40 Under 40 Shaker Award recipients
Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce
The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce 40 Under 40 Shaker Awards were presented Thursday at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. The awards are given annually to 40 people under the age of 40 who represent the next generation of leaders in the area.
Here are this year's award recipients:
Paul Ackermann graduated from Pace University School of Law and was admitted to the bar in 2006. He is an associate with Wallace & Wallace LLP and serves as the treasurer for Mental Health America Dutchess County.
Justin J. Bohlmann was taught to give more to his community than it has given to him. His involvement with the Boy Scouts of America growing up paved the way for his career as a firefighter and EMT with the Fairview Fire District, where he is the Public Education Coordinator.
Philip J. Bronzi has been with Tompkins Mahopac Bank since 2014 and, since moving to a local branch in 2012, has been an active member of the local community. He sits on multiple boards including Sparrow's Nest, Anderson Center for Autism, and the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce's Hudson Valley Young Professionals and its Business After Hours Committee.
Candice Brown is a graduate of Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. She moved to the Hudson Valley in 2009 to take over the women's basketball program at Vassar College. She is the first in Vassar's history with a winning career record. Brown volunteers for multiple local youth programs.
Charissa M. Brown graduated from State University at Albany, with a master's in social welfare in 2013. She has helped build the Center for Neurodegenerative Care at ArchCare at Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck.
Marc Coviello is a long-time resident of Beekman and served in the U.S. Army from 2010 to 2014 in Iraq and Afghanistan. He received a Purple Heart and the Army Commendation Medal with VALOR in 2014 and was inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame in 2015. After the Army, he founded and serves as the executive director for the Hudson Valley Hero Project. In November, he was elected as the Dutchess County Legislator for District 22.
Michael Davis has recently taken a position with R.L. Baxter Building Corporation. He has served on multiple boards, been house captain with Rebuilding Together for two years, including the Rebuild Day, and is a supporter of Mental Health America and the Family Partnership Center.
Freddimir (Freddy) Garcia is the Presidential Fellow of Marist College. He has been involved with the Poughkeepsie and Marist communities since 2010 and is a board member for Catharine Street Community Center, Family Services, and the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, the Hispanic Committee of the Exempt Fireman's Association recognized him with its Hispanic Heritage Award.
Teresa C. Gasparini is artistic director for Clove Creek Dinner Theater in Fishkill. She is president of the boards for Mental Health America and the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt Historical Association.
Danielle Marie Germano graduated from Roosevelt High School and Dutchess County BOCES Tech Center for Cosmetology. She continued her education at Dutchess Community College and graduated in 1999. She established Shear Magic Hair Salon in 2005, which she sold in 2015 to Textur Hair and Colour Group, where she rents a chair once a week. She is an active firefighter for the Roosevelt Fire Department and works as a Correction Officer at Green Haven Correctional Facility.
Lindsey M. Goldstein Esq., a graduate of Arlington High School, returned to the region six years ago and formed Goldstein & Goldstein LLP with her father. She is president of the Mid-Hudson Women's Bar Association and has served on event committees for the Mediation Center of Dutchess County, the Junior League of Poughkeepsie and the American Cancer Society.
Alistair Hall enrolled at Vassar College in 2007 and discovered a passion for urban studies, sustainability and community development. As a senior, he helped pave the way for the Poughkeepsie Plenty Food Coalition and is a member of its leadership team. After graduating, he worked with Green Corps before returning as Vassar's first Sustainability Coordinator. He is pursuing his MBA in Sustainability Management part time at Bard College.
Diane Hart has dedicated her career to improving the community through work in the nonprofit sector. She has raised more than $5 million in grants and individual gifts for various nonprofit organizations, developed three statewide volunteer programs and redesigned the United Way granting process. In 2014, she joined Marist College as a project coordinator in the Office of the Executive Vice President. She is a board member of the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum.
Alison Heady has worked in the kitchen at Poughkeepsie High School for more than 15 years and volunteers at Vassar Hospital, bringing newspapers, mail and magazines to patients. Her objective in life is to be an active and independent person who is a positive force in the community. In 2015, she was elected to the New Horizons Resources board of directors.
Rabbi Hanoch Hecht is the Director of Chabad Dutchess, and in 2007 co-founded the Rhinebeck Jewish Center with his wife. In September, the center completed building the Barn Shul, the first temple in Rhinebeck's 300-year history. He is on the executive board of the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education, a member of the board of the Hudson Valley Community Center, a volunteer for Toys for Hospitalized Children and a Red Cross Disaster First Responder.
Max Kenner is the founder and executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative, which enrolls incarcerated women and men in academic programs culminating in degrees from Bard College. He is a co-founder of the Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison, serves as vice president for Institutional Initiatives and adviser to the president on Public Policy & College Affairs at Bard College.
Keith Kurman oversees the day-to-day branch operations at TEG Federal Credit Union and offers financial literacy courses. He spent the past four years volunteering on the board of directors for the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum, most recently serving as vice president.
James E. Lentz joined TEG Federal Credit Union as a teller and is a branch manager. He is actively involved with the Hudson Valley Young Professionals, is a former associate board member for the Chamber and is a graduate of the Leadership Dutchess Class of 2013.
Amy Luke is the founder of Be Real About Injuries Now, or B.R.A.I.N. Programs, Inc. She has a degree in childhood education, a master's in working with children with disabilities from SUNY New Paltz and is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist.
James H. Lyles Jr. coordinated "Concert for Cancer," which raised more than $4,000 for the American Cancer Society, as a senior at John Jay High School. After graduating from Marist College in 2013, he became a radio personality on Pamal Broadcasting's 100.7 WHUD. In 2014, he founded Coast 2 Coast: Dance Across America, a nonprofit traveling master dance class.
