Saranda Belica

Saranda Belica is a multilingual collaborator, connector, and communicator whose work bridges transformative innovation and public trust.

With two decades of experience spanning economic development, government, and academia, she brings an international background and a deeply relational approach to leading ecosystems where business and community move forward together.

Saranda built the public affairs and community engagement infrastructure from the ground up for QuantumCT — an innovation-led nonprofit launched by the University of Connecticut, Yale University, and Connecticut state leadership. As part of the UConn team behind it, she developed the organization's stakeholder frameworks, brand narrative, and external market positioning. In this role, she also developed the $10M proposal for the state Innovation Clusters Program, secured a $1M Congressionally Directed Spending award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, and authored the Regional Engagement component of the flagship $166M National Science Foundation Engines application — each integrating workforce development, entrepreneurship, and community programming.

Previously, Saranda served as Director of Business Development at AdvanceCT, a corporate-led nonprofit that drives job creation and capital investment through business attraction, retention, and expansion.

Saranda's path to this work spans political campaigns, international trade missions, and grassroots community organizing. Her expertise weaves together media, culture, technology, advocacy, and strategic communications — and she has advised CEOs, elected officials, community builders, and business leaders across all of it.

Saranda is based in Connecticut and maintains deep ties to the Balkan region, where she returns often.