborate for our kids and families.

There is still much work to be done, and Hugo is eager and ready to serve a second term. The learning curve is steep, so experience is vital. He believes we should continue to embrace fresh, new ideas while maintaining the values that attracted all of us to this community. We live in a state led by politicians in Hartford that think they know what’s best for our kids and consistently chip away at local control. We must stay abreast of new legislation and understand how it will impact our community. This requires deliberate continued collaboration, engagement and transparency between the administration, the board, and the constituents we serve. Important decisions require open communication, oversight, and fiscal common sense. The parents, grandparents and children of New Canaan expect the best. They deserve the best.