Chair & Founder: Kathie Freston
(Brearley ’48, Vassar – BA ‘52, RET CAPT USMC ’53-’64, NYU – MA ‘65)
Retired 32 year teacher, last post 30 years 6th grade teacher, Fieldston Ethical School, Bronx, NY. Named Town of Kent NY Volunteer of the Year in 2011, a Putnam County Emerging Trailblazer in 2014, Kathie serves on NYS’ only all-volunteer Kent Recycling Center as a Board member. Ms Freston was inducted into the NYS Veterans Hall of Fame in May 2015.
Serino Names Kathie Freston to Veterans Hall of Fame
Kathie Freston Hall of Fame Page
Putnam Daily Voice Trailblazer Awards
President: Kim A. Blacklock
(William Smith ’79, Columbia Univ. Teachers College ’04-’06)
CEO H. G. Fairfield Arts responsible for operations, programming, development. Formerly English Language Arts and Computer Arts Teacher grades 1, 3, 4, 6, 8-10 French-American School of NY, Mamaroneck, NY. Certified NYS Public School Teacher English Language Arts 7-12 since 1986. Blacklock is also an active member of SAG-AFTRA since 1991 as an Actor and lives 3 miles from the largest statue of Buddha in the western hemisphere in Kent, NY.
Vice President and Treasurer: Dr. Adrienne Fabrizio, D.C.
(SUNY Buffalo – BA, NY Chiropractic College – D.C., & Certified Clinical Nutritionist).
Dr. Fabrizio has been sole practitioner and has managed her own successful professional offices of Carmel Chiropractic in Brewster, NY, for 31 years. She volunteers in area schools, 4H Fairs, health fairs, and veterans’ halls offering spinal evaluations. Dr, Fabrizio has two sons, one a carpenter, one at Univ. Buffalo School of Architecture.
Secretary: Susan Adams Else
(William Smith 1976 – BS Biology)
Ms. Else went on to acquire her teacher certification for Life Sciences grades 7-12, her Master of Science and was designated a Highly Qualified Teacher in Chemistry, General Science, and Math for grades 5-8. A single mother of 6, Ms. Else is currently a Science teacher at Hillsboro-Deering High School in NH. She is also the Varsity Girls Soccer Coach and Varsity Girls and Boys Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Coach and the mother of 6 children now bringing her grandchildren.
Director: Barbara Hair, Esq.
(Fordham Univ. – BA Economics, Pace Univ. School of Law – J.D. and Environmental Law Certification)
Ms Hair is admitted to the bar in the states of NY, FL, & CT and works for the NYC Dept of Housing, having formerly worked for the law firms of Cozen O’Connor and Fischbein*Badillo*Wagner*Harding for almost 20 years. She was also Asst. to the Project Manager at Atlas Construction Co. Ms Hair’s primary practice is Zoning, Planning & Land Use and she lives in Dutchess County, NY.
Director: Karakwenennta Peterson
(Springfield College – BS, Univ. AZ at Tucson – MA)
Ms. Peterson graduated with a B.S. in Community Leadership and Development and went on to receive her M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling. She also has her N.A., P.M.A., and Home Care Operator licenses fro Univ. of West Hawai’i. Peterson has been Co-Owner and Administrator of Ancient Spirit Farm, an organic macadamia nt and coffee bean farm in Kona, Hawai’i for 35 years, splitting her time between HI, Tucson, and her Mohawk communities in Massachusetts and Kahnawake at the top of NYS & border with Canada. Ms Peterson works as a Rehabilitation Counselor.
Director: Sylvia R. Carey, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Chancellor Academic Support of Inclusive Excellence, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
2002 PhD in Higher Educational Leadership and Policy
Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, Nashville, Tennessee
Dissertation Topic: Success and Resiliency African American Women
Administrators: Survival Strategies in the Academy.
1987 Masters of Arts in Social Science with an emphasis in Counseling
Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York
SUNY Oneonta – BA ’80
Director: Jo-Ann Stamper Robinson, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Bluefield State College, Bluefield West Virginia
2005 – 2009 Ph.D. Educational Research and Policy Analysis
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
1982 -1986 Master of Arts in Social Science emphasis in Counseling
Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York
SUNY Brockport – BS ’79