Board & Staff
Board of Directors
Kevin Bright
Los Angeles, CA
Bill Crager
Philadelphia, PA | Saratoga Springs, NY
Michael Eck
Albany, NY
Michael is publicist for Breedlove Guitars; assistant producer of The Music Haven Concert Series; board member of the Capital Region NY Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America; and a member of the Hudson Valley Community College Advisory Committee for Fine Arts, Theatre Arts and Broadcast Communications. A former public radio producer, Eck is also a nationally recognized arts reporter and cultural critic, having written locally for the Times Union for almost 30 years. Additionally, he is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, painter and roots scholar, with a deep love of historic American music. He has been performing at Caffè Lena for over 25 years and, as Caffè board member, works with the director on producing, hosting and marketing fundraising concerts.
Wanda Fischer
Schenectady, NY
Eric Gordon
Saratoga Springs, NY
Eric, has served various roles in his 33 years with Ayco. Currently he is senior vice president and region head for Ayco Family Office. Eric is a native of Troy, NY and grew up just outside of Woodstock, where music became an integral part of his life. He and his wife recently relocated to Saratoga Springs after 25 years in Pittsburgh PA, where he served as a Board member of Ronald McDonald House, helping to drive a major expansion of hospitality services to families of children undergoing medical treatment.
Peter Hopper
Saratoga Springs, NY
Tom Kernan
Saratoga Springs, NY
Tom is Vice President and General Counsel of Stat Staff Professionals, Inc., a Joint Commission certified health care staffing and technology organization headquartered in Saratoga Springs, New York that offers contingent workforce solutions to hospitals located throughout New York State. In this capacity, Tom collaborates with the Company’s CEO on strategic planning initiatives and oversees all of the Company’s legal and regulatory affairs. Prior to joining Stat Staff, Tom was engaged full-time in the private practice of law for ten years, representing business and individual clients in a wide array of transactional and litigated matters. Before entering private practice, Tom completed a two-year clerkship on the Central Legal Research and Writing Staff of the New York Court of Appeals, the State’s highest appellate court. Tom received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Albany Law School in 2003 and his B.A. from Bard College in 2000, majoring in Psychology. Tom resides in Malta, New York with his wife, Renee, and two school age sons. Tom appreciates Caffè Lena’s rich history and culture and is committed to safeguarding its legacy and advancing its mission.
Kira Favro
Treasurer | Saratoga Springs, NY
Kira is the CFO/COO of Newport Festivals Foundation, which produces Newport Folk Festival, Newport Jazz Festival and music education programs throughout the year around the country. In 2015, Albany Business Review named Kira one of their “40 Under 40” business leaders in the Capital Region. In the same year, SmartCEO Magazine awarded her an Executive Management Award as CFO for Fingerpaint. Kira is a graduate of Boston University’s School of Management. She is an avid equestrian and lover of folk music.
Peter Martin
Secretary | Saratoga Spring
Peter recently served as Commissioner of Public Safety for Saratoga Springs. Previously he served as a Supervisor for Saratoga Springs on the County Board of Supervisors and as Saratoga County Clerk. For 25 years he worked for the Ayco Company LP, a Goldman Sachs Company, where he was Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Peter also serves on the boards of directors of the Arthritis Foundation’s Northeast United States Region (where he is immediate past chairman) and the national Arthritis Foundation, Inc. Peter and his wife, Chris, have enjoyed the music of Caffè Lena since moving to the capital district over 30 years ago.
Jim Mastrianni
Chairman | Saratoga Springs, NY
Margo Olson
Saratoga Springs, NY
Keli Scott
Greenfield Center, NY
Keli’s volunteerism and dedication to the organization founded by Marjorie Guthrie in 1967, The Huntington’s Disease Society of America, became the catalyst for Keli’s love of folk music and love of Caffe Lena. Keli has been on the board of The Huntington’s Disease Society of America/Albany Chapter for 6 years and worked for a Huntington’s Disease Specialty Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Program for 17 years at Kindred Healthcare in Lee, MA. Keli has worked in a clinical capacity with individuals with HD and other neurodegenerative disorders, brain injuries and psychiatric illnesses throughout the last 25 years. Since November of 2019 she is employed at The Pines at Glens Falls Nursing and Rehabilitation Center advocating for the best care and best quality of life for our community’s older population. Keli moved to Saratoga Springs in 1999 and currently enjoys her country life residence in Greenfield Center. Keli has a teenage daughter and this mother/daughter team are the founders of a newly forming non-profit, YouthHarbor, Inc as they believe in always moving towards making positive changes for the greater good of our community. Keli may not be musically talented herself, but her appreciation for soothing the soul with music is both sound and integrated into many facets of her life. Keli is committed to preserving Caffe Lena’s culture of community and legendary history. Keli agrees with Arlo Guthrie when he says, “the end obligation is to make people feel good about who they are.”
Kevin Veitch
Greenfield, NY
George Ward
Rexford, NY
Joanne Dittes Yepsen
Saratoga Springs, NY
Staff
Sarah Craig
Executive Director
Joe Deuel
Sound
Joel Moss
Broadcast Sound and Camera Technician
Vivian Nesbitt
School of Music Coordinator
Vivian experienced the life saving effect of folk and roots music as a child listening to Judy Collins, Taj Mahal and Bill Staines on the family record player. A recent arrival in Saratoga Springs, Vivian and her husband John Dillon (who host and produce Art of the Song heard nationwide on public radio) chose their apartment because it was walking distance to Caffè Lena. As an actress she’s worked in film, TV, and stage. Vivian loves to build opportunities for people to find, deepen and integrate creative expression into their lives through music, writing, and performance.
Carolyn Shapiro
Marketing Manager
Reese Fulmer
Community Outreach Coordinator
Kristine Reynolds
Operations Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
Carol Graser
Poetry Events Coordinator
Carol started the Caffè Lena poetry reading series in the summer of 2003. The first night brought a deluge of poets and poetry fans from all over the Capital District and the series has been going strong ever since. The series has featured poets from around the country as well as our own talented local writers. Carol’s poetry has been published in many literary journals and she has performed her work at readings, rallies, fundraisers and weddings. A collection of her poetry, The Wild Twist of Their Stems, was published by Foothills Publishing in 2007. She cannot believe her good luck at being able to welcome poets to this legendary stage every month and to be a part of the wild and wonderful Caffè Lena community.
Lizzie Mehrtens
Baker
Directory
Board of Directors
Kevin Bright
Bill Crager
Michael Eck
Wanda Fischer
Eric Gordon
Peter Hopper
Kira Favro
Tom Kernan
Peter Martin
Jim Mastrianni
Margo Olson
Keli Scott
Kevin Veitch
George Ward
Joanne Yepsen
Staff
Sarah Craig
Joe Deuel
Joel Moss
Lizzie Mehrtens
Kristine Reynolds
Carolyn Shapiro
Reese Fulmer
Carol Graser
Vivian Nesbitt