Resume
RESUMEAudrey B. Blondin Attorney at Law Master of Public Health
Blondin Law Office LLCStonegate Professional Building379 Prospect Street, Suite A.Torrington, CT 06790Phone: 860-489-8997Fax: 860-489-9017E-mail: audbl@aol.comWebsite: www.blondinlaw.com
www.audreyblondin.com
Education: Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, B.S. Degree, Magna Cum Laude, May 1975Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, PA, Juris Doctor Degree, August 1979 Certificate in Public Health, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT May 2009University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, Master of Public Health, May 2020 G.P.A. 4.023 andRecipient - Susan S. Addiss Award UCONN 2020 for advocacy, leadership, community commitment in Public Health
Professional Experience:1980 to Present: Attorney – Blondin Law Office LLC with daughter, Attorney Rose A. Blondin Shea
General practice of law.Founder, Torrington’s oldest woman-owned law firm, and Litchfield County’s only mother-daughter law firm. Areas of practice include real estate purchases, sales, refinances, wills and estate planning, elder law, bankruptcy, business law and contracts, non-profit organizations and animal law. Office has served as counsel for many banks and mortgage companies, providing representation on residential closings, including FHA, CHFA, DAP and VA loan programs, commercial closings, foreclosures and loan workouts.
Lender representation include Bank of America, Torrington Savings Bank, Webster Bank, Thomaston Savings Bank, M & T Bank, Village Mortgage Company, Salisbury Bank & Trust Company, Savings Bank of Danbury, Norcom Mortgage, Newtown Savings Bank, Union Savings Bank and Welcome Home Mortgage.
Licensed title insurance agent for Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company.
Recipient of the Connecticut Bar Association 2020 Citizen of the Law Award presented to an attorney who has made a significant contribution to a charitable or public service cause that provides inspiration and contributes to those in need.
Professional Activities:Selectman - Town of Litchfield – 1993 to 2003:Elected position to five-person Board of Selectmen. Participated in all aspects of local town government, including budget process and preparation, labor negotiations, hiring of personnel, community involvement and interaction with various town departments and local boards and commissions, including Public Works, Park and Recreation and Board of Finance. Served as local Public Information Officer and Chairman of the Litchfield Courthouse Committee. Also served as Moderator for Town Meetings. Obtained designation of Litchfield as a Millennium Community by organizing the purchase and sealing of a town time capsule. Developed concept and assisted Recycling Committee in formation and implementation of the Litchfield Book Exchange at the town recycling center.
Connecticut Democratic Party (CDP)Democratic State Central Committeewoman-30th District 2002 to Present: Currently serving as Secretary-2018 to Present:Elected from the 30th State Senatorial District as member of 72-person statewide Democratic organization. Responsibilities include providing assistance to the Democratic Party on the state level, candidate recruitment and organization, fundraising, media briefing on local and state Democratic candidates and issues. As Secretary duties include serving as a member of the Executive Committee, taking and preparing meeting minutes and assisting as needed in party and fund-raising activities throughout the State. Recipient of the Connecticut Democratic Party Ella Grasso Women’s Leadership Award, November 2013 and the Governor O’Neill Democratic Party Recognition Award June 2016.
Operations Manager –Dr. Matthew Blondin, O.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.O. and Blondin Shea Eye Care, LLC, 1979 to presentSupervise day-to-day operations of large eye care practice in two locations, Torrington and Kent, Connecticut. Duties include supervision of staff, billing, insurance claims, assisting with patients and telephone, purchase and sale of eyeglass frames, patient scheduling and payroll administration and review.
VOSH-Connecticut (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity)Co-founder with husband, Dr. Matthew Blondin, in 2001 of VOSH-CT. VOSH-CT is the Connecticut chapter of VOSH-International, an international organization providing eye care services to residents of local and third world countries. Currently serving as Secretary/Treasurer of VOSH-CT. Recipient of Connecticut Association of Optometry Recognition Award 2003.
