Colette Ruoff, Founding Director
Colette Ruoff is an Organizational Consultant and Executive Coach who works with corporations and non-profit organizations to support and enable them in fulfilling their missions. She is co-founder of Terra Nova Facilitation and Consulting with Thomas Jaggers. A former Vice President of European American Bank and Director of Investments of AIG, Colette has deep business experience and an MBA from NYU. As a leadership development specialist she has worked with partners of McKinsey & Co, a management consulting firm, and Ernst & Young, one of the big five accounting firms, as well as with senior executives of Johnson & Johnson and WPP. She has also worked with the staff of the Sacred Fire Community, BALLE and Earthjustice. She is a Board Certified Executive Coach.
Jim Gordon, President
Jim Gordon has a Master’s Degree in Gerontology, and co-founded the non-profit Edible Independence, bringing healthy meals to seniors who are living in their own homes. (www.edibleindependence.com) He is a certified family and adult mediator, a Hospice volunteer and a certified laughter yoga instructor (www.laughingataging.com).
Formerly a journalist in the Hudson Valley, he is married and lives with his wife in New Paltz. [/su_column]
Al Desetta, Secretary
Al Desetta is a professional editor and ghostwriter whose work has been praised by Jonathan Kozol, Marian Wright Edelman, Martin Seligman, and Peter Benson. He began his writing and editing career as a financial reporter in New York City. Then, from 1985 to 1999, he worked in young adult publishing as an editor at Youth Communication in New York, a nationally recognized writing program for teens. Over the years, Youth Communication has produced an impressive cadre of distinguished novelists, writers, and journalists, including Edwidge Danticat, Veronica Chambers, Rachel Swarns, Mohamad Bazzi, Ernesto Quinonez, and Bonz Malone. Al earned an M.A. in English from City College, CUNY, and a B.A. in English from SUNY Binghamton. He is a member of ASJA, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and lives in Woodstock.
Zena Nason, Board Member
Zena Nason is a Registered Nurse who works with adults with developmental disabilities. Zena has worked as a hospice nurse and is currently a hospice volunteer. Prior to becoming a nurse, she had several food businesses and continues to cater events large and small through her business Zack & Zena Catering. Zena loves to spend time with older people and enjoys hearing their life stories.
Karin Connelly, Board Member
Karin Connelly, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who currently works with elders at two local skilled nursing facilities. She has worked as a psychologist for over 25 years, starting out her career working with young children and their families, teens, and later with adults, until she discovered her love of being with and listening to older adults. She has practiced many years as a Zen student at Zen Mountain Monastery, engaging in residential practice for several years at both ZMM and in California. Karin loves the Catskill mountains and walks their many beautiful paths with her dogs Boondock, Mya, and Django.
Lois Linet, Board Member
Lois Linet is an artist living in Woodstock for the past 20 years. She joined the SageArts Board after being celebrated in song at the Musical Celebration of Woodstock Elders in July, 2016. Lois is the first participating elder to join the board of SageArts. She earned BA and MA degrees in English and Education at City College, CUNY, and taught English and ESL in high schools and colleges in NYC. For many years, she has volunteered at the Woodstock Artists Association and Museum and is a former board member. Additionally, when living in NYC, she co-founded and was President of the Tourette Syndrome Association of NYC, was a board member of the Saeko Ichinohe Dance Company, President of the Flatbush Development Corporation, and initiated and participated in numerous community organizations and activities from 1975-90.