Board of Directors
Anna Eleanor Fierst, Chair
Anna is a great-granddaughter of Eleanor Roosevelt and the daughter of Eleanor Roosevelt’s oldest grandchild, Eleanor Roosevelt Seagraves. Anna has a professional background in publication editing and marketing and managed the communications department of the Woman’s National Democratic Club (WNDC) before becoming its president in 2012. During her tenure, Anna guided the WNDC through a series of governance and operational overhauls. Anna recently stepped down from the WNDC to focus on promoting the values espoused in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). A strong believer in Mrs. Roosevelt’s credo that human rights begin “close to home,” Anna also served as president of a civic association and is currently active in a local watchdog group, the Coalition for Bethesda Area Residents. Anna holds a BA in history from Columbia University, and with her husband, raised two children in Bethesda, Maryland.
Sara Boettiger, Ph.D
Sara Boettiger is the great-granddaughter of Eleanor Roosevelt. Dr. Boettiger is an economist with a career tackling social and environmental challenges around the world. She currently works on global agriculture and food systems, climate change, women’s economic empowerment, corporate social responsibility, and ocean conservancy. Dr. Boettiger was previously Senior Vice President, Global Head of Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability for Bayer Crop Science. Prior to that, she co-led the McKinsey Center for Agricultural Transformation, served as Deputy Director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was a faculty fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, taught economics at UC Berkeley, and was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils. Currently, she is an independent advisor, serving on the advisory committee for the Export-Import Bank of the United States and on the Climate Intelligence Council of Cervest.
Keith Brokaw
Keith is a senior relationship manager for TD Bank in the New Windsor regional office. He has worked in the banking industry for 38 years and brings a wealth of financial expertise to ERVK. Keith serves as a moderator for the Hudson River Presbytery and an elder at the First Presbyterian Church of Monroe. Caring immensely about making an impact in the lives of others in the areas of education, income equity and health, Keith is active with United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, participating in their annual grant review process. Keith and his wife, who have been married for over 34 years, have three children and two grandchildren.
Michele Camardella
Michele Camardella is the Senior Associate 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..
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.
Dan Ilani
Dan Ilani is a media advisor with over 10 years of experience in the entertainment industry, where he has worked as an executive producer, a television agent, and an entertainment lawyer. He has a master’s degree in film from the London Film School, and a juris doctor degree in intellectual property law from Cardozo School of Law.
Currently, Dan works with mission-driven media companies to build their go-to-market TV and streaming strategies and teams. He is a board member and the entertainment division leader for A Kids Company About, a pioneering impact-driven eco-tainment studio that harnesses the massive power of kids to make the world a better place. Dan’s passion is to create and support media content that educates, inspires, and entertains audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
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.
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.