If you would like to help steer the direction of the Cultural Arts Coalition and make a difference in the local arts scene, please consider joining the board! Send an email to MakeaDifference@CulturalArtsCo.com for an information packet and application!
The current board of directors are as follows:
Olenna Truskett, President
Robert Zubrycki, Past President, Board Member
Kathleen Abels, Board Member
Anita Conway, Board Member
Frank Funigiello, Board Member
Olenna Truskett, President
Robert Zubrycki, Past President, Board Member
Kathleen Abels, Board Member
Anita Conway, Board Member
Frank Funigiello, Board Member
Biographies appear below:
Kathleen Abels
Board Member
Kathleen Abels is the President of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation (PCEDC). Her primary responsibilities include supporting local businesses and attracting new businesses to Putnam County. The PCEDC acts as a facilitator, bringing together companies, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Marketing, public relations, and developing strategic alliances are among Abels top skill sets. Abels was appointed to her current position on July 1, 2019, after serving on the Board of Directors of the PCEDC for several years. She brought her extensive experience in community outreach, customer service, construction, and project management, as well as strong core values. Abels previously completed a lengthy career at NYSEG, culminating as their Manager of Community Outreach and Development. A resident of Putnam County since childhood, Abels presently serves on the Board of Directors for Friends of Ladson Park in Katonah, NY. She was the former Chair of the Town of Southeast Historic Sites Commission for many years. Abels received a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Pace University.
Anita Conway
Board Member, Garden Around the Corner
Anita Conway lives her life in service to the local arts and garden communities. She supports the Cultural Arts Coalition as a Volunteer Coordinator for arts programs and manages the Garden Around the Corner. As a master gardener in Putnam County for the last 12 years, she organizes garden-based programs with an emphasis on food-security education and environmental stewardship. The Garden Around the Corner is a partnership with the Cultural Arts Coalition, Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Putnam County, and the Putnam Community Action Partnership. It is an organic vegetable and pollinator garden with all produce donated to the food pantry at the Putnam Community Action Partnership. The garden is a place for people to connect with the community, nature, and the art of gardening. Anita has a BS in Design from UC Davis and completed the Master of Arts program at Pratt Institute where she taught graduate classes in Typography and Techniques and Procedures. She was an award-winning designer in her professional career in corporate package design management for medical and consumer products companies for over 20 years. She was also the owner and principal designer at Anita Patterson Design in New York City and San Francisco providing design programs for non-profits, the arts, hospitality, interior design, sports, and public affairs.
Frank Funigiello
Board Member
Frank Funigiello has been a resident of the Town of Southeast in Brewster, NY, since 1991. Always a self-starter, Frank currently owns and operates Confident Home, Inc., a general contracting company also in Brewster. Having raised two children who have gone through the
Brewster Central School system, Frank has always been an active member of the community. Frank started his own business in Brewster in 1999 and has thrived here ever since. He is also active year-round as a volunteer for various theater groups, such as the Brewster Theater
Company, Brewster Performing Arts Boosters (BHS productions), and the Ridgefield Theater Barn production. He has taken on the role of the set master (construction, design, and development) for various shows with these theater groups. Being in the construction field, Frank was instrumental in renovating “The Studio Around the Corner” for the Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition. Frank brings his knowledge of construction and his spirit of volunteerism to the coalition. Frank is hopeful that one day he will see the “Old Town Hall Theater” restored to its glory as the main stage theater in Brewster and will be proud to say that he was a part of the process. Frank attended Westchester Community College and earned an Associate’s Degree in Electrical Technology and, Mercy College for Computer Science. Frank also holds many construction certificates.
Olenna Truskett
President
Olenna, a resident of the Town of Southeast since 1996, helped found the Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition in 2010. Since then, she has had the opportunity to dabble in myriad endeavors in service of the coalition’s mission as: secretary, VP, grant writer, insurance/attorney liaison, fundraiser, event manager, graphic designer, contract developer, website developer, bookkeeper, archivist, cleaner, and painter. She was instrumental in procuring and spending $4.5K in NYS grant monies awarded to the Town toward the rehabilitation of the historic Southeast Old Town Hall, steering architectural and engineering efforts to develop architectural plans, perform engineering assessments and restore the windows. From 2019 to 2022, she used Preservation League of NYS matching grants to perform building assessments. In 2023, her efforts positioned the Coalition to receive a $500K matching grant from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for a project to preserve the building envelope and recreate the grand front entry stairs designed by the original architects in 1895. As a professional engineer with a graduate degree in chemical engineering, she started her career in environmental consulting at Versar Inc. and later worked at US Department of Energy and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. She also has professional experience as a musician as well as dancer/choreographer/teacher, working freelance and with Dancers at Union Hall, Lee Harper & Dancers, Fairfax Ballet, Northern Westchester Center for the Arts, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg among others. In NY State, she has served on the boards of Putnam Arts Council and Prelude Ballet Ensemble and regularly volunteered with Putnam 4H Club and the Tri-County Science Fair.
