About Our Board

Barbara O’Keefe is a retired educator. She received a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in History and a Master of Science in Education. Barbara is a charter member of the Fort La Présentation Association and serves as the president. She is a commissioner on the New York State French and Indian War 250th Anniversary Commemoration Commission. She is a member of Forsyth’s Rifles, a charter member and former chairman of the Ogdensburg Historical Commission, a volunteer with Ogdensburg Command Performances and at her church and serves on the Boards of the Saint Lawrence Leadership Institute and the Greater Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce. Barbara enjoys educating children about history through the medium of toys.
 
Joseph Cosentino is a long-time community activist who spent many years as one of the organizers of the Seaway Festival. A retired employee of the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, he is a former president of the CSEA union and has served as president of the CSEA retirees union since 1983. He is a former head of the Knights of Columbus. Over the years he has been honored by the Ogdensburg Rotary Club, the Marine Corps League, New York State’s Office for the Aging, the Ogdensburg Historic Commission, St. Lawrence County Council of Senior Citizens and other groups. He currently serves as a vice president of the fort’s board.
 
Timothy W. Cryderman, born and raised in Madrid, is a member of the North Country Civil War Roundtable, Madrid Historical Society, Forsyth’s Rifles (where he serves as President) and Fort La Présentation Company Inc, where he is Vice President of Program and Long-Range Planning.
 
Marsha Hough is a Special Education Teacher for the St. Lawrence-Lewis B.O.C.E.S and works at Heuvelton Central School. Marsha earned Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology and Elementary Education as well as a Master's Degree in Special Education at SUNY Potsdam. She is the current Secretary, and the Chairperson of the Annual Dinner Committee. Marsha is a Past Chairperson of the Historical Commission and is the current Vice-Chairperson. She is a member of Forsyth's Rifles of Ogdensburg, is an avid re-enactor, and demonstrates period campfire cooking at local and regional events.
 
Eric Brunet is a Financial Consultant / Vice President for Community Investment Services, Inc. He is Treasurer for the Fort La Presentation Company, President of the Ogdensburg Historic Commission, and a former Executive Director of the Greater Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce. Brunet attended Prudential University and Canandaigua College.
 
Laura Ashley works at Casella Waste Services in Potsdam. Laura is a former Executive Director of the Greater Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce. She is a former president of the Claxton Hepburn Medical Auxiliary, a former president of Madill School PTA, former chairperson of the OFA Project Graduation, Co-Chairperson of the All-America City Committee, a former board member of the Claxton Hepburn Medical Center, a former team representative for Ogdensburg Minor Hockey and a former board member of Ogdensburg Pee Wee Football.
 
Douglas R. Cubbison is Command Historian of the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum, New York. He has previously served as Cultural Resources Manager for the US Military Academy, West Point, New York. Cubbison has published one book, two monographs, and scores of articles on various historic preservation and military, transportation and social history topics. He previously served on the National Board of Directors for the Blue and Gray Educational Society, is a Life Member of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, and was a founding member of the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Society and Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table. He has been a living historian for 36 years, previously served as Site Manager for Ohio Village with the Ohio Historical Society, and is currently US Commander of Fraser’s Company of Select Marksmen.
 
Michael Forrest Sr. is retired from Public Service Electric and Gas Company of New Jersey where he worked for 37 years in construction supervising electrical, mechanical, civil and structural work. He spent 10 years as a construction manager and project manager overseeing several multi-million dollar projects.
 
Fred Hanss is the Director of Planning and Economic Development for the Village of Potsdam, New York. Among his professional interests are affordable housing, historic preservation and downtown development. He serves on the Board of Directors of the NYS Rural Housing Coalition. He also has a passion for early American and local history. He serves on the Board of Directors of Traditional Arts in Upstate New York and is a member of the NYS Muzzle-loaders Association. He is an active adult leader in Potsdam Boy Scout Troop 77 and a member of the Potsdam Rotary Club.
 
Donald J. Hooper is a Certified Public Accountant and founding partner of the Hooper and Van House, CPA firm. He holds a BS from SUNY Buffalo and an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology. He is past Chairman and current Vice Chairman of the St. Lawrence County Workforce Investment Board and is the Assistant Treasurer of the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority. Hooper is also the Civil Service Commissioner for the City of Ogdensburg.
 
