Natalie A. Braswell named to replace Kevin Lembo as state comptroller

Gov. Ned Lamont is appointing Natalie A. Braswell to serve as state comptroller when Kevin Lembo leaves office on Dec. 31.

Braswell is chief of planning, legal, and regulatory affairs at the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, a position that she has held since March. From 2011 until beginning her current position at DEEP, she was general counsel and assistant comptroller in Lembo”™s office.

Prior to joining state service, Braswell worked as an associate attorney with the law office of Updike, Kelly & Spellacy in Hartford from 2007 and 2011. She is a University of Connecticut “Triple Husky” with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, a Master of Public Administration and a Juris Doctorate from the UConn Law School.

In addition to her professional responsibilities, Braswell previously served as vice president of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association from 2007 to 2011 and is currently a member of the Connecticut Bar Association, the Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity, the National Association of Bond Lawyers, the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, and the Connecticut Urban Legal Initiative”™s board of directors.

Lembo announced his plans to retire on Dec. 3, citing a severe cardiac condition. Braswell, who is the first person of color and second woman to become comptroller, will be sworn in on Dec. 31 and her term runs through Jan. 4, 2023.