Featured Profile
Jean graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English from UConn in 1978. Working as a clerk-typist wasn't active enough for Jean, so she got her Electrician’s license and has worked as a master electrician in the electricians’ union for 28 years, serving 2 terms as an elected officer in the union.
Among what Jean considers to be her successes, she includes starting the 3rd Thursday Street Fests. The success of the Fests is indicative of Jean’s organizational and leadership skills, hard work, perseverance, vision, and sense of fun. And proves what a great community we are.
Jean serves on many Windham committees and regional organizations because she puts her beliefs into action. As a member of Neighbor-to-Neighbor, Jean initiated the “December Artisan’s Store”, an experiment that proved both that a local craft store was wanted and needed, and that our community could work cooperatively to make it happen. As a member of the Victorian Neighborhood Association, Jean organizes and gives wagon tours of our Victorian Houses during the Annual Home Tours. Jean helped to produce the first Annual Riverfest, organized the Chocolate Fest, produced the Save–the-Y Shaboo Fest and has marched in all 22 Boom Box Parades.
Jean’s not afraid to get her hands dirty: you’ll find Jean digging in the Community Garden, weeding at Julia de Burgos Park, mulching the Memorial Park playground., pruning on the Garden on the Bridge, or picking up garbage at the 3rd Thursday Street Fests.
As a community activist, she's battled environmental threats and won, including the battle to prevent mercury-laden medical waste from being burned at the Windham Energy Recover Facility in North Windham and she stopped the construction of a statewide ash landfill along the Shetucket River in Windham Center. She is fighting to preserve our historic buildings in downtown and against the misguided placement of 74 units of supportive housing off of Roanoke Avenue. Jean always speaks out on issues that impact Windham residents, including Charter revision, the cat ordinance and Universal Health Care.
Jean’s an effective administrator, not a bureaucrat. She chaired the Windham Recycling Committee for six years, creating the first recycling flyer, establishing leaf composting, and writing monthly articles on environmental actions we can take at home. She has served on the Affirmative Action Commission and the Open Space and Conservation Commissions. Jean was on the Board of Directors of the Willimantic Food Coop, the YMCA, and President of the Community Land Trust of Windham, which developed 14 units of permanently affordable housing. Jean is Co-chair of the CT Green Party. As Vice-President of Thread City Development, Inc, Jean is working to bring together developers and businesses to invigorate our downtown.
Jean has humbly received many acclamations for her citizenship, including the Secretary of State Citizen Award; the Storrs Chapter AAUW Woman of the Year; Access Agency's Community Service Award, WILI-AM's Ray of Sunshine, and the Windham's Romantic Willimantic Cupid for 2003. Jean is a member of too many state and national environmental, civic, art and advocacy groups to list.
Jean de Smet and Bob Hackemack chose to make Willimantic their home because they love its friendly, diverse, small-city atmosphere which is surrounded by the beauty of the scenic, sheltered villages, rivers and woodlands of Windham. A piece of heaven on earth.
