Elizabeth Protzman
Elizabeth Protzman is an award-winning business and nonprofit leader with nearly two decades of experience spanning real estate development, public relations, marketing, and community impact. Based in Connecticut, she currently serves as a Regional Growth Manager, where she leads strategic expansion, capital formation, and investor engagement across the Northeast. In parallel, she operates her own consulting firm, providing branding, marketing, and communications services to businesses and nonprofit organizations, helping them grow visibility, strengthen systems, and expand their impact.
Throughout her career, Elizabeth has been deeply committed to service-driven work, with a strong focus on advocacy for survivors of disability, trauma, trafficking, and stalking. Her leadership extends into the nonprofit sector, where she has held executive roles and contributed to initiatives in housing, recovery services, violence prevention, and community development. A former President of the Junior League of Greater New Haven, she has led large-scale volunteer efforts and programs addressing food insecurity, women’s health, and economic empowerment, earning recognition for both innovation and community leadership.
Elizabeth’s journey is rooted in resilience and purpose, using her lived experiences to amplify awareness and create meaningful change. In addition to her professional work, she is a podcast host, writer, and active voice in survivor advocacy, dedicated to providing hope, resources, and visibility to others. A proud mother and community leader, she continues to balance high-level business leadership with hands-on service, building a legacy centered on empowerment, compassion, and lasting social impact.
• Executive Level Graduate Certificate
• Behave Health Recovery Residence Onboarding
• Sexual Harassment Prevention
• Mandated Reporter and Abuse Prevention
• Continuing Education Program: "Gambling: A Leading Risk Factor to Suicide."
• Youth Protection Training
• Child Abuse Prevention Certification
• Menthal Health First Aid
• SOAR Leadership Academy
• SOAR Train the Trainer
• SOAR Case Manager Training
• Hofstra University
• Post University- M.B.A.
• University of Massachusetts Amherst- B.A.
• CT State Gateway
• Connecticut Women’s Consortium
• State of Connecticut
• Ms. Executive Connecticut for 2026
• Honored Listee- Marquis Who's Who
• Top Executives in America
• Sunspot Innovator Award
• Rebekah Lyas Award
• Women Who Inspire Us
• “People- The Heart of Connecticut 2020”
• In League Award
• All Connecticut Cast
• Home Matters Recognition Award
• Rotary International
• Connecticut Women's Council
• Junior League (past president)
• Hartford Young Professionals and Entrepeneurs
• Junior League of Greater New Haven
• Rotary International
• Love146
• RHAM Youth Baseball
• Marlborough Food Bank, Inc
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving
• Cathedral of St Joseph in Hartford
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford
• Boys and Girls Club of Greater New Haven
• The Arts Council of Greater New Haven
What do you attribute your success to?
I definitely know where I came from. You know, I worked so hard to get to where I am, and I've never lost sight of that. I am not shallow, I'm not driven by my name in any way. It is, you know, remaining humble and remembering your origins, because that could be the community you came from, it could be the people that got you to where you are. That's a big, big one for me, for sure.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received is that one of the most important things that you can do to be successful is actually outside of the office. Your mindset, your family life, your support system is so much more important, sometimes, than your actual qualifications. The life that you build for yourself outside of the office is incredibly important. You have to be selective about who you're friends with, keep your family strong, keep your support network strong, stay healthy, focus on wellness, because those are so important and almost more important than the actual job.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say always prepare for things outside of the workplace, because, you know, I lost my father in July of 2024, and I was not prepared. It was a crushing blow, and it impacted so much. You know, it made it so difficult for me, and I think that would be my best advice, is always prepare yourself for life's curves, because if you're not ready for that, it can be crushing. Also, people will not remember your work ethic as much as they remember how you treated them. People are not going to remember the numbers that you accomplished as much as they remember how you treated them.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think that it's the market volatility. I think the uncertainty that people feel, especially, you know, in a war economy, you know, we're in a recession, a housing recession, so I think that volatility is really difficult for people. You know, especially when you're working for a national company, and there's different regional demographics that will influence how, you know, your productivity, that can be really, really challenging.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I know all about transparency, all about empowerment. I like being upfront and honest with individuals and with my team, and I really value lifting other people up. I think that is so crucial and important. There's no way you could succeed if you're not lifting other people up. Sometimes, especially in business, it can be really cutthroat, and, you know, people focus on the wrong things, but it's so crucial to lift others up. You have to put your hand out for people to pull them up.