NEWSFLASH: September 2020
Chapter Board Elections and Appointments
This year’s process for filling the 2020-21 Chapter Board has been unique—which fits with this unique time we’re living in.
Three of the six open positions are now up for vote: President, Golf Events & Education Director, and Social Events Director. Candidate biographies appear below.
Chapter members who are eligible to vote will receive an emailed ballot via Survey Monkey. Deadline for casting your vote is October 2 at noon.
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Stephanie Mumford Brown
PRESIDENT
(1-year term)--Chairs the Chapter Board, coordinates director activities, deals with the national organization, and serves as a "one-woman SWAT team" for special situations.

Stephanie is running for a second term as Chapter President. She says, “The next golf season will either be a repeat of 2020 pandemic conditions or a transition back toward normality. In either case, I feel a responsibility to help the Chapter take advantage of golf’s unique status as one of the few safe ways to get together with friends and meet new people.”

She joined the Chapter in 1998 and previously served four years as Communications Director and six years as co-captain of the Capital Hills Thursday league. In 2018 she received the Chapter Founder’s Award for volunteer service. Her other involvement with golf includes contributing to the Times Union golf blog since 2014 and to the LPGA Women’s Network website in 2018-19, as well as co-chairing the strategic planning committee of a private golf club.

In a second term, Stephanie says, “I will work with our Golf Leagues and Golf Events & Education directors to maintain the strength of our league agenda, increase the availability of PlayARound sessions, add virtual tournaments to our schedule, and explore opportunities to nurture new golfers. I’ll collaborate with our Membership, Communications, and Social Events directors to retain current members, return lapsed members to the fold, and attract newcomers.”

After a four-decade career in journalism and marketing consulting, Stephanie founded a small publisher, Wiseacre Press, and now works on advice/memoir books and fiction projects.
Robin Raco
GOLF EVENTS & EDUCATION DIRECTOR
(2-year term)--Manages individual golf events such as the PlayARound series, and League Challenge/Open Scramble, coordinating with the Golf Leagues Director.

As a long-term chapter member of LPGA Amateur Golf Association, Robin has a great deal of expertise to bring to the table. She has been an active member since 1999. She has been organizing and scheduling events for the Chapter since she joined and has held the VP and President titles for the chapter in the past. Robin has also participated in the National Leadership Conferences.

“I believe in getting events on the books a year in advance so people can plan for the event.”  Robin would like to assist during this COVID-19 era to provide additional small group events and virtual participation opportunities. She has many contacts at local courses to provide connections and assist with programming and education opportunities.

In Robin’s professional life she is the Clinical Coordinator/RN Care Manager Specialty Clinics at the Stratton VA Medical Center. Each October she has organized the clinical component of the Homeless Veterans Stand Down which serves over 200 veterans. She is also a nurse volunteer for the Albany County Medical Reserve Corps and Bulletin Chair for the Northeast NY Professional Nurses Organization.

She has shared her talents as a national volunteer at events and a Chapter representative at national leadership conferences for LPGA Amateurs. She has also chaired many Chapter events such as the 3-Club Challenge and Winter indoor golf league.


Ellen Kaufman
SOCIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR
(2-year term)--Takes charge of event planning and production in collaboration with a host of volunteers to assist in providing great activities and events to motivate our membership participation.

Actually two Ellens are taking charge of Social Events; Ellen Kaufman is the candidate officially running for the voting directorship, and Ellen Hotz will serve as co-director. Two Ellens are better than one, for the creativity needed to manage socializing in pandemic conditions!

Ellen Kaufman has been a member for over 4 years. She works at Anthem, Inc. as a Program Director for Group Retirement right now, but looks forward to retirement soon herself and having more time to volunteer with LPGA Amateurs Capital Region. She sees the need that our organization has and she is willing and able to devote the time and her experience to see our chapter thrive into the future.

She has volunteer experience as President of Susan G. Komen Board of Directors and she served on this board for 10 years. Also she volunteered for GE's Women's Leadership Team Planning Committee as well as Community Care Givers Annual Fund Raising Gala Chairperson.

Ellen has had great success in her career and volunteer commitments. She says, " I think Ellen Hotz and I can bring a lot of fresh ideas and organization to this position." She is excited to explore ideas on how to move forward safely in the pandemic era.

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Although this is not a contested election, we ask for your vote to show your support for our Chapter and appreciation for the volunteer hours put in by our Board members. If you do not receive the voting email and believe you are eligible, let us know at LPGAAmateursCRNY@gmail.com.
Two directors have just been appointed by Board vote: Golf Leagues and Membership. The remaining year in their 2019-21 terms are filled by these members:
Barbara Barfield steps into the GOLF LEAGUES DIRECTOR post. She has extensive experience as a volunteer organizer of people and events, ranging from Scouting to military to PTA. She says she’s relatively new to golf and the Chapter, and is very interested in giving members more opportunities to golf and making sure leagues are available to fit their work schedules. She works as an examiner for New York State.

Christine Kelly Powers has agreed to return to her position as MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR after medical leave. Chris is a longtime member who has played in and captained many leagues, and volunteered for and run many Chapter events. Retired from Xerox, she first joined the Board in 2017.
Two directors retain their current positions for another year in our Chapter’s staggered-term system:
Wendy Rosher continues serving as COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR and Katie Vitello as FINANCE & RECORDS DIRECTOR.

One director position remains vacant:
Nearly any director position can work as a shared responsibility, including the remaining open position on our eight-member Board—MARKETING DIRECTOR. We hope that a member, or two, will step forward by the end of the year to take on the challenge of recruiting new members and sponsors.
Three directors are retiring from their Board seats. A big thank you to
Janine Dowling, Michele Endries, and Julie Naglieri
for their contribution to the organization over the past several years. Your hard work and dedication are deeply appreciated!
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