Board of Directors

Anna Eleanor Fierst, Chair

Anna is a great-granddaughter of Eleanor Roosevelt and the daughter of Mrs. Roosevelt’s oldest grandchild, Eleanor Roosevelt Seagraves. Anna has a professional background in publication editing and marketing and managed the communications department at the Woman’s National Democratic Club before becoming its president in 2013. Upon retiring from that official role, and just before the pandemic, she joined the Board of the Eleanor Roosevelt Center (ERVK) to promote the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Her main goal now is to modernize one of ERVK’s “legacy” programs and build programming support for this and a bold new endeavor, the annual Bravery in Literature Award. A native of New York State and Washington DC, Anna currently serves as the Vice Chair of the National Women’s Foundation, an organization that promotes women’s history, youth voting and civic engagement. She and her husband raised two children in Bethesda, Maryland.

Michele Camardella

Michele Camardella is the Director of Alumni Relations at Pace University for their New York City and Pleasantville, NY, campuses. Her current responsibilities include planning signature alumni events and working with school-based alumni committees. Michele received her MA in Public Communications from Fordham University and her BA in American Culture from Vassar College, where she served as secretary of the Alumnae/i Association and remains active as the class events chair and social media manager. She also volunteers at the Second Chance Thrift Shop at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Harrison, NY.

Cindy Curnan

Cindy has deep roots at Val-Kill. Caretaking and hospitality run in her family. A Dutchess County native, she owned the Gables at Rhinebeck bed-and-breakfast and later managed the Olde Rhinebeck Inn, where she welcomed guests, shared family stories of Val-Kill, and encouraged visitors to experience its history firsthand. Through the Inn, she reconnected with Nina Roosevelt Gibson and became actively involved with the Eleanor Roosevelt Center, volunteering at events from the medals ceremony to fundraisers. Her ties to Eleanor Roosevelt go back generations. Cindy’s maternal grandparents, Lester and Marguerite Entrup, lived at Val-Kill Cottage as Eleanor’s cook and houseman, while her Uncle Charlie Curnan served as Eleanor’s handyman and caretaker. Cindy’s mother Barbara and Aunt Janet also lived there during those years, and family stories have been lovingly passed down. At Eleanor’s funeral in Hyde Park, Lester, Charlie, Cindy’s father Pat, and Uncle Gary served as pallbearers. Cindy continues her family’s legacy of service, bringing with her a strong network of community connections and a lifelong bond to Val-Kill.

Lynn A. Ruggiero, Ph.D.

Lynn, a licensed mental health counselor and retired associate psychologist with the New York State Office of People with Developmental Disabilities, worked with adults with disabilities (and abilities) and with mental illness, along with family and staff who cared for them. She holds a Ph.D. in social and personality psychology from the City University of New York, an MA in school psychology from Fairfield University, and a BA from Marist College. Lynn’s doctoral research and work were in international conflict resolution, with an emphasis on the Middle East. Lynn believes that serving marginalized people is a humanizing and affirming profession, and works to support and empower people to become their best. International travel is a passion through which Lynn meets people from various countries of the world and shares in the cultures and perspectives of others. Much like Eleanor Roosevelt, Lynn believes people-to-people exchanges affect the world in small but significant ways.

Madeleine Schachter

Madeleine Schachter is Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, where she teaches Medical Ethics and Advanced Clinical Ethics to medical students, and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she teaches courses in Bioethics and Health System Science & Health Equity to medical students.  Previously, she practiced law for 30 years, most recently as Partner/Global Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at the international law firm Baker & McKenzie, where she worked exclusively on global pro bono and corporate social responsibility matters.  Ms. Schachter is also an artist, exhibiting internationally in museums, galleries, and other venues, and using art to empower others, such as inmates, unhoused children, inpatients in hospitals and hospice facilities, Ukrainian orphans, sex and labor trafficked children in Uganda, and Syrian refugee children.  She is the author of several books, including on Internet speech, privacy law, corporate social responsibility, and pedagogy, and an illustrated children’s book.  Ms. Schachter is a Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, from which she received a BA in Medical Ethics (a major she designed, the first of its kind in any academic institution) and in Political Science.  She received her JD degree from New York University School of Law, where she was a Root Tilden Scholar.

Elizabeth C. Spira

Elizabeth C. Spira is the Chief Executive Officer of Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County (CAP), promoted to the position in 2011. Elizabeth has been employed by CAP in advancing positions for 23 years. Prior to the CEO position, she was the Contract Compliance Officer. In this role, she was instrumental in converting the agency’s data collection and documentation to a comprehensive integrated reporting system. Her expertise includes fiscal and program management, overseeing the operations of four Family Development Centers with a total of 25 employees. Elizabeth holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and an Associates Degree in Accounting. Additional areas of continuing education include outcome reporting and contract compliance.

Anne Taylor

Anne is a retired Judge from Ohio who now resides in Sarasota, Florida. During her 24 years on the bench, she frequently presented seminars to lawyers and Judges on the topics of professionalism, ethics and trial skills. She was consistently rated as the highest ranking Judge in the Columbus Bar Association’s Judicial Performance Poll. Anne has served on a variety of Boards, which reflect her diverse interests, these include; Capital University Law School Alumni Association, The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Columbus Bar Association Ethics Committee, Friends of the Homeless, Columbus AIDS Task Force, and The Franklin Inns of Court.

Nina Roosevelt Gibson, Ph.D

Nina, granddaughter of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, spent her formative years living with her parents in Val-Kill’s Stone Cottage. Earning her Ph.D. in psychology from the Ohio State University, Nina worked in the public sector with disadvantaged families. She was a founding member and board chair of the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center. Currently, Nina serves on the boards of the Living New Deal Project, Cheetah Conservation Fund of Namibia, and Banner-UMC Hospital’s Sarver Heart Center Advisory Board and continues to be active with cardiovascular transplant patients and their families.