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Executive Board
Honorary Board
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Our management team is led by Mary Ellen Whitney. She holds a Masters Degree of Education from Lehigh University in Special Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education with a concentration in Adaptive Physical Education from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Whitney is also accredited or certified through numerous national organizations including: National Therapeutic Recreation Association, Professional Ski Instructors of America, Disabled Sports USA, Red Cross - Water Safety Instruction/First Aid, American Ski Teaching Association, Special Olympics, American Heart Association, and National Association of Underwater Instructors. Ms. Whitney took full-time leadership of STRIDE in September of 2006, after running the organization for 20 years as a volunteer. She has been
recognized for her leadership skills statewide and nationally
including such honors as 2006 Jefferson Award for American Institute
of Public Service; NYS Senate "Woman of Distinction' Award selected
by Senate Majority Leader, Joseph Bruno; Muhlenberg High School Hall
of Fame; and in 2004 - Woman's Day Magazine "Woman of the Year
Award", to name a few.
Mark is serving his first term with STRIDE as Treasurer. He as an extensive background in finances and accounting. He and his son, Josh also serve as ski instructors for STRIDE at Jiminy Peak. He lives in Averill Park, NY, with his wife Beverly and 2 children. Mark also plays in a popular local band called Top Shelf.
David recently joined the STRIDE team as Secretary. Dave has been involved with many of the STRIDE spring and summer programs as a parent participating with his son, Kyle. He and his wife Charlene, and family reside in Selkirk .
Tom Gilbert Tom has spent his
entire life in the ski industry at least part time, starting with
selling hot chocolate at a ski-in ski-out coffee shack before learning
to make snow at snow age 6 with the first SMI prototype snow gun, and
then learning to drive a Snow Cat at age 9. Over the years he has
performed many functions at ski areas. Tom resides in Lenox, Massachusetts with his wife Beverly and their son Matt.
Ann has a rich history with STRIDE as a community partner when she served as District Superintendent for Questar III BOCES. After retirement, she joined the Board in 2002.
Patrick Fitzgerald, III
Before returning to the Capital District with his family in 2001, Patrick was a partner in a prominent law firm in Connecticut and served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Connecticut School of Law. While in Connecticut, he was involved in many community activities and was a founder of the Bridgeport Youth Leadership Academy. In addition to his service on the board of STRIDE, Patrick currently is the President of the St. Pius X School Board, and he is actively involved in a leadership position in many endeavors at the school and at St. Pius X Parish in Loudonville. He and his wife, Sheila, have three children and reside Loudonville.
Dr. James P.
Furlong II, MD
Dr. James P. Furlong is a graduate of
the Albany Medical College. He
 completed a residency in Orthopaedic
Surgery at the New York Medical College in New York City and is
Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Furlong has been practicing in Troy since 1979 and specializes in Joint Replacement Surgery and Sports Injuries. He is the orthopaedic surgeon for the Albany River Rats hockey team.. Dr. Furlong is affiliated with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Rensselaer County Medical Society, and the Lake Placid Sports Medicine Society. He is the Chairman of the Credentials Committee at Samaritan Hospital in Troy. Dr. Furlong has been a ski instructor for STRIDE for 3 years, a camp counselor, and volunteer. He lives in Averill Park with his wife Laurie and is the father of two boys. His son, Sean is a STRIDE athlete. Laurie Furlong
She is married 30 years and has two sons. Laurie was the parent member for Averill Park Central School District Committee on Special Education (14 years). She is also a STRIDE Ski instructor, along with her husband Jim; who is an orthopedic surgeon. She is the founder of the Albany Cougars Special Hockey Club - ice hockey for developmentally challenged youth & adults. She currently serves on the LaSalle Institute Board of Trustees; and volunteers Little Sisters of the Poor /Our Lady of Hope Residence; District 14 Little League Representative for Challenger Division.
Mark Lyons Mark is new to the STRIDE Board, but not new to STRIDE. He has been a ski instructor at Jiminy Peak Adaptive program for a few years. He resides in Delmar with his wife. (his bio and photo forthcoming from Mark).
Debbie Ebersold
Debbie has been Administrative Assistant for STRIDE, Inc. since 2002. She has her college degree in Therapeutic Recreation and is Certified CTRS. She has worked as a Recreation or Activities Therapist for the Stratton VA Medical Center, New Medico Head Trauma Rehabilitation Centers, and St. Peters Addiction Recovery Center. She and her husband James reside in Slingerlands, NY with their three children. Her oldest daughter Elissa is also a STRIDE volunteer.
Katie Moshier Ms.
Moshier is a graduate of Bethlehem Central High School and Moravian
College where she earned a BA in Education and Sociology. She taught
High School Spanish in Alabama and Texas before relocating to
Albany. She has taken great interest in people with special needs,
especially our returning veterans who have sustained injuries in
combat. Ms. Moshier is the third employee in this fast growing
organization and her role will be to assist in fund development and
establishing partnerships in the community Ms. Moshier is active in the Albany area serving in the Parent Partnership Group at Corporate Woods Children’s Center and is a member of a federal task force to improve conditions for returning veterans. She served as Honorary Grand Marshal for the City of Albany’s 2008 Memorial Day parade. She and her family have established the Captain Timothy J. Moshier Memorial Foundation which benefits the Fisher House, the Gold Star Center at Fort Hood and the Capt. Timothy J. Moshier Memorial Scholarship. Ms. Moshier resides in Delmar with her 3 year-old daughter Natalie and her sister, Ali McKee.
