Attorney receives Rising Star award
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley staff attorney Kyle Steller, was selected by the New York Law Journal as one of its 2014 Rising Stars.
A panel of 20 reviewed more than 230 nominations of lawyers age 40 and under who have established a record of accomplishments and demonstrated that they are top contributors to the practice of law and their communities.
The attorneys will be honored at an event June 16 at Manhattan Penthouse, 80 Fifth Ave., New York City from 6 to 9 p.m.
Steller, works in Legal Services of the Hudson Valley”™s Poughkeepsie office. She was nominated for her work on behalf of vulnerable and marginalized elders. Over the past year, she spearheaded Legal Services collaboration with The Mediation Center of Dutchess County”™s Coalition on Elder Abuse in Dutchess County.
Handling 150 cases, which impact between 225 to 450 family members each year, Steller helps clients with issues, including Medicaid and Medicare benefits. As Legal Services of the Hudson Valley and The Mediation Center of Dutchess County continue to do community outreach on this program, the number of seniors identified as needing LSHV”™s assistance continues to grow.
A graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, where she was a Presidential Scholar, with an undergraduate degree in economics/finance and a Master”™s of Business Administration degree, Steller received her Juris Doctorate from Western New England College School of Law.
Land trust awarded grant
Orange County Land Trust will receive a $20,000 Capacity and Excellence Grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program to be used to hire a 10-month student conservation association intern to help steward the land trust”™s protected lands. In addition to land management, the intern will assist with volunteer programming and improvements to the land trust”™s nature preserves.
Funded through the state Environmental Protection Fund as a joint program with the national Land Trust Alliance, which will be matched by nearly $1.1 million in private and local funding and will support projects across the state to protect farmland, enhance public access and recreational opportunities, and protect open space.
“We are delighted to be awarded these funds and opportunities to expand our capacity to help steward our protected natural lands and working farmland,” said Marlena Lange, president of the board of directors.
The Conservation Partnership Program funding will enhance public access to trails and other recreation areas while enabling land trusts to implement best practices, hire professional staff and strengthen community partnerships.
Hospital honors O’Malley
In honor of National Hospital Week, May 11-17, Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown announced its Star of the Year, Jayne O”™Malley, a 17-year employee, who also earned this honor in 2005.
O”™Malley, the hospital”™s lung and head and neck cancer patient navigator, was chosen for her diligence and hard work in providing excellent care to patients with lung, oral, head and neck cancers as well as providing education, support and resources to the patients.
According to a statement by the hospital, “But, it is her compassion and deeply caring way with patients and their families, which sets her apart. She welcomes the opportunity to help any patient in need, often going above and beyond to research resources and support.”
In addition to her daily responsibilities, O”™Malley established a Head and Neck Support Group at Orange Regional in partnership with Support for People with Oral, Head and Neck Cancer, which she also facilitates. O”™Malley is currently developing a Lung Cancer Support Group, as well.
Business leader appointed to utility board
Heather C. Briccetti, president and CEO of The Business Council of the State of New York, has been appointed to the board of directors of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.
The appointment fulfills the terms of an agreement to increase regional representation on the company”™s board of directors when it became the first American utility subsidiary of Canadian holding company Fortis Inc. in June 2013.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Heather to our board and we are certain that her substantial business expertise and governmental-affairs experience will benefit Central Hudson customers immensely,” said H. Stanley Marshall, chairman of the board.
Briccetti was named head of The Business Council in January 2012, having joined the council in 2007 when she was named vice president of government affairs. She was appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to serve on the Chairman”™s Committee for the Regional Economic Development Councils and the High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel.
Briccetti was previously a consultant and lobbyist for Powers and Co. She served prior as an assistant counsel to the New York state Senate majority, working on economic development, budget reform and consumer protection matters and she worked for the Assembly majority as a legislative aide and counsel.
Briccetti also served as special counsel in the state attorney general”™s office.
She had worked in private practice as one of the founding partners of a law firm, and as chief public defender in Rensselaer County, the first female appointed to that position.
Magazine earns peace award
Chronogram magazine was awarded The Beacon Peace Award at a ceremony at The Howland Cultural Center. The award recognizes 10 organizations that bring peace through the work they do in their field. Every year The Center for Bringing About Peace selects and honors those special people or organizations contribute to peace in a variety of fields. The magazine was created by Hudson Valley natives Jason Stern and Amara Projansky”™s Luminary Publishing, an independent media company based in Kingston.
“To receive this award only reinforces that what we do every day makes a real difference to the Hudson Valley,” Projansky, CEO of Luminary Publishing said. “Over 20 years later, our mission is still strong ”“ and is continuously growing stronger.”