Robert Zubrycki
Board Member, Musical Artistic Director
Violinist, Robert Zubrycki, is on the Board of Directors for the Cultural Arts Coalition in Brewster, NY, where he is Director of Concerts Around the Corner series. Robert is Concertmaster for the New York City Chamber Orchestra, a member of the American Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Lumos (formerly the Stamford Symphony), and the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra. He has served as Concertmaster for the New York Choral Society at Carnegie Hall, Encores! at City Center, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, he performs for the American Ballet Theater and is Assistant Concertmaster for Orchestra Moderne. A veteran of dozens of Broadway shows, Robert's recent performances include: Kiss Me, Kate, Carousel, and She Loves Me. He can be heard on many cast recordings, including Brigadoon, An American in Paris, Paint Your Wagon (violin and mandolin), and solo violin for The Mad Ones. He frequently appears on the 92 nd St.'s Lyrics and Lyricists series. Robert won an Emmy Award for his musical contribution to the documentary, The Curse of the Bambino, and he can be heard in the documentary Oliver Sacks: His Own Life. His numerous television appearances include an appearance with Céline Dion on the Tonight Show, and he has recorded with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet. As a chamber musician, Robert was the first violinist for the Queen's Chamber Band and the Queen's Chamber Trio. The Trio's critically acclaimed recordings of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven are available on the Lyrichord label. He toured The United States with the Abaca String Band, including performances at the Chautauqua Institute and the White House. He also performs with the Bard Festival Chamber Players. Beyond musical ventures, he is currently the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation Chair, a US Masters Swimming Coach and Adult Learn-to-Swim Instructor, and a NASM Certified Personal Trainer.
Media Team:
Committee Chairs:
Katy Faivre, BSMS; Jacque Roche, BSMS; Andrea Levy, Art Curator
Former Board Members:
Paul Toscano, Judy Marano - Past President, Margaret Carey, Jake McGuire, Joe Beahm, Elisa Logush, Susan Isley, George Kryzewsky, Debbie Levin, Mark Marano.
Board Member
Kathleen Abels is the President of the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation (PCEDC). Her primary responsibilities include supporting local businesses and attracting new businesses to Putnam County. The PCEDC acts as a facilitator, bringing together companies, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Marketing, public relations, and developing strategic alliances are among Abels top skill sets. Abels was appointed to her current position on July 1, 2019, after serving on the Board of Directors of the PCEDC for several years. She brought her extensive experience in community outreach, customer service, construction, and project management, as well as strong core values. Abels previously completed a lengthy career at NYSEG, culminating as their Manager of Community Outreach and Development. A resident of Putnam County since childhood, Abels presently serves on the Board of Directors for Friends of Ladson Park in Katonah, NY. She was the former Chair of the Town of Southeast Historic Sites Commission for many years. Abels received a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Pace University.
Anita Conway
Board Member, Garden Around the Corner
Anita Conway lives her life in service to the local arts and garden communities. She supports the Cultural Arts Coalition as a Volunteer Coordinator for arts programs and manages the Garden Around the Corner. As a master gardener in Putnam County for the last 12 years, she organizes garden-based programs with an emphasis on food-security education and environmental stewardship. The Garden Around the Corner is a partnership with the Cultural Arts Coalition, Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Putnam County, and the Putnam Community Action Partnership. It is an organic vegetable and pollinator garden with all produce donated to the food pantry at the Putnam Community Action Partnership. The garden is a place for people to connect with the community, nature, and the art of gardening. Anita has a BS in Design from UC Davis and completed the Master of Arts program at Pratt Institute where she taught graduate classes in Typography and Techniques and Procedures. She was an award-winning designer in her professional career in corporate package design management for medical and consumer products companies for over 20 years. She was also the owner and principal designer at Anita Patterson Design in New York City and San Francisco providing design programs for non-profits, the arts, hospitality, interior design, sports, and public affairs.