Greg Adams
Gregory Adams is Vice President, SABIC Innovative Plastics, in Detroit, Michigan. Prior to this current role, Adams was chief marketing officer, advanced materials. In 2000, he was President, GE Polymershapes. Adams was raised in Mattituck, Long Island, New York. He joined General Electric in 1985 as a Sales Development Specialist and held various assignments in GE Plastics and GE Silicones. In 1991 he began a 9-year international career with Marketing and Product Management assignments in Japan. He was the Lexan & Cycoloy Business Leader through the start up of the Chiba Lexan Melt Process Plant. In 1996 he was relocated to Singapore and created the Pacific Marketing Organization to drive growth. In 1998 he was named President and CEO for GE Toshiba Silicones with its Headquarters in Tokyo. Under his direction the team lead the redesign of 5 operating companies, built the Shanghai Manufacturing Facility and created the Joint Venture with Shin Etsu in Thailand. In 2000 he returned to the USA to complete the Cadillac and Commercial Plastics transactions and integrate GE Polymershapes into GEP. He received his B.S. degree in Technology Education from the State University of New York at Oswego in 1982. Greg is married with two children and lives in Detroit, MI.
Phil Bayly
Phil has been reporting for television and radio since 1975. He has been a member of the news staff at WNYT since June 1986. Phil grew up in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. When he graduated from Colorado State University, Phil was already a reporter for KHOW Radio in Denver. He also worked as a reporter for KLOV Radio and KRNK/NBC All News Radio before he moved to television. At KJCT-TV in Grand Junction, Colorado Phil won numerous Associated Press awards for his reporting and rose to News Director. Metroland has also named him “Best Television Reporter”. For many years, Phil served as WNYT’s political reporter as well as a general assignment reporter. Phil raced on the ski team at Colorado State University and continues to race on the masters level. Michael G. BreslinAlbany County Executive A resident of Albany, all his life, Mike was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1957. Upon graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. After completing Airborne and Ranger schools, he served in the 82nd Airborne Division. After serving in Vietnam, he was honorably discharged in 1969 as a Major. His decorations  include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantry Badge. Mike is a University of Toledo Law School graduate and he was an attorney in private practice for more than 20 years. Mike's community service includes serving on the board of Hospitality House, LaSalle School for Boys and serving as an attorney for the St. Anne Institute. more than ten years of coaching community youth baseball and softball teams. He was a member of the Albany County Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Committee. He joined the STRIDE Honorary Board in 2008.
Kurt W. Butenhoff
Kurt W. Butenhoff, after 15
years as Senior Managing Director at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. , has
recently taken a new position at Ward
Capital LLC focusing on managing accounts of high net
worth families as well as advising institutional clients. With 18
years of experience in the Securities Industry, he specializes in
managing equity portfolios.
 Kurt is a Trustee for Columbia-Greene Hospital Foundation, also a Trustee for Gillen Brewer School in New York City where he is presently serving as Co-Chair of Capital Campaign Committee. Kurt lives part-time in New York City and part-time in Columbia County with his wife, Kim, and two children. His son, 'AK' is a STRIDE athlete Thomas Haffner
A former High School Athletic Director and physical education teacher in Pennsylvania, Mr. Haffner returned to the capital region to work for United Community Insurance Co. as a staff attorney. Tom handled various aspects of Civil litigation and subrogation. The past eight years he has been self-employed in a private law practice. Besides being on the Honorary Board for STRIDE, Mr. Haffner is on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of Schenectady, involved in pro-bono work and counsels newly injured spinal cord patients at local hospitals. Michael Hart
Mike became involved with STRIDE by-chance. He came across an advertisement for the STRIDE program in a Ski Expo supplement of the newspaper. Mike signed his oldest son Joe up for ski lessons in 1999 and the rest is history. He is a firm believer of the STRIDE programs and has been a corporate sponsor for STRIDE for the past four years. Mike received an Associates Degree in Construction from Hudson Valley Community College in 1982. After graduation, Mike went to work for a capital area commercial building contractor as an estimator. He was soon promoted to project management and then headed their sales and design departments before being promoted to Vice President of Sales in the fall of 1994. Mike, age 41 is from Troy, New York and now lives in Brunswick with his wife and three boys Joe age 13, Matt age 11 and Daniel age 8. They are involved in skiing, soccer, scouting, motor cycles and auto racing. Brian P. McLane
