BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President

Ryan is originally from Western Massachusetts and moved to Plattsburgh in 2014 with his wife's work. Ryan found employment at the North Country Food Co-Op where he worked for nearly 9 years, serving as general manager for six of those years. As GM, Ryan helped grow the co-op to nearly $2 million in annual revenue, 16 employees, and successfully stewarded the co-op through the pandemic. Currently, Ryan works as a cooperative business developer for the Cooperative Development Institute. Using the knowledge and skills he gained while working at the food co-op, Ryan works with business owners and their workers to transition those businesses into worker-owned cooperatives. Afterwards, he works with boards of directors and management to develop their skills in order to democratically own, control, and run their workplaces successfully. In his free time, Ryan enjoys hiking the Adirondacks, cycling around the North Country, and spending time with his young daughter.

Ryan is excited to serve on the Board of Trustees at The Strand Center for the Arts and brings a 2003 high school performance as Monsieur Thénardier in Les Mis to his arts and performance resume (though not much since)!

Vice President

Joshua Kretser is a native to the Adirondack Coast. Since returning home from a decade living in Manhattan, he has been actively involved with many initiatives throughout the region. He has served on the Plattsburgh City Council and the board of directors for Norte Maar, the Adirondack Young Professionals Group, the Senior Citizens Council of Clinton County, Pine Harbour Assisted Living, Vision2Action and the Plattsburgh Rotary Club. Joshua has a love for nonprofits; and he is a strong advocate for increased access to arts and culture for North Country residents. He serves as a Clinton County Legislator representing the City residents of Downtown Plattsburgh.

Treasurer

Ryan currently works for Acrisure, LLC in Plattsburgh, specializing in risk management and insurance programs for commercial clients. Ryan cares deeply about our local community and has volunteered for many organizations throughout the region, including Plattsburgh Rotary, ADKYP, Boy Scouts of America, Mountain Lake PBS, and United Way of the Adirondack Region. Music and the arts have always been a vital part of Ryan’s life, learning multiple instruments through school, creating “Red Man Group” with high school friends (a spin off Blue Man Group), and working as a musician for Chazy Music Theatre. Aa a member of the board, Ryan wants to ensure every community member, young and old, has the opportunity to take advantage of the many life-changing programs available at the Strand.

Secretary

Jim has extensive business experience and long time association with the Strand. In addition to being part of the family-owned Westport Marina and The Galley Restaurant & Bar, he is an avid photographer, and owner of Overtime Events. The Strand benefits from both his photography and his proficiency in sound design.

As well as being a Strand trustee, Jim is on the board of the Depot Theatre and formerly served on the boards of the Westport Central School and the NYS Theatre Education Association. He is a graduate of Union College.

Brianna House is a dynamic young entrepreneur, the owner of The Luxury Photo Booth Experience, and a local barista at Chapter One Coffee and Tea. With a GED as her educational foundation, Brianna has carved a niche in the business world through her creative endeavors. Her professional experience includes working as a freelance social media manager, and she has a passion for photography and business.

In addition to her business pursuits, Brianna has been a staple in the addiction recovery world, helping to guide women in the right direction. She has also worked on creating fundraisers for local nonprofits and organized markets and events for local artisans. Though she is not an artist herself, she identifies as a creative. Skilled in fostering human connections and organizing community-based projects and events, Brianna is dedicated to making a positive impact in her community.

Sophie is a licensed clinical social worker at BHSN by profession, with a master’s degree from Columbia University, but started out in the creative arts. Her undergraduate degree is in art education where she has spent several years teaching and working with children in learning about and creating art. This is her first position in working with a board of directors but has worked for nonprofit organizations for her entire professional career.

Sophie believes that mental health can be strengthened by creative arts and looks forward to exploring ways to support the community on multiple levels.

Edward Kirby is a passionate community volunteer with decades of service under his belt. Edward provides his time and energy to several Boards as well as nonprofit organizations throughout the region, with the goal of building a better place for all to live. He has established and built lifelong relationships throughout the community. His personal belief is that every community member should have the opportunity to access a diverse culture of arts in the area in which they live. He feels there is something for everyone at The Strand, no matter what form of art interests them most. Ed looks forward to bringing that same passion by adding his skill set to the continued growth and offerings available at the Strand Center.

Bio coming soon…

Tom holds a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from The Johns Hopkins University Peabody Institute, the backbone of a 20 year career as a classical singer across all 50 states and abroad including a Grammy Nomination and a Drama Desk award.  He served on the Board and was the Tour Manager of CANTUS during his five year singing tenure, is a 15 year veteran of NYC real estate sales and is the owner of The Wood Lab based in Keeseville NY.  Tom currently is the Project Manager for Adirondack Dreambuilders out of Lake Placid and has served on the Strand Board since July of 2018.  Tom credits two decades of self employment blending Art and Business as the skillset to help lead this Organization toward a bright future.

Bio coming soon…

A North Country native, Dan currently serves as Director of Infrastructure for an email security software company, bringing a deep technical background and expertise to the Board. He has spent over 20 years in technology, implementing and designing critical software, and cloud-based environments. Away from the keyboard, he is a musician and maker, with projects and experience ranging from leather to woodworking, leading to his current focus on ceramics. As an artist-member of the Strand Center for the Arts, he aims to bring a unique perspective to the already successful leadership team and assist in building this strong community organization even stronger.