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JGPC Board Members

The board of the John Green Preservation Coalition (JGPC) consists of local citizens from a variety of backgrounds with complementary skill-sets. They are listed below in alphabetical order following Mr. Perry, JGPC President. 

Winston C. Perry (Jr.), President - After a 50-year career as an architect, Mr. Perry is devoting his time in retirement to local history  and historic preservation.  A lifetime resident of Nyack, he is a member of the Rockland County Historic Preservation Board, Village Historian of Upper Nyack and Trustee of the Historical Society of the Nyacks.  A life-long small boat sailor on the Hudson, he is especially interested in Hudson River history.

Karin Baere - Ms. Baere is retired as CFO of Comunilife, Inc. and also served as CFO of The Bridge;  both are NYC not-for-profit agencies which provide services and housing for the homeless and for those living with mental illness and/or HIV/AIDS.   In Rockland County, she has also been employed by St. Dominic’s Home and Rockland ARC in the same capacity.   She volunteers in the county as Treasurer and Board member of the Nyack Center, Treasurer and Board member of TOUCH, Inc. and Treasurer of Grace Church, Nyack.   Her passion is gardening, which she indulges in at her church, at her home in Upper Nyack, and at the Children’s Garden at Marydell Faith and Life Center.

Shakira Chin - Ms. Chin has been in Hospitality Management for over 25 years. She has always had a deep love and appreciation for historic, character filled homes. She is elated and adheres to the vision of seeing the John Green House completed. Through her unquenchable love for art, music, history and the outdoors, she has spent her weekends for many years in the Nyack area, to where giving back in the community is her driving force. Ms. Chin serves on the committee of The Great Nyack Get Together and is a member of the Nyack Art Collective.

 

Claudia Cooney - Ms. Cooney grew up in Nyack where she developed a love of old houses that continues today in her professional role as a historic preservationist in New York City and the Lower Hudson Valley, as a member of Rockland County's Historic Preservation Board, and involvement in local preservation efforts.

 

Ben Falchuk - Mr. Falchuk is a computer scientist and longtime resident of Upper Nyack where he and his spouse are raising a daughter. He has contributed to many benevolent and creative initiatives in the region and is interested in the intersections of art, science, and community.  He holds a Ph.D. in computer engineering and is a published author.

John Gromada - Mr. Gromada is a Tony-nominated and three time Drama Desk award winning composer and sound designer for theatre, film and radio. A thirty year resident of the village of Nyack, he served for six years on the village’s Planning Board and one on the Architectural Review Board. He recently completed a year as chair of the Rockland County Democratic Committee and is a Democratic Judicial Delegate in the 9th Supreme Court District. An activist and community organizer,  he has served on the Steering Committee of Rockland Citizens Action Network, and as board member of the New York Progressive Action Network.  For his work as founding member of the John Green Preservation Society, he received the County Executive’s Historic Preservation Award, and has served as board member for the Historical Society of the Nyacks and the Tappan Zee Preservation Coalition.  A former Captain of the Nyack Boat Club’s Oar and Paddle Fleet, he has been deeply involved in river advocacy, raising awareness of water quality issues and organizing Riversweep events with Riverkeeper.

Janet Hamlin - Ms. Hamlin is an artist who has worked  in a variety of creative fields; with the Associated Press as a visual journalist/court artist covering the tribunals in Guantanamo Bay from 2006-2020,  a freelance illustrator for over 30 years, and is currently working as a scenic artist in the entertainment industry for TV and films. She has been a past board member at the Nyack Community Center, and has helped run a non-profit figure drawing venue via Hopper House since 2008 to present. She has a love and appreciation for  Nyack and it’s colorful history, of which the John Green House is part of. She believes there is great potential to renovate the home and make it a welcoming community space for Nyack. It’s a rare and historic structure that has weathered hundreds of years- with the hope of many more.

Tom Perry - Mr. Perry is a retired high school teacher and Nyack native. As a child, he helped his father Win Perry work on the Edward Hopper House. Tom is glad to be involved in restoring another local landmark.

Jennifer Rothschild - Ms. Rothschild is an avid preservationist with a background in law who has served on many boards and committees in this field.  She is currently vice-Chair of the Closter (NJ) Historic Preservation Commission, Secretary and trustee of the Historical Society of Rockland, and Chair of the “Friends of the Lustron” group that operates the Hess Lustron house museum.  She works for the National Trust for Historic Preservation at Lyndhurst.

Robert (Chris) Sorensen - Mr. Sorensen has lived in an 1800’s sandstone house in Rockland County’s New City since 1985 and has been a college professor of political science for over 40 years. To Mr. Sorensen the loss of Rockland's Dutch Sandstone buildings has been a source of disappointment over what is gone and inspiration to save what is left.

 

Gini Stolldorf - Ms. Stolldorf has lived in Nyack for many years. She has a teaching background and taught in Rockland. She has always been interested in history and has served on Boards of local history organizations. She is a tour guide for some historical sites in the area.

 

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Advisory Board

Bill Batson - Columnist at nyacknewsandviews.com; artist, activist

Mary Cardenas - Historian of the Town of Orangetown; Director of Orangetown Museum

Kim Cross - Executive Director of Nyack Center

Andrew Fuge - Vice President Lloyds Bank, PLC, New York City

John Patrick Schutz - Historian of the Village of Nyack; realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty

Clare Sheridan - Co-chair Preservation Committee of the Historical Society of Rockland County; broadcaster, writer, historian

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