Brandi Nichole Madarish graduated from Arlington High School in 2004 and transitioned into the Hudson Valley School of Massage Therapy in 2005. Throughout the past 10 years, she has worked hard to develop herself as a young professional.
Caitlin Martin is a Marist College graduate, and joined her father's Safeguard distributorship. She has a passion for volunteering and making a difference for organizations such as Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation, Angels of Light, Abilities First, Hope For Heroes, John Flowers' Elves projects and Achilles International.
Alexis Mills has worked alongside her mother at the family business, Complete Benefit Solutions, since 2005. She is vice president at COBESO.
Dafna Mizrahi is a Culinary Institute of America graduate. She worked with Clarke's Group to launch Clarke's Standard, operating and managing all five locations. In 2014, in partnership with the Monte family, she opened Monte's Local Kitchen & Tap Room in Amenia. In 2015, she was crowned "Chopped" Champion on the Food Network.
Anthony Morando is an attorney with Cuddy & Feder in Fishkill. A graduate of the Leadership Dutchess Class of 2011, he supports and serves on boards for community organizations such as The Chamber Foundation, Marist College Liberty Partnership Program, the Westchester Women's Bar Association and Westchester County Association.
Kathryn Nixon received her bachelor's degree in English literature and certificate in Adolescent Education from Marist College in 2005. She continued her education at Western Connecticut State University, receiving a master's in English literature. She has been with the Arlington Central School District for 11 years.
Eric J. Orlowski found a job right out of college at The Chazen Companies. At Chazen, he helps to develop and protect clean water supplies and remediate impacted properties. He is an avid outdoorsman and is involved with the Knights of Columbus and the Mid-Hudson Valley Gem and Mineral Society.
Timothy Palladino is a fourth-generation electrical contractor, co-owner of Maven (an electrical contracting company) and Vine Van Gogh (a sip-and-paint company). He is an active member in Rotary International.
Jennifer L. Parker​earned a bachelor's of Arts in Mathematics from Elmira College and a master's in Educational Psychology from Marist College. She teaches at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School. She is the Junior Varsity volleyball coach and local union representative.
Christina M. Piracci Esq. relocated to the Hudson Valley with her husband in 2014 and found a welcome home in McCabe & Mack, LLP. As a member of the Junior League of Poughkeepsie, she has participated in many projects. She joined Rebuilding Together Dutchess County, serving on committees, recently joining the board of directors.
Marc Provost is a guidance counselor at Arlington High School, his alma mater. In 2007, he founded Gift of H.O.P.E., a nonprofit foundation raising scholarship funds for students who have suffered the loss of a parent or guardian. To date, more than $120,000 has been raised, helping more than 130 students.
Theresa Salzillo is a territory sales representative with Grainger. She is a member of the Social Network Committee at the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie and serves on the board of directors for the Mid-Hudson Valley Region of the American Red Cross and Mid-Hudson Civic Center, and is active with the Hudson Valley Young Professionals and Huguenot Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs.
Sabrina Schutzsmith founded Digital Empire (formerly Mark & Phil) in 2010, an agency that builds websites and mobile apps for local and global clients. Since 2013, as part of the Junior League of Poughkeepsie, she has helped plan the annual Mother's Day Dinner for domestic violence survivors and helps with the Cinderella's Closet program. In 2014, she co-founded Hudson Valley Tech Meet-up.
MatthewSlifstein returned to the Hudson Valley in 2008 and is now director of Financial Reporting & Research at Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation. He coordinated Central Hudson's employee volunteer efforts for the Special Olympics winter games.
Kiara Tatum was diagnosed in 2006 with pulmonary arterial hypertension, forcing her to leave her social work career. She became involved in the pulmonary hypertension community, establishing Mid-Hudson Valley PH Support Group and serving on the advisory board for PH Association's Generation Hope. She was able to become an adjunct in the Behavioral Science Department at Dutchess Community College, a position that allows her to continue her work as a social worker.
Carla S. Tesoro grew up in the City of Poughkeepsie and is a graduate of the Poughkeepsie City School District. She has prosecuted domestic violence, child abuse and sex crimes in Bronx County; represented abused and neglected children in New York City; and in January started as court attorney to Dutchess County Family Court Judge, the Honorable Tracy C. MacKenzie. She serves on the boards of Family Services Inc. and the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum and is active in both the Dutchess County Bar Association and the Mid-Hudson Women's Bar Association.
Dr. Gail Upchurch has been an assistant professor of English at Dutchess Community College for five years. At Dutchess, she has helped organize a day retreat for Groundwork for Success, offering a presentation about preparing a college entrance essay; is a member of the Association of Women; and produces the Black History Month dance show.
Jessica Wallach is a human services practitioner who started her career in the Hudson Valley in 2009 with the Crime Victims Assistance Program at Family Services and later spearheaded the Human Trafficking initiative program at the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. She was recently appointed coordinator of Youth Services at Family Services and is involved in the Give Initiative of the City of Poughkeepsie Police and Family Services.
Roy Wilkins has 13 years of experience in the financial services industry and, along with his wife, Sara, owns Lavender & Leaf Designs. In the past two years, he has earned a master's degree, graduated from The Chamber Foundation's Leadership Dutchess and the credit union's High Prospect Program, and became a Certified Marketing Professional from the Direct Marketing Association all while mentoring in the Leadership Dutchess and Youth Leadership programs.
Karen J. Zirbel has been a police officer with the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department since 2004. She works in the Patrol Division and serves on the Crisis Intervention Team Board for Dutchess County. She worked with the Poughkeepsie City School District to implement the Teen Closet for students in need and is helping organize a Participation in Government Program with officers in the high school. Over the holidays, she organized the first Adopt-a-Family for her department and the Poughkeepsie Fire Department.