Dr. Joseph L. Kennedy is the President of SUNY Canton. Prior to his appointment at SUNY Canton, he served as the Vice President and Dean of the Faculty at William Woods University in Fulton, MO. He has also worked as the Dean of Academic Affairs at Johnson State College in Johnson, VT. Dr. Kennedy received his B.S. in biology from North Georgia College, his M.S. in entomology from Clemson University and his PhD. in wildlife resource management from Utah State University.

During his tenure as the President, Dr. Kennedy has worked to expand the mission of the college, including the addition of 13 new four-year degrees with 20 expected by Fall 2008. In addition, he has reached out to the community in a variety of ways and has worked to improve the economic climate of the North Country. Currently, he is engaged in a comprehensive campaign to raise $10 million from private sources to assist the college with carrying out its mission.
 
Judy Lesperance graduated from Ogdensburg Free Academy. She worked as an LPN at Community General in Syracuse, A. Barton Hepburn Hospital and the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Hospital. She later became a Physical Therapy Assistant at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center and as a PTA Consultant with United Helpers. She is a former Trustee at the First Congregational Church and a former House Committee member at the Ogdensburg Elk’s Lodge # 772. Lesperance has been a volunteer with Hospice, Seaway Valley Canoe Races, Special Olympics, Hands Across America, the AmVets and the VFW Auxiliary. With the Fort Association, she has been active with the Founder's Day and the Annual Dinner.
 
Harry Luchetti is a long-time community activist now retired from National Diamond and former head of the Knights of Columbus.
 
John Miller Jr. and his family have been reenacting the American Revolutionary War period for 33 years. He is a graduate of SUNY Buffalo with his BS. Ed. Degree and SUNY Potsdam with his MS. Ed. Degree. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at three colleges in Northern New York. He worked in public relations and advertising agencies in New York City following some 10 years as an aerospace and rocket engineer. He has collected a large number of Colonial artifacts and has presented programs on the Colonial period at many schools and Sackets Harbor Visitor's Center.
 
Stacy Mix has brought her skills and experience in graphic arts and design to the Fort La Présentation Association.
 
Jim Reagen is the managing editor of the Journal and Advance News. He is the author of Warriors of La Preséntation, a history of Fort La Preséntation in the French and Indian War and Fort Oswegatchie, a history of the fort’s role during the Revolutionary War. He is a charter member of the Fort La Preséntation board of directors, a charter member of the Ogdensburg Historical Commission, the former chairman of the city’s Downtown Battlefield Committee, the co-founder of the annual Battle of Ogdensburg observance in February, and the recipient of numerous journalism awards.
 
John Rishe is the deputy director for industrial development for the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority. He formerly worked in the Department of Planning and Development for the City of Ogdensburg and coordinated the City's Empire Zone Program. He is a graduate of Potsdam State University. Rishe is a former reporter for the Journal and Advance News.
 
Judith Cree Ryan is an Akwesasne Mohawk with a special interest for the re-creation of Fort La Preséntation because of her cultural and religious heritage. She has held positions as professor and director of nursing at SUNY Canton, director of nursing of Binghamton Psychiatric Center, and director of women’s health services at Claxton Hepburn Medical Center. Ryan is a nationally certified nurse practitioner in adult health and has masters’ degrees from St. Lawrence University and Syracuse University. She is currently a member of Ogdensburg Zonta Club and on the board of the St. Lawrence County Historical Association. Ryan is working at St. Joseph’s Home.
 
Marsha Sawyer is a member of the St. Lawrence Lewis BOCES Program Planning and Grant Development division. She administers a federal partnership project - the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative - which is sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services. Sawyer is a former administrator at Mater Dei College and Ogdensburg Free Academy. Active in youth-oriented community service activities, she was involved with the development of the Ogdensburg skateboard park, and is a past president of the Ogdensburg Kiwanis Club.
 
Michael Whittaker is a branding management analyst in the International Markets Bureau of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Whittaker also has many years experience in media and public relations with the Government of Canada. He has been a military re-enactor for more than 25 year, as a member of Forsyth's Rifles, the United Train of Artillery of Rhode Island and similar organizations. Whittaker also provides heritage interpretation to schools, historic sites and community events.