Missions to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua-2001 – 2020, Upcoming January 2023As a director of VOSH-CT, assisted in providing eye examinations and eyeglasses to over 50,000 area residents in the last twenty (20) years without access to eye care of any kind. Served as Co-Director of Mission Clinic from 2002-2018 & 2020 supervising over 100 volunteers, optometrists, optometry students, opticians, assistants and local support staff providing eye care services to several thousand local Nicaraguan residents each year. Organized and ran additional eye care mission June 2019 with RAM/USA in Emporia, Virginia and the upcoming Nicaragua mission in January 2023.
Democratic National Convention Delegation Member-2000, 2004, 2012, 2016 & 2020Candidate for Secretary of the State 2006Served as a member of the Connecticut delegation to the 2000, 2004, 2012, 2106 and 2020 Democratic National Conventions. Provided legal representation on behalf of the Democratic National Committee for a gender balance challenge to the Connecticut delegation in 2000. Served as a Connecticut counsel for the Gore 2000 campaign, and as the 5th Congressional District Coordinator Kerry for President 2004. Served as a member of the Statewide Campaign Hillary Clinton for President 2008 and as Northwest Connecticut Organizer for Bernie Sanders 2016, and Election Day Attorney for Ned Lamont for Governor, 2018. Campaigned in New Hampshire and served as the CT 5th Congressional District Coordinator for Pete Buttigieg for President 2020. Ran a state-wide campaign as one of the six candidates for Secretary of the State 2006.
Connecticut Judicial Selection Commission – August 2014 to March 2018Appointed by Governor Dannel P. Malloy to 12 member state commission to evaluate, investigate and recommend qualified candidates for consideration by the Governor for nominations as judges for the Superior, Appellate and Supreme Courts. Stepped down from Commission in accordance with State law when elected Secretary of the Connecticut Democratic Party in March, 2018.
University of New Haven, West Haven, CT – Adjunct Professor-Law & Public Health-January 2021-PresentCurrently serving for a fourth semester as an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Haven teaching Law & P:ublic health to graduate students in Public Health. Course work includes public guest speakers, article discussions and public health bill analysis and presentations.
Professional Organizations and Activities:Connecticut Bar AssociationLitchfield County Bar AssociationJames W. Cooper Fellow - Lifetime MemberConnecticut Public Health Association
Licensure:Admitted to Connecticut Bar, May 19, 1980 Admitted to U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, August 1980Admitted to the Supreme Court of the U.S., January 9, 1984Admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, June 12, 1984
Education: Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT, B.S. Degree, Magna Cum Laude, May 1975Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, PA, Juris Doctor Degree, August 1979 Certificate in Public Health, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT May 2009University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, Master of Public Health, May 2020 G.P.A. 4.023 andRecipient - Susan S. Addiss Award UCONN 2020 for advocacy, leadership, community commitment in Public Health
Professional Experience:1980 to Present: Attorney – Blondin Law Office LLC with daughter, Attorney Rose A. Blondin Shea
General practice of law.Founder, Torrington’s oldest woman-owned law firm, and Litchfield County’s only mother-daughter law firm. Areas of practice include real estate purchases, sales, refinances, wills and estate planning, elder law, bankruptcy, business law and contracts, non-profit organizations and animal law. Office has served as counsel for many banks and mortgage companies, providing representation on residential closings, including FHA, CHFA, DAP and VA loan programs, commercial closings, foreclosures and loan workouts.
Lender representation include Bank of America, Torrington Savings Bank, Webster Bank, Thomaston Savings Bank, M & T Bank, Village Mortgage Company, Salisbury Bank & Trust Company, Savings Bank of Danbury, Norcom Mortgage, Newtown Savings Bank, Union Savings Bank and Welcome Home Mortgage.
Licensed title insurance agent for Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company.
Recipient of the Connecticut Bar Association 2020 Citizen of the Law Award presented to an attorney who has made a significant contribution to a charitable or public service cause that provides inspiration and contributes to those in need.
Professional Activities:Selectman - Town of Litchfield – 1993 to 2003:Elected position to five-person Board of Selectmen. Participated in all aspects of local town government, including budget process and preparation, labor negotiations, hiring of personnel, community involvement and interaction with various town departments and local boards and commissions, including Public Works, Park and Recreation and Board of Finance. Served as local Public Information Officer and Chairman of the Litchfield Courthouse Committee. Also served as Moderator for Town Meetings. Obtained designation of Litchfield as a Millennium Community by organizing the purchase and sealing of a town time capsule. Developed concept and assisted Recycling Committee in formation and implementation of the Litchfield Book Exchange at the town recycling center.
