*Original publication date: June 20, 2024*

On Monday, May 13, YWCA Cortland’s Board of Directors held its 2024 Annual Meeting of the Membership, during which we welcomed several new Board members and honored those whose terms ended. Click to view the current list of Board members.

Please join us in welcoming the following new Board members who will each serve three (3) year terms:

Elizabeth Brando, an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is a thoughtful and visionary management consultant working with tribal governments, Native-led entities, and Native American allies. She is actively involved in the community, serving on WSKG Public Media’s Community Advisory Board and volunteering with the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, who honored her as a 2021 Rising Star Award recipient. She has her MBA from the University of Arizona, Eller College of Management, and will bring senior-level business management skills in financing, fundraising, marketing, and strategy. 

Katrina Hodge is the Assistant Director of the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office at SUNY Cortland. She is a fierce advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is excited to uphold her values and work with an organization whose mission aligns with hers. She serves on many SUNY Cortland committees, including the Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Committee for Supporting Men of Color Impacted by Sexual Violence, the Student Staff Recruitment Committee, and the Professional Staff Recruitment Committee. She has also served as Multicultural Life Diversity Liaison for Residence Life.   

Laura Lusk has a passion for connecting community members with resources. She considers herself an out-of-the-box problem solver and upholds the YWCA mission in all areas of her life. She has been a member of the YWCA, where her family has benefited from licensed daycare services and swim lessons to name a few. She holds a Bachelor’s in English, BASS Multicultural Studies, a Minor in Women’s Studies and a Master’s in Library Science.  

Dr. Nimisha Muttiah is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Disorders & Sciences at SUNY Cortland. She obtained her Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University, and her dissertation topic was Evaluating AAC Training for Special Education Teachers based in Low-Resource Developing Countries. She is an active YWCA member and is interested in getting involved in the community and the activities at the YWCA. She has lived in many places and countries and will bring a set of diverse, innovative ideas to the organization.  

Katherine Stemm recently relocated from the Massachusetts area, where she worked as a Pediatric Physical Therapist. Upon her arrival in Cortland, she joined the YWCA Health and Fitness program and now attends classes four days a week. She is eager to learn the inner workings of the YWCA and apply her skills to its vital program and services. 

Jennifer Turck serves as an AVP of Operations for Cayuga Health. With an MA in Public Administration from Binghamton University, she possesses a deep understanding of organizational management, business development and strategic planning. A dedicated member of the Cortland community for 25 years, Jennifer currently serves on the board of directors for the TC3 Foundation, and previously on boards for Racker, JM Murray, and the Homer Education Foundation.  

Kathie Wilcox is a NYS Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker for SVR Reality as well as several other real estate firms in the Central NY area. She is a Leadership Cortland graduate and holds a BS in Human Services from SUNY Cortland. A geriatric SW who has specialized in brain injury rehab and Alzheimer’s and dementia care for many years, she currently assists people with home and companion care through Care.com. She is excited to bring her skills and talents to the YWCA as an active volunteer in the community and a former Cortland County Legislator in District 5. 

In addition to adding the above new members to our Board of Directors, we are pleased to announce the following Board members have agreed to serve additional three (3) year terms each: Cathy Bischoff and Gina Sikora. 

Unfortunately, the terms of the Board members listed below came to an end at the Annual Meeting. We thank them for the time they dedicated to our organization and hope they will stay involved with YWCA Cortland in other roles!

Alice Anderson is completing her second three-year term on the Board of Directors. Alice served on the Program Committee, Housing Committee, Maintenance Committee and was often known to help with special projects. Her leadership has been instrumental in seeing the Grace Brown House open and her and her husband Charlie are always working closely with YWCA staff to ensure the property remains a beautiful, safe space for all the enjoy. We are pleased she will be continuing her leadership with the YWCA on the Board of Trustees.  

Bonny Renner is completing her second three-year term on the Board of Directors. Bonny chaired the Program Committee and served on the Executive Committee of the board. We are thankful for the initiatives she created under her leadership. The programs are constantly being challenged and re-imagined and we are thankful for her insightful guidance. Bonnie always has a calm presence and approach to problem-solving with a keen eye on vision and cultivating programs that will not only carry the mission of the agency forward but also provide long term sustainability to the organization. We will miss her leadership but are so excited for what she is creating in her new coaching women, working to empower women right here in our community. 

Camilla Morgan is completing her second three-year term on the Board of Directors, in addition to serving on the board while filling in a term. Her vast history with the agency and her passion for our mission are shown in her leadership. Her incredible leadership and support for all the board and staff will never be forgotten. Also, during her time on the board she Chaired the Executive Committee, the Governance Committee, served on the Board of Trustees and volunteered her time working closely with the Executive Director. She was involved in two renditions of the agency’s By-Laws as well as leading the agency through the most recently published strategic plan. Her accomplishments while on the board are extensive. We are grateful she chooses to remain involved. 

*Content included in this post was accurate on the date it was published. All information and pricing are subject to change without notice.*