Lisa Carberg

Newscaster Channel 8, TV/PR Executive

Lisa Carberg has been a trusted newscaster in Connecticut for more than 20 years, also working as a national news anchor before returning to her home state. Lisa’s career has taken her to Wilmington, North Carolina, Savannah, Georgia and New York City as an anchor for Fox News Channel. While anchoring the evening news for Connecticut’s NBC affiliate WVIT NBC Connecticut, Lisa earned a Peabody Award coverage of the Sandy Hook, Connecticut school shootings with a team of professionals.

Lisa has also covered the Olympics, been a panelist in a gubernatorial debate, a moderator in a congressional debate and has interviewed many politicans and celebrities. Lisa is a graduate of Old Saybrook Senior High School in Connecticut and Suffolk University in Boston.

Lisa has many relatives who serve and have served in the armed forces. Her late father and grandfather were proud United States Marines. In her father’s final months, weeks and days Lisa’s family experienced first hand how the VA and the Marines assist families in their times of need. In particular, a bedside pinning and service by a Marine while her father was in hospice became a truly a life changing moment that her family will forever treasure.

Lisa is extremely proud to be a part of Save-A-Suit. Lisa lives near the U.S. Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut which is a true military community. Many military children go to school with her daughter and she has the honor to meet veterans on a regular basis in her everyday life. She also sees the needs and struggles they experience while transitioning back into civilian life. Helping publicize and spread the word about what Save-A-Suit is doing brings her great joy.

Troy Bree

Branch Manager, AVP

Troy Bree has been in the Banking Industry for the past 11 years and is currently the Branch Manager, AVP in Madison CT for Liberty Bank. Troy promotes strong Community involvement and places a focus on Veteran’s related projects.

In 2016, Troy introduced Save-A-Suit to Liberty Bank as the Bank focus is giving back to those we service. Liberty Bank held their first Suit Drive amongst Employees and the following year opened up the drive to the community with drop off locations at all 55 Liberty Bank Locations in Connecticut. Liberty Bank has embraced this project and the Suit Drive has become an annual initiative.

Troy was a Graduate of East Lyme High School in Connecticut as well as from the Computer Processing Institute in Hartford. Prior to Banking, Troy worked in the Garment Industry for over 20 years based out of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Troy currently resides in Groton, CT and supports many community programs.

Troy is honored to be a part of the Save-A-Suit Advisory Council in supporting this mission. There are so many Veteran’s that are in need; being able to help “Suit Up” a Veteran helps them get back on track with Civilian life with interviewing and gaining employment is extremely rewarding.

Amy Crafa

AVP, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, LIBERTY BANK

Amy (Helbling) Crafa joined Liberty Bank as the assistant vice president, corporate communications officer, in December 2016. Through her role at the bank, she was first introduced to save-a-suit in 2018 and has been passionate about the cause since day one. In partnership with her council members from WTNH and colleague Troy Bree, Amy helps promote liberty bank’s annual save-a-suit drive to customers, employees and local community members, and works to draw public attention. As a team, Liberty bank has held two of the most successful drives to benefit save-a-suit to date.

Prior to joining Liberty, Amy worked as a marketing communications manager at United Way in Hartford and as the community relations director for the former New Britain Rock Cats baseball club. Amy is a driven volunteer who provides sponsorship, community advocacy, communications, and public relations expertise. She is dedicated to the save-a-suit mission, honoring our military men and women, and helping veterans continue to succeed. In addition to serving on this council, Amy is a board member of the peace center of Connecticut and the moms club of Middletown and portland.

Amy grew up in Old Saybrook and Westbrook, CT and is a 2003 graduate of Westbrook High School. She is a 2007 graduate of the University of South Carolina and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in communications at Central CT State university. Amy currently resides in Portland, CT with her husband, Ryan, their daughter, Waverly, and dog, flash.

Bob Barrett

Director of Security at Knights of Columbus, Retired U.S. Secret Service, USMC Veteran

Raised in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Bob is a graduate of Plymouth Carver High School and Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, MA. While at Bridgewater he was accepted into the United States Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course Officer Program. Upon graduation from college in 1987, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps aboard the USS Constitution. After completing The Basic School in Quantico, VA he was assigned a Military Occupation Speciality as a Military Police Officer where he served at the Provost Marshal’s Office, Camp Lejeune, NC as a Platoon Commander. In 1990 he was reassigned to the 2nd Military Police Company, 2nd Marine Division as a Platoon Commander where he served in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. After completion of active duty in 1991, he served in the Marine Corps Reserve until 1993, when he was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain.

In 1993, Bob was sworn in as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service where he was assigned to the Boston Field Office. In 1999, he was transferred to Washington, DC where he served on the Presidential Protective Division, Emergency Preparedness Program, Protective Intelligence & Assessment Division and Liaison Division. In 2009, he was transferred to the New Haven Resident Office, New Haven, CT as the Resident Agent In Charge. At this time the Secret Service sponsored a nationwide program, then called “Boots To Suits”, to assist military service members who were leaving active duty and transitioning to civilian. It was during this time in September 2012, that Scott Sokolowski of “Save-A-Suit” and Bob created a joint partnership in this endeavor. Their shared goal – simply stated was to collect, distribute and provide presentable suits and business attire to veterans as they prepared for interviews and return to civilian life. This partnership was a true effort to help our returning veterans who gave up so much, but asked for little in return. Their partnership and friendship continues to this day.

Currently, Bob is the Director of Security at the Knights of Columbus Headquarters in New Haven, CT. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Sacred Heard Council 5780 in Madison, CT, where the council continues to be active in veterans and service member efforts such as Save-A- Suit and sponsoring Operation American Hero where they send care packages to US Military members serving overseas.