During Mr. McLane's 11-year tenure at VESID, nearly 150,000 individuals with disabilities have joined the State's workforce with the help of VESID services. He has participated in advocacy efforts that have led to the development of laws and regulations that have greatly expanded employment and independent living opportunities for adults with disabilities and have strengthened programs and raised academic standards for students with disabilities in New York State. Before coming to VESID, Mr. McLane served as Assistant Commissioner in the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. He also served as Senior Executive Assistant to NY Assemblyman Melvin Zimmer. A longtime advocate and consultant for the rights of persons with disabilities, Mr. McLane served as a New York delegate to the 1977 White House Conference on the Disabled, and as Chairman of the NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. He has served as a member of the Governor's Advisory Council on the Handicapped, the NYS Mental Hygiene Planning Council, the Governor's Disability Constituency Cabinet Workgroup, and the Governor's Task Force on Accessibility - 1980 Winter Olympic Games. Mr. McLane has also served on the Onondaga County Cerebral Palsy Center Board of Directors and on the Onondaga County Task Force on the Handicapped. Mr. McLane's has a long list of many distinguished awards and honors. A graduate of Syracuse University, Mr. McLane also holds a Master's Degree in Sports Administration from Ohio University. He has been active as a basketball coach at the semiprofessional level and is a member of countless sports and community associations. Clarence J. Sundram
For 20 years, he served as the founding Chairman of the New York State Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled, an independent state oversight agency charged with advising the governor and legislature, investigating deaths, child abuse, patient abuse, and financial fraud and abuse in programs serving persons with mental disabilities. (www.cqc.state.ny.us) The Commission also serves as New York State's Protection & Advocacy agency for persons with disabilities. Mr. Sundram has also served as Vice-Chairman of the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Protection & Advocacy Agencies. Mr. Sundram has been invited to lecture at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and at the National Judicial College. He has conducted workshops on institutional reform for members of the Russian Duma and several Ministries. He has testified by invitation before both Houses of Congress and before state legislative committees regarding legislation dealing with abuse, neglect and exploitation. He has published numerous articles in legal and other professional journals, and is a frequent speaker at national conferences. He has appeared on such programs as Nightline, 48 Hours and The CBS Evening News. He has received several awards in recognition of his public service, including legislative resolutions by the New York State Senate and Assembly; Distinguished Public Service Awards from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of the University of Albany and from the New York State Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Human Rights Award from the American Psychosocial Rehabilitation Association; a Special Award from the American Association on Mental Retardation and the Humanitarian Award from the New York City Chapter of the Association for Retarded Children.
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Mark Gustafson
Patrick joined STRIDE in 2004. He is a partner with
the law firm of Girvin & Ferlazzo, P.C. in Albany, and focuses his
practice in the area of construction litigation, commercial and business
litigation, personal injury litigation, and labor and employment law.
Patrick received his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University
(magna cum laude) in 1987 and his law degree from The University of
Connecticut School of Law (magna cum laude) in 1992. Patrick also
attended medical school at the University of Rochester School of
Medicine. 
Laurie graduated from Albany Medical Center School of Nursing - 1973 and
was employed at Albany Med, St. Vincent's Hospital , Englewood Hospital,
NJ until moving to Troy in 1979. She currently maintains a license in NY
State. 
through marketing and public relations.
Mr.
Haffner, a long time resident of the capital district region, received a
BA degree of Sociology from Hartwick College in 1975. In 1982 he
received his Masters of Health, Physical Education from east Stroudsburg
State University in Pennsylvania. After body surfing accident that left
him paralyzed from the neck down, he returned to school and received his
Juris Doctorate from Western new England School of Law in 1987 whereby
he received the Marjorie Sullivan Scholarship Award for academic
achievement.
Mike Hart is the CEO and founder of his own company, Troy Management
Group Inc. which specializes in Construction Management and
Pre-Engineered Buildings. Troy Management Group Inc. has
completed construction projects for schools, churches, offices, retail
stores, processing plants as well as auto dealerships and television
stations. They have a long list of repeat customers such as AAA Hudson
Valley, Our Lady of Victory Church & School, Clear Channel Television
and Keeler Motor Car Company. Mike is passionate about everything he
becomes involved with. He has served as chairman of the Pittstown
Planning Board, was President of the former Brittonkill Kiwanis, and was
the Committee Chairman for the Mahikan District of the Twin Rivers
Council of the Boy Scouts of America, was a member of the Building
Committee for the Our Lady of Victory Church in Troy during their
expansion; he served as the Committee Chairman for Cub Scout Pack 537 in
Brunswick for the past seven years, has coached soccer for Brunswick
Soccer Club for 14 seasons. 
Mr. McLane is one of five people nationwide to be inducted into the
National Hall of Fame for Individuals with Disabilities in 2000.
Clarence J. Sundram, JD, is a nationally recognized expert on conditions
in institutions and community programs for persons with mental
disabilities. He currently serves as the Special Master in class action
lawsuits in Maine and Washington, DC involving the rights of persons
with mental disabilities. He is also President of the Board of Directors
of Mental Disability Rights International, an agency which advocates on
behalf of persons with mental disabilities worldwide.
To volunteer, participate or to become a sponsor contact: STRIDE Inc.PO Box 778 Rensselear, NY 12144 Phone: (518)598-1279 Fax: (518)286-3201 Email: info@stride.org |