Team Member Bios:
Chris Raffone
Chris Raffone, a longtime tennis professional in Connecticut, was named the Head Women's Tennis Coach at the
University of New Haven in August 2023. Raffone has been a mainstay on the tennis scene in Connecticut since
2001 when he began his coaching career as an Assistant coach for men's and women's tennis at his alma mater,
Central Connecticut State University. Following the one season with the Blue Devils, he continued his collegiate
coaching career as an assistant coach for men's tennis at Quinnipiac for three seasons before being named the
head coach for boy's tennis at Amity High School in nearby Woodbridge, Conn. in March of 2007.
Over a 16-year career at Amity, Raffone built the Spartans into a yearly championship contender, including leading
Amity to the Class L State Championship in 2015. The Spartans were no stranger from the state tournament
, finishing as a two-time runner-up and overall advancing to the quarterfinals or beyond in all but two seasons
while he was at the helm.
A four-time New Haven Register Coach of the Year (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) and a two-time Connecticut High
School Coaches Association Coach of the Year, Raffone racked up a 265-55 overall record with the Spartans.
Raffone has served as the Managing Partner of the Oak Lane Tennis Club from 2012 and the Director of Tennis
and Head Tennis Professional at Woodbridge Club, since 2010.
Item Title
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.
Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Aaron Hyde
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.
Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Cookie Bernard
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Jose Olivares
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.
Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Greg Meyer
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.
Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Valentina Ferrarini
Tennis: Named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team at No. 1 doubles with partner Karim Carreras and All
Conference Third Team at No. 1 singles … Selected to the NE10 Academic All-Conference Team and named College
Sports Communicators Academic All-District … Earned Academic Distinction accolades on the Northeast-10
Academic Honor Roll and named to the New Haven Dean’s List following both the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters
All of her doubles play came with Carreras at the No. 1 position as the pair finished with a 12-4 overall record, including
finishing the conference schedule with a perfect 8-0 record … Closed out the year with a 9-6 singles record with all of
her action coming at the No. 1 position … Finished the conference schedule with a 5-3 record in singles action …
Combined with Carreras, completed four doubles wins without surrendering game, including three in conference action
against Saint Michael’s, Assumption and American International … Opened up the 2023 fall season with a shutout
(6-0, 6-0) win over Saint Michael’s Emma Gredenhag … Including that win, finished one other singles match without
surrendering a game which came on the road at Bentley … Wrapped up the season with three-straight singles wins to
close out the spring with the decisions coming against American International, Providence College and Post.
Personal: Academic Honor Roll and named to the New Haven Dean's List following the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023
semesters. Majoring in international affairs.
Kimm Fisher
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.
Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Karim Carreras
Tennis: Named to the Northeast-10 All-Conference First Team in doubles play with partner Valentinna Ferrarini
and All-Conference Second Team at No. 2 singles … Earned Academic Honors accolades on the
Northeast-10 Academic Honor Roll following both the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters … All of her
doubles play came with Ferrarini at the No. 1 position as the pair finished with a 12-4 overall record, including
finishing the conference schedule with a perfect 8-0 record … Closed out the year with a 12-5 singles record
with all of her action coming at the No. 2 position … Finished the conference schedule with a 6-2 record in
singles action … Strung together a series of five-straight singles wins that transcended the end of the regular
season and conclude with a win over Franklin Pierce’s Talma Lorenzo in the opening round of the NE10
Championship … Closed out the spring season with three-straight wins in singles action, including a shutout
(6-0,6-0), her second of the year, over Post’s Oceane Mallevre. Her first shutout of the season came in the
fall in conference play against Saint Anselm’s Camila Heredia-Osant. Combined with Ferrarini, completed
four doubles wins without surrendering game, including three in conference action against Saint Michael’s,
Assumption and American International. Has played tennis for 10 years prior to traveling to the United States
to play at New Haven … Attended Colegio Bautista de Villa Morra in Villa Morra, Paraguay.
Personal: Daughter of Hugo Carreras and Laura Lampert … Has one older brother Lucas. Valentinna is
majoring in engineering with a minor in business management.
Ari Cabezas Marti
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Judy Malerba
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.
Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.
Alexa Orlando
This is a paragraph area where you can include any information you’d like. It’s an opportunity to tell a story about the business or describe a special service or product it offers. You can use this space to share the company history or highlight a particular feature that sets it apart from competitors.
Let the writing speak for itself. Keep a consistent tone and voice throughout the website to stay true to the brand image and give visitors a taste of the company’s values and personality.