Frank Funigiello
Board Member
Frank Funigiello has been a resident of the Town of Southeast in Brewster, NY, since 1991. Always a self-starter, Frank currently owns and operates Confident Home, Inc., a general contracting company also in Brewster. Having raised two children who have gone through the
Brewster Central School system, Frank has always been an active member of the community. Frank started his own business in Brewster in 1999 and has thrived here ever since. He is also active year-round as a volunteer for various theater groups, such as the Brewster Theater
Company, Brewster Performing Arts Boosters (BHS productions), and the Ridgefield Theater Barn production. He has taken on the role of the set master (construction, design, and development) for various shows with these theater groups. Being in the construction field, Frank was instrumental in renovating “The Studio Around the Corner” for the Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition. Frank brings his knowledge of construction and his spirit of volunteerism to the coalition. Frank is hopeful that one day he will see the “Old Town Hall Theater” restored to its glory as the main stage theater in Brewster and will be proud to say that he was a part of the process. Frank attended Westchester Community College and earned an Associate’s Degree in Electrical Technology and, Mercy College for Computer Science. Frank also holds many construction certificates.
Olenna Truskett
President
Olenna, a resident of the Town of Southeast since 1996, helped found the Town of Southeast Cultural Arts Coalition in 2010. Since then, she has had the opportunity to dabble in myriad endeavors in service of the coalition’s mission as: secretary, VP, grant writer, insurance/attorney liaison, fundraiser, event manager, graphic designer, contract developer, website developer, bookkeeper, archivist, cleaner, and painter. She was instrumental in procuring and spending $4.5K in NYS grant monies awarded to the Town toward the rehabilitation of the historic Southeast Old Town Hall, steering architectural and engineering efforts to develop architectural plans, perform engineering assessments and restore the windows. From 2019 to 2022, she used Preservation League of NYS matching grants to perform building assessments. In 2023, her efforts positioned the Coalition to receive a $500K matching grant from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for a project to preserve the building envelope and recreate the grand front entry stairs designed by the original architects in 1895. As a professional engineer with a graduate degree in chemical engineering, she started her career in environmental consulting at Versar Inc. and later worked at US Department of Energy and Georgia Department of Natural Resources. She also has professional experience as a musician as well as dancer/choreographer/teacher, working freelance and with Dancers at Union Hall, Lee Harper & Dancers, Fairfax Ballet, Northern Westchester Center for the Arts, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg among others. In NY State, she has served on the boards of Putnam Arts Council and Prelude Ballet Ensemble and regularly volunteered with Putnam 4H Club and the Tri-County Science Fair.
Robert Zubrycki
Board Member, Musical Artistic Director
Violinist, Robert Zubrycki, is on the Board of Directors for the Cultural Arts Coalition in Brewster, NY, where he is Director of Concerts Around the Corner series. Robert is Concertmaster for the New York City Chamber Orchestra, a member of the American Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Lumos (formerly the Stamford Symphony), and the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra. He has served as Concertmaster for the New York Choral Society at Carnegie Hall, Encores! at City Center, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, he performs for the American Ballet Theater and is Assistant Concertmaster for Orchestra Moderne. A veteran of dozens of Broadway shows, Robert's recent performances include: Kiss Me, Kate, Carousel, and She Loves Me. He can be heard on many cast recordings, including Brigadoon, An American in Paris, Paint Your Wagon (violin and mandolin), and solo violin for The Mad Ones. He frequently appears on the 92 nd St.'s Lyrics and Lyricists series. Robert won an Emmy Award for his musical contribution to the documentary, The Curse of the Bambino, and he can be heard in the documentary Oliver Sacks: His Own Life. His numerous television appearances include an appearance with Céline Dion on the Tonight Show, and he has recorded with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet. As a chamber musician, Robert was the first violinist for the Queen's Chamber Band and the Queen's Chamber Trio. The Trio's critically acclaimed recordings of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven are available on the Lyrichord label. He toured The United States with the Abaca String Band, including performances at the Chautauqua Institute and the White House. He also performs with the Bard Festival Chamber Players. Beyond musical ventures, he is currently the Putnam County Economic Development Corporation Chair, a US Masters Swimming Coach and Adult Learn-to-Swim Instructor, and a NASM Certified Personal Trainer.
Media Team:
Committee Chairs:
Katy Faivre, BSMS; Jacque Roche, BSMS; Andrea Levy, Art Curator
Former Board Members:
Paul Toscano, Judy Marano - Past President, Margaret Carey, Jake McGuire, Joe Beahm, Elisa Logush, Susan Isley, George Kryzewsky, Debbie Levin, Mark Marano.