Accounting firm adds to its staff
Judelson, Giordano & Siegel, an accounting firm based in Middletown, has appointed Dennis McWatters as the newest member of its team.
McWatters had worked for Citigroup in various managerial capacities for more than 40 years. From 1969 to 2010, he worked his way up from an entry-level position as a trainee to become a top-level manager with the company. During his years of service with Citigroup, McWatters functioned as vice president of operations, vice president accounting manager of operations and vice president accounting manager of financial control. He rounded out his service as a leader within Citigroup”™s transition services division.
JGS is now providing bookkeeping services and McWatters will be among JGS staff responsible for providing those services to both new and existing clients.
Jewish group to honor volunteers
The Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County will honor the following community volunteers at its annual meeting June 8:
Congregation Agudas Israel, Newburgh-Sheila LaKritz; Congregation Beth Hillel, Walden-Marilyn and Fred Nelson; Congregation B”™nai Torah, Greenwood Lake-Marilynn Potter; Congregation Eitz Chaim, Monroe-Beth Marks and Steve Moses; Monroe Temple Beth El Sisterhood-Marcie Weisberg; Monroe Temple Beth El Mens Club-Herb Simon; Temple Beth El, Port Jervis-Susan and Gerry Serlin; Temple Beth Jacob, Newburgh-Ron Sacks, Rachelle Harmer; Temple Beth Shalom, Florida-Sharon Halper;
Temple Beth Shalom Sisterhood-Lynne Schroh; Temple Beth Shalom Mens Club-David Kohn; Temple Sinai, Middletown-Josephine Bloomfield;
Temple Sinai Mens Club-Ed Bloomfield; Jewish Federation-Susan Notar;
Jewish Family Service-David Bechtle; and Noar of Newburgh Hadassah-Merna Mendelson.
New heart procedure in the region
Dr. Sankar N. Varanasi has completed a medical procedure at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie to provide a patient with the new S-ICD System, a defibrillator implant that is placed under the skin to monitor heart activity and deliver life-saving therapy if needed.
The minimally invasive procedure was the first of its kind completed in the mid-Hudson Valley region. The technology is so advanced that, unlike earlier models of defibrillators, it does not require a wire connected to the heart, but rather operates using electrodes. Instead of reading individual heartbeats, the device picks up broader heart rhythms, allowing for discrimination between major cardiac events and more minor, treatable episodes.
“This is a state-of-the-art option for patients who suffer heart conditions. The defibrillator is inserted under the skin, outside of the chest wall. The recovery times are very quick and the procedure allows for fewer complications,” Varanasi said. “There are no wires connected to the heart and the technology is so advanced that patients will very soon be able to have their reports transmitted electronically from home, saving them significant time in our office for follow-up visits. It is revolutionary and we are thrilled to offer it.”
Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses
Orange Regional Medical Center has partnered with the Daisy Foundation to recognize its nurses for the excellent care they provide to patients. Erin Kirwin, critical care registered nurse, was chosen as the first honoree. She was honored for her care, compassion and professionalism while educating a patient and her family on the do-not-resuscitate process and advocating for and providing guidance to the patient and her family during the last days of life.
“Erin is a great example of an extraordinary nurse ”¦ Nurses are heroes every day. It”™s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued and The DAISY Foundation provides a special way for us to do that,” said Joanne Ritter-Teitel, vice president, chief nursing officer.
The Daisy Award For Extraordinary Nurses was created in honor of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 from an autoimmune disease. His family was extremely grateful for the nursing care he received that they started a foundation in his honor. For the past 15 years, hospitals across the nation have partnered with the foundation to honor their nurses that go above and beyond.
New board member at Scenic Hudson
Richard Krupp, co-founder and managing partner of Pierpoint Capital, a New York City-based growth equity firm that invests in and partners with growth-stage businesses to provide the necessary strategic, operational and financial resources to realize their potential, has been appointed to the board of Scenic Hudson.
In addition, Krupp serves as a managing member of the Boston-based Krupp Family Office L.L.C. Previously he held a variety of senior positions with Berkshire Property Advisors, a national real estate investor, operator and developer headquartered in Boston, and has held posts at American Property Financing, a national mortgage lender based in New York City.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University and serves on the boards of the Krupp Foundation and The Lenny Zakim Fund. He and his wife, Natasha, reside in New York City and Cold Spring, where they actively engage with and support Scenic Hudson”™s initiatives throughout the Hudson Valley.
To date Scenic Hudson has created or enhanced more than 60 parks, preserves and historic sites up and down the Hudson River and conserved more than 30,000 acres.
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