Connecticut Democratic Party (CDP)Democratic State Central Committeewoman-30th District 2002 to Present: Currently serving as Secretary-2018 to Present:Elected from the 30th State Senatorial District as member of 72-person statewide Democratic organization. Responsibilities include providing assistance to the Democratic Party on the state level, candidate recruitment and organization, fundraising, media briefing on local and state Democratic candidates and issues. As Secretary duties include serving as a member of the Executive Committee, taking and preparing meeting minutes and assisting as needed in party and fund-raising activities throughout the State. Recipient of the Connecticut Democratic Party Ella Grasso Women’s Leadership Award, November 2013 and the Governor O’Neill Democratic Party Recognition Award June 2016.
Operations Manager –Dr. Matthew Blondin, O.D., M.P.H., F.A.A.O. and Blondin Shea Eye Care, LLC, 1979 to presentSupervise day-to-day operations of large eye care practice in two locations, Torrington and Kent, Connecticut. Duties include supervision of staff, billing, insurance claims, assisting with patients and telephone, purchase and sale of eyeglass frames, patient scheduling and payroll administration and review.
VOSH-Connecticut (Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity)Co-founder with husband, Dr. Matthew Blondin, in 2001 of VOSH-CT. VOSH-CT is the Connecticut chapter of VOSH-International, an international organization providing eye care services to residents of local and third world countries. Currently serving as Secretary/Treasurer of VOSH-CT. Recipient of Connecticut Association of Optometry Recognition Award 2003.
Missions to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua-2001 – 2020, Upcoming January 2023As a director of VOSH-CT, assisted in providing eye examinations and eyeglasses to over 50,000 area residents in the last twenty (20) years without access to eye care of any kind. Served as Co-Director of Mission Clinic from 2002-2018 & 2020 supervising over 100 volunteers, optometrists, optometry students, opticians, assistants and local support staff providing eye care services to several thousand local Nicaraguan residents each year. Organized and ran additional eye care mission June 2019 with RAM/USA in Emporia, Virginia and the upcoming Nicaragua mission in January 2023.
Democratic National Convention Delegation Member-2000, 2004, 2012, 2016 & 2020Candidate for Secretary of the State 2006Served as a member of the Connecticut delegation to the 2000, 2004, 2012, 2106 and 2020 Democratic National Conventions. Provided legal representation on behalf of the Democratic National Committee for a gender balance challenge to the Connecticut delegation in 2000. Served as a Connecticut counsel for the Gore 2000 campaign, and as the 5th Congressional District Coordinator Kerry for President 2004. Served as a member of the Statewide Campaign Hillary Clinton for President 2008 and as Northwest Connecticut Organizer for Bernie Sanders 2016, and Election Day Attorney for Ned Lamont for Governor, 2018. Campaigned in New Hampshire and served as the CT 5th Congressional District Coordinator for Pete Buttigieg for President 2020. Ran a state-wide campaign as one of the six candidates for Secretary of the State 2006.
Connecticut Judicial Selection Commission – August 2014 to March 2018Appointed by Governor Dannel P. Malloy to 12 member state commission to evaluate, investigate and recommend qualified candidates for consideration by the Governor for nominations as judges for the Superior, Appellate and Supreme Courts. Stepped down from Commission in accordance with State law when elected Secretary of the Connecticut Democratic Party in March, 2018.
University of New Haven, West Haven, CT – Adjunct Professor-Law & Public Health-January 2021-PresentCurrently serving for a fourth semester as an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Haven teaching Law & P:ublic health to graduate students in Public Health. Course work includes public guest speakers, article discussions and public health bill analysis and presentations.
Professional Organizations and Activities:Connecticut Bar AssociationLitchfield County Bar AssociationJames W. Cooper Fellow - Lifetime MemberConnecticut Public Health Association
Licensure:Admitted to Connecticut Bar, May 19, 1980 Admitted to U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, August 1980Admitted to the Supreme Court of the U.S., January 9, 1984Admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, June